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Neuroscience

Do dads treat daughters better than sons? Emory study finds striking differences in treatment of children – Atlanta Journal Constitution

New researchfrom Emory University scientists finds that fathers may play favorites when it comes to their children.

The study, published inthe American Psychological Associations journal Behavioral Neuroscience last week, examined the influence of fathers brain responses to male or female children.

Researchers from Emory University and the University of Arizona gathered data from 52 fathers of toddlers (30 daughters, 22 sons) in the Atlanta area for the study.

The fathers wore small computers on their belts for one weekday and one day on the weekend. The gadget recorded any sounds in 50-second intervals every nine minutes during the 48-hour period as well as nighttime interactions in the childs room, where the device was left charging.

The men also underwent MRI brain scans as they viewed photos of unknown adults, unknown children and their own child with neutral, happy and sad facial expressions.

A father and daughter walk in the city center on July 17, 2012 in Berlin, Germany. Sean Gallup/Getty Images

The fact that fathers may actually be less attentive to the emotional needs of boys, perhaps despite their best intentions, is important to recognize, lead researcher Jennifer Mascaro said.

In addition, regarding the finding that dads with daughters tend to use more body-related words, researchers noted that previous research has shown pre-adolescent girls are more likely than boys to report low self-esteem and body image issues.

But some scientists, includingAlan Kazdin, child psychiatry professor and director of Yale Parenting Center, warned against jumping to any conclusions in the small sample study.

Daughters and sons are very different even in utero and then when they're infants they start behaving very differently,Kazdin told CBS News. Interactions between parents and children drive and influence each other's brains. So what we don't know here is whether the fathers drive the behaviors of their daughters and the sons or if the daughters and the sons drive the behavior of the fathers.

In addition, because the research was conducted in the U.S., cultures with varying societal norms are not as well represented.

But knowing there may be unintentional biases in the treatment of children based on gender could help future researchers explore the subject and possibly help fathers identify their biases, Kazdin said.

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Do dads treat daughters better than sons? Emory study finds striking differences in treatment of children - Atlanta Journal Constitution

Neuroscience

IRF Report Details Recommendations for Translating the Neuroscience of Behavioral Economics into Employee … – Benzinga

The Incentive Research Foundation is pleased to release "Using Behavioral Economics Insights in Incentives, Rewards, and Recognition: The Neuroscience," an innovative application of scientific findings to employee motivation and rewards. Offering practical C-suite takeaways, the IRF's report describes the unifying behavioral economic principles connecting the powerful role of emotions with employee performance.

(PRWEB) May 30, 2017

The Incentive Research Foundation is pleased to release "Using Behavioral Economics Insights in Incentives, Rewards, and Recognition: The Neuroscience," an innovative application of scientific findings to employee motivation and rewards. Offering practical C-suite takeaways, the IRF's report describes the unifying behavioral economic principles connecting the powerful role of emotions with employee performance.

The report explains how behavioral economics can help employers better understand what motivates employees, because it recognizes the majority of human decision-making is emotional as opposed to rational. Behavioral economics integrates social, cognitive, and emotional factors to more fully explain human decision-making biases. Neuroeconomics provides an additional powerful layer of proof by exploring the biologic underpinnings of decision-making. Technological advances, such a brain-imaging technology, enable researchers to probe the brain in unprecedented detail and are powering an explosion in neuroeconomics research.

"From studies on oxytocin to dopamine to the pre-frontal cortex, there is no shortage of emerging neuroeconomics research on what makes humans tick," said Melissa Van Dyke, IRF President. "'Using Behavioral Economics Insights in Incentives, Rewards, and Recognition: The Neuroscience' curates and explains the research so that incentives, rewards, and recognition professionals can use this knowledge to better understand what motivates employees and ultimately create more engaging and productive work environments."

The most powerful neuroeconomics finding is that all forms of reward are processed in the brain's master reward center, the striatum, and are experienced as rewarding feelings. This means rewarding employees intrinsically by treating them better or rewarding them extrinsically with money, trips, or merchandise are treated equally in the brain. This important finding supports organizations shifting the emphasis in incentive programs to non-cash rewards to build more effective, fulfilling work environments. Other key takeaways include:

To download the full study, "Using Behavioral Economics Insights in Incentives, Rewards, and Recognition: The Neuroscience," and the accompanying white paper "Translating the Neuroscience of Behavioral Economics into Employee Engagement," please visit: http://theirf.org/research/translating-the-neuroscience-of-behavioral-economics-into-employee-engagement/2083/

To download the companion study, "Using Behavioral Economics Insights in Incentives, Rewards, and Recognition: A Nudge Guide," or to download the white paper, "How to Effectively Harness Behavioral Economics to Drive Employee Performance and Engagement," please visit: http://theirf.org/research/how-to-effectively-harness-behavioral-economics-to-drive-employee-performance-and-engagement/2072/

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About the IRF: The Incentive Research Foundation (TheIRF.org) funds and promotes research to advance the science and enhance the awareness and appropriate application of motivation and incentives in business and industry globally. The goal is to increase the understanding, effective use, and resultant benefits of incentives to businesses that currently use incentives and others interested in improved performance.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2017/05/prweb14375978.htm

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IRF Report Details Recommendations for Translating the Neuroscience of Behavioral Economics into Employee ... - Benzinga

Human Behavior

Chimpanzees adapt their foraging behavior to avoid human contact – Phys.Org

May 30, 2017 by Dan Worth Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Research by PhD candidate Nicola Bryson-Morrison from the University of Kent's School of Anthropology and Conservation (SAC) suggests chimpanzees are aware of the risks of foraging too close to humans.

The findings could play a vital role in helping further understand how human activities and development affect chimpanzee behaviour and habitat use.

Nicola and her team conducted the research in Bossou, Guinea, West Africa between April 2012 and March 2013.

They carried out six-hour morning and afternoon follows of the crop-foraging chimpanzees over a full year to record their various behaviours in different habitat types across the landscape.

They found that the chimpanzees preferred mature primary forest for all behaviours and avoided foraging in non-cultivated habitats within 200m from cultivated fields, suggesting an awareness of the associated risks of being too close to locations where humans were likely to be present.

However, the chimpanzees did not avoid foraging close to unsurfaced roads or paths where vehicles or humans may be present.

The risks related to roads and paths may be less than cultivated fields where humans are more likely to behave antagonistically towards chimpanzees.

The findings have been published in the latest issue of the International Journal of Primatology.

Explore further: Chimpanzees will travel for preferred foods, innovate solutions

More information: Nicola Bryson-Morrison et al, Activity and Habitat Use of Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in the Anthropogenic Landscape of Bossou, Guinea, West Africa, International Journal of Primatology (2017). DOI: 10.1007/s10764-016-9947-4

Just as humans will travel to their favorite restaurant, chimpanzees will travel a farther distance for preferred food sources in non-wild habitats, according to a new study from scientists at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo that ...

A new study examining the muscular system of bonobos provides firsthand evidence that the rare great ape species may be more closely linked, anatomically, to human ancestors than common chimpanzees. Previous research suggested ...

Wild chimpanzees living in disturbed habitat may use innovative strategies, like foraging crops at night, to coexist with nearby human activities, according to a study published October 22, 2014 in the open-access journal ...

Ivory Coast, which has seen a 90 percent decrease in its chimpanzees in just 20 years, is to host international talks in July in a bid to save the primates.

In a project led by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, an international team of scientists has completed the sequencing and analysis of the genome of the last great ape, the bonobo. Bonobos, ...

Scientists from Kyoto University, Japan, studying chimpanzees in Guinea have published research revealing why primates attack humans and what prevention measures can be taken. The study, published in a special issue of The ...

Biologists have always been fascinated by the diversity and changeability of life on Earth and have attempted to answer a fundamental question: How do new species originate?

Researchers have identified key genes associated with flowering time in the pigeon pea, a finding that could lead to more productive plants for this important source of protein.

With prices down and weather patterns unpredictable, these are tough times for America's cotton farmers, but new research led by Z. Jeffrey Chen at The University of Texas at Austin might offer a break for the industry. He ...

From Charles Darwin's famous finches to a new study that takes a rare look at a common order of birdswaterfowlevolution has a tendency to reveals itself through bird beaks.

A research group at the University of Helsinki discovered the fastest event of speciation in any marine vertebrate when studying flounders in an international research collaboration project. This finding has an important ...

Princeton researchers have developed a way to place onto surfaces special coatings that chemically "communicate" with bacteria, telling them what to do. The coatings, which could be useful in inhibiting or promoting bacterial ...

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Chimpanzees adapt their foraging behavior to avoid human contact - Phys.Org

Genetics

Keytruda drug treats cancer based on tumor’s genetics rather than its location – Genetic Literacy Project

In a first for precision medicine, a cancer drug has won regulatory approval based on the genetic characteristic of tumors, rather than their location in the body.

On [May 23], the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it had approved Keytruda, an immunotherapy, for patients who have genetic glitches in so-called mismatch repair genes.

Keytruda is the first that can be given to anyone who harbors one of two relatively rare genetic abnormalities, and is suffering from a solid tumor, such as pancreatic or lung cancer. Olivier Lesueur, managing partner at Bionest Partners, a consulting firm, calls the approval a breakthrough in the way we see and define cancer.

Keytruda works by unleashing the bodys immune system to attack tumors, and was first approved to treat advanced skin cancer in 2014. Such drugs, called checkpoint inhibitors, have had remarkable success, including saving the life of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter. The downside of immunotherapy is that not all patients seem to benefit, for reasons that remain uncertain.

