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Chester EM, Kolacz J, Ake CJ, Thornburg J, Chen X, Shea AA, Birgisdóttir BE, Gunnlaugsson G, Vitzthum VJ. Well-being in healthy Icelandic women varies with extreme seasonality in ambient light. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2024; 59:486-494. [PMID: 38296809 DOI: 10.1002/ijop.13112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Seasonal variation in photoperiod may affect psychosocial and physical well-being in healthy persons. We tested this hypothesis in healthy pre-menopausal women, without a history of mood disorders, living year-round in Reykjavik, Iceland (64.1°N). Participants reported daily self-assessments of well-being throughout a complete ovulatory menstrual cycle in summer and/or winter (70% participated in both seasons). Scores for mood, cognitive acuity, social support, physical health and a composite of these four indicators were each significantly higher in summer than in winter (linear mixed effects models: p < .001 for each model); tiredness did not differ by season. The effect of season was not significantly changed by inclusion of body mass index and/or age as covariates. Some prior studies have been hampered by sparse time sampling, inattention to covariates and/or relying on recalled data. This is to our knowledge the first investigation to test the study hypothesis with daily real-time data spanning complete ovulatory menstrual cycles in each of two seasons. This dense sampling has revealed modest seasonal variation in well-being in healthy women. Daylength (sunlight exposure) is likely a major, but not necessarily sole, factor in these seasonal differences in well-being; temperature is likely less important given Iceland's relatively moderate (for its high latitude) seasonal temperature swings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jacek Kolacz
- Traumatic Stress Research Consortium, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
- Psychiatry and Behaviorial Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Christine J Ake
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - Jonathan Thornburg
- Department of Astronomy and Center for Spacetime Symmetries, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Xiwei Chen
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Amanda A Shea
- Department of Science, Biowink, GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Geir Gunnlaugsson
- Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology, and Folkloristics, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Virginia J Vitzthum
- Department of Medicine, Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Department of Anthropology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
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2
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De Caro EF, Grassi M, Di Blas L. Body Uneasiness, Body Figure Perception, and Body Weight: Factor Structure and Longitudinal Measurement Invariance of a Set of Attitudinal and Perceptual Body Image Assessment Tools in Adolescents. Assessment 2024; 31:377-396. [PMID: 37026621 DOI: 10.1177/10731911231162355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Body image is a multifaceted construct that includes attitudinal and perceptual components, but its attention has mainly been focused on the facet of body dissatisfaction. The present longitudinal study extended the validation of a multifacet attitudinal questionnaire, the Body Uneasiness Test (BUT), against perceptions of body shape and weight. A convenient sample of adolescents took part in a 2-year unbalanced panel study (5 waves). The participants completed the BUT questionnaire and selected their perceived actual, ideal, and reflected body figures along the Contour Drawing Rating Scale; ideal/actual and ideal/normative body mass index discrepancies were also included. After replicating the expected five-factor structure of the BUT items, results from confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the five BUT scales loaded on an attitudinal dimension, whereas the perceived body figures and the discrepancy indices were on a perceptive domain. Such a two-domain structure of body image measures showed gender and seasonal (1-year) measurement invariance, whereas longitudinal 6-month and 18-month invariance partially failed. Overall, the present findings support the validity of the Body Uneasiness Test in adolescence, further demonstrating a preliminary multidimensional structure of body image onto which attitudinal and perceptual body image-related measures were projected.
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3
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Aydin BN, Stinson EJ, Cabeza De Baca T, Ando T, Travis KT, Piaggi P, Krakoff J, Chang DC. Investigation of seasonality of human spontaneous physical activity and energy expenditure in respiratory chamber in Phoenix, Arizona. Eur J Clin Nutr 2024; 78:27-33. [PMID: 37833567 DOI: 10.1038/s41430-023-01347-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The existence of seasonal changes in energy metabolism is uncertain. We investigated the relationship between the seasons and spontaneous physical activity (SPA), energy expenditure (EE), and other components measured in a respiratory chamber. METHODS Between 1985-2005, 671 healthy adults (aged 28.8 ± 7.1 years; 403 men) in Phoenix, Arizona had a 24-hour stay in the respiratory chamber equipped with radar sensors; SPA (expressed as a percentage over the time interval), the energy cost of SPA, EE, and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were measured. RESULTS In models adjusted for known covariates, SPA (%) was lower during summer (7.2 ± 2.9, p = 0.0002), spring (7.5 ± 2.9, p = 0.025), and fall (7.6 ± 3, p = 0.038) compared to winter (8.3 ± 3.5, reference). Conversely, energy cost of SPA (kcal/h/%) was higher during summer (2.18 ± 0.83, p = 0.0008), spring (2.186 ± 0.83, p = 0.017), and fall (2.146 ± 0.75, p = 0.038) compared to winter (2.006 ± 0.76). Protein (292 ± 117 kcal/day, β = -21.2, p = 0.08) oxidation rates was lower in the summer compared to winter. Carbohydrate and lipid oxidation rates (kcal/day) did not differ across seasons. RER and 24-h EE did not differ by season. CONCLUSION SPA, representing fidgeting-like behavior in the chamber, demonstrated a winter peak and summer nadir in humans living in a desert climate. These findings indicate that the physiological propensity for movement may be affected by seasonal factors. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: NCT00340132, NCT00342732.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beyza N Aydin
- Obesity and Diabetes Clinical Research Section, Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
| | - Emma J Stinson
- Obesity and Diabetes Clinical Research Section, Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Tomás Cabeza De Baca
- Obesity and Diabetes Clinical Research Section, Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Takafumi Ando
- Obesity and Diabetes Clinical Research Section, Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Human-Centered Mobility Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Katherine T Travis
- Obesity and Diabetes Clinical Research Section, Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Paolo Piaggi
- Obesity and Diabetes Clinical Research Section, Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Department of Information Engineering, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Jonathan Krakoff
- Obesity and Diabetes Clinical Research Section, Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Douglas C Chang
- Obesity and Diabetes Clinical Research Section, Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Phoenix, AZ, USA
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Hohm I, Wormley AS, Schaller M, Varnum MEW. Homo temporus: Seasonal Cycles as a Fundamental Source of Variation in Human Psychology. PERSPECTIVES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL SCIENCE 2024; 19:151-172. [PMID: 37428561 PMCID: PMC10790523 DOI: 10.1177/17456916231178695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Many animal species exhibit seasonal changes in their physiology and behavior. Yet despite ample evidence that humans are also responsive to seasons, the impact of seasonal changes on human psychology is underappreciated relative to other sources of variation (e.g., personality, culture, development). This is unfortunate because seasonal variation has potentially profound conceptual, empirical, methodological, and practical implications. Here, we encourage a more systematic and comprehensive collective effort to document and understand the many ways in which seasons influence human psychology. We provide an illustrative summary of empirical evidence showing that seasons impact a wide range of affective, cognitive, and behavioral phenomena. We then articulate a conceptual framework that outlines a set of causal mechanisms through which seasons can influence human psychology-mechanisms that reflect seasonal changes not only in meteorological variables but also in ecological and sociocultural variables. This framework may be useful for integrating many different seasonal effects that have already been empirically documented and for generating new hypotheses about additional seasonal effects that have not yet received empirical attention. The article closes with a section that provides practical suggestions to facilitate greater appreciation for, and systematic study of, seasons as a fundamental source of variation in human psychology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Hohm
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia
| | | | - Mark Schaller
- Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia
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Cutolo M, Smith V, Paolino S, Gotelli E. Involvement of the secosteroid vitamin D in autoimmune rheumatic diseases and COVID-19. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2023; 19:265-287. [PMID: 36977791 PMCID: PMC10043872 DOI: 10.1038/s41584-023-00944-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
Evidence supporting the extra-skeletal role of vitamin D in modulating immune responses is centred on the effects of its final metabolite, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3, also known as calcitriol), which is regarded as a true steroid hormone. 1,25(OH)2D3, the active form of vitamin D, can modulate the innate immune system in response to invading pathogens, downregulate inflammatory responses and support the adaptive arm of the immune system. Serum concentrations of its inactive precursor 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3, also known as calcidiol) fluctuate seasonally (being lowest in winter) and correlate negatively with the activation of the immune system as well as with the incidence and severity of autoimmune rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and systemic sclerosis. Thus, a low serum concentration of 25(OH)D3 is considered to be a risk factor for autoimmune rheumatic diseases and vitamin D3 supplementation seems to improve the prognosis; moreover, long-term vitamin D3 supplementation seems to reduce their incidence (i.e. rheumatoid arthritis). In the setting of COVID-19, 1,25(OH)2D3 seems to downregulate the early viral phase (SARS-CoV-2 infection), by enhancing innate antiviral effector mechanisms, as well as the later cytokine-mediated hyperinflammatory phase. This Review provides an update of the latest scientific and clinical evidence concerning vitamin D and immune response in autoimmune rheumatic diseases and COVID-19, which justify the need for monitoring of serum 25(OH)D3 concentrations and for appropriate supplementation following clinical trial-based approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Cutolo
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties (DiMI), University of Genova-IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Vanessa Smith
- Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Ghent, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sabrina Paolino
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties (DiMI), University of Genova-IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Genoa, Italy
| | - Emanuele Gotelli
- Laboratory of Experimental Rheumatology and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties (DiMI), University of Genova-IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, Genoa, Italy
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Seasonal and monthly variation in multiple sclerosis relapses: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Acta Neurol Belg 2022; 122:1447-1456. [PMID: 36171477 DOI: 10.1007/s13760-022-02103-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Multiple Sclerosis (MS) relapses are episodes of transient disease exacerbation. There are contradictory findings regarding seasonal variation in MS relapses. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to investigate the seasonal and monthly variation in relapse rates among patients with MS. METHODS We systematically queried PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for published papers until February 30, 2022. RESULTS A total of 24 studies were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis with a total of 29,106 patients with MS. We found that the relapse rate was significantly lower in fall compared to the average relapse rate in other seasons with a risk ratio (RR) of 0.97 (95% CI 0.95-0.98). Furthermore, patients with MS experienced a higher number of relapses in April (RR: 1.06, 95% CI 1.01-1.11) and March (RR: 1.08, 95% CI 1.00-1.16) compared to other months. Also, the risk of relapse was lower in August (RR: 0.92, 95% CI.85-0.98), September (RR: 0.97, 95% CI.94-0.99), October (RR: 0.92, 95% CI.89-0.96), and November (RR: 0.93, 95% CI.89-0.97). CONCLUSION Our systematic review and meta-analysis confirm the temporal fluctuations in the relapse of MS through a comprehensive review of the existing literature, with a lower relapse rate during late summer and fall and a higher relapse rate during early spring.
