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In ovariectomized rats and Syrian hamsters, progesterone + estradiol treatment mimics the effect of pregnancy on energy balance. However, rats fatten, whereas hamsters lose body fat. Given this difference and paucity of information on the contribution of ovarian steroids to alterations in energy balance during pregnancy in laboratory species other than rats, I investigated the effects of pregnancy or progesterone and estradiol treatments (administered via subcutaneous implants) on fat metabolism (lipogenesis and fatty acid uptake) and energy expenditure (running wheel activity and nestbuilding activity) in Syrian hamsters. Fatty acid synthesis/uptake (incorporation of tritium into lipid from ($\sp3$H) $\sb2$O) was reduced in heart, liver, and white adipose tissue of late, but not early, pregnant hamsters. In ovariectomized hamsters, treatment with estradiol or progesterone alone was without effect, while treatment with both steroids decreased fatty acid synthesis/uptake in liver and white adipose tissue. When hamsters were pretreated with Triton WR-1339, which inhibits fatty acid uptake, but not synthesis, progesterone + estradiol treatment suppressed newly synthesized fatty acid levels in liver, not in white adipose tissue, suggesting that hamsters decrease adiposity during pregnancy partially from progesterone + estradiol suppression of hepatic lipogenesis. Pregnant hamsters did not reduce running wheel activity until late gestation, concomitant with substantial increases in conceptus weight. Consistent with this finding, estradiol or progesterone + estradiol treatments did not affect activity levels of ovariectomized hamsters, but ovariectomy also did not have a significant effect on running wheel activity. Running wheel activity varied with estrous cycle day, being increased across the nights prior to and during the time of estrus. Hamsters increased nestbuilding activity under conditions of chronically elevated estradiol or progesterone levels (late gestation, estradiol alone or with progesterone treatments) and increased energy demand (late gestation and cold exposure). Nestbuilding activity was not affected by lactation (characterized by low ovarian steroid levels and high energy demand) or estrous cycle day. In total, these results suggest that pregnant Syrian hamsters decrease adiposity partially from ovarian steroid effects on lipogenesis, but accompanying changes in running wheel activity and nestbuilding activity may be concerted responses to altered ovarian steroid levels, ovarian steroid metabolic effects, and the increased energy expenditure of late gestation.

In female mammals reproduction is sensitive to the availability of metabolic fuels, and food deprivation has been shown to suppress pulsatile luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion, attenuate the preovulatory LH surge, and prevent ovulation. It has been suggested that food deprivation impairs fertility by reducing secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) by GnRH-producing neurons in the forebrain. A series of experiments using double-label immunocychemistry tested this hypothesis by examining the effects of estrous cycles and manipulations of metabolic fuel availability of expression of Fos-like proteins (Fos-IR) in GnRH-immunoreactive (GnRH-IR) neurons in the forebrain of Syrian hamsters. GnRH-IR neurons were detected in several areas, including the diagonal band of Broca (DBB), medial septum (MS), rostral medial preoptic area (mPOA), and caudal POA. In the more rostral regions (DBB and MS/mPOA) GnRH-IR neurons expressed Fos-IR almost exclusively ond day 4 of the cycle, just after the preovulatory LH surge. However, in the caudal POA, GnRH-IR neurons expressed Fos-IR across the entire cycle, including days 1-3 when LH secretion is pulsatile. Food deprivation on days 1 and 2 of the cycle, which attenuates the LH surge and blocks ovulation in hamsters, significantly reduced the proportion of GnRH-IR neurons which expressed Fos-IR on days 2 and 4 (caudal POA) or just on day 4 (DBB and MS/mPOA). Suppression of fuel availability with insulin or 2-deoxy-D-glucose on day 1 of the cycle mimicked the effects of food deprivation and reduced the proportion of caudal POA GnRH-IR neurons which expressed Fos-IR. The results of these experiments suggest that in Syrian hamsters there are separate populations of GnRH-IR neurons associated with pulsatile and surge modes of LH secretion. In addition, the fact that manipulations of metabolic fuel availability cause changes in expression of Fos-IR in both populations of GnRH-IR neurons provides strong support for the hypothesis that nutritional infertility is due in part to decreased GnRH secretion.

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No description available.

