Fatness predicts decreased physical activity and increased sedentary time, but not vice versa: support from a longitudinal study in 8- to 11-year-old children.

PubMed

Hjorth, M F; Chaput, J-P; Ritz, C; Dalskov, S-M; Andersen, R; Astrup, A; Tetens, I; Michaelsen, K F; Sjödin, A

2014-07-01

To examine independent and combined cross-sectional associations between movement behaviors (physical activity (PA), sedentary time, sleep duration, screen time and sleep disturbance) and fat mass index (FMI), as well as to examine longitudinal associations between movement behaviors and FMI. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses were done using data from the OPUS school meal study on 785 children (52% boys, 13.4% overweight, ages 8-11 years). Total PA, moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), sedentary time and sleep duration (7 days and 8 nights) were assessed by an accelerometer and FMI was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) on three occasions over 200 days. Demographic characteristics, screen time and sleep disturbance (Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire) were also obtained. Total PA, MVPA and sleep duration were negatively associated with FMI, while sedentary time and sleep disturbances were positively associated with FMI (P⩽0.01). However, only total PA, MVPA and sleep duration were independently associated with FMI after adjustment for multiple covariates (P<0.001). Nevertheless, combined associations revealed synergistic effects among the different movement behaviors. Changes over time in MVPA were negatively associated with changes in FMI (P<0.001). However, none of the movement behaviors at baseline predicted changes in FMI (P>0.05), but higher FMI at baseline predicted a decrease in total PA and MVPA, and an increase in sedentary time (P⩽0.001), even in normal-weight children (P⩽0.03). Total PA, MVPA and sleep duration were independently associated with FMI, and combined associations of movement behaviors showed a synergistic effect with FMI. In the longitudinal study design, a high FMI at baseline was associated with lower PA and higher sedentary time after 200 days but not vice versa, even in normal-weight children. Our results suggest that adiposity is a better predictor of PA and sedentary behavior changes than the other way around.

The Role of Personal Best (PB) and Dichotomous Achievement Goals in Students' Academic Motivation and Engagement: A Longitudinal Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Andrew J.; Elliot, Andrew J.

2016-01-01

This study assessed the role of prior personal best goals in predicting subsequent academic motivation and engagement. A total of 1160 high school students participated in a longitudinal survey study exploring the extent to which personal best and mastery and performance (dichotomous) achievement goals predict students' academic motivation and…

Sleep Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Problems: A Longitudinal Population-Based Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sivertsen, Borge; Posserud, Maj-Britt; Gillberg, Christopher; Lundervold, Astri J.; Hysing, Mari

2012-01-01

This study examined the prevalence and chronicity of sleep problems in children who manifest problems believed to be typical of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Using data from a longitudinal total population study, symptoms of ASD, insomnia and potential explanatory factors were assessed at ages 7-9 and 11-13. Children were included in a group…

A Study of Ontogenetic and Generational Change in Adolescent Personality by Means of Multivariate Longitudinal Sequences: Phase II. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nesselroade, John R.; Baltes, Paul B.

Assessment of the relationship between ontogenetic (individual) and generational (historical) change in adolescent personality development was the focus of this study. The total sample included 1000 male and female adolescents (ages 13-18) randomly drawn from 32 public school systems in West Virginia following a design using longitudinal sequences…

Stability and Change in Executive Function Abilities from Late Adolescence to Early Adulthood: A Longitudinal Twin Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Naomi P.; Miyake, Akira; Altamirano, Lee J.; Corley, Robin P.; Young, Susan E.; Rhea, Sally Ann; Hewitt, John K.

2016-01-01

Executive functions (EFs)--the higher level cognitive abilities that enable us to control our own thoughts and actions--continue to develop into early adulthood, yet no longitudinal study has examined their stability during the important life transition from late adolescence to young adulthood. In this twin study (total N = 840 individuals from…

The effect of changes to the method of estimating the pollen count from aerobiological samples.

PubMed

Sikoparija, Branko; Pejak-Šikoparija, Tatjana; Radišić, Predrag; Smith, Matt; Soldevilla, Carmen Galán

2011-02-01

Pollen data have been recorded at Novi Sad in Serbia since 2000. The adopted method of producing pollen counts has been the use of five longitudinal transects that examine 19.64% of total sample surface. However, counting five transects is time consuming and so the main objective of this study is to investigate whether reducing the number to three or even two transects would have a significant effect on daily average and bi-hourly pollen concentrations, as well as the main characteristics of the pollen season and long-term trends. This study has shown that there is a loss of accuracy in daily average and bi-hourly pollen concentrations (an increase in % ERROR) as the sub-sampling area is reduced from five to three or two longitudinal transects. However, this loss of accuracy does not impact on the main characteristics of the season or long-term trends. As a result, this study can be used to justify changing the sub-sampling method used at Novi Sad from five to three longitudinal transects. The use of two longitudinal transects has been ruled out because, although quicker, the counts produced: (a) had the greatest amount of % ERROR, (b) altered the amount of influence of the independent variable on the dependent variable (the slope in regression analysis) and (c) the total sampled surface (7.86%) was less than the minimum requirement recommended by the European Aerobiology Society working group on Quality Control (at least 10% of total slide area).

Total energy based flight control system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lambregts, Antonius A. (Inventor)

1985-01-01

An integrated aircraft longitudinal flight control system uses a generalized thrust and elevator command computation (38), which accepts flight path angle, longitudinal acceleration command signals, along with associated feedback signals, to form energy rate error (20) and energy rate distribution error (18) signals. The engine thrust command is developed (22) as a function of the energy rate distribution error and the elevator position command is developed (26) as a function of the energy distribution error. For any vertical flight path and speed mode the outerloop errors are normalized (30, 34) to produce flight path angle and longitudinal acceleration commands. The system provides decoupled flight path and speed control for all control modes previously provided by the longitudinal autopilot, autothrottle and flight management systems.

Depression and fatigue in patients with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Greeke, Emily E; Chua, Alicia S; Healy, Brian C; Rintell, David J; Chitnis, Tanuja; Glanz, Bonnie I

2017-09-15

Previous research has examined the components of depression and fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS), but the findings have been inconsistent. The aim of this study was to explore the associations between overall and subscale scores of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) as well as the longitudinal changes in scores in a large cohort of MS patients. MS subjects who completed a battery of patient reported outcome (PRO) measures including the CES-D and MFIS (N=435) were included in our analysis. At the first available MFIS measurement, Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to estimate the association between the CES-D and MFIS in terms of both total scores and subscale scores. In addition, the longitudinal change in each total score and subscale score was estimated using a linear mixed model, and the association between the measures in terms of longitudinal change was estimated using Pearson's correlation coefficient and linear mixed models. At baseline, 15% of subjects were classified as high on both depression and fatigue scales, 16% were classified as high on the fatigue scale only, and 9% were classified as high on the depression scale only. There was a high correlation between CES-D and MFIS total scores (r=0.62). High correlations were also observed between the somatic and retarded activity subscales of the CES-D and each of the MFIS subscales (r≥0.60). In terms of longitudinal change, the change over the first year between the CES-D and MFIS total scores showed a moderate correlation (r=0.49). Subjects with high fatigue scores but low depression scores at baseline were more likely than subjects with low baseline fatigue and depression scores to develop high depression scores at follow-up. Our study demonstrated that depression and fatigue in MS share several features and have a similar longitudinal course. But using cut-off scores to define depression and fatigue, our study also found that non-depressed subjects with high fatigue may be at a greater risk for developing depression. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Beating the Odds: A Longitudinal Investigation of Low-Income Dual-Language and Monolingual Children's English Language and Literacy Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Han, Myae; Vukelich, Carol; Buell, Martha; Meacham, Sohyun

2014-01-01

Research Findings: The current study reports on the results of a longitudinal investigation of the language and early literacy development of a sample of dual-language learners (DLLs) and monolingual English speakers from low-income families who received an Early Reading First intervention during their Head Start preschool year. A total of 62…

What It's Like to Grow Older: The Aging Perceptions of People with an Intellectual Disability in Ireland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Eilish; McCarron, Mary; Carroll, Rachael; McGlinchey, Eimear; McCallion, Philip

2014-01-01

The Intellectual Disability Supplement to The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing is a national longitudinal study on the aging of people with an intellectual disability (ID) using a randomly selected sample of people with ID over the age of 40. In total, 367 people with an ID completed the aging perception self-report only section. Over 57% of…

Longitudinal Retention of Families in the Assessment of a Prevention Program Targeting Adolescent Alcohol and Tobacco Use: The Utility of an Ecological Systems Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Deborah J.; Foster, Sarah E.; Olson, Ardis L.; Forehand, Rex L.; Gaffney, Cecelia A.; Zens, Michael S.; Bau, J. J.

2007-01-01

This study examined the association between ecological context (extrafamilial, familial, child factors) at baseline and longitudinal retention of families in the 36-month assessment of an adolescent alcohol and tobacco use prevention program that was conducted within a pediatric primary care setting. A total of 1,780 families were enrolled at…

Prenatal Stress and Risk of Febrile Seizures in Children: A Nationwide Longitudinal Study in Denmark

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Jiong; Olsen, Jorn; Obel, Carsten; Christensen, Jakob; Precht, Dorthe Hansen; Vestergaard, Mogens

2009-01-01

We aimed to examine whether exposure to prenatal stress following maternal bereavement is associated with an increased risk of febrile seizures. In a longitudinal population-based cohort study, we followed 1,431,175 children born in Denmark. A total of 34,777 children were born to women who lost a close relative during pregnancy or within 1 year…

Longitudinal Study Using a Standardized Test Battery as Predictors of Student Outcomes in a Rural County School System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Twale, Darla J.; Thompson, Mary J.

This longitudinal study focused on predicting student outcomes through multiple test scores and vocational preferences using standardized instruments and self-reports of career plans. A total of 444 students in the class of 1986 were enrolled in either a non-vocational or vocational curriculum at one of 4 high schools in a small, rural,…

A Longitudinal Investigation of Conflict and Delay Inhibitory Control in Toddlers and Preschoolers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joyce, Amanda W.; Kraybill, Jessica H.; Chen, Nan; Cuevas, Kimberly; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Bell, Martha Ann

2016-01-01

Research Findings: A total of 81 children participated in a longitudinal investigation of inhibitory control (IC) from 2 to 4 years of age. Child IC was measured via maternal report and laboratory measures under conditions of conflict and delay. Performance on delay IC tasks at 3 years was related to performance on these same tasks at 2 and…

Nontraumatic tibial polyethylene insert cone fracture in mobile-bearing posterior-stabilized total knee arthroplasty.

PubMed

Tanikake, Yohei; Hayashi, Koji; Ogawa, Munehiro; Inagaki, Yusuke; Kawate, Kenji; Tomita, Tetsuya; Tanaka, Yasuhito

2016-12-01

A 72-year-old male patient underwent mobile-bearing posterior-stabilized total knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis. He experienced a nontraumatic polyethylene tibial insert cone fracture 27 months after surgery. Scanning electron microscopy of the fracture surface of the tibial insert cone suggested progress of ductile breaking from the posterior toward the anterior of the cone due to repeated longitudinal bending stress, leading to fatigue breaking at the anterior side of the cone, followed by the tibial insert cone fracture at the anterior side of the cone, resulting in fracture at the base of the cone. This analysis shows the risk of tibial insert cone fracture due to longitudinal stress in mobile-bearing posterior-stabilized total knee arthroplasty in which an insert is designed to highly conform to the femoral component.

Progression of MDS-UPDRS Scores Over Five Years in De Novo Parkinson Disease from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative Cohort.

PubMed

Holden, Samantha K; Finseth, Taylor; Sillau, Stefan H; Berman, Brian D

2018-01-01

The Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UDPRS) is a commonly used tool to measure Parkinson disease (PD) progression. Longitudinal changes in MDS-UPDRS scores in de novo PD have not been established. Determine progression rates of MDS-UPDRS scores in de novo PD. 362 participants from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative, a multicenter longitudinal cohort study of de novo PD, were included. Longitudinal progression of MDS-UPDRS total and subscale scores were modeled using mixed model regression. MDS-UPDRS scores increased in a linear fashion over five years in de novo PD. MDS-UPDRS total score increased an estimated 4.0 points/year, Part I 0.25 points/year, Part II 1.0 points/year, and Part III 2.4 points/year. The expected average progression of MDS-UPDRS scores in de novo PD from this study can assist in clinical monitoring and provide comparative data for detection of disease modification in treatment trials.

Experimental wake survey behind a 140 deg-included-angle cone at angles of attack of 0 deg and 5 deg, Mach numbers from 1.60 to 3.95, and longitudinal stations varying from 1.0 to 8.39 body diameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, C. A., Jr.; Campbell, J. F.

1971-01-01

The flow properties in the wake of a 140 deg-included-angle cone at Mach numbers from 1.60 to 3.95 and at angles of attack of 0 deg and 5 deg are discussed. The wake flow properties are calculated from total and static pressures measured with a pressure rake at longitudinal stations varying from 1.0 to 8.39 body diameters and at lateral stations varying from -0.42 to 3.0 body diameters. These measurements show a consistent trend throughout the range of Mach number and longitudinal distance and an increase in dynamic pressure with increasing longitudinal station.

Longitudinal tear of the medial meniscus posterior horn in the anterior cruciate ligament-deficient knee significantly influences anterior stability.

PubMed

Ahn, Jin Hwan; Bae, Tae Soo; Kang, Ki-Ser; Kang, Soo Yong; Lee, Sang Hak

2011-10-01

Longitudinal tears of the medial meniscus posterior horn (MMPH) are commonly associated with a chronic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficiency. Many studies have demonstrated the importance of the medial meniscus in terms of limiting the amount of anterior-posterior tibial translation in response to anterior tibial loads in ACL-deficient knees. An MMPH tear in an ACL-deficient knee increases the anterior-posterior tibial translation and rotatory instability. In addition, MMPH repair will restore the tibial translation to the level before the tear. Controlled laboratory study. Ten human cadaveric knees were tested sequentially using a custom testing system under 5 conditions: intact, ACL deficient, ACL deficient with an MMPH peripheral longitudinal tear, ACL deficient with an MMPH repair, and ACL deficient with a total medial meniscectomy. The knee kinematics were measured at 0°, 15°, 30°, 60°, and 90° of flexion in response to a 134-N anterior and 200-N axial compressive tibial load. The rotatory kinematics were also measured at 15° and 30° of flexion in a combined rotatory load of 5 N·m of internal tibial torque and 10 N·m of valgus torque. Medial meniscus posterior horn longitudinal tears in ACL-deficient knees resulted in a significant increase in anterior-posterior tibial translation at all flexion angles except 90° (P < .05). An MMPH repair in an ACL-deficient knee showed a significant decrease in anterior-posterior tibial translation at all flexion angles except 60° compared with the ACL-deficient/MMPH tear state (P < .05). The total anterior-posterior translation of the ACL-deficient/MMPH repaired knee was not significantly increased compared with the ACL (only)-deficient knee but was increased compared with the ACL-intact knee (P > .05). A total medial meniscectomy in an ACL-deficient knee did not increase the anterior-posterior tibial translation significantly compared with MMPH tears in ACL-deficient knees at all flexion angles (P > .05). In a combined rotatory load, tibial rotation after MMPH tears or a total medial meniscectomy in an ACL-deficient knee were not affected significantly at all flexion angles. This study shows that an MMPH longitudinal tear in an ACL-deficient knee alters the knee kinematics, particularly the anterior-posterior tibial translation. MMPH repair significantly improved anterior-posterior tibial translation in ACL-deficient knees. These findings may help improve the treatment of patients with ACL and MMPH longitudinal tear by suggesting that the medial meniscal repairs should be performed for greater longevity when combined with an ACL reconstruction.

The Subglacial Drainage Patterns of Devon Island, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grau Galofre, A.; Jellinek, M.; Osinski, G. R.

2016-12-01

Meltwater drainage patterns incised underneath ice masses can appear strikingly similar to fluvially dissected landscapes. We introduce a landscape evolution model to describe the longitudinal profiles of subglacial meltwater channels (tunnel valleys).We propose a way to identify them from topography data and imagery on the basis of the vertical scale of undulations compared to the total elevation gain. We test the model with field data from tunnel valleys exposed in Devon Island, NU, Canada. We use field measurements of longitudinal profiles, photogrammetry and 3D LIDAR to establish a quantitative comparison of tunnel valleys and fluvial channels. Tunnel valleys are oriented parallel to former ice flow lines and are characterized by undulating longitudinal profiles. We use these features to identify quantitatively tunnel valleys in central Devon Island (figure 1). We ground truth our observations with imagery of tunnel valleys appearing at the edges of the actively retreating ice cap. Longitudinal profiles show undulations with amplitudes up to 14m over a total elevation gain of 20m and with wavelengths comparable to the channel width. These "overdeepenings" are not observed in any fluvial channels in the area and are consistent with expectations of flow driven by variations in ice thickness. Our identification scheme rigorously distinguishes fluvial and subglacial dissected landscapes.

A new species of Myloplus Gill (Characiformes, Serrasalmidae) from the Tumucumaque Mountain Range, Brazil and French Guiana, with comments on M. rubripinnis.

PubMed

Andrade, Marcelo C; JÉgu, Michel; Gama, Cecile S

2018-04-03

A new species of Myloplus Gill is described from Eastern Tumucumaque Mountain Range, drainages of the Oyapock and Araguari rivers between Brazil and French Guiana. The new species is diagnosed by having comparatively large scales on the flanks, resulting in lower counts when compared with congeners, i.e., 59 to 70 total perforated scales on lateral line, 31 to 35 longitudinal scales above lateral line, 24 to 29 longitudinal scales below lateral line, and 22 to 26 circumpeduncular scale rows. The new species most closely resembles Myloplus rubripinnis by sharing with this species a general rounded shape, a similar color pattern, and a high number of rays, i.e., 23 to 25 branched dorsal-fin rays and 35 to 38 branched anal-fin rays in the new species (vs. 24 to 25 and 32 to 40, respectively, in M. rubripinnis). After reviewing the available type-specimens of all Myloplus species, M. rubripinnis is re-diagnosed as having higher counts of branched dorsal-fin rays and anal-fin rays combined to tiny scales on flanks, i.e., 85 to 89 total perforated scales on lateral line, 38 to 45 longitudinal scales above lateral line, 33 to 42 longitudinal scales below lateral line, and 30 to 39 circumpeduncular scale rows.

Plasma α-synuclein and cognitive impairment in the Parkinson's Associated Risk Syndrome: A pilot study.

PubMed

Wang, Hua; Atik, Anzari; Stewart, Tessandra; Ginghina, Carmen; Aro, Patrick; Kerr, Kathleen F; Seibyl, John; Jennings, Danna; Jensen, Poul Henning; Marek, Kenneth; Shi, Min; Zhang, Jing

2018-04-27

Plasma total and nervous system derived exosomal (NDE) α-synuclein have been determined as potential biomarkers of Parkinson's disease (PD). To explore the utility of plasma α-synuclein in the prodromal phase of PD, plasma total and NDE α-synuclein were evaluated in baseline and 2-year follow-up samples from 256 individuals recruited as part of the Parkinson's Associated Risk Syndrome (PARS) study. The results demonstrated that baseline and longitudinal increases in total α-synuclein predicted progression of cognitive decline in hyposmic individuals with dopamine transporter (DAT) binding reduction. On the other hand, a longitudinal decrease in NDE α-synuclein predicted worsening cognitive scores in hyposmic individuals with DAT binding reduction. Finally, in individuals with faster DAT progression, decreasing NDE/total α-synuclein ratio was associated with a larger reduction in DAT from baseline to follow-up. These results suggest that, though underlying mechanisms remain to be defined, alterations in plasma total and NDE α-synuclein concentrations are likely associated with PD progression, especially in the aspect of cognitive impairment, at early stages of the disease. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Cross-sectional and longitudinal evaluation of liver volume and total liver fat burden in adults with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis

PubMed Central

Tang, An; Chen, Joshua; Le, Thuy-Anh; Changchien, Christopher; Hamilton, Gavin; Middleton, Michael S.; Loomba, Rohit; Sirlin, Claude B.

2014-01-01

Purpose To explore the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between fractional liver fat content, liver volume, and total liver fat burden. Methods In 43 adults with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis participating in a clinical trial, liver volume was estimated by segmentation of magnitude-based low-flip-angle multiecho GRE images. The liver mean proton density fat fraction (PDFF) was calculated. The total liver fat index (TLFI) was estimated as the product of liver mean PDFF and liver volume. Linear regression analyses were performed. Results Cross-sectional analyses revealed statistically significant relationships between TLFI and liver mean PDFF (R2 = 0.740 baseline/0.791 follow-up, P < 0.001 baseline/P < 0.001 follow-up), and between TLFI and liver volume (R2 = 0.352/0.452, P < 0.001/< 0.001). Longitudinal analyses revealed statistically significant relationships between liver volume change and liver mean PDFF change (R2 = 0.556, P < 0.001), between TLFI change and liver mean PDFF change (R2 = 0.920, P < 0.001), and between TLFI change and liver volume change (R2 = 0.735, P < 0.001). Conclusion Liver segmentation in combination with MRI-based PDFF estimation may be used to monitor liver volume, liver mean PDFF, and TLFI in a clinical trial. PMID:25015398

Inducible displacement of cemented tibial components ten years after total knee arthroplasty.

PubMed

Lam Tin Cheung, K; Lanting, B A; McCalden, R W; Yuan, X; MacDonald, S J; Naudie, D D; Teeter, M G

2018-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term inducible displacement of cemented tibial components ten years after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). A total of 15 patients from a previously reported prospective trial of fixation using radiostereometric analysis (RSA) were examined at a mean of 11 years (10 to 11) postoperatively. Longitudinal supine RSA examinations were acquired at one week, one year, and two years postoperatively and at final follow-up. Weight-bearing RSA examinations were also undertaken with the operated lower limb in neutral and in maximum internal rotation positions. Maximum total point motion (MTPM) was calculated for the longitudinal and inducible displacement examinations (supine versus standing, standing versus internal rotation, and supine versus standing with internal rotation). All patients showed some inducible displacement. Two patients with radiolucent lines had greater mean standing-supine MTPM displacement (1.35; sd 0.38) compared with the remaining patients (0.68; sd 0.36). These two patients also had a greater mean longitudinal MTPM at ten years (0.64; sd 0.50) compared with the remaining patients (0.39; sd 0.13 mm). Small inducible displacements in well-fixed cemented tibial components were seen ten years postoperatively, of a similar magnitude to that which has been reported for well-fixed components one to two years postoperatively. Greater displacements were found in components with radiolucent lines. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2018;100-B:170-5. ©2018 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Direct and indirect effects of exercise on posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms: A longitudinal study.

PubMed

Whitworth, James W; Craft, Lynette L; Dunsiger, Shira I; Ciccolo, Joseph T

2017-11-01

Emerging evidence suggests that exercise may have beneficial effects on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and that this relationship may be indirectly affected by sleep, pain, and alcohol/substance use. The present study examined the longitudinal direct and indirect effects of exercise on PTSD symptoms. A national sample of 182 individuals, screening positive for PTSD, completed online assessments of PTSD symptoms, exercise behavior, psychological distress, sleep quality, and alcohol/substance use at baseline and three-month follow-up. There were direct effects of strenuous intensity exercise on avoidance/numbing (b=-2.18, SE=1.12, p=0.05) and hyperarousal symptoms (b=-1.87, SE=0.82, p=0.03); and direct effects of total exercise on avoidance/numbing symptoms (b=-1.76, SE=0.94, p=0.05). Strenuous intensity exercise was indirectly associated with total PTSD symptoms (ab=-2.53, 95% CI: -5.72 to -0.38), avoidance/numbing (ab=-0.99, 95% CI: -2.43 to -0.05), and hyperarousal symptoms (ab=-0.78, 95% CI: -1.88 to -0.07) through sleep, while total exercise was indirectly associated with total PTSD symptoms through alcohol use (ab=0.32, 95% CI: 0.18-1.42). Findings suggest that exercise has a complex, longitudinal, and beneficial association with PTSD symptoms. Future studies should continue to examine this relationship and any direct and indirect effects exercise may have on PTSD and its related conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Estimated effects of in utero cocaine exposure on language development through early adolescence.

PubMed

Bandstra, Emmalee S; Morrow, Connie E; Accornero, Veronica H; Mansoor, Elana; Xue, Lihua; Anthony, James C

2011-01-01

The potential longitudinal effects of prenatal cocaine exposure (PCE) on language functioning were estimated from early childhood through early adolescence in a large, well-retained urban sample of 451 full-term children (242 cocaine-exposed, 209 non-cocaine-exposed) participating in the Miami Prenatal Cocaine Study (MPCS). The sample was enrolled prospectively at birth, with documentation of prenatal drug exposure status through maternal interview, and toxicology assays of maternal and infant urine, and infant meconium. Age-appropriate versions of the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals (CELF) were used to measure total, expressive, and receptive language at ages 3, 5, and 12years. Longitudinal latent growth curve (LLGC) modeling of the data revealed an association between PCE (measured dichotomously as yes/no) and lower functioning in expressive and total language scores, after considering other sources of variation including child's age at testing, sex, prenatal exposure to alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco, and additional medical and social-demographic covariates. Analyses of level of PCE showed a gradient, i.e. dose-dependent, relationship between PCE level and expressive, receptive, and total language scores in the models controlling for age, child's sex, and other prenatal drug exposures. With additional covariate control these findings were most stable for the total language score. The evidence supports an inference about an enduring stable cocaine-specific effect on children's language abilities, with no effect on language growth over time in the longitudinal trajectory of language development. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Vascular risk factors and neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease: the Cache County Study.

PubMed

Steinberg, Martin; Hess, Kyle; Corcoran, Chris; Mielke, Michelle M; Norton, Maria; Breitner, John; Green, Robert; Leoutsakos, Jeannie; Welsh-Bohmer, Kathleen; Lyketsos, Constantine; Tschanz, Joann

2014-02-01

Knowledge of potentially modifiable risk factors for neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is important. This study longitudinally explores modifiable vascular risk factors for NPS in AD. Participants enrolled in the Cache County Study on Memory in Aging with no dementia at baseline were subsequently assessed over three additional waves, and those with incident (new onset) dementia were invited to join the Dementia Progression Study for longitudinal follow-up. A total of 327 participants with incident AD were identified and assessed for the following vascular factors: atrial fibrillation, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, angina, coronary artery bypass surgery, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, and use of antihypertensive or diabetes medicines. A vascular index (VI) was also calculated. NPS were assessed over time using the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). Affective and Psychotic symptom clusters were assessed separately. The association between vascular factors and change in NPI total score was analyzed using linear mixed model and in symptom clusters using a random effects model. No individual vascular risk factors or the VI significantly predicted change in any individual NPS. The use of antihypertensive medications more than four times per week was associated with higher total NPI and Affective cluster scores. Use of antihypertensive medication was associated with higher total NPI and Affective cluster scores. The results of this study do not otherwise support vascular risk factors as modifiers of longitudinal change in NPS in AD. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cheung, Vincent; Vogt, Ramona

Here, we explore polarized heavy quarkonium production using the color evaporation model at leading order. We present the polarized to total yield ratio as a function of center of mass energy and rapidity in p+p collisions. At energies far above the Q¯Q production threshold, we find charmonium and bottomonium production to be longitudinally polarized (J z = 0). The quarkonium states are also longitudinally polarized at central rapidity, becoming transversely polarized (J z = ±1) at the most forward rapidities.

Novel Inhibitors of Protein-Protein Interaction for Prostate Cancer Therapy

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

treated mice compared to vehicle control. A subset of mice was followed by longitudinal MRI imaging for prostate tumor growth. As shown in Figure...treated (N=7) mice were followed by longitudinal MRI imaging for tumor growth (bottom panel). 9 KEY RESEARCH ACCOMPLISHMENTS • Identified...EDTA) containing a tablet of complete protease inhibitors from Roche (Indianapolis, IN). Total protein from each sample was separated on a 4–12% Bis

A Longitudinal Study of Total Quality Management Processes in Business Colleges.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vazzana, Gary; Elfrink, John; Bachmann, Duane P.

2000-01-01

Surveys of business school deans in 1995 (n=243) and 1998 (n=151) regarding total quality management (TQM) practices revealed increases in mission and strategy development, goal setting, and use of advisory boards and cross-functional teams. Few are using TQM to manage core learning processes. (SK)

Comparison of Segmental Versus Longitudinal Intravascular Ultrasound Analysis for Pediatric Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy.

PubMed

Kuhn, M A; Burch, M; Chinnock, R E; Fenton, M J

2017-10-01

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has been routinely used in some centers to investigate cardiac allograft vasculopathy in pediatric heart transplant recipients. We present an alternative method using more sophisticated imaging software. This study presents a comparison of this method with an established standard method. All patients who had IVUS performed in 2014 were retrospectively evaluated. The standard technique consisted of analysis of 10 operator-selected segments along the vessel. Each study was re-evaluated using a longitudinal technique, taken at every third cardiac cycle, along the entire vessel. Semiautomatic edge detection software was used to detect vessel imaging planes. Measurements included outer and inner diameter, total and luminal area, maximal intimal thickness (MIT), and intimal index. Each IVUS was graded for severity using the Stanford classification. All results were given as mean ± standard deviation (SD). Groups were compared using Student t test. A P value <.05 was considered significant. There were 59 IVUS studies performed on 58 patients. There was no statistically significant difference between outer diameter, inner diameter, or total area. In the longitudinal group, there was a significantly smaller luminal area, higher MIT, and higher intimal index. Using the longitudinal technique, there was an increase in Stanford classification in 20 patients. The longitudinal technique appeared more sensitive in assessing the degree of cardiac allograft vasculopathy and may play a role in the increase in the degree of thickening seen. It may offer an alternative way of grading severity of cardiac allograft vasculopathy in pediatric heart transplant recipients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal and Cross-Sectional Analyses of Visual Field Progression in Participants of the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS)

PubMed Central

Chauhan, Balwantray C; Keltner, John L; Cello, Kim E; Johnson, Chris A; Anderson, Douglas R; Gordon, Mae O; Kass, Michael A

2014-01-01

Purpose Visual field progression can be determined by evaluating the visual field by serial examinations (longitudinal analysis), or by a change in classification derived from comparison to age-matched normal data in single examinations (cross-sectional analysis). We determined the agreement between these two approaches in data from the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS). Methods Visual field data from 3088 eyes of 1570 OHTS participants (median follow-up 7 yrs, 15 tests with static automated perimetry) were analysed. Longitudinal analyses were performed with change probability with total and pattern deviation, and cross-sectional analysis with Glaucoma Hemifield Test, Corrected Pattern Standard Deviation, and Mean Deviation. The rates of Mean Deviation and General Height change were compared to estimate the degree of diffuse loss in emerging glaucoma. Results The agreement on progression in longitudinal and cross-sectional analyses ranged from 50% to 61% and remained nearly constant across a wide range of criteria. In contrast, the agreement on absence of progression ranged from 97% to 99.7%, being highest for the stricter criteria. Analyses of pattern deviation were more conservative than total deviation, with a 3 to 5 times lesser incidence of progression. Most participants developing field loss had both diffuse and focal change. Conclusions Despite considerable overall agreement, between 40 to 50% of eyes identified as having progressed with either longitudinal or cross-sectional analyses were identified with only one of the analyses. Because diffuse change is part of early glaucomatous damage, pattern deviation analyses may underestimate progression in patients with ocular hypertension. PMID:21149774

Dynamical properties of total intensity fluctuation spectrum in two-mode Nd:YVO4 microchip laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shao-Hui; Shu-Lian, Zhang; Tan, Yi-Dong; Sun, Li-Qun

2015-12-01

We investigate the total intensity fluctuation spectrum of the two-longitudinal- mode Nd:YVO4 microchip laser (ML). We find that low-frequency relaxation oscillation (RO) peaks still appear in the total intensity fluctuation spectrum, which is different from a previous research result that the low-frequency RO peaks exist in the spectrum of the individual mode but compensate for each other totally in the total intensity fluctuation spectrum. Taking the spatial hole-burning effect into account, one and two-mode rate equations for Nd:YVO4 ML laser are established and studied. Based on the theoretical model, we find that when the gains and losses for two longitudinal models are different, a low-frequency RO peak will appear in the total intensity fluctuation spectrum, while when they share the same gain and loss, the total spectrum will behave like that of a single mode laser. Theoretical simulation results coincide with experimental results very well. Project supported by the Beijing Higher Education Young Elite Teacher Project, China (Grant No. YETP0086), the Tsinghua University Initiative Scientific Research Programme, China (Grant No. 2012Z02166), and the Special-funded Programme on National Key Scientific Instruments and Equipment Development of China (Grant No. 2011YQ04013603).

Cognitive-behavioral longitudinal assessment in ALS: the Italian Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral ALS screen (ECAS).

PubMed

Poletti, Barbara; Solca, Federica; Carelli, Laura; Faini, Andrea; Madotto, Fabiana; Lafronza, Annalisa; Monti, Alessia; Zago, Stefano; Ciammola, Andrea; Ratti, Antonia; Ticozzi, Nicola; Abrahams, Sharon; Silani, Vincenzo

2018-08-01

The study presents data on the longitudinal administration of the Italian Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral ALS Screen (ECAS). We investigated cognitive-behavioral performance in a group of ALS patients over time and the feasibility of repeating the ECAS longitudinally compared with standard neuropsychological tests. Finally, correlations between clinical/genetic and cognitive/behavioral data were considered. One hundred and sixty-eight ALS patients were tested at baseline (T 0 ). Among these, 48 patients performed the ECAS after 6 months (T 1 ), 18 patients performed it at T 2 (12 months), and five patients were assessed after 24 months (T 3 ). Participants were also administered two cognitive test (FAB; MoCA) and psychological questionnaires (BDI; STAI/Y). The FBI was carried out with caregivers. No cognitive deterioration was found across follow-ups. In contrast, although scores did not change between T 0 and T 1 , scores improved significantly for ECAS Total/ALS Non-specific and Memory domains when the ECAS was repeated on three occasions (T 0 , T 1 , T 2 ). Apathy/Inertia was the most common behavioral symptom, but no worsening of behavioral scores was detected over time. After 12-24 months, patients were still able to perform the ECAS in total, in contrast to FAB and MoCA, which were only partially administrable. The significant improvement of some ECAS scores over time supports the presence of possible practice effects, particularly in the memory domain, highlighting the need to accommodate for these in longitudinal assessments, through healthy controls groups or alternate versions. This work represents the first Italian ECAS follow-up study and confirms ECAS feasibility in patients with increasing physical disability.

Association between media use in adolescence and depression in young adulthood: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Primack, Brian A; Swanier, Brandi; Georgiopoulos, Anna M; Land, Stephanie R; Fine, Michael J

2009-02-01

Although certain media exposures have been linked to the presence of psychiatric conditions, few studies have investigated the association between media exposure and depression. To assess the longitudinal association between media exposure in adolescence and depression in young adulthood in a nationally representative sample. Longitudinal cohort study. We used the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health (Add Health) to investigate the relationship between electronic media exposure in 4142 adolescents who were not depressed at baseline and subsequent development of depression after 7 years of follow-up. Main Outcome Measure Depression at follow-up assessed using the 9-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale. Of the 4142 participants (47.5% female and 67.0% white) who were not depressed at baseline and who underwent follow-up assessment, 308 (7.4%) reported symptoms consistent with depression at follow-up. Controlling for all covariates including baseline Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale score, those reporting more television use had significantly greater odds of developing depression (odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 1.08 [1.01-1.16]) for each additional hour of daily television use. In addition, those reporting more total media exposure had significantly greater odds of developing depression (1.05 [1.0004-1.10]) for each additional hour of daily use. We did not find a consistent relationship between development of depressive symptoms and exposure to videocassettes, computer games, or radio. Compared with young men, young women were less likely to develop depression given the same total media exposure (odds ratio for interaction term, 0.93 [0.88-0.99]). Television exposure and total media exposure in adolescence are associated with increased odds of depressive symptoms in young adulthood, especially in young men.

Scaling of charged particle production in d+Au collisions at √(sNN)=200GeV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Back, B. B.; Baker, M. D.; Ballintijn, M.; Barton, D. S.; Becker, B.; Betts, R. R.; Bickley, A. A.; Bindel, R.; Busza, W.; Carroll, A.; Decowski, M. P.; García, E.; Gburek, T.; George, N.; Gulbrandsen, K.; Gushue, S.; Halliwell, C.; Hamblen, J.; Harrington, A. S.; Henderson, C.; Hofman, D. J.; Hollis, R. S.; Hołyński, R.; Holzman, B.; Iordanova, A.; Johnson, E.; Kane, J. L.; Khan, N.; Kulinich, P.; Kuo, C. M.; Lee, J. W.; Lin, W. T.; Manly, S.; Mignerey, A. C.; Nouicer, R.; Olszewski, A.; Pak, R.; Park, I. C.; Pernegger, H.; Reed, C.; Roland, C.; Roland, G.; Sagerer, J.; Sarin, P.; Sedykh, I.; Skulski, W.; Smith, C. E.; Steinberg, P.; Stephans, G. S.; Sukhanov, A.; Tonjes, M. B.; Trzupek, A.; Vale, C.; Nieuwenhuizen, G. J.; Verdier, R.; Veres, G. I.; Wolfs, F. L.; Wosiek, B.; Woźniak, K.; Wysłouch, B.; Zhang, J.

2005-09-01

The measured pseudorapidity distributions of primary charged particles over a wide pseudorapidity range of |η|≤5.4 and integrated charged particle multiplicities in d+Au collisions at √(sNN)=200GeV are presented as a function of collision centrality. The longitudinal features of d+Au collisions at √(sNN)=200GeV are found to be very similar to those seen in p+A collisions at lower energies. The total multiplicity of charged particles is found to scale with the total number of participants according to NdAuch=1/2Nppch, and the energy dependence of the density of charged particles produced in the fragmentation region exhibits extended longitudinal scaling.

[Design of longitudinal auto-tracking of the detector on X-ray in digital radiography].

PubMed

Yu, Xiaomin; Jiang, Tianhao; Liu, Zhihong; Zhao, Xu

2018-04-01

One algorithm is designed to implement longitudinal auto-tracking of the the detector on X-ray in the digital radiography system (DR) with manual collimator. In this study, when the longitudinal length of field of view (LFOV) on the detector is coincided with the longitudinal effective imaging size of the detector, the collimator half open angle ( Ψ ), the maximum centric distance ( e max ) between the center of X-ray field of view and the projection center of the focal spot, and the detector moving distance for auto-traking can be calculated automatically. When LFOV is smaller than the longitudinal effective imaging size of the detector by reducing Ψ , the e max can still be used to calculate the detector moving distance. Using this auto-tracking algorithm in DR with manual collimator, the tested results show that the X-ray projection is totally covered by the effective imaging area of the detector, although the center of the field of view is not aligned with the center of the effective imaging area of the detector. As a simple and low-cost design, the algorithm can be used for longitudinal auto-tracking of the detector on X-ray in the manual collimator DR.

Longitudinal diagnostic efficiency of DSM-IV criteria for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder: a 2-year prospective study.

PubMed

Grilo, C M; Skodol, A E; Gunderson, J G; Sanislow, C A; Stout, R L; Shea, M T; Morey, L C; Zanarini, M C; Bender, D S; Yen, S; McGlashan, T H

2004-07-01

To examine the longitudinal diagnostic efficiency of the DSM-IV criteria for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD). At baseline, criteria and diagnoses were determined using diagnostic interviews, and blinded assessments were performed 24 months later with 550 participants. Diagnostic efficiency indices (conditional probabilities, total predictive power, and kappa) were calculated for each criterion determined at baseline, using the independent OCPD diagnosis at follow-up as the standard. Longitudinal diagnostic efficiencies for the OCPD criteria varied; findings suggested the overall predictive utility of 'preoccupied with details', 'rigid and stubborn', and 'reluctant to delegate'. These findings suggest the predictive validity of three cognitive-interpersonal OCPD criteria.

Media Use, Sports Participation, and Well-Being in Adolescence: Cross-Sectional Findings From the UK Household Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

Booker, Cara L.; Skew, Alexandra J.; Kelly, Yvonne J.; Sacker, Amanda

2015-01-01

Objectives. We investigated the relationship between selected types of screen-based media (SBM) use, total SBM use, sports participation, and markers of well-being. Methods. Data came from the youth panel (n = 4899) of Understanding Society, the UK Household Longitudinal Study, conducted in 2009. Well-being was measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and markers of happiness in different life domains. Results. The majority of young people used multiple types of SBM for at least 1 hour per day; only 30% participated in sports every day. Overall, young people with heavy SBM use were less happy than moderate users and more likely to have socioemotional difficulties. Chatting on social networking Web sites and game console use were associated with higher odds of socioemotional problems. Higher total SBM use was associated with lower odds of happiness and higher odds of socioemotional difficulties. Greater participation in sports was associated with higher odds of happiness and lower odds of socioemotional difficulties. Conclusions. Further longitudinal research could inform future interventions to reduce sedentary behavior and encourage healthy lifestyles among young people. PMID:25494209

Assessing the Relationship Between Chronic Health Conditions and Productivity Loss Trajectories

PubMed Central

Pranksy, Glenn

2014-01-01

Objective: To examine the relationship between health conditions and the risk for membership in longitudinal trajectories of productivity loss. Methods: Trajectories of productivity loss from the ages of 25 to 44 years, previously identified in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79), were combined with information on health conditions from the age 40 years health module in the NLSY79. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the relative risk of being in the low-risk, early-onset increasing risk, late-onset increasing risk, or high-risk trajectories compared with the no-risk trajectory for having various health conditions. Results: The trajectories with the greatest probability of productivity loss longitudinally had a greater prevalence of the individual health conditions and a greater total number of health conditions experienced. Conclusions: Health conditions are associated with specific longitudinal patterns of experiencing productivity loss. PMID:25479294

Longitudinal relations between adolescents' self-esteem and prosocial behavior toward strangers, friends and family.

PubMed

Fu, Xinyuan; Padilla-Walker, Laura M; Brown, Michael N

2017-06-01

The present study examined age-trends and longitudinal bidirectional relations in self-esteem and prosocial behavior toward strangers, friends, and family over a four-year time period (age 11 to 14). A total of 681 adolescents were recruited in the United States (51% girls, 28% single parent families). A longitudinal panel model was conducted and the results showed that adolescent self-esteem was associated longitudinally with subsequent prosocial behavior toward strangers, and earlier prosocial behavior toward strangers promoted subsequent self-esteem. There were no such bidirectional relations between self-esteem and prosocial behavior toward friends and family. Findings also highlight the complexity of adolescent development of selfesteem and the multidimensional nature of prosocial behavior. Discussion focuses on understanding the dynamic interplay between adolescent selfesteem and prosocial behavior. Copyright © 2017 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Single-longitudinal mode Nd:YVO4 microchip laser with orthogonal-polarization bidirectional traveling-waves mode.

PubMed

Ma, Yingjun; Wu, Li; Wu, Hehui; Chen, Weimin; Wang, Yanli; Gu, Shijie

2008-11-10

We present a single longitudinal mode, diode pumped Nd:YVO(4) microchip laser where a pair of quarter-wave plates (QWPs) sandwich Nd:YVO(4) and the principle axes of QWPs are oriented at 45 degrees to the c-axis of Nd:YVO(4). Three pieces of crystals were optically bonded together as a microchip without adhesive. Owing to large birefringence of Nd:YVO(4), two standing waves with orthogonal polarizations compensate their hole-burning effects with each other, which diminish total spatial hole-burning effects in Nd:YVO(4). The maximum pump power of greater than 25 times the threshold for single longitudinal mode operation has been theoretically shown and experimentally demonstrated. The power of output, slope efficiencies and temperature range of single longitudinal mode operation are greater than 730 mw (at 1.25 W pump), 60% and 30 degrees C, respectively.

Longitudinal On-Column Thermal Modulation for Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography.

PubMed

Creese, Mari E; Creese, Mathew J; Foley, Joe P; Cortes, Hernan J; Hilder, Emily F; Shellie, Robert A; Breadmore, Michael C

2017-01-17

Longitudinal on-column thermal modulation for comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography is introduced. Modulation optimization involved a systematic investigation of heat transfer, analyte retention, and migration velocity at a range of temperatures. Longitudinal on-column thermal modulation was realized using a set of alkylphenones and compared to a conventional valve-modulator employing sample loops. The thermal modulator showed a reduced modulation-induced pressure impact than valve modulation, resulting in reduced baseline perturbation by a factor of 6; yielding a 6-14-fold improvement in signal-to-noise. A red wine sample was analyzed to demonstrate the potential of the longitudinal on-column thermal modulator for separation of a complex sample. Discrete peaks in the second dimension using the thermal modulator were 30-55% narrower than with the valve modulator. The results shown herein demonstrate the benefits of an active focusing modulator, such as reduced detection limits and increased total peak capacity.

Determining the local origin of hydroxyl radical generation during phacoemulsification.

PubMed

Aust, Steven D; Terry, Scott; Hebdon, Thomas; Gunderson, Broc; Terry, Michael; Dimalanta, Ramon

2011-06-01

To determine the local origin of hydroxyl radicals during phacoemulsification using an ultrasonic phacoemulsification device that includes longitudinal and torsional modalities. Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA. Experimental study. Experiments were conducted using the Infiniti Vision System and Ozil handpiece. Hydroxyl radical concentrations during longitudinal and torsional phacoemulsification were quantitated as malondialdehyde (MDA) determined spectrophotometrically using the deoxyribose assay. The difference between the total concentration found in the aspirated solution at steady-state concentrations and the pre-aspirate levels deductively determined the concentration of MDA formed along the interior of the sonicating tip. The time to reach 50% of steady state as a function of reaction vessel volume was determined. The mean maximum for torsional ultrasound at 100% amplitude was 7.70 nM ± 0.38 (SD), 91.1% of which was generated outside the tip. During longitudinal ultrasound at 100% power, MDA concentration in the aspirated solution was 29.5 ± 0.3 nM, 71.6% of which was generated outside the tip. The time (seconds) to reach 50% of maximum for longitudinal ultrasound using 5 mL, 10 mL, and 20 mL reaction vessels was 12.6 ± 1.5, 21.0 ± 1.5, and 25.3 ± 3.4, respectively. Although a significantly greater proportion of the hydroxyl radicals generated during ultrasound modality were formed outside the phaco tip (91.1% torsional; 71.6% longitudinal), torsional ultrasound generated only about one-fourth the amount of MDA as longitudinal ultrasound in total and about one-third that generated outside the tip (7.02 nM versus 21.1 nM). No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned. Additional disclosures are found in the footnotes. Copyright © 2011 ASCRS and ESCRS. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spatial and temporal analysis of the total electron content over China during 2011-2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Jianchang; Zhao, Biqiang; Xiong, Bo; Wan, Weixing

2016-06-01

In the present work we investigate variations of ionospheric total electron content (TEC) with empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis, the four-year TEC data are derived from ∼250 GPS observations of the crustal movement observation network of China (CMONOC) over East Asian area (30-55°N, 70-140°E) during the period from 2011, January to 2014, December. The first two EOF components together account for ∼93.78% of total variance of the original TEC data set, and it is found that the first EOF component represents a spatial variability of semi-annual variation and the second EOF component exhibits pronounced east-west longitudinal difference with respect to zero valued geomagnetic declination line. In addition, climatology of the vertical plasma drift velocity vdz induced by HWM zonal wind field (∼300 km) are studied in the paper. Results shows vdz displays significant east-west longitudinal difference at 10:00 LT and 20:00 LT, and its daytime temporal variation is consistent with the second EOF principal component, which suggests that the east-west longitudinal variability is partly caused by the thermospheric zonal wind and geomagnetic declination. It is expected that with this dense GPS network, local ionospheric variability can be described more accurately and a more realistic ionospheric model can be constructed and used for the satellite navigation and radio propagation.

Sleep-wake profiles predict longitudinal changes in manic symptoms and memory in young people with mood disorders.

PubMed

Robillard, Rébecca; Hermens, Daniel F; Lee, Rico S C; Jones, Andrew; Carpenter, Joanne S; White, Django; Naismith, Sharon L; Southan, James; Whitwell, Bradley; Scott, Elizabeth M; Hickie, Ian B

2016-10-01

Mood disorders are characterized by disabling symptoms and cognitive difficulties which may vary in intensity throughout the course of the illness. Sleep-wake cycles and circadian rhythms influence emotional regulation and cognitive functions. However, the relationships between the sleep-wake disturbances experienced commonly by people with mood disorders and the longitudinal changes in their clinical and cognitive profile are not well characterized. This study investigated associations between initial sleep-wake patterns and longitudinal changes in mood symptoms and cognitive functions in 50 young people (aged 13-33 years) with depression or bipolar disorder. Data were based on actigraphy monitoring conducted over approximately 2 weeks and clinical and neuropsychological assessment. As part of a longitudinal cohort study, these assessments were repeated after a mean follow-up interval of 18.9 months. No significant differences in longitudinal clinical changes were found between the participants with depression and those with bipolar disorder. Lower sleep efficiency was predictive of longitudinal worsening in manic symptoms (P = 0.007). Shorter total sleep time (P = 0.043) and poorer circadian rhythmicity (P = 0.045) were predictive of worsening in verbal memory. These findings suggest that some sleep-wake and circadian disturbances in young people with mood disorders may be associated with less favourable longitudinal outcomes, notably for subsequent manic symptoms and memory difficulties. © 2016 European Sleep Research Society.

Associations of cumulative Pb exposure and longitudinal changes in Mini-Mental Status Exam scores, global cognition and domains of cognition: The VA Normative Aging Study.

PubMed

Farooqui, Zishaan; Bakulski, Kelly M; Power, Melinda C; Weisskopf, Marc G; Sparrow, David; Spiro, Avron; Vokonas, Pantel S; Nie, Linda H; Hu, Howard; Park, Sung Kyun

2017-01-01

Lead (Pb) exposure has been associated with poorer cognitive function cross-sectionally in aging adults, however the association between cumulative Pb exposure and longitudinal changes in cognition is little characterized. In a 1993-2007 subcohort of the VA Normative Aging Study (Mini-mental status exam (MMSE) n=741; global cognition summary score n=715), we used linear mixed effects models to test associations between cumulative Pb exposure (patella or tibia bone Pb) and repeated measures of cognition (MMSE, individual cognitive tests, and global cognition summary). Cox proportional hazard modeling assessed the risk of an MMSE score falling below 25. Among men 51-98 at baseline, higher patella Pb concentration (IQR: 21μg/g) was associated with -0.13 lower baseline MMSE (95% CI: -0.25, -0.004) and faster longitudinal MMSE decline (-0.016 units/year, 95% CI: -0.032, -0.0004) over 15 years. Each IQR increase in patella Pb was associated with increased risk of a MMSE score below 25 (HR=1.21, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.49; p=0.07). There were no significant associations between Pb and global cognition (both baseline and longitudinal change). Patella Pb was associated with faster longitudinal decline in Word List Total Recall in the language domain (0.014 units/year, 95% CI: -0.026, -0.001) and Word List Delayed Recall in the memory domain (0.014 units/year, 95% CI: -0.027, -0.002). We found weaker associations with tibia Pb. Cumulative Pb exposure is associated with faster declines in MMSE and Word List Total and Delayed Recall tests. These findings support the hypothesis that Pb exposure accelerates cognitive aging. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Associations between Knee Joint Effusion Synovitis and Knee Pain in Older Adults.

PubMed

Wang, Xia; Jin, Xingzhong; Han, Weiyu; Cao, Yuelong; Halliday, Andrew; Blizzard, Leigh; Pan, Faming; Antony, Benny; Cicuttini, Flavia; Jones, Graeme; Ding, Changhai

2016-01-01

To describe the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between knee regional effusion synovitis and knee pain in older adults. Data from a population-based random sample (n = 880, mean age 62 yrs, 50% women) were used. Baseline knee joint effusion synovitis was graded (0-3) using T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the suprapatellar pouch, central portion, posterior femoral recess, and subpopliteal recess. Effusion synovitis of the whole joint was defined as a score of ≥ 2 in any subregion. Other knee structural (including cartilage, bone marrow, and menisci) lesions were assessed by MRI at baseline. Knee pain was assessed by the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index questionnaire at baseline and 2.6 years later. Multivariable analyses were performed after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, and other structural lesions. The prevalence of effusion synovitis was 67%. Suprapatellar pouch effusion synovitis was significantly and independently associated with increased total and nonweight-bearing knee pain in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses (for an increase in total knee pain of ≥ 5, RR 1.26 per grade, 95% CI 1.04-1.52), and increased weight-bearing knee pain in longitudinal analysis only. Effusion synovitis in posterior femoral recess and central portion were independently associated with increases in nonweight-bearing pain (RR 1.63 per grade, 95% CI 1.32-2.01 and RR 1.29 per grade, 95% CI 1.01-1.65, respectively) in longitudinal analyses only. Knee joint effusion synovitis has independent associations with knee pain in older adults. Suprapatellar pouch effusion synovitis is associated with nonweight-bearing and weight-bearing knee pain, while posterior femoral recess and central portion effusion synovitis are only associated with nonweight-bearing pain.

Polarized heavy quarkonium production in the color evaporation model

DOE PAGES

Cheung, Vincent; Vogt, Ramona

2017-04-14

Here, we explore polarized heavy quarkonium production using the color evaporation model at leading order. We present the polarized to total yield ratio as a function of center of mass energy and rapidity in p+p collisions. At energies far above the Q¯Q production threshold, we find charmonium and bottomonium production to be longitudinally polarized (J z = 0). The quarkonium states are also longitudinally polarized at central rapidity, becoming transversely polarized (J z = ±1) at the most forward rapidities.

Continuity of Genetic and Environmental Influences on Cognition across the Life Span: A Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Twin and Adoption Studies

PubMed Central

Tucker-Drob, Elliot M.; Briley, Daniel A.

2014-01-01

The longitudinal rank-order stability of cognitive ability increases dramatically over the lifespan. Multiple theoretical perspectives have proposed that genetic and/or environmental mechanisms underlie the longitudinal stability of cognition, and developmental trends therein. However, the patterns of stability of genetic and environmental influences on cognition over the lifespan largely remain poorly understood. We searched for longitudinal studies of cognition that reported raw genetically-informative longitudinal correlations or parameter estimates from longitudinal behavior genetic models. We identified 150 combinations of time points and measures from 15 independent longitudinal samples. In total, longitudinal data came from 4,538 monozygotic twin pairs raised together, 7,777 dizygotic twin pairs raised together, 34 monozygotic twin pairs raised apart, 78 dizygotic twin pairs raised apart, 141 adoptive sibling pairs, and 143 non-adoptive sibling pairs, ranging in age from infancy through late adulthood. At all ages, cross-time genetic correlations and shared environmental correlations were substantially larger than cross-time nonshared environmental correlations. Cross-time correlations for genetic and shared environmental components were low during early childhood, increased sharply over child development, and remained relatively high from adolescence through late adulthood. Cross-time correlations for nonshared environmental components were low across childhood and increased gradually to moderate magnitudes in adulthood. Increasing phenotypic stability over child development was almost entirely mediated by genetic factors. Time-based decay of genetic and shared environmental stability was more pronounced earlier in child development. Results are interpreted in reference to theories of gene-environment interaction and correlation. PMID:24611582

Sexual differentiation of the adolescent rat brain: A longitudinal voxel-based morphometry study.

PubMed

Sumiyoshi, Akira; Nonaka, Hiroi; Kawashima, Ryuta

2017-03-06

The sexual differentiation of the rat brain during the adolescent period has been well documented in post-mortem histological studies. However, to further understand the morphological changes occurring in the entire brain, a noninvasive neuroimaging method allowing an unbiased, comprehensive, and longitudinal investigation of brain morphology should be used. In this study, we investigated the sexual differentiation of the rat brain during the adolescent period using longitudinal voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis. Male and female Wistar rats (n=12 of each) were scanned in a 7.0-T MRI scanner at five time points from 6 to 10 weeks of age. The T2-weighted MRI images were segmented using the rat brain tissue priors that have been published by our laboratory. At the global level, the results of the VBM analysis showed greater increases in total gray matter volume in the males during the adolescent period, although we did not find significant differences in total white matter volume. At the voxel level, we found significant increases in the regional gray matter volume of the occipital cortex, amygdala, hippocampal formation, and cerebellum. At the regional level, only the occipital cortex in the females exhibited decreases during the adolescent period. These results were, at least in part, consistent with those of previous longitudinal VBM studies in humans, thus providing translational evidence of the sexual differentiation of the developing brain between rodents and humans. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prevalence of Abnormal Lipid Profiles and the Relationship With the Development of Microalbuminuria in Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes

PubMed Central

Marcovecchio, M. Loredana; Dalton, R. Neil; Prevost, A. Toby; Acerini, Carlo L.; Barrett, Timothy G.; Cooper, Jason D.; Edge, Julie; Neil, Andrew; Shield, Julian; Widmer, Barry; Todd, John A.; Dunger, David B.

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE To explore the prevalence of lipid abnormalities and their relationship with albumin excretion and microalbuminuria in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The study population comprised 895 young subjects with type 1 diabetes (490 males); median age at the baseline assessment was 14.5 years (range 10–21.1), and median diabetes duration was 4.8 years (0.2–17). A total of 2,194 nonfasting blood samples were collected longitudinally for determination of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, TG, and non-HDL cholesterol. Additional annually collected data on anthropometric parameters, A1C, and albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) were available. RESULTS Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and non-HDL cholesterol were higher in females than in males (all P < 0.001). A significant proportion of subjects presented sustained lipid abnormalities during follow-up: total cholesterol >5.2 mmol/l (18.6%), non-HDL cholesterol >3.4 mmol/l (25.9%), TG >1.7 mmol/l (20.1%), and LDL cholesterol >3.4 mmol/l (9.6%). Age and duration were significantly related to all lipid parameters (P < 0.001); A1C was independently related to all parameters (P < 0.001) except HDL cholesterol, whereas BMI SD scores were related to all parameters (P < 0.05) except total cholesterol. Total cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol were independently related to longitudinal changes in ACR (B coefficient ± SE): 0.03 ± 0.01/1 mmol/l, P = 0.009, and 0.32 ± 0.014/1 mmol/l, P = 0.02, respectively. Overall mean total cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol were higher in microalbuminuria positive (n = 115) than in normoalbuminuric subjects (n = 780): total cholesterol 4.7 ± 1.2 vs. 4.5 ± 0.8 mmol/l (P = 0.04) and non-HDL cholesterol 3.2 ± 1.2 vs. 2.9 ± 0.8 mmol/l (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS In this longitudinal study of adolescents with type 1 diabetes, sustained lipid abnormalities were related to age, duration, BMI, and A1C. Furthermore, ACR was related to both total cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol, indicating a potential role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. PMID:19171721

Longitudinal structure of the equatorial ionosphere: Time evolution of the four-peaked EIA structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, C. H.; Hsiao, C. C.; Liu, J. Y.; Liu, C. H.

2007-12-01

Longitudinal structure of the equatorial ionosphere during the 24 h local time period is observed by the FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC (F3/C) satellite constellation. By binning the F3/C radio occultation observations during September and October 2006, global ionospheric total electron content (TEC) maps at a constant local time map (local time TEC map, referred as LT map) can be obtained to monitor the development and subsidence of the four-peaked longitudinal structure of the equatorial ionosphere. From LT maps, the four-peaked structure starts to develop at 0800-1000 LT and becomes most prominent at 1200-1600 LT. The longitudinal structure starts to subside after 2200-2400 LT and becomes indiscernible after 0400-0600 LT. In addition to TEC, ionospheric peak altitude also shows a four-peaked longitudinal structure with variation very similar to TEC during daytime. The four-peaked structure of the ionospheric peak altitude is indiscernible at night. With global local time maps of ionospheric TEC and peak altitude, we compare temporal variations of the longitudinal structure with variations of E × B drift from the empirical model. Our results indicate that the observations are consistent with the hypothesis that the four-peaked longitudinal structure is caused by the equatorial plasma fountain modulated by the E3 nonmigrating tide. Additionally, the four maximum regions show a tendency of moving eastward with propagation velocity of several 10 s m/s.

Estimating correlation between multivariate longitudinal data in the presence of heterogeneity.

PubMed

Gao, Feng; Philip Miller, J; Xiong, Chengjie; Luo, Jingqin; Beiser, Julia A; Chen, Ling; Gordon, Mae O

2017-08-17

Estimating correlation coefficients among outcomes is one of the most important analytical tasks in epidemiological and clinical research. Availability of multivariate longitudinal data presents a unique opportunity to assess joint evolution of outcomes over time. Bivariate linear mixed model (BLMM) provides a versatile tool with regard to assessing correlation. However, BLMMs often assume that all individuals are drawn from a single homogenous population where the individual trajectories are distributed smoothly around population average. Using longitudinal mean deviation (MD) and visual acuity (VA) from the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS), we demonstrated strategies to better understand the correlation between multivariate longitudinal data in the presence of potential heterogeneity. Conditional correlation (i.e., marginal correlation given random effects) was calculated to describe how the association between longitudinal outcomes evolved over time within specific subpopulation. The impact of heterogeneity on correlation was also assessed by simulated data. There was a significant positive correlation in both random intercepts (ρ = 0.278, 95% CI: 0.121-0.420) and random slopes (ρ = 0.579, 95% CI: 0.349-0.810) between longitudinal MD and VA, and the strength of correlation constantly increased over time. However, conditional correlation and simulation studies revealed that the correlation was induced primarily by participants with rapid deteriorating MD who only accounted for a small fraction of total samples. Conditional correlation given random effects provides a robust estimate to describe the correlation between multivariate longitudinal data in the presence of unobserved heterogeneity (NCT00000125).

Thin optical display panel

DOEpatents

Veligdan, James Thomas

1997-01-01

An optical display includes a plurality of optical waveguides each including a cladding bound core for guiding internal display light between first and second opposite ends by total internal reflection. The waveguides are stacked together to define a collective display thickness. Each of the cores includes a heterogeneous portion defining a light scattering site disposed longitudinally between the first and second ends. Adjacent ones of the sites are longitudinally offset from each other for forming a longitudinal internal image display over the display thickness upon scattering of internal display light thereagainst for generating a display image. In a preferred embodiment, the waveguides and scattering sites are transparent for transmitting therethrough an external image in superposition with the display image formed by scattering the internal light off the scattering sites for defining a heads up display.

Experimental wake survey behind Viking 1975 entry vehicle at angles of attack of 0 deg and 5 deg, Mach numbers from 1.60 to 3.95, and longitudinal stations from 1.0 to 8.39 body diameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, C. A., Jr.; Campbell, J. F.; Tudor, D. H.

1971-01-01

An investigation was conducted to obtain flow properties in the wake of the Viking '75 entry vehicle at Mach numbers from 1.60 to 3.95 and at angles of attack of 0 deg and 5 deg. The wake flow properties were calculated from total and static pressures measured with a pressure rake at longitudinal stations varying from 1.0 to 8.39 body diameters and lateral stations varying from -0.42 to 3.0 body diameters. These measurements showed a a consistent trend throughout the range of Mach numbers and longitudinal distances and an increase in dynamic pressure with increasing downstream position.

Positive affect and sleep in spousal Alzheimer caregivers: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

von Känel, Roland; Mausbach, Brent T; Ancoli-Israel, Sonia; Mills, Paul J; Dimsdale, Joel E; Patterson, Thomas L; Grant, Igor

2014-09-03

This article examines the longitudinal relation between positive affect (PA) and sleep in 126 spousal Alzheimer's disease caregivers. Caregivers underwent 4 yearly assessments for the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, the self-rated Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and actigraphy to objectify nighttime total sleep time, wake after sleep onset, and percentage of sleep. Increased levels of PA and a greater positivity (i.e., positive-to-negative affect) ratio were significantly associated with better subjective sleep over the entire study period. Yearly increases in PA-even when controlling for negative affect (NA)-and in the positivity ratio were also associated with better subjective sleep. PA and actigraphy measures showed no significant relations. Increased PA is longitudinally associated with better sleep in dementia caregivers largely independent of NA.

The hippocampal longitudinal axis-relevance for underlying tau and TDP-43 pathology.

PubMed

Lladó, Albert; Tort-Merino, Adrià; Sánchez-Valle, Raquel; Falgàs, Neus; Balasa, Mircea; Bosch, Beatriz; Castellví, Magda; Olives, Jaume; Antonell, Anna; Hornberger, Michael

2018-06-01

Recent studies suggest that hippocampus has different cortical connectivity and functionality along its longitudinal axis. We sought to elucidate the possible different pattern of atrophy in longitudinal axis of hippocampus between Amyloid/Tau pathology and TDP-43-pathies. Seventy-three presenile subjects were included: Amyloid/Tau group (33 Alzheimer's disease with confirmed cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] biomarkers), probable TDP-43 group (7 semantic variant progressive primary aphasia, 5 GRN and 2 C9orf72 mutation carriers) and 26 healthy controls. We conducted a region-of-interest voxel-based morphometry analysis on the hippocampal longitudinal axis, by contrasting the groups, covarying with CSF biomarkers (Aβ 42 , total tau, p-tau) and covarying with episodic memory scores. Amyloid/Tau pathology affected mainly posterior hippocampus while anterior left hippocampus was more atrophied in probable TDP-43-pathies. We also observed a significant correlation of posterior hippocampal atrophy with Alzheimer's disease CSF biomarkers and visual memory scores. Taken together, these data suggest that there is a potential differentiation along the hippocampal longitudinal axis based on the underlying pathology, which could be used as a potential biomarker to identify the underlying pathology in different neurodegenerative diseases. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Vitamin D and Male Sexual Function: A Transversal and Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Tirabassi, Giacomo; Sudano, Maurizio; Salvio, Gianmaria; Cutini, Melissa; Muscogiuri, Giovanna; Corona, Giovanni; Balercia, Giancarlo

2018-01-01

The effects of vitamin D on sexual function are very unclear. Therefore, we aimed at evaluating the possible association between vitamin D and sexual function and at assessing the influence of vitamin D administration on sexual function. We retrospectively studied 114 men by evaluating clinical, biochemical, and sexual parameters. A subsample ( n = 41) was also studied longitudinally before and after vitamin D replacement therapy. In the whole sample, after performing logistic regression models, higher levels of 25(OH) vitamin D were significantly associated with high values of total testosterone and of all the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire parameters. On the other hand, higher levels of total testosterone were positively and significantly associated with high levels of erectile function and IIEF total score. After vitamin D replacement therapy, total and free testosterone increased and erectile function improved, whereas other sexual parameters did not change significantly. At logistic regression analysis, higher levels of vitamin D increase (Δ-) were significantly associated with high values of Δ-erectile function after adjustment for Δ-testosterone. Vitamin D is important for the wellness of male sexual function, and vitamin D administration improves sexual function.

Has the inclusion of a longitudinally integrated communication skills program improved consultation skills in medical students? A pilot study.

PubMed

Shah, Sameena; Andrades, Marie; Basir, Fasia; Jaleel, Anila; Azam, Iqbal; Islam, Muhammad; Ahmed, Rashida

2016-01-01

Evidence highlights a lack of communication skills in doctors leading to dysfunctional consultations. To address this deficit, a private medical college instituted curricular reforms with inclusion of a longitudinal communication skills program. A pilot study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of this program by comparing the consultation skills of medical students of this college with a medical college without a communication skills program. A 4-station Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) was conducted in the third and final year. Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare the difference in the distribution between OSCE stations total and construct scores. At the end of the third year, 21 (31.34%), students of the study site (medical college 1 [college with integrated longitudinal communication skills program]) and 31 (46.26%) students from the comparison site (medical college 2 [comparable college without communication skills program]) consented. Medical college 1 achieved a significantly higher overall mean total station score of 68.0% (standard deviation [SD] =13.5) versus 57.2% (SD = 15.4) (P < 0.001). Significantly higher mean scores were achieved on three stations. At the end of the final year, 19 students (29.3%) from medical college 1 and 22 (34%) students from medical college 2 consented. The difference in overall mean total station score reduced from 9.2% to 7.1% (70.2) (SD = 13.7) versus 63.1 (SD = 15.2) (P = 0.004). The mean scores of both colleges decreased in "Patient presenting with Hepatitis C Report" station (P values 0.004 and 0.775) and in "Patient Request for Faith Healing Therapy in Diabetes Mellitus" station (P values 0.0046 and 0.036), respectively. Longitudinal communication skills in an undergraduate curriculum positively impacted consultation skills. Community-based training and faculty development are required to develop effective patient-centered consultation skills.

Survey of United States Army Reserve (USAR) Troop Program Unit (TPU) soldiers 1989. Tabulation of Questionnaire Responses: Longitudinal Sample: Junior Enlisted Stayers from 1988 to 1989. 1989 Questionnaire Responses

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-30

AD-A237 531 1989 SURVEY OF UNITED STATES ARMY RESERVE (USAR) TROOP PROGRAM UNIT (TPU) SOLDIERS Tabulation of Questionnaire Responses: Longitudinal...Program Unit (TPU) Soldiers . The Tabulation Volumes list questionnaire items and the percent of respondents (weighted to population estimates) who have...Reserve population eligible for selection was defined by the number of personnel rec,,rds on a Dpeber 1988 SIDPERS data base; this totalled 280,265

The value of right ventricular longitudinal strain in the evaluation of adult patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot: a new tool for a contemporary challenge.

PubMed

Almeida-Morais, Luís; Pereira-da-Silva, Tiago; Branco, Luísa; Timóteo, Ana T; Agapito, Ana; de Sousa, Lídia; Oliveira, José A; Thomas, Boban; Jalles-Tavares, Nuno; Soares, Rui; Galrinho, Ana; Cruz-Ferreira, Rui

2017-04-01

The role of right ventricular longitudinal strain for assessing patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot is not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to evaluate its relation with other structural and functional parameters in these patients. Patients followed-up in a grown-up CHD unit, assessed by transthoracic echocardiography, cardiac MRI, and treadmill exercise testing, were retrospectively evaluated. Right ventricular size and function and pulmonary regurgitation severity were assessed by echocardiography and MRI. Right ventricular longitudinal strain was evaluated in the four-chamber view using the standard semiautomatic method. In total, 42 patients were included (61% male, 32±8 years). The mean right ventricular longitudinal strain was -16.2±3.7%, and the right ventricular ejection fraction, measured by MRI, was 42.9±7.2%. Longitudinal strain showed linear correlation with tricuspid annular systolic excursion (r=-0.40) and right ventricular ejection fraction (r=-0.45) (all p<0.05), which in turn showed linear correlation with right ventricular fractional area change (r=0.50), pulmonary regurgitation colour length (r=0.35), right ventricular end-systolic volume (r=-0.60), and left ventricular ejection fraction (r=0.36) (all p<0.05). Longitudinal strain (β=-0.72, 95% confidence interval -1.41, -0.15) and left ventricular ejection fraction (β=0.39, 95% confidence interval 0.11, 0.67) were independently associated with right ventricular ejection fraction. The best threshold of longitudinal strain for predicting a right ventricular ejection fraction of <40% was -17.0%. Right ventricular longitudinal strain is a powerful method for evaluating patients with tetralogy of Fallot. It correlated with echocardiographic right ventricular function parameters and was independently associated with right ventricular ejection fraction derived by MRI.

Detection of Early lung Cancer Among Military Personnel (DECAMP)

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

addition of two new recruitment sites. We have recruited ~75% of the 500 total subjects in the indeterminate pulmonary nodule study (Protocol 1), and...60% of the 800 total subjects in the longitudinal screening study (Protocol 2). We have also added a junior faculty pulmonary physician and scientific...supplement infrastructure support within DECAMP and pursue additional biomarker studies . 15. SUBJECT TERMS 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17

Longitudinal associations between key dietary behaviors and weight gain over time: transitions through the adolescent years.

PubMed

Laska, Melissa N; Murray, David M; Lytle, Leslie A; Harnack, Lisa J

2012-01-01

Previous studies have yielded inconsistent results when documenting the association between key dietary factors and adolescent weight change over time. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which changes in adolescent sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB), diet soda, breakfast, and fast-food consumption were associated with changes in BMI and percent body fat (PBF). This study analyzed data from a sample of 693 Minnesota adolescents followed over 2 years. Random coefficient models were used to examine the relationship between dietary intake and BMI and PBF and to separate cross-sectional and longitudinal associations. Adjusting for total physical activity, total energy intake, puberty, race, socioeconomic status, and age, cross-sectional findings indicated that for both males and females, breakfast consumption was significantly and inversely associated with BMI and PBF, and diet soda intake was significantly and positively associated with BMI and PBF among females. In longitudinal analyses, however, there were fewer significant associations. Among males there was evidence of a significant longitudinal association between SSB consumption and PBF; after adjustment for energy intake, an increase of one serving of SSB per day was associated with an increase of 0.7 units of PBF among males. This study adds to previous research through its methodological strengths, including adjustment for physical activity and energy intake assessed using state-of-the-art methods (i.e., accelerometers and 24-h dietary recalls), as well as its evaluation of both BMI and PBF. Additional research is needed to better understand the complex constellation of factors that contribute to adolescent weight gain over time.

