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Sexual minority (SM) youth experience a greater mental health burden compared with their heterosexual peers. This study aimed to characterize mental health disparities among SM compared with non-SM youth, test main and interactive associations of SM identity and stressors targeting SM youth at the individual level (interpersonal SM discrimination) and structural level (state-level structural SM stigma) with youth mental health, and explore the contribution of interpersonal SM discrimination to the mental health burden of SM youth. Participants included 11,622 youth (ages 9-13; 47.6% assigned female at birth) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. Linear mixed-effects models tested main and interactive associations of SM identity, interpersonal SM discrimination, and structural SM stigma with mental health measures (self-reported overall psychopathology, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts), adjusting for demographics and other interpersonal stressors not specific to SM (other discrimination types, peer victimization, and cyberbullying). Longitudinal mediation models tested whether interpersonal SM discrimination mediated the associations between SM identity and mental health measures. SM youth (n = 1,051) experienced more interpersonal SM discrimination and overall psychopathology compared with their non-SM peers (n = 10,571). Adjusting for demographics, there were significant associations (main effects) of interpersonal SM discrimination and structural SM stigma with overall psychopathology. When further adjusting for other non-SM–related stressors, the main effect of structural SM stigma was no longer significant. Interpersonal SM discrimination was also significantly associated with suicidal ideation and attempt, accounting for demographics, while structural SM stigma was not. Accounting for both demographics and other non-SM stressors, there was a significant interaction between SM identity and structural SM stigma in association with psychopathology (p =.02), such that, compared with their peers, SM youth showed a greater association between structural SM stigma and psychopathology. Longitudinal mediation revealed that interpersonal SM discrimination was a significant mediator explaining approximately 10% to 15% of the variance of the pathways between SM identity and all mental health outcomes. Results delineate contributions of interpersonal discrimination and structural stigma targeting SM youth to their heightened mental health burden in early adolescence. These findings underscore the need to address microlevel and macrolevel SM discrimination and structural stigma when caring for this population. We worked to ensure sex and gender balance in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure race, ethnic, and/or other types of diversity in the recruitment of human participants. We worked to ensure that the study questionnaires were prepared in an inclusive way. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science. We actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our author group. The author list of this paper includes contributors from the location and/or community where the research was conducted who participated in the data collection, design, analysis, and/or interpretation of the work. While citing references scientifically relevant for this work, we also actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our reference list. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Even though frailty has been extensively measured in the acute care setting, relatively little is known about the frailty of younger adult inpatients. Aim This study aimed to measure frailty in a sample of hospitalized adults aged 18 years and over and to examine how frailty in younger adult inpatients differs from middle-aged and older adult inpatients. Design Secondary analyses of prospectively collected cohort data. Methods Research nurses assessed 910 patients at admission to four Australian hospitals using the interRAI Acute Care instrument. Comparison of frailty index (FI) scores and domains was conducted across three age groups: younger (18–49 years), middle-aged (50–69 years) and older adults (≥70 years). Multivariable logistic regression examined risk of prolonged length of stay and unfavourable discharge destination. Results Younger adults (n  = 214; 23.5%) had a mean (SD) FI of 0.19 (0.10). Approximately 27% (n  = 57) of younger adults were frail (FI > 0.25). Mood and behaviour, health symptoms and syndromes, nutrition and pain were the most frequently affected domains in younger adults and 50% had ≥3 comorbidities. Frailty increased the risk of long length of stay (odds ratio (OR) = 1.77, P  < 0.001) but not the risk of an unfavourable discharge (OR = 1.40, P  = 0.20) in younger adults. Conclusions This study showed that frailty is prevalent in younger patients admitted to acute care and is associated with adverse outcomes. This study was a critical first step towards establishing an understanding of frailty in younger hospitalized adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabicitran is a cannabinoid found in levels up to ~10% in commercial "purified" cannabidiol (CBD) extracts. The structure of this natural product was first reported more than 50 years ago. However, few studies have investigated cannabicitran or its origin despite the rapidly increasing interest in the use of cannabinoids for the treatment of a wide range of physiological conditions. Following on a recent detailed NMR and computational characterization of cannabicitran, our group initiated ECD and TDDFT studies aimed at unequivocally determining the absolute configuration of cannabicitran present in Cannabis sativa extracts. To our surprise, we discovered the natural product was racemic, raising questions around its presumed enzymatic origin. Herein, we report the isolation and absolute configuration of (−)‐cannabicitran and (+)‐cannabicitran. Several possible scenarios for production of the racemate in the plant and/or during extract processing are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) are a growing class of natural products biosynthesized from a genetically encoded precursor peptide. The enzymes that install the post-translational modifications on these peptides have the potential to be useful catalysts in the production of natural-product-like compounds and can install non-proteogenic amino acids in peptides and proteins. However, engineering these enzymes has been somewhat limited, due in part to limited structural information on enzymes in the same families that nonetheless exhibit different substrate selectivities. Despite AlphaFold2's superior performance in single-chain protein structure prediction, its multimer version lacks accuracy and requires high-end GPUs, which are not typically available to most research groups. Additionally, the default parameters of AlphaFold2 may not be optimal for predicting complex structures like RiPP biosynthetic enzymes, due to their dynamic binding and substrate-modifying mechanisms. This study assessed the efficacy of the structure prediction program ColabFold (a variant of AlphaFold2) in modeling RiPP biosynthetic enzymes in both monomeric and dimeric forms. After extensive benchmarking, it was found that there were no statistically significant differences in the accuracy of the predicted structures, regardless of the various possible prediction parameters that were examined, and that with the default parameters, ColabFold was able to produce accurate models. We then generated additional structural predictions for select RiPP biosynthetic enzymes from multiple protein families and biosynthetic pathways. Our findings can serve as a reference for future enzyme engineering complemented by AlphaFold-related tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to assess the association between postpartum insurance instability and access to postpartum mental health services. We used 2018–2019 Colorado Health eMoms survey data, which sampled mothers from the 2018 birth