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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

A benzodiazepine hypnotic facilitates adaptation of circadian rhythms and sleep-wake homeostasis to an eight hour delay shift simulating westward jet lag.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To determine whether appropriately timed administration of a short-acting benzodiazepine hypnotic, which has proven effective in an animal model of jet lag, also facilitates adaptation of circadian rhythmicity and sleep-wake homeostasis in a human model of jet lag. DESIGN: Subjects participated in two double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of adaptation to an 8-hr delay shift of sleep-wake and dark-light cycles simulating westward travel. Each 9-day laboratory study began with a 3-day habituation period followed by a 24-hr study to obtain basal hormonal and sleep profiles (23:00-07:00). Subjects were then kept awake until 07:00 the next day and slept in darkness 07:00-15:00 for the next five 24-hr spans post-shift. SETTING: N/A. PARTICIPANTS: 6 normal, healthy men 24-31 years of age. INTERVENTIONS: Oral Triazolam (0.5 mg) or placebo given at 04:00 before the first shifted sleep/dark period (3 hours before bedtime) and at 07:00 (at bedtime) on days 2-5 post-shift. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Sleep recordings and 24-hr cortisol and growth hormone profiles were obtained at baseline and on the first, third, and fifth days post-shift. Global measures of treatment efficacy were calculated for multiple endpoints representing circadian rhythmicity and sleep-wake homeostasis. With placebo, the shift induced disturbances of sleep and hormonal secretion, and a gradual re-entrainment of circadian rhythmicity. Triazolam significantly facilitated adaptation by accelerating re-entrainment of circadian rhythms (chronobiotic effect) and normalizing markers of sleep/wake homeostasis (hypnotic effect). CONCLUSIONS: Appropriately timed administration of a benzodiazepine hypnotic appears to facilitate the adaptation of both circadian rhythmicity and sleep-wake homeostasis to a shifted dark/sleep cycle. Compounds with combined chronobiotic/hypnotic properties may be useful in conditions of jet lag or night work.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Incremental exposure facilitates adaptation to sensory rearrangement.

The rate of adaptation to unusual patterns of vestibular stimulation is enhanced if the final stimulus level is achieved gradually rather than in a single step (6,7). Measurements of adaptation to visual rearrangement elicited by stepwise and single-step exposure indicate that incremental exposure also facilitates adaptation to visual rearrangement; adaptation is diminished when the optical displacement is varied nonsystematically during exposure. Enhancement of adaptation to unusual patterns of sensory stimulation by incremental exposure may reflect a general principle of sensorimotor function.

Adaptation, Ocular↗

Family ritual facilitates adaptation to parenthood.

An ethnographic study done in Hidalgo County, Texas, among 25 Mexican American first-time mothers and fathers documented the presence of an intergenerational family ritual that facilitated adaptation to parenthood in 24 of the 25 families. La cuarentena is a family ritual of 40 days duration postbirth with cultural prescriptions for maternal food and clothing and for paternal role reversal. La cuarentena instills parental responsibility, incorporates individuals into the family, and integrates the family during this critical life-event of first birth. A thorough understanding of la cuarentena will assist nurses to enhance adaptation to parenthood for Mexican American parents.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Olfactory cortical adaptation facilitates detection of odors against background.

Detection and discrimination of odors generally, if not always, occurs against an odorous background. On any given inhalation, olfactory receptor neurons will be activated by features of both the target odorant and features of background stimuli. To identify a target odorant against a background therefore, the olfactory system must be capable of grouping a subset of features into an odor object distinct from the background. Our previous work has suggested that rapid homosynaptic depression of afferents to the anterior piriform cortex (aPCX) contributes to both cortical odor adaptation to prolonged stimulation and habituation of simple odor-evoked behaviors. We hypothesize here that this process may also contribute to figure-ground separation of a target odorant from background stimulation. Single-unit recordings were made from both mitral/tufted cells and aPCX neurons in urethan-anesthetized rats and mice. Single-unit responses to odorant stimuli and their binary mixtures were determined. One of the odorants was randomly selected as the background and presented for 50 s. Forty seconds after the onset of the background stimulus, the second target odorant was presented, producing a binary mixture. The results suggest that mitral/tufted cells continue to respond to the background odorant and, when the target odorant is presented, had response magnitudes similar to that evoked by the binary mixture. In contrast, aPCX neurons filter out the background stimulus while maintaining responses to the target stimulus. Thus the aPCX acts as a filter driven most strongly by changing stimuli, providing a potential mechanism for olfactory figure-ground separation and selective reading of olfactory bulb output.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

High refresh rate and oculomotor adaptation facilitate reading from video displays.

