Iron Deficiency in Infancy and Its Impact on Motor and Mental Development

Iron plays a large role in nerve myelination, dopamine neurotransmission, and neuronal metabolism. The purpose of this literary review was to investigate the connection between iron deficiency and motor and cognitive development. Iron-deficiency is the most prevalent nutrient deficiency world-wide, and infants are at a greater risk due to their rapid growth. Due to the higher risk, this review focuses on iron deficiency in infancy

Weight Perception, Weight Accuracy and Its Relationship to Family History of Chronic Disease

Obesity is a major public health concern which results in many chronic diseases. The potential for family history to promote obesity and chronic disease requires investigation. The purpose of this study was to examine the accuracy of self reported weight and the relationship of family history of chronic disease with weight accuracy. We examined self-reported weight and measured weight in adults 20-55 years old from the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Accuracy of weight was determined using 5% of self-reported weight to measured weight. Family history of diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension was determined based on self-report. There was a significant direct correlation between self-reported weight and actual weight (R=0.977, P<0.001). Overall, 78% reported their weight within 5% of actual weight. Males and Non-Hispanic Blacks were significantly more likely to overestimate their weight. Females were more likely to underestimate their weight, while Non-Hispanic Whites were less likely to underestimate their weight. Adults with a family history of diabetes were significantly more likely to underestimate their weight. No other differences existed for other diseases. While accuracy of weight was strong the presence of a family history of chronic disease did not relate to greater awareness of weight status.No embarg

Nickel-catalyzed transamidation of aliphatic amide derivatives.

Transamidation, or the conversion of one amide to another, is a long-standing challenge in organic synthesis. Although notable progress has been made in the transamidation of primary amides, the transamidation of secondary amides has remained underdeveloped, especially when considering aliphatic substrates. Herein, we report a two-step approach to achieve the transamidation of secondary aliphatic amides, which relies on non-precious metal catalysis. The method involves initial Boc-functionalization of secondary amide substrates to weaken the amide C-N bond. Subsequent treatment with a nickel catalyst, in the presence of an appropriate amine coupling partner, then delivers the net transamidated products. The transformation proceeds in synthetically useful yields across a range of substrates. A series of competition experiments delineate selectivity patterns that should influence future synthetic design. Moreover, the transamidation of Boc-activated secondary amide derivatives bearing epimerizable stereocenters underscores the mildness and synthetic utility of this methodology. This study provides the most general solution to the classic problem of secondary amide transamidation reported to date

A two-step approach to achieve secondary amide transamidation enabled by nickel catalysis.

A long-standing challenge in synthetic chemistry is the development of the transamidation reaction. This process, which involves the conversion of one amide to another, is typically plagued by unfavourable kinetic and thermodynamic factors. Although some advances have been made with regard to the transamidation of primary amide substrates, secondary amide transamidation has remained elusive. Here we present a simple two-step approach that allows for the elusive overall transformation to take place using non-precious metal catalysis. The methodology proceeds under exceptionally mild reaction conditions and is tolerant of amino-acid-derived nucleophiles. In addition to overcoming the classic problem of secondary amide transamidation, our studies expand the growing repertoire of new transformations mediated by base metal catalysis

Seasonal changes in anthropometric and physical characteristics within English academy rugby league players.

Professional rugby league clubs implement training programmes for the development of anthropometric and physical characteristics within an academy programme. However, research that examines seasonal changes in these characteristics is limited. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the seasonal changes in anthropometric and physical characteristics of academy rugby league players by age category (i.e., under 14, 16, 18, 20). Data were collected on 75 players pre- and postseason over a 6-year period (resulting in a total of 195 assessments). Anthropometric (body mass, sum of 4 skinfolds) and physical (10- and 20-m sprint, vertical jump, Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test and 1 repetition maximum squat, bench press, and prone row) measures were collected. The under 14s and 16s showed greater seasonal improvements in body mass (e.g., under 14s = 7.4 ± 4.3% vs. under 20s = 1.2 ± 3.3%) and vertical jump performance than under 18s and under 20s. In contrast, under 18s and under 20s players showed greater seasonal improvements in Yo-Yo performance and 10-m sprint (e.g., under 14s = 1.3 ± 3.9% vs. under 20s = -1.9 ± 1.2%) in comparison to under 14s and under 16s. Seasonal strength improvements were greater for the under 18s compared with under 20s. This study provides comparative data for seasonal changes in anthropometric and physical characteristics within rugby league players aged 13-20 years. Coaches should be aware that seasonal improvements in speed may not exist within younger age categories, until changes in body mass stabilize and consider monitoring changes in other characteristics (e.g., momentum). Large interplayer variability suggests that player development should be considered on an individual and longitudinal basis