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Moralia MA, Quignon C, Simonneaux M, Simonneaux V. Environmental disruption of reproductive rhythms. Front Neuroendocrinol 2022; 66:100990. [PMID: 35227765 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2022.100990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Reproduction is a key biological function requiring a precise synchronization with annual and daily cues to cope with environmental fluctuations. Therefore, humans and animals have developed well-conserved photoneuroendocrine pathways to integrate and process daily and seasonal light signals within the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. However, in the past century, industrialization and the modern 24/7 human lifestyle have imposed detrimental changes in natural habitats and rhythms of life. Indeed, exposure to an excessive amount of artificial light at inappropriate timing because of shift work and nocturnal urban lighting, as well as the ubiquitous environmental contamination by endocrine-disrupting chemicals, threaten the integrity of the daily and seasonal timing of biological functions. Here, we review recent epidemiological, field and experimental studies to discuss how light and chemical pollution of the environment can disrupt reproductive rhythms by interfering with the photoneuroendocrine timing system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Azélie Moralia
- Université de Strasbourg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Clarisse Quignon
- Université de Strasbourg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Marine Simonneaux
- Université de Strasbourg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Valérie Simonneaux
- Université de Strasbourg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France.
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Homicidal sharp force cases: An 11-year autopsy-based study. J Forensic Leg Med 2022; 88:102347. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2022.102347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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The association between season, day length, and temperature on clinical outcomes after cryopreserved embryo transfer. Fertil Steril 2021; 117:539-547. [PMID: 34949454 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate whether there is an association between season, temperature, and day length at oocyte retrieval and/or embryo transfer (ET) and clinical outcomes in frozen ET cycles. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING Large academically affiliated research hospital. PATIENT(S) A total of 3,004 frozen ET cycles from 1,937 different women with oocyte retrieval and transfer between 2012 and 2017. INTERVENTION(S) None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Implantation, clinical pregnancy, spontaneous abortion, and live birth. RESULT(S) Frozen ETs with oocyte retrieval dates in summer had 45% greater odds of clinical pregnancy (odds ratio [OR], 1.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-1.82) and 42% greater odds of live birth (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.13-1.79) compared with those with oocyte retrieval dates in winter. A 41% greater odds of clinical pregnancy (OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.16-1.71) and 34% greater odds of live birth (OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.10-1.62) were observed among transfers with an average temperature at oocyte retrieval in the highest tertile (17.2-33.3 °C) compared with those in the lowest tertile (-17.2-6.7 °C). There were no consistent associations between clinical outcomes and day length at oocyte retrieval or between season, day length, or temperature at transfer of thawed embryos. CONCLUSION(S) Warmer temperatures at oocyte retrieval are associated with higher odds of clinical pregnancy and live birth among frozen ET cycles. The consistent associations seen with oocyte retrieval dates and the lack of associations observed with ET dates suggest that any seasonality effects on in vitro fertilization success are related to ovarian function and not uterine receptivity.
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Barrero JA, Mockus I. Early menarche in visually impaired girls: evidence and hypothesis of light-dark cycle disruption and blindness effect on puberty onset. Chronobiol Int 2021; 39:409-420. [PMID: 34814789 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2021.1998103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Puberty onset is tightly regulated by a broad spectrum of neuroendocrine signals and peripheral stimuli which coordinate the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis activation. Numerous studies suggest that light stimulation influences HPG axis function; however, the effect of blindness on puberty timing remains controversial. Given that menarche is a suitable marker for sexual development initiation, the evaluation of the age at which blind girls attain it allows to indirectly assess the effect of light-dark cycle disruption on pubertal development. The present investigation aimed to review the evidence regarding menarcheal age drift in visually impaired girls, as well as to discuss the findings based on the existing hypotheses of the physiological mechanisms linking the light-dark cycle and photic sensitivity loss to the onset of puberty. Eleven studies were retrieved from a literature search conducted in PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and Google Scholar databases. Eight studies concluded that light perception impairment is related to a moderately earlier age at menarche. Moreover, the evidence gathered in this review suggests a positive association between the degree of light perception loss and precocious menarcheal onset; yet, no conclusive outcomes were found regarding menarche advancement in acquired versus congenital blindness. We encourage further research aiming to elucidate the physiological mechanism underlying photosensitive regulation and blindness effect on the neuroendocrine pathways involved in human sexual maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge A Barrero
- Lipids and Diabetes Division, Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia Lipids and Diabetes Division, Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Ismena Mockus
- Lipids and Diabetes Division, Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia Lipids and Diabetes Division, Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
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Szpręgiel I, Wronska D. The role of photoperiod and melatonin in the control of seasonal reproduction in mammals. ROCZNIKI NAUKOWE POLSKIEGO TOWARZYSTWA ZOOTECHNICZNEGO 2020. [DOI: 10.5604/01.3001.0014.6071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
<b>Melatonin secreted by pineal cells is a hormone whose biosynthesis is coordinated by neurons of the master clock located in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), characterized by the generation of a 24-hour rhythm. In many species of mammals, fluctuations in melatonin secretion affect reproductive functions, e.g. by regulating the frequency and amount of pulsatile secretion of hypothalamic and gonadotropic hormones. Seasonal breeding is a common adaptive strategy among mammals, allowing them to reproduce during the periods of the year that are most favourable for the later survival and growth of the offspring. This type of reproduction is characteristic of sheep, with winter reproductive activity, and hamsters, with summer reproductive activity. In these animals, melatonin synthesis is largely regulated by the photoperiod, which indirectly influences the period of reproductive activity or passivity. The aim of this study was to gather available knowledge on melatonin as a key element controlling seasonal reproduction. The paper presents the general shape of the circadian rhythm and the neuroendocrine mechanism regulating animal reproduction depending on the variable photoperiod. The collected results suggest that melatonin, kisspeptins, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), sex hormones and thyroid hormones participate in the regulation of seasonal reproduction in mammals. </b>
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Affiliation(s)
- Izabela Szpręgiel
- University of Agriculture in Krakow Faculty of Animal Sciences Department of Animal Physiology and Endocrinology
| | - Danuta Wronska
- University of Agriculture in Krakow Faculty of Animal Sciences Department of Animal Physiology and Endocrinology
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Chen J, Okimura K, Yoshimura T. Light and Hormones in Seasonal Regulation of Reproduction and Mood. Endocrinology 2020; 161:5879749. [PMID: 32738138 PMCID: PMC7442225 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqaa130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Organisms that inhabit the temperate zone exhibit various seasonal adaptive behaviors, including reproduction, hibernation, molting, and migration. Day length, known as photoperiod, is the most noise-free and widely used environmental cue that enables animals to anticipate the oncoming seasons and adapt their physiologies accordingly. Although less clear, some human traits also exhibit seasonality, such as birthrate, mood, cognitive brain responses, and various diseases. However, the molecular basis for human seasonality is poorly understood. Herein, we first review the underlying mechanisms of seasonal adaptive strategies of animals, including seasonal reproduction and stress responses during the breeding season. We then briefly summarize our recent discovery of signaling pathways involved in the winter depression-like phenotype in medaka fish. We believe that exploring the regulation of seasonal traits in animal models will provide insight into human seasonality and aid in the understanding of human diseases such as seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Junfeng Chen
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Laboratory of Animal Integrative Physiology, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Kousuke Okimura
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Laboratory of Animal Integrative Physiology, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Takashi Yoshimura
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
- Laboratory of Animal Integrative Physiology, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
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Kabukçu C, Çil N, Turan T, Özlülerden Y, Çabuş Ü, Abban Mete G. Do seasonal variations in ambient temperature, humidity and daylight duration affect semen parameters? A retrospective analysis over eight years. Andrologia 2020; 52:e13777. [PMID: 32786091 DOI: 10.1111/and.13777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
We aimed to evaluate the possible effects of seasonal variation on semen parameters. We retrospectively analysed the data of 6,116 semen samples collected at a university hospital for eight years. The past ambient temperature, relative humidity and daylight duration records, and birth registry of the province were obtained to examine the relationship of seasonal changes in semen parameters with annual birth rates and environmental factors. The mean age was 33.03 ± 6.86 years. We found a significant difference between months for sperm concentration (p < .0001), total sperm count (p < .0001), progressively motile sperm count (p < .0001) and normal sperm morphology (p = .028). The sperm concentration and total count were significantly lower in July and August compared with December, May and June. The progressively motile sperm count in October was 23.6% less than the value of May. The temperature and temperature-humidity index were negatively correlated with semen parameters. The highest number of births was in the summer. However, no correlation was present between deliveries and the semen concentration regarding months (rs = 0.199, p = .083). In conclusion, we observed significant seasonal and monthly differences in sperm concentration, sperm count and progressively motile sperm count. Increased ambient temperature due to seasonal changes may be a detrimental factor for semen parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cihan Kabukçu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey
| | - Nazlı Çil
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey
| | - Tahir Turan
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey
| | - Yusuf Özlülerden
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey
| | - Ümit Çabuş
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey
| | - Gülçin Abban Mete
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey
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Abstract
The seasonality of human births varies in different countries and regions. Explanations for this variation have been divided into biological and behavioural factors. This paper documents birth seasonality in mainland China using data for a large sample from China's Fifth National Population Census (FNPC) conducted in 2000. The main method used was the decomposition of monthly time series birth data into annual, seasonal and random trends. The results show large seasonal birth fluctuations, with a salient peak of October births. The study hypothesis is that this seasonal birth pattern is partially due to a home-bound wave of movement of people after the annual Spring Festival. Subsequent analysis of the calculated de-trended monthly births provided supportive evidence for this hypothesis. Further in-depth analysis showed that the magnitude of births varied with location and family characteristics. This result should inform researchers in the field of economics, where seasonality of births has been previously regarded as exogenous.
