An Analysis of the Relationship Between Female Faculty and Female Resident Representation in Neurosurgery Residency Programs.

BACKGROUND: Promoting minorities within medical specialties has been postulated to be crucial to patient care and recruitment of diverse candidates. This concept has been suspected but not formally studied in the minority of women faculty and trainees in neurosurgery. We aimed to quantitatively investigate the postulated correlation relative to female representation in neurosurgery. METHODS: Data obtained from accredited neurosurgery residency programs were reviewed. Data describing the percentage of female residents and 6 demographic and 14 program-specific variables were collected. All program websites were reviewed to assess percentages of female faculty and visible commitment to diversity in applicants, evident through communicated policies, statements, or initiatives. Included programs were defined as "low" or "high" percentage of female residents or faculty relative to the grouped median value for both categories; groups were assessed for significant differences. Percentages of female faculty and residents and program-communicated diversity initiatives were investigated for significant correlation. RESULTS: Female faculty and diversity data were available at 117 program sites; 81 programs reported female resident percentages. Analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between female faculty and female resident percentages. Programs with higher female resident percentages had higher levels of diversity in terms of race and ethnicity. No significant correlation was found between the percentage of female faculty or residents and a communicated diversity initiative. CONCLUSION: This study of current female representation in neurosurgery revealed a previously undocumented positive correlation between percentages of female faculty and female trainees. These data suggest a modifiable barrier to female entry into neurosurgical residency programs.

Decreased rate of torque development in ankle evertors for individuals with chronic ankle instability.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with chronic ankle instability have decreased peak torque during maximum voluntary contraction in ankle evertors/invertors, and hip abductors. However, it is unclear whether individuals with chronic ankle instability and/or copers demonstrate decreased rate of torque development in ankle evertors/invertors, and hip abductors. METHODS: 54 university-aged participants (18 chronic ankle instability, 18 copers, and 18 controls) performed three maximal isometric contractions for ankle evertors and invertors, and hip abductors. Rate of torque development was defined as the linear slope of the torque-time curve during the first 200 ms of each contraction and compared between the three groups using a one-way analysis of variance (α = 0.05). FINDINGS: The chronic ankle instability group showed 38.1% less rate of torque development than the coper (P = 0.03 and d = 0.84) and 37.1% than the control groups (P = 0.03 and d = 1.03) in the ankle evertors. For the hip abductors, there were moderate effects between the chronic ankle instability group and the copers (P = 0.06 and d = 0.70), and control groups (P = 0.06 and d = 0.75). INTERPRETATIONS: The observed between-groups differences in rate of torque development indicate that restoring rate of torque development after lateral ankle sprain may be important to reduce risk of reinjury and development of chronic ankle instability. Clinicians should consider the rate of torque development in the ankle evertors and hip abductors during rehabilitation chronic ankle instability patients.

Postpolymerization Modification by Nucleophilic Addition to Styrenic Carbodiimides.

Carbodiimides are electrophilic functional groups that react with select nucleophiles under mild conditions. However, their potential as platforms for postpolymerization modification has been relatively underexplored. We describe the synthesis and radical polymerization of a styrenic carbodiimide which undergoes rapid nucleophilic addition with primary and secondary alkyl amines under ambient conditions, even in the presence of other protic nucleophiles. The monomer is amenable to both free and controlled radical (co)polymerization, and we further demonstrate the utility of this approach by preparing covalent adaptable networks through guanylation of the styrenic carbodiimide with difunctional amines. These materials exhibit a variation in relaxation times according to both the guanidine structure and concentration, providing a facile means for tuning dynamic behavior.

Return to recreational sports participation following rotator cuff repair in adults over 40 Years of age: outcomes and return to play analysis.

