bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Boron: A key element in radical reactions
Authors: Renaud Philippe , Beauseigneur Alice , Brecht-Forster Andrea , Becattini Barbara , Darmency Vincent , Kandhasamy Sarkunam , Montermini Florian , Ollivier Cyril , Panchaud Philippe , Pozzi Davide , Scanlan Eoin Martin , Schaffner Arnaud-Pierre , Weber Valéry
Published: February 2007

Boron derivatives are becoming key reagents in radical chemistry. Here, we describe reactions where an organoboron derivative is used as a radical initiator, a chain-transfer reagent, and a radical precursor. For instance,B-alkylcatecholboranes, easily prepared by hydroboration of alkenes, represent a very efficient source of primary, secondary, and tertiary alkyl radicals. Their very high sensitivity toward oxygen- and heteroatom-centered radicals makes them particularly attractive for the development of radical chain processes such as conjugate addition, allylation, alkenylation, and alkynylation. Boron derivatives have also been used to develop an attractive new procedure for the reduction of radicals with alcohols and water. The selected examples presented here demonstrate that boron-containing reagents can efficiently replace tin derivatives in a wide range of radical reactions.
Long-Term Stability of Amino Acids and Acylcarnitines in Dried Blood Spots
Authors: Strnadová Kristina Anna , Holub Margareta , Mühl Adolf , Heinze Georg , Ratschmann Rene , Mascher Hermann , Stöckler-Ipsiroglu Sylvia , Waldhauser Franz , Votava Felix , Lebl Jan , Bodamer Olaf A
Published: February 2007

Background: Dried blood filter cards, collected for newborn screening, are often stored for long periods of time. They may be suitable for the retrospective diagnosis of inborn errors of metabolism, but no data are currently available on the long-term stability of amino acids and acylcarnitine species.

Methods: We analyzed amino acids and acylcarnitines by tandem mass spectrometry in 660 anonymous, randomly selected filter cards from 1989 through 2004. We assessed long-term stability of metabolites by linear regression and estimated annual decrease of concentration for each metabolite.

Results: Concentrations of free carnitine increased by 7.6% per year during the first 5 years of storage and decreased by 1.4% per year thereafter. Alanine, arginine, leucine, methionine, and phenylalanine decreased by 6.5%, 3.3%, 3.1%, 7.3%, and 5.7% per year, respectively. Acetylcarnitine, propionylcarnitine, citrulline, glycine, and ornithine decreased by 18.5%, 27.4%, 8.1%, 14.7%, and 16.3% per year during the first 5 years, respectively; thereafter the decline was more gradual. Tyrosine decreased by 1.7% per year during the first 5 years and 7.9% per year thereafter. We could not analyze medium- and long-chain acylcarnitine species because of low physiological concentrations.

Conclusions: Estimation of the annual decrease of metabolites may allow for the retrospective diagnosis of inborn errors of metabolism in filter cards that have been stored for long periods of time.
Interview with Margaret Atwood, Hay-on-Wye, 27 May 2001
Authors: Heilmann Ann , Taylor Debbie
Published: February 2007

This interview took place during the 2001 literature festival in Hay-on-Wye in which Margaret Atwood featured prominently. Here she talks about her work as a writer, with particular reference to her latest, Booker-Prizewinning novel, The Blind Assassin, which was also nominated
for the Orange Prize and which won the International Crime Writers' Association's Dashiell Hammett Award.
Between memory and history: Social relationships and ways of remembering the Spanish civil war
Authors: Richards Michael
Published: February 2007

This brief article focuses on putative connections between public and popular historical movements in Spain to do with the civil war, on the one hand, and problems to be considered in constructing a social history of the war and the post-war era, on the other. One appropriate and useful
concept for explaining the relationship between these two forms of recuperating the past, it is argued, is social memory, meaning the ways in which the past has been understood, talked about and assimilated in the past as well as in the present.
Postsynaptic Membrane Addition Depends on the Discs-Large-Interacting t-SNARE Gtaxin
Authors: Gorczyca David , Ashley James , Speese Sean , Gherbesi Norberto , Thomas Ulrich , Gundelfinger Eckart , Gramates L. Sian , Budnik Vivian
Published: February 2007

Targeted membrane addition is a hallmark of many cellular functions. In the nervous system, modification of synaptic membrane size has a major impact on synaptic function. However, because of the complex shape of neurons and the need to target membrane addition to very small and polarized synaptic compartments, this process is poorly understood. Here, we show that Gtaxin (GTX), aDrosophilat-SNARE (target-solubleN-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor), is required for expansion of postsynaptic membranes during new synapse formation. Mutations ingtxlead to drastic reductions in postsynaptic membrane surface, whereasgtxupregulation results in the formation of complex membrane structures at ectopic sites. Postsynaptic GTX activity depends on its direct interaction with Discs-Large (DLG), a multidomain scaffolding protein of the PSD-95 (postsynaptic density protein-95) family with key roles in cell polarity and formation of cellular junctions as well as synaptic protein anchoring and trafficking. We show that DLG selectively determines the postsynaptic distribution of GTX to type I, but not to type II or type III boutons on the same cell, thereby defining sites of membrane addition to this unique set of glutamatergic synapses. We provide a mechanistic explanation for selective targeted membrane expansion at specific synaptic junctions.
Endogenous Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Triggers Fast Calcium Transients at Synapses in Developing Dendrites
Authors: Lang Susanne B. , Stein Valentin , Bonhoeffer Tobias , Lohmann Christian
Published: February 2007

