Sexually Dimorphic Responses to Early Adversity: Implications for Affective Problems and Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Davis, Elysia Poggi; Pfaff, Donald

2014-01-01

During gestation, development proceeds at a pace that is unmatched by any other stage of the lifecycle. For these reason the human fetus is particularly susceptible not only to organizing influences, but also to pathogenic disorganizing influences. Growing evidence suggests that exposure to prenatal adversity leads to neurological changes that underlie lifetime risks for mental illness. Beginning early in gestation, males and females show differential developmental trajectories and responses to stress. It is likely that sex-dependent organization of neural circuits during the fetal period influences differential vulnerability to mental health problems. We consider in this review evidence that sexually dimorphic responses to early life stress are linked to two developmental disorders: affective problems (greater female prevalence) and autism spectrum disorder (greater male prevalence). Recent prospective studies illustrating the neurodevelopmental consequences of fetal exposure to stress and stress hormones for males and females are considered here. Plausible biological mechanisms including the role of the sexually differentiated placenta are discussed. We consider in this review evidence that sexually dimorphic responses to early life stress are linked to two sets of developmental disorders: affective problems (greater female prevalence) and autism spectrum disorders (greater male prevalence). PMID:25038479

High Oxygen Concentrations Adversely Affect the Performance of Pulmonary Surfactant.

PubMed

Smallwood, Craig D; Boloori-Zadeh, Parnian; Silva, Maricris R; Gouldstone, Andrew

2017-08-01

Although effective in the neonatal population, exogenous pulmonary surfactant has not demonstrated a benefit in pediatric and adult subjects with hypoxic lung injury despite a sound physiologic rationale. Importantly, neonatal surfactant replacement therapy is administered in conjunction with low fractional F IO 2 while pediatric/adult therapy is administered with high F IO 2 . We suspected a connection between F IO 2 and surfactant performance. Therefore, we sought to assess a possible mechanism by which the activity of pulmonary surfactant is adversely affected by direct oxygen exposure in in vitro experiments. The mechanical performance of pulmonary surfactant was evaluated using 2 methods. First, Langmuir-Wilhelmy balance was utilized to study the reduction in surface area (δA) of surfactant to achieve a low bound value of surface tension after repeated compression and expansion cycles. Second, dynamic light scattering was utilized to measure the size of pulmonary surfactant particles in aqueous suspension. For both experiments, comparisons were made between surfactant exposed to 21% and 100% oxygen. The δA of surfactant was 21.1 ± 2.0% and 35.8 ± 2.0% during exposure to 21% and 100% oxygen, respectively ( P = .02). Furthermore, dynamic light-scattering experiments revealed a micelle diameter of 336.0 ± 12.5 μm and 280.2 ± 11.0 μm in 21% and 100% oxygen, respectively ( P < .001), corresponding to a ∼16% decrease in micelle diameter following exposure to 100% oxygen. The characteristics of pulmonary surfactant were adversely affected by short-term exposure to oxygen. Specifically, surface tension studies revealed that short-term exposure of surfactant film to high concentrations of oxygen expedited the frangibility of pulmonary surfactant, as shown with the δA. This suggests that reductions in pulmonary compliance and associated adverse effects could begin to take effect in a very short period of time. If these findings can be demonstrated in vivo, a

Application of Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs) in Human ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The adverse outcome pathway (AOP) framework was developed to help organize and disseminate existing knowledge concerning the means through which specific perturbations of biological pathways can lead to adverse outcomes considered relevant to risk-based regulatory decision-making. Because many fundamental molecular and cellular pathways are conserved across taxa, data from assays that screen chemicals for their ability to interact with specific biomolecular targets can often be credibly applied to a broad range of species, even if the apical outcomes of those perturbations may differ. Information concerning the different trajectories of adversity that molecular initiating events may take in different taxa, life stages, and sexes of organisms can be captured in the form of an AOP network. As an example, AOPs documenting divergent consequences of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and deiodinase (DIO) inhibition in mammals, amphibians, and fish have been developed. These AOPs provide the foundation for using data from common in vitro assays for TPO or DIO activity to inform both human health and ecological risk assessments. They also provide the foundation for an integrated approach to testing and assessment, where available information and biological understanding can be integrated in order to formulate plausible and testable hypotheses which can be used to target in vivo testing on the endpoints of greatest concern. Application of this AOP knowledge in several different r

Application of adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) in human ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The adverse outcome pathway (AOP) framework was developed to help organize and disseminate existing knowledge concerning the means through which specific perturbations of biological pathways can lead to adverse outcomes considered relevant to risk-based regulatory decision-making. Because many fundamental molecular and cellular pathways are conserved across taxa, data from assays that screen chemicals for their ability to interact with specific biomolecular targets can often be credibly applied to a broad range of species, even if the apical outcomes of those perturbations may differ. Information concerning the different trajectories of adversity that molecular initiating events may take in different taxa, life stages, and sexes of organisms can be captured in the form of an AOP network. As an example, AOPs documenting divergent consequences of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) and deiodinase (DIO) inhibition in mammals, amphibians, and fish have been developed. These AOPs provide the foundation for using data from common in vitro assays for TPO or DIO activity to inform both human health and ecological risk assessments. They also provide the foundation for an integrated approach to testing and assessment, where available information and biological understanding can be integrated in order to formulate plausible and testable hypotheses which can be used to target in vivo testing on the endpoints of greatest concern. Application of this AOP knowledge in several different r

Childhood Adversity and Self-Care Education for Undergraduate Social Work and Human Services Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Newcomb, Michelle; Burton, Judith; Edwards, Niki

2017-01-01

Many students pursuing social work and human services courses have experienced adverse childhoods. This article focuses on their learning about self-care, an important skill for future practice. Interviews with 20 undergraduate students with a history of childhood adversity found unmet needs both for conceptualizing self-care and developing…

Interventions to prevent adverse fetal programming due to maternal obesity during pregnancy.

PubMed

Nathanielsz, Peter W; Ford, Stephen P; Long, Nathan M; Vega, Claudia C; Reyes-Castro, Luis A; Zambrano, Elena

2013-10-01

Maternal obesity is a global epidemic affecting both developed and developing countries. Human and animal studies indicate that maternal obesity adversely programs the development of offspring, predisposing them to chronic diseases later in life. Several mechanisms act together to produce these adverse health effects. There is a consequent need for effective interventions that can be used in the management of human pregnancy to prevent these outcomes. The present review analyzes the dietary and exercise intervention studies performed to date in both altricial and precocial animals, rats and sheep, with the aim of preventing adverse offspring outcomes. The results of these interventions present exciting opportunities to prevent, at least in part, adverse metabolic and other outcomes in obese mothers and their offspring. © 2013 International Life Sciences Institute.

Smoking Adversely Affects Survival in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients

PubMed Central

Varadarajan, Ramya; Licht, Andrea S; Hyland, Andrew J; Ford, Laurie A.; Sait, Sheila N.J.; Block, Annemarie W.; Barcos, Maurice; Baer, Maria R.; Wang, Eunice S.; Wetzler, Meir

2011-01-01

Summary Smoking adversely affects hematopoietic stem cell transplantation outcome. We asked whether smoking affected outcome of newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients treated with chemotherapy. Data were collected on 280 AML patients treated with high-dose cytarabine and idarubicin-containing regimens at Roswell Park Cancer Institute who had smoking status data at diagnosis. Patients’ gender, age, AML presentation (de novo vs. secondary), white blood cell (WBC) count at diagnosis, karyotype and smoking status (never vs. ever) were analyzed. Among the 161 males and 119 females with a median follow-up of 12.9 months, 101 (36.1%) had never smoked and 179 (63.9%) were ever smokers. The proportion of patients between never and ever smokers was similar with respect to age, AML presentation, WBC count at diagnosis or karyotype based on univariate analysis of these categorical variables. Never smokers had a significantly longer overall survival (60.32 months) compared to ever smokers (30.89; p=0.005). In multivariate analysis incorporating gender, age, AML presentation, WBC count, karyotype, and smoking status as covariates, age, karyotype and smoking status retained prognostic value for overall survival. In summary, cigarette smoking has a deleterious effect on overall survival in AML. PMID:21520043

The Drosophila foraging gene human orthologue PRKG1 predicts individual differences in the effects of early adversity on maternal sensitivity.

PubMed

Sokolowski, H Moriah; Vasquez, Oscar E; Unternaehrer, Eva; Sokolowski, Dustin J; Biergans, Stephanie D; Atkinson, Leslie; Gonzalez, Andrea; Silveira, Patricia P; Levitan, Robert; O'Donnell, Kieran J; Steiner, Meir; Kennedy, James; Meaney, Michael J; Fleming, Alison S; Sokolowski, Marla B

2017-04-01

There is variation in the extent to which childhood adverse experience affects adult individual differences in maternal behavior. Genetic variation in the animal foraging gene, which encodes a cGMP-dependent protein kinase, contributes to variation in the responses of adult fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster , to early life adversity and is also known to play a role in maternal behavior in social insects. Here we investigate genetic variation in the human foraging gene ( PRKG1 ) as a predictor of individual differences in the effects of early adversity on maternal behavior in two cohorts. We show that the PRKG1 genetic polymorphism rs2043556 associates with maternal sensitivity towards their infants. We also show that rs2043556 moderates the association between self-reported childhood adversity of the mother and her later maternal sensitivity. Mothers with the TT allele of rs2043556 appeared buffered from the effects of early adversity, whereas mothers with the presence of a C allele were not. Our study used the Toronto Longitudinal Cohort (N=288 mother-16 month old infant pairs) and the Maternal Adversity and Vulnerability and Neurodevelopment Cohort (N=281 mother-18 month old infant pairs). Our findings expand the literature on the contributions of both genetics and gene-environment interactions to maternal sensitivity, a salient feature of the early environment relevant for child neurodevelopment.

[Adverse reactions to human papillomavirus vaccine in the Valencian Community (2007-2011)].

PubMed

Rodríguez-Galán, M A; Pérez-Vilar, S; Díez-Domingo, J; Tuells, J; Gomar-Fayos, J; Morales-Olivas, F; Pastor-Villalba, E

2014-11-01

In 2009, two cases of seizures in adolescents following quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (qHPV) administration, generated important media attention, and adversely affected public trust in this vaccine. Our objectives were to describe suspected adverse reactions (SARs) reported to the Pharmacovigilance Centre in the Valencian Community (PCVC) after administration of HPV vaccine, and to compare reporting rates of syncope and seizures following this vaccine with those of other vaccines administered to girls aged 13-15 years. Descriptive study of SARs reported following this vaccine to the PCVC between 2007 and 2011. The clinical symptoms most frequently reported were dizziness, headache, and syncope. Reporting rates of syncope or loss of consciousness and seizures with qHPV vaccine were 17 and 3.2 per 100,000 doses administered, respectively, and 15 and 1.6 for syncope or loss of consciousness and syncopal seizures occurred on the day of vaccination. The reporting rates of syncope or loss of consciousness and seizures were 6.4 and 0.4, for the other vaccines. Consistent with the media attention generated, and with results from other studies, the reporting rates of syncope or loss of consciousness and seizures were higher for the HPV vaccine than for other vaccines given in adolescence. Nevertheless, the overall information obtained on SARs following the qHPV vaccine suggests a good safety profile. Copyright © 2013 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Is there evidence that recent consolidation in the health insurance industry has adversely affected premiums?

PubMed

Kopit, William G

2004-01-01

James Robinson suggests that recent consolidation in the insurance market has been a cause of higher health insurance prices (premiums). Although the recent consolidation among health insurers and rising premiums are indisputable, it is unlikely that consolidation has had any adverse effect on premiums nationwide, and Robinson provides no data that suggest otherwise. Specifically, he does not present data showing an increase in concentration in any relevant market during the past few years, let alone any resulting increase in premiums. Health insurance consolidation in certain local markets could adversely affect premiums, but it seems clear that it is not a major national antitrust issue.

Ocular Adverse Events Associated with Antibody–Drug Conjugates in Human Clinical Trials

PubMed Central

Miller, Paul E.; Mannis, Mark J.

2015-01-01

Abstract This article reviews ocular adverse events (AEs) reported in association with administration of antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) in human clinical trials. References reporting ocular toxicity or AEs associated with ADCs were collected using online publication searches. Articles, abstracts, or citations were included if they cited ocular toxicities or vision-impairing AEs with a confirmed or suspected association with ADC administration. Twenty-two references were found citing ocular or vision-impairing AEs in association with ADC administration. All references reported use of ADCs in human clinical trials for treatment of various malignancies. The molecular target and cytotoxic agent varied depending on the ADC used. Ocular AEs affected a diversity of ocular tissues. The most commonly reported AEs involved the ocular surface and included blurred vision, dry eye, and corneal abnormalities (including microcystic corneal disease). Most ocular AEs were not severe (≤ grade 2) or dose limiting. Clinical outcomes were not consistently reported, but when specified, most AEs improved or resolved with cessation of treatment or with ameliorative therapy. A diverse range of ocular AEs are reported in association with administration of ADCs for the treatment of cancer. The toxicologic mechanism(s) and pathogenesis of such events are not well understood, but most are mild in severity and reversible. Drug development and medical professionals should be aware of the clinical features of these events to facilitate early recognition and intervention in the assessment of preclinical development programs and in human clinical trials. PMID:26539624

Interventions designed to prevent adverse programming outcomes resulting from exposure to maternal obesity during development

PubMed Central

Nathanielsz, PW; Ford, SP; Long, NM; Vega, CC; Reyes-Castro, LA; Zambrano, E

2013-01-01

Maternal obesity is a global epidemic affecting the developed and developing world. Human and animal studies indicate that maternal obesity programs development predisposing offspring to later-life chronic diseases. Several mechanisms act together to produce these adverse health problems. There is a need for effective interventions that prevent these outcomes and guide management in human pregnancy. We report here dietary and exercise intervention studies in both altricial and precocial species, rats and sheep, designed to prevent adverse offspring outcomes. Both interventions present exciting opportunities to at least in part prevent adverse metabolic and other outcomes in mother and offspring. PMID:24147928

Stability of double-row rotator cuff repair is not adversely affected by scaffold interposition between tendon and bone.

PubMed

Beitzel, Knut; Chowaniec, David M; McCarthy, Mary Beth; Cote, Mark P; Russell, Ryan P; Obopilwe, Elifho; Imhoff, Andreas B; Arciero, Robert A; Mazzocca, Augustus D

2012-05-01

Rotator cuff reconstructions may be improved by adding growth factors, cells, or other biologic factors into the repair zone. This usually requires a biological carrier (scaffold) to be integrated into the construct and placed in the area of tendon-to-bone healing. This needs to be done without affecting the constructs mechanics. Hypothesis/ The hypothesis was that scaffold placement, as an interposition, has no adverse effects on biomechanical properties of double-row rotator cuff repair. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of scaffold interposition on the initial strength of rotator cuff repairs. Controlled laboratory study. Twenty-five fresh-frozen shoulders (mean age: 65.5 ± 8.9 years) were randomly assigned to 5 groups. Groups were chosen to represent a broad spectrum of commonly used scaffold types: (1) double-row repair without augmentation, (2) double-row repair with interposition of a fibrin clot (Viscogel), (3) double-row repair with interposition of a collagen scaffold (Mucograft) between tendon and bone, (4) double-row repair with interposition of human dermis patch (ArthroFlex) between tendon and bone, and (5) double-row repair with human dermis patch (ArthroFlex) placed on top of the repair. Cyclic loading to measure displacement was performed to 3000 cycles at 1 Hz with an applied 10- to 100-N load. The ultimate load to failure was determined at a rate of 31 mm/min. There were no significant differences in mean displacement under cyclic loading, slope, or energy absorbed to failure between all groups (P = .128, P = .981, P = .105). Ultimate load to failure of repairs that used the collagen patch as an interposition (573.3 ± 75.6 N) and a dermis patch on top of the reconstruction (575.8 ± 22.6 N) was higher compared with the repair without a scaffold (348.9 ± 98.8 N; P = .018 and P = .025). No significant differences were found for repairs with the fibrin clot as an interposition (426.9 ± 103.6 N) and the decellularized dermis

Potential Adverse Effects of Violent Video Gaming: Interpersonal- Affective Traits Are Rather Impaired Than Disinhibition in Young Adults.

PubMed

Kimmig, Ann-Christin S; Andringa, Gerda; Derntl, Birgit

2018-01-01

The increasing trend of mass shootings, which were associated with excessive use of violent video games, fueled the debate of possible effects violent video games may have on adolescents and young adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible link between violent video gaming effects and the disposition of adverse behavior traits such as interpersonal-affective deficits and disinhibition. Data of 167 young adults, collected by an online questionnaire battery, were analyzed for lifetime video game exposure differences (i.e., non-gamers, non-violent video gamers, stopped violent video game users, and ongoing violent video game users) as well as for recent exposure effects on adverse behavior traits (Levenson's Psychopathy Scale), while controlling for other potentially confounding lifestyle factors. While interpersonal-affective deficits were significantly higher in participants with ongoing violent video game exposure compared to non-gamers and non-violent video gamers, disinhibition was significantly higher in both - stopped and ongoing - violent video game exposure groups compared to non-gamers. Recent violent video game exposure was a stronger predictor for interpersonal-affective deficits, but was also significant for disinhibition. Considering that we observed small to medium effects in a sample of young adults with little to moderate use of violent video games highlights the importance of further investigating the potential adverse effects of violent video games on quality of social relationships.

Potential Adverse Effects of Violent Video Gaming: Interpersonal- Affective Traits Are Rather Impaired Than Disinhibition in Young Adults

PubMed Central

Kimmig, Ann-Christin S.; Andringa, Gerda; Derntl, Birgit

2018-01-01

The increasing trend of mass shootings, which were associated with excessive use of violent video games, fueled the debate of possible effects violent video games may have on adolescents and young adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible link between violent video gaming effects and the disposition of adverse behavior traits such as interpersonal-affective deficits and disinhibition. Data of 167 young adults, collected by an online questionnaire battery, were analyzed for lifetime video game exposure differences (i.e., non-gamers, non-violent video gamers, stopped violent video game users, and ongoing violent video game users) as well as for recent exposure effects on adverse behavior traits (Levenson’s Psychopathy Scale), while controlling for other potentially confounding lifestyle factors. While interpersonal-affective deficits were significantly higher in participants with ongoing violent video game exposure compared to non-gamers and non-violent video gamers, disinhibition was significantly higher in both – stopped and ongoing – violent video game exposure groups compared to non-gamers. Recent violent video game exposure was a stronger predictor for interpersonal-affective deficits, but was also significant for disinhibition. Considering that we observed small to medium effects in a sample of young adults with little to moderate use of violent video games highlights the importance of further investigating the potential adverse effects of violent video games on quality of social relationships. PMID:29867689

Understanding adverse events: human factors.

PubMed Central

Reason, J

1995-01-01

(1) Human rather than technical failures now represent the greatest threat to complex and potentially hazardous systems. This includes healthcare systems. (2) Managing the human risks will never be 100% effective. Human fallibility can be moderated, but it cannot be eliminated. (3) Different error types have different underlying mechanisms, occur in different parts of the organisation, and require different methods of risk management. The basic distinctions are between: Slips, lapses, trips, and fumbles (execution failures) and mistakes (planning or problem solving failures). Mistakes are divided into rule based mistakes and knowledge based mistakes. Errors (information-handling problems) and violations (motivational problems) Active versus latent failures. Active failures are committed by those in direct contact with the patient, latent failures arise in organisational and managerial spheres and their adverse effects may take a long time to become evident. (4) Safety significant errors occur at all levels of the system, not just at the sharp end. Decisions made in the upper echelons of the organisation create the conditions in the workplace that subsequently promote individual errors and violations. Latent failures are present long before an accident and are hence prime candidates for principled risk management. (5) Measures that involve sanctions and exhortations (that is, moralistic measures directed to those at the sharp end) have only very limited effectiveness, especially so in the case of highly trained professionals. (6) Human factors problems are a product of a chain of causes in which the individual psychological factors (that is, momentary inattention, forgetting, etc) are the last and least manageable links. Attentional "capture" (preoccupation or distraction) is a necessary condition for the commission of slips and lapses. Yet, its occurrence is almost impossible to predict or control effectively. The same is true of the factors associated with

Adverse effects of gluten ingestion and advantages of gluten withdrawal in nonceliac autoimmune disease.

PubMed

Lerner, Aaron; Shoenfeld, Yehuda; Matthias, Torsten

2017-12-01

In light of the coincident surge in overall gluten intake and the incidence of autoimmune diseases, the possible biological adverse effects of gluten were explored. PubMed, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library databases were screened for reports published between 1964 and 2016 regarding the adverse effects of gluten as well as the effects of a gluten-free diet on autoimmune diseases. In vitro and in vivo studies describing gluten intake in animal models or cell lines and gluten-free diets in human autoimmune diseases were reviewed. Multiple detrimental aspects of gluten affect human health, including gluten-dependent digestive and extradigestive manifestations mediated by potentially immunological or toxic reactions that induce gastrointestinal inadequacy. Gluten affects the microbiome and increases intestinal permeability. It boosts oxidative stress and affects epigenetic behavior. It is also immunogenic, cytotoxic, and proinflammatory. Gluten intake increases apoptosis and decreases cell viability and differentiation. In certain nonceliac autoimmune diseases, gluten-free diets may help curtail the adverse effects of gluten. Additional in vivo studies are needed to unravel the puzzle of gluten effects in humans and to explore the potential beneficial effects of gluten-free diets in autoimmune diseases. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Determining adaptive and adverse oxidative stress responses in human bronical epithelial cells exposed to zinc

EPA Science Inventory

Determining adaptive and adverse oxidative stress responses in human bronchial epithelial cells exposed to zincJenna M. Currier1,2, Wan-Yun Cheng1, Rory Conolly1, Brian N. Chorley1Zinc is a ubiquitous contaminant of ambient air that presents an oxidant challenge to the human lung...

How do humans affect wildlife nematodes?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Weinstein, Sara B.; Lafferty, Kevin D.

2015-01-01

Human actions can affect wildlife and their nematode parasites. Species introductions and human-facilitated range expansions can create new host–parasite interactions. Novel hosts can introduce parasites and have the potential to both amplify and dilute nematode transmission. Furthermore, humans can alter existing nematode dynamics by changing host densities and the abiotic conditions that affect larval parasite survival. Human impacts on wildlife might impair parasites by reducing the abundance of their hosts; however, domestic animal production and complex life cycles can maintain transmission even when wildlife becomes rare. Although wildlife nematodes have many possible responses to human actions, understanding host and parasite natural history, and the mechanisms behind the changing disease dynamics might improve disease control in the few cases where nematode parasitism impacts wildlife.

Biomarkers of adverse drug reactions.

PubMed

Carr, Daniel F; Pirmohamed, Munir

2018-02-01

Adverse drug reactions can be caused by a wide range of therapeutics. Adverse drug reactions affect many bodily organ systems and vary widely in severity. Milder adverse drug reactions often resolve quickly following withdrawal of the casual drug or sometimes after dose reduction. Some adverse drug reactions are severe and lead to significant organ/tissue injury which can be fatal. Adverse drug reactions also represent a financial burden to both healthcare providers and the pharmaceutical industry. Thus, a number of stakeholders would benefit from development of new, robust biomarkers for the prediction, diagnosis, and prognostication of adverse drug reactions. There has been significant recent progress in identifying predictive genomic biomarkers with the potential to be used in clinical settings to reduce the burden of adverse drug reactions. These have included biomarkers that can be used to alter drug dose (for example, Thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) and azathioprine dose) and drug choice. The latter have in particular included human leukocyte antigen (HLA) biomarkers which identify susceptibility to immune-mediated injuries to major organs such as skin, liver, and bone marrow from a variety of drugs. This review covers both the current state of the art with regard to genomic adverse drug reaction biomarkers. We also review circulating biomarkers that have the potential to be used for both diagnosis and prognosis, and have the added advantage of providing mechanistic information. In the future, we will not be relying on single biomarkers (genomic/non-genomic), but on multiple biomarker panels, integrated through the application of different omics technologies, which will provide information on predisposition, early diagnosis, prognosis, and mechanisms. Impact statement • Genetic and circulating biomarkers present significant opportunities to personalize patient therapy to minimize the risk of adverse drug reactions. ADRs are a significant heath issue

Hepatitis C virus adversely affects quality of life.

PubMed

Cillo, Umberto; Amodio, Piero; Ronco, Claudio; Soni, Sachin S; Zanus, Giacomo; Minazzato, Lina; Salari, Annalisa; Neri, Daniele; Bombonato, Giancarlo; Schiff, Sami; Bianco, Tonino

2011-01-01

Chronic liver disease secondary to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a common clinical problem. HCV is likely to adversely affect the quality of life (QoL) of the patient. This effect is said to be disproportionate to the severity of the disease. The aim of our study was to evaluate QoL in HCV-positive patients focusing both on health status and subjective satisfaction. Twenty-four patients with combined HCV and alcoholic liver disease (ETOH-HCV) were enrolled in the study. We adopted two generic tools: SF-36 (a health status questionnaire) and SAT-P (a satisfaction profile) for psychological assessment of the patients. SF-36 and SAT-P scores of ETOH-HCV patients were compared with scores of 23 patients with alcoholic liver disease (ETOH). The scores obtained from the study groups were also compared with the reference scores of the healthy Italian population. Both the groups were comparable with respect to age, histological and clinical severity of liver disease (as assessed by MELD and Child Pugh scores). Patients with ETOH-HCV scored less in the vitality and role emotional status domains of the SF-36 scores and the psychological function, social function and free time domains of the satisfaction profile. These results show a significant impact of HCV infection on health status and subjective satisfaction. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Predicting the clinical efficacy and potential adverse effects of a humanized anticocaine monoclonal antibody

PubMed Central

Norman, Andrew B; Ball, William J

2012-01-01

The effects of a humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb) having high affinity and specificity for cocaine in animal models are reviewed. The mAb reduced the concentration of cocaine in the brain of mice after intravenous injection of cocaine. In addition, the mAb increased the concentration of cocaine required to reinstate cocaine self-administration. These effects may predict clinical efficacy of a passive immunotherapy for reducing the probability of cocaine-induced relapse. However, in the presence of the mAb, once cocaine self-administration was reinstated, the consumption rate of cocaine was increased. This effect is hypothesized to result from a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic interaction. A humanized mAb should minimize adverse events related to the immunogenicity of the mAb protein, and the specificity for cocaine should avoid adverse events related to interactions with physiologically relevant endogenous proteins. PMID:22401638

50 CFR 402.45 - Alternative consultation on FIFRA actions that are not likely to adversely affect listed species...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... OF COMMERCE); ENDANGERED SPECIES COMMITTEE REGULATIONS SUBCHAPTER A INTERAGENCY COOPERATION-ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT OF 1973, AS AMENDED Counterpart Regulations Governing Actions by the U.S... that are not likely to adversely affect listed species or critical habitat. 402.45 Section 402.45...

50 CFR 402.45 - Alternative consultation on FIFRA actions that are not likely to adversely affect listed species...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... OF COMMERCE); ENDANGERED SPECIES COMMITTEE REGULATIONS SUBCHAPTER A INTERAGENCY COOPERATION-ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT OF 1973, AS AMENDED Counterpart Regulations Governing Actions by the U.S... that are not likely to adversely affect listed species or critical habitat. 402.45 Section 402.45...

50 CFR 402.45 - Alternative consultation on FIFRA actions that are not likely to adversely affect listed species...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... OF COMMERCE); ENDANGERED SPECIES COMMITTEE REGULATIONS SUBCHAPTER A INTERAGENCY COOPERATION-ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT OF 1973, AS AMENDED Counterpart Regulations Governing Actions by the U.S... that are not likely to adversely affect listed species or critical habitat. 402.45 Section 402.45...

50 CFR 402.45 - Alternative consultation on FIFRA actions that are not likely to adversely affect listed species...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... OF COMMERCE); ENDANGERED SPECIES COMMITTEE REGULATIONS SUBCHAPTER A INTERAGENCY COOPERATION-ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT OF 1973, AS AMENDED Counterpart Regulations Governing Actions by the U.S... that are not likely to adversely affect listed species or critical habitat. 402.45 Section 402.45...

50 CFR 402.45 - Alternative consultation on FIFRA actions that are not likely to adversely affect listed species...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... OF COMMERCE); ENDANGERED SPECIES COMMITTEE REGULATIONS SUBCHAPTER A INTERAGENCY COOPERATION-ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT OF 1973, AS AMENDED Counterpart Regulations Governing Actions by the U.S... that are not likely to adversely affect listed species or critical habitat. 402.45 Section 402.45...

Feasibility trial of a scalable psychological intervention for women affected by urban adversity and gender-based violence in Nairobi.

PubMed

Dawson, Katie S; Schafer, Alison; Anjuri, Dorothy; Ndogoni, Lincoln; Musyoki, Caroline; Sijbrandij, Marit; van Ommeren, Mark; Bryant, Richard A

2016-11-18

Living in conditions of chronic adversity renders many women more vulnerable to experiencing gender-based violence (GBV). In addition to GBV's physical and social consequences, the psychological effects can be pervasive. Access to evidence-based psychological interventions that seek to support the mental health of women affected by such adversity is rare in low- and middle-income countries. The current study evaluates a brief evidence-informed psychological intervention developed by the World Health Organization for adults impacted by adversity (Problem Management Plus; PM+). A feasibility randomised control trial (RCT) was conducted to inform a fully powered trial. Community health workers delivered the intervention to 70 women residing in three peri-urban settings in Nairobi, Kenya. Women, among whom 80% were survivors of GBV (N = 56), were randomised to receive five sessions of either PM+ (n = 35) by community health workers or enhanced treatment as usual (ETAU; n = 35). PM+ was not associated with any adverse events. Although the study was not powered to identify effects and accordingly did not identify effects on the primary outcome measure of general psychological distress, women survivors of adversity, including GBV, who received PM+ displayed greater reductions in posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms following treatment than those receiving ETAU. This feasibility study suggests that PM+ delivered by lay health workers is an acceptable and safe intervention to reach women experiencing common mental disorders and be inclusive for those affected by GBV and can be studied in a RCT in this setting. The study sets the stage for a fully powered, definitive controlled trial to assess this potentially effective intervention. ACTRN12614001291673 , 10/12/2014, retrospectively registered during the recruitment phase.

Mitigating Adverse Effects of a Human Mission on Possible Martian Indigenous Ecosystems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lupisella, M. L.

2000-01-01

Although human beings are, by most standards, the most capable agents to search for and detect extraterrestrial life, we are also potentially the most harmful. While there has been substantial work regarding forward contamination with respect to robotic missions, the issue of potential adverse effects on possible indigenous Martian ecosystems, such as biological contamination, due to a human mission has remained relatively unexplored and may require our attention now as this presentation will try to demonstrate by exploring some of the relevant scientific questions, mission planning challenges, and policy issues. An informal, high-level mission planning decision tree will be discussed and is included as the next page of this abstract. Some of the questions to be considered are: (1) To what extent could contamination due to a human presence compromise possible indigenous life forms? (2) To what extent can we control contamination? For example, will it be local or global? (3) What are the criteria for assessing the biological status of Mars, both regionally and globally? For example, can we adequately extrapolate from a few strategic missions such as sample return missions? (4) What should our policies be regarding our mission planning and possible interaction with what are likely to be microbial forms of extraterrestrial life? (5) Central to the science and mission planning issues is the role and applicability of terrestrial analogs, such as Lake Vostok for assessing drilling issues, and modeling techniques. Central to many of the policy aspects are scientific value, international law, public concern, and ethics. Exploring this overall issue responsibly requires an examination of all these aspects and how they interrelate. A chart is included, titled 'Mission Planning Decision Tree for Mitigating Adverse Effects to Possible Indigenous Martian Ecosystems due to a Human Mission'. It outlines what questions scientists should ask and answer before sending humans to Mars.

Mitigating Adverse Effects of a Human Mission on Possible Martian Indigenous Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lupisella, M. L.

2000-07-01

Although human beings are, by most standards, the most capable agents to search for and detect extraterrestrial life, we are also potentially the most harmful. While there has been substantial work regarding forward contamination with respect to robotic missions, the issue of potential adverse effects on possible indigenous Martian ecosystems, such as biological contamination, due to a human mission has remained relatively unexplored and may require our attention now as this presentation will try to demonstrate by exploring some of the relevant scientific questions, mission planning challenges, and policy issues. An informal, high-level mission planning decision tree will be discussed and is included as the next page of this abstract. Some of the questions to be considered are: (1) To what extent could contamination due to a human presence compromise possible indigenous life forms? (2) To what extent can we control contamination? For example, will it be local or global? (3) What are the criteria for assessing the biological status of Mars, both regionally and globally? For example, can we adequately extrapolate from a few strategic missions such as sample return missions? (4) What should our policies be regarding our mission planning and possible interaction with what are likely to be microbial forms of extraterrestrial life? (5) Central to the science and mission planning issues is the role and applicability of terrestrial analogs, such as Lake Vostok for assessing drilling issues, and modeling techniques. Central to many of the policy aspects are scientific value, international law, public concern, and ethics. Exploring this overall issue responsibly requires an examination of all these aspects and how they interrelate. A chart is included, titled 'Mission Planning Decision Tree for Mitigating Adverse Effects to Possible Indigenous Martian Ecosystems due to a Human Mission'. It outlines what questions scientists should ask and answer before sending humans to Mars.

Human cytomegalovirus infant infection adversely affects growth and development in maternally HIV-exposed and unexposed infants in Zambia.

PubMed

Gompels, U A; Larke, N; Sanz-Ramos, M; Bates, M; Musonda, K; Manno, D; Siame, J; Monze, M; Filteau, S

2012-02-01

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) coinfections have been shown to increase infant morbidity, mortality, and AIDS progression. In HIV-endemic regions, maternal HIV-exposed but HIV-uninfected infants, which is the majority of children affected by HIV, also show poor growth and increased morbidity. Although nutrition has been examined, the effects of HCMV infection have not been evaluated. We studied the effects of HCMV infection on the growth, development, and health of maternally HIV-exposed and unexposed infants in Zambia. Infants were examined in a cohort recruited to a trial of micronutrient-fortified complementary foods. HIV-infected mothers and infants had received perinatal antiretroviral therapy to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission. Growth, development, and morbidity were analyzed by linear regression analyses in relation to maternal HIV exposure and HCMV infection, as screened by sera DNA for viremia at 6 months of age and by antibody for infection at 18 months. All HCMV-seropositive infants had decreased length-for-age by 18 months compared with seronegative infants (standard deviation [z]-score difference: -0.44 [95% confidence interval {CI}, -.72 to -.17]; P = .002). In HIV-exposed infants, those who were HCMV positive compared with those who were negative, also had reduced head size (mean z-score difference: -0.72 [95% CI, -1.23 to -.22]; P = .01) and lower psychomotor development (Bayley test score difference: -4.1 [95% CI, -7.8 to -.5]; P = .03). HIV-exposed, HCMV-viremic infants were more commonly referred for hospital treatment than HCMV-negative infants. The effects of HCMV were unaffected by micronutrient fortification. HCMV affects child growth, development, and morbidity of African infants, particularly in those maternally exposed to HIV. HCMV is therefore a risk factor for child health in this region.

Analysis of Adverse Events in Identifying GPS Human Factors Issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Catherine A.; Hwoschinsky, Peter V.; Adams, Richard J.

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze GPS related adverse events such as accidents and incidents (A/I), Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) reports and Pilots Deviations (PDs) to create a framework for developing a human factors risk awareness program. Although the occurrence of directly related GPS accidents is small the frequency of PDs and ASRS reports indicated there is a growing problem with situational awareness in terminal airspace related to different types of GPs operational issues. This paper addresses the findings of the preliminary research and a brief discussion of some of the literature on related GPS and automation issues.

Food Affects Human Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kolata, Gina

1982-01-01

A conference on whether food and nutrients affect human behavior was held on November 9, 1982 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Various research studies on this topic are reviewed, including the effects of food on brain biochemistry (particularly sleep) and effects of tryptophane as a pain reducer. (JN)

Exposure to early adversity: Points of cross-species translation that can lead to improved understanding of depression.

PubMed

Andersen, Susan L

2015-05-01

The relationship between developmental exposure to adversity and affective disorders is reviewed. Adversity discussed herein includes physical and sexual abuse, neglect, or loss of a caregiver in humans. While these stressors can occur at any point during development, the unique temporal relationship to specific depressive symptoms was the focus of discussion. Further influences of stress exposure during sensitive periods can vary by gender and duration of abuse as well. Data from animal studies are presented to provide greater translational and causal understanding of how sensitive periods, different types of psychosocial stressors, and sex interact to produce depressive-like behaviors. Findings from maternal separation, isolation rearing, chronic variable stress, and peer-peer rearing paradigms clarify interpretation about how various depressive behaviors are influenced by age of exposure. Depressive behaviors are broken down into the following categories: mood and affect, anhedonia, energy, working memory, sleep-wake, appetite changes, suicide, and general malaise. Cross-species evidence from humans, nonhuman primates, rats, and mice within each of these categories is discussed. In conclusion, sensitive periods for affective-related behaviors (anxiety, mood, and controllability) occur earlier in life, while other aspects of depression are associated with adversity later during adolescence.

Adverse childhood experiences and health anxiety in adulthood.

PubMed

Reiser, Sarah J; McMillan, Katherine A; Wright, Kristi D; Asmundson, Gordon J G

2014-03-01

Childhood experiences are thought to predispose a person to the development of health anxiety later in life. However, there is a lack of research investigating the influence of specific adverse experiences (e.g., childhood abuse, household dysfunction) on this condition. The current study examined the cumulative influence of multiple types of childhood adversities on health anxiety in adulthood. Adults 18-59 years of age (N=264) completed a battery of measures to assess adverse childhood experiences, health anxiety, and associated constructs (i.e., negative affect and trait anxiety). Significant associations were observed between adverse childhood experiences, health anxiety, and associated constructs. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicted that adverse childhood experiences were predictive of health anxiety in adulthood; however, the unique contribution of these experience were no longer significant following the inclusion of the other variables of interest. Subsequently, mediation analyses indicated that both negative affect and trait anxiety independently mediated the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and health anxiety in adulthood. Increased exposure to adverse childhood experiences is associated with higher levels of health anxiety in adulthood; this relationship is mediated through negative affect and trait anxiety. Findings support the long-term negative impact of cumulative adverse childhood experiences and emphasize the importance of addressing negative affect and trait anxiety in efforts to prevent and treat health anxiety. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structured vs. Unstructured: Factors Affecting Adverse Drug Reaction Documentation in an EMR Repository

PubMed Central

Skentzos, Stephen; Shubina, Maria; Plutzky, Jorge; Turchin, Alexander

2011-01-01

Adverse reactions to medications to which the patient was known to be intolerant are common. Electronic decision support can prevent them but only if history of adverse reactions to medications is recorded in structured format. We have conducted a retrospective study of 31,531 patients with adverse reactions to statins documented in the notes, as identified with natural language processing. The software identified statin adverse reactions with sensitivity of 86.5% and precision of 91.9%. Only 9020 of these patients had an adverse reaction to a statin recorded in structured format. In multivariable analysis the strongest predictor of structured documentation was utilization of EMR functionality that integrated the medication list with the structured medication adverse reaction repository (odds ratio 48.6, p < 0.0001). Integration of information flow between EMR modules can help improve documentation and potentially prevent adverse drug events. PMID:22195188

Mismatch or allostatic load? Timing of life adversity differentially shapes gray matter volume and anxious temperament.

PubMed

Kuhn, Manuel; Scharfenort, Robert; Schümann, Dirk; Schiele, Miriam A; Münsterkötter, Anna L; Deckert, Jürgen; Domschke, Katharina; Haaker, Jan; Kalisch, Raffael; Pauli, Paul; Reif, Andreas; Romanos, Marcel; Zwanzger, Peter; Lonsdorf, Tina B

2016-04-01

Traditionally, adversity was defined as the accumulation of environmental events (allostatic load). Recently however, a mismatch between the early and the later (adult) environment (mismatch) has been hypothesized to be critical for disease development, a hypothesis that has not yet been tested explicitly in humans. We explored the impact of timing of life adversity (childhood and past year) on anxiety and depression levels (N = 833) and brain morphology (N = 129). Both remote (childhood) and proximal (recent) adversities were differentially mirrored in morphometric changes in areas critically involved in emotional processing (i.e. amygdala/hippocampus, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, respectively). The effect of adversity on affect acted in an additive way with no evidence for interactions (mismatch). Structural equation modeling demonstrated a direct effect of adversity on morphometric estimates and anxiety/depression without evidence of brain morphology functioning as a mediator. Our results highlight that adversity manifests as pronounced changes in brain morphometric and affective temperament even though these seem to represent distinct mechanistic pathways. A major goal of future studies should be to define critical time periods for the impact of adversity and strategies for intervening to prevent or reverse the effects of adverse childhood life experiences. © The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press.

Mismatch or allostatic load? Timing of life adversity differentially shapes gray matter volume and anxious temperament

PubMed Central

Kuhn, Manuel; Scharfenort, Robert; Schümann, Dirk; Schiele, Miriam A.; Münsterkötter, Anna L.; Deckert, Jürgen; Domschke, Katharina; Haaker, Jan; Kalisch, Raffael; Pauli, Paul; Reif, Andreas; Romanos, Marcel; Zwanzger, Peter

2016-01-01

Traditionally, adversity was defined as the accumulation of environmental events (allostatic load). Recently however, a mismatch between the early and the later (adult) environment (mismatch) has been hypothesized to be critical for disease development, a hypothesis that has not yet been tested explicitly in humans. We explored the impact of timing of life adversity (childhood and past year) on anxiety and depression levels (N = 833) and brain morphology (N = 129). Both remote (childhood) and proximal (recent) adversities were differentially mirrored in morphometric changes in areas critically involved in emotional processing (i.e. amygdala/hippocampus, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, respectively). The effect of adversity on affect acted in an additive way with no evidence for interactions (mismatch). Structural equation modeling demonstrated a direct effect of adversity on morphometric estimates and anxiety/depression without evidence of brain morphology functioning as a mediator. Our results highlight that adversity manifests as pronounced changes in brain morphometric and affective temperament even though these seem to represent distinct mechanistic pathways. A major goal of future studies should be to define critical time periods for the impact of adversity and strategies for intervening to prevent or reverse the effects of adverse childhood life experiences. PMID:26568620

Diagnosis of potential stressors adversely affecting benthic invertebrate communities in Greenwich Bay, Rhode Island, USA.

PubMed

Pelletier, Marguerite; Ho, Kay; Cantwell, Mark; Perron, Monique; Rocha, Kenneth; Burgess, Robert M; Johnson, Roxanne; Perez, Kenneth; Cardin, John; Charpentier, Michael A

2017-02-01

Greenwich Bay is an urbanized embayment of Narragansett Bay potentially impacted by multiple stressors. The present study identified the important stressors affecting Greenwich Bay benthic fauna. First, existing data and information were used to confirm that the waterbody was impaired. Second, the presence of source, stressor, and effect were established. Then linkages between source, stressor, and effect were developed. This allows identification of probable stressors adversely affecting the waterbody. Three pollutant categories were assessed: chemicals, nutrients, and suspended sediments. This weight of evidence approach indicated that Greenwich Bay was primarily impacted by eutrophication-related stressors. The sediments of Greenwich Bay were carbon enriched and low dissolved oxygen concentrations were commonly seen, especially in the western portions of Greenwich Bay. The benthic community was depauperate, as would be expected under oxygen stress. Although our analysis indicated that contaminant loads in Greenwich Bay were at concentrations where adverse effects might be expected, no toxicity was observed, as a result of high levels of organic carbon in these sediments reducing contaminant bioavailability. Our analysis also indicated that suspended sediment impacts were likely nonexistent for much of the Bay. This analysis demonstrates that the diagnostic procedure was useful to organize and assess the potential stressors impacting the ecological well-being of Greenwich Bay. This diagnostic procedure is useful for management of waterbodies impacted by multiple stressors. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:449-462. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

Does Maternal Prenatal Stress Adversely Affect the Child's Learning and Memory at Age Six?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gutteling, Barbara M.; de Weerth, Carolina; Zandbelt, Noortje; Mulder, Eduard J. H.; Visser, Gerard H. A.; Buitelaar, Jan K.

2006-01-01

Prenatal maternal stress has been shown to affect postnatal development in animals and humans. In animals, the morphology and function of the offspring's hippocampus is negatively affected by prenatal maternal stress. The present study prospectively investigated the influence of prenatal maternal stress on learning and memory of 112 children (50…

Early-life adversity-induced long-term epigenetic programming associated with early onset of chronic physical aggression: Studies in humans and animals.

PubMed

Chistiakov, Dimitry A; Chekhonin, Vladimir P

2017-06-05

To examine whether chronic physical aggression (CPA) in adulthood can be epigenetically programmed early in life due to exposure to early-life adversity. Literature search of public databases such as PubMed/MEDLINE and Scopus. Children/adolescents susceptible for CPA and exposed to early-life abuse fail to efficiently cope with stress that in turn results in the development of CPA later in life. This phenomenon was observed in humans and animal models of aggression. The susceptibility to aggression is a complex trait that is regulated by the interaction between environmental and genetic factors. Epigenetic mechanisms mediate this interaction. Subjects exposed to stress early in life exhibited long-term epigenetic programming that can influence their behaviour in adulthood. This programming affects expression of many genes not only in the brain but also in other systems such as neuroendocrine and immune. The propensity to adult CPA behaviour in subjects experienced to early-life adversity is mediated by epigenetic programming that involves long-term systemic epigenetic alterations in a whole genome.

Advance Care Planning Does Not Adversely Affect Hope or Anxiety Among Patients With Advanced Cancer.

PubMed

Green, Michael J; Schubart, Jane R; Whitehead, Megan M; Farace, Elana; Lehman, Erik; Levi, Benjamin H

2015-06-01

Many physicians avoid advance care planning (ACP) discussions because they worry such conversations will lead to psychological distress. To investigate whether engaging in ACP using online planning tools adversely affects hope, hopelessness, or anxiety among patients with advanced cancer. Patients with advanced cancer and an estimated survival of two years or less (Intervention group) and a Control group were recruited at a tertiary care academic medical center (2007-2012) to engage in ACP using an online decision aid ("Making Your Wishes Known"). Pre/post and between-group comparisons were made, including hope (Herth Hope Index), hopelessness (Beck Hopelessness Scale), and anxiety (State Trait Anxiety Inventory). Secondary outcomes included ACP knowledge, self-determination, and satisfaction. A total of 200 individuals completed the study. After engaging in ACP, there was no decline in hope or increase in hopelessness in either the Control or Intervention group. Anxiety was likewise unchanged in the Control group but decreased slightly in the Intervention group. Knowledge of ACP (% correct answers) increased in both the groups, but more so in the Intervention group (13% increase vs. 4%; P<0.01). Self-determination increased slightly in both groups, and satisfaction with the ACP process was greater (P<0.01) in the Intervention than Control group. Engaging in ACP with online planning tools increases knowledge without diminishing hope, increasing hopelessness, or inducing anxiety in patients with advanced cancer. Physicians need not avoid ACP out of concern for adversely affecting patients' psychological well-being. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Review of Adverse Effects of Road Traffic Noise on Human Health

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Devi; Kumari, Neeraj; Sharma, Pooja

Noise pollution due to road traffic is a potential threat to human health. Since it is a global hazard, the rapid urbanization and exponential traffic growth have aggravated the problem. Population residing along the busy traffic lanes is continuously exposed to the sound levels which are above the permissible limits. This constant exposure to noise pollution is a cause of concern as it leads to several adverse impacts on human health. Traffic noise causes irritation and annoyance, sleep disturbances, cardiovascular disease, risk of stroke, diabetes, hypertension and loss of hearing. It results in decreased work performance. The present review highlights the serious health hazards of road traffic noise (RTN) which needs to be curbed. Preventive measures of noise pollution can help in combating noise-induced health hazards and increased work performance.

The Adverse Effects of Heavy Metals with and without Noise Exposure on the Human Peripheral and Central Auditory System: A Literature Review.

PubMed

Castellanos, Marie-Josée; Fuente, Adrian

2016-12-09

Exposure to some chemicals in the workplace can lead to occupational chemical-induced hearing loss. Attention has mainly focused on the adverse auditory effects of solvents. However, other chemicals such as heavy metals have been also identified as ototoxic agents. The aim of this work was to review the current scientific knowledge about the adverse auditory effects of heavy metal exposure with and without co-exposure to noise in humans. PubMed and Medline were accessed to find suitable articles. A total of 49 articles met the inclusion criteria. Results from the review showed that no evidence about the ototoxic effects in humans of manganese is available. Contradictory results have been found for arsenic, lead and mercury as well as for the possible interaction between heavy metals and noise. All studies found in this review have found that exposure to cadmium and mixtures of heavy metals induce auditory dysfunction. Most of the studies investigating the adverse auditory effects of heavy metals in humans have investigated human populations exposed to lead. Some of these studies suggest peripheral and central auditory dysfunction induced by lead exposure. It is concluded that further evidence from human studies about the adverse auditory effects of heavy metal exposure is still required. Despite this issue, audiologists and other hearing health care professionals should be aware of the possible auditory effects of heavy metals.

Do environmental effects on human emotions cause cardiovascular disorders?

PubMed

Rosenman, R H

1997-01-01

Environmental influences on human health include the effects of toxic materials and adverse ecological factors. Natural milieu stressors also affect emotions that may adversely affect cardiovascular function and precipitate or otherwise contribute to complications of cardiovascular diseases. However, although variously hypothesized, there is inadequate evidence that they directly contribute to the pathogenesis of sustained hypertension or coronary atherosclerosis.

Why Does Military Combat Experience Adversely Affect Marital Relations?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gimbel, Cynthia; Booth, Alan

1994-01-01

Describes investigation of ways in which combat decreases marital quality and stability. Results support three models: (1) factors propelling men into combat also make them poor marriage material; (2) combat causes problems that increase marital adversity; and (3) combat intensifies premilitary stress and antisocial behavior which then negatively…

30 CFR 285.816 - What must I do if environmental or other conditions adversely affect a cable, pipeline, or facility?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Environmental Effects § 285.816 What must I do if environmental or other conditions adversely affect a cable... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What must I do if environmental or other... EXISTING FACILITIES ON THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF Environmental and Safety Management, Inspections, and...

Subject Reaction to Human-Caused and Naturally-Occurring Radioactive Threat.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Belford, Susan; Gibbs, Margaret

While research has shown that people are adversely psychologically affected by knowledge that their communities have been toxically contaminated, it has been suggested that those who see a disaster as naturally occurring tend to be less adversely affected than those who see a disaster as caused by human acts. To examine this issue, questionnaires…

Adverse effects of dietary fructose.

PubMed

Gaby, Alan R

2005-12-01

The consumption of fructose, primarily from high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), has increased considerably in the United States during the past several decades. Intake of HFCS may now exceed that of the other major caloric sweetener, sucrose. Some nutritionists believe fructose is a safer form of sugar than sucrose, particularly for people with diabetes mellitus, because it does not adversely affect blood-glucose regulation, at least in the short-term. However, fructose has potentially harmful effects on other aspects of metabolism. In particular, fructose is a potent reducing sugar that promotes the formation of toxic advanced glycation end-products, which appear to play a role in the aging process; in the pathogenesis of the vascular, renal, and ocular complications of diabetes; and in the development of atherosclerosis. Fructose has also been implicated as the main cause of symptoms in some patients with chronic diarrhea or other functional bowel disturbances. In addition, excessive fructose consumption may be responsible in part for the increasing prevalence of obesity, diabetes mellitus, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Although the long-term effects of fructose consumption have not been adequately studied in humans, the available evidence suggests it may be more harmful than is generally recognized. The extent to which a person might be adversely affected by dietary fructose depends both on the amount consumed and on individual tolerance. With a few exceptions, the relatively small amounts of fructose that occur naturally in fruits and vegetables are unlikely to have deleterious effects, and this review is not meant to discourage the consumption of these healthful foods.

Bosutinib, dasatinib, imatinib, nilotinib, and ponatinib differentially affect the vascular molecular pathways and functionality of human endothelial cells.

PubMed

Gover-Proaktor, Ayala; Granot, Galit; Pasmanik-Chor, Metsada; Pasvolsky, Oren; Shapira, Saar; Raz, Oshrat; Raanani, Pia; Leader, Avi

2018-05-09

The tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), nilotinib, ponatinib, and dasatinib (but not bosutinib or imatinib), are associated with vascular adverse events (VAEs) in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Though the mechanism is inadequately understood, an effect on vascular cells has been suggested. We investigated the effect of imatinib, nilotinib, dasatinib, bosutinib, and ponatinib on tube formation, cell viability, and gene expression of human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). We found a distinct genetic profile in HUVECs treated with dasatinib, ponatinib, and nilotinib compared to bosutinib and imatinib, who resembled untreated samples. However, unique gene expression and molecular pathway alterations were detected between dasatinib, ponatinib, and nilotinib. Angiogenesis/blood vessel-related pathways and HUVEC function (tube formation/viability) were adversely affected by dasatinib, ponatinib, and nilotinib but not by imatinib or bosutinib. These results correspond to the differences in VAE profiles of these TKIs, support a direct effect on vascular cells, and provide direction for future research.

Emotion-affected decision making in human simulation.

PubMed

Zhao, Y; Kang, J; Wright, D K

2006-01-01

Human modelling is an interdisciplinary research field. The topic, emotion-affected decision making, was originally a cognitive psychology issue, but is now recognized as an important research direction for both computer science and biomedical modelling. The main aim of this paper is to attempt to bridge the gap between psychology and bioengineering in emotion-affected decision making. The work is based on Ortony's theory of emotions and bounded rationality theory, and attempts to connect the emotion process with decision making. A computational emotion model is proposed, and the initial framework of this model in virtual human simulation within the platform of Virtools is presented.

Aflatoxin Exposure During Pregnancy, Maternal Anemia, and Adverse Birth Outcomes

PubMed Central

Smith, Laura E.; Prendergast, Andrew J.; Turner, Paul C.; Humphrey, Jean H.; Stoltzfus, Rebecca J.

2017-01-01

Pregnant women and their developing fetuses are vulnerable to multiple environmental insults, including exposure to aflatoxin, a mycotoxin that may contaminate as much as 25% of the world food supply. We reviewed and integrated findings from studies of aflatoxin exposure during pregnancy and evaluated potential links to adverse pregnancy outcomes. We identified 27 studies (10 human cross-sectional studies and 17 animal studies) assessing the relationship between aflatoxin exposure and adverse birth outcomes or anemia. Findings suggest that aflatoxin exposure during pregnancy may impair fetal growth. Only one human study investigated aflatoxin exposure and prematurity, and no studies investigated its relationship with pregnancy loss, but animal studies suggest aflatoxin exposure may increase risk for prematurity and pregnancy loss. The fetus could be affected by maternal aflatoxin exposure through direct toxicity as well as indirect toxicity, via maternal systemic inflammation, impaired placental growth, or elevation of placental cytokines. The cytotoxic and systemic effects of aflatoxin could plausibly mediate maternal anemia, intrauterine growth restriction, fetal loss, and preterm birth. Given the widespread exposure to this toxin in developing countries, longitudinal studies in pregnant women are needed to provide stronger evidence for the role of aflatoxin in adverse pregnancy outcomes, and to explore biological mechanisms. Potential pathways for intervention to reduce aflatoxin exposure are urgently needed, and this might reduce the global burden of stillbirth, preterm birth, and low birthweight. PMID:28500823

Aflatoxin Exposure During Pregnancy, Maternal Anemia, and Adverse Birth Outcomes.

PubMed

Smith, Laura E; Prendergast, Andrew J; Turner, Paul C; Humphrey, Jean H; Stoltzfus, Rebecca J

2017-04-01

AbstractPregnant women and their developing fetuses are vulnerable to multiple environmental insults, including exposure to aflatoxin, a mycotoxin that may contaminate as much as 25% of the world food supply. We reviewed and integrated findings from studies of aflatoxin exposure during pregnancy and evaluated potential links to adverse pregnancy outcomes. We identified 27 studies (10 human cross-sectional studies and 17 animal studies) assessing the relationship between aflatoxin exposure and adverse birth outcomes or anemia. Findings suggest that aflatoxin exposure during pregnancy may impair fetal growth. Only one human study investigated aflatoxin exposure and prematurity, and no studies investigated its relationship with pregnancy loss, but animal studies suggest aflatoxin exposure may increase risk for prematurity and pregnancy loss. The fetus could be affected by maternal aflatoxin exposure through direct toxicity as well as indirect toxicity, via maternal systemic inflammation, impaired placental growth, or elevation of placental cytokines. The cytotoxic and systemic effects of aflatoxin could plausibly mediate maternal anemia, intrauterine growth restriction, fetal loss, and preterm birth. Given the widespread exposure to this toxin in developing countries, longitudinal studies in pregnant women are needed to provide stronger evidence for the role of aflatoxin in adverse pregnancy outcomes, and to explore biological mechanisms. Potential pathways for intervention to reduce aflatoxin exposure are urgently needed, and this might reduce the global burden of stillbirth, preterm birth, and low birthweight.

Parenting begets parenting: A neurobiological perspective on early adversity and the transmission of parenting styles across generations.

PubMed

Lomanowska, A M; Boivin, M; Hertzman, C; Fleming, A S

2017-02-07

The developing brains of young children are highly sensitive to input from their social environment. Nurturing social experience during this time promotes the acquisition of social and cognitive skills and emotional competencies. However, many young children are confronted with obstacles to healthy development, including poverty, inappropriate care, and violence, and their enhanced sensitivity to the social environment means that they are highly susceptible to these adverse childhood experiences. One source of social adversity in early life can stem from parenting that is harsh, inconsistent, non-sensitive or hostile. Parenting is considered to be the cornerstone of early socio-emotional development and an adverse parenting style is associated with adjustment problems and a higher risk of developing mood and behavioral disorders. Importantly, there is a growing literature showing that an important predictor of parenting behavior is how parents, especially mothers, were parented themselves. In this review, we examine how adversity in early-life affects mothering behavior in later-life and how these effects may be perpetuated inter-generationally. Relying on studies in humans and animal models, we consider evidence for the intergenerational transmission of mothering styles. We then describe the psychological underpinnings of mothering, including responsiveness to young, executive function and affect, as well as the physiological mediators of mothering behavior, including hormones, brain regions and neurotransmitters, and we consider how development in these relevant domains may be affected by adversity experienced in early life. Finally, we explore how genes and early experience interact to predict mothering behavior, including the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms. Understanding how adverse parenting begets adverse parenting in the next generation is critical for designing interventions aimed at preventing this intergenerational cycle of early adversity

Default, Cognitive, and Affective Brain Networks in Human Tinnitus

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-13-1-0491 TITLE: Default, Cognitive, and Affective Brain Networks in Human Tinnitus PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Jennifer R...SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Default, Cognitive and Affective Brain Networks in Human Tinnitus 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6...Release; Distribution Unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT Tinnitus is a major health problem among those currently and formerly in military

Computational Approaches for Identifying Adverse Outcome Pathways

EPA Science Inventory

Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs) provide a framework for organizing toxicity information to improve predictions of the potential adverse impact of environment stressors on humans or wildlife populations, but these benefits are currently limited by the small number of AOPs currentl...

Higher-order Multivariable Polynomial Regression to Estimate Human Affective States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Jie; Chen, Tong; Liu, Guangyuan; Yang, Jiemin

2016-03-01

From direct observations, facial, vocal, gestural, physiological, and central nervous signals, estimating human affective states through computational models such as multivariate linear-regression analysis, support vector regression, and artificial neural network, have been proposed in the past decade. In these models, linear models are generally lack of precision because of ignoring intrinsic nonlinearities of complex psychophysiological processes; and nonlinear models commonly adopt complicated algorithms. To improve accuracy and simplify model, we introduce a new computational modeling method named as higher-order multivariable polynomial regression to estimate human affective states. The study employs standardized pictures in the International Affective Picture System to induce thirty subjects’ affective states, and obtains pure affective patterns of skin conductance as input variables to the higher-order multivariable polynomial model for predicting affective valence and arousal. Experimental results show that our method is able to obtain efficient correlation coefficients of 0.98 and 0.96 for estimation of affective valence and arousal, respectively. Moreover, the method may provide certain indirect evidences that valence and arousal have their brain’s motivational circuit origins. Thus, the proposed method can serve as a novel one for efficiently estimating human affective states.

