Effects of Ketone Bodies on Brain Metabolism and Function in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Under normal physiological conditions the brain primarily utilizes glucose for ATP generation. However, in situations where glucose is sparse, e.g., during prolonged fasting, ketone bodies become an important energy source for the brain. The brain’s utilization of ketones seems to depend mainly on the concentration in the blood, thus many dietary approaches such as ketogenic diets, ingestion of ketogenic medium-chain fatty acids or exogenous ketones, facilitate significant changes in the brain’s metabolism. Therefore, these approaches may ameliorate the energy crisis in neurodegenerative diseases, which are characterized by a deterioration of the brain’s glucose metabolism, providing a therapeutic advantage in these diseases. Most clinical studies examining the neuroprotective role of ketone bodies have been conducted in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, where brain imaging studies support the notion of enhancing brain energy metabolism with ketones. Likewise, a few studies show modest functional improvements in patients with Parkinson’s disease and cognitive benefits in patients with—or at risk of—Alzheimer’s disease after ketogenic interventions. Here, we summarize current knowledge on how ketogenic interventions support brain metabolism and discuss the therapeutic role of ketones in neurodegenerative disease, emphasizing clinical data.     

The impacts of a GTL plant on Brazil's oil products supply and refinery expansion

This paper assesses the impacts of a GTL plant on the expansion of Brazil's oil refining segment. The GTL plant (50,000 bpd) was sized to start up operations in 2015, producing diesel and naphtha through the indirect route (FT-synthesis). This plant will consume the non-associated natural gas production from the recent discoveries at the Santos Basin (around 419 Bm³), and the associated gas production from the Campos Basin. Both basins are located in the Southeast of Brazil, the most populated, rich and industrialized region of the country. Two different criteria for refinery expansion were simulated in order to meet oil product demand scenarios. Findings show that depending on the refinery expansion criteria considered GTL will play a fundamental hole to meet the oil product demand forecast to Brazil in the next 10 years.     

Impact of parental discipline methods on the child's internalization of values: A reconceptualization of current points of view.

It is generally argued that parental use of specific discipline techniques (e.g., reasoning vs power assertion) differentially affects a child's internalization. This article offers an expanded formulation. Internalization as a result of discipline is proposed to be based on a child's accurate perception of the parental message and acceptance or rejection of it. Mechanisms promoting acceptance are perceptions of the parent's actions as appropriate, motivation to accept the parental position, and perception that a value has been self-generated. Features of the misdeed, discipline technique, child, and parent that affect accurate perception and acceptance–rejection are outlined. Other goals besides internalization, such as movement beyond the parent's position, maintenance of the child's self-esteem, and maintenance of the parent–child relationship, are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of intrathecal morphine on blood glucose, glucagon and tissue glycogen in rat: comparison with the effect of xanthan gum on blood glucose

Eleven patients suffering from chronic disabling tinnitus underwent an FDG-PET study (positron emission tomography with [18F]deoxyglucose). Nine tinnitus patients revealed a significantly increased metabolic activity in the left, 1 in the right primary auditory cortex (PAC, Brodmann area 41). These results were statistically significant when compared to 14 healthy control individuals without tinnitus. A negative result was obtained from a chronic tinnitus patient but who had no subjective complaints during the period of PET investigation. One patient was first investigated during a disabling tinnitus period, later during a period with tinnitus relief and again when suffering from severe tinnitus. The metabolic activity of his left PAC was in good accordance with the subjective degree of tinnitus complaints present during each PET investigation. Although for the first time these results give objective evidence of tinnitus sensation and localization, they are difficult to interpret because of the limited research data available that combine functional brain imaging and acoustic stimuli.     

Economic Comparison of NdFeB and Hard Ferrites in Automotive Applications

With the increasing use of electric motors in automobiles—in some cases as many as 100 electric motors per vehicle—alternatives to ferrite magnetic materials are under consideration. If more powerful magnetic materials could be implemented, size reductions in these motors could result in curb weight reductions that lead to improved fuel economy. NdFeB magnets are attractive as potential replacement materials, due to their higher flux density and thus smaller required size; however, high material costs have limited their implementation. To investigate the economic competitiveness of alternative magnetic materials, technical cost models (TCMs) were developed and used to examine the manufacturing economics related to the production of both NdFeB and ferrite magnets. Results from the TCMs are used to identify the cost drivers and opportunities for cost reductions. Subsequent investigations will include effects on vehicle fuel efficiency, and the environmental impact of magnet manufacture and disposal.     

