Sweet temptation: Effects of exposure to chocolate-scented lotion on food intake

Food-scented products are widely available, yet it is unclear whether they influence eating behavior. Food-related cues can increase intake; therefore, it was anticipated that conscious exposure to food-scented products (e.g., body lotion) could also influence consumption. Female participants (n = 58) were randomly assigned to an exposure condition (labeled chocolate lotion, unlabeled chocolate lotion, or unscented lotion), and their subsequent intake of chocolate-chip cookies was measured. A significant effect of condition on intake emerged. Those who knew that they were evaluating a chocolate-scented lotion ate more than did those exposed to the same (unlabeled) lotion, suggesting that conscious exposure to chocolate-related products may increase food intake.     

Influence of steaming treatment on chemical and technological characteristics of einkorn (Triticum monococcum L. ssp. monococcum) wholemeal flour

Einkorn (Triticum monococcum ssp. monococcum) is an underutilised wheat with high protein, lutein and tocols content, particularly suited for baby and specialty foods. To study the influence of kernel steaming treatments on chemical and technological properties, seeds of five einkorn accessions and one bread wheat control (cv. Blasco) underwent different steaming conditions, and their wholemeal flours were compared for ash, protein, lutein, tocols and α-amylase content, SDS sedimentation volume and gelatinisation parameters. Furosine, a heat damage marker, was measured as well. The treatments significantly influenced most of the parameters. In particular, lutein, tocols and α-amylase diminished after steaming; SDS sedimentation volumes and most gelatinisation parameters also decreased, whereas gelatinisation temperatures and furosine contents increased. The changes were stronger under more drastic steaming conditions, although treatment × genotype influence was sometimes detected. Steaming induced migration of lutein and tocopherols from the bran and germ fractions to the kernel endosperm.     

Targeted and Non-Targeted Mechanisms for Killing Hypoxic Tumour Cells—Are There New Avenues for Treatment?

Purpose: A major issue in radiotherapy is the relative resistance of hypoxic cells to radiation. Historic approaches to this problem include the use of oxygen mimetic compounds to sensitize tumour cells, which were unsuccessful. This review looks at modern approaches aimed at increasing the efficacy of targeting and radiosensitizing hypoxic tumour microenvironments relative to normal tissues and asks the question of whether non-targeted effects in radiobiology may provide a new “target”. Novel techniques involve the integration of recent technological advancements such as nanotechnology, cell manipulation, and medical imaging. Particularly, the major areas of research discussed in this review include tumour hypoxia imaging through PET imaging to guide carbogen breathing, gold nanoparticles, macrophage-mediated drug delivery systems used for hypoxia-activate prodrugs, and autophagy inhibitors. Furthermore, this review outlines several features of these methods, including the mechanisms of action to induce radiosensitization, the increased accuracy in targeting hypoxic tumour microenvironments relative to normal tissue, preclinical/clinical trials, and future considerations. Conclusions: This review suggests that the four novel tumour hypoxia therapeutics demonstrate compelling evidence that these techniques can serve as powerful tools to increase targeting efficacy and radiosensitizing hypoxic tumour microenvironments relative to normal tissue. Each technique uses a different way to manipulate the therapeutic ratio, which we have labelled “oxygenate, target, use, and digest”. In addition, by focusing on emerging non-targeted and out-of-field effects, new umbrella targets are identified, which instead of sensitizing hypoxic cells, seek to reduce the radiosensitivity of normal tissues.     

Self-recognition in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Distribution, ontogeny, and patterns of emergence.

Investigations of mirror self-recognition (SR) in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) have had small samples and divergent methods. In Exp 1, 105 chimpanzees (aged 10 mo to 40 yrs) were observed for signs of SR across 5 days of continuous mirror exposure. In Exps 2 and 3, negative SR adult and adolescent Ss were saturated with mirror exposure in efforts to facilitate SR, and a longitudinal study was conducted with a number of young Ss. In Exp 4, mark tests were administered to groups of positive SR, negative SR, and ambiguous SR Ss. Exp 5 explored whether previous positive SR reports in young chimpanzees were artifacts of increased arousal during mirror exposure. Results suggest that SR typically emerges at 4.5–8 yrs of age, at the population level the capacity declines in adulthood, and in group settings SR typically occurs within minutes of an S's exposure to a mirror. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Time in day care and social participation of young children.

