bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Investigation of Irradiation Hardening and Embrittlement of Zr-2.5%Nb Alloy with High-Energy (e,γ)-Beams
Authors: Parkhomenko O. , Grytsyna V. , Chernyayeva T. , Azhazha V. , Krasnorutskyy V. , Ozhigov L. , Savchenko V. 
Published: November 2008

Abstract
The paper researches into the effect of the initial structural condition of Zr-2.5%Nb alloy, which is widely used in reactor engineering to manufacture reactor core components (mainly as a structural material for RBMK and CANDU pressure tubes), and of irradiation conditions (temperature, applied stress) on irradiation hardening and embrittlement. The reactor damage of Zr-2.5%Nb alloy was modeled with a method of high-energy 225 MeV (e,γ)-beam irradiation, which allows samples to be irradiated under strictly controlled stress conditions. The research has been carried out on Zr-2.5%Nb alloy exposed to four types of thermo-mechanical treatment. It has been found that the alloy is susceptible to intensive irradiation embrittlement irrespective of its initial condition, and the intensity of Zr-2.5%Nb irradiation hardening greatly depends on pre-treatment. In contrast to other conditions, Zr-2.5%Nb alloy is virtually not susceptible to irradiation hardening after high-speed high-frequency (SHF) heating, quenching, and subsequent annealing in the high-temperature range of the α-region, during which the double-phase α+βNb state with high dispersion of βNb (∼1023 m−3) precipitates develops. The obtained results are in good agreement with the post-reactor irradiation tensile test results. The study demonstrates the efficiency of high-energy (e,γ)-beam irradiation for investigating the irradiation hardening and embrittlement of zirconium alloys.
Childhood Sleep Time and Long-Term Risk for Obesity: A 32-Year Prospective Birth Cohort Study
Authors: Landhuis Carl Erik , Poulton Richie , Welch David , Hancox Robert John 
Published: October 2008

OBJECTIVE. Associations between short sleep duration and increased BMI have been found in children and adults. However, it is not known whether short sleep time during childhood has long-term consequences. We assessed the association between sleep time in childhood and adult BMI in a birth cohort.
METHODS. Study members were a general-population birth cohort of 1037 participants (502 female) who were born in Dunedin, New Zealand, between April 1972 and March 1973. Parental reports of bedtimes and rising times collected at ages 5, 7, 9, and 11 years were used to estimate childhood sleep time. Linear regression analysis was used to analyze the association between childhood sleep time and BMI measured at 32 years of age.
RESULTS. Shorter childhood sleep times were significantly associated with higher adult BMI values. This association remained after adjustment for adult sleep time and the potential confounding effects of early childhood BMI, childhood socioeconomic status, parental BMIs, child and adult television viewing, adult physical activity, and adult smoking. In logistic regression analyses, more sleep time during childhood was associated with lower odds of obesity at 32 years of age. This association was significant after adjustment for multiple potential confounding factors.
CONCLUSIONS. These findings suggest that sleep restriction in childhood increases the long-term risk for obesity. Ensuring that children get adequate sleep may be a useful strategy for stemming the current obesity epidemic.
Trends in the Prevalence of Chronic Medication Use in Children: 2002–2005
Authors: Cox Emily R. , Halloran Donna R. , Homan Sharon M. , Welliver Sherry , Mager Douglas E. 
Published: October 2008

OBJECTIVE. Our goal was to estimate the quarterly prevalence of and evaluate trends for chronic medication use in children.PATIENTS AND METHODS. A cross-sectional study of ambulatory prescription claims data from 2002 to 2005 was conducted for a nationally representative sample of &gt;3.5 million commercially insured children who were 5 to 19 years old. Prevalence of chronic medication use was measured quarterly for antihypertensives, antihyperlipidemics, type 2 antidiabetics, antidepressants, attention-deficit disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications, and asthma-controller therapy.RESULTS. First-quarter 2002 baseline prevalence of chronic medication use per 1000 child beneficiaries ranged from a high of 29.5 for antiasthmatics to a low of 0.27 for antihyperlipidemics. Except for asthma medication use, prevalence rates were higher for older teens aged 15 to 19 years. During the study period, the prevalence rate for type 2 antidiabetic agents doubled, driven by 166% and 135% increases in prevalence among females aged 10 to 14 and 15 to 19 years, respectively. Therapy classes with double-digit growth in prevalence of use were asthma medications (46.5%), attention-deficit disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications (40.4%), and antihyperlipidemics (15%). Prevalence of use growth was more moderate for antihypertensives and antidepressants (1.8%). Rates of growth were dramatically higher among girls than boys for type 2 antidiabetics (147% vs 39%), attention-deficit disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder medications (63% vs 33%), and antidepressants (7% vs −4%).CONCLUSIONS. Prevalence of chronic medication use in children increased across all therapy classes evaluated. Additional study is needed into the factors influencing these trends, including growth in chronic disease risk factors, greater awareness and screening, and greater affinity toward early use of drug therapy in children.
Early Detection of Airway Wall Remodeling and Eosinophilic Inflammation in Preschool Wheezers
Authors: Mahr Todd A. 
Published: October 2008

