bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The role of desire, duty and intention in predicting attempts to quit smoking
Authors: Smit Eline S. , Fidler Jennifer A. , West Robert 
Published: December 2010

ABSTRACTAims  Motivation to quit smoking predicts quit attempts, although little is known about the role played by its different aspects. This study assessed the predictive value of desire, duty and intention to quit, three different aspects of motivation.Design  A longitudinal study was conducted involving a nationally representative sample of smokers assessed at baseline and 3 and 6 months later. Baseline assessment took place by face‐to‐face computer‐assisted interviews; follow‐up assessments by postal questionnaires.Setting  England.Participants  From April 2008 to June 2009, a total of 5593 adult smokers were recruited; 1263 were followed‐up at 3 months and 1096 at 6 months.Measurements  Three dichotomous measures of motivation to quit (wanting to quit, believing one ought to quit, intention to quit soon) were taken at baseline. Whether a subsequent quit attempt was made was recorded at 3‐ and 6‐month follow‐up.Findings  More smokers believed they ought to quit smoking than wanted to or intended to soon (39.0, 29.3 and 23.5%, respectively). Desire and intention were independent predictors of quit attempts at both follow‐ups, whereas combining them did not add predictive value and duty was not a predictor. While the predictive value of desire or intention alone disappeared when accompanied by duty, their combination was robust against its negative effect.Conclusions  Desire and intention independently positively predict quit attempts, while duty appears to mitigate their effect. It would be worth monitoring all three aspects of motivation when evaluating the impact of smoking cessation interventions on motivation to quit.
Developmental variations in metabolic capacity of flavin‐containing mono‐oxygenase 3 in childhood
Authors: Shimizu Makiko , Denton Travis , Kozono Marie , Cashman John R. , Leeder J. Steven , Yamazaki Hiroshi 
Published: December 2010

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT • The function of the human flavin‐containing mono‐oxygenase (FMO) has been shown to have large inter‐individual variation related to trimethylaminuria. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS • The study suggests that a developmental variation in functional metabolic capacity of FMO3 is occurring in childhood on the basis of in vivo phenotyping tests and in vitro liver microsomal determinations.AIM The aim of this study was to investigate intra‐ and inter‐individual variations of functional metabolic capacity of flavin‐containing mono‐oxygenase (FMO) during childhood using trimethylamine N‐oxygenation as a probe reaction.METHODS Trimethylamine N‐oxygenation functional activity and presence of FMO1 (fetal form), FMO3 (adult form), and FMO5 (endogenous form) were immunochemically determined and compared in human liver microsomes obtained from children at various ages. As a control, the same parameters were studied with recombinant FMO1, FMO3 and FMO5 proteins as enzyme sources. Developmental variation in functional metabolic capacity of FMO was estimated by measuring urinary trimethylamine and its N‐oxide in several individuals at different ages and in a group of 77 subjects in childhood.RESULTS There was a significant correlation between trimethylamine N‐oxygenation functional activity and FMO3 expression levels in human liver microsomes (r= 0.71, P < 0.05, n= 9). Trimethylamine N‐oxygenation was catalyzed largely by FMO3 and not by FMO1 or FMO5. On the basis of analysis of intra‐individual observations and collective urine samples under daily dietary conditions it was possible that neonates or infants harbouring at least one non‐inactive‐allele of the FMO3 gene could have developmental FMO3 metabolic capacity in childhood.CONCLUSIONS Developmental variations in functional metabolic capacity of FMO3 in childhood were shown both on the basis of in vivo phenotyping tests and in in vitro liver microsomal determinations.
Strain‐specific immunomodulatory effects of Lactobacillus plantarum strains on birch‐pollen‐allergic subjects out of season
Authors: Snel J. , Vissers Y. M. , Smit B. A. , Jongen J. M. J. , van der Meulen E. T. , Zwijsen R. , Ruinemans‐Koerts J. , Jansen A. P. H. , Kleerebezem M. , Savelkoul H. F. J. 
Published: December 2010

