The exercise intensity-music-tempo preference relationship: A decennial revisit.

Tempo is a key determinant of the motivational effects of music during exercise and has been the focus of numerous empirical studies (e.g., Karageorghis & Jones, 2014). The present study sought to address the limitations of previous related work and revisit the relationship between exercise intensity and music-tempo preference using unfamiliar, non-lyrical music (to isolate the tempo manipulation). A within-within experimental design was employed to test hypotheses pertaining to the non-linear relationship and associated psychological outcomes (e.g., core affect and state attention). Twenty-four participants (Mage = 20.6 years, SD = 0.92 years) exercised at five intensities (10% of peak V̇O2 below ventilatory threshold [VT]; 5% of peak V̇O2 below VT, at VT, midway between VT and the respiratory compensation point [RCP], and at RCP) during which they were administered music tracks at four tempi (90 bpm, 110 bpm, 130 bpm and 150 bpm) and a no-music control. A music liking item, measures of core affect (valence and arousal), attentional focus and perceived exertion were recorded during the exercise bouts. Results indicated that unlike previous findings with familiar, lyrical music, there was no discernible relationship between exercise intensity and preference for music tempo. The most positive psychological outcomes were associated with fast-tempo music. In accord with previous findings, slow-tempo music attracted low liking scores and the least desirable psychological outcomes at every exercise intensity. The present findings have implications for the use of unfamiliar, non-lyrical music during exercise. Specifically, that such music should be ∼10 bpm faster than familiar, lyrical music.

Global influence of mantle temperature and plate thickness on intraplate volcanism.

The thermochemical structure of lithospheric and asthenospheric mantle exert primary controls on surface topography and volcanic activity. Volcanic rock compositions and mantle seismic velocities provide indirect observations of this structure. Here, we compile and analyze a global database of the distribution and composition of Neogene-Quaternary intraplate volcanic rocks. By integrating this database with seismic tomographic models, we show that intraplate volcanism is concentrated in regions characterized by slow upper mantle shear-wave velocities and by thin lithosphere (i.e. <100 km). We observe a negative correlation between shear-wave velocities at depths of 125-175 km and melt fractions inferred from volcanic rock compositions. Furthermore, mantle temperature and lithospheric thickness estimates obtained by geochemical modeling broadly agree with values determined from tomographic models that have been converted into temperature. Intraplate volcanism often occurs in regions where uplifted (but undeformed) marine sedimentary rocks are exposed. Regional elevation of these rocks can be generated by a combination of hotter asthenosphere and lithospheric thinning. Therefore, the distribution and composition of intraplate volcanic rocks through geologic time will help to probe past mantle conditions and surface processes.

Entoloma sequestratum, a new species from northern Thailand, and a worldwide key to sequestrate taxa of Entoloma (Entolomataceae).

Based on our study of the morphology and genetics of sporocarps collected in the mountains of northern Thailand, we herein describe Entoloma sequestratum as a new sequestrate member of the Entolomotaceae. This serves as the first report of a sequestrate member of the genus from Thailand. In addition, we provide a worldwide key to all of the described sequestrate members of the genus.

Differential Phosphorylation of Akt and signaling in CD4+ T Cells in Pathogenic and Apathogenic SIV Infection.

Increased CD4+ T cell apoptosis and activation induced cell death (AICD) as a result of HIV infection in humans and SIV infection in Rhesus macaques (RM) is indicative of disease. Some non-human primate species naturally infected by SIV, such as African sooty mangabeys (SM), do not succumb to SIV despite high viral loads. Previously, we showed that mRNA levels of GSK-3ß a kinase involved in T cell signaling, are significantly decreased in SIV+ RM compared to SIV+ SM. The current study confirms that expression of GSK-3ß is decreased at the protein level in SIV+ RM. In addition, CD4+ T cells from SIV+ RM, but not other animals show an increase in both total Akt, a kinase directly interacting with GSK-3ß and p-AktThr308 in response to stimulation via CD3/CD28, which is associated with an increase in apoptosis. Furthermore, the differences between the uninfected and pathogenically or non-pathogenically infected animals are not only species specific, but also T cell subset specific and that these trends correlate with AICD. This is one of few studies indicating the activity of Akt can be specific to only one phosphorylation site and may be linked to the differences in AICD and resistance to the lentivirus induced disease.

