bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effects of integrated treatment with atypical antipsychotics and social cognition training on functional outcome
Authors: Sachs G. , Winklbaur B. , Erfurth A.
Published: May 2016

Social cognition is impaired in patients with schizophrenia [1]. This impairment is one of the core features of the illness and has a clear impact on functional outcome.

While conventional antipsychotics might have a worsening effect on social cognition, e.g. on amygdala attenuation in fMRI studies on facial recognition [2], atypical antipsychotics might not show this effect [3].

Social cognitive training [4] – such as the training of affect recognition [5] – is a promising approach in the treatment of schizophrenia.

Holistic strategies including both treatment with atypical antipsychotics and social cognitive training can improve functional outcome in patients with schizophrenia [6].

Disclosure of interest

The author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and treatment as prevention (TasP): What mental health providers should know
Authors: Hall T.
Published: May 2016

Pharmacologic methods of treating and preventing HIV have advanced tremendously in recent years. Understandings of HIV risk and recommendations for risk-reduction strategies have also changed substantially. A majority of new cases of HIV in many developed countries are now acquired through sex with long-term partners who are unaware of their HIV-positive status, rather than from casual or anonymous sexual encounters. Persons with bipolar disorder and substance use disorders are at particularly high risk. Mental health providers who work with LGBT persons and other populations at higher risk for HIV need to understand strategies their patients are using for HIV risk reduction, and to refer appropriate patients for consideration for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). PrEP is the daily use of an antiretroviral (ARV) medication for prevention of HIV infection in higher-risk individuals. The United States approved tenofovir + emtracitabine for PrEP in 2012; this is under review in several European countries, Canada, and Australia, and is already prescribed off-label in many. Additionally, studies have shown that treatment with ARV medications to an “undetectable viral load” greatly reduces the risk of further transmission by persons already infected with HIV, called “treatment as prevention” (TasP). As of September 2015, WHO recommends early ARV treatment for all persons with HIV, and consideration of PrEP for men who have sex with men. This paper reviews findings from the PrEP studies (especially iPrEx, iPrEx Ole, IPERGAY, and PROUD) and TasP, and looks at their impact on LGBT and HIV+ communities, with relevance for mental health providers.

Disclosure of interest

The author has not supplied his declaration of competing interest.
Continuous monitoring of caspase‐3 activation induced by propofol in developing mouse brain
Authors: Konno Ayumi , Nishimura Akiko , Nakamura Shiro , Mochizuki Ayako , Yamada Atsushi , Kamijo Ryutaro , Inoue Tomio , Iijima Takehiko
Published: May 2016

The neurotoxicity of anesthetics on the developing brain has drawn the attention of anesthesiologists. Several studies have shown that apoptosis is enhanced by exposure to anesthesia during brain development. Although apoptosis is a physiological developmental step occurring before the maturation of neural networks and the integration of brain function, pathological damage also involves apoptosis. Previous studies have shown that prolonged exposure to anesthetics causes apoptosis. Exactly when the apoptotic cascade starts in the brain remains uncertain. If it starts during the early stage of anesthesia, even short‐term anesthesia could harm the brain. Therefore, apoptogenesis should be continuously monitored to elucidate when the apoptotic cascade is triggered by anesthesia. Here, we describe the development of a continuous monitoring system to detect caspase‐3 activation using an in vivo model. Brain slices from postnatal days 0–4 SCAT3 transgenic mice with a heterozygous genotype (n = 20) were used for the monitoring of caspase‐3 cleavage. SCAT3 is a fusion protein of ECFP and Venus connected by a caspase‐3 cleavable peptide, DEVD. A specimen from the hippocampal CA1 sector was mounted on a confocal laser microscope and was continuously superfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid, propofol (2,6‐diisopropylphenol, 1 μM or 10 μM), and dimethyl sulfoxide. Images were obtained every hour for five hours. A pixel analysis of the ECFP/Venus ratio images was performed using a histogram showing the number of pixels with each ratio. In the histogram of the ECFP/Venus ratio, an area with a ratio > 1 indicated the number of pixels from caspase‐3‐activated CA1 neurons. We observed a shift in the histogram toward the right over time, indicating caspase‐3 activation. This right‐ward shift dramatically changed at five hours in the propofol 1 μM and 10 μM groups and was obviously different from that in the control group. Thus, real‐time fluorescence energy transfer (FRET) imaging was capable of identifying the onset of apoptosis triggered by propofol in neonatal brain slices. This model may be a useful tool for monitoring apoptogenesis in the developing brain.
Developmental changes in the hypothalamic mRNA expression levels of PACAP and its receptor PAC1 and their sensitivity to fasting in male and female rats
Authors: Iwasa Takeshi , Matsuzaki Toshiya , Tungalagsuvd Altankhuu , Munkhzaya Munkhsaikhan , Yiliyasi Maira , Kato Takeshi , Kuwahara Akira , Irahara Minoru
Published: May 2016

