Knowledge of Risk Factors for Hypertension among University Students in Northwestern Tanzania: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Obesity, excessive alcohol use, cigarette smoking, a lack of physical activity, stress, and an unhealthy diet are modifiable risk factors linked to hypertension. Non-modifiable risk factors for hypertension include older age and a family history of hypertension. The purpose of this study was to assess university students’ knowledge of hypertension risk factors. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at St. Augustine University of Tanzania. A pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Out of a total score of eight, a score of four or more was considered good knowledge, and a score of less than four was considered poor. All sociodemographic characteristics were included in logistic regression to calculate the adjusted odds ratio. Results: A total of 390 undergraduate students participated in this study. Most of the participants 266 (68.2%) identified stress as a risk factor for hypertension. The median (IQR) knowledge score was 2 (2 - 3). Overall, only 43 (11.0%) of the participants had good knowledge of risk factors for hypertension. However, none of the sociodemographic factors were associated with a good level of knowledge of risk factors for hypertension. Conclusion: Our findings highlight poor knowledge of modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for hypertension among university students in northwestern Tanzania. Only stress and older age were known by more than half of the students as risk factors for hypertension. To reduce the burden of hypertension, it is crucial for prevention and control programs to target improving university students’ knowledge of risk factors for hypertension.

A Study on Influencing Factors of College Students' Well-being——Taking Students of Huazhong Agricultural University as an Example

In recent years,with the sustained and healthy economic development in China,the focus of people's attention has gradually been shifted to spiritual pursuit after their material pursuit is met. As a special group,college students get more social attention,and the study of college students' well-being is gradually carried out and furthered. In institutions of higher learning,the degree of college students' well-being exerts direct influence on the degree of college students' psychological health and college students' recognition of higher education. Taking 205 students from Huazhong Agricultural University as an example,drawing on the subjective well-being scale compiled by Diener et al.,and through discussions,interviews and questionnaires,this paper carries out a study from such aspects as gender,specialty,grade,region,family economic status and love situation,and uses SPSS20. 0 software to implement such statistical analyses as factor analysis,partial correlation analysis,descriptive analysis and cluster analysis,thus researching the factors influencing college students' well-being. The results show that the overall perception of well-being the students is relatively high,and very few students feel unhappy,indicating that the overall psychological situation of students in Huazhong Agricultural University is optimistic,but the psychological situation of individual students still needs our attention. The analysis shows that the well-being of college students is influenced by the factors such as grade,degree of love for their specialties,region and family economic status,and is not influenced by whether to be the only child in the family and gender. This paper suggests that we should strengthen ideal and belief education,in order to improve college students' ability to endure setbacks; we should strengthen college student's association education,in order to enrich college life; we should strengthen practice teaching,in order to enhance college students' acceptance of the specialty they selected; we should strengthen the training of students' employment ability,so that they will be able to adapt to the social environment of great employment pressure.

Rationale of a Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study on Associated Factors and Prognosis Maternal-Fetal Links to Early Onset Preeclampsia at the University Clinics of Kinshasa, DR Congo

Background: Preeclampsia (PE) is one of the forms of hypertensive diseases that occur during pregnancy. Early-onset preeclampsia (EOP), which occurred before 34 weeks, proved to be the deadliest. Indeed, it is characterized by a poor maternal and fetal prognosis. EOP has a disparate incidence in the world varying between 0.9% and 31%. Several risks factors are associated with the occurrence of EOP, which is responsible of several adverse obstetrical outcomes. Complications can affect up to 85% of pregnant women with EOP, especially when EOP appears very early, before 28 or even 25 weeks’ gestation. Objectives: To determine frequency of EOP at the University Clinics of Kinshasa, to describe sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of pregnant women with EOP and to identify its risks factors and its association adverse obstetrical outcomes. Methods: The study will be a cross-sectional analytical study in University Clinics of Kinshasa from January 2016 to December 2022. The minimal size will be 119. Our study population will consist of pregnant women who consult for antenatal best care and are neonates in our Clinic. Result will be presented as percentage proportion. Comparison and proportion means between groups will be made using Student’s test and Pearson’s chi-square test, respectively. Our test will be statistically significant for a p-value ≤ than less 0.05. Data will be collected and analysed anonymously and confidentiality. Conclusion: We believe that our study should enable us to identify profile of gestational carriers at risk of EOP in our environment, as well as prognosis associated with this entity, with a view to arousing particular interest in EOP.