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in many aspects of the formation of functional neuronal networks. BDNF signaling regulates neuronal development not only globally, at the level of entire neurons or networks, but also at a subcellular level and with high temporal specificity; however, the spatiotemporal characteristics of intrinsic BDNF signaling are essentially unknown. Here, we used calcium imaging to directly observe intrinsic BDNF signaling in developing hippocampal neurons. We found that blocking intrinsic BDNF signaling with function-blocking BDNF antibodies (αBDNF) or K252-a reduced the frequency of spontaneously occurring fast and localized calcium rises in dendrites. Conversely, focal application of BDNF evoked fast and local dendritic calcium transients, which required activation of TrkB (tropomyosin-related kinase B) receptors as well as activation of voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels. Virus-mediated expression of PSD-95:CFP (postsynaptic density-95 tagged with cyan fluorescent protein) revealed that spontaneous local calcium transients occurred frequently at postsynaptic sites along the dendrite. The frequency of synaptically localized calcium transients was specifically reduced by blocking intrinsic BDNF signaling, whereas nonsynaptic calcium rises were not affected. Furthermore, focal BDNF delivery evoked localized and fast calcium elevations specifically at postsynaptic sites. Together, our results demonstrate that BDNF-dependent calcium signaling in developing hippocampal neurons is fast and occurs at synapses. These temporal and spatial characteristics of intrinsic BDNF signaling as well as its relative abundance renders BDNF an ideal signaling molecule in the establishment of specific synaptic connectivity and functional neuronal networks.
Shaping of Motor Responses by Incentive Values through the Basal Ganglia
Authors: Pasquereau Benjamin , Nadjar Agnes , Arkadir David , Bezard Erwan , Goillandeau Michel , Bioulac Bernard , Gross Christian Eric , Boraud Thomas
Published: February 2007

The striatum is a key neural interface for cognitive and motor information processing in which associations between reward value and visual stimulus can be used to modify motor commands. It can guide action–selection processes that occur farther downstream in the basal ganglia (BG) circuit, by encoding the reward value of an action. Here, we report on the study of simultaneously recorded neurons in the dorsal striatum (input stage of the BG) and the internal pallidum (output stage of the BG) in two monkeys performing a center-out motor task in which the visual targets were associated with different reward probabilities. We show that the tuning curves of motor-related neurons in both structures are modulated by the value of the action before movement initiation and during its execution. The representations of values associated with different actions change dynamically during the task in the internal globus pallidus, with a significant increase in the number of encoding neurons for the chosen target at the onset of movement. This report sheds additional light on the functional differences between the input and output structures of the BG and supports the assertion that the dorsal basal ganglia are involved in movement-related decision-making processes based on incentive values.
P2Y1Receptor Modulation of the Pre-Bötzinger Complex Inspiratory Rhythm Generating NetworkIn Vitro
Authors: Lorier Amanda R. , Huxtable Adrianne G. , Robinson Dean M. , Lipski Janusz , Housley Gary D. , Funk Gregory D.
Published: February 2007

ATP is released during hypoxia from the ventrolateral medulla (VLM) and activates purinergic P2 receptors (P2Rs) at unknown loci to offset the secondary hypoxic depression of breathing. In this study, we used rhythmically active medullary slices from neonatal rat to map, in relation to anatomical and molecular markers of the pre-Bötzinger complex (preBötC) (a proposed site of rhythm generation), the effects of ATP on respiratory rhythm and identify the P2R subtypes responsible for these actions. Unilateral microinjections of ATP in a three-dimensional grid within the VLM revealed a “hotspot” where ATP (0.1 mm) evoked a rapid 2.2 ± 0.1-fold increase in inspiratory frequency followed by a brief reduction to 0.83 ± 0.02 of baseline. The hotspot was identified as the preBötC based on histology, overlap of injection sites with NK1R immunolabeling, and potentiation or inhibition of respiratory frequency by SP ([Sar9-Met(O2)11]-substance P) or DAMGO ([d-Ala2,N-MePhe4,Gly-ol5]-enkephalin), respectively. The relative potency of P2R agonists [2MeSADP (2-methylthioadenosine 5′-diphosphate) ≈ 2MeSATP (2-methylthioadenosine 5′-triphosphate) ≈ ATPγs (adenosine 5′-[γ-thio]triphosphate tetralithium salt) ≈ ATP ≫ UTP ≈ αβmeATP (α,β-methylene-adenosine 5′-triphosphate)] and attenuation of the ATP response by MRS2179 (2′-deoxy-N6-methyladenosine-3′,5′-bisphosphate) (P2Y1antagonist) indicate that the excitation is mediated by P2Y1Rs. The post-ATP inhibition, which was never observed in response to ATPγs, is dependent on ATP hydrolysis. These data establish in neonatal rats that respiratory rhythm generating networks in the preBötC are exquisitely sensitive to P2Y1R activation, and suggest a role for P2Y1Rs in respiratory motor control, particularly in the P2R excitation of rhythm that occurs during hypoxia.
Neurophysiological Mechanisms Involved in Transfer of Procedural Knowledge
Authors: Perez Monica A. , Wise Steven P. , Willingham Daniel T. , Cohen Leonardo G.
Published: February 2007

