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Objective: Shared decision making (SDM) is recommended for common pediatric conditions; however, there are limited data on measures of SDM in pediatrics. This study adapted the SDM Process scale and examined validity and reliability of the scale for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment decisions. Methods: Cross-sectional survey of caregivers (n = 498) of children (aged 5-13) diagnosed with ADHD, who had made a decision about ADHD medication in the last 2 years. Surveys included the adapted SDM Process scale (scores range 0-4, higher scores indicate more SDM), decisional conflict, decision regret, and decision involvement. Validity was assessed by testing hypothesized relationships between these constructs. A subset of participants was surveyed a week later to assess retest reliability. Results: Pediatric Caregiver version of the SDM Process scale (M = 2.8, SD = 1.05) showed no evidence of floor or ceiling effects. The scale was found to be acceptable (<1% missing data) and reliable (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.74). Scores demonstrated convergent validity, as they were higher for those without decisional conflict than those with decisional conflict (2.93 vs 2.46, P < .001, d = 0.46), and higher for caregivers who stated they made the decision with the provider than those who made the decision themselves (3.0 vs 2.7; P = .003). Higher scores were related to less regret (r = -0.15. P < .001), though the magnitude of the relationship was small. CONCLUSIONS: The adapted Pediatric Caregiver version of the SDM Process scale demonstrated acceptability, validity and reliability in the context of ADHD medication decisions made by caregivers of children 5-13. Scores indicate pediatricians generally involve caregivers in decision making about ADHD medication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Composites of the emeraldine base form of polyaniline (PANI-EB) and photo-acid generators (PAGs) increase their conductivities upon photo-irradiation due to protonation of PANI-EB. Such materials may be utilized to fabricate conducting patterns by photo-irradiation. However, the conductivity obtained by direct irradiation of PANI-EB/PAG composites was normally quite low, and conductivity above 10−3 Scm−1 often required post-treatment with HCl. In this work, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), which can form a hydrogen bonding network, was added to PANI-EB/PAG. Results showed that PVA enhanced film quality, conductivity and reproducibility. Photo-induced conductivity of 10−2 Scm−1 was obtained when the ratio of PANI-EB/PVA/PAG was 1:1:0.6. A novel PAG, bis(p-hydroxyphenyl)phenylsulfoniumtriflate [(PhOH)2PhS+ OTf−], which can form hydrogen bonds with PANI was synthesized and mixed with PANI-EB. A composite of PANI-EB and the PAG with a ratio of 1:0.5 achieved a conductivity of 10−1 Scm−1 after irradiation. However, the initial conductivity before irradiation was as high as 10−5 Scm−1 due to relatively high acidity of the PAG. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The present study investigated the contribution of environmental factors to the accumulation of As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in earthworms, beetles and woodlice, and framed within an exposure assessment of the European hedgehog. Soil and invertebrate samples were collected in three distinct habitat types. Results showed habitat-specific differences in soil and invertebrate metal concentrations and bioaccumulation factors when normalized to soil metal concentration. Further multiple regression analysis showed residual variability (habitat differences) in bioaccumulation that could not be fully explained by differences in soil metal contamination, pH or organic carbon (OC). Therefore, the study demonstrated that in bioaccumulation studies involving terrestrial invertebrates or in risk assessment of metals, it is not sufficient to differentiate habitat types on general soil characteristics such as pH and/or OC alone. Furthermore, simple generic soil risk assessments for Cd and Cu showed that risk characterization was more accurate when performed in a habitat-specific way. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In many aquatic organisms including Mytilus edulis, the role of temperature on bioaccumulation of metals is still not clearly understood. In this study, uptake and accumulation of Cu, Co, Cd and Pb in mussels were investigated at different temperatures (6–26°C). Results from exposure of isolated gills showed a positive relationship between temperature and metal uptake. But in whole organism experiments, only the accumulations of non-essential metals (Cd, Pb) showed a similar trend while the two essential metals Co and Cu were independent and inversely related to temperature, respectively. With exception of Cu, elimination process appeared to be independent of temperature. The study also showed that neither changes in scope for growth (SFG) of mussels nor chemical speciation could fully account for the observed temperature-effects. Overall, these results suggest that fundamentally (i. E. At epithelial membranes), temperature-effects on uptake are largely due to changes in solution chemistry and physical kinetics, which favours higher uptake at high temperature. But