A circadian output center controlling feeding:fasting rhythms in Drosophila.

Circadian rhythms allow animals to coordinate behavioral and physiological processes with respect to one another and to synchronize these processes to external environmental cycles. In most animals, circadian rhythms are produced by core clock neurons in the brain that generate and transmit time-of-day signals to downstream tissues, driving overt rhythms. The neuronal pathways controlling clock outputs, however, are not well understood. Furthermore, it is unclear how the central clock modulates multiple distinct circadian outputs. Identifying the cellular components and neuronal circuitry underlying circadian regulation is increasingly recognized as a critical step in the effort to address health pathologies linked to circadian disruption, including heart disease and metabolic disorders. Here, building on the conserved components of circadian and metabolic systems in mammals and Drosophila melanogaster, we used a recently developed feeding monitor to characterize the contribution to circadian feeding rhythms of two key neuronal populations in the Drosophila pars intercerebralis (PI), which is functionally homologous to the mammalian hypothalamus. We demonstrate that thermogenetic manipulations of PI neurons expressing the neuropeptide SIFamide (SIFa) as well as mutations of the SIFa gene degrade feeding:fasting rhythms. In contrast, manipulations of a nearby population of PI neurons that express the Drosophila insulin-like peptides (DILPs) affect total food consumption but leave feeding rhythms intact. The distinct contribution of these two PI cell populations to feeding is accompanied by vastly different neuronal connectivity as determined by trans-Tango synaptic mapping. These results for the first time identify a non-clock cell neuronal population in Drosophila that regulates feeding rhythms and furthermore demonstrate dissociable control of circadian and homeostatic aspects of feeding regulation by molecularly-defined neurons in a putative circadian output hub.

The longitudinal impact of diet, physical activity, sleep, and screen time on Canadian adolescents' academic achievement: An analysis from the COMPASS study.

Adequate amounts of physical activity, sleep, and screen time along with a healthy diet have been demonstrated to have positive associations with academic achievement. No longitudinal study has investigated the simultaneous relationship between all of these behaviours and academic achievement. Data from 11,016 adolescent participants of the COMPASS study in Alberta and Ontario were analysed. Students self-reported their adherence to Canadian recommendations for health behaviours and academic achievement in Math and English on school-based surveys administered in the 2015/16 and 2016/17 waves of COMPASS. Multinomial generalized estimating equations were used to evaluate the association between longitudinal changes in adherence to recommendations and academic achievement at follow-up. Models were adjusted for self-reported sociodemographic information, body weight status, and baseline academic achievement. Students who adhered to a greater number of recommendations performed better than students who adhered to fewer recommendations. Meeting recommendations for Meat and Alternatives (protein-rich foods) and screen time were consistently associated with higher academic achievement compared to students who did not meet these recommendations. A change from not meeting recommendations for Vegetables and Fruit to meeting the recommendation in the following year was associated with higher achievement in both subjects. There was no association between sleep behaviours or physical activity and academic achievement. Results indicate that adherence to recommendations for protein-rich foods, screen time, and vegetables and fruit show promise as behavioural targets for higher academic achievement among youth. Further study using objectives measurements of behaviours and further consideration of socioeconomic variables is merited.

Physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and psychosocial well-being among young South Korean children.

