Partner choice, relationship satisfaction, and oral contraception: the congruency hypothesis

Hormonal fluctuation across the menstrual cycle explains temporal variation in women’s judgment of the attractiveness of members of the opposite sex. Use of hormonal contraceptives could therefore influence both initial partner choice and, if contraceptive use subsequently changes, intrapair dynamics. Associations between hormonal contraceptive use and relationship satisfaction may thus be best understood by considering whether current use is congruent with use when relationships formed, rather than by considering current use alone. In the study reported here, we tested this congruency hypothesis in a survey of 365 couples. Controlling for potential confounds (including relationship duration, age, parenthood, and income), we found that congruency in current and previous hormonal contraceptive use, but not current use alone, predicted women’s sexual satisfaction with their partners. Congruency was not associated with women’s nonsexual satisfaction or with the satisfaction of their male partners. Our results provide empirical support for the congruency hypothesis and suggest that women’s sexual satisfaction is influenced by changes in partner preference associated with change in hormonal contraceptive use

High nuclearity Ni(ii) cages from hydroxamate ligands

The synthesis, structural and magnetic characterisation of a family of Ni(ii) cages built from hydroxamate ligands is presented. Two pentanuclear 12-MCNi(ii)-4 metallacrowns [Ni5(L1) 4(MeOH)4](ClO4)2·2MeOH (1) and [Ni5(L1)4(py)5](ClO 4)2·H2O (2) (where L1H 2 = 2-(dimethylamino)phenylhydroxamic acid) share analogous, near-planar {Ni5(L1)4}2+ cores, but differ in the number and nature of the ligands located at the axial Ni(ii) sites; the addition of pyridine converting square planar Ni(ii) ions to square-based pyramidal and octahedral Ni(ii) ions, introducing extra paramagnetic metal centres which 'switch on' additional magnetic superexchange pathways. Subtle variations in the reaction scheme used to produce complexes 1 and 2 result in both a change of topology and an increase in nuclearity, through isolation of the hepta- and nonametallic complexes [Ni7(L 1H)8(L1)2(H2O) 6](SO4)·15H2O (3), [Ni 9(μ-H2O)2(L2)6(L 2H)4(H2O)2](SO4) ·29H2O (4) and [Ni9(μ-H2O) 2(L2)6(L2H)4(H 2O)2](ClO4)2·2MeOH· 18H2O (5) (where L2H2 = 2-(amino) phenylhydroxamic acid). Complementary dc magnetic susceptibility studies and DFT analysis indicate dominant antiferromagnetic exchange interactions in 1, 2, 4 and 5, but competing ferro- and antiferromagnetic exchange in 3. © the Partner Organisations 2014.EKB would like to thank the EPSRC for funding (SS). GR acknowledges financial support from the Government of India through the Department of Science and Technology (SR/S1/IC-41/2010; SR/NM/NS-1119/2011) and generous computational resources from the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay. MKS thanks the University Grants Commission for a Junior Research Fellowship.Published versio

A novel protocol to induce mental fatigue

This is the final version. Available from Springer via the DOI in this record. Data availability: The data and materials for the experiment reported here are available at https://osf.io/6hjc3/ and the experiment was preregistered.Mental fatigue is a commonplace human experience which is the focus of a growing body of research. Whilst researchers in numerous disciplines have attempted to uncover the origins, nature, and effects of mental fatigue, the literature is marked by many contradictory findings. We identified two major methodological problems for mental fatigue research. First, researchers rarely use objective measures of mental fatigue. Instead, they rely heavily on subjective reports as evidence that mental fatigue has been induced in participants. We aimed to develop a task which led to not only a subjective increase in mental fatigue, but a corresponding performance decrement in the mentally fatiguing task as an objective measure. Secondly, current mental fatigue paradigms have low ecological validity – in most prior studies participants have been fatigued with a single repetitive task such as the n-back or Stroop. To move towards a more ecologically valid paradigm, our participants undertook a battery of diverse cognitive tasks designed to challenge different aspects of executive function. The AX-CPT, n-back, mental rotation, and visual search tasks were chosen to challenge response inhibition, working memory, spatial reasoning, and attention. We report results from 45 participants aged 19 to 63 years who completed a two-hour battery comprising four different cognitive tasks. Subjective fatigue ratings and task performance were measured at the beginning and end of the battery. Our novel method resulted in an increase in subjective ratings of fatigue (p < 0.001) and a reduction in task performance (p = 0.008). Future research into mental fatigue may benefit from using this task battery.Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC

Membrane Tension Gates ERK-Mediated Regulation of Pluripotent Cell Fate

Cell fate transitions are frequently accompanied by changes in cell shape and mechanics. However, how cellular mechanics affects the instructive signaling pathways controlling cell fate is poorly understood. To probe the interplay between shape, mechanics, and fate, we use mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs), which change shape as they undergo early differentiation. We find that shape change is regulated by a b-cateninmediated decrease in RhoA activity and subsequent decrease in the plasma membrane tension. Strikingly, preventing a decrease in membrane tension results in early differentiation defects in ESCs and gastruloids. Decreased membrane tension facilitates the endocytosis of FGF signaling components, which activate ERK signaling and direct the exit from the ESC state. Increasing Rab5a-facilitated endocytosis rescues defective early differentiation. Thus, we show that a mechanically triggered increase in endocytosis regulates early differentiation. Our findings are of fundamental importance for understanding how cell mechanics regulates biochemical signaling and therefore cell fate

Development and initial validation of the bronchiectasis exacerbation and symptom tool (BEST)

BACKGROUND: Recurrent bronchiectasis exacerbations are related to deterioration of lung function, progression of the disease, impairment of quality of life, and to an increased mortality. Improved detection of exacerbations has been accomplished in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease through the use of patient completed diaries. These tools may enhance exacerbation reporting and identification. The aim of this study was to develop a novel symptom diary for bronchiectasis symptom burden and detection of exacerbations, named the BEST diary. METHODS: Prospective observational study of patients with bronchiectasis conducted at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee. We included patients with confirmed bronchiectasis by computed tomography, who were symptomatic and had at least 1 documented exacerbation of bronchiectasis in the previous 12\u2009months to participate. Symptoms were recorded daily in a diary incorporating cough, sputum volume, sputum colour, dyspnoea, fatigue and systemic disturbance scored from 0 to 26. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients were included in the study. We identified 29 reported (treated exacerbations) and 23 unreported (untreated) exacerbations over 6-month follow-up. The BEST diary score showed a good correlation with the established and validated questionnaires and measures of health status (COPD Assessment Test, r =\u20090.61, p =\u20090.0037, Leicester Cough Questionnaire, r =\u2009-\u20090.52,p =\u20090.0015, St Georges Respiratory Questionnaire, r =\u20090.61,p <\u20090.0001 and 6\u2009min walk test, r =\u2009-\u20090.46,p =\u20090.037). The mean BEST score at baseline was 7.1 points (SD 2.2). The peak symptom score during exacerbation was a mean of 16.4 (3.1), and the change from baseline to exacerbation was a mean of 9.1 points (SD 2.5). Mean duration of exacerbations based on time for a return to baseline symptoms was 15.3\u2009days (SD 5.7). A minimum clinically important difference of 4 points is proposed. CONCLUSIONS: The BEST symptom diary has shown concurrent validity with current health questionnaires and is responsive at onset and recovery from exacerbation. The BEST diary may be useful to detect and characterise exacerbations in bronchiectasis clinical trials

Bridging the Mid-Infrared-to-Telecom Gap with Silicon Nanophotonic Spectral Translation

