Neuroscience

How the Smell of Food Can Enable Time Travel – Neuroscience News

Summary: Study explores the 3D printed flavor-based cues in memory recall during old age, finding the smells of certain foods from youth can prompt mental time travel to the past with an enhanced memory of early exposure to the foods.

Source: Lancaster University

Older people exposed to food flavors from their youth were able to time travel back to the past with an enhanced memory of the event.

The research entitled It took me back 25 years in one bound: self-generated flavor-based cues for self-defining memories in later life published in Human-Computer Interaction is by Professor Corina Sas of Lancaster University, Dr Tom Gayler, formerly of Lancaster University and Vaiva Kalnikait of Dovetailed Ltd. Their work explored the feasibility of 3D printed flavor-based cues for the recall of memories in old age.

Working with 12 older adults, they collected 72 memories, half involving food and half not involving food, each recalled twice. This ranged from barbecued mackerel at a golden wedding to eating strawberries in hospital after giving birth.

For food memory, the researchers worked with the participants to create bespoke flavor-based cues for each one. The 3D printed flavor-based cues are small, gel-like, edible balls, modeling the original food, which are easier to swallow with more intense flavors, without requiring all the ingredients and preparation.

Professor Sas said: Our outcomes indicated that personalized 3D printed flavor-based cues have rich sensorial and emotional qualities supporting strong recollective retrieval, especially when they distinctively match the food in the original experience and prompt emotionally positive self-defining memories.

All the participants were able to provide rich sensory accounts when prompted by flavour-based cues, with most of the details not being present in the earlier free recall.

Remembering a Green Thai curry dinner in Cambodia, one participant remembered: We went into the kitchen area, which was very basic and preparing all sorts of types of green vegetables, which I have no idea what they were, sitting on the floor. And then we would help cook them, stir fry them, and then we would help dish them up

But after being exposed to the 3D printed flavor-based cue of the Green Thai curry, the participant gave a more detailed memory of the chopping noises of cutting up the vegetables, me sitting on the floor cross legged with my friend, chatting together. And then when we went out, put stuff on the tables, the rest of the group coming out and we sit on long tables outside, the front of the school, so its outside in the open air to eat.

A striking outcome was the large number of memories cued by flavors that were recalled with strong feelings of being brought back in time.

Participants said: The roast beef and horseradish cue took me back 25 years in one bound . . .I could place myself at the table in the room . . .I ate that, and that actually provoked out of all the memories, quite a strong reaction actually. Just suddenly I was back.

Interestingly, the mere act of eating the cue was seen as a bodily re-enactment of the original event: It just kind of triggers a few more sensations. Perhaps when youre tasting it, you imagine yourself there.

The researchers say their research has particular relevance for dementia. Participants talked about the importance of food memories based on their own experiences of caring for the loved ones.

One participant whose mother has Alzheimers said: As soon as she smelled and tasted the food, she would say something like, Oh, this is like old fashioned food. This takes me back. She felt that it was something that she had had a long time ago.

Another participant suggested a scrapbook of food memories to trigger recollections of past events in people with dementia.

Professor Sas said: The 3D printed flavours cued recollective retrieval, eliciting sensorially rich and strong positive emotional experiences that participants deeply enjoyed.

Dr Gayler said: Working alongside people to create flavour-based cues highlighted how powerful but under used this connection is. Our design approach helped bridge this gap and showed the potential for future applications to create rich, multi-sensory memory aides.

Dr Vaiva Kalnikaitsaid: We finally have technology that can help re-construct memories using the flavour and scent of different foods in very compact shapes. These are the strongest cues to help us remember.

Author: Gillian WhitworthSource: Lancaster UniversityContact: Gillian Whitworth Lancaster UniversityImage: The image is credited to Lancaster University

Original Research: Closed access.It took me back 25 years in one bound: self-generated flavor-based cues for self-defining memories in later life by Corina Sas et al. Human-Computer Interaction

Abstract

It took me back 25 years in one bound: self-generated flavor-based cues for self-defining memories in later life

those short, plump little cakes called petites madeleines [] I raised to my lips a spoonful of the tea in which I had soaked a morsel of the cake. No sooner had the warm liquid, and the crumbs with it, touched my palate, a shudder ran through my whole body [] an exquisite pleasure had invaded my senses [] and suddenly the memory returns. The taste was that of the little crumb of madeleine which on Sunday mornings at Combray [] when I went to say good day to her in her bedroom, my aunt Lonie used to give me, dipping it first in her own cup of real or of lime-flower tea [] when from a long-distant past nothing subsists, after the people are dead, after the things are broken and scattered, still, alone, more fragile, but with more vitality, more unsubstantial, more persistent, more faithful, the smell and taste of things remain poised a long time, like souls, ready to remind us [] the vast structure of recollection(Proust,2006, pp. 6163).