OBJECTIVE: To examine associations between television (TV) viewing, reading, physical activity (PA), and psychosocial well-being among a representative sample of young South Korean children aged 0-5 years. METHODS: Findings are based on 1,774 children who participated in the Korea Children and Youth Survey. All measures were questionnaire-derived. Psychosocial well-being included social, interactive, and emotional skills (α = .7-.9), and the top quartile denoted high psychosocial well-being. Multiple logistic regressions were performed to examine relationships after controlling for several confounders. RESULTS: Compared to children who participated in PA for <1 hr/week, those who participated in PA for 1- <3 hr/week were more likely to show high emotional skills (odds ratio [OR]: 1.40, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.02, 1.93]), and those who participated ≥3 hr/week were more likely to show high social (OR: 2.01, 95% CI [1.45, 2.78]) and interactive skills (OR: 1.39, 95% CI [1.01, 1.92]). During weekdays, children who read 1- <3 hr/day and ≥3 hr/day, compared to <1 hr/day, were more likely to show high social (OR: 1.61, 95% CI [1.20, 2.16] and OR: 2.47, 95% CI [1.31, 4.67]) and emotional skills (OR: 1.57, 95% CI [1.16, 2.13] and OR: 2.58, 95% CI [1.34, 4.98]). In addition, children who read 1- <3 hr/day, compared to <1 hr/day, were more likely to show high interactive skills (OR: 1.44, 95% CI [1.08, 1.92]). Similar findings for reading on weekends were observed. TV viewing was not associated with social skills or interactive skills. TV viewing for 1- <3 hr/day, compared to <1 hr/day, was associated with increased odds of high emotional skills (OR: 1.71, 95% CI [1.28, 2.27] on weekdays; OR: 1.90, 95% CI [1.39, 2.61] on weekends). CONCLUSION: PA and reading primarily showed favourable associations with psychosocial well-being, whereas TV viewing did not; thus, PA or reading may be a better option over TV viewing for optimal psychosocial well-being among young South Korean children. These findings should be confirmed with stronger study designs.

ROS-induced nanotherapeutic approach for ovarian cancer treatment based on the combinatorial effect of photodynamic therapy and DJ-1 gene suppression.

This study represents a novel approach for intraoperative ovarian cancer treatment based on the combinatorial effect of a targeted photodynamic therapy (PDT) associated with suppression of the DJ-1 protein, one of the key players in the ROS defense of cancer cells. To assess the potential of the developed therapy, dendrimer-based nanoplatforms for cancer-targeted delivery of near-infrared photosensitizer, phthalocyanine, and DJ-1 siRNA have been constructed. In vitro studies revealed that therapeutic efficacy of the combinatorial approach was enhanced when compared to PDT alone and this enhancement was more pronounced in ovarian carcinoma cells, which are characterized by higher basal levels of DJ-1 protein. Moreover, the ovarian cancer tumors exposed to a single dose of combinatorial therapy were completely eradicated from the mice and the treated animals showed no evidence of cancer recurrence. Thus, the developed therapeutic approach can be potentially employed intraoperatively to eradicate unresactable cancer cells. FROM THE CLINICAL EDITOR: The complete clearance of microscopic residual tumor cells during excision surgery is important to improve survival of the patient. In this interesting paper, the authors developed a novel approach using targeted photodynamic therapy (PDT), combining a photosensitizer, phthalocyanine, and DJ-1 siRNA for the treatment of ovarian cancer. The data showed that this approach increased cancer cell killing and may pave way for future clinical studies.

Physical environments, policies and practices for physical activity and screen-based sedentary behaviour among preschoolers within child care centres in Melbourne, Australia and Kingston, Canada.

BACKGROUND: Characteristics of preschool and child care centres have previously been shown to be associated with children's health behaviours such as physical activity and screen-based sedentary behaviour. This paper investigates differences in physical environments, policies and practices between child care centres in Melbourne, Australia and Kingston, Canada which may be associated with such behaviours. METHODS: Audits of child care centres were undertaken by trained research assistants for the Healthy Active Preschool and Primary Years (Melbourne, Australia; n = 136) study and the Healthy Living Habits in Pre-School Children (Kingston, Canada; n = 46) study. Twenty-one of the audit items (nine physical environment; 12 policies and practices) were assessed in both samples. Example items included outdoor play and shaded areas, availability of equipment, physical activity instruction for children and staff, opportunities to use electronic media and staff/child interaction during physical activity time. Analyses were completed using SAS version 9.2. RESULTS: Compared with Australian centres, a higher per cent of Canadian centres had a formal physical activity policy, reported children sat more frequently for 30 min or more and allowed children to watch television. A higher per cent of Australian centres provided an indoor area for physical activity, shade outdoors and physical activity education to staff. Children in Australian centres had access to more fixed play equipment and spent more time outdoors than in Canadian centres. CONCLUSIONS: These findings may help inform the development of best practice and policy guidelines to enhance opportunities for healthy levels of physical activity and screen-based sedentary behaviour within child care centres in both countries.

