bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Erythrocyte ferritin concentration: analytical performance of the immunoenzymatic IMx-Ferritin (Abbott) assay
Authors: Novembrino Cristina , Porcella Antonella , Conte Dario , de Vecchi Amedeo F. , Buccianti Gherardo , Lonati Silvia , Duca Lorena , Ciani Alberto , Bamonti-Catena Fabrizia 
Published: May 2005

AbstractTogether with serum ferritin, erythrocyte ferritincan be a valuable diagnostic tool for evaluating the degree of impaired iron metabolism in different diseases. We collected peripheral blood samples from 64 subjects (22 healthy volunteers, 20 patients with hereditary hemochromatosis, and 22 patients on regular hemodialysis with secondary anemia) to evaluate whether an immunoenzymatic method generally used for serum ferritin can also be used to determine erythrocyte ferritin levels under various conditions of body iron status. Serum and erythrocyte ferritin levels were assayed in parallel using a microparticle enzyme immunoassay (MEIA) IMx-Ferritin kit and an IMx analyzer. The inter-assay imprecision of the serum and erythrocyte ferritin assays was 4.9% and 5.05%, the intra-assay imprecision was 2.2% and 2.3%, and the mean recovery was 102% (range 96–105%) and 101% (range 99–105%), respectively. Both serum and erythrocyte ferritin assays showed a detection limit of 1μg/L and good linearity (R
Neptunium(IV) complexation by humic substances studied by X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy
Authors: Schmeide K. , Reich T. , Sachs S. , Brendler V. , Heise K. H. , Bernhard G. 
Published: May 2005

SummaryWe studied the coordination environment of neptunium(IV) in complexes with various natural and synthetic humic and fulvic acids at pH 1 by X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy. The results were compared to those obtained for the interaction of neptunium(IV) with Bio-Rex70, a cation exchange resin having solely carboxylic groups as metal binding functional groups. In both neptunium humate complexes and neptunium Bio-Rex70 sorbates, Np4+is surrounded by about 10 oxygen atoms at an average distance of 2.36±0.02 Å. This verifies that the carboxylic groups are the main complexing sites of the humic substances responsible for binding neptunium(IV) in the acidic pH range. The data suggest a predominant monodentate coordination of the carboxylate groups to neptunium(IV) ions.
Detection and quantification of Pu(III, IV, V, and VI) using a 1.0-meter liquid core waveguide
Authors: Wilson Richard E. , Hu Yung-Jin , Nitsche Heino 
Published: May 2005

SummaryDetection and quantification of the aquo ions of Pu in 1 M HClO4was carried out using a 1-meter liquid core waveguide (LCW) coupled to a fiber optic UV-Vis spectrometer. Detection limits of 7 × 10−7M for Pu(VI), 1.6 × 10−5M for Pu(V), 5 × 10−6M for Pu(IV) and 8 × 10−6M for Pu(III) were achieved. The limits of detection represent increases of 18 to 33 times those achievable using a conventional 1-cm path length. Because of the much lower detection limits of the LCW, routine identification of the oxidation states in dilute Pu solutions can be made.
Characterization of Sr2+uptake on natural minerals of kaolinite and magnesite using XRPD, SEM/EDS, XPS, and DRIFT
Authors: Shahwan T. , Erten H. N. 
Published: May 2005

SummaryThe sorption behavior of Sr2+ions on natural minerals rich in kaolinite and magnesite was studied using SEM/EDS, XPS, XRPD, AAS/AES and DRIFT techniques. Quantitative analysis of the XPS data shows that magnesite is more effective in Sr2+uptake than kaolinite. DRIFT spectra and XRPD patterns indicate that the structures of both minerals were not affected upon Sr2+sorption. Intercalation of DMSO in kaolinite lamellae aiming at increasing the interlayer space did not significantly enhance the sorption capacity of the clay towards Sr2+probably due to the lack of a negative charge on the accessible sites. EDS mapping indicated that while the sorbed Sr is equally distributed on surface of natural kaolinite, it was associated – to a larger extent – with the regions richer in Mg in the case of natural magnesite. Comparing the uptake mechanisms of natural magnesite with that of pure MgCO3, it was seen that while natural magnesite sorbed Sr2+mainly through an ion exchange type mechanism, the formation of SrCO3coprecipitate was detected on the surface of the MgCO3at higher loadings.
Influence of the nutritional mechanism of fungi (mycorrhize/saprophyte) on the uptake of radionuclides by mycelium
Authors: Baeza A. , Guillén J. , Hernández S. , Salas A. , Bernedo M. , Manjón J. L. , Moreno G. 
Published: May 2005