The above quote captures the evocative power of chemical senses for triggering memory recall with a feeling of traveling back in time, or the so-calledProust phenomenon.

While the phenomenon has been explored mostly in relation to the sense of smell, Prousts account involves also the sense of taste (Gibson,2016) as shown in our introductory quote and this additional sentence: the sight of the little madeleine had recalled nothing to my mind before I tasted it(Proust,2006, p. 63).

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How the Smell of Food Can Enable Time Travel - Neuroscience News

Neuroscience

Detecting Alzheimers Disease in the Blood – Neuroscience News

Summary: A new blood sample test is capable of measuring the build-up of Alzheimers disease-associated amyloid-beta in the brain.

Source: Hokkaido University

Researchers from Hokkaido University and Toppan have developed a method to detect build-up of amyloid in the brain, a characteristic of Alzheimers disease, from biomarkers in blood samples.

Alzheimers disease is a neurodegenerative disease, characterised by a gradual loss of neurons and synapses in the brain. One of the primary causes of Alzheimers disease is the accumulation of amyloid (A) in the brain, where it forms plaques. Alzheimers disease is mostly seen in individuals over 65 years of age, and cannot currently be stopped or reversed. Thus, Alzheimers disease is a major concern for nations with aging populations, such as Japan.

A team of scientists from Hokkaido University and Toppan, led by Specially Appointed Associate Professor Kohei Yuyama at the Faculty of Advanced Life Science, Hokkaido University, have developed a biosensing technology that can detect A-binding exosomes in the blood of mice, which increase as A accumulates in the brain.

Their research was published in the journalAlzheimers Research & Therapy.

When tested on mice models, the A-binding exosome Digital ICATM(idICA) showed that the concentration of A-binding exosomes increased with the increase in age of the mice. This is significant as the mice used were Alzheimers disease model mice, where A builds up in the brain with age.

In addition to the lack of effective treatments of Alzheimers, there are few methods to diagnose Alzheimers. Alzheimers can only be definitively diagnosed by direct examination of the brainwhich can only be done after death. A accumulation in the brain can be measured by cerebrospinal fluid testing or by positron emission tomography; however, the former is an extremely invasive test that cannot be repeated, and the latter is quite expensive. Thus, there is a need for a diagnostic test that is economical, accurate and widely available.

Previous work by Yuyamas group has shown that A build-up in the brain is associated with A-binding exosomes secreted from neurons, which degrade and transport A to the microglial cells of the brain. Exosomes are membrane-enclosed sacs secreted by cells that possess cell markers on their surface.

The team adapted Toppans proprietary Digital Invasive Cleavage Assay (Digital ICATM) to quantify the concentration of A-binding exosomes in as little as 100 L of blood. The device they developed traps molecules and particles in a sample one-by-one in a million micrometer-sized microscopic wells on a measurement chip and detects the presence or absence of fluorescent signals emitted by the cleaving of the A-binding exosomes.

Clinical trials of the technology are currently underway in humans. This highly sensitive idICA technology is the first application of ICA that enables highly sensitive detection of exosomes that retain specific surface molecules from a small amount of blood without the need to learn special techniques; as it is applicable to exosome biomarkers in general, it can also be adapted for use in the diagnosis of other diseases.