Identity Processes and Parent-Child and Sibling Relationships in Adolescence: A Five-Wave Multi-Informant Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Crocetti, Elisabetta; Branje, Susan; Rubini, Monica; Koot, Hans M; Meeus, Wim

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine reciprocal associations between identity processes (commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment) and dimensions (support, negative interaction, and power) of maternal, paternal, and sibling relationships. A total of 497 Dutch families including 14-years-old adolescents (56.9% males), their fathers, mothers, and siblings, for a total of 1,988 respondents, participated in a five-wave longitudinal study. Cross-lagged analyses indicated that commitment and in-depth exploration predicted improvements in family relationships (unidirectional effects), whereas reconsideration of commitment was predicted by low levels of maternal support and worsened the quality of the paternal relationship (reciprocal effects). These results were not moderated by adolescents' gender and sibling characteristics. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. © 2016 The Authors. Child Development © 2016 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Does the Sale of Sweetened Beverages at School Affect Children’s Weight?

PubMed Central

Cunningham, Solveig A.; Zavodny, Madeline

2011-01-01

In response to the increase in children’s weight in recent decades, many states, school districts, and schools in the United States have limited or eliminated the sale of sweetened beverages at school. These policies are promoted for their potential to reduce childhood overweight and obesity, but their effectiveness has not been evaluated. Using a large nationally representative longitudinal dataset, the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten (ECLS-K), this study explores the relationship between children’s access to sweetened beverages at school in 5th and 8th grade, their purchases and total consumption of these beverages, and their weight. We find almost no evidence that availability of sweetened beverages for sale at school leads to heavier weight or greater risk of overweight or obesity among children. We also find limited evidence that availability of sweetened beverages for sale at school leads to higher total consumption of these beverages. PMID:21907477

Static Longitudinal Stability and Control Characteristics of an Unswept Wing and Unswept Horizontal-Tail Configuration at Mach Numbers from 0.70 to 2.22

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peterson, Victor L.; Menees, Gene P.

1959-01-01

Results of an investigation of the static longitudinal stability and control characteristics of an aspect-ratio-3.1, unswept wing configuration equipped with an aspect-ratio-4, unswept horizontal tail are presented without analysis for the Mach number range from 0.70 to 2.22. The hinge line of the all-movable horizontal tail was in the extended wing chord plane, 1.66 wing mean aerodynamic chords behind the reference center of moments. The ratio of the area of the exposed horizontal-tail panels to the total area of the wing was 13.3 percent and the ratio of the total areas was 19.9 percent. Data are presented at angles of attack ranging"from -6 deg to +18 deg for the horizontal tail set at angles ranging from +5 deg to -20 deg and for the tail removed.

Does the sale of sweetened beverages at school affect children's weight?

PubMed

Cunningham, Solveig A; Zavodny, Madeline

2011-11-01

In response to the increase in children's weight in recent decades, many states, school districts, and schools in the United States have limited or eliminated the sale of sweetened beverages at school. These policies are promoted for their potential to reduce childhood overweight and obesity, but their effectiveness has not been evaluated. Using a large nationally representative longitudinal dataset, the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten (ECLS-K), this study explores the relationship between children's access to sweetened beverages at school in 5th and 8th grade, their purchases and total consumption of these beverages, and their weight. We find almost no evidence that availability of sweetened beverages for sale at school leads to heavier weight or greater risk of overweight or obesity among children. We also find limited evidence that availability of sweetened beverages for sale at school leads to higher total consumption of these beverages. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The role of sleep disturbances in the longitudinal relationship between psychosocial working conditions, measured by work demands and support, and depression.

PubMed

Magnusson Hanson, Linda L; Chungkham, Holendro Singh; Åkerstedt, Torbjörn; Westerlund, Hugo

2014-12-01

Because work demands and lack of social support seem to be prospectively linked to sleep problems, and sleep problems are linked to depression, sleep problems may play a role in the relationship between these work characteristics and depressive symptoms. In order to shed more light on this relationship, the current study investigated whether disturbed sleep is a mediator in the longitudinal relationships between work demands, social support, and depression. Longitudinal cohort study with repeated survey measures on four occasions. Swedish workforce. 2,017 working participants from the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health in 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012. Work demands (four items) and social support (six items) were assessed with the Demand Control Questionnaire, disturbed sleep (four items) with the Karolinska Sleep Questionnaire, and depressive symptoms with a brief subscale (six items) from the Symptom Checklist. Autoregressive longitudinal mediation models using structural equation modeling were tested. The work characteristics, and disturbed sleep, were found to be separately associated with depressive symptoms in subsequent waves. However, only demands were found to be longitudinally related to subsequent disturbed sleep. The longitudinal autoregressive models supported a weak mediating role of disturbed sleep in the relationship between demands and depressive symptoms (standardized beta 0.008, P < 0.001), but not between support and depressive symptoms. These results indicate that higher demands at work might cause an increase in depressive symptoms, in part, by increasing disturbed sleep, although the mediated effect was relatively small compared to the total effect. © 2014 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Explaining the increasing heritability of cognitive ability across development: a meta-analysis of longitudinal twin and adoption studies.

PubMed

Briley, Daniel A; Tucker-Drob, Elliot M

2013-09-01

Genes account for increasing proportions of variation in cognitive ability across development, but the mechanisms underlying these increases remain unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis of longitudinal behavioral genetic studies spanning infancy to adolescence. We identified relevant data from 16 articles with 11 unique samples containing a total of 11,500 twin and sibling pairs who were all reared together and measured at least twice between the ages of 6 months and 18 years. Longitudinal behavioral genetic models were used to estimate the extent to which early genetic influences on cognition were amplified over time and the extent to which innovative genetic influences arose with time. Results indicated that in early childhood, innovative genetic influences predominate but that innovation quickly diminishes, and amplified influences account for increasing heritability following age 8 years.

Stability and change in the clinical course of schizoaffective disorder.

PubMed

Durla, Anca; Lenciu, M; Bredicean, C; Papava, I; Cristanovici, M

2013-01-01

Schizoaffective disorder currently raises several questions, one of them being related to the stability of the clinical diagnosis over time. The aim of this study is to identify the clinical and evolutional particularities in the longitudinal course of schizoaffective disorder. 44 subjects with a current diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder have been assessed prospectively. Following parameters were analyzed: socio-demographic (age at onset, gender, educational, professional and marital status at onset) and clinical (total duration of evolution, diagnosis at onset, duration of the evolution until the switch to the schizoaffective disorder diagnosis). Socio-demographic parameters are similar to those in literature and the clinical assessment revealed that schizoaffective disorder is present as a diagnosis along with the longitudinal course of other types of psychosis. Schizoaffective disorder appears as a heterogeneous pathology in terms of the longitudinal course.

Associations of cumulative Pb exposure and longitudinal changes in Mini-Mental Status Exam scores, global cognition and domains of cognition: The VA Normative Aging Study

PubMed Central

Farooqui, Zishaan; Bakulski, Kelly M.; Power, Melinda C.; Weisskopf, Marc G.; Sparrow, David; Spiro, Avron; Vokonas, Pantel S.; Nie, Huiling; Hu, Howard; Park, Sung Kyun

2016-01-01

Background Lead (Pb) exposure has been associated with poorer cognitive function cross-sectionally in aging adults, however the association between cumulative Pb exposure and longitudinal changes in cognition is little characterized. Methods In a 1993–2007 subcohort of the VA Normative Aging Study (Mini-mental status exam (MMSE) n=741; global cognition summary score n=715), we used linear mixed effects models to test associations between cumulative Pb exposure (patella or tibia bone Pb) and repeated measures of cognition (MMSE, individual cognitive tests, and global cognition summary). Cox proportional hazard modeling assessed the risk of an MMSE score falling below 25. Results Among men 51–98 at baseline, higher patella Pb concentration (IQR: 21 µg/g) was associated with −0.13 lower baseline MMSE (95% CI: −0.25, −0.004) and faster longitudinal MMSE decline (−0.016 units/year, 95% CI: −0.032, −0.0004) over 15 years. Each IQR increase in patella Pb was associated with increased risk of a MMSE score below 25 (HR=1.21, 95% CI: 0.99, 1.49; p=0.07). There were no significant associations between Pb and global cognition (both baseline and longitudinal change). Patella Pb was associated with faster longitudinal decline in Word List Total Recall in the language domain (0.014 units/year, 95% CI: −0.026, −0.001) and Word List Delayed Recall in the memory domain (0.014 units/year, 95% CI: −0.027, −0.002). We found weaker associations with tibia Pb. Conclusions Cumulative Pb exposure is associated with faster declines in MMSE and Word List Total and Delayed Recall tests. These findings support the hypothesis that Pb exposure accelerates cognitive aging. PMID:27770710

Quantitative diagnostic method for biceps long head tendinitis by using ultrasound.

PubMed

Huang, Shih-Wei; Wang, Wei-Te

2013-01-01

To investigate the feasibility of grayscale quantitative diagnostic method for biceps tendinitis and determine the cut-off points of a quantitative biceps ultrasound (US) method to diagnose biceps tendinitis. Design. Prospective cross-sectional case controlled study. Outpatient rehabilitation service. A total of 336 shoulder pain patients with suspected biceps tendinitis were recruited in this prospective observational study. The grayscale pixel data of the range of interest (ROI) were obtained for both the transverse and longitudinal views of the biceps US. A total of 136 patients were classified with biceps tendinitis, and 200 patients were classified as not having biceps tendinitis based on the diagnostic criteria. Based on the Youden index, the cut-off points were determined as 26.85 for the transverse view and 21.25 for the longitudinal view of the standard deviation (StdDev) of the ROI values, respectively. When the ROI evaluation of the US surpassed the cut-off point, the sensitivity was 68% and the specificity was 90% in the StdDev of the transverse view, and the sensitivity was 81% and the specificity was 73% in the StdDev of the longitudinal view to diagnose biceps tendinitis. For equivocal cases or inexperienced sonographers, our study provides a more objective method for diagnosing biceps tendinitis in shoulder pain patients.

Evaluation of Dentin Defect Formation during Retreatment with Hand and Rotary Instruments: A Micro-CT Study.

PubMed

Yilmaz, Ayca; Helvacioglu-Yigit, Dilek; Gur, Cansu; Ersev, Handan; Kiziltas Sendur, Gullu; Avcu, Egemen; Baydemir, Canan; Abbott, Paul Vincent

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence and longitudinal propagation of dentin defects after gutta-percha removal with hand and rotary instruments using microcomputed tomography. Twenty mandibular incisors were prepared using the balanced-force technique and scanned in a 19.9  μ m resolution. Following filling with the lateral compaction technique, gutta-percha was removed with ProTaper Universal Retreatment (PTUR) or hand instruments. After rescanning, a total of 24,120 cross-sectional images were analyzed. The numbers, types, and longitudinal length changes of defects were recorded. Defects were observed in 36.90% of the cross sections. A total of 73 defects were comprised of 87.67% craze lines, 2.73% partial cracks, and 9.58% fractures. No significant difference in terms of new defect formation was detected between the retreatment groups. The apical and middle portions of the roots had more dentin defects than the coronal portions. Defects in three roots of the PTUR instrument group increased in length. Under the conditions of this in vitro study, gutta-percha removal seemed to not increase the incidence of dentin defect formation, but the longitudinal defect propagation finding suggests possible cumulative dentinal damage due to additional endodontic procedures. Hand and rotary instrumentation techniques caused similar dentin defect formation during root canal retreatment.

Longitudinal associations of nursing staff turnover with patient outcomes in long-term care hospitals in Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Yoonseo; Han, Kihye

2018-01-10

To describe the characteristics of long-term care hospitals in 2010-2013 and to examine the longitudinal associations of nursing staff turnover with patient outcomes. The number of long-term care hospitals has exploded in Korea since the national long-term care insurance was launched in 2008. The care quality deviation across long-term care hospitals is large. This was a longitudinal secondary data analysis using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service's data. From 2010 to 2013, the nursing staff turnover rate decreased. The number of patients per registered nurse increased while that per total nursing staff and skill mix decreased. All adverse patient outcomes decreased. Higher nursing staff turnover and lower RN proportions were associated with adverse patient outcomes. Since the launch of the long-term care insurance, total nursing staffing, turnover rate and patient outcomes have improved, while the skill mix has decreased. Systematic efforts to decrease nursing staff turnover should be implemented for better long-term care patient outcomes. In addition to maintaining high levels of nurse staffing and skill mix, supportive work environments and competitive wages and benefits could reduce turnover, and ultimately adverse patient outcomes. Health care policy should separate nursing staffing levels for registered nurses and certified nursing assistants. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Total dynamic response of a PSS vehicle negotiating asymmetric road excitations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jian Jun; Khajepour, Amir; Esmailzadeh, Ebrahim

2012-12-01

A planar suspension system (PSS) is a novel automobile suspension system in which an individual spring-damper strut is implemented in both the vertical and longitudinal directions, respectively. The wheels in a vehicle with such a suspension system can move back and forth relative to the chassis. When a PSS vehicle experiences asymmetric road excitations, the relative longitudinal motion of wheels with respect to the chassis in two sides of the same axle are not identical, and thus the two wheels at one axle will not be aligned in the same axis. The total dynamic responses, including those of the bounce, pitch and the roll of the PSS vehicle, to the asymmetric road excitation may exhibit different characteristics from those of a conventional vehicle. This paper presents an investigation into the comprehensive dynamic behaviour of a vehicle with the PSS, in such a road condition, on both the straight and curved roads. The study was carried out using an 18 DOF full-car model incorporating a radial-spring tyre-ground contact model and a 2D tyre-ground dynamic friction model. Results demonstrate that the total dynamic behaviour of a PSS vehicle is generally comparable with that of the conventional vehicle, while PSS exhibits significant improvement in absorbing the impact forces along the longitudinal direction when compared to the conventional suspension system. The PSS vehicle is found to be more stable than the conventional vehicle in terms of the directional performance against the disturbance of the road potholes on a straight line manoeuvre, while exhibiting a very similar handling performance on a curved line.

Influence of topological transitions in a quantizing magnetic field and anisotropy of current carrier scattering by acoustic phonons on the longitudinal electrical conductivity of layered crystals with open fermi surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorskii, P. V.

2011-03-01

It is demonstrated that the dependence of Fermi's energy on the magnetic field causes a set of the Shubnikov - de Haas (SDH) oscillation frequencies to change, and their relative contribution to the total longitudinal conductivity of layered crystals depends on whether the scattering of current carriers is isotropic or anisotropic. Owing to the topological transition in a strong magnetic field, Fermi's surface (FS) is transformed from open into closed one and is compressed in the magnetic field direction. Therefore, in an ultraquantum limit, disregarding the Dingle factor, the longitudinal electrical conductivity of the layered crystal tends to zero as a reciprocal square of the magnetic field for the isotropic scattering and as a reciprocal cube of the magnetic field for the anisotropic scattering. All calculations are performed in the approximation of relaxation time considered to be constant versus the quantum numbers for the isotropic scattering and proportional to the longitudinal velocity of current carriers for the anisotropic scattering.

Experimental wake survey behind Viking 75 entry vehicle at angles of attack of 0 deg, 5 deg, and 10 deg, Mach numbers from 0.20 to 1.20, and longitudinal stations from 1.50 to 11.00 body diameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, C. A., Jr.; Campbell, J. F.

1973-01-01

An investigation was conducted to obtain flow properties in the wake of a preliminary configuration of the Viking '75 Entry Vehicle at Mach numbers from 0.20 to 1.20 and at angles of attack of 0 deg, 5 deg, and 10 deg. The wake flow properties were calculated from total and static pressures measured with a pressure rake at longitudinal stations varying from 1.50 to 11.00 body diameters, and are presented in tabulated and plotted form. The wake properties were essentially symmetrical about the X-axis at alpha = 0 deg and the profiles were shifted away from the X-axis at angles of attack. An unexpected reduction in wake property ratios occurred as the Mach number increased from 0.60 to 1.00; these ratios then increased as the Mach number increased to 1.20. The reduction was present for all the longitudinal stations of the tests and decreased with increased longitudinal distance.

Longitudinal Analysis of Academic Burnout in Korean Middle School Students.

PubMed

Kim, Boyoung; Lee, Minyoung; Kim, Keunhwa; Choi, Hyunju; Lee, Sang Min

2015-10-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate the longitudinal relationships between the initial values and slopes of three dimensions of burnout syndrome (i.e. emotional exhaustion, cynicism and academic inefficacy). The study utilized four-wave longitudinal data from a total of 367 (81.6% response rate) middle school students in South Korea. Comprising a 6-month interval survey, the first survey was conducted in June 2010, the second in December 2010, the third in June 2011 and the fourth in December 2011. All participants were 13-year-olds at the first and second surveys, and 14-year-olds at the third and fourth surveys. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey was used for each survey to assess the level of academic burnout. The longitudinal data were analysed using latent growth modelling. The results of the study indicated that high initial values (intercept) for emotional exhaustion were associated with a higher rate of increase (slope) in cynicism and academic inefficacy. On the other hand, high initial values for cynicism and academic inefficacy were associated with a lower rate of increase in the other dimensions. This longitudinal study should promote understanding of burned-out students and contribute to the literature by informing the design of prevention programmes for academic burnout. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Riemann problem for longitudinal motion in an elastic-plastic bar

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Trangenstein, J.A.; Pember, R.B.

In this paper the analytical solution to the Riemann problem for the Antman-Szymczak model of longitudinal motion in an elastic-plastic bar is constructed. The model involves two surfaces corresponding to plastic yield in tension and compression, and exhibits the appropriate limiting behavior for total compressions. The solution of the Riemann problem involves discontinuous changes in characteristic speeds due to transitions from elastic to plastic response. Illustrations are presented, in both state-space and self-similar coordinates, of the variety of possible solutions to the Riemann problem for possible use with numerical algorithms.

Total Longitudinal Moment Calculation and Reliability Analysis of Yacht Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhi, Wenzheng; Lin, Shaofen

In order to check the reliability of the yacht in FRP (Fiber Reinforce Plastic) materials, in this paper, the vertical force and the calculation method of the overall longitudinal bending moment on yacht was analyzed. Specially, this paper focuses on the impact of speed on the still water bending moment on yacht. Then considering the mechanical properties of the cap type stiffeners in composite materials, the ultimate bearing capacity of the yacht has been worked out, finally the reliability of the yacht was calculated with using response surface methodology. The result can be used in yacht design and yacht driving.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lovato, A.; Gandolfi, S.; Carlson, J.

Here, the longitudinal and transverse electromagnetic response functions ofmore » $$^{12}$$C are computed in a ``first-principles'' Green's function Monte Carlo calculation, based on realistic two- and three-nucleon interactions and associated one- and two-body currents. We find excellent agreement between theory and experiment and, in particular, no evidence for the quenching of measured versus calculated longitudinal response. This is further corroborated by a re-analysis of the Coulomb sum rule, in which the contributions from the low-lying $$J^\\pi\\,$$=$$\\, 2^+$$, $0^+$ (Hoyle), and $4^+$ states in $$^{12}$$C are accounted for explicitly in evaluating the total inelastic strength.« less

Prognostic factors for survival after salvage total laryngectomy following radiotherapy or chemoradiation failure: a 10-year retrospective longitudinal study in eastern Denmark.

PubMed

Wulff, N B; Andersen, E; Kristensen, C A; Sørensen, C H; Charabi, B; Homøe, P

2017-04-01

The primary aims were to determine the rates of and prognostic factors for overall survival, disease-specific survival and disease-free survival following salvage total laryngectomy. Retrospective longitudinal study. Tertiary medical centres. A total of 142 patients in eastern Denmark undergoing salvage total laryngectomy for squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx or hypopharynx. 5-year overall survival, 5-year disease-specific survival, 5-year disease-free survival and prognostic factors for these outcomes. 5-year overall survival, disease-specific survival and disease-free survival were 37.7%, 54.9% and 55.3%, respectively. N classification at primary diagnosis, lymph node excision and postoperative complications within 1 year after salvage total laryngectomy were prognostic factors for shorter overall survival, disease-specific survival and disease-free survival. Residual tumour/recurrence was negatively associated with overall survival, close or involved resection margins with disease-specific survival, and second primary cancer was associated with longer disease-specific survival and disease-free survival. Nine per cent of all patients had residual tumour and 33.8% developed a recurrence. Our overall survival, disease-specific survival and disease-free survival findings are in accordance with previous studies. With the purpose of identifying recurrent tumour, we suggest extra attention being given to patients with higher N classification and need for lymph node excision during salvage total laryngectomy along with use of frozen sections. The high number of patients with recurrence within 1 year after salvage total laryngectomy occurred although thorough and regular follow-up visits were performed. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Longitudinal Study of Human Hearings: Its Relationship to Noise and Other Factors. 1. Design of Five Year Study; Data from First Year

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-03-01

I i ,-, r .Lt-hc,uqh thei-e was little evidence of a . - - 4 n the frequency of interruptions ’p -f . articular ear (scores 2 and 3). ::Itr t r .he...boy’s increments are artifactual due to inattention, distraction , etc., during the second visit. His total noise scores (total period and interval) at

Local time, seasonal, and solar cycle dependency of longitudinal variations of TEC along the crest of EIA over India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sunda, Surendra; Vyas, B. M.

2013-10-01

global wave number 4 structure in the Indian longitudinal region spanning from ~70 to 95°E forming the upward slope of the peak in the total electron content (TEC) are reported along the crest of equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA). The continuous and simultaneous measurements from five GPS stations of GPS Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) network are used in this study. The long-term database (2004-2012) is utilized for examining the local time, seasonal, and solar cycle dependency on the longitudinal variations of TEC. Our results confirm the existence of longitudinal variations of TEC in accordance with wave number 4 longitudinal structure including its strength. The results suggest that these variations, in general, start to develop at ~09 LT, achieve maximum strength at 12-15 LT, and decay thereafter, the decay rate depending on the season. They are more pronounced in equinoctial season followed by summer and winter. The longitudinal variations persist beyond midnight in equinox seasons, whereas in winter, they are conspicuously absent. Interestingly, they also exhibit significant solar cycle dependence in the solstices, whereas in the equinoxes, they are independent of solar activity. The comparison of crest-to-trough ratio (CTR) in the eastern (92°E) and western (72°E) extreme longitudes reveals higher CTR on the eastern side than over the western extreme, suggesting the role of nonmigrating tides in modulating the ExB vertical drift and the consequential EIA crest formation.

Longitudinal design considerations to optimize power to detect variances and covariances among rates of change: Simulation results based on actual longitudinal studies

PubMed Central

Rast, Philippe; Hofer, Scott M.

2014-01-01

We investigated the power to detect variances and covariances in rates of change in the context of existing longitudinal studies using linear bivariate growth curve models. Power was estimated by means of Monte Carlo simulations. Our findings show that typical longitudinal study designs have substantial power to detect both variances and covariances among rates of change in a variety of cognitive, physical functioning, and mental health outcomes. We performed simulations to investigate the interplay among number and spacing of occasions, total duration of the study, effect size, and error variance on power and required sample size. The relation between growth rate reliability (GRR) and effect size to the sample size required to detect power ≥ .80 was non-linear, with rapidly decreasing sample sizes needed as GRR increases. The results presented here stand in contrast to previous simulation results and recommendations (Hertzog, Lindenberger, Ghisletta, & von Oertzen, 2006; Hertzog, von Oertzen, Ghisletta, & Lindenberger, 2008; von Oertzen, Ghisletta, & Lindenberger, 2010), which are limited due to confounds between study length and number of waves, error variance with GCR, and parameter values which are largely out of bounds of actual study values. Power to detect change is generally low in the early phases (i.e. first years) of longitudinal studies but can substantially increase if the design is optimized. We recommend additional assessments, including embedded intensive measurement designs, to improve power in the early phases of long-term longitudinal studies. PMID:24219544

A fast parallel 3D Poisson solver with longitudinal periodic and transverse open boundary conditions for space-charge simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiang, Ji

2017-10-01

A three-dimensional (3D) Poisson solver with longitudinal periodic and transverse open boundary conditions can have important applications in beam physics of particle accelerators. In this paper, we present a fast efficient method to solve the Poisson equation using a spectral finite-difference method. This method uses a computational domain that contains the charged particle beam only and has a computational complexity of O(Nu(logNmode)) , where Nu is the total number of unknowns and Nmode is the maximum number of longitudinal or azimuthal modes. This saves both the computational time and the memory usage of using an artificial boundary condition in a large extended computational domain. The new 3D Poisson solver is parallelized using a message passing interface (MPI) on multi-processor computers and shows a reasonable parallel performance up to hundreds of processor cores.

A tutorial on count regression and zero-altered count models for longitudinal substance use data

PubMed Central

Atkins, David C.; Baldwin, Scott A.; Zheng, Cheng; Gallop, Robert J.; Neighbors, Clayton

2012-01-01

Critical research questions in the study of addictive behaviors concern how these behaviors change over time - either as the result of intervention or in naturalistic settings. The combination of count outcomes that are often strongly skewed with many zeroes (e.g., days using, number of total drinks, number of drinking consequences) with repeated assessments (e.g., longitudinal follow-up after intervention or daily diary data) present challenges for data analyses. The current article provides a tutorial on methods for analyzing longitudinal substance use data, focusing on Poisson, zero-inflated, and hurdle mixed models, which are types of hierarchical or multilevel models. Two example datasets are used throughout, focusing on drinking-related consequences following an intervention and daily drinking over the past 30 days, respectively. Both datasets as well as R, SAS, Mplus, Stata, and SPSS code showing how to fit the models are available on a supplemental website. PMID:22905895

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beaumier, Michael J.

This thesis discusses the process of extracting the longitudinal asymmetry, Amore » $$W±\\atop{L}$$ describing W → μ production in forward kinematic regimes. This asymmetry is used to constrain our understanding of the polarized parton distribution functions characterizing $$\\bar{u}$$ and $$\\bar{d}$$ sea quarks in the proton. This asymmetry will be used to constrain the overall contribution of the sea-quarks to the total proton spin. The asymmetry is evaluated over the pseudorapidity range of the PHENIX Muon Arms, 2.1 < |η| 2.6, for longitudinally polarized proton-proton collisions at 510 GeV √s. In particular, I will discuss the statistical methods used to characterize real muonic W decays and the various background processes is presented, including a discussion of likelihood event selection and the Extended Unbinned Maximum Likelihood t. These statistical methods serve estimate the yields of W muonic decays, which are used to calculate the longitudinal asymmetry.« less

Presymptomatic and longitudinal neuroimaging in neurodegeneration--from snapshots to motion picture: a systematic review.

PubMed

Schuster, Christina; Elamin, Marwa; Hardiman, Orla; Bede, Peter

2015-10-01

Recent quantitative neuroimaging studies have been successful in capturing phenotype and genotype-specific changes in dementia syndromes, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. However, the majority of imaging studies are cross-sectional, despite the obvious superiority of longitudinal study designs in characterising disease trajectories, response to therapy, progression rates and evaluating the presymptomatic phase of neurodegenerative conditions. The aim of this work is to perform a systematic review of longitudinal imaging initiatives in neurodegeneration focusing on methodology, optimal statistical models, follow-up intervals, attrition rates, primary study outcomes and presymptomatic studies. Longitudinal imaging studies were identified from 'PubMed' and reviewed from 1990 to 2014. The search terms 'longitudinal', 'MRI', 'presymptomatic' and 'imaging' were utilised in combination with one of the following degenerative conditions; Alzheimer's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease, frontotemporal dementia, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, ataxia, HIV, alcohol abuse/dependence. A total of 423 longitudinal imaging papers and 103 genotype-based presymptomatic studies were identified and systematically reviewed. Imaging techniques, follow-up intervals and attrition rates showed significant variation depending on the primary diagnosis. Commonly used statistical models included analysis of annualised percentage change, mixed and random effect models, and non-linear cumulative models with acceleration-deceleration components. Although longitudinal imaging studies have the potential to provide crucial insights into the presymptomatic phase and natural trajectory of neurodegenerative processes a standardised design is required to enable meaningful data interpretation. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Consistency between cross-sectional and longitudinal SNP: blood lipid associations.

PubMed

Costanza, Michael C; Beer-Borst, Sigrid; James, Richard W; Gaspoz, Jean-Michel; Morabia, Alfredo

2012-02-01

Various studies have linked different genetic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to different blood lipids (BL), but whether these "connections" were identified using cross-sectional or longitudinal (i.e., changes over time) designs has received little attention. Cross-sectional and longitudinal assessments of BL [total, high-, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TC, HDL, LDL), triglycerides (TG)] and non-genetic factors (body mass index, smoking, alcohol intake) were measured for 2,002 Geneva, Switzerland, adults during 1999-2008 (two measurements, median 6 years apart), and 20 SNPs in 13 BL metabolism-related genes. Fixed and mixed effects repeated measures linear regression models, respectively, were employed to identify cross-sectional and longitudinal SNP:BL associations among the 1,516 (76%) study participants who reported not being treated for hypercholesterolemia at either measurement time. One-third more (12 vs. 9) longitudinal than cross-sectional associations were found [Bonferroni-adjusted two-tailed p < 0.00125 (=0.05/2)/20) for each of the four ensembles of 20 SNP:individual BL associations tested under the two study designs]. There was moderate consistency between the cross-sectional and longitudinal findings, with eight SNP:BL associations consistently identified across both study designs: [APOE.2 and APOE.4 (rs7412 and rs429358)]:TC; HL/LIPC (rs2070895):HDL; [APOB (rs1367117), APOE.2 and APOE.4 (rs7412 and rs429358)]:LDL; [APOA5 (rs2072560) and APOC III (rs5128)]:TG. The results suggest that cross-sectional studies, which include most genome-wide association studies (GWAS), can assess the large majority of SNP:BL associations. In the present analysis, which was much less powered than a GWAS, the cross-sectional study was around 2/3 (67%) as efficient as the longitudinal study.

High-resolution three-dimensional 19F-magnetic resonance imaging of rat lung in situ: evaluation of airway strain in the perfluorocarbon-filled lung.

PubMed

Weigel, Julia K; Steinmann, Daniel; Emerich, Philipp; Stahl, Claudius A; v Elverfeldt, Dominik; Guttmann, Josef

2011-02-01

Perfluorocarbons (PFC) are biologically and chemically inert fluids with high oxygen and CO(2) carrying capacities. Their use as liquid intrapulmonary gas carriers during liquid ventilation has been investigated. We established a method of high resolution 3D-(19)F-MRI of the totally PFC-filled lung. The goal of this study was to investigate longitudinal and circumferential airway strain in the setting of increasing airway pressures on 3D-(19)F-MR images of the PFC-filled lung. Sixteen female Wistar rats were euthanized and the liquid perfluorocarbon FC-84 instilled into their lungs. 3D-(19)F-MRI was performed at various intrapulmonary pressures. Measurements of bronchial length and cross-sectional area were obtained from transversal 2D images for each pressure range. Changes in bronchial area were used to determine circumferential strain, while longitudinal strain was calculated from changes in bronchial length. Our method of 3D-(19)F-MRI allowed clear visualization of the great bronchi. Longitudinal strain increased significantly up to 31.1 cmH(2)O. The greatest strain could be found in the range of low airway pressures. Circumferential strain increased strongly with the initial pressure rise, but showed no significant changes above 10.4 cmH(2)O. Longitudinal strain was generally higher in distal airways, while circumferential strain showed no difference. Analysis of mechanical characteristics showed that longitudinal and circumferential airway expansion occurred in an anisotropic fashion. Whereas longitudinal strain still increased with higher pressures, circumferential strain quickly reached a 'strain limit'. Longitudinal strain was higher in distal bronchi, as dense PFCs gravitate to dependent, in this case to dorso-basal parts of the lung, acting as liquid positive end expiratory pressure.

Reducing cardiovascular disease risk in mid-life and older African Americans: A church-based longitudinal intervention project at baseline

PubMed Central

Lemacks, Jennifer L.; Wickrama, Kandauda (K.A.S.); Young-Clark, Iris; Coccia, Catherine; Ilich, Jasminka Z.; Harris, Cynthia M.; Hart, Celeste B.; Battle, Arrie M.; O’Neal, Catherine Walker

2014-01-01

Introduction African Americans (AAs) experience higher age-adjusted morbidity and mortality than Whites for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Church-based health programs can reduce risk factors for CVD, including elevated blood pressure [BP], excess body weight, sedentary lifestyle and diet. Yet few studies have incorporated older adults and longitudinal designs. Purposes The aims of this study are to: a) describe a theory-driven longitudinal intervention study to reduce CVD risk in mid-life and older AAs; b) compare selected dietary (fruit and vegetable servings/day, fat consumption), physical activity (PA) and clinical variables (BMI, girth circumferences, systolic and diastolic BP, LDL, HDL, total cholesterol [CHOL] and HDL/CHOL) between treatment and comparison churches at baseline; c) identify selected background characteristics (life satisfaction, social support, age, gender, educational level, marital status, living arrangement and medication use) at baseline that may confound results; and d) share the lessons learned. Methods This study incorporated a longitudinal pre/post with comparison group quasi-experimental design. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) was used to discover ideas for the study, identify community advisors, recruit churches (three treatment, three comparison) in two-counties in North Florida, and randomly select 221 mid-life and older AAs (45+) (n = 104 in clinical subsample), stratifying for age and gender. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires and clinical assessments. Results and conclusions Dietary, PA and clinical results were similar to the literature. Treatment and comparison groups were similar in background characteristics and health behaviors but differed in selected clinical factors. For the total sample, relationships were noted for most of the background characteristics. Lessons learned focused on community relationships and participant recruitment. PMID:24685998

A Meta-Analysis of Cognitive Impairment and Decline Associated with Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Women with Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Ono, Miyuki; Ogilvie, James M.; Wilson, Jennifer S.; Green, Heather J.; Chambers, Suzanne K.; Ownsworth, Tamara; Shum, David H. K.

2015-01-01

A meta-analysis was performed to quantify the magnitude and nature of the association between adjuvant chemotherapy and performance on a range of cognitive domains among breast cancer patients. A total of 27 studies (14 cross-sectional, 8 both cross-sectional and prospective, and 5 prospective) were included in the analyses, involving 1562 breast cancer patients who had undergone adjuvant chemotherapy and 2799 controls that included breast cancer patients who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy. A total of 737 effect sizes (Cohen’s d) were calculated for cross-sectional and prospective longitudinal studies separately and classified into eight cognitive domains. The mean effect sizes varied across cross-sectional and prospective longitudinal studies (ranging from −1.12 to 0.62 and −0.29 to 1.12, respectively). Each cognitive domain produced small effect sizes for cross-sectional and prospective longitudinal studies (ranging from −0.25 to 0.41). Results from cross-sectional studies indicated a significant association between adjuvant chemotherapy and cognitive impairment that held across studies with varied methodological approaches. For prospective studies, results generally indicated that cognitive functioning improved over time after receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. Greater cognitive impairment was reported in cross-sectional studies comparing chemotherapy groups with healthy control groups. Results suggested that cognitive impairment is present among breast cancer patients irrespective of a history of chemotherapy. Prospective longitudinal research is warranted to examine the degree and persisting nature of cognitive impairment present both before and after chemotherapy, with comparisons made to participants’ cognitive function prior to diagnosis. Accurate understanding of the effects of chemotherapy is essential to enable informed decisions regarding treatment and to improve quality of life among breast cancer patients. PMID:25806355

The Longitudinal Relationship between Fatigue and Sleep in Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy

PubMed Central

Liu, Lianqi; Rissling, Michelle; Natarajan, Loki; Fiorentino, Lavinia; Mills, Paul J.; Dimsdale, Joel E.; Sadler, Georgia Robins; Parker, Barbara A.; Ancoli-Israel, Sonia

2012-01-01

Study Objective: Fatigue and sleep disturbances are two of the most common and distressing symptoms of cancer patients. A relationship between the two symptoms was reported in symptom cluster studies; however, only subjective measurements of sleep were examined and most studies were cross-sectional. In this study of women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy, we explored the longitudinal relationship between fatigue and sleep measured both subjectively and objectively. Design: Prospective study. Data were collected at 7 time points: before (baseline) and during the 3 weeks of cycle 1 and cycle 4 chemotherapy. Participants: Ninety-seven women with newly diagnosed stage I-III breast cancer who were scheduled to receive at least four 3-week cycles of chemotherapy. Measurement and Results: Objective sleep parameters were measured with an Actillume actigraph (Ambulatory Monitoring Inc.). Subjective sleep quality was assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Fatigue was assessed with the Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory-Short Form (MFSI-SF). Fatigue became worse during both cycles of chemotherapy (P-values < 0.01). Subjective sleep quality was poor at baseline and remained unchanged throughout treatment. Objective nighttime and daytime total sleep time increased compared to baseline during the treatment administration week of both cycles; daytime total wake time decreased during the treatment week of both cycles and during the last 2 week of cycle 4. Mixed model results revealed that fatigue was positively associated with total PSQI scores and with objective measures of total nap time, and negatively associated with total wake time during the day (all P-values < 0.01). Conclusion: Fatigue was significantly associated with subjective reports of poor sleep and objective measures of daytime sleepiness, but not with nocturnal sleep as measured with actigraphy. This relationship between fatigue and sleep warrants further studies to explore their possible common underlying etiology. Citation: Liu L; Rissling M; Natarajan L; Fiorentino L; Mills PJ; Dimsdale JE; Sadler GR; Parker BA; Ancoli-Israel S. The longitudinal relationship between fatigue and sleep in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. SLEEP 2012;35(2):237-245. PMID:22294814

Second- to third-trimester longitudinal growth assessment for prediction of small-for-gestational age and late fetal growth restriction.

PubMed

Caradeux, J; Eixarch, E; Mazarico, E; Basuki, T R; Gratacós, E; Figueras, F

2018-02-01

Detection of fetal growth restriction (FGR) remains poor and most screening strategies rely on cross-sectional evaluation of fetal size during the third trimester. A longitudinal and individualized approach has been proposed as an alternative method of evaluation. The aim of this study was to compare second- to third-trimester longitudinal growth assessment to cross-sectional evaluation in the third trimester for the prediction of small-for-gestational age (SGA) and late FGR in low-risk singleton pregnancy. This was a prospective cohort study of 2696 unselected consecutive low-risk singleton pregnancies scanned at 21 ± 2 and 32 ± 2 weeks. For cross-sectional growth assessment, abdominal circumference (AC) measurements were transformed to z-values according the 21st-INTERGROWTH standards. Longitudinal growth assessment was performed by calculating the AC z-velocity and the second- to third-trimester AC conditional growth centile. Longitudinal assessment was compared with cross-sectional assessment at 32 weeks. Association of cross-sectional and longitudinal evaluations with SGA and late FGR was assessed by logistic regression analysis. Predictive performance was determined by receiver-operating characteristics curve analysis. In total, 210 (7.8%) newborns were classified as SGA and 103 (3.8%) as late FGR. Neither longitudinal measurement improved the association with SGA or late FGR provided by cross-sectional evaluation of AC z-score at 32 weeks. Areas under the curves of AC z-velocity and conditional AC growth were significantly smaller than those of cross-sectional AC z-scores (P < 0.001), although AC z-velocity performed significantly better than did conditional AC growth (P < 0.001). Longitudinal assessment of fetal growth from the second to third trimester has a low predictive capacity for SGA and late FGR in low-risk singleton pregnancy compared with cross-sectional growth evaluation. Copyright © 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. Copyright © 2017 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Incidence of dementia in elderly Latin Americans: Results of the Maracaibo Aging Study.

PubMed

Maestre, Gladys E; Mena, Luis J; Melgarejo, Jesus D; Aguirre-Acevedo, Daniel C; Pino-Ramírez, Gloria; Urribarrí, Milady; Chacon, Inara J; Chávez, Carlos A; Falque-Madrid, Luis; Gaona, Ciro A; Terwilliger, Joseph D; Lee, Joseph H; Scarmeas, Nikolaos

2018-02-01

There are few longitudinal studies of dementia in developing countries. We used longitudinal data from the Maracaibo Aging Study to accurately determine the age- and sex-specific incidence of dementia in elderly Latin Americans. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition, Text Revision) was used to diagnose dementia, which was classified as Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, or other. Age- and sex-specific incidence was estimated as the number of new cases of dementia divided by person-years (p-y) of follow-up. The incidence of all dementia diagnoses was 9.10 per 1000 p-y (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.13-11.44; 8026 total p-y), 5.18 for Alzheimer's disease (95% CI 3.72-7.03; 7916 total p-y), and 3.35 for vascular dementia (95% CI 2.19-4.91; 7757 total p-y). Among Maracaibo Aging Study participants younger than 65 years, the incidence of dementia was higher than that of US Whites. Among individuals older than 65 years, the incidence was comparable to the mean of previous incidence estimates for other populations worldwide. Copyright © 2017 the Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Attitudes as mediators of the longitudinal association between alcohol advertising and youth drinking.

PubMed

Morgenstern, Matthis; Isensee, Barbara; Sargent, James D; Hanewinkel, Reiner

2011-07-01

To test the hypothesis that changes in alcohol-related attitudes and expectancies mediate the effect of alcohol advertising on youth drinking. Longitudinal survey with a 9-month interval. Twenty-nine public schools in 3 German states. A total of 2130 sixth- to eighth-grade students (age range, 11-17 years; mean, 12.2 years) who were nondrinkers at baseline. Exposure to alcohol and nonalcohol advertising was measured at baseline with masked images of 17 commercial advertisements with all brand information digitally removed; students indicated contact frequency and brand names. Positive attitudes toward alcohol, current alcohol use, lifetime binge drinking. A total of 581 of the students (28%) started to drink alcohol during the observation period. Alcohol use initiation was positively related to baseline alcohol advertisement exposure. This effect of alcohol advertisement exposure on alcohol use was partially mediated by a change in alcohol-related attitudes, which explained about 35% of the total effect after controlling for baseline covariates and exposure to other advertising contents. The analysis revealed similar results for binge-drinking initiation. More favorable attitudes about alcohol may be one path through which alcohol advertising exerts behavioral influence.

Association Between Media Use in Adolescence and Depression in Young Adulthood

PubMed Central

Primack, Brian A.; Swanier, Brandi; Georgiopoulos, Anna M.; Land, Stephanie R.; Fine, Michael J.

2010-01-01

Context Although certain media exposures have been linked to the presence of psychiatric conditions, few studies have investigated the association between media exposure and depression. Objective To assess the longitudinal association between media exposure in adolescence and depression in young adulthood in a nationally representative sample. Design Longitudinal cohort study. Setting and Participants We used the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health (Add Health) to investigate the relationship between electronic media exposure in 4142 adolescents who were not depressed at baseline and subsequent development of depression after 7 years of follow-up. Main Outcome Measure Depression at follow-up assessed using the 9-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies–Depression Scale. Results Of the 4142 participants (47.5% female and 67.0% white) who were not depressed at baseline and who underwent follow-up assessment, 308 (7.4%) reported symptoms consistent with depression at follow-up. Controlling for all covariates including baseline Center for Epidemiologic Studies–Depression Scale score, those reporting more television use had significantly greater odds of developing depression (odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 1.08 [1.01-1.16]) for each additional hour of daily television use. In addition, those reporting more total media exposure had significantly greater odds of developing depression (1.05 [1.0004-1.10]) for each additional hour of daily use. We did not find a consistent relationship between development of depressive symptoms and exposure to videocassettes, computer games, or radio. Compared with young men, young women were less likely to develop depression given the same total media exposure (odds ratio for interaction term, 0.93 [0.88-0.99]). Conclusion Television exposure and total media exposure in adolescence are associated with increased odds of depressive symptoms in young adulthood, especially in young men. PMID:19188540

Longitudinal Assessment of Vascular Function With Sunitinib in Patients With Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma.

PubMed

Catino, Anna B; Hubbard, Rebecca A; Chirinos, Julio A; Townsend, Ray; Keefe, Stephen; Haas, Naomi B; Puzanov, Igor; Fang, James C; Agarwal, Neeraj; Hyman, David; Smith, Amanda M; Gordon, Mary; Plappert, Theodore; Englefield, Virginia; Narayan, Vivek; Ewer, Steven; ElAmm, Chantal; Lenihan, Daniel; Ky, Bonnie

2018-03-01

Sunitinib, used widely in metastatic renal cell carcinoma, can result in hypertension, left ventricular dysfunction, and heart failure. However, the relationships between vascular function and cardiac dysfunction with sunitinib are poorly understood. In a multicenter prospective study of 84 metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients, echocardiography, arterial tonometry, and BNP (B-type natriuretic peptide) measures were performed at baseline and at 3.5, 15, and 33 weeks after sunitinib initiation, correlating with sunitinib cycles 1, 3, and 6. Mean change in vascular function parameters and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Linear regression models were used to estimate associations between vascular function and left ventricular ejection fraction, longitudinal strain, diastolic function (E/e'), and BNP. After 3.5 weeks of sunitinib, mean systolic blood pressure increased by 9.5 mm Hg (95% confidence interval, 2.0-17.1; P =0.02) and diastolic blood pressure by 7.2 mm Hg (95% confidence interval, 4.3-10.0; P <0.001) across all participants. Sunitinib resulted in increases in large artery stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity) and resistive load (total peripheral resistance and arterial elastance; all P <0.05) and changes in pulsatile load (total arterial compliance and wave reflection). There were no statistically significant associations between vascular function and systolic dysfunction (left ventricular ejection fraction and longitudinal strain). However, baseline total peripheral resistance, arterial elastance, and aortic impedance were associated with worsening diastolic function and filling pressures over time. In patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, sunitinib resulted in early, significant increases in blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and resistive and pulsatile load within 3.5 weeks of treatment. Baseline vascular function parameters were associated with worsening diastolic but not systolic function. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

CSF biomarker variability in the Alzheimer’s Association quality control program

PubMed Central

Mattsson, Niklas; Andreasson, Ulf; Persson, Staffan; Carrillo, Maria C.; Collins, Steven; Chalbot, Sonia; Cutler, Neal; Dufour-Rainfray, Diane; Fagan, Anne M.; Heegaard, Niels H. H.; Hsiung, Ging-Yuek Robin; Hyman, Bradley; Iqbal, Khalid; Lachno, D. Richard; Lleó, Alberto; Lewczuk, Piotr; Molinuevo, José L.; Parchi, Piero; Regeniter, Axel; Rissman, Robert; Rosenmann, Hanna; Sancesario, Giuseppe; Schröder, Johannes; Shaw, Leslie M.; Teunissen, Charlotte E.; Trojanowski, John Q.; Vanderstichele, Hugo; Vandijck, Manu; Verbeek, Marcel M.; Zetterberg, Henrik; Blennow, Kaj; Käser, Stephan A.

2013-01-01

Background The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers amyloid beta 1–42, total tau, and phosphorylated tau are used increasingly for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research and patient management. However, there are large variations in biomarker measurements among and within laboratories. Methods Data from the first nine rounds of the Alzheimer’s Association quality control program was used to define the extent and sources of analytical variability. In each round, three CSF samples prepared at the Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory (Mölndal, Sweden) were analyzed by single-analyte enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), a multiplexing xMAP assay, or an immunoassay with electrochemoluminescence detection. Results A total of 84 laboratories participated. Coefficients of variation (CVs) between laboratories were around 20% to 30%; within-run CVs, less than 5% to 10%; and longitudinal within-laboratory CVs, 5% to 19%. Interestingly, longitudinal within-laboratory CV differed between biomarkers at individual laboratories, suggesting that a component of it was assay dependent. Variability between kit lots and between laboratories both had a major influence on amyloid beta 1–42 measurements, but for total tau and phosphorylated tau, between-kit lot effects were much less than between-laboratory effects. Despite the measurement variability, the between-laboratory consistency in classification of samples (using prehoc-derived cutoffs for AD) was high (>90% in 15 of 18 samples for ELISA and in 12 of 18 samples for xMAP). Conclusions The overall variability remains too high to allow assignment of universal biomarker cutoff values for a specific intended use. Each laboratory must ensure longitudinal stability in its measurements and use internally qualified cutoff levels. Further standardization of laboratory procedures and improvement of kit performance will likely increase the usefulness of CSF AD biomarkers for researchers and clinicians. PMID:23622690

Environmental influences on the longitudinal covariance of expressive vocabulary: measuring the home literacy environment in a genetically sensitive design

PubMed Central

Hart, Sara A.; Petrill, Stephen A.; DeThorne, Laura S.; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Thompson, Lee A.; Schatschneider, Chris; Cutting, Laurie E.

2010-01-01

Background Despite the well-replicated relationship between the home literacy environment and expressive vocabulary, few studies have examined the extent to which the home literacy environment is associated with the development of early vocabulary ability in the context of genetic influences. This study examined the influence of the home literacy environment on the longitudinal covariance of expressive vocabulary within a genetically sensitive design. Methods Participants were drawn from the Western Reserve Reading Project, a longitudinal twin project of 314 twin pairs based in Ohio. Twins were assessed via three annual home visits during early elementary school; expressive vocabulary was measured via the Boston Naming Test (BNT), and the Home Literacy Environment (HLE) was assessed using mothers’ report. Results The heritability of the BNT was moderate and significant at each measurement occasion, h2 = .29–.49, as were the estimates of the shared environment, c2 = .27–.39. HLE accounted for between 6–10% of the total variance in each year of vocabulary assessment. Furthermore, 7–9% of the total variance of the stability over time in BNT was accounted for by covariance in the home literacy environment. Conclusions These results indicate that aspects of the home literacy environment, as reported by mothers, account for some of the shared environmental variance associated with expressive vocabulary in school aged children. PMID:19298476

An alpha-synuclein MRM assay with diagnostic potential for Parkinson's disease and monitoring disease progression.

PubMed

Yang, Li; Stewart, Tessandra; Shi, Min; Pottiez, Gwenael; Dator, Romel; Wu, Rui; Aro, Patrick; Schuster, Robert J; Ginghina, Carmen; Pan, Catherine; Gao, Yuqian; Qian, Weijun; Zabetian, Cyrus P; Hu, Shu-Ching; Quinn, Joseph F; Zhang, Jing

2017-07-01

The alpha-synuclein (α-syn) level in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), as measured by immunoassays, is promising as a Parkinson's disease (PD) biomarker. However, the levels of total α-syn are inconsistent among studies with large cohorts and different measurement platforms. Total α-syn level also does not correlate with disease severity or progression. Here, the authors developed a highly sensitive MRM method to measure absolute CSF α-syn peptide concentrations without prior enrichment or fractionation, aiming to discover new candidate biomarkers. Six peptides covering 73% of protein sequence were reliably identified, and two were consistently quantified in cross-sectional and longitudinal cohorts. Absolute concentration of α-syn in human CSF was determined to be 2.1 ng/mL. A unique α-syn peptide, TVEGAGSIAAATGFVK (81-96), displayed excellent correlation with previous immunoassay results in two independent PD cohorts (p < 0.001), correlated with disease severity, and its changes significantly tracked the disease progression longitudinally. An MRM assay to quantify human CSF α-syn was developed and optimized. Sixty clinical samples from cross-sectional and longitudinal PD cohorts were analyzed with this approach. Although further larger scale validation is needed, the results suggest that α-syn peptide could serve as a promising biomarker in PD diagnosis and progression. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fatigue Following Traumatic Brain Injury in Children and Adolescents: A Longitudinal Follow-Up 6 to 12 Months After Injury.

PubMed

Crichton, Alison; Anderson, Vicki; Oakley, Ed; Greenham, Mardee; Hearps, Stephen; Delzoppo, Carmel; Beauchamp, Miriam H; Hutchison, James S; Guerguerian, Anne-Marie; Boutis, Kathy; Babl, Franz E

Longitudinal fatigue data in children suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI) are lacking. To examine the effects of time postinjury (6-12 months) and injury severity on fatigue after childhood TBI. Secondarily, we compared fatigue 12 months postinjury against published control data. Three tertiary children's hospitals across Australia (n = 1) and Canada (n = 2). Parents (n = 109) of children (mean [M] = 9.9 years at injury; range, 1.0-16.9 years) admitted to one of 3 participating hospitals with mild (n = 69) or moderate/severe (n = 37) TBI. Longitudinal prospective study. Primary: Pediatric Quality of Life Multidimensional Fatigue Scale (total, general, sleep/rest, and cognitive), rated by parents 6 and 12 months postinjury. Secondary: Pediatric Injury Functional Outcome Scale (fatigue and sleep items, rated on recruitment and 6 and 12 months postinjury). Demographic and children data were collected at recruitment. Mixed-models analysis demonstrated nonsignificant effects of time (6 vs 12 months postinjury) on multidimensional fatigue scores. Cognitive fatigue worsened over time. Moderate/severe TBI was associated with worse fatigue 12 months postinjury (general, P = .03; cognitive, P = .02). Across all severities, fatigue 12 months postinjury was significantly worse compared with control data (total fatigue, P < .001; all domains, all Ps < .025). Fatigue remains significant at 12 months since injury, particularly for those with moderate/severe TBI.

Associations of Dairy Intake with Arterial Stiffness in Brazilian Adults: The Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil).

PubMed

Ribeiro, Amanda Gomes; Mill, José Geraldo; Cade, Nágela Valadão; Velasquez-Melendez, Gustavo; Matos, Sheila Maria Alvim; Molina, Maria Del Carmen Bisi

2018-05-31

Recent studies have suggested the possible effect of dairy product intake on cardiovascular risk markers, including arterial stiffness. Our aim was to investigate whether dairy food intake is associated with arterial stiffness, which we assessed by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and pulse pressure (PP) in a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data (2008⁻2010; n = 12,892) of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). Dairy consumption was evaluated with a validated food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) by computing servings per day for total and subgroups of dairy products. Dairy consumption was described in four categories (≤1 serving/day to >4 servings/day). Covariance analysis (ANCOVA) was used to compare cfPWV across increasing intake of dairy food, adjusting for confounding factors, including non-dairy food groups. The intake of total dairy was inversely associated with cfPWV and PP (-0.13 m/s and -1.3 mmHg, from the lowest and to the highest category of dairy intake). Low-fat dairy, fermented dairy and cheese showed an inverse relationship with cfPWV and PP. These findings suggest a beneficial effect of dairy consumption to reduce arterial stiffness. However, further evidence from longitudinal studies or long-term intervention is needed to support reduction of cfPWV and PP mediating the beneficial effects of dairy products on cardiovascular health.

Longitudinal trends in gasoline price and physical activity: The CARDIA study

PubMed Central

Hou, Ningqi; Popkin, Barry M; Jacobs, David R; Song, Yan; Guilkey, David K; He, Ka; Lewis, Cora E.; Gordon-Larsen, Penny

2011-01-01

Objective To investigate longitudinal associations between community-level gasoline price and physical activity (PA). Method In the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study, 5,115 black and white participants aged 18–30 at baseline 1985–86 were recruited from four U.S. cities (Birmingham, Chicago, Minneapolis and Oakland) and followed over time. We used data from 3 follow-up exams: 1992–93, 1995–96, and 2000–01, when the participants were located across 48 states. From questionnaire data, a total PA score was summarized in exercise units (EU) based on intensity and frequency of 13 PA categories. Using Geographic Information Systems, participants’ residential locations were linked to county-level inflation-adjusted gasoline price data collected by the Council for Community & Economic Research. We used a random-effect longitudinal regression model to examine associations between time-varying gasoline price and time-varying PA, controlling for age, race, gender, baseline study center, and time-varying education, marital status, household income, county cost of living, county bus fare, census block-group poverty, and urbanicity. Results Holding all control variables constant, a 25-cent increase in inflation-adjusted gasoline price was significantly associated with an increase of 9.9 EU in total PA (95%CI: 0.8–19.1). Conclusion Rising prices of gasoline may be associated with an unintended increase in leisure PA. PMID:21338621

Electromagnetic response of C 12 : A first-principles calculation

DOE PAGES

Lovato, A.; Gandolfi, S.; Carlson, J.; ...

2016-08-15

Here, the longitudinal and transverse electromagnetic response functions ofmore » $$^{12}$$C are computed in a ``first-principles'' Green's function Monte Carlo calculation, based on realistic two- and three-nucleon interactions and associated one- and two-body currents. We find excellent agreement between theory and experiment and, in particular, no evidence for the quenching of measured versus calculated longitudinal response. This is further corroborated by a re-analysis of the Coulomb sum rule, in which the contributions from the low-lying $$J^\\pi\\,$$=$$\\, 2^+$$, $0^+$ (Hoyle), and $4^+$ states in $$^{12}$$C are accounted for explicitly in evaluating the total inelastic strength.« less

Longitudinal outcomes after tibioperoneal angioplasty alone compared to tibial stenting and atherectomy for critical limb ischemia.

PubMed

Reynolds, Shaun; Galiñanes, Edgar Luis; Dombrovskiy, Viktor Y; Vogel, Todd R

2013-10-01

There are limited data available evaluating longitudinal outcomes after tibioperoneal angioplasty (TA) alone compared to adjunctive tibial procedures including stenting and atherectomy. Using the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services inpatient claims (2005-2007), patients evaluated TA only, TA plus stent placement (TA + S), and TA plus atherectomy (TA + A). A total of 2080 patients with critical limb ischemia underwent percutaneous tibioperoneal intervention for the indication of ulceration. Procedures included TA (56.3%), TA + S (16.2%), and TA + A (27.5%). Rates of amputation were not statistically different between the groups at 30, 90, and 365 days after the intervention. Mean total hospital charges were TA ($35,867), TA + A ($41,698; P = .0004), and TA + S ($51,040; P < .0001). Patients undergoing TA alone compared to concomitant stenting or atherectomy for ulceration demonstrated no improvement in limb salvage. Future analysis of adjunctive tibioperoneal interventions is essential to temper cost, as they fail to improve long-term limb salvage.

Equalisation of alcohol participation among socioeconomic groups over time: an analysis based on the total differential approach and longitudinal data from Sweden

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Health inequality and its social determinants are well-studied, but the determinants of inequality of alcohol consumption are less well-investigated. Methods The total differential approach of decomposition of changes in the concentration index of the probability of participation in alcohol consumption was applied to 8-year longitudinal data for Swedish women aged 28-76 in 1988/89. Results Alcohol consumption showed a pro-rich inequality, with income being a strong contributor. Overall participation remained fairly constant, but the inequality decreased over time as abstinence became less common among the poor and more common among the rich. This was mainly due to changes in the relative weights of certain population groups, such as a decrease in the proportional size of the oldest cohorts. Conclusions Inequality in participation in alcohol consumption is pro-rich in Sweden. This inequality has tended to decrease over time, due to changes in population composition rather than to policy intervention. PMID:21306654

Stressful life events as predictors of functioning: findings from the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study

PubMed Central

Pagano, M. E.; Skodol, A. E.; Stout, R. L.; Shea, M. T.; Yen, S.; Grilo, C. M.; Sanislow, C. A.; Bender, D. S.; McGlashan, T. H.; Zanarini, M. C.; Gunderson, J. G.

2008-01-01

Objective Although much attention has been given to the effects of adverse childhood experiences on the development of personality disorders (PDs), we know far less about how recent life events influence the ongoing course of functioning. We examined the extent to which PD subjects differ in rates of life events and the extent to which life events impact psychosocial functioning. Method A total of 633 subjects were drawn from the Collaborative Longitudinal Personality Disorders Study (CLPS), a multi-site study of four personality disorders – schizotypal (STPD), borderline (BPD), avoidant (AVPD), obsessive-compulsive (OCPD) – and a comparison group of major depressive disorders (MDD) without PD. Results Borderline personality disorder subjects reported significantly more total negative life events than other PDs or subjects with MDD. Negative events, especially interpersonal events, predicted decreased psychosocial functioning over time. Conclusion Our findings indicate higher rates of negative events in subjects with more severe PDs and suggest that negative life events adversely impact multiple areas of psychosocial functioning. PMID:15521826

Longitudinal Monitoring of Antibody Responses against Tumor Cells Using Magneto-nanosensors with a Nanoliter of Blood.

PubMed

Lee, Jung-Rok; Chan, Carmel T; Ruderman, Daniel; Chuang, Hui-Yen; Gaster, Richard S; Atallah, Michelle; Mallick, Parag; Lowe, Scott W; Gambhir, Sanjiv S; Wang, Shan X

2017-11-08

Each immunoglobulin isotype has unique immune effector functions. The contribution of these functions in the elimination of pathogens and tumors can be determined by monitoring quantitative temporal changes in isotype levels. Here, we developed a novel technique using magneto-nanosensors based on the effect of giant magnetoresistance (GMR) for longitudinal monitoring of total and antigen-specific isotype levels with high precision, using as little as 1 nL of serum. Combining in vitro serologic measurements with in vivo imaging techniques, we investigated the role of the antibody response in the regression of firefly luciferase (FL)-labeled lymphoma cells in spleen, kidney, and lymph nodes in a syngeneic Burkitt's lymphoma mouse model. Regression status was determined by whole body bioluminescent imaging (BLI). The magneto-nanosensors revealed that anti-FL IgG2a and total IgG2a were elevated and sustained in regression mice compared to non-regression mice (p < 0.05). This platform shows promise for monitoring immunotherapy, vaccination, and autoimmunity.

Human papillomavirus vaccination and sexual behaviour: cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys conducted in England.

PubMed

Forster, Alice S; Marlow, Laura A V; Stephenson, Judith; Wardle, Jane; Waller, Jo

2012-07-13

To examine whether HPV vaccination influences sexual behaviour in adolescent girls, either by giving them a 'green light' to have sex, or because perceived protection afforded by the vaccine permits compensatory risky sexual behaviour. Cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys. Seven English schools. Self-reported sexual behaviour. The cross-sectional survey included 1053 girls (mean age 17.1 years) who had (n=433 recruited in March 2010) or had not (n=620 recruited in March 2009) been offered the HPV vaccine. The longitudinal survey included 407 girls (mean age 17.5 years) who had been offered HPV vaccination and had either received at least one dose (n=148) or had not received any doses (n=259). In the cross-sectional survey, the group of girls who had been offered the HPV vaccine were no more likely to be sexually active than the group of girls who had not been offered the HPV vaccine. In the longitudinal survey, the vaccinated group were no more likely to have changed their condom use or increased their total number of sexual partners than the unvaccinated group. Neither being offered the HPV vaccine nor receiving it affected sexual behaviour. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal Loading and Nutrient Compositional Gradients in an Agriculturally Managed Watershed in West-Central Wisconsin

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-09-01

i.e., fertilizer and manure subsidies ). Nitrogen. Similar to total P, flow-weighted mean total N concentrations were not significantly different at...often used as a soil nutrient subsidy on corn and is also spread on hayfields after cutting, partly as a means of reducing manure surplus...James, W. F., Kennedy, R. H., and Gaugush, R F. (1990). “ Effects of large-scale metalimnetic migration events of phosphorus dynamics in a north

Why total knees fail-A modern perspective review.

PubMed

Lum, Zachary C; Shieh, Alvin K; Dorr, Lawrence D

2018-04-18

Historically, the most common mechanism of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) failures included aseptic loosening, instability and malalignment. As polyethylene production improved, modes of failure from polyethylene wear and subsequent osteolysis became less prevalent. Newer longitudinal studies report that infection has become the primary acute cause of failure with loosening and instability remaining as the overall greatest reasons for revision. Clinical database and worldwide national registries confirm these reports. With an increasing amount of TKA operations performed in the United States, and with focus on value-based healthcare, it is imperative to understand why total knees fail.

DVH- and NTCP-based dosimetric comparison of different longitudinal margins for VMAT-IMRT of esophageal cancer.

PubMed

Münch, S; Oechsner, M; Combs, S E; Habermehl, D

2017-08-15

To cover the microscopic tumor spread in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus (SCC), longitudinal margins of 3-4 cm are used for radiotherapy (RT) protocols. However, smaller margins of 2-3 cm might be reasonable when advanced diagnostic imaging is integrated into target volume delineation. Purpose of this study was to compare the dose distribution and deposition to the organs at risk (OAR) for different longitudinal margins using a DVH- and NTCP-based approach. Ten patients with SCC of the middle or lower third were retrospectively selected. Three planning target volumes (PTV) with longitudinal margins of 4 cm, 3 cm and 2 cm and an axial margin of 1.5 cm to the gross target volume (GTV) were defined for each patient. For each PTV two treatment plans with total doses of 41.4 Gy (neoadjuvant treatment) and 50.4 Gy (definite treatment) were calculated. Dose to the lungs, heart, myelon and liver were then evaluated and compared between different PTVs. When using a longitudinal margin of 3 cm instead of 4 cm, all dose parameters (Dmin, Dmean, Dmedian and V5-V35), except Dmax could be significantly reduced for the lungs. Regarding the heart, a significant reduction was seen for Dmean and V5, but not for Dmin, Dmax, Dmedian and V10-V35. When comparing a longitudinal margin of 4 cm to a longitudinal margin of 2 cm, a significant difference was calculated for Dmin, Dmean, Dmedian and V5-V35 of the lungs and for Dmax, Dmean and V5-V35 of the heart. Nevertheless, no difference was seen for median heart dose. An additional dose reduction for V10 of the heart was achieved for definite treatment plans when using a longitudinal margin of 3 cm. The NTCP-based risk of pneumonitis was significantly reduced by a margin reduction to 2 cm for neoadjuvant and definite treatment plans. Reduction of longitudinal margins from 4 cm to 3 cm can significantly reduce the dose to lungs and Dmean of the heart. Despite clinical benefit and oncologic outcome remain unclear, reduction of the longitudinal margins might provide the opportunity to reduce side effects of chemoradiation (CRT) for SCC in upcoming studies.

Child obesity and motor development delays

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Childhood obesity has been associated with delays in motor development using weight-for-length z-scores and subcutaneous fat. To study this further, percent body fat and motor development were assessed in children ages 3 to 24 months. Included were 455 children with a total of 1882 longitudinal obse...

Which emotional regulatory strategy makes Chinese adolescents happier? A longitudinal study.

PubMed

Sang, Biao; Deng, Xinmei; Luan, Ziyan

2014-12-01

Growing interest in emotion regulation is reflected in the studies of cognitive and social development. However, the extant studies mainly highlight how emotion regulation develops based on a western value system. This study utilised a longitudinal design to examine the development of emotion regulation and explored the contributions of different regulatory strategies to emotion experience regarding the early adolescent development period in a Chinese population. A total of 303 Chinese adolescents (age range = 10-14 years) were followed up in a three-phase longitudinal study for 3 years. In each phase of the study, participants completed Adolescents Emotion Regulation Questionnaire and Daily Emotion Scale. Results of hierarchical linear regressions revealed that Chinese adolescents reported more down-regulation. Down-regulation is more effective than up-regulation in enhancing desirable emotion experience and reducing undesirable emotion experience during adolescents' development. Also, the adaptive functions of emotional regulatory strategies in Chinese background were discussed. © 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.

High Peer Popularity Longitudinally Predicts Adolescent Health Risk Behavior, or Does It?: An Examination of Linear and Quadratic Associations

PubMed Central

Choukas-Bradley, Sophia C.; Helms, Sarah W.; Brechwald, Whitney A.; Rancourt, Diana

2011-01-01

Objective In contrast to prior work, recent theory suggests that high, not low, levels of adolescent peer popularity may be associated with health risk behavior. This study examined (a) whether popularity may be uniquely associated with cigarette use, marijuana use, and sexual risk behavior, beyond the predictive effects of aggression; (b) whether the longitudinal association between popularity and health risk behavior may be curvilinear; and (c) gender moderation. Methods A total of 336 adolescents, initially in 10–11th grades, reported cigarette use, marijuana use, and number of sexual intercourse partners at two time points 18 months apart. Sociometric peer nominations were used to examine popularity and aggression. Results Longitudinal quadratic effects and gender moderation suggest that both high and low levels of popularity predict some, but not all, health risk behaviors. Conclusions New theoretical models can be useful for understanding the complex manner in which health risk behaviors may be reinforced within the peer context. PMID:21852342

High peer popularity longitudinally predicts adolescent health risk behavior, or does it?: an examination of linear and quadratic associations.

PubMed

Prinstein, Mitchell J; Choukas-Bradley, Sophia C; Helms, Sarah W; Brechwald, Whitney A; Rancourt, Diana

2011-10-01

In contrast to prior work, recent theory suggests that high, not low, levels of adolescent peer popularity may be associated with health risk behavior. This study examined (a) whether popularity may be uniquely associated with cigarette use, marijuana use, and sexual risk behavior, beyond the predictive effects of aggression; (b) whether the longitudinal association between popularity and health risk behavior may be curvilinear; and (c) gender moderation. A total of 336 adolescents, initially in 10-11th grades, reported cigarette use, marijuana use, and number of sexual intercourse partners at two time points 18 months apart. Sociometric peer nominations were used to examine popularity and aggression. Longitudinal quadratic effects and gender moderation suggest that both high and low levels of popularity predict some, but not all, health risk behaviors. New theoretical models can be useful for understanding the complex manner in which health risk behaviors may be reinforced within the peer context.

Longitudinal relations between adolescents' materialism and prosocial behavior toward family, friends, and strangers.

PubMed

Yang, Zhixu; Fu, Xinyuan; Yu, Xiaoxia; Lv, Yichen

2018-01-01

The present study examines the short-term changes and longitudinal relations between adolescents' materialism and prosocial behavior toward family, friends, and strangers over a year. A total of 434 Chinese adolescents (mean age at Time 1 = 11.27; 54% girls) participated in the two time points. From 6 th grade to 7 th grade, boys' and girls' materialism increased, whereas their prosocial behavior toward family, friends, and strangers declined, despite the stable trend in boys' prosocial behavior toward strangers. Furthermore, a cross-lagged model was conducted and the results showed that, adolescent materialism was associated longitudinally with decreased prosocial behavior toward friends and strangers, but not toward family. However, earlier prosocial behavior toward family, friends, and strangers were not associated with subsequent adolescent materialism. The findings point toward an understanding of materialism as a precursor rather than an outcome or byproduct to prosocial behavior. Copyright © 2017 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficient single-mode (TEM{sub 00}) Nd : YVO{sub 4} laser with longitudinal 808-nm diode pumping

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Donin, V I; Yakovin, D V; Yakovin, M D

2013-10-31

A single-mode Nd : YVO{sub 4} laser with unidirectional longitudinal pumping by laser diodes with λ = 808 nm and a power of 40 W is studied. In the TEM{sub 00} mode, the output laser power is 24 W with the optical efficiency η{sub opt} = 57.1 % (slope efficiency 63.3 %), which, as far as we know, is the best result for Nd{sup 3+} : YVO{sub 4} lasers with longitudinal pumping at λ = 808 nm from one face of the active crystal. Estimates of thermal effects show that, using a Nd : YVO{sub 4} crystal (length 20 mm,more » diameter 3 mm, dopant concentration 0.27 at%) with two undoped ends and bidirectional diode pumping with a total power of 170 W, one can obtain an output power of ∼100 W in the TEM{sub 00} mode from one active element. (lasers)« less

Long-term analysis of health status and preventive behavior in music students across an entire university program.

PubMed

Spahn, Claudia; Nusseck, Manfred; Zander, Mark

2014-03-01

The aim of this investigation was to analyze longitudinal data concerning physical and psychological health, playing-related problems, and preventive behavior among music students across their complete 4- to 5-year study period. In a longitudinal, observational study, we followed students during their university training and measured their psychological and physical health status and preventive behavior using standardized questionnaires at four different times. The data were in accordance with previous findings. They demonstrated three groups of health characteristics observed in beginners of music study: healthy students (cluster 1), students with preclinical symptoms (cluster 2), and students who are clinically symptomatic (cluster 3). In total, 64% of all students remained in the same cluster group during their whole university training. About 10% of the students showed considerable health problems and belonged to the third cluster group. The three clusters of health characteristics found in this longitudinal study with music students necessitate that prevention programs for musicians must be adapted to the target audience.

Minimizing coal terminal marine structure costs. A case history: Plaquemines Parish terminal. [Dock and piles design to absorb and distribute impact and longitudinal forces

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pardon, D.V.; Faeth, M.T.; Curth, O.

1981-01-01

At International Marine Terminals' Plaquemines Parish Terminal, design optimization was accomplished by optimizing the dock pile bent spacing and designing the superstructure to distribute berthing impact forces and bollard pulls over a large number of pile bents. Also, by resisting all longitudinal forces acting on the dock at a single location near the center of the structure, the number of longitudinal batter piles was minimized and the need for costly expansion joints was eliminated. Computer techniques were utilized to analyze and optimize the design of the new dock. Pile driving procedures were evaluated utilizing a wave equation technique. Tripod dolphinsmore » with a resilient fender system were provided. The resilent fender system, a combination of rubber shear type and wing type fenders, adds only a small percentage to the total cost of the dolphins but greatly increases their energy absorption capability.« less

Wind shear detection using measurement of aircraft total energy change

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joppa, R. G.

