Accelerated ovarian failure results in brain alterations related to Alzheimer's disease that are not recovered by high-intensity interval training in mice.

Introduction: The menopausal decline in ovarian estrogen production is thought to increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease; however, this link requires further investigation. The chronological development of this connection is not well defined because of the lack of animal models that recapitulate the time course of menopause. This study characterized the cognitive and neuronal effects of the 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD) model of ovarian failure in female mice and assessed whether high-intensity interval training (HIIT) would attenuate impairments.

A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Multicomponent Smoking Cessation Intervention for Adults with Serious Mental Illness.

Combined behavioral- and pharmacological-based tobacco cessation interventions are effective for adults with serious mental illness; yet, they continue to smoke at alarming rates. A pilot two-arm randomized controlled trial of the program consisted of 50 minutes of game-based groups 3×/week, for 12 weeks alongside counseling and pharmacotherapy. The intervention group engaged in game-based group physical activity (PA), while the control group engaged in sedentary games.

A role for organ level dynamics in morphogenesis of the C. elegans hermaphrodite distal tip cell.

The morphology of cells in vivo can arise from a variety of mechanisms. In the Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodite gonad, the distal tip cell (DTC) elaborates into a complex plexus over a relatively short developmental time period, but the mechanisms underlying this change in cell morphology are not well defined. We correlated the time of DTC elaboration with the L4-to-adult molt, but ruled out a relevant heterochronic pathway as a cue for DTC elaboration.

The Conceptual Framework: A Practical Guide.

There is no single definition of the conceptual framework (CF) or consensus on how it is best applied in the research process. However, in this piece, the authors argue that the CF is a tool used to link the literature review, research methodology, and study design. The CF grounds the study in the previous literature, theories, and models.