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"Hughes, Catherine"
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First big book of the ocean
A discussion of ocean life \"that includes the sea's high-interest animals, such as dolphins, sharks, sea otters, and penguins, and introduces kids to some of its lesser-known creatures\"--Publisher.
Book
Diet, nutrition and the ageing brain: current evidence and new directions
Globally populations are ageing. By 2050, it is estimated that there will be two billion people aged 60 years or over, of which 131 million are projected to be affected by dementia, while depression is predicted to be the second leading cause of disability worldwide by 2020. Preventing or delaying the onset of these disorders should therefore be a public health priority. There is some evidence linking certain dietary patterns, particularly the Mediterranean diet, with a reduced risk of dementia and depression. Specific dietary components have also been investigated in relation to brain health, with emerging evidence supporting protective roles for n-3 PUFA, polyphenols, vitamin D and B-vitamins. At this time, the totality of evidence is strongest in support of a role for folate and the metabolically related B-vitamins (vitamin B12, vitamin B6 and riboflavin) in slowing the progression of cognitive decline and possibly reducing the risk of depression in ageing. Future studies incorporating new technologies, such as MRI and magnetoencephalography, offer much promise in identifying effective nutrition interventions that could reduce the risk of cognitive and mental disorders. This review will explore the ageing brain and the emerging evidence linking diet and specific nutrients with cognitive function and depression in ageing, with the potential to develop strategies that could improve quality of life in our ageing population.
Journal Article
Little kids first big book of birds
A fact-filled introduction to a variety of birds expands from backyard favorites to rainforest exotics.
Book
Addressing optimal folate and related B-vitamin status through the lifecycle: health impacts and challenges
The functional effects of folate within C1 metabolism involve interrelationships with vitamin B12, vitamin B6 and riboflavin, and related gene–nutrient interactions. These B vitamins have important roles throughout life, from pregnancy, through childhood, to middle and older age. Achieving optimal nutritional status for preventing folate-related disease is challenging, however, primarily as a result of the poor stability and incomplete bioavailability of folate from natural food sources when compared with the synthetic vitamin form, folic acid. Thus, in European countries, measures to prevent neural tube defects (NTD) have been largely ineffective because of the generally poor compliance of women with folic acid supplementation as recommended before and in early pregnancy. In contrast, countries worldwide with mandatory folic acid fortification policies have experienced marked reductions in NTD. Low vitamin B12 status is associated with increased risk of cognitive dysfunction, CVD and osteoporosis. Achieving optimal B12 status can be problematic for older people, however, primarily owing to food-bound B12 malabsorption which leads to sub-clinical deficiency even with high dietary B12 intakes. Optimising B-vitamin intake may be particularly important for sub-populations with impaired folate metabolism owing to genetic characteristics, most notably the 677C→T variant in the gene encoding the enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). This common folate polymorphism is linked with several adverse health outcomes, including stroke, however, recent evidence has identified its novel interaction with riboflavin (the MTHFR cofactor) in relation to blood pressure and risk of developing hypertension. This review addresses why and how the optimal status of folate-related B vitamins should be achieved through the lifecycle.
Journal Article
Caterpillar to butterfly
This look & learn board book shows the stages of a caterpillar changing into a butterfly.
Book
Spatial and Seasonal Isotope Variability in Precipitation across China
The spatial patterns of stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in precipitation (precipitation isoscapes) provide a geographic perspective to understand the atmospheric processes in modern environment and paleoclimate records. Here we compiled stable isotope data in modern precipitation at 223 sites across China and 48 in surrounding countries, and used regionalized fuzzy clustering to create monthly precipitation isoscapes for China (C-Isoscape). Based on regressions using spatial and climatic parameters for 12 months, the best-fitting equations were chosen for four climate clusters, and then the four layers were weighted using fuzzy membership. The moisture transportation path, controlled by the westerlies and the monsoon, results in different spatial and seasonal diversity of precipitation isotopes. Based on C-Isoscape, we determined a nationwide meteoric water line as δ²H = 7.4δ18O + 5.5 using least squares regression or δ²H = 8.0δ18O + 10.2 using precipitation weighted reduced major axis regression. Compared with previous global products, the C-Isoscape usually shows precipitation more enriched in 18O and ²H in summer and more depleted in winter for northwest China, while the C-Isoscape values are more enriched in heavy isotopes in most months for southwest China. The new monthly precipitation isoscapes provide an accurate and high-resolution mapping for Chinese precipitation isotopes, allowing for future intra-annual atmospheric process diagnostics using stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope in precipitation in the region.
Journal Article
B-Vitamin Intake and Biomarker Status in Relation to Cognitive Decline in Healthy Older Adults in a 4-Year Follow-Up Study
Advancing age can be associated with an increase in cognitive dysfunction, a spectrum of disability that ranges in severity from mild cognitive impairment to dementia. Folate and the other B-vitamins involved in one-carbon metabolism are associated with cognition in ageing but the evidence is not entirely clear. The hypothesis addressed in this study was that lower dietary intake or biomarker status of folate and/or the metabolically related B-vitamins would be associated with a greater than expected rate of cognitive decline over a 4-year follow-up period in healthy older adults. Participants (aged 60–88 years; n = 155) who had been previously screened for cognitive function were reassessed four years after initial investigation using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). At the 4-year follow-up assessment when participants were aged 73.4 ± 7.1 years, mean cognitive MMSE scores had declined from 29.1 ± 1.3 at baseline to 27.5 ± 2.4 (p < 0.001), but some 27% of participants showed a greater than expected rate of cognitive decline (i.e., decrease in MMSE > 0.56 points per year). Lower vitamin B6 status, as measured using pyridoxal-5-phosphate (PLP; <43 nmol/L) was associated with a 3.5 times higher risk of accelerated cognitive decline, after adjustment for age and baseline MMSE score (OR, 3.48; 95% CI, 1.58 to 7.63; p < 0.05). Correspondingly, lower dietary intake (0.9–1.4 mg/day) of vitamin B6 was also associated with a greater rate of cognitive decline (OR, 4.22; 95% CI, 1.28–13.90; p < 0.05). No significant relationships of dietary intake or biomarker status with cognitive decline were observed for the other B-vitamins. In conclusion, lower dietary and biomarker status of vitamin B6 at baseline predicted a greater than expected rate of cognitive decline over a 4-year period in healthy older adults. Vitamin B6 may be an important protective factor in helping maintain cognitive health in ageing.
Journal Article
Little kids first big book of dinosaurs
Provides pictures and brief facts about a variety of different kinds of dinosaurs.
Book
Factors controlling stable isotope composition of precipitation in arid conditions: an observation network in the Tianshan Mountains, central Asia
Approximately one-third of the Earth's arid areas are distributed across central Asia. The stable isotope composition of precipitation in this region is affected by its aridity, therefore subject to high evaporation and low precipitation amount. To investigate the factors controlling stable water isotopes in precipitation in arid central Asia, an observation network was established around the Tianshan Mountains in 2012. Based on the 1052 event-based precipitation samples collected at 23 stations during 2012-2013, the spatial distribution and seasonal variation of δD and δ
18
O in precipitation were investigated. The values of δD and δ
18
O are relatively more enriched in the rainfall dominant summer months (from April to October) and depleted in the drier winter months (from November to March) with low D-excess due to subcloud evaporation observed at many of the driest low elevation stations. The local meteoric water line (LMWL) was calculated to be δD=7.36δ
18
O - 0.50 (r
2
=0.97, p<0.01) based on the event-based samples, and δD=7.60δ
18
O+2.66 (r
2
=0.98, p<0.01) based on the monthly precipitation-weighted values. In winter, the data indicate an isotopic rain shadow effect whereby rainout leads to depletion of precipitation in the most arid region to the south of the Tianshan Mountains. The values of δ
18
O significantly correlate with air temperature for each station, and the best-fit equation is established as δ
18
O=0.78T - 16.01 (r
2
=0.73, p<0.01). Using daily air temperature and precipitation derived from a 0.5° (latitude)×0.5° (longitude) gridded data set, an isoscape of δ
18
O in precipitation was produced based on this observed temperature effect.
Journal Article