The actions and responses of hypothalamic appetite regulatory and factors change markedly during the neonatal to pre‐pubertal period. Pituitary adenylate cyclase‐activating polypeptide (PACAP) has been found to play pivotal roles in the regulation of metabolic and nutritional status through its specific receptor PAC1. PACAP/PAC1 have anorectic roles, and their functions are regulated by leptin in adulthood. In the present study, we showed that hypothalamic PACAP mRNA expression decreases during the neonatal to pre‐pubertal period (from postnatal day 10–30) in both male and female rats. During this period, hypothalamic PACAP mRNA expression was not affected by 24 h fasting in either sex, while the serum leptin levels (leptin is a positive regulator of hypothalamic PACAP expression in adulthood) of both sexes were decreased by fasting. On the other hand, hypothalamic PAC1 mRNA expression did not change during the neonatal to pre‐pubertal period in either sex; however, its levels were consistently higher in males than in females. Hypothalamic PAC1 mRNA expression was decreased by 24 h fasting in males, but no such changes were observed in females. These results indicate while hypothalamic PACAP expression is sensitive to a negative energy state and the serum leptin level in adulthood, no such relationships are seen in the pre‐pubertal period. In addition, we speculate that differences in the gonadal steroidal milieu might induce sexual dimorphism in the basal hypothalamic PAC1 mRNA level and its response to fasting. The mechanisms responsible for and the physiological effects of such changes in hypothalamic PACAP and PAC1 expression during the developmental period remain to be clarified.
Dosing‐time contributes to chronotoxicity of clofarabine in mice via means other than pharmacokinetics
Authors: Luan Jia‐Jie , Zhang Yu‐Shan , Liu Xiao‐Yun , Wang Ya‐Qin , Zuo Jian , Song Jian‐Guo , Zhang Wen , Wang Wu‐San
Published: May 2016

To evaluate the time‐ and dose‐dependent toxicity of clofarabine in mice and to further define the chronotherapy strategy of it in leukemia, we compared the mortality rates, LD50s, biochemical parameters, histological changes and organ indexes of mice treated with clofarabine at various doses and time points. Plasma clofarabine levels and pharmacokinetic parameters were monitored continuously for up to 8 hours after the single intravenous administration of 20 mg/kg at 12:00 noon and 12:00 midnight by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)‐UV method. Clofarabine toxicity in all groups fluctuated in accordance with circadian rhythms in vivo. The toxicity of clofarabine in mice in the rest phase was more severe than the active one, indicated by more severe liver damage, immunodepression, higher mortality rate, and lower LD50. No significant pharmacokinetic parameter changes were observed between the night and daytime treatment groups. These findings suggest the dosing‐time dependent toxicity of clofarabine synchronizes with the circadian rhythm of mice, which might provide new therapeutic strategies in further clinical application.
Subdiagrams and invariant measures on Bratteli diagrams
Authors: ADAMSKA M. , BEZUGLYI S. , KARPEL O. , KWIATKOWSKI J.
Published: May 2016

We study ergodic finite and infinite measures defined on the path space $X_{B}$ of a Bratteli diagram $B$ which are invariant with respect to the tail equivalence relation on $X_{B}$. Our interest is focused on measures supported by vertex and edge subdiagrams of $B$. We give several criteria when a finite invariant measure defined on the path space of a subdiagram of $B$ extends to a finite invariant measure on $B$. Given a finite ergodic measure on a Bratteli diagram $B$ and a subdiagram $B^{\prime }$ of $B$, we find the necessary and sufficient conditions under which the measure of the path space $X_{B^{\prime }}$ of $B^{\prime }$ is positive. For a class of Bratteli diagrams of finite rank, we determine when they have maximal possible number of ergodic invariant measures. The case of diagrams of rank two is completely studied. We also include an example which explicitly illustrates the proven results.
The economic recession and subjective well-being in older adults in the Republic of Ireland
Authors: Duffy R. M. , Mullin K. , O’Dwyer S. , Wrigley M. , Kelly B. D.
Published: May 2016

Objective

Subjective well-being in older people is strongly associated with emotional, physical and mental health. This study investigates subjective well-being in older adults in Ireland before and after the economic recession that commenced in 2008.

Methods

Cross-sectional data from the biennial European Social Survey (2002–2012) were analysed for two separate groups of older adults: one sampled before the recession and one after. Stratification and linear regression modelling were used to analyse the association between subjective well-being, the recession and multiple potential confounders and effect modifiers.

Results

Data were analysed on 2013 individuals. Overall, subjective well-being among older adults was 1.30 points lower after the recession compared with before the recession (s.e. 0.16; 95% confidence interval 1.00–1.61; p<0.001) [pre-recession: 16.1, out of a possible 20 (s.d. 3.24); post-recession:14.8 (s.d. 3.72)]. Among these older adults, the pre- and post-recession difference was especially marked in women, those with poor health and those living in urban areas.

Conclusions

Subjective well-being was significantly lower in older adults after the recession compared with before the recession, especially in women with poor health in urban areas. Policy-makers need proactively to protect these vulnerable cohorts in future health and social policy. Future research could usefully focus on older people on fixed incomes whose diminished ability to alter their economic situation might make them more vulnerable to reduced subjective well-being during a recession.
Dual Fuel Turbocharged Engine Operated with Exhaust Gas Recirculation
Authors: Wu H.-W. , Hsu T.-Z. , Lai W.-H.
Published: May 2016