<p> A holoflux theory of consciousness as energy is hypothesized and shown to support both local and non-local properties. This thesis emerges from an integral evaluation of evidence drawn from three sources: (1) the holonomic mind/brain theories of Karl Pribram, (2) the ontological interpretation of quantum theory by David Bohm, and (3) the hyperphysics of consciousness developed by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. Applying an integral methodology to superimpose and correlate seemingly disparate concepts from among these sources and others, a composite theory emerges, a &ldquo;holoflux&rdquo; theory of consciousness, after the term favored by Karl Pribram to describe David Bohm&rsquo;s &ldquo;holomovement.&rdquo; This Pribram&ndash;Bohm composite holoflux theory is shown to be congruent with established principles of physics, mathematics, and electrical engineering, as well as with what Pierre Teilhard de Chardin termed &ldquo;hyperphysics.&rdquo; </p><p> Extending the panpsychist paradigm that consciousness is inherent in the structure of the universe, the thesis describes a dynamic energy process bridging the explicate space&ndash;time domain with a transcendent flux domain located at the spatial center, everywhere. This center is hypothesized to be synonymous with three key concepts: Karl Pribram&rsquo;s &ldquo;flux domain,&rdquo; David Bohm&rsquo;s &ldquo;implicate order,&rdquo; and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin&rsquo;s &ldquo;point Omega.&rdquo; </p><p> Commonly held arguments, both philosophical and technical, dismissive of energy fields as a possible substrate of consciousness, are examined and refuted. Major theories of consciousness developed by Pribram, Bohm, and Teilhard de Chardin are examined in detail, and presented in the context of their life experiences. Extending their theories, the holoflux theory of consciousness views reality as one energy, cycling mathematically, lens-like, in a process of transformation manifesting in three modes: (1) electromagnetic energy in space&ndash;time, (2) holoflux energy in a transcendent order, and (3) vibrating isospheres at the boundary gap separating the implicate from the explicate orders. </p><p> Pierre Teilhard de Chardin&rsquo;s more technical concepts (e.g., centro-complexity, radial energy, tangential energy, complexity-consciousness, noogenesis, centrology, and Omega) are evaluated in detail, and interpreted within the framework of holoflux theory, to provide new insights into his hyperphysics of centro-complexity. </p><p> The plausibility of this holoflux theory is examined through identification of correlations between physiological, electromagnetic, and geophysical measurements. </p>

<p> The current study examined the role that exposure to natural human sweat has on heterosexual and homosexual men&rsquo;s perceptions of sexual attractiveness. Seventy-two participants were included in the study. Participants engaged in 3 tasks; the first was to provide health history and sexual orientation information, the second task was to view photographs of men and women, and the third was to rate the previous images on level of attractiveness. The photograph viewing and rating tasks were done while participants were exposed to either human male underarm sweat, female Day-14 of the menstrual underarm sweat, female Day-27 of the menstrual cycle underarm sweat, or no sweat, using a small fan that blew air over the sweat pad and onto the participants face. Photographs of male and female faces were rated significantly lower by heterosexual men exposed to male underarm sweat. Heterosexual men rated photographs of female faces significantly higher than male faces in both the Day-14 and Day-27 female sweat conditions. Homosexual men showed no preference for male photographs in the male sweat versus no sweat conditions.</p>

<p> <b>Background:</b> Perception of changes in physiological arousal is theorized to form the basis for which the brain labels emotional states. Interoception is a process by which individuals become aware of physiological sensations. Lowered emotional awareness has been found to be associated with lower interoceptive awareness. Alexithymia is a personality trait associated with lowered emotion recognition ability which affects 10-20% of the university student population in Western countries. Research suggests that being made aware of one&rsquo;s heartbeat may enhance emotional awareness. <b>Objective(s): </b> The present study attempted to enhance emotion recognition abilities directly via an experimental interoceptive manipulation in order to decrease levels of alexithymia. It had three aims: 1) To examine whether exposing individuals to the interoceptive sound of their own heart beat could illicit changes in their emotion recognition abilities,2) To examine whether higher emotion recognition abilities as a result of listening to one&rsquo;s own heartbeat differed by alexithymia group, and 3) if higher interoceptive awareness was associated with higher RME scores during the own heartbeat sound condition. <b>Methods: </b> 36 participants were recruited from an introductory psychology class at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia. Participants completed lab-based tests of emotion recognition followed by questionnaires assessing alexithymia and interoceptive abilities. During the lab-based test of emotion recognition, participants were subjected to an interoceptive manipulation by listening to three sounds (in random order): own heartbeat, another person&rsquo;s heartbeat, and footsteps. To test aim 1, a repeated-measures ANOVA examined differences in emotion recognition scores during the various sound conditions (i.e., no sound, own heartbeat, other heartbeat, footsteps). For evaluating aim 2, a two way 3 x 4 RM ANOVA tested for differences in RME scores by sound condition when individuals were alexithymic, possibly alexithymic and not alexithymic. Aim 3 was examined using correlations between the attention to body and emotion awareness subscale scores separately with RME score for own heartbeat. <b>Results:</b> Contrary to predictions, RME performance did not vary according to body sound condition, <i>F</i> (3, 105) =.53, p = .67, <i>&eta;</i>&sup2; = .02. A significant interaction was seen between alexithymia category and RME scores during the interoceptive sound conditions, <i>F</i> (6, 99) = 2.27, p = .04, <i>&eta; </i>&sup2; = .12. However, post-hoc analyses did not reveal significant differences between specific alexithymia categories and RME scores. A significant positive relationship was seen between RME during own heartbeat and being able to pay attention to the body (<i>r</i> (36) = .34, p = .05, <i> R</i>&sup2; = .11). <b>Discussion:</b> Our results suggest that more attention was directed toward facial emotions when subjects listened to their own heartbeat but this increase did not result in measurable changes in RME performance. <b>Limitations:</b> Although using a within-subjects design potentially increased statistical power, a between-subjects design with random assignment could have eliminated the effects of repeated measurement and condition order. <b>Implications:</b> The most novel of these findings was that individuals paid more attention to the emotional stimuli when hearing their own heartbeat. More research is needed to understand if the interoceptive sound manipulation may aide in improving other cognitive functions or earlier steps in the emotion process. Future research using other measures of interoception and attention are necessary to confirm the result.</p>

