bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Parental education and frequency of food consumption in European children: the IDEFICS study
Authors: Fernández-Alvira Juan Miguel , Mouratidou Theodora , Bammann Karin , Hebestreit Antje , Barba Gianvincenzo , Sieri Sabina , Reisch Lucia , Eiben Gabriele , Hadjigeorgiou Charalampos , Kovacs Eva , Huybrechts Inge , Moreno Luis A 
Published: June 2012

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the relationship between parental education level and the consumption frequency of obesity-related foods in European children.DesignThe analysis was based on data from the cross-sectional baseline survey of a prospective cohort study. The effects of parental education on food consumption were explored using analysis of covariance and logistic regression.SettingPrimary schools and pre-schools of selected regions in Italy, Estonia, Cyprus, Belgium, Sweden, Hungary, Germany and Spain.SubjectsParticipants (n 14 426) of the IDEFICS baseline cohort study aged 2 to 9 years.ResultsParental education level affected the intake of obesity-related foods in children. Children in the low and medium parental education level groups had lower odds of more frequently eating low-sugar and low-fat foods (vegetables, fruits, pasta/noodles/rice and wholemeal bread) and higher odds of more frequently eating high-sugar and high-fat foods (fried potatoes, fruits with sugar and nuts, snacks/desserts and sugared beverages; P < 0·001). The largest odds ratio differences were found in the low category (reference category: high) for vegetables (OR = 0·56; 95 % CI 0·47, 0·65), fruits (OR = 0·56; 95 % CI 0·48, 0·65), fruits with sugar and nuts (OR = 2·23; 95 % CI 1·92, 2·59) and sugared beverages (OR = 2·01; 95 % CI 1·77, 2·37).ConclusionsLow parental education level was associated with intakes of sugar-rich and fatty foods among children, while high parental education level was associated with intakes of low-sugar and low-fat foods. These findings should be taken into account in public health interventions, with more targeted policies aiming at an improvement of children's diet.
Environmental Transmission Electron Microscopy in an Aberration-Corrected Environment
Authors: Hansen Thomas W. , Wagner Jakob B. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractThe increasing use of environmental transmission electron microscopy (ETEM) in materials science provides exciting new possibilities for investigating chemical reactions and understanding both the interaction of fast electrons with gas molecules and the effect of the presence of gas on high-resolution imaging. A gaseous atmosphere in the pole-piece gap of the objective lens of the microscope alters both the incoming electron wave prior to interaction with the sample and the outgoing wave below the sample. Whereas conventional TEM samples are usually thin (below 100 nm), the gas in the environmental cell fills the entire gap between the pole pieces and is thus not spatially localized. By using an FEI Titan environmental transmission electron microscope equipped with a monochromator and an aberration corrector on the objective lens, we have investigated the effects on imaging and spectroscopy caused by the presence of the gas.
Interplay of oxygen-evolution kinetics and photovoltaic power curves on the construction of artificial leaves
Authors: Surendranath Yogesh , Bediako D. Kwabena , Nocera Daniel G. 
Published: June 2012

An artificial leaf can perform direct solar-to-fuels conversion. The construction of an efficient artificial leaf or other photovoltaic (PV)-photoelectrochemical device requires that the power curve of the PV material and load curve of water splitting, composed of the catalyst Tafel behavior and cell resistances, be well-matched near the thermodynamic potential for water splitting. For such a condition, we show here that the current density-voltage characteristic of the catalyst is a key determinant of the solar-to-fuels efficiency (SFE). Oxidic Co and Ni borate (Co-B
i
and Ni-B
i
) thin films electrodeposited from solution yield oxygen-evolving catalysts with Tafel slopes of 52 mV/decade and 30 mV/decade, respectively. The consequence of the disparate Tafel behavior on the SFE is modeled using the idealized behavior of a triple-junction Si PV cell. For PV cells exhibiting similar solar power-conversion efficiencies, those displaying low open circuit voltages are better matched to catalysts with low Tafel slopes and high exchange current densities. In contrast, PV cells possessing high open circuit voltages are largely insensitive to the catalyst’s current density-voltage characteristics but sacrifice overall SFE because of less efficient utilization of the solar spectrum. The analysis presented herein highlights the importance of matching the electrochemical load of water-splitting to the onset of maximum current of the PV component, drawing a clear link between the kinetic profile of the water-splitting catalyst and the SFE efficiency of devices such as the artificial leaf.