certificate files at 3–6 months and 12–14 months postpartum. Respondents were classified as stably insured or unstably insured based on postpartum insurance status at each time point. We examined postpartum insurance patterns and used logistic regression to assess the association between postpartum insurance instability and mental health care access. Insurance changes primarily occurred by 3–6 months postpartum. Of respondents with public coverage at childbirth, 33.2% experienced postpartum insurance changes compared with 9.5% with private coverage (p <.001). Respondents who were younger, had incomes of less than $50,000, and were of Hispanic ethnicity were more likely to experience unstable postpartum insurance. Respondents who experienced postpartum insurance instability had a lower odds of reporting that they discussed mental health at a postpartum check-up (adjusted odds ratio, 0.4; 95% confidence interval, 0.2–0.7; p <.01) and received postpartum mental health services (adjusted odds ratio, 0.4; 95% confidence interval, 0.2–0.9; p <.05). The majority of postpartum insurance disruptions occurred among respondents with public coverage at childbirth and by 3–6 months postpartum. Respondents who experienced unstable coverage were more likely to have less access to postpartum mental health care. Policies that increase postpartum insurance stability, such as postpartum Medicaid extensions beyond 60 days, are needed to improve access to postpartum mental health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Affordable Care Act takes a "patchwork" approach to expanding coverage: Medicaid covers individuals with incomes 138% of the federal poverty level (FPL) in expansion states, while subsidized Marketplace insurance is available to those above this income cutoff.Objective: To characterize the magnitude of churning between Medicaid and Marketplace coverage and to examine the impact of the 138% FPL income cutoff on stability of coverage.Design: We measured the incidence of transitions between Medicaid and Marketplace coverage. Then, we used a differences-in-differences framework to compare insurance churning in Medicaid expansion and non-expansion states, before and after the ACA, among adults with incomes 100-200% of poverty.Participants: Non-elderly adult respondents of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey 2010-2018 MAIN MEASURES: The annual proportion of adults who (1) transitioned between Medicaid and Marketplace coverage; (2) experienced any coverage disruption.Key Results: One million U.S. adults transitioned between Medicaid and Marketplace coverage annually. The 138% FPL cutoff in expansion states was not associated with an increase in insurance churning among individuals with incomes close to the cutoff.Conclusions: Transitions between Medicaid and Marketplace insurance are uncommon-far lower than pre-ACA analyses predicted. The 138% income cutoff does not to contribute significantly to insurance disruptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past, illness and dependence were viewed as inevitable consequences of old age. Now, we understand that there is a difference between age (the passing of chronological time) and ageing (the increased risk of adverse outcomes over time). Over the last 50 years, 'frailty' research has established that ageing is heterogeneous, variable and malleable. Significant advances have been made in frailty measurement (description of clinical features and development of clinical models), mechanisms (insights into pathogenesis) and management (development of interventions to reduce and/or prevent progression). Subsequently, the concept of frailty has informed health policy and clinical practice and started to change perceptions of older age held by the general public and the health sector. Here, we overview key achievements in frailty research and clinical practice and highlight the considerable number of known unknowns that may be addressed in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Viewpoint discusses the Georgia Pathways to Coverage program, which is the first state program that partially expands Medicaid eligibility to low-income adults with work requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

California's Provisional Postpartum Care Extension (PPCE) extended Medicaid eligibility through 1 year postpartum for women enrolled in Medi-Cal with annual household incomes of 138%–322% of the federal poverty level and maternal mental health diagnoses. For this cross-sectional descriptive study, we used the 2017 Listening to Mothers in California survey of postpartum women to identify those potentially eligible for PPCE. We then sought to describe their demographic characteristics, self-reported mental health, and utilization of postpartum care and mental health services compared with those with Medi-Cal during pregnancy who did not meet PPCE eligibility criteria. Overall, potentially PPCE-eligible women comprised 6.8% of respondents. Among those who did not qualify for PPCE, the primary reason was the absence of self-reported maternal mental health symptoms. Potentially PPCE-eligible women were approximately two-thirds Hispanic/Latina and more than one-third were ages 25 to 29. The most common self-reported mental health symptom was anxiety during pregnancy (78.9%). Among potentially PPCE-eligible women, 8.4% were taking medicine for anxiety/depression postpartum and 16.0% were receiving postpartum counseling/treatment for emotional or mental well-being. Our analyses suggest that PPCE could have extended postpartum coverage eligibility for approximately 30,360 women statewide. However, our findings demonstrate how narrowly defined PPCE eligibility criteria likely excluded many postpartum women in Medi-Cal who would have been left with limited benefits or more cost-sharing under alternative coverage options. This research could inform state and federal policymakers considering other proposals to extend postpartum Medicaid eligibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabicitran is an important cannabinoid natural product produced by Cannabis sativa and is often found at surprisingly high levels (up to ~10%) in "purified" commercial cannabidiol (CBD) extract preparations. Despite the prevalence of this molecule in CBD oil and other cannabinoid‐related products, and the rapidly expanding interest in cannabinoids for treatment of a wide range of physiological conditions, only unassigned 1H NMR data and partial unambiguous 13C assignments have been published. Herein, we report the complete 1H and 13C NMR assignments of cannabicitran and comparatively evaluate the performance of several density functional theory (DFT) methods with varying levels of theory for the calculation of NMR chemical shifts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 enables states to lengthen eligibility for pregnancy-related Medicaid coverage from the current sixty days after birth to up to one year, a time when mothers remain at elevated pregnancy-related health risk. Using linked birth records, income, and all-payer claims data for Medicaid-paid births in Colorado during the period 2014-19, we compared continuity of coverage during one year postpartum among people eligible for low-income adult Medicaid (with incomes of 138 percent of the federal poverty level or lower) versus those ineligible for Medicaid by any pathway (with incomes of 139 percent of poverty or higher). We found that retention of Medicaid coverage as a low-income adult was associated with 1.5 additional months of postpartum insurance enrollment and a 12-percentage-point increase in the probability of continuous insurance coverage during the first year after birth. Our findings suggest that states that adopt the American . Rescue Plan Act option to provide eligibility for pregnancy-related benefits for a full year after birth are likely to improve continuity of '- postpartum insurance coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insurance disruptions before, during, and after pregnancy are common in the United States, but little is known about the enrollment patterns