Low serum cholesterol and violent death.
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Adult↗
Biomedical subjects
D Benton
Publications and source records attributed to D Benton.
Participation in physical activity and cardiovascular fitness have different effects on mental health and mood.
The cardiovascular fitness, blood pressure, resting pulse, lung capacity and body fat of 246 subjects were measured and each subject completed activity, mental health and mood questionnaires. The results of this study support the hypothesis that participation in physical activity, rather than cardiovascular fitness, is the factor associated with better mental health and mood. Higher levels of physical activity were associated with better mood scores unless the individuals were unfit. This research has implications for how physical activity is prescribed; the emphasis needs to be on performing physical activity rather than improving fitness and should not be beyond the physical capabilities of the individual.
Adaptation, Psychological↗
Breakfast, blood glucose and memory.
The hypothesis that blood glucose levels influence memory was re-examined. The performance on two memory tests was quicker when breakfast had been taken, suggesting that the ability to retrieve memories had been facilitated. Performance on a spatial memory test correlated significantly with blood glucose levels.
Adult↗
Vitamin-mineral supplements and intelligence.
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Avitaminosis↗
The impact of selenium supplementation on mood.
The possibility that a subclinical deficiency of the trace element selenium might exist in a sample of the British population was examined by giving a selenium supplement for 5 weeks. Using a double-blind cross-over design, 50 subjects received either a placebo or 100 mcg selenium on a daily basis. On three occasions they filled in the Profile of Moods States. A food frequency questionnaire was used to estimate the intake of selenium in the diet. Intake was associated with a general elevation of mood and in particular, a decrease in anxiety. The change in mood when taking the active tablet was correlated with the level of selenium in the diet, which was estimated from a food frequency questionnaire. The lower the level of selenium in the diet the more reports of anxiety, depression, and tiredness, decreased following 5 weeks of selenium therapy. The results are discussed in terms of the low level of selenium in the food chain in some parts of the world.
Adolescent↗
The effects of 5-HT receptor ligands on ultrasonic calling in mouse pups.
The influence of a range of drugs acting at various 5-HT receptor sites on the ultrasonic calling of mouse pups was assessed. Calling was decreased by the novel anxiolytics buspirone, ipsapirone and gepirone, and by TFMPP, spiperone, ritanserin and GR 38032F. In contrast, 8-OH-DPAT, DOI and quipazine increased the rate of calling. These effects on ultrasonic calling were independent of sedative or thermoregulatory actions of these drugs. Present data provide further support for the view that ultrasonic calling can be used to assess novel compounds for possible anxiolytic or anxiogenic properties.
Animals↗
A mechanism for maintaining an up-to-date GenBank database via Usenet.
In this paper, we describe an automated system for distributing updates to the GenBank nucleic acid sequence database, using the Usenet news system as the underlying transport mechanism. Our system allows new loci to be distributed as soon as the sequences are available, over existing networks, using existing Usenet software and infrastructure currently available on a wide range of computer systems.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Elder abuse.
Elder abuse encompasses physical, psychological, and financial abuse and also includes the violation of an individual's rights, or social abuse. Detection of elder abuse is often obstructed by the denial or shame of the abused older adult and the denial or improper assessment by health care professionals. The ethical struggle professionals face when they suspect abuse may also impede assessment or intervention. Preliminary data on etiologic factors related to elder abuse suggest that misinformation, the caregiver's lack of understanding of the needs of older adults, social isolation, a history of dysfunctional family relationships, and the psychopathologic factors of the caregiver are salient factors for understanding elder abuse. In addition, caregiver burden related to the care of the impaired elder and other external life events is a risk factor for elder abuse. Self-neglect is the type of elder abuse most often reported and the most difficult to handle, because older adults have a right to refuse services. Home care providers often face practical and ethical dilemmas in cases of self-neglect. When making an assessment for elder abuse, it is best to use a multidisciplinary approach. In addition to physical indicators (bruises, malnutrition, fractures), attention must be paid to the social, family, and sexual history of the patient. The psychological history of the patient and caregiver is also important. Reporting laws exist in all states, and health care practitioners must become familiar with the laws in their states. Awareness of elder abuse by professionals working in home care is essential, because the failure to detect abuse can interfere with interventions and in some cases lead to death.
Aged↗
Vitamin/mineral supplementation and intelligence.
