A Comparative Review of Waivers Granted in Pediatric Drug Development by FDA and EMA from 2007-2013.

PubMed

Egger, Gunter F; Wharton, Gerold T; Malli, Suzanne; Temeck, Jean; Murphy, M Dianne; Tomasi, Paolo

2016-09-01

The European Union and the United States have different legal frameworks in place for pediatric drug development, which can potentially lead to different pediatric research requirements for the pharmaceutical industry. This manuscript compares pediatric clinical trial waivers granted by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This is a retrospective review comparing EMA's Paediatric Committee (PDCO) decisions with FDA's Pediatric Review Committee (PeRC) recommendations for all product-specific pediatric full waiver applications submitted to EMA from January 2007 through December 2013. Using baseline data from EMA, we matched product-specific waivers with their FDA equivalents during the study period. For single active substance products, PDCO and PeRC adopted similar opinions in 42 of 49 indications (86%). For fixed-dose combinations, PDCO and PeRC adopted similar opinions in 24 of 31 indications (77%). Despite the different legal frameworks, criteria, and processes of determination, the waiver decisions of the 2 agencies were similar in the majority of cases.

A bioinformatics prediction approach towards analyzing the glycosylation, co-expression and interaction patterns of epithelial membrane antigen (EMA/MUC1)

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

Kalra, Rajkumar S., E-mail: renu-wadhwa@aist.go.jp; Wadhwa, Renu, E-mail: renu-wadhwa@aist.go.jp

2015-02-27

Epithelial membrane antigen (EMA or MUC1) is a heavily glycosylated, type I transmembrane glycoprotein commonly expressed by epithelial cells of duct organs. It has been shown to be aberrantly glycosylated in several diseases including cancer. Protein sequence based annotation and analysis of glycosylation profile of glycoproteins by robust computational and comprehensive algorithms provides possible insights to the mechanism(s) of anomalous glycosylation. In present report, by using a number of bioinformatics applications we studied EMA/MUC1 and explored its trans-membrane structural domain sequence that is widely subjected to glycosylation. Exploration of different extracellular motifs led to prediction of N and O-linked glycosylationmore » target sites. Based on the putative O-linked target sites, glycosylated moieties and pathways were envisaged. Furthermore, Protein network analysis demonstrated physical interaction of EMA with a number of proteins and confirmed its functional involvement in cell growth and proliferation pathways. Gene Ontology analysis suggested an involvement of EMA in a number of functions including signal transduction, protein binding, processing and transport along with glycosylation. Thus, present study explored potential of bioinformatics prediction approach in analyzing glycosylation, co-expression and interaction patterns of EMA/MUC1 glycoprotein.« less

EMA401, an orally administered highly selective angiotensin II type 2 receptor antagonist, as a novel treatment for postherpetic neuralgia: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 clinical trial.

PubMed

Rice, Andrew S C; Dworkin, Robert H; McCarthy, Tom D; Anand, Praveen; Bountra, Chas; McCloud, Philip I; Hill, Julie; Cutter, Gary; Kitson, Geoff; Desem, Nuket; Raff, Milton

2014-05-10

Existing treatments for postherpetic neuralgia, and for neuropathic pain in general, are limited by modest efficacy and unfavourable side-effects. The angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) is a new target for neuropathic pain. EMA401, a highly selective AT2R antagonist, is under development as a novel neuropathic pain therapeutic agent. We assessed the therapeutic potential of EMA401 in patients with postherpetic neuralgia. In this multicentre, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomised, phase 2 clinical trial, we enrolled patients (aged 22-89 years) with postherpetic neuralgia of at least 6 months' duration from 29 centres across six countries. We randomly allocated 183 participants to receive either oral EMA401 (100 mg twice daily) or placebo for 28 days. Randomisation was done according to a centralised randomisation schedule, blocked by study site, which was generated by an independent, unmasked statistician. Patients and staff at each site were masked to treatment assignment. We assessed the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of EMA401. The primary efficacy endpoint was change in mean pain intensity between baseline and the last week of dosing (days 22-28), measured on an 11-point numerical rating scale. The primary efficacy analysis was intention to treat. This trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, number ACTRN12611000822987. 92 patients were assigned to EMA401 and 91 were assigned to placebo. The patients given EMA401 reported significantly less pain compared with baseline values in the final week of treatment than did those given placebo (mean reductions in pain scores -2.29 [SD 1.75] vs -1.60 [1.66]; difference of adjusted least square means -0.69 [SE 0.25]; 95% CI -1.19 to -0.20; p=0.0066). No serious adverse events related to EMA401 occurred. Overall, 32 patients reported 56 treatment-emergent adverse events in the EMA401 group compared with 45 such events reported by 29 patients given placebo. EMA401 (100 mg

A Report on the Present Status of Engineering Mathematics Test (EMaT)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Toshimasa; Takafuji, Daisuke

The aim of Engineering Mathematics Test (EMaT) is to make sure what essentials in curriculum of Engineering Mathematics is, and to assess university students’ core academic competence and achievement of Engineering Mathematics, helping assurance of students’ academic ability. It is useful for professors to evaluate teaching effect of the classes, and this evaluation would help them improve curricula. Scores can be available for both graduate school entrance examinations and employment tests, leading to selecting persons with basic academic ability in Engineering Mathematics. The scope includes fundamentals in Calculus, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, and Probability and Statistics. It is open to all students free of charge, and is annually given once in December. In 2007, 2,396 students from 35 universities took EMaT, and the total number of students who have taken EMaT in these 5 years is 6,240.

Energy Materials Coordinating Committee (EMaCC). Annual technical report, Fiscal Year 2001

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

None, None

2002-08-01

The DOE Energy Materials Coordinating Committee (EMaCC) serves primarily to enhance coordination among the Department's materials programs and to further effective use of materials expertise within the Department. These functions are accomplished through the exchange of budgetary and planning information among program managers and through technical meetings/workshops on selected topics involving both DOE and major contractors. In addition, EMaCC assists in obtaining materials-related inputs for both intra- and interagency compilations.

Extended Monopole antenna Array with individual Shield (EMAS) coil: An improved monopole antenna design for brain imaging at 7 tesla MRI.

PubMed

Woo, Myung-Kyun; Hong, Suk-Min; Lee, Jongho; Kang, Chang-Ki; Park, Sung-Yeon; Son, Young-Don; Kim, Young-Bo; Cho, Zang-Hee

2016-06-01

To propose a new Extended Monopole antenna Array with individual Shields (EMAS) coil that improves the B1 field coverage and uniformity along the z-direction. To increase the spatial coverage of Monopole antenna Array (MA) coil, each monopole antenna was shielded and extended in length. Performance of this new coil, which is referred to as EMAS coil, was compared with the original MA coil and an Extended Monopole antenna Array coil with no shield (EMA). For comparison, flip angle, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and receive sensitivity maps were measured at multiple regions of interest (ROIs) in the brain. The EMAS coil demonstrated substantially larger flip angle and receive sensitivity than the MA and EMA coils in the inferior aspect of the brain. In the brainstem ROI, for example, the flip angle in the EMAS coil was increased by 45.5% (or 60.0%) and the receive sensitivity was increased by 26.9% (or 14.9%), resulting in an SNR gain of 84.8% (or 76.3%) when compared with the MA coil (or EMA). The EMAS coil provided 25.7% (or 24.4%) more uniform B1+ field distribution compared with the MA (or EMA) coil in sagittal. The EMAS coil successfully extended the imaging volume in lower part of the brain. Magn Reson Med 75:2566-2572, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Design of power electronics for TVC EMA systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelms, R. Mark

1993-01-01

The Composite Development Division of the Propulsion Laboratory at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is currently developing a class of electromechanical actuators (EMA's) for use in space transportation applications such as thrust vector control (TVC) and propellant control valves (PCV). These high power servomechanisms will require rugged, reliable, and compact power electronic modules capable of modulating several hundred amperes of current at up to 270 volts. MSFC has selected the brushless dc motor for implementation in EMA's. This report presents the results of an investigation into the applicability of two new technologies, MOS-controlled thyristors (MCT's) and pulse density modulation (PDM), to the control of brushless dc motors in EMA systems. MCT's are new power semiconductor devices, which combine the high voltage and current capabilities of conventional thyristors and the low gate drive requirements of metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFET's). The commanded signals in a PDM system are synthesized using a series of sinusoidal pulses instead of a series of square pulses as in a pulse width modulation (PWM) system. A resonant dc link inverter is employed to generate the sinusoidal pulses in the PDM system. This inverter permits zero-voltage switching of all semiconductors which reduces switching losses and switching stresses. The objectives of this project are to develop and validate an analytical model of the MCT device when used in high power motor control applications and to design, fabricate, and test a prototype electronic circuit employing both MCT and PDM technology for controlling a brushless dc motor.

Expression of nestin, mesothelin and epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) in developing and adult human meninges and meningiomas.

PubMed

Petricevic, Josko; Forempoher, Gea; Ostojic, Ljerka; Mardesic-Brakus, Snjezana; Andjelinovic, Simun; Vukojevic, Katarina; Saraga-Babic, Mirna

2011-11-01

The spatial and temporal pattern of appearance of nestin, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) and mesothelin proteins was immunohistochemically determined in the cells of normal developing and adult human meninges and meningiomas. Human meninges developed as two mesenchymal condensations in the head region. The simple squamous epithelium on the surface of leptomeninges developed during mesenchymal to epithelial transformation. Nestin appeared for the first time in week 7, EMA in week 8, while mesothelin appeared in week 22 of development. In the late fetal period and after birth, nestin expression decreased, whereas expression of EMA and mesothelin increased. EMA appeared in all surface epithelial cells and nodules, while mesothelin was found only in some of them. In adult meninges, all three proteins were predominantly localized in the surface epithelium and meningeal nodules. In meningothelial meningiomas (WHO grade I), EMA was detected in all tumor cells except in the endothelial cells, mesothelin characterized nests of tumor cells, while nestin was found predominantly in the walls of blood vessels. The distribution pattern of those proteins in normal meningeal and tumor cells indicates that nestin might characterize immature cells, while EMA and mesothelin appeared in maturing epithelial cells. Neoplastic transformation of these specific cell lineages contributes to the cell population in meningiomas. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Energy materials coordinating committee (EMaCC). Annual technical report, fiscal year 2004

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

none,

2005-08-31

The DOE Energy Materials Coordinating Committee (EMaCC) serves primarily to enhance coordination among the Department's materials programs and to further effective use of materials expertise within the Department. These functions are accomplished through the exchange of budgetary and planning information among program managers and through technical meetings/workshops on selected topics involving both DOE and major contractors. In addition, EMaCC assists in obtaining materials-related inputs for both intra- and interagency compilations. Topical subcommittees of the EMaCC are responsible for conducting seminars and otherwise facilitating information flow between DOE organizational units in materials areas of particular importance to the Department. The EMaCCmore » Terms of Reference were recently modified and developed into a Charter that was approved on June 5, 2003. As a result of this reorganization, the existing subcommittees were disbanded and new subcommittees are being formed. The FY 2004 budget summary for DOE Materials Activities is presented on page 8. The distribution of these funds between DOE laboratories, private industry, academia and other organizations is presented in tabular form on page 10. Following the budget summary is a set of detailed program descriptions for the FY 2004 DOE Materials activities. These descriptions are presented according to the organizational structure of the Department. A mission statement, a budget summary listing the project titles and FY 2004 funding, and detailed project summaries are presented for each Assistant Secretary office, the Office of Science, and the National Nuclear Security Administration. The project summaries also provide DOE, laboratory, academic and industrial contacts for each project, as appropriate.« less

Energy materials coordinating committee (EMaCC). Annual technical report, fiscal year 2005

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

None, None

2006-09-29

The DOE Energy Materials Coordinating Committee (EMaCC) serves primarily to enhance coordination among the Department's materials programs and to further effective use of materials expertise within the Department. These functions are accomplished through the exchange of budgetary and planning information among program managers and through technical meetings/workshops on selected topics involving both DOE and major contractors. In addition, EMaCC assists in obtaining materials-related inputs for both intra- and interagency compilations. Topical subcommittees of the EMaCC are responsible for conducting seminars and otherwise facilitating information flow between DOE organizational units in materials areas of particular importance to the Department. The EMaCCmore » Terms of Reference were recently modified and developed into a Charter that was approved on June 5, 2003. As a result of this reorganization, the existing subcommittees were disbanded and new subcommittees are being formed. The FY 2004 budget summary for DOE Materials Activities is presented on page 8. The distribution of these funds between DOE laboratories, private industry, academia and other organizations is presented in tabular form on page 10. Following the budget summary is a set of detailed program descriptions for the FY 2004 DOE Materials activities. These descriptions are presented according to the organizational structure of the Department. A mission statement, a budget summary listing the project titles and FY 2004 funding, and detailed project summaries are presented for each Assistant Secretary office, the Office of Science, and the National Nuclear Security Administration. The project summaries also provide DOE, laboratory, academic and industrial contacts for each project, as appropriate.« less

Biocatalytic Conversion of Avermectin to 4"-Oxo-Avermectin: Heterologous Expression of the ema1 Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenase

PubMed Central

Molnár, István; Hill, D. Steven; Zirkle, Ross; Hammer, Philip E.; Gross, Frank; Buckel, Thomas G.; Jungmann, Volker; Pachlatko, Johannes Paul; Ligon, James M.

2005-01-01

The cytochrome P450 monooxygenase Ema1 from Streptomyces tubercidicus R-922 and its homologs from closely related Streptomyces strains are able to catalyze the regioselective oxidation of avermectin into 4"-oxo-avermectin, a key intermediate in the manufacture of the agriculturally important insecticide emamectin benzoate (V. Jungmann, I. Molnár, P. E. Hammer, D. S. Hill, R. Zirkle, T. G. Buckel, D. Buckel, J. M. Ligon, and J. P. Pachlatko, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71:6968-6976, 2005). The gene for Ema1 has been expressed in Streptomyces lividans, Streptomyces avermitilis, and solvent-tolerant Pseudomonas putida strains using different promoters and vectors to provide biocatalytically competent cells. Replacing the extremely rare TTA codon with the more frequent CTG codon to encode Leu4 in Ema1 increased the biocatalytic activities of S. lividans strains producing this enzyme. Ferredoxins and ferredoxin reductases were also cloned from Streptomyces coelicolor and biocatalytic Streptomyces strains and tested in ema1 coexpression systems to optimize the electron transport towards Ema1. PMID:16269733

An EMA analysis of the effect of increasing word length on consonant production in apraxia of speech: a case study.

PubMed

Bartle, Carly J; Goozée, Justine V; Murdoch, Bruce E

2007-03-01

The effect of increasing word length on the articulatory dynamics (i.e. duration, distance, maximum acceleration, maximum deceleration, and maximum velocity) of consonant production in acquired apraxia of speech was investigated using electromagnetic articulography (EMA). Tongue-tip and tongue-back movement of one apraxic patient was recorded using the AG-200 EMA system during word-initial consonant productions in one, two, and three syllable words. Significantly deviant articulatory parameters were recorded for each of the target consonants during one, two, and three syllables words. Word length effects were most evident during the release phase of target consonant productions. The results are discussed with respect to theories of speech motor control as they relate to AOS.

Fostering EMA's transparency policy.

PubMed

Banzi, Rita; Bertele', Vittorio; Demotes-Mainard, Jacques; Garattini, Silvio; Gluud, Christian; Kubiak, Christine; Ohmann, Christian

2014-10-01

The European Medicines Agency has opened a window to access clinical trial data. This is an important step forward which deserves attention, support, and advice from all the stakeholders. Regulatory agencies are the most comprehensive repositories of clinical trial data on drugs and can also promote and develop standard practices for data sharing. The release of the EMA draft policy on publication and access to clinical trial data in 2013 has fueled a lively debate among academia, industry, and the public in general that is still ongoing. As clinical researchers and producers and users of clinical trial data, we endorse the European Medicines Agency's opening and offer a few suggestions for complete, safe, and effective data sharing. Copyright © 2014 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of EMA-qPCR as a complementary tool for the detection and monitoring of Legionella in different water systems.

PubMed

Qin, Tian; Tian, Zhengan; Ren, Hongyu; Hu, Guangchun; Zhou, Haijian; Lu, Jinxing; Luo, Chengwang; Liu, Zunyu; Shao, Zhujun

2012-05-01

Legionella are prevalent in human-made water systems and cause legionellosis in humans. Conventional culturing and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques are not sufficiently accurate for the quantitative analysis of live Legionella bacteria in water samples because of the presence of viable but nonculturable cells and dead cells. Here, we report a rapid detection method for viable Legionella that combines ethidium monoazide (EMA) with quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and apply this method to detect Legionella in a large number of water samples from different sources. Results yielded that samples treated with 5 μg/ml EMA for 10 min and subsequently exposed to light irradiation for 5 min were optimal for detecting Legionella. EMA treatment before qPCR could block the signal from approximately 4 log(10) of dead cells. When investigating environmental water samples, the percent-positive rate obtained by EMA-qPCR was significantly higher than conventional PCR and culture methods, and slightly lower than qPCR. The bacterial count of Legionella determined by EMA-qPCR were mostly greater than those determined by culture assays and lower than those determined by qPCR. Acceptable correlations were found between the EMA-qPCR and qPCR results for cooling towers, piped water and hot spring water samples (r = 0.849, P < 0.001) and also found between the EMA-qPCR and culture results for hot spring water samples (r = 0.698, P < 0.001). The results indicate that EMA-qPCR could be used as a complementary tool for the detection and monitoring of Legionella in water systems, especially in hot spring water samples.

Implementing the Biopharmaceutics Classification System in Drug Development: Reconciling Similarities, Differences, and Shared Challenges in the EMA and US-FDA-Recommended Approaches.

PubMed

Cardot, J-M; Garcia Arieta, A; Paixao, P; Tasevska, I; Davit, B

2016-07-01

The US-FDA recently posted a draft guideline for industry recommending procedures necessary to obtain a biowaiver for immediate-release oral dosage forms based on the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS). This review compares the present FDA BCS biowaiver approach, with the existing European Medicines Agency (EMA) approach, with an emphasis on similarities, difficulties, and shared challenges. Some specifics of the current EMA BCS guideline are compared with those in the recently published draft US-FDA BCS guideline. In particular, similarities and differences in the EMA versus US-FDA approaches to establishing drug solubility, permeability, dissolution, and formulation suitability for BCS biowaiver are critically reviewed. Several case studies are presented to illustrate the (i) challenges of applying for BCS biowaivers for global registration in the face of differences in the EMA and US-FDA BCS biowaiver criteria, as well as (ii) challenges inherent in applying for BCS class I or III designation and common to both jurisdictions.

A Comparative Review of Waivers Granted in Pediatric Drug Development by FDA and EMA from 2007-2013

PubMed Central

Egger, Gunter F.; Wharton, Gerold T.; Malli, Suzanne; Temeck, Jean; Murphy, M. Dianne; Tomasi, Paolo

2016-01-01

Background The European Union and the United States have different legal frameworks in place for pediatric drug development, which can potentially lead to different pediatric research requirements for the pharmaceutical industry. This manuscript compares pediatric clinical trial waivers granted by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Methods This is a retrospective review comparing EMA’s Paediatric Committee (PDCO) decisions with FDA’s Pediatric Review Committee (PeRC) recommendations for all product-specific pediatric full waiver applications submitted to EMA from January 2007 through December 2013. Using baseline data from EMA, we matched product-specific waivers with their FDA equivalents during the study period. Results For single active substance products, PDCO and PeRC adopted similar opinions in 42 of 49 indications (86%). For fixed-dose combinations, PDCO and PeRC adopted similar opinions in 24 of 31 indications (77%). Conclusion Despite the different legal frameworks, criteria, and processes of determination, the waiver decisions of the 2 agencies were similar in the majority of cases. PMID:27274951

How do the EMA and FDA decide which anticancer drugs make it to the market? A comparative qualitative study on decision makers' views.

PubMed

Tafuri, G; Stolk, P; Trotta, F; Putzeist, M; Leufkens, H G; Laing, R O; De Allegri, M

2014-01-01

The process leading to a regulatory outcome is guided by factors both related and unrelated to the data package, defined in this analysis as 'formal and informal factors', respectively. The aim of this qualitative study was to analyse which formal and informal factors drive the decision-making process of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulators with regard to anticancer drugs, using in-depth semi-structured interviews with regulators of the two agencies. In line with the theory and practice of qualitative research, no set sample size was defined a priori. Respondent enrolment continued until saturation and redundancy were reached. Data were collected through means of in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted either in a face-to-face setting or via Skype(®) with each regulator. The interviews were audio-recorded and verbatim transcribed. The analysis was manually carried out on the transcribed text. Data were independently coded and categorized by two researchers. Interpretation of the findings emerged through a process of triangulation between the two. Seven EMA and six FDA regulators, who had extensive experience with making decisions about anticancer medicines, were interviewed between April and June 2012. There is an open dialogue between the FDA and EMA, with the two moving closer and exchanging information, not opinions. Differences in decision-making between the agencies may be due to a different evaluation of end points. Different interaction modalities with industry and patients represent an additional source of divergence with a potential impact on decision-making. The key message of our respondents was that the agencies manage uncertainty in a different way: unlike the EMA, the FDA has a prevailing attitude to take risks in order to guarantee quicker access to new treatments. Although formal factors are the main drivers for regulatory decisions, the influence of informal factors plays an important role in

Longitudinal study of the feasibility of using ecological momentary assessment to study teacher stress: Objective and self-reported measures.

PubMed

McIntyre, Teresa M; McIntyre, Scott E; Barr, Christopher D; Woodward, Phillip S; Francis, David J; Durand, Angelia C; Mehta, Paras; Kamarck, Thomas W

2016-10-01

There is a lack of comprehensive research on Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) feasibility to study occupational stress, especially its long-term sustainability. EMA application in education contexts has also been sparse. This study investigated the feasibility of using EMA to study teacher stress over 2 years using both objective compliance data and a self-reported feasibility survey. It also examined the influence of individual and school factors on EMA feasibility. Participants were 202 sixth through eighth grade teachers from 22 urban middle schools in the southern United States. EMA was implemented via an iPod-based Teacher Stress Diary (TSD). Teachers recorded demands, stress responses, and resources during 12 days (6 waves) over 2 years. Feasibility was assessed via compliance data generated by the TSD (e.g., entry completion) and an EMA Feasibility Survey of self-reported user-friendliness and EMA interference. The results showed high compliance regarding entry and item completion, and completion time, which was sustained over time. User-friendliness was appraised as very high and EMA interference as low. Initial difficulties regarding timing and length of assessments were addressed via EMA method refinement, resulting in improved feasibility. Teachers' ethnicity, age, marital status, grade/course taught, class size, class load, and daily workload impacted feasibility. The results supported the feasibility of using EMA to study work stress longitudinally and the value of continued feasibility monitoring. They also support EMA use to study teacher stress and inform EMA implementation in schools. Some teacher and school factors need to be taken into consideration when deciding on EMA implementation in education contexts. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Regulatory review time and post-market safety events for novel medicines approved by the EMA between 2001 and 2010: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Zeitoun, Jean-David; Lefèvre, Jérémie H; Downing, Nicholas S; Bergeron, Henri; Ross, Joseph S

2015-10-01

Regulatory review time has been associated with post-market medication safety issues in the United States. Our objective was to evaluate whether regulatory review time and near deadline approval are associated with post-market safety events (PMSEs) for novel medicines approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). We performed a cross-sectional analysis of all novel medicines approved by the EMA through the centralized authorization procedure between 2001 and 2010. PMSEs were defined as withdrawals and communications identified through Dear Healthcare Professional Communications (DHPCs). Regulatory review time was defined as the time that elapsed between the start of the assessment procedure and approval. Near regulatory deadline approval was defined as approval within the 30 days before the EMA's 210 day regulatory deadline. Among 161 eligible medicines, PMSEs were identified for 49 (30.4%), 44 of which were DHPCs, five of which were withdrawals. Median regulatory review time was 337 days (IQR 276-406) and was not associated with PMSEs (P = 0.57). However, when categorized by regulatory review speed tertile, there were differences in risk of PMSEs, with higher rates among medicines in the middle tertile (25 of 55, 45.4%; P = 0.01). Finally, 26 medicines were approved near the 210 day regulatory deadline, but were not more likely to have PMSEs (38.5% vs. 28.7%; P = 0.32). Neither faster EMA regulatory review speed nor approval near regulatory deadlines was associated with greater likelihood of PMSEs among recently approved novel medicines. © 2015 The British Pharmacological Society.

PlenadrEMA: effect of dual-release versus conventional hydrocortisone on fatigue, measured by ecological momentary assessments: a study protocol for an open-label switch pilot study.

PubMed

Boesen, Victor Brun; Christoffersen, Thea; Watt, Torquil; Borresen, Stina Willemoes; Klose, Marianne; Feldt-Rasmussen, Ulla

2018-01-23

Patients with adrenal insufficiency have impaired health-related quality of life (QoL). The dual-release hydrocortisone preparation, Plenadren, has been developed to mimic the physiological cortisol release more closely than conventional hydrocortisone treatment. Plenadren has been shown to improve QoL, in particular fatigue, in patients with primary adrenal insufficiency. However, the effect has not been investigated in patients with secondary adrenal insufficiency; furthermore, no study has taken the diurnal variation of fatigue into account. To assess diurnal variations, it is necessary to use repeated daily measurements, such as ecological momentary assessments (EMAs). This study aims to evaluate EMAs of fatigue as outcome in future large-scale randomised clinical trials. The PlenadrEMA trial is an investigator-initiated open-label switch pilot trial of the effect of Plenadren versus conventional hydrocortisone on fatigue in patients with secondary adrenal insufficiency. The trial will include 30 participants. After 5 weeks on their usual hydrocortisone treatment, patients will be shifted to Plenadren for 16 weeks. Fatigue will be assessed using momentary versions of the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20). Items will be administered to participants via a smartphone application four times daily during 20 days. Assessments will be performed before treatment shift and repeated after 12.5 weeks on Plenadren. The study will identify the best suited outcome for future randomised clinical trials, and in addition, estimate the variability and difference in fatigue between the two treatments to perform power calculations. The trial will be conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and has been approved by the Regional Scientific Ethical Committee in Copenhagen (ID: H-1-2014-073). All patients will receive written and verbal information about the trial and will give informed consent before enrolment. Findings will be published in peer

Race/ethnicity, education, and age are associated with engagement in ecological momentary assessment text messaging among substance-using MSM in San Francisco.

