bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicted National Productivity Implications of Calorie and Sodium Reductions in the American Diet
Authors: Dall Timothy M. , Fulgoni Victor L. , Zhang Yiduo , Reimers Kristin J. , Packard Patricia T. , Astwood James D.
Published: June 2010

Purpose.

To model the potential long-term national productivity benefits from reduced daily intake of calories and sodium.

Design.

Simulation based on secondary data analysis; quantitative research. Measures include absenteeism, presenteeism, disability, and premature mortality under various hypothetical dietary changes.

Setting.

United States.

Subjects.

Two hundred twenty-five million adults.

Measures.

Findings come from a Nutrition Impact Model that combines information from national surveys, peer-reviewed studies, and government reports.

Analysis.

We compare current estimates of national productivity loss associated with overweight, obesity, and hypertension to estimates for hypothetical scenarios in which national prevalence of these risk factors is lower. Using the simulation model, we illustrate how modest dietary change can achieve lower national prevalence of excess weight and hypertension.

Results.

We estimate that permanent 100-kcal reductions in daily intake among the overweight/obese would eliminate approximately 71.2 million cases of overweight/obesity. In the long term, this could increase national productivity by $45.7 billion annually. Long-term sodium reductions of 400 mg in those with uncontrolled hypertension would eliminate about 1.5 million cases, potentially increasing productivity by $2.5 billion annually. More aggressive diet changes of 500 kcal and 1100 mg of sodium reductions yield potential productivity benefits of $133.3 and $5.8 billion, respectively.

Conclusions.

The potential long-term benefit of reduced calories and sodium, combining medical cost savings with productivity increases, ranges from $108.5 billion for moderate reductions to $255.6 billion for aggressive reductions. These findings help inform public health policy and the business case for improving diet.
Culturally Tailored Aerobic Exercise Intervention for Low-Income Latinas
Authors: Hovell Melbourne F. , Mulvihill Mary M. , Buono Michael J. , Liles Sandy , Schade Debra H. , Washington Tabitha A. , Manzano Ruth , Sallis James F.
Published: June 2010

Purpose.

To determine the efficacy of community-based, culturally tailored exercise intervention on the moderate and vigorous physical activity and physiologic outcomes of low-income Latino women (Latinas).

Design.

A randomized trial contrasted safety education to an aerobic dance intervention.

Setting.

Interventions were held in a “store-front” exercise site near a community clinic.

Subjects.

Sedentary low-income Latinas (N = 151; 18—55 years; 70% overweight/obese) were recruited. Retention was 91% for follow-up measures.

Intervention.

Three sessions per week of supervised aerobic dance were provided for 6 months. Controls attended 18 safety education sessions over 6 months.

Measures.

Physical activity and aerobic fitness (VO2max) were primary outcomes.

Results.

Participants in the exercise group reported more vigorous exercise (p < .001) and walking (p = .005) at post-test than controls. Aerobic dance and unsupervised activity resulted in a five-fold greater increase in relative VO2max compared with controls (p < .001). Although exercise and fitness decreased at follow-up, vigorous exercise (p = .001) and relative VO2max (p < .001) remained higher in the exercise group, suggesting maintenance at 1 year.

Conclusion.

Culturally tailored aerobic dance can increase vigorous physical activity, possibly generalizing to walking, and the combination can improve cardiorespiratory fitness in low-income, overweight, sedentary Latinas.
Demographics and Risky Lifestyle Behaviors Associated with Willingness to Risk Sexually Transmitted Infection in Air Force Recruits
Authors: Cooper Theodore V. , DeBon Margaret , Haddock C. Keith , Esquivel Denise Rodríguez , Klesges Robert C. , Lando Harry , Talcott G. Wayne
Published: June 2010

Purpose.

To investigate sexually transmitted infection (STL) risk-taking behaviors relative to other lifestyle and risk-taking behaviors.

Design.

The study design is cross sectional.

Setting.

Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

Subjects.

Participants (N = 32,144) were 100% of Air Force recruits beginning basic military training from August 1995 to August 1996.

Measures.

Recruits completed a questionnaire that included rating the statement “Sex without condoms is sometimes worth the risk of possibly getting AIDS or sexually transmitted diseases.” Risky behaviors, such as risk taking rebelliousness, seat belt use, smoking alcohol use and binge drinking opinions of illicit drug use, and lifestyle behaviors, such as dietary intake and physical activity, were also assessed.

Analysis.

Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses examined the relationships between participant characteristics and willingness to risk STI.

Results.

Sixteen percent stated willingness to risk STI to have sex without a condom. Women and white/non-Hispanic participants were less likely to agree with the statement than men and minority participants. Those who reported willingness toward risky sexual behaviors were less likely to use seat belts, were more likely to binge drink, had more positive views of illicit drugs, and reported eating fewer fruits and vegetables.

Conclusion.

Results of this study suggest the importance of continued education on condom use and the possibility that multiple risk behavior interventions include sexual risk components.
Tobacco Use Behaviors and Household Smoking Bans among Chinese Americans
Authors: Shelley Donna , Nguyen Nam , Yerneni Rajeev , Fahs Marianne
Published: June 2010

Purpose.

To assess the relationship between household smoking restrictions and smoking patterns among Chinese American adults.

