bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Association of ADH and ALDH Gene Variants With Alcohol Drinking Habits and Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors
Authors: Husemoen Lise Lotte Nystrup , Fenger Mogens , Friedrich Nele , Tolstrup Janne Schurmann , Beenfeldt Fredriksen Stine , Linneberg Allan 
Published: September 2008

Background:  Genetic variation in ethanol metabolism may have an influence on both alcohol drinking habits and the susceptibility to health effects of alcohol drinking. Such influences are likely to bias exposure‐disease associations in epidemiologic studies of health effects of alcohol drinking. In a Caucasian population, we examined the association of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) genetic variants with alcohol drinking habits, biomarkers of alcohol exposure, and risk factors for cardiovascular disease.Methods:  The study population consisted of 1,216 Danish men and women aged 15–77 years participating in a health examination in 1998. The health examination included a self‐administered questionnaire (alcohol drinking habits), a physical examination (blood pressure), and various blood tests [alanine aminotransferase (ALAT), erythrocyte mean corpuscular volume (E‐MCV), and lipids]. ADH and ALDH gene variants were determined by standard techniques. Data were analyzed by regression analyses adjusted for relevant confounders.Results:  Self‐reported alcohol drinking was significantly associated with increasing levels of ALAT, E‐MCV, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and blood pressure. The ALDH1b ala69val variant was associated with nondrinking and total alcohol intake. The ALDH2 promoter variant was associated with binge‐drinking, and the ALDH1b1 ala69val polymorphism was associated with diastolic blood pressure. We did not find any statistically significant interactions between any of the gene variants and alcohol consumption in relation to the various outcomes.Conclusions:  In this Caucasian population sample, we found evidence to support that genetic variation in ethanol metabolism may influence drinking habits, but no statistically significant gene‐environment interactions. More large‐scale epidemiologic studies are needed to confirm theses results and to further investigate genetic susceptibility to the effects of alcohol drinking.
Ferroportin q248h, Dietary Iron, and Serum Ferritin in Community African‐Americans With Low to High Alcohol Consumption
Authors: Gordeuk Victor R. , Diaz Sharmin F. , Onojobi Gladys O. , Kasvosve Ishmael , Debebe Zufan , Edossa Amanuel , Pantin Jeremy M. , Xiong Shigang , Nekhai Sergei , Nouraie Mehdi , Tsukamoto Hidekazu , Taylor Robert E. 
Published: September 2008

Background:  Alcohol consumption is associated with increased iron stores. In sub‐Saharan Africa, high dietary ionic iron and the ferroportin Q248H allele have also been implicated in iron accumulation. We examined the associations of ferroportin Q248H, alcohol and dietary iron with serum ferritin, aspartate aminotransaminase (AST) and alanine aminotransaminase (ALT) concentrations in African‐Americans.Methods:  Inner‐city African‐Americans (103 men, 40 women) were recruited from the community according to reported ingestion of >4 alcoholic drinks/d or <2/wk. Typical daily heme iron, nonheme iron and alcohol were estimated using University of Hawaii’s multiethnic dietary questionnaire. Based on dietary questionnaire estimates we established categories of < versus ≥56 g alcohol/d, equivalent to 4 alcoholic drinks/d assuming 14 g alcohol per drink.Results:  Among 143 participants, 77% drank <56 g alcohol/d and 23%≥56 g/d as estimated by the questionnaire. The prevalence of ferroportin Q248H was 23.3% with alcohol >56 g/d versus 7.5% with lower amounts (p = 0.014). Among subjects with no history of HIV disease, serum ferritin concentration had positive relationships with male gender (p = 0.041), alcohol consumption (p = 0.021) and ALT concentration (p = 0.0001) but not with dietary iron intake or ferroportin Q248H. Serum AST and ALT concentrations had significant positive associations with male gender and hepatitis C seropositivity but not with alcohol or dietary iron intake or ferroportin Q248H.Conclusions:  Our findings suggest a higher prevalence of ferroportin Q248H with greater alcohol consumption, and this higher prevalence raises the possibility that the allele might ameliorate the toxicity of alcohol. Our results suggest that alcohol but not dietary iron contributes to higher body iron stores in African‐Americans. Studies with larger numbers of participants are needed to further clarify the relationship of ferroportin Q248H with the toxicity of alcohol consumption.
Aripiprazole Effects on Alcohol Consumption and Subjective Reports in a Clinical Laboratory Paradigm—Possible Influence of Self‐Control
Authors: Voronin Konstantin , Randall Patrick , Myrick Hugh , Anton Raymond 
Published: September 2008