PubMed

Turner, Caitlin M; Coffin, Phillip; Santos, Deirdre; Huffaker, Shannon; Matheson, Tim; Euren, Jason; DeMartini, Anna; Rowe, Chris; Batki, Steven; Santos, Glenn-Milo

2017-04-01

Ecological momentary assessments (EMA) are data collection approaches that characterize behaviors in real-time. However, EMA is underutilized in alcohol and substance use research among men who have sex with men (MSM). The aim of this analysis is to explore the correlates of engagement in EMA text messages among substance-using MSM in San Francisco. The present analysis uses data collected from the Project iN pilot study (n=30). Over a two-month period, participants received and responded to EMA daily text messages inquiring about their study medication, alcohol, and methamphetamine use. Baseline characteristics including demographics, alcohol use, and substance use were examined as potential correlates of engagement in EMA text messages in logistic regression and proportional hazards models. Participants had a 74% response rate to EMA text messages over the study period. MSM of color had significantly lower adjusted odds of responding to EMA texts 80% of the time or more, compared to white MSM (adjusted odds ratio=0.05, 95%CI=0.01-0.38). College-educated MSM had a lower adjusted hazard of week-long discontinuation in EMA texts (adjusted hazard ratio=0.12, 95%CI=0.02-0.63). Older MSM had a higher adjusted hazard of week-long discontinuation in EMA texts (adjusted hazard ratio=1.15, 95%CI=1.01-1.31). Differences in engagement in EMA text prompts were discovered for MSM with different racial/ethnic backgrounds, ages, and education levels. Substance use variables were not correlated with engagement in text messages, suggesting that EMA may be a useful research tool among actively substance-using MSM in San Francisco. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Using Neural Networks in Decision Making for a Reconfigurable Electro Mechanical Actuator (EMA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Latino, Carl D.

2001-01-01

The objectives of this project were to demonstrate applicability and advantages of a neural network approach for evaluating the performance of an electro-mechanical actuator (EMA). The EMA in question was intended for the X-37 Advanced Technology Vehicle. It will have redundant components for safety and reliability. The neural networks for this application are to monitor the operation of the redundant electronics that control the actuator in real time and decide on the operating configuration. The system we proposed consists of the actuator, sensors, control circuitry and dedicated (embedded) processors. The main purpose of the study was to develop suitable hardware and neural network capable of allowing real time reconfiguration decisions to be made. This approach was to be compared to other methods such as fuzzy logic and knowledge based systems considered for the same application. Over the course of the project a more general objective was the identification of the other neural network applications and the education of interested NASA personnel on the topic of Neural Networks.

An immunohistochemical study of primary signet-ring cell carcinoma of the stomach and colorectum: III. expressions of EMA, CEA, CA19-9, CDX-2, p53, Ki-67 antigen, TTF-1, vimentin, and p63 in normal mucosa and in 42 cases

PubMed Central

Terada, Tadashi

2013-01-01

There have no comprehensive immunohistochemical studies of primary signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) in the stomach and colorectum. The author examined the expression of nine common antigens (EMA, CEA, CA19-9, CDX-2, p53, Ki-67 antigen, TTF-1, vimentin, and p63) in the non-tumorous normal epithelium of the stomach and colorectum and in 42 cases of primary SRCC of the stomach (30 cases) and colorectum (12 cases). The normal epithelium of the stomach and colon consistently (100%) expressed EMA, CEA, CA19-9, CDX-2, and Ki-67 (labeling <15%). Normal epithelium of these locations never expressed p53, TTF-1, vimentin, and p63. In the primary gastric SRCC, the expression percentage of EMA was 57% (17/30), CEA 100% (30/30), CA19-9 100% (30/30), CDX-2 43% (13/30), p53 83% (25/30), Ki-67 100% (30/30) (labeling index= 36 ± 23 %), TTF-1 0% (0/30), vimentin 0% (0/30), and p63 0% (0/30). In primary colorectal SRCC, the expression percentage of EMA was 25% (3/12), CEA 100% (12/12), CA19-9 100% (12/12), CDX-2 93% (28/30), p53 75% (9/12), Ki-67 100% (30/30) (labeling index= 47% ± 26 %), TTF-1 0% (0/12), vimentin 0% (0/12), and p63 0% (0/12). A comparative statistical analysis showed significant difference in EMA (gastric SRCC 57% vs colorectal SRCC 25%) and CDX-2 (43% vs 93%). There were no significant differences in the other seven antigens’ expression between primary gastric SRCC and primary colorectal SRCC. These findings provide much knowledge of primary SRCC of the stomach and colorectum. The data indicated primary gastric SRCC frequently express EMA but not CDX-2 whereas primary colorectal SRCC frequently express CDX-2 but not EMA. These findings also suggest that EMA and CDX-2 are down-regulated during the gastric SRCC carcinogenesis. This down regulations may be associated with the malignant transformation of gastric SRCC. The data of colorectal SRCC suggest EMA is markedly down-regulated and also suggest that this EMA down-regulation may be associated with the

Mechanisms underlying clinical efficacy of Angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R) antagonist EMA401 in neuropathic pain: clinical tissue and in vitro studies.

PubMed

Anand, Uma; Yiangou, Yiangos; Sinisi, Marco; Fox, Michael; MacQuillan, Anthony; Quick, Tom; Korchev, Yuri E; Bountra, Chas; McCarthy, Tom; Anand, Praveen

2015-06-26

The clinical efficacy of the Angiotensin II (AngII) receptor AT2R antagonist EMA401, a novel peripherally-restricted analgesic, was reported recently in post-herpetic neuralgia. While previous studies have shown that AT2R is expressed by nociceptors in human DRG (hDRG), and that EMA401 inhibits capsaicin responses in cultured hDRG neurons, the expression and levels of its endogenous ligands AngII and AngIII in clinical neuropathic pain tissues, and their signalling pathways, require investigation. We have immunostained AngII, AT2R and the capsaicin receptor TRPV1 in control post-mortem and avulsion injured hDRG, control and injured human nerves, and in cultured hDRG neurons. AngII, AngIII, and Ang-(1-7) levels were quantified by ELISA. The in vitro effects of AngII, AT2R agonist C21, and Nerve growth factor (NGF) were measured on neurite lengths; AngII, NGF and EMA401 effects on expression of p38 and p42/44 MAPK were measured using quantitative immunofluorescence, and on capsaicin responses using calcium imaging. AngII immunostaining was observed in approximately 75% of small/medium diameter neurons in control (n = 5) and avulsion injured (n = 8) hDRG, but not large neurons i.e. similar to TRPV1. AngII was co-localised with AT2R and TRPV1 in hDRG and in vitro. AngII staining by image analysis showed no significant difference between control (n = 12) and injured (n = 13) human nerves. AngII levels by ELISA were also similar in control human nerves (4.09 ± 0.36 pmol/g, n = 31), injured nerves (3.99 ± 0.79 pmol/g, n = 7), and painful neuromas (3.43 ± 0.73 pmol/g, n = 12); AngIII and Ang-(1-7) levels were undetectable (<0.03 and 0.05 pmol/g respectively). Neurite lengths were significantly increased in the presence of NGF, AngII and C21 in cultured DRG neurons. AngII and, as expected, NGF significantly increased signal intensity of p38 and p42/44 MAPK, which was reversed by EMA401. AngII mediated sensitization of capsaicin responses was not observed in the presence

An Evaluation of Material Properties Using EMA and FEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ďuriš, Rastislav; Labašová, Eva

2016-12-01

The main goal of the paper is the determination of material properties from experimentally measured natural frequencies. A combination of two approaches to structural dynamics testing was applied: the experimental measurements of natural frequencies were performed by Experimental Modal Analysis (EMA) and the numerical simulations, were carried out by Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The optimization methods were used to determine the values of density and elasticity modulus of a specimen based on the experimental results.

Perineurial-like Cells and EMA Expression in the Suprachoroidal Region of the Human Eye.

PubMed

Gilbert, Andrea R; Chévez-Barrios, Patricia; Cykowski, Matthew D

2018-05-01

The suprachoroidal region of the eye comprises vascular channels, melanocytes, and thin fibroblasts with elongated cytoplasm that are positioned directly adjacent to the densely collagenous sclera. Morphological similarities between these suprachoroidal fibroblasts and arachnoid cells and perineurial cells have been recognized, but whether these fibroblasts have a perineurial cell-like immunophenotype is not known. To further examine the relationship of these three cell types, we investigated the comparative expression of epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), the tight junction protein claudin-1, glucose transporter-1 (Glut-1), and CD34 in suprachoroidal fibroblasts, arachnoid of the optic nerve sheath, and perineurium of ciliary nerves in eight human eye specimens. Granular, diffuse, and cytoplasmic EMA expression was seen in suprachoroidal fibroblasts, but this was not contiguous with the similar pattern of EMA expression in adjacent perineurium and arachnoid. CD34 expression in suprachoroidal fibroblasts was also seen, similar to arachnoid and perineurium. Claudin-1 and Glut-1 were not consistently expressed in suprachoroidal fibroblasts, distinguishing them from perineurial cells in particular and suggesting that these fibroblasts do not arise directly from adjacent arachnoid or perineurium. Nonetheless, the overlapping morphology and protein expression suggest phenotypic similarities in these cells that protect and support adjacent retina, optic nerve, and peripheral nerve.

Using experience sampling methods/ecological momentary assessment (ESM/EMA) in clinical assessment and clinical research: introduction to the special section.

PubMed

Trull, Timothy J; Ebner-Priemer, Ulrich W

2009-12-01

This article introduces the special section on experience sampling methods and ecological momentary assessment in clinical assessment. We review the conceptual basis for experience sampling methods (ESM; Csikszentmihalyi & Larson, 1987) and ecological momentary assessment (EMA; Stone & Shiffman, 1994). Next, we highlight several advantageous features of ESM/EMA as applied to psychological assessment and clinical research. We provide a brief overview of the articles in this special section, each of which focuses on 1 of the following major classes of psychological disorders: mood disorders and mood dysregulation (Ebner-Priemer & Trull, 2009), anxiety disorders (Alpers, 2009), substance use disorders (Shiffman, 2009), and psychosis (Oorschot, Kwapil, Delespaul, & Myin-Germeys, 2009). Finally, we discuss prospects, future challenges, and limitations of ESM/EMA.

Regulatory incentives to ensure better medicines for older people: From ICH E7 to the EMA reflection paper on quality aspects.

PubMed

van Riet-Nales, Diana A; Hussain, Nasir; Sundberg, Katarina A E; Eggenschwyler, Doris; Ferris, Cristina; Robert, Jean-Louis; Cerreta, Francesca

2016-10-30

Ageing comes with an increased propensity in the alteration of human organ and body functions, which can e.g. result in multi-morbidity, frailty, polypharmacy, altered medication safety and/or efficacy, and problems with the practical use of medicines in a real world setting. Such problems may e.g. involve difficulties opening containers, swallowing large tablets, breaking tablets by hand, or correctly understanding the user instruction. This review aims to summarize the European regulatory activities towards better medicines for older people, with a main focus on formulation development and the overall drug product design. It addresses the ICH E7 guideline "Studies in support of special populations, geriatrics", the ICH Q8 guideline "Pharmaceutical development", the EMA good practice guide on "Risk minimisation and prevention of medication errors" and the forthcoming EMA CHMP QWP reflection paper on the "Quality aspects (pharmaceutical development) of medicines for older people". In addition, three key aspects to the practical use of medicines by older people are discussed in a wider context: multi-particulates including small tablets (also referred to as mini-tablets), ease of opening and storage conditions. Furthermore, attention is paid to work in progress e.g. incentives by the European national drug regulatory authorities, and patient centric drug product development. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Regulatory review time and post-market safety events for novel medicines approved by the EMA between 2001 and 2010: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Zeitoun, Jean-David; Lefèvre, Jérémie H; Downing, Nicholas S; Bergeron, Henri; Ross, Joseph S

2015-01-01

Aims Regulatory review time has been associated with post-market medication safety issues in the United States. Our objective was to evaluate whether regulatory review time and near deadline approval are associated with post-market safety events (PMSEs) for novel medicines approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Methods We performed a cross-sectional analysis of all novel medicines approved by the EMA through the centralized authorization procedure between 2001 and 2010. PMSEs were defined as withdrawals and communications identified through Dear Healthcare Professional Communications (DHPCs). Regulatory review time was defined as the time that elapsed between the start of the assessment procedure and approval. Near regulatory deadline approval was defined as approval within the 30 days before the EMA’s 210 day regulatory deadline. Results Among 161 eligible medicines, PMSEs were identified for 49 (30.4%), 44 of which were DHPCs, five of which were withdrawals. Median regulatory review time was 337 days (IQR 276–406) and was not associated with PMSEs (P = 0.57). However, when categorized by regulatory review speed tertile, there were differences in risk of PMSEs, with higher rates among medicines in the middle tertile (25 of 55, 45.4%; P = 0.01). Finally, 26 medicines were approved near the 210 day regulatory deadline, but were not more likely to have PMSEs (38.5% vs. 28.7%; P = 0.32). Conclusions Neither faster EMA regulatory review speed nor approval near regulatory deadlines was associated with greater likelihood of PMSEs among recently approved novel medicines. PMID:25808713

EMA assessment of tongue-jaw co-ordination during speech in dysarthria following traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Bartle, Carly J; Goozée, Justine V; Scott, Dion; Murdoch, Bruce E; Kuruvilla, Mili

2006-05-01

To investigate the spatio-timing aspects of tongue-jaw co-ordination during speech in individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI). It was hypothesized that both timing and spatial co-ordination would be affected by TBI. A group comparison design wherein Mann-Whitney U-tests were used to compare non-neurologically impaired individuals with individuals with TBI. Nine non-neurologically impaired adults and nine adults with TBI were involved in the study. Electromagnetic articulography (EMA) was used to track tongue and jaw movement during /t/ and /k/, embedded in sentence and syllable stimuli. Analysis of group data did not reveal a significant difference in spatio-timing tongue-jaw co-ordination between the control group and TBI group. On an individual basis, a proportion of individuals with TBI differed from non-neurologically impaired participants with regard to articulatory order and percentage of jaw contribution to /t/. EMA assessment results supported perceptual data; those adults who presented with severe articulatory disturbances exhibited the most deviant spatio-timing tongue-jaw co-ordination patterns. This finding could provide a new and specific direction for treatment, directed at combined movement patterns.

A Novel Inexpensive Use of Smartphone Technology for Ecological Momentary Assessment in Middle-Aged Women.

PubMed

Ehlers, Diane K; Huberty, Jennifer; Buman, Matthew; Hooker, Steven; Todd, Michael; de Vreede, Gert-Jan

2016-03-01

Commercially available mobile and Internet technologies present a promising opportunity to feasibly conduct ecological momentary assessment (EMA). The purpose of this study was to describe a novel EMA protocol administered on middle-aged women's smartphones via text messaging and mobile Internet. Women (N = 9; mean age = 46.2 ± 8.2 y) received 35 text message prompts to a mobile survey assessing activity, self-worth, and self-efficacy over 14 days. Prompts were scheduled and surveys were administered using commercial, Internet-based programs. Prompting was tailored to each woman's daily wake/sleep schedule. Women concurrently wore a wrist-worn accelerometer. Feasibility was assessed via survey completion, accelerometer wear, participant feedback, and researcher notes. Of 315 prompted surveys, 287 responses were valid (91.1%). Average completion time was 1.52 ± 1.03 minutes. One participant's activity data were excluded due to accelerometer malfunction, resulting in complete data from 8 participants (n = 252 [80.0%] valid observations). Women reported the survey was easily and quickly read/completed. However, most thought the accelerometer was inconvenient. High completion rates and perceived usability suggest capitalizing on widely available technology and tailoring prompting schedules may optimize EMA in middle-aged women. However, researchers may need to carefully select objective monitors to maintain data validity while limiting participant burden.

Thermal modal analysis of novel non-pneumatic mechanical elastic wheel based on FEM and EMA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Youqun; Zhu, Mingmin; Lin, Fen; Xiao, Zhen; Li, Haiqing; Deng, Yaoji

2018-01-01

A combination of Finite Element Method (FEM) and Experiment Modal Analysis (EMA) have been employed here to characterize the structural dynamic response of mechanical elastic wheel (ME-Wheel) operating under a specific thermal environment. The influence of high thermal condition on the structural dynamic response of ME-Wheel is investigated. The obtained results indicate that the EMA results are in accordance with those obtained using the proposed Finite Element (FE) model, indicting the high reliability of this FE model applied in analyzing the modal of ME-Wheel working under practical thermal environment. It demonstrates that the structural dynamic response of ME-Wheel operating under a specific thermal condition can be predicted and evaluated using the proposed analysis method, which is beneficial for the dynamic optimization design of the wheel structure to avoid tire temperature related vibration failure and improve safety of tire.

Energy Materials Coordinating Committee (EMaCC), Fiscal year 1992. Annual technical report

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

Not Available

The DOE EMaCC serves to coordinate the department`s materials programs and to further effective use of materials expertise within the department. This document presents summaries of budgets and of research projects, arranged according to the offices of energy efficiency and renewable energy, energy research, environmental restoration and waste management, nuclear energy, civilian radioactive waste management, defense, and fossil energy. A directory and a keyword index are included.

Emotion dysregulation and negative affect: Laboratory and EMA investigations in smokers.

PubMed

MacIntyre, Jessica M; Ruscio, Aimee C; Brede, Emily; Waters, Andrew J

2018-06-01

Difficulties in emotion regulation are associated with addictive behaviors, including smoking. Difficulties in emotion regulation may underlie large, rapid changes in negative affect that can increase likelihood of relapse. We investigated the association between emotion regulation ability and negative affect in smokers assessed both in the laboratory and in the field using Ecological Momentary Assessment. Adult community smokers ( N  = 44) carried a personal digital assistant (PDA) for two weeks and were instructed to complete assessments of negative affect multiple times per day. Participants were instructed that they could smoke as much or as little as they liked. The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) were completed at three lab visits. Participants with higher average DERS scores reported greater negative affect at lab visits. When a participant reported a DERS score at a lab visit higher than their individual average, they also reported higher negative affect at that lab visit. Participants with higher baseline DERS scores reported more labile negative affect during EMA than those with lower baseline DERS scores, and they also reported a higher maximum level of negative affect during EMA. Overall, the findings suggest that changes in emotion regulation are associated with negative affect and that emotion regulation ability is related to both the intensity and lability of negative affect. A better understanding of momentary changes in emotion regulation and negative affect may lead to improved interventions for preventing substance use relapse.

Economic valuation of the Emas waterfall, Mogi-Guaçu River, SP, Brazil.

PubMed

Peixer, Janice; Giacomini, Henrique C; Petrere, Miguel

2011-12-01

The Emas waterfall in Mogi-Guaçu River is regionally recognized as an important fishing spot and touristic place. The first reports of the professional and sport fishing there date back from the 30's, which is the same period when the tourism took place. The present paper provides an environmental valuation of this place and an assessment of the differences among the major groups of people using the area. During 2006 we interviewed 33 professional fishers, 107 sport fishers, 45 tourists and 103 excursionists in order to estimate the Willingness to Pay (WTP) for each category and to analyze the influence of socioeconomic factors by means of logistic regressions and ANCOVAs. The WTP of professional fisher was significantly influenced by age and education, and the WTP for the sport fishers was influenced by the family income. The variables that influenced the tourists' and excursionists' WTP were sex and education. The total annual aggregated value to maintain the waterfall in the current conditions was estimated in US$ 11.432.128, and US$ 55.424.283 to restore it.

Primordial germ cells in the dorsal mesentery of the chicken embryo demonstrate left-right asymmetry and polarized distribution of the EMA1 epitope.

PubMed

Hen, Gideon; Friedman-Einat, Miriam; Sela-Donenfeld, Dalit

2014-05-01

Despite the importance of the chicken as a model system, our understanding of the development of chicken primordial germ cells (PGCs) is far from complete. Here we characterized the morphology of PGCs at different developmental stages, their migration pattern in the dorsal mesentery of the chicken embryo, and the distribution of the EMA1 epitope on PGCs. The spatial distribution of PGCs during their migration was characterized by immunofluorescence on whole-mounted chicken embryos and on paraffin sections, using EMA1 and chicken vasa homolog antibodies. While in the germinal crescent PGCs were rounded and only 25% of them were labeled by EMA1, often seen as a concentrated cluster on the cell surface, following extravasation and migration in the dorsal mesentery PGCs acquired an elongated morphology, and 90% exhibited EMA1 epitope, which was concentrated at the tip of the pseudopodia, at the contact sites between neighboring PGCs. Examination of PGC migration in the dorsal mesentery of Hamburger and Hamilton stage 20-22 embryos demonstrated a left-right asymmetry, as migration of cells toward the genital ridges was usually restricted to the right, rather than the left, side of the mesentery. Moreover, an examination of another group of cells that migrate through the dorsal mesentery, the enteric neural crest cells, revealed a similar preference for the right side of the mesentery, suggesting that the migratory pathway of PGCs is dictated by the mesentery itself. Our findings provide new insights into the migration pathway of PGCs in the dorsal mesentery, and suggest a link between EMA1, PGC migration and cell-cell interactions. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of the mechanism underlying migration of PGCs in avians. © 2014 Anatomical Society.

Plankton And Heavy Metal Correlation From Commercial Vessels In Port Of Tanjung Emas Semarang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tjahjono, Agus; Bambang, Aziz Nur; Anggoro, Sutrisno

2018-02-01

The commercial vessels activity have a big role to increase the flow of number of cargoes from a port to another port. However, the impact of these activities are the disposal of ballast water from port area to the destination port. The purpose of this research was to analyze the correlation of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and heavy metal which were contained inside the ballast water of commercial vessel towards in waters of the port of Tanjung Emas Semarang. The concentration of heavy metal either from commercial vessels or the waters in port area analyzed by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The result showed that the correlation of zooplankton and phytoplankton in the water ballast at commercial vessels have a medium correlation to zooplankton and phytoplankton in waters of Port of Tanjung Emas Semarang (PTES) were 48.9% and 58.3%. Correlation of heavy metal Cd, Zn, Cu, Zn and Pb in ballast water of commercial vessel toward each metal in waters of PTES area has a strong correlation in contribution were 76.7%, 75.6%, 71.4% and 73.8%. It showed us that the loading activity of commercial vessels in port are contributed towards the pollution in waters.

Tracking Young Adults' Attitudes Toward Tobacco Marketing Using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA).

PubMed

Roberts, Megan E; Lu, Bo; Browning, Christopher R; Ferketich, Amy K

2017-07-29

Decades of research demonstrate the pernicious effects of targeted cigarette marketing on young people. Now, with tobacco marketing shifting toward greater incorporation of alternative products, it is critical to identify current attitudes toward the new landscape of tobacco advertisements. The purpose of this study was to understand the present landscape of tobacco marketing to which young adults are exposed, and to assess how they respond to it. During 2015-2016, we used ecological momentary assessment (EMA), in which 44 young adults (aged 18-28) carried smartphones equipped with a survey app. Seventy-seven percent were ever-users of tobacco and 29.5% were intermittent users of tobacco (someday users of cigarettes and/or those who used another tobacco product >5 times within the past year). For ten days, participants were prompted at three random times/day to complete a brief survey about their exposures and responses to tobacco-related advertising. Analyses used t-test and multilevel modeling. Intermittent users reported greater exposure than non-intermittent users to tobacco advertising. Further, both intermittent and ever-users reported more positive attitudes toward the tobacco advertising. Of the tobacco advertisements reported, 22% were for products unregulated by the FDA at the time of data collection. Conclusions/Importance: These findings indicate that young adults, and especially young adults who use tobacco, are exposed to a fair amount of tobacco advertising on a weekly basis. As the tobacco users in our sample were largely experimental and occasional users, these marketing exposures could put young adults at risk for progression toward regular use.

Marketing Regulatory Oversight of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) in Europe: The EMA/CAT Perspective.

PubMed

Salmikangas, Paula; Schuessler-Lenz, Martina; Ruiz, Sol; Celis, Patrick; Reischl, Ilona; Menezes-Ferreira, Margarida; Flory, Egbert; Renner, Matthias; Ferry, Nicolas

2015-01-01

With the release of Regulation 1394/2007, a new framework for gene and cell therapy medicinal products and tissue-engineered products was established in the European Union. For all three product classes, called advanced therapy medicinal products, a centralised marketing authorisation became mandatory. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) together with its Committee for Advanced Therapies, Committee for Human Medicinal Products and the network of national agencies is responsible for scientific evaluation of the marketing authorisation applications. For a new application, data and information relating to manufacturing processes and quality control of the active substance and the final product have to be submitted for evaluation together with data from non-clinical and clinical safety and efficacy studies. Technical requirements for ATMPs are defined in the legislation, and guidance for different products is available through several EMA/CAT guidelines. Due to the diversity of ATMPs, a tailored approach for regulating these products is considered necessary. Thus, a risk-based approach has been introduced for ATMPs allowing flexibility for the regulatory requirements. Since the regulatory framework for ATMPs was established, five products have been licenced in the European Union. However, the pipeline of new ATMPs is much bigger, as seen from the significant numbers of different products discussed by the CAT in scientific advice and classification procedures. In 2013, a public consultation on the ATMP Regulation was conducted by the European Commission, and the results were published in 2014. The report proposes several improvements for the current framework and established procedures for the regulation of ATMPs.

Measuring exposure to protobacco marketing and media: a field study using ecological momentary assessment.