Vigorous physical activity and longitudinal associations with cardiometabolic risk factors in youth.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the longitudinal associations between different physical activity (PA) intensities and cardiometabolic risk factors among a sample of Canadian youth. METHODS: The findings are based on a 2-year prospective cohort study in a convenience sample of 315 youth aged 9-15 years at baseline from rural and urban schools in Alberta, Canada. Different intensities (light, moderate and vigorous) of PA were objectively assessed with Actical accelerometers. The main outcome measures were body mass index (BMI) z-score, waist circumference, cardiorespiratory fitness and systolic blood pressure at 2-year-follow-up and conditional BMI z-score velocity. A series of linear regression models were conducted to investigate the associations after adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: At follow-up, cardiorespiratory fitness increased (quartile 1 vs quartile 4=43.3 vs 50.2; P(trend)<0.01) and waist circumference decreased (quartile 1 vs quartile 4=79.0 vs 72.6; P(trend)=0.04; boys only) in a dose-response manner across quartiles of baseline vigorous-intensity PA. A similar trend was observed for systolic blood pressure (quartile 1 vs quartile 4=121.8 vs 115.3; P(trend)=0.07; boys only). Compared with quartile 1 of vigorous-intensity PA, BMI z-score at follow-up and conditional BMI z-score velocity were significantly lower in the quartile 2 and 3 (P<0.05). Waist circumference at follow-up also decreased (quartile 1 vs quartile 4=75.3 vs 73.8; P(trend)=0.04) across quartiles of baseline moderate-intensity PA. CONCLUSIONS: Time spent in vigorous-intensity PA was associated with several positive health outcomes 2 years later. These findings suggest that high-intensity activities in youth help to reduce the risk for several chronic diseases.

Central and Peripheral Clock Control of Circadian Feeding Rhythms.

Many behaviors exhibit ~24-h oscillations under control of an endogenous circadian timing system that tracks time of day via a molecular circadian clock. In the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, most circadian research has focused on the generation of locomotor activity rhythms, but a fundamental question is how the circadian clock orchestrates multiple distinct behavioral outputs. Here, we have investigated the cells and circuits mediating circadian control of feeding behavior. Using an array of genetic tools, we show that, as is the case for locomotor activity rhythms, the presence of feeding rhythms requires molecular clock function in the ventrolateral clock neurons of the central brain. We further demonstrate that the speed of molecular clock oscillations in these neurons dictates the free-running period length of feeding rhythms. In contrast to the effects observed with central clock cell manipulations, we show that genetic abrogation of the molecular clock in the fat body, a peripheral metabolic tissue, is without effect on feeding behavior. Interestingly, we find that molecular clocks in the brain and fat body of control flies gradually grow out of phase with one another under free-running conditions, likely due to a long endogenous period of the fat body clock. Under these conditions, the period of feeding rhythms tracks with molecular oscillations in central brain clock cells, consistent with a primary role of the brain clock in dictating the timing of feeding behavior. Finally, despite a lack of effect of fat body selective manipulations, we find that flies with simultaneous disruption of molecular clocks in multiple peripheral tissues (but with intact central clocks) exhibit decreased feeding rhythm strength and reduced overall food intake. We conclude that both central and peripheral clocks contribute to the regulation of feeding rhythms, with a particularly dominant, pacemaker role for specific populations of central brain clock cells.

Inbred Lewis and Fischer 344 rat strains differ not only in novelty- and amphetamine-induced behaviors, but also in dopamine transporter activity in vivo.

