Electronic properties of Fabre charge-transfer salts under various temperature and pressure conditions

Using density functional theory, we determine parameters of tight-binding Hamiltonians for a variety of Fabre charge transfer salts, focusing in particular on the effects of temperature and pressure. Besides relying on previously published crystal structures, we experimentally determine two new sets of structures; (TMTTF)$_2$SbF$_6$ at different temperatures and (TMTTF)$_2$PF$_6$ at various pressures. We find that a few trends in the electronic behavior can be connected to the complex phase diagram shown by these materials. Decreasing temperature and increasing pressure cause the systems to become more two-dimensional. We analyze the importance of correlations by considering an extended Hubbard model parameterized using Wannier orbital overlaps and show that while charge order is strongly activated by the inter-site Coulomb interaction, the magnetic order is only weakly enhanced. Both orders are suppressed when the effective pressure is increased.Comment: 12 pages, 16 figure

Measures of birth size in relation to risk of prostate cancer: the Malmo Diet and Cancer Study, Sweden

There is some evidence that perinatal factors, specifically birth weight (BW), may be related to the onset of prostate cancer (PRCA). This case-control study, nested within the Malmo Diet and Cancer Cohort Study, used archived birth record data from 308 incident PRCA cases diagnosed between 1991 and 2005, and 637 age-matched controls among 4781 men born (1923-1945) in Malmo and Lund, Sweden. We applied conditional logistic regression to examine the birth size-PRCA association, including tumour subtypes, adjusting for perinatal and adult factors. Compared with controls, cases had a non-significantly higher mean BW and were more likely to have high (> 4000 g) BW (21% v. 18%), but did not differ in other birth size measures, nor in mean adult body mass index. We observed a non-linear association between BW and PRCA risk. Compared with BWs between 3000 and 3500 g (reference), the fully adjusted odds ratios (OR, 95% CI) were 0.55 (0.33-0.91) for 4000 g. Among men with aggressive tumours, the reduction in risk for those with BWs < 3000 g (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.09-0.72) was stronger than the rate of risk for PRCA overall. Crude risk estimates were minimally attenuated when adjusted for gestational age, maternal age, birth order and adult factors. Birth length, head circumference and placental weight were not associated with prostate cancer. Our results indicate a protective effect of lower BW on risk of total and aggressive prostate cancer, rather than any direct effect of larger birth size

Usual energy and macronutrient intakes in 2-9-year-old European children

OBJECTIVE: Valid estimates of population intakes are essential for monitoring trends as well as for nutritional interventions, but such data are rare in young children. In particular, the problem of misreporting in dietary data is usually not accounted for. Therefore, this study aims to provide accurate estimates of intake distributions in European children. DESIGN: Cross-sectional setting-based multi-centre study. SUBJECTS: A total of 9560 children aged 2-9 years from eight European countries with at least one 24-h dietary recall (24-HDR). METHODS: The 24-HDRs were classified in three reporting groups based on age- and sex-specific Goldberg cutoffs (underreports, plausible reports, overreports). Only plausible reports were considered in the final analysis (N=8611 children). The National Cancer Institute (NCI)-Method was applied to estimate population distributions of usual intakes correcting for the variance inflation in short-term dietary data. RESULTS: The prevalence of underreporting (9.5%) was higher compared with overreporting (3.4%). Exclusion of misreports resulted in a shift of the energy and absolute macronutrient intake distributions to the right, and further led to the exclusion of extreme values, that is, mean values and lower percentiles increased, whereas upper percentiles decreased. The distributions of relative macronutrient intakes (% energy intake from fat/carbohydrates/proteins) remained almost unchanged when excluding misreports. Application of the NCI-Method resulted in markedly narrower intake distributions compared with estimates based on single 24-HDRs. Mean percentages of usual energy intake from fat, carbohydrates and proteins were 32.2, 52.1 and 15.7%, respectively, suggesting the majority of European children are complying with common macronutrient intake recommendations. In contrast, total water intake (mean: 1216.7 ml per day) lay below the recommended value for >90% of the children. CONCLUSION: This study provides recent estimates of intake distributions of European children correcting for misreporting as well as for the daily variation in dietary data. These data may help to assess the adequacy of young children's diets in Europe

Weight Status and BMI-Related Traits in Adolescent Friendship Groups and Role of Sociodemographic Factors : The European IDEFICS/I.Family Cohort