Cite this as: J. Snel, Y. M. Vissers,B. A. Smit, J. M. J. Jongen, E. T. van der Meulen, R. Zwijsen, J. Ruinemans‐Koerts, A. P. H. Jansen,M. Kleerebezem and H. F. J. Savelkoul,Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2011 (41) 232–242.SummaryBackground
Allergic diseases are increasing world‐wide, and according to the hygiene hypothesis may be related to a decreased exposure to environmental bacteria. Probiotic bacteria are recognized for their immunomodulating properties, and may benefit allergy patients. In vitro studies reveal immunomodulatory effects that are strain dependent. Differential immunomodulatory in vitro capacities cannot be extrapolated directly to in vivo efficacy. Thus, in vitro screening should preferably be followed by a comparative analysis of the selected immunomodulatory strains in an in vivo setting.Objective
We selected five Lactobacillus strains on their IL‐10‐inducing capacity, and evaluated the immunomodulatory properties in birch‐pollen‐allergic subjects outside the hayfever season, with a reduction of IL‐13 as the primary outcome.Methods
A double‐blind, placebo‐controlled parallel study was performed in which 62 subjects with a proven birch‐pollen allergy consumed one of five different probiotic yoghurts containing four Lactobacillus plantarum strains and one Lactobacillus casei strain or a placebo yoghurt. Blood samples were collected at the start and after 4 weeks. Several immune parameters were determined in serum and peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures (PBMC) derived from these subjects.Results
A decrease in birch‐pollen‐specific IgE was found for four probiotic strains. L. casei Shirota reduced the number of CD16+/CD56+ cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. For strain L. plantarum CBS125632, the decrease in IgE coincided with significant decreases in IL‐5 and IL‐13 production by αCD3/αCD28‐stimulated PBMC cultures.Conclusion and Clinical Relevance
Subjects with seasonal allergy can be used to determine immunomodulatory responses outside the pollen season within a 4‐week study period. L. plantarum CBS125632 decreased several immune markers related to allergy, and may have the potential to alleviate the severity of seasonal allergy symptoms.
Efficacy of fluticasone furoate nasal spray vs. placebo for the treatment of ocular and nasal symptoms of allergic rhinitis: a systematic review
Authors: Rodrigo G. J. , Neffen H. 
Published: December 2010

Cite this as: G. J. Rodrigo and H. Neffen,Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2011 (41) 160–170.SummaryBackground
Although previous data suggest that intranasal fluticasone furoate (FF) improves ocular symptoms of allergic rhinitis (AR), it presents serious limitations that question its results and conclusions. Therefore, an independent systematic review with meta‐analysis is required to confirm and clarify the magnitude of the effect of FF.Methods
This review compared the efficacy of intranasal FF to placebo on ocular and nasal symptoms in patients with AR. Primary outcomes were reflective and instantaneous total ocular symptom scores (rTOSS and iTOSS), and reflective and instantaneous total nasal symptom scores (rTNSS and iTNSS). Secondary outcomes included the assessment of response to therapy, quality of life (QoL), and adverse effects.Results
Sixteen trials (5.348 patients) were selected. Seven studies included seasonal AR patients and nine studies, perennial AR patients. Intranasal FF significantly improved rTOSS and iTOSS scores compared with placebo in patients with seasonal (weighted mean difference [WMD] −0.54, 95% CI, −0.70 to −0.37, and −0.59, 95% CI, −0.76 to −0.43) and perennial AR (−0.33, 95% CI, −0.31 to −0.05, and −0.38, 95% CI, −0.69 to –0.07). Intranasal FF was also significantly more effective in improving rTNSS and iTNSS scores in seasonal (WMD=−1.14, 95% CI, −1.57 to −0.72, and −1.32, 95% CI, −1.64 to −1.01) and perennial AR patients (−0.83, 95% CI, −1.08 to −0.59, and −0.90, 95% CI, −1.33 to −0.48). Finally, there were greater improvements in response to therapy and QoL with a favourable safety profile.Conclusions and Clinical Relevance
Intranasal FF showed a consistent ocular and nasal efficacy along with improvement in QoL in AR patients. This review provides significant evidence that treatment with FF nasal spray at a dose of 110 mcg once daily is effective in relieving ocular and nasal symptoms in adolescents and adults with AR.
Mitogen‐activated protein kinase signalling and ERK1/2 bistability in asthma
Authors: Alam R. , Gorska M. M. 
Published: December 2010