Saglani S, Payne DN, Zhu J, et al. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2007;176(9):858–864
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY. Eosinophilic airway inflammation and epithelial reticular basement membrane (RBM) thickening, absent in wheezy infants, may be present in preschool-aged children with severe, recurrent wheeze. This study compared RBM thickness and inflammation in endobronchial biopsies from wheezy preschool-aged children and age-matched control subjects.
STUDY POPULATION. Tissue for endobronchial biopsy was obtained from wheezy preschool-aged children (aged 3 months to 5 years) who were undergoing a clinically indicated fiber-optic bronchoscopy. Nonasthmatic controls were subjects undergoing fiber-optic bronchoscopy to investigate stridor.
METHODS. There were 16 children (median age: 29 months) with wheezing confirmed by video questionnaire (confirmed wheezers), 14 children (median age: 17 months) with reported wheeze (reported wheeze), and 10 (median age: 10 months) control subjects. Biopsy specimens were examined to compare eosinophilic inflammation (volume fraction of immunologically distinct inflammatory cells) and RBM thickness between the groups.
RESULTS. Median RBM thickness was 4.6 μm in children with confirmed wheezing compared with 3.5 μm in those with reported wheezing and 3.8 μm in controls. Median values for eosinophil density were 1.07% in confirmed wheezers, 0.72% in reported wheezers, and 0.0% in controls. Eosinophilic inflammation was significantly greater in confirmed wheezers compared with control subjects (P &lt; .05). There were no between-group differences for any other inflammatory cell phenotype.
CONCLUSIONS. The characteristic pathologic features of asthma in adults and school-aged children develop in preschool-aged children with confirmed wheeze between the ages of 1 and 3 years, a time when intervention may modify the natural history of asthma.
REVIEWER COMMENTS. This study reconfirms that pathologic evidence of asthma can be found as early as 1 to 3 years of age. This also seems to relate to the time when lung-function abnormalities appear in preschool-aged persistent wheezers. Treatment during this critical period may affect the natural history of asthma.
Value of the Bronchodilator Response in Assessing Controller Naïve Asthmatic Children
Authors: James John M. 
Published: October 2008

