Children’s externalizing behaviors are associated with impairments across the lifespan. Developmental psychopathology theories propose transactional (bidirectional) associations between child externalizing behaviors and parenting during childhood and adolescence. Yet, these foundational relations in early childhood are not well-studied. Utilizing a large, mixed-sex sample, we examined the reciprocal nature of parenting and child externalizing behaviors across early childhood using robust repeated-measures models. Repeated measures data were drawn from a socioeconomically diverse, longitudinal pregnancy cohort of 1287 (64% Black, 31% White) mother-child dyads at four time points (ages one to six). Three variables were included in cross-lagged panel models: observed parenting quality, child externalizing symptoms, and a maternal risk composite. In covariate-adjusted models, higher parenting quality at Wave 1 predicted lower child externalizing symptoms at Wave 2. Higher externalizing symptoms at Wave 1 and Wave 2 predicted lower parenting quality at Wave 2 and Wave 3, respectively. Maternal risk and parenting quality were not significantly associated. Findings showed both parent-driven and child-driven effects across early childhood that did not vary by child sex. The transactional nature of the parent-child relationship begins in infancy, underscoring the importance of early screening and provision of supports for families to minimize and prevent the development of serious psychopathology.

Maternal adversity and prenatal stress confer risk for child behavioral health problems. Few studies have examined this intergenerational process across multiple dimensions of stress; fewer have explored potential protective factors. Using a large, diverse sample of mother–child dyads, we examined associations between maternal childhood trauma, prenatal stressors, and offspring socioemotional-behavioral development, while also examining potential resilience-promoting factors. The Conditions Affecting Neurocognitive Development and Learning and Early Childhood (CANDLE) study prospectively followed 1503 mother–child dyads (65% Black, 32% White) from pregnancy. Exposures included maternal childhood trauma, socioeconomic risk, intimate partner violence, and geocode-linked neighborhood violent crime during pregnancy. Child socioemotional-behavioral functioning was measured via the Brief Infant Toddler Social Emotional Assessment (mean age = 1.1 years). Maternal social support and parenting knowledge during pregnancy were tested as potential moderators. Multiple linear regressions (N = 1127) revealed that maternal childhood trauma, socioeconomic risk, and intimate partner violence were independently, positively associated with child socioemotional-behavioral problems at age one in fully adjusted models. Maternal parenting knowledge moderated associations between both maternal childhood trauma and prenatal socioeconomic risk on child problems: greater knowledge was protective against the effects of socioeconomic risk and was promotive in the context of low maternal history of childhood trauma. Findings indicate that multiple dimensions of maternal stress and adversity are independently associated with child socioemotional-behavioral problems. Further, modifiable environmental factors, including knowledge regarding child development, can mitigate these risks. Both findings support the importance of parental screening and early intervention to promote child socioemotional-behavioral health.

The emergence of invasive fungal wound infections (IFIs) in combat casualties led to development of a combat trauma-specific IFI case definition and classification. Prospective data were collected from 1133 US military personnel injured in Afghanistan (June 2009–August 2011). The IFI rates ranged from 0·2% to 11·7% among ward and intensive care unit admissions, respectively (6·8% overall). Seventy-seven IFI cases were classified as proven/probable (n = 54) and possible/unclassifiable (n = 23) and compared in a case-case analysis. There was no difference in clinical characteristics between the proven/probable and possible/unclassifiable cases. Possible IFI cases had shorter time to diagnosis (P = 0·02) and initiation of antifungal therapy (P = 0·05) and fewer operative visits (P = 0·002) compared to proven/probable cases, but clinical outcomes were similar between the groups. Although the trauma-related IFI classification scheme did not provide prognostic information, it is an effective tool for clinical and epidemiological surveillance and research.

Objective: To relate clinical factors to the development of cardiovascular atherosclerosis for patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. Background: Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia is associated with extreme elevations in levels of cholesterol causing aggressive atherosclerosis. Methods: We reviewed 10 children, 8 of whom were male, assessed at a single institution. We found that individual characteristics, levels of lipid, cardiovascular investigations, and management were related to the activity of low density lipoprotein receptors. Results: Activity of low density lipoprotein receptors was defined as absent, being less than 2% of normal, in 4 patients who presented at the ages of 0.3, 1.4, 1.8, and 4.5 years, respectively. The activity was minimal, representing 5%–30% of normal, in another 4 patients presenting at the ages of 6.1, 9.6, 9.9, and 12 years, and was undetermined in 2 patients who presented at the ages of 3.5, and 12.1 years. Levels of low density lipoprotein cholesterol at presentation ranged from 12.2 to 24 millimoles per litre. Plasmapheresis was performed bi-weekly in 9 patients. Patients with absence of receptor activity were less likely to have a serial decrease in the levels of low density lipoprotein cholesterol prior to plasmapheresis, and one of these patients was increased to weekly plasmapheresis. In addition, they had more aggressive cardiovascular involvement of the coronary arteries, aortic valve and aorta, requiring surgical intervention at the age of 8 and 12 years in 2 patients, with sudden death at the age of 3.1 years in one patient. In contrast, 1 patient with minimal receptor activity had surgical intervention at the age of 16.6 years and another patient died suddenly at the age of 33.6 years. Conclusion: Complete cardiac assessment is recommended at presentation. The frequency of plasmapheresis should be adjusted according to the activity of low density lipoprotein receptors and the individual response of the patient.

The Vulcan Nd:glass laser at the Central Laser Facility (CLF) is a petawatt (1015 Watts) interaction facility, designed to deliver irradiance on target of 1021W.cm−2 for the UK and international user community. The facility came online to users in 2002 and considerable experience has been gained operating Vulcan in this mode. The facility delivers a wide-ranging experimental program in fundamental physics and advanced applications. This includes the interaction of ultrahigh intensity light with matter, fast ignition fusion research, photon induced nuclear reactions, electron and ion acceleration by light waves, and the exploration of the exotic world of plasma physics dominated by relativity. We report on the first year's operation of the facility and the highlights of the experimental campaigns.

The gradients in photosynthetic and carbohydrate metabolism which persist within the fully expanded second leaf of barley (Hordeum vulgare) were examined. Although all regions of the leaf blade were green and photosynthetically active, the basal 5 cm, representing approximately 20% of the leaf area, retained some characteristics of sink tissue. The leaf blade distal from the leaf sheath exhibited characteristics typical of source tissue; the activities of sucrolytic enzymes (invertase and sucrose synthase) were relatively low, whilst that of sucrose phosphate synthase was high. These regions of the leaf accumulated sucrose throughout the photoperiod and starch only in the second half of the photoperiod whilst hexose sugars remained low. By contrast the leaf blade proximal to the leaf sheath retained relatively high activities of sucrolytic enzymes (especially soluble, acid invertase) whilst sucrose phosphate synthase activity was low. Glucose, as well as sucrose, accumulated throughout the photoperiod. Although starch accumulated in the second half of the photoperiod, a basal level of starch was present throughout the photoperiod, by contrast with the rest of the leaf. The 14CO2 feeding experiments indicated that a constant amount of photosynthate was partitioned towards starch in this region of the leaf irrespective of irradiance. These findings are interpreted as the base of the leaf blade acting as a localized sink for carbohydrate as a result of sucrose hydrolysis by acid invertase.

As the trend towards device miniaturisation continues, surface effects and the thermal stability of metal deposits becomes increasingly important. We present here a study of the morphology and composition of platinum films, produced by the UV-induced decomposition of organometallic materials, under various annealing conditions. The surface composition of the metal deposits was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, both as-deposited and following thermal treatment. In addition, the morphology of the surface was studied by atomic force microscopy which enabled the investigation of film restructuring. These studies were performed over a range of temperatures up to 1000°C in air and up to 600°C in reducing environments. Complementary information regarding the film morphology has been obtained from transmission electron microscopy. The data has been used to provide an insight into the effects of elevated temperatures on metal films deposited by a direct write method