Background: During adolescence, health behaviors and weight status are increasingly influenced by friendship and peer networks. This paper examines resemblances in weight-related characteristics and how they differ by sociodemographic factors. Methods: Over 3,000 friendships were reported by 1,603 adolescents, aged 11-16 years, who participated in the school-based I.Family study in 6 European countries. Each "source child" named 1-10 friends for whom standardized weight-related traits were available in the same survey. The mean value of the friends' traits weighted by time spent together was calculated, and related to the source child's trait. Country, age and sex of the source child, parental education, and immigrant background were considered for confounding and moderation. Results: Source children's z-scores of body fat percent and BMI were positively associated with their friends' characteristics, in particular if they had highly educated parents. Positive associations were also found regarding the frequency of fast-food consumption, impulsivity, screen time, preference for sugar-sweetened foods, and hours spent in sports clubs, in increasing order of effect size. Additionally, correlations were observed between friends' cognitive and school functioning and being bullied. No associations were seen for a preference for high-fat foods, weight concerns, and health-related quality of life. Finally, parental education and immigrant background were associated between friends in all countries except Sweden, where no associations were observed. Conclusion: Adolescent friends shared a number of weight-related characteristics. For weight measures per se, positive associations with friends' characteristics were only observed in adolescents with high parental education. Associations regarding energy-balance behaviors and indicators of school-related well-being did not differ by parental education. Parental education and immigrant background correlated positively in friends in most countries showing that social aggregation is already occurring in adolescence. The wide spectrum of friendship associations in weight-related traits and behaviors suggests that health promotion initiatives in adolescents should be directed towards peer groups in both school-related and leisure-time environments. ISRCTN Registry: Pan-European IDEFICS/I.Family children cohort (ID ISRCTN62310987; https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN62310987).Peer reviewe

Family structure in relation to body mass index and metabolic score in European children and adolescents

Background Living in single parent and blended families or as an only child-compared to living in two-parent biological families or with siblings, respectively-is associated with a higher body mass index (BMI) in cross-sectional studies. However, longitudinal research addressing the children's BMI in this context is scarce. Further, little is known about the association between family structure and metabolic health. Objectives This study aimed at investigating the association between both aspects of family structure with BMI and a metabolic score (MetS). Methods Cross-sectional data from 7804 children participating in the European multi-center I.Family study (2013/2014) and longitudinal data from 5621 children who also participated previously in the IDEFICS study (2007-2010) were used. Family structure was assessed by a detailed interview. BMI z-score and the MetS were based on measured anthropometry, blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein, blood glucose, and triglycerides. Linear regressions were performed to model associations between family structure with BMI and MetS. Results Children from single-parent families had higher BMI z-scores in the cross-sectional (beta = 0.09, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.001 to 0.18) and longitudinal analyses compared to those from two-parent families. Cross-sectionally, the number of siblings was associated with lower BMI z-scores (beta = -0.07, 95% CI: -0.10 to -0.03) and lower MetS (beta = -0.14, 95% CI: -0.26 to -0.01). Longitudinally, only children between baseline and follow-up had higher BMI z-scores at follow-up (beta = 0.07, 95% CI: 0.01 to 0.14) compared to stable siblings. Conclusion Obesity prevention measures should focus on single-parent households and families with an only child.Peer reviewe

Measurement of Residual Stresses Around a Circular Patch Weld Using Barkhausen Noise

Welding is a common means of joining and repairing steel structures. In the case of steel tanks, circular patch welds are often used for repairing the structure after removal of a defective area. Unfortunately, the welding process also produces residual stresses which, if not relieved, can impair the integrity of the structure. Measurement of residual stresses produced by welding is needed, for example, to verify the effectiveness of a stress relief heat treatment which is typically used to remove weld-induced stresses

Interactions between dietary patterns and genetic factors in relation to incident dementia among 70-year-olds