Introduction:  There has been increasing interest in the use of medications that affect the dopamine receptor in the treatment of alcoholism. Aripiprazole has the unique pharmacology of being a partial dopamine agonist serving to stabilize brain dopamine systems in both frontal cortical and subcortical areas. As such, it might act to dampen alcohol reinforcement and craving and/or alter control over alcohol use. The current clinical laboratory study was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of aripiprazole as a potential agent to alter drinking and objective effects of alcohol.Methods:  Thirty nontreatment seeking alcoholics were enrolled in a subacute human laboratory study and received double‐blind treatment with up to 15 mg of aripiprazole (n = 15) or identical placebo (n = 15) for 8 days. Tolerability and utility of aripiprazole was monitored during natural drinking over the first 6 days of medication treatment and also during a free choice limited access alcohol consumption paradigm following an initial drink of alcohol in a bar‐lab setting on Day 8.Results:  Aripiprazole was well tolerated and reduced drinking in nontreatment seeking alcoholics over 6 days of natural drinking—especially in those with lower self control (more impulsive). It also reduced drinks in the bar‐lab after a priming drink and broke the link between priming drink induced stimulation and further drinking. During the bar‐lab drinking session, there were no differences in subjective high, intoxication, or craving between subjects treated with aripiprazole or placebo.Discussion:  This study joins several others in demonstrating the utility of subacute dosing laboratory paradigms for evaluating medication effects in alcoholics. Aripiprazole was well tolerated and lowered alcohol use, especially in those with lower impulse control. Further study is needed to determine the safety and utility of aripiprazole in the treatment of alcoholism and if subgroups of alcoholics are more likely to respond.
An Ecological Assessment of the Population and Environmental Correlates of Childhood Accident, Assault, and Child Abuse Injuries
Authors: Freisthler Bridget , Gruenewald Paul J. , Ring Lori , LaScala Elizabeth A. 
Published: September 2008

Background:  This study examines the relationships of population and environmental characteristics to hospital discharges for childhood accident, assault, and child abuse injuries among youth from 0 to 17 years of age.Methods:  The analysis uses aggregate data on populations and environments in 1,646 California zip code areas that were collected for the year 2000. Zero inflated negative binomial models were used to assess ecological relationships between these characteristics and numbers of hospital discharges for childhood injuries from accidents and assaults; negative binomial models were used to assess these relationships for injuries related to child abuse.Results:  A number of different characteristics were related to the different injury outcomes. Childhood accident injuries were related to measures female headed households, adult to child ratio, and nonalcohol retail establishments (e.g., numbers of gas stations). Assault injuries were related to measures of poverty and vacant housing. All 3 outcomes were directly related to percent of female‐headed households, percent African American residents, and density of off‐premise alcohol outlets.Conclusions:  The results demonstrate that both population and environmental characteristics are significantly correlated with rates of childhood injuries. These results suggest that some environmental characteristics, in particular the presence of many off‐premise alcohol outlets in neighborhoods, may reduce the overall level of guardianship of children’s activities in zip code areas, resulting in harm to their children.
Ethanol Self‐Administration Is Regulated by CB1 Receptors in the Nucleus Accumbens and Ventral Tegmental Area in Alcohol‐Preferring AA Rats
Authors: Malinen Hanna , Hyytiä Petri 
Published: September 2008

