Pleasure response from chocolate: You can see it in the eyes

Public release date: 24-Jun-2013
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Contact: Rachel Ewing
raewing@drexel.edu
215-895-2614
Drexel University

Lower-cost method could be useful for food addiction and obesity prevention research

PHILADELPHIA (June 24, 2013) The brain's pleasure response to tasting food can be measured through the eyes using a common, low-cost ophthalmological tool, according to a study just published in the journal Obesity. If validated, this method could be useful for research and clinical applications in food addiction and obesity prevention.

Dr. Jennifer Nasser, an associate professor in the department of Nutrition Sciences in Drexel University's College of Nursing and Health Professions, led the study testing the use of electroretinography (ERG) to indicate increases in the neurotransmitter dopamine in the retina.

Dopamine is associated with a variety of pleasure-related effects in the brain, including the expectation of reward. In the eye's retina, dopamine is released when the optical nerve activates in response to light exposure.

Nasser and her colleagues found that electrical signals in the retina spiked high in response to a flash of light when a food stimulus (a small piece of chocolate brownie) was placed in participants' mouths. The increase was as great as that seen when participants had received the stimulant drug methylphenidate to induce a strong dopamine response. These responses in the presence of food and drug stimuli were each significantly greater than the response to light when participants ingested a control substance, water.

"What makes this so exciting is that the eye's dopamine system was considered separate from the rest of the brain's dopamine system," Nasser said. "So most people and indeed many retinography experts told me this would say that tasting a food that stimulates the brain's dopamine system wouldn't have an effect on the eye's dopamine system."

This study was a small-scale demonstration of the concept, with only nine participants. Most participants were overweight but none had eating disorders. All fasted for four hours before testing with the food stimulus.

If this technique is validated through additional and larger studies, Nasser said she and other researchers can use ERG for studies of food addiction and food science.

"My research takes a pharmacology approach to the brain's response to food," Nasser said. "Food is both a nutrient delivery system and a pleasure delivery system, and a 'side effect' is excess calories. I want to maximize the pleasure and nutritional value of food but minimize the side effects. We need more user-friendly tools to do that."

The low cost and ease of performing electroretinography make it an appealing method, according to Nasser. The Medicare reimbursement cost for clinical use of ERG is about $150 per session, and each session generates 200 scans in just two minutes. Procedures to measure dopamine responses directly from the brain are more expensive and invasive. For example, PET scanning costs about $2,000 per session and takes more than an hour to generate a scan.

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Nasser performed the study with colleagues at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center, in New York City.

Link to paper: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/oby.20101

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Public release date: 24-Jun-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Rachel Ewing
raewing@drexel.edu
215-895-2614
Drexel University

Lower-cost method could be useful for food addiction and obesity prevention research

PHILADELPHIA (June 24, 2013) The brain's pleasure response to tasting food can be measured through the eyes using a common, low-cost ophthalmological tool, according to a study just published in the journal Obesity. If validated, this method could be useful for research and clinical applications in food addiction and obesity prevention.

Dr. Jennifer Nasser, an associate professor in the department of Nutrition Sciences in Drexel University's College of Nursing and Health Professions, led the study testing the use of electroretinography (ERG) to indicate increases in the neurotransmitter dopamine in the retina.

Dopamine is associated with a variety of pleasure-related effects in the brain, including the expectation of reward. In the eye's retina, dopamine is released when the optical nerve activates in response to light exposure.

Nasser and her colleagues found that electrical signals in the retina spiked high in response to a flash of light when a food stimulus (a small piece of chocolate brownie) was placed in participants' mouths. The increase was as great as that seen when participants had received the stimulant drug methylphenidate to induce a strong dopamine response. These responses in the presence of food and drug stimuli were each significantly greater than the response to light when participants ingested a control substance, water.

"What makes this so exciting is that the eye's dopamine system was considered separate from the rest of the brain's dopamine system," Nasser said. "So most people and indeed many retinography experts told me this would say that tasting a food that stimulates the brain's dopamine system wouldn't have an effect on the eye's dopamine system."

