bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intellectual disabilities and child psychiatry: looking to the future
Authors: Hodapp Robert M. , Dykens Elisabeth M.
Published: December 2008

We begin this article by examining the role of intellectual disabilities within child psychiatry, highlighting the relatively steady role of disabilities and the recent movement to examine behavior in specific genetic syndromes. We next propose five questions for future work. Questions relate to (1) specifying the nature of gene–brain–behavior connections; (2) delineating environmental effects and gene–environment interactions; (3) understanding behaviors, physical characteristics, health issues, and other personal characteristics by which children with intellectual disabilities influence others; (4) clarifying the roles of gender and aging in behavioral functioning; and (5) working to improve pharmacological, educational, and other interventions and supports for children and their families. Although great advances have occurred over the past 50 years, intellectual disability research lags behind other areas of child psychiatry; much remains to be discovered that might help these children.
Soft contact lens cleaning: rub or no‐rub?1
Authors: Cho Pauline , Cheng Suk Yi , Chan Wai Yip , Yip Wing Kin
Published: December 2008

Purpose:  To compare effectiveness of cleaning with and without rubbing of soft contact lenses.

Methods:  Three‐hundred new biweekly disposable hydrogel lenses (Ocufilcon D, FDA Group IV; 55% water content) were artificially deposited with serum albumin, hand cream (semi‐transparent deposits) and mascara (black deposits). The treated lenses were randomly divided into three groups, each group cleaned by one of three methods of cleaning — Rubbing (R), No‐Rub following the manufacturer’s instruction on duration of rinsing (NR1) and No‐Rub with a shorter duration of rinsing (NR2). Four commercially‐available multipurpose solutions (MPS) and a saline were used. The cleaning effectiveness was determined by the amount of deposits remaining on the contact lenses after cleaning, assessed with the aid of a slit‐lamp. The level of deposits remaining (in terms of coverage of lens surface) were determined using a five‐point scale [0 (no observable deposits) – 4 (>80% deposits remained)] for semi‐transparent deposits (protein and hand cream) and black deposits (mascara). The investigators were masked as to the solutions used (except for one MPS which has a different rinsing time than the other MPS), and the investigator who assessed the deposits left on the lenses did not know which solution or cleaning method was used to clean each lens.

Results:  Lenses cleaned by the R method were significantly cleaner than those cleaned by methods NR1 and NR2. No significant difference was found between lenses cleaned by NR1 and NR2 methods. The median grade of deposits for lenses cleaned by R method was 0.5 for both semi‐transparent and black deposits. For lenses cleaned by NR1 and NR2 methods, the median grade of deposits left on lens surfaces was 4.0 for both types of deposits. Different solutions used did not affect the level of deposits left on lens surfaces for all three cleaning methods.

Conclusions:  Not rubbing the soft lens when cleaning is ineffective in removing loosely‐bound deposits. A longer rinse, as recommended by the manufacturers, does not remove significantly more deposits than a shorter rinse with the MPS. This work supports the view that contact lens wearers should be encouraged to rub their lenses when cleaning.
The effectiveness of progressive addition lenses on the progression of myopia in Chinese children
Authors: Yang Zhikuan , Lan Weizhong , Ge Jian , Liu Wen , Chen Xiang , Chen Linxin , Yu Minbin
Published: December 2008

Purpose:  To evaluate the effectiveness of progressive addition lenses (PALs), with a near addition of +1.50 D, on the progression of myopia in Chinese children.

Methods:  We enrolled 178 Chinese juvenile‐onset acquired myopes (aged 7–13 years, −0.50 to −3.00 D spherical refractive error), who did not have moderately or highly myopic parents, for a 2‐year prospective study. They were randomly assigned to the PAL group or single vision (SV) group. Primary measurements, which included myopia progression and ocular biometry, were performed every 6 months. Treatment effect was adjusted for important covariates, by using a multiple linear regression model.

Results:  One hundred and forty‐nine subjects (75 in SV and 74 in PAL) completed the 2‐year study. The myopia progression (mean ± S.D.) in the SV and PAL groups was −1.50 ± 0.67 and −1.24 ± 0.56 D, respectively. This difference of 0.26 D over 2 years was statistically significant (p = 0.01). The lens type (p = 0.02) and baseline spherical equivalent refraction (p = 0.05) were significant contributing factors to myopia progression. Mean increase in the depth of vitreous chamber was 0.70 ± 0.40 and 0.59 ± 0.24 mm, respectively. This difference of 0.11 mm was statistically significant (p = 0.04). Age (p < 0.01) was the only contributing factor to the elongation of vitreous chamber. Different near phoria (p < 0.01) and gender (p = 0.02) caused different treatment effects when wearing SV lenses. However, there were no factors found to influence the treatment effect of wearing PALs.

Conclusions:  Compared with SV lenses, myopia progression was found to be retarded by PALs to some extent in Chinese children without moderately or highly myopic parents, especially for subjects with near esophoria or females.
Referrals to ophthalmology: optometric and general practice comparison
Authors: Pierscionek T. J. , Moore J. E. , Pierscionek B. K.
Published: December 2008

Purpose:  To assess referrals from primary care practitioners to an ophthalmological practice in order to determine whether any differences exist between the two primary care groups in the types of conditions referred, and in concurrence between reasons for referral and ophthalmological diagnosis.