Cite this as: R. Alam and M. M. Gorska,Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2011 (41) 149–159.SummaryMitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs) integrate signals from numerous receptors and translate these signals into cell functions. MAPKs are critical for immune cell metabolism, migration, production of pro‐inflammatory mediators, survival and differentiation. We provide a concise review of the involvement of MAPK in important cells of the immune system. Certain cell functions, e.g. production of pro‐inflammatory mediators resolve quickly and may require a transient MAPK activation, other processes such as cell differentiation and long‐term survival may require persistent MAPK signal. The persistent MAPK signal is frequently a consequence of positive feedback loops or double negative feedback loops which perpetuate the signal after removal of an external cell stimulus. This self‐perpetuated activation of a signalling circuit is a manifestation of its bistability. Bistable systems can exist in ‘on’ and ‘off’ states and both states are stable. We have demonstrated the existence of self‐perpetuated activation mechanism for ERK1/2 in bronchial epithelial cells. This sustained activation of ERK1/2 supports long‐term survival of these cells and primes them for cytokine transcription. ERK1/2 bistability arises from repetitive stimulation of the cell. The repeated stimulation (e.g. repeated viral infection or repeated allergen exposure) seems to be a common theme in asthma and other chronic illnesses. We thus hypothesize that the self‐perpetuated ERK1/2 signal plays an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma.
Associations of social and behavioural factors with early childhood caries in Xiamen city in China
Authors: Li Yang , Zhang Ye , Yang Ran , Zhang Qiong , Zou Jing , Kang Deying 
Published: December 2010

BackgroundEarly childhood caries (ECC) is the presence of caries in primary teeth in children 71 months of age or younger. Despite a decreasing prevalence of caries in China, ECC and related risk factors in China have not been well studied.AimsThis study aimed to investigate the status of ECC in children living in Xiamen city in China and to analyse the associated social and behaviour determinants.DesignA stratified random sample consisted of 1523 children with normal birth records. Clinical examination was performed to record caries at the surface level. Parents filled in questionnaires regarding eating habits, family status, childcare provider, and oral intervention.ResultsPrevalence of ECC in studied child population was 56.8–78.31%, with an increasing tendency with age. The following factors were found to be significantly associated with ECC: age, candy, carbonated drink, bedtime eating, late start of brushing, low education of parents, private childcare, increased number of siblings, rural residence, and lack of oral health knowledge. Using a stepwise forward logistic regression analysis, a prediction model was established.ConclusionEarly childhood caries in children living in Xiamen city was strongly associated with eating habits, family‐ and childcare‐related factors and tooth‐brushing. The ECC‐high‐risk group is children in rural private childcare facilities.
Comparison of the remineralizing potential of child formula dentifrices
Authors: Ekambaram Manikandan , Itthagarun Anut , King Nigel Martyn 
Published: December 2010