PubMed

Martino, Steven C; Scharf, Deborah M; Setodji, Claude M; Shadel, William G

2012-04-01

The aims of this study were to validate ecological momentary assessment (EMA) as a method for measuring exposure to tobacco-related marketing and media and to use this method to provide detailed descriptive data on college students' exposure to protobacco marketing and media. College students (n = 134; ages 18-24 years) recorded their exposures to protobacco marketing and media on handheld devices for 21 consecutive days. Participants also recalled exposures to various types of protobacco marketing and media at the end of the study period. Retrospectively recalled and EMA-based estimates of protobacco marketing exposure captured different information. The correlation between retrospectively recalled and EMA-logged exposures to tobacco marketing and media was moderate (r = .37, p < .001), and EMA-logged exposures were marginally associated with the intention to smoke at the end of the study, whereas retrospective recall of exposure was not. EMA data showed that college students were exposed to protobacco marketing through multiple channels in a relatively short period: Exposures (M = 8.24, SD = 7.85) occurred primarily in the afternoon (42%), on weekends (35%), and at point-of-purchase locations (68%) or in movies/TV (20%), and exposures to Marlboro, Newport, and Camel represented 56% of all exposures combined and 70% of branded exposures. Findings support the validity of EMA as a method for capturing detailed information about youth exposure to protobacco marketing and media that are not captured through other existing methods. Such data have the potential to highlight areas for policy change and prevention in order to reduce the impact of tobacco marketing on youth.

The home environment and toddler physical activity: an ecological momentary assessment study.

PubMed

Hager, E R; Tilton, N A; Wang, Y; Kapur, N C; Arbaiza, R; Merry, B C; Black, M M

2017-02-01

Physical activity (PA) promotion/obesity prevention in toddlerhood should include home environments. The aim of the study was to determine social/physical home environment factors associated with toddler PA using ecological momentary assessment (EMA, real-time data collection). Low-income mother-toddler dyads were recruited and given a handheld EMA device (53 random beeps followed by social/physical environment survey over 8 d). Simultaneously, PA was assessed via accelerometry (data extracted 15 min before/after response, average activity counts per minute). Linear mixed-effects models were used, adjusting for toddler age, urban/suburban residence and time of day; covariate moderating effects were examined; within-subjects and between-subjects findings were reported. PA was hypothesized to be greater when toddlers are outside (vs. inside), children are nearby (vs. alone), toddlers are interacting with their mothers (vs. not) and TV is off (vs. on). The final count was 2454 EMA/PA responses for 160 toddlers (mean age 20 months, range 12-31; 55% male, 66% Black and 54% urban). Associations with PA include (within subjects) the following: outside location (212 additional counts min -1 ), children nearby (153 additional counts min -1 ) and interacting with mother (321 additional counts min -1 ), compared with alternatives. Age was moderated by outside location/PA association (within subjects), with 90 additional counts min -1 per 3-month age group outside vs. inside. No between-subjects or television/PA associations were found. Home environment factors were associated with PA, including outside location, children nearby and mother interaction. EMA is a novel method, allowing identification of contextual factors associated with behaviours in natural environments. © 2015 World Obesity Federation.

Food cravings in everyday life: An EMA study on snack-related thoughts, cravings, and consumption.

PubMed

Richard, Anna; Meule, Adrian; Reichenberger, Julia; Blechert, Jens

2017-06-01

Food craving refers to an intense desire to consume a specific food and is regularly experienced by the majority of individuals. Yet, there are interindividual differences in the frequency and intensity of food craving experiences, which is often referred to as trait food craving. The characteristics and consequences of trait and state food craving have mainly been investigated in questionnaire-based and laboratory studies, which may not reflect individuals' behavior in daily life. In the present study, sixty-one participants completed the Food Cravings Questionnaire-Trait-reduced (FCQ-T-r) as measure of trait food craving, followed by seven days of Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), during which they reported snack-related thoughts, craving intensity, and snack consumption at five times per day. Results showed that 86 percent of reported snacks were high-caloric, with chocolate-containing foods being the most often reported snacks. Individuals with high FCQ-T-r scores (high trait food cravers, HCs) thought more often about high-calorie than low-calorie snacks whereas no differences were found in individuals with low FCQ-T-r scores (low trait food cravers, LCs). Further, the relationship between craving intensity and snack-related thoughts was stronger in HCs than in LCs. Higher craving intensity was associated with more consumption of snacks and again this relationship was stronger in HCs than in LCs. Finally, more snack-related thoughts were related to more frequent consumption of snacks, independent of trait food craving. Thus, HCs are more prone to think about high-calorie snacks in their daily lives and to consume more snack foods when they experience intense cravings, which might be indicative of a heightened responding towards high-calorie foods. Thus, trait-level differences as well as snack-related thoughts should be targeted in dietary interventions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measuring Exposure to Protobacco Marketing and Media: A Field Study Using Ecological Momentary Assessment

PubMed Central

Scharf, Deborah M.; Setodji, Claude M.; Shadel, William G.

2012-01-01

Introduction: The aims of this study were to validate ecological momentary assessment (EMA) as a method for measuring exposure to tobacco-related marketing and media and to use this method to provide detailed descriptive data on college students’ exposure to protobacco marketing and media. Methods: College students (n = 134; ages 18–24 years) recorded their exposures to protobacco marketing and media on handheld devices for 21 consecutive days. Participants also recalled exposures to various types of protobacco marketing and media at the end of the study period. Results: Retrospectively recalled and EMA-based estimates of protobacco marketing exposure captured different information. The correlation between retrospectively recalled and EMA-logged exposures to tobacco marketing and media was moderate (r = .37, p < .001), and EMA-logged exposures were marginally associated with the intention to smoke at the end of the study, whereas retrospective recall of exposure was not. EMA data showed that college students were exposed to protobacco marketing through multiple channels in a relatively short period: Exposures (M = 8.24, SD = 7.85) occurred primarily in the afternoon (42%), on weekends (35%), and at point-of-purchase locations (68%) or in movies/TV (20%), and exposures to Marlboro, Newport, and Camel represented 56% of all exposures combined and 70% of branded exposures. Conclusions: Findings support the validity of EMA as a method for capturing detailed information about youth exposure to protobacco marketing and media that are not captured through other existing methods. Such data have the potential to highlight areas for policy change and prevention in order to reduce the impact of tobacco marketing on youth. PMID:22039076

EMA-qPCR to monitor the efficiency of a closed-coupled solar pasteurization system in reducing Legionella contamination of roof-harvested rainwater.

PubMed

Reyneke, B; Dobrowsky, P H; Ndlovu, T; Khan, S; Khan, W

2016-05-15

Solar pasteurization is effective in reducing the level of indicator organisms in stored rainwater to within drinking water standards. However, Legionella spp. were detected at temperatures exceeding the recommended pasteurization temperatures using polymerase chain reaction assays. The aim of the current study was thus to apply EMA quantitative polymerase chain reaction (EMA-qPCR) to determine whether the Legionella spp. detected were intact cells and therefore possibly viable at pasteurization temperatures >70°C. The BacTiter-Glo™ Microbial Cell Viability Assay was also used to detect the presence of ATP in the tested samples, as ATP indicates the presence of metabolically active cells. Chemical analysis also indicated that all anions and cations were within the respective drinking water guidelines, with the exception of iron (mean: 186.76 μg/L) and aluminium (mean: 188.13 μg/L), which were detected in the pasteurized tank water samples at levels exceeding recommended guidelines. The BacTiter-Glo™ Microbial Cell Viability Assay indicated the presence of viable cells for all pasteurized temperatures tested, with the percentage of ATP (in the form of relative light units) decreasing with increasing temperature [70-79°C (96.7%); 80- 89°C (99.2%); 90-95°C (99.7%)]. EMA-qPCR then indicated that while solar pasteurization significantly reduced (p<0.05) the genomic copy numbers of intact Legionella cells in the pasteurized tank water (~99%), no significant difference (p>0.05) in the mean copy numbers was detected with an increase in the pasteurization temperature, with 6 × 10(3) genomic copies/mL DNA sample obtained at 95°C. As intact Legionella cells were detected in the pasteurized tank water samples, quantitative microbial risk assessment studies need to be conducted to determine the potential health risk associated with using the water for domestic purposes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Young Age at Diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes Is Associated with the Development of Celiac Disease-Associated Antibodies in Children Living in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

PubMed

Pall, Harpreet; Newhook, Leigh A; Aaron, Hillary; Curtis, Joseph; Randell, Ed

2015-10-14

The objectives of this study were to establish the prevalence of positive antibodies to endomysium (EMA) and tissue transglutaminase (tTG) in children with type 1 diabetes living in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), and to examine clinical features associated with positive antibodies. Patients were recruited from the pediatric diabetes clinic. One hundred sixty-seven children with type 1 diabetes from the 280 children followed at the clinic were prospectively screened for celiac disease using EMA and tTG. The variables of Irish descent, age at onset of diabetes, duration of diabetes, sex, family history of celiac disease, hemoglobin A1C (A1C), ferritin, gastrointestinal symptoms, and body mass index were compiled for all patients. The group of patients with positive antibodies to EMA and/or tTG was compared to the group with negative antibodies. The prevalence of patients with positive antibodies to EMA and/or tTG was 16.8% (n = 28). One patient had also been previously diagnosed with symptomatic celiac disease. The two statistically significant variables with positive antibodies were an earlier age at onset of diabetes (Mann-Whitney U two-tailed test: mean difference 3.2 years, 95% CI 1.7-4.8 years, p < 0.0001) and longer duration of diabetes (Mann-Whitney U two-tailed test: mean difference 2.9 years, 95% CI 1.3-4.4 years, p < 0.0001). Irish descent was associated with positive antibodies but did not reach statistical significance. On logistic regression analysis performed with these three variables together, only age at onset of diabetes remained significant. There is a high prevalence of celiac disease-associated antibodies in children living in NL with type 1 diabetes. Unlike other clinical features, an earlier age at onset of diabetes was predictive for positive antibodies. As the majority of children with positive antibodies did not have signs or symptoms of celiac disease, routine screening for celiac disease in type 1 diabetes is recommended.

PREFACE: EMAS 2011: 12th European Workshop on Modern Developments in Microbeam Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brisset, François; Dugne, Olivier; Robaut, Florence; Lábár, János L.; Walker, Clive T.

2012-03-01

This volume of IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering contains papers from the 12th Workshop of the European Microbeam Analysis Society (EMAS) on Modern Developments and Applications in Microbeam Analysis, which took place from the 15-19 May 2011 in the Angers Congress Centre, Angers, France. The primary aim of this series of workshops is to assess the state-of-the-art and reliability of microbeam analysis techniques. The workshops also provide a forum where students and young scientists starting out on a career in microbeam analysis can meet and discuss with the established experts. The workshops have a very specific format comprising invited plenary lectures by internationally recognized experts, poster presentations by the participants and round table discussions on the key topics led by specialists in the field. This workshop was organized in collaboration with GN-MEBA - Groupement National de Microscopie Electronique à Balayage et de microAnalysis, France. The technical programme included the following topics: the limits of EPMA, new techniques, developments and concepts in microanalysis, microanalysis in the SEM, and new and less common applications of micro- and nanoanalysis. As at previous workshops there was also a special oral session for young scientists. The best presentation by a young scientist was awarded with an invitation to attend the 2012 Microscopy and Microanalysis meeting at Phoenix, Arizona. The prize went to Pierre Burdet, of the Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne (EPFL), for his talk entitled '3D EDS microanalysis by FIB-SEM: enhancement of elemental quantification'. The continuing relevance of the EMAS workshops and the high regard in which they are held internationally can be seen from the fact that 74 posters from 18 countries were on display at the meeting, and that the participants came from as far away as Japan, Canada and the USA. A selection of participants with posters were invited to give a short oral

High Voltage EEE Parts for EMA/EHA Applications on Manned Launch Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffin, Trent; Young, David

2011-01-01

The objective of this paper is an assessment of high voltage electronic components required for high horsepower electric thrust vector control (TVC) systems for human spaceflight launch critical application. The scope consists of creating of a database of available Grade 1 electrical, electronic and electromechanical (EEE) parts suited to this application, a qualification path for potential non-Grade 1 EEE parts that could be used in these designs, and pathfinder testing to validate aspects of the proposed qualification plan. Advances in the state of the art in high power electric power systems enable high horsepower electric actuators, such as the electromechnical actuator (EMA) and the electro-hydrostatic actuator (EHA), to be used in launch vehicle TVC systems, dramaticly reducing weight, complexity and operating costs. Designs typically use high voltage insulated gate bipolar transistors (HV-IGBT). However, no Grade 1 HV-IGBT exists and it is unlikely that market factors alone will produce such high quality parts. Furthermore, the perception of risk, the lack of qualification methodoloy, the absence of manned space flight heritage and other barriers impede the adoption of commercial grade parts onto the critical path. The method of approach is to identify high voltage electronic component types and key parameters for parts currently used in high horsepower EMA/EHA applications, to search for higher quality substitutes and custom manufacturers, to create a database for these parts, and then to explore ways to qualify these parts for use in human spaceflight launch critical application, including grossly derating and possibly treating hybrid parts as modules. This effort is ongoing, but results thus far include identification of over 60 HV-IGBT from four manufacturers, including some with a high reliability process flow. Voltage ranges for HV-IGBT have been identified, as has screening tests used to characterize HV-IGBT. BSI BS ISO 21350 Space systems Off

Mobile Phone-Based Unobtrusive Ecological Momentary Assessment of Day-to-Day Mood: An Explorative Study.

PubMed

Asselbergs, Joost; Ruwaard, Jeroen; Ejdys, Michal; Schrader, Niels; Sijbrandij, Marit; Riper, Heleen

2016-03-29

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is a useful method to tap the dynamics of psychological and behavioral phenomena in real-world contexts. However, the response burden of (self-report) EMA limits its clinical utility. The aim was to explore mobile phone-based unobtrusive EMA, in which mobile phone usage logs are considered as proxy measures of clinically relevant user states and contexts. This was an uncontrolled explorative pilot study. Our study consisted of 6 weeks of EMA/unobtrusive EMA data collection in a Dutch student population (N=33), followed by a regression modeling analysis. Participants self-monitored their mood on their mobile phone (EMA) with a one-dimensional mood measure (1 to 10) and a two-dimensional circumplex measure (arousal/valence, -2 to 2). Meanwhile, with participants' consent, a mobile phone app unobtrusively collected (meta) data from six smartphone sensor logs (unobtrusive EMA: calls/short message service (SMS) text messages, screen time, application usage, accelerometer, and phone camera events). Through forward stepwise regression (FSR), we built personalized regression models from the unobtrusive EMA variables to predict day-to-day variation in EMA mood ratings. The predictive performance of these models (ie, cross-validated mean squared error and percentage of correct predictions) was compared to naive benchmark regression models (the mean model and a lag-2 history model). A total of 27 participants (81%) provided a mean 35.5 days (SD 3.8) of valid EMA/unobtrusive EMA data. The FSR models accurately predicted 55% to 76% of EMA mood scores. However, the predictive performance of these models was significantly inferior to that of naive benchmark models. Mobile phone-based unobtrusive EMA is a technically feasible and potentially powerful EMA variant. The method is young and positive findings may not replicate. At present, we do not recommend the application of FSR-based mood prediction in real-world clinical settings. Further

Feasibility of Ecological Momentary Assessment of Daily Sexting and Substance Use Among Young Adult African American Gay and Bisexual Men: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Elmasry, Hoda; Webb Hooper, Monica; Niaura, Raymond S; Hamilton, Alison B; Milburn, Norweeta G

2017-01-01

Background Recent evidence suggests that sexualized text communication (“sexting”) is associated with substance use and sexual risk behaviors among young adults, yet little is known about this relationship among young adult African American gay and bisexual men, a population disproportionately impacted by HIV in the United States. Rapid advances in mobile phone technology indicate a clear need for research using mobile health (mHealth) methods such as ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to serve as a viable counterpart to retrospective evaluation methods by using real-time data collection to assess sexting and substance use among this population. Objective The objective of this pilot study was to (1) describe the EMA study design and protocol, (2) characterize the study population, and (3) assess the feasibility of a random prompt text message-based thrice-daily EMA over 14 days, as a means of prospectively studying sexting, marijuana, and alcohol use among a sample of young adult African American gay and bisexual men ages 21 to 25. Methods Participants were recruited through flyers and snowball sampling during spring and summer 2015 at a community-based HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and support organization in Washington, DC. Eligible participants were enrolled in a one-time in-person study visit that consisted of informed written consent to participate in the study, a self-administered survey, a semi-structured interview, and enrollment and training in EMA data collection. Commencing the day after the study visit, a random prompt survey was texted to participants on their personal mobile phones 3 times a day over a 14-day data collection period assessing mood, texts sent, texts received, sexts sent, sexts received, marijuana want, marijuana use, and alcohol use. Results EMA feasibility was tested with 25 self-identified African American gay (n=16) and bisexual (n=9) men (mean age of 23.48 years, SD 1.5). Each random prompt survey had 8 questions with responses

PREFACE: EMAS 2013 Workshop: 13th European Workshop on Modern Developments and Applications in Microbeam Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Llovet, Xavier, Dr; Matthews, Mr Michael B.; Brisset, François, Dr; Guimarães, Fernanda, Dr; Vieira, Professor Joaquim M., Dr

2014-03-01

This volume of the IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering contains papers from the 13th Workshop of the European Microbeam Analysis Society (EMAS) on Modern Developments and Applications in Microbeam Analysis which took place from the 12th to the 16th of May 2013 in the Centro de Congressos do Alfândega, Porto, Portugal. The primary aim of this series of workshops is to assess the state-of-the-art and reliability of microbeam analysis techniques. The workshops also provide a forum where students and young scientists starting out on a career in microbeam analysis can meet and discuss with the established experts. The workshops have a very specific format comprising invited plenary lectures by internationally recognized experts, poster presentations by the participants and round table discussions on the key topics led by specialists in the field. This workshop was organized in collaboration with LNEG - Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia and SPMICROS - Sociedade Portuguesa de Microscopia. The technical programme included the following topics: electron probe microanalysis, future technologies, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), particle analysis, and applications. As at previous workshops there was also a special oral session for young scientists. The best presentation by a young scientist was awarded with an invitation to attend the 2014 Microscopy and Microanalysis meeting at Hartford, Connecticut. The prize went to Shirin Kaboli, of the Department of Metals and Materials Engineering of McGill University (Montréal, Canada), for her talk entitled ''Plastic deformation studies with electron channelling contrast imaging and electron backscattered diffraction''. The continuing relevance of the EMAS workshops and the high regard in which they are held internationally can be seen from the fact that 74 posters from 21 countries were on display at the meeting and that the participants came from as far away as Japan, Canada and the USA. A

EMAS position statement: Non-hormonal management of menopausal vasomotor symptoms.

PubMed

Mintziori, Gesthimani; Lambrinoudaki, Irene; Goulis, Dimitrios G; Ceausu, Iuliana; Depypere, Herman; Erel, C Tamer; Pérez-López, Faustino R; Schenck-Gustafsson, Karin; Simoncini, Tommaso; Tremollieres, Florence; Rees, Margaret

2015-07-01

To review non-hormonal therapy options for menopausal vasomotor symptoms. The current EMAS position paper aims to provide to provide guidance for managing peri- and postmenopausal women who cannot or do not wish to take menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). Literature review and consensus of expert opinion. Non-hormonal management of menopausal symptoms includes lifestyle modifications, diet and food supplements, non-hormonal medications and application of behavioral and alternative medicine therapies. There is insufficient or conflicting evidence to suggest that exercise, supplements or a diet rich in phytoestrogens are effective for vasomotor menopausal symptoms. Selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin norepinephrine-reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and gabapentin could be proposed as alternatives to MHT for menopausal symptoms, mainly hot flushes. Behavioral therapies and alternative medicine interventions have been tried, but the available evidence is still limited. A number of interventions for non-hormonal management of menopausal vasomotor symptoms are now available. For women who cannot or do not wish to take estrogens, non-hormonal management is now a realistic option. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mass Screening for Celiac Disease Among School-aged Children: Toward Exploring Celiac Iceberg in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al-Hussaini, Abdulrahman; Troncone, Riccardo; Khormi, Musa; AlTuraiki, Muath; Alkhamis, Wahid; Alrajhi, Mona; Halal, Thana; Fagih, Mosa; Alharbi, Sahar; Bashir, Muhammed Salman; Chentoufi, Aziz Alami

2017-12-01

We conducted this mass screening study to determine the prevalence of celiac disease (CD) and characterize the celiac iceberg among Saudi pediatric population in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. During the study period (January 2014-June 2016), we have conducted a cross-sectional, mass screening, immunoglobulin A-tissue transglutaminase (TTG-IgA)-based study on 7930 Saudi students from primary and intermediate schools in Riyadh. Students with positive TTG-IgA (>20 U/L) were called in the hospital to undergo a repeat of TTG-IgA; in those with borderline positive TTG-IgA (20-60 U/L), IgA-endomyseal antibody (EMA-IgA) test was performed. Children with TTG-IgA >60 U/L and children with borderline positive TTG-IgA and positive EMA-IgA were advised to undergo upper endoscopy and intestinal biopsies. We identified 221 students with positive TTG-IgA (2.8%). CD was diagnosed in 119 cases (1.5%, 1:67 Saudi children) (mean age 11.5 ± 2.62 years; girls 81 [68%]). Another 51 children had persistently borderline positive TTG-IgA but negative EMA (0.64%) and the remaining 51 had transiently positive TTG-IgA. We have identified 3 clinical patterns in the screening-identified cases with CD: a silent form (37%), a mild symptomatic form characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms in presence of normal growth or overweight/obesity (48%), and gastrointestinal symptoms associated with impaired growth in 15%. Our study provided evidence of a high prevalence of CD among Saudi children (1.5%), a rate that is at least twice the average prevalence rate in Europe and North America.

Attenuation of the Infiltration of Angiotensin II Expressing CD3+ T-Cells and the Modulation of Nerve Growth Factor in Lumbar Dorsal Root Ganglia – A Possible Mechanism Underpinning Analgesia Produced by EMA300, An Angiotensin II Type 2 (AT2) Receptor Antagonist

PubMed Central

Khan, Nemat; Muralidharan, Arjun; Smith, Maree T.

2017-01-01

Recent preclinical and proof-of-concept clinical studies have shown promising analgesic efficacy of selective small molecule angiotensin II type 2 (AT2) receptor antagonists in the alleviation of peripheral neuropathic pain. However, their cellular and molecular mechanism of action requires further investigation. To address this issue, groups of adult male Sprague–Dawley rats with fully developed unilateral hindpaw hypersensitivity, following chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve, received a single intraperitoneal bolus dose of the small molecule AT2 receptor antagonist, EMA300 (10 mg kg-1), or vehicle. At the time of peak EMA300-mediated analgesia (∼1 h post-dosing), groups of CCI-rats administered either EMA300 or vehicle were euthanized. A separate group of rats that underwent sham surgery were also included. The lumbar (L4–L6) dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) were obtained from all experimental cohorts and processed for immunohistochemistry and western blot studies. In vehicle treated CCI-rats, there was a significant increase in the expression levels of angiotensin II (Ang II), but not the AT2 receptor, in the ipsilateral lumbar DRGs. The elevated levels of Ang II in the ipsilateral lumbar DRGs of CCI-rats were at least in part contributed by CD3+ T-cells, satellite glial cells (SGCs) and subsets of neurons. Our findings suggest that the analgesic effect of EMA300 in CCI-rats involves multimodal actions that appear to be mediated at least in part by a significant reduction in the otherwise increased expression levels of Ang II as well as the number of Ang II-expressing CD3+ T-cells in the ipsilateral lumbar DRGs of CCI-rats. Additionally, the acute anti-allodynic effects of EMA300 in CCI-rats were accompanied by rescue of the otherwise decreased expression of mature nerve growth factor (NGF) in the ipsilateral lumbar DRGs of CCI-rats. In contrast, the increased expression levels of TrkA and glial fibrillary acidic protein in the ipsilateral

Feasibility of Ecological Momentary Assessment of Daily Sexting and Substance Use Among Young Adult African American Gay and Bisexual Men: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Smiley, Sabrina L; Elmasry, Hoda; Webb Hooper, Monica; Niaura, Raymond S; Hamilton, Alison B; Milburn, Norweeta G

2017-02-02

Recent evidence suggests that sexualized text communication ("sexting") is associated with substance use and sexual risk behaviors among young adults, yet little is known about this relationship among young adult African American gay and bisexual men, a population disproportionately impacted by HIV in the United States. Rapid advances in mobile phone technology indicate a clear need for research using mobile health (mHealth) methods such as ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to serve as a viable counterpart to retrospective evaluation methods by using real-time data collection to assess sexting and substance use among this population. The objective of this pilot study was to (1) describe the EMA study design and protocol, (2) characterize the study population, and (3) assess the feasibility of a random prompt text message-based thrice-daily EMA over 14 days, as a means of prospectively studying sexting, marijuana, and alcohol use among a sample of young adult African American gay and bisexual men ages 21 to 25. Participants were recruited through flyers and snowball sampling during spring and summer 2015 at a community-based HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and support organization in Washington, DC. Eligible participants were enrolled in a one-time in-person study visit that consisted of informed written consent to participate in the study, a self-administered survey, a semi-structured interview, and enrollment and training in EMA data collection. Commencing the day after the study visit, a random prompt survey was texted to participants on their personal mobile phones 3 times a day over a 14-day data collection period assessing mood, texts sent, texts received, sexts sent, sexts received, marijuana want, marijuana use, and alcohol use. EMA feasibility was tested with 25 self-identified African American gay (n=16) and bisexual (n=9) men (mean age of 23.48 years, SD 1.5). Each random prompt survey had 8 questions with responses including yes/no and Likert scale

Experience sampling and ecological momentary assessment studies in psychopharmacology: A systematic review.

