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Recreational boats are common in many coastal waters, yet their effects on cetaceans and other sensitive marine species remain poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we used drone video footage recorded from a recreational boat to quantify how harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) responded to the boat approaching at different speeds (10 or 20 knots). Furthermore, we used a hydrophone to record boat noise levels at full bandwidth (0.1–150 kHz) and at the 1/3 octave 16 kHz frequency band for both experimental speeds. The experiments were carried out in shallow waters near Funen, Denmark (55.51° N, 10.79° E) between July and September 2022. Porpoises were more likely to move further away from the path of the boat when approached at 10 knots, but not when approached at 20 knots. In contrast, they swam faster when approached at 20 knots, but not when approached at 10 knots. The recorded received sound level did not depend on how fast the boat approached, suggesting that differences in porpoise responses were related to the speed of the approaching boat rather than to sound intensity. In addition, porpoises generally reacted within close proximity (<200 m) to the approaching boat and quickly (<50 s) resumed their natural behaviour once the boat had passed, indicating that the direct impact of small vessels on porpoise behaviour was most likely small. Nevertheless, repeated exposure to noise from small vessels may influence porpoises' activity or energy budget, and cause them to relocate from disturbed areas. The approach used in this study increases our understanding of recreational boats' impact on harbour porpoises and can be used to inform efficient mitigation measures to help focus conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical torque (CT) represents the highest oxidative steady state for intermittent knee extensor exercise, but the extent to which it is influenced by skeletal muscle mitochondria and sex is unclear. Vastus lateralis muscle biopsy samples were collected from 12 females and 12 males –matched for relative maximal oxygen uptake normalized to fat‐free mass (FFM) (F: 57.3 (7.5) ml (kg FFM)−1 min−1; M: 56.8 (7.6) ml (kg FFM)−1 min−1; P = 0.856) – prior to CT determination and performance fatiguability trials. Males had a lower proportion of myosin heavy chain (MHC) I isoform (40.6 (18.4)%) compared to females (59.5 (18.9)%; P = 0.021), but MHC IIa and IIx isoform distributions and protein markers of mitochondrial content were not different between sexes (P > 0.05). When normalized to maximum voluntary contraction (MVC), the relative CT (F: 42.9 (8.3)%; M: 37.9 (9.0)%; P = 0.172) and curvature constant, W′ (F: 26.6 (11.0) N m s (N m)−1; M: 26.4 (6.5) N m s (N m)−1; P = 0.962) were not significantly different between sexes. All protein biomarkers of skeletal muscle mitochondrial content, as well as the proportion of MHC I isoform, positively correlated with relative CT (0.48 < r < 0.70; P < 0.05), and the proportion of MHC IIx isoform correlated positively with relative W′ (r = 0.57; P = 0.007). Indices of performance fatiguability were not different between males and females for MVC‐ and CT‐controlled trials (P > 0.05). Greater mitochondrial protein abundance was associated with attenuated declines in potentiated twitch torque for exercise at 60% MVC (P < 0.05); however, the influence of mitochondrial protein abundance on performance fatiguability was reduced when exercise was prescribed relative to CT. Whether these findings translate to whole‐body exercise requires additional research. Key points: The quadriceps critical torque represents the highest intensity of intermittent knee extensor exercise for which an oxidative steady state is attainable, but its relationship with skeletal muscle mitochondrial protein abundance is unknown.Matching males and females for maximal oxygen uptake relative to fat‐free mass facilitates investigations of sex differences in exercise physiology, but studies that have compared critical torque and performance fatiguability during intermittent knee extensor exercise have not ensured equal aerobic fitness between sexes.Skeletal muscle mitochondrial protein abundance was correlated with critical torque and fatigue resistance for exercise prescribed relative to maximum voluntary contraction but not for exercise performed relative to the critical torque.Differences between sexes in critical torque, skeletal muscle mitochondrial protein abundance and performance fatiguability were not statistically significant.Our results suggest that skeletal muscle mitochondrial protein abundance may contribute to fatigue resistance by influencing the critical intensity of exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper unpacks new firm exit in a novel way. It theorizes that, even after controlling for a wide range of human capital and other factors, access to, and the management of, an overdraft facility powerfully influences the exit chances of a new firm. It then unpacks exits, distinguishing between new firms that exit leaving no debts (pure exiters) and those that exit leaving a debt (defaulters). A second distinction is between those exiting in the short‐ and the longer‐run. Using a bank‐based dataset, comprising nearly 6,000 new businesses in England and