Research on the Influence Factors and Struction of University Teachers Leader-Member Exchange

The leader - member exchange theory is one of the leading and the hot topic in recent years of the study of Western leaders. Structural studies of LMX factors have important theoretical and practical value in college teachers. In this paper, the ＂impact factor structure of university teachers LMX Questionnaire＂ for four universities 808 subjects was investigated. By exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, it found that the structure of university teachers LMX factors includes five dimensions： values, attitudes up, personality characteristics, switching behavior, objective situations. The questionnaire has good reliability and validity.

Analysis of the Factors Influencing the Participation of University Students in Rural Education for Poverty Alleviation

The principle of“poverty alleviation first helps the poor”is fundamental to poverty alleviation through education in rural areas.It serves as an important foundation for improving the soft power of rural culture and promoting the development of rural cultural construction.However,college students,being one of the main participants in educational poverty alleviation,have not been equipped with a well-established institutionalized participation mechanism and a sufficient awareness of participation.To enhance college students’awareness and participation in rural education and poverty alleviation and to improve the institutionalization,this research focuses on college students as a group,delves into the current situation and willingness of college students to participate in rural education and poverty alleviation,and analyzes the influencing factors affecting college students’participation in rural education and poverty alleviation by means of a questionnaire and a computerized statistical algorithm.Lastly,based on mathematical and statistical analysis,the research puts forward corresponding optimization countermeasures and suggestions from the perspectives of the government,colleges and universities,and villages,so as to provide decision-making guidelines for solving the problems of rural education development and talent constraints.

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Overweight and Obesity among University Students of the Health Field in San Luis PotosíMéxico

The aim for this research is to determine the association between the risk factors and prevalence of overweight and obesity in students in the health field in the Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí (UASLP in Spanish). A quantitative, correlational, and cross-sectional study was conducted from May to November 2012. By stratified random sampling, 290 students in the health field were selected. Questionnaire was used to identify factors associated with obesity. The obesity and overweight prevalence was determined, calculating body mass index through anthropometric measurement. The strength of the association between variables was measured using Chi squared and odds ratio tests. The proportion of students with overweight or obesity was 28.3% and was higher in men (36.8%) than in women (24.6%), with statistical significance (p < 0.01). Greater obesity or overweight was identified in psychology students (p < 0.01) and in those who reported an average appetite (79.3%) (p < 0.05). In total, 66.6% of the students decreased their physical activity upon joining the university, which was a factor significantly associated with obesity and overweight (p < 0.05). The findings show that the school environment can be a conditioning factor for the development of obesity and overweight in students. Implementation of a program is recommended to prevent and control such problems.

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Hypertension, Diabetes and Obesity among Lecturers and Support Staff of Bishop Stuart University in Mbarara, Uganda

Aim: To establish the prevalence and risk factors for hypertension, diabetes and obesity among teaching and non-teaching staff of Bishop Stuart University, Mbarara-Uganda. Background: None communicable diseases (NCDs) are projected to exceed communicable diseases as the most common causes of death by 2030 in Africa. Most sub-Saharan African countries however lack detailed countrywide data on hypertension and other NCDs risk factors. Cognizant of Uganda’s recent inclusion of Hypertension and diabetes in the health policy agenda, this study was conducted among the university staff in a rural setting to provide benchmark information for design of appropriate interventions. Study Design: This was a descriptive cross-sectional, institutional based survey design. Place and duration of the study: This study was conducted among the teaching and none teaching staff of Bishop Stuart University Mbarara, Uganda from 18th April-6th June 2017. Methodology: A structured questionnaire was used to gather social demographic and risk factors data from the university workers at their work stations. Blood pressure of each participant was measured and Hypertension was defined as systolic BP > 140 and/or diastolic (BP) > 90 mmHg. Anthropometric measurements: Body Mass index (BMI) was done by weight in (Kg) and Height in (M2) to establish weight levels. Obesity was considered at BMI > 40. A random Blood Sugar (RBS) > 200 mg/dl was considered as diabetic. Epi-info version 7 was used to enter data, analyzed using SPSS version 19. Results: A total of 156 University staff aged 25 - 75 years of both sexes, mean age 42 ± 8 were interviewed of whom 51% were males. About 15% were administrative staff, 55% teaching staff, 3% senior lecturers and professors and 25% non-teaching staff. The prevalences of Hypertension, Diabetes, and obesity were 7.7%, 16%, and 28% respectively. But also majority (60.2%) were found at risk of developing both hypertension and diabetes. Less than 20% of the participants were knowledgeable on causes, signs and symptoms and preventive measures for Hypertension but had moderate knowledgeable of the risk factors, the most frequently mentioned risk by 71% was lack of exercise. Despite the awareness of risk factors, majority (61.3%) had not done any form of exercise and 64.1% had not had regular Blood pressure check ups. The study also demonstrated a statistically significant relationship between those aged more than 40 years and having hypertension (X2 = 5.82, P = 0.015, OR = 4.2). Likewise the risk of Diabetes increased with increasing age. Lecturers aged 40 years and above were 5.6 times likely to have diabetes compared to those aged less than 40 years (OR = 5.6, X2 = 16 , P = 0.0005). A significant number of respondents 57/156 (36.5%) reported history of HPT among their family members. Prevalence of obesity and overweight was observed higher in senior administrative staff and lecturers than in lower cadre staff 49% and 34% (p 0.01). Conclusion: Hypertension, Diabetes and obesity are conditions prevalent among the teaching and none teaching staff of BSU, but knowledge on risk factors, clinical presentation and preventive strategies is limited. Routine physical exercises...

