Isolation rearing impairs novel object recognition and attentional set shifting performance in female rats

YesIt has been suggested that the isolation rearing paradigm models certain aspects of schizophrenia symptomatology. This study aimed to investigate whether isolation rearing impairs rats’ performance in two models of cognition: the novel object recognition (NOR) and attentional set-shifting tasks, tests of episodic memory and executive function, respectively. Two cohorts of female Hooded-Lister rats were used in these experiments. Animals were housed in social isolation or in groups of five from weaning, post-natal day 28. The first cohort was tested in the NOR test with inter-trial intervals (ITIs) of 1 min up to 6 h. The second cohort was trained and tested in the attentional set-shifting task. In the NOR test, isolates were only able to discriminate between the novel and familiar objects up to 1-h ITI, whereas socially reared animals remembered the familiar object up to a 4-h ITI. In the attentional set-shifting task, isolates were significantly and selectively impaired in the extra-dimensional shift phase of the task (P < 0.01). Rats reared in isolation show impaired episodic memory in the NOR task and reduced ability to shift attention between stimulus dimensions in the attentional set-shifting task. Because schizophrenic patients show similar deficits in performance in these cognitive domains, these data further support isolation rearing as a putative preclinical model of the cognitive deficits associated with schizophrenia

Reversible DNA micro-patterning using the fluorous effect

We describe a new method for the immobilisation of DNA into defined patterns with sub-micron resolution, using the fluorous effect. The method is fully reversible via a simple solvent wash, allowing the patterning, regeneration and re-patterning of surfaces with no degradation in binding efficiency following multiple removal/attachment cycles of different DNA sequences

Culture clash: Appearance concerns in black and minority ethnic groups

Around the world, men and women of all cultures and ethnicities are being exposed to Western appearance ideals. Paired with a lack of representation of black and minority ethnic (BME) men and women in the mainstream media, the public's appreciation of ethnic diversity is being threatened. Nicola Stock examines the growing trend of appearance-altering practice among those from BME communities

Seasonal variation of food security among the Batwa of Kanungu, Uganda

Climate change is projected to increase the burden of food insecurity (FI) globally, particularly among populations that depend on subsistence agriculture. The impacts of climate change will have disproportionate effects on populations with higher existing vulnerability. Indigenous people consistently experience higher levels of FI than their non-Indigenous counterparts and are more likely to be dependent upon land-based resources. The present study aimed to understand the sensitivity of the food system of an Indigenous African population, the Batwa of Kanungu District, Uganda, to seasonal variation. A concurrent, mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) design was used. Six cross-sectional retrospective surveys, conducted between January 2013 and April 2014, provided quantitative data to examine the seasonal variation of self-reported household FI. This was complemented by qualitative data from focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews collected between June and August 2014. Ten rural Indigenous communities in Kanungu District, Uganda. FI data were collected from 130 Indigenous Batwa Pygmy households. Qualitative methods involved Batwa community members, local key informants, health workers and governmental representatives. The dry season was associated with increased FI among the Batwa in the quantitative surveys and in the qualitative interviews. During the dry season, the majority of Batwa households reported greater difficulty in acquiring sufficient quantities and quality of food. However, the qualitative data indicated that the effect of seasonal variation on FI was modified by employment, wealth and community location. These findings highlight the role social factors play in mediating seasonal impacts on FI and support calls to treat climate associations with health outcomes as non-stationary and mediated by social sensitivity

On the Trace Anomaly and the Anomaly Puzzle in N=1 Pure Yang-Mills

The trace anomaly of the energy-momentum tensor is usually quoted in the form which is proportional to the beta function of the theory. However, there are in general many definitions of gauge couplings depending on renormalization schemes, and hence many beta functions. In particular, N=1 supersymmetric pure Yang-Mills has the holomorphic gauge coupling whose beta function is one-loop exact, and the canonical gauge coupling whose beta function is given by the Novikov-Shifman-Vainshtein-Zakharov beta function. In this paper, we study which beta function should appear in the trace anomaly in N=1 pure Yang-Mills. We calculate the trace anomaly by employing the N=4 regularization of N=1 pure Yang-Mills. It is shown that the trace anomaly is given by one-loop exact form if the composite operator appearing in the trace anomaly is renormalized in a preferred way. This result gives the simplest resolution to the anomaly puzzle in N=1 pure Yang-Mills. The most important point is to examine in which scheme the quantum action principle is valid, which is crucial in the derivation of the trace anomaly.Comment: 25 pages, 1 figure; v2:slight correction in sec.5, minor addition in appendi