Author: Sohail Keegan PintoSource: Hokkaido UniversityContact: Sohail Keegan Pinto Hokkaido UniversityImage: The image is in the public domain

Original Research: Open access.Immuno-digital invasive cleavage assay for analyzing Alzheimers amyloid -bound extracellular vesicles by Kohei Yuyamaet al. Alzheimers Research & Therapy

Abstract

Immuno-digital invasive cleavage assay for analyzing Alzheimers amyloid -bound extracellular vesicles

The protracted preclinical stage of Alzheimers disease (AD) provides the opportunity for early intervention to prevent the disease; however, the lack of minimally invasive and easily detectable biomarkers and their measurement technologies remain unresolved. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanosized membrane vesicles released from a variety of cells and play important roles in cellcell communication. Neuron-derived and ganglioside-enriched EVs capture amyloid- protein, a major AD agent, and transport it into glial cells for degradation; this suggests that EVs influence A accumulation in the brain. EV heterogeneity, however, requires the use of a highly sensitive technique for measuring specific EVs in biofluid. In this study, immuno-digital invasive cleavage assay (idICA) was developed for quantitating target-intact EVs.

EVs were captured onto ganglioside GM1-specific cholera toxin B subunit (CTB)-conjugated magnetic beads and detected with a DNA oligonucleotide-labeled A antibody. Fluorescence signals for individual EVs were then counted using an invasive cleavage assay (ICA). This idICA examines the A-bound and GM1-containing EVs isolated from the culture supernatant of human APP-overexpressing N2a (APP-N2a) cells and APP transgenicmice sera.

The idICA quantitatively detected A-bound and GM1-containing EVs isolated from culture supernatants of APP-N2a cells and sera of AD model mice. The idICA levels of A-associated EVs in blood gradually increased from 3- to 12-month-old mice, corresponding to the progression of A accumulations in the brain of AD model mice.

The present findings suggest that peripheral EVs harboring A and GM1 reflect A burden in mice. The idICA is a valuable tool for easy quantitative detection of EVs as an accessible biomarker for preclinical AD diagnosis.

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Detecting Alzheimers Disease in the Blood - Neuroscience News

Neuroscience

Vegetarians More Likely to Be Depressed Than Meat-Eaters – Neuroscience News

Summary: A new study reveals vegetarians are two times more likely to suffer from depression than those who eat meat. While nutrition plays a role in depressive symptoms, researchers say social factors and upset over the treatment of animals contribute to symptoms of depression.

Source: The Conversation

Vegetarians have around twice as many depressive episodes as meat-eaters, according to anew study.

The study, based on survey data from Brazil, chimes withearlier researchthat found higher rates of depression among those who forgo meat. However, the new study suggests that this link exists independent of nutritional intake.

It may seem straightforward to look at a link between a diet and specific health problems and assume that the former is causing the latter via some form of nutritional deficiency.

Yet the new analysis, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, took into account a wide range of nutritional factors, including total calorie intake, protein intake, micronutrient intake, and the level of food processing. This suggests that the higher rates of depression among vegetarians are not caused by the nutritional content of their diet.

So what might explain the link between vegetarianism and depression? Is there some non-nutritional mechanism that makes the former cause the latter? Or is the relationship down to something else entirely?

First, it is possible that being depressed causes people to be more likely to become vegetarian rather than the other way around. Thesymptoms of depressioncan include rumination on negative thoughts, as well as feelings of guilt.

Assuming that depressed and non-depressed people are equally likely to encounter the upsetting truth of slaughterhouses and factory farming, it is possible that depressed people are more likely to ruminate on those thoughts, and more likely to feel guilty for their part in creating the demand.

The depressed vegetarian, in this case, is not necessarily wrong to think this way. While depression is sometimes characterised as having unrealistically negative perceptions,there is evidence to suggestthat people with mild to moderate depression have more realistic judgments about the outcome of uncertain events and more realistic perceptions of their own role and abilities.

In this case, there really iscruel treatment of animals in meat production. And this really is caused by consumer demand for cheap meat.

Second, it is possible that adhering to a vegetarian diet causes depression for reasons other than nutrition. Even if there is no happy nutrient lacking in a vegetarian diet, it could be the case that forgoing meat causes depression through other means.

For example, adopting a vegetarian diet might affect ones relationship with others and involvement in social activities, and sometimes may be associated withteasing or other forms of social ostracism.

Notably, the new study is based on survey data collected in Brazil, a countryfamous for its meat-heavy diet. Some survey data has pointed to asharp increase in vegetarianism in Brazil in recent years, going from 8% in 2012 to 16% in 2018. However, the recent paper surveyed over 14,000 Brazilians and found just 82 vegetarians scarcely more than half a percent.

One has to wonder if the same link between vegetarianism and depression would be observed in India or other countries where vegetarianism is more of a social norm. More importantly, as therate of vegetarianism increases in the UKand other developed countries, will we see the relationship disappear over time?

