The Effect of Lone Motherhood on the Smoking Behaviour of Young Adults

We provide evidence that living with an unmarried mother during childhood raises smoking propensities for young adults in Germany.smoking, lone parent, childhood family structure, divorce, unobserved heterogeneity

The Effect of Lone Motherhood on the Smoking Behaviour of Young Adults

We provide evidence that living with an unmarried mother during childhood raises smoking propensities for young adults in Germany.smoking, lone parent, childhood family structure, divorce, unobserved heterogeneity

Doping of inorganic materials in microreactors – preparation of Zn doped Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles

Microreactor systems are now used more and more for the continuous production of metal nanoparticles and metal oxide nanoparticles owing to the controllability of the particle size, an important property in many applications. Here, for the first time, we used microreactors to prepare metal oxide nanoparticles with controlled and varying metal stoichiometry. We prepared and characterised Zn-substituted Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles with linear increase of Zn content (ZnxFe₃−xO₄ with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.48), which causes linear increases in properties such as the saturation magnetization, relative to pure Fe₃O₄. The methodology is simple and low cost and has great potential to be adapted to the targeted doping of a vast array of other inorganic materials, allowing greater control on the chemical stoichiometry for nanoparticles prepared in microreactors

Economic analysis of bedside ultrasonography (US) implementation in an Internal Medicine department

The economic crisis, the growing healthcare demand, and Defensive Medicine wastefulness, strongly recommend the restructuring of the entire medical network. New health technology, such as bedside ultrasonography, might successfully integrate the clinical approach optimizing the use of limited resources, especially in a person-oriented vision of medicine. Bedside ultrasonography is a safe and reliable technique, with worldwide expanding employment in various clinical settings, being considered as "the stethoscope of the 21st century". However, at present, bedside ultrasonography lacks economic analysis. We performed a Cost-Benefit Analysis "ex ante", with a break-even point computing, of bedside ultrasonography implementation in an Internal Medicine department in the mid-term. Number and kind estimation of bedside ultrasonographic studies were obtained by a retrospective study, whose data results were applied to the next 3-year period (foresight study). All 1980 foreseen bedside examinations, with prevailing multiorgan ultrasonographic studies, were considered to calculate direct and indirect costs, while specific and generic revenues were considered only after the first semester. Physician professional training, equipment purchase and working time represented the main fixed and variable cost items. DRG increase/appropriateness, hospitalization stay shortening and reduction of traditional ultrasonography examination requests mainly impacted on calculated revenues. The break-even point, i.e. the volume of activity at which revenues exactly equal total incurred costs, was calculated to be 734 US examinations, corresponding to € 81,998 and the time considered necessary to reach it resulting 406 days. Our economic analysis clearly shows that bedside ultrasonography implementation in clinical daily management of an Internal Medicine department can produce consistent savings, or economic profit according to managerial choices (i.e., considering public or private targets), other than evident medical benefits

Scheidungskinder rauchen mehr

Die massiven Gesundheitsschäden, die Rauchen verursacht, sind allseits bekannt. Die Gründe, warum Menschen zu Rauchern werden, sind hingegen nicht so offenkundig. Der vorliegende Bericht untersucht den Zusammenhang von Familienform und Rauchverhalten von jungen Menschen in Deutschland auf Basis der Daten des Sozio-oekonomischen Panels (SOEP). Eines der zentralen Ergebnisse: Jugendliche und junge Erwachsene aus Alleinerzieher-Haushalten haben ein deutlich höheres Risiko, Raucher zu werden sowie früher mit dem Rauchen anzufangen als solche aus sogenannten traditionellen Familien. Auch die Intensität des Tabakkonsums hängt von der Familienform ab - Personen, die in Alleinerzieher-Haushalten aufwachsen, rauchen im Durchschnitt mehr Zigaretten pro Tag. Besonders wichtig ist dabei, wie die Alleinerziehung zustande kam und in welchem Alter sie einsetzte: Eine Scheidung der Eltern erhöht das Risiko zu rauchen am stärksten, wohingegen das Aufwachsen mit einer alleinerziehenden Mutter oder der Tod des Vaters während der Kindheit keine statistisch signifikante Rolle spielen.Smoking, Lone parent, Childhood family structure, Divorce

Consistency and diversity of spike dynamics in the neurons of bed nucleus of Stria Terminalis of the rat: a dynamic clamp study