Impact of Metabolic-Syndrome Risk Factors on the Absenteeism of Health Workers from a Brazilian University Hospital

Objective: Analyzing the association between Metabolic Syndrome (MS) risk factors and work absenteeism due to illnesses among University Hospital employees in Salvador City, Bahia, Brazil. Methods: Cross-sectional study comprised 1173 Bahia Federal University Hospital employees: 57.3% of them were federal employees (statutory officers) and 42.7% were civil servants (CLT employees). Participants were in the age group 41.5 years: 69.4% were female and 30.6% were male. Results: MS prevalence in employees reached 6.6%;women accounted for 69.7% of the total. The percentage increases with age and has similar proportion among directcare providers and ancillary supports personnel, 40.8% and 39.5%, respectively. The risk factor analysis showed 25% hypertension, 54.6% weight excess (18.4% obese and 36.2% overweight patients), 20% hypercholesterolemia, 9.9% hypertriglyceridemia and 6.5% diabetes mellitus prevalence. Absenteeism longer than one day within the studied population reached 40.1%. Osteoarticular diseases were the most common reason for absenteeism, accounting for 50.7% of it: 62.6% of whom were either overweight or obese. The mean cost with absenteeism per employee was R$5492.87 ($2347.00 US Dollars), and it corresponds to annual cost of R 2,587,139.53 ($1,105,610.00 US Dollars). The highest cost with absenteeism caused by illnesses was recorded for female workers;for federal employees who were patient caregivers, who worked in the Pediatric Centre and who worked at night shifts. Conclusion: The high Metabolic Syndrome risk factors and overweight incidence are responsible for the increased costs faced by hospitals due to high absenteeism rates.

Physical activity and cardiovascular risk factors in university students in the city of Leon, Mexico

Objectives: Recent changes in life style have increased obesity, smoking and sedentary habits in the entire population. Obesity and overweight frequency have trebled in Mexico in the last few decades. The presence and frequency of cardiovascular risk factors were determined in students at the Universidad DeLa Salle Bajío, both newly admitted and in advanced years. Material and methods: Anthropometric variables, serum glucose, total cholesterol levels, blood hemoglobin and hematocrit were obtained and assessed in 4814 students, 1507 recently admitted and 1507 advanced students. Results: The prevalence of obesity was 15.3%, sedentariness 33.8%, hypercholesterolemia 8.16%, smoking habits 15.8%, and alcohol consumption 12.1%. Body mass index (BMI) (23.5 ± 4 vs. 22.7 ± 4), waist/ abdomen index (0.84 ± 0.06 vs. 0.83 ± 0.06) and serum cholesterol (3.54 mmol/L ± 0.79 vs. 3.98 mmol/L ± 0.77) were greater in the advanced students

Influencing Factors of the Elderly’s Preference for Sports Venues in a University of the North

From the aspects of time characteristics,spatial characteristics and subjective will of sports activities,the preference of sports venues for the elderly in colleges and universities is investigated through questionnaires and interviews,and further analysis and studies are conducted by using the abstract method and discrete selection model,so as to explore the factors affecting the preference of sports venues for the elderly in colleges and universities and their importance.The results show that the factors affecting preference of the elderly in colleges and universities for sports venues from high to low are site greening,site amenities,site shade facilities,site rest seats,site lighting facilities,site size,site fitness and leisure facilities,site walking distance and site quietness degree.Among them,the walking distance of the site is negatively correlated,and the quiet degree of the site has no significant effect,and the other 7 items are positively correlated.The research on the preference of sports venues for the elderly in colleges and universities is helpful to the location and construction of sports venues,so as to provide comfortable and satisfactory sports space for the elderly,which has important practical significance.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor alterations and cognitive decline in schizophrenia:Implications for early intervention

