56 research outputs found
There is an urgent need for a consistent definition of the metabolically healthy but obese phenotype
No full textThe medial prefrontal cortical contribution to path integration: an animal model of memory and behavioral deficits found in neurodegenerative diseases
No full textTheories of prefrontal cortical function in human and primate models include regulation of cognitive processes such as working memory and executive functions, both of which may be implicated in spatial navigation behavior. The role of working memory in path integration navigation is not well understood. Lesions of the medial prefrontal cortex administered to twenty rats assessed whether impairment in working memory associated with the lesions produced navigational deficits similar to those found in humans with neurodegenerative disorders. We hypothesized that medial prefrontal lesions would produce impairment in navigation performance during a Whishaw table top path integration task when compared with sham controls. We found no significant differences between lesioned and sham animals on measures of path integration performance. These results are inconclusive in determining the possibility of functional similarities between the rodent prefrontal cortex and the human manifestation of symptoms found in abnormal aging affecting comparable brain regions
Media multitasking and its effect on cognitive performance
No full textThe purpose of this study was to investigate whether media multitasking affects cognitive performance. The participants (N = 66) performed an n-back working memory task to determine if modulation of media multitasking was dependent on task demand. A 2 by 2 within-subject's ANOVA tested the potential influence of task demand and the option to media multitask on task performance. As predicted, performance was better in the less demanding task (0-back) than the more demanding task (2-back) and was better when there was no option to media multitask (no video) versus the option to media multitask (video). I expected to replicate and extend Ralph and others (2020) finding that participants multitasked less when the task was higher demand. Surprisingly, the results did not replicate this past study, and there was no significant difference in multitasking behavior across the two task demands. Instead, multitasking was common in both tasks
The medial prefrontal cortical contribution to path integration: an animal model of memory and behavioral deficits found in neurodegenerative diseases
No full textThesis (M.A., Psychology)--California State University, Sacramento, 2012.Theories of prefrontal cortical function in human and primate models include regulation of cognitive processes such as working memory and executive functions, both of which may be implicated in spatial navigation behavior. The role of working memory in path integration navigation is not well understood. Lesions of the medial prefrontal cortex administered to twenty rats assessed whether impairment in working memory associated with the lesions produced navigational deficits similar to those found in humans with neurodegenerative disorders. We hypothesized that medial prefrontal lesions would produce impairment in navigation performance during a Whishaw table top path integration task when compared with sham controls. We found no significant differences between lesioned and sham animals on measures of path integration performance. These results are inconclusive in determining the possibility of functional similarities between the rodent prefrontal cortex and the human manifestation of symptoms found in abnormal aging affecting comparable brain regions.Psycholog
The role of vitamin D status in the bioenergetics of inflammation
No full textThis thesis investigates the role of vitamin D metabolites 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D and 25-hydroxyvitamin D in human bioenergetics and inflammation. The evidence presented comes from a narrative review, two systematic reviews, two cross-sectional studies and an observational longitudinal study design. Collectively, the thesis supports a modulatory role for vitamin D in whole body and cellular bioenergetics and inflammation. Future studies could build on these findings; establishing a causal role for vitamin D in inflammation and energy metabolism
Calcium and Vitamin D in the Regulation of Energy Balance: Where do we Stand?
No full textThere is a pandemic of obesity and associated chronic diseases. Dietary calcium and vitamin D have many extra-skeletal roles in human health. In this review we have summarized the current understanding of their influence on human energy balance by examining the epidemiological, clinical, animal, cellular and molecular evidence. We opine that while calcium and vitamin D are functional nutrients in the battle against obesity, there is a need for prospective human trials to tilt the balance of evidence in favour of these nutrients
Investigation of measures of ill-conditioning
No full text“The object of investigation in this study is that of ill-conditioning in the solution of a system of linear equations. Ill-conditioning arises when the solution is very sensitive to small changes in the coefficients of the unknowns.
A study is made in this paper of the various proposed measures of ill-conditioning for the purpose of finding the most practical method or measure for determining whether a system is ill-conditioned.
The problem of near-singular or ill-conditioned systems is of great importance in the solution of linear systems because of the extensive use made of them in practical situations. Solution of a system of linear equations with this property frequently finds use in many areas of Applied Science. In applied mathematics, systems of linear equations are used in solving such problems as method of least squares, solution of partial differential equations, ordinary differential equations and many others.