Methods:  This study investigated patient referrals from general practitioners and optometrists to an ophthalmologist’s practice in Belfast, over a period of 3 months from January 2007 to the end of March 2007. Anonymised data were divided into two groups depending on the referring practitioner. Within the two groups, patient numbers were sub‐divided into 15 categories covering the range of diagnoses made. Preliminary diagnoses or reasons for referral were compared with the definitive diagnoses made by the ophthalmologist.

Results:  Optometrists contributed the greatest number of referrals (323) with 243 patients referred by general practitioners. Cataract was the most common condition referred by optometrists, and the second most common condition referred by general practitioners: agreement with ophthalmological diagnosis was high for both groups of primary care practitioners. Concurrence of referral reason with ophthalmological diagnosis for glaucoma was lower for general practitioners (56%) than for optometrists (76%), but optometrists referred more false positive patients for glaucoma than did general practitioners. The opposite was true for lid/tear duct/conjunctival conditions, the most common basis for referral by general practitioners.

Conclusions:  The differences between the two primary care practitioner groups may reflect variations in training, skills and practice. Further investigation of the particular strengths of both groups, and how they can be optimised to promote effective shared care, is required.
A decision support methodology for increasing public investment efficiency in Brazilian agrarian reform
Authors: Melgarejo Leonardo , De Figueiredo João Neiva , Fries Carlos Ernani
Published: December 2008

The Brazilian Agrarian Reform Program has subsidized the settlement of over 425,000 destitute families on previously unproductive land in what has become a very effective vehicle for social inclusion and productivity growth for those settlers who reach the final stage of the process and receive definitive title to the land. Unfortunately, there is a large difference in efficiency and productivity between more and less successful settlements – fewer than 10% of relocated families have received title and over 25% of them have abandoned the property to which they were assigned. This paper presents a decision support methodology for increasing the efficiency of public investments in agrarian reform that includes a data envelopment analysis model and a mechanism for building consensus among the various constituencies of the agrarian reform process, who not infrequently have conflicting objectives. The OR model described herein uses principal component analysis and data envelopment analysis to identify the most important success factors for relocated families leading to an increase in the chance of both autonomous integration with the market economy and definitive entitlement by these displaced families as well as an increase in the predictability of future settlement success. The model was implemented successfully in Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil, and was partially used in a pilot project for the countrywide agrarian reform accelerated consolidation program.
An annotated bibliography of GRASP – Part I: Algorithms
Authors: Festa Paola , Resende Mauricio G. C.
Published: December 2008

A greedy randomized adaptive search procedure (GRASP) is a metaheuristic for combinatorial optimization. It is a multi‐start or iterative process, in which each GRASP iteration consists of two phases, a construction phase, in which a feasible solution is produced, and a local search phase, in which a local optimum in the neighborhood of the constructed solution is sought. Since 1989, numerous papers on the basic aspects of GRASP, as well as enhancements to the basic metaheuristic have appeared in the literature. GRASP has been applied to a wide range of combinatorial optimization problems, ranging from scheduling and routing to drawing and turbine balancing. This is the first of two papers with an annotated bibliography of the GRASP literature from 1989 to 2008. This paper covers algorithmic aspects of GRASP.
Inco Ltd.: Market Value, Fair Value, and Management Discretion
Authors: HILTON ANDREW S. , O'BRIEN PATRICIA C.
Published: December 2008

We examine management discretion to decide when and how much to write down an asset, in a unique case where a tracking stock provides an observable market value for the asset. We find that, despite market evidence that Inco Ltd.'s financial statements substantially overvalued the Voisey's Bay nickel mine throughout 1997 to 2000, management chose not to write down the mine until 2002. Inco management used an independent fairness opinion to justify its December 2000 redemption of the tracking stock at 25% of its initial value, indicating almost surely that Inco management was aware of the generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) impairment. This case illustrates that GAAP's reliance on undiscounted cash flows for impairment decisions allows huge unrecorded disparities between book and market value. The management discretion exercised in this case provides a concrete example of the subjectivity inherent in fair valuation.
The Effect of SOX Internal Control Deficiencies on Firm Risk and Cost of Equity
Authors: ASHBAUGH‐SKAIFE HOLLIS , COLLINS DANIEL W. , KINNEY JR WILLIAM R. , LAFOND RYAN
Published: December 2008

The Sarbanes‐Oxley Act (SOX) mandates management evaluation and independent audits of internal control effectiveness. The mandate is costly to firms but may yield benefits through lower information risk that translates into lower cost of equity. We use unaudited pre–SOX 404 disclosures and SOX 404 audit opinions to assess how changes in internal control quality affect firm risk and cost of equity. After controlling for other risk factors, we find that firms with internal control deficiencies have significantly higher idiosyncratic risk, systematic risk, and cost of equity. Our change analyses document that auditor‐confirmed changes in internal control effectiveness (including remediation of previously disclosed internal control deficiencies) are followed by significant changes in the cost of equity that range from 50 to 150 basis points. Overall, our cross‐sectional and intertemporal change test results are consistent with internal control reports affecting investors' risk assessments and firms' cost of equity.
The Going‐Concern Market Anomaly
Authors: KAUSAR ASAD , TAFFLER RICHARD J. , TAN CHRISTINE
Published: December 2008

