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It is unclear whether physiological responses, such as muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2), can be considered symmetrical during cycling. This knowledge has important practical implications for both training and performance assessment. The aim of this study was to determine whether oxygenation profiles in the three active muscles of both legs were symmetrical during cycling at different intensities. Twenty‐six trained cyclists and triathletes completed a graded exercise test (GXT) and an 8‐min functional threshold power estimation test (8MTT) on a cycle ergometer over two nonconsecutive days. SmO2 was bilaterally assessed using NIRS technology in the vastus lateralis, gastrocnemius medialis, and tibialis anterior. Symmetry was compared between legs in both tests, and reliability and agreement between the measurements were quantified. The main results were that SmO2 in the three muscles assessed did not differ between legs during the GXT and 8MTT (p > 0.05). Reliability of the measures was poor to good in the vastus lateralis (ICC = 0.83–0.37), moderate to excellent in the tibialis anterior (ICC = 0.92–0.73), and poor to good for the gastrocnemius medialis (ICC = 0.80–0.24). Overall, the group variability in SmO2 showed a narrower distribution at lower intensities, with data dispersion increasing at higher intensities. In conclusion, the SmO2 was similar and showed symmetrical responses in both the preferred and nonpreferred limb in different muscles assessed during cycling at different intensities within a range of 10%–20%. Although individual physiological differences that might be relevant in some clinical/performance settings should not be disregarded, these findings indicate that measuring a single lower limb provides an accurate approximation of the responses in both lower limbs. Highlights: This study indicates that assessing the SmO2 signal of one leg during exercise testing should provide information that is largely representative of the profiles in both legs, at least during laboratory testing conditions on a stationary cycle ergometer.Reliability for most measurements was good but was reduced for the gastrocnemius medialis at low intensities and vastus lateralis at high intensities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are a contaminant of emerging interest, often used in the medical field as an imaging contrast agent, with additional uses in wastewater treatment and as food additives. Although the use of SPIONs is increasing, little research has been conducted on the toxic impacts to living organisms beyond traditional lethal concentration endpoints. Daphnia magna are model organisms for aquatic toxicity testing with a well understood metabolome and high sensitivity to SPIONs. Thus, as environmental concentrations continue to increase, it is becoming critical to understand their sub‐lethal toxicity. Due to the paramagnetic nature of SPIONs, a range of potential nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) experiments are possible, offering the potential to probe the physical location (via imaging), binding (via relaxation weighted spectroscopy), and the biochemical pathways impacted (via in vivo metabolomics). Results indicate binding to carbohydrates, likely chitin in the exoskeleton, along with a decrease in energy metabolites and specific biomarkers of oxidative stress. The holistic NMR framework used here helps provide a more comprehensive understanding of SPIONs impacts on D. magna and showcases NMR's versatility in providing physical, chemical, and biochemical insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Selective Social Attention (SSA) task is a brief eye‐tracking task involving experimental conditions varying along socio‐communicative axes. Traditionally the SSA has been used to probe socially‐specific attentional patterns in infants and toddlers who develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This current work extends these findings to preschool and school‐age children. Children 4‐ to 12‐years‐old with ASD (N = 23) and a typically‐developing comparison group (TD; N = 25) completed the SSA task as well as standardized clinical assessments. Linear mixed models examined group and condition effects on two outcome variables: percent of time spent looking at the scene relative to scene presentation time (%Valid), and percent of time looking at the face relative to time spent looking at the scene (%Face). Age and IQ were included as covariates. Outcome variables' relationships to clinical data were assessed via correlation analysis. The ASD group, compared to the TD group, looked less at the scene and focused less on the actress' face during the most socially‐engaging experimental conditions. Additionally, within the ASD group, %Face negatively correlated with SRS total T‐scores with a particularly strong negative correlation with the Autistic Mannerism subscale T‐score. These results highlight the extensibility of the SSA to older children with ASD, including replication of between‐group differences previously seen in infants and toddlers, as well as its ability to capture meaningful clinical variation within the autism spectrum across a wide developmental span inclusive of preschool and school‐aged children. The properties suggest that the SSA may have broad potential as a biomarker for ASD. Lay Summary: Previous work found that an infant's or toddler's performance on a simple eye‐tracking task was different depending on if they had a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder or not. This article shows that the same differences exist in 4‐ to 12‐year‐olds and shows that performance on this task is different for those with higher ratings of autistic traits. This is an important step in being able to use a quick, easy technology like eye tracking to help clinicians identify risk or track possible changes in behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An index of heart rate variability (HRV), detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA a1) has gathered interest as a surrogate marker of exercise intensity boundaries. The aim of this report was to examine heart rate variability threshold (HRVT) behavior across different ramp incremental (RI) slopes. Seventeen participants completed a series of three RI (15, 30, and 45 W · min−1 slopes) with monitoring of gas exchange parameters, heart rate (HR) and HRV. HRVT1 was defined as the V̇O2 or HR at which DFA a1 reached 0.75 and the HRVT2 at which these values reached 0.5. HRVTs were compared by Pearson's r, Bland–Altman analysis, ICC3,1, ANOVA, and paired t‐testing. An excellent degree of reliability was seen across all three ramps, with an ICC3,1 of 0.93 and 0.88 for the HRVT1 V̇O2 and HR, respectively, and 0.90 and 0.92 for the HRVT2 V̇O2 and HR, respectively. Correlations between HRVT1/2 of the individual ramps were high with r values 0.84–0.95 for both HR and V̇O2. Bland–Altman differences ranged between −1.4 and 1.2 mL · kg−1 · min−1 and −2 and +2 bpm. Paired t‐testing showed no mean differences between any HRVT1/2 ramp comparisons. Cycling ramp slope does not appear to affect either HRVT1 or HRVT2 in terms of HR or V̇O2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction between humic acid (HA) and engineered nanoparticles (NPs) is critical in environmental sciences, especially for understanding the behavior of NPs in natural waters. This study employs 1H 2D Multi‐Exponential Transverse Relaxation (METR) NMR spectroscopy to examine the molecular‐level interactions between Pahokee Peat humic acid (HA) and carboxyl‐functionalized iron oxide nanoparticles (NPCOs). First, 1H 2D METR NMR spectroscopy allowed not only the identification of HA in terms of its chemical composition but also the separation of molecules with the same chemical shift values but different rates of molecular tumbling. Then, using solutions with varying NPCO concentrations (0, 10, 40, and 100 μM), we observed significant changes in the T2 relaxation times of HA components, indicating interactions between HA and NPCO. Analysis showed the biggest effect on two chemical shift regions, corresponding to lipids and carbohydrates, revealing that smaller molecules within these regions exhibit the most significant changes in T2 values upon the addition of NPCO. This suggests that these molecules are the initial sites of interaction, with the entire HA system being affected at higher NPCO concentrations. These findings highlight the utility of METR NMR spectroscopy in studying complex environmental mixtures and provide insights into the behavior of HA and NPs, essential for understanding the fate of NPs in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benign acute childhood myositis (BACM) is a rare and self-limiting disease that typically occurs in children aged 4-12 years after a viral infection. Elevated creatine kinase (CK) levels can lead to hospitalization due to the risk of rhabdomyolysis. A Spanish retrospective study conducted at a tertiary hospital investigated the etiology, management, progression, and complications of BACM. The study found that BACM is most common during periods of heightened influenza activity and is characterized by muscular pain, fever, and gait abnormalities. However, BACM does not typically result in acute renal failure, and patients generally experience complete resolution of symptoms within a week without the need for specific treatment or further testing. [Extracted from the article]