With good combustion characteristics, hydrogen has been developing as a clean alternative fuel of engines. This study is to develop a diesel/hydrogen dual fuel engine. The hydrogen was added at inlet port in a 4-cylinder direct injection turbocharged diesel engine with an EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) system to investigate engine performance and exhaust pollutant. The measured items are composed of the gas pressure of cylinder, crank angle, consumption rate of diesel, consumption rate of hydrogen, air flow rate, emissions (HC, CO2, NOX, and Smoke), and so on. The authors analyze how the addition of hydrogen with EGR system influences the engine performance and emissions. The diesel/hydrogen dual fuel turbocharged engine can increase the brake thermal efficiency with a greater decrease in emissions compared with the turbocharged diesel engine. Furthermore, the authors little altered the engine structure to get the positive effect of energy saving and pollutant decreasing.
Analyzing heterogeneity in the effects of physical activity in children on social network structure and peer selection dynamics
Authors: HENRY TEAGUE , GESELL SABINA B. , IP EDWARD H.
Published: May 2016

Social networks influence children and adolescents' physical activity. The focus of this paper is to examine the differences in the effects of physical activity on friendship selection, with eye to the implications on physical activity interventions for young children. Prior to implementing a network intervention in the field, it is important to understand potential heterogeneities in the effects that activity level have on network structure. In this study, the associations between activity level and cross-sectional network structure, and activity level and change in network structure are assessed. We studied a real-world friendship network among 81 children (average age 7.96 years) who lived in low SES neighborhoods, attended public schools, and attended one of two structured aftercare programs, of which one has existed and the other was new. We modeled network selection effects and cross-sectional properties, while accounting for potential heterogeneities between networks. There was heterogeneity in the effect of physical activity on both cross-sectional network structure and the formation and dissolution processes, both across time and between networks. This suggests that if peer selection processes are changing within a network, a static network intervention strategy for childhood physical activity could become inefficient as the network evolves.
Quality of life considerations in head and neck cancer: United Kingdom National Multidisciplinary Guidelines
Authors: Rogers S N , Semple C , Babb M , Humphris G
Published: May 2016

This is the official guideline endorsed by the specialty associations involved in the care of head and neck cancer patients in the UK. It identifies the current evidence base and role of health-related quality of life assessment for this group of patients.

Recommendations

• Health-related quality of life is integral to treatment planning, refining treatment protocols, and more personalised follow-up support. (G)

• Health-related quality of life and patient concerns should be regularly assessed during patient care. (G)

• Health-related quality of life assessment and patient concerns on an individual patient basis can be helpful to trigger multi-professional support and interventions. (G)
Hypopharyngeal cancer: United Kingdom National Multidisciplinary Guidelines
Authors: Pracy P , Loughran S , Good J , Parmar S , Goranova R
Published: May 2016

This is the official guideline endorsed by the specialty associations involved in the care of head and neck cancer patients in the UK. With an age standardised incidence rate of 0.63 per 100 000 population, hypopharynx cancers account for a small proportion of the head and neck cancer workload in the UK, and thus suffer from the lack of high level evidence. This paper discusses the evidence base pertaining to the management of hypopharyngeal cancer and provides recommendations on management for this group of patients receiving cancer care.

Recommendations

• Cross-sectional imaging with computed tomography of the head, neck and chest is necessary for all patients; magnetic resonance imaging of the primary site is useful particularly in advanced disease; and computed tomography and positron emission tomography to look for distant disease. (R)

• Careful evaluation of the upper and lower extents of the disease is necessary, which may require contrast swallow or computed tomography and positron emission tomography imaging. (R)

• Formal rigid endoscopic assessment under general anaesthetic should be performed. (R)

• Nutritional status should be proactively managed. (R)

• Full and unbiased discussion of treatment options should take place to allow informed patient choice. (G)

• Early stage disease can be treated equally effectively with surgery or radiotherapy. (R)

• Endoscopic resection can be considered for early well localised lesions. (R)

• Bulky advanced tumours require circumferential or non-circumferential resection with wide margins to account for submucosal spread. (R)

• Offer primary surgical treatment in the setting of a compromised larynx or significant dysphagia. (R)

• Midline lesions require bilateral neck dissections. (R)

• Consider management of silent nodal areas usually not addressed for other primary sites. (G)

• Reconstruction needs to be individualised to the patients’ needs and based on the experience of the unit with different reconstructive techniques. (G)

• Consider tumour bulk reduction with induction chemotherapy prior to definitive radiotherapy. (R)

• Consider intensity modulated radiation therapy where possible to limit the consequences of wide field irradiation to a large volume. (R)

• Use concomitant chemotherapy in patients who are fit enough and consider epidermal growth factor receptor blockers for those who are less fit. (R)
Riboflavin status, MTHFR genotype and blood pressure: current evidence and implications for personalised nutrition
Authors: McAuley E. , McNulty H. , Hughes C. , Strain J. J. , Ward M.
Published: May 2016