Finally, it is possible that neither vegetarianism nor depression cause the other, but both are associated with some third factor. This could be any number of characteristics or experiences that are associated with both vegetarianism and depression.

For example,women are more likely than men to be vegetarian,and to experience depression. However, the Brazilian study took sex into account, ruling out this particular third variable.

One variable that was not examined, but is plausibly linked to both vegetarianism and depression, is exposure to violent images of the meat industry. Preventing cruelty to animals is themost commonly cited reasonvegetarians give for avoiding meat.

Documentaries likeDominionandEarthlingsthat depict the cruelty in the meat industry cannot readily be described as feelgood films. One can easily imagine that a person who consumes this kind of media would become both vegetarian and, especially when most people choose to look the other way, depressed.

There are several possible reasons for the link between vegetarianism and depression. This new study suggests that vegetarian nutrition is not the cause of depression.

Instead, the vegetarian social experience may contribute to depression, depression may cause an increased likelihood of becoming vegetarian, or both vegetarianism and depression may be caused by a third variable, such as exposure to violent meat industry imagery.

Author: Chris BryantSource: The Conversation Contact: Chris Bryant The ConversationImage: The image is in the public domain

Original Research: Closed access.Association between meatless diet and depressive episodes: A cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the longitudinal study of adult health (ELSA-Brasil) by Ingrid Kohl et al. Journal of Affective Disorders

Abstract

Association between meatless diet and depressive episodes: A cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the longitudinal study of adult health (ELSA-Brasil)

The association between vegetarianism and depression is still unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between a meatless diet and the presence of depressive episodes among adults.

A cross-sectional analysis was performed with baseline data from the ELSA-Brasil cohort, which included 14,216 Brazilians aged 35 to 74years. A meatless diet was defined from in a validatedfood frequency questionnaire. The Clinical Interview Schedule-Revised (CIS-R) instrument was used to assess depressive episodes. The association between meatless diet and presence of depressive episodes was expressed as a prevalence ratio (PR), determined by Poisson regression adjusted for potentially confounding and/or mediating variables: sociodemographic parameters, smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity, several clinical variables, self-assessed health status,body mass index, micronutrient intake, protein, food processing level, dailyenergy intake, and changes in diet in the preceding 6months.

We found a positive association between the prevalence of depressive episodes and a meatless diet. Meat non-consumers experienced approximately twice the frequency of depressive episodes of meat consumers, PRs ranging from 2.05 (95%CI 1.004.18) in the crude model to 2.37 (95%CI 1.244.51) in the fully adjusted model.

Limitations.

The cross-sectional design precluded the investigation of causal relationships.

Depressive episodes are more prevalent in individuals who do not eat meat, independently of socioeconomic and lifestyle factors.Nutrient deficienciesdo not explain this association. The nature of the association remains unclear, and longitudinal data are needed to clarify causal relationship.

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Neuroscience

Brennand named Elizabeth Mears and House Jameson Professor of Psychiatry – Yale News

Kristen Brennand

Kristen Brennand, who in her research integrates expertise in genetics, neuroscience, and stem cells to identify the mechanisms that underlie brain disease, was recently appointed the Elizabeth Mears and House Jameson Professor of Psychiatry.

She is also co-director of the Yale Science Fellows Program, a Yale School of Medicine initiative aimed at recruiting, supporting, and promoting outstanding young scientists from groups traditionally underrepresented in science and medicine.

Brennand completed her Ph.D. at Harvard University in the laboratory of the noted stem cell biologist Dr. Douglas Melton. During her postdoctoral fellowship at the Salk Institute, she drew international notice for publishing the first cellular model for schizophrenia. She developed a new method for reprogramming skin samples from patients into human induced pluripotent stem cells and then she differentiated these stem cells into neurons. Her initial report demonstrated that neurons derived from schizophrenia patients had profound deficits in synaptic connectivity, i.e., were less well connected to each other.

While on the faculty at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Brennand developed a highly productive laboratory and a network of collaborations. By combining stem cell biology, psychiatric genetics, and neurobiology, she pioneered a new approach to studying brain disease. She and her collaborators shed light on the genetics and biology of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other conditions. She was interim director of the Pamela Sklar Division of Psychiatric Genomics and then director of the Alper Stem Cell Center.