BackgroundAlthough child formula fluoridated dentifrices can be used safely by young children their remineralizing capability remains questionable.AimTo evaluate the remineralizing potential of child formula dentifrices on primary teeth.DesignIn vitro single‐section technique utilizing a 7 days pH‐cycling model.MethodsPrimary teeth were placed in demineralizing solution for 96 h to produce artificial carious lesions 100 μm deep, and then cut longitudinally into 50 sections 100–150 μm thick and randomly assigned to five groups. Sections in Groups A to D were treated with dentifrices containing 500 ppm AmF, 500 ppm MFP, 500 ppm MFP and xylitol, or 500 ppm NaF, respectively. Group E sections were treated with a nonfluoridated dentifrice.Outcome measurementsLesions were evaluated using polarized light microscopy and microradiography.ResultsGroup D (500 ppm NaF) sections exhibited a significant decrease in lesion depth, whereas those in Group E (nonF) showed a significant increase in depth (P < 0.05, paired t‐test). Decrease in lesion progression was observed in Groups A, B and C.ConclusionsThe 500 ppm NaF dentifrice demonstrated remineralization of carious lesions by virtue of a significant decrease in lesion depth; whereas dentifrices that contained AmF, MFP and MFP with xylitol decelerated the progression of demineralization.
Working memory subsystems and task complexity in young boys with Fragile X syndrome
Authors: Baker S. , Hooper S. , Skinner M. , Hatton D. , Schaaf J. , Ornstein P. , Bailey D. 
Published: December 2010

AbstractBackground  Working memory problems have been targeted as core deficits in individuals with Fragile X syndrome (FXS); however, there have been few studies that have examined working memory in young boys with FXS, and even fewer studies that have studied the working memory performance of young boys with FXS across different degrees of complexity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the phonological loop and visual–spatial working memory in young boys with FXS, in comparison to mental age‐matched typical boys, and to examine the impact of complexity of the working memory tasks on performance.Methods  The performance of young boys (7 to 13‐years‐old) with FXS (n = 40) was compared with that of mental age and race matched typically developing boys (n = 40) on measures designed to test the phonological loop and the visuospatial sketchpad across low, moderate and high degrees of complexity. Multivariate analyses were used to examine group differences across the specific working memory systems and degrees of complexity.Results  Results suggested that boys with FXS showed deficits in phonological loop and visual–spatial working memory tasks when compared with typically developing mental age‐matched boys. For the boys with FXS, the phonological loop was significantly lower than the visual–spatial sketchpad; however, there was no significant difference in performance across the low, moderate and high degrees of complexity in the working memory tasks. Reverse tasks from both the phonological loop and visual–spatial sketchpad appeared to be the most challenging for both groups, but particularly for the boys with FXS.Conclusions  These findings implicate a generalised deficit in working memory in young boys with FXS, with a specific disproportionate impairment in the phonological loop. Given the lack of differentiation on the low versus high complexity tasks, simple span tasks may provide an adequate estimate of working memory until greater involvement of the central executive is achieved.
Neuropsychological differences between survivors of supratentorial and infratentorial brain tumours
Authors: Patel S. K. , Mullins W. A. , O'Neil S. H. , Wilson K. 
Published: December 2010

AbstractBackground  The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between brain tumour location and core areas of cognitive and behavioural functioning for paediatric brain tumour survivors. The extant literature both supports and refutes an association between paediatric brain tumour location and neurocognitive outcomes. We examined neuropsychological test data to identify any differences in neurocognitive and behavioural profile associated with supratentorial versus infratentorial tumour location.Methods  Following Institutional Review Board approval, the medical records and neuropsychological test data collected between 1997 and 2002 for 70 children treated for brain tumour at Children's Hospital Los Angeles were reviewed. Fifty‐one per cent of the participants had tumours located in the supratentorial regions of the brain, whereas 49% had infratentorial tumours. Primary medical treatments involved tumour resection (90%), cranial radiation therapy (76%), chemotherapy (71%), and 59% all three medical procedures. The two tumour location groups did not differ significantly in the cumulative treatment dose of irradiation to the tumour bed or in the dose delivered to the whole brain. Neuropsychological test data included measures of verbal and non‐verbal intellectual functioning, attention/working memory, processing speed, verbal and visual memory, fine motor skills, visual–motor integration, academic achievement, and social–emotional functioning. Differences between the two groups were evaluated using anova, t‐tests and chi‐squared statistical tests.Results  The supratentorial and infratentorial tumour location groups did not differ on measures of intellectual functioning. However, survivors of infratentorial tumours performed more poorly on selected measures of more specific cognitive functions and on parent‐report of social–emotional functioning relative to survivors of supratentorial tumours, even when age at diagnosis was held as a covariate. Higher frequency of auditory deficits was noted in the infratentorial tumour group and was associated with lowered academic achievement scores.Conclusions  The differences by location found in more specific neurocognitive and social–emotional variables, after controlling for age at diagnosis, may possibly reflect tumour location‐specific effects. However, this interpretation remains tentative given the limitations in our study and inability to control for the range of medical and treatment‐related factors that may have contributed towards the outcomes observed in our sample. At the same time, most of our findings appear consistent with reports from recent studies in this area.
The role of community nurses and residential staff in supporting women with intellectual disability to access breast screening services
Authors: Taggart L. , Truesdale‐Kennedy M. , McIlfatrick S. 
Published: December 2010