Clinical deficiency of the B-vitamin riboflavin (vitamin B2) is largely confined to developing countries; however accumulating evidence indicates that suboptimal riboflavin status is a widespread problem across the developed world. Few international data are available on riboflavin status as measured by the functional biomarker, erythrocyte glutathione reductase activation coefficient, considered to be the gold standard index. One important role of riboflavin in the form of flavin dinucleotide is as a co-factor for the folate-metabolising enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). Homozygosity for the common C677T polymorphism in MTHFR, affecting over 10 % of the UK and Irish populations and up to 32 % of other populations worldwide, has been associated with an increased risk of CVD, and more recently with hypertension. This review will explore available studies reporting riboflavin status worldwide, the interaction of riboflavin with theMTHFRC677T polymorphism and the potential role of riboflavin in personalised nutrition. Evidence is accumulating for a novel role of riboflavin as an important modulator of blood pressure (BP) specifically in individuals with theMTHFR677TT genotype, with results from a number of recent randomised controlled trials demonstrating that riboflavin supplementation can significantly reduce systolic BP by 5–13 mmHg in these genetically at risk adults. Studies are however required to investigate the BP-lowering effect of riboflavin in different populations and in response to doses higher than 1·6 mg/d. Furthermore, work focusing on the translation of this research to health professionals and patients is also required.
Berries and anthocyanins: promising functional food ingredients with postprandial glycaemia-lowering effects
Authors: Castro-Acosta Monica L. , Lenihan-Geels Georgia N. , Corpe Christopher P. , Hall Wendy L.
Published: May 2016

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is predicted to reach unprecedented levels in the next few decades. In addition to excess body weight, there may be other overlapping dietary drivers of impaired glucose homeostasis that are associated with an obesogenic diet, such as regular exposure to postprandial spikes in blood glucose arising from diets dominated by highly refined starches and added sugars. Strategies to reduce postprandial hyperglycaemia by optimising the functionality of foods would strengthen efforts to reduce the risk of T2D. Berry bioactives, including anthocyanins, are recognised for their inhibitory effects on carbohydrate digestion and glucose absorption. Regular consumption of berries has been associated with a reduction in the risk of T2D. This review aims to examine the evidence fromin vitro, animal and human studies, showing that berries and berry anthocyanins may act in the gut to modulate postprandial glycaemia. Specifically, berry extracts and anthocyanins inhibit the activities of pancreatic α-amylase and α-glucosidase in the gut lumen, and interact with intestinal sugar transporters, sodium-dependent glucose transporter 1 and GLUT2, to reduce the rate of glucose uptake into the circulation. Growing evidence from randomised controlled trials suggests that berry extracts, purées and nectars acutely inhibit postprandial glycaemia and insulinaemia following oral carbohydrate loads. Evidence to date presents a sound basis for exploring the potential for using berries/berry extracts as an additional stratagem to weight loss, adherence to dietary guidelines and increasing physical exercise, for the prevention of T2D.
Factors influencing bone mass accrual: focus on nutritional aspects
Authors: Viljakainen H. T.
Published: May 2016

Until recently, much of the research exploring the role of nutrition on bone mass accrual has focused on single nutrients. Although randomised controlled trials have provided key information about the effects of calcium and vitamin D on bone, they also have limitations, e.g. generalisation, implementation of the results and long-term consequences. Human subjects do not eat single nutrients, but foods, and describing healthy food patterns for optimising bone mineral accrual is warranted. Recent advances in research suggest that the effects of whole diet are larger than those of single nutrients on bone health. Research should focus on younger age groups to identify the life-course determinants of osteoporosis during prenatal, infancy, childhood and adolescence that would help to maximise peak bone mass. Food patterns that describe the variability, quality and choices of individuals give broader insight and may provide new strategies for preventing osteoporosis.
Development of Multi-word Sequences by Adolescent EFL Learners through Online Interaction
Authors: Lin Yen-Liang
Published: May 2016

The term Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) has been widely used since the 1990s to refer to a wide range of computer technology that facilitates human communication through the Internet, and applied linguists are increasingly concerning themselves with the influence of computer networks on language use (Crystal, 2006; Hassan & Hashim, 2009; Lewin & Donner, 2002). In the English as a foreign language (EFL) context, text-based CMC has been widely adopted as a learning tool as it provides learners with authentic input, as well as opportunities to communicate with native speakers of English and to participate in the target social and cultural contexts (Liaw & Master, 2010; Lin, 2015; Sasaki, 2010).
Selmer Groups and AnticyclotomicZp-extensions
Authors: MATAR AHMED
Published: May 2016

LetE/Qbe an elliptic curve,pa prime andK∞/Kthe anticyclotomicZp-extension of a quadratic imaginary fieldKsatisfying the Heegner hypothesis. In this paper we give a new proof to a theorem of Bertolini which determines the value of the Λ-corank of Selp∞(E/K∞) in the case whereEhas ordinary reduction atp. In the case whereEhas supersingular reduction atpwe make a conjecture about the structure of the module of Heegner points modp. Assuming this conjecture we give a new proof to a theorem of Ciperiani which determines the value of the Λ-corank of Selp∞(E/K∞) in the case whereEhas supersingular reduction atp.
Semantic clustering and sleep in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment or with vascular cognitive impairment-no dementia
Authors: Sun Qingna , Luo Lanlan , Ren Honglei , Wei Changjuan , Xing Mengya , Cheng Yan , Zhang Nan
Published: May 2016

Background:

Cognition and sleep deficits occur in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and vascular cognitive impairment-no dementia (VCIND). However, how memory and sleep deficits differ between aMCI and VCIND remains unclear.

Methods:

Fifty aMCI and 50 VCIND patients and 38 sex- and age-matched healthy controls (HCs) were administered the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R), Trail Making Test-A/B (TMT-A/B), Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT), Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), Benton Judgment of Line Orientation (JLO) test, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) to quantify cognitive deficits and subjective sleep disturbance.