Although Brennand arrived at Yale during the pandemic, she rapidly established a productive laboratory, created new interdepartmental collaborations, and distinguished herself as a valued teacher and mentor. Her laboratory also is quite well funded with competitive grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

She also has received numerous honors. The Brain and Behavior Research Foundation awarded her the Maltz Prize for Schizophrenia Research and elected her to its Scientific Council. This year, she was elected to the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering and named as a finalist for the 2022 Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists. She also has developed a reputation as a mentor to her trainees and other young scientists. In 2019, she received the Friedman Brain Institute Neuroscience Mentorship Distinction Award. She serves as a standing member of NIH study section and the editorial boards of seven journals in psychiatry, stem cell biology, and neuroscience.

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Brennand named Elizabeth Mears and House Jameson Professor of Psychiatry - Yale News

Physiology

Cardiovascular physiology-changes with aging – PubMed

With aging there are changes in the cardiovascular system, which result in alterations in cardiovascular physiology. The changes in cardiovascular physiology must be differentiated from the effects of pathology, such as coronary artery disease, that occur with increasing frequency as age increases. The changes with age occur in everyone but not necessarily at the same rate, therefore accounting for the difference seen in some people between chronologic age and physiologic age. The changes in the cardiovascular system associated with aging are a decrease in elasticity and an increase in stiffness of the arterial system. This results in increased afterload on the left ventricle, an increase in systolic blood pressure, and left ventricular hypertrophy, as well as other changes in the left ventricular wall that prolong relaxation of the left ventricle in diastole. There is a dropout of atrial pacemaker cells resulting in a decrease in intrinsic heart rate. With fibrosis of the cardiac skeleton there is calcification at the base of the aortic valve and damage to the His bundle as it perforates the right fibrous trigone. Finally there is decreased responsiveness to beta adrenergic receptor stimulation, a decreased reactivity to baroreceptors and chemoreceptors, and an increase in circulating catecholamines. These changes set the stage for isolated systolic hypertension, diastolic dysfunction and heart failure, atrioventricular conduction defects, and aortic valve calcification, all diseases seen in the elderly.

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Cardiovascular physiology-changes with aging - PubMed

Physiology

Lecturer in Clinical Exercise Physiology job with UNIVERSITY OF THE SUNSHINE COAST – UNISC | 310457 – Times Higher Education

Lecturer in Clinical Exercise Physiology

About the opportunity

We have an exciting opportunity available for a high-achieving, innovative, and resourceful Lecturer in Clinical Exercise Physiology to join ourSchool of Health and Behavioural Sciences at Sippy Downs, Sunshine Coast.

UniSC is a premier sporting destination with nationally-accredited facilities and support from leading health and sports scientists. High performing champions train side-by-side with beginners in a supportive sports community that drives excellence. Find out more https://www.usc.edu.au/sport

You will contribute meaningfully to the discipline through engaging and effective teaching practices. You will develop productive industry and community relationships that benefit the students, community and UniSC. Additionally, you will contribute to the research profile in the area of Clinical Exercise Physiology within the school by participating in research activities and developing or maintaining an active research profile.

You will:

About UniSC

As one of Australias fastest growing universities, UniSC is ripe with opportunities for passionate, skilled and determined leaders who want to make an impact in higher education.

We are one of the most respected universities in Australia for our teaching quality, as acknowledged by our five-star rating in the Good Universities Guide - a title we have held for 16 consecutive years.

On the world stage, we are a recognised global leader when it comes to sustainability principles. In the 2021 Times Higher Educations Impact Rankings, UniSC was ranked as third in the world for our research, outreach and stewardship when it comes to conserving and protecting life underwater. For life on the land, we were ranked fifth both titles a welcome recognition of our work in these specialty areas of research and stewardship.

The standings come alongside the Australian Research Councils recognition of UniSC as a producer of world-class research in 26 areas, including environmental impact, mental and medical health, technology, and human behaviour.

UniSCs impact in national and international research continues to be fast-growing and, since 2013, we have more than tripled our annual research income to $26 million.

While these results are impressive, they are just the start of our story. We are young, agile and determined to become Australias premier regional university.

We warmly encourage you to join us on this journey.

