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Selected AbstractsMode of HIV transmission associated with risk of oral lesions in HIV-infected subjects in ThailandJOURNAL OF ORAL PATHOLOGY & MEDICINE, Issue 2 2010W. Nittayananta J Oral Pathol Med (2010) 39 195,200 Background:, The aim of this study was to determine if route of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission is associated with the risk of oral lesions in HIV-infected subjects in Thailand. Methods:, A cross-sectional study was performed in 186 HIV-infected heterosexuals (aged 21,65 years, mean 32 years), and 82 HIV-infected intravenous drug users (IVDUs) (aged 16,50 years, mean 30 years). The following information was recorded: route of HIV transmission, total lymphocyte cell counts, weight, smoking habit, alcohol consumption, medications, presence of denture, plaque index, and presence of oral lesions. The association between mode of HIV transmission and the risk of oral lesions among the subjects was determined by multiple logistic regression analysis. Results:, Oral lesions were found in 138 HIV-infected heterosexuals (75%) and in 37 HIV-infected IVDUs (46%). Oral candidiasis (OC) was the most common lesion among both groups (44% vs. 28%), followed by hairy leukoplakia (HL) (33% vs. 10%). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between mode of HIV transmission and the risk of oral lesions after controlling for the total lymphocyte cell counts and other confounding factors [OR 3.1; 95% CI 1.5,6.4; P = 0.002]. OC was significantly associated with heterosexual route of HIV transmission [OR 2.4; 95% CI 1.2,4.7; P = 0.014]. Similar association was also observed with HL [OR 3.7; 95% CI 1.5,9.1; P = 0.004]. Conclusions:, Mode of HIV transmission is associated with the risk of oral lesions in HIV-infected subjects in Thailand. Further studies should be performed to determine if the risk of oral lesions is associated with differences in HIV-subtypes. [source] Markers of the Hepatic Component of the Metabolic Syndrome as Predictors of Mortality in Renal Transplant RecipientsAMERICAN JOURNAL OF TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 1 2010D. M. Zelle Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of mortality in renal transplant recipients (RTRs). Metabolic syndrome (MS) is highly prevalent in RTRs. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered the hepatic component of MS. We investigated associations of NAFLD markers with MS and mortality. RTRs were investigated between 2001 and 2003. NAFLD markers, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and alkaline phosphatase (AP) were measured. Bone and nonbone fractions of AP were also determined. Death was recorded until August 2007. Six hundred and two RTRs were studied (age 52 ± 12 years, 55% men). At baseline 388 RTRs had MS. Prevalence of MS was positively associated with liver enzymes. During follow-up for 5.3[4.5,5.7] years, 95 recipients died (49 cardiovascular). In univariate Cox regression analyses, GGT (HR = 1.43[1.21,1.69], p < 0.001) and AP (HR = 1.34[1.11,1.63], p = 0.003) were associated with mortality, whereas ALT was not. Similar associations were found for cardiovascular mortality. Adjustment for potential confounders, including MS, diabetes and traditional risk factors did not materially change these associations. Results for nonbone AP mirrored that for total AP. ALT, GGT and AP are associated with MS. Of these three enzymes, GGT and AP are associated with mortality, independent of MS. These findings suggest that GGT and AP are independently related to mortality in RTRs. [source] Relational discrepancies and emotion: The moderating roles of relationship type and relational discrepancy valenceASIAN JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 4 2009Jennifer M. Boldero Relational discrepancy theory proposes that discrepancies in the extents to which relational partners meet relational standards are associated with emotions and that perceiving relationships in specified ways moderates associations. In a range of relationships, ideal relational discrepancies were associated with dejection and ought relational discrepancies with agitation (Study 1), associations moderated by relationship type. Discrepancy valence also moderated ideal discrepancy associations. Similar associations were found in friendships, moderated by relationship type (Study 2). Finally, relationship type and valence moderated associations in relationships with supervisors but not with colleagues (Study 3). These results support relational discrepancy theory propositions. [source] Prevalence of diabetes and/or ischaemic heart disease in classes of increasing carotid artery atherosclerosis: an ultrasonographic studyDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 8 2003S. Inchiostro Abstract Aims To evaluate the prevalence of non-diabetic subjects and diabetic patients, with or without ischaemic heart disease (IHD), in different classes of increasing carotid atherosclerotic damage. Methods Using high-resolution B-mode ultrasound, we studied 598 subjects without known cardiovascular disease (CVD) or diabetes, 74 diabetic patients