New Findings: What is the central question of this study?What is the effect of an elevated carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb) concentration following carbon monoxide inhalation on the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) in humans and is this effect dependent on aerobic fitness?What is the main finding and its importance?An elevated COHb concentration intensified physiological responses to exercise at the MLSS – including heart rate, ventilation and peripheral fatigue – in general and reduced the MLSS (i.e., destabilized the blood lactate concentration) in trained but not untrained males and females. This study investigated whether a lower effective [Hb], induced by carbon monoxide (CO) inhalation, reduces the peak oxygen uptake (V̇O2peak${\dot{V}}_{{{\rm{O}}}_{\rm{2}}{\rm{peak}}}$) and the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) and whether training status explains individual variation in these impairments. Healthy young participants completed two ramp incremental tests (n = 20, 10 female) and two trials at MLSS (n = 16, eight female) following CO rebreathe tests and sham procedures (SHAM) in random orders. All fitness variables were normalized to fat‐free mass (FFM) to account for sex‐related differences in body composition, and males and females were matched for aerobic fitness. The V̇O2peak${\dot{V}}_{{{\rm{O}}}_{\rm{2}}{\rm{peak}}}$ (mean (SD): −4.2 (3.7)%), peak power output (PPO) (−3.3 (2.2)%) and respiratory compensation point (RCP) (−6.3 (4.5)%) were reduced in CO compared with SHAM (P < 0.001 for all), but the gas exchange threshold (−3.3 (7.1)%) was not (P = 0.077). Decreases in V̇O2peak${\dot{V}}_{{{\rm{O}}}_{\rm{2}}{\rm{peak}}}$ (r = −0.45; P = 0.047) and PPO (r = −0.49; P = 0.029) in CO were correlated with baseline aerobic fitness. Compared to SHAM, physiological and perceptual indicators of exercise‐related stress were exacerbated by CO while cycling at MLSS. Notably, the mean blood lactate concentration ([La]) increased (i.e., Δ[La] >1.0 mM) between 10 min (5.5 (1.4) mM) and 30 min (6.8 (1.3) mM; P = 0.026) in CO, with 9/16 participants classified as unstable. These unstable participants had a higher V̇O2peak${\dot{V}}_{{{\rm{O}}}_{\rm{2}}{\rm{peak}}}$ (66.2 (8.5) vs. 56.4 (8.8) ml kg FFM−1 min−1, P = 0.042) and V̇O2${\dot{V}}_{{{\rm{O}}}_{\rm{2}}}$ at MLSS (55.8 (7.0) vs. 44.3 (7.0) ml kg FFM−1 min−1, P = 0.006) compared to the stable group. In conclusion, a reduced O2‐carrying capacity decreased maximal and submaximal exercise performance, with higher aerobic fitness associated with greater impairments in both. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth in special education have complex needs that are supported across multiple systems. Our research investigates the use of adult income assistance, as one structure that supports youth as they transition to adulthood. We created a cohort of youth (5–22 years old) using linked administrative data from British Columbia government ministries from 1996 to 2018. Youth were grouped by their special education funding (most to least; Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Unfunded, and no special education). We investigated (1) youth characteristics and service use patterns, (2) which youth used income supports after the child‐to‐adult transition (19–22 years old), and what youth characteristics and service use patterns were associated with use, and (3) how much income support they used (CAD$). Of 174,527 youth, 254 (0.1%) were Level 1, 6020 (3.4%) were Level 2, 4409 (2.5%) were Level 3, 21,232 (12.2%) were Unfunded, and 142,612 (81.7%) were not in special education. Youth assigned higher funding levels, compared to lower levels, generally had increased service use, and in the transition to adult services were more likely to use income supports, and received more income support. An important exception was youth with serious behavioural/mental health special education funding (Level 3), who had increased service use for their level of funding, but received less income support due to a reliance on Temporary versus Disability Assistance. Youth that received an accredited diploma were less likely to use income supports. Factors related to the use of income supports are further described. This study highlights differences in access to income support when youth transition to adult services and considerations around equitable access to support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the genetics of phenotypic convergence can yield important insights into adaptive evolution. Here, we conducted a comparative genomic study of four lineages (species and subspecies) of anadromous shad (Alosa) that have independently evolved life cycles entirely completed in freshwater. Three naturally diverged (A. fallax lacustris, A. f. killarnensis, and A. macedonica), and the fourth (A. alosa) was artificially landlocked during the last century. To conduct this analysis, we assembled and annotated a draft of the A. alosa genome and generated whole‐genome sequencing for 16 anadromous and freshwater populations of shad. Widespread evidence for parallel genetic changes in freshwater populations within lineages was found. In freshwater A. alosa, which have only been diverging for tens of generations, this shows that parallel adaptive evolution can rapidly occur. However, parallel genetic changes across lineages were comparatively rare. The degree of genetic parallelism was not strongly related to the number of shared polymorphisms between lineages, thus suggesting that other factors such as divergence among ancestral populations or environmental variation may influence genetic parallelism across these lineages. These overall patterns were exemplified by genetic differentiation involving a paralog of ATPase‐α1 that appears to be under selection in just two of the more distantly related lineages studied, A. f. lacustris and A. alosa. Our findings provide insights into the genetic architecture of adaptation and parallel evolution along a continuum of population divergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: If the development of the oxygen uptake slow component (V̇O2SC) and muscle fatigue are related, these variables should remain coupled in a time‐ and intensity‐dependent manner. Methods: 16 participants (7 females) visited the laboratory on 7 separate occasions: (1) three 6‐minutes moderate‐intensity cycling exercise bouts proceeded by a ramp incremental test; (2‐3) 30‐minutes constant power output (PO) exercise bout to determine the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS); (4‐7) constant‐PO exercise bouts to task failure (TTF), pseudorandomized order, at (i) 15% below the PO at MLSS; (ii) 10 W below MLSS; (iii) MLSS; (iv) 10 W above MLSS (first intensity and randomized order thereafter). Neuromuscular fatigue was characterized by isometric maximal voluntary contractions and femoral nerve electrical stimulation of knee extensors to measure peripheral fatigue at baseline, at min 5, 10, 20, 30 and TTF. Pulmonary oxygen uptake (V̇O2) was continuously recorded during the constant‐PO bouts and V̇O2SC was characterized based on each individual V̇O2 kinetics during moderate transitions. Results: The development of V̇O2SC and peripheral fatigue were correlated