About you

You contribute to a positive and engaging academic environment, enabling excellence for both staff and students. Your well-developed interpersonal skills and exceptional written and verbal communication enable you to successfully deliver a superior student experience to a diverse student cohort. You collaborate cohesively and share your expertise to contribute to the ongoing success of the schools teaching and research outcomes.

You will possess:

At UniSC, we have a genuinecommitment to diversity and inclusion and strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and people of all cultures, genders, abilities, and experiences. Should you require additional support, emailusccareers@usc.edu.auor phone+61 7 5430 2830.

Contact

For a confidential discussion about this opportunity,please contact:

Dr Nicole Masters

Acting Head of SchoolSchool of Health and Behavioural Sciences

07 5459 5906ornmasters@usc.edu.au

Apply

Please apply byMidnight, Monday 17 October 2022

All applications must be lodged through our website, by visitinghttps://www.usc.edu.au/community/work-at-usc.

A completed application includes:

Benefits of working at UniSC

UniSC is a community which recognises and embraces diversity among our staff, students and community partnerships. We provide an inclusive environment where each person feels they belong and are respected, connected and empowered.

UniSC is a proud recipient of the prestigious Athena SWAN Bronze Award, granted as part of theScience in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE)initiativewhich aimsto address and improve gender equity in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM)disciplines. Attaining an award is recognition of our ongoing commitment to improving gender equity and ensuring that women from diverse backgrounds, as well as underrepresented groups, are best positioned to reach their full potential.

UniSC offers career enhancement opportunities such as professional development and specialised leadership and management programs. We are an inclusive employer offering flexible work options, extensive and generous leave options and a 36.25 hour working week for our professional staff. For more information, visit our website/https://www.usc.edu.au/about/work-at-unisc/benefits-of-working-at-unisc

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Lecturer in Clinical Exercise Physiology job with UNIVERSITY OF THE SUNSHINE COAST - UNISC | 310457 - Times Higher Education

Physiology

Just 6% of sport science research focuses on female athletes – NutraIngredients.com

This is the message from Dr Sam Moss, senior lecturer in Sport & Exercise Sciences at Chester University and performance nutritionist at Gatorade Sports Science Institute, speaking to NutraIngredients ahead of her on-stage presentation at the Sports & Active Nutrition Summit next week.

Dr Moss will provide an overview of the research that has currently been conducted into female physiology, demonstrating the huge blind spots that need to be address.

Research studies are more difficult in women and more expensive on account of their menstrual cycles creating more complexity. But we cannot continue to apply male results to females as they have completely unique physiological challenges.

A key health concern for female athletes is the dominance of RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) which essential means the athlete isnt consuming enough energy to meet all their physiological demands. And this is startlingly prevalent.

In fact, Dr Moss says research indicates that 47% of female athletes are at risk of RED-S (Ackerman et al. 2019) and the health consequences of this are wide-ranging, from basic loss of energy and weakened immune function to impacts on bone density, resting metabolic rate and the menstrual cycle. And more health impacts are continuing to be discovered.

When Moss led a study into athletes in womens football they discovered that just 23% of athletes had optimal energy availability to meet their general physiological and training needs. They found that the main reason for this was poor availability in their training environment.

In mens football you might have someone there making up their protein and carb shakes before and after training but those sorts of provisions are limited for women.

There are also a lot of negative associations with carbs so theres around education also.

Many of the women have only just turned professional so have never had a nutritionist before and its really hard to break down internal beliefs they have held throughout their lives.

Of course a clear physical difference between males and females is the menstrual cycle which has a huge impact on womens physiological needs.

Dr Moss says the research into the impacts is growing but there is still a huge amount not known.

For example, it is known that during the luteal phase of the cycle (the time of ovulation, about 14 days before menstruation) energy demand increases by up to 300 calories per day and during this phase the body can find it more difficult to extract stored carbs.

This has led some researchers to hypothesise that women need more carbs during this period, while others have concluded that they would be better off with protein as the body might be able to make better use of this. The fact is the research is sparse and, therefore, inconclusive.

Dr Moss will detail all of these issues in her presentation on day three of the Sports & Active Nutrition Summit which takes place in Amsterdam next week (Oct 5-7).

There is still time to get your space at the event. For more information and to register, please clickHERE.