without CVD, 74 non-diabetic subjects with IHD and 36 patients with both diabetes and IHD. Carotid atherosclerosis was classified as: normal; thickened intima-media; non-stenotic plaque; stenotic plaque. Results Compared with subjects without diabetes or CVD, the frequency of patients with diabetes without known CVD increased significantly from ,normal' to ,stenotic plaque' (4.1%, 6.4%, 13%, 14.8% for normal, thickened intima-media, non-stenotic plaque and stenotic plaque, respectively; P = 0.0057). The same figures were 6%, 7.6%, 10.2%, 23.3% (P = 0.0007) for non-diabetic subjects with IHD, and 0%, 2%, 5.6%, 15.9% (P < 0.0001) for diabetic patients with IHD. No difference was found comparing subjects with diabetes without CVD with non-diabetic patients with IHD (P = 0.56). Using polychotomous logistic regression analysis, diabetic patients without CVD and non-diabetic subjects with IHD showed a similar association with the increasing degree of carotid atherosclerosis (P = 0.59), but significantly stronger compared with subjects without diabetes or CVD (P < 0.03 for both). Conclusions Diabetic patients without known CVD show an advanced degree of carotid atherosclerotic damage similar to non-diabetic subjects with IHD and significantly higher compared with non-diabetic subjects without CVD. Our data support the need for an aggressive early prevention of CVD in diabetic subjects. [source] REVIEW: Aortic Atheromas: Current Concepts and Controversies,A Review of the LiteratureECHOCARDIOGRAPHY, Issue 2 2008Thenappan Thenappan M.D. The frequent use of transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) has led to the increased recognition of aortic atheromas. Retrospective and prospective follow-up studies have reported an association between aortic atheromas and stroke in the high-risk patient population, with complex plaques being more likely to embolize than simple plaques. However, TEE-based studies in the low-risk cohorts have failed to show a similar association. There is growing body of evidence suggesting that aortic atheroma is a marker of generalized atherosclerosis. Although magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and computed tomography (CT) scan are emerging as a powerful noninvasive tool for characterization of aortic atheromas, TEE is the imaging modality of choice. Currently, treatment of aortic atheromas is not well defined, and mixed outcomes have been reported for anticoagulation therapy with warfarin. Statins appear promising based on their plaque stabilization properties. However, there are no randomized control trials to establish the role of both anticoagulation and statins in patients with aortic atheromas, and are warranted in the future. [source] Host plant specificity in several species of generalist mite predatorsECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 6 2001J. J. Beard Summary 1. Species in the genus Neoseiulus are considered to be generalist predators, with some species used in biological control programmes against phytophagous mites and insects. 2. A general survey of Neoseiulus species in inland Australia indicated that different species are associated with particular tree species. This pattern of host plant use was investigated for four Neoseiulus species (N. buxeus, N. cappari, N. brigarinus, N. eremitus) by means of a sampling programme through time and across space. 3. Each species of Neoseiulus was collected entirely or mostly from one species of tree; little or no overlap was detected despite the tree species growing in well-mixed stands. Host plant specificity thus appears to be strong in this genus. 4. Species in two other genera (Pholaseius and Australiseiulus), also considered to be predatory, showed a similar association with particular tree species. 5. The implications for the use of these predators in biological control are considerable. In particular, phytoseiid species with specific needs in terms of host plants may not be suitable for use as general purpose predators. Meeting the needs of phytoseiids through the modification of host plant attributes may be a step towards enhancing their efficacy as biological control agents. [source] Does Glucocorticoid Administration Prevent Late Seizures after Head Injury?EPILEPSIA, Issue 6 2004Nathaniel F. Watson Summary: Purpose: Preventing posttraumatic epilepsy has been a difficult challenge. In this study we evaluated the association between glucocorticoid administration after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and posttraumatic seizures. Methods: We examined a seizure-prevention trial database of 404 patients with severe TBI for exposure to glucocorticoids in the early (<1 week) posttraumatic period. After controlling for seizure risk, we compared the odds of developing first and second late posttraumatic seizures between those that received glucocorticoids and those that did not. Results: Patients dosed with glucocorticoids within 1 day of their TBI were more likely to develop first late seizures than were those without [p = 0.04; hazard ratio = 1.74; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01,2.98]; whereas those receiving glucocorticoids ,2 days after