We explore the market response to announcements of first‐time going‐concern (GC) audit opinions and, for a subset of these cases, their subsequent withdrawal, from 1993 to 2005. We find that the market fully responds to GC withdrawal announcements but underreacts to the GC announcements themselves, resulting in a downward drift of −14% over the one‐year period subsequent to the GC opinion. This result is robust to alternative explanations documented in prior literature. However, after adjusting for transactions costs, the opportunity to earn profits by trading on this market anomaly is limited. We demonstrate that despite such clear adverse signals about the firm's continuing financial viability, this information is not being fully impounded by the market on a timely basis. Our findings differ from those of others who suggest that there is no pricing anomaly associated with GC opinions in the United States. We show that this is likely due to important issues with their research methods.
Prolapse worsens with age, doesn't it?
Authors: DIETZ Hans Peter
Published: December 2008

Background: Female pelvic organ prolapse is common and generally thought to worsen over time. This assumption has recently become less plausible, as the author and others have been able to show that mild to moderate pelvic organ descent is common in young, nulligravid women.

Aims: To investigate the relationship between age and pelvic organ prolapse.

Methods: The records of 1110 women seen for interview, clinical examination, urodynamics and ultrasound were evaluated in a retrospective study. Data were analysed to investigate the relationship between patient age at presentation and pelvic organ descent on clinical examination and ultrasound imaging.

Results: After removal of 139 datasets of women with previous incontinence or prolapse surgery, 971 datasets remained. Mean age was 54 years (17–90), mean vaginal parity was 2.4 (0–12), with 31% complaining of prolapse. We found weak complex relationships between age and cystocele/rectocele staging, with a positive correlation to menopause and a negative relationship thereafter. This was confirmed on imaging findings, with regression showing an almost parabolic fitted line plot for cystocele and rectocele, but a near‐linear curve for uterine prolapse. In nulliparous women, the positive relationship between age and cystocele in premenopausal women was still significant (P = 0.028), indicating that it is not explained by the confounding effect of child bearing.

Conclusions: Ageing seems to play a complex role in the aetiology and pathogenesis of pelvic organ prolapse. Our results contradict epidemiological studies showing age to be a major risk factor for pelvic reconstructive surgery and pelvic organ prolapse.
Chronology of the Last Climatic Cycle (Upper Pleistocene) of the Surduk loess sequence, Vojvodina, Serbia
Authors: FUCHS MARKUS , ROUSSEAU DENIS‐DIDIER , ANTOINE PIERRE , HATTÉ CHRISTINE , GAUTHIER CAROLINE , MARKOVIĆ SLOBODAN , ZOELLER LUDWIG
Published: December 2008

The Surduk loess section in Serbia provides a 20 m thick pedosedimentary record of the last interglacial–glacial climatic cycle (Upper Pleistocene). Based on optical dating, a chronostratigraphy could be established for the last climatic cycle, yielding the first numerical ages of a loess record from the middle Danube basin. Infrared‐stimulated luminescence (IR‐OSL) dating has been applied to the polymineral silt fraction using a multiple aliquot additive‐dose protocol to determine the equivalent dose (DE). Within error limits, all age estimates are in stratigraphic order. Owing to the application of shine‐plateau tests, the samples showed no evidence of insufficient bleaching. The Surduk loess section comprises three major periods of soil formation. Based on the IR‐OSL chronostratigraphy, the lowermost pedocomplex is attributed to the Last Interglacial and to the Early Glacial (Marine Isotope Stage – MIS 5e to 5a). The middle part of the section exhibits a succession of weakly developed brown soils and a humic horizon, named ‘Surduk soil’, formed during MIS 3. On top of the section, recent soil formation is related to the Holocene. Thick loess deposits are preserved between these palaeosols and are attributed to the Lower and Upper Pleniglacials (MIS 4 and 2), respectively. Estimated mean sedimentation rates are 0.1–0.2 mm/yr for the last glacial cycle, with a strong increase to 0.6 mm/yr with onset of the Pleniglacial.
The Late‐Devensian proglacial Lake Humber: new evidence from littoral deposits at Ferrybridge, Yorkshire, England
Authors: BATEMAN MARK D. , BUCKLAND PAUL C. , CHASE BRIAN , FREDERICK CHARLES D. , GAUNT GEOFF D.
Published: December 2008