Summary
Field studies have shown that the uptake of radionuclides by fungi depends on its nutritional mechanism (mycorrhizal or saprophytic), but this fact is only fully demonstrated for radiocaesium. To extend this conclusion to other radionuclides likely to be released in semi-natural ecosystems, we carried out a series of experiments under controlled laboratory conditions of the growth of mycelium of mycorrhizal and saprophytic fungi (Pleurotus eryngii and Hebeloma cylindrosporum respectively) on liquid culture media containing known added activities of 60Co, 85Sr, and 134Cs. The radionuclide incorporated most efficiently into Pleurotus eryngii was 134Cs, and into Hebeloma cylindrosporum was 60Co. For 134Cs and 85Sr, we also analysed the influence that the content of the chemically analogue elements K and Ca respectively in the culture medium had on its uptake. For both species, the uptake of 134Cs is not correlated with the content of K in the media, but it is the uptake of 85Sr increasing with it. These results seem to be independent of the nutritional mechanism. The influence of linearity in the uptake of 134Cs and 85Sr with increasing concentrations of Cs and Sr in the culture medium was also studied. For Pleurotus eryngii it was observed a decrease in the uptake of 134Cs with increasing Cs content in the medium, and an increase in the uptake of 85Sr with increasing Sr content in the medium.
Effect of Infant Feeding on the Risk of Obesity Across the Life Course: A Quantitative Review of Published Evidence
Authors: Owen Christopher G. , Martin Richard M. , Whincup Peter H. , Smith George Davey , Cook Derek G. 
Published: May 2005

Objective. To examine the influence of initial infant feeding on obesity in later life.Methods. A systematic review of published studies investigating the association between infant feeding and a measure of obesity was performed with Medline (1966 onward) and Embase (1980 onward) databases, supplemented with manual searches. Data extraction was conducted by 2 authors. Analyses were based on odds ratios of obesity among initially breastfed subjects, compared with formula-fed subjects, pooled with fixed-effects models.Results. Sixty-one studies reported on the relationship of infant feeding to a measure of obesity in later life; of these, 28 (298900 subjects) provided odds ratio estimates. In these studies, breastfeeding was associated with a reduced risk of obesity, compared with formula feeding (odds ratio: 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.85–0.89). The inverse association between breastfeeding and obesity was particularly strong in 11 small studies of &lt;500 subjects (odds ratio: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.33–0.55) but was still apparent in larger studies of ≥500 subjects (odds ratio: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.85–0.90). In 6 studies that adjusted for all 3 major potential confounding factors (parental obesity, maternal smoking, and social class), the inverse association was reduced markedly (from an odds ratio of 0.86 to 0.93) but not abolished. A sensitivity analysis examining the potential impact of the results of 33 published studies (12505 subjects) that did not provide odds ratios (mostly reporting no relationship between breastfeeding and obesity) showed little effect on the results.Conclusions. Initial breastfeeding protects against obesity in later life. However, a further review including large unpublished studies exploring the effect of confounding factors in more detail is needed.
Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children: Quantifying the Burden on Patients and Their Families Including Decrease in Quality of Life
Authors: Shoham Yaron , Dagan Ron , Givon-Lavi Noga , Liss Zvika , Shagan Tomer , Zamir Orly , Greenberg David 
Published: May 2005