of pregnant people in the Affordable Care Act Marketplaces. Data from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System from the period 2016-18 show that among respondents enrolled in Marketplace coverage, approximately one-third reported continuous Marketplace enrollment from preconception through the postpartum period. Compared with respondents who were continuously enrolled in Marketplace coverage from preconception through postpartum, respondents who enrolled in Marketplace plans during pregnancy had a 10.8 percent lower rate of adequate prenatal care, a 6.4 percent lower rate of timely prenatal care initiation, and a 13.2 percent lower rate of having twelve or more prenatal care visits. Policies that promote continuity of coverage during pregnancy, such as designating pregnancy as a qualifying event for a Marketplace open enrollment period, may enable pregnant people to enroll in Marketplace coverage early in their pregnancies and thus enhance access to prenatal care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this report, we revise the structure for a previously reported synthetic product proposed to be the 1R,2S-cannabidiol epoxide and reassign it as cannabielsoin using anisotropic NMR and synthetic chemistry methods. These results provide a direct link to the first known biological target and function of cannabielsoin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children born preterm, particularly at earlier gestations, are at increased risk for mortality and morbidity, but later health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is less well described. Neurodevelopmental impairment and socio-economic status may also influence HRQoL. Our aim was to describe the HRQoL of a cohort of New Zealand children born very and extremely preterm, and how this is related to neurodevelopmental impairment, gestational age, and socio-economic deprivation. Methods: Children born <30 weeks' gestation or <1500 g birthweight were assessed at 7 years' corrected age. Caregivers completed the Child Health Questionnaire Parent Form (CHQ-PF50), and the Health Utilities Index Mark 2 (HUI-2). Neurodevelopmental impairment was defined as Wechsler full scale intelligence quotient below -1 standard deviation (SD), Movement Assessment Battery for Children total score ≤15 percentile, cerebral palsy, deafness, or blindness. Results: Data were collected for 127 children, of whom 60 (47%) had neurodevelopmental impairment. Overall, HRQoL was good: mean (SD) CHQ-PF50 physical summary score = 50.8 (11.1), psychosocial summary score = 49.3 (9.1) [normative mean 50 (10)]; HUI-2 dead-healthy scale = 0.92 (0.09) [maximum 1.0]. Neurodevelopmental impairment, lower gestational age, and higher socio-economic deprivation were all associated with reduced HRQoL. However, on multivariable analysis, only intelligence quotient and motor function were associated with psychosocial HRQoL, while intelligence quotient was associated with physical HRQoL. Conclusions: Most seven-year-old children born very and extremely preterm have good HRQoL. Further improvements will require reduced neurodevelopmental impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicaid managed care allows Medicaid beneficiaries to receive services through contractual relationships between managed care organizations and state Medicaid offices. Medicaid offices monitor quality of care, and many states encourage or require plans to adopt quality management practices. This research examines quality management in Medicaid managed care from the perspectives of Medicaid officials, managed care plan representatives, and providers through 25 qualitative interviews in one Northeastern state. Plan representatives described quality management efforts as robust and discussed strategies targeting providers and beneficiaries. Medicaid officials indicated motivations for plans to be responsible for quality management. Providers were unaware of plan efforts or reported them to be counterproductive since performance data were thought to be inaccurate or limited, and modest incentive programs presented excessive administrative burden. Providers' general skepticism about managed care plans' quality improvement efforts may hinder their effectiveness, cause frustration, and lead to administrative burden that may harm care quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Federalism has complicated the US response to the novel coronavirus. States' actions to address the pandemic have varied widely, and federal and state offi- cials have provided conflicting messages. This fragmented approach has surely cost time and lives. Federalism will shape the long-term health and economic impacts of COVID-19, including plans for the future, for at least two reasons: First, federalism exacerbates inequities, as some states have a history of underinvesting in social programs, especially in certain communities. Second, many of the states with the deepest needs are poorly equipped to respond to emergencies due to low taxes and distrust of government, leading to inadequate infrastructure. These dynamics are not new, but they have been laid bare by this crisis. What can policy makers do to address the inequities in health and economic outcomes that federalism intensifies? The first section of this article offers a case study of the Mississippi Delta to illustrate the role of federalism in perpetuating the connection between place, health, and economics. The second section examines challenges that safety net programs will face when moving beyond the acute phase of COVID-19. The final section explores near-, middle-, and long-term policy options to mitigate federalism's harmful side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a central transcorneal circular freeze injury, organ-cultured rat corneal endothelial cells surrounding the wound reorganize peripheral actin bands into stress fibers and migrate individually into the wound. To ascertain the significance of this rearrangement relative to morphological changes accompanying migration and wound repair, some tissues were incubated overnight in 4 μM TRITC-conjugated phalloidin to stabilize actin and prevent its reorganization. After a freeze injury to the endothelium tissues were histologically observed at 24 h post-wounding and demonstrated that despite a lack of actin organization, cells responding to the injury appeared morphologically similar to their control counterparts. Tissues cultivated in the presence of either cytochalasin B (CB), soybean agglutinin (SBA), or fluorouracil (FU) and also exhibited actin cytoskeletal disruption. Under these conditions, migration continued despite the absence of detectable stress fibers. For SBA-, CB-, and FU-treated tissues, wound repair did not significantly differ from control preparations although FU-treated tissues showed a slower repair. Electron micrographs confirmed an absence of stress fibers in migrating cells treated with any of these agents. Tissues were also treated with ML 141 and EY294002 to inhibit the cdc-42 and PI-3K pathways, respectively. While cell movement still occurred in the presence of ML 141, migration into the wound was greatly restricted in the presence of EY294002. These results indicate that rat corneal endothelial cell movement in situ does not require actin reorganization into stress fibers, but the functioning of the PI-3K pathway is indispensable for their migration along the basement membrane during wound repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fight over health insurance exchanges epitomizes the rapid evolution of health reform politics in the decade since the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The ACA's drafters did not expect the exchanges to be contentious because they would expand private insurance coverage to low- and middle-income individuals who were increasingly unable to obtain employer-sponsored health insurance. Instead, exchanges became one of the primary fronts in the war over Obamacare. Have the exchanges been successful? The answer is not straightforward and requires a historical perspective through a federalism lens. What the ACA has accomplished has depended largely on whether states were invested in or resistant to implementation, as well as individual decisions by state leaders working with federal officials. Our account demonstrates that the states that have engaged with theACAmost consistently appear to have experienced greater exchange-related success. But each aspect of states' engagement with or resistance to the ACA must be counted to fully paint this picture, with significant variation among states. This variation should give pause to those considering next steps in health reform, because state variation can mean innovation and improvement but also lack of coverage, disparities, and diminished access to care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evolutionary theories of senescence, such as the 'disposable soma' theory, propose that natural selection trades late survival for early fecundity. 