The new approval only applies to patients for whom traditional treatment, like chemotherapy, has already failed. But genetic tests to identify patients with mismatch repair genes are widely available and cost $300 to $600Keytruda itself costs around $150,000 a year.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post:Drug Is First to Treat Cancer Based on Genetics, Not Location

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Keytruda drug treats cancer based on tumor's genetics rather than its location - Genetic Literacy Project

Embryology

Donor-conceived people do benefit from being told about their conception – BioNews

Professor Guido Pennings' provocatively entitled BioNews commentary'Donor children do not benefit from being told about their conception' (see BioNews 900)purports to highlight the shortcomings of existing research supporting a pro-disclosure agenda, and castigates counsellors and researchers who advocate parental disclosure. Pennings' commentary follows up and repeats much of the contents of his longer paper published in Human Reproductionto which we and 35 other researchers, professionals and members of the donor conception community from around the world have since responded.

Professor Pennings' own views on non-disclosure of donor conception and the associated topic of donor anonymity are well known, so it is not surprising that he is out of step with the views with which we have been associated over the years. However, as an experienced academic and researcher himself, and as someone asserting the need for evidence-based policy and practice, we are extremely disappointed that Professor Pennings' recent comments fall short of the academic rigour readers might have reasonably expected.

First, Professor Pennings seems happy to condemn counsellors for their alleged failings:'Beliefs are expressed and pushed upon during counselling; this is an outright violation of the non-directiveness rule that stipulates that the moral values and views of the patients (parents and would-be-parents) must be respected.' But he does not cite any supporting evidence whatsoever (we know of none). Discussing contemporary research findings, including their limitations, with potential recipients of donated gametes/embryos neither equates with 'pushing' beliefs upon a patient nor violates the principles of non-directive counselling. On the contrary, it provides a valued opportunity for prospective parents to arrive at well-informed decisions through seeking clarification where needed, talking through any fears and uncertainty - particularly in relation to future parent-child relationships - and exploring possible disclosure strategies.

Second, Professor Pennings ignores the legal and policy mandates in several jurisdictions, multi-disciplinary professional bodies' guidelines and international human rights conventions which encourage parental disclosure through acknowledging donor-conceived individuals' right to knowledge of their origins [1]. For example, the UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 Section 13 6C (as revised in 2008) requires clinics offering donor conception to inform prospective recipients of donated gametes and embryos of:

Third, the research Professor Pennings selected for critique forms only part of the available research evidence (for example, see Blyth and colleagues [2] for a more comprehensive review of relevant literature). The quality of Professor Pennings' review and analysis fails to meet normal expectations of a scholarly literature review. Professor Pennings also ignores relevant transferable research evidence on the impact of disclosure issues on the psychological and social well-being of adopted children and adults and that of secrecy in families.

Fourth, the available research, including the research he says he has analysed, provides a far more nuanced analysis of disclosure of donor conception than he asserts, with authors appropriately and thoughtfully taking account of such matters as child development perspectives and social context in their discussions [2-6]. Contrary to his conclusions, there is reliable evidence that the earlier donor-conceived children learn about the nature of their conception, the more favourable the outcomes both for the individual's identity formation and for family relationships. Evidence also reports that discovering one's donor conception later in life and/or in unplanned ways can result, for some, in long-term psychological distress and impair inter-familial and inter-personal relationships.

Fifth, in proposing that disclosure provides no benefits, Professor Pennings negates both the methodology of qualitative research and its recruitment methods, even though it has enabled the reporting of the lived experiences of those for whom disclosure has mattered most: donor-conceived individuals. In a research field severely hampered by the promotion of secrecy since the outset of donor conception as a medical procedure, qualitative findings significantly add to our understanding and are crucial to the development of well-informed evidenced-based practice.

Those with genuine intent to know about the needs of individuals born from donor conception do not need to search too hard.[2-6] With the advent of biotechnology and DNA registries, the question no longer remains whether there should be disclosure to children born following donor conception.[6] Rather, the focus should be on the what, how and when to disclose, and how these can best be achieved by parents within the intricacies of their sociocultural worlds.

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Donor-conceived people do benefit from being told about their conception - BioNews

Cell Biology

The importance of carbon – The Statesman

The chemistry of cells is essentially the chemistry of carbon-containing compounds because the carbon atom has several unique properties that make it especially suitable as the backbone of biologically important molecules. To study cellular molecules really means to study carbon-containing compounds. Almost without exception, molecules of importance to the cell biologist have a backbone, or skeleton, of carbon atoms linked together covalently.

Actually, the study of carbon-containing compounds is the domain of organic chemistry. In its early days, organic chemistry was almost synonymous with biological chemistry because most of the carboncontaining compounds that chemists first investigated were obtained from biological sources (hence the word organic, acknowledging the organismal origins of the compounds).

The terms have long since gone their separate ways, however, because organic chemists have now synthesised an incredible variety of carbon-containing compounds that do not occur naturally (that is, not in the biological world). Organic chemistry therefore includes all classes of carbon-containing compounds, whereas biological chemistry (biochemistry for short) deals specifically with the chemistry of living systems and is, as we have already seen, one of the several historical strands that form an integral part of modern cell biology.

The carbon atom is the most important in biological molecules. The diversity and stability of carbon-containing compounds are due to specific properties of the carbon atom and especially to the nature of the interactions of carbon atoms with one another as well as with a limited number of other elements found in molecules of biological importance.