Proglacial Lake Humber is of UK national significance in terms of landscape drainage and development of the British Ice Sheet (BIS) during Marine Isotope Stage 2 (MIS 2), yet it is poorly understood in terms of its dynamics and timing. Sands and gravels exposed at Ferrybridge, West Yorkshire, UK, are interpreted as part of the Upper Littoral sands and gravels related to a high‐level Lake Humber, which inundated the Humber Basin to ∼30 m OD during MIS 2. Excavations exposed well‐rounded gravels of local origin extending downslope from the 27.5 m OD contour and interbedded sands and fine gravels, which are interpreted as the coarse littoral deposits and nearshore associated deposits. A sample from the distal sands returned an Optically Stimulated Luminescence age of 16.6±1.2 kyr, providing the first direct age for the high‐level lake and for when North Sea Basin ice must have blocked the Humber Gap. An underlying sequence included a diamicton dated to after 23.3 ±1.5 kyr and before 20.5±1.2 kyr, indicating that the Late Devensian ice reached at least 15 km south of the Escrick Moraine prior to the high‐level lake. Previous to both the high‐level lake and this ice advance, loess found at the two sites investigated indicates a long period of loess deposition earlier in MIS 2. These new data for the history of Lake Humber are discussed in the context of ice‐marginal oscillations in both the Vale of York and the North Sea Basin.
Weichselian sediment succession at Ruunaa, Finland, indicating a Mid‐Weichselian ice‐free interval in eastern Fennoscandia
Authors: LUNKKA JUHA PEKKA , MURRAY ANDREW , KORPELA KAUKO
Published: December 2008

Core material obtained from three boreholes was studied from the Ruunaa area, Finnish northern Karelia, in order to reveal the Late Pleistocene environmental history of eastern Finland. Conventional litho‐ and biostratigraphical methods were used and suitable sediment samples were dated using quartz optically stimulated luminescence. The results indicate that two till units were deposited by two separate Weichselian ice advances into the area. The first advance took place prior to 52 kyr ago, most likely during the early Middle Weichselian, while the second is thought to have taken place during the Late Weichselian after 25 kyr ago. The sediment succession at Ruunaa therefore indicates a Middle Weichselian ice‐free period around 50–25 kyr ago in the eastern part of Fennoscandia.
Geomorphic traces of a Weichselian ice stream in the Wielkopolska Lowland, western Poland
Authors: PRZYBYLSKI BOGUSŁAW
Published: December 2008

Geomorphological analysis of a digital elevation model reveals an extensive zone with uniformly oriented elongated landforms in the middle and eastern Wielkopolska Lowland, directly to the north of the maximum extent of the Weichselian Ice Sheet. Individual linear landforms are up to 10 km long, a few hundred metres wide, and with only a few metres of relief. The belts of linear landforms visible on the surfaces of the uplands are disrupted by subglacial channels and younger river valleys. The character and distribution of both landform types, in relation to the outlines of marginal zones of the Weichselian ice lobes, indicate that their origin was subglacial. The elongated landforms are interpreted as mega‐scale glacial lineations (MSGLs) characteristic of palaeo‐ice stream zones. The MSGLs occur in a zone 70 km long and 80 km wide and are distinctly divergent towards the maximum extent of the ice sheet. This arrangement demonstrates that they are the record of the terminal zone of the ice stream, whose full size was likely in the order of a few hundred kilometres in length.
Age, origin and significance of a new middle MIS 3 tephra horizon identified within a long‐core sequence from Les Echets, France
Authors: VERES DANIEL , DAVIES SIWAN M. , WOHLFARTH BARBARA , PREUSSER FRANK , WASTEGÅRD STEFAN , AMPEL LINDA , HORMES ANNE , POSSNERT GÖRAN , RAYNAL JEAN‐PAUL , VERNET GÉRARD
Published: December 2008

A new tephra has been identified within a long core (EC 3) sequence recovered from Les Echets, near Lyon, France. This visible tephra was discovered as part of a high resolution multiproxy re‐investigation of the Les Echets sequence. Independent chronological information suggests that the tephra isc. 2 000–45 000 years old, and geochemical analysis indicates that it is of basanitic composition. The latter suggests a possible origin in the Eifel; however, as yet, no other volcanic events or deposits can be correlated to the Les Echets tephra. New sedimentological and chronological data are presented indicating that the tephra falls within an interval that most likely correlates with Dansgaard–Oeschger events 12‐9. Thus, this tephra could potentially be an important middle MIS 3 marker horizon in central Europe if it can be traced in other palaeorecords.
Lateglacial and Holocene terrestrial and marine proxies reflecting climate changes in the Malangen fjord area, Norway, northeast North Atlantic
Authors: SHARAPOVA ALLA , HALD MORTEN , HUSUM KATRINE , JENSEN CHRISTIN
Published: December 2008

A high‐resolution Younger Dryas–late Holocene record of climate and environment from the Malangen fjord has been established on the basis of two marine sediment cores. Five pollen‐spore assemblage zones have been defined covering the period c. 11 500 cal. yr BP (10 200 14C yr BP) to c. 1600 cal. yr BP (1600 14C yr BP) with a hiatus of c. 2000 cal. years between c. 10 200 and 8100 cal. yr BP (9000 and 7300 14C yr BP). The Holocene vegetation development from pioneer vegetation to forest development, identified in the marine pollen record, correlates well with pollen records from terrestrial sections of northern Norway. The marine pollen record was also correlated directly with marine proxy records of the bottom water temperature investigated in the same sediment cores. Correlation between the marine and terrestrial proxies suggests that changes in the influx of warm Atlantic Water to the fjord led to an instant change in the vegetation of the surrounding land area. The results thus support a strong link between marine and atmospheric mean climatic states in the North Atlantic region throughout the Holocene.
The lacustrine sediment record of Oberwinkler Maar (Eifel, Germany): Chironomid and macro‐remain‐based inferences of environmental changes during Oxygen Isotope Stage 3
Authors: ENGELS STEFAN , BOHNCKE SJOERD J. P. , HEIRI OLIVER , SCHABER KATJA , SIROCKO FRANK
Published: December 2008