'Frailty', a multidimensional measure of health status, may help to better define the long-term consequences of reproduction. We examined the relationship between parity and later life frailty (as measured by the Frailty Index) in a sample of 3,534 adults aged 65 years and older who participated in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. We found that the most parous adults were the most frail and that the parity-frailty relationship was similar for both sexes. Whilst this study provided some evidence for a 'parity-frailty trade-off', there was little support for our hypothesis that the physiological costs of childbearing influence later life frailty. Rather, behavioural and social factors associated with rearing many children may have contributed to the development of frailty in both sexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Timely postpartum care is associated with lower maternal morbidity and mortality, yet fewer than half of Medicaid beneficiaries attend a postpartum visit. Medicaid enrollees are at higher risk of postpartum disruptions in insurance because pregnancy-related Medicaid eligibility ends sixty days after delivery. We used Medicaid claims data for 2013-15 from Colorado, which expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, and Utah, which did not. We found that after expansion, new mothers in Utah experienced higher rates of Medicaid coverage loss and accessed fewer Medicaid-financed outpatient visits during the six months postpartum, relative to their counterparts in Colorado. The effects of Medicaid expansion on postpartum Medicaid enrollment and outpatient utilization were largest among women who experienced significant maternal morbidity at delivery. These findings provide evidence that expansion may promote the stability of postpartum coverage and increase the use of postpartum outpatient care in the Medicaid program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Discontinuous Medicaid insurance erodes access to care, increases administrative costs, and exposes enrollees to substantial out-of-pocket spending.Objective: To assess the impact of Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act on continuity of Medicaid coverage among those enrolled prior to expansion.Design: Using a difference-in-differences framework, we compared Colorado, a state that expanded Medicaid, to Utah, a nonexpansion state, before and after Medicaid expansion implementation.Participants: Adults ages 18-62 who were enrolled in Medicaid coverage in Colorado and Utah prior to expansion, from the Utah and Colorado All Payer Claims Databases, 2013-2015.Main Measures: The primary outcomes were the duration of Medicaid enrollment and rates of disrupted coverage.Key Results: Following Medicaid expansion, enrollees in Colorado gained an additional 2 months of coverage over two years of follow-up and were 16 percentage points less likely to experience a coverage disruption in a given year relative to enrollees in Utah.Conclusions: Increasing Medicaid eligibility levels under the Affordable Care Act appears to be an effective strategy to reduce churning in the Medicaid program, with important implications for other states that are considering Medicaid expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate whether or not obesity affects fetal growth in the first trimester of pregnancy.Study Design: A retrospective cohort study of obese versus non-obese women in our ultrasound database was performed to compare crown-rump length (CRL), a surrogate of fetal growth, at the first-trimester genetic screening.Results: A total of 50 obese and 50 non-obese women were included. CRL for both groups was performed at an average of 12wk5d ± 3 d. A linear regression analysis demonstrated that there was no difference between the cohorts in respect to CRL in the first trimester (p = .482). However, the estimated fetal weight at second-trimester anatomy ultrasound and the neonatal birth weight were increased in obese women (p < .001 for both analyses).Conclusion: Maternal obesity does not significantly alter the fetal CRL. However, maternal obesity appears to be associated with increased fetal growth as early as the second trimester. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical emission spectroscopy (OES), absorption measurements, and thermal energy rate analysis were used in tandem with numerical models to characterize microwave argon plasmas. A WAVEMAT (model MPDR-3135) microwave diamond deposition system was used to generate argon plasmas at 5 Torr. Three excited state number densities (4p, 5p, and 5d) were obtained from the OES measurements, and a fourth excited state number density (4s) was obtained from the absorption measurements. Further, power absorbed in the substrate was monitored. A self-consistent two-dimensional argon model coupled with an electromagnetic field model and a 25-level two-dimensional (2D)-collisional-radiative model (CRM) was developed and validated with the experimental measurements. The 2D model provides the gas and electron temperature distributions, and the electron, ion, and 4s state number densities, which are then iteratively fed into the electromagnetic and CRM models. Both the numerically predicted thermal energy rates and excited state densities agreed, within the experimental and numerical uncertainties, with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zero-dimensional and two-dimensional plasma models and optical emission spectroscopy are used in tandem to investigate the power coupling efficiency for a pure hydrogen microwave plasma. The zero-dimensional model accounts for the vibrational kinetics of H[sub 2], the chemistry of H[sub 2] and H excited states, and the kinetics of ground-state species. The set of species conservation equations are then coupled to the electron Boltzmann equation (to account for the non-Maxwellian electron energy distribution function) and the total energy equation for solution. The two-dimensional model makes use of a simpler thermochemical description of the plasma. The chemistry is described with nine species and thirty chemical reactions. Three energy modes are considered to describe the plasma's thermal nonequilibrium, and Maxwellian distribution functions for kinetic and vibrational modes are assumed. The non-Maxwellian nature of the electron energy distribution function is separately accounted for. Experimentally, the absolute line emission intensity is utilized to obtain number densities of up to five hydrogen excited states using the following transitions: Hα (6563 Å), Hβ (4861 Å), Hγ (4340 Å), Hδ (4102 Å), and Hepsilon; (3970 Å). The first three transitions were used for a 38 Torr, 1000 W hydrogen discharge, and all five transitions were used for a 121 Torr, 4000 W hydrogen discharge. The absolute continuum emission from the plasma was compared to numerical predictions. The comparison of the numerical and experimental data indicates that 90%-100% of the input power is deposited in the plasma and that both the line and continuum emission match within a factor of 3, with the exception of the high energy excited states for the 4000 W plasma. A control volume heat transfer analysis validates the energy coupling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A possible role of the oral microbiome, specifically oral nitrate reducing flora, in blood pressure (BP) homeostasis, if proven etiologic in nature, could lead to novel mechanism-based therapy to improve hypertension prevention and control. Aim: This cross-sectional study characterized and compared the oral microbiome between four study groups based on BP status among 446 postmenopausal women aged 53–82 years. Methods: Three study groups were not taking hypertension medication and were separated based on BP, as follows: normal BP (systolic < 120 and diastolic < 80; N = 179), elevated BP/Stage I hypertension (systolic 120–139 or diastolic 80–90; N = 106), Stage II hypertension (systolic > 140 or diastolic > 90; N = 42). The forth group consisted of anyone taking hypertension medications, regardless of BP (N = 119). Subgingival microbiome composition was determined using 16S rRNA sequencing with the Illumina MiSeq platform. Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to compare species-level relative abundance of bacterial operational taxonomic units across the four groups. Results: Sixty-five bacterial species demonstrated significant differences in relative abundance in women with elevated BP or using hypertension medication as compared to those with normal BP. After correction for multiple testing, two species, Prevotella oral (species 317) and Streptococcus oralis, remained significant and were lower in abundance among women taking antihypertension medications compared to those with normal BP (corrected P < 0.05). Conclusions: These data provide novel description of oral subgingival bacteria grouped according to BP status. Additional larger studies including functional analysis and prospective designs will help further assess the potential role of the oral microbiome in BP regulation and hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents several speeches by various members of the Middle East Policy Council including Philip H. Gordon, Michael Doran, and Jon B. Alterman delivered at the council's Capital Hill's conference held at Russell Senate Office Building, in Washington D.C. on January 15, 2019. Topics included the U.S. Administration's foreign policy of Middle East, its relation with Iran, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Root chicory is mainly grown in Belgium and the Netherlands with production also elsewhere in Europe, India, and South Africa. The world's crop is worth an estimated US$56.04 million. India and South Africa focus on supplying root chicory to the blend coffee industry. Only limited and variable information is available on the fertilizer requirements of root chicory. Most studies on nitrogen (N) report that chicory in cooler, temperate regions requires 40-75 kg N/ha compared to 200 kg N/ha in warmer areas. Recommended rates for phosphorus (P) range from 0 to 69 kg P/ha. Poor responses to potassium (K) are reported with recommended rates from 0 to 190 kg K/ha. Application rates for sulfur (S) of 10-30 kg S/ha have been suggested. Suitable micronutrient requirements and soil acid saturation and pH values for root chicory have not been published. To establish crop norms a concerted effort is needed to quantify the fertilizer use of root chicory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the impact of assignment to a Medicaid-focused versus mixed managed care plan on continuity of Medicaid coverage.Data Sources: 2011-2016 Medicaid claims from a Northeastern state.Study Design: Following the exit of a Medicaid managed care insurer, Medicaid administrators prioritized provider networks in reassigning enrollees, but randomly assigned beneficiaries whose providers were equally represented in the two plans. We leveraged the natural experiment created by random plan assignment and conducted an instrumental variable analysis.Data Collection: We analyzed Medicaid claims for 12,083 beneficiaries who were members of the exiting Blue Cross Blue Shield plan prior to January 1, 2011.Principal Findings: Managed care plan type did not significantly impact continuous enrollment in the Medicaid program. Greater outpatient utilization and the presence of a special need among children were associated with longer enrollment in Medicaid.Conclusions: Managed care plans did not differ in their capacity to keep Medicaid beneficiaries continuously enrolled in coverage, despite differences in plan features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine whether the 'male-female health-survival paradox' is present in older hospitalised adults and to examine whether sex differences in the 'lethality' of acute medical conditions influence the relationship between sex and mortality.Study Design and Outcome Measures: This study was a secondary analysis of prospective cohort data collected from 1418 Australian inpatients aged 70 years and over. Frailty was measured using a 39-variable Frailty Index (FI-AC). Analyses examined the relationship between sex, age, FI-AC and 28-day mortality. Survival models were adjusted for 'lethality' of acute conditions (high versus low mortality risk).Results: The FI-AC had a normal distribution in both sexes (female mean=0.34 (±0.13); male mean=0.31 (±0.15)). When adjusted for age, females had similar FI-AC scores to males (β coefficient=0.014, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.00-0.028, p=0.056). There were 80 deaths in the sample, with females facing a significantly lower mortality risk than males of the same FI-AC and age (HR=0.39, 95% CI=0.25-0.63, p<0.001). Females were less likely than males to be admitted with a high-risk acute condition. Even so, this did not significantly reduce their survival advantage (HR=0.46, 95% CI=0.29-0.73, p=0.001).Conclusion: The male-female health-survival paradox was not demonstrated in this study of older inpatients. Whilst females faced a significantly lower risk of near-term mortality, the sexes were found to have similar levels of frailty on admission to hospital. The sex mortality gap was not explained by sex differences in the 'lethality' of acute medical conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empirical evidence suggests the importance of considering acculturative stress and perceived discrimination in understanding the mental health of ethnic minority groups, including their eating behaviors and associated psychopathology. The current study examined the effect of acculturative stress and perceived discrimination on eating disorder symptoms among ethnic minority undergraduate students. A total of 187 ethnic minority undergraduate students (41.2% men) completed this cross-sectional study by completing self-report questionnaires on a secure online system. Regression analyses revealed a main effect of acculturative stress on eating concern, shape concern, weight concern, drive for thinness, and bulimia but not restraint or body dissatisfaction. Gender moderated the effect of acculturative stress on drive for muscularity, suggesting that this effect was only significant in women, but not men. The main effect of perceived discrimination was significant for restraint, eating concern, shape concern, weight concern, and drive for muscularity but not drive for thinness, bulimia, or body dissatisfaction. Acculturative stress and perceived discrimination are important factors to consider in understanding the development and maintenance of eating disorder symptoms among ethnic minority populations. Targeting these two factors may improve the effectiveness of intervention programs for eating disorder symptoms among ethnic minority undergraduate students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrared analysis of proteins and polysaccharides by the well known KBr disk technique is notoriously frustrated and defeated by absorbed water interference in the important amide and hydroxyl regions of spectra. This interference has too often been overlooked or ignored even when the resulting distortion is critical or even fatal, as in quantitative analyses of protein secondary structure, because the water has