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Background: Early negative life events (NLE) have long‐lasting influences on neurodevelopment and psychopathology. Reduced orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) thickness was frequently associated with NLE and depressive symptoms. OFC thinning might mediate the effect of NLE on depressive symptoms, although few longitudinal studies exist. Using a complete longitudinal design with four time points, we examined whether NLE during childhood and early adolescence predict depressive symptoms in young adulthood through accelerated OFC thinning across adolescence. Methods: We acquired structural MRI from 321 participants at two sites across four time points from ages 14 to 22. We measured NLE with the Life Events Questionnaire at the first time point and depressive symptoms with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale at the fourth time point. Modeling latent growth curves, we tested whether OFC thinning mediates the effect of NLE on depressive symptoms. Results: A higher burden of NLE, a thicker OFC at the age of 14, and an accelerated OFC thinning across adolescence predicted young adults' depressive symptoms. We did not identify an effect of NLE on OFC thickness nor OFC thickness mediating effects of NLE on depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Using a complete longitudinal design with four waves, we show that NLE in childhood and early adolescence predict depressive symptoms in the long term. Results indicate that an accelerated OFC thinning may precede depressive symptoms. Assessment of early additionally to acute NLEs and neurodevelopment may be warranted in clinical settings to identify risk factors for depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent subcortical structural brain development might underlie psychopathological symptoms, which often emerge in adolescence. At the same time, sex differences exist in psychopathology, which might be mirrored in underlying sex differences in structural development. However, previous studies showed inconsistencies in subcortical trajectories and potential sex differences. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the subcortical structural trajectories and their sex differences across adolescence using for the first time a single cohort design, the same quality control procedure, software, and a general additive mixed modeling approach. We investigated two large European sites from ages 14 to 24 with 503 participants and 1408 total scans from France and Germany as part of the IMAGEN project including four waves of data acquisition. We found significantly larger volumes in males versus females in both sites and across all seven subcortical regions. Sex differences in age‐related trajectories were observed across all regions in both sites. Our findings provide further evidence of sex differences in longitudinal adolescent brain development of subcortical regions and thus might eventually support the relationship of underlying brain development and different adolescent psychopathology in boys and girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attachment theory proposes that children's representations of interactions with caregivers guide information‐processing about others, bridging interpersonal domains. In a longitudinal study (N = 165), preschoolers (Mage = 5.19 years) completed the MacArthur Story Stem Battery to assess parent representations. At school‐age (Mage = 8.42 years), children played a virtual ballgame with peers who eventually excluded them to track event‐related cardiac slowing, a physiological correlate of rejection, especially when unexpected. At both ages, parents and teachers reported on peer and emotional problems. During exclusion versus inclusion‐related events, cardiac slowing was associated with greater positive parent representations and fewer emerging peer problems. Cardiac slowing served as a mediator between positive parent representations and peer problems, supporting a potential psychophysiological mechanism underlying the generalization of attachment‐related representations to peer relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of social pretend play may have a positive impact on children's development. This study investigated to what degree this quality is a characteristic of a child versus a function of the play partner or the specific pairing of two children. For this purpose, preschool children's general pretend play quality (actor effect), their general influence on their play partner's pretend play quality (partner effect) and the role of the specific constellation between two children (relationship effect) were examined in a dyadic setting. Potential associations of the effects with children's age, gender, social cognitive and social competencies, as well as the dyadic composition of these variables and their friendship were examined. Children completed two to four dyadic pretend play situations with different peers. They were tested for their language ability, theory of mind and emotion understanding. Educators rated children's social competence (cooperation and sociability) and evaluated their friendship with one another. A social relations model analysis was conducted. The results indicated that children's pretend play quality was determined to the same degree by the child and by the specific pairing of two children. Positive associations were found between children's pretend play quality and age, emotion understanding and sociability on the individual level. Further, the quality of children's social pretend play benefited from having older and more advanced play partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims The new International Club of Ascites diagnostic criteria to diagnose acute kidney injury at hospital admission suggests the possibility of using a presumed baseline serum creatinine, defined as the last of at least two stable creatinine values during the last 3 months. Nevertheless, the possibility of the