A fancy dress accessory handbag for children was claimed by consumers to exhibit an offensive smell. Sensory characterization by an expert panel revealed, amongst others, rubber- and car tire - like ...notes. For elucidation of the molecular reasons of this sensory defect, the volatile fraction of the product was isolated by means of solvent extraction and high vacuum distillation. Identification of the main odorants was accomplished by means of one- and two-dimensional gas chromatography, with parallel mass spectrometric and olfactometric detection. In total more than 60 odorants were detected in the sample and more than 30 of these odour-active substances could be identified. Amongst them were a number of naphthalene derivatives as well as saturated and mono- or di-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. The naphthalene derivatives that were identified in the children's article appeared to be mainly responsible for the characteristic off-odour. Additionally, a GC-MS-screening for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was performed, which revealed the presence of 15 PAHs in total. However, 14 of them were of no relevance for the smell of the product.
Endocrine factors regulate food intake and growth, two interlinked physiological processes critical for the proper development of organisms. Somatic growth is mainly regulated by growth hormone (GH) ...and insulin-like growth factors I and II (IGF-I and IGF-II) that act on target tissues, including muscle, and bones. Peptidyl hormones produced from the brain and peripheral tissues regulate feeding to meet metabolic demands. The GH-IGF system and hormones regulating appetite are regulated by both internal (indicating the metabolic status of the organism) and external (environmental) signals. Among the external signals, the most notable are diet availability and diet composition. Macronutrients and micronutrients act on several hormone-producing tissues to regulate the synthesis and secretion of appetite-regulating hormones and hormones of the GH-IGF system, eventually modulating growth and food intake. A comprehensive understanding of how nutrients regulate hormones is essential to design diet formulations that better modulate endogenous factors for the benefit of aquaculture to increase yield. This review will discuss the current knowledge on nutritional regulation of hormones modulating growth and food intake in fish.
The liver circadian clock plays a pivotal role in driving metabolic rhythms, being primarily entrained by the feeding schedule, although the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. This study aimed to ...investigate the potential role of insulin as an intake signal mediating liver entrainment in fish. To achieve this, the expression of clock genes, which form the molecular basis of endogenous oscillators, was analyzed in goldfish liver explants treated with insulin. The presence of insulin directly increased the abundance of
and
transcripts in the liver. The dependency of protein translation for such insulin effects was evaluated using cycloheximide, which revealed that intermediate protein translation is seemingly unnecessary for the observed insulin actions. Furthermore, the putative interaction between insulin and glucocorticoid signaling in the liver was examined, with the results suggesting that both hormones exert their effects by independent mechanisms. Finally, to investigate the specific pathways involved in the insulin effects, inhibitors targeting PI3K/AKT and MEK/ERK were employed. Notably, inhibition of PI3K/AKT pathway prevented the induction of
genes by insulin, supporting its involvement in this process. Together, these findings suggest a role of insulin in fish as a key element of the multifactorial system that entrains the liver clock to the feeding schedule.
There is no information available on fish as far as the possible effects of ghrelin on hypothalamic fatty acid metabolism and the response of fatty acid-sensing systems, which are involved in the ...control of food intake. Therefore, we assessed in rainbow trout the response of food intake, hypothalamic fatty acid-sensing mechanisms and expression of neuropeptides involved in the control of food intake to the central treatment of ghrelin in the presence or absence of a long-chain fatty acid such as oleate. We observed that the orexigenic actions of ghrelin in rainbow trout are associated with changes in fatty acid metabolism in the hypothalamus and an inhibition of fatty acid-sensing mechanisms, which ultimately lead to changes in the expression of anorexigenic and orexigenic peptides resulting in increased orexigenic potential and food intake. Moreover, the response to increased levels of oleate of hypothalamic fatty acid-sensing systems (activation), expression of neuropeptides (enhanced anorexigenic potential) and food intake (decrease) were counteracted by the simultaneous treatment with ghrelin. These changes provide evidence for the first time in fish of a possible modulatory role of ghrelin on the metabolic regulation by fatty acid of food intake occurring in the hypothalamus.