The lacustrine record of Oberwinkler Maar (Eifel, Germany) is the northernmost continuous record documenting the Weichselian Pleniglacial in central Europe – a period characterized by multiple abrupt climate oscillations known as the Dansgaard/Oeschger cycles. Here, the results of a high‐resolution study of chironomid remains are presented, with a focus on the earlier part of Oxygen Isotope Stage (OIS) 3 (60–50 kyr BP) covering four stadial/interstadial cycles. During the stadials, the chironomid fauna of the former lake was dominated by many cold‐stenothermic chironomid taxa, indicating a cold, oligotrophic lake. The concentrations of chironomid remains were lower during the interstadials, and featured a higher number of warm‐indicating taxa. This could have been the result of a higher summer temperature at the study site, but also of bottom‐water anoxia, an increase in trophic state or a combination of all these factors. During the stadial intervals, a taxon that is restricted to (sub‐)arctic environments is present in our record, suggesting a change in the temperature regime rather than in‐lake processes as the driving mechanism for the changes in the chironomid record. Although, consistently, there was a response of the lake ecosystem to climate changes, the amplitude of this response was not constant. This study provides unique and independent evidence of the impact of Dansgaard/Oeschger climate variability on the European continent during the earlier part of OIS‐3.
Deglacial and Holocene conditions in northernmost Baffin Bay: sediments, foraminifera, diatoms and stable isotopes
Authors: KNUDSEN KAREN LUISE , STABELL BJØRG , SEIDENKRANTZ MARIT‐SOLVEIG , EIRÍKSSON JÓN , BLAKE WESTON
Published: December 2008

A multiproxy study of palaeoceanographic and climatic changes in northernmost Baffin Bay shows that major environmental changes have occurred since the deglaciation of the area at about 12 500 cal. yr BP. The interpretation is based on sedimentology, benthic and planktonic foraminifera and their isotopic composition, as well as diatom assemblages in the sedimentary records at two core sites, one located in the deeper central part of northernmost Baffin Bay and one in a separate trough closer to the Greenland coast. A revised chronology for the two records is established on the basis of 15 previously published AMS14C age determinations. A basal diamicton is overlain by laminated, fossil‐free sediments. Our data from the early part of the fossiliferous record (12 300–11 300 cal. yr BP), which is also initially laminated, indicate extensive seasonal sea‐ice cover and brine release. There is indication of a cooling event between 11 300 and 10 900 cal. yr BP, and maximum Atlantic Water influence occurred between 10 900 and 8200 cal. yr BP (no sediment recovery between 8200 and 7300 cal. yr BP). A gradual, but fluctuating, increase in sea‐ice cover is seen after 7300 cal. yr BP. Sea‐ice diatoms were particularly abundant in the central part of northernmost Baffin Bay, presumably due to the inflow of Polar waters from the Arctic Ocean, and less sea ice occurred at the near‐coastal site, which was under continuous influence of the West Greenland Current. Our data from the deep, central part show a fluctuating degree of upwelling afterc. 7300 cal. yr BP, culminating between 4000 and 3050 cal. yr BP. There was a gradual increase in the influence of cold bottom waters from the Arctic Ocean after about 3050 cal. yr BP, when agglutinated foraminifera became abundant. A superimposed short‐term change in the sea‐surface proxies is correlated with the Little Ice Age cooling.
Luminescence dating: where it has been and where it is going
Authors: WINTLE ANN G.
Published: December 2008

The luminescence properties of common minerals, such as quartz and potassium‐rich feldspars, allow them to be used to measure depositional ages for late Quaternary sediments. The optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) signals currently used are appropriate for mineral grains whose previous radiation history was erased by exposure to sunlight immediately prior to deposition. However, the concepts relating to grain size and long‐term stability of the signals established when using the thermoluminescence signals should not be forgotten. Recent technological advances and the development of new laboratory measurement procedures for obtaining the equivalent dose have resulted in more widespread and more confident use of OSL for dating using smaller samples, even down to the single grain level. Ages can now be obtained for samples only a few hundred years old, and new luminescence signals are being investigated in order to extend the age range back by an order of magnitude from ∼100 kyr to ∼1 Myr.
Maternal Prepregnancy Body Mass Index and Delivery of a Preterm Infant in Missouri 1998–2000
Authors: Johnson Teresa S. , Rottier Kara J. , Luellwitz Alison , Kirby Russell S.
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
Objective: To determine risk of delivering a preterm infant (<37 weeks) in overweight/obese women.

Design: Descriptive.

Sample: Population‐based sample of 169,881 singleton Missouri birth certificate records for 1998–2000.

Measures: Prepregnancy body mass index (BMI): underweight BMI<19.8; normal BMI=19.8–24.9; overweight BMI=25–29.9; and obese BMI≥30; and preterm birth (<37 completed weeks' gestation).