1976-01-01

Encounters with wind shears are of concern and have caused major accidents, particularly during landing approaches. Changes in the longitudinal component of the wind affect the aircraft by changing its kinetic energy with respect to the air. It is shown that an instrument which will measure and display the rate of change of total energy of the aircraft with respect to the air will give a leading indication of wind shear problems. The concept is outlined and some instrumentation and display considerations are discussed.

76 FR 31927 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request-Formative Research...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-02

... (pretest) survey, and one at posttest, for a total of two responses each. Finally, the school foodservice... inform curriculum revisions. A longitudinal, repeated measure, pretest-posttest design with a combination... students will be asked to participate in a pre-intervention (pretest) survey, post-intervention (posttest...

Linkages over Time between Adolescents' Relationships with Parents and Friends

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Goede, Irene H. A.; Branje, Susan J. T.; Delsing, Marc J. M. H.; Meeus, Wim H. J.

2009-01-01

This 5-wave longitudinal study examines linkages over time between adolescents' perceptions of relationships with parents and friends with respect to support, negative interaction, and power. A total of 575 early adolescents (54.1% boys) and 337 middle adolescents (43.3% boys) participated. Path analyses mainly showed bidirectional associations…

RAN and Double-Deficit Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cronin, Virginia S.

2013-01-01

Lervag and Hulme’s neuro-developmental theory and Wolf and Bowers’s double-deficit hypothesis were examined in this longitudinal study. A total of 130 children were tested in preschool and followed through fifth grade, when 84 remained in the study. During preschool and kindergarten the participants were given tests of end-sound discrimination…

The Extended Family and Children's Educational Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaeger, Mads Meier

2012-01-01

Research on family background and educational success focuses almost exclusively on two generations: parents and children. This study argues that the extended family contributes significantly to the total effect of family background on educational success. Analyses using the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study show that, net of family factors shared by…

Satisfaction with Hospital Care and Interventions after Pregnancy Loss.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lasker, Judith N.; Toedter, Lori J.

1994-01-01

Conducted longitudinal study of 194 women and men who experienced miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, or newborn death to examine recommended interventions. Subjects were more satisfied if they had experienced intervention than if they had not, but having experienced more total interventions was not associated with lower grief or greater…

Popularity Contagion among Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marks, Peter E. L.; Cillessen, Antonius H. N.; Crick, Nicki R.

2012-01-01

This study aimed to support the theory of popularity contagion, which posits that popularity spreads among friends spontaneously and regardless of behavioral changes. Peer nominations of status and behavior were collected annually between 6th and 12th grades from a total of 1062 adolescents. Longitudinal hypotheses were mostly supported using path…

Alumni Perspectives Survey, 2010. Survey Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheikh, Sabeen

2010-01-01

During the months of April and September of 2009, the Graduate Management Admission Council[R] (GMAC[R]) conducted the Alumni Perspectives Survey, a longitudinal study of prior respondents to the Global Management Education Graduate Survey of management students nearing graduation. A total of 3,708 alumni responded to the April 2009 survey,…

Reciprocal, Longitudinal Associations among Adolescents' Negative Feedback-Seeking, Depressive Symptoms, and Peer Relations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borelli, Jessica L.; Prinstein, Mitchell J.

2006-01-01

This study examined reciprocal associations among adolescents' negative feedback-seeking, depressive symptoms, perceptions of friendship quality, and peer-reported social preference over an 11-month period. A total of 478 adolescents in grades 6-8 completed measures of negative feedback-seeking, depressive symptoms, friendship quality,…

Computational fluid dynamics characterization of a novel mixed cell raceway design

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was performed on a new type of mixed cell raceway (MCR) that incorporates longitudinal plug flow using inlet and outlet weirs for the primary fraction of the total flow. As opposed to regular MCR wherein vortices are entirely characterized by the boundary ...

Determinants of Adult Functional Outcome in Adolescents Receiving Special Educational Assistance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGeown, H. R.; Johnstone, E. C.; McKirdy, J.; Owens, D. C.; Stanfield, A. C.

2013-01-01

Background: This study investigates the role of IQ, autistic traits and challenging behaviours in affecting adult outcomes among adolescents who receive special educational assistance. Methods: A total of 58 participants were recruited from an ongoing longitudinal study. All received assessments of IQ, behavioural patterns (using the Childhood…

Latent Motivational Change in an Academic Setting: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Otis, Nancy; Grouzet, Frederick M. E.; Pelletier, Luc G.

2005-01-01

This research examined changes in intrinsic and extrinsic motivation during the transition from junior to senior high school as well as the impact of motivational changes on various educational consequences (i.e., dropout intentions, absenteeism, homework frequency, and educational aspirations). A total of 646 participants completed a…

Change in active travel and changes in recreational and total physical activity in adults: longitudinal findings from the iConnect study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background To better understand the health benefits of promoting active travel, it is important to understand the relationship between a change in active travel and changes in recreational and total physical activity. Methods These analyses, carried out in April 2012, use longitudinal data from 1628 adult respondents (mean age 54 years; 47% male) in the UK-based iConnect study. Travel and recreational physical activity were measured using detailed seven-day recall instruments. Adjusted linear regression models were fitted with change in active travel defined as ‘decreased’ (<−15 min/week), ‘maintained’ (±15 min/week) or ‘increased’ (>15 min/week) as the primary exposure variable and changes in (a) recreational and (b) total physical activity (min/week) as the primary outcome variables. Results Active travel increased in 32% (n=529), was maintained in 33% (n=534) and decreased in 35% (n=565) of respondents. Recreational physical activity decreased in all groups but this decrease was not greater in those whose active travel increased. Conversely, changes in active travel were associated with commensurate changes in total physical activity. Compared with those whose active travel remained unchanged, total physical activity decreased by 176.9 min/week in those whose active travel had decreased (adjusted regression coefficient −154.9, 95% CI −195.3 to −114.5) and was 112.2 min/week greater among those whose active travel had increased (adjusted regression coefficient 135.1, 95% CI 94.3 to 175.9). Conclusion An increase in active travel was associated with a commensurate increase in total physical activity and not a decrease in recreational physical activity. PMID:23445724

Longitudinal changes in abdominal fat distribution with menopause.

PubMed

Franklin, Ruth M; Ploutz-Snyder, Lori; Kanaley, Jill A

2009-03-01

Increases in abdominal fat have been reported with menopause, but the impact of menopause on abdominal fat distribution (visceral vs subcutaneous) is still unclear. The objective of the study was to determine if abdominal fat content (volume) or distribution is altered with menopause. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to quantify total abdominal, subcutaneous, and visceral fat in 8 healthy women, both in the premenopausal state and 8 years later in the postmenopausal state. Physical activity (PA) and blood lipids were also measured. Body weight and waist circumference did not change with menopause (pre- vs postmenopause: body weight, 63.2 +/- 3.1 vs 63.9 +/- 2.5 kg; waist circumference, 92.1 +/- 4.6 vs 93.4 +/- 3.7 cm); however, total abdominal fat, subcutaneous fat, and visceral fat all significantly (P < .05) increased with menopause (pre- vs postmenopause: total, 27 154 +/- 4268 vs 34 717 +/- 3272 cm(3); subcutaneous, 19 981 +/- 3203 vs 24 918 +/- 2521 cm(3); visceral, 7173 +/- 1611 vs 9798 +/- 1644 cm(3)). Although absolute adiposity changed with menopause, relative fat distribution was not significantly different after menopause (pre- vs postmenopause: subcutaneous, 73% +/- 3% vs 71% +/- 3%; visceral, 26% +/- 3% vs 28% +/- 3%). Lean mass, fat mass, and PA, along with total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, did not change with menopause. High-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein both increased (P < .05), and the ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein decreased (P < .05) with menopause. As measured longitudinally with magnetic resonance imaging, total abdominal fat content increased with menopause despite no change in PA, body weight, or waist circumference; however, menopause did not affect the relative abdominal fat distribution in these women.

Longitudinal dependence of the seasonal variations of the topside ionospheric and plasmaspheric electron content: observations and model results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Man-Lian; Liu, Libo; Ning, Baiqi; Wan, Weixing

2016-07-01

Radio signals transmitted from GPS satellite going through the ionization zone above the Earth will be refracted by the ionized components in the ionosphere and the plasmasphere, which would produce additional transfer delay and generate extra errors in satellite navigation and positioning, etc. These errors have strong relation with the total electron content (TEC) along the signal's travelling path. Therefore TEC is one of the most important parameters required by many users for different modern usage purposes. The topside ionospheric and plasmaspheric electron content makes a large contribution to TEC. In the present study, data for the year 2008 of the topside ionospheric and plasmaspheric electron content (PEC) between the height of 800-20200km above the Earth derived from the upward-looking TEC measurements of the precise orbit determination antenna on board the COSMIC low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to the GPS signals are used to study the longitudinal dependence of the seasonal variations of PEC. A comparison study of the observed PEC with the IZMIRAN_Plas model results is also made. Our study showed that PEC shows different seasonal variations at different longitudinal sectors: for the 240°E-60°E longitudinal sector, PEC shows a strong annual variation with lowest value in the June solstice and highest value in the December solstice months; In contrast, very weak seasonal variations are observed for PEC at 60°E-240°E longitudinal sector; Comparison study showed that this longitudinal dependence feature of the observed PEC's seasonal variation is not well captured by the IZMIRAN_Plas model result. Acknowledgments This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC No. 41274163)

Experimental Research on Seismic Performance of Four-Element Variable Cross-Sectional Concrete Filled Steel Tubular Laced Columns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ou, Zhijing; Lin, Jianmao; Chen, Shengfu; Lin, Wen

2017-10-01

A total of 7 experimental tests were conducted to investigate seismic performance of four element variable cross-sectional Concrete Filled Steel Tubular (CFST) laced columns. The experimental parameters are longitudinal slope and arrangement type of lacing tubes. The rules on hysteresis loop, ductility, energy expenditure, and stiffness degradation of specimens are researched. Test results indicate that all specimens have good seismic performance; their hysteresis loops are full without obvious shrinkage. With the increase of longitudinal slope, the horizontal carrying capacity increases, energy dissipation capacity improve, and there is slightly increase in stiffness degradation. The influence of arrangement type of lacing tubes on displacement ductility of specimens is big.

Incremental Value of Repeated Risk Factor Measurements for Cardiovascular Disease Prediction in Middle-Aged Korean Adults: Results From the NHIS-HEALS (National Health Insurance System-National Health Screening Cohort).

PubMed

Cho, In-Jeong; Sung, Ji Min; Chang, Hyuk-Jae; Chung, Namsik; Kim, Hyeon Chang

2017-11-01

Increasing evidence suggests that repeatedly measured cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors may have an additive predictive value compared with single measured levels. Thus, we evaluated the incremental predictive value of incorporating periodic health screening data for CVD prediction in a large nationwide cohort with periodic health screening tests. A total of 467 708 persons aged 40 to 79 years and free from CVD were randomly divided into development (70%) and validation subcohorts (30%). We developed 3 different CVD prediction models: a single measure model using single time point screening data; a longitudinal average model using average risk factor values from periodic screening data; and a longitudinal summary model using average values and the variability of risk factors. The development subcohort included 327 396 persons who had 3.2 health screenings on average and 25 765 cases of CVD over 12 years. The C statistics (95% confidence interval [CI]) for the single measure, longitudinal average, and longitudinal summary models were 0.690 (95% CI, 0.682-0.698), 0.695 (95% CI, 0.687-0.703), and 0.752 (95% CI, 0.744-0.760) in men and 0.732 (95% CI, 0.722-0.742), 0.735 (95% CI, 0.725-0.745), and 0.790 (95% CI, 0.780-0.800) in women, respectively. The net reclassification index from the single measure model to the longitudinal average model was 1.78% in men and 1.33% in women, and the index from the longitudinal average model to the longitudinal summary model was 32.71% in men and 34.98% in women. Using averages of repeatedly measured risk factor values modestly improves CVD predictability compared with single measurement values. Incorporating the average and variability information of repeated measurements can lead to great improvements in disease prediction. URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02931500. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

Convenience food in the diet of children and adolescents: consumption and composition.

PubMed

Alexy, Ute; Sichert-Hellert, Wolfgang; Rode, Tabea; Kersting, Mathilde

2008-02-01

Despite an increasing trend towards the use of convenience food, there is to date little debate on it in the nutritional sciences. In the present study, we present and evaluate data on consumption frequencies and composition of savoury convenience food in German families using data from the Dortmund Nutritional and Anthropometric Longitudinally Designed (DONALD) Study. The DONALD Study is an ongoing, longitudinal (open cohort) study (started 1985), collecting detailed data on diet, development, and metabolism in infants, children and adolescents. Dietary intake was measured by yearly repeated 3 d weighed dietary records (n 1558) in 554 subjects (278 boys; 276 girls), 3-18 years old, between 2003 and 2006. A total of 1345 (86%) 3 d dietary records mentioned consumption of at least one convenience food. Convenience food consumption (percentage of total food intake, g/d) increased with age from approximately 3% in the 3-8 year olds to 7% in 14-18-year-old boys and 5% in 14-18-year-old girls (P < 0.0001) but remained constant during the study period. Convenience foods contributed more to total fat (g/d) (P < 0.001) and less to total carbohydrate (P < 0.0001) than to total energy (kJ/d) intake. The 700 convenience-food products recorded by our sample had on average fourteen ingredients; 4% were flavourings and 16% were food additives. In conclusion, convenience foods were widely consumed by our sample of German children and adolescents and their consumption increased with age. The composition of convenience food was characterised by a high fat content and a high number of flavourings and food additives.

Longitudinal study of effects of patient characteristics on direct costs in Alzheimer disease.

PubMed

Zhu, C W; Scarmeas, N; Torgan, R; Albert, M; Brandt, J; Blacker, D; Sano, M; Stern, Y

2006-09-26

To estimate long-term trajectories of direct cost of caring for patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) and examine the effects of patients' characteristics on cost longitudinally. The sample is drawn from the Predictors Study, a large, multicenter cohort of patients with probable AD, prospectively followed up annually for up to 7 years in three university-based AD centers in the United States. Random effects models estimated the effects of patients' clinical and sociodemographic characteristics on direct cost of care. Direct cost included cost associated with medical and nonmedical care. Clinical characteristics included cognitive status (measured by Mini-Mental State Examination), functional capacity (measured by Blessed Dementia Rating Scale [BDRS]), psychotic symptoms, behavioral problems, depressive symptoms, extrapyramidal signs, and comorbidities. The model also controlled for patients' sex, age, and living arrangements. Total direct cost increased from approximately 9,239 dollars per patient per year at baseline, when all patients were at the early stages of the disease, to 19,925 dollars by year 4. After controlling for other variables, a one-point increase in the BDRS score increased total direct cost by 7.7%. One more comorbid condition increased total direct cost by 14.3%. Total direct cost was 20.8% lower for patients living at home compared with those living in an institutional setting. Total direct cost of caring for patients with Alzheimer disease increased substantially over time. Much of the cost increases were explained by patients' clinical and demographic variables. Comorbidities and functional capacity were associated with higher direct cost over time.

Mediterranean-type diet and brain structural change from 73 to 76 years in a Scottish cohort

PubMed Central

Corley, Janie; Cox, Simon R.; Valdés Hernández, Maria C.; Craig, Leone C.A.; Dickie, David Alexander; Karama, Sherif; McNeill, Geraldine M.; Bastin, Mark E.; Wardlaw, Joanna M.; Deary, Ian J.

2017-01-01

Objective: To assess the association between Mediterranean-type diet (MeDi) and change in brain MRI volumetric measures and mean cortical thickness across a 3-year period in older age (73–76 years). Methods: We focused on 2 longitudinal brain volumes (total and gray matter; n = 401 and 398, respectively) plus a longitudinal measurement of cortical thickness (n = 323), for which the previous cross-sectional evidence of an association with the MeDi was strongest. Adherence to the MeDi was calculated from data gathered from a food frequency questionnaire at age 70, 3 years prior to the baseline imaging data collection. Results: In regression models adjusting for relevant demographic and physical health indicators, we found that lower adherence to the MeDi was associated with greater 3-year reduction in total brain volume (explaining 0.5% of variance, p < 0.05). This effect was half the size of the largest covariate effect (i.e., age). Cross-sectional associations between MeDi and baseline MRI measures in 562 participants were not significant. Targeted analyses of meat and fish consumption did not replicate previous associations with total brain volume or total gray matter volume. Conclusions: Lower adherence to the MeDi in an older Scottish cohort is predictive of total brain atrophy over a 3-year interval. Fish and meat consumption does not drive this change, suggesting that other components of the MeDi or, possibly, all of its components in combination are responsible for the association. PMID:28053008

Everyday Cognition in Prodromal Huntington Disease

PubMed Central

Williams, Janet K.; Kim, Ji-In; Downing, Nancy; Farias, Sarah; Harrington, Deborah L.; Long, Jeffrey D.; Mills, James A.; Paulsen, Jane S.

2014-01-01

Objective Assessment of daily functions affected by cognitive loss in prodromal Huntington disease (HD) is necessary in practice and clinical trials. We evaluated baseline and longitudinal sensitivity of the Everyday Cognition (ECog) scales in prodromal HD and compared self- and companion-ratings. Method Everyday cognition was self-assessed by 850 participants with prodromal HD and 768 companions. We examined internal structure using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on baseline data. For longitudinal analysis, we stratified participants into Low, Medium, and High disease progression groups. We examined ECog scores for group differences and participant-and-companion differences using linear mixed effects regression (LMER). Comparison with the Total Functional Capacity (TFC) scale was made. Results CFA revealed good fit of a 5-factor model having a global factor (total score), and sub factors (subscales) of memory, language, visuospatial perception, and executive function. At study entry, participants and companions in the Medium and High groups reported significantly worsened everyday cognition as well as significant functional decline over time. Losses became more pronounced and participant and companion ratings diverged as individuals progressed. TFC showed significant functional loss over time in the High group but not in the Medium group. Conclusions Disease progression is associated with reduced self- and companion-reported everyday cognition in prodromal HD participants who are less than 13 years to estimated motor onset. Our findings suggest companion ratings are more sensitive than participants’ for detecting longitudinal change in daily cognitive function. ECog appears more sensitive to specific functional changes in the prodrome of HD than the TFC. PMID:25000321

Short sleep duration as a risk factor for hypercholesterolemia: analyses of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.

PubMed

Gangwisch, James E; Malaspina, Dolores; Babiss, Lindsay A; Opler, Mark G; Posner, Kelly; Shen, Sa; Turner, J Blake; Zammit, Gary K; Ginsberg, Henry N

2010-07-01

To explore the relationship between sleep duration in adolescence and hypercholesterolemia in young adulthood. Experimental sleep restriction has been shown to significantly increase total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels in women. Short sleep duration has been found in cross sectional studies to be associated with higher total cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol levels. Sleep deprivation could increase the risk for hypercholesterolemia by increasing appetite and dietary consumption of saturated fats, decreasing motivation to engage in regular physical activity, and increasing stress and resultant catecholamine induced lipolysis. No previous published population studies have examined the longitudinal relationship between sleep duration and high cholesterol. Multivariate longitudinal analyses stratified by sex of the ADD Health using logistic regression. United States nationally representative, school-based, probability-based sample. Adolescents (n = 14,257) in grades 7 to 12 at baseline (1994-95) and ages 18 to 26 at follow-up (2001-02). Among females, each additional hour of sleep was associated with a significantly decreased odds of being diagnosed with high cholesterol in young adulthood (OR = 0.85, 95% CI 0.75-0.96) after controlling for covariates. Additional sleep was associated with decreased, yet not statistically significant, odds ratios for hypercholesterolemia in males (OR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.79-1.05). Short sleep durations in adolescent women could be a significant risk factor for high cholesterol. Interventions that lengthen sleep could potentially serve as treatments and as primary preventative measures for hypercholesterolemia.

Performance of Gout Impact Scale in a longitudinal observational study of patients with gout

PubMed Central

Wallace, Beth; Khanna, Dinesh; Aquino-Beaton, Cleopatra; Singh, Jasvinder A.; Duffy, Erin; Elashoff, David

2016-01-01

Abstract Objective. The aim was to evaluate the reliability, validity and responsiveness to change of the Gout Impact Scale (GIS), a disease-specific measure of patient-reported outcomes, in a multicentre longitudinal prospective cohort of gout patients. Methods. Subjects completed the GIS, a 24-item instrument with five scales: Concern Overall, Medication Side Effects, Unmet Treatment Need, Well-Being during Attack, and Concern Over Attack. The total GIS score was calculated by averaging the GIS scale scores. HAQ-Disability Index (HAQ-DI), Short Form (SF)-36 physical and mental component summaries (PCS and MCS) and physician and patient gout severity assessments were also completed. Reliability was assessed with Cronbach’s α. Baseline GIS scores were compared in subjects with and without gout attacks in the past 3 months using Wilcoxon rank sum tests. Multivariate linear regression was used to evaluate predictors of total GIS. Pearson’s correlation coefficients 0.24–0.36 were considered moderate and >0.37 considered large. The effect size for responsiveness to change was interpreted as follows: 0.20–0.49 small, 0.50–0.79 medium and >0.79 large. Results. In 147 subjects, reliability was acceptable for total GIS (0.93) and all GIS scales (0.82–0.94) except Medication Side Effects and Unmet Treatment Need. Total GIS and all scales except Medication Side Effects discriminated between subjects with and without recent gout attacks (P < 0.05). Total GIS showed moderate-to-large correlations with HAQ-DI, SF-36 PCS and MCS (0.33–0.46). Improvement in total GIS tracked with improved physician and patient severity scores. Worsening physician severity score and recent gout attack predicted worsening total GIS. Conclusion. Total GIS score is reliable, valid and responsive to change in patients with gout, and differentiates between subjects with and without recent gout attacks. PMID:26888852

Total and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase are associated with bone mineral density over time in end-stage renal disease patients starting dialysis.

PubMed

Bergman, Annelie; Qureshi, Abdul Rashid; Haarhaus, Mathias; Lindholm, Bengt; Barany, Peter; Heimburger, Olof; Stenvinkel, Peter; Anderstam, Björn

2017-04-01

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bone-specific ALP (BALP) are implicated in the abnormal skeletal mineralization and accelerated vascular calcification in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Whereas ALP and BALP may predict mortality in CKD, BALP is reported to have higher sensitivity and specificity than total ALP in reflecting histological alterations in bone; however, results on their associations with bone mineral density (BMD) are inconsistent. Here we evaluated associations of total ALP and BALP with BMD during up to 24 months in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. In this longitudinal study, 194 ESRD patients (median age 57 years, 66 % male, 32 % diabetes mellitus, mean body mass index 24.8 kg/m 2 ) underwent measurements of total ALP and BALP and total and regional body BMD (by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) at dialysis initiation (n = 194), and after 12 (n = 98) and 24 months (n = 40) on dialysis. At baseline, patients had median total ALP 65.4 (43.3-126.4) U/l, BALP 13.5 (7.1-27.3) µg/l and BMD 1.14 (0.97-1.31) g/cm 2 . During the study period, serum concentrations of ALP and BALP increased significantly (p < 0.001), whereas total and regional BMD remained stable. BMD correlated inversely with total ALP (rho = -0.20, p = 0.005) and BALP (rho = -0.30, p < 0.001) at baseline, and correlations were similar also at 12 and 24 months. ALP and BALP are equally accurate albeit weak predictors of BMD in ESRD patients, both at baseline and longitudinally. The dissociation between stable BMD and increasing ALP and BALP may possibly reflect increased soft tissue calcifications with time on dialysis.

Social Media Use, Social Media Stress, and Sleep: Examining Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Relationships in Adolescents.

PubMed

van der Schuur, Winneke A; Baumgartner, Susanne E; Sumter, Sindy R

2018-01-09

There are concerns that social media (SM) use and SM stress may disrupt sleep. However, evidence on both the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships is limited. Therefore, the main aim of this study is to address this gap in the literature by examining the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between SM use, SM stress, and sleep (i.e., sleep latency and daytime sleepiness) in adolescents. In total, 1,441 adolescents 11-15 years, 51% boys) filled out a survey in at least one of three waves that were three to four months apart (N Wave1  = 1,241; N Wave2  = 1,216; N Wave3  = 1,103). Cross-sectionally, we found that SM use and SM stress were positively related to sleep latency and daytime sleepiness. However, when examined together, SM use was not a significant predictor of sleep latency and daytime sleepiness above the effects of SM stress. The longitudinal findings showed that SM stress was positively related to subsequent sleep latency and daytime sleepiness, but only among girls. Our findings stress that it is important to focus on how adolescents perceive and cope with their SM use, instead of focusing on the mere frequency of SM use.

Hydroxychloroquine reduces low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in systemic lupus erythematosus: a longitudinal evaluation of the lipid-lowering effect.

PubMed

Cairoli, E; Rebella, M; Danese, N; Garra, V; Borba, E F

2012-10-01

The influence of antimalarials on lipids in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been identified in several studies but not in many prospective cohorts. The aim of this study was to longitudinally determine the effect of antimalarials on the lipoprotein profile in SLE. Fasting total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) plasma levels were determined at entry and after 3 months of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) treatment in a longitudinal evaluation of 24 patients with SLE. a significant decrease in TC (198 ± 33.7 vs. 183 ± 30.3 mg/dl, p = 0.023) and LDL levels (117 ± 31.3 vs. 101 ± 26.2 mg/dl, p = 0.023) were detected after the 3 months of HCQ therapy. The reduction of 7.6% in TC (p = 0.055) and 13.7% in LDL levels (p = 0.036) determined a significant decrease in the frequency of dyslipidemia (26% vs. 12.5%, p = 0.013) after HCQ therapy. This longitudinal study demonstrated the beneficial effect of antimalarials on lipids in SLE since this therapy induced a reduction of atherogenic lipoproteins.

Predictors for Physical Activity in Adolescent Girls Using Statistical Shrinkage Techniques for Hierarchical Longitudinal Mixed Effects Models

PubMed Central

Grant, Edward M.; Young, Deborah Rohm; Wu, Tong Tong

2015-01-01

We examined associations among longitudinal, multilevel variables and girls’ physical activity to determine the important predictors for physical activity change at different adolescent ages. The Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls 2 study (Maryland) contributed participants from 8th (2009) to 11th grade (2011) (n=561). Questionnaires were used to obtain demographic, and psychosocial information (individual- and social-level variables); height, weight, and triceps skinfold to assess body composition; interviews and surveys for school-level data; and self-report for neighborhood-level variables. Moderate to vigorous physical activity minutes were assessed from accelerometers. A doubly regularized linear mixed effects model was used for the longitudinal multilevel data to identify the most important covariates for physical activity. Three fixed effects at the individual level and one random effect at the school level were chosen from an initial total of 66 variables, consisting of 47 fixed effects and 19 random effects variables, in additional to the time effect. Self-management strategies, perceived barriers, and social support from friends were the three selected fixed effects, and whether intramural or interscholastic programs were offered in middle school was the selected random effect. Psychosocial factors and friend support, plus a school’s physical activity environment, affect adolescent girl’s moderate to vigorous physical activity longitudinally. PMID:25928064

Total marrow irradiation using Helical TomoTherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia-Fernandez, Lourdes Maria

Clinical dose response data of human tumours are limited or restricted to a radiation dose range determined by the level of toxicity to the normal tissues. This is the case for the most common disseminated plasma cell neoplasm, multiple myeloma, where the maximum dose deliverable to the entire bony skeleton using a standard total body irradiation (TBI) technique is limited to about 12 Gy. This study is part of scientific background of a phase I/II dose escalation clinical trial for multiple myeloma using image-guided intensity modulated radiotherapy (IG-IMRT) to deliver high dose to the entire volume of bone marrow with Helical TomoTherapy (HT). This relatively new technology can deliver highly conformal dose distributions to complex target shapes while reducing the dose to critical normal tissues. In this study tools for comparing and predicting the effectiveness of different approaches to total marrow irradiation (TMI) using HT were provided. The expected dose response for plasma cell neoplasms was computed and a radiobiological evaluation of different treatment cohorts in a dose escalating study was performed. Normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) and tumour control probability (TCP) models were applied to an actual TMI treatment plan for a patient and the implications of using different longitudinal field widths were assessed. The optimum dose was ˜39 Gy for which a predicted tumour control of 95% (+/-3%) was obtained, with a predicted 3% (0, 8%) occurrence of radiation pneumonitis. Tissue sparing was seen by using smaller field widths only in the organs of the head. This suggests it would be beneficial to use the small fields in the head only since using small fields for the whole treatment would lead to long treatment times. In TMI it may be necessary to junction two longitudinally adjacent treatment volumes to form a contiguous planning target volume PTV. For instance, this is the case when a different SUP-INF spatial resolution is required or when the PTV length exceeds the bed travel distance. In this work, the dosimetric challenges associated with junctioning longitudinally adjacent PTVs with HT were analyzed and the feasibility of PTV junctioning was demonstrated. The benefits of spatially dividing or splitting the treatment into a few sub-treatments along the longitudinal direction were also investigated.

SU-F-J-55: Feasibility of Supraclavicular Field Treatment by Investigating Variation of Junction Position Between Breast Tangential and Supraclavicular Fields for Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) Left Breast Radiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhao, H; Sarkar, V; Paxton, A

Purpose: To explore the feasibility of supraclavicular field treatment by investigating the variation of junction position between tangential and supraclavicular fields during left breast radiation using DIBH technique. Methods: Six patients with left breast cancer treated using DIBH technique were included in this study. AlignRT system was used to track patient’s breast surface. During daily treatment, when the patient’s DIBH reached preset AlignRT tolerance of ±3mm for all principle directions (vertical, longitudinal, and lateral), the remaining longitudinal offset was recorded. The average with standard-deviation and the range of daily longitudinal offset for the entire treatment course were calculated for allmore » six patients (93 fractions totally). The ranges of average ± 1σ and 2σ were calculated, and they represent longitudinal field edge error with the confidence level of 68% and 95%. Based on these longitudinal errors, dose at junction between breast tangential and supraclavicular fields with variable gap/overlap sizes was calculated as a percentage of prescription (on a representative patient treatment plan). Results: The average of longitudinal offset for all patients is 0.16±1.32mm, and the range of longitudinal offset is −2.6 to 2.6mm. The range of longitudinal field edge error at 68% confidence level is −1.48 to 1.16mm, and at 95% confidence level is −2.80 to 2.48mm. With a 5mm and 1mm gap, the junction dose could be as low as 37.5% and 84.9% of prescription dose; with a 5mm and 1mm overlap, the junction dose could be as high as 169.3% and 117.6%. Conclusion: We observed longitudinal field edge error at 95% confidence level is about ±2.5mm, and the junction dose could reach 70% hot/cold between different DIBH. However, over the entire course of treatment, the average junction variation for all patients is within 0.2mm. The results from our study shows it is potentially feasible to treat supraclavicular field with breast tangents.« less

Care Transitions and Adult Day Services Moderate the Longitudinal Links between Stress Biomarkers and Family Caregivers' Functional Health.

PubMed

Liu, Yin; Almeida, David M; Rovine, Michael J; Zarit, Steven H

2017-01-01

Stress biomarkers have been linked to health and well-being. There are, however, few studies on how dysregulation in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and sympathetic nervous system actually affects functional health of family caregivers of persons with dementia. Further, it is not clear whether and how factors affecting caregiving stressor exposures such as care transitions and adult day services (ADS) use may affect such association. First, to examine the association of daily stress biomarkers and functional health over time among family caregivers of persons with dementia. Second, to examine effects of care transitions and ADS use on the association between baseline stress biomarkers and functional health over time. At baseline, caregivers provided 5 saliva samples each day during an 8-day diary study, where all caregivers were having a varying number of ADS days per week. There were 2 longitudinal follow-ups at 6 and 12 months on ADS use, care transitions, and caregivers' functional health. The average daily total output across days was computed at baseline for salivary cortisol, the sulfated form of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA-s), and salivary alpha amylase (sAA), which were used as predictors of caregivers' longitudinal functional limitation trajectories. Care transitions and total number of ADS days per week at baseline were considered as moderators of the associations between stress biomarkers and health over time. The associations between functional limitation trajectories and daily total outputs of cortisol and sAA were modified by ADS use and care transitions. Among caregivers who experienced a transition, and who used less than average ADS days per week, lower daily cortisol total output and lower daily sAA total output were associated with increasing functional limitations. Caregivers who experienced a transition but used greater than average ADS days per week did not show such patterns of association. No significant effect was found for DHEA-s. The study contributes to an important but largely unanswered question regarding implications of stress biomarkers on functional health. Assessments of the association between stress biomarkers and health among family caregivers of persons with dementia need to consider changes in stressor exposures over time, such as care transitions and ADS use. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Longitudinal relationships between whole body and central adiposity on weight-bearing bone geometry, density, and bone strength: a pQCT study in young girls

PubMed Central

Farr, Joshua N.; Laudermilk, Monica J.; Lee, Vinson R.; Blew, Robert M.; Stump, Craig; Houtkooper, Linda; Lohman, Timothy G.; Going, Scott B.

2015-01-01

Summary Longitudinal relationships between adiposity (total body and central) and bone development were assessed in young girls. Total body and android fat masses were positively associated with bone strength and density parameters of the femur and tibia. These results suggest adiposity may have site-specific stimulating effects on the developing bone. Introduction Childhood obesity may impair bone development, but the relationships between adiposity and bone remain unclear. Failure to account for fat pattern may explain the conflicting results. Purpose Longitudinal associations of total body fat mass (TBFM) and android fat mass (AFM) with 2-year changes in weight-bearing bone parameters were examined in 260 girls aged 8–13 years at baseline. Peripheral quantitative computed tomography was used to measure bone strength index (BSI, square milligrams per quartic millimeter), strength–strain index (SSI, cubic millimeters), and volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD, milligrams per cubic centimeter) at distal metaphyseal and diaphyseal regions of the femur and tibia. TBFM and AFM were assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Results Baseline TBFM and AFM were positively associated with the change in femur BSI (r =0.20, r =0.17, respectively) and femur trabecular vBMD (r =0.19, r =0.19, respectively). Similarly, positive associations were found between TBFM and change in tibia BSI and SSI (r =0.16, r =0.15, respectively), and femur total and trabecular vBMD (r =0.12, r =0.14, respectively). Analysis of covariance showed that girls in the middle thirds of AFM had significantly lower femur trabecular vBMD and significantly higher tibia cortical vBMD than girls in the highest thirds of AFM. All results were significant at p <0.05. Conclusions Whereas baseline levels of TBFM and AFM are positive predictors of bone strength and density at the femur and tibia, higher levels of AFM above a certain level may impair cortical vBMD growth at weight-bearing sites. Future studies in obese children will be needed to test this possibility. NIH/NICHD #HD-050775. PMID:24113839

A biomechanical comparison of three sternotomy closure techniques.

PubMed

Cohen, David J; Griffin, Lanny V

2002-02-01

A biomechanical study of three sternotomy closure techniques (figure-of-eight stainless-steel wires, Pectofix Dynamic Sternal Fixation [DSF] stainless-steel plates, and figure-of-eight stainless-steel cables) was conducted to compare strength and stiffness variables in three clinically relevant loading modes (anterior-posterior shear, longitudinal shear, and lateral distraction). All tests were conducted on polyurethane foam sternal models that simulate the properties of cancellous bone. Each model was divided longitudinally and reconstructed using one of the sternotomy closure repair techniques. Tests were performed using a materials testing system that applies a continuously increasing amount of force in one direction to the model until it catastrophically breaks. A total of six trials of each fixation type in each of three test groups were prepared and tested, for a total of 54 tests. Strength and stiffness variables as well as a post-yield analysis of failure were evaluated. Sternums repaired using the DSF plate system are a more rigid construct than sternums repaired using the stainless-steel wires or cables in the distraction and transverse shear modes and they are not significantly different from sternums repaired with wires or cables in the longitudinal shear mode. The DSF plate system offers a 25% improvement in resistance to failure (yield) compared to wires when a transverse shear force is applied to the model. The cable system had a higher resistance to failure than the wires in all modes although the differences were not statistically significant. Additionally, the DSF plate system provides substantial reduction of the implant's cutting into the sternal model under loading as evidenced by the post-yield displacement when compared with either cables or wires for the distraction and longitudinal shear modes. For the transverse shear mode, the cables or wires would completely fail at the load for which cutting begins for the DSF. Both the DSF plate system and the stainless-steel cable system offer important advantages over figure-of-eight wire for sternal closure.

Food-Insecure Dietary Patterns Are Associated With Poor Longitudinal Glycemic Control in Diabetes: Results From the Boston Puerto Rican Health Study

PubMed Central

Gao, Xiang; Tucker, Katherine L.

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE To determine whether dietary patterns associated with food insecurity are associated with poor longitudinal glycemic control. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In a prospective, population-based, longitudinal cohort study, we ascertained food security (Food Security Survey Module), dietary pattern (Healthy Eating Index–2005 [HEI 2005]), and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in Puerto Rican adults aged 45–75 years with diabetes at baseline (2004–2009) and HbA1c at ∼2 years follow-up (2006–2012). We determined associations between food insecurity and dietary pattern and assessed whether those dietary patterns were associated with poorer HbA1c concentration over time, using multivariable-adjusted repeated subjects mixed-effects models. RESULTS There were 584 participants with diabetes at baseline and 516 at follow-up. Food-insecure participants reported lower overall dietary quality and lower intake of fruit and vegetables. A food insecurity*HEI 2005 interaction (P < 0.001) suggested that better diet quality was more strongly associated with lower HbA1c in food-insecure than food-secure participants. In adjusted models, lower follow-up HbA1c was associated with greater HEI 2005 score (β = −0.01 HbA1c % per HEI 2005 point, per year, P = 0.003) and with subscores of total vegetables (β = −0.09, P = 0.04) and dark green and orange vegetables and legumes (β = −0.06, P = 0.048). Compared with the minimum total vegetable score, a participant with the maximum score showed relative improvements of HbA1c of 0.5% per year. CONCLUSIONS Food insecurity was associated with lower overall dietary quality and lower consumption of plant-based foods, which was associated with poor longitudinal glycemic control. PMID:24969578

Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between different exercise types and food cravings in free-living healthy young adults.

PubMed

Drenowatz, Clemens; Evensen, Line H; Ernstsen, Linda; Blundell, John E; Hand, Gregory A; Shook, Robin P; Hébert, James R; Burgess, Stephanie; Blair, Steven N

2017-11-01

An increase in energy intake due to alterations in hedonic appetite sensations may, at least in part, contribute to lower-than-expected weight loss in exercise interventions. The aim of this study was to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between habitual exercise participation and food cravings in free-living young adults. A total of 417 adults (49% male, 28 ± 4 years) reported frequency and duration of walking, aerobic exercise, resistance exercise and other exercise at baseline and every 3 months over a 12-month period. Food cravings were assessed via the Control of Eating Questionnaire at baseline and 12-month follow-up. Cross-sectional analyses revealed more frequent cravings for chocolate and a greater difficulty to resist food cravings in women compared to men (p < 0.01). Only with resistance exercise significant sex by exercise interaction effects were observed with favorable responses in men but not in women. Significant main effects were shown for walking and aerobic exercise with exercisers reporting more frequent food cravings for chocolate and fruits and greater difficulty to resist eating compared to non-exercisers (p < 0.05). Longitudinal analyses revealed significant interaction effects for other exercise (p < 0.05) with favorable results in men but not women. Furthermore, significant main effects were observed for aerobic exercise, resistance exercise and total exercise with an increase in exercise being associated with a reduced difficulty to resist food cravings (p < 0.05). The association between exercise participation and hedonic appetite sensations varies by exercise type and sex. Even though exercise was associated with more frequent and greater difficulty to food cravings in the cross-sectional analyses, which may be attributed to greater energy demands, longitudinal results indicate beneficial effects of increased exercise on appetite control, particularly in men. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Food-insecure dietary patterns are associated with poor longitudinal glycemic control in diabetes: results from the Boston Puerto Rican Health study.

PubMed

Berkowitz, Seth A; Gao, Xiang; Tucker, Katherine L

2014-09-01

To determine whether dietary patterns associated with food insecurity are associated with poor longitudinal glycemic control. In a prospective, population-based, longitudinal cohort study, we ascertained food security (Food Security Survey Module), dietary pattern (Healthy Eating Index-2005 [HEI 2005]), and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in Puerto Rican adults aged 45-75 years with diabetes at baseline (2004-2009) and HbA1c at ∼2 years follow-up (2006-2012). We determined associations between food insecurity and dietary pattern and assessed whether those dietary patterns were associated with poorer HbA1c concentration over time, using multivariable-adjusted repeated subjects mixed-effects models. There were 584 participants with diabetes at baseline and 516 at follow-up. Food-insecure participants reported lower overall dietary quality and lower intake of fruit and vegetables. A food insecurity*HEI 2005 interaction (P < 0.001) suggested that better diet quality was more strongly associated with lower HbA1c in food-insecure than food-secure participants. In adjusted models, lower follow-up HbA1c was associated with greater HEI 2005 score (β = -0.01 HbA1c % per HEI 2005 point, per year, P = 0.003) and with subscores of total vegetables (β = -0.09, P = 0.04) and dark green and orange vegetables and legumes (β = -0.06, P = 0.048). Compared with the minimum total vegetable score, a participant with the maximum score showed relative improvements of HbA1c of 0.5% per year. Food insecurity was associated with lower overall dietary quality and lower consumption of plant-based foods, which was associated with poor longitudinal glycemic control. © 2014 by the American Diabetes Association. Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered.

Reliability of a Longitudinal Sequence of Scale Ratings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laenen, Annouschka; Alonso, Ariel; Molenberghs, Geert; Vangeneugden, Tony

2009-01-01

Reliability captures the influence of error on a measurement and, in the classical setting, is defined as one minus the ratio of the error variance to the total variance. Laenen, Alonso, and Molenberghs ("Psychometrika" 73:443-448, 2007) proposed an axiomatic definition of reliability and introduced the R[subscript T] coefficient, a measure of…

Teachers' Ability and Help Attributions and Children's Math Performance and Task Persistence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tõeväli, Paula-Karoliina; Kikas, Eve

2016-01-01

The present longitudinal study examined the reciprocal relationships between teachers' causal attributions and children's math performance and task persistence. In total, 760 elementary school children and their teachers participated in this study. The children were tested in math twice, at the end of the second and third grades. At both time…

The Growth Patterns of General Medical Achievement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shen, Linjun

This longitudinal study investigates the growth of medical achievement as a multilevel process and emphasizes the structure of the growth. Subjects were students in all 15 U.S. osteopathic medical schools, a total of 1,060 (78 percent of the 1987 osteopathic cohort). Students took appropriate portions of the National Board of Osteopathic Medical…

Acculturation Process and Distress: Mediating Roles of Sociocultural Adaptation and Acculturative Stress

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Ellery K. Y.; Mak, Winnie W. S.

2012-01-01

The present study applied the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to unfold the social cognitive antecedents of acculturation and investigated the effects of acculturation on psychological distress using a longitudinal design. A total of 180 mainland Chinese university students studying in Hong Kong completed three sets of questionnaires every 2…

Transition from Crawling to Walking and Infants' Actions with Objects and People

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karasik, Lana B.; Tamis-LeMonda, Catherine S.; Adolph, Karen E.

2011-01-01

Associations between infants' transition to walking and object activities were examined. Fifty infants were observed longitudinally during home observations. At 11 months, all infants were crawlers; at 13 months, half became walkers. Over age, infants increased their total time with objects and frequency of sharing objects with mothers.…

Social Information Processing as a Mediator between Cognitive Schemas and Aggressive Behavior in Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calvete, Esther; Orue, Izaskun

2012-01-01

This longitudinal investigation assessed whether cognitive schemas of justification of violence, mistrust, and narcissism predicted social information processing (SIP), and SIP in turn predicted aggressive behavior in adolescents. A total of 650 adolescents completed measures of cognitive schemas at Time 1, SIP in ambiguous social scenarios at…

Maternal DHA and the Development of Attention in Infancy and Toddlerhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colombo, John; Kannass, Kathleen N.; Jill Shaddy, D.; Kundurthi, Shashi; Maikranz, Julie M.; Anderson, Christa J.; Blaga, Otilia M.; Carlson, Susan E.

2004-01-01

Infants were followed longitudinally to document the relationship between docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels and the development of attention. Erythrocyte (red-blood cell; RBC) phospholipid DHA (percentage of total fatty acids) was measured from infants and mothers at delivery. Infants were assessed in infant-control habituation at 4, 6, and 8…

Poor School Bonding and Delinquency over Time: Bidirectional Effects and Sex Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liljeberg, Jenny Freidenfelt; Eklund, Jenny M.; Fritz, Marie Vafors; Klinteberg, Britt af

2011-01-01

The association between poor school bonding and delinquency has only been partly addressed in earlier research. Using a longitudinal design, the objective of our study was to investigate possible bidirectional effects and sex differences between adolescents' experienced school bonding and self-rated delinquency over time. A total of 788…

77 FR 26773 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-07

... enhanced and standard data collection and a longitudinal cohort design, and will include a comparative study to assess the effectiveness of HTI relative to a similar sample of young persons who did not... total hourly cost of the study. Summary Burden Table Average annual Average 3-year Number of number...

Effects of fat mass on motor development during the first two years of life

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Objective: This study characterized total body fat mass and motor development during the first two years of life in healthy infants. Design: Participants (N=469) from the Beginnings’ cohort, a prospective, longitudinal study of early infant feeding, were assessed at 3, 6, 9, 12 and 24 months of age...

Gestational Alcohol Exposure and Other Factors Associated with Continued Teenage Drinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornelius, Marie D.; Goldschmidt, Lidush; Day, Nancy L.

2016-01-01

Purpose: A longitudinal cohort of adolescents who initiated drinking before age 15 were studied to determine which factors distinguished between early initiators who continued to drink (persisters) from those who stopped drinking (desisters). There were 308 early initiators in the total sample (n = 917); 247 were persisters, and 61 were desisters.…

Interrelationships of serum testosterone and free testosterone index with FFM and strength in aging men.

PubMed

Roy, Tracey Ann; Blackman, Marc R; Harman, S Mitchell; Tobin, Jordan D; Schrager, Matthew; Metter, E Jeffery

2002-08-01

Muscle mass and strength losses during aging may be associated with declining levels of serum testosterone (T) in men. Few studies have shown a direct relationship between T and muscle mass and strength. Subjects were 262 men, aged 24-90 yr, from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, who had T and sex hormone-binding globulin sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) measurements, from which the free T index (FTI) was calculated (T/SHBG) from serum samples collected longitudinally since 1963, total body fat mass and arm and leg fat-free mass (FFM) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and arm and leg strength by dynanomometry. Mixed-effects models estimated T and FTI at the time of mass and strength measurements. Age, total body fat, arm and leg FFM, T, and FTI were significantly associated with concentric and eccentric strength. FTI, not T, was modestly, but directly, related to arm and leg strength after fat, arm and leg FFM, height, and age were accounted for and indirectly through body mass. FTI is a better predictor of arm and leg strength than T in aging men.

Growth in stature in fragile X families: A mixed longitudinal study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Loesch, D.Z.; Huggins, R.M.; Hoang, N.H.

1995-09-11

The effect of fragile X on growth in stature was estimated in individuals aged 5-20 years from 50 fragile X families. The multivariate normal model for pedigree analysis was applied to the mixed longitudinal data, which varied with regard to intervals between the measurements and their number in individual subjects, totalling 349 measurement data points from fragile X families, and 292 data points from unrelated normal subjects. The results of genetic and regression analysis showed that, in fragile X boys and girls, total pubertal height gain is impaired, whereas the rate of growth during the preadolescent period is increased, comparedmore » with the growth rate of nonfragile X subjects. Moreover, the growth parameters in fragile X males were found to be correlated with the size of CGG trinucleotide expansion. The hypothesis of premature activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary gonadal axis is postulated as the cause of growth impairment in fragile X boys and girls, which should be verified by data on the timing of pubertal stages, hormone levels, and bone maturation. 33 refs., 2 figs., 3 tabs.« less

Changes in social isolation and loneliness following total hip and knee arthroplasty: longitudinal analysis of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) cohort.

PubMed

Smith, T O; Dainty, J R; MacGregor, A J

2017-09-01

To determine the prevalence and change in social isolation and loneliness in people before and after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in England. The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) dataset, a prospective study of community-dwelling older adults, was used to identify people who had undergone primary THA or TKA because of osteoarthritis. Social isolation was assessed using the ELSA Social Isolation Index. Loneliness was evaluated using the Revised University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale. The prevalence of social isolation and loneliness were calculated and multilevel modelling was performed to assess the potential change of these measures before arthroplasty, within a two-year operative-recovery phase and a following two-year follow-up. The sample consisted of 393 people following THA and TKA. The prevalence of social isolation and loneliness changed from 16.9% to 18.8% pre-operative to 21.8% and 18.9% at the final post-operative follow-up respectively. This was not a statistically significant change for either measure (P = 0.15; P = 0.74). There was a significant difference in social isolation at the recovery phase compared to the pre-operative phase (P = 0.01), where people following arthroplasty reported an increase in social isolation (16.9-21.4%). There was no significant difference between the assessment phases in respect to UCLA Loneliness Scale score (P ≥ 0.74). Given the negative physical and psychological consequences which social isolation and loneliness can have on individuals following THA or TKA, clinicians should be mindful of this health challenge for this population. The reported prevalence of social isolation and loneliness suggests this is an important issue. Copyright © 2017 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal associations between adolescent perceived degree and style of parental prohibition and internalization and defiance.

PubMed

Vansteenkiste, Maarten; Soenens, Bart; Van Petegem, Stijn; Duriez, Bart

2014-01-01

This study examined associations between perceived degree and style of parental prohibition and adolescents' internalization of and oppositional defiance against parental rules in the friendship and moral domain. Relations were investigated in 2 longitudinal adolescent samples (total N = 532). Results indicated that perceived style but not degree of prohibition related to overtime changes in internalization and oppositional defiance. Specifically, in line with self-determination theory, autonomy-supportive and controlling styles of prohibiting were found to relate differentially to quality of internalization and oppositional defiance. Cross-lagged analyses indicated that several of these associations were reciprocal. The discussion focuses on the critical role of perceived parental style for communicating prohibitions. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

A manual control theory analysis of vertical situation displays for STOL aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baron, S.; Levison, W. H.

1973-01-01

Pilot-vehicle-display systems theory is applied to the analysis of proposed vertical situation displays for manual control in approach-to-landing of a STOL aircraft. The effects of display variables on pilot workload and on total closed-loop system performance was calculated using an optimal-control model for the human operator. The steep approach of an augmentor wing jet STOL aircraft was analyzed. Both random turbulence and mean-wind shears were considered. Linearized perturbation equations were used to describe longitudinal and lateral dynamics of the aircraft. The basic display configuration was one that abstracted the essential status information (including glide-slope and localizer errors) of an EADI display. Proposed flight director displays for both longitudinal and lateral control were also investigated.

A Relationship Between Early Language Skills and Adult Autistic-Like Traits: Evidence from a Longitudinal Population-Based Study.

PubMed

Armstrong, Rebecca; Whitehouse, Andrew J O; Scott, James G; Copland, David A; McMahon, Katie L; Fleming, Sophie; Arnott, Wendy

2017-05-01

The current study examined the relationship between early language ability and autistic-like traits in adulthood, utilising data from 644 participants from a longitudinal study of the general population. Language performance at 2 years was measured with the Language Development Survey (LDS), and at 20 years the participants completed the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ). Vocabulary size at 2 years was negatively associated with Total AQ score, as well as scores on the Communication, and Social Skills subscales. Adults who had been late talkers were also more likely to have 'high' scores on the Communication subscale. This is the first study to show an association between early language ability and autistic-like traits in adulthood.

Nanoindentation analysis of the micromechanical anisotropy in mouse cortical bone

PubMed Central

Balmelli, Anna; Carnelli, Davide; Courty, Diana; Müller, Ralph

2017-01-01

Studies investigating micromechanical properties in mouse cortical bone often solely focus on the mechanical behaviour along the long axis of the bone. Therefore, data on the anisotropy of mouse cortical bone is scarce. The aim of this study is the first-time evaluation of the anisotropy ratio between the longitudinal and transverse directions of reduced modulus and hardness in mouse femurs by using the nanoindentation technique. For this purpose, nine 22-week-old mice (C57BL/6) were sacrificed and all femurs extracted. A total of 648 indentations were performed with a Berkovich tip in the proximal (P), central (C) and distal (D) regions of the femoral shaft in the longitudinal and transverse directions. Higher values for reduced modulus are obtained for indentations in the longitudinal direction, with anisotropy ratios of 1.72 ± 0.40 (P), 1.75 ± 0.69 (C) and 1.34 ± 0.30 (D). Hardness is also higher in the longitudinal direction, with anisotropic ratios of 1.35 ± 0.27 (P), 1.35 ± 0.47 (C) and 1.17 ± 0.19 (D). We observed a significant anisotropy in the micromechanical properties of the mouse femur, but the correlation for reduced modulus and hardness between the two directions is low (r2 < 0.3) and not significant. Therefore, we highly recommend performing independent indentation testing in both the longitudinal and transverse directions when knowledge of the tissue mechanical behaviour along multiple directions is required. PMID:28386450

Longitudinal associations between conduct problems and depressive symptoms among girls and boys with early conduct problems.

PubMed

Poirier, Martine; Déry, Michèle; Temcheff, Caroline E; Toupin, Jean; Verlaan, Pierrette; Lemelin, Jean-Pascal

2016-07-01

Youth with conduct problems (CP) may experience high rates of depressive symptoms (DS). However, little is known about the direction of the longitudinal associations between CP and DS in this specific population. Although girls with CP appear at greater risk than boys for presenting comorbid depression, empirical research on gender differences in these associations is even sparser. The current study used autoregressive latent trajectory models to compare four perspectives with hypotheses regarding the longitudinal associations between CP and DS, while taking into account the evolution of both problems. We also examined gender differences in the longitudinal associations. A total of 345 children (40.6 % female) presenting with a high level of CP in early elementary school (mean age at study inception = 8.52; SD = .94) were evaluated annually over a four-year period (5 measurement time points). The results revealed that CP and DS were quite stable over time. Moreover, CP and DS showed strong covariation at each measurement time point, but only one significant positive cross-lagged association between the two processes, indicating that higher levels of DS at time 3 were associated with higher levels of CP 1 year later. No differences were observed in the longitudinal associations between CP and DS in boys and girls. Given the comorbidity and stability of CP and DS, these findings suggest that DS should be systematically evaluated among children with early clinically significant CP, and treatment plans should include interventions aimed at both CP and DS among children who present with both types of problems.

Peer substance use as a mediator between early pubertal timing and adolescent substance use: longitudinal associations and moderating effect of maltreatment.

PubMed

Negriff, Sonya; Trickett, Penelope K

2012-11-01

Early pubertal timing has received considerable empirical support as a risk for adolescent substance use. However, few studies have examined the mediators linking these variables. Therefore, the aims of this study were (1) to examine peer substance use as a mediator between pubertal timing and adolescent substance use longitudinally and (2) to test gender and maltreatment experience as moderators of the mediational model. Data were obtained from time 1, 2, and 3 of a longitudinal study of maltreatment and development. At time 1 the sample was comprised of 303 maltreated and 151 comparison children aged 9-13 years (213 females and 241 males). Longitudinal mediation was tested using structural equation modeling and moderating effects were tested using multiple group analysis. Peer substance use mediated the relationship between early pubertal timing and later adolescent substance use for the total sample. Moderation analyses indicated this significant indirect effect did not differ for males and females. However, it did differ for maltreated versus comparison adolescents with the mediational effect only remaining significant for the comparison group. This is one of the first studies to examine peer substance use as a mediator of pubertal timing and adolescent substance use using a longitudinal design. Early maturing males are at equal risk to early maturing females for interacting with peers that may draw them into substance use. Additionally, the findings indicate that while peers are mediators for comparison adolescents a different mechanism may link early puberty to substance use for maltreated adolescents. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anterior Longitudinal Ligament Release From the Minimally Invasive Lateral Retroperitoneal Transpsoas Approach: Technical Note.

PubMed

Beckman, Joshua M; Marengo, Nicola; Murray, Gisela; Bach, Konrad; Uribe, Juan S

2016-09-01

The technique for minimally invasive anterior longitudinal ligament release is a major advancement in lateral access surgery. This method provides hypermobility of lumbar segments to allow for aggressive lordosis restoration while maintaining the benefits of indirect decompression and minimally invasive access. To provide video demonstration of the lateral retroperitoneal transpsoas approach with anterior longitudinal ligament sectioning. A detailed surgical technique of the minimally invasive anterior column release is described and illustrated in an elderly patient with adult spinal deformity and low back pain (visual analog scale, 8 of 10) refractory to conservative measures. The 3-foot standing radiographs demonstrated a lumbar lordosis of 54.4°, pelvic incidence of 63.7°, and pelvic tilt of 17.5°. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed generalized lumbar spondylosis and degenerative disc changes from L2 to L5. The patient underwent a multilevel minimally invasive deformity correction with an anterior longitudinal ligament release at the L3/L4 level through the lateral retroperitoneal transpsoas approach. Lumbar lordosis increased from 54.4° to 77° with a global improvement in sagittal vertical axis from 4.37 cm to 0 cm. Total blood loss was less than 25 mL, and there were no major neurological or vascular complications. The anterior longitudinal ligament release using the minimally invasive lateral approach allows for deformity correction without the morbidity and blood loss encountered by traditional open posterior approaches. However, the risk of major vascular/visceral complication warrants only experts in minimally invasive lateral surgery to attempt this technique.

Light diffraction studies of single muscle fibers as a function of fiber rotation.

PubMed Central

Gilliar, W G; Bickel, W S; Bailey, W F

1984-01-01

Light diffraction patterns from single glycerinated frog semitendinosus muscle fibers were examined photographically and photoelectrically as a function of diffraction angle and fiber rotation. The total intensity diffraction pattern indicates that the order maxima change both position and intensity periodically as a function of rotation angle. The total diffracted light, light diffracted above and below the zero-order plane, and light diffracted into individual orders gives information about the fiber's longitudinal and rotational structure and its noncylindrical symmetry. Images FIGURE 2 PMID:6611174

Ionosphere total electron content and its horizontal gradients, measured on the basis of satellite signal recordings at scattered points

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Misyura, V.A.; Podnos, V.A.; Kapanin, I.I.

1973-01-01

Translated from Kosm. Issled.; 11: No. 4, 581-585(1973). The integrated electron content of the ionosphere up to the level of the recording satellite, and the horizontal gradients of the integrated electron content (total, latitudinal, and longitudinal components), was obtained at scattered observation points located at medium and high latitudes, on the basis of recordings made of Doppler and Faraday effects on coherent signals from the satellites Explorer-22, Explorer-27, Interkosmos-2, Kosmos321, Kosmos-356, and Kosmos-381. (auth)

Analysis and quantification of endovascular coil distribution inside saccular aneurysms using histological images.

PubMed

Morales, Hernán G; Larrabide, Ignacio; Geers, Arjan J; Dai, Daying; Kallmes, David F; Frangi, Alejandro F

2013-11-01

Endovascular coiling is often performed by first placing coils along the aneurysm wall to create a frame and then by filling up the aneurysm core. However, little attention has been paid to quantifying this filling strategy and to see how it changes for different packing densities. The purpose of this work is to analyze and quantify endovascular coil distribution inside aneurysms based on serial histological images of experimental aneurysms. Seventeen histological images from 10 elastase-induced saccular aneurysms in rabbits treated with coils were studied. In-slice coil density, defined as the area taken up by coil winds, was calculated on each histological image. Images were analyzed by partitioning the aneurysm along its longitudinal and radial axes. Coil distribution was quantified by measuring and comparing the in-slice coil density of each partition. Mean total in-slice coil density was 22.0 ± 6.2% (range 10.1-30.2%). The density was non-significantly different (p = 0.465) along the longitudinal axis. A significant difference (p < 0.001) between peripheral and core densities was found. Additionally, the peripheral-core density ratio was observed to be inversely proportional to the total in-slice coil density (R(2)=0.57, p <0.001). This ratio was near unity for high in-slice coil density (around 30%). These findings demonstrate and confirm that coils tend to be located near the aneurysm periphery when few are inserted. However, when more coils are added, the radial distribution becomes more homogeneous. Coils are homogeneously distributed along the longitudinal axis.

A longitudinal study of human milk composition in the second year postpartum: implications for human milk banking.

PubMed

Perrin, Maryanne T; Fogleman, April D; Newburg, David S; Allen, Jonathan C

2017-01-01

While the composition of human milk has been studied extensively in the first year of lactation, there is a paucity of data regarding human milk composition beyond one year postpartum. Policies vary at milk banks around the world regarding how long lactating women are eligible to donate their milk. The primary purpose of this study is to describe longitudinal changes in human milk composition in the second year postpartum to support the development of evidence based guidelines regarding how long lactating women can donate human milk to a milk bank. Nineteen lactating women in North Carolina provided monthly milk samples from 11 months to 17 months postpartum (N = 131), and two non-profit milk banks provided (N = 33) pooled, unpasteurized milk samples from 51 approved donors less than one year postpartum. There was a significant increase (P < 0.05) in the concentration of total protein, lactoferrin, lysozyme, Immunoglobulin A, oligosaccharides and sodium in longitudinal samples of mother's milk between 11 and 17 months postpartum, while zinc and calcium concentrations declined, and no changes were observed in lactose, fat, iron and potassium. Human milk in the second year postpartum contained significantly higher concentrations of total protein, lactoferrin, lysozyme and Immunoglobulin A, than milk bank samples, and significantly lower concentrations of zinc, calcium, iron and oligosaccharides. Accepting milk bank donations beyond one year postpartum is a potential strategy for increasing the supply of donor milk, but may require mineral fortification. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sleep and daytime sleepiness of patients with left ventricular assist devices: a longitudinal pilot study.

PubMed

Casida, Jesus M; Davis, Jean E; Brewer, Robert J; Smith, Cheryl; Yarandi, Hossein

2011-06-01

No empirical longitudinal data on sleep and daytime sleepiness patterns in patients with an implantable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) exist. (1) To describe the sleep patterns (sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency, sleep fragmentation index, total sleep time, and wake after sleep onset), sleep quality, and daytime sleepiness variables and (2) to determine the change in the pattern of these variables before and up to 6 months after LVAD implantation. A longitudinal descriptive repeated-measures design was used. Patients wore wrist actigraphs (AW64 Actiwatch), which objectively measured sleep, for 3 consecutive days and nights before LVAD implant and at the first and second week and first, third, and sixth month after implantation. During these periods, patients also completed questionnaires on sleep quality and daytime sleepiness. Patients-Twelve of 15 patients completed the 6-month data. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics and repeated-measures analysis of variance. We found long sleep onset latencies and low sleep efficiency across time periods. High sleep fragmentation index was noted at baseline and 1 week after LVAD. Short total sleep times, long wake-after-sleep-onset durations, and poor sleep quality were evident at baseline and persisted up to 6 months after LVAD implantation. Low alertness level, a manifestation of sleepiness, was common during late morning to early evening hours. However, only sleep efficiency and wake after sleep onset showed significant changes in pattern (P < .05). Sleep disturbance and daytime sleepiness may be prevalent before and up to 6 months after LVAD implantation, warranting further investigation.

The longitudinal impact of depression on disability in Parkinson disease.

PubMed

Pontone, Gregory M; Bakker, Catherine C; Chen, Shaojie; Mari, Zoltan; Marsh, Laura; Rabins, Peter V; Williams, James R; Bassett, Susan S

2016-05-01

Depression in Parkinson disease (PD) is a common problem that worsens quality of life and causes disability. However, little is known about the longitudinal impact of depression on disability in PD. This study examined the association between disability and DSM-IV-TR depression status across six years. Longitudinal cohort study with assessments at study entry, year two, four, and six conducted in the Morris K. Udall Parkinson Disease Research Center. Recruitment totaled 137 adult men and women with idiopathic PD in which up to six years of data on demographic, motor, and non-motor variables was collected. Movement disorder specialists used the structured interview for DSM-IV-TR depressive disorders and the Northwestern Disability Scale to assess depression and disability. A generalized linear mixed model was fitted with Northwestern Disability Scale score as the dependent variable to determine the effect of baseline depression status on disability. A total of 43 participants were depressed at baseline compared to 94 without depression. Depressed participants were more likely to be female, were less educated, were less likely to take dopamine agonists, and more likely to have motor fluctuations. Controlling for these variables, symptomatic depression predicted greater disability compared to both never depressed (p = 0.0133) and remitted depression (p = 0.0009). Disability associated with symptomatic depression at baseline was greater over the entire six-year period compared to participants with remitted depressive episodes or who were never depressed. Persisting depression is associated with a long-term adverse impact on daily functioning in PD. Adequate treatment or spontaneous remission of depression improves ADL function. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Patient safety in the clinical laboratory: a longitudinal analysis of specimen identification errors.

PubMed

Wagar, Elizabeth A; Tamashiro, Lorraine; Yasin, Bushra; Hilborne, Lee; Bruckner, David A

2006-11-01

Patient safety is an increasingly visible and important mission for clinical laboratories. Attention to improving processes related to patient identification and specimen labeling is being paid by accreditation and regulatory organizations because errors in these areas that jeopardize patient safety are common and avoidable through improvement in the total testing process. To assess patient identification and specimen labeling improvement after multiple implementation projects using longitudinal statistical tools. Specimen errors were categorized by a multidisciplinary health care team. Patient identification errors were grouped into 3 categories: (1) specimen/requisition mismatch, (2) unlabeled specimens, and (3) mislabeled specimens. Specimens with these types of identification errors were compared preimplementation and postimplementation for 3 patient safety projects: (1) reorganization of phlebotomy (4 months); (2) introduction of an electronic event reporting system (10 months); and (3) activation of an automated processing system (14 months) for a 24-month period, using trend analysis and Student t test statistics. Of 16,632 total specimen errors, mislabeled specimens, requisition mismatches, and unlabeled specimens represented 1.0%, 6.3%, and 4.6% of errors, respectively. Student t test showed a significant decrease in the most serious error, mislabeled specimens (P < .001) when compared to before implementation of the 3 patient safety projects. Trend analysis demonstrated decreases in all 3 error types for 26 months. Applying performance-improvement strategies that focus longitudinally on specimen labeling errors can significantly reduce errors, therefore improving patient safety. This is an important area in which laboratory professionals, working in interdisciplinary teams, can improve safety and outcomes of care.

X-33 Hypersonic Aerodynamic Characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, Kelly J.; Nowak, Robert J.; Thompson, Richard A.; Hollis, Brian R.; Prabhu, Ramadas K.

1999-01-01

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, under a cooperative agreement with NASA, will design, build, and fly the X-33, a half-scale prototype of a rocket-based, single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO), reusable launch vehicle (RLV). A 0.007-scale model of the X-33 604BOO02G configuration was tested in four hypersonic facilities at the NASA Langley Research Center to examine vehicle stability and control characteristics and to populate the aerodynamic flight database for the hypersonic regime. The vehicle was found to be longitudinally controllable with less than half of the total body flap deflection capability across the angle of attack range at both Mach 6 and Mach 10. Al these Mach numbers, the vehicle also was shown to be longitudinally stable or neutrally stable for typical (greater than 20 degrees) hypersonic flight attitudes. This configuration was directionally unstable and the use of reaction control jets (RCS) will be necessary to control the vehicle at high angles of attack in the hypersonic flight regime. Mach number and real gas effects on longitudinal aerodynamics were shown to be small relative to X-33 control authority.

Longitudinal gradient coil optimization in the presence of transient eddy currents.

PubMed

Trakic, A; Liu, F; Lopez, H Sanchez; Wang, H; Crozier, S

2007-06-01

The switching of magnetic field gradient coils in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) inevitably induces transient eddy currents in conducting system components, such as the cryostat vessel. These secondary currents degrade the spatial and temporal performance of the gradient coils, and compensation methods are commonly employed to correct for these distortions. This theoretical study shows that by incorporating the eddy currents into the coil optimization process, it is possible to modify a gradient coil design so that the fields created by the coil and the eddy currents combine together to generate a spatially homogeneous gradient that follows the input pulse. Shielded and unshielded longitudinal gradient coils are used to exemplify this novel approach. To assist in the evaluation of transient eddy currents induced within a realistic cryostat vessel, a low-frequency finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method using the total-field scattered-field (TFSF) scheme was performed. The simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method for optimizing longitudinal gradient fields while taking into account the spatial and temporal behavior of the eddy currents.

A review of social media methods and lessons learned from the National Children's Study.

PubMed

Burke-Garcia, Amelia; Winseck, Kate; Jouvenal, Leslie Cooke; Hubble, David; Kulbicki, Kathryn M

2017-08-01

Given the reach and influence of social media, the National Children's Study Vanguard Study evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and cost of using social media to support participant retention. We describe a social media experiment designed to assess the impact of social media on participant retention, discuss several key considerations for integrating social media into longitudinal research, and review factors that may influence engagement in research-related social media. User participation varied but was most active when at launch. During the short life of the private online community, a total of 39 participants joined. General enthusiasm about the prospect of the online community was indicated. There were many lessons learned throughout the process in areas such as privacy, security, and Institutional Review Board clearance. These are described in detail. The opportunity to engage participants in longitudinal research using online social networks is enticing; however, more research is needed to consider the feasibility of their use in an ongoing manner. Recommendations are presented for future research seeking to use social media to improve retention in longitudinal research.

Development of standard operating procedures to obtain longitudinal vaginal specimens from nulliparous rabbits as part of HIV vaccine mucosal immunogenicity studies.

PubMed

Gómez Román, Victor Raúl; Vinner, Lasse; Grevstad, Berit; Hansen, Jesper Juhl; Wegmann, Frank; Spetz, Anna-Lena; Fomsgaard, Anders

2010-12-15

The New Zealand white rabbit model (Oryctolagus cuniculus) is widely used to test whether HIV vaccine candidates elicit systemic antibody responses; however, its use in mucosal immunology has not been fully exploited due to the difficulty in collecting mucosal specimens longitudinally and reproducibly. Here we describe feasible and non-feasible methods to collect vaginal and nasal specimens from nulliparous rabbits. Non-feasible methods were those resulting in poor reproducibility and considerable animal twitching during sampling, whereas feasible methods resulted in no animal twitching and potential for sampling reproducibility. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) were implemented to collect vaginal swabs yielding total IgA titres ranging from 12,500 to 312,500. Intranasal immunisation with a naked DNA vaccine encoding HIV gp140 elicited HIV envelope-specific IgA detectable in nasal but not in vaginal secretions. Our methods provide an alternative to reliably assess pre- and post-vaccination mucosal antibody titres longitudinally in rabbits as part of mucosal HIV vaccine immunogenicity studies. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Six-Year Longitudinal Study of Consumption of Pornographic Materials in Chinese Adolescents in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Shek, Daniel T L; Ma, Cecilia M S

2016-02-01

Using longitudinal data collected over 6 years, consumption of pornographic materials in adolescents in Hong Kong and the related demographic and psychosocial correlates were examined in this study. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, INTERVENTIONS, AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: A longitudinal research design with 6 waves of data was used to examine consumption of pornographic materials in high school students. A total of 3291 high school students from 28 schools responded to the questionnaire at wave 1. Consumption of online pornography was higher than traditional pornography. There was an increase in consumption of pornographic materials in the high school years. Gender, family functioning, and positive youth development were related to the initial status of pornography consumption. Besides, gender, family intactness and positive youth development predicted rates of change in consumption of pornographic material over time. The present findings showed that gender, family functioning, and positive youth development are significant predictors for pornography consumption in Chinese adolescents. Copyright © 2016 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Single-Resonance Longitudinal and Torsional Vibrator Combination-Type Motor: Improvement of Motor Characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimanuki, Masaharu; Aoyagi, Manabu; Tomikawa, Yoshiro

1994-05-01

The present paper deals with the single-resonance longitudinal and torsional vibrator combination-type motor, which is one of the ultrasonic motors with a relatively large torque. To improve the characteristics of this motor, the authors studied the calculation method of the resonance frequencies and designed the motor so that the resonance frequencies of the longitudinal and torsional vibrations were very close to the measured ones, because it was thought that the motor characteristics were largely affected by the degree of approximation of the resonance frequencies. Experimental results have proven that the prototype motor produced large torque with a maximum of 14.0 kgf·cm under a total electrical input power of 30 W; this value was 1.5 times as large as that reported previously. That is, it has been clarified that with sufficient degree of approximation of the resonance frequencies, as mentioned above, the output torque of the motor could be greatly improved; however, its efficiency (maximum of 13.1%) was maintained at almost the same value as before.

