Adolescent men’s pregnancy resolution choices in relation to an unintended pregnancy: A comparative analysis of adolescent men in three countries.

This paper investigates adolescent men's pregnancy resolution choices in Australia, Ireland and Italy. It addresses two main gaps in the literature: the lack of research on (adolescent) men's views on unintended pregnancy and pregnancy resolution; and the lack of international comparative case studies on men and reproductive choices. Consistent with theories of the transformation of intimacies in society and the growth of individualization, the results suggest that adolescent men are interested in the effect of an unintended pregnancy on their individual biographies as well as the effect on their girlfriend's health and well-being. However, Australian male adolescents were much more likely to choose abortion than Italian or Irish adolescents, suggesting adolescent males have also internalized country level debates surrounding abortion. Methodologically, the paper demonstrates an innovative approach to data-collection using a computer-based interactive drama to facilitate participants' deliberation and responses. It was shown to engage a large number of adolescent men and is likely to have wider generalisability in developing international comparative research on the topic, as well as applications for health promotion.

Functional expression of KCNQ (Kv7) channels in guinea-pig bladder smooth muscle and their contribution to spontaneous activity

Background and Purpose: The aim of the study was to determine whether KCNQ channels are functionally expressed in bladder smooth muscle cells (SMC) and to investigate their physiological significance in bladder contractility. 

Experimental Approach: KCNQ channels were examined at the genetic, protein, cellular and tissue level in guinea pig bladder smooth muscle using RT-PCR, immunofluorescence, patch-clamp electrophysiology, calcium imaging, detrusor strip myography, and a panel of KCNQ activators and inhibitors. 

Key Results: KCNQ subtypes 1-5 are expressed in bladder detrusor smooth muscle. Detrusor strips typically displayed TTX-insensitive myogenic spontaneous contractions that were increased in amplitude by the KCNQ channel inhibitors XE991, linopirdine or chromanol 293B. Contractility was inhibited by the KCNQ channel activators flupirtine or meclofenamic acid (MFA). The frequency of Ca2+-oscillations in SMC contained within bladder tissue sheets was increased by XE991. Outward currents in dispersed bladder SMC, recorded under conditions where BK and KATP currents were minimal, were significantly reduced by XE991, linopirdine, or chromanol, and enhanced by flupirtine or MFA. XE991 depolarized the cell membrane and could evoke transient depolarizations in quiescent cells. Flupirtine (20M) hyperpolarized the cell membrane with a simultaneous cessation of any spontaneous electrical activity. 

Conclusions and Implications: These novel findings reveal the role of KCNQ currents in the regulation of the resting membrane potential of detrusor SMC and their important physiological function in the control of spontaneous contractility in the guinea pig bladder.

Resolution theory, and static and frequency-dependent cross-talk in piezoresponse force microscopy

Probing the functionality of materials locally by means of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) requires a reliable framework for identifying the target signal and separating it from the effects of surface morphology and instrument non-idealities, e.g. instrumental and topographical cross-talk. Here we develop a linear resolution theory framework in order to describe the cross-talk effects, and apply it for elucidation of frequency-dependent cross-talk mechanisms in piezoresponse force microscopy. The use of a band excitation method allows electromechanical/electrical and mechanical/topographic signals to be unambiguously separated. The applicability of a functional fit approach and multivariate statistical analysis methods for identification of data in band excitation SPM is explored.

Super-Resolution without Evanescent Waves

The past decade has seen numerous efforts to achieve imaging resolution beyond that of the Abbe-Rayleigh diffraction limit. The main direction of research alining to break this limit seeks to exploit the evanescent components containing fine detail of the electromagnetic field distribution at the Immediate proximity of the object. Here, we propose a solution that removes the need for evanescent fields. The object being imaged or stimulated with subwavelangth accuracy does not need to be In the immediate proximity of the superlens or field concentrator: an optical mask can be designed that creates constructive Interference of waves known as superoscillation, leading to a subwavelength focus of prescribed size and shape in a field of view beyond the evanescent fields, when illuminated by a monochromatic wave. Moreover, we demonstrate that such a mask may be used not only as a focusing device but also as a super-resolution imaging device.

Optical super-resolution through super-oscillations

We demonstrate that a quasi-periodic array of nanoholes in a metal screen can focus light into subwavelength spots in the far-field without contributions from evanescent fields. The subwavelength spots were observed with a conventional optical microscope and mapped to the far-field. We relate the formation of subwavelength light localizations in the far-field to the phenomenon of super-oscillations. This effect offers a new way to achieve subwavelength imaging, which differs from approaches based on the recovery of evanescent fields.

Spontaneous and cued gaze-following in autism and Williams syndrome

Background: From a young age the typical development of social functioning relies upon the allocation of attention to socially relevant information, which in turn allows experience at processing such information and thus enhances social cognition. As such, research has attempted to identify the developmental processes that are derailed in some neuro-developmental disorders that impact upon social functioning. Williams syndrome (WS) and Autism are disorders of development that are characterized by atypical yet divergent social phenotypes and atypicalities of attention to people.