Objectives. Childhood respiratory infections have an important impact on society and are a frequent cause of physician visits, consumption of antibiotics and over-the-counter drugs, work loss, and reduction of quality of life. The aim of this study was to assess the burden of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) on children and their families, including quantification of expenses and decrease in quality of life.
Methods. Patients &lt;3 years old with pneumonia were enrolled in 3 sites in southern Israel: pediatric wards, the pediatric emergency department, and a primary health clinic. In the primary health clinic, the diagnosis was based on clinical judgment, and in the hospital the diagnosis was based on the World Health Organization Standardization of Interpretation of Chest Radiographs for the diagnosis of CAP in children. Data regarding the children’s medical history and various aspects of direct and indirect burden were gathered every 2 to 3 days during the 29 days of follow-up. The patients’ parents were asked to give the names of 2 healthy children who could serve as controls from among the child’s friends, neighbors, or day care center attendees.
Results. Two-hundred thirteen children with pneumonia were enrolled: 34 (16.0%) in the pediatric wards, 73 (34.2%) in the pediatric emergency department, and 106 (49.8%) in the primary pediatric clinic. The control group consisted of 99 children. During the 29 follow-up days, hospitalized children had the most severe and prolonged symptoms, followed in decreasing order by children seen at the emergency department, primary health clinic, and controls: The mean ± standard deviation (SD) of febrile days was 4.9 ± 2.8, 4.8 ± 3.1, 3.3 ± 2.5, and 1.4 ± 3.3, respectively (statistically significant between any patient group and the control group). The mean duration of respiratory distress ± SD was 3.8 ± 5.6, 2.8 ± 4.4, 2.2 ± 4.4, and 0.4 ± 1.8 days, respectively (statistically significant between any patient group and the control group). The median duration of nonroutine days as judged by the parents was 13, 8, 7, and 0, respectively. The mean number of workdays lost by working mothers ± SD was 4.2 ± 4.8, 2.0 ± 2.6, 1.7 ± 1.9, and 0.2 ± 0.9, respectively (between any patient group and the control group). The quality-of-life–questionnaire analysis reveals statistically significant differences with regard to all 11 questions asked between any of the patient groups and the control group. There was a clear trend toward decreasing quality of life from the control group to the primary health clinic, pediatric emergency department, and pediatric wards groups.
Conclusions. CAP in children causes a significant burden on both patients and their families, including substantial expenses, loss of routine, and decrease in quality of life.
Influence of Swaddling on Sleep and Arousal Characteristics of Healthy Infants
Authors: Franco Patricia , Seret Nicole , Van Hees Jean-Noël , Scaillet Sonia , Groswasser José , Kahn André 
Published: May 2005

Objective. Swaddling is an old infant care practice. It was reported to favor sleep and to reduce crying among irritable infants. There are few data on the physiologic effects of swaddling on infants' sleep-wake characteristics. This study was conducted to evaluate whether swaddling influences infants' arousal thresholds for environmental auditory stress.Design. Sixteen healthy infants, with a median age of 10 weeks (range: 6–16 weeks), underwent polygraphic recording in their usual supine position during one night. The infants were successively recorded swaddled and nonswaddled, or vice versa. In both conditions, the infants were exposed to white noise of increasing intensity, from 50 to 100 dB(A), during rapid eye movement sleep, to determine their arousal thresholds.Results. Swaddling was associated with increases in the infants' sleep efficiency and in the time spent in non–rapid eye movement sleep. When swaddled, the infants awakened spontaneously less often. However, significantly less-intense auditory stimuli were needed during rapid eye movement sleep to induce cortical arousals when swaddled than when not swaddled.Conclusions. Swaddling promotes more-sustained sleep and reduces the frequency of spontaneous awakenings, whereas induced cortical arousals are elicited by less-intense stimuli. These findings could indicate that, although swaddling favors sleep continuity, it is associated with increased responsiveness to environmental auditory stress.
CHIP Shots: Association Between the State Children's Health Insurance Programs and Immunization Rates
Authors: Joyce Ted , Racine Andrew 
Published: May 2005

