Children's satisfaction with a comprehensive study program-Results from the LIFE Child cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Research participants' satisfaction is a topic of great interest, especially in the context of longitudinal studies. Evaluation also represents an important component of quality management in the health care system. Adult studies found that personal characteristics, e.g., age, sex, ethnicity, and SES, can influence satisfaction with health care or study participation. Studies on paediatric participants are sparse. OBJECTIVES: To examine how children rated the study day of a cohort study and how these ratings were associated with sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics and retention in the context of a large cohort study. METHODS: Analyses were performed on 4- to 17-year-old participants of the German longitudinal cohort study LIFE Child (n = 2033). To assess the associations between overall satisfaction (high versus low/middle) and age, sex, body-mass index, socioecomonic status, and participation in a follow-up visit, we applied logistic mixed-effects models. RESULTS: Participants' overall satisfaction with the LIFE Child study day was high ("very good": 67.8%). Overall satisfaction was higher in 7-9 years olds (odds ratio [OR] 2.00, 95% confidence interval [CI 1.51, 2.66) and 10-12 years olds (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.16, 1.98) than in 4-6 years olds and 13-17 years olds. Children with obesity were less likely to participate in a follow-up visit (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.39, 0.78). Children reporting high overall satisfaction at the first study visit completed a follow-up visit more frequently (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.05,1.67). CONCLUSIONS: A high level of satisfaction increased participants' attendance at a follow-up visit. Our results might be helpful for adapting the study program to the participants' needs in order to maximise retention and minimise attrition rates.

Ultra-wide band radar for prospective respiratory motion correction in the liver.

Objective.T1 mapping of the liver is time consuming and can be challenging due to respiratory motion. Here we present a prospective slice tracking approach, which utilizes an external ultra-wide band radar signal and allows for efficient T1 mapping during free-breathing.Approach.The fast radar signal is calibrated to an MR-based motion signal to create a motion model. This motion model provides motion estimates, which are used to carry out slice tracking for any subsequent clinical scan. This approach was evaluated in simulations, phantom experiments andin vivoscans.Main results.Radar-based slice tracking was implemented on an MR system with a total latency of 77 ms. Moving phantom experiments showed accurate motion prediction with an error of 0.12 mm in anterior-posterior and 0.81 mm in head-feet direction. The model error remained stable for up to two hours.In vivoexperiments showed visible image improvement with a motion model error three times smaller than with a respiratory bellow. For T1 mapping during free-breathing the proposed approach provided similar results compared to reference T1 mapping during a breathhold.Significance.The proposed radar-based approach achieves accurate slice tracking and enables efficient T1 mapping of the liver during free-breathing. This motion correction approach is independent from scanning parameters and could also be used for applications like MR guided radiotherapy or MR Elastography.

Pilot tone-based prospective correction of respiratory motion for free-breathing myocardial T1 mapping.

OBJECTIVE: To provide respiratory motion correction for free-breathing myocardial T1 mapping using a pilot tone (PT) and a continuous golden-angle radial acquisition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During a 45 s prescan the PT is acquired together with a dynamic sagittal image covering multiple respiratory cycles. From these images, the respiratory heart motion in head-feet and anterior-posterior direction is estimated and two linear models are derived between the PT and heart motion. In the following scan through-plane motion is corrected prospectively with slice tracking based on the PT. In-plane motion is corrected for retrospectively. Our method was evaluated on a motion phantom and 11 healthy subjects. RESULTS: Non-motion corrected measurements using a moving phantom showed T1 errors of 14 ± 4% (p < 0.05) compared to a reference measurement. The proposed motion correction approach reduced this error to 3 ± 4% (p < 0.05). In vivo the respiratory motion led to an overestimation of T1 values by 26 ± 31% compared to breathhold T1 maps, which was successfully corrected to an average difference of 3 ± 2% (p < 0.05) between our free-breathing approach and breathhold data. DISCUSSION: Our proposed PT-based motion correction approach allows for T1 mapping during free-breathing with the same accuracy as a corresponding breathhold T1 mapping scan.

3D Free-breathing multichannel absolute B1+ Mapping in the human body at 7T.

