My father, myself, and my muscles:associations between muscle dysmorphia, narcissism and relationship with father among exercising males

Research has yet to examine the associations between muscle dysmorphia (MD), narcissism and relationship with father in a male population. This study aimed to address this. We hypothesized that a negatively experienced relationship with the father for males will lead to an increase in MD symptoms due to undermined self-esteem that stems from a lack of the father as a positive masculine role model. A total of 503 exercising males (Mage = 28.5, SD = 9.6 years) completed self-report measures of MD, narcissism, and relationship with father. Our hypothesized indirect effect model found a negative indirect effect of relationship with father on MD symptoms via vulnerable narcissism, but not via grandiose narcissism. Analysis of individual path coefficients also revealed that a poor relationship with father impacts the development of vulnerable narcissism, but not grandiose narcissism. These findings alert practitioners to the fact that some individuals' MD symptoms may be an attempt to protect the fragile self-esteem central to vulnerable narcissism. Practitioners should consider exploring individuals' feelings and perceptions about their fathers in the treatment of MD. Moreover, future research should build on these findings and explore the observed associations in a longitudinal design to assess the causal model.publishedVersio

Personellforvaltning - en balansekunst. Hvorfor slutter logistikkutdannet personell i Forsvaret?

Personellet, og dets kompetanse, omtales ofte som Forsvarets viktigste ressurs. I en tid hvor Forsvaret skal styrkes blir det viktig å redusere frafall fra personellstrukturen, noe som fordrer en identifisering av faktiske årsaker til fratredelse. Mytene rundt hvorfor logistikkutdannet personell slutter har lenge vært et diskusjonsemne i Forsvaret. Gjennom dialog med fratrådt logistikkpersonell vil oppgaven forsøke å avstemme mytene og besvare problemstillingen: Hvorfor slutter logistikkutdannet personell i Forsvaret? Oppgaven presenterer signifikante trender til fratredelse blant samtlige fratrådte logistikere fra kull 2005 til 2016 ved Sjøkrigsskolens logistikk- og ressursstyringslinje. Årsakene til fratredelse drøftes i lys av personellforvaltningen som foreligger i dag. Oppsummert er det flere årsaker til fratredelse, hvor mistillit til beordringssystemet, manglende opplevelse av anerkjennelse, og fraværet av en helhetlig kompetansestyring skiller seg signifikant ut. Hovedfunnene har en fellesnevner: det mangler dialog mellom logistikkoffiseren og Forsvaret. Fraværet av dialog kan synes å føre til at flere baserer sin fratredelse på antagelser, fremfor faktiske svakheter ved Forsvarets personellforvaltning. Logistikerne forankrer sin mistillit i opplevelser av beordringssystemet som ekskluderende, lite transparent og uten evaluering i etterkant. Begrenset innsikt i hvordan beordringssystemet forvaltes synes å forsterke mistilliten gjennom redusert aksept og forståelse. Manglende opplevelse av anerkjennelse fremkommer som et resultat av få systemer som anerkjenner jobbprestasjon og kompetanse, ettersom grad er styrende for lønn og normalavansement for forfremmelse. I tillegg samsvarer karriere- og tjenesteplan i liten grad med logistikernes kompetansepotensial. Planen virker fragmentert og begrensende, fremfor å bidra til helhetlig og forutsigbar kompetansestyring. Mange av logistikernes opplevelser virker å springe ut fra etablerte sannheter, uten at dette gjør årsakene til fratredelse mindre relevante. Kompetanse er en unik ressurs Forsvaret aldri vil eie, men alltid være avhengig av. Det er urealistisk for Forsvaret å strekke seg like langt som sivile bedrifter for å imøtekomme individuelle behov. Like fullt vil manglende tilfredsstillelse kunne lede til fratredelse. Dette gjør personellforvaltning i Forsvaret til en balansekunst

Jellyfish swarms and degree of exposure and vulnerabil-ity of recreational and tourist activities on beaches. Methodological approach to their assessment in the Lagos-Ferrara sector (Málaga, Spain)

An important part of the economy of the municipalities on the southern Spanish coast revolves around tourist activity, whose main attraction is the sun and beach. Events such as the arrival of swarms of jellyfish on their beaches have generated a certain amount of fear in the tourism sector. This work presents a methodological essay to evaluate the possible impact of this phenomenon on the use of the beach and the tourist economic activity linked to it. The chosen study area is the stretch of coast between the beach-es of "Lagos" and "Ferrara" (eastern coast of the province of Málaga). It is developed from a risk management perspective, addressing exposure and vulnerability factors. The sources are mainly surveys. The results show that in the short term there are no clear consequences, but there are in the long term.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Dentists, diabetes and periodontitis