Elemental nitrogen partitioning in dense interstellar clouds
Authors: Daranlot Julien , Hincelin Ugo , Bergeat Astrid , Costes Michel , Loison Jean-Christophe , Wakelam Valentine , Hickson Kevin M. 
Published: June 2012

Many chemical models of dense interstellar clouds predict that the majority of gas-phase elemental nitrogen should be present as N
2
, with an abundance approximately five orders of magnitude less than that of hydrogen. As a homonuclear diatomic molecule, N
2
is difficult to detect spectroscopically through infrared or millimeter-wavelength transitions. Therefore, its abundance is often inferred indirectly through its reaction product N
2
H
+
. Two main formation mechanisms, each involving two radical-radical reactions, are the source of N
2
in such environments. Here we report measurements of the low temperature rate constants for one of these processes, the N + CN reaction, down to 56 K. The measured rate constants for this reaction, and those recently determined for two other reactions implicated in N
2
formation, are tested using a gas-grain model employing a critically evaluated chemical network. We show that the amount of interstellar nitrogen present as N
2
depends on the competition between its gas-phase formation and the depletion of atomic nitrogen onto grains. As the reactions controlling N
2
formation are inefficient, we argue that N
2
does not represent the main reservoir species for interstellar nitrogen. Instead, elevated abundances of more labile forms of nitrogen such as NH
3
should be present on interstellar ices, promoting the eventual formation of nitrogen-bearing organic molecules.
Health economic assessment of ferric carboxymaltose in patients with iron deficiency and chronic heart failure based on the FAIR‐HF trial: an analysis for the UK
Authors: Gutzwiller Florian S. , Schwenkglenks Matthias , Blank Patricia R. , Braunhofer Peter G. , Mori Claudio , Szucs Thomas D. , Ponikowski Piotr , Anker Stefan D. 
Published: June 2012

AimsThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the cost‐effectiveness of iron repletion using intravenous (i.v.) ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients with iron deficiency with or without anaemia. Cost‐effectiveness was studied from the perspective of the National Health Service in the UK.Methods and resultsA model‐based cost‐effectiveness analysis was used to compare iron repletion with FCM with no iron treatment. Using data from the FAIR‐HF trial and publicly available sources and publications, per patient costs and clinical effectiveness of FCM were estimated compared with placebo. Cost assessment was based on study drug and administration costs, cost of CHF treatment, and hospital length of stay. The incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) of FCM use was expressed as cost per quality‐adjusted life year (QALY) gained, and sensitivity analyses were performed on the base case. The time horizon of the analysis was 24 weeks. Mean QALYs were higher in the FCM arm (difference 0.037 QALYs; bootstrap‐based 95% confidence interval 0.017–0.060). The ICER of FCM compared with placebo was €4414 per QALY gained for the FAIR‐HF dosing regimen. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the base case result to be robust.ConclusionFrom the UK payers’ perspective, managing iron deficiency in CHF patients using i.v. FCM was cost‐effective in this analysis. The base case ICER was clearly below the threshold of €22 200–€33 300/QALY gained (£20 000–£30 000) typically used by the UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and proved to be robust in sensitivity analysis. Improved symptoms and better quality of life contributed to this result.
