University of Copenhagen

About: University of Copenhagen is a education organization based out in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Galaxy. The organization has 57645 authors who have published 149740 publications receiving 5903093 citations. The organization is also known as: Copenhagen University & Københavns Universitet.

A role for melanin-concentrating hormone in the central regulation of feeding behaviour

Abstract: The hypothalamus plays a central role in the integrated regulation of energy homeostasis and body weight, and a number of hypothalamic neuropeptides, such as neuropeptide Y (ref. 1), galanin, CRH (ref. 3) and GLP-1 (ref. 4), have been implicated in the mediation of these effects. To discover new hypothalmic peptides involved in the regulation of body weight, we used differential display polymerase chain reaction to identify messenger RNAs that are differentially expressed in the hypothalamus of ob/+ compared with ob/ob C57B1/6J mice. We show here that one mRNA that is overexpressed in the hypothalamus of ob/ob mice encodes the neuropeptide melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH). Fasting further increased expression of MCH mRNA in both normal and obese animals. Neurons containing MCH are located in the zona incerta and in the lateral hypothalamus. These areas are involved in regulation of ingestive behaviour, but the role of MCH in mammalian physiology is unknown. To determine whether MCH is involved in the regulation of feeding, we injected MCH into the lateral ventricles of rats and found that their food consumption increased. These findings suggest that MCH participates in the hypothalamic regulation of body weight.

Attenuation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence by quorum sensing inhibitors

Abstract: Traditional treatment of infectious diseases is based on compounds that kill or inhibit growth of bacteria. A major concern with this approach is the frequent development of resistance to antibiotics. The discovery of communication systems (quorum sensing systems) regulating bacterial virulence has afforded a novel opportunity to control infectious bacteria without interfering with growth. Compounds that can override communication signals have been found in the marine environment. Using Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 as an example of an opportunistic human pathogen, we show that a synthetic derivate of natural furanone compounds can act as a potent antagonist of bacterial quorum sensing. We employed GeneChip® microarray technology to identify furanone target genes and to map the quorum sensing regulon. The transcriptome analysis showed that the furanone drug specifically targeted quorum sensing systems and inhibited virulence factor expression. Application of the drug to P.aeruginosa biofilms increased bacterial susceptibility to tobramycin and SDS. In a mouse pulmonary infection model, the drug inhibited quorum sensing of the infecting bacteria and promoted their clearance by the mouse immune response.

Evidence for prescribing exercise as therapy in chronic disease.

Abstract: Considerable knowledge has accumulated in recent decades concerning the significance of physical activity in the treatment of a number of diseases, including diseases that do not primarily manifest as disorders of the locomotive apparatus. In this review we present the evidence for prescribing exercise therapy in the treatment of metabolic syndrome-related disorders (insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, obesity), heart and pulmonary diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary heart disease, chronic heart failure, intermittent claudication), muscle, bone and joint diseases (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome) and cancer, depression, asthma and type 1 diabetes. For each disease, we review the effect of exercise therapy on disease pathogenesis, on symptoms specific to the diagnosis, on physical fitness or strength and on quality of life. The possible mechanisms of action are briefly examined and the principles for prescribing exercise therapy are discussed, focusing on the type and amount of exercise and possible contraindications.

A brief conceptual tutorial of multilevel analysis in social epidemiology: using measures of clustering in multilevel logistic regression to investigate contextual phenomena

Abstract: STUDY OBJECTIVE: In social epidemiology, it is easy to compute and interpret measures of variation in multilevel linear regression, but technical difficulties exist in the case of logistic regression. The aim of this study was to present measures of variation appropriate for the logistic case in a didactic rather than a mathematical way. Design and PARTICIPANTS: Data were used from the health survey conducted in 2000 in the county of Scania, Sweden, that comprised 10 723 persons aged 18-80 years living in 60 areas. Conducting multilevel logistic regression different techniques were applied to investigate whether the individual propensity to consult private physicians was statistically dependent on the area of residence (that is, intraclass correlation (ICC), median odds ratio (MOR)), the 80% interval odds ratio (IOR-80), and the sorting out index). RESULTS: The MOR provided more interpretable information than the ICC on the relevance of the residential area for understanding the individual propensity of consulting private physicians. The MOR showed that the unexplained heterogeneity between areas was of greater relevance than the individual variables considered in the analysis (age, sex, and education) for understanding the individual propensity of visiting private physicians. Residing in a high education area increased the probability of visiting a private physician. However, the IOR showed that the unexplained variability between areas did not allow to clearly distinguishing low from high propensity areas with the area educational level. The sorting out index was equal to 82%. CONCLUSION: Measures of variation in logistic regression should be promoted in social epidemiological and public health research as efficient means of quantifying the importance of the context of residence for understanding disparities in health and health related behaviour.