Additive drug-specific and sex-specific risks associated with co-use of marijuana and tobacco during pregnancy: Evidence from 3 recent developmental cohorts (2003-2015).

BACKGROUND: Methodologic challenges related to the concomitant use (co-use) of substances and changes in policy and potency of marijuana contribute to ongoing uncertainty about risks to fetal neurodevelopment associated with prenatal marijuana use. In this study, we examined two biomarkers of fetal neurodevelopmental risk-birth weight and length of gestation-associated with prenatal marijuana use, independent of tobacco (TOB), alcohol (ALC), other drug use (OTH), and socioeconomic risk (SES), in a pooled sample (N = 1191) derived from 3 recent developmental cohorts (2003-2015) with state-of-the-art substance use measures. We examined differential associations by infant sex, and multiplicative effects associated with co-use of MJ and TOB. METHODS: Participants were mother-infant dyads with complete data on all study variables derived from Growing Up Healthy (n = 251), Behavior and Mood in Babies and Mothers (Cohorts 1 and 2; n = 315), and the Early Growth and Development Study (N = 625). We estimated direct effects on birth weight and length of gestation associated with MJ, TOB, and co-use (MJ x TOB), using linear regression analysis in the full sample, and in male (n = 654) and female (n = 537) infants, separately. RESULTS: Mean birth weight and length of gestation were 3277 g (SD = 543) and 37.8 weeks (SD = 2.0), respectively. Rates of prenatal use were as follows: any use, n = 748 (62.8%); MJ use, n = 273 (22.9%); TOB use, n = 608 (51.0%); co-use of MJ and TOB, n = 230 (19.3%); ALC use, n = 464 (39.0%); and OTH use n = 115 (9.7%.) For all infants, unique effects on birth weight were observed for any MJ use [B(SE) = -84.367(38.271), 95% C.I. -159.453 to -9.281, p = .028], any TOB use [B(SE) = -0.99.416(34.418), 95% C.I. -166.942 to -31.889, p = .004], and each cigarette/day in mean TOB use [B(SE) = -12.233(3.427), 95% C.I. -18.995 to -5.510, p \u3c .001]. Additional effects of co-use on birth weight, beyond these drug-specific effects, were not supported. In analyses stratified by sex, while TOB use was associated with lower birth weight in both sexes, MJ use during pregnancy was associated with lower birth weight of male infants [B(SE) = -153.1 (54.20); 95% C.I. -259.5 to -46.7, p = .005], but not female infants [B(SE) = 8.3(53.1), 95% C.I. -96.024 to 112.551, p = .876]. TOB, MJ, and their co-use were not associated with length of gestation. CONCLUSIONS: In this sample, intrauterine co-exposure to MJ and TOB was associated with an estimated 18% reduction in birth weight not attributable to earlier delivery, exposure to ALC or OTH drugs, nor to maternal SES. We found evidence for greater susceptibility of male fetuses to any prenatal MJ exposure. Examination of dose-dependence in relationships found in this study, using continuous measures of exposure, is an important next step. Finally, we underscore the need to consider (a) the potential moderating influence of fetal sex on exposure-related neurodevelopmental risks; and (b) the importance of quantifying expressions of risk through subtle alterations, rather than dichotomous outcomes

Erziehung und sozialer Wandel - Brennpunkte sozialpädagogischer Forschung, Theoriebildung und Praxis. Eine Einführung in die Thematik des Beihefts

Verallgemeinernd wird im Beitrag festgestellt: "Es geht zunächst um die Vergegenwärtigung der Wandlungen und Veränderungen in den sozialen Problemlagen und Lebensverhältnissen der Adressaten der Sozialpolitik, wie sie sich im Zusammenhang der dramatischen Veränderungen auf der gesellschaftlichen Ebene in der zweiten Hälfte der neunziger Jahre darstellen; deswegen ist von den Erziehungsverhältnissen im sozialen Wandel die Rede... Es geht um die Frage, wie Erziehungs- und Bildungsverhältnisse im Zeichen und im Kontext gesellschaftlicher Wandlungsprozesse sich verändern und welche Problemlagen daraus resultieren." (DIPF/Sch.