Design.

This is a cross-sectional analysis based on a National Institutes of Health-funded population-based household and telephone survey of 2537 Chinese American adults.

Setting.

Two communities in New York City.

Subjects.

The analyses focused on male current smokers (N = 600).

Measures.

Demographic characteristics, smoking status, household smoking restrictions, cigarettes smoked per day, and past quit attempts were based on self-reported data.

Results.

Among current smokers, 37% reported living in a home with a complete smoking ban. Smokers with a full household smoking ban smoked fewer cigarettes on weekdays and weekends than smokers with no household smoking ban (p ≤ .05) and were 3.4 times (p ≤ .01) more likely to report having at least one quit attempt in the past 12 months. Smokers with knowledge of the dangers of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure were 2.8 times (p ≤ .01) more likely to have at least one quit attempt in the last 12 months compared with those who were unaware of the danger of ETS and more likely to live in a smoke-free household.

Conclusions.

Smoke-free home policies and interventions to raise awareness among smokers of the dangers of ETS have the potential to significantly reduce tobacco use and exposure to household ETS among this immigrant population.
Intention-Behavior Relationship Based on Epidemiologic Indices: An Application to Physical Activity
Authors: Godin Gaston , Conner Mark
Published: June 2010

Purpose.

This article examines the usefulness of epidemiologic indices in furthering the understanding of the intention-behavior relationship in the field of physical activity.

Design.

Six prospective data sets of physical activity were used.

Setting.

The United Kingdom and Canada in various settings (school, workplace).

Subjects.

Different segments of the population (students, employees).

Measures.

Intention at baseline and behavior at follow-up, both assessed by means of questionnaires.

Analysis.

Intention and behavior were dichotomized to create a 2 × 2 table; this allowed us to compute four standard epidemiologic indices: sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PV+), and negative predictive value (PV–).

Results.

Sensitivity was 86.3%, which reflected the high sensitivity of intention for exercising, i.e., active individuals were very likely to hold a positive intention. Specificity was 49.5%, which suggested that a significant number of inactive individuals held a positive intention. With respect to predictive values, a low intention was a very good predictor of being inactive (PV- = 88.1%), whereas a positive intention was a moderate predictor of being active (PV+ = 45.5%).

Conclusion.

These results indicate that intention is a moderate predictor of behavior and that the gap between intention and behavior is caused by high intenders not taking action. Health promotion programs would benefit to target factors that moderate the intention-behavior relationship.
Association of Father Involvement and Neighborhood Quality with Kindergartners' Physical Activity: A Multilevel Structural Equation Model
Authors: Beets Michael W. , Foley John T.
Published: June 2010

Purpose.

Examine the effects of father-child involvement and neighborhood characteristics with young children's physical activity (PA) within a multilevel framework.

Design.

Cross-sectional analysis of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Kindergarten Cohort 1998.

Setting.

Nationally representative sample.

Subjects.

Data were available for 10,694 kindergartners (5–6 years; 5240 girls) living in 1053 neighborhoods.

Measures.

Parental report of child's PA level, father characteristics (e.g., time spent with child, age, education, socioeconomic status, hours worked), family time spent doing sports/activities together, and neighborhood quality (e.g., safety, presence of crime violence, garbage). Child weight status, motor skills, ethnicity, and television viewing were used as covariates.

Analysis.

Multilevel structural equation modeling with children nested within neighborhoods.

Results.

At the child level father-child time and family time doing sports together were positively associated with children's PA. At the neighborhood level parental perception of a neighborhood's safety for children to play outside fully mediated the effect of neighborhood quality on children's PA. Overall 19.1% and 7.6% of the variance in PA was explained at the child and neighborhood levels, respectively.

Conclusions.

Family-based interventions for PA should consider father-child time, with this contributing to a child's overall PA level. Further, neighborhood quality is an important predictor of PA only to the extent by which parents perceive it to be unsafe for their child to play outdoors.
Heart Check Lite: Modifications to an Established Worksite Heart Health Assessment
Authors: Fisher Brian D. , Golaszewski Thomas
Published: June 2010

Purpose.

Develop and test a reduced-item version of an established tool to measure employer supports for cardiovascular health.

Method.

A random set of 1000 worksites throughout New York State was surveyed in 1999 with Heart Check, a 226–item assessment of employer supports for cardiovascular health. Correlation, Guttman, factor, and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analyses were used to identify reduced-item versions. The reduced-item versions were then assessed for their abilities to similarly rank and detect changes in 255 different worksites participating in an intervention program. Regression, correlation, and k analyses were used.

Results.

Analysis of the Heart Check instrument identified two brief versions with 27 and 55 items. OLS regression of full Heart Check scores for these versions had adjusted R2 of .95 and .97, respectively.

Discussion.

Both reduced-item versions demonstrated a moderate to strong ability to reproduce the results observed with the full Heart Check.
Outcomes of a Home-Based Walking Program for African-American Women
Authors: Wilbur JoEllen , McDevitt Judith H. , Wang Edward , Dancy Barbara L. , Miller Arlene M. , Briller Joan , Ingram Diana L. M. , Nicola Terry L. , Ju SuKyung , Lee Hyeonkyeong
Published: June 2010

Purpose.

