Previous studies in rodents suggest that mismatch between fetal and postnatal nutrition predisposes individuals to metabolic diseases. We hypothesized that in nonhuman primates (NHP), fetal programming of maternal undernutrition (MUN) persists postnatally with a dietary mismatch altering metabolic molecular systems that precede standard clinical measures. We used unbiased molecular approaches to examine response to a high fat, high-carbohydrate diet plus sugar drink (HFCS) challenge in NHP juvenile offspring of MUN pregnancies compared with controls (CON). Pregnant baboons were fed ad libitum (CON) or 30% calorie reduction from 0.16 gestation through lactation; weaned offspring were fed chow ad libitum. MUN offspring were growth restricted at birth. Liver, omental fat, and skeletal muscle gene expression, and liver glycogen, muscle mitochondria, and fat cell size were quantified. Before challenge, MUN offspring had lower body mass index (BMI) and liver glycogen, and consumed more sugar drink than CON. After HFCS challenge, MUN and CON BMIs were similar. Molecular analyses showed HFCS response differences between CON and MUN for muscle and liver, including hepatic splicing and unfolded protein response. Altered liver signaling pathways and glycogen content between MUN and CON at baseline indicate in utero programming persists in MUN juveniles. MUN catchup growth during consumption of HFCS suggests increased risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Greater sugar drink consumption in MUN demonstrates altered appetitive drive due to programming. Differences in blood leptin, liver glycogen, and tissue-specific molecular response to HFCS suggest MUN significantly impacts juvenile offspring ability to manage an energy rich diet.

Radiolabeled (14C) 2-[4-(3-chloro-5-trifluoromethyl-2-pyridinyloxy)phenoxy] propionic acid (Compound C); its methyl-,n-butyl-, and ethoxyethyl-esters; and fluazifop-butyl {(±)-butyl 2-[4-[(5-(trifluoromethyl)-2-pyridinyl)oxy] phenoxy] propionate} were applied to the primary shoots of young rhizomatous quackgrass [Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv. # AGRRE]. Plants were sampled from 0.5 to 24 days after treatment (DAT) and analyzed for radiochemical. All treatments caused phytotoxic symptoms in primary shoots, rhizomes, and tillers and significantly reduced growth of primary shoots and rhizomes. Treatment with compound C or its methyl and butyl esters eliminated regrowth from all rhizomes excised from treated plants. The ethoxyethyl-ester and fluazifop-butyl controlled regrowth from rhizomes from 50% of the plants and substantially reduced shoot regrowth from the remainder. Rhizomes that did produce shoots contained significantly less radiochemical than those from which no regrowth occurred. At 24 DAT, a maximum of only 1% of each radiochemical applied was translocated to the first tiller and rhizomes and had been sufficient to cause marked phytotoxic symptoms. Soon after application (1 DAT), the major metabolites in the treated leaves and remainder of the plant for all compounds were the free acid and substantial amounts of polar conjugates that were hydrolyzable to the free acids. Radiochromatography of extracts from rhizomes and first tillers from all treatments gave similar chemical profiles, with the free acids and their conjugates as the predominant components present. These results provide evidence that esters of the pyridinyloxyphenoxypropionic acids are rapidly hydrolyzed after absorption by quackgrass; the free acids are then translocated and are the active form of these herbicides.

Background: Hypospadias is associated with twinning. The incidence of hypospadias in monochorionic and dichorionic male twins is, however, yet to be determined. Methods: All medical records of monochorionic and dichorionic twins admitted to our neonatal nursery between January 2004 and August 2013 were reviewed for the presence of hypospadias. Results: A total of 350 monochorionic and 303 dichorionic male twins were included in the study. The incidence of hypospadias in monochorionic and dichorionic groups was 4% (14/350) and 1% (3/303) (p = .016) respectively. In 11 of the 15 twin couples, hypospadias occurred in the twin with the lowest birth weight. The rate of hypospadias in twin infants small-for-gestational-age group was 10% (6/60) compared with 2% (11/593) in the appropriate-for-gestational-age group (p = .002). In a multivariate analysis, both monochorionicity and small-for-gestational-age were independently associated with hypospadias, odds ratio 4.1 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1–14.7) and 6.1 (95% CI: 2.2–17.2) respectively. Conclusions: The incidence of hypospadias is four-fold higher in monochorionic twins compared with dichorionic twins. Hypospadias is also independently associated with small-for-gestational-age.

Objective: Discordance in nuchal translucency measurements in monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancies was assessed as predictor of Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome. Study Design: A total of 61 monochorionic diamniotic twins were enrolled. Nuchal translucency (NT) and crown-rump-length (CRL) discordance was calculated as the percentage of delta NT and CRL (absolute difference NT/CRL fetus 1 and fetus 2) of the largest measurement, and correlated with subsequent development of Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome. Results: Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome developed in 14/61 (23%) of cases. A NT discordance of 20% or more best predicted Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome development, with a sensitivity of 64% and a specificity of 78%. We found a positive predictive value of 50% and negative predicted value of 86% for Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome development if NT discordance was 20% or more. Conclusion: NT discordance of more than 20% in monochorionic diamniotic twins is associated with an increased risk for subsequent development of Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome, and with earlier presentation of symptoms.

