Measuring Rates of Herbicide Metabolism in Dicot Weeds with an Excised Leaf Assay.

In order to isolate and accurately determine rates of herbicide metabolism in an obligate-outcrossing dicot weed, waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus), we developed an excised leaf assay combined with a vegetative cloning strategy to normalize herbicide uptake and remove translocation as contributing factors in herbicide-resistant (R) and -sensitive (S) waterhemp populations. Biokinetic analyses of organic pesticides in plants typically include the determination of uptake, translocation (delivery to the target site), metabolic fate, and interactions with the target site. Herbicide metabolism is an important parameter to measure in herbicide-resistant weeds and herbicide-tolerant crops, and is typically accomplished with whole-plant tests using radiolabeled herbicides.

Effect of teaching motivational interviewing via communication coaching on clinician and patient satisfaction in primary care and pediatric obesity-focused offices.

Objective: Studies indicate needed improvement in clinician communication and patient satisfaction. Motivational interviewing (MI) helps promote patient behavior change and improves satisfaction. In this pilot study, we tested a coaching intervention to teach MI to all clinic staff to improve clinician and patient satisfaction.

Addressing Childhood Obesity: Opportunities for Prevention.

The overweight and obesity epidemic among children and adolescents in the United States continues to worsen, with notable racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities. Risk factors for pediatric obesity include genetics; environmental and neighborhood factors; increased intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), fast-food, and processed snacks; decreased physical activity; shorter sleep duration; and increased personal, prenatal, or family stress. Pediatricians can help prevent obesity by measuring body mass index at least yearly and providing age- and development-appropriate anticipatory guidance to families.

Sulfamerazine: Understanding the Influence of Slip Planes in the Polymorphic Phase Transformation through X-Ray Crystallographic Studies and ab Initio Lattice Dynamics.

Understanding the polymorphism exhibited by organic active-pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), in particular the relationships between crystal structure and the thermodynamics of polymorph stability, is vital for the production of more stable drugs and better therapeutics, and for the economics of the pharmaceutical industry in general. In this article, we report a detailed study of the structure-property relationships among the polymorphs of the model API, Sulfamerazine. Detailed experimental characterization using synchrotron radiation is complemented by computational modeling of the lattice dynamics and mechanical properties, in order to study the origin of differences in millability and to investigate the thermodynamics of the phase equilibria.

Influence of the exchange-correlation functional on the quasi-harmonic lattice dynamics of II-VI semiconductors.

We perform a systematic comparison of the finite-temperature structure and properties of four bulk semiconductors (PbS, PbTe, ZnS, and ZnTe) predicted by eight popular exchange-correlation functionals from quasi-harmonic lattice-dynamics calculations. The performance of the functionals in reproducing the temperature dependence of a number of material properties, including lattice parameters, thermal-expansion coefficients, bulk moduli, heat capacities, and phonon frequencies, is evaluated quantitatively against available experimental data. We find that the phenomenological over- and under-binding characteristics of the local-density approximation and the PW91 and Perdew-Burke-Enzerhof (PBE) generalised-gradient approximation (GGA) functionals, respectively, are exaggerated at finite temperature, whereas the PBEsol GGA shows good general performance across all four systems.

Receptionist rECognition and rEferral of Patients with Stroke (RECEPTS): unannounced simulated patient telephone call study in primary care.

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Timely recognition and referral are essential for treatment.

Aim: To examine the ability of receptionists in general practices to recognise symptoms of stroke and direct patients to emergency care.

Ab Initio Molecular-Dynamics Simulation of Neuromorphic Computing in Phase-Change Memory Materials.

We present an in silico study of the neuromorphic-computing behavior of the prototypical phase-change material, Ge2Sb2Te5, using ab initio molecular-dynamics simulations. Stepwise changes in structural order in response to temperature pulses of varying length and duration are observed, and a good reproduction of the spike-timing-dependent plasticity observed in nanoelectronic synapses is demonstrated. Short above-melting pulses lead to instantaneous loss of structural and chemical order, followed by delayed partial recovery upon structural relaxation.

Caregiver Expectations of Family-based Pediatric Obesity Treatment.

Objective: To explore caregivers' expectations of pediatric weight management prior to starting treatment.

Methods: Interviews conducted with 25 purposefully selected caregivers of children, ages 8-12 years, waiting to begin 4 different weight management programs. Interviews were conducted and recorded via telephone and coded using a multistage inductive approach.

Is the practice of goal-setting for patients in acute stroke care patient-centred and what factors influence this? A qualitative study.

Objective: To explore whether goal-setting for rehabilitation with acute stroke survivors is patient-centred and identify factors which influence the adoption of patient-centredness in goal-setting practice.

Setting: Acute stroke unit in a large teaching hospital in England.

Participants: Patients with stroke who had no cognitive or significant communication problems and health care professionals who had a significant engagement with an individual patient were approached for participation.

Transcriptome analysis reveals the host response to Schmallenberg virus in bovine cells and antagonistic effects of the NSs protein.

Background: Schmallenberg virus (SBV) is a member of the Orthobunyavirus genus (Bunyaviridae family) causing malformations and abortions in ruminants. Although, as for other members of this family/genus, the non-structural protein NSs has been shown to be an interferon antagonist, very little is known regarding the overall inhibitory effects and targets of orthobunyavirus NSs proteins on host gene expression during infection. Therefore, using RNA-seq this study describes changes to the transcriptome of primary bovine cells following infection with Schmallenberg virus (SBV) or with a mutant lacking the non-structural protein NSs (SBVdelNSs) providing a detailed comparison of the effect of NSs expression on the host cell.