Results:

Compared with VCIND patients, aMCI patients had lower HVLT-R scores for total recall (p< 0.001), delayed recall (p< 0.001) and recognition (p= 0.001), and for total-recall (p= 0.002) and delayed-recall (p< 0.001) semantic clustering ratios (SCRs). However, VCIND patients exhibited more obvious executive dysfunction (TMT-A,p< 0.001; TMT-B,p< 0.001; WCST,p< 0.001), lower information processing speed (PASAT,p= 0.003; SDMT,p< 0.001), and more severe sleep disturbance (PSQI,p< 0.001; ESS,p< 0.001; ISI,p< 0.001). Additionally, sleep quality and efficiency were related to total and delayed recall (all r values from −0.31 to −0.60,p< 0.05) in aMCI and VCIND.

Conclusions:

aMCI and VCIND differ in cognitive function, memory strategy and sleep impairment; these characteristics are helpful to identify and distinguish patients with very early cognitive impairment. Our results also suggest that memory deficits are associated with sleep disturbance in aMCI and VCIND.
The birth of urban modernity in Gangnam, Seoul
Authors: Kim Jung In
Published: May 2016

This study explores a formative period in the development of Gangnam, an exclusive district south of the Han River that was conceived of and shaped in the context of South Korea's militaristic and capitalist urban culture of the late 1960s. Created in imitation of what was at the time considered to be a highly modern urbanism that had been transplanted not only from the West but also from neighboring countries such as Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore, Gangnam was meant to provide an urban zone that would be secure from the threat of North Korean aggression while simultaneously proclaiming South Korea's ambitions to become a modern nation. This drive to create a new identity for Korea as a capitalist and developed nation, combined with the strong authoritarian nature of the South Korean state, meant that the implementation of modernist architecture and urbanism in Gangnam was primarily made to serve the nation-building and entrepreneurial ambitions of the state. Gangnam thus provides an example of the implementation of modernist structures and planning concepts that were originally envisioned as ways of providing meaningful public space by countering unchecked private speculation (i.e. massive apartment complexes, neighborhood units, superblocks, and automobile-oriented roadways) in the service of materialism at its most flamboyant. This perplexing condition could be said to be the result of what happens when architectural or urban forms are emptied of their publically-oriented ethical impulse, particularly in state-led large-scale urbanisation. While Gangnam can in some respects be considered to be a successful implementation of a modernist cityscape in the sense that it continues to be developed and thrive, it has become the centre of a segregated and unequal urbanity characterized by a highly materialist and extremely competitive culture that is diametrically opposed to the original intentions of those earlier modernist avant-gardes.
Seasonal cycles in food purchases and changes in BMI among South Africans participating in a health promotion programme
Authors: Sturm Roland , Patel Deepak , Alexander Elle , Paramanund Jithen
Published: May 2016

Objective

Improving diet quality is a key factor for promoting population health. Social norms can support or undermine these efforts. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between seasonal variation in food purchases and BMI.

Design

The study population comprises members of a South African health promotion programme. Data come from scanner data of food purchases by 400 000 enrolled households at supermarkets and repeated individual surveys (about 500 000 participants) between 2009 and 2013.

Results

Members in the health promotion programme spent 16·7 % of total food expenditure on nutritionally undesirable foods (sugar-sweetened beverages, candy, ice cream, etc.) and 24·7 % on healthy foods (fruit/vegetables, whole grains, non-fat dairy, etc.). Fruits and vegetables accounted for 13·5 % of purchases (half of all healthy food spending). Yet there were pronounced seasonal variations, with December being the peak month for unhealthy food purchases, which were 40 % higher than in January. This holiday peak was associated with short-term weight gain, but average body mass did not revert to pre-holiday levels. From 2009 to 2013, respondents gained about 0·13 BMI units per year (0·43 kg for men, 0·30 for women). From November to January alone, the increase was 0·1 BMI units for men (0·35 kg) and 0·8 BMI units for women (0·20 kg).

Conclusions

Purchases of nutritionally undesirable foods peak in December and are accompanied by weight gain from November to January. Despite weight loss after January, the November to January weight gain accounts for 60–70 % of the annual gain.
DUALITIES FOR MAXIMAL COACTIONS
Authors: KALISZEWSKI S. , OMLAND TRON , QUIGG JOHN
Published: May 2016

We present a new construction of crossed-product duality for maximal coactions that uses Fischer’s work on maximalizations. Given a group $G$ and a coaction $(A,\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF})$ we define a generalized fixed-point algebra as a certain subalgebra of $M(A\rtimes _{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}}G\rtimes _{\,\widehat{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}}}G)$, and recover the coaction via this double crossed product. Our goal is to formulate this duality in a category-theoretic context, and one advantage of our construction is that it breaks down into parts that are easy to handle in this regard. We first explain this for the category of nondegenerate *-homomorphisms and then, analogously, for the category of $C^{\ast }$-correspondences. Also, we outline partial results for the ‘outer’ category, which has been studied previously by the authors.
Habitat and dung preferences of scarab beetles of the subfamily Scarabaeinae: a case study in a tropical monsoon forest in Sri Lanka
Authors: Hewavithana Dishane K. , Wijesinghe Mayuri R. , Dangalle Chandima D. , Dharmarathne H. A. S. Gayan
Published: May 2016