Results: In each BMI category, the percent of women who delivered a preterm infant is: underweight 11.5%, normal 8.3%, overweight 8.2%, and obese 8.5%. For women with a BMI of overweight (odds ratio [OR] 0.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.8–0.9) and obese (OR 0.8, 95% CI=0.8–0.9), the risk of delivering a preterm infant decreased when compared with women with a BMI<19.8. Black (OR=2.5, 95% CI 2.4–2.6) and Hispanic (OR=1.4, 95% CI 1.2–1.5) women had a higher risk of preterm birth than White women when obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and prenatal care were controlled. Women with diabetes (OR=1.4, 95% CI=1.2–1.5), hypertension (OR=3.2, 95% CI=3.1–3.4), and those who smoked (OR=1.6, 95% CI=1.6–1.7) were at increased risk for a preterm birth.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that preconception and prenatal care focus on identification and management of risks associated with premature births and maternal risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, and smoking.
Comparing the Influence of Childhood and Adult Economic Status on Midlife Obesity in Mexican American, White, and African American Women
Authors: Salsberry Pamela J. , Reagan Patricia B.
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
Objective: This research addresses the following 2 questions. What is the effect of childhood and adult economic status on midlife obesity in Mexican American women? How do these economic patterns in Mexican American women compare with patterns seen in White women and in African American women?

Method: Data were drawn from the U.S. National Longitudinal Survey of Youths 1979–2002 waves. The sample consisted of 422 Mexican Americans, 2,090 Whites, and 1,195 African Americans. The economic indicator used for childhood economic status was parent education; for adult economic status, the participant's own education and adult per capita income were used. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios were estimated for the relationship between midlife obesity and economic indicator, stratified by race/ethnic group.

Results: There was an increased risk for midlife obesity with disadvantaged economic status measured during childhood and at midlife in Mexican American women. The economic effects on midlife obesity in Mexican American women were similar to those found for White, but not African American women. Few economic influences on obesity at midlife were found for African American women.

Conclusions: Strategies that broadly improve the economic conditions of Mexican American women may be one important way to address the obesity epidemic in this population.
Rural Public Health Policy Models to Address an Evolving Environmental Asbestos Disaster
Authors: Kuntz Sandra W. , Winters Charlene A. , Hill Wade G. , Weinert Clarann , Rowse Kimberly , Hernandez Tanis , Black Brad
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTThe health‐related dangers of asbestos exposure were recognized early in the 20th century when occupational exposure was found to be associated with excess pneumoconiosis among asbestos industry workers. Today, the epicenter for examining the public health effects and the human toll that this toxin has had on a population is located in the rural community of Libby, MT. Rurality and multideterminants of health frame both the history of asbestos‐related disease and the service/policy challenges within a community dealing with chronic illness and designation as a Superfund clean‐up site. Despite efforts by public health advocates to address the lingering aftermath of an environmental disaster in this community, policy gaps exist that continue to impact the population's health. The purpose of this paper is to describe the history and outcomes of asbestos exposure in a rural community and discuss 3 models that provide public health policy insights related to rural health and health care for a community affected by both a sentinel and ongoing environmental event.
Addressing Nonresponse Bias in Postal Surveys
Authors: MacDonald Shannon E. , Newburn‐Cook Christine V. , Schopflocher Donald , Richter Solina
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
Postal surveys are sometimes thought of as a simple option for collecting data in community‐based studies; however, nurse researchers must exercise care in appropriately addressing the issue of nonresponse. In particular, both the reporters and the users of such research should look beyond survey response rates when considering nonresponse bias. This article describes the benefits of using postal surveys in public health nursing research, while noting the various potential sources of survey error. Particular attention is directed to the implications of low survey response rates, including decreased power, increased standard error, and nonresponse bias. The belief that increasing response rates will necessarily reduce nonresponse bias is discussed, with an emphasis on the need to identify the reasons for nonresponse and to be judicious in the use of strategies to reduce nonresponse bias. Common response‐enhancement strategies are identified, while noting the potential for these strategies to increase nonresponse bias. Assessment of the presence and magnitude of nonresponse bias is discussed, and techniques for postsurvey data adjustment are noted. The need to consider nonresponse bias in designing all phases of the study is highlighted, and is exemplified with a case study.
Longitudinal Associations Between Alcohol Problems and Depressive Symptoms: Early Adolescence Through Early Adulthood
Authors: Marmorstein Naomi R.
Published: December 2008

Background:  Alcohol use‐related problems and depressive symptoms are clearly associated with each other, but results regarding the nature of this association have been inconsistent. In addition, the possible moderating effects of age and gender have not been comprehensively examined. The goals of this study were to clarify: (i) how depressive symptoms affect the levels and trajectory of alcohol use‐related problems, (ii) how alcohol use‐related problems affect the levels and trajectory of depressive symptoms, and (iii) whether there are differences in these associations at different points in development or between males and females.

Methods:  Participants for this study were drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (AddHealth) data set, a community‐based sample of 20,728 adolescents followed from adolescence through early adulthood. Multilevel models were used to assess how each problem affected the level and rate of change in the other problem over time; gender was considered as a possible moderator of these associations.