Learning to perform a motor task with one hand results in performance improvements in the other hand, a process called intermanual transfer. To gain information on its neural mechanisms, we studied this phenomenon using the serial reaction-time task (SRTT). Sixteen, right-handed volunteers trained a 12-item sequence of key presses repeated without the subjects' knowledge. Blocks with no repeating sequence, called random blocks, were interspersed with sequence-training blocks. Response times improved in random and training blocks in both hands. The former result reflects nonspecific improvement in performance, and the latter represents a sequence-specific improvement. To evaluate changes in the primary motor cortex (M1), we tested resting motor thresholds (RMT), recruitments curves to transcranial magnetic stimulation (RC), short intracortical inhibition (SICI), and interhemispheric inhibition (IHI) from the dominant left (learning) to the nondominant right (transfer) hemisphere, before and after SRTT training. Training resulted in (1) increased RC and decreased SICI but no changes in RMT in the learning hemisphere, (2) decreased SICI and no changes in RC or RMT in the transfer hemisphere, and (3) decreased IHI. The amount in IHI after training correlated with nonspecific performance improvements in the transfer hand but not with sequence-specific performance improvements. Our results indicate that modulation of interhemispheric inhibition between the M1 areas may, as a result of the learning that has occurred in one hemisphere after practice with one hand, contribute to faster, more skilled performance of the opposite hand.
Presynaptic Monoacylglycerol Lipase Activity Determines Basal Endocannabinoid Tone and Terminates Retrograde Endocannabinoid Signaling in the Hippocampus
Authors: Hashimotodani Yuki , Ohno-Shosaku Takako , Kano Masanobu
Published: February 2007

Endocannabinoids function as retrograde messengers and modulate synaptic transmission through presynaptic cannabinoid CB1 receptors. The magnitude and time course of endocannabinoid signaling are thought to depend on the balance between the production and degradation of endocannabinoids. The major endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) is hydrolyzed by monoacylglycerol lipase (MGL), which is shown to be localized at axon terminals. In the present study, we investigated how MGL regulates endocannabinoid signaling and influences synaptic transmission in the hippocampus. We found that MGL inhibitors, methyl arachidonoyl fluorophosphonate and arachidonoyl trifluoromethylketone, caused a gradual suppression of cannabinoid-sensitive IPSCs in cultured hippocampal neurons. This suppression was reversed by blocking CB1 receptors and was attenuated by inhibiting 2-AG synthesis, indicating that MGL scavenges constitutively released 2-AG. We also found that the MGL inhibitors significantly prolonged the suppression of both IPSCs and EPSCs induced by exogenous 2-AG and depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition/excitation, a phenomenon known to be mediated by retrograde endocannabinoid signaling. In contrast, inhibitors of other endocannabinoid hydrolyzing enzymes, fatty acid amide hydrolase and cyclooxygenase-2, had no effect on the 2-AG-induced IPSC suppression. These results strongly suggest that presynaptic MGL not only hydrolyzes 2-AG released from activated postsynaptic neurons but also contributes to degradation of constitutively produced 2-AG and prevention of its accumulation around presynaptic terminals. Thus, the MGL activity determines basal endocannabinoid tone and terminates retrograde endocannabinoid signaling in the hippocampus.
Plasticity in Brain Sexuality Is Revealed by the Rapid Actions of Steroid Hormones
Authors: Remage-Healey Luke , Bass Andrew H.
Published: February 2007

Divergent steroid hormone profiles can shape the development of male versus female neural phenotypes, but whether they also determine differences in the short-term, neurophysiological patterning of behavior is unknown. We now show that steroid hormone-specific modulation of a vocal pattern generator (VPG) diverges between reproductive morphs in a teleost fish. Only type I male midshipman acoustically court females, whereas type II males steal fertilizations from type I males and, like females, generate only agonistic calls. The androgen 11-ketotestosterone (11kT), but not testosterone (T), rapidly (within 5 min) increases type I VPG output. As now shown, T, but not 11kT, rapidly increases VPG output in type II males and females, consistent with the predominant circulating androgen in type II males and females (T) versus type Is (11kT). Receptor and enzyme antagonists reveal an unexpected divergence in androgen- versus estrogen-dependent mechanisms in, respectively, type II males versus females. Cortisol, the main circulating glucocorticoid, also has divergent actions: suppressing versus increasing VPG output in, respectively, type II males and females versus type Is. In summary, rapid steroid action on VPG activity is uncoupled from gonadal phenotype (convergent between type II males and females), whereas the receptor-mediated mechanisms of androgen action are predicted by gonadal phenotype (both male morphs are sensitive to androgen receptor blockade, whereas females are not). A comparable mix of neuroendocrine traits may explain the widespread distribution of intrasexual behavioral phenotypes among teleosts and vertebrates in general. Moreover, the fundamental organization/activation principles that predict the steroid-dependent expression of “maleness” and “femaleness” may now include rapid steroid actions on the neurophysiological patterning of behavior.
NKG2D-Mediated Cytotoxicity toward Oligodendrocytes Suggests a Mechanism for Tissue Injury in Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Saikali Philippe , Antel Jack P. , Newcombe Jia , Chen Zhihong , Freedman Mark , Blain Manon , Cayrol Romain , Prat Alexandre , Hall Jeffery A. , Arbour Nathalie
Published: February 2007