We studied the food and habitat preferences of beetles of the subfamily Scarabaeinae in a protected tropical monsoon forest, the Wasgomuwa National Park in Sri Lanka. While gaining an insight into the capacity of different resources to support dung beetles, we tested the hypothesis that, in a landscape with a mosaic of habitat types and a diversity of large mammals, specialization facilitates coexistence of the scarabs. Pitfall traps were laid in five distinct habitat types (forest, riverine, sandy banks, scrub and grassland), and baited with five dung types (leopard, cervid, elephant, bear and buffalo). Four hundred and fifty seven beetles of 22 species in seven genera were recorded. Significant differences were seen in the species richness and abundance of dung beetles between different habitats and dung types, indicating habitat and food preferences. The highest richness of scarabs was in the riverine habitat and in leopard dung. Niche breath values of the individual species indicated differences in the degrees of specialization, while niche overlap values indicated a greater sharing of dung beetle species between similar habitats and dung types than between dissimilar ones. These findings provide evidence that selectivity of habitat, and dung, may be important in promoting coexistence among the scarabs in a tropical environment.
Normierung der Adult ADHD Self-Report-Scale-V1.1 und der ADHS Selbstbeurteilungsskala an einer repräsentativen deutschsprachigen Stichprobe
Authors: Mörstedt Beatrice , Corbisiero Salvatore , Stieglitz Rolf-Dieter
Published: May 2016

Zusammenfassung. Die beiden Verfahren Adult ADHD Self-Report-Scale-V1.1 (ASRS-V1.1) und ADHS-Selbstbeurteilungsskala (ADHS-SB) sind häufig eingesetzte Instrumente zur Diagnostik einer adulten ADHS. Für beide Verfahren steht allerdings eine Normierung für die deutschsprachige Allgemeinbevölkerung bisher aus. Zur Erstellung von repräsentativen Normwerten der Skalen für die Allgemeinbevölkerung wurden N = 640 Personen (300 Männer, 340 Frauen) in der deutschsprachigen Schweiz rekrutiert. Mit Hilfe von Varianzanalysen mit den Haupteffekten Geschlecht und Alter wurde ermittelt, dass altersspezifische Normen sinnvoll sind. Es wurden daher für beide Selbstbeurteilungsverfahren Normierungen für die Gesamtbevölkerung, als auch für verschiedene Altersränge (18 – 19; 20 – 39; 40 – 64 und über 64) bestimmt. Für beide Selbstbeurteilungsverfahren wurden Prozentränge und Stanine-Werte berechnet. Infolgedessen wurden kritische Werte entwickelt, bei deren Erreichen unbedingt eine genaue ADHS Abklärung stattfinden sollte.
IAL-K: Entwicklung einer Kurzform der Interpersonalen Adjektivliste
Authors: Jacobs Ingo , Scholl Wolfgang
Published: May 2016

Zusammenfassung. Der Interpersonale Circumplex (IC) ist ein etabliertes Modell zur Beschreibung und Messung interpersonaler Variablen. Die Kurzversion der Interpersonalen Adjektivliste (IAL-K) setzt das IC-Konzept zur Messung individueller Unterschiede im interpersonalen Stil um. Anhand von vier Stichproben (N1 = 1127, N2 = 610, N3 = 286, N4 = 128) wurden die IAL-Skalen um 47 % auf 34 Items gekürzt und die Kurzskalen hinsichtlich ihrer strukturellen, konvergenten und divergenten Validität, Reliabilität und zeitlichen Stabilität geprüft. Ferner wurde ihr konstruktanalytisches Potenzial an 14 Kriteriumsvariablen veranschaulicht. Die IAL-K zeigte gute Konstruktvalidität, zufriedenstellende psychometrische Eigenschaften und hohe Konvergenz zur IAL. Sie kann daher als reliable, valide und inhaltlich nahezu deckungsgleiche, jedoch deutlich ökonomischere Kurzversion der IAL betrachtet werden.
Erprobung eines Gruppentests zur Überprüfung des Grammatikverständnisses auf der Basis des TROG-D
Authors: Lüke Timo , Ritterfeld Ute , Tröster Heinrich
Published: May 2016

Zusammenfassung. Zur Erfassung der rezeptiven grammatischen Kompetenzen liegt mit dem TROG-D (deutsche Version [D], basierend auf dem englischsprachigen Test for Reception of Grammar [TROG]; Bishop, 1989 ) ein anerkanntes Verfahren vor, das im Einzelsetting durchgeführt wird und einschließlich Auswertung etwa eine halbe Stunde beansprucht. In der vorliegenden Studie wurde ein auf dem TROG-D basierender Gruppentest erprobt, der beispielsweise den Einsatz in Schulklassen ermöglichen soll. Die überarbeitete Testversion wurde an 93 Zweit- und Drittklässlerinnen und -klässlern erprobt. Zwei Wochen später wurden alle Teilnehmenden mit dem TROG-D im Einzelsetting getestet. Eine ROC-Analyse (Receiver Operating Characteristic) und etablierte Screening-Gütekriterien lieferten klare Belege dafür, dass es mit dem Gruppentest gelingt, diejenigen Kinder zu identifizieren, die sich auch in der Einzeltestung mit dem TROG-D als unterdurchschnittlich erweisen. Die Ergebnisse belegen das grundsätzlich große Potential eines solchen Gruppentests und geben Ansatzpunkte zur Weiterentwicklung dieser Vorgehensweise.
Die Dialectical Behavior Therapy Ways of Coping Checklist (DBT-WCCL)
Authors: Burmeister Kerstin , Höschel Klaus , Barenbrügge Jens , Chrysanthou Christos , Rist Fred , Neacsiu Andrada Delia , Pedersen Anya
Published: May 2016