lack of such a value still remains. In these patients, the KDIGO criteria suggest to use an inverse application of MDRD equation assuming that baseline glomerular filtration rate is 75 ml/min per 1.73 m2 (imputed baseline creatinine). We tested the accuracy of this approach to detect acute kidney injury at admission in patients with decompensated cirrhosis and creatinine <1.5 mg/dl. Methods We analysed 213 patients hospitalized for acute decompensation of cirrhosis. At admission, glomerular filtration rate was estimated using creatinine-based equations and measured by inulin clearance. A diagnosis of acute kidney injury was made using an imputed value of serum creatinine as baseline. Results The diagnosis of AKI based on an imputed baseline creatinine identified only 20.1% of patients with measured glomerular filtration rate ≤60 ml/min/1.73 m2 without any predictive value on 90-day survival. Conclusions In patients with cirrhosis and ascites with a creatinine <1.5 mg/dl without a baseline value on their records, the diagnosis of acute kidney injury at admission based on an imputed baseline creatinine is not accurate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims A moderate sodium restriction diet should be indicated in patients with cirrhosis and ascites. Nevertheless, there is a lack of specific investigation on its correct application. To evaluate the adherence of patients with cirrhosis and ascites to a moderately low-salt diet and the impact on intake of total calories and serum sodium concentration. Methods A total of 120 outpatients with cirrhosis and ascites were interviewed with a pre-established questionnaire. A quantitative assessment of nutrient and salt intake was performed. Result A moderately low-salt diet was followed by 37 patients (Group A). Of the 83 patients who did not follow the diet (Group B), 54 thought that they were following it. The mean daily sodium intake was 79.5 ± 5.5 mmol/day (Group A) and 205.9 ± 14.1 mmol/day (Group B), P < 0.0001. The adherence to diet was related to the severity of cirrhosis, and was higher among candidates for liver transplantation and in patients followed through the Care Management Program. Patients of Group A had reduced the mean daily calorie intake by 20% compared with Group B patients ( P < 0.0005), while there was no difference on the occurrence of hyponatraemia. Conclusions This study shows a poor adherence of patients with cirrhosis and ascites to a moderate dietary sodium restriction. Adherence to a diet seems to increase with the worsening of liver disease, probably because of the reduction of alternative therapeutic options. In addition, a deficiency in the educational process can lead the patient to follow a sodium-reduced diet by means of dangerous tools, such as reducing the overall daily food intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the combined effects of density of adults of Branchiura sowerbyi and the source of organic matter on the production of eggs and young species. The experimental units used were 250- mL beakers with 100 mL of fine sand (0.074-0.210 mm) and 150 mL of chlorine-free water with constant aeration at the temperature 25 C. The experiment was conducted based on a two-factor model with six treatments and three repetitions, applied in a completely random design. The densities 5 individuals/38.5cm2 ( D5; 1298/m2) and 8 individuals/38.5cm2 ( D8; 2078/m2) were assessed with commercial fish feed ( FF), commercial poultry feed ( PF), and turkey manure ( TM) as sources of organic matter. A total of 1223 cocoons and 2138 eggs were produced, with average hatching of 40.0 ± 15.1%. The highest number of cocoons and eggs was found with the use of PF, D8 having produced the highest number of cocoons and eggs. The hatching rate was not influenced by the source of organic matter or density and no influence was registered from the density of adults on the survival. The PF provided the highest growth of adults, and generally the use of TM provided the worst performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In the high-risk construction industry little is known about the prevalence or effects of programs offering rewards for workers and/or their supervisors for improved safety records or those that punish workers in some way for injury. Methods We conducted an anonymous survey of 1,020 carpenter apprentices in three union training programs to document prevalence of their exposure to such efforts. We explored associations between perceptions of the reporting of work-related injury and elements of these programs. Results Fifty-eight percent (58%; n = 592) reported some safety incentive or negative consequence of work-related injuries on their current jobsite. Reporting of work-related injuries was 50% less prevalent when workers were disciplined for injury experiences. Otherwise, we saw minimal evidence of association between injury reporting practices and safety incentive programs. However, considerable evidence of fear of reprisal for reporting injuries was revealed. Less than half (46.4%) reported that work-related injuries were reported in their current workplace all or most of the time; over 30% said they were almost never or rarely reported. Conclusions There are multiple layers of disincentives to the reporting of work-related injuries that hamper understanding of risk and pose threats to workplace safety and productivity. These pressures do not arise in a vacuum and are likely influenced by a host of contextual factors. Efforts that help us understand variation across jobsites and time could be enlightening; such inquiries may require mixed methodologies and should be framed with consideration for the upper tiers of the public health hierarchy of hazard control. Am. J. Ind. Med. 56:389-399, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Cyberbullying has emerged as a new form of antisocial behaviour in the context of online communication over the last decade. The present study investigates potential longitudinal risk factors for