Galant SP, Morphew T, Amaro S, Liao O. J Pediatr. 2007;151(5):457–462
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY. To define the bronchodilator response (BDR) cutoff point that best identified asthma to determine the frequency of abnormal spirometry results across severity.
STUDY POPULATION. Children with asthma (n = 346) and 51 children without asthma, aged 4 to 17 years, who met entry criteria for spirometry were identified.
METHODS. Controller-naive children were evaluated with clinical criteria alone to establish a diagnosis of asthma and severity classification and then compared with the BDR, which was calculated as the percentage change from the initial forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1). Receiver operator characteristic analysis determined the cutoff point for asthma diagnosis that gave the best combination of sensitivity and specificity.
RESULTS. The mean BDR in asthmatic subjects was 8.6% (95% confidence interval: 7.5%–9.8%), compared with 2.2% (95% confidence interval: 0.2%–4.3%) for the nonasthmatic subjects (P &lt; .001). A BDR of ≥9% best differentiated these populations with a sensitivity rate of 42.5% and a specificity rate of 86.3%. Abnormal spirometry results, defined as a BDR of ≥9%, an FEV1 of &lt;80% predicted, or both, ranged from 44.4% for mild-intermittent bronchial asthma to 57.0% for severe-persistent bronchial asthma.
CONCLUSIONS. Spirometric criteria that include BDR can potentially identify children who have clinically mild asthma and might benefit from controller therapy.
REVIEWER COMMENTS. What a breath of fresh air (pardon the pun). Establishing a firm diagnosis of asthma in pediatric patients can be, at times, a real challenge. Clinical history, physical examination, and a low FEV1 are all very useful in the diagnosis, but there are convincing data in children showing that an isolated, baseline FEV1 is not a good measure of the presence of asthma or its severity. The findings from this investigation demonstrate that detecting bronchodilator responsiveness (ie, 9% cutoff value for improvement in FEV1 after inhaled albuterol by metered-dose inhaler or nebulizer) can certainly aid in the diagnosis of asthma in children. A prospective assessment of this cutoff value in an unselected cohort of subjects, as well as the use of a single delivery system for the inhaled albuterol, will need to be investigated further to establish this measure as a useful diagnostic test for asthma in pediatric patients. Ultimately, use of the BDR in combination with baseline FEV1 should help clinicians detect a population of children with asthma and which children would benefit the most from therapeutic interventions such as inhaled corticosteroids.
Solid Food Introduction in Relation to Eczema: Results From a Four-Year Prospective Birth Cohort Study
Authors: James John M. 
Published: October 2008

Filipiak B, Zutavern A, Koletzko S, et al. J Pediatr. 2007;151(4):352–358
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY. To assess the association between the introduction of solid foods in the first 12 months and the occurrence of eczema during the first 4 years of life in a prospective study of newborns.
METHODS. Data were taken from annually administered questionnaires from a large birth cohort (recruited 1995–1998) comprising an intervention and a nonintervention group. Outcomes were doctor-diagnosed and symptomatic eczema. Multiple generalized estimation equation models were performed for the 2 study groups.
RESULTS. From the 5991 recruited infants, 4753 (79%) were followed up. The 2 study groups were different in their family risk of allergies and feeding practices. No association was found between the time of introduction of solids or the diversity of solids and eczema. In the nonintervention group, a decreased risk was observed for avoidance of soybean/nuts, but an increased risk was seen in doctor-diagnosed eczema for the avoidance of egg in the first year.
CONCLUSIONS. The evidence from this study supports neither a delayed introduction of solids beyond the fourth month nor a delayed introduction of the most potentially allergenic solids beyond the sixth month of life for the prevention of eczema. However, effects under more extreme conditions cannot be ruled out.
REVIEWER COMMENTS. The dilemma of when to introduce solid foods during infancy continues. The data from this investigation support the notion that it is unnecessary to delay solid foods beyond the fourth month of life or allergenic solid foods beyond the sixth month of life to prevent eczema. Specifically, this investigation found no significant effect of timing or diversity of solid foods on eczema outcomes to 4 years of age. The duration of exclusive breastfeeding as compared with the timing of introduction of solid foods, including both formulas made with whole cow's milk or soy proteins, as well as extensively hydrolyzed casein and partially hydrolyzed whey protein formulas, were examined. It is interesting to note that findings from this investigation seem to indicate that there may be a period of immunologic immaturity during which whole protein in large amounts, whether solid or liquid, may promote the development of atopic disease. These data should help to settle the argument of when to introduce solid foods during infancy for the prevention of eczema and will have a direct impact on global recommendations dealing with this clinical issue.
Identification of Host Proteins Required for HIV Infection Through a Functional Genomic Screen
Authors: Church Joseph A. 
Published: October 2008

Brass AL, Dykxhoorn DM, Benita Y, et al. Science. 2008;319(5865):921–926
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY. The HIV genome encodes only 15 proteins and, therefore, must use multiple host-cell collaborators for successful replication and transmission. Required host-derived proteins include CD4 as the primary virus receptor and chemokine receptors as coreceptors. This study identified multiple other host proteins required for HIV activity.
METHODS. Human cells known to be susceptible to HIV were exposed in vitro to HIV. Using small interfering RNAs able to inhibit each known gene in the human genome 1 at a time, the investigators tested whether HIV could establish an infection and copy itself. HIV dependence on &gt;21 000 human genes was examined.
RESULTS. More than 250 human genes were identified to be required for efficient HIV replication. Termed “HIV-dependency factors,” the products of these genes are known to participate in a broad array of cellular functions and implicate unsuspected pathways in the virus life cycle.
CONCLUSIONS. The extraordinary dependence of HIV on human host proteins for efficient transmission and replication provides many new potential targets for antiretroviral therapy.
REVIEWER COMMENTS. An example of targeting host proteins is the use of chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) inhibitors. Many people with CCR5 deficiency are very resistant to HIV infection yet have limited if any clinical consequences. Maraviroc CCR5 inhibitor is approved for treatment for HIV infection. This study identified many more such potential targets.
HLA-B*5701 Screening for Hypersensitivity to Abacavir
Authors: Church Joseph A. 
Published: October 2008