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Adolescent↗
Recent changes in the GenBank On-line Service.
The GenBank On-line Service provides access to the GenBank and EMBL nucleic acid sequence databases and to the Swiss-Prot and GenPept protein sequence databases. Users can query the databases by sequence similarity and annotation keywords and retrieve entries of interest. This access is available through e-mail servers, anonymous FTP, anonymous interactive login, and login to established, password-protected, individual accounts.
Gene Library↗
Selenium supplementation improves mood in a double-blind crossover trial.
The possibility that a sub-clinical deficiency of the trace element selenium might exist in a sample of the British population was examined by giving a selenium supplemented for 5 weeks. Using a double-blind crossover design 50 subjects received either a placebo or 100 micrograms selenium on a daily basis. On three occasions they filled in the Profile of Moods state. Mood did not change when taking the placebo, whereas when taking the selenium the subjects reported a substantial improvement after both 2.5 and 5 weeks.
Adolescent↗
GenBank: current status and future directions.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Base Sequence↗
The impact of increasing blood glucose on psychological functioning.
In the first experiment, after taking a drink containing either glucose or a placebo, subjects performed a task that involved watching a screen for 25 min, during which they had to press a space bar when one of four digits appeared. Over the duration of the task the performance of both groups improved, but in those taking the glucose drink the improvement occurred significantly earlier. In a second experiment subjects for 20 min performed a task requiring hand-eye coordination. The taking of a glucose-containing drink was not associated with a change in performance. A review of the relevant literature suggested that glucose is beneficial when performing tasks demanding little mental capacity.
Achievement↗
Breast-feeding rates among black urban low-income women: effect of prenatal education.
Many factors are associated with low breast-feeding rates among black low-income women. This study examines whether, despite such factors, health professionals' prenatal education of black poor women is associated with increased breast-feeding rates. Black women born in the United States who attended a midwives prenatal clinic (N = 159) were randomly assigned to two types of prenatal education or were followed up in a control group. All women were interviewed on entry into the study and after delivery of their infants. Women assigned to group classes attended at least one session discussing myths, problems, and benefits of breast-feeding. Women assigned to individual prenatal counseling spoke with a pediatrician or nurse practitioner, who discussed breast-feeding topics similar to those covered in the classes. Women in the control group received no additional prenatal education. The three study groups had significantly different percentages of women who breast-fed (controls 22%, classes 46%, individual sessions 53%). Higher percentages of women in the study groups carried out their prenatal plans to breast-feed (controls 50%, classes 86%, individual sessions 62%) or breast-fed despite prenatal plans to bottle-feed (controls 10%, classes 26%, individual sessions 48%). After multivariable analysis controlling for age, prenatal plans to breast-feed, prior breast-feeding experience, perceived support for breast-feeding, education, gravidity, and employment plans, women in intervention groups had a higher likelihood of breast-feeding than control subjects. These findings suggest that an increase in relatively simple, not-too-time-consuming educational efforts in institutions and offices serving black low-income women might yield significant narrowing of the gap in breast-feeding rates between white affluent women and black low-income women.
Adult↗
The effect of exercise on natural killer cell activity in young and old subjects.
Alterations in immune function have been commonly reported in elderly persons. We have examined the effect of age on the responsiveness of natural killer (NK) cells to in vitro stimulation with recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) and in vivo stimulation with exercise in 17 healthy subjects (8 young and 9 old). The old subjects were found to have NK cell numbers and function that were not significantly different from the young subjects at baseline. They also responded as well as the young subjects to rIL-2 stimulation of NK cells in vitro. In response to maximal bicycle ergometry exercise, there was a marked rise in NK activity in the old (7.52 +/- 1.71 LU/10(6) pre-exercise vs 15.20 +/- 3.27 LU/10(6) post-exercise, p less than .03) and the young (6.29 +/- .48 LU 10(6) vs 14.56 +/- 1.86 LU 10(6), p less than .005) subjects. Lymphocytes bearing the NK marker Leu 11a also rose significantly post-exercise in both old and young subjects. We conclude that healthy elderly subjects increase their NK activity in response to the acute stressor, exercise, at least as effectively as do young subjects.
Adult↗
New developments at BIONET.
BIONET has made considerable progress in developing communication links among molecular biologists and biochemists worldwide. We describe these efforts and also note the many new enhancements to the BIONET system itself.
Amino Acid Sequence↗