Murine, but not human, ephrin-B2 can be efficiently cleaved by the serine protease kallikrein-4: implications for xenograft models of human prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Ephrin-B2 is the sole physiologically-relevant ligand of the receptor tyrosine kinase EphB4, which is over-expressed in many epithelial cancers, including 66% of prostate cancers, and contributes to cancer cell survival, invasion and migration. Crucially, however, the cancer-promoting EphB4 signalling pathways are independent of interaction with its ligand ephrin-B2, as activation of ligand-dependent signalling causes tumour suppression. Ephrin-B2, however, is often found on the surface of endothelial cells of the tumour vasculature, where it can regulate angiogenesis to support tumour growth. Proteolytic cleavage of endothelial cell ephrin-B2 has previously been suggested as one mechanism whereby the interaction between tumour cell-expressed EphB4 and endothelial cell ephrin-B2 is regulated to support both cancer promotion and angiogenesis. METHODS: An in silico approach was used to search accessible surfaces of 3D protein models for cleavage sites for the key prostate cancer serine protease, KLK4, and this identified murine ephrin-B2 as a potential KLK4 substrate. Mouse ephrin-B2 was then confirmed as a KLK4 substrate by in vitro incubation of recombinant mouse ephrin-B2 with active recombinant human KLK4. Cleavage products were visualised by SDS-PAGE, silver staining and Western blot and confirmed by N-terminal sequencing. RESULTS: At low molar ratios, KLK4 cleaved murine ephrin-B2 but other prostate-specific KLK family members (KLK2 and KLK3/PSA) were less efficient, suggesting cleavage was KLK4-selective. The primary KLK4 cleavage site in murine ephrin-B2 was verified and shown to correspond to one of the in silico predicted sites between extracellular domain residues arginine 178 and asparagine 179. Surprisingly, the highly homologous human ephrin-B2 was poorly cleaved by KLK4 at these low molar ratios, likely due to the 3 amino acid differences at this primary cleavage site. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that in in vivo mouse xenograft models, endogenous mouse ephrin-B2, but not human tumour ephrin-B2, may be a downstream target of cancer cell secreted human KLK4. This is a critical consideration when interpreting data from murine explants of human EphB4+/KLK4+ cancer cells, such as prostate cancer cells, where differential effects may be seen in mouse models as opposed to human clinical situations.

Inhibiting Eph kinase activity may not be "Eph"ective for cancer treatment.

Several Eph receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are commonly over-expressed in epithelial and mesenchymal cancers and are recognized as promising therapeutic targets. Although normal interaction between Eph receptors and their ephrin ligands stimulates kinase activity and is generally tumor suppressive, significant Eph over-expression allows activation of ligand- and/or kinase-independent signaling pathways that promote oncogenesis. Single-agent kinase inhibitors are widely used to target RTK-driven tumors but acquired and de novo resistance to such agents is a major limitation to effective clinical use. Accumulating evidence suggests that Ephs can be inhibited by "leaky" or low-specificity kinase inhibitors targeted at other RTKs. Such off-target effects may therefore inadvertently promote ligand- and/or kinase-independent oncogenic Eph signaling, thereby providing a new mechanism by which resistance to the RTK inhibitors can emerge. We propose that combining specific, non-leaky kinase inhibitors with tumor-suppressive stimulators of Eph signaling may provide more effective treatment options for overcoming treatment-induced resistance and clinical failure.

Test-retest reliability of the BOLD pharmacological MRI response to ketamine in healthy volunteers.