Although computation of such a system could be done by double precision, giving increased accuracy at each step, this does not eliminate the problem. The problem of obtaining accurate data may be more important than the actual computation. However, when a system is found to be ill- conditioned, a method of higher precision is often used to improve round-off errors which would invalidate the solution. Nevertheless, it is the identification or means of detecting such a system which needs to be considered before further analysis can be pursued. In small systems the detection of ill-conditioning is fairly obvious by observation; whereas for larger systems, it is hidden from observation in most cases. Thus, an indicative measure is needed to detect such a system.
It is the aim of the author in this study to find a suitable measure or method for detecting an ill-conditioned system of equations”--Introduction, pages 1-2
Distance vision test – a play?
No full textDear World & Everyone In It is a ground-breaking new poetry anthology presenting the work of over 60 of the most talented and interesting young poets currently writing in the UK. Chosen by one of the country's leading young poetry editors, inspired by American precedents, and growing out of The Rialto's recent series of young poets features curated by Nathan Hamilton, it is the first British anthology to attempt to define a generation through a properly representative cross-section of work and a fully collaborative editorial process.
By drawing on the poets' own recommendations, this anthology represents more effectively and appropriately a new generational mood - hybrid, playful, collaborative, ambitious, inclusive, cooperative. Less top down, more bottom up, it speaks also of other movements in our world, and even ends up challenging parochial notions of Britishness by including overseas poets who live or work here and who have become engaged and influential in the scene.
Avoiding, or ironising, older, oppositional attitudes, Nathan Hamilton introduces his anthology with an essay describing 'this new generation's hybridisation of two aptly ironic and business-sounding "strains" in UK poetics - taxonomised as "product" and "process"'. His lively analysis juxtaposes modernist approaches with those exploring more traditional modes, hoping to bring some of the pleasures of the former to a wider audience.
Dear World & Everyone In It is an indispensable summary or starting map for anyone wanting to explore and enjoy more of the current UK poetry landscape or seeking to better understand what's going on out there.
The poets included are: Rachael Allen, Andrew Bailey, Emily Berry, Ben Borek, Siddhartha Bose, Elizabeth-Jane Burnett, James Byrne, Stuart Calton, Tom Chivers, Tim Cockburn, Becky Cremin, Emily Critchley, Joe Crot, Patrick Coyle, Amy De'Ath, Laura Elliott, Stephen Emmerson, Amy Evans, Ollie Evans, S.J. Fowler, Miriam Gamble, Jim Goar, Matthew Gregory, Elizabeth Guthrie, Emily Hasler, Oli Hazzard, Colin Herd, Holly Hopkins, Sarah Howe, Tom Ironmonger, Meiron Jordan, Katharine Kilalea, Sarah Kelly, Luke Kennard, Laura Kilbride, Michael Kindellan, Agnes Lehoczky, Frances Leviston, Eireann Lorsung, Chris McCabe, Michael McKimm, Fabian Macpherson, Toby Martinez de las Rivas, mendoza, James Midgley, Marianne Morris, Camilla Nelson, Kei Miller, Tamarin Norwood, Richard Parker, Sandeep Parmar, Holly Pester, Heather Phillipson, Kate Potts, Nat Raha, Sam Riviere, Sophie Robinson, Hannah Silva, Angus Sinclair, Marcus Slease, Andy Spragg, Ben Stainton, Keston Sutherland, Jonty Tiplady, Emily Toder, Simon Turner, Jack Underwood, Ahren Warner, Tom Warner, Rachel Warriner, James Wilkes and Steve Willey
Calcium and Vitamin D in Obesity and Related Chronic Disease
No full textThere is a pandemic of lifestyle-related diseases. In both developed and lesser developed countries of the world, an inadequacy of calcium intake and low vitamin D status is common. In this chapter, we explore a mechanistic framework that links calcium and vitamin D status to chronic conditions including obesity, systemic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. We also update the available clinical evidence, mainly from randomized controlled trials, to provide a synthesis of evidence in favor or against these hypotheses. There is consistent data to support calcium increasing whole body fat oxidation and increasing fecal fat excretion, while there is good cellular evidence for vitamin D reducing inflammation. Clinical trials support a marginal reduction in circulating lipids and some meta-analysis support an increase in insulin sensitivity following vitamin D. However, these mechanistic pathways and intermediate biomarkers of disease do not consistently transcribe into measurable health outcomes. Cementing the benefits of calcium and vitamin D for extraskeletal health needs a reexamination of the target 25(OH)D level to be achieved and the minimum duration of future trials
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