As compared with minimal treatment (MT), to determine the effectiveness of a home-based walking intervention enhanced by behavioral strategies targeted and tailored to African-American women (enhanced treatment [ET]) on adherence, physical activity, fitness, and body composition at 24 and 48 weeks.

Design.

Using a quasi-experimental design, treatments were randomly assigned to one of two community health centers.

Setting.

The centers were in predominately African-American communities.

Participants.

Sedentary women (156 ET, 125 MT) 40 to 65 years were recruited within a 3-mile radius of each center.

Intervention.

Both treatments had the same orientation. The ET group had four targeted workshops followed by weekly tailored telephone calls over 24 weeks.

Methods.

Generalized linear mixed models were used to test effects of treatments on adherence, physical activity, aerobic fitness, and body composition.

Results.

Adherence was significantly higher in the ET than the MT group and was related to the number of workshops attended (r = .58) and tailored calls (r = .25) received. On-treatment analysis showed significant postintervention improvement in waist circumference and fitness in the ET group; however, these improvements were not statistically different between the two groups. Intent to treat analysis showed a significant increase in fitness, decrease in waist circumference, and no change in body mass index in both treatments.

Conclusion.

Findings suggest the potential impact of workshop group support on adherence in African-American women.
Families, Social Support, and Self-Care among Older African-American Women with Chronic Illness
Authors: Warren-Findlow Jan , Prohaska Thomas R.
Published: June 2010

Purpose.

This study describes the specific type and extent of social support provided by family members to older African-American women managing chronic disease.

Design.

Qualitative study with multiple in-depth interviews conducted over a 2-year time period.

Setting.

Participants were interviewed in their homes in a large Midwestern city.

Participants.

This was a purposeful study group of 12 middle-aged and older African-American women with diagnosed early-stage heart disease and other comorbidities.

Methods.

Data were collected on women's beliefs about their heart disease and their descriptions of how family members helped or inhibited their self-care practices. Women's descriptions of family social support were analyzed as to the type and influence.

Results.

Most women lived in interdependent, multigenerational situations with family members providing: instrumental support; a passive form of informational support based on family history of heart disease that was used to make health comparisons and evaluate heart health; and behavioral support, which emerged, in terms of reinforcement or discouragement of lifestyle behavior changes, as a sometimes significant barrier to practicing chronic illness self-care.

Conclusion.

These findings, while not statistically representative, demonstrate the significant influence that family members have on older women's chronic illness self-care activities. The positive and sometimes negative effects of living with multiple generations suggest the need for culturally relevant, family-based, chronic illness interventions for African-Americans.
Understanding Barriers to Participation in Mammography by Women with Disabilities
Authors: Barr Judith K. , Giannotti Tierney E. , Hoof Thomas J. Van , Mongoven Jennifer , Curry Maureen
Published: June 2010

Purpose.

The study purpose was to identify barriers to mammography screening among women with different disabilities and to suggest interventions to address barriers.

Methods.

Forty-two women with self-reported disabilities, ages 40 to 69 years participated. They resided in 24 Connecticut towns, and most had a prior mammogram. Data were collected through six disability-specific focus groups from women with sensory, physical, psychiatric, and cognitive/intellectual impairments. Facilitator-conducted groups used a semistructured guide. Qualitative analysis applied an iterative coding process to generate themes and categories.

Results.

We identified four themes (i.e., access, beliefs, social support, and comfort/accommodations) and nine subthemes that characterized barriers. In all focus groups, women mentioned physical access and physical comfort/accommodations as types of barriers. Other major subthemes were communication and professional support. Women also described mammography facilitators.

Conclusion.

Despite frequent use of health care and personal strategies to facilitate mammography screening, women with disabilities reported barriers to getting mammograms. Findings suggest a multifaceted approach to address these barriers.
Cigarette Smoking and Food Insecurity among Low-Income Families in the United States, 2001
Authors: Armour Brian S. , Pitts M. Melinda , Lee Chung-Won
Published: June 2010

Purpose.

To quantify the association between food insecurity and smoking among low-income families.

Design and Setting.

A retrospective study using data from the 2001 Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), a longitudinal study of a representative sample of U.S. men, women, and children and the family units in which they reside.

Subjects.

Low-income families.

Measures.

Family income was linked with U.S. poverty thresholds to identify 2099 families living near or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Food insecurity (i.e., having insufficient funds to purchase enough food to maintain an active and healthy lifestyle) was calculated from the 18-core-item food security module of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Current smoking status was determined.

Results.

Smoking prevalence was higher among low-income families who were food insecure compared with low-income families who were food secure (43.6% vs. 31.9%; p < .01). Multivariate analysis revealed that smoking was associated with an increase in food insecurity of approximately six percentage points (p < .01).

Conclusions.

Given our finding that families near the federal poverty level spend a large share of their income on cigarettes, perhaps it would be prudent for food-assistance and tobacco-control programs to work together to help low-income people quit smoking.
Credit Card Debt, Stress and Key Health Risk Behaviors among College Students
Authors: Nelson Melissa C. , Lust Katherine , Story Mary , Ehlinger Ed
Published: June 2010

Purpose.

To examine cross-sectional associations between credit card debt, stress, and health risk behaviors among college students, focusing particularly on weight-related behaviors.

