Using a biopsychosocial model of dementia as a tool to guide clinical practice

2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 957-965 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aimee Spector ◽  
Martin Orrell
Keyword(s):  
Potential Benefit ◽  
Biopsychosocial Model ◽  
Social Processes ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Severity Of Dementia ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Negative Factors

ABSTRACTBackground: Over the years, a number of non-medical and psychosocial explanations and models of dementia have been proposed, due to the complex nature of the illness. However, there is a need for a more pragmatic, user-friendly model which takes into account the biological, psychological and social processes.Methods: Existing models of dementia were amalgamated into a revised, pragmatic model which aims to increase our understanding of the factors that may lead to improvement or deterioration in dementia and to illustrate the role of psychosocial factors in the context of biological processes. The model suggests that in both psychosocial and biological domains there are fixed factors (aspects which relate to history or risk factors and therefore not amenable to change), tractable factors (aspects which may be amenable to change), and interventions with potential benefit.Results: The trajectory of dementia is presented as a process, beginning with aging and ending in death. Both the fixed and the tractable factors may influence the severity of dementia, affecting function, the speed and nature of the deterioration, and the appropriateness and effectiveness of interventions. A working case example is provided, demonstrating how the model may be used by clinicians when assessing the difficulties of an individual with dementia and identifying ways to improve the quality of life and reduce excess disability for that person.Conclusions: This model provides a theoretical framework and an ambitious approach to care in dementia which takes into account positive as well as negative factors. We hope it may become a useful tool for researchers and clinicians to help understand what impacts on individuals with dementia and the most appropriate ways to intervene.

scholarly journals MicroRNA-202 (miR-202) controls female fecundity by regulating medaka oogenesis

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stéphanie Gay ◽  
Jérôme Bugeon ◽  
Amine Bouchareb ◽  
Laure Henry ◽  
Jérôme Montfort ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Female Reproduction ◽  
Female Fecundity ◽  
Animal Reproduction ◽  
Non Coding Rnas

ABSTRACTFemale gamete production relies on coordinated molecular and cellular processes that occur in the ovary throughout oogenesis. In fish, as in other vertebrates, these processes have been extensively studied both in terms of endocrine/paracrine regulation and protein expression and activity. The role of small non-coding RNAs in the regulation of animal reproduction remains however largely unknown and poorly investigated, despite a growing interest for the importance of miRNAs in a wide variety of biological processes. Here, we analyzed the role of miR-202, a miRNA predominantly expressed in male and female gonads in several vertebrate species. We studied its expression in the medaka ovary and generated a mutant line (using CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering) to determine its importance for reproductive success with special interest for egg production. Our results show that miR-202-5p is the biologically active form of the miRNA and that it is expressed in granulosa cells and in the unfertilized egg. The knock out (KO) of miR-202 resulted in a strong phenotype both in terms of number and quality of eggs produced. Mutant females exhibited either no egg production or produced a drastically reduced number of eggs that could not be fertilized, ultimately leading to no reproductive success. We quantified the size distribution of the oocytes in the ovary of KO females and performed a genome-wide transcriptomic analysis approach to identified dysregulated molecular pathways. Together, cellular and molecular analyses indicate that lack of miR-202 impairs the early steps of oogenesis/folliculogenesis and decreases the number of large (i.e. vitellogenic) follicles, ultimately leading to dramatically reduced female fecundity. This study sheds new light on the regulatory mechanisms that control the early steps of follicular development and provides the first in vivo functional evidence that an ovarian-predominant microRNA may have a major role in female reproduction.Author summaryThe role of small non-coding RNAs in the regulation of animal reproduction remains poorly investigated, despite a growing interest for the importance of miRNAs in a wide variety of biological processes. Here, we analyzed the role of miR-202, a miRNA predominantly expressed in gonads in vertebrate. We studied its expression in the medaka ovary and knocked out the miR-202 genes to study its importance for reproductive success. We showed that the lack of miR-202 results in the sterility of both females and males. In particular, it lead to a drastic reduction of both the number and the quality of eggs produced by females. Mutant females exhibited either no egg production or produced a drastically reduced number of eggs that could not be fertilized, ultimately leading to no reproductive success. Quantitative histological and molecular analyses indicated that miR-202 KO impairs oocyte development and is also associated with the dysregulation of many genes that are critical for reproduction. This study sheds new light on the regulatory mechanisms that control oogenesis and provides the first in vivo functional evidence that an ovarian-predominant microRNA may have a major role in female reproduction.

