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.     

Intra- and inter-laboratory reproducibility of estrogen and progesterone receptor enzyme immunoassay in breast cancer cytosol samples--a Swedish multicenter study. Swedish Society of Cancer Study Group

Estrogen and progesterone receptor analysis results were compared within and between six laboratories in Sweden using frozen breast cancer cytosol samples, and the same technique (enzyme immunoassay, Abbott Laboratories). The concordance in receptor status (positive vs. negative) was excellent (98.4% (571/580)). The discordant results were attributable to values near cut-off (n = 4) or outliers (n = 5), the latter probably being due to analytical errors. One laboratory reported significantly higher ER concentrations than the others; thus caution should be observed when comparing absolute values from different centers. For PgR there were similar differences between the laboratories. However, the intra- and inter-laboratory differences were small compared with the overall variability in ER and PgR content between different samples in a large database. The range of the median intra-laboratory coefficient of variation was 11-23% for ER and 12-19% for PgR, indicating that there is room for improvement in the quality of assay performance.     

Effects of citrate on the different phases of calcium oxalate crystallization

Urinary citrate appears to be an important factor in the crystallization process of calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate. The urinary excretion of citrate was found to be significantly lower in patients with calcium oxalate stone disease as compared with normal subjects, and about 30 per cent of the calcium stone formers can be considered as hypocitraturic. The lowest excretion of citrate was recorded in urine collected during the night. Citrate has significant effects on supersaturation with respect to both calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate, it also inhibits the growth of these crystals. In addition, citrate appears to be capable of inhibiting the aggregation of crystals composed of calcium oxalate, brushite, and hydroxyapatite. The heterogenous growth of calcium oxalate on calcium phosphate is also counteracted by citrate. As a consequence of the crucial role of citrate in these processes, stone prevention with alkaline citrate has become an attractive form of treatment in patients with recurrent stone formation. Single evening dose administration of sodium potassium citrate resulted in an of sodium potassium citrate resulted in an increased excretion of citrate, reduced levels of the calcium/citrate ratio as well as supersaturation with respect to calcium oxalate and a decreased rate of stone formation. However, conflicting results of stone preventive treatment with alkaline citrate have been reported by different groups, and long-term follow-up of patients treated in a randomized way is necessary to definitely assess the efficacy of alkaline citrate.     

Investigations of delamination criticality and the transferability of growth criteria

This article describes a study of delamination growth along 0 °/0 °, 0 °/ 5 °, ± 5 °, and 0 °/90 ° interfaces sandwiched between unidirectional carbon fibre/epoxy composite material. Relationships between damage criticality, growth rate and acoustic emission activity for delamination growth have been studied and the transferability of results from laboratory coupons to composite structural elements has been examined. Two types of coupon tests, conventional delamination beams and rigidly loaded single edge notched strips, have been compared for different mode ratios. Comparative tests have been made on buckling-induced delamination in plates. A graphite crack gauge has been used to measure delamination length and growth rate, ranging from 0.05–2000 m/s. Damage growth was also followed using visual, ultrasonic C-scan, X-ray radiography, macro-video and acoustic emission measurements. Empirical evaluations of interlaminar toughness for delamination beams are made using the Irwin-Kies relation. Unstable growth is analysed using elasto-dynamic moving finite elements. Bucklinginduced delamination is analysed using plate/shell FE methods with growth/remeshing algorithms.     

Comparison of copper emission rates from wood treated with different preservatives to the environment

This study describes a laboratory method for the estimation of emission from preservative-treated wood in the different situations where emissions could enter the environment for use classes 3 (not in contact with ground) and 4 and 5 (in contact with the ground, fresh water or sea water) according to OECD Guidelines. Samples of scotch pine sapwood (Pinus sylvestris L.) were treated with CCA (1% and 2%), ACQ-1900 (3% and 7%), ACQ-2200 (2%), Tanalith E 3491 (2% and 2.8%), and Wolmanit CX-8 (2%).     

Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes on cold-smoked salmon by nisin and carbon dioxide atmosphere

The heat-stable enterotoxin of Escherichia coli binds to an intestinal receptor, guanylyl cyclase-C, and produces cGMP to induce diarrhea. Guanylin is an endogenous ligand of this receptor. In the present in vivo study, the intestinal water and ion secretion induced by mucosal application of 2 nmol/ml guanylin or 5 or 10 units/ml heat-stable enterotoxin into closed loops was compared in the rat. The characteristics of secretion induced by cAMP following intravenous perfusion of 1.2 nmol/100 g per h vasoactive intestinal peptide were compared to those induced by cGMP. Unidirectional Na+ and Cl- fluxes were estimated by addition of 22Na into the loop and i.v. injection of 36Cl. Guanylin induced less water and ion secretion than that produced by heat-stable enterotoxin in the colon, confirming the results of in vitro studies, and also in duodenum and ileum. The cAMP- or cGMP-mediated response had a similar pattern, i.e., an inhibition of Na+ absorption and an increase in anion secretion.     

Remote sensing of species mixtures in conifer plantations using LiDAR height and intensity data

In even-aged, single species conifer plantations LiDAR height data can be modelled to provide accurate estimates of tree height and volume. However, it is apparent that growth models developed for single species stands are not directly transferable to a more general situation of mixed species plantations. This paper evaluates the ability of small footprint, dual-return, pulsed airborne LiDAR data to estimate the proportion of the productive species when mixed with a nurse crop in closed canopy plantations. A study area located in Galloway Forest District in Scotland is used as an example of Lodgepole pine and Sitka spruce mixed plantation; this area contains good examples of a wide range of pure and mixed species plantation types. Three species groups are studied: areas of pure Sitka spruce, areas of pure Lodgepole pine and areas where the two species have been planted together. Two approaches are assessed for detection of plantation mixtures: the first uses LiDAR intensity data to separate spruce and pine species and the second uses LiDAR-derived canopy density measures, coefficient of variation, skewness, percent of ground returns (which provides a measure of canopy openness) and the mean canopy height, which enables areas with height variations to be identified. From analysis of LiDAR data extracted from 54 study plots using logistic regression, the coefficient of variation and LiDAR intensity data provide the most useful predictors of the proportion of spruce in a pine/spruce mixture with coefficients of determination (R²) of 0.914 and 0.930 respectively. The method could be developed as a mapping tool, which in combination with existing inventory data should help to improve timber volume forecasting for mixed species even-aged plantations.