Reading from a video display terminal (VDT) was tested at screen refresh rates of 500 Hz and 60 Hz. Reading was initially 8 words/min (3.05%) faster at 500 Hz. A hypothesis that reading rate on VDTs is limited by stimulus availability accounts for the difference. When the eye reaches a new fixation position, it 'parks' until a sample of text appears at the fovea. Then processing resumes in the normal way. This idea, combined with the 500-Hz reading data, can predict reading rate at any refresh rate, and is quantitatively confirmed by the reading rate at 60 Hz. The difference in reading rates disappeared for the second half of the text, as a result of differences between frequencies of eye movements in the two refresh conditions. From the first half to the second, subjects at 60 Hz made more large forward saccades and fewer small reverse saccades. Both changes make sampling of the text more sparse, compensating for the dead time between samples. Subjects were unaware of refresh conditions, differences in their reading rates, and types of eye movements they generated. Reading from a continuously illuminated active-matrix display is slightly faster than from a comparable VDT.

Adaptation, Ocular↗

Abrupt, but not gradual visuomotor distortion facilitates adaptation in children with developmental coordination disorder.

A previous experiment investigating visuomotor adaptation in typically developing children and children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) suggested poor adaptation to an abruptly induced visuomotor perturbation. In the current study, using a similar center-out drawing task, but administering either an abrupt or a gradual perturbation, and twice as many adaptation trials, we show that typically developing children are well able to successfully update an existing internal model in response to a 60 degrees rotation of the visual feedback, independent of the perturbation condition. Children with DCD, however, updated their internal map more effectively during exposure to an abrupt visuomotor perturbation than to a gradual one. This may suggest that the adaptation process in children with DCD responds differently to small vs. large steps of visuomotor discrepancies. Given the known role of the cerebellum in providing an error signal necessary for updating the internal model in response to a gradual visuomotor distortion, the results of our study add to the growing body of evidence implicating compromised cerebellar function in DCD.

Attention↗

Photoperiodic response may facilitate adaptation to climatic change in long-distance migratory birds.

Recent climatic change is causing spring events in northern temperate regions to occur earlier in the year. As a result, migratory birds returning from tropical wintering sites may arrive too late to take full advantage of the food resources on their breeding grounds. Under these conditions, selection will favour earlier spring arrival that could be achieved by overwintering closer to the breeding grounds. However, it is unknown how daylength conditions at higher latitudes will affect the timing of life cycle stages. Here, we show in three species of Palaearctic-African migratory songbirds that a shortening of migration distance induces an advancement of springtime activities. Birds exposed to daylengths simulating migration to and wintering in southern Europe considerably advanced their spring migratory activity and testicular development. This response to the novel photoperiodic environment will enable birds wintering further north to advance spring arrival and to start breeding earlier. Thus, phenotypic flexibility in response to the photoperiod may reinforce selection for shorter migration distance if spring temperatures continue to rise.

Acclimatization↗

Choline oxidase, a catabolic enzyme in Arthrobacter pascens, facilitates adaptation to osmotic stress in Escherichia coli.

Choline oxidase (EC 1.1.3.17) is a bifunctional enzyme that is capable of catalyzing glycine betaine biosynthesis from choline via betaine aldehyde. A gene (cox) encoding this enzyme in the gram-positive soil bacterium Arthrobacter pascens was isolated and characterized. This gene is contained within a 1.9-kb fragment that encodes a polypeptide of approximately 66 kDa. Transfer of this gene to an Escherichia coli mutant that is defective in betaine biosynthesis resulted in an osmotolerant phenotype. This phenotype was associated with the ability of the host to synthesize and assemble an enzymatically active choline oxidase that could catalyze biosynthesis of glycine betaine from an exogenous supply of choline. Although glycine betaine functions as an osmolyte in several different organisms, it was not found to have this role in A. pascens. Instead, both choline and glycine betaine were utilized as carbon sources. In A. pascens synthesis and activity of choline oxidase were modulated by carbon sources and were susceptible to catabolite repression. Thus, cox, a gene concerned with carbon utilization in A. pascens, was found to play a role in adaptation to an environmental stress in a heterologous organism. In addition to providing a possible means of manipulating osmotolerance in other organisms, the cox gene offers a model system for the study of choline oxidation, an important metabolic process in both procaryotes and eucaryotes.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

Gamma delta T cells facilitate adaptive immunity against West Nile virus infection in mice.

