Twelve-month effectiveness of a parent-led, family-focused weight-management program for prepubertal children : a randomized, controlled trial

BACKGROUND Parenting-skills training may be an effective age-appropriate child behavior-modification strategy to assist parents in addressing childhood overweight. OBJECTIVE Our goal was to evaluate the relative effectiveness of parenting-skills training as a key strategy for the treatment of overweight children. DESIGN The design consisted of an assessor-blinded, randomized, controlled trial involving 111 (64% female) overweight, prepubertal children 6 to 9 years of age randomly assigned to parenting-skills training plus intensive lifestyle education, parenting-skills training alone, or a 12-month wait-listed control. Height, BMI, and waist-circumference z score and metabolic profile were assessed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months (intention to treat). RESULTS After 12 months, the BMI z score was reduced by ∼10% with parenting-skills training plus intensive lifestyle education versus ∼5% with parenting-skills training alone or wait-listing for intervention. Waist-circumference z score fell over 12 months in both intervention groups but not in the control group. There was a significant gender effect, with greater reduction in BMI and waist-circumference z scores in boys compared with girls. CONCLUSION Parenting-skills training combined with promoting a healthy family lifestyle may be an effective approach to weight management in prepubertal children, particularly boys. Future studies should be powered to allow gender subanalysis.

Testing for the non-separability of bi-ambiguous compounds

Separability is a concept that is very difficult to define, and yet much of our scientific method is implicitly based upon the assumption that systems can sensibly be reduced to a set of interacting components. This paper examines the notion of separability in the creation of bi-ambiguous compounds that is based upon the CHSH and CH inequalities. It reports results of an experiment showing that violations of the CHSH and CH inequality can occur in human conceptual combination.

Anhydrous 1:1 proton-transfer compounds of isonipecotamide with picric acid and 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid: 4-carbamoylpiperidinium 2,4,6-trinitrophenolate and two polymorphs of 4-carbamoylpiperidinium 2-carboxy-4,6-dinitrophenolate

The structures of the anhydrous 1:1 proton-transfer compounds of isonipecotamide (4-carbamoylpiperidine) with picric acid and 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid, namely 4-carbamoylpiperidinium 2,4,6-trinitrophenolate, C6H13N2O8+ C6H2N3O7- (I) and 4-carbamoylpiperidinium 2-carboxy-4,6-dinitrophenolate, C6H13N2O8+ C7H3N2O7-: two forms, the monoclinic alpha-polymorph (II) and the triclinic beta-polymorph (III) have been determined at 200 K. All compounds form hydrogen-bonded structures, one-dimensional in (II), two-dimensional in (I) and three-dimensional in (III). In (I), the cations form centrosymmetric cyclic head-to-tail hydrogen-bonded homodimers [graph set R2/2(14)] through lateral duplex piperidinium N---H...O(amide) interactions. These dimers are extended into a two-dimensional network structure through further interactions with anion phenolate-O and nitro-O acceptors, including a direct symmetric piperidinium N-H...O(phenol),O(nitro) cation--anion association [graph set R2/1(6)]. The monoclinic polymorph (II) has a similar R2/1(6) cation-anion hydrogen-bonding interaction to (I) but with an additional conjoint symmetrical R1/2(4) interaction as well as head-to-tail piperidinium N-H...O(amide) O hydrogen bonds and amide N-H...O(carboxyl) hydrogen bonds, give a network structure which include large R3/4(20) rings. The hydrogen bonding in the triclinic polymorph (III) is markedly different from that of monoclinic (II). The asymmetric unit contains two independent cation-anion pairs which associate through cyclic piperidinium N-H...O,O'(carboxyl) interactions [graph set R2/1(4)]. The cations also show the zig-zag head-to-tail piperidinium N-H...O(amide) hydrogen-bonded chain substructures found in (II) but in addition feature amide N-H...O(nitro) and O(phenolate) and amide N-H...O(nitro) associations. As well there is a centrosymmetric double-amide N-H...O(carboxyl) bridged bis(cation-anion) ring system [graph set R2/4(8)] in the three-dimensional framework. The structures reported here demonstrate the utility of the isonipecotamide cation as a synthon with previously unrecognized potential for structure assembly applications. Furthermore, the structures of the two polymorphic 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid salts show an unusual dissimilarity in hydrogen-bonding characteristics, considering that both were obtained from identical solvent systems.

