Inter- and intra-annual C and N isotopic variability of C3 and C4 grasses in a temperate-humid dune environment

Seasonal and annual variations in foliar δ13C and δ15N of a C3 grass Ammophila breviligulata and a C4 grass Calamovilfa longifolia from the sand dunes of Pinery Provincial Park in southern Ontario, Canada were investigated to assess isotopic variability at a single site within a temperate-humid climatic zone. This work quantifies seasonal δ13C and δ15N variation, tests for correlation of δ13C and δ15N with weather parameters, and evaluates the isotopic responses of these grasses to location within the dune system. Throughout the 2014 growing season, there was ~ 1 to 2 ‰ change in δ13C and ~ 3 to 4 ‰ change in δ15N that was related to plant development. Foliar δ13C and δ15N are significantly correlated to total summer precipitation amount and, under some conditions, temperature. The foliar isotopic variations are too small, however, to affect paleoclimatic interpretation of such proxies within such a climatic regime

Comparative study of efficacy and safety of intravenous ferric carboxy maltose versus iron sucrose in treatment of postpartum iron deficiency anemia

Background: As postpartum iron deficiency anemia is observed in about 65% of women in India, it is the major contributing factor and indirect cause of maternal death. Postpartum anemia may lead to postpartum depression, stress, anxiety and cognitive impairment. Adequate treatment of anemia in postpartum period will have improved life quality in women in child bearing age so this study was designed with the objective to compare the safety and efficacy of intravenous FCM versus iron sucrose in treatment of postpartum iron deficiency anemia.Methods: It was a prospective observational study of postpartum women (within 10 days of delivery) with iron deficiency anemia (7-9 gm%) who delivered in LG hospital, Ahmedabad. A sample size of 215 women was estimated based on prevalence of anemia which is 65% among postpartum women in India including dropout rate of 10% which were further divided into 2 groups. Group 1: iron sucrose group, Group 2: ferric carboxy maltose group.Results: FCM has greater rise in Hb, less side effects, and easy administration of dose as compared to iron sucrose. The rise in Hb with FCM as compared to iron sucrose is (4.6 versus 3.5 respectively).Conclusions: FCM has more safety and efficacy as compared to iron sucrose in treatment of postpartum iron deficiency anemia

Exploring the mysteries of blast induced traumatic brain injury with a custom device

Introduction: Exposure from blast-pressure waves caused by explosive devices have resulted in traumatic brain injuries (TBI) with a variety of symptoms (e.g., tinnitus, depression, coordination, and impaired motor abilities). Blast exposure causes tearing, shredding, and rotational forces on brain structures. This pathology is more prominent in cells at the edge of structures with varying density or in neurons with extensive physical volume or dendritic processes. Understanding the unique pathophysiology of TBI may be critical for appropriate treatment of these injuries. Our lab developed a blast-pressure wave device to produce a supersonic energy wave at 20 psi. This wave is identical to a mild exposure to an explosive device without the secondary effects of shrapnel or heat. Objectives: Animals were tested with a novel blast-pressure wave device to determine whether the method would produce symptoms similar to other animal TBI experiments or human TBI patients. Methods: Animal behavior was tested for tinnitus with acoustic startle tests, depression with forced swim tests, and motor function with free-field tests before and after blast-pressure wave exposure. For each behavioral test, the behavior for each animal was compared to its own normal (pre-blast exposure) measures to determine if alterations in behavior (symptoms) developed due to the blast-exposure. Behavioral measures and the rate of symptom development were compared for the blast-exposed animal group versus a control group that were exposed to the sound but not the energy of the blast-pressure wave. Results: The results indicate that the blast-pressure wave device is able to provide consistent supersonic blast pressure-waves that can inflict TBI in a rodent model. Blast-exposed animals exhibited long-term symptoms of depression and tinnitus that were not expressed in control animals. These symptoms persisted for over 3 months. No motor impairments were observed in either the control or blast-exposed groups. Conclusions: The developed blast-pressure wave device is a reliable method for induction of a mild traumatic brain injury for TBI experiments. Induced TBI symptoms in our rodent populations were similar to human symptoms associated with mild blast-pressure wave exposure. Therefore, these methods provide a valid experimental model for examining both pathology and potential therapies for TBI