Background: Despite the high prevalence of rotator cuff (RTC) tears in older adults, there is limited literature evaluating the return to recreational sport after repair. The purpose of this study was (1) to assess the patient-reported outcomes and return to sport rates following rotator cuff repair in patients aged more than 40 years with minimum 2-year follow-up; (2) to compare baseline, preoperative and postoperative outcomes, and level of play following repair of self-reported athletes with nonathletes; and (3) to compare return to sport rates in overhead athletes compared to nonoverhead athletes. Methods: Patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair between January 2016 and January 2019 were screened for inclusion. Inclusion criteria included (1) age more than 40 years at the time of surgery, (2) arthroscopic repair of a full thickness RTC tear, and (3) preoperative American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score (ASES) available. Eligible patients were contacted and invited to fill out a custom return to sport and patient-reported outcome survey. Results: Overall, 375 of the 1141 eligible patients completed the survey instrument. There were 210 self-reported athletes (mean age 59.2 ± 9.55 years) and 165 nonathletes (mean age 62.0 ± 8.27 years) (P = .003). Of the athletes, 193 (91.9%) returned to sport. The average age of athletes was 59.4 ± 9.33 years for those who returned to sport and 57.9 ± 12.0 years for those who did not (P = .631). Athletes reported higher ASES scores than nonathletes both preoperatively (49.8 ± 20.3 vs. 44.8 ± 18.9, P = .015) and postoperatively (87.6 ± 16.7 vs. 84.9 ± 17.5, P = .036), but there was no difference in mean ASES improvement between groups (37.7 ± 23.0 vs. 40.3 ± 24.5, P = .307). There was no difference in postoperative Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation scores when comparing self-reported athletes to nonathletes (85.4 ± 17.5 vs. 85.0 ± 18.7, P = .836). After controlling for age, sex, body mass index, and smoking status using a multivariate analysis, there was no difference in mean ASES improvement when comparing athletes to nonathletes. Conclusion: There is a high rate of return to sport activities (> 90%) in older adult recreational athletes following arthroscopic repair of full thickness RTC tears and rates of return to sport did not significantly differ for overhead and nonoverhead athletes. Self-reported athletes were noted to have higher baseline, preoperative, and postoperative ASES scores than nonathletes, but the mean ASES improvement following repair did not significantly differ between groups.

Mathematical modeling and biochemical analysis support partially ordered calmodulin-myosin light chain kinase binding.

Activation of myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) by calcium ions (Ca2+) and calmodulin (CaM) plays an important role in numerous cellular functions including vascular smooth muscle contraction and cellular motility. Despite extensive biochemical analysis, aspects of the mechanism of activation remain controversial, and competing theoretical models have been proposed for the binding of Ca2+ and CaM to MLCK. The models are analytically solvable for an equilibrium steady state and give rise to distinct predictions that hold regardless of the numerical values assigned to parameters. These predictions form the basis of a recently proposed, multi-part experimental strategy for model discrimination. Here we implement this strategy by measuring CaM-MLCK binding using an in vitro FRET system. Interpretation of binding data in light of the mathematical models suggests a partially ordered mechanism for binding CaM to MLCK. Complementary data collected using orthogonal approaches that assess CaM-MLCK binding further support this conclusion.

Patient Decision Making in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Discrete Choice Experiment Examining Graft Preference.

Background: Bone-patellar tendon-bone (BTB) and hamstring autografts are the most common grafts used for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Patient preferences should be accounted for as a part of shared decision making. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to perform a discrete choice experiment that evaluated patient preferences toward ACL autografts. We hypothesized that there would be no difference in patient preferences between groups. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Patients aged 18 to 25 years who underwent shoulder arthroscopy at a single institution between 2013 and 2019 were included in the study as a proxy for healthy controls. Patients with a history of ACL tear were excluded. A discrete choice experiment was developed from a literature search and used the following data points as they pertain to BTB or hamstring autograft: risk of developing a significant complication, return-to-play rate, risk of anterior knee pain with kneeling, and risk of additional surgery due to graft failure. Included patients completed a custom survey in which they were asked to choose between "surgery A" (hamstring) and "surgery B" (BTB). Results: A total of 107 participants were included in the analysis. Of these participants, 39 (36.5%) chose surgery A (hamstring) and 68 (63.6%) chose surgery B (BTB). When comparing the hamstring group with the BTB group, there was no significant difference in age, sex, body mass index, race, level of education, or employment status. However, 80.5% of self-reported athletes preferred BTB (P = .008). When controlling for age, sex, and body mass index, patients in the BTB group were more likely to rate return to sport (risk ratio [RR] = 1.49 [95% CI, 1.18-1.98]; P = .001) and the risk of requiring additional surgery due to graft failure (RR = 1.26 [95% CI, 1.02-1.58]; P = .037) as highly important. Conversely, they were less likely than patients in the hamstring group to rate pain while kneeling (RR = 0.65 [95% CI, 0.98-1.05]; P < .001) and complication risk (RR = 0.75 [95% CI, 0.59-0.94]; P = .013) as important. Conclusion: The study hypothesis was rejected, as patient values did affect ACL graft choice preference. Utilizing patient-selected values in a quantifiable way can benefit the shared decision-making process before ACL reconstruction.

