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• Performance on a binary classification task is not disrupted after fasting. • Fasting does not affect response inhibition as measured by the SSRT. • Difficulties on attentional control processes are prompted by fasting. • The attentional bias for food images was unrelated to attentional control. Diets with intermittent fasting are an efficient method for producing clinically significant weight loss and preventing the development of obesity. However, individuals following intermittent fasting must face the difficulty of avoiding eating when experiencing the feeling of hunger. In this study, we investigated which aspects of executive function were affected following a prolonged period of food deprivation in participants that have never previously undergone intermittent fasting. Twenty-six participants with normal weight performed two binary classification tasks (Stop Signal (SST) and Go/NoGo) after either a 12 h fasting or a nonfasting period in separate sessions. We measured their performance in several underlying decision-making processes, such as response inhibition and attentional control. In line with previous studies, our results revealed that decision-making processes to resolve the classification task were unaffected by fasting. Response inhibition, as indexed by the stop signal reaction time in the SST, remained as well unaltered after food deprivation. Rather, we observed a higher error rate in NoGo trials following a fasting period, which was associated with disrupted attentional control. Overall, these results indicate that when a hunger feeling reaches consciousness, it induces deficits over certain aspects of attentional control. Our findings hint at the importance of structured behavioral change strategies to cope with fasting-induced difficulties in attentional control, to help achieve weight management goals through successful self-monitoring of food intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented related to the activation of NF-KB in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Studies are revealing that lymphoid neoplasms are characterized by well-defined chromosome translocations and by the accumulation of subsequent molecular alterations involving mainly the cell cycle and/or apoptotic pathways. However, survival of B and T tumor cells is also dependent on the interactions with the accompanying cells that comprise the lymphoma microenvironment. Although non-tumor cells can contribute both positive and negative signals to the lymphoma cells, in this review we present compelling evidence of the essential influence of the tumor microenvironment on the initiation and progression of specific lymphoma types, highlighting some new therapeutic approaches that target the lymphoma microenvironment.Leukemia (2008) 22, 49–58; doi:10.1038/sj.leu.2404970; published online 4 October 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extra-oesophageal autonomic dysfunction in idiopathic achalasia is not well documented, due to contradictory results reported. We aimed to study the cardiovascular and pancreatic autonomic function in patients with idiopathic achalasia. Thirty patients with idiopathic achalasia (16M/14F; 34.5 ± 10.8 years) and 30 healthy volunteers (13M/17F; 34.8 ± 10.7 years) were prospectively studied. Age >60 years and conditions affecting results of autonomic evaluation were excluded. Both groups underwent the sham feeding test and plasmatic levels of pancreatic polypeptide (PP) were determined by radioimmunoassay (basal, at 5, 10, 20 and 30 min). Cardiovascular parasympathetic (deep breathing, standing, Valsalva) and sympathetic function (postural decrease of systolic blood pressure, Handgrip test) were assessed. Statistical comparison of basal and increase levels of PP and parasympathetic/sympathetic cardiovascular parameters was performed between groups. Basal levels of PP were similar in controls and patients and maximum increase of PP during sham feeding test. A similar rate of abnormal cardiovascular tests was found between groups ( P > 0.05). E/I ratio was the mostly impaired parameter (patients: 36.7% vs controls: 20%, P = 0.15, chi-squared test). Autonomic cardiovascular tests and pancreatic response to vagal stimulus are not impaired in patients with primary achalasia of the oesophagus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CVAN) and oesophageal dysfunction in diabetes mellitus has not been well established because reports are contradictory. The aim of this study was to assess oesophageal function and its correlation with CVAN in type 1 diabetic patients without oesophageal symptoms. Forty-six type 1 diabetic patients without oesophageal symptoms (DG) and 34 healthy volunteers (CG) were studied. Both groups underwent CVAN tests and oesophageal manometry and pH-metry. Differences between groups regarding results of cardiovascular autonomic tests and oesophageal studies were statistically analysed. Compared with the CG, the DG group showed insufficient lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS) relaxation and a higher percentage of simultaneous waves ( P < 0.01). Patients with CVAN ( n = 22) showed a higher prevalence of pathological simultaneous contractions (>10%), and the prevalence of simultaneous waves related to the degree of autonomic neuropathy was: 9% of patients without CVAN, 7% of those suspected to have it and 50% of patients with CVAN ( P < 0.001). Factors associated with the presence of pathological simultaneous waves (>10%) were the presence of CVAN and duration of diabetes ( P < 0.05, logistic regression analysis). Increase in simultaneous waves and impaired relaxation of LOS are more frequent in diabetic patients with CVAN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proposes a method to produce monomode and multimode optical waveguides in LiNbO3 by zinc metal diffusion from vapor phase. Measurements of the dopant distribution in Zn-diffused LiNbO3 waveguides by energy dispersive x-ray analysis; Values of the diffusion coefficient of Zn in LiNbO3; Comparison between diffusion coefficients of Zn, ZnO and Ti.