NKG2D is an activating or coactivating receptor expressed on human natural killer (NK) cells, CD8+T cells, and γ/δ T cells. NKG2D ligands have been detected on many tumor cell types and can be induced on nontransformed cells by environmental signals including DNA damage and inflammation. We investigated the contribution of NKG2D–NKG2D ligand interaction on CNS-directed immune responses. We observed that primary cultures of human adult oligodendrocytes and fetal astrocytes expressed ligands for NKG2Din vitrowhereas neurons, microglia, and adult astrocytes did not. Disruption of the NKG2D–NKG2D ligand interaction using blocking antibodies significantly inhibited killing of primary human oligodendrocytes mediated by activated human NK cells, γ/δ T cells, and allo-reactive CD8+T cells. NKG2D ligands [major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related molecules A and B (MICA/B)] were detected in groups of cells and colocalized with an oligodendrocyte marker (adenomatous polyposis coli) in white matter sections obtained from multiple sclerosis lesions but not in normal control samples. CD8+T cells could be detected in close proximity to MICA/B+ cells within multiple sclerosis lesions, supporting anin vivointeraction between these immune effectors and stressed MICA/B-expressing oligodendrocytes. These results imply that NKG2D–NKG2D ligand interaction can potentially contribute to cytotoxic responses mediated by activated immune effector cells in the inflamed CNS, as observed in multiple sclerosis.
Anatomical Traces of Vocabulary Acquisition in the Adolescent Brain
Authors: Lee HweeLing , Devlin Joseph T. , Shakeshaft Clare , Stewart Lauren H. , Brennan Amanda , Glensman Jen , Pitcher Katherine , Crinion Jenny , Mechelli Andrea , Frackowiak Richard S. J. , Green David W. , Price Cathy J.
Published: February 2007

A surprising discovery in recent years is that the structure of the adult human brain changes when a new cognitive or motor skill is learned. This effect is seen as a change in local gray or white matter density that correlates with behavioral measures. Critically, however, the cognitive and anatomical mechanisms underlying these learning-related structural brain changes remain unknown. Here, we combined brain imaging, detailed behavioral analyses, and white matter tractography in English-speaking monolingual adolescents to show that a critical linguistic prerequisite (namely, knowledge of vocabulary) is proportionately related to relative gray matter density in bilateral posterior supramarginal gyri. The effect was specific to the number of words learned, regardless of verbal fluency or other cognitive abilities. The identified region was found to have direct connections to other inferior parietal areas that separately process either the sounds of words or their meanings, suggesting that the posterior supramarginal gyrus plays a role in linking the basic components of vocabulary knowledge. Together, these analyses highlight the cognitive and anatomical mechanisms that mediate an essential language skill.
Progressive Loss of Dopaminergic Neurons in the Ventral Midbrain of Adult Mice Heterozygote forEngrailed1
Authors: Sonnier Laure , Le Pen Gwenaëlle , Hartmann Andreas , Bizot Jean-Charles , Trovero Fabrice , Krebs Marie-Odile , Prochiantz Alain
Published: February 2007

Engrailed1andEngrailed2 (En1andEn2) are two developmental genes of the homeogene family expressed in the developing midbrain.En1and, to a lesser degree,En2also are expressed in the adult substantia nigra (SN) and ventral tegmental area (VTA), two dopaminergic (DA) nuclei of the ventral midbrain. In an effort to studyEn1/2adult functions, we have analyzed the phenotype of mice lacking oneEn1allele in anEn2wild-type context. We show that in this mutant the number of DA neurons decreases slowly between 8 and 24 weeks after birth to reach a stable 38 and 23% reduction in the SN and VTA, respectively, and that neuronal loss can be antagonized by En2 recombinant protein infusions in the midbrain. These loss and gain of function experiments firmly establish thatEn1/2is a true survival factor for DA neuronsin vivo. Neuronal death in the mutant is paralleled by a 37% decrease in striatal DA, with no change in serotonin content. Using established protocols, we show that, compared with their wild-type littermates,En1+/− mice have impaired motor skills, an anhedonic-like behavior, and an enhanced resignation phenotype; they perform poorly in social interactions. However, these mice do not differ from their wild-type littermates in anxiety-measuring tests. Together, these results demonstrate thatEn1/2genes have important adult physiological functions. They also suggest that mice lacking only oneEn1allele could provide a novel model for the study of diseases associated with progressive DA cell death.
Munc13-1 C1 Domain Activation Lowers the Energy Barrier for Synaptic Vesicle Fusion
Authors: Basu Jayeeta , Betz Andrea , Brose Nils , Rosenmund Christian
Published: February 2007

