114 research outputs found
Activation of σ-receptors induces binge-like drinking in Sardinian alcohol-preferring rats.
No full textSigma (sigma) receptors have been implicated in the behavioral and motivational effects of alcohol and psychostimulants. Sigma receptor antagonists reduce the reinforcing effects of alcohol and excessive alcohol intake in both genetic (alcohol-preferring rats) and environmental (chronic alcohol-induced) models of alcoholism. The present study tested the hypothesis that pharmacological activation of sigma-receptors facilitates ethanol reinforcement and induces excessive, binge-like ethanol intake. The effects of repeated subcutaneous treatment with the selective sigma-receptor agonist 1,3-di-(2-tolyl) guanidine (DTG; 15 mg/kg, twice a day for 7 days) on operant ethanol (10%) self-administration were studied in Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP) rats. To confirm that the effect of DTG was mediated by sigma-receptors, the effects of pretreatment with the selective sigma-receptor antagonist BD-1063 (7 mg/kg, subcutaneously) were determined. To assess the specificity of action, the effects of DTG on the self-administration of equally reinforcing solutions of saccharin or sucrose were also determined. Finally, gene expression of opioid receptors in brain areas implicated in ethanol reinforcement was analyzed in ethanol-naive sP rats treated acutely or repeatedly with DTG, because of the well-established role of the opioid system in alcohol reinforcement and addiction. Repeatedly administered DTG progressively and dramatically increased ethanol self-administration in sP rats and increased blood alcohol levels, which reached mean values close to 100 mg% in 1 h drinking sessions. Repeated DTG treatment also increased the rats' motivation to work for alcohol under a progressive-ratio schedule of reinforcement. BD-1063 prevented the effects of DTG, confirming that sigma-receptors mediate the effects of DTG. Repeated DTG treatment also increased the self-administration of the non-drug reinforcers saccharin and sucrose. Naive sP rats repeatedly treated with DTG showed increased mRNA expression of m-and delta-opioid receptors in the ventral tegmental area. These results suggest a key facilitatory role for sigma-receptors in the reinforcing effects of alcohol and identify a potential mechanism that contributes to binge-like and excessive drinking. Neuropsychopharmacology (2011) 36, 1207-1218; doi: 10.1038/npp.2011.5; published online 23 February 201
The sigma-Receptor Antagonist BD-1063 Decreases Ethanol Intake and Reinforcement in Animal Models of Excessive Drinking
No full textsigma-Receptors (SigRs) have been implicated in behavioral and appetitive effects of psychostimulants and may also modulate the motivating properties of ethanol. This study tested the hypothesis that SigRs modulate ethanol reinforcement and contribute to excessive ethanol intake. The effects of subcutaneous treatment with the potent, selective Sig-1R antagonist BD-1063 on operant ethanol self-administration were studied in two models of excessive drinking-Sardinian alcohol-preferring (sP) rats and acutely withdrawn ethanol-dependent Wistar rats-and compared to ethanol self-administration in nondependent Wistar controls. To assess the specificity of action, the effects of BD-1063 on self-administration of an equally reinforcing saccharin solution were determined in Wistar and sP rats. Gene expression of Sig-1R in reward-related brain areas implicated in ethanol reinforcement was compared between ethanol-naive sP and Wistar rats and withdrawn ethanol-dependent Wistar rats. BD-1063 dose dependently reduced ethanol self-administration in sP rats (3.3-11 mg/kg) and withdrawn, dependent Wistar rats (4-11 mg/kg) at doses that did not modify mean ethanol self-administration in nondependent Wistar controls. BD-1063 did not reduce concurrent water self-administration and did not comparably suppress saccharin self-administration, suggesting selectivity of action. BD-1063 also reduced the breakpoints of sP rats to work for ethanol under a progressive-ratio reinforcement schedule. Ethanol-naive sP rats and 24-h withdrawn, dependent Wistar rats showed reduced Sig-1R mRNA expression in the nucleus accumbens. The results suggest that SigR systems may contribute to innate or ethanol-induced increases in susceptibility to self-administer high ethanol levels, identifying a potential neuroadaptive mechanism contributing to excessive drinking and a therapeutic target for alcohol abuse and dependence
An Optimal Jatropha Seed Warehouse Location Decision Using Myopic and Exchange Heuristics of P Median
No full textA Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Lower Back Massage, Breathing Exercises on Reduction of Anxiety and Pain Perception among Primigravida Mothers During First Stage of Labour at Institute of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Egmore, Chennai