Trends in Awareness and Use of Electronic Cigarettes Among US Adults, 2010–2013

Introduction: Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) marketing has increased considerably since the product entered the US market in 2007, thereby warranting additional surveillance to monitor recent trends in population-level awareness and utilization. We assessed the prevalence, characteristics, and trends in e-cigarette awareness and use among nationally representative samples of US adults during 2010–2013. Methods: Data came from the 2010–2013 HealthStyles survey, an annual consumer-based web survey of US adults aged ≥18 years. Sample sizes ranged from 2,505 (2010) to 4,170 (2012). Descriptive statistics were used to assess e-cigarette awareness, ever use, and current use (use within the past 30 days) overall and by sex, age, race/ethnicity, education, income, US region, and cigarette smoking status. Trends were assessed using logistic regression. Results: During 2010–2013, increases (p \u3c .05) were observed for e-cigarette awareness (40.9%– 79.7%), ever use (3.3%–8.5%), and current use (1.0%–2.6%). Awareness increased among all sociodemographic subpopulations during 2010–2013 (p \u3c .05); an increase in ever use of e-cigarettes occurred among all sociodemographic groups except those aged 18–24 years, Hispanics, and those living in the Midwest (p \u3c .05). During 2010–2013, ever use increased among current (9.8%–36.5%) and former (2.5%–9.6%) cigarette smokers (p \u3c .05), but it remained unchanged among never smokers (1.3%–1.2%). Conclusions: Awareness and use of e-cigarettes increased considerably among US adults during 2010–2013. In 2013, more than one-third of current cigarette smokers reported having ever used e-cigarettes. Given the uncertain public health impact of e-cigarettes, continued surveillance of emerging use patterns is critical for public health planning

Correction of cerebellar movement related deficits by normalizing Dyrk1a copy number in the Ts65Dn mouse model for Down syndrome

poster abstractElucidation of the underlying mechanisms involved in brain related deficits of Down syndrome (DS) would be useful for consideration of therapeutic interventions. Several DSspecific phenotypes have been hypothesized to be linked to altered expression or function of specific trisomic genes. One such gene of interest is D YRK1A , which has been implicated in behavioral functions of the hippocampus and cerebellum. The Ts65Dn mouse model for DS includes a triplication of D yrk1a in addition to a triplication of >100 other human chromosome 21 mouse orthologs. To evaluate the role of D yrk1a in cerebellar function, we have genetically normalized the D yrk1a copy number in otherwise trisomicTs65Dn mice and reduced D yrk1a copy number in otherwise euploid mice (2N) for a total of 3 alternative genetic doses of D yrk1a: EuploidDyrk1a +/+ , EuploidDyrk1a +/, Ts65DnDyrk1a +/+/+ , and Ts65DnDyrk1a +/+/. Cerebellar movementrelated function in these knockdown models is being assessed through a novel behavioral balance beam task. Additionally, levels of D yrk1a activity in the cerebellum for all genotypes were analyzed by HPLC. We have previously demonstrated that Ts65DnDyrk1a +/+/+ mice perform worse in the balance beam task in comparison to EuploidDyrk1a +/+ mice. Preliminary results of the current study do not indicate such a difference among Ts65DnDyrk1a +/+/+ mice in comparison to EuploidDyrk1a +/+ mice. We hypothesize that the lack of replication of the previous findings may be due to differences in postweaning housing environments. Mice in the previous study were singlehoused, whereas mice in the present study were grouphoused, which may help mitigate motor deficits in the trisomic mice. Additionally, current trends display a deficit in balance beam performance of both the EuploidDyrk1a +/and the Ts65DnDyrk1a +/+/groups, which suggests that reducing the copy number of D yrk1a by one may have detrimental effects on motor coordination. Concomitant analysis of the balance beam performances and Dyrk1a activity levels may indicate the sensitivity of the balance beam task to assess the role Dyrk1a activity in cerebellar function

Pregnancy in women with congenital heart disease:a focus on management and preventing the risk of complications

Introduction: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common cardiac disorder in pregnancy in the western world (around 80%). Due to improvements in surgical interventions more women with CHD are surviving to adulthood and choosing to become pregnant. Areas covered: Preconception counseling, antenatal management of CHDs and strategies to prevent maternal and fetal complications. Preconception counseling should start early, before the transition to adult care and be offered to both men and women. It should include the choice of contraception, lifestyle modifications, pre-pregnancy optimization of cardiac state, the chance of the child inheriting a similar cardiac lesion, the risks to the mother, and long-term prognosis. Pregnancy induces marked physiological changes in the cardiovascular system that may precipitate cardiac complications. Risk stratification is based on the underlying cardiac disease and data from studies including CARPREG, ZAHARA, and ROPAC. Expert opinion: Women with left to right shunts, regurgitant lesions, and most corrected CHDs are at lower risk and can be managed in secondary care. Complex CHD, including systemic right ventricle need expert counseling in a tertiary center. Those with severe stenotic lesions, pulmonary artery hypertension, and Eisenmenger’s syndrome should avoid pregnancy, be given effective contraception and managed in a tertiary center if pregnancy does happen.</p