Risk adjustment of heroin treatment outcomes for comparative performance assessment in England
Authors: Marsden John , Eastwood Brian , Jones Hayley , Bradbury Colin , Hickman Matthew , Knight Jonathan , Randhawa Kulvir , White Martin ,   the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System Outcomes Study Group
Published: June 2012

AbstractAimsVariability in effectiveness of treatment for substance abuse disorder (SUD) is an important and understudied issue. This study aimed to quantify the extent of outcome variability in the English SUD treatment system after adjusting for potential confounding variables.DesignProspective cohort study using data from the English national drug treatment outcome monitoring database.SettingAll 149 administrative areas delivering publicly funded SUD services in the National Health Service and non‐governmental sector.ParticipantsNew adult admissions between January 2008 and October 2010 with illicit heroin‐related problems in all administrative areas, with an in‐treatment review conducted between 5 and 26 weeks (mean = 129.5 days; SD = 40.0) up to 30 April 2011 (n = 65 223; 75.6% of eligible clients). Individuals were divided randomly to form model developmental and internal validation samples. These were contrasted with an independent (external) sample of the same population admitted to treatment between November 2010 and April 2011 and followed to 31 October 2011 (n = 13 797; 81.4% of those eligible).Measurements and analysisThe outcome measure was self‐reported illicit heroin use, categorized as abstinent or deteriorated (the latter by Reliable Change Index), each risk‐adjusted by person‐level (demographics, clinical severity and treatment complexity) and area‐level (SUD prevalence, social deprivation and severity averages) covariates by multivariable logistic regression using multiply imputed outcome and covariate data. Risk‐adjusted models were assessed by information criteria and discrimination (c‐index). Standardized outcome rates were compared by funnel plot with 95% and 99% control limits.FindingsModels of heroin abstinence (48.4%) and deterioration (3.2%) were comparable across the developmental and validation samples (c‐index = 0.70–0.71 and 0.82–0.87), with 79.2 and 94.0%, respectively, of the 149 treatment areas falling within 95% control limits. At the 99% limit, seven areas (4.7%) achieved abstinence rates above the national average, and eight had relatively poor abstinence rates (5.4%). At the 99% control limit, one area achieved very low deterioration outcomes and two (1.3%) were worse that the average. Risk adjustment served to increase abstinence rates in good performing areas by 0.63% and reduce abstinence rates by 0.37% in poor performing areas, and by 0.12% and 0.18%, respectively, for deterioration.ConclusionThere is some exceptional variability in the apparent effectiveness of the English treatment system for substance use disorders. It is important to determine the source of this variability in order to inform drug treatment delivery and its evaluation both in England and overseas.
Regulation of thyroid hormone sensitivity by differential expression of the thyroid hormone receptor during Xenopus metamorphosis
Authors: Nakajima Keisuke , Fujimoto Kenta , Yaoita Yoshio 
Published: June 2012

During amphibian metamorphosis, a series of dynamic changes occur in a predetermined order. Hind limb morphogenesis begins in response to low levels of thyroid hormone (TH) in early prometamorphosis, but tail muscle cell death is delayed until climax, when TH levels are high. It takes about 20 days for tadpoles to grow from early prometamorphosis to climax. To study the molecular basis of the timing of tissue‐specific transformations, we introduced thyroid hormone receptor (TR) expression constructs into tail muscle cells of Xenopus tadpoles. The TR‐transfected tail muscle cells died upon exposure to a low level of thyroxine (T4). This cell death was suggested to be mediated by type 2 iodothyronine deiodinase (D2) that converts T4 to T3—the more active form of TH. D2 mRNA was induced in the TR‐overexpressing cells by low levels of TH. D2 promoter contains a TH‐response element (TRE) with a lower affinity for TR. These results show that the TR transfection confers the ability to respond to physiological concentrations of TH at early prometamorphosis to tail muscle cells through D2 activity and promotes TH signaling. We propose the positive feedback loop model to amplify the cell's ability to respond to low levels of T4.
The sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) genome reflects a recent history of biased accumulation of transposable elements
Authors: Staton S. Evan , Bakken Bradley H. , Blackman Benjamin K. , Chapman Mark A. , Kane Nolan C. , Tang Shunxue , Ungerer Mark C. , Knapp Steven J. , Rieseberg Loren H. , Burke John M. 
Published: June 2012

SummaryAside from polyploidy, transposable elements are the major drivers of genome size increases in plants. Thus, understanding the diversity and evolutionary dynamics of transposable elements in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), especially given its large genome size (∼3.5 Gb) and the well‐documented cases of amplification of certain transposons within the genus, is of considerable importance for understanding the evolutionary history of this emerging model species. By analyzing approximately 25% of the sunflower genome from random sequence reads and assembled bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones, we show that it is composed of over 81% transposable elements, 77% of which are long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons. Moreover, the LTR retrotransposon fraction in BAC clones harboring genes is disproportionately composed of chromodomain‐containing Gypsy LTR retrotransposons (‘chromoviruses’), and the majority of the intact chromoviruses contain tandem chromodomain duplications. We show that there is a bias in the efficacy of homologous recombination in removing LTR retrotransposon DNA, thereby providing insight into the mechanisms associated with transposable element (TE) composition in the sunflower genome. We also show that the vast majority of observed LTR retrotransposon insertions have likely occurred since the origin of this species, providing further evidence that biased LTR retrotransposon activity has played a major role in shaping the chromatin and DNA landscape of the sunflower genome. Although our findings on LTR retrotransposon age and structure could be influenced by the selection of the BAC clones analyzed, a global analysis of random sequence reads indicates that the evolutionary patterns described herein apply to the sunflower genome as a whole.