No full textChildbirth is never the same and it may differ between women and between labour. It’s said that the greatest pain that Mother Nature inflicts upon a human is during labour. A Quasi experimental design was adopted to conduct the study. 60 primigravida mothers from labour ward who were in first stage of labour were selected by using purposive random sampling technique. Data were collected using structured interview schedule and pain assessment, anxiety assessment scale. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics in terms of mean deviation and chi-squire test. Pre-test among the experimental group, majority of the mothers had severe level of anxiety and pain perception is 76.7% & 36.7% severe pain. In control group, 80% & 63.3% of the mothers had moderate level of pain. In post-test, in experimental group, 20.0% of the mothers had mild pain, 90.0% of the mother had moderate level of pain, 16.7% are having severe level of pain. In experimental group there is a significant decrease in pain and anxiety reduction level is statistically significant. In control group there is a significant decrease in pain and anxiety reduction level is statistically significant. On the average, experimental group mothers are having 34.27 anxiety score in pre-test and they are having 22.04 anxiety score in post-test, so the difference is 12.23. This difference is large and it is statistically significant. It was calculated using paired t-test. In experimental group mothers are having 7.63 pain score in pre-test and they are having 3.30 pain score in post-test, so the difference 4.33. This difference is large and it is statistically significant. It was calculated by using paired t-test .Exercising this book support whenever the primigravida mothers in the first stage of labour will reduce the anxiety and pain perception will bring healthy life. By practicing this lower back massage and breathing exerxises in the first stage of labour, will not lead to long term pain
Absorption profile of (Poly)phenolic compounds after consumption of three food supplements containing 36 different fruits, vegetables, and berries
No full textThe market of plant-based nutraceuticals and food supplements is continuously growing due to the increased consumer demand. The introduction of new products with relevant nutritional characteristics represents a new way of providing bioactive compounds and (poly)phenols to consumers, becoming a strategy to ideally guarantee the health benefits attributed to plant foodstuffs and allowing the increase of daily bioactive compound intake. A paramount step in the study of nutraceuticals is the evaluation of the bioavailability and metabolism of their putatively active components. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the absorption profile of the (poly)phenolic compounds contained in three different plant-based food supplements, made of 36 different plant matrices, which were consumed by 20 subjects in an open one-arm study design. Blood samples were collected at baseline and 1, 2, 5, and 10 h after capsule intake. Twenty quantifiable metabolites deriving from different (poly)phenolic compounds were identified. Results showed that the consumption of the three capsules allowed the effective absorption of several (poly)phenolic compounds and metabolites appearing at different times in plasma, thereby indicating different absorption profiles. The capsules thus ensured potential health-promoting molecules to be potentially available to target tissues and organs
Targeting Fibroblasts in Fibrosis and Cancer
No full textFibroblasts are a heterogenic cell-type that play a major role in tissue integrity and wound healing. Under pathological conditions they transform into an aggressive phenotype, being responsible for inducing organ fibrosis as well as supporting tumor progression. Fibroblasts are known to secrete abundant amounts of extracellular matrix and numerous growth factors and cytokines. Cell-specific therapeutic targeting to fibroblasts is of high interest for intervening into several pathologies by developing novel therapeutic modalities. This chapter will shed light on the biology of fibroblasts, their diversity and heterogeneity as well as the targeting strategies using different targeting systems, such as nanoparticles and biologicals.</p
Emergence of Sustainability Based Approaches in Healthcare: Expanding Research and Practice