Expanding far beyond traditional applications in optical interconnects at telecommunications wavelengths, the silicon nanophotonic integrated circuit platform has recently proven its merits for working with mid-infrared (mid-IR) optical signals in the 2-8 {\mu}m range. Mid-IR integrated optical systems are capable of addressing applications including industrial process and environmental monitoring, threat detection, medical diagnostics, and free-space communication. Rapid progress has led to the demonstration of various silicon components designed for the on-chip processing of mid-IR signals, including waveguides, vertical grating couplers, microcavities, and electrooptic modulators. Even so, a notable obstacle to the continued advancement of chip-scale systems is imposed by the narrow-bandgap semiconductors, such as InSb and HgCdTe, traditionally used to convert mid-IR photons to electrical currents. The cryogenic or multi-stage thermo-electric cooling required to suppress dark current noise, exponentially dependent upon the ratio Eg/kT, can limit the development of small, low-power, and low-cost integrated optical systems for the mid-IR. However, if the mid-IR optical signal could be spectrally translated to shorter wavelengths, for example within the near-infrared telecom band, photodetectors using wider bandgap semiconductors such as InGaAs or Ge could be used to eliminate prohibitive cooling requirements. Moreover, telecom band detectors typically perform with higher detectivity and faster response times when compared with their mid-IR counterparts. Here we address these challenges with a silicon-integrated approach to spectral translation, by employing efficient four-wave mixing (FWM) and large optical parametric gain in silicon nanophotonic wires

Interactions and potential implications of Plasmodium falciparum-hookworm coinfection in different age groups in south-central Côte d'Ivoire

BACKGROUND: Given the widespread distribution of Plasmodium and helminth infections, and similarities of ecological requirements for disease transmission, coinfection is a common phenomenon in sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere in the tropics. Interactions of Plasmodium falciparum and soil-transmitted helminths, including immunological responses and clinical outcomes of the host, need further scientific inquiry. Understanding the complex interactions between these parasitic infections is of public health relevance considering that control measures targeting malaria and helminthiases are going to scale.METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in April 2010 in infants, young school-aged children, and young non-pregnant women in south-central Côte d'Ivoire. Stool, urine, and blood samples were collected and subjected to standardized, quality-controlled methods. Soil-transmitted helminth infections were identified and quantified in stool. Finger-prick blood samples were used to determine Plasmodium spp. infection, parasitemia, and hemoglobin concentrations. Iron, vitamin A, riboflavin, and inflammation status were measured in venous blood samples.PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Multivariate regression analysis revealed specific association between infection and demographic, socioeconomic, host inflammatory and nutritional factors. Non-pregnant women infected with P. falciparum had significantly lower odds of hookworm infection, whilst a significant positive association was found between both parasitic infections in 6- to 8-year-old children. Coinfected children had lower odds of anemia and iron deficiency than their counterparts infected with P. falciparum alone.CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings suggest that interaction between P. falciparum and light-intensity hookworm infections vary with age and, in school-aged children, may benefit the host through preventing iron deficiency anemia. This observation warrants additional investigation to elucidate the mechanisms and consequences of coinfections, as this information could have important implications when implementing integrated control measures against malaria and helminthiases

Identifying predictors of attitudes towards local onshore wind development with reference to an English case study

The threats posed by climate change are placing governments under increasing pressure to meet electricity demand from low-carbon sources. In many countries, including the UK, legislation is in place to ensure the continued expansion of renewable energy capacity. Onshore wind turbines are expected to play a key role in achieving these aims. However, despite high levels of public support for onshore wind development in principle, specific projects often experience local opposition. Traditionally this difference in general and specific attitudes has been attributed to NIMBYism (not in my back yard), but evidence is increasingly calling this assumption into question. This study used multiple regression analysis to identify what factors might predict attitudes towards mooted wind development in Sheffield, England. We report on the attitudes of two groups; one group (target) living close to four sites earmarked for development and an unaffected comparison group (comparison). We found little evidence of NIMBYism amongst members of the target group; instead, differences between general and specific attitudes appeared attributable to uncertainty regarding the proposals. The results are discussed with respect to literature highlighting the importance of early, continued and responsive community involvement in combating local opposition and facilitating the deployment of onshore wind turbines. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved