Australian children\u27s consumption of caffeinated, formulated beverages: a cross-sectional analysis

BACKGROUND: Caffeine is a common additive in formulated beverages, including sugar-sweetened beverages. Currently there are no data on the consumption of caffeinated formulated beverages in Australian children and adolescents. This study aimed to determine total intake and consumption patterns of CFBs in a nationally representative sample of Australian children aged 2-16 years and to determine contribution of CFBs to total caffeine intake. Consumption by day type, mealtime and location was also examined. METHODS: Dietary data from one 24-hour recall collected in the 2007 Australian National Children\u27s Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey were analysed. CFBs were defined as beverages to which caffeine has been added as an additive, including cola-type beverages and energy drinks. Socioeconomic status was based on the highest level of education attained by the participant\u27s primary caregiver. Time of day of consumption was classified based on traditional mealtimes and type of day of consumption as either a school or non-school day. Location of consumption was defined by the participant during the survey. RESULTS: On the day of the survey 15% (n = 642) of participants consumed CFBs. Older children and those of low socioeconomic background were more likely to consume CFBs (both P < 0.001). Amongst the 642 consumers mean (95% CI) intakes were 151 (115-187)g/day, 287 (252-321)g/day, 442 (400-484)g/day, and 555 (507-602)g/day for 2-3, 4-8, 9-13 and 14-16 year olds respectively. Consumers of CFBs had higher intakes of caffeine (mean (95% CI) 61 (55-67)mg vs. 11 (10-12)mg) and energy (mean (95% CI) 9,612 (9,247-9978)kJ vs. 8,186 (8,040-8,335)kJ) than non-consumers (both P < 0.001). CFBs contributed 69% of total daily caffeine intake. CFB intake was higher on non-school days compared with school days (P < 0.005) and consumption occurred predominantly at the place of residence (56%), within the "dinner" time bracket (17:00-20:30, 44%). CONCLUSIONS: The consumption of CFBs by all age groups within Australian children is of concern. Modifications to the permissibility of caffeine as a food additive may be an appropriate strategy to reduce the intake of caffeine in this age group. Additional areas for intervention include targeting parental influences over mealtime beverage choices

Students' difficulties, conceptions and attitudes towards learning algebra : an intervention study to improve teaching and learning

The skills necessary to identify and analyse errors and misconceptions made by students are needed by teachers of all levels especially at the lower secondary school level in Malaysia. If students are to be successful in tackling mathematical problems later in their schooling, the one prerequisite is the mastery of basic concepts in algebra. Despite the best efforts of the teachers, students still develop algebra misconceptions. Is it possible to reduce or eliminate these misconceptions? The research involved a survey of 14 year-old students in Form 2 (Grade 8) in the Penampang district of Sabah, East Malaysia. The focus of this study lies in students’ difficulties, conceptions and attitudes towards learning algebra in the framework of conceptual change. A possible way to help students overcome their learning difficulties and misconceptions is by implementing diagnostic teaching involving conflict to foster conceptual change. The study involved evaluating the efficacy of a conceptual change instructional programme involving cognitive conflict in (1) facilitating Form 2 students’ understanding of algebra concepts, and (2) assessing changes in students’ attitudes towards learning mathematics, in a mixed quantitativequalitative research design.A 24-item Algebra Diagnostic Test and a 20-item Test of Mathematics-Related Attitudes (TOMRA) questionnaire were administered as a pretest and a posttest to 39 students in each of a heterogeneous high-achieving class and a below-average achieving class. In addition 9 students were purposefully selected to participate in the interview.The results of the study indicated that students’ difficulties and misconceptions from both classes fell into five broad areas: (1) basic understanding of letters and their place in mathematics, (2) manipulation of these letters or variables, (3) use of rules of manipulation to solve equations, (4) use of knowledge of algebraic structure and syntax to form equations, and (5) generalisation of rule for repetitive patterns or sequences of shapes.The results also showed that there was significant improvement in students’ achievement in mathematics. Further, students’ attitude towards inquiry of mathematics lessons showed significant positive improvement. Enjoyment remained high even though enjoyment of mathematics lesson showed no change. Also, changes in students’ understanding (from unintelligible to intelligible, intelligible to plausible, plausible to fruitful) illustrated the extent of changes in their conceptions.Different pedagogies can affect how conceptual change and challenge of misconceptions occurs. Therefore, knowledge of the origin of different types of misconceptions can be useful in selecting more effective pedagogical techniques for challenging particular misconceptions. Also, for teachers to create an effective learning experience they should be aware of and acknowledge students’ prior knowledge acquired from academic settings and from everyday previous personal experiences. Since all learning involves transfer from prior knowledge and previous experiences, an awareness and understanding of a student’s initial conceptual framework and/or topic can be used to formulate more effective teaching strategies. If this idea is taken a step further, it could be said that, because misconceptions comprise part of a conceptual framework, then understanding origins of misconceptions would further facilitate development of effective teaching strategies.Further research is needed to help teachers to understand how students experience conflict, how students feel when they experience conflict, and how these experiences are related to their final responses because cognitive conflict has both constructive and destructive potential. Thus, by being able to interpret, recognise and manage cognitive conflict, a teacher can then successfully interpret his/her students’ cognitive conflict and be able to make conceptual change more likely or help students to have meaningful learning experiences in secondary school algebra

Organometallic ruthenium complexes with thiosemicarbazone ligands: Synthesis, structure and cytotoxicity of [(η\u3csup\u3e6\u3c/sup\u3e-p-cymene)Ru(NS)Cl]\u3csup\u3e+\u3c/sup\u3e (NS = 9-anthraldehyde thiosemicarbazones)

A series of half-sandwich arene ruthenium complexes containing bidentate thiosemicarbazone ligands have been synthesized and their biological activity investigated. The compounds have the general formula [(6-p-cymene)Ru(R-ATSC)Cl]X (ATSC = 9-anthraldehyde thiosemicarbazone and R = H, CH3 and C6H5). The crystal structure of [(6-p-cymene) Ru(MeATSC)Cl]Cl have been determined and represents the first structurally characterized arene–ruthenium half-sandwich complex with a thiosemicarbazone ligand. The complexes show good cytotoxic profiles against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 (breast adenocarcinoma) as well as HCT 116 and HT-29 (colorectal carcinoma) cell lines. [Refer to PDF for graphical abstract

Sirolimus-induced Pneumonitis Complicated by Pentamidine-induced Phospholipidosis in a Renal Transplant Recipient: A Case Report.

The proliferation signal inhibitors (PSIs)-sirolimus, everolimus, and temsirolimus-have been associated with a noninfectious pneumonitis characterized by lymphocytic alveolitis and bronciolitis obliterans with organizing pneumonia (BOOP). This condition usually occurs within the first year. Herein we presented a case of a deceased donor renal transplant with interstitial pneumonitis developing 6 years after a switch from tacrolimus to sirolimus due to chronic graft dysfunction. After the addition of intravenous pentamidine due to the suspicion of Pneumocystis pneumonia, there was marked clinical deterioration requiring intubation. Open lung biopsy revealed sirolimus-induced pulmonary toxicity (BOOP) with the additional finding of a drug-induced phospholipidosis (DIPL) that we ascribe to pentamidine treatment. After cessation of both drugs and application of corticosteroid therapy, there was only partial improvement. Eight months later the residual interstitial fibrosis demands supplemental home oxygen. We review the literature on PSI-induced pneumonitis and discuss the pathophysiology of a potential interaction with pentamidine. We caution against its use in the setting of PSI-induced pneumonitis. It is currently unknown whether these concerns also apply to prescription of other more commonly used medications associated with DIPL, eg, amiodarone and aminoglycosides

Anticancer, Biophysical and Computational Investigations of Half-Sandwich Ruthenium(II) Thiosemicarbazone Complexes: The Effect of Arene \u3ci\u3eVersus\u3c/i\u3e Thiacrown Face-Cap