Inbred Lewis (LEW) and Fischer 344 (F344) rats are differentially sensitive to drugs of abuse, making them useful for studying addiction-related neural mechanisms. Here, we investigated whether strain differences in dopamine transporters (DATs) in dorsal striatum (dSTR) and/or nucleus accumbens (NAc) may help to explain their behavioral differences. The behavior of male LEW and F344 rats was assessed in an open-field arena during habituation to novelty and after an i.v. infusion of saline and/or 0.5 mg/kg d-amphetamine (AMPH). In vitro measures of DAT binding, protein and cell-surface expression, as well as in vitro and in vivo measures of function, were used to compare DATs in dSTR and NAc of these two strains. We found that LEW rats exhibited higher novelty- and AMPH-induced locomotion, but F344 rats exhibited greater AMPH-induced rearing and stereotypy. An initial habituation session with i.v. saline minimized the strain differences in AMPH-induced behaviors except that the more frequent AMPH-induced rearing in F344 rats persisted. Strain differences in DAT total protein and basal activity were also observed, with LEW rats having less protein and slower in vivo clearance of locally applied DA in dSTR and NAc. AMPH inhibited in vivo DA clearance in dSTR and NAc of both strains, but to a greater extent in F344 rats. Taken together, the lower basal DAT function in LEW rats is consistent with their greater novelty-induced locomotor activation, whereas the greater inhibition of DA clearance by AMPH in F344 rats is consistent with their marked AMPH-induced rearing behavior.

Low and high locomotor responsiveness to cocaine predicts intravenous cocaine conditioned place preference in male Sprague-Dawley rats.

Outbred, male Sprague-Dawley rats can be classified as either low or high cocaine responders (LCRs or HCRs, respectively) based on cocaine-induced locomotor activity in an open-field arena. This difference reflects cocaine's ability to inhibit the striatal dopamine transporter and predicts development of sensitization. To investigate the relationship between initial cocaine locomotor responsiveness and cocaine reward, here we first classified rats as either LCRs or HCRs in a conditioned place preference (CPP) apparatus. Subsequently, we conducted cocaine conditioning trials, twice-daily over 4 days with vehicle and cocaine (10 mg/kg, i.p. or 1 mg/kg, i.v.). When cocaine was administered by the i.p. route, similar to previous findings in the open-field, LCRs and HCRs were readily classified and locomotor sensitization developed in LCRs, but not HCRs. However, cocaine CPP was not observed. In contrast, when cocaine was administered by the i.v. route, the LCR/HCR classification not only predicted sensitization, but also CPP, with only LCR rats exhibiting sensitization and cocaine conditioning. Our findings show that the initial locomotor response to cocaine can predict CPP in male Sprague-Dawley rats under conditions when place conditioning develops, and that LCRs may be more prone to develop conditioning in the context of cocaine reward.

Interactions between sleep, movement and other non-movement behaviours in the pathogenesis of childhood obesity.

Research examining the health effects of physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep on different health outcomes has largely been conducted independently or in isolation of the other behaviours. However, the fact that time is finite (i.e. 24 h) suggests that the debate on whether or not the influence of a single behaviour is independent of another one is conceptually incorrect. Time spent in one behaviour should naturally depend on the composition of the rest of the day. Recent evidence using more appropriate analytical approaches to deal with this methodological issue shows that the combination of sleep, movement and non-movement behaviours matters and all components of the 24-h movement continuum should be targeted to enhance health and prevent childhood obesity. The objective of this review is to discuss research investigating how combinations of physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep are related to childhood obesity. Emerging statistical approaches (e.g. compositional data analysis) that can provide a good understanding of the best 'cocktail' of behaviours associated with lower adiposity and improved health are also discussed. Finally, future research directions are provided. Collectively, it becomes clearer that guidelines and public health interventions should target all movement behaviours synergistically to optimize health of children and youth around the world.

Mediating effects of dietary intake on associations of TV viewing, body mass index and metabolic syndrome in adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: Evidence suggests that TV viewing is associated with body mass index (BMI) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adolescents. However, it is unclear whether dietary intake mediates these relationships. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted in adolescents (12-19 years) participating in the 2003-2006 United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. BMI z scores (zBMI) (n = 3,161) and MetS (n = 1,379) were calculated using age- and sex-specific criteria for adolescents. TV viewing (h/day) was measured via a self-reported questionnaire, and dietary intake was assessed using two 24-h recalls. Using the MacKinnon method, a series of mediation analyses were conducted examining five dietary mediators (total energy intake, fruit and vegetable intake, discretionary snacks, sugar-sweetened beverages and diet quality) of the relationships between TV viewing and zBMI and MetS. RESULTS: Small positive relationships were observed between TV viewing and zBMI (ß = 0.99, p < 0.001) and TV viewing and MetS (OR = 1.18, p = 0.046). No dietary element appeared to mediate the relationship between TV viewing and zBMI. However, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and fruit and vegetable intake partially mediated the relationship between TV viewing and MetS, explaining 8.7% and 4.1% of the relationship, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the complexity of the relationships between TV viewing, dietary intake and cardiometabolic health outcomes, and that TV viewing should remain a target for interventions.

