Photocleavage mechanism of polyimides having cyclobutane rings

The photocleavage reaction of dimer model compounds of photosensitive polyimides having cyclobutane rings in the main chain was studied. Efficient photocleavage was observed for the dimer models (CBAM2, CBAM4, and CBPM2) which had an electron-donating aromatic substituent at the electron-accepting imide group. On the other hand, the cleavage quantum yield was nearly zero for a dimer (CBCM2) which had a cyclohexane substituent instead of the aromatic ring. Solvent polarity effects on the cleavage quantum yield revealed that these dimers gave the largest photocleavage efficiency in medium-polar solvents. The transient absorption band of the excited triplet of CBPM2 was effectively quenched by oxygen, whereas no oxygen quenching was observed for the cleavage quantum yield. This leads to the conclusion that the cyclobutane ring in the polyimide is photocleaved via the excited singlet intramolecular CT state.     

A technique for detecting GABA in the human brain with PRESS localization and optimized refocusing spectral editing radiofrequency pulses

A proton magnetic resonance spectral editing technique is presented that uses PRESS excitation to achieve spatially localized measurements of brain gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). The homonuclear difference spectroscopy technique employs a frequency selective inversion pulse to suppress the creatine resonance at 3.0 ppm. The timing of this pulse is optimized to maximize the suppression of creatine by minimizing the effect of the editing pulse on the 3.0 ppm resonances. The PRESS excitation achieves three dimensional spatial localization in a single acquisition making it less sensitive to patient motion than multiple acquisition techniques. The performance and utility of this technique were evaluated by phantom experiments and by in vivo measurements of brain GABA concentration in 10 normal subjects.     

Before the beginning: Religious leaders' perceptions of the possibility for mutually beneficial collaboration with psychologists

In the past decade, several authors have argued that psychologists consider collaboration with religious communities as a way of reaching people in their natural settings, addressing issues of ecological validity, and enriching psychological theory and practice. However, absent from most of the literature is a rationale for why members of the religious communities may be interested in collaborating; or, how setting members might benefit from such working relationships. The paper presents perspectives from leaders of religious communities on these questions. Based on interviews with leaders, three variables emerged as influential for leaders' openness to collaboration: (a) emphasis on a service orientation (inreach/outreach), (b) familiarity with a university, and (c) perceptions of psychologists as potential collaborators. The results of the interviews also suggest that (d) many leaders make distinctions between collaboration and consultation, (e) several potential barriers exist for collaboration, and (f) community psychologists may need to make distinctions between clinical and community interventions. The paper presents initial guidelines and relevant information to psychologists interested in working in the context of religious organizations.     

Associations of Urban Environment Features with Hypertension and Blood Pressure across 230 Latin American Cities

Background: Features of the urban physical environment may be linked to the development of high blood pressure, a leading risk factor for global burden of disease.Objectives: We examined associations of urban physical environment features with hypertension and blood pressure measures in adults across 230 Latin American cities.Methods: In this cross-sectional study we used health, social, and built environment data from the SALud URBana en América Latina (SALURBAL) project. The individual-level outcomes were hypertension and levels of systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The exposures were city and subcity built environment features, mass transit infrastructure, and green space. Odds ratios (ORs) and mean differences and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using multilevel logistic and linear regression models, with single- and multiple-exposure models adjusted for individual-level age, sex, education, and subcity educational attainment.Results: A total of 109,176 participants from 230 cities and eight countries were included in the hypertension analyses and 50,228 participants from 194 cities and seven countries were included in the blood pressure measures analyses. Participants were 18–97 years of age. In multiple-exposure models, higher city fragmentation was associated with higher odds of having hypertension (OR per standard deviation (SD) increase=1.11; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.21); presence (vs. no presence) of mass transit in the city was associated with higher odds of having hypertension (OR=1.30; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.54); higher subcity population density was associated with lower odds of having hypertension (OR per SD increase=0.90; 95% CI: 0.85, 0.94); and higher subcity intersection density was associated with higher odds of having hypertension [OR per SD increase=1.09; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.15). The presence of mass transit was also associated with slightly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure in multiple-exposure models adjusted for treatment. Except for the association between intersection density and hypertension, associations were attenuated after adjustment for country. An inverse association of greenness with continuous blood pressure emerged after country adjustment.Discussion: Our results suggest that urban physical environment features—such as fragmentation, mass transit, population density, and intersection density—may be related to hypertension in Latin American cities. Reducing chronic disease risks in the growing urban areas of Latin America may require attention to integrated management of urban design and transport planning. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP7870     

Smartphone applications available to pregnant women in the United Kingdom: An assessment of nutritional information

The importance of diet during pregnancy is critically important for the short‐ and long‐term health of both mother and child. The number of apps targeting pregnant women is rapidly increasing, yet the nutritional content of these tools remains largely unexplored. This review aimed to evaluate the coverage and content of nutrition information in smartphone apps available to U.K. pregnant women. Keyword searches were conducted in iTunes and Google Play stores in November 2018. Candidate apps were included if they targeted pregnant women, provided pregnancy‐specific nutritional information, had a user rating of at least 4+ based on at least 20 ratings, and were available in English. Nutritional content was assessed for accuracy against U.K. recommendations. Behaviour change techniques (BCTs) were also evaluated. Twenty‐nine apps were included, seven of which originated in the United Kingdom. There was a large variability in the quality of smartphone app nutritional information. The accuracy of nutrition information varied, and several apps conveyed inappropriate information for pregnancy. On average, 10 BCTs were identified per app (range 2–15). Overall, smartphone apps do not consistently provide accurate and useful nutritional information to pregnant women. This study highlights the need for the integration of evidence‐based nutritional information during app development and for increased regulatory oversight. App developers should also make it clear that nutritional content is intended for a specific geographical region or population or modify for the intended audience. These are important considerations for the design of future apps, which are increasingly used to complement existing maternity services.     

Association of HIV serostatus and metabolic syndrome with neurobehavioral disturbances

Journal of NeuroVirology - Metabolic syndrome (MetS), a constellation of related metabolic risk factors, is a common comorbidity associated with cognitive difficulty in people living with HIV...