Background:  Endogenous cannabinoids and their receptors, CB1 receptors in particular, have been implicated in mediation of ethanol reinforcement. Previously, suppression of ethanol drinking by CB1 antagonists has been demonstrated in many experimental paradigms. However, the exact mechanism by which CB1 antagonists modulate ethanol drinking remains elusive. In the present study, we assessed the role of CB1 receptors within the key regions of the mesolimbic dopamine pathway, the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA), in regulation of ethanol self‐administration.Methods:  Adult male alcohol‐prefer AA rats were trained to self‐administer either 10% (w/v) ethanol or 0.1% (w/v) saccharin under an FR1 schedule during daily 30‐minute sessions. Following stable baseline responding, rats were tested after systemic administration of the CB1 antagonist SR141716A (0 to 10 mg/kg) and the agonist WIN55,212‐2 (0 to 2 mg/kg). Separate groups of rats were implanted with bilateral cannulas aimed at the NAcc or VTA, and tested after microinjections of SR141716A (0 to 3 μg) and WIN55,212‐2 (0 to 5 μg) into the NAcc or VTA. The highest intracerebral doses were tested also in rats responding for a 0.1% saccharin solution.Results:  SR141617A dose‐dependently suppressed ethanol responding after systemic administration. Microinjections of SR141617A both into NAcc and VTA attenuated ethanol responding. In addition, intra‐NAcc injections of SR141617A suppressed saccharin intake. Although low doses of systemically given WIN55,212‐2 increased ethanol responding, no effects were seen after WIN55,212‐2 microinjections into NAcc or VTA.Conclusions:  Bidirectional changes in ethanol self‐administration by the systematically administered CB1 agonist and antagonist show that ethanol reinforcement is controlled by CB1 receptors in alcohol‐preferring AA rats. Replication of the suppressive effects by CB1 antagonism in the NAcc and VTA suggests that endocannabinoids and their receptors mediate ethanol reinforcement through interaction with the mesolimbic dopamine pathway.
Acute Effects of Acamprosate and MPEP on Ethanol Drinking‐in‐the‐Dark in Male C57BL/6J Mice
Authors: Gupta Tripta , Syed Yaqoob M. , Revis Andrew A. , Miller Samantha A. , Martinez Marina , Cohn Kellen A. , Demeyer Michael R. , Patel Kevin Y. , Brzezinska Weronika J. , Rhodes Justin S. 
Published: September 2008

Background:  Recently, a simple procedure in mice, Drinking‐in‐the‐Dark (DID), was hypothesized to have value for medication development for human alcoholism. In DID, mice are offered intermittent, limited access to ethanol over a series of days during the dark phase that results in rapid drinking to intoxication in predisposed genotypes.Methods:  We measured the effects of acamprosate or MPEP, metabotropic glutamate 5 receptor (mGluR5) antagonist, on intake of 20% ethanol, plain tap water or 10% sugar water using the DID procedure in male C57BL/6J mice.Results:  Acamprosate (100, 200, 300, or 400 mg/kg) dose dependently decreased ethanol drinking with 300 mg/kg reducing ethanol intake by approximately 20% without affecting intake of plain water or 10% sugar water. MPEP (1, 3, 5, 10, 20, or 40 mg/kg) was more potent than acamprosate with 20 mg/kg reducing ethanol intake by approximately 20% and for longer duration without affecting intake of plain water or 10% sugar water.Conclusions:  These results support the hypothesis that mGluR5 signaling plays a role in excessive ethanol intake in DID and suggest DID may have value for screening novel compounds that reduce overactive glutamate signaling for potential pharmaceutical treatment of excessive ethanol drinking behavior.
The Pain Associates' International Network Initiative: A Novel Practical Approach to the Challenge of Chronic Pain Management in Europe
Authors: Morlion Bart , Walch Heribert , Yihune Gabriel , Vielvoye‐Kerkmeer Ans , De Jong Zuzana , Castro‐Lopes José , Stanton‐Hicks Michael 
Published: September 2008

AbstractChronic pain is a debilitating condition with a multidimensional impact on the lives of patients, their families and communities. The public health burden of chronic pain is gathering recognition as a major healthcare problem in its own right and deserves closer attention. The challenge in treating chronic pain is to provide effective clinical management of a complex, multifaceted set of conditions that require a coordinated strategy of care. Epidemiological data and patient surveys have highlighted the areas of pain management that might be improved. These include a need for better understanding and documentation of the symptoms of chronic pain, standardized levels of care, improved communication among clinical personnel and with patients, and an updated education program for clinicians. For these reasons, new strategies aimed at improving the standards of pain management are needed. The Pain Associates' International Network (P.A.I.N.) Initiative was set up to devise practical methods for improving the quality of pain management for patients. These strategies have recently been put into practice through a number of activities: P.A.I.N. Workshops are meetings of international pain management professionals dedicated to discussing current management strategies and producing consensus recommendations for improving standards of care; P.A.I.N. Quality is a unique software program designed to help treating clinicians to document patient data and derive effective treatment plans; P.A.I.N. Online provides a web site forum for discussion of pain management topics; and P.A.I.N. Management is a clinician education program providing up‐to‐date training in pain management.
Tandem Measurement of D‐dimer and Myeloperoxidase or C‐reactive Protein to Effectively Screen for Pulmonary Embolism in the Emergency Department
Authors: Mitchell Alice M. , Nordenholz Kristen E. , Kline Jeffrey A. 
Published: September 2008

