Longitudinal comparisons of dietary patterns derived by cluster analysis in 7- to 13-year-old children

Little is known about changes in dietary patterns over time. The present study aims to derive dietary patterns using cluster analysis at three ages in children and track these patterns over time. In all, 3 d diet diaries were completed for children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children at 7, 10 and 13 years. Children were grouped based on the similarities between average weight consumed (g/d) of sixty-two food groups using k-means cluster analysis. A total of four clusters were obtained at each age, with very similar patterns being described at each time point: Processed (high consumption of processed foods, chips and soft drinks), Healthy (high consumption of high-fibre bread, fruit, vegetables and water), Traditional (high consumption of meat, potatoes and vegetables) and Packed Lunch (high consumption of white bread, sandwich fillings and snacks). The number of children remaining in the same cluster at different ages was reasonably high: 50 and 43 % of children in the Healthy and Processed clusters, respectively, at age 7 years were in the same clusters at age 13 years. Maternal education was the strongest predictor of remaining in the Healthy cluster at each time point – children whose mothers had the highest level of education were nine times more likely to remain in that cluster compared to those with the lowest. Cluster analysis provides a simple way of examining changes in dietary patterns over time, and similar underlying patterns of diet at two ages during late childhood, that persisted through to early adolescence

Dietary patterns obtained through principal components analysis: The effect of input variable quantification

Principal components analysis (PCA) is a popular method for deriving dietary patterns. A number of decisions must be made throughout the analytic process, including how to quantify the input variables of the PCA. The present study aims to compare the effect of using different input variables on the patterns extracted using PCA on 3-d diet diary data collected from 7473 children, aged 10 years, in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Four options were examined: weight consumed of each food group (g/d), energy-adjusted weight, percentage contribution to energy of each food group and binary intake (consumed/not consumed). Four separate PCA were performed, one for each intake measurement. Three or four dietary patterns were obtained from each analysis, with at least one component that described 'more healthy' and 'less healthy' diets and one component that described a diet with high consumption of meat, potatoes and vegetables. There were no obvious differences between the patterns derived using percentage energy as a measurement and adjusting weight for total energy intake, compared to those derived using gram weights. Using binary input variables yielded a component that loaded positively on reduced fat and reduced sugar foods. The present results suggest that food intakes quantified by gram weights or as binary variables both resulted in meaningful dietary patterns and each method has distinct advantages: weight takes into account the amount of each food consumed and binary intake appears to describe general food preferences, which are potentially easier to modify and useful in public health settings. © 2012 The Authors

Infundibular sparing versus transinfundibular approach to the repair of tetralogy of Fallot

IntroductionThe right ventricular infundibular sparing approach (RVIS) to the repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) avoids a full‐thickness ventricular incision, typically utilized in the transinfundibular (TI) method.MethodsWe performed a retrospective, age‐matched cohort study of patients who underwent RVIS at Texas Children’s Hospital or TI at Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Nebraska and subsequently underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). We compared right ventricular end‐diastolic and systolic volumes indexed to body surface area (RVEDVi and RVESVi) and right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) as primary endpoints. Secondary endpoints were indexed left ventricular diastolic and systolic volume (LVEDVi and LVESVi), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), right ventricular (RV) sinus ejection fraction (EF) and RV outflow tract EF (RVOT EF).ResultsSeventy‐nine patients were included in the analysis; 40 underwent RVIS and 39 underwent TI repair. None of the patients in the TI repair group had an initial palliation with a systemic to pulmonary arterial shunt compared to seven (18%) in the RVIS group (P < .01). There was no appreciable difference in RVEDVi (122 ± 29 cc/m2 vs 130 ± 29 cc/m2, P = .59) or pulmonary regurgitant fraction (40 ± 13 vs 37 ± 18, P = .29) between the RVIS and TI groups. Compared to the TI group, the RVIS group had higher RVEF (54 ± 6% vs 44 ± 9%, P < .01), lower RVESV (57 ± 17 cc/m2 vs 67 ± 25 cc/m2, P = .03), higher LVEF (61 ± 11% vs 54 ± 8%, P < .01), higher RVOT EF (47 ± 12% vs 41 ± 11%, P = .03), and higher RV sinus EF (56 ± 5% vs 49 ± 6%, P < .01)ConclusionsIn this selected cohort, patients who underwent RVIS repair for TOF had higher right and left ventricular ejection fraction compared to those who underwent TI repair.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/152818/1/chd12863_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/152818/2/chd12863.pd