DESIGNING A MIXER OF PROTEIN, MINERAL AND VITAMIN ADDITIVES

2021 ◽  
pp. 32-36
Author(s):  
EVGENIY V. AVAKIMYANTS ◽  
◽  
VLADISLSAV V. GORDEEV ◽  
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Decision Matrix ◽  
Chamber Volume ◽  
Electromechanical Drive ◽  
Mixer Design ◽  
Blade Mixer ◽  
User Friendly ◽  
Rotational Speed Control ◽  
Negative Factors

To ensure the eff ective use of protein-mineral-vitamin supplements in the diets of dairy cows, a mixer design has been developed for their preliminary mixing before adding to the main mixing process. Based on the structural-morphological analysis, alternative structural elements of the mixer design have been considered and conventional symbols were assigned to them. A morphological matrix of solutions has been compiled to off er a set of alternative options. The mixer drive was chosen by the ability to ensure high speed, rotational speed control, user-friendly operation and cost. The design uses an electromechanical drive combined with a V-belt drive. This solution meets all the specifi ed requirements and allows protecting the drive from possible overloads. The working tool was chosen based on the requirement to contact the material actively throughout the chamber volume and to avoid the formation of stagnant zones. A blade mixer with variable blade positioning was found the most eff ective tool for the high-speed mixing of bulk materials. The designed mixer will be operating at a continuously varying speed in the range from 500 to 1500 min-1. This will off er the advantages of high-speed mixing while reducing the infl uence of negative factors on the fi nal mixture quality. The resulting decision matrix will allow determining the most promising areas for further designing, which makes it possible to improve the quality of the developed technical means.

scholarly journals Thoughts on the “missing link” between saltworks biology and solat salt quality

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 417-425
Keyword(s):  
Sodium Chloride ◽  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Solar Salt ◽  
Missing Link ◽  
Osmotic Solutes ◽  
Identical Chemical Composition

Although solar salterns worldwide use seawater of identical chemical composition as the raw material for salt production, the size and quality of the halite crystals that precipitate in the crystallizer ponds is highly variable. Biological processes have been implicated to be responsible for the differences observed, but the “missing link” between saltworks biology and solar salt quality has never unequivocally been identified. This paper presents an overview of the different organic chemicals that are formed by the members of the microbial communities in saltern evaporation and crystallizer ponds as osmotic stabilizers as well as different compounds formed during further microbial metabolism of those osmotic solutes. Examination of the in situ concentrations and the possible role of glycerol, glycine betaine, ectoine, dihydroxyacetone, acetate, lactate, and other organic compounds failed to identify one or more compounds that may accumulate at concentrations high enough to significantly modify the formation of sodium chloride crystals in the salterns and to negatively influence the quality of the salt produced.

Cognitive Health Counseling 40+

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Eschen ◽  
Franzisca Zehnder ◽  
Mike Martin
Keyword(s):  
Outcome Variable ◽  
Pilot Phase ◽  
Subjective Memory ◽  
Cognitive Health ◽  
Health Counseling ◽  
Agents Of Change ◽  
Main Outcome Variable ◽  
Further Development

This article introduces Cognitive Health Counseling 40+ (CH.CO40+), an individualized intervention that is conceptually based on the orchestration model of quality-of-life management ( Martin & Kliegel, 2010 ) and aims at improving satisfaction with cognitive health in adults aged 40 years and older. We describe the theoretically deduced characteristics of CH.CO40+, its target group, its multifactorial nature, its individualization, the application of subjective and objective measures, the role of participants as agents of change, and the rationale for choosing participants’ satisfaction with their cognitive health as main outcome variable. A pilot phase with 15 middle-aged and six older adults suggests that CH.CO40+ attracts, and may be particularly suitable for, subjective memory complainers. Implications of the pilot data for the further development of the intervention are discussed.

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