This study was a small-scale demonstration of the concept, with only nine participants. Most participants were overweight but none had eating disorders. All fasted for four hours before testing with the food stimulus.

If this technique is validated through additional and larger studies, Nasser said she and other researchers can use ERG for studies of food addiction and food science.

"My research takes a pharmacology approach to the brain's response to food," Nasser said. "Food is both a nutrient delivery system and a pleasure delivery system, and a 'side effect' is excess calories. I want to maximize the pleasure and nutritional value of food but minimize the side effects. We need more user-friendly tools to do that."

The low cost and ease of performing electroretinography make it an appealing method, according to Nasser. The Medicare reimbursement cost for clinical use of ERG is about $150 per session, and each session generates 200 scans in just two minutes. Procedures to measure dopamine responses directly from the brain are more expensive and invasive. For example, PET scanning costs about $2,000 per session and takes more than an hour to generate a scan.

###

Nasser performed the study with colleagues at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York Obesity Nutrition Research Center, in New York City.

Link to paper: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/oby.20101

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-06/du-prf062413.php

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Soccer coach accused of molesting player, 15, on team

A Port St. Lucie soccer coach is accused of molesting a 15-year-old boy on his team.

Joseph Gianquitti, 44, was arrested Tuesday night on three counts of lewd or lascivious conduct on a minor.

IMAGES: Who Got Arrested In South Florida?

Police said Gianquitti, an assistant coach with the Port St. Lucie Soccer Club, is accused of molesting one of his players on more than one occasion. Police said the alleged acts occurred at Gianquitti's home and the soccer field's clubhouse.

Detectives said Gianquitti would buy shoes and other gifts for the boy and "would take him anywhere he wanted to go," according to the arrest report.

"During some parties that were being held at the suspect's house, he would serve alcohol and have a bunch of teenagers over," Sgt. Frank Sabol told WPBF 25 News.

The boy told Gianquitti on several occasions to stop touching him, but as Gianquitti's advances continued, the boy told his parents, who then notified police, the report stated.

Sabol said Gianquitti tried to hide from police in the clubhouse when they gathered enough evidence to make an arrest.

A statement from the president of the Port St. Lucie Soccer Club said he "takes these allegations extremely seriously" and will do what he can to assist in the investigation.

"The child's well-being is always paramount and we offer our support to the young man and his family at such a difficult time," the statement said.

Source: http://www.wpbf.com/news/south-florida/treasure-coast/joseph-gianquitti-accused-of-molesting-player-15-on-soccer-team/-/8882916/20630148/-/3rneu3/-/index.html?absolute=true

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UK says soldier deaths' court ruling will hit combat missions

By Michael Holden

LONDON (Reuters) - The British government warned on Wednesday that future combat operations could become more difficult after a court ruled that families of three soldiers killed in Iraq could sue the military for failing to protect troops on active duty.

Britain's Supreme Court upheld the claim of relatives that the Human Rights Act applied to troops serving in battle abroad, and rejected the Ministry of Defence's argument that it was protected by a doctrine of combat immunity.

Under the doctrine, the government cannot be held responsible for actions or omissions that cause death or injury during combat.

The ruling delighted and surprised the families involved, but Defence Secretary Philip Hammond said that worrying about soldiers' human rights could have a serious impact on future military missions.

"I am very concerned at the wider implications of this judgment, which could ultimately make it more difficult for our troops to carry out operations and potentially throws open a wide range of military decisions to the uncertainty of litigation," Hammond said in a statement.

"It can't be right that troops on operations have to put the ECHR (European Court of Human Rights) ahead of what is operationally vital to protect our national security."

Britain's top court, which overturned a decision by the Court of Appeal last year, ruled troops did remain under British jurisdiction when deployed on active service abroad and so were covered by the Human Rights Act.

It means families of soldiers killed can now take their cases to trial to seek damages from the MoD for negligence.