Assessing the Use of Sunken Lanes for Water Retention in a Landscape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zlatuška, Karel

2012-12-01

Newly-designed structures and landscaping elements are often used for flood protection. This article assesses the use of existing sunken lanes for retaining water in a landscape and the sedimentation of washed-off soil. The article also describes ways how to preserve or, at least minimally disrupt, existing biotopes and landscape segments. Geodetic data from one specific sunken lane in South Moravia in the Czech Republic were transferred to a digital terrain model; 9 models were subsequently generated, each with a different longitudinal sunken lane bed slope. Retention dams consisting of gabions were placed in them. The number of dams, the volume of structures made of steel gabions, and the retention area volume behind the dams were determined for each model specifically. It was determined that the number of dams, as well as their total volume, increased with the average longitudinal slope of the sunken lane bed. It was also discovered that the retention volume remained almost the same, as it only very slightly decreases with an increasing longitudinal slope.

X-33 Hypersonic Aerodynamic Characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, Kelly J.; Nowak, Robert J.; Thompson, Richard A.; Hollis, Brian R.; Prabhu, Ramadas K.

1999-01-01

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, under a cooperative agreement with NASA, will build and fly the X-33, a half-scale prototype of a rocket-based, single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO), reusable launch vehicle (RLV). A 0.007-scale model of the X-33 604B0002G configuration was tested in four hypersonic facilities at the NASA Langley Research Center to examine vehicle stability and control characteristics and to populate an aerodynamic flight database i n the hypersonic regime. The vehicle was found to be longitudinally controllable with less than half of the total body flap deflection capability across the angle of attack range at both Mach 6 and Mach 10. At these Mach numbers, the vehicle also was shown to be longitudinally stable or neutrally stable for typical (greater than 20 degrees) hypersonic flight attitudes. This configuration was directionally unstable and the use of reaction control jets (RCS) will be necessary to control the vehicle at high angles of attack in the hypersonic flight regime. Mach number and real gas effects on longitudinal aerodynamics were shown to be small relative to X-33 control authority.

Longitudinal change in dysarthria associated with Friedreich ataxia: a potential clinical endpoint.

PubMed

Rosen, Kristin M; Folker, Joanne E; Vogel, Adam P; Corben, Louise A; Murdoch, Bruce E; Delatycki, Martin B

2012-11-01

CNS functions that show change across short periods of time are particularly useful clinical endpoints for Friedreich ataxia. This study determined whether there is measurable acoustical change in the dysarthria associated with Friedreich ataxia across yearly intervals. A total of 29 participants diagnosed with Friedreich ataxia were recorded across 4 years at yearly intervals. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to determine which acoustic measures differed across time, and pairwise t tests were used to assess the consistency of the change across the time intervals. The relationship between the identified measures with perceptual severity was assessed with stepwise regression. Significant longitudinal change was observed with four measures that relate to the utterance duration and spectral changes in utterances. The spectral measures consistently detected change across time intervals of two or more years. The four measures combined moderately predicted perceptual severity. Together, the results implicate longitudinal change in speaking rate and utterance duration. Changes in speech associated with Friedreich ataxia can be measured across intervals of 2 years and therefore show rich potential for monitoring disease progression and therapy outcomes.

2014-2015 Puget Sound Regional Travel Study | Transportation Secure Data

Science.gov Websites

a college-population travel survey in fall 2014. In spring 2015, a second household data collection sample of longitudinal data from households that completed the 2014 survey. Survey Records Survey records include a total of 794 participants. More Information Learn more about the PSRC Household Travel Survey

Social Adjustment and Personality Development in Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roff, Merrill; And Others

This book describes a series of studies included in a 5-year program of research on the social adjustment of school children in the third through sixth grades. The sample consists of a total of 40,000 children from Texas and Minnesota, including a small subsample of 5,000 used in a 4-year longitudinal study. Peer acceptance-rejection scores…

Moral Reasoning and Aggressive Behavior: Concurrent and Longitudinal Relations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manning, Maureen A.; Bear, George G.

2011-01-01

The purposes of this study were to determine whether two forms of moral reasoning commonly found in early elementary school, self-oriented and psychological needs-oriented, are related to both current and future aggression. A total of 132 students participated in a study that began when they were in first or second grade and concluded two years…

Romantic Relationship Commitment and Its Linkages with Commitment to Parents and Friends during Adolescence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Goede, Irene H. A.; Branje, Susan; van Duin, Jet; VanderValk, Inge E.; Meeus, Wim

2012-01-01

This five-wave longitudinal study examines linkages between adolescents' perceptions of romantic relationship commitment and the development of adolescents' perceptions of commitment to parents and friends. A total of 218 early-to-middle adolescents (39.0 percent boys) and 185 middle-to-late adolescents (30.8 percent boys) participated.…

Relations among Parental Causal Attributions and Children's Math Performance and Task Persistence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tõeväli, Paula-Karoliina; Kikas, Eve

2017-01-01

The present longitudinal study examined the cross-lagged relations between parental causal attributions of children's math success to children's ability, parental help, children's math performance and task persistence. A total of 735 children, their mothers, fathers and teachers were assessed twice--at the end of the second and the third grades.…

Environmental Influences on Well-Being: A Dyadic Latent Panel Analysis of Spousal Similarity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schimmack, Ulrich; Lucas, Richard E.

2010-01-01

This article uses dyadic latent panel analysis (DLPA) to examine environmental influences on well-being. DLPA requires longitudinal dyadic data. It decomposes the observed variance of both members of a dyad into a trait, state, and an error component. Furthermore, state variance is decomposed into initial and new state variance. Total observed…

Involvement in Bullying and Suicide-Related Behavior at 11 Years: A Prospective Birth Cohort Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winsper, Catherine; Lereya, Tanya; Zanarini, Mary; Wolke, Dieter

2012-01-01

Objective: To study the prospective link between involvement in bullying (bully, victim, bully/victim), and subsequent suicide ideation and suicidal/self-injurious behavior, in preadolescent children in the United Kingdom. Method: A total of 6,043 children in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) cohort were assessed to…

Comprehensive School Reform: A Longitudinal Study of School Improvement in One State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Good, Thomas L.; Burross, Heidi Legg; McCaslin, Mary M.

2005-01-01

We report on comprehensive school reform (CSR) reform in 48 schools over 6 consecutive years. In 1998, a total of 24 schools received CSR awards to improve student achievement. Control schools were carefully matched on 26 demographic variables to form a comparison group. Students' average performance, as represented in publicly available school…

Language Impairment from 4 to 12 Years: Prediction and Etiology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayiou-Thomas, Marianna E.; Dale, Philip S.; Plomin, Robert

2014-01-01

Purpose: The authors of this article examined the etiology of developmental language impairment (LI) at 4 and 12 years of age, as well as the relationship between the 2. Method: Phenotypic and quantitative genetic analyses using longitudinal data from the Twins Early Development Study (Oliver & Plomin, 2007) were conducted. A total of 2,923…

Interwoven Lives: Adolescent Mothers and Their Children. Research Monographs in Adolescence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitman, Thomas L.; Borkowski, John G.; Keogh, Deborah A.; Weed, Keri

This monograph details the Notre Dame Parenting Project, a comprehensive longitudinal study of the lives of adolescent mothers and their children from pregnancy through the first 8 years of life, describing how their respective developmental trajectories are interwoven and linked to the social contexts in which they live. A total of 281…

Does Recent Physical and Sexual Victimization Affect Further Substance Use for Adult Drug-Involved Offenders?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zweig, Janine M.; Yahner, Jennifer; Rossman, Shelli B.

2012-01-01

This study examined whether physical and sexual victimization experiences were related to further substance use for a sample of drug-involved adult offenders and whether this increase could be attributed to depression experienced after the victimization occurred. A total of 674 men and 284 women from the longitudinal Multisite Adult Drug Court…

Reading Development Subtypes and Their Early Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Torppa, Minna; Tolvanen, Asko; Poikkeus, Anna-Maija; Eklund, Kenneth; Lerkkanen, Marja-Kristiina; Leskinen, Esko; Lyytinen, Heikki

2007-01-01

The present findings are drawn from the Jyvaskyla Longitudinal Study of Dyslexia (JLD), in which approximately 100 children with familial risk of dyslexia and 100 control children have been followed from birth. In this paper we report data on the reading development of the JLD children and their classmates, a total of 1,750 children from four…

IPEDS Analytics: Delta Cost Project Database 1987-2010. Data File Documentation. NCES 2012-823

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lenihan, Colleen

2012-01-01

The IPEDS Analytics: Delta Cost Project Database was created to make data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) more readily usable for longitudinal analyses. Currently spanning the period from 1987 through 2010, it has a total of 202,800 observations on 932 variables derived from the institutional characteristics,…

Emotional Outlook on Life Predicts Increases in Physical Activity among Initially Inactive Men

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baruth, Meghan; Lee, Duck-Chul; Sui, Xuemei; Church, Timothy S.; Marcus, Bess H.; Wilcox, Sara; Blair, Steven N.

2011-01-01

This study examined the relationship between emotional outlook on life and change in physical activity among inactive adults in the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study. A total of 2,132 sedentary adults completed a baseline medical examination and returned for a follow-up examination at least 6 months later. Participants self-reported physical…

Father Locus of Control and Child Emotional and Behavioral Outcomes: A Prospective Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tone, Erin B.; Goodfellow, Stephanie; Nowicki, Stephen, Jr.

2012-01-01

In a prospective longitudinal study the authors examined the associations between parent locus of control of reinforcement (LOCR), measured before the birth of a child, and behavioral-emotional outcomes in that child at age 7 years. A total of 307 couples completed questionnaires regarding their emotional status and LOCR at their first prenatal…

Learning to Read in English and French: Emergent Readers in French Immersion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, Sheila Cira; Koh, Poh Wee; Deacon, S. Hélène; Chen, Xi

2017-01-01

This longitudinal study investigated the predictors of word reading in English and French for 69 children in early total French immersion from first through third grade. The influence of phonological awareness, orthographic processing, and vocabulary in English and French on the achievement and growth of word reading in the 2 languages were…

Longitudinal measurements of tarnished plant bug (Hemiptera: Miridae) susceptibility to insecticides in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi: Associations with insecticide use and insect control recommendations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Dose-response assays were conducted from 2008 through 2015 to measure the susceptibility of field populations of Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois) from the Delta regions of Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi to acephate, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, permethrin and sulfoxaflor. A total of 229 fi...

Careers of Offenders with an Intellectual Disability: The Probabilities of Rearrest

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cockram, J.

2005-01-01

This paper reports results from a total population of persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) in Western Australia arrested for the first time since 1 April 1984. It is part of a longitudinal study that "tracked" offenders with ID through the criminal justice system over an 11-year period to compare their experiences at each stage of…

Associations between objectively measured physical activity and academic attainment in adolescents from a UK cohort

PubMed Central

Booth, J N; Leary, S D; Joinson, C; Ness, A R; Tomporowski, P D; Boyle, J M; Reilly, J J

2014-01-01

Background To test for cross-sectional (at age 11) and longitudinal associations between objectively measured free-living physical activity (PA) and academic attainment in adolescents.Method Data from 4755 participants (45% male) with valid measurement of PA (total volume and intensity) by accelerometry at age 11 from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) was examined. Data linkage was performed with nationally administered school assessments in English, Maths and Science at ages 11, 13 and 16. Results In unadjusted models, total volume of PA predicted decreased academic attainment. After controlling for total volume of PA, percentage of time spent in moderate-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) predicted increased performance in English assessments in both sexes, taking into account confounding variables. In Maths at 16 years, percentage of time in MVPA predicted increased performance for males (standardised β=0.11, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.22) and females (β=0.08, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.16). For females the percentage of time spent in MVPA at 11 years predicted increased Science scores at 11 and 16 years (β=0.14 (95% CI 0.03 to 0.25) and 0.14 (0.07 to 0.21), respectively). The correction for regression dilution approximately doubled the standardised β coefficients. Conclusions Findings suggest a long-term positive impact of MVPA on academic attainment in adolescence. PMID:24149097

Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations between Serum Bilirubin and Prediabetes in a Health Screening Population.

PubMed

Oda, Eiji

2016-06-01

Longitudinal associations between total bilirubin (TB) and prediabetes have not been reported. This study investigated cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between TB and prediabetes. Cross-sectional associations between TB and prediabetes were investigated in 3681 nondiabetic subjects. Longitudinal associations between TB and prediabetes over 6 years were investigated in 2149 subjects who were normoglycemic at baseline. Prediabetes was defined as fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels of ≥5.6 mmol/L or glycated hemoglobin levels of ≥5.7% excluding diabetes. The prevalence of prediabetes was 25.4%, and the cumulative incidence of prediabetes during 6 years was 25.5% in a Japanese health screening population. Prevalent prediabetes was significantly associated with the quintiles of TB in nonsmoking men (trend, p<0.001) and women (trend, p=0.012), but not in smoking men (trend, p=0.689). Incident prediabetes was not significantly associated with the quintiles of TB, while it was positively associated with 1 standard deviation increase in TB in nonsmoking men (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]; 1.21 [1.07 to 1.37], p=0.002). TB levels were significantly inversely associated with prevalent prediabetes in nonsmokers, but not in smokers, whereas an inverse association between TB levels and incident prediabetes seemed to be unlikely. Copyright © 2016 Canadian Diabetes Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Social support, social strain and inflammation: Evidence from a national longitudinal study of U.S. adults

PubMed Central

Yang, Yang Claire; Schorpp, Kristen; Harris, Kathleen Mullan

2014-01-01

Social relationships have long been held to have powerful effects on health and survival, but it remains unclear whether such associations differ by function and domain of relationships over time and what biophysiological mechanisms underlie these links. This study addressed these gaps by examining the longitudinal associations of persistent relationship quality across a ten year span with a major indicator of immune function. Specifically, we examined how perceived social support and social strain from relationships with family, friends, and spouse at a prior point in time are associated with subsequent risks of inflammation, as assessed by overall inflammation burden comprised of five markers (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, fibrinogen, E-selectin, and intracellular adhesion molecule-1) in a national longitudinal study of 647 adults from the Midlife Development in the United States (1995–2009). Results from multivariate regression analysis show that (1) support from family, friends, and spouse modestly protected against risks of inflammation; (2) family, friend, and total social strain substantially increased risks of inflammation; and (3) the negative associations of social strain were stronger than the positive associations of social support with inflammation. The findings highlight the importance of enriched conceptualizations, measures, and longitudinal analyses of both social and biological stress processes to elucidate the complex pathways linking social relationships to health and illness. PMID:24607674

A Multi-Dimensional Functional Principal Components Analysis of EEG Data

PubMed Central

Hasenstab, Kyle; Scheffler, Aaron; Telesca, Donatello; Sugar, Catherine A.; Jeste, Shafali; DiStefano, Charlotte; Şentürk, Damla

2017-01-01

Summary The electroencephalography (EEG) data created in event-related potential (ERP) experiments have a complex high-dimensional structure. Each stimulus presentation, or trial, generates an ERP waveform which is an instance of functional data. The experiments are made up of sequences of multiple trials, resulting in longitudinal functional data and moreover, responses are recorded at multiple electrodes on the scalp, adding an electrode dimension. Traditional EEG analyses involve multiple simplifications of this structure to increase the signal-to-noise ratio, effectively collapsing the functional and longitudinal components by identifying key features of the ERPs and averaging them across trials. Motivated by an implicit learning paradigm used in autism research in which the functional, longitudinal and electrode components all have critical interpretations, we propose a multidimensional functional principal components analysis (MD-FPCA) technique which does not collapse any of the dimensions of the ERP data. The proposed decomposition is based on separation of the total variation into subject and subunit level variation which are further decomposed in a two-stage functional principal components analysis. The proposed methodology is shown to be useful for modeling longitudinal trends in the ERP functions, leading to novel insights into the learning patterns of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their typically developing peers as well as comparisons between the two groups. Finite sample properties of MD-FPCA are further studied via extensive simulations. PMID:28072468

Longitudinal associations between maternal feeding and overweight in low-income toddlers.

PubMed

Lumeng, Julie C; Kaciroti, Niko; Retzloff, Lauren; Rosenblum, Katherine; Miller, Alison L

2017-06-01

Maternal feeding is a frequent intervention target for the prevention of early childhood obesity but longitudinal associations between feeding and child overweight are poorly understood. This observational cohort study sought to examine the cross-lagged associations between maternal feeding and overweight across ages 21, 27, and 33 months. Feeding was measured by maternal self-report (n = 222) at each age. Child weight and length were measured. Cross-lagged analysis was used to evaluate longitudinal associations between feeding and overweight, adjusting for infant birth weight, maternal body mass index, maternal education, and maternal depressive symptoms. The sample was 50.5% white, 52.3% male and 37.8% of mothers had a high school education or less. A total of 30.6%, 29.2%, and 26.3% of the sample was overweight at each age, respectively. Pressuring to Finish, Restrictive with regard to Amount, Restrictive with regard to Diet Quality, Laissez-Faire with regard to Diet Quality, Responsiveness to Satiety, Indulgent Permissive, Indulgent Coaxing, Indulgent Soothing, and Indulgent Pampering each tracked strongly across toddlerhood. There were no significant associations between maternal feeding and child overweight either in cross-sectional or cross-lagged associations. Our results do not support a strong causal role for feeding in childhood overweight. Future work longitudinal work should consider alternative approaches to conceptualizing feeding and alternative measurement approaches. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal Associations between Maternal Feeding and Overweight in Low-Income Toddlers

PubMed Central

Lumeng, Julie C.; Kaciroti, Niko; Retzloff, Lauren; Rosenblum, Katherine; Miller, Alison L.

2017-01-01

Maternal feeding is a frequent intervention target for the prevention of early childhood obesity but longitudinal associations between feeding and child overweight are poorly understood. This observational cohort study sought to examine the cross-lagged associations between maternal feeding and overweight across ages 21, 27, and 33 months. Feeding was measured by maternal self-report (n=222) at each age. Child weight and length were measured. Cross-lagged analysis was used to evaluate longitudinal associations between feeding and overweight, adjusting for infant birth weight, maternal body mass index, maternal education, and maternal depressive symptoms. The sample was 50.5% white, 52.3% male and 37.8% of mothers had a high school education or less. A total of 30.6%, 29.2%, and 26.3% of the sample was overweight at each age, respectively. Pressuring to Finish, Restrictive with regard to Amount, Restrictive with regard to Diet Quality, Laissez-Faire with regard to Diet Quality, Responsiveness to Satiety, Indulgent Permissive, Indulgent Coaxing, Indulgent Soothing, and Indulgent Pampering each tracked strongly across toddlerhood. There were no significant associations between maternal feeding and child overweight either in cross-sectional or cross-lagged associations. Our results do not support a strong causal role for feeding in childhood overweight. Future work longitudinal work should consider alternative approaches to conceptualizing feeding and alternative measurement approaches. PMID:28212827

Longitudinal impact of frequent geographic relocation from adolescence to adulthood on psychosocial stress and vital exhaustion at ages 32 and 42 years: the Amsterdam growth and health longitudinal study.

PubMed

Lin, Kuan-Chia; Twisk, J W R; Huang, Hui-Chuan

2012-01-01

We assessed mobility in different life stages over a 29-year period from adolescence through adulthood and its correlation with psychosocial stress and vital exhaustion at ages 32 and 42 years. Data were derived from the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study, an observational longitudinal study of 420 boys and girls from age 13 to 42 years. Measurements included cumulative frequency of geographic relocation (CFGR), psychosocial stress (measured by a Dutch scale of experienced stress, VOEG-13), vital exhaustion (measured by the Maastricht Questionnaire, MQ), demographics, socioeconomic status, and other background characteristics. From 1976 to 2006, total CFGR was 3.56 ± 1.89 (range 0-13). Frequent geographic relocation during 2 life stages (age 22-32 years and 33-42 years) was significantly interrelated; however, this was not evident at age 13 to 21 years, which suggests a unique exposure to relocation during adolescence and youth. After adjusting for anticipated confounders, higher cumulative frequencies of residential changes during adolescence and youth were markedly associated with psychosocial stress and vital exhaustion at ages 32 and 42 years. Frequent geographic relocation during adolescence and youth was an indicator of psychosocial stress and vital exhaustion in the transition to middle adulthood. Further consideration of the pathways in this web of causation may aid in stress prevention and minimize negative consequences.

A multi-dimensional functional principal components analysis of EEG data.

PubMed

Hasenstab, Kyle; Scheffler, Aaron; Telesca, Donatello; Sugar, Catherine A; Jeste, Shafali; DiStefano, Charlotte; Şentürk, Damla

2017-09-01

The electroencephalography (EEG) data created in event-related potential (ERP) experiments have a complex high-dimensional structure. Each stimulus presentation, or trial, generates an ERP waveform which is an instance of functional data. The experiments are made up of sequences of multiple trials, resulting in longitudinal functional data and moreover, responses are recorded at multiple electrodes on the scalp, adding an electrode dimension. Traditional EEG analyses involve multiple simplifications of this structure to increase the signal-to-noise ratio, effectively collapsing the functional and longitudinal components by identifying key features of the ERPs and averaging them across trials. Motivated by an implicit learning paradigm used in autism research in which the functional, longitudinal, and electrode components all have critical interpretations, we propose a multidimensional functional principal components analysis (MD-FPCA) technique which does not collapse any of the dimensions of the ERP data. The proposed decomposition is based on separation of the total variation into subject and subunit level variation which are further decomposed in a two-stage functional principal components analysis. The proposed methodology is shown to be useful for modeling longitudinal trends in the ERP functions, leading to novel insights into the learning patterns of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their typically developing peers as well as comparisons between the two groups. Finite sample properties of MD-FPCA are further studied via extensive simulations. © 2017, The International Biometric Society.

The Effects of Constraints and Mastery on Mental and Physical Health: Conceptual and Methodological Considerations

PubMed Central

Infurna, Frank J.; Mayer, Axel

2015-01-01

Perceived control and health are closely interrelated in adulthood and old age. However, less is known regarding the differential implications of two facets of perceived control, constraints and mastery, for mental and physical health. Furthermore, a limitation of previous research testing the pathways linking perceived control to mental and physical health is that mediation was tested with cross-sectional designs and not in a longitudinal mediation design that accounts for temporal ordering and prior confounds. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS; n = 7,612, M age = 68, SD = 10.66; 59% women) we examined the effect of constraints and mastery on 4-year changes in mental and physical health and whether physical activity mediated such effects in a longitudinal mediation design. Using confirmatory factor analysis, we modeled the two-factor structure of perceived control that consisted of constraints and mastery. In our longitudinal mediation model, where we accounted for possible confounders (e.g., age, gender, education, neuroticism, conscientiousness, memory, and health conditions), constraints showed a stronger total effect on mental and physical health, than mastery, such that more constraints were associated with 4-year declines in mental and physical health. Physical activity did not mediate the effect of constraints and mastery on mental and physical health (indirect effect). In order to demonstrate the importance of a longitudinal mediation model that accounts for confounders, we also estimated the mediated effect using two models commonly used in the literature: cross-sectional mediation model and longitudinal mediation model without accounting for confounders. These mediation models indicated a spurious indirect effect that cannot be causally interpreted. Our results showcase that constraints and mastery have differential implications for mental and physical health, as well as how a longitudinal mediation design can illustrate (or not) pathways in developmental processes. Our discussion focuses on the conceptual and methodological implications of a two facet model of perceived control and the strengths of longitudinal mediation designs for testing conceptual models of human development. PMID:25938243

The effects of constraints and mastery on mental and physical health: Conceptual and methodological considerations.

PubMed

Infurna, Frank J; Mayer, Axel

2015-06-01

Perceived control and health are closely interrelated in adulthood and old age. However, less is known regarding the differential implications of 2 facets of perceived control, constraints and mastery, for mental and physical health. Furthermore, a limitation of previous research testing the pathways linking perceived control to mental and physical health is that mediation was tested with cross-sectional designs and not in a longitudinal mediation design that accounts for temporal ordering and prior confounds. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS; n = 7,612, M age = 68, SD = 10.66; 59% women) we examined the effect of constraints and mastery on 4-year changes in mental and physical health and whether physical activity mediated such effects in a longitudinal mediation design. Using confirmatory factor analysis, we modeled the 2-factor structure of perceived control that consisted of constraints and mastery. In our longitudinal mediation model, where we accounted for possible confounders (e.g., age, gender, education, neuroticism, conscientiousness, memory, and health conditions), constraints showed a stronger total effect on mental and physical health, than mastery, such that more constraints were associated with 4-year declines in mental and physical health. Physical activity did not mediate the effect of constraints and mastery on mental and physical health (indirect effect). To demonstrate the importance of a longitudinal mediation model that accounts for confounders, we also estimated the mediated effect using 2 models commonly used in the literature: cross-sectional mediation model and longitudinal mediation model without accounting for confounders. These mediation models indicated a spurious indirect effect that cannot be causally interpreted. Our results showcase that constraints and mastery have differential implications for mental and physical health, as well as how a longitudinal mediation design can illustrate (or not) pathways in developmental processes. Our discussion focuses on the conceptual and methodological implications of a 2 facet model of perceived control and the strengths of longitudinal mediation designs for testing conceptual models of human development. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

Association between Carbohydrate Intake and Serum Lipids

PubMed Central

Ma, Yunsheng; Chiriboga, David E.; Olendzki, Barbara C.; Li, Wenjun; Leung, Katherine; Hafner, Andrea R.; Li, Youfu; Ockene, Ira S.; Hebert, James R.

2006-01-01

Background The effect of dietary carbohydrate on blood lipids has received considerable attention in light of the current trend in lowering carbohydrate intake for weight loss. Objectives To evaluate the association between carbohydrate intake and serum lipids. Methods Blood samples and 24-hour dietary and physical activity recall interviews were obtained from each subject at quarterly intervals for five consecutive quarters between 1994 and 1998 from 574 healthy adults in Central Massachusetts. Relationships between serum lipids and dietary carbohydrate factors were assessed using linear mixed models and adjusting for other risk factors known to be related to blood lipids. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal results were reported. Results Cross-sectional analysis results from this study suggest that higher total carbohydrate intake, percentage of calories from carbohydrate, glycemic index (GI) and/or glycemic load (GL) are related to lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and higher serum triacylglycerol levels, while higher total carbohydrate intake and/or GL are related to lower total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. In a one-year longitudinal analysis, GL was positively associated with total and LDL-C levels, and there was an inverse association between percentage of calories from carbohydrate and HDL-C levels. Conclusions Results suggest that there is a complex and predominantly unfavorable effect of increased intake of highly processed carbohydrate on lipid profile, which may have implications for metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and coronary heart disease. Further studies in the form of randomized controlled trials are required to investigate these associations and determine the implications for lipid management. PMID:16582033

Plantar Fascia Thickness is Longitudinally Associated with Retinopathy and Renal Dysfunction: A Prospective Study from Adolescence to Adulthood

PubMed Central

Benitez-Aguirre, Paul Z.; Craig, Maria E.; Jenkins, Alicia J.; Gallego, Patricia H.; Cusumano, Janine; Duffin, Anthony C.; Hing, Stephen; Donaghue, Kim C.

2012-01-01

Aim The aim was to study the longitudinal relationship between plantar fascia thickness (PFT) as a measure of tissue glycation and microvascular (MV) complications in young persons with type 1 diabetes (T1DM). Methods We conducted a prospective longitudinal cohort study of 152 (69 male) adolescents with T1DM who underwent repeated MV complications assessments and ultrasound measurements of PFT from baseline (1997–2002) until 2008. Retinopathy was assessed by 7-field stereoscopic fundal photography and nephropathy by albumin excretion rate (AER) from three timed overnight urine specimens. Longitudinal analysis was performed using generalized estimating equations (GEE). Results Median (interquartile range) age at baseline was 15.1 (13.4–16.8) years, and median follow-up was 8.3 (7.0–9.5) years, with 4 (3–6) visits per patient. Glycemic control improved from baseline to final visit [glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) 8.5% to 8.0%, respectively; p = .004]. Prevalence of retinopathy increased from 20% to 51% (p < .001) and early elevation of AER (>7.5 µg/min) increased from 26% to 29% (p = .2). A greater increase in PFT (mm/year) was associated with retinopathy at the final assessment (ΔPFT 1st vs. 2nd–4th quartiles, χ2 = 9.87, p = .02). In multivariate GEE, greater PFT was longitudinally associated with retinopathy [odds ratio (OR) 4.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.0–10.3] and early renal dysfunction (OR 3.2, CI 1.3–8.0) after adjusting for gender, blood pressure standard deviation scores, HbA1c, and total cholesterol. Conclusions In young people with T1DM, PFT was longitudinally associated with retinopathy and early renal dysfunction, highlighting the importance of early glycemic control and supporting the role of metabolic memory in MV complications. Measurement of PFT by ultrasound offers a noninvasive estimate of glycemic burden and tissue glycation. PMID:22538146

Plantar fascia thickness is longitudinally associated with retinopathy and renal dysfunction: a prospective study from adolescence to adulthood.

PubMed

Benitez-Aguirre, Paul Z; Craig, Maria E; Jenkins, Alicia J; Gallego, Patricia H; Cusumano, Janine; Duffin, Anthony C; Hing, Stephen; Donaghue, Kim C

2012-03-01

The aim was to study the longitudinal relationship between plantar fascia thickness (PFT) as a measure of tissue glycation and microvascular (MV) complications in young persons with type 1 diabetes (T1DM). We conducted a prospective longitudinal cohort study of 152 (69 male) adolescents with T1DM who underwent repeated MV complications assessments and ultrasound measurements of PFT from baseline (1997-2002) until 2008. Retinopathy was assessed by 7-field stereoscopic fundal photography and nephropathy by albumin excretion rate (AER) from three timed overnight urine specimens. Longitudinal analysis was performed using generalized estimating equations (GEE). Median (interquartile range) age at baseline was 15.1 (13.4-16.8) years, and median follow-up was 8.3 (7.0-9.5) years, with 4 (3-6) visits per patient. Glycemic control improved from baseline to final visit [glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) 8.5% to 8.0%, respectively; p = .004]. Prevalence of retinopathy increased from 20% to 51% (p < .001) and early elevation of AER (>7.5 μg/min) increased from 26% to 29% (p = .2). A greater increase in PFT (mm/year) was associated with retinopathy at the final assessment (ΔPFT 1st vs. 2nd-4th quartiles, χ(2) = 9.87, p = .02). In multivariate GEE, greater PFT was longitudinally associated with retinopathy [odds ratio (OR) 4.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.0-10.3] and early renal dysfunction (OR 3.2, CI 1.3-8.0) after adjusting for gender, blood pressure standard deviation scores, HbA1c, and total cholesterol. In young people with T1DM, PFT was longitudinally associated with retinopathy and early renal dysfunction, highlighting the importance of early glycemic control and supporting the role of metabolic memory in MV complications. Measurement of PFT by ultrasound offers a noninvasive estimate of glycemic burden and tissue glycation. © 2012 Diabetes Technology Society.

Delayed school start time is associated with better sleep, daytime functioning, and life satisfaction in residential high-school students.

PubMed

Chan, Christian S; Poon, Cyanea Y S; Leung, Jacklyn C Y; Lau, Kristy N T; Lau, Esther Y Y

2018-05-16

The effects of a delayed school start time by one hour were examined at a boarding school in Hong Kong. Two cohorts of high school students (N = 228; 61.8% female) were recruited respectively before and after a school start time changed from 7:30am to 8:30am. Both cross-cohort and within-cohort longitudinal comparisons yielded significant increase in total sleep time. Cross-cohort comparison yielded improvement in sleep quality, insomnia, life satisfaction, and psychological distress. Longitudinal data suggested that the longer the additional sleep time, the better was sleep quality, day-time functioning, and subjective wellbeing. Copyright © 2018 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Physical Activity and Personality Development over Twenty Years: Evidence from Three Longitudinal Samples.

PubMed

Stephan, Yannick; Sutin, Angelina R; Luchetti, Martina; Bosselut, Grégoire; Terracciano, Antonio

2018-04-01

A physically inactive lifestyle is associated with maladaptive patterns of personality development over relatively short follow-up periods. The present study extends existing research by examining whether this association persists over 20 years. Participants (total N = 8,723) were drawn from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study Graduates and Siblings samples and the Midlife in the United States Study. Controlling for demographic factors and disease burden, baseline physical inactivity was related to steeper declines in conscientiousness in all three samples and a meta-analysis (β=-.06). The meta-analysis further showed that lower physical activity was associated with declines in openness (β=-.05), extraversion (β=-.03), and agreeableness (β=-.03). These findings provide evidence that a physically inactive lifestyle is associated with long-term detrimental personality trajectories.

Disease management programs for patients with COPD in Germany: a longitudinal evaluation of routinely collected patient records.

PubMed

Mehring, Michael; Donnachie, Ewan; Fexer, Johannes; Hofmann, Frank; Schneider, Antonius

2014-07-01

The primary aim of the disease management program (DMP) for patients with COPD is to improve health outcomes and thereby to reduce overall costs. Six years after its introduction in Germany, no consensus has yet been reached as to whether the DMP has been effective in reaching these goals. The objective of the study was an evaluation of the DMP for COPD in Bavaria using routinely collected subject medical records. A longitudinal population-based study, comparing the total DMP population of up to 86,560 patients with a stable cohort of 17,549 subjects over a period of 5 years. The effect of subject dropout in the cohort is further estimated by means of inverse probability weighting. The proportion of subjects in the total population who were prescribed and received treatment with oral corticosteroids declined at a constant rate of 1.0% per year (P < .001). The proportion of subjects who were given a prescription for theophylline decreased at a constant rate of 2.0% per year (P < .001). By 2012, 15.6% of the total population and 26% of the cohort had undergone self-management education. While the proportion of smokers in the total population remained constant because of the effect of newly enrolled subjects, the proportion of smokers decreased significantly even after dropout adjustment, from 29% to 21%. The occurrence of exacerbations decreased steadily at a rate of 0.9% (total population) or 0.7% (cohort) per year. While the occurrence of emergency hospital admissions decreased in the total population, an increase was observed within the cohort. Summarizing all results leads to the suggestion that the German DMP for COPD has been effective in enhancing the quality of care in regard to an improved adherence to guidelines, pharmacotherapy, exacerbations, and self-management education. However, the DMP was not able to prevent an increase in emergency hospital admissions for the stable population in the cohort. Copyright © 2014 by Daedalus Enterprises.

Influence of extracurricular sport activities on body composition and physical fitness in boys: a 3-year longitudinal study.

PubMed

Ara, I; Vicente-Rodriguez, G; Perez-Gomez, J; Jimenez-Ramirez, J; Serrano-Sanchez, J A; Dorado, C; Calbet, J A L

2006-07-01

To analyse the effect of extracurricular physical activities on fat mass accumulation and physical fitness during growth in early pubertal males. Longitudinal study. A total of 42 male children (9.4+/-1.4 years, Tanner I-II and 12.7+/-1.5 years, Tanner III-IV, before and after the 3.3 years follow-up, respectively), randomly sampled from the population of Gran Canaria (Spain), 26 of them physically active (PA, at least 3 h per week during 3 years) and 16 non-physically active (non-PA). Body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), anthropometrics (body circumferences and skinfolds) and physical fitness variables (dynamic and isometric force, anaerobic capacity and maximal aerobic power) were determined in all subjects. Both groups had comparable body sizes at the start and the end of the study. Body mass index increased with growth more in the PA than in the non-PA group (P<0.05). However, fat mass accumulation with growth was lower in the PA than in the non-PA (P<0.05). There was a positive relationship between the increment of total and trunkal fat mass, especially in non-active children (r2=0.93). In contrast, there was an inverse relationship between the total lean mass growth and the accumulation of total and regional fat mass (r=-0.37 to -0.41, all P<0.05). Physical fitness was maintained in the PA, while it worsened in the non-PA children. Without any dietary intervention, children who regularly participate in at least 3 h per week of sports activities are more protected against total and regional fat mass accumulation. They also increase their total lean and bone mass to a greater extent than children who do not participate in extracurricular sport activities. In addition, PA children maintain their physical fitness during growth, while it deteriorates in the non-PA children.

Impact of Total Vending Machine Restrictions on US Young Adult Smoking

PubMed Central

Kelly, Brian C.; Kadowaki, Joy

2016-01-01

Introduction: In an analysis of smoking using a longitudinal sample of US young adults, we extend research on tobacco vending machine restrictions beyond its prior focus on minors by examining the influence of total vending machine restrictions, which apply to adult-only facilities and represents the only remaining vending machine exemption since the enactment of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. We identify whether the passage of a restriction influences an individual’s smoking on repeated observations, and if the propensity is lower among those who live in locations with a restriction. Methods: Combining a repository of US tobacco policies at all geographic levels with the nationally-representative geocoded National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 and Census data, we use multilevel logistic regression to examine the impact of total vending machine restrictions on any past 30-day smoking and past 30-day smoking of one pack per day among young adults (ages 19–31), while accounting for other tobacco control policy, community, and individual covariates. Results: We find that total vending machine restrictions decrease any recent smoking (OR = 0.451; p < .01), net of other covariates. Though the passage of a restriction does not alter an individual’s smoking over time, living longer in an area that has a restriction lowers the propensity that an individual will smoke at all (OR = 0.442; p < .05). We find no effect of total vending machine restrictions on smoking a pack daily. Conclusions: Total vending machine restrictions appear to be an effective, yet highly underutilized, means of tobacco control. Implications: Past scientific inquiries examining vending machine restrictions have focused upon minor access, adolescent perceptions of availability, and subsequent smoking. The potential for total vending machine restrictions, which extend to adult-only facilities, to influence patterns of smoking among those of legal age, remains significant. Those who are subject to total vending machine restrictions for longer periods are less likely to have recently smoked, but individuals do not change their smoking behavior in response to the passage of a restriction. These restrictions do not affect heavy smokers. Such policies are an effective but underutilized policy mechanism to prevent smoking among young adults. PMID:27281606

Cross-sectional and longitudinal epidemiological studies of Internet gaming disorder: A systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Mihara, Satoko; Higuchi, Susumu

2017-07-01

The diagnostic criteria of Internet gaming disorder (IGD) have been included in section III of DSM-5. This study aims to systematically review both cross-sectional and longitudinal epidemiological studies of IGD. All publications included in PubMed and PsychINFO up to May 2016 were systematically searched to identify cross-sectional studies on prevalence and longitudinal studies of IGD. In the process of identification, articles in non-English languages and studies focusing solely on the use of gaming were excluded, and those meeting the methodological requirements set by this review were included. As a result, 37 cross-sectional and 13 longitudinal studies were selected for review. The prevalence of IGD in the total samples ranged from 0.7% to 27.5%. The prevalence was higher among males than females in the vast majority of studies and tended to be higher among younger rather than older people in some studies. Geographical region made little difference to prevalence. Factors associated with IGD were reported in 28 of 37 cross-sectional studies. These were diverse and covered gaming, demographic and familial factors, interpersonal relations, social and school functioning, personality, psychiatric comorbidity, and physical health conditions. Longitudinal studies identified risk and protective factors, and health and social consequences of IGD. The natural course of IGD was diverse but tended to be more stable among adolescents compared to adults. Although existing epidemiological studies have provided useful data, differences in methodologies make it difficult to compare the findings of these studies when drawing consensus. Future international studies using reliable and uniform methods are warranted. © 2017 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2017 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Exploring the impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on diabetes control in diabetes patients: a prospective observational study in general practice.

PubMed

Luijks, Hilde D; de Grauw, Wim J C; Bor, Jacobus H J; van Weel, Chris; Lagro-Janssen, Antoine L M; Biermans, Marion C J; Schermer, Tjard R

2015-04-23

Little is known about the association between COPD and diabetes control parameters. To explore the association between comorbid COPD and longitudinal glycaemic control (HbA1C) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) in a primary care cohort of diabetes patients. This is a prospective cohort study of type 2 diabetes patients in the Netherlands. In a mixed model analysis, we tested differences in the 5-year longitudinal development of HbA1C and SBP according to COPD comorbidity (present/absent). We corrected for relevant covariates. In subgroup effect analyses, we tested whether potential differences between diabetes patients with/without COPD were modified by age, sex, socio-economic status (SES) and body mass index (BMI). We analysed 610 diabetes patients. A total of 63 patients (10.3%) had comorbid COPD. The presence of COPD was not significantly associated with the longitudinal development of HbA1C (P=0.54) or SBP (P=0.33), but subgroup effect analyses showed significant effect modification by SES (P<0.01) and BMI (P=0.03) on SBP. Diabetes patients without COPD had a flat SBP trend over time, with higher values in patients with a high BMI. For diabetes patients with COPD, SBP gradually increased over time in the middle- and high-SES groups, and it decreased over time in those in the low-SES group. The longitudinal development of HbA1C was not significantly associated with comorbid COPD in diabetes patients. The course of SBP in diabetes patients with COPD is significantly associated with SES (not BMI) in contrast to those without COPD. Comorbid COPD was associated with longitudinal diabetes control parameters, but it has complex interactions with other patient characteristics. Further research is needed.

Estimating gestational age at birth from fundal height and additional anthropometrics: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Pugh, S J; Ortega-Villa, A M; Grobman, W; Newman, R B; Owen, J; Wing, D A; Albert, P S; Grantz, K L

2018-02-23

Accurate assessment of gestational age (GA) is critical to paediatric care, but is limited in developing countries without access to ultrasound. Our objectives were to assess the accuracy of prediction of GA at birth and preterm birth classification using routinely collected anthropometry measures. Prospective cohort study. United States. A total of 2334 non-obese and 468 obese pregnant women. Enrolment GA was determined based on last menstrual period, confirmed by first-trimester ultrasound. Maternal anthropometry and fundal height (FH) were measured by a standardised protocol at study visits; FH alone was additionally abstracted from medical charts. Neonatal anthropometry measurements were obtained at birth. To estimate GA at delivery, we developed three predictor models using longitudinal FH alone and with maternal and neonatal anthropometry. For all predictors, we repeatedly sampled observations to construct training (60%) and test (40%) sets. Linear mixed models incorporated longitudinal maternal anthropometry and a shared parameter model incorporated neonatal anthropometry. We assessed models' accuracy under varied scenarios. Estimated GA at delivery. Prediction error for various combinations of anthropometric measures ranged between 13.9 and 14.9 days. Longitudinal FH alone predicted GA within 14.9 days with relatively stable prediction errors across individual race/ethnicities [whites (13.9 days), blacks (15.1 days), Hispanics (15.5 days) and Asians (13.1 days)], and correctly identified 75% of preterm births. The model was robust to additional scenarios. In low-risk, non-obese women, longitudinal FH measures alone can provide a reasonably accurate assessment of GA when ultrasound measures are not available. Longitudinal fundal height alone predicts gestational age at birth when ultrasound measures are unavailable. © 2018 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Longitudinal Analysis of Superficial Midfacial Fat Volumes Over a 10-Year Period.

PubMed

Tower, Jacob; Seifert, Kimberly; Paskhover, Boris

2018-04-11

Volumetric changes to facial fat that occur with aging remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate for longitudinal changes to midfacial fat volumes in a group of individuals. We conducted a retrospective longitudinal study of adult subjects who underwent multiple facial computed tomographic (CT) scans timed at least 8 years apart. Subjects who underwent facial surgery or suffered facial trauma were excluded. Facial CT scans were analyzed, and superficial cheek fat volumes were measured and compared to track changes that occurred with aging. Fourteen subjects were included in our analysis of facial aging (5 male, 9 female; mean initial age 50.9 years; mean final age 60.4 years). In the right superficial cheek there was an increase in mean (SD) superficial fat volume from 10.33 (2.01) to 10.50 (1.80) cc, which was not statistically significant (P = 0.75). Similar results were observed in the left cheek. There were no statistically significant longitudinal changes to caudal, middle, or cephalad subdivisions of bilateral superficial cheek fat. A simple linear regression was performed to predict superficial cheek fat pad volume based on age which did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.31), with an R 2 of 0.039. This study is the first to quantitatively assess for longitudinal changes to midfacial fat in a group of individuals. Superficial cheek fat remained stable as subjects aged from approximately 50 to 60 years old, with no change in total volume or redistribution within a radiographically defined compartment. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Moving to an active lifestyle? A systematic review of the effects of residential relocation on walking, physical activity and travel behaviour.

PubMed

Ding, Ding; Nguyen, Binh; Learnihan, Vincent; Bauman, Adrian E; Davey, Rachel; Jalaludin, Bin; Gebel, Klaus

2018-06-01

To synthesise the literature on the effects of neighbourhood environmental change through residential relocation on physical activity, walking and travel behaviour. Systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PROSPERO registration number CRD42017077681). Electronic databases for peer-reviewed and grey literature were systematically searched to March 2017, followed by forward and backward citation tracking. A study was eligible for inclusion if it (1) measured changes in neighbourhood built environment attributes as a result of residential relocation (either prospectively or retrospectively); (2) included a measure of physical activity, walking, cycling or travel modal change as an outcome; (3) was quantitative and (4) included an English abstract or summary. A total of 23 studies was included in the review. Among the eight retrospective longitudinal studies, there was good evidence for the relationship between relocation and walking (consistency score (CS)>90%). For the 15 prospective longitudinal studies, the evidence for the effects of environmental change/relocation on physical activity or walking was weak to moderate (CS mostly <45%), even weaker for effects on other outcomes, including physical activity, cycling, public transport use and driving. Results from risk of bias analyses support the robustness of the findings. The results are encouraging for the retrospective longitudinal relocation studies, but weaker evidence exists for the methodologically stronger prospective longitudinal relocation studies. The evidence base is currently limited, and continued longitudinal research should extend the plethora of cross-sectional studies to build higher-quality evidence. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Regional gray matter volume increases following 7days of voluntary wheel running exercise: a longitudinal VBM study in rats.

PubMed

Sumiyoshi, Akira; Taki, Yasuyuki; Nonaka, Hiroi; Takeuchi, Hikaru; Kawashima, Ryuta

2014-09-01

The effects of physical exercise on brain morphology in rodents have been well documented in histological studies. However, to further understand when and where morphological changes occur in the whole brain, a noninvasive neuroimaging method allowing an unbiased, comprehensive, and longitudinal investigation of brain morphology should be used. In this study, we investigated the effects of 7days of voluntary wheel running exercise on regional gray matter volume (rGMV) using longitudinal voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in rats. Eighteen pairs of adult male naïve Wistar rats were randomized to the exercise or control condition (one rat for each condition from each pair). Each rat was scanned in a 7.0-T MRI scanner at three time points: before exercise, after 7days of exercise, and after 7days of follow-up. The T2-weighted MRI images were segmented using the rat brain tissue priors that were recently published by our laboratory, and the intra- and inter-subject template creation steps were followed. Longitudinal VBM analysis revealed significant increases in rGMV in the motor, somatosensory, association, and visual cortices in the exercise group. Among these brain regions, rGMV changes in the motor cortex were positively correlated with the total distance that was run during the 7days of exercise. In addition, the effects of 7days of exercise on rGMV persisted after 7days of follow-up. These results support the utility of a longitudinal VBM study in rats and provide new insights into experience-dependent structural brain plasticity in naïve adult animals. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Does Parenting Explain the Effects of Structural Conditions on Children's Antisocial Behavior? A Comparison of Blacks and Whites.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLeod, Jane D.; And Others

1994-01-01

Data on black children and white children over age six and their mothers (from National Longitudinal Survey of Youth) indicate no racial differences in total effects of poverty and single parenthood on parenting practices (affection and spanking). Parenting practices were reciprocally related to child's antisocial behavior for whites, but did not…

Maternal Postnatal Depression and the Development of Depression in Offspring up to 16 Years of Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Lynne; Arteche, Adriane; Fearon, Pasco; Halligan, Sarah; Goodyer, Ian; Cooper, Peter

2011-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the developmental risk pathway to depression by 16 years in offspring of postnatally depressed mothers. Method: This was a prospective longitudinal study of offspring of postnatally depressed and nondepressed mothers; child and family assessments were made from infancy to 16 years. A total of 702…

Empowering Students to Create Better Virtual Reality Applications: A Longitudinal Study of a VR Capstone Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Takala, Tuukka M.; Malmi, Lauri; Pugliese, Roberto; Takala, Tapio

2016-01-01

In this paper we present our experiences of teaching an annually organized virtual reality (VR) capstone course. We review three iterations of the course, during which a total of 45 students completed the course and 16 VR applications were implemented. Our comparative analysis describes the students' evaluation of the course, the applications…

Behavioral Manifestations and Parental Correlates of Intolerance of Ambiguity in Young Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrington, David M.; And Others

The phenomenon of intolerance of ambiguity in young children was investigated in this longitudinal study. Personality data for the total of 120 children in the study were obtained from: (1) descriptions of the children at both 3 and 4 years of age by their teachers, using the California Child Q-set; (2) the children's performance on the Lowenfeld…

Cyber- and Face-to-Face Bullying: Who Crosses Over?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shin, Hwayeon Helene; Braithwaite, Valerie; Ahmed, Eliza

2016-01-01

A total of 3956 children aged 12-13 years who completed the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC Wave 5) were studied about their experiences of traditional face-to-face bullying and cyberbullying in the last month. In terms of prevalence, sixty percent of the sample had been involved in traditional bullying as the victim and/or the…

Scaffolding, Analysis and Materials: Contributing Factors in an Unexpected Finding of Advanced Infant/Toddler Pretend Play?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrissey, Anne-Marie

2014-01-01

As part of a longitudinal study, infant/toddler pretend play development and maternal play modelling were investigated in dyadic context. A total of 21 children were videotaped in monthly play sessions with their mothers, from age 8 to 17 months. Child and mother pretend play frequencies and levels were measured using Brown's Pretend Play…

Predictors of Reading Development in Deaf Children: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kyle, Fiona E.; Harris, Margaret

2010-01-01

The development of reading ability in a group of deaf children was followed over a 3-year period. A total of 29 deaf children (7-8 years of age at the first assessment) participated in the study, and every 12 months they were given a battery of literacy, cognitive, and language tasks. Earlier vocabulary and speechreading skills predicted…

First results of the magnetic field measurements on the G0 IV η Boo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butkovskaya, V. V.; Plachinda, S. I.; Baklanova, D.; Pankov, N. F.

2018-01-01

Search for a magnetic field on η Boo has been performed over 50 nights in 1999 — 2014. Statistically significant magnetic field has been detected over 5 out of 50 nights. The total range of the longitudinal magnetic field variations is from -15.1±6.4 G to 23.1±9.6 G.

A Measure for the Reliability of a Rating Scale Based on Longitudinal Clinical Trial Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laenen, Annouschka; Alonso, Ariel; Molenberghs, Geert

2007-01-01

A new measure for reliability of a rating scale is introduced, based on the classical definition of reliability, as the ratio of the true score variance and the total variance. Clinical trial data can be employed to estimate the reliability of the scale in use, whenever repeated measurements are taken. The reliability is estimated from the…

Examining the Stability of "DSM-IV" and Empirically Derived Eating Disorder Classification: Implications for "DSM-5"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Carol B.; Crow, Scott J.; Swanson, Sonja A.; Crosby, Ross D.; Wonderlich, Stephen A.; Mitchell, James E.; Agras, W. Stewart; Halmi, Katherine A.

2011-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to derive an empirical classification of eating disorder symptoms in a heterogeneous eating disorder sample using latent class analysis (LCA) and to examine the longitudinal stability of these latent classes (LCs) and the stability of DSM-IV eating disorder (ED) diagnoses. Method: A total of 429…

Longitudinal Weight Calibration with Estimated Control Totals for Cross Sectional Survey Data: Theory and Application

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qing, Siyu

2014-01-01

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Survey of Doctorate Recipients (SDR) collects information on a sample of individuals in the United States with PhD degrees. A significant portion of the sampled individuals appear in multiple survey years and can be linked across time. Survey weights in each year are created and adjusted for oversampling and…

Becoming a Teacher: Tracing Changes in Pre-Service English as a Foreign Language Teachers' Sense of Efficacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yüksel, H. Gülru

2014-01-01

This longitudinal study aimed to trace changes in Turkish pre-service English as a foreign language teachers' self-efficacy over a year, and to detect possible sources of information influencing their efficacy. Utilizing concurrent mixed model design of Creswell (2003) both qualitative and quantitative data was collected. A total of 40 pre-service…

The Course and Outcome of Psychiatric Illness in People with Prader-Willi Syndrome: Implications for Management and Treatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soni, S.; Whittington, J.; Holland, A. J.; Webb, T.; Maina, E.; Boer, H.; Clarke, D.

2007-01-01

Background: This study is part of a larger UK-wide study investigating psychiatric illness in people with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), and describes the longitudinal aspect of psychiatric illness, in particular psychotic illness, and examines the use and role of psychotropic medication. Method: A total of 119 individuals with genetically confirmed…

Glove box for water pit applications

DOEpatents

Mills, William C [Richland, WA; Rabe, Richard A [North Fork, ID

2005-01-18

A glove box assembly that includes a glove box enclosure attached to a longitudinally extending hollow tube having an entranceway, wherein the portion of the tube is in a liquid environment. An elevator member is provided for raising an object that is introduced into the hollow tube from the liquid environment to a gas environment inside the glove box enclosure while maintaining total containment.

Evaluation of Programs for Hearing Impaired Children: Report of 1973-74. Research Report No. 81.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moores, Donald F.; And Others

Presented is the fourth year report of a 4-year longitudinal study comparing effectiveness of seven preschool programs for deaf children. Schools are seen to emphasize either an oral-aural, Rochester (Oral-aural plus finger spelling), or total communication method of instruction. Included in the report are a brief review of literature on…

Independent effects of age-related changes in waist circumference and BMI z scores in predicting cardiovascular disease risk factors in a prospective cohort of adolescent females

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

BACKGROUND: Cross-sectional data indicate that central adiposity is associated with cardiovascular disease risk, independent of total adiposity. The use of longitudinal data to investigate the relation between changes in fat distribution and the emergence of risk factors is limited. OBJECTIVE: We ...

The Significance of Cross-Racial/Ethnic Friendships: Associations with Peer Victimization, Peer Support, Sociometric Status, and Classroom Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kawabata, Yoshito; Crick, Nicki R.

2011-01-01

This short-term longitudinal study examined the associations between cross-racial/ethnic friendships and relative changes in forms of peer victimization or peer support and the roles of classroom diversity and sociometric status (i.e., social preference) in these associations. A total of 444 children (age range: 9-10 years) from…

Longitudinal studies of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in pregnant women living in a rural Cameroonian village with high perennial transmission.

PubMed

Leke, Rose F G; Bioga, Jude D; Zhou, James; Fouda, Genevieve G; Leke, Robert J I; Tchinda, Viviane; Megnekou, Rosette; Fogako, Josephine; Sama, Grace; Gwanmesia, Philomina; Bomback, Germaine; Nama, Charles; Diouf, Ababacar; Bobbili, Naveen; Taylor, Diane Wallace

2010-11-01

A prospective longitudinal study of Plasmodium falciparum in pregnant women was conducted in the rural village of Ngali II, where malaria is hyperendemic and individuals receive ~0.7 infectious mosquito bites/person/day throughout the year. Pregnant women (N = 60; 19 primigravidae, 41 multigravidae) were enrolled early in pregnancy (median 14 wk) and were followed monthly, with 38 women followed through term (5.7 ± 1.1 prenatal visits and delivery). The total number of times primigravidae were slide-positive during pregnancy was higher than multigravidae (3.3 ± 1.1 versus 1.3 ± 1.3 times; P < 0.001), but no difference in the number of polymerase chain reaction-positive cases (4.6 ± 1.7 and 3.4 ± 1.7 times, P = 0.106) or total genotypes they harbored (8.9 ± 3.2 and 7.0 ± 2.9) was found. Only 7.9% women developed symptomatic infections. All primigravidae and 38% multigravidae were placental malaria-positive at delivery (P = 0.009). Genotyping showed that 77% of placental parasites were acquired ≥ 30 wks in pregnancy. These results help identify the extent of malaria-associated changes women experience during pregnancy.

Reaching the limits of mandated self-reporting: clinical logbooks do not predict clerkship performance.

PubMed

Huang, Grace C; Almeida, Jacqueline M; Roberts, David H

2012-01-01

Logbooks are used by US medical schools to evaluate curricular objectives and meet accreditation requirements, but research supporting their utility is conflicting. The goal of our study was to examine the relationship between volume of clinical rotation experiences as reported in a logbook and clerkship grades within a longitudinal integrated clerkship. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of third-year (clinical) medical students during academic year 2008-2009. We tracked student entries in a pocket-sized logbook (number of clinical encounters per clerkship, total number of exams, and procedures over the academic year). We performed correlation analyses between logbook entries and clerkship grades. We enrolled 36 students, who reported a total of 2992 encounters, 2262 exams, and 2342 procedures. Correlation coefficients between volume of clinical experience and clerkship grades were less than 0.4, indicating low correlation. We found borderline statistical significance for the Neurology, OB/Gyn, and Surgery clerkships. Sensitivity analyses showed little correlation between low-reporting activity and clerkship grades. Even within an integrated longitudinal clerkship framework, our findings are consistent with previous studies showing a negligible relationship between logbooks as an educational process measure and how they relate to educational outcomes.

Global observations from PHOBOS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phobos Collaboration; Baker, Mark D.; Back, B. B.; Baker, M. D.; Barton, D. S.; Betts, R. R.; Ballintijn, M.; Bickley, A. A.; Bindel, R.; Bal, A.; Busza, W.; Carroll, A.; Decowski, M. P.; García, E.; George, N.; Gulbrandsen, K.; Gushue, S.; Halliwon, C.; Hamblen, J.; Heintzelman, G. A.; Henderson, C.; Hofman, D. J.; Hollis, R. S.; Hołyński, R.; Holzman, B.; Iordanova, A.; Johnson, E.; Kane, J. L.; Katzy, J.; Khan, N.; Kucewicz, W.; Kulinich, P.; Kan, C. M.; Lin, W. T.; Manly, S.; McLeod, D.; Michałowski, J.; Mignerey, A. C.; Nouicer, R.; Olszewski, A.; Pak, R.; Park, I. C.; Pernegger, H.; Reed, C.; Remsberg, L. P.; Reuter, M.; Roland, C.; Roland, G.; Rosenberg, L.; Sagerer, J.; Sarin, P.; Sawicki, P.; Skulski, W.; Steadman, S. G.; Steinberg, P.; Stodulski, G. S. T. M.; Sukhanov, A.; Tang, J.-L.; Teng, R.; Trzupek, A.; Vale, C.; van Nieuwenhuizen, G. J.; Verdier, R.; Wadsworth, B.; Wolfs, F. L. H.; Wosiek, B.; Woźniak, K.; Wuosmaa, A. H.; Wysłouch, B.

2003-03-01

Particle production in Au+Au collisions has been measured in the PHOBOS experiment at RHIC for a range of collision energies. Three empirical observations have emerged from this dataset which require theoretical examination. First, there is clear evidence of limiting fragmentation. Namely, particle production in central Au+Au collisions, when expressed as $dN/d\\eta'$ ($\\eta' \\equiv \\eta-y_{beam}$), becomes energy independent at high energy for a broad region of $\\eta'$ around $\\eta'=0$. This energy-independent region grows with energy, allowing only a limited region (if any) of longitudinal boost-invariance. Second, there is a striking similarity between particle production in e+e- and Au+Au collisions (scaled by the number of participating nucleon pairs). Both the total number of produced particles and the longitudinal distribution of produced particles are approximately the same in e+e- and in scaled Au+Au. This observation was not predicted and has not been explained. Finally, particle production has been found to scale approximately with the number of participating nucleon pairs for $N_{part}>65$. This scaling occurs both for the total multiplicity and for high $\\pT$ particles (3 $<\\pT<$ 4.5 GeV/c).

Incidence and predictors of cognitive impairment and dementia in Aboriginal Australians: A follow-up study of 5 years.

PubMed

Lo Giudice, Dina; Smith, Kate; Fenner, Stephen; Hyde, Zoë; Atkinson, David; Skeaf, Linda; Malay, Roslyn; Flicker, Leon

2016-03-01

Aboriginal Australians are reported to develop dementia earlier than the general population. The causes remain unknown. This was a longitudinal study of 363 participants aged ≥45 years. Consensus diagnoses were established for cognitive impairment or dementia. At follow-up, 189 people (mean ± standard deviation age, 65.4 ± 10.3 years) participated, as 109 (30%) had died and 65 (18%) were unavailable. The incidence of cognitive impairment or dementia was 52.6 (95% confidence interval 33.9, 81.5) per 1000 person-years (380.3 total person-years) and for dementia was 21.0 (10.5, 42.1) per 1000 person-years (380.3 person-years total) over the age 60 years. Longitudinal risk factors associated with a decline from normal cognition to impairment were age and head injury. Other associations with cognitive decline were stroke, head injury, nonaspirin analgesics, lower BMI, and higher systolic BP. Dementia incidence in Aboriginal Australians is among the highest in the world, and is associated with age and head injury. Copyright © 2016 The Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of channel morphology and flow regime on larval drift of pallid sturgeon in the Lower Missouri River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Erwin, Susannah O.; Jacobson, Robert B.

2015-01-01

The transition from drifting free embryo to exogenously feeding larvae has been identified as a potential life-stage bottleneck for the endangered Missouri River pallid sturgeon. Previous studies have indicated that river regulation and fragmentation may contribute to the mortality of larval pallid sturgeon by reducing the extent of free-flowing river available to free embryos to complete ontogenetic development. Calculations of total drift distance based on mean velocity, however, do not address the potential for complex channels and flow patterns to increase retention or longitudinal dispersion of free embryos. We use a one-dimensional advection–dispersion model to estimate total drift distance and employ the longitudinal dispersion coefficient as a metric to quantify the tendency towards dispersion or retention of passively drifting larvae. We describe the effects of different styles of channel morphology on larval dispersion and consider the implications of flow regime modifications on retention of free embryos within the Lower Missouri River. The results illustrate the complex interactions of local morphology, engineered structures, and hydraulics that determine patterns of dispersion in riverine environments and inform how changes to channel morphology and flow regime may alter dispersion of drifting organisms.

Bone Mineral Content and Density Among Female NCAA Division I Athletes Across the Competitive Season and Over a Multi-Year Time Frame.

PubMed

Stanforth, Dixie; Lu, Tao; Stults-Kolehmainen, Matthew A; Crim, Brittany N; Stanforth, Philip R

2016-10-01

Stanforth, D, Lu, T, Stults-Kolehmainen, MA, Crim, BN, and Stanforth, PR. Bone mineral content and density among female NCAA Division I athletes across the competitive season and over a multi-year time frame. J Strength Cond Res 30(10): 2828-2838, 2016-Longitudinal and cross-sectional bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) comparisons were made among impact and nonimpact sports. Female collegiate athletes, 18-23 years of age, from basketball (BB; n = 38), soccer (SOC; n = 47), swimming (SW; n = 52), track sprinters and jumpers (TR; n = 49), and volleyball (VB; n = 26) had BMC/BMD measures preseason and postseason over 3 years. Control groups of 85 college females, 18-24 years of age, who completed 2 tests 1-3 years apart and of 170 college females, 18-20 years of age, were used for the longitudinal and cross-sectional analyses, respectively. A restricted maximum likelihood linear mixed model regression analysis with a compound symmetric heterogeneous variance-covariance matrix structure was used for all analyses (p ≤ 0.05). Increases from year-1 preseason to year-3 postseason included the following: total BMC (3.3%), total BMD (1.4%), and spine BMD (4.5%) for BB; total BMC (1.5%) and leg BMD (1.2%) for SOC; arm (1.8%), leg (1.9%), and total BMD (5.7%) for SW; total BMC (2.0%), arm (1.7%), leg (2.3%), pelvis (3.4%), spine (6.0%), and total BMD (2.3%) for TR; and arm (4.1%), leg (2.0%), pelvis (2.0%), spine (2.0%), and total BMD (2.7%) for VB. Comparisons among sports determined that BB had higher BMC and BMD values than all other sports for all variables except spine and total BMD; BB, SOC, TR, and VB had higher total BMC (11-29%), leg BMD (13-20%), and total BMD (9-15%) than SW and CON, and there were few differences among SOC, TR, and VB. In conclusion, small, significant increases in many BMC and BMD measures occur during female athlete's collegiate careers. The BMC and BMD differences between impact and nonimpact sports are large compared with smaller differences within impact sports.

Collaborative Care from the Emergency Department for Injured Patients with Prescription Drug Misuse: An Open Feasibility Study

PubMed Central

Whiteside, Lauren K.; Darnell, Doyanne; Jackson, Karlee; Wang, Jin; Russo, Joan; Donovan, Dennis M.; Zatzick, Douglas F.

2018-01-01

Collaborative Care is a comprehensive longitudinal care management strategy. The purpose of this pilot effectiveness-implementation hybrid study was to determine the feasibility of a Collaborative Care intervention initiated from the Emergency Department and proceeding longitudinally for six months for injured patients with prescription drug misuse (PDM). Adult patients presenting to an urban ED with an injury were screened for eligibility from 2/2015-8/2015. Eligible participants with a positive screen for PDM were enrolled in the ‘ED-LINC’ intervention which included the following elements: 1) active care coordination and linkage, 2) medication safety and utilization of opioid guidelines 3) longitudinal care management and 4) utilization of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) innovations such as the statewide Emergency Department Information Exchange (EDIE) and statewide prescription monitoring program information for assessment and follow-up. Baseline characteristics of the sample were assessed and regression models were used to evaluate longitudinal trajectories of risk for PDM. A total of 36 participants (56% of patients approached) had PDM and 30 participants were enrolled. Of those enrolled, 37% had prescription stimulant misuse, 20% with prescription sedative misuse and 97% had prescription opioid misuse. Follow-up rates at all time points were ≥ 83%. Baseline levels of comorbidity were high; 57% endorsed recent heroin use and 70% endorsed symptoms consistent with major depression. Over 50% had five or more statewide ED visits and 53% had used three or more different ED‘s in the past year. On average, participants received a total of 85 minutes of ED-LINC over six months with 90% of participants receiving all four intervention elements. All patients had care coordinated with new or existing primary care providers (PCP’s) and 23% were linked to a new PCP. A majority of patients (≥ 80%) reported receiving high quality, desired intervention services. There was no significant change in PDM over time. Collaborative Care initiated from the ED is feasible and acceptable to patients with trauma and PDM. Future directions could include effectiveness-implementation hybrid trials to study implementation barriers and strategies as well as patient-level outcomes of this intervention for this complex patient population. PMID:29021110

Reliability and relative validity of three physical activity questionnaires in Taizhou population of China: the Taizhou Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Hu, B; Lin, L F; Zhuang, M Q; Yuan, Z Y; Li, S Y; Yang, Y J; Lu, M; Yu, S Z; Jin, L; Ye, W M; Wang, X F

2015-09-01

To examine the test-retest reliabilities and relative validities of the Chinese version of short International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-S-C), the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ-C), and the Total Energy Expenditure Questionnaire (TEEQ-C) in a population-based prospective study, the Taizhou Longitudinal Study (TZLS). A longitudinal comparative study. A total of 205 participants (male: 38.54%) aged 30-70 years completed three questionnaires twice (day one and day nine) and physical activity log (PA-log) over seven consecutive days. The test-retest reliabilities were evaluated using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) and the relative validities were estimated by comparing the data from physical activity questionnaires (PAQs) and PA-log. Good reliabilities were observed between the repeated PAQs. The ICCs ranged from 0.51 to 0.80 for IPAQ-C, 0.67 to 0.85 for GPAQ-C, and 0.74 to 0.94 for TEEQ-C, respectively. Energy expenditure of most PA domains estimated by the three PAQs correlated moderately with the results recorded by PA-log except the walking domain of IPAQ-S-C. The partial correlation coefficients between the PAQs and PA-log ranged from 0.44 to 0.58 for IPAQ-S-C, 0.26 to 0.52 for GPAQ-C, and 0.41 to 0.72 for TEEQ-C, respectively. Bland-Altman plots showed acceptable agreement between the three PAQs and PA-log. The three PAQs, especially TEEQ-C, were relatively reliable and valid for assessment of physical activity and could be used in TZLS. Copyright © 2015 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Endogenous sex hormones, blood pressure change, and risk of hypertension in postmenopausal women: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

PubMed

Wang, Lu; Szklo, Moyses; Folsom, Aaron R; Cook, Nancy R; Gapstur, Susan M; Ouyang, Pamela

2012-09-01

Sex steroid hormones have been postulated to involve in blood pressure (BP) regulation. We examine the association of endogenous sex hormone levels with longitudinal change of BP and risk of developing hypertension in initially normotensive postmenopausal women. We conducted prospective analysis among 619 postmenopausal women free of hypertension at baseline in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Change of BP and development of incident hypertension were assessed during a mean of 4.8 years follow-up. After adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, and lifestyle factors, baseline serum estradiol (E(2)), total and bioavailable testosterone (T), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) were each positively associated and sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG) was inversely associated with risk of hypertension. Additional adjustment for body mass index eliminated the associations for E(2) and T but only attenuated the associations for DHEA and SHBG. The corresponding multivariable hazard ratios (95% CIs) in the highest quartile were 1.28 (0.83-1.97) for E(2), 1.38 (0.89-2.14) for total T, 1.42 (0.90-2.23) for bioavailable T, 1.54 (1.02-2.31) for DHEA, and 0.48 (0.30-0.76) for SHBG. Adjustment for fasting glucose, insulin, and C-reactive protein further attenuated the association for DHEA but not for SHBG. Associations of sex hormones with longitudinal BP change were similar. In postmenopausal women, higher endogenous E(2), T, and DHEA and lower SHBG were associated with higher incidence of hypertension and greater longitudinal rise in BP. The associations for E(2), T, and DHEA were mostly explained by adiposity, while the association for SHBG was independent of measures of adiposity, insulin resistance, and systemic inflammation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding the relationship transitions and associated end of life clinical needs of young adults with life-limiting illnesses: A triangulated longitudinal qualitative study

PubMed Central

Johnston, Bridget; Jindal-Snape, Divya; Pringle, Jan; Gold, Libby; Grant, Jayne; Dempsey, Raymond; Scott, Ros; Carragher, Pat

2016-01-01

Background: Care of young adults with life-limiting illnesses can often be complex due to the fact that they are growing and developing within the continuing presence of their illness. There is little research conducted nationally and internationally, which has examined the life issues of young adults or taken a longitudinal approach to understand such issues over a period of time. Aim: To gain clear understanding of one particular and pertinent life issue—relationship transition—occurring in the context of being a young adult with a life-limiting illness and the clinical needs arising from this. Design: This was a triangulated, longitudinal, qualitative study involving young adults with life-limiting illnesses and their significant others, namely, family members and healthcare professionals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants and analysed using thematic analysis. Clinical case note reviews were also carried out. Setting/participants: A total of 12 young adults (aged between 17 and 23 years) from 2 hospices and 22 nominated significant others participated in a total of 58 interviews. Results: Thematic analysis revealed 4 main themes and 11 subthemes. The main themes were ‘Dependence dichotomy’, ‘In it together’, ‘Biographical uncertainty’, and ‘Conserving integrity’. These themes helped to establish the nature of relationship transitions that the young adult participants from the study experienced and additionally allowed insight into their possible needs at their end of life. Conclusion: This study has identified the nature of relationship transitions pertinent to young adults and has highlighted associated end of life clinical needs. This study can influence further research into the transitions and end of life needs of this particular patient group receiving palliative care, while informing the lacking evidence base which exists internationally. PMID:27781097

Aging Baby Boomers and the Rising Cost of Chronic Back Pain: Secular Trend Analysis of Longitudinal Medical Expenditures Panel Survey Data for Years 2000 to 2007

PubMed Central

Smith, Monica; Davis, Matthew A.; Stano, Miron; Whedon, James M.