The document attached has been archived with permission from the Australian Dental Association (8th Jan 2008). An external link to the publisher’s copy is included.This review updates the relationship between diabetes mellitus and periodontitis. A checklist has been included to assist the general dental practitioner identify individuals with undiagnosed diabetes. The literature indicates a similar incidence of periodontitis exists between well-controlled diabetics and non-diabetics. However, a greater incidence and severity of periodontitis is observed in both Type 1 and 2 long-term diabetics with poor metabolic control. There is an undeniable link between diabetes mellitus and periodontitis with complex interactions occurring between these diseases. A critical review of the literature fails to support the notion that periodontal therapy has a beneficial effect on the long-term control of diabetes. We have explored the associations between periodontitis and diabetes in the hope of providing the general dental practitioner with the knowledge to support the diabetic patient with the best possible dental care and advice.S Bjelland, P Bray, N Gupta and R Hirs

Angular distributions of the atomic scandium 3d and 4s photoelectrons in the region of the 3p - \u3e 3d giant resonance

A determination of the angular distribution parameter beta of the 3d and 4s main lines of atomic scandium in the resonance region of the 3p-- \u3e nd,ms excitations has been carried out using electron spectrometry in conjunction with monochromatized synchrotron radiation., These measurements reveal strong variations of beta8 throughout the entire resonance region, highlighting the complicated nature of the ionization process for this first and seemingly simple 3d transition metal. The beta values-of the photoelectrons resulting in 4s subshell, ionization deviate significantly from 2.0 in qualitative, but not-quantitative, agreement with recent many-body perturbation-theory calculations

The reliability of the general functioning scale in Norwegian 13–15-year-old adolescents and association with family dinner frequency

Background Family environment is crucial to the development of health behaviors into adolescence and adulthood. The aims of this study were (1) to explore the reliability of the General Functioning Scale (GFS) among Norwegian 13-15-year-olds, and (2) to assess whether family functioning reported by adolescents was associated with family dinner frequency. Methods In total 440 secondary-school students were invited to participate in this cross-sectional web-based questionnaire survey, with 54 participating in the test-retest study. Test-retest and internal consistency were assessed for the 12-item GFS-scale. Associations between family functioning and family dinner frequency were tested using multiple logistic regression. Results The GFS had high internal consistency (corrected item-total correlations ranging from 0.40 to 0.65, Cronbach’s α = 0.85), and excellent test–retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient = 0.83). In the logistic regression model, a higher score on GFS (poorer family functioning) was associated with a reduced likelihood of having dinner together on a daily basis (i.e., 6–7 times per week, OR = 0.36, CI = 0.20–0-64) after adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity, living situation and parental education level. Conclusions The GFS had high reliability. As poorer family functioning was associated with less frequent family dinners, the family environment may be an important (contextual) target to influence adolescent health behaviors. It would be of interest to further explore the role of family functioning in relation to adolescents’ dietary habits, besides shared family meals, and to reveal the mechanisms underlying such relationships.publishedVersio

The autoinducer synthases LuxI and AinS are responsible for temperature-dependent AHL production in the fish pathogen Aliivibrio salmonicida

Published version, also available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12866-015-0402-zBackground: Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell-to-cell communication system used by bacteria to regulate activities such as virulence, bioluminescence and biofilm formation. The most common QS signals in Gram-negative bacteria are N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHLs). Aliivibrio salmonicida is the etiological agent of cold water vibriosis in Atlantic salmon, a disease which occurs mainly during seasons when the seawater is below 12°C. In this work we have constructed several mutants of A. salmonicida LFI1238 in order to study the LuxI/LuxR and AinS/AinR QS systems with respect to AHL production and biofilm formation. Results: Using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) we found that LuxI in A. salmonicida LFI1238 is responsible for producing seven of the different AHLs, whereas AinS is responsible for producing only one. The production of these various AHLs is dependent on both cell density and growth temperature. The AHLs were efficiently produced when wild type LFI1238 was grown at 6 or 12°C, however at 16°C AHL production decreased dramatically, and LFI1238 produced less than 5% of the maximum concentrations observed at 6°C. LitR, the master regulator of QS, was found to be a positive regulator of AinS-dependent AHL production, and to a lesser extent LuxI-dependent AHL production. This implies a connection between the two systems, and both systems were found to be involved in regulation of biofilm formation. Finally, inactivation of either luxR1 or luxR2 in the lux operon significantly reduced production of LuxI-produced AHLs. Conclusion: LuxI and AinS are the autoinducer synthases responsible for the eight AHLs in A. salmonicida. AHL production is highly dependent on growth temperature, and a significant decrease was observed when the bacterium was grown at a temperature above its limit for disease outbreak. Numerous AHLs could offer the opportunity for fine-tuning responses to changes in the environment

KsgA, a 16S rRNA adenine methyltransferase, has a novel DNA glycosylase/AP lyase activity to prevent mutations in Escherichia coli

