bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Trends in Overweight Among Adolescents Living in the Poorest and Richest Regions of Brazil
Authors: da Veiga Gloria Valeria , da Cunha Adriana Simone , Sichieri Rosely 
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We assessed changes in body mass index (BMI) among Brazilian adolescents. Methods. In 1975, 1989, and 1997, we conducted household surveys of the weights and statures of a probabilistic sample of about 50 000 Brazilian adolescents aged 10 to 19 years. Weighted prevalences were calculated and an analysis was performed with the sample design taken into account. Results. Adolescents of rich (southeast) and poor (northeast) regions showed a substantial increase in BMI. In the southeast, the prevalence of overweight, defined by international age- and gender-specific BMI cutoffs, for both genders reached 17% in 1997, whereas in the northeast, the prevalence tripled, reaching 5% among boys and 12% among girls. Older girls living in urban areas in the southeast showed a decrease in prevalence from 16% to 13% in the latter 2 surveys. For all boys and for young girls, the BMI values for the 85th percentile in 1997 were much higher than the 95th percentile values in 1975. Conclusions. BMI increased dramatically in Brazilian adolescents, mainly among boys; among older girls from the richest region, the prevalence of overweight is decreasing.
Thinness Among Young Japanese Women
Authors: Takimoto Hidemi , Yoshiike Nobuo , Kaneda Fumi , Yoshita Katsushi 
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We described changes in body mass index (BMI) and the prevalence of thinness among young Japanese women (aged 15–29 years) from 1976 to 2000 by reanalyzing the nationwide data in the National Nutrition Survey, Japan. Methods. We used height and weight data sets for 30 903 nonpregnant, nonlactating women during the 25-year period. We calculated the mean values of BMI and the prevalence of thinness for 3 age groups (15–19, 20–24, and 25–29 years of age). Results. Changes in BMI per 10 years were −0.17 kg/m2, −0.22 kg/m2, and −0.34 kg/m2 for each age group, respectively. Extreme thinness (BMI < 17 kg/m2) increased from 2.4% in 1976–1980 to 4.2% in 1996–2000. Conclusions. Further studies regarding topics such as increased smoking prevalence are needed to identify the underlying causes of increasing thinness.
Long-Term Ethylene Oxide Exposure Trends in US Hospitals: Relationship With OSHA Regulatory and Enforcement Actions
Authors: LaMontagne Anthony D. , Oakes J. Michael , Lopez Turley Ruth N. 
Published: December 2008

Objectives. We assessed long-term trends in ethylene oxide (EtO) worker exposures for the purposes of exposure surveillance and evaluation of the impacts of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 1984 and 1988 EtO standards. Methods. We obtained exposure data from a large commercial vendor and processor of EtO passive dosimeters. Personal samples (87 582 workshift [8-hr] and 46 097 short-term [15-min] samples) from 2265 US hospitals were analyzed for time trends from 1984 through 2001 and compared with OSHA enforcement data. Results. Exposures declined steadily for the first several years after the OSHA standards were set. Workshift exposures continued to taper off and have remained low and constant through 2001. However, since 1996, the probability of exceeding the short-term excursion limit has increased. This trend coincides with a decline in enforcement of the EtO standard. Conclusions. Results indicate the need for renewed intervention efforts to preserve gains made following the passage and implementation of the 1984 and 1988 EtO standards.
Statin Treatment, Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque Macrophage Infiltration and Circulating Inflammatory Markers
Authors: Koutouzis Michael , Paraskevas Kosmas I , Rallidis Loukianos S , Barbatis Calypso , Nomikos Alexandros , Tzavara Vasiliki , Tsopanomichalou Maria , Lioupis Christos , Bessias Nikolaos , Andikopoulos Vassilios , Mikhailidis Dimitri P , Kyriakides Zenon S 
Published: December 2008

Backround
Statin treatment is considered as first line therapy in patients with atherosclerotic disease. We evaluated the effect of pre-treatment with statins on carotid plaque infiltration by macrophages and on the circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines in patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy.

Patients and Methods
One hundred fourteen patients were enrolled; 89 men and 25 women (mean age 67±8 years; range 42-83 years). Fifty three patients (46%) were on statin treatment at least 3 months before endarterectomy and 61 (54%) had never received statin treatment. The serum levels of high sensitivity C reactive protein (hsCRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 were evaluated preoperatively. The intensity of macrophage infiltration was evaluated by immunochemistry, using the monoclonal antibody CD 68. The area of the plaque covered by macrophages was measured as a proportion of the whole plaque area, using a custom designed image tool analysis.