Obesity in asthma: more neutrophilic inflammation as a possible explanation for a reduced treatment response
Authors: Telenga E. D. , Tideman S. W. , Kerstjens H. A. M. , Hacken N. H. T. ten , Timens W. , Postma D. S. , van den Berge M. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractBackgroundThe incidence of asthma and obesity is increasing worldwide, and reports suggest that obese patients have more severe asthma. We investigated whether obese asthma patients have more severe airway obstruction and airway hyper‐responsiveness and a different type of airway inflammation than lean asthmatics. Furthermore, we assessed the effect of obesity on corticosteroid treatment response.MethodsPatient data from four well‐documented asthma cohorts were pooled (n = 423). We evaluated FEV1, bronchial hyper‐responsiveness (PC20) to either methacholine/histamine or adenosine 5′‐monophosphate (AMP) (differential) cell counts in induced sputum and blood and corticosteroid treatment response in 118 patients.ResultsAt baseline, FEV1, PC20 methacholine or histamine, and PC20 AMP values were comparable in 63 obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) and 213 lean patients (BMI <25 kg/m2). Obese patients had significantly higher blood neutrophils. These higher blood neutrophils were only seen in obese women and not in obese men. After a two‐week treatment with corticosteroids, we observed less corticosteroid‐induced improvement in FEV1%predicted in obese patients than in lean patients (median 1.7% vs 6.3% respectively, P = 0.04). The percentage of sputum eosinophils improved significantly less with higher BMI (P = 0.03), and the number of blood neutrophils increased less in obese than in lean patients (0.32 x103/μl vs 0.57 x103/μl, P = 0.046).ConclusionsWe found no differences in asthma severity between obese and nonobese asthmatics. Interestingly, obese patients demonstrated more neutrophils in sputum and blood than nonobese patients. The smaller improvement in FEV1 and sputum eosinophils suggests a worse corticosteroid treatment response in obese asthmatics.
Evidence for a genetic interaction in allergy‐related responsiveness to vitamin D deficiency
Authors: Vimaleswaran K. S. , Cavadino A. , Hyppönen E. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractBackgroundThe hormonal form of vitamin D affects both adaptive and innate immune functions involved in the development of allergies. Certain genotypes have been seen to alter the association between vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and the risk of food sensitization in children.MethodsWe examined 27 functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in/near selected candidate genes for association with total immunoglobulin E (IgE) and effect modification by 25‐hydroxyvitamin D in the 1958 British birth cohort (aged 45 years, n = 4921). A cut‐off value of 50 nmol/L was used to define VDD.ResultsFour SNPs (in FCER1A, IL13, and CYP24A1) and three SNPs (in IL4 and CYP24A1) were associated with total IgE and specific IgE, respectively, after correction for multiple testing. As in a previous study, MS4A2 (rs512555, Pinteraction = 0.04) and IL4 (rs2243250, Pinteraction = 0.02), and their composite score (Pinteraction = 0.009) modified the association between VDD and allergy‐related outcome. Vitamin D deficiency was associated with higher total IgE only in the carriers of the ‘C’ allele (IL4), which is present in 86% of white Europeans, while only 26% of Chinese and <20% of some African populations are carriers.ConclusionsOur study on white European adults was consistent with a previous study on children from largely non‐white ethnic groups, suggesting that IL4 and MS4A2 genotypes modify the association between VDD and allergy risk. The risk allele in IL4 is present in nearly 90% of white Europeans, while less than a quarter are carriers in some other populations, highlighting the need to consider possible ethnic differences in allergy‐related responsiveness to VDD.