This manuscript explores the recent study by Cui et al which assessed the interplay between inflammatory cytokines and brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)levels in first-episode schizophrenia patients.The study revealed that higher levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-αcorrelated with reduced BDNF levels and poorer cognitive performance.Schizophrenia is a severe psy-chiatric disorder impacting approximately 1%of the global population,charac-terized by positive symptoms(hallucinations and delusions),negative symptoms(diminished motivation and cognitive impairments)and disorganized thoughts and behaviors.Emerging research highlights the role of BDNF as a potential biomarker for early diagnosis and therapeutic targeting.The findings from Cui et al’s study suggest that targeting neuroinflammation and enhancing BDNF levels may improve cognitive outcomes.Effective treatment approaches involve a com-bination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions tailored to individual patient needs.Hence,monitoring cognitive and neuroinflammatory markers is essential for improving patient outcomes and quality of life.Conse-quently,this manuscript highlights the need for an integrated approach to schizo-phrenia management,considering both clinical symptoms and underlying neuro-biological changes.

Epidemiology of Maternal Deaths from 2017 to 2022 in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of the University Hospital of Tengandogo, Burkina Faso

Background: Although maternal mortality is declining in most countries, it remains a significant public health problem worldwide, with high rates, particularly in developing and insecure countries like ours. Objective: To study the epidemiological factors and factors associated with the occurrence of maternal death in the Gynecology-Obstetrics Department of University Hospital of Tengandogo. Method: It was a retrospective case-control study with a descriptive and analytical purpose over a period of 6 years from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2022. Cases were women with maternal deaths during the study period. Data processing and analysis were performed using Stata version 13 software. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed with Stata version 13 software, and logistic regression modeling was used to estimate crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR), their 95% confidence intervals (CI), and the threshold for statistical significance was set at a p value < 0.05. Results: A total of 372 patients were included in the study, including 146 cases of maternal death. The in-hospital maternal mortality rate was 1933 deaths per 100,000 live births. The average age was 28.5 years. 58.9% of patients lived in rural areas. Married patients accounted for 88.7% of cases. The average parity was 3. Direct obstetrical causes were the main causes of death, accounting for 72.6%. They were dominated by post-partum hemorrhage (24.2%), puerperal infection (18.6%), pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (16.1%) and retroplacental hematoma (8.9%). Chronic anemia (12.9%) was the main indirect obstetric cause. Risk factors associated with maternal death were primiparity (OR for paucigravida and multigravida at 0.05;P = 0.001);ambulance transport (OR for patients referred and brought in by personal vehicle = 0.3, p < 0.001) and vaginal delivery (OR for cesarean deliveries = 0.4, p < 0.001). Conclusion: To reduce maternal mortality in Burkina Faso, strategies such as educating women about danger signs during pregnancy and promoting women’s education can be adopted.

Factors Affecting the Entrepreneurial Intention of Students at Tan Trao University

Entrepreneurship is one of the popular choices for students after graduation from higher education.The study focuses on proposing a model to identify the factors affecting the entrepreneurial intention of students at Tan Trao University by researching some typical models in the world.By quantitative research methods based on a survey of 391 students,the study has shown that there are 5 factors affecting the entrepreneurial intention of students at Tan Trao University,including opportunity,motivation,perception of behavioral control,skills and resources for entrepreneurship.Thereby,the study proposes a number of solutions for the students,the university and other related parties to promote students’entrepreneurial intentions.

Cardiovascular risk factors among older persons with cognitive frailty in middle income country