The single most fundamental property of the carbon atom is its valence of four, which means that the outermost electron orbital of the atom lacks four of the eight electrons needed to fill it completely. Since a complete outer orbital is required for the most stable chemical state of an atom, carbon atoms tend to associate with one another or with other electrondeficient atoms, allowing adjacent atoms to share a pair of electrons. For each such pair, one electron comes from each of the atoms. Atoms that share each others electrons in this way are said to be joined together by a covalent bond. Carbon atoms are most likely to form covalent bonds with one another and with atoms of oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulphur.

The electronic configurations of several of these atoms are such that in each case, one or more electrons are required to complete the outer orbital. The number of missing electrons corresponds in each case to the valence of the atom, which indicates, in turn, the number of covalent bonds the atom can form. Carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen are the lightest elements that form covalent bonds by sharing electron pairs. This lightness, or low atomic weight, makes the resulting compounds especially stable, because the strength of a covalent bond is inversely proportional to the atomic weights of the elements involved in the bond.

Because four electrons are required to fill the outer orbital of carbon, stable organic compounds have four covalent bonds for every carbon atom. Methane, ethanol, and methylamine are simple examples of such compounds, containing only single bonds between atoms. Sometimes, two or even three pairs of electrons can be shared by two atoms, giving rise to double bonds or triple bonds. Ethylene and carbon dioxide are examples of doublebonded compounds. Triple bonds are found in molecular nitrogen and hydrogen cyanide. Thus, both its valence and its low atomic weight confer on carbon unique properties that account for the diversity and stability of carbon-containing compounds and give it a preeminent role in biological molecules.

The writer is associate professor, head, department of botany, ananda mohan college, kolkata, and also fellow, botanical society of bengal, and can be contacted at tapanmaitra59@yahoo.co.in

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The importance of carbon - The Statesman

Cell Biology

Live Cell Imaging Market is expected to reach USD 9.3 billion by 2025 – PR Newswire (press release)

Rising popularity of kinetic research over fixed cellular analysis is the key driver.

Addition of dyes and reagents alter the cell behavior, mostly in a negative manner, which does not showcase the natural course of action of the cellular functions.

Understanding the cellular behavior in its natural state is crucial in drug discovery and targeted drug therapy.

In a survey by Drug Discovery World Spring, almost 21% researchers prefer & use live cell imaging and 31% plan to use it in the future. Moreover, 38% of the respondents were interested in using live cell kinetic HCS imaging in the future. The most important feature for researchers is the ability to automate the incubation and image capturing of any live cell analyzer.

Equipment dominated the product segment in 2016. The current system, although of great potential are still expected to perform better over the next few years. The general trend is to make the instruments compact and integrated for end-to-end processing.

Cell biology dominated the application with more than 30% of the shares and was closely followed by developmental biology. Stem cell and drug discovery are the upcoming fields to apply live cell imaging in the research.

The global live cell imaging market is expected to reach USD 9.3 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc.

Rising popularity of kinetic research over fixed cellular analysis is the key driver. Addition of dyes and reagents alter the cell behavior, mostly in a negative manner, which does not showcase the natural course of action of the cellular functions. Understanding the cellular behavior in its natural state is crucial in drug discovery and targeted drug therapy. This, in turn, increases the need for live cell imaging, thus boosting the market.

In a survey by Drug Discovery World Spring, almost 21% researchers prefer & use live cell imaging and 31% plan to use it in the future. Moreover, 38% of the respondents were interested in using live cell kinetic HCS imaging in the future. The most important feature for researchers is the ability to automate the incubation and image capturing of any live cell analyzer. Secondly, they also give importance to viable cell-tracking ability of the equipment. Further development in the technology of equipment is expected to fulfill these criteria and boost the utility of the same over the forecast period.

Development in delivering probes in living cells, targeting organelles, and proteins using some of the techniques has increased use and adoption of live cell imaging in research and other applications. With improved fluorescent probes, the techniques such as Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) share a majority of the share.

Further Key Findings From The Report Suggest: Equipment dominated the product segment in 2016. The current system, although of great potential are still expected to perform better over the next few years. The general trend is to make the instruments compact and integrated for end-to-end processing.

Cell biology dominated the application with more than 30% of the shares and was closely followed by developmental biology. Stem cell and drug discovery are the upcoming fields to apply live cell imaging in the research.

North America dominated due to its high investment rate and technologically sound infrastructure. The research firms present in this region are technologically aware, hence, readily invest in high cost equipment.

Asia Pacific is expected to show fastest growth over the forecast period due to increasing application of these imaging techniques in drug discovery and personalized medicine.