Make the adder count: population trends from a citizen science survey of UK adders

Concern has been growing about the status of UK adder populations, with expert opinion reporting widespread declines. Assessing the true scale of these declines, however, has been hampered by a lack of quantitative data. Make the Adder Count began in 2005 as a national surveillance programme collecting standardised counts of adders lying-out after emerging from hibernation. 260 sites have contributed data, confirming a significant decline, on average, across sites with small populations, while the few with large populations (<10 % of sites) are weakly increasing. If these trends continue, within 15‒20 years, adders will be restricted to a few large population sites, significantly increasing the extinction risk for this priority species in the UK. Public pressure/disturbance was reported as the most frequent negative factor affecting sites, followed by habitat management and habitat fragmentation. Negative impacts from habitat management were reported almost as frequently as positive impacts, suggesting many management plans do not adequately consider the requirements of adders. The dataset also demonstrated earlier emergence among males, in warmer springs and at more northerly sites

The possibilities of positive news

When Danielle Batist (@DanielleBatist) came to visit the Polis Summer School, she sparked some positive reactions from the students. Here are some of the reflections

Kontribusi Perolehan Theory of Mind Terhadap Perkembangan Mental TIME Travel Pada Anak Usia 3-5 Tahun

Berfikir mengenai masa depan merupakan kemampuan kognitif yang mendasar pada manusia dan merupakan kemampuan yang sangat penting. Mental Time Travel (MTT) merupakan kemampuan yang dimiliki manusia untuk me-recall masa lalu dan memprediksi masa depan. Melalui MTT manusia dapat untuk membuat perencanaan, memprediksi masa depan serta mengantisipasi masalah yang akan dihadapi. Salah satu faktor yang diduga memberikan pengaruh terhadap MTT adalah perolehan Theory of Mind (ToM) yaitu kemampuan manusia untuk memprediksi mental state orang lain. Oleh karena itu, diperlukan penelitian lebih jauh untuk melihat bagaimana kontribusi perolehan ToM terhadap perkembangan MTT. Untuk melihat kontribusi perolehan ToM terhadap MTT dilakukan pengukuran MTT melalui 2 eksperimen (Verbal task dan Tool Task) serta pengukuran skala ToM yang dikembangkan oleh Wellman dan Liu (2011) pada anak usia 3-5 tahun. Hasil dari penelitian ini diperoleh usia mulai berkembangnya MTT, urutan perolehan ToM serta kontribusi perolehan ToM terhadap MTT. Penelitian ini juga menunjukkan bahwa Perolehan ToM memiliki kontribusi positif sebesar 28% terhadap perkembangan MTT

Increasing concentrations of dichloromethane, CH2Cl2, inferred from CARIBIC air samples collected 1998–2012

Atmospheric concentrations of dichloromethane, CH2Cl2, a regulated toxic air pollutant and minor contributor to stratospheric ozone depletion, were reported to have peaked around 1990 and to be declining in the early part of the 21st century. Recent observations suggest this trend has reversed and that CH2Cl2 is once again increasing in the atmosphere. Despite the importance of ongoing monitoring and reporting of atmospheric CH2Cl2, no time series has been discussed in detail since 2006. The CARIBIC project (Civil Aircraft for the Regular Investigation of the atmosphere Based on an Instrument Container) has analysed the halocarbon content of whole-air samples collected at altitudes of between ~10–12 km via a custom-built container installed on commercial passenger aircraft since 1998, providing a long-term record of CH2Cl2 observations. In this paper we present this unique CH2Cl2 time series, discussing key flight routes which have been used at various times over the past 15 years. Between 1998 and 2012 increases were seen in all northern hemispheric regions and at different altitudes, ranging from ~7–10 ppt in background air to ~13–15 ppt in regions with stronger emissions (equating to a 38–69% increase). Of particular interest is the rising importance of India as a source of atmospheric CH2Cl2: based on CARIBIC data we provide regional emission estimates for the Indian subcontinent and show that regional emissions have increased from 3–14 Gg yr^-1 (1998–2000) to 16–25 Gg yr^-1 (2008). Potential causes of the increasing atmospheric burden of CH2Cl2 are discussed. One possible source is the increased use of CH2Cl2 as a feedstock for the production of HFC-32, a chemical used predominantly as a replacement for ozone-depleting substances in a variety of applications including air conditioners and refrigeration