The COVID-19 pandemic is a major stressful life event. This pandemic is causing significant changes in older adults' daily life affecting their physical and mental health. Psychological wellbeing is ...a protective variable when facing adverse circumstances, like the COVID-19 pandemic. This study analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on older adults' psychological wellbeing (personal growth and purpose in life) over time.
One hundred ninety-two people over 60 years old participated in a longitudinal study. Data were collected in three time points: during the lockdown on March 2020, when the lockdown finished (4 months after baseline), and during the third wave (10 months after baseline). We used latent growth curve models to assess the linear longitudinal trajectories of psychological wellbeing.
Older adults did not show worse psychological wellbeing over time. Age has a positive impact on purpose in life. Furthermore, being a male, worrying about adverse effects of COVID-19, family functioning, resilience, personal growth, and acceptance associated with purpose in life.
These results suggest that despite the difficult circumstances experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults have used protective variables for their psychological wellbeing.
We hypothesize that glucosensor mechanisms other than that mediated by glucokinase (GK) operate in hypothalamus and hindbrain of the carnivorous fish species rainbow trout and stress affected them. ...Therefore, we evaluated in these areas changes in parameters which could be related to putative glucosensor mechanisms based on liver X receptor (LXR), mitochondrial activity, sweet taste receptor, and sodium/glucose co-transporter 1 (SGLT-1) 6 h after intraperitoneal injection of 5 mL x Kg(-1) of saline solution alone (normoglycaemic treatment) or containing insulin (hypoglycaemic treatment, 4 mg bovine insulin x Kg(-1) body mass), or D-glucose (hyperglycaemic treatment, 500 mg x Kg(-1) body mass). Half of tanks were kept at a 10 Kg fish mass x m(-3) and denoted as fish under normal stocking density (NSD) whereas the remaining tanks were kept at a stressful high stocking density (70 kg fish mass x m(-3)) denoted as HSD. The results obtained in non-stressed rainbow trout provide evidence, for the first time in fish, that manipulation of glucose levels induce changes in parameters which could be related to putative glucosensor systems based on LXR, mitochondrial activity and sweet taste receptor in hypothalamus, and a system based on SGLT-1 in hindbrain. Stress altered the response of parameters related to these systems to changes in glycaemia.
There is extensive concern about older people's care in institutions, especially recently in the past years. One of the reasons is linked to the cases of elder abuse, not only shown by academic and ...scientific sources, but also by social and mass media and their impact on public perception of the institutional setting. What is more, current COVID-19 pandemic consequences on older people have provoked alarm and worry especially about what is happening in institutions.
The sample for this study consists of 286 staff working in nursing homes in Spain. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Professional Good Care Scale in Nursing Homes (GCS-NH).
Results of parallel analyses and exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) showed a four-factor model for the 32-item scale: humanization (9 items), non-infantilization (10 items), respect (7 items) and empowerment (6 items). Then, psychometric properties were tested analysing internal consistency (reliability) and convergent, divergent and criterion validity. High internal consistency (reliability) and different validity evidence were obtained for the total scores of the GCS-NH and its subscales. GCS-NH scores were also capable of detecting risk of probable institutional elder abuse.
Results show that this scale is an appropriate, valid, and reliable multidimensional instrument to evaluate good care in older institutionalized people by staff. Good care is an outcome of a complex construct in which a wide range of factors converge (staff, older people, and environmental characteristics). The GCS-NH has potential to be used as a multidimensional tool to assess good care.
BACKGROUND:After a country wide outbreak occurred during 2003–2004, 1 dose of hepatitis A vaccine was introduced into Argentinian regular immunization schedule for all children aged 12 months in June ...2005. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of this novel intervention.
METHODS:A longitudinal analysis was done of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection rates reported to the National Epidemiological Surveillance System from 2000 to 2011. Occurrence of fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) and liver transplantation cases up to 2011 were also assessed. Incidence rates and clinical impact were compared between pre- and postvaccination periods (2000–2002 vs. 2006–2011). Notification rates were also compared by age groups and geographical regions.
RESULTS:Since 2006, an abrupt decline was observed in HAV infection rates, as well as in FHF and liver transplantation cases. The mean incidence rate of 7.9/100,000 in the postvaccination period represents a reduction of 88.1% (P < 0.001) when compared with the prevaccination period. Neither FHF nor liver transplantation due to HAV infection were observed since March 2007. Decline in incidence rates was evident in all geographical regions and all age groups but was higher in the prevaccination most affected areas and in young children. Although an absolute decrease was observed for cases and rates in all age groups, since 2006, a higher proportion of cases was observed in people >14 years of age.