No full textAbstractThe study explores the scope of sustainability practices in healthcare by systematically examining studies conducted on healthcare related issues within the context of sustainability. The review is focused on three main conceptual aspects – dimensions of sustainability practices in healthcare, drivers of sustainable practices within the industry and strategies to implement sustainability effectively in healthcare. Relevant literature on sustainability in healthcare is referred to address the developed research question. Based on the identified expanding dimensions of sustainability research and practices, future research insights are proposed as conceptual models that reflect the scope of sustainability practices in healthcare. This could enhance understanding of the literature and stimulate researchers to expand the research of sustainability in healthcare in a more widespread and holistic perspective as to ensure service excellence formation for business sustainability. The implications of the study are threefold. Firstly it provides researchers and practitioners interested in healthcare literature an overview of how the concept of sustainability has evolved over time in the healthcare sector. Secondly, the paper highlights the driving forces for sustainability implementation in healthcare and strategies to continuously enhancement the sustainability implementation in healthcare
Database Services for Cloud Computing – An Overview
No full textCloud computing has revolutionized the way computinginfrastructure is abstracted and used. There is a proliferation ofnumber of applications which leverage various cloud platforms,resulting in a tremendous increase in the scale of data generated aswell as consumed by such applications. This paper reviews thefeatures of Cloud computing and then gives a survey of differentdatabase architecture for cloud computing. Scalable databasemanagement systems are a crucial part of the cloud infrastructurewhich includes both update intensive workloads and decisionsupport systems. The paper presents an organized picture of thechallenges and open issues pertaining to database managementsystems in developing and deploying internet scale applications inthe cloud environment. The typical properties of commerciallyavailable databases for cloud computing environment are alsobrought out.</jats:p
Expanding Beyond Technology-Driven Factors: IoT for Smart City Services
No full textPart 3: Smart Cities and Digital GovernmentInternational audienceUnderstanding the gaps in promoting the communal or societal benefits of the technology will facilitate the planning organization and technology designer to decide how the technology can be diffused into the market to best meet the expectation of the user and the organization. This study argues that the service user-centric technology adoption in smart cities namely online participatory technologies (OPT) should expand beyond technology-driven factors to explore the effect of personality-belief based factors. Individual-level behavior generated from people connectedness with human, society and environment are important to understand the influence of user’s social personality belief on technology adoption and continuous usage. This study extends the existing research on technology adoption to reveals the importance of social personality belief fundamentals for the adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) in the interest of creating citizen-centric services in smart cities. Systematic review studies conducted to identify the factors that drive IoT adoption and to reveal the challenges in diffusing the technology in the context of smart cities. We propose a methodological solution to explore structural patterns of the citizen’s relationship within the groups, for the organization to create opportunities to exploit the social personality factors for technology adoption and usage purpose
The Path towards Healthcare Sustainability: The Role of Organisational Commitment
No full textAbstractThe demand for quality healthcare service has been increasing due to consumer awareness on the importance of health and quality of life. The mushrooming of healthcare institutes has further forced these organisations to relook, design and formulate strategies that is able to fulfil not only customers’ but also other stakeholders’ demand. Hence, in order to stay competitive in the industry, healthcare institutes need to further ensure that proven strategies are sustained and continued in its implementation in long term until a better strategy is introduced. Past studies has indicated various dimensions that influence healthcare sustainability. These dimensions such as training and mentoring, leadership that leads to retention and satisfaction, effective management practices, the readiness to adapt, and the willingness to collaborate are related to human behaviours or attitudes. However, study on one of important human attitude, organisational commitment, and its role in healthcare sustainability is still lacking. This study tends to provide the basis that indicates the role of organisational commitment on healthcare sustainability. The study will provide a good platform in future study where an empirical study can be conducted
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