Methods: We used eye tracking to explore how individuals with WS and Autism attended to, and subsequently interpreted, an actor’s eye gaze cue within a social scene. Images were presented for three seconds, initially with an instruction simply to look at the picture. The images were then shown again, with the participant asked to identify the object being looked at. Allocation of eye-gaze in each condition was analyzed by ANOVA and accuracy of identification was compared with t-tests.

Results: Participants with WS allocated more gaze time to face and eyes than their matched controls both with and without being asked to identify the item being looked at; while participants with Autism spent less time on face and eyes in both conditions. When cued to follow gaze, participants with WS increased gaze to the correct targets, while those with Autism looked more at the face and eyes but did not increase gaze to the correct targets, while continuing to look much more than their controls at implausible targets. Both groups identified fewer objects than their controls.

Conclusions: The atypicalities found are likely to be entwined with the deficits shown in interpreting social cognitive cues from the images. WS and Autism are characterised by atypicalities of social attention that impact upon socio-cognitive expertise but importantly the type of atypicality is syndrome-specific.

High-resolution reconstruction of atmospheric deposition of trace metals and metalloids since AD 1400 recorded by ombrotrophic peat cores in Hautes-Fagnes, Belgium

The objective of our study was to determine the trace metal accumulation rates in the Misten bog, Hautes-Fagnes, Belgium, and assess these in relation to established histories of atmospheric emissions from anthropogenic sources. To address these aims we analyzed trace metals and metalloids (Pb, Cu, Ni, As, Sb, Cr, Co, V, Cd and Zn), as well as Pb isotopes, using XRF, Q-ICP-MS and MC-ICP-MS, respectively in two 40-cm peat sections, spanning the last 600 yr. The temporal increase of metal fluxes from the inception of the Industrial Revolution to the present varies by a factor of 5–50, with peak values found between AD 1930 and 1990. A cluster analysis combined with Pb isotopic composition allows the identification of the main sources of Pb and by inference of the other metals, which indicates that coal consumption and metallurgical activities were the predominant sources of pollution during the last 600 years.

Mycobacterium chelonae keratitis:Resolution after debridement and presoaked collagen shields

We report a case of Mycobacterium chelonae keratitis following corneal injury by a foreign body. Diagnosis was made by Ziehl-Neelsen staining and Lowenstein-Jensen culture of corneal scrapings. On the basis of the in vitro susceptibility testing, the patient was treated with topical fortified amikacin. Given the lack of response to this therapy, we decided to carry out a debridement of the infiltrative areas to eliminate infected tissue, and to use an amikacin-soaked collagen shield supplemented every 4 h with topical fortified amikacin to promote healing of the debrided area and to potentiate the effects of the antibiotic therapy. After this treatment, clinical resolution was observed and a further acid-fast stain and culture for mycobacterium were negative. Debridement of the infiltrative areas could be used in cases of mycobacterium keratitis when early diagnosis is made and before the corneal infection has become widespread.

Discovery of a Potent Boronic Acid Derived Inhibitor of the HCV RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase

A boronic acid moiety was found to be a critical pharmacophore for enhanced in vitro potency against wild type hepatitis C replicons and known clinical polymorphic and resistant HCV mutant replicons. The synthesis, optimization, and structure-activity relationships associated with inhibition of HCV replication in a sub-genomic replication system for a series of non-nucleoside boron-containing HCV RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase (NS5B) inhibitors are described. A summary of the discovery of GSK5852 (3), a molecule which entered clinical trials in subjects infected with HCV in 2011, is included.

Th1 not Th17 cells drive spontaneous MS-like disease despite a functional regulatory T cell response

Multiple sclerosis is considered a disease of complex autoimmune etiology, yet there remains a lack of consensus as to specific immune effector mechanisms. Recent analyses of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, the common mouse model of multiple sclerosis, have investigated the relative contribution of Th1 and Th17 CD4 T cell subsets to initial autoimmune central nervous system (CNS) damage. However, inherent in these studies are biases influenced by the adjuvant and toxin needed to break self-tolerance. We investigated spontaneous CNS disease in a clinically relevant, humanized, T cell receptor transgenic mouse model. Mice develop spontaneous, ascending paralysis, allowing unbiased characterization of T cell immunity in an HLA-DR15-restricted T cell repertoire. Analysis of naturally progressing disease shows that IFN?(+) cells dominate disease initiation with IL-17(+) cells apparent in affected tissue only once disease is established. Tregs accumulate in the CNS but are ultimately ineffective at halting disease progression. However, ablation of Tregs causes profound acceleration of disease, with uncontrolled infiltration of lymphocytes into the CNS. This synchronous, severe disease allows characterization of the responses that are deregulated in exacerbated disease: the correlation is with increased CNS CD4 and CD8 IFN? responses. Recovery of the ablated Treg population halts ongoing disease progression and Tregs extracted from the central nervous system at peak disease are functionally competent to regulate myelin specific T cell responses. Thus, in a clinically relevant mouse model of MS, initial disease is IFN? driven and the enhanced central nervous system responses unleashed through Treg ablation comprise IFN? cytokine production by CD4 and CD8 cells, but not IL-17 responses.