their injury had no similar association (p = 0.66; hazard ratio = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.23,2.56; p = 0.10 among the three groups). Receiving glucocorticoids within 1 day, or ,2 days after TBI was not associated with second late seizure development. Conclusions: Glucocorticoid treatment after TBI is not associated with decreased late posttraumatic seizures, and early treatment is associated with increased seizure activity. [source] Individual differences in children's understanding of social evaluation concernsINFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT, Issue 3 2002Robin BanerjeeArticle first published online: 27 AUG 200 Abstract Recent research suggests that children's understanding of self-presentational behaviour,behaviour designed to shape social evaluation,is a function of both cognitive and motivational variables. Furthermore, the motivational factors involved are likely to reflect individual differences in the salience of concerns about social evaluation. The present research represents a first effort to determine whether measures of such differences are indeed associated with the understanding of self-presentational behaviour. In a first experiment, a teacher rating measure of self-monitoring was found to be positively associated with the understanding of self-presentational motives. In a second experiment, a more narrowly specified self-report measure of public self-consciousness was found to have a similar association with the understanding of self-presentation, with no such association found for private self-consciousness. These preliminary results make it clear that our formulations of development in social cognition must indeed include a consideration of individual differences in motivational orientations. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Emergency Department Lactate Is Associated with Mortality in Older Adults Admitted With and Without InfectionsACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 3 2010Daniel A. Del Portal MD Abstract Objectives:, Serum lactate values in the emergency department (ED) have been associated with mortality in diverse populations of critically ill patients. This study investigates whether serum lactate values measured in the ED are associated with mortality in older patients admitted to the hospital, both with and without infections. Methods:, This is a retrospective cohort study performed at two urban teaching hospitals. The study population includes 1,655 older ED patients (age , 65 years) over a 3-year period (2004,2006) who had serum lactate measured prior to admission. The presence or absence of infection was determined by review of International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision (ICD-9) admission diagnosis codes. Mortality during hospitalization was determined by review of inpatient records. Mortality at 30 and at 60 days was determined using a state death registry. Results:, In patients with infections, increasing serum lactate values of ,2.0 mmol/L were linearly associated with relative risk (RR) of mortality during hospitalization (RR = 1.9 to 3.6 with increasing lactate), at 30 days (RR = 1.7 to 2.6), and at 60 days (RR = 1.4 to 2.3) when compared to patients with serum lactate levels of <2.0 mmol/L. In patients without infections, a similar association was observed (RR = 1.1 to 3.9 during hospitalization, RR = 1.2 to 2.6 at 30 days, RR = 1.1 to 2.4 at 60 days). In both groups of patients, serum lactate had a greater magnitude of association with mortality than either of two other commonly ordered laboratory tests, leukocyte count and serum creatinine. Conclusions:, Higher ED lactate values are associated with greater mortality in a broad cohort of admitted patients over age 65 years, regardless of the presence or absence of infection. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:260,268 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine [source] Skin-derived fibroblasts from long-lived species are resistant to some, but not all, lethal stresses and to the mitochondrial inhibitor rotenoneAGING CELL, Issue 1 2007James M. Harper Summary Fibroblast cell lines were developed from skin biopsies of eight species of wild-trapped rodents, one species of bat, and a group of genetically heterogeneous laboratory mice. Each cell line was tested in vitro for their resistance to six varieties of lethal stress, as well as for resistance to the nonlethal metabolic effects of the mitochondrial inhibitor rotenone and of culture at very low glucose levels. Standard linear regression of species-specific lifespan against each species mean stress resistance showed that longevity was associated with resistance to death induced by cadmium and hydrogen peroxide, as well as with resistance to rotenone inhibition. A multilevel regression method supported these associations, and suggested a similar association for resistance to heat stress. Regressions for resistance to cadmium, peroxide, heat, and rotenone remained significant after various statistical adjustments for body weight. In contrast, cells from longer-lived species did not show significantly greater resistance