PubMed

Bos, Fionneke M; Schoevers, Robert A; aan het Rot, Marije

2015-11-01

Experience sampling methods (ESM) and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) offer insight into daily life experiences, including symptoms of mental disorders. The application of ESM/EMA in psychopharmacology can be a valuable addition to more traditional measures such as retrospective self-report questionnaires because they may help reveal the impact of psychotropic medication on patients' actual experiences. In this paper we systematically review the existing literature on the use of ESM/EMA in psychopharmacology research. To this end, we searched the PsycInfo and Medline databases for all available ESM/EMA studies on the use of psychotropic medication in patients with DSM-III-R and DSM-IV disorders. Dissertations were excluded. We included 18 studies that applied ESM/EMA to study the effects of medication on patients with major depressive disorder, substance use disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, psychotic disorder, and anxiety disorder. We found that ESM/EMA may allow researchers and clinicians to track patients during different phases of treatment: before treatment to predict outcome, during treatment to examine the effects of treatment on symptoms and different aspects of daily life experience, and after treatment to detect vulnerability for relapse. Moreover, ESM/EMA can potentially help determine how long and in what contexts medications are effective. Thus, ESM/EMA may benefit both researchers and clinicians and might prove to be an effective tool for improving the treatment of psychiatric patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.

Feasibility of a Mobile Phone App to Support Recovery From Addiction in China: Secondary Analysis of a Pilot Study.

PubMed

Han, Hui; Zhang, Jing Ying; Hser, Yih-Ing; Liang, Di; Li, Xu; Wang, Shan Shan; Du, Jiang; Zhao, Min

2018-02-27

Mobile health technologies have been found to improve the self-management of chronic diseases. However, there is limited research regarding their feasibility in supporting recovery from substance use disorders (SUDs) in China. The objective of this study was to examine the feasibility of a mobile phone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) app by testing the concordance of drug use assessed by the EMA, urine testing, and a life experience timeline (LET) assessment. A total of 75 participants dependent on heroin or amphetamine-type stimulant (ATS) in Shanghai were recruited to participate in a 4-week pilot study. Of the participants, 50 (67% [50/75]) were randomly assigned to the experimental group and 25 (33% [25/75]) were assigned to the control group. The experimental group used mobile health (mHealth) based EMA technology to assess their daily drug use in natural environments and received 2 short health messages each day, whereas the control group only received 2 short health messages each day from the app. Urine tests and LET assessments were conducted each week and a post-intervention survey was administered to both groups. The correlations among the EMA, the LET assessment, and the urine test were investigated. The mean age of the participants was 41.6 (SD 8.0) years, and 71% (53/75) were male. During the 4 weeks of observation, 690 daily EMA survey data were recorded, with a response rate of 49.29% (690/1400). With respect to drug use, the percent of agreement between the EMA and the LET was 66.7%, 79.2%, 72.4%, and 85.8%, respectively, for each of the 4 weeks, whereas the percent of agreement between the EMA and the urine test was 51.2%, 65.1%, 61.9%, and 71.5%, respectively. The post-intervention survey indicated that 46% (32/70) of the participants preferred face-to-face interviews rather than the mHealth app. This study demonstrated poor agreement between the EMA data and the LET and found that the acceptance of mHealth among individuals with SUDs

Regulatory/Scientific Supports for Micro-, Small-, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) With Medicinal Products Provided by the PMDA and EMA.

PubMed

Kondo, Hideyuki; Shibatsuji, Masayoshi; Yasuda, Naoyuki

2018-01-01

Micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have been considered as key players who can bring innovative medicinal products and/or technologies into the field. However, they may need much regulatory/scientific supports to provide their products, technologies, or services to the market in a timely way. Both the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA), regulatory authorities for medicinal products in Japan and the EU, respectively, have prepared supportive measures for SMEs from the early phase of product/technology development to the postmarketing phase. With respect to supports for SMEs, both agencies have provided similar SME-specific supportive activities, including routine administrative assistance, consultations about product development strategy from an early phase, as well as specific regulatory/scientific issues and fee incentives. In addition, there is a system to register SME status in the EU, which can be a tool for regulators to know how much potential SME-driven activities have and with whom they should communicate to provide necessary supports. Furthermore, as new technologies and novel products from SMEs are not limited to the region where they are developed, close communication about these topics between the PMDA and the EMA will contribute to advancing patients' access to necessary medicinal products.

Soil chemical factors and grassland species density in Emas National Park (central Brazil).

PubMed

Amorim, P K; Batalha, M A

2008-05-01

Studies of grasslands on specific soil types suggest that different nutrients can limit biomass production and, hence, species composition and number. The Brazilian cerrado is the major savanna region in America and once covered about 2 million km(2), mainly in the Brazilian Central Plateau, under seasonal climate, with wet summer and dry winter. In view of the importance of soil chemical factors in the distribution of the vegetation forms within the Cerrado domain and which may influence the number of species, we analyzed some soil characteristics in three herbaceous vegetation forms -- hyperseasonal cerrado, seasonal cerrado, and wet grassland -- in Emas National Park, a core cerrado site, to investigate the relationship between number of species and soil characteristics. We collected vegetation and soil samples in these three vegetation forms and submitted the obtained data to multiple linear regression. We found out that aluminum and pH were the best predictors of species density, the former positively related to species density and the latter negatively related. Since the predictable variation in species density is important in determining areas of conservation, we can postulate that these two soil factors are indicators of high species density areas in tropical grasslands, which could be used in selecting priority sites for conservation.

A fresh perspective on comparing the FDA and the CHMP/EMA: approval of antineoplastic tyrosine kinase inhibitors

PubMed Central

Shah, Rashmi R; Roberts, Samantha A; Shah, Devron R

2013-01-01

We compared and determined the reasons for any differences in the review and approval times of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European EMA/CHMP. Applications for these novel cancer drugs were submitted to them within a mean of 31.2 days of each other, providing a fair basis for comparison. The FDA had granted priority review to 12 TKIs but the EMA/CHMP did not grant the equivalent accelerated assessment to any. The FDA granted accelerated approvals to six (38%) and CHMP granted (the equivalent) conditional approvals to four (29%) of these agents. On average, the review and approval times were 205.3 days in the US compared with 409.6 days in the European Union (EU). The active review times, however, were comparable (225.4 days in the EU and 205.3 days in the US). Since oncology drug development lasts about 7 years, the 20 days difference in review times between the two agencies is inconsequential. Clock stops during review and the time required to issue an approval had added the extra 184.2 days to review time in the EU. We suggest possible solutions to expedite the EU review and approval processes. However, post-marketing emergence of adverse efficacy and safety data on gefitinib and lapatinib, respectively, indicate potential risks of expedited approvals. We challenge the widely prevalent myth that early approval translates into early access or beneficial impact on public health. Both the agencies collaborate closely but conduct independent assessments and make decisions based on distinct legislation, procedures, precedents and societal expectations. PMID:23362829

Understanding Environmental and Contextual Influences of Physical Activity During First-Year University: The Feasibility of Using Ecological Momentary Assessment in the MovingU Study

PubMed Central

Bedard, Chloe; King-Dowling, Sara; McDonald, Madeline; Dunton, Genevieve; Cairney, John

2017-01-01

Background It is well established that drastic declines in physical activity (PA) occur during young adults’ transition into university; however, our understanding of contextual and environmental factors as it relates to young adults’ PA is limited. Objective The purpose of our study was to examine the feasibility of using wrist-worn accelerometers and the use of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to assess the context and momentary correlates of PA on multiple occasions each day during first-year university. Methods First-year university students were asked to participate in the study. The participants completed a brief questionnaire and were subsequently asked to wear an ActiGraph GT9X-Link accelerometer and respond to a series of EMA prompts (7/day) via their phones for 5 consecutive days. Results A total of 96 first-year university students with smartphones agreed to participate in the study (mean age 18.3 [SD 0.51]; n=45 females). Overall, there was good compliance for wearing the accelerometers, with 91% (78/86) of the participants having ≥2 days of ≥10 hours of wear time (mean=3.53 valid days). Students were generally active, averaging 10,895 steps/day (SD 3413) or 1123.23 activity counts/min (SD 356.10). Compliance to EMA prompts was less desirable, with 64% (55/86) of the participants having usable EMA data (responding to a minimum of ≥3 days of 3 prompts/day or ≥4 days of 2 prompts/day), and only 47% (26/55) of these participants were considered to have excellent EMA compliance (responding to ≥5 days of 4 prompts/day or ≥ 4 days of 5 prompts/day). Conclusions This study represents one of the first studies to use an intensive real-time data capture strategy to examine time-varying correlates of PA among first-year university students. These data will aim to describe the physical and social contexts in which PA occurs and examine the relationships between momentary correlates of PA among the first-year university students. Overall

Understanding Environmental and Contextual Influences of Physical Activity During First-Year University: The Feasibility of Using Ecological Momentary Assessment in the MovingU Study.

PubMed

Bedard, Chloe; King-Dowling, Sara; McDonald, Madeline; Dunton, Genevieve; Cairney, John; Kwan, Matthew

2017-05-31

It is well established that drastic declines in physical activity (PA) occur during young adults' transition into university; however, our understanding of contextual and environmental factors as it relates to young adults' PA is limited. The purpose of our study was to examine the feasibility of using wrist-worn accelerometers and the use of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to assess the context and momentary correlates of PA on multiple occasions each day during first-year university. First-year university students were asked to participate in the study. The participants completed a brief questionnaire and were subsequently asked to wear an ActiGraph GT9X-Link accelerometer and respond to a series of EMA prompts (7/day) via their phones for 5 consecutive days. A total of 96 first-year university students with smartphones agreed to participate in the study (mean age 18.3 [SD 0.51]; n=45 females). Overall, there was good compliance for wearing the accelerometers, with 91% (78/86) of the participants having ≥2 days of ≥10 hours of wear time (mean=3.53 valid days). Students were generally active, averaging 10,895 steps/day (SD 3413) or 1123.23 activity counts/min (SD 356.10). Compliance to EMA prompts was less desirable, with 64% (55/86) of the participants having usable EMA data (responding to a minimum of ≥3 days of 3 prompts/day or ≥4 days of 2 prompts/day), and only 47% (26/55) of these participants were considered to have excellent EMA compliance (responding to ≥5 days of 4 prompts/day or ≥ 4 days of 5 prompts/day). This study represents one of the first studies to use an intensive real-time data capture strategy to examine time-varying correlates of PA among first-year university students. These data will aim to describe the physical and social contexts in which PA occurs and examine the relationships between momentary correlates of PA among the first-year university students. Overall, current results suggest that wrist-worn accelerometers and

Advancing Cessation Research by Integrating EMA and Geospatial Methodologies: Associations Between Tobacco Retail Outlets and Real-time Smoking Urges During a Quit Attempt

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction: Residential tobacco retail outlet (TRO) density and proximity have been associated with smoking behaviors. More research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying these relations and their potential relevance outside of the residential setting. This study integrates ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and geo-location tracking to explore real-time associations between exposure to TROs and smoking urges among 47 economically disadvantaged smokers in a cessation trial (59.6% female; 36.2% White). Methods: EMA data were collected for 1 week postquit via smartphone, which recorded smoking urge strength ≤4 random times daily along with real-time participant location data. For each assessment, the participants’ proximity to the closest TRO and the density of TROs surrounding the participant were calculated. Linear mixed model regressions examined associations between TRO variables and smoking urges and whether relations varied based on participants’ distance from their home. Covariates included sociodemographics, prequit tobacco dependence, treatment group, and daily smoking status. Results: Main effects were nonsignificant; however, the interaction between TRO proximity and distance from home was considered significant (p = .056). Specifically, closer proximity to TROs was associated with stronger smoking urges ≤1 mile of home (p = .001) but not >1 mile from home (p = .307). Significant associations were attributable to assessments completed at participants’ home addresses. All density analyses were nonsignificant. Conclusions: Technological challenges encountered in this study resulted in a significant amount of missing data, highlighting the preliminary nature of these findings and limiting the inferences that can be drawn. However, results suggest that closer residential proximity to tobacco outlets may trigger stronger urges to smoke among economically disadvantaged smokers trying to quit, perhaps due to enhanced cigarette

Advancing cessation research by integrating EMA and geospatial methodologies: associations between tobacco retail outlets and real-time smoking urges during a quit attempt.

PubMed

Watkins, Kellie L; Regan, Seann D; Nguyen, Nga; Businelle, Michael S; Kendzor, Darla E; Lam, Cho; Balis, David; Cuevas, Adolfo G; Cao, Yumei; Reitzel, Lorraine R

2014-05-01

Residential tobacco retail outlet (TRO) density and proximity have been associated with smoking behaviors. More research is needed to understand the mechanisms underlying these relations and their potential relevance outside of the residential setting. This study integrates ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and geo-location tracking to explore real-time associations between exposure to TROs and smoking urges among 47 economically disadvantaged smokers in a cessation trial (59.6% female; 36.2% White). EMA data were collected for 1 week postquit via smartphone, which recorded smoking urge strength ≤ 4 random times daily along with real-time participant location data. For each assessment, the participants' proximity to the closest TRO and the density of TROs surrounding the participant were calculated. Linear mixed model regressions examined associations between TRO variables and smoking urges and whether relations varied based on participants' distance from their home. Covariates included sociodemographics, prequit tobacco dependence, treatment group, and daily smoking status. Main effects were nonsignificant; however, the interaction between TRO proximity and distance from home was considered significant (p = .056). Specifically, closer proximity to TROs was associated with stronger smoking urges ≤ 1 mile of home (p = .001) but not >1 mile from home (p = .307). Significant associations were attributable to assessments completed at participants' home addresses. All density analyses were nonsignificant. Technological challenges encountered in this study resulted in a significant amount of missing data, highlighting the preliminary nature of these findings and limiting the inferences that can be drawn. However, results suggest that closer residential proximity to tobacco outlets may trigger stronger urges to smoke among economically disadvantaged smokers trying to quit, perhaps due to enhanced cigarette availability and accessibility. Therefore, limiting

Does the Company of a Dog Influence Affective Response to Exercise? Using Ecological Momentary Assessment to Study Dog-Accompanied Physical Activity.

PubMed

Liao, Yue; Solomon, Olga; Dunton, Genevieve F

2017-09-01

This study used ecological momentary assessment (EMA), a real-time self-report strategy, to examine (1) whether dog owners were more likely to be physically active when they were with their dogs and (2) whether being with a dog amplifies positive and dampens negative affective response during physical activity. Electronic EMA surveys for 12 days. Free-living. Seventy-one adult dog owners. The EMA survey included 1 question about current activity, 3 questions about positive affect (Cronbach α = .837), 4 questions about negative affect (Cronbach α = .865), and 1 question about the presence of dog. Multilevel modeling. The company of a dog did not increase the likelihood of being active versus sedentary at any given EMA prompt. However, greater positive affect during physical activity was reported in the company of a dog. Negative affect did not differ between active and sedentary activity, regardless of being with a dog or not. This study demonstrates the utility of electronic EMA as a promising methodology to study dog-accompanied physical activity. Future studies may use EMA to collect further contextual information about dog-accompanied activity to inform the development of innovative physical activity interventions.

A Pilot Study to Examine the Feasibility and Potential Effectiveness of Using Smartphones to Provide Recovery Support for Adolescents

PubMed Central

Dennis, Michael L.; Scott, Christy K; Funk, Rodney R.; Nicholson, Lisa

2014-01-01

Background Smartphone applications can potentially provide recovery monitoring and support in real-time, real-life contexts. Study aims included determining feasibility of: a) Adolescents completing ecological momentary assessments (EMA) and utilizing phone-based ecological momentary interventions (EMI); and b) Using EMA and EMI data to predict substance use in the subsequent week. Methods Twenty-nine adolescents were recruited at discharge from residential treatment, regardless of their discharge status or length of stay. During the 6-week pilot, youth were prompted to complete an EMA at 6 random times per day and were provided access to a suite of recovery support EMI. Youth completed 87% of the 5,580 EMAs. Based on use in the next 7 days, EMA observations were classified into 3 risk groups: “Current Use” in the past 30 minutes (3% of observations), “Unrecognized Risk” (42%), or “Recognized Risk” (55%). All youth had observations in 2 or more risk groups and 38%, in all three. Youth accessed an EMI on-average 162 times each week. Results Participants were: 31% female, 48% African American, 21% Caucasian, 7% Hispanic, 24% Mixed/Other, average age 16.6 years. During the 90 days prior to entering treatment, youth reported using alcohol (38%), marijuana (41%), and other drugs (7%). When compared to the “Recognized Risk” group’s use in the following week (31%), both the “Unrecognized Risk” (50%, OR=2.08) and “Current Use” (96%, OR=50.30) groups reported significantly higher rates of use in the next week. When an EMI was accessed 2 or more times within the hour following an EMA, the rate of using during the next week was significantly lower than when EMIs were not accessed (32% vs. 43%, OR=0.62). Conclusions Results demonstrate the feasibility of using smartphones for recovery monitoring and support with adolescents, with potential to reduce use. PMID:25310057

A Mobile Ecological Momentary Assessment Tool (devilSPARC) for Nutrition and Physical Activity Behaviors in College Students: A Validation Study.

PubMed

Bruening, Meg; van Woerden, Irene; Todd, Michael; Brennhofer, Stephanie; Laska, Melissa N; Dunton, Genevieve

2016-07-27

The majority of nutrition and physical activity assessments methods commonly used in scientific research are subject to recall and social desirability biases, which result in over- or under-reporting of behaviors. Real-time mobile-based ecological momentary assessments (mEMAs) may result in decreased measurement biases and minimize participant burden. The aim was to examine the validity of a mEMA methodology to assess dietary and physical activity levels compared to 24-hour dietary recalls and accelerometers. This study was a pilot test of the SPARC (Social impact of Physical Activity and nutRition in College) study, which aimed to determine the mechanism by which friendship networks impact weight-related behaviors among young people. An mEMA app, devilSPARC, was developed to assess weight-related behaviors in real time. A diverse sample of 109 freshmen and community mentors attending a large southwestern university downloaded the devilSPARC mEMA app onto their personal mobile phones. Participants were prompted randomly eight times per day over the course of 4 days to complete mEMAs. During the same 4-day period, participants completed up to three 24-hour dietary recalls and/or 4 days of accelerometry. Self-reported mEMA responses were compared to 24-hour dietary recalls and accelerometry measures using comparison statistics, such as match rate, sensitivity and specificity, and mixed model odds ratios, adjusted for within-person correlation among repeated measurements. At the day level, total dietary intake data reported through the mEMA app reflected eating choices also captured by the 24-hour recall. Entrées had the lowest match rate, and fruits and vegetables had the highest match rate. Widening the window of aggregation of 24-hour dietary recall data on either side of the mEMA response resulted in increased specificity and decreased sensitivity. For physical activity behaviors, levels of activity reported through mEMA differed for sedentary versus non

Developing smartphone apps for behavioural studies: The AlcoRisk app case study.

PubMed

Smith, Anthony; de Salas, Kristy; Lewis, Ian; Schüz, Benjamin

2017-08-01

Smartphone apps have emerged as valuable research tools to sample human behaviours at their time of occurrence within natural environments. Human behaviour sampling methods, such as Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), aim to facilitate research that is situated in ecologically valid real world environments rather than laboratory environments. Researchers have trialled a range of EMA smartphone apps to sample human behaviours such as dieting, physical activity and smoking. Software development processes for EMA smartphones apps, however, are not widely documented with little guidance provided for the integration of complex multidisciplinary behavioural and technical fields. In this paper, the AlcoRisk app for studying alcohol consumption and risk taking tendencies is presented alongside a software development process that integrates these multidisciplinary fields. The software development process consists of three stages including requirements analysis, feature and interface design followed by app implementation. Results from a preliminary feasibility study support the efficacy of the AlcoRisk app's software development process. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using Ecological Momentary Assessment to Study Tobacco Behavior in Urban India: There's an App for That.

PubMed

Soong, Andrea; Chen, Julia Cen; Borzekowski, Dina Lg

2015-06-24

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) uses real-time data collection to assess participants' behaviors and environments. This paper explores the strengths and limitations of using EMA to examine social and environmental exposure to tobacco in urban India among older adolescents and adults. Objectives of this study were (1) to describe the methods used in an EMA study of tobacco use in urban India using a mobile phone app for data collection, (2) to determine the feasibility of using EMA in the chosen setting by drawing on participant completion and compliance rates with the study protocol, and (3) to provide recommendations on implementing mobile phone EMA research in India and other low- and middle-income countries. Via mobile phones and the Internet, this study used two EMA surveys: (1) a momentary survey, sent multiple times per day at random to participants, which asked about their real-time tobacco use (smoked and smokeless) and exposure to pro- and antitobacco messaging in their location, and 2) an end-of-day survey sent at the end of each study day. Trained participants, from Hyderabad and Kolkata, India, reported on their social and environmental exposure to tobacco over 10 consecutive days. This feasibility study examined participant compliance, exploring factors related to the successful completion of surveys and the validity of EMA data. The sample included 205 participants, the majority of whom were male (135/205, 65.9%). Almost half smoked less than daily (56/205, 27.3%) or daily (43/205, 21.0%), and 4.4% (9/205) used smokeless tobacco products. Participants completed and returned 46.87% and 73.02% of momentary and end-of-day surveys, respectively. Significant predictors of momentary survey completion included employment and completion of end-of-day surveys. End-of-day survey completion was only significantly predicted by momentary survey completion. This first study of EMA in India offers promising results, although more research is needed on how to

Feasibility and reliability of a mobile tool to evaluate exposure to tobacco product marketing and messages using ecological momentary assessment.

PubMed

Hébert, Emily T; Vandewater, Elizabeth A; Businelle, Michael S; Harrell, Melissa B; Kelder, Steven H; Perry, Cheryl L

2017-10-01

Existing measures of tobacco marketing and messaging exposure are limited, relying on recall, recognition, or proxy measures. This study aimed to determine the feasibility and reliability of a mobile application for the measurement of tobacco and e-cigarette marketing and message exposure using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Young adults from Austin, TX (n=181, ages 18-29) were instructed to use a mobile application to record all sightings of marketing or social media related to tobacco (including e-cigarettes) in real-time for 28days (Event EMAs). Tobacco product use and recall of message encounters were assessed daily using an app-initiated EMA (Daily EMAs). The mobile app was a feasible and acceptable method to measure exposure to tobacco messages. The majority of messages (45.0%) were seen on the Internet, and many were user-generated. Thirty-day recall of messages at baseline was poorly correlated with messages reported via Event EMA during the study period; however, the correlation between post-study 30-day recall and Event EMA was much stronger (r=0.603 for industry-sponsored messages, r=0.599 for user-generated messages). Correlations between Daily EMAs and 30-day recall of message exposure (baseline and post-study) were small (baseline: r=0.329-0.389) to large (post-study: r=0.656-0.766). These findings suggest that EMA is a feasible and reliable method for measuring tobacco message exposure, especially given the prevalence of messages encountered online and on social media. Recall measures are limited in their ability to accurately represent marketing exposure, but might be improved by a period of priming or clearer response categories. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of and Recovery from Secondary Hypogonadism in Aging Men: Prospective Results from the EMAS.

PubMed

Rastrelli, Giulia; Carter, Emma L; Ahern, Tomas; Finn, Joseph D; Antonio, Leen; O'Neill, Terence W; Bartfai, Gyorgy; Casanueva, Felipe F; Forti, Gianni; Keevil, Brian; Maggi, Mario; Giwercman, Aleksander; Han, Thang S; Huhtaniemi, Ilpo T; Kula, Krzysztof; Lean, Michael E J; Pendleton, Neil; Punab, Margus; Vanderschueren, Dirk; Wu, Frederick C W

2015-08-01

Secondary hypogonadism is common in aging men; its natural history and predisposing factors are unclear. The objectives were 1) to identify factors that predispose eugonadal men (T ≥ 10.5 nmol/L) to develop biochemical secondary hypogonadism (T < 10.5 nmol/L; LH ≤ 9.4 U/L) and secondary hypogonadal men to recover to eugonadism; and 2) to characterize clinical features associated with these transitions. The study was designed as a prospective observational general population cohort survey. The setting was clinical research centers. The participants were 3369 community-dwelling men aged 40-79 years in eight European centers. Interventions included observational follow-up of 4.3 years. Subjects were categorized according to change/no change in biochemical gonadal status during follow-up as follows: persistent eugonadal (n = 1909), incident secondary hypogonadal (n = 140), persistent secondary hypogonadal (n = 123), and recovered from secondary hypogonadism to eugonadism (n = 96). Baseline predictors and changes in clinical features associated with incident secondary hypogonadism and recovery from secondary hypogonadism were analyzed by regression models. The incidence of secondary hypogonadism was 155.9/10 000/year, whereas 42.9% of men with secondary hypogonadism recovered to eugonadism. Incident secondary hypogonadism was predicted by obesity (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m(2); odds ratio [OR] = 2.86 [95% confidence interval, 1.67; 4.90]; P < .0001), weight gain (OR = 1.79 [1.15; 2.80]; P = .011), and increased waist circumference (OR = 1.73 [1.07; 2.81], P = .026; and OR = 2.64 [1.66; 4.21], P < .0001, for waist circumference 94-102 and ≥102 cm, respectively). Incident secondary hypogonadal men experienced new/worsening sexual symptoms (low libido, erectile dysfunction, and infrequent spontaneous erections). Recovery from secondary hypogonadism was predicted by nonobesity (OR = 2.28 [1.21; 4.31]; P = .011), weight loss (OR = 2.24 [1.04; 4.85]; P = .042), normal

Feasibility and Acceptability of Smartphone Assessment in Older Adults with Cognitive and Emotional Difficulties

PubMed Central

Ramsey, Alex T.; Wetherell, Julie Loebach; Depp, Colin; Dixon, David; Lenze, Eric

2016-01-01

Objectives Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) has several advantages in clinical research yet little is known about the feasibility of collecting EMA data with mobile technologies in older adults, particularly those with emotional or cognitive difficulties. The aim of this feasibility study was to assess perceived acceptability, adherence rates, and reasons for non-adherence to smartphone-based EMA. Method At two sites, participants (n=103) aged 65 years or older with a DSM-IV-defined anxiety or depressive disorder and cognitive concerns responded three times daily to smartphone-based EMA questions assessing clinical outcomes for two 10-day periods. Quantitative and qualitative measures assessed acceptability, adherence, and reasons for non-adherence following both 10-day EMA periods. Results Participants were moderately satisfied with and comfortable using smartphone-based EMA. Overall, 76% of participants completed surveys on ≥10 of the 20 assessment days, and 70% of participants completed at least 30% of the total surveys. Reasons for non-adherence included technical (malfunction), logistical (competing demands), physiological (hearing difficulties), and cognitive (forgetting) issues. Discussion Smartphone-based EMA is feasible in older adults with cognitive and emotional difficulties. EMA tools should be responsive to the needs and preferences of participants to ensure adequate acceptability and adherence in this population. Our findings can inform the design, development, and implementation of mobile technologies in older adults in research and clinical contexts. PMID:27683018

Feasibility and Acceptability of Smartphone Assessment in Older Adults with Cognitive and Emotional Difficulties.