Exploring structural effects in a new class of NRF2 inhibitors.

NRF2 is a transcription factor that controls the cellular response to various stressors, such as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. As such, it plays a key role in the suppression of carcinogenesis, but constitutive NRF2 expression in cancer cells leads to resistance to chemotherapeutics and promotes metastasis. As a result, inhibition of the NRF2 pathway is a target for new drugs, especially for use in conjunction with established chemotherapeutic agents like carboplatin and 5-fluorouracil. A new class of NRF2 inhibitors has been discovered with substituted nicotinonitriles, such as MSU38225. In this work, the effects on NRF2 inhibition with structural changes were explored. Through these studies, we identified a few compounds with as good or better activity than the initial hit but with greatly improved solubility. The syntheses involved a variety of metal-catalyzed reactions, including titanium multicomponent coupling reactions and various Pd and Cu coupling reactions. In addition to inhibiting NRF2 activity, these new compounds inhibited the proliferation and migration of lung cancer cells in which the NRF2 pathway is constitutively activated.

Quality of knee strengthening exercises performed at home deteriorates after one week.

BACKGROUND: To compare the performance (as determined by lower extremity kinematics) of knee exercises in healthy middle-aged and older individuals immediately after instruction and one week later. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study in a laboratory setting. Nineteen healthy volunteers (age [y] 63.1 ± 8.6, mass [kg] 76.3 ± 14.7, height [m] 1.7 ± 0.1) participated in this study. High speed video and reflective markers were used to track motion during four exercises. The exercises were knee flexion, straight leg raise, and "V "in supine position, and hip abduction in side lying position. All participants received verbal and tactile cues during the training phase and the therapist observed and, if necessary, corrected the exercises. Upon return a week later the participants performed the same exercises without any further instructions. Knee and hip sagittal and rotational angles were extracted from the motion capture. A repeated measures t-test was used to compare the motions between two visits. RESULTS: Participants demonstrated more knee flexion during straight leg raise and "V in" exercises at the 2nd visit compared to the 1st visit (both p <  0.05). During the "V out" exercise, they performed more external rotation (p <  0.05) while they showed more internal rotation during the "V in" exercise at the 2nd visit compared to the 1st visit. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise performance declined significantly in healthy middle-aged and older individuals one week after instruction. This decline occurred despite an instructional exercise sheet being given to every participant. Other approaches designed to help individuals retain the ability to perform rehabilitative exercises correctly need to be explored.

Shigella Bacteremia in an Immunocompetent Patient.

Isolation of Shigella in the bloodstream is a rare sequela of Shigella infections. Shigellemia typically occurs in patients with immature immune responses or in immunocompromised adults. Herein, we present a case of shigellemia in a 40-year-old male who presented with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), severe diarrhea, hypovolemic hyponatremia, and altered mental status. Stool cultures were found to be positive for Shigella, and broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy was initiated. Because of the patient's reported sexual exposures, a rapid HIV point of care test was done and returned negative. In spite of intervention, the patient's vitals, labs, and symptoms failed to improve, and he developed septic shock requiring pressor support in the intensive care unit. Further workup for the etiology of the patient's sepsis included a CT abdomen and pelvis which showed findings concerning infectious colitis. Blood cultures later returned positive for Shigella, which was found to be resistant to multiple antibiotics. The patient was started on IV ceftriaxone with an improvement of and eventual resolution of symptoms. Shigellemia is a rare complication of infection with Shigella and necessitates further workup to avoid overlooking potential predisposing factors such as HIV or other immunocompromising conditions. Its susceptibilities should also be evaluated, as Shigella strains are more frequently becoming resistant to antibiotics that had previously been the therapies of choice.