Read the full report: http://www.reportlinker.com/p04899210/Live-Cell-Imaging-Market-Analysis-By-Product-Application-Technology-Time-lapse-Microscopy-Fluorescence-Recovery-After-Photobleaching-Fluorescence-Resonance-Energy-Transfer-High-Content-Screening-Segment-Forecasts.html

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Live Cell Imaging Market is expected to reach USD 9.3 billion by 2025 - PR Newswire (press release)

Biochemistry

Global Market Study on Biochemistry Analyzers: Clinical Diagnostics Application Segment Projected to Retain Its … – PR Newswire (press release)

LONDON, May 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- About the Report

Persistence Market Research in its latest report titled 'Biochemistry Analyzers Market: Global Industry Analysis and Forecast, 2016-2024' has presented a comprehensive research on the competition landscape in the global biochemistry analyzers market. The competition landscape portion of the global biochemistry analyzers market report begins by introducing the readers of the report to the company share analysis of all the important players operating in the global biochemistry analyzers market. This section of the report gives the breakup of the market share of all the key players operating in the global biochemistry analyzers market and observes that the market is highly fragmented owing to the presence of various companies, especially domestic players, in the global biochemistry analyzers market. In the subsequent section of the report, a competition dashboard is presented, which supplies information on various key players operating in the global biochemistry analyzers market; such as product offerings, regional presence and most important of all, strategies adopted by the key market players in order to succeed in the global biochemistry analyzers market. This kind of information is important for any new entrants or established players operating in the global biochemistry analyzers market as it provides insights on the kind of strategies being adopted by the leading market players so that they can emulate their success and also gauge the effectiveness of such strategies in different regions of the global biochemistry analyzers market.

Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4921067/

In the subsequent sections of the competition landscape, individual information is supplied on the various key players operating in the global biochemistry analyzers market. The kind of information that is given includes company details, company description, product offerings, key financial information and key developments pertaining to the company. In addition, a strategic overview of the companies is also given that provides valuable information regarding the direction that the company is taking with respect to the market in the coming few years and how this will impact the global biochemistry analyzers market. Last but not the least, a SWOT analysis of all the key market players is also given in the competition landscape that provides deep insights regarding the key market players operating in the global biochemistry analyzers market and how the key market players are going to shape up the global market in the future with regards to their strengths and weaknesses and how they utilize the opportunities provided to them and tackle the various market threats and challenges.

Besides this, in the beginning of the report, a market forecast is given that comprises three scenarios, namely the conservative scenario, the likely scenario and the optimistic scenario. All of these three scenarios will result in different market numbers and growth rates and the report gives information why a particular scenario has been chosen as the most likely scenario in the global biochemistry analyzers market and also gives information regarding the other scenarios that may change the market forecasts, if at all, and the magnitude of the change on the forecasted market numbers and growth rates. Besides this, a section on regional biochemistry analyzers market volume (Unit Mn) analysis and forecast by product type, 2016-2024 is also given that provides an overview of the volume share in the regional biochemistry analyzers market and which region is the largest, most lucrative and fastest growing in terms of volume so that correct decisions pertaining to the global biochemistry analyzers market are taken. In addition, there is a section of the report devoted to the fully and semi-automated biochemistry analyzers price forecast by region, 2015 & 2024. This section of the report gives a price overview of the market region wise, so that important decisions on market growth and expansion can be taken by the players who wish to operate in the biochemistry analyzers market.

Another important and attractive feature of the global biochemistry analyzers report present by Persistence Market Research is the inclusion of PEST analysis. The detailed PEST analysis provided in the report gives all the important political, economic, social and technological aspects governing the global biochemistry analyzers market so that readers are fully aware of all the important factors that directly or indirectly affect the growth of the biochemistry analyzers market globally. Besides, information about the Laboratory Accreditation: Internal Quality Control (IQC), Laboratory Accreditation: External Quality Assessment Scheme (EQAS) are also given, adding more value to the report. Important guidelines by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) are provided to enable readers to get an idea about the nuances of the global biochemistry analyzers market.

Also, in addition to all the above, the biochemistry analyzers market report contains an executive summary and also market definitions and the market taxonomy. Macroeconomic factors affecting the global biochemistry analyzers market along with the demand side drivers and supply side drivers are also given in order to give a deep overview of the global biochemistry analyzers market. Besides, restraints impacting the market along with opportunities and trends shaping up the biochemistry analyzers market also given to further add value to the report. The global biochemistry analyzers market analysis and forecast by product type, by end user, by modality, and by region is also given. This section of the report contains valuable information like Basis Point Share (BPS) analysis, Y-o-Y growth projections and market attractiveness analysis to provide in-depth insights into the global biochemistry analyzers market.

Market Segmentation

By Product Type

Semi-automated Biochemistry Analyzer Fully Automated Biochemistry Analyzer

By Application

Clinical Diagnostics Bioreactor Byproduct Detection Drug Development Applications Others

By Modality

Bench-top Floor standing

By End User

Hospitals Diagnostic Centers Pharmaceutical Companies Biotechnology Companies Academic Research Institutes Contract Research Organizations Academic Research Institutes

By Region

North America Latin America Europe Asia Pacific Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4921067/

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Global Market Study on Biochemistry Analyzers: Clinical Diagnostics Application Segment Projected to Retain Its ... - PR Newswire (press release)

Biochemistry

Bitop ‘made in Germany’ actives secures US distribution with Mibelle Biochemistry – CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com

Mibelle Biochemistry and Bitop, two cosmetics active ingredients manufacturers, have signed an exclusive distribution agreement for the US market.