Wales tracked over a decade, it shows that, although there are similarities, financial management plays an important, but very different, role in explaining exit across the four groups. Overall, new firms with an overdraft have lower exit rates than those without, but the reverse is the case for defaulters. A second finding is that, although exceeding the terms of an overdraft enhances short‐run survival, it lowers survival in the longer‐run. These results highlight the powerful insights provided by private information held by the bank that is not normally available to academic researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sprint interval training (SIT) causes fragmentation of the skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release channel, ryanodine receptor 1 (RyR1), 24 h post‐exercise, potentially signalling mitochondrial biogenesis by increasing cytosolic [Ca2+]. Yet, the time course and skeletal muscle fibre type‐specific patterns of RyR1 fragmentation following a session of SIT remain unknown. Ten participants (n = 4 females; n = 6 males) performed a session of SIT (6 × 30 s 'all‐out' with 4.5 min rest after each sprint) with vastus lateralis muscle biopsy samples collected before and 3, 6 and 24 h after exercise. In whole muscle, full‐length RyR1 protein content was significantly reduced 6 h (mean (SD); −38 (38)%; P < 0.05) and 24 h post‐SIT (−30 (48)%; P < 0.05) compared to pre‐exercise. Examining each participant's largest response in pooled samples, full‐length RyR1 protein content was reduced in type II (−26 (30)%; P < 0.05) but not type I fibres (−11 (40)%; P > 0.05). Three hours post‐SIT, there was also a decrease in sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase 1 in type II fibres (−23 (17)%; P < 0.05) and sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase 2a in type I fibres (−19 (21)%; P < 0.05), despite no time effect for either protein in whole muscle samples (P > 0.05). PGC1A mRNA content was elevated 3 and 6 h post‐SIT (5.3‐ and 3.7‐fold change from pre, respectively; P < 0.05 for both), but peak PGC1A mRNA expression was not significantly correlated with peak RyR1 fragmentation (r2 = 0.10; P > 0.05). In summary, altered Ca2+‐handling protein expression, which occurs primarily in type II muscle fibres, may influence signals for mitochondrial biogenesis as early as 3–6 h post‐SIT in humans. Key points: Sprint interval training (SIT) has been shown to cause fragmentation of the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium‐release channel, ryanodine receptor 1 (RyR1), 24 h post‐exercise, which may act as a signal for mitochondrial biogenesis.In this study, the time course was examined of RyR1 fragmentation in human whole muscle and pooled type I and type II skeletal muscle fibres following a single session of SIT.Full‐length RyR1 protein content was significantly lower than pre‐exercise by 6 h post‐SIT in whole muscle, and fragmentation was detectable in type II but not type I fibres, though to a lesser extent than in whole muscle.The peak in PGC1A mRNA expression occurred earlier than RyR1 fragmentation.The increased temporal resolution and fibre type‐specific responses for RyR1 fragmentation provide insights into its importance to mitochondrial biogenesis in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal selection of foraging habitats is key to survival, but it remains unclear how naïve individuals are able to locate patchily‐distributed resources and maximize energy gain in completely new environments. In most animals, juveniles disperse unaccompanied by their parents, and hence their movements are likely guided, at least at fine scales, by external cues. However, the extent to which environmental processes and individual learning shape habitat selection and movement strategies of juveniles remains unclear, especially in species with cryptic life‐stages. Here, we use a mechanistic modelling framework – integrated step selection analysis – to examine the development of habitat preferences in a pelagic seabird with a prolonged period of immaturity, the grey‐headed albatross Thalassarche chrysostoma. Juveniles were tracked from Bird Island, South Georgia, in two years (n = 9 in 2018 and n = 12 in 2019), using satellite transmitters (platform terminal transmitters), and we investigated ontogenetic changes in individual movement characteristics (step lengths and turning angles) in response to two environmental variables; tailwind support (which enables low‐cost movement) and chlorophyll a concentration (a proxy for resources) during their first four months at sea. Naïve juveniles dispersed rapidly away from South Georgia towards the same general region (subantarctic and subtropical waters in the east Atlantic Ocean) by increasing their travel speeds and directional persistence in response to favourable wind conditions. In the first month post‐fledging, juveniles also responded to local resource availability (chlorophyll a concentration) by reducing travel speeds in more productive regions, but thereafter engaged in comparatively slower and more sinuous movements, apparently focusing foraging effort on frontal zones. While complex movement strategies such as long‐distance migrations may take several years to develop, our results indicate that dispersing juveniles are able to respond rapidly both to changes in wind and