Hydrogen bonding in the anhydrous 1:1 proton-transfer compounds of isonipecotamide with nitro-substituted benzoic acids: the salts of the three isomeric mononitrobenzoic acids and of 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid

The structures of the anhydrous 1:1 proton-transfer compounds of isonipecotamide (piperidine-4-carboxamide) with the three isomeric mononitro-substituted benzoic acids and 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid, namely 4-carbamoylpiperidinium 2-nitrobenzoate (I), 4-carbamoylpiperidinium 3-nitrobenzoate (II), 4-carbamoylpiperidinium 4-nitrobenzoate (III), (C6H13N2O+ C7H4NO4-) and 4-carbamoylpiperidinium 3,5-dinitrobenzoate (IV) (C6H13N2O+ C7H5N2O6-)respectively, have been determined at 200 K. All salts form hydrogen-bonded structures: three-dimensional in (I), two-dimensional in (II) and (III) and one-dimensional in (IV). Featured in the hydrogen bonding of three of these [(I), (II) and (IV)] is the cyclic head-to-head amide--amide homodimer motif [graph set R2/2~(8)] through a duplex N---H...O association, the dimer then giving structure extension via either piperidinium or amide H-donors and carboxylate-O and in some examples [(II) and (IV)], nitro-O atom acceptors. In (I), the centrosymmetric amide-amide homodimers are expanded laterally through N-H...O hydrogen bonds via cyclic R2/4(8) interactions forming ribbons which extend along the c cell direction. These ribbons incorporate the 2-nitrobenzoate cations through centrosymmetric cyclic piperidine N-H...O(carboxyl) associations [graph set R4/4(12)], giving inter-connected sheets in the three-dimensional structure. In (II) in which no amide-amide homodimer is present, duplex piperidinium N-H...O(amide) hydrogen-bonding homomolecular associations [graph set R2/2(14)] give centrosymmetric head-to-tail dimers. Structure extension occurs through hydrogen-bonding associations between both the amide H-donors and carboxyl and nitro O-acceptors as well as a three-centre piperidinium N-H...O,O'(carboxyl) cyclic R2/1(4) association giving the two-dimensional network structure. In (III), the centrosymmetric amide-amide dimers are linked through the two carboxyl O-atom acceptors of the anions via bridging piperidinium and amide N-H...O,O'...H-N(amide) hydrogen bonds giving the two-dimensional sheet structure which features centrosymmetric cyclic R4/4(12) associations. In (IV), the amide-amide dimer is also centrosymmetric with the dimers linked to the anions through amide N-H...O(nitro) interactions. The piperidinium groups extend the structure into one-dimensional ribbons via N-H...O(carboxyl) hydrogen bonds. The structures reported here further demonstrate the utility of the isonipecotamide cation in molecular assembly and highlight the efficacy of the cyclic R2/2(8) amide-amide hydrogen-bonding homodimer motif in this process and provide an additional homodimer motif type in the head-to-tail R2/2(14) association.

Hydrogen bonding in proton-transfer compounds of 5-sulfosalicylic acid with a series of aliphatic nitrogen Lewis bases

The crystal structures of the proton-transfer compounds of 5-sulfosalicylic acid (3-carboxy-4-hydroxybenzenesulfonic acid) with the aliphatic nitrogen Lewis bases, hydroxylamine, triethylamine, pyrrolidine, morpholine, N-methylmorpholine and piperazine, viz. hydroxyammonium 3-carboxy-4-hydroxybenzenesulfonate (1), triethylaminium 3-carboxy-4-hydroxybenzenesulfonate (2), pyrrolidinium 3-carboxy-4-hydroxybenzenesulfonate monohydrate (3), morpholinium 3-carboxy-4-hydroxybenzenesulfonate monohydrate (4), N-methylmorpholinium 3-carboxy-4-hydroxybenzenesulfonate monohydrate (5) and piperazine-1,4-diium bis(3-carboxy-4-hydroxybenzenesulfonate) hexahydrate (6) have been determined and their comparative structural features and hydrogen-bonding patterns described. Crystals of 4 are triclinic, space group P-1 while the remainder are monoclinic with space group either P21/c (1 - 3) or P21/n (5, 6). Unit cell dimensions and contents are: for 1, a = 5.0156(3), b = 10.5738(6), c = 18.4785(9) Å, β = 96.412(5)o, Z = 4; for 2, a = 8.4998(4), b = 12.3832(6), c = 15.4875(9) Å, β = 102.411(5)o, Z = 4; for 3, a = 6.8755(2), b = 15.5217(4), c = 12.8335(3) Å, β = 92.074(2)o, Z = 4; for 4, a = 6.8397(2), b = 12.9756(5), c = 15.8216(6) Å, α = 90.833(3), β = 95.949(3), γ = 92.505(3)o, Z = 4; for 5, a = 7.0529(3), b = 13.8487(7), c = 15.6448(6) Å, β = 90.190(6)o, Z = 4; for 6, a = 7.0561(2), b = 15.9311(4), c = 12.2102(3) Å, β = 100.858(3)o, Z = 2. The hydrogen bonding generates structures which are either two-dimensional (2 and 5) or three-dimensional (1, 3, 4 and 6). Compound 6 represents the third reported structure of a salt of 5-sulfosalicylic acid having a dicationic piperazine species.