<p> Introduction: Alpha-glyceryl phosphoryl choline (A-GPC) is a supplement designed to elevate free circulating plasma choline concentration and elevate growth hormone levels. Increased choline and growth hormone availability has the potential to enhance strength and power during resistance exercise. Caffeine has also been shown to raise serum choline levels and enhance athletic performance. In addition, both caffeine and A-GPC have the potential to improve cognitive function. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to examine if caffeine and/or a novel A-GPC supplement can enhance isometric strength, explosive ability, and cognitive function in healthy young males. Participants: Subjects included 48 college-aged males. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups. Subgroups consumed a seven-day supply of either 250mg A-GPC, 500mg A-GPC, 200mg of caffeine, or a placebo. Methods: Participants performed a vertical jump test, isometric mid-thigh pull, upper-body isometric strength test, and a psychomotor vigilance test. Blood samples were collected on day one after performance tests in order to monitor plasma choline and growth hormone levels. Participants consumed the rest of their supplement pack before returning on day seven to repeat performance tests. Results: No significant differences were observed in peak force, peak power, rate of force development, alertness, or reaction time from pre to post-supplementation in any group. Conclusion: Although the results of this study do not support the use of A-GPC or caffeine to enhance isometric strength, explosive ability, or cognitive functioning, this is the first human study to date to examine the effects of both caffeine and A-GPC on all the aforementioned variables simultaneously thus making it a novel investigation. It is suggested that future studies administer larger doses of caffeine/A-GPC.</p>

<p> The ability to flexibly control or inhibit unwanted actions is critical for everyday behavior. Lack of this capacity is characteristic of numerous psychiatric diseases including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). My project is designed to study the neural underpinnings of response inhibition and to what extent these mechanisms are disrupted in animals with impaired impulse control. I therefore recorded single neurons from dorsal striatum, orbitofrontal cortex, and medial prefrontal cortex from rats performing a novel rodent variant of the classic "stop signal" task used in clinical settings. This task asks motivated rats to repeatedly produce simple actions to obtain rewards while needing to semi-occasionally inhibit an already initiated response. To take this a step further, I compared normal rats to rats prenatally exposed to nicotine in order to better understand the mechanism underlying inhibitory control. Rats exposed to nicotine before birth show abnormal attention, poor inhibitory control, and brain deficits consistent with impairments seen in humans prenatally exposed to nicotine and those with ADHD.</p><p> I found that dorsal striatum neurons tend to encode the direction of a response and the motor refinement necessary to guide behaviors within the task rather than playing a causal role in response inhibition. However the orbitofrontal cortex, a direct afferent of dorsal striatum, possesses the capacity to inform the striatum of the correct action during response inhibition within the critical time window required to flexibly alter an initiated movement. On the other hand, medial prefrontal cortex functions as a conflict &ldquo;monitor&rdquo; to broadly increase preparedness for flexible response inhibition by aggregating current and past conflict history. Lastly, rat pups exposed to nicotine during gestation exhibit faster movement speeds and reduced capacity for inhibitory behavior. Physiologically, prenatal nicotine exposure manifests in a hypoactive prefrontal cortex, diminished encoding of task parameters, and reduced capacity to maintain conflict information.</p>