2013-01-01

Objectives The purposes of this study were to analyze data from the longitudinal Medical Expenditures Panel Survey (MEPS) to evaluate the impact of an aging population on secular trends in back pain and chronicity and to provide estimates of treatment costs for patients who used only ambulatory services. Methods Using the MEPS 2-year longitudinal data for years 2000 to 2007, we analyzed data from all adult respondents. Of the total number of MEPS respondent records analyzed (N = 71 838), we identified 12 104 respondents with back pain and further categorized 3842 as chronic cases and 8262 as nonchronic cases. Results Secular trends from the MEPS data indicate that the prevalence of back pain has increased by 29%, whereas chronic back pain increased by 64%. The average age among all adults with back pain increased from 45.9 to 48.2 years; the average age among adults with chronic back pain increased from 48.5 to 52.2 years. Inflation-adjusted (to 2010 dollars) biennial expenditures on ambulatory services for chronic back pain increased by 129% over the same period, from $15.6 billion in 2000 to 2001 to $35.7 billion in 2006 to 2007. Conclusion The prevalence of back pain, especially chronic back pain, is increasing. To the extent that the growth in chronic back pain is caused, in part, by an aging population, the growth will likely continue or accelerate. With relatively high cost per adult with chronic back pain, total expenditures associated with back pain will correspondingly accelerate under existing treatment patterns. This carries implications for prioritizing health policy, clinical practice, and research efforts to improve care outcomes, costs, and cost-effectiveness and for health workforce planning. PMID:23380209

Longitudinal data analysis in support of functional stability concepts for leachate management at closed municipal landfills

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gibbons, Robert D., E-mail: rdg@uchicago.edu; Morris, Jeremy W.F., E-mail: jmorris@geosyntec.com; Prucha, Christopher P., E-mail: cprucha@wm.com

2014-09-15

Highlights: • Longitudinal data analysis using a mixed-effects regression model. • Dataset consisted of a total of 1402 samples from 101 closed municipal landfills. • Target analytes and classes generally showed predictable degradation trends. • Validates historical studies focused on macro organic indicators such as BOD. • BOD can serve as “gateway” indicator for planning leachate management. - Abstract: Landfill functional stability provides a target that supports no environmental threat at the relevant point of exposure in the absence of active control systems. With respect to leachate management, this study investigates “gateway” indicators for functional stability in terms of themore » predictability of leachate characteristics, and thus potential threat to water quality posed by leachate emissions. Historical studies conducted on changes in municipal solid waste (MSW) leachate concentrations over time (longitudinal analysis) have concentrated on indicator compounds, primarily chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). However, validation of these studies using an expanded database and larger constituent sets has not been performed. This study evaluated leachate data using a mixed-effects regression model to determine the extent to which leachate constituent degradation can be predicted based on waste age or operational practices. The final dataset analyzed consisted of a total of 1402 samples from 101 MSW landfills. Results from the study indicated that all leachate constituents exhibit a decreasing trend with time in the post-closure period, with 16 of the 25 target analytes and aggregate classes exhibiting a statistically significant trend consistent with well-studied indicators such as BOD. Decreasing trends in BOD concentration after landfill closure can thus be considered representative of trends for many leachate constituents of concern.« less

Longitudinal associations between sex, diabetes self-care, and health-related quality of life among youth with type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Naughton, Michelle J; Yi-Frazier, Joyce P; Morgan, Timothy M; Seid, Michael; Lawrence, Jean M; Klingensmith, Georgeanna J; Waitzfelder, Beth; Standiford, Debra A; Loots, Beth

2014-06-01

To examine the longitudinal associations between sex, diabetes self-care, and the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of children and adolescents with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The sample included 910 participants with type 1 and 241 participants with type 2, ages 10-22 years at baseline, from the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study, a longitudinal observational study. The primary outcome measure was the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Repeated measures, mixed-model regression analysis was conducted with the use of data from baseline and at least one follow-up assessment, spanning approximately 4 years. HRQL was greater among those with type 1 versus type 2 diabetes. Among participants with type 1, greater (better) Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory total scores over time were related to greater parent education (P = .0007), lower glycated hemoglobin values (P < .0001), and greater physical activity during the past 7 days (P = .0001). There was a significant interaction between sex and age (P < .0001); girls' HRQL remained stable or decreased over time, whereas males' HRQL increased. For participants with type 2 diabetes, there was no significant interaction by age and sex, but lower total HRQL was related to being female (P = .011) and greater body mass index z-scores (P = .014). HRQL in this cohort varied by diabetes type. The interaction between sex and age for type 1 participants, coupled with poorer HRQL among female than male participants with type 2 diabetes, suggests the impacts of diabetes on HRQL differ by sex and should be considered in clinical management. Encouraging physical activity and weight control continue to be important in improving HRQL. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ethnicity and acculturation: do they predict weight status in a longitudinal study among Asian, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White early adolescent females?

PubMed Central

Fialkowski, Marie K; Ettienne, Reynolette; Shvetsov, Yurii B; Rivera, Rebecca L; Van Loan, Marta D; Savaiano, Dennis A; Boushey, Carol J

2015-01-01

Background The prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents has increased over the past decade. Prevalence rates are disparate among certain racial and ethnic groups. This study sought to longitudinally examine the relationship between overweight status (≥85th percentile according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts) and ethnic group, as well as acculturation (generation and language spoken in the home) in a sample of adolescent females. Methods Asian (n=160), Hispanic (n=217), and non-Hispanic White (n=304) early adolescent girls participating in the multistate calcium intervention study with complete information on weight, ethnicity, and acculturation were included. Multiple methods of assessing longitudinal relationships (binary logistic regression model, linear regression model, Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis, and Kaplan–Meier survival analysis) were used to examine the relationship. Results The total proportion of girls overweight at baseline was 36%. When examining by ethnic group, the proportion varied with Hispanic girls having the highest percentage (46%) in comparison to their Asian (23%) and Non-Hispanic White (35%) counterparts. Although the total proportion of overweight was 36% at 18 months, the variation across the ethnic groups remained with the proportion of Hispanic girls becoming overweight (55%) being greater than their Asian (18%) and non-Hispanic White (34%) counterparts. However, regardless of the statistical approach used, there were no significant associations between overweight status and acculturation over time. Conclusion These unexpected results warrant further exploration into factors associated with overweight, especially among Hispanic girls, and further investigation of acculturation’s role is warranted. Identifying these risk factors will be important for developing targeted obesity prevention initiatives. PMID:25624775

Relationships between socio-clinico-demographic factors and global cognitive function in the oldest old living in the Tokyo Metropolitan area: Reanalysis of the Tokyo Oldest Old Survey on Total Health (TOOTH).

PubMed

Eguchi, Yoko; Tasato, Kumiko; Nakajima, Shinichiro; Noda, Yoshihiro; Tsugawa, Sakiko; Shinagawa, Shunichiro; Niimura, Hidehito; Hirose, Nobuyoshi; Arai, Yasumichi; Mimura, Masaru

2018-03-07

Despite a steady increase in life expectancy, a few studies have investigated cross-sectional correlates and longitudinal predictors of cognitive function, a core domain of the successful aging, among socio-clinico-demographic factors in the oldest-old exclusively. The aims of this study were to examine socio-clinico-demographic characteristics associated with global cognition and its changes in the oldest-old. We reanalyzed a dataset of cognitively preserved community-dwelling subjects aged 85 years and older in the Tokyo Oldest Old Survey on Total Health, a 6-year longitudinal observational study. This study consisted of (1) baseline cross-sectional analyses examining correlates of global cognition (n = 248) among socio-clinico-demographic factors and (2) longitudinal analyses examining baseline predictors for changes of global cognition in 3-year follow-up (n = 195). The Mini-Mental State Examination was used as a screening test to assess global cognition. At baseline, higher weights were related to higher cognitive function in the oldest-old. The baseline predictors of global cognitive decline in 3-year follow-up were higher global cognition, shorter education period, and lower sociocultural activities and lower instrumental activity of daily living, in this order. The present study suggests that it is crucial to attain higher education during early life and avoid leanness or obesity, participate in sociocultural cognitive activities during late life, and maintain instrumental activity of daily living to preserve optimal cognitive function in the oldest-old, which will facilitate developing prevention strategies for cognitive decline and promoting successful aging in this increasing population. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A longitudinal study of neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Matsuura, Keita; Maeda, Masayuki; Tabei, Ken-Ichi; Umino, Maki; Kajikawa, Hiroyuki; Satoh, Masayuki; Kida, Hirotaka; Tomimoto, Hidekazu

2016-10-28

Neuromelanin-sensitive MR imaging (NMI) is an increasingly powerful tool for the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD). This study was undertaken to evaluate longitudinal changes on NMI in PD patients. We examined longitudinal changes on NMI in 14 PD patients. The area and contrast ratio (CR) of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) were comparatively analyzed. The total area and CR of the SNc upon follow-up NMI were significantly smaller than those on initial NMI (from 33.5±18.9 pixels and 6.35±2.86% to 21.5±16.7 pixels and 4.19±2.11%; Wilcoxon signed-rank test, p<0.001 and p=0.022, respectively). The area and CR of the dominant side SNc upon initial NMI were significantly greater than those on follow-up NMI (from 15.3±9.1 pixels and 6.5±2.7% to 7.9±8.5 pixels and 3.7±2.9%; Wilcoxon signed-rank test, p=0.002 and p=0.007, respectively). On a case-by-case basis, the area of the SNc invariably decreased upon follow-up NMI in all patients. We further demonstrated that the total area and CR of the SNc negatively correlated with disease duration (Pearson correlation coefficient, r=-0.63, p<0.001 and r=-0.41, p=0.031, respectively). In area analyses, our results demonstrated very high intraclass correlation coefficients for both intra- and inter-rater reliability. NMI is a useful and reliable tool for detecting neuropathological changes over time in PD patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parental Debt and Children's Socioemotional Well-being.

PubMed

Berger, Lawrence M; Houle, Jason N

2016-02-01

We estimated associations between total amount of parental debt and of home mortgage, student loan, automobile, and unsecured debt with children's socioemotional well-being. We used population-based longitudinal data from the National Longitudinal Study of Youth 1979 Cohort and Children of the National Longitudinal Study of Youth 1979 Cohort. Our analytic sample consisted of 29 318 child-year observations of 9011 children and their mothers observed annually or biennially from 1986 to 2008. We used the Behavioral Problems Index to measure socioemotional well-being. We used ordinary least squares regressions to estimate between-child associations of amounts and types of parental debt with socioemotional well-being, net of a host of control variables, and regressions with child-specific fixed effects to estimate within-child associations of changes in parental debt with changes in socioemotional well-being, net of all time-constant observed and unobserved confounders. Greater total debt was associated with poorer child socioemotional well-being. However, this association varied by type of debt. Specifically, higher levels of home mortgage and education debt were associated with greater socioemotional well-being for children, whereas higher levels of and increases in unsecured debt were associated with lower levels of and declines in child socioemotional well-being. Debt that allows for investment in homes (and perhaps access to better neighborhoods and schools) and parental education is associated with greater socioemotional well-being for children, whereas unsecured debt is negatively associated with socioemotional development, which may reflect limited financial resources to invest in children and/or parental financial stress. This suggests that debt is not universally harmful for children's well-being, particularly if used to invest in a home or education. Copyright © 2016 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Longitudinal associations between different dementia diagnoses and medication use jointly accounting for dropout.

PubMed

Agogo, George O; Ramsey, Christine M; Gnjidic, Danijela; Moga, Daniela C; Allore, Heather

2018-04-18

ABSTRACTBackground:Longitudinal studies of older adults are characterized by high dropout rates, multimorbid conditions, and multiple medication use, especially proximal to death. We studied the association between multiple medication use and incident dementia diagnoses including Alzheimer's disease (AD), vascular dementia (VD), and Lewy-body dementia (LBD), simultaneously accounting for dropout. Using the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center data with three years of follow-up, a set of covariate-adjusted models that ignore dropout was fit to complete-case data, and to the whole-cohort data. Additionally, covariate-adjusted joint models with shared random effects accounting for dropout were fit to the whole-cohort data. Multiple medication use was defined as polypharmacy (⩾ five medications), hyperpolypharmacy (⩾ ten medications), and total number of medications. Incident diagnoses were 2,032 for AD, 135 for VD, and 139 for LBD. Percentages of dropout at the end of follow-up were as follows: 71.8% for AD, 81.5% for VD, and 77.7% for LBD. The odds ratio (OR) estimate for hyperpolypharmacy among those with LBD versus AD was 2.19 (0.78, 6.15) when estimated using complete-case data and 3.00 (1.66, 5.40) using whole-cohort data. The OR reduced to 1.41 (0.76, 2.64) when estimated from the joint model accounting for dropout. The OR for polypharmacy using complete-case data differed from the estimates using whole-cohort data. The OR for dementia diagnoses on total number of medications was similar, but non-significant when estimated using complete-case data. Reasons for dropout should be investigated and appropriate statistical methods should be applied to reduce bias in longitudinal studies among high-risk dementia cohorts.

Longitudinal relationship between physical activity and cardiometabolic factors in overweight and obese adults

PubMed Central

Choo, Jina; Elci, Okan U.; Yang, Kyeongra; Turk, Melanie W.; Styn, Mindi A.; Sereika, Susan M.; Music, Edvin; Burke, Lora E.

2012-01-01

Few studies have reported longitudinal relationships between physical activity (PA) and cardiometabolic risk factors over time using repeated assessments in overweight or obese adults. We conducted a longitudinal study in 127 participants (81% with body mass index > 30 kg/m2) who completed a 12-month behavioral intervention for weight loss between 2003 and 2005 in Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Using absolute change scores from baseline to each time point (i.e., 6 and 12 months) for all studied variables (Δ = time point – baseline), we performed mixed effects modeling to examine relationships between PA and cardiometabolic risk factors, after adjusting for body weight, energy intake and other covariates (i.e., age, gender, and ethnicity). PA was assessed as energy expenditure (kcal/week) using the Paffenbarger activity questionnaire. Over the 12-month period, energy expenditure increased (Δ1,370 kcal/week at 6 months vs. Δ886 kcal/week at 12 months); body weight decreased (Δ8.9 kg at 6 months vs. Δ8.4 kg at 12 months). The average increase in energy expenditure over 12 months was significantly and independently related to reductions in total cholesterol (F = 6.25, p = 0.013), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (F = 5.08, p = 0.025) and fasting blood glucose (F = 5.10, p = 0.025), but not to other risk factors (i.e., fasting insulin, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and waist circumference). In conclusion, among overweight and obese adults undergoing a weight loss intervention, increased energy expenditure over 12 months may improve total cholesterol and LDL-C, important coronary risk factors, and fasting blood glucose, a metabolic risk factor. PMID:19806358

Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and the thyroid gland - examining and discussing possible longitudinal health effects in humans.

PubMed

Gaum, Petra M; Lang, Jessica; Esser, André; Schettgen, Thomas; Neulen, Joseph; Kraus, Thomas; Gube, Monika

2016-07-01

Many previous studies have dealt with the effect of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on the thyroid gland, but their findings are inconsistent. One problem of these studies has been their use of cross-sectional designs. The aim of the current study is to investigate longitudinal effects of PCBs on the thyroid gland, focusing on: morphological changes in thyroid tissue (i.e. thyroid volume), changes in thyroid hormones and in thyroid antibodies. A total of 122 individuals (Mage=44.7) were examined over a period of four years (t(1) until t(4)). Medical history was collected via interviews, an ultrasound examination was performed and blood samples were taken to determine plasma PCB levels, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodthyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOab), thyreoglobulin antibodies (TGab) and thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibodies (TSHRab). Rank correlation coefficients and mixed effect models were performed controlling for age and total lipids. There were negative correlations between higher chlorinated biphenyls and fT3, cross-sectionally as well as longitudinally. We also found an interaction effect of higher-chlorinated PCBs over time for fT4 as well as TSHRab. In case of high exposure, a decrease in fT4 and an increase in TSHRab level were found over time. In regards to the other variables, our findings yielded no clear results in the examined time period. This is the first study to shows a PCB-related effect on fT3, fT4 and TSHRab over a four year period. The data also suggest that morphological and antibody findings remain inconsistent and do not allow for unambiguous interpretation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association between pain and the frailty phenotype in older men: longitudinal results from the Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project (CHAMP).

PubMed

Megale, Rodrigo Z; Ferreira, Manuela L; Ferreira, Paulo H; Naganathan, Vasi; Cumming, Robert; Hirani, Vasant; Waite, Louise M; Seibel, Markus J; Le Couteur, David G; Handelsman, David J; Blyth, Fiona M

2018-05-01

to determine whether pain increases the risk of developing the frailty phenotype and whether frailty increases the risk of developing chronic or intrusive pain, using longitudinal data. longitudinal data from the Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project (CHAMP), a prospective population based cohort study. a total of 1,705 men aged 70 years or older, living in an urban area of New South Wales, Australia. data on the presence of chronic pain (daily pain for at least 3 months), intrusive pain (pain causing moderate to severe interference with activities) and the criteria for the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) frailty phenotype were collected in three waves, from January 2005 to October 2013. Data on age, living arrangements, education, smoking status, alcohol consumption, body mass index, comorbidities, cognitive function, depressive symptoms and history of vertebral or hip fracture were also collected and included as covariates in the analyses. a total of 1,705 participants were included at baseline, of whom 1,332 provided data at the 2-year follow-up and 940 at the 5-year follow-up. Non-frail (robust and pre-frail) men who reported chronic pain were 1.60 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-2.51, P = 0.039) times more likely to develop frailty at follow-up, compared to those with no pain. Intrusive pain did not significantly increase the risk of future frailty. Likewise, the frailty status was not associated with future chronic or intrusive pain in the adjusted analysis. the presence of chronic pain increases the risk of developing the frailty phenotype in community-dwelling older men.

Longitudinal analysis of varicella-zoster virus-specific antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus: No association with subclinical viral reactivations or lupus disease activity.

PubMed

Rondaan, C; van Leer, C C; van Assen, S; Bootsma, H; de Leeuw, K; Arends, S; Bos, N A; Westra, J

2018-07-01

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients are at high risk of herpes zoster. Previously, we found increased immunoglobulin (Ig)G levels against varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in SLE patients compared to controls, while antibody levels against diphtheria and cellular immunity to VZV were decreased. We aimed to test our hypothesis that increased VZV-IgG levels in SLE result from subclinical VZV reactivations, caused by stress because of lupus disease activity or immunosuppressive drug use. Methods Antibody levels to VZV (IgG, IgA, IgM), total IgG and VZV-DNA were longitudinally determined in the serum of 34 SLE patients, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and polymerase chain reaction. Clinical data were retrieved from medical records. Reactivation of VZV was defined as an at least fivefold rise in VZV-IgG or presence of VZV-IgM or VZV-DNA. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to longitudinally analyse associations between antibody levels, lupus disease activity and medication use. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index, anti-double-stranded DNA and complement levels were used as indicators of lupus disease activity. Results A VZV reactivation was determined in 11 patients (33%). In at least five of them, herpes zoster was clinically overt. No association between SLE disease activity or medication use and VZV-specific antibody levels was found. There was a weak association between total IgG and VZV-IgG. Conclusions Our results indicate that increased VZV-IgG levels in SLE do not result from frequent subclinical VZV reactivations, and are not associated with lupus disease activity. Increased VZV-IgG can only partially be explained by hypergammaglobulinaemia.

Testosterone Trajectories and Reference Ranges in a Large Longitudinal Sample of Male Adolescents

PubMed Central

Khairullah, Ammar; Cousino Klein, Laura; Ingle, Suzanne M.; May, Margaret T.; Whetzel, Courtney A.; Susman, Elizabeth J.; Paus, Tomáš

2014-01-01

Purpose Pubertal dynamics plays an important role in physical and psychological development of children and adolescents. We aim to provide reference ranges of plasma testosterone in a large longitudinal sample. Furthermore, we describe a measure of testosterone trajectories during adolescence that can be used in future investigations of development. Methods We carried out longitudinal measurements of plasma testosterone in 2,216 samples obtained from 513 males (9 to 17 years of age) from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. We used integration of a model fitted to each participant’s testosterone trajectory to calculate a measure of average exposure to testosterone over adolescence. We pooled these data with corresponding values reported in the literature to provide a reference range of testosterone levels in males between the ages of 6 and 19 years. Results The average values of total testosterone in the ALSPAC sample range from 0.82 nmol/L (Standard Deviation [SD]: 0.09) at 9 years of age to 16.5 (SD: 2.65) nmol/L at 17 years of age; these values are congruent with other reports in the literature. The average exposure to testosterone is associated with different features of testosterone trajectories such as Peak Testosterone Change, Age at Peak Testosterone Change, and Testosterone at 17 years of age as well as the timing of the growth spurt during puberty. Conclusions The average exposure to testosterone is a useful measure for future investigations using testosterone trajectories to examine pubertal dynamics. PMID:25268961

Alterations of neocortico-limbic association fibers and correlation with diet in prediabetes diagnosed by impaired fasting glucose.

PubMed

Hou, Yi-Cheng; Yang, Shwu-Huey; Wu, Yu-Te; Lai, Chien-Han

2016-06-01

To assess the existence of alterations in the micro-integrity of the fasciculus in prediabetic subjects. The issue of micro-integrity in white matter tracts has not been adequately addressed in prediabetes. Sixty-four prediabetic subjects and 54 controls were enrolled. All participants completed 24-hour diet records and 3-day diet records and received diffusion tensor imaging at 3T. The data for white matter micro-integrity were analyzed and compared between prediabetic subjects and controls with age and gender as covariates. In addition, voxel-wise regression between white matter micro-integrity, diet, and preprandial glucose levels were used to explore the relationship between white matter micro-integrity and diet or serum glucose levels. We found that prediabetic subjects had significant reductions in the micro-integrity of bilateral anterior thalamic radiation, left inferior longitudinal fasciculus, and left superior longitudinal fasciculus (corrected P < 0.05). In addition, total carbohydrate intake amount and preprandial serum glucose levels were negatively correlated with the micro-integrity in the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus and left anterior thalamic radiation (r: -0.47, corrected P < 0.05). Restrictive alterations in the white matter micro-integrity of the anterior thalamic radiation and inferior and superior longitudinal fasciculi might represent the initial "hot spots" for white matter tract alterations, which might play a role in the development of prediabetes. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;43:1500-1506. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Kidney function changes with aging in adults: comparison between cross-sectional and longitudinal data analyses in renal function assessment.

PubMed

Chung, Sang M; Lee, David J; Hand, Austin; Young, Philip; Vaidyanathan, Jayabharathi; Sahajwalla, Chandrahas

2015-12-01

The study evaluated whether the renal function decline rate per year with age in adults varies based on two primary statistical analyses: cross-section (CS), using one observation per subject, and longitudinal (LT), using multiple observations per subject over time. A total of 16628 records (3946 subjects; age range 30-92 years) of creatinine clearance and relevant demographic data were used. On average, four samples per subject were collected for up to 2364 days (mean: 793 days). A simple linear regression and random coefficient models were selected for CS and LT analyses, respectively. The renal function decline rates per year were 1.33 and 0.95 ml/min/year for CS and LT analyses, respectively, and were slower when the repeated individual measurements were considered. The study confirms that rates are different based on statistical analyses, and that a statistically robust longitudinal model with a proper sampling design provides reliable individual as well as population estimates of the renal function decline rates per year with age in adults. In conclusion, our findings indicated that one should be cautious in interpreting the renal function decline rate with aging information because its estimation was highly dependent on the statistical analyses. From our analyses, a population longitudinal analysis (e.g. random coefficient model) is recommended if individualization is critical, such as a dose adjustment based on renal function during a chronic therapy. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The impact of the 17 March 2015- St. Patrick's Day storm on the evolutionary pattern of Equatorial Ionization Anomaly over the Indian longitudes using high resolution spatio-temporal TEC maps - New insights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, S.; Sunda, S.; Sridharan, R.

2016-12-01

The impact of the St. Patrick's Day storm (17 March 2015) on the major equatorial electro-dynamical process viz., the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly (EIA) has been assessed using 2D (lat. x long.) total electron content (TEC) maps generated from the ground based SBAS (Satellite Based Augmentation System) enabled receiver data. The various aspects of EIA viz., i) evolution/devolution, ii) longitudinal structure, and iii) its variability during different phases of a geomagnetic storm have been brought out. These 2D TEC maps, which have a large latitudinal (5̊ S-45° N) and longitudinal (55-110° E) coverage, show the complete reversal in the longitudinal structure of EIA during the recovery phase of the storm as compared to the quiet day. These results have been explained in the light of the combined effects of the storm associated processes viz., i) the penetration electric fields of magnetosphere origin, ii) storm induced thermospheric winds, and iii) activation of the consequent disturbance dynamo, effectively distorting the longitudinal wave number 4 (WN4) structure of the EIA. It has been shown unambiguously that even a separation of few degrees in longitude ( 30̊) could experience significantly different forcings. The relevance and the far reaching consequences of the study in the light of the current trends and requirements for reliable satellite based navigation are highlighted.

Longitudinal data for interdisciplinary ageing research. Design of the Linnaeus Database.

PubMed

Malmberg, Gunnar; Nilsson, Lars-Göran; Weinehall, Lars

2010-11-01

To allow for interdisciplinary research on the relations between socioeconomic conditions and health in the ageing population, a new anonymized longitudinal database - the Linnaeus Database - has been developed at the Centre for Population Studies at Umeå University. This paper presents the database and its research potential. Using the Swedish personal numbers the researchers have, in collaboration with Statistics Sweden and the National Board for Health and Welfare, linked individual records from Swedish register data on death causes, hospitalization and various socioeconomic conditions with two databases - Betula and VIP (Västerbottens Intervention Programme) - previously developed by the researchers at Umeå University. Whereas Betula includes rich information about e.g. cognitive functions, VIP contains information about e.g. lifestyle and health indicators. The Linnaeus Database includes annually updated socioeconomic information from Statistics Sweden registers for all registered residents of Sweden for the period 1990 to 2006, in total 12,066,478. The information from the Betula includes 4,500 participants from the city of Umeå and VIP includes data for almost 90,000 participants. Both datasets include cross-sectional as well as longitudinal information. Due to the coverage and rich information, the Linnaeus Database allows for a variety of longitudinal studies on the relations between, for instance, socioeconomic conditions, health, lifestyle, cognition, family networks, migration and working conditions in ageing cohorts. By joining various datasets developed in different disciplinary traditions new possibilities for interdisciplinary research on ageing emerge.

Consumption of whole grains and cereal fiber in relation to cancer risk: a systematic review of longitudinal studies

PubMed Central

Makarem, Nour; Nicholson, Joseph M.; Bandera, Elisa V.; McKeown, Nicola M.

2016-01-01

Context: Evidence from previous reviews is supportive of the hypothesis that whole grains may protect against various cancers. However, the reviews did not report risk estimates for both whole grains and cereal fiber and only case–control studies were evaluated. It is unclear whether longitudinal studies support this conclusion. Objective: To evaluate associations between whole grains and cereal fiber in relation to risk of lifestyle-related cancers data from longitudinal studies was evaluated. Data Sources: The following 3 databases were systematically searched: PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane CENTRAL. Study Selection: A total of 43 longitudinal studies conducted in Europe and North America that reported multivariable-adjusted risk estimates for whole grains (n = 14), cereal fiber (n = 23), or both (n = 6) in relation to lifestyle-related cancers were included. Data Extraction: Information on study location, cohort name, follow-up duration, sample characteristics, dietary assessment method, risk estimates, and confounders was extracted. Data Synthesis: Of 20 studies examining whole grains and cancer, 6 studies reported a statistically significant 6%–47% reduction in risk, but 14 studies showed no association. Of 29 studies examining cereal fiber intake in relation to cancer, 8 showed a statistically significant 6%–49% reduction in risk, whereas 21 studies reported no association. Conclusions: This systematic review concludes that most studies were suggestive of a null association. Whole grains and cereal fiber may protect against gastrointestinal cancers, but these findings require confirmation in additional studies. PMID:27257283

Longitudinal impact of substance use and depressive symptoms on bone accrual among girls aged 11–19 years

PubMed Central

Dorn, Lorah D.; Beal, Sarah J.; Kalkwarf, Heidi J.; Pabst, Stephanie; Noll, Jennie G.; Susman, Elizabeth J.

2012-01-01

Purpose Osteoporosis is primarily evident in postmenopausal women, but its roots are traceable to periods of growth, including during adolescence. Depression, anxiety, and smoking are associated with lower bone mineral density (BMD) in adults. These associations have not been studied longitudinally across adolescence when more than 50% of bone accrual occurs. Methods To determine the impact of depressive and anxiety symptoms, smoking, and alcohol use on bone accrual in girls 11–19 years, 262 healthy girls were enrolled in age cohorts of 11, 13, 15, and 17 years. Using a cross-sequential design, girls were seen for 3 annual visits. Outcome measures included total body bone mineral content (TB BMC) and BMD of the total hip and lumbar spine using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Depressive and anxiety symptoms and smoking and alcohol use were by self-report. Results Higher-frequency smoking was associated with a lower rate of lumbar spine and total hip BMD accrual from age 11–19. Higher depressive symptoms were associated with lower lumbar spine BMD across all ages. There was no effect of depressive symptoms on TB BMC, and there was no effect of alcohol intake on any bone outcome. Conclusion Adolescent smokers are at higher risk for less than optimal bone accrual. Even in the absence of diagnosable depression, depressive symptoms may influence adolescent bone accrual. These findings have import for prevention of later osteoporosis and fractures. PMID:23298983

Hospital Contributions to the Delivery of Public Health Activities in US Metropolitan Areas: National and Longitudinal Trends

PubMed Central

Mays, Glen P.; Mamaril, Cezar B.

2015-01-01

Objectives. We investigated changes in hospital participation in local public health systems and the delivery of public health activities over time and assessed the relationship between hospital participation and the scope of activities available in local public health systems. Methods. We used longitudinal observations from the National Longitudinal Survey of Public Health Systems to examine how hospital contributions to the delivery of core public health activities varied in 1998, 2006, and 2012. We then used multivariate regression to assess the relationship between the level of hospital contributions and the overall availability of public health activities in the system. Results. Hospital participation in public health activities increased from 37% in 1998 to 41% in 2006 and down to 39% in 2012. Regression results indicated a positive association between hospital participation in public health activities and the total availability of public health services in the systems. Conclusions. Hospital collaboration does play an important role in the overall availability of public health services in local public health systems. Efforts to increase hospital participation in public health may have a positive impact on the scope of services provided and population health in US communities. PMID:26066929

It Works Both Ways: The Relationship between Exposure to Sexual Content in the Media and Adolescent Sexual Behavior

PubMed Central

Bleakley, Amy; Hennessy, Michael; Fishbein, Martin; Jordan, Amy

2010-01-01

Using a longitudinal web-based survey of adolescents 14-16 years of age, we estimate regression models where self-reported sexual behavior and content analytic-based exposure to sex in the media are related cross-sectionally and longitudinally. We find evidence for both cross-sectional non-recursive and prospective longitudinal relationships even after adjusting for both established predictors of sexual behavior (e.g., physical development, having a romantic partner, parental monitoring, peer and parental norms, respondent's age) and of exposure to sexual media content (e.g., time the respondent goes to bed, extracurricular activities, television in the bedroom, total time spent with television, music, videogames, and magazines). Sexually active adolescents are more likely to expose themselves to sex in the media and those exposed to sex in the media are more likely to progress in their sexual activity. These findings are consistent with others in the literature that demonstrate a causal effect of exposure to sexual content on sexual behavior but extend established results by also looking at the causal effect of sexual behavior on exposure both cross-sectionally and over time. PMID:20376301

Obesity and mobility disability in the older adult.

PubMed

Vincent, H K; Vincent, K R; Lamb, K M

2010-08-01

Mobility disability is becoming prevalent in the obese older population (> or = 60 years of age). We included a total of 13 cross-sectional and 15 longitudinal studies based on actual physical assessments of mobility in the obese older population in this review. We systematically examined existing evidence of which adiposity estimate best predicted mobility disability. Cross-sectional studies (82-4000 participants) showed poorer lower extremity mobility with increasing obesity severity in both men and women. All longitudinal studies (1-22 years) except for one, reported relationships between adiposity and declining mobility. While different physical tests made interpretation challenging, a consistent finding was that walking, stair climbing and chair rise ability were compromised with obesity, especially if the body mass index (BMI) exceeded 35 kg m(-2). More studies found that obese women were at an increased risk for mobility impairment than men. Existing evidence suggests that BMI and waist circumference are emerging as the more consistent predictors of the onset or worsening of mobility disability. Limited interventional evidence shows that weight loss is related with increased mobility and lower extremity function. Additional longitudinal studies are warranted that address overall body composition fat and muscle mass or change on future disability.

The association between workers' employability and burnout in a reorganization context: longitudinal evidence building upon the conservation of resources theory.

PubMed

De Cuyper, Nele; Raeder, Sabine; Van der Heijden, Beatrice I J M; Wittekind, Anette

2012-04-01

This longitudinal study probes the relationship between employability and burnout among employees from a company undergoing reorganization. We advanced employability as a personal resource that relates negatively to burnout. We expected that this hypothesis would hold for different operationalizations of employability, including (1) job-related and (2) transferable skills, (3) willingness to change jobs and (4) to develop competences, (5) opportunity awareness, (6) self-esteem, and (7) self-perceived employability (i.e., perceived employment opportunities). In a similar vein, we expected that the hypothesis would hold for the different dimensions of burnout; namely emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. We used longitudinal Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) to test our hypotheses. Employees from a Swiss company undergoing a major reorganization were surveyed at three times with a total time lag of 19 months (Time 1: N = 287; Time 2: N = 128; Time 3: N = 107). Our results indicate that particularly self-esteem, but also job-related and transferable skills as indicators of one's employability were important predictors of burnout, with all relationships being negative. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

General self-efficacy and posttraumatic stress after a natural disaster: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Nygaard, Egil; Hussain, Ajmal; Siqveland, Johan; Heir, Trond

2016-04-06

Self-efficacy may be an important factor in individuals' recovery from posttraumatic stress reactions after a natural disaster. However, few longitudinal studies have investigated whether self-efficacy predicts the course of posttraumatic recovery beyond lower initial levels of distress. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether general self-efficacy is related to recovery from posttraumatic stress reactions from a longitudinal perspective. A total of 617 Norwegians exposed to the 2004 Southeast Asian tsunami completed self-report questionnaires measuring their level of disaster exposure and general self-efficacy at 6 months and posttraumatic stress reactions 6 months and 2 years post-disaster. Predictors of changes in posttraumatic stress reactions were analyzed with multivariate mixed effects models. Self-efficacy at 6 months post-disaster was unrelated to trauma exposure and inversely related to posttraumatic stress reactions at 6 months and 2 years post-disaster. However, self-efficacy was not related to recovery from posttraumatic stress reactions between 6 months and 2 years post-disaster. In conclusion, general self-efficacy is related to lower levels of posttraumatic stress reactions in the first months after a disaster but does not appear to be related to improved recovery rates over the longer term.

Exposure to violent video games and aggression in German adolescents: a longitudinal analysis.

PubMed

Möller, Ingrid; Krahé, Barbara

2009-01-01

The relationship between exposure to violent electronic games and aggressive cognitions and behavior was examined in a longitudinal study. A total of 295 German adolescents completed the measures of violent video game usage, endorsement of aggressive norms, hostile attribution bias, and physical as well as indirect/relational aggression cross-sectionally, and a subsample of N=143 was measured again 30 months later. Cross-sectional results at T1 showed a direct relationship between violent game usage and aggressive norms, and an indirect link to hostile attribution bias through aggressive norms. In combination, exposure to game violence, normative beliefs, and hostile attribution bias predicted physical and indirect/relational aggression. Longitudinal analyses using path analysis showed that violence exposure at T1 predicted physical (but not indirect/relational) aggression 30 months later, whereas aggression at T1 was unrelated to later video game use. Exposure to violent games at T1 influenced physical (but not indirect/relational) aggression at T2 via an increase of aggressive norms and hostile attribution bias. The findings are discussed in relation to social-cognitive explanations of long-term effects of media violence on aggression. Copyright 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Diagnostic Crossover in Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa: Implications for DSM-V

PubMed Central

Eddy, Kamryn T.; Dorer, David J.; Franko, Debra L.; Tahilani, Kavita; Thompson-Brenner, Heather; Herzog, David B.

2011-01-01

Objective The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is designed primarily as a clinical tool. Yet high rates of diagnostic “crossover” among the anorexia nervosa subtypes and bulimia nervosa may reflect problems with the validity of the current diagnostic schema, thereby limiting its clinical utility. This study was designed to examine diagnostic crossover longitudinally in anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa to inform the validity of the DSM-IV-TR eating disorders classification system. Method A total of 216 women with a diagnosis of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa were followed for 7 years; weekly eating disorder symptom data collected using the Eating Disorder Longitudinal Interval Follow-Up Examination allowed for diagnoses to be made throughout the follow-up period. Results Over 7 years, the majority of women with anorexia nervosa experienced diagnostic crossover: more than half crossed between the restricting and binge eating/purging anorexia nervosa subtypes over time; one-third crossed over to bulimia nervosa but were likely to relapse into anorexia nervosa. Women with bulimia nervosa were unlikely to cross over to anorexia nervosa. Conclusions These findings support the longitudinal distinction of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa but do not support the anorexia nervosa subtyping schema. PMID:18198267

Microbubble and ultrasound radioenhancement of bladder cancer

PubMed Central

Tran, W T; Iradji, S; Sofroni, E; Giles, A; Eddy, D; Czarnota, G J

2012-01-01

Background: Tumour vasculature is an important component of tumour growth and survival. Recent evidence indicates tumour vasculature also has an important role in tumour radiation response. In this study, we investigated ultrasound and microbubbles to enhance the effects of radiation. Methods: Human bladder cancer HT-1376 xenografts in severe combined immuno-deficient mice were used. Treatments consisted of no, low and high concentrations of microbubbles and radiation doses of 0, 2 and 8 Gy in short-term and longitudinal studies. Acute response was assessed 24 h after treatment and longitudinal studies monitored tumour response weekly up to 28 days using power Doppler ultrasound imaging for a total of 9 conditions (n=90 animals). Results: Quantitative analysis of ultrasound data revealed reduced blood flow with ultrasound-microbubble treatments alone and further when combined with radiation. Tumours treated with microbubbles and radiation revealed enhanced cell death, vascular normalisation and areas of fibrosis. Longitudinal data demonstrated a reduced normalised vascular index and increased tumour cell death in both low and high microbubble concentrations with radiation. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that ultrasound-mediated microbubble exposure can enhance radiation effects in tumours, and can lead to enhanced tumour cell death. PMID:22790798

Corpus callosum volumes in the 5 years following the first-episode of schizophrenia: Effects of antipsychotics, chronicity and maturation.

PubMed

de Moura, Mariana T M; Zanetti, Marcus V; Duran, Fabio L S; Schaufelberger, Maristela S; Menezes, Paulo R; Scazufca, Marcia; Busatto, Geraldo F; Serpa, Mauricio H

2018-01-01

White matter (WM) structural changes, particularly affecting the corpus callosum (CC), seem to be critically implicated in psychosis. Whether such abnormalities are progressive or static is still a matter of debate in schizophrenia research. Aberrant maturation processes might also influence the longitudinal trajectory of age-related CC changes in schizophrenia patients. We investigated whether patients with first-episode schizophrenia-related psychoses (FESZ) would present longitudinal CC and whole WM volume changes over the 5 years after disease onset. Thirty-two FESZ patients and 34 controls recruited using a population-based design completed a 5-year assessment protocol, including structural MRI scanning at baseline and follow-up. The linear effects of disease duration, clinical outcome and antipsychotic (AP) use over time on WM and CC volumes were studied using both voxelwise and volume-based morphometry analyses. We also examined maturation/aging abnormalities through cross-sectional analyses of age-related trajectories of total WM and CC volume changes. No interaction between diagnosis and time was observed, and clinical outcome did not influence CC volumes in patients. On the other hand, FESZ patients continuously exposed to AP medication showed volume increase over time in posterior CC. Curve-estimation analyses revealed a different aging pattern in FESZ patients versus controls: while patients displayed a linear decline of total WM and anterior CC volumes with age, a non-linear trajectory of total WM and relative preservation of CC volumes were observed in controls. Continuous AP exposure can influence CC morphology during the first years after schizophrenia onset. Schizophrenia is associated with an abnormal pattern of total WM and anterior CC aging during non-elderly adulthood, and this adds complexity to the discussion on the static or progressive nature of structural abnormalities in psychosis.

A Longitudinal Study of Lexical Development in Children Learning Vietnamese and English

PubMed Central

Pham, Giang; Kohnert, Kathryn

2013-01-01

This longitudinal study modeled lexical development among children who spoke Vietnamese as a first language (L1) and English as a second language (L2). Participants (n=33, initial mean age of 7.3 years) completed a total of eight tasks (four in each language) that measured vocabulary knowledge and lexical processing at four yearly time points. Multivariate hierarchical linear modeling was used to calculate L1 and L2 trajectories within the same model for each task. Main findings included (a) positive growth in each language, (b) greater gains in English resulting in shifts toward L2 dominance, and (c) different patterns for receptive and expressive domains. Timing of shifts to L2 dominance underscored L1 skills that are resilient and vulnerable to increases in L2 proficiency. PMID:23869741

Pre-clinical longitudinal monitoring of hemodynamic response to anti-vascular chemotherapy by hybrid diffuse optics.

PubMed

Farzam, Parisa; Johansson, Johannes; Mireles, Miguel; Jiménez-Valerio, Gabriela; Martínez-Lozano, Mar; Choe, Regine; Casanovas, Oriol; Durduran, Turgut

2017-05-01

The longitudinal effect of an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) antibody (DC 101) therapy on a xenografted renal cell carcinoma (RCC) mouse model was monitored using hybrid diffuse optics. Two groups of immunosuppressed male nude mice (seven treated, seven controls) were measured. Tumor microvascular blood flow, total hemoglobin concentration and blood oxygenation were investigated as potential biomarkers for the monitoring of the therapy effect twice a week and were related to the final treatment outcome. These hemodynamic biomarkers have shown a clear differentiation between two groups by day four. Moreover, we have observed that pre-treatment values and early changes in hemodynamics are highly correlated with the therapeutic outcome demonstrating the potential of diffuse optics to predict the therapy response at an early time point.

Analysis of Longitudinal Outcome Data with Missing Values in Total Knee Arthroplasty.

PubMed

Kang, Yeon Gwi; Lee, Jang Taek; Kang, Jong Yeal; Kim, Ga Hye; Kim, Tae Kyun

2016-01-01

We sought to determine the influence of missing data on the statistical results, and to determine which statistical method is most appropriate for the analysis of longitudinal outcome data of TKA with missing values among repeated measures ANOVA, generalized estimating equation (GEE) and mixed effects model repeated measures (MMRM). Data sets with missing values were generated with different proportion of missing data, sample size and missing-data generation mechanism. Each data set was analyzed with three statistical methods. The influence of missing data was greater with higher proportion of missing data and smaller sample size. MMRM tended to show least changes in the statistics. When missing values were generated by 'missing not at random' mechanism, no statistical methods could fully avoid deviations in the results. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Places where children are active: A longitudinal examination of children's physical activity.

PubMed

Perry, Cynthia K; Ackert, Elizabeth; Sallis, James F; Glanz, Karen; Saelens, Brian E

2016-12-01

Using two-year longitudinal data, we examined locations where children spent time and were active, whether location patterns were stable, and relationships between spending time in their home neighborhood and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). At two time points (2007-2009 and 2009-2011), children living in the metropolitans areas of either San Diego, CA or Seattle, WA wore an accelerometer, and parents recorded their child's locations for seven days. Across two years, global average proportion of time spent in each location was stable, but total time and proportion of time in each location spent in MVPA decreased significantly across all locations. Children spent the largest proportion of time in MVPA in their home neighborhood at both time points, although they spent little time in their home neighborhood. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Distribution-free Inference of Zero-inated Binomial Data for Longitudinal Studies.

PubMed

He, H; Wang, W J; Hu, J; Gallop, R; Crits-Christoph, P; Xia, Y L

2015-10-01

Count reponses with structural zeros are very common in medical and psychosocial research, especially in alcohol and HIV research, and the zero-inflated poisson (ZIP) and zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) models are widely used for modeling such outcomes. However, as alcohol drinking outcomes such as days of drinkings are counts within a given period, their distributions are bounded above by an upper limit (total days in the period) and thus inherently follow a binomial or zero-inflated binomial (ZIB) distribution, rather than a Poisson or zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) distribution, in the presence of structural zeros. In this paper, we develop a new semiparametric approach for modeling zero-inflated binomial (ZIB)-like count responses for cross-sectional as well as longitudinal data. We illustrate this approach with both simulated and real study data.

Effects of nozzle interfairing modifications on longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics of a twin jet, variable wing sweep fighter model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reubush, D. E.; Mercer, C. E.

1975-01-01

A wind-tunnel investigation has been made to determine the effects of nozzle interfairing modifications on the longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics of a twin-jet, variable-wing-sweep fighter model. The model was tested in the Langley 16-foot transonic tunnel at Mach numbers of 0.6 to 1.3 and angles of attack from about minus 2 deg to 6 deg and in the Langley 4-foot supersonic presure tunnel at a Mach number of 2.2 and an angle of attack of 0 deg. Compressed air was used to simulate nozzle exhaust flow at jet total-pressure ratios from 1 (jet off) to about 21. The results of this investigation show that the aircraft drag can be significantly reduced by replacing the basic interfairing with a modified interfairing.

Physical Activity and Personality Development over Twenty Years: Evidence from Three Longitudinal Samples

PubMed Central

Stephan, Yannick; Sutin, Angelina R.; Luchetti, Martina; Bosselut, Grégoire; Terracciano, Antonio

2018-01-01

A physically inactive lifestyle is associated with maladaptive patterns of personality development over relatively short follow-up periods. The present study extends existing research by examining whether this association persists over 20 years. Participants (total N = 8,723) were drawn from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study Graduates and Siblings samples and the Midlife in the United States Study. Controlling for demographic factors and disease burden, baseline physical inactivity was related to steeper declines in conscientiousness in all three samples and a meta-analysis (β=−.06). The meta-analysis further showed that lower physical activity was associated with declines in openness (β=−.05), extraversion (β=−.03), and agreeableness (β=−.03). These findings provide evidence that a physically inactive lifestyle is associated with long-term detrimental personality trajectories. PMID:29651189

Evaluating child care in the Family Health Strategy.

PubMed

da Silva, Simone Albino; Fracolli, Lislaine Aparecida

2016-01-01

to evaluate the healthcare provided to children under two years old by the Family Health Strategy. evaluative, quantitative, cross-sectional study that used the Primary Care Assessment Tool - Child Version for measuring the access, longitudinality, coordination, integrality, family orientation and community orientation. a total of 586 adults responsible for children under two years old and linked to 33 health units in eleven municipalities of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, were interviewed. The evaluation was positive for the attributes longitudinality and coordination, and negative for access, integrality, Family orientation and community orientation. there are discrepancies between health needs of children and what is offered by the service; organizational barriers to access; absence of counter-reference; predominance of curative and long-standing and individual preventive practices; verticalization in organization of actions; and lack of good communication between professionals and users.

A high accuracy sequential solver for simulation and active control of a longitudinal combustion instability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shyy, W.; Thakur, S.; Udaykumar, H. S.

1993-01-01

A high accuracy convection scheme using a sequential solution technique has been developed and applied to simulate the longitudinal combustion instability and its active control. The scheme has been devised in the spirit of the Total Variation Diminishing (TVD) concept with special source term treatment. Due to the substantial heat release effect, a clear delineation of the key elements employed by the scheme, i.e., the adjustable damping factor and the source term treatment has been made. By comparing with the first-order upwind scheme previously utilized, the present results exhibit less damping and are free from spurious oscillations, offering improved quantitative accuracy while confirming the spectral analysis reported earlier. A simple feedback type of active control has been found to be capable of enhancing or attenuating the magnitude of the combustion instability.

A Two-Year Longitudinal MRI Study of the Corpus Callosum in Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frazier, Thomas W.; Keshavan, Matcheri S.; Minshew, Nancy J.; Hardan, Antonio Y.

2012-01-01

A growing body of literature has identified size reductions of the corpus callosum (CC) in autism. However, to our knowledge, no published studies have reported on the growth of CC volumes in youth with autism. Volumes of the total CC and its sub-divisions were obtained from 23 male children with autism and 23 age- and gender-matched controls at…

Mothers' Reading-Related Activities at Home and Learning to Read during Kindergarten

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silinskas, Gintautas; Parrila, Rauno; Lerkkanen, Marja-Kristiina; Poikkeus, Anna-Maija; Niemi, Pekka; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2010-01-01

This longitudinal study investigates how the reading-related activities of mothers at home relate to the development of reading skills among their kindergarten children. A total of 1,529 children (5-to-6-year-olds) were tested on word reading twice, once at the beginning and once at the end of a kindergarten year. The mothers of the children (n =…

Working Memory Arrest in Children with High-Functioning Autism Compared to Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Results from a 2-Year Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andersen, Per N.; Skogli, Erik W.; Hovik, Kjell T.; Geurts, Hilde; Egeland, Jens; Øie, Merete

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyse the development of verbal working memory in children with high-functioning autism compared to children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and typically developing children. A total of 34 children with high-functioning autism, 72 children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and 45 typically…

A Longitudinal Study of Illinois State Scholarship Commission Monetary Award Recipients, 1967-1974.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Joseph D.; Fenske, Robert H.

The present effectiveness and future direction of monetary award programs administered by the Illinois State Scholarship Commission is examined in three surveys. A random sample of 1,000 was drawn from the total number of scholarship recipients during the 1967-68 and 1970-71 academic years; 2,000 from the 1973-74 survey. It is shown that: (1)…

Defying Statistics or "Latch-key Children in the Late '80s: Family Composition, Working Mothers, and After School Supervision."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muller, Chandra; And Others

This study explored the effects of after-school supervision on 8th graders' academic performance. Data from the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988 relating to a total sample size of 20,491 students (after exclusions) in 802 public and 233 private schools were analyzed. The analysis indicated that parents do not discriminate between…

Motivational Climate, 2×2 Achievement Goal Orientation and Dominance, Self-Regulation, and Physical Activity in Pre-Service Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cecchini-Estrada, José-Antonio; Méndez-Giménez, Antonio

2017-01-01

This longitudinal study investigated the effects of a mastery motivational climate in physical education (PE) classes on 2×2 achievement goal orientation and dominance, self-regulated learning (SRL), and physical activity (PA) in leisure time. A total of 408 (264 women, 144 men) university students were randomly assigned to two groups:…

The Leading Group Effect: Illusionary Declines in Scholastic Standard Scores of Mid-Range Japanese Junior High School Pupils

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mori, Kazuo; Uchida, Akitoshi

2012-01-01

Longitudinal change in the average Z scores for four groups of pupils sorted by quartiles was examined for its stability over three years. The data, collected from 1998 to 2009, was obtained from nine cohorts of Japanese junior high school pupils totaling 1,962 subjects. It showed illusionary declines among the mid-range pupils but improvements…

Predictive Effects of Social Anxiety on Increases in Future Peer Victimization for a Community Sample of Middle-School Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulder, Saskia F.; Hutteman, Roos; van Aken, Marcel A. G.

2017-01-01

This longitudinal study focused on clarifying the direction of effects between social anxiety and victimization in a community-based sample. In addition, we studied the moderating effect of gender on this association. A total of 1,649 children (45% boys, approximately 12 years old) of 65 secondary-school classes participated in the study.…

Predicting Stereotype Endorsement and Academic Motivation in Women in Science Programs: A Longitudinal Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delisle, Marie-Noelle; Guay, Frederic; Senecal, Caroline; Larose, Simon

2009-01-01

This study proposed and tested a model based on stereotype threat theory. The hypothesis is that women who are exposed to a low percentage of women in a science program are more likely to endorse the gender stereotype that science is a male domain, which will in turn undermine their autonomous academic motivation. A total of 167 women university…

Poor Response Inhibition as a Predictor of Problem Drinking and Illicit Drug Use in Adolescents at Risk for Alcoholism and Other Substance Use Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nigg, Joel T.; Wong, Maria M.; Martel, Michelle M.; Jester, Jennifer M.; Puttler, Leon I.; Glass, Jennifer M.; Adams, Kenneth M.; Fitzgerald, Hiram E.; Zucker, Robert A.

2006-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the predictive power of executive functions, in particular, response inhibition, in relation to alcohol-related problems and illicit drug use in adolescence. Method: A total of 498 children from 275 families from a longitudinal high-risk study completed executive function measures in early and late adolescence and lifetime…

MSL in the Digital Ages: Effects and Effectiveness of Computer-Mediated Intervention for FL Learners with Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pfenninger, Simone E.

2015-01-01

The longitudinal intervention study reported here is the first to investigate the efficiency of computer learning software specifically designed for dyslexic Swiss German learners of Standard German as a second language (L2) and English as a third language (L3). A total of 40 subjects (20 of them dyslexics and 20 of them nondyslexics; 10 students…

Peer Group Influence and Selection in Adolescents' School Burnout: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiuru, Noona; Aunola, Kaisa; Nurmi, Jari-Erik; Leskinen, Esko; Salmela-Aro, Katariina

2008-01-01

The present study investigated the extent to which peer group similarity in school burnout is due to peer group influence and the extent to which it is due to peer group selection. Moreover, the roles of academic achievement and gender in school burnout were examined. A total of 611 ninth graders were examined at the beginning of the final term of…

Variation in the Prediction of Cross-Cultural Adjustment by Ethnic Density: A Longitudinal Study of Taiwanese Students in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ying, Yu-Wen; Han, Meekyung

2008-01-01

The study examined variation in the prediction of adjustment in Taiwanese students by ethnic density. A total of 155 Taiwanese students were assessed via survey pre-departure and three times post-arrival in the United States. Hierarchical regression analysis showed students on campuses with fewer other Taiwanese peers formed more friendships with…

Television as a Talking Picture Book: A Prop for Language Acquisition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lemish, Dafna; Rice, Mabel L.

This study provides longitudinal observations of young children's behaviors while viewing television in their own homes, over a time when the children were actively involved in the process of language acquisition. A total of 16 children were observed for a period ranging from 6 to 8 months. At the beginning, their ages ranged from 6 and 1/2 to 29…

Parity Violation in Proton-Proton Scattering at Intermediate Energies

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Yuan, V.; Frauenfelder, H.; Harper, R. W.; Bowman, J. D.; Carlini, R.; MacArthur, D. W.; Mischke, R. E.; Nagle, D. E.; Talaga, R. L.; McDonald, A. B.

1986-05-01

Results of a measurement of parity nonconservation in the anti p-p total cross sections at 800-MeV are presented. The dependence of transmission on beam properties and correction for systematic errors are discussed. The measured longitudinal asymmetry is A{sub L} = (+2.4 +- 1.1(statistical) +- 0.1(systematic)) x 10{sup -7}. A proposed experiment at 230 MeV is discussed.

Visual field progression in glaucoma: total versus pattern deviation analyses.

PubMed

Artes, Paul H; Nicolela, Marcelo T; LeBlanc, Raymond P; Chauhan, Balwantray C

2005-12-01

To compare visual field progression with total and pattern deviation analyses in a prospective longitudinal study of patients with glaucoma and healthy control subjects. A group of 101 patients with glaucoma (168 eyes) with early to moderately advanced visual field loss at baseline (average mean deviation [MD], -3.9 dB) and no clinical evidence of media opacity were selected from a prospective longitudinal study on visual field progression in glaucoma. Patients were examined with static automated perimetry at 6-month intervals for a median follow-up of 9 years. At each test location, change was established with event and trend analyses of total and pattern deviation. The event analyses compared each follow-up test to a baseline obtained from averaging the first two tests, and visual field progression was defined as deterioration beyond the 5th percentile of test-retest variability at three test locations, observed on three consecutive tests. The trend analyses were based on point-wise linear regression, and visual field progression was defined as statistically significant deterioration (P < 5%) worse than -1 dB/year at three locations, confirmed by independently omitting the last and the penultimate observation. The incidence and the time-to-progression were compared between total and pattern deviation analyses. To estimate the specificity of the progression analyses, identical criteria were applied to visual fields obtained in 102 healthy control subjects, and the rate of visual field improvement was established in the patients with glaucoma and the healthy control subjects. With both event and trend methods, pattern deviation analyses classified approximately 15% fewer eyes as having progressed than did the total deviation analyses. In eyes classified as progressing by both the total and pattern deviation methods, total deviation analyses tended to detect progression earlier than the pattern deviation analyses. A comparison of the changes observed in MD and the visual fields' general height (estimated by the 85th percentile of the total deviation values) confirmed that change in the glaucomatous eyes almost always comprised a diffuse component. Pattern deviation analyses of progression may therefore underestimate the true amount of glaucomatous visual field progression. Pattern deviation analyses of visual field progression may underestimate visual field progression in glaucoma, particularly when there is no clinical evidence of increasing media opacity. Clinicians should have access to both total and pattern deviation analyses to make informed decisions on visual field progression in glaucoma.

Antioxidant-rich food intakes and their association with blood total antioxidant status and vitamin C and E levels in community-dwelling seniors from the Quebec longitudinal study NuAge.

PubMed

Khalil, Abdelouahed; Gaudreau, Pierrette; Cherki, Mounia; Wagner, Richard; Tessier, Daniel M; Fulop, Tamas; Shatenstein, Bryna

2011-06-01

A cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the association between current consumption of a series of 26 common antioxidant-rich foods (ARF) with serum total antioxidant status (TAS) and plasma vitamin C and E levels in community-dwelling older adults. A convenience sample of the first 94 non-smoking Caucasian men (54%) and women (46%) enrolled in the Quebec Longitudinal Study NuAge were selected. The "Functional Foods Consumption Frequency Questionnaire" (FFCFQ) was administered at recruitment (T1) to ascertain patterns of consumption of ARF over the lifetime. The total Oxygen Radical Antioxidant Capacity (ORAC) of 25 ARF reported by subjects was estimated using published values. Serum TAS was determined based on the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay while plasma vitamins C and E (α- and γ-tocopherol) levels were analyzed by HPLC. The numbers of ARF eaten daily at T1, estimated from the FFCFQ and calculated from the diet recalls, were significantly correlated (r=0.51, P<0.0001) and each measure was associated with total ORAC content (r=0.34, P<0.001 and r=0.59, P<0.0001 for FFCFQ and recalls, respectively). No significant association was found between TAS and the total ORAC value of ARF determined from the quantitative 24-h diet recalls. However, daily ARF consumption at T1 obtained from the FFCFQ was significantly and positively correlated with TAS (r=0.26, P<0.05) and circulating levels of vitamin C (r=0.25, P<0.02) and α-tocopherol (r=0.22, p<0.05) and negatively correlated with plasma γ-tocopherol (r=-0.25, P<0.025). These results highlight associations between ARF consumption and circulating levels of antioxidants in the elderly and suggest benefits from antioxidant-rich foods during aging. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Mediterranean Diet Enriched with Olive Oil Is Associated with Higher Serum Total Osteocalcin Levels in Elderly Men at High Cardiovascular Risk

PubMed Central

Moreno-Navarrete, José Maria; Ricart, Wifredo; Ros, Emilio; Estruch, Ramon; Salas-Salvadó, Jordi

2012-01-01

Background: The intake of olive oil has been related to the prevention of osteoporosis in experimental and in in vitro models. Very few prospective studies have evaluated the effects of olive oil intake on circulating osteocalcin (OC) in humans. Objective: The objective of the study was to examine the longitudinal effects of a low-fat control diet (n = 34), a Mediterranean diet enriched with nuts (MedDiet+nuts, n = 51), or a Mediterranean diet enriched with virgin olive oil (MedDiet+VOO, n = 42) on circulating forms of OC and bone formation markers in elderly men at high cardiovascular risk. Design: Longitudinal associations between baseline and follow-up (2 yr) measurements of total OC, undercarboxylated osteocalcin, C-telopeptide of type I collagen, and procollagen I N-terminal propeptide (P1NP) concentrations were examined in 127 elderly men randomized to three healthy dietary interventions. Results: Baseline characteristics (age, body mass index, waist circumference, lipid profile, fasting insulin levels, and bone formation and resorption markers) were similar in all intervention groups. The total osteocalcin concentration increased robustly in the MedDiet+VOO group (P = 0.007) in parallel to increased P1NP levels (P = 0.01) and homeostasis model assessment-β-cell function (P = 0.01) but not in subjects on the MedDiet+nuts (P = 0.32) or after the control diet (P = 0.74). Interestingly, the consumption of olives was associated positively with both baseline total osteocalcin (r = 0.23, P = 0.02) and the 2-yr osteocalcin concentrations (r = 0.21, P = 0.04) in the total cohort. Conclusions: Consumption of a Mediterranean diet enriched with virgin olive oil for 2 years is associated with increased serum osteocalcin and P1NP concentrations, suggesting protective effects on bone. PMID:22855341

Analytical Assessment of Simultaneous Parallel Approach Feasibility from Total System Error

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madden, Michael M.

2014-01-01

In a simultaneous paired approach to closely-spaced parallel runways, a pair of aircraft flies in close proximity on parallel approach paths. The aircraft pair must maintain a longitudinal separation within a range that avoids wake encounters and, if one of the aircraft blunders, avoids collision. Wake avoidance defines the rear gate of the longitudinal separation. The lead aircraft generates a wake vortex that, with the aid of crosswinds, can travel laterally onto the path of the trail aircraft. As runway separation decreases, the wake has less distance to traverse to reach the path of the trail aircraft. The total system error of each aircraft further reduces this distance. The total system error is often modeled as a probability distribution function. Therefore, Monte-Carlo simulations are a favored tool for assessing a "safe" rear-gate. However, safety for paired approaches typically requires that a catastrophic wake encounter be a rare one-in-a-billion event during normal operation. Using a Monte-Carlo simulation to assert this event rarity with confidence requires a massive number of runs. Such large runs do not lend themselves to rapid turn-around during the early stages of investigation when the goal is to eliminate the infeasible regions of the solution space and to perform trades among the independent variables in the operational concept. One can employ statistical analysis using simplified models more efficiently to narrow the solution space and identify promising trades for more in-depth investigation using Monte-Carlo simulations. These simple, analytical models not only have to address the uncertainty of the total system error but also the uncertainty in navigation sources used to alert an abort of the procedure. This paper presents a method for integrating total system error, procedure abort rates, avionics failures, and surveillance errors into a statistical analysis that identifies the likely feasible runway separations for simultaneous paired approaches.

Loads imposed on intermediate frames of stiffened shells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuhn, Paul

1939-01-01

The loads imposed on intermediate frames by the curvature of the longitudinal and by the diagonal-tension effects are treated. A new empirical method is proposed for analyzing diagonal-tension effects. The basic formulas of the pure diagonal-tension theory are used, and the part of the total shear S carried by diagonal tension is assumed to be given the expression S (sub DT) = S (1-tau sub o/tau)(sup n) where tau (sub o) is the critical shear stress, tau the total (nominal shear stress), and n = 3 - sigma/tau where sigma is the stress in the intermediate frame. Numerical examples illustrate all cases treated.

An experimental and analytical study of the aerodynamic interference effects between two Sears-Haack bodies at Mach 2.7. M.S. Thesis - George Washington Univ.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bantle, J. W.

1985-01-01

Aerodynamic interference effects were studied for two slender, streamlined bodies of revolution at Mach 2.7. A wind tunnel investigation produced force and moment data and measurements of pressure distributions on the bodies. As these bodies remained parallel with each other and with the freestream flow, their relative lateral and longitudinal spacing were varied. Results of theoretical methods were used in the analysis of results. The interference effects between the two bodies yielded less total drag than a single body of equal total volume and the same length.

The role of vascular endothelial growth factor in neurodegeneration and cognitive decline: exploring interactions with biomarkers of Alzheimer disease.

PubMed

Hohman, Timothy J; Bell, Susan P; Jefferson, Angela L

2015-05-01

A subset of older adults present post mortem with Alzheimer disease (AD) pathologic features but without any significant clinical manifestation of dementia. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been implicated in staving off AD-related neurodegeneration. To evaluate whether VEGF levels are associated with brain aging outcomes (hippocampal volume and cognition) and to further evaluate whether VEGF modifies relations between AD biomarkers and brain aging outcomes. Biomarker analysis using neuroimaging and neuropsychological outcomes from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. This prospective longitudinal study across North America included individuals with normal cognition (n = 90), mild cognitive impairment (n = 130), and AD (n = 59) and began in October 2004, with follow-up ongoing. Cerebrospinal fluid VEGF was cross-sectionally related to brain aging outcomes (hippocampal volume, episodic memory, and executive function) using a general linear model and longitudinally using mixed-effects regression. Alzheimer disease biomarker (cerebrospinal fluid β-amyloid 42 and total tau)-by-VEGF interactions evaluated the effect of VEGF on brain aging outcomes in the presence of enhanced AD biomarkers. Vascular endothelial growth factor was associated with baseline hippocampal volume (t277 = 2.62; P = .009), longitudinal hippocampal atrophy (t858 = 2.48; P = .01), and longitudinal decline in memory (t1629 = 4.09; P < .001) and executive function (t1616 = 3.00; P = .003). Vascular endothelial growth factor interacted with tau in predicting longitudinal hippocampal atrophy (t845 = 4.17; P < .001), memory decline (t1610 = 2.49; P = .01), and executive function decline (t1597 = 3.71; P < .001). Vascular endothelial growth factor interacted with β-amyloid 42 in predicting longitudinal memory decline (t1618 = -2.53; P = .01). Elevated cerebrospinal fluid VEGF was associated with more optimal brain aging in vivo. The neuroprotective effect appeared strongest in the presence of enhanced AD biomarkers, suggesting that VEGF may be particularly beneficial in individuals showing early hallmarks of the AD cascade. Future work should evaluate the interaction between VEGF expression in vitro and pathologic burden to address potential mechanisms.

The Longitudinal Prevalence of Unfinished Nursing Care at the US Army Burn Center

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-01-02

vocational nurses completed a 50- item, paper survey . Administrative data related to nursing staff supply and working conditions also were collected monthly...from local nurse leaders. Sample: In total, 599 surveys were handed out to 118 nurses; 269 useable surveys were returned (overall response rate... survey . Administrative data related to nursing staff supply and working conditions also were collected monthly from local nurse leaders. Sample

Stability of Posttraumatic Stress Reaction Factors and Their Relation to General Mental Health Problems in Children: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nygaard, Egil; Jensen, Tine K.; Dyb, Grete

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the structure of posttraumatic stress reaction factors and their relation to general mental health problems in Norwegian children exposed to the tsunami on December 26, 2004. A total of 133 children and adolescents (ages 6-17) were interviewed 10 months posttsunami using the UCLA PTSD Reaction Index, and 104…

Young People's Everyday Romance and Sexual Experiences in Relation to Sex-Related Conversations with Parents: A Diary Study in the Netherlands

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dalenberg, Wieke G.; Timmerman, Margaretha C.; Kunnen, E. Saskia; Van Geert, Paul L. C.

2016-01-01

This study builds on existing research into how young people's emergent sexual development is connected to parent-child sex-related communication through avoidance vs. disclosure. Over the course of one year, a total of 21 young people (age range 12-17.5) reported in longitudinal qualitative diaries their (1) everyday sexual experiences and (2)…

How Are the Costs of Care for Medical Falls Distributed? The Costs of Medical Falls by Component of Cost, Timing, and Injury Severity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bohl, Alex A.; Phelan, Elizabeth A.; Fishman, Paul A.; Harris, Jeffrey R.

2012-01-01

Purpose of the Study: To examine the components of cost that drive increased total costs after a medical fall over time, stratified by injury severity. Design and Methods: We used 2004-2007 cost and utilization data for persons enrolled in an integrated care delivery system. We used a longitudinal cohort study design, where each individual…

Women in Intercollegiate Sport: A Longitudinal, National Study. Thirty-Five Year Update, 1977-2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acosta, R. Vivian; Carpenter, Linda Jean

2012-01-01

In 1970, prior to the 1972 enactment of Title IX, there were only 2.5 women's teams per school and a total of only about 16,000 female intercollegiate athletes. In 1977/1978, the academic year preceding the mandatory compliance date for Title IX, the number of varsity sports for women had grown to 5.61 per school. A decade later, in 1988, the…

Woman in Intercollegiate Sport: A Longitudinal, National Study. Thirty-Seven Year Update, 1977-2014

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acosta, R. Vivian; Carpenter, Linda Jean

2014-01-01

In 1970, prior to the 1972 enactment of Title IX, there were only 2.5 women's teams per school and a total of only about 16,000 female intercollegiate athletes. In 1977/1978, the academic year preceding the mandatory compliance date for Title IX, the number of varsity sports for women had grown to 5.61 per school. A decade later, in 1988, the…

Romantic and Sexual Behavior in Young Adolescents: Repeated Surveys in a Population-Based Cohort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waylen, Andrea E.; Ness, Andrew; McGovern, Phil; Wolke, Dieter; Low, Nicola

2010-01-01

Adverse outcomes of teenage sexual activity are common in the United Kingdom. The authors used a computer-assisted interview to ask young adolescents aged 11 to 12 years (N = 6,856) and 12 to 13 years (N = 6,801) who were part of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children about romantic and intimate behaviors. A total of 24% of 11- to…

Women in Intercollegiate Sport: A Longitudinal, National Study. Thirty Three Year Update, 1977-2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acosta, R. Vivian; Carpenter, Linda Jean

2010-01-01

In 1970, prior to the 1972 enactment of Title IX, there were only 2.5 women's teams per school and a total of only about 16,000 female intercollegiate athletes. In 1977/1978, the academic year preceding the mandatory compliance date for Title IX, the number of varsity sports for women had grown to 5.61 per school. A decade later, in 1988, the…

Women in Intercollegiate Sport: A Longitudinal, National Study. Twenty Nine Year Update, 1977-2006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acosta, R. Vivian; Carpenter, Linda Jean

2006-01-01

In 1970, prior to the 1972 enactment of Title IX, there were only 2.5 women's teams per school and a total of only about 16,000 female intercollegiate athletes. In 1977/1978, the academic year preceding the mandatory compliance date for Title IX, the number of varsity sports for women had grown to 5.61 per school. A decade later, in 1988, the…

Women in Intercollegiate Sport: A Longitudinal, National Study. Thirty One Year Update, 1977-2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acosta, R. Vivian; Carpenter, Linda Jean

2008-01-01

In 1970, prior to the 1972 enactment of Title IX, there were only 2.5 women's teams per school and a total of only about 16,000 female intercollegiate athletes. In 1977/1978, the academic year preceding the mandatory compliance date for Title IX, the number of varsity sports for women had grown to 5.61 per school. A decade later, in 1988, the…

Loneliness and Cognitive Function in Older Adults: Findings From the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey

PubMed Central

Chen, Shu-Lin; Tu, Xin; Conwell, Yeates

2017-01-01

Objectives: To examine the relationship between loneliness and cognitive function and to explore the mediating role of physical health on the loneliness–cognition relationship in Chinese older adults (OAs). Method: Data came from a nationally representative sample of 14,199 Chinese OAs (aged 65+) from 2002, 2005, 2008, and 2011 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. A latent variable cross-lagged panel model combined with mediation analysis was used to determine the relationship between loneliness and cognitive function and the mediating effect of increase in the number of chronic conditions (ΔNCCs) on the ascertained loneliness–cognition relationship. Results: Severe loneliness at prior assessment points was significantly associated with poorer cognitive function at subsequent assessments, and vice versa. The ΔNCCs partially mediated this prospective reciprocal relationships, accounting for 2.58% of the total effect of loneliness on cognition and 4.44% of the total effect of cognition on loneliness, respectively. Discussion: Loneliness may predict subsequent cognitive decline, and vice versa. This loneliness–cognition relationship is partially explained by their impact on physical health. Multidisciplinary interventions aimed at reducing loneliness and cognitive decline per se and their associated risk factors as well as improving chronic illness management would be beneficial for emotional well-being and cognitive health in OAs. PMID:27013536

Estimating increment-decrement life tables with multiple covariates from panel data: the case of active life expectancy.

PubMed

Land, K C; Guralnik, J M; Blazer, D G

1994-05-01

A fundamental limitation of current multistate life table methodology-evident in recent estimates of active life expectancy for the elderly-is the inability to estimate tables from data on small longitudinal panels in the presence of multiple covariates (such as sex, race, and socioeconomic status). This paper presents an approach to such an estimation based on an isomorphism between the structure of the stochastic model underlying a conventional specification of the increment-decrement life table and that of Markov panel regression models for simple state spaces. We argue that Markov panel regression procedures can be used to provide smoothed or graduated group-specific estimates of transition probabilities that are more stable across short age intervals than those computed directly from sample data. We then join these estimates with increment-decrement life table methods to compute group-specific total, active, and dependent life expectancy estimates. To illustrate the methods, we describe an empirical application to the estimation of such life expectancies specific to sex, race, and education (years of school completed) for a longitudinal panel of elderly persons. We find that education extends both total life expectancy and active life expectancy. Education thus may serve as a powerful social protective mechanism delaying the onset of health problems at older ages.

Health Care Costs and the Socioeconomic Consequences of Work Injuries in Brazil: A Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

SANTANA, Vilma Sousa; FERNANDES DE SOUZA, Luis Eugênio Portela; PINTO, Isabela Cardoso de Matos

2013-01-01

Work injuries are a worldwide public health problem but little is known about their socioeconomic impact. This prospective longitudinal study estimates the direct health care costs and socioeconomic consequences of work injuries for 406 workers identified in the emergency departments of the two largest public hospitals in Salvador, Brazil, from June through September 2005. After hospital discharge workers were followed up monthly until their return to work. Most insured workers were unaware of their rights or of how to obtain insurance benefits (81.6%). Approximately half the cases suffered loss of earnings, and women were more frequently dismissed than men. The most frequently reported family consequences were: need for a family member to act as a caregiver and difficulties with daily expenses. Total costs were US$40,077.00 but individual costs varied widely, according to injury severity. Out-of-pocket costs accounted for the highest proportion of total costs (50.5%) and increased with severity (57.6%). Most out-of-pocket costs were related to transport and purchasing medicines and other wound care products. The second largest contribution (40.6%) came from the public National Health System − SUS. Employer participation was negligible. Health care funding must be discussed to alleviate the economic burden of work injuries on workers. PMID:23803496

Rate of radial transport of plasma in Saturn’s inner magnetosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Y.; Hill, T. W.