Higher-order Multivariable Polynomial Regression to Estimate Human Affective States

PubMed Central

Wei, Jie; Chen, Tong; Liu, Guangyuan; Yang, Jiemin

2016-01-01

From direct observations, facial, vocal, gestural, physiological, and central nervous signals, estimating human affective states through computational models such as multivariate linear-regression analysis, support vector regression, and artificial neural network, have been proposed in the past decade. In these models, linear models are generally lack of precision because of ignoring intrinsic nonlinearities of complex psychophysiological processes; and nonlinear models commonly adopt complicated algorithms. To improve accuracy and simplify model, we introduce a new computational modeling method named as higher-order multivariable polynomial regression to estimate human affective states. The study employs standardized pictures in the International Affective Picture System to induce thirty subjects’ affective states, and obtains pure affective patterns of skin conductance as input variables to the higher-order multivariable polynomial model for predicting affective valence and arousal. Experimental results show that our method is able to obtain efficient correlation coefficients of 0.98 and 0.96 for estimation of affective valence and arousal, respectively. Moreover, the method may provide certain indirect evidences that valence and arousal have their brain’s motivational circuit origins. Thus, the proposed method can serve as a novel one for efficiently estimating human affective states. PMID:26996254

Adverse outcome pathways: a concise introduction for toxicologists

PubMed Central

Vergauwen, Lucia; Hengstler, Jan G.; Angrish, Michelle; Whelan, Maurice

2018-01-01

Adverse outcome pathways are designed to provide a clear-cut mechanistic representation of critical toxicological effects that propagate over different layers of biological organization from the initial interaction of a chemical with a molecular target to an adverse outcome at the individual or population level. Adverse outcome pathways are currently gaining momentum, especially in view of their many potential applications as pragmatic tools in the fields of human toxicology, ecotoxicology and risk assessment. A number of guidance documents, issued by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, as well as landmark papers, outlining best practices to develop, assess and use adverse outcome pathways, have been published in the last few years. The present paper provides a synopsis of the main principles related to the adverse outcome pathway framework for the toxicologist less familiar with this area, followed by two case studies relevant for human toxicology and ecotoxicology. PMID:28660287

Do thawing and warming affect the integrity of human milk?

PubMed

Handa, D; Ahrabi, A F; Codipilly, C N; Shah, S; Ruff, S; Potak, D; Williams, J E; McGuire, M A; Schanler, R J

2014-11-01

To evaluate the integrity of the human milk (pH, bacterial counts, host defense factors and nutrients) subjected to thawing, warming, refrigeration and maintenance at room temperature. Mothers in the neonatal intensive care unit donated freshly expressed milk. A baseline sample was stored at -80 °C and the remainder of the milk was divided and stored for 7 days at -20 °C. The milk was then subjected to two methods of thawing and warming: tepid water and waterless warmer. Thawed milk also was refrigerated for 24 h prior to warming. Lastly, warmed milk was maintained at room temperature for 4 h to simulate a feeding session. Samples were analyzed for pH, bacterial colony counts, total fat and free fatty acids, and the content of protein, secretory IgA and lactoferrin. Data were analyzed by repeated-measures analysis of variance and paired t test. There were no differences between processing methods and no changes in fat, protein, lactoferrin and secretory immunoglobulin A with processing steps. Milk pH and bacterial colony counts declined while free fatty acids rose with processing. Refrigeration of thawed milk resulted in greater declines in pH and bacteria and increases in free fatty acids. Bacterial colony counts and free fatty acids increased with maintenance at room temperature. The integrity of the milk was affected similarly by the two thawing and warming methods. Thawing and warming change the integrity of previously frozen human milk, but not adversely. Concerns about maintaining warmed milk at room temperature need to be explored.

40 CFR 174.71 - Submission of information regarding adverse effects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... any information regarding adverse effects on human health or the environment alleged to have been... information. (b) Adverse effects on human health or the environment for purposes of plant-incorporated... (CONTINUED) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR PLANT-INCORPORATED PROTECTANTS Monitoring and...

40 CFR 174.71 - Submission of information regarding adverse effects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... any information regarding adverse effects on human health or the environment alleged to have been... information. (b) Adverse effects on human health or the environment for purposes of plant-incorporated... (CONTINUED) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR PLANT-INCORPORATED PROTECTANTS Monitoring and...

40 CFR 174.71 - Submission of information regarding adverse effects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... any information regarding adverse effects on human health or the environment alleged to have been... information. (b) Adverse effects on human health or the environment for purposes of plant-incorporated... (CONTINUED) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR PLANT-INCORPORATED PROTECTANTS Monitoring and...

40 CFR 174.71 - Submission of information regarding adverse effects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... any information regarding adverse effects on human health or the environment alleged to have been... information. (b) Adverse effects on human health or the environment for purposes of plant-incorporated... (CONTINUED) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR PLANT-INCORPORATED PROTECTANTS Monitoring and...

40 CFR 174.71 - Submission of information regarding adverse effects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... any information regarding adverse effects on human health or the environment alleged to have been... information. (b) Adverse effects on human health or the environment for purposes of plant-incorporated... (CONTINUED) PESTICIDE PROGRAMS PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS FOR PLANT-INCORPORATED PROTECTANTS Monitoring and...

Climate Change, Human Rights, and Social Justice.

PubMed

Levy, Barry S; Patz, Jonathan A

2015-01-01

The environmental and health consequences of climate change, which disproportionately affect low-income countries and poor people in high-income countries, profoundly affect human rights and social justice. Environmental consequences include increased temperature, excess precipitation in some areas and droughts in others, extreme weather events, and increased sea level. These consequences adversely affect agricultural production, access to safe water, and worker productivity, and, by inundating land or making land uninhabitable and uncultivatable, will force many people to become environmental refugees. Adverse health effects caused by climate change include heat-related disorders, vector-borne diseases, foodborne and waterborne diseases, respiratory and allergic disorders, malnutrition, collective violence, and mental health problems. These environmental and health consequences threaten civil and political rights and economic, social, and cultural rights, including rights to life, access to safe food and water, health, security, shelter, and culture. On a national or local level, those people who are most vulnerable to the adverse environmental and health consequences of climate change include poor people, members of minority groups, women, children, older people, people with chronic diseases and disabilities, those residing in areas with a high prevalence of climate-related diseases, and workers exposed to extreme heat or increased weather variability. On a global level, there is much inequity, with low-income countries, which produce the least greenhouse gases (GHGs), being more adversely affected by climate change than high-income countries, which produce substantially higher amounts of GHGs yet are less immediately affected. In addition, low-income countries have far less capability to adapt to climate change than high-income countries. Adaptation and mitigation measures to address climate change needed to protect human society must also be planned to protect

The Flavonoid 7,4'-Dihydroxyflavone Prevents Dexamethasone Paradoxical Adverse Effect on Eotaxin Production by Human Fibroblasts.

PubMed

Liu, Changda; Yang, Nan; Chen, Xiaoke; Tversky, Jody; Zhan, Jixun; Chehade, Mirna; Miller, Rachel L; Li, Xiu-Min

2017-03-01

Eotaxin/CCL-11 is a major chemoattractant that contributes to eosinophilic inflammation in asthma. Glucocorticoids inhibit inflammation, but long-time exposure may cause paradoxical adverse effects by augmenting eotaxin/CCL-11production. The aim of this study was to determine if 7,4'-dihydroxyflavone (7,4'-DHF), the eotaxin/CCL11 inhibitor isolated from Glycyrrhiza uralensis, reduces in vitro eotaxin production induced by long-time dexamethasone (Dex) exposure, and if so, to elucidate the mechanisms of this inhibition. Human lung fibroblast-1 cells were used to identify the potency of 7,4'-DHF compared with other compounds from G. uralensis, to compare 7,4'-DHF with Dex on eotaxin production following 24-h short-time culture and 72-h longer-time (LT) culture, and to determine the effects of the 7,4'-DHF on Dex LT culture augmented eotaxin production and molecule mechanisms. 7,4'-DHF was the most potent eotaxin/CCL-11 inhibitor among the ten compounds and provided continued suppression. In contrast to short-time culture, Dex LT culture increased constitutively, and IL-4/TNF-α stimulated eotaxin/CCL11 production by human lung fibroblast-1 cells. This adverse effect was abrogated by 7,4'-DHF co-culture. 7,4'-DHF significantly inhibited Dex LT culture augmentation of p-STAT6 and impaired HDAC2 expression. This study demonstrated that 7,4'-DHF has the ability to consistently suppress eotaxin production and prevent Dex-paradoxical adverse effects on eotaxin production. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

42 CFR 137.445 - Will an immediate reassumption appeal adversely affect the Self-Governance Tribe's rights in...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... affect the Self-Governance Tribe's rights in other self-governance negotiations? 137.445 Section 137.445 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TRIBAL SELF-GOVERNANCE Appeals Appeals of An Immediate Reassumption...

Resiliency in the Face of Adversity: A Short Longitudinal Test of the Trait Hypothesis.

PubMed

Karaırmak, Özlem; Figley, Charles

2017-01-01

Resilience represents coping with adversity and is in line with a more positive paradigm for viewing responses to adversity. Most research has focused on resilience as coping-a state-based response to adversity. However, a competing hypothesis views resilience or resiliency as a trait that exists across time and types of adversity. We tested undergraduates enrolled in social work classes at a large southern university at two time periods during a single semester using measures of adversity, positive and negative affect, and trait-based resiliency. Consistent with the trait-based resiliency, and in contrast to state-based resilience, resiliency scores were not strongly correlated with adversity at both testing points but were with positive affect, and resiliency scores remained the same over time despite adversity variations. There was no gender or ethnic group difference in resilience scores. Black/African Americans reported significantly less negative affect and more positive affect than White/Caucasians.

Cinnamon: A systematic review of adverse events.

PubMed

Hajimonfarednejad, Mahdie; Ostovar, Mohadeseh; Raee, Mohammad Javad; Hashempur, Mohammad Hashem; Mayer, Johannes Gottfried; Heydari, Mojtaba

2018-04-05

Cinnamon, from the genus Cinnamomum and Lauraceae family, has been used as a popular spice for thousands of years around the world. Many studies have shown therapeutic effects of cinnamon including its antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal, antioxidant, antitumor, antihypertensive, antilipemic, antidiabetic, gastroprotective, and immunomodulatory effects. Due to popular use of cinnamon and several human reports on adverse events associated with short or long term use of cinnamon, we aimed to systematically review its human reports of adverse event. Databases including Medline, Scopus, Science Direct, Embase, PubMed Central and Google scholar were searched using the key words "cinnamon" or "cinnamomum" for clinical trials, case reports and case series. Also spontaneous reports about adverse effects of cinnamon were collected from five national and international spontaneous reporting schemes. Thirty eight clinical trials were found, five of them reported adverse events. Twenty case reports and seven case series, as well as, spontaneous reports including 160 adverse events were also included. The most frequent adverse events were gastrointestinal disorders and allergic reactions which were self-limiting in the majority of cases. The available data suggests that despite the safety of cinnamon use as a spice and/or flavoring agent, its use may be associated with significant adverse effects in medicinal uses with larger doses or longer duration of use and should be clinically monitored. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Ground experiments for finding principles and working out methods for preventing adverse effects of weightlessness on the human organism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kakurin, L. I.; Gregoryev, A. I.; Mikhailov, V. M.; Tishler, V. A.

1980-01-01

A comparative assessment of the effectiveness of different prophylactic procedures to prevent the adverse effects of weightlessness is presented. It is concluded that: physical training is most effective but no single method by itself produces the full effect, and an adjustment of regimes to one another enhances the effect. The approved complex of prophylactic procedures affected basic changes occurring in hypokinesia: deficit of muscular activity, no or reduced BP hydrostatic component, reduced volume of blood circulation, reduced hydration level, and the application of various prophylactic complexes during 49 day antiorthostatic hypodynamia eliminated or reduced the adverse effects of weightlessness in simulation.

Carbon Nanotubes and Human Cells?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, G. Angela

2005-01-01

Single-walled carbon nanotubes that were chemically altered to be water soluble are shown to enter fibroblasts, T cells, and HL60 cells. Nanoparticles adversely affect immortalized HaCaT human keratinocyte cultures, indicating that they may enter cells.

Treatment of Human Scabies with Oral Ivermectin. Eczematous Eruptions as a New Non-Reported Adverse Event.

PubMed

Sanz-Navarro, J; Feal, C; Dauden, E

2017-09-01

Oral ivermectin is an alternative therapy for human scabies infection due to its ease of administration and good safety profile. However, there is no definitive consensus on the optimal dosing regimen. To describe the treatment of human scabies with different dosages of oral ivermectin and the possible adverse events. 23 patients with human scabies were treated with oral ivermectin: 10 patients received a single oral dose of 200μg/kg and 13 a dose of 400μg/kg. A second, or even a third dose, was administered in cases of treatment failure. A complete clinical response was achieved by all of the patients. The first ten patients required at least two (80%) or three (20%) doses of ivermectin for complete resolution of the infection. The remaining cases resolved with a single 400μg/kg oral dose. Within the first 72h after the administration of oral ivermectin, new cutaneous lesions were observed in eleven patients (47.8%). Cutaneous biopsies showed signs of subacute eczema. The eruption was treated with topical corticosteroids and emollient therapy. There was no other new drug administration or a history of irritants. There was no history of atopic diathesis except for one patient. Oral ivermectin is an effective therapy for the treatment of human scabies. A single 400μg/kg oral dose demonstrated high efficacy and good tolerance. However, the appearance of eczematous cutaneous lesions induced by oral ivermectin has not previously been reported in the literature. Dermatologists should be aware of this possible adverse event. Copyright © 2017 AEDV. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Characterizing "Adversity" of Pathology Findings in ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The identification of adverse health effects has a central role in the development and risk/safety assessment of chemical entities and pharmaceuticals. There is currently a need for better alignment in the toxicologic pathology community regarding how nonclinical adversity is determined and characterized. The European Society of Toxicologic Pathology (ESTP) therefore coordinated a workshop in June 2015 to review available definitions of adversity, weigh determining and qualifying factors of adversity based on case examples, and recommend a practical approach to define and characterize adversity in toxicology reports. The international group of expert pathologists and toxicologists emphasized that a holistic, weight-of-evidence, case-specific approach should be followed for each adversity assessment. It was recommended that nonclinical adversity should typically be determined at a morphological level (most often the organ) in the pathology report and should refer specifically to the test species. Final adversity calls, integration of target pharmacology/pathway information, and consideration of human translation should generally be made in toxicology overview reports. Differences in interpretation and implications of adversity calls between (agro)chemical and pharmaceutical industries and among world regions were highlighted. The results of this workshop should serve a valuable prerequisite for future organ- or lesion-specific workshops planned by the ESTP. This

Risk factors for alcoholism in the Oklahoma Family Health Patterns project: impact of early life adversity and family history on affect regulation and personality.

PubMed

Sorocco, Kristen H; Carnes, Nathan C; Cohoon, Andrew J; Vincent, Andrea S; Lovallo, William R

2015-05-01

This study examined the impact of early lifetime adversity (ELA) on affect regulation and personality in persons with family history (FH+) and without (FH-) a family history of alcoholism. We examined the impact of early life adversity in healthy young adults, 18-30 years of age enrolled in a long-term study on risk for alcohol and other substance abuse. ELA was assessed by a composite score of low socioeconomic status and personal experience of physical or sexual abuse and/or separation from parents before age 16, resulting in a score of 0, 1-2, or >3 adverse events. Unstable affect regulation and personality variables were obtained via self-report measures. Higher ELA scores were seen in FH+ (χ(2)=109.2, p<0.0001) and in women (χ(2)=17.82, p=0.0019). Although higher ELA predicted less emotional stability and more behavioral undercontrol, further analysis including both FH and ELA showed that FH+ persons are prone to poor affect regulation, negative moods, and have risky drinking and drug abuse tendencies independent of ELA level. ELA predicts reduced stress reactivity and poorer cognitive control over impulsive behaviors as shown elsewhere. The present work shows that FH+ have poor mood regulation and antisocial characteristics. The greater prevalence of ELA in FH+ persons indicates that life experience and FH+ work in tandem to result in risky patterns of alcohol and drug experimentation to elevate risk for alcoholism. Further studies of genetic and environmental contributions to alcoholism are called for. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Adverse reactions associated with acetylcysteine.

PubMed

Sandilands, E A; Bateman, D N

2009-02-01

Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is one of the most common agents deliberately ingested in self-poisoning episodes and a leading cause of acute liver failure in the western world. Acetylcysteine is widely acknowledged as the antidote of choice for paracetamol poisoning, but its use is not without risk. Adverse reactions, often leading to treatment delay, are frequently associated with both intravenous and oral acetylcysteine and are a common source of concern among treating physicians. A systematic literature review investigating the incidence, clinical features, and mechanisms of adverse effects associated with acetylcysteine. A variety of adverse reactions to acetylcysteine have been described ranging from nausea to death, most of the latter due to incorrect dosing. The pattern of reactions differs with oral and intravenous dosing, but reported frequency is at least as high with oral as intravenous. The reactions to the intravenous preparation result in similar clinical features to true anaphylaxis, including rash, pruritus, angioedema, bronchospasm, and rarely hypotension, but are caused by nonimmunological mechanisms. The precise nature of this reaction remains unclear. Histamine now seems to be an important mediator of the response, and there is evidence of variability in patient susceptibility, with females, and those with a history of asthma or atopy are particularly susceptible. Quantity of paracetamol ingestion, measured through serum paracetamol concentration, is also important as higher paracetamol concentrations protect patients against anaphylactoid effects. Most anaphylactoid reactions occur at the start of acetylcysteine treatment when concentrations are highest. Acetylcysteine also affects clotting factor activity, and this affects the interpretation of minor disturbances in the International Normalized Ratio in the context of paracetamol overdose. This review discusses the incidence, clinical features, underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, and

Affective processes in human-automation interactions.

PubMed

Merritt, Stephanie M

2011-08-01

This study contributes to the literature on automation reliance by illuminating the influences of user moods and emotions on reliance on automated systems. Past work has focused predominantly on cognitive and attitudinal variables, such as perceived machine reliability and trust. However, recent work on human decision making suggests that affective variables (i.e., moods and emotions) are also important. Drawing from the affect infusion model, significant effects of affect are hypothesized. Furthermore, a new affectively laden attitude termed liking is introduced. Participants watched video clips selected to induce positive or negative moods, then interacted with a fictitious automated system on an X-ray screening task At five time points, important variables were assessed including trust, liking, perceived machine accuracy, user self-perceived accuracy, and reliance.These variables, along with propensity to trust machines and state affect, were integrated in a structural equation model. Happiness significantly increased trust and liking for the system throughout the task. Liking was the only variable that significantly predicted reliance early in the task. Trust predicted reliance later in the task, whereas perceived machine accuracy and user self-perceived accuracy had no significant direct effects on reliance at any time. Affective influences on automation reliance are demonstrated, suggesting that this decision-making process may be less rational and more emotional than previously acknowledged. Liking for a new system may be key to appropriate reliance, particularly early in the task. Positive affect can be easily induced and may be a lever for increasing liking.

The adverse health effects of chronic cannabis use.

PubMed

Hall, Wayne; Degenhardt, Louisa

2014-01-01

This paper summarizes the most probable of the adverse health effects of regular cannabis use sustained over years, as indicated by epidemiological studies that have established an association between cannabis use and adverse outcomes; ruled out reverse causation; and controlled for plausible alternative explanations. We have also focused on adverse outcomes for which there is good evidence of biological plausibility. The focus is on those adverse health effects of greatest potential public health significance--those that are most likely to occur and to affect a substantial proportion of regular cannabis users. These most probable adverse effects of regular use include a dependence syndrome, impaired respiratory function, cardiovascular disease, adverse effects on adolescent psychosocial development and mental health, and residual cognitive impairment. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Application of the Aggregate Exposure Pathway and Adverse Outcome Pathway frameworks to advance cumulative risk assessment by integrating human health and ecological endpoints

EPA Science Inventory

Evaluating risk of adverse outcomes from chemical exposure is essential for understanding the impacts of environmental contaminants. While human health outcomes are of primary concern and are often the focus of risk assessments, important non-human species are also exposed to co...

Adverse food reactions: Pathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis and alternatives to elimination diets.

PubMed

Mueller, R S; Unterer, S

2018-06-01

This review summarises available information about adverse food reactions in dogs and cats. Much of the published information on the pathogenesis of adverse food reactions in these species is transferred from what is known in mice and human beings. Clinical signs affect mostly the integument and gastrointestinal system. Pruritus of the distal limbs, face, ears and ventrum is the most common cutaneous presentation in dogs, although urticaria has also been reported. In cats, all so-called 'cutaneous reaction patterns' may be due to adverse food reactions. The most common gastrointestinal signs in both species are diarrhoea and vomiting. An elimination diet over several weeks using a protein source and a carbohydrate source previously not fed is still the diagnostic tool of choice. Improvement on such a diet, deterioration on re-challenge with the old food and improvement again on the elimination diet confirms the diagnosis of adverse food reaction, whereas alternative tests of blood, serum, saliva and hair have been found to be unsatisfactory. Patch testing with food antigens has been recommended as an aid to choose the elimination diet ingredients, since it has a reasonable negative predictability and likelihood ratio, but is laborious and costly. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early life adversity and telomere length: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Ridout, K K; Levandowski, M; Ridout, S J; Gantz, L; Goonan, K; Palermo, D; Price, L H; Tyrka, A R

2018-04-01

Early adversity, in the form of abuse, neglect, socioeconomic status and other adverse experiences, is associated with poor physical and mental health outcomes. To understand the biologic mechanisms underlying these associations, studies have evaluated the relationship between early adversity and telomere length, a marker of cellular senescence. Such results have varied in regard to the size and significance of this relationship. Using meta-analytic techniques, we aimed to clarify the relationship between early adversity and telomere length while exploring factors affecting the association, including adversity type, timing and study design. A comprehensive search in July 2016 of PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Web of Science identified 2462 studies. Multiple reviewers appraised studies for inclusion or exclusion using a priori criteria; 3.9% met inclusion criteria. Data were extracted into a structured form; the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale assessed study quality, validity and bias. Forty-one studies (N=30 773) met inclusion criteria. Early adversity and telomere length were significantly associated (Cohen's d effect size=-0.35; 95% CI, -0.46 to -0.24; P<0.0001). Sensitivity analyses revealed no outlier effects. Adversity type and timing significantly impacted the association with telomere length (P<0.0001 and P=0.0025, respectively). Subgroup and meta-regression analyses revealed that medication use, medical or psychiatric conditions, case-control vs longitudinal study design, methodological factors, age and smoking significantly affected the relationship. Comprehensive evaluations of adversity demonstrated more extensive telomere length changes. These results suggest that early adversity may have long-lasting physiological consequences contributing to disease risk and biological aging.

The skin tissue is adversely affected by TNF-alpha blockers in patients with chronic inflammatory arthritis: a 5-year prospective analysis

PubMed Central

Machado, Natalia P.; dos Reis Neto, Edgard Torres; Soares, Maria Roberta M. P.; Freitas, Daniele S.; Porro, Adriana; Ciconelli, Rozana M.; Pinheiro, Marcelo M.

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the incidence of and the main risk factors associated with cutaneous adverse events in patients with chronic inflammatory arthritis following anti-TNF-α therapy. METHODS: A total of 257 patients with active arthritis who were taking TNF-α blockers, including 158 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 87 with ankylosing spondylitis and 12 with psoriatic arthritis, were enrolled in a 5-year prospective analysis. Patients with overlapping or other rheumatic diseases were excluded. Anthropometric, socioeconomic, demographic and clinical data were evaluated, including the Disease Activity Score-28, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index and Psoriasis Area Severity Index. Skin conditions were evaluated by two dermatology experts, and in doubtful cases, skin lesion biopsies were performed. Associations between adverse cutaneous events and clinical, demographic and epidemiological variables were determined using the chi-square test, and logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors. The significance level was set at p<0.05. RESULTS: After 60 months of follow-up, 71 adverse events (73.85/1000 patient-years) were observed, of which allergic and immune-mediated phenomena were the most frequent events, followed by infectious conditions involving bacterial (47.1%), parasitic (23.5%), fungal (20.6%) and viral (8.8%) agents. CONCLUSION: The skin is significantly affected by adverse reactions resulting from the use of TNF-α blockers, and the main risk factors for cutaneous events were advanced age, female sex, a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, disease activity and the use of infliximab. PMID:24141833

Weight-of-evidence evaluation of an adverse outcome ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Ongoing honey bee colony losses are of significant international concern because of the essential role these insects play in pollinating staple food crops. Chemical and non-chemical stressors both have been implicated as possible contributors to colony failure, however, the potential role of commonly-used neonicotinoid insecticides has emerged as particularly concerning. Neonicotinoids act on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) to eliminate target pest insects, however, mounting evidence indicates that these chemicals may adversely affect beneficial pollinators, such as the honey bee, via impacts on learning and memory thereby affecting foraging success. However, the mechanisms linking activation of the nAChR to adverse effects on learning and memory are uncertain. Additionally, clear connections between observed impacts on individual bees and colony level effects are lacking. Therefore, the objective of this work was to develop adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) as a means to evaluate the biological plausibility and empirical evidence supporting (or refuting) the linkage between the nAChR and colony level impacts. Development of these AOPs has led to the identification of research gaps which, for example, may be of high priority in understanding how perturbation of pathways involved in neurotransmission can adversely affect honey bee health, causing colony instability and further failure. From this effort, an AOP network also was developed, laying the f

Do Holocaust survivors show increased vulnerability or resilience to post-Holocaust cumulative adversity?

PubMed

Shrira, Amit; Palgi, Yuval; Ben-Ezra, Menachem; Shmotkin, Dov

2010-06-01

Prior trauma can hinder coping with additional adversity or inoculate against the effect of recurrent adversity. The present study further addressed this issue by examining whether a subsample of Holocaust survivors and comparison groups, drawn from the Israeli component of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe, were differentially affected by post-Holocaust cumulative adversity. Post-Holocaust cumulative adversity had a stronger effect on the lifetime depression of Holocaust survivors than on that of comparisons. However, comparisons were more negatively affected by post-Holocaust cumulative adversity when examining markers of physical and cognitive functioning. Our findings suggest that previous trauma can both sensitize and immunize, as Holocaust survivors show general resilience intertwined with specific vulnerability when confronted with additional cumulative adversity.

OAE: The Ontology of Adverse Events.

PubMed

He, Yongqun; Sarntivijai, Sirarat; Lin, Yu; Xiang, Zuoshuang; Guo, Abra; Zhang, Shelley; Jagannathan, Desikan; Toldo, Luca; Tao, Cui; Smith, Barry

2014-01-01

A medical intervention is a medical procedure or application intended to relieve or prevent illness or injury. Examples of medical interventions include vaccination and drug administration. After a medical intervention, adverse events (AEs) may occur which lie outside the intended consequences of the intervention. The representation and analysis of AEs are critical to the improvement of public health. The Ontology of Adverse Events (OAE), previously named Adverse Event Ontology (AEO), is a community-driven ontology developed to standardize and integrate data relating to AEs arising subsequent to medical interventions, as well as to support computer-assisted reasoning. OAE has over 3,000 terms with unique identifiers, including terms imported from existing ontologies and more than 1,800 OAE-specific terms. In OAE, the term 'adverse event' denotes a pathological bodily process in a patient that occurs after a medical intervention. Causal adverse events are defined by OAE as those events that are causal consequences of a medical intervention. OAE represents various adverse events based on patient anatomic regions and clinical outcomes, including symptoms, signs, and abnormal processes. OAE has been used in the analysis of several different sorts of vaccine and drug adverse event data. For example, using the data extracted from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), OAE was used to analyse vaccine adverse events associated with the administrations of different types of influenza vaccines. OAE has also been used to represent and classify the vaccine adverse events cited in package inserts of FDA-licensed human vaccines in the USA. OAE is a biomedical ontology that logically defines and classifies various adverse events occurring after medical interventions. OAE has successfully been applied in several adverse event studies. The OAE ontological framework provides a platform for systematic representation and analysis of adverse events and of the factors (e

Early adverse experience and substance addiction: dopamine, oxytocin, and glucocorticoid pathways

PubMed Central

Kim, Sohye; Kwok, Stephanie; Mayes, Linda C.; Potenza, Marc N.; Rutherford, Helena J. V.; Strathearn, Lane

2016-01-01

Substance addiction may follow a chronic, relapsing course and critically undermine the physical and psychological well-being of the affected individual and the social units of which the individual is a member. Despite the public health burden associated with substance addiction, treatment options remain suboptimal, with relapses often seen. The present review synthesizes growing insights from animal and human research to shed light upon developmental and neurobiological pathways that may increase susceptibility to addiction. We examine the dopamine system, the oxytocin system, and the glucocorticoid system, as they are particularly relevant to substance addiction. Our aim is to delineate how early adverse experience may induce long-lasting alterations in each of these systems at molecular, neuroendocrine, and behavioral levels and ultimately lead to heightened vulnerability to substance addiction. We further discuss how substance addiction in adulthood may increase the risk of suboptimal caregiving for the next generation, perpetuating the intergenerational cycle of early adverse experiences and addiction. PMID:27508337

Zoonotic helminths affecting the human eye

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Nowaday, zoonoses are an important cause of human parasitic diseases worldwide and a major threat to the socio-economic development, mainly in developing countries. Importantly, zoonotic helminths that affect human eyes (HIE) may cause blindness with severe socio-economic consequences to human communities. These infections include nematodes, cestodes and trematodes, which may be transmitted by vectors (dirofilariasis, onchocerciasis, thelaziasis), food consumption (sparganosis, trichinellosis) and those acquired indirectly from the environment (ascariasis, echinococcosis, fascioliasis). Adult and/or larval stages of HIE may localize into human ocular tissues externally (i.e., lachrymal glands, eyelids, conjunctival sacs) or into the ocular globe (i.e., intravitreous retina, anterior and or posterior chamber) causing symptoms due to the parasitic localization in the eyes or to the immune reaction they elicit in the host. Unfortunately, data on HIE are scant and mostly limited to case reports from different countries. The biology and epidemiology of the most frequently reported HIE are discussed as well as clinical description of the diseases, diagnostic considerations and video clips on their presentation and surgical treatment. Homines amplius oculis, quam auribus credunt Seneca Ep 6,5 Men believe their eyes more than their ears PMID:21429191

Histone Modifications in a Mouse Model of Early Adversities and Panic Disorder: Role for Asic1 and Neurodevelopmental Genes.

PubMed

Cittaro, Davide; Lampis, Valentina; Luchetti, Alessandra; Coccurello, Roberto; Guffanti, Alessandro; Felsani, Armando; Moles, Anna; Stupka, Elia; D' Amato, Francesca R; Battaglia, Marco

2016-04-28

Hyperventilation following transient, CO2-induced acidosis is ubiquitous in mammals and heritable. In humans, respiratory and emotional hypersensitivity to CO2 marks separation anxiety and panic disorders, and is enhanced by early-life adversities. Mice exposed to the repeated cross-fostering paradigm (RCF) of interference with maternal environment show heightened separation anxiety and hyperventilation to 6% CO2-enriched air. Gene-environment interactions affect CO2 hypersensitivity in both humans and mice. We therefore hypothesised that epigenetic modifications and increased expression of genes involved in pH-detection could explain these relationships. Medullae oblongata of RCF- and normally-reared female outbred mice were assessed by ChIP-seq for H3Ac, H3K4me3, H3K27me3 histone modifications, and by SAGE for differential gene expression. Integration of multiple experiments by network analysis revealed an active component of 148 genes pointing to the mTOR signalling pathway and nociception. Among these genes, Asic1 showed heightened mRNA expression, coherent with RCF-mice's respiratory hypersensitivity to CO2 and altered nociception. Functional enrichment and mRNA transcript analyses yielded a consistent picture of enhancement for several genes affecting chemoception, neurodevelopment, and emotionality. Particularly, results with Asic1 support recent human findings with panic and CO2 responses, and provide new perspectives on how early adversities and genes interplay to affect key components of panic and related disorders.

Affective Biases in Humans and Animals.

PubMed

Robinson, E S J; Roiser, J P

Depression is one of the most common but poorly understood psychiatric conditions. Although drug treatments and psychological therapies are effective in some patients, many do not achieve full remission and some patients receive no apparent benefit. Developing new improved treatments requires a better understanding of the aetiology of symptoms and evaluation of novel therapeutic targets in pre-clinical studies. Recent developments in our understanding of the basic cognitive processes that may contribute to the development of depression and its treatment offer new opportunities for both clinical and pre-clinical research. This chapter discusses the clinical evidence supporting a cognitive neuropsychological model of depression and antidepressant efficacy, and how this information may be usefully translated to pre-clinical investigation. Studies using neuropsychological tests in depressed patients and at risk populations have revealed basic negative emotional biases and disrupted reward and punishment processing, which may also impact on non-affective cognition. These affective biases are sensitive to antidepressant treatments with early onset effects observed, suggesting an important role in recovery. This clinical work into affective biases has also facilitated back-translation to animals and the development of assays to study affective biases in rodents. These animal studies suggest that, similar to humans, rodents in putative negative affective states exhibit negative affective biases on decision-making and memory tasks. Antidepressant treatments also induce positive biases in these rodent tasks, supporting the translational validity of this approach. Although still in the early stages of development and validation, affective biases in depression have the potential to offer new insights into the clinical condition, as well as facilitating the development of more translational approaches for pre-clinical studies.

Adverse health effects of non-medical cannabis use.

PubMed

Hall, Wayne; Degenhardt, Louisa

2009-10-17

For over two decades, cannabis, commonly known as marijuana, has been the most widely used illicit drug by young people in high-income countries, and has recently become popular on a global scale. Epidemiological research during the past 10 years suggests that regular use of cannabis during adolescence and into adulthood can have adverse effects. Epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory studies have established an association between cannabis use and adverse outcomes. We focus on adverse health effects of greatest potential public health interest-that is, those that are most likely to occur and to affect a large number of cannabis users. The most probable adverse effects include a dependence syndrome, increased risk of motor vehicle crashes, impaired respiratory function, cardiovascular disease, and adverse effects of regular use on adolescent psychosocial development and mental health.

Mitigating Aviation Communication and Satellite Orbit Operations Surprises from Adverse Space Weather

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tobiska, W. Kent

2008-01-01

Adverse space weather affects operational activities in aviation and satellite systems. For example, large solar flares create highly variable enhanced neutral atmosphere and ionosphere electron density regions. These regions impact aviation communication frequencies as well as precision orbit determination. The natural space environment, with its dynamic space weather variability, is additionally changed by human activity. The increase in orbital debris in low Earth orbit (LEO), combined with lower atmosphere CO2 that rises into the lower thermosphere and causes increased cooling that results in increased debris lifetime, adds to the environmental hazards of navigating in near-Earth space. This is at a time when commercial space endeavors are posed to begin more missions to LEO during the rise of the solar activity cycle toward the next maximum (2012). For satellite and aviation operators, adverse space weather results in greater expenses for orbit management, more communication outages or aviation and ground-based high frequency radio used, and an inability to effectively plan missions or service customers with space-based communication, imagery, and data transferal during time-critical activities. Examples of some revenue-impacting conditions and solutions for mitigating adverse space weather are offered.

Human Empathy, Personality and Experience Affect the Emotion Ratings of Dog and Human Facial Expressions.

PubMed

Kujala, Miiamaaria V; Somppi, Sanni; Jokela, Markus; Vainio, Outi; Parkkonen, Lauri

2017-01-01

Facial expressions are important for humans in communicating emotions to the conspecifics and enhancing interpersonal understanding. Many muscles producing facial expressions in humans are also found in domestic dogs, but little is known about how humans perceive dog facial expressions, and which psychological factors influence people's perceptions. Here, we asked 34 observers to rate the valence, arousal, and the six basic emotions (happiness, sadness, surprise, disgust, fear, and anger/aggressiveness) from images of human and dog faces with Pleasant, Neutral and Threatening expressions. We investigated how the subjects' personality (the Big Five Inventory), empathy (Interpersonal Reactivity Index) and experience of dog behavior affect the ratings of dog and human faces. Ratings of both species followed similar general patterns: human subjects classified dog facial expressions from pleasant to threatening very similarly to human facial expressions. Subjects with higher emotional empathy evaluated Threatening faces of both species as more negative in valence and higher in anger/aggressiveness. More empathetic subjects also rated the happiness of Pleasant humans but not dogs higher, and they were quicker in their valence judgments of Pleasant human, Threatening human and Threatening dog faces. Experience with dogs correlated positively with ratings of Pleasant and Neutral dog faces. Personality also had a minor effect on the ratings of Pleasant and Neutral faces in both species. The results imply that humans perceive human and dog facial expression in a similar manner, and the perception of both species is influenced by psychological factors of the evaluators. Especially empathy affects both the speed and intensity of rating dogs' emotional facial expressions.

Human Empathy, Personality and Experience Affect the Emotion Ratings of Dog and Human Facial Expressions

PubMed Central

Kujala, Miiamaaria V.; Somppi, Sanni; Jokela, Markus; Vainio, Outi; Parkkonen, Lauri

2017-01-01

Facial expressions are important for humans in communicating emotions to the conspecifics and enhancing interpersonal understanding. Many muscles producing facial expressions in humans are also found in domestic dogs, but little is known about how humans perceive dog facial expressions, and which psychological factors influence people’s perceptions. Here, we asked 34 observers to rate the valence, arousal, and the six basic emotions (happiness, sadness, surprise, disgust, fear, and anger/aggressiveness) from images of human and dog faces with Pleasant, Neutral and Threatening expressions. We investigated how the subjects’ personality (the Big Five Inventory), empathy (Interpersonal Reactivity Index) and experience of dog behavior affect the ratings of dog and human faces. Ratings of both species followed similar general patterns: human subjects classified dog facial expressions from pleasant to threatening very similarly to human facial expressions. Subjects with higher emotional empathy evaluated Threatening faces of both species as more negative in valence and higher in anger/aggressiveness. More empathetic subjects also rated the happiness of Pleasant humans but not dogs higher, and they were quicker in their valence judgments of Pleasant human, Threatening human and Threatening dog faces. Experience with dogs correlated positively with ratings of Pleasant and Neutral dog faces. Personality also had a minor effect on the ratings of Pleasant and Neutral faces in both species. The results imply that humans perceive human and dog facial expression in a similar manner, and the perception of both species is influenced by psychological factors of the evaluators. Especially empathy affects both the speed and intensity of rating dogs’ emotional facial expressions. PMID:28114335

Cognitive Factors Affecting Freeze-like Behavior in Humans.

PubMed

Alban, Michael W; Pocknell, Victoria

2017-01-01

Contemporary research on survival-related defensive behaviors has identified physiological markers of freeze/flight/fight. Our research focused on cognitive factors associated with freeze-like behavior in humans. Study 1 tested if an explicit decision to freeze is associated with the psychophysiological state of freezing. Heart rate deceleration occurred when participants chose to freeze. Study 2 varied the efficacy of freezing relative to other defense options and found "freeze" was responsive to variations in the perceived effectiveness of alternative actions. Study 3 tested if individual differences in motivational orientation affect preference for a "freeze" option when the efficacy of options is held constant. A trend in the predicted direction suggested that naturally occurring cognitions led loss-avoiders to select "freeze" more often than reward-seekers. In combination, our attention to the cognitive factors affecting freeze-like behavior in humans represents a preliminary step in addressing an important but neglected research area.

Committee Opinion No. 681: Disclosure and Discussion of Adverse Events.

PubMed

2016-12-01

Adverse outcomes, preventable or otherwise, are a reality of medical care. Most importantly, adverse events affect patients, but they also affect health care practitioners. Disclosing information about adverse events has benefits for the patient and the physician and, ideally, strengthens the patient-physician relationship and promotes trust. Studies show that after an adverse outcome, patients expect and want timely and full disclosure of the event, an acknowledgment of responsibility, an understanding of what happened, expressions of sympathy, and a discussion of what is being done to prevent recurrence. Surveys have shown that patients are less likely to pursue litigation if they perceive that the event was honestly disclosed. Barriers to full disclosure are many and include fear of retribution for reporting an adverse event, lack of training, a culture of blame, and fear of lawsuits. To reduce these concerns, it is recommended that health care facilities establish a nonpunitive, blame-free culture that encourages staff to report adverse events and near misses (close calls) without fear of retaliation. Health care institutions should have written policies that address the management of adverse events. Having a responsive process to inform and aid the patient, loved ones, and practitioners is required. A commitment on the part of all health care practitioners and institutions to establish programs and develop the tools needed to help patients, families, health care practitioners, and staff members deal with adversity is essential.

Mitigating Adverse Effects of a Human Mission On Possible Martian Indigenous Ecosystems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lupisella, Mark L.

2000-01-01

Although human beings are, by most standards, the most capable agents to search for and detect extraterrestrial life, we are also potentially the most harmful. While there has been substantial work regarding forward contamination with respect to robotic missions, the issue of potential adverse effects on possible indigenous Martian ecosystems, such as biological contamination, due to a human mission has remained relatively unexplored and may require our attention now as this presentation will try to demonstrate by exploring some of the relevant scientific questions, mission planning challenges, and policy issues. An informal, high-level mission planning decision tree will be discussed and is included as the next page of this abstract. Some of the questions to be considered are: To what extent could contamination due to a human presence compromise possible indigenous life forms? To what extent can we control contamination? For example, will it be local or global? What are the criteria for assessing the biological status of Mars, both regionally and globally? For example, can we adequately extrapolate from a few strategic missions such as sample return missions? What should our policies be regarding our mission planning and possible interaction with what are likely to be microbial forms of extraterrestrial life? Central to the science and mission planning issues is the role and applicability of terrestrial analogs, such as Lake Vostok for assessing drilling issues, and modeling techniques. Central to many of the policy aspects are scientific value, international law, public concern, and ethics. Exploring this overall issue responsibly requires an examination of all these aspects and how they interrelate.

Pesticides and Human Health

Science.gov Websites

. People come into contact with pesticides in many ways, including: When pesticides are used in and around Disponible en español Pesticides and Human Health Pesticides have a specific purpose in society. Pesticides . Because people use pesticides to kill, prevent, repel, or in some way adversely affect some living

Childhood Adversity, Religion, and Change in Adult Mental Health.

PubMed

Jung, Jong Hyun

2018-02-01

Research indicates that childhood adversity is associated with poor mental health in adulthood. The purpose of this study is to examine whether the deleterious long-term effects of childhood adversity on adult mental health are reduced for individuals who are involved in religious practices. Using longitudinal data from a representative sample of American adults ( N = 1,635), I find that religious salience and spirituality buffer the noxious effects of childhood abuse on change in positive affect over time. By contrast, these stress-buffering properties of religion fail to emerge when negative affect serves as the outcome measure. These results underscore the importance of religion as a countervailing mechanism that blunts the negative impact of childhood abuse on adult mental health over time. I discuss the theoretical implications of these findings for views about religion, childhood adversity, and mental health.

Does adversity early in life affect general population suicide rates? A cross-national study.

PubMed

Shah, Ajit; Bhandarkar, Ritesh

2011-01-01

Adversity early in life has been suggested as a protective factor for elderly suicides. However, studies examining this relationship in general population suicide rates are scarce. The relationship between general population suicide rates and four proxy measures of adversity earlier in life was examined using data from the World Health Organization and the United Nations data banks. General population suicide rates were negatively correlated with the percentage of children under the age of 5 years who were underweight, the percentage of children under the age of 5 years who were under height, the percentage of infants with low birth weight babies, and the percentage of the general population that was undernourished. The only independent predictor general population suicide rates in both sexes, on multiple regression analysis, was the Gini coefficient (a measure of income inequality). Income inequality may lead to low birth weight, undernourishment, underweight and under height because income inequality results in poor access to healthcare and nutrition. These adversities may increase child mortality rates and reduce life expectancy. Those surviving into adulthood in countries with greater adversity early in life may be at reduced risk of suicide because of selective survival of those at reduced risk of suicide due to constitutional or genetic factors and development of greater tolerance to hardship in adulthood. ‎

Cross-species integration of human health and ecological endpoints into risk assessment using the Aggregate Exposure Pathway and Adverse Outcome Pathway frameworks

EPA Science Inventory

Exposure to environmental contaminants can influence both human health and ecological endpoints. Chemical risk assessments combine exposure and toxicity data to estimate the likelihood of adverse outcomes for these endpoints, but are rarely conducted in a manner that integrates ...

Systematic review of pediatric health outcomes associated with childhood adversity.

PubMed

Oh, Debora Lee; Jerman, Petra; Silvério Marques, Sara; Koita, Kadiatou; Purewal Boparai, Sukhdip Kaur; Burke Harris, Nadine; Bucci, Monica

2018-02-23

Early detection of and intervention in childhood adversity has powerful potential to improve the health and well-being of children. A systematic review was conducted to better understand the pediatric health outcomes associated with childhood adversity. PubMed, PsycArticles, and CINAHL were searched for relevant articles. Longitudinal studies examining various adverse childhood experiences and biological health outcomes occurring prior to age 20 were selected. Mental and behavioral health outcomes were excluded, as were physical health outcomes that were a direct result of adversity (i.e. abusive head trauma). Data were extracted and risk of bias was assessed by 2 independent reviewers. After identifying 15940 records, 35 studies were included in this review. Selected studies indicated that exposure to childhood adversity was associated with delays in cognitive development, asthma, infection, somatic complaints, and sleep disruption. Studies on household dysfunction reported an effect on weight during early childhood, and studies on maltreatment reported an effect on weight during adolescence. Maternal mental health issues were associated with elevated cortisol levels, and maltreatment was associated with blunted cortisol levels in childhood. Furthermore, exposure to childhood adversity was associated with alterations of immune and inflammatory response and stress-related accelerated telomere erosion. Childhood adversity affects brain development and multiple body systems, and the physiologic manifestations can be detectable in childhood. A history of childhood adversity should be considered in the differential diagnosis of developmental delay, asthma, recurrent infections requiring hospitalization, somatic complaints, and sleep disruption. The variability in children's response to adversity suggests complex underlying mechanisms and poses a challenge in the development of uniform diagnostic guidelines. More large longitudinal studies are needed to better

Adverse effect versus quality control of the Fuenzalida-Palacios antirabies vaccine.

PubMed

Nogueira, Y L

1998-01-01

We evaluated the components of the Fuenzalida-Palacios antirabies vaccine, which is till used in most developing countries in human immunization for treatment and prophylaxis. This vaccine is prepared from newborn mouse brains at 1% concentration. Even though the vaccine is considered to have a low myelin content, it is not fully free of myelin or of other undesirable components that might trigger adverse effects after vaccination. The most severe effect is a post-vaccination neuroparalytic accident associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome. In the present study we demonstrate how the vaccines produced and distributed by different laboratories show different component patterns with different degrees of impurity and with varying protein concentrations, indicating that production processes can vary from one laboratory to another. These differences, which could be resolved using a better quality control process, may affect and impair immunization, with consequent risks and adverse effects after vaccination. We used crossed immunoelectrophoresis to evaluate and demonstrate the possibility of quality control in vaccine production, reducing the risk factors possibly involved in these immunizing products.

Delay of Treatment Initiation Does Not Adversely Affect Survival Outcome in Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Yoo, Tae-Kyung; Han, Wonshik; Moon, Hyeong-Gon; Kim, Jisun; Lee, Jun Woo; Kim, Min Kyoon; Lee, Eunshin; Kim, Jongjin; Noh, Dong-Young

2016-07-01

Previous studies examining the relationship between time to treatment and survival outcome in breast cancer have shown inconsistent results. The aim of this study was to analyze the overall impact of delay of treatment initiation on patient survival and to determine whether certain subgroups require more prompt initiation of treatment. This study is a retrospective analysis of stage I-III patients who were treated in a single tertiary institution between 2005 and 2008. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression model were used to evaluate the impact of interval between diagnosis and treatment initiation in breast cancer and various subgroups. A total of 1,702 patients were included. Factors associated with longer delay of treatment initiation were diagnosis at another hospital, medical comorbidities, and procedures performed before admission for surgery. An interval between diagnosis and treatment initiation as a continuous variable or with a cutoff value of 15, 30, 45, and 60 days had no impact on disease-free survival (DFS). Subgroup analyses for hormone-responsiveness, triple-negative breast cancer, young age, clinical stage, and type of initial treatment showed no significant association between longer delay of treatment initiation and DFS. Our results show that an interval between diagnosis and treatment initiation of 60 days or shorter does not appear to adversely affect DFS in breast cancer.

Cumulative early life adversity predicts longevity in wild baboons

PubMed Central

Tung, Jenny; Archie, Elizabeth A.; Altmann, Jeanne; Alberts, Susan C.

2016-01-01

In humans and other animals, harsh circumstances in early life predict morbidity and mortality in adulthood. Multiple adverse conditions are thought to be especially toxic, but this hypothesis has rarely been tested in a prospective, longitudinal framework, especially in long-lived mammals. Here we use prospective data on 196 wild female baboons to show that cumulative early adversity predicts natural adult lifespan. Females who experience ≥3 sources of early adversity die a median of 10 years earlier than females who experience ≤1 adverse circumstances (median lifespan is 18.5 years). Females who experience the most adversity are also socially isolated in adulthood, suggesting that social processes partially explain the link between early adversity and adult survival. Our results provide powerful evidence for the developmental origins of health and disease and indicate that close ties between early adversity and survival arise even in the absence of health habit and health care-related explanations. PMID:27091302

Accelerating Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) development via computationally predicted AOP networks

EPA Science Inventory

The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework is increasingly being adopted as a tool for organizing and summarizing the mechanistic information connecting molecular perturbations by environmental stressors with adverse outcomes relevant for ecological and human health outcomes. Ho...

How Do Volcanoes Affect Human Life? Integrated Unit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dayton, Rebecca; Edwards, Carrie; Sisler, Michelle

This packet contains a unit on teaching about volcanoes. The following question is addressed: How do volcanoes affect human life? The unit covers approximately three weeks of instruction and strives to present volcanoes in an holistic form. The five subject areas of art, language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies are integrated into…

Does human migration affect international trade? A complex-network perspective.

PubMed

Fagiolo, Giorgio; Mastrorillo, Marina

2014-01-01

This paper explores the relationships between international human migration and merchandise trade, using a complex-network approach. We firstly compare the topological structure of worldwide networks of human migration and bilateral trade over the period 1960-2000. Next, we ask whether the position of any pair of countries in the migration network affects their bilateral trade flows. We show that: (i) both weighted and binary versions of the networks of international migration and trade are strongly correlated; (ii) such correlations can be mostly explained by country economic/demographic size and geographical distance; and (iii) pairs of countries that are more central in the international-migration network trade more. Our findings suggest that bilateral trade between any two countries is not only affected by the presence of migrants from either countries but also by their relative embeddedness in the complex web of corridors making up the network of international human migration.

Committee Opinion No. 681 Summary: Disclosure and Discussion of Adverse Events.

PubMed

2016-12-01

Adverse outcomes, preventable or otherwise, are a reality of medical care. Most importantly, adverse events affect patients, but they also affect health care practitioners. Disclosing information about adverse events has benefits for the patient and the physician and, ideally, strengthens the patient-physician relationship and promotes trust. Studies show that after an adverse outcome, patients expect and want timely and full disclosure of the event, an acknowledgment of responsibility, an understanding of what happened, expressions of sympathy, and a discussion of what is being done to prevent recurrence. Surveys have shown that patients are less likely to pursue litigation if they perceive that the event was honestly disclosed. Barriers to full disclosure are many and include fear of retribution for reporting an adverse event, lack of training, a culture of blame, and fear of lawsuits. To reduce these concerns, it is recommended that health care facilities establish a nonpunitive, blame-free culture that encourages staff to report adverse events and near misses (close calls) without fear of retaliation. Health care institutions should have written policies that address the management of adverse events. Having a responsive process to inform and aid the patient, loved ones, and practitioners is required. A commitment on the part of all health care practitioners and institutions to establish programs and develop the tools needed to help patients, families, health care practitioners, and staff members deal with adversity is essential.

The Neurobiology of Intervention and Prevention in Early Adversity.

PubMed

Fisher, Philip A; Beauchamp, Kate G; Roos, Leslie E; Noll, Laura K; Flannery, Jessica; Delker, Brianna C

2016-01-01

Early adverse experiences are well understood to affect development and well-being, placing individuals at risk for negative physical and mental health outcomes. A growing literature documents the effects of adversity on developing neurobiological systems. Fewer studies have examined stress neurobiology to understand how to mitigate the effects of early adversity. This review summarizes the research on three neurobiological systems relevant to interventions for populations experiencing high levels of early adversity: the hypothalamic-adrenal-pituitary axis, the prefrontal cortex regions involved in executive functioning, and the system involved in threat detection and response, particularly the amygdala. Also discussed is the emerging field of epigenetics and related interventions to mitigate early adversity. Further emphasized is the need for intervention research to integrate knowledge about the neurobiological effects of prenatal stressors (e.g., drug use, alcohol exposure) and early adversity. The review concludes with a discussion of the implications of this research topic for clinical psychology practice and public policy.

Prenatal exposure to bisphenol a at environmentally relevant doses adversely affects the murine female reproductive tract later in life.

PubMed

Newbold, Retha R; Jefferson, Wendy N; Padilla-Banks, Elizabeth

2009-06-01

Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals during critical developmental periods causes adverse consequences later in life; an example is prenatal exposure to the pharmaceutical diethylstilbestrol (DES). Bisphenol A (BPA), an environmental estrogen used in the synthesis of plastics, is of concern because its chemical structure resembles that of DES, and it is a "high-volume production" chemical with widespread human exposure. In this study we investigated whether prenatal BPA causes long-term adverse effects in female reproductive tissues in an experimental animal model previously shown useful in studying effects of prenatal DES. Timed pregnant CD-1 mice were treated on days 9-16 of gestation with BPA (0.1, 1, 10, 100, or 1,000 mug/kg/day). After delivery, pups were held for 18 months; reproductive tissues were then evaluated. Ovarian cysts were significantly increased in the 1-mug/kg BPA group; ovarian cyst-adenomas were seen in the other three BPA-treated groups but not in corn-oil controls. We observed increased progressive proliferative lesions of the oviduct after BPA treatment, similar to those described in response to DES. Further, although not statistically different from the controls, prominent mesonephric (Wolffian) remnants and squamous metaplasia of the uterus, as well as vaginal adenosis, were present in BPA-treated mice, similar to lesions reported following DES treatment. More severe pathologies observed in some BPA-treated animals included atypical hyperplasia and stromal polyps of the uterus; sarcoma of the uterine cervix; and mammary adenocarcinoma. We did not observe these lesions in controls. These data suggest that BPA causes long-term adverse reproductive and carcinogenic effects if exposure occurs during critical periods of differentiation.

[Adverse events in patients from a pediatric hospital.

PubMed

Ornelas-Aguirre, José Manuel; Arriaga-Dávila, José de Jesús; Domínguez-Serrano, María Isabel; Guzmán-Bihouet, Beatriz Filomena; Navarrete-Navarro, Susana

2013-01-01

Background: detection of adverse events is part of the safety management in hospitalized patients. The objective of this study was to describe the incidence of adverse events that occurred in a pediatric hospital. Methods: cross-sectional study of the adverse events occurred in a pediatric hospital from 2007 to 2009. Factors associated with their developmental causes were identified. The statistical analysis was descriptive and bivariate, with contingency tables to estimate the relationship between those factors. A p value = 0.05 was considered significant. Results: a total of 177 adverse events were registered. When they began, human factor occurred in 23 cases (13 %, OR = 1.41, p = 0.001), organizational factor was present in 71 cases (40 %, OR = 1.91, p = 0.236) and technical factor in 46 cases (26 %, OR = 0.87, p = 0.01). Blows or bruises from falls as a result of adverse events occurred in 71 cases (40 %, 95 % CI = 64-78). Conclusions: we found 1.84 events per 100 hospital discharges during the study period. The fall of patients ranked first of the adverse events identified.

Cellulitis in Obesity: Adverse Outcomes Affected by Increases in Body Mass Index.

PubMed

Theofiles, Meghan; Maxson, Julie; Herges, Lori; Marcelin, Alberto; Angstman, Kurt B

2015-10-01

Cellulitis in obese patients is associated with increased rates of treatment failure compared to those with normal body mass index (BMI); however, patients have not been extensively studied in the outpatient environment or stratified based on range of obesity and associated risk factors. This study looked at antibiotic dosing and treatment failure in the obese population from the primary care perspective and accounts for BMI range, weight, comorbid diabetes, and tobacco use. This study was a retrospective chart review of 637 adult primary care patients designed to evaluate rates of treatment failure of outpatient cellulitis among patients of varying BMI. Treatment failure was defined as (a) hospital admission for intravenous antibiotics, (b) prolonged antibiotic course, or (c) requiring a different antibiotic after initial course. Adverse outcomes were not statistically significant between normal BMI and those with BMI ≥40 kg/m(2). A subset of patients with a BMI ≥50 kg/m(2) was noted to have approximately twice the rate of adverse outcomes as the normal BMI group. While controlling for age, gender, race, diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, and tobacco use, a BMI of ≥50 kg/m(2) and a weight ≥120 kg was associated with adverse outcomes with an odds ratio of 2.440 (95% CI, 1.260-4.724; P = .008) and 2.246 (95% CI, 1.154-4.369; P = .017), respectively. Patients with cellulitis weighing >120kg or with a BMI ≥50 kg/m(2) were at greatest risk for treatment failure in the outpatient setting, even when controlling for comorbid diabetes and tobacco use. As morbid obesity continues to become more prevalent, it becomes imperative that primary care physicians have better antibiotic dosing guidelines to account for the physiologic effects of obesity to minimize the risk of increased morbidity, health care costs, and antibiotic resistance. © The Author(s) 2015.

Management of common adverse effects in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy in south east Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Abdella, Sadikalmahdi Hussen; Wabe, Nasir Tajure; Yesuf, Elias Ali

2011-01-01

Background: The combination of antiretroviral therapy is the corner stone of management of patients with human immune deficiency virus infection. Although antiretroviral therapy can reduce viral load to undetectable level, improve the immunity and prolong survival of patients, antiretroviral drugs are associated with many adverse effects that may be severe and affect patient adherence and quality of life. Aims: The aim of this study was to assess management strategies under taken in patient's experienced common adverse effects of highly active antiretroviral therapy in Goba Hospital antiretroviral clinic. Patients and Methods: A cross sectional study of patient record chart of patients who had follow-up during data collection period was done followed by patient interview. Data was filled on well structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS for window version 16.0. Results: The common adverse effects were Rash (48.8%), Peripheral neuropathy (36.9%) and Anemia (20.24%). The rate of management was 39.3%. Pyridoxine (36.8%) was commonly prescribed drug for management of Peripheral neuropathy. Chlorphenarimine gel and Iron gluconate were common drugs for management of Rash and Anemia respectively. Use of traditional healers (57.7%) was leading reason for non-management. Conclusion: Rate of management for common adverse effect is low. Education should be given on adverse effects for patients. PMID:22361495

The specificity of childhood adversities and negative life events across the life span to anxiety and depressive disorders.