West Nile (WN) virus causes fatal meningoencephalitis in laboratory mice, and gammadelta T cells are involved in the protective immune response against viral challenge. We have now examined whether gammadelta T cells contribute to the development of adaptive immune responses that help control WN virus infection. Approximately 15% of TCRdelta(-/-) mice survived primary infection with WN virus compared with 80-85% of the wild-type mice. These mice were more susceptible to secondary challenge with WN virus than the wild-type mice that survived primary challenge with the virus. Depletion of gammadelta T cells in wild-type mice that survived the primary infection, however, does not affect host susceptibility during secondary challenge with WN virus. Furthermore, gammadelta T cells do not influence the development of Ab responses during primary and at the early stages of secondary infection with WN virus. Adoptive transfer of CD8(+) T cells from wild-type mice that survived primary infection with WN virus to naive mice afforded partial protection from lethal infection. In contrast, transfer of CD8(+) T cells from TCRdelta(-/-) mice that survived primary challenge with WN virus failed to alter infection in naive mice. This difference in survival correlated with the numeric and functional reduction of CD8 memory T cells in these mice. These data demonstrate that gammadelta T cells directly link innate and adaptive immunity during WN virus infection.

Adoptive Transfer↗

Facilitating adaptation to juvenile rheumatic disease with family retreats.

Children with juvenile rheumatic disease (JRD) and their families face numerous challenges associated with disease symptomatology and treatment. Although many families cope well with these challenges, many are at risk for poor outcome. Children with JRD may have emotional, behavioral, and academic difficulties. Their parents also may have emotional distress, as well as marital conflict and reduced social activity. Identified risk factors for poor outcome include compromised family coping, poor adherence to treatment, and unmet academic needs. These risk factors are reviewed and an initial assessment of the effect of a family retreat on family coping is described. Twenty-seven families completed a coping questionnaire first at a family retreat and again 3 months later. Improvements were observed in reported ability to communicate about JRD, knowledge of arthritis, certainty of disease course, and ability to overcome difficulties related to JRD. Family retreats hold the potential to significantly enhance children's and caregivers' adaptation to JRD.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Variable practice with lenses improves visuo-motor plasticity.

Novel sensorimotor situations present a unique challenge to an individual's adaptive ability. Using the simple and easily measured paradigm of visual-motor rearrangement created by the use of visual displacement lenses, we sought to determine whether an individual's ability to adapt to visuo-motor discordance could be improved through training. Subjects threw small balls at a stationary target during a 3-week practice regimen involving repeated exposure to one set of lenses in block practice (x 2.0 magnifying lenses), multiple sets of lenses in variable practice (x 2.0 magnifying, x 0.5 minifying and up-down reversing lenses) or sham lenses. At the end of training, adaptation to a novel visuo-motor situation (20-degree right shift lenses) was tested. We found that (1) training with variable practice can increase adaptability to a novel visuo-motor situation, (2) increased adaptability is retained for at least 1 month and is transferable to further novel visuo-motor permutations and (3) variable practice improves performance of a simple motor task even in the undisturbed state. These results have implications for the design of clinical rehabilitation programs and countermeasures to enhance astronaut adaptability, facilitating adaptive transitions between gravitational environments.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Modality-specific facilitation and adaptation to painful tonic stimulation in humans.