2009-12-01

The Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS) and the Cassini Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument (MIMI) frequently observe longitudinally localized injection and drift dispersion of hot plasma in Saturn’s magnetosphere. These signatures provide direct evidence for the major convective process in the inner magnetosphere of a rapidly rotating planet, in which the radial transport of plasma comprises hot, tenuous plasma moving inward and cooler, denser plasma moving outward. These injection events have been found to occupy only a small fraction of the total available longitudinal space, indicating that the inflow speed is probably much larger than the outflow speed. We set the local corotation speed as the upper limit of inflow velocities, and deduce the corresponding radial velocities of the outflowing flux tubes by analyzing the width of injection structures and assuming that the total potential drop around a given L-shell is zero. We then estimate an upper limit to the plasma outward mass transport rate, which turns out to be somewhat larger than previous estimates of the Enceladus source rate (e.g., Pontius and Hill, 2006). An important assumption in this study is that the plasma is largely confined to a thin equatorial sheet, and we have applied a centrifugal scale height model developed by Hill and Michel [1976].

Circular polarization of X-ray radiation emitted by longitudinally polarized electron impact excitation: Under a screened Coulomb interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhan-Bin

2017-12-01

Longitudinally polarized electron impact excitation from the ground state 1s2 to the excited state 1s2l (l =s,p) levels of highly charged He-like Fe24+ ions in weakly coupled hot-dense plasmas is investigated using a fully relativistic distorted-wave method. The Debye-Hückel potential is used to describe the plasma screening. Benchmark results such as the total cross sections, the magnetic sublevels cross sections, and the circular polarizations of corresponding X-ray radiations are presented. For the excitation process, results show that the plasma screening has an effect in reducing both the total and magnetic sublevels cross sections. For the de-excitation process, it is found that while the plasma screening as a slightly effect on the circular polarizations of radiations for the 1 s 2 s 3S1 → 1 s21S0,1 s 2 p 3P2 → 1 s21S0 , and 1 s 2 p 1P1 → 1 s21S0 transition lines, it gives a substantial contribution for the same properties of the 1 s 2 p 3P1 → 1 s21S0 line.

The Relationship between Costs and Quality in Veterans Health Administration Community Living Centers: An Analysis Using Longitudinal Data.

PubMed

Burgess, James F; Shwartz, Michael; Stolzmann, Kelly; Sullivan, Jennifer L

2018-05-18

To examine the relationship between cost and quality in Veterans Health Administration (VA) nursing homes (called Community Living Centers, CLCs) using longitudinal data. One hundred and thirty CLCs over 13 quarters (from FY2009 to FY2012) were studied. Costs, resident days, and resident severity (RUGs score) were obtained from the VA Managerial Cost Accounting System. Clinical quality measures were obtained from the Minimum Data Set, and resident-centered care (RCC) was measured using the Artifacts of Culture Change Tool. We used a generalized estimating equation model with facilities included as fixed effects to examine the relationship between total cost and quality after controlling for resident days and severity. The model included linear and squared terms for all independent variables and interactions with resident days. With the exception of RCC, all other variables had a statistically significant relationship with total costs. For most poorer performing smaller facilities (lower size quartile), improvements in quality were associated with higher costs. For most larger facilities, improvements in quality were associated with lower costs. The relationship between cost and quality depends on facility size and current level of performance. © Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Impact of Total Vending Machine Restrictions on US Young Adult Smoking.

PubMed

Vuolo, Mike; Kelly, Brian C; Kadowaki, Joy

2016-11-01

In an analysis of smoking using a longitudinal sample of US young adults, we extend research on tobacco vending machine restrictions beyond its prior focus on minors by examining the influence of total vending machine restrictions, which apply to adult-only facilities and represents the only remaining vending machine exemption since the enactment of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. We identify whether the passage of a restriction influences an individual's smoking on repeated observations, and if the propensity is lower among those who live in locations with a restriction. Combining a repository of US tobacco policies at all geographic levels with the nationally-representative geocoded National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 and Census data, we use multilevel logistic regression to examine the impact of total vending machine restrictions on any past 30-day smoking and past 30-day smoking of one pack per day among young adults (ages 19-31), while accounting for other tobacco control policy, community, and individual covariates. We find that total vending machine restrictions decrease any recent smoking (OR = 0.451; p < .01), net of other covariates. Though the passage of a restriction does not alter an individual's smoking over time, living longer in an area that has a restriction lowers the propensity that an individual will smoke at all (OR = 0.442; p < .05). We find no effect of total vending machine restrictions on smoking a pack daily. Total vending machine restrictions appear to be an effective, yet highly underutilized, means of tobacco control. Past scientific inquiries examining vending machine restrictions have focused upon minor access, adolescent perceptions of availability, and subsequent smoking. The potential for total vending machine restrictions, which extend to adult-only facilities, to influence patterns of smoking among those of legal age, remains significant. Those who are subject to total vending machine restrictions for longer periods are less likely to have recently smoked, but individuals do not change their smoking behavior in response to the passage of a restriction. These restrictions do not affect heavy smokers. Such policies are an effective but underutilized policy mechanism to prevent smoking among young adults. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Factor structure of DSM-5 PTSD symptoms in trauma-exposed adolescents: Examining stability across time.

PubMed

Wang, Li; Cao, Xing; Cao, Chengqi; Fang, Ruojiao; Yang, Haibo; Elhai, Jon D

2017-12-01

This study investigated the latent structure of DSM-5 PTSD symptoms using two-wave longitudinal data collected from a sample of adolescents exposed to an explosion accident. Two waves of surveys were conducted approximately 3 and 8 months after the accident, respectively. A total of 836 students completed the baseline survey, and 762 students completed the follow-up survey. The results of confirmatory factor analyses(CFA) indicated that a seven-factor hybrid model composed of intrusion, avoidance, negative affect, anhedonia, externalizing behaviors, anxious arousal and dysphoric arousal factors yielded significantly better data fit at both waves than the other models including the DSM-5 four-factor model, the six-factor anhedonia and externalizing behaviors models. Furthermore, the results of CFA invariance tests supported the longitudinal invariance of the model. Implications and limitations in terms of these results are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Flight Test of the Aerojet 7KS-6000 T-27 Jato Rocket Motor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bond, Aleck C.; Thibodaux, Joseph G., Jr.

1949-01-01

A flight test of the Aero jet Engineering Corporation's 7KS-6000 T-27 Jato rocket motor was conducted at the Langley Pilotless Aircraft Research Station at Wallops Island, Va, to determine the flight performance characteristics of the motor. The flight test imposed an absolute longitudinal acceleration of 9.8 g upon the rocket motor at 2.8 seconds after launching. The total impulse developed by the motor was 43,400 pound-seconds, and the thrusting time was 7.58 seconds. The maximum thrust was 7200 pounds and occurred at 4.8 seconds after launching. No thrust irregularities attributable to effects of the flight longitudinal acceleration were observed. Certain small thrust irregularities occurred in the flight test which appear to correspond to irregularities observed in static tests conducted elsewhere. A hypothesis regarding the origin of these small irregularities is presented.

Prognostic factors for work ability in women with chronic low back pain consulting primary health care: a 2-year prospective longitudinal cohort study.

PubMed

Nordeman, Lena; Gunnarsson, Ronny; Mannerkorpi, Kaisa

2014-05-01

To investigate prognostic factors for future work ability in women with chronic low back pain (CLBP) consulting primary health care. A 2-year prospective longitudinal cohort study of female patients with CLBP within the primary health care was conducted. Patients were assessed at the first assessment and after 2 years. Prognostic factors for work ability (yes/no) were analyzed by multivariate regression. A total of 130 patients were included at first assessment. After 2 years, 123 patients (95%) were followed up. The 6-minute walk test, depression, and earlier work ability predicted work ability at the 2-year follow-up. A nomogram was constructed to assess the probability of future work ability. The 6-minute walk test, work ability, and depression predicted work ability for women with CLBP after 2 years.

Fourier-transform-based model for carrier transport in semiconductor heterostructures: Longitudinal optical phonon scattering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lü, X.; Schrottke, L.; Grahn, H. T.

We present scattering rates for electrons at longitudinal optical phonons within a model completely formulated in the Fourier domain. The total intersubband scattering rates are obtained by averaging over the intrasubband electron distributions. The rates consist of the Fourier components of the electron wave functions and a contribution depending only on the intersubband energies and the intrasubband carrier distributions. The energy-dependent part can be reproduced by a rational function, which allows for the separation of the scattering rates into a dipole-like contribution, an overlap-like contribution, and a contribution which can be neglected for low and intermediate carrier densities of themore » initial subband. For a balance between accuracy and computation time, the number of Fourier components can be adjusted. This approach facilitates an efficient design of complex heterostructures with realistic, temperature- and carrier density-dependent rates.« less

Local Deplanation Of Double Reinforced Beam Cross Section Under Bending

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baltov, Anguel; Yanakieva, Ana

2015-12-01

Bending of beams, double reinforced by means of thin composite layers, is considered in the study. Approximate numerical solution is proposed, considering transitional boundary areas, where smooth quadratic transition of the elasticity modulus and deformations take place. Deplanation of the cross section is also accounted for in the areas. Their thickness is found equalizing the total stiffness of the cross section and the layer stiffness. Deplanation of the cross section of the transitional area is determined via the longitudinal deformation in the reinforcing layer, accounting for the equilibrium between the internal and the external moment, generated by the longitudinal stresses in the cross section. A numerical example is given as an illustration demonstrating model's plausibility. The model allows the design and the calculation of recycled concrete beams double reinforced by means of thin layers. The approach is in agreement with modern design of nearly zero energy buildings (NZEB).

A longitudinal study of lexical development in children learning Vietnamese and English.

PubMed

Pham, Giang; Kohnert, Kathryn

2014-01-01

This longitudinal study modeled lexical development among children who spoke Vietnamese as a first language (L1) and English as a second language (L2). Participants (n = 33, initial mean age of 7.3 years) completed a total of eight tasks (four in each language) that measured vocabulary knowledge and lexical processing at four yearly time points. Multivariate hierarchical linear modeling was used to calculate L1 and L2 trajectories within the same model for each task. Main findings included (a) positive growth in each language, (b) greater gains in English resulting in shifts toward L2 dominance, and (c) different patterns for receptive and expressive domains. Timing of shifts to L2 dominance underscored L1 skills that are resilient and vulnerable to increases in L2 proficiency. © 2013 The Authors. Child Development © 2013 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Influence of xerostomia on oral health-related quality of life in the elderly: a 5-year longitudinal study.

PubMed

Enoki, Kaori; Matsuda, Ken-Ich; Ikebe, Kazunori; Murai, Shunsuke; Yoshida, Minoru; Maeda, Yoshinobu; Thomson, William Murray

2014-06-01

Xerostomia and tooth loss are major oral health problems in the elderly. The aim of this longitudinal study was to characterize the influence of xerostomia on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among elderly Japanese people. A total of 99 community-dwelling, independently living individuals aged 60 years and older were interviewed and underwent dental examination at baseline and at a 5-year follow-up. The Oral Health Impact Profile-14 and the Xerostomia Inventory were used to assess OHRQoL and xerostomia severity, respectively. Participants whose xerostomia worsened over the 5-year period had a significantly poorer follow-up OHRQoL. Linear regression models showed that tooth loss and worsening xerostomia were significant predictors of poorer follow-up OHRQoL. Tooth loss and worsening xerostomia result in poorer OHRQoL among older Japanese people. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Application of frequency domain handling qualities criteria to the longitudinal landing task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarrafian, S. K.; Powers, B. G.

1985-01-01

Under NASA sponsorship, an in-flight simulation of the longitudinal handling qualities of several configurations for the approach and landing tasks was performed on the USAF/AFWAL Total In-Flight Simulator by the Calspan Corporation. The basic configuration was a generic transport airplane with static instability. The control laws included proportional plus integral gain loops to produce pitch-rate and angle-of-attack feedback loops. The evaluation task was a conventional visual approach to a flared touchdown at a designated spot on the runway with a lateral offset. The general conclusions were that the existing criteria are based on pitch-attitude response and that these characteristics do not adequately discriminate between the good and bad configurations of this study. This paper describes the work that has been done to further develop frequency-based criteria in an effort to provide better correlation with the observed data.

Rural habitat as risk factor for hepatitis E virus seroconversion in HIV-infected patients: A prospective longitudinal study.

PubMed

Rivero-Juarez, A; Cuenca-Lopez, F; Martinez-Peinado, A; Camacho, A; Real, L M; Frias, M; Gordon, A; Cantisán, S; Torre-Cisneros, J; Pineda, J A; Rivero, A

2017-11-01

Our objective was to determine the incidence and clinical manifestations of acute hepatitis E virus (HEV) in HIV-infected patients. A prospective longitudinal study including HIV-infected HEV-seronegative patients was conducted; HEV seroconversion (to IgG and/or IgM) was the main outcome variable. All patients were tested for HEV antibodies every 3-6 months. For patients who developed HEV seroconversion, a data collection protocol was followed to identify associated clinical manifestations and analytical alterations. A total of 627 patients (89.9%) were followed during a median of 11.96 months (IQR: 8.52-14.52 months) and formed the study population. Forty-one patients developed detectable anti-HEV antibodies (7.2 cases per 100 patients/year). Our study found a high incidence of HEV in HIV-infected patients in southern Spain strongly associated with a rural habitat. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

A two-year longitudinal pilot MRI study of the brainstem in autism.

PubMed

Jou, Roger J; Frazier, Thomas W; Keshavan, Matcheri S; Minshew, Nancy J; Hardan, Antonio Y

2013-08-15

Research has demonstrated the potential role of the brainstem in the pathobiology of autism. Previous studies have suggested reductions in brainstem volume and a relationship between this structure and sensory abnormalities. However, little is known regarding the developmental aspects of the brainstem across childhood and adolescence. The goal of this pilot study was to examine brainstem development via MRI volumetry using a longitudinal research design. Participants included 23 boys with autism and 23 matched controls (age range=8-17 years), all without intellectual disability. Participants underwent structural MRI scans once at baseline and again at two-year follow-up. Brainstem volumetric measurements were performed using the BRAINS2 software package. There were no significant group differences in age, gender, handedness, and total brain volume; however, full-scale IQ was higher in controls. Autism and control groups showed different patterns of growth in brainstem volume. While whole brainstem volume remained stable in controls over the two-year period, the autism group showed increases with age reaching volumes comparable to controls by age 15 years. This increase of whole brainstem volume was primarily driven by bilateral increases in gray matter volume. Findings from this preliminary study are suggestive of developmental brainstem abnormalities in autism primarily involving gray matter structures. These findings are consistent with autism being conceptualized as a neurodevelopmental disorder with alterations in brain-growth trajectories. More longitudinal MRI studies are needed integrating longitudinal cognitive/behavioral data to confirm and elucidate the clinical significance of these atypical growth patterns. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Second- to Third-Trimester Longitudinal Growth Assessment for the Prediction of Largeness for Gestational Age and Macrosomia in an Unselected Population.

PubMed

Caradeux, Javier; Eixarch, Elisenda; Mazarico, Edurne; Basuki, Tri Rahmat; Gratacós, Eduard; Figueras, Francesc

2018-01-01

Prenatal detection of excessive growth remains inaccurate. Most strategies rely on a single cross-sectional evaluation of fetal size during the third trimester. To compare second- to third-trimester longitudinal growth assessment with cross-sectional evaluation at the third trimester in the prediction of largeness for gestational age (LGA) and macrosomia. A cohort of 2,696 unselected singleton pregnancies scanned at 21 ± 2 and 32 ± 2 weeks was created. Abdominal circumference (AC) measurements were transformed to z values according to the INTERGROWTH-21st standards. Longitudinal growth assessment was performed by calculation of z velocity and conditional growth. Both methods were compared to cross-sectional assessment at 32 ± 2 weeks. Predictive performance for LGA and macrosomia was determined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. A total of 188 (7%) newborns qualified for LGA and 182 (6.8%) for macrosomia. The areas under the curve (AUCs) for 32-week AC z score, AC z velocity, and conditional AC were 0.78, 0.61, and 0.55, respectively, for the prediction of LGA, and 0.75, 0.61, and 0.55, respectively, for the prediction of macrosomia. Both AUCs of AC z velocity and conditional AC were significantly lower (p < 0.001) than the AUC of cross-sectional AC z scores. In the general population, second- to third-trimester longitudinal assessment of fetal growth is inferior to third-trimester cross-sectional evaluation of size in the prediction of LGA and macrosomia. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Ratios of helicity amplitudes for exclusive ρ 0 electroproduction on transversely polarized protons

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Airapetian, A.; Akopov, N.; Akopov, Z.

Exclusive ρ 0-meson electroproduction is studied by the HERMES experiment, using the 27.6 GeV longitudinally polarized electron/positron beam of HERA and a transversely polarized hydrogen target, in the kinematic region 1.0 GeV 2 < Q 2 < 7.0 GeV 2, 3.0 GeV < W < 6.3 GeV, and –t' < 0.4 GeV 2. Using an unbinned maximum-likelihood method, 25 parameters are extracted. These determine the real and imaginary parts of the ratios of several helicity amplitudes describing ρ 0-meson production by a virtual photon. The denominator of those ratios is the dominant amplitude, the nucleon-helicity-non-flip amplitude F 01/201/2, which describesmore » the production of a longitudinal ρ 0-meson by a longitudinal virtual photon. The ratios of nucleon-helicity-non-flip amplitudes are found to be in good agreement with those from the previous HERMES analysis. The transverse target polarization allows for the first time the extraction of ratios of a number of nucleon-helicity-flip amplitudes to F 01/201/2. Results obtained in a handbag approach based on generalized parton distributions taking into account the contribution from pion exchange are found to be in good agreement with these ratios. Within the model, the data favor a positive sign for the π - ρ transition form factor. By also exploiting the longitudinal beam polarization, a total of 71 ρ 0 spin-density matrix elements is determined from the extracted 25 parameters, in contrast to only 53 elements as directly determined in earlier analyses.« less

Precision measurement of quasi-elastic transverse and longitudinal response functions in the range 0.55 GeV/c lte |q-right arrow| lte 1.0 GeV/c

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Atac, Hamza

The Coulomb Sum is defined by the quasi-elastic nucleon knock-out process and it is the integration of the longitudinal response function over the energy loss of the incident electron. The Coulomb sum goes to the total charge at large q. The existing measurements of the Coulomb Sum Rule show disagreement with the theoretical calculations for the medium and heavy nuclei. To find the reason behind the disagreement might answer the question of whether the properties of the nucleons are affected by the nuclear medium or not. In order to determine the Coulomb Sum in nuclei, a precision measurement of inclusivemore » electron scattering in the quasi-elastic region was performed at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. Incident electrons with energies ranging from 0.4 GeV to 4 GeV scattered off 4He,12C,56Fe and 208Pb nuclei at four scattering angles (15 deg.; 60 deg.; 90 deg.; 120 deg.) and scattered energies ranging from 0.1 GeV to 4 GeV. The Born cross sections were extracted for the Left High Resolution Spectrometer (LHRS) and the Right High Resolution Spectrometer 56Fe data. The Rosenbluth separation was performed to extract the transverse and longitudinal response functions at 650 MeV three-momentum transfer. The preliminary results of the longitudinal and transverse functions were extracted for 56Fe target at 650 MeV three-momentum transfer.« less

A multicohort, longitudinal study of cerebellar development in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Shaw, Philip; Ishii-Takahashi, Ayaka; Park, Min Tae; Devenyi, Gabriel A; Zibman, Chava; Kasparek, Steven; Sudre, Gustavo; Mangalmurti, Aman; Hoogman, Martine; Tiemeier, Henning; von Polier, Georg; Shook, Devon; Muetzel, Ryan; Chakravarty, M Mallar; Konrad, Kerstin; Durston, Sarah; White, Tonya

2018-04-25

The cerebellum supports many cognitive functions disrupted in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Prior neuroanatomic studies have been often limited by small sample sizes, inconsistent findings, and a reliance on cross-sectional data, limiting inferences about cerebellar development. Here, we conduct a multicohort study using longitudinal data, to characterize cerebellar development. Growth trajectories of the cerebellar vermis, hemispheres and white matter were estimated using piecewise linear regression from 1,656 youth; of whom 63% had longitudinal data, totaling 2,914 scans. Four cohorts participated, all contained childhood data (age 4-12 years); two had adolescent data (12-25 years). Growth parameters were combined using random-effects meta-analysis. Diagnostic differences in growth were confined to the corpus medullare (cerebellar white matter). Here, the ADHD group showed slower growth in early childhood compared to the typically developing group (left corpus medullare z = 2.49, p = .01; right z = 2.03, p = .04). This reversed in late childhood, with faster growth in ADHD in the left corpus medullare (z = 2.06, p = .04). Findings held when gender, intelligence, comorbidity, and psychostimulant medication were considered. Across four independent cohorts, containing predominately longitudinal data, we found diagnostic differences in the growth of cerebellar white matter. In ADHD, slower white matter growth in early childhood was followed by faster growth in late childhood. The findings are consistent with the concept of ADHD as a disorder of the brain's structural connections, formed partly by developing cortico-cerebellar white matter tracts. © 2018 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Longitudinal analysis of progression in glaucoma using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Wessel, Julia M; Horn, Folkert K; Tornow, Ralf P; Schmid, Matthias; Mardin, Christian Y; Kruse, Friedrich E; Juenemann, Anselm G; Laemmer, Robert

2013-05-01

To compare the longitudinal loss of RNFL thickness measurements by SD-OCT in healthy individuals and glaucoma patients with or without progression concerning optic disc morphology. A total of 62 eyes, comprising 38 glaucomatous eyes with open angle glaucoma and 24 healthy controls, were included in the study (Erlangen Glaucoma Registry, NTC00494923). All patients were investigated annually over a period of 3 years by Spectralis SD-OCT measuring peripapillary RNFL thickness. By masked comparative analysis of photographs, the eyes were classified into nonprogressive and progressive glaucoma cases. Longitudinal loss of RNFL thickness was compared with morphological changes of optic disc morphology. Mixed model analysis of annual OCT scans revealed an estimated annual decrease of the RNFL thickness by 2.12 μm in glaucoma eyes with progression, whereas glaucoma eyes without progression in optic disc morphology lost 1.18 μm per year in RNFL thickness (P = 0.002). The rate of change in healthy eyes was 0.60 μm and thereby also significantly lower than in glaucoma eyes with progression (P < 0.001). The intrasession variability of three successive measurements without head repositioning was 1.5 ± 0.7 μm. The loss of mean RNFL thickness exceeded the intrasession variability in 60% of nonprogressive eyes, and in 85% of progressive eyes after 3 years. LONGITUDINAL MEASUREMENTS OF RNFL THICKNESS USING SD-OCT SHOW A MORE PRONOUNCED REDUCTION OF RNFL THICKNESS IN PATIENTS WITH PROGRESSION COMPARED WITH PATIENTS WITHOUT PROGRESSION IN GLAUCOMATOUS OPTIC DISC CHANGES. (www.clinicaltrials.gov number, NTC00494923.).

Approaches in methodology for population-based longitudinal study on neuroprotective model for healthy longevity (TUA) among Malaysian Older Adults.

PubMed

Shahar, Suzana; Omar, Azahadi; Vanoh, Divya; Hamid, Tengku Aizan; Mukari, Siti Zamratol Mai-Sarah; Din, Normah Che; Rajab, Nor Fadilah; Mohammed, Zainora; Ibrahim, Rahimah; Loo, Won Hui; Meramat, Asheila; Kamaruddin, Mohd Zul Amin; Bagat, Mohamad Fazdillah; Razali, Rosdinom

2016-12-01

A number of longitudinal studies on aging have been designed to determine the predictors of healthy longevity, including the neuroprotective factors, however, relatively few studies included a wide range of factors and highlighted the challenges faced during data collection. Thus, the longitudinal study on neuroprotective model for healthy longevity (LRGS TUA) has been designed to prospectively investigate the magnitude of cognitive decline and its risk factors through a comprehensive multidimensional assessment comprising of biophysical health, auditory and visual function, nutrition and dietary pattern and psychosocial aspects. At baseline, subjects were interviewed for their status on sociodemographic, health, neuropsychological test, psychosocial and dietary intake. Subjects were also measured for anthropometric and physical function and fitness. Biospecimens including blood, buccal swap, hair and toenail were collected, processed and stored. A subsample was assessed for sensory function, i.e., vision and auditory. During follow-up, at 18 and 36 months, most of the measurements, along with morbidity and mortality outcomes will be collected. The description of mild cognitive impairment, successful aging and usual aging process is presented here. A total 2322 respondents were recruited in the data analysis at baseline. Most of the respondents were categorized as experiencing usual aging (73 %), followed by successful aging (11 %) and mild cognitive impairment (16 %). The LRGS TUA study is the most comprehensive longitudinal study on aging in Malaysia, and will contribute to the understanding of the aging process and factors associated with healthy aging and mental well-being of a multiethnic population in Malaysia.

Ratios of helicity amplitudes for exclusive ρ 0 electroproduction on transversely polarized protons

DOE PAGES

Airapetian, A.; Akopov, N.; Akopov, Z.; ...

2017-06-08

Exclusive ρ 0-meson electroproduction is studied by the HERMES experiment, using the 27.6 GeV longitudinally polarized electron/positron beam of HERA and a transversely polarized hydrogen target, in the kinematic region 1.0 GeV 2 < Q 2 < 7.0 GeV 2, 3.0 GeV < W < 6.3 GeV, and –t' < 0.4 GeV 2. Using an unbinned maximum-likelihood method, 25 parameters are extracted. These determine the real and imaginary parts of the ratios of several helicity amplitudes describing ρ 0-meson production by a virtual photon. The denominator of those ratios is the dominant amplitude, the nucleon-helicity-non-flip amplitude F 01/201/2, which describesmore » the production of a longitudinal ρ 0-meson by a longitudinal virtual photon. The ratios of nucleon-helicity-non-flip amplitudes are found to be in good agreement with those from the previous HERMES analysis. The transverse target polarization allows for the first time the extraction of ratios of a number of nucleon-helicity-flip amplitudes to F 01/201/2. Results obtained in a handbag approach based on generalized parton distributions taking into account the contribution from pion exchange are found to be in good agreement with these ratios. Within the model, the data favor a positive sign for the π - ρ transition form factor. By also exploiting the longitudinal beam polarization, a total of 71 ρ 0 spin-density matrix elements is determined from the extracted 25 parameters, in contrast to only 53 elements as directly determined in earlier analyses.« less

Longitudinal synergies between cortisol reactivity and diurnal testosterone and antisocial behavior in young adolescents.

PubMed

Susman, Elizabeth J; Peckins, Melissa K; Bowes, Jacey L; Dorn, Lorah D

2017-10-01

The aims were to identify the correspondence between simultaneous, longitudinal changes in cortisol reactivity and diurnal testosterone and to test the hypothesis that cortisol reactivity and diurnal testosterone interact so as to influence antisocial behavior. Participants were 135 children and young adolescents assessed at 6-month intervals over 1 year. Upon enrollment girls were age 8, 10, or 12 years (N = 69, M = 10.06 years) and boys were age 9, 11, or 13 years (N = 66, M = 10.94 years). Assessments included Tanner staging by a nurse, cortisol reactivity (Trier Social Stress Test for Children), diurnal testosterone, and interviews and questionnaires. Growth models showed that cortisol reactivity and diurnal testosterone basal levels (intercept) and rate of change (slopes) were not related, suggesting different mechanisms of growth. Longitudinal regression analyses assessed cortisol reactivity and diurnal testosterone longitudinally. The interactions of cortisol reactivity and diurnal testosterone showed that when diurnal testosterone was low, boys with low cortisol reactivity were reported to have more behavior problems (i.e., oppositional defiant disorder symptoms and attention problems) than when testosterone was high. In addition, when diurnal testosterone was high, boys with high or moderate cortisol reactivity were significantly higher on total antisocial behavior, attention behavior problems, and oppositional defiant disorder symptoms than when testosterone was low or moderate. The results were similar but less frequent for girls. These findings advance the science of young adolescence by showing the interaction between preexisting sensitivity to stressors and the normative testosterone changes of puberty and antisocial behavior.

MRI allows for longitudinal quantitative analysis of body fat composition in rats: an analysis of sibutramine-associated changes at the group level.

PubMed

Müller, Hans-Peter; Niessen, Heiko G; Kaulisch, Thomas; Ludolph, Albert C; Kassubek, Jan; Stiller, Detlef

2013-09-01

Body fat distribution changes are associated with multiple alterations in metabolism. Therefore, the assessment of body fat compartments by MRI in animal models is a promising approach to obesity research. Standard T1-weighted (T1w) whole body MRI was used here to quantify different effects in the subcutaneous and visceral fat compartments in rats under treatment with an anorexiant. Twenty rats on a high caloric diet were investigated by the identical MRI protocol at baseline and after seven weeks. Ten rats received a treatment with sibutramine, 10 rats served as vehicle control group. To longitudinally assess body fat components, MRI analysis was used with two approaches: 2D slicewise graphic analysis (SGA) was compared with an automated 3D analysis algorithm (3DA). At the group level, fat volume differences showed a longitudinal increase of subcutaneous and visceral fat volumes for the control group, whereas the sibutramine group showed stable subcutaneous fat volumes and decrease in visceral fat volumes. SGA and 3DA volume determination showed significant correlations for subcutaneous fat volume (C=0.85, p<0.001), visceral fat volume (C=0.87, p<0.001), and total fat volume (C=0.90, p<0.001). It could be demonstrated that computer-based analysis of T1w MRI could be used to longitudinally assess changes in body fat compartments in rats at the group level. In detail, it was possible to investigate the effect of sibutramine separate on the fat compartments in rats. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A dark-line two-dimensional magneto-optical trap of 85Rb atoms with high optical depth.

PubMed

Zhang, Shanchao; Chen, J F; Liu, Chang; Zhou, Shuyu; Loy, M M T; Wong, G K L; Du, Shengwang

2012-07-01

We describe the apparatus of a dark-line two-dimensional (2D) magneto-optical trap (MOT) of (85)Rb cold atoms with high optical depth (OD). Different from the conventional configuration, two (of three) pairs of trapping laser beams in our 2D MOT setup do not follow the symmetry axes of the quadrupole magnetic field: they are aligned with 45° angles to the longitudinal axis. Two orthogonal repumping laser beams have a dark-line volume in the longitudinal axis at their cross over. With a total trapping laser power of 40 mW and repumping laser power of 18 mW, we obtain an atomic OD up to 160 in an electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) scheme, which corresponds to an atomic-density-length product NL = 2.05 × 10(15) m(-2). In a closed two-state system, the OD can become as large as more than 600. Our 2D MOT configuration allows full optical access of the atoms in its longitudinal direction without interfering with the trapping and repumping laser beams spatially. Moreover, the zero magnetic field along the longitudinal axis allows the cold atoms maintain a long ground-state coherence time without switching off the MOT magnetic field, which makes it possible to operate the MOT at a high repetition rate and a high duty cycle. Our 2D MOT is ideal for atomic-ensemble-based quantum optics applications, such as EIT, entangled photon pair generation, optical quantum memory, and quantum information processing.

A Longitudinal Analysis of the Influence of the Neighborhood Environment on Recreational Walking within the Neighborhood: Results from RESIDE

PubMed Central

Knuiman, Matthew; Divitini, Mark; Foster, Sarah; Hooper, Paula; Boruff, Bryan; Bull, Fiona; Giles-Corti, Billie

2017-01-01

Background: There is limited longitudinal evidence confirming the role of neighborhood environment attributes in encouraging people to walk more or if active people simply choose to live in activity-friendly neighborhoods. Natural experiments of policy changes to create more walkable communities provide stronger evidence for a causal effect of neighborhood environments on residents’ walking. Objectives: We aimed to investigate longitudinal associations between objective and perceived neighborhood environment measures and neighborhood recreational walking. Methods: We analyzed longitudinal data collected over 8 yr (four surveys) from the RESIDential Environments (RESIDE) Study (Perth, Australia, 2003–2012). At each time point, participants reported the frequency and total minutes of recreational walking/week within their neighborhood and neighborhood environment perceptions. Objective measures of the neighborhood environment were generated using a Geographic Information System (GIS). Results: Local recreational walking was influenced by objectively measured access to a medium-/large-size park, beach access, and higher street connectivity, which was reduced when adjusted for neighborhood perceptions. In adjusted models, positive perceptions of access to a park and beach, higher street connectivity, neighborhood esthetics, and safety from crime were independent determinants of increased neighborhood recreational walking. Local recreational walking increased by 9 min/wk (12% increase in frequency) for each additional perceived neighborhood attribute present. Conclusions: Our findings provide urban planners and policy makers with stronger causal evidence of the positive impact of well-connected neighborhoods and access to local parks of varying sizes on local residents’ recreational walking and health. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP823 PMID:28728139

Longitudinal Assessment of Health-Related Quality of Life following Adolescent Sports-Related Concussion.

PubMed

Russell, Kelly; Selci, Erin; Chu, Stephanie; Fineblit, Samuel; Ritchie, Lesley; Ellis, Michael J

2017-07-01

To examine initial and longitudinal health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in adolescent sports-related concussion (SRC) patients, a prospective observational case-series study was conducted among adolescent SRC patients who were evaluated at a multi-disciplinary pediatric concussion program. Health-related quality of life was measured using the child self-report Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) generic score scale (age 13-18 version) and the PedsQL Cognitive Functioning scale. Initial and longitudinal HRQOL outcomes were compared between patients who did and did not develop post-concussion syndrome (PCS). A total of 63 patients met the inclusion criteria during the study period. The mean age of the cohort was 14.57 years (standard deviation, 1.17) and 61.9% were male. The median time from injury to initial consultation was 6.5 days (interquartile range, 5, 11). At initial consultation, impairments in physical and cognitive HRQOL but not social or emotional HRQOL were observed. Initial symptom burden and length of recovery were associated with greater impairment in physical and cognitive HRQOL. Patients who went on to develop PCS had significantly worse physical and cognitive HRQOL at initial consultation and demonstrated a slower rate of recovery in these domains, compared with those who recovered in less than 30 days. Adolescent SRC was associated with HRQOL impairments that correlated with clinical outcomes. No persistent impairments in HRQOL were detected among patients who achieved physician-documented clinical recovery. Future studies are needed to evaluate the clinical utility of HRQOL measurement in the longitudinal management of adolescent SRC and PCS patients.

Anomalous thermal conductivity of monolayer boron nitride

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tabarraei, Alireza, E-mail: atabarra@uncc.edu; Wang, Xiaonan

In this paper, we use nonequilibrium molecular dynamics modeling to investigate the thermal properties of monolayer hexagonal boron nitride nanoribbons under uniaxial strain along their longitudinal axis. Our simulations predict that hexagonal boron nitride shows an anomalous thermal response to the applied uniaxial strain. Contrary to three dimensional materials, under uniaxial stretching, the thermal conductivity of boron nitride nanoribbons first increases rather than decreasing until it reaches its peak value and then starts decreasing. Under compressive strain, the thermal conductivity of monolayer boron nitride ribbons monolithically reduces rather than increasing. We use phonon spectrum and dispersion curves to investigate themore » mechanism responsible for the unexpected behavior. Our molecular dynamics modeling and density functional theory results show that application of longitudinal tensile strain leads to the reduction of the group velocities of longitudinal and transverse acoustic modes. Such a phonon softening mechanism acts to reduce the thermal conductivity of the nanoribbons. On the other hand, a significant increase in the group velocity (stiffening) of the flexural acoustic modes is observed, which counteracts the phonon softening effects of the longitudinal and transverse modes. The total thermal conductivity of the ribbons is a result of competition between these two mechanisms. At low tensile strain, the stiffening mechanism overcomes the softening mechanism which leads to an increase in the thermal conductivity. At higher tensile strain, the softening mechanism supersedes the stiffening and the thermal conductivity slightly reduces. Our simulations show that the decrease in the thermal conductivity under compressive strain is attributed to the formation of buckling defects which reduces the phonon mean free path.« less

Deadlines at work and sleep quality. Cross-sectional and longitudinal findings among Danish knowledge workers.

PubMed

Rugulies, Reiner; Martin, Marie H T; Garde, Anne Helene; Persson, Roger; Albertsen, Karen

2012-03-01

Exposure to deadlines at work is increasing in several countries and may affect health. We aimed to investigate cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between frequency of difficult deadlines at work and sleep quality. Study participants were knowledge workers, drawn from a representative sample of Danish employees who responded to a baseline questionnaire in 2006 (n = 363) and a follow-up questionnaire in 2007 (n = 302). Frequency of difficult deadlines was measured by self-report and categorized into low, intermediate, and high. Sleep quality was measured with a Total Sleep Quality Score and two indexes (Awakening Index and Disturbed Sleep Index) derived from the Karolinska Sleep Questionnaire. Analyses on the association between frequency of deadlines and sleep quality scores were conducted with multiple linear regression models, adjusted for potential confounders. In addition, we used multiple logistic regression models to analyze whether frequency of deadlines at baseline predicted caseness of sleep problems at follow-up among participants free of sleep problems at baseline. Frequent deadlines were cross-sectionally and longitudinally associated with poorer sleep quality on all three sleep quality measures. Associations in the longitudinal analyses were greatly attenuated when we adjusted for baseline sleep quality. The logistic regression analyses showed that frequent deadlines at baseline were associated with elevated odds ratios for caseness of sleep problems at follow-up, however, confidence intervals were wide in these analyses. Frequent deadlines at work were associated with poorer sleep quality among Danish knowledge workers. We recommend investigating the relation between deadlines and health endpoints in large-scale epidemiologic studies. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Paradoxical low-flow aortic stenosis is defined by increased ventricular hydraulic load and reduced longitudinal strain.

PubMed

Holmes, Anthony A; Taub, Cynthia C; Garcia, Mario J; Shan, Jian; Slovut, David P

2017-02-01

Patients with paradoxical low-flow severe aortic stenosis (PLF-AS) reportedly have higher left ventricular hydraulic load and more systolic strain dysfunction than patients with normal-flow aortic stenosis. This study investigates the relationship of systolic loading and strain to PLF-AS to further define its pathophysiology. One hundred and twenty patients (age 79 ± 12 years, 37% men) with an indexed aortic valve area (AVAi) of 0.6 cm/m or less and an ejection fraction of 50% or higher were divided into two groups based on indexed stroke volume (SVi): PLF-AS, SVi ≤ 35 ml/m, N = 46; normal-flow aortic stenosis, SVi > 35 ml/m, N = 74). Valvular and arterial load were assessed using multiple measurements, and strain was assessed using speckle-tracking echocardiography. Patients with PLF-AS were found to have more valvular load (lower AVAi, P = 0.028; lower energy loss coefficient, P = 0.001), more arterial load [decreased arterial compliance and increased systemic vascular resistance (SVR), both P < 0.001] and more total hydraulic load [increased valvuloarterial impedance (Zva), P < 0.001]. Transvalvular gradients and arterial pressures were similar. Longitudinal strain was lower in PLF-AS (P < 0.001), but circumferential and rotation strains were similar. On adjusted regression, AVAi, SVR and longitudinal strain were associated with PLF-AS [odds ratio (OR) = 1.34, P = 0.043; OR = 1.31, P = 0.004; OR = 1.34, P = 0.011, respectively]. When SVR and AVAi were replaced with Zva, longitudinal strain and Zva (OR = 1.38, P = 0.015; OR = 1.33, P < 0.001 for both, respectively) were associated with PLF-AS. Increased hydraulic load, from more severe valvular stenosis and increased vascular resistance, and longitudinal strain impairment are associated with PLF-AS and their interplay is likely fundamental to its pathophysiology.

Longitudinal Investigation of Adaptive Functioning following Conformal Irradiation for Pediatric Craniopharyngioma and Low-Grade Glioma

PubMed Central

Netson, Kelli L.; Conklin, Heather M.; Wu, Shengjie; Xiong, Xiaoping; Merchant, Thomas E.

2013-01-01

Purpose Children treated for brain tumors with conformal radiation therapy experience preserved cognitive outcomes. Early evidence suggests that adaptive functions or independent living skills may be spared. This longitudinal investigation prospectively examined intellectual and adaptive functioning during the first 5 years following irradiation for childhood craniopharyngioma and low-grade glioma (LGG). The effect of visual impairment on adaptive outcomes was investigated. Methods and Materials Children with craniopharyngioma (n=62) and LGG (n=77) were treated using conformal or intensity-modulated radiation therapy. The median age was 8.05 years (3.21 years –17.64 years) and 8.09 years (2.20 years–19.27 years), respectively. Serial cognitive evaluations including measures of intelligence quotient (IQ) and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS) were conducted at pre-irradiation baseline, 6 months after treatment, and annually through 5 years. A total of 588 evaluations were completed during the follow-up period. Results Baseline assessment revealed no deficits in IQ and VABS indices for children with craniopharyngioma, with significant (p < .05) longitudinal decline in VABS Communication and Socialization indices. Clinical factors associated with more rapid decline included females and pre-irradiation chemotherapy (interferon). The only change in VABS Daily Living Skills correlated with IQ change (r = .34; p = .01) in children with craniopharyngioma. Children with LGG performed below population norms (p < .05) at baseline on VABS Communication, Daily Living Indices, and the Adaptive Behavior Composite, with significant (p < .05) longitudinal decline limited to VABS Communication. Older age at irradiation was a protective factor against longitudinal decline. Severe visual impairment did not independently correlate with poorer adaptive outcomes for either tumor group. Conclusions There was relative sparing of post-irradiation functional outcomes over time in this sample. Baseline differences in functional abilities prior to the initiation of irradiation suggested that other factors influence functional outcomes above and beyond the effects of irradiation. PMID:23245284

Sex-specific risk factors for childhood wheeze and longitudinal phenotypes of wheeze.

PubMed

Tse, Sze Man; Rifas-Shiman, Sheryl L; Coull, Brent A; Litonjua, Augusto A; Oken, Emily; Gold, Diane R

2016-12-01

Although sexual dimorphism in wheeze and asthma prevalence are well documented, sex-specific risk factors for wheeze and longitudinal wheeze phenotypes have not been well elucidated. By using a large prebirth cohort, this study aimed to identify sex-specific risk factors for wheeze from birth through midchildhood and identify distinct longitudinal wheeze phenotypes and the sex-specific risk factors associated with these phenotypes. Mothers reported child wheeze symptoms over the past year approximately yearly on 9 occasions starting at age 1 year. We identified sex-specific predictors of wheeze, wheeze phenotypes, and sex-specific predictors of these phenotypes by using generalized estimating equations, latent class mixed models, and multinomial logistic analysis, respectively. A total of 1623 children had information on wheeze at 1 or more time points. Paternal asthma was a stronger predictor of ever wheezing in boys (odds ratio [OR], 2.15; 95% CI, 1.74-2.66) than in girls (OR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.19-1.96; P for sex by paternal asthma interaction = .03), whereas being black or Hispanic, birth weight for gestational age z score, and breast-feeding duration had stronger associations among girls. We identified 3 longitudinal wheeze phenotypes: never/infrequent wheeze (74.1%), early transient wheeze (12.7%), and persistent wheeze (13.1%). Compared with never/infrequent wheeze, maternal asthma, infant bronchiolitis, and atopic dermatitis were associated with persistent wheeze in both sexes, but paternal asthma was associated with persistent wheeze in boys only (OR, 4.27; 95% CI, 2.33-7.83; P for sex by paternal asthma interaction = .02), whereas being black or Hispanic was a predictor for girls only. We identified sex-specific predictors of wheeze and longitudinal wheeze patterns, which might have important prognostic value and allow for a more personalized approach to wheeze and asthma treatment. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genetic and Environmental Regulation on Longitudinal Change of Metabolic Phenotypes in Danish and Chinese Adult Twins

PubMed Central

Li, Shuxia; Kyvik, Kirsten Ohm; Pang, Zengchang; Zhang, Dongfeng; Duan, Haiping; Tan, Qihua; Hjelmborg, Jacob; Kruse, Torben; Dalgård, Christine

2016-01-01

Objective The rate of change in metabolic phenotypes can be highly indicative of metabolic disorders and disorder-related modifications. We analyzed data from longitudinal twin studies on multiple metabolic phenotypes in Danish and Chinese twins representing two populations of distinct ethnic, cultural, social-economic backgrounds and geographical environments. Materials and Methods The study covered a relatively large sample of 502 pairs of Danish adult twins followed up for a long period of 12 years with a mean age at intake of 38 years (range: 18–65) and a total of 181 Chinese adult twin pairs traced for about 7 years with a mean baseline age of 39.5 years (range: 23–64). The classical twin models were fitted to the longitudinal change in each phenotype (Δphenotype) to estimate the genetic and environmental contributions to the variation in Δphenotype. Results Moderate to high contributions by the unique environment were estimated for all phenotypes in both Danish (from 0.51 for low density lipoprotein cholesterol up to 0.72 for triglycerides) and Chinese (from 0.41 for triglycerides up to 0.73 for diastolic blood pressure) twins; low to moderate genetic components were estimated for long-term change in most of the phenotypes in Danish twins except for triglycerides and hip circumference. Compared with Danish twins, the Chinese twins tended to have higher genetic control over the longitudinal changes in lipids (except high density lipoprotein cholesterol) and glucose, higher unique environmental contribution to blood pressure but no genetic contribution to longitudinal change in body mass traits. Conclusion Our results emphasize the major contribution of unique environment to the observed intra-individual variation in all metabolic phenotypes in both samples, and meanwhile reveal differential patterns of genetic and common environmental regulation on changes over time in metabolic phenotypes across the two samples. PMID:26862898

Longitudinal motivational predictors of dietary self-care and diabetes control in adults with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Nouwen, Arie; Ford, Teri; Balan, Andreea Teodora; Twisk, Jos; Ruggiero, Laurie; White, David

2011-11-01

This prospective study examined relationships between constructs from social-cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986) and self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985; Deci & Ryan, 1991) and the diabetes outcomes of dietary self-care and diabetes control. Longitudinal data were collected from 237 people newly diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes who filled in questionnaires on dietary self-care, and motivational factors derived from social-cognitive theory and self-determination theory. Blood samples were taken to assess diabetes control (HbA1c). Repeated measurements were taken every 3-4 months for a total of five time points over 18 months. Predictor measures included autonomy support, autonomous and controlled motivation, amotivation, dietary self-efficacy, positive and negative outcome expectancies for dietary self-care and self-evaluation. Age, sex, BMI, and diabetes knowledge were included as control measures. Using Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) analyses two models were tested: a standard model reflecting longitudinal associations between absolute values of predicted and outcome variables; and a change model examining motivational predictors of changes over time in diabetes outcomes of dietary self-care and diabetes control (HbA1c). Dietary self-care was longitudinally associated with self-efficacy, self-evaluation (the strongest predictor) autonomy support and autonomous motivation, but not with controlled motivation or outcome expectancies. Changes in dietary self-care were predicted by changes in self-efficacy, self-evaluation, and controlled motivation but not by changes in autonomous motivation or autonomy support. Negative outcome expectancies regarding diet were longitudinally associated with HbA1c, and changes in negative outcome expectancies predicted changes in HbA1c. However, there were indications that dietary self-care predicted changes in HbA1c. The results indicate that autonomy support, self-efficacy and, in particular, self-evaluation are key targets for interventions to improve dietary self-care. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved.

Baseline prevalence and longitudinal evolution of non-motor symptoms in early Parkinson's disease: the PPMI cohort.

PubMed

Simuni, Tanya; Caspell-Garcia, Chelsea; Coffey, Christopher S; Weintraub, Daniel; Mollenhauer, Brit; Lasch, Shirley; Tanner, Caroline M; Jennings, Danna; Kieburtz, Karl; Chahine, Lana M; Marek, Kenneth

2018-01-01

To examine the baseline prevalence and longitudinal evolution in non-motor symptoms (NMS) in a prospective cohort of, at baseline, patients with de novo Parkinson's disease (PD) compared with healthy controls (HC). Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) is a longitudinal, ongoing, controlled study of de novo PD participants and HC. NMS were rated using the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) Part I score and other validated NMS scales at baseline and after 2 years. Biological variables included cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers and dopamine transporter imaging. 423 PD subjects and 196 HC were enrolled and followed for 2 years. MDS-UPDRS Part I total mean (SD) scores increased from baseline 5.6 (4.1) to 7.7 (5.0) at year 2 in PD subjects (p<0.001) versus from 2.9 (3.0) to 3.2 (3.0) in HC (p=0.38), with a significant difference between the groups (p<0.001). In the multivariate analysis, higher baseline NMS score was associated with female sex (p=0.008), higher baseline MDS-UPDRS Part II scores (p<0.001) and more severe motor phenotype (p=0.007). Longitudinal increase in NMS severity was associated with the older age (0.008) and lower CSF Aβ1-42 (0.005) at baseline. There was no association with the dose or class of dopaminergic therapy. This study of NMS in early PD identified clinical and biological variables associated with both baseline burden and predictors of progression. The association of a greater longitudinal increase in NMS with lower baseline Aβ1-42 level is an important finding that will have to be replicated in other cohorts. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01141023. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Associations of Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System Genes With Blood Pressure Changes and Hypertension Incidence.

PubMed

He, William J; Li, Changwei; Rao, Dabeeru C; Hixson, James E; Huang, Jianfeng; Cao, Jie; Rice, Treva K; Shimmin, Lawrence C; Gu, Dongfeng; Kelly, Tanika N

2015-11-01

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) plays an important role in blood pressure (BP) regulation. The current study uses single-marker and gene-based analyses to examine the association between RAAS genes and longitudinal BP phenotypes in a Han Chinese population. A total of 1,768 participants from the Genetic Epidemiology Network of Salt Sensitivity (GenSalt) follow-up study were included in the current study. Twenty-seven BP measurements were taken using random-zero sphygmomanometers at baseline and 2 follow-up visits. Mixed-effect models were used to assess the additive associations of 106 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 10 RAAS genes with longitudinal BP changes and hypertension incidence. Gene-based analyses were conducted using the truncated product method. Attempts were made to replicate significant findings among Asian participants of the Multi-ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). False discovery rate procedures were used to adjust for multiple testing. During an average of 7.2 years of follow-up, average systolic and diastolic BP increased, and 32.1% (512) of participants free from hypertension at baseline developed hypertension. NR3C2 SNPs rs7694064 and rs6856803 were significantly associated with longitudinal changes in systolic BP (P interaction = 6.9×10(-5) and 8.2×10(-4), respectively). Through gene-based analysis, NR3C2 was found to be significantly associated with longitudinal systolic BP change (P value of 1.00×10(-7)), even after removal of significant markers rs7694064 and rs6856803 from the analysis. The association between NR3C2 and longitudinal systolic BP change was replicated in Asian MESA participants (P value of 1.00×10(-4)). These findings indicate that NR3C2 may play an important role in BP progression and development of hypertension. © American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd 2015. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Predictors of long-term change of a physical activity promotion programme in primary care.

PubMed

Sanchez, Alvaro; Grandes, Gonzalo; Ortega Sánchez-Pinilla, Ricardo; Torcal, Jesus; Montoya, Imanol

2014-02-04

Further research is needed to improve the evidence regarding determinants of physical activity (PA) as a crucial step to plan higher effective intervention strategies. The goal of the present study is to identify socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of primary care (PHC) insufficiently active patients that are associated with longitudinal changes in the level of physical activity. Longitudinal analysis of baseline socio-demographic and clinical predictors of physical activity change in insufficiently active PHC patients who participated in a PA-promoting multi-centre randomized clinical trial conducted from October 2003 through March 2006. The primary outcome measure was the self-reported physical activity assessed with the 7-day Physical Activity Recall (PAR), at baseline, 6, 12 and 24 months. Baseline covariates included sex, age, social class, anthropometric measures and other cardiovascular risk factors or associated diseases (Diabetes, HTA, tobacco use, etc.), and stage of readiness to change PA. Generalized linear mixed models were used to estimate longitudinal association of studied variables on PA change over the three follow-up measurements. A total of 3691 patients (85% of the 4317 recruited in the trial) with at least one follow-up measurement were included in the longitudinal analysis. At baseline, analysed patients (mean age: 50.6 years; 64.6% women) devoted 34.7 minutes and 2.36 metabolic equivalent hours per week (MET.h/week) to moderate and vigorous physical activity. Older age, male gender, higher social class, lower BMI, diagnosis of diabetes or hypertension, and measurement season were significant predictors of PA longitudinal change. The effect of baseline readiness to change on PA dose was modified by time, showing a positive gradient in favour of those with more readiness to change that increases significantly at 12 and 24 months (p-value interaction < .0001). Identified baseline characteristics such as readiness to change and risk factors can guide physicians to prioritize time and intervention efforts for maximizing their impact on insufficiently active PHC patients.

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome demonstrate worsening markers of cardiovascular risk over the short-term despite declining hyperandrogenaemia: Results of a longitudinal study with community controls.

PubMed

Huddleston, Heather G; Quinn, Molly M; Kao, Chia-Ning; Lenhart, Nikolaus; Rosen, Mitchell P; Cedars, Marcelle I

2017-12-01

To compare age-associated changes in cardiovascular risk markers in lean and obese reproductive-aged women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with community controls. Longitudinal study at an academic medical centre PATIENTS: Patients diagnosed with PCOS by 2004 Rotterdam criteria in a multidisciplinary clinic were systematically enrolled from 2006-2014 in a PCOS cohort study and subsequently agreed to participate in a longitudinal study. The comparison controls were from the prospective, longitudinal Ovarian Aging (OVA) study, which consists of healthy women with regular menstrual cycles recruited from 2006 to 2011. Cardiovascular risk markers and hormone parameters at baseline and follow-up. Obese and lean PCOS (n = 38) and control women (n = 296) completed two study visits. The follow-up time (3.5 ± 1.5 vs 4.0 ± 0.8 years, P = .06) and magnitude of BMI gain (+0.1 kg/m 2 /y [-0.11, 0.36] vs +0.26 [-0.18, 0.87] P = .19) did not differ between obese and lean PCOS and controls. In PCOS subjects, total testosterone decreased in both obese and lean, but the decrease was greater in obese subjects (-0.09 nmol/L per year; 95% CI: -0.16, -0.02 vs -0.04 nmol/L per year; 95%CI: -0.11, 0.03). Compared to their respective controls, obese and lean PCOS saw worsening triglyceride (TG) levels (P < .05) and HOMA-IR (P < .05) over time, but there was no difference in change in LDL, HDL, fasting glucose, C-reactive protein or ALT. In a longitudinal study, reproductive-aged women with PCOS demonstrated declines in biochemical hyperandrogenaemia over time. Despite this, PCOS subjects experienced steeper increases in cardiovascular risk factors associated with insulin resistance, including triglycerides and HOMA-IR. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Degeneration and Regeneration of Subbasal Corneal Nerves after Infectious Keratitis: A Longitudinal In Vivo Confocal Microscopy Study.

PubMed

Müller, Rodrigo T; Abedi, Farshad; Cruzat, Andrea; Witkin, Deborah; Baniasadi, Neda; Cavalcanti, Bernardo M; Jamali, Arsia; Chodosh, James; Dana, Reza; Pavan-Langston, Deborah; Hamrah, Pedram

2015-11-01

To investigate the longitudinal alterations of subbasal corneal nerves in patients with infectious keratitis (IK) during the acute phase, cessation of treatment, and the recovery phase by in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM). Prospective, longitudinal, case-control, single-center study. Fifty-six eyes of 56 patients with the diagnosis of bacterial (n=28), fungal (n=15), or Acanthamoeba (n=13) keratitis were included in the study. Thirty eyes of 30 normal volunteers constituted the control group. Corneal sensation and serial IVCM of the central cornea were performed prospectively using the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph 3/Rostock Cornea Module (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). The IVCM images were assessed at 3 time points: at the acute phase (first visit to the cornea service), at cessation of antimicrobial treatment, and up to 6 months after the resolution of infection. Total nerve number and length, main nerve trunks, branching, and corneal sensation were assessed during the follow-up period. Corneal nerves were reduced significantly during the acute phase in eyes with IK compared with controls across all subgroups, with total nerve length of 5.47±0.69 mm/mm2 versus 20.59±1.06 mm/mm2 (P<0.0001). At the cessation of treatment, corneal nerves in patients with IK had regenerated, including total nerve length (8.49±0.94 mm/mm2; P=0.02) and nerve branch length (4.80±0.37 mm/mm2; P=0.005). During the recovery phase, after resolution of infection, corneal nerves regenerated further, including total nerve length (12.13±1.97 mm/mm2; P=0.005), main nerve trunk length (5.80±1.00 mm/mm2; P=0.01), and nerve branch length (6.33±0.76 mm/mm2; P=0.003) as compared with the acute phase, but were still significantly lower when compared with controls (P<0.05 for all parameters). Corneal degeneration and regeneration correlated with corneal sensation (r=0.47; P=0.0009). Patients with IK who sustain profound loss of corneal nerves during the acute phase of infection demonstrate increased corneal nerve density during the first 6 months after the resolution of infection. However, despite significant nerve regeneration, corneal nerve density does not recover fully and remains low compared to controls. By providing an objective methodology to monitor corneal re-innervation, IVCM adds potentially important findings that may have implications for clinical management and surgical planning. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Antiretroviral therapy, labor productivity, and sex: a longitudinal cohort study of tea pluckers in Kenya.

PubMed

Larson, Bruce A; Fox, Matthew P; Bii, Margaret; Rosen, Sydney; Rohr, Julia; Shaffer, Douglas; Sawe, Fredrick; Wasunna, Monique; Simon, Jonathon L

2013-01-02

To estimate the impact of antiretroviral therapy (ART) on labor productivity and income using detailed employment data from two large tea plantations in western Kenya for HIV-infected tea pluckers who initiated ART. Longitudinal study using primary data on key employment outcomes for a group of HIV-infected workers receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) and workers in the general workforce. We used nearest-neighbor matching methods to estimate the impacts of HIV/AIDS and ART among 237 HIV-positive pluckers on ART (index group) over a 4-year period (2 years pre-ART and post-ART) on 4 monthly employment outcomes - days plucking tea, total kilograms (kgs) harvested, total days working, and total labor income. Outcomes for the index group were compared with those for a matched reference group from the general workforce. We observed a rapid deterioration in all four outcomes for HIV-infected individuals in the period before ART initiation and then a rapid improvement after treatment initiation. By 18-24 months after treatment initiation, the index group harvested 8% (men) and 19% (women) less tea than reference individuals. The index group earned 6% (men) and 9% (women) less income from labor than reference individuals. Women's income would have dropped further if they had not been able to offset their decline in tea plucking by spending more time on nonplucking assignments. HIV-infected workers experienced long-term income reductions before and after initiating ART. The implications of such long-term impacts in low-income countries have not been adequately addressed.

Association between Dietary Intake and Bone Mineral Density in Japanese Postmenopausal Women: The Yokogoshi Cohort Study.

PubMed

Hirata, Harumi; Kitamura, Kaori; Saito, Toshiko; Kobayashi, Ryosaku; Iwasaki, Masanori; Yoshihara, Akihiro; Watanabe, Yumi; Oshiki, Rieko; Nishiwaki, Tomoko; Nakamura, Kazutoshi

2016-06-01

Diet and food intake play an important role in the development of osteoporosis. However, apart from calcium and vitamin D, how nutrients affect bone status is not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to determine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between dietary intake and bone mineral density (BMD) in Japanese postmenopausal women. This 5-year cohort study included 600 community-dwelling women aged 55-74 years at baseline in 2005. Information on demographics, nutrition, and lifestyle was obtained through interviews, and nutritional and dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. BMD measurements were performed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. In 2010, 498 women underwent follow-up BMD examinations. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to determine associations of predictor variables with BMD, adjusting for confounders. In cross-sectional analyses, coffee or black tea consumption was positively associated with lumbar spine (P = 0.004) and total hip (P = 0.003) BMD, and alcohol intake was positively associated with femoral neck (P = 0.005) and total hip (P = 0.001) BMD. In longitudinal analyses, vitamin K (P = 0.028) and natto (fermented soybeans) (P = 0.023) were positively associated with lumbar spine BMD, and meat or meat product consumption was inversely associated with total hip (P = 0.047) BMD. In conclusion, dietary factors other than calcium and vitamin D intake are predictors of bone mass and bone loss in Japanese postmenopausal women. In particular, natto intake is recommended for preventing postmenopausal bone loss on the basis of current evidence.

Longitudinal Survey of Carotenoids in Human Milk from Urban Cohorts in China, Mexico, and the USA

PubMed Central

Lipkie, Tristan E.; Morrow, Ardythe L.; Jouni, Zeina E.; McMahon, Robert J.; Ferruzzi, Mario G.

2015-01-01

Emerging evidence indicates that carotenoids may have particular roles in infant nutrition and development, yet data on the profile and bioavailability of carotenoids from human milk remain sparse. Milk was longitudinally collected at 2, 4, 13, and 26 weeks postpartum from twenty mothers each in China, Mexico, and the USA in the Global Exploration of Human Milk Study (n = 60 donors, n = 240 samples). Maternal and neonatal plasma was analyzed for carotenoids from the USA cohort at 4 weeks postpartum. Carotenoids were analyzed by HPLC and total lipids by Creamatocrit. Across all countries and lactation stages, the top four carotenoids were lutein (median 114.4 nmol/L), β-carotene (49.4 nmol/L), β-cryptoxanthin (33.8 nmol/L), and lycopene (33.7 nmol/L). Non-provitamin A carotenoids (nmol/L) and total lipids (g/L) decreased (p<0.05) with increasing lactation stage, except the provitamin A carotenoids α- and β-cryptoxanthin and β-carotene did not significantly change (p>0.05) with lactation stage. Total carotenoid content and lutein content were greatest from China, yet lycopene was lowest from China (p<0.0001). Lutein, β-cryptoxanthin, and β-carotene, and lycopene concentrations in milk were significantly correlated to maternal plasma and neonatal plasma concentrations (p<0.05), with the exception that lycopene was not significantly associated between human milk and neonatal plasma (p>0.3). This enhanced understanding of neonatal exposure to carotenoids during development may help guide dietary recommendations and design of human milk mimetics. PMID:26061885

Relevant patient characteristics for guiding tailored integrated diabetes primary care: a systematic review.

PubMed

Hertroijs, Dorijn F L; Elissen, Arianne M J; Brouwers, Martijn C G J; Schaper, Nicolaas C; Ruwaard, Dirk

2018-02-06

Aim To identify which patient-related effect modifiers influence the outcomes of integrated care programs for type 2 diabetes in primary care. Integrated care is a widespread management strategy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. However, most integrated care programs are not tailored to patients' needs, preferences and abilities. There is increasing consensus that such a patient-centered approach could improve the management of type 2 diabetes. Thus far, it remains unclear which patient-related effect modifiers should guide such an approach. PubMed, CINAHL and EMBASE were searched for empirical studies published after 1998. A systematic literature review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. Findings In total, 23 out of 1015 studies were included. A total of 21 studies measured the effects of integrated diabetes care programs on hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and three on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, systolic blood pressure and health-care utilization. In total, 49 patient characteristics were assessed as potential effect modifiers with HbA1c as an outcome, of which 46 were person or health-related and only three were context-related. Younger age, insulin therapy and longer disease duration were associated with higher HbA1c levels in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Higher baseline HbA1c was associated with higher HbA1c at follow-up in longitudinal studies. Information on context- and person-related characteristics was limited, but is necessary to help identify the care needs of individual patients and implement an effective integrated type 2 diabetes tailored care program.

Breastfeeding and Childhood IQ: The Mediating Role of Gray Matter Volume.

PubMed

Luby, Joan L; Belden, Andy C; Whalen, Diana; Harms, Michael P; Barch, Deanna M

2016-05-01

A substantial body of literature has established the positive effect of breastfeeding on child developmental outcomes. There is increasing consensus that breastfed children have higher IQs after accounting for key variables, including maternal education, IQ, and socioeconomic status. Cross-sectional investigations of the effects of breastfeeding on structural brain development suggest that breastfed infants have larger whole brain, cortical, and white matter volumes. To date, few studies have related these measures of brain structure to IQ in breastfed versus nonbreastfed children in a longitudinal sample. Data were derived from the Preschool Depression Study (PDS), a prospective longitudinal study in which children and caregivers were assessed annually for 8 waves over 11 years. A subset completed neuroimaging between the ages of 9.5 and 14.11 years. A total of 148 individuals had breastfeeding data at baseline and complete data on all variables of interest, including IQ and structural neuroimaging. General linear models and process mediation models were used. Breastfed children had significantly higher IQ scores and larger whole brain, total gray matter, total cortical gray matter, and subcortical gray matter volumes compared with the nonbreastfed group in models that covaried for key variables. Subcortical gray matter volume significantly mediated the association between breastfeeding and children's IQ scores. The study findings suggest that the effects of breastfeeding on child IQ are mediated through subcortical gray volume. This effect and putative mechanism is of public health significance and further supports the importance of breastfeeding in mental health promotion. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Breastfeeding and Childhood IQ: The Mediating Role of Gray Matter Volume

PubMed Central

Luby, Joan L.; Belden, Andy C.; Whalen, Diana; Harms, Michael P.; Barch, Deanna M.

2016-01-01

Objective A substantial body of literature has established the positive effect of breastfeeding on child developmental outcomes. There is increasing consensus that breastfed children have higher IQs after accounting for key variables, including maternal education, IQ, and socioeconomic status. Cross-sectional investigations of the effects of breastfeeding on structural brain development suggest that breastfed infants have larger whole brain, cortical, and white matter volumes. To date, few studies have related these measures of brain structure to IQ in breastfed versus nonbreastfed children in a longitudinal sample. Method Data were derived from the Preschool Depression Study (PDS), a prospective longitudinal study in which children and caregivers were assessed annually for 8 waves over 11 years. A subset completed neuroimaging between the ages of 9.5 and 14.11 years. A total of 148 individuals had breastfeeding data at baseline and complete data on all variables of interest, including IQ and structural neuroimaging. General linear models and process mediation models were used. Results Breastfed children had significantly higher IQ scores and larger whole brain, total gray matter, total cortical gray matter, and subcortical gray matter volumes compared with the nonbreastfed group in models that covaried for key variables. Subcortical gray matter volume significantly mediated the association between breast-feeding and children's IQ scores. Conclusion The study findings suggest that the effects of breastfeeding on child IQ are mediated through subcortical gray volume. This effect and putative mechanism is of public health significance and further supports the importance of breastfeeding in mental health promotion. PMID:27126850

Trunk forward flexion mobility in reference to postural sway in women after delivery: A prospective longitudinal comparison between early pregnancy and 2- and 6-month postpartum follow-ups.

PubMed

Opala-Berdzik, Agnieszka; Błaszczyk, Janusz W; Świder, Dariusz; Cieślińska-Świder, Joanna

2018-07-01

It has been documented that pregnancy-related increased connective tissue laxity may persist postpartum; however, it is still unclear for how long. This longitudinal study aimed to compare total trunk forward flexion mobility in women between their first trimester of pregnancy and at 2- and 6-month postpartum follow-ups. We also searched for a correlation between women's trunk flexibility and their postural stability in the sagittal plane. Seventeen healthy women participated in the study. Data were collected at their 7-12 weeks gestation appointments and at 6-10 and 25-28 weeks postpartum. At each session, the women performed a finger floor distance test, and data were collected on their waist circumference and BMI. The women's center of foot pressure mean velocity in the anterior-posterior direction was computed from 30-s long quiet-standing trials on a stationary force plate. Total trunk forward flexion mobility was significantly higher at 2 and 6 months postpartum compared to that in early pregnancy (P < 0.05). At 6 months postpartum, a moderate negative correlation between finger floor distance test values and their anterior-posterior center of foot pressure mean velocity was observed (r = -0.6, P < 0.05). Increased total trunk flexibility may be present in women 6 months postpartum. During that period, women with higher trunk flexibility may be more likely to present higher anterior-posterior postural sway velocity in quiet standing. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal optical monitoring of blood flow in breast tumors during neoadjuvant chemotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cochran, J. M.; Chung, S. H.; Leproux, A.; Baker, W. B.; Busch, D. R.; DeMichele, A. M.; Tchou, J.; Tromberg, B. J.; Yodh, A. G.

2017-06-01

We measure tissue blood flow markers in breast tumors during neoadjuvant chemotherapy and investigate their correlation to pathologic complete response in a pilot longitudinal patient study (n  =  4). Tumor blood flow is quantified optically by diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS), and tissue optical properties, blood oxygen saturation, and total hemoglobin concentration are derived from concurrent diffuse optical spectroscopic imaging (DOSI). The study represents the first longitudinal DCS measurement of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in humans over the entire course of treatment; it therefore offers a first correlation between DCS flow indices and pathologic complete response. The use of absolute optical properties measured by DOSI facilitates significant improvement of DCS blood flow calculation, which typically assumes optical properties based on literature values. Additionally, the combination of the DCS blood flow index and the tissue oxygen saturation from DOSI permits investigation of tissue oxygen metabolism. Pilot results from four patients suggest that lower blood flow in the lesion-bearing breast is correlated with pathologic complete response. Both absolute lesion blood flow and lesion flow relative to the contralateral breast exhibit potential for characterization of pathological response. This initial demonstration of the combined optical approach for chemotherapy monitoring provides incentive for more comprehensive studies in the future and can help power those investigations.

Six-month longitudinal associations between cognitive functioning and distress among the community-based elderly in Hong Kong: A cross-lagged panel analysis.

PubMed

Leung, Chantel Joanne; Cheng, Lewis; Yu, Junhong; Yiend, Jenny; Lee, Tatia M C

2018-07-01

Although previous studies have extensively documented the cross-sectional relationship between cognitive impairment and psychological distress, findings relating to their longitudinal associations remains mixed. The present study examines the longitudinal associations and mutual influence between cognitive functioning and psychological distress across six months among community-dwelling elderly in Hong Kong. A total of 162 older adults (40 males; M age  = 69.8 years, SD = 6.4) were administered objective and subjective measures of cognitive functioning, as well as self-reported ratings of distress, at two time points six months apart. Using structural equation modeling, we tested the cross-lagged relationships between cognitive functioning and distress. Our cross-lagged model indicated that cognitive functioning at baseline significantly predicted subsequent psychological distress. However, distress was not significantly associated with subsequent cognitive functioning. Additionally, the objective and subjective measures of cognitive functioning were not significantly correlated. These findings suggested that distress may occur as a consequence of poorer cognitive functioning in elderly, but not vice versa. The lack of correlation between objective and subjective cognitive measures suggested that the participants may not have adequate insight into their cognitive abilities. The implications of these findings are discussed. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Adiposity trajectory and its associations with plasma adipokine levels in children and adolescents-A prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Li, Shenghui; Liu, Rong; Arguelles, Lester; Wang, Guoying; Zhang, Jun; Shen, Xiaoming; Wang, Xiaobin

2016-02-01

This study aimed to examine the associations of longitudinal adiposity measures with two adipokines, leptin and adiponectin, and their ratio in children and adolescents. A total of 953 children and adolescents participated in a 6-year longitudinal study. Body mass index (BMI), percentage body fat (%BF), and fat mass index (FMI) were used to assess adiposity status. After adjusting for possible confounders, our regression models revealed that BMI, %BF, and FMI, in both the baseline and follow-up surveys were independently associated with a higher level of leptin and the leptin/adiponectin ratio at the follow-up survey, whereas the significant association with adiponectin only partly existed in adiposity measures at the follow-up visit. Moreover, the longitudinal change in adiposity measures was found to be a significant predictor for follow-up plasma adipokine levels. Compared with the low→low group, the medium→medium group, up-trend group, and high→high group all showed a significantly increased level of leptin and leptin/adiponectin ratio. The up-trend group and high→high group also had significantly decreased adiponectin levels. These findings highlight the importance of adiposity surveillance and the utility of adipokines as biomarkers for adverse metabolic consequences of childhood adiposity. © 2015 The Obesity Society.

A Longitudinal Analysis of Family Migration and the Gender Gap in Earnings in the United States and Great Britain

PubMed Central

COOKE, THOMAS J.; BOYLE, PAUL; COUCH, KENNETH; FEIJTEN, PETEKE

2009-01-01

This article uses longitudinal data for the United States and Great Britain to examine the impact of residential mobility and childbirth on the earnings of women, their family earnings, and the related division of earnings by gender. This project is the first to compare explicitly the impact of childbirth and family migration on women’s earnings, and it extends prior cross-sectional and longitudinal studies on isolated countries by providing a direct contrast between two major industrialized nations, using comparable measures. The results indicate that families respond in similar ways in both countries to migration and childbirth. In response to both migration and childbirth, women’s earnings fall at the time of the event and recover slowly afterward, but the magnitude of the impact is roughly twice as large for childbirth as for migration. However, migration—but not the birth of a child—is also associated with a significant increase in total family earnings because of increased husbands’ earnings. As a result, the effect of migration on the relative earnings of wives to husbands is similar to the effect of childbirth. These results suggest that family migration should be given consideration in the literature on the gender earnings gap. PMID:19348113

Theory of mind in emerging reading comprehension: A longitudinal study of early indirect and direct effects.

