Reliability of resting metabolic rate between and within day measurements using the Vyntus CPX system and comparison against predictive formulas

Background: To detect longitudinal changes of resting metabolic rate (RMR) resulting from the effects of energetic stress, reliable RMR measurements are crucial. The Vyntus CPX is a new automated indirect calorimetry system for which RMR reliability has not been determined. Additionally, its agreement with common predictive RMR formulas is unknown. Aim: To determine the within and between-day reliability of RMR measurements using the Vyntus CPX system and its agreement with predictive RMR formulas. Methods: Young (31 ± 7 years) healthy participants (n = 26, 12 females, 14 males) completed three measurements of RMR, two consecutive measures on the same day, one the day before/after, all under standardised conditions. Reliability was assessed with pairwise comparisons of between-day at the same time (BDST), within day consecutive measurements (WDCM) and between-day different time (BDDT), for parameters of reliability (mean change (MC), intraclass correlation (ICC) and typical error of measurement (TEM)). Measured RMR values (kcal/day) were compared against predictive values of 4 common formulas. Results: Parameters of reliability (mean, (95% confidence interval)) were: -BDST: MC, 0.2(-2.3—2.7)% (p = 0.67); ICC, 0.92(0.84—0.97); TEM, 4.5(3.5—6.2)%. -WDCM: MC, −2.5(-6.2—1.3)% (p = 0.21); ICC, 0.88(0.74—0.88); TEM, 7.0(5.4—9.8)%. -BDDT: MC, −1.5(-4.8—1.9)% (p = 0.57); ICC, 0.90(0.76—0.95); TEM, 6.1(4.8—8.5)%. RMRratios (measured/predicted) were: 1.04 ± 0.14 (Nelson, p = 0.13), 1.03 ± 0.10 (Mifflin, p = 0.21), 0.98 ± 0.09 (Harris-benedict, p = 0.30), 0.95 ± 0.11 (Cunningham1980, p = 0.01), 1.00 ± 0.12 (Cunningham1991, p = 0.90) and 0.96 ± 0.13 (DXA, p = 0.03). Conclusions: The Vyntus CPX is reliable and measured RMR values agreed with four predictive formulas but are lower than Cunningham1980 and DXA RMR estimates for this population

An evaluation of enteral nutrition practices and nutritional provision in children during the entire length of stay in critical care

<b>Background</b> Provision of optimal nutrition in children in critical care is often challenging. This study evaluated exclusive enteral nutrition (EN) provision practices and explored predictors of energy intake and delay of EN advancement in critically ill children.<p></p> <b>Methods</b> Data on intake and EN practices were collected on a daily basis and compared against predefined targets and dietary reference values in a paediatric intensive care unit. Factors associated with intake and advancement of EN were explored.<p></p> <b>Results</b> Data were collected from 130 patients and 887 nutritional support days (NSDs). Delay to initiate EN was longer in patients from both the General Surgical and congenital heart defect (CHD) Surgical groups [Median (IQR); CHD Surgical group: 20.3 (16.4) vs General Surgical group: 11.4 (53.5) vs Medical group: 6.5 (10.9) hours; p <= 0.001]. Daily fasting time per patient was significantly longer in patients from the General Surgical and CHD Surgical groups than those from the Medical group [% of 24 h, Median (IQR); CHD Surgical group: 24.0 (29.2) vs General Surgical group: 41.7 (66.7) vs Medical group: 9.4 (21.9); p <= 0.001]. A lower proportion of fluids was delivered as EN per patient (45% vs 73%) or per NSD (56% vs 73%) in those from the CHD Surgical group compared with those with medical conditions. Protein and energy requirements were achieved in 38% and 33% of the NSDs. In a substantial proportion of NSDs, minimum micronutrient recommendations were not met particularly in those patients from the CHD Surgical group. A higher delivery of fluid requirements (p < 0.05) and a greater proportion of these delivered as EN (p < 0.001) were associated with median energy intake during stay and delay of EN advancement. Fasting (31%), fluid restriction (39%) for clinical reasons, procedures requiring feed cessation and establishing EN (22%) were the most common reasons why target energy requirements were not met.<p></p> <b>Conclusions</b> Provision of optimal EN support remains challenging and varies during hospitalisation and among patients. Delivery of EN should be prioritized over other "non-nutritional" fluids whenever this is possible.<p></p&gt

