Search

María A Trak-Fellermeier,1,* Maribel Campos,1,* Marytere Meléndez,1,* Jeremy Pomeroy,2 Cristina Palacios,3 Juana Rivera-Viñas,4 Keimari Méndez,4 Irma Febo,5 Walter Willett,6 Mathew W Gillman,7 Paul W Franks,6,8 Kaumudi Joshipura1,9 1Center for Clinical Research and Health Promotion, School of Dental Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, USA; 2Clinical Research Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Marshfield Clinic Health System, Marshfield, WI, USA; 3Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA; 4Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, USA; 5Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR, USA; 6Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA; 7Division of Chronic Disease Research Across the Life Course, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA; 8Department of Clinical Sciences, Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden; 9Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan Public Health School, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Inappropriate gestational weight gain (GWG) has been associated with adverse perinatal events. High rates of GWG have been reported among Hispanic women. Observational studies indicate that dietary and physical activity interventions during the prenatal period may improve maternal and infant health, but very few randomized trials have been conducted among high-risk overweight/obese Hispanic women. Accordingly, we conducted a lifestyle intervention among high-risk pregnant women and evaluated its impact on achieving appropriate GWG and on improving birthweight.Methods: Eligible overweight/obese women presenting at the University Hospital in Puerto Rico with a singleton pregnancy before 16 gestational weeks were recruited and randomized to lifestyle intervention (n=15) or control group (n=16). The lifestyle intervention focused on improving physical activity and diet quality and optimizing caloric intake. We evaluated the impact of the lifestyle intervention on achieving appropriate GWG and on infant birthweight. Poisson and linear regression analyses were performed. Results: The primary intent to treat analysis showed no significant effect on achievement of appropriate GWG/week through 36 weeks in the intervention group (4/15 women) when compared with the control group (3/16 women) (adjusted incidence rate ratio =1.14; 95% CI: 0.20, 6.67). Although not statistically significant, women in the intervention group (6/15) were 1.7 times more likely to achieve appropriate weekly GWG until delivery when compared with controls (4/16 women) (adjusted incidence rate ratio = 1.67; 95% CI: 0.40, 6.94). We observed lower adjusted birthweight-for-length z-scores in the intervention compared with the control group among male newborns with z-score difference −1.74 (−3.04, −0.43), but not among females −0.83 (−3.85, 2.19). These analyses were adjusted for age and baseline body mass index.Conclusion: Although larger studies are required to determine whether women with obesity may benefit from prenatal lifestyle interventions targeting GWG, our results are suggestive of the intervention improving adherence to established Institute of Medicine guidelines. Keywords: gestational weight gain, lifestyle modification, pregnancy, birthweight, neonatal, randomized controlled trial, overweight, obese, intervention

Gate-defined quantum dots benefit from the use of small grain size metals for gate materials because they aid in shrinking the device dimensions. However, it is not clear what differences arise with respect to process-induced defect densities and inhomogeneous strain. Here, we present measurements of fixed charge, Q f ; interface trap density, D i t ; the intrinsic film stress, σ ; and the coefficient of thermal expansion, α , as a function of forming gas anneal temperature for Al, Ti/Pd, and Ti/Pt gates. We show that D i t is minimized at an anneal temperature of 350 ° C for all materials, but Ti/Pd and Ti/Pt have higher Q f and D i t compared to Al. In addition, σ and α increase with anneal temperature for all three metals with α larger than the bulk value. These results indicate that there is a trade-off between minimizing defects and minimizing the impact of strain in quantum device fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trak-Fellermeier MA, Campos M, Meléndez M, et al. Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. 2019;12:225–238. On page 225, Abstract, Results subheading, “Although not statistically significant, women in the intervention group (6/15) were 1.7 times more likely to achieve appropriate weekly GWG until delivery when compared with controls (4/16 women) (adjusted incidence rate ratio = 1.67; 95% CI: 0.40, 6.94).” should read “Although not statistically significant, women in theintervention group (6/15) were 1.7 times more likely to achieve appropriate total GWG until delivery when compared with controls (4/16 women) (adjusted incidence rate ratio = 1.67; 95% CI: 0.40, 6.94).” Appropriate GWG (baseline to delivery) section, 2nd to 4th line on page 230, “Forty percent (6/15) of women in the interventionachieved appropriate GWG/week compared with 25%(4/16) in the control group.” should read “Forty percent (6/15) ofwomen in the intervention achieved appropriate total GWG compared with 25% (4/16) in the control group.” The authors apologize for not noticing the inconsistencies between the text and Table 3 earlier. Read the original article