The Effect of 200mg/kg EGCG Oral Gavage Treatment on the Cerebellar-Dependent Behavior in a Down Syndrome Mouse Model

poster abstractTrisomy 21 (Ts21) causes deficits in motor and cognitive ability that are hallmark phenotypes in Down syndrome (DS). The Ts65Dn mouse model of DS has about 50% of the orthologous genes that are triplicated from human chromosome 21, including the Dual specificity tyrosinephosphorylation-regulated kinase 1A (Dyrk1A) gene. Three copies of Dyrk1A have been implicated in the motor and cognitive deficits and altered cerebellar structure and function may contribute these impairments in Ts65Dn mice. Epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG) is a catechin found in green tea and an inhibitor of Dyrk1A activity. We hypothesize that a 200mg/kg EGCG treatment given by oral gavage will inhibit Dyrk1A activity in the cerebellum of Ts65Dn mice and rescue deficits in motor coordination while performing the balance beam task. Evidence of improvement in this task would be observed as a reduction of paw slips as the animal traverses across beams of varying widths. In previous studies, EGCG treatment was placed in the animal’s water to be consumed but EGCG rapidly degrades in solution and it is difficult to control treatment doses via treatment in drinking water, due to each animal’s consumption behavior. This study utilized a daily oral gavage treatment of EGCG to control the dose and limits loss due to degradation. Results to date indicate that the Ts65Dn mice show deficits on the balance beam task relative to the euploid mice, particularly at the narrowest beam width used. The EGCG treatment does not appear to improve the performance of the Ts65Dn mice, though the lack of observed effects of EGCG may be due to the relatively low numbers of Ts65Dn-EGCG treated mice that have completed testing so far. One notable trend is that we will continue to test additional mice to gain sufficient power to determine conclusively whether EGCG improves motor coordination performance in Ts65Dn mice

Evaluation of the therapeutic potential of Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) via oral gavage in young adult Down syndrome mice

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a candidate therapeutic for Down syndrome (DS) phenotypes based on in vitro inhibition of DYRK1A, a triplicated gene product of Trisomy 21 (Ts21). Consumption of green tea extracts containing EGCG improved some cognitive and behavioral outcomes in DS mouse models and in humans with Ts21. In contrast, treatment with pure EGCG in DS mouse models did not improve neurobehavioral phenotypes. This study tested the hypothesis that 200 mg/kg/day of pure EGCG, given via oral gavage, would improve neurobehavioral and skeletal phenotypes in the Ts65Dn DS mouse model. Serum EGCG levels post-gavage were significantly higher in trisomic mice than in euploid mice. Daily EGCG gavage treatments over three weeks resulted in growth deficits in both euploid and trisomic mice. Compared to vehicle treatment, EGCG did not significantly improve behavioral performance of Ts65Dn mice in the multivariate concentric square field, balance beam, or Morris water maze tasks, but reduced swimming speed. Furthermore, EGCG resulted in reduced cortical bone structure and strength in Ts65Dn mice. These outcomes failed to support the therapeutic potential of EGCG, and the deleterious effects on growth and skeletal phenotypes underscore the need for caution in high-dose EGCG supplements as an intervention in DS

Characterisation of the treatment provided for children with unilateral hearing loss