PubMed

Spinhoven, Philip; Elzinga, Bernet M; Hovens, Jacqueline G F M; Roelofs, Karin; Zitman, Frans G; van Oppen, Patricia; Penninx, Brenda W J H

2010-10-01

Although several studies have shown that life adversities play an important role in the etiology and maintenance of both depressive and anxiety disorders, little is known about the relative specificity of several types of life adversities to different forms of depressive and anxiety disorder and the concurrent role of neuroticism. Few studies have investigated whether clustering of life adversities or comorbidity of psychiatric disorders critically influence these relationships. Using data from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA), we analyzed the association of childhood adversities and negative life experiences across the lifespan with lifetime DSM-IV-based diagnoses of depression or anxiety among 2288 participants with at least one affective disorder. Controlling for comorbidity and clustering of adversities the association of childhood adversity with affective disorders was greater than that of negative life events across the life span with affective disorders. Among childhood adversities, emotional neglect was specifically associated with depressive disorder, dysthymia, and social phobia. Persons with a history of emotional neglect and sexual abuse were more likely to develop more than one lifetime affective disorder. Neuroticism and current affective disorder did not affect the adversity-disorder relationships found. Using a retrospective study design, causal interpretations of the relationships found are not warranted. Emotional neglect seems to be differentially related to depression, dysthymia and social phobia. This knowledge may help to reduce underestimation of the impact of emotional abuse and lead to better recognition and treatment to prevent long-term disorders. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Imagination in human social cognition, autism, and psychotic-affective conditions.

PubMed

Crespi, Bernard; Leach, Emma; Dinsdale, Natalie; Mokkonen, Mikael; Hurd, Peter

2016-05-01

Complex human social cognition has evolved in concert with risks for psychiatric disorders. Recently, autism and psychotic-affective conditions (mainly schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression) have been posited as psychological 'opposites' with regard to social-cognitive phenotypes. Imagination, considered as 'forming new ideas, mental images, or concepts', represents a central facet of human social evolution and cognition. Previous studies have documented reduced imagination in autism, and increased imagination in association with psychotic-affective conditions, yet these sets of findings have yet to be considered together, or evaluated in the context of the diametric model. We first review studies of the components, manifestations, and neural correlates of imagination in autism and psychotic-affective conditions. Next, we use data on dimensional autism in healthy populations to test the hypotheses that: (1) imagination represents the facet of autism that best accounts for its strongly male-biased sex ratio, and (2) higher genetic risk of schizophrenia is associated with higher imagination, in accordance with the predictions of the diametric model. The first hypothesis was supported by a systematic review and meta-analysis showing that Imagination exhibits the strongest male bias of all Autism Quotient (AQ) subscales, in non-clinical populations. The second hypothesis was supported, for males, by associations between schizophrenia genetic risk scores, derived from a set of single-nucleotide polymorphisms, and the AQ Imagination subscale. Considered together, these findings indicate that imagination, especially social imagination as embodied in the default mode human brain network, mediates risk and diametric dimensional phenotypes of autism and psychotic-affective conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bisphenol A and human health: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Rochester, Johanna R

2013-12-01

There is growing evidence that bisphenol A (BPA) may adversely affect humans. BPA is an endocrine disruptor that has been shown to be harmful in laboratory animal studies. Until recently, there were relatively few epidemiological studies examining the relationship between BPA and health effects in humans. However, in the last year, the number of these studies has more than doubled. A comprehensive literature search found 91 studies linking BPA to human health; 53 published within the last year. This review outlines this body of literature, showing associations between BPA exposure and adverse perinatal, childhood, and adult health outcomes, including reproductive and developmental effects, metabolic disease, and other health effects. These studies encompass both prenatal and postnatal exposures, and include several study designs and population types. While it is difficult to make causal links with epidemiological studies, the growing human literature correlating environmental BPA exposure to adverse effects in humans, along with laboratory studies in many species including primates, provides increasing support that environmental BPA exposure can be harmful to humans, especially in regards to behavioral and other effects in children. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Human likeness: cognitive and affective factors affecting adoption of robot-assisted learning systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoo, Hosun; Kwon, Ohbyung; Lee, Namyeon

2016-07-01

With advances in robot technology, interest in robotic e-learning systems has increased. In some laboratories, experiments are being conducted with humanoid robots as artificial tutors because of their likeness to humans, the rich possibilities of using this type of media, and the multimodal interaction capabilities of these robots. The robot-assisted learning system, a special type of e-learning system, aims to increase the learner's concentration, pleasure, and learning performance dramatically. However, very few empirical studies have examined the effect on learning performance of incorporating humanoid robot technology into e-learning systems or people's willingness to accept or adopt robot-assisted learning systems. In particular, human likeness, the essential characteristic of humanoid robots as compared with conventional e-learning systems, has not been discussed in a theoretical context. Hence, the purpose of this study is to propose a theoretical model to explain the process of adoption of robot-assisted learning systems. In the proposed model, human likeness is conceptualized as a combination of media richness, multimodal interaction capabilities, and para-social relationships; these factors are considered as possible determinants of the degree to which human cognition and affection are related to the adoption of robot-assisted learning systems.

Adverse Outcome Pathways: From Definition to Application

EPA Science Inventory

A challenge for both human health and ecological toxicologists is the transparent application of mechanistic (e.g., molecular, biochemical, histological) data to risk assessments. The adverse outcome pathway (AOP) is a conceptual framework designed to meet this need. Specifical...

Incorporating affective bias in models of human decision making

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nygren, Thomas E.

1991-01-01

Research on human decision making has traditionally focused on how people actually make decisions, how good their decisions are, and how their decisions can be improved. Recent research suggests that this model is inadequate. Affective as well as cognitive components drive the way information about relevant outcomes and events is perceived, integrated, and used in the decision making process. The affective components include how the individual frames outcomes as good or bad, whether the individual anticipates regret in a decision situation, the affective mood state of the individual, and the psychological stress level anticipated or experienced in the decision situation. A focus of the current work has been to propose empirical studies that will attempt to examine in more detail the relationships between the latter two critical affective influences (mood state and stress) on decision making behavior.

Prenatal Exposure to Bisphenol A at Environmentally Relevant Doses Adversely Affects the Murine Female Reproductive Tract Later in Life

PubMed Central

Newbold, Retha R.; Jefferson, Wendy N.; Padilla-Banks, Elizabeth

2009-01-01

Background Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals during critical developmental periods causes adverse consequences later in life; an example is prenatal exposure to the pharmaceutical diethylstilbestrol (DES). Bisphenol A (BPA), an environmental estrogen used in the synthesis of plastics, is of concern because its chemical structure resembles that of DES, and it is a “high-volume production” chemical with widespread human exposure. Objectives In this study we investigated whether prenatal BPA causes long-term adverse effects in female reproductive tissues in an experimental animal model previously shown useful in studying effects of prenatal DES. Methods Timed pregnant CD-1 mice were treated on days 9–16 of gestation with BPA (0.1, 1, 10, 100, or 1,000 μg/kg/day). After delivery, pups were held for 18 months; reproductive tissues were then evaluated. Results Ovarian cysts were significantly increased in the 1-μg/kg BPA group; ovarian cyst-adenomas were seen in the other three BPA-treated groups but not in corn-oil controls. We observed increased progressive proliferative lesions of the oviduct after BPA treatment, similar to those described in response to DES. Further, although not statistically different from the controls, prominent mesonephric (Wolffian) remnants and squamous metaplasia of the uterus, as well as vaginal adenosis, were present in BPA-treated mice, similar to lesions reported following DES treatment. More severe pathologies observed in some BPA-treated animals included atypical hyperplasia and stromal polyps of the uterus; sarcoma of the uterine cervix; and mammary adenocarcinoma. We did not observe these lesions in controls. Conclusions These data suggest that BPA causes long-term adverse reproductive and carcinogenic effects if exposure occurs during critical periods of differentiation. PMID:19590677

The impact of childhood adversity on suicidality and clinical course in treatment-resistant depression.

PubMed

Tunnard, Catherine; Rane, Lena J; Wooderson, Sarah C; Markopoulou, Kalypso; Poon, Lucia; Fekadu, Abebaw; Juruena, Mario; Cleare, Anthony J

2014-01-01

Childhood adversity is a risk factor for the development of depression and can also affect clinical course. We investigated this specifically in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). One hundred and thirty-seven patients with TRD previously admitted to an inpatient affective disorders unit were included. Clinical, demographic and childhood adversity (physical, sexual, emotional abuse; bullying victimization, traumatic events) data were obtained during admission. Associations between childhood adversity, depressive symptoms and clinical course were investigated. Most patients had experienced childhood adversity (62%), with traumatic events (35%) and bullying victimization (29%) most commonly reported. Childhood adversity was associated with poorer clinical course, including earlier age of onset, episode persistence and recurrence. Logistic regression analyses revealed childhood adversity predicted lifetime suicide attempts (OR 2.79; 95% CI 1.14, 6.84) and childhood physical abuse predicted lifetime psychosis (OR 3.42; 95% CI 1.00, 11.70). The cross-sectional design and retrospective measurement of childhood adversity are limitations of the study. Childhood adversity was common amongst these TRD patients and was associated with poor clinical course, psychosis and suicide attempts. Routine assessment of early adversity may help identify at risk individuals and inform clinical intervention. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Does Employment-Related Resilience Affect the Relationship between Childhood Adversity, Community Violence, and Depression?

PubMed

Welles, Seth L; Patel, Falguni; Chilton, Mariana

2017-04-01

Depression is a barrier to employment among low-income caregivers receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and exposure to community violence (ECV) are often associated with depression. Using baseline data of 103 TANF caregivers of young children of the Building Wealth and Health Network Randomized Controlled Trial Pilot, this study investigated associations of two forms of employment-related resilience-self-efficacy and employment hope-with exposure to adversity/violence and depression, measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) short form. Using contingency table analysis and regression analysis, we identified associations between ACEs and depression [OR = 1.70 (1.25-2.32), p = 0.0008] and having high levels of ECV with a 6.9-fold increased risk for depression when compared with those without ECV [OR = 6.86 (1.43-33.01), p = 0.02]. While self-efficacy and employment hope were significantly associated with depression, neither resilience factor impacted the association of ACE level and depression, whereas self-efficacy and employment hope modestly reduced the associations between ECV and depression, 13 and 16%, respectively. Results suggest that self-efficacy and employment hope may not have an impact on the strong associations between adversity, violence, and depression.

Quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine and autoimmune adverse events: a case-control assessment of the vaccine adverse event reporting system (VAERS) database.

PubMed

Geier, David A; Geier, Mark R

2017-02-01

Gardasil is a quadrivalent human papillomavirus (HPV4) vaccine that was approved for use by the US Food and Drug Administration in June 2006. HPV4 vaccine is routinely recommended for administration to women in the USA who are 11-12 years old by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Previous studies suggest HPV4 vaccine administration was associated with autoimmune diseases. As a consequence, an epidemiological assessment of the vaccine adverse event reporting system database was undertaken for adverse event reports associated with vaccines administered from 2006 to 2014 to 6-39 year-old recipients with a listed US residence and a specified female gender. Cases with the serious autoimmune adverse event (SAAE) outcomes of gastroenteritis (odds ratio (OR) 4.627, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.892-12.389), rheumatoid arthritis (OR 5.629, 95 % CI 2.809-12.039), thrombocytopenia (OR 2.178, 95 % CI 1.222-3.885), systemic lupus erythematosus (OR 7.626, 95 % CI 3.385-19.366), vasculitis (OR 3.420, 95 % CI 1.211-10.408), alopecia (OR 8.894, 95 % CI 6.255-12.914), CNS demyelinating conditions (OR 1.585, 95 % CI 1.129-2.213), ovarian damage (OR 14.961, 95 % CI 6.728-39.199), or irritable bowel syndrome (OR 10.021, 95 % CI 3.725-33.749) were significantly more likely than controls to have received HPV4 vaccine (median onset of initial symptoms ranged from 3 to 37 days post-HPV4 vaccination). Cases with the outcome of Guillain-Barre syndrome (OR 0.839, 95 % CI 0.601-1.145) were no more likely than controls to have received HPV4 vaccine. In addition, cases with the known HPV4-related outcome of syncope were significantly more likely than controls to have received HPV4 vaccine (OR 5.342, 95 % CI 4.942-5.777). Cases with the general health outcomes of infection (OR 0.765, 95 % CI 0.428-1.312), conjunctivitis (OR 1.010, 95 % CI 0.480-2.016), diarrhea (OR 0.927, 95 % CI 0.809-1.059), or pneumonia (OR 0.785, 95 % CI 0.481-1.246) were no more likely

Endocrine Disruptors: Adverse Health Effects Mediated by EGFR?

PubMed

Stolz, Ailine; Schönfelder, Gilbert; Schneider, Marlon R

2018-02-01

Although endocrine disruptors represent a serious concern to human health, the underlying molecular mechanisms leading to diseases such as cancer remain poorly understood. Recent work has uncovered the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) as a possible mediator of these adverse health effects, with important implications for the role of endocrine disruptors in human diseases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Severe Affective and Behavioural Dysregulation Is Associated with Significant Psychosocial Adversity and Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jucksch, Viola; Salbach-Andrae, Harriet; Lenz, Klaus; Goth, Kirstin; Dopfner, Manfred; Poustka, Fritz; Freitag, Christine M.; Lehmkuhl, Gerd; Lehmkuhl, Ulrike; Holtmann, Martin

2011-01-01

Background: Recently, a highly heritable behavioral phenotype of simultaneous deviance on the Anxious/Depressed, Attention Problems, and Aggressive Behavior syndrome scales has been identified on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL-Dysregulation Profile, CBCL-DP). This study aims to investigate psychosocial adversity and impairment of the CBCL-DP.…

The role of media and the Internet on vaccine adverse event reporting: a case study of human papillomavirus vaccination.

PubMed

Eberth, Jan M; Kline, Kimberly N; Moskowitz, David A; Montealegre, Jane R; Scheurer, Michael E

2014-03-01

This study aimed to determine the temporal association of print media coverage and Internet search activity with adverse events reports associated with the human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil (HPV4) and the meningitis vaccine Menactra (MNQ) among United States adolescents. We used moderated linear regression to test the relationships between print media reports in top circulating newspapers, Internet search activity, and reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) for HPV4 and MNQ during the first 2.5 years after Food and Drug Administration approval. Compared with MNQ, HPV4 had more coverage in the print media and Internet search activity, which corresponded with the frequency of VAERS reports. In February 2007, we observed a spike in print media for HPV4. Although media coverage waned, Internet search activity remained stable and predicted the rise in HPV4-associated VAERS reports. We demonstrate that media coverage and Internet search activity, in particular, may promote increased adverse event reporting. Public health officials who have long recognized the importance of proactive engagement with news media must now consider strategies for meaningful participation in Internet discussions. Copyright © 2014 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Proteomics for Adverse Outcome Pathway Discovery using Human Kidney Cells?

EPA Science Inventory

An Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) is a conceptual framework that applies molecular-based data for use in risk assessment and regulatory decision support. AOP development is based on effects data of chemicals on biological processes (i.e., molecular initiating events, key intermedi...

Heparin and cAMP modulators interact during pre-in vitro maturation to affect mouse and human oocyte meiosis and developmental competence.

PubMed

Zeng, Hai-tao; Ren, Zi; Guzman, Luis; Wang, Xiaoqian; Sutton-McDowall, Melanie L; Ritter, Lesley J; De Vos, Michel; Smitz, Johan; Thompson, Jeremy G; Gilchrist, Robert B

2013-06-01

Does heparin ablate the advantageous effects of cyclic adenosine mono-phosphate (cAMP) modulators during pre-in vitro maturation (IVM) and have a deleterious effect in standard oocyte IVM? Heparin interrupts energy metabolism and meiotic progression and adversely affects subsequent development of oocytes under conditions of elevated cAMP levels in cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) after pre-IVM treatment with forskolin. In animal IVM studies, artificial regulation of meiotic resumption by cAMP-elevating agents improves subsequent oocyte developmental competence. Heparin has no effect on spontaneous, FSH- or epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated meiotic maturation. An in vitro cross-sectional study was conducted using immature mouse and human COCs. Depending on individual experimental design, COCs were treated during pre-IVM with or without heparin, in the presence or absence of forskolin and/or 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), and then COC function was assessed by various means. Forty-two women with polycystic ovaries (PCOs) or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) donated COCs after oocyte retrieval in a non-hCG-triggered IVM cycle. COCs were collected in pre-IVM treatments and then cultured for 40 h and meiotic progression was assessed. COCs from 21- to 24-day-old female CBA F1 mice were collected 46 h after stimulation with equine chorionic gonadotrophin. Following treatments, COCs were checked for meiotic progression. Effects on mouse oocyte metabolism were measured by assessing oocyte mitochondrial membrane potential using JC-1 staining and oocyte ATP content. Post-IVM mouse oocyte developmental competence was assessed by in vitro fertilization and embryo production. Blastocyst quality was evaluated by differential staining of inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) layers. In the absence of heparin in pre-IVM culture, the addition of cAMP modulators did not affect human oocyte MII competence after 40 h. In standard IVM, heparin supplementation in pre

Recording Adverse Events Following Joint Arthroplasty: Financial Implications and Validation of an Adverse Event Assessment Form.

PubMed

Lee, Matthew J; Mohamed, Khalid M S; Kelly, John C; Galbraith, John G; Street, John; Lenehan, Brian J

2017-09-01

In Ireland, funding of joint arthroplasty procedures has moved to a pay-by-results national tariff system. Typically, adverse clinical events are recorded via retrospective chart-abstraction methods by administrative staff. Missed or undocumented events not only affect the quality of patient care but also may unrealistically skew budgetary decisions that impact fiscal viability of the service. Accurate recording confers clinical benefits and financial transparency. The aim of this study was to compare a prospectively implemented adverse events form with the current national retrospective chart-abstraction method in terms of pay-by-results financial implications. An adverse events form adapted from a similar validated model was used to prospectively record complications in 51 patients undergoing total hip or knee arthroplasties. Results were compared with the same cohort using an existing data abstraction method. Both data sets were coded in accordance with current standards for case funding. Overall, 114 events were recorded during the study through prospective charting of adverse events, compared with 15 events documented by customary method (a significant discrepancy). Wound drainage (15.8%) was the most common complication, followed by anemia (7.9%), lower respiratory tract infections (7.9%), and cardiac events (7%). A total of €61,956 ($67,778) in missed funding was calculated as a result. This pilot study demonstrates the ability to improve capture of adverse events through use of a well-designed assessment form. Proper perioperative data handling is a critical aspect of financial subsidies, enabling optimal allocation of funds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Adverse birth outcomes of maternal smoking during pregnancy and genetic polymorphisms: exploiting gene-environment interaction].

PubMed

Sasaki, Seiko; Kishi, Reiko

2009-09-01

It has been recognized that metabolic enzymes mediating genetic susceptibility to environmental chemicals such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, polychlorinated dibenzofurans and polychlorinated biphenyls might be related to adverse human health. Recent studies, including the Hokkaido Study of Environmental and Children's Health, have shown that metabolic enzymes mediating genetic susceptibility to environmental chemicals including tobacco smoke might be related to adverse birth outcomes. Certain maternal genetic polymorphisms in the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)-metabolizing enzymes have been shown to enhance the association between maternal smoking and infant birth weight in both Caucasians and Japanese. For maternal genetic polymorphisms encoding the N-nitrosamine-metabolizing enzymes, we found that infant birth weight, birth length and birth head circumference were significantly smaller among infants of smokers than among those of nonsmokers and quitters. The adverse effects of maternal smoking on infant birth size may be modified by maternal genetic polymorphisms. Further study is required to clarify the potential association between genetic polymorphisms and cognitive function in childhood, becauae it has been reported that a small birth length or a small head circumference at birth might affect neurobehavioral development during early childhood. It is necessary to elucidate additive impacts of genetic factors on adverse effects of various chemicals commonly encountered in our daily lives, follow up the development of children, and carry out longitudinal observation.

Neonicotinoid clothianidin adversely affects insect immunity and promotes replication of a viral pathogen in honey bees

PubMed Central

Di Prisco, Gennaro; Cavaliere, Valeria; Annoscia, Desiderato; Varricchio, Paola; Caprio, Emilio; Nazzi, Francesco; Gargiulo, Giuseppe; Pennacchio, Francesco

2013-01-01

Large-scale losses of honey bee colonies represent a poorly understood problem of global importance. Both biotic and abiotic factors are involved in this phenomenon that is often associated with high loads of parasites and pathogens. A stronger impact of pathogens in honey bees exposed to neonicotinoid insecticides has been reported, but the causal link between insecticide exposure and the possible immune alteration of honey bees remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that the neonicotinoid insecticide clothianidin negatively modulates NF-κB immune signaling in insects and adversely affects honey bee antiviral defenses controlled by this transcription factor. We have identified in insects a negative modulator of NF-κB activation, which is a leucine-rich repeat protein. Exposure to clothianidin, by enhancing the transcription of the gene encoding this inhibitor, reduces immune defenses and promotes the replication of the deformed wing virus in honey bees bearing covert infections. This honey bee immunosuppression is similarly induced by a different neonicotinoid, imidacloprid, but not by the organophosphate chlorpyriphos, which does not affect NF-κB signaling. The occurrence at sublethal doses of this insecticide-induced viral proliferation suggests that the studied neonicotinoids might have a negative effect at the field level. Our experiments uncover a further level of regulation of the immune response in insects and set the stage for studies on neural modulation of immunity in animals. Furthermore, this study has implications for the conservation of bees, as it will contribute to the definition of more appropriate guidelines for testing chronic or sublethal effects of pesticides used in agriculture. PMID:24145453

Human NK Cell Subset Functions Are Differentially Affected by Adipokines

PubMed Central

Huebner, Lena; Engeli, Stefan; Wrann, Christiane D.; Goudeva, Lilia; Laue, Tobias; Kielstein, Heike

2013-01-01

Background Obesity is a risk factor for various types of infectious diseases and cancer. The increase in adipose tissue causes alterations in both adipogenesis and the production of adipocyte-secreted proteins (adipokines). Since natural killer (NK) cells are the host’s primary defense against virus-infected and tumor cells, we investigated how adipocyte-conditioned medium (ACM) affects functions of two distinct human NK cell subsets. Methods Isolated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were cultured with various concentrations of human and murine ACM harvested on two different days during adipogenesis and analyzed by fluorescent-activated cell sorting (FACS). Results FACS analyses showed that the expression of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), granzyme A (GzmA) and interferon (IFN)-γ in NK cells was regulated in a subset-specific manner. ACM treatment altered IFN-γ expression in CD56dim NK cells. The production of GzmA in CD56bright NK cells was differentially affected by the distinct adipokine compositions harvested at different states of adipogenesis. Comparison of the treatment with either human or murine ACM revealed that adipokine-induced effects on NK cell expression of the leptin receptor (Ob-R), TRAIL and IFN-γ were species-specific. Conclusion Considering the growing prevalence of obesity and the various disorders related to it, the present study provides further insights into the roles human NK cell subsets play in the obesity-associated state of chronic low-grade inflammation. PMID:24098717

The brain's emotional foundations of human personality and the Affective Neuroscience Personality Scales.

PubMed

Davis, Kenneth L; Panksepp, Jaak

2011-10-01

Six of the primary-process subcortical brain emotion systems - SEEKING, RAGE, FEAR, CARE, GRIEF and PLAY - are presented as foundational for human personality development, and hence as a potentially novel template for personality assessment as in the Affective Neurosciences Personality Scales (ANPS), described here. The ANPS was conceptualized as a potential clinical research tool, which would help experimentalists and clinicians situate subjects and clients in primary-process affective space. These emotion systems are reviewed in the context of a multi-tiered framing of consciousness spanning from primary affect, which encodes biological valences, to higher level tertiary (thought mediated) processing. Supporting neuroscience research is presented along with comparisons to Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory and the Five Factor Model (FFM). Suggestions are made for grounding the internal structure of the FFM on the primal emotional systems recognized in affective neuroscience, which may promote substantive dialog between human and animal research traditions. Personality is viewed in the context of Darwinian "continuity" with the inherited subcortical brain emotion systems being foundational, providing major forces for personality development in both humans and animals, and providing an affective infrastructure for an expanded five factor descriptive model applying to normal and clinical human populations as well as mammals generally. Links with ontogenetic and epigenetic models of personality development are also presented. Potential novel clinical applications of the CARE maternal-nurturance system and the PLAY system are also discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Family Adversity and Resilience Measures in Pediatric Acute Care Settings.

PubMed

O'Malley, Donna M; Randell, Kimberly A; Dowd, M Denise

2016-01-01

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) impact health across the life course. The purpose of this study was to identify caregiver ACEs, current adversity, and resilience in families seeking care in pediatric acute care settings. Study aims included identifying demographic characteristics, current adversities, and resilience measures associated with caregiver ACEs ≥4. A cross-sectional survey study design was used and a convenience sample (n = 470) recruited at emergency and urgent care settings of a large Midwest pediatric hospital system. Measures were self-reported. The original 10-item ACEs questionnaire measured caregiver past adversity. Current adversity was measured using the 10-item IHELP. The six-item Brief Resiliency Scale measured resilience, and WHO-5 Well-Being Index was used to measure depressive affect. Compared to participants with ACEs score of 0-3 participants with ACEs ≥4 were more likely to have multiple current adversities, increased risk of depression, and lower resilience. Caregivers using pediatric acute care settings carry a high burden of ACEs and current adversities. Caregiver ACEs are associated with current child experiences of adversity. Caregivers socioeconomic status and education level may not be an accurate indicator of a family's risks or needs. Pediatric acute care settings offer opportunities to access, intervene, and prevent childhood adversity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Weight of evidence evaluation of a network of adverse ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Ongoing honey bee colony losses are of significant international concern because of the essential role these insects play in pollinating many high nutrient crops, such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Both chemical and non-chemical stressors have been implicated as possible contributors to colony failure, however, the potential role(s) of commonly-used neonicotinoid insecticides has emerged as particularly concerning. Neonicotinoids act on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the central nervous system to eliminate target pest insects. However, mounting evidence indicates that these neonicotinoids also may adversely affect beneficial pollinators, such as the honey bee, via impairments on learning and memory, and ultimately foraging success. The specific mechanisms linking activation of the nAChR to adverse effects on learning and memory are uncertain. Additionally, clear connections between observed impacts on individual bees and colony level effects are lacking. The objective of this review was to develop adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) as a means to evaluate the biological plausibility and empirical evidence supporting (or refuting) the linkage between activation of the physiological target site, the nAChR, and colony level consequences. Development of AOPs has led to the identification of research gaps which, for example, may be of high priority in understanding how perturbation of pathways involved in neurotransmission can adversely affect norm

The human milk oligosaccharides are not affected by pasteurization and freeze-drying.

PubMed

Hahn, Won-Ho; Kim, Jaehan; Song, Seunghyun; Park, Suyeon; Kang, Nam Mi

2017-11-06

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are known as important factors in neurologic and immunologic development of neonates. Moreover, freeze-drying seems to be a promising storage method to improve the processes of human milk banks. However, the effects of pasteurization and freeze-drying on HMOs were not evaluated yet. The purpose of this study is to analyze and compare the HMOs profiles of human milk collected before and after the pasteurization and freeze-drying. Totally nine fresh human milk samples were collected from three healthy mothers at the first, second, and third week after delivery. The samples were treated with Holder pasteurization and freeze-drying. HMOs profiles were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) time-of-flight/time-of-flight (TOF/TOF) mass spectrometry and compared between samples collected before and after the treatments. Human milk samples showed significantly different HMO patterns between mothers. However, HMOs were not affected by lactation periods within 3 weeks after delivery (r 2  = 0.972-0.999, p < .001). Moreover, both of pasteurization and freeze-drying were found not to affect HMO patterns in a correlation analysis (r 2  = 0.989-0.999, p < .001). HMO patterns were found not to be affected by pasteurization and freeze-drying of donor milks. We hope that introducing freeze-drying to the human milk banks would be encouraged by the present study. However, the storage length without composition changes of HMOs after freeze-drying needs to be evaluated in the further studies.

Patients' Perceptions of Physician-Patient Discussions and Adverse Events with Cancer Therapy.

PubMed

Hershman, Dawn; Calhoun, Elizabeth; Zapert, Kinga; Wade, Shawn; Malin, Jennifer; Barron, Rich

2008-09-01

OBJECTIVES: Patients with cancer who are treated with chemotherapy report adverse events during their treatment, which can affect their quality of life and increase the likelihood that their treatment will not be completed. In this study, patients' perceptions of the physician-patient relationship and communication about cancer-related issues, particularly adverse events were examined. METHODS: We surveyed 508 patients with cancer concerning the occurrence of adverse events and their relationship and communication with their physicians regarding cancer, treatment, and adverse events. RESULTS: Most individuals surveyed (>90%) discussed diagnosis, treatment plan, goals, and schedule, and potential adverse events with their physicians before initiating chemotherapy; approximately 75% of these individuals understood these topics completely or very well. Physician-patient discussions of adverse events were common, with tiredness, nausea and vomiting, and loss of appetite discussed prior to chemotherapy in over 80% of communications. These events were also the most often experienced (ranging in 95% to 64% of the respondents) along with low white blood cell counts (WBCs), which were experienced in 67% of respondents. Approximately 75% of the individuals reported that their overall quality of life was affected by adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that discussions alone do not provide patients with sufficient understanding of the events, nor do they appear to adequately equip patients to cope with them. Therefore, efforts to improve cancer care should focus on developing tools to improve patients' understanding of the toxicities of chemotherapy, as well as providing resources to reduce the effects of adverse events.

Associations between maternal serum free beta human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) levels and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

PubMed

Sirikunalai, P; Wanapirak, C; Sirichotiyakul, S; Tongprasert, F; Srisupundit, K; Luewan, S; Traisrisilp, K; Tongsong, T

2016-01-01

The objective was to determine the strength of relationship between maternal free beta human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) concentrations and rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Consecutive records of the database of our Down screening project were assessed for free β-hCG levels and pregnancy outcomes. Pregnancies with foetal chromosomal or structural anomalies and those with underlying disease were excluded. Free β-hCG levels of < 0.5, > 0.5 and < 2.0, and ≥ 2.0 MoM were categorised as low, normal and high, respectively. Of 17,082 screened women, 13,620 were available for analysis. In the first trimester (n = 8150), low β-hCG levels significantly increased risk for intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), preterm birth, low birth weight (LBW) and low Apgar score with relative risk of 1.66, 1.43, 1.83 and 2.89; whereas high β-hCG group had a significant decreased risk of preterm birth and GDM with relative risk of 0.73 and 0.62. In the second trimester (n = 5470), both low and high β-hCG groups had significant increased risks of the most common adverse outcomes, i.e. spontaneous abortion, IUGR and preterm birth. In conclusion, abnormally low (< 0.5MoM) or high (> 2.0 MoM) free β-hCG levels are generally associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Nevertheless, high free β-hCG levels in the first trimester may possibly decrease risk of preterm delivery and GDM.

Adverse events associated with pediatric exposures to dextromethorphan.

PubMed

Paul, Ian M; Reynolds, Kate M; Kauffman, Ralph E; Banner, William; Bond, G Randall; Palmer, Robert B; Burnham, Randy I; Green, Jody L

2017-01-01

Dextromethorphan is the most common over-the-counter (OTC) antitussive medication. We sought to characterize adverse events associated with dextromethorphan in children <12 years old from a surveillance program of OTC cough/cold medication exposures. This is a retrospective case series of oral exposures to dextromethorphan with ≥1 adverse event from multiple U.S. sources (National Poison Data System, FDA Adverse Event Reporting System, manufacturer safety reports, news/media, medical literature) reported between 2008 and 2014. An expert panel determined the relationship between exposure and adverse events, estimated dose ingested, intent of exposure, and identified contributing factors to exposure. 1716 cases contained ≥1 adverse event deemed at least potentially related to dextromethorphan; 1417 were single product exposures. 773/1417 (55%) involved only one single-ingredient dextromethorphan product (dextromethorphan-only). Among dextromethorphan-only cases, 3% followed ingestion of a therapeutic dose; 78% followed an overdose. 69% involved unsupervised self-administration and 60% occurred in children <4 years old. No deaths or pathologic dysrhythmias occurred. Central nervous system [e.g., ataxia (N = 420)] and autonomic symptoms [e.g., tachycardia (N = 224)] were the most common adverse events. Flushing and/or urticarial rash occurred in 18.1% of patients. Dystonia occurred in 5.4%. No fatalities were identified in this multifaceted surveillance program following a dextromethorphan-only ingestion. Adverse events were predominantly associated with overdose, most commonly affecting the central nervous and autonomic systems.

Consensus and stratification in the affective meaning of human sociality

PubMed Central

Ambrasat, Jens; von Scheve, Christian; Conrad, Markus; Schauenburg, Gesche; Schröder, Tobias

2014-01-01

We investigate intrasocietal consensus and variation in affective meanings of concepts related to authority and community, two elementary forms of human sociality. Survey participants (n = 2,849) from different socioeconomic status (SES) groups in German society provided ratings of 909 social concepts along three basic dimensions of affective meaning. Results show widespread consensus on these meanings within society and demonstrate that a meaningful structure of socially shared knowledge emerges from organizing concepts according to their affective similarity. The consensus finding is further qualified by evidence for subtle systematic variation along SES differences. In relation to affectively neutral words, high-status individuals evaluate intimacy-related and socially desirable concepts as less positive and powerful than middle- or low-status individuals, while perceiving antisocial concepts as relatively more threatening. This systematic variation across SES groups suggests that the affective meaning of sociality is to some degree a function of social stratification. PMID:24843121

Early Adverse Caregiving Experiences and Preschoolers' Current Attachment Affect Brain Responses during Facial Familiarity Processing: An ERP Study.

PubMed

Kungl, Melanie T; Bovenschen, Ina; Spangler, Gottfried

2017-01-01

When being placed into more benign environments like foster care, children from adverse rearing backgrounds are capable of forming attachment relationships to new caregivers within the first year of placement, while certain problematic social behaviors appear to be more persistent. Assuming that early averse experiences shape neural circuits underlying social behavior, neurophysiological studies on individual differences in early social-information processing have great informative value. More precisely, ERP studies have repeatedly shown face processing to be sensitive to experience especially regarding the caregiving background. However, studies on effects of early adverse caregiving experiences are restricted to children with a history of institutionalization. Also, no study has investigated effects of attachment security as a marker of the quality of the caregiver-child relationship. Thus, the current study asks how adverse caregiving experiences and attachment security to (new) caregivers affect early- and mid-latency ERPs sensitive to facial familiarity processing. Therefore, pre-school aged foster children during their second year within the foster home were compared to an age matched control group. Attachment was assessed using the AQS and neurophysiological data was collected during a passive viewing task presenting (foster) mother and stranger faces. Foster children were comparable to the control group with regard to attachment security. On a neurophysiological level, however, the foster group showed dampened N170 amplitudes for both face types. In both foster and control children, dampened N170 amplitudes were also found for stranger as compared to (foster) mother faces, and, for insecurely attached children as compared to securely attached children. This neural pattern may be viewed as a result of poorer social interactions earlier in life. Still, there was no effect on P1 amplitudes. Indicating heightened attentional processing, Nc amplitude responses

Tibiofemoral osteoarthritis affects quality of life and function in elderly Koreans, with women more adversely affected than men.

PubMed

Kim, Inje; Kim, Hyun Ah; Seo, Young-Il; Song, Yeong Wook; Hunter, David J; Jeong, Jin Young; Kim, Dong Hyun

2010-06-22

worse WOMAC and SF-12 scores compared to men, regardless of the presence of radiographic knee OA after adjustment of age, BMI and OA severity. OA subjects had significantly worse performance score for usual walk and chair stands compared to non-OA subjects, but the ORs were no more significant after adjustment of sex. Knee OA negatively affects the QoL and physical function in both genders, but women are more adversely affected than men.

Low-frequency sound affects active micromechanics in the human inner ear

PubMed Central

Kugler, Kathrin; Wiegrebe, Lutz; Grothe, Benedikt; Kössl, Manfred; Gürkov, Robert; Krause, Eike; Drexl, Markus

2014-01-01

Noise-induced hearing loss is one of the most common auditory pathologies, resulting from overstimulation of the human cochlea, an exquisitely sensitive micromechanical device. At very low frequencies (less than 250 Hz), however, the sensitivity of human hearing, and therefore the perceived loudness is poor. The perceived loudness is mediated by the inner hair cells of the cochlea which are driven very inadequately at low frequencies. To assess the impact of low-frequency (LF) sound, we exploited a by-product of the active amplification of sound outer hair cells (OHCs) perform, so-called spontaneous otoacoustic emissions. These are faint sounds produced by the inner ear that can be used to detect changes of cochlear physiology. We show that a short exposure to perceptually unobtrusive, LF sounds significantly affects OHCs: a 90 s, 80 dB(A) LF sound induced slow, concordant and positively correlated frequency and level oscillations of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions that lasted for about 2 min after LF sound offset. LF sounds, contrary to their unobtrusive perception, strongly stimulate the human cochlea and affect amplification processes in the most sensitive and important frequency range of human hearing. PMID:26064536

Adverse effects of ketoconazole in dogs--a retrospective study.

PubMed

Mayer, Ursula K; Glos, Katharina; Schmid, Matthias; Power, Helen T; Bettenay, Sonya V; Mueller, Ralf S

2008-08-01

Although ketoconazole has been used extensively in dogs for the treatment of various fungal infections, information about adverse effects is mainly anecdotal. Common adverse effects in humans include dose-dependant anorexia, nausea and vomiting, allergic rashes and pruritus. Drug-induced hepatitis is very rare, but potentially fatal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the type and frequency of adverse effects associated with ketoconazole therapy in dogs treated for skin diseases and any possible influence of dosage, duration of therapy, signalment or concurrent medication. The medical records of 632 dogs treated with ketoconazole (2.6-33.4 mg/kg) were reviewed. Adverse effects occurred in 14.6% (92 dogs) and included vomiting (7.1%), anorexia (4.9%), lethargy (1.9%), diarrhea (1.1%), pruritus (0.6%), erythema (0.3%) and other adverse effects (2.5%). Of the dogs with other adverse effects, four of 16 (25%) were ataxic and three of these received concurrent ivermectin. Adverse effects were significantly more often recorded in dogs concurrently treated with ciclosporin (P = 0.034) or ivermectin (P = 0.007). Increased liver enzyme levels were reported rarely, and icterus was not seen in any of the dogs. However, monitoring liver enzymes during therapy is recommended, although this might not necessarily prevent severe idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity.

Motivational Strategies for Young Professionals in the Human Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cherniss, Cary

Many of the caring and socializing functions formerly provided by primary groups, such as the family or church, now are assumed by formal institutions. The quality of life in our society increasingly has been influenced by human service professionals. Motivational problems for these professionals can adversely affect their performance and can…

Early Life in a Barren Environment Adversely Affects Spatial Cognition in Laying Hens (Gallus gallus domesticus)

PubMed Central

Tahamtani, Fernanda M.; Nordgreen, Janicke; Nordquist, Rebecca E.; Janczak, Andrew M.

2015-01-01

Spatial cognition in vertebrates is adversely affected by a lack of environmental complexity during early life. However, to our knowledge, no previous studies have tested the effect of early exposure to varying degrees of environmental complexity on specific components of spatial cognition in chickens. There are two main rearing systems for laying hens in the EU: aviaries and cages. These two systems differ from one another in environmental complexity. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that rearing in a barren cage environment relative to a complex aviary environment causes long-lasting deficits in the ability to perform spatial tasks. For this purpose, 24 white Dekalb laying hens, half of which had been reared in an aviary system and the other half in a conventional cage system, were tested in a holeboard task. Birds from both treatment groups learnt the task; however, the cage-reared hens required more time to locate rewards and had poorer levels of working memory. The latter finding supports the hypothesis that rearing in a barren environment causes long-term impairment of short-term memory in chickens. PMID:26664932

LD-aminopterin in the canine homologue of human atopic dermatitis: a randomized, controlled trial reveals dosing factors affecting optimal therapy.

PubMed

Zebala, John A; Mundell, Alan; Messinger, Linda; Griffin, Craig E; Schuler, Aaron D; Kahn, Stuart J

2014-01-01

Options are limited for patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) who do not respond to topical treatments. Antifolate therapy with systemic methotrexate improves the disease, but is associated with adverse effects. The investigational antifolate LD-aminopterin may offer improved safety. It is not known how antifolate dose and dosing frequency affect efficacy in AD, but a primary mechanism is thought to involve the antifolate-mediated accumulation of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR). However, recent in vitro studies indicate that AICAR increases then decreases as a function of antifolate concentration. To address this issue and understand how dosing affects antifolate efficacy in AD, we examined the efficacy and safety of different oral doses and schedules of LD-aminopterin in the canine model of AD. This was a multi-center, double-blind trial involving 75 subjects with canine AD randomized to receive up to 12 weeks of placebo, once-weekly (0.007, 0.014, 0.021 mg/kg) or twice-weekly (0.007 mg/kg) LD-aminopterin. The primary efficacy outcome was the Global Score (GS), a composite of validated measures of disease severity and itch. GS improved in all once-weekly cohorts, with 0.014 mg/kg being optimal and significant (43%, P<0.01). The majority of improvement was seen by 8 weeks. In contrast, GS in the twice-weekly cohort was similar to placebo and worse than all once-weekly cohorts. Adverse events were similar across all treated cohorts and placebo. Once-weekly LD-aminopterin was safe and efficacious in canine AD. Twice-weekly dosing negated efficacy despite having the same daily and weekly dose as effective once-weekly regimens. Optimal dosing in this homologue of human AD correlated with the concentration-selective accumulation of AICAR in vitro, consistent with AICAR mediating LD-aminopterin efficacy in AD.

LD-Aminopterin in the Canine Homologue of Human Atopic Dermatitis: A Randomized, Controlled Trial Reveals Dosing Factors Affecting Optimal Therapy

PubMed Central

Zebala, John A.; Mundell, Alan; Messinger, Linda; Griffin, Craig E.; Schuler, Aaron D.; Kahn, Stuart J.

2014-01-01

Background Options are limited for patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) who do not respond to topical treatments. Antifolate therapy with systemic methotrexate improves the disease, but is associated with adverse effects. The investigational antifolate LD-aminopterin may offer improved safety. It is not known how antifolate dose and dosing frequency affect efficacy in AD, but a primary mechanism is thought to involve the antifolate-mediated accumulation of 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR). However, recent in vitro studies indicate that AICAR increases then decreases as a function of antifolate concentration. To address this issue and understand how dosing affects antifolate efficacy in AD, we examined the efficacy and safety of different oral doses and schedules of LD-aminopterin in the canine model of AD. Methods and Findings This was a multi-center, double-blind trial involving 75 subjects with canine AD randomized to receive up to 12 weeks of placebo, once-weekly (0.007, 0.014, 0.021 mg/kg) or twice-weekly (0.007 mg/kg) LD-aminopterin. The primary efficacy outcome was the Global Score (GS), a composite of validated measures of disease severity and itch. GS improved in all once-weekly cohorts, with 0.014 mg/kg being optimal and significant (43%, P<0.01). The majority of improvement was seen by 8 weeks. In contrast, GS in the twice-weekly cohort was similar to placebo and worse than all once-weekly cohorts. Adverse events were similar across all treated cohorts and placebo. Conclusions Once-weekly LD-aminopterin was safe and efficacious in canine AD. Twice-weekly dosing negated efficacy despite having the same daily and weekly dose as effective once-weekly regimens. Optimal dosing in this homologue of human AD correlated with the concentration-selective accumulation of AICAR in vitro, consistent with AICAR mediating LD-aminopterin efficacy in AD. PMID:25255447

Developing and applying the adverse outcome pathway ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

To support a paradigm shift in regulatory toxicology testing and risk assessment, the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) concept has recently been proposed. This concept is similar to that for Mode of Action (MOA), describing a sequence of measurable key events triggered by a molecular initiating event in which a stressor interacts with a biological target. The resulting cascade of key events includes molecular, cellular, structural and functional changes in biological systems, resulting in a measurable adverse outcome. Thereby, an AOP ideally provides information relevant to chemical structure-activity relationships as a basis to predict effects for structurally similar compounds. AOPs could potentially also form the basis for qualitative and quantitative predictive modeling of the human adverse outcome resulting from molecular initiating or other key events for which higher-throughput testing methods are available or can be developed.A variety of cellular and molecular processes are known to be critical to normal function of the central (CNS) and peripheral nervous systems (PNS). Because of the biological and functional complexity of the CNS and PNS, it has been challenging to establish causative links and quantitative relationships between key events that comprise the pathways leading from chemical exposure to an adverse outcome in the nervous system. Following introduction of principles of the description and assessment of MOA and AOPs, examples of adverse out

Life adversity is associated with smoking relapse after a quit attempt.

PubMed

Lemieux, Andrine; Olson, Leif; Nakajima, Motohiro; Schulberg, Lauren; al'Absi, Mustafa

2016-09-01

Multiple cross-sectional studies have linked adverse childhood events and adult adversities to current smoking, lifetime smoking, and former smoking. To date, however, there have been no direct observational studies assessing the influence of adversities on smoking relapse. We prospectively followed 123 participants, 86 of whom were habitual smokers, from pre-quit ad libitum smoking to four weeks post-quit. Thirty-seven non-smokers were also tested in parallel as a comparison group. Subjects provided biological samples for confirmation of abstinence status and self-report history of adversities such as abuse, neglect, family dysfunction, incarceration, and child-parent separation. They also completed mood and smoking withdrawal symptom measures. The results indicated that within non-smokers and smokers who relapsed within the first month of a quit attempt, but not abstainers, females had significantly higher adversity scores than males. Cigarette craving, which was independent from depressive affect, increased for low adversity participants, but not those with no adversity nor high adversity. These results demonstrate that sex and relapse status interact to predict adversity and that craving for nicotine may be an important additional mediator of relapse. These results add further support to the previous cross-sectional evidence of an adversity and smoking relationship. Further studies to clarify how adversity complicates smoking cessation and impacts smoking behaviors are warranted. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Affect-Aware Adaptive Tutoring Based on Human-Automation Etiquette Strategies.

PubMed

Yang, Euijung; Dorneich, Michael C

2018-06-01

We investigated adapting the interaction style of intelligent tutoring system (ITS) feedback based on human-automation etiquette strategies. Most ITSs adapt the content difficulty level, adapt the feedback timing, or provide extra content when they detect cognitive or affective decrements. Our previous work demonstrated that changing the interaction style via different feedback etiquette strategies has differential effects on students' motivation, confidence, satisfaction, and performance. The best etiquette strategy was also determined by user frustration. Based on these findings, a rule set was developed that systemically selected the proper etiquette strategy to address one of four learning factors (motivation, confidence, satisfaction, and performance) under two different levels of user frustration. We explored whether etiquette strategy selection based on this rule set (systematic) or random changes in etiquette strategy for a given level of frustration affected the four learning factors. Participants solved mathematics problems under different frustration conditions with feedback that adapted dynamic changes in etiquette strategies either systematically or randomly. The results demonstrated that feedback with etiquette strategies chosen systematically via the rule set could selectively target and improve motivation, confidence, satisfaction, and performance more than changing etiquette strategies randomly. The systematic adaptation was effective no matter the level of frustration for the participant. If computer tutors can vary the interaction style to effectively mitigate negative emotions, then ITS designers would have one more mechanism in which to design affect-aware adaptations that provide the proper responses in situations where human emotions affect the ability to learn.

42 CFR 456.237 - Notification of adverse decision.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Notification of adverse decision. 456.237 Section 456.237 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS UTILIZATION CONTROL Utilization Control: Mental Hospitals...

Adverse Effects of Plasma Transfusion

PubMed Central

Pandey, Suchitra; Vyas, Girish N.

2012-01-01

Plasma utilization has increased over the last two decades, and there is a growing concern that many plasma transfusions are inappropriate. Plasma transfusion is not without risk, and certain complications are more likely with plasma than other blood components. Clinical and laboratory investigations of the patients suffering reactions following infusion of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) define the etiology and pathogenesis of the panoply of adverse effects. We review here the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of the risks associated with plasma transfusion. Risks commonly associated with FFP include: (1) transfusion related acute lung injury; (2) transfusion associated circulatory overload, and (3) allergic/anaphylactic reactions. Other less common risks include (1) transmission of infections, (2) febrile non-hemolytic transfusion reactions, (3) RBC allo-immunization, and (4) hemolytic transfusion reactions. The affect of pathogen inactivation/reduction methods on these risks are also discussed. Fortunately, a majority of the adverse effects are not lethal and are adequately treated in clinical practice. PMID:22578374

Self Realization and Meaning Making in the Face of Adversity: A Eudaimonic Approach to Human Resilience

PubMed Central

Ryff, Carol D.

2014-01-01

This article considers a eudaimonic approach to psychological well-being built on the integration of developmental, existential and humanistic formulations as well as distant writings of Aristotle. Eudaimonia emphasizes meaning-making, self realization and growth, quality connections to others, self-knowledge, managing life, and marching to one's own drummer. These qualities may be of particular importance in the confrontation with significant life challenges. Prior formulations of resilience are reviewed to underscore the unique features of a eudaimonic approach. Empirical findings on meaning making and self realization are then reviewed to document the capacity of some to maintain high well-being in the face of socioeconomic inequality, the challenges of aging, and in dealing with specific challenges (child abuse, cancer, loss of spouse). Moreover, those who sustain or deepen their well-being as they deal with adversity, show better health profiles, thereby underscoring broader benefits of eudaimonia. How meaning is made and personal capacities realized in the confrontation with challenge is revealed by narrative accounts. Thus, the latter half of the article illustrates human resilience in action via the personal stories of three individuals (Mark Mathabane, Ben Mattlin, Victor Frankl) who endured unimaginable hardship, but prevailed and grew in the face of it. The essential roles of strong social ties and the capacity to derive meaning and realize personal growth in grappling with adversity are unmistakable in all three cases. PMID:25435804

Adverse mood symptoms with oral contraceptives.

PubMed

Poromaa, Inger Sundström; Segebladh, Birgitta

2012-04-01

In spite of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) having been available for more than 50 years, surprisingly little is known about the prevalence of truly COC-related adverse mood symptoms and about the underlying biological mechanisms of proposed changes in mood and affect. Precise estimates of COC-related adverse mood symptoms are not available due to the lack of placebo-controlled trials. In prospective trials the frequency of women who report deteriorated mood or deteriorated emotional well-being varies between 4 and 10%, but it can be assumed that the causal relation in these prevalence rates is overestimated. Adverse mood symptoms and somatic symptoms are most pronounced during the pill-free interval of the treatment cycles, but whether extended COC regimens would be more favorable in this respect is not known. COCs with anti-androgenic progestagens, such as drospirenone and desogestrel, appear more favorable in terms of mood symptoms than progestagens with a more androgenic profile. Available data suggest that lower doses of ethinylestradiol could be beneficial. © 2012 The Authors Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica© 2012 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Serenoa repens (saw palmetto): a systematic review of adverse events.

PubMed

Agbabiaka, Taofikat B; Pittler, Max H; Wider, Barbara; Ernst, Edzard

2009-01-01

Serenoa repens (W. Bartram) Small, also known as saw palmetto, is one of the most widely used herbal preparations for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Although a number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews of the efficacy of S. repens for the treatment of LUTS and BPH have been published, no systematic review on its drug interactions or adverse events currently exists. This review assesses all available human safety data of S. repens monopreparations. Systematic literature searches were conducted from date of inception to February 2008 in five electronic databases; reference lists and our departmental files were checked for further relevant publications. Information was requested from spontaneous reporting schemes of the WHO and national safety bodies. Twenty-four manufacturers/distributors of S. repens preparations and four herbalist organizations were contacted for additional information. No language restrictions were imposed. Only reports of adverse events in humans from monopreparations of S. repens were included. Data from all articles, regardless of study design, reporting adverse events or interactions were independently extracted by the first author and validated by the second. Forty articles (26 randomized controlled trials, 4 non-randomized controlled trials, 6 uncontrolled trials and 4 case reports/series) were included. They suggest that adverse events associated with the use of S. repens are mild and similar to those with placebo. The most frequently reported adverse events are abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea, fatigue, headache, decreased libido and rhinitis. More serious adverse events such as death and cerebral haemorrhage are reported in isolated case reports and data from spontaneous reporting schemes, but causality is questionable. No drug interactions were reported. Currently available data suggest that S. repens is well tolerated by most users and is not

Exposing physicians to reduced residency work hours did not adversely affect patient outcomes after residency.

PubMed

Jena, Anupam B; Schoemaker, Lena; Bhattacharya, Jay

2014-10-01

In 2003, work hours for physicians-in-training (residents) were capped by regulation at eighty hours per week, leading to the hotly debated but unexplored issue of whether physicians today are less well trained as a result of these work-hour reforms. Using a unique database of nearly all hospitalizations in Florida during 2000-09 that were linked to detailed information on the medical training history of the physician of record for each hospitalization, we studied whether hospital mortality and patients' length-of-stay varied according to the number of years a physician was exposed to the 2003 duty-hour regulations during his or her residency. We examined this database of practicing Florida physicians, using a difference-in-differences analysis that compared trends in outcomes of junior physicians (those with one-year post-residency experience) pre- and post-2003 to a control group of senior physicians (those with ten or more years of post-residency experience) who were not exposed to these reforms during their residency. We found that the duty-hour reforms did not adversely affect hospital mortality and length-of-stay of patients cared for by new attending physicians who were partly or fully exposed to reduced duty hours during their own residency. However, assessment of the impact of the duty-hour reforms on other clinical outcomes is needed. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

The Cultivation of Bt Corn Producing Cry1Ac Toxins Does Not Adversely Affect Non-Target Arthropods

PubMed Central

Guo, Yanyan; Feng, Yanjie; Ge, Yang; Tetreau, Guillaume; Chen, Xiaowen; Dong, Xuehui; Shi, Wangpeng

2014-01-01

Transgenic corn producing Cry1Ac toxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) provides effective control of Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée), and thus reduces insecticide applications. However, whether Bt corn exerts undesirable effects on non-target arthropods (NTAs) is still controversial. We conducted a 2-yr study in Shangzhuang Agricultural Experiment Station to assess the potential impact of Bt corn on field population density, biodiversity, community composition and structure of NTAs. On each sampling date, the total abundance, Shannon's diversity index, Pielou's evenness index and Simpson's diversity index were not significantly affected by Bt corn as compared to non-Bt corn. The “sampling dates” had a significant effect on these indices, but no clear tendencies related to “Bt corn” or “sampling dates X corn variety” interaction were recorded. Principal response curve analysis of variance indicated that Bt corn did not alter the distribution of NTAs communities. Bray-Curtis dissimilarity and distance analysis showed that Cry1Ac toxin exposure did not increase community dissimilarities between Bt and non-Bt corn plots and that the evolution of non-target arthropod community was similar on the two corn varieties. The cultivation of Bt corn failed to show any detrimental evidence on the density of non-target herbivores, predators and parasitoids. The composition of herbivores, predators and parasitoids was identical in Bt and non-Bt corn plots. Taken together, results from the present work support that Bt corn producing Cry1Ac toxins does not adversely affect NTAs. PMID:25437213

Quality of life in children with adverse drug reactions: a narrative and systematic review.

PubMed

Del Pozzo-Magaña, Blanca R; Rieder, Michael J; Lazo-Langner, Alejandro

2015-10-01

Adverse drug reactions are a common problem affecting adults and children. The economic impact of the adverse drug reactions has been widely evaluated; however, studies of the impact on the quality of life of children with adverse drug reactions are scarce. The aim was to evaluate studies assessing the health-related quality of life of children with adverse drug reactions. We conducted a systematic review that included the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library (including the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register and the Health Technology Assessment Databases). Nine studies were included. Four of the studies were conducted in children with epilepsy; the rest of them involved children with chronic viral hepatitis, Crohn's disease, paediatric cancer and multiple adverse drug reactions compared with healthy children. Based on their findings, authors of all studies concluded that adverse drug reactions had a negative impact on the quality of life of children. No meta-analysis was conducted given the heterogeneous nature of the studies. To date, there is no specific instrument that measures quality of life of children with adverse drug reactions, and the information available is poor and variable. In general, adverse drug reactions have a negative impact on the quality of life of affected children. For those interested in this area, more work needs to be done to improve tools that help to evaluate efficiently the health-related quality of life of children with adverse drug reactions and chronic diseases. © 2014 The British Pharmacological Society.

Quality of life in children with adverse drug reactions: a narrative and systematic review

PubMed Central

Del Pozzo-Magaña, Blanca R; Rieder, Michael J; Lazo-Langner, Alejandro

2015-01-01

Aims Adverse drug reactions are a common problem affecting adults and children. The economic impact of the adverse drug reactions has been widely evaluated; however, studies of the impact on the quality of life of children with adverse drug reactions are scarce. The aim was to evaluate studies assessing the health-related quality of life of children with adverse drug reactions. Methods We conducted a systematic review that included the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library (including the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register and the Health Technology Assessment Databases). Results Nine studies were included. Four of the studies were conducted in children with epilepsy; the rest of them involved children with chronic viral hepatitis, Crohn’s disease, paediatric cancer and multiple adverse drug reactions compared with healthy children. Based on their findings, authors of all studies concluded that adverse drug reactions had a negative impact on the quality of life of children. No meta-analysis was conducted given the heterogeneous nature of the studies. Conclusions To date, there is no specific instrument that measures quality of life of children with adverse drug reactions, and the information available is poor and variable. In general, adverse drug reactions have a negative impact on the quality of life of affected children. For those interested in this area, more work needs to be done to improve tools that help to evaluate efficiently the health-related quality of life of children with adverse drug reactions and chronic diseases. PMID:24833305

Adverse reactions to orthodontic materials.

PubMed

Sifakakis, I; Eliades, T

2017-03-01

Adverse effects can arise from the clinical use of orthodontic materials, due to the release of constituent substances (ions from alloys and monomers, degradation by-products, and additives from polymers). Moreover, intraoral aging affects the biologic properties of materials. The aim of this review is to present the currently identified major adverse effects of the metallic and polymeric components found in orthodontic appliances and materials. Corrosion in metallic orthodontic attachments releases metal ions, mainly iron, chromium, and nickel. The latter has received the greatest attention because of its reported potential for an allergic response. The formation of an oxide layer may inhibit the outward movement of ions, thereby acting as an obstacle for release. Titanium alloys have superior corrosion resistance than stainless steel. The efficiency of polymerisation is considered an essential property for all polymers. A poor polymer network is susceptible to the release of biologically reactive substances, such as bisphenol-A (BPA), which is capable of inducing hormone-related effects. The close proximity of a light-curing tip to the adhesive, pumice prophylaxis after bonding, indirect irradiation and mouth rinsing during the first hour after bonding may decrease BPA release. The adverse effects of some orthodontic materials should be considered during material selection and throughout orthodontic treatment, in order to minimise possible undesirable implications. © 2017 Australian Dental Association.

Close Friends' Psychopathology as a Pathway From Early Adversity to Young Adulthood Depressive Symptoms.

PubMed

Raposa, Elizabeth B; Hammen, Constance L; Brennan, Patricia A

2015-01-01

Past research has highlighted the negative impact of early adverse experiences on childhood social functioning, including friendship selection, and later mental health. The current study explored the long-term effects of early adversity on young adults' close friends' psychological symptoms and the impact of these close friendships on later depressive symptoms. A prospective longitudinal design was used to examine 816 youth from a large community-based sample, who were followed from birth through age 25. Participants' mothers provided contemporaneous information about adversity exposure up to age 5, and participants completed questionnaires about their own depressive symptoms at age 20 and in their early 20s. Youth also nominated a best friend to complete questionnaires about his or her own psychopathology at age 20. Individuals who experienced more early adversity by age 5 had best friends with higher rates of psychopathology at age 20. Moreover, best friends' psychopathology predicted target youth depressive symptoms 2 to 5 years later. Results indicate that early adversity continues to affect social functioning throughout young adulthood and that best friendships marked by elevated psychopathology in turn negatively affect mental health. Findings have implications for clinical interventions designed to prevent the development of depressive symptoms in youth who have been exposed to early adversity.