been impossible to measure or eliminate. Therefore, a new chemometric method was devised that corrects spectra of materials in KBr disks by mathematically eliminating the water interference. A new concept termed the Beer-Lambert law absorbance ratio (R-matrix) model was augmented with water concentration ratios computed via an exponential decay kinetic model of the water absorption process in KBr, which rendered the otherwise indeterminate system of linear equations determinate and thus possible to solve in a formal analytic manner. Consequently, the heretofore baffling KBr water elimination problem is now solved once and for all. Using the new formal solution, efforts to eliminate water interference from KBr disks in research will be defeated no longer. Resulting spectra of protein were much more accurate than attenuated total reflection (ATR) spectra corrected using the well-accepted Advanced ATR Correction Algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms through which childhood neglect leads to disordered eating behaviors are not wellunderstood, and these phenomena have been particularly understudied in men. The current study examined the associations between physical and emotional neglect occurring in childhood and 2 types of disordered eating symptoms (binge eating and drive for muscularity) among college men and women. Specifically, it was hypothesized that the relations between childhood physical and emotional neglect and eating disorder symptoms would be mediated by alexithymia. Participants (N = 1344) completed self-report measures through an online system. Four moderated mediation models were tested to examine our proposed mediation model in the context of potential gender differences. Consistent with prediction, our analyses revealed significant associations between childhood physical and emotional neglect and 2 types of disordered eating symptoms, and alexithymia mediated these relationships. Contrary to our hypothesis, gender moderated the relationship between alexithymia and binge eating, but not drive for muscularity. Childhood neglect, both physical and emotional, was associated with higher levels of binge eating in women, but not men. These findings suggest that the experience of neglect in early childhood may be related to certain types of eating disorder symptoms through its impact on the ability to identify, experience, and express one's own emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foetal premature atrial contractions (PACs) are the most commonly encountered and also the most benign foetal arrhythmia. A retrospective cohort study was conducted with the objective to assess whether the presence of foetal breathing was associated with the presence of foetal PACs. A further objective was to evaluate whether this association would affect neonatal outcomes at a high volume referral centre. The diagnosis of PACs was based on the observation of a premature atrial contraction followed by a ventricular contraction on ultrasound myocardial M-mode. Trained ultrasonographers documented in the ultrasound report whether or not foetal breathing was present with PACs. 91 exams were identified, which included 75 individual pregnancies. Six women were identified who had foetal PACs associated with foetal breathing on ultrasound evaluation. Foetuses with PACs did not differ between the associated breathing and no-associated breathing groups with respect to maternal age, parity, mode of delivery, gestational age at delivery or birthweight. This study reaffirms that isolated PACs are a benign finding. Furthermore, it adds to the pool of literature on foetal PACs in that it is not associated with abnormal pregnancy outcomes regardless of the presence or absence of foetal breathing.Impact statement• What is already known on this subjectSince foetal breathing can effect Doppler ultrasound assessment of the foetal cardiovascular system, it is reasonable to consider that it may impact conditions such as foetal arrhythmias.• What the results of this study addFoetal breathing does not impact on the presence of premature atrial contractions.• What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further researchFoetal breathing is not associated with the finding of foetal premature atrial contractions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Suicide attempts and premature mortality due to suicide are elevated in people with eating disorders. Informed by the interpersonal theory of suicide, two studies examined the role of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness in explaining the association between eating disorder symptoms and suicide risk. Results indicated that various eating disorder symptoms had an indirect effect on suicide risk through perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. Targeting perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness may be useful for decreasing suicide risk among undergraduates with eating disorder symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extant literature suggests that peer victimization is a risk factor for eating disorders. This study examined the relationships between peer victimization, occurring prior to and during college and three types of eating disorder symptoms (bulimic symptoms, dietary restraint, and drive for muscularity) in undergraduate men and women. Participants completed self-report measures using an online system at two time points approximately eight weeks apart. Multiple hierarchical regression analyses revealed that pre-college peer victimization was associated with higher levels of drive for muscularity and bulimic symptoms. Peer victimization occurring during college predicted increases in all three types of subsequent eating disorder symptoms. Finally, bulimic symptoms, but not dietary restraint or drive for muscularity predicted increases in future peer victimization. The findings expand the understanding of the bidirectional relationship between peer victimization and eating disorder symptoms among college men and women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because many common foods are emulsions (mayonnaise, coffee creamers, salad dressing, etc.), a better understanding of lipid oxidation mechanisms in these systems is crucial for the formulation, production, and storage of the relevant consumer products. A research body has focused on the microstructural and oxidative stability of protein-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions that are structurally similar to innovative products that have been recently developed by the food industry (e.g., non-dairy creams, vegetable fat spreads, etc.) This review presents recent findings about the factors that determine the development of lipid oxidation in emulsions where proteins constitute the stabilizing interface. Emphasis is given to “endogenous” factors, such as those of compositional (e.g., protein/lipid phases, pH, presence of transition metals) or processing (e.g., temperature, droplet size) nature. Improved knowledge of the conditions that favor the oxidative protection of protein in emulsions can lead to their optimized use as food ingredients and thereby improve the organoleptic and nutritional value of the related products. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