Streams of data from drops of water: 21st century molecular microbial ecology

Microorganisms are ubiquitous and represent a taxonomically and functionally diverse component of freshwater environments of significant ecological importance. The bacteria, archaea, and microbial eukarya in freshwater systems support a range of ecosystem processes and functions, including mediating all major biogeochemical cycles, and therefore regulate the flow of multiple ecosystem services. Yet relative to conspicuous higher taxa, microbial ecology remains poorly understood. As the anthropocene progresses, the demand for freshwater–ecosystem services is both increasing with growing human population density, and by association, increasingly threatened from multiple and often interacting stressors, such as climate change, eutrophication, and chemical pollution. Thus, it is imperative to understand the ecology of microorganisms and their functional role in freshwater ecosystems if we are to manage the future of these environments effectively. To do this, researchers have developed a vast array of molecular tools that can illuminate the diversity, composition, and activity of microbial communities. Within this primer, we discuss the history of molecular approaches in microbial ecology, and highlight the scope of questions that these methods enable researchers to address. Using some recent case studies, we describe some exemplar research into the microbial ecology of freshwater systems, and emphasize how molecular methods can provide novel ecological insights. Finally, we detail some promising developments within this research field, and how these might shape the future research landscape of freshwater microbial ecology

Chest computed tomography of a patient revealing severe hypoxia due to amniotic fluid embolism: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Amniotic fluid embolism is one of the most severe complications in the peripartum period. Because its onset is abrupt and fulminant, it is unlikely that there will be time to examine the condition using thoracic computed tomography (CT). We report a case of life-threatening amniotic fluid embolism, where chest CT in the acute phase was obtained.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 22-year-old Asian Japanese primiparous woman was suspected of having an amniotic fluid embolism. After a Cesarean section for cephalopelvic disproportion, her respiratory condition deteriorated. Her chest CT images were examined. CT findings revealed diffuse homogeneous ground-glass shadow in her bilateral peripheral lung fields. She was therefore transferred to our hospital. On admission to our hospital's intensive care unit, she was found to have severe hypoxemia, with SpO₂of 50% with a reservoir mask of 15 L/min oxygen. She was intubated with the support of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation. She was successfully extubated on the sixth day, and discharged from the hospital on the twentieth day.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This is the first case report describing amniotic fluid embolism in which CT revealed an acute respiratory distress syndrome-like shadow.</p

Maternal and perinatal outcomes after elective labor induction at 39 weeks in uncomplicated singleton pregnancies: a meta-analysis.

Objective The rate of maternal and perinatal complications increases after 39 weeks' gestation in both unselected and complicated pregnancies. The aim of this study was to synthesize quantitatively the available evidence on the effect of elective induction of labor at 39 weeks on the risk of Cesarean section, and on maternal and perinatal outcomes. Methods PubMed, US Registry of Clinical Trials, SCOPUS and CENTRAL databases were searched from inception to August 2018. Additionally, the references of retrieved articles were searched. Eligible studies were randomized controlled trials of singleton uncomplicated pregnancies in which participants were randomized between 39 + 0 and 39 + 6 gestational weeks to either induction of labor or expectant management. The risk of bias of individual studies was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. The overall quality of evidence was assessed according to the GRADE guideline. Primary outcomes included Cesarean section, maternal death and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Secondary outcomes included operative delivery, Grade‐3/4 perineal laceration, postpartum hemorrhage, maternal infection, hypertensive disease of pregnancy, maternal thrombotic events, length of maternal hospital stay, neonatal death, need for neonatal respiratory support, cerebral palsy, length of stay in NICU and length of neonatal hospital stay. Pooled risk ratios (RRs) were calculated using random‐effects models. Results The meta‐analysis included five studies (7261 cases). Induction of labor was associated with a decreased risk for Cesarean section (moderate quality of evidence; RR 0.86 (95% CI, 0.78–0.94); I2 = 0.1%), maternal hypertension (moderate quality of evidence; RR 0.65 (95% CI, 0.57–0.75); I2 = 0%) and neonatal respiratory support (moderate quality of evidence; RR 0.73 (95% CI, 0.58–0.95); I2 = 0%). Neonates born after induction weighed, on average, 81 g (95% CI, 63–100 g) less than those born after expectant management. No significant effects were found for the other outcomes with the available data. The main limitation of our analysis was that the majority of data were derived from a single large study. A second limitation arose from the open‐label design of the studies, which may theoretically have affected the readiness of the attending clinician to resort to Cesarean section. Conclusions Elective induction of labor in uncomplicated singleton pregnancy at 39 weeks' gestation is not associated with maternal or perinatal complications and may reduce the need for Cesarean section, risk of hypertensive disease of pregnancy and need for neonatal respiratory support