Liquid Crystal Elastomers with Enhanced Directional Actuation to Electric Fields.

The integration of soft, stimuli-responsive materials in robotic systems is a promising approach to introduce dexterous and delicate manipulation of objects. Electrical control of mechanical response offers many benefits in robotic systems including the availability of this energy input, the associated response time, magnitude of actuation, and opportunity for self-regulation. Here, a materials chemistry is detailed to prepare liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) with a 14:1 modulus contrast and increase in dielectric constant to enhance electromechanical deformation. The inherent modulus contrast of these LCEs (when coated with compliant electrodes) directly convert an electric field to a directional expansion of 20%. The electromechanical response of LCE actuators is observed upon application of voltage ranging from 0.5 to 6 kV. The deformation of these materials is rapid, reaching strain rates of 18% s-1 . Upon removal of the electric field, little hysteresis is observed. Patterning the spatial orientation of the nematic director of the LCEs results in a 2D-3D shape transformation to a cone 8 mm in height. Individual and sequential addressing of an array of LCE actuators is demonstrated as a haptic surface.

Latent Anti-nutrients and Unintentional Breeding Consequences in Australian Sorghum bicolor Varieties.

Modern feed quality sorghum grain has been bred to reduce anti-nutrients, most conspicuously condensed tannins, but its inclusion in the diets of monogastric animals can still result in variable performance that is only partially understood. Sorghum grain contains several negative intrinsic factors, including non-tannin phenolics and polyphenols, phytate, and kafirin protein, which may be responsible for these muted feed performances. To better understand the non-tannin phenolic and polyphenolic metabolites that may have negative effects on nutritional parameters, the chemical composition of sorghum grain polyphenol extracts from three commercial varieties (MR-Buster, Cracka, and Liberty) was determined through the use of an under-studied, alternative analytical approach involving Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and direct ionization mass spectrometry. Supervised analyses and interrogation of the data contributing to variation resulted in the identification of a variety of metabolites, including established polyphenols, lignin-like anti-nutrients, and complex sugars, as well as high levels of fatty acids which could contribute to nutritional variation and underperformance in monogastrics. FT-IR and mass spectrometry could both discriminate among the different sorghum varieties indicating that FT-IR, rather than more sophisticated chromatographic and mass spectrometric methods, could be incorporated into quality control applications.

Effects of iron injection timing on suckling and subsequent nursery and growing-finishing performance and hematological criteria.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of Fe injection timing after birth on suckling and subsequent nursery and growing-finishing pig performance. The injectable Fe source used in both experiments was GleptoForte (Ceva Animal Health, LLC., Lenexa, KS). GleptoForte contains gleptoferron which is a Fe macromolecule complex. In Exp. 1, a total of 324 newborn pigs (DNA 241 × 600, initially 1.6 ± 0.04 kg body weight [BW]) within 27 litters were used. Two days after birth, all piglets were weighed, and six barrows and six gilts per litter were allotted to 1 of 6 treatments consisting of no Fe injection or 200 mg of injectable Fe provided in a single injection on d 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 of age. Pigs were weaned (~21 d of age) and allotted to nursery pens with all pigs in each pen having received the same Fe treatment. In Exp. 2, a total of 1,892 newborn pigs (PIC 359 × C40; initially 1.5 ± 0.02 kg BW) within 172 litters were used. One day after birth, piglets were weighed, and 11 pigs within each litter were allotted to 1 of 6 treatments consisting of no Fe injection or 200 mg of injectable Fe provided on d 1, 3, 5, or 7 of age, or 200 mg on d 1 plus 200 mg on d 12 of age. Pigs were weaned (19 d of age) and placed in a commercial wean-to-finish facility in a total of 15 pens with equal representation of treatments in each pen. In both experiments, not providing an Fe injection after birth decreased (P < 0.05) preweaning average daily gain (ADG), weaning weight, and hemoglobin and hematocrit values compared with all other treatments. In Exp. 1, increasing the age that piglets received an Fe injection until 4 or 6 d after birth provided marginal evidence for an improvement (quadratic; P = 0.070) in preweaning ADG. For the nursery period, increasing the age that piglets received an Fe injection improved (quadratic; P = 0.013) d 80 BW, but there was no evidence of a difference (P > 0.10) in d 173 BW at the end of the grow-finish period. In Exp. 2, increasing the age that piglets received a 200 mg Fe injection showed no evidence of difference (P > 0.10) for subsequent nursery and growing-finishing ADG. In both experiments, hemoglobin and hematocrit values were decreased (linear; P < 0.05) at weaning with increasing age when pigs received an Fe injection. These experiments suggest that providing a 200 mg Fe injection within 7 d after farrowing is sufficient for optimizing preweaning and subsequent growth performance.