Design.

Random-sample, mailed survey.

Subjects/Setting.

Undergraduate and graduate students (n = 3206) attending a large public university.

Measures.

Self-reported health indicators (e.g., weight, height, physical activity, diet, weight control, stress, credit card debt).

Results.

More than 23% of students reported credit card debt ≥ $1000. Using Poisson regression to predict relative risks (RR) of health behaviors, debt of at least $1000 was associated with nearly every risk indicator tested, including overweight/obesity, insufficient physical activity, excess television viewing infrequent breakfast consumption, fast food consumption, unhealthy weight control, body dissatisfaction, binge drinking, substance use, and violence. For example, adjusted RR [ARR] ranged from 1.09 (95% Confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–1.17) for insufficient vigorous activity to 2.17 (CI: 0.68–2.82) for using drugs other than marijuana in the past 30 days. Poor stress management was also a robust indicator of health risk.

Conclusion.

University student lifestyles may be characterized by a variety of coexisting risk factors. These findings indicate that both debt and stress were associated with wide-ranging adverse health indicators. Intervention strategies targeting at-risk student populations need to be tailored to work within the context of the many challenges of college life, which may serve as barriers to healthy lifestyles. Increased health promotion efforts targeting stress, financial management, and weight-related health behaviors may be needed to enhance wellness among young adults.
Worksite-Based Weight Loss Programs: A Systematic Review of Recent Literature
Authors: Benedict Michael A. , Arterburn David
Published: June 2010

Objective.

To update a previous systematic review on the effectiveness of worksite-based weight loss programs.

Data Source.

The following databases were searched: Medline, PsychINFO, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and LexisNexis.

Study Inclusion and Exclusion.

Studies were limited to those published in English from 1995 to 2006 to which the following inclusion criteria were applied: (1) worksite intervention, (2) body weight assessed before and after intervention, and (3) study duration of at least 8 weeks.

Data Extraction.

Data were extracted on the following: study design; funding source; purpose of evaluation; participant and worksite characteristics; type, intensity and duration of intervention; primary and secondary outcomes; and methodological quality.

Data Synthesis.

Heterogeneity of study designs precluded quantitative data synthesis.

Results.

We identified 11 randomized controlled trials, most of which focused on education and counseling to improve diet and increase physical activity. Follow-up ranged from 2 to 18 months, with 56% to 100% of subjects completing the studies. The overall methodological quality of the studies was poor. Intervention groups lost significantly more weight than controls, with the mean difference in weight loss ranging from −0.2 to −6.4 kg.

Conclusion.

Worksite-based weight loss programs can result in modest short improvements in body weight; however, long-term data on health and economic outcomes are lacking.

So What?

There is a need for rigorous controlled studies of worksite-based interventions that integrate educational, behavioral, environmental, and economic supports.
The Effectiveness of Tailored Feedback and Action Plans in an Intervention Addressing Multiple Health Behaviors
Authors: de Vries H. , Kremers S. P. J. , Smeets T. , Brug J. , Eijmael K.
Published: June 2010

Purpose.

Examine the effects of three iterative tailored feedback letters addressing smoking; physical activity; and fruit, vegetable, and fat intake, and test the additional effects of providing feedback on action plans.

Design.

A tailored, print-based intervention was developed and tested in a randomized control trial with a posttest after 9 months.

Setting.

A total of 2827 respondents agreed to participate. They were recruited from a random sample of 35,000 addresses obtained through the Dutch national telephone company.

Subjects.

The mean age was 49 years, and 55% were female.

Intervention.

The experimental group received three printed tailored letters, and the control group received three printed generic letters. Respondents from the experimental group randomly received either a third letter with tailored information or tailored information and action-planning feedback.

Measures.

The questionnaire assessed physical activity; smoking; consumption of fruit, vegetables and fat; motivational determinants; action plans; and demographics.

Results.

Tailored information resulted in more improvement over time than generic information for the intake of fruit, vegetables, and fat and for physical activity. No differences between the conditions were found for smoking because of high cessation rates in all conditions. Action-planning feedback did not increase the effects.

Conclusions.

Tailored lifestyle information can be effective for adults in changing nutrition behavior and physical activity.
The Ecological Approach in Health Promotion Programs: A Decade Later
Authors: Kok Gerjo , Gottlieb Nell H. , Commers Matthew , Smerecnik Chris
Published: June 2010

Purpose.

Present a 10-year update of the ecologic model of health promotion published by Richard et al. in the American Journal of Health Promotion in 1996.

Approach.

We adapted and simplified the model by leaving out settings, focusing on levels, and incorporating interpersonal and individual levels and agents that are in control of environmental conditions.

Setting.

Health care facilities, schools, workplaces, living environments, and public environments were represented in program descriptions.

Participants.

Forty-three program coordinators responsible for 47 programs were interviewed in the United States and The Netherlands.

Methods.

A systematic interview protocol elicited general program descriptions and relevant aspects of the ecologic approach. Program aspects from written reports were coded by the authors into levels, interventions, targets, and strategies.

Results.

The programs had 234 strategies and 276 targets, with a mean of 2.15 levels. Twenty-seven distinct intervention strategies were identified, with the most common being modification of an organization to which the at-risk individuals belong, followed by policy and community changes.