PURPOSE: To introduce and investigate a method for free-breathing three-dimensional (3D) B1+ mapping of the human body at ultrahigh field (UHF), which can be used to generate homogenous flip angle (FA) distributions in the human body at UHF. METHODS: A 3D relative B1+ mapping sequence with a radial phase-encoding (RPE) k-space trajectory was developed and applied in 11 healthy subjects at 7T. An RPE-based actual flip angle mapping method was applied with a dedicated B1+ shim setting to calibrate the relative B1+ maps yielding absolute B1+ maps of the individual transmit channels. The method was evaluated in a motion phantom and by multidimensional in vivo measurements. Additionally, 3D gradient echo scans with and without static phase-only B1+ shims were used to qualitatively validate B1+ shim predictions. RESULTS: The phantom validation revealed good agreement for B1+ maps between dynamic measurement and static reference acquisition. The proposed 3D method was successfully validated in vivo by comparing magnitude and phase distributions with a 2D Cartesian reference. 3D B1+ maps free from visible motion artifacts were successfully acquired for 11 subjects with body mass indexes ranging from 19 kg/m2 to 34 kg/m2 . 3D respiration-resolved absolute B1+ maps indicated FA differences between inhalation and exhalation up to 15% for one channel and up to 24% for combined channels for shallow breathing. CONCLUSION: The proposed method provides respiration-resolved absolute 3D B1+ maps of the human body at UHF, which enables the investigation and development of 3D B1+ shimming and parallel transmission methods to further enhance body imaging at UHF.

Pilot tone-based motion correction for prospective respiratory compensated cardiac cine MRI.

PURPOSE: To evaluate prospective motion correction using the pilot tone (PT) as a quantitative respiratory motion signal with high temporal resolution for cardiac cine images during free breathing. METHODS: Before cine data acquisition, a short prescan was performed, calibrating the PT to the respiratory-induced heart motion using respiratory-resolved real-time images. The calibrated PT was then applied for nearly real-time prospective motion correction of cine MRI through slice tracking (ie, updating the slice position before every readout). Additionally, in-plane motion correction was performed retrospectively also based on the calibrated PT data. The proposed method was evaluated in a moving phantom and 10 healthy volunteers. RESULTS: The PT showed very good correlation to the phantom motion. In volunteer studies using a long-term scan over 7.96 ± 1.40 min, the mean absolute error between registered and predicted motion from the PT was 1.44 ± 0.46 mm in head-feet and 0.46 ± 0.07 mm in anterior-posterior direction. Irregular breathing could also be corrected well with the PT. The PT motion correction leads to a significant improvement of contrast-to-noise ratio by 68% (P ≤ .01) between blood pool and myocardium and sharpness of endocardium by 24% (P = .04) in comparison to uncorrected data. The image score, which refers to the cine image quality, has improved with the utilization of the proposed PT motion correction. CONCLUSION: The proposed approach provides respiratory motion-corrected cine images of the heart with improved image quality and a high scan efficiency using the PT. The PT is independent of the MR acquisition, making this a very flexible motion-correction approach.

[The LIFE Child study: A cohort study investigating child development in changing environmental conditions]. / Die LIFE Child-Studie: Eine Kohortenstudie zur Erforschung der Kindesentwicklung in sich verändernden Umweltbedingungen.

The LIFE Child study: A cohort study investigating child development in changing environmental conditions Objectives: The LIFE Child study investigates healthy child development from pregnancy to young adulthood and the development of lifestyle diseases. Methods: Since study initiation in 2011, 1068 pregnant women and 4658 children have been included in the study. Children are recruited until the age of 16 years. Follow-up visits take place once per year. Assessments include physical examinations, interviews, questionnaires, standardized tests, and biological samples including genetic analysis. Results: We found significant associations between socio-economic status and health behaviour, between the weight of mothers and their children and between excessive media use and psychological complaints. Further projects dealt with the creation of references curves and the evaluation of new research methods. Conclusions: The study provides important insights into the interplay between the living environment, behaviour and child health.

Associations of Green Spaces and Streets in the Living Environment with Outdoor Activity, Media Use, Overweight/Obesity and Emotional Wellbeing in Children and Adolescents.

Aspects of the living environment can affect health and wellbeing of children and adolescents. Whereas most previous studies assessed the more distant residential urban environment, less is known on possible effects of the close environment. The present study investigated associations of the proportion of streets and green spaces in the immediate urban living environment (50, 100 and 400 m around the home) with media use, outdoor activity, overweight/obesity and emotional problems in two samples of younger (age 3-10, n = 395) and older children (age 10-19, n = 405). Independently of socioeconomic parameters, a higher proportion of streets was associated with overweight/obesity (in younger and older children), higher media use (in younger children), less outdoor activity and more emotional problems (in older children). Older children's outdoor activity in winter increased with increasing proportions of green spaces. The observations suggest that the immediate urban living environment is a factor that can affect leisure behavior and health in children.