Close Friends’ Psychopathology as a Pathway from Early Adversity to Young Adulthood Depressive Symptoms

PubMed Central

Raposa, Elizabeth; Hammen, Constance; Brennan, Patricia

2014-01-01

Objective Past research has highlighted the negative impact of early adverse experiences on childhood social functioning, including friendship selection, and later mental health. The current study explored the long-term effects of early adversity on young adults’ close friends’ psychological symptoms, and the impact of these close friendships on later depressive symptoms. Method A prospective longitudinal design was used to examine 816 youth from a large community-based sample, who were followed from birth through age 25. Participants’ mothers provided contemporaneous information about adversity exposure prior to age 5, and participants completed questionnaires about their own depressive symptoms at age 20 and in their early 20’s. Youth also nominated a best friend to complete questionnaires about their own psychopathology at age 20. Results Individuals who experienced more early adversity by age 5 had best friends with higher rates of psychopathology at age 20. Moreover, best friends’ psychopathology predicted target youth depressive symptoms two to five years later. Conclusions Results indicate that early adversity continues to affect social functioning throughout young adulthood, and that best friendships marked by elevated psychopathology in turn negatively affect mental health. Findings have implications for clinical interventions designed to prevent the development of depressive symptoms in youth who have been exposed to early adversity. PMID:24871609

Alkaloids in the human food chain--natural occurrence and possible adverse effects.

PubMed

Koleva, Irina I; van Beek, Teris A; Soffers, Ans E M F; Dusemund, Birgit; Rietjens, Ivonne M C M

2012-01-01

Alkaloid-containing plants are an intrinsic part of the regular Western diet. The present paper summarizes the occurrence of alkaloids in the food chain, their mode of action and possible adverse effects including a safety assessment. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are a reason for concern because of their bioactivation to reactive alkylating intermediates. Several quinolizidine alkaloids, β-carboline alkaloids, ergot alkaloids and steroid alkaloids are active without bioactivation and mostly act as neurotoxins. Regulatory agencies are aware of the risks and have taken or are considering appropriate regulatory actions for most alkaloids. These vary from setting limits for the presence of a compound in feed, foods and beverages, trying to define safe upper limits, advising on a strategy aiming at restrictions in use, informing the public to be cautious or taking specific plant varieties from the market. For some alkaloids known to be present in the modern food chain, e.g., piperine, nicotine, theobromine, theophylline and tropane alkaloids risks coming from the human food chain are considered to be low if not negligible. Remarkably, for many alkaloids that are known constituents of the modern food chain and of possible concern, tolerable daily intake values have so far not been defined. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A systematic review of the extent, nature and likely causes of preventable adverse events arising from hospital care.

PubMed

Sari, A Akbari; Doshmangir, L; Sheldon, T

2010-01-01

Understanding the nature and causes of medical adverse events may help their prevention. This systematic review explores the types, risk factors, and likely causes of preventable adverse events in the hospital sector. MEDLINE (1970-2008), EMBASE, CINAHL (1970-2005) and the reference lists were used to identify the studies and a structured narrative method used to synthesise the data. Operative adverse events were more common but less preventable and diagnostic adverse events less common but more preventable than other adverse events. Preventable adverse events were often associated with more than one contributory factor. The majority of adverse events were linked to individual human error, and a significant proportion of these caused serious patient harm. Equipment failure was involved in a small proportion of adverse events and rarely caused patient harm. The proportion of system failures varied widely ranging from 3% to 85% depending on the data collection and classification methods used. Operative adverse events are more common but less preventable than diagnostic adverse events. Adverse events are usually associated with more than one contributory factor, the majority are linked to individual human error, and a proportion of these with system failure.

42 CFR 456.136 - Notification of adverse decision.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Notification of adverse decision. 456.136 Section 456.136 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN...) through (h) is sent to— (a) The hospital administrator; (b) The attending physician; (c) The Medicaid...

42 CFR 456.136 - Notification of adverse decision.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Notification of adverse decision. 456.136 Section 456.136 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN...) through (h) is sent to— (a) The hospital administrator; (b) The attending physician; (c) The Medicaid...

Children of Misfortune: Early Adversity and Cumulative Inequality in Perceived Life Trajectories1

PubMed Central

Schafer, Markus H.; Ferraro, Kenneth F.; Mustillo, Sarah A.

2011-01-01

Adversity early in life may alter pathways of aging, but what interpretive processes can soften the blow of early insults? Drawing from cumulative inequality theory, the authors analyze trajectories of life evaluations and then consider whether early adversity offsets favorable expectations for the future. Results reveal that early adversity contributes to more negative views of the past but rising expectations for the future. Early adversity also has enduring effects on life evaluations, offsetting the influence of buoyant expectations. The findings draw attention to the limits of human agency under the constraints of early adversity—a process described as biographical structuration. PMID:21648247

Vaccine Adverse Events

MedlinePlus

... use in the primary immunization series in infants Report Adverse Event Report a Vaccine Adverse Event Contact FDA (800) 835- ... back to top Popular Content Home Latest Recalls Report an Adverse Event MedWatch Safety Alerts News Releases ...

42 CFR 456.237 - Notification of adverse decision.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Notification of adverse decision. 456.237 Section 456.237 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN... § 456.236 (f) through (h) is sent to— (a) The hospital administrator; (b) The attending or staff...

40 CFR 230.75 - Actions affecting plant and animal populations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Actions affecting plant and animal... Actions To Minimize Adverse Effects § 230.75 Actions affecting plant and animal populations. Minimization of adverse effects on populations of plants and animals can be achieved by: (a) Avoiding changes in...

40 CFR 230.75 - Actions affecting plant and animal populations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Actions affecting plant and animal... Actions To Minimize Adverse Effects § 230.75 Actions affecting plant and animal populations. Minimization of adverse effects on populations of plants and animals can be achieved by: (a) Avoiding changes in...

40 CFR 230.75 - Actions affecting plant and animal populations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 25 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Actions affecting plant and animal... Actions To Minimize Adverse Effects § 230.75 Actions affecting plant and animal populations. Minimization of adverse effects on populations of plants and animals can be achieved by: (a) Avoiding changes in...

40 CFR 230.75 - Actions affecting plant and animal populations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2012-07-01 2011-07-01 true Actions affecting plant and animal... Actions To Minimize Adverse Effects § 230.75 Actions affecting plant and animal populations. Minimization of adverse effects on populations of plants and animals can be achieved by: (a) Avoiding changes in...

Human footprint affects US carbon balance more than climate change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bachelet, Dominique; Ferschweiler, Ken; Sheehan, Tim; Baker, Barry; Sleeter, Benjamin M.; Zhu, Zhiliang

2017-01-01

The MC2 model projects an overall increase in carbon capture in conterminous United States during the 21st century while also simulating a rise in fire causing much carbon loss. Carbon sequestration in soils is critical to prevent carbon losses from future disturbances, and we show that natural ecosystems store more carbon belowground than managed systems do. Natural and human-caused disturbances affect soil processes that shape ecosystem recovery and competitive interactions between native, exotics, and climate refugees. Tomorrow's carbon budgets will depend on how land use, natural disturbances, and climate variability will interact and affect the balance between carbon capture and release.

The association between adverse childhood experiences and adult traumatic brain injury/concussion: a scoping review.

PubMed

Ma, Zechen; Bayley, Mark T; Perrier, Laure; Dhir, Priya; Dépatie, Lana; Comper, Paul; Ruttan, Lesley; Lay, Christine; Munce, Sarah E P

2018-01-12

Adverse childhood experiences are significant risk factors for physical and mental illnesses in adulthood. Traumatic brain injury/concussion is a challenging condition where pre-injury factors may affect recovery. The association between childhood adversity and traumatic brain injury/concussion has not been previously reviewed. The research question addressed is: What is known from the existing literature about the association between adverse childhood experiences and traumatic brain injury/concussion in adults? All original studies of any type published in English since 2007 on adverse childhood experiences and traumatic brain injury/concussion outcomes were included. The literature search was conducted in multiple electronic databases. Arksey and O'Malley and Levac et al.'s scoping review frameworks were used. Two reviewers independently completed screening and data abstraction. The review yielded six observational studies. Included studies were limited to incarcerated or homeless samples, and individuals at high-risk of or with mental illnesses. Across studies, methods for childhood adversity and traumatic brain injury/concussion assessment were heterogeneous. A positive association between adverse childhood experiences and traumatic brain injury occurrence was identified. The review highlights the importance of screening and treatment of adverse childhood experiences. Future research should extend to the general population and implications on injury recovery. Implications for rehabilitation Exposure to adverse childhood experiences is associated with increased risk of traumatic brain injury. Specific types of adverse childhood experiences associated with risk of traumatic brain injury include childhood physical abuse, psychological abuse, household member incarceration, and household member drug abuse. Clinicians and researchers should inquire about adverse childhood experiences in all people with traumatic brain injury as pre-injury health conditions can

Tickling, a Technique for Inducing Positive Affect When Handling Rats.

PubMed

Cloutier, Sylvie; LaFollette, Megan R; Gaskill, Brianna N; Panksepp, Jaak; Newberry, Ruth C

2018-05-08

Handling small animals such as rats can lead to several adverse effects. These include the fear of humans, resistance to handling, increased injury risk for both the animals and the hands of their handlers, decreased animal welfare, and less valid research data. To minimize negative effects on experimental results and human-animal relationships, research animals are often habituated to being handled. However, the methods of habituation are highly variable and often of limited effectiveness. More potently, it is possible for humans to mimic aspects of the animals' playful rough-and-tumble behavior during handling. When applied to laboratory rats in a systematic manner, this playful handling, referred to as tickling, consistently gives rise to positive behavioral responses. This article provides a detailed description of a standardized rat tickling technique. This method can contribute to future investigations into positive affective states in animals, make it easier to handle rats for common husbandry activities such as cage changing or medical/research procedures such as injection, and be implemented as a source of social enrichment. It is concluded that this method can be used to efficiently and practicably reduce rats' fearfulness of humans and improve their welfare, as well as reliably model positive affective states.

Putative adverse outcome pathways relevant to neurotoxicity

PubMed Central

Bal-Price, Anna; Crofton, Kevin M.; Sachana, Magdalini; Shafer, Timothy J.; Behl, Mamta; Forsby, Anna; Hargreaves, Alan; Landesmann, Brigitte; Lein, Pamela J.; Louisse, Jochem; Monnet-Tschudi, Florianne; Paini, Alicia; Rolaki, Alexandra; Schrattenholz, André; Suñol, Cristina; van Thriel, Christoph; Whelan, Maurice; Fritsche, Ellen

2016-01-01

The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework provides a template that facilitates understanding of complex biological systems and the pathways of toxicity that result in adverse outcomes (AOs). The AOP starts with an molecular initiating event (MIE) in which a chemical interacts with a biological target(s), followed by a sequential series of KEs, which are cellular, anatomical, and/or functional changes in biological processes, that ultimately result in an AO manifest in individual organisms and populations. It has been developed as a tool for a knowledge-based safety assessment that relies on understanding mechanisms of toxicity, rather than simply observing its adverse outcome. A large number of cellular and molecular processes are known to be crucial to proper development and function of the central (CNS) and peripheral nervous systems (PNS). However, there are relatively few examples of well-documented pathways that include causally linked MIEs and KEs that result in adverse outcomes in the CNS or PNS. As a first step in applying the AOP framework to adverse health outcomes associated with exposure to exogenous neurotoxic substances, the EU Reference Laboratory for Alternatives to Animal Testing (EURL ECVAM) organized a workshop (March 2013, Ispra, Italy) to identify potential AOPs relevant to neurotoxic and developmental neurotoxic outcomes. Although the AOPs outlined during the workshop are not fully described, they could serve as a basis for further, more detailed AOP development and evaluation that could be useful to support human health risk assessment in a variety of ways. PMID:25605028

Identification and Prioritization of Relationships between Environmental Stressors and Adverse Human Health Impacts.

PubMed

Bell, Shannon M; Edwards, Stephen W

2015-11-01

There are > 80,000 chemicals in commerce with few data available describing their impacts on human health. Biomonitoring surveys, such as the NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey), offer one route to identifying possible relationships between environmental chemicals and health impacts, but sparse data and the complexity of traditional models make it difficult to leverage effectively. We describe a workflow to efficiently and comprehensively evaluate and prioritize chemical-health impact relationships from the NHANES biomonitoring survey studies. Using a frequent itemset mining (FIM) approach, we identified relationships between chemicals and health biomarkers and diseases. The FIM method identified 7,848 relationships between 219 chemicals and 93 health outcomes/biomarkers. Two case studies used to evaluate the FIM rankings demonstrate that the FIM approach is able to identify published relationships. Because the relationships are derived from the vast majority of the chemicals monitored by NHANES, the resulting list of associations is appropriate for evaluating results from targeted data mining or identifying novel candidate relationships for more detailed investigation. Because of the computational efficiency of the FIM method, all chemicals and health effects can be considered in a single analysis. The resulting list provides a comprehensive summary of the chemical/health co-occurrences from NHANES that are higher than expected by chance. This information enables ranking and prioritization on chemicals or health effects of interest for evaluation of published results and design of future studies. Bell SM, Edwards SW. 2015. Identification and prioritization of relationships between environmental stressors and adverse human health impacts. Environ Health Perspect 123:1193-1199; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409138.

Clinical roundtable monograph. New alternatives in CLL therapy: managing adverse events.

PubMed

Chanan-Khan, Asher; Kipps, Thomas; Stilgenbauer, Stephan

2010-08-01

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a B-cell leukemia mainly affecting older adults. Historically, CLL has been regarded as an incurable disease, and treatment has been confined to cytotoxic chemotherapy regimens. However, prognosis for patients treated with these agents remained poor, prompting the development of new, targeted agents. The introduction of rituximab, a CD20-targeted monoclonal antibody, revolutionized the treatment for this disease. Rituximab in combination with fludarabine improved response rates and length of progression-free survival. The success of rituximab in this setting has prompted the development of many more investigational agents for CLL, including other antibody agents. However, as with any medication, the potential benefit achieved with CLL therapies is mitigated by the safety risk for the patient. These agents have been associated with adverse events such as immunosuppression, reactivation of cytomegalovirus, and infusion-related reactions that can occur with antibody administration. Adverse events can greatly affect the patient’s quality of life and ability to tolerate therapy. Management of adverse events is a critical component of the overall treatment strategy for CLL, particularly in elderly patients. In this clinical roundtable monograph, 3 expert physicians discuss the latest clinical studies evaluating the treatment of CLL, focusing on the adverse events associated with each agent and the potential interventions that can be used to manage their occurrence.

Oocyte cryopreservation and in vitro culture affect calcium signalling during human fertilization.

PubMed

Nikiforaki, D; Vanden Meerschaut, F; Qian, C; De Croo, I; Lu, Y; Deroo, T; Van den Abbeel, E; Heindryckx, B; De Sutter, P

2014-01-01

What are the precise patterns of calcium oscillations during the fertilization of human oocytes matured either in vivo or in vitro or aged in vitro and what is the effect of cryopreservation? Human oocytes matured in vivo exhibit a specific pattern of calcium oscillations, which is affected by in vitro maturation, in vitro ageing and cryopreservation. Oscillations in cytoplasmic calcium concentration are crucial for oocyte activation and further embryonic development. While several studies have described in detail the calcium oscillation pattern during fertilization in animal models, studies with human oocytes are scarce. This was a laboratory-based study using human MII oocytes matured in vivo or in vitro either fresh or after cryopreservation with slow freezing or vitrification. Altogether, 205 human oocytes were included in the analysis. In vivo and in vitro matured human oocytes were used for this research either fresh or following vitrification/warming (V/W) and slow freezing/thawing (F/T). Human oocytes were obtained following written informed consent from patients undergoing ovarian hyperstimulation. For the calcium pattern analysis, oocytes were loaded with the ratiometric calcium indicator fluorescent dye Fura-2. Following ICSI using sperm from a single donor, intracellular calcium was measured for 16 h at 37°C under 6% CO(2). The calcium oscillation parameters were calculated for all intact oocytes that showed calcium oscillations and were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U-test. Human in vivo MII oocytes display a specific pattern of calcium oscillations following ICSI. This pattern is significantly affected by in vitro ageing, with the calcium oscillations occurring over a longer period of time and with a lower frequency, shorter duration and higher amplitude (P < 0.05). In vitro matured oocytes from the GV and MI stage exhibit a different pattern of calcium oscillations with calcium transients being of lower frequency and shorter duration compared with

Tumor SHB gene expression affects disease characteristics in human acute myeloid leukemia.

PubMed

Jamalpour, Maria; Li, Xiujuan; Cavelier, Lucia; Gustafsson, Karin; Mostoslavsky, Gustavo; Höglund, Martin; Welsh, Michael

2017-10-01

The mouse Shb gene coding for the Src Homology 2-domain containing adapter protein B has recently been placed in context of BCRABL1-induced myeloid leukemia in mice and the current study was performed in order to relate SHB to human acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Publicly available AML databases were mined for SHB gene expression and patient survival. SHB gene expression was determined in the Uppsala cohort of AML patients by qPCR. Cell proliferation was determined after SHB gene knockdown in leukemic cell lines. Despite a low frequency of SHB gene mutations, many tumors overexpressed SHB mRNA compared with normal myeloid blood cells. AML patients with tumors expressing low SHB mRNA displayed longer survival times. A subgroup of AML exhibiting a favorable prognosis, acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with a PMLRARA translocation, expressed less SHB mRNA than AML tumors in general. When examining genes co-expressed with SHB in AML tumors, four other genes ( PAX5, HDAC7, BCORL1, TET1) related to leukemia were identified. A network consisting of these genes plus SHB was identified that relates to certain phenotypic characteristics, such as immune cell, vascular and apoptotic features. SHB knockdown in the APL PMLRARA cell line NB4 and the monocyte/macrophage cell line MM6 adversely affected proliferation, linking SHB gene expression to tumor cell expansion and consequently to patient survival. It is concluded that tumor SHB gene expression relates to AML survival and its subgroup APL. Moreover, this gene is included in a network of genes that plays a role for an AML phenotype exhibiting certain immune cell, vascular and apoptotic characteristics.

SARDA HITL Preliminary Human Factors Measures and Analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hyashi, Miwa; Dulchinos, Victoria

2012-01-01

Human factors data collected during the SARDA HITL Simulation Experiment include a variety of subjective measures, including the NASA TLX, questionnaire questions regarding situational awareness, advisory usefulness, UI usability, and controller trust. Preliminary analysis of the TLX data indicate that workload may not be adversely affected by use of the advisories, additionally, the controller's subjective ratings of the advisories may suggest acceptance of the tool.

Triclosan and bisphenol a affect decidualization of human endometrial stromal cells.

PubMed

Forte, Maurizio; Mita, Luigi; Cobellis, Luigi; Merafina, Verdiana; Specchio, Raffaella; Rossi, Sergio; Mita, Damiano Gustavo; Mosca, Lavinia; Castaldi, Maria Antonietta; De Falco, Maria; Laforgia, Vincenza; Crispi, Stefania

2016-02-15

In recent years, impaired fertility and endometrium related diseases are increased. Many evidences suggest that environmental pollution might be considered a risk factor for endometrial physiopathology. Among environmental pollutants, endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) act on endocrine system, causing hormonal imbalance which, in turn, leads to female and male reproductive dysfunctions. In this work, we studied the effects of triclosan (TCL) and bisphenol A (BPA), two widespread EDCs, on human endometrial stromal cells (ESCs), derived from endometrial biopsies from woman not affected by endometriosis. Cell proliferation, cell cycle, migration and decidualization mechanisms were investigated. Treatments have been performed with both the EDCs separately or in presence and in absence of progesterone used as decidualization stimulus. Both TCL and BPA did not affect cell proliferation, but they arrested ESCs at G2/M phase of cell cycle enhancing cell migration. TCL and BPA also increased gene expression and protein levels of some decidualization markers, such as insulin growth factor binding protein 1 (IGFBP1) and prolactin (PRL), amplifying the effect of progesterone alone. All together, our data strongly suggest that TCL and BPA might alter human endometrium physiology so affecting fertility and pregnancy outcome. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adaptation options for wheat in Europe will be limited by increased adverse weather events under climate change.

PubMed

Trnka, Miroslav; Hlavinka, Petr; Semenov, Mikhail A

2015-11-06

Ways of increasing the production of wheat, the most widely grown cereal crop, will need to be found to meet the increasing demand caused by human population growth in the coming decades. This increase must occur despite the decrease in yield gains now being reported in some regions, increased price volatility and the expected increase in the frequency of adverse weather events that can reduce yields. However, if and how the frequency of adverse weather events will change over Europe, the most important wheat-growing area, has not yet been analysed. Here, we show that the accumulated probability of 11 adverse weather events with the potential to significantly reduce yield will increase markedly across all of Europe. We found that by the end of the century, the exposure of the key European wheat-growing areas, where most wheat production is currently concentrated, may increase more than twofold. However, if we consider the entire arable land area of Europe, a greater than threefold increase in risk was predicted. Therefore, shifting wheat production to new producing regions to reduce the risk might not be possible as the risk of adverse events beyond the key wheat-growing areas increases even more. Furthermore, we found a marked increase in wheat exposure to high temperatures, severe droughts and field inaccessibility compared with other types of adverse events. Our results also showed the limitations of some of the presently debated adaptation options and demonstrated the need for development of region-specific strategies. Other regions of the world could be affected by adverse weather events in the future in a way different from that considered here for Europe. This observation emphasizes the importance of conducting similar analyses for other major wheat regions. © 2015 The Authors.

Adaptation options for wheat in Europe will be limited by increased adverse weather events under climate change

PubMed Central

Trnka, Miroslav; Hlavinka, Petr; Semenov, Mikhail A.

2015-01-01

Ways of increasing the production of wheat, the most widely grown cereal crop, will need to be found to meet the increasing demand caused by human population growth in the coming decades. This increase must occur despite the decrease in yield gains now being reported in some regions, increased price volatility and the expected increase in the frequency of adverse weather events that can reduce yields. However, if and how the frequency of adverse weather events will change over Europe, the most important wheat-growing area, has not yet been analysed. Here, we show that the accumulated probability of 11 adverse weather events with the potential to significantly reduce yield will increase markedly across all of Europe. We found that by the end of the century, the exposure of the key European wheat-growing areas, where most wheat production is currently concentrated, may increase more than twofold. However, if we consider the entire arable land area of Europe, a greater than threefold increase in risk was predicted. Therefore, shifting wheat production to new producing regions to reduce the risk might not be possible as the risk of adverse events beyond the key wheat-growing areas increases even more. Furthermore, we found a marked increase in wheat exposure to high temperatures, severe droughts and field inaccessibility compared with other types of adverse events. Our results also showed the limitations of some of the presently debated adaptation options and demonstrated the need for development of region-specific strategies. Other regions of the world could be affected by adverse weather events in the future in a way different from that considered here for Europe. This observation emphasizes the importance of conducting similar analyses for other major wheat regions. PMID:26577595

Contribution of new technologies to characterization and prediction of adverse effects.

PubMed

Rouquié, David; Heneweer, Marjoke; Botham, Jane; Ketelslegers, Hans; Markell, Lauren; Pfister, Thomas; Steiling, Winfried; Strauss, Volker; Hennes, Christa

2015-02-01

Identification of the potential hazards of chemicals has traditionally relied on studies in laboratory animals where changes in clinical pathology and histopathology compared to untreated controls defined an adverse effect. In the past decades, increased consistency in the definition of adversity with chemically-induced effects in laboratory animals, as well as in the assessment of human relevance has been reached. More recently, a paradigm shift in toxicity testing has been proposed, mainly driven by concerns over animal welfare but also thanks to the development of new methods. Currently, in vitro approaches, toxicogenomic technologies and computational tools, are available to provide mechanistic insight in toxicological Mode of Action (MOA) of the adverse effects observed in laboratory animals. The vision described as Tox21c (Toxicity Testing in the 21st century) aims at predicting in vivo toxicity using a bottom-up-approach, starting with understanding of MOA based on in vitro data to ultimately predict adverse effects in humans. At present, a practical application of the Tox21c vision is still far away. While moving towards toxicity prediction based on in vitro data, a stepwise reduction of in vivo testing is foreseen by combining in vitro with in vivo tests. Furthermore, newly developed methods will also be increasingly applied, in conjunction with established methods in order to gain trust in these new methods. This confidence is based on a critical scientific prerequisite: the establishment of a causal link between data obtained with new technologies and adverse effects manifested in repeated-dose in vivo toxicity studies. It is proposed to apply the principles described in the WHO/IPCS framework of MOA to obtain this link. Finally, an international database of known MOAs obtained in laboratory animals using data-rich chemicals will facilitate regulatory acceptance and could further help in the validation of the toxicity pathway and adverse outcome pathway

Increased titres of anti-human heat shock protein 60 predict an adverse one year prognosis in patients with acute cardiac chest pain

PubMed Central

Birnie, D H; Vickers, L E; Hillis, W S; Norrie, J; Cobbe, S M

2005-01-01

Objective: To assess whether antibodies to human heat shock protein 60 (anti-huhsp60) or to mycobacterial heat shock protein 65 (anti-mhsp65) predict an adverse one year prognosis in patients admitted with acute cardiac chest pain. Design: Prospective observational study. Setting: Teaching hospital. Patients: 588 consecutive emergency admissions of patients with acute chest pain of suspected cardiac origin. Main outcome measures: Anti-huhsp60 and anti-mhsp65 titres were assayed on samples drawn on the morning after admission. The end points after discharge were coronary heart disease death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass grafting, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, angiogram, or readmission with further cardiac ischaemic chest pain. Results: During follow up after discharge (mean of 304 days, range 1–788 days), 277 patients had at least one of the study outcomes. Patients with increased titres of anti-huhsp60 had an adverse prognosis (hazard ratio 1.56 (95% confidence interval 1.09 to 2.23) comparing highest versus lowest quartiles, p  =  0.015). Anti-mhsp65 titres were not predictive. Conclusions: Patients admitted with acute cardiac chest pain and increased titres of anti-huhsp60 had an adverse one year prognosis. PMID:16103543

A cross-cultural longitudinal examination of the effect of cumulative adversity on the mental and physical health of older adults.

PubMed

Palgi, Yuval; Shrira, Amit

2016-03-01

Self-oriented adversity refers to traumatic events that primarily inflict the self, whereas other-oriented adversity refers to events that affect the self by primarily targeting others. The present study aimed to examine whether cultural background moderates the effects of self-oriented and other-oriented adversity on mental and physical health of older adults. Using longitudinal data from the Israeli component of the Survey of Health and Retirement, we focused on 370 Jews and 239 Arabs who reported their exposure to various adversities across the life span, and completed questionnaires regarding mental and physical health. Results showed that the effect of self-oriented adversity on health did not differ among Jews and Arabs. However, other-oriented adversity showed a stronger effect on Arabs' mental and physical health than on Jews' health. Our findings suggest that the accumulation of adverse events that affect the self by primarily targeting others may have a stronger impact in collectivist cultures than in individualist cultures. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

A Cross-Cultural Longitudinal Examination of the Effect of Cumulative Adversity on the Mental and Physical Health of Older Adults

PubMed Central

Palgi, Yuval; Shrira, Amit

2015-01-01

Self-oriented adversity refers to traumatic events that primarily inflict the self, whereas other-oriented adversity refers to events that affect the self by primarily targeting others. The present study aimed to examine whether cultural background moderates the effects of self-oriented and other-oriented adversity on mental and physical health of older adults. Using longitudinal data from the Israeli component of the Survey of Health and Retirement, we focused on 370 Jews and 239 Arabs who reported their exposure to various adversities across the lifespan, and completed questionnaires regarding mental and physical health. Results showed that the effect of self-oriented adversity on health did not differ among Jews and Arabs. However, other-oriented adversity showed a stronger effect on Arabs’ mental and physical health than on Jews’ health. Our findings suggest that the accumulation of adverse events that affect the self by primarily targeting others may have a stronger impact in collectivist cultures than in individualist cultures. PMID:25961862

Threats and changes affecting human relationships with wilderness: Implications for management

Treesearch

Robert G. Dvorak; William T. Borrie; Alan E. Watson

2011-01-01

For wilderness managers, the ability to recognize threats and changing conditions is vital. While these threats are typically associated with resource and social conditions, they can also be investigated relative to wilderness relationships. This paper explores how threats and changes may be affecting human relationships with wilderness and the possible implications...

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTANTS AND ADVERSE HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS: HAZARD IDENTIFICATION USING INTERREGION COMPARISONS

EPA Science Inventory

Background: Associations between adverse health effects and environmental exposures are difficult to study, because exposures may be widespread, low-dose in nature, and common throughout the study population. Therefore, individual risk-factor epidemiology may not be the right to...

Developmental psychoneuroendocrine and psychoneuroimmune pathways from childhood adversity to disease.

PubMed

Kuhlman, Kate Ryan; Chiang, Jessica J; Horn, Sarah; Bower, Julienne E

2017-09-01

Childhood adversity has been repeatedly and robustly linked to physical and mental illness across the lifespan. Yet, the biological pathways through which this occurs remain unclear. Functioning of the inflammatory arm of the immune system and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis are both hypothesized pathways through which childhood adversity leads to disease. This review provides a novel developmental framework for examining the role of adversity type and timing in inflammatory and HPA-axis functioning. In particular, we identify elements of childhood adversity that are salient to the developing organism: physical threat, disrupted caregiving, and unpredictable environmental conditions. We propose that existing, well-characterized animal models may be useful in differentiating the effects of these adversity elements and review both the animal and human literature that supports these ideas. To support these hypotheses, we also provide a detailed description of the development and structure of both the HPA-axis and the inflammatory arm of the immune system, as well as recent methodological advances in their measurement. Recommendations for future basic, developmental, translational, and clinical research are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adverse effects of nickel in transosseous wires and surgical implants: literature review.

PubMed

Nwashindi, A; Dim, E M

2014-01-01

Transosseous wires used in the management of fractures are stainless steel alloys which contain nickel 14.5%, chromium 17.6%, iron 62.5% and molybdenum 2.8%. Gradual disintegration of the transosseous wires release nickel into the blood leading to increase nickel concentration in the blood. Nickel has been found to have some adverse systemic effects on the body. The aim of this paper is to discuss the sources of Nickel in the body as well as the systemic adverse effects of Nickel as a degradation product of stainless steel surgical implants. A study of pertinent literature on nickel as a content of stainless steel alloy used in implant surgery was done, taking note also of other sources of nickel in the body, the toxicokinetics of nickel and the related adverse effects of this metal and its compound in humans. As outcome,the sources of human exposure to nickel,distribution and metabolism of nickel in the body, host responseto stainless steel wires and the adverse effects of nickel in the body are presented. It may be necessary to discourage the use of wires or implants containing nickel in the management of fractures.The need for removal of these implants after they have served their purposes is emphasized.

Physical characteristics of indigestible solids affect emptying from the fasting human stomach.

PubMed Central

Meyer, B; Beglinger, C; Neumayer, M; Stalder, G A

1989-01-01

Gastric emptying of indigestible solids depends on their size. It is not clear whether physical characteristics other than particle size affect emptying of indigestible solids from the fasting human stomach. We studied gastric emptying of three differently shaped particles, (cubes, spheres, rods) of either hard or soft consistency during the fasting state in human volunteers. The shape of indigestible particles did not affect their emptying. The area under the gastric emptying curve (AUC: particles x hour) was for hard cubes 24.7 (2.2), for hard spheres 27.9 (1.6), for hard rods 26.9 (2.7). All soft particles emptied faster than their identically shaped hard counterparts, but there was no difference among the three shapes (AUC for soft cubes: 29.2 (3.0), for soft spheres 32.0 (1.8), for soft rods 34.1 (1.2). If gastric emptying of hard and soft particles was compared independently of their shape, soft particles emptied significantly faster than hard ones: AUC 31.8 (1.2) v 26.5 (1.3) (p less than 0.01). In conclusion, the consistency but not the shape significantly affects gastric emptying. Specific physical characteristics other than size and shape may affect gastric emptying of indigestible particles which may be of importance in the design of drugs. PMID:2599438

Iron fortification adversely affects the gut microbiome, increases pathogen abundance and induces intestinal inflammation in Kenyan infants.

PubMed

Jaeggi, Tanja; Kortman, Guus A M; Moretti, Diego; Chassard, Christophe; Holding, Penny; Dostal, Alexandra; Boekhorst, Jos; Timmerman, Harro M; Swinkels, Dorine W; Tjalsma, Harold; Njenga, Jane; Mwangi, Alice; Kvalsvig, Jane; Lacroix, Christophe; Zimmermann, Michael B

2015-05-01

In-home iron fortification for infants in developing countries is recommended for control of anaemia, but low absorption typically results in >80% of the iron passing into the colon. Iron is essential for growth and virulence of many pathogenic enterobacteria. We determined the effect of high and low dose in-home iron fortification on the infant gut microbiome and intestinal inflammation. We performed two double-blind randomised controlled trials in 6-month-old Kenyan infants (n=115) consuming home-fortified maize porridge daily for 4 months. In the first, infants received a micronutrient powder (MNP) containing 2.5 mg iron as NaFeEDTA or the MNP without iron. In the second, they received a different MNP containing 12.5 mg iron as ferrous fumarate or the MNP without the iron. The primary outcome was gut microbiome composition analysed by 16S pyrosequencing and targeted real-time PCR (qPCR). Secondary outcomes included faecal calprotectin (marker of intestinal inflammation) and incidence of diarrhoea. We analysed the trials separately and combined. At baseline, 63% of the total microbial 16S rRNA could be assigned to Bifidobacteriaceae but there were high prevalences of pathogens, including Salmonella Clostridium difficile, Clostridium perfringens, and pathogenic Escherichia coli. Using pyrosequencing, +FeMNPs increased enterobacteria, particularly Escherichia/Shigella (p=0.048), the enterobacteria/bifidobacteria ratio (p=0.020), and Clostridium (p=0.030). Most of these effects were confirmed using qPCR; for example, +FeMNPs increased pathogenic E. coli strains (p=0.029). +FeMNPs also increased faecal calprotectin (p=0.002). During the trial, 27.3% of infants in +12.5 mgFeMNP required treatment for diarrhoea versus 8.3% in -12.5 mgFeMNP (p=0.092). There were no study-related serious adverse events in either group. In this setting, provision of iron-containing MNPs to weaning infants adversely affects the gut microbiome, increasing pathogen abundance and

Proteome Analysis of Human Sebaceous Follicle Infundibula Extracted from Healthy and Acne-Affected Skin

PubMed Central

Bek-Thomsen, Malene; Lomholt, Hans B.; Scavenius, Carsten; Enghild, Jan J.; Brüggemann, Holger

2014-01-01

Acne vulgaris is a very common disease of the pilosebaceous unit of the human skin. The pathological processes of acne are not fully understood. To gain further insight sebaceous follicular casts were extracted from 18 healthy and 20 acne-affected individuals by cyanoacrylate-gel biopsies and further processed for mass spectrometry analysis, aiming at a proteomic analysis of the sebaceous follicular casts. Human as well as bacterial proteins were identified. Human proteins enriched in acne and normal samples were detected, respectively. Normal follicular casts are enriched in proteins such as prohibitins and peroxiredoxins which are involved in the protection from various stresses, including reactive oxygen species. By contrast, follicular casts extracted from acne-affected skin contained proteins involved in inflammation, wound healing and tissue remodeling. Among the most distinguishing proteins were myeloperoxidase, lactotransferrin, neutrophil elastase inhibitor and surprisingly, vimentin. The most significant biological process among all acne-enriched proteins was ‘response to a bacterium’. Identified bacterial proteins were exclusively from Propionibacterium acnes. The most abundant P. acnes proteins were surface-exposed dermatan sulphate adhesins, CAMP factors, and a so far uncharacterized lipase in follicular casts extracted from normal as well as acne-affected skin. This is a first proteomic study that identified human proteins together with proteins of the skin microbiota in sebaceous follicular casts. PMID:25238151

Does Human Migration Affect International Trade? A Complex-Network Perspective

PubMed Central

Fagiolo, Giorgio; Mastrorillo, Marina

2014-01-01

This paper explores the relationships between international human migration and merchandise trade using a complex-network approach. We firstly compare the topological structure of worldwide networks of human migration and bilateral trade over the period 1960–2000. Next, we ask whether pairs of countries that are more central in the migration network trade more. We show that: (i) the networks of international migration and trade are strongly correlated, and such correlation can be mostly explained by country economic/demographic size and geographical distance; (ii) centrality in the international-migration network boosts bilateral trade; (iii) intensive forms of country centrality are more trade enhancing than their extensive counterparts. Our findings suggest that bilateral trade between any two countries is not only affected by the presence of migrants from either countries, but also by their relative embeddedness in the complex web of corridors making up the network of international human migration. PMID:24828376

Trehalose does not affect the functions of human neutrophils in vitro.

PubMed

Tanaka, Koji; Kawamura, Mikio; Otake, Kohei; Toiyama, Yuji; Okugawa, Yoshinaga; Inoue, Yasuhiro; Uchida, Keiichi; Araki, Toshimitsu; Mohri, Yasuhiko; Kusunoki, Masato

2014-02-01

Trehalose, naturally occurring disaccharide, has been reported to prevent postoperative abdominal adhesions in animal models. We investigated whether trehalose affects the function of human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) in vitro to assess the feasibility of its clinical application as an anti-adhesive barrier. Human PMNs were obtained from 17 healthy volunteers. Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were used for the bacterial infection model, whereas lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interleukin (IL)-1β were used for inflammation induction model. The PMN phagocytosis rates of bacteria and apoptosis/necrosis were assessed on trehalose, maltose, and control media. Cytokines; namely, tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-1α, IL-1Ra, IL-6, and IL-8; and PMN-elastase were measured on each medium in both models. There were no significant differences in the phagocytosis rates, apoptosis/necrosis rates, or levels of all cytokines or PMN-elastase among the three media in the bacterial infection model. There were also no significant differences in the levels of all cytokines and PMN-elastase among the three media in the IL-1β inflammation induction model. PMN-elastase was lower in trehalose and maltose medium after LPS stimulation, at 3 and 24 h. Our results suggest that trehalose does not affect the cellular function, cytokine production, or release of PMN-elastase of human PMNs in an in vitro bacterial infection model.

20170312 - Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework for ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Vascular development commences with de novo assembly of a primary capillary plexus (vasculogenesis) followed by its expansion (angiogenesis) and maturation (angio-adaptation) into a hierarchical system of arteries and veins. These processes are tightly regulated by genetic signals and environmental factors linked to morphogenesis and microphysiology. Gestational exposure to some chemicals disrupts vascular development leading to adverse outcomes. To broadly assess consequences of gestational toxicant exposure on vascular development, an Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework was constructed that integrates data from ToxCast high-throughput screening (HTS) assays with pathway-level information from the literature and public databases. The AOP-based model resolved the ToxCast library (1065 compounds) into a matrix based on several dozen molecular functions critical for developmental angiogenesis. A sample of 38 ToxCast chemicals selected across the matrix tested model performance. Putative vascular disrupting chemical (pVDC) bioactivity was assessed by multiple laboratories utilizing diverse angiogenesis assays, including: transgenic zebrafish, complex human cell co-cultures, engineered microscale systems, and human-synthetic models. The ToxCast pVDC signature predicted vascular disruption in a manner that was chemical-specific and assay-dependent. An AOP for developmental vascular toxicity was constructed that focuses on inhibition of VEGF receptor (VEGFR2). Thi

HLA Association with Drug-Induced Adverse Reactions

PubMed Central

Fan, Wen-Lang; Shiao, Meng-Shin; Hui, Rosaline Chung-Yee; Wang, Chuang-Wei; Chang, Ya-Ching

2017-01-01

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) remain a common and major problem in healthcare. Severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions (SCARs), such as Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS)/toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) with mortality rate ranges from 10% to more than 30%, can be life threatening. A number of recent studies demonstrated that ADRs possess strong genetic predisposition. ADRs induced by several drugs have been shown to have significant associations with specific alleles of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes. For example, hypersensitivity to abacavir, a drug used for treating of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, has been proposed to be associated with allele 57:01 of HLA-B gene (terms HLA-B∗57:01). The incidences of abacavir hypersensitivity are much higher in Caucasians compared to other populations due to various allele frequencies in different ethnic populations. The antithyroid drug- (ATDs- ) induced agranulocytosis are strongly associated with two alleles: HLA-B∗38:02 and HLA-DRB1∗08:03. In addition, HLA-B∗15:02 allele was reported to be related to carbamazepine-induced SJS/TEN, and HLA-B∗57:01 in abacavir hypersensitivity and flucloxacillin induced drug-induced liver injury (DILI). In this review, we summarized the alleles of HLA genes which have been proposed to have association with ADRs caused by different drugs. PMID:29333460

Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework for embryonic ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Vascular development commences with de novo assembly of a primary capillary plexus (vasculogenesis) followed by its expansion (angiogenesis) and maturation (angio-adaptation) into a hierarchical system of arteries and veins. These processes are tightly regulated by genetic signals and environmental factors linked to morphogenesis and microphysiology. Gestational exposure to some chemicals disrupts vascular development leading to adverse outcomes. To broadly assess consequences of gestational toxicant exposure on vascular development, an Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework was constructed that integrates data from ToxCast high-throughput screening (HTS) assays with pathway-level information from the literature and public databases. The AOP-based model resolved the ToxCast library (1065 compounds) into a matrix based on several dozen molecular functions critical for developmental angiogenesis. A sample of 38 ToxCast chemicals selected across the matrix tested model performance. Putative vascular disrupting chemical (pVDC) bioactivity was assessed by multiple laboratories utilizing diverse angiogenesis assays, including: transgenic zebrafish, complex human cell co-cultures, engineered microscale systems, and human-synthetic models. The ToxCast pVDC signature predicted vascular disruption in a manner that was chemical-specific and assay-dependent. An AOP for developmental vascular toxicity was constructed that focuses on inhibition of VEGF receptor (VEGFR2). Thi

Sex differences in the brain response to affective scenes with or without humans.

PubMed

Proverbio, Alice Mado; Adorni, Roberta; Zani, Alberto; Trestianu, Laura

2009-10-01

Recent findings have demonstrated that women might be more reactive than men to viewing painful stimuli (vicarious response to pain), and therefore more empathic [Han, S., Fan, Y., & Mao, L. (2008). Gender difference in empathy for pain: An electrophysiological investigation. Brain Research, 1196, 85-93]. We investigated whether the two sexes differed in their cerebral responses to affective pictures portraying humans in different positive or negative contexts compared to natural or urban scenarios. 440 IAPS slides were presented to 24 Italian students (12 women and 12 men). Half the pictures displayed humans while the remaining scenes lacked visible persons. ERPs were recorded from 128 electrodes and swLORETA (standardized weighted Low-Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography) source reconstruction was performed. Occipital P115 was greater in response to persons than to scenes and was affected by the emotional valence of the human pictures. This suggests that processing of biologically relevant stimuli is prioritized. Orbitofrontal N2 was greater in response to positive than negative human pictures in women but not in men, and not to scenes. A late positivity (LP) to suffering humans far exceeded the response to negative scenes in women but not in men. In both sexes, the contrast suffering-minus-happy humans revealed a difference in the activation of the occipito/temporal, right occipital (BA19), bilateral parahippocampal, left dorsal prefrontal cortex (DPFC) and left amygdala. However, increased right amygdala and right frontal area activities were observed only in women. The humans-minus-scenes contrast revealed a difference in the activation of the middle occipital gyrus (MOG) in men, and of the left inferior parietal (BA40), left superior temporal gyrus (STG, BA38) and right cingulate (BA31) in women (270-290 ms). These data indicate a sex-related difference in the brain response to humans, possibly supporting human empathy.

Emotion dysregulation mediates the relationship between lifetime cumulative adversity and depressive symptomatology.

PubMed

Abravanel, Benjamin T; Sinha, Rajita

2015-02-01

Repeated exposure to stressful events across the lifespan, referred to as cumulative adversity, is a potent risk factor for depression. Research indicates that cumulative adversity detrimentally affects emotion regulation processes, which may represent a pathway linking cumulative adversity to vulnerability to depression. However, empirical evidence that emotion dysregulation mediates the relationship between cumulative adversity and depression is limited, particularly in adult populations. We examined the direct and indirect effects of cumulative adversity on depressive symptomatology in a large community sample of adults (n = 745) who were further characterized by risk status: never-depressed (n = 638) and "at-risk" remitted mood-disordered (n = 107). All participants completed the Cumulative Adversity Inventory (CAI), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Bootstrapped confidence intervals were computed to estimate the indirect effect of emotion dysregulation on the relationship between cumulative adversity and depressive symptomatology and to test whether this indirect effect was moderated by risk status. Emotion dysregulation partially and significantly mediated the relationship between cumulative adversity and depressive symptomatology independent of risk status. Overall, cumulative adversity and emotion dysregulation accounted for 50% of the variance in depressive symptomatology. These findings support the hypothesis that disruption of adaptive emotion regulation processes associated with repeated exposure to stressful life events represents an intrapersonal mechanism linking the experience of adverse events to depression. Our results support the utility of interventions that simultaneously emphasize stress reduction and emotion regulation to treat and prevent depressive vulnerability and pathology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emotion Dysregulation Mediates the Relationship between Lifetime Cumulative Adversity and Depressive Symptomatology

PubMed Central

Abravanel, Benjamin T.; Sinha, Rajita

2014-01-01

Repeated exposure to stressful events across the lifespan, referred to as cumulative adversity, is a potent risk factor for depression. Research indicates that cumulative adversity detrimentally affects emotion regulation processes, which may represent a pathway linking cumulative adversity to vulnerability to depression. However, empirical evidence that emotion dysregulation mediates the relationship between cumulative adversity and depression is limited, particularly in adult populations. We examined the direct and indirect effects of cumulative adversity on depressive symptomatology in a large community sample of adults (n = 745) who were further characterized by risk status: never-depressed (n = 638) and “at-risk” remitted mood-disordered (n = 107). All participants completed the Cumulative Adversity Inventory (CAI), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Bootstrapped confidence intervals were computed to estimate the indirect effect of emotion dysregulation on the relationship between cumulative adversity and depressive symptomatology and to test whether this indirect effect was moderated by risk status. Emotion dysregulation partially and significantly mediated the relationship between cumulative adversity and depressive symptomatology independent of risk status. Overall, cumulative adversity and emotion dysregulation accounted for 50% of the variance in depressive symptomatology. These findings support the hypothesis that disruption of adaptive emotion regulation processes associated with repeated exposure to stressful life events represents an intrapersonal mechanism linking the experience of adverse events to depression. Our results support the utility of interventions that simultaneously emphasize stress reduction and emotion regulation to treat and prevent depressive vulnerability and pathology. PMID:25528603

RotaTeq vaccine adverse events and policy considerations.

PubMed

Geier, David A; King, Paul G; Sykes, Lisa K; Geier, Mark R

2008-03-01

Rotavirus is the leading cause of severe gastroenteritis in children <5 years-old worldwide. On February 3, 2006, the US Food and Drug Administration licensed RotaTeq (Merck and Co.), a bioengineered combination of five human-bovine hybridized reassortment rotaviruses. In August of 2006, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended RotaTeq for routine vaccination of US infants administered orally at the ages 2, 4, and 6 months. An evaluation of data reported to VAERS following the first five quarters of post-marketing surveillance of RotaTeq was undertaken. Trends in adverse events reported following RotaTeq and cost-effectiveness calculations of RotaTeq in the context of the disease burden of rotavirus in the US were examined. From February 3, 2006 through July 31, 2007, a total of 160 (of the 165 reported) intussusception and 11 (of the 16 reported) Kawasaki disease adverse event reports were identified when RotaTeq was administered or co-administered with other vaccines. Time-trend analyses showed that there were significant increases in the total number of intussusception and Kawasaki disease adverse events entered into VAERS in comparison to previous years. These observations, coupled with limited rotavirus disease burden, cost-effectiveness, and potential contact viral transmission concerns, raise serious questions regarding the use of RotaTeq in the US. Healthcare providers should diligently report adverse events following RotaTeq vaccination to VAERS, and those who have experienced a vaccine-associated adverse event should be made aware that they may be eligible for compensation from the no-fault National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP).

Therapeutic effects and adverse drug reactions are affected by icotinib exposure and CYP2C19 and EGFR genotypes in Chinese non-small cell lung cancer patients.

PubMed

Chen, Jia; Zheng, Xin; Liu, Dong-Yang; Zhao, Qian; Wu, Yi-Wen; Tan, Fen-Lai; Wang, Yin-Xiang; Jiang, Ji; Hu, Pei

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate how CYP2C19 affects icotinib and metabolite' exposure, and to determine whether the exposure and EGFR genotype influences survival time, tumor metastasis and adverse drug reactions. 274 NSCLC patients who accepted 125 mg icotinib/t.i.d. were chosen from a phase III study. Blood samples were obtained in 672 nd (4th week) and 1,680 th hours (10th week), and plasma was used to quantify the concentration of icotinib and blood cells were sampled to check the genotypes. Clinical data were also collected at the same time, including EGFR genotypes. Plasma concentrations were assessed by HPLC-MS/MS and genotype by sequencing. All data were analyzed through SPSS 17.0 and SAS 9.2. CYP 2C19 genotypes affected bio-transformation from icotinib to M24 and M26, especially in poor-metabolisers. Higher icotinib concentrations (>1000 ng/mL) not only increased patient PFS and OS but also reduced tumor metastasis. Patients with mutant EGFR experienced a higher median PFS and OS (234 and 627 days), especially those with the 19del genotype demonstrating higher PR ratio. Patients who suffered grade II skin toxicity had a higher icotinib exposure than those with grade I skin toxicity or no adverse effects. Liver toxic reactions might occur in patients with greater M20 and M23 plasma concentrations. CYP2C19 polymorphisms significantly affect icotinib, M24 and M26 exposure. Patients with mutant EGFR genotype and higher icotinib concentration might have increased PFS and OS and lower tumor metastasis. Liver ADR events and serious skin effects might be respectively induced by greater M20, M23 and icotinib concentrations.

Long term effects of early adversity on cognitive function.

PubMed

Richards, M; Wadsworth, M E J

2004-10-01

To investigate long term effects of early adverse circumstances on cognitive function. Associations between early material home circumstances, parental divorce, maternal management and understanding, and cognitive function in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood were analysed using multiple linear regression, controlling for sex, parental SES, and birth order in 1339 males and females from the MRC National Survey of Health and Development. Early adverse circumstances were strongly associated with lower cognitive ability in childhood and adolescence, and were detectable on measures of verbal ability, memory, and speed and concentration in midlife. However, these long term effects were mostly explained by the effects of adversity on childhood or adolescent cognitive ability or by differences in educational attainment and adult social class. An exception was the effect of poor material home conditions on visual search speed at 53 years, which was maintained after controlling for adolescent ability, as well as further control for educational attainment, adult social class, physical growth, cigarette smoking, and affective state. There was no evidence of more rapid decline in memory and psychomotor function across middle age in those exposed to early adversity. The effect of early adversity on cognitive function tracks across the life course at least as far as middle age, although there was little evidence from this study of effect amplification over this interval. Nevertheless, in view of the persistence of child poverty in the industrialised world, these findings give cause for concern.

Diurnal Human Activity and Introduced Species Affect Occurrence of Carnivores in a Human-Dominated Landscape.

PubMed

Moreira-Arce, Dario; Vergara, Pablo M; Boutin, Stan

2015-01-01

Diurnal human activity and domestic dogs in agro-forestry mosaics should theoretically modify the diurnal habitat use patterns of native carnivores, with these effects being scale-dependent. We combined intensive camera trapping data with Bayesian occurrence probability models to evaluate both diurnal and nocturnal patterns of space use by carnivores in a mosaic of land-use types in southern Chile. A total of eight carnivores species were recorded, including human-introduced dogs. During the day the most frequently detected species were the culpeo fox and the cougar. Conversely, during the night, the kodkod and chilla fox were the most detected species. The best supported models showed that native carnivores responded differently to landscape attributes and dogs depending on both the time of day as well as the spatial scale of landscape attributes. The positive effect of native forest cover at 250 m and 500 m radius buffers was stronger during the night for the Darwin's fox and cougar. Road density at 250 m scale negatively affected the diurnal occurrence of Darwin´s fox, whereas at 500 m scale roads had a stronger negative effect on the diurnal occurrence of Darwin´s foxes and cougars. A positive effect of road density on dog occurrence was evidenced during both night and day. Patch size had a positive effect on cougar occurrence during night whereas it affected negatively the occurrence of culpeo foxes and skunks during day. Dog occurrence had a negative effect on Darwin's fox occurrence during day-time and night-time, whereas its negative effect on the occurrence of cougar was evidenced only during day-time. Carnivore occurrences were not influenced by the proximity to a conservation area. Our results provided support for the hypothesis that diurnal changes to carnivore occurrence were associated with human and dog activity. Landscape planning in our study area should be focused in reducing both the levels of diurnal human activity in native forest remnants

Diurnal Human Activity and Introduced Species Affect Occurrence of Carnivores in a Human-Dominated Landscape

PubMed Central

Moreira-Arce, Dario; Vergara, Pablo M.; Boutin, Stan

2015-01-01

Diurnal human activity and domestic dogs in agro-forestry mosaics should theoretically modify the diurnal habitat use patterns of native carnivores, with these effects being scale-dependent. We combined intensive camera trapping data with Bayesian occurrence probability models to evaluate both diurnal and nocturnal patterns of space use by carnivores in a mosaic of land-use types in southern Chile. A total of eight carnivores species were recorded, including human-introduced dogs. During the day the most frequently detected species were the culpeo fox and the cougar. Conversely, during the night, the kodkod and chilla fox were the most detected species. The best supported models showed that native carnivores responded differently to landscape attributes and dogs depending on both the time of day as well as the spatial scale of landscape attributes. The positive effect of native forest cover at 250m and 500 m radius buffers was stronger during the night for the Darwin's fox and cougar. Road density at 250m scale negatively affected the diurnal occurrence of Darwin´s fox, whereas at 500m scale roads had a stronger negative effect on the diurnal occurrence of Darwin´s foxes and cougars. A positive effect of road density on dog occurrence was evidenced during both night and day. Patch size had a positive effect on cougar occurrence during night whereas it affected negatively the occurrence of culpeo foxes and skunks during day. Dog occurrence had a negative effect on Darwin's fox occurrence during day-time and night-time, whereas its negative effect on the occurrence of cougar was evidenced only during day-time. Carnivore occurrences were not influenced by the proximity to a conservation area. Our results provided support for the hypothesis that diurnal changes to carnivore occurrence were associated with human and dog activity. Landscape planning in our study area should be focused in reducing both the levels of diurnal human activity in native forest remnants and

Adverse-event profile of Crataegus spp.: a systematic review.

PubMed

Daniele, Claudia; Mazzanti, Gabriela; Pittler, Max H; Ernst, Edzard

2006-01-01

Crataegus spp. (hawthorn) monopreparations are predominantly used for treating congestive heart failure. The effectiveness of hawthorn preparations (flowers with leaves; berries) is documented in a number of clinical studies, reviews and meta-analyses. The aim of this article is to assess the safety data of all available human studies on hawthorn monopreparations. Systematic searches were conducted on MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED, The Cochrane Library, the UK National Research Register and the US ClinicalTrials.gov (up to January 2005). Data were requested from the spontaneous reporting scheme of the WHO. Hand searches were also conducted in a sample of relevant medical journals, conference proceedings, reference lists of identified articles and our own files. Eight manufacturers of hawthorn-containing preparations were contacted and asked to supply any information on adverse events or drug interactions. Data from all clinical studies and reports were assessed. Only human studies on monopreparations were included. Data from hawthorn-containing combination preparations and homeopathic preparations were excluded. All studies were read and evaluated by one reviewer and independently verified by at least one additional reviewer.Twenty-nine clinical studies were identified, of which 24 met our inclusion criteria. A total of 7311 patients were enrolled, and data from 5,577 patients were available for analysis. The daily dose and duration of treatment with hawthorn monopreparations ranged from 160 to 1,800 mg and from 3 to 24 weeks, respectively. The extracts most used in the clinical trials were WS 1,442 (extract of hawthorn standardised to 18.75% oligomeric procyanidins) and LI 132 (extract of hawthorn standardised to 2.25% flavonoids). Overall, 166 adverse events were reported. Most of these adverse events were, in general, mild to moderate; eight severe adverse events have been reported with the LI 132 extract. The most frequent adverse events were dizziness/vertigo (n = 15

Adverse Reactions to Field Vaccination Against Lumpy Skin Disease in Jordan.

PubMed

Abutarbush, S M; Hananeh, W M; Ramadan, W; Al Sheyab, O M; Alnajjar, A R; Al Zoubi, I G; Knowles, N J; Bachanek-Bankowska, K; Tuppurainen, E S M

2016-04-01

Lumpy skin disease (LSD) is an emerging disease in the Middle East region and has been recently reported in Jordan. The aim of this study was to investigate the adverse reactions that were reported after vaccine administration. Geographical areas enrolled in the study were free of the disease and away from the outbreak governorate. Sixty-three dairy cattle farms, with a total of 19,539 animals, were included in the study. Of those, 56 farms reported adverse clinical signs after vaccine administration. The duration between vaccine administration and appearance of adverse clinical signs ranged from 1 to 20 days (Mean = 10.3, SD ± 3.9). Clinical signs were similar to those observed with natural cases of lumpy skin disease. These were mainly fever, decreased feed intake, decreased milk production and variable sized cutaneous nodules (a few millimetres to around 2 cm in diameter) that could be seen anywhere on the body (head, neck, trunk, perineum), udder, and/or teats. Nodules were raised and firm initially and then formed dry scabs that could be peeled off the skin. The characteristic deep 'sit fast' appearance was rarely seen and most lesions were superficial. Some cattle had swollen lymph nodes, while a few pregnant animals aborted. The percentage of affected cattle ranged from 0.3 to 25% (Mean = 8, SD ± 5.1). Fever, decreased feed intake, and decreased milk production were seen in 83.9, 85.7, and 94.6% in cattle on the affected farms, respectively. All affected cattle displayed skin nodules over their entire bodies, while 33.9 and 7.1% of the affected farms reported nodular lesions present on the udders and teats, respectively. No mortalities were reported due to vaccine adverse reactions. Duration (course) of clinical signs ranged from 3 to 20 days (Mean = 13.7, SD ± 4.1). Two types of LSD vaccines were used by the farmers in this study. The first one was a sheep pox virus (SPPV) vaccine derived from the RM65 isolate [Jovivac, manufactured by Jordan

Inequality in Landownership, the Emergence of Human-Capital Promoting Institutions, and the Great Divergence

PubMed Central

GALOR, ODED; MOAV, OMER; VOLLRATH, DIETRICH

2013-01-01

This paper suggests that inequality in the distribution of landownership adversely affected the emergence of human-capital promoting institutions (e.g. public schooling), and thus the pace and the nature of the transition from an agricultural to an industrial economy, contributing to the emergence of the great divergence in income per capita across countries. The prediction of the theory regarding the adverse effect of the concentration of landownership on education expenditure is established empirically based on evidence from the beginning of the 20th century in the U.S. PMID:23946551

The Human Experience With Ghrelin Administration

PubMed Central

Garin, Margaret C.; Burns, Carrie M.; Kaul, Shailja

2013-01-01

Context: Ghrelin is an endogenous stimulator of GH and is implicated in a number of physiological processes. Clinical trials have been performed in a variety of patient populations, but there is no comprehensive review of the beneficial and adverse consequences of ghrelin administration to humans. Evidence Acquisition: PubMed was utilized, and the reference list of each article was screened. We included 121 published articles in which ghrelin was administered to humans. Evidence Synthesis: Ghrelin has been administered as an infusion or a bolus in a variety of doses to 1850 study participants, including healthy participants and patients with obesity, prior gastrectomy, cancer, pituitary disease, diabetes mellitus, eating disorders, and other conditions. There is strong evidence that ghrelin stimulates appetite and increases circulating GH, ACTH, cortisol, prolactin, and glucose across varied patient populations. There is a paucity of evidence regarding the effects of ghrelin on LH, FSH, TSH, insulin, lipolysis, body composition, cardiac function, pulmonary function, the vasculature, and sleep. Adverse effects occurred in 20% of participants, with a predominance of flushing and gastric rumbles and a mild degree of severity. The few serious adverse events occurred in patients with advanced illness and were not clearly attributable to ghrelin. Route of administration may affect the pattern of adverse effects. Conclusions: Existing literature supports the short-term safety of ghrelin administration and its efficacy as an appetite stimulant in diverse patient populations. There is some evidence to suggest that ghrelin has wider ranging therapeutic effects, although these areas require further investigation. PMID:23533240

Guanfacine Attenuates Adverse Effects of Dronabinol (THC) on Working Memory in Adolescent-Onset Heavy Cannabis Users: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Mathai, David S; Holst, Manuela; Rodgman, Christopher; Haile, Colin N; Keller, Jake; Hussain, Mariyah Z; Kosten, Thomas R; Newton, Thomas F; Verrico, Christopher D

2018-01-01

The cannabinoid-1 receptor (CB1R) agonist Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, adversely effects working memory performance in humans. The α2A-adrenoceptor (AR) agonist guanfacine improves working memory performance in humans. The authors aimed to determine the effects of short-term (6 days) treatment with guanfacine on adverse cognitive effects produced by THC. Employing a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design, the cognitive, subjective, and cardiovascular effects produced by oral THC (20 mg) administration were determined twice in the same cannabis users: once after treatment with placebo and once after treatment with guanfacine (3 mg/day). Compared with performance at baseline, THC negatively affected accuracy on spatial working memory trials while participants were maintained on placebo (p=0.012) but not guanfacine (p=0.497); compared with placebo, accuracy was significantly (p=0.003, Cohen's d=-0.640) improved while individuals were treated with guanfacine. Similarly, compared with baseline, THC increased omission errors on an attentional task while participants were maintained on placebo (p=0.017) but not on guanfacine (p=0.709); compared with placebo, there were significantly (p=0.034, Cohen's d=0.838) fewer omissions while individuals were maintained on guanfacine. Although THC increased visual analog scores of subjective effects and heart rate, these increases were similar during treatment with placebo and guanfacine. THC did not significantly affect performance of a recognition memory task or blood pressure while individuals were maintained on either treatment. Although preliminary, these results suggest that guanfacine warrants further testing as a potential treatment for cannabis-induced cognitive deficits.