Objective. The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 established the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which makes health insurance available to children in near-poor families who are ineligible for Medicaid. SCHIP mandates that all state plans cover the cost and administration of childhood vaccines. Whether SCHIP has narrowed immunization coverage rates between near-poor and nonpoor children is unknown. The objective of this study was to use data from the National Immunization Survey from 1995 to 2002 to analyze changes in immunization coverage rates among poor, near-poor, and nonpoor children before and after implementation of SCHIP.
Methods. A prepost analysis was made of changes in immunization rates among poor, near-poor, and nonpoor children before and after implementation of SCHIP in all 50 states and 28 Immunization Action Plan areas from 1995 to 2002. All children in the National Immunization Survey for whom information on vaccinations was available from the respondents' shot cards and/or from the children's immunization providers (N = 264214) were studied. Up-to-date status for the 4:3:1 (4 doses of diphtheria-tetanus toxoids-pertussis vaccine/3 doses of poliovirus vaccine/1 dose of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine) and the 4:3:1:3:3 (4 doses of diphtheria-tetanus toxoids-pertussis vaccine/3 doses of poliovirus vaccine/1 dose of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine/3 doses of Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine/3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine) series as well at the hepatitis B and varicella vaccines was measured.
Results. The probability that a poor or near-poor child was up to date for the 4:3:1:3:3 vaccine series increased ∼11 percentage points after implementation of SCHIP. However, we observed a similar increase for nonpoor children. The proportion of poor and near-poor children who were up to date for the varicella vaccine increased between 7 and 8 percentage points more than among nonpoor children after implementation of SCHIP. Relative increases among poor and near-poor children were greater in the 28 Immunization Action Plan areas, in states with high rates of uninsured children, and among Hispanics.
Conclusion. SCHIP seems not to be associated with changes in the up-to-date status of poor and near-poor children for the 4:3:1 and the 4:3:1:3:3 vaccine series. Vaccine coverage rates increased broadly among all income groups between 1995 and 2002.
Immersion Scald Burns and the Ability of Young Children to Climb Into a Bathtub
Authors: Allasio David , Fischer Howard 
Published: May 2005

Introduction. Immersion scald burns in children are often suspicious for neglect or abuse. The history that a child climbed into a tub previously filled with hot water by the parent is common. The child's ability to climb into such a tub is a major factor in determining the reliability of the history.
Methods. A standard bathtub was installed in an examination room at a pediatric clinic in a children's hospital. Foam mats were placed in and outside of the tub. Toy boats were placed in the back of the tub. Children were selected if they were between 10 and 18 months of age, born at term, and had no past or present medical condition that could be expected to have affected their fine or gross motor or central nervous system development and had a normal Denver Developmental Screening Test within the past 3 months. The parent placed the child in a standing position with the child holding onto the front of the tub. Parents encouraged the child to climb into the tub and get the toys. The child's efforts were videotaped. Children were allowed 5 minutes to climb, depending on their attention span and tolerance.
Results. Of 176 children in the study, 62 (35%) climbed into the tub. One fourth climbed in head first, and the rest climbed in sideways.
Conclusions. Our study may have underestimated children's climbing abilities because of the absence of a shower curtain to help with balance and the distracting presence of strangers. The diagnosis of abuse is in part based on a described mechanism being inconsistent with the observed pattern of injury. This has severe repercussions for the child and his or her family. Our study brings into question previously held beliefs that these injuries could only be sustained by direct immersion.
Influence of Gender, Race, and Ethnicity on Suspected Fatty Liver in Obese Adolescents
Authors: Schwimmer Jeffrey B. , McGreal Nancy , Deutsch Reena , Finegold Milton J. , Lavine Joel E. 
Published: May 2005