Phytase catalysis of dephosphorylation studied using isothermal titration calorimetry and electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy.

Phytases are important commercial enzymes that catalyze the dephosphorylation of myo-inositol hexakisphosphate (phytate) to its lower inositol phosphate (IP) esters, IP6 to IP1. Digestion of phytate by Citrobacter braakii 6-phytase deviates significantly from monophasic Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Analysis of phytate digestion using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) using the single injection method produced a thermogram with two peaks consistent with two periods of high enzyme activity. Continuous-flow electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (ESI-ToF-MS) provided real-time analysis of phytase catalysis. It was able to show that the first two cleavage steps were rapid and concurrent but the third cleavage step from IP4 to IP3 was slow. The third (IP4 to IP3), fourth (IP3 to IP2) and fifth (IP2 to IP1) cleavages were effectively sequential due to the preferred association of the more phosphorylated species with the phytase catalytic site. This created a bottleneck during the cleavage of IP4 to IP3 until the point at which IP4 was exhausted and was followed by the rapid cleavage of IP3 to IP2, which was observed as the second peak in the ITC thermogram. This work illustrates the importance of an orthogonal approach when studying non-specific or complex enzyme catalyzed reactions.

Effects of increasing Fe dosage in newborn pigs on suckling and subsequent nursery performance and hematological and immunological criteria.

A total of 336 newborn pigs (DNA 241 × 600, initially 1.75 ± 0.05 kg bodyweight [BW]) from 28 litters were used in a 63-d study evaluating the effects of increasing injectable Fe dose on suckling and subsequent nursery pig performance and blood Fe status. GleptoForte (Ceva Animal Health, LLC, Lenexa, KS) contains gleptoferron which is an Fe macromolecule complex that is commercially used as an injectable Fe source for suckling piglets. On the day of processing (day 3 after birth), all piglets were weighed and 6 barrows and 6 gilts per litter were allotted within sex to 1 of 6 treatments in a completely randomized design. Treatments consisted of a negative control receiving no Fe injection and increasing injectable Fe to achieve either 50, 100, 150, 200 mg, or 200 mg plus a 100 mg injection on day 11 after birth. Pigs were weaned (~21 d of age) and allotted to nursery pens based on BW and corresponding treatment in a completely randomized design. During lactation, increasing injectable Fe up to 100 mg improved (quadratic; P < 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) and day 21 BW with no further improvement thereafter. There was no evidence of differences (P > 0.10) observed between the 200 mg and 200 mg + 100 mg treatments for growth. For the nursery period, increasing Fe dosage increased (linear; P < 0.05) ADG, average daily feed intake, and day 42 BW. There was no evidence of differences (P > 0.10) between the 200 mg and 200 mg + 100 mg treatments for nursery growth. For blood criteria, significant treatment × day interactions (P = 0.001) were observed for hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct). The interactions occurred because pigs that had <150 mg of injectable Fe had decreased values to day 21 and then increased to day 63 while pigs with 150 or 200 mg of injectable Fe had increased values to day 21 then stayed relatively constant to day 63. In summary, piglet performance during lactation was maximized at 100 mg while nursery growth performance and blood Fe status were maximized with a 200 mg Fe injection at processing. Providing an additional 100 mg of Fe on day 11 of age increased Hb, and Hct values at weaning and 14 d into the nursery but did not provide a growth performance benefit in lactation or nursery. These results indicate that providing 200 mg of injectable Fe provided from GleptoForte is sufficient to optimize lactation and subsequent nursery growth performance and blood Fe status.