Development of behavioral tolerance: a search for subcellular mechanisms.

Development of behavioral tolerance is one of the processes by which living organisms adjust to changes in their internal and external environments. The search for neurochemical mechanisms underlying such processes requires the testing of many hypotheses. The present study was designed to examine the possible involvement of certain subcellular events. The concentrations of acetylcholine (ACh) and choline (Ch), the high-affinity transport of Ch, and the rate of synthesis of ACh were measured in synaptosomes prepared from the brains of rats. The assays were made at critical times during the acute changes in behavior induced by administration of the anticholinesterase, di-isopropylfluorophosphate, and during the development of behavioral tolerance to this compound as chronicity of administration continued. No statistically significant differences were found among treatment groups in the total concentration of ACh or Ch, the synthesis of ACh, or the high-affinity transport of Ch. These results, plus evidence from previous experiments, indicate that the development of behavioral tolerance does not relate to the factors studied. Consequently, alternative mechanisms should be considered. In addition to changes in cholinergic (muscarinic) receptors already shown to occur concomitantly with the development of behavioral tolerance, it is suggested that the possible involvement of mechanisms controlling release of ACh should be studied.

Cardiovascular and behavioral effects of intracisternal 6-hydroxydopamine in the rabbit.

Acute effects of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA, 400--900 microgram kg-1 intracisternally, i.c.i.) consisted of bradycardia and hypertension, maximal 2--3 h after injection and preceded after some doses by a phase of hypotension. This pattern was obtained in completely conscious rabbits and after propanidid and sodium pentobarbitone anesthesia. After 600 microgram kg-1 i.c.i. 6-OHDA the peak rise in blood pressure (25 +/- 3.8 mm Hg) was due to a rise in peripheral resistance involving particularly renal and intestinal beds. Suprapontine mechanisms contributed to both hypertension and bradycardia. Giving pontine rabbits 6-OHDA elicited a short-latency fall in blood pressure, resembling the hypotensive phase in intact animals. Chronic effects 7 days after 600 microgram kg-1 included a rapid loss of 10% of body weight associated with reduction in food and water intake. To avoid secondary circulatory effects the rabbits were artificially fed, halving the weight loss. At 7 days blood pressure had fallen by 7.4 +/- 2.3 mm Hg probably owing to this residual weight loss. From experiments involving administration of phenotolamine and clonidine in intact rabbits and the responses of pontine animals it is likely that both descending and ascending catecholaminergic pathways have inhibitory effects on blood pressure, though some of the pathways may also be excitatory. Absence of specific chronic circulatory changes may be due to compensation through parallel pathways involving other transmitters.

Prayer, meditation, exercise, and special diets: behaviors of the hardy person with HIV/AIDS.

Literature on long-term survivors with AIDS is replete with anecdotal evidence linking survival to such things as (a) holding a positive attitude toward the illness; (b) participating in health-promoting behaviors; (c) engaging in spiritual activities; and (d) taking part in AIDS-related activities. To determine whether there is quantitative research to support this anecdotal evidence, 100 subjects, who were either HIV-positive or diagnosed with ARC or AIDS, completed Kobasa's Personal Views Survey (hardiness measure) and responded to questions regarding perceptions of their physical, emotional, and spiritual health; participation in spiritual activities, selected health-promoting behaviors, and AIDS-related activities. The results demonstrated positive relationships between hardiness and: perception of physical, emotional, and spiritual health; participation in prayer and meditation; and participation in exercise and the use of special diets.

Adjustment to a newborn. Sibling preparation makes a difference.