Conclusion.

Our data fit the ecologic model and our adaptations and indicate that over the past decade health promotion practice may have changed to include more multilevel programs. Systematic analysis of program strategies within and across environmental levels allows better understanding of the social ecology of health-related behavior and potential leverage points for change.
Detection of plant species-specific dna (barley and soybean) in blood, muscle tissue, organs and gastrointestinal contents of rabbit.
Authors: Tudisco  R. , Calabrò S. , Bovera F. , Cutrignelli M.I. , Nizza A. , Piccolo V. , Infascelli F.
Published: June 2010

The aim of this study was to detect plant DNA sequences from low copy number genes of barley grain and soybean meal, the latter being subjected to solvent extraction process, in blood, liver, kidney, spleen, muscle tissue and digesta (duodenum, caecum and faeces from rectal ampulla) of rabbits. For fattening, Hyla rabbits (20 males and 20 females) were fed a diet including barley grain (15%) and soybean meal (12%). Animals were slaughtered at 74 d of age (2 ± 0.2 kg live weight) and samples collected from each animal. The quality of each DNA sample was verified using the UNIV P/Q primers used to amplify a mammalian specifi c portion of mtDNA 16S rRNA gene. The presence of plant DNA was subsequently ascertained on the same DNA samples, as well as on barley and soybean (control). Two classes of plant DNA sequences were monitored via real-time PCR, using SYBR® Green I Dye: a high copy number chloroplast gene (trnl) and a low copy number specific for barley (metal-dependent hydrolase-like protein) and soybean (lectin) genes. Melting curve analysis was used to identify the PCR products. The chloroplast fragment detection frequency was higher (P<0.01) in muscle (90%), liver (80%), kidney (80%) and spleen (80%) than in blood (40%) and digesta samples. In the latter, chloroplast DNA was found in 40 and 30% of duodenum and caecum contents respectively, and in 30% of faeces. The specificity of the amplicons obtained was checked by sequencing and annotation. In the samples positive for chloroplast fragments, the frequency of detection of barley specific sequence was higher (P<0.01) in liver (62.5%), kidney (62.5%), spleen (62.5%) and digesta (100%) than in blood (25%) and muscle (22.2%) samples. The soybean lectin gene was not detected in animal samples, although it was seen in plant samples. Results confirm that, except for gastrointestinal tract (GIT), plant single copy genes are more difficult to identify in animal samples.
Cirrus clouds triggered by radiation, a multiscale phenomenon
Authors: Fusina F. , Spichtinger P.
Published: June 2010

Abstract. In this study, the influence of radiative cooling and small eddies on cirrus formation is investigated. For this purpose the non-hydrostatic, anelastic model EULAG is used with a recently developed and validated ice microphysics scheme (Spichtinger and Gierens, 2009a). Additionally, we implemented a fast radiative transfer code (Fu et al., 1998). Using idealized profiles with high ice supersaturations up to 144% and weakly stable stratifications with Brunt-Vaisala frequencies down to 0.0018 s−1 within a supersaturated layer, the influence of radiation on the formation of cirrus clouds is remarkable. Due to the radiative cooling at the top of the ice supersaturated layer with cooling rates down to −3.5 K/d, the stability inside the ice supersaturated layer decreases with time. During destabilization, small eddies induced by Gaussian temperature fluctuations start to grow and trigger first nucleation. These first nucleation events then induce the growth of convective cells due to the radiative destabilization. The effects of increasing the local relative humidity by cooling due to radiation and adiabatic lifting lead to the formation of a cirrus cloud with IWC up to 33 mg/m3 and mean optical depths up to 0.36. In a more stable environment, radiative cooling is not strong enough to destabilize the supersaturated layer within 8 h; no nucleation occurs in this case. Overall triggering of cirrus clouds via radiation works only if the supersaturated layer is destabilized by radiative cooling such that small eddies can grow in amplitude and finally initialize ice nucleation. Both processes on different scales, small-scale eddies and large-scale radiative cooling are necessary.
Spectral invariant behavior of zenith radiance around cloud edges simulated by radiative transfer
Authors: Chiu J. C. , Marshak A. , Knyazikhin Y. , Wiscombe W. J.
Published: June 2010

Abstract. A previous paper discovered a surprising spectral-invariant relationship in shortwave spectrometer observations taken by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program. Here, using radiative transfer simulations, we study the sensitivity of this relationship to the properties of aerosols and clouds, to the underlying surface type, and to the finite field-of-view (FOV) of the spectrometer. Overall, the relationship is mostly sensitive to cloud properties and has little sensitivity to the other factors. At visible wavelengths, the relationship primarily depends on cloud optical depth regardless of cloud thermodynamic phase and drop size. At water-absorbing wavelengths, the slope of the spectral-invariant relationship depends primarily on cloud optical depth; the intercept, by contrast, depends primarily on cloud absorption properties, suggesting a new retrieval method for cloud drop effective radius. These results suggest that the spectral-invariant relationship can be used to infer cloud properties even with insufficient or no knowledge about spectral surface albedo and aerosol properties.
Large-scale fluctuations of PSBL magnetic flux tubes induced by the field-aligned motion of highly accelerated ions
Authors: Grigorenko E. E. , Burinskaya T. M. , Shevelev M. , Sauvaud J.-A. , Zelenyi L. M.
Published: June 2010