Neurons display a high degree of variability and diversity in the expression and regulation of their voltage-dependent ionic channels. Under low level of synaptic background a number of physiologically distinct cell types can be identified in most brain areas that display different responses to standard forms of intracellular current stimulation. Nevertheless, it is not well understood how biophysically different neurons process synaptic inputs in natural conditions, i.e., when experiencing intense synaptic bombardment in vivo. While distinct cell types might process synaptic inputs into different patterns of action potentials representing specific "motifs'' of network activity, standard methods of electrophysiology are not well suited to resolve such questions. In the current paper we performed dynamic clamp experiments with simulated synaptic inputs that were presented to three types of neurons in the juxtacapsular bed nucleus of stria terminalis (jcBNST) of the rat. Our analysis on the temporal structure of firing showed that the three types of jcBNST neurons did not produce qualitatively different spike responses under identical patterns of input. However, we observed consistent, cell type dependent variations in the fine structure of firing, at the level of single spikes. At the millisecond resolution structure of firing we found high degree of diversity across the entire spectrum of neurons irrespective of their type. Additionally, we identified a new cell type with intrinsic oscillatory properties that produced a rhythmic and regular firing under synaptic stimulation that distinguishes it from the previously described jcBNST cell types. Our findings suggest a sophisticated, cell type dependent regulation of spike dynamics of neurons when experiencing a complex synaptic background. The high degree of their dynamical diversity has implications to their cooperative dynamics and synchronization

Einfluss der Familienform auf den Schulerfolg von Kindern nicht nachweisbar

Die Bedeutung von nicht traditionellen Familienformen, d. h. von Familien, in denen nicht beide leibliche Eltern ihre Kinder gemeinsam großziehen, wird immer wieder kontrovers diskutiert. In der Öffentlichkeit wird häufi g vermutet, dass Kindern Nachteile erwachsen, wenn sie nicht in traditionellen Elternhäusern aufwachsen. Gegenwärtig ist sogar in der Diskussion, dass Kinder Alleinerziehender und in Patchworkfamilien nicht genügend soziales Verhalten lernen würden und deshalb der gesellschaftliche Zusammenhalt insgesamt gefährdet sei. Zur Objektivierung der Debatte werden in diesem Bericht Befunde zum Zusammenhang zwischen Familientyp und dem frühen Lebensweg von Kindern und Jugendlichen vorgelegt. Die Ergebnisse wurden im Rahmen eines vom DIW Berlin zusammen mit dem Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER) der University of Essex durchgeführten Forschungsprojektes erarbeitet, das von der Deutsch-Britischen Stiftung für das Studium der Industriegesellschaft fi nanziert wurde. Auf Basis der Daten des vom DIW Berlin in Zusammenarbeit mit Infratest Sozialforschung erhobenen Sozio-oekonomischen Panels (SOEP) kann für Kinder, die in Deutschland von 1966 bis 1986 geboren wurden, methodisch zuverlässig gezeigt werden, dass es keinen statistisch eindeutig nachweisbaren Einfl uss des Familientyps auf die Wahrscheinlichkeit gibt, das Abitur oder einen höheren Bildungsabschluss zu erlangen. Auch lässt sich statistisch kein konsistenter Einfl uss auf das Arbeitslosigkeitsrisiko in der Jugend nachweisen. Die für das lebenslange Gesundheitsrisiko bedeutsame Frage, ob Jugendliche rauchen, lässt sich allerdings empirisch beantworten: Jugendliche und junge Erwachsene, die in nicht traditionellen Elternhäusern aufgewachsen sind, haben eine - je nach Untersuchungsgruppe - etwa 10 bis 20 % höhere Wahrscheinlichkeit zu rauchen. Die genaueren Ursachen hierfür werden derzeit näher untersucht.