Using virtual reality in criminological research

Since the pioneering early studies of the 1990s hinted at its promise as a research method, virtual reality (VR) technology has increasingly been used by social scientists. Given recent developments that have greatly enhanced realism, reduced costs, and increased possibilities for application, VR seems well on its way to become an established research tool in the social sciences. However, as with other ethodological innovations, the field of criminology hasbeen slow to catch on. To address this gap, this article explores the potential of VR as a tool for crime research. It provides readers with a brief and non-technical description of VR and its main elements and reviews severalapplications of VR in social scientific research that are potentially relevant for criminologists. By way of illustration, we identify and discuss in more detail different areas in which we think the field of criminology can particularly benefit from VR and offer suggestions for research. Some of the equipment available on the consumer market is also reviewed.In conjunction, the different sections should equip readers interested in applying VR in their own research with a fundamental understanding of what it entails and how it can be applied

MiR-19b non-canonical binding is directed by HuR and confers chemosensitivity through regulation of P-glycoprotein in breast cancer

MicroRNAs and RNA-binding proteins exert regulation on >60% of coding genes, yet interplay between them is little studied. Canonical microRNA binding occurs by base-pairing of microRNA 3′-ends to complementary “seed regions” in mRNA 3′UTRs, resulting in translational repression. Similarly, regulatory RNA-binding proteins bind to mRNAs, modifying stability or translation. We investigated post-transcriptional regulation acting on the xenobiotic pump ABCB1/P-glycoprotein, which is implicated in cancer therapy resistance. We characterised the ABCB1 UTRs in primary breast cancer cells and identified UTR sequences that responded to miR-19b despite lacking a canonical binding site. Sequences did, however, contain consensus sites for the RNA-binding protein HuR. We demonstrated that a tripartite complex of HuR, miR-19b and UTR directs repression of ABCB1/P-glycoprotein expression, with HuR essential for non-canonical miR-19b binding thereby controlling chemosensitivity of breast cancer cells. This exemplifies a new cooperative model between RNA-binding proteins and microRNAs to expand the repertoire of mRNAs that can be regulated. This study suggests a novel therapeutic target to impair P-glycoprotein mediated drug efflux, and also indicates that current microRNA binding predictions that rely on seed regions alone may be too conservative

What traits are carried on mobile genetic elements, and why?

Although similar to any other organism, prokaryotes can transfer genes vertically from mother cell to daughter cell, they can also exchange certain genes horizontally. Genes can move within and between genomes at fast rates because of mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Although mobile elements are fundamentally self-interested entities, and thus replicate for their own gain, they frequently carry genes beneficial for their hosts and/or the neighbours of their hosts. Many genes that are carried by mobile elements code for traits that are expressed outside of the cell. Such traits are involved in bacterial sociality, such as the production of public goods, which benefit a cell's neighbours, or the production of bacteriocins, which harm a cell's neighbours. In this study we review the patterns that are emerging in the types of genes carried by mobile elements, and discuss the evolutionary and ecological conditions under which mobile elements evolve to carry their peculiar mix of parasitic, beneficial and cooperative genes