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Majrashi NA, Ahearn TS, Waiter GD. Brainstem volume mediates seasonal variation in depressive symptoms: A cross sectional study in the UK Biobank cohort. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3592. [PMID: 32108162 PMCID: PMC7046735 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60620-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonal differences in mood and depressive symptoms affect a large percentage of the general population, with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) representing the most common presentation. SAD affects up to 3% of the world’s population, and it tends to be more predominant in females than males. The brainstem has been shown to be affected by photoperiodic changes, and that longer photoperiods are associated with higher neuronal density and decreased depressive-like behaviours. We predict that longer photoperiod days are associated with larger brainstem volumes and lower depressive scores, and that brainstem volume mediates the seasonality of depressive symptoms. Participants (N = 9289, 51.8% females and 48.1% males) ranging in age from 44 to 79 years were scanned by MRI at a single location. Photoperiod was found to be negatively correlated with low mood and anhedonia in females while photoperiod was found to be positively correlated with brainstem volumes. In females, whole brainstem, pons and medulla volumes individually mediated the relationship between photoperiod and both anhedonia and low mood, while midbrain volume mediated the relationship between photoperiod and anhedonia. No mediation effects were seen in males. Our study extends the understanding of the neurobiological factors that contribute to the pathophysiology of seasonal mood variations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naif A Majrashi
- Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.,Diagnostic Radiology Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Trevor S Ahearn
- Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.,Medical Physics, NHS Grampian, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Gordon D Waiter
- Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
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Jasien JV, Turner DC, Girkin CA, Downs JC. Cyclic Pattern of Intraocular Pressure (IOP) and Transient IOP Fluctuations in Nonhuman Primates Measured with Continuous Wireless Telemetry. Curr Eye Res 2019; 44:1244-1252. [PMID: 31170817 DOI: 10.1080/02713683.2019.1629594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Purpose: Most studies on intraocular pressure (IOP) to monitor IOP "fluctuations" in glaucoma patients have been performed with snapshot tonometry techniques that obtain IOP measurements at single time points weeks to months apart. However, IOP telemetry has shown that IOP varies from second-to-second due to blinks, saccades, and systolic vascular filling. The purpose of this study was to characterize the cyclic pattern of baseline IOP and transient IOP fluctuations in 3 nonhuman primates (NHPs).Methods: Bilateral IOP was measured using a proven implantable telemetry system and recorded 500 times per second, 24 hours a day, up to 451 continuous days in 3 male rhesus macaques aged 4 to 5 years old. The IOP transducers were calibrated every two weeks via anterior chamber cannulation manometry and all data were continuously corrected for signal drift via software, filtered for signal noise and dropout, and peaks and troughs were quantified and counted using a finite impulse response filter; waking hours were defined as 6:00-18:00 hours based on room light cycle.Results: Fourier transform analyses of baseline IOP and the hourly mean frequency of transient IOP fluctuations > 0.6 mmHg, 0.6-5 mmHg and > 5 mmHg above baseline during waking hours exhibited an approximate 16- to 91-day cyclic pattern in all NHPs. There were no measured environmental or experimental factors associated with this cyclical pattern.Conclusions: While the importance of the cyclic pattern identified in IOP and its fluctuations is unknown at this time, it is plausible that this pattern is relevant to both homeostasis and pathophysiology of the ONH, corneoscleral shell, and aqueous outflow pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica V Jasien
- Vision Science Graduate Program, School of Optometry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham USA
| | - Daniel C Turner
- Vision Science Graduate Program, School of Optometry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham USA
| | - Christopher A Girkin
- Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham USA
| | - J Crawford Downs
- Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham USA
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Cambras T, Pardina E, Carmona J, Ricart-Jane D, Minarro A, Ferrer R, Lecube A, Balibrea JM, Caubet E, González O, Vilallonga R, Cuello E, Fort JM, Baena-Fustegueras JA, Díez-Noguera A, Peinado-Onsurbe J. Seasonal variation of body weight loss after bariatric surgery. Chronobiol Int 2019; 36:672-680. [PMID: 30843440 DOI: 10.1080/07420528.2019.1580716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Seasonal variations have been described in humans in several variables such as sleep, mood, appetite, food preferences, or body weight. We hypothesized that these variations could also influence the decrease in body weight rate in patients submitted to body weight loss interventions. Thus, here we tested the variations of weight loss according to the time of the year the surgery took place in a group patients (n = 1322) submitted to bariatric surgery in the Hospital Universitari de la Vall d'Hebron in Barcelona (geographical coordinates: 41°25'41″N 2°8'32″E). For the analysis, the percentage of total body weight loss (%TWL), excess body weight loss (%EWL) and percentage of body mass index loss (%BMIL) were calculated at 3 (n = 1255), 6 (n = 1172), 9 (n = 1002), and 12 months (n = 1076) after surgery. For %EWL and %BMIL a statistically significant seasonal variation was detected when the variables were calculated at 3 months, but not at the other times, with more weight loss in summer-fall. However, seasonal variations were not detected for %TWL (p = 0.09). The mean amplitude of the seasonal rhythm for %EWL was of 1.8%, while for the rhythm of %BMIL was 0.7%. Moreover, a second peak was detected in January-February modulating the seasonal rhythm of the two variables. Results confirm seasonal variations in humans and indicate that short term responses to weight loss can be modulated by the time of year.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trinitat Cambras
- a Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences , Universitat de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Eva Pardina
- b Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology , Universitat de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Julia Carmona
- b Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology , Universitat de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain
| | - David Ricart-Jane
- b Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology , Universitat de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Antonio Minarro
- c Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, Faculty of Biology , Universitat de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Roser Ferrer
- d Department of Biochemistry , Institut de Recerca Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Albert Lecube
- e Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition , Arnau de Vilanova University Hospital, CIBER de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas (CIBERDEM) , Lleida , Spain
| | - Jose María Balibrea
- f Endocrinology Surgery Unit , Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Enric Caubet
- f Endocrinology Surgery Unit , Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Oscar González
- f Endocrinology Surgery Unit , Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Ramón Vilallonga
- f Endocrinology Surgery Unit , Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Elena Cuello
- g Endocrinology Surgery Unit , Arnau de Vilanova University Hospital (UdL) , Lleida , Spain
| | - Jose Manuel Fort
- f Endocrinology Surgery Unit , Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron , Barcelona , Spain
| | | | - Antoni Díez-Noguera
- a Department of Physiology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences , Universitat de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain
| | - Julia Peinado-Onsurbe
- b Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology , Universitat de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain
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18
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Stock D, Knight JA, Raboud J, Cotterchio M, Strohmaier S, Willett W, Eliassen AH, Rosner B, Hankinson SE, Schernhammer E. Rotating night shift work and menopausal age. Hum Reprod 2019; 34:539-548. [PMID: 30753548 PMCID: PMC7210710 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dey390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION How are rotating night shift schedules associated with age at menopause among a large, national cohort of shift working nurses? SUMMARY ANSWER Our findings suggest that working rotating night shifts with sufficient frequency may modestly accelerate reproductive senescence among women who may already be predisposed to earlier menopause. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Younger age at menopause has been associated with increased risk of adverse health outcomes, particularly those linked to reproduction. Night work has been associated with reproductive dysfunction, including disruption of menstrual cycle patterns. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This cohort study was conducted among 80 840 women of the Nurses' Health Study 2 (NHS2), with prospective follow-up from 1991 through 2013. Loss-to-follow-up of the NHS2 is estimated to be <10%. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS We assessed the association between cumulative and current rotating night shift work and age at natural menopause over 22 years of follow-up (1991-2013). Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for menopause, adjusted for age, smoking status, body mass index, physical activity, alcohol consumption, reproductive factors and exogenous hormone use. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Over follow-up, 27 456 women (34%) reached natural menopause. Women who worked 20 or more months of rotating night shifts in the prior 2-year had an increased risk of earlier menopause (multivariable-adjusted (MV)-HR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.02-1.16) compared to women without rotating night shift work. This risk was stronger among women undergoing menopause or otherwise censored under age 45 years (MV-HR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.08-1.46), than it was for those continuing in the study when >45 years old (MV-HR = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.99-1.13). Working 10 or more years of cumulative rotating night work was also associated with higher risk of menopause among women reaching menopause under age 45 (MV-HR10-19 years = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.03-1.44; MV-HR≥20 years = 1.73, 95% CI: 0.90-3.35), though not over the age of 45 years (MV-HR10-19 years = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.99-1.10; MV-HR≥20 years = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.89-1.15). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION The degree to which observed effects of rotating night shifts on age at natural menopause are due to circadian disruption, rather than fatigue and stress associated with working more demanding schedules, is uncertain due to potential residual confounding by these factors. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS This is the first study to assess the effects of night work on menopausal timing among a larger national cohort of shift working women. Women already prone to earlier menopause may further truncate their reproductive lifetime by working schedules comprising day as well as night shifts. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This study was supported by Center for Disease Control and Prevention/The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Grant 5R01OH009803 (PI: Schernhammer E), as well as UM1 CA176726 from the National Institute of Health. The funding sources had no role in the design and conduct of the study; collection, management, analysis and interpretation of the data; preparation, review or approval of the article; and decision to submit the article for publication. The authors have no conflicts of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Stock
- Community Health and Epidemiology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - J A Knight
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Sinai Health System, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - J Raboud
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Toronto General Hospital Research Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - M Cotterchio
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Prevention and Cancer Control, Cancer Care Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - S Strohmaier
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - W Willett
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - A H Eliassen
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - B Rosner
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - S E Hankinson
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - E Schernhammer
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Center for Public Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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19
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Conway KS, Trudeau J. Sunshine, fertility and racial disparities. ECONOMICS AND HUMAN BIOLOGY 2019; 32:18-39. [PMID: 30665057 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
This research investigates the effect of sun exposure on fertility, with a special focus on how its effects and consequences for birth outcomes may differ by race. Sun exposure is a key mechanism for obtaining Vitamin D, but this process is inhibited by skin pigmentation. Vitamin D has been linked to male and female fertility and risk of miscarriage, and Vitamin D deficiency is more prevalent among blacks than whites. Using 1989-2004 individual live births data from the Natality Detail Files, county-level, monthly conceptions are estimated as a function of monthly solar insolation, temperature and humidity, as well as month, time and location fixed effects and controls. Insolation has positive, statistically significant effects on fertility for both non-Hispanic blacks and whites, but the effects are stronger and the pattern of effect different for black mothers than white mothers. Poisson estimates from the main model suggest that a 1kWh increase in average daily insolation in the conception month - approximately the difference in sunshine experienced in the typical September vs. October - increases non-Hispanic black conceptions by 1% and non-Hispanic white conceptions by 0.6%. Allowing insolation's effect to differ by maternal characteristic suggests that the racial differences are not being driven by differences in socioeconomic status (SES). Models that allow for more complicated timing of insolation's effect further suggest that insolation pushes black (white) conceptions into the unfavorable (favorable) season of birth. These estimated effects and our decomposition analyses suggest that insolation - and the implied Vitamin D deficiency underlying its effect-helps explain why black conceptions are more likely to display a seasonal pattern that is disadvantageous to birth outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Smith Conway
- Department of Economics, University of New Hampshire, 10 Garrison Avenue, Durham, NH 03824, United States.
| | - Jennifer Trudeau
- Department of Business Economics, Sacred Heart University, 5151 Park Avenue, Fairfield, CT 06825, United States.
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20
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Abstract
Diurnal preference, or chronotype, determined partly by genetics and modified by age, activity, and the environment, defines the time of day at which one feels at his/her best, when one feels sleepy, and when one would prefer to start his/her day. Chronotype affects the phase relationship of an individual's circadian clock with the environment such that morning types have earlier-phased circadian rhythms than evening types. The phases of circadian rhythms are synchronized to the environment on a daily basis, undergoing minor adjustments of phase each day. Light is the most potent time cue for phase-shifting circadian rhythms, but the timing and amount of solar irradiation vary dynamically with season, especially with increasing distance from the equator. There is evidence that chronotype is modified by seasonal change, most likely due to the changes in the light environment, but interindividual differences in photoperiod responsiveness mean that some people are more affected than others. Differences in circadian light sensitivity due to endogenous biological reasons and/or previous light history are responsible for the natural variation in photoperiod responsiveness. Modern lifestyles that include access to artificial light at night, temperature-controlled environments, and spending much less time outdoors offer a buffer to the environmental changes of the seasons and may contribute to humans becoming less responsive to seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nyambura Shawa
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa,
| | - Dale E Rae
- Health through Physical Activity, Lifestyle and Sport Research Centre, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Laura C Roden
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa,
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21
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Ben Khelil M, Farhani F, Harzallah H, Allouche M, Gharbaoui M, Banasr A, Benzarti A, Hamdoun M. Patterns of homicide in North Tunisia: a 10-year study (2005–2014). Inj Prev 2017; 24:73-77. [DOI: 10.1136/injuryprev-2016-042123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2016] [Revised: 12/03/2016] [Accepted: 01/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BackgroundIn Tunisia and in the Arab world, few data are available about homicide patterns. The aim of our study was to analyse the victims' profiles and the general pattern.Methods636 homicide victims were autopsied at the Legal Medicine Department of Charles Nicolle Hospital in Tunis, over a period of 10 years (2005–2014).ResultsVictims were males in 79.7% with a male-to-female ratio of 3.93 and the average age was 37.7 years. The victim was generally from an urban area (66.7%), single (55.7%) and semiskilled (50.2%). The most common methods of homicide were sharp force (51.7%) and blunt trauma (24.8%).ConclusionsThis study suggests applying urgent preventive measures targeting essentially young males and the importance of a national ‘Violence Repository’.
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22
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Stevenson TJ, Visser ME, Arnold W, Barrett P, Biello S, Dawson A, Denlinger DL, Dominoni D, Ebling FJ, Elton S, Evans N, Ferguson HM, Foster RG, Hau M, Haydon DT, Hazlerigg DG, Heideman P, Hopcraft JGC, Jonsson NN, Kronfeld-Schor N, Kumar V, Lincoln GA, MacLeod R, Martin SAM, Martinez-Bakker M, Nelson RJ, Reed T, Robinson JE, Rock D, Schwartz WJ, Steffan-Dewenter I, Tauber E, Thackeray SJ, Umstatter C, Yoshimura T, Helm B. Disrupted seasonal biology impacts health, food security and ecosystems. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 282:20151453. [PMID: 26468242 PMCID: PMC4633868 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.1453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The rhythm of life on earth is shaped by seasonal changes in the environment. Plants and animals show profound annual cycles in physiology, health, morphology, behaviour and demography in response to environmental cues. Seasonal biology impacts ecosystems and agriculture, with consequences for humans and biodiversity. Human populations show robust annual rhythms in health and well-being, and the birth month can have lasting effects that persist throughout life. This review emphasizes the need for a better understanding of seasonal biology against the backdrop of its rapidly progressing disruption through climate change, human lifestyles and other anthropogenic impact. Climate change is modifying annual rhythms to which numerous organisms have adapted, with potential consequences for industries relating to health, ecosystems and food security. Disconcertingly, human lifestyles under artificial conditions of eternal summer provide the most extreme example for disconnect from natural seasons, making humans vulnerable to increased morbidity and mortality. In this review, we introduce scenarios of seasonal disruption, highlight key aspects of seasonal biology and summarize from biomedical, anthropological, veterinary, agricultural and environmental perspectives the recent evidence for seasonal desynchronization between environmental factors and internal rhythms. Because annual rhythms are pervasive across biological systems, they provide a common framework for trans-disciplinary research.