Synapses need to encode a wide dynamic range of action potential frequencies. Essential vesicle priming proteins of the Munc13 (mammalian Unc13) family play an important role in adapting vesicle supply to variable demand and thus influence short-term plasticity characteristics and synaptic function. Structure–function analyses of Munc13s have identified a “catalytic” C-terminal domain and several N-terminal modulatory domains, including a diacylglycerol/phorbol ester [4β-phorbol-12, 13-dibutyrate (PDBu)] binding C1 domain. Although still allowing basal priming, a Munc13-1 C1 domain mutation (H567K) prevents PDBu induced potentiation of evoked transmitter release, leads to strong depression during trains of synaptic activity, and causes perinatal lethality in mice. To understand the mechanism of C1 domain-mediated modulation of Munc13 function, we examined how PDBu increases neurotransmitter release. Analyses of osmotically induced release as well as Ca2+triggered and spontaneous release showed that PDBu increases the vesicular release rate without affecting the size of the readily releasable vesicle pool, linking C1 domain activation to a lowering of the energy barrier for vesicle fusion. PDBu binding-deficient mutant Munc13-1H567Ksynapses mirrored the vesicular release properties of PDBu-potentiated wild-type synapses, indicating that Munc13-1H567Kis a gain-of-function mutant, which conformationally mimics the PDBu-activated state of Munc13-1. We propose a PKC analogous two-state model of regulation of Munc13s, in which the basal state of Munc13s is disinhibited by C1 domain activation into a state of facilitated vesicle release, regardless of whether the release is spontaneous or action potential triggered.
Association of Apolipoprotein E Genotype and Cerebral Palsy in Children
Authors: Kuroda Maxine M. , Weck Mary E. , Sarwark John F. , Hamidullah Aaliyah , Wainwright Mark S.
Published: February 2007

OBJECTIVES. We tested the hypotheses that apolipoprotein E genotype, in particular carriage of the ε4 allele, is more likely to be associated with cerebral palsy and that children with more severe neurologic impairment are more likely to carry this allele.

METHODS. In this cross-sectional study, 209 children with cerebral palsy were matched with healthy control subjects according to gender and race. Diagnosis of cerebral palsy was confirmed through physician consultation, medical chart review, and parent interview. Apolipoprotein E genotyping was performed with DNA obtained with buccal swabs. Severity of motor impairment was rated by physical therapists, and occipitofrontal circumference was measured.

RESULTS. Compared with gender- and race-matched control subjects, overall risk for cerebral palsy was elevated 3.4-fold among children carrying an ε4 allele and was particularly elevated for children with quadriplegia/triplegia. This finding was independent of birth weight. Carriage of the ε4 allele was also associated with increased severity of cerebral palsy and with a trend toward increased likelihood for microcephaly. Moreover, children carrying an ε2 allele were at greater risk for cerebral palsy.

CONCLUSIONS. These data implicate the apolipoprotein E ε4 and ε2 genotypes as susceptibility factors in determining neurologic outcomes after perinatal brain injury. Additional studies are warranted to establish the role of apolipoprotein E in specific pathogenetic pathways leading to cerebral palsy or poor neurologic outcomes after perinatal brain injury.
Grandmother and Parent Influences on Child Self-esteem
Authors: Brook Judith S. , Ning Yuming , Balka Elinor B. , Brook David W. , Lubliner Erika H. , Rosenberg Gary
Published: February 2007

OBJECTIVES. This study tests a model of intergenerational influences on childhood self-esteem that proposes paths from grandmothers' drug problems to grandchildren's self-esteem via parents' drug problems and parental adaptive child rearing and from grandmothers' maternal acceptance to grandchildren's self-esteem via parents' unconventionality and adaptive child rearing.

METHODS. This longitudinal study uses data obtained from interviews with a New York City sample of black and Puerto Rican children (N = 149) and 1 of their parents and from mailed questionnaires or comparable interviews with those parents' mothers. Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed model.

RESULTS. The LISREL analysis found that, with 3 exceptions, all of the hypothesized paths were significant. The total effects analysis indicated that parents' adaptive child rearing was the strongest latent construct, a finding that was consistent with this construct's proximal position in the model.

CONCLUSIONS. This study suggests that mothers' drug problems are not just near-term risks for their children, but also pose long-term risks for their children's future functioning as parents and thereby for their grandchildren. The relative strength of parents' adaptive child rearing in this intergenerational model indicates that this area should be the focus of therapeutic intervention efforts, but addressing future grandmothers' drug problems may have positive effects on multiple generations.
Repeat Urine Cultures in Children Who Are Admitted With Urinary Tract Infections
Authors: Oreskovic Nicolas M. , Sembrano Eduardo U.
Published: February 2007

OBJECTIVE. Urinary tract infections are a common cause of hospitalization in the pediatric population. Hospitalization for urinary tract infections in children usually involves intravenous antibiotics, invasive methods of obtaining sterile urine specimens, and imaging studies to assess the anatomy of the urinary system. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of positive repeat urine cultures that are obtained after 2 days of antibiotics among pediatric inpatients who are admitted with diagnosed or suspected infections of the urinary tract.