The study assessed the influence of stimulus modality on adaptation or facilitation of pain during tonic cold and tourniquet pressure stimulation. Experimental set-up for the cold stimulation consisted of a thermo-tank with water, cooled to 3 degrees C, circulation pump, electronic thermometer and an electronic 10 cm visual analogue scale (VAS). Experimental set-up for the tonic pressure stimulation consisted of a pneumatic tourniquet cuff, a computer-controlled air compressor, and an electronic VAS. The first experiment assessed temporal profiles of pain intensity and skin temperature during immersion of the non-dominant hand and lower arm into cold water for 3 min or until the pain tolerance limit was reached. The second experiment assessed temporal profile of cuff pain intensity during constant compressions for 10 min beginning at pain intensities of 2, 4, and 6 cm on the VAS ("VAS 2", "VAS 4" and "VAS 6" sessions). Subjects enduring cold stimulation for less than 3 min were defined as non-adapting to cold and vice versa. The intensity of cold pain in non-adapting subjects increased significantly faster than in adapting subjects and reached significantly higher magnitude. The course of pain intensity during constant compression, estimated by a linear regression line, was increasing or decreasing, representing facilitation or adaptation of pain, respectively. The typical profile of adaptation consisted of an "overshoot" in pain intensity, followed by a decrease in pain intensity. There was significant correlation in VAS slopes between sessions separated by 2-5 days, suggesting consistent pattern in pain responses to tonic pressure stimulation. Adaptation or facilitation rates and the overshoot magnitude were dependent on the initial pain intensity (2, 4, or 6 cm on the VAS). The facilitation rate was highest and the adaptation rate was lowest during the "VAS 2" session, while the facilitation rate was lowest and the adaptation rate was highest during the "VAS 6" session. The overshoot magnitude was lowest during "VAS 6" session. Adapting and non-adapting/facilitating responses to cold and to pressure during "VAS 6" session were not correlated, suggesting that pain course and therefore stimulus tolerance during tonic stimulation are modality-specific. The results of the study suggest that tolerance of tonic painful pressure and cold stimulations is specific to stimulus modality and may represent separate nociceptive mechanisms.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

On the mechanism of adaptation to protein synthesis inhibitors by Tetrahymena. Facilitation, cross adaptation, and resensitization.

Tetrahymena is able to adapt to the presence of sublethal concentrations of many drugs which inhibit a wide variety of cellular functions. In spite of the generality of this phenomenon in Tetrahymena, the mechanism of adaptation at the cellular and molecular levels is unknown. This study deals mainly with adaptation to the protein synthesis inhibitors, cycloheximide and emetine. The physiological response of Tetrahymena to sublethal concentrations of these drugs is an immediate cessation of cell division for a period of time dependent on the drug concentration, followed by an abrupt resumption of exponential growth at a constant rate. By measuring the length of the growth lags under a variety of experimental conditions, we have confirmed several observations made by Frankel and coworkers, and provide evidence for two new phenomena associated with adaptation to cycloheximide: (a) adaptation to cycloheximide also results in adaptation of cells to emetine, another protein synthesis inhibitor not closely related structurally to cycloheximide. We have termed this phenomenon cross adaptation, (b) exposure to concentrations of cycloheximide too low to cause any growth lags or inhibition of protein synthesis significantly shortens the time required by cells to adapt to higher concentrations of cycloheximide. We have termed this phenomenon facilitation. Facilitation shows some degree of specificity in that facilitation with cycloheximide has no effect on adaptation to emetine. From this, we infer the existence of two distinct systems involved in adaptation to cycloheximide, one of which shows a higher degree of specificity towards cycloheximide than the other. We also show that transfer of adapted or facilitated cells to drug-free medium results in a gradual but complete resensitization. The kinetics of resensitization suggest that the cellular machinery responsible for adaptation and facilitation does not leave the cell, but is simply diluted out during cell division.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Adaptation and facilitation in the barnacle photoreceptor.

The barnacle photoreceptor sensitivity may either decrease (light adaptation) or increase (facilitation) after exposure to a conditioning light. The balance between adaptation and facilitation is influenced by at least three factors: initial sensitivity state of the cell, external calcium concentration, and conditioning intensity. Cells of very high sensitivity show mainly adaptation, which appears only for higher conditioning intensities and is suppressed in low-calcium media. Less sensitive cells, or those whose sensitivity is reduced by injury or metabolic decay, exhibit facilitation, expecially in low-calcium media and at intermediate conditioning intensities. Both phenomena show recovery time-courses of seconds-to-minutes. Models are proposed which relate light adaptation, as previously suggested, to increased internal calcium concentration, and facilitation either to decreased internal calcium concentration or to decreased activation "affinity" of ion-channel-blocking sites.

Animals↗