Endocrine active agents: implications of adverse and non-adverse changes.

PubMed

Foster, Paul M D; McIntyre, Barry S

2002-01-01

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently in the process of developing screening and testing methodologies for the assessment of agents that may possess endocrine-like activity--the so-called endocrine disruptors. Moreover, the EPA has signaled its intention of placing information arising from such studies on the worldwide web. This has created significant interest in how such information may be used in risk assessment and by policymakers and the public in the potential regulation or deselection of specific chemical agents. The construction of lists of endocrine disruptors, although fulfilling the requirements of some parties, is really of little use when the nature of the response, the dose level employed, and the lifestage of the test species used are not given. Thus, we have already seen positive in vitro information available on the interaction with a receptor being used as a key indicator when the results of large, high quality in vivo studies showing no adverse changes have been ignored. Clearly a number of in vitro systems are available to ascertain chemical interaction with specific (mainly steroid) hormone receptors including a number of reporter gene assays. These assays only provide indicators of potential problems and should not be, in isolation, indicators of toxicity. Likewise, short-term in vivo screens such as the uterotrophic and Hershberger studies are frequently conducted in castrated animals and thus indicate the potential for a pharmacological response in vivo rather than an adverse effect. A number of new end points have been added to standard rodent testing protocols in the belief of providing more sensitivity to detect endocrine related changes. These include the measurement of anogenital distance (AGD), developmental landmarks [vaginal opening (VO), preputial separation (PPS)], and in some studies the counting of nipples and areolae on males. AGD, VO, and PPS are all affected by the size of the pup in which they are measured

Lost in translation: preclinical studies on 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine provide information on mechanisms of action, but do not allow accurate prediction of adverse events in humans

PubMed Central

Green, AR; King, MV; Shortall, SE; Fone, KCF

2012-01-01

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) induces both acute adverse effects and long-term neurotoxic loss of brain 5-HT neurones in laboratory animals. However, when choosing doses, most preclinical studies have paid little attention to the pharmacokinetics of the drug in humans or animals. The recreational use of MDMA and current clinical investigations of the drug for therapeutic purposes demand better translational pharmacology to allow accurate risk assessment of its ability to induce adverse events. Recent pharmacokinetic studies on MDMA in animals and humans are reviewed and indicate that the risks following MDMA ingestion should be re-evaluated. Acute behavioural and body temperature changes result from rapid MDMA-induced monoamine release, whereas long-term neurotoxicity is primarily caused by metabolites of the drug. Therefore acute physiological changes in humans are fairly accurately mimicked in animals by appropriate dosing, although allometric dosing calculations have little value. Long-term changes require MDMA to be metabolized in a similar manner in experimental animals and humans. However, the rate of metabolism of MDMA and its major metabolites is slower in humans than rats or monkeys, potentially allowing endogenous neuroprotective mechanisms to function in a species specific manner. Furthermore acute hyperthermia in humans probably limits the chance of recreational users ingesting sufficient MDMA to produce neurotoxicity, unlike in the rat. MDMA also inhibits the major enzyme responsible for its metabolism in humans thereby also assisting in preventing neurotoxicity. These observations question whether MDMA alone produces long-term 5-HT neurotoxicity in human brain, although when taken in combination with other recreational drugs it may induce neurotoxicity. LINKED ARTICLES This article is commented on by Parrott, pp. 1518–1520 of this issue. To view this commentary visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1476-5381.2012.01941.x and to view the the

Industrial wind turbines and adverse health effects.

PubMed

Jeffery, Roy D; Krogh, Carmen M E; Horner, Brett

2014-01-01

Some people living in the environs of industrial wind turbines (IWTs) report experiencing adverse health and socioeconomic effects. This review considers the hypothesis that annoyance from audible IWTs is the cause of these adverse health effects. We searched PubMed and Google Scholar for articles published since 2000 that included the terms "wind turbine health," "wind turbine infrasound," "wind turbine annoyance," "noise annoyance" or "low frequency noise" in the title or abstract. Industrial wind turbines produce sound that is perceived to be more annoying than other sources of sound. Reported effects from exposure to IWTs are consistent with well-known stress effects from persistent unwanted sound. If placed too close to residents, IWTs can negatively affect the physical, mental and social well-being of people. There is sufficient evidence to support the conclusion that noise from audible IWTs is a potential cause of health effects. Inaudible low-frequency noise and infrasound from IWTs cannot be ruled out as plausible causes of health effects.

The impact of childhood adversities on anxiety and depressive disorders in adulthood.

PubMed

Marackova, Marketa; Prasko, Jan; Matousek, Stanislav; Latalova, Klara; Hruby, Radovan; Holubova, Michaela; Slepecky, Milos; Vrbova, Kristyna; Grambal, Ales

2016-12-01

The childhood adversities model is generally accepted as a predictor of adult psychopathology vulnerability. It stems from child development theories, but the question remains as of how well solid research supports it. The aim of this article is to give a review of the studies concerning childhood adversities and their impact on the development of anxiety disorders and major depressive disorder in adulthood. A computerized search of the MEDLINE database of publications up to 31 March 2016 was done, using the keywords "childhood adversities, abuse, maltreatment, bullying" and "anxiety disorders, depressive disorder". No backward time constraints were used. Non-original studies, conference abstracts, books and book chapters, commentaries, and dissertations were excluded. The influence of childhood adversities on later age psychopathology is examined in five categories: the negative family atmosphere, abuse, loss of a close person, the social difficulties, and problems at school (including, most importantly bullying). The majority of studies confirmed the connection between childhood adversities and anxiety and depression disorders in adulthood. The character of the adversities is not, apparently, a specific predictor for a concrete psychopathology. Multiple adversities are more frequently connected with depressive and anxiety disorders in adulthood, cumulating together in broader adverse context. Childhood adversities were found to increase vulnerability to the distress, depression, fear and anxiety later in the life. However, specific correlations between a given childhood adversity and a specific form of depression or anxiety disorder were either not found or weak. This is in line with the generally accepted view considering each of these factors a non-specific stressor increasing vulnerability to mood and affect disorders later in life.

A Mechanistic Model of Human Recall of Social Network Structure and Relationship Affect.

PubMed

Omodei, Elisa; Brashears, Matthew E; Arenas, Alex

2017-12-07

The social brain hypothesis argues that the need to deal with social challenges was key to our evolution of high intelligence. Research with non-human primates as well as experimental and fMRI studies in humans produce results consistent with this claim, leading to an estimate that human primary groups should consist of roughly 150 individuals. Gaps between this prediction and empirical observations can be partially accounted for using "compression heuristics", or schemata that simplify the encoding and recall of social information. However, little is known about the specific algorithmic processes used by humans to store and recall social information. We describe a mechanistic model of human network recall and demonstrate its sufficiency for capturing human recall behavior observed in experimental contexts. We find that human recall is predicated on accurate recall of a small number of high degree network nodes and the application of heuristics for both structural and affective information. This provides new insight into human memory, social network evolution, and demonstrates a novel approach to uncovering human cognitive operations.

21 CFR 314.80 - Postmarketing reporting of adverse drug experiences.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... SERVICES (CONTINUED) DRUGS FOR HUMAN USE APPLICATIONS FOR FDA APPROVAL TO MARKET A NEW DRUG Applications... resubmit to FDA adverse drug experience reports forwarded to the applicant by FDA; however, applicants must submit all followup information on such reports to FDA. Any person subject to the reporting requirements...

21 CFR 314.80 - Postmarketing reporting of adverse drug experiences.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... SERVICES (CONTINUED) DRUGS FOR HUMAN USE APPLICATIONS FOR FDA APPROVAL TO MARKET A NEW DRUG Applications... resubmit to FDA adverse drug experience reports forwarded to the applicant by FDA; however, applicants must submit all followup information on such reports to FDA. Any person subject to the reporting requirements...

21 CFR 314.80 - Postmarketing reporting of adverse drug experiences.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... SERVICES (CONTINUED) DRUGS FOR HUMAN USE APPLICATIONS FOR FDA APPROVAL TO MARKET A NEW DRUG Applications... resubmit to FDA adverse drug experience reports forwarded to the applicant by FDA; however, applicants must submit all followup information on such reports to FDA. Any person subject to the reporting requirements...

The Midwest Stream Quality Assessment—Influences of human activities on streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Van Metre, Peter C.; Mahler, Barbara J.; Carlisle, Daren M.; Coles, James F.

2018-04-16

Healthy streams and the fish and other organisms that live in them contribute to our quality of life. Extensive modification of the landscape in the Midwestern United States, however, has profoundly affected the condition of streams. Row crops and pavement have replaced grasslands and woodlands, streams have been straightened, and wetlands and fields have been drained. Runoff from agricultural and urban land brings sediment and chemicals to streams. What is the chemical, physical, and biological condition of Midwestern streams? Which physical and chemical stressors are adversely affecting biological communities, what are their origins, and how might we lessen or avoid their adverse effects?In 2013, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted the Midwest Stream Quality Assessment to evaluate how human activities affect the biological condition of Midwestern streams. In collaboration with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Rivers and Streams Assessment, the USGS sampled 100 streams, chosen to be representative of the different types of watersheds in the region. Biological condition was evaluated based on the number and diversity of fish, algae, and invertebrates in the streams. Changes to the physical habitat and chemical characteristics of the streams—“stressors”—were assessed, and their relation to landscape factors and biological condition was explored by using mathematical models. The data and models help us to better understand how the human activities on the landscape are affecting streams in the region.

Adverse reactions to antituberculosis drugs in Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

PubMed Central

Damasceno, Glauciene Santana; Guaraldo, Lusiele; Engstrom, Elyne Montenegro; Filha, Mariza Miranda Theme; Santos, Reinaldo Souza-; Vasconcelos, Ana Gloria Godoi; Rozenfeld, Suely

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to characterize and estimate the frequency of adverse reactions to antituberculosis drugs in the population treated at the Centro de Saúde Escola Germano Sinval Faria, a primary health care clinic in Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro City, and to explore the relationship between adverse drug reactions and some of the patients' demographic and health characteristics. METHODS: This descriptive study was conducted via patient record review of incident cases between 2004 and 2008. RESULTS: Of the 176 patients studied, 41.5% developed one or more adverse reactions to antituberculosis drugs, totaling 126 occurrences. The rate of adverse reactions to antituberculosis drugs was higher among women, patients aged 50 years or older, those with four or more comorbidities, and those who used five or more drugs. Of the total reactions, 71.4% were mild. The organ systems most affected were as follows: the gastrointestinal tract (29.4%), the skin and appendages (21.4%), and the central and peripheral nervous systems (14.3%). Of the patients who experienced adverse reactions to antituberculosis drugs, 65.8% received no drug treatment for their adverse reactions, and 4.1% had one of the antituberculosis drugs suspended because of adverse reactions. “Probable reactions” (75%) predominated over “possible reactions” (24%). In the study sample, 64.3% of the reactions occurred during the first two months of treatment, and most (92.6%) of the reactions were ascribed to the combination of rifampicin + isoniazid + pyrazinamide (Regimen I). A high dropout rate from tuberculosis treatment (24.4%) was also observed. CONCLUSION: This study suggests a high rate of adverse reactions to antituberculosis drugs. PMID:23644852

Global water resources affected by human interventions and climate change.

PubMed

Haddeland, Ingjerd; Heinke, Jens; Biemans, Hester; Eisner, Stephanie; Flörke, Martina; Hanasaki, Naota; Konzmann, Markus; Ludwig, Fulco; Masaki, Yoshimitsu; Schewe, Jacob; Stacke, Tobias; Tessler, Zachary D; Wada, Yoshihide; Wisser, Dominik

2014-03-04

Humans directly change the dynamics of the water cycle through dams constructed for water storage, and through water withdrawals for industrial, agricultural, or domestic purposes. Climate change is expected to additionally affect water supply and demand. Here, analyses of climate change and direct human impacts on the terrestrial water cycle are presented and compared using a multimodel approach. Seven global hydrological models have been forced with multiple climate projections, and with and without taking into account impacts of human interventions such as dams and water withdrawals on the hydrological cycle. Model results are analyzed for different levels of global warming, allowing for analyses in line with temperature targets for climate change mitigation. The results indicate that direct human impacts on the water cycle in some regions, e.g., parts of Asia and in the western United States, are of the same order of magnitude, or even exceed impacts to be expected for moderate levels of global warming (+2 K). Despite some spread in model projections, irrigation water consumption is generally projected to increase with higher global mean temperatures. Irrigation water scarcity is particularly large in parts of southern and eastern Asia, and is expected to become even larger in the future.

Global water resources affected by human interventions and climate change

PubMed Central

Haddeland, Ingjerd; Heinke, Jens; Biemans, Hester; Eisner, Stephanie; Flörke, Martina; Hanasaki, Naota; Konzmann, Markus; Ludwig, Fulco; Masaki, Yoshimitsu; Schewe, Jacob; Stacke, Tobias; Tessler, Zachary D.; Wada, Yoshihide; Wisser, Dominik

2014-01-01

Humans directly change the dynamics of the water cycle through dams constructed for water storage, and through water withdrawals for industrial, agricultural, or domestic purposes. Climate change is expected to additionally affect water supply and demand. Here, analyses of climate change and direct human impacts on the terrestrial water cycle are presented and compared using a multimodel approach. Seven global hydrological models have been forced with multiple climate projections, and with and without taking into account impacts of human interventions such as dams and water withdrawals on the hydrological cycle. Model results are analyzed for different levels of global warming, allowing for analyses in line with temperature targets for climate change mitigation. The results indicate that direct human impacts on the water cycle in some regions, e.g., parts of Asia and in the western United States, are of the same order of magnitude, or even exceed impacts to be expected for moderate levels of global warming (+2 K). Despite some spread in model projections, irrigation water consumption is generally projected to increase with higher global mean temperatures. Irrigation water scarcity is particularly large in parts of southern and eastern Asia, and is expected to become even larger in the future. PMID:24344275

A Meta-Analysis of Factors Affecting Trust in Human-Robot Interaction

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

directly affects the willingness of people to accept robot -produced information, follow robots ’ suggestions, and thus benefit from the advantages inherent...perceived complexity of operation). Consequently, if the perceived risk of using the robot exceeds its perceived benefit , practical operators almost...necessary presence of a human caregiver (Graf, Hans, & Schraft, 2004). Other robotic devices, such as wheelchairs (Yanco, 2001) and exoskeletons (e.g

Incidence and economic burden of suspected adverse events and adverse event monitoring during AF therapy.

PubMed

Kim, M H; Lin, J; Hussein, M; Battleman, D

2009-12-01

Rhythm- and rate-control therapies are an essential part of atrial fibrillation (AF) management; however, the use of existing agents is often limited by the occurrence of adverse events. The aim of this study was to evaluate suspected adverse events and adverse event monitoring, and associated medical costs, in patients receiving AF rhythm-control and/or rate-control therapy. This retrospective cohort study used claims data from the Integrated Healthcare Information Systems National Managed Care Benchmark Database from 2002-2006. Patients hospitalized for AF (primary diagnosis), and who had at least 365 days' enrollment before and after the initial (index) AF hospitalization, were included in the analysis. Suspected AF therapy-related adverse events and function tests for adverse event monitoring were identified according to pre-specified diagnosis codes/procedures, and examined over the 12 months following discharge from the index hospitalization. Events/function tests had to have occurred within 90 days of a claim for AF therapy to be considered a suspected adverse event/adverse event monitoring. Of 4174 AF patients meeting the study criteria, 3323 received AF drugs; 428 received rhythm-control only (12.9%), 2130 rate-control only (64.1%), and 765 combined rhythm/rate-control therapy (23.0%). Overall, 50.1% of treated patients had a suspected adverse event and/or function test for adverse event monitoring (45.5% with rate-control, 53.5% with rhythm-control, and 61.2% with combined rhythm/rate-control). Suspected cardiovascular adverse events were the most common events (occurring in 36.1% of patients), followed by pulmonary (6.1%), and endocrine events (5.9%). Overall, suspected adverse events/function tests were associated with mean annual per-patient costs of $3089 ($1750 with rhythm-control, $2041 with rate control, and $6755 with combined rhythm/rate-control). As a retrospective analysis, the study is subject to potential selection bias, while its reliance on

Combating adverse selection in secondary PC markets.

PubMed

Hickey, Stewart W; Fitzpatrick, Colin

2008-04-15

Adverse selection is a significant contributor to market failure in secondary personal computer (PC) markets. Signaling can act as a potential solution to adverse selection and facilitate superior remarketing of second-hand PCs. Signaling is a means whereby usage information can be utilized to enhance consumer perception of both value and utility of used PCs and, therefore, promote lifetime extension for these systems. This can help mitigate a large portion of the environmental impact associated with PC system manufacture. In this paper, the computer buying and selling behavior of consumers is characterized via a survey of 270 Irish residential users. Results confirm the existence of adverse selection in the Irish market with 76% of potential buyers being unwilling to purchase and 45% of potential vendors being unwilling to sell a used PC. The so-called "closet affect" is also apparent with 78% of users storing their PC after use has ceased. Results also indicate that consumers place a higher emphasis on specifications when considering a second-hand purchase. This contradicts their application needs which are predominantly Internet and word-processing/spreadsheet/presentation applications, 88% and 60% respectively. Finally, a market solution utilizing self monitoring and reporting technology (SMART) sensors for the purpose of real time usage monitoring is proposed, that can change consumer attitudes with regard to second-hand computer equipment.

Adversity-driven changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis functioning during adolescence. The trails study.

PubMed

Laceulle, Odilia M; Nederhof, Esther; van Aken, Marcel A G; Ormel, Johan

2017-11-01

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis has been proposed to be a key mechanism underlying the link between adversity and mental health, but longitudinal studies on adversity and HPA-axis functioning are scarce. Here, we studied adversity-driven changes in HPA-axis functioning during adolescence (N=141). HPA-axis functioning (basal cortisol, cortisol awakening response, anticipation of, reaction to and recovery after a stress task) was measured twice, at age 16 and 19. Adversity (i.e., social defeat and loss/illness) since age 16 was measured extensively with the Life Stress Interview at age 19. Adolescents who reported being exposed to social defeat showed increases in basal cortisol (ɳ 2 =0.029) and decreases in reaction to the stress task (ɳ 2 =0.030) from age 16-19, compared to their peers in the loss/illness and no stress group. The current study provides unique longitudinal data on the role of adversity in HPA-axis functioning. Evidence is provided that adversity can affect the body's neuroendocrine response to stress, dependent on the nature of both the HPA-measures and adverse events under study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

75 FR 51273 - Expanded Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Testing for Disproportionately Affected Populations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-19

...: Notice. Notice of Intent to increase funding available to make awards under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Funding Opportunity Announcement CDC-RFA-PS10-10138, ``Expanded Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Testing for Disproportionately Affected Populations''. Additional funding from the...

In vitro adverse effects of iron ore dusts on human lymphoblastoid cells in culture.

PubMed

Wang, He; Wang, Jing J; Sanderson, Barbara J S

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the adverse effects produced by four types of iron (Fe) ore dust using cultured human cells. Genotoxicity and cytotoxicity induced by Fe ore dusts were determined by assays including cytokinesis block micronucleus (CBMN), population growth, and methyl tetrazolium (MTT). Four iron ore dusts were tested, namely, 1002 Limonite & Goethite (1002), HG2 hematite (HG2), HG1 Soutlem Pit (HG1), and HG4. WIL2 -NS cells were incubated for 10 h with extracts from a range of concentrations (0, 75, or 150 μg/ml) of Fe ore dust. Significant decreases in percent cell viability were seen at 150 μg/ml HG2 and 1002 as measured by MTT, with viability that decreased to 75 and 73%, respectively, compared to untreated controls. The cell population regrew to a different extent after Fe ore dust was removed, except for HG1, where population remained declined. An approximately twofold significant increase in the frequency of micronucleated binucleated cells (MNBNC) was seen with 1002, HG2, and HG1 at 150 μg/ml. A significant rise in apoptosis induction was observed at 150 μg/ml HG1. Data indicate that Fe ore dusts at 150 μg/ml produced cytotoxicity and genotoxicity.

Climate change as a driver for future human migration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, M.; Ricke, K.; Caldeira, K.

2016-12-01

Human migration is driven by a multitude of factors, both socioeconomic and environmental. However, as impacts of anthropogenic climate change emerge and grow, it is widely conjectured that climate change will induce migration of human populations from areas that are adversely affected by climate change to areas that are less adversely or positively affected by climate change. Both low- and high-frequency climate changes have been empirically linked to migration in areas across the globe, but there has been little global-scale quantitative analysis projecting the scale and geography of climate-motivated migration. Considering temperature and precipitation in isolation from all other factors, here we project climate-driven impacts on the areal-density of human population. From this, we infer potential destinations and origins for the climate-motivated migration. Our results indicate that tropical and sub-tropical countries are the largest likely sources of migrants, with India being the country with the greatest number of potential climate emigrants. Global warming has the potential to motivate hundreds of millions of people to migrate in the coming decades, largely from warm tropical and subtropical countries to cooler temperate countries. Migration decisions will depend on many factors beyond climate; nevertheless our work establishes a foundation for quantifying future climate-motivated migration that can act as a starting point of more comprehensive assessments. The large number of potential climate migrants indicated by our analyses provides additional incentive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, take adaptive measures, and carefully consider migration policy.

Social Adversity and Antisocial Behavior: Mediating Effects of Autonomic Nervous System Activity.

PubMed

Fagan, Shawn E; Zhang, Wei; Gao, Yu

2017-11-01

The display of antisocial behaviors in children and adolescents has been of interest to criminologists and developmental psychologists for years. Exposure to social adversity is a well-documented predictor of antisocial behavior. Additionally, measures of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity, including heart rate variability (HRV), pre-ejection period (PEP), and heart rate, have been associated with antisocial behaviors including rule-breaking and aggression. Social neuroscience research has begun to investigate how neurobiological underpinnings affect the relationship between social adversity and antisocial/psychopathic behavior in children and adolescents. This study investigated the potential mediating effects of ANS activity on the relationship between social adversity and antisocial behavior in a group of 7- to 10-year-old children from the community (N = 339; 48.2% male). Moderated multiple mediation analyses revealed that low resting heart rate, but not PEP or HRV, mediated the relationship between social adversity and antisocial behavior in males only. Social adversity but not ANS measures were associated with antisocial behavior in females. Findings have implications for understanding the neural influences that underlie antisocial behavior, illustrate the importance of the social environment regarding the expression of these behaviors, and highlight essential gender differences.

NTP-CERHR Monograph on the Potential Human Reproductive and Developmental Effects of Di-n-Butyl Phthalate (DBP).

PubMed

2003-04-01

TThe National Toxicology Program (NTP) Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR) conducted an evaluation of the potential for di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) to cause adverse effects on reproduction and development in humans. DBP is one of 7 phthalate chemicals evaluated by the NTP CERHR Phthalates Expert Panel. These phthalates were selected for evaluation because of high production volume, extent of human exposures, use in children's products, and/or published evidence of reproductive or developmental toxicity. Unlike many phthalates, DBP is not currently used as a plasticizer in polyvinyl chloride plastics. DBP is a component of latex adhesives and is used in cosmetics and other personal care products, as a plasticizer in cellulose plastics, and as a solvent for dyes. The results of this evaluation on DBP are published in a NTP-CERHR monograph which includes: 1) the NTP Brief, 2) the Expert Panel Report on the Reproductive and Developmental Toxicity of Di-n-Butyl Phthalate, and 3) public comments received on the Expert Panel Report. As stated in the NTP Brief, the NTP reached the following conclusions regarding the possible effects of exposure to DBP on human development and reproduction. First, although DBP could possibly affect human reproduction and development if exposures are sufficiently high, the NTP concludes that there is negligible concern for reproductive toxicity in exposed adults. Second, the NTP concludes that there is minimal concern for developmental effects when pregnant women are exposed to DBP levels estimated by the panel (2-10 mug/kg body weight/day). There is no direct evidence that exposure of people to DBP adversely affects reproduction or development, but studies reviewed by the expert panel show that oral exposure to high doses of DBP (>/=100 mg/kg body weight/day) may adversely affect the prenatal and early postnatal development in rodents. Finally, based on exposure estimates in women of reproductive age, the NTP

Adverse weather conditions for European wheat production will become more frequent with climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trnka, Miroslav; Rötter, Reimund P.; Ruiz-Ramos, Margarita; Kersebaum, Kurt Christian; Olesen, Jørgen E.; Žalud, Zdeněk; Semenov, Mikhail A.

2014-07-01

Europe is the largest producer of wheat, the second most widely grown cereal crop after rice. The increased occurrence and magnitude of adverse and extreme agroclimatic events are considered a major threat for wheat production. We present an analysis that accounts for a range of adverse weather events that might significantly affect wheat yield in Europe. For this purpose we analysed changes in the frequency of the occurrence of 11 adverse weather events. Using climate scenarios based on the most recent ensemble of climate models and greenhouse gases emission estimates, we assessed the probability of single and multiple adverse events occurring within one season. We showed that the occurrence of adverse conditions for 14 sites representing the main European wheat-growing areas might substantially increase by 2060 compared to the present (1981-2010). This is likely to result in more frequent crop failure across Europe. This study provides essential information for developing adaptation strategies.

Probable Nootropicinduced Psychiatric Adverse Effects: A Series of Four Cases

PubMed Central

Ajaltouni, Jean

2015-01-01

The misuse of nootropics—any substance that may alter, improve, or augment cognitive performance, mainly through the stimulation or inhibition of certain neurotransmitters—may potentially be dangerous and deleterious to the human brain, and certain individuals with a history of mental or substance use disorders might be particularly vulnerable to their adverse effects. We describe four cases of probable nootropic-induced psychiatric adverse effects to illustrate this theory. To the best of our knowledge this has not been previously reported in the formal medical literature. We briefly describe the most common classes of nootropics, including their postulated or proven methods of actions, their desired effects, and their adverse side effects, and provide a brief discussion of the cases. Our objective is to raise awareness among physicians in general and psychiatrists and addiction specialists in particular of the potentially dangerous phenomenon of unsupervised nootropic use among young adults who may be especially vulnerable to nootropics’ negative effects. PMID:27222762

Adversity in Preschool-Aged Children: Effects on Salivary Interleukin-1β

PubMed Central

Tyrka, Audrey R.; Parade, Stephanie H.; Valentine, Thomas R.; Eslinger, Nicole M.; Seifer, Ronald

2016-01-01

Exposure to early life adversity is linked to impaired affective, cognitive, and behavioral functioning and increases risk for various psychiatric and medical conditions. Stress-induced increases in pro-inflammatory cytokines may be a biological mechanism of these effects. Few studies have examined cytokine levels in children experiencing early life adversity, and very little research has investigated cytokines or other markers of inflammation in saliva. In the present study, we examined salivary IL-1β and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in relation to stress exposure in 40 children aged 3 to 5 years who were enrolled in a larger study of early life adversity. Childhood maltreatment status was assessed via review of child welfare records, and contextual stress exposure, traumatic life event history, and symptoms of psychopathology were assessed via caregiver interviews at a home visit. In a subsequent visit, salivary IL-1β and CRP were obtained before and after participation in four emotion-eliciting tasks. Number of past month contextual stressors, lifetime contextual stressors, and traumatic life events each demonstrated a significant main effect on IL-1β. Baseline IL-1β was positively associated with each of the significant main-effect adversities. Post-challenge IL-1β displayed positive associations with each adversity variable, but were not significant. CRP was not significantly associated with any of the adversity variables. Given evidence suggesting involvement of IL-1β in the neuropathology of psychiatric conditions, these results may have important implications for developmental outcomes. PMID:25997772

Adverse childhood experiences and disability in U.S. adults.

PubMed

Schüssler-Fiorenza Rose, Sophia Miryam; Xie, Dawei; Stineman, Margaret

2014-08-01

dysfunction and self-reported disability in adulthood, even after adjusting for potentially mediating health conditions. Greater clinician, researcher, and policymaker awareness of the impact of childhood adversity on disability is crucial to help those affected by childhood adversity lead more functional lives. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

45 CFR 60.11 - Reporting adverse actions on clinical privileges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... (5 U.S.C. 552a note), (v) Date of birth, (vi) Name of each professional school attended and year of... 45 Public Welfare 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Reporting adverse actions on clinical privileges. 60.11 Section 60.11 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION...

45 CFR 60.11 - Reporting adverse actions on clinical privileges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... (5 U.S.C. 552a note), (v) Date of birth, (vi) Name of each professional school attended and year of... 45 Public Welfare 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Reporting adverse actions on clinical privileges. 60.11 Section 60.11 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION...

45 CFR 60.11 - Reporting adverse actions on clinical privileges.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... (5 U.S.C. 552a note), (v) Date of birth, (vi) Name of each professional school attended and year of... 45 Public Welfare 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Reporting adverse actions on clinical privileges. 60.11 Section 60.11 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION...

Metformin selectively affects human glioblastoma tumor-initiating cell viability

PubMed Central

Würth, Roberto; Pattarozzi, Alessandra; Gatti, Monica; Bajetto, Adirana; Corsaro, Alessandro; Parodi, Alessia; Sirito, Rodolfo; Massollo, Michela; Marini, Cecilia; Zona, Gianluigi; Fenoglio, Daniela; Sambuceti, Gianmario; Filaci, Gilberto; Daga, Antonio; Barbieri, Federica; Florio, Tullio

2013-01-01

Cancer stem cell theory postulates that a small population of tumor-initiating cells is responsible for the development, progression and recurrence of several malignancies, including glioblastoma. In this perspective, tumor-initiating cells represent the most relevant target to obtain effective cancer treatment. Metformin, a first-line drug for type II diabetes, was reported to possess anticancer properties affecting the survival of cancer stem cells in breast cancer models. We report that metformin treatment reduced the proliferation rate of tumor-initiating cell-enriched cultures isolated from four human glioblastomas. Metformin also impairs tumor-initiating cell spherogenesis, indicating a direct effect on self-renewal mechanisms. Interestingly, analyzing by FACS the antiproliferative effects of metformin on CD133-expressing subpopulation, a component of glioblastoma cancer stem cells, a higher reduction of proliferation was observed as compared with CD133-negative cells, suggesting a certain degree of cancer stem cell selectivity in its effects. In fact, glioblastoma cell differentiation strongly reduced sensitivity to metformin treatment. Metformin effects in tumor-initiating cell-enriched cultures were associated with a powerful inhibition of Akt-dependent cell survival pathway, while this pathway was not affected in differentiated cells. The specificity of metformin antiproliferative effects toward glioblastoma tumor-initiating cells was confirmed by the lack of significant inhibition of normal human stem cells (umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells) in vitro proliferation after metformin exposure. Altogether, these data clearly suggest that metformin exerts antiproliferative activity on glioblastoma cells, showing a higher specificity toward tumor-initiating cells, and that the inhibition of Akt pathway may represent a possible intracellular target of this effect. PMID:23255107

Impact of early life adversity on EMG stress reactivity of the trapezius muscle.

PubMed

Luijcks, Rosan; Vossen, Catherine J; Roggeveen, Suzanne; van Os, Jim; Hermens, Hermie J; Lousberg, Richel

2016-09-01

Human and animal research indicates that exposure to early life adversity increases stress sensitivity later in life. While behavioral markers of adversity-induced stress sensitivity have been suggested, physiological markers remain to be elucidated. It is known that trapezius muscle activity increases during stressful situations. The present study examined to what degree early life adverse events experienced during early childhood (0-11 years) and adolescence (12-17 years) moderate experimentally induced electromyographic (EMG) stress activity of the trapezius muscles, in an experimental setting. In a general population sample (n = 115), an anticipatory stress effect was generated by presenting a single unpredictable and uncontrollable electrical painful stimulus at t = 3 minutes. Subjects were unaware of the precise moment of stimulus delivery and its intensity level. Linear and nonlinear time courses in EMG activity were modeled using multilevel analysis. The study protocol included 2 experimental sessions (t = 0 and t = 6 months) allowing for examination of reliability.Results show that EMG stress reactivity during the stress paradigm was consistently stronger in people with higher levels of early life adverse events; early childhood adversity had a stronger moderating effect than adolescent adversity. The impact of early life adversity on EMG stress reactivity may represent a reliable facet that can be used in both clinical and nonclinical studies.

The impact of adverse child and adult experiences on recovery from serious mental illness.

PubMed

Stumbo, Scott P; Yarborough, Bobbi Jo H; Paulson, Robert I; Green, Carla A

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study was to compare effects of adverse childhood experiences and adverse adult experiences on recovery from serious mental illnesses. As part of a mixed-methods study of recovery from serious mental illnesses, we interviewed and administered questionnaires to 177 members of a not-for-profit health plan over a 2-year period. Participants had a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, affective psychosis, schizophrenia, or schizoaffective disorder. Data for analyses came from standardized self-reported measures; outcomes included recovery, functioning, quality of life, and psychiatric symptoms. Adverse events in childhood and adulthood were evaluated as predictors. Child and adult exposures to adverse experiences were high, at 91% and 82%, respectively. Cumulative lifetime exposure to adverse experiences (childhood plus adult experiences) was 94%. In linear regression analyses, adverse adult experiences were more important predictors of outcomes than adverse childhood experiences. Adult experiences were associated with lower recovery scores, quality of life, mental and physical functioning and social functioning and greater psychiatric symptoms. Emotional neglect in adulthood was associated with lower recovery scores. Early and repeated exposure to adverse events was common in this sample of people with serious mental illnesses. Adverse adult experiences were stronger predictors of worse functioning and lower recovery levels than were childhood experiences. Focusing clinical attention on adult experiences of adverse or traumatic events may result in greater benefit than focusing on childhood experiences alone. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

The Impact of Adverse Child and Adult Experiences on Recovery from Serious Mental Illness

PubMed Central

Stumbo, Scott P.; Yarborough, Bobbi Jo H.; Paulson, Robert I.; Green, Carla A.

2015-01-01

Objective To compare effects of adverse childhood experiences and adverse adult experiences on recovery from serious mental illnesses. Methods As part of a mixed-methods study of recovery from serious mental illnesses, we interviewed and administered questionnaires to 177 members of a not-for-profit health plan over a two-year period. Participants had a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, affective psychosis, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Data for analyses came from standardized self-reported measures; outcomes included recovery, functioning, quality of life, and psychiatric symptoms. Adverse events in childhood and adulthood were evaluated as predictors. Results Child and adult exposures to adverse experiences were high, at 91% and 82% respectively. Cumulative lifetime exposure to adverse experiences (childhood plus adult experiences) was 94%. In linear regression analyses, adverse adult experiences were more important predictors of outcomes than adverse childhood experiences. Adult experiences were associated with lower recovery scores, quality of life, mental and physical functioning, social functioning, and greater psychiatric symptoms. Emotional neglect in adulthood was associated with lower recovery scores. Conclusions and Implications for Practice Early and repeated exposure to adverse events was common in this sample of people with serious mental illnesses. Adverse adult experiences were stronger predictors of worse functioning and lower recovery levels than were childhood experiences. Focusing clinical attention on adult experiences of adverse or traumatic events may result in greater benefit than focusing on childhood experiences alone. PMID:26053533

Early adversity and learning: implications for typical and atypical behavioral development.

PubMed

Hanson, Jamie L; van den Bos, Wouter; Roeber, Barbara J; Rudolph, Karen D; Davidson, Richard J; Pollak, Seth D

2017-07-01

Children who experience early adversity often develop emotion regulatory problems, but little is known about the mechanisms that mediate this relation. We tested whether general associative learning processes contribute to associations between adversity, in the form of child maltreatment, and negative behavioral outcomes. Eighty-one participants between 12 and 17 years of age were recruited for this study and completed a probabilistic learning Task. Forty-one of these participants had been exposed to physical abuse, a form of early adversity. Forty additional participants without any known history of maltreatment served as a comparison group. All participants (and their parents) also completed portions of the Youth Life Stress Interview to understand adolescent's behavior. We calculated measures of associative learning, and also constructed mathematical models of learning. We found that adolescents exposed to high levels of adversity early in their lives had lower levels of associative learning than comparison adolescents. In addition, we found that impaired associative learning partially explained the higher levels of behavioral problems among youth who suffered early adversity. Using mathematical models, we also found that two components of learning were specifically affected in children exposed to adversity: choice variability and biases in their beliefs about the likelihood of rewards in the environment. Participants who had been exposed to early adversity were less able than their peers to correctly learn which stimuli were likely to result in reward, even after repeated feedback. These individuals also used information about known rewards in their environments less often. In addition, individuals exposed to adversity made decisions early in the learning process as if rewards were less consistent and occurred more at random. These data suggest one mechanism through which early life experience shapes behavioral development. © 2017 Association for Child and

Early adversity and learning: implications for typical and atypical behavioral development

PubMed Central

Hanson, Jamie L.; van den Bos, Wouter; Roeber, Barbara J.; Rudolph, Karen D.; Davidson, Richard J.; Pollak, Seth D.

2017-01-01

Background Children who experience early adversity often develop emotion regulatory problems, but little is known about the mechanisms that mediate this relation. We tested whether general associative learning processes contribute to associations between adversity, in the form of child maltreatment, and negative behavioral outcomes. Methods Eighty-one participants between 12 and 17 years of age were recruited for this study and completed a probabilistic learning Task. Forty-one of these participants had been exposed to physical abuse, a form of early adversity. Forty additional participants without any known history of maltreatment served as a comparison group. All participants (and their parents) also completed portions of the Youth Life Stress Interview to understand adolescent’s behavior. We calculated measures of associative learning, and also constructed mathematical models of learning. Results We found that adolescents exposed to high levels of adversity early in their lives had lower levels of associative learning than comparison adolescents. In addition, we found that impaired associative learning partially explained the higher levels of behavioral problems among youth who suffered early adversity. Using mathematical models, we also found that two components of learning were specifically affected in children exposed to adversity: choice variability and biases in their beliefs about the likelihood of rewards in the environment. Conclusions Participants who had been exposed to early adversity were less able than their peers to correctly learn which stimuli were likely to result in reward, even after repeated feedback. These individuals also used information about known rewards in their environments less often. In addition, individuals exposed to adversity made decisions early in the learning process as if rewards were less consistent and occurred more at random. These data suggest one mechanism through which early life experience shapes behavioral

Human adverse reproductive outcomes and electromagnetic field exposures: review of epidemiologic studies.

PubMed Central

Shaw, G M; Croen, L A

1993-01-01

Concerns have been raised regarding a relation between residential and occupational electromagnetic (EM) field exposures and adverse reproductive effects. This paper reviews the epidemiologic evidence for this possible relation, including some pertinent methodologic issues, notes relevant findings from the experimental literature, and discusses areas for future research. Evidence is lacking for a strong association between a woman's use of a video display terminal (VDT) during pregnancy and spontaneous abortion. The evidence for a strong association between a women's use of a VDT and other adverse reproductive endpoints is also lacking, with some suggestive findings for congenital malformations and too few data to reach a conclusion about other endpoints. With respect to low-level EM field exposures other than VDTs, the paucity of data prevents one from determining whether there are reproductive health risks associated with such exposures. Therefore, this is an area that needs further investigation. Given that altered growth may be an underlying biologic effect of EM field exposures, endpoints that might be pursued in future studies include congenital malformations not associated with chromosomal anomalies, intrauterine growth retardation, and chromosomally normal spontaneous abortions. PMID:8206019

42 CFR 456.438 - Time limits for notification of adverse decision.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Time limits for notification of adverse decision... AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS UTILIZATION CONTROL Utilization Control: Intermediate Care Facilities Ur Plan: Review of Need for Continued Stay § 456.438 Time limits for notification...

42 CFR 456.438 - Time limits for notification of adverse decision.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Time limits for notification of adverse decision... AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS UTILIZATION CONTROL Utilization Control: Intermediate Care Facilities Ur Plan: Review of Need for Continued Stay § 456.438 Time limits for notification...

Oral Microbial Shift: Factors affecting the Microbiome and Prevention of Oral Disease.

PubMed

Dagli, Namrata; Dagli, Rushabh; Darwish, Shrouq; Baroudi, Kusai

2016-01-01

Recently, oral microbiome has gained popularity among scientists. Microorganisms are no longer considered as disease-producing pathogens, rather they are now considered as partners of human in maintaining health. Since ancient times, changes in our lifestyle have affected our microbiome and the balance with their human host has been perturbed. The present review includes the description about factors affecting oral microbiome and establishing symbiosis with the human host so that they contribute in maintaining health rather than eliciting diseases. A comprehensive literature search was performed on databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed and Medline until April 2015. First, articles were selected on the basis of their titles and then abstracts were screened and unwanted articles were excluded. Articles obtained from all the databases were checked and duplicate articles were removed. Articles obtained from various databases: PubMed = 35, Google Scholar=8. Out of these 43 articles, total 29 articles were finally selected for this review. The published literature suggests that the modern oral microbiome is less biodiverse, and possess more pathogenic bacterial species and lesser beneficial bacteria. The possible factors mainly responsible for this shift in microbiome were found to be change in diet, industrial revolution and indiscriminate use of antibiotics. Various changes in lifestyles have affected oral microbiome adversely and perturb the symbiosis between the microbiome and their hosts. The present oral microbiome is found to be less diverse and more pathogenic. The present review may be helpful in understanding the relationship between the microbiome and their human hosts so that microbiome contributes in maintaining healthy state of the body.

Human recreation affects spatio-temporal habitat use patterns in red deer (Cervus elaphus)

PubMed Central

Coppes, Joy; Burghardt, Friedrich; Hagen, Robert; Suchant, Rudi; Braunisch, Veronika

2017-01-01

The rapid spread and diversification of outdoor recreation can impact on wildlife in various ways, often leading to the avoidance of disturbed habitats. To mitigate human-wildlife conflicts, spatial zonation schemes can be implemented to separate human activities from key wildlife habitats, e.g., by designating undisturbed wildlife refuges or areas with some level of restriction to human recreation and land use. However, mitigation practice rarely considers temporal differences in human-wildlife interactions. We used GPS telemetry data from 15 red deer to study the seasonal (winter vs. summer) and diurnal (day vs. night) variation in recreation effects on habitat use in a study region in south-western Germany where a spatial zonation scheme has been established. Our study aimed to determine if recreation infrastructure and spatial zonation affected red deer habitat use and whether these effects varied daily or seasonally. Recreation infrastructure did not affect home range selection in the study area, but strongly determined habitat use within the home range. The spatial zonation scheme was reflected in both of these two levels of habitat selection, with refuges and core areas being more frequently used than the border zones. Habitat use differed significantly between day and night in both seasons. Both summer and winter recreation trails, and nearby foraging habitats, were avoided during day, whereas a positive association was found during night. We conclude that human recreation has an effect on red deer habitat use, and when designing mitigation measures daily and seasonal variation in human-wildlife interactions should be taken into account. We advocate using spatial zonation in conjunction with temporal restrictions (i.e., banning nocturnal recreation activities) and the creation of suitable foraging habitats away from recreation trails. PMID:28467429

Dynamic Indices of Methamphetamine Dependence and HIV Infection Predict Fluctuations in Affective Distress: A Five-year Longitudinal Analysis

PubMed Central

Montoya, Jessica L.; Umlauf, Anya; Abramson, Ian; Badiee, Jayraan; Woods, Steven Paul; Atkinson, J. Hampton; Grant, Igor; Moore, David J.

2013-01-01

Background Methamphetamine (METH) use and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are highly comorbid, and both are associated with increased prevalence of affective distress. Delineating the trajectory of affective distress in the context of METH dependence and HIV infection is important given the implications for everyday functional impairment, adverse health behaviors, and increased risk for adverse health outcomes. Methods We conducted a five-year longitudinal investigation involving 133 METH-dependent (74 HIV seropositive) and 163 non-METH-dependent (90 HIV seropositive) persons to examine both long-standing patterns and transient changes in affective distress. Mixed-effect regression models with random subject-specific slopes and intercepts evaluated the effect of METH dependence, HIV serostatus, and related variables on affective distress, as measured by the Profile of Mood States. Results Transient changes in affective distress were found to be greater among those with a diagnosis of current MDD, briefer durations of abstinence from METH, and higher quantity of METH consumed. Weak associations were observed among static (time-independent predictors) covariates and long-standing patterns in affective distress. Limitations Study lacked data pertaining to the participants’ involvement in METH treatment and relied on respondent-driven sampling. Conclusions Our longitudinal investigation of the trajectory of affective distress indicated that specific and dynamic indices of current METH use were associated with greater transient changes in mood. In the evaluation and treatment of affective distress, recency and quantity of current METH use are important to consider given their association with heightened affective distress and mood instability over time. PMID:24012068

Dynamic indices of methamphetamine dependence and HIV infection predict fluctuations in affective distress: a five-year longitudinal analysis.

PubMed

Montoya, Jessica L; Umlauf, Anya; Abramson, Ian; Badiee, Jayraan; Woods, Steven Paul; Atkinson, J Hampton; Grant, Igor; Moore, David J

2013-11-01

Methamphetamine (METH) use and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are highly comorbid, and both are associated with increased prevalence of affective distress. Delineating the trajectory of affective distress in the context of METH dependence and HIV infection is important given the implications for everyday functional impairment, adverse health behaviors, and increased risk for adverse health outcomes. We conducted a five-year longitudinal investigation involving 133 METH-dependent (74 HIV seropositive) and 163 non-METH-dependent (90 HIV seropositive) persons to examine both long-standing patterns and transient changes in affective distress. Mixed-effect regression models with random subject-specific slopes and intercepts evaluated the effect of METH dependence, HIV serostatus, and related variables on affective distress, as measured by the Profile of Mood States. Transient changes in affective distress were found to be greater among those with a diagnosis of current MDD, briefer durations of abstinence from METH, and higher quantity of METH consumed. Weak associations were observed among static (time-independent predictors) covariates and long-standing patterns in affective distress. Study lacked data pertaining to the participants' involvement in METH treatment and relied on respondent-driven sampling. Our longitudinal investigation of the trajectory of affective distress indicated that specific and dynamic indices of current METH use were associated with greater transient changes in mood. In the evaluation and treatment of affective distress, recency and quantity of current METH use are important to consider given their association with heightened affective distress and mood instability over time. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The relationship between childhood adversity and food insecurity: 'It's like a bird nesting in your head'.

PubMed

Chilton, Mariana; Knowles, Molly; Rabinowich, Jenny; Arnold, Kimberly T

2015-10-01

Adverse childhood experiences, including abuse, neglect and household instability, affect lifelong health and economic potential. The present study investigates how adverse childhood experiences are associated with food insecurity by exploring caregivers' perceptions of the impact of their childhood adversity on educational attainment, employment and mental health. Semi-structured audio-recorded in-person interviews that included (i) quantitative measures of maternal and child health, adverse childhood experiences (range: 0-10) and food security using the US Household Food Security Survey Module; and (ii) qualitative audio-recorded investigations of experiences with abuse, neglect, violence and hunger over participants' lifetimes. Households in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Thirty-one mothers of children <4 years old who reported low or very low household food security. Twenty-one caregivers (68 %) reported four or more adverse childhood experiences, and this severity was significantly associated with reports of very low food security (Fisher's exact P=0·021). Mothers reporting emotional and physical abuse were more likely to report very low food security (Fisher's exact P=0·032). Qualitatively, participants described the impact of childhood adverse experiences with emotional and physical abuse/neglect, and household substance abuse, on their emotional health, school performance and ability to maintain employment. In turn, these experiences negatively affected their ability to protect their children from food insecurity. The associations between mothers' adverse experiences in childhood and reports of current household food security should inspire researchers, advocates and policy makers to comprehensively address family hardship through greater attention to the emotional health of caregivers. Programmes meant to address nutritional deprivation and financial hardship should include trauma-informed approaches that integrate behavioural interventions.

The adverse outcome pathway: A multifaceted framework supporting 21st century toxicology

EPA Science Inventory

The adverse outcome pathway (AOP) framework serves as a knowledge assembly, interpretation, and communication tool designed to support the translation of pathway-specific mechanistic data into responses relevant to assessing and managing risks of chemicals to human health and the...

Leaf spot disease adversely affects human health-promoting constituents and withanolide biosynthesis in Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal.

PubMed

Singh, V; Singh, B; Sharma, A; Kaur, K; Gupta, A P; Salar, R K; Hallan, V; Pati, P K

2017-01-01

The present work investigates the implication of leaf spot disease on the antioxidant potential and commercial value of pharmaceutically important constituents of Withania somnifera, a high-valued medicinal plant. Leaf spot disease was induced in W. somnifera by inoculating Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keiss. pathogen. Total polyphenolic content and antioxidant potential showed a significant decrease during leaf spot disease. Evaluation of pharmaceutically active constituents withaferin A, withanone and withanolide A utilizing high-performance liquid chromatography showed a significant decrease in diseased samples as compared to healthy ones. Quantitative expression of major genes involved in withanolide biosynthesis also showed down-regulation in diseased samples. Alterations in the ultra-structure of chloroplasts were also analysed under transmission electron microscopy to get a better insight into the changes of withanolide biosynthesis in leaf during disease infestation. The present work suggests that when the pathogenic fungus invades the host plants, it evokes multiple responses, which could be studied at various levels. The knowledge gained from this work will provide appropriate rationale for controlling the bio-deterioration of the pharmaceutically active metabolites in W. somnifera and development of suitable strategies against leaf spot disease. This is the first study to investigate the effect of leaf spot disease on the human health-promoting constituents and withanolide biosynthesis in this high-valued medicinal plant. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Anxiety affects the amplitudes of red and green color-elicited flash visual evoked potentials in humans.

PubMed

Hosono, Yuki; Kitaoka, Kazuyoshi; Urushihara, Ryo; Séi, Hiroyoshi; Kinouchi, Yohsuke

2014-01-01

It has been reported that negative emotional changes and conditions affect the visual faculties of humans at the neural level. On the other hand, the effects of emotion on color perception in particular, which are based on evoked potentials, are unknown. In the present study, we investigated whether different anxiety levels affect the color information processing for each of 3 wavelengths by using flash visual evoked potentials (FVEPs) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. In results, significant positive correlations were observed between FVEP amplitudes and state or trait anxiety scores in the long (sensed as red) and middle (sensed as green) wavelengths. On the other hand, short-wavelength-evoked FVEPs were not correlated with anxiety level. Our results suggest that negative emotional conditions may affect color sense processing in humans.

Social work and adverse childhood experiences research: implications for practice and health policy.

PubMed

Larkin, Heather; Felitti, Vincent J; Anda, Robert F

2014-01-01

Medical research on "adverse childhood experiences" (ACEs) reveals a compelling relationship between the extent of childhood adversity, adult health risk behaviors, and principal causes of death in the United States. This article provides a selective review of the ACE Study and related social science research to describe how effective social work practice that prevents ACEs and mobilizes resilience and recovery from childhood adversity could support the achievement of national health policy goals. This article applies a biopsychosocial perspective, with an emphasis on mind-body coping processes to demonstrate that social work responses to adverse childhood experiences may contribute to improvement in overall health. Consistent with this framework, the article sets forth prevention and intervention response strategies with individuals, families, communities, and the larger society. Economic research on human capital development is reviewed that suggests significant cost savings may result from effective implementation of these strategies.

Psychoneuroimmunology in Pregnancy: Immune Pathways Linking Stress with Maternal Health, Adverse Birth Outcomes, and Fetal Development

PubMed Central

Christian, Lisa M.

2011-01-01

It is well-established that psychological stress promotes immune dysregulation in nonpregnant humans and animals. Stress promotes inflammation, impairs antibody responses to vaccination, slows wound healing, and suppresses cell-mediated immune function. Importantly, the immune system changes substantially to support healthy pregnancy, with attenuation of inflammatory responses and impairment of cell-mediated immunity. This adaptation is postulated to protect the fetus from rejection by the maternal immune system. Thus, stress-induced immune dysregulation during pregnancy has unique implications for both maternal and fetal health, particularly preterm birth. However, very limited research has examined stress-immune relationships in pregnancy. The application of psychoneuroimmunology research models to the perinatal period holds great promise for elucidating biological pathways by which stress may affect adverse pregnancy outcomes, maternal health, and fetal development. PMID:21787802

Maternal Childhood Adversity, Prepregnancy Obesity, and Gestational Weight Gain.

PubMed

Ranchod, Yamini K; Headen, Irene E; Petito, Lucia C; Deardorff, Julianna K; Rehkopf, David H; Abrams, Barbara F

2016-04-01

Growing evidence suggests that exposure to childhood adversity may influence obesity across the life course. High maternal weight complicates pregnancy and increases the risk of child obesity. This study examined the association between maternal childhood adversity and pregnancy-related weight in a large U.S. Data on 6,199 pregnancies from 2,873 women followed from 1979 to 2012 by the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 were analyzed in 2014. Associations between three adversity exposures before age 18 years (history of physical abuse, alcohol problems, or mental illness in the household) and two maternal weight outcomes (prepregnancy obesity and excessive gestational weight gain) were modeled separately using survey-adjusted log-binomial models. After adjusting for race/ethnicity and early-life socioeconomic factors, childhood physical abuse was associated with a 60% increase in the risk of prepregnancy obesity (adjusted risk ratio=1.6, 95% CI=1.1, 2.2). Household alcohol abuse was associated with a 30% increase in prepregnancy obesity (adjusted risk ratio=1.3, 95% CI=1.0, 1.7), as was household mental illness (adjusted risk ratio=1.3, 95% CI=0.8, 1.9), but the mental illness exposure was not significant. Physical abuse and household alcohol abuse were associated with a significant 20% increase in the risk of excessive gestational weight gain; mental illness was not. Adversity in early life may affect maternal weight before and during pregnancy. Screening and treating women of reproductive age for childhood adversity and its negative effects could significantly reduce obesity-related health outcomes for women and their children. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Suicidality in male prisoners: influence of childhood adversity mediated by dimensions of personality.

PubMed

Godet-Mardirossian, Hélène; Jehel, Louis; Falissard, Bruno

2011-07-01

This study aims to study the influence of childhood adversity on suicidal behavior in male prisoners. Including a random sample of 899 male prisoners (French National Mental Health Prison Survey, 2003), this paper studied suicidal ideations and suicide attempts using MINI criteria, and personality using Temperament and Character Inventory. Risk factors of suicidality were examined, and structural equations studied the influence of childhood trauma on suicidality, mediated by personality dimensions. The prisoners reported high levels of childhood adversity. More than a third reported recent suicidal ideations. Childhood adversity and dimensions of personality were associated with suicidality. Structural equations showed that childhood adversity was positively associated with suicidality, mediated by poor dimensions of character (affective stability, self-cooperativeness, and self-transcendence). In conclusion, these results confirm the importance of screening and treatment of childhood trauma among male prisoners. They suggest the importance to study dimensions of personality and tailor treatment to specific needs. © 2011 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Coral and mollusc resistance to ocean acidification adversely affected by warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodolfo-Metalpa, R.; Houlbrèque, F.; Tambutté, É.; Boisson, F.; Baggini, C.; Patti, F. P.; Jeffree, R.; Fine, M.; Foggo, A.; Gattuso, J.-P.; Hall-Spencer, J. M.

2011-09-01

Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations are expectedto decrease surface ocean pH by 0.3-0.5 units by 2100 (refs , ), lowering the carbonate ion concentration of surfacewaters. This rapid acidification is predicted to dramatically decrease calcification in many marine organisms. Reduced skeletal growth under increased CO2 levels has already been shown for corals, molluscs and many other marine organisms. The impact of acidification on the ability of individual species to calcify has remained elusive, however, as measuring net calcification fails to disentangle the relative contributions of gross calcification and dissolution rates on growth. Here, we show that corals and molluscs transplanted along gradients of carbonate saturation state at Mediterranean CO2 vents are able to calcify and grow at even faster than normal rates when exposed to the high CO2 levels projected for the next 300 years. Calcifiers remain at risk, however, owing to the dissolution of exposed shells and skeletons that occurs as pH levels fall. Our results show that tissues and external organic layers play a major role in protecting shells and skeletons from corrosive sea water, limiting dissolution and allowing organisms to calcify. Our combined field and laboratory results demonstrate that the adverse effects of global warming are exacerbated when high temperatures coincide with acidification.

[Adverse effects of oxcarbazepine].

PubMed

Fang, Shu; Gong, Zhi-Cheng

2015-04-01

Oxcarbazepine is a new antiepileptic drug. The results of clinical trials suggest that oxcarbazepine is well tolerated and has less drug interactions. It is being used more and more widely in clinical practice, but its adverse effects should not be ignored. The most common adverse effects of oxcarbazepine are usually related to the central nervous system and digestive system, including fatigue, drowsiness, diplopia, dizziness, nausea and vomit. The common skin adverse reaction is rash. Long-term use of oxcarbazepine may also cause hyponatremia. This article reviews the literature from China and overseas about the adverse effets of oxcarbazepine over the last 10 years in order to find information about rational clinical use of oxcarbazepine.

[Suspected adverse reactions after vaccination. Results from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents. Part 2: predictors of parental reporting of suspected adverse reactions after vaccinations].

PubMed

Poethko-Müller, C; Atzpodien, K; Schmitz, R; Schlaud, M

2011-03-01

Each method to monitor vaccine safety has strengths and limitations. Therefore, vaccine safety monitoring should rely on different types of data sources. Methods commonly rely on patient-reported adverse reactions. Little is, however, known about factors that may affect the probability with which patients report adverse reactions to vaccines. From 2003-2006, the representative National Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents ("Kinder- und Jugendgesundheitssurvey", KiGGS) retrospectively collected information about vaccines, vaccination dates, and suspected vaccine related adverse reactions from a total of 17,641 participants (<17 years). Poorly tolerated vaccinations were more likely reported from parents living in former West Germany compared to former East Germany (OR 1.61; 95% CI 1.08-2.39), parents of children with special health care needs (OR 1.49; 95% CI 1.08-2.04), and from parents reporting reservations against vaccinations (OR 3.29; 95% CI 2.28-4.75). Parental reporting of adverse vaccine reactions appears to be associated with parental perception and assessment of possible adverse vaccine reactions, as well as with the parents' attitude towards immunization in general.

Minimizing AED adverse effects: improving quality of life in the interictal state in epilepsy care.

