Self-interacting Dark Matter and Invisibly Decaying Higgs

Self-interacting dark matter has been suggested in order to overcome the difficulties of the Cold Dark Matter model on galactic scales. We argue that a scalar gauge singlet coupled to the Higgs boson, which could lead to an invisibly decaying Higgs, is an interesting candidate for this self-interacting dark matter particle. We also present estimates on the abundance of these particles today as well as consequences to non-Newtonian forces.Comment: 4 pages, Revte

Infant feeding cues, maternal feeding decisions and the development of a self-directed responsive feeding resource

Low maternal responsiveness to infant feeding signals is a reported risk factor for childhood obesity, however, mothers may have difficulty in responding to cues. The thesis had 3 aims: to better understand infant feeding cues within complementary feeding (CF); to understand mothers’ feeding decisions, perceptions and practices in the context of weaning approach (baby led or traditional weaning), and to develop a self-directed, online resource to facilitate cue recognition with a view to promoting responsive feeding. A systematic review of the feeding cues literature was undertaken (Study 1) followed by an observational study of infant gaze, gesture and vocalisation during feeding with 20 mother-infant dyads (Study 2). 11 mothers from Study 2 then participated in qualitative, video-elicited interviews concerning choice of feeding method, and decisions and perceptions during feeding interactions (Study 3). Studies 1-3 informed the development of a self-directed, online responsive feeding resource (Study 4), which was evaluated by 23 parents and professionals for acceptability and satisfaction. Findings suggest that low responsiveness to feeding cues may arise from poor recognition, but that attention to infant gaze, gesture and vocalisation during feeding may help mothers to recognise satiation (Study 2). However, mothers may have difficulty following cues, even when recognised, because of worries about infant intake, behaviour which deviates from maternal feeding expectations, and practical pressures (Study 3). Such issues were reported by mothers across different CF approaches. Study 4 indicated that an online, self-directed responsive feeding intervention is feasible to deliver and acceptable to parents. The thesis offers potentially new insights for understanding infant communication of hunger and satiation and responsive feeding, and identifies research directions to investigate these further. It also highlights the need for feeding interventions to address cue recognition, issues which compromise maternal responsiveness, and to be flexible to the specific needs of individual mother-infant dyads

Katanin, kinesin-13, and ataxin-2 inhibit premature interaction between maternal and paternal genomes in C. elegans zygotes

Fertilization occurs before the completion of oocyte meiosis in the majority of animal species and sperm contents move long distances within the zygotes of mouse and C. elegans. If incorporated into the meiotic spindle, paternal chromosomes could be expelled into a polar body resulting in lethal monosomy. Through live imaging of fertilization in C. elegans, we found that the microtubule disassembling enzymes, katanin and kinesin-13 limit long-range movement of sperm contents and that maternal ataxin-2 maintains paternal DNA and paternal mitochondria as a cohesive unit that moves together. Depletion of katanin or double depletion of kinesin-13 and ataxin-2 resulted in the capture of the sperm contents by the meiotic spindle. Thus limiting movement of sperm contents and maintaining cohesion of sperm contents within the zygote both contribute to preventing premature interaction between maternal and paternal genomes

Attention Training Toward and Away from Threat in Social Phobia: Effects on Subjective, Behavioral, and Physiological Measures of Anxiety

Social Phobics exhibit an attentional bias for threat in probe detection and probe discrimination paradigms. Attention training programs, whereby probes always replace nonthreat cues, reduce attentional bias for threat and self-reported anxiety. However, it remains unclear whether the therapeutic benefits of attention training result from people learning to disengage attention from threat cues or acquiring greater control over their attention by learning to deploy it flexibly. Moreover, researchers have seldom taken behavioral measures, and have never taken physiological measures of fear reduction. Investigating these questions, we found that training to disengage attention from threat is more effective than training to deploy it flexibly in social phobia. Indeed, the former condition reduced self-report, behavioral and physiological measures of anxiety.Psycholog

Deletion of periostin reduces muscular dystrophy and fibrosis in mice by modulating the transforming growth factor-β pathway

The muscular dystrophies are broadly classified as muscle wasting diseases with myofiber dropout due to cellular necrosis, inflammation, alterations in extracellular matrix composition, and fatty cell replacement. These events transpire and progress despite ongoing myofiber regeneration from endogenous satellite cells. The degeneration/regeneration response to muscle injury/disease is modulated by the proinflammatory cytokine transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), which can also profoundly influence extracellular matrix composition through increased secretion of profibrotic proteins, such as the matricellular protein periostin. Here we show that up-regulation and secretion of periostin is pathological and enhances disease in the δ-sarcoglycan null (Sgcd(−/−)) mouse model of muscular dystrophy (MD). Indeed, MD mice lacking the Postn gene showed dramatic improvement in skeletal muscle structure and function. Mechanistically, Postn gene deletion altered TGF-β signaling so that it now enhanced tissue regeneration with reduced levels of fibrosis. Systemic antagonism of TGF-β with a neutralizing monoclonal antibody mitigated the beneficial effects of Postn deletion in vivo. These data suggest that periostin functions as a disease determinant in MD by promoting/allowing the pathological effects of TGF-β, suggesting that inhibition of periostin could represent a unique treatment approach

