Search results for "Body size"
showing 10 items of 205 documents
A spiking network for body size learning inspired by the fruit fly
2013
The concept of peripersonal space is an interesting research topics for psychologists, neurobiologists and for robotic applications. A living being can learn the representation of its own body to take the correct behavioral decision when interacting with the world. To transfer these important learning mechanisms on bio-robots, simple and efficient solutions can be found in the insect world. In this paper a neural-based model for body-size learning is proposed taking into account the results obtained in experiments with fruit flies. Simulations and experimental results on a roving platform are reported and compared with the biological counterpart.
Pharmacological blockade of the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) alters neural proliferation, apoptosis and gliosis in the rat hippocampus, hypothal…
2015
Endocannabinoids participate in the control of neurogenesis, neural cell death and gliosis. The pharmacological effect of the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor URB597, which limits the endocannabinoid degradation, was investigated in the present study. Cell proliferation (phospho-H3(+) or BrdU(+) cells) of the main adult neurogenic zones as well as apoptosis (cleaved caspase-3(+)), astroglia (GFAP(+)), and microglia (Iba1(+) cells) were analyzed in the hippocampus, hypothalamus and striatum of rats intraperitoneally treated with URB597 (0.3 mg/kg/day) at one dose/4-days resting or 5 doses (1 dose/day). Repeated URB597 treatment increased the plasma levels of the N-acylethanolamine…
Potential for large-bodied zooplankton and dreissenids to alter the productivity and autotrophic structure of lakes.
2014
While limnological studies have emphasized the importance of grazers on algal biomass and primary production in pelagic habitats, few studies have examined their potential role in altering total ecosystem primary production and it's partitioning between pelagic and benthic habitats. We modified an existing ecosystem production model to include biotic feedbacks associated with two groups of large-bodied grazers of phytoplankton (large-bodied zooplankton and dreissenid mussels) and estimated their effects on total ecosystem production (TEP), and the partitioning of TEP between phytoplankton and periphyton (autotrophic structure) across large gradients in lake size and total phosphorus (TP) co…
A 2 year physical activity and dietary intervention attenuates the increase in insulin resistance in a general population of children: the PANIC stud…
2020
Abstract Aims/hypothesis We studied for the first time the long-term effects of a combined physical activity and dietary intervention on insulin resistance and fasting plasma glucose in a general population of predominantly normal-weight children. Methods We carried out a 2 year non-randomised controlled trial in a population sample of 504 children aged 6–9 years at baseline. The children were allocated to a combined physical activity and dietary intervention group (306 children at baseline, 261 children at 2-year follow-up) or a control group (198 children, 177 children) without blinding. We measured fasting insulin and fasting glucose, calculated HOMA-IR, assessed physical activity and se…
Leisure time physical activity in individuals with screen-detected type 2 diabetes compared to those with known type 2 diabetes.
2008
Abstract Aims To investigate whether leisure time physical activity (LTPA) characteristics differ between individuals with previously undiagnosed (screen-detected) and those with previously diagnosed (known) type 2 diabetes. Methods A population-based random sample of 1364 (participation rate 61%) men and 1461 (65%) women aged 45–74 years participated in a cross-sectional health examination including an oral glucose tolerance test and physical activity assessment by a self-administered questionnaire. Results Women with screen-detected type 2 diabetes ( n =110) were physically less active than those with known type 2 diabetes ( n =68) with differences in the duration of physical activity ses…
Correction of glycaemia and GLUT1 level by mildronate in rat streptozotocin diabetes mellitus model
2011
Anti-ischaemic drug mildronate suppresses fatty acid metabolism and increases glucose utilization in myocardium. It was proposed that it could produce a favourable effect on metabolic parameters and glucose transport in diabetic animals. Rats with streptozotocin diabetes mellitus were treated with mildronate (100 mg/kg daily, per os, 6 weeks). Therapeutic effect of mildronate was monitored by measuring animal weight, concentrations of blood glucose, insulin, blood triglycerides, free fatty acids, blood ketone bodies and cholesterol, glycated haemoglobin per cent (HbA1c%) and glucose tolerance. GLUT1 mRNA and protein expression in kidneys, heart, liver and muscles were studied by means of re…
Preliminary analysis of osteocyte lacunar density in long bones of tetrapods: all measures are bigger in sauropod dinosaurs.
2013
Osteocytes harbour much potential for paleobiological studies. Synchrotron radiation and spectroscopic analyses are providing fascinating data on osteocyte density, size and orientation in fossil taxa. However, such studies may be costly and time consuming. Here we describe an uncomplicated and inexpensive method to measure osteocyte lacunar densities in bone thin sections. We report on cell lacunar densities in the long bones of various extant and extinct tetrapods, with a focus on sauropodomorph dinosaurs, and how lacunar densities can help us understand bone formation rates in the iconic sauropod dinosaurs. Ordinary least square and phylogenetic generalized least square regressions sugge…
Relationship of a Body Shape Index and Body Roundness Index with carotid atherosclerosis in arterial hypertension.
2018
Background and aims: A Body Shape Index (ABSI) and Body Roundness Index (BRI) are two new anthropometric adiposity indices that have shown to be associated better than BMI with adipose abdominal tissue, with the onset of diabetes and the risk of premature death. Little is known about the influence of ABSI and BRI on subclinical vascular damage. The study was aimed to assess the relationship between ABSI and BRI with carotid atherosclerosis damage in subjects with arterial hypertension. Methods and results: A total of 468 patients with arterial hypertension (30–80 years old) were enrolled; adiposity indices were calculated (BMI, WC, ABSI, BRI) and carotid ultrasonographic examination was per…
Invited Review - Fight on Plankton! or, Phytoplankton Shape and Size as Adaptive Tools to Get Ahead in the Struggle for Life
2011
Abstract A renewed interest in investigating the relationships existing between body size and environmental variables is pervading ecological studies. Phytoplankton has a long tradition as model system in studies of community ecology and several research concepts were developed using these organisms. In this paper we try to review the relevance of analyzing the morphological features of phytoplankton in ecology. Starting with a brief account of allometric relationships existing in phytoplankton, we i) examine the physical context in which phytoplankton grow, and ii) highlight the role of their size in nutrient uptake, and that of their shape in light harvesting. Moreover, the way in which t…
Are Sick Individuals Weak Competitors? Competitive Ability of Snails Parasitized by a Gigantism-Inducing Trematode
2013
Parasitized individuals are often expected to be poor competitors because they are weakened by infections. Many trematode species, however, although extensively exploiting their mollusc hosts, also induce gigantism (increased host size) by diverting host resources towards growth instead of reproduction. In such systems, alternatively to reduced competitive ability due to negative effects of parasitism on host performance, larger size could allow more efficient resource acquisition and thus increase the relative competitive ability of host individuals. We addressed this hypothesis by testing the effect of a trematode parasite Diplostomum pseudospathaceum on the competitive ability of its sna…