PubMed

Ramsey, Alex T; Wetherell, Julie Loebach; Depp, Colin; Dixon, David; Lenze, Eric

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) has several advantages in clinical research yet little is known about the feasibility of collecting EMA data with mobile technologies in older adults, particularly those with emotional or cognitive difficulties. The aim of this feasibility study was to assess perceived acceptability, adherence rates, and reasons for non-adherence to smartphone-based EMA. At two sites, participants ( n =103) aged 65 years or older with a DSM-IV-defined anxiety or depressive disorder and cognitive concerns responded three times daily to smartphone-based EMA questions assessing clinical outcomes for two 10-day periods. Quantitative and qualitative measures assessed acceptability, adherence, and reasons for non-adherence following both 10-day EMA periods. Participants were moderately satisfied with and comfortable using smartphone-based EMA. Overall, 76% of participants completed surveys on ≥10 of the 20 assessment days, and 70% of participants completed at least 30% of the total surveys. Reasons for non-adherence included technical (malfunction), logistical (competing demands), physiological (hearing difficulties), and cognitive (forgetting) issues. Smartphone-based EMA is feasible in older adults with cognitive and emotional difficulties. EMA tools should be responsive to the needs and preferences of participants to ensure adequate acceptability and adherence in this population. Our findings can inform the design, development, and implementation of mobile technologies in older adults in research and clinical contexts.

PREFACE: Proceedings of the 11th European Workshop of the European Microbeam Analysis Society (EMAS) on Modern Developments and Applications in Microbeam Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2010-07-01

This volume of IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering contains papers from the 11th Workshop of the European Microbeam Analysis Society (EMAS) on Modern Developments and Applications in Microbeam Analysis which took place from 10-14 May 2009 in the Hotel Faltom, Gdynia, Poland. The primary aim of this series of workshops is to assess the state-of-the-art and reliability of microbeam analysis techniques. The workshops also provide a forum where students and young scientists starting out on careers in microbeam analysis can meet and discuss with the established experts. The workshops have a very distinct format comprising invited plenary lectures by internationally recognized experts, poster presentations by the participants and round table discussions on the key topics led by specialists in the field. For this workshop EMAS invited speakers on the following topics: EPMA, EBSD, fast energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, three-dimensional microanalysis, and micro-and nanoanalysis in the natural resources industry. The continuing relevance of the EMAS workshops and the high regard in which they are held internationally can be seen from the fact that 69 posters from 16 countries were on display at the meeting and that the participants came from as far away as Japan and the USA. A number of participants with posters were invited to give short oral presentations of their work in two dedicated sessions. As at previous workshops there was also a special oral session for young scientists. Small cash prizes were awarded for the three best posters and for the best oral presentation by a young scientist. The prize for the best poster went to the contribution by G Tylko, S Dubchak, Z Banach and K Turnau, entitled Monte Carlo simulation for an assessment of standard validity and quantitative X-ray microanalysis in plant. Joanna Wojewoda-Budka of the Institute of Metallurgy and Materials Science, Krakow, received the prize for the best oral presentation by a

Convergent Validity of Preschool Children's Television Viewing Measures among Low-Income Latino Families: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

McLeod, Jessica; Chen, Tzu-An; Nicklas, Theresa A.; Baranowski, Tom

2013-01-01

Abstract Background Television viewing is an important modifiable risk factor for childhood obesity. However, valid methods for measuring children's TV viewing are sparse and few studies have included Latinos, a population disproportionately affected by obesity. The goal of this study was to test the reliability and convergent validity of four TV viewing measures among low-income Latino preschool children in the United States. Methods Latino children (n=96) ages 3–5 years old were recruited from four Head Start centers in Houston, Texas (January, 2009, to June, 2010). TV viewing was measured concurrently over 7 days by four methods: (1) TV diaries (parent reported), (2) sedentary time (accelerometry), (3) TV Allowance (an electronic TV power meter), and (4) Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) on personal digital assistants (parent reported). This 7-day procedure was repeated 3–4 weeks later. Test–retest reliability was determined by intraclass correlations (ICC). Spearman correlations (due to nonnormal distributions) were used to determine convergent validity compared to the TV diary. Results The TV diary had the highest test–retest reliability (ICC=0.82, p<0.001), followed by the TV Allowance (ICC=0.69, p<0.001), EMA (ICC=0.46, p<0.001), and accelerometry (ICC=0.36–0.38, p<0.01). The TV Allowance (r=0.45–0.55, p<0.001) and EMA (r=0.47–0.51, p<0.001) methods were significantly correlated with TV diaries. Accelerometer-determined sedentary minutes were not correlated with TV diaries. The TV Allowance and EMA methods were significantly correlated with each other (r=0.48–0.53, p<0.001). Conclusions The TV diary is feasible and is the most reliable method for measuring US Latino preschool children's TV viewing. PMID:23270534

Using Ecological Momentary Assessment to Study Tobacco Behavior in Urban India: There’s an App for That

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) uses real-time data collection to assess participants’ behaviors and environments. This paper explores the strengths and limitations of using EMA to examine social and environmental exposure to tobacco in urban India among older adolescents and adults. Objective Objectives of this study were (1) to describe the methods used in an EMA study of tobacco use in urban India using a mobile phone app for data collection, (2) to determine the feasibility of using EMA in the chosen setting by drawing on participant completion and compliance rates with the study protocol, and (3) to provide recommendations on implementing mobile phone EMA research in India and other low- and middle-income countries. Methods Via mobile phones and the Internet, this study used two EMA surveys: (1) a momentary survey, sent multiple times per day at random to participants, which asked about their real-time tobacco use (smoked and smokeless) and exposure to pro- and antitobacco messaging in their location, and 2) an end-of-day survey sent at the end of each study day. Trained participants, from Hyderabad and Kolkata, India, reported on their social and environmental exposure to tobacco over 10 consecutive days. This feasibility study examined participant compliance, exploring factors related to the successful completion of surveys and the validity of EMA data. Results The sample included 205 participants, the majority of whom were male (135/205, 65.9%). Almost half smoked less than daily (56/205, 27.3%) or daily (43/205, 21.0%), and 4.4% (9/205) used smokeless tobacco products. Participants completed and returned 46.87% and 73.02% of momentary and end-of-day surveys, respectively. Significant predictors of momentary survey completion included employment and completion of end-of-day surveys. End-of-day survey completion was only significantly predicted by momentary survey completion. Conclusions This first study of EMA in India offers promising

Conceptualizing and Estimating Process Speed in Studies Employing Ecological Momentary Assessment Designs: A Multilevel Variance Decomposition Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shiyko, Mariya P.; Ram, Nilam

2011-01-01

Researchers have been making use of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and other study designs that sample feelings and behaviors in real time and in naturalistic settings to study temporal dynamics and contextual factors of a wide variety of psychological, physiological, and behavioral processes. As EMA designs become more widespread,…

Combined ecological momentary assessment and global positioning system tracking to assess smoking behavior: a proof of concept study.

PubMed

Mitchell, John T; Schick, Robert S; Hallyburton, Matt; Dennis, Michelle F; Kollins, Scott H; Beckham, Jean C; McClernon, F Joseph

2014-01-01

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) methods have provided a rich assessment of the contextual factors associated with a wide range of behaviors including alcohol use, eating, physical activity, and smoking. Despite this rich database, this information has not been linked to specific locations in space. Such location information, which can now be easily acquired from global positioning system (GPS) tracking devices, could provide unique information regarding the space-time distribution of behaviors and new insights into their determinants. In a proof of concept study, we assessed the acceptability and feasibility of acquiring and combining EMA and GPS data from adult smokers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Participants were adults with ADHD who were enrolled in a larger EMA study on smoking and psychiatric symptoms. Among those enrolled in the latter study who were approached to participate (N = 11), 10 consented, provided daily EMA entries, and carried a GPS device with them during a 7-day assessment period to assess aspects of their smoking behavior. The majority of those eligible to participate were willing to carry a GPS device and signed the consent (10 out of 11, 91%). Of the 10 who consented, 7 participants provided EMA entries and carried the GPS device with them daily for at least 70% of the sampling period. Data are presented on the spatial distribution of smoking episodes and ADHD symptoms on a subset of the sample to demonstrate applications of GPS data. We conclude by discussing how EMA and GPS might be used to study the ecology of smoking and make recommendations for future research and analysis.

Feasibility and Performance Test of a Real-Time Sensor-Informed Context-Sensitive Ecological Momentary Assessment to Capture Physical Activity.

PubMed

Dunton, Genevieve Fridlund; Dzubur, Eldin; Intille, Stephen

2016-06-01

Objective physical activity monitors (eg, accelerometers) have high rates of nonwear and do not provide contextual information about behavior. This study tested performance and value of a mobile phone app that combined objective and real-time self-report methods to measure physical activity using sensor-informed context-sensitive ecological momentary assessment (CS-EMA). The app was programmed to prompt CS-EMA surveys immediately after 3 types of events detected by the mobile phone's built-in motion sensor: (1) Activity (ie, mobile phone movement), (2) No-Activity (ie, mobile phone nonmovement), and (3) No-Data (ie, mobile phone or app powered off). In addition, the app triggered random (ie, signal-contingent) ecological momentary assessment (R-EMA) prompts (up to 7 per day). A sample of 39 ethnically diverse high school students in the United States (aged 14-18, 54% female) tested the app over 14 continuous days during nonschool time. Both CS-EMA and R-EMA prompts assessed activity type (eg, reading or doing homework, eating or drinking, sports or exercising) and contextual characteristics of the activity (eg, location, social company, purpose). Activity was also measured with a waist-worn Actigraph accelerometer. The average CS-EMA + R-EMA prompt compliance and survey completion rates were 80.5% and 98.5%, respectively. More moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity was recorded by the waist-worn accelerometer in the 30 minutes before CS-EMA activity prompts (M=5.84 minutes) than CS-EMA No-Activity (M=1.11 minutes) and CS-EMA No-Data (M=0.76 minute) prompts (P's<.001). Participants were almost 5 times as likely to report going somewhere (ie, active or motorized transit) in the 30 minutes before CS-EMA Activity than R-EMA prompts (odds ratio=4.91, 95% confidence interval=2.16-11.12). Mobile phone apps using motion sensor-informed CS-EMA are acceptable among high school students and may be used to augment objective physical activity data collected from

Feasibility and Performance Test of a Real-Time Sensor-Informed Context-Sensitive Ecological Momentary Assessment to Capture Physical Activity

PubMed Central

Dzubur, Eldin; Intille, Stephen

2016-01-01

Background Objective physical activity monitors (eg, accelerometers) have high rates of nonwear and do not provide contextual information about behavior. Objective This study tested performance and value of a mobile phone app that combined objective and real-time self-report methods to measure physical activity using sensor-informed context-sensitive ecological momentary assessment (CS-EMA). Methods The app was programmed to prompt CS-EMA surveys immediately after 3 types of events detected by the mobile phone’s built-in motion sensor: (1) Activity (ie, mobile phone movement), (2) No-Activity (ie, mobile phone nonmovement), and (3) No-Data (ie, mobile phone or app powered off). In addition, the app triggered random (ie, signal-contingent) ecological momentary assessment (R-EMA) prompts (up to 7 per day). A sample of 39 ethnically diverse high school students in the United States (aged 14-18, 54% female) tested the app over 14 continuous days during nonschool time. Both CS-EMA and R-EMA prompts assessed activity type (eg, reading or doing homework, eating or drinking, sports or exercising) and contextual characteristics of the activity (eg, location, social company, purpose). Activity was also measured with a waist-worn Actigraph accelerometer. Results The average CS-EMA + R-EMA prompt compliance and survey completion rates were 80.5% and 98.5%, respectively. More moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity was recorded by the waist-worn accelerometer in the 30 minutes before CS-EMA activity prompts (M=5.84 minutes) than CS-EMA No-Activity (M=1.11 minutes) and CS-EMA No-Data (M=0.76 minute) prompts (P’s<.001). Participants were almost 5 times as likely to report going somewhere (ie, active or motorized transit) in the 30 minutes before CS-EMA Activity than R-EMA prompts (odds ratio=4.91, 95% confidence interval=2.16-11.12). Conclusions Mobile phone apps using motion sensor–informed CS-EMA are acceptable among high school students and may be used to

Changes in prevalence of obesity and high waist circumference over four years across European regions: the European male ageing study (EMAS).

PubMed

Han, Thang S; Correa, Elon; Lean, Michael E J; Lee, David M; O'Neill, Terrence W; Bartfai, György; Forti, Gianni; Giwercman, Aleksander; Kula, Krzysztof; Pendleton, Neil; Punab, Margus; Rutter, Martin K; Vanderschueren, Dirk; Huhtaniemi, Ilpo T; Wu, Frederick C W; Casanueva, Felipe F

2017-02-01

Diversity in lifestyles and socioeconomic status among European populations, and recent socio-political and economic changes in transitional countries, may affect changes in adiposity. We aimed to determine whether change in the prevalence of obesity varies between the socio-politically transitional North-East European (Łódź, Poland; Szeged, Hungary; Tartu, Estonia), and the non-transitional Mediterranean (Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Florence, Italy) and North-West European (Leuven, Belgium; Malmö, Sweden; Manchester, UK) cities. This prospective observational cohort survey was performed between 2003 and 2005 at baseline and followed up between 2008 and 2010 of 3369 community-dwelling men aged 40-79 years. Main outcome measures in the present paper included waist circumference, body mass index and mid-upper arm muscle area. Baseline prevalence of waist circumference ≥ 102 cm and body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m 2 , respectively, were 39.0, 29.5 % in North-East European cities, 32.4, 21.9 % in Mediterranean cities, and 30.0, 20.1 % in North-West European cities. After median 4.3 years, men living in cities from transitional countries had mean gains in waist circumference (1.1 cm) and body mass index (0.2 kg/m 2 ), which were greater than men in cities from non-transitional countries (P = 0.005). North-East European cities had greater gains in waist circumference (1.5 cm) than in Mediterranean cities (P < 0.001). Over 4.3 years, the prevalence of waist circumference ≥ 102 cm had increased by 13.1 % in North-East European cities, 5.8 % in the Mediterranean cities, 10.0 % in North-West European cities. Odds ratios (95 % confidence intervals), adjusted for lifestyle factors, for developing waist circumference ≥ 102 cm, compared with men from Mediterranean cities, were 2.3 (1.5-3.5) in North-East European cities and 1.6 (1.1-2.4) in North-West European cities, and 1.6 (1.2-2.1) in men living in cities from

Predicting Sexual Behaviors Among Homeless Young Adults: Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

PubMed Central

Padhye, Nikhil; Yang, Yijiong; Gallardo, Kathryn; Businelle, Michael

2018-01-01

Background Homeless youth continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV compared with their housed peers, with prevalence rates as high as 13%. Yet, HIV prevention in this high-risk population has been only marginally effective. Objective The aim of this study was to use ecological momentary assessments to examine real-time factors to determine the predictors of sexual activity among homeless youth. Methods Youth experiencing homelessness aged between 18 and 24 years were recruited from a drop-in center in Houston, Texas, between August 2015 and May 2016. All the participants received a study-issued mobile phone that prompted brief ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) 5 times a day for 21 days. EMA items assessed near real-time sexual behaviors, cognitions, stress, affect, environmental factors, and environmental circumstances. Results Participants (N=66) were predominantly male (41/66, 64%) and black (43/66, 66%) with a median age of 20 years. The mean number of EMAs completed by each participant was 45 out of 105 possible observations. During the study, 70% (46/66) of participants were sexually active and reported condomless sex in 102 of the 137 cases of sexual intercourse (74.5%). In total, 82% (38/46) of the youth who reported having sex during the 3 weeks of data collection also reported engaging in high-risk sexual activities, including having condomless sex (24/46, 53%), having multiple sexual partners on the same day (12/46, 26%), trading sex (7/46, 16%), and sharing needles while injecting drugs (1/46, 3%). Of those, 71% (27/38) were engaged in multiple sexual risk behaviors. The predictive model was based on observations from 66 subjects who reported 137 cases of sexual intercourse over 811 days; sexual orientation, race, mental health, drug use, and sexual urge were included as predictors in the parsimonious generalized linear mixed model selected on the basis of the Akaike information criterion. The estimated odds ratios (ORs) were notable for

Combined Ecological Momentary Assessment and Global Positioning System Tracking to Assess Smoking Behavior: A Proof of Concept Study

PubMed Central

Mitchell, John T.; Schick, Robert S.; Hallyburton, Matt; Dennis, Michelle F.; Kollins, Scott H.; Beckham, Jean C.; McClernon, F. Joseph

2014-01-01

Objective Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) methods have provided a rich assessment of the contextual factors associated with a wide range of behaviors including alcohol use, eating, physical activity, and smoking. Despite this rich database, this information has not been linked to specific locations in space. Such location information, which can now be easily acquired from global positioning system (GPS) tracking devices, could provide unique information regarding the space-time distribution of behaviors and new insights into their determinants. In a proof of concept study, we assessed the acceptability and feasibility of acquiring and combining EMA and GPS data from adult smokers with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods Participants were adults with ADHD who were enrolled in a larger EMA study on smoking and psychiatric symptoms. Among those enrolled in the latter study who were approached to participate (N = 11), 10 consented, provided daily EMA entries, and carried a GPS device with them during a 7-day assessment period to assess aspects of their smoking behavior. Results The majority of those eligible to participate were willing to carry a GPS device and signed the consent (10 out of 11, 91%). Of the 10 who consented, 7 participants provided EMA entries and carried the GPS device with them daily for at least 70% of the sampling period. Data are presented on the spatial distribution of smoking episodes and ADHD symptoms on a subset of the sample to demonstrate applications of GPS data. Conclusions We conclude by discussing how EMA and GPS might be used to study the ecology of smoking and make recommendations for future research and analysis. PMID:24883050

Post-authorisation passive enhanced safety surveillance of seasonal influenza vaccines: protocol of a pilot study in England.

PubMed

de Lusignan, Simon; Dos Santos, Gaël; Correa, Ana; Haguinet, François; Yonova, Ivelina; Lair, Florence; Byford, Rachel; Ferreira, Filipa; Stuttard, Karen; Chan, Tom

2017-05-17

To pilot enhanced safety surveillance of seasonal influenza vaccine meeting the European Medicines Agency (EMA) requirement to rapidly detect a significant increase in the frequency or severity of adverse events of interest (AEIs), which may indicate risk from the new season's vaccine. A prospective passive enhanced safety surveillance combining data collection from adverse drug reaction (ADR) cards with automated collection of pseudonymised routinely collected electronic health record (EHR) data. This study builds on a feasibility study carried out at the start of the 2015/2016 influenza season. We will report influenza vaccine exposure and any AEIs reported via ADR card or recorded directly into the EHR, from the commencement of influenza vaccination and ends as specified by EMA (30 November 2016). Ten volunteer English general practices, primarily using the GSK influenza vaccines. They had selected this vaccine in advance of the study. People who receive a seasonal influenza vaccine, in each age group defined in EMA interim guidance: 6 months to 5 years, 6-12 years, 13-17 years, 18-65 years and >65 years. The primary outcome measure is the rate of AEIs occurring within 7 days postvaccination, using passive surveillance of general practitioner (GP) EHR systems enhanced by a card-based ADR reporting system. Extracted data will be presented overall by brand (Fluarix Tetra vs others), by age strata and risk groups. The secondary outcome measure is the vaccine uptake among the subjects registered in the enrolled general practices. Ethical approval was granted by the Proportionate Review Sub-committee of the North East-Newcastle & North Tyneside 2 on 5 August 2016. The study received approval from the Health Research Authority on 1 September 2016. We will produce an interim analysis within 8 weeks, and an end-of-study report, which will be submitted to peer-reviewed journals. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the

Oral Medicines for Children in the European Paediatric Investigation Plans

PubMed Central

van Riet – Nales, Diana A.; Römkens, Erwin G. A. W.; Saint-Raymond, Agnes; Kozarewicz, Piotr; Schobben, Alfred F. A. M.; Egberts, Toine C. G.; Rademaker, Carin M. A.

2014-01-01

Introduction Pharmaceutical industry is no longer allowed to develop new medicines for use in adults only, as the 2007 Paediatric Regulation requires children to be considered also. The plans for such paediatric development called Paediatric Investigation Plans (PIPs) are subject to agreement by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and its Paediatric Committee (PDCO). The aim of this study was to evaluate the key characteristics of oral paediatric medicines in the PIPs and the changes implemented as a result of the EMA/PDCO review. Methods All PIPs agreed by 31 December 2011 were identified through a proprietary EMA-database. PIPs were included if they contained an agreed proposal to develop an oral medicine for children 0 to 11 years. Information on the therapeutic area (EMA classification system); target age range (as defined by industry) and pharmaceutical characteristics (active substance, dosage form(s) as listed in the PIP, strength of each dosage form, excipients in each strength of each dosage form) was extracted from the EMA website or the EMA/PDCO assessment reports. Results A hundred and fifty PIPs were included corresponding to 16 therapeutic areas and 220 oral dosage forms in 431 strengths/compositions. Eighty-two PIPs (37%) included tablets, 44 (20%) liquids and 35 (16%) dosage forms with a specific composition/strength that were stored as a solid but swallowed as a liquid e.g. dispersible tablets. The EMA/PDCO review resulted in an increase of 13 (207 to 220) oral paediatric dosage forms and 44 (387 to 431) dosage forms with a specific composition/strength. For many PIPs, the target age range was widened and the excipient composition and usability aspects modified. Conclusion The EMA/PDCO review realized an increase in the number of requirements for the development of oral dosage forms and a larger increase in the number of dosage forms with a specific composition/strength, both targeting younger children. Changes to their pharmaceutical design were

Oral medicines for children in the European paediatric investigation plans.

PubMed

van Riet-Nales, Diana A; Römkens, Erwin G A W; Saint-Raymond, Agnes; Kozarewicz, Piotr; Schobben, Alfred F A M; Egberts, Toine C G; Rademaker, Carin M A

2014-01-01

Pharmaceutical industry is no longer allowed to develop new medicines for use in adults only, as the 2007 Paediatric Regulation requires children to be considered also. The plans for such paediatric development called Paediatric Investigation Plans (PIPs) are subject to agreement by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and its Paediatric Committee (PDCO). The aim of this study was to evaluate the key characteristics of oral paediatric medicines in the PIPs and the changes implemented as a result of the EMA/PDCO review. All PIPs agreed by 31 December 2011 were identified through a proprietary EMA-database. PIPs were included if they contained an agreed proposal to develop an oral medicine for children 0 to 11 years. Information on the therapeutic area (EMA classification system); target age range (as defined by industry) and pharmaceutical characteristics (active substance, dosage form(s) as listed in the PIP, strength of each dosage form, excipients in each strength of each dosage form) was extracted from the EMA website or the EMA/PDCO assessment reports. A hundred and fifty PIPs were included corresponding to 16 therapeutic areas and 220 oral dosage forms in 431 strengths/compositions. Eighty-two PIPs (37%) included tablets, 44 (20%) liquids and 35 (16%) dosage forms with a specific composition/strength that were stored as a solid but swallowed as a liquid e.g. dispersible tablets. The EMA/PDCO review resulted in an increase of 13 (207 to 220) oral paediatric dosage forms and 44 (387 to 431) dosage forms with a specific composition/strength. For many PIPs, the target age range was widened and the excipient composition and usability aspects modified. The EMA/PDCO review realized an increase in the number of requirements for the development of oral dosage forms and a larger increase in the number of dosage forms with a specific composition/strength, both targeting younger children. Changes to their pharmaceutical design were less profound.

Compliance With Mobile Ecological Momentary Assessment Protocols in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background Mobile device-based ecological momentary assessment (mobile-EMA) is increasingly used to collect participants' data in real-time and in context. Although EMA offers methodological advantages, these advantages can be diminished by participant noncompliance. However, evidence on how well participants comply with mobile-EMA protocols and how study design factors associated with participant compliance is limited, especially in the youth literature. Objective To systematically and meta-analytically examine youth’s compliance to mobile-EMA protocols and moderators of participant compliance in clinical and nonclinical settings. Methods Studies using mobile devices to collect EMA data among youth (age ≤18 years old) were identified. A systematic review was conducted to describe the characteristics of mobile-EMA protocols and author-reported factors associated with compliance. Random effects meta-analyses were conducted to estimate the overall compliance across studies and to explore factors associated with differences in youths’ compliance. Results This review included 42 unique studies that assessed behaviors, subjective experiences, and contextual information. Mobile phones were used as the primary mode of EMA data collection in 48% (20/42) of the reviewed studies. In total, 12% (5/42) of the studies used wearable devices in addition to the EMA data collection platforms. About half of the studies (62%, 24/42) recruited youth from nonclinical settings. Most (98%, 41/42) studies used a time-based sampling protocol. Among these studies, most (95%, 39/41) prompted youth 2-9 times daily, for a study length ranging from 2-42 days. Sampling frequency and study length did not differ between studies with participants from clinical versus nonclinical settings. Most (88%, 36/41) studies with a time-based sampling protocol defined compliance as the proportion of prompts to which participants responded. In these studies, the weighted average compliance rate was 78

Orbitofrontal Gray Matter Relates to Early Morning Awakening: A Neural Correlate of Insomnia Complaints?

