Salivary androgens in adolescence and their value as a marker of puberty: results from the SCAMP cohort

Context: Salivary androgens represent non-invasive biomarkers of puberty that may have utility in clinical and population studies. Objective: To understand normal age-related variation in salivary sex steroids and demonstrate their correlation to pubertal development in young adolescents. Design, Setting, and participants: School-based cohort study of 1,495 adolescents at two time points for collecting saliva samples approximately two years apart. Outcome measures: The saliva samples were analyzed for five androgens (testosterone, androstenedione (A4), 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP), 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) and 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione (11-OHA4)) using LC-MS/MS; in addition, salivary dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and oestradiol (OE2) were analyzed by ELISA. Pubertal staging was self-reported using the pubertal development scale (PDS). Results: In 1,236 saliva samples from 903 boys aged between 11-16 years, salivary androgens except DHEA exhibited an increasing trend with an advancing age (ANOVA, p<0.001), with salivary testosterone and A4 concentration showing the strongest correlation (r=0.55, p<0.001 and r=0.48, p<0.001, respectively). In a subgroup analysis of 155 and 63 saliva samples in boys and girls, respectively morning salivary testosterone concentrations showed the highest correlation with composite PDS scores and voice-breaking category from PDS self-report in boys (r=0.75, r=0.67, respectively). In girls, salivary DHEA and OE2 had negligible correlations with age or composite PDS scores. Conclusion: In boys aged 11-16 years, increase in salivary testosterone and A4 is associated with self-reported pubertal progress and represent valid non-invasive biomarkers of puberty in boys

Loss of Nmp4 optimizes osteogenic metabolism and secretion to enhance bone quality

A goal of osteoporosis therapy is to restore lost bone with structurally sound tissue. Mice lacking the transcription factor Nuclear Matrix Protein 4 (Nmp4, Zfp384, Ciz, ZNF384) respond to several classes of osteoporosis drugs with enhanced bone formation compared to wild type (WT) animals. Nmp4-/- mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (MSPCs) exhibit an accelerated and enhanced mineralization during osteoblast differentiation. To address the mechanisms underlying this hyper-anabolic phenotype, we carried out RNA-sequencing and molecular and cellular analyses of WT and Nmp4-/- MSPCs during osteogenesis to define pathways and mechanisms associated with elevated matrix production. We determined that Nmp4 has a broad impact on the transcriptome during osteogenic differentiation, contributing to the expression of over 5,000 genes. Phenotypic anchoring of transcriptional data was performed for the hypothesis-testing arm through analysis of cell metabolism, protein synthesis and secretion, and bone material properties. Mechanistic studies confirmed that Nmp4-/- MSPCs exhibited an enhanced capacity for glycolytic conversion- a key step in bone anabolism. Nmp4-/- cells showed elevated collagen translation and secretion. Expression of matrix genes that contribute to bone material-level mechanical properties were elevated in Nmp4-/- cells, an observation that was supported by biomechanical testing of bone samples from Nmp4-/- and WT mice. We conclude that loss of Nmp4 increases the magnitude of glycolysis upon the metabolic switch, which fuels the conversion of the osteoblast into a super-secretor of matrix resulting in more bone with improvements in intrinsic quality

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activities of Broussonetia papyrifera Fruits

Fruits of Broussonetia papyrifera from South China were analyzed for their total chemical composition, and antioxidant activities in ethanol and aqueous extracts. In the fruit of this plant, the crude protein, crude fat and carbohydrates was 7.08%, 3.72% and 64.73% of dry weight, respectively. The crude protein, crude fat and carbohydrates were 15.71%, 20.51% and 36.09% of dry weight, respectively. Fatty acid and amino acid composition of the fruit were analyzed. Unsaturated fatty acid concentration was 70.6% of the total fatty acids. The percentage of the essential amino acids (EAAs) was 40.60% of the total amino acids. Furthermore, B. papyrifera fruit are rich in many mineral elements and vitamins. Total phenolic content was assessed using the Folin-Ciocalteau assay, whereas antioxidant activities were assessed by measuring the ability of the two extracts to scavenge DPPH radicals, inhibit peroxidation, and chelate ferric ions. Their reducing power was also assessed. Results indicated that the aqueous extract of B. papyrifera was a more potent reducing agent and radical-scavenger than the ethanol extract. GC–MS analysis of the ethanol extract showed the presence of some acid-containing compounds. The changes in total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity in B. papyrifera from four different regions grown under normal conditions were assessed. The antioxidant activity of different extracts was positively associated with their total phenolic content. These results suggest that the fruit of B. papyrifera could be used in dietary supplement preparations, or as a food additive, for nutritional gain, or to prevent oxidation in food products

Recycled glass as a partial replacement for fine aggregate in structural concrete – Effects on compressive strength

Waste management is becoming a major issue for communities worldwide. Glass, being nonbiodegradable, is not suitable for addition to landfill, and as such recycling opportunities need to be investigated. Due to the high material consumption of the construction industry, the utilisation of waste glass as a partial replacement for fine aggregate in structural concrete is particularly attractive. This project aimed to determine the level of glass replacement resulting in optimal compressive strength. Three concrete samples were tested at 7 and 28 days, for glass replacement proportions of 15, 20, 25, 30 and 40%. Compressive strength was found to increase up to a level of 30%, at which point the strength developed was 9% and 6% higher than the control after 7 and 28 days respectively. This demonstrates that concrete containing up to 30% fine glass aggregate exhibits higher compressive strength development than traditional concret