PubMed

St Louis, Erik K; Louis, Erik K

2009-06-01

The goals of epilepsy therapy are to achieve seizure freedom while minimizing adverse effects of treatment. However, producing seizure-freedom is often overemphasized, at the expense of inducing adverse effects of treatment. All antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have the potential to cause dose-related, "neurotoxic" adverse effects (i.e., drowsiness, fatigue, dizziness, blurry vision, and incoordination). Such adverse effects are common, especially when initiating AED therapy and with polytherapy. Dose-related adverse effects may be obviated in most patients by dose reduction of monotherapy, reduction or elimination of polytherapy, or substituting for a better tolerated AED. Additionally, all older and several newer AEDs have idiosyncratic adverse effects which usually require withdrawal in an affected patient, including serious rash (i.e., Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis), hematologic dyscrasias, hepatotoxicity, teratogenesis in women of child bearing potential, bone density loss, neuropathy, and severe gingival hyperplasia. Unfortunately, occurrence of idiosyncratic AED adverse effects cannot be predicted or, in most cases, prevented in susceptible patients. This article reviews a practical approach for the definition and identification of adverse effects of epilepsy therapies, and reviews the literature demonstrating that adverse effects result in detrimental quality of life in epilepsy patients. Strategies for minimizing AED adverse effects by reduction or elimination of AED polytherapy, appropriately employing drug-sparing therapies, and optimally administering AEDs are outlined, including tenets of AED selection, titration, therapeutic AED laboratory monitoring, and avoidance of chronic idiosyncratic adverse effects.

Ontology-Based Vaccine Adverse Event Representation and Analysis.

PubMed

Xie, Jiangan; He, Yongqun

2017-01-01

Vaccine is the one of the greatest inventions of modern medicine that has contributed most to the relief of human misery and the exciting increase in life expectancy. In 1796, an English country physician, Edward Jenner, discovered that inoculating mankind with cowpox can protect them from smallpox (Riedel S, Edward Jenner and the history of smallpox and vaccination. Proceedings (Baylor University. Medical Center) 18(1):21, 2005). Based on the vaccination worldwide, we finally succeeded in the eradication of smallpox in 1977 (Henderson, Vaccine 29:D7-D9, 2011). Other disabling and lethal diseases, like poliomyelitis and measles, are targeted for eradication (Bonanni, Vaccine 17:S120-S125, 1999).Although vaccine development and administration are tremendously successful and cost-effective practices to human health, no vaccine is 100% safe for everyone because each person reacts to vaccinations differently given different genetic background and health conditions. Although all licensed vaccines are generally safe for the majority of people, vaccinees may still suffer adverse events (AEs) in reaction to various vaccines, some of which can be serious or even fatal (Haber et al., Drug Saf 32(4):309-323, 2009). Hence, the double-edged sword of vaccination remains a concern.To support integrative AE data collection and analysis, it is critical to adopt an AE normalization strategy. In the past decades, different controlled terminologies, including the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) (Brown EG, Wood L, Wood S, et al., Drug Saf 20(2):109-117, 1999), the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) (NCI, The Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). Available from: http://evs.nci.nih.gov/ftp1/CTCAE/About.html . Access on 7 Oct 2015), and the World Health Organization (WHO) Adverse Reactions Terminology (WHO-ART) (WHO, The WHO Adverse Reaction Terminology - WHO-ART. Available from: https://www.umc-products.com/graphics/28010.pdf

The Impact of Power on Humanity: Self-Dehumanization in Powerlessness

PubMed Central

Yang, Wenqi; Jin, Shenghua; He, Surina; Fan, Qian; Zhu, Yijie

2015-01-01

Power gives people the ability to control themselves and their environment, and this control is considered a fundamental human need. We investigated whether experiencing powerlessness induces the experience of self-dehumanization using three methods: priming, role-playing, and cueing. People in a position of low power viewed themselves (Experiments 1–3) as less human relative to people in a position of high power; furthermore, people with low power believed that they were viewed as less human by others as well (Experiments 2–3). In all of the experiments, human nature traits were most negatively affected by powerlessness in self-perception judgments, and uniquely human traits were most negatively affected by powerlessness in meta-perception judgments. Furthermore, the powerless believed they were viewed as less human not only by the powerful people but also the outside observers of the power dynamic. Self-dehumanization also appears to be a consequence of powerlessness rather than an incidental result of a change in mood or a negative self-view. Our findings are an important extension of previous work on the adverse effects of powerlessness and dehumanization. PMID:26020267

Melanocortin-1 receptor gene variants affect pain and µ-opioid analgesia in mice and humans

PubMed Central

Mogil, J; Ritchie, J; Smith, S; Strasburg, K; Kaplan, L; Wallace, M; Romberg, R; Bijl, H; Sarton, E; Fillingim, R; Dahan, A

2005-01-01

Background: A recent genetic study in mice and humans revealed the modulatory effect of MC1R (melanocortin-1 receptor) gene variants on κ-opioid receptor mediated analgesia. It is unclear whether this gene affects basal pain sensitivity or the efficacy of analgesics acting at the more clinically relevant µ-opioid receptor. Objective: To characterise sensitivity to pain and µ-opioid analgesia in mice and humans with non-functional melanocortin-1 receptors. Methods: Comparisons of spontaneous mutant C57BL/6-Mc1re/e mice to C57BL/6 wildtype mice, followed by a gene dosage study of pain and morphine-6-glucuronide (M6G) analgesia in humans with MC1R variants. Results: C57BL/6-Mc1re/e mutant mice and human redheads—both with non-functional MC1Rs—display reduced sensitivity to noxious stimuli and increased analgesic responsiveness to the µ-opioid selective morphine metabolite, M6G. In both species the differential analgesia is likely due to pharmacodynamic factors, as plasma levels of M6G are similar across genotype. Conclusions: Genotype at MC1R similarly affects pain sensitivity and M6G analgesia in mice and humans. These findings confirm the utility of cross species translational strategies in pharmacogenetics. PMID:15994880

Relationships of Childhood Adverse Experiences With Mental Health and Quality of Life at Treatment Start for Adult Refugees Traumatized by Pre-Flight Experiences of War and Human Rights Violations

PubMed Central

Opaas, Marianne; Varvin, Sverre

2015-01-01

Abstract Adverse and potentially traumatic experiences (PTEs) in childhood were examined among 54 adult refugee patients with pre-flight PTEs of war and human rights violations (HRVs) and related to mental health and quality of life at treatment start. Extent of childhood PTEs was more strongly related to mental health and quality of life than the extent of war and HRV experiences. Childhood PTEs were significantly related to arousal and avoidance symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to quality of life, whereas pre-flight war and HRV experiences were significantly related to reexperiencing symptoms of PTSD only. Within childhood adversities, experiences of family violence and external violence, but not of loss and illness, were significantly related to increased mental health symptoms and reduced quality of life. These results point to the importance of taking childhood adverse experiences into account in research and treatment planning for adult refugees with war and HRVs trauma. PMID:26103604

Relationships of Childhood Adverse Experiences With Mental Health and Quality of Life at Treatment Start for Adult Refugees Traumatized by Pre-Flight Experiences of War and Human Rights Violations.

PubMed

Opaas, Marianne; Varvin, Sverre

2015-09-01

Adverse and potentially traumatic experiences (PTEs) in childhood were examined among 54 adult refugee patients with pre-flight PTEs of war and human rights violations (HRVs) and related to mental health and quality of life at treatment start. Extent of childhood PTEs was more strongly related to mental health and quality of life than the extent of war and HRV experiences. Childhood PTEs were significantly related to arousal and avoidance symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to quality of life, whereas pre-flight war and HRV experiences were significantly related to reexperiencing symptoms of PTSD only. Within childhood adversities, experiences of family violence and external violence, but not of loss and illness, were significantly related to increased mental health symptoms and reduced quality of life. These results point to the importance of taking childhood adverse experiences into account in research and treatment planning for adult refugees with war and HRVs trauma.

Uncertainty Comparison of Visual Sensing in Adverse Weather Conditions†

PubMed Central

Lo, Shi-Wei; Wu, Jyh-Horng; Chen, Lun-Chi; Tseng, Chien-Hao; Lin, Fang-Pang; Hsu, Ching-Han

2016-01-01

This paper focuses on flood-region detection using monitoring images. However, adverse weather affects the outcome of image segmentation methods. In this paper, we present an experimental comparison of an outdoor visual sensing system using region-growing methods with two different growing rules—namely, GrowCut and RegGro. For each growing rule, several tests on adverse weather and lens-stained scenes were performed, taking into account and analyzing different weather conditions with the outdoor visual sensing system. The influence of several weather conditions was analyzed, highlighting their effect on the outdoor visual sensing system with different growing rules. Furthermore, experimental errors and uncertainties obtained with the growing rules were compared. The segmentation accuracy of flood regions yielded by the GrowCut, RegGro, and hybrid methods was 75%, 85%, and 87.7%, respectively. PMID:27447642

Is detection of adverse events affected by record review methodology? an evaluation of the "Harvard Medical Practice Study" method and the "Global Trigger Tool".

PubMed

Unbeck, Maria; Schildmeijer, Kristina; Henriksson, Peter; Jürgensen, Urban; Muren, Olav; Nilsson, Lena; Pukk Härenstam, Karin

2013-04-15

There has been a theoretical debate as to which retrospective record review method is the most valid, reliable, cost efficient and feasible for detecting adverse events. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility and capability of two common retrospective record review methods, the "Harvard Medical Practice Study" method and the "Global Trigger Tool" in detecting adverse events in adult orthopaedic inpatients. We performed a three-stage structured retrospective record review process in a random sample of 350 orthopaedic admissions during 2009 at a Swedish university hospital. Two teams comprised each of a registered nurse and two physicians were assigned, one to each method. All records were primarily reviewed by registered nurses. Records containing a potential adverse event were forwarded to physicians for review in stage 2. Physicians made an independent review regarding, for example, healthcare causation, preventability and severity. In the third review stage all adverse events that were found with the two methods together were compared and all discrepancies after review stage 2 were analysed. Events that had not been identified by one of the methods in the first two review stages were reviewed by the respective physicians. Altogether, 160 different adverse events were identified in 105 (30.0%) of the 350 records with both methods combined. The "Harvard Medical Practice Study" method identified 155 of the 160 (96.9%, 95% CI: 92.9-99.0) adverse events in 104 (29.7%) records compared with 137 (85.6%, 95% CI: 79.2-90.7) adverse events in 98 (28.0%) records using the "Global Trigger Tool". Adverse events "causing harm without permanent disability" accounted for most of the observed difference. The overall positive predictive value for criteria and triggers using the "Harvard Medical Practice Study" method and the "Global Trigger Tool" was 40.3% and 30.4%, respectively. More adverse events were identified using the "Harvard Medical Practice Study

Mutation increasing β-carotene concentrations does not adversely affect concentrations of essential mineral elements in pepper fruit

PubMed Central

Thompson, Jacqueline A.; Penchev, Emil A.; Nielen, Stephan

2017-01-01

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are prevalent in human populations throughout the world. Vitamin A deficiency affects hundreds of millions of pre-school age children in low income countries. Fruits of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) can be a major dietary source of precursors to Vitamin A biosynthesis, such as β-carotene. Recently, pepper breeding programs have introduced the orange-fruited (of) trait of the mutant variety Oranzheva kapiya, which is associated with high fruit β-carotene concentrations, to the mutant variety Albena. In this manuscript, concentrations of β-carotene and mineral elements (magnesium, phosphorus, sulphur, potassium, zinc, calcium, manganese, iron and copper) were compared in fruit from P31, a red-fruited genotype derived from the variety Albena, and M38, a genotype developed by transferring the orange-fruited mutation (of) into Albena. It was observed that fruit from M38 plants had greater β-carotene concentration at both commercial and botanical maturity (4.9 and 52.7 mg / kg fresh weight, respectively) than fruit from P31 plants (2.3 and 30.1 mg / kg fresh weight, respectively). The mutation producing high β-carotene concentrations in pepper fruits had no detrimental effect on the concentrations of mineral elements required for human nutrition. PMID:28207797

Mutation increasing β-carotene concentrations does not adversely affect concentrations of essential mineral elements in pepper fruit.

PubMed

Tomlekova, Nasya B; White, Philip J; Thompson, Jacqueline A; Penchev, Emil A; Nielen, Stephan

2017-01-01

Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are prevalent in human populations throughout the world. Vitamin A deficiency affects hundreds of millions of pre-school age children in low income countries. Fruits of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) can be a major dietary source of precursors to Vitamin A biosynthesis, such as β-carotene. Recently, pepper breeding programs have introduced the orange-fruited (of) trait of the mutant variety Oranzheva kapiya, which is associated with high fruit β-carotene concentrations, to the mutant variety Albena. In this manuscript, concentrations of β-carotene and mineral elements (magnesium, phosphorus, sulphur, potassium, zinc, calcium, manganese, iron and copper) were compared in fruit from P31, a red-fruited genotype derived from the variety Albena, and M38, a genotype developed by transferring the orange-fruited mutation (of) into Albena. It was observed that fruit from M38 plants had greater β-carotene concentration at both commercial and botanical maturity (4.9 and 52.7 mg / kg fresh weight, respectively) than fruit from P31 plants (2.3 and 30.1 mg / kg fresh weight, respectively). The mutation producing high β-carotene concentrations in pepper fruits had no detrimental effect on the concentrations of mineral elements required for human nutrition.

Is it the real deal? Perception of virtual characters versus humans: an affective cognitive neuroscience perspective

PubMed Central

de Borst, Aline W.; de Gelder, Beatrice

2015-01-01

Recent developments in neuroimaging research support the increased use of naturalistic stimulus material such as film, avatars, or androids. These stimuli allow for a better understanding of how the brain processes information in complex situations while maintaining experimental control. While avatars and androids are well suited to study human cognition, they should not be equated to human stimuli. For example, the uncanny valley hypothesis theorizes that artificial agents with high human-likeness may evoke feelings of eeriness in the human observer. Here we review if, when, and how the perception of human-like avatars and androids differs from the perception of humans and consider how this influences their utilization as stimulus material in social and affective neuroimaging studies. First, we discuss how the appearance of virtual characters affects perception. When stimuli are morphed across categories from non-human to human, the most ambiguous stimuli, rather than the most human-like stimuli, show prolonged classification times and increased eeriness. Human-like to human stimuli show a positive linear relationship with familiarity. Secondly, we show that expressions of emotions in human-like avatars can be perceived similarly to human emotions, with corresponding behavioral, physiological and neuronal activations, with exception of physical dissimilarities. Subsequently, we consider if and when one perceives differences in action representation by artificial agents versus humans. Motor resonance and predictive coding models may account for empirical findings, such as an interference effect on action for observed human-like, natural moving characters. However, the expansion of these models to explain more complex behavior, such as empathy, still needs to be investigated in more detail. Finally, we broaden our outlook to social interaction, where virtual reality stimuli can be utilized to imitate complex social situations. PMID:26029133

The Influence of Childhood Adversity on Rural Black Men's Sexual Risk Behavior.

PubMed

Kogan, Steven M; Cho, Junhan; Oshri, Assaf

2016-12-01

Young Black men living in resource-poor rural environments are disproportionately affected by both adverse childhood experiences and HIV/STIs. The influence of childhood adversity on sexual risk behavior remains to be examined among this vulnerable population. In this study, we investigated the influence of overall adversity as well as three subcomponents, abusive parenting, parental neglect, and witnessing family violence, on men's engagement in sexual risk behavior. We hypothesized that adverse experiences would predict engagement in sexual risk behaviors including multiple sexual partnerships, inconsistent condom use, frequent sexual activity, and concurrent substance abuse and sexual activity. We tested formally the extent to which defensive relational schemas mediated these associations. Hypotheses were tested with data from 505 rural Black men (M age = 20.29, SD = 1.10) participating in the African American Men's Health Project. Participants were recruited using respondent-driven sampling. Self-report data were gathered from participants via audio computer-assisted self-interviews. Bi-factor analyses revealed that, in addition to a common adversity factor, neglect independently predicted sexual risk behavior. Men's defensive relational schemas partially mediated the influence of the common adversity factor as well as the neglect subcomponent on sexual risk behavior. The present research identified a potential risk factor for sexual risk behavior in an understudied and vulnerable population. Adverse childhood experiences in general, and neglect in particular, may place many young Black men at risk for engaging in sexual risk behavior due in part to the influence of these experiences on men's development of relational schemas characterized by defensiveness and mistrust.

Impact of early life adversity on EMG stress reactivity of the trapezius muscle

PubMed Central

Luijcks, Rosan; Vossen, Catherine J.; Roggeveen, Suzanne; van Os, Jim; Hermens, Hermie J.; Lousberg, Richel

2016-01-01

Abstract Human and animal research indicates that exposure to early life adversity increases stress sensitivity later in life. While behavioral markers of adversity-induced stress sensitivity have been suggested, physiological markers remain to be elucidated. It is known that trapezius muscle activity increases during stressful situations. The present study examined to what degree early life adverse events experienced during early childhood (0–11 years) and adolescence (12–17 years) moderate experimentally induced electromyographic (EMG) stress activity of the trapezius muscles, in an experimental setting. In a general population sample (n = 115), an anticipatory stress effect was generated by presenting a single unpredictable and uncontrollable electrical painful stimulus at t = 3 minutes. Subjects were unaware of the precise moment of stimulus delivery and its intensity level. Linear and nonlinear time courses in EMG activity were modeled using multilevel analysis. The study protocol included 2 experimental sessions (t = 0 and t = 6 months) allowing for examination of reliability. Results show that EMG stress reactivity during the stress paradigm was consistently stronger in people with higher levels of early life adverse events; early childhood adversity had a stronger moderating effect than adolescent adversity. The impact of early life adversity on EMG stress reactivity may represent a reliable facet that can be used in both clinical and nonclinical studies. PMID:27684800

Differences between Drug-Induced and Contrast Media-Induced Adverse Reactions Based on Spontaneously Reported Adverse Drug Reactions.

PubMed

Ryu, JiHyeon; Lee, HeeYoung; Suh, JinUk; Yang, MyungSuk; Kang, WonKu; Kim, EunYoung

2015-01-01

We analyzed differences between spontaneously reported drug-induced (not including contrast media) and contrast media-induced adverse reactions. Adverse drug reactions reported by an in-hospital pharmacovigilance center (St. Mary's teaching hospital, Daejeon, Korea) from 2010-2012 were classified as drug-induced or contrast media-induced. Clinical patterns, frequency, causality, severity, Schumock and Thornton's preventability, and type A/B reactions were recorded. The trends among causality tools measuring drug and contrast-induced adverse reactions were analyzed. Of 1,335 reports, 636 drug-induced and contrast media-induced adverse reactions were identified. The prevalence of spontaneously reported adverse drug reaction-related admissions revealed a suspected adverse drug reaction-reporting rate of 20.9/100,000 (inpatient, 0.021%) and 3.9/100,000 (outpatients, 0.004%). The most common adverse drug reaction-associated drug classes included nervous system agents and anti-infectives. Dermatological and gastrointestinal adverse drug reactions were most frequently and similarly reported between drug and contrast media-induced adverse reactions. Compared to contrast media-induced adverse reactions, drug-induced adverse reactions were milder, more likely to be preventable (9.8% vs. 1.1%, p < 0.001), and more likely to be type A reactions (73.5% vs. 18.8%, p < 0.001). Females were over-represented among drug-induced adverse reactions (68.1%, p < 0.001) but not among contrast media-induced adverse reactions (56.6%, p = 0.066). Causality patterns differed between the two adverse reaction classes. The World Health Organization-Uppsala Monitoring Centre causality evaluation and Naranjo algorithm results significantly differed from those of the Korean algorithm version II (p < 0.001). We found differences in sex, preventability, severity, and type A/B reactions between spontaneously reported drug and contrast media-induced adverse reactions. The World Health Organization

Differences between Drug-Induced and Contrast Media-Induced Adverse Reactions Based on Spontaneously Reported Adverse Drug Reactions

PubMed Central

Suh, JinUk; Yang, MyungSuk; Kang, WonKu; Kim, EunYoung

2015-01-01

Objective We analyzed differences between spontaneously reported drug-induced (not including contrast media) and contrast media-induced adverse reactions. Methods Adverse drug reactions reported by an in-hospital pharmacovigilance center (St. Mary’s teaching hospital, Daejeon, Korea) from 2010–2012 were classified as drug-induced or contrast media-induced. Clinical patterns, frequency, causality, severity, Schumock and Thornton’s preventability, and type A/B reactions were recorded. The trends among causality tools measuring drug and contrast-induced adverse reactions were analyzed. Results Of 1,335 reports, 636 drug-induced and contrast media-induced adverse reactions were identified. The prevalence of spontaneously reported adverse drug reaction-related admissions revealed a suspected adverse drug reaction-reporting rate of 20.9/100,000 (inpatient, 0.021%) and 3.9/100,000 (outpatients, 0.004%). The most common adverse drug reaction-associated drug classes included nervous system agents and anti-infectives. Dermatological and gastrointestinal adverse drug reactions were most frequently and similarly reported between drug and contrast media-induced adverse reactions. Compared to contrast media-induced adverse reactions, drug-induced adverse reactions were milder, more likely to be preventable (9.8% vs. 1.1%, p < 0.001), and more likely to be type A reactions (73.5% vs. 18.8%, p < 0.001). Females were over-represented among drug-induced adverse reactions (68.1%, p < 0.001) but not among contrast media-induced adverse reactions (56.6%, p = 0.066). Causality patterns differed between the two adverse reaction classes. The World Health Organization–Uppsala Monitoring Centre causality evaluation and Naranjo algorithm results significantly differed from those of the Korean algorithm version II (p < 0.001). Conclusions We found differences in sex, preventability, severity, and type A/B reactions between spontaneously reported drug and contrast media-induced adverse

Human Factors Affecting the Patient's Acceptance of Wireless Biomedical Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fensli, Rune; Boisen, Egil

In monitoring arrhythmia, the quality of medical data from the ECG sensors may be enhanced by being based on everyday life situations. Hence, the development of wireless biomedical sensors is of growing interest, both to diagnose the heart patient, as well as to adjust the regimen. However, human factors such as emotional barriers and stigmatization, may affect the patient's behavior while wearing the equipment, which in turn may influence quality of data. The study of human factors and patient acceptance is important both in relation to the development of such equipment, as well as in evaluating the quality of data gathered from the individual patient. In this paper, we highlight some important aspects in patient acceptance by comparing results from a preliminary clinical trial with patients using a wireless ECG sensor for three days out-of-hospital service, to available published results from telehomecare projects, and discuss important aspects to be taken into account in future investigations.

Personalized Medicine and Adverse Drug Reactions: The Experience of An Italian Teaching Hospital.

PubMed

La Russa, Raffaele; Finesch, Vittorio; Di Sanzo, Mariantonia; Gatto, Vittorio; Santurro, Alessandro; Martini, Gabriella; Scopetti, Matteo; Frati, Paola

2017-01-01

The personalized medicine is a model of medicine based on inherent difference given by the genetic heritage that characterizes us, diversity that can affect also our response to administered therapy. Nowadays, the term "adverse drug reaction" is identified with any harmful effect involuntary resulting from the use of a medicinal product; pharmacogenomics, in this field, has the aim to improve the drug response and to reduce the adverse reaction. We analyzed all reports of adverse reaction collected in the Pharmacovigilance Centre database of an Italian University Hospital, at the Sant'Andrea Hospital Sapienza University of Rome, in a period of two years. Comparing the data result from our analysis with several studies found in literature, it is evident that adverse drug reactions represent an important problem in the management of a health care system. However, the development of pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics, allowing a personalized treatment, can improve clinical practice. This study highlights the great potential of pharmacogenomics in reducing adverse reactions and suggests the need for further pharmacogenomic clinical trials to better personalize drug treatment and to refine the current pharmacovigilance strategies. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Energy drinks and their adverse health effects: A systematic review of the current evidence.

PubMed

Ali, Fahad; Rehman, Hiba; Babayan, Zaruhi; Stapleton, Dwight; Joshi, Divya-Devi

2015-04-01

With the rising consumption of so-called energy drinks over the last few years, there has been a growing body of literature describing significant adverse health events after the ingestion of these beverages. To gain further insight about the clinical spectrum of these adverse events, we conducted a literature review. Using PubMed and Google-Scholar, we searched the literature from January 1980 through May 2014 for articles on the adverse health effects of energy drinks. A total of 2097 publications were found. We then excluded molecular and industry-related studies, popular media reports, and case reports of isolated caffeine toxicity, yielding 43 reports. Energy drink consumption is a health issue primarily of the adolescent and young adult male population. It is linked to increased substance abuse and risk-taking behaviors. The most common adverse events affect the cardiovascular and neurological systems. The most common ingredient in energy drinks is caffeine, and it is believed that the adverse events are related to its effects, as well as potentiating effects of other stimulants in these drinks. Education, regulation, and further studies are required.

Childhood Adversity and Pain Sensitization.

PubMed

You, Dokyoung Sophia; Meagher, Mary W

Childhood adversity is a vulnerability factor for chronic pain. However, the underlying pain mechanisms influenced by childhood adversity remain unknown. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the impact of childhood adversity on dynamic pain sensitivity in young adults. After screening for childhood adverse events and health status, healthy individuals reporting low (below median; n = 75) or high levels of adversity (the top 5%; n = 51) were invited for pain testing. Both groups underwent heat pain threshold and temporal summation of second pain (TSSP) testing after reporting depressive symptoms. TSSP refers to a progressive increase in pain intensity with repetition of identical noxious stimuli and is attributed to central sensitization. Changes in pain ratings over time (slope) were computed for TSSP sensitization and decay of subsequent aftersensations. The high-adversity group showed greater TSSP sensitization (meanslope, 0.75; SDpositive slope, 1.78), and a trend toward a slower decay (meanslope, -11.9; SD, 3.4), whereas the low-adversity group showed minimal sensitization (meanslope, 0.07; SDnear-zero slope, 1.77), F(1,123) = 5.84, p = .017 and faster decay (meanslope, -13.1; SD, 3.4), F(1,123) = 3.79, p = .054. This group difference remained significant even after adjusting for adult depressive symptoms (p = .033). No group difference was found in heat pain threshold (p = .85). Lastly, the high-adversity group showed blunted cardiac and skin conductance responses. These findings suggest that enhancement of central sensitization may provide a mechanism underlying the pain hypersensitivity and chronicity linked to childhood adversity.

Psychological Well-Being and the Human Conserved Transcriptional Response to Adversity

PubMed Central

Fredrickson, Barbara L.; Grewen, Karen M.; Algoe, Sara B.; Firestine, Ann M.; Arevalo, Jesusa M. G.; Ma, Jeffrey; Cole, Steve W.

2015-01-01

Research in human social genomics has identified a conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA) characterized by up-regulated expression of pro-inflammatory genes and down-regulated expression of Type I interferon- and antibody-related genes. This report seeks to identify the specific aspects of positive psychological well-being that oppose such effects and predict reduced CTRA gene expression. In a new confirmation study of 122 healthy adults that replicated the approach of a previously reported discovery study, mixed effect linear model analyses identified a significant inverse association between expression of CTRA indicator genes and a summary measure of eudaimonic well-being from the Mental Health Continuum – Short Form. Analyses of a 2- representation of eudaimonia converged in finding correlated psychological and social subdomains of eudaimonic well-being to be the primary carriers of CTRA associations. Hedonic well-being showed no consistent CTRA association independent of eudaimonic well-being, and summary measures integrating hedonic and eudaimonic well-being showed less stable CTRA associations than did focal measures of eudaimonia (psychological and social well-being). Similar results emerged from analyses of pooled discovery and confirmation samples (n = 198). Similar results also emerged from analyses of a second new generalization study of 107 healthy adults that included the more detailed Ryff Scales of Psychological Well-being and found this more robust measure of eudaimonic well-being to also associate with reduced CTRA gene expression. Five of the 6 major sub-domains of psychological well-being predicted reduced CTRA gene expression when analyzed separately, and 3 remained distinctively prognostic in mutually adjusted analyses. All associations were independent of demographic characteristics, health-related confounders, and RNA indicators of leukocyte subset distribution. These results identify specific sub-dimensions of eudaimonic

Underestimating nearby nature: affective forecasting errors obscure the happy path to sustainability.

PubMed

Nisbet, Elizabeth K; Zelenski, John M

2011-09-01

Modern lifestyles disconnect people from nature, and this may have adverse consequences for the well-being of both humans and the environment. In two experiments, we found that although outdoor walks in nearby nature made participants much happier than indoor walks did, participants made affective forecasting errors, such that they systematically underestimated nature's hedonic benefit. The pleasant moods experienced on outdoor nature walks facilitated a subjective sense of connection with nature, a construct strongly linked with concern for the environment and environmentally sustainable behavior. To the extent that affective forecasts determine choices, our findings suggest that people fail to maximize their time in nearby nature and thus miss opportunities to increase their happiness and relatedness to nature. Our findings suggest a happy path to sustainability, whereby contact with nature fosters individual happiness and environmentally responsible behavior.

Bypassing adverse injection reactions to nanoparticles through shape modification and attachment to erythrocytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wibroe, Peter Popp; Anselmo, Aaron C.; Nilsson, Per H.; Sarode, Apoorva; Gupta, Vivek; Urbanics, Rudolf; Szebeni, Janos; Hunter, Alan Christy; Mitragotri, Samir; Mollnes, Tom Eirik; Moghimi, Seyed Moein

2017-07-01

Intravenously injected nanopharmaceuticals, including PEGylated nanoparticles, induce adverse cardiopulmonary reactions in sensitive human subjects, and these reactions are highly reproducible in pigs. Although the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood, roles for both the complement system and reactive macrophages have been implicated. Here, we show the dominance and importance of robust pulmonary intravascular macrophage clearance of nanoparticles in mediating adverse cardiopulmonary distress in pigs irrespective of complement activation. Specifically, we show that delaying particle recognition by macrophages within the first few minutes of injection overcomes adverse reactions in pigs using two independent approaches. First, we changed the particle geometry from a spherical shape (which triggers cardiopulmonary distress) to either rod- or disk-shape morphology. Second, we physically adhered spheres to the surface of erythrocytes. These strategies, which are distinct from commonly leveraged stealth engineering approaches such as nanoparticle surface functionalization with poly(ethylene glycol) and/or immunological modulators, prevent robust macrophage recognition, resulting in the reduction or mitigation of adverse cardiopulmonary distress associated with nanopharmaceutical administration.

Adverse effects of concentrated green tea extracts.

PubMed

Schönthal, Axel H

2011-06-01

A myriad of health claims are being made in favor of the consumption of green tea. However, mostly due to the easy availability and greater than ever popularity of highly concentrated green tea extracts, sometimes combined with an attitude of more-is-better, certain health risks of green tea consumption have begun to emerge. Among such risks are the possibility of liver damage, the potential to interact with prescription drugs to alter their therapeutic efficacy, and the chance to cause harm when combined with other highly popular herbal remedies. This review will summarize documented examples of adverse effects of green tea in humans, and will discuss risks of copious consumption of highly concentrated green tea extracts as indicated by studies in animals. While there is no intention to minimize any of the scientifically established benefits of the use of green tea, the purpose of this review is to focus primarily on the potential for adverse effects and raise awareness of the rare, yet under-appreciated risks. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Suspected adverse reactions to oral administration of a praziquantel-pyrantel combination in captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus).

PubMed

Whitehouse-Tedd, Katherine M; Smith, Liesl; Budd, Jane A; Lloyd, Christopher G

2017-11-15

OBJECTIVE To characterize adverse reactions to oral administration of a combination of praziquantel and pyrantel embonate or pyrantel pamoate, with or without oxantel embonate, in captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus). DESIGN Retrospective case series and case-control study. ANIMALS 16 captive cheetahs with signs of adverse reaction to oral administration of praziquantel and pyrantel, with or without oxantel embonate (affected group), and 27 cheetahs without such reactions (unaffected group), all from 3 independent facilities. PROCEDURES Medical records and postmortem findings for affected cheetahs were reviewed and compared with those of unaffected animals. Anthelmintic doses administered, age, and sex of cheetahs were compared between groups. RESULTS 3 reactions in affected cheetahs were fatal, whereas the remainder ranged from mild to severe. Postmortem examination failed to reveal any disease processes or conditions to explain the deaths. No differences in anthelmintic dose were identified between affected and unaffected cheetahs for all facilities combined, and no correlation existed between dose and reaction severity. No association with sex was detected, but affected cheetahs were significantly younger than unaffected cheetahs. This difference was not significant after controlling for facility. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Cheetahs were concluded to have had an adverse reaction to the praziquantel-pyrantel combination because of temporal proximity of onset of clinical signs to dose administration, similarity of signs to those reported for toxicosis in other species for these drugs, and a lack of other disease process or environmental explanatory factors. A highly cautious approach to the use of this drug combination is recommended for cheetahs.

Challenges in Coding Adverse Events in Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Schroll, Jeppe Bennekou; Maund, Emma; Gøtzsche, Peter C.

2012-01-01

Background Misclassification of adverse events in clinical trials can sometimes have serious consequences. Therefore, each of the many steps involved, from a patient's adverse experience to presentation in tables in publications, should be as standardised as possible, minimising the scope for interpretation. Adverse events are categorised by a predefined dictionary, e.g. MedDRA, which is updated biannually with many new categories. The objective of this paper is to study interobserver variation and other challenges of coding. Methods Systematic review using PRISMA. We searched PubMed, EMBASE and The Cochrane Library. All studies were screened for eligibility by two authors. Results Our search returned 520 unique studies of which 12 were included. Only one study investigated interobserver variation. It reported that 12% of the codes were evaluated differently by two coders. Independent physicians found that 8% of all the codes deviated from the original description. Other studies found that product summaries could be greatly affected by the choice of dictionary. With the introduction of MedDRA, it seems to have become harder to identify adverse events statistically because each code is divided in subgroups. To account for this, lumping techniques have been developed but are rarely used, and guidance on when to use them is vague. An additional challenge is that adverse events are censored if they already occurred in the run-in period of a trial. As there are more than 26 ways of determining whether an event has already occurred, this can lead to bias, particularly because data analysis is rarely performed blindly. Conclusion There is a lack of evidence that coding of adverse events is a reliable, unbiased and reproducible process. The increase in categories has made detecting adverse events harder, potentially compromising safety. It is crucial that readers of medical publications are aware of these challenges. Comprehensive interobserver studies are needed. PMID

Activation of mouse and human Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-alpha (PPARa) by Perfluoroalkyl Acids(PFAAs): Further investigation of C4-C12 compounds.

EPA Science Inventory

Perfluorinated alkyl acids (PFAAs) are manufactured surfactants found globally in the environment and in tissues of humans and wildlife. Several PFAAs adversely affect rodents and activation of PPARa is thought to be their mode of action. Our previous study demonstrated that some...

The Role of a Research Administration Program in Adverse Event Reporting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fedor, Carol; Cola, Philip; Polites, Stephanie

2007-01-01

The reporting, analysis, and management of adverse events (AEs) provide an ongoing assessment of risk in the context of a clinical trial and enhance the protection of human research participants and the informed consent process. Effective and efficient review of AEs has been a long-standing challenge for Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) and…

The two sides of adversity: the effect of distant versus recent adversity on updating emotional content in working memory.

PubMed

Levens, Sara M; Armstrong, Laura Marie; Orejuela-Dávila, Ana I; Alverio, Tabitha

2017-09-01

Previous research suggests that adversity can have both adaptive and maladaptive effects, yet the emotional and working memory processes that contribute to more or less adaptive outcomes are unclear. The present study sought to investigate how updating emotional content differs in adolescents who have experienced past, recent, or no adversity. Participants who had experienced distant adversity (N = 53), no adversity (N = 58), or recent adversity only (N = 20) performed an emotion n-back task with emotional facial expressions. Results revealed that the distant adversity group exhibited significantly faster reaction times (RTs) than the no adversity and recent adversity only groups. In contrast, the recent adversity only group exhibited significantly slower RTs and more errors than the distant adversity and no adversity groups. These results suggest an emotion and executive control pathway by which both the benefits and negative effects of adversity may be conferred. Results also highlight the importance of time in assessing the impact of adversity.

Adversity and psychosis: a 10-year prospective study investigating synergism between early and recent adversity in psychosis.

PubMed

Lataster, J; Myin-Germeys, I; Lieb, R; Wittchen, H-U; van Os, J

2012-05-01

Recent studies have suggested that early adverse events, such as childhood trauma, may promote enduring liability for psychosis whereas more recent adverse events may act as precipitants. Examination of these environmental dynamics, however, requires prospective studies in large samples. This study examines whether the association between recent adverse events and psychosis is moderated by exposure to early adversity. A random regional representative population sample of 3021 adolescents and young adults in Munich, Germany, was assessed three times over a period of up to 10 years, collecting information on sociodemographic factors, environmental exposures, and measures of psychopathology and associated clinical relevance. Evidence of statistical non-additivity between early adversity (two levels) and more recent adversity (four levels) was assessed in models of psychotic symptoms. Analyses were a priori corrected for age, gender, cannabis use, and urbanicity. Early and recent adversity were associated with each other (RR = 1.32, 95% CI 1.06-1.66; P = 0.014) and displayed statistical non-additivity at the highest level of exposure to recent adversity (χ(2) = 4.59; P = 0.032). The findings suggest that early adversity may impact on later expression of psychosis either by increasing exposure to later adversity and/or by rendering individuals more sensitive to later adversity if it is severe. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Cutaneous Adverse Effects of Neurologic Medications.

PubMed

Bahrani, Eman; Nunneley, Chloe E; Hsu, Sylvia; Kass, Joseph S

2016-03-01

Life-threatening and benign drug reactions occur frequently in the skin, affecting 8 % of the general population and 2-3 % of all hospitalized patients, emphasizing the need for physicians to effectively recognize and manage patients with drug-induced eruptions. Neurologic medications represent a vast array of drug classes with cutaneous side effects. Approximately 7 % of the United States (US) adult population is affected by adult-onset neurological disorders, reflecting a large number of patients on neurologic drug therapies. This review elucidates the cutaneous reactions associated with medications approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat the following neurologic pathologies: Alzheimer disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, epilepsy, Huntington disease, migraine, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson disease, and pseudobulbar affect. A search of the literature was performed using the specific FDA-approved drug or drug classes in combination with the terms 'dermatologic,' 'cutaneous,' 'skin,' or 'rash.' Both PubMed and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were utilized, with side effects ranging from those cited in randomized controlled trials to case reports. It behooves neurologists, dermatologists, and primary care physicians to be aware of the recorded cutaneous adverse reactions and their severity for proper management and potential need to withdraw the offending medication.

Lycopersicon esculentum (Tomato) Prevents Adverse Effects of Lead on Blood Constituents

PubMed Central

SALAWU, Emmanuel O

2010-01-01

Background: Lead is known for its adverse effects on various organs and systems. In this study, the ability of lead to adversely affect blood parameters was investigated, and Lycopersicon esculentum, or commonly known as tomato (a source of antioxidants), was administered orally in the form of tomato paste (TP) to reduce the adverse effects of lead. Methods: The study involved 56 Wistar rats divided equally into 4 groups of 14 rats each: Control, LAG, TPG, and LA+TPG. Control and TPG rats were given distilled water ad libitum, while LAG and LA+TPG rats were given 1% lead (II) acetate (LA) per day. TPG and LA+TPG rats were additionally treated with 1.5 ml of TP per day. All treatments lasted for 10 weeks, after which the rats were weighed and sacrificed, and haematological and biochemical parameters were measured. The independent samples t test was used to analyse the results. Results: Lead caused significant reductions in the following parameters: weight; packed cell volume; red blood cell and white blood cell counts; the percentages of lymphocytes and monocytes; total serum protein, albumin, and globulin levels; and plasma superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. In contrast, lead caused a significant increase in the percentage of neutrophils and the plasma malondialdehyde concentration. TP, however, significantly prevented the adverse effects of LA. Conclusion: The oral administration of TP prevents the adverse effects of lead on blood constituents. PMID:22135544

The College Student and Marijuana: Research Findings Concerning Adverse Biological and Psychological Effects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicholi, Armand M., Jr.

1983-01-01

This paper focuses on current knowledge about adverse biological and psychological affects of marijuana use, with special reference to risks for college students. Short-term effects on intellectual functioning and perceptual-motor coordination and long-term effects on reproduction and motivation are highlighted. (PP)

A Social Movements' Perspective on Human Rights Impact of Mining Liberalization in the Philippines.

PubMed

Aytin, Andrew

2016-02-01

When it comes to minerals like gold, copper, or nickel, the Philippines ranks among the world's richest countries, but it has continued to perform poorly in terms of human and economic development. In the belief that foreign investments will bring development, the government in 1995 liberalized its mining industry allowing full foreign ownership and control of the mining activities. After almost two decades of mining liberalization, the country has never achieved its goal of development but is now reeling from the adverse impacts of large-scale corporate mining on the environment and lives of mining-affected communities. Moreover, human rights violations against anti-mining activists and environmental advocates have escalated at an alarming rate making the country one of the most dangerous places for land and environmental defenders. But social movements are now taking big steps to empower the people, especially the mining-affected communities, to confront the adverse impacts of corporate mining and to reverse the current path of the mining industry to one that aims to achieve national industrialization where national development is prioritized over transnational corporations' interests. © The Author(s) 2016.

Childhood adversity and insomnia in adolescence.

PubMed

Wang, Yan; Raffeld, Miriam R; Slopen, Natalie; Hale, Lauren; Dunn, Erin C

2016-05-01

The study aims to evaluate the association between exposure to childhood adversity and insomnia, with an emphasis on the role of adversity type, timing, and accumulation (i.e., the number of specific types of adversities the child reported being exposed to). Our analytic sample comprised 9582 adolescents from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A), a nationally representative population-based sample. We examined the association between 18 different types of retrospectively reported adversities (capturing interpersonal violence, accidents and injuries, social network or witnessing events, and other adverse events) and risk of self-reported past-year insomnia. We also examined whether the age at first exposure to adversity was associated with the risk of insomnia, and whether exposure to a greater number of different types of adversities (ie, accumulation) conferred an elevated risk of insomnia. In addition, we performed a sensitivity analysis excluding adolescents with a past-year diagnosis of major depression, dysthymia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or generalized anxiety disorder. Almost one-third of adolescents reported insomnia, with a higher prevalence among girls and those from racial/ethnic minority groups. Adolescents exposed to at least one childhood adversity of any type (59.41%) were more likely than their nonexposed peers to experience insomnia (across adversities, prevalence ratios (PRs) ranged from 1.31 to 1.89). Risk of insomnia differed based on the age at first exposure to adversity as well as the type of adversity. Adolescents exposed to a greater number of different types of adversities had a higher risk of insomnia compared to those experiencing fewer adversities. These results were similar, by and large, to those obtained after excluding adolescents with at least one of the four past-year psychiatric disorders. Exposure to adversity confers an elevated risk of insomnia. This association varied by type

Ecology of conflict: marine food supply affects human-wildlife interactions on land.

PubMed

Artelle, Kyle A; Anderson, Sean C; Reynolds, John D; Cooper, Andrew B; Paquet, Paul C; Darimont, Chris T

2016-05-17

Human-wildlife conflicts impose considerable costs to people and wildlife worldwide. Most research focuses on proximate causes, offering limited generalizable understanding of ultimate drivers. We tested three competing hypotheses (problem individuals, regional population saturation, limited food supply) that relate to underlying processes of human-grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) conflict, using data from British Columbia, Canada, between 1960-2014. We found most support for the limited food supply hypothesis: in bear populations that feed on spawning salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.), the annual number of bears/km(2) killed due to conflicts with humans increased by an average of 20% (6-32% [95% CI]) for each 50% decrease in annual salmon biomass. Furthermore, we found that across all bear populations (with or without access to salmon), 81% of attacks on humans and 82% of conflict kills occurred after the approximate onset of hyperphagia (July 1(st)), a period of intense caloric demand. Contrary to practices by many management agencies, conflict frequency was not reduced by hunting or removal of problem individuals. Our finding that a marine resource affects terrestrial conflict suggests that evidence-based policy for reducing harm to wildlife and humans requires not only insight into ultimate drivers of conflict, but also management that spans ecosystem and jurisdictional boundaries.

Social capital and adverse treatment outcomes of tuberculosis: a case-control study.

PubMed

Deshmukh, P R; Mundra, A; Dawale, A

2017-08-01

'Social capital' refers to social norms, relationships, networks and values that affect the functioning and development of society. Social capital influences health positively, but its role in the treatment outcomes of tuberculosis (TB) is not known. To study the role of social capital in determining adverse TB treatment outcomes. Of 516 patients registered under the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme in 2014 in Wardha Tuberculosis Unit, Wardha, India, we included 88 patients with adverse treatment outcomes as cases and 187 controls from among those without adverse outcomes. Multiple logistic regression was used to compare standardised Z-scores. A greater proportion of controls than cases belonged to higher quartiles of social capital and its domains than cases, and the mean standardised Z-score was also consistently higher among controls than cases. Respectively 47% and 15% of cases and controls were in the poorest quartile of social capital, whereas respectively 10% and 33% of cases and controls were in the richest quartile. Each unit increase in Z-score of overall social capital reduced the odds of adverse treatment outcomes by 63.1%. Appropriate interventions for building social capital for TB patients and linking them with the programme would improve programme performance.

Cumulative Adversity Sensitizes Neural Response to Acute Stress: Association with Health Symptoms

PubMed Central

Seo, Dongju; Tsou, Kristen A; Ansell, Emily B; Potenza, Marc N; Sinha, Rajita

2014-01-01

Cumulative adversity (CA) increases stress sensitivity and risk of adverse health outcomes. However, neural mechanisms underlying these associations in humans remain unclear. To understand neural responses underlying the link between CA and adverse health symptoms, the current study assessed brain activity during stress and neutral-relaxing states in 75 demographically matched, healthy individuals with high, mid, and low CA (25 in each group), and their health symptoms using the Cornell Medical Index. CA was significantly associated with greater adverse health symptoms (P=0.01) in all participants. Functional magnetic resonance imaging results indicated significant associations between CA scores and increased stress-induced activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex, insula, striatum, right amygdala, hippocampus, and temporal regions in all 75 participants (p<0.05, whole-brain corrected). In addition to these regions, the high vs low CA group comparison revealed decreased stress-induced activity in the medial orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in the high CA group (p<0.01, whole-brain corrected). Specifically, hypoactive medial OFC and hyperactive right hippocampus responses to stress were each significantly associated with greater adverse health symptoms (p<0.01). Furthermore, an inverse correlation was found between activity in the medial OFC and right hippocampus (p=0.01). These results indicate that high CA sensitizes limbic–striatal responses to acute stress and also identifies an important role for stress-related medial OFC and hippocampus responses in the effects of CA on increasing vulnerability to adverse health consequences. PMID:24051900

Cumulative adversity sensitizes neural response to acute stress: association with health symptoms.

PubMed

Seo, Dongju; Tsou, Kristen A; Ansell, Emily B; Potenza, Marc N; Sinha, Rajita

2014-02-01

Cumulative adversity (CA) increases stress sensitivity and risk of adverse health outcomes. However, neural mechanisms underlying these associations in humans remain unclear. To understand neural responses underlying the link between CA and adverse health symptoms, the current study assessed brain activity during stress and neutral-relaxing states in 75 demographically matched, healthy individuals with high, mid, and low CA (25 in each group), and their health symptoms using the Cornell Medical Index. CA was significantly associated with greater adverse health symptoms (P=0.01) in all participants. Functional magnetic resonance imaging results indicated significant associations between CA scores and increased stress-induced activity in the lateral prefrontal cortex, insula, striatum, right amygdala, hippocampus, and temporal regions in all 75 participants (p<0.05, whole-brain corrected). In addition to these regions, the high vs low CA group comparison revealed decreased stress-induced activity in the medial orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in the high CA group (p<0.01, whole-brain corrected). Specifically, hypoactive medial OFC and hyperactive right hippocampus responses to stress were each significantly associated with greater adverse health symptoms (p<0.01). Furthermore, an inverse correlation was found between activity in the medial OFC and right hippocampus (p=0.01). These results indicate that high CA sensitizes limbic-striatal responses to acute stress and also identifies an important role for stress-related medial OFC and hippocampus responses in the effects of CA on increasing vulnerability to adverse health consequences.

Fermentation properties of isomaltooligosaccharides are affected by human fecal enterotypes.

PubMed

Wu, Qinqin; Pi, Xiong'e; Liu, Wei; Chen, Huahai; Yin, Yeshi; Yu, Hongwei D; Wang, Xin; Zhu, Liying

2017-12-01

Isomaltooligosaccharides (IMOs) are enzymatically synthesized oligosaccharides that have potential prebiotic effects. Five IMO substrates with 2-16° of polymerization (DP) were studied for their fermentation capacities using human microbiomes in an in vitro batch fermentation model. Eleven fecal slurries belonging to three enterotypes, including the Bacteroides-, Prevotella- and Mixed-type, exhibited different degradation rates for long chain IMOs (DP 7 to 16). In contrast, the degradation rates for short chain IMOs (DP 2 to 6) were not affected by enterotypes. Both 16S rRNA gene sequencing and quantitative PCR demonstrated that, after fermentation, the Bifidobacterium growth with IMOs was primarily detected in the Bacteroides- and Mixed-type (non-Prevotella-type), and to a lesser degree in the Prevotella-type. Interestingly, the Prevotella-type microbiome had higher levels of propionic acid and butyric acid production than non-Prevotella-type microbiome after IMOs fermentation. Moreover, principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) of both denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiling and 16S rRNA sequencing data demonstrated that the microbiome community compositions were separately clustered based on IMO chain length, suggesting significant impact of DP on the bacterial community structure. The current results clearly demonstrated that the IMO chain length could modulate the structure and composition of the human colonic microbiome. Different responses to short and long chain IMOs were observed from three human enterotypes, indicating that IMOs may be used as therapeutic substrates for directly altering human colonic bacteria. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetic alteration of UDP-rhamnose metabolism in Botrytis cinerea leads to the accumulation of UDP-KDG that adversely affects development and pathogenicity.

PubMed

Ma, Liang; Salas, Omar; Bowler, Kyle; Oren-Young, Liat; Bar-Peled, Maor; Sharon, Amir

2017-02-01

Botrytis cinerea is a model plant-pathogenic fungus that causes grey mould and rot diseases in a wide range of agriculturally important crops. A previous study has identified two enzymes and corresponding genes (bcdh, bcer) that are involved in the biochemical transformation of uridine diphosphate (UDP)-glucose, the major fungal wall nucleotide sugar precursor, to UDP-rhamnose. We report here that deletion of bcdh, the first biosynthetic gene in the metabolic pathway, or of bcer, the second gene in the pathway, abolishes the production of rhamnose-containing glycans in these mutant strains. Deletion of bcdh or double deletion of both bcdh and bcer has no apparent effect on fungal development or pathogenicity. Interestingly, deletion of the bcer gene alone adversely affects fungal development, giving rise to altered hyphal growth and morphology, as well as reduced sporulation, sclerotia production and virulence. Treatments with wall stressors suggest the alteration of cell wall integrity. Analysis of nucleotide sugars reveals the accumulation of the UDP-rhamnose pathway intermediate UDP-4-keto-6-deoxy-glucose (UDP-KDG) in hyphae of the Δbcer strain. UDP-KDG could not be detected in hyphae of the wild-type strain, indicating fast conversion to UDP-rhamnose by the BcEr enzyme. The correlation between high UDP-KDG and modified cell wall and developmental defects raises the possibility that high levels of UDP-KDG result in deleterious effects on cell wall composition, and hence on virulence. This is the first report demonstrating that the accumulation of a minor nucleotide sugar intermediate has such a profound and adverse effect on a fungus. The ability to identify molecules that inhibit Er (also known as NRS/ER) enzymes or mimic UDP-KDG may lead to the development of new antifungal drugs. © 2016 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

Medications and Adverse Voice Effects.

PubMed

Nemr, Kátia; Di Carlos Silva, Ariana; Rodrigues, Danilo de Albuquerque; Zenari, Marcia Simões

2017-08-16

To identify the medications used by patients with dysphonia, describe the voice symptoms reported on initial speech-language pathology (SLP) examination, evaluate the possible direct and indirect effects of medications on voice production, and determine the association between direct and indirect adverse voice effects and self-reported voice symptoms, hydration and smoking habits, comorbidities, vocal assessment, and type and degree of dysphonia. This is a retrospective cross-sectional study. Fifty-five patients were evaluated and the vocal signs and symptoms indicated in the Dysphonia Risk Protocol were considered, as well as data on hydration, smoking and medication use. We analyzed the associations between type of side effect and self-reported vocal signs/symptoms, hydration, smoking, comorbidities, type of dysphonia, and auditory-perceptual and acoustic parameters. Sixty percent were women, the mean age was 51.8 years, 29 symptoms were reported on the screening, and 73 active ingredients were identified with 8.2% directly and 91.8% indirectly affecting vocal function. There were associations between the use of drugs with direct adverse voice effects, self-reported symptoms, general degree of vocal deviation, and pitch deviation. The symptoms of dry throat and shortness of breath were associated with the direct vocal side effect of the medicine, as well as the general degree of vocal deviation and the greater pitch deviation. Shortness of breath when speaking was also associated with the greatest degree of vocal deviation. Copyright © 2017 The Voice Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Study of performance and propagation characteristics of wire and planar structures around human body.

PubMed

Aroul, A L Praveen; Bhatia, Dinesh

2011-01-01

Continued miniaturization of electronic devices and technological advancements in wireless communications has made wearable body-centric telemedicine systems viable. Antennas play a crucial role in characterizing the efficiency and reliability of these systems. The performance characteristics such as the radiation pattern, gain, efficiency of the antennas get adversely affected due to the presence of lossy human body tissues. In this paper we investigate the above mentioned performance parameters and radio frequency transmission properties of wire and planar structures operating at ISM frequency band of 2.40-2.50 GHz in the proximity of human body.

Factors That Influence Human Behavior And Negatively Affect Energy Consumption In USMC Ground Units During Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

vehicle idling, energy strategy, energy behavior, energy reductions, behavior change 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 79 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY...INFLUENCE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND NEGATIVELY AFFECT ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN USMC GROUND UNITS DURING OPERATIONS by John A. Peters September 2016...NEGATIVELY AFFECT ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN USMC GROUND UNITS DURING OPERATIONS 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) John A. Peters 7. PERFORMING

[Analgesics in geriatric patients. Adverse side effects and interactions].

PubMed

Gosch, Markus

2015-07-01

Pain is a widespread symptom in clinical practice. Older adults and chronically ill patients are particularly affected. In multimorbid geriatric patients, pharmacological pain treatment is an extension of a previously existing multimedication. Besides the efficacy of pain treatment, drug side effects and drug-drug interactions have to be taken into account to minimize the health risk for these patients. Apart from the number of prescriptions, the age-related pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes significantly increase the risk among older adults. The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) is widespread but NSAIDs have the highest risk of adverse drug reactions and drug interactions. In particular, the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, renal and coagulation systems are affected. Apart from the known toxic effect on the liver (in high doses), paracetamol (acetaminophen) has similar risks although to a lesser degree. According to current data, metamizol is actually better than its reputation suggests. The risk of potential drug interactions seems to be low. Apart from the risk of sedation in combination with other drugs, tramadol and other opioids can induce the serotonin syndrome. Among older adults, especially in the case of polypharmacy, an individualized approach should be considered instead of sticking to the pain management recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) in order to minimize drug-drug interactions and adverse drug reactions.

Interaction between childhood adversity and functional polymorphisms in the dopamine pathway on first-episode psychosis.

PubMed

Trotta, Antonella; Iyegbe, Conrad; Yiend, Jenny; Dazzan, Paola; David, Anthony S; Pariante, Carmine; Mondelli, Valeria; Colizzi, Marco; Murray, Robin M; Di Forti, Marta; Fisher, Helen L

2018-04-10

There is consistent evidence of a cumulative relationship between childhood adversity and psychosis, with number of adversities experienced increasing the probability of psychosis onset. It is possible that genetic factors moderate the association between childhood adversity and psychosis, potentially by influencing how an individual reacts biologically and/or psychologically following exposure to adversity, in such a way as to set them off on the path to psychosis. However, identifying the specific genetic variants involved and how they interact with childhood adversity remains challenging. We examined whether the association between cumulative exposure to childhood adversity and development of psychotic disorder was moderated by the COMT Val 158 Met, AKT1 rs2494732 or DRD2 rs1076560 polymorphisms, known to affect dopamine levels. Participants were 285 first-presentation psychosis cases and 256 geographically-matched controls drawn from the Genetics and Psychosis (GAP) study. Childhood adversity was assessed using the Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire (CECA.Q) and blood- and cheek-derived genotype data were collected. Our findings revealed no main effect of COMT Val 158 Met, AKT1 rs2494732 and DRD2 rs1076560 polymorphisms on psychosis case status or reports of childhood adversity. Individuals reporting a history of multiple adversities were more likely to be psychosis patients than controls, regardless of their genetic risk. There was no evidence of candidate genotype by childhood adversity interactions in relation to psychosis onset. These findings did not provide evidence of a possible role of COMT Val 158 Met, AKT1 rs2494732 or DRD2 rs1076560 genotypes in modifying the association between childhood adversity and onset of psychosis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adverse Outcome Pathways – Organizing Toxicological ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The number of chemicals for which environmental regulatory decisions are required far exceeds the current capacity for toxicity testing. High throughput screening (HTS) commonly used for drug discovery has the potential to increase this capacity. The adverse outcome pathway (AOP) concept has emerged as a natural framework for connecting high throughput toxicity testing (HTT) results to potential impacts on humans and wildlife populations. An AOP consists of two main components that describe the biological mechanisms driving toxicity. Key events represent biological processes essential for causing the adverse outcome that are also measurable experimentally. Key event relationships capture the biological processes connecting the key events. Evidence documented for each KER based on measurements of the KEs can provide the confidence needed for extrapolating HTT from early key events to overt toxicity represented by later key events based on the AOP. The IPCS mode of action (MOA) framework incorporates information required for making a chemical-specific toxicity determination. Given the close relationship between the AOP and MOA frameworks, it is possible to assemble an MOA by incorporating HTT results, chemical properties including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME), and an AOP describing the biological basis of toxicity thereby streamlining the process. While current applications focus on the assessment of risk for environmental chemicals,

A joint ERS/ATS policy statement: what constitutes an adverse health effect of air pollution? An analytical framework.

PubMed

Thurston, George D; Kipen, Howard; Annesi-Maesano, Isabella; Balmes, John; Brook, Robert D; Cromar, Kevin; De Matteis, Sara; Forastiere, Francesco; Forsberg, Bertil; Frampton, Mark W; Grigg, Jonathan; Heederik, Dick; Kelly, Frank J; Kuenzli, Nino; Laumbach, Robert; Peters, Annette; Rajagopalan, Sanjay T; Rich, David; Ritz, Beate; Samet, Jonathan M; Sandstrom, Thomas; Sigsgaard, Torben; Sunyer, Jordi; Brunekreef, Bert

2017-01-01

The American Thoracic Society has previously published statements on what constitutes an adverse effect on health of air pollution in 1985 and 2000. We set out to update and broaden these past statements that focused primarily on effects on the respiratory system. Since then, many studies have documented effects of air pollution on other organ systems, such as on the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. In addition, many new biomarkers of effects have been developed and applied in air pollution studies.This current report seeks to integrate the latest science into a general framework for interpreting the adversity of the human health effects of air pollution. Rather than trying to provide a catalogue of what is and what is not an adverse effect of air pollution, we propose a set of considerations that can be applied in forming judgments of the adversity of not only currently documented, but also emerging and future effects of air pollution on human health. These considerations are illustrated by the inclusion of examples for different types of health effects of air pollution. Copyright ©ERS 2017.