Objectives. Fatty liver is a common cause of liver disease in children. However, the epidemiology of pediatric fatty liver is limited to single-center case series of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Obesity and insulin resistance are major established risk factors for NAFLD. The role of gender, race, and ethnicity on the prevalence of fatty liver in obese children is unknown.Methods. We recruited obese 12th-grade participants from the Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health in California, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Texas. Serum samples were collected at school when the participants were well. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was measured by kinetic enzymatic assay, and ALT &gt;40 U/L was defined as abnormal. Causes of abnormal ALT other than NAFLD were excluded by serum testing.Results. A total of 127 obese students (73 female, 54 male) had a mean BMI of 35.2 kg/m2. Unexplained ALT elevation was present in 23% of participants overall. The mean ALT for participants with normal values was 28 U/L and for participants with an abnormal ALT was 56 U/L. Abnormal ALT was significantly more prevalent in boys (44%) than in girls (7%). The prevalence of abnormal ALT differed significantly by race and ethnicity (Hispanic: 36%; white: 22%; black: 14%). Serum ALT value was significantly predicted by the combination of gender, race/ethnicity, and BMI. After controlling for gender and BMI, Hispanic ethnicity significantly predicted greater ALT than black race.Conclusions. In a national, school-based sample of obese adolescents, boys were 6 times more likely than girls to have an unexplained elevated ALT. Given that participants were well and causes of chronic liver disease were excluded, we speculate that obese adolescent boys have an increased prevalence of fatty liver compared with obese adolescent girls. This population-based study also supports the hypothesis that NAFLD is more common in Hispanic adolescents. These findings have implications for both disease screening and studies of fatty liver pathophysiology.
An Evaluation of the Motion Picture Association of America’s Treatment of Violence in PG-, PG-13–, and R-Rated Films
Authors: Jenkins Lucille , Webb Theresa , Browne Nick , Afifi A.A. , Kraus Jess 
Published: May 2005

Objective. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the Motion Picture Association of America’s ratings system distinguishes among the 3 primary rating categories (PG, PG-13, and R) with respect to violence based on a study of the 100 top-grossing films of 1994.
Methods. The Motion Picture Association of America assigns age-based ratings for every film that is released in the United States accompanied by the reasons for the rating. A data abstraction instrument was designed to code each act of violence within the sample of 100 films. A series of Poisson regression models were used to examine the association among rating, seriousness of violence, and primary reason for the rating assignment.
Results. The total average number of violent acts within each film by rating category increased from PG (14) to PG-13 (20) to R (32). However, using results from the Poisson models, it is clear that the rating does not predict the frequency of violence in films. For all 3 rating categories, the predicted number of violent acts is almost identical for films with violence as a primary descriptor and films with the highest level of seriousness (R = 62.4 acts, PG-13 = 55.2 acts, and PG = 56.1 acts). The regression analysis shows that the rating does not predict the frequency of violence that occurs in films.
Conclusions. Frequency of violence alone is not the most important criterion for the assignment of rating. The content descriptors and average seriousness of films are better measures of the violence than rating assignment.
Assessment of Perinatal Hepatitis B and Rubella Prevention in New Hampshire Delivery Hospitals
Authors: Bascom Susan , Miller Stephanie , Greenblatt Jesse 
Published: May 2005

Objective. To evaluate current performance on recommended perinatal hepatitis B and rubella prevention practices in New Hampshire.
Methods. Data were extracted from 2021 paired mother-infant records for the year 2000 birth cohort in New Hampshire's 25 delivery hospitals. Assessment was done on the following: prenatal screening for hepatitis B and rubella, administration of the hepatitis B vaccine birth dose to all infants, administration of hepatitis B immune globulin to infants who were born to hepatitis B surface antigen-positive mothers, rubella immunity, and administration of in-hospital postpartum rubella vaccine to rubella nonimmune women.
Results. Prenatal screening rates for hepatitis B (98.8%) and rubella (99.4%) were high. Hepatitis B vaccine birth dose was administered to 76.2% of all infants. All infants who were born to hepatitis B surface antigen-positive mothers also received hepatitis B immune globulin. Multivariate logistic regression showed that the month of delivery and infant birth weight were independent predictors of hepatitis B vaccination. The proportion of infants who were vaccinated in January and February 2000 (48.5% and 67.5%, respectively) was less than any other months, whereas the proportion who were vaccinated in December 2000 (88.2%) was the highest. Women who were born between 1971 and 1975 had the highest rate of rubella nonimmunity (9.5%). In-hospital postpartum rubella vaccine administration was documented for 75.6% of nonimmune women.
Conclusion. This study documents good compliance in New Hampshire's birthing hospitals with national guidelines for perinatal hepatitis B and rubella prevention and highlights potential areas for improvement.