PURPOSE: To investigate potential interactions between dietary patterns and genetic factors modulating risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) in relation to incident dementia. METHODS: Data were derived from the population-based Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Studies in Sweden, including 602 dementia-free 70-year-olds (examined 1992-93, or 2000-02; 64% women) followed for incident dementia until 2016. Two factors from a reduced rank regression analysis were translated into dietary patterns, one healthy (e.g., vegetables, fruit, and fish) and one western (e.g., red meat, refined cereals, and full-fat dairy products). Genetic risk was determined by APOE ε4 status and non-APOE AD-polygenic risk scores (AD-PRSs). Gene-diet interactions in relation to incident dementia were analysed with Cox regression models. The interaction p value threshold was < 0.1. RESULTS: There were interactions between the dietary patterns and APOE ε4 status in relation to incident dementia (interaction p value threshold of < 0.1), while no evidence of interactions were found between the dietary patterns and the AD-PRSs. Those with higher adherence to a healthy dietary pattern had a reduced risk of dementia among ε4 non-carriers (HR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.61; 0.98), but not among ε4 carriers (HR: 0.86; CI: 0.63; 1.18). Those with a higher adherence to the western dietary pattern had an increased risk of dementia among ε4 carriers (HR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.05; 1.78), while no association was observed among ε4 non-carriers (HR: 0.99; CI: 0.81; 1.21). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that there is an interplay between dietary patterns and APOE ε4 status in relation to incident dementia

Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels in middle-aged women in relationship to adiposity and height trajectories over three decades

Background/Objectives: The long-term chronology of the association between low serum concentrations of 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) and weight status is unclear. We examined whether lower 25(OH)D in middle-aged women drives upwards the weight, body mass index (BMI) and waist–hip ratio (WHR) over the next 32 years, and whether higher 25(OH)D might predict less decline in the mid- to late-life height trajectory. Subjects/Methods: The Population Study of Women in Gothenburg started in 1968–1969 (the baseline) in 38–60-year-old women residing in Gothenburg, Sweden. Anthropometric measures were taken at baseline and 4 re-examinations until 2000–2003. Levels of 25(OH)D were analyzed in serum stored since baseline in 1227 (84%) women. Repeated measures analyses were used to model associations between 25(OH)D (dichotomized, cut point 51.45 nmol/l) at baseline and anthropometric trajectories, adjusting for fixed and time-dependent covariates. Results: At baseline, mean BMI was 25.2 kg/m2 in women with low 25(OH)D and 23.8 kg/m2 in the remaining women (P<0.001), but this difference did not increase over 32 years and longitudinal differences were explained by the baseline BMI. Similar results were observed for weight and WHR. In contrast, no association was seen for height at baseline or longitudinally. Conclusions: No relationship was observed between 25(OH)D height trajectory, but lower 25(OH)D was associated with higher BMI, weight and WHR differences that were maintained over three decades. This provides no evidence for the direction of causality, but for a life-long difference in adiposity-related measures according to the 25D level in middle-aged women

Low vitamin D status in relation to cardiovascular disease and mortality in Swedish women - Effect of extended follow-up

Background and aims: The impact of vitamin D concentrations on subsequent cardiovascular disease (CVD) and overall mortality has been generally examined for periods under two decades. The magnitude of the association may depend on follow-up length. We aimed to investigate the relationship between baseline vitamin D and risk of total CVD, stroke and all-cause mortality over three decades of follow-up. Secondly, we aimed to assess how follow-up affects the associations. Methods and results: Concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25D) were measured in a population-based sample of 1227 middle-aged women using serum collected at baseline and categorized into low (lowest 25D quartile) vs high 25D status (upper three 25D quartiles). Hazard ratio (HR) of the endpoints was estimated for low 25D. The impact of follow-up was examined in intermediary analyses where follow-up was interrupted up to four times, each time decreasing it by five years. There were 596 cardiovascular events and 635 participants died. During the first 17 years, the low 25D group experienced a 29% higher CVD risk and 3.3-fold higher stroke risk after accounting for confounders. Longer follow-up diminished significantly these risks and 25D status had no contribution at 32 years. For mortality, the decline over time was less dramatic, with HR = 1.96 (1.25; 3.08) at 17 years and HR = 1.42 (1.17; 1.72) at 37 years. Conclusion: Low 25D status increased the risk for all endpoints, but a lengthy follow-up diminished these risks towards the null. The impact of follow-up depends on the outcome. Future studies of 25D and disease should use repeated 25D assessments

Factorizations of Elements in Noncommutative Rings: A Survey

We survey results on factorizations of non zero-divisors into atoms (irreducible elements) in noncommutative rings. The point of view in this survey is motivated by the commutative theory of non-unique factorizations. Topics covered include unique factorization up to order and similarity, 2-firs, and modular LCM domains, as well as UFRs and UFDs in the sense of Chatters and Jordan and generalizations thereof. We recall arithmetical invariants for the study of non-unique factorizations, and give transfer results for arithmetical invariants in matrix rings, rings of triangular matrices, and classical maximal orders as well as classical hereditary orders in central simple algebras over global fields.Comment: 50 pages, comments welcom