To analyse the impact of optimism and life satisfaction on dental check-ups.A cross-sectional study.The data used in this study consists of a postal questionnaire sent to the members of the 1966 Birth Cohort in Northern Finland. The number of replies totalled 8,690, giving a response rate of 75.3%.The subjects were classified into two categories according to frequency of dental check-ups: those who went for check-ups at least once in two years and those who went more rarely. A Life Orientation Test was used to measure optimism. Life satisfaction was measured using a single question. The other explanatory variables were gender, marital status, education, incomes and employment status. Multivariate analyses were performed using log-binomial regression models.Independent of other factors, life satisfaction among women and optimism among men was associated with dental check-ups. Links between socioeconomic factors and dental check-ups were weaker than anticipated.The results suggest that not only socioeconomic factors but also psychosocial aspects need to be taken into account in planning successful dental health policy.
Copolymers consisting of a polyacrylamide backbone with side chains terminated in C-glycosidic analogs of N-acetylneuraminic acid were synthesized by free radical copolymerization of alpha-2-C-[3-[[2-(N-acryloylamino)ethyl]thio]propyl]-N- acetylneuraminic acid (5) with acrylamide. Unlike natural and synthetic polyvalent materials that contain N-acetylneuraminic acid in O-glycosidic form, these C-glycosidic copolymers resist neuraminidase-catalyzed cleavage of the neuraminic acid residue from the copolymer backbone. Examination of these C-glycosidic copolymers in a hemagglutination inhibition assay indicated that they are as effective in vitro as polyvalent O-glycosidic copolymers in inhibiting agglutination of erythrocytes by influenza virus. The minimum value of the inhibition constant, calculated on the basis of the concentration of Neu5Ac groups in solution, is Ki(HAI) approximately 10(-7) M for both copolymers. The inhibitory potency of the C-glycoside-based copolymers becomes more significant at lower concentrations of Neu5Ac moieties in solution than does the inhibitory potency of the O-glycoside-based copolymer.
Abstract A polymer is a macromolcule made up of multiple equivalents of one or more monomers linked together by covalent bonds. Self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) are highly ordered molecular assemblies formed by chemisorption of functionalized molecules on the surface. Various system of SAMs are reviewed in this article. The synthesis and structures of SAMs on gold and silver are briefly discussed along with chemical reactions that occur on SAMs after their assembly. The patterning of SAMs on gold and its applications are discussed in the plane of the monolayer. #Reprinted from Supramolecular Polymers, Ciferri, A., Ed., Marcel Dekker, Inc.: New York, 2000; 435–470. Keywords: Self‐assembled monolayersMicrocontact printingPolarized infrared external reflectance spectroscopyMicro‐ and nanostructures Acknowledgments This work was supported by DARPA and the ONR. Lin Yan thanks Ned Bowden for technical assistance in obtaining Fig. 3. Notes #Reprinted from Supramolecular Polymers, Ciferri, A., Ed., Marcel Dekker, Inc.: New York, 2000; 435–470.
OBJECTIVE—To systematically evaluate the evidence for an association between physical activity of moderate intensity and risk of type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—We searched EMBASE and Medline through March 2006 and examined reference lists of retrieved articles. We excluded studies that did not assess physical activity of moderate intensity independent of activities of vigorous intensity (more than six times the resting metabolic rate). Information on study design, participant characteristics, assessment of physical activity, and outcomes and estimates of associations were extracted independently by two investigators. We calculated summary relative risks (RRs) using a random-effects model for the highest versus the lowest reported duration of activities. RESULTS—We identified 10 prospective cohort studies of physical activity of moderate intensity and type 2 diabetes, including a total of 301,221 participants and 9,367 incident cases. Five of these studies specifically investigated the role of walking. The summary RR of type 2 diabetes was 0.69 (95% CI 0.58–0.83) for regular participation in physical activity of moderate intensity as compared with being sedentary. Similarly, the RR was 0.70 (0.58–0.84) for regular walking (typically ≥2.5 h/week brisk walking) as compared with almost no walking. The associations remained significant after adjustment for BMI. Similar associations were observed in men and women and in the U.S. and Europe. CONCLUSIONS—These findings indicate that adherence to recommendations to participate in physical activities of moderate intensity such as brisk walking can substantially reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Abstract The influence of molecular symmetry on reaction rates is examined with an approach in which reactions are viewed as electronic transitions between states of reacants and products (described, in turn by quasiadiabatic potential surface). The moleculer Hamiltonian is used to derive selection rules for these transitions. The complete Hamilatonian has no useful symmetery. Neglect of non‐Born‐Oppenheimer and spin‐orbit terms (and of other angular momentum coupling terms) leads to an apporixmate Hamiltonian and to selection rules which from the basis of the Woodward‐Hoffmann rules. This apporch provides an alternative to the adiabatic potantial surfaces, reaction coordinates, and transition state theory used in more familiar discussions of the Woodward‐Hoffmann rules. Further, it provides a particulary clear method for discussing violations of these symmetry rules, and for differentiating concerted and nonconcerted reactions.
In this urban low-income prospective birth cohort, we demonstrated an L-shaped association between maternal plasma folate concentrations and child OWO and the benefit of sufficient folate concentrations, especially among obese mothers. The threshold concentration identified in this study exceeded the clinical definition of folate deficiency, which was primarily based on the hematological effect of folate. Our findings underscore the need to establish optimal rather than minimal folate concentrations for preventing adverse metabolic outcomes in the offspring.