Abstract. We present a comprehensive analysis of magnetic field and plasma data measured in the course of 170 crossings of the lobeward edge of Plasma Sheet Boundary Layer (PSBL) in the Earth's magnetotail by Cluster spacecraft. We found that large-scale fluctuations of the magnetic flux tubes have been registered during intervals of propagation of high velocity field-aligned ions. The observed kink-like oscillations propagate earthward along the main magnetic field with phase velocities of the order of local Alfvén velocity and have typical wavelengths ~5–20 RE, and frequencies of the order of 0.004–0.02 Hz. The oscillations of PSBL magnetic flux tubes are manifested also in a sudden increase of drift velocity of cold lobe ions streaming tailward. Since in the majority of PSBL crossings in our data set, the densities of currents corresponding to electron-ion relative drift have been low, the investigation of Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) instability in a bounded flow sandwiched between the plasma sheet and the lobe has been performed to analyze its relevance to generation of the observed ultra-low frequency oscillations with wavelengths much larger than the flow width. The calculations have shown that, when plasma conditions are favorable for the excitation of K-H instability at least at one of the flow boundaries, kink-like ultra-low frequency waves, resembling the experimentally observed ones, could become unstable and efficiently develop in the system.
Spatial pattern analysis of landslide using landscape metrics and logistic regression: a case study in Central Taiwan
Authors: Lin Y.-P. , Chu H.-J. , Wu C.-F.
Published: June 2010

Abstract. The Chi-Chi Earthquake of September 1999 in Central Taiwan registered a moment magnitude MW of 7.6 on the Richter scale, causing widespread landslides. Subsequent typhoons associated with heavy rainfalls triggered the landslides. The study investigates multi-temporal landslide images from spatial analysis between 1996 and 2005 in the Chenyulan Watershed, Taiwan. Spatial patterns in various landslide frequencies were detected using landscapes metrics. The logistic regression results indicate that frequency of occurrence is an important factor in assessing landslide hazards. Low-occurrence landslides sprawl the catchment while the sustained (frequent) landslide areas cluster near the ridge as well as the stream course. From those results, we can infer that landslide area and mean size for each landslide correlates with the frequency of occurrence. Although negatively correlated with frequency in the low-occurrence landslide, the mean size of each landslide is positively related to frequency in the high-occurrence one. Moreover, this study determines the spatial susceptibilities in landslides by performing logistic regression analysis. Results of this study demonstrate that the factors such as elevation, slope, lithology, and vegetation cover are significant explanatory variables. In addition to the various frequencies, the relationships between driving factors and landslide susceptibility in the study area are quantified as well.
Skin calcium deposits in primary familial brain calcification: A novel potential biomarker
Authors: Emmi Aron , Bonato Giulia , Tushevski Aleksandar , Bertolin Cinzia , Cavallieri Francesco , Porzionato Andrea , Antonini Angelo , Salviati Leonardo , Carecchio Miryam
Published: February 2025

Objective

Primary Familial Brain Calcification (PFBC) is a rare neurodegenerative disorder characterized by small vessel calcifications in the basal ganglia. PFBC is caused by pathogenic variants in different genes and its physiopathology is still largely unknown. Skin vascular calcifications have been detected in single PFBC cases, suggesting that calcium deposition may not be limited to the brain, but it is unknown whether this is a hallmark of all PFBC genetic and clinical subtypes. This work aims at assessing anatomical and subcellular localization of calcium‐phosphate deposits in skin biopsies from PFBC patients to ascertain the accuracy of histological calcium staining in differentiating PFBC from healthy controls (HC) and Parkinson's Disease (PD).

Methods

Histopathology and light microscopy of skin biopsy from 20 PFBC, 7 HC and 10 PD subjects (3 mm ø–5 mm deep punch biopsies, Hematoxylin–Eosin and vonKossa staining, immunoperoxidase CD31 staining); clinical, genetic and radiological assessment.

Results

Unlike HC and PD subjects, the majority of PFBC patients (17/20) showed a consistent pattern of granular argyrophilic calcium‐phosphate deposits in the basal lamina and the cytoplasm of CD31+ endothelial cells and pericytes of dermal capillaries, and the basement membrane of sweat glands. This pattern was unrelated to the underlying mutated gene or clinical status.

Interpretation

Skin biopsy may be a novel PFBC diagnostic tool and a potential biomarker for future therapies, and a tool to investigate PFBC disease mechanisms. Different findings in some patients could be due to skin sampling variability and biological consequences of specific PFBC gene variants.
Lupus Flares: More Common in Dialysis Patients than in Post‐Kidney Transplant Recipients ‐ A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Daoud Ansaam , Dweik Loai , Desai Niraj , Hasni Sarfaraz A. , Pamuk Omer N.
Published: February 2025

Objectives

In this study, we performed a systematic literature review and meta‐analysis to assess the frequency of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) flares in patients with ESRD and patients undergoing renal replacement therapy (RRT) (hemodialysis (HD), peritoneal dialysis (PD), and kidney transplant (KT).