High pressure processing (HPP) was applied as a pre-treatment on Moringa oleifera (MO) kernels, for the first time, prior to aqueous enzymatic extraction (AEE) of the MO oil, and the effect of this pre-treatment is reported in terms of the free oil recovery and the nature of the cream emulsions formed. The HPP pre-treatments (50–250 MPa, 20–60 °C, 10–60 min) generally resulted in higher free oil recoveries and thinner emulsion layers from ground-sieved kernels than the whole kernels. Optimization of the HPP parameters indicated linear increment in free oil recovery with increase in temperature and time, but not the pressure level. Without the pre-boiling step in the AEE process, the use of HPP pre-treatment at 50 MPa and 60 °C for 35 min resulted in approximately 73% (w/w) free oil recovery with thinner emulsion layer than the use of AEE alone. These findings highlighted the ability of HPP in altering the MO protein structure into a form of less emulsifying functional properties, thus further de-emulsification method may not be necessary. Industrial relevance High pressure processing (HPP) applications are increasing in the food industry. High pressure application allows the use of relatively lower temperatures in processes, in order to achieve comparable outcomes of higher temperature processing. This study explores the application of HPP on Moringa oleifera (MO) kernels prior to aqueous enzymatic extraction (AEE) of oil. In general, the main disadvantage of AEE is its lower oil recovery in comparison with solvent extraction, which is attributed to the formation of a relatively stable cream emulsion after extraction. This study shows that the thickness of the creamy emulsion can be significantly reduced, and oil recoveries improved, by subjecting the kernels to HPP prior to extraction. The improvement in recoveries did not depend strongly on the level of high pressure applied, but downstream processes for free oil separation and recovery were considerably simplified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the extraction of Moringa oleifera (MO) oil by using aqueous enzymatic extraction (AEE) method. The effect of different process parameters on the oil recovery was discovered by using statistical optimization, besides the effect of selected parameters on the formation of its oil-in-water cream emulsions. Within the pre-determined ranges, the use of pH 4.5, moisture/kernel ratio of 8:1 (w/w), and 300 stroke/min shaking speed at 40 °C for 1 h incubation time resulted in highest oil recovery of approximately 70% (g oil/g solvent-extracted oil). These optimized parameters also result in a very thin emulsion layer, indicating minute amount of emulsion formed. Zero oil recovery with thick emulsion were observed when the used aqueous phase was re-utilized for another AEE process. The findings suggest that the critical selection of AEE parameters is key to high oil recovery with minimum emulsion formation thereby lowering the load on the de-emulsification step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two studies tested a model where perceived stress was the proposed mediator for the relationship between perceived social support and bulimic behaviors, and between perceived social support and unhealthy food consumption among undergraduate students. Study 1 was a longitudinal, online study in which undergraduate students completed the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the Bulimia Test-Revised at the Time 1 assessment, and the Perceived Stress Scale and the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire at the Time 2 assessment, approximately four weeks later. Study 2 was an experimental study in which female participants were randomly assigned into a group with or without social support. Stress was induced with a speech task, followed by a bogus taste task paradigm designed to assess unhealthy food consumption. Bootstrap analyses revealed an indirect effect of perceived social support on bulimic behaviors and unhealthy food consumption through perceived stress. Perceived social support was associated with lower perceived stress in both studies. Lower perceived stress was associated with less self-reported bulimic behaviors in Study 1 and greater consumption of unhealthy foods in Study 2. The negative association between perceived stress and calorie consumption in Study 2 was moderated by dietary restraint. Findings suggest that stress perception helps to explain the relationship between perceived social support and bulimic behaviors, and between perceived social support and calorie consumption. Stress perception may be an important treatment target for eating disorder symptoms among undergraduate students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adrenomedullin 2/intermedin (AM2/IMD), adrenomedullin (AM), and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) have functions in the cardiovascular, lymphatic, and nervous systems by activating three heterodimeric receptors comprising the class B GPCR CLR and a RAMP1, -2, or -3 modulatory subunit. CGRP and AM prefer the RAMP1 and RAMP2/3 complexes, respectively, whereas AM2/IMD is thought to be relatively nonselective. Accordingly, AM2/IMD exhibits overlapping actions with CGRP and AM, so the rationale for this third agonist for the CLR-RAMP complexes is unclear. Here, we report that AM2/IMD is kinetically selective for CLR-RAMP3, known as the AM2R, and we define the structural basis for its distinct kinetics. In live cell biosensor assays, AM2/IMD-AM2R elicited longer-duration cAMP signaling than the other peptide-receptor combinations. AM2/IMD and AM bound the AM2R with similar equilibrium affinities, but AM2/IMD had a slower off-rate and longer receptor residence time, thus explaining its prolonged signaling capacity. Peptide and receptor chimeras and mutagenesis were used to map the regions responsible for the distinct binding and signaling kinetics to the AM2/IMD mid-region and the RAMP3 extracellular domain (ECD). Molecular dynamics simulations revealed how the former forms stable interactions at the CLR ECD-transmembrane domain interface and how the latter augments the CLR ECD binding pocket to anchor the AM2/IMD C terminus. These strong binding components only combine in the AM2R. Our findings uncover AM2/IMD-AM2R as a cognate pair with unique temporal features, reveal how AM2/IMD and RAMP3 collaborate to shape CLR signaling, and have significant implications for AM2/IMD biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tiger nut ( Cyperus esculentus ) tuber contains oil that is high in monounsaturated fatty acids, and this oil makes up about 23% of the tuber. The study aimed at evaluating the impact of several factors and enzymatic pre-treatment on the recovery of pressed tiger nut oil. Smaller particles were more favourable for pressing. High pressure pre-treatment did not increase oil recovery but enzymatic treatment did. The highest yield obtained by enzymatic treatment prior to mechanical extraction was 33% on a dry defatted basis, which represents a recovery of 90% of the oil. Tiger nut oil consists mainly of oleic acid; its acid and peroxide values reflect the high stability of the oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-harm and suicide attempts occur at elevated rates among individuals with bulimia nervosa, particularly among those who have experienced childhood abuse. This study investigated the potential mediating roles of emotion dysregulation and affective intensity in the relationship between these variables in 125 women with bulimia nervosa. Analyses revealed that emotion dysregulation mediated the relationship between sexual and emotional abuse with both self-harm and suicide attempts. Negative affective intensity mediated the relationship between abuse and suicide attempts. The findings may advance the understanding of mechanisms underlying suicide-related behaviors in women with bulimia nervosa who experienced abuse and suggest potential clinical targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The stress generation hypothesis posits that individuals with psychopathology engage in maladaptive behaviors that create stress. Although extensively researched in the depression literature, few studies have investigated whether the stress generation hypothesis applies to eating disorders. This study examined whether bulimic symptoms and dietary restraint predict future life hassles and low social support among undergraduate students.Methods: Three hundred seventy-four undergraduate students participated in this two-part prospective study through a secure online system. They completed questionnaires assessing depressive symptoms, bulimic symptoms, dietary restraint, life hassles, and social support.Results: Regression analyses revealed that baseline bulimic symptoms predicted greater life hassles but not lower social support one month later, after statistically controlling for baseline