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Adipose tissue mitochondrial function is gaining increasing interest since it is a good marker of overall health. Methodological challenges and variability in assessing mitochondrial respiration in fresh adipose tissue with high-resolution respirometry are unknown and should be explored. Mitochondrial respiratory capacity (MRC) in human adipose tissue declines in a gradual manner when analyses are postponed 3 h and 24 h, with a statistically significant decline 24 h after obtaining the biopsy. This decline in MRC is associated with a reduced integrity of the outer mitochondrial membrane at both time points. This study suggests that the optimal amount of tissue to be used is 20 mg and that different technicians handling the biopsy do not affect MRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the potential for systemic and local toxicity after administration of empty nanosized anionic and cationic PEGylated-micelles and non-PEGylated liposomes, without a ligand attached, intended for use in drug-delivery systems. The particles were administered to 5-6-week-old male rats by three intravenous (IV) administrations over a period of one week at a dose of 100 mg/kg bodyweight or after a single intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection at a dose of 50 µg. The particles were stable and well characterised with respect to size and zeta potential. ICV administration of cationic particles was associated with histological changes near the injection site (hippocampus). Here, we detected focal infiltration with phagocytic cells, loss of neurons and apoptotic cell death, which were not observed after administration of the vehicle. No significant difference was found after IV or ICV administration of the anionic micelles with regard to haematology, clinical chemistry parameters or at the pathological examinations, as compared to control animals. Our study suggests that ICV delivery of cationic particles to the brain tissue is associated with toxicity at the injection site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This interview was conducted in Copenhagen on January 23rd 2010 after Professor Nigel Thrift's keynote lecture on 'Life World Inc.', delivered at the Danish Sociological Congress. The interview takes as its starting point Professor Thrift's lecture but soon moves on to a broader discussion of resistance, politics, space, and architecture, among other things. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is considered to be a universal exocrinopathy most likely based on autoimmune mechanisms. The degree of exocrine involvement in SS with the exception of salivary and lachrymal glands is, however, not yet established. Material and methods. We therefore examined the morphology, the exocrine and endocrine functions of the pancreas in 12 healthy consecutively included levolunteers with established SS, but without known pancreatic disease, using secretin-stimulated magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), a Lundh test, oral glucose tolerance test, and blood sampling. Results. Twenty-five percent of the patients had morphological changes of pancreas as evaluated by secretin-stimulated MRCP, and two patients had chronic pancreatitis-like changes. Four patients had reduced exocrine function of the pancreas with either significantly reduced amylase and/or lipase in the pancreatic juice. Conclusions. The prevalence of pancreatic dysfunction was increased to 25–33% in the study population which is much higher than in the background population. Thus, pancreatic dysfunction and chronic pancreatitis should be considered in SS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Mesenteric blood flow is believed to be influenced by digestion and absorption of ingested macronutrients. We hypothesized that the intestinotrophic hormone, GLP-2 (glucagons-like peptide 2), may be involved in the regulation of mesenteric blood flow. Changes in mesenteric blood flow were measured by Doppler ultrasound scanning of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). The aim of the study was to demonstrate the influence of GLP-2 on this flow, expressed as changes in resistance index (RI). Material and methods. A homogeneous group of 10 fasting healthy volunteers completed a 2-day trial. On day 1, a standard meal was given, and RI measured in the SMA. On day 2, GLP-2 was infused intravenously (IV) at rates of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 pmol/kg/min over 3×45 min separated by a 15-20 min rest period. After a further 15-20 min of rest, 450 nmol synthetic GLP-2 was given subcutaneously (SC). RI in the SMA was measured before, during and after the meal and GLP-2 infusions. Results. After IV infusion of GLP-2, the following decreases in RI were observed: 0.5 pmol/kg/min: 2.7% (range 0-6.3%), 1.0 pmol/kg/min: 6.7% (range 0.4-15.9%), 2.0 pmol/kg/min: 15.3% (range 9.6-22.7%) p<0.00802. When given SC, GLP-2 elicited a maximum average change in RI of 15.6% (range 5.0-28.1%). The standard meal elicited a 14.7% (range 8.8-21.6%) change, p<0.020 There was a similar change in RI over time (0-90 min) after a standard meal and after subcutaneous GLP-2, p<0.005. Conclusions. Our study showed a significant