Evaluation of different blends of medium-chain fatty acids, lactic acid, and monolaurin on nursery pig growth performance.

A total of 710 pigs (Line 400 × 200, DNA, Columbus, net energy (NE)) were used in two experiments (Exp. 1: initially, 6.3 ± 0.05 kg; Exp. 2: initially, 6.8 ± 0.05 kg) to evaluate the effects of two medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) based products on nursery pig growth performance. Following their arrival at the nursery facility, pigs were randomized to pens (five pigs per pen) and allowed a 4-d acclimation period. Thereafter, pens of pigs were blocked by initial weight and randomized to dietary treatment. In Exp. 1, the dietary treatments were a dose titration of: 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, or 2.0% MCFA-based additive, as well as a diet including 1.0% MCFA from a 1:1:1 blend of C6:0, C8:0, and C10:0. In Exp.2, dietary treatments consisted of a basal diet containing no MCFA (control), the control diet with a 1.0% inclusion of four different blends of MCFA, lactic acid, and monolaurin or a diet with 1.0% added MCFA (a 1:1:1 blend of C6:0, C8:0, and C10:0). The four blends consisted of 50% C6:0, 20% lactic acid, and increasing levels of monolaurin (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%) at the expense of C12:0 (30%, 20%, 10%, and 0%). Treatment diets were formulated and manufactured in two dietary phases. Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design with pen as the experimental unit. In Exp. 1, overall (days 0-34), increasing CaptiSURE increased (linear, P ≤ 0.014) average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI). Feed efficiency improved (quadratic, P = 0.002) with increasing CaptiSURE up to 1.0% of the diet with no benefit thereafter. There was no evidence for differences between pigs fed 1.0% CaptiSURE and pigs fed the 1.0% MCFA blend of C6:0, C8:0, and C10:0. In Exp. 2, overall (days 0-35), pigs fed the 1.0% 1:1:1 MCFA blend had increased (P < 0.034) ADFI and ADG resulting in 0.9 kg greater final weight (P = 0.014) compared with the control group. There was no evidence that the mean performance of pigs fed the four blends of MCFA, lactic acid, and monolaurin were different from the pigs fed the control diet. In summary, the addition of a 1.0% 1:1:1 blend of C6:0, C8:0, and C10:0 in nursery pig diets improved ADG, ADFI, and gain to feed ratio (G:F) compared with pigs fed the control diet. In addition, providing nursery pigs with the MCFA product CaptiSURE, up to 2% of the diet, resulted in linear improvements in ADG and ADFI. Altering the C12:0 to monolaurin ratio and adding lactic acid did not improve growth performance compared with pigs fed the control diet.

Estimate of the energy value of soybean meal relative to corn based on growth performance of nursery pigs.