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Physiology

Andre Balian ’23 Is On Call for the Columbia Community – Columbia College

Andre Balian 23 (he/him/his), a neuroscience and behavior major from Princeton, N.J., stays busy on campus as a member of the Columbia University Emergency Medical Service. CUEMS is a student-operated, New York State-certified, basic-life support volunteer ambulance corps that provides free emergency medical care to the Columbia community 24 hours a day. Balian joined the corps in his sophomore year and has been passionate about the work ever since. We spoke with him recently to learn more about him and his work with this important service.

What is your favorite part about being involved in CUEMS?One of my favorite parts is that I get to ensure the safety and health of students, faculty and employees on campus and in the Morningside community. When we get called, its probably because the patient is having a really bad day, so giving them the help that they need is really fulfilling. My other favorite part is the people Ive met on the corps; theyve become some of my best friends.

How much time do you spend with CUEMS?We have 12-hour shifts, and Ill work two to four a week, but we can do as few as one 12-hour shift every other week. To stay fresh we also have hourlong weekly trainings. The time commitment depends on how much you want to put into it, and that translates to how much you get out of it. I like to put a lot into it.

Whats been your favorite class at the College, and why?Either physiology or organic chemistry. In physiology, I had a great group of friends actually from CUEMS; we reviewed weekly case studies and tried to diagnose the patient. It was great to be with my friends just doing what we do, but in class. I also learned a lot about really interesting physiological body processes.

What do you like to do outside of class?Im a big sports guy; they are kind of my release. I play volleyball, soccer, basketball, tennis and squash. I also like to work out and hang out with friends.

How do you take advantage of being in New York City?Columbia is the best hybrid situation you get a school in a city but in its own isolated area. When I want to experience the city, all I have to do is walk down Broadway or Amsterdam or get on the 1 train and everything I need is right there. But when I want to feel like Im at a college in the middle of nowhere, I can do that sitting on campus

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Andre Balian '23 Is On Call for the Columbia Community - Columbia College

Physiology

Studying yeast DNA in space may help protect astronauts from cosmic radiation – The Conversation

Nuclear fusion reactions in the sun are the source of heat and light we receive on Earth. These reactions release a massive amount of cosmic radiation including x-rays and gamma rays and charged particles that can be harmful for any living organisms.

Life on Earth has been protected thanks to a magnetic field that forces charged particles to bounce from pole to pole as well as an atmosphere that filters harmful radiation.

During space travel, however, it is a different situation. To find out what happens in a cell when travelling in outer space, scientists are sending bakers yeast to the moon as part of NASAs Artemis 1 mission.

Read more: Artemis 1: how this 2022 lunar mission will pave the way for a human return to the Moon

Cosmic radiation can damage cell DNA, significantly increasing human risk of neurodegenerative disorders and fatal diseases, like cancer. Because the International Space Station (ISS) is located in one of two of Earths Van Allen radiation belts which provides a safe zone astronauts are not exposed too much. Astronauts in the ISS experience microgravity, however, which is another stress that can dramatically change cell physiology.

As NASA is planning to send astronauts to the moon, and later on to Mars, these environmental stresses become more challenging.

Read more: Twins in space: How space travel affects gene expression

The most common strategy to protect astronauts from the negative effects of cosmic rays is to physically shield them using state-of-the-art materials.

Several studies show that hibernators are more resistant to high doses of radiation, and some scholars have suggested the use of synthetic or induced torpor during space missions to protect astronauts.

Another way to protect life from cosmic rays is studying extremophiles organisms that can remarkably tolerate environmental stresses. Tardigrades, for instance, are micro-animals that have shown an astonishing resistance to a number of stresses, including harmful radiation. This unusual sturdiness stems from a class of proteins known as tardigrade-specific proteins.

Under the supervision of molecular biologist Corey Nislow, I use bakers yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, to study cosmic DNA damage stress. We are participating in NASAs Artemis 1 mission, where our collection of yeast cells will travel to the moon and back in the Orion spacecraft for 42 days.

This collection contains about 6,000 bar-coded strains of yeast, where in each strain, one gene is deleted. When exposed to the environment in space, those strains would begin to lag if deletion of a specific gene affects cell growth and replication.

My primary project at Nislow lab is genetically engineering yeast cells to make them express tardigrade-specific proteins. We can then study how those proteins can alter the physiology of cells and their resistance to environmental stresses most importantly radiation with the hope that such information would come in handy when scientists try to engineer mammals with these proteins.