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Affiliation(s)
- T J Stevenson
- Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - M E Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Nederlands Instituut voor Ecologie, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - W Arnold
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - P Barrett
- Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - S Biello
- School of Psychology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - A Dawson
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Penicuik, Midlothian, UK
| | - D L Denlinger
- Department of Entomology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - D Dominoni
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - F J Ebling
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - S Elton
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, UK
| | - N Evans
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - H M Ferguson
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - R G Foster
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - M Hau
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - D T Haydon
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - D G Hazlerigg
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, University of Tromso, Tromso, Norway
| | - P Heideman
- Department of Biology, The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, USA
| | - J G C Hopcraft
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - N N Jonsson
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - V Kumar
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - G A Lincoln
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - R MacLeod
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - S A M Martin
- Department of Animal Ecology, Nederlands Instituut voor Ecologie, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - M Martinez-Bakker
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - R J Nelson
- Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - T Reed
- Aquaculture and Fisheries Development Centre, University of College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - J E Robinson
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - D Rock
- School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
| | - W J Schwartz
- Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - I Steffan-Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - E Tauber
- Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | - S J Thackeray
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - C Umstatter
- Agroscope, Tanikon, CH-8356 Ettenhausen, Switzerland
| | - T Yoshimura
- Department of Applied Molecular Biosciences, University of Nagoya, Nagoya, Japan
| | - B Helm
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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23
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Affiliation(s)
- Till Roenneberg
- Institute for Medical Psychology, University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
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24
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Affiliation(s)
- F. H. Bronson
- Center for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX,
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25
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Meyer C, Muto V, Jaspar M, Kussé C, Lambot E, Chellappa SL, Degueldre C, Balteau E, Luxen A, Middleton B, Archer SN, Collette F, Dijk DJ, Phillips C, Maquet P, Vandewalle G. Seasonality in human cognitive brain responses. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:3066-71. [PMID: 26858432 PMCID: PMC4801294 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1518129113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Daily variations in the environment have shaped life on Earth, with circadian cycles identified in most living organisms. Likewise, seasons correspond to annual environmental fluctuations to which organisms have adapted. However, little is known about seasonal variations in human brain physiology. We investigated annual rhythms of brain activity in a cross-sectional study of healthy young participants. They were maintained in an environment free of seasonal cues for 4.5 d, after which brain responses were assessed using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while they performed two different cognitive tasks. Brain responses to both tasks varied significantly across seasons, but the phase of these annual rhythms was strikingly different, speaking for a complex impact of season on human brain function. For the sustained attention task, the maximum and minimum responses were located around summer and winter solstices, respectively, whereas for the working memory task, maximum and minimum responses were observed around autumn and spring equinoxes. These findings reveal previously unappreciated process-specific seasonality in human cognitive brain function that could contribute to intraindividual cognitive changes at specific times of year and changes in affective control in vulnerable populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christelle Meyer
- GIGA-Research-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium; Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO), 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Vincenzo Muto
- GIGA-Research-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium; Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO), 4000 Liège, Belgium; Department of Psychology: Cognition and Behavior, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Mathieu Jaspar
- GIGA-Research-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium; Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO), 4000 Liège, Belgium; Department of Psychology: Cognition and Behavior, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Caroline Kussé
- GIGA-Research-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium; Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO), 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Erik Lambot
- GIGA-Research-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium; Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO), 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Sarah L Chellappa
- GIGA-Research-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium; Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO), 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Christian Degueldre
- GIGA-Research-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium; Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO), 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Evelyne Balteau
- GIGA-Research-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium; Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO), 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - André Luxen
- GIGA-Research-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium; Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO), 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Benita Middleton
- Surrey Sleep Research Centre, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, GU2 7XP Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Simon N Archer
- Surrey Sleep Research Centre, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, GU2 7XP Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Fabienne Collette
- GIGA-Research-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium; Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO), 4000 Liège, Belgium; Department of Psychology: Cognition and Behavior, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Derk-Jan Dijk
- Surrey Sleep Research Centre, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, GU2 7XP Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Christophe Phillips
- GIGA-Research-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium; Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO), 4000 Liège, Belgium; Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Pierre Maquet
- GIGA-Research-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium; Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO), 4000 Liège, Belgium; Department of Neurology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Gilles Vandewalle
- GIGA-Research-Cyclotron Research Centre-In Vivo Imaging, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium; Walloon Excellence in Life Sciences and Biotechnology (WELBIO), 4000 Liège, Belgium;
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Abstract
Numerous studies have established the presence of secular trends and geographical variations in sex ratio at birth, albeit with mixed and often contradictory results. In addition, a multitude of environmental, social, economic, demographic and other factors has been proposed to influence the sex ratio at birth, thus complicating the interpretation of both secular trends and geographical variations. In this paper, the current state of knowledge on these issues is presented and critically assessed. Analyzing longer time series of sex ratio at birth with possible cycles and random components is given priority over establishing simple linear trends in the data. In analyzing the geographical variation in the sex ratio at birth, two different levels of analysis are distinguished (global and local), and two different sets of factors affecting the sex ratio at birth are proposed accordingly. Some key guidelines and future research directions are also proposed.
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Ruf T, Arnold W. Daily and Seasonal Rhythms in Human Mucosa Phospholipid Fatty Acid Composition. J Biol Rhythms 2015; 30:331-41. [DOI: 10.1177/0748730415588190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Fatty acids (FAs) can exert important physiological effects: for example, as precursors of eicosanoids, as signaling molecules, and, in particular, as parts of phospholipids, the major constituents of cell membranes. Animals can remodel cell membranes in terms of their FA composition in response to environmental conditions, and even endothermic mammals exhibit seasonal cycles in the FA makeup of membranes. Previous evidence pointed to the existence of both seasonal and daily cycles in phospholipid composition of human cell membranes. Therefore, we used a noninvasive method to collect human mucosa cells over 1 year in 20 healthy subjects, and we determined seasonal and daily rhythmicity of phospholipid FA content. Our results show that significant daily rhythms were detectable in 11 of 13 FAs and were largely synchronous among subjects. Also, these daily rhythms showed stable phase relationships between different FAs within subjects. In contrast, yearly rhythms in phospholipid FA content were statistically significant in only ~50% of subjects and were asynchronous between subjects. These results support the view that while human physiology is still dominated by geophysical sunrise and sunset, resulting in strong daily cycles, seasonal rhythms are less well defined, at least in Western societies. We suggest that the main physiological function underlying rhythms in cell membrane composition is the regulation of the activity of transmembrane proteins, such as ion pumps, which can be strongly affected by the fatty acyl chains of phospholipids in the surrounding membrane bilayer. Hence, among a multitude of other functions, cycles in membrane FA composition may be involved in generating the daily rhythm of metabolic rate. Rhythms in certain membrane FAs, namely polyunsaturated and monounsaturated FAs that are known to affect health, could be also involved in daily and seasonal rhythms of diseases and death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Ruf
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Walter Arnold
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
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Herteliu C, Ileanu BV, Ausloos M, Rotundo G. Effect of religious rules on time of conception in Romania from 1905 to 2001. Hum Reprod 2015; 30:2202-14. [PMID: 26040476 DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dev129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION Does the interdiction of sexual intercourse during Nativity and Lent fasting periods have any effect on when babies are conceived in Romania, in the 20th century? SUMMARY ANSWER Based on date of birth records from the 20th century, Lent had a greater effect than the Nativity fast on conception within the Eastern Orthodox (ORTHD) population. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Seasonality of births (and therefore of conception) is affected by geographical factors (latitude, weather, day-length). Other demographic, economic and socio-cultural characteristics (education, ethnicity, religion) have been proved to have an influence on conception. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION The analyzed data consists of registered daily birth records for a long time series (35 429 points = 365 (days/year) × 97 years + 24 leap years), with 24 947 061 births in Romania over the period 1905-2001. The data were obtained from the 1992 and 2002 censuses. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Based on the reported birth date of each person, the estimated date of conception is computed using a standard gestation period of 280 days. The population was grouped into two categories (ORTHD and Non-Orthodox (NORTHD)) based on religious affiliation. Data analysis is performed in the same manner for both groups. Preliminary data analyses regarding seasonal variations in conception are considered first. Econometric models are applied and tested. The dependent variable in these models is the calculated date of conception, while the independent variables are: (i) religious affiliation; (ii) dates of Nativity and Lent fasts (the latter varies slightly from year to year); (iii) rural versus urban residence; (iv) length of day-light; (v) non-working days and (vi) trend. The models are tested for validity using analysis of variance while the regression coefficients are tested by the Student t-test. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE All models are statistically valid (P < 0.01); all regression coefficients for the ORTHD group are valid (P < 0.01, except for rurality between 1990 and 2001, with P < 0.05). The data analysis indicates smaller standard error bars on the parameters for the ORTHD group as compared with the NORTHD group. The conclusion is that religious affiliation is an important factor in date of conception. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION The data do not refer to all births during the analyzed period, but only to those persons still alive at the 1992 and 2002 censuses. The date of conception was estimated assuming 280 days for gestation, which is a medically accepted time interval but will undoubtedly vary. However, the primary independent variables (Lent and Nativity fast at 48 and 40 days, respectively) are long enough to overlap the uncertainty in the conception date following the sexual intercourse event. We also must assume that the religious affiliation of the parents is well defined, based on the information given by their offspring at census time, and is the same for both parents. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Our findings are consistent with other studies, which show differences between religious groups on date of conception, although we reach different conclusions regarding the influence of weather on fertility in Romania. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS B.V.I., M.A. and G.R. have no competing interests to declare. There is no connection to the current paper, but C.H. declares that (i) he is currently conducting a research titled 'Chronic Diseases' Direct Costs within the Romanian Health System' funded by Local American Working Group; (ii) his wife is employed to a Romanian company (A&D Pharma) that does business in the pharmaceutical sector. This paper is a part of G.R. and M.A. scientific activities in COST Action TD1210. This work by C.H. was co-financed by the European Social Fund through project number POSDRU/1.5/S/59184.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudiu Herteliu