local resource availability, maximising flight and foraging efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non‐coding DNA (ncDNA) refers to the portion of the genome that does not code for proteins and accounts for the greatest physical proportion of the human genome. ncDNA includes sequences that are transcribed into RNA molecules, such as ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and un‐transcribed sequences that have regulatory functions, including gene promoters and enhancers. Variation in non‐coding regions of the genome have an established role in human disease, with growing evidence from many areas, including several cancers, Parkinson's disease and autism. Here, we review the features and functions of the regulatory elements that are present in the non‐coding genome and the role that these regions have in human disease. We then review the existing research in epilepsy and emphasise the potential value of further exploring non‐coding regulatory elements in epilepsy. In addition, we outline the most widely used techniques for recognising regulatory elements throughout the genome, current methodologies for investigating variation and the main challenges associated with research in the field of non‐coding DNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Variant interpretation is dependent on transcript annotation and remains time consuming and challenging. There are major obstacles for historical data reuse and for interpretation of new variants. First, both RefSeq and Ensembl/GENCODE produce transcript sets in common use, but there is currently no easy way to translate between the two. Second, the resources often used for variant interpretation (e.g. ClinVar, gnomAD, UniProt) do not use the same transcript set, nor default transcript or protein sequence. Method: Ensembl ran a survey in 2018 to sample attitudes to choosing one default transcript per locus, and to gather data on reference sequences used by the scientific community. This was publicised on the Ensembl and UCSC genome browsers, by email and on social media. Results: The survey had 788 responses from 32 different countries, the results of which we report here. Conclusions: We present our roadmap to create an effective default set of transcripts for resources, and for reporting interpretation of clinical variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many seabirds dive to forage, and the ability to use this hunting technique varies according to such factors as morphology, physiology, prey availability, and ambient light levels. Proficient divers are more able to seize sinking baits deployed by longline fishing vessels and may return them to the surface, increasing exposure of other species. Hence, diving ability has major implications for mitigating incidental mortality (bycatch) in fisheries.Here, the diving behaviour and activity patterns of the most bycaught seabird species worldwide, the white‐chinned petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis), tracked from Bird Island (South Georgia), are analysed. Three data sources (dives, spatial movements, and immersion events) are combined to examine diverse aspects of at‐sea foraging behaviour, and their implications for alternative approaches to bycatch mitigation are considered.The tracked white‐chinned petrels (n = 14) mostly performed shallow dives (<3 m deep) of very short duration (<5 s), predominantly during darkness, but only 7 and 10% of landings in daylight and darkness, respectively, involved diving, suggesting that surface‐seizing is the preferred foraging technique. Nonetheless, individuals were able to dive to considerable depth (max = 14.5 m) and at speed (max = 2.0 m·s−1), underlining the importance of using heavy line‐weighting to maximize hook sink rates, and bird‐scaring lines (Tori lines) that extend for long distances behind vessels to protect hooks until beyond diving depths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Determining the drivers of movement of different life‐history stages is crucial for understanding age‐related changes in survival rates and, for marine top predators, the link between fisheries overlap and incidental mortality (bycatch), which is driving population declines in many taxa. Here, we combine individual tracking data and a movement model to investigate the environmental drivers and conservation implications of divergent movement patterns in juveniles (fledglings) and adults of a threatened seabird, the white‐chinned petrel (Procellaria aequinoctialis). Location: South‐west Atlantic Ocean. Methods: We compare the spatial distributions and movement characteristics of juvenile, breeding and non‐breeding adult petrels, and apply a mechanistic movement model to investigate the extent to which chlorophyll a concentrations (a proxy for food resources) and ocean surface winds drive their divergent distribution patterns. We also consider the conservation implications by determining the relative overlap of each life‐history stage with fishing intensity and reported fishing effort (proxies for bycatch risk). Results: Naïve individuals fledged with similar flight capabilities (based on distances travelled, flight speeds and track sinuosity) to adults but differed in their trajectories. Comparison of simulations from the mechanistic model with real tracks showed that juvenile movements are