METHODS. A retrospective survey was conducted of all pediatric patients (≤18 years of age) who were admitted to Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, New York, with a suspected or diagnosed urinary infection from December 1998 through December 2004. Results of repeat urine cultures that were obtained after 2 days of antibiotics were abstracted from a computerized medical charts database. Nominal data analysis was used to establish the frequency of positive repeat urine cultures.

RESULTS. A total of 328 (54.8%) of 599 eligible admissions met inclusion criteria. Of these 328 admissions, only 1 (0.3%) repeat urine culture was positive after 2 days of antimicrobial therapy.

CONCLUSIONS. Positive repeat urine cultures after 2 days of antibiotics are exceedingly rare. Elimination of mandatory “proof-of-bacteriologic-cure” benchmarks before hospital discharge is supported by this study.
Factors Associated With the Diagnosis of Neurodevelopmental Disorders: A Population-Based Longitudinal Study
Authors: Chen Chuan-Yu , Liu Chieh-Yu , Su Wen-Chuan , Huang Su-Ling , Lin Keh-Ming
Published: February 2007

OBJECTIVES. We investigated the occurrence of newly diagnosed mental retardation, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and autism and sociodemographic factors associated with their distribution in Taiwan, and we examined urbanicity- and socioeconomic status–associated differences in the age at first diagnosis.

METHODS. The data for this study were derived from the 1996–2004 National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. Approximately 1.8 million beneficiaries born between 1996 and 2001 were identified, with follow-up periods ranging from 3 to 8 years.

RESULTS. Each of the 3 neurodevelopmental disorders had distinct incidence rates and associated factors. For example, as compared with the birth years of 1996–1999, the rate of autism increased 14% during the period 2000–2004, whereas the rate of newly diagnosed mental retardation decreased 42% to 50% over the same period. An elevated incidence rate for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism was observed in later birth cohorts. The risk of receiving a diagnosis of mental retardation for children in rural areas and of lower socioeconomic status was reduced in early childhood and increased in school ages as compared with their urban and higher socioeconomic status counterparts.

CONCLUSIONS. Variation in the rate of newly diagnosed mental retardation, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and autism among children in Taiwan depended on age, birth year, period, and socioeconomic status. The extent of the association linking age with the first diagnosis of mental retardation varies across different urbanicity level and socioeconomic status.
Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children and Infant Feeding Practices
Authors: Jacknowitz Alison , Novillo Daniel , Tiehen Laura
Published: February 2007

OBJECTIVE. This study examined the association between participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and adherence to 4 American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations on infant feeding.

METHODS. We used data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort, which is nationally representative of children born in 2001. We estimated regression models to assess relationships between program participation and adherence to American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations on exclusive breastfeeding and the introduction of infant formula, cow's milk, and solid foods.

RESULTS. Regression results indicated that WIC participation was associated with a 5.9-percentage point decrease in the likelihood of exclusive breastfeeding for ≥4 months and a 1.9-percentage point decrease in the likelihood of exclusive breastfeeding for ≥6 months. Program mothers were 8.5 percentage points less likely than nonparticipants to adhere to the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation to delay introduction of infant formula until month 6. Program mothers were 2.5 percentage points more likely than nonparticipants to delay the introduction of cow's milk until month 8. Program participants were 4.5 percentage points less likely than nonparticipants to delay the introduction of solid foods for ≥4 months. However, the difference between participants and nonparticipants disappeared by month 6.

CONCLUSIONS. Results suggest that, although program participants are less likely to breastfeed exclusively than eligible nonparticipants, program-provided infant formula is an important option for mothers who do not breastfeed exclusively. The program faces the challenge to encourage breastfeeding without undermining incentives to follow other recommended infant feeding practices. Recent changes proposed to the food packages by the US Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service are consistent with the goal of increasing adherence to recommended infant feeding practices among participants.
Gabapentin Successfully Manages Chronic Unexplained Irritability in Children With Severe Neurologic Impairment
Authors: Hauer Julie M. , Wical Beverly S. , Charnas Lawrence
Published: February 2007

Neurologically impaired children have an increased frequency of recurrent pain and irritability that persist in some despite comprehensive evaluation and management of possible pain sources. We hypothesized that visceral hyperalgesia was a source of chronic unexplained irritability and report the outcome of gabapentin treatment in 9 severely neurologically impaired children. Caregivers reported marked improvement after treatment ranging from 3 months to 3 years. Nystagmus in 1 child was the only noted adverse effect. Visceral hyperalgesia may be a source of unexplained irritability in the neurologically impaired child. Symptoms may improve with gabapentin treatment.
Reduced Time in Bed and Obstructive Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Children Are Associated With Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Suratt Paul M. , Barth Jeffrey T. , Diamond Robert , D'Andrea Lynn , Nikova Margarita , Perriello Vito A. , Carskadon Mary A. , Rembold Christopher
Published: February 2007

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to determine if reduced time in bed as well as the degree of obstructive sleep-disordered breathing predicted the risk of impaired cognitive function in children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy suspected of having obstructive sleep-disordered breathing.