Results
Patients on statins had lower serum total cholesterol levels (172±50 vs 194±35 mg/dl, p= 0.014), lower low density cholesterol levels (103±44 vs 123±31 mg/dl, p= 0.010) and lower serum hsCRP levels (1.8 [1.1-3.4] vs 3.4 [1.3-4.9] mg/l, p= 0.03), while SAA, TNFα, IL-6 and IL-1β levels did not differ between the 2 groups. The infiltration of atherosclerotic plaque by macrophages was similar in statin treated patients and in controls (0.55±0.15% vs 0.49±0.19%, p= 0.21).

Conclusion
Patients on statins have similar macrophage accumulation in their carotid atherosclerotic plaques compared with patients not on statins. Inflammatory markers were also similar in both groups except for hsCRP which was significantly lower in those taking statins.
Potential of Electricity Generation on the Western Coast of Mediterranean Sea in Egypt
Authors: Ahmed Shata A. , Abdelaty S. , Hanitsch R. 
Published: December 2008

Potential of Electricity Generation on the Western Coast of Mediterranean Sea in EgyptA technical and economic assessment has been made of the electricity generation by wind turbines located at three promising potential wind sites: Sidi Barrani, Mersa Matruh and El Dabaa in the extreme northwest of Egypt along the Mediterranean Sea. These contiguous stations along the coast have an annual mean wind speed greater than 5.0 m/s at a height of 10 m. Weibull's parameters and the power law coefficient for all seasons have been estimated and used to describe the distribution and behavior of seasonal winds at these stations. The annual values of wind potential at the heights of 70-100 m above the ground level were obtained by extrapolation of the 10 m data from the results of our previous work using the power law. The three stations have a high wind power density, ranging from 340-425 to 450-555 W/m2at the heights of 70-100 m, respectively. In this paper, an analysis of the cost per kWh of electricity generated by two different systems has been made: one using a relatively large single 2 MW wind turbine and the other - 25 small wind turbines (80 kW, total 2 MW) arranged in a wind farm. The yearly energy output of each system at each site was determined, and the electricity generation costs in each case were also calculated and compared with those at using diesel oil, natural gas and photovoltaic systems furnished by the Egyptian Electricity Authority. The single 2 MW wind turbine was found to be more efficient than the wind farm. For all the three considered stations the electricity production cost was found to be less than 2 ϵ cent/kWh, which is about half the specific cost of the wind farm.
Intervention and Education in Diabetes: A Pilot Project Comparing Usual Care with Pharmacist-Directed Collaborative Primary Care
Authors: Rosin Jade , Townsend Kendra 
Published: December 2008

Background: Prior to this project, patients were required to drive up to 2 hours to a diabetes education centre. As a result, many patients were not receiving diabetes education, and there was little or no follow-up of patients. Significant opportunity exists for pharmacists to fill such gaps in chronic disease management services. Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to the intervention or usual care arm. Laboratory data (glycosylated hemoglobin, fasting blood glucose, lipid panel, microalbumin, systolic and diastolic blood pressure) and Diabetes Empowerment Scale short form (DES-SF) score were collected at baseline and at 6 months. Intervention patients received a medication review, 3 one-on-one education sessions with one of the study pharmacists and follow-up phone calls. Usual care patients did not receive medication reviews or education sessions, and received follow-up phone calls only if drug-related problems were detected. Drug-related problems were tracked for all patients. Referrals to other health care professionals (dietitian, homecare, public health) were made as required. Paired-sample t-tests were used to compare baseline and 6-month data. Results: Forty-five patients were enrolled in the study (intervention: 23; usual care: 17). Five patients were lost to follow-up (intervention: 2; usual care: 3). There was a statistically significant improvement in DES-SF score in the intervention group ( p < 0.001) and a decline in DES-SF score in the usual care group ( p < 0.04). There was a significant decrease in glycosylated hemoglobin in the usual care group ( p < 0.04). Referrals to other health care professionals were higher in the intervention group (I: 36; UC: 0). The number of drug-related problems detected was also greater in the intervention group (I: 83; UC: 8). The overall acceptance rate of pharmacist recommendations for drug-related problems was high in both arms (I: 81%; UC: 100%). Conclusions: Most outcome measures were not statistically significant. Further study is needed to evaluate the change in clinical outcomes. However, greater involvement of a pharmacist in diabetes management resulted in greater detection of drug-related problems and referral to other health care professionals, and promoted diabetes-related self-efficacy and appropriate self-care behaviour. Pharmacists can play an important role in the management of diabetic patients.
Neural Signal Manager: a collection of classical and innovative tools for multi‐channel spike train analysis
Authors: Novellino Antonio , Chiappalone Michela , Maccione Alessandro , Martinoia Sergio 
Published: December 2008