measures. Baseline dietary restraint did not predict future life hassles or social support.Limitations: Limitations include use of self-report measures, suboptimal response rates at the follow-up assessment, and use of a non-clinical sample with primarily White participants.Conclusions: These results provide preliminary support for the stress generation hypothesis in relation to bulimic symptoms. Individuals with bulimic symptoms may generate stressors similar to those experiencing depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that emphasizing stress management in the treatment of individuals with bulimic symptoms could potentially improve treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used data from the mandatory statewide Rhode Island (RI) Health Information Technology (HIT) Survey to characterize office-based PCPs’ adoption and use of EHRs from 2009–2014. We found accelerated adoption of EHRs in the five years since state and federal incentive programs began targeting PCPs’ adoption of HIT. There was room for improvement, however; for example, when asked to indicate the proportion of patients with whom they used various functionalities, only 13.4% of office-based PCPs said they “almost always” communicated with patients using secure messaging and 22.3% “almost always” used secure clinical messaging with outside providers. Results suggest uneven use of EHR functionalities, with low rates and slower uptake in some areas. These findings highlight opportunities to increase use of functionalities related to improved patient care and quality-based payment models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Evaluate the effectiveness of a healthy weight intervention designed for children of migrant farmworkers embedded in a 7-week summer Midwest Migrant Education Program ( MEP) for changes in: weight; Body Mass Index ( BMI); BMI-percentiles ( BMI-p); muscle strength and muscle flexibility; nutrition knowledge; attitudes; and behaviors. Design and Sample This is a two-group pre-post quasi-experimental study. Latino children of migrant farmworkers attending summer MEP in grades one through eight were enrolled ( n = 171: comparison n = 33, intervention n = 138). Measures Weight, BMI, BMI-p, muscle strength and flexibility, knowledge, and healthy behaviors. Intervention Classroom content included: food variety; increasing fruits and vegetables; healthy breakfasts; more family meals; increasing family time; decreasing TV and electronic game time; increasing physical activity; limiting sugar-sweetened drinks; portion sizes; and food labels. Results Statistically significant were increase in comparison group mean weight, decrease in intervention group BMI-p, and improvements in muscle flexibility and healthy behavior attitudes. The intervention students showed trends toward healthy BMI. The number of MEP days attended was significantly correlated in four outcomes. Conclusion Study findings have the potential to decrease incidence of unhealthy weight in Latino migrant children, reduce rates of premature adult diseases in these children, and a potential to decrease future health care costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we investigated the effects of Caesalpinia decapetala (CD) extracts on lipid oxidation in ground beef patties. Plant extracts and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) were individually added to patties at both 0.1% and 0.5% (w/w) concentrations. We assessed the antioxidant efficacy of CD by the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay and evaluated their potential as natural antioxidants for meat preservation by thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) values, hexanal content, fatty acid composition and color parameters. These were tested periodically during 11 days of refrigerated storage. TBARS levels were significantly lower (p ≤ 0.05) in the samples containing plant extracts or BHT than in the non-treated control. In addition, the beef patties formulated with the selected plant extracts showed significantly (p ≤ 0.05) better color stability than those without antioxidants. These results indicate that edible plant extracts are promising sources of natural antioxidants and can potentially be used as functional preservatives in meat products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Gentiana lutea root is a medicinal herb that contains many active compounds which contribute to physiological effects, and it has recently attracted much attention as a natural source of antioxidants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects on the colour, pH, microbial activities, sensory quality and resistance to lipid oxidation (through the thiobarbituric acid method) during storage of beef patties containing different concentrations of G. lutea. Fresh beef patties were formulated with 0-5 g kg−1 of G. lutea and 0 or 0.5 g kg−1 of ascorbic acid and packed in two different atmospheres, Modified Atmosphere 1 (MAP1) and Modified Atmosphere 2 (MAP2), and stored at 4 ± 1 °C for 10 days. MAP1 contained 20:80 (v/v) O2:CO2 and MAP2 contained 80:20 (v/v) O2:CO2. RESULTS G. lutea extracts possessed antioxidant activity measured by the ferric reducing antioxidant power and the oxygen radical absorbance capacity assays. Beef patties containing 2 g kg−1 of lyophilised G. lutea were stable towards lipid oxidation in both atmospheres ( P < 0.05). Beef patties containing a combination of 2 g kg−1 G. lutea and 0.5 g kg−1 ascorbic acid showed significantly reduced changes in colour and in lipid oxidation ( P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The results from this study demonstrate the potential of G. lutea as a food ingredient in the design of healthier meat commodities. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our objective was to examine the strength of evidence in support of the paraneoplastic syndrome (PNS) as one cause of ALS and, if the association appears more likely than chance, determine which features of ALS imply concurrent malignancy. We reviewed the literature on concurrent ALS and neoplasia assessing the strength of evidence for the association. Most accounts of ALS and neoplasm are case reports or small uncontrolled series. In order of strength of evidence, three clinical situations that support a paraneoplastic aetiology for ALS are: 1) laboratory evidence of well-characterized onconeuronal antibodies, most often anti-Hu, anti-Yo or anti-Ri; 2) co-occurrence of ALS and a neoplasm known to cause PNS, usually lymphoma or cancer of the breast; and 3) combined ALS and a neoplasm not classically associated with PNS, without detectable onconeuronal antibodies. Clinical features that warrant evaluation of neoplasm include upper motor neuron disease in elderly females, rapid progression, non-motor signs, and young onset. In conclusion, most examples of ALS and neoplasm do not constitute a classically established PNS. Rare instances of elevated onconeuronal antibody titres or typical neoplasm, implies that, albeit rare, the PNS is one of a multitude of causes of ALS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis) is the world's rarest canid; ≈500 wolves remain. The largest population is found within the Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP) in southeastern Ethiopia, where conservation efforts have demonstrated the negative effect of rabies virus on wolf populations. We describe previously unreported infections with canine distemper virus (CDV) among these wolves during 2005-2006 and 2010. Death rates ranged from 43% to 68% in affected subpopulations and were higher for subadult than adult wolves (83%-87% vs. 34%-39%). The 2010 CDV outbreak started 20 months after a rabies outbreak, before the population had fully recovered, and led to the eradication of several focal packs in BMNP's Web Valley. The combined effect of rabies and CDV increases the chance of pack extinction, exacerbating the typically slow recovery of wolf populations, and represents a key extinction threat to populations of this highly Endangered carnivore [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]