PubMed Central

Stoffers, Diederick; Moens, Sarah; Benjamins, Jeroen; van Tol, Marie-José; Penninx, Brenda W. J. H.; Veltman, Dick J.; Van der Wee, Nic J. A.; Van Someren, Eus J. W.

2012-01-01

Sleep complaints increase profoundly with age; prevalence estimates of insomnia in the elderly reach up to 37%. The three major types of nocturnal complaints are difficulties initiating (DIS) and maintaining (DMS) sleep and early morning awakening (EMA), of which the latter appears most characteristic for aging. The neural correlates associated with these complaints have hardly been investigated, hampering the development of rational treatment and prevention. A recent study on structural brain correlates of insomnia showed that overall severity, but not duration, of insomnia complaints is associated with lower gray matter (GM) density in part of the left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Following up on this, we investigated, in an independent sample of people not diagnosed with insomnia, whether individual differences in GM density are associated with differences in DIS, DMS, and EMA. Sixty five healthy participants (mean age = 41 years, range 18–56) filled out questionnaires and underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging. Three compound Z-scores were computed for questionnaire items relating to DIS, DMS, and EMA. Whole-brain voxel-based morphometry was used to investigate their association with GM density. Results show that participants with lower GM density in a region where the left inferior OFC borders the insula report more EMA, but not DIS or DMS. This is the first study to investigate structural brain correlates of specific sleep characteristics that can translate into complaints in insomniacs. The selective association of EMA with orbitofrontal GM density makes our findings particularly relevant to elderly people, where EMA represents the most characteristic complaint. It is hypothesized that low GM density in aforementioned orbitofrontal area affects its role in sensing comfort. An intact ability to evaluate comfort may be crucial to maintain sleep, especially at the end of the night when sleep is vulnerable because homeostatic sleep propensity has

Neuroticism developmental courses--implications for depression, anxiety and everyday emotional experience; a prospective study from adolescence to young adulthood.

PubMed

Aldinger, Maren; Stopsack, Malte; Ulrich, Ines; Appel, Katja; Reinelt, Eva; Wolff, Sebastian; Grabe, Hans Jörgen; Lang, Simone; Barnow, Sven

2014-08-06

Neuroticism is frequently discussed as a risk factor for psychopathology. According to the maturity principle, neuroticism decreases over the course of life, but not uniformly across individuals. However, the implications of differences in personality maturation on mental health have not been well studied so far. Hence, we hypothesized that different forms of neuroticism development from adolescence to young adulthood are associated with differences in depression, anxiety and everyday emotional experience at the age of 25. A sample of 266 adolescents from the general population was examined three times over ten years (age at T0: 15, T1: 20 and T2: 25) using questionnaires, interviews and ecological momentary assessment (EMA). At all measurement points, neuroticism was assessed with the NEO inventory. At T2, diagnoses of major depression and anxiety disorders were captured with a structured clinical interview (M-CIDI). Phone-based EMA was used to assess emotional experience and affective instability over a two-week period at T2. The best fitting model was a latent class growth analysis with two groups of neuroticism development. Most individuals (n = 205) showed moderate values whereas 61 participants were clustered into a group with elevated neuroticism levels. In both groups neuroticism significantly changed during the ten year period with a peak at the age of 20. Individuals with a higher absolute level were at 14-fold increased risk for depression and 7-fold risk for anxiety disorders at the age of 25. In EMA, increased negative affect and arousal as well as decreased positive emotions were found in this high group. Other than expected, personality did not mature in our sample. However, there was a significant change of neuroticism values from adolescence to young adulthood. Further, over 20% of our participants showed a neuroticism development which was associated with adverse outcomes such as negatively toned emotional experience and a heightened risk to

Combining Standard Conventional Measures and Ecological Momentary Assessment of Depression, Anxiety and Coping Using Smartphone Application in Minor Stroke Population: A Longitudinal Study Protocol

PubMed Central

Vansimaeys, Camille; Zuber, Mathieu; Pitrat, Benjamin; Join-Lambert, Claire; Tamazyan, Ruben; Farhat, Wassim; Bungener, Catherine

2017-01-01

Context: Stroke has several consequences on survivors’ daily life even for those who experience short-lasting neurological symptoms with no functional disability. Depression and anxiety are common psychological disorders occurring after a stroke. They affect long-term outcomes and quality of life but they are difficult to diagnose because of the neurobiological consequences of brain lesions. Current research priority is given to the improvement of the detection and prevention of those post-stroke psychological disorders. Although previous studies have brought promising perspectives, their designs based on retrospective tools involve some limits regarding their ecological validity. Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) is an alternative to conventional instruments that could be a key in research for understanding processes that underlined post-stroke depression and anxiety onset. We aim to evaluate the feasibility and validity of anxiety, depression and coping EMA for minor stroke patients. Methods: Patients hospitalized in an Intensive Neuro-vascular Care Unit between April 2016 and January 2017 for a minor stroke is involved in a study based on an EMA methodology. We use a smartphone application in order to assess anxiety and depression symptoms and coping strategies four times a day during 1 week at three different times after stroke (hospital discharge, 2 and 4 months). Participants’ self-reports and clinician-rates of anxiety, depression and coping are collected simultaneously using conventional and standard instruments. Feasibility of the EMA method will be assessed considering the participation and compliance rate. Validity will be the assessed by comparing EMA and conventional self-report and clinician-rated measures. Discussion: We expect this study to contribute to the development of EMA using smartphone in minor stroke population. EMA method offers promising research perspective in the assessment and understanding of post-stroke psychological

Development of electrochemical super capacitors for EMA applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kosek, J. A.; Dunning, T.; Laconti, A. B.

1995-01-01

In a NASA SBIR Phase I program (Contract No. NAS8-40119), Giner, Inc. evaluated the feasibility of fabricating an all-solid-ionomer multicell electrochemical capacitor having a unit cell capacitance greater than 2 F/sq cm and a repeating element thickness of 6 mils. This capacitor can possibly be used by NASA as a high-rate energy source for electromechanical actuator (EMA) activation for advanced space missions. The high unit cell capacitance and low repeating element thickness will allow for the fabrication of a low-volume, low-weight device, favorable characteristics for space applications. These same characteristics also make the capacitor attractive for terrestrial applications, such as load-leveling batteries or fuel cells in electric vehicle applications. Although the projected energy densities for electrochemical capacitors are about two orders of magnitude lower than that of batteries, the high-power-density characteristics of these devices render them as potentially viable candidates for meeting pulse or peak electrical power requirements for some anticipated aerospace mission scenarios, especially those with discharge times on the millisecond to second time scale. On a volumetric or gravimetric basis, the advantages of utilizing electrochemical capacitors rather than batteries for meeting the peak power demands associated with a specific mission scenario will largely depend upon the total and pulse durations of the power peaks. The effect of preparation conditions on RuO(x), the active component in an all-solid-ionomer electrochemical capacitor, was evaluated during this program. Methods were identified to prepare RuO(x) having a surface areagreater than 180 sq m/g, and a capacitance of greater than 2 F/sq cm. Further efforts to reproducibly obtain these high-surface-area materials in scaled-up batches will be evaluated in Phase 2. During this Phase 1 program we identified a superior Nafion 105 membrane, having a film thickness of 5 mils, that showed

Momentary affect predicts bodily movement in daily life: an ambulatory monitoring study.

PubMed

Schwerdtfeger, Andreas; Eberhardt, Ragna; Chmitorz, Andrea; Schaller, Eva

2010-10-01

There is converging evidence that physical activity influences affective states. It has been found that aerobic exercise programs can significantly diminish negative affect. Moreover, among healthy individuals, moderate levels of physical activity seem to increase energetic arousal and positive affect. However, the predictive utility of affective states for bodily movement has rarely been investigated. In this study, we examined whether momentarily assessed affect is associated with bodily movement in everyday life. Using a previously published data set (Schwerdtfeger, Eberhardt, & Chmitorz, 2008), we reanalyzed 12-hr ecological momentary assessment (EMA) data from 124 healthy volunteers. Electronic momentary positive-activated affect (EMA-PAA) and negative affect (EMA-NA) were assessed via handheld computers, and bodily movement was recorded via accelerosensors. Generalized linear mixed models were calculated. Results indicated that EMAPAA increases were accompanied by bodily movement increases of varying intensity. EMA-NA was also positively associated with increases in certain kinds of bodily movement. In light of previous research, this finding suggests that affect and bodily movement may have circular effects on each other.

Physical and social contextual influences on children's leisure-time physical activity: an ecological momentary assessment study.

PubMed

Dunton, Genevieve F; Liao, Yue; Intille, Stephen; Wolch, Jennifer; Pentz, Mary Ann

2011-01-01

This study used real-time electronic surveys delivered through mobile phones, known as Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), to determine whether level and experience of leisure-time physical activity differ across children's physical and social contexts. Children (N = 121; ages 9 to 13 years; 52% male, 32% Hispanic/Latino) participated in 4 days (Fri.-Mon.) of EMA during nonschool time. Electronic surveys (20 total) assessed primary activity (eg, active play/sports/exercise), physical location (eg, home, outdoors), social context (eg, friends, alone), current mood (positive and negative affect), and enjoyment. Responses were time-matched to the number of steps and minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA; measured by accelerometer) in the 30 minutes before each survey. Mean steps and MVPA were greater outdoors than at home or at someone else's house (all P < .05). Steps were greater with multiple categories of company (eg, friends and family together) than with family members only or alone (all P < .05). Enjoyment was greater outdoors than at home or someone else's house (all P < .05). Negative affect was greater when alone and with family only than friends only (all P < .05). Results describing the value of outdoor and social settings could inform context-specific interventions in this age group.

Smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment for Chinese patients with depression: An exploratory study in Taiwan.

PubMed

Hung, Shan; Li, Min-Shan; Chen, Yen-Lin; Chiang, Jung-Hsien; Chen, Ying-Yeh; Hung, Galen Chin-Lun

2016-10-01

Mobile mental health has a potential to improve the recognition and management of Chinese patients with depression. Currently, evidence regarding ecological momentary assessment (EMA) for depressive disorder mostly originates from Western studies. Herein, we examined the validity of smartphone-based EMA for depression in Chinese patients and explored the determinants of use. A smartphone application, iHOPE, was used to perform daily EMA of depression, anxiety, sleep and cognitive performance. Outpatients with depressive disorder were recruited to use iHOPE for 8 weeks. Clinical characteristics and smartphone use patterns were assessed at baseline. We enrolled 59 Chinese patients with depression. In 8 weeks, participants interacted with iHOPE for an average of 10.8 (SD=12.3) days; a trend of decreased frequency of use (p=0.03) was observed. Scores of HAM-D at baseline was associated with, of the first 2 weeks, scores of PHQ-9 (p=0.005), EMA of depression (p=0.003) and anxiety (p<0.001), and poorer sleep quality (p=0.023). Among the demographic, clinical and smartphone-use variables examined, only limited internet package for smartphone (<500M per month) predicted higher use of iHOPE (p=0.04). The present study provides initial evidence for the feasibility of smartphone-based EMA in Chinese patients with depression. Level of engagement needs to be improved before determining its clinical usefulness. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Using smartphones to decrease substance use via self-monitoring and recovery support: study protocol for a randomized control trial.

PubMed

Scott, Christy K; Dennis, Michael L; Gustafson, David H

2017-08-10

Alcohol abuse, other substance use disorders, and risk behaviors associated with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) represent three of the top 10 modifiable causes of mortality in the US. Despite evidence that continuing care is effective in sustaining recovery from substance use disorders and associated behaviors, patients rarely receive it. Smartphone applications (apps) have been effective in delivering continuing care to patients almost anywhere and anytime. This study tests the effectiveness of two components of such apps: ongoing self-monitoring through Ecological Momentary Assessments (EMAs) and immediate recovery support through Ecological Momentary Interventions (EMIs). The target population, adults enrolled in substance use disorder treatment (n = 400), are being recruited from treatment centers in Chicago and randomly assigned to one of four conditions upon discharge in a 2 × 2 factorial design. Participants receive (1) EMAs only, (2) EMIs only, (3) combined EMAs + EMIs, or (4) a control condition without EMA or EMI for 6 months. People in the experimental conditions receive smartphones with the apps (EMA and/or EMI) specific to their condition. Phones alert participants in the EMA and EMA + EMI conditions at five random times per day and present participants with questions about people, places, activities, and feelings that they experienced in the past 30 min and whether these factors make them want to use substances, support their recovery, or have no impact. Those in the EMI and EMA + EMI conditions have continual access to a suite of support services. In the EMA + EMI condition, participants are prompted to use the EMI(s) when responses to the EMA(s) indicate risk. All groups have access to recovery support as usual. The primary outcome is days of abstinence from alcohol and other drugs. Secondary outcomes are number of HIV risk behaviors and whether abstinence mediates the effects of EMA, EMI, or EMA + EMI on HIV

EMA Review of Panobinostat (Farydak) for the Treatment of Adult Patients with Relapsed and/or Refractory Multiple Myeloma.

PubMed

Tzogani, Kyriaki; van Hennik, Paula; Walsh, Ita; De Graeff, Pieter; Folin, Annika; Sjöberg, Jan; Salmonson, Tomas; Bergh, Jonas; Laane, Edward; Ludwig, Heinz; Gisselbrecht, Christian; Pignatti, Francesco

2018-05-01

On August 28, 2015, a marketing authorization valid through the European Union was issued for panobinostat, in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior regimens including bortezomib and an immunomodulatory agent (IMiD).Panobinostat is an orally available histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor that inhibits the enzymatic activity of HDAC proteins at nanomolar concentrations. HDAC proteins catalyze the removal of acetyl groups from the lysine residues of histones and some nonhistone proteins. Inhibition of HDAC activity results in increased acetylation of histone proteins, an epigenetic alteration that results in a relaxing of chromatin, leading to transcriptional activation. The recommended starting dose of panobinostat is 20 mg, taken orally in a cyclical manner for up to 48 weeks.The use of panobinostat in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone was studied in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter phase III study (PANORAMA I) in 768 patients with relapsed or relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma who had received one to three prior lines of therapies. In the subgroup of patients who have received at least two prior regimens including bortezomib and an IMiD, there was a difference of 7.8 months in the progression-free survival in favor of the experimental arm (12.5 months for panobinostat + bortezomib + dexamethasone vs. 4.7 months for placebo + bortezomib + dexamethasone; hazard ratio = 0.47, 95% confidence interal 0.31-0.72; log-rank p value = .0003). The incidence of grade 3-4 adverse events suspected to be related to study drug was 76.9% vs. 51.2%, for the panobinostat and the placebo group, respectively. The most common side effects (grade 3-4) associated with panobinostat included diarrhea (18.9%), fatigue (14.7%), nausea (4.5%), vomiting (5.5%), thrombocytopenia (43.6%), anemia (7

Investigating children's physical activity and sedentary behavior using ecological momentary assessment with mobile phones.

PubMed

Dunton, Genevieve F; Liao, Yue; Intille, Stephen S; Spruijt-Metz, Donna; Pentz, Maryann

2011-06-01

The risk of obesity during childhood can be significantly reduced through increased physical activity and decreased sedentary behavior. Recent technological advances have created opportunities for the real-time measurement of these behaviors. Mobile phones are ubiquitous and easy to use, and thus have the capacity to collect data from large numbers of people. The present study tested the feasibility, acceptability, and validity of an electronic ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol using electronic surveys administered on the display screen of mobile phones to assess children's physical activity and sedentary behaviors. A total of 121 children (ages 9-13, 51% male, 38% at risk for overweight/overweight) participated in EMA monitoring from Friday afternoon to Monday evening during children's nonschool time, with 3-7 surveys/day. Items assessed current activity (e.g., watching TV/movies, playing video games, active play/sports/exercising). Children simultaneously wore an Actigraph GT2M accelerometer. EMA survey responses were time-matched to total step counts and minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) occurring in the 30 min before each EMA survey prompt. No significant differences between answered and unanswered EMA surveys were found for total steps or MVPA. Step counts and the likelihood of 5+ min of MVPA were significantly higher during EMA-reported physical activity (active play/sports/exercising) vs. sedentary behaviors (reading/computer/homework, watching TV/movies, playing video games, riding in a car) (P < 0.001). Findings generally support the acceptability and validity of a 4-day EMA protocol using mobile phones to measure physical activity and sedentary behavior in children during leisure time.

Hunger and binge eating: a meta-analysis of studies using ecological momentary assessment.

PubMed

Haedt-Matt, Alissa A; Keel, Pamela K

2011-11-01

Binge eating has been associated with increased hunger, suggesting a role for impaired appetite regulation. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is ideally suited to examine whether hunger is a precipitant of binge eating but results from such studies have not been systematically reviewed. This study provides a meta-analysis of EMA studies that have examined hunger as an antecedent of binge eating. Electronic database and manual searches produced seven EMA studies with N = 180 participants. Meta-analyses were conducted to compare: (1) pre-binge eating hunger to average ratings of hunger, and (2) pre-binge eating hunger to hunger before regular eating. Across studies, hunger was significantly greater before binge eating compared with average hunger ratings, but was significantly lower before binge eating compared with before other eating episodes. Excessive hunger does not appear to be a precipitant of binge eating because higher levels of hunger are observed before regular eating episodes. However, lower hunger before food consumption may contribute to the experience of a particular eating episode as a binge. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Daily social interactions, close relationships, and systemic inflammation in two samples: Healthy middle-aged and older adults.

PubMed

Bajaj, Amoha; John-Henderson, Neha A; Cundiff, Jenny M; Marsland, Anna L; Manuck, Stephen B; Kamarck, Thomas W

2016-11-01

Systemic inflammation is thought to be a biological mediator between social relationship quality and premature mortality. Empirical work has yielded mixed support for an association of social relationship variables with systemic inflammation, perhaps due to methodological limitations. To date, research in this literature has focused on global perceptions of social relationships, with limited attention to the covariance of characteristics of daily social interactions with inflammation. Here, we examine whether daily interactions, as assessed by ecological momentary assessment (EMA), associate with peripheral markers of inflammation among midlife and older adults. Global social support and integration were measured using the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL) and the Social Network Index (SNI), respectively, in older adults from the Pittsburgh Healthy Heart Project (PHHP), and in middle-aged adults from the Adult Health and Behavior Project-II (AHAB-II). Using time-sampled EMA, we assessed the proportion of the day spent in positive and negative social interactions. Systemic markers of inflammation were interleukin (IL)-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP). Global measures of support and integration did not associate with inflammation in either sample. In older adults, relative frequency of total positive interactions, those with close others (i.e. spouse, friends, family), and those with coworkers predicted lower concentrations of IL-6 in fully adjusted models, accounting for age, sex, race, education, BMI, smoking and alcohol. In middle-aged adults, relative frequency of positive interactions with close others was also inversely associated with IL-6 level and relative frequency of negative marital interactions was unexpectedly inversely associated with CRP level. Characteristics of daily social interactions among midlife and older adults associate with markers of systemic inflammation that are known to predict risk for cardiovascular disease. Ambulatory

Comparing daily drivers of problem drinking among older and younger adults: An electronic daily diary study using smartphones.

PubMed

Kuerbis, Alexis; Treloar Padovano, Hayley; Shao, Sijing; Houser, Jessica; Muench, Frederick J; Morgenstern, Jon

2018-02-01

By 2030, numbers and proportions of older adults with substance-use problems are expected to increase. While risk factors for problem drinking in late life have been identified, it remains unknown whether these factors drive daily drinking among older problem drinkers. This study examined the daily drivers of drinking among problem drinkers, moderated by age, utilizing ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Participants (N = 139), ages 20-73, received daily EMA online surveys completed via a smartphone prior to initiation of treatment. Multilevel modeling tested the moderating impact of age on within- and between-person relationships between drinking and focal predictors (mood, loneliness, boredom, stress, poor sleep, social factors, alcohol salience, commitment and confidence not to drink heavily). Older adults reported greater alcohol consumption when daily boredom levels were higher. Heavier drinking among younger adults was associated with poorer sleep quality. Greater daily confidence, daily commitment and daily alcohol salience did not impact drinking to the same extent for older adults as for younger adults. Greater person-level commitment predicted reduced drinking equivalently across age, but low person-level commitment predicted greater drinking among older adults compared to their younger counterparts. Older adults may have unique daily drivers of drinking that are not fully realized in current research and intervention efforts. Addressing the growing substance-use treatment needs among this population will require identifying the unique drivers of drinking among older adults, such as boredom, when compared to younger adults. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detection of Celiac Disease and Lymphocytic Enteropathy by Parallel Serology and Histopathology in a Population-Based Study

PubMed Central

Walker, Marjorie M.; Murray, Joseph A.; Ronkainen, Jukka; Aro, Pertti; Storskrubb, Tom; D’Amato, Mauro; Lahr, Brian; Talley, Nicholas J.; Agreus, Lars

2010-01-01

Background & Aims Although serological analysis is used in diagnosis of celiac disease, histopathology is considered most reliable. We performed a prospective study to determine the clinical, pathological and serological spectrum of celiac disease in a general population (Kalixanda study). Methods A random sample of an adult general population (n=1000) was analyzed by upper endoscopy, duodenal biopsy, and serological analysis of tissue transglutaminase (tTg) levels; endomysial antibody (EMA) levels were analyzed in samples that were tTg+. The cutoff values for diagnosis of celiac disease were villous atrophy with 40 intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs)/100 enterocytes (ECs). Results Samples from 33 subjects were tTg+ and 16 were EMA+. Histological analysis identified 7/1000 subjects (0.7%) with celiac disease; all were tTg+ and 6/7 were EMA+. Another 26 subjects were tTg+ (7/26 EMA+). This was addressed by a second quantitative pathology study, (nested case-control design) using a threshold of 25 IELS/100 ECs. In this analysis, all 13 samples that were tTg+ and EMA+ had ≥25 IELs/100ECs. In total, 16 subjects (1.6%) had serological and histological evidence of gluten-sensitive enteropathy. IELs were quantified in duodenal biopsy samples from seronegative individuals (n=500); 19 (3.8%) had >25 IELs and lymphocytic duodenosis (LD). Conclusions Measurement of ≥25 IELs/100 ECs correlated with serological indicators of celiac disease; a higher IEL threshold could miss 50% of cases. Quantification of tTg is a sensitive test for celiac disease; diagnosis can be confirmed by observation of ≥25 IELs/100ECs in duodenal biopsies. Lymphocytic enteropathy (celiac disease and LD) is common in the population (5.4%). PMID:20398668

Longitudinal social networks impacts on weight and weight-related behaviors assessed using mobile-based ecological momentary assessments: Study Protocols for the SPARC study.

PubMed

Bruening, Meg; Ohri-Vachaspati, Punam; Brewis, Alexandra; Laska, Melissa; Todd, Michael; Hruschka, Daniel; Schaefer, David R; Whisner, Corrie M; Dunton, Genevieve

2016-08-30

The transition from the home to college is a phase in which emerging adults shift toward more unhealthy eating and physical activity patterns, higher body mass indices, thus increasing risk of overweight/obesity. Currently, little is understood about how changing friendship networks shape weight gain behaviors. This paper describes the recruitment, data collection, and data analytic protocols for the SPARC (Social impact of Physical Activity and nutRition in College) study, a longitudinal examination of the mechanisms by which friends and friendship networks influence nutrition and physical activity behaviors and weight gain in the transition to college life. The SPARC study aims to follow 1450 university freshmen from a large university over an academic year, collecting data on multiple aspects of friends and friendship networks. Integrating multiple types of data related to student lives, ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) are administered via a cell phone application, devilSPARC. EMAs collected in four 1-week periods (a total of 4 EMA waves) are integrated with linked data from web-based surveys and anthropometric measurements conducted at four times points (for a total of eight data collection periods including EMAs, separated by ~1 month). University databases will provide student card data, allowing integration of both time-dated data on food purchasing, use of physical activity venues, and geographical information system (GIS) locations of these activities relative to other students in their social networks. Findings are intended to guide the development of more effective interventions to enhance behaviors among college students that protect against weight gain during college.

Young adult non-smokers' exposure to real-world tobacco marketing: results of an ecological momentary assessment pilot study.

PubMed

Rose, Shyanika W; Anesetti-Rothermel, Andrew; Elmasry, Hoda; Niaura, Ray

2017-08-31

The aims of this pilot study were to assess and characterize non-current smoking young adults' exposure to tobacco marketing through an ecological momentary assessment protocol. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) consists of repeated measurement of momentary phenomena and is well-suited to capture sporadic experiences in the real-world, such as exposure to tobacco marketing. EMA has the potential to capture detailed information about real-world marketing exposures in ways that reduce recall bias and increase ecological validity. In this study, young adults (n = 31; ages 18-25) responded to random prompts regarding their momentary exposure to tobacco marketing via text messages on their smartphones for 14 days (n = 1798 observations). Unadjusted and adjusted analyses were conducted using multilevel logistic regression to assess the odds of exposure accounting for correlation of multiple repeated measures within individuals while controlling for variability between individuals. Respondents reported, on average, two momentary exposures to tobacco advertising in the 14-day study period. In adjusted analyses, African-American (aOR 3.36; 95% CI 1.07, 10.54) and Hispanic respondents (aOR 5.08; 95% CI 1.28, 20.13) were more likely to report exposure to tobacco advertising. Respondents were also more likely to report exposure when also exposed to others using tobacco products and when they were at stores compared with at home (aOR 14.82; 95% CI 3.61, 60.88). Non-smoking young adults report exposure to tobacco marketing particularly at the point-of-sale, with the highest likelihood of exposure among African-American and Hispanic young people. EMA protocols can be effective in assessing the potential impact of point-of-sale tobacco marketing on young adults.