The relation between time in day care and social behavior of preschool children was investigated at three child-care centers varying in location, populations served, and program characteristics. Child age and sex were held constant statistically in assessing relations between time in care and social participation. Day-care experience was related to increased social participation and, especially, to increased associative interaction with peers and decreased unoccupied and onlooker behaviors, in both a large community day-care center and a small university center. In the latter, time in care was also positively related to amount of constructive play activity shown by children. In another center, there were minimal relations between time in day care and either positive or negative behaviors toward peers. Implications of these differential findings for future research on day care are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Impact of Protein Corona Formation on the Macrophage Cellular Uptake and Biodistribution of Spherical Nucleic Acids

The effect of serum protein adsorption on the biological fate of Spherical Nucleic Acids (SNAs) is investigated. Through a proteomic analysis, it is shown that G‐quadruplexes templated on the surface of a gold nanoparticle in the form of SNAs mediate the formation of a protein corona that is rich in complement proteins relative to SNAs composed of poly‐thymine (poly‐T) DNA. Cellular uptake studies show that complement receptors on macrophage cells recognize the SNA protein corona, facilitating their internalization, and causing G‐rich SNAs to accumulate in the liver and spleen more than poly‐T SNAs in vivo. These results support the conclusion that nucleic acid sequence and architecture can mediate nanoparticle–biomolecule interactions and alter their cellular uptake and biodistribution properties and illustrate that nucleic acid sequence is an important parameter in the design of SNA therapeutics.     

Guest Encapsulation within Surface‐Adsorbed Self‐Assembled Cages

Coordination cages encapsulate a wide variety of guests in the solution state. This ability renders them useful for applications such as catalysis and the sequestration of precious materials. A simple and general method for the immobilization of coordination cages on alumina is reported. Cage loadings are quantified via adsorption isotherms and guest displacement assays demonstrate that the adsorbed cages retain the ability to encapsulate and separate guest and non‐guest molecules. Finally, a system of two cages, adsorbed on to different regions of alumina, stabilizes and separates a pair of Diels–Alder reagents. The addition of a single competitive guest results in the controlled release of the reagents, thus triggering their reaction. This method of coordination cage immobilization on solid phases is envisaged to be applicable to the extensive library of reported cages, enabling new applications based upon selective solid‐phase molecular encapsulation.     

Efficient Synthesis of 2’-O-Methoxyethyl Oligonucleotide-Cationic Peptide Conjugates

Single-stranded phosphorothioate (PS) oligonucleotide drugs have shown potential for the treatment of several rare diseases. However, a barrier to their widespread use is that they exhibit activity in only a narrow range of tissues. One way to circumvent this constraint is to conjugate them to cationic cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs). Although there are several examples of morpholino and peptide nucleic acids conjugated with CPPs, there are noticeably few examples of PS oligonucleotide-CPP conjugates. This is surprising given that PS oligonucleotides presently represent the largest class of approved RNA-based drugs, including Nusinersen, that bears the 2’-O-methoxyethyl (MOE)-chemistry. In this work, we report a method for in-solution conjugation of cationic, hydrophobic peptides or human serum albumin to a 22-nucleotide MOE-PS oligonucleotide. Conjugates were obtained in high yields and purities. Our findings pave the way for their large-scale synthesis and testing in vivo.     

Exploring Performance of Gendered Identities through Language in World of Warcraft

This study examines how players of World of Warcraft, an online video game, use language to perform gendered identities. Online environments have become increasingly popular sites for social interaction, and online games are played by millions of people worldwide who must rely on textual language to construct their identity. Data were collected from semi-private chat channels by recording visual game-play while conducting participant observation. The chat log data were analyzed in terms of gender stereotypes known to exist in video games using conversation analytic techniques. Players were observed using gendered stereotypes, as well as language practices that have been prescribed as being male- or female-orientated. How identity is constructed through language in online video games has become increasingly relevant as the importance of individual identity has risen in many Western cultures as well as in academia.