best predicted by prevailing wind patterns, whereas adults are attracted to food resources on the Patagonian Shelf. The juveniles initially dispersed to less productive oceanic waters than those used by adults, and overlapped less with fishing activity; however, as they moved westwards towards South America, bycatch risk increased substantially. Main conclusions: The use of a mechanistic framework provided insights into the ontogeny of movement strategies within the context of learned versus innate behaviour and demonstrated that divergent movement patterns of adults and juveniles can have important implications for the conservation of threatened seabirds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Objective: With the exception of specific metabolic disorders, predictors of response to ketogenic dietary therapies (KDTs) are unknown. We aimed to determine whether common variation across the genome influences the response to KDT for epilepsy. Methods: We genotyped individuals who were negative for glucose transporter type 1 deficiency syndrome or other metabolic disorders, who received KDT for epilepsy. Genotyping was performed with the Infinium HumanOmniExpressExome Beadchip. Hospital records were used to obtain demographic and clinical data. KDT response (≥50% seizure reduction) at 3‐month follow‐up was used to dissect out nonresponders and responders. We then performed a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) in nonresponders vs responders, using a linear mixed model and correcting for population stratification. Variants with minor allele frequency <0.05 and those that did not pass quality control filtering were excluded. Results: After quality control filtering, the GWAS of 112 nonresponders vs 123 responders revealed an association locus at 6p25.1, 61 kb upstream of CDYL (rs12204701, P = 3.83 × 10−8, odds ratio [A] = 13.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.07‐44.8). Although analysis of regional linkage disequilibrium around rs12204701 did not strengthen the likelihood of CDYL being the candidate gene, additional bioinformatic analyses suggest it is the most likely candidate. Significance: CDYL deficiency has been shown to disrupt neuronal migration and to influence susceptibility to epilepsy in mice. Further exploration with a larger replication cohort is warranted to clarify whether CDYL is the causal gene underlying the association signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: To reveal and describe from open‐ended interviews how homeless people in Vancouver interpret, appraise and cope with dental care. Methods: Audio‐recorded interviews with 25 homeless people (18 men and 7 women; age range: 25‐64 years), purposefully selected for a range of experiences, were transcribed and analysed inductively. The process of interpretive description drawing from the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations and Lazarus's Theory of Emotions identified how participants appraised and coped with dental care. Results: Four dominant themes emerged: barriers to care; service use; opinions on dental health; and improving dental services. Participants were anxious about the cost of dentistry and fearful of dentists. They got emergency dental care with difficulty, usually in hospital emergency departments although mostly they preferred self‐treatment. They acknowledged the importance of dental health but felt stigmatized by their homelessness and visibly unhealthy mouths. They wanted accessible dental services with financial assistance from government, more widespread information about community dental clinics, and, notably among the Indigenous participants, less humiliating discrimination from dentists. Conclusions: Homeless people have difficulty coping with dental care. They believe that dentistry is frightening, humiliating and expensive, and governments are neither sympathetic to their disability nor willing to provide helpful information about community dental clinics or sufficient dental benefits for their needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients and the dystrophic mdx mouse have an elevated demand for ATP requiring processes, including Ca2+ regulation and skeletal muscle regeneration. As a key substrate for cellular ATP production, altered glycogen metabolism may contribute significantly to dystrophic pathology and explain reports of mild glucose intolerance. We compare the soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles of the mdx mouse during active muscle necrosis (at 28 days) and at 70 days where pathology is stable. We further investigate the impact of taurine (tau) on dystrophic glycogen metabolism to identify if the benefit seen with tau in a previous study (Barker et al. 2017) was in part owed to altered glycogen handling. The soleus muscle of 28- and 70-day-old mdx mice had elevated glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4), glycogenin protein abundances and glycogen content compared to WT (C57BL10/ScSn) controls. Mdx tau mice exhibited modestly reduced glycogen compared to their respective mdx group. The EDL muscle of 28 days mdx tau mice had a ~70% increase in glycogenin protein abundance compared to the mdx but 50% less glycogen content. A twofold greater phosphorylated glycogen synthase (p-GS) and glycogen phosphorylase (p-GP) protein abundance was observed in the 