Dietary patterns and changes in body composition in children between 9 and 11 years

Objective: Childhood obesity is rising and dietary intake is a potentially modifiable factor that plays an important role in its development. We aim to investigate the association between dietary patterns, obtained through principal components analysis and gains in fat and lean mass in childhood. Design : Diet diaries at 10 years of age collected from children taking part in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Body composition was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at 9 and 11. Setting: Longitudinal birth cohort. Subjects: 3911 children with complete data. Results: There was an association between the Health Aware (positive loadings on high-fiber bread, and fruits and vegetables; negative loadings on chips, crisps, processed meat, and soft drinks) pattern score and decreased fat mass gain in girls. After adjusting for confounders, an increase of 1 standard deviation (sd) in this score led to an estimated 1.2% decrease in fat mass gain in valid-reporters and 2.1% in under-reporters. A similar decrease was found only in under-reporting boys. There was also an association between the Packed Lunch (high consumption of white bread, sandwich fillings, and snacks) pattern score and decreased fat mass gain (1.1% per sd) in valid-reporting but not under-reporting girls. The main association with lean mass gain was an increase with Packed Lunch pattern score in valid-reporting boys only. Conclusions: There is a small association between dietary patterns and change in fat mass in mid-childhood. Differences between under- and valid-reporters emphasize the need to consider valid-reporters separately in such studies. © 2014 Andrew D. A. C. Smith et al

Benefits of adding fluticasone propionate/salmeterol to tiotropium in moderate to severe COPD

SummaryBackgroundCombining maintenance medications with different mechanisms of action may improve outcomes in COPD. In this study we evaluated the efficacy and safety of fluticasone/salmeterol (FSC) (250/50 mcg twice daily) when added to tiotropium (18 mcg once daily) (TIO) in subjects with symptomatic moderate to severe COPD.MethodsThis was a 24-week, randomized, double-blind, parallel group, multi-center study. Subjects 40 years or older with cigarette smoking history ≥10 pack-years and with the diagnosis of COPD and post-bronchodilator FEV1 ≥40 to ≤ 80% of predicted normal and FEV1/FVC of ≤0.70 were enrolled. Following a 4-week treatment with open-label TIO 18 mcg once daily, subjects were randomized in a double-blind fashion to either the addition of FSC 250/50 DISKUS twice daily or matching placebo. The primary efficacy endpoint was AM pre-dose FEV1 and secondary endpoints included other measures of lung function, rescue albuterol use, health status and exacerbations.ResultsThe addition of FSC to TIO significantly improved lung function indices including AM pre-dose FEV1, 2 h post-dose FEV1, AM pre-dose FVC, 2 h post-dose FVC and AM pre-dose IC compared with TIO alone. Furthermore, this combination was superior to TIO alone in reducing rescue albuterol use. However, there were no significant differences between the treatment groups in health status or COPD exacerbations. The incidence of adverse events was similar in both groups.ConclusionsThe addition of FSC to subjects with COPD treated with TIO significantly improves lung function without increasing the risk of adverse events. NCT00784550

Red Cells Genetically Deficient in Carbonic Anhydrase II Have Elevated Levels of a Carbonic Anhydrase Indistinguishable from Muscle CA III a

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/71425/1/j.1749-6632.1984.tb12351.x.pd

Cholinesterase inhibitor to prevent falls in Parkinson's disease (CHIEF-PD) trial:a phase 3 randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled trial of rivastigmine to prevent falls in Parkinson's disease