A joint ERS/ATS policy statement: what constitutes an adverse health effect of air pollution? An analytical framework

PubMed Central

Thurston, George D.; Kipen, Howard; Annesi-Maesano, Isabella; Balmes, John; Brook, Robert D.; Cromar, Kevin; De Matteis, Sara; Forastiere, Francesco; Forsberg, Bertil; Frampton, Mark W.; Grigg, Jonathan; Heederik, Dick; Kelly, Frank J.; Kuenzli, Nino; Laumbach, Robert; Peters, Annette; Rajagopalan, Sanjay T.; Rich, David; Ritz, Beate; Samet, Jonathan M.; Sandstrom, Thomas; Sigsgaard, Torben; Sunyer, Jordi; Brunekreef, Bert

2017-01-01

The American Thoracic Society has previously published statements on what constitutes an adverse effect on health of air pollution in 1985 and 2000. We set out to update and broaden these past statements that focused primarily on effects on the respiratory system. Since then, many studies have documented effects of air pollution on other organ systems, such as on the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. In addition, many new biomarkers of effects have been developed and applied in air pollution studies. This current report seeks to integrate the latest science into a general framework for interpreting the adversity of the human health effects of air pollution. Rather than trying to provide a catalogue of what is and what is not an adverse effect of air pollution, we propose a set of considerations that can be applied in forming judgments of the adversity of not only currently documented, but also emerging and future effects of air pollution on human health. These considerations are illustrated by the inclusion of examples for different types of health effects of air pollution. PMID:28077473

Impact of mycotoxins on human health in developing countries.

PubMed

Shephard, G S

2008-02-01

Adverse human health effects from the consumption of mycotoxins have occurred for many centuries. Although mycotoxin contamination of agricultural products still occurs in the developed world, the application of modern agricultural practices and the presence of a legislatively regulated food processing and marketing system have greatly reduced mycotoxin exposure in these populations. At the mycotoxin contamination levels generally found in food products traded in these market economies, adverse human health effects have largely been overcome. However, in the developing world, where climatic and crop storage conditions are frequently conducive to fungal growth and mycotoxin production, much of the population relies on subsistence farming or on unregulated local markets. The extent to which mycotoxins affect human health is difficult to investigate in countries whose health systems lack capacity and in which resources are limited. Aflatoxin B(1), the toxin on which major resources have been expended, has long been linked to liver cancer, yet its other effects, such as immune suppression and growth faltering previously observed in veterinary studies, are only now being investigated and characterized in human populations. The extent to which factors such as immune suppression contribute to the overall burden of infectious disease is difficult to quantify, but is undoubtedly significant. Thus, food safety remains an important opportunity for addressing current health problems in developing countries.

Sperm DNA fragmentation affects epigenetic feature in human male pronucleus.

PubMed

Rajabi, H; Mohseni-Kouchesfehani, H; Eslami-Arshaghi, T; Salehi, M

2018-02-01

To evaluate whether the sperm DNA fragmentation affects male pronucleus epigenetic factors, semen analysis was performed and DNA fragmentation was assessed by the method of sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA). Human-mouse interspecies fertilisation was used to create human male pronucleus. Male pronucleus DNA methylation and H4K12 acetylation were evaluated by immunostaining. Results showed a significant positive correlation between the level of sperm DNA fragmentation and DNA methylation in male pronuclei. In other words, an increase in DNA damage caused an upsurge in DNA methylation. In the case of H4K12 acetylation, no correlation was detected between DNA damage and the level of histone acetylation in the normal group, but results for the group in which male pronuclei were derived from sperm cells with DNA fragmentation, increased DNA damage led to a decreased acetylation level. Sperm DNA fragmentation interferes with the active demethylation process and disrupts the insertion of histones into the male chromatin in the male pronucleus, following fertilisation. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Characteristics of psychiatric patients for whom financial considerations affect optimal treatment provision.

PubMed

West, Joyce C; Pingitore, David; Zarin, Deborah A

2002-12-01

This study assessed characteristics of psychiatric patients for whom financial considerations affected the provision of "optimal" treatment. Psychiatrists reported that for 33.8 percent of 1,228 patients from a national sample, financial considerations such as managed care limitations, the patient's personal finances, and limitations inherent in the public care system adversely affected the provision of optimal treatment. Patients were more likely to have their treatment adversely affected by financial considerations if they were more severely ill, had more than one behavioral health disorder or a psychosocial problem, or were receiving treatment under managed care arrangements. Patients for whom financial considerations affect the provision of optimal treatment represent a population for whom access to treatment may be particularly important.

Factor Affecting Transplant Outcomes in Diabetic Nude Mice Receiving Human, Porcine, and Non-Human Primate Islets: Analysis of 335 Transplantations

PubMed Central

Loganathan, Gopalakrishnan; Graham, Melanie L.; Radosevich, David M.; Soltani, Sajjad M.; Tiwari, Mukesh; Anazawa, Takayuki; papas, Klearchos K.; Sutherland, David E.R.; Hering, Bernhard J.; Balamurugan, A.N.

2013-01-01

Background In the absence of a reliable islet potency assay, nude mice transplant is the criterion standard to assess islet quality for clinical transplantation. There are factors other than islet quality that affect the transplant outcome. Methods Here, we analyzed the transplant outcomes in 335 nude mice (NM) receiving islets from human (n=103), porcine (n=205), and non-human primate (NHP) donors (n=27). The islets (750, 1000, and 2000 islet equivalents) were transplanted under the kidney capsule of streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic NM. Results The proportion of mice that achieved normoglycemia was significantly higher in the group implanted with 2000 IEQ of human, porcine, or NHP islets (75% normoglycemic) versus groups that were implanted with 750 IEQ (7% normoglycemic) and 1000 IEQ (30% normoglycemic). In this study, we observed that the purity of porcine islet preparations (P ≤ .001), islet pellet size in porcine preparations (P ≤ .01) and mice recipient body weight for human islets preparations (P =.013), was independently associated with successful transplant outcome. NHP islets of 1000 IEQ were sufficient to achieve normoglycemic condition (83%). An islet mass of 2000 IEQ, high islet purity, increased recipient body weight, and high islet pellet volume increased the likelihood of successful reversal of diabetes in transplanted mice. Also, higher insulin secretory status of islets at basal stimulus was associated with a reduced mouse cure rate. The cumulative incidence of graft failure was significantly greater in human islets (56.12%) compared with porcine islets 35.57% (P ≤ .001). Conclusion Factors affecting NM bioassay were identified (islet mass, islet purity, pellet size, in vitro insulin secretory capability and mouse recipient body weight) and should be considered when evaluating islet function. PMID:23677052

Cypermethrin induced toxicities in fish and adverse health outcomes: Its prevention and control measure adaptation.

PubMed

Ullah, Sana; Zuberi, Amina; Alagawany, Mahmoud; Farag, Mayada Ragab; Dadar, Maryam; Karthik, Kumaragurubaran; Tiwari, Ruchi; Dhama, Kuldeep; Iqbal, Hafiz M N

2018-01-15

Pesticides are being widely employed in the modern agriculture, though in different quantities, across the globe. Although it is useful for crops yield enhancement, however, there are the serious environment, health and safety related concerns for aquatic and terrestrial living biomes that include humans, animals, and plants. Various in practice and emerging pesticides adversely affect the survival, development and biological systems stability. Several research efforts have been made to highlight the bio-safety and toxicological features of toxicants through risk assessment studies using different animal models, e.g., different fish species. Among several pesticides, cypermethrin is extensively used in agriculture and households, and the reported concentrations of this pesticide in different water bodies including rivers and streams, soil and even in rainwater are threatening. Consequently, cypermethrin is considered for risk assessment studies to know about its deep and different level of toxicological effects subject to its dose, exposure time and route. The cypermethrin existence/persistence in the environment is posing a severe threat to humans as well as another non-target terrestrial and aquatic organism. Herein, the toxic effects of pesticides, with special reference to cypermethrin, on fish, the mode of toxicity, concerns regarding public health and harmful impacts on human beings are comprehensively reviewed. The information is also given on their appropriate control and prevention strategies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Human calprotectin affects the redox speciation of iron.

PubMed

Nakashige, Toshiki G; Nolan, Elizabeth M

2017-08-16

We report that the metal-sequestering human host-defense protein calprotectin (CP, S100A8/S100A9 oligomer) affects the redox speciation of iron (Fe) in bacterial growth media and buffered aqueous solution. Under aerobic conditions and in the absence of an exogenous reducing agent, CP-Ser (S100A8(C42S)/S100A9(C3S) oligomer) depletes Fe from three different bacterial growth media preparations over a 48 h timeframe (T = 30 °C). The presence of the reducing agent β-mercaptoethanol accelerates this process and allows CP-Ser to deplete Fe over a ≈1 h timeframe. Fe-depletion assays performed with metal-binding-site variants of CP-Ser show that the hexahistidine (His 6 ) site, which coordinates Fe(ii) with high affinity, is required for Fe depletion. An analysis of Fe redox speciation in buffer containing Fe(iii) citrate performed under aerobic conditions demonstrates that CP-Ser causes a time-dependent increase in the [Fe(ii)]/[Fe(iii)] ratio. Taken together, these results indicate that the hexahistidine site of CP stabilizes Fe(ii) and thereby shifts the redox equilibrium of Fe to the reduced ferrous state under aerobic conditions. We also report that the presence of bacterial metabolites affects the Fe-depleting activity of CP-Ser. Supplementation of bacterial growth media with an Fe(iii)-scavenging siderophore (enterobactin, staphyloferrin B, or desferrioxamine B) attenuates the Fe-depleting activity of CP-Ser. This result indicates that formation of Fe(iii)-siderophore complexes blocks CP-mediated reduction of Fe(iii) and hence the ability of CP to coordinate Fe(ii). In contrast, the presence of pyocyanin (PYO), a redox-cycling phenazine produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa that reduces Fe(iii) to Fe(ii), accelerates Fe depletion by CP-Ser under aerobic conditions. These findings indicate that the presence of microbial metabolites that contribute to metal homeostasis at the host/pathogen interface can affect the metal-sequestering function of CP.

The association between cumulative adversity and mental health: considering dose and primary focus of adversity.

PubMed

Keinan, Giora; Shrira, Amit; Shmotkin, Dov

2012-09-01

The study addressed the dose-response model in the association of cumulative adversity with mental health. Data of 1,725 participants aged 50+ were drawn from the Israeli component of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe. Measures included an inventory of potentially traumatic events, distress (lifetime depression, depressive symptoms), and well-being (quality of life, optimism/hope). The maximal effect of cumulative trauma emerged in the contrast between 0-2 and 3+ events, where the higher number of events related to higher distress but also to higher well-being. While self-oriented adversity revealed no, or negative, association with well-being, other-oriented adversity revealed a positive association. The study suggests an experiential dose of cumulative adversity leading to a co-activation of distress and well-being. The source of this co-activation seems to be other-oriented adversity.

A humanized version of Foxp2 does not affect ultrasonic vocalization in adult mice.

PubMed

Hammerschmidt, K; Schreiweis, C; Minge, C; Pääbo, S; Fischer, J; Enard, W

2015-11-01

The transcription factor FOXP2 has been linked to severe speech and language impairments in humans. An analysis of the evolution of the FOXP2 gene has identified two amino acid substitutions that became fixed after the split of the human and chimpanzee lineages. Studying the functional consequences of these two substitutions in the endogenous Foxp2 gene of mice showed alterations in dopamine levels, striatal synaptic plasticity, neuronal morphology and cortico-striatal-dependent learning. In addition, ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) of pups had a significantly lower average pitch than control littermates. To which degree adult USVs would be affected in mice carrying the 'humanized' Foxp2 variant remained unclear. In this study, we analyzed USVs of 68 adult male mice uttered during repeated courtship encounters with different females. Mice carrying the Foxp2(hum/hum) allele did not differ significantly in the number of call elements, their element structure or in their element composition from control littermates. We conclude that neither the structure nor the usage of USVs in adult mice is affected by the two amino acid substitutions that occurred in FOXP2 during human evolution. The reported effect for pup vocalization thus appears to be transient. These results are in line with accumulating evidence that mouse USVs are hardly influenced by vocal learning. Hence, the function and evolution of genes that are necessary, but not sufficient for vocal learning in humans, must be either studied at a different phenotypic level in mice or in other organisms. © 2015 The Authors. Genes, Brain and Behavior published by International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Development of Countermeasures for Space Radiation Induced Adverse Health Effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennedy, Ann

The Development of Countermeasures for Space Radiation Induced Adverse Health Effects Ann R. Kennedy Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 195 John Morgan Building, 3620 Hamilton Walk, Philadelphia, PA, United States 19104-6072 The development of countermeasures for radiation induced adverse health effects is a lengthy process, particularly when the countermeasure/drug has not yet been evaluated in human trials. One example of a drug developed from the bench to the clinic is the soybean-derived Bowman-Birk inhibitor (BBI), which has been developed as a countermeasure for radiation induced cancer. It was originally identified as a compound/drug that could prevent the radiation induced carcinogenic process in an in vitro assay system in 1975. The first observation that BBI could inhibit carcinogenesis in animals was in 1985. BBI received Investigational New Drug (IND) Status with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1992 (after several years of negotiation with the FDA about the potential IND status of the drug), and human trials began at that time. Phase I, II and III human trials utilizing BBI have been performed under several INDs with the FDA, and an ongoing Phase III trial will be ending in the very near future. Thus, the drug has been in development for 35 years at this point, and it is still not a prescription drug on the market which is available for human use. A somewhat less time-consuming process is to evaluate compounds that are on the GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) list. These compounds would include some over-the-counter medications, such as antioxidant vitamins utilized in human trials at the levels for which Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) have been established. To determine whether GRAS substances are able to have beneficial effects on radiation induced adverse health effects, it is still likely to be a lengthy process involving many years to potentially decades of human trial work. The

Mechanisms and assessment of statin-related muscular adverse effects

PubMed Central

Moßhammer, Dirk; Schaeffeler, Elke; Schwab, Matthias; Mörike, Klaus

2014-01-01

Statin-associated muscular adverse effects cover a wide range of symptoms, including asymptomatic increase of creatine kinase serum activity and life-threatening rhabdomyolysis. Different underlying pathomechanisms have been proposed. However, a unifying concept of the pathogenesis of statin-related muscular adverse effects has not emerged so far. In this review, we attempt to categorize these mechanisms along three levels. Firstly, among pharmacokinetic factors, it has been shown for some statins that inhibition of cytochrome P450-mediated hepatic biotransformation and hepatic uptake by transporter proteins contribute to an increase of systemic statin concentrations. Secondly, at the myocyte membrane level, cell membrane uptake transporters affect intracellular statin concentrations. Thirdly, at the intracellular level, inhibition of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase results in decreased intracellular concentrations of downstream metabolites (e.g. selenoproteins, ubiquinone, cholesterol) and alteration of gene expression (e.g. ryanodine receptor 3, glycine amidinotransferase). We also review current recommendations for prescribers. PMID:25069381

Oral adverse effects due to the use of Nevirapine.

PubMed

Moura, Mariela Dutra Gontijo; Senna, Maria Inês Barreiros; Madureira, Davidson Fróis; Fonseca, Linaena Merícy Silva; Mesquita, Ricardo Alves

2008-01-01

The aim of this article is to present the clinical characteristics and management of an oral adverse effect stemming from the use of the antiretroviral medication Nevirapine (NVP). NVP is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor used in the treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. A 29-year-old black man, HIV-infected since 1996, began highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) with zidovudine, lamivudine, and indinavir. From 1996 to 2002 several medications were changed due to their adverse effects: indinavir (renal colic and fever), nelfinavir (cutaneous rash), and efavirenz (nausea and temporary memory loss). When the patient presented to our service he was taking NVP, zidovudine, and lamivudine. A whitish plaque in the lips and bilateral buccal mucosa, burning, taste disturbance, and xerostomia were observed. The discontinuation of HAART led to the complete resolution of signs and symptoms. The patient has received follow-up treatment for three years and five months without local or systemic effects observed. Unfortunately, the clinical features of the oral adverse effect from NVP are not well known. This paper contributed to the identification of possible reactions in the oral cavity due to antiretroviral medication. Although HAART is very important in the treatment of HIV, its side effects are responsible for patients' non-adherence to medications. While more studies are needed to better understand the mechanism of action after suspending HAART, the complete resolution of the signs and symptoms was observed. Therefore, physicians and dentists alike must understand how to identify and prevent these adverse effects in order to further improve HIV patient treatments.

Research of transport and deposition of aerosol in human airway replica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lizal, Frantisek; Jedelsky, Jan; Elcner, Jakub; Durdina, Lukas; Halasova, Tereza; Mravec, Filip; Jicha, Miroslav

2012-04-01

Growing concern about knowledge of aerosol transport in human lungs is caused by great potential of use of inhaled pharmaceuticals. Second substantial motive for the research is an effort to minimize adverse effects of particular matter emitted by traffic and industry on human health. We created model geometry of human lungs to 7th generation of branching. This model geometry was used for fabrication of two physical models. The first one is made from thin walled transparent silicone and it allows a measurement of velocity and size of aerosol particles by Phase Doppler Anemometry (PDA). The second one is fabricated by stereolithographic method and it is designed for aerosol deposition measurements. We provided a series of measurements of aerosol transport in the transparent model and we ascertained remarkable phenomena linked with lung flow. The results are presented in brief. To gather how this phenomena affects aerosol deposition in human lungs we used the second model and we developed a technique for deposition fraction and deposition efficiency assessment. The results confirmed that non-symmetric and complicated shape of human airways essentially affects transport and deposition of aerosol. The research will now focus on deeper insight in aerosol deposition.

Managing adverse effects of immunotherapy.

PubMed

Gerson, James N; Ramamurthy, Chethan; Borghaei, Hossein

2018-05-01

Remarkable efficacy has been achieved in a variety of cancer types by targeting immune checkpoints. The cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 inhibitor ipilimumab, the programmed death 1 inhibitors nivolumab and pembrolizumab, and the programmed death ligand 1 inhibitors atezolizumab, avelumab, and durvalumab are the agents currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of certain advanced malignancies. These agents mark a departure from both standard cytotoxic chemotherapy and targeted therapy. However, they are associated with a unique set of immune-related adverse events (irAEs), which can manifest as a wide range of autoimmune phenomena. The irAEs can affect any system in the body and in rare cases are life-threatening. It is critical for the practicing medical oncologist to recognize and promptly treat any irAEs that may develop.

70 years of radiation genetics: Fruit flies, mice and humans

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abrahamson, S.

1997-03-01

Radiation protection`s function is to protect society from the potential hazards that might occur through the human use of radiation, whether it be from energy production, medical uses or other sources of exposure. To do so, various scientific bodies are called upon to develop risk estimates which will provide society with adequate protection to the adverse effects of radiation, as best we can understand those adverse affects. Geneticists have the added burden, in that they must attempt to provide protection not only to the offspring of the present generation but also for all subsequent generations. While most of us havemore » difficulty in thinking of effects that might be manifest only one or two generations into the future, some have projected potential risks for 50 to 100 generations. Here the author reviews work on fruit flies and mice, and studies of human exposures, which has provided much of the foundational information upon which geneticists can derive conclusions with regard to radiation protection questions.« less

Generation of computationally predicted Adverse Outcome Pathway networks through integration of publicly available in vivo, in vitro, phenotype, and biological pathway data.

EPA Science Inventory

The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework is becoming a widely used tool for organizing and summarizing the mechanistic information connecting molecular perturbations by environmental stressors with adverse ecological and human health outcomes. However, the conventional process...

Obesity adversely affects survival in pancreatic cancer patients.

PubMed

McWilliams, Robert R; Matsumoto, Martha E; Burch, Patrick A; Kim, George P; Halfdanarson, Thorvardur R; de Andrade, Mariza; Reid-Lombardo, Kaye; Bamlet, William R

2010-11-01

Higher body-mass index (BMI) has been implicated as a risk factor for developing pancreatic cancer, but its effect on survival has not been thoroughly investigated. The authors assessed the association of BMI with survival in a sample of pancreatic cancer patients and used epidemiologic and clinical information to understand the contribution of diabetes and hyperglycemia. A survival analysis using Cox proportional hazards by usual adult BMI was performed on 1861 unselected patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma; analyses were adjusted for covariates that included clinical stage, age, and sex. Secondary analyses incorporated self-reported diabetes and fasting blood glucose in the survival model. BMI as a continuous variable was inversely associated with survival from pancreatic adenocarcinoma (hazard ratio [HR], 1.019 for each increased unit of BMI [kg/m2], P<.001) after adjustment for age, stage, and sex. In analysis by National Institutes of Health BMI category, BMIs of 30 to 34.99 kg/m2 (HR, 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.98-1.33), 35 to 39.99 kg/m2 (HR 1.32, 95% CI 1.08-1.62), and ≥40 (HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.26-2.04) were associated with decreased survival compared with normal BMI of 18.5 to 24.99 kg/m2 (overall trend test P<.001). Fasting blood glucose and diabetes did not affect the results. Higher BMI is associated with decreased survival in pancreatic cancer. Although the mechanism of this association remains undetermined, diabetes and hyperglycemia do not appear to account for the observed association. Copyright © 2010 American Cancer Society.

Early life adversity reduces stress reactivity and enhances impulsive behavior: Implications for health behaviors

PubMed Central

Lovallo, William R.

2012-01-01

Altered reactivity to stress, either in the direction of exaggerated reactivity or diminished reactivity, may signal a dysregulation of systems intended to maintain homeostasis and a state of good health. Evidence has accumulated that diminished reactivity to psychosocial stress may signal poor health outcomes. One source of diminished cortisol and autonomic reactivity is the experience of adverse rearing during childhood and adolescence. The Oklahoma Family Health Patterns Project has examined a cohort of 426 healthy young adults with and without a family history of alcoholism. Regardless of family history, persons who had experienced high degrees of adversity prior to age 16 had a constellation of changes including reduced cortisol and heart rate reactivity, diminished cognitive capacity, and unstable regulation of affect, leading to behavioral impulsivity and antisocial tendencies. We present a model whereby this constellation of physiological, cognitive, and affective tendencies is consistent with altered central dopaminergic activity leading to changes in brain function that may foster impulsive and risky behaviors. These in turn may promote greater use of alcohol other drugs along with adopting poor health behaviors. This model provides a pathway from early life adversity to low stress reactivity that forms a basis for risky behaviors and poor health outcomes. PMID:23085387

Adverse weather conditions and fatal motor vehicle crashes in the United States, 1994-2012.

PubMed

Saha, Shubhayu; Schramm, Paul; Nolan, Amanda; Hess, Jeremy

2016-11-08

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of injury mortality. Adverse weather and road conditions have the potential to affect the likelihood of motor vehicle fatalities through several pathways. However, there remains a dearth of assessments associating adverse weather conditions to fatal crashes in the United States. We assessed trends in motor vehicle fatalities associated with adverse weather and present spatial variation in fatality rates by state. We analyzed the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) datasets from 1994 to 2012 produced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that contains reported weather information for each fatal crash. For each year, we estimated the fatal crashes that were associated with adverse weather conditions. We stratified these fatalities by months to examine seasonal patterns. We calculated state-specific rates using annual vehicle miles traveled data for all fatalities and for those related to adverse weather to examine spatial variations in fatality rates. To investigate the role of adverse weather as an independent risk factor for fatal crashes, we calculated odds ratios for known risk factors (e.g., alcohol and drug use, no restraint use, poor driving records, poor light conditions, highway driving) to be reported along with adverse weather. Total and adverse weather-related fatalities decreased over 1994-2012. Adverse weather-related fatalities constituted about 16 % of total fatalities on average over the study period. On average, 65 % of adverse weather-related fatalities happened between November and April, with rain/wet conditions more frequently reported than snow/icy conditions. The spatial distribution of fatalities associated with adverse weather by state was different than the distribution of total fatalities. Involvement of alcohol or drugs, no restraint use, and speeding were less likely to co-occur with fatalities during adverse weather conditions. While adverse weather is reported

Adverse events in IBD: to stop or continue immune suppressant and biologic treatment.

PubMed

McLean, Leon P; Cross, Raymond K

2014-03-01

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis affect an increasing number of patients. A variety of medical options exist for the treatment of these diseases including immune suppressants and biologic therapies. Unfortunately, these agents are associated with adverse events ranging from mild nuisance symptoms to potentially life-threatening complications including infections and malignancies. This review discusses adverse events associated with azathioprine, mercaptopurine, and methotrexate as well as anti-TNF-α and anti-integrin antibodies. In addition, adverse events associated with combination therapy are discussed as are clinical scenarios in which it may be reasonable to discontinue or de-escalate drug therapy. It is the responsibility of the treating gastroenterologist to effectively communicate the benefits and risks of therapy with patients; this review offers strategies that may assist providers in communicating risk with patients in addition to offering our perspective on whether modification or cessation of therapy can be considered.

Adverse events in IBD: to stop or continue immune suppressant and biologic treatment

PubMed Central

McLean, Leon P; Cross, Raymond K

2014-01-01

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis affect an increasing number of patients. A variety of medical options exist for the treatment of these diseases including immune suppressants and biologic therapies. Unfortunately, these agents are associated with adverse events ranging from mild nuisance symptoms to potentially life-threatening complications including infections and malignancies. This review discusses adverse events associated with azathioprine, mercaptopurine, and methotrexate as well as anti-TNF-α and anti-integrin antibodies. In addition, adverse events associated with combination therapy are discussed as are clinical scenarios in which it may be reasonable to discontinue or de-escalate drug therapy. It is the responsibility of the treating gastroenterologist to effectively communicate the benefits and risks of therapy with patients; this review offers strategies that may assist providers in communicating risk with patients in addition to offering our perspective on whether modification or cessation of therapy can be considered. PMID:24490595

Prenatal Exposure to Progesterone Affects Sexual Orientation in Humans.

PubMed

Reinisch, June M; Mortensen, Erik Lykke; Sanders, Stephanie A

2017-07-01

Prenatal sex hormone levels affect physical and behavioral sexual differentiation in animals and humans. Although prenatal hormones are theorized to influence sexual orientation in humans, evidence is sparse. Sexual orientation variables for 34 prenatally progesterone-exposed subjects (17 males and 17 females) were compared to matched controls (M age = 23.2 years). A case-control double-blind design was used drawing on existing data from the US/Denmark Prenatal Development Project. Index cases were exposed to lutocyclin (bioidentical progesterone = C 21 H 30 O 2 ; M W : 314.46) and no other hormonal preparation. Controls were matched on 14 physical, medical, and socioeconomic variables. A structured interview conducted by a psychologist and self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data on sexual orientation, self-identification, attraction to the same and other sex, and history of sexual behavior with each sex. Compared to the unexposed, fewer exposed males and females identified as heterosexual and more of them reported histories of same-sex sexual behavior, attraction to the same or both sexes, and scored higher on attraction to males. Measures of heterosexual behavior and scores on attraction to females did not differ significantly by exposure. We conclude that, regardless of sex, exposure appeared to be associated with higher rates of bisexuality. Prenatal progesterone may be an underappreciated epigenetic factor in human sexual and psychosexual development and, in light of the current prevalence of progesterone treatment during pregnancy for a variety of pregnancy complications, warrants further investigation. These data on the effects of prenatal exposure to exogenous progesterone also suggest a potential role for natural early perturbations in progesterone levels in the development of sexual orientation.

Human-Computer Interaction: A Review of the Research on Its Affective and Social Aspects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deaudelin, Colette; Dussault, Marc; Brodeur, Monique

2003-01-01

Discusses a review of 34 qualitative and non-qualitative studies related to affective and social aspects of student-computer interactions. Highlights include the nature of the human-computer interaction (HCI); the interface, comparing graphic and text types; and the relation between variables linked to HCI, mainly trust, locus of control,…

Affective Education: A Teacher's Manual to Promote Student Self-Actualization and Human Relations Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyder, Thomas R.

This teacher's manual presents affective education as a program to promote student self-actualization and human relations skills. Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Erik Erikson's life stages of psychosocial development form the conceptual base for this program. The goals and objectives of this manual are concerned with problem-solving…

Volatile oils of Chinese crude medicines exhibit antiparasitic activity against human Demodex with no adverse effects in vivo.

PubMed

Liu, Ji-Xin; Sun, Yan-Hong; Li, Chao-Pin

2015-04-01

Demodex is a type of permanent obligatory parasite, which can be found on the human body surface. Currently, drugs targeting Demodex usually result in adverse effects and have a poor therapeutic effect. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the use of Chinese crude medicine volatile oils for targeting and inhibiting Demodex in vitro . The volatile oils of six Chinese crude medicines were investigated, including clove, orange fruit, Manchurian wildginger, cinnamon bark, Rhizome Alpiniae Officinarum and pricklyash peel, which were extracted using a distillation method. The exercise status of Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis and the antiparasitic effects of the volatile oils against the two species were observed using microscopy. A skin irritation test was used to examine the irritation intensity of the volatile oils. In addition, an acute toxicity test was utilized to observe the toxicity effects of the volatile oils on the skin. Xin Fumanling ointment was employed as a positive control to identify the therapeutic effects of the volatile oils. The results indicated that all six volatile oils were able to kill Demodex efficiently. In particular, the clove volatile oil was effective in inducing optimized anti- Demodex activity. The lethal times of the volatile oils were significantly decreased compared with the Xin Fumanling ointment (P<0.05). Furthermore, the skin irritation test results indicated that the clove volatile oil did not trigger any irritation (0.2 and 0.3 points for intact and scratched skin, respectively), and had a safety equal to that of distilled water. There were not any adverse effects observed following application of the clove volatile oil on the intact or scratched skin. In conclusion, the volatile oils of Chinese crude medicines, particularly that of clove, demonstrated an evident anti- Demodex activity and were able to kill Demodex effectively and safely in vivo .

Nickel impact on human health: An intrinsic disorder perspective.

PubMed

Zambelli, Barbara; Uversky, Vladimir N; Ciurli, Stefano

2016-12-01

The interplay of the presence of nickel and protein disorder in processes affecting human health is the focus of the present review. Many systems involving nickel as either a cofactor or as a toxic contaminant are characterized by large disorder. The role of nickel in the biochemistry of bacterial enzymes is discussed here, covering both the beneficial effects of nickel in the human microbiota as well as the role of nickel-depending bacteria in human pathogenesis. In addition, the hazardous health effects caused by nickel exposure to humans, namely nickel-induced carcinogenesis and allergy, are triggered by non-specific interactions of nickel with macromolecules and formation of reactive compounds that mediate cellular damage. Cellular response to nickel is also related to signal transduction cascades. This review thus highlights the most promising systems for future studies aimed at decreasing the adverse effects of nickel on human health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adapting biomarker technologies to adverse outcome ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Adverse outcome pathways (AOP) research is a relatively new concept in human systems biology for assessing the molecular level linkage from an initiating (chemical) event that could lead to a disease state. Although most implementations of AOPs are based on liquids analyses, there are now new technologies being considered derived from the broad field of breath research, especially in applications of gas-phase analysis and instrumentation. The ultimate goal is to discover disease progressions in human or animal systems, identify them at the molecular or cellular level, and then choose analytes that can distinctly define the presence of a particular path (Ankley et al. 2010, Villeneuve et al. 2014). Once such in vivo pathways are identified, then in vitro assays can be developed for streamlined testing of chemical effects without additional human or animal based studies (Pleil et al. 2012). Recent work has focused on discovery analysis in breath, or other biological media, wherein as many as possible compounds are cataloged and then linked to their biochemical source as exogenous (external), endogenous (internal) or from the microbiome (Pleil et al. 2013a, de Lacy Costello 2014, Pleil et al. 2013b, Trefz et al. 2013, Pleil et al. 2014). Such research lays the groundwork for identifying compounds from systems biology that might be relevant for developing AOPs for in vitro research. The National Exposure Research Laboratory’s (NERL’s) Human Exposure and Atm

Adverse event rates and classifications in medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy.

PubMed

Martin, Robin; Birmingham, Trevor B; Willits, Kevin; Litchfield, Robert; Lebel, Marie-Eve; Giffin, J Robert

2014-05-01

2 (1%), and severe hardware failure with loss of correction (1%). Additional surgery rate was 3%. Class 1 and 2 adverse events did not affect patient-reported outcomes at 6, 12, or 24 months postoperatively. Patients with class 3 adverse events had significantly lower total WOMAC scores at 6 months but not at 12 or 24 months postoperatively. The most common adverse event in MOW HTO requiring extended nonoperative treatment (class 2) is delayed union (12%). The rate of severe adverse events requiring additional surgery and/or long-term medical care (class 3) is low (7%).

Linking mechanistic data to endpoints of regulatory concern using the adverse outcome pathway framework.

EPA Science Inventory

In order to increase the uptake and use of high throughput screening data in environmental risk assessment, it is important to establish scientifically credible links between measures of biological pathway perturbation and apical adverse outcomes in humans and wildlife. The adver...

Childhood and Adolescent Adversity and Cardiometabolic Outcomes: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

PubMed

Suglia, Shakira F; Koenen, Karestan C; Boynton-Jarrett, Renée; Chan, Paul S; Clark, Cari J; Danese, Andrea; Faith, Myles S; Goldstein, Benjamin I; Hayman, Laura L; Isasi, Carmen R; Pratt, Charlotte A; Slopen, Natalie; Sumner, Jennifer A; Turer, Aslan; Turer, Christy B; Zachariah, Justin P

2018-01-30

Adverse experiences in childhood and adolescence, defined as subjectively perceived threats to the safety or security of the child's bodily integrity, family, or social structures, are known to be associated with cardiometabolic outcomes over the life course into adulthood. This American Heart Association scientific statement reviews the scientific literature on the influence of childhood adversity on cardiometabolic outcomes that constitute the greatest public health burden in the United States, including obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease. This statement also conceptually outlines pathways linking adversity to cardiometabolic health, identifies evidence gaps, and provides suggestions for future research to inform practice and policy. We note that, despite a lack of objective agreement on what subjectively qualifies as exposure to childhood adversity and a dearth of prospective studies, substantial evidence documents an association between childhood adversity and cardiometabolic outcomes across the life course. Future studies that focus on mechanisms, resiliency, and vulnerability factors would further strengthen the evidence and provide much-needed information on targets for effective interventions. Given that childhood adversities affect cardiometabolic health and multiple health domains across the life course, interventions that ameliorate these initial upstream exposures may be more appropriate than interventions remediating downstream cardiovascular disease risk factor effects later in life. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

76 FR 65734 - Guidance for Industry on Evaluating the Safety of Flood-Affected Food Crops for Human Consumption...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-24

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2011-D-0733] Guidance for Industry on Evaluating the Safety of Flood-Affected Food Crops for Human Consumption; Availability AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Food and Drug...

Human infant faces provoke implicit positive affective responses in parents and non-parents alike.

PubMed

Senese, Vincenzo Paolo; De Falco, Simona; Bornstein, Marc H; Caria, Andrea; Buffolino, Simona; Venuti, Paola

2013-01-01

Human infants' complete dependence on adult caregiving suggests that mechanisms associated with adult responsiveness to infant cues might be deeply embedded in the brain. Behavioural and neuroimaging research has produced converging evidence for adults' positive disposition to infant cues, but these studies have not investigated directly the valence of adults' reactions, how they are moderated by biological and social factors, and if they relate to child caregiving. This study examines implicit affective responses of 90 adults toward faces of human and non-human (cats and dogs) infants and adults. Implicit reactions were assessed with Single Category Implicit Association Tests, and reports of childrearing behaviours were assessed by the Parental Style Questionnaire. The results showed that human infant faces represent highly biologically relevant stimuli that capture attention and are implicitly associated with positive emotions. This reaction holds independent of gender and parenthood status and is associated with ideal parenting behaviors.

Human Infant Faces Provoke Implicit Positive Affective Responses in Parents and Non-Parents Alike

PubMed Central

Senese, Vincenzo Paolo; De Falco, Simona; Bornstein, Marc H.; Caria, Andrea; Buffolino, Simona; Venuti, Paola

2013-01-01

Human infants' complete dependence on adult caregiving suggests that mechanisms associated with adult responsiveness to infant cues might be deeply embedded in the brain. Behavioural and neuroimaging research has produced converging evidence for adults' positive disposition to infant cues, but these studies have not investigated directly the valence of adults' reactions, how they are moderated by biological and social factors, and if they relate to child caregiving. This study examines implicit affective responses of 90 adults toward faces of human and non-human (cats and dogs) infants and adults. Implicit reactions were assessed with Single Category Implicit Association Tests, and reports of childrearing behaviours were assessed by the Parental Style Questionnaire. The results showed that human infant faces represent highly biologically relevant stimuli that capture attention and are implicitly associated with positive emotions. This reaction holds independent of gender and parenthood status and is associated with ideal parenting behaviors. PMID:24282537

Countermeasures for space radiation induced adverse biologic effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennedy, A. R.; Wan, X. S.

2011-11-01

Radiation exposure in space is expected to increase the risk of cancer and other adverse biological effects in astronauts. The types of space radiation of particular concern for astronaut health are protons and heavy ions known as high atomic number and high energy (HZE) particles. Recent studies have indicated that carcinogenesis induced by protons and HZE particles may be modifiable. We have been evaluating the effects of proton and HZE particle radiation in cultured human cells and animals for nearly a decade. Our results indicate that exposure to proton and HZE particle radiation increases oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, cataract development and malignant transformation in in vivo and/or in vitro experimental systems. We have also shown that these adverse biological effects can be prevented, at least partially, by treatment with antioxidants and some dietary supplements that are readily available and have favorable safety profiles. Some of the antioxidants and dietary supplements are effective in preventing radiation induced malignant transformation in vitro even when applied several days after the radiation exposure. Our recent progress is reviewed and discussed in the context of the relevant literature.

Adverse childhood event experiences, fertility difficulties and menstrual cycle characteristics.

PubMed

Jacobs, Marni B; Boynton-Jarrett, Renee D; Harville, Emily W

2015-01-01

Increased childhood adversity may be affect adult fertility, however, the mechanism through which this occurs is unclear. Menstrual cycle abnormalities are predictive of fertility difficulties, and stress influences menstrual cycle characteristics. Here, we assess whether adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with fertility difficulties and menstrual cycle dysregulation, offering a plausible mechanism for the link between lifetime stress and fertility. From April 2012 to February 2014, 742 pregnant and non-pregnant women aged 18-45 years residing in southeastern Louisiana provided information on childhood adversity and reproductive history. Associations between ACEs and fertility difficulties and menstrual cycle patterns were evaluated. As the number of ACEs increased, risk of fertility difficulties and amenorrhea increased (RR = 1.09, 95% CI 1.05-1.13 and RR = 1.07, 95% CI 1.04-1.10, respectively), while fecundability decreased [fecundability ratio (FR) = 0.97, 95% CI 0.95-1.00]. Compared to women with no adversity, women in the high adversity group were more likely to experience both infertility and amenorrhea (RR = 2.75, 95% CI 1.45-5.21 and RR = 2.54, 95% CI 1.52-4.25, respectively), and reduced fecundability (FR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.56-1.00). Although similar patterns were seen for menstrual cycle irregularity, associations were diminished. Associations did not materially change following adjustment for age, body mass index, race, education, smoking and income. Results are constrained by the self-report nature of the study and the limited generalizability of the study population. To our knowledge, this is the first study to present evidence of a link between childhood stressors, menstrual cycle disruption and fertility difficulties. The effect of childhood stress on fertility may be mediated through altered functioning of the HPA axis, acting to suppress fertility in response to less than optimal reproductive circumstances.

Adverse Drug Reactions for Medicines Newly Approved in Japan from 1999 to 2013: Hypertension and Hypotension.

PubMed

Nagayama, Takashi; Nishida, Minoru; Hizue, Masanori; Ogino, Yamato; Fujiyoshi, Masato

2016-04-01

In this survey, the correlation between adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in human and animal toxicities was investigated for 393 medicines which were approved in Japan from September 1999 to March 2013. ADRs were collected from each Japanese package insert. Comparable animal toxicities with ADRs were collected by thorough investigation of common technical documents. The results of this survey show that hypertension and/or hypotension were mainly observed in medicines affecting the central nervous system. Hypertension was also observed in antipyretics, analgesics, anti-inflammatory agents, vasoconstrictors and agents using antibody. Concordance between human ADRs and animal toxicities was analysed. True-positive rate for hypertension and hypotension is 0.29 and 0.52, respectively. Positive likelihood ratio and inverse negative likelihood ratio are 1.98 and 1.21, respectively, in hypertension and 1.67 and 1.44, respectively, in hypotension. Concordance between human ADRs and animal toxicities is not so high in hypertension and hypotension. Identified mechanisms as on-target for hypertension and hypotension are 29.8% and 30.5%, respectively. More than half of the causative factors of hypertension and hypotension were unable to be elucidated. Our results show that the intake of medicines is often linked to blood pressure variations that are not predicted in animal toxicity studies. Improvement of drug development processes may be necessary to provide safer medicines because current animal toxicity studies are insufficient to predict all ADRs in human beings. © 2015 Nordic Association for the Publication of BCPT (former Nordic Pharmacological Society).

Tailoring health-related messages for young adults with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).

PubMed

Karatekin, Canan; Ahluwalia, Rohini; Desir, Michelle

2018-06-01

The goal was to identify factors that might affect likelihood of seeking health-related interventions for young adults with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). We tested whether ACEs were associated with (1) regulatory focus (tendency toward promoting good outcomes versus preventing bad outcomes), and (2) patient activation (the intention to take active charge of one's health). We further tested whether promotion and prevention and patient activation were associated with each other and with health. Students at a public university (N = 321) completed online questionnaires assessing ACEs, regulatory focus, patient activation, and health. Greater childhood adversity showed small but significant associations with being a less activated patient and being less focused on promoting good outcomes. In contrast, greater childhood adversity had a much stronger association with focusing on preventing negative outcomes. Students with a more significant mental health history were more likely to have been exposed to childhood adversity, to be less activated patients, and to focus more on prevention. Results suggest that using a prevention focus may be effective in health messages aimed to reach individuals with high levels of ACEs. Furthermore, individuals with high levels of ACEs may benefit from interventions aimed at increasing patient activation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interpregnancy interval following miscarriage and adverse pregnancy outcomes: systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Kangatharan, Chrishny; Labram, Saffi; Bhattacharya, Sohinee

2017-03-01

.88, 1.02) were not affected by IPI. Similar findings were obtained in subgroup analyses when IPI of <6 months was compared with IPI of 6-12 months and >12 months. This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis providing clear evidence that an IPI of less than 6 months following miscarriage is not associated with adverse outcomes in the next pregnancy. This information may be used to revise current guidance. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Intervention strategies for the management of human error

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wiener, Earl L.

1993-01-01

This report examines the management of human error in the cockpit. The principles probably apply as well to other applications in the aviation realm (e.g. air traffic control, dispatch, weather, etc.) as well as other high-risk systems outside of aviation (e.g. shipping, high-technology medical procedures, military operations, nuclear power production). Management of human error is distinguished from error prevention. It is a more encompassing term, which includes not only the prevention of error, but also a means of disallowing an error, once made, from adversely affecting system output. Such techniques include: traditional human factors engineering, improvement of feedback and feedforward of information from system to crew, 'error-evident' displays which make erroneous input more obvious to the crew, trapping of errors within a system, goal-sharing between humans and machines (also called 'intent-driven' systems), paperwork management, and behaviorally based approaches, including procedures, standardization, checklist design, training, cockpit resource management, etc. Fifteen guidelines for the design and implementation of intervention strategies are included.

Gene–environment interplay in Drosophila melanogaster: Chronic food deprivation in early life affects adult exploratory and fitness traits

PubMed Central

Burns, James Geoffrey; Svetec, Nicolas; Rowe, Locke; Mery, Frederic; Dolan, Michael J.; Boyce, W. Thomas; Sokolowski, Marla B.

2012-01-01

Early life adversity has known impacts on adult health and behavior, yet little is known about the gene–environment interactions (GEIs) that underlie these consequences. We used the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster to show that chronic early nutritional adversity interacts with rover and sitter allelic variants of foraging (for) to affect adult exploratory behavior, a phenotype that is critical for foraging, and reproductive fitness. Chronic nutritional adversity during adulthood did not affect rover or sitter adult exploratory behavior; however, early nutritional adversity in the larval period increased sitter but not rover adult exploratory behavior. Increasing for gene expression in the mushroom bodies, an important center of integration in the fly brain, changed the amount of exploratory behavior exhibited by sitter adults when they did not experience early nutritional adversity but had no effect in sitters that experienced early nutritional adversity. Manipulation of the larval nutritional environment also affected adult reproductive output of sitters but not rovers, indicating GEIs on fitness itself. The natural for variants are an excellent model to examine how GEIs underlie the biological embedding of early experience. PMID:23045644

Ameliorating the biological impacts of childhood adversity: A review of intervention programs.

PubMed

Purewal Boparai, Sukhdip K; Au, Vanessa; Koita, Kadiatou; Oh, Debora Lee; Briner, Susan; Burke Harris, Nadine; Bucci, Monica

2018-05-01

Childhood adversity negatively impacts the biological development of children and has been linked to poor health outcomes across the life course. The purpose of this literature review is to explore and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions that have addressed an array of biological markers and physical health outcomes in children and adolescents affected by adversity. PubMed, CINAHL, PsychInfo, Sociological Abstracts databases and additional sources (Cochrane, WHO, NIH trial registries) were searched for English language studies published between January 2007 and September 2017. Articles with a childhood adversity exposure, biological health outcome, and evaluation of intervention using a randomized controlled trial study design were selected. The resulting 40 intervention studies addressed cortisol outcomes (n = 20) and a range of neurological, epigenetic, immune, and other outcomes (n = 22). Across institutional, foster care, and community settings, intervention programs demonstrated success overall for improving or normalizing morning and diurnal cortisol levels, and ameliorating the impacts of adversity on brain development, epigenetic regulation, and additional outcomes in children. Factors such as earlier timing of intervention, high quality and nurturant parenting traits, and greater intervention engagement played a role in intervention success. This study underlines progress and promise in addressing the health impacts of adversity in children. Ongoing research efforts should collect baseline data, improve retention, replicate studies in additional samples and settings, and evaluate additional variables, resilience factors, mediators, and long-term implications of results. Clinicians should integrate lessons from the intervention sciences for preventing and treating the health effects of adversity in children and adolescents. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Estimating human-equivalent no observed adverse-effect levels for VOCs (volatile organic compounds) based on minimal knowledge of physiological parameters. Technical paper

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Overton, J.H.; Jarabek, A.M.

1989-01-01

The U.S. EPA advocates the assessment of health-effects data and calculation of inhaled reference doses as benchmark values for gauging systemic toxicity to inhaled gases. The assessment often requires an inter- or intra-species dose extrapolation from no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) exposure concentrations in animals to human equivalent NOAEL exposure concentrations. To achieve this, a dosimetric extrapolation procedure was developed based on the form or type of equations that describe the uptake and disposition of inhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PB-PK) models. The procedure assumes allometric scaling of most physiological parameters and that the value ofmore » the time-integrated human arterial-blood concentration must be limited to no more than to that of experimental animals. The scaling assumption replaces the need for most parameter values and allows the derivation of a simple formula for dose extrapolation of VOCs that gives equivalent or more-conservative exposure concentrations values than those that would be obtained using a PB-PK model in which scaling was assumed.« less

Chemical research on red pigments after adverse reactions to tattoo.

PubMed

Tammaro, A; Toniolo, C; Giulianelli, V; Serafini, M; Persechino, S

2016-03-01

Currently, the incidence of tattooing is on the rise compared to the past, especially among adolescents, and it leads to the urgency of monitoring the security status of tattooing centers, as well as to inform people about the risks of tattoo practice. In our clinical experience, 20% of tattooed patients presented adverse reactions, like allergic contact dermatitis, psoriasis with Koebner's phenomena and granulomatous reactions, with the latter most prevalent and most often related to red pigment. Adverse reactions to tattoo pigments, especially the red one, are well known and described in literature. Great attention has to be focused on the pigments used, especially for the presence of new substances, often not well known. For this reason, we decided to perform a study on 12 samples of red tattoo ink, obtained by patients affected by different cutaneous reactions in the site of tattoo, to analyze their chemical composition.

Post-licensure safety monitoring of quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), 2009-2015.

PubMed

Arana, Jorge E; Harrington, Theresa; Cano, Maria; Lewis, Paige; Mba-Jonas, Adamma; Rongxia, Li; Stewart, Brock; Markowitz, Lauri E; Shimabukuro, Tom T

2018-03-20

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (4vHPV) for use in females and males aged 9-26 years, since 2006 and 2009 respectively. We characterized reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a US spontaneous reporting system, in females and males who received 4vHPV vaccination. We searched VAERS for US reports of adverse events (AEs) following 4vHPV from January 2009 through December 2015. Signs and symptoms were coded using Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA). We calculated reporting rates and conducted empirical Bayesian data mining to identify disproportional reports. Clinicians reviewed available information, including medical records, and reports of selected pre-specified conditions. VAERS received 19,760 reports following 4vHPV; 60.2% in females, 17.2% in males, and in 22.6% sex was missing. Overall, 94.2% of reports were non-serious; dizziness, syncope and injection site reactions were commonly reported in both males and females. Headache, fatigue and nausea were commonly reported serious AEs. More than 60 million 4vHPV doses were distributed during the study period. Crude AE reporting rates were 327 reports per million 4vHPV doses distributed for all reports, and 19 per million for serious reports. Among 29 verified reports of death, there was no pattern of clustering of deaths by diagnosis, co-morbidities, age, or interval from vaccination to death. No new or unexpected safety concerns or reporting patterns of 4vHPV with clinically important AEs were detected. Safety profile of 4vHPV is consistent with data from pre-licensure trials and postmarketing safety data. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Adverse Effects and Surgical Complications in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Vagal Nerve Stimulation for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy.

PubMed

Trezza, A; Landi, A; Grioni, D; Pirillo, D; Fiori, L; Giussani, C; Sganzerla, E P

2017-01-01

Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) is an effective treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy that is not suitable for resective surgery, both in adults and in children. Few reports describe the adverse effects and complications of VNS. The aim of our study was to present a series of 33 pediatric patients who underwent VNS for drug-resistant epilepsy and to discuss the adverse effects and complications through a review of the literature.The adverse effects of VNS are usually transient and are dependent on stimulation of the vagus and its efferent fibers; surgical complications of the procedure may be challenging and patients sometimes require further surgery; generally these complications affect VNS efficacy; in addition, hardware complications also have to be taken into account.In our experience and according to the literature, adverse effects and surgical and hardware complications are uncommon and can usually be managed definitely. Careful selection of patients, particularly from a respiratory and cardiac point of view, has to be done before surgery to limit the incidence of some adverse effects.

Understanding the nature of errors in nursing: using a model to analyse critical incident reports of errors which had resulted in an adverse or potentially adverse event.

PubMed

Meurier, C E

2000-07-01

Human errors are common in clinical practice, but they are under-reported. As a result, very little is known of the types, antecedents and consequences of errors in nursing practice. This limits the potential to learn from errors and to make improvement in the quality and safety of nursing care. The aim of this study was to use an Organizational Accident Model to analyse critical incidents of errors in nursing. Twenty registered nurses were invited to produce a critical incident report of an error (which had led to an adverse event or potentially could have led to an adverse event) they had made in their professional practice and to write down their responses to the error using a structured format. Using Reason's Organizational Accident Model, supplemental information was then collected from five of the participants by means of an individual in-depth interview to explore further issues relating to the incidents they had reported. The detailed analysis of one of the incidents is discussed in this paper, demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach in providing insight into the chain of events which may lead to an adverse event. The case study approach using critical incidents of clinical errors was shown to provide relevant information regarding the interaction of organizational factors, local circumstances and active failures (errors) in producing an adverse or potentially adverse event. It is suggested that more use should be made of this approach to understand how errors are made in practice and to take appropriate preventative measures.

ARE ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES TO CHLOROPHENOXY HERBICIDES ASSOCIATED WITH AN INCREASE IN ADVERSE HUMAN HEALTH EFFECTS?

EPA Science Inventory

Background: Associations between adverse health effects and environmental exposures are difficult to study because exposures may be widespread, low-dose in nature, and common throughout the study population. Individual risk-factor epidemiology may not be able to initially ident...

Human factors in air traffic control: problems at the interfaces.

PubMed

Shouksmith, George

2003-10-01

The triangular ISIS model for describing the operation of human factors in complex sociotechnical organisations or systems is applied in this research to a large international air traffic control system. A large sample of senior Air Traffic Controllers were randomly assigned to small focus discussion groups, whose task was to identify problems occurring at the interfaces of the three major human factor components: individual, system impacts, and social. From these discussions, a number of significant interface problems, which could adversely affect the functioning of the Air Traffic Control System, emerged. The majority of these occurred at the Individual-System Impact and Individual-Social interfaces and involved a perceived need for further interface centered training.

Ionotropic GABA receptor antagonism-induced adverse outcome pathways for potential neurotoxicity biomarkers.

PubMed

Gong, Ping; Hong, Huixiao; Perkins, Edward J

2015-01-01

Antagonism of ionotropic GABA receptors (iGABARs) can occur at three distinct types of receptor binding sites causing chemically induced epileptic seizures. Here we review three adverse outcome pathways, each characterized by a specific molecular initiating event where an antagonist competitively binds to active sites, negatively modulates allosteric sites or noncompetitively blocks ion channel on the iGABAR. This leads to decreased chloride conductance, followed by depolarization of affected neurons, epilepsy-related death and ultimately decreased population. Supporting evidence for causal linkages from the molecular to population levels is presented and differential sensitivity to iGABAR antagonists in different GABA receptors and organisms discussed. Adverse outcome pathways are poised to become important tools for linking mechanism-based biomarkers to regulated outcomes in next-generation risk assessment.

Do different degrees of human activity affect the diet of Brazilian silverside Atherinella brasiliensis?

PubMed

Alves, V E N; Patrício, J; Dolbeth, M; Pessanha, A; Palma, A R T; Dantas, E W; Vendel, A L

2016-08-01

The aim of the present study was to test whether different degrees of human activity affect the diet of the Brazilian silverside Atherinella brasiliensis in two tropical estuaries. Fish were collected along the salinity gradient of two Brazilian estuaries, the heavily impacted Paraiba Estuary and the less impacted Mamanguape Estuary, in the dry and wet seasons. The findings confirm that A. brasiliensis has generalist feeding habits and is able to change its diet under different environmental conditions. The results indicate clear spatial (i.e. along the estuarine gradient) changes in diet composition in both estuaries, but diet was also influenced by the degree of anthropogenic disturbance. During the wet season in the nutrient enriched Paraiba Estuary, when human activity was higher, the diet of A. brasiliensis was poorer and dominated by few dietary items, reflecting the potential impoverishment of prey items in this heavily disturbed system. The specimens collected in the most affected estuary also had a greater frequency of micro-plastics and parasites in their stomachs, reflecting the greater degree of human disturbance in the estuary. The present findings suggest that the diet of A. brasiliensis could be a useful indicator of changes in the ecological quality of these and other tropical estuaries of the western Atlantic Ocean. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Accelerating Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) development ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework is increasingly being adopted as a tool for organizing and summarizing the mechanistic information connecting molecular perturbations by environmental stressors with adverse outcomes relevant for ecological and human health outcomes. However, the conventional process for assembly of these AOPs is time and resource intensive, and has been a rate limiting step for AOP use and development. Therefore computational approaches to accelerate the process need to be developed. We previously developed a method for generating computationally predicted AOPs (cpAOPs) by association mining and integration of data from publicly available databases. In this work, a cpAOP network of ~21,000 associations was established between 105 phenotypes from TG-GATEs rat liver data from different time points (including microarray, pathological effects and clinical chemistry data), 994 REACTOME pathways, 688 High-throughput assays from ToxCast and 194 chemicals. A second network of 128,536 associations was generated by connecting 255 biological target genes from ToxCast to 4,980 diseases from CTD using either HT screening activity from ToxCast for 286 chemicals or CTD gene expression changes in response to 2,330 chemicals. Both networks were separately evaluated through manual extraction of disease-specific cpAOPs and comparison with expert curation of the relevant literature. By employing data integration strategies that involve the weighting of n

Prior adversities predict posttraumatic stress reactions in adolescents following the Oslo Terror events 2011

PubMed Central

Nordanger, Dag Ø.; Breivik, Kyrre; Haugland, Bente Storm; Lehmann, Stine; Mæhle, Magne; Braarud, Hanne Cecilie; Hysing, Mari

2014-01-01

Background Former studies suggest that prior exposure to adverse experiences such as violence or sexual abuse increases vulnerability to posttraumatic stress reactions in victims of subsequent trauma. However, little is known about how such a history affects responses to terror in the general adolescent population. Objective To explore the role of prior exposure to adverse experiences as risk factors for posttraumatic stress reactions to the Oslo Terror events. Method We used data from 10,220 high school students in a large cross-sectional survey of adolescents in Norway that took place seven months after the Oslo Terror events. Prior exposure assessed was: direct exposure to violence, witnessing of violence, and unwanted sexual acts. We explored how these prior adversities interact with well-established risk factors such as proximity to the events, perceived life threat during the terror events, and gender. Results All types of prior exposure as well as the other risk factors were associated with terror-related posttraumatic stress reactions. The effects of prior adversities were, although small, independent of adolescents’ proximity to the terror events. Among prior adversities, only the effect of direct exposure to violence was moderated by perceived life threat. Exposure to prior adversities increased the risk of posttraumatic stress reactions equally for both genders, but proximity to the terror events and perceived life threat increased the risk more in females. Conclusions Terror events can have a more destabilizing impact on victims of prior adversities, independent of their level of exposure. The findings may be relevant to mental health workers and others providing post-trauma health care. PMID:24872862

Prior adversities predict posttraumatic stress reactions in adolescents following the Oslo Terror events 2011.

PubMed

Nordanger, Dag Ø; Breivik, Kyrre; Haugland, Bente Storm; Lehmann, Stine; Mæhle, Magne; Braarud, Hanne Cecilie; Hysing, Mari

2014-01-01

Former studies suggest that prior exposure to adverse experiences such as violence or sexual abuse increases vulnerability to posttraumatic stress reactions in victims of subsequent trauma. However, little is known about how such a history affects responses to terror in the general adolescent population. To explore the role of prior exposure to adverse experiences as risk factors for posttraumatic stress reactions to the Oslo Terror events. We used data from 10,220 high school students in a large cross-sectional survey of adolescents in Norway that took place seven months after the Oslo Terror events. Prior exposure assessed was: direct exposure to violence, witnessing of violence, and unwanted sexual acts. We explored how these prior adversities interact with well-established risk factors such as proximity to the events, perceived life threat during the terror events, and gender. All types of prior exposure as well as the other risk factors were associated with terror-related posttraumatic stress reactions. The effects of prior adversities were, although small, independent of adolescents' proximity to the terror events. Among prior adversities, only the effect of direct exposure to violence was moderated by perceived life threat. Exposure to prior adversities increased the risk of posttraumatic stress reactions equally for both genders, but proximity to the terror events and perceived life threat increased the risk more in females. Terror events can have a more destabilizing impact on victims of prior adversities, independent of their level of exposure. The findings may be relevant to mental health workers and others providing post-trauma health care.

Risk assessment of human health from exposure to the discharged ballast water after full-scale electrolysis treatment.

PubMed

Zhang, Nahui; Wang, Yidan; Xue, Junzeng; Yuan, Lin; Wang, Qiong; Liu, Liang; Wu, Huixian; Hu, Kefeng

2016-06-01

The presence of disinfection by-products (DBPs) releasing from ballast water management systems (BWMS) can cause a possible adverse effects on humans. The objectives of this study were to compute the Derived No Effect Levels (DNELs) for different exposure scenarios and to compare these levels with the exposure levels from the measured DBPs in treated ballast water. The risk assessment showed that when using animal toxicity data, all the DNELs values were approximately 10(3)-10(12) times higher than the exposure levels of occupational and general public exposure scenarios, indicating the level of risk was low (risk characterization ratios (RCRs) < 1). However, when using human data, the RCRs were higher than 1 for dichlorobromomethane and trichloromethane, indicating that the risk of adverse effects on human were significant. This implies that there are apparent discrepancies between risk characterization from animal and human data, which may affect the overall results. We therefore recommend that when appropriate, human data should be used in risk assessment as much as possible, although human data are very limited. Moreover, more appropriate assessment factors can be considered to be employed in estimating the DNELs for human when the animal data is selected as the dose descriptors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pharmacy student perceptions of adverse event reporting.