AbstractRecent developments in the neuroengineering field and the widespread use of the micro electrode arrays (MEAs) for electrophysiological investigations made available new approaches for studying the dynamics of dissociated neuronal networks as well as acute/organotypic slices maintained ex vivo. Importantly, the extraction of relevant parameters from these neural populations is likely to involve long‐term measurements, lasting from a few hours to entire days. The processing of huge amounts of electrophysiological data, in terms of computational time and automation of the procedures, is actually one of the major bottlenecks for both in vivo and in vitro recordings. In this paper we present a collection of algorithms implemented within a new software package, named the Neural Signal Manager (NSM), aimed at analyzing a huge quantity of data recorded by means of MEAs in a fast and efficient way. The NSM offers different approaches for both spike and burst analysis, and integrates state‐of‐the‐art statistical algorithms, such as the inter‐spike interval histogram or the post stimulus time histogram, with some recent ones, such as the burst detection and its related statistics. In order to show the potentialities of the software, the application of the developed algorithms to a set of spontaneous activity recordings from dissociated cultures at different ages is presented in the Results section. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Influence of Alkyl‐Chain Length on Beta‐Phase Formation in Polyfluorenes
Authors: Bright Daniel W. , Dias Fernando B. , Galbrecht Frank , Scherf Ulli , Monkman Andrew P. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractDi‐n‐alkyl substituted polyfluorenes with alkyl chain lengths of 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 carbon atoms (PF6, PF7, PF8, PF9, and PF10) are studied in dilute solution in MCH using optical spectroscopy. Beta‐phase is formed upon cooling in solutions (∼ 7 µg mL−1) of PF7, PF8, and PF9 only, which is observed as an equilibrium absorption peak at ∼ 437 nm and strong changes in the emission spectra. Beta‐phase is formed upon thermal cycling to low temperature in solutions (∼7 µg mL−1) of PF7, PF8, and PF9, which is observed as an equilibrium absorption peak at ∼ 437 nm and strong changes in the emission spectra. Beta phase is found to occur more favorably in PF8 than in PF7 or PF9, which is attributed to a balance between two factors. The first is the dimer/aggregate formation efficiency, which is poorer for longer (more disordered) alkyl chain lengths, and the second is the Van der Waals bond energy available to overcome the steric repulsion and planarize the conjugated backbone, which is insufficient in the PF6 with a shorter alkyl chain. Beta phase formation is shown to be a result of aggregation, not a precursor to it. A tentative value of the energy required to planarize the fluorene backbone of (15.6 ± 2.5) kJ mol−1 monomer is suggested. Excitation spectra of PF6, PF7, PF8, and PF9 in extremely dilute (∼ 10 ng mL−1) solution show that beta phase can form reversibly in dilute solutions of PF7, PF8 and PF9, which is believed to be a result of chain collapse or well dispersed aggregates being present in solution from dilution of more concentrated solutions. PF7, PF8, and PF9 also form beta phase in thermally cycled solid films spin‐cast from MCH. However, in the films the PF7 formed a larger fraction of beta phase than the PF9, in contrast to the case in solutions, because it is less likely that the close‐packed chains in the solid state will allow the formation of planarized chains with the longer PF9 side chains.
Efficacy and safety of rituximab in adults' warm antibody autoimmune haemolytic anemia: Retrospective analysis of 27 cases
Authors: Bussone Guillaume , Ribeiro Emmanuel , Dechartres Agnès , Viallard Jean‐François , Bonnotte Bernard , Fain Olivier , Godeau Bertrand , Michel Marc 
Published: December 2008