association between IV and SC administration of synthetic GLP-2 and changes in mesenteric blood flow. An exponential dose-response relationship was observed after IV infusion. The meal-induced changes in mesenteric blood flow over time were similar to those obtained by SC GLP-2. Thus, our results support the hypothesis that GLP-2 is an important regulator of mesenteric blood flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirty years after fleeing from Poland to Denmark, 20 immigrants were enlisted in a study of bilingual autobiographical memory. Ten "early immigrators" averaged 24 years old at the time of immigration, and ten "late immigrators" averaged 34 years old at immigration. Although all 20 had spent 30 years in Denmark, early immigrators reported more current inner speech behaviours in Danish, whereas late immigrators showed more use of Polish. Both groups displayed proportionally more numerous autobiographical retrievals that were reported as coming to them internally in Polish (vs Danish) for the decades prior to immigration and more in Danish (vs Polish) after immigration. We propose a culture- and language-specific shaping of semantic and conceptual stores that underpins autobiographical and world knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, theories of discourse processing are applied to mass communicated news reports. Subjects' free recall and prior knowledge of an ordinary 5-min. radio news bulletin was examined. The bulletin comprised four different news items and was broadcast immediately prior to the experiment. Two predictions from the text processing theory of Kintsch & Ran Dijk (1978) were confirmed. Thus, propositions selected by the buffer memory mechanism of the theory, and propositions included in the macrostructure derived according to the theory, both had increased recall probabilities. The two factors interacted, however, suggesting that the derivation of macrostructure dominated the subjects' processing strategy. Propositions denoting facts that were previously known by most subjects had increased probability of recall too. Among unfamiliar propositions, chronologically new information tended to be recalled more frequently than unfamiliar background information. The latter result suggests that subjects attempted to use the news for updating their previous knowledge, although only to a limited extent compared to the effects of text structure processing and familiarity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freud used archaeological excavation as a metaphor for the remembering of previous experiences in therapy. This metaphor for memory has recently come under attack on the grounds that modern psychology of memory has cast doubt on whether memories preserve "historical truths." In particular, it seems that information about later events-including verbalizations and narrativizations of the original event-are integrated with and thus change the memory. This contrasts with the solid, immutable objects that are supposedly uncovered by archaeologists. However, it is now recognized that the nature of archaeological evidence does not fit this naive view. Not only do objects change over time, but the process of excavation inevitably disturbs and destroys contextual evidence decisive for interpretation. It is argued here that with this richer contemporary understanding of archaeology, Freud's metaphor of memory is still quite appropriate. Some epistemological implications are discussed as examples of interesting issues suggested by the revised archaeology metaphor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new technologies inherit powerful capacities for processing information. However, it must be realized that these new qualities should be integrated into the educational process without losing already existing qualities. Thus a too narrow‐minded interest in processing public information can easily lead to neglect of the development of personal knowledge. An analysis of the differences between these two concepts is carried out. It is argued that knowledge cannot simply be transmitted but must be induced in the learner. Therefore, the pioneer era of the use of new information technology in education must now be transcended and attention directed towards how new information technology is interfaced with human activities like discussion, explanation and personal understanding. This is not just a question of good software or courseware but of realizing that education is a matter of human development that must never be reduced to mere [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The three studies described by Abul'khanova-Slavskaia are concerned with different aspects of people's organization of their activities, ranging from current tasks to life-span planning. A rich framework of concepts is outlined to capture the complexities of this vast territory, including phenomena of both objective and subjective time; cognition, values, and motives; external constraints and demands; self-generated goals and ideals; and so forth. The general approach to tying these diverse aspects together is to search for typologies that characterize the temporal organization of groups of individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]