Ecological Momentary Assessment in Behavioral Research: Addressing Technological and Human Participant Challenges

PubMed Central

Shiffman, Saul; Music, Edvin; Styn, Mindi A; Kriska, Andrea; Smailagic, Asim; Siewiorek, Daniel; Ewing, Linda J; Chasens, Eileen; French, Brian; Mancino, Juliet; Mendez, Dara; Strollo, Patrick; Rathbun, Stephen L

2017-01-01

Background Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) assesses individuals’ current experiences, behaviors, and moods as they occur in real time and in their natural environment. EMA studies, particularly those of longer duration, are complex and require an infrastructure to support the data flow and monitoring of EMA completion. Objective Our objective is to provide a practical guide to developing and implementing an EMA study, with a focus on the methods and logistics of conducting such a study. Methods The EMPOWER study was a 12-month study that used EMA to examine the triggers of lapses and relapse following intentional weight loss. We report on several studies that informed the implementation of the EMPOWER study: (1) a series of pilot studies, (2) the EMPOWER study’s infrastructure, (3) training of study participants in use of smartphones and the EMA protocol and, (4) strategies used to enhance adherence to completing EMA surveys. Results The study enrolled 151 adults and had 87.4% (132/151) retention rate at 12 months. Our learning experiences in the development of the infrastructure to support EMA assessments for the 12-month study spanned several topic areas. Included were the optimal frequency of EMA prompts to maximize data collection without overburdening participants; the timing and scheduling of EMA prompts; technological lessons to support a longitudinal study, such as proper communication between the Android smartphone, the Web server, and the database server; and use of a phone that provided access to the system’s functionality for EMA data collection to avoid loss of data and minimize the impact of loss of network connectivity. These were especially important in a 1-year study with participants who might travel. It also protected the data collection from any server-side failure. Regular monitoring of participants’ response to EMA prompts was critical, so we built in incentives to enhance completion of EMA surveys. During the first 6 months of

Ecological Momentary Assessment of Adolescent Problems, Coping Efficacy, and Mood States Using a Mobile Phone App: An Exploratory Study.

PubMed

Kenny, Rachel; Dooley, Barbara; Fitzgerald, Amanda

2016-11-29

Mobile technologies have the potential to be used as innovative tools for conducting research on the mental health and well-being of young people. In particular, they have utility for carrying out ecological momentary assessment (EMA) research by capturing data from participants in real time as they go about their daily lives. The aim of this study was to explore the utility of a mobile phone app as a means of collecting EMA data pertaining to mood, problems, and coping efficacy in a school-based sample of Irish young people. The study included a total of 208 participants who were aged 15-18 years, 64% female (113/208), recruited from second-level schools in Ireland, and who downloaded the CopeSmart mobile phone app as part of a randomized controlled trial. On the app, participants initially responded to 5 single-item measures of key protective factors in youth mental health (formal help-seeking, informal help-seeking, sleep, exercise, and sense of belonging). They were then encouraged to use the app daily to input data relating to mood states (happiness, sadness, anger, stress, and worry), daily problems, and coping self-efficacy. The app automatically collected data pertaining to user engagement over the course of the 28-day intervention period. Students also completed pen and paper questionnaires containing standardized measures of emotional distress (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale; DASS-21), well-being (World Health Organization Well-Being Index; WHO-5), and coping (Coping Strategies Inventory; CSI). On average the participants completed 18% (5/28) of daily ratings, and engagement levels did not differ across gender, age, school, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or nationality. On a scale of 1 to 10, happiness was consistently the highest rated mood state (overall mean 6.56), and anger was consistently the lowest (overall mean 2.11). Pearson correlations revealed that average daily ratings of emotional states were associated with standardized measures of

Ecological Momentary Assessment of Adolescent Problems, Coping Efficacy, and Mood States Using a Mobile Phone App: An Exploratory Study

PubMed Central

Dooley, Barbara; Fitzgerald, Amanda

2016-01-01

Background Mobile technologies have the potential to be used as innovative tools for conducting research on the mental health and well-being of young people. In particular, they have utility for carrying out ecological momentary assessment (EMA) research by capturing data from participants in real time as they go about their daily lives. Objective The aim of this study was to explore the utility of a mobile phone app as a means of collecting EMA data pertaining to mood, problems, and coping efficacy in a school-based sample of Irish young people. Methods The study included a total of 208 participants who were aged 15-18 years, 64% female (113/208), recruited from second-level schools in Ireland, and who downloaded the CopeSmart mobile phone app as part of a randomized controlled trial. On the app, participants initially responded to 5 single-item measures of key protective factors in youth mental health (formal help-seeking, informal help-seeking, sleep, exercise, and sense of belonging). They were then encouraged to use the app daily to input data relating to mood states (happiness, sadness, anger, stress, and worry), daily problems, and coping self-efficacy. The app automatically collected data pertaining to user engagement over the course of the 28-day intervention period. Students also completed pen and paper questionnaires containing standardized measures of emotional distress (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale; DASS-21), well-being (World Health Organization Well-Being Index; WHO-5), and coping (Coping Strategies Inventory; CSI). Results On average the participants completed 18% (5/28) of daily ratings, and engagement levels did not differ across gender, age, school, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or nationality. On a scale of 1 to 10, happiness was consistently the highest rated mood state (overall mean 6.56), and anger was consistently the lowest (overall mean 2.11). Pearson correlations revealed that average daily ratings of emotional states were

Understanding the physical and social contexts of children's nonschool sedentary behavior: an ecological momentary assessment study.

PubMed

Liao, Yue; Intille, Stephen; Wolch, Jennifer; Pentz, Mary Ann; Dunton, Genevieve Fridlund

2014-03-01

Research on children's sedentary behavior has relied on recall-based self-report or accelerometer methods, which do not assess the context of such behavior. This study used ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to determine where and with whom children's sedentary behavior occurs during their nonschool time. Children (N = 120) ages 9-13 years (51% male, 33% Hispanic) wore mobile phones that prompted surveys (20 total) for 4 days. Surveys measured current activity (eg, exercise, watching TV), physical location (eg, home, outdoors), and social company (eg, family, friends). Children engaged in a greater percentage of leisure-oriented (eg, watching TV) than productive (eg, reading, doing homework) sedentary behavior (70% vs 30%, respectively). Most of children's sedentary activity occurred at home (85%). Children's sedentary activity took place most often with family members (58%). Differences in physical context of sedentary behavior were found for older vs. younger children (P < .05). Type of sedentary behavior differed by gender, racial/ethnic group, and social context (P < .05). Children may prefer or have greater opportunities to be sedentary in some contexts than others. Research demonstrates the potential for using EMA to capture real-time information about children's sedentary behavior during their nonschool time.

Can an app help identify psychomotor function impairments during drinking occasions in the real world? A mixed-method pilot study.

PubMed

Suffoletto, Brian; Goyal, Akash; Puyana, Juan Carlos; Chung, Tammy

2017-01-01

Being able to measure the acute effects of alcohol consumption on psychomotor functions in natural settings could be useful in injury prevention interventions. This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of collecting app-based measures of information processing, working memory, and gait stability during times of typical alcohol consumption among young adults. Ten young adults (aged 21-26) with hazardous drinking completed a baseline assessment and ecological momentary assessments (EMA) on 4 consecutive Fridays and Saturdays, every hour from 8 pm to 12 am. EMA assessed alcohol consumption and perceived intoxication, followed by a digit symbol substitution task (DSST), a visuospatial working memory task (VSWMT), and a 5-step tandem gait task (TGT). Exit interviews probed user experiences. Multilevel models explored relationships between estimated blood alcohol concentration (eBAC; mg/dL) and DSST and VSWMT performance. Participants completed 32% of EMA. Higher rates of noninitiation occurred later in the evening and over time. In multilevel models, higher eBAC was associated with lower DSST scores. Eight out of 10 individuals had at least 1 drinking occasion when they did not perceive any intoxication. Lower DSST scores would identify impairment in 45% of these occasions. Exit interviews indicated that adding real-time feedback on task performance could increase awareness of alcohol effects. Collecting app-based psychomotor performance data from young adults during drinking occasions is feasible and acceptable, but strategies to reduce barriers to task initiation are needed. Mobile DSST is sensitive to eBAC levels and could identify occasions when an individual may not perceive impairments.

Alcohol craving in adolescents: bridging the laboratory and natural environment.

PubMed

Ramirez, Jason; Miranda, Robert

2014-04-01

Initial lab studies suggest that adolescent drinkers crave alcohol when presented with alcohol cues. Whether this effect generalizes to the natural environment, however, remains unknown, and studies have not examined whether craving predicts drinking among youths. This study builds on existing research by pairing controlled lab-based cue reactivity assessments (CRAs) with data collected in the natural environment using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) methods. We examined whether alcohol cues evoke craving among adolescent drinkers in the lab and natural environment, and tested the clinical relevance of craving during adolescence by examining the prospective association between craving and alcohol use. Non-treatment-seeking adolescent drinkers (N = 42; ages 15 to 20 years) completed a lab-based CRA followed by a 1-week EMA monitoring period. During the EMA period, youth were prompted randomly throughout the day to record momentary data on craving and contextual factors (e.g., alcohol cues, peers present). Alcohol cues elicited craving in the lab, and this effect generalized to the natural environment, especially among adolescents with more alcohol problems. In addition, craving predicted subsequent drinking levels in the natural environment. This study demonstrates the utility of pairing lab paradigms with EMA methods to better characterize adolescents' reactivity to alcohol cues. Results implicate craving as a clinically meaningful motivator for drinking among adolescents and highlight a potentially important target of pharmacological or behavioral intervention.

Reciprocal within-day associations between incidental affect and exercise: An EMA study.

PubMed

Emerson, Jessica A; Dunsiger, Shira; Williams, David M

2018-01-01

Previous research suggests that how people feel throughout the course of a day (i.e. incidental affect) is predictive of exercise behaviour. A mostly separate literature suggests that exercise can lead to more positive incidental affect. This study examines the potential reciprocal effects of incidental affect and exercise behaviour within the same day. Fifty-nine low-active (exercise <60 min/week), overweight (BMI: 25.0-39.9) adults (ages 18-65) participated in a six-month print-based exercise promotion programme. Ecological momentary assessment was used to record self-reported exercise sessions in real time and incidental affective valence (feeling good/bad) as assessed by the 11-point Feeling Scale at random times throughout the day. Use of a within-subjects cross-lagged, autoregressive model showed that participants were more likely to exercise on days when they experienced more positive incidental affect earlier in the day (b = .58, SE = .10, p < .01), and participants were more likely to experience more positive incidental affect on days when they had exercised (b = .26, SE = .03, p < .01), with the former association significantly stronger than the latter (t = 23.54, p < .01). The findings suggest a positive feedback loop whereby feeling good and exercising are reciprocally influential within the course of a day.

Ecological Momentary Assessment in Behavioral Research: Addressing Technological and Human Participant Challenges.

PubMed

Burke, Lora E; Shiffman, Saul; Music, Edvin; Styn, Mindi A; Kriska, Andrea; Smailagic, Asim; Siewiorek, Daniel; Ewing, Linda J; Chasens, Eileen; French, Brian; Mancino, Juliet; Mendez, Dara; Strollo, Patrick; Rathbun, Stephen L

2017-03-15

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) assesses individuals' current experiences, behaviors, and moods as they occur in real time and in their natural environment. EMA studies, particularly those of longer duration, are complex and require an infrastructure to support the data flow and monitoring of EMA completion. Our objective is to provide a practical guide to developing and implementing an EMA study, with a focus on the methods and logistics of conducting such a study. The EMPOWER study was a 12-month study that used EMA to examine the triggers of lapses and relapse following intentional weight loss. We report on several studies that informed the implementation of the EMPOWER study: (1) a series of pilot studies, (2) the EMPOWER study's infrastructure, (3) training of study participants in use of smartphones and the EMA protocol and, (4) strategies used to enhance adherence to completing EMA surveys. The study enrolled 151 adults and had 87.4% (132/151) retention rate at 12 months. Our learning experiences in the development of the infrastructure to support EMA assessments for the 12-month study spanned several topic areas. Included were the optimal frequency of EMA prompts to maximize data collection without overburdening participants; the timing and scheduling of EMA prompts; technological lessons to support a longitudinal study, such as proper communication between the Android smartphone, the Web server, and the database server; and use of a phone that provided access to the system's functionality for EMA data collection to avoid loss of data and minimize the impact of loss of network connectivity. These were especially important in a 1-year study with participants who might travel. It also protected the data collection from any server-side failure. Regular monitoring of participants' response to EMA prompts was critical, so we built in incentives to enhance completion of EMA surveys. During the first 6 months of the 12-month study interval, adherence to

The Assessment of Biological and Pollution Index of Estuaries Around Port of Tanjung Emas Semarang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tjahjono, A.; Wahyuni, O.; Purwantini, S.

2018-02-01

Estuary is a place of accumulation of the population’s actitivites produced by domestic, industry or agriculture. This research was conducted to three of estuary of the rivers around the waters of Port of Tanjung Emas Semarang (PTES). They were estuaries of Baru river, Banjir Kanal Timur (BKT) and Siangker in west monsoon from October to December 2015. The purpose of this research was to analyze pollution index, the abundance of microorganisms either phytoplankton or zooplankton, the content of heavy metal in sediment and sea water, biological index that included diversity (H), uniformity (e), dominance (D), Saprobik Index (SI), and the Total of Saprobik Index (TSI) in the waters either HTL (High Tide Level) or LTL (Low Tide Level). The concentration of heavy metal in both sea water and sediments were analyzed by using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The result obtained from 12 parameters which were tested showed that the three waters can be categorized at heavily polluted condition at each value from 12.52 to 24.98. The concentration of heavy metal at sea water during HTW and LTW ranging from Cd is around 0.033 and 0. 048 mg/kg, Cu 0.047 and 0.07 mg/kg, Pb 0.48 and 0.71 mg/kg, and Zn 0.043 and 0.057 mg/kg. The saprobity value index based on the existence of phytoplankton or zooplankton was ranging of Oligosaprobik at low pollution or has not been polluted yet.

A New Ethical Challenge for Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)/Ethics Committees (ECs) in the Assessment of Pediatric Clinical Trials.

PubMed

Rose, Klaus; Kummer, Hans

2015-05-28

Both the US and EU have introduced pediatric pharmaceutical legislation to facilitate clinical trials in children and development of better medicines for children. The first concerns were published in 2014 that the European Medicines Agency (EMA)'s Pediatric Committee (PDCO) may be over-enthusiastic and has compelled questionable pediatric clinical trials from pharmaceutical companies. Numerous clinical trials are mandated in rare conditions for which not enough patients exist for even one trial. Furthermore, where these trials are mandated in adolescent patients, the legal age limit of the 18th birthday is confused with a medical age limit and can result in separate clinical trials in adolescent patients that neither make medical nor scientific sense nor will ever recruit enough patients for a meaningful outcome. To confirm our concerns we searched the registry clinicaltrials.gov and found examples for PDCO-triggered unethical trials. We conclude that such trials should not be accepted by institutional review boards (IRBs)/ethics committees (ECs) and that clinical trials resulting from negotiations with EMA's PDCO need extra careful scrutiny by IRBs/ECs in order to prevent unethical studies and damage to pediatric research and unnecessary risks to pediatric patients.

International Society for Quality of Life Research commentary on the draft European Medicines Agency reflection paper on the use of patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures in oncology studies.

PubMed

Kyte, Derek; Reeve, Bryce B; Efficace, Fabio; Haywood, Kirstie; Mercieca-Bebber, Rebecca; King, Madeleine T; Norquist, Josephine M; Lenderking, William R; Snyder, Claire; Ring, Lena; Velikova, Galina; Calvert, Melanie

2016-02-01

In 2014, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) released for comment a draft reflection paper on the use of patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures in oncology studies. A twelve-member International Society for Quality of Life Research (ISOQOL) taskforce was convened to coordinate the ISOQOL response. Twenty-one ISOQOL members provided detailed comments and suggestions on the paper: 81 % from academia and 19 % from industry. Taskforce members consolidated and further refined these comments and shared the recommendations with the wider ISOQOL membership. A final response was submitted to the EMA in November 2014. The impending publication of the EMA reflection paper presents a valuable opportunity for ISOQOL to comment on the current direction of EMA PRO guidance and strategy. The EMA paper, although focused on cancer, could serve as a model for using PROs in other conditions, as it provides a useful update surrounding some of the design issues common to all trial research including PRO endpoints. However, we believe there are a number of additional areas in need of greater consideration. The purpose of this commentary is therefore to highlight the strengths of this timely and potentially useful document, but also to outline areas that may warrant further discussion.

Ecological Momentary Assessment and Smartphone Application Intervention in Adolescents with Substance Use and Comorbid Severe Psychiatric Disorders: Study Protocol.

PubMed

Benarous, Xavier; Edel, Yves; Consoli, Angèle; Brunelle, Julie; Etter, Jean-François; Cohen, David; Khazaal, Yasser

2016-01-01

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are highly prevalent among inpatient adolescents with psychiatric disorders. In this population, substance use and other psychiatric outcomes can reinforce one another. Despite the need for integrated interventions in youths with dual diagnoses, few specific instruments are available. App-based technologies have shown promising results to help reduce substance use in adolescents, but their applicability in youths with associated severe psychiatric disorders is poorly documented. We aim to evaluate the feasibility of an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) intervention for all substance users, and of a smartphone application for cannabis users (Stop-Cannabis), for outpatient treatment after hospital discharge. All inpatient adolescents with psychiatric disorders hospitalized between 2016 and 2018 in a university hospital will be systematically screened for SUD and, if positive, will be assessed by an independent specialist addiction team. Participants with confirmed SUDs will be invited and helped to download an EMA app and, if required, the Stop-Cannabis app, the week preceding hospital discharge. Information about the acceptability and use of both apps and the validity of EMA data in comparison to clinical assessments will be assessed after 6 months and 1 year. This research has been designed to raise specific issues for consideration regarding the sequence between substance use, contextual factors, and other psychiatric symptoms among adolescents with comorbid severe psychiatric disorders. A better understanding of the mechanisms involved will inform the development of integrated treatment for dual disorders at that age. The study has already been approved and granted. Dissemination will include presentations at international congresses as well as publications in peer-reviewed journals. European Clinical Trials Database: Number 2016-001999-30.

The promise of wearable sensors and ecological momentary assessment measures for dynamical systems modeling in adolescents: a feasibility and acceptability study.

PubMed

Brannon, Erin E; Cushing, Christopher C; Crick, Christopher J; Mitchell, Tarrah B

2016-12-01

Intervention development can be accelerated by using wearable sensors and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to study how behaviors change within a person. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a novel, intensive EMA method for assessing physiology, behavior, and psychosocial variables utilizing two objective sensors and a mobile application (app). Adolescents (n = 20) enrolled in a 20-day EMA protocol. Participants wore a physiological monitor and an accelerometer that measured sleep and physical activity and completed four surveys per day on an app. Participants provided approximately 81 % of the expected survey data. Participants were compliant to the wrist-worn accelerometer (75.3 %), which is a feasible measurement of physical activity/sleep (74.1 % complete data). The data capture (47.8 %) and compliance (70.28 %) with the physiological monitor were lower than other study variables. The findings support the use of an intensive assessment protocol to study real-time relationships between biopsychosocial variables and health behaviors.

Momentary assessment of affect, physical feeling states, and physical activity in children.

PubMed

Dunton, Genevieve F; Huh, Jimi; Leventhal, Adam M; Riggs, Nathaniel; Hedeker, Donald; Spruijt-Metz, Donna; Pentz, Mary Ann

2014-03-01

Most research on the interplay of affective and physical feelings states with physical activity in children has been conducted under laboratory conditions and fails to capture intraindividual covariation. The current study used Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to bidirectionally examine how affective and physical feeling states are related to objectively measured physical activity taking place in naturalistic settings during the course of children's everyday lives. Children (N = 119, ages 9-13 years, 52% male, 32% Hispanic) completed 8 days of EMA monitoring, which measured positive affect (PA), negative affect (NA), feeling tired, and feeling energetic up to 7 times per day. EMA responses were time-matched to accelerometer assessed moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in the 30 min before and after each EMA survey. Higher ratings of feeling energetic and lower ratings of feeling tired were associated with more MVPA in the 30 min after the EMA prompt. More MVPA in the 30 min before the EMA prompt was associated with higher ratings of PA and feeling energetic and lower ratings of NA. Between-subjects analyses indicated that mean hourly leisure-time MVPA was associated with less intraindividual variability in PA and NA. Physical feeling states predict subsequent physical activity levels, which in turn, predict subsequent affective states in children. Active children demonstrated higher positive and negative emotional stability. Although the strength of these associations were of modest magnitude and their clinical relevance is unclear, understanding the antecedents to and consequences of physical activity may have theoretical and practical implications for the maintenance and promotion of physical activity and psychological well-being in children. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Follow-up of pediatric celiac disease: value of antibodies in predicting mucosal healing, a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Vécsei, Edith; Steinwendner, Stephanie; Kogler, Hubert; Innerhofer, Albina; Hammer, Karin; Haas, Oskar A; Amann, Gabriele; Chott, Andreas; Vogelsang, Harald; Schoenlechner, Regine; Huf, Wolfgang; Vécsei, Andreas

2014-02-13

In diagnosing celiac disease (CD), serological tests are highly valuable. However, their role in following up children with CD after prescription of a gluten-free diet is unclear. This study aimed to compare the performance of antibody tests in predicting small-intestinal mucosal status in diagnosis vs. follow-up of pediatric CD. We conducted a prospective cohort study at a tertiary-care center. 148 children underwent esophohagogastroduodenoscopy with biopsies either for symptoms ± positive CD antibodies (group A; n = 95) or following up CD diagnosed ≥ 1 year before study enrollment (group B; n = 53). Using biopsy (Marsh ≥ 2) as the criterion standard, areas under ROC curves (AUCs) and likelihood-ratios were calculated to estimate the performance of antibody tests against tissue transglutaminase (TG2), deamidated gliadin peptide (DGP) and endomysium (EMA). AUCs were higher when tests were used for CD diagnosis vs. follow-up: 1 vs. 0.86 (P = 0.100) for TG2-IgA, 0.85 vs. 0.74 (P = 0.421) for TG2-IgG, 0.97 vs. 0.61 (P = 0.004) for DPG-IgA, and 0.99 vs. 0.88 (P = 0.053) for DPG-IgG, respectively. Empirical power was 85% for the DPG-IgA comparison, and on average 33% (range 13-43) for the non-significant comparisons. Among group B children, 88.7% showed mucosal healing (median 2.2 years after primary diagnosis). Only the negative likelihood-ratio of EMA was low enough (0.097) to effectively rule out persistent mucosal injury. However, out of 12 EMA-positive children with mucosal healing, 9 subsequently turned EMA-negative. Among the CD antibodies examined, negative EMA most reliably predict mucosal healing. In general, however, antibody tests, especially DPG-IgA, are of limited value in predicting the mucosal status in the early years post-diagnosis but may be sufficient after a longer period of time.

Symposium on Electromagnetic Launcher Technology, 5th, Sandestin, FL, Apr. 3-5, 1990, Proceedings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gooden, Clarence E.

1991-01-01

The present conference on electromagnetic accelerators (EMAs) and railguns (RGs) discusses active-current management for four-rail RGs, the design of a compulsator-drive 60-caliber RG, EMA studies with augmented rails, muzzle-shunt augmentation of conventional RGs, effect of in-bore gas on RG performance, the distributed-energy store RG, plasma diagnostics for high power ignitron development, a review of EMA armature research, RG hybrid armatures, a new solid-armature design concept, and the electrodynamics of RG plasma armatures. Also discussed is RG modeling at speed using three-dimensional finite elements, power supply technology for EMAs, rotating machine power supplies for next-generation EMAs, advanced EMA power supplies with magnetic-flux compression, metal-to-metal switches for large currents, lightweight high-effiency energy-storage transformers, hypervelocity projectile development for EMAs, structural design issues for EMA projectiles, stiff RGs, a reinforced Al conductor for cryogenic applications, mass-stabilized projectile designs for EMA launch, indictively-commutated coilguns, an actively switched pulsed induction accelerator, a plasma gun-augmented electrothermal accelerator, a symmetrical rail accelerator, and a travelling-wave synchronous coil gun.

Developmental Changes in the Variability of Tongue and Lip Movements during Speech from Childhood to Adulthood: An EMA Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murdoch, Bruce E.; Cheng, Hei-Yan; Goozee, Justine V.

2012-01-01

This study investigated the developmental variability of lip and tongue movement in 48 children and adults. Motion of the tongue-tip, tongue-body and lower lip was recorded using electromagnetic articulography during productions of sentences containing /t/, /s/, /l/, /k/ and /p/. Four groups of speakers participated in the study: (1) aged 6-7…

SPRINTT and the involvement of stakeholders: strategy and structure.

PubMed

Le Lain, Régis; Ignaszewski, Claire; Klingmann, Ingrid; Cesario, Alfredo; de Boer, Willem Ivo

2017-02-01

The current healthcare systems are built around the traditional paradigm of patients suffering from a single acute illness. They are, therefore, largely unprepared to face the increasing demands for health services arising from the expansion of an older population with specific medical needs related to multiple chronic disorders. As a consequence, the medical conditions of a large and growing segment of the older European population are not efficiently managed by the available healthcare services. In the context of an aging population, policy makers such as the European Commission and European Institutions, such as the European Medicines Agency (EMA), devote time and resources to study and accompany the need of the aging population. The EMA recognizes the importance of making sure that the needs of the Elderly are considered during development, approval, and use of new medicines, and, therefore, engages with healthcare professional organisations. The Sarcopenia and Physical Frailty in Older People: Multicomponent Intervention Strategies (SPRINTT) is the obvious result of these strategies. The present article describes the SPRINTT workpackage activities aimed at engaging the scientific discussion on the physical frailty and sarcopenia with the EMA as one of its interlocutor, acknowledging the need to collaborate on this topic to foster a productive dialogue.

Feasibility of Smartphone-Based Education Modules and Ecological Momentary Assessment/Intervention in Pre-bariatric Surgery Patients.