Methods

Literature from 1973 to 2023 was searched for studies on the frequency of lupus flares after RRT. Data were extracted for ESRD and each RRT modality. Forest plots and random effect models were used to evaluate the odds ratios (95% CI) of SLE flares after ESRD or RRT, and study heterogeneity was assessed using I2 statistics.

Results

57 studies fulfilled the study entry criteria. 29 studies evaluated extra‐renal SLE flares after HD/PD and 5 studies evaluated extra‐renal SLE flares after KT. The frequency of extra‐renal SLE flares was compared between HD and PD in 7 studies, and between HD/PD and KT in 4. The recurrence of lupus nephritis (LN) was analyzed in 29 studies. Overall, 35.9% of patients with ESRD had at least one extra‐renal flare after RRT. The frequency of extra‐renal SLE flare was similar in PD and HD (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.57‐1.94). Extra‐renal flare risk was significantly higher in the PD/HD group compared to KT (OR: 4.36, 95%CI: 1.66‐11.47, p=0.0028). The recurrence of LN after KT was 3.39%.

Conclusions

Extra‐renal lupus flares can still occur in more than one‐third of patients with ESRD on RRT. Dialysis patients have a higher flare risk than those post‐KT, with comparable flare risk among patients on HD and PD.
Mucus Physically Restricts Influenza A Viral Particle Access to the Epithelium
Authors: Kaler Logan , Engle Elizabeth M. , Corkran Maria , Iverson Ethan , Boboltz Allison , Ignacio Maxinne A. , Yeruva Taj , Scull Margaret A. , Duncan Gregg A.
Published: February 2025

Prior work suggests influenza A virus (IAV) crosses the airway mucus barrier in a sialic acid‐dependent manner through the actions of the viral envelope proteins, hemagglutinin, and neuraminidase. However, host and viral factors that influence how efficiently mucus traps IAV remain poorly defined. In this work, how the physicochemical properties of mucus influence its ability to effectively capture IAV is assessed using fluorescence video microscopy and multiple particle tracking. Our studies suggest an airway mucus gel layer must be produced with virus‐sized pores to physically constrain IAV. While sialic acid binding by IAV may improve mucus trapping efficiency, sialic acid binding preference is found to have little impact on IAV mobility and the fraction of viral particles expected to penetrate the mucus barrier. Further, synthetic polymeric hydrogels engineered with mucus‐like architecture are similarly protective against IAV infection despite their lack of sialic acid decoy receptors. Together, this work provides new insights on mucus barrier function toward IAV with important implications on innate host defense and transmission of respiratory viruses.
Nanotechnology in Plant Nanobionics: Mechanisms, Applications, and Future Perspectives
Authors: Gautam Kajal , Singh Hukum , Sinha A. K.
Published: February 2025

Plants are vital to ecosystems and human survival, possessing intricate internal and inter‐plant signaling networks that allow them to adapt quickly to changing environments and maintain ecological balance. The integration of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) with plant systems has led to the emergence of plant nanobionics, a field that holds the potential to enhance plant capabilities significantly. This integration may result in improved photosynthesis, increased nutrient uptake, and accelerated growth and development. Plants treated with ENMs can be stress mitigators, pollutant detectors, environmental sensors, and even light emitters. This review explores recent advancements in plant nanobionics, focusing on nanoparticle (NP) synthesis, adhesion, uptake, transport, fate, and application in enhancing plant physiological functioning, stress mitigation, plant health monitoring, energy production, environmental sensing, and overall plant growth and productivity. Potential research directions and challenges in plant nanobionics are highlighted, and how material optimization and innovation are propelling the growth in the field of smart agriculture, pollution remediation, and energy/biomass production are discussed.
Design and Research of an Aircraft Ice Control System Based on Multilayer Functional Film
Authors: Pang Jie , Qiu Wenli , Meng Qingan , Zhou Junjie , Wang Xiaopeng , Yue Yue
Published: February 2025

Aiming to address the challenges of high energy consumption and low efficiency associated with current aircraft deicing or anti‐icing systems, this study presents an innovative ice control system based on a multilayer functional film. The multilayer functional film utilizes carbon nanotube film as the electrothermal substrate, incorporates cobalt (Co) for its photothermal properties and silicon dioxide (SiO2) for enhancing surface roughness and light trapping, thereby constructing a photothermal superhydrophobic surface, referred to as PCoSi‐PCNT, and integrates capacitive icing sensors, temperature sensors, and humidity sensors. The deicing or anti‐icing controller processes data to detect icing status and regulate the electrically heated deicing or anti‐icing system. The results demonstrate that the photothermal superhydrophobicity of the multilayer functional film surface significantly delays icing. Notably, a 30 μL droplet was completely iced for 563 s at an ambient temperature of −15 °C, while the surface temperature rises to 67.3 °C at a light intensity of 100 mW cm−2. The deicing or anti‐icing controller accurately detects changes in capacitance during the icing process of surface water droplets and activates electric heating in real time. With the continuous operation of the electric heating system, the surface temperature is consistently maintained between 42 and 55 °C. This system achieves efficient deicing or anti‐icing with minimal energy consumption, offering a promising solution for aircraft deicing or anti‐icing applications.
Preparation and High‐Temperature Microplastic Forming Performance of Nano‐FeCoNi Medium‐Entropy Alloy Foils
Authors: Li You , Wang Peike , Zhai Yuxin , Lv Jinjian , Sun Yuning
Published: February 2025