Abstract Background Falls are a common complication of Parkinson’s disease. There is a need for new therapeutic options to target this debilitating aspect of the disease. Cholinergic deficit has been shown to contribute to both gait and cognitive dysfunction seen in the condition. Potential benefits of using cholinesterase inhibitors were shown during a single centre phase 2 trial. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of a cholinesterase inhibitor on fall rate in people with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. Methods This is a multi-centre, double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial in 600 people with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (Hoehn and Yahr stages 1 to 4) with a history of a fall in the past year. Participants will be randomised to two groups, receiving either transdermal rivastigmine or identical placebo for 12 months. The primary outcome is the fall rate over 12 months follow-up. Secondary outcome measures, collected at baseline and 12 months either face-to-face or via remote video/telephone assessments, include gait and balance measures, neuropsychiatric indices, Parkinson’s motor and non-motor symptoms, quality of life and cost-effectiveness. Discussion This trial will establish whether cholinesterase inhibitor therapy is effective in preventing falls in Parkinson’s disease. If cost-effective, it will alter current management guidelines by offering a new therapeutic option in this high-risk population. Trial registration REC reference: 19/SW/0043. EudraCT: 2018–003219-23. ISCRTN: 41639809 (registered 16/04/2019). ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04226248 Protocol at time of publication Version 7.0, 20th January 2021

Gel transitions in colloidal suspensions

The idealized mode coupling theory (MCT) is applied to colloidal systems interacting via short-range attractive interactions of Yukawa form. At low temperatures MCT predicts a slowing down of the local dynamics and ergodicity breaking transitions. The nonergodicity transitions share many features with the colloidal gel transition, and are proposed to be the source of gelation in colloidal systems. Previous calculations of the phase diagram are complemented with additional data for shorter ranges of the attractive interaction, showing that the path of the nonergodicity transition line is then unimpeded by the gas-liquid critical curve at low temperatures. Particular attention is given to the critical nonergodicity parameters, motivated by recent experimental measurements. An asymptotic model is developed, valid for dilute systems of spheres interacting via strong short-range attractions, and is shown to capture all aspects of the low temperature MCT nonergodicity transitions.Comment: 12 pages, LaTeX, 5 eps figures, uses ioplppt.sty, to appear in J. Phys.: Condens. Matte

Environment and Rural Affairs Monitoring & Modelling Programme - ERAMMP Year 1 Report 21: GMEP outstanding analysis part 2 - Revisiting trends in topsoil carbon from CS2007 to GMEP 2013-2016

New analysis was carried out to explore the reported loss of topsoil-C between 2007 and 2016 in the ‘Habitat’ category in the final GMEP report. This ‘Habitat’ category is defined as all habitats except woodlands, arable and improved grassland. The GMEP survey squares were selected using Countryside Survey protocols stratified according to Land Classes. The final GMEP survey sample from 2012-2016 consists of 7% previously surveyed Countryside Survey squares. Further analysis was needed to explore, and account for, unintended shifts in environmental variables which could have contributed to the reported topsoil carbon decline. The results indicate: 1. The reported change in the ‘Habitat’ category is driven by trends in upland habitats (median elevation of 400m). 2. In upland habitats, soil carbon is positively associated with dwarf shrub cover (particularly ericoid e.g. heather cover), Sphagnum, presence of peat, elevation and moisture conditions. 3. The coverage of dwarf shrubs was lower in GMEP than in Countryside Survey 2007, mostly due to lower cover of ericoids i.e. heather. This is consistent with decreasing soil carbon in upland habitats. Other variables (i.e. potential drivers) did not differ between surveys, or direction of change was inconsistent with reported C trends. 4. Re-analysis of Countryside Survey data (1978-2007) provides evidence that shifts over time from dwarf shrub to grass-dominated habitats are associated with a decline in topsoil carbon. 5. Overall, this suggest a potential role of ongoing vegetation change in upland habitats (i.e. conversion of dwarf shrub to grass-dominated) contributing to topsoil carbon loss. Further work is needed to: • Confirm recent vegetation change in upland habitats using independent data e.g. satellite data; • Explore relationships between specific plant species and topsoil carbon in Countryside Survey where we have a high number of true repeat samples; This work highlights the importance of the findings of the next ERAMMP survey, which will be more powerful than the combined CS-GMEP approach reported here

Hysteresis and hierarchies: dynamics of disorder-driven first-order phase transformations

We use the zero-temperature random-field Ising model to study hysteretic behavior at first-order phase transitions. Sweeping the external field through zero, the model exhibits hysteresis, the return-point memory effect, and avalanche fluctuations. There is a critical value of disorder at which a jump in the magnetization (corresponding to an infinite avalanche) first occurs. We study the universal behavior at this critical point using mean-field theory, and also present preliminary results of numerical simulations in three dimensions.Comment: 12 pages plus 2 appended figures, plain TeX, CU-MSC-747