Relationships between parental mental illness and/or offending and offspring contact with the police in childhood: Findings from a longitudinal record-linkage study

Background: Parental offending and mental illness are associated with an increased risk of criminal behaviour in offspring during adolescence and adulthood, but the impact of such problems on younger children, including children's experiences of victimisation, is less well known. Aim: To investigate the associations between parental offending and mental illness recorded prior to their offspring's age of 5 years and their offspring's contact with police as a ‘person of interest’, ‘victim’ or ‘witness’ between ages 5 and 13 years. Methods: Our sample consisted of 72,771 children and their parents drawn from the New South Wales Child Development Study, an Australian longitudinal population-based record linkage study. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between parental factors and offspring's police contact. Separate models examined the relationships between maternal or paternal offending and mental illness, as well as the combination among either or both parents, as the independent variables, and their child's police contact as the dependent variable. Results: Parental offending and mental illness were each individually associated with indices of police contact among offspring. Stronger associations were observed when both offending and mental illness were present together (in either parent, or when one parent had both exposures). Stronger associations were evident for mothers with both factors across all offspring police contact types, relative to fathers with both factors, in fully adjusted models; that is, children of mothers with both factors were over four times as likely to have contact with police as a ‘person of interest’ (OR = 4.29; 95% CI = 3.75–4.92) and over three times as likely to have contact as a victim (OR = 3.35; 95% CI = 3.01–3.74) or witness (OR = 3.58; 95% CI = 3.03–4.24), than children whose mothers had no history of offending or mental illness. Conclusions: Children with a parental history of offending and mental illness in early life are at an increased likelihood of early police contact as young as 5–13 years of age; it is vital that this is taken as a signal to help them and their affected families according to need

Cumulative Environmental Risk in Early Life: Associations With Schizotypy in Childhood

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS: Psychotic disorders are associated with a growing number of recognized environmental exposures. Cumulative exposure to multiple environmental risk factors in childhood may contribute to the development of different patterns of schizotypy evident in early life. Hypotheses were that distinct profiles of schizotypy would have differential associations with a cumulative score of environmental risk factors. STUDY DESIGN: We prospectively examined the relationship between 19 environmental exposures (which had demonstrated replicated associations with psychosis) measured from the prenatal period through to age 11 years, and 3 profiles of schizotypy in children (mean age = 11.9 years, n = 20 599) that have been established in population data from the New South Wales-Child Development Study. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine associations between membership in each of 3 schizotypy profiles (true schizotypy, introverted schizotypy, and affective schizotypy) and exposure to a range of 19 environmental risk factors for psychosis (both individually and summed as a cumulative environmental risk score [ERS]), relative to children showing no risk. RESULTS: Almost all environmental factors were associated with at least 1 schizotypy profile. The cumulative ERS was most strongly associated with the true schizotypy profile (OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.52-1.70), followed by the affective (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.28-1.38), and introverted (OR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.28-1.37) schizotypy profiles. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with the cumulative risk hypothesis, results indicate that an increased number of risk exposures is associated with an increased likelihood of membership in the 3 schizotypy profiles identified in middle childhood, relative to children with no schizotypy profile

Translating Biomarkers of Cholangiocarcinoma for Theranosis: A Systematic Review

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a rare disease with poor outcomes and limited research efforts into novel treatment options. A systematic review of CCA biomarkers was undertaken to identify promising biomarkers that may be used for theranosis (therapy and diagnosis). MEDLINE/EMBASE databases (1996–2019) were systematically searched using two strategies to identify biomarker studies of CCA. The PANTHER Go-Slim classification system and STRING network version 11.0 were used to interrogate the identified biomarkers. The TArget Selection Criteria for Theranosis (TASC-T) score was used to rank identified proteins as potential targetable biomarkers for theranosis. The following proteins scored the highest, CA9, CLDN18, TNC, MMP9, and EGFR, and they were evaluated in detail. None of these biomarkers had high sensitivity or specificity for CCA but have potential for theranosis. This review is unique in that it describes the process of selecting suitable markers for theranosis, which is also applicable to other diseases. This has highlighted existing validated markers of CCA that can be used for active tumor targeting for the future development of targeted theranostic delivery systems. It also emphasizes the relevance of bioinformatics in aiding the search for validated biomarkers that could be repurposed for theranosis

Numerical Modeling of the Internal Temperature in the Mammary Gland

The microwave thermometry method for the diagnosis of breast cancer is based on an analysis of the internal temperature distribution.This paper is devoted to the construction of a mathematical model for increasing the accuracy of measuring the internal temperature of mammary glands, which are regarded as a complex combination of several components, such as fat tissue, muscle tissue, milk lobules, skin, blood flows, tumor tissue. Each of these biocomponents is determined by its own set of physical parameters. Our numerical model is designed to calculate the spatial distributions of the electric microwave field and the temperature inside the biological tissue. We compare the numerical simulations results to the real medical measurements of the internal temperature.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure

Living on the edge: how philopatry maintains adaptive potential

Without genetic variation, species cannot cope with changing environments, and evolution does not proceed. In endangered species, adaptive potential may be eroded by decreased population sizes and processes that further reduce gene flow such as philopatry and local adaptations. Here, we focused on the philopatric and endangered loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting in Cape Verde as a model system to investigate the link between adaptive potential and philopatry. We produced a dataset of three complementary genomic regions to investigate female philopatric behaviour (mitochondrial DNA), male-mediated gene flow (microsatellites) and adaptive potential (major histocompatibility complex, MHC). Results revealed genetically distinct nesting colonies, indicating remarkably small-scale philopatric behaviour of females. Furthermore, these colonies also harboured local pools of MHC alleles, especially at the margins of the population's distribution, which are therefore important reserves of additional diversity for the population. Meanwhile, directional male-mediated gene flow from the margins of distribution sustains the adaptive potential for the entire rookery. We therefore present the first evidence for a positive association between philopatry and locally adapted genomic regions. Contrary to expectation, we propose that philopatry conserves a high adaptive potential at the margins of a distribution, while asymmetric gene flow maintains genetic connectivity with the rest of the population

Effect of vegetation cover and sediment type on 3D subsurface structure and shear strength in saltmarshes

Funder: Queen Mary; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100009148Abstract: The vulnerability of saltmarshes to lateral erosion at their margin depends on the local biogeomorphological properties of the substrate. In particular, the 3D architecture of pore and root systems is expected to influence shear strength, with repercussions for the wider‐scale stability of saltmarshes. We apply X‐ray computed microtomography (μCT) to visualize and quantify subsurface structures in two UK saltmarshes at Tillingham Farm, Essex (silt/clay rich substrate) and Warton Sands (sand‐rich substrate), with four types of ground cover: bare ground, Spartina spp, Salicornia spp and Puccinellia spp. We extracted μCT structural parameters that characterize pore and root morphologies at each station, and compared them with field measurements of shear strength using a principal component analysis and correlation tests. The 3D volumes show that species‐dependent variations in root structures, plant colonization events and bioturbation activity control the morphology of macropores, while sediment cohesivity determines the structural stability and persistence of these pore structures over time, even after the vegetation has died. Areas of high porosity and high mean pore thickness were correlated to lower values of shear strength, especially at Tillingham Farm, where well‐connected vertical systems of macropores were associated with current or previous colonization by Spartina spp. However, while well‐connected systems of macropores may lower the local deformation threshold of the sediment, they also encourage drainage, promote vegetation growth and reduce the marsh vulnerability to hydrodynamic forces. The highest values of shear strength at both sites were found under Puccinellia spp, and were associated with a high density of mesh‐like root structures that bind the sediment and resist deformation. Future studies of marsh stability should ideally consider time series of vegetation cover, especially in silt/clay‐dominated saltmarshes, in order to consider the potential effect of preserved buried networks of macropores on water circulation, marsh functioning and cliff‐face erosion

Axonal Injury Partially Mediates Associations Between Increased Left Ventricular Mass Index and White Matter Damage

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Left ventricular (LV) mass index is a marker of subclinical LV remodeling that relates to white matter damage in aging, but molecular pathways underlying this association are unknown. This study assessed if LV mass index related to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of microglial activation (sTREM2 [soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2]), axonal injury (NFL [neurofilament light]), neurodegeneration (total-tau), and amyloid-β, and whether these biomarkers partially accounted for associations between increased LV mass index and white matter damage. We hypothesized higher LV mass index would relate to greater CSF biomarker levels, and these pathologies would partially mediate associations with cerebral white matter microstructure. METHODS: Vanderbilt Memory and Aging Project participants who underwent cardiac magnetic resonance, lumbar puncture, and diffusion tensor imaging (n=142, 72±6 years, 37% mild cognitive impairment [MCI], 32% APOE-ε4 positive, LV mass index 51.4±8.1 g/m2, NFL 1070±588 pg/mL) were included. Linear regressions and voxel-wise analyses related LV mass index to each biomarker and diffusion tensor imaging metrics, respectively. Follow-up models assessed interactions with MCI and APOE-ε4. In models where LV mass index significantly related to a biomarker and white matter microstructure, we assessed if the biomarker mediated white matter associations. RESULTS: Among all participants, LV mass index was unrelated to CSF biomarkers (P>0.33). LV mass index interacted with MCI (P=0.01), such that higher LV mass index related to increased NFL among MCI participants. Associations were also present among APOE-ε4 carriers (P=0.02). NFL partially mediated up to 13% of the effect of increased LV mass index on white matter damage. CONCLUSIONS: Subclinical cardiovascular remodeling, measured as an increase in LV mass index, is associated with neuroaxonal degeneration among individuals with MCI and APOE-ɛ4. Neuroaxonal degeneration partially reflects associations between higher LV mass index and white matter damage. Findings highlight neuroaxonal degeneration, rather than amyloidosis or microglia, may be more relevant in pathways between structural cardiovascular remodeling and white matter damage

Association of Aortic Stiffness With Biomarkers of Neuroinflammation, Synaptic Dysfunction, and Neurodegeneration