Mallal S, Phillips E, Carosi G, et al. N Engl J Med. 2008;358(6):568–579
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY. Abacavir is associated with severe and potentially life-threatening hypersensitivity reactions in up to 8% of the white population. In 2002, HLA-B*5701 was noted to be highly associated with this hypersensitivity reaction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of prospective HLA-B*5701 screening to avoid these reactions.
STUDY POPULATION. A total of 1956 HIV-infected patients from 19 countries who had not previously received abacavir were enrolled.
METHODS. Individual patients were randomly assigned to undergo prospective HLA-B*5701 screening, with exclusion of previously known HLA-B*5701 positive patients from abacavir treatment, or to undergo a standard approach of abacavir use without screening. All subjects who started abacavir were observed for 6 weeks, the time frame in which a large majority of hypersensitivity reactions occur. The clinical diagnosis of hypersensitivity reaction to abacavir was assessed further by epicutaneous patch testing.
RESULTS. The prevalence of HLA-B*5701 was 5.76% (109 of 1956 subjects) of the subjects assigned to receive abacavir. Seventy-two percent were men, 84% were white, and 18% had not received antiretroviral therapy previously. Screening effectively eliminated patch-test–confirmed hypersensitivity. None of the subjects in the prospectively screened group had reactions, compared with 2.7% in the control group. This yielded a negative predictive value of 100% and a positive predictive value of 47.9%. Hypersensitivity reactions to antiretroviral therapy were clinically diagnosed in 93 patients, with a significantly lower incidence in the prospectively screened group (3.4%) than in the control group (7.8%) (P &lt; .001).
CONCLUSIONS. HLA-B*5701 screening dramatically reduced the risk of immunologically confirmed hypersensitivity to abacavir. This pharmacogenetic test is useful for reducing the incidence of immunologically mediated hypersensitivity reactions to abacavir.
REVIEWER COMMENTS. This expansive study demonstrated the clinical usefulness of pharmacogenomics testing for immunologically mediated hypersensitivity to a particular drug. This is the first such demonstration for reactions to antiretroviral agents. A major limitation in the use of abacavir has been the concern for a severe hypersensitivity reaction. The availability of this inexpensive test (approximately $80 at our institution) substantially reduces that potential and allows antiretroviral therapy selection to be based on the drug's merit as an effective antiretroviral agent. A unique feature of hypersensitivity to this particular drug is that it is a true T-cell–mediated reaction. Patch testing has been used for many decades to identify offending contact hypersensitivity allergens (eg, nickel). The search for additional biomarkers that would reflect a potential for adverse reactions to other drugs is ongoing. This type of study leads the way in demonstrating clinical effectiveness of such an approach
Neonatal Antibiotic Treatment Is a Risk Factor for Early Wheezing
Authors: Pieretti Mariah M. , Sicherer Scott H. 
Published: October 2008