Media Use of Mothers, Media Use of Children, and Parent-Child Interaction Are Related to Behavioral Difficulties and Strengths of Children.

The present study investigated the associations of media use of children, media use of mothers, and parent-child interactions with behavioral strengths and difficulties in children. Screen time of 553 2- to 9-year-old children and their mothers were indicated by the daily durations of their TV/games console/computer/mobile phone use. The amount of parent-child interaction was indicated by the frequencies of shared activities at home. Behavioral strengths and difficulties of children were investigated using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Children whose mothers reported high screen times (>/= 5 h/day) were significantly more likely to show high screen times (>/= 2 h/day). High screen time of children was associated with more conduct problems, more symptoms of hyperactivity/inattention and less prosocial behavior. High screen time of mothers was associated with emotional problems, conduct problems, and symptoms of hyperactivity/inattention. In contrast, a higher frequency of parent-child interactions was associated with fewer conduct problems, fewer peer-relationship problems, and more prosocial behavior of children. Children might use the media behavior of their mothers as a role model for their own media use. Furthermore, the findings suggest that media use of children and mothers and parent-child interaction contribute independently to behavioral strengths and difficulties of children.

Hospital volume and mortality in liver resections for colorectal metastasis using population-based administrative data.

BACKGROUND: Approximately one-quarter of patients with colorectal carcinoma develop colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). Surgical treatment with curative intent by hepatic resection is the standard medical care. While some studies with small sample sizes have investigated the relationship between hospital procedure volume and in-hospital mortality for this diagnosis, no population-based study has been conducted. The present study was aimed at closing this gap. METHODS: Based on administrative population-based hospital discharge data (Diagnosis Related Group Statistic), patients diagnosed with CRLM and treated with hepatic resection from 2011 to 2015 were identified. The hospital operation-volume effect on risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality was examined by logistic regression models. RESULTS: During the study period, 5900 patients with CRLM were treated with hepatic resection, of whom 189 (3.2%) died before hospital discharge. Hospitals of different operation-volume quartiles did not differ in terms of mortality rates. Sensitivity analysis investigating the volume-mortality relationship separately for every resection procedure showed no clear result. Procedure frequencies vary among hospitals of different volume quartiles, with low-volume hospitals performing systematically more low-risk procedures (in terms of reduced mortality rate), than high-volume hospitals. CONCLUSION: Based on almost complete German hospital discharge data, the results did not confirm unconditional volume-outcome relationship for CRLM patients.

Reciprocal Longitudinal Associations Between Adolescents' Media Consumption and Psychological Health.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated reciprocal longitudinal associations between media use/physical activity and adolescents' psychological health. METHODS: Data were collected between 2011 and 2017 in the LIFE Child study in Germany. The sample included 814 10- to 17-year-old adolescents. The participants provided information on their media use per day (hours of television/video, computer/Internet, and mobile phone use), physical activity (frequency of organized and non-organized physical activity per week), behavioral difficulties (emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer relationship problems), and quality of life (physical and psychological well-being; satisfaction with parents, peers, and school) at 2 time points 12 months apart. Multiple regressions were applied to analyze reciprocal longitudinal associations between media use/physical activity and behavioral difficulties/quality of life. RESULTS: Frequent use of computers/Internet at baseline was associated with an increase in internalizing behavioral difficulties (emotional problems and peer relationship problems) at follow-up. Additionally, a high frequency of computer/Internet and mobile phone use was related to a decrease in psychological well-being, whereas a high frequency of organized physical activity was linked to improved physical well-being. The analyses also revealed a link between more behavioral difficulties at baseline and increased television consumption at follow-up. CONCLUSION: This study suggests mutual dependencies between electronic media use and psychological health over time.

Seasonal effects and antifungal activity from bark chemical constituents of Sterculia apetala (Malvaceae) at Pantanal of Miranda, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil / Efeitos sazonais e atividade antifúngica dos constituintes químicos das cascas de Sterculia apetala (Malvaceae) no Pantanal de Miranda, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil

In the Southern Pantanal, the hyacinth macaw (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), an endangered species, often chooses the manduvi tree (Sterculia apetala) as a nesting site, because of its physical properties. In addition, the chemical composition of the wood may also contribute to a nesting selection by the hyacinth macaws. The objective of this study was to determine the main chemical components of S. apetala bark for two seasons, and evaluate its fungicidal potential. Bark samples from S. apetala trees with and without nests of A. hyacinthinus were collected in January (wet season) and August (dry season) of 2012. The inhibition of mycelium growth (MGI) from tree samples with and without nests were assessed using a phytochemical analysis to evaluate their antifungal activity against Trichoderma sp. Phytochemical analysis confirmed the presence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids. In both seasons, samples obtained from nested trees had higher content of total phenols than those collected from non-nested trees. The average content of total flavonoids was higher in January for samples with nest and in August for samples without nest. All selected samples showed antifungal activity, and those with nest collected in August (peak of hyacinth macaw breeding) resulted in an MGI of 51.3%. Therefore, this percentage, related to the content of flavonoids and the presence of coumarins, may influence the reproductive success of hyacinth macaws and other species of birds, in this region. This is the first chemical study report with the stem bark of S. apetala.

No Pantanal Sul, as araras-azuis (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), espécie em extinção, escolhem preferencialmente o manduvi (Sterculia apetala) como local de nidificação devido principalmente às características físicas da árvore. Porém, a composição química da madeira também pode interferir nesta seleção. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram determinar as principais classes de substâncias químicas presentes nas cascas de S. apetala em duas épocas do ano e seu potencial antifúngico. As cascas de árvores, com e sem a presença de ninhos de A. hyacinthinus, foram coletadas em janeiro (período de chuvas) e agosto (período de seca) de 2012. Por meio das análises fitoquímicas e quantificação de flavonóides, foram selecionadas amostras de uma árvore com ninho e outra sem ninho para determinar seu potencial antifúngico frente à Trichoderma sp. através da porcentagem de inibição do crescimento micelial (PIC). A investigação fitoquímica do extrato etanólico das cascas revelou a predominância de compostos fenólicos e flavonóides. O teor médio de fenóis totais foi superior para as amostras com ninho, em relação às sem ninho, nos dois períodos de coleta e, para flavonóides, os valores foram superiores em janeiro para a amostra com ninho e em agosto, para sem ninho. As amostras selecionadas apresentaram potencial antifúngico, sendo que com ninho, coletada em agosto (auge do período de reprodução das araras-azuis), resultou em um PIC de 51,3%, valor relacionado aos flavonóides e as cumarinas, fator que pode influenciar o sucesso reprodutivo da arara azul e outras espécies de aves nesta região. Este trabalho foi o primeiro a identificar os componentes químicos da casca do tronco de S. apetala.

Cultivation of lettuce fertilized with controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer and urea / Cultivo de alface adubada com fertilizante nitrogenado de liberação lenta e uréia

Lettuce demands high levels of nitrogen, which appears in the soil in forms that present a complex dynamic, making it difficult to apply nitrogen-based fertilizers. One way to improve the efficiency of nitrogen absorption is to use controlled-release nitrogen fertilizers, which aim to maintain nitrogen in forms that are less susceptible to loss. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of two sources of N (urea and coated urea ­ slow-release N) in two management systems (fertilizer only at planting and fertilizer at planting and as a dressing) in the cultivation of American lettuce, cultivar Gloriosa, in an Entisols (Quartzipsamments), in the county of Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul state (MS), Brazil. The experimental design used was randomized blocks in a 2 x 2 factorial scheme (2 sources of N and 2 systems for application of N) and eight repetitions. The use of protected (coated) urea on the American lettuce crop did not lead to increased productivity in comparison with urea applied only at planting. On the other hand, the use of urea at planting and as a dressing presented higher productivity than the coated urea source.

A alface é uma hortaliça exigente em nitrogênio, cujas formas no solo apresentam uma dinâmica complexa, dificultando as adubações nitrogenadas. Uma maneira de melhorar a eficiência de absorção do nitrogênio é o uso de fertilizantes nitrogenados de liberação controlada, que visam manter o nitrogênio em formas menos sujeitas a perdas. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar o efeito de duas fontes de N (ureia e ureia encapsulada - N de liberação lenta) em dois tipos de manejo (adubação somente no plantio e adubação de plantio + cobertura) no cultivo da alface americana cultivar Gloriosa em um solo Neossolo Quartzarênico Órtico, no município de Campo Grande MS. O arranjo experimental utilizado foi de blocos ao acaso em esquema fatorial 2 x 2 (2 fontes de N e 2 manejos de aplicação de N) e oito repetições. O uso de ureia protegida (encapsulada) na cultura da alface americana, não proporcionou incremento de produtividade quando comparada a ureia manejada apenas no plantio. Por outro lado, o uso de ureia manejada no plantio e em cobertura, apresentou produtividade superior a fonte de ureia protegida.