BACKGROUND: Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of increasing amounts of soybean meal (SBM) in swine diets and estimate the energy value of SBM. METHODS: A total of 2233 pigs (PIC 337 × 1050, Hendersonville, TN) and 3796 pigs (PIC 359 × C40), initially 11.0 kg and 17.6 kg body weight (BW), were used in Exp. 1 and 2, respectively. In Exp. 1, pigs were placed in 92 pens each containing 20 to 27 pigs. In Exp. 2, pigs were placed in 84 pens each containing 37 to 43 pigs. Treatments were assigned in a randomized complete block design with BW as the blocking factor. Dietary treatments consisted of 21%, 27%, 33%, or 39% SBM in Exp. 1 and 17.5%, 22%, 26.5%, 31%, 35.5%, or 40% SBM in Exp. 2, obtained by changing the inclusion rate of feed-grade amino acids and corn grain. For Exp. 1, representative samples of corn grain, SBM, and distillers dried grains with solubles were analyzed for total AA content prior to diet formulation. For Exp. 2, diets were formulated using NRC (2012) nutrient loadings. Treatment diets were fed for 21 and 22 d (Exp. 1 and 2) and there were 23 replicates in Exp. 1 and 14 replicates in Exp. 2. Pigs were weighed and feed disappearance measured weekly to calculate average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), gain-to-feed ratio (G:F), and caloric efficiency (CE). Data were analyzed with block as a random effect and treatment as a fixed effect, and contrasts were constructed to test the linear and quadratic effects of increasing SBM. RESULTS: In Exp. 1, there was a tendency (linear, P = 0.092) for a decrease in ADFI as SBM increased. There was a tendency (P = 0.090) for a quadratic response for ADG, with a decrease in ADG observed with 39% SBM inclusion. Pigs fed diets with increasing SBM had a tendency (quadratic, P = 0.069) for an increase in G:F up to 33% SBM and an improvement (linear, P = 0.001; quadratic, P = 0.063) in CE with increasing SBM. Using CE to estimate the energy of SBM relative to corn, a value of 105.4% of corn energy or 2816 kcal/kg NE was determined using all data points. When removing the CE value of the 39% SBM treatment due to the quadratic tendency, SBM was estimated to have 121.1% of corn energy or 3236 kcal/kg NE. In Exp. 2, there was a decrease (linear, P = 0.001) in ADFI. Pigs fed increasing SBM had a tendency (linear, P = 0.065) for reduced ADG but an improvement (linear, P = 0.001) in G:F and CE as SBM increased. The energy value of SBM was estimated as 124.7% of corn energy or 3332 kcal/kg NE. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that feeding increasing levels of SBM improves G:F and CE. The energy value of SBM was estimated to be between 105% and 125% of corn, which is much greater than the NRC (2012) would indicate.

Effects of feeding increasing levels of iron from iron sulfate or iron carbonate on nursery pig growth performance and hematological criteria.

A total of 140 weanling pigs (241 × 600, DNA, Columbus, NE; initially 5.5 ± 0.79 kg body weight) were used in a 32-d study evaluating the effects of increasing dietary Fe from either iron sulfate (FeSO4) or iron carbonate (FeCO3) on nursery pig growth performance and blood Fe status. The pigs used for this trial did not receive an Fe injection after birth in order to increase the sensitivity to added dietary Fe after weaning. Pigs were weaned at approximately 21 d and allotted to pens based on the initial weight in a completely randomized block design with five pigs in each pen and four pens per treatment. Experimental treatments were arranged as a 2 × 3 + 1 factorial with main effects of dietary Fe source (FeSO4 vs. FeCO3) and level (10, 30, or 50 mg/kg of added Fe) plus a negative control with no additional dietary Fe. The basal diet contained 40 mg/kg total dietary Fe based on ingredient contributions and was formulated with an Fe-free trace mineral premix. Experimental diets were formulated below the pigs recommended Fe requirement based on NRC (2012) estimates. Experimental diets were fed in pellet form in a single phase for the duration of the trial. From day 0 to 32, there was no evidence for source × level interactions for growth performance, hemoglobin (Hb), or hematocrit (Hct) values. There was no evidence for a difference (P > 0.10) in dietary Fe source. Providing increasing Fe levels in the diet from either FeSO4 or FeCO3 improved (P < 0.05) average daily gain, average daily feed intake, gain-to-feed ratio, and increased (P < 0.05) Hb and Hct values. A day effect (P = 0.001) was observed for both Hb and Hct with values increasing throughout the study. Increasing dietary Fe levels in the diet from either FeSO4 or FeCO3 increased (linear; P < 0.05) Hb and Hct values on days 14, 21, and 32. In summary, these data suggest that the micronized form of FeCO3 is a source of Fe that can be added to nursery diets to yield similar responses to those observed from FeSO4 supplementation. Similar to previous research, increasing dietary Fe improved the growth performance and increased Hb and Hct values when pigs have low Fe status at weaning.