Abstract. The incorporation of praseodymium into LiNbO[sub 3] by diffusion doping is investigated by means of secondary neutral mass spectrometry and secondary ion mass spectrometry. The diffusion of praseodymium in LiNbO[sub 3] can be described by Fick's laws of diffusion with a concentration-independent diffusion coefficient and a limited solubility of praseodymium in LiNbO[sub 3] increasing exponentially with rising temperature. The diffusion depends on the Li[sub 2]0 content of the LiNbO[sub 3] crystal. For LiNbO[sub 3] crystals with a nominal slight difference in the congruent composition, the diffusion constants and activation energies for Z-cut LiNbO[sub 3] are 3.28 x 10[sup -5] cm[sup 2]/s and 2.27 eV, and 1.39 x 10[sup -5] cm[sup 2]/s and 2.24 eV, respectively. Titanium-doped waveguides are formed in Pr:LiNbO[sub 3] and characterised in relation to waveguide loss and absorption in the visible and near infrared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copy number variants (CNVs) at the 1q21.1 locus are associated with autism, schizophrenia and other neurodevelopmental disorders, with significant variance in the severity of specific traits. 1q21.1 deletion carriers have been associated more with schizophrenia than duplications and duplication carriers have been associated more with autism spectrum disorders. Interestingly deletions and duplications of the 1q21.1 CNV show a gene dosage effect, or opposite phenotype, regarding head size: were deletions carriers are microcephalic and duplications carriers are macrocephalic [1]. Aim So far only the clinical phenotype of the 1q21.1 CNV has been described, but no study has investigated the impact of the 1q21.1 CNV on the brain [1], [2], [3] and [4]. The aim of this study is to investigate the gene dosage effect on brain anatomy of 1q21.1 carriers by exploring anatomical brain differences between deletion and duplications carriers and by comparing them with controls. Methods Data sample included structural T1 MPRAGE images coming from Europe and United States. Subjects included had the recurrent CNV at the 1q21.1 locus between breakpoint BP2 and BP4 (Class II) or BP3 and BP3 (Class I). In the analysis we included a total of 22 deletion carriers, 17 duplications carriers and 223 controls. The data distribution, as well as the population description, is available in table 1. Neuroimaging data were preprocessed and analyzed with SPM12 running under MATLAB R2015b. For segmentation of T1 weighted images into tissue classes we used a New Tissue Probability map with increased sensitivity for basal ganglia structures. The statistical design was built in the General Linear Model framework as a multiple regression corrected for age, age squared, gender, total intracranial volume and gray matter volume. Results Both cohorts (Europe and US) display a similar phenotype regarding in IQ differences between carriers compared to controls and also a similar gene dosage effect on head circumference. MRI data from the two cohorts were merged into a single statistical analysis. MRI comparison between deletions and duplications shows gene dosage effect on gray matter volume. Deletion carriers show an increase in gray matter volume in bilateral hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus, while duplications carriers show an increase in the middle frontal gyrus and in the cingulated. Conclusions Our results suggest that differential expression of the same genes can affect different brain regions. Although additional work is required in order to understand if these changes correlate with specific cognitive mechanisms, behaviour or clinical symptoms. In addition our findings are consistent with the general patterns of grey matter impairment identified in psychiatric disorders [5]. The final objective of this project is to continue the investigation by increasing the sample size for the 1q21.1 CV and by adding other CNVs, for example the 16p11.2 CNV, to the comparison in order to increase our understanding of the impact of genetic risk factor on brain structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common disease that poses potential serious problems. Its clinical course is often unpredictable. Identification of high risk patients enables early appropriate treatment. Methods: We conducted a prospective study to develop a new prognostic method that can objectively and easily grade the severity of AP within the first 72 h of admission. The prediction rule was based on clinical and analytical parameters in 308 patients admitted in a community-based hospital. We validated the score in 193 additional patients in the same hospital. Results: Independent prognostic factors related to poor prognosis were age >65 years, leucocytes >13,000/mm3, albumin <2.5 mg/dL, calcium <8.5 mg/dL and reactive C protein >150 mg/dL. We assigned points to each of the independent factors for complicated AP in proportion to the regression coefficients. We defined three different risk groups according to the points obtained in the prediction rule. Low risk, 0 points (18% patients, 0% risk), moderate, 1–3 points (56% patients, 19% risk) and high, 4–6 points (26% patients, 73% risk). The sensitivity of this formula was 90% with specificity of 63%. The positive and negative predictive values were 50% and 94% respectively. Conclusions: Our simple prediction rule is an additional tool that may help physicians stratifying the severity of AP. Patients with high risk for complicated AP should be kept under close surveillance whereas low risk patients would not need special monitoring. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]