The pharmacological MRI (phMRI) technique is being increasingly used in both pre-clinical and clinical models to investigate pharmacological effects on task-free brain function. Ketamine, an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, induces a strong phMRI response and represents a promising pharmacological model to investigate the role of glutamatergic abnormalities in psychiatric symptomatology. The aim of this study was to assess whether the brain response to ketamine is reliable in order to validate ketamine phMRI as a mechanistic marker of glutamatergic dysfunction and to determine its utility in repeated measures designs to detect the modulatory effect of other drugs. Thus we assessed the test-retest reliability of the brain response to ketamine in healthy volunteers and identified an optimal modelling approach with reliability as our selection criterion. PhMRI data were collected from 10 healthy male participants, at rest, on two separate occasions. Subanaesthetic doses of I.V. ketamine infusion (target plasma levels 50 ng/mL and 75 ng/mL) were administered in both sessions. Test-retest reliability of the ketamine phMRI response was assessed voxel-wise and on pre-defined ROIs for a range of temporal design matrices including different combinations of nuisance regressors designed to model shape variance, linear drift and head motion. Effect sizes are also reported. All models showed a significant and widespread response to low-dose ketamine in predicted cerebral networks and as expected, increasing the number of model parameters improved model fit. Reliability of the predefined ROIs differed between the different models assessed. Using reliability as the selection criterion, a model capturing subject motion and linear drift performed the best across two sessions. The anatomical distribution of effects for all models was consistent with results of previous imaging studies in humans with BOLD signal increases in regions including midline cingulate and supracingulate cortex, thalamus, insula, anterior temporal lobe and ventrolateral prefrontal structures, and BOLD signal decreases in the subgenual cingulate cortex. This study represents the first investigation of the test-retest reliability of the BOLD phMRI response to acute ketamine challenge. All models tested were effective at describing the ketamine response although the design matrix associated with the highest reliability may represent a robust and well-characterised ketamine phMRI assay more suitable for repeated-measures designs. This ketamine assay is applicable as a model of neurotransmitter dysfunction suitable as a pharmacodynamic imaging tool to test and validate modulatory interventions, as a model of NMDA hypofunction in psychiatric disorders, and may be adapted to understand potential antidepressant and analgesic effects of NMDAR antagonists.

Variation in fecal egg counts in horses managed for conservation purposes: individual egg shedding consistency, age effects and seasonal variation.

Cyathostomins are the most prevalent equine intestinal parasites and resistance has been reported in these nematodes against all 3 licensed anthelmintic classes. Strategies need to be developed that are less dependent upon drugs and more reliant on management-based control. To develop these we need to understand natural transmission patterns better. Here, we analysed longitudinal fecal egg count (FEC) data from 5 pony populations used for conservation purposes. We tested how egg excretion varied amongst populations and individuals, and how this was affected by age and climate. There was evidence for consistency in FECs over time at the individual level; this was generally weak and accounted for <10% of the total variance. Animals <5 years old had higher FECs and there was profound seasonal variation in FECs, with highest levels recorded in spring/summer. Effects of monthly temperature and rainfall explained most, but not all, of the observed seasonal variation and associations between climate measures and FECs were stronger in younger versus adult animals. One population was occasionally treated with anthelmintics and analysis of this population suggested that treatment substantially altered the seasonal dynamics. This paper highlights the variability in strongyle egg excretion amongst individuals and the factors involved in this variation.

Multicentre survey of radiologically inserted gastrostomy feeding tube (RIG) in the UK.

AIMS: To evaluate the variance in current UK clinical practice and clinical outcomes for direct percutaneous radiologically inserted gastrostomy (RIG). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective UK multicentre survey of RIG performed between October 2008 and August 2010 was performed through the British Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology (BSGAR). RESULTS: Data from 684 patients were provided by 45 radiologists working at 17 UK centres. Two hundred and sixty-three cases (40%) were performed with loop-retained catheters, and 346 (53%) with balloon-retained devices. Sixty percent of all patients experienced pain in the first 24 h, but settled in the majority thereafter. Early complications, defined as occurring in the first 24 h, included minor bleeding (1%), wound infection (3%), peritonism (2%), and tube misplacement (1%). Late complications, defined as occurring between day 2 and day 30 post-procedure, included mild pain (30%), persisting peritonism (2%), and 30 day mortality of 1% (5/665). Pre-procedural antibiotics or anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) prophylaxis did not affect the rate of wound infection, peritonitis, post-procedural pain, or mortality. Ninety-three percent of cases were performed using gastropexy. Gastropexy decreased post-procedural pain (p < 0.001), but gastropexy-related complications occurred in 5% of patients. However, post-procedure pain increased with the number of gastropexy sutures used (p < 0.001). The use of gastropexy did not affect the overall complication rate or mortality. Post-procedure pain increased significantly as tube size increased (p < 0.001). The use of balloon-retention feeding tubes was associated with more pain than the deployment of loop-retention devices (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: RIG is a relatively safe procedure with a mortality of 1%, with or without gastropexy. Pain is the commonest complication. The use of gastropexy, fixation dressing or skin sutures, smaller tube sizes, and loop-retention catheters significantly reduced the incidence of pain. There was a gastropexy-related complication rate in 5% of patients. Neither pre-procedural antibiotics nor anti-MRSA prophylaxis affected the rate of wound infection.

Unresolved question of the 10He ground state resonance.

The ground state of (10)He was populated using a 2p2n-removal reaction from a 59 MeV/u (14)Be beam. The decay energy of the three-body system, (8)He+n+n, was measured and a resonance was observed at E=1.60(25) MeV with a 1.8(4) MeV width. This result is in agreement with previous invariant mass spectroscopy measurements, using the (11)Li(-p) reaction, but is inconsistent with recent transfer reaction results. The proposed explanation that the difference, about 500 keV, is due to the effect of the extended halo nature of (11)Li in the one-proton knockout reaction is no longer valid as the present work demonstrates that the discrepancy between the transfer reaction results persists despite using a very different reaction mechanism, (14)Be(-2p2n).

The emergence of qnr-mediated quinolone resistance among Enterobacteriaceae in Jamaica / Surgimiento de la resistencia a las quinolonas mediada por qnr entre las Enterobacteriaceae en Jamaica

OBJECTIVE: Quinolone resistance is usually caused by various chromosomal mutations, but has been more recently associated with plasmids which carry the qnr determinant. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of qnr genes in clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae in Jamaica. METHODS: A total of 255 non-duplicate fluoroquinolone-resistant Enterobacteriaceae clinical isolates, comprising 232 Escherichia coli, 20 Klebsiella species and three Enterobacter spp were collected between October 2007 and November 2008 from hospitalized patients in Jamaica. The presence of the qnr gene was screened by PCR using specific primers for qnrA, qnrB and qnrS in extracted plasmid DNA. RESULTS: Eighty-three (32.5%) of these isolates were qnr-positive, of which 47.0% housed the qnrA gene only, 1.2% qnrB and 9.6% qnrS only. Another 36.1% possessed both qnrA and qnrS genes. Approximately 30% of the quinolone-resistant E coli isolates harboured the qnr gene while 50% Klebsiella spp and all Enterobacter spp were positive. CONCLUSION: The emergence of qnr-mediated quinolone resistance among clinical Enterobacteriaceae isolates is described for the first time in Jamaica.

OBJETIVO: La resistencia a la quinolona es generalmente causada por varias mutaciones cromosomáticas, pero más recientemente ha sido asociada con plásmidos portadores del determinante qnr. El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar la prevalencia de genes qnr en los aislados clínicos de Enterobacteriaceae en Jamaica. MÉTODOS: Un total de 255 aislados clínicos no duplicados de Enterobacteriaceae resistentes a la fluoroquinolona, incluyendo 232 de Escherichia coli, 20 especies de Klebsiella y tres Enterobacter spp, fueron recogidos entre octubre de 2007 y noviembre de 2008, de pacientes hospitalizados en Jamaica. La presencia del gen qnr fue tamizada mediante marcadores PCR, usando primers específicos para qnrA, qnrB y qnrS en el ADN plásmido extraído. RESULTADOS: Ochenta y tres (32.5%) de éstos aislados fueron qnr-positivos. De ellos, 47.0% alojaban solamente el gen qnrA, 1.2% el qnrB y 9.6% el qnrS solamente. Otro 36.1% poseía tanto genes qnrA cuanto genes qnrS. Aproximadamente 30% de los aislados E. coli resistentes a la quinolona, albergaban el gen qnr mientras que 50% de Klebsiella spp y todas las Enterobacter spp fueron positivas. CONCLUSIÓN: Se describe por primera vez el surgimiento de la resistencia a las quinolonas mediada por qnr en Jamaica.

