When acquisition and aphasia converge: the case of copula omission

This paper reports evidence for a convergence between child language acquisition and Broca’s aphasia in the domain of copula omission. Our data shows that, in the spontaneous speech of people with Broca’s aphasia (PWBA), copula omission is confined to aspectual predicates, replicating a finding previously reported by Becker (2002) for child English. This grammatical property is a much stronger predictor of copula omission than alternative, extra-grammatical factors, such as predicate length or utterance length. We argue that grammatical accounts which predict the fragility of Tense by virtue of its cartographic location, in terms of ‘tree-pruning’/ ‘growing trees’, fare better than others in explaining similarities in patterns of omission in these two populations

Ultradian glucocorticoid exposure directs gene-dependent and tissue-specific mRNA expression patterns in vivo

In this paper we report differential decoding of the ultradian corticosterone signal by glucocorticoid target tissues. Pulsatile corticosterone replacement in adrenalectomised rats resulted in different dynamics of Sgk1 mRNA production, with a distinct pulsatile mRNA induction profile observed in the pituitary in contrast to a non-pulsatile induction in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). We further report the first evidence for pulsatile transcriptional repression of a glucocorticoid-target gene in vivo, with pulsatile regulation of Pomc transcription in pituitary. We have explored a potential mechanism for differences in the induction dynamics of the same transcript (Sgk1) between the PFC and pituitary. Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) activation profiles were strikingly different in pituitary and prefrontal cortex, with a significantly greater dynamic range and shorter duration of GR activity detected in the pituitary, consistent with the more pronounced gene pulsing effect observed. In the prefrontal cortex, expression of Gilz mRNA was also non-pulsatile and exhibited a significantly delayed timecourse of increase and decrease when compared to Sgk1, additionally highlighting gene-specific regulatory dynamics during ultradian glucocorticoid treatment

Preliminary study of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy to assess bone marrow adiposity in the third metacarpus or metatarsus in Thoroughbred racehorses

Background: Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) has been used to investigate metabolic changes within human bone. It may be possible to use MRS to investigate bone metabolism and fracture risk in the distal third metacarpal/tarsal bone (MC/MTIII) in racehorses. Objectives: To determine the feasibility of using MRS as a quantitative imaging technique in equine bone by using the 1H spectra for the MC/MTIII to calculate fat content (FC). Study Design: Observational cross-sectional study Methods: Limbs from Thoroughbred racehorses were collected from horses that died or were subjected to euthanasia on racecourses. Each limb underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3T followed by single-voxel MRS at 3 regions of interest (ROI) within MC/MTIII (lateral condyle, medial condyle, proximal bone marrow (PBM)). Percentage FC was calculated at each ROI. Each limb underwent computed tomography (CT) and bone mineral density (BMD) was calculated for the same ROIs. All MR and CT images were graded for sclerosis. Histology slides were graded for sclerosis and proximal marrow space was calculated. Pearson or Spearman correlations were used to assess the relationship between BMD, FC and marrow space. Kruskall-Wallis tests were used to check for differences between sclerosis groups for BMD or FC. Results: Eighteen limbs from 10 horses were included. A negative correlation was identified for mean BMD and FC for the lateral condyle (correlation coefficient =-0.60, p=0.01) and PBM (correlation coefficient =-0.5, p=0.04). There was a significant difference between median BMD for different sclerosis grades in the condyles on both MRI and CT. A significant difference in FC was identified between sclerosis groups in the lateral condyle on MRI and CT . Main Limitations: Small sample size. Conclusions: 1H Proton MRS is feasible in the equine MC/MTIII. Further work is required to evaluate the use of this technique to predict fracture risk in racehorses

Geology of the Northwestern Krania Basin

The Greveniotiki Pindos Mountains of Greece showcases the tectonics affecting the Central Mediterranean; however no detailed geological maps have been produced of the region. In this study we present a 1:10000 geological map of Mount Orliakas and its surrounding areas, including westernmost parts of the Pindos Ophiolite complex and the Mesohellenic basin. We also provide new lithological, structural, and palaeontological discussions of the region and give new evidence for the provenance of the Kranea Formation