The claims related to the deaths of two British soldiers killed by improvised explosive devices while travelling in the heavily criticized, lightly armored Snatch Land Rover vehicles, and another who died in a "friendly fire" incident.

"It has been a long hard battle to get to this decision today and we now finally have permission to proceed and prove the MoD were at fault," said Susan Smith, whose son Private Philip Hewett was killed when his Snatch Land Rover was struck by an explosion in July 2005.

"They can no longer treat soldiers as sub-human with no rights."

Relatives of some British soldiers killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan have blamed inadequate equipment for unnecessary deaths. Snatch Land Rovers have been particularly singled out, with critics arguing they gave too little or no protection from roadside bombs.

"Snatch Land Rovers were known to be inadequate for many years before the Iraq conflict. They were known to be unsafe and were becoming increasingly so as the insurgency grew and were nicknamed 'mobile coffins'," said the families' lawyer Jocelyn Cockburn.

"There seems to have been no intent to act upon the clear evidence regarding the safety of these vehicles."

(Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/uk-says-soldier-deaths-court-ruling-hit-combat-123741874.html

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Finding all asteroid threats to human populations: NASA announces asteroid grand challenge

June 18, 2013 ? NASA announced Tuesday a Grand Challenge focused on finding all asteroid threats to human populations and knowing what to do about them.

The challenge, which was announced at an asteroid initiative industry and partner day at NASA Headquarters in Washington, is a large-scale effort that will use multi-disciplinary collaborations and a variety of partnerships with other government agencies, international partners, industry, academia, and citizen scientists. It complements NASA's recently announced mission to redirect an asteroid and send humans to study it.

"NASA already is working to find asteroids that might be a threat to our planet, and while we have found 95 percent of the large asteroids near the Earth's orbit, we need to find all those that might be a threat to Earth," said NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver. "This Grand Challenge is focused on detecting and characterizing asteroids and learning how to deal with potential threats. We will also harness public engagement, open innovation and citizen science to help solve this global problem."

Grand Challenges are ambitious goals on a national or global scale that capture the imagination and demand advances in innovation and breakthroughs in science and technology. They are an important element of President Obama's Strategy for American Innovation.

"I applaud NASA for issuing this Grand Challenge because finding asteroid threats, and having a plan for dealing with them, needs to be an all-hands-on-deck effort," said Tom Kalil, deputy director for technology and innovation at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. "The efforts of private-sector partners and our citizen scientists will augment the work NASA already is doing to improve near-Earth object detection capabilities."

NASA also released a request for information (RFI) that invites industry and potential partners to offer ideas on accomplishing NASA's goal to locate, redirect, and explore an asteroid, as well as find and plan for asteroid threats. The RFI is open for 30 days, and responses will be used to help develop public engagement opportunities and a September industry workshop.

To watch the archived video of Tuesday's asteroid initiative industry and partner day, visit: http://youtube.com/nasatelevision

For more information about NASA's asteroid initiative, including presentations from Tuesday's event and a link to the new RFI, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/asteroidinitiative

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130618172054.htm

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Cher credits luck for her lengthy career

In this image provided by NBC Blake Shelton, Danielle Bradbery and Cher, right, pose after Bradbery won season-four of "The Voice" Tuesday June 18, 2013. Bradbery never had a big singing gig or a vocal lesson. It's also the third win for her coach Blake Shelton. (AP Photo/NBC, Trae Patton)

In this image provided by NBC Blake Shelton, Danielle Bradbery and Cher, right, pose after Bradbery won season-four of "The Voice" Tuesday June 18, 2013. Bradbery never had a big singing gig or a vocal lesson. It's also the third win for her coach Blake Shelton. (AP Photo/NBC, Trae Patton)

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. (AP) ? Cher is no stranger to tabloid fodder.

The 67-year-old singer who has spent most of her life in the spotlight offered this advice to young artists on navigating the world of paparazzi attention: "You're screwed. That's my advice."