The move will see Germany-based Bitop expanding itis global market presence, with Mibelle Biochemistry set to to supply Bitops actives from its US-based customer service centre, in White Plains New York.

By the terms of the agreement, Mibelle will process orders, provide customer service and coordinate US communications with Bitops international headquarters in Witten, Germany.

We are very happy and pleased about this co-operation, said Bitops CEO, Daniel Berger. With Mibelle Biochemistry, we have found a distribution partner who reflects our aspirations in excellent customer service.

United in values

Berger explained in a statement on the deal that Bitop and Mibelle Biochemistry share key values that will encourage the success of the new partnership, and expressed the companys anticipation of a stronger international profile in light of the deal.

Bitop and Mibelle Biochemsitry are both manufacturers of high quality actives. We share the same quality standards."

The CEO also hinted at ambitions to expand further once the actives manufacture has established itself within the US market.

Partnering with a manufacturer like Mibelle Biochemisyry is a grea opportunity for us to expand our market presence and visibility in the USA. Their US sales team is excellent and very well known in the market. This allows us to ensure the best possible technical support on site for our customers and further expansion, he confirmed.

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Bitop 'made in Germany' actives secures US distribution with Mibelle Biochemistry - CosmeticsDesign-Europe.com

Anatomy

Anatomy and physiology of ageing 5: the nervous system – Nursing Times

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John Knight is senior lecturer in biomedical science; Yamni Nigam is associate professor in biomedical science, both at the College of Human Health and Science, Swansea University.

The nervous system controls the activities of all body organs and tissues, receiving input from sensory organs and responding via effector organs. With around 100billion interconnected neurons, the brain is an extremely complex, and still poorly understood, organ. However we do understand, to some degree, how age affects it, as well as the nervous system as a whole. This fifth article in our series on the anatomy and physiology of ageing describes the age-related changes occurring in the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves. These changes lead to a gradual decline in cognitive function and a range of other issues, such as reduced bladder control or postural hypotension, but in health the brain normally continues to function adequately throughout life.

Knight J, Nigam Y (2017) Anatomy and physiology of ageing 5: the nervous system. Nursing Times [online]; 113: 6, 55-58.

The nervous system, along with the endocrine system, controls and integrates the activities of all the bodys organs and tissues. It receives and processes sensory input from organs such as the eyes, ears and skin, and responds through a variety of effector organs.

The main organ of the nervous system is the brain, which, with around 100billion interconnected neurons, is extremely complex; despite decades of research, its function remains poorly understood. Ageing leads to a progressive loss of neurons and depletion of neurotransmitters (Mather, 2016), these changes are usually associated with a gradual decline in cognitive function and influenced by environmental, genetic and lifestyle factors (Nyberg et al, 2012).

The ageing brain gradually loses neurons and supporting neuroglial cells (Fig 1). Between the ages of 20 and 60, the brain loses around 0.1% of neurons per year, after which the process speeds up (Esiri, 2007). By the age of 90, brain mass will have decreased by around 11% compared with individuals in their 50s, which equates to a loss of about 150g of neural tissue (Wyss-Coray, 2016). The remaining tissues harbour an increased concentration of potentially harmful materials such as iron, aluminium and free radicals.

Aged neural tissues also show increasing pigmentation, largely due to the deposition of two pigments: one brown, lipofuscin (Ottis et al, 2012), and one black, neuromelanin (Clewett et al, 2016). Lipofuscin is linked to amyloid

protein deposition and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles. These abnormal areas of neural tissue are often present at low densities in aged brain tissue, even in the absence of disease (Wyss-Coray, 2016); however, where Alzheimers disease is present, these are at high densities.

The loss of neurons is most apparent in the cerebral cortex. The grooves (sulci) that mark the surface convolutions (gyri) of the cerebral cortex are visibly deeper in brains of older people (Fig 1). It was originally thought that the frontal lobes were particularly vulnerable to neural loss, but similar losses have been observed in other cortical regions such as the parietal lobes (Fjell et al, 2014).

Fig 1. Three age-related changes in the brain

Fig 1. Three age-related changes in the brain

Structural changes in the frontal and parietal lobes are related to poor memory. Many people in their 80s have modest levels of amyloid protein deposition and retain their memory, while individuals with higher levels typically have a poorer working (short-term) memory (Nyberg et al, 2012). However, the role of amyloid deposition in impairing memory has recently been questioned and other factors, such as accumulation of tau proteins, may play a more important role (Brier et al, 2016).

The hippocampus has a key role in memory and the acquisition of new skills. With age, it loses a significant amount of neural tissue (Burke and Barns, 2006), which may explain why activities such as learning a new language become more difficult with advancing age. Recent research indicated that navigating a computer-generated virtual environment improved spatial awareness and reduced the shrinkage of the hippocampus, both in younger and older people (Lvdn et al, 2012). Virtual reality computer programs could therefore potentially be used to reduce shrinkage in this vital brain area.