70-day-old mdx soleus muscle than in the 28-day-old mdx soleus muscle. Glycogen debranching enzyme (GDE) protein abundance was elevated in both 28- and 70-day-old mdx soleus muscles compared to WT controls. We identified an increase in proteins associated with glucose uptake and utilization specific to the predominantly slow-twitch soleus muscle of mdx mice regardless of age and that taurine affords no obvious benefit to glycogen metabolism in the mdx mouse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study compares the effect of Housing First on older (≥50 years old) and younger (18-49 years old) homeless adults with mental illness participating in At Home/Chez Soi, a 24-month multisite randomized controlled trial of Housing First.Method: At Home/Chez Soi, participants (n = 2148) were randomized to receive rent supplements with intensive case management or assertive community treatment, based on their need level for mental health services, or usual care in their respective communities. A subgroup analysis compared older (n = 470) and younger (n = 1678) homeless participants across baseline characteristics and 24-month outcomes including housing stability (primary outcome), generic and condition-specific quality of life, community functioning, physical and mental health status, mental health symptom severity, psychological community integration, recovery, and substance use (secondary outcomes).Results: At 24 months, Housing First significantly improved the percentage of days stably housed among older (+43.9%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 38.4% to 49.5%) and younger homeless adults (+39.7%, 95% CI: 36.8% to 42.6%), compared with usual care, with no significant differences between age groups (difference of differences = +4.2%, 95% CI: -2.1% to 10.5%, p = 0.188). Improvements from baseline to 24 months in mental health and condition-specific quality of life were significantly greater among older homeless adults than among younger homeless adults.Conclusion: Housing First significantly improved housing stability among older and younger homeless adults with mental illness, resulting in superior mental health and quality of life outcomes in older homeless adults compared with younger homeless adults at 24 months. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the power of a particular type of employee attachment-client embeddedness-in buffering the adverse effect of pay dissatisfaction on employee intention to leave. Based on a sample of 153 personal care workers employed by a disability service organization, this article finds that client embeddedness-the attachment that employees can experience as a result of interactions with clients or customers-dampens the adverse effect of pay dissatisfaction on employee intention to leave. This finding has implications for the development of appropriate recruitment and retention practices in not-for-profit organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The Cochrane Library databases are available via different interfaces; evidence in the literature, together with anecdotal evidence, shows interfaces perform differently. To ensure the quality of searches, a study was undertaken to systematically explore the functionality of interfaces. Objectives To demonstrate differences in functionality when searching the same databases across different interfaces; to discuss the implications this may have on searching; and in a wider context, to suggest a 'best match' for comparable searching. Methods Detailed cross-comparisons of a selection of search functions including Me SH terms, free text, proximity operators and truncation were undertaken in databases accessed via CRD, Wiley and Ovid. Up to three terms per function were selected and analysed. Results Differences were identified in the way searches for Me SH headings are executed, which fields are searched, how proximity operators perform, the word order searched and where terms are searched. This adds to a body of evidence demonstrating a lack of consistency in searching across different interfaces. Conclusions A 'best match' for comparable searching is suggested. Differences between interfaces offering the same database content can have implications for the success of a search, on user education, and on database evaluation and purchasing decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title molecular salt, C8H12N+·C26H21O3−, contains a dimeric indane pharmacophore that demonstrates potent anti-inflammatory activity. The indane group of the anion exhibits some disorder about the α-C atom, which appears common to many structures containing this group. A model to account for the slight disorder was attempted, but this was deemed unsuccessful because applying bond-length constraints to all the bonds about the α-C atom led to instability in the refinement. The absolute configuration was determined crystallographically as S, S, S by anomalous dispersion methods with reference to both the Flack parameter and Bayesian statistics on Bijvoet differences. The configuration was also determined by an a priori knowledge of the absolute configuration of the (1 S)-1-phenylethanaminium counter-ion. The molecules pack in the crystal structure to form an infinite two-dimensional hydrogen-bond network in the (100) plane of the unit cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of