A series of half-sandwich ruthenium complexes, two containing an arene face-cap and the other a thiacrown ether face-cap were synthesized to investigate the necessity of the arene for anticancer activity in this class of compounds. The complexes are formulated as [(h6-p-cymene)Ru(dmabTSC)Cl]PF6, [(h6-benzene)Ru(dmabTSC)Cl]PF6 (arene complexes), and [([9]aneS3(dmabTSC)Cl]PF6 (dmabTSC = dimethylaminobenzaldehye thiosemicarbazone). It was observed that none of the complexes showed good anticancer activity in vitro against HCT-116 and Caco-2 (colon adenocarcinoma) cells. All three complexes can bind strongly to calf-thymus DNA with binding constants on the order of 105 M-1. In addition they all bind strongly to human serum albumin with binding constants between 105 and 106 M-1. There appears to be a single binding site on the protein for these complexes. A computational investigation of these complexes and their hydrolysis products was carried out by molecular docking with DNA and topoisomerase II. From this analysis it is noted that the type of face-capping ligand had different effects on the two macromolecules. It is therefore noted that the knowledge gained from this study will be useful in identifying the type of complexes in this class that show useful metallodrug potential

Synthesis, characterization, DNA binding, topoisomerase inhibition, and apoptosis induction studies of a novel cobalt(III) complex with a thiosemicarbazone ligand

In this study, 9-anthraldehyde-N(4)-methylthiosemicarbazone (MeATSC) 1 and [Co(phen)(OCO)]Cl·6HO 2 (where phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) were synthesized. [Co(phen)(OCO)]Cl·6HO 2 was used to produce anhydrous [Co(phen)(HO)](NO)3. Subsequently, anhydrous [Co(phen)(HO)](NO)3 was reacted with MeATSC 1 to produce [Co(phen)(MeATSC)](NO)·1.5HO·CHOH 4. The ligand, MeATSC 1 and all complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, FT IR, UV-visible, and multinuclear NMR (H, C, and Co) spectroscopy, along with HRMS, and conductivity measurements, where appropriate. Interactions of MeATSC 1 and complex 4 with calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) were investigated by carrying out UV-visible spectrophotometric studies. UV-visible spectrophotometric studies revealed weak interactions between ctDNA and the analytes, MeATSC 1 and complex 4 (K = 8.1 × 10 and 1.6 × 10 M, respectively). Topoisomerase inhibition assays and cleavage studies proved that complex 4 was an efficient catalytic inhibitor of human topoisomerases I and IIα. Based upon the results obtained from the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) assay on 4T1-luc metastatic mammary breast cancer cells (IC = 34.4 ± 5.2 μM when compared to IC = 13.75 ± 1.08 μM for the control, cisplatin), further investigations into the molecular events initiated by exposure to complex 4 were investigated. Studies have shown that complex 4 activated both the apoptotic and autophagic signaling pathways in addition to causing dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ). Furthermore, activation of cysteine-aspartic proteases3 (caspase 3) in a time- and concentration-dependent manner coupled with the ΔΨ, studies implicated the intrinsic apoptotic pathway as the major regulator of cell death mechanism

Near Infrared polarimetry of a sample of YSOs

Our goal is to study the physical properties of the circumstellar environment of young stellar objetcs (YSOs). In particular, the determination of the scattering mechanism can help to constrain the optical depth of the disk and/or envelope in the near infrared. We used the IAGPOL imaging polarimeter along with the CamIV infrared camera at the LNA observatory to obtain near infrared polarimetry measurements at the H band of a sample of optically visible YSOs, namely, eleven T Tauri stars and eight Herbig Ae/Be stars. An independent determination of the disk (or jet) orientation was obtained for twelve objects from the literature. The circumstellar optical depth could be then estimated comparing the integrated polarization position angle (PA) with the direction of the major axis of the disk projected in the plane of the sky. In general, optically thin disks have polarization PA perpendicular to the disk plane. In contrast, optically thick disks produce polarization PA parallel to the disks. Among the T Tauri stars, three are consistent with optically thin disks (AS 353A, RY Tau and UY Aur) and five with optically thick disks (V536 Aql, DG Tau, DO Tau, HL Tau and LkHalpha 358). Among the Herbig Ae/Be stars, two stars show evidence of optically thin disk (Hen 3-1191 and VV Ser) and two of optically thick disks (PDS 453 and MWC 297). Our results seem consistent with the fact that optically thick disks at near infrared bands are associated more likely with younger YSOs. Marginal evidence of polarization reversal is found in RY Tau, RY Ori, WW Vul, and UY Aur. On the first three cases this feature can be associated to the UXOR phenomenon. Correlations with the IRAS colours and the spectral index yielded evidence of an evolutionary segregation with the disks tend to be optically thin when they are older.Comment: 15 pages, 15 figures, accepted in Astronomy and Astrophysic