to ultraviolet light, paraquat, or the DNA alkylating agent methylmethanesulfonate. There was a strong correlation between species longevity and resistance to the metabolic effects of low-glucose medium among the rodent cell lines, but this test did not distinguish mice and rats from the much longer-lived little brown bat. These results are consistent with the idea that evolution of long-lived species may require development of cellular resistance to several forms of lethal injury, and provide justification for evaluation of similar properties in a much wider range of mammals and bird species. [source] Self-rated health as predictor of medicine use in adolescence,PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY, Issue 2 2008Bjørn E. Holstein Mag Scient Soc Abstract Purpose To examine the association between self-rated health (SRH) and medicine use for four common complaints: headache, stomach-ache, difficulties in getting to sleep and nervousness, in a nationally representative sample of adolescents. Methods The study population comprised of all students in the fifth, seventh and ninth grade (mean ages 11.6, 13.6 and 15.6 years) in a random sample of schools in Denmark 2002, participation rate 90.6%, n,=,4.824. The students reported health problems, medicine use, social and psychosocial conditions in an anonymous and standardized questionnaire. The outcome measure was self-reported medicine use during the past month and the determinant was SRH measured by one item. Results There was an association between poor/fair SRH and medicine use for headache and stomach-ache. The associations remained statistically significant even after adjustment for frequency of the complaint for which the medicine was used: OR (95%CI) for medicine use for headache was 1.54 (1.10,2.14) among boys with poor/fair SRH and 1.50 (1.12,2.03) among girls with poor/fair SRH. A similar association was found between poor SRH and medicine use for stomach-ache for both boys (OR,=,3.41 (2.09,5.55)) and girls (OR,=,1.90 (1.36,2.67). Further, there was an association between poor/fair SRH and medicine use for difficulties in getting to sleep among girls, OR,=,2.66 (1.26,5.63) but not among boys. There was no association between SRH and medicine use for nervousness. Conclusion Poor/fair SRH is associated with medicine use for aches among Danish adolescents. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Acute pancreatic damage associated with convulsive status epilepticus: A report of three casesPSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES, Issue 6 2001Katsuhiko Ogawa Abstract Three cases involving a previously unreported association of acute pancreatic damage following convulsive status epilepticus (SE) are presented. A review of literature failed to reveal a similar association between SE and acute pancreatic damage. As possible pathophysiological mechanisms of this so far unknown sequel of SE, increased intraduodenal pressure during SE leading to the reflux of the duodenal contents into the pancreatic duct, along with altered metabolism of oxygen-derived free radicals during a prolonged seizure with hypoxia and ischemia resulting in acinar cell injury are suggested. We believe that SE should be considered as an additional risk factor of acute pancreatitis and that pancreatic enzymes should be monitored in patients who have prolonged seizures. [source] Gender, socioeconomic status, need or access?AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 2 2009Differences in statin prescribing across urban, remote Australia, rural Abstract Objectives:,To assess differences in statin prescribing across Australia by geographic area. Design, setting and participants:,A cross-sectional study using Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme data on statin prescribing by rurality, gender and patient postcode for the period May to December 2002. Participants were the Australian population, stratified by gender, quintile of index of relative socioeconomic disadvantage and rural, remote and metropolitan areas classification. Results:,Statin prescribing (scripts per 1000 population per month) was higher in urban areas (women, 51.915; men, 51.892) than in rural (women, 48.311; men, 48.098) or remote (women, 39.679; men, 34.145) areas. In urban areas, weighted least squares regression analysis showed a significant negative linear association between statin prescribing and socioeconomic status for both women (weighted least squares slope, ,3.358; standard error (SE) 0.057; P < 0.0001) and men (slope, ,0.507; SE 0.056; P < 0.0001). A similar association occurred in rural areas: women (slope, ,4.075; SE 0.122; P < 0.0001) and men (slope, ,3.455; SE 0.117; P < 0.0001), but not in remote areas where there was a positive linear association (slope, 3.120; SE 0.451; P < 0.0001) and men (slope, 3.098; SE 0.346; P < 0.0001). Conclusion:,Our results suggest differences in statin prescribing in Australia across geographic location, adjusting for age, gender and socioeconomic status. Implications:,These findings suggest that health inequalities due to geography should be addressed. [source] Maternal severe migraine and risk