When the mission is completed and we receive our samples back, using the barcodes, the number of each strain could be counted to identify genes and gene pathways essential for surviving damage induced by cosmic radiation.

Yeast has long served as a model organism in DNA damage studies, which means there is solid background knowledge about the mechanisms in yeast that respond to DNA-damaging agents. Most of the yeast genes playing roles in DNA damage response have been well studied.

Despite the differences in genetic complexity between yeast and humans, the function of most genes involved in DNA replication and DNA damage response have remained so conserved between the two that we can obtain a great deal of information about human cells DNA damage response by studying yeast.

Furthermore, the simplicity of yeast cells compared to human cells (yeast has 6,000 genes while we have more than 20,000 genes) allows us to draw more solid conclusions.

And in yeast studies, it is possible to automate the whole process of feeding the cells and stopping their growth in an electronic apparatus the size of a shoe box, whereas culturing mammalian cells requires more room in the spacecraft and far more complex machinery.

Such studies are essential to understand how astronauts bodies can cope with long-term space missions, and to develop effective countermeasures. Once we identify the genes playing key roles in surviving cosmic radiation and microgravity, wed be able to look for drugs or treatments that could help boost the cells durability to withstand such stresses.

We could then test them in other models (such as mice) before actually applying them to astronauts. This knowledge might also be potentially useful for growing plants beyond Earth.

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Studying yeast DNA in space may help protect astronauts from cosmic radiation - The Conversation

Physiology

Aptar and Fluidda partner to ease inhaled drug regulatory pathway – OutSourcing-Pharma.com

The partnership will be centered on Aptar Pharmas subsidiary, Nanopharm, and its SmartTrack platform that provides an alternative bioequivalence regulatory pathway for US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for generic orally inhaled generic products (OIDPs).

The SmartTrack platform is used for the development of generic OIDPs for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with the company offering design and formulation development services through the integrated solution.

Fluiddas in silico platform, FRI (functional respiratory imaging), is able to produce quantitative predictions of regional drug deposition in disease state lungs using computational fluid dynamics.

Through the data gathered by the platform, drug developers can understand the availability and activity of the drug at the site of action in the lungs, alongside Nanopharms physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model platform and in vitro data.

Aptar acquired Nanopharm in 2019, as part of a strategy to expand its services and partner with pharma companies earlier in the drug development process. The parent company is a contract research and development organization focused on orally inhaled and nasal drug products (OINDPs).

A spokesperson for Aptar explained more about the recent partnership to Outsourcing-Pharma, Fluiddas offering (FRI) is an in silico (i.e. computer based) technology that allows Nanopharm to input data from their SmartTrack platform into their computer models to predict where and how much of the drug will deposit in the lungs of patients, and is tailored to the lung physiology of patients with different diseases because it uses real high resolution CT scans of patients e.g. asthma patients have different lung physiology than Pulmonary arterial hypertension patients.

The collaboration itself sees Nanopharm enter into exclusive agreement with Fluidda. According to the spokesperson, this means that Fluidda no longer contracts directly with pharma companies or with other service providers to provide bioequivalence for OINDPs using its FRI technology.

The companies stated that the first potential approval of an OIDP using the alternative bioequivalence approach is pending, and should it prove successful then Nanopharm expects demand for the companies collective service to accelerate.

Companies have to currently perform comparative clinical endpoint studies and the endpoints are indirect measures of efficacy (FEV-1 measurements). These cost tens of millions of dollars and take a lot of time, and usually fail. They fail, not necessarily because the products are not equivalent, but because there is so much patient variability in terms of their disease state/lung physiology, and importantly also because they all use the devices differently, and this has a significant impact on their performance, the spokesperson outlined, when asked on regulatory challenges for pharma companies working in the space. Such challenges could potentially be bypassed if a product can be approved on the data gathered from a bioequivalence study.

Beyond being able to provide a report on bioequivalence, the SmartTrack service can also help companies to understand the transition to lower global warming potential propellants for pressurized metered dose inhalers (PMDIs). This includes being able to understand deposition and dissolution in the lungs, which could be tested prior to undertaking clinical studies.

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Aptar and Fluidda partner to ease inhaled drug regulatory pathway - OutSourcing-Pharma.com