Developmental nmda receptor dysregulation in the infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis mouse model

Protein palmitoylation and depalmitoylation alter protein function. This post-translational modification is critical for synaptic transmission and plasticity. Mutation of the depalmitoylating enzyme palmitoyl-protein thioesterase 1 (PPT1) causes infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (CLN1), a pediatric neurodegenerative disease. However, the role of protein depalmitoylation in synaptic maturation is unknown. Therefore, we studied synapse development in Ppt1-/- mouse visual cortex. We demonstrate that the developmental N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) subunit switch from GluN2B to GluN2A is stagnated in Ppt1-/- mice. Correspondingly, Ppt1-/- neurons exhibit immature evoked NMDAR currents and dendritic spine morphology in vivo. Further, dissociated Ppt1-/- cultured neurons show extrasynaptic, diffuse calcium influxes and enhanced vulnerability to NMDA-induced excitotoxicity, reflecting the predominance of GluN2B-containing receptors. Remarkably, Ppt1-/- neurons demonstrate hyperpalmitoylation of GluN2B as well as Fyn kinase, which regulates surface retention of GluN2B. Thus, PPT1 plays a critical role in postsynapse maturation by facilitating the GluN2 subunit switch and proteostasis of palmitoylated proteins

Gender effect on the Relation between Diabetes and Hospitalization for Heart Failure

Aims: Cardiovascular risk among diabetic patients is at least twice as much the one for nondiabetic individuals and even greater when diabetic women are considered. Heart failure (HF) is a common unfavorable outcome of cardiovascular disease in diabetes. However, since the comparison among sexes of heart failure prevalence in diabetic patients remains limited, this study is aimed at expanding the information about this point. Methods: We have evaluated the association between diabetes and HF by reviewing the medical records of all subjects discharged from the Internal Medicine and Cardiology Units of all hospitals in the Tuscany region, Italy, during the period January 2002 through December 2008. In particular we sought concomitance of ICD-9-CM codes for diabetes and HF. Results: Patients discharged by Internal Medicine were on average older, more represented by women, and had a lesser number of individuals coded as diabetic (p < 0.05 for all). Relative risk for HF (95 % CI) was signifi cantly higher in patients with diabetes, irrespective of gender 1.39 (1.36– 1.41) in males; 1.40 (1.37–1.42) in females. When the diabetes-HF association was analyzed according to decades of age, a “horse-shoe” pattern was apparent with an increased risk in 40–59 years old in female patients discharged by Internal Medicine. Conclusions: Although there is not a diff erence in the overall HF risk between hospitalized male and female diabetic patients, women have an excess risk at perimenopausal ag

Incidenza della sclerosi multipla in Toscana: uno studio basato su dati amministrativi

INTRODUZIONE L’Italia è un’area ad elevato rischio di sclerosi multipla (SM) con una prevalenza stimata di 75.000 casi e un’incidenza di 2.000 casi annui. Gli ultimi dati pubblicati sull’incidenza sono 5,5 casi/105 a Padova (2000-09), 6,6 a Genova (1998-2007) e 9,7 in Sardegna (2003-07). In Toscana è presente un registro regionale della SM ma, ad oggi, non è rappresentativo dell’intera popolazione. Una possibile alternativa per studiare l’epidemiologia è attraverso i dati amministrativi. Questi, infatti, coprono l’intera popolazione residente e vengono raccolti di routine in un modo standardizzato ai fini della gestione del servizio sanitario. Il nostro scopo è calcolare l’incidenza della SM in Toscana utilizzando dati amministrativi. METODI Per il calcolo dell’incidenza abbiamo creato il seguente algoritmo: ospedalizzazione in reparto per acuti e con diagnosi primaria di SM, esenzione attiva per SM, e prescrizione di farmaci specifici. I casi incidenti sono stati identificati come quei casi catturati dall’algoritmo non tracciati in precedenza nei flussi amministrativi, e la data della prima traccia è stata considerata quale data di diagnosi della SM. Da questa coorte di soggetti abbiamo selezionato i pazienti con un’età ≤ 55 anni, residenti in Toscana al momento della diagnosi e presenti in anagrafe da almeno 10 anni (o nati in Toscana se età <10). Abbiamo calcolato i tassi grezzi e standardizzati e gli intervalli di confidenza (IC) al 95% per gli anni 2011-2015. RISULTATI Abbiamo identificato, negli anni analizzati, 1.056 nuovi casi con un’incidenza che varia da 5,04/105 nel 2011 a 6,02 casi/105nel 2015 (Tab 1). Nelle donne l’incidenza è circa due volte più alta rispetto agli uomini con un range che va da 6,48 a 7,96/105 nelle donne, e da 3,49 a 3,93/105 negli uomini. CONCLUSIONI L’incidenza calcolata risulta elevata, soprattutto nelle donne, ma comunque in linea ai dati pubblicati in altre Regioni, al di là dei bias metodologici legati all’uso di dati amministrativi