CONCLUSIONS:The single-dose vaccination strategy has been highly effective for controlling HAV infection in all age groups till now in Argentina. Long-term surveillance will be critical to document the sustained success of this unique intervention.
Background: Although several biopsychosocial variables could play an important role as risk and protective factors of mental health, COVID-19 outbreak studies among older people have seldom focused ...on protective factors. The purpose of this study was to analyze how older adults' personal strengths predict their well-being and emotional distress. Method: 783 Spanish people aged 60 and over completed a survey that included sociodemographic characteristics, perceived health, direct or indirect infection by COVID-19, resilience, gratitude, experiential avoidance, family functioning, emotional distress and well-being. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was performed. SEM invariance was also used to analyze whether there were differences between older people affected by COVID-19 and those not affected. Results: The best model supports the mediation effect of resilience, gratitude and experiential avoidance on older people's well-being and emotional distress. Whether participants or relatives had been infected by the virus or not did not affect the results. Conclusions: Variables used as criteria in older adults are related to well-being and emotional distress, but only indirectly and mediated by resilience, gratitude and experiential avoidance. This confirms the importance of considering psychological strengths in older people's well-being. Interventions focused on these personal resources should be considered. Keywords: COVID; strengths; protective factors; lockdown; aging; wellbeing;structural equation modelling. Fortalezas Personales en Personas Mayores Durante la Primera Ola de la Pandemia por COVID-19. Antecedentes: las variables biopsicosociales juegan un papel importante como factores de riesgo o protectores de la salud mental, pero los estudios sobre el impacto del COVID-19 en las personas mayores raramente se han centrado en factores protectores. El objetivo del estudio es ana liza r como for ta lezas p ersona les de las personas mayores predicen su bienestar psicologico y malestar emocional. Metodo: 783 personas espanolas mayores de 60 anos completaron el protocolo de evaluacion que incluia caracteristicas sociodemograficas, salud percibida, afectacion directa o indirecta por COVID, resiliencia, gratitud, evitacion experiencial, funcionamiento familiar, malestar emocional y bienestar psicologico. Se utilizo un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales y su invarianza para analizar si existian diferencias entre personas afectadas o no por COVID-19. Resultados: se ha encontrado un modelo que apoya el efecto mediador de la resiliencia, la gratitud y la evitacion experiencial sobre el bienestar psicologico y el malestar emocional. Los resultados se han mantenido independientemente de la afectacion por COVID. Conclusiones: las variables utilizadas como criterio en personas mayores estan relacionadas con el bienestar psicologico y el malestar emocional, pero indirectamente y mediadas por fortalezas personales. Esto confirma la importancia de considerar las fortalezas en el bienestar de las personas mayores. Las intervenciones centradas en recursos personales deben ser consideradas. Palabras clave: COVID; fortalezas; factores protectores; confinamiento; envejecimiento; bienestar; modelo de ecuaciones estructurales.
This study aimed to analyse how stereotypes towards older people moderate the relationship between burnout and quality of life (QoL) of professionals working in nursing homes.
A total of 312 ...professionals were asked to complete questionnaires of burnout Maslach Burnout Inventory quality of Life (QPL-35) and aging stereotypes (CENVE). The moderation effects were tested using linear regression models.
A negative association was observed between burnout and QoL. It was also found a statistically significant moderator effect of the total score of stereotypes and the health stereotypes, besides a marginally statistically significant moderator effect for motivational stereotypes. The moderator effects were different for people with low and high negative stereotypes. QoL was more affected under conditions of high burnout, in which people with more negative stereotypes tended to present higher QoL than people with lower negative stereotypes.
Highly burned-out professionals in nursing homes may avoid their negative feelings projecting them to residents through stereotypes, as a way of coping with burnout and increasing their QoL. However, this mechanism is an "aggressive reaction" and may have negative effects for both the older adult and the professional. The comprehension of these variables is essential for developing adequate intervention programs.
PDF