Modular and predictable assembly of porous organic molecular crystals

Nanoporous molecular frameworks are important in applications such as separation, storage and catalysis. Empirical rules exist for their assembly but it is still challenging to place and segregate functionality in three-dimensional porous solids in a predictable way. Indeed, recent studies of mixed crystalline frameworks suggest a preference for the statistical distribution of functionalities throughout the pores rather than, for example, the functional group localization found in the reactive sites of enzymes. This is a potential limitation for 'one-pot' chemical syntheses of porous frameworks from simple starting materials. An alternative strategy is to prepare porous solids from synthetically preorganized molecular pores. In principle, functional organic pore modules could be covalently prefabricated and then assembled to produce materials with specific properties. However, this vision of mix-and-match assembly is far from being realized, not least because of the challenge in reliably predicting three-dimensional structures for molecular crystals, which lack the strong directional bonding found in networks. Here we show that highly porous crystalline solids can be produced by mixing different organic cage modules that self-assemble by means of chiral recognition. The structures of the resulting materials can be predicted computationally, allowing in silico materials design strategies. The constituent pore modules are synthesized in high yields on gram scales in a one-step reaction. Assembly of the porous co-crystals is as simple as combining the modules in solution and removing the solvent. In some cases, the chiral recognition between modules can be exploited to produce porous organic nanoparticles. We show that the method is valid for four different cage modules and can in principle be generalized in a computationally predictable manner based on a lock-and-key assembly between modules

Silicon-based spin and charge quantum computation

Silicon-based quantum-computer architectures have attracted attention because of their promise for scalability and their potential for synergetically utilizing the available resources associated with the existing Si technology infrastructure. Electronic and nuclear spins of shallow donors (e.g. phosphorus) in Si are ideal candidates for qubits in such proposals due to the relatively long spin coherence times. For these spin qubits, donor electron charge manipulation by external gates is a key ingredient for control and read-out of single-qubit operations, while shallow donor exchange gates are frequently invoked to perform two-qubit operations. More recently, charge qubits based on tunnel coupling in P$_2^+$ substitutional molecular ions in Si have also been proposed. We discuss the feasibility of the building blocks involved in shallow donor quantum computation in silicon, taking into account the peculiarities of silicon electronic structure, in particular the six degenerate states at the conduction band edge. We show that quantum interference among these states does not significantly affect operations involving a single donor, but leads to fast oscillations in electron exchange coupling and on tunnel-coupling strength when the donor pair relative position is changed on a lattice-parameter scale. These studies illustrate the considerable potential as well as the tremendous challenges posed by donor spin and charge as candidates for qubits in silicon.Comment: Review paper (invited) - to appear in Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Science

Embodying compassion: A virtual reality paradigm for overcoming excessive self-criticism

Virtual reality has been successfully used to study and treat psychological disorders such as phobias and posttraumatic stress disorder but has rarely been applied to clinically-relevant emotions other than fear and anxiety. Self-criticism is a ubiquitous feature of psychopathology and can be treated by increasing levels of self-compassion. We exploited the known effects of identification with a virtual body to arrange for healthy female volunteers high in self-criticism to experience self-compassion from an embodied first-person perspective within immersive virtual reality. Whereas observation and practice of compassionate responses reduced self-criticism, the additional experience of embodiment also increased self-compassion and feelings of being safe. The results suggest potential new uses for immersive virtual reality in a range of clinical conditions.N/

Prevalence of surrogate markers of relative energy deficiency in male Norwegian Olympic-level athletes

The syndrome of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) includes wide-ranging effects on physiological and psychological functioning, performance, and general health. However, RED-S is understudied among male athletes at the highest performance levels. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate surrogate RED-S markers prevalence in Norwegian male Olympic-level athletes. Athletes (N=44) aged 24.7±3.8 years, body mass 81.3±15.9kg, body fat 13.7±5.8%, and training volume 76.1±22.9 hours/month, were included. Assessed parameters included resting metabolic rate (RMR), body composition, and bone mineral density (BMD) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and venous blood variables (testosterone, free triiodothyronine (fT3), cortisol and lipids). Seven athletes (16%) grouped by the presence of low RMR (RMRratio <-1) was found in 16% of the athletes, all with normal RMR. Subclinical low testosterone and fT3 levels were found in nine (25%) and two (5%) athletes, respectively. Subclinical high cortisol was found in 23% of athletes while 34% had elevated LDL cholesterol levels. Seven of twelve athletes with 2 or more RED-S markers had normal RMR. In conclusion, this study found that multiple RED-S markers also exist in male Olympic-level athletes. This highlights the importance of regular screening of male elite athletes, to ensure early detection and treatment of RED-S