of congenital limb deficienciesBIRTH DEFECTS RESEARCH, Issue 8 2006Ferenc Bánhidy Abstract BACKGROUND: Migraines occurs frequently during pregnancy; however, there are no published data on their possible teratogenic potential in a controlled epidemiological study. Therefore, we examined the risk of congenital abnormalities in infants born to women who had migraines and other headaches during pregnancy. METHODS: Between 1980 and 1996, the Hungarian Case-Control Surveillance of Congenital Abnormalities evaluated 22,843 cases (newborns or fetuses) with congenital abnormalities, 38,151 control newborn infants without any abnormalities, and 834 malformed controls with Down syndrome. RESULTS: Migraines anytime during pregnancy occurred in 565 (2.5%) mothers of the case group compared with 713 (1.9%) mothers in the control group (crude prevalence odds ratio [POR], 1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2,1.5) and 24 (2.9%) pregnant women in the malformed control group (crude POR, 0.9; 95% CI, 0.6,1.3) The mothers of 247 cases, 533 controls, and 21 malformed controls had severe migraines during the second and/or third months of pregnancy. There was only 1 congenital abnormality group: limb deficiencies, which had a higher rate of maternal migraines during the second and third months of pregnancy both at the comparison of cases and matched controls (adjusted POR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.1,5.8) and of cases and malformed controls (adjusted POR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.3,3.0). There was no association between other headaches and different congenital abnormalities at the comparison of cases and controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed that maternal severe migraines during the second and/or third months of pregnancy were associated with an increased risk of congenital limb deficiencies. A similar association was not detected between congenital anomalies and other headaches during pregnancy. Our study was not based on a prior hypothesis; therefore, these data can be considered only as a signal that needs confirmation by independent data sets. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Clinical impact of intraoperative histological examination of the ductal resection margin in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinomaBRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY (NOW INCLUDES EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SURGERY), Issue 9 2010M. Konishi Background: Although ductal resection margin status in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is evaluated by intraoperative histological examination of frozen sections, its clinical relevance remains controversial. Methods: Material taken from patients who underwent R0 or R1 resection for extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with intraoperative histological examination of the final ductal resection margins between 1994 and 2003 were reviewed. The following histological classification was used: insufficient, negative for malignancy (NM), undetermined lesion (UDL) or positive for malignancy (PM). Multivariable analyses of overall survival and anastomotic recurrence in relation to ductal margin status were performed. Results: Resection material from 363 patients was identified. For the proximal ductal margin, only PM in intramural lesions was significantly associated with poor survival (hazard ratio (HR) 1·72, 95 per cent confidence interval (c.i.) 1·06 to 2·74) and anastomotic recurrence (HR 6·39, 95 per cent c.i. 1·89 to 21·62) compared with NM. In analysis of overall survival according to distal ductal margin status, the HRs for UDL and PM lesions in comparison with NM were not significant. Conclusion: PM in intramural lesions found during intraoperative histological examination of the proximal ductal resection margin was related to clinical outcome. This finding favours additional resection of the bile duct. A similar association was not found for histology results of the distal resection margin. Copyright © 2010 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Is there a relationship between Birthweight and subsequent growth on the development of Dental Caries at 5 years of age?COMMUNITY DENTISTRY AND ORAL EPIDEMIOLOGY, Issue 5 2010A cohort study Kay EJ, Northstone K, Ness A, Duncan K, Crean SJ. Is there a relationship between Birthweight and subsequent growth on the development of Dental Caries at 5 years of age? A cohort study. Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2010; 38: 408,414. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Abstract,,, Objectives:, To examine the associations between childhood growth and the presence of dental caries at age 5. Methods:, Data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) a population-based, prospective cohort study were used. We enrolled 14 541 pregnancies, and a 10% sample of these were dentally examined and measured at 61 months of age. Birthweight was obtained from medical records, and birth length and birthweight were assessed by trained ALSPAC measurers. A number of social and lifestyle factors were treated as potential confounding factors. Results:, Of 985, children, 242 (24.6%) had caries at 61 months of age. After adjustment, increased weight at birth was associated with a small increased risk of caries at 61 months (OR: 1.08 (95% CI: 1.03, 1.13) per 100 g increase, P = 0.002). A similar association was noted with respect to increased length at birth. Current weight and height did not appear to be associated with caries risk. Children who had caries at 61 months had slower increases in weight and height between birth and 61 months than those without decay at 61 months. Conclusions:, The weak associations we have demonstrated between weight and length at birth and risk of caries at age 61 months cannot be considered causal, however, the relationship between the two variables warrants further investigation. [source] Organic facies and geochemical aspects in Neogene neritic sediments of the Takafu syncline area of central Japan: Paleoenvironmental and sedimentological reconstructionsISLAND ARC, Issue 4 2006Ken Sawada Abstract Organic petrological observations of kerogen macerals and organic geochemical analyses of carbon isotopes of kerogen macerals and biomarkers were conducted on Neogene neritic sediments of the Takafu syncline area of central Japan. The Senmi, Sakainomiya and Lower Shigarami Formations in that area were deposited at the neritic provinces on the southern edge of the paleo-Japan Sea during the Late Miocene to Early Pliocene. Sedimentary organic matter in these formations was almost terrigenous in origin. Changes in kerogen maceral compositions reflect sedimentological and tectonic histories evaluated in previous studies from sedimentary facies and paleontology. It was found that carbon isotope ratios (,13C) of kerogen macerals increased from ,28, to ,25, from the Sakainomiya to the lower part of the Lower Shigarami Formations. The cause of that increase was presumably the expansion of C4 plants into southwest Japan. The timing was concordant with that of the expansion of C4 plant grasslands in East Asia. The oxicity (oxic to anoxic) conditions of sea bottoms evaluated from pristane/phytane ratios varied. Particularly, in the lower part of the Senmi Formation, layers in which no steroid biomarkers could be detected were found, and had presumably formed under oxic conditions when strong biodegradation had occurred. Concentrations of regular (C27,C29) steranes and dinosteranes were higher in the Sakainomiya and Lower Shigarami Formations. This indicates that dinoflagellates-dominant primary productions were higher at those stages. In addition, concentrations of diatomaceous biomarkers such as C26 norsterane increased from the Lower Shigarami Formation, thus adding diatoms to the major producers. Furthermore, similar associations between the increases of ,13C values of kerogen macerals and concentrations of diatomaceous biomarkers were observed in the Takafu syncline area. Thus, the expansion of C4 plants was possibly associated with the high production of diatom in the shallow-marine areas of the paleo-Japan Sea during the Neogene Period. [source] Retinol Intake and Bone Mineral Density in the Elderly: The Rancho Bernardo Study,JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 8 2002Joanne H. E. Promislow Abstract Retinol is involved in bone remodeling, and excessive intake has been linked to bone demineralization, yet its role in osteoporosis has received little evaluation. We studied the associations of retinol intake with bone mineral density (BMD) and bone maintenance in an ambulatory community-dwelling cohort of 570 women and 388 men, aged 55,92 years at baseline. Regression analyses, adjusted for standard osteoporosis covariates, showed an inverse U-shaped association of retinol, assessed by food-frequency questionnaires in 1988,1992, with baseline BMD, BMD measured 4 years later, and BMD change. Supplemental retinol use, reported by 50% of women and 39% of men, was an effect modifier in women; the associations of log retinol with BMD and BMD change were negative for supplement users and positive for nonusers at the hip, femoral neck, and spine. At the femoral neck, for every unit increase in log retinol intake, supplement users had 0.02 g/cm2 (p = 0.02) lower BMD and 0.23% (p = 0.05) greater annual bone loss, and nonusers had 0.02 g/cm2 (p = 0.04) greater BMD and 0.22% (p = 0.19) greater bone retention. However, among supplement users, retinol from dietary and supplement sources had similar associations with BMD, suggesting total intake is more important than source. In both sexes, increasing retinol became negatively associated with skeletal health at intakes not far beyond the recommended daily allowance (RDA), intakes reached predominately by supplement users. This study suggests there is a delicate balance between ensuring that the elderly consume sufficient vitamin A and simultaneously cautioning against excessive retinol supplementation. [source] New Perspectives on the Correlation of SAT Scores, High School Grades, and Socioeconomic FactorsJOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENT, Issue 1 2007Rebecca Zwick In studies of the SAT, correlations of SAT scores, high school