Prospective assessment of white matter integrity in adult stem cell transplant recipients

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is often used in the treatment of hematologic disorders. Although it can be curative, the pre-transplant conditioning regimen can be associated with neurotoxicity. In this prospective study, we examined white matter (WM) integrity with diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and neuropsychological functioning before and one year after HSCT in twenty-two patients with hematologic disorders and ten healthy controls evaluated at similar intervals. Eighteen patients received conditioning treatment with high-dose (HD) chemotherapy, and four had full dose total body irradiation (fTBI) and HD chemotherapy prior to undergoing an allogeneic or autologous HSCT. The results showed a significant decrease in mean diffusivity (MD) and axial diffusivity (AD) in diffuse WM regions one year after HSCT (p-corrected <0.05) in the patient group compared to healthy controls. At baseline, patients treated with allogeneic HSCT had higher MD and AD in the left hemisphere WM than autologous HSCT patients (p-corrected <0.05). One year post-transplant, patients treated with allogeneic HSCT had lower fractional anisotropy (FA) and higher radial diffusivity (RD) in the right hemisphere and left frontal WM compared to patients treated with autologous HSCT (p-corrected <0.05). There were modest but significant correlations between MD values and cognitive test scores, and these were greatest for timed tests and in projection tracts. Patients showed a trend toward a decline in working memory, and had lower cognitive test scores than healthy controls at the one-year assessment. The findings suggest a relatively diffuse pattern of alterations in WM integrity in adult survivors of HSCT

Exact soliton solutions, shape changing collisions and partially coherent solitons in coupled nonlinear Schroedinger equations

We present the exact bright one-soliton and two-soliton solutions of the integrable three coupled nonlinear Schroedinger equations (3-CNLS) by using the Hirota method, and then obtain them for the general $N$-coupled nonlinear Schroedinger equations (N-CNLS). It is pointed out that the underlying solitons undergo inelastic (shape changing) collisions due to intensity redistribution among the modes. We also analyse the various possibilities and conditions for such collisions to occur. Further, we report the significant fact that the various partial coherent solitons (PCS) discussed in the literature are special cases of the higher order bright soliton solutions of the N-CNLS equations.Comment: 4 pages, RevTex, 1 EPS figure To appear in Physical Review Letter

Cation exchange HPLC analysis of desmosines in elastin hydrolysates

Desmosine crosslinks are responsible for the elastic properties of connective tissues in lungs and cardiovascular system and are often compromised in disease states. We developed a new, fast, and simple cation exchange HPLC assay for the analysis of desmosine and isodesmosine in animal elastin. The method was validated by determining linearity, accuracy, precision, and desmosines stability and was applied to measure levels of desmosines in porcine and murine organs. The detection and quantification limits were 2 and 4 pmol, respectively. The run-time was 8 min. Our cation exchange column does not separate desmosine and isodesmosine, but their level can be quantified from absorbance at different wavelengths. Using this assay, we found that desmosines levels were significantly lower in elastin isolated from various organs of immunodeficient severe combined immunodeficiency mice compared with wild-type animals. We also found that desmosines levels were lower in lung elastin isolated from hyperhomocysteinemic Pcft−/− mice deficient in intestinal folate transport compared with wild-type Pcft+/+ animals

Cellular automaton supercolliders

Gliders in one-dimensional cellular automata are compact groups of non-quiescent and non-ether patterns (ether represents a periodic background) translating along automaton lattice. They are cellular-automaton analogous of localizations or quasi-local collective excitations travelling in a spatially extended non-linear medium. They can be considered as binary strings or symbols travelling along a one-dimensional ring, interacting with each other and changing their states, or symbolic values, as a result of interactions. We analyse what types of interaction occur between gliders travelling on a cellular automaton `cyclotron' and build a catalog of the most common reactions. We demonstrate that collisions between gliders emulate the basic types of interaction that occur between localizations in non-linear media: fusion, elastic collision, and soliton-like collision. Computational outcomes of a swarm of gliders circling on a one-dimensional torus are analysed via implementation of cyclic tag systems

Characterization of the radial electric field and edge velocity shear in Wendelstein 7-X

In this work we present the first measurements obtained by the V-band Doppler reflectometer during the second operation phase of Wendelstein 7-X to discuss the influence in the velocity shear layer and the radial electric field, E$_r$, of several plasma parameters such as magnetic configuration, rotational transform or degree of detachment. In the first place, we carry out a systematic characterization of the turbulence rotation velocity profile in order to describe the influence of density and heating power on E$_r$ under the four most frequent magnetic configurations. The $|$E$_r|$ value in the edge is found to increase with configurations featuring higher $\iota$, although this does not apply for the high mirror configuration, KJM. As well, the E$_r$ value in the SOL and the velocity shear near the separatrix are found to display a clear dependence on heating power and density for all configurations. For a number of relevant cases, these results are assessed by comparing them to neoclassical predictions obtained from the codes DKES and KNOSOS, finding generally good agreement with experimental results. Finally, the evolution of E$_r$ at the edge is evaluated throughout the island-divertor detachment regime achieved for the first time in the 2018 campaign. After detachment, $|$E$_r|$ is reduced both at the SOL and edge, and the plasma column shrinks, with the shear layer seemingly moving radially inwards from the separatrix.Comment: Sent for publication to Nuclear Fusio