PubMed

Atkinson, Lynette; Slade, Lance; Powell, Daisy; Levy, Joseph P

2017-12-01

The relation between children's theory of mind (ToM) and emerging reading comprehension was investigated in a longitudinal study over 2.5years. A total of 80 children were tested for ToM, decoding, language skills, and executive function (EF) at Time 1 (mean age=3;10 [years;months]). At Time 2 (mean age=6;03), children's word reading efficiency, language skills, and reading comprehension were measured. Mediation analysis showed that ToM at Time 1, when children were around 4years old, indirectly predicted Time 2 reading comprehension, when children were 6years old, via language ability after controlling for age, nonverbal ability, decoding, EF, and earlier language ability. Importantly, ToM at 4years also directly predicted reading comprehension 2.5years later at 6years. This is the first longitudinal study to show a direct contribution of ToM to reading comprehension in typical development. Findings are discussed in terms of the simple view of reading (SVR); ToM not only supports reading comprehension indirectly by facilitating language but also contributes to it directly over and above the SVR. The potential role of metacognition is considered when accounting for the direct contribution of early ToM to later reading comprehension. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Do changes in residents' fear of crime impact their walking? Longitudinal results from RESIDE.

PubMed

Foster, Sarah; Knuiman, Matthew; Hooper, Paula; Christian, Hayley; Giles-Corti, Billie

2014-05-01

To examine the influence of fear of crime on walking for participants in a longitudinal study of residents in new suburbs. Participants (n=485) in Perth, Australia, completed a questionnaire about three years after moving to their neighbourhood (2007-2008), and again four years later (2011-2012). Measures included fear of crime, neighbourhood perceptions and walking (min/week). Objective environmental measures were generated for each participant's neighbourhood, defined as the 1600 m road network distance from home, at each time-point. Linear regression models examined the impact of changes in fear of crime on changes in walking, with progressive adjustment for other changes in the built environment, neighbourhood perceptions and demographics. An increase in fear of crime was associated with a decrease in residents' walking inside the local neighbourhood. For each increase in fear of crime (i.e., one level on a five-point Likert scale) total walking decreased by 22 min/week (p=0.002), recreational walking by 13 min/week (p=0.031) and transport walking by 7 min/week (p=0.064). This study provides longitudinal evidence that changes in residents' fear of crime influence their walking behaviours. Interventions that reduce fear of crime are likely to increase walking and produce public health gains. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal associations between key dietary behaviors and weight gain over time: Transitions through the adolescent years

PubMed Central

Laska, Melissa N.; Murray, David M.; Lytle, Leslie A.; Harnack, Lisa J.

2012-01-01

Previous studies have yielded inconsistent results in documenting the association between key dietary factors and adolescent weight change over time. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which changes in adolescent sugar-sweetened beverage, diet soda, breakfast and fast food consumption were associated with changes in BMI and percent body fat (PBF), both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Our sample included 693 Minnesota adolescents followed over two years. Adjusting for physical activity, puberty, race, socio-economic status, age, and total energy intake, cross-sectional findings indicated that for both males and females, diet soda consumption was significantly and positively associated with BMI and PBF, and breakfast intake was significantly and negatively associated with BMI and PBF among girls. In longitudinal analyses, however, there were no significant associations after adjusting for the number of tests performed. This study adds to previous research through its methodological strengths, including adjustment for physical activity and energy intake assessed using state-of-the-art methods (i.e., accelerometers and 24-hour dietary recalls), as well as its evaluation of both BMI and PBF. Additional research is needed to better understand the complex constellation of factors that contribute to adolescent weight gain over time. PMID:21701567

Higher weight, lower education: a longitudinal association between adolescents' body mass index and their subsequent educational achievement level?

PubMed

Larsen, Junilla K; Kleinjan, Marloes; Engels, Rutger C M E; Fisher, Jennifer O; Hermans, Roel C J

2014-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between adolescents' body mass index (BMI) z-scores and their subsequent level of schooling, extending previous longitudinal research by using objectively measured weight and height data. A longitudinal study with 3 study waves (1-year intervals) involving 1248 Dutch adolescents (49% girls; mean age = 13.7 years) at schools providing different educational levels was used to determine adolescents who moved and did not move to a lower educational level in the first year, or in the second year, and to examine whether this movement could be predicted by BMI z-scores (zBMI), after controlling for a large range of potential confounding factors. A total of 1164 Dutch adolescents continued in the same level of education, whereas 84 adolescents moved to a lower educational level (43 moved in the first and 41 in the second year). A higher zBMI significantly increased the risk of a general transition to a lower educational level, and of a transition in the first year, but not in the second year, after controlling for potential demographic, behavioral, and psychological confounds. Findings suggest that a higher zBMI during adolescence immediately lowers educational achievement level during general secondary education. © 2014, American School Health Association.

Temporal unfolding of declining episodic memory on the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test in the predementia phase of Alzheimer's disease: Implications for clinical trials.

PubMed

Grober, Ellen; Veroff, Amy E; Lipton, Richard B

2018-01-01

Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT) performance identifies patients with preclinical disease at elevated risk for developing Alzheimer's dementia, predicting diagnosis better than other memory tests. Based on literature mapping FCSRT performance to clinical outcomes and biological markers, and on longitudinal preclinical data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, we developed the Stages of Objective Memory Impairment (SOMI) model. Five sequential stages of episodic memory decline are defined by Free Recall (FR) and Total Recall (TR) score ranges and years prior to dementia diagnosis. We sought to replicate the SOMI model using longitudinal assessments of 142 Einstein Aging Study participants who developed AD over 10 years. Time to diagnosis was at least seven years if FR was intact, at least four years if TR was intact, and two years if TR was impaired, consistent with SOMI model predictions. The SOMI identified incipient dementia with excellent sensitivity and specificity. The SOMI model provides an efficient approach for clinical trial cognitive screening in advance of more costly biomarker studies and ultimately in clinical practice, and provides a vocabulary for understanding AD biomarker patterns and for re-analysis of existing clinical trial data.

'Real-life' study of imatinib therapy in chronic phase-chronic myeloid leukemia: A novel retrospective observational longitudinal analysis.

PubMed

Merante, Serena; Ferretti, Virginia; Elena, Chiara; Calvello, Celeste; Rocca, Barbara; Zappatore, Rita; Cavigliano, Paola; Orlandi, Ester

2017-01-01

Imatinib is a cornerstone of treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia. It remains unclear whether transient treatment discontinuation or dose changes affect outcome and this approach has not yet been approved for use outside clinical trials. We conducted a retrospective single-institution observational study to evaluate factors affecting response in 'real-life' clinical practice in 138 chronic myeloid leukemia patients in chronic phase treated with imatinib. We used a novel longitudinal data analytical model, with a generalized estimating equation model, to study BCR-ABL variation according to continuous standard dose, change in dose or discontinuation; BCR-ABL transcript levels were recorded. Treatment history was subdivided into time periods for which treatment was given at constant dosage (total 483 time periods). Molecular and cytogenetic complete response was observed after 154 (32%) and 358 (74%) time periods, respectively. After adjusting for length of time period, no association between dose and cytogenetic complete response rate was observed. There was a significantly lower molecular complete response rate after time periods at a high imatinib dosage. This statistical approach can identify individual patient variation in longitudinal data collected over time and suggests that changes in dose or discontinuation of therapy could be considered in patients with appropriate biological characteristics.

Exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and the thyroid gland – examining and discussing possible longitudinal health effects in humans

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gaum, Petra M., E-mail: pgaum@ukaachen.de; Lang, Jessica; Esser, André

Background: Many previous studies have dealt with the effect of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on the thyroid gland, but their findings are inconsistent. One problem of these studies has been their use of cross-sectional designs. Objectives: The aim of the current study is to investigate longitudinal effects of PCBs on the thyroid gland, focusing on: morphological changes in thyroid tissue (i.e. thyroid volume), changes in thyroid hormones and in thyroid antibodies. Methods: A total of 122 individuals (M{sub age}=44.7) were examined over a period of four years (t{sup 1} until t{sup 4}). Medical history was collected via interviews, an ultrasound examinationmore » was performed and blood samples were taken to determine plasma PCB levels, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodthyronine (fT3), free thyroxine (fT4), thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOab), thyreoglobulin antibodies (TGab) and thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor antibodies (TSHRab). Rank correlation coefficients and mixed effect models were performed controlling for age and total lipids. Results: There were negative correlations between higher chlorinated biphenyls and fT3, cross-sectionally as well as longitudinally. We also found an interaction effect of higher-chlorinated PCBs over time for fT4 as well as TSHRab. In case of high exposure, a decrease in fT4 and an increase in TSHRab level were found over time. In regards to the other variables, our findings yielded no clear results in the examined time period. Conclusion: This is the first study to shows a PCB-related effect on fT3, fT4 and TSHRab over a four year period. The data also suggest that morphological and antibody findings remain inconsistent and do not allow for unambiguous interpretation. - Highlights: • This is a longitudinal study which includes data from four cross sections. • Higher-chlorinated biphenyls are negatively correlated with fT3. • There are interactions of time and higher-chlorinated biphenyls to TSHRab and fT4. • There is an interaction of time and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls to fT4. • No consistent effects were found for thyroid volume, TSH, TPOab and TGab.« less

Predicting pathologic tumor response to chemoradiotherapy with histogram distances characterizing longitudinal changes in 18F-FDG uptake patterns

PubMed Central

Tan, Shan; Zhang, Hao; Zhang, Yongxue; Chen, Wengen; D’Souza, Warren D.; Lu, Wei

2013-01-01

Purpose: A family of fluorine-18 (18F)-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron-emission tomography (PET) features based on histogram distances is proposed for predicting pathologic tumor response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). These features describe the longitudinal change of FDG uptake distribution within a tumor. Methods: Twenty patients with esophageal cancer treated with CRT plus surgery were included in this study. All patients underwent PET/CT scans before (pre-) and after (post-) CRT. The two scans were first rigidly registered, and the original tumor sites were then manually delineated on the pre-PET/CT by an experienced nuclear medicine physician. Two histograms representing the FDG uptake distribution were extracted from the pre- and the registered post-PET images, respectively, both within the delineated tumor. Distances between the two histograms quantify longitudinal changes in FDG uptake distribution resulting from CRT, and thus are potential predictors of tumor response. A total of 19 histogram distances were examined and compared to both traditional PET response measures and Haralick texture features. Receiver operating characteristic analyses and Mann-Whitney U test were performed to assess their predictive ability. Results: Among all tested histogram distances, seven bin-to-bin and seven crossbin distances outperformed traditional PET response measures using maximum standardized uptake value (AUC = 0.70) or total lesion glycolysis (AUC = 0.80). The seven bin-to-bin distances were: L2 distance (AUC = 0.84), χ2 distance (AUC = 0.83), intersection distance (AUC = 0.82), cosine distance (AUC = 0.83), squared Euclidean distance (AUC = 0.83), L1 distance (AUC = 0.82), and Jeffrey distance (AUC = 0.82). The seven crossbin distances were: quadratic-chi distance (AUC = 0.89), earth mover distance (AUC = 0.86), fast earth mover distance (AUC = 0.86), diffusion distance (AUC = 0.88), Kolmogorov-Smirnov distance (AUC = 0.88), quadratic form distance (AUC = 0.87), and match distance (AUC = 0.84). These crossbin histogram distance features showed slightly higher prediction accuracy than texture features on post-PET images. Conclusions: The results suggest that longitudinal patterns in 18F-FDG uptake characterized using histogram distances provide useful information for predicting the pathologic response of esophageal cancer to CRT. PMID:24089897

Study IX of the Basic Communication Course at Two- and Four-Year U.S. Colleges and Universities: A Re-Examination of Our Discipline's "Front Porch"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morreale, Sherwyn P.; Myers, Scott A.; Backlund, Philip M.; Simonds, Cheri J.

2016-01-01

This study gathered longitudinal and descriptive data on the nature of the basic communication course, continuing a tradition dating back to 1968. Now in its ninth iteration, convenience sampling and hard copy distribution of the survey instrument resulted in a total of 188 respondents (21 from two-year schools, 167 from four-year schools). This…

Efficacy of probing for children with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction: a retrospective study using fluorescein dye disappearance test and lacrimal sac echography.

PubMed

Steindler, Piero; Mantovani, Enrico; Incorvaia, Carlo; Parmeggiani, Francesco

2009-06-01

To evaluate B-scan echography for the assessment of lacrimal sac (LS) in pediatric epiphora secondary to congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO), and to verify its predictive role in functional efficacy of nasolacrimal duct probing. Thirty-nine eyes of 23 consecutive children, treated with a single probing for persistent CNLDO-related epiphora, were retrospectively studied. These cases were investigated both collectively and considering two sub-groups: group A (ten patients [20 eyes] 13 months. Fluorescein dye disappearance test at 10 minutes (FDDT-10) and ultrasound examination of LS were performed before and after probing. An echographic LS scoring system (grade 0 = no LS enlargement; grade 1 = slight longitudinal LS enlargement; grade 2 = longitudinal and slight transverse LS enlargement; grade 3 = marked longitudinal and transverse LS enlargement) was introduced as a predictor of probing efficacy, estimating FDDT-10 modification between pre- and post-operative checks. Echographic LS evaluation was easily practicable without sedation. In the total cluster and in both age sub-groups, post-probing FDDT-10 decreased with respect to pre-probing value (p < 0.001). Post-probing LS score improved with respect to pre-probing check within the total cluster and group A (p < 0.05). Strong correlation between pre-probing LS alteration and functional probing failure was present in each studied cluster (all p values <0.0001). Within group B, a greater gain of post-probing FDDT-10 was more frequent in patients with a better pre-probing LS score, as well as in younger children (both p values <0.0001). In children with CNLDO-related epiphora, B-scan echography of the LS can represent a reliable and useful examination for a better understanding of the functional prognosis after probing treatment.

Participation and Performance Trends in Triple Iron Ultra-triathlon – a Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Data Analysis

PubMed Central

Rüst, Christoph Alexander; Knechtle, Beat; Knechtle, Patrizia; Rosemann, Thomas; Lepers, Romuald

2012-01-01

Purpose The aims of the present study were to investigate (i) the changes in participation and performance and (ii) the gender difference in Triple Iron ultra-triathlon (11.4 km swimming, 540 km cycling and 126.6 km running) across years from 1988 to 2011. Methods For the cross-sectional data analysis, the association between with overall race times and split times was investigated using simple linear regression analyses and analysis of variance. For the longitudinal data analysis, the changes in race times for the five men and women with the highest number of participations were analysed using simple linear regression analyses. Results During the studied period, the number of finishers were 824 (71.4%) for men and 80 (78.4%) for women. Participation increased for men (r 2=0.27, P<0.01) while it remained stable for women (8%). Total race times were 2,146 ± 127.3 min for men and 2,615 ± 327.2 min for women (P<0.001). Total race time decreased for men (r 2=0.17; P=0.043), while it increased for women (r 2=0.49; P=0.001) across years. The gender difference in overall race time for winners increased from 10% in 1992 to 42% in 2011 (r 2=0.63; P<0.001). The longitudinal analysis of the five women and five men with the highest number of participations showed that performance decreased in one female (r 2=0.45; P=0.01). The four other women as well as all five men showed no change in overall race times across years. Conclusions Participation increased and performance improved for male Triple Iron ultra-triathletes while participation remained unchanged and performance decreased for females between 1988 and 2011. The reasons for the increase of the gap between female and male Triple Iron ultra-triathletes need further investigations. PMID:23012633

Work time control and sleep disturbances: prospective cohort study of Finnish public sector employees.

PubMed

Salo, Paula; Ala-Mursula, Leena; Rod, Naja Hulvej; Tucker, Philip; Pentti, Jaana; Kivimäki, Mika; Vahtera, Jussi

2014-07-01

Employee control over work times has been associated with favorable psychosocial and health-related outcomes, but the evidence regarding sleep quality remains inconclusive. We examined cross-sectional and prospective associations between work time control and sleep disturbances in a large working population, taking into account total hours worked. The data were from a full-panel longitudinal cohort study of Finnish public sector employees who responded to questions on work time control and sleep disturbances in years 2000-2001, 2004-2005, 2008-2009, and 2012. The analysis of cross-sectional associations was based on 129,286 person measurements from 68,089 participants (77% women) aged 17-73 years (mean 43.1). Data from 16,503 participants were used in the longitudinal analysis. Log-binomial regression analysis with the generalized estimating equations method was used. Consistently in both cross-sectional and longitudinal models, less control over work time was associated with greater sleep disturbances in the total population and among those working normal 40-hour weeks. Among participants working more than 40 hours a week, work time that was both very high (cross-sectional prevalence ratio compared to intermediate work time control [PR] 1.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-1.65) and very low (PR 1.23, 95% CI 1.08-1.39) was associated with sleep disturbances, after adjustment for potential confounding factors. These data suggest that having few opportunities to influence the duration and positioning of work time may increase the risk of sleep disturbances among employees. For persons working long hours, very high levels of control over working times were also associated with increased risk of sleep disturbances. Salo P, Ala-Mursula L, Rod NH, Tucker P, Pentti J, Kivimäki M, Vahtera J. Work time control and sleep disturbances: prospective cohort study of Finnish public sector employees. SLEEP 2014;37(7):1217-1225.

Work Time Control and Sleep Disturbances: Prospective Cohort Study of Finnish Public Sector Employees

PubMed Central

Salo, Paula; Ala-Mursula, Leena; Rod, Naja Hulvej; Tucker, Philip; Pentti, Jaana; Kivimäki, Mika; Vahtera, Jussi

2014-01-01

Objectives: Employee control over work times has been associated with favorable psychosocial and health-related outcomes, but the evidence regarding sleep quality remains inconclusive. We examined cross-sectional and prospective associations between work time control and sleep disturbances in a large working population, taking into account total hours worked. Methods: The data were from a full-panel longitudinal cohort study of Finnish public sector employees who responded to questions on work time control and sleep disturbances in years 2000-2001, 2004-2005, 2008-2009, and 2012. The analysis of cross-sectional associations was based on 129,286 person measurements from 68,089 participants (77% women) aged 17-73 years (mean 43.1). Data from 16,503 participants were used in the longitudinal analysis. Log-binomial regression analysis with the generalized estimating equations method was used. Results: Consistently in both cross-sectional and longitudinal models, less control over work time was associated with greater sleep disturbances in the total population and among those working normal 40-hour weeks. Among participants working more than 40 hours a week, work time that was both very high (cross-sectional prevalence ratio compared to intermediate work time control [PR] 1.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-1.65) and very low (PR 1.23, 95% CI 1.08-1.39) was associated with sleep disturbances, after adjustment for potential confounding factors. Conclusions: These data suggest that having few opportunities to influence the duration and positioning of work time may increase the risk of sleep disturbances among employees. For persons working long hours, very high levels of control over working times were also associated with increased risk of sleep disturbances. Citation: Salo P, Ala-Mursula L, Rod NH, Tucker P, Pentti J, Kivimäki M, Vahtera J. Work time control and sleep disturbances: prospective cohort study of Finnish public sector employees. SLEEP 2014;37(7):1217-1225. PMID:25061250

Parental History of Premature Cardiovascular Disease, Estimated GFR, and Rate of Estimated GFR Decline: Results From the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

Huang, Xiaoyan; Sui, Xuemei; Ruiz, Jonatan R.; Hirth, Victor; Ortega, Francisco B.; Blair, Steven N.; Carrero, Juan J.

2015-01-01

Background Despite cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) sharing similar etiologies and interplay, it remains unknown if a broader relationship between these diseases exists across generations. We investigated the association between parental CVD history and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in the community. Study Design Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Setting & Participants A total of 13,241 community-based adults with serum creatinine measurement and follow-up visits (from 1 to 8 visits, approximately 2 years apart) from the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study. Predictors Premature parental CVD history (before age of 50 years). Outcomes eGFR, decreased eGFR (<60 mL/min/1.73m2), and rate of eGFR decline. Measurements Information of parental history was collected by protocol-standardized questionnaires. eGFR was assessed with serum creatinine. Results A total of 3,339 (25.2%) participants reported a history of parental CVD. Individuals with parental CVD had significantly lower eGFR compared with those without parental CVD (69.4 ± 12.9 vs. 74.8 ± 14.2 mL/min/1.73m2; P<0.001). After multivariable adjustment, parental CVD was independently associated with higher odds of having decreased eGFR (adjusted OR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.52–1.86). Random-coefficient models showed that individuals with parental CVD had a faster decline in eGFR compared with those without parental CVD (sex- and ethnicity-adjusted annual change of −0.47 vs. −0.41 mL/min/1.73 m2; P=0.06). Limitations Approximately 70% of the participants did not attend a second examination. Conclusions Parental history of CVD was associated with lower baseline eGFR, higher odds of decreased eGFR, and a nominally faster rate of eGFR decline in the offspring. Such findings may imply previously unrecognized cross-generational links between both diseases and be of support in community screening programs. PMID:25600488

The Effect of a Self-Reflection and Insight Program on the Nursing Competence of Nursing Students: A Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Pai, Hsiang-Chu

2015-01-01

Nurses have to solve complex problems for their patients and their families, and as such, nursing care capability has become a focus of attention. The aim of this longitudinal study was to develop a self-reflection practice exercise program for nursing students to be used during clinical practice and to evaluate the effects of this program empirically and longitudinally on change in students' clinical competence, self-reflection, stress, and perceived teaching quality. An additional aim was to determine the predictors important to nursing competence. We sampled 260 nursing students from a total of 377 practicum students to participate in this study. A total of 245 students nurse completed 4 questionnaires, Holistic Nursing Competence Scale, Self-Reflection and Insight Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and Clinical Teaching Quality Scale, at 2, 4, and 6 months after clinical practice experience. Generalized estimating equation models were used to examine the change in scores on each of the questionnaires. The findings showed that, at 6 months after clinical practice, nursing competence was significantly higher than at 2 and 4 months, was positively related to self-reflection and insight, and was negatively related to practice stress. Nursing students' competence at each time period was positively related to clinical teachers' instructional quality at 4 and 6 months. These results indicate that a clinical practice program with self-reflection learning exercise improves nursing students' clinical competence and that nursing students' self-reflection and perceived practice stress affect their nursing competence. Nursing core competencies are enhanced with a self-reflection program, which helps nursing students to improve self-awareness and decrease stress that may interfere with learning. Further, clinical practice experience, self-reflection and insight, and practice stress are predictors of nursing students' clinical competence. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The high cost of diarrhoeal illness for urban slum households-a cost-recovery approach: a cohort study.

PubMed

Patel, Ronak B; Stoklosa, Hanni; Shitole, Shrutika; Shitole, Tejal; Sawant, Kiran; Nanarkar, Mahesh; Subbaraman, Ramnath; Ridpath, Alison; Patil-Deshmuk, Anita

2013-01-01

Rapid urbanisation has often meant that public infrastructure has not kept pace with growth leading to urban slums with poor access to water and sanitation and high rates of diarrhoea with greater household costs due to illness. This study sought to determine the monetary cost of diarrhoea to urban slum households in Kaula Bandar slum in Mumbai, India. The study also tested the hypotheses that the cost of water and sanitation infrastructure may be surpassed by the cumulative costs of diarrhoea for households in an urban slum community. A cohort study using a baseline survey of a random sample followed by a systematic longitudinal household survey. The baseline survey was administered to a random sample of households. The systematic longitudinal survey was administered to every available household in the community with a case of diarrhoea for a period of 5 weeks. Every household in Kaula Bandar was approached for the longitudinal survey and all available and consenting adults were included. The direct cost of medical care for having at least one person in the household with diarrhoea was 205 rupees. Other direct costs brought total expenses to 291 rupees. Adding an average loss of 55 rupees per household from lost wages and monetising lost productivity from homemakers gave a total loss of 409 rupees per household. During the 5-week study period, this community lost an estimated 163 600 rupees or 3635 US dollars due to diarrhoeal illness. The lack of basic water and sanitation infrastructure is expensive for urban slum households in this community. Financing approaches that transfer that cost to infrastructure development to prevent illness may be feasible. These findings along with the myriad of unmeasured benefits of preventing diarrhoeal illness add to pressing arguments for investment in basic water and sanitation infrastructure.

Longitudinal increase in vitamin D binding protein levels after initiation of tenofovir/lamivudine/efavirenz among individuals with HIV.

PubMed

Hsieh, Evelyn; Fraenkel, Liana; Han, Yang; Xia, Weibo; Insogna, Karl L; Yin, Michael T; Zhu, Ting; Cheng, Xinqi; Li, Taisheng

2016-07-31

To examine longitudinal change in vitamin D binding protein (DBP) levels during the first year after initiation of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)/lamivudine/efavirenz and compare these findings with concurrent changes in markers of skeletal metabolism. Secondary analysis of plasma samples collected from an ongoing multicenter clinical trial. Plasma samples collected at 0, 24, and 48 weeks after initiation of TDF + lamivudine + efavirenz from 134 adult participants enrolled in a multicenter randomized trial were analyzed. Data regarding sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were obtained as part of the parent study. Laboratory analyses included plasma DBP, intact parathyroid hormone, total 25-hydroxy vitamin D, phosphorus, the bone resorption marker collagen type 1 cross-linked C-telopeptide, and the bone formation marker total procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to measure changes in biomarkers over time. Our sample included 108 men and 26 women (mean age 33.6 ± 9.6 years). Median levels of DBP increased significantly from baseline to 48 weeks [154 (91.8-257.4) versus 198.3 (119.6-351.9) μg/ml, P < 0.001]. A concurrent rise in intact parathyroid hormone levels was observed over the same period [32.3 (24.4-40.9) versus 45.2 (35.1-60.4) pg/ml, P < 0.001]; however, 25-hydroxy vitamin D and phosphorus levels remained stable. Bone resorption and formation markers rapidly increased from 0 to 24 weeks, followed by a slight decline or plateau, but remained significantly elevated at 48 weeks (P < 0.001). Our study provides longitudinal data supporting a potential role for DBP in bone loss associated with TDF-based therapy. Further research to elucidate the mechanistic pathways and clinical impact of these findings is warranted.

Annual longitudinal survey at up to five time points reveals reciprocal effects of bedtime delay and depression/anxiety in adolescents.

PubMed

Tochigi, Mamoru; Usami, Satoshi; Matamura, Misato; Kitagawa, Yuko; Fukushima, Masako; Yonehara, Hiromi; Togo, Fumiharu; Nishida, Atsushi; Sasaki, Tsukasa

2016-01-01

To investigate the longitudinal relationship between sleep habits and mental health in adolescents. Multipoint observation data of up to five years were employed from a prospective cohort study of sleep habits and mental health status conducted from 2009 to 2013 in a unified junior and senior high school (grades 7-12) in Tokyo, Japan. A total of 1078 students answered a self-report questionnaire, including items on usual bed and wake-up times on school days, and the Japanese version of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Latent growth model (LGM) analysis, which requires three or more time point data, showed that longitudinal changes in bedtime and GHQ-12 score (or score for depression/anxiety) were significantly and moderately correlated (correlation coefficient = 0.510, p < 0.05). Another result of interest was that, using an autoregressive cross-lagged (ARCL) model, bedtime and the depression/anxiety score had reciprocal effects the following year: ie, bedtime significantly affects the following year's depression/anxiety, and vice versa. In addition, the analysis provided estimates of mutually predicted changes: one-hour bedtime delay may worsen the GHQ-12 score by 0.2 points, and one-point worsening of the score may delay bedtime by 2.2 minutes. By using up to five multiple time point data, the present study confirms the correlational and reciprocally longitudinal relationship between bedtime delay and mental health status in Japanese adolescents. The results indicate that preventing late bedtime may have a significant effect on improving mental health in adolescents. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Intrinsic H+ ion mobility in the rabbit ventricular myocyte

PubMed Central

Vaughan-Jones, R D; Peercy, B E; Keener, J P; Spitzer, K W

2002-01-01

The intrinsic mobility of intracellular H+ ions was investigated by confocally imaging the longitudinal movement of acid inside rabbit ventricular myocytes loaded with the acetoxymethyl ester (AM) form of carboxy-seminaphthorhodafluor-1 (carboxy-SNARF-1). Acid was diffused into one end of the cell through a patch pipette filled with an isotonic KCl solution of pH 3.0. Intracellular H+ mobility was low, acid taking 20-30 s to move 40 μm down the cell. Inhibiting sarcolemmal Na+-H+ exchange with 1 mm amiloride had no effect on this time delay. Net Hi+ movement was associated with a longitudinal intracellular pH (pHi) gradient of up to 0.4 pH units. Hi+ movement could be modelled using the equations for diffusion, assuming an apparent diffusion coefficient for H+ ions (DappH) of 3.78 × 10−7 cm2 s−1, a value more than 300-fold lower than the H+ diffusion coefficient in a dilute, unbuffered solution. Measurement of the intracellular concentration of SNARF (≈400 μM) and its intracellular diffusion coefficient (0.9 × 10−7 cm2 s−1) indicated that the fluorophore itself exerted an insignificant effect (between 0.6 and 3.3 %) on the longitudinal movement of H+ equivalents inside the cell. The longitudinal movement of intracellular H+ is discussed in terms of a diffusive shuttling of H+ equivalents on high capacity mobile buffers which comprise about half (≈11 mm) of the total intrinsic buffering capacity within the myocyte (the other half being fixed buffer sites on low mobility, intracellular proteins). Intrinsic Hi+ mobility is consistent with an average diffusion coefficient for the intracellular mobile buffers (Dmob) of ≈9 × 10−7 cm2 s−1. PMID:12015426

Five-Year Longitudinal Bone Evaluations in Individuals With Chronic Complete Spinal Cord Injury

PubMed Central

Garland, Douglas E; Adkins, Rodney H; Stewart, Charles A

2008-01-01

Background/Objectives: Knowledge of spinal cord injury (SCI) bone changes has been derived primarily through cross-sectional studies, many of which are controvertible. Longitudinal studies are sparse, and long-term longitudinal chronic studies are unavailable. The objective of this study was to provide a clearer perception of chronic longitudinal bone variations in people with complete SCI. Methods: Bone status of 31 individuals with chronic, complete SCI was assessed twice using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at an average interval of 5.06 ± 0.9 years. Because the sample of women was small (4), the primary analyses of change and comparisons of those with paraplegia vs tetraplegia were confined to the male participants. Results: Spine Z-scores showed a significant increase (P < 0.0001). The average Z-scores, initial and follow-up, were within the normal range. Hip Z-scores also showed a significant increase (P < 0.0001), and hip bone mineral density (BMD) increased in 48% of the participants. Knee BMD and lower extremity total bone mineral showed significant decreases (P < 0.003 and P < 0.02, respectively), but increases were seen in 33% and 26% at the respective sites. Individuals with tetraplegia had significantly lower values across all regions (P < 0.0001), and changes were significantly different compared with paraplegia (P < 0.0001). Bone values and changes in men vs women, despite the small sample of women, showed highly significant differences (P < 0.003–0.002). Conclusion: Chronic effects of complete SCI do not exclusively result in continued loss of BMD or a static state of lowered BMD; gain in BMD may occur. The nature and magnitude of the effects of complete SCI on BMD vary by site, with sex and level of injury, which has implications for treatment and its assessment. PMID:19086712

Automatic detection of new tumors and tumor burden evaluation in longitudinal liver CT scan studies.

PubMed

Vivanti, R; Szeskin, A; Lev-Cohain, N; Sosna, J; Joskowicz, L

2017-11-01

Radiological longitudinal follow-up of liver tumors in CT scans is the standard of care for disease progression assessment and for liver tumor therapy. Finding new tumors in the follow-up scan is essential to determine malignancy, to evaluate the total tumor burden, and to determine treatment efficacy. Since new tumors are typically small, they may be missed by examining radiologists. We describe a new method for the automatic detection and segmentation of new tumors in longitudinal liver CT studies and for liver tumors burden quantification. Its inputs are the baseline and follow-up CT scans, the baseline tumors delineation, and a tumor appearance prior model. Its outputs are the new tumors segmentations in the follow-up scan, the tumor burden quantification in both scans, and the tumor burden change. Our method is the first comprehensive method that is explicitly designed to find new liver tumors. It integrates information from the scans, the baseline known tumors delineations, and a tumor appearance prior model in the form of a global convolutional neural network classifier. Unlike other deep learning-based methods, it does not require large tagged training sets. Our experimental results on 246 tumors, of which 97 were new tumors, from 37 longitudinal liver CT studies with radiologist approved ground-truth segmentations, yields a true positive new tumors detection rate of 86 versus 72% with stand-alone detection, and a tumor burden volume overlap error of 16%. New tumors detection and tumor burden volumetry are important for diagnosis and treatment. Our new method enables a simplified radiologist-friendly workflow that is potentially more accurate and reliable than the existing one by automatically and accurately following known tumors and detecting new tumors in the follow-up scan.

Ventrolateral Motor Thalamus Abnormal Connectivity in Essential Tremor Before and After Thalamotomy: A Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.

PubMed

Tuleasca, Constantin; Najdenovska, Elena; Régis, Jean; Witjas, Tatiana; Girard, Nadine; Champoudry, Jérôme; Faouzi, Mohamed; Thiran, Jean-Philippe; Cuadra, Meritxell Bach; Levivier, Marc; Van De Ville, Dimitri

2018-05-01

To evaluate functional connectivity (FC) of the ventrolateral thalamus, a common target for drug-resistant essential tremor (ET), resting-state data were analyzed before and 1 year after stereotactic radiosurgical thalamotomy and compared against healthy controls (HCs). In total, 17 consecutive patients with ET and 10 HCs were enrolled. Tremor network was investigated using the ventrolateral ventral (VLV) thalamic nucleus as the region of interest, extracted with automated segmentation from pretherapeutic diffusion magnetic resonance imaging. Temporal correlations of VLV at whole brain level were evaluated by comparing drug-naïve patients with ET with HCs, and longitudinally, 1 year after stereotactic radiosurgical thalamotomy. 1 year thalamotomy MR signature was always located inside VLV and did not correlate with any of FC measures (P > 0.05). This suggested presence of longitudinal changes in VLV FC independently of the MR signature volume. Pretherapeutic ET displayed altered VLV FC with left primary sensory-motor cortex, pedunculopontine nucleus, dorsal anterior cingulate, left visual association, and left superior parietal areas. Pretherapeutic negative FC with primary somatosensory cortex and pedunculopontine nucleus correlated with poorer baseline tremor scores (Spearman = 0.04 and 0.01). Longitudinal study displayed changes within right dorsal attention (frontal eye-fields and posterior parietal) and salience (anterior insula) networks, as well as areas involved in hand movement planning or language production. Our results demonstrated that patients with ET and HCs differ in their left VLV FC to primary somatosensory and supplementary motor, visual association, or brainstem areas (pedunculopontine nucleus). Longitudinal changes display reorganization of dorsal attention and salience networks after thalamotomy. Beside attentional gateway, they are also known for their major role in facilitating a rapid access to the motor system. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multidimensional Sexual Perfectionism and Female Sexual Function: A Longitudinal Investigation.

PubMed

Stoeber, Joachim; Harvey, Laura N

2016-11-01

Research on multidimensional sexual perfectionism differentiates four forms: self-oriented, partner-oriented, partner-prescribed, and socially prescribed. Self-oriented sexual perfectionism reflects perfectionistic standards people apply to themselves as sexual partners; partner-oriented sexual perfectionism reflects perfectionistic standards people apply to their sexual partner; partner-prescribed sexual perfectionism reflects people's beliefs that their sexual partner imposes perfectionistic standards on them; and socially prescribed sexual perfectionism reflects people's beliefs that society imposes such standards on them. Previous studies found partner-prescribed and socially prescribed sexual perfectionism to be maladaptive forms of sexual perfectionism associated with a negative sexual self-concept and problematic sexual behaviors, but only examined cross-sectional relationships. The present article presents the first longitudinal study examining whether multidimensional sexual perfectionism predicts changes in sexual self-concept and sexual function over time. A total of 366 women aged 17-69 years completed measures of multidimensional sexual perfectionism, sexual esteem, sexual anxiety, sexual problem self-blame, and sexual function (cross-sectional data). Three to six months later, 164 of the women completed the same measures again (longitudinal data). Across analyses, partner-prescribed sexual perfectionism emerged as the most maladaptive form of sexual perfectionism. In the cross-sectional data, partner-prescribed sexual perfectionism showed positive relationships with sexual anxiety, sexual problem self-blame, and intercourse pain, and negative relationships with sexual esteem, desire, arousal, lubrication, and orgasmic function. In the longitudinal data, partner-prescribed sexual perfectionism predicted increases in sexual anxiety and decreases in sexual esteem, arousal, and lubrication over time. The findings suggest that partner-prescribed sexual perfectionism contributes to women's negative sexual self-concept and female sexual dysfunction.

The effects of longitudinal chromatic aberration and a shift in the peak of the middle-wavelength sensitive cone fundamental on cone contrast

PubMed Central

Rucker, F. J.; Osorio, D.

2009-01-01

Longitudinal chromatic aberration is a well-known imperfection of visual optics, but the consequences in natural conditions, and for the evolution of receptor spectral sensitivities are less well understood. This paper examines how chromatic aberration affects image quality in the middle-wavelength sensitive (M-) cones, viewing broad-band spectra, over a range of spatial frequencies and focal planes. We also model the effects on M-cone contrast of moving the M-cone fundamental relative to the long- and middle-wavelength (L- and M-cone) fundamentals, while the eye is accommodated at different focal planes or at a focal plane that maximizes luminance contrast. When the focal plane shifts towards longer (650 nm) or shorter wavelengths (420 nm) the effects on M-cone contrast are large: longitudinal chromatic aberration causes total loss of M-cone contrast above 10 to 20 c/d. In comparison, the shift of the M-cone fundamental causes smaller effects on M-cone contrast. At 10 c/d a shift in the peak of the M-cone spectrum from 560 nm to 460 nm decreases M-cone contrast by 30%, while a 10 nm blue-shift causes only a minor loss of contrast. However, a noticeable loss of contrast may be seen if the eye is focused at focal planes other than that which maximizes luminance contrast. The presence of separate long- and middle-wavelength sensitive cones therefore has a small, but not insignificant cost to the retinal image via longitudinal chromatic aberration. This aberration may therefore be a factor limiting evolution of visual pigments and trichromatic color vision. PMID:18639571

Longitudinal assessment of excessive daytime sleepiness in early Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Amara, Amy W; Chahine, Lama M; Caspell-Garcia, Chelsea; Long, Jeffrey D; Coffey, Christopher; Högl, Birgit; Videnovic, Aleksandar; Iranzo, Alex; Mayer, Geert; Foldvary-Schaefer, Nancy; Postuma, Ron; Oertel, Wolfgang; Lasch, Shirley; Marek, Ken; Simuni, Tanya

2017-08-01

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is common and disabling in Parkinson's disease (PD). Predictors of EDS are unclear, and data on biological correlates of EDS in PD are limited. We investigated clinical, imaging and biological variables associated with longitudinal changes in sleepiness in early PD. The Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative is a prospective cohort study evaluating progression markers in participants with PD who are unmedicated at baseline (n=423) and healthy controls (HC; n=196). EDS was measured with the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Clinical, biological and imaging variables were assessed for associations with EDS for up to 3 years. A machine learning approach (random survival forests) was used to investigate baseline predictors of incident EDS. ESS increased in PD from baseline to year 3 (mean±SD 5.8±3.5 to 7.55±4.6, p<0.0001), with no change in HC. Longitudinally, EDS in PD was associated with non-tremor dominant phenotype, autonomic dysfunction, depression, anxiety and probable behaviour disorder, but not cognitive dysfunction or motor severity. Dopaminergic therapy was associated with EDS at years 2 and 3, as dose increased. EDS was also associated with presynaptic dopaminergic dysfunction, whereas biofluid markers at year 1 showed no significant associations with EDS. A predictive index for EDS was generated, which included seven baseline characteristics, including non-motor symptoms and cerebrospinal fluid phosphorylated-tau/total-tau ratio. In early PD, EDS increases significantly over time and is associated with several clinical variables. The influence of dopaminergic therapy on EDS is dose dependent. Further longitudinal analyses will better characterise associations with imaging and biomarkers. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Up-scaling Stream Ecosystem Processes to Predict the Effects of Land Cover Change at a Watershed Scale in the Atlantic Tropical Rainforest.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tromboni, F.; Feijó de Lima, R.; Silva-Júnior, E. F.; Lourenço-Amorim, C.; Zandoná, E.; Moulton, T. P.; Da Silva, B. S.; Silva-Araújo, M.; Thomas, S. A.

2015-12-01

Riparian land-cover change (LCC) causes a cascade of subsequent hierarchical effects that propagate through abiotic compartments until reaching the biota, altering stream ecosystem functioning. Due to the movement of water downstream, these lateral effects co-occur with longitudinal influences. We investigated both the lateral and longitudinal effects of deforestation in four streams in the Atlantic tropical rainforest of Brazil. We collected physical-chemical, geomorphic, hydrological data and samples of macroinvertebrates assemblages. We then categorized land cover at different scales (from different riparian and reach buffer sizes to sub and total watershed) using a SPOT-5 satellite image and ArcGIS. We also carried out a series of experiments along the streams to understand: 1) the mechanisms by which LCC affects periphyton and how these changes alter metabolism and nutrient uptake rates; 2) the downstream distance at which periphyton and the associated variables change in the transitions from one riparian category to the other. We used (i) a path analysis to test if our hypothesized land-cover cascade model described our data and (ii) non-linear models to describe the longitudinal effect on each variable. Our results showed that deforestation produced a range of physical changes at different spatial scale, longitudinally altering periphyton taxonomic composition (taxa depending on light), stoichiometry (nutritionally richer with increasing deforestation) and growth rates (greater in deforested). Macroinvertebrate assemblages behaved similarly to chlorophyll a in response to forest loss. Respiration rate increased with deforestation probably due to higher nutrient concentrations but primary production did not increase. Models were used to upscale LCC impacts on ecosystem processes from local scale experiments to landscape and our work has important implications for socio-economic decisions concerning ecosystem management and conservation.

Evaluating the dose effects of a longitudinal micro-CT study on pulmonary tissue in C57BL/6 mice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Detombe, Sarah A.; Dunmore-Buyze, Joy; Petrov, Ivailo E.; Drangova, Maria

2012-03-01

Background: Micro-computed tomography offers numerous advantages for small animal imaging, including the ability to monitor the same animals throughout a longitudinal study. However, concerns are often raised regarding the effects of x-ray dose accumulated over the course of the experiment. In this study, we scan C57BL/6 mice multiple times per week for six weeks, to determine the effect of the cumulative dose on pulmonary tissue at the end of the study. Methods/Results: C57BL/6 male mice were split into two groups (irradiated group=10, control group=10). The irradiated group was scanned (80kVp/50mA) each week for 6 weeks; the weekly scan session had three scans. This resulted in a weekly dose of 0.84 Gy, and a total study dose of 5.04 Gy. The control group was scanned on the final week. Scans from weeks 1 and 6 were reconstructed and analyzed: overall, there was no significant difference in lung volume or lung density between the control group and the irradiated group. Similarly, there were no significant differences between the week 1 and week 6 scans in the irradiated group. Histological samples taken from excised lung tissue also showed no evidence of inflammation or fibrosis in the irradiated group. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that a 5 Gy x-ray dose accumulated over six weeks during a longitudinal micro-CT study has no significant effects on the pulmonary tissue of C57BL/6 mice. As a result, the many advantages of micro- CT imaging, including rapid acquisition of high-resolution, isotropic images in free-breathing mice, can be taken advantage of in longitudinal studies without concern for negative dose-related effects.

Longitudinal Changes in Segmental Aortic Stiffness Determined by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance in Children and Young Adults With Connective Tissue Disorders (the Marfan, Loeys-Dietz, and Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes, and Nonspecific Connective Tissue Disorders).

PubMed

Merlocco, Anthony; Lacro, Ronald V; Gauvreau, Kimberlee; Rabideau, Nicole; Singh, Michael N; Prakash, Ashwin

2017-10-01

Aortic stiffness measured by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in connective tissue disorder (CTD) patients has been previously shown to be abnormal and to be associated with adverse aortic outcomes. The rate of increase in aortic stiffness with normal aging has been previously described. However, longitudinal changes in aortic stiffness have not been characterized in CTD patients. We examined longitudinal changes in CMR-derived aortic stiffness in children and young adults with CTDs. A retrospective analysis of 50 children and young adults (median age, 20 years; range, 0.2 to 49; 40% < 18 years old) with a CTD, and with at least 2 CMR examinations (total 152 examinations) over a median duration of 3.9 (1 to 13.2) years was performed. Aortic stiffness measures (strain, distensibility, and β stiffness index) were calculated on each examination at the aortic root (AoR), ascending aorta, and descending aorta. Longitudinal changes in parameters were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. Aortic strain and distensibility decreased with age, whereas the β stiffness index increased at all aortic segments. The average rates of decline in distensibility (x10 -3  mm Hg -1 per 10-year increase in age) were 0.7, 1.3, and 1 at the AoR, ascending aorta, and descending aorta, respectively. The rates of decline in distensibility were not associated with the rates of AoR dilation or surgical AoR replacement. In conclusion, on serial CMR measurements in children and young adults with CTDs, aortic stiffness progressively increased with age, with rates of change only slightly higher than those previously reported in healthy adults. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The role of physical activity and diabetes status as a moderator: functional disability among older Mexican Americans.

PubMed

Palmer, Raymond F; Espino, David V; Dergance, Jeannae M; Becho, Johanna; Markides, Kyriakos

2012-11-01

we investigate the temporal association between the rate of change in physical function and the rate of change in disability across four comparison groups: Those with and without diabetes who report >30 min of physical activity per day, and those who report <30 min of physical activity per day. six waves of longitudinal data from the Hispanic Established Population for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly were utilised. At baseline, there were a total of 3,050 elder participants aged 65 years old or greater. The longitudinal rates of change in disability and physical function were compared by the diabetes status (ever versus none) and the physical activity status (less than or greater than or equal to 30 min per day). disability and physical function data were analysed using a latent growth curve modelling approach adjusted for relevant demographic/health-related covariates. There were statistically significant longitudinal declines in physical function and disability (P < 0.001) in all groups. Most notable, the physical activity status was an important moderator. Those with >30 min of activity demonstrated better baseline function and less disability as well as better temporal trajectories than those reporting <30 min of physical activity per day. Comparisons between diabetes statuses within the same physical activity groups showed worse disability trajectories among those with diabetes. a longitudinal decline in physical function and disability is moderated most notably by physical activity. The diabetes status further moderates decline in function and disability over time. Increased physical activity appears to be protective of disability in general and may lessen the influence of diabetes-related disability in older Mexican Americans, particularly at the end of life.

Longitudinal urinary metabolomic profiling reveals metabolites for asthma development in early childhood.

PubMed

Chiu, Chih-Yung; Lin, Gigin; Cheng, Mei-Ling; Chiang, Meng-Han; Tsai, Ming-Han; Su, Kuan-Wen; Hua, Man-Chin; Liao, Sui-Ling; Lai, Shen-Hao; Yao, Tsung-Chieh; Yeh, Kuo-Wei; Huang, Jing-Long

2018-04-21

Several metabolites and altered metabolic pathways have been reported to be associated with asthma. However, longitudinal analysis of the dynamics of metabolites contributing to the development of asthma has not yet been fully clarified. We sought to identify the metabolic mechanisms underlying asthma development in early childhood. Thirty children with asthma and paired healthy controls from a prospective birth cohort were enrolled. Time-series analysis of urinary metabolites collected at ages 1, 2, 3, and 4 years were assessed using 1 H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy coupled with partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA). Metabolites identified were studied in relation to changes over time in a linear mixed model for repeated measures. A total of 172 urine samples collected from the enrolled children were analyzed. Urinary metabolomics identified four metabolites significantly associated with childhood asthma development, with longitudinal analysis. Among them, dimethylamine, a metabolite produced by intestinal bacteria, appeared to shift from higher to lower level during asthma development. A persistent lower level of 1-methylnicotinamide and allantoin was found in children with asthma, with a peak difference at age 3 years (P = 0.032 and P = 0.021 respectively). Furthermore, a significant inverse correlation was found between allantoin and house dust mite sensitization (Spearman's r = -0.297 P = 0.035). Longitudinal urinary metabolomic profiling provides a link of microbe-environment interactions in the development of childhood asthma. 1-Methylnicotinamide and allantoin may participate in allergic reactions in response to allergen exposure, potentially serving as specific biomarkers for asthma. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Interpretation of change and longitudinal validity of the quality of life for respiratory illness questionnaire (QoLRIQ) in inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation.

PubMed

van Stel, Henk F; Maillé, A Rianne; Colland, Vivian T; Everaerd, Walter

2003-03-01

The quality of life for respiratory illness questionnaire (QoLRIQ) is an outcome measure for patients with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study assessed the longitudinal validity, reliability of the change score and the interpretation of changes on the QoLRIQ in inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation, completed by 108 patients with moderate to severe asthma (39) or COPD (69). Domains and total score of the QoLRIQ changed significant (all p < 0.0002) with standardized response means from 0.46 to 0.90. All QoLRIQ-change scores were significantly correlated with self-rated change in health and in disease symptoms and with change in self-assessed health status (r from 0.2 to 0.61). There were several significant correlations between QoLRIQ-change scores and change in experienced invalidity, emotional well-being, anxiety, depressive symptoms and Rand-36-domains (r from 0.2 to 0.68). The intraclass correlation coefficient of change was 0.90. The size of a minimal important difference (MID), computed from a retrospective global rating of change by the patients and with the standard error of measurement, was 0.5 points on a 7-point response scale. Computation of the MID from retrospective assessment of change may not be valid because this change was significantly correlated to post-treatment health status and significantly higher than serial assessment of change. We conclude that the QoLRIQ is sensitive to change, longitudinally valid and reliable, with a MID of 0.5 points. These results enable the use of the QoLRIQ as an outcome measure in clinical trials with patients with moderate to severe asthma or COPD. The longitudinal measurement properties in less severe patients still need to be studied.

Long-term Characterization of Retinal Degeneration in Royal College of Surgeons Rats Using Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

PubMed Central

Ryals, Renee C.; Andrews, Michael D.; Datta, Shreya; Coyner, Aaron S.; Fischer, Cody M.; Wen, Yuquan; Pennesi, Mark E.; McGill, Trevor J.

2017-01-01

Purpose Prospective treatments for age-related macular degeneration and inherited retinal degenerations are commonly evaluated in the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat before translation into clinical application. Historically, retinal thickness obtained through postmortem anatomic assessments has been a key outcome measure; however, utility of this measurement is limited because it precludes the ability to perform longitudinal studies. To overcome this limitation, the present study was designed to provide a baseline longitudinal quantification of retinal thickness in the RCS rat by using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Methods Horizontal and vertical linear SD-OCT scans centered on the optic nerve were captured from Long-Evans control rats at P30, P60, P90 and from RCS rats between P17 and P90. Total retina (TR), outer nuclear layer+ (ONL+), inner nuclear layer (INL), and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) thicknesses were quantified. Histologic sections of RCS retina obtained from P21 to P60 were compared to SD-OCT images. Results In RCS rats, TR and ONL+ thickness decreased significantly as compared to Long-Evans controls. Changes in INL and RPE thickness were not significantly different between control and RCS retinas. From P30 to P90 a subretinal hyperreflective layer (HRL) was observed and quantified in RCS rats. After correlation with histology, the HRL was identified as disorganized outer segments and the location of accumulated debris. Conclusions Retinal layer thickness can be quantified longitudinally throughout the course of retinal degeneration in the RCS rat by using SD-OCT. Thickness measurements obtained with SD-OCT were consistent with previous anatomic thickness assessments. This study provides baseline data for future longitudinal assessment of therapeutic agents in the RCS rat. PMID:28253400

Long-term Characterization of Retinal Degeneration in Royal College of Surgeons Rats Using Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

PubMed

Ryals, Renee C; Andrews, Michael D; Datta, Shreya; Coyner, Aaron S; Fischer, Cody M; Wen, Yuquan; Pennesi, Mark E; McGill, Trevor J

2017-03-01

Prospective treatments for age-related macular degeneration and inherited retinal degenerations are commonly evaluated in the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rat before translation into clinical application. Historically, retinal thickness obtained through postmortem anatomic assessments has been a key outcome measure; however, utility of this measurement is limited because it precludes the ability to perform longitudinal studies. To overcome this limitation, the present study was designed to provide a baseline longitudinal quantification of retinal thickness in the RCS rat by using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Horizontal and vertical linear SD-OCT scans centered on the optic nerve were captured from Long-Evans control rats at P30, P60, P90 and from RCS rats between P17 and P90. Total retina (TR), outer nuclear layer+ (ONL+), inner nuclear layer (INL), and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) thicknesses were quantified. Histologic sections of RCS retina obtained from P21 to P60 were compared to SD-OCT images. In RCS rats, TR and ONL+ thickness decreased significantly as compared to Long-Evans controls. Changes in INL and RPE thickness were not significantly different between control and RCS retinas. From P30 to P90 a subretinal hyperreflective layer (HRL) was observed and quantified in RCS rats. After correlation with histology, the HRL was identified as disorganized outer segments and the location of accumulated debris. Retinal layer thickness can be quantified longitudinally throughout the course of retinal degeneration in the RCS rat by using SD-OCT. Thickness measurements obtained with SD-OCT were consistent with previous anatomic thickness assessments. This study provides baseline data for future longitudinal assessment of therapeutic agents in the RCS rat.

IBS and Potential Luminosity Improvement for RHIC Operation Below Transition Energy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fedotov,A.

There is a strong interest in low-energy RHIC operations in the single-beam total energy range of 2.5-25 GeV/nucleon [1-3]. Collisions in this energy range, much of which is below nominal RHIC injection energy, will help to answer one of the key questions in the field of QeD about the existence and location of a critical point on the QCD phase diagram [4]. There have been several short test runs during 2006-2008 RHIC operations to evaluate RHIC operational challenges at these low energies [5]. Beam lifetimes observed during the test runs were limited by machine nonlinearities. This performance limit can bemore » improved with sufficient machine tuning. The next luminosity limitation comes from transverse and longitudinal Intra-beam Scattering (IBS), and ultimately from the space-charge limit. Detailed discussion of limiting beam dynamics effects and possible luminosity improvement with electron cooling can be found in Refs. [6-8]. For low-energy RHIC operation, particle losses from the RF bucket are of particular concern since the longitudinal beam size is comparable to the existing RF bucket at low energies. However, operation below transition energy allows us to exploit an Intra-beam Scattering (IBS) feature that drives the transverse and longitudinal beam temperatures towards equilibrium by minimizing the longitudinal diffusion rate using a high RF voltage. Simulation studies were performed with the goal to understand whether one can use this feature of IBS to improve luminosity of RHIC collider at low-energies. This Note presents results of simulations which show that additional luminosity improvement for low-energy RHIC project may be possible with high RF voltage from a 56 MHz superconducting RF cavity that is presently under development for RHIC.« less

Higher serum bilirubin level as a protective factor for the development of diabetes in healthy Korean men: a 4 year retrospective longitudinal study.

PubMed

Jung, Chang Hee; Lee, Min Jung; Kang, Yu Mi; Hwang, Jenie Yoonoo; Jang, Jung Eun; Leem, Jaechan; Park, Joong-Yeol; Kim, Hong-Kyu; Lee, Woo Je

2014-01-01

Bilirubin, a natural product of heme catabolism by heme oxygenase, one of key antioxidant enzymes, has been recognized as a substance with potent antioxidant and cytoprotective properties. Several studies have shown a significant negative relationship between serum bilirubin levels and the risk of metabolic disorders, including type 2 diabetes. However, longitudinal studies investigating the association of elevated serum bilirubin levels and type 2 diabetes are lacking. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the longitudinal effects of baseline serum bilirubin concentrations on the development of type 2 diabetes in healthy Korean men. This 4 year retrospective longitudinal observational study was conducted at the Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea. The study population consisted of 5960 men without type 2 diabetes who underwent routine health examinations in 2007 (baseline) and 2011 (follow-up). Baseline serum bilirubin concentrations were determined by the vanadate oxidation method. During a 4 year period, 409 incident cases of diabetes (6.9 %) were identified. Incident type 2 diabetes decreased across the baseline bilirubin quartile categories (P for trend <0.001). In multivariable-adjusted model, the relative risk (RR) for the development of type 2 diabetes was significantly lower in the highest (i.e., 1.30-2.00 mg/dl) than in the lowest bilirubin quartile category (i.e., ≤ 0.90 mg/dl), even after adjustment for confounding variables (RR=0.69, 95% confidence interval 0.48-0.99, P for trend = 0.041). The results indicate that serum total bilirubin level may provide additional information for predicting future development of type 2 diabetes in healthy subjects. © 2013.

Prenatal alcohol exposure and childhood balance ability: findings from a UK birth cohort study

PubMed Central

Humphriss, Rachel; Hall, Amanda; May, Margaret; Zuccolo, Luisa; Macleod, John

2013-01-01

Objective To investigate the association of prenatal alcohol exposure with balance in10-year-old children. Design Population-based prospective longitudinal study. Setting Former Avon region of UK (Southwest England). Participants 6915 children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children who had a balance assessment at age 10 and had data on maternal alcohol consumption. Outcome measures 3 composite balance scores: dynamic balance (beam-walking), static balance eyes open, static balance eyes closed (heel-to-toe balance on a beam and standing on one leg, eyes open or closed). Results Most mothers (95.5%) consumed no-to-moderate amounts (3–7 glasses/week) of alcohol during pregnancy. Higher total-alcohol consumption was associated with maternal-social advantage, whereas binge drinking (≥4 units/day) and abstinence were associated with maternal social disadvantage. No evidence was found of an adverse effect of maternal-alcohol consumption on childhood balance. Higher maternal-alcohol use during pregnancy was generally associated with better offspring outcomes, with some specific effects appearing strong (static balance eyes open and moderate total alcohol exposure at 18 weeks, adjusted OR 1.23 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.49); static balance eyes closed and moderate total alcohol exposure at 18 weeks, adjusted OR 1.25 (95% CI 1.06 to 1.48). Similar results were found for both paternal and postnatal maternal alcohol exposure. A Mendelian-randomization approach was used to estimate the association between maternal genotype and offspring balance using the non-synonymous variant rs1229984*A (ADH1B) to proxy for lower maternal alcohol consumption; no strong associations were found between this genotype/proxy and offspring balance. Conclusions No evidence was found to indicate that moderate maternal alcohol consumption in this population sample had an adverse effect on offspring balance at age 10. An apparent beneficial effect of higher total maternal alcohol consumption on offspring balance appeared likely to reflect residual confounding. PMID:23794556

Hypercholesterolemia is associated with the apolipoprotein C-III (APOC3) genotype in children receiving HAART: an eight-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Rocco, Carlos A; Mecikovsky, Debora; Aulicino, Paula; Bologna, Rosa; Sen, Luisa; Mangano, Andrea

2012-01-01

Polymorphisms in apolipoprotein genes have shown to be predictors of plasma lipid levels in adult cohorts receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Our objective was to confirm the association between the APOC3 genotype and plasma lipid levels in an HIV-1-infected pediatric cohort exposed to HAART. A total of 130 HIV-1-infected children/adolescents that attended a reference center in Argentina were selected for an 8-year longitudinal study with retrospective data collection. Longitudinal measurements of plasma triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-C and LDL-C were analyzed under linear or generalized linear mixed models. The contribution of the APOC3 genotype at sites -482, -455 and 3238 to plasma lipid levels prediction was tested after adjusting for potential confounders. Four major APOC3 haplotypes were observed for sites -482/-455/3238, with estimated frequencies of 0.60 (C/T/C), 0.14 (T/C/C), 0.11 (C/C/C), and 0.11 (T/C/G). The APOC3 genotype showed a significant effect only for the prediction of total cholesterol levels (p<0.0001). However, the magnitude of the differences observed was dependent on the drug combination (p = 0.0007) and the drug exposure duration at the time of the plasma lipid measurement (p = 0.0002). A lower risk of hypercholesterolemia was predicted for double and triple heterozygous individuals, mainly at the first few months after the initiation of Ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor-based regimens. We report for the first time a significant contribution of the genotype to total cholesterol levels in a pediatric cohort under HAART. The genetic determination of APOC3 might have an impact on a large portion of HIV-1-infected children at the time of choosing the treatment regimens or on the counter-measures against the adverse effects of drugs.

Hypercholesterolemia Is Associated with the Apolipoprotein C-III (APOC3) Genotype in Children Receiving HAART: An Eight-Year Retrospective Study

PubMed Central

Rocco, Carlos A.; Mecikovsky, Debora; Aulicino, Paula; Bologna, Rosa; Sen, Luisa; Mangano, Andrea

2012-01-01

Polymorphisms in apolipoprotein genes have shown to be predictors of plasma lipid levels in adult cohorts receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Our objective was to confirm the association between the APOC3 genotype and plasma lipid levels in an HIV-1-infected pediatric cohort exposed to HAART. A total of 130 HIV-1-infected children/adolescents that attended a reference center in Argentina were selected for an 8-year longitudinal study with retrospective data collection. Longitudinal measurements of plasma triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-C and LDL-C were analyzed under linear or generalized linear mixed models. The contribution of the APOC3 genotype at sites −482, −455 and 3238 to plasma lipid levels prediction was tested after adjusting for potential confounders. Four major APOC3 haplotypes were observed for sites −482/−455/3238, with estimated frequencies of 0.60 (C/T/C), 0.14 (T/C/C), 0.11 (C/C/C), and 0.11 (T/C/G). The APOC3 genotype showed a significant effect only for the prediction of total cholesterol levels (p<0.0001). However, the magnitude of the differences observed was dependent on the drug combination (p = 0.0007) and the drug exposure duration at the time of the plasma lipid measurement (p = 0.0002). A lower risk of hypercholesterolemia was predicted for double and triple heterozygous individuals, mainly at the first few months after the initiation of Ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor-based regimens. We report for the first time a significant contribution of the genotype to total cholesterol levels in a pediatric cohort under HAART. The genetic determination of APOC3 might have an impact on a large portion of HIV-1-infected children at the time of choosing the treatment regimens or on the counter-measures against the adverse effects of drugs. PMID:22848358

Consumption of ultra-processed food and obesity: cross sectional results from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) cohort (2008-2010).

PubMed

Silva, Fernanda Marcelina; Giatti, Luana; de Figueiredo, Roberta Carvalho; Molina, Maria Del Carmen Bisi; de Oliveira Cardoso, Letícia; Duncan, Bruce Bartholow; Barreto, Sandhi Maria

2018-04-12

To verify if the intake of ultra-processed foods is associated with higher BMI and waist circumference (WC) among participants of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) cohort. Cross-sectional analysis of the ELSA-Brasil baseline (2008-2010). Dietary information obtained through an FFQ was classified according to characteristics of food processing (NOVA) and used to estimate the percentage energy contribution from ultra-processed foods (i.e. industrial formulations, elaborated from food processing, synthetic constituents and food additives) to individuals' total energy intake. BMI and WC and their respective cut-off points served as response variables. Associations were estimated through linear and multinomial logistic regression models, after adjusting for confounders and total energy intake. Six Brazilian capital cities, 2008-2010. Active and retired civil servants, aged 35-64 years, from universities and research organizations (n 8977). Ultra-processed foods accounted for 22·7 % of total energy intake. After adjustments, individuals in the fourth quartile of percentage energy contribution from ultra-processed foods presented (β; 95 % CI) a higher BMI (0·80; CI 0·53, 1·07 kg/m2) and WC (1·71; 1·02, 2·40 cm), and higher chances (OR; 95 % CI) of being overweight (1·31; 1·13, 1·51), obese (1·41; 1·18, 1·69) and having significantly increased WC (1·41; 1·20, 1·66), compared with those in the first quartile. All associations suggest a dose-response gradient. Results indicate the existence of associations between greater energy contribution from ultra-processed foods and higher BMI and WC, which are independent of total energy intake. These findings corroborate public policies designed to reduce the intake of this type of food.

Longitudinal Stability of Genetic and Environmental Influences on the Association between Diurnal Preference and Sleep Quality in Young Adult Twins and Siblings.

PubMed

Barclay, Nicola L; Rowe, Richard; O'Leary, Rachael; Bream, Danielle; Gregory, Alice M

2016-08-01

Overlapping genetic influences have been implicated in diurnal preference and subjective sleep quality. Our overall aim was to examine overlapping concurrent and longitudinal genetic and environmental effects on diurnal preference and sleep quality over ~5 years. Behavioral genetic analyses were performed on data from the longitudinal British G1219 study of young adult twins and nontwin siblings. A total of 1556 twins and siblings provided data on diurnal preference (Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire) and sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) at time 1 (mean age = 20.30 years, SD = 1.76; 62% female), and 862 participated at time 2 (mean age = 25.30 years, SD = 1.81; 66% female). Preference for eveningness was associated with poorer sleep quality at both time points (r = 0.25 [95% confidence intervals {CIs} = 0.20-0.30] and r = 0.21 [CI = 0.15-0.28]). There was substantial overlap in the genetic influences on diurnal preference and sleep quality individually, across time (genetic correlations [rAs]: 0.64 [95% CI = 0.59-0.67] and 0.48 [95% CI = 0.42-.053]). There were moderate genetic correlations between diurnal preference and sleep quality concurrently and longitudinally (rAs = 0.29-0.60). Nonshared environmental overlap was substantially smaller for all cross-phenotype associations (nonshared environmental correlations (rEs) = -0.02 to 0.08). All concurrent and longitudinal associations within and between phenotypes were largely accounted for by genetic factors (explaining between 60% and 100% of the associations). All shared environmental effects were nonsignificant. Nonshared environmental influences played a smaller role on the associations between phenotypes (explaining between -0.06% and 40% of the associations). These results suggest that to some extent, similar genes contribute to the stability of diurnal preference and sleep quality throughout young adulthood but also that different genes play a part over this relatively short time frame. While there was evidence of genetic overlap between phenotypes concurrently and longitudinally, the possible emergence of new genetic factors (or decline of previously associated factors) suggests that molecular genetic studies focusing on young adults should consider more tightly specified age groups, given that genetic effects may be time specific. © 2016 The Author(s).

Evaluation of the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score to predict type 2 diabetes mellitus in a Colombian population: A longitudinal observational study.

PubMed

Gomez-Arbelaez, Diego; Alvarado-Jurado, Laura; Ayala-Castillo, Miguel; Forero-Naranjo, Leonardo; Camacho, Paul Anthony; Lopez-Jaramillo, Patricio

2015-12-10

To assess the performance of the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC) questionnaire for detecting and predicting type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) in a Colombian population. This is a longitudinal observational study conducted in Floridablanca, Colombia. Adult subjects (age ≥ 35 years) without known diabetes, were included. A modified version of FINDRISC was completed, and the glycemia values from all the subjects were collected from the hospital's database. Firstly, a cross-sectional analysis was performed and then, the subsample of prediabetic participants was followed for diabetes incidence. A total of 772 subjects were suitable for the study. The overall prevalence of undiagnosed DM2 was 2.59%, and the incidence of DM2 among the prediabetic participants was 7.5 per 100 person-years after a total of 265257 person-years follow-up. The FINDRISC at baseline was significantly associated with undiagnosed and incident DM2. The area under receiver operating characteristics curve of the FINDRISC score for detecting undiagnosed DM2 in both men and women was 0.7477 and 0.7175, respectively; and for predicting the incidence of DM2 among prediabetics was 71.99% in men and 67.74% in women. The FINDRISC questionnaire is a useful screening tool to identify cross-sectionally unknown DM2 and to predict the incidence of DM2 among prediabetics in the Colombian population.

Vascular disease and risk factors are associated with cognitive decline in the alzheimer disease spectrum.

PubMed

Lorius, Natacha; Locascio, Joseph J; Rentz, Dorene M; Johnson, Keith A; Sperling, Reisa A; Viswanathan, Anand; Marshall, Gad A

2015-01-01

We investigated the relationship between vascular disease and risk factors versus cognitive decline cross-sectionally and longitudinally in normal older control, mild cognitive impairment, and mild Alzheimer disease (AD) dementia subjects. A total of 812 participants (229 normal older control, 395 mild cognitive impairment, 188 AD) underwent cognitive testing, brain magnetic resonance imaging, and clinical evaluations at baseline and over a period of 3 years. General linear, longitudinal mixed-effects, and Cox proportional hazards models were used. Greater homocysteine level and white matter hyperintensity volume were associated with processing speed impairment (homocysteine: P=0.02; white matter hyperintensity: P<0.0001); greater Vascular Index score was associated with memory impairment (P=0.007); and greater number of apolipoprotein E ε4 (APOE4) alleles was associated with global cognitive impairment (P=0.007) at baseline. Apolipoprotein E ε4 was associated with greater rate of increase in global cognitive impairment (P=0.002) and processing speed impairment (P=0.001) over time, whereas higher total cholesterol was associated with greater rate of increase in global cognitive impairment (P=0.02) and memory impairment (P=0.06) over time. These results suggest a significant association of increased vascular disease and risk factors with cognitive impairment at baseline and over time in the AD spectrum in a sample that was selected to have low vascular burden at baseline.

An alpha-synuclein MRM assay with diagnostic potential for Parkinson's disease and monitoring disease progression

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, Li; Stewart, Tessandra; Shi, Min

Aim: The alpha-synuclein (α-syn) level in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), as measured by immunoassays, is promising as a Parkinson’s disease (PD) biomarker. However, the levels of total α-syn are inconsistent among studies with large cohorts and different measurement platforms. Total α-syn level also does not correlate with disease severity or progression. Here, we developed a highly sensitive Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) method to measure absolute CSF α-syn peptide concentrations without prior enrichment or fractionation, aiming to discover new candidate biomarkers. Results: Six peptides covering 73% of protein sequence were reliably identified, and two were consistently quantified in cross-sectional and longitudinalmore » cohorts. Absolute concentration of α-syn in human CSF was determined to be 2.1ng/mL. A unique α-syn peptide, TVEGAGSIAAATGFVK (81-96), displayed excellent correlation with previous immunoassay results in two independent PD cohorts (p < 0.001), correlated with disease severity, and its changes significantly tracked the disease progression longitudinally. Conclusions: An MRM assay to quantify human CSF α-syn was developed and optimized. Sixty clinical samples from cross-sectional and longitudinal PD cohorts were analyzed with this approach. Although further larger-scale validation is needed, the results suggest that α-syn peptide could serve as a promising biomarker in PD diagnosis and progression.« less

School Year Versus Summer Differences in Child Weight Gain: A Narrative Review

PubMed Central

O'Connor, Teresia; Johnston, Craig; Hughes, Sheryl; Moreno, Jennette; Chen, Tzu-An; Meltzer, Lisa; Baranowski, Janice

2014-01-01

Abstract The causes of the current high prevalence of overweight and obesity among children are not clearly known. Schools have been implicated in the causal chain to high child obesity prevalence. Recent studies have compared school year versus summertime changes (herein called seasonal differences) in child adiposity or related phenomena. The most common seasonal pattern in six longitudinal descriptive studies was that overweight and obese children experienced accelerated gain in weight or some BMI indicator during the summer, whereas healthy weight children gained less or not at all. Four physical activity (PA) intervention studies demonstrated that school year fitness improvements were lost during the summer. One study showed that PA declined across the summer. Another study provided conflicting results of lower total energy expenditure in the summer, but no seasonal difference in total energy expenditure after adjusting for fat-free mass. This pattern of fairly rapid seasonal differences suggests that PA is the primary factor contributing to seasonal differences in weight or BMI, but the documented seasonal pattern in PA (i.e., higher in summer) does not support this relationship. Sleep duration has also been inversely related to child adiposity. Seasonal patterns in adiposity, PA, and sleep need to be clearly established separately for overweight and healthy weight children in further longitudinal research to provide a clear focus for national policy. PMID:24367922

Planning for Retirement: Longitudinal Effect on Retirement Resources and Post-retirement Well-being

PubMed Central

Yeung, Dannii Y.; Zhou, Xiaoyu

2017-01-01

Retirement is a major life event, and a positive adjustment to retirement is essential for maintaining physical and psychological well-being in later life. Previous research demonstrates that pre-retirement planning predicts post-retirement well-being. This study further explores the underlying mechanism between planning activities and post-retirement well-being. By applying the resource-based dynamic model (Wang et al., 2011), the present longitudinal study examines whether pre-retirement planning activities can increase the total resources of retirees, including tangible, mental and social resources, and consequently contribute to better psychological and physical well-being 1 year after actual retirement. A total of 118 Hong Kong Chinese retirees completed three assessments: Time 1 assessment was conducted 6 months before retirement, and Times 2 and 3 assessments were carried out 6 and 12 months, respectively, after retirement. Latent growth models were employed to examine changes in retirement resources and post-retirement well-being over time. Consistent with the proposition of the resource-based dynamic model, positive changes in well-being were observed in the retirees with increases in retirement resources between pre- and post-retirement phases. The results of the latent growth mediation models also support our prediction: retirees with more preparatory activities before retirement acquire greater resources at the initial stage, which contribute to positive changes in post-retirement well-being over time. PMID:28798716

Planning for Retirement: Longitudinal Effect on Retirement Resources and Post-retirement Well-being.