OBJECTIVES: To test the hypothesis that increased aortic stiffening is associated with greater cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) evidence of core Alzheimer's disease pathology (Aβ, phosphorylated tau (p-tau)), neurodegeneration (total tau (t-tau)), synaptic dysfunction (neurogranin), neuroaxonal injury (neurofilament light (NFL)), and neuroinflammation (YKL-40, sTREM2), we analyzed pulse wave velocity (PWV) data and CSF data among older adults. METHODS: Participants free of stroke and dementia from the Vanderbilt Memory and Aging Project, an observational community-based study, underwent cardiac magnetic resonance to assess aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV, m/sec) and lumbar puncture to obtain CSF. Linear regressions related aortic PWV to CSF Aβ, p-tau, t-tau, neurogranin, NFL, YKL-40, and sTREM2 concentrations adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, education, apolipoprotein (APOE) ε4 status, Framingham Stroke Risk Profile, and cognitive diagnosis. Models were repeated testing PWV interactions with age, diagnosis, APOE-ε4, and hypertension on each biomarker. RESULTS: 146 participants were examined (72±6 years). Aortic PWV interacted with age on p-tau (β=0.31, p=0.04), t-tau, (β=2.67, p=0.05), neurogranin (β=0.94, p=0.04), and sTREM2 (β=20.4, p=0.05). Among participants over age 73 years, higher aortic PWV related to higher p-tau (β=2.4, p=0.03), t-tau (β=19.3, p=0.05), neurogranin (β=8.4, p=0.01), and YKL-40 concentrations (β=7880, p=0.005). Aortic PWV had modest interactions with diagnosis on neurogranin (β=-10.76, p=0.03) and hypertension status on YKL-40 (β=-18020, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Among our oldest participants, age 74 years and older, greater aortic stiffening is associated with in vivo biomarker evidence of neuroinflammation, tau phosphorylation, synaptic dysfunction, and neurodegeneration, but not amyloidosis. Central arterial stiffening may lead to cumulative cerebral microcirculatory damage and blood flow delivery to tissue, resulting in neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in more advanced age

Very Cold Gas and Dark Matter

We have recently proposed a new candidate for baryonic dark matter: very cold molecular gas, in near-isothermal equilibrium with the cosmic background radiation at 2.73 K. The cold gas, of quasi-primordial abundances, is condensed in a fractal structure, resembling the hierarchical structure of the detected interstellar medium. We present some perspectives of detecting this very cold gas, either directly or indirectly. The H$_2$ molecule has an "ultrafine" structure, due to the interaction between the rotation-induced magnetic moment and the nuclear spins. But the lines fall in the km domain, and are very weak. The best opportunity might be the UV absorption of H$_2$ in front of quasars. The unexpected cold dust component, revealed by the COBE/FIRAS submillimetric results, could also be due to this very cold H$_2$ gas, through collision-induced radiation, or solid H$_2$ grains or snowflakes. The $\gamma$-ray distribution, much more radially extended than the supernovae at the origin of cosmic rays acceleration, also points towards and extended gas distribution.Comment: 16 pages, Latex pages, crckapb macro, 3 postscript figures, uuencoded compressed tar file. To be published in the proceeedings of the "Dust-Morphology" conference, Johannesburg, 22-26 January, 1996, D. Block (ed.), (Kluwer Dordrecht

The Reproducibility of Blood Acid Base Responses in Male Collegiate Athletes Following Individualised Doses of Sodium Bicarbonate: A Randomised Controlled Crossover Study

Background: Current evidence suggests sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) should be ingested based upon the individualised alkalotic peak of either blood pH or bicarbonate (HCO3−) because of large inter-individual variations (10–180 min). If such a strategy is to be practical, the blood analyte response needs to be reproducible. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the degree of reproducibility of both time to peak (TTP) and absolute change in blood pH, HCO3− and sodium (Na+) following acute NaHCO3 ingestion. Methods: Male participants (n = 15) with backgrounds in rugby, football or sprinting completed six randomised treatments entailing ingestion of two doses of 0.2 g·kg−1 body mass (BM) NaHCO3 (SBC2a and b), two doses of 0.3 g·kg−1 BM NaHCO3 (SBC3a and b) or two control treatments (CON1a and b) on separate days. Blood analysis included pH, HCO3− and Na+ prior to and at regular time points following NaHCO3 ingestion over a 3-h period. Results: HCO3− displayed greater reproducibility than pH in intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analysis for both TTP (HCO3− SBC2 r = 0.77, P = 0.003; SBC3 r = 0.94, P < 0.001; pH SBC2 r = 0.62, P = 0.044; SBC3 r = 0.71, P = 0.016) and absolute change (HCO3− SBC2 r = 0.89, P < 0.001; SBC3 r = 0.76, P = 0.008; pH SBC2 r = 0.84, P = 0.001; SBC3 r = 0.62, P = 0.041). Conclusion: Our results indicate that both TTP and absolute change in HCO3− is more reliable than pH. As such, these data provide support for an individualised NaHCO3 ingestion strategy to consistently elicit peak alkalosis before exercise. Future work should utilise an individualised NaHCO3 ingestion strategy based on HCO3− responses and evaluate effects on exercise performance