AbstractBackground  Women with intellectual disability (ID) are surviving to the age group at greatest risk of developing breast cancer (50–69 years). These women are more likely to experience a greater number of risk factors placing them at an advanced threat of developing breast cancer. However, as a result of cognitive deficits and communication difficulties these women are dependent upon staff to support them to attend the breast screening clinics.Aim  The aim of this paper was to examine how community nurses and residential staff support women with ID to access breast screening services.Methodology  Six focus groups were held with community nurses and residential staff who work in the field of ID in one region of the UK. The focus groups were tape recorded and the transcriptions were subjected to a thematic content analysis.Findings  Although many of the participants recognised the risk factors and signs/symptoms of breast cancer, there was still a deficit of knowledge. Both positive and negative experiences of women with ID attending for breast screening were reported; however, greater discussion focused on the latter. The participants identified ‘a lack of health educational material’ and also negative ‘emotions, attitudes and physical barriers’ as inhibiting factors for attendance.Discussion  This paper highlights the need for developing a health promotion programme for women with ID focusing on breast awareness and information on screening, and also healthier lifestyles. Breast awareness via visual checks was identified for women with ID who refused to attend the breast clinics; however, issues of informed ‘consent’ and ‘vulnerability’ were raised for staff and also family carers having to undertake these checks. Development of user‐friendly health educational literature using ‘pictures, symbols, signs’ and simplified words should be accessible to all ID staff, healthcare staff, and also women with ID.
In Sup35p filaments (the [PSI+] prion), the globular C‐terminal domains are widely offset from the amyloid fibril backbone
Authors: Baxa Ulrich , Keller Paul W. , Cheng Naiqian , Wall Joseph S. , Steven Alasdair C. 
Published: December 2010

SummaryIn yeast cells infected with the [PSI+] prion, Sup35p forms aggregates and its activity in translation termination is downregulated. Transfection experiments have shown that Sup35p filaments assembled in vitro are infectious, suggesting that they reproduce or closely resemble the prion. We have used several EM techniques to study the molecular architecture of filaments, seeking clues as to the mechanism of downregulation. Sup35p has an N‐terminal ‘prion’ domain; a highly charged middle (M‐)domain; and a C‐terminal domain with the translation termination activity. By negative staining, cryo‐EM and scanning transmission EM (STEM), filaments of full‐length Sup35p show a thin backbone fibril surrounded by a diffuse 65‐nm‐wide cloud of globular C‐domains. In diameter (∼8 nm) and appearance, the backbones resemble amyloid fibrils of N‐domains alone. STEM mass‐per‐unit‐length data yield ∼1 subunit per 0.47 nm for N‐fibrils, NM‐filaments and Sup35p filaments, further supporting the fibril backbone model. The 30 nm radial span of decorating C‐domains indicates that the M‐domains assume highly extended conformations, offering an explanation for the residual Sup35p activity in infected cells, whereby the C‐domains remain free enough to interact with ribosomes.