AbstractObjectives:  The hypothesis was that the tandem measurement of D‐dimer and myeloperoxidase (MPO) or C‐reactive protein (CRP) could significantly decrease unnecessary pulmonary vascular imaging in emergency department (ED) patients evaluated for pulmonary embolism (PE) compared to D‐dimer alone.Methods:  The authors measured the sequential combinations of D‐dimer and MPO and D‐dimer and CRP in a prospective sample of ED patients evaluated for PE at two centers. Patients were followed for 90 days for venous thromboembolism (VTE, either PE or deep venous thrombosis [DVT]), which required the consensus of two of three blinded physician reviewers.Results:  The authors enrolled 304 patients, 22 with VTE (7%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 5% to 10%). The sensitivity and specificity of a D‐dimer alone (cutoff ≥ 500 ng/mL) were 100% (95% CI = 85% to 100%) and 59% (95% CI = 53% to 65%), respectively, and was followed by pulmonary vascular imaging negative for PE in 38% (115/304; 95% CI = 32% to 44%). The combination of either a negative D‐dimer, or MPO < 22 mg/dL, had a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 73% (95% CI = 67% to 78%). Thus, tandem measurement of D‐dimer and MPO would have decreased the frequency of subsequent negative pulmonary vascular imaging from 38% to 25% (95% CI of the difference of −13% = −5% to −20%). The combination of CRP and D‐dimer would not have significantly improved the rate of negative imaging.Conclusions:  The tandem measurement of D‐dimer and MPO would have significantly decreased negative pulmonary vascular imaging compared with D‐dimer alone and should be validated prospectively.
Prospective study of 5‐year caries increment among children receiving comprehensive dental care in the New England children’s amalgam trial
Authors: Maserejian Nancy Nairi , Tavares Mary A. , Hayes Catherine , Soncini Jennifer A. , Trachtenberg Felicia L. 
Published: September 2008

Abstract –  Objective:  To measure the 5‐year caries increment among high‐risk children during their participation in the New England Children’s Amalgam Trial (NECAT), and to evaluate sociodemographic factors that may account for any observed disparities.Methods:  NECAT recruited 534 children aged 6–10 with at least two decayed posterior occlusal surfaces from urban Boston and rural Maine. After restoration of baseline caries and application of sealants to sound surfaces, NECAT continued to provide free comprehensive semiannual dental care to participants. The net caries increment of children who completed the 5‐year follow‐up (n = 429) was calculated and predictors of caries increment were investigated using multivariate negative binomial models.Results:  The majority of children (89%) experienced new caries by the end of the 5‐year follow‐up. Almost half (45%) had at least one newly decayed surface by the first annual visit. At year 5, the mean number of new decayed teeth was 4.5 ± 3.6 (range 0–25) and surfaces was 6.9 ± 6.5 (range 0–48). Time trends showed a noticeably higher increment rate among older children and young teenagers. Multivariate models showed that age (P < 0.001), number of baseline carious surfaces (P < 0.001), and toothbrushing frequency (<1/day versus ≥2/day, P = 0.04) were associated with caries increment. Only 48 children (11%) did not develop new caries.Conclusions:  Despite the receipt of comprehensive semiannual dental care, the vast majority of these high‐risk children continued to develop new caries within 5 years. While disparities were observed by age, extent of prior decay, and toothbrushing frequency, no other sociodemographic factors were associated with caries increment, suggesting that the dental care provided during the trial reduced sociodemographic disparities in prior caries experience that were observed at baseline.
Oral health‐related quality of life among HIV‐infected and at‐risk women
Authors: Mulligan R. , Seirawan H. , Alves M. E. , Navazesh M. , Phelan J. A. , Greenspan D. , Greenspan J. S. , Mack W. J. 
Published: September 2008