grades, and socioeconomic factors (SES) are usually obtained using a university as the unit of analysis. This approach obscures an important structural aspect of the data: The high school grades received by a given institution come from a large number of high schools, all of which have potentially different grading standards. SAT scores, on the other hand, can be assumed to have the same meaning across high schools. Our analyses of a large national sample show that, when pooled within-high-school analyses are applied, high school grades and class rank have larger correlations with family income and education than is evident in the results of typical analyses, and SAT scores have smaller associations with socioeconomic factors. SAT scores and high school grades, therefore, have more similar associations with SES than they do when only the usual across-high-school correlations are considered. [source] Circulating matrix metalloproteinase 9 levels in relation to sampling methods, femoral and carotid atherosclerosisJOURNAL OF INTERNAL MEDICINE, Issue 6 2008F. J. Olson Abstract. Objectives., To examine whether circulating levels of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) were associated with ultrasound-assessed intima-media thickness (IMT) and echolucent plaques in the carotid and femoral arteries. To examine preanalytical sources of variability in MMP-9 concentrations related to sampling procedures. Subjects and design., Plasma and serum MMP-9 levels were compared with ultrasound assessed measures of femoral and carotid atherosclerosis, in a cross-sectional study of 61-year-old men (n = 473). Preanalytical sources of variability in MMP-9 levels were examined in 10 healthy subjects. Main outcome measures were circulating levels of MMP-9 in serum and plasma, IMT of the carotid and femoral arteries, and plaque status based on size and echolucency. Setting., Research unit at university hospital. Results., Plasma concentrations of total and active MMP-9 were associated with femoral artery IMT independently of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, and were higher in subjects with moderate to large femoral plaques. Plasma MMP-9 concentration was higher in men with echolucent femoral plaques (P = 0.006) compared with subjects without femoral plaques. No similar associations were found for carotid plaques. MMP-9 concentrations were higher in serum than in plasma, and higher when sampling was performed with Vacutainer than with syringe. MMP-9 levels in serum were more strongly associated with peripheral neutrophil count compared with MMP-9 levels in plasma. Conclusions., Plasma MMP-9 levels were associated with atherosclerosis in the femoral artery, and total MMP-9 concentration was higher in men with echolucent femoral plaques. The choice of sample material and sampling method affect the measurements of circulating MMP-9 levels. [source] Evolutionary relationships of sprint speed in Australian varanid lizardsJOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY, Issue 4 2009C. J. Clemente Abstract Ecomorphological studies often seek to link morphology and performance to relevant ecological characteristics. Varanid lizards are unique in that species can vary in body size by almost four orders of magnitude within a single genus, and a question of considerable interest is whether similar ecomorphological relationships exist when constraints on body size are reduced. We studied sprint speed in relation to size, shape and ecology for 18 species of varanid lizards. Maximal speed scaled positively with mass0.166 using least squares regression, and mass0.21 using reduced major-axis regression. However, a curvilinear trend better described this relationship, suggesting an optimal mass of 2.83 kg with respect to speed. Including data for the komodo dragon Varanus komodoensis moves the optimum mass to 2.23 kg. We use this relationship to predict the sprint speed of the Komodo's giant extinct relative Varanus (Megalania) prisca to be 2.6,3 m s,1 similar to that of extant freshwater crocodiles Crocodylus johnstoni. When differences in speed were compared to ecological characteristics, species from open habitats were significantly faster than species from semi-open or closed habitat types, and remained so after correction for size and phylogeny. Thus, despite large variation in body size, varanids appear to share similar associations between performance and ecology as seen in other lizard groups. Varanids did, however, differ in morphological relationships with sprint speed. Differences in relative speed were not related to relative hindlimb length, as is commonly reported for other lizard groups. Instead, size-free forefoot length was negatively related to speed as was the size-free thorax,abdomen length. While shorter forefeet were thought to be an adaptation to burrowing, and thus open habitats, rather than speed per se, the reduction in the thorax,abdomen length may have significant advantages to increasing speed. Biomechanical models predicting this advantage are discussed in relation to a trade-off between speed and manoeuvrability. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||