The 5-formyluracil (5-foU), a major mutagenic oxidative damage of thymine, is removed from DNA by Nth, Nei and MutM in Escherichia coli. However, DNA polymerases can also replicate past the 5-foU by incorporating C and G opposite the lesion, although the mechanism of correction of the incorporated bases is still unknown. In this study, using a borohydride-trapping assay, we identified a protein trapped by a 5-foU/C-containing oligonucleotide in an extract from E. coli mutM nth nei mutant. The protein was subsequently purified from the E. coli mutM nth nei mutant and was identified as KsgA, a 16S rRNA adenine methyltransferase. Recombinant KsgA also formed the trapped complex with 5-foU/C- and thymine glycol (Tg)/C-containing oligonucleotides. Furthermore, KsgA excised C opposite 5-foU, Tg and 5-hydroxymethyluracil (5-hmU) from duplex oligonucleotides via a β-elimination reaction, whereas it could not remove the damaged base. In contrast, KsgA did not remove C opposite normal bases, 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine and 2-hydroxyadenine. Finally, the introduction of the ksgA mutation increased spontaneous mutations in E. coli mutM mutY and nth nei mutants. These results demonstrate that KsgA has a novel DNA glycosylase/AP lyase activity for C mispaired with oxidized T that prevents the formation of mutations, which is in addition to its known rRNA adenine methyltransferase activity essential for ribosome biogenesis

Improved Biomedical and Psychological Outcomes 1 Year After Structured Education in Flexible Insulin Therapy for People With Type 1 Diabetes: The U.K. DAFNE experience

OBJECTIVEdDAFNE (Dose Adjustment For Normal Eating), a structured education program in flexible insulin therapy, has been widely adopted in the U.K. after validation in a randomized trial. To determine benefits in routine practice, we collected biomedical and psychological data from all participants attending during a 12-month period. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSdHbA1c, weight, self-reported hypoglycemia awareness, severe hypoglycemia frequency, PAID (Problem Areas In Diabetes), HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and EuroQol Group 5-Dimension Self-Report Questionnaire scores were recorded prior to DAFNE and after 1 year. RESULTSdComplete baseline and follow-up HbA1c data were available for 639 (54.9%) of 1,163 attendees. HbA1c fell from 8.51 6 1.41 (mean 6 SD) to 8.24 6 1.29% (difference 0.27 [95% CI 0.16–0.38]; P , 0.001), with a greater mean fall of 0.44% from baseline HbA1c .8.5%. Severe hypoglycemia rate fell from 1.7 6 8.5 to 0.6 6 3.7 episodes per person per year (1.1 [0.7– 1.4]) and hypoglycemia recognition improved in 43% of those reporting unawareness. Baseline psychological distress was evident, with a PAID score of 25.2 and HADS scores of 5.3 (anxiety) and 4.8 (depression), falling to 16.7 (8.5 [6.6–10.4]), 4.6 (0.7 [0.4–1.0]), and 4.2 (0.6 [0.3–0.8]), respectively (all P , 0.001 at 1 year). Clinically relevant anxiety and depression (HADS $8) fell from 24.4 to 18.0% and 20.9 to 15.5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONSdA structured education program delivered in routine clinical practice not only improves HbA1c while reducing severe hypoglycemia rate and restoring hypoglycemia awareness but also reduces psychological distress and improves perceived well-being

Plasma free choline, betaine and cognitive performance: the Hordaland Health Study

Choline and betaine are nutrients involved in one-carbon metabolism. Choline is essential for neurodevelopment and brain function. We studied the associations between cognitive function and plasma concentrations of free choline and betaine. In a cross-sectional study, 2195 subjects (55 % women), aged 70–74 years, underwent extensive cognitive testing including the Kendrick Object Learning Test (KOLT), Trail Making Test (part A, TMT-A), modified versions of the Digit Symbol Test (m-DST), Block Design (m-BD), Mini-Mental State Examination (m-MMSE) and Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT). Compared with low concentrations, high choline (>8·4 μmol/l) was associated with better test scores in the TMT-A (56·0 v. 61·5, P= 0·004), m-DST (10·5 v. 9·8, P= 0·005) and m-MMSE (11·5 v. 11·4, P= 0·01). A generalised additive regression model showed a positive dose–response relationship between the m-MMSE and choline (P= 0·012 from a corresponding linear regression model). Betaine was associated with the KOLT, TMT-A and COWAT, but after adjustments for potential confounders, the associations lost significance. Risk ratios (RR) for poor test performance roughly tripled when low choline was combined with either low plasma vitamin B12 ( ≤ 257 pmol/l) concentrations (RRKOLT= 2·6, 95 % CI 1·1, 6·1; RRm-MMSE= 2·7, 95 % CI 1·1, 6·6; RRCOWAT= 3·1, 95 % CI 1·4, 7·2) or high methylmalonic acid (MMA) ( ≥ 3·95 μmol/l) concentrations (RRm-BD= 2·8, 95 % CI 1·3, 6·1). Low betaine ( ≤ 31·1 μmol/l) combined with high MMA was associated with elevated RR on KOLT (RRKOLT= 2·5, 95 % CI 1·0, 6·2). Low plasma free choline concentrations are associated with poor cognitive performance. There were significant interactions between low choline or betaine and low vitamin B12 or high MMA on cognitive performance.publishedVersio