Zusammenfassung. Ziel dieser Arbeit war die Erprobung und Validierung einer deutschen Version der Dialectical Behavior Therapy Ways of Coping Checklist (DBT-WCCL, Neacsiu, Rizui, Vitaliano, Lynch & Linehan, 2010 ), einem Fragebogen zur Erhebung der Häufigkeit der Nutzung von Skills, wie sie im Rahmen der Dialektisch-Behavioralen Therapie (DBT) vermittelt werden. Hierzu bearbeiteten 150 Patientinnen mit Borderline Persönlichkeitsstörung eine deutschsprachige Übersetzung, sowie Fragebögen zur Symptomschwere. Weitere 40 Patientinnen füllten die DBT-WCCL im Rahmen einer stationären DBT zu 5 Messzeitpunkten aus. Die drei Faktoren der Originalversion ließen sich replizieren. Weiterführende Analysen zeigten gute interne Konsistenzen und Retest-Reliabilitäten. Erwartungsgemäße Zunahmen auf der Subskala zur Erfassung von Skillsanwendung während der stationären DBT sowie erwartungsgemäße Zusammenhänge der DBT-WCCL mit der Skills- und DBT-Erfahrung geben erste Hinweise auf die Validität des Verfahrens.
GADD34 suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced sepsis and tissue injury through the regulation of macrophage activation
Authors: Ito S , Tanaka Y , Oshino R , Okado S , Hori M , Isobe K-I
Published: May 2016

Growth arrest and DNA damage inducible protein 34 (GADD34) is induced by various cellular stresses, such as DNA damage, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and amino-acid deprivation. Although the major roles of GADD34 are regulating ER stress responses and apoptosis, a recent study suggested that GADD34 is linked to innate immune responses. In this report, we investigated the roles of GADD34 in inflammatory responses against bacterial infection. To explore the effects of GADD34 on systemic inflammation in vivo, we employed a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced murine sepsis model and assessed the lethality, serum cytokine levels, and tissue injury in the presence or absence of GADD34. We found that GADD34 deficiency increased the lethality and serum cytokine levels in LPS-induced sepsis. Moreover, GADD34 deficiency enhanced tissue destruction, cell death, and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in LPS-induced acute liver injury. Pro-inflammatory cytokine production after LPS stimulation is regulated by the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-mediated NF-κB signaling pathway. In vitro experiments revealed that GADD34 suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokine production by macrophages through dephosphorylation of IKKβ. In conclusion, GADD34 attenuates LPS-induced sepsis and acute tissue injury through suppressing macrophage activation. Targeting this anti-inflammatory role of GADD34 may be a promising area for the development of therapeutic agents to regulate inflammatory disorders.
Intraventricular injections of mesenchymal stem cells activate endogenous functional remyelination in a chronic demyelinating murine model
Authors: Cruz-Martinez P , González-Granero S , Molina-Navarro M M , Pacheco-Torres J , García-Verdugo J M , Geijo-Barrientos E , Jones J , Martinez S
Published: May 2016

Current treatments for demyelinating diseases are generally only capable of ameliorating the symptoms, with little to no effect in decreasing myelin loss nor promoting functional recovery. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown by many researchers to be a potential therapeutic tool in treating various neurodegenerative diseases, including demyelinating disorders. However, in the majority of the cases, the effect was only observed locally, in the area surrounding the graft. Thus, in order to achieve general remyelination in various brain structures simultaneously, bone marrow-derived MSCs were transplanted into the lateral ventricles (LVs) of the cuprizone murine model. In this manner, the cells may secrete soluble factors into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and boost the endogenous oligodendrogenic potential of the subventricular zone (SVZ). As a result, oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) were recruited within the corpus callosum (CC) over time, correlating with an increased myelin content. Electrophysiological studies, together with electron microscopy (EM) analysis, indicated that the newly formed myelin correctly enveloped the demyelinated axons and increased signal transduction through the CC. Moreover, increased neural stem progenitor cell (NSPC) proliferation was observed in the SVZ, possibly due to the tropic factors released by the MSCs. In conclusion, the findings of this study revealed that intraventricular injections of MSCs is a feasible method to elicit a paracrine effect in the oligodendrogenic niche of the SVZ, which is prone to respond to the factors secreted into the CSF and therefore promoting oligodendrogenesis and functional remyelination.
Erratum: Magnetic droplet nucleation boundary in orthogonal spin-torque nano-oscillators
Authors: Chung Sunjae , Eklund Anders , Iacocca Ezio , Mohseni Seyed Majid , Sani Sohrab R. , Bookman Lake , Hoefer Mark A. , Dumas Randy K. , Åkerman Johan
Published: May 2016