AbstractTo better assess the efficacy and safety of rituximab in adults' warm antibody autoimmune hemolytic anemia (wAIHA), we conducted a retrospective study including 27 adults (mean age 49.7 ± 21 years) with either primary (n = 17) or secondary (n = 10) wAIHA. On average, the patients received 2.1 ± 1.4 treatment lines before rituximab and six had undergone splenectomy. Five patients were resistant to corticosteroids, 16 had a corticosteroid‐dependent wAIHA and six had relapsed after an initial remission. Overall, 25/27 (93%) patients achieved an initial response from rituximab (eight complete responses and 17 partial responses). During a mean follow‐up of 20.9 months after rituximab, five of the responders relapsed, three of whom were successfully retreated with rituximab. Two mild infusion‐related‐reactions occurred, one patient had a rituximab‐related severe neutropenia and one case of pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia occurred in a severely immunocompromized patient. In conclusion, rituximab seems highly effective and relatively safe in adults with steroid‐resistant or steroid‐dependent wAIHA. Am. J. Hematol. 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Survival in young patients with intermediate‐/high‐risk myelofibrosis: Estimates derived from databases for non transplant patients
Authors: Siragusa Sergio , Passamonti Francesco , Cervantes Francisco , Tefferi Ayalew 
Published: December 2008

AbstractRecent studies have suggested that allogenic stem cell transplantation (allo‐SCT) might be a better treatment option, compared to drug therapy, for young patients with high‐/intermediate‐risk primary myelofibrosis (PMF). However, there are no controlled studies that validate this contention and allo‐SCT is associated with a substantial risk of procedure‐related mortality and morbidity. In a retrospective analysis of nontransplant PMF patients, who were both young (age <60 years) and with high‐/intermediate‐risk disease, 1‐ and 3‐year survival estimates were 87% and 55%, 95% and 77%, 71% and 58%, respectively, involving patients seen at three different centers with expertise in PMF; these data did not appear to be inferior to those published in the context of either myeloablative or reduced‐intensity conditioning allo‐SCT. These observations underscore the need for controlled studies to accurately assess the value of allo‐SCT in PMF. AM. J. Hematol. 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Urinary cysteinyl leukotriene E4 is associated with increased risk for pain and acute chest syndrome in adults with sickle cell disease
Authors: Field Joshua J. , Krings James , White Nicole L. , Yan Yan , Blinder Morey A. , Strunk Robert C. , DeBaun Michael R. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractLeukotriene E4 (LTE4) levels are associated with rate of pain episodes in children with sickle cell disease (SCD). Because complications of SCD manifest differently in adults than children, we examined a cohort of adults with SCD to determine the relationship between baseline LTE4 and SCD‐related morbidity. Baseline LTE4 levels were associated with increased rates of pain and acute chest syndrome (ACS) episodes, when those with LTE4 values in the highest tertile were compared with those in the lowest tertile (pain: risk ratio 7.1, 95% CI 1.8–27.5, P = 0.005; ACS: risk ratio 12.2, 95% CI 2.1–69.8, P = 0.005). Am. J. Hematol., 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Glucocorticoid receptor gene polymorphisms and childhood adversity are associated with depression: New evidence for a gene–environment interaction
Authors: Bet Pierre M. , Penninx Brenda W.J.H. , Bochdanovits Zoltan , Uitterlinden André G. , Beekman Aartjan T.F. , van Schoor Natasja M. , Deeg Dorly J.H. , Hoogendijk Witte J.G. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractThe hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA)‐axis regulates the response to stressful events and is expected to be involved in the pathogenesis of depression. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) regulates the activity of the HPA‐axis. Both GR gene polymorphisms and childhood adversity are known to be associated with increased risk for depression. In the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, a large population based sample of older men and women, 906 subjects were genotyped. An association study was performed to determine the relationship between GR gene polymorphisms, childhood adversity, HPA‐axis markers and depressive symptoms. A gene–environment interaction between the GR polymorphisms 22/23EK and 9beta and childhood adversity resulted in an increased risk of clinically relevant depressive symptoms. Without childhood adversity no increased risk was present. The 22/23EK variant was also associated with a lower Free Cortisol Index in the presence of childhood adversity. Persons that are heterozygous for the BclI variant, in contrast with wild‐type and BclI‐homozygotes, had lower serum levels of cortisol binding globulin and had no increased risk of recurrent depressive symptoms in the presence of childhood adversity. We found a gene–environment (G × E) interaction between common variants of the GR gene and childhood adversity, demonstrating a vulnerable phenotype for developing clinically relevant depressive symptoms at old age. This G × E interaction also influenced HPA‐axis markers providing support for the involvement of the HPA‐axis in both stress regulation and the pathogenesis of depression. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Association of AKT1 with verbal learning, verbal memory, and regional cortical gray matter density in twins
Authors: Pietiläinen Olli P.H. , Paunio Tiina , Loukola Anu , Tuulio‐Henriksson Annamari , Kieseppä Tuula , Thompson Paul , Toga Arthur W. , van Erp Theo G.M. , Silventoinen Karri , Soronen Pia , Hennah William , Turunen Joni A. , Wedenoja Juho , Palo Outi M. , Silander Kaisa , Lönnqvist Jouko , Kaprio Jaakko , Cannon Tyrone D. , Peltonen Leena 
Published: December 2008