- Department of Statistics and Econometrics, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Bogdan Vasile Ileanu
- Department of Statistics and Econometrics, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania
| | - Marcel Ausloos
- School of Management, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK eHumanities Group, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands GRAPES, Angleur, Belgium
| | - Giulia Rotundo
- Department of Methods and Models for Economics, Territory and Finance, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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29
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Dopico XC, Evangelou M, Ferreira RC, Guo H, Pekalski ML, Smyth DJ, Cooper N, Burren OS, Fulford AJ, Hennig BJ, Prentice AM, Ziegler AG, Bonifacio E, Wallace C, Todd JA. Widespread seasonal gene expression reveals annual differences in human immunity and physiology. Nat Commun 2015; 6:7000. [PMID: 25965853 PMCID: PMC4432600 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms8000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 305] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2014] [Accepted: 03/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonal variations are rarely considered a contributing component to human tissue function or health, although many diseases and physiological process display annual periodicities. Here we find more than 4,000 protein-coding mRNAs in white blood cells and adipose tissue to have seasonal expression profiles, with inverted patterns observed between Europe and Oceania. We also find the cellular composition of blood to vary by season, and these changes, which differ between the United Kingdom and The Gambia, could explain the gene expression periodicity. With regards to tissue function, the immune system has a profound pro-inflammatory transcriptomic profile during European winter, with increased levels of soluble IL-6 receptor and C-reactive protein, risk biomarkers for cardiovascular, psychiatric and autoimmune diseases that have peak incidences in winter. Circannual rhythms thus require further exploration as contributors to various aspects of human physiology and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xaquin Castro Dopico
- JDRF/Wellcome Trust Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory, Department of Medical Genetics, NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Wellcome Trust/MRC Building, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Marina Evangelou
- JDRF/Wellcome Trust Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory, Department of Medical Genetics, NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Wellcome Trust/MRC Building, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Ricardo C. Ferreira
- JDRF/Wellcome Trust Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory, Department of Medical Genetics, NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Wellcome Trust/MRC Building, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Hui Guo
- JDRF/Wellcome Trust Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory, Department of Medical Genetics, NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Wellcome Trust/MRC Building, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Marcin L. Pekalski
- JDRF/Wellcome Trust Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory, Department of Medical Genetics, NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Wellcome Trust/MRC Building, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Deborah J. Smyth
- JDRF/Wellcome Trust Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory, Department of Medical Genetics, NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Wellcome Trust/MRC Building, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Nicholas Cooper
- JDRF/Wellcome Trust Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory, Department of Medical Genetics, NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Wellcome Trust/MRC Building, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Oliver S. Burren
- JDRF/Wellcome Trust Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory, Department of Medical Genetics, NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Wellcome Trust/MRC Building, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
| | - Anthony J. Fulford
- MRC International Nutrition Group at MRC Unit The Gambia & London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Branwen J. Hennig
- MRC International Nutrition Group at MRC Unit The Gambia & London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Andrew M. Prentice
- MRC International Nutrition Group at MRC Unit The Gambia & London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Anette-G. Ziegler
- Institute of Diabetes Research, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Neuherberg, Forschergruppe Diabetes, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ingolstaedter Landstr. 1, D 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Ezio Bonifacio
- CRTD—DFG Research Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden, Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden, Medical Faculty, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstrasse, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Chris Wallace
- JDRF/Wellcome Trust Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory, Department of Medical Genetics, NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Wellcome Trust/MRC Building, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, Cambridge Institute of Public Health, Forvie Site, Robinson Way, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0SR, UK
| | - John A. Todd
- JDRF/Wellcome Trust Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory, Department of Medical Genetics, NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Wellcome Trust/MRC Building, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK
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30
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Coomans CP, Ramkisoensing A, Meijer JH. The suprachiasmatic nuclei as a seasonal clock. Front Neuroendocrinol 2015; 37:29-42. [PMID: 25451984 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2014.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2014] [Revised: 11/07/2014] [Accepted: 11/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
In mammals, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) contains a central clock that synchronizes daily (i.e., 24-h) rhythms in physiology and behavior. SCN neurons are cell-autonomous oscillators that act synchronously to produce a coherent circadian rhythm. In addition, the SCN helps regulate seasonal rhythmicity. Photic information is perceived by the SCN and transmitted to the pineal gland, where it regulates melatonin production. Within the SCN, adaptations to changing photoperiod are reflected in changes in neurotransmitters and clock gene expression, resulting in waveform changes in rhythmic electrical activity, a major output of the SCN. Efferent pathways regulate the seasonal timing of breeding and hibernation. In humans, seasonal physiology and behavioral rhythms are also present, and the human SCN has seasonally rhythmic neurotransmitter levels and morphology. In summary, the SCN perceives and encodes changes in day length and drives seasonal changes in downstream pathways and structures in order to adapt to the changing seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia P Coomans
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Laboratory for Neurophysiology, Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ashna Ramkisoensing
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Laboratory for Neurophysiology, Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Johanna H Meijer
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Laboratory for Neurophysiology, Leiden University Medical Center, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
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31
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Ball GF, Balthazart J. Seasonal changes in the neuroendocrine system: introduction to the special issue. Front Neuroendocrinol 2015; 37:1-2. [PMID: 25499748 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2014.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2014] [Accepted: 11/26/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gregory F Ball
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-7201, USA.
| | - Jacques Balthazart
- University of Liege, GIGA Neurosciences, 1 avenue de l'Hôpital, Tour Pharmacie (Bat. B36, 1er étage), B-4000 Liège, Belgium.
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32
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Ebling FJP. On the value of seasonal mammals for identifying mechanisms underlying the control of food intake and body weight. Horm Behav 2014; 66:56-65. [PMID: 24681216 PMCID: PMC4064697 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2013] [Revised: 03/17/2014] [Accepted: 03/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Energy Balance". Seasonal cycles of adiposity and body weight reflecting changes in both food intake and energy expenditure are the norm in mammals that have evolved in temperate and polar habitats. Innate circannual rhythmicity and direct responses to the annual change in photoperiod combine to ensure that behavior and energy metabolism are regulated in anticipation of altered energetic demands such as the energetically costly processes of hibernation, migration, and lactation. In the last decade, major progress has been made into identifying the central mechanisms that underlie these profound long-term changes in behavior and physiology. Surprisingly they are distinct from the peptidergic and aminergic systems in the hypothalamus that have been identified in studies of the laboratory mouse and rat and implicated in timing meal intervals and in short-term responses to caloric restriction. Comparative studies across rodents, ungulates and birds reveal that tanycytes embedded in the ependymal layer of the third ventricle play a critical role in seasonal changes because they regulate the local availability of thyroid hormone. Understanding how this altered hormonal environment might regulate neurogenesis and plasticity in the hypothalamus should provide new insight into development of strategies to manage appetite and body weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francis J P Ebling
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Medical School, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK.
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33
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Burke W, Robinson J. The Occurrence of Migraine Auras and Possible Triggers. Health (London) 2014. [DOI: 10.4236/health.2014.619307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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34
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Davis C. A narrative review of binge eating and addictive behaviors: shared associations with seasonality and personality factors. Front Psychiatry 2013; 4:183. [PMID: 24409156 PMCID: PMC3873524 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2013.00183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2013] [Accepted: 12/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Binge-eating disorder and seasonal affective disorder were first described as clinically relevant conditions in very close temporal proximity a few decades ago. Both disorders have a higher prevalence rate in woman than in men, are characterized by a high proneness-to-stress and manifest heightened responsiveness to high-calorie, hyper-palatable foods. In recent years, a compelling body of evidence suggests that foods high in sugar and fat have the potential to alter brain reward circuitry in a manner similar to that seen when addictive drugs like alcohol and heroin are consumed in excess. These findings have led to suggestions that some cases of compulsive overeating may be understood as an addiction to sweet, fatty, and salty foods. In this paper, it is proposed that high seasonality is a risk factor for binge eating, especially in those characterized by anxious and impulsive personality traits - associations that could only occur in an environment with a superfluity of, and easy access to, rich and tasty foods. Given the well-established links between binge eating and addiction disorders [Ref. (1-3) for reviews], it is also suggested that seasonality, together with the same high-risk psychological profile, exacerbates the likelihood of engaging in a broad range of addictive behaviors. Data from a community sample (n = 412) of adults tested these models using linear regression procedures. Results confirmed that symptoms of binge eating and other addictive behaviors were significantly inter-correlated, and that seasonality, gender, and addictive personality traits were strong statistical predictors of the variance in binge-eating scores. Seasonality and addictive personality traits also accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in the measure of addictive behaviors. Conclusions are discussed in the context of brain reward mechanisms, motivational alternations in response to chronic over-consumption, and their relevance for the treatment of excessive appetitive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Davis
- Kinesiology and Health Sciences, York University , Toronto, ON , Canada
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35
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Buckles KS, Hungerman DM. Season of Birth and Later Outcomes: Old Questions, New Answers. THE REVIEW OF ECONOMICS AND STATISTICS 2013; 95:711-724. [PMID: 24058211 PMCID: PMC3777829 DOI: 10.1162/rest_a_00314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Season of birth is associated with later outcomes; what drives this association remains unclear. We consider a new explanation: variation in maternal characteristics. We document large changes in maternal characteristics for births throughout the year; winter births are disproportionally realized by teenagers and the unmarried. Family background controls explain nearly half of season-of-birth's relation to adult outcomes. Seasonality in maternal characteristics is driven by women trying to conceive; we find no seasonality among unwanted births. Prior seasonality-in-fertility research focuses on conditions at conception; here expected conditions at birth drive variation in maternal characteristics while conditions at conception are unimportant.