Nature Communications 7 Article number: 11209 (2016); Published: 18 April 2016; Updated: 12 May 2016. The affiliation details for Mark A. Hoefer are incorrect in this Article. The correct affiliation details for this author are given below: Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0526, USA.
Cytochrome b5 reductase and the control of lipid metabolism and healthspan
Authors: Martin-Montalvo Alejandro , Sun Yaning , Diaz-Ruiz Alberto , Ali Ahmed , Gutierrez Vincent , Palacios Hector H , Curtis Jessica , Siendones Emilio , Ariza Julia , Abulwerdi Gelareh A , Sun Xiaoping , Wang Annie X , Pearson Kevin J , Fishbein Kenneth W , Spencer Richard G , Wang Miao , Han Xianlin , Scheibye-Knudsen Morten , Baur Joe A , Shertzer Howard G , Navas Placido , Villalba Jose Manuel , Zou Sige , Bernier Michel , de Cabo Rafael
Published: May 2016

Cytochrome b5 reductases (CYB5R) are required for the elongation and desaturation of fatty acids, cholesterol synthesis and mono-oxygenation of cytochrome P450 enzymes, all of which are associated with protection against metabolic disorders. However, the physiological role of CYB5R in the context of metabolism, healthspan and aging remains ill-defined. We generated CYB5R-overexpressing flies (CYB5R-OE) and created a transgenic mouse line overexpressing CYB5R3 (CYB5R3-Tg) in the C57BL/6J background to investigate the function of this class of enzymes as regulators of metabolism and age-associated pathologies. Gender- and/or stage-specific induction of CYB5R, and pharmacological activation of CYB5R with tetrahydroindenoindole extended fly lifespan. Increased expression of CYB5R3 was associated with significant improvements in several metabolic parameters that resulted in modest lifespan extension in mice. Diethylnitrosamine-induced liver carcinogenesis was reduced in CYB5R3-Tg mice. Accumulation of high levels of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, improvement in mitochondrial function, decrease in oxidative damage and inhibition of chronic pro-inflammatory pathways occurred in the transgenic animals. These results indicate that CYB5R represents a new target in the study of genes that regulate lipid metabolism and healthspan.
Dandruff is associated with the conjoined interactions between host and microorganisms
Authors: Xu Zhijue , Wang Zongxiu , Yuan Chao , Liu Xiaoping , Yang Fang , Wang Ting , Wang Junling , Manabe Kenji , Qin Ou , Wang Xuemin , Zhang Yan , Zhang Menghui
Published: May 2016

Dandruff is an unpleasant scalp disorder common to human populations. In this study, we systematically investigated the intra- and inter-associations among dandruff, physiological conditions such as sebum of the scalp, host demographics such as gender, age and the region of the scalp, and the microorganisms on the scalp. We found that the physiological conditions were highly relevant to the host age and varied in different regions of the same scalp. The sebum quantity and water content were negatively correlated with the formation of dandruff and had significant relationships with the two dominant but reciprocally inhibited bacteria on the scalp (Propionibacterium and Staphylococcus). The dominant fungus (Malassezia species) displayed contrary roles in its contribution to the healthy scalp micro-environment. Bacteria and fungi didn’t show a close association with each other, but the intramembers were tightly linked. Bacteria had a stronger relationship with the severity of dandruff than fungi. Our results indicated that the severity of dandruff was closely associated with the interactions between the host and microorganisms. This study suggests that adjusting the balance of the bacteria on the scalp, particularly by enhancing Propionibacterium and suppressing Staphylococcus, might be a potential solution to lessen dandruff.
Characterization of Graphene-based FET Fabricated using a Shadow Mask
Authors: Tien Dung Hoang , Park Jun-Young , Kim Ki Buem , Lee Naesung , Seo Yongho
Published: May 2016

To pattern electrical metal contacts, electron beam lithography or photolithography are commonly utilized and these processes require polymer resists with solvents. During the patterning process the graphene surface is exposed to chemicals and the residue on the graphene surface was unable to be completely removed by any method, causing the graphene layer to be contaminated. A lithography free method can overcome these residue problems. In this study, we use a micro-grid as a shadow mask to fabricate a graphene based field-effect-transistor (FET). Electrical measurements of the graphene based FET samples are carried out in air and vacuum. It is found that the Dirac peaks of the graphene devices on SiO2 or on hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) shift from a positive gate voltage region to a negative region as air pressure decreases. In particular, the Dirac peaks shift very rapidly when the pressure decreases from ~2 × 10−3 Torr to ~5 × 10−5 Torr within 5 minutes. These Dirac peak shifts are known as adsorption and desorption of environmental gases, but the shift amounts are considerably different depending on the fabrication process. The high gas sensitivity of the device fabricated by shadow mask is attributed to adsorption on the clean graphene surface.
Determination of Stark parameters by cross-calibration in a multi-element laser-induced plasma
Authors: Liu Hao , Truscott Benjamin S. , Ashfold Michael N. R.
Published: May 2016

We illustrate a Stark broadening analysis of the electron density Ne and temperature Te in a laser-induced plasma (LIP), using a model free of assumptions regarding local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). The method relies on Stark parameters determined also without assuming LTE, which are often unknown and unavailable in the literature. Here, we demonstrate that the necessary values can be obtained in situ by cross-calibration between the spectral lines of different charge states, and even different elements, given determinations of Ne and Te based on appropriate parameters for at least one observed transition. This approach enables essentially free choice between species on which to base the analysis, extending the range over which these properties can be measured and giving improved access to low-density plasmas out of LTE. Because of the availability of suitable tabulated values for several charge states of both Si and C, the example of a SiC LIP is taken to illustrate the consistency and accuracy of the procedure. The cross-calibrated Stark parameters are at least as reliable as values obtained by other means, offering a straightforward route to extending the literature in this area.