Restoration of humoral immunity after intravenous immunoglobulin replacement therapy in heart recipients with post‐transplant antibody deficiency and severe infections
Authors: Carbone J. , Sarmiento E. , Del Pozo N. , Rodriguez‐Molina J.J. , Navarro J. , Fernandez‐Yañez J. , Palomo J. , Villa A. , Muñoz P. , Fernandez‐Cruz E. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractIgG hypogammaglobulinemia is a risk factor for infection in heart recipients. We assessed reconstitution of humoral immunity after non‐specific intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) replacement therapy administered to treat secondary IgG hypogammaglobulinemia in heart recipients with severe infections. The study population comprised 55 heart recipients who were administered IVIg (IVIg group) and 55 heart recipients with no severe infectious complications (control group). An event was defined as a severe infection requiring intravenous drug therapy during the first year after transplantation. The IVIg protocol comprised non‐specific 5% pasteurized IVIg at a dose of 300–400 mg/kg/months. IgG titers were lower in the IVIg group than in controls at seven d (577 vs. 778 mg/dL, p < 0.001) and at one month (553 vs. 684, p = 0.003). After IVIg therapy, IgG concentrations were similar in both groups at three months (681 vs. 737, p = 0.25) and at six months (736 vs. 769, p = 0.46). At three months, the IVIg group had higher levels of antitetanus toxoid and anti‐HBs (ELISA, 2.07 ± 2.11 vs. 0.60 ± 1.24 mg/dL [p = 0.003] and 42 ± 40 vs. 11 ± 31 IU/mL [p = 0.005], respectively) than controls. The mean number of infectious complications was significantly lower after IVIG therapy in the IVIG group. IVIg was associated with restoration of humoral immunity in heart recipients with post‐transplant IgG hypogammaglobulinemia and severe infections.
Health care follow‐up by live kidney donors more than three yr post‐nephrectomy
Authors: Weng Francis L. , Reese Peter P. , Waterman Amy D. , Soto Angelo G. , Demissie Kitaw , Mulgaonkar Shamkant 
Published: June 2012

AbstractBackgroundLive kidney donors are advised to follow up regularly with healthcare providers to monitor kidney function and to diagnose and treat relevant comorbidities. We sought to determine the frequency and correlates of follow‐up care among live kidney donors.MethodsWe sent a mailed questionnaire to 606 live kidney donors from a single center who were at least three yr post‐nephrectomy.ResultsWe received usable responses from 276 (45.5%), at a median of 6.2 yr post‐donation. Compared with non‐responders, responding donors were more likely to be older (p < 0.001), female (p = 0.002), white (p < 0.001), and married to the recipient (p < 0.001). In the prior year, 87.7% of respondents reported seeing a physician or other healthcare professional, and 79.0% had seen a “general doctor” such as their primary care provider. In univariable analyses of live kidney donors who responded to our survey, lack of medical follow‐up in the past year was associated with younger age, current lack of health insurance, and infrequent contact with the transplant recipient.ConclusionsMost responding live kidney donors had seen a healthcare provider within the past year. To improve donors’ follow‐up, transplant centers can consider targeting donors who are younger or lack health insurance.
Access to renal transplantation in the diabetic population–effect of comorbidities and body mass index
Authors: Patibandla Bhanu K. , Narra Akshita , DeSilva Ranil , Chawla Varun , Goldfarb‐Rumyantzev Alexander S. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractBackgroundIn this study, we hypothesized that higher level of comorbidity and greater body mass index (BMI) may mediate the association between diabetes and access to transplantation.MethodsWe used data from the United States Renal Data System (01/01/2000–24/09/2007; n = 619 151). We analyzed two outcomes using Cox model: (i) time to being placed on the waiting list or transplantation without being listed and (ii) time to transplantation after being listed. Two primary Cox models were developed based on different levels of adjustment.ResultsIn Cox models adjusted for a priori defined potential confounders, history of diabetes was associated with reduced transplant access (compared with non‐diabetic population) – both for wait‐listing/transplant without being listed (hazard ratio, HR = 0.80, p < 0.001) and for transplant after being listed (HR = 0.72, p < 0.001). In Cox models adjusted for BMI and comorbidity index along with the potential confounders, history of diabetes was associated with shorter time to wait‐listing or transplantation without being listed (HR = 1.07, p < 0.001), and there was no significant difference in time to transplantation after being listed (HR = 1.01, p = 0.42).ConclusionWe demonstrated that higher level of comorbidity and greater BMI mediate the association between diabetes and reduced access to transplantation.