Alm B, Erdes L, Möllborg P, et al. Pediatrics. 2008;121(4):697–702
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY. To analyze the risk factors for wheezing at 12 months of age with special reference to antibiotic treatment.
STUDY POPULATION. Participants were infants in western Sweden, which includes urban, rural, and coastal areas, who are participating in an ongoing study. Of the total birth cohort of 16 682 infants born in 2003, 50% (8176) were randomly selected.
METHODS. Families of infants were sent an invitation to participate in the study. Respondents completed questionnaires regarding the infant and the family when the child was 6 and 12 months of age. Response rates were 68.5% at 6 months and 68.9% at 12 months. Factors significant in an initial univariate analysis were analyzed in a multivariate model.
RESULTS. At 12 months of age, 20.2% of infants had ≥1 episode of wheezing, and 5.3% had ≥3 episodes of wheezing during the first year of life. Overall, 4.1% received inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs). In the multivariate analysis, independent significant risk factors for “wheezing ever” and for wheezing disorder treated with ICSs were neonatal antibiotic treatment, male gender, gestational age (GA) of &lt;37 weeks, having a mother with asthma, having a sibling with asthma or eczema, and breastfeeding for &lt;5 months. Treatment with antibiotics was more common among extremely preterm infants. Neonatal antibiotic treatment increased the risk of later wheezing in both term and preterm infants. The odds ratio (OR) for infants with a GA of ≥33 weeks was 2.9 (95% confidence interval: 1.8–4.7) and for infants with a GA of ≥37 weeks was 2.9 (95% confidence interval: 1.7–4.9).
CONCLUSIONS. The authors found that treatment with antibiotics in the neonatal period is the most potent independent risk factor for wheezing treated with ICSs during the first year of life.
REVIEWER COMMENTS. Previous studies have suggested that antibiotics in the first year of life are a risk factor for developing asthma. It is difficult, however, to exclude the confounder that infants who wheeze may receive more antibiotics during the first year of life. The advantage of this large study is that administration of antibiotics in the neonatal period was evaluated as an independent risk factor. An obvious limitation, however, is that the study was conducted with a questionnaire that required parental recall. Additional limitations that were partly addressed included lack of determination of the type or duration of antibiotics given, the underlying diagnoses, and confirmation of asthma diagnoses. Nonetheless, this study supports the hygiene hypothesis and presents an opportunity to consider asthma/allergy prevention strategies.
IgE Food Sensitization in Infants With Eczema Attending a Dermatology Clinic
Authors: James John M. 
Published: October 2008

Hill DJ, Heine RG, Hosking CS, et al. J Pediatr. 2007;151(4):359–363
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY. Because community-based studies, which report immunoglobulin E food sensitization (IgE-FS) in &gt;80% of infants with moderate atopic eczema, may be influenced by referral bias, the researchers assessed the prevalence of IgE-FS in a cohort of infants with moderate atopic eczema who were attending a dermatology department clinic.
STUDY POPULATION. Consecutive infants (n = 51 [39 boys]; median age: 34 weeks [range: 20–51 weeks]) with moderate atopic eczema severity were studied prospectively.
METHODS. Clinical history and eczema severity were documented. IgE-FS was assessed by the skin-prick test (SPT) (n = 51) and food-specific serum IgE antibody levels (CAP-FEIA test; n = 41). IgE-FS was diagnosed if the SPT or CAP-FEIA level exceeded the &gt;95% predictive reference cutoff for positive food-challenge results.
RESULTS. On the basis of the SPT, 44 (86% [95% confidence interval (CI): 74%–95%]) of 51 infants had IgE-FS (cow's milk, 16%; egg, 73%; peanut, 51%). Using age-specific 95% predicted cutoff values, CAP-FEIA identified 34 (83% [95% CI: 68% to 93%]) of 41 infants with IgE-FS (cow's milk, 23%; egg, 90%). Forty-six (90%) infants had IgE-FS to at least 1 food item according to either the SPT or CAP-FEIA test.
CONCLUSIONS. Atopic eczema was found to be closely associated with IgE-FS in infants attending a dermatology department.
REVIEWER COMMENTS. These data should continue to fuel the ongoing debate, especially between allergists and dermatologists, regarding the role of food allergy in infants with atopic dermatitis (AD). This study addressed IgE-FS in infants who already had moderate-to-severe AD and who presented to a dermatology clinic for evaluation and management. These patients had test results (ie, skin testing or in vitro–specific IgE measurements) demonstrating likely clinical allergy to eggs, cow's milk, and/or peanuts on the basis of previous studies correlating test results with oral food-challenge outcomes. The vast majority (90%) of these infants with AD were sensitive to at least 1 of these foods, demonstrating a very strong association between infants with AD and IgE sensitization to common food allergens. Despite extensive data from this study and previous investigations demonstrating a relationship, the specific role of food allergy in AD remains a “hotly contested” area of clinical research and debate. At this point in time, the balance of clinical evidence favors a specific role of IgE-FS in the pathogenesis of AD.