PubMed

Yeung, Dannii Y; Zhou, Xiaoyu

2017-01-01

Retirement is a major life event, and a positive adjustment to retirement is essential for maintaining physical and psychological well-being in later life. Previous research demonstrates that pre-retirement planning predicts post-retirement well-being. This study further explores the underlying mechanism between planning activities and post-retirement well-being. By applying the resource-based dynamic model (Wang et al., 2011), the present longitudinal study examines whether pre-retirement planning activities can increase the total resources of retirees, including tangible, mental and social resources, and consequently contribute to better psychological and physical well-being 1 year after actual retirement. A total of 118 Hong Kong Chinese retirees completed three assessments: Time 1 assessment was conducted 6 months before retirement, and Times 2 and 3 assessments were carried out 6 and 12 months, respectively, after retirement. Latent growth models were employed to examine changes in retirement resources and post-retirement well-being over time. Consistent with the proposition of the resource-based dynamic model, positive changes in well-being were observed in the retirees with increases in retirement resources between pre- and post-retirement phases. The results of the latent growth mediation models also support our prediction: retirees with more preparatory activities before retirement acquire greater resources at the initial stage, which contribute to positive changes in post-retirement well-being over time.

Outdoor temperature, precipitation, and wind speed affect physical activity levels in children: a longitudinal cohort study

PubMed Central

Edwards, Nicholas M.; Myer, Gregory D.; Kalkwarf, Heidi J.; Woo, Jessica G.; Khoury, Philip R.; Hewett, Timothy E.; Daniels, Stephen R.

2015-01-01

Objective Evaluate effects of local weather conditions on physical activity in early childhood. Methods Longitudinal prospective cohort study of 372 children, 3 years old at enrollment, drawn from a major US metropolitan community. Accelerometer-measured (RT3) physical activity was collected every 4 months over 5 years and matched with daily weather measures: day length, heating/cooling degrees (degrees mean temperature < 65°F or ≥ 65°F, respectively), wind, and precipitation. Mixed regression analyses, adjusted for repeated measures, were used to test the relationship between weather and physical activity. Results Precipitation and wind speed were negatively associated with total physical activity and moderate-vigorous physical activity (P<0.0001). Heating and cooling degrees were negatively associated with total physical activity and moderate-vigorous physical activity and positively associated with inactivity (all P<0.0001), independent of age, sex, race, BMI, day length, wind, and precipitation. For every 10 additional heating degrees there was a five-minute daily reduction in moderate-vigorous physical activity. For every additional 10 cooling degrees there was a 17-minute reduction in moderate-vigorous physical activity. Conclusions Inclement weather (higher/lower temperature, greater wind speed, more rain/snow) is associated with less physical activity in young children. These deleterious effects should be considered when planning physical activity research, interventions, and policies. PMID:25423667

Reducing diarrhoea in Guatemalan children: randomized controlled trial of flocculant-disinfectant for drinking-water.

PubMed

Chiller, Tom M; Mendoza, Carlos E; Lopez, M Beatriz; Alvarez, Maricruz; Hoekstra, Robert M; Keswick, Bruce H; Luby, Stephen P

2006-01-01

To examine the effect of a new point-of-use treatment for drinking-water, a commercially developed flocculant-disinfectant, on the prevalence of diarrhoea in children. We conducted a randomized controlled trial among 514 rural Guatemalan households, divided into 42 neighbourhood clusters, for 13 weeks, from 4 November 2002 through 31 January 2003. Clusters assigned to water treatment with the flocculant-disinfectant were compared with those using their usual water-handling practices. The longitudinal prevalence of diarrhoea was calculated as the proportion of total days with diarrhoea divided by the total number of days of observation. The prevalence of diarrhoea was compared using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. The 1702 people in households receiving the disinfectant had a prevalence of diarrhoea that was 40% lower than that among the 1699 people using standard water-handling practices (0.9% versus 1.5%; P = 0.001). In households using the flocculant-disinfectant, children < 1 year of age had a 39% lower prevalence of diarrhoea than those in households using their standard practices (3.7% versus 6.0%; P = 0.005). In settings where families rarely treat drinking-water, we introduced a novel flocculant-disinfectant that reduced the longitudinal prevalence of diarrhoea, especially among children aged < 1 year, among whom diarrhoea has been strongly associated with mortality. Successful introduction and use of this product could contribute to preventing diarrhoeal disease globally.

Longitudinal trends of total white blood cell and differential white blood cell counts of atomic bomb survivors.

PubMed

Hsu, Wan-Ling; Tatsukawa, Yoshimi; Neriishi, Kazuo; Yamada, Michiko; Cologne, John; Fujiwara, Saeko

2010-01-01

In studying the late health effects of atomic-bomb (A-bomb) survivors, earlier findings were that white blood cell (WBC) count increased with radiation dose in cross-sectional studies. However, a persistent effect of radiation on WBC count and other risk factors has yet to be confirmed. The objectives of the present study were 1) to examine the longitudinal relationship between A-bomb radiation dose and WBC and differential WBC counts among A-bomb survivors and 2) to investigate the potential confounding risk factors (such as age at exposure and smoking status) as well as modification of the radiation dose-response. A total of 7,562 A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were included in this study from 1964-2004. A linear mixed model was applied using the repeated WBC measurements. During the study period, a secular downward trend of WBC count was observed. Radiation exposure was a significant risk factor for elevated WBC and differential WBC counts over time. A significant increase of WBC counts among survivors with high radiation dose (> 2 Gy) was detected in men exposed below the age of 20 and in women regardless of age at exposure. Effects on WBC of low dose radiation remain unclear, however. Cigarette smoking produced the most pronounced effect on WBC counts and its impact was much larger than that of radiation exposure.

Evolution of the eastward shift in the quasi-stationary minimum of the Antarctic total ozone column

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grytsai, Asen; Klekociuk, Andrew; Milinevsky, Gennadi; Evtushevsky, Oleksandr; Stone, Kane

2017-02-01

The quasi-stationary pattern of the Antarctic total ozone has changed during the last 4 decades, showing an eastward shift in the zonal ozone minimum. In this work, the association between the longitudinal shift of the zonal ozone minimum and changes in meteorological fields in austral spring (September-November) for 1979-2014 is analyzed using ERA-Interim and NCEP-NCAR reanalyses. Regressive, correlative and anomaly composite analyses are applied to reanalysis data. Patterns of the Southern Annular Mode and quasi-stationary zonal waves 1 and 3 in the meteorological fields show relationships with interannual variability in the longitude of the zonal ozone minimum. On decadal timescales, consistent longitudinal shifts of the zonal ozone minimum and zonal wave 3 pattern in the middle-troposphere temperature at the southern midlatitudes are shown. Attribution runs of the chemistry-climate version of the Australian Community Climate and Earth System Simulator (ACCESS-CCM) model suggest that long-term shifts of the zonal ozone minimum are separately contributed by changes in ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases. As is known, Antarctic ozone depletion in spring is strongly projected on the Southern Annular Mode in summer and impacts summertime surface climate across the Southern Hemisphere. The results of this study suggest that changes in zonal ozone asymmetry accompanying ozone depletion could be associated with regional climate changes in the Southern Hemisphere in spring.

School year versus summer differences in child weight gain: a narrative review.

PubMed

Baranowski, Tom; O'Connor, Teresia; Johnston, Craig; Hughes, Sheryl; Moreno, Jennette; Chen, Tzu-An; Meltzer, Lisa; Baranowski, Janice

2014-02-01

The causes of the current high prevalence of overweight and obesity among children are not clearly known. Schools have been implicated in the causal chain to high child obesity prevalence. Recent studies have compared school year versus summertime changes (herein called seasonal differences) in child adiposity or related phenomena. The most common seasonal pattern in six longitudinal descriptive studies was that overweight and obese children experienced accelerated gain in weight or some BMI indicator during the summer, whereas healthy weight children gained less or not at all. Four physical activity (PA) intervention studies demonstrated that school year fitness improvements were lost during the summer. One study showed that PA declined across the summer. Another study provided conflicting results of lower total energy expenditure in the summer, but no seasonal difference in total energy expenditure after adjusting for fat-free mass. This pattern of fairly rapid seasonal differences suggests that PA is the primary factor contributing to seasonal differences in weight or BMI, but the documented seasonal pattern in PA (i.e., higher in summer) does not support this relationship. Sleep duration has also been inversely related to child adiposity. Seasonal patterns in adiposity, PA, and sleep need to be clearly established separately for overweight and healthy weight children in further longitudinal research to provide a clear focus for national policy.

Melting beneath Greenland outlet glaciers and ice streams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexander, David; Perrette, Mahé; Beckmann, Johanna

2015-04-01

Basal melting of fast-flowing Greenland outlet glaciers and ice streams due to frictional heating at the ice-bed interface contributes significantly to total glacier mass balance and subglacial meltwater flux, yet modelling this basal melt process in Greenland has received minimal research attention. A one-dimensional dynamic ice-flow model is calibrated to the present day longitudinal profiles of 10 major Greenland outlet glaciers and ice streams (including the Jakobshavn Isbrae, Petermann Glacier and Helheim Glacier) and is validated against published ice flow and surface elevation measurements. Along each longitudinal profile, basal melt is calculated as a function of ice flow velocity and basal shear stress. The basal shear stress is dependent on the effective pressure (difference between ice overburden pressure and water pressure), basal roughness and a sliding parametrization. Model output indicates that where outlet glaciers and ice streams terminate into the ocean with either a small floating ice tongue or no floating tongue whatsoever, the proportion of basal melt to total melt (surface, basal and submarine melt) is 5-10% (e.g. Jakobshavn Isbrae; Daugaard-Jensen Glacier). This proportion is, however, negligible where larger ice tongues lose mass mostly by submarine melt (~1%; e.g. Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden Glacier). Modelled basal melt is highest immediately upvalley of the grounding line, with contributions typically up to 20-40% of the total melt for slippery beds and up to 30-70% for resistant beds. Additionally, modelled grounding line and calving front migration inland for all outlet glaciers and ice streams of hundreds of metres to several kilometres occurs. Including basal melt due to frictional heating in outlet glacier and ice stream models is important for more accurately modelling mass balance and subglacial meltwater flux, and therefore, more accurately modelling outlet glacier and ice stream dynamics and responses to future climate change.

Longitudinal analysis of quality of life, clinical, radiographic, echocardiographic, and laboratory variables in dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease receiving pimobendan or benazepril: the QUEST study.

PubMed

Häggström, J; Boswood, A; O'Grady, M; Jöns, O; Smith, S; Swift, S; Borgarelli, M; Gavaghan, B; Kresken, J-G; Patteson, M; Åblad, B; Bussadori, C M; Glaus, T; Kovačević, A; Rapp, M; Santilli, R A; Tidholm, A; Eriksson, A; Belanger, M C; Deinert, M; Little, C J L; Kvart, C; French, A; Rønn-Landbo, M; Wess, G; Eggertsdottir, A; Lynne O'Sullivan, M; Schneider, M; Lombard, C W; Dukes-McEwan, J; Willis, R; Louvet, A; DiFruscia, R

2013-01-01

Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in dogs. To compare, throughout the period of follow-up of dogs that had not yet reached the primary endpoint, the longitudinal effects of pimobendan versus benazepril hydrochloride treatment on quality-of-life (QoL) variables, concomitant congestive heart failure (CHF) treatment, and other outcome variables in dogs suffering from CHF secondary to MMVD. A total of 260 dogs in CHF because of MMVD. A prospective single-blinded study with dogs randomized to receive pimobendan (0.4-0.6 mg/kg/day) or benazepril hydrochloride (0.25-1.0 mg/kg/day). Differences in outcome variables and time to intensification of CHF treatment were compared. A total of 124 dogs were randomized to pimobendan and 128 to benazepril. No difference was found between groups in QoL variables during the trial. Time from inclusion to 1st intensification of CHF treatment was longer in the pimobendan group (pimobendan 98 days, IQR 30-276 days versus benazepril 59 days, IQR 11-121 days; P = .0005). Postinclusion, dogs in the pimobendan group had smaller heart size based on VHS score (P = .013) and left ventricular diastolic (P = .035) and systolic (P = .0044) dimensions, higher body temperature (P = .030), serum sodium (P = .0027), and total protein (P = .0003) concentrations, and packed cell volume (P = .030). Incidence of arrhythmias was similar in treatment groups. Pimobendan versus benazepril resulted in similar QoL during the study, but conferred increased time before intensification of CHF treatment. Pimobendan treatment resulted in smaller heart size, higher body temperature, and less retention of free water. Copyright © 2013 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Accelerated Optical Projection Tomography Applied to In Vivo Imaging of Zebrafish

PubMed Central

Correia, Teresa; Yin, Jun; Ramel, Marie-Christine; Andrews, Natalie; Katan, Matilda; Bugeon, Laurence; Dallman, Margaret J.; McGinty, James; Frankel, Paul; French, Paul M. W.; Arridge, Simon

2015-01-01

Optical projection tomography (OPT) provides a non-invasive 3-D imaging modality that can be applied to longitudinal studies of live disease models, including in zebrafish. Current limitations include the requirement of a minimum number of angular projections for reconstruction of reasonable OPT images using filtered back projection (FBP), which is typically several hundred, leading to acquisition times of several minutes. It is highly desirable to decrease the number of required angular projections to decrease both the total acquisition time and the light dose to the sample. This is particularly important to enable longitudinal studies, which involve measurements of the same fish at different time points. In this work, we demonstrate that the use of an iterative algorithm to reconstruct sparsely sampled OPT data sets can provide useful 3-D images with 50 or fewer projections, thereby significantly decreasing the minimum acquisition time and light dose while maintaining image quality. A transgenic zebrafish embryo with fluorescent labelling of the vasculature was imaged to acquire densely sampled (800 projections) and under-sampled data sets of transmitted and fluorescence projection images. The under-sampled OPT data sets were reconstructed using an iterative total variation-based image reconstruction algorithm and compared against FBP reconstructions of the densely sampled data sets. To illustrate the potential for quantitative analysis following rapid OPT data acquisition, a Hessian-based method was applied to automatically segment the reconstructed images to select the vasculature network. Results showed that 3-D images of the zebrafish embryo and its vasculature of sufficient visual quality for quantitative analysis can be reconstructed using the iterative algorithm from only 32 projections—achieving up to 28 times improvement in imaging speed and leading to total acquisition times of a few seconds. PMID:26308086

Impact of long-term burden of excessive adiposity and elevated blood pressure from childhood on adulthood left ventricular remodeling patterns: the Bogalusa Heart Study.

PubMed

Lai, Chin-Chih; Sun, Dianjianyi; Cen, Ruiqi; Wang, Jian; Li, Shengxu; Fernandez-Alonso, Camilo; Chen, Wei; Srinivasan, Sathanur R; Berenson, Gerald S

2014-10-14

Cardiovascular risk factors are associated with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), but little is known regarding related impact of longitudinal measures of childhood adiposity and LV hemodynamic variables. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of cumulative long-term burden and trends of excessive adiposity and elevated blood pressure (BP) during childhood on adulthood LVH and LV geometric remodeling patterns. This longitudinal study consisted of 1,061 adults, age 24 to 46 years, who had been examined 4 or more times for body mass index (BMI) and BP starting in childhood, with a mean follow-up of 28.0 years. The area under the curve (AUC) was calculated as a measure of long-term burden (total AUC) and trends (incremental AUC) of BMI and BP from childhood to adulthood. Four LV geometric types were defined-normal, concentric remodeling (CR), eccentric hypertrophy (EH), and concentric hypertrophy (CH)-all on the basis of LV mass indexed for body height (m(2.7)) and relative wall thickness. Higher values of BMI and systolic and diastolic BP in childhood and adulthood, as well as total AUC and incremental AUC, were all significantly associated with higher LV mass index and LVH, adjusted for race, sex, and age. In addition, higher values of BMI and BP in childhood and adulthood, total AUC, and incremental AUC were significantly associated with EH and CH but not with CR. Importantly, all of these measures of BMI had a consistently and significantly greater influence on EH than did measures of BP. These findings indicate that the adverse influence of excessive adiposity and elevated BP levels on LVH begins in childhood. Copyright © 2014 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of maternal smoking during pregnancy on offspring's cognitive ability: empirical evidence for complete confounding in the US national longitudinal survey of youth.

PubMed

Batty, G David; Der, Geoff; Deary, Ian J

2006-09-01

Numerous studies have reported that maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy is related to lower IQ scores in the offspring. Confounding is a crucial issue in interpreting this association. In the US National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, IQ was ascertained serially during childhood using the Peabody Individual Achievement Test, the total score for which comprises results on 3 subtests: mathematics, reading comprehension, and reading recognition. Maternal IQ was assessed by using the Armed Forces Qualification Test. There were 5578 offspring (born to 3145 mothers) with complete information for maternal smoking habits, total Peabody Individual Achievement Test score, and covariates. The offspring of mothers who smoked > or = 1 pack of cigarettes per day during pregnancy had an IQ score (Peabody Individual Achievement Test total) that was, on average, 2.87 points lower than children born to nonsmoking mothers. Separate control for maternal education (0.27-IQ-point decrement) and, to a lesser degree, maternal IQ (1.51-IQ-point decrement) led to marked attenuation of the maternal-smoking-offspring-IQ relation. A similar pattern of results was seen when Peabody Individual Achievement Test subtest results were the outcomes of interest. The only exception was the Peabody Individual Achievement Test mathematics score, in which adjusting for maternal IQ essentially led to complete attenuation of the maternal-smoking-offspring-IQ gradient (0.66-IQ-point decrement). The impact of controlling for physical, behavioral, and other social indices was much less pronounced than for maternal education or IQ. These findings suggest that previous studies that did not adjust for maternal education and/or IQ may have overestimated the association of maternal smoking with offspring cognitive ability.

Is the quality of donated semen deteriorating? Findings from a 15 year longitudinal analysis of weekly sperm samples.

PubMed

Haimov-Kochman, Ronit; Har-Nir, Ruth; Ein-Mor, Eliana; Ben-Shoshan, Vered; Greenfield, Caryn; Eldar, Ido; Bdolah, Yuval; Hurwitz, Arye

2012-06-01

Studies suggest that global semen quality is declining, but the debate remains open owing to geographic variation. To evaluate temporal trends of sperm parameters - namely concentration, motility and total motile sperm count - in sperm donated during the period 1995-2009. In a retrospective longitudinal cohort study we analyzed the sperm count and motility of 2182 semen samples provided on a weekly basis by 58 young, healthy, fertile, university-educated, paid donors. Despite the lowering of criteria for sperm parameters satisfactory for donation that were implemented in 2004, 38% of applicants for sperm donation are now rejected based on semen quality as compared to a third of applicants 10-15 years ago (P < 0.001). If the old strict criteria were in place 88% of candidates would be rejected today (P < 0.0001). Over the study period, the average sperm parameters dropped from a concentration of 106 +/- 25 million spermatozoa/ml with 79% +/- 4.3% motility to 68 +/- 14 million/ ml with 66% +/- 4.5% motile sperm (P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, respectively). The total motile sperm count per ejaculate also decreased, from 66.4 +/- 18.2 million to 48.7 +/- 12 million (P < 0.005). When the previous criteria were implemented for the analysis of the latest group of sperm donors, only 18% of donors had an acceptable sperm quality, with an average concentration of 87 +/- 12 million spermatozoa/ml, 73% +/- 2.6% motile sperm and total motile sperm count of 53.1 +/- 3.8 million per ejaculate - still significantly lower than 15 years ago (P= 0.01, P= 0.003, P= 0.058 respectively). The rapid deterioration of sperm quality among fertile semen donors is alarming and may lead to cessation of sperm donation programs.

Neurochemical alterations in methamphetamine-dependent patients treated with cytidine-5'-diphosphate choline: a longitudinal proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

PubMed

Yoon, Sujung J; Lyoo, In Kyoon; Kim, Hengjun J; Kim, Tae-Suk; Sung, Young Hoon; Kim, Namkug; Lukas, Scott E; Renshaw, Perry F

2010-04-01

Cytidine-5'-diphosphate choline (CDP-choline), as an important intermediate for major membrane phospholipids, may exert neuroprotective effects in various neurodegenerative disorders. This longitudinal proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) study aimed to examine whether a 4-week CDP-choline treatment could alter neurometabolite levels in patients with methamphetamine (MA) dependence and to investigate whether changes in neurometabolite levels would be associated with MA use. We hypothesized that the prefrontal levels of N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), a neuronal marker, and choline-containing compound (Cho), which are related to membrane turnover, would increase with CDP-choline treatment in MA-dependent patients. We further hypothesized that this increase would correlate with the total number of negative urine results. Thirty-one treatment seekers with MA dependence were randomly assigned to receive CDP-choline (n=16) or placebo (n=15) for 4 weeks. Prefrontal NAA and Cho levels were examined using (1)H-MRS before medication, and at 2 and 4 weeks after treatment. Generalized estimating equation regression analyses showed that the rate of change in prefrontal NAA (p=0.005) and Cho (p=0.03) levels were greater with CDP-choline treatment than with placebo. In the CDP-choline-treated patients, changes in prefrontal NAA levels were positively associated with the total number of negative urine results (p=0.03). Changes in the prefrontal Cho levels, however, were not associated with the total number of negative urine results. These preliminary findings suggest that CDP-choline treatment may exert potential neuroprotective effects directly or indirectly because of reductions in drug use by the MA-dependent patients. Further studies with a larger sample size of MA-dependent patients are warranted to confirm a long-term efficacy of CDP-choline in neuroprotection and abstinence.

Fermented dairy products consumption is associated with attenuated cortical bone loss independently of total calcium, protein, and energy intakes in healthy postmenopausal women.

PubMed

Biver, E; Durosier-Izart, C; Merminod, F; Chevalley, T; van Rietbergen, B; Ferrari, S L; Rizzoli, R

2018-05-03

A longitudinal analysis of bone microstructure in postmenopausal women of the Geneva Retirees Cohort indicates that age-related cortical bone loss is attenuated at non-bearing bone sites in fermented dairy products consumers, not in milk or ripened cheese consumers, independently of total energy, calcium, or protein intakes. Fermented dairy products (FDP), including yogurts, provide calcium, phosphorus, and proteins together with prebiotics and probiotics, all being potentially beneficial for bone. In this prospective cohort study, we investigated whether FDP, milk, or ripened cheese consumptions influence age-related changes of bone mineral density (BMD) and microstructure. Dietary intakes were assessed at baseline and after 3.0 ± 0.5 years with a food frequency questionnaire in 482 postmenopausal women enrolled in the Geneva Retirees Cohort. Cortical (Ct) and trabecular (Tb) volumetric (v) BMD and microstructure at the distal radius and tibia were assessed by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computerized tomography, in addition to areal (a) BMD and body composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, at the same time points. At baseline, FDP consumers had lower abdominal fat mass and larger bone size at the radius and tibia. Parathyroid hormone and β-carboxyterminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen levels were inversely correlated with FDP consumption. In the longitudinal analysis, FDP consumption (mean of the two assessments) was associated with attenuated loss of radius total vBMD and of Ct vBMD, area, and thickness. There was no difference in aBMD and at the tibia. These associations were independent of total energy, calcium, or protein intakes. For other dairy products categories, only milk consumption was associated with lower decrease of aBMD and of failure load at the radius. In this prospective cohort of healthy postmenopausal women, age-related Ct bone loss was attenuated at non-bearing bone sites in FDP consumers, not in milk or ripened cheese consumers, independently of total energy, calcium, or protein intakes. ISRCTN11865958 ( http://www.isrctn.com ).

Paid and unpaid working hours among Swedish men and women in relation to depressive symptom trajectories: results from four waves of the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health.

PubMed

Peristera, Paraskevi; Westerlund, Hugo; Magnusson Hanson, Linda L

2018-06-07

Long working hours and unpaid work are possible risk factors for depressive symptoms. However, little is known about how working hours influence the course of depressive symptoms. This study examined the influence of paid, unpaid working hours and total working hours on depressive symptoms trajectories. The study was based on data from four waves of the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH 2008-2014). We applied group-based trajectory modelling in order to identify trajectories of depressive symptoms and studied paid and unpaid working hours and total working hours as risk factors. Six trajectory groups were identified with symptoms: 'very low stable', 'low stable', 'doubtful increasing', 'high decreasing', 'mild decreasing' and 'high stable'. More time spent on unpaid work was associated with the 'low stable' (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.30) and the 'high stable (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.18 to 1.65) symptom trajectories compared with being in the 'very low stable' symptom group. In addition, more total working hours was associated with a higher probability of having 'high decreasing' (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.48) and 'high stable' (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.47) symptoms, when adjusting for sex, age, civil status and socioeconomic status. The results, however, differed somewhat for men and women. More unpaid working hours was more clearly associated with higher symptom trajectories among women. More total working hours was associated with 'high stable' symptoms among women only. This study supported heterogeneous individual patterns of depressive symptoms over time among the Swedish working population. The results also indicate that a higher burden of unpaid work and longer total working hours, which indicate a double burden from paid and unpaid work, may be associated with higher depressive symptom trajectories, especially among women. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

A Longitudinal Study of Peripubertal Serum Organochlorine Concentrations and Semen Parameters in Young Men: The Russian Children's Study.

PubMed

Mínguez-Alarcón, Lidia; Sergeyev, Oleg; Burns, Jane S; Williams, Paige L; Lee, Mary M; Korrick, Susan A; Smigulina, Luidmila; Revich, Boris; Hauser, Russ

2017-03-01

Exposures to endocrine-disrupting chemicals during critical phases of testicular development may be related to poorer semen parameters. However, few studies have assessed the association between childhood organochlorine (OC) exposure and adult semen parameters. We examined whether peripubertal serum OC concentrations are associated with semen parameters among young Russian men. From 2003 through 2005, 516 boys were enrolled at age 8-9 years and followed for up to 10 years. Serum OCs were measured in the enrollment samples using high-resolution mass spectrometry. At 18-19 years, 133 young men provided 1 or 2 semen samples (256 samples) collected approximately 1 week apart, which were analyzed for volume, sperm concentration, and motility. Unadjusted and adjusted linear mixed models were used to examine the associations of quartiles of lipid-standardized concentrations of dioxins [2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p -dioxin (TCDD), polychlorinated dibenzo- p -dioxins (PCDDs)], furans, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and corresponding toxic equivalents (TEQs) with semen parameters. The median (range) for TCDD was 2.9 (0.4-12.1) pg/g lipid and PCDD TEQ was 8.7 (1.0-36.0) pg TEQ/g lipid. Higher quartiles of TCDD and PCDD TEQs were associated with lower sperm concentration, total sperm count, and total motile sperm count ( p -trends ≤ 0.05). The highest quartile of peripubertal serum TCDD concentrations was associated with a decrease (95% CI) of 40% (18, 66%), 29% (3, 64%), and 30% (2, 70%) in sperm concentration, total sperm count, and total motile sperm count, respectively, compared with the lowest quartile. Similar associations were observed for serum PCDD TEQs with semen parameters. Serum PCBs, furans, and total TEQs were not associated with semen parameters. Higher peripubertal serum TCDD concentrations and PCDD TEQs were associated with poorer semen parameters. Citation: Mínguez-Alarcón L, Sergeyev O, Burns JS, Williams PL, Lee MM, Korrick SA, Smigulina L, Revich B, Hauser R. 2017. A longitudinal study of peripubertal serum organochlorine concentrations and semen parameters in young men: the Russian Children's Study. Environ Health Perspect 125:460-466; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP25.

Independent and joint effects of sedentary time and cardiorespiratory fitness on all-cause mortality: the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study

PubMed Central

Shuval, Kerem; Finley, Carrie E; Barlow, Carolyn E; Nguyen, Binh T; Njike, Valentine Y; Pettee Gabriel, Kelley

2015-01-01

Objectives To examine the independent and joint effects of sedentary time and cardiorespiratory fitness (fitness) on all-cause mortality. Design, setting, participants A prospective study of 3141 Cooper Center Longitudinal Study participants. Participants provided information on television (TV) viewing and car time in 1982 and completed a maximal exercise test during a 1-year time frame; they were then followed until mortality or through 2010. TV viewing, car time, total sedentary time and fitness were the primary exposures and all-cause mortality was the outcome. The relationship between the exposures and outcome was examined utilising Cox proportional hazard models. Results A total of 581 deaths occurred over a median follow-up period of 28.7 years (SD=4.4). At baseline, participants’ mean age was 45.0 years (SD=9.6), 86.5% were men and their mean body mass index was 24.6 (SD=3.0). Multivariable analyses revealed a significant linear relationship between increased fitness and lower mortality risk, even while adjusting for total sedentary time and covariates (p=0.02). The effects of total sedentary time on increased mortality risk did not quite reach statistical significance once fitness and covariates were adjusted for (p=0.05). When examining this relationship categorically, in comparison to the reference category (≤10 h/week), being sedentary for ≥23 h weekly increased mortality risk by 29% without controlling for fitness (HR=1.29, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.63); however, once fitness and covariates were taken into account this relationship did not reach statistical significance (HR=1.20, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.51). Moreover, spending >10 h in the car weekly significantly increased mortality risk by 27% in the fully adjusted model. The association between TV viewing and mortality was not significant. Conclusions The relationship between total sedentary time and higher mortality risk is less pronounced when fitness is taken into account. Increased car time, but not TV viewing, is significantly related to higher mortality risk, even when taking fitness into account, in this cohort. PMID:26525421

Longitudinal relations of television, electronic games, and digital versatile discs with changes in diet in adolescents.

PubMed

Falbe, Jennifer; Willett, Walter C; Rosner, Bernard; Gortmaker, Steve L; Sonneville, Kendrin R; Field, Alison E

2014-10-01

Youth spend more time with screens than any activity except sleeping. Screen time is a risk factor for obesity, possibly because of the influence of food and beverage advertising on diet. We sought to assess longitudinal relations of screen time [ie, television, electronic games, digital versatile discs (DVDs)/videos, and total screen time] with the 2-y changes in consumption of foods of low nutritional quality (FLNQ) that are commonly advertised on screens [ie, sugar-sweetened beverages, fast food, sweets, salty snacks, and the sum of these foods (total FLNQ)] and fruit and vegetables. With the use of 2004, 2006, and 2008 waves of the Growing Up Today Study II, which consisted of a cohort of 6002 female and 4917 male adolescents aged 9-16 y in 2004, we assessed screen time (change and baseline) in relation to the 2-y dietary changes. Regression models included 4604 girls and 3668 boys with complete screen time and diet data on ≥2 consecutive questionnaires. Each hour-per-day increase in television, electronic games, and DVDs/videos was associated with increased intake of total FLNQ (range: 0.10-0.28 servings/d; P < 0.05). Each hour-per-day increase in total screen time predicted increased intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages, fast food, sweets, and salty snacks (range: 0.02-0.06 servings/d; P < 0.001) and decreased intakes of fruit and vegetables (range: -0.05 to -0.02 servings/d; P < 0.05). Greater screen time at baseline (except electronic games in boys) was associated with subsequent increased intake of total FLNQ, and greater screen time at baseline (except DVDs/videos) was associated with decreased intake of fruit and vegetables (P < 0.05). Across sex and food groups and in sensitivity analyses, television was most consistently associated with dietary changes. Increases in screen time were associated with increased consumption of foods and beverages of low nutritional quality and decreased consumption of fruit and vegetables. Our results caution against excessive use of screen media, especially television, in youth. © 2014 American Society for Nutrition.

Changes in dental plaque following hospitalisation in a critical care unit: an observational study.

PubMed

Sachdev, Mishal; Ready, Derren; Brealey, David; Ryu, Jung; Bercades, Georgia; Nagle, Janette; Borja-Boluda, Susana; Agudo, Elisa; Petrie, Aviva; Suvan, Jean; Donos, Nikos; Singer, Mervyn; Needleman, Ian

2013-09-04

Previous research has suggested that deterioration in oral health can occur following hospitalisation. The impact of such deterioration could increase the risk of oral disease, reduce quality of life and increase the potential for healthcare-associated infections (HCAI) such as healthcare-associated pneumonia (HAP). However, the strength of the evidence is limited by, amongst other factors, the few observational studies published that assess oral health longitudinally. In view of the microbiological component of oral diseases and HCAIs, the objective of this study was to investigate the microbiological changes in dental plaque following hospitalisation in a Critical Care Unit (CCU): (1) total number of cultivable bacteria and (2) presence and changes in specific HAP pathogens. We conducted a prospective, longitudinal observational study in the CCU of University College Hospital, London. Study participants were recruited within 24 hours of admission. Dental plaque samples were collected from up to six sites per patient. The primary outcome was microbiological change from baseline to seven days with additional analysis for participants still present at day 14. 50 patients were recruited with 36 available for review at one week, with early discharge accounting for much of the loss to follow-up. The median total viable count of the plaque microbiota at baseline was 4.40 × 105 cfu/ml and increased at week one to 3.44 × 106 cfu/ml. The total viable microbe counts increased by a median of 2.26 × 106 cfu/ml from baseline to week one (95% CI: 3.19 × 106, 1.24 × 107) and this was statistically significant (P < 0.01). Specific HAP bacteria were detected in 26% of participants sampled, although accounted for a relatively low proportion of the total viable bacteria. Total bacterial count of dental plaque increases during hospitalisation in CCU. This finding, together with the colonisation of dental plaque by HAP bacteria strengthens the evidence for a deterioration in oral health in CCU and a risk factor for negative health and quality of life outcomes.

Changes in dental plaque following hospitalisation in a critical care unit: an observational study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Introduction Previous research has suggested that deterioration in oral health can occur following hospitalisation. The impact of such deterioration could increase the risk of oral disease, reduce quality of life and increase the potential for healthcare-associated infections (HCAI) such as healthcare-associated pneumonia (HAP). However, the strength of the evidence is limited by, amongst other factors, the few observational studies published that assess oral health longitudinally. In view of the microbiological component of oral diseases and HCAIs, the objective of this study was to investigate the microbiological changes in dental plaque following hospitalisation in a Critical Care Unit (CCU): (1) total number of cultivable bacteria and (2) presence and changes in specific HAP pathogens. Methods We conducted a prospective, longitudinal observational study in the CCU of University College Hospital, London. Study participants were recruited within 24 hours of admission. Dental plaque samples were collected from up to six sites per patient. The primary outcome was microbiological change from baseline to seven days with additional analysis for participants still present at day 14. Results 50 patients were recruited with 36 available for review at one week, with early discharge accounting for much of the loss to follow-up. The median total viable count of the plaque microbiota at baseline was 4.40 × 105 cfu/ml and increased at week one to 3.44 × 106 cfu/ml. The total viable microbe counts increased by a median of 2.26 × 106 cfu/ml from baseline to week one (95% CI: 3.19 × 106, 1.24 × 107) and this was statistically significant (P < 0.01). Specific HAP bacteria were detected in 26% of participants sampled, although accounted for a relatively low proportion of the total viable bacteria. Conclusion Total bacterial count of dental plaque increases during hospitalisation in CCU. This finding, together with the colonisation of dental plaque by HAP bacteria strengthens the evidence for a deterioration in oral health in CCU and a risk factor for negative health and quality of life outcomes. PMID:24007571

Design of a portable artificial heart drive system based on efficiency analysis.

PubMed

Kitamura, T

1986-11-01

This paper discusses a computer simulation of a pneumatic portable piston-type artificial heart drive system with a linear d-c-motor. The purpose of the design is to obtain an artificial heart drive system with high efficiency and small dimensions to enhance portability. The design employs two factors contributing the total efficiency of the drive system. First, the dimensions of the pneumatic actuator were optimized under a cost function of the total efficiency. Second, the motor performance was studied in terms of efficiency. More than 50 percent of the input energy of the actuator with practical loads is consumed in the armature circuit in all linear d-c-motors with brushes. An optimal design is: the piston cross-sectional area of 10.5 cm2 cylinder longitudinal length of 10 cm. The total efficiency could be up to 25 percent by improving the gasket to reduce the frictional force.

Pitot-Pressure Measurements in Flow Fields Behind a Rectangular Nozzle with Exhaust Jet for Free-Stream Mach Numbers of 0.00, 0.60, and 1.20

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Putnam, L. E.; Mercer, C. E.

1986-01-01

An investigation has been conducted in the Langley 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel to measure the flow field in and around the jet exhaust from a nonaxisymmetric nozzle configuration. The nozzle had a rectangular exit with a width-to-height ratio of 2.38. Pitot-pressure measurements were made at five longitudinal locations downstream of the nozzle exit. The maximum distance downstream of the exit was about 5 nozzle heights. These measurements were made at free-stream Mach numbers of 0.00, 0.60, and 1.20 with the nozzle operating at a ratio of nozzle total pressure to free-stream static pressure of 4.0. The jet exhaust was simulated with high-pressure air that had an exit total temperature essentially equal to the free-stream total temperature.

Establishing a Multicenter Longitudinal Clinical Cohort Study in Ethiopia: Advanced Clinical Monitoring of Antiretroviral Treatment Project.

PubMed

Teklu, Alula M; Tsegaye, Eyuel; Fekade, Daniel; Hailemelak, Abraham; Weiss, William; Hassen, Elham; Simmons, Nicole; Zewdu, Solomon; Berhan, Yifru; Getachew, Assefa; Hagos, Tesfalem; Alebachew, Achamyeleh; Damena, Melake; Sitotaw, Yohannes; Assefa, Yibeltal; Medhin, Girmay; Ruff, Andrea

2017-02-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe the establishment of the Advanced Clinical Monitoring of ART Project in Ethiopia for monitoring and evaluation of the longitudinal effectiveness of the ART program and to show the opportunities it presents. This cohort was established in response to the 2005 call by WHO for establishing additional mechanisms for stronger monitoring of ART and the need for creating the platform to generate evidence to guide the care given for the ever increasing number of patients on ART in Ethiopia. A participatory and multi-stage process which started from a consensus building workshop and steered by a mother protocol as well as guiding documents which dictated the degree of engagement and expectations was followed. The primary and secondary aims of the study were agreed upon. A multi-site longitudinal observational clinical cohort was established by a consortium of stakeholders including seven Ethiopian medical schools and their affiliated referral hospitals, John Hopkins University, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Ministry of Science and Technology, US Centers for Disease Prevention and Control - CDC-Ethiopia, and the Federal Ministry of Health. Adult and adolescent cohorts covering the age range of 14+ years) and pediatric cohorts covering those below age 14 years were the two main cohorts. During the initial recruitment of these cohorts information was extracted from existing documents for a total of 2,100 adult participants. In parallel, a prospective cohort of 1,400 adult and adolescent patients were enrolled for ART initiation and follow-up. Using similar recruitment procedures, a total of 120 children were enrolled in each of retrospective and prospective cohorts. Replacement of participants were made in subsequent years based on lost follow up and death rates to maintain adequacy of the sample to be followed-up. Between January 2005 and August 2013 a total of 4,339 patients were followed for a median of 41.6 months and data on demographic characteristics, baseline and ongoing clinical features, hospitalization history, medication and laboratory information were collected. 39,762 aliquots and 25,515 specimens of plasma and dryblood-spots respectively were obtained and stored longitudinally from October 2009 to August 2013. The project created a research platform for researchers, policy and decision makers. Moreover, it encouraged local and international investigators to identify and answer clinically and programmatically relevant research questions using the available data and specimens. Calls for concept notes paired with multiple trainings to stimulate investigators to conduct analyses further boosted the potential for doing research. A comprehensive and resourceful mechanism for scientific inquiry was established to support the national HIV/ART program. With meaningful involvement and defined roles, establishment of a study, which involved multiple institutions and investigators, was possible. Since ACM is the largest multi-site clinical cohort of patients on antiretroviral treatment in Ethiopia-which can be used for research and for improving clinical management-considering options to sustain the project is crucial.

Immediate and Longitudinal Alterations of Functional Networks after Thalamotomy in Essential Tremor

PubMed Central

Jang, Changwon; Park, Hae-Jeong; Chang, Won Seok; Pae, Chongwon; Chang, Jin Woo

2016-01-01

Thalamotomy at the ventralis intermedius nucleus has been an effective treatment method for essential tremor, but how the brain network changes immediately responding to this deliberate lesion and then reorganizes afterwards are not clear. Taking advantage of a non-cranium-opening MRI-guided focused ultrasound ablation technique, we investigated functional network changes due to a focal lesion. To classify the diverse time courses of those network changes with respect to symptom-related long-lasting treatment effects and symptom-unrelated transient effects, we applied graph-theoretic analyses to longitudinal resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data before and 1 day, 7 days, and 3 months after thalamotomy with essential tremor. We found reduced average connections among the motor-related areas, reduced connectivity between substantia nigra and external globus pallidum and reduced total connection in the thalamus after thalamotomy, which are all associated with clinical rating scales. The average connectivity among whole brain regions and inter-hemispheric network asymmetry show symptom-unrelated transient increases, indicating temporary reconfiguration of the whole brain network. In summary, thalamotomy regulates interactions over the motor network via symptom-related connectivity changes but accompanies transient, symptom-unrelated diaschisis in the global brain network. This study suggests the significance of longitudinal network analysis, combined with minimal-invasive treatment techniques, in understanding time-dependent diaschisis in the brain network due to a focal lesion. PMID:27822200

Ecstasy use and depression: a 4-year longitudinal study among an Australian general community sample.

PubMed

George, Amanda M; Olesen, Sarah; Tait, Robert J

2013-10-01

Longitudinal, population-based studies can better assess the relationship of ecstasy use with depression. We examined whether change in ecstasy use was associated with change in depressive symptoms/probable depression over a 4-year period, among a large Australian sample. The Personality and Total Health project is a longitudinal general community study of Australians from Canberra and Queanbeyan. Data from the youngest cohort when aged 24-30 (N = 2, 128) and 4 years later (N = 1, 977) was included. The Goldberg depression scale and the Brief Patient Health Questionnaire measured depressive symptoms and probable depression, respectively. Multilevel growth models also considered demographics, psychosocial characteristics, and other drug use. Ecstasy use was not associated with long-term depressive symptoms or greater odds of depression in multivariate analyses. Users had more self-reported depressive symptoms when using ecstasy compared to not using. However, differences between people who had and had not ever used ecstasy largely accounted for this. Other factors were more important in the prediction of depression. It would be premature to conclude that ecstasy use is not related to the development of long-term depressive symptoms, given the relatively low level of ecstasy and other drug use in this community sample. Results showed that other factors need to be considered when investigating ecstasy use and depression.

The Categorical Stability of Gambling Motives Among Community-Recruited Gamblers: A Longitudinal Assessment.

PubMed

McGrath, Daniel S; Konkolÿ Thege, Barna

2018-03-01

Over the past decade, several motivational models have been proposed to explain the role of motives in gambling disorder. In the model captured by the four-factor Gambling Motives Questionnaire Financial (GMQ-F), gamblers are described as being primarily motivated to gamble for 'coping', 'enhancement', 'social', and 'financial' reasons. Although this model has received significant empirical support; to date, research assessing the role of motives in gambling disorder has been primarily cross-sectional in nature. Thus, the extent to which gambling motives remain stable over time has yet to be explored. In the current study, the stability versus fluidity of self-assessed gambling motives was investigated using the Quinte Longitudinal Study, a longitudinal dataset of gambling behaviour collected over 5 years. Gambling motives of 2795 gamblers were examined over all five annual assessments. The total proportion of gamblers who stayed in the same primary motive category across each of the 5 consecutive assessments was 22%, indicating substantial fluidity in category membership. Substantial movement between categories was seen for each GMQ-F group, as well as an additional group of non-classified motives. Logistic regression analyses suggest that greater resistance to gambling fallacies significantly predicted stability between the baseline assessment and a follow-up 1 year later, but gambling severity did not. Potential limitations in the study design and opportunities for future research are discussed.

Reference intervals, longitudinal analyses, and index of individuality of commonly measured laboratory variables in captive bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus).

PubMed

Jones, Michael P; Arheart, Kristopher L; Cray, Carolyn

2014-06-01

The objectives of this study were to determine reference intervals, perform longitudinal analyses, and determine the index of individuality (IoI) of 8 hematologic, and 13 biochemical and electrophoretic variables for a group of captive bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). Reference intervals were determined from blood samples collected during annual wellness examinations for 41 eagles (23 male and 18 female) with ages ranging between 6 and 43 years (18.7 +/- 7.4, mean +/- SD) at the time of sample collection. Longitudinal analyses and IoI were determined for measured hematologic, biochemical, and protein electrophoretic variables, both individually and as a group, for a subset of 16 eagles (10 male and 6 female) during a 12-year period. This smaller group of eagles ranged in age between 2 and 20 years at the start of the study period, and between 14 and 32 years (21.9 +/- 5.0, mean +/- SD) at the end of the study period. Significant increases with age within the group of 16 eagles were observed only for red blood cells, percent heterophils, total protein, and beta-globulin protein fraction, while albumin:globulin decreased significantly with age. A low IoI (> or = 1.4) was determined for all hematologic and biochemical variables except gamma globulins, which had high IoI (< or = 0.6) for 3 individuals within the subset of 16.

Religious participation is associated with increases in religious social support in a national longitudinal study of African Americans

PubMed Central

Le, Daisy; Holt, Cheryl L.; Hosack, Dominic P.; Huang, Jin; Clark, Eddie M.

2015-01-01

Objective This study reports on the association between religious beliefs and behaviors and the change in both general and religious social support using two waves of data from a national sample of African Americans. Design The Religion and Health in African Americans (RHIAA) study is a longitudinal telephone survey designed to examine relationships between various aspects of religious involvement and psychosocial factors over time. Participants RHIAA participants were 3,173 African American men (1,281) and women (1,892). A total of 1,251 men (456) and women (795) participated in wave 2 of data collection. Results Baseline religious behaviors were associated with increased overall religious social support from baseline to wave 2 (p<.001) and with increased religious social support from baseline to wave 2 in each of the following religious social support subscales: emotional support received (p<.001), emotional support provided (p<.001), negative interaction (p<.001), and anticipated support (p<.001). Religious beliefs did not predict change in any type of support, and neither beliefs nor behaviors predicted change in general social support. Conclusions African Americans who are active in faith communities showed increases in all types of religious social support, even the negative aspects, over a relatively modest longitudinal study period. This illustrates the strength of the church as a social network and the role that it plays in people’s lives. PMID:26493343

Machine Learning-based Individual Assessment of Cortical Atrophy Pattern in Alzheimer's Disease Spectrum: Development of the Classifier and Longitudinal Evaluation.

PubMed

Lee, Jin San; Kim, Changsoo; Shin, Jeong-Hyeon; Cho, Hanna; Shin, Dae-Seock; Kim, Nakyoung; Kim, Hee Jin; Kim, Yeshin; Lockhart, Samuel N; Na, Duk L; Seo, Sang Won; Seong, Joon-Kyung

2018-03-07

To develop a new method for measuring Alzheimer's disease (AD)-specific similarity of cortical atrophy patterns at the individual-level, we employed an individual-level machine learning algorithm. A total of 869 cognitively normal (CN) individuals and 473 patients with probable AD dementia who underwent high-resolution 3T brain MRI were included. We propose a machine learning-based method for measuring the similarity of an individual subject's cortical atrophy pattern with that of a representative AD patient cohort. In addition, we validated this similarity measure in two longitudinal cohorts consisting of 79 patients with amnestic-mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and 27 patients with probable AD dementia. Surface-based morphometry classifier for discriminating AD from CN showed sensitivity and specificity values of 87.1% and 93.3%, respectively. In the longitudinal validation study, aMCI-converts had higher atrophy similarity at both baseline (p < 0.001) and first year visits (p < 0.001) relative to non-converters. Similarly, AD patients with faster decline had higher atrophy similarity than slower decliners at baseline (p = 0.042), first year (p = 0.028), and third year visits (p = 0.027). The AD-specific atrophy similarity measure is a novel approach for the prediction of dementia risk and for the evaluation of AD trajectories on an individual subject level.

Educational level and the quality of life of heart failure patients: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Barbareschi, Giorgio; Sanderman, Robbert; Leegte, Ivonne Lesman; van Veldhuisen, Dirk J; Jaarsma, Tiny

2011-01-01

Lower education in heart failure (HF) patients is associated with high levels of anxiety, limited physical functioning, and an increased risk of hospitalization. We examined whether educational level is related to longitudinal differences in quality of life (QoL) in HF patients. This research is a substudy of the Coordinating study evaluating Outcomes of Advising and Counselling in Heart failure (COACH). QoL of 553 HF patients (mean age 69, 38% female, mean left ventricular ejection fraction 33%) was assessed during their hospitalization and at 4 follow-up measurements after discharge. In total 32% of the patients had very low, 24% low, 32% medium, and 12% high education. Patients with low educational levels reported the worst QoL. Significant differences between educational groups (P < .05) were only reported in physical functioning, social functioning, energy/fatigue, pain, and limitations in role functioning related to emotional problems. Longitudinal results show that a significantly higher proportion of high-educated patients improved in functional limitations related to emotional problems over time compared with lower-educated patients (P < .05). Patients with low educational levels reported the worst physical and functional condition. High-educated patients improved more than the other patients in functional limitations related to emotional problems over time. Low-educated patients may require different levels of intervention to improve their physical and functional condition. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cohort Profile: Footprints in Time, the Australian Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children.

PubMed

Thurber, Katherine A; Banks, Emily; Banwell, Cathy

2015-06-01

Indigenous Australians experience profound levels of disadvantage in health, living standards, life expectancy, education and employment, particularly in comparison with non-Indigenous Australians. Very little information is available about the healthy development of Australian Indigenous children; the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children (LSIC) is designed to fill this knowledge gap.This dataset provides an opportunity to follow the development of up to 1759 Indigenous children. LSIC conducts annual face-to-face interviews with children (aged 0.5-2 and 3.5-5 years at baseline in 2008) and their caregivers. This represents between 5% and 10% of the total population of Indigenous children in these age groups, including families of varied socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Study topics include: the physical, social and emotional well-being of children and their caregivers; language; culture; parenting; and early childhood education.LSIC is a shared resource, formed in partnership with communities; its data are readily accessible through the Australian Government Department of Social Services (see http://dss.gov.au/lsic for data and access arrangements). As one of very few longitudinal studies of Indigenous children, and the only national one, LSIC will enable an understanding of Indigenous children from a wide range of environments and cultures. Findings from LSIC form part of a growing infrastructure from which to understand Indigenous child health. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

Cohort Profile: Footprints in Time, the Australian Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children

PubMed Central

Thurber, Katherine A; Banks, Emily; Banwell, Cathy

2015-01-01

Indigenous Australians experience profound levels of disadvantage in health, living standards, life expectancy, education and employment, particularly in comparison with non-Indigenous Australians. Very little information is available about the healthy development of Australian Indigenous children; the Longitudinal Study of Indigenous Children (LSIC) is designed to fill this knowledge gap. This dataset provides an opportunity to follow the development of up to 1759 Indigenous children. LSIC conducts annual face-to-face interviews with children (aged 0.5–2 and 3.5–5 years at baseline in 2008) and their caregivers. This represents between 5% and 10% of the total population of Indigenous children in these age groups, including families of varied socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. Study topics include: the physical, social and emotional well-being of children and their caregivers; language; culture; parenting; and early childhood education. LSIC is a shared resource, formed in partnership with communities; its data are readily accessible through the Australian Government Department of Social Services (see http://dss.gov.au/lsic for data and access arrangements). As one of very few longitudinal studies of Indigenous children, and the only national one, LSIC will enable an understanding of Indigenous children from a wide range of environments and cultures. Findings from LSIC form part of a growing infrastructure from which to understand Indigenous child health. PMID:25011454

Moderating effect of gender on the prospective relation of physical activity with psychosocial outcomes and asthma control in adolescents: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Tiggelman, Dana; van de Ven, Monique O M; van Schayck, Onno C P; Engels, Rutger C M E

2014-12-01

Adolescents with asthma experience more psychosocial and physiological problems compared to their healthy peers. Physical activity (PA) might decrease these problems. This study was the first observational longitudinal study to examine whether habitual PA could predict changes in psychosocial outcomes (i.e., symptoms of anxiety and depression, quality of life [QOL] and stress) and asthma control over time in adolescents with asthma and whether gender moderated these relationships. Adolescents with asthma (N = 253; aged 10-14 years at baseline) were visited at home in the spring/summer of 2012 and 2013. They completed questionnaires assessing their habitual PA, symptoms of anxiety and depression, QOL, perceived stress and asthma control. Path analyses using Mplus were conducted to examine longitudinal relationships among habitual PA, psychosocial outcomes and asthma control (controlled for body mass index, age and gender). Using multi-group analyses, we examined whether gender moderated these relationships. Path analyses in the total group showed that habitual PA did not predict changes in psychosocial outcomes or asthma control over time. Multi-group analyses showed that gender moderated the relation of habitual PA with anxiety and depression. Habitual PA only significantly predicted a decrease in anxiety and depression over time for girls but not for boys. Increasing habitual PA in girls with asthma might decrease their symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Tea Consumption Reduces the Incidence of Neurocognitive Disorders: Findings from the Singapore Longitudinal Aging Study.

PubMed

Feng, L; Chong, M-S; Lim, W-S; Gao, Q; Nyunt, M S; Lee, T-S; Collinson, S L; Tsoi, T; Kua, E-H; Ng, T-P

2016-01-01

To examine the relationships between tea consumption habits and incident neurocognitive disorders (NCD) and explore potential effect modification by gender and the apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype. Population-based longitudinal study. The Singapore Longitudinal Aging Study (SLAS). 957 community-living Chinese elderly who were cognitively intact at baseline. We collected tea consumption information at baseline from 2003 to 2005 and ascertained incident cases of neurocognitive disorders (NCD) from 2006 to 2010. Odds ratio (OR) of association were calculated in logistic regression models that adjusted for potential confounders. A total of 72 incident NCD cases were identified from the cohort. Tea intake was associated with lower risk of incident NCD, independent of other risk factors. Reduced NCD risk was observed for both green tea (OR=0.43) and black/oolong tea (OR=0.53) and appeared to be influenced by the changing of tea consumption habit at follow-up. Using consistent non-tea consumers as the reference, only consistent tea consumers had reduced risk of NCD (OR=0.39). Stratified analyses indicated that tea consumption was associated with reduced risk of NCD among females (OR=0.32) and APOE ε4 carriers (OR=0.14) but not males and non APOE ε4 carriers. Regular tea consumption was associated with lower risk of neurocognitive disorders among Chinese elderly. Gender and genetic factors could possibly modulate this association.

Religious Participation is Associated with Increases in Religious Social Support in a National Longitudinal Study of African Americans.

PubMed

Le, Daisy; Holt, Cheryl L; Hosack, Dominic P; Huang, Jin; Clark, Eddie M

2016-08-01

This study reports on the association between religious beliefs and behaviors and the change in both general and religious social support using two waves of data from a national sample of African Americans. The Religion and Health in African Americans (RHIAA) study is a longitudinal telephone survey designed to examine relationships between various aspects of religious involvement and psychosocial factors over time. RHIAA participants were 3173 African American men (1281) and women (1892). A total of 1251 men (456) and women (795) participated in wave 2 of data collection. Baseline religious behaviors were associated with increased overall religious social support from baseline to wave 2 (p < .001) and with increased religious social support from baseline to wave 2 in each of the following religious social support subscales: emotional support received (p < .001), emotional support provided (p < .001), negative interaction (p < .001), and anticipated support (p < .001). Religious beliefs did not predict change in any type of support, and neither beliefs nor behaviors predicted change in general social support. African Americans who are active in faith communities showed increases in all types of religious social support, even the negative aspects, over a relatively modest longitudinal study period. This illustrates the strength of the church as a social network and the role that it plays in people's lives.

A Compact, High-Flux Cold Atom Beam Source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kellogg, James R.; Kohel, James M.; Thompson, Robert J.; Aveline, David C.; Yu, Nan; Schlippert, Dennis

2012-01-01

The performance of cold atom experiments relying on three-dimensional magneto-optical trap techniques can be greatly enhanced by employing a highflux cold atom beam to obtain high atom loading rates while maintaining low background pressures in the UHV MOT (ultra-high vacuum magneto-optical trap) regions. Several techniques exist for generating slow beams of cold atoms. However, one of the technically simplest approaches is a two-dimensional (2D) MOT. Such an atom source typically employs at least two orthogonal trapping beams, plus an additional longitudinal "push" beam to yield maximum atomic flux. A 2D atom source was created with angled trapping collimators that not only traps atoms in two orthogonal directions, but also provides a longitudinal pushing component that eliminates the need for an additional push beam. This development reduces the overall package size, which in turn, makes the 2D trap simpler, and requires less total optical power. The atom source is more compact than a previously published effort, and has greater than an order of magnitude improved loading performance.

Education and Psychological Distress of Older Chinese: Exploring the Longitudinal Relationship and Its Subgroup Variations.

PubMed

Zhang, Wei; Chen, Huashuai; Feng, Qiushi

2015-10-01

The goal of this study is to examine whether and how education predicts distress for older Chinese and whether this association varies by age, gender, and rural/urban residence. The random-effect panel model and Heckman selection model were used to analyze four waves of data with a total sample size of 54,405 from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. We found the following: (a) There is a persistent and negative association between education and distress among older Chinese; (b) education predicts lower levels of distress over time and this is particularly true for males, urban residents, and the young-old; and (c) the effect of education on distress is largely explained by physical health, economic conditions, and a three-dimensional framework of leisure-time activities. Our findings strengthen the external validity of the relationship between education and health and suggest the dynamic patterns on the subgroup variations within the association in China. © The Author(s) 2015.

Prevalence and characteristics of women who consult with osteopathic practitioners during pregnancy; a report from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH).

PubMed

Frawley, Jane; Sundberg, Tobias; Steel, Amie; Sibbritt, David; Broom, Alex; Adams, Jon

2016-01-01

The use of complementary medicine (CM) is common during pregnancy with visits to osteopathic practitioners growing in recent years. This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of women who consult osteopathic practitioners during pregnancy. The study sample was obtained via the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH). The women answered questions about consultations with osteopathic practitioners, pregnancy-related health concerns and attitudes to CM use. A total response rate of 79.2% (1835) was obtained. Of these, 104 women (6.1%) consulted with an osteopath during pregnancy for a pregnancy-related health condition. Women were more likely to consult an osteopath if they suffered from back pain, sadness, weight management issues, or had a history of retained placenta. Women are visiting osteopaths for help with common pregnancy health complaints, highlighting the need for research to evaluate the safety, clinical and cost effectiveness of osteopathy in pregnancy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal validity of abdominal adiposity assessment by regional bioelectrical impedance.

PubMed

Alvero-Cruz, José Ramón; García-Romero, Jerónimo C; Carrillo de Albornoz-Gil, Margarita; Jiménez, Manuel; Correas-Gomez, Lorena; Peñaloza, Piero; López-Fernández, Iván; Carnero, Elvis A

2018-03-20

The main goal of this study was to analyze the longitudinal agreement between changes in trunk and abdominal adiposity variables assessed by DXA and portable bioimpedance device (ViScan). A total of 44 women, enrolled in a 4-month exercise intervention, were included in this analysis. Trunk/abdominal compartments were assessed by ViScan and DXA. Adjusted correlations for age and FM at first assessment (pre) were utilized to perform concurrent validation among methods and completed with an agreement analysis. We observed significant differences between the changes detected by DXA and ViScan for %TFM (difference = -1.41%; p < 0.05), and proportional bias (Kendall's Tau = 0.53; p < 0.0001). Changes in abdominal adiposity were similar (difference = -0.1037 z-score units, p = 0.53), although there was proportional bias (Kendall's Tau = -0.24, p < 0.022). ViScan has a limited capability to evaluated changes in trunk and abdominal adiposity, at least for clinical purposes in adult women.

Decline in Literacy and Incident AD Dementia Among Community-Dwelling Older Persons.

PubMed

Yu, Lei; Wilson, Robert S; Han, S Duke; Leurgans, Sue; Bennett, David A; Boyle, Patricia A

2017-06-01

To quantify longitudinal change in financial and health literacy and examine the associations of declining literacy with incident Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Data came from 799 participants of an ongoing cohort study. Literacy was measured using a battery of 32 questions. Clinical diagnoses were made annually following uniform structured procedures. The associations of declining literacy with incident AD dementia and MCI were tested using a joint model for longitudinal and time-to-event data. We observed an overall decline in total literacy score over up to 6 years of follow-up ( p < .001). Faster decline in literacy was associated with higher risks for incident AD dementia (hazard ratio = 4.526, 95% confidence interval = [2.993, 6.843], p < .001) and incident MCI (hazard ratio = 2.971, 95% confidence interval = [1.509, 5.849], p = .002). Declining literacy among community-dwelling older persons predicts adverse cognitive outcomes and serves as an early indicator of impending dementia.

Three-dimensional oxygen isotope imaging of convective fluid flow around the Big Bonanza, Comstock lode mining district, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Criss, R.E.; Singleton, M.J.; Champion, D.E.

2000-01-01

Oxygen isotope analyses of propylitized andesites from the Con Virginia and California mines allow construction of a detailed, three-dimensional image of the isotopic surfaces produced by the convective fluid flows that deposited the famous Big Bonanza orebody. On a set of intersecting maps and sections, the δ18O isopleths clearly show the intricate and conformable relationship of the orebody to a deep, ~500 m gyre of meteoric-hydrothermal fluid that circulated along and above the Comstock fault, near the contact of the Davidson Granodiorite. The core of this gyre (δ18O = 0 to 3.8‰) encompasses the bonanza and is almost totally surrounded by rocks having much lower δ18O values (–1.0 to –4.4‰). This deep gyre may represent a convective longitudinal roll superimposed on a large unicellular meteoric-hydrothermal system, producing a complex flow field with both radial and longitudinal components that is consistent with experimentally observed patterns of fluid convection in permeable media.

Familial influences on the full range of variability in attention and activity levels during adolescence: A longitudinal twin study.

PubMed

Peng, Chun-Zi; Grant, Julia D; Heath, Andrew C; Reiersen, Angela M; Mulligan, Richard C; Anokhin, Andrey P

2016-05-01

To investigate familial influences on the full range of variability in attention and activity across adolescence, we collected maternal ratings of 339 twin pairs at ages 12, 14, and 16, and estimated the transmitted and new familial influences on attention and activity as measured by the Strengths and Weaknesses of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms and Normal Behavior Scale. Familial influences were substantial for both traits across adolescence: genetic influences accounted for 54%-73% (attention) and 31%-73% (activity) of the total variance, and shared environmental influences accounted for 0%-22% of the attention variance and 13%-57% of the activity variance. The longitudinal stability of individual differences in attention and activity was largely accounted for by familial influences transmitted from previous ages. Innovations over adolescence were also partially attributable to familial influences. Studying the full range of variability in attention and activity may facilitate our understanding of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder's etiology and intervention.

[Logistics of collection and transportation of biological samples and the organization of the central laboratory in the ELSA-Brasil].

PubMed

Fedeli, Ligia G; Vidigal, Pedro G; Leite, Claudia Mendes; Castilhos, Cristina D; Pimentel, Robércia Anjos; Maniero, Viviane C; Mill, Jose Geraldo; Lotufo, Paulo A; Pereira, Alexandre C; Bensenor, Isabela M

2013-06-01

The ELSA (Estudo Longitudinal de Saúde do Adulto - Brazilian Longitudinal Study for Adult Health) is a multicenter cohort study which aims at the identification of risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in the Brazilian population. The paper describes the strategies for the collection, processing, transportation, and quality control of blood and urine tests in the ELSA. The study decided to centralize the tests at one single laboratory. The processing of the samples was performed at the local laboratories, reducing the weight of the material to be transported, and diminishing the costs of transportation to the central laboratory at the Universidade de São Paulo Hospital. The study included tests for the evaluation of diabetes, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, electrolyte abnormalities, thyroid hormones, uric acid, hepatic enzyme abnormalities, inflammation, and total blood cell count. In addition, leukocyte DNA, urine, plasma and serum samples were stored. The central laboratory performed approximately 375,000 tests.

Does Sensory Function Decline Independently or Concomitantly with Age? Data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.

PubMed

Gadkaree, Shekhar K; Sun, Daniel Q; Li, Carol; Lin, Frank R; Ferrucci, Luigi; Simonsick, Eleanor M; Agrawal, Yuri

2016-01-01

Objectives . To investigate whether sensory function declines independently or in parallel with age within a single individual. Methods . Cross-sectional analysis of Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) participants who underwent vision (visual acuity threshold), proprioception (ankle joint proprioceptive threshold), vestibular function (cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential), hearing (pure-tone average audiometric threshold), and Health ABC physical performance battery testing. Results . A total of 276 participants (mean age 70 years, range 26-93) underwent all four sensory tests. The function of all four systems declined with age. After age adjustment, there were no significant associations between sensory systems. Among 70-79-year-olds, dual or triple sensory impairment was associated with poorer physical performance. Discussion . Our findings suggest that beyond the common mechanism of aging, other distinct (nonshared) etiologic mechanisms may contribute to decline in each sensory system. Multiple sensory impairments influence physical performance among individuals in middle old-age (age 70-79).

Does Sensory Function Decline Independently or Concomitantly with Age? Data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

PubMed Central

Gadkaree, Shekhar K.; Sun, Daniel Q.; Li, Carol; Lin, Frank R.; Ferrucci, Luigi; Simonsick, Eleanor M.

2016-01-01

Objectives. To investigate whether sensory function declines independently or in parallel with age within a single individual. Methods. Cross-sectional analysis of Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) participants who underwent vision (visual acuity threshold), proprioception (ankle joint proprioceptive threshold), vestibular function (cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential), hearing (pure-tone average audiometric threshold), and Health ABC physical performance battery testing. Results. A total of 276 participants (mean age 70 years, range 26–93) underwent all four sensory tests. The function of all four systems declined with age. After age adjustment, there were no significant associations between sensory systems. Among 70–79-year-olds, dual or triple sensory impairment was associated with poorer physical performance. Discussion. Our findings suggest that beyond the common mechanism of aging, other distinct (nonshared) etiologic mechanisms may contribute to decline in each sensory system. Multiple sensory impairments influence physical performance among individuals in middle old-age (age 70–79). PMID:27774319

A Longitudinal Study on Human Outdoor Decomposition in Central Texas.

PubMed

Suckling, Joanna K; Spradley, M Katherine; Godde, Kanya

2016-01-01

The development of a methodology that estimates the postmortem interval (PMI) from stages of decomposition is a goal for which forensic practitioners strive. A proposed equation (Megyesi et al. 2005) that utilizes total body score (TBS) and accumulated degree days (ADD) was tested using longitudinal data collected from human remains donated to the Forensic Anthropology Research Facility (FARF) at Texas State University-San Marcos. Exact binomial tests examined the rate of the equation to successfully predict ADD. Statistically significant differences were found between ADD estimated by the equation and the observed value for decomposition stage. Differences remained significant after carnivore scavenged donations were removed from analysis. Low success rates for the equation to predict ADD from TBS and the wide standard errors demonstrate the need to re-evaluate the use of this equation and methodology for PMI estimation in different environments; rather, multivariate methods and equations should be derived that are environmentally specific. © 2015 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Performance of LI-1542 reusable surface insulation system in a hypersonic stream

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunt, L. R.; Shideler, J. L.; Weinstein, I.

1976-01-01

The thermal and structural performance LI-1542 reusable surface insulation (RSI) tiles was investigated. The test panel was designed to represent part of the surface structure on a space shuttle orbiter fuselage along a 1250 K isotherm. Aerothermal tests were conducted at a free-stream Mach number of 6.6, a total temperature of 1820 K, Reynolds numbers of 2 millon and 5 million per meter, and dynamic pressures of 26 and 65 kPa. The RSI tiles demonstrated good thermal protection and structural integrity. High temperatures were caused by misalinement in tile height, offset the tile longitudinal alinement, and leakage around thermal seals when differential pressure existed across the panel. The damage tolerance of LI-1542 RSI appeared high. The tile coating crazed early in the test program, but this did not effect the tile integrity. Erosion of the tile edges occurred at forward-facing steps and at the ends of longitudinal gaps because of particle impacts and flow shear.

Consumption of pornographic materials in early adolescents in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Ma, Cecilia M S; Shek, Daniel T L

2013-06-01

The purpose of this study was to examine longitudinal changes in pornography consumption and related psychosocial correlates (ie, positive youth development qualities and family function) among Hong Kong early adolescents. In this study, adolescent consumption of pornographic materials was examined in 3 waves of longitudinal data. A total of 3,325 Secondary 1 students (Grade 7) from 28 schools participated in the study at Wave 1. The mean age of the participants was 12.6 years old (SD = .74). Results showed that the internet was the most common medium for consuming pornography materials. Boys consumed more pornographic materials than did girls. Findings showed that family functioning and positive youth development were negatively associated with consumption of pornographic materials over time. This study highlights the importance of developing adolescents' competencies and establishing an atmosphere that reduces the use of pornographic materials among adolescents. It sheds light on designing early prevention programs on pornography consumption for young people in Hong Kong. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Longitudinal Relations between Sectarian and non-Sectarian Community Violence and Child Adjustment in Northern Ireland

PubMed Central

Cummings, E. Mark; Merrilees, Christine E.; Taylor, Laura K.; Shirlow, Peter; Goeke-Morey, Marcie C.; Cairns, Ed

2015-01-01

Although relations between political violence and child adjustment are well-documented, long-term longitudinal research is needed to adequately address the many questions remaining about the contexts and developmental trajectories underlying the effects on children in areas of political violence. The present study examined relations between sectarian and non-sectarian community violence and adolescent adjustment problems over four consecutive years for mother-child dyads (total N = 1015, 485 boys, 517 girls) living in socially deprived neighborhoods in a context of historical and ongoing political violence, that is, Belfast, Northern Ireland. Both sectarian and non-sectarian community violence predicted youth adjustment across four years, consistent with the hypothesis that both of these elements of the social ecology merit consideration with regard to children's well-being in contexts of political violence. The impact of sectarian community violence on adolescent adjustment was further accentuated in neighborhoods characterized by higher crime rates. Discussion considers the implications for evaluating social ecologies pertinent to the impact of political violence on children. PMID:23880380

On Models for Binomial Data with Random Numbers of Trials

PubMed Central

Comulada, W. Scott; Weiss, Robert E.

2010-01-01

Summary A binomial outcome is a count s of the number of successes out of the total number of independent trials n = s + f, where f is a count of the failures. The n are random variables not fixed by design in many studies. Joint modeling of (s, f) can provide additional insight into the science and into the probability π of success that cannot be directly incorporated by the logistic regression model. Observations where n = 0 are excluded from the binomial analysis yet may be important to understanding how π is influenced by covariates. Correlation between s and f may exist and be of direct interest. We propose Bayesian multivariate Poisson models for the bivariate response (s, f), correlated through random effects. We extend our models to the analysis of longitudinal and multivariate longitudinal binomial outcomes. Our methodology was motivated by two disparate examples, one from teratology and one from an HIV tertiary intervention study. PMID:17688514

Associations between Safety from Crime, Cycling, and Obesity in a Dutch Elderly Population: Results from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam

PubMed Central

Kremers, Stef P. J.; de Bruijn, Gert-Jan; Visscher, Tommy L. S.; Deeg, Dorly J. H.; Thomése, G. C. Fleur; Visser, Marjolein; van Mechelen, Willem; Brug, Johannes

2012-01-01

The objective of this cross-sectional study was to investigate differences in associations between crime rates, cycling, and weight status between people living in low and high socioeconomic status (SES) neighbourhoods. In total, 470 participants in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam were included (age: 63–70 y). Body height and weight were measured using a stadiometer and calibrated weight scale, respectively. Cycling behaviour was assessed in a face-to-face interview, and neighbourhood crime rates were assessed using data from police reports. Men residing in high SES neighbourhoods cycled more than males residing in low SES neighbourhoods. Cycling was negatively related to crime rates among both men and women living in low SES neighbourhoods. Among men living in low SES neighbourhoods, more cycling was associated with lower BMI. Interventions aiming to prevent obesity in older people may consider aiming at increasing bicycle use in lower SES neighbourhoods, but neighbourhood safety issues should be considered. PMID:22523503