Two groups of 20 mothers and their firstborn children (matched for age and sex) were investigated to determine whether sibling preparation for the birth of a newborn made a difference in the behavior of the children and in the mothers' perceptions of their own ability to cope with the children. One group of mothers and their children attended a sibling preparation class; the other group did not. Each group was pretested and posttested with the Parent-Child Assessment Tool. A significant difference was found between the two groups.

Spiritual care: the needs of the caregiver.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the spiritual needs of the family caregiver and to provide suggestions for giving spiritual care to this caregiver. DATA SOURCES: A caregiver's personal experience and nursing texts. CONCLUSION: Providing care for a loved one with cancer can be stressful for the family caregiver; yet, it can also produce spiritual growth. By providing care for the caregiver, the oncology nurse is equipping this caregiver to address the spiritual needs of the patient. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Nurses can assist caregivers by offering actions that communicate love, support, acceptance, and faithfulness. Such measures can ease the pain and encourage spiritual wellness.

Spiritual well-being: a predictor of hardiness in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

This study examined the relationship between spiritual well-being and hardiness in a group of 100 subjects who either tested positive for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV+) or who had diagnoses of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related complex (ARC) or AIDS. Each subject completed the Spiritual Well-Being Scale, the Personal Views Survey (to measure hardiness), and a Demographic Data Survey. Analysis of data included Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficients and multiple regression techniques. The results demonstrated that there was a significant relationship between spiritual well-being and hardiness (multiple R = .4165; P less than .001) as well as between the existential component of spiritual well-being and hardiness (multiple R = .5047; P less than .001). The conclusions of the study are that in this sample those individuals who were spiritually well and who were able to find meaning and purpose in their lives were also hardier. This finding has significance for the care that is provided to persons who are HIV+ or who have diagnoses of ARC or AIDS.

Responding to the spiritual needs of the chronically ill.

The steps of the nursing process apply to needs of the spirit as well as body and mind. Several nurses have provided guidelines for assessing spiritual needs. Stoll, for example, considers four areas of concern: the person's concept of God; source of strength and hope; significance of religious practices and rituals; and perceived relationship between spiritual beliefs and state of health. In approaching the patient about these four areas, it is important for the nurse to clearly articulate the purpose in seeking such information. For instance, a nurse might explain to a patient that research has demonstrated the positive relationship of spiritual concerns to a patient's ability to cope with chronic illness. Because the nurse is interested in assisting the patient to identify, strengthen, and develop a variety of coping strategies, spiritually related data are relevant to the patient's care. Having collected data from the patients, a nursing diagnosis can be made. Spiritual concerns, spiritual distress, and spiritual despair have been included in the accepted classification system. Meeting the spiritual needs of patients can be uncomfortable for the nurse. Several reasons for such discomfort include embarrassment, the belief that it is not the nurse's role, lack of training, and the lack of own spiritual resources. Experience with an elective course in spirituality for undergraduate nursing students would support the value of offering training. Discussing God-related issues can assist a health care professional to clarify a personal spiritual position.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Hope and spiritual well-being: essentials for living with AIDS.

Without a cure on the horizon there is a need to identify ways to sustain hope and spiritual well-being in patients with AIDS. This article examines the impact of AIDS on the emotional and spiritual health of its victims and summarizes current research findings on spiritual well-being in the ill. It also summarizes the authors' study on hope and existential and spiritual well-being in a group of 65 adult male patients who were either serum positive for the human immunodeficient virus or who had been diagnosed with AIDS Related Complex or AIDS.

Bay Area Health Care Psychiatric Home Care Model.

This article describes the Bay Area Health Care Psychiatric Home Care Model. The symbol of a home is used to define the components of the model. The foundation of the house is a moral/spiritual one. The walls of the home are made up of assessment skills and relationship building. The second floor of the psychiatric home care model, supported by the walls of assessment and relationship, are the issues surrounding medications. The two sides of the roof of the psychiatric home care model are made up of teaching/psychotherapeutic interventions and case management. This model is comprehensive, and directed to caring, stabilizing, and maximizing potential.