The effectiveness of Ultrasound guided Hydrodistension and physiotherapy in the treatment of Frozen shoulder/Adhesive Capsulitis in Primary Care: a single centre service evaluation

Background: Evidence for optimal non-operative treatment of frozen shoulder is lacking. The aim of this study is to evaluate a treatment strategy for stage II-III Frozen shoulder provided by the current primary care Musculoskeletal Service. Methods: GP referrals of shoulder pain to the musculoskeletal service diagnosed with stage II-III frozen shoulder and who opted for a treatment strategy of hydrodistension and guided physiotherapy exercise programme over a 12 month period were evaluated for 6 months. Thirty three patients were diagnosed with stage II-III frozen shoulder by specialist physiotherapists and opted for the treatment strategy. Outcome measures included SPADI and QuickDASH, pain score and range of movement. Data was collected at baseline, 6 weeks, 12 weeks and 6 months. Results: All patients significantly improved in shoulder symptoms on the SPADI and QuickDASH scores (p< 0.001). Pain scores and range of shoulder movement flexion, abduction, external rotation showed significant improvement at all time points (p<0.001). Conclusions: This service evaluation demonstrates that management of frozen shoulder stage II-III, by physiotherapists in a primary care setting utilizing hydrodistension and guided exercise programme is an effective non-operative treatment strategy. Level of evidence: Level III, Service evaluation

RND pumps across the Acinetobacter genus; AdeIJK 1 is the universal efflux pump

Acinetobacter are generally soil-dwelling organisms that can also cause serious human infections. A. baumannii is one of the most common causative agents of Acinetobacter infections and is often multidrug resistant. However, an additional 25 species within the genus have also been associated with infection. A. baumannii encodes six resistance nodulation division (RND) efflux pumps, the most clinically relevant class of efflux pumps for antibiotic export, but the distribution and types of RND efflux pumps across the genus is currently unknown. Sixty-four species making up the genus Acinetobacter were searched for RND systems within their genomes. We also developed a novel method using conserved RND residues to predict the total number of RND proteins including currently undescribed RND pump proteins. The total number of RND proteins differed both within a species and across the genus. Species associated with infection tended to encode more pumps. AdeIJK/AdeXYZ was found in all searched species of Acinetobacter, and through genomic, structural and phenotypic work we show that these genes are actually homologues of the same system. This interpretation is further supported by structural analysis of the potential drug-binding determinants of the associated RND-transporters, which reveal their close similarity to each other, and distinctiveness from other RND-pumps in Acinetobacter , such as AdeB. Therefore, we conclude that AdeIJK is the fundamental RND system for species in the genus Acinetobacter . AdeIJK can export a broad range of antibiotics and provides crucial functions within the cell, for example lipid modulation of the cell membrane, and therefore it is likely that all Acinetobacter require AdeIJK for survival and homeostasis. In contrast, additional RND systems, such as AdeABC and AdeFGH, were only found in a subset of Acinetobacter that are associated with infection. By understanding the roles and mechanisms of RND efflux systems in Acinetobacter , treatments for infections can avoid efflux-mediated resistance and improve patient outcomes

Does the Repressor Coping Style Predict Lower Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms?

We tested whether a continuous measure of repressor coping style predicted lower posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in 122 health care professionals serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Zero-order correlational analyses indicated that predeployment repressor coping scores negatively predicted postdeployment PTSD symptoms, $r_s = -0.29, p = 0.001$, whereas predeployment Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) scores did not predict postdeployment PTSD symptoms, $r_s = -0.13, p = 0.14$. However, predeployment trait anxiety was chiefly responsible for the association between repressor coping and PTSD symptom severity, $r_s = 0.38, p = 0.001$. Four percent of the subjects qualified for a probable PTSD diagnosis. Although service members with relatively higher PTSD scores had lower repressor coping scores than did the other subjects, their level of predeployment anxiety was chiefly responsible for this relationship. Knowing someone's predeployment level of trait anxiety permits better prediction of PTSD symptoms among trauma-exposed service members than does knowing his or her level of repressive coping.Psycholog