Erythrocyte Na–K ATPase and sodium pump site numbers were estimated in groups of depressed, manic and recovered patients. The activity of Na–K ATPase per pump site was lower in the depressed group than in the recovered group. In the manic group Na–K ATPase was lower than that of the recovered group, whereas there was no difference in the pump site numbers. In the more severe manics the activity of Na–K ATPase per pump site was significantly lower than that of the recovered patients. Therefore, the change occurring in the erythrocyte membrane cation carrier in manic-depressive psychosis is probably in the activity of individual Na–K ATPase molecules and not in the number of Na–K ATPase molecules per cell.

In 1945 we reported (Dick & Bull, 1945) the first observations on the effects of molybdenum in the diet of ruminants in limiting the accumulation of copper in their tissues.

Further observations (Dick, 1952) indicated that there was a third factor which materially altered the control by molybdenum of copper accumulation and this factor, present in lucerne hay, was identified as inorganic sulphate (Dick, 1953a). It was also shown that sulphate regulated molybdenum excretion (Dick, 1953b) in the urine and hence the level of molybdenum in circulating blood (Dick, 1953c).

The primary objective of this paper is to provide a detailed confirmation of the validity of potential-flow theory for describing steep gravity waves produced in an experimental tank. Very high-resolution computations are carried out which use a refined mixed Eulerian-Lagrangian solution scheme under the assumptions of potential flow. The numerical results for a plunging breaker produced by a programmed piston-type wavemaker are found to be in excellent agreement with tank measurements up to and including overturning. The calculated free-surface elevations are almost indistinguishable from measured profiles, even close to where the wave plunges. The horizontal and vertical water-particle velocities measured with a laser anemometer throughout the water depth at two longitudinal stations are also well predicted by the theory. In contrast to the fully nonlinear theory, predictions based on linearized theory become poorer as the wave packet moves down the tank. To allow other investigators to evaluate the computations and experiments, the Fourier amplitudes and phases which completely specify the time history of the wavemaker's velocity are given in Appendix B.

The definition of UTC was implemented in 1972, principally to accommodate celestial navigation and follows recommendation 460 of the International Radio Consultative Committee (CCIR) in 1970. Since 1972 the use of electronic means to navigate has overtaken celestial navigation. This fact along with increasing public dissatisfaction with the possible disruption to modern electronic communications and navigation systems caused by the insertion of a leap second has called into question the current definition of UTC. An extensive review of the background and issues relating to the leap second can be found in Nelson, et al (2001).

The microsporidian parasite, Pleistophora mulleri, infects the abdominal muscle of the freshwater amphipod Gammarus duebeni celticus. We recently showed that P. mulleri infection was associated with G. d. celticus hosts being more vulnerable to predation by the invasive amphipod Gammarus pulex. Parasitized G. d. celticus also had a reduced ability to prey upon other co-occurring amphipods. We suggested the parasite may have pervasive influences on host ecology and behaviour. Here, we examine the association between P. mulleri parasitism and parameters influencing individual host fitness, behaviour and interspecific interactions. We also investigate the relationship between parasite prevalence and host population structure in the field. In our G. d. celticus study population, P. mulleri prevalence was strongly seasonal, ranging from 8·5% in summer to 44·9% in winter. The relative abundance of hosts with the heaviest parasite burden increased during summer, which coincided with high host mortality, suggesting that parasitism may regulate host abundance to some degree. Females were more likely to be parasitized than males and parasitized males were paired with smaller females than unparasitized males. Parasitism was associated with reduction in the host's activity level and reduced both its predation on the isopod Asellus aquaticus and aggression towards precopula pairs of the invasive G. pulex. We discuss the pervasive influence of this parasite on the ecology of its host.

The amphipod Gammarus pulex is an intermediate host to the acanthocephalan fish parasite Echinorhynchus truttae. Gammarus pulex has a wide trophic repertoire, feeding as a herbivore, detritivore and predator. In this study an examination was made of the effects of E. truttae parasitism on components of the G. pulex diet: stream-conditioned leaves, dead chironomids and live juvenile isopods Asellus aquaticus. Over 21 days, parasitism had no effect on daily feeding rates or wet weights of G. pulex fed on leaves or chironomids. Parasitism had a significant effect on the number of A. aquaticus killed by G. pulex, with parasitized individuals killing significantly fewer than their unparasitized counterparts. In addition, unparasitized amphipods killed all size classes of A. aquaticus indiscriminately, whereas parasitized animals tended to kill the smaller size classes. The impacts of the parasitism of G. pulex throughout the wider freshwater community are discussed.

Objective: This article outlines basic methods for quantifying reproducibility and responsiveness of evaluative outcome measures.

Methods: The background noise in stable patients provides the desired information to quantify the reproducibility. From this, the smallest real difference (SRD) for longitudinal differences can be derived. We propose to use the SRD to define responsiveness: from all patients who change according to an external criterion, we take the percentage that changes at least SRD on the outcome measure. A more complete picture of the responsiveness of the outcome measure arises when the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) is constructed, corresponding to all possible cut-off change scores. The proposed methods are illustrated with an empirical example.

Results: In the illustration the methods appeared to be very useful and complemented each other. We could evaluate whether the observed change score was larger than that expected due to chance. With the methods it was possible to evaluate both the ability of an instrument to detect change if there is a real change in health status (sensitivity to change) and the ability to detect absence of change if there is no real change (specificity to change).

Conclusion: We presented the use of SRDs and ROC curves for quantifying reproducibility and responsiveness. We started with the basic notions and arrived at methods that are both understandable and useful.