The emergence of qnr-mediated quinolone resistance among Enterobacteriaceae in Jamaica.

OBJECTIVE: Quinolone resistance is usually caused by various chromosomal mutations, but has been more recently associated with plasmids which carry the qnr determinant. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of qnr genes in clinical isolates of Enterobacteriaceae in Jamaica. METHODS: A total of 255 non-duplicate fluoroquinolone-resistant Enterobacteriaceae clinical isolates, comprising 232 Escherichia coli, 20 Klebsiella species and three Enterobacter spp were collected between October 2007 and November 2008 from hospitalized patients in Jamaica. The presence of the qnr gene was screened by PCR using specific primers for qnrA, qnrB and qnrS in extracted plasmid DNA. RESULTS: Eighty-three (32.5%) of these isolates were qnr-positive, of which 47.0% housed the qnrA gene only, 1.2% qnrB and 9.6% qnrS only. Another 36.1% possessed both qnrA and qnrS genes. Approximately 30% of the quinolone-resistant E coli isolates harboured the qnr gene while 50% Klebsiella spp and all Enterobacter spp were positive. CONCLUSION: The emergence of qnr-mediated quinolone resistance among clinical Enterobacteriaceae isolates is described for the first time in Jamaica.

Description and life cycle of a new Didymium (Myxomycetes) from arid areas of Argentina and Chile.

A new species of Didymium (Myxomycetes), D. infundibuliforme, is described herein, and details are provided on its life cycle as observed in spore to spore culture on agar. The new species was recorded during intensive studies of areas of the Monte Desert in Argentina and the Atacama Desert in Chile. It has been collected directly in the field in both countries on several occasions over 4 y and isolated in moist chamber cultures prepared with material from native plant species. The characters that make this species unique in the genus are its funnel-shape sporocarps with white stalks, the apical circumscissile dehiscence of the sporotheca that causes the base to resemble a calyculus and the ornamentation on the spores. The morphology of specimens of this new myxomycete was examined with scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy, and micrographs of relevant details are included in this paper.

Evaluating bone health in women with oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer (ERBC) starting aromatase inhibitors.

AIMS: There is an increase in fractures in women with oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer (ERBC) particularly those taking aromatase inhibitors (AIs). How to identify women at osteoporosis risk, assess bone health and who to treat, are questions not adequately answered by previous studies. METHODS: We present an audit of osteoporosis risk factors, bone mineral density (BMD) measurement and other data relevant to bone health (falls and laboratory tests) in 85 women with ERBC starting AIs. RESULTS: Only 9/85 (11%) women overall and only 2/13 with previous peripheral fragility fractures had osteoporosis. Of note, secondary hyperparathyroidism was present in 40% of women <60 years; 67% of women 60-69 years and 75% of women >70 years. CONCLUSIONS: Reliance on BMD alone to guide decisions for osteoporosis prevention treatment in those taking AIs would lead to few women being treated. Osteoporosis risk in women taking AIs is likely influenced by factors other than those encompassed by BMD alone.

Self-expandable metal stent placement for the palliation of malignant gastroduodenal obstruction: experience in a large, single, UK centre.