at whole organism level, complex physiological responses appears to mask the relationship, particularly for biologically essential metals like copper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Mussels are commonly used to monitor metal pollution despite high inter-individual variability in tissue concentrations. In this study, influences of body size, condition index and tidal height on concentrations of As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn were investigated. Body weight was inversely related to metal concentrations and for Cd, Mn, Pb and Zn the regression was affected by tidal height. Except for As, Fe and Mn metal concentrations were inversely related to physiological status though no differences between essential and non-essential metals were obvious. After correcting for body size, tidal height was related positively to As, Cd and Zn, negatively related to Cu, Fe and Mn while Co, Cr, Ni and Pb were independent of tidal height. The study recommends stringent measures during sampling for biomonitoring or metal concentrations at each location must be normalized to a common body size, CI and tidal height. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Air pollution represents one of the major concerns worldwide, fueled by the increasing urbanization and related PM production worsening air quality in open air as well as in confined environments. In the present work, exposure to atmospheric metal pollution was investigated in 20 paired indoor (I)-outdoor (O) sites located in two urban areas of Italy and Belgium, by chemical (ICP-MS) and magnetic (saturation isothermal remanent magnetization, SIRM) analyses of Hypnum cupressiforme moss exposed in bags. After 12 weeks, the elemental profiles of the moss material exposed in the two countries largely overlapped, except for some elements which specifically accumulated in Belgium (Ag, As, Cd, Mo, Pb and Sb) and in Italy (Ca, Mg, Co, Cr, Sr, Ti and U). Element concentrations were higher in moss exposed outdoors, with the Italian sites mostly showing a terrigenous footprint, and the Belgian sites mostly affected by elements of environmental concern (e.g., As, Pb, Sb). The Indoor/Outdoor ratios (mostly lower than 0.75) indicated indoor pollution as strongly affected by outdoor pollution, although specific elements could be of indoor origin or magnified in indoor environments (e.g., Al, Ag, Cd and Co). In line with the chemical analysis, the SIRM signal was significantly higher in outdoor than indoor moss material. A positive, significant correlation was observed between SIRM and several accumulated elements indicating SIRM analysis as a powerful tool to predict the level of metal pollution. Moss bags were confirmed as a useful and versatile tool to highlight metal contamination even in confined environments, an essential prerogative in the perspective of the evaluation of the total exposure risk for humans to these pollutants. [Display omitted] • Indoor-outdoor air elemental pollution was studied by moss bags in two EU countries. • SIRM and ICP-MS analyses showed element contents higher outdoors than indoors. • Element profiles largely overlapped except for some country-specific pollutants. • Metal correlations showed that most indoor pollution came from outdoors. • Indoor-outdoor ratios revealed the presence of indoor sources for specific elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lanthanum carbonate is a new phosphate binder that is poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and eliminated largely by the liver. After oral treatment, we and others had noticed 2–3 fold higher lanthanum levels in the livers of rats with chronic renal failure compared to rats with normal renal function. Here we studied the kinetics and tissue distribution, absorption, and subcellular localization of lanthanum in the liver using transmission electron microscopy, electron energy loss spectrometry, and X-ray fluoresence. We found that in the liver lanthanum was located in lysosomes and in the biliary canal but not in any other cellular organelles. This suggests that lanthanum is transported and eliminated by the liver via a transcellular, endosomal-lysosomal-biliary canicular transport route. Feeding rats with chronic renal failure orally with lanthanum resulted in a doubling of the liver levels compared to rats with normal renal function, but the serum levels were similar in both animal groups. These levels plateaued after 6 weeks at a concentration below 3 μg/g in both groups. When lanthanum was administered intravenously, thereby bypassing the gastrointestinal tract-portal vein pathway, no difference in liver levels was found between rats with and without renal failure. This suggests that there is an increased gastrointestinal permeability or absorption of oral lanthanum in uremia. Lanthanum levels in the brain and heart fluctuated near its detection limit with long-term treatment (20 weeks) having no effect on organ weight, liver enzyme activities, or liver histology. We suggest that the kinetics of lanthanum in the liver are consistent with a transcellular transport pathway, with higher levels in the liver of uremic rats due to higher intestinal absorption.Kidney International (2009) 75, 389–398; doi:10.1038/ki.2008.571; published online 3 December 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]