Results:  The results indicated that alcohol use‐related problems and depressive symptoms had reciprocal, positive associations with each other during the period from early adolescence through early adulthood; however, these effects differed somewhat by gender and age. High levels of depressive symptoms were associated with higher initial levels of alcohol problems (particularly among females), as well as faster increases in alcohol problems over time among males. High levels of alcohol problems were associated with higher initial levels of depressive symptoms (particularly among females), as well as less curvature in the slope of depressive symptoms so that although there was a large difference between people with high and low depressive symptoms in early adolescence, by early adulthood the difference was smaller (particularly among females).

Conclusions:  These results highlight the importance of examining gender and age in studies on the associations between affective disorders and substance use disorders.
Characterization of White Matter Microstructure in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Fryer Susanna L. , Schweinsburg Brian C. , Bjorkquist Olivia A. , Frank Lawrence R. , Mattson Sarah N. , Spadoni Andrea D. , Riley Edward P.
Published: December 2008

Background:  Exposure to alcohol during gestation is associated with CNS alterations, cognitive deficits, and behavior problems. This study investigated microstructural aspects of putative white matter abnormalities following prenatal alcohol exposure.

Methods:  Diffusion tensor imaging was used to assess white matter microstructure in 27 youth (age range: 8 to 18 years) with (n = 15) and without (n = 12) histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure. Voxelwise analyses, corrected for multiple comparisons, compared fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) between groups, throughout the cerebrum.

Results:  Prenatal alcohol exposure was associated with low FA in multiple cerebral areas, including the body of the corpus callosum and white matter innervating bilateral medial frontal and occipital lobes. Fewer between‐group differences in MD were observed.

Conclusions:  These data provide an account of cerebral white matter microstructural integrity in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and support extant literature showing that white matter is a target of alcohol teratogenesis. The white matter anomalies characterized in this study may relate to the neurobehavioral sequelae associated with gestational alcohol exposure, especially in areas of executive dysfunction and visual processing deficits.
Subsidence of an Uncemented Canine Femoral Stem
Authors: RASHMIR‐RAVEN ANN M. , DeYOUNG DAVID J. , ABRAMS CHARLES F. , ABERMAN HAROLD A. , RICHARDSON DANIEL C.
Published: December 2008

Factors contributing to subsidence were analyzed by radiographic evaluation and mechanical testing of 36 canine cadaver femora during and after insertion of an uncemented porous‐coated femoral stem and by radiographic evaluation of 35 canine total hip arthroplasties. Mean percentage of canal fill in immediate postoperative radiographs, and percentage of canal fill at midimplant and distal implant locations, were accurate predictors of subsidence. Force required to implant the femoral stem was strongly correlated with force required for implant subsidence. Femoral morphology and percentage of canal fill at the middle and distal sites were accurate predictors of subsidence. Implants in femora with a stovepipe morphology (canal flare index ≤ 1.8) were six times more likely to subside than implants in femora that had a normal appearance (canal flare index 1.8 to 2.5), and 72 times more likely to subside than implants in champagne‐fluted femora (canal flare index ≥ 2.5). Femora with more than 85% mean, middle, or distal canal fill were less likely to subside.
Hemimaxillectomy for the Treatment of Oral Tumors in 69 Dogs
Authors: WALLACE JULIA , MATTHIESEN DAVID T. , PATNAIK AMIYA K.
Published: December 2008

Hemimaxillectomy was performed in 69 dogs for the treatment of benign or malignant maxillary tumors. Eighteen dogs with ameloblastomas had a median disease‐free interval of 21.5 months (range, 1 to 76 months), with a 72% 1‐year survival time. There was recurrence in three dogs, with metastasis after malignant transformation in one of them. Based on calculated survival curves, seven dogs with squamous cell carcinoma had a median survival time of 19.2 months (range, 2 to 24 months), with a 57% 1–year survival time. There was local recurrence in two dogs. Twenty‐three dogs with melanoma had a median survival time of 9.1 months (range, 1 to 46 months), and a 27% 1‐year survival time. Twelve dogs died or were euthanatized because of recurrence or metastases. Fifteen dogs with fibrosarcoma had a median survival time of 12.2 months. Eight dogs died or were euthanatized because of recurrence or metastases. Six dogs with osteosarcoma had a median survival time of 4.6 months (range, 1 to 12.5 months), with a 17% 1‐year survival time. Five dogs died or were euthanatized for recurrence or metastases. Tumor size or location and type of partial maxillectomy performed did not affect survival.
Demonstration of the principles of enzyme‐catalysed reactions using alkaline phosphatase
Authors: C.Price Nicholas , Newman Bethan L.
Published: December 2008

Abstract

The activity of the enzyme alkaline phosphatase can be conveniently measured spectrophotometrically using 4‐nitrophenylphos‐phate as substrate. This article describes an integrated series of experiments involving the enzyme in which a number of valuable experimental and analytical skills can be developed. A suitable assay procedure for the enzyme is established and this is then used to explore a number of features of the enzyme‐catalysed reaction. These include the dependence of the rate of reaction on substrate concentration, pH and presence of inhibitors. Studies of the temperature‐dependence of the reaction rate in the presence and absence of alkaline phosphatase provide valuable insights into the degree of rate enhancement brought about by the enzyme. © 2000 IUBMB. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Increasing student involvement in lectures by error‐prone talks
Authors: Tomaska Lubomir
Published: December 2008