DESIGN. We studied 56 children, aged 6 to 12 years, with adenotonsillar hypertrophy referred for suspected obstructive sleep-disordered breathing. Children were given a sleep diary and underwent wrist actigraphy for 6 consecutive days and nights. On day 7, the children were given general cognitive tests, memory tests, and continuous performance tests followed by attended polysomnography that night. Parents completed snoring and behavior questionnaires.

RESULTS. Shorter mean time in bed for 6 nights and a history of nightly snoring were highly predictive of lower scores for the vocabulary and similarities cognitive function tests. Children who had a mean time in bed of 557 minutes and did not snore nightly were predicted to have vocabulary and similarities scores more than 1 standard deviation higher than children who had a mean time in bed of 521 minutes and snored nightly. Shorter mean time in bed and the log of the apnea hypopnea index also predicted lower vocabulary and similarities scores. Greater night to night variability in time in bed was significantly predictive of lower vocabulary and similarities scores, but variability was not as predictive as mean time in bed. Neither mean time in bed nor the coefficient of variation of time in bed predicted other cognitive or behavioral scores.

CONCLUSIONS. Short or variable time in bed and nightly snoring or higher apnea hypopnea index predicted impaired vocabulary and similarities scores in children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy suspected of having obstructive sleep-disordered breathing. The degree of cognitive impairment attributable to short time in bed and obstructive sleep-disordered breathing is clinically very significant.
The Association of Health Insurance and Continuous Primary Care in the Medical Home on Vaccination Coverage for 19- to 35-Month-Old Children
Authors: Allred Norma J. , Wooten Karen G. , Kong Yuan
Published: February 2007

OBJECTIVE. Our goal was to examine the association of continuous care in the medical home and health insurance on up-to-date vaccination coverage by using data from the National Survey of Children's Health and the National Immunization Survey.

METHODS. Interviews were conducted with 5400 parents of 19- to 35-month-old children to collect data on demographics and medically-verified vaccinations. Health insurance coverage was categorized as always, intermittently, or uninsured for the previous 12 months. Insurance types were private, public, or uninsured. Having a personal doctor or nurse and receiving preventive health care in either the past 12 or 24 months constituted continuous primary care in the medical home. Children were up-to-date if they received all vaccinations by 19 to 35 months of age (≥4 doses of diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and pertussis vaccine, ≥3 doses of poliovirus vaccine, ≥1 dose of any measles-containing vaccine, ≥3 doses of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine, and ≥3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine).

RESULTS. Bivariate analyses revealed children who were always insured had significantly higher vaccination coverage (83%) than those with lapses or uninsured during the past 12 months (75% and 71%, respectively). Those with continuous primary care in the medical home had significantly higher coverage than those who did not (83% vs 75%, respectively). In multivariate analysis, the same pattern of association was observed for insurance status and medical home, but the only statistically significant association was for children of never-married mothers who had significantly lower coverage (74%) compared with children of married mothers (84%).

CONCLUSIONS. Among children with the same insurance status and continuity of care in the medical home, children of single mothers were less likely to be up-to-date than children of married mothers. Interventions assisting single mothers to obtain preventive care for their children should be a priority.
The Health and Well-being of Adopted Children
Authors: Bramlett Matthew D. , Radel Laura F. , Blumberg Stephen J.
Published: February 2007

OBJECTIVE. We compared the health and well-being of adopted and biological children and examined whether observed differences may be a result of differences between these 2 groups in demographic characteristics and special health care needs.

METHODS. The 2003 National Survey of Children's Health was funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, and was conducted as a module of the State and Local Area Integrated Telephone Survey by the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The nationally representative sample consisted of 102 353 children, including 2903 adopted children. We compared estimates for 31 indicators of health and well-being for adopted and biological children and present adjusted estimates that control for differences in demographic characteristics and special health care needs prevalence.

RESULTS. Adopted children are more likely than biological children to have special health care needs, current moderate or severe health problems, learning disability, developmental delay or physical impairment, and other mental health difficulties. However, adopted children are more likely than biological children to have had a preventive medical visit or a combination of preventive medical and dental visits during the previous year, to receive needed mental health care, and to receive care in a medical home; they are more likely to have consistent health insurance coverage, to be read to daily, or to live in neighborhoods that are supportive, and they are less likely to live in households in which someone smokes. These differences between adopted and biological children remain statistically significant even after adjustments for differences in demographic characteristics and the prevalence of special health care needs.

CONCLUSION. The results suggest that, although adopted children may have poorer health than biological children, their parents may be doing more to ensure that they have needed health care and supportive environments.
The Prevalence of Violent Disagreements in US Families: Effects of Residence, Race/Ethnicity, and Parental Stress
Authors: Moore Charity G. , Probst Janice C. , Tompkins Mark , Cuffe Steven , Martin Amy B.
Published: February 2007

CONTEXT. Witnessing domestic violence increases a child's chance of emotional or behavioral problems during childhood and entering abusive relationships in adulthood, even without co-occurring child maltreatment.