across time (r2adj range of 0.64‐0.80) and amongst each exercise intensity (r2adj range of 0.26‐0.30) (all P <.001). Also, TTF was correlated with V̇O2SC and neuromuscular fatigue parameters (r2adj range of 0.52‐0.82, all P <.001). Conclusion: The V̇O2SC and peripheral fatigue development are correlated throughout the exercise in a time‐ and intensity‐dependent manner, suggesting that the V̇O2SC may depend on muscle fatigue even if the mechanisms of reduced contractile function are different amongst intensities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation of the maximal oxygen uptake (V˙O2max) following exercise training is the classical assessment of training effectiveness. Research has lacked in investigating whether individuals that do not respond to the training intervention (V˙O2max), also do not improve in other health‐related parameters. We aimed to investigate the cardiovascular and metabolic adaptations (i.e., performance, body composition, blood pressure, vascular function, fasting blood markers, and resting cardiac function and morphology) to exercise training among participants who showed different levels of V˙O2max responsiveness. Healthy sedentary participants engaged in a 6‐week exercise training program, three times a week. Our results showed that responders had a greater increase in peak power output, second lactate threshold, and microvascular responsiveness, whereas non‐responders had a greater increase in cycling efficiency. No statistical differences were observed in body composition, blood pressure, fasting blood parameters, and resting cardiac adaptations. In conclusion, our study showed, for the first time, that in addition to the differences in the V˙O2max, a greater increase in microvascular responsiveness in responders compared to non‐responders was observed. Additionally, responders and non‐responders did not show differences in the adaptations on metabolic parameters. There is an increasing need for personalized training prescription, depending on the target clinical outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: AIDS‐mortality remains unacceptably high in sub‐Saharan Africa, largely driven by advanced HIV disease (AHD). We nested a study in an existing tuberculosis (TB) contact‐tracing intervention (Xpatial‐TB). The aim was to assess the burden of AHD among high‐risk people living with HIV (PLHIV) identified and to evaluate the provision of the WHO‐recommended package of care to this population. Methods: All PLHIV ≥14 years old identified between June and December 2018 in Manhiça District by Xpatial‐TB were offered to participate in the study if ART naïve or had suboptimal ART adherence. Consenting individuals were screened for AHD. Patients with AHD (CD4 < 200 cells/μL or WHO stage 3 or 4) were offered a package of interventions in a single visit, including testing for cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) and TB‐lipoarabinomannan (TB‐LAM), prophylaxis and treatment for opportunistic infections, adherence support or accelerated ART initiation. We collected information on follow‐up visits carried out under routine programmatic conditions for six months. Results: A total of 2881 adults were identified in the Xpatial TB‐contact intervention. Overall, 23% (673/2881) were HIV positive, including 351 TB index (64.2%) and 322 TB contacts (13.8%). Overall, 159/673 PLHIV (24%) were ART naïve or had suboptimal ART adherence, of whom 155 (97%, 124 TB index and 31 TB‐contacts) consented to the study and were screened for AHD. Seventy percent of TB index‐patients (87/124) and 16% of TB contacts (5/31) had CD4 < 200 cells/µL. Four (13%) of the TB contacts had TB, giving an overall AHD prevalence among TB contacts of 29% (9/31). Serum‐CrAg was positive in 4.6% (4/87) of TB‐index patients and in zero TB contacts. All ART naïve TB contacts without TB initiated ART within 48 hours of HIV diagnosis. Among TB cases, ART timing was tailored to the presence of TB and cryptococcosis. Six‐month mortality was 21% among TB‐index cases and zero in TB contacts. Conclusions: A TB contact‐tracing outreach intervention identified undiagnosed HIV and AHD in TB patients and their contacts, undiagnosed cryptococcosis among TB patients, and resulted in an adequate provision of the WHO‐recommended package of care in this rural Mozambican population. Same‐day and accelerated ART initiation was feasible and safe in this population including among those with AHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Offspring born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are more likely to have negative neurodevelopmental health outcomes, early obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Standard of care management for GDM and type 2 diabetes mellitus during pregnancy is insulin, but oral sulfonylurea use is increasing, and these medications cross the placenta. Literature on treatment with sulfonylureas for maternal GDM has focused on maternal glycemic control and neonatal outcomes. Studies that have evaluated the long‐term outcomes of children exposed to sulfonylureas in utero are limited. Objective: This study evaluated anthropometric and neurodevelopmental outcomes of 55 children (ages 5–10) born to mothers with diabetes during pregnancy treated with sulfonylurea or insulin. Methods and Results: A group of 25 sulfonylurea‐exposed and 30 insulin‐exposed participants were age‐ and sex‐matched between groups. No significant differences were identified in z‐scores for body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, skinfold measurements, and body fat or rates of overweight/obese BMI between groups. On performance‐based cognitive assessment, the sulfonylurea‐exposed group had significantly lower scores on inhibition (p = 0.043). Conclusion: In summary, children with in utero sulfonylurea exposure had similar physical measurements compared to children with insulin exposure and lower performance on a measure of executive function (inhibition), which is associated with adverse health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasing interest on wood as it is an environmentally sustainable product (e.g., biodegradable and renewable). Thus, an accurate characterisation of wood properties is of extreme importance as they define the kind of application for which each type of wood can be used. For instance, dry mass of wood is a key parameter itself and is needed to calculate Moisture Content (MC) of wood, which is correlated to its physical properties. Due to the limitations of commonly used drying methods, preliminary work has shown the potential of 1H NMR to measure dry mass of wood, but it has never been validated. Here, we performed a critical analysis of 1D and 2D 1H NMR relaxometry methods for obtaining the dry mass of wood, and we compared their performance to three commonly used drying methods. This showed that commonly used drying methods do not remove all water from wood. Moreover, we are able to classify them accordingly to their performance. In addition, we showed that MC values obtained by 1H NMR relaxometry methods are higher (up to 20%) than values from commonly used drying methods. This empathises the importance of accurate values of dry mass of wood and the utility of 1H NMR relaxometry on wood sciences. When comparing both NMR relaxometry methods, 2D should provide the more accurate results, but 1D measurements would also be a recommended choice as they are faster than 2D and their results clearly overcome commonly used drying methods in a noninvasive and nondestructive manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are a heterogeneous group of conditions including intellectual disability, global developmental delay, autism spectrum disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Advances in genetic diagnostic technology have led to the identification of a number of NDD‐associated genes, but reports of cognitive and developmental outcomes in affected individuals have been variable. The objective of this scoping review is to synthesize available information pertaining to the developmental outcomes of individuals with pathogenic variants in ten emerging recurrent NDD‐associated genes identified from large scale sequencing studies; ADNP, ANKRD11, ARID1B, CHD2, CHD8, CTNNB1, DDX3X, DYRK1A, SCN2A, and SYNGAP1. After a comprehensive search, 260 articles were selected that reported on neurodevelopmental measures or diagnoses. We identify the spectrum of developmental outcomes for each genetic NDD, including prevalence of intellectual disability, frequency of co‐morbid NDDs such as ADHD and autism, and commonly reported medical issues that can help inform diagnosis and treatment. There are significant gaps in our understanding of the natural history of these conditions. Future research focusing on barriers to assessment, the development of modified assessment tools appropriate for long‐term outcomes in genetic NDD, and collection of longitudinal data will increase understanding of prognosis in these conditions and inform evaluations of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Mild obesity has been associated with postprandial brachial artery vascular dysfunction. However, direct assessment of these effects within the forearm skeletal muscle microcirculation remains unclear. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects of mild obesity on the arm micro‐ and macrovascular responses to glucose ingestion. Methods: This cross‐sectional study combined NIRS assessments of forearm skeletal muscle (FDS) reactivity (reperfusion slope) with %FMD of conduit artery function (brachial artery) before (Pre), as well as 60 and 120 min after glucose ingestion in 10 lean (BMI 23.9 ± 1.8) and 10 obese (BMI 32.9 ± 1.9) individuals. Results: Both groups showed a significant increase in the reperfusion slope at 60 and 120 min after glucose ingestion compared with the pre–glucose ingestion measurements. Obese individuals showed a significant (p <.05) reduction in %FMD at 60 min after glucose ingestion, while no significant changes in postprandial %FMD were observed in lean participants. Conclusion: Even though obese individuals showed impaired postprandial brachial artery function, the current findings suggest that mild obesity does not affect the forearm skeletal muscle responses to glucose ingestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetically induced catalysis can be promoted taking advantage of optimal heating properties from the magnetic nanoparticles to be employed. However, when unprotected, these heating agents that are usually air‐sensitive, get sintered under the harsh catalytic conditions. In this context, we present, to the best of our knowledge, the first example of air‐stable magnetic nanoparticles that: 1) show excellent performance as heating agents in the CO2 methanation catalyzed by Ni/SiRAlOx, with CH4 yields above 95 %, and 2) do not sinter under reaction conditions. To attain both characteristics we demonstrate, first the exchange‐coupled magnetic approach as an alternative and effective way to tune the magnetic response and heating efficiency, and second, the chemical stability of cuboctahedron‐shaped core–shell hard CoFe2O4–soft Fe3O4 nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of reduced inspired fraction of O2 (FiO2) in the correspondence between the respiratory compensation point (RCP) and the breakpoint in the near‐infrared spectroscopy‐derived deoxygenated hemoglobin signal ([HHb]bp) during a ramp‐incremental (RI) test to exhaustion. Eleven young males performed, on two separated occasions, a RI test either in normoxia (NORM, FiO2 = 20.9%) or hypoxia (HYPO, FiO2 = 16%). Oxygen uptake (V˙O2), and [HHb] signal from the vastus lateralis muscle were continuously measured. Peak V˙O2 (2.98 ± 0.36 vs. 3.39 ± 0.26 L min−1) and PO (282 ± 29 vs. 310 ± 19 W) were lower in HYPO compared to NORM condition, respectively. The V˙O2 and PO associated with RCP and [HHb]bp were lower in HYPO (2.35 ± 0.24 and 2.34 ± 0.26 L min−1; 198 ± 37 and 197 ± 30 W, respectively) when compared to NORM (2.75 ± 0.26 and 2.75 ± 0.28 L min−1; 244 ± 29 and 241 ± 28 W, respectively) (p <.05). Within the same condition, the V˙O2 and PO associated with RCP and [HHb]bp were not different (p >.05). Bland–Altman plots mean average errors between RCP and [HHb]bp were not different from zero in HYPO (0.01 L min−1 and 1.1 W) and NORM (0.00 L min−1 and 3.6 W) conditions. The intra‐individual changes between thresholds associated with V˙O2 and PO in HYPO from NORM were strongly correlated (r =.626 and 0.752, p <.05). Therefore, breathing a lower FiO2 during a RI test resulted in proportional reduction in the RCP and the [HHb]bp in terms of V˙O2 and PO, which further supports the notion that these physiological responses may arise from similar metabolic changes reflecting a common phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although much is known about adults' ability to orient by means of cognitive maps (mental representations of the environment), it is less clear when this important ability emerges in development. In the present study, 97 seven- to 10-year-olds and 26 adults played a video game designed to investigate the ability to orient using cognitive maps. The game required participants to reach target locations as quickly as possible, necessitating the identification and use of novel shortcuts. Seven- and 8-year-olds were less effective than older children and adults in using shortcuts. These findings provide clear evidence of a distinct developmental change around 9 years of age when children begin to proficiently orient and navigate using cognitive maps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Prolonged limb blood flow occlusion (ie, tourniquet application during limb surgery) causes transient microvascular dysfunction. We examined the ability of a local nitric oxide donor (transdermal nitroglycerin) administered during prolonged cuff forearm occlusion to protect against microvascular dysfunction and to alter brachial artery dilation. Methods: Ten healthy men (28 ± 8 years) participated in the study. During the control visit, they completed three vascular occlusion tests in the right arm termed, PRE (5‐min occlusion), POSTimmediate (20‐min occlusion), and POST30min (5‐min occlusion). During the nitroglycerin visit, subjects completed the same vascular occlusion tests, but with a nitroglycerin patch placed over the contralateral forearm during the 20‐min occlusion test. Micro‐ and macrovascular function were assessed using the near‐infrared spectroscopy‐derived reperfusion upslope (reperfusion slope, %.s−1) and flow‐mediated dilation (%FMD), respectively. Results: The reperfusion slope (1.44 ± 0.72%.s‐1) and the %FMD (15.0 ± 2.8%) of the POSTimmediate test of the nitroglycerin condition were significantly (P <.05) higher than the reperfusion slope (1.01 ± 0.37%.s−1) and %FMD (6.77 ± 1.8%) during the POSTimmediate test of the control visit. Conclusion: Transdermal nitroglycerin protects against ischemia‐induced microvascular dysfunction and causes marked dilation of the brachial artery %FMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine whether the menstrual or monophasic oral contraceptive cycle phases affect submaximal (oxygen uptake (V˙O2) kinetics, maximal lactate steady‐state (MLSS)) and maximal (V˙O2max, time‐to‐exhaustion (TTE)) responses to exercise in healthy, active women. During the mid‐follicular or inactive‐pill phase and the mid‐luteal or active‐pill phase of the respective menstrual or oral contraceptive cycle, 15 non‐oral contraceptive users (mean and standard deviation (SD) (±): 27 ± 6 years; 171 ± 5 cm; 65 ± 7 kg) and 15 monophasic oral contraceptive users (24 ± 4 years; 169 ± 10 cm; 68 ± 10 kg) performed: one V˙O2 kinetics test; one ramp‐incremental test; two to three 30‐minute constant‐load cycling trials to determine the power output corresponding to MLSS (MLSSp), followed by a TTE trial. The phase of the menstrual or oral contraceptive cycle did not affect the time constant of the V˙O2 kinetics response (τV˙O2) (mid‐follicular, 20 ± 5 seconds and mid‐luteal, 18 ± 3 seconds; inactive‐pill, 22 ± 8 seconds and active‐pill, 23 ± 6 seconds), V˙O2max (mid‐follicular, 3.06 ± 0.32 L min−1 and mid‐luteal, 3.00 ± 0.33 L min−1; inactive‐pill, 2.87 ± 0.39 L min−1 and active‐pill, 2.87 ± 0.45 L min−1), MLSSp (mid‐follicular, 181 ± 30 W and mid‐luteal, 182 ± 29 W; inactive‐pill, 155 ± 26 W and active‐pill, 155 ± 27 W), and TTE (mid‐follicular, 147 ± 42 seconds and mid‐luteal, 128 ± 54 seconds; inactive‐pill, 146 ± 70 seconds and active‐pill, 139 ± 77 seconds) (P >.05). The rate of perceived exertion (RPE) at minute 30 of the MLSSp trials was greater in the mid‐follicular phase (6.2 ± 1.5) compared with the mid‐luteal phase (5.3 ± 1.4) for non‐oral contraceptive users (P =.022). The hormonal fluctuations between the menstrual and oral contraceptive cycle phases had no detectable effects on submaximal and maximal exercise performance, even when RPE differed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key points: Fatigue and muscle pain induced in a remote muscle group has been shown to alter neuromuscular performance in exercising muscles.Inhibitory neural feedback associated with activation of mechano‐ and metabo‐sensitive muscle afferents has been implicated in this phenomenon.The present study aimed to quantify and compare the effects of pre‐induced fatigue and concurrent rising pain (evoked by muscle ischaemia) on the contralateral leg exercise capacity, neuromuscular performance, and corticomotor excitability and inhibition of knee extensor muscles.Pre‐induced fatigue in one leg had a greater detrimental effect than the concurrent rising pain on the contralateral limb cycling capacity. Furthermore, pre‐induced fatigue, but not concurrent rising pain, reduced corticospinal inhibition recorded from tested contralateral muscles.Regardless of the origin or mechanisms modulating sensory afferents during single‐leg cycling exercise (i.e. pre‐induced fatigue vs. concurrent rising pain), the limit of exercise tolerance remained the same and exercise was terminated upon achievement of a sensory tolerance limit. Individuals often need to maintain voluntary contractions during high intensity exercise in the presence of fatigue and pain. This investigation examined the effects of pre‐induced fatigue and concurrent rising pain (evoked by muscle ischaemia) in one leg on motor fatigability and corticospinal excitability/inhibition of the contralateral limb. Twelve healthy males undertook four experimental protocols including unilateral cycling to task failure at 80% of peak power output with: (i) the right‐leg (RL); (ii) the left‐leg (LL); (iii) RL immediately preceded by LL protocol (FAT‐RL); and (iv) RL when blood flow was occluded in the contralateral (left) leg (PAIN‐RL). Participants performed maximal and submaximal 5 s right‐leg knee extensions during which transcranial magnetic and femoral nerve electrical stimuli were delivered to elicit motor‐evoked and compound muscle action potentials, respectively. The pre‐induced fatigue reduced the right leg cycling time‐to‐task failure (mean ± SD; 332 ± 137 s) to a greater extent than concurrent pain (460 ± 158 s), compared to RL (580 ± 226 s) (P < 0.001). The maximum voluntary contraction force declined less following FAT‐RL (P < 0.019) and PAIN‐RL (P < 0.032) compared to RL. Voluntary activation declined and the corticospinal excitability recorded from knee extensors increased similarly after the three conditions (P < 0.05). However, the pre‐induced fatigue, but not concurrent pain, reduced corticospinal inhibition compared to RL (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that regardless of the origin and/or mechanisms modulating sensory afferent feedback during single‐leg cycling (e.g. pre‐induced fatigue vs. concurrent rising pain), the limit of exercise tolerance remains the same, suggesting that exercise will be terminated upon achievement of sensory tolerance limit. Key points: Fatigue and muscle pain induced in a remote muscle group has been shown to alter neuromuscular performance in exercising muscles.Inhibitory neural feedback associated with activation of mechano‐ and metabo‐sensitive muscle afferents has been implicated in this phenomenon.The present study aimed to quantify and compare the effects of pre‐induced fatigue and concurrent rising pain (evoked by muscle ischaemia) on the contralateral leg exercise capacity, neuromuscular performance, and corticomotor excitability and inhibition of knee extensor muscles.Pre‐induced fatigue in one leg had a greater detrimental effect than the concurrent rising pain on the contralateral limb cycling capacity. Furthermore, pre‐induced fatigue, but not concurrent rising pain, reduced corticospinal inhibition recorded from tested contralateral muscles.Regardless of the origin or mechanisms modulating sensory afferents during single‐leg cycling exercise (i.e. pre‐induced fatigue vs. concurrent rising pain), the limit of exercise tolerance remained the same and exercise was terminated upon achievement of a sensory tolerance limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Findings: What is the central question of this study?What are the effects of the menstrual (early follicular and mid‐luteal) or monophasic oral contraceptive (inactive‐ and active‐pill) cycle phases on vascular reperfusion of lower limb microvasculature in healthy, active women using the near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) vascular occlusion test (VOT) technique?What is the main finding and its importance?We demonstrated that vascular responsiveness in the lower limb microvasculature remained unchanged between the early follicular and mid‐luteal phases of the menstrual cycle and inactive‐ and active‐pill phases of the oral contraceptive cycle. These data support that controlling for the cycle phases, within the specific times evaluated in this study, might not be necessary when assessing NIRS‐VOT reperfusion rates. The objective was to examine whether the menstrual or monophasic oral contraceptive cycle phases affect microvascular responsiveness of the lower limb in healthy, active women. During the follicular or inactive‐pill phase and the luteal or active‐pill phase of the menstrual or oral contraceptive cycle, respectively, 15 non‐oral contraceptive users (mean ± SD; 27 ± 6 years of age) and 15 monophasic oral contraceptive users (24 ± 4 years of age) underwent a lower‐limb vascular occlusion test (5 min baseline, 5 min occlusion and 8 min post cuff release). Menstrual cycle phases were verified using an ovulation test. Vascular responsiveness was assessed by calculating the near‐infrared spectroscopy‐derived muscle oxygen saturation (StO2) reperfusion slope (slope 2 StO2) and the post occlusion StO2 area under the curve (StO2AUC) of the tibialis anterior muscle. There were no differences in the reperfusion slope (as a percentage per second; follicular, 1.18 ± 0.48; luteal, 1.05 ± 0.48, inactive‐pill, 0.95 ± 0.23; and active‐pill, 0.87 ± 0.36; P = 0.09) and area under the curve (as a product of the percentage and seconds; follicular, 1067 ± 562; luteal, 918 ± 414, inactive‐pill, 945 ± 702; and active‐pill, 750 ± 519; P = 0.09) between the phases of the menstrual or oral contraceptive cycle, regardless of pill generation. The duration of oral contraceptive use was not associated with changes in slope 2 StO2 (r = 0.02, P = 0.94) or StO2AUC (r = −0.34, P = 0.22) between cycle phases. In conclusion, vascular responsiveness remained unchanged between the early follicular and mid‐luteal phases of the menstrual cycle and the inactive‐pill and active‐pill phases of the oral contraceptive cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complexes of colchiceine with monovalent cation perchlorates and iodides have been obtained and characterized by spectroscopic methods. DFT and spectroscopic studies reveal that the dihedral angle ω1‐1a‐12‐12a, crucial for colchicine biological mechanism of action, that is, binding to tubulins depends on the diameter of the complexed metal cation. Biological tests indicated no antifungal properties of colchicine (it was active only toward A.pullulans), in contrast to its derivative—(colchiceine). Complexation of colchiceine with metal cations improved significantly the antifungal potency, even below MIC <1 μg/ml. The colchiceine complexes were more potent than colchiceine, and some of them were even more potent than the fungicidal standard IPBC. The highest potency of colchiceine complexes was noted against A. pullulans (MIC = 0.5 μg/ml). In contrast to the findings concerning antifungal potency, the anticancer studies showed complexes of colchicine more active (~IC50 = 2 nM) than those of colchiceine (~IC50 = 6 μM). MDA‐MB‐231 breast cancer cell lines and human lung fibroblasts CCD39Lu were also tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exercising at the maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) results in increased but stable metabolic responses. We tested the hypothesis that even a slight increase above MLSS (10 W), by altering the metabolic steady state, would reduce exercise performance capacity. Eleven trained