PubMed

Kalari, Sirisha; Dormarunno, Matthew; Zvenigorodsky, Oleg; Mohan, Aparna

2011-09-10

To assess US pharmacy students' knowledge and perceptions of adverse event reporting. To gauge pharmacy students' impressions of adverse event reporting, a 10-question survey instrument was administered that addressed student perceptions of the reporting procedures of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and pharmaceutical manufacturers, as well as student understanding of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and its relationship to adverse event reporting. Two hundred twenty-eight pharmacy students responded to the survey. The majority of respondents believed that the FDA is more likely than a pharmaceutical company to take action regarding an adverse event. There were misconceptions relating to the way adverse event reports are handled and the influence of HIPAA regulations on reporting. Communication between the FDA and pharmaceutical manufacturers regarding adverse event reports is not well understood by pharmacy students. Education about adverse event reporting should evolve so that by the time pharmacy students become practitioners, they are well acquainted with the relevance and importance of adverse event reporting.

Beyond PM2.5: The role of ultrafine particles on adverse health effects of air pollution.

PubMed

Chen, Rui; Hu, Bin; Liu, Ying; Xu, Jianxun; Yang, Guosheng; Xu, Diandou; Chen, Chunying

2016-12-01

Air pollution constitutes the major threat to human health, whereas their adverse impacts and underlying mechanisms of different particular matters are not clearly defined. Ultrafine particles (UFPs) are high related to the anthropogenic emission sources, i.e. combustion engines and power plants. Their composition, source, typical characters, oxidative effects, potential exposure routes and health risks were thoroughly reviewed. UFPs play a major role in adverse impacts on human health and require further investigations in future toxicological research of air pollution. Unlike PM2.5, UFPs may have much more impacts on human health considering loads of evidences emerging from particulate matters and nanotoxicology research fields. The knowledge of nanotoxicology contributes to the understanding of toxicity mechanisms of airborne UFPs in air pollution. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Air Pollution, edited by Wenjun Ding, Andrew J. Ghio and Weidong Wu. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Model of Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy-Affected Skeletal Muscles.

PubMed

Caron, Leslie; Kher, Devaki; Lee, Kian Leong; McKernan, Robert; Dumevska, Biljana; Hidalgo, Alejandro; Li, Jia; Yang, Henry; Main, Heather; Ferri, Giulia; Petek, Lisa M; Poellinger, Lorenz; Miller, Daniel G; Gabellini, Davide; Schmidt, Uli

2016-09-01

: Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) represents a major unmet clinical need arising from the progressive weakness and atrophy of skeletal muscles. The dearth of adequate experimental models has severely hampered our understanding of the disease. To date, no treatment is available for FSHD. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) potentially represent a renewable source of skeletal muscle cells (SkMCs) and provide an alternative to invasive patient biopsies. We developed a scalable monolayer system to differentiate hESCs into mature SkMCs within 26 days, without cell sorting or genetic manipulation. Here we show that SkMCs derived from FSHD1-affected hESC lines exclusively express the FSHD pathogenic marker double homeobox 4 and exhibit some of the defects reported in FSHD. FSHD1 myotubes are thinner when compared with unaffected and Becker muscular dystrophy myotubes, and differentially regulate genes involved in cell cycle control, oxidative stress response, and cell adhesion. This cellular model will be a powerful tool for studying FSHD and will ultimately assist in the development of effective treatments for muscular dystrophies. This work describes an efficient and highly scalable monolayer system to differentiate human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) into skeletal muscle cells (SkMCs) and demonstrates disease-specific phenotypes in SkMCs derived from both embryonic and induced hPSCs affected with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy. This study represents the first human stem cell-based cellular model for a muscular dystrophy that is suitable for high-throughput screening and drug development. ©AlphaMed Press.

Encountering Science Education's Capacity to Affect and Be Affected

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsop, Steve

2016-01-01

What might science education learn from the recent affective turn in the humanities and social sciences? Framed as a response to Michalinos Zembylas's article, this essay draws from selected theorizing in affect theory, science education and science and technology studies, in pursuit of diverse and productive ways to talk of affect within science…

Do the frequencies of adverse events increase, decrease, or stay the same with long-term use of statins?

PubMed

Huddy, Karlyn; Dhesi, Pavittarpaul; Thompson, Paul D

2013-02-01

Statins are widely used for their cholesterol-lowering properties and proven reduction of cardiovascular disease risk. Many patients take statins as long-term treatment for a variety of conditions without a clear-cut understanding of how treatment duration affects the frequency of adverse effects. We aimed to evaluate whether the frequencies of documented adverse events increase, decrease, or remain unchanged with long-term statin use. We reviewed the established literature to define the currently known adverse effects of statin therapy, including myopathy, central nervous system effects, and the appearance of diabetes, and the frequency of these events with long-term medication use. The frequency of adverse effects associated with long-term statin therapy appears to be low. Many patients who develop side effects from statin therapy do so relatively soon after initiation of therapy, so the frequency of side effects from statin therapy when expressed as a percentage of current users decreases over time. Nevertheless, patients may develop side effects such as muscle pain and weakness years after starting statin therapy; however, the absolute number of patients affected by statin myopathy increases with treatment duration. Also, clinical trials of statin therapy rarely exceed 5 years, so it is impossible to determine with certainty the frequency of long-term side effects with these drugs.

21 CFR 606.170 - Adverse reaction file.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 7 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Adverse reaction file. 606.170 Section 606.170... Adverse reaction file. (a) Records shall be maintained of any reports of complaints of adverse reactions... thorough investigation of each reported adverse reaction shall be made. A written report of the...

The inter- and intra- generational transmission of family poverty and hardship (adversity): A prospective 30 year study

PubMed Central

Bor, William; Ahmadabadi, Zohre; Williams, Gail M.; Alati, Rosa; Mamun, Abdullah A.; Scott, James G.; Clavarino, Alexandra M.

2018-01-01

Background Children exposed to family poverty have been found to have higher morbidity and mortality rates, poorer mental health and cognitive outcomes and reduced life chances across a wide range of life domains. There is, however, very little known about the extent to which poverty is experienced by children over their early life course, particularly in community samples. This study tracks changes in family poverty and the main factors that predict family poverty (adverse life experiences) over a 30-year period since the birth of the study child. Methods Data are from a prospective, longitudinal, birth cohort study conducted in Brisbane, Australia. Consecutive families were recruited at the mothers’ first obstetrical visit at one of two major obstetrical hospitals in Brisbane. Data are available for 2087 families with complete data at the 30-year follow-up. Poverty was measured using family income at each time point (adjusted for inflation). Findings Poverty affects about 20% of families at any time point. It is common for families to move in and out of poverty, as their circumstances are affected by such adversities as unemployment and marital breakdown. Over the period of the study about half the families in the study experienced poverty on at least one occasion. Only a very small minority of families experienced persistent poverty over the 30-year duration of the study. Logistic regressions with time lag show that family poverty predicts subsequent adversities and adverse events predict subsequent poverty. Conclusions Experiences of poverty and adversity are common and may vary greatly over the child’s early life course. In assessing the health consequences of poverty, it is important to distinguish the timing and chronicity of early life course experiences of poverty and adversity. PMID:29360828

The inter- and intra- generational transmission of family poverty and hardship (adversity): A prospective 30 year study.

PubMed

Najman, Jake M; Bor, William; Ahmadabadi, Zohre; Williams, Gail M; Alati, Rosa; Mamun, Abdullah A; Scott, James G; Clavarino, Alexandra M

2018-01-01

Children exposed to family poverty have been found to have higher morbidity and mortality rates, poorer mental health and cognitive outcomes and reduced life chances across a wide range of life domains. There is, however, very little known about the extent to which poverty is experienced by children over their early life course, particularly in community samples. This study tracks changes in family poverty and the main factors that predict family poverty (adverse life experiences) over a 30-year period since the birth of the study child. Data are from a prospective, longitudinal, birth cohort study conducted in Brisbane, Australia. Consecutive families were recruited at the mothers' first obstetrical visit at one of two major obstetrical hospitals in Brisbane. Data are available for 2087 families with complete data at the 30-year follow-up. Poverty was measured using family income at each time point (adjusted for inflation). Poverty affects about 20% of families at any time point. It is common for families to move in and out of poverty, as their circumstances are affected by such adversities as unemployment and marital breakdown. Over the period of the study about half the families in the study experienced poverty on at least one occasion. Only a very small minority of families experienced persistent poverty over the 30-year duration of the study. Logistic regressions with time lag show that family poverty predicts subsequent adversities and adverse events predict subsequent poverty. Experiences of poverty and adversity are common and may vary greatly over the child's early life course. In assessing the health consequences of poverty, it is important to distinguish the timing and chronicity of early life course experiences of poverty and adversity.

Attachment and Attention: Protection in Relation to Gender and Cumulative Social-Contextual Adversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pasco Fearon, R. M.; Belsky, Jay

2004-01-01

Data from 918 children from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Study of Early Child Care were examined to test the interrelation of attachment and attentional performance and 2 known risks for poor attentional performance: male gender and social-contextual adversity. Attachment was measured using the Strange…

Early childhood adversity potentiates the adverse association between prenatal organophosphate pesticide exposure and child IQ: The CHAMACOS cohort.

PubMed

Stein, Lauren J; Gunier, Robert B; Harley, Kim; Kogut, Katherine; Bradman, Asa; Eskenazi, Brenda

2016-09-01

Previous studies have observed an adverse association between prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticide (OPs) and child cognition, but few studies consider the potential role of social stressors in modifying this relationship. We seek to explore the potential role of early social adversities in modifying the relationship between OPs and child IQ in an agricultural Mexican American population. Participants from the Center for the Health Assessment of Mothers and Children of Salinas (CHAMACOS) study, a prospective longitudinal pre-birth cohort study, include 329 singleton infants and their mothers followed from pregnancy through age 7. Dialkyl phosphate metabolite concentrations (DAPs), a biomarker of organophosphate pesticide exposure, were measured in maternal urine collected twice during pregnancy and averaged. Child cognitive ability was assessed at 7 years using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth Edition. Demographic characteristics and adversity information were collected during interviews and home visits at numerous time points from pregnancy until age 7. Among low-income Latina mothers and their children in the Salinas Valley, total adversity and specific domains of adversity including poor learning environment and adverse parent-child relationships were negatively associated with child cognition. Adverse associations between DAP concentrations and IQ were stronger in children experiencing greater adversity; these associations varied by child sex. For example, the association between prenatal OP exposure and Full-Scale IQ is potentiated among boys who experienced high adversity in the learning environment (β=-13.3; p-value <0.01). Greater total and domain-specific adversity modifies negative relationships between prenatal OP exposure and child IQ differently among male and female children. These findings emphasize the need to consider plausible interactive pathways between social adversities and environmental exposures. Copyright �

Human-machine interface issues in the use of helmet-mounted displays in short conjugate simulators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melzer, James E.

2011-06-01

With the introduction of helmet-mounted displays (HMD) into modern aircraft, there is a desire on the part of pilot trainees to achieve a "look and feel" for the simulation environment similar to the real flight hardware. Given this requirement for high fidelity, it may be necessary to configure - or to perhaps re-configure - the HMD for a short conjugate viewing distance and to do so without causing eye strain or other adverse physiological effects. This paper will survey the human factors literature and provide an analysis on the visual construct issues of focus and vergence which - if not properly configured for the short conjugate simulator - could cause adverse effects, which can negatively affect training.

Cross-Species Affective Neuroscience Decoding of the Primal Affective Experiences of Humans and Related Animals

PubMed Central

Panksepp, Jaak

2011-01-01

Background The issue of whether other animals have internally felt experiences has vexed animal behavioral science since its inception. Although most investigators remain agnostic on such contentious issues, there is now abundant experimental evidence indicating that all mammals have negatively and positively-valenced emotional networks concentrated in homologous brain regions that mediate affective experiences when animals are emotionally aroused. That is what the neuroscientific evidence indicates. Principal Findings The relevant lines of evidence are as follows: 1) It is easy to elicit powerful unconditioned emotional responses using localized electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB); these effects are concentrated in ancient subcortical brain regions. Seven types of emotional arousals have been described; using a special capitalized nomenclature for such primary process emotional systems, they are SEEKING, RAGE, FEAR, LUST, CARE, PANIC/GRIEF and PLAY. 2) These brain circuits are situated in homologous subcortical brain regions in all vertebrates tested. Thus, if one activates FEAR arousal circuits in rats, cats or primates, all exhibit similar fear responses. 3) All primary-process emotional-instinctual urges, even ones as complex as social PLAY, remain intact after radical neo-decortication early in life; thus, the neocortex is not essential for the generation of primary-process emotionality. 4) Using diverse measures, one can demonstrate that animals like and dislike ESB of brain regions that evoke unconditioned instinctual emotional behaviors: Such ESBs can serve as ‘rewards’ and ‘punishments’ in diverse approach and escape/avoidance learning tasks. 5) Comparable ESB of human brains yield comparable affective experiences. Thus, robust evidence indicates that raw primary-process (i.e., instinctual, unconditioned) emotional behaviors and feelings emanate from homologous brain functions in all mammals (see Appendix S1), which are regulated by higher

Cross-species affective neuroscience decoding of the primal affective experiences of humans and related animals.

PubMed

Panksepp, Jaak

2011-01-01

The issue of whether other animals have internally felt experiences has vexed animal behavioral science since its inception. Although most investigators remain agnostic on such contentious issues, there is now abundant experimental evidence indicating that all mammals have negatively and positively-valenced emotional networks concentrated in homologous brain regions that mediate affective experiences when animals are emotionally aroused. That is what the neuroscientific evidence indicates. The relevant lines of evidence are as follows: 1) It is easy to elicit powerful unconditioned emotional responses using localized electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB); these effects are concentrated in ancient subcortical brain regions. Seven types of emotional arousals have been described; using a special capitalized nomenclature for such primary process emotional systems, they are SEEKING, RAGE, FEAR, LUST, CARE, PANIC/GRIEF and PLAY. 2) These brain circuits are situated in homologous subcortical brain regions in all vertebrates tested. Thus, if one activates FEAR arousal circuits in rats, cats or primates, all exhibit similar fear responses. 3) All primary-process emotional-instinctual urges, even ones as complex as social PLAY, remain intact after radical neo-decortication early in life; thus, the neocortex is not essential for the generation of primary-process emotionality. 4) Using diverse measures, one can demonstrate that animals like and dislike ESB of brain regions that evoke unconditioned instinctual emotional behaviors: Such ESBs can serve as 'rewards' and 'punishments' in diverse approach and escape/avoidance learning tasks. 5) Comparable ESB of human brains yield comparable affective experiences. Thus, robust evidence indicates that raw primary-process (i.e., instinctual, unconditioned) emotional behaviors and feelings emanate from homologous brain functions in all mammals (see Appendix S1), which are regulated by higher brain regions. Such findings suggest

Peri-Implantation Hormonal Milieu: Elucidating Mechanisms of Adverse Neurodevelopmental Outcomes.

PubMed

Mainigi, Monica; Rosenzweig, Jason M; Lei, Jun; Mensah, Virginia; Thomaier, Lauren; Talbot, C Conover; Olalere, Devvora; Ord, Teri; Rozzah, Rayyan; Johnston, Michael V; Burd, Irina

2016-06-01

While live births resulting from assisted reproductive technology (ART) exceed 1% of total births annually, the effect of ART on fetal development is not well understood. Data have demonstrated that IVF leads to alterations in DNA methylation and gene expression in the placenta that may have long-term effects on health and disease. Studies have linked adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes to ART, although human studies are inconclusive. In order to isolate the peri-implantation environment and its effects on brain development, we utilized a mouse model with and without superovulation and examined the effect of adult behavior as well as adult cortical neuronal density. Adult offspring of superovulated dams showed increased anxiety-like behavior compared to offspring of naturally mated dams (P < .05). There was no difference in memory and learning tests between the 2 groups. The adult brains from offspring of superovulated recipients had fewer neurons per field compared to naturally mated control offspring (P < .05). In order to examine potential pathways leading to these changes, we measured messenger RNA and microRNA (miRNA) expression in fetal brains at E18.5. Microarray analysis found that miRNAs miR-122, miR-144, and miR-211, involved in regulation of neuronal migration and differentiation, were downregulated in brains of offspring exposed to a superovulated environment(P < .05). There was also altered expression of genes involved in neuronal development. These results suggest that the peri-implantation environment can affect neurodevelopment and can lead to behavioral changes in adulthood. Human studies with long-term follow-up of children from ART are necessary to further investigate the influence of ART on the offspring. © The Author(s) 2015.

Urban sprawl and you: how sprawl adversely affects worker health.

PubMed

Pohanka, Mary; Fitzgerald, Sheila

2004-06-01

Urban sprawl, once thought of as just an environmental issue, is currently gaining momentum as an emerging public health issue worthy of research and political attention. Characteristics seen in sprawling communities include increasing traffic volumes; inadequate public transportation; pedestrian unfriendly streets; and the division of businesses, shops, and homes. These characteristics can affect health in many ways. Greater air pollution contributes to higher asthma and other lung disorder rates. An increased dependence on the automobile encourages a more sedentary lifestyle and can potentially contribute to obesity. The increased danger and stress of long commutes can lead to more accidents, anxiety, and social isolation. Occupational health nurses can become involved by promoting physical activity in the workplace, creating programs for injury prevention and stress management, becoming involved in political smart growth measures, and educating and encouraging colleagues to become active in addressing this issue.

21 CFR 606.170 - Adverse reaction file.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 7 2011-04-01 2010-04-01 true Adverse reaction file. 606.170 Section 606.170 Food... reaction file. (a) Records shall be maintained of any reports of complaints of adverse reactions regarding... investigation of each reported adverse reaction shall be made. A written report of the investigation of adverse...

Reciprocity in computer-human interaction: source-based, norm-based, and affect-based explanations.

PubMed

Lee, Seungcheol Austin; Liang, Yuhua Jake

2015-04-01

Individuals often apply social rules when they interact with computers, and this is known as the Computers Are Social Actors (CASA) effect. Following previous work, one approach to understand the mechanism responsible for CASA is to utilize computer agents and have the agents attempt to gain human compliance (e.g., completing a pattern recognition task). The current study focuses on three key factors frequently cited to influence traditional notions of compliance: evaluations toward the source (competence and warmth), normative influence (reciprocity), and affective influence (mood). Structural equation modeling assessed the effects of these factors on human compliance with computer request. The final model shows that norm-based influence (reciprocity) increased the likelihood of compliance, while evaluations toward the computer agent did not significantly influence compliance.

Systems Toxicology of Male Reproductive Development: Profiling 774 Chemicals for Molecular Targets and Adverse Outcomes

EPA Science Inventory

Adverse trends in male reproductive health have been reported for increased rates of testicular germ cell tumor, low semen quality, cryptorchidism, and hypospadias. An association with prenatal environmental exposure has been inferred from human and animal studies underlying male...

TOXICOLOGY OF MALE REPRODUCTIVE DEVELOPMENT: PROFILING 774 CHEMICALS FOR MOLECULAR TARGETS AND ADVERSE OUTCOMES (SOT)

EPA Science Inventory

Adverse trends in male reproductive health have been reported for increased rates of testicular germ cell tumor, low semen quality, cryptorchidism, and hypospadias. An association with prenatal environmental exposure has been inferred from human and animal studies underlying male...

Transplantation of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stems cells for the treatment of Becker muscular dystrophy in affected pedigree members.

PubMed

Li, Pang; Cui, Kai; Zhang, Bo; Wang, Zhendan; Shen, Yangyang; Wang, Xiangyu; Zhang, Jianbo; Tong, Feng; Li, Sheng

2015-04-01

The regeneration of muscle tissue has been achieved using multipotent mesenchymal stem cells in mouse models of injured skeletal muscle. In the present study, the utility of multipotent human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) in the treatment of Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD), a genetic disease where muscle tissue fails to regenerate, was examined in members from a pedigree affected by BMD. The disease status was evaluated in 4 affected pedigree members (II1, II2, II3 and III2; aged 50, 46, 42 and 6 years, respectively). The transplantation of the hUC‑MSCs (performed on 3 patients, I2, II3 and III2) was performed by infusion with an intravenous drip over a 30‑min period, and the patients were evaluated at 1, 3, 4 and 12 weeks following the procedure. The evaluation was based on physical characteristics, as well as on molecular testing for serum creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and a histological examination of muscle biopsies. The patients suffered no adverse reactions in response to the transplantation of the hUC‑MSCs. At 1 week following transplantation all 3 patients showed improvement in the muscle force of the limbs, muscle size and daily activity. The walking gait of patient III2 had improved by 1 week post-transplantation and reached a normal status by 12 weeks. Serum CK and LDH levels were decreased relative to the baseline levels. A histological examination of muscle biopsies displayed no obvious tissue regeneration. In conclusion, the treatment of patients with BMD using hUC-MSCs was safe and of therapeutic benefit that lasted for up to 12 weeks. hUC-MSCs are, therefore, a potential cell therapy-based treatment option for patients with muscular dystrophies.

Analysis of economic and social costs of adverse events associated with blood transfusions in Spain.

PubMed

Ribed-Sánchez, Borja; González-Gaya, Cristina; Varea-Díaz, Sara; Corbacho-Fabregat, Carlos; Bule-Farto, Isabel; Pérez de-Oteyza, Jaime

To calculate, for the first time, the direct and social costs of transfusion-related adverse events in order to include them in the National Healthcare System's budget, calculation and studies. In Spain more than 1,500 patients yearly are diagnosed with such adverse events. Blood transfusion-related adverse events recorded yearly in Spanish haemovigilance reports were studied retrospectively (2010-2015). The adverse events were coded according to the classification of Diagnosis-Related Groups. The direct healthcare costs were obtained from public information sources. The productivity loss (social cost) associated with adverse events was calculated using the human capital and hedonic salary methodologies. In 2015, 1,588 patients had adverse events that resulted in direct health care costs (4,568,914€) and social costs due to hospitalization (200,724€). Three adverse reactions resulted in patient death (at a social cost of 1,364,805€). In total, the cost of blood transfusion-related adverse events was 6,134,443€ in Spain. For the period 2010-2015: the trends show a reduction in the total amount of transfusions (2 vs. 1.91M€; -4.4%). The number of adverse events increased (822 vs. 1,588; +93%), as well as their related direct healthcare cost (3.22 vs. 4.57M€; +42%) and the social cost of hospitalization (110 vs 200M€; +83%). Mortality costs decreased (2.65 vs. 1.36M€; -48%). This is the first time that the costs of post-transfusion adverse events have been calculated in Spain. These new figures and trends should be taken into consideration in any cost-effectiveness study or trial of new surgical techniques or sanitary policies that influence blood transfusion activities. Copyright © 2018 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Assessment of the health effects of chemicals in humans: II. Construction of an adverse effects database for QSAR modeling.

PubMed

Matthews, Edwin J; Kruhlak, Naomi L; Weaver, James L; Benz, R Daniel; Contrera, Joseph F

2004-12-01

The FDA's Spontaneous Reporting System (SRS) database contains over 1.5 million adverse drug reaction (ADR) reports for 8620 drugs/biologics that are listed for 1191 Coding Symbols for Thesaurus of Adverse Reaction (COSTAR) terms of adverse effects. We have linked the trade names of the drugs to 1861 generic names and retrieved molecular structures for each chemical to obtain a set of 1515 organic chemicals that are suitable for modeling with commercially available QSAR software packages. ADR report data for 631 of these compounds were extracted and pooled for the first five years that each drug was marketed. Patient exposure was estimated during this period using pharmaceutical shipping units obtained from IMS Health. Significant drug effects were identified using a Reporting Index (RI), where RI = (# ADR reports / # shipping units) x 1,000,000. MCASE/MC4PC software was used to identify the optimal conditions for defining a significant adverse effect finding. Results suggest that a significant effect in our database is characterized by > or = 4 ADR reports and > or = 20,000 shipping units during five years of marketing, and an RI > or = 4.0. Furthermore, for a test chemical to be evaluated as active it must contain a statistically significant molecular structural alert, called a decision alert, in two or more toxicologically related endpoints. We also report the use of a composite module, which pools observations from two or more toxicologically related COSTAR term endpoints to provide signal enhancement for detecting adverse effects.

USE OF CASE REPORTS IN ASSESSING ADVERSE OUTCOMES OF HUMAN PRENATAL DRUG EXPOSURES: AN APPROACH

EPA Science Inventory

The use of case reports for assessing the developmental consequences of prenatal drug exposure is limited by the inability to determine the incidence of adverse outcomes and by the high likelihood for bias. Yet, because it is impossible to conduct clinical trials for the assessme...

Interactive effects of genetic polymorphisms and childhood adversity on brain morphologic changes in depression.

PubMed

Kim, Yong-Ku; Ham, Byung-Joo; Han, Kyu-Man

2018-03-10

The etiology of depression is characterized by the interplay of genetic and environmental factors and brain structural alteration. Childhood adversity is a major contributing factor in the development of depression. Interactions between childhood adversity and candidate genes for depression could affect brain morphology via the modulation of neurotrophic factors, serotonergic neurotransmission, or the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and this pathway may explain the subsequent onset of depression. Childhood adversity is associated with structural changes in the hippocampus, amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and prefrontal cortex (PFC), as well as white matter tracts such as the corpus callosum, cingulum, and uncinate fasciculus. Childhood adversity showed an interaction with the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene Val66Met polymorphism, serotonin transporter-linked promoter region (5-HTTLPR), and FK506 binding protein 51 (FKBP5) gene rs1360780 in brain morphologic changes in patients with depression and in a non-clinical population. Individuals with the Met allele of BDNF Val66Met and a history of childhood adversity had reduced volume in the hippocampus and its subfields, amygdala, and PFC and thinner rostral ACC in a study of depressed patients and healthy controls. The S allele of 5-HTTLPR combined with exposure to childhood adversity or a poorer parenting environment was associated with a smaller hippocampal volume and subsequent onset of depression. The FKBP5 gene rs160780 had a significant interaction with childhood adversity in the white matter integrity of brain regions involved in emotion processing. This review identified that imaging genetic studies on childhood adversity may deepen our understanding on the neurobiological background of depression by scrutinizing complicated pathways of genetic factors, early psychosocial environments, and the accompanying morphologic changes in emotion-processing neural circuitry. Copyright

Activation of mouse and human peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPARα) by perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) of 5, 7, 8, 11, and 12 carbon chain lengths in C05-1 cells.

EPA Science Inventory

PFAAs are surfactants that have been found globally in the environment and in tissues of humans and wildlife. They adversely affect perinatal survival and development in rodents and PPARα is involved in inducing these effects. Our previous study demonstrated that some PFAAs activ...

School Psychologists Working with Children Affected by Abuse and Neglect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dezen, Kristin A.; Gurl, Aaron; Ping, Jenn

2010-01-01

School psychologists encounter children regularly who have been affected by abuse and neglect. Maltreatment adversely affects the mental health status and academic achievement of youth, thereby making the topic an area of concern for school psychologists. More recently, child protection laws have been expanded to include mandatory child abuse…

Adverse remodeling of the electrophysiological response to ischemia-reperfusion in human heart failure is associated with remodeling of metabolic gene expression.

PubMed

Ng, Fu Siong; Holzem, Katherine M; Koppel, Aaron C; Janks, Deborah; Gordon, Fabiana; Wit, Andrew L; Peters, Nicholas S; Efimov, Igor R

2014-10-01

Ventricular arrhythmias occur more frequently in heart failure during episodes of ischemia-reperfusion although the mechanisms underlying this in humans are unclear. We assessed, in explanted human hearts, the remodeled electrophysiological response to acute ischemia-reperfusion in heart failure and its potential causes, including the remodeling of metabolic gene expression. We optically mapped coronary-perfused left ventricular wedge preparations from 6 human end-stage failing hearts (F) and 6 donor hearts rejected for transplantation (D). Preparations were subjected to 30 minutes of global ischemia, followed by 30 minutes of reperfusion. Failing hearts had exaggerated electrophysiological responses to ischemia-reperfusion, with greater action potential duration shortening (P<0.001 at 8-minute ischemia; P=0.001 at 12-minute ischemia) and greater conduction slowing during ischemia, delayed recovery of electric excitability after reperfusion (F, 4.8±1.8 versus D, 1.0±0 minutes; P<0.05), and incomplete restoration of action potential duration and conduction velocity early after reperfusion. Expression of 46 metabolic genes was probed using custom-designed TaqMan arrays, using extracted RNA from 15 failing and 9 donor hearts. Ten genes important in cardiac metabolism were downregulated in heart failure, with SLC27A4 and KCNJ11 significantly downregulated at a false discovery rate of 0%. We demonstrate, for the first time in human hearts, that the electrophysiological response to ischemia-reperfusion in heart failure is accelerated during ischemia with slower recovery after reperfusion. This can enhance spatial conduction and repolarization gradients across the ischemic border and increase arrhythmia susceptibility. This adverse response was associated with downregulation of expression of cardiac metabolic genes. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

Quantitative Adverse Outcome Pathway for Neurodevelopmental Effects of Thyroid Peroxidase-Induced Thyroid Hormone Synthesis Inhibition

EPA Science Inventory

Adequate levels of thyroid hormones (TH) are needed for proper brain development and deficiencies lead to adverse neurological outcomes in humans and in animal models. Environmental chemicals have been shown to disrupt TH levels, yet the relationship between developmental exposur...

Adverse Drug Reactions to Antiretroviral Therapy: Prospective Study in Children in Sikasso (Mali)

PubMed Central

Oumar, Aboubacar A.; Diallo, Korotoumou; Dembélé, Jean P.; Samaké, Lassana; Sidibé, Issa; Togo, Boubacar; Sylla, Mariam; Tounkara, Anatole; Dao, Sounkalo; Tulkens, Paul M.

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVES Adverse events during antiretroviral treatment are frequent and various. Their diagnosis incurs some various difficulties according to the geographic context. Our aim was to describe the frequency, nature, and preventability of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) due to antiretroviral treatment in Malian outpatient children. METHODS The study was a 6-month (June 1 to November 30, 2010) prospective, observational study of 92 children admitted to a pediatric hospital in Sikasso, Mali. The patients were treated with a generic drug and/or drug combinations. Prior to treatment initiation, demographic characteristics, clinical history, and biologic parameters, including CD4 cell counts, were collected for each patient. The World Health Organization's adverse drug reactions classification was used to characterize the side effects. Adverse effects and toxicities were graded 1, 2, and 3. Analysis of data was performed using SPSS Version 17.0 software. RESULTS Ninety-two human immunodeficiency virus–infected children met the criteria of inclusion. After 24 weeks of treatment, we observed that 14.1% of children had at least one side effect during our study. Side effects were many and varied, with the most frequent being cutaneous rash, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (38.5%, 23.1%, 15.4%, and 15.4%, respectively). Side effects were grade 1 in most cases. One case of grade 2 and one case of grade 3 were observed with rash. We observed one case of grade 3 side effects during our study. The treatment regimen was changed in 15.2% of cases, including one case because of side effects. CONCLUSION ADRs are not rare in Mali, particularly in children. These ADRs have an impact on quality of life for patients. We recommend a pharmacovigilance system for sustainable management of side effects in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus in Mali. PMID:23411444

Severe acute hypophosphatemia during renal replacement therapy adversely affects outcome of critically ill patients with acute kidney injury.

PubMed

Schiffl, Helmut; Lang, Susanne M

2013-02-01

Hypophosphatemia during renal replacement therapy (RRT) is common in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). The clinical consequences of RRT-induced phosphate depletion are not well defined in this patient population, and there is no evidence that intravenous sodium phosphate supplementation (PS) prevents the clinical sequelae of acute hypophosphatemia. The purpose of this retrospective analysis of the Acute Renal Support Registry of the University of Munich was to examine the association between severe hypophosphatemia and severity of and recovery from AKI. 289 ICU patients with AKI on intermittent hemodialysis (IHD) were included in the study. One hundred and forty-nine patients received PS during IHD. Outcomes were short-term (at discharge) and long-term (at 1 year) recovery of renal function and mortality. The two patient groups did not differ in demographics, clinical features, renal characteristics, and frequency of hypophosphatemia at initiation of IHD. Without PS, the frequency of hypophosphatemia increased from 20 to 35%. Severe hypophosphatemia was found in 50% of these patients. By comparison, PS was not associated with an increased frequency of hypophosphatemia. Compared with patients with acute phosphate depletion, patients receiving PS developed less oliguria during IHD, had shorter duration of AKI, higher incidence of complete renal recovery at discharge, and a lower risk of de novo chronic kidney disease. Hypophosphatemia was associated with higher all-cause in-hospital mortality and higher risk of long-term mortality. This multicenter study indicates for the first time that hypophosphatemia during IHD adversely affects short- and long-term outcome of critically-ill patients with AKI. The clinical consequences of the acute hypophosphatemic syndrome may be prevented by PS.

Future Directions in Childhood Adversity and Youth Psychopathology.

PubMed

McLaughlin, Katie A

2016-01-01

Despite long-standing interest in the influence of adverse early experiences on mental health, systematic scientific inquiry into childhood adversity and developmental outcomes has emerged only recently. Existing research has amply demonstrated that exposure to childhood adversity is associated with elevated risk for multiple forms of youth psychopathology. In contrast, knowledge of developmental mechanisms linking childhood adversity to the onset of psychopathology-and whether those mechanisms are general or specific to particular kinds of adversity-remains cursory. Greater understanding of these pathways and identification of protective factors that buffer children from developmental disruptions following exposure to adversity is essential to guide the development of interventions to prevent the onset of psychopathology following adverse childhood experiences. This article provides recommendations for future research in this area. In particular, use of a consistent definition of childhood adversity, integration of studies of typical development with those focused on childhood adversity, and identification of distinct dimensions of environmental experience that differentially influence development are required to uncover mechanisms that explain how childhood adversity is associated with numerous psychopathology outcomes (i.e., multifinality) and identify moderators that shape divergent trajectories following adverse childhood experiences. A transdiagnostic model that highlights disruptions in emotional processing and poor executive functioning as key mechanisms linking childhood adversity with multiple forms of psychopathology is presented as a starting point in this endeavour. Distinguishing between general and specific mechanisms linking childhood adversity with psychopathology is needed to generate empirically informed interventions to prevent the long-term consequences of adverse early environments on children's development.

Detection of cardiac activity changes from human speech

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tovarek, Jaromir; Partila, Pavol; Voznak, Miroslav; Mikulec, Martin; Mehic, Miralem

2015-05-01

Impact of changes in blood pressure and pulse from human speech is disclosed in this article. The symptoms of increased physical activity are pulse, systolic and diastolic pressure. There are many methods of measuring and indicating these parameters. The measurements must be carried out using devices which are not used in everyday life. In most cases, the measurement of blood pressure and pulse following health problems or other adverse feelings. Nowadays, research teams are trying to design and implement modern methods in ordinary human activities. The main objective of the proposal is to reduce the delay between detecting the adverse pressure and to the mentioned warning signs and feelings. Common and frequent activity of man is speaking, while it is known that the function of the vocal tract can be affected by the change in heart activity. Therefore, it can be a useful parameter for detecting physiological changes. A method for detecting human physiological changes by speech processing and artificial neural network classification is described in this article. The pulse and blood pressure changes was induced by physical exercises in this experiment. The set of measured subjects was formed by ten healthy volunteers of both sexes. None of the subjects was a professional athlete. The process of the experiment was divided into phases before, during and after physical training. Pulse, systolic, diastolic pressure was measured and voice activity was recorded after each of them. The results of this experiment describe a method for detecting increased cardiac activity from human speech using artificial neural network.

Adverse Effects of Daylight Saving Time on Adolescents' Sleep and Vigilance

PubMed Central

Medina, Diana; Ebben, Matthew; Milrad, Sara; Atkinson, Brianna; Krieger, Ana C.

2015-01-01

Study Objectives: Daylight saving time (DST) has been established with the intent to reduce energy expenditure, however unintentional effects on sleep and vigilance have not been consistently measured. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that DST adversely affects high school students' sleep and vigilance on the school days following its implementation. Methods: A natural experiment design was used to assess baseline and post-DST differences in objective and subjective measures of sleep and vigilance by actigraphy, sleep diary, sleepiness scale, and psychomotor vigilance testing (PVT). Students were tested during school days immediately preceding and following DST. Results: A total of 40 high school students were enrolled in this study; 35 completed the protocol. Sleep duration declined by an average of 32 minutes on the weeknights post-DST, reflecting a cumulative sleep loss of 2 h 42 min as compared to the baseline week (p = 0.001). This finding was confirmed by sleep diary analyses, reflecting an average sleep loss of 27 min/night (p = 0.004) post-DST. Vigilance significantly deteriorated, with a decline in PVT performance post-DST, resulting in longer reaction times (p < 0.001) and increased lapses (p < 0.001). Increased daytime sleepiness was also demonstrated (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The early March DST onset adversely affected sleep and vigilance in high school students resulting in increased daytime sleepiness. Larger scale evaluations of sleep impairments related to DST are needed to further quantify this problem in the population. If confirmed, measures to attenuate sleep loss post-DST should be implemented. Citation: Medina D, Ebben M, Milrad S, Atkinson B, Krieger AC. Adverse effects of daylight saving time on adolescents' sleep and vigilance. J Clin Sleep Med 2015;11(8):879–884. PMID:25979095

40 CFR 230.73 - Actions affecting the method of dispersion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Actions affecting the method of... Actions To Minimize Adverse Effects § 230.73 Actions affecting the method of dispersion. The effects of a... size of the mound; (c) Using silt screens or other appropriate methods to confine suspended particulate...

Vitex agnus castus: a systematic review of adverse events.

PubMed

Daniele, Claudia; Thompson Coon, Joanna; Pittler, Max H; Ernst, Edzard

2005-01-01

Vitex agnus castus L. (VAC) [Verbenaceae] is a deciduous shrub that is native to Mediterranean Europe and Central Asia. Traditionally, VAC fruit extract has been used in the treatment of many female conditions, including menstrual disorders (amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea), premenstrual syndrome (PMS), corpus luteum insufficiency, hyperprolactinaemia, infertility, acne, menopause and disrupted lactation. The German Commission E has approved the use of VAC for irregularities of the menstrual cycle, premenstrual disturbances and mastodynia. Clinical reviews are available for the efficacy of VAC in PMS, cycle disorders, hyperprolactinaemia and mastalgia, but so far no systematic review has been published on adverse events or drug interactions associated with VAC. Therefore, this review was conducted to evaluate all the available human safety data of VAC monopreparations. Literature searches were conducted in six electronic databases, in references lists of all identified papers and in departmental files. Data from spontaneous reporting schemes of the WHO and national drug safety bodies were also included. Twelve manufacturers of VAC-containing preparations and five herbalist organisations were contacted for additional information. No language restrictions were imposed. Combination preparations including VAC or homeopathic preparations of VAC were excluded. Data extraction of key data from all articles reporting adverse events or interactions was performed independently by at least two reviewers, regardless of study design. Data from clinical trials, postmarketing surveillance studies, surveys, spontaneous reporting schemes, manufacturers and herbalist organisations indicate that the adverse events following VAC treatment are mild and reversible. The most frequent adverse events are nausea, headache, gastrointestinal disturbances, menstrual disorders, acne, pruritus and erythematous rash. No drug interactions were reported. Use of VAC should be avoided during pregnancy or

On the impact of adverse pressure gradient on the supersonic turbulent boundary layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qian-Cheng; Wang, Zhen-Guo; Zhao, Yu-Xin

2016-11-01

By employing the particle image velocimetry, the mean and turbulent characteristics of a Mach 2.95 turbulent boundary layer are experimentally investigated without the impact of curvature. The physical mechanism with which the streamwise adverse pressure gradient affects the supersonic boundary layer is revealed. The data are compared to that of the concave boundary layer with similar streamwise distributions of wall static pressure to clarify the separate impacts of the adverse pressure gradient and the concave curvature. The logarithmic law is observed to be well preserved for both of the cases. The dip below the logarithmic law is not observed in present investigation. Theoretical analysis indicates that it could be the result of compromise between the opposite impacts of the compression wave and the increased turbulent intensity. Compared to the zero pressure gradient boundary layer, the principal strain rate and the turbulent intensities are increased by the adverse pressure gradient. The shear layer formed due the hairpin packets could be sharpened by the compression wave, which leads to higher principal strain rate and the associated turbulent level. Due to the additional impact of the centrifugal instability brought by the concave wall, even higher turbulent intensities than that of the adverse pressure gradient case are introduced. The existence of velocity modes within the zero pressure gradient boundary layer suggests that the large scale motions are statistically well organized. The generation of new velocity modes due to the adverse pressure gradient indicates that the turbulent structure is changed by the adverse pressure gradient, through which more turbulence production that cannot be effectively predicted by the Reynolds-stress transport equations could be brought.

Emergency Department Visits for Adverse Events Related to Dietary Supplements.

PubMed

Geller, Andrew I; Shehab, Nadine; Weidle, Nina J; Lovegrove, Maribeth C; Wolpert, Beverly J; Timbo, Babgaleh B; Mozersky, Robert P; Budnitz, Daniel S

2015-10-15

Dietary supplements, such as herbal or complementary nutritional products and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), are commonly used in the United States, yet national data on adverse effects are limited. We used nationally representative surveillance data from 63 emergency departments obtained from 2004 through 2013 to describe visits to U.S. emergency departments because of adverse events related to dietary supplements. On the basis of 3667 cases, we estimated that 23,005 (95% confidence interval [CI], 18,611 to 27,398) emergency department visits per year were attributed to adverse events related to dietary supplements. These visits resulted in an estimated 2154 hospitalizations (95% CI, 1342 to 2967) annually. Such visits frequently involved young adults between the ages of 20 and 34 years (28.0% of visits; 95% CI, 25.1 to 30.8) and unsupervised children (21.2% of visits; 95% CI, 18.4 to 24.0). After the exclusion of unsupervised ingestion of dietary supplements by children, 65.9% (95% CI, 63.2 to 68.5) of emergency department visits for single-supplement-related adverse events involved herbal or complementary nutritional products; 31.8% (95% CI, 29.2 to 34.3) involved micronutrients. Herbal or complementary nutritional products for weight loss (25.5%; 95% CI, 23.1 to 27.9) and increased energy (10.0%; 95% CI, 8.0 to 11.9) were commonly implicated. Weight-loss or energy products caused 71.8% (95% CI, 67.6 to 76.1) of supplement-related adverse events involving palpitations, chest pain, or tachycardia, and 58.0% (95% CI, 52.2 to 63.7) involved persons 20 to 34 years of age. Among adults 65 years of age or older, choking or pill-induced dysphagia or globus caused 37.6% (95% CI, 29.1 to 46.2) of all emergency department visits for supplement-related adverse events; micronutrients were implicated in 83.1% (95% CI, 73.3 to 92.9) of these visits. An estimated 23,000 emergency department visits in the United States every year are attributed to adverse events

Aging Affects Adaptation to Sound-Level Statistics in Human Auditory Cortex.

PubMed

Herrmann, Björn; Maess, Burkhard; Johnsrude, Ingrid S

2018-02-21

Optimal perception requires efficient and adaptive neural processing of sensory input. Neurons in nonhuman mammals adapt to the statistical properties of acoustic feature distributions such that they become sensitive to sounds that are most likely to occur in the environment. However, whether human auditory responses adapt to stimulus statistical distributions and how aging affects adaptation to stimulus statistics is unknown. We used MEG to study how exposure to different distributions of sound levels affects adaptation in auditory cortex of younger (mean: 25 years; n = 19) and older (mean: 64 years; n = 20) adults (male and female). Participants passively listened to two sound-level distributions with different modes (either 15 or 45 dB sensation level). In a control block with long interstimulus intervals, allowing neural populations to recover from adaptation, neural response magnitudes were similar between younger and older adults. Critically, both age groups demonstrated adaptation to sound-level stimulus statistics, but adaptation was altered for older compared with younger people: in the older group, neural responses continued to be sensitive to sound level under conditions in which responses were fully adapted in the younger group. The lack of full adaptation to the statistics of the sensory environment may be a physiological mechanism underlying the known difficulty that older adults have with filtering out irrelevant sensory information. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Behavior requires efficient processing of acoustic stimulation. Animal work suggests that neurons accomplish efficient processing by adjusting their response sensitivity depending on statistical properties of the acoustic environment. Little is known about the extent to which this adaptation to stimulus statistics generalizes to humans, particularly to older humans. We used MEG to investigate how aging influences adaptation to sound-level statistics. Listeners were presented with sounds drawn from

Impact of childhood adversities on the short-term course of illness in psychotic spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Schalinski, Inga; Fischer, Yolanda; Rockstroh, Brigitte

2015-08-30

Accumulating evidence indicates an impact of childhood adversities on the severity and course of mental disorders, whereas this impact on psychotic disorders remains to be specified. Effects of childhood adversities on comorbidity, on symptom severity of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and global functioning across four months (upon admission, 1 and 4 months after initial assessment), as well as the course of illness (measured by the remission rate, number of re-hospitalizations and dropout rate) were evaluated in 62 inpatients with psychotic spectrum disorders. Adverse experiences (of at least 1 type) were reported by 73% of patients. Patients with higher overall level of childhood adversities (n=33) exhibited more co-morbid disorders, especially alcohol/substance abuse and dependency, and higher dropout rates than patients with a lower levels of adverse experiences (n=29), together with higher levels of positive symptoms and symptoms of excitement and disorganization. Emotional and physical neglect were particularly related to symptom severity. Results suggest that psychological stress in childhood affects the symptom severity and, additionally, a more unfavorable course of disorder in patients diagnosed with psychoses. This impact calls for its consideration in diagnostic assessment and psychiatric care. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Audio-visual affective expression recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Thomas S.; Zeng, Zhihong

2007-11-01

Automatic affective expression recognition has attracted more and more attention of researchers from different disciplines, which will significantly contribute to a new paradigm for human computer interaction (affect-sensitive interfaces, socially intelligent environments) and advance the research in the affect-related fields including psychology, psychiatry, and education. Multimodal information integration is a process that enables human to assess affective states robustly and flexibly. In order to understand the richness and subtleness of human emotion behavior, the computer should be able to integrate information from multiple sensors. We introduce in this paper our efforts toward machine understanding of audio-visual affective behavior, based on both deliberate and spontaneous displays. Some promising methods are presented to integrate information from both audio and visual modalities. Our experiments show the advantage of audio-visual fusion in affective expression recognition over audio-only or visual-only approaches.

Systems Toxicology of Male Reproductive Development: Profiling 774 Chemicals for Molecular Targets and Adverse Outcomes

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Background: Trends in male reproductive health have been reported for increased rates of testicular germ cell tumors, low semen quality, cryptorchidism, and hypospadias, which have been associated with prenatal environmental chemical exposure based on human and animal studies.Objective: In the present study we aimed to identify significant correlations between environmental chemicals, molecular targets, and adverse outcomes across a broad chemical landscape with emphasis on developmental toxicity of the male reproductive system.Methods: We used U.S. EPA??s animal study database (ToxRefDB) and a comprehensive literature analysis to identify 774 chemicals that have been evaluated for adverse effects on male reproductive parameters, and then used U.S. EPA??s in vitro high-throughput screening (HTS) database (ToxCastDB) to profile their bioactivity across approximately 800 molecular and cellular features. Results: A phenotypic hierarchy of testicular atrophy, sperm effects, tumors, and malformations, a composite resembling the human testicular dysgenesis syndrome (TDS) hypothesis, was observed in 281 chemicals. A subset of 54 chemicals with male developmental consequences had in vitro bioactivity on molecular targets that could be condensed into 156 gene annotations in a bipartite network. Conclusion: Computational modeling of available in vivo and in vitro data for chemicals that produce adverse effects on male reproductive end points revealed a phenotypic hierarch

Pathways between childhood/adolescent adversity, adolescent socioeconomic status, and long-term cardiovascular disease risk in young adulthood.

PubMed

Doom, Jenalee R; Mason, Susan M; Suglia, Shakira F; Clark, Cari Jo

2017-09-01

The current study investigated mediators between childhood/adolescent adversities (e.g., dating violence, maltreatment, homelessness, and parental death), low socioeconomic status (SES) during adolescence, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in young adulthood. The purpose of these analyses was to understand whether SES during adolescence and childhood/adolescent adversities affect CVD risk through similar pathways, including maternal relationship quality, health behaviors, financial stress, medical/dental care, educational attainment, sleep problems, and depressive symptoms. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 14,493), which has followed US adolescents (Wave 1; M = 15.9 years) through early adulthood (Wave 4; M = 28.9 years), associations were examined between childhood/adolescent adversity and SES to 30-year CVD risk in young adulthood. The outcome was a Framingham-based prediction model of CVD risk that included age, sex, body mass index, smoking, systolic blood pressure, diabetes, and antihypertensive medication use at Wave 4. Path analysis was used to examine paths through the adolescent maternal relationship to young adult mediators of CVD risk. Childhood/adolescent adversity significantly predicted greater adult CVD risk through the following pathways: maternal relationship, health behaviors, financial stress, lack of medical/dental care, and educational attainment; but not through depressive symptoms or sleep problems. Lower SES during adolescence significantly predicted greater adult CVD risk through the following pathways: health behaviors, financial stress, lack of medical/dental care, and educational attainment, but not maternal relationship, depressive symptoms, or sleep problems. Childhood/adolescent adversities and SES affected CVD risk in young adulthood through both similar and unique pathways that may inform interventions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adverse Reactions to Hallucinogenic Drugs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meyer, Roger E. , Ed.

This reports a conference of psychologists, psychiatrists, geneticists and others concerned with the biological and psychological effects of lysergic acid diethylamide and other hallucinogenic drugs. Clinical data are presented on adverse drug reactions. The difficulty of determining the causes of adverse reactions is discussed, as are different…

Energy drink usage among university students in a Caribbean country: Patterns of use and adverse effects.

PubMed

Reid, Sandra D; Ramsarran, Jonathan; Brathwaite, Rachel; Lyman, Sarika; Baker, Ariane; Cornish, D'Andra C; Ganga, Stefan; Mohammed, Zahrid; Sookdeo, Avinash T; Thapelo, Cathrine K

2015-06-01

There has been little inquiry addressing whether or not concerns about adverse effects of energy drink usage are relevant in the Caribbean. This survey investigated energy drink usage and adverse consequences among tertiary level students in Trinidad and Tobago. A cross-sectional survey of 1994 students from eight institutions was conducted using a de novo questionnaire based on findings from a focus group of students. Chi-squared analyses and logistic regression were used to assess relationships between energy drink usage, adverse effects and other factors affecting energy drink use, and to verify predictors of energy drink use. Prevalence of use was 86%; 38% were current users. Males were more likely to use, used more frequently and at an earlier age. Energy drinks were used most commonly to increase energy (50%), combat sleepiness (45%) and enhance academic performance (40%), and occurred during sports (23%) and mixed with alcohol (22.2%). The majority (79.6%) consumed one energy drink per sitting; 62.2% experienced adverse effects, most commonly restlessness (22%), jolt and crash (17.1%) and tachycardia (16.6%). Awareness of adverse effects was associated with no use (p=0.004), but adverse effects were not a deterrent to continued use. Energy drink usage is prevalent among students. The use is not excessive, but associated with high rates of adverse effects and occurs in potentially dangerous situations like during exercise and with alcohol. There is a need to educate students about the potential adverse effects of energy drinks. Copyright © 2014 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Future Directions in Childhood Adversity and Youth Psychopathology

PubMed Central

McLaughlin, Katie A.

2016-01-01

Despite long-standing interest in the influence of adverse early experiences on mental health, systematic scientific inquiry into childhood adversity and developmental outcomes has emerged only recently. Existing research has amply demonstrated that exposure to childhood adversity is associated with elevated risk for multiple forms of youth psychopathology. In contrast, knowledge of developmental mechanisms linking childhood adversity to the onset of psychopathology—and whether those mechanisms are general or specific to particular kinds of adversity—remains cursory. Greater understanding of these pathways and identification of protective factors that buffer children from developmental disruptions following exposure to adversity is essential to guide the development of interventions to prevent the onset of psychopathology following adverse childhood experiences. This article provides recommendations for future research in this area. In particular, use of a consistent definition of childhood adversity, integration of studies of typical development with those focused on childhood adversity, and identification of distinct dimensions of environmental experience that differentially influence development are required to uncover mechanisms that explain how childhood adversity is associated with numerous psychopathology outcomes (i.e., multifinality) and identify moderators that shape divergent trajectories following adverse childhood experiences. A transdiagnostic model that highlights disruptions in emotional processing and poor executive functioning as key mechanisms linking childhood adversity with multiple forms of psychopathology is presented as a starting point in this endeavour. Distinguishing between general and specific mechanisms linking childhood adversity with psychopathology is needed to generate empirically informed interventions to prevent the long-term consequences of adverse early environments on children’s development. PMID:26849071

The adverse outcome pathway concept: a pragmatic tool in toxicology.

PubMed

Vinken, Mathieu

2013-10-04

Adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) are novel tools in toxicology and human risk assessment with broad potential. AOPs are designed to provide a clear-cut mechanistic representation of critical toxicological effects that span over different layers of biological organization. AOPs share a common structure consisting of a molecular initiating event, a series of intermediate steps and key events, and an adverse outcome. Development of AOPs ideally complies with OECD guidelines. This also holds true for AOP evaluation, which includes consideration of the Bradford Hill criteria for weight-of-evidence assessment and meeting a set of key questions defined by the OECD. Elaborate AOP frameworks have yet been proposed for chemical-induced skin sensitization, cholestasis, liver fibrosis and liver steatosis. These newly postulated AOPs can serve a number of ubiquitous purposes, including the establishment of (quantitative) structure-activity relationships, the development of novel in vitro toxicity screening tests and the elaboration of prioritization strategies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Abuse, Neglect, and Violence Against Elderly Women in Ghana: Implications for Social Justice and Human Rights.

PubMed

Sossou, Marie-Antoinette; Yogtiba, Joseph A

2015-01-01

This article discusses abuse and neglect of elderly women in Ghana and the traditional practices that adversely affect their human rights. Their situation is characterized by pervasive poverty, illiteracy, widowhood, predominantly rural dwelling, and subjection to insidious cultural practices and superstitious beliefs. Increase in life expectancy and population trends point to significant increases in the numbers of the elderly women. Breakdown of the extended family support system and the waning of filial obligations are factors affecting their welfare. Accurate data on these abuses is lacking due to cultural inhibitions and non-reporting. Legislations and NGO programs are addressed to combat abuses.

Neurodevelopment in children with intrauterine growth restriction: adverse effects and interventions.

PubMed

Wang, Yan; Fu, Wei; Liu, Jing

2016-01-01

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is associated with higher rates of fetal, perinatal, and neonatal morbidity and mortality. The consequences of IUGR include short-term metabolic, hematological and thermal disturbances that lead to metabolic syndrome in children and adults. Additionally, IUGR severely affects short- and long-term fetal brain development and brain function (including motor, cognitive and executive function) and neurobehavior, especially neuropsychology. This review details the adverse effects of IUGR on fetal brain development and discusses intervention strategies.

Adverse environments and children's creativity development: transforming the notion of "success in adversity" in China.

PubMed

Cheng, Li; Tan, Mei; Liu, Zhengkui

2015-01-01

China has been undergoing great social change due to its new focus on urbanization and globalization. Such change has had a tremendous adverse impact on the living conditions of millions of young children, simultaneously generating new interest in children's creativity development. The intersection of these two issues has important implications for China's future as it brings together one of China's core cultural values-"success in adversity"-the importance of creativity, and very real social and economic needs. "Success in adversity" reflects the strongly held belief that individuals who suffer adverse environments can rise to excellence and success through persistence, effort, and creativity. In this article, we briefly explore the historical sources of this belief and how it is closely related to the Chinese conception of creativity. We then present some studies on the creativity of some of China's migrant children. Findings show that while migrant children as a group may not generally exhibit higher creativity than their urban peers as hypothesized, indications of resilience and creative potential suggest that the notion of success in adversity may contribute to the positive development of China's migrant children more substantially when it is informed by research and augmented by research-supported policy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Adverse childhood experiences: assessing the impact on health and school engagement and the mitigating role of resilience.

PubMed

Bethell, Christina D; Newacheck, Paul; Hawes, Eva; Halfon, Neal

2014-12-01

The ongoing longitudinal Adverse Childhood Experiences Study of adults has found significant associations between chronic conditions; quality of life and life expectancy in adulthood; and the trauma and stress associated with adverse childhood experiences, including physical or emotional abuse or neglect, deprivation, or exposure to violence. Less is known about the population-based epidemiology of adverse childhood experiences among US children. Using the 2011-12 National Survey of Children's Health, we assessed the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences and associations between them and factors affecting children's development and lifelong health. After we adjusted for confounding factors, we found lower rates of school engagement and higher rates of chronic disease among children with adverse childhood experiences. Our findings suggest that building resilience-defined in the survey as "staying calm and in control when faced with a challenge," for children ages 6-17-can ameliorate the negative impact of adverse childhood experiences. We found higher rates of school engagement among children with adverse childhood experiences who demonstrated resilience, as well as higher rates of resilience among children with such experiences who received care in a family-centered medical home. We recommend a coordinated effort to fill knowledge gaps and translate existing knowledge about adverse childhood experiences and resilience into national, state, and local policies, with a focus on addressing childhood trauma in health systems as they evolve during ongoing reform. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Disentangling prenatal and inherited influences in humans with an experimental design.

PubMed

Rice, Frances; Harold, Gordon T; Boivin, Jacky; Hay, Dale F; van den Bree, Marianne; Thapar, Anita

2009-02-17

Exposure to adversity in utero at a sensitive period of development can bring about physiological, structural, and metabolic changes in the fetus that affect later development and behavior. However, the link between prenatal environment and offspring outcomes could also arise and confound because of the relation between maternal and offspring genomes. As human studies cannot randomly assign offspring to prenatal conditions, it is difficult to test whether in utero events have true causal effects on offspring outcomes. We used an unusual approach to overcome this difficulty whereby pregnant mothers are either biologically unrelated or related to their child as a result of in vitro fertilization (IVF). In this sample, prenatal smoking reduces offspring birth weight in both unrelated and related offspring, consistent with effects arising through prenatal mechanisms independent of the relation between the maternal and offspring genomes. In contrast, the association between prenatal smoking and offspring antisocial behavior depended on inherited factors because association was only present in related mothers and offspring. The results demonstrate that this unusual prenatal cross-fostering design is feasible and informative for disentangling inherited and prenatal effects on human health and behavior. Disentangling these different effects is invaluable for pinpointing markers of prenatal adversity that have a causal effect on offspring outcomes. The origins of behavior and many common complex disorders may begin in early life, therefore this experimental design could pave the way for identifying prenatal factors that affect behavior in future generations.

Affective temperament and personal identity.

PubMed

Stanghellini, Giovanni; Rosfort, René

2010-10-01

The complex relationship between temperament and personal identity, and between these and mental disorders, is of critical interest to both philosophy and psychopathology. More than other living creatures, human beings are constituted and characterized by the interplay of their genotype and phenotype. There appears to be an explanatory gap between the almost perfect genetic identity and the individual differences among humans. One reason for this gap is that a human being is a person besides a physiological organism. We propose an outline of a theoretical model that might somewhat mitigate the explanatory discrepancies between physiological mechanisms and individual human emotional experience and behaviour. Arguing for the pervasive nature of human affectivity, i.e., for the assumption that human consciousness and behaviour is characterised by being permeated by affectivity; to envisage the dynamics of emotional experience, we make use of a three-levelled model of human personal identity that differentiates between factors that are simultaneously at work in the constitution of the individual human person: 1) core emotions, 2) affective temperament types/affective character traits, and 3) personhood. These levels are investigated separately in order to respect the methodological diversity among them (neuroscience, psychopathology, and philosophy), but they are eventually brought together in a hermeneutical account of human personhood. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.