Multisource-sputtered ErBa2Cu3O7−x films on single-crystal and buffered crystalline substrates

High-quality superconducting films of erbium-barium-copper-oxide have been produced in a multisource sputtering system on a variety of substrates, including buffered sapphire and silicon wafers as well as various single-crystal materials. Fine-grained polycrystalline films with narrow (<4 K) resistive transitions have been grown on a number of different substrates. The use of erbium in the 12–3 compound leads to improved film morphology and to more forgiving conditions for establishing of the superconducting phase. Sputtered neutral mass spectroscopy (SNMS) yields useful information about the compositional profile of the films.     

Communication between patients with breast cancer and health care providers. Determinants and implications

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the perceptions of patients with breast cancer of their medical interactions with providers. The determinants and psychological consequences of communication problems also were examined. METHODS: Ninety-seven patients with Stage I or II breast cancer completed a set of validated questionnaires before initiating postoperative therapy. Data on psychological distress were collected at baseline and 3-month follow-up, and multivariate models were fit to explain the relationship between pretreatment communication problems and subsequent psychological distress. Data on clinical variables were abstracted from medical records. RESULTS: A substantial proportion of patients (84%) reported difficulties communicating with the medical team. Communication problems were more common among patients who were less optimistic about their disease and had less assertive coping styles. Patient-reported communication problems were associated with increased anxiety, depression anger, and confusion at the 3-month follow-up. The association between communication problems and mood disturbance remained significant, although small, after adjusting for baseline mood disturbance, demographic, clinical, and coping style variables. CONCLUSION: Interventions that enhance communication between patients with breast cancer and their providers may improve patients' psychological adjustment to treatment. Conversely, interventions that lower distress and modify coping style may enhance communication.     

A profile of science in Brazil

The Brazilian contribution to publications in science and humanities increased from 0.29% of the worldwide total in 1981 to 0.46% in 1993. In science, but not in humanities, Brazilian publications tend to follow the world publication trend; thus, during the period 1981–1993, 57.9% of Brazilian publications were in life sciences, 35.4% in exact sciences, 3.9% in earth sciences and 2.9% in humanities. The ten institutions with the largest number of publications are universities, which account for half of the all Brazilian publications. The total number of authors on the Brazilian 1981–1993 publications was 52,808. Among these 57.8% appear in only one publication and 17.5% have their publications cited more than 10 times.     

Project Preserve: A Program to Retain Minorities in Engineering

A national effort, begun in 1972 to increase the numbers of minorities in engineering, has made substantial progress, but the attrition for minority students is still estimated at 70%. To address the problem, Project Preserve was designed to confirm, by demonstration, the results of previous research showing that the combination of explicit cognitive development, close relationships with faculty, and strong bonds to an institution can raise the performance and retention of minority engineering students. The project enrolled over 100 minority engineering students who had been dismissed from freshman engineering studies on other campuses or placed on academic probation, but whose high school grades and SAT scores were indicative of success. They were channeled into participating institutions chosen for their record of basic support services, willingness to augment or restructure those services, and for variation among institutional variables: Xavier University of Louisiana (XU), California State University at Northridge (CSUN), and City College of the City University of New York (CCNY). A 2 1/2 hour battery of evaluation instruments was given to 79 students upon entry and to 26 students upon their attaining Junior status after two years in the program. The results demonstrated that: (1) an admirable 64% of would-be drop outs had achieved Junior status or were still enrolled in engineering at the conclusion of two years; (2) cognitive growth occurred on basic memory skills and one critical thinking skill, but there were institutional differences in the extent of intellectual development, with Xavier producing the most change; (3) closer relationships to faculty were outcomes; (4) the most positive feelings about, or bonding to, the institution occurred at Xavier University, while the most evidence of social participation and connectedness occurred at CSUN.