Background/Objectives: To examine the association between parental body mass index (BMI) and their offspring's body composition, physical fitness and lifestyle factors (that is, sedentary time, physical activity and diet). Subjects/Methods: A total of 307 preschoolers (4.5[plus or minus]0.1 years) and their parents (fathers: 38.1[plus or minus]5.1 years and mothers: 35.6[plus or minus]4.2 years) participated in this study. Parental BMI was calculated using self-reported weight and height. Preschoolers body composition was assessed using: BMI, fat mass percentage, fat mass index, fat-free mass index (measured via air-displacement plethysmography) and waist circumference. Physical fitness was assessed by the PREFIT fitness battery. Lifestyle factors were assessed using the ActiGraph wGT3x-BT (sedentary time and physical activity), and the mobile-phone based tool for energy balance in children (diet). Results: Parental BMI were positively associated with their offspring's BMI (paternal BMI: standardised beta, [beta]=0.233, P Conclusions: Parental BMI was positively associated with their offspring's BMI, fat as well as fat-free mass index and waist circumference. Moreover, a higher paternal and maternal BMI were related to higher levels of sedentary time and a lower performance in the standing long jump test of their offspring, respectively., Author(s): C Cadenas-Sanchez [sup.1] , P Henriksson [sup.1] , H Henriksson [sup.1] , C Delisle Nyström [sup.2] , J Pomeroy [sup.3] , J R Ruiz [sup.1] [sup.2] , F B [...]

Background/Objectives: Easy-to-use and accurate methods to assess free-living activity energy expenditure (AEE) in preschool children are required. The aims of this study in healthy preschool children were to (a) evaluate the ability of the wrist-worn ActiGraph wGT3x-BT to predict free-living AEE and (b) assess wear compliance using a 7-day, 24-h protocol. Subjects/Methods: Participants were 40 Swedish children (5.5[plus or minus]0.2 years) in the Mobile-based intervention intended to stop obesity in preschoolers (MINISTOP) obesity prevention trial. Total energy expenditure (TEE) was assessed using the doubly labeled water method during 14 days. AEE was calculated as (TEEx0.9) minus predicted basal metabolic rate. The ActiGraph accelerometer was worn on the wrist for 7 days and outputs used were mean of the daily and awake filtered vector magnitude (mean VM total and mean VM waking). Results: The ActiGraph was worn for 7 (n=34, 85%), 6 (n=4, 10%), 5 (n=1, 2.5%) and 4 (n=1, 2.5%) days (a valid day was [greater-than or slanted equal to]600 awake minutes). Alone, mean VM total and mean VM waking were able to explain 14% (P=0.009) and 24% (P=0.001) of the variation in AEE, respectively. By incorporating fat and fat-free mass in the models 58% (mean VM total) and 62% (mean VM waking) in the variation of AEE was explained (P Conclusions: The wrist-worn ActiGraph wGT3x-BT in combination with body composition variables explained up to the 62% of the variation in AEE. Given the high wear compliance, the wrist-worn ActiGraph has the potential to provide useful information in studies where physical activity in preschool children is measured., Author(s): C Delisle Nyström [sup.1] , J Pomeroy [sup.2] , P Henriksson [sup.1] [sup.3] , E Forsum [sup.4] , F B Ortega [sup.1] [sup.3] , R Maddison [sup.5] , J [...]

Metal-insulator-metal (MIM) tunnel junctions with the aluminum Oxide tunnel barriers confined between cobalt electrodes exhibit less resistance drift over time than junctions that utilize a thick, unconfined aluminum electrode. The improved long time stability is attributed to better initial Oxide quality achieved through confinement (use of a potential energy well for the Oxygen) and plasma Oxidation. In this work, Co/AlOx/Co and Co/Al/AlOx/Co tunnel junction aging is compared over a period of apprOximately 9 months using transport measurements and Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin (WKB) based modelling. The Co/AlOx/Co (confined) tunnel junction resistance increased by (32?±?6) % over 5400?h, while Co/Al/AlOx/Co (unconfined) tunnel junction resistance increased by (85?±?23) % over 5200?h. Fit parameters for the tunnel barrier width and potential energy barriers were extracted using WKB transport modelling. These values change only a small amount in the confined Co/AlOx/Co tunnel junction but show a significant drift in the unconfined Co/AlOx/Co tunnel junction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]