men in our study performed: one ramp‐incremental tests; two to four 30‐minute constant‐load cycling exercise trials to determine the PO at MLSS (MLSSp), and ten watts above MLSS (MLSSp+10), which were immediately followed by a time‐to‐exhaustion test; and a time‐to‐exhaustion test with no‐prior exercise. Pulmonary O2 uptake V.O2) and blood lactate concentration ([La−]b) as well as local muscle O2 extraction ([HHb]) and muscle activity (EMG) of the vastus lateralis (VL) and rectus femoris (RF) muscles were measured during the testing sessions. When exercising at MLSSp+10, although V.O2 was stable, there was an increase in ventilatory responses and EMG activity, along with a non‐stable [La−]b response (P < 0.05). The [HHb] of VL muscle achieved its apex at MLSSp with no additional increase above this intensity, whereas the [HHb] of RF progressively increased during MLSSp+10 and achieved its apex during the time‐to‐exhaustion trials. Time‐to‐exhaustion performance was decreased after exercising at MLSSp (37.3 ± 16.4%) compared to the no‐prior exercise condition, and further decreased after exercising at MLSSp+10 (64.6 ± 6.3%) (P < 0.05). In summary, exercising for 30 min slightly above MLSS led to significant alterations of metabolic responses which disproportionately compromised subsequent exercise performance. Furthermore, the [HHb] signal of VL seemed to achieve a "ceiling" at the intensity of exercise associated with MLSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The traditional approach for acute paediatric osteoarticular infections (OAI) has comprised initial intravenous antibiotics followed by prompt oral antibiotics. We assessed how providing just oral antibiotics compared to the traditional two-step approach.Methods: This prospective study was performed at the Hospital La Paz, Madrid, Spain, from September 2015 to September 2016. We compared 25 outpatients, with good general health and a mean age of 25 months who received just oral antibiotics, with 228 hospitalised children of a similar age who received intravenous and oral antibiotics from other hospitals in the Spanish Network of Osteoarticular Infections.Results: The groups were comparable in terms of age, sex, fever, erythrocyte sedimentation rate value, C-reactive protein and diagnosis. The oral group comprised 15 with osteomyelitis, seven with septic arthritis, two with osteoarthritis and one with spondylodiscitis. This group had a lower percentage of Staphylococcus aureus (8% vs 26%, p = 0.06) and higher proportion of Kingella kingae (24% vs 9%, p = 0.017) than the intravenous group. There were complications (24%) and follow-up sequelae (6%) in the intravenous group, but none in the oral group.Conclusion: Outpatients with OAI who were in good general health had favourable outcomes when they received oral antibiotics without intravenous antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social communication impairments are a core feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and this class of symptoms is a target for treatments for the disorder. Measures of social attention, assessed via eye‐gaze tracking (EGT), have been proposed as an early efficacy biomarker for clinical trials targeting social communication skills. EGT measures have been shown to differentiate children with ASD from typical children; however, there is less known about their relationships with social communication outcome measures that are typically used in ASD clinical trials. In the present study, an EGT task involving viewing a videotape of an actor making bids for a child's attention was evaluated in 25 children with ASD aged 24–72 months. Children's attention to the actor during the dyadic bid condition measured via EGT was found to be strongly associated with five well‐validated caregiver‐reported outcome measures that are commonly used to assess social communication in clinical trials. These results highlight the convergent validity of EGT measures of social attention in relation to caregiver‐reported clinical measures. EGT holds promise as a non‐invasive, quantitative, and objective biomarker that is associated with social communication abilities in children with ASD. Autism Res2018, 11: 166–174. © 2017 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Lay Summary: Eye‐gaze tracking (EGT), an automated tool that tracks eye‐gaze patterns, might help measure outcomes in clinical trials investigating interventions to treat autism spectrum disorders. In this study, an EGT task was evaluated in children with ASD, who watched a video with an actor talking directly to them. Patterns of eye‐gaze were associated with caregiver‐reported measures of social communication that are used in clinical trials. We show EGT may be a promising objective tool measuring outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In dental traumatology, the loss of teeth and the supporting alveolar bone in children compromise the proper development of maxillofacial structures and also limit the solutions that can be offered. In this case report, multidisciplinary management is described of a child with a significant loss of alveolar bone and associated teeth due to a traffic accident at 8 years of age. The management involved staged teeth autotransplantation into surgically prepared sites with bone expanders, orthodontic treatment and dental implants. The 3D regeneration of the alveolar process was successfully stimulated by teeth autotransplantation. At the 4-year follow-up visit, evaluation of the autotransplanted teeth and the implants indicated a successful outcome for the patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes the effect of the laser power and the exposure time on a sample of octahedron-shaped nanocrystals of cobalt(II) oxide using Raman spectroscopy. Above a certain value of the laser power and exposure time, CoO rock salt sample evolves clearly to the oxidized Co3O4 normal spinel material because of the energy transfer and consequent local heating induced by the applied laser. The analysis of this thermodynamic CoO-Co3O4 crossover in octahedron-shaped nanocrystals by means of the Raman spectroscopy has been performed. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, we studied the photon down-conversion effect produced by thin films of silicon oxide with embedded silicon nanocrystals also called silicon-rich oxide (SRO). These films have been used to absorb high energy light and the re-emission of two or more low energy photons (~1.1 eV) with the goal of improving the external quantum efficiency and consequently the conversion efficiency of silicon solar cells. According to our results, the incorporation of a thin SRO film on the solar cell surface increases the short circuit current and the FF of the silicon solar cells; the enhancement of spectral response is due to the high photoluminescence intensity of the SRO in the visible region when irradiated with UV light. An improvement of 38% in the solar cell efficiency has been observed in our particular solar cell fabrication process by the use of an SRO film with high photoluminescence intensity, which replaces the conventional silicon dioxide film. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Findings What is the central question of this study? Is the near-infrared spectroscopy-derived measure of tissue oxygen saturation ( [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on a study of the effect of the substrate temperature on the formation of black silicon on c-Si wafers and consequently on the reduction of the wafer surface diffuse reflectance. We observed that lower substrate temperatures enhance the texturing processes producing completely black silicon surfaces. The optimized substrate temperature (2.5 °C) used during the plasma process has resulted in the formation of well-defined pyramid-like structures as is done by wet processes. Moreover, the textured c-Si wafers have very low diffuse reflectance values, as low as 3%, which are much lower than those values obtained using wet texturing processes based on KOH and NaOH solutions (which are in the range of 12-14%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the time course of short-term training and detraining-induced changes in oxygen uptake ( [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near-infrared spectroscopy ( NIRS)-derived measures of tissue oxygen saturation (StO2) have been recently shown to significantly correlate with the widely used method for noninvasively assessing vascular endothelial function, flow-mediated dilation ( FMD). The purpose of this study was to examine the intraday and interday reliability of the reperfusion slope of StO2 (slope 2 StO2) and compare it to FMD. Ultrasound-derived FMD was quantified following 5 min of distal cuff occlusion of the popliteal artery in nine healthy young men (26 ± 3 years). An FMD test was performed each of 4 days, with a fifth involving three tests. FMD was calculated as the greatest percent change in diameter from baseline (% FMD). StO2 was measured using NIRS throughout each test, with slope 2 StO2 being calculated as the upslope of 10-sec following cuff release. Reliability was determined using repeatability, intraclass correlation coefficients ( ICC), and coefficient of variation ( CV). Repeatability of slope 2 StO2 was better than % FMD for both intraday (0.43 and 5.65, respectively) and interday (0.48 and 4.82, respectively) comparisons; approximately 30% of mean values for slope 2 StO2 could be attributed to measurement error, whereas 100% of mean FMD could be for both intraday and interday comparisons. Similarly, ICC and CV values indicated stronger reliability of slope 2 StO2 compared to % FMD for both intraday ( ICC 0.92 and 0.36, respectively; CV 9 ± 4% and 44 ± 24%, respectively) and interday ( ICC 0.94 and 0.25, respectively; CV 14 ± 5% and 40 ± 22%, respectively) comparisons. In conclusion, NIRS-derived slope 2 StO2 can be used as a reliable measure of vascular reactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular impairments at the macro- and microcirculatory levels are associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is currently the most widely used method for non-invasive assessment of vascular endothelial function. Recently, near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)-derived measures of tissue oxygen saturation (StO2) have been used to characterize the dynamic response of local tissue perfusion to a brief period of ischaemia. The purpose of the present study was to establish correlations between the reperfusion rate of StO2 and FMD. Ultrasound-derived FMD was quantified after 5 min of distal cuff occlusion of the popliteal artery in 20 healthy young men (26 ± 3 years old). Triplicate measurements of end-diastolic arterial diameter were made every 15 s after cuff release, and FMD response was calculated as the greatest percentage change in diameter from baseline (%FMD). The StO2 was measured using NIRS throughout the duration of each test. Two consecutive FMD tests were performed, separated by 30 min of rest, and were averaged for %FMD and StO2. The %FMD was significantly correlated with the reperfusion slope of StO2 after cuff release (slope 2 StO2; r = 0.63, P = 0.003). In conclusion, the present study established a correlation between slope 2 StO2 and %FMD in healthy youngmen. These data suggest that NIRS-derived slope 2 StO2 can be used as a measure of vascular endothelial function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is arguably one the most powerful tools to study the interactions and molecular structure within plants. Traditionally, however, NMR has developed as two separate fields, one dealing with liquids and the other dealing with solids. Plants in their native state contain components that are soluble, swollen, and true solids. Here, a new form of NMR spectroscopy, developed in 2012, termed comprehensive multiphase (CMP)-NMR is applied for plant analysis. The technology composes all aspects of solution, gel, and solid-state NMR into a single NMR probe such that all components in all phases in native unaltered samples can be studied and differentiated in situ. The technology is evaluated using wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana and the cellulose-deficient mutant ectopic lignification1 ( eli1) as examples. Using CMP-NMR to study intact samples eliminated the bias introduced by extraction methods and enabled the acquisition of a more complete structural and metabolic profile; thus, CMP-NMR revealed molecular differences between wild type (WT) and eli1 that could be overlooked by conventional methods. Methanol, fatty acids and/or lipids, glutamine, phenylalanine, starch, and nucleic acids were more abundant in eli1 than in WT. Pentaglycine was present in A. thaliana seedlings and more abundant in eli1 than in WT. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The L-sulforaphane (SFN) component of broccoli sprout showed anticancer activity in several preclinical studies including breast cancer. Estrogens are considered major risk factors in breast carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of SFN on the expression of cytochrome P450 involved in the estrogen metabolism in breast cancer cell lines MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 and in non-tumorigenic MCF10A cell line. The expression of CYP19, CYP1A1, 1A2, 1B1 was determined at the transcript and protein levels. There were found some remarkable differences in the effect of SFN at a dose of 5 µmol/L on CYP19 expression: in ER(+) MCF7 significant reduction, in ER(−) MDA-MB-231 an increased expression and unchanged expression in MCF10A cell line. The effect of SFN on CYPs (1A1, 1A2, 1B1) involved in estrogen catabolism was to a lesser extent dependent on breast cell line. The slightly reduced CYP1A1 protein level was observed in all cell lines tested. An increased level of CYP1A2 and decreased level of CYP1B1 expression were found in MCF10A. These results indicate that the naturally occurring L isomer of SFN may affect the expression of P450s involved in estrogen metabolism. This effect may contribute to the anticancer activity of SFN in breast tissue. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Findings What is the central question of this study? In groups of young and older adults, we investigated whether techniques used as common practice for processing breath-by-breath pulmonary O2 uptake data from repeated step transitions in work rate into the moderate-intensity exercise domain influence the model parameter estimations and confidence of describing the phase II pulmonary O2 uptake response., What is the main finding and its importance? Results demonstrate that regardless of age group, during transitions into the moderate-intensity exercise domain, techniques for processing individual transitions did not affect parameter estimates describing the phase II pulmonary O2 uptake response; however, the confidence in the parameter estimation could be improved by the technique used to process individual trials., Abstract To improve the signal-to-noise ratio of breath-by-breath pulmonary O2 uptake ( [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium-10 wt % 45S5 Bioglass nanocomposites and their scaffolds were prepared by mechanical alloying (MA) followed by pressing, sintering, or combination of MA and a 'space-holder' sintering process, respectively. An amorphous structure was obtained at 15 h of milling. The crystallization of the amorphous phase upon annealing led to the formation of a nanostructured Ti-10 wt % 45S5 Bioglass composite with a grain size of approximately 7 nm. The in vitro cytocompatibility of these materials was evaluated and compared with a conventional microcrystalline titanium. During the studies, established cell line of human fibroblasts CCD-39Lu was cultured in the presence of tested materials and its survival rate, and proliferation activity were examined. Furthermore, the influence of the Ti-45S5 Bioglass nanocomposites and microcrystalline titanium was tested on the growth of Candida albicans yeast. Biocompatibility tests carried out indicate that the nanocomposite Ti-10 wt % 45S5 Bioglass scaffolds could be a possible candidate for dental implants and other medicinal applications. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 102A: 1316-1324, 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Solid-state NMR studies of collagen samples of various origins confirm that the amplitude of collagen backbone and sidechain motions increases significantly on increasing the water content. This conclusion is supported by the changes observed in three different NMR observables: (i) the linewidth dependence on the 1H decoupling frequency; (ii) 13C CSA changes for the peptide carbonyl groups, and (iii) dephasing rates of 1H-13C dipolar couplings. In particular, a nearly threefold increase in motional amplitudes of the backbone librations about C-Cα or N-Cα bonds was found on increasing the added water content up to 47 wt%D2O. On the basis of the frequencies of NMR observables involved, the timescale of the protein motions dependent on the added water content is estimated to be of the order of microseconds. This estimate agrees with that from wideline T2 1H NMR measurements. Also, our wideline 1H NMR measurements revealed that the timescale of the microsecond motions in proteins reduces significantly on increasing the added water content, i.e., an ∼15-fold increase in protein motional frequencies is observed on increasing the added water content to 45 wt% D2O. The observed changes in collagen dynamics is attributed to the increase in water translational diffusion on increasing the amount of added water, which leads to more frequent 'bound water/free water' exchange on the protein surface, accompanied by the breakage and formation of new hydrogen bonds with polar functionalities of protein. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 101: 246-256, 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we explore reward-based decision making and electrodermal responding ( EDR) among children with autism spectrum disorder ( ASD) during a children's gambling task. In addition, we examine whether individual behavioral and EDR responses predict social communication, repetitive symptoms, parent reports of executive function, and behavioral challenges. The ability to form advantageous strategies for long-term gain is of interest for children with ASD, who exhibit both difficulty with executive function and atypical responses to reward. Twenty-one children ages 6-7 years with ASD and no intellectual disability, and 21 age- and IQ-matched typically developing children participated. Both groups exhibited a similar pattern of gambling selections, but children with ASD showed less knowledge of the reward contingencies of the decks after playing. In addition, although EDR was similar between groups in anticipation of selections, children with ASD exhibited greater EDR during feedback about rewards as the task progressed. Children with ASD who exhibited the greatest increases in EDR were more likely to exhibit repetitive symptoms, particularly rituals and the need for sameness, as well as internalizing behaviors and reduced executive function in other settings. Autism Res 2013, 6: 494-505. © 2013 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been suggested that atypical amygdala function contributes to the social impairments characteristic of autism spectrum disorders ( ASDs). Previous research has demonstrated that adolescents and adults with ASD generate normal response during a fear-potentiated startle paradigm, suggesting this aspect of amygdala function is intact and may not account for the social dysfunction associated with the condition. The amygdala also plays a crucial role in the expression of anxiety and may contribute to high rates of reported anxiety in individuals with ASD. The present study partially replicates prior work by examining the fear-potentiated startle response in adolescents with ASD, and extends this to investigate the relationship between startle response and anxiety. Eyeblink magnitude and latency (electromyographic activity; EMG) were collected from 20 adolescents with ASD and 19 typically developing ( TD) age-matched adolescents during a fear-potentiated startle paradigm. Parent-report and self-report of anxiety and additional psychiatric symptoms were collected. Parental reports indicated higher rates of associated psychopathology in adolescents with ASD compared with TD adolescents. Consistent with previous results, both groups showed normal potentiated startle response, and no group differences in EMG were found. Symptoms of anxiety and level of social impairment were unrelated to startle response. These findings held for all levels of anxiety, suggesting that within the context of the fear-potentiated startle paradigm, amygdala response is not associated with degree of atypical social or emotional functioning in ASD. Autism Res 2013, ●●: ●●-●●. © 2013 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method is presented that combines Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) during acquisition with either selective or nonselective excitation to produce a considerable intensity enhancement and a simultaneous loss in chemical shift information. A range of parameters can theoretically be optimized very rapidly on the basis of the signal from the entire sample (hard excitation) or spectral subregion (soft excitation) and should prove useful for biological, environmental, and polymer samples that often exhibit highly dispersed and broad spectral profiles. To demonstrate the concept, we focus on the application of our method to T1 determination, specifically for the slowest relaxing components in a sample, which ultimately determines the optimal recycle delay in quantitative NMR. The traditional inversion recovery (IR) pulse program is combined with a CPMG sequence during acquisition. The slowest relaxing components are selected with a shaped pulse, and then, low-power CPMG echoes are applied during acquisition with intervals shorter than chemical shift evolution (RCPMG) thus producing a single peak with an SNR commensurate with the sum of the signal integrals in the selected region. A traditional 13C IR experiment is compared with the selective 13C IR-RCPMG sequence and yields the same T1 values for samples of lysozyme and riverine dissolved organic matter within error. For lysozyme, the RCPMG approach is ~70 times faster, and in the case of dissolved organic matter is over 600 times faster. This approach can be adapted for the optimization of a host of parameters where chemical shift information is not necessary, such as cross-polarization/mixing times and pulse lengths. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is an essential tool for studying environmental samples but is often hindered by low sensitivity, especially for the direct detection of nuclei such as13C. In very heterogeneous samples with NMR nuclei at low abundance, such as soils, sediments, and air particulates, it can take days to acquire a conventional13C spectrum. The present study describes a prescreening method that permits the rapid prediction of experimental run time in natural samples. The approach focuses the NMR chemical shift dispersion into a single spike, and, even in samples with extremely low carbon content, the spike can be observed in two to three minutes, or less. The intensity of the spike is directly proportional to the total concentration of nuclei of interest in the sample. Consequently, the spike intensity can be used as a powerful prescreening method that answers two key questions: (1) Will this sample produce a conventional NMR spectrum? (2) How much instrument time is required to record a spectrum with a specific signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio? The approach identifies samples to avoid (or pretreat) and permits additional NMR experiments to be performed on samples producing high-quality NMR data. Applications in solid- and liquid-state13C NMR are demonstrated, and it is shown that the technique is applicable to a range of nuclei. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2013;32:129-136. © 2012 SETAC [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show differences in face processing abilities from early in development. To examine whether these differences reflect an atypical versus delayed developmental trajectory, neural responses to familiar and unfamiliar faces in twenty-four 18- to 47-month-old children with ASD were compared with responses of thirty-two 12- to 30-month-old typically developing children. Results of 2 experiments revealed that neural responses to faces in children with ASD resembled those observed in younger typically developing children, suggesting delayed development. Electrophysiological responses to faces were also related to parent report of adaptive social behaviors for both children with ASD and typical development. Slower development of the face processing system in ASD may be related to reduced self-directed 'expected' experience with faces in early development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]