auditory buffer storage is supported by evidence from studies of dichotic memory and serial recall tasks. Previously reported studies of modality-specific grouping effects can also be accommodated within this theoretical framework, with the effects of stimulus grouping attributed to more effective utilization of the buffer. In this study, the representation of structured sequences in the auditory buffer was further explored in five experiments which investigated the extent to which this system can make use of prosodic cues. Experiment 1 demonstrated that the variations in pitch which constitute the intonation pattern of a natural utterance are extremely effective in enhancing memory performance. Experiment 2 demonstrated that the presence of a strong melodic contour is not a sufficient condition for improvement in recall, even when the melodic structure is both familiar and well-formed. The results of Experiments 3 and 4 suggested that improvements in recall are most likely to occur when abrupt changes in pitch at group boundaries are the most prominent features of the pitch contour. In Experiment 5 the natural pitch contour was simplified to produce a pattern in which the final item in each group was spoken with accented pitch. This structure was found to be as affective as grouping by pauses. These findings are related to perceptual studies of intonation, and implications for theoretical accounts of auditory memory are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a psycho-dynamic approach for meeting the emotional needs of handicapped people. If it is accepted that psychotherapy can be an effective treatment for handicapped people and the evidence here would support that supposition, then there must be implications for service deliverers. There has been a predominance of behavioral approaches to the amelioration of handicap and an adherence to a developmental delay model on the cognitive side. This has led to the growth of a training and educative day service provision and residential care based on reinforcement of appropriate behaviors, an implication of enforcement of someone else's idea of appropriate.

An earlier study of auditory grouped presentation of digit strings had shown recall to be impaired by recalling the last group first. From this, it has been concluded that the item codes formed at Stage 1 of processing, and before conversion to a group code at stage 2, were not yet in an output buffer. The present paper employs visual presentation for two similar studies, with results opposite to the earlier one; in a third experiment, ungrouped auditory stimulation gave results which were a compromise between those for vision and those for grouped auditory stimulation. These results suggest a use of echoic storage, over long intervals: in the visual case this is not so and an output buffer is employed. An earlier study of auditory grouped presentation of digit strings had shown recall to be impaired by recalling the last group first. From this, it has been concluded that the item codes formed at Stage 1 of processing, and before conversion to a group code at stage 2, were not yet in an output buffer. The present paper employs visual presentation for two similar studies, with results opposite to the earlier one; in a third experiment, ungrouped auditory stimulation gave results which were a compromise between those for vision and those for grouped auditory stimulation. These results suggest a use of echoic storage, over long intervals: in the visual case this is not so and an output buffer is employed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotional difficulties and their relationship to challenging behaviour are recognized and treated in a normal environment, providing a measurable reduction in maladaptive and anti-social behaviour. The implications for community care are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three experiments investigating the effects of cognitive and motivational factors on stereotype change are reported. Trait ratings in all three experiments showed there to be greater stereotype-change when stereotype-inconsistent information was dispersed across many group members than when it was concentrated in only a few. A sorting task (Experiment 1) indicated that, in the concentrated conditions the stereotype disconfirmers were more strongly isolated from the rest of the group than in the dispersed conditions. Free recall protocols (Experiment 2) showed greater memory for the target exemplars when subjects anticipated interaction with a group member than when no interaction was anticipated. The questions subject chose to ask target group exemplars were also influenced by anticipated future interaction. Subjects chose more stereotype-inconsistent questions when interaction was anticipated than when no interaction was anticipated. Experiment 3 showed the impact of stereotype-inconsistent information to be greater when expectancies for the stereotyped group are weaker. A cued-recall task yielded evidence of spontaneous sub typing. All these studies support the subtyping model, even in the presence of cognitive and motivational factors that might be expected to impede stereotype change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have demonstrated that exercise increases whole body and skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity that is linked with increased GLUT4 at the plasma membrane following insulin stimulation and associated with muscle glycogen depletion. To assess the potential direct association between muscle glycogen and GLUT4, seven untrained, male subjects exercised for 60 min at ~75% VO2 peak, with muscle samples obtained by percutaneous needle biopsy immediately before and after exercise. Exercise reduced muscle glycogen content by ~43%. An ultracentrifugation protocol resulted in a ~2‐3‐fold enriched glycogen fraction from muscle samples for analysis. Total GLUT4 content was unaltered by exercise and we were unable to detect any GLUT4 in glycogen fractions, either with or without amylase treatment. In skinned muscle fiber segments, there was very little, if any, GLUT4 detected in wash solutions, except following exposure to 1% Triton X‐100. Amylase treatment of single fibers did not increase GLUT4 in the wash solution and there were no differences in GLUT4 content between fibers obtained before or after exercise for any of the wash treatments. Our results indicate no direct association between GLUT4 and glycogen in human skeletal muscle, before or after exercise, and suggest that alterations in GLUT4 translocation associated with exercise‐induced muscle glycogen depletion are mediated via other mechanisms. There has been interest in whether there is a direct association between GLUT4 and glycogen in skeletal muscle. Using two different techniques we examined this question in human skeletal muscle. Our results suggest that no such association exists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Albuterol (ALB) and formoterol (FOR) two β2-adrenoceptor agonists are commonly used in the treatment of acute and chronic airway diseases. In this study, bi-directional transport experiments of enantiomers of ALB (S-ALB; R-ALB) and FOR (S,S-FOR; R,R-FOR) across human bronchial epithelial cell (16HBE14o-) layers were carried out. Both ALB enantiomers showed asymmetric fluxes, yielding a significant net absorption (p > 0.05). Levalbuterol showed a more pronounced asymmetry than S-ALB in absorptive Papp values (p = 0.06). Papp of R-ALB in the absorptive (AB) direction was 2.72±0.72x10-6 cm/s, in comparison to 0.41±0.17x10-6 cm/s in the secretive (BA) direction. Papp values for S-ALB were 1.81±0.44+10-6 cm/s (AB) vs. 0.34±0.16x10-6 cm/s (BA). For arformoterol a Papp value of 3.69±0.57x10-6 cm/s was measured in the AB direction and 3.83±0.27x10-6 cm/s for the BA direction. S,S-FOR exhibited an AB permeability of 4.02±1.68x10-6 cm/s and a BA value of 4.59±0.63x 10.6 cm/s. Hence, the Papp values of S,S-FOR were neither significantly different from each other (i.e., AB vs. BA direction), nor from the values obtained for R,R-FOR. The results of the presented study confirm our earlier results that ALB is actively absorbed across respiratory epithelial cells. A higher absorption rate was found for the (R)-enantiomer compared to the (S)-enantiomer. It can be further concluded that FOR is not a substrate for membrane transporters and crosses epithelial barriers in the lung by passive diffusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mast cells are known to play a critical role in the development of immediate hypersensitivity reactions and numerous other inflammatory processes. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of two distereoisomers of an indane compound, PH2 and PH5, on the in vitro degranulation of a rat basophilic leukemia cell line (RBL-2H3). Secretion from mast cells was assayed by quantification of the release histamine and the enzyme, β-hexosaminidase. Quercetin (50 µM) was used as a positive control. Results showed that PH5 (10 µM) inhibited the enzyme release by 34.25±5.0% (p<0.001, n=6), and the histamine release by 254±7.7% (p<0.001, n=6). In contrast, PH2 (10 µM) inhibited the release of the enzyme by 10.0±4.0%, and histamine by 19.0±5.8%; this inhibition was not statistically significant (p>0.05, n=6). In comparison, quercetin inhibited the enzyme release by 65.8±6.8% and the histamine release by 74.32±2.0% (p<0.001, n=6). The release of histamine closely paralleled the release of the enzyme; there was no statistical (p>0.05, n=6) difference in any of the groups. These results show that PH5 is the active distereoisomer and an interesting candidate for further examination with regards to new antihistaminic drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction People with intellectual disabilities are now acknowledged to be susceptible to the full range of mental health disorders. This acknowledgement has resulted in the need to develop and evaluate instruments for the assessment and detection of mental health problems. This research evaluates the use of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) with 200 people with mild intellectual disabilities representing community, clinical and forensic populations. Results and conclusions Results illustrate the reliability of the BSI for each of the groups and demonstrates how the Positive Symptom Total (PST) index effectively discriminates between study groups. Case rates for each group are provided. The study illustrates that the BSI could be employed as a brief multitrait assessment instrument and as a treatment outcome measure with people with an intellectual disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]