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36
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Bukovetzky E, Fares F, Schwimmer H, Haim A. Reproductive and metabolic responses of desert adapted common spiny male mice (Acomys cahirinus) to vasopressin treatment. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2012; 162:349-56. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2012.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2011] [Revised: 04/08/2012] [Accepted: 04/09/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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37
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Braga DPDAF, Setti A, Figueira RDCS, Iaconelli A, Borges E. Seasonal variability in the fertilization rate of women undergoing assisted reproduction treatments. Gynecol Endocrinol 2012; 28:549-52. [PMID: 22296507 DOI: 10.3109/09513590.2011.649812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate whether seasonality affects human-assisted reproduction treatment outcomes. For this, 1932 patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) were assigned to a season group according to the day of oocyte retrieval: winter (n = 435), spring (n = 444), summer (n = 469) or autumn (n = 584). Analysis of variance was used to compare the ICSI outcomes. The fertilization rate was increased during the spring (winter: 67.9%, spring: 73.5%, summer: 68.7% and autumn: 69.0%; p < 0.01). In fact, a nearly 50% increase in the fertilization rate during the spring was observed (odds ratio 1.45, confidence interval 1.20-1.75; p < 0.01). The oestradiol concentration per number of oocytes was significantly higher during the spring (winter: 235.8 pg/mL, spring: 282.1 pg/mL, summer: 226.1 pg/mL and autumn: 228.7 pg/mL; p = 0.030). This study demonstrates a seasonal variability in fertilization after ICSI, where fertilization is higher during the spring than at any other time.
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38
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Wey D, Bohn A, Menna-Barreto L. Daily rhythms of native Brazilians in summer and winter. Physiol Behav 2011; 105:613-20. [PMID: 22019787 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2011] [Revised: 09/26/2011] [Accepted: 10/07/2011] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Access to electricity, granting relative independence of human activity on the dark phase of the day, has been pointed out as an important cause for the absence of seasonal changes in the daily rhythms of humans living in urban areas. Featuring a population of adult Guarani natives living without access to electricity, the present naturalistic study was designed to explore possible effects of different natural photoperiods and temperature on human circadian rhythms. We compared time series of wrist temperature (WT) and motor activity in winter and summer, respectively, of 24 individuals aged 18 to 80. Twenty-four-hour rhythms of WT showed lower amplitudes and higher mean levels in summer, with no significant seasonal differences in acrophase. In contrast, rest-activity (RA) rhythms exhibited a significantly later rest on- and offset in summer, but no seasonal changes in duration, amplitude and mean level. We furthermore identified a phase advance of both the WT acrophase and rest onset with increasing age of the individuals. We concluded that in our study the effect of different seasons was reflected in the amplitude and mean level of the WT rhythm, as well the onset of nighttime rest, which was delayed in summer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Wey
- Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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39
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Seasonal changes in activities of human neutrophils in vitro. Inflamm Res 2011; 61:11-6. [PMID: 21960458 PMCID: PMC3249202 DOI: 10.1007/s00011-011-0382-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2011] [Revised: 08/04/2011] [Accepted: 09/05/2011] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective and design We present a retrospective analysis of previously collected blood samples to determine whether the immune response of neutrophils depends on the season i.e., short versus long days, in which blood samples were collected. Methods The bactericidal activity and adhesive capacity of neutrophils, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and CD11b/CD18 molecule expression level were investigated. The investigated neutrophils were divided into two groups based on the time of blood collection: the winter season with short days and the summer season with long days. Results We found seasonal variation in measurements of all the analyzed functional responses of neutrophils to stimuli. The strongest adhesion, as well as maximum values of ROS production, was presented by neutrophils isolated from the summer group. The highest bactericidal activity of neutrophils was also observed in blood donors from summer group. Conclusions The magnitude of the immune functional activity of neutrophils varies with the season of the year and is decreased in winter.
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40
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Stehle JH, Saade A, Rawashdeh O, Ackermann K, Jilg A, Sebestény T, Maronde E. A survey of molecular details in the human pineal gland in the light of phylogeny, structure, function and chronobiological diseases. J Pineal Res 2011; 51:17-43. [PMID: 21517957 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-079x.2011.00856.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 305] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The human pineal gland is a neuroendocrine transducer that forms an integral part of the brain. Through the nocturnally elevated synthesis and release of the neurohormone melatonin, the pineal gland encodes and disseminates information on circadian time, thus coupling the outside world to the biochemical and physiological internal demands of the body. Approaches to better understand molecular details behind the rhythmic signalling in the human pineal gland are limited but implicitly warranted, as human chronobiological dysfunctions are often associated with alterations in melatonin synthesis. Current knowledge on melatonin synthesis in the human pineal gland is based on minimally invasive analyses, and by the comparison of signalling events between different vertebrate species, with emphasis put on data acquired in sheep and other primates. Together with investigations using autoptic pineal tissue, a remnant silhouette of premortem dynamics within the hormone's biosynthesis pathway can be constructed. The detected biochemical scenario behind the generation of dynamics in melatonin synthesis positions the human pineal gland surprisingly isolated. In this neuroendocrine brain structure, protein-protein interactions and nucleo-cytoplasmic protein shuttling indicate furthermore a novel twist in the molecular dynamics in the cells of this neuroendocrine brain structure. These findings have to be seen in the light that an impaired melatonin synthesis is observed in elderly and/or demented patients, in individuals affected by Alzheimer's disease, Smith-Magenis syndrome, autism spectrum disorder and sleep phase disorders. Already, recent advances in understanding signalling dynamics in the human pineal gland have significantly helped to counteract chronobiological dysfunctions through a proper restoration of the nocturnal melatonin surge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörg H Stehle
- Institute of Anatomy III (Cellular and Molecular Anatomy), Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.
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41
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Lehman MN, Ladha Z, Coolen LM, Hileman SM, Connors JM, Goodman RL. Neuronal plasticity and seasonal reproduction in sheep. Eur J Neurosci 2011; 32:2152-64. [PMID: 21143669 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2010.07530.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Seasonal reproduction represents a naturally occurring example of functional plasticity in the adult brain as it reflects changes in neuroendocrine pathways controlling gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion and, in particular, the responsiveness of GnRH neurons to estradiol negative feedback. Structural plasticity within this neural circuitry may, in part, be responsible for seasonal switches in the negative feedback control of GnRH secretion that underlie annual reproductive transitions. We review evidence for structural changes in the circuitry responsible for seasonal inhibition of GnRH secretion in sheep. These include changes in synaptic inputs onto GnRH neurons, as well as onto dopamine neurons in the A15 cell group, a nucleus that plays a key role in estradiol negative feedback. We also present preliminary data suggesting a role for neurotrophins and neurotrophin receptors as an early mechanistic step in the plasticity that accompanies seasonal reproductive transitions in sheep. Finally, we review recent evidence suggesting that kisspeptin cells of the arcuate nucleus constitute a critical intermediary in the control of seasonal reproduction. Although a majority of the data for a role of neuronal plasticity in seasonal reproduction has come from the sheep model, the players and principles are likely to have relevance for reproduction in a wide variety of vertebrates, including humans, and in both health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael N Lehman
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5C1, Canada.
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Urbanski HF. Role of circadian neuroendocrine rhythms in the control of behavior and physiology. Neuroendocrinology 2011; 93:211-22. [PMID: 21508622 PMCID: PMC3128131 DOI: 10.1159/000327399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2010] [Accepted: 03/13/2011] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Hormones play a major role in regulating behavior and physiology, and their efficacy is often dependent on the temporal pattern in which they are secreted. Significant insights into the mechanisms underlying rhythmic hormone secretion have been gained from transgenic rodent models, suggesting that many of the body's rhythmic functions are regulated by a coordinated network of central and peripheral circadian pacemakers. Some neuroendocrine rhythms are driven by transcriptional-posttranslational feedback circuits comprising 'core clock genes', while others represent a cyclic cascade of neuroendocrine events. This review focuses on recent data from the rhesus macaque, a non-human primate model with high clinical translation potential. With primary emphasis on adrenal and gonadal steroids, it illustrates the rhythmic nature of hormone secretion, and discusses the impact that fluctuating hormone levels have on the accuracy of clinical diagnoses and on the design of effective hormone replacement therapies in the elderly. In addition, this minireview raises awareness of the rhythmic expression patterns shown by many genes, and discusses how this could impact interpretation of data obtained from gene profiling studies, especially from nocturnal rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henryk F Urbanski
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oreg., USA.
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Sorg BA, Stark G, Sergeeva A, Jansen HT. Photoperiodic suppression of drug reinstatement. Neuroscience 2010; 176:284-95. [PMID: 21185915 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2010.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2010] [Revised: 11/29/2010] [Accepted: 12/16/2010] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The rewarding influence of drugs of abuse varies with time of day and appears to involve interactions between the circadian and the mesocorticolimbic dopamine systems. The circadian system is also intimately involved in measuring daylength. Thus, the present study examined the impact of changing daylength (photoperiod) on cocaine-seeking behaviors. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained and tested on a 12L:12D light:dark schedule for cocaine-induced reinstatement of conditioned place preference (CPP) at three times of day (Zeitgeber time (ZT): 4, 12, and 20) to determine a preference score. Rats were then shifted to either shorter (6L:18D) or longer (18L:6D) photoperiods and then to constant conditions, re-tested for cocaine-induced reinstatement under each different condition, and then returned to their original photoperiod (12L:12D) and tested once more. Rats exhibited a circadian profile of preference score in constant darkness with a peak at 12 h after lights-off. At both ZT4 and ZT20, but not at ZT12, shorter photoperiods profoundly suppressed cocaine reinstatement, which did not recover even after switching back to 12L:12D. In contrast, longer photoperiods did not alter reinstatement. Separate studies showed that the suppression of cocaine reinstatement was not due to repeated testing. In an additional experiment, we examined the photoperiodic regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine transporter (DAT) proteins in drug-naive rats. These results revealed photoperiodic modulation of proteins in the prefrontal cortex and dorsal striatum, but not in the nucleus accumbens or ventral tegmental area. Together, these findings add further support to the circadian genesis of cocaine-seeking behaviors and demonstrate that drug-induced reinstatement is modulated by photoperiod. Furthermore, the results suggest that photoperiod partly contributes to the seasonal expression of certain drug-related behaviors in humans living at different latitudes and thus our findings may have implications for novel targeting of circadian rhythms in the treatment of addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- B A Sorg
- Programs in Neuroscience and Department of Veterinary and Comparative Anatomy, Pharmacology and Physiology (VCAPP), 205 Wegner Hall, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA
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Hofmann HA. The neuroendocrine action potential. Winner of the 2008 Frank Beach Award in Behavioral Neuroendocrinology. Horm Behav 2010; 58:555-62. [PMID: 20600047 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2010.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2009] [Revised: 06/15/2010] [Accepted: 06/17/2010] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Animals are remarkably well equipped to respond to changes in their environment across different time scales and levels of biological organization. Here, I introduce a novel perspective that incorporates the three main processes the nervous system uses to integrate and process information: electrophysiological, genomic, and neuroendocrine action potentials. After discussing several examples of neuroendocrine action potentials, I lay out the commonalities of these temporally organized responses and how they might be interrelated with electrophysiological activity and genomic responses. This framework provides a novel outlook on longstanding questions in behavioral neuroendocrinology and suggests exciting new avenues for further research that will integrate across disciplines and levels of biological organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans A Hofmann
- Section of Integrative Biology, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute for Neuroscience, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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Workman JL, Nelson RJ. Potential animal models of seasonal affective disorder. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2010; 35:669-79. [PMID: 20800614 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2010.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2010] [Revised: 08/13/2010] [Accepted: 08/19/2010] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is characterized by depressive episodes during winter that are alleviated during summer and by morning bright light treatment. Currently, there is no animal model of SAD. However, it may be possible to use rodents that respond to day length (photoperiod) to understand how photoperiod can shape the brain and behavior in humans. As nights lengthen in the autumn, the duration of the nightly elevation of melatonin increase; seasonally breeding animals use this information to orchestrate seasonal changes in physiology and behavior. SAD may originate from the extended duration of nightly melatonin secretion during fall and winter. These similarities between humans and rodents in melatonin secretion allows for comparisons with rodents that express more depressive-like responses when exposed to short day lengths. For instance, Siberian hamsters, fat sand rats, Nile grass rats, and Wistar rats display a depressive-like phenotype when exposed to short days. Current research in depression and animal models of depression suggests that hippocampal plasticity may underlie the symptoms of depression and depressive-like behaviors, respectively. It is also possible that day length induces structural changes in human brains. Many seasonally breeding rodents undergo changes in whole brain and hippocampal volume in short days. Based on strict validity criteria, there is no animal model of SAD, but rodents that respond to reduced day lengths may be useful to approximate the neurobiological phenomena that occur in people with SAD, leading to greater understanding of the etiology of the disorder as well as novel therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna L Workman
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43201, USA.
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Perret EV, von Elm E, Lienert C, Steinlin M. Infantile spasms: does season influence onset and long-term outcome? Pediatr Neurol 2010; 43:92-6. [PMID: 20610118 DOI: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2010.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2010] [Accepted: 03/08/2010] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
To study whether onset of infantile spasms manifests seasonal variation, as previously reported, and whether any such seasonality is associated with treatment response and long-term outcome, data for 57 patients were retrospectively reviewed. The data were collected from hospital files and through a mail survey of children with infantile spasms born from 1980 to 2002 and monitored at the University Children's Hospital of Berne, Switzerland. The mean age at time of onset of infantile spasms was 7 months (range, 0.75-40), at diagnosis 8 months (range, 1-42) and at follow-up 11.3 years (range, 1-23 years). In 77% of participants, the etiology of infantile spasms was known (symptomatic); in the remaining 23% it was not known (nonsymptomatic). In contrast to previous findings, onset of infantile spasms was not associated with calendar month, photoperiod, or global solar radiation. Long-term prognosis was poor: 4 of the 57 (7%) children died; 49 (86%) had cognitive impairment and 40 (70%) had physical impairment; 31 (54%) had cerebral palsy, 37 had (65%) persistent seizures, and 9 (16%) had Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Symptomatic infantile spasms were associated with worse cognitive outcome (P < 0.001), but treatment modality and overall duration of infantile spasms were not. There was no association of calendar month or photoperiod at onset with cognitive outcome or treatment response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eveline V Perret
- Division of Pediatric Neurology, Children's University Hospital, Inselspital, 3010 Berne, Switzerland
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Ejsmond M, Czarnołęski M, Kapustka F, Kozłowski J. How to Time Growth and Reproduction during the Vegetative Season: An Evolutionary Choice for Indeterminate Growers in Seasonal Environments. Am Nat 2010; 175:551-63. [DOI: 10.1086/651589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Bronson FH. Climate change and seasonal reproduction in mammals. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2010; 364:3331-40. [PMID: 19833645 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2009.0140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 210] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Seasonal reproduction is common among mammals at all latitudes, even in the deep tropics. This paper (i) discusses the neuroendocrine pathways via which foraging conditions and predictive cues such as photoperiod enforce seasonality, (ii) considers the kinds of seasonal challenges mammals actually face in natural habitats, and (iii) uses the information thus generated to suggest how seasonal reproduction might be influenced by global climate change. Food availability and ambient temperature determine energy balance, and variation in energy balance is the ultimate cause of seasonal breeding in all mammals and the proximate cause in many. Photoperiodic cueing is common among long-lived mammals from the highest latitudes down to the mid-tropics. It is much less common in shorter lived mammals at all latitudes. An unknown predictive cue triggers reproduction in some desert and dry grassland species when it rains. The available information suggests that as our climate changes the small rodents of the world may adapt rather easily but the longer lived mammals whose reproduction is regulated by photoperiod may not do so well. A major gap in our knowledge concerns the tropics; that is where most species live and where we have the least understanding of how reproduction is regulated by environmental factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- F H Bronson
- Section of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
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Darrow LA, Strickland MJ, Klein M, Waller LA, Flanders WD, Correa A, Marcus M, Tolbert PE. Seasonality of birth and implications for temporal studies of preterm birth. Epidemiology 2009; 20:699-706. [PMID: 19535987 DOI: 10.1097/ede.0b013e3181a66e96] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A strength of time-series analyses is the inherent control of individual-level risk factors that do not vary temporally. However, in studies of adverse pregnancy outcomes, risk factors considered time-invariant at the individual level may vary seasonally when aggregated into a pregnancy risk set. To illustrate, we describe the seasonal patterns of birth in Atlanta and demonstrate how these patterns could lead to confounding in time-series studies of seasonally-varying exposures and preterm birth. METHODS The study cohort included all births in 20-county metropolitan Atlanta delivered during the period 1994-2004 (n = 715,875). We assessed the seasonal patterns of estimated conception and birth for the full cohort and for subgroups stratified by sociodemographic factors. Based on the observed patterns, we quantified the degree of potential confounding created by (1) differences in the gestational age distribution in the risk set across calendar months and (2) differences in the sociodemographic composition of the risk set across calendar months. RESULTS The overall seasonal pattern of birth was characterized by a peak in August-September and troughs in April-May and November-January. Seasonal patterns differed among racial and ethnic groups, maternal education levels, and marital status. As a consequence of these seasonal patterns, systematic seasonal differences in the gestational age distribution and the sociodemographic composition of the risk set led to differences in expected rates of preterm birth across calendar months. CONCLUSIONS Time-series investigations of seasonally-varying exposures and adverse pregnancy outcomes should consider the potential for bias due to seasonal heterogeneity in the risk set.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lyndsey A Darrow
- Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
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Urbanski HF, Noriega NC, Lemos DR, Kohama SG. Gene expression profiling in the rhesus macaque: experimental design considerations. Methods 2009; 49:26-31. [PMID: 19467336 PMCID: PMC2734384 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2009.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2009] [Revised: 05/06/2009] [Accepted: 05/18/2009] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of species-specific gene microarrays has greatly facilitated gene expression profiling in nonhuman primates. However, to obtain accurate and physiologically meaningful data from these microarrays, one needs to consider several factors when designing the studies. This article focuses on effective experimental design while the companion article focuses on methodology and data analysis. Biological cycles have a major influence on gene expression, and at least 10% of the expressed genes are likely to show a 24-h expression pattern. Consequently, the time of day when RNA samples are collected can influence detection of significant changes in gene expression levels. Similarly, when photoperiodic species such as the rhesus macaque are housed outdoors, some of their genes show differential expression according to the time of year. In addition, the sex-steroid environment of humans and many nonhuman primates changes markedly across the menstrual cycle, and so phase of the cycle needs to be considered when studying gene expression in adult females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henryk F Urbanski
- Division of Neuroscience, Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA.
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