"You don't deal with it. You just try to get a place where no one can find you and that's your little sanctuary," continued the "Believe" singer in an interview Tuesday. "I have a fabulous house that I love and it's my sanctuary."

Looking ever the rock star in leather and studs, Cher took the stage Tuesday for the season finale of NBC's "The Voice." She performed "Woman's World," the first single off her upcoming album of the same name ? her 26th album since she began recording in the 1960s.

Cher said reality singing competitions are simply a modern incarnation of classic star-makers like "The Ed Sullivan Show" and "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts."

"It's just another vehicle, you know what I mean? Talent is talent," she said on the red carpet following the finale which crowned 16-year-old country singer Danielle Bradbery the winner.

The young powerhouse from Blake Shelton's team beat out indie rocker Michelle Chamuel and country duo the Swon Brothers for the season four title.

Though Cher has topped the Billboard pop charts throughout the last six decades, she credits luck, not necessarily talent, for her incredible staying power.

"If you have an idea, you tell me because I haven't got a clue," she said of her secret to career longevity. "I believe that luck has a lot to do with it. There are lots of people who are more talented or whatever, but somehow this has been my path. So this is what I'm doing."

___

Follow Nicole Evatt at http://twitter.com/NicoleEvatt

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-06-19-US-People-Cher/id-fd906a884ab545d6b23a3c810c9f249c

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Why People Choose Cloud Backup | GetMorePC.com Local ...

There seems to be a never-ending dialogue these days about the increasing digitization of business. Across all industries, more and more work is being conducted online, and for the most part the gradual transition is resulting in improving efficiency and convenience. The clearest example in the past year is probably the widespread implementation of smart phones in business, as people are now able to send and receive emails and check in to company websites from just about anywhere in the world!

If there is a drawback to this increased use of technology in business practices, it is probably that businesses are now vulnerable to completely unpredictable mishaps. If your hardware is damaged, or a file you send is intercepted or lost, etc., your business may suffer as a result. For this reason, the need for adequate backup of digital files has been well chronicled. But, continuing the non-stop implementation of newer technology in business practices, the last year has seen a particular form of digital backup taking centre stage: cloud storage from providers like Citrix ShareFile.

There are numerous forms of electronic backup for digital files, and each has clear benefits. The bottom line is, any form of backup is safer than no backup at all. But here are a few of the specific reasons that more people and businesses are opting for cloud storage backup.

• Data Security ? There is a popular misconception that cloud storage is somehow less secure. However, this appears to be based largely in a sort of paranoia about not having immediate physical control over the data centre your files are backed up in. In truth, cloud networks offer high levels of digital security for your data, making them completely reliable.
• Quick Implementation ? Organizing some forms of backup takes a good deal of time. For example, even something as simple as setting up an external hard drive involves shopping, product comparison, purchase, and physical connection every time you want to back up files. Cloud storage can be accessed and utilized in a matter of minutes from your computer, and used just as simply each time you need it moving forward.
• Off-Site Data Centres ? As mentioned, cloud computing offers very secure digital security for your data. Additionally, however, the off-site nature of cloud data centres adds another layer of physical security. If, for example, something were to happen to your office environment, you may have all of the machines and hardware in the office incapacitated. In such an event, off-site data will remain safe.
• Easy Use ? Finally, there?s the simple fact that cloud backup is easy. Often, cloud computing services provide you with very simple implementation that can fit right into your company website or user platform. This makes cloud backup just a few mouse clicks away any time you need it.