Around 35% of people over the age of 70years have gait problems; while there are many contributing factors, including age-related changes to muscles and joints, the nervous system is also implicated. The somatic motor cortex located in the frontal lobes of the brain controls the movement of muscles involved in walking. From middle age onwards the neurons in this region show signs of atrophy (Manini et al, 2013), which can contribute to gait problems, potentially reducing mobility in older people (Rosso et al, 2013).

Ageing is associated with a gradual increase in the size of the ventricles (fluid-filled chambers) in the brain (Fig 1). This is likely to result from a progressive loss of the cells that line the ventricles. Enlarged ventricles fill with more cerebrospinal fluid, and are readily observable using techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging. On average, the volume of the ventricular system increases by around 2.9% per year; this expansion appears to accelerate with age, with people over the age of 70 having a median rate of expansion of 4.25% per year (Raz and Rodrigue, 2006). Although ventricular expansion is seen in most older people, the cognitive impact of this remains unclear.

The medulla oblongata and other areas of the brainstem lose fewer neurons than other regions of the brain. The brainstem is probably the best preserved region of the brain, which probably reflects its essential role in supporting life: it controls breathing, peristalsis, heart rate and blood pressure. However, the autonomic function of the brain does decline with age and this can compromise the bodys ability to respond quickly to internal and external environmental changes (Hotta and Uchida, 2010). Both branches of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) the parasympathetic and sympathetic branches are compromised with age (Parashar et al, 2016).

These changes can negatively affect older people. For example, the blunting of baroreceptor responses increases the risk of postural hypotension, so standing up suddenly can lead to falls and injury. Another negative consequence is the gradual loss of bladder control. To control micturition, the body relies on the interplay of sensory stretch receptors and the ANS (which together monitor bladder filling) and the conscious areas of the cerebral cortex (which signals when the bladder is full). To initiate micturition, the body needs motor control of the urinary sphincter. All these elements function less well with age, and these age-related changes combine with those in other body systems such as prostate enlargement in men and weakened pelvic floor muscles in women to reduce bladder sensitivity and control (Hotta and Uchida, 2010), which can lead to continence problems.

Cerebral blood flow decreases by around 0.38% per year, equating to a 27% decline over 70years of life (Chen et al, 2011). This is a direct consequence of the age-related changes in the cardiovascular system, and may be exacerbated in patients with atherosclerotic occlusion of the carotid arteries.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is formed primarily of tight junctions between adjacent endothelial cells within the blood vessels in the brain. Additionally, specialised neuroglial cells called astrocytes wrap around the cerebral vessels, forming a further physical barrier between the blood and neural tissues. The BBB is essential to prevent most pathogens and many toxic materials crossing into the neural networks and pathways of the brain, but its integrity appears to diminish with age. A recent study indicates that, during normal ageing, the BBB is first weakened in the hippocampus, thereby allowing harmful substances and pro-inflammatory mediators to cross into this vital region of learning and memory. This breaching of the BBB may contribute to hippocampal shrinkage, and therefore to cognitive decline (Montagne et al, 2015).

Ageing is associated with a declining production of many neurotransmitters, including noradrenaline, glutamate, dopamine and serotonin. The decline in dopamine appears to be particularly important: dopamine modulates motor function and the acquisition of new skills, while also acting as one of the brains reward chemicals (Mather, 2016). The number of dopamine-producing neurons decreases as part of the normal ageing process, and this can adversely affect the ability to learn from past experiences. Recent studies show that many older people who boosted their levels of dopamine by taking L-DOPA (a drug normally used to treat Parkinsons disease) were learning as quickly as young adults again (Chowdhury et al, 2013).

Few studies have examined age-related changes to the spinal cord. A recent animal-model study shows an increase of cholesterol content in the ageing spinal cord, and the authors suggest this may potentially impair cord function (Parkinson et al, 2016).

Age-related changes to neurons and neuroglial cells appear to have little effect on spinal cord function. However, age-related changes to the vertebrae and intervertebral discs may increase pressure on the spinal cord and its branching nerve roots. This can slow down the conduction of nerve impulses along motor neurons, contributing to reduced muscular strength (Manini et al, 2013). Reduced sensory and motor conduction will increase the risk of injury due to poor coordination, poor balance and poor fine motor control.

With age, some peripheral neurons show a dying back (shrinkage of axonal length), loss of mitochondria and a degeneration of their insulatory myelin sheaths. Some of this damage may be caused by a rise in the concentrations of pro-inflammatory mediators in the body. The ageing body becomes less effective in clearing toxic metabolites and, as peripheral nerves are not afforded the protection of the BBB, this may contribute to peripheral nerve damage (Manini et al, 2013).

The loss of myelin slows the conduction of peripheral nerve impulses by around 5-10% (Joynt, 2000). In health, this reduction in conductivity causes few problems, but in older people with diabetes it may contribute to, and exacerbate, diabetic neuropathy. Damaged peripheral nerves are not repaired as efficiently in older people as in their younger counterparts, and some of these nerves are never repaired. This can contribute to reduced sensation and motor control.