Abstract –  Objectives:  Objective measures of dental diseases reflect only their clinical end‐point. There is a need to use multidimensional measures of diseases that consider their psychosocial aspects and functional impact. The aim of this study is to compare the oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQOL) between a group of HIV‐infected women and a similar group of at‐risk HIV‐uninfected women, and to investigate the role of potential confounding clinical oral health and behavioral factors.Methods:  Our sample included HIV‐infected women (87%) and women at risk for HIV infection (13%) followed up for 5.5 years. OHRQOL was measured using the short version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP‐14), which is a validated and reliable instrument.Results:  HIV‐infected women averaged 10% poorer OHRQOL than HIV‐uninfected women; this difference was not apparent after adjusting for the number of study visits attended and significant behavioral and clinical oral health factors. The OHRQOL was inversely related to dental and periodontal diseases and to smoking and freebase cocaine use; these relationships were not confounded by HIV status.Conclusions:  The study identified specific clinical and behavioral factors where dental professionals can intervene to possibly improve the OHRQOL of HIV‐infected or at‐risk HIV‐uninfected women.
AN OPTIMIZATION PROBLEM RELATED TO THE BEST SOBOLEV TRACE CONSTANT IN THIN DOMAINS
Authors: BONDER JULIÁN FERNÁNDEZ , ROSSI JULIO D. , SCHÖNLIEB CAROLA-BIBIANE 
Published: September 2008

Let Ω ⊂ ℝNbe a bounded, smooth domain. We deal with the best constant of the Sobolev trace embedding W1,p(Ω) ↪ Lq(∂Ω) for functions that vanish in a subset A ⊂ Ω, which we call the hole, i.e. we deal with the minimization problem [Formula: see text] for functions that verify u|A= 0. It is known that there exists an optimal hole that minimizes the best constant SAamong subsets of Ω of the prescribed volume.In this paper, we look for optimal holes and extremals in thin domains. We find a limit problem (when the thickness of the domain goes to zero), that is a standard Neumann eigenvalue problem with weights and prove that when the domain is contracted to a segment, it is better to concentrate the hole on one side of the domain.
THE GINZBURG–LANDAU EQUATION IN THE HEISENBERG GROUP
Authors: BIRINDELLI ISABEAU , VALDINOCI ENRICO 
Published: September 2008

We consider a functional related with phase transition models in the Heisenberg group framework. We prove that level sets of local minimizers satisfy some density estimates, that is, they behave as "codimension one" sets. We thus deduce a uniform convergence property of these level sets to interfaces with minimal area.These results are then applied in the construction of (quasi)periodic, plane-like minimizers, i.e. minimizers of our functional whose level sets are contained in a spacial slab of universal size in a prescribed direction. As a limiting case, we obtain the existence of hypersurfaces contained in such a slab which minimize the surface area with respect to a given periodic metric.
EVALUATION OF SMALL- AND MEDIUM-SIZED DISPLAY MARKET FORECASTS
Authors: HUANG JEN-HUNG , HUANG HYLEY , LEE CHENG-FEW 
Published: September 2008

The main purpose of this paper is to evaluate small- and medium-sized display market forecasts made by a market research firm. Hypotheses concerning the relationship between stages of technology development and the accuracy of market forecasts are first developed. The hypotheses are then tested and evaluated using the data issued by one market research company, Techno Systems Research (TSR). Kruskal–Wallis rank sum test and nonparametric simple regression are the statistical methods used. The results of the data analysis showed that the forecasts made by the market research company are dependable for mature technology in mature markets, whereas for a new technology their forecasts are inaccurate. Furthermore, the accuracy of forecasts quite often does not improve over time. To our knowledge, no prior published works examine the accuracy of the forecasts made by market research firms. This research shows that small- and medium-sized display manufacturers have to be cautious when using forecast data from market research firms.
PEOPLE'S LIFE INDICATORS BY FUZZY OUTRANKING
Authors: INOUE HIROSHI , OSHIMA KUNIO , TAKAHASHI SATORU , SHI JIANMING , AMAGASA MICHIHIRO 
Published: September 2008

It is getting a hard task to precisely express people's life today when people's senses of values have diversified in a short span of several years. In this paper, as a first step, we look at the past research and have a correct recognition of the situation before we make progress in our research. People's Life Indicators (PLI) in Japan was made out in order to aim at contributing to the improvement of the quality of people's lives. After several changes and under an investigation committee of National Life Council in Economic Planning Agency PLI was summed up and defined in 1992. Since then PLI was used to show as wealth indicators giving ranking for 47 prefectures in Japan. However, National Life Council discontinued to officially announce the ratings of PLI in 1999 in which some difficulty seems to lie at the root of the changes of economic and social circumstances. In this paper, we reconsider and analyze PLI by adding another indicator with fuzzy concept to be able to fit more realistic lives using the data from National Life Council.