BACKGROUND Cognitive frailty,characterized by the coexistence of cognitive impairment and physical frailty,represents a multifaceted challenge in the aging population.The role of cardiovascular risk factors in this complex interplay is not yet fully understood.AIM To investigate the relationships between cardiovascular risk factors and older persons with cognitive frailty by pooling data from two cohorts of studies in Malaysia.METHODS A comprehensive approach was employed,with a total of 512 communitydwelling older persons aged 60 years and above,involving two cohorts of older persons from previous studies.Datasets related to cardiovascular risks,namely sociodemographic factors,and cardiovascular risk factors,including hypertension,diabetes,hypercholesterolemia,anthropometric characteristics and biochemical profiles,were pooled for analysis.Cognitive frailty was defined based on the Clinical Dementia Rating scale and Fried frailty score.Cardiovascular risk was determined using Framingham risk score.Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 21.RESULTS Of the study participants,46.3%exhibited cognitive frailty.Cardiovascular risk factors including hypertension(OR:1.60;95%CI:1.12-2.30),low fat-free mass(OR:0.96;95%CI:0.94-0.98),high percentage body fat(OR:1.04;95%CI:1.02-1.06),high waist circumference(OR:1.02;95%CI:1.01-1.04),high fasting blood glucose(OR:1.64;95%CI:1.11-2.43),high Framingham risk score(OR:1.65;95%CI:1.17-2.31),together with sociodemographic factors,i.e.,being single(OR 3.38;95%CI:2.26-5.05)and low household income(OR 2.18;95%CI:1.44-3.30)were found to be associated with cognitive frailty.CONCLUSION Cardiovascular-risk specific risk factors and sociodemographic factors were associated with risk of cognitive frailty,a prodromal stage of dementia.Early identification and management of cardiovascular risk factors,particularly among specific group of the population might mitigate the risk of cognitive frailty,hence preventing dementia.

Association of education with cholelithiasis and mediating effects of cardiometabolic factors:A Mendelian randomization study

BACKGROUND Education,cognition,and intelligence are associated with cholelithiasis occurrence,yet which one has a prominent effect on cholelithiasis and which cardiometabolic risk factors mediate the causal relationship remain unelucidated.AIM To explore the causal associations between education,cognition,and intelligence and cholelithiasis,and the cardiometabolic risk factors that mediate the associations.METHODS Applying genome-wide association study summary statistics of primarily European individuals,we utilized two-sample multivariable Mendelian randomization to estimate the independent effects of education,intelligence,and cognition on cholelithiasis and cholecystitis(FinnGen study,37041 and 11632 patients,respectively;n=486484 participants)and performed two-step Mendelian randomization to evaluate 21 potential mediators and their mediating effects on the relationships between each exposure and cholelithiasis.RESULTS Inverse variance weighted Mendelian randomization results from the FinnGen consortium showed that genetically higher education,cognition,or intelligence were not independently associated with cholelithiasis and cholecystitis;when adjusted for cholelithiasis,higher education still presented an inverse effect on cholecystitis[odds ratio:0.292(95%CI:0.171-0.501)],which could not be induced by cognition or intelligence.Five out of 21 cardiometabolic risk factors were perceived as mediators of the association between education and cholelithiasis,including body mass index(20.84%),body fat percentage(40.3%),waist circumference(44.4%),waist-to-hip ratio(32.9%),and time spent watching television(41.6%),while time spent watching television was also a mediator from cognition(20.4%)and intelligence to cholelithiasis(28.4%).All results were robust to sensitivity analyses.CONCLUSION Education,cognition,and intelligence all play crucial roles in the development of cholelithiasis,and several cardiometabolic mediators have been identified for prevention of cholelithiasis due to defects in each exposure.

Interaction between serum inflammatory cytokines and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in cognitive function among first-episode schizophrenia patients

BACKGROUND The pathogenesis of cognitive impairment in schizophrenia(SCZ)remains unclear.Accumulating studies showed that inflammatory-immune dysregulation and altered brain derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)levels play a crucial role in the psychopathology of SCZ.However,their association with cognitive dysfunction in first-episode SCZ patients has not been thoroughly investigated.AIM To explore the interaction effects between cognitive function and inflammatory cytokines and BDNF in first-episode SCZ.METHODS The current study is a cross-sectional case-control investigation that recruited 84 patients with first-episode SCZ(SCZ group)and 80 healthy controls(HCs group)at the Huzhou Third Municipal Hospital between August 2021 and September 2023.ELISA was employed to measure the serum levels of interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-4,IL-6,IL-10,and BDNF.The Chinese brief cognitive test(C-BCT)and the positive and negative syndrome scales were measured the severity of cognitive impairment and psychiatric symptoms.RESULTS Compared to the HC group,the SCZ group exhibited elevated IL-1βand IL-6 levels,decreased BDNF levels,and reduced C-BCT scores(all P<0.001).In SCZ,BDNF was negatively correlated with IL-6(r=-0.324,P<0.05).Information processing speed was negatively correlated with IL-6(r=-0.315,P<0.05)and positively with BDNF(r=0.290,P<0.05);attention,working memory,comprehensive ability,and executive function were negatively correlated with IL-1βand IL-6(all P<0.05)and positively with BDNF(all P<0.05).Multiple regression analysis showed IL-6 influenced C-BCT dimensions(β=-0.218 to-0.327,all P<0.05);attention and executive ability were influenced by IL-1β(β=-0.199 to-0.261,all P<0.05);comprehensive executive ability was influenced by BDNF(β=0.209,P<0.05).CONCLUSION Our findings suggested that interrelationships between immune dysfunction and neurotrophic deficiency might underlie the pathological mechanisms of cognitive impairments in first-episode SCZ patients.