AbstractAKT1, encoding the protein kinase B, has been associated with the genetic etiology of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. However, minuscule data exist on the role of different alleles of AKT1 in measurable quantitative endophenotypes, such as cognitive abilities and neuroanatomical features, showing deviations in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. We evaluated the contribution of AKT1 to quantitative cognitive traits and 3D high‐resolution neuroanatomical images in a Finnish twin sample consisting of 298 twins: 61 pairs with schizophrenia (8 concordant), 31 pairs with bipolar disorder (5 concordant) and 65 control pairs matched for age, sex and demographics. An AKT1 allele defined by the SNP rs1130214 located in the UTR of the gene revealed association with cognitive traits related to verbal learning and memory (P = 0.0005 for a composite index). This association was further fortified by a higher degree of resemblance of verbal memory capacity in pairs sharing the rs1130214 genotype compared to pairs not sharing the genotype. Furthermore, the same allele was also associated with decreased gray matter density in medial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (P < 0.05). Our findings support the role of AKT1 in the genetic background of cognitive and anatomical features, known to be affected by psychotic disorders. The established association of the same allelic variant of AKT1 with both cognitive and neuroanatomical aberrations could suggest that AKT1 exerts its effect on verbal learning and memory via neural networks involving prefrontal cortex. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sapap3 and pathological grooming in humans: Results from the OCD collaborative genetics study
Authors: Bienvenu O.J. , Wang Y. , Shugart Y.Y. , Welch J.M. , Grados M.A. , Fyer A.J. , Rauch S.L. , McCracken J.T. , Rasmussen S.A. , Murphy D.L. , Cullen B. , Valle D. , Hoehn‐Saric R. , Greenberg B.D. , Pinto A. , Knowles J.A. , Piacentini J. , Pauls D.L. , Liang K.Y. , Willour V.L. , Riddle M. , Samuels J.F. , Feng G. , Nestadt G. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractSAP90/PSD95‐associated protein (SAPAP) family proteins are post‐synaptic density (PSD) components that interact with other proteins to form a key scaffolding complex at excitatory (glutamatergic) synapses. A recent study found that mice with a deletion of the Sapap3 gene groomed themselves excessively, exhibited increased anxiety‐like behaviors, and had cortico‐striatal synaptic defects, all of which were preventable with lentiviral‐mediated expression of Sapap3 in the striatum; the behavioral abnormalities were also reversible with fluoxetine. In the current study, we sought to determine whether variation within the human Sapap3 gene was associated with grooming disorders (GDs: pathologic nail biting, pathologic skin picking, and/or trichotillomania) and/or obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD) in 383 families thoroughly phenotyped for OCD genetic studies. We conducted family‐based association analyses using the FBAT and GenAssoc statistical packages. Thirty‐two percent of the 1,618 participants met criteria for a GD, and 65% met criteria for OCD. Four of six SNPs were nominally associated (P < 0.05) with at least one GD (genotypic relative risks: 1.6–3.3), and all three haplotypes were nominally associated with at least one GD (permuted P < 0.05). None of the SNPs or haplotypes were significantly associated with OCD itself. We conclude that Sapap3 is a promising functional candidate gene for human GDs, though further work is necessary to confirm this preliminary evidence of association. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.