Source: http://www.getmorepc.com/2013/06/17/people-choose-cloud-backup/

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Rowhani's 'path of moderation' also shows limits

Iranian newly elected President Hasan Rowhani, listens during a press conference, in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 17, 2013. Rowhani showcases his reformist image by promising a "path of moderation," the easing of nuclear tensions and steps to narrow the huge divide with the United States. He also make clear where he won?t go, saying he opposes any halt to uranium enrichment, at the heart of the nuclear standoff. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Iranian newly elected President Hasan Rowhani, listens during a press conference, in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 17, 2013. Rowhani showcases his reformist image by promising a "path of moderation," the easing of nuclear tensions and steps to narrow the huge divide with the United States. He also make clear where he won?t go, saying he opposes any halt to uranium enrichment, at the heart of the nuclear standoff. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Iranian newly elected President Hasan Rowhani, listens during a press conference, in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 17, 2013. Rowhani showcases his reformist image by promising a "path of moderation," the easing of nuclear tensions and steps to narrow the huge divide with the United States. He also made clear where he won?t go, saying he opposes any halt to uranium enrichment, at the heart of the nuclear standoff. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

Iranian newly elected President Hasan Rowhani, places his hand on his heart as a sign of respect, after speaking at a press conference, in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 17, 2013. Rowhani showcases his reformist image by promising a "path of moderation," the easing of nuclear tensions and steps to narrow the huge divide with the United States. He also make clear where he won?t go, saying he opposes any halt to uranium enrichment, at the heart of the nuclear standoff. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

In this photo taken on Sunday, June 16, 2013, and released by the official website of the Iranian supreme leader's office, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, left, speaks during his meeting with President-elect Hasan Rowhani in Tehran, Iran. On Sunday, Rowhani had his first meeting as president-elect with Khamenei, who offered "necessary guidelines" to him, state TV said, without elaborating. (AP Photo/Office of the Supreme Leader)

Iranian President elect Hasan Rowhani, center, is accompanied by Hasan Khomeini, grandson of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, right, and Ayatollah Mousavi Bojnourdi, during visit of Ayatollah Khomeini's shrine, just outside Tehran, Iran, Sunday, June 16, 2013. Iran's newly elected reformist-backed president Hasan Rowhani said Sunday that the country's dire economic problems cannot be solved "overnight," as he took his first steps in consulting with members of the clerically dominated establishment on his new policies.(AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) ? Iran's newly elected president showcased his reform-leaning image Monday by promising a "path of moderation" that includes greater openness on Tehran's nuclear program and overtures to Washington. He also made clear where he draws the line: No halt to uranium enrichment and no direct U.S. dialogue without a pledge to stay out of Iranian affairs.

Hasan Rowhani's first post-victory new conference was a study in what may make his presidency tick.

Rowhani may be hailed as a force for change, but he also appears to carry a deep and self-protective streak of pragmatism. He knows he can only push his views on outreach and detente as far as allowed by the country's real powers, the ruling clerics and their military protectors, the Revolutionary Guard.

Many of Rowhani's statements reflected these boundaries, which could later expand or contract depending on how much the theocracy wants to endorse his agenda.

When he appealed to treat "old wounds" with the U.S., he also echoed the ruling clerics' position that no breakthroughs can occur as long as Washington is seen as trying to undermine their hold on power. Rowhani's urging for greater "nuclear transparency" as a path to roll back sanctions was also punctuated by a hard-liner stance: No chance to stop the uranium enrichment labs at the heart of the stalemate with the West and its allies.

Rowhani spoke eloquently about a "new era" on the international stage but avoided direct mention of the sweeping crackdowns at home since the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009.

At the end of the news conference, a spectator ? whose identity was not immediately known ? yelled out for the release of opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi, who has been under house arrest for more than two years. Rowhani smiled but made no comment.

"You can make any kind of promises you want," said Merhzad Boroujerdi, director of the Middle East Studies program at Syracuse University. "At the end of the day, it's the ruling clerics that decide whether they go anywhere."

There is no doubt, however, that the overall tone of Rowhani's remarks resonates well in the West. The White House and others have already signaled cautious hope that Rowhani's presence could open new possibilities on diplomacy and efforts to break the impasse over Tehran's disputed nuclear program after four failed negotiating rounds since last year.

If nothing else, the contrast was vivid with Ahmadinejad and his hectoring style.

"We are on a path of moderation. ... We have to enhance mutual trust between Iran and other countries," Rowhani told journalists. "We have to build trust."