OBJECTIVE. Our goals were to estimate the prevalence of reported violent disagreements in the homes of US children and to assess prevalence differences by race/ethnicity, residence, and reported parenting stress.

PATIENTS AND METHODS. Data were drawn from the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health. Case subjects with unknown gender, race/ethnicity, or residence were excluded, yielding 99660 observations. Disagreements were classified on the basis of how the family deals with serious disagreement. If disagreements involved hitting or throwing, even rarely, the household was categorized as having violent disagreements. Households reporting heated argument and shouting were classified as having heated disagreement.

RESULTS. Nationally, 10.3% of children lived in homes with reported violent disagreements. Violent disagreements were most prevalent among black households (15.1%), followed by “other” (12.1%), Hispanic (11.3%), and white (8.6%) households. Urban areas had higher prevalence (10.7%) than did small through large rural counties (8.3%–9.9%). In multinomial logistic analysis, parents living in rural counties were less likely to report violent disagreements compared with those in urban. Black children were more likely to be exposed to both violent and heated disagreements than were white children. Parents reporting high parenting stress had higher odds of violent and heated disagreement than parents reporting less stress.

CONCLUSIONS. A substantial number of children are exposed to violent disagreement. Although demographic and cultural factors may also influence disagreement style, parental stress seems instrumental in the development of violent disagreements. Parents who experience difficulty with parenting constitute a high-risk population. Helping parents understand and address child behavior may reduce such stress.
A Multilevel Study of the Associations Between Economic and Social Context, Stage of Adolescence, and Physical Activity and Body Mass Index
Authors: McKay Caroline Mae , Bell-Ellison Bethany A. , Wallace Kirsten , Ferron John M.
Published: February 2007

OBJECTIVE. Prevention efforts targeting adolescent risk behavior have had limited effectiveness, partly because of the reliance on individual-level interventions that do not consider the context within which behavior occurs. In addition, the role of development has not been well studied regarding its possible moderating effects on contextual influences on behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of economic and social context on the odds of being inactive or having above-normal weight and whether the influence differed on the basis of stage of adolescence.

METHODS. Analysis used a subset of adolescents aged 10 to 17 years from the National Survey of Children's Health (n = 37930) from all states and the District of Columbia (n = 51). Dependent variables included physical activity and BMI. State-level economic context was measured by the proportion of families living below 200% of the federal poverty level. Social context was measured by aggregated means of responses to 2 indicators of social capital: mutual aid and social trust. Multilevel modeling was conducted to investigate associations between state-level economic and social context and physical activity and BMI, while controlling for individual sociodemographic characteristics, and whether these associations were dependent on an individual's stage of adolescence.

RESULTS. Both state-level mutual aid and social trust were significantly related to the odds of an adolescent not meeting current physical activity recommendations, yet state-level poverty was not. For BMI, all 3 state-level variables were significant predictors of having an above-normal BMI. Evidence was found of the moderating influence of stage of adolescence for both outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS. These findings point to the need for the inclusion of contextual-level data in surveillance systems assessing risk behavior in adolescents and consideration of the multilevel nature of the growing problem of inactivity and above-normal weight when focusing public health prevention efforts.
Associations Between Breastfeeding Practices and Young Children's Language and Motor Skill Development
Authors: Dee Deborah L. , Li Ruowei , Lee Li-Ching , Grummer-Strawn Laurence M.
Published: February 2007

OBJECTIVES. We examined the associations of breastfeeding initiation and duration with language and motor skill development in a nationally representative sample of US children aged 10 to 71 months.

METHODS. Using cross-sectional data on 22399 children from the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health, we examined relationships between breastfeeding practices and children's language and motor skills development. Outcomes were based on each mother's response to questions regarding her level of concern (a lot, a little, not at all) about her child's development of expressive language, receptive language, fine motor skills, and gross motor skills. Breastfeeding data were based on mothers' recall. Methods of variance estimation were applied and multivariate polynomial regression modeling was done to estimate the effects of breastfeeding initiation and duration on children's development after adjustment for confounders.

RESULTS. Mean age of the sample was 2.79 years; 67% were non-Hispanic white, 16% were Hispanic, and 9% were non-Hispanic black. Approximately 17% of mothers reported concerns about their child's expressive language development; ∼10% had receptive language concerns; ∼6% had concerns about fine motor skills; and 5% reported general motor skills concerns. Multivariate analysis revealed that mothers who initiated breastfeeding were less likely than mothers of never-breastfed children to be concerned a lot about their child's expressive and receptive language development and fine and general motor skills. Mothers of children breastfed 3 to 5.9 months were less likely than mothers of never-breastfed children to be concerned a lot about their child's expressive and receptive language and fine and general motor skills.

CONCLUSIONS. As with all cross-sectional data, results should be interpreted with caution. Our findings suggest breastfeeding may protect against delays in young children's language and motor skill development. Fewer concerns about language and motor skill development were evident for children breastfed ≥3 months, and concerns generally decreased as breastfeeding continued ≥9 months.