Pes planus and paediatric obesity: a systematic review of the literature.

Children with obesity report musculoskeletal pain more than normal-weight children; this may be linked with literature suggesting children with obesity have higher prevalence of pes planus (flatfoot). To further elucidate whether this relation occurs, we conducted a systematic literature review on the co-occurrence of pes planus and paediatric obesity. Empirical articles published until September 2013 were obtained through an electronic search of MEDLINE and SPORTDiscus; included articles examined the association between body weight and pes planus in children.

Family-based obesity treatment in children with disabilities.

Objective: To assess the relative effectiveness of an interdisciplinary, family-centered, tertiary-care pediatric weight management program for the treatment of patients with and without cognitive disabilities (CD).

Methods: Retrospective analysis of the clinical database of a tertiary-care pediatric weight management clinic (n = 453), extracting data from electronic health records including longitudinal change in weight status (body mass index [BMI] z-score) and frequency of attrition from treatment. Upon review of medical records, children enrolled in the treatment program were classified as having no CD (n = 342) or CD (n = 111).

Electronic excitations in molecular solids: bridging theory and experiment.

As the spatial and temporal resolution accessible to experiment and theory converge, computational chemistry is an increasingly powerful tool for modelling and interpreting spectroscopic data. However, the study of molecular processes, in particular those related to electronic excitations (e.g.

Improving outcomes for diverse populations disproportionately affected by diabetes: final results of Project IMPACT: Diabetes.

Objective: To improve key indicators of diabetes care by expanding a proven community-based model of care throughout high-risk areas in the United States.

Design: Observational, multisite, pre-post comparison study.

Setting: Federally qualified health centers, free clinics, employer worksites, community pharmacies, departments of health, physician offices, and other care facilities in 25 communities in 17 states from June 2011 through January 2013.

Ultrafast phase-change logic device driven by melting processes.

The ultrahigh demand for faster computers is currently tackled by traditional methods such as size scaling (for increasing the number of devices), but this is rapidly becoming almost impossible, due to physical and lithographic limitations. To boost the speed of computers without increasing the number of logic devices, one of the most feasible solutions is to increase the number of operations performed by a device, which is largely impossible to achieve using current silicon-based logic devices. Multiple operations in phase-change-based logic devices have been achieved using crystallization; however, they can achieve mostly speeds of several hundreds of nanoseconds.

Mesenchymal stem cells augment the adaptive response to eccentric exercise.

Purpose: The α7β1 integrin is a transmembrane protein expressed in the skeletal muscle that can link the actin cytoskeleton to the surrounding basal lamina. We have previously demonstrated that transgenic mice overexpressing the α7B integrin in the skeletal muscle (MCK:α7B; α7Tg) mount an enhanced satellite cell and growth response to single or multiple bouts of eccentric exercise. In addition, interstitial stem cells characterized as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) accumulate in α7Tg muscle (mMSCs) in the sedentary state and after exercise.

Receptionist rECognition and rEferral of PaTients with Stroke (RECEPTS) study - protocol of a mixed methods study.

Background: As the first point of contact for patients and witnesses of stroke, General Practice receptionists can be instrumental in deciding the urgency of clinical contact. Despite the considerable complexity of this task, reception staff are not clinically trained. Minimising the time taken to access thrombolysis is crucial in acute stroke as treatment must be initiated within 4.

A systematic review of pediatric obesity and family communication through the lens of addiction literature.

Background: Both treatment of addiction and treatment of pediatric obesity often integrate the family unit. Thus, addiction therapies may provide a model to guide treatment of pediatric obesity, particularly issues of family communication, weight, and weight-related behaviors. The aim of this systematic review is to assess what knowledge in the field of addiction treatment can be translated to pediatric weight management, particularly in relation to family-based approaches and communication.

Pediatric obesity and safety in inpatient settings: a systematic literature review.

Objective: Pediatric obesity affects more than 16% of American children and is associated with worse outcomes in hospitalized patients. A systematic literature review was performed to identify studies of adverse care events affecting obese pediatric patients in the emergency room, operating room, or inpatient wards.

Evidence Review: We systematically searched Medline for articles published from 1970 to 2013 regarding obesity and patient safety events in pediatric acute care settings.

The food environment of youth baseball.

Background: Sports, such as youth baseball (YB), are popular outlets for increasing activity, yet there has been no investigation of food environments surrounding them. The aim of this study was to observe the types of foods available and consumed by players and spectators at YB events.

Methods: This was an observational assessment, by environmental scan, of foods consumed by players and family members at a YB field in northwest North Carolina.

Family Systems Theory and Obesity Treatment: Applications for Clinicians.

Family-based approaches are recommended for the treatment of pediatric obesity, although most of the literature describes programs that only include the identified child and one parent in the treatment process. As a result, the clinical application of research protocols in nutrition settings may be inadequate; multiple representations of a "family" will be encountered in the clinical environment. Mental health professionals, particularly those who work with children, often engage families in psychotherapy.

Prevalence and trends in obesity and severe obesity among children in the United States, 1999-2012.

Importance: Childhood obesity is the focus of public health efforts and accurate estimates of the prevalence and severity of obesity are needed for policy decisions and directions for future research.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of obesity and severe obesity over time for 14 years of the continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999 to 2012, and to examine differences in the trends by age, race/ethnicity, and sex.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Representative sample (N = 26 690) of children in the United States, ages 2 to 19 years, in repeated cross-sections of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999 to 2012.