Rowhani appeared to borrow phrases from another cleric-president, reformist Mohammad Khatami, who preceded Ahmadinejad and opened a range of social and political freedoms that have been largely swept aside in the lockdown atmosphere of recent years.

"The basis of politics is constructive interaction with the world," said Rowhani, wearing a white turban and surrounded by violet flowers ? the signature color his campaign. "Circumstances have changed in the world by this election. . The new atmosphere will definitely be turned into a new opportunity."

Many questions remain, though. Rowhani sidestepped the issue of Iran's close alliance with Syrian President Bashar Assad, saying only that the efforts to end the civil war and restore stability rest with the "Syrian people."

In Paris, Israel's defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, underscored worries among some Israeli officials that their Western allies could hope for Rowhani-inspired breakthroughs while Iran continues "to make progress in their military nuclear project."

Although the 64-year-old Rowhani cannot directly set key policies, he might be able to use the strength of his landslide victory and his influential connections, including with former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, to shape opinions. Rowhani served as Iran's first nuclear envoy from 2003-2005 during a period of intense deal-making with Europeans.

Rowhani's aides have said he proposed an accord in 2005 with then-French President Jacques Chirac to allow uranium enrichment in exchange for the highest level of monitoring by the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency. The deal did not gain support from other countries such as Britain and the U.S.

In an interview last year with the Iranian magazine Mehr Nameh, Rowhani said he also received a U.S. proposal in 2004, carried by the head of the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency at the time, Mohamed ElBaradei, for direct dialogue on nuclear and other issues. Rowhani said he passed along the offer to the ruling clerics and "the decision was that we should not negotiate with the U.S."

Rowhani has not given any clear details on his advice for the current talks, which face pressure from factions in the Israel and the U.S. urging greater consideration of military options.

But Rowhani appears to favor the general contours of the reported French-backed deal for greater openness as the way to ease Western sanctions over Iran's nuclear efforts. The sanctions have slashed oil revenue and contributed to a spike in inflation. "If sanctions have any benefits, they will only benefit Israel," he said at the news conference.

He outlined "step by step" measures to reassure the West about Iran's nuclear ambitions. The West suspects that Iran is seeking a nuclear weapon. Iranian leaders, including Rowhani, insist Iran seeks reactors only for energy and medical applications.

Enriched uranium is used as fuel for energy and research reactors but it can be further boosted to make a nuclear warhead.

"The first step will be showing greater transparency. We are ready to show greater transparency and make clear that the Islamic Republic of Iran's actions are totally within international frameworks," he said. "The second step is promoting mutual confidence. We'll take measures in both fields. The first goal is that no new sanctions are imposed. Then, that the (existing) sanctions are reduced."

Rowhani, though, reaffirmed the positions that have contributed to the logjam in talks so far: Iran's insistence that Washington "should recognize all of Iran's rights, including the nuclear rights."

He further added that any hope for one-on-one dialogue with the U.S. depends on the improbable starting point already set out by the ruling clerics. "The Americans need to specify that they will never intervene in Iran's internal affairs," Rowhani said.

"It's not easy," he said. "There is an old wound. This wound could be treated through prudence. We will not seek increasing tensions. Wisdom requires that the two nations and the two governments look to the future."

On Syria, he said the ultimate responsibility to resolve the more than two-year-old civil war should be in the hands of the "Syrian people."

"We are opposed to foreign intervention," he said. "We hope peace and tranquility will return to Syria through cooperation with countries of the region and world."

Rowhani formally takes office in August. In the meantime, it appears Ahmadinejad's political foes could be plotting a payback, underscoring the often cutthroat nature of internal Iranian affairs.

Iran's official news agency said a criminal court summoned Ahmadinejad over a lawsuit filed by the country's parliament speaker and others.

The report gave no further details, but Ahmadinejad and the speaker, Ali Larijani, have waged political feuds for years. The court has set a November date for Ahmadinejad's appearance, it said.

___

Murphy reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-06-17-ML-Iran/id-5ac9d7915a494e218dd53dcccdaa57e0

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