Using intervention mapping to develop evidence-based toolkits that provide mental wellbeing support to workers and their managers whilst on long-term sick leave and following return-to-work

Background Managing long-term sickness absence is challenging in countries where employers and managers have the main responsibility to provide return to work support, particularly for workers with poor mental health. Whilst long-term sick leave and return to work frameworks and guidance exist for employers, there are currently no structured return to work protocols for employers or for their workers encompassing best practice strategies to support a positive and timely return to work outcome. Purpose To utilise the intervention mapping (IM) protocol as a framework to develop return to work toolkits that are underpinned by relevant behaviour change theory targeting mental health to promote a positive return to work experience for workers on long-term sick leave. Methods This paper provides a worked example of intervention mapping (IM) to develop an intervention through a six-step process to combine theory and evidence in the development of two toolkits – one designed for managers and one to be used by workers on long-term sick leave. As part of this process, collaborative planning techniques were used to develop the intervention. A planning group was set up, through which researchers would work alongside employer, worker, and mental health professional representatives to develop the toolkits. Additionally, feedback on the toolkits were sought from the target populations of workers and managers and from wider employer stakeholders (e.g., human resource specialists). The implementation and evaluation of the toolkits as a workplace intervention were also planned. Results Two toolkits were designed following the six steps of intervention mapping. Feedback from the planning group (n = 5; psychologist, psychiatrist, person with previous experience of poor mental health, employer and charity worker) and participants (n = 14; employers = 3, wellbeing director = 1; human resources = 2, managers = 2, employees with previous experience of poor mental health = 5) target populations indicated that the toolkits were acceptable and much needed. Conclusion Using IM allowed the development of an evidence-based practical intervention, whilst incorporating the views of all the impacted stakeholder groups. The feasibility and acceptability of the toolkits and their supporting intervention components, implementation process and methods of assessment will be evaluated in a feasibility pilot randomised controlled trial

Significant benefits of AIP testing and clinical screening in familial isolated and young-onset pituitary tumors

Context Germline mutations in the aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein (AIP) gene are responsible for a subset of familial isolated pituitary adenoma (FIPA) cases and sporadic pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs). Objective To compare prospectively diagnosed AIP mutation-positive (AIPmut) PitNET patients with clinically presenting patients and to compare the clinical characteristics of AIPmut and AIPneg PitNET patients. Design 12-year prospective, observational study. Participants & Setting We studied probands and family members of FIPA kindreds and sporadic patients with disease onset ≤18 years or macroadenomas with onset ≤30 years (n = 1477). This was a collaborative study conducted at referral centers for pituitary diseases. Interventions & Outcome AIP testing and clinical screening for pituitary disease. Comparison of characteristics of prospectively diagnosed (n = 22) vs clinically presenting AIPmut PitNET patients (n = 145), and AIPmut (n = 167) vs AIPneg PitNET patients (n = 1310). Results Prospectively diagnosed AIPmut PitNET patients had smaller lesions with less suprasellar extension or cavernous sinus invasion and required fewer treatments with fewer operations and no radiotherapy compared with clinically presenting cases; there were fewer cases with active disease and hypopituitarism at last follow-up. When comparing AIPmut and AIPneg cases, AIPmut patients were more often males, younger, more often had GH excess, pituitary apoplexy, suprasellar extension, and more patients required multimodal therapy, including radiotherapy. AIPmut patients (n = 136) with GH excess were taller than AIPneg counterparts (n = 650). Conclusions Prospectively diagnosed AIPmut patients show better outcomes than clinically presenting cases, demonstrating the benefits of genetic and clinical screening. AIP-related pituitary disease has a wide spectrum ranging from aggressively growing lesions to stable or indolent disease course