Abstract

A substantial number of intermediate‐size courses take place in a format of the traditional lecture. However, due to their inherently passive nature, the lectures represent a relatively poor teaching technique. Here, I outline an effective approach for eliciting student involvement in the lecture. The approach named ‘the error‐prone talk’ is based on the students' identification of errors consciously generated by the teacher during the talk. A simple credit system motivates the students to actively participate in the course and has a positive impact on the level of the understanding of basic concepts. © 2000 IUBMB. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
A Deductive Mapping Strategy for Atrial Tachycardia Following Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: Importance of Localized Reentry
Authors: JAÏS PIERRE , MATSUO SEIICHIRO , KNECHT SEBASTIEN , WEERASOORIYA RUKSHEN , HOCINI MÉLÈZE , SACHER FRÉDERIC , WRIGHT MATTHEW , NAULT ISABELLE , LELLOUCHE NICOLAS , KLEIN GEORGE , CLÉMENTY JACQUES , HAÏSSAGUERRE MICHEL
Published: December 2008

Background:
Atrial tachycardia (AT) occurring following catheter ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) may be challenging to map and ablate because their mechanism and location is unpredictable and may be multiple in an individual patient.

Methods and Results:
A prospective cohort of 128 consecutive patients presenting 246 AT in the context of prior AF ablation was investigated. Using activation and entrainment mapping and applying the consensus definition of AT, we evaluated a deductive diagnostic approach based on up to three steps: (1) cycle length regularity, (2) search for macroreentry (i.e., involving >2 separate atrial segments), and (3) if macroreentry excluded, search for focal origin giving a centrifugal activation of the atria. A total of 238/246 (97%) sustained AT (mean cycle length [CL] 284 ± 87 ms) were successfully mapped (single AT, 51 pts; multiple AT, 77 pts) with a diagnostic time of 10 ± 8 min per tachycardia. AT were macroreentrant in 109 (46%) and focal in 129 (54%). Of the latter, only 34 focal AT originated from a discrete point site fulfilling the consensus criteria, while a distinct mechanism, localized reentry (AT that was neither macro reentry nor focal), was identified in 95. Localized reentry was defined by (1) electrograms covering ≥75% of the cycle length of AT within an area covering a single or 2 contiguous segments, (2) postpacing interval (PPI) < 30 ms at the site, (3) an identifiable zone of slow conduction, and (4) centrifugal activation of the atrium from the area.

Conclusions:
This prospective study demonstrates the feasibility of rapid and accurate identification of all types of postablation AT in a large cohort of patients and describes the dominant role of localized reentry as a novel mechanism of AT.
Consumer's Fresh Produce Food Safety Practices: Outcomes of a Fresh Produce Safety Education Program
Authors: Scott Amanda R. , Pope Paul E. , Thompson Britta M.
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT:  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that there are 76 million cases of foodborne disease annually. Foodborne disease is usually associated with beef, poultry, and seafood. However, there is an increasing number of foodborne disease cases related to fresh produce. Consumers may not associate fresh produce with foodborne disease or recognize that these foods require safe handling. To address this learning need, a 1‐h educational program was developed and evaluated. Extension agents in 69 Texas counties presented the program to participants. Most participants (n = 2651) were female (89.5%), Caucasian (60.5%), and over age 55 (62%). Participants completed a traditional pretest and then a retrospective posttest at conclusion of the program to assess knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to fresh produce safety. Participants' behaviors and attitudes were assessed using a 5‐point scale. To measure the longer‐term impact of the program, a follow‐up telephone survey was conducted among a random sample (n = 426) of participants. Repeated measures ANOVA, t‐tests, and eta‐squared were used to determine significant differences. Immediate posttest results indicated improved knowledge and attitudes regarding specific fruit and vegetable safety recommendations. Long‐term improvement was also noted for food safety behaviors, but not for overall food safety attitudes. The results suggest that this educational program is an effective tool to teach consumers about safe handling of fresh produce.
Please Pass the Ketchup: Cooked Tomatoes May Do More to Prevent Cancer than Fresh
Authors: Smith Judy
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT:  One of the core competencies in the IFT Education standards is for students to achieve competency in communications skills (that is, oral and written communication, listening, interviewing, and so on). According to the IFT guidelines, by the time students graduate, they should not only be able to search for and condense information but also be able to “communicate technical information to a non‐technical audience.” The Education Division of IFT sponsors an annual writing competition for undergraduate students to bring attention to and promote the development of communication skills. The short essays can be on any technical subject or latest development in the food science and technology field that may be important to the consumer. The article must be written in nontechnical language such that someone reading a local newspaper could understand it. Due date for submissions is typically the first week in June. More information on eligibility, rules, submission, and judging criteria will be posted on IFT's Education Division website. Monetary prizes are awarded to the authors of the top 3 papers, and the winning entry is published in the Journal of Food Science Education (JFSE) each year. JFSE is pleased to publish this year's winning entry submitted by Judy Smith from the Univ. of Maine.