Analyzing the Causes of Conflicts and Disputes in Modular Construction Projects

Conflicts, claims, and disputes cause cost and schedule overruns in construction projects. Previous research studies have considered contractual risks as one of the main factors affecting the performance of modular construction projects. In fact, modularization requires unique contractual agreements that foster the successful implementation of such construction method. This paper identifies the causes of disputes in modular construction projects. To this end, a multi-step interrelated research methodology was used. First, the authors collected and analyzed 15 actual national case studies reflecting disputes in modular construction projects. Second, social network analysis was conducted where frequency analysis and centrality measures were used to identify the top causes of disputes as well as understand the dispute causation network in modular construction projects. The results showed that the common causes of disputes in modular projects include: (1) delays in work progress, (2) lack of team spirit, and (3) lack of communication. The analysis of the dispute causation network identified the lack of collaborative environment and adequate communication among the project stakeholders as primary contractual risks in modular projects. Ultimately, this paper adds to the body of knowledge by helping practitioners in better understanding the contractual risks that should be addressed to minimize disputes in modular construction projects

Ethical Issues in Multiple-Authored and Mentor-Supervised Publications

This paper explores the ethical issues related to publication, authorship, and mentoring with the goal of better defining coauthorship standards and encouraging research ethics discussion and education within the academic civil engineering research community. Graduate students, junior and tenured faculty, technicians, administrators, and field practitioners in the civil engineering research community need to address the evolving ethical issues in multiple-authored and mentor-supervised publications. By using a five-step interrelated research methodology, the authors examine the current factors affecting the academic research environment and describe some of the unspoken but ethically questionable practices in the academic community. Most tangible rewards are on the basis of a faculty member\u27s or researcher\u27s publication record, and the increasing pressure to produce publications earlier and more often in the academic\u27s career exacerbate the problem of a lack of clarity in ethical standards for multiauthored publications. The timing and frequency standards associated with publications for tenure, promotion, and continuing research funding opportunities result in academics\u27 maximization of the number of research efforts taken to publication, with the number of authors per scientific publication steadily increasing. Further, as the number of authors has increased, the level of contribution of each coauthor to the research project and publication decreases. Data show that it is impossible to detect or assume equal-effort contributions by coauthors or their knowledge-base about the project design, findings, or implications. This paper proposes a threefold ethical framework for evaluating and analyzing the ethical norms for authorship status. It is the hoped that this thought-paper stirs the waters of this important issue to maintain the solidarity and integrity of engineering research activities and publications

Framework to Address Ethical Issues in Multiple-Authored and Mentor-Supervised Engineering Publications

This paper proposes a three-fold ethical framework for evaluating and analyzing the ethical norms for authorship status. This paper explore: (1) the ethical issues related to publication, authorship, and mentoring with the goal of better defining co-authorship standards as well as encouraging research ethics discussion and education within the academic civil engineering research community, and (2) examines the current factors affecting the academic research environment and describe some of the unspoken but ethically questionable practices in the academic community. Graduate students, junior and tenured faculty, technicians and administrators, and field practitioners in the engineering research community need to address the evolving ethical issues in multiple-authored and mentor-supervised publications. Most tangible rewards are based on a faculty member\u27s or researcher\u27s publication record and the resulting increasing pressure to produce publications earlier and more often in the academic\u27s career exacerbate the problem of a lack of clarity in ethical standards for multi-authored publications. The timing and frequency standards associated with publications for tenure and promotion and continuing research funding opportunities result in academics\u27 maximization of the number of research efforts taken to publication with the number of authors per scientific publication steadily increasing. Further, as the number of authors has increased, the level of contribution of each co-author to the research project and publication decreases. It is the authors\u27 hope that their thought-paper stirs the waters of this important issue to maintain the solidarity and integrity of engineering research activities and publications

Economic Performance Assessment for the Construction Industry in the Southeastern United States

The construction industry has long been considered a staple of society in that the industry is imperative for the sustainability of economies. The relationship between the construction industry and macroeconomics has gained popularity in the research and professional literature. The purpose of this paper is to provide an economic performance assessment for the construction industry in the southeastern United States. The authors developed a three-step research methodology. First, descriptive statistics were used to assess the economic output of the southeastern United States, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Second, descriptive statistics and inferential analyses were utilized to assess the construction performance in these six states. Third, forecasts were presented for the construction industry in each state using economic output as the primary construct. When assessing each state\u27s construction sector through economic output [i.e., contribution toward state gross domestic product (GDP), rather than construction volume per se], it becomes apparent that the construction industry is not yet on a path of recovery, especially when viewed from an economic output perspective. For example, where the construction industry used to contribute 6-8% of the output in each state, it now contributes only 3-4%, with these percentages predicted to worsen overall through 2015. Furthermore, the construction industry in each of the six states did have a significant statistical effect on their respective state GDP, and as such, these findings warrant further investigation into leveraging the construction industry as a catalyst for each state\u27s economic output

Energy Production, Consumption, and Corruption in Sub-Sahara Africa\u27s Infrastructure Projects

The World Bank and other development banks regularly fund major energy projects to restore and improve aging infrastructure systems in African countries. Energy is arguably the most important form of infrastructure in all economies, developing, emerging, or advanced. Through energy all other forms of infrastructure are created, developed, or enhanced. However, when energy production significantly exceeds energy consumption, situations are created for opportunistic persons more interested in improving their financial well-being than in managing an infrastructure project in an ethically and morally acceptable manner to capitalize. This paper investigates infrastructure development within the energy sector in six Sub-Sahara African countries; namely Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe. The objective is to determine the relationship between energy production, consumption, and corruption. Several relationships were found to be significant at the 0.05 and 0.10 alpha levels, offering insight into the potential affect that corruption may have on the energy sector in Sub-Sahara Africa. This study will better enable and align the North American contractors who implement infrastructure projects in these countries develop effective and efficient management strategies that match the unique characteristics governing operations of such energy sectors