Background: Children with permanent unilateral hearing loss (UHL) are an understudied population, with limited data to inform the guidelines on clinical management. There is a funding gap in healthcare provision for the children with UHL in the United Kingdom, where genetic screening, support services, and devices are not consistently provided or fully funded in all areas. They are a disparate population with regard to aetiology and their degree of hearing loss, and hence their device choice and use. Despite having one “good ear”, some children with UHL can have similar outcomes, socially, behaviourally, and academically, to children with bilateral hearing loss, highlighting the importance of understanding this population. In this longitudinal cohort study, we aimed to characterise the management of the children with UHL and the gaps in the support services that are provided for the children in Nottingham, United Kingdom. Methods: A cohort study was conducted collecting longitudinal data over 17 years (2002–2019) for 63 children with permanent congenital confirmed UHL in a large tertiary regional referral centre for hearing loss in Nottingham, United Kingdom. The cases of UHL include permanent congenital, conductive, mixed, or sensorineural hearing loss, and the degree of hearing loss ranges from mild to profound. The data were taken from their diagnostic auditory brainstem responses and their two most recent hearing assessments. Descriptors were recorded of the devices trialled and used and the diagnoses including aetiology of UHL, age of first fit, degree of hearing loss, when and which type of device was used, why a device was not used, the support services provided, concerns raised, and who raised them. Results: Most children (45/63; 71%) trialled a device, and the remaining 18 children had no device trial on record. Most children (20/45; 44%) trialled a bone-conduction device, followed by contralateral routing of signal aid (15/45; 33%) and conventional hearing aids (9/45; 20%). Most children (36/45; 80%) who had a device indicated that they wore their device “all day” or every day in school. Few children (8/45; 18%) reported that they wore their device rarely, and the reasons for this included bullying (3/8), feedback from the device (2/8), and discomfort from the device (2/8). Only one child reported that the device was not helping with their hearing. The age that the children were first fitted with their hearing device varied a median of 2.5 years for hearing aids and bone-conduction devices and 7 years for a contralateral routing of signal aid. The length of time that the children had the device also varied widely (median of 26 months, range 3–135 months); the children had their bone-conduction hearing aid for the longest period of time (median of 32.5 months). There was a significant trend where more recent device fittings were happening for children at a younger age. Fifty-one children were referred by the paediatric audiologist to a support service, 72.5% (37/51) were subsequently followed up by the referred service with no issue, whilst the remaining 27.5% (14/51) encountered an issue leading to an unsuccessful provision of support. Overall, most children (65%, 41/63) had no reported concerns, and 28.5% (18/63) of the children went on to have a documented concern at some point during their audiological care: five with hearing aid difficulties, five with speech issues, four with no improvement in hearing, three facing self-image or bullying issues, and one case of a child struggling to interact socially with friends. Three of these children had not trialled a device. We documented every concern reported from the parents, clinicians, teachers of the deaf, and from the children themselves. Where concerns were raised, more than half (58.6%, 10/18) were by schools and teachers, the remaining four concerns were raised by the family, and further four concerns were raised by the children themselves. Conclusion: To discover what management will most benefit which children with permanent UHL, we first must characterise their treatment, their concerns, and the support services available for them. Despite the children with UHL being a highly disparate population—in terms of their aetiology, their device use, the degree of hearing loss, and the age at which they trial a device—the majority report they use their device mostly in school. In lieu of available data and in consideration of the devices that are available to them, it could be useful to support families and clinicians in understanding the devices which are most used and where they are used. Considering the reasons for cessation of regular device use counselling and support services would be vital to support the children with UHL

The labels and models used to describe problematic substance use impact discrete elements of stigma: A Registered Report

Objectives: Problematic substance use is one of the most stigmatised health conditions leading research to examine how the labels and models used to describe it influence public stigma. Two recent studies examine whether beliefs in a disease model of addiction influence public stigma but result in equivocal findings – in line with the mixed-blessings model, Kelly et al. (2021) found that whilst the label ‘chronically relapsing brain disease’ reduced blame attribution, it decreased prognostic optimism and increased perceived danger and need for continued care; however, Rundle et al. (2021) conclude absence of evidence. This study isolates the different factors used in these two studies to assess whether health condition (drug use vs. health concern), aetiological label (brain disease vs. problem), and attributional judgement (low vs. high treatment stability) influence public stigma towards problematic substance use. Methods: 1613 participants were assigned randomly to one of eight vignette conditions that manipulated these factors. They completed self-report measures of discrete and general public stigma and an indirect measure of discrimination. Results: Greater social distance, danger, and public stigma but lower blame were ascribed to drug use relative to a health concern. Greater (genetic) blame was reported when drug use was labelled as a ‘chronically relapsing brain disease’ relative to a ‘problem’. Findings for attributional judgement were either inconclusive or statistically equivalent. Discussion: The labels used to describe problematic substance use appear to impact discrete elements of stigma. We suggest that addiction is a functional attribution, which may explain the mixed literature on the impact of aetiological labels on stigma to date