In the absence of disease, intellectual ability can be retained throughout life. However, the gradual loss of neurons, depletion of neurotransmitters and slowing of nerve conduction may act together to slow down the processing of information. As a result, older people may take longer to complete certain tasks, and commonly experience the functional brain changes described below.

The loss of short-term and episodic memory is probably the earliest indication of age-related changes in the brain. Unlike what happens in dementia, the loss of short-term memory in the absence of disease does not affect life skills (such asthe ability to cook), but manifests as inconveniences (such as forgetting an item from the shopping list). Episodic memory (that is, remembering autobiographical events and their timings and sequence) also gradually declines in many older people (Fjell et al, 2014).

Verbal communication skills generally remain strong throughout life (Park and Reuter-Lorenz, 2009), but people over the age of 70years may have increasing problems using or recalling words. The ability to quickly name a common object usually remains stable up to the age of 70, but then declines with advancing years (Harada et al, 2013).

The progressive loss of neurons, reduction in impulse velocity and minor changes in the spinal cord lead to a slowing down of reaction times (Spirduso, 1995). This can create problems, particularly when a fast reaction is essential (for example, to step out of the way of oncoming traffic).

In England, around 22% of men and 28% of women over the age of 65 are affected by depression; in care homes, the figures are even greater, with around 40% of residents affected (Age UK, 2017).

It is almost impossible to determine whether depression in older people occurs as a normal consequence of ageing or as a result of chemical imbalances seen in types of depression that also affect younger people. Concentrations of neurotransmitters involved in lifting mood (particularly serotonin) diminish with age and this can contribute to symptoms of depression (Fidalgo et al, 2013). The Royal College of Psychiatrists estimates that >85% of depressed older people receive no help from the NHS (Age UK, 2017). Depression can often produce symptoms that mimic dementia (pseudo-dementia) and this often causes great anxiety.

On the whole, older people are less prone to emotional outbursts than younger people. This may be related to the relative structural stability of some of the brain regions linked to emotions. Most studies of the amygdalae which are heavily involved in impulsive behaviours and emotional reactions reveal little evidence of atrophy or shrinkage at a much slower rate than in other brain regions. Additionally, the amygdalae also appear to retain most of their functional activity in older age (Mather, 2016).

Because the overall neural mass reduces with age, neuroactive drugs such as antidepressants and neuroleptics can be more potent in older people. Doses normally prescribed to adults may induce confusion or delirium, and may therefore need to be adjusted.

How normal age-related changes to the brain can be distinguished from pathological changes associated with dementia (for example, Alzheimers disease) is hotly debated. The problem is that three of the main clinical features of Alzheimers disease loss of episodic memory, loss of brain tissue and amyloid deposition are also seen in apparently healthy older people with little or no evidence of dementia. However, it is generally recognised that the main risk factor for developing dementia is advancing age (Fjell et al, 2014).

Unlike cells in many other parts of the human body, most neurons do not undergo cell division so, when they dieas a result of age or injury, they are generally not replaced. Fortunately, the brain contains over 100billion interconnected neurons (the connectome) and many researchers agree that it has an in-built redundancy, known as the brain reserve. This is defined as the physical resources of the brain in terms of brain mass and number of neurons; a larger brain reserve is often associated with better outcomes after brain injury and in various neurological diseases (Tucker and Stern, 2011).

The brain reserve is not necessarily a good predictor of cognitive function (many people with normal cognition have significant brain atrophy), so the concept of cognitive reserve has emerged. People with a high cognitive reserve are able to use their brain reserve more efficiently to perform tasks, and this seems to happen through increased efficiency of functional connections between neurons (Marques et al, 2016).

Good predictors of a high cognitive reserve include high education level, high IQ, highly complex occupation and large amount of social interaction. Recent research indicates that cognitive ability may also be maintained by neural compensation, a process in which new circuits of neurons are recruited to perform tasks that were once carried out by aged ordamaged neural pathways (Steffener and Stern, 2012). In normal ageing, the brain reserve does decline but cognition ismaintained thanks to the brains in-built redundancy.

Keeping mentally active throughout life can reduce the effects of age on the nervous system (Mahncke et al, 2006), and engaging in social, sporting and mentally challenging activities can slow downthe decline in cognitive performance (Nyberg et al, 2012). It appears the more intellectually demanding and complex an individuals occupation, the better their cognitive performance in later years; however, in retirement, when the mental challenges of work are removed, this effect appears to decline.

Older people should be encouraged to engage in stimulating activities such as socialising, reading and games, which are thought to improve cognitive function and memory, as well as reduce the riskof depression. It is a common misconception that ageing naturally leads to conditions such as confusion, dementia and delirium. The human brains in-built redundancy allows it to adequately cope with the physical changes associated with ageing. Indeed, in the absence of disease, adequate mental function can be retained throughout life.

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