Description of Post-Stroke Cognitive Disorders at Abidjan University Hospitals, Côte d’Ivoire

Stroke patients often experience motor deficits and cognitive problems after a stroke. Objective: To improve our understanding of the cognitive consequences of stroke. Method: a descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study was conducted over 12-month period in the neurology departments of the Cocody and Treichville Hospitals in Côte d’Ivoire. Results: Out of 724 patients admitted to the neurology department, 415 (57.32%) were stroke patients, of which 145 (34.94%) were screened. The frequency of global cognitive functioning impairment was 86.21%, significantly higher than the frequency of patients without impairment, which was 13.79%. The study focused on detailing the cognitive status of stroke patients in neurology departments, assessing several cognitive functions during the subacute phase of stroke. These functions included global cognitive functioning, executive functions, language and memory. The frequency of post-stroke cognitive impairment is high among stroke patients in Abidjan. This frequency is comparable to figures found in Subsaharian stroke populations. Demographic and clinical characteristics studied included age, gender, education level, employment status, vascular diseases and cerebral affected area. Among these characteristics, only the education level and the cerebral affected area have been found significant. Conclusion: The incidence of cognitive impairment after a stroke is significantly high among stroke patients in Abidjan.

Farmers' Cognition of Circular Agriculture and its Influencing Factors: A Case Study of Wannian County in Jiangxi Province

Based on the current situation of agricultural development and agricultural material utilization in Wannian County of Jiangxi Province,we mainly use the form of questionnaire survey and design the relevant questions,to study the farmers' awareness of circular agriculture and its influencing factors. The study results show that some factors have a significant impact on farmers' awareness of circular agriculture,such as householders' age,education level,the proportion of agricultural income to household income,having attended agriculture-related lectures,and whether to be concerned about the information related to agriculture. Through the study in this article,we aim to provide better theoretical reference for the development and study of circular agriculture in Wannian County of Jiangxi Province.

An enriched environment improves cognitive performance in mice from the senescence-accelerated prone mouse 8 strain Role of upregulated neurotrophic factor expression in the hippocampus

In this study,we examined 3-month-old female mice from the senescence-accelerated prone mouse 8 strain and age-matched homologous normal aging female mice from the senescence accelerated-resistant mouse 1 strain.Mice from each strain were housed in an enriched environment（including a platform,running wheels,tunnel,and some toys）or a standard environment for 3 months.The mice housed in the enriched environment exhibited shorter escape latencies and a greater percentage of time in the target quadrant in the Morris water maze test,and they exhibited reduced errors and longer latencies in step-down avoidance experiments compared with mice housed in the standard environment.Correspondently,brain-derived neurotrophic factor mRNA and protein ex- pression in the hippocampus was significantly higher in mice housed in the enriched environment compared with those housed in the standard environment,and the level of hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein was positively correlated with the learning and memory abilities of mice from the senescence-accelerated prone mouse 8 strain.These results suggest that an enriched environment improved cognitive performance in mice form the senescence-accelerated prone mouse 8 strain by increasing brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in the hippocampus.

A UNIVERSAL ANALYTIC POTENTIAL-ENERGY FUNCTION BASED ON A PHASE FACTOR

Using a field equation with a phase factor, a universal analytic potential-energy function applied to the interactions between diatoms or molecules is derived, and five kinds of potential curves of common shapes are obtained adjusting the phase factors. The linear thermal expansion coefficients and Young's moduli of eleven kinds of face-centered cubic (fcc) metals - Al, Cu, Ag, etc. are calculated using the potential-energy function; the computational results are quite consistent with experimental values. Moreover, an analytic relation between the linear thermal expansion coefficients and Young's moduli of fcc metals is given using the potential-energy function. Finally, the force constants of fifty-five kinds of diatomic moleculars with low excitation state are computed using this theory, and they are quite consistent with RKR (Rydberg-Klein-Rees) experimental values.