Nanocrystalline FeCoNi medium‐entropy alloys (MEAs), characterized by their unique internal microstructure and substantial industrial application potential, often exhibit superior performance compared to conventional alloys and high‐entropy alloys. Herein, nanocrystalline FeCoNi MEAs are fabricated using an alternating current pulse electrodeposition method. The microstructure, crystallographic characteristics, and mechanical properties of the electrodeposited layers are systematically investigated. A MEA foil with a nanoscale grain thickness of 45 μm is successfully prepared. Furthermore, the foil is subjected to microbulging tests using a gas‐pressure microforming setup. The morphology and stress distribution of the deformed alloy are analyzed in detail.
Templated Freeze‐Casting for Porous Organic Battery Electrodes with High‐Rate Capabilities
Authors: Vaidyula Rinish Reddy , Kawashima Kenta , Brotherton Zachary W. , Fuller Robert Ferguson , Wang Ziqing , Ellison Christopher J. , Lynd Nathaniel A. , Mullins C. Buddie
Published: February 2025

Redox‐active polymer (RAP)‐based organic electrodes offer versatile energy storage solutions across various battery systems. However, effective dispersion of polymer active materials with conductive additives remains challenging, limiting active site accessibility and material utilization. This study introduces camphene (CAMP), a bio‐derived solvent, to fabricate porous organic electrodes through templated freeze casting. Compared to conventional N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP)‐cast electrodes, CAMP‐cast electrodes exhibit superior ion diffusion, lower charge transfer resistance, and enhanced reaction kinetics across three different RAPs. This results in excellent rate capabilities and significant capacity retention even at 20 A g−1 current density. At higher mass loadings (>1.0 mg cm−2), CAMP‐cast electrodes achieve areal capacities of ≈0.15 mAh cm−2 at 0.5 A g−1 over 1000 cycles and maintain more than 80% capacity retention after 500 cycles at 2 A g−1. These findings demonstrate CAMP's potential as an eco‐friendly alternative to NMP for producing high‐performance organic electrodes, offering a sustainable approach to advanced energy storage solutions.
Programmable Liquid Crystal Elastomers Via Magnetic Field Assisted Oligomerization
Authors: Mouhoubi Rakine , Lapinte Vincent , Blanquer Sébastien
Published: February 2025

Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are highly promising soft actuators due to their ability to undergo significant, rapid, and programmable shape transformations. Achieving this actuation requires precise mesogen alignment before crosslinking. Magnetic field alignment offers an advantage over other techniques as it enables volumetric mesogen alignment. However, magnetic alignment has to be performed in the state where mesogens exhibit anisotropic diamagnetic properties suitable for alignment, typically in the nematic phase. Therefore, it is difficult to obtain a stable nematic liquid crystalline mixture before crosslinking, while preventing mesogen recrystallization. To address this challenge, a method using a magnetic field assisted thio‐Michael polyaddition followed by the photo‐crosslinking of liquid crystal oligomers (LCOs) is presented. This process is straightforward and allows the synthesis of magnetically aligned high molecular weight LCOs, which maintain a nematic phase before crosslinking. By applying different magnetic field orientations during the polyaddition, three distinct LCE networks are synthesized, each demonstrating unique reversible deformation behaviors, including radial contraction and expansion, thickness contraction, and bending. The potential of this approach is further demonstrated with LCE‐based four‐leaf clovers exhibiting selective and reversible large‐angle bending deformation, despite the high thickness of the material. This simple approach should help researchers in various fields looking for a practical and versatile method for designing robust LCE actuators.
Bacteria‐Derived Carbon Composite Anode for Highly Durable Lithium‐Ion Storage Enabled by Heteroatom Doping and Pore Construction
Authors: Sun Jie , Li Ping , Cheng Zhongling , Tang Cheng , Du Aijun , Zhang Haijiao
Published: February 2025

Bacteria‐derived carbon anode materials have shown appealing potential for advanced energy storage applications due to their low cost and good sustainability. However, the few intrinsic defects, sluggish transmission dynamics, and low capacity become the main bottleneck for their further development. Herein, the study designs a highly B, N co‐doped mesoporous carbon (BNMC)/staphylococcus aureus‐derived carbon (SAC) composite via a facile assembly route, followed by boron‐doping. Enabled by heteroatom doping and pore construction, the resulting BNMC/SAC anode for lithium‐ion batteries demonstrates a high reversible capacity of 621.77 mAh g−1 at 200 mA g−1 even after 500 cycles, and an excellent rate performance of 405.14 mAh g−1 at 2 A g−1. Importantly, in situ/ex situ characterizations and theoretical simulation results further unveil that high B, N co‐doping along with a small amount of P doping can significantly increase the intrinsic defects of BNMC/SAC, thus providing more active sites for lithium‐ion storage. Furthermore, these structural features are conducive to improving the interfacial stability of the whole electrode, achieving a thin and uniform SEI film. The multi‐component co‐doping strategy along with pore engineering presents a scalable approach for enhancing the interfacial stability and transfer dynamics of carbon‐based electrode materials for low‐cost energy storage.