cyberbullying. A total of 835 Swiss seventh graders participated in a short-term longitudinal study (two assessments 6 months apart). Students reported on the frequency of cyberbullying, traditional bullying, rule-breaking behaviour, cybervictimisation, traditional victimisation, and frequency of online communication (interpersonal characteristics). In addition, we assessed moral disengagement, empathic concern, and global self-esteem (intrapersonal characteristics). Results showed that traditional bullying, rule-breaking behaviour, and frequency of online communication are longitudinal risk factors for involvement in cyberbullying as a bully. Thus, cyberbullying is strongly linked to real-world antisocial behaviours. Frequent online communication may be seen as an exposure factor that increases the likelihood of engaging in cyberbullying. In contrast, experiences of victimisation and intrapersonal characteristics were not found to increase the longitudinal risk for cyberbullying over and above antisocial behaviour and frequency of online communication. Implications of the findings for the prevention of cyberbullying are discussed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angeli P, Fernández-Varo G, Dalla Libera V, Fasolato S, Galioto A, Arroyo V, Sticca A, Guarda S, Gatta A, Jiménez W. The role of nitric oxide in the pathogenesis of systemic and splanchnic vasodilation in cirrhotic rats before and after the onset of ascites.Liver International 2005: 25: 429–437.© Blackwell Munksgaard 2005The role of nitric oxide (NO) in the pathogenesis of splanchnic arterial vasodilation in cirrhosis has been recently debated by some experimental studies.We investigated the role of NO in the pathogenesis of the splanchnic arterial vasodilation along the course of CCl4-induced experimental cirrhosis.We analyzed the effect on mean arterial pressure (MAP), cardiac output (CO), total peripheral resistance (TPR), and resistance in the superior mesenteric artery (RSMA), before and after the administration of a unspecific NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor (Nω-nitro-l-arginine-methyl-ester,l-NAME) and a specific NOS2 inhibitor (l-N-(1-iminoethyl)-lysine,l-NIL) to cirrhotic rats with and without ascites, and to control rats. NOS2 and NOS3 protein expression was also assessed in systemic and splanchnic arteries of these animals.l-NAME in cirrhotic rats markedly improved MAP, and TPR and decreased CO regardless of whether they had ascites or not.l-NIL did not produce any significant effect on systemic haemodynamics in control and cirrhotic rats. NOS3 overexpression in the aorta of cirrhotic animals paralleled the progression of the liver disease.l-NAME increased RSMA in cirrhotic rats, but this effect was much less intense in rats with ascites.l-NIL had an effect only on RSMA in rats with ascites, which was of a similar extent to that produced byl-NAME. Western blot experiment showed a faint overexpression of NOS3 in the mesenteric artery of cirrhotic rats with and without ascites and a clear induction of NOS2 only in the mesenteric artery of rats with ascites.These results indicate that NO contributes significantly to the pathogenesis of arterial splanchnic circulation in the early stages of experimental cirrhosis but has only a minor role in its maintenance after the development of ascites. Furthermore, the expression of the different NOS isoforms varies along the course of the liver disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HEATED INTRAOPERATIVE intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIIC) was introduced at Altru Health System in August 2003 to offer the community a different treatment option for intraperitoneal carcinomatosis.THE CLOSED TECHNIQUE is performed to eliminate the risk of aerosolization and direct contact of the toxic chemotherapeutic agent with staff members.IMPLEMENTING THE HIIC PROCEDURE resulted in the creation of a comprehensive policy on chemotherapy precautions in surgery, which was the catalyst for implementing quality improvement initiatives throughout Altru Health System. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HEATED INTRAOPERATIVE intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIIC) was introduced at Altru Health System in August 2003 to offer the community a different treatment option for intraperitoneal carcinomatosis. THE CLOSED TECHNIQUE is performed to eliminate the risk of aerosolization and direct contact of the toxic chemotherapeutic agent with staff members. IMPLEMENTING THE HIIC PROCEDURE resulted in the creation of a comprehensive policy on chemotherapy precautions in surgery, which was the catalyst for implementing quality improvement initiatives throughout Altru Health System. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human cooperative behavior has long been thought to decline under adversity. However, studies have primarily examined perceived patterns of cooperation, with little eye to actual cooperative behavior embedded within social interaction. Game‐theoretical paradigms can help close this gap by unpacking subtle differences in how cooperation unfolds during initial encounters. This study is the first to use a child‐appropriate, virtual, public goods game to study actual cooperative behavior in 329 participants aged 9–16 years with histories of maltreatment (n = 99) and no maltreatment (n = 230) while controlling for psychiatric symptoms. Unlike work on perceived patterns of cooperation, we found that maltreated participants actually contribute more resources to a public good during peer interaction than their nonmaltreated counterparts. This effect was robust when controlling for psychiatric symptoms and peer problems as well as demographic variables. We conclude that maltreatment may engender a hyper‐cooperative strategy to minimize the odds of hostility and preserve positive interaction during initial encounters. This, however, comes at the cost of potential exploitation by others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]