AIM: To assess the technical success rate, and evaluate the clinical outcome, length of hospital stay, and cost of palliative gastro-duodenal stenting in a single-centre. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight-seven patients referred for insertion of a gastroduodenal stent between April 1999 and April 2004 were recruited to a non-randomized, before and after intervention study performed in a single centre. Demographic data, diagnosis and symptoms along with clinical and technical outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: The technical success rate was 84/87 (96.6%), with inability to traverse the stricture in three patients. No immediate complications were demonstrated. There was marked improvement after stent placement with resolution of symptoms and commencement of dietary intake in 76 patients (87%). Stenting resulted in improved quality of life as reflected by an increase in Karnofsky score from 44/100, to 63/100 post-procedure. Late complications included perforation (n=1), migration (n=1) and stent occlusions due to tumour ingrowth/overgrowth (n=7; mean 165 days). Mean survival was 107 days (range 0-411 days). Median hospital stay post-stent placement was 5.5 days, (range 1-55 days) with a majority of patients (75%) discharged home. The mean cost of each treatment episode was 4146 pounds ($7132 $US, 6,028 EUROS). CONCLUSION: The present series confirms that combined endoscopic and radiological gastroduodenal stenting is a highly favourable treatment for patients with inoperable malignant gastric outlet obstruction. The results suggest that this minimally invasive procedure has a very high technical success rate, whilst at the same time providing excellent palliation of symptoms with improved quality of life in the majority of patients.

Eye movements coordinated with steering benefit performance even when vision is denied.

When driving along a winding road, eye movements and steering are tightly linked. When approaching a bend, the driver looks across to the inside kerb (the tangent point) some time before turning the steering wheel. All drivers we have tested show this optimal coordination, without which driving is impaired. An intriguing question is how much of the benefit for steering arises just from moving the eyes in this coordinated way (ahead of steering and in the same direction), and how much from the visual information that the eyes move to acquire, in this instance the foveated tangent point. This can be answered by dissociating the two, by reducing visibility of the road ahead (and crucially of the tangent point) to a level at which drivers might or might not choose to move their eyes but, if they do, will not gain the information they seek. Twenty subjects repeatedly drove a simulated stage of the World Rally Championship. With full visibility, they exhibited the usual coordination of eye movements and steering. Subsequently, visibility was reduced on the left hand side. Drivers who persisted in making eye movements coordinated with steering to the left, despite the fact that they could no longer see the tangent point on that side, performed better than drivers who under the identical conditions did not look to the left. This confirms that the making of coordinated eye movements itself benefits steering, even when the eye movements do not yield the visual information sought.

Accuracy of injury coding under ICD-9 for New Zealand public hospital discharges.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the level of accuracy in coding for injury principal diagnosis and the first external cause code for public hospital discharges in New Zealand and determine how these levels vary by hospital size. METHOD: A simple random sample of 1800 discharges was selected from the period 1996-98 inclusive. Records were obtained from hospitals and an accredited coder coded the discharge independently of the codes already recorded in the national database. RESULTS: Five percent of the principal diagnoses, 18% of the first four digits of the E-codes, and 8% of the location codes (5th digit of the E-code), were incorrect. There were no substantive differences in the level of incorrect coding between large and small hospitals. CONCLUSIONS: Users of New Zealand public hospital discharge data can have a high degree of confidence in the injury diagnoses coded under ICD-9-CM-A. A similar degree of confidence is warranted for E-coding at the group level (for example, fall), but not, in general, at higher levels of specificity (for example, type of fall). For those countries continuing to use ICD-9 the study provides insight into potential problems of coding and thus guidance on where the focus of coder training should be placed. For those countries that have historical data coded according to ICD-9 it suggests that some specific injury and external cause incidence estimates may need to be treated with more caution.

Correct and incorrect use of child restraints: results from an urban survey in New Zealand.

This study describes the incorrect use of child restraints among car drivers with young children and examines factors that may influence their misuse. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken in supermarket car parks with car drivers travelling with children under the age of 8 years. The main measure was errors in child restraint use. Short interviews were conducted with 1113 drivers with a close inspection of the child restraints used in the vehicles. Only 4% of children were unrestrained but 64% of drivers made at least one error in restraint use. Most respondents thought using a restraint was easy, but 65% of these drivers made at least one error. Child restraints are used, but many are incorrectly fitted and/or have the child incorrectly placed in them. Correct use is a moderately complex task. Restraint systems need to be designed to minimize the opportunity for error and maximize safety.