STRAWB2 (Stress and Wellbeing After Childbirth): a randomised controlled trial of targeted self-help materials to prevent post-traumatic stress disorder following childbirth.

OBJECTIVES: To test whether providing psychological self-help materials would significantly lower the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at 6-12 weeks postnatally. DESIGN: Open-label randomised controlled trial, with blinded outcome assessment. SETTING: Community midwifery services in two National Health Service (NHS) trusts in the North West. SAMPLE: A cohort of 2419 women receiving normal NHS postnatal care. METHODS: Midwives screened women for traumatic birth experience; 678 women who screened positively (28.1%) were randomly allocated to self-help with usual care (n = 336) or to usual care alone (n = 342). The self-help materials were a leaflet and online film designed to prevent the development of PTSD after trauma exposure through explaining how to manage early psychological responses. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The primary outcome was a composite of diagnostic and subdiagnostic PTSD at 6-12 weeks postnatally using the gold-standard Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5) interview. RESULTS: Of the 678 women correctly randomised plus the nine women randomised in error, 478 (70.5%) were followed up. Diagnostic or subdiagnostic PTSD rates at follow-up did not differ between groups who received self-help (26.7%, 65/243) or usual care alone (26.2%, 64/244) (intention-to-treat analysis: RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.68-1.53). Findings remained consistent in the per-protocol analysis (RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.85-1.27). Women viewed the materials very positively. There were no adverse effects. Health economic micro-costing indicated implementation would be very low cost. CONCLUSIONS: Many women experience a traumatic birth and risk developing PTSD, but self-help strategies without professional support are insufficient and should not be routinely introduced. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Self-help information alone does not reduce the number of women developing PTSD after a traumatic childbirth.

Generation of a Novel Rat Model of Angelman Syndrome with a Complete Ube3a Gene Deletion.

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by severe intellectual disability, seizures, lack of speech, and ataxia. The gene responsible for AS was identified as Ube3a and it encodes for E6AP, an E3 ubiquitin ligase. Currently, there is very little known about E6AP's mechanism of action in vivo or how the lack of this protein in neurons may contribute to the AS phenotype. Elucidating the mechanistic action of E6AP would enhance our understanding of AS and drive current research into new avenues that could lead to novel therapeutic approaches that target E6AP's various functions. To facilitate the study of AS, we have generated a novel rat model in which we deleted the rat Ube3a gene using CRISPR. The AS rat phenotypically mirrors human AS with loss of Ube3a expression in the brain and deficits in motor coordination as well as learning and memory. This model offers a new avenue for the study of AS. Autism Res 2020, 13: 397-409. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research,Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: Angelman syndrome (AS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by severe intellectual disability, seizures, difficulty speaking, and ataxia. The gene responsible for AS was identified as UBE3A, yet very little is known about its function in vivo or how the lack of this protein in neurons may contribute to the AS phenotype. To facilitate the study of AS, we have generated a novel rat model in which we deleted the rat Ube3a gene using CRISPR. The AS rat mirrors human AS with loss of Ube3a expression in the brain and deficits in motor coordination as well as learning and memory. This model offers a new avenue for the study of AS.

Localizing genesis in polydomain liquid crystal elastomers.

Programming the local orientation of liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) is a differentiated approach to prepare monolithic material compositions with localized deformation. Our prior efforts prepared LCEs with surface-enforced spatial variations in orientation to localize deformation when the LCEs were subjected to directional load. However, because these surface alignment methods included regions of planar orientation, the deformation of these programmed LCEs is inherently directional. The absence of macroscopic orientation in polydomain LCEs results in uniform, nonlinear deformation in all axes (omnidirectional soft elasticity). Here, we exploit the distinct mechanical response of polydomain LCEs prepared with isotropic or nematic genesis. By localizing the polydomain genesis via masked photopolymerizations conducted at different temperatures, we detail the preparation of main-chain, polydomain LCEs that are homogeneous in composition but exhibit spatially localized programmability in their mechanical response that is uniform in all directions.