Raman spectroscopy of hydrogene-arsenate group (AsO3OH) in solid-state compounds: cobalt mineral phase burgessite Co2(H2O)4[AsO3OH]2•H2O

Raman spectrum of burgessite, Co2(H2O)4[AsO3OH]2.H2O was studied, interpreted and compared with its infrared spectrum. The stretching and bending vibrations of (AsO3) and As-OH units together with the stretching, bending and libration modes of water molecules and hydroxyl ions were assigned. The range of O-H...O hydrogen bond lengths was inferred from the Raman and infrared spectra of burgessite. The presence of (AsO3OH)2- units in the crystal structure of burgessite was proved in agreement with its recently solved crystal structure. Raman and infrared spectra of erythrite inferred from the RRUFF database are used for comparison.

The nature of caregiving in children of a parent with multiple sclerosis from multiple sources and the associations between caregiving activities and youth adjustment overtime

This study explored youth caregiving for a parent with multiple sclerosis (MS) from multiple perspectives, and examined associations between caregiving and child negative (behavioural emotional difficulties, somatisation) and positive (life satisfaction, positive affect, prosocial behaviour) adjustment outcomes overtime. A total of 88 families participated; 85 parents with MS, 55 partners and 130 children completed questionnaires at Time 1. Child caregiving was assessed by the Youth Activities of Caregiving Scale (YACS). Child and parent questionnaire data were collected at Time 1 and child data were collected 12 months later (Time 2). Factor analysis of the child and parent YACS data replicated the four factors (instrumental, social-emotional, personal-intimate, domestic-household care), all of which were psychometrically sound. The YACS factors were related to parental illness and caregiving context variables that reflected increased caregiving demands. The Time 1 instrumental and social-emotional care domains were associated with poorer Time 2 adjustment, whereas personal-intimate was related to better adjustment and domestic-household care was unrelated to adjustment. Children and their parents exhibited highest agreement on personal-intimate, instrumental and total caregiving, and least on domestic-household and social-emotional care. Findings delineate the key dimensions of young caregiving in MS and the differential links between caregiving activities and youth adjustment.

Apoptosis is induced in Chlamydia trachomatis infected HEp-2 cells by the addition of a combination innate immune activation compounds and the inhibitor wedelolactone

Problem: Innate immune activation of human cells, for some intracellular pathogens, is advantageous for vacuole morphology and pathogenic viability. It is unknown whether innate immune activation is advantageous to Chlamydia trachomatis viability. ----- ----- Method of study: Innate immune activation of HEp-2 cells during Chlamydia infection was conducted using lipopolysaccharide (LPS), polyI:C, and wedelolactone (innate immune inhibitor) to investigate the impact of these conditions on viability of Chlamydia. ----- ----- Results: The addition of LPS and polyI:C to stimulate activation of the two distinct innate immune pathways (nuclear factor kappa beta and interferon regulatory factor) had no impact on the viability of Chlamydia. However, when compounds targeting either pathway were added in combination with the specific innate immune inhibitor (wedelolactone) a major impact on Chlamydia viability was observed. This impact was found to be due to the induction of apoptosis of the HEp-2 cells under these conditions. ----- ----- Conclusion: This is the first time that induction of apoptosis has been reported in C. trachomatis-infected cells when treated with a combination of innate immune activators and wedelolactone.

Reduction of nitroaromatic compounds on supported gold nanoparticles by visible and ultraviolet light

Shedding light: Nitroaromatic compounds on gold nanoparticles (3 wt %) supported on ZrO2 can be reduced directly to the corresponding azo compounds when illuminated with visible light or ultraviolet light at 40 °C (see picture). The process occurs with high selectivity and at ambient temperature and pressure, and enables the selection of intermediates that are unstable in thermal reactions.