PubMed

Mundi, Manpreet S; Lorentz, Paul A; Grothe, Karen; Kellogg, Todd A; Collazo-Clavell, Maria L

2015-10-01

Bariatric surgery is the most effective means of long-term weight loss. Knowledge gaps and lack of engagement in pre-operative patients can result in suboptimal outcome after surgery. Mobile technology, utilizing ecological momentary assessment (EMA)/intervention (EMI), has shown tremendous promise in changing behaviors. The primary objective of the study is to assess feasibility of using smartphone app with EMA/EMI functionality to prepare patients for bariatric surgery. Subjects seeking primary bariatric surgery were provided a smartphone app containing video-based education modules with linked assessments to evaluate mastery of topic. Subjects received algorithmic EMA text messages soliciting a response regarding lifestyle behavior. Upon answering, subjects received tailored EMI text messaging supporting healthy lifestyle. Thirty subjects (27 female and 3 male), with age of 41.3 ± 11.4 years and BMI of 46.3 ± 7.4 kg/m(2) were enrolled. Twenty subjects completed the study. Ten subjects withdrew. On average, seven out of nine education modules were completed (70.9 ± 27.3%), and 37.8/123 EMA were answered (30.7 ± 21.7%), with response time of 17.4 ± 4.4 min. Subjects reported high satisfaction with the app. Many felt that the app fit into their routine "somewhat easily" or "very easily" (n = 12), had "perfect" amount of EMA messages (n = 8), and was very helpful in preparing for surgery (n = 7). This study is the first to reveal the feasibility of using a smartphone app in the education and engagement of patients prior to bariatric surgery. The app was well-received based on subject satisfaction scores and revealed trends toward positive behavior change and increased weight loss. Randomized trials are necessary to delineate true efficacy.

'I Got it off my Chest': An Examination of how Research Participation Improved the Mental Health of Women Engaging in Transactional Sex.

PubMed

Felsher, Marisa; Wiehe, Sarah E; Gunn, Jayleen K L; Roth, Alexis M

2018-02-01

Ecologic momentary assessment (EMA) is a form of close-ended diary writing. While it has been shown that participating in a study that incorporates EMA improves mental health of participants, no study to date has examined the pathways through which benefits may occur. For 4-weeks, twice-daily EMAs and weekly interviews captured mood, daily activities and HIV risk behavior of 25 women who engage in transactional sex. Qualitative analysis of exit interviews was performed to examine how participation impacted women's mental health. The majority of participants felt that EMAs heightened awareness of emotions and behavior. Most reported experiencing catharsis from the interviews; specifically, from having a non-judgmental, trusting listener. Participants felt responsible for completing tasks, a sense of accomplishment for completing the study, and altruism. This study demonstrates there are direct benefits associated with participation in an EMA and interview study.

Basal Cell Carcinoma With Matrical Differentiation: Clinicopathologic, Immunohistochemical, and Molecular Biological Study of 22 Cases.

PubMed

Kyrpychova, Liubov; Carr, Richard A; Martinek, Petr; Vanecek, Tomas; Perret, Raul; Chottová-Dvořáková, Magdalena; Zamecnik, Michal; Hadravsky, Ladislav; Michal, Michal; Kazakov, Dmitry V

2017-06-01

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) with matrical differentiation is a fairly rare neoplasm, with about 30 cases documented mainly as isolated case reports. We studied a series of this neoplasm, including cases with an atypical matrical component, a hitherto unreported feature. Lesions coded as BCC with matrical differentiation were reviewed; 22 cases were included. Immunohistochemical studies were performed using antibodies against BerEp4, β-catenin, and epithelial membrane antigen (EMA). Molecular genetic studies using Ion AmpliSeq Cancer Hotspot Panel v2 by massively parallel sequencing on Ion Torrent PGM were performed in 2 cases with an atypical matrical component (1 was previously subjected to microdissection to sample the matrical and BCC areas separately). There were 13 male and 9 female patients, ranging in age from 41 to 89 years. Microscopically, all lesions manifested at least 2 components, a BCC area (follicular germinative differentiation) and areas with matrical differentiation. A BCC component dominated in 14 cases, whereas a matrical component dominated in 4 cases. Matrical differentiation was recognized as matrical/supramatrical cells (n=21), shadow cells (n=21), bright red trichohyaline granules (n=18), and blue-gray corneocytes (n=18). In 2 cases, matrical areas manifested cytologic atypia, and a third case exhibited an infiltrative growth pattern, with the tumor metastasizing to a lymph node. BerEP4 labeled the follicular germinative cells, whereas it was markedly reduced or negative in matrical areas. The reverse pattern was seen with β-catenin. EMA was negative in BCC areas but stained a proportion of matrical/supramatrical cells. Genetic studies revealed mutations of the following genes: CTNNB1, KIT, CDKN2A, TP53, SMAD4, ERBB4, and PTCH1, with some differences between the matrical and BCC components. It is concluded that matrical differentiation in BCC in most cases occurs as multiple foci. Rare neoplasms manifest atypia in the matrical areas

Ecological Momentary Assessment Methodology in Chronic Pain Research: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

May, Marcella; Junghaenel, Doerte U; Ono, Masakatsu; Stone, Arthur A; Schneider, Stefan

2018-01-31

Self-reported pain intensity assessments are central to chronic pain research. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) methodologies are uniquely positioned to collect these data, and are indeed being used in the field. However, EMA protocols are complex, and many decisions are necessary in the design of EMA research studies. A systematic literature review identified 105 articles drawing from 62 quantitative EMA research projects examining pain intensity in adult chronic pain patients. Study characteristics were tabulated to summarize and describe the use of EMA, with an emphasis placed on various dimensions of decision-making involved in executing EMA methodologies. Most identified studies considered within-person relationships between pain and other variables, and a few examined interventions on chronic pain. There was a trend toward the use of smartphones as EMA data collection devices more recently, and completion rates were not reported in nearly one third of studies. Pain intensity items varied widely with respect to number of scale points, anchor labels, and length of reporting period; most used numeric rating scales. Recommendations are provided for reporting to improve reproducibility, comparability, and interpretation of results, and for opportunities to clarify the importance of design decisions. Studies that use EMA methodologies to assess pain intensity are heterogeneous. Aspects of protocol design, including data input modality and pain item construction, have the potential to influence the data collected. Thorough reporting on design features and completion rates therefore facilitates reproducibility, comparability, and interpretation of study results. Copyright © 2018 The American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Estimation of Correlation between Chronological Age, Skeletal Age and Dental Age in Children- A Cross-sectional Study

PubMed Central

Macha, Madhulika; Lamba, Bharti; Muthineni, Sridhar; Margana, Pratap Gowd Jai Shankar; Chitoori, Prasad

2017-01-01

Introduction In the modern era, identification and determination of age is imperative for diversity of reasons that include disputed birth records, premature delivery, legal issues and for validation of birth certificate for school admissions, adoption, marriage, job and immigration. Several growth assessment parameters like bone age, dental age and the combination of both have been applied for different population with variable outcomes. It has been well documented that the chronological age does not necessarily correlate with the maturational status of a child. Hence, efforts were made to determine a child’s developmental age by using dental age (calcification of teeth) and skeletal age (skeletal maturation). Aim The present study was aimed to correlate the chronological age, dental age and skeletal age in children from Southeastern region of Andhra Pradesh, India. Materials and Methods Out of the total 900 screened children, only 100 subjects between age groups of 6-14 years with a mean age of 11.3±2.63 for males and 10.77±2.24 for females were selected for the study. Dental age was calculated by Demirjian method and skeletal age by modified Middle Phalanx of left hand third finger (MP3) method. Pearson’s and Spearman’s correlation tests were done to estimate the correlation between chronological, dental and skeletal ages among study population. Results There was a significant positive correlation between chronological age, dental age and all stages of MP3 among males. Similar results were observed in females, except for a non-significant moderate correlation between chronological age and dental age in the H stage of the MP3 region. Conclusion The results of the present study revealed correlation with statistical significance (p<0.05) between chronological, dental and skeletal ages among all the subjects (48 males and 52 females) and females attained maturity earlier than males in the present study population. PMID:29207822

Estimation of Correlation between Chronological Age, Skeletal Age and Dental Age in Children- A Cross-sectional Study.

PubMed

Macha, Madhulika; Lamba, Bharti; Avula, Jogendra Sai Sankar; Muthineni, Sridhar; Margana, Pratap Gowd Jai Shankar; Chitoori, Prasad

2017-09-01

In the modern era, identification and determination of age is imperative for diversity of reasons that include disputed birth records, premature delivery, legal issues and for validation of birth certificate for school admissions, adoption, marriage, job and immigration. Several growth assessment parameters like bone age, dental age and the combination of both have been applied for different population with variable outcomes. It has been well documented that the chronological age does not necessarily correlate with the maturational status of a child. Hence, efforts were made to determine a child's developmental age by using dental age (calcification of teeth) and skeletal age (skeletal maturation). The present study was aimed to correlate the chronological age, dental age and skeletal age in children from Southeastern region of Andhra Pradesh, India. Out of the total 900 screened children, only 100 subjects between age groups of 6-14 years with a mean age of 11.3±2.63 for males and 10.77±2.24 for females were selected for the study. Dental age was calculated by Demirjian method and skeletal age by modified Middle Phalanx of left hand third finger (MP3) method. Pearson's and Spearman's correlation tests were done to estimate the correlation between chronological, dental and skeletal ages among study population. There was a significant positive correlation between chronological age, dental age and all stages of MP3 among males. Similar results were observed in females, except for a non-significant moderate correlation between chronological age and dental age in the H stage of the MP3 region. The results of the present study revealed correlation with statistical significance (p<0.05) between chronological, dental and skeletal ages among all the subjects (48 males and 52 females) and females attained maturity earlier than males in the present study population.

Can end-of-day reports replace momentary assessment of pain and fatigue?

PubMed Central

Broderick, Joan E.; Schwartz, Joseph E.; Schneider, Stefan; Stone, Arthur A.

2009-01-01

This study evaluated the ability of end-of-day (EOD) ratings to accurately reflect momentary (EMA) ratings on 10 widely used pain and fatigue items. Rheumatology patients (N=105) completed ≥5 randomly scheduled EMA assessments of each item per day as well as EOD ratings. Correlations were high between EOD and EMA ratings of the five pain items (r= .90-.92) and somewhat lower for the five fatigue/energy items (r= .71-.86). To examine the ability of EOD ratings to represent a week of EMA ratings, 7 EOD ratings were averaged and correlated with EMA (r ≥ .95 for pain items, r = .88-.95 for fatigue/energy items). Further, averaging only 3-5 EOD ratings achieved very high correlations with a week of EMA ratings. Within-subject correlations of EOD with mean daily EMA across 7 days confirmed patients’ ability to provide daily ratings that accurately reflect their day-to-day variation in symptom levels. These EOD results were compared to traditional recall ratings collected in the same protocol. It was concluded (1) that EOD ratings were a better representation of EMA than were recall ratings, and (2) that EOD ratings across a reporting period can replace EMA for studies targeting average levels of pain or fatigue. Perspective This study in chronic pain patients demonstrated that end-of-day ratings of pain are highly accurate representations of average levels of pain experience across a day; Ratings of fatigue were somewhat less accurate, though still at a level that would be valid. PMID:19070550

Momentary Assessment of Psychosocial Stressors, Context, and Asthma Symptoms in Hispanic Adolescents

PubMed Central

Dunton, Genevieve Fridlund; Dzubur, Eldin; Li, Marilyn; Huh, Jimi; McConnell, Rob; Intille, Stephen

2017-01-01

Objective The current study used a novel real-time data capture strategy, Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA), to examine whether within-day variability in stress and context leads to exacerbations in asthma symptomatology in the everyday lives of ethnic minority adolescents. Methods Low-income, Hispanic adolescents (N = 20) (7th–12th grade) (54% male) with chronic asthma completed seven days of EMA on smartphones, with an average of five assessments per day during non-school time. EMA surveys queried about where (e.g., home, outdoors) and with whom (e.g., alone, with friends) participants were at the time of the prompt. EMA surveys also assessed over the past few hours whether participants had experienced specific stressors (e.g., being teased, arguing with anyone), asthma symptoms (e.g., wheezing, coughing), or used an asthma inhaler. Multilevel models tested the independent relations of specific stressors, and context to subsequent asthma symptoms adjusting for age, gender, and chronological day in the study. Results Being outdoors and experiencing disagreements with parents, teasing, or arguing were associated with more severe self-reported asthma symptoms in the next few hours (p’s < .05). Being alone and having too much to do were unrelated to the experience of subsequent self-reported asthma symptoms. Conclusions Using a novel real-time data capture strategy, results provide preliminary evidence that being outdoors and experiencing social stressors may induce asthma symptoms in low-income Hispanic children and adolescents with chronic asthma. The results of this preliminary study can serve as the basis for larger epidemiological and intervention studies. PMID:26438664

Daily Marital Interaction Quality and Carotid Artery Intima Medial Thickness in Healthy Middle Aged Adults

PubMed Central

Joseph, Nataria T.; Kamarck, Thomas W.; Muldoon, Matthew F.; Manuck, Stephen B.

2014-01-01

Objective To examine the association between marital interaction quality during daily life and subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD). Studies have shown that marital status and quality of marriage are associated with cardiovascular health. However, little is known about the role of marital interaction quality during daily life in contributing to these effects. Methods The sample consisted of 281 healthy, employed middle-aged adults who were married or living with a partner in a marital-like relationship (mean age = 42.0 years, 88% white, 52% men). Marital interaction quality was assessed using hourly real-time Ecological Momentary Assessments (EMAs) for 4 days, with participants rating their current or recent partner interactions on positive and negative characteristics (e.g., agreeableness and conflict). Carotid artery intima medial thickness (IMT) was assessed using ultrasound imaging. Results Adjusting for demographics, positive marital interaction was inversely associated with IMT, [b = −.02 F(1, 275) = 9.18, p = .002], and negative marital interaction was positively associated with IMT, [b = .02 F(1, 275) = 10.29, p = .001]. These associations were not accounted for by behavioral and biological cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and were consistent across age, sex, race, and education. The associations were also independent of marital interaction frequency, nonmarital social interaction quality, and personality factors. Global reports of marital quality, in contrast, were not associated with IMT. Conclusions Marital quality as measured during real-time interactions between partners was associated with subclinical cardiovascular disease in healthy middle-aged adults. This study supports the utility of real-time social interaction assessment for characterizing links between social relationships and cardiovascular health. PMID:24915293

Case Study: Clinical Governance as an Approach to Improve Maternal and Newborn Health in 22 Hospitals in Indonesia.

PubMed

Amelia, Dwirani; Suhowatsky, Stephanie; Baharuddin, Mohammad; Tholandi, Maya; Hyre, Anne; Sethi, Reena

Clinical governance is a concept used to improve management, accountability and the provision of quality healthcare. An approach to strengthen clinical governance as a means to improve the quality of maternal and newborn care in Indonesia was developed by the Expanding Maternal and Neonatal Survival (EMAS) Program. This case study presents findings and lessons learned from EMAS program experience in 22 hospitals where peer-to-peer mentoring supported staff in strengthening clinical governance from 2012-2015. Efforts resulted in improved hospital preparedness and significantly increased the odds of facility-level coverage for three evidence-based maternal and newborn healthcare interventions.

Metabolic pathway analysis and kinetic studies for production of nattokinase in Bacillus subtilis.

PubMed

Unrean, Pornkamol; Nguyen, Nhung H A

2013-01-01

We have constructed a reaction network model of Bacillus subtilis. The model was analyzed using a pathway analysis tool called elementary mode analysis (EMA). The analysis tool was used to study the network capabilities and the possible effects of altered culturing conditions on the production of a fibrinolytic enzyme, nattokinase (NK) by B. subtilis. Based on all existing metabolic pathways, the maximum theoretical yield for NK synthesis in B. subtilis under different substrates and oxygen availability was predicted and the optimal culturing condition for NK production was identified. To confirm model predictions, experiments were conducted by testing these culture conditions for their influence on NK activity. The optimal culturing conditions were then applied to batch fermentation, resulting in high NK activity. The EMA approach was also applied for engineering B. subtilis metabolism towards the most efficient pathway for NK synthesis by identifying target genes for deletion and overexpression that enable the cell to produce NK at the maximum theoretical yield. The consistency between experiments and model predictions proves the feasibility of EMA being used to rationally design culture conditions and genetic manipulations for the efficient production of desired products.

Evaluating the utility of administering a reaction time task in an ecological momentary assessment study.

PubMed

Waters, Andrew J; Li, Yisheng

2008-03-01

Cognitive processes underlying drug use have typically been assessed in laboratory settings. More detailed and ecologically valid data may be possible if assessments were conducted in an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) setting. We evaluated the feasibility and utility of administering a reaction time task on a hand-held computer (personal digital assistant, PDA) in an EMA setting. Twenty-two smokers and 22 non-smokers carried around the PDA for 1 week as they went about their daily lives. They were beeped at random times four times per day (random assessments, RAs). Participants were also instructed to press an "anxiety assessment" (AA) button on the PDA whenever they felt suddenly anxious. At each assessment (RA, AA), participants responded to items assessing subjective, pharmacological, and contextual variables, and subsequently completed a Stroop task (classic-Stroop, emotional-Stroop, or smoking-Stroop task). Participants responded to 81.2% of RAs, completed assessments in an average of 4.44 min, reported no interruptions on the majority of assessments (62.4%), and produced data with adequate reliability. Using generalized estimating equation (GEE) analyses, age was associated with the classic-Stroop effect, state anxiety was associated with the emotional-Stroop effect, and Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence scores were associated with the smoking-Stroop effect. The study provided evidence for the feasibility and utility of the approach.

Middle and High School Students’ Exposure to Alcohol- and Smoking-Related Media: A Pilot Study Using Ecological Momentary Assessment

PubMed Central

Scharf, Deborah M.; Martino, Steven C.; Setodji, Claude M.; Staplefoote, B. Lynette; Shadel, William G.

2013-01-01

The goals of this study were to assess the feasibility of using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to measure adolescents’ exposure to alcohol and smoking-related media. A sample of 20 middle and high school students completed a two-week EMA protocol in which they monitored exposures to alcohol and smoking-related media. Results showed that adolescents were highly compliant with the study protocol. A total of 255 exposures to alcohol (67%) and smoking (33%) were captured, representing an average of 8.50 (5.82) alcohol-related media exposures and 4.25 (SD = 3.67) smoking-related media exposures and an average of per participant during the study period. Exposures tended to occur in the afternoon (52% alcohol; 54% smoking), at point of sale (44% alcohol; 65% smoking) and on days leading up to the weekend (57% alcohol; 57% smoking). Exposures were also likely in the presence of family (69% alcohol; 56% smoking). Overall, results of this small pilot provide preliminary evidence that EMA is a useful tool for tracking and characterizing middle and high school students’ real-world exposures to alcohol and smoking-related media. Future studies may suggest mechanisms by which media exposures lead to youth uptake of drinking and smoking behaviors. PMID:23772763

Developing an Internet- and Mobile-Based System to Measure Cigarette Use Among Pacific Islanders: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.

PubMed

Pike, James Russell; Xie, Bin; Tan, Nasya; Sabado-Liwag, Melanie Dee; Orne, Annette; Toilolo, Tupou; Cen, Steven; May, Vanessa; Lee, Cevadne; Pang, Victor Kaiwi; Rainer, Michelle A; Vaivao, Dorothy Etimani S; Lepule, Jonathan Tana; Tanjasiri, Sora Park; Palmer, Paula Healani

2016-01-07

Recent prevalence data indicates that Pacific Islanders living in the United States have disproportionately high smoking rates when compared to the general populace. However, little is known about the factors contributing to tobacco use in this at-risk population. Moreover, few studies have attempted to determine these factors utilizing technology-based assessment techniques. The objective was to develop a customized Internet-based Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) system capable of measuring cigarette use among Pacific Islanders in Southern California. This system integrated the ubiquity of text messaging, the ease of use associated with mobile phone apps, the enhanced functionality offered by Internet-based Cell phone-optimized Assessment Techniques (ICAT), and the high survey completion rates exhibited by EMA studies that used electronic diaries. These features were tested in a feasibility study designed to assess whether Pacific Islanders would respond to this method of measurement and whether the data gathered would lead to novel insights regarding the intrapersonal, social, and ecological factors associated with cigarette use. 20 young adult smokers in Southern California who self-identified as Pacific Islanders were recruited by 5 community-based organizations to take part in a 7-day EMA study. Participants selected six consecutive two-hour time blocks per day during which they would be willing to receive a text message linking them to an online survey formatted for Web-enabled mobile phones. Both automated reminders and community coaches were used to facilitate survey completion. 720 surveys were completed from 840 survey time blocks, representing a completion rate of 86%. After adjusting for gender, age, and nicotine dependence, feeling happy (P=<.001) or wanting a cigarette while drinking alcohol (P=<.001) were positively associated with cigarette use. Being at home (P=.02) or being around people who are not smoking (P=.01) were negatively associated

Developing an Internet- and Mobile-Based System to Measure Cigarette Use Among Pacific Islanders: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

PubMed Central

Tan, Nasya; Sabado-Liwag, Melanie Dee; Orne, Annette; Toilolo, Tupou; Cen, Steven; May, Vanessa; Lee, Cevadne; Pang, Victor Kaiwi; Rainer, Michelle A; Vaivao, Dorothy Etimani S; Lepule, Jonathan Tana; Tanjasiri, Sora Park; Palmer, Paula Healani

2016-01-01

Background Recent prevalence data indicates that Pacific Islanders living in the United States have disproportionately high smoking rates when compared to the general populace. However, little is known about the factors contributing to tobacco use in this at-risk population. Moreover, few studies have attempted to determine these factors utilizing technology-based assessment techniques. Objective The objective was to develop a customized Internet-based Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) system capable of measuring cigarette use among Pacific Islanders in Southern California. This system integrated the ubiquity of text messaging, the ease of use associated with mobile phone apps, the enhanced functionality offered by Internet-based Cell phone-optimized Assessment Techniques (ICAT), and the high survey completion rates exhibited by EMA studies that used electronic diaries. These features were tested in a feasibility study designed to assess whether Pacific Islanders would respond to this method of measurement and whether the data gathered would lead to novel insights regarding the intrapersonal, social, and ecological factors associated with cigarette use. Methods 20 young adult smokers in Southern California who self-identified as Pacific Islanders were recruited by 5 community-based organizations to take part in a 7-day EMA study. Participants selected six consecutive two-hour time blocks per day during which they would be willing to receive a text message linking them to an online survey formatted for Web-enabled mobile phones. Both automated reminders and community coaches were used to facilitate survey completion. Results 720 surveys were completed from 840 survey time blocks, representing a completion rate of 86%. After adjusting for gender, age, and nicotine dependence, feeling happy (P=<.001) or wanting a cigarette while drinking alcohol (P=<.001) were positively associated with cigarette use. Being at home (P=.02) or being around people who are not

Monitoring dietary intake and physical activity electronically: feasibility, usability, and ecological validity of a mobile-based Ecological Momentary Assessment tool.

PubMed

Spook, Jorinde Eline; Paulussen, Theo; Kok, Gerjo; Van Empelen, Pepijn

2013-09-24

Despite the growing body of research on complex lifestyle behaviors (eg, Dietary Intake [DI] and Physical Activity [PA]), monitoring of these behaviors has been hampered by a lack of suitable methods. A possible solution to this deficiency is mobile-based Ecological Momentary Assessment (mEMA), which enables researchers to collect data on participants' states in real-time by means of a smartphone application. However, feasibility, usability, and ecological validity need to be anticipated and managed in order to enhance the validity of mEMA. To examine the feasibility, usability, and ecological validity of a mEMA application (app) with regard to DI and PA among Dutch vocational education students. The students (n=30) participated in the mEMA study for seven consecutive days. They downloaded the mEMA app on their smartphone. Feasibility and usability of the mEMA app were evaluated by completing an online evaluation after seven days of participation. Ecological validity was measured by assessing the degree to which the content of the mEMA app approximated the real-world setting that was being examined, through several multiple-choice questions. Compliance rates, as registered by the mEMA app, declined 46% over a seven-day period, while self-reported compliance, as measured with an online evaluation questionnaire afterwards, indicated a smaller decrease in compliance (29%). The students evaluated the mEMA app as feasible and usable. Ecological validity analyses showed that all DI and almost all PA multiple-choice options were covered with the compound response categories. The mEMA app offers the opportunity to assess complex health behaviors (eg, DI and PA) in real-time settings, in which specifically routinized behaviors are involved. However, the mEMA app faced several challenges that needed to be overcome in order to improve its validity. Overall, the present study showed that the mEMA app is a usable and ecologically valid tool to measure DI and PA behaviors among

Does access to clinical study reports from the European Medicines Agency reduce reporting biases? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on the effect of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents in cancer patients

PubMed Central

Grabik, Michael; Tonia, Thomy; Jüni, Peter; Pétavy, Frank; Pignatti, Francesco

2017-01-01

Since 2010, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has provided access to clinical study reports (CSRs). We requested CSRs for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) in cancer patients from EMA and identified RCT publications with literature searches. We assessed CSR availability and completeness, the impact of unreported and unpublished data obtained from CSRs on the effects of ESAs on quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients, and discrepancies between data reported in the public domain and in CSRs. We used random-effects meta-analyses to evaluate the effect of ESAs on QoL measured with Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Anemia (FACT-An), FACT-Fatigue (FACT-F) and FACT-Anemia Total (FACT-An Total) stratified by data source and the impact of discrepancies on QoL, mortality, adverse events, and clinical effectiveness outcomes. We identified 94 eligible RCTs; CSRs or other study documentation were available for 17 (18%) RCTs at EMA. Median report length was 1,825 pages (range 72–14,569). Of 180 outcomes of interest reported in the EMA documentation, 127 (71%) were publicly available. For 80 of those (63%) we noted discrepancies, but these had little impact on the pooled effect estimates. Of 27 QoL outcomes reported in the CSRs, 17 (63%) were unpublished. Including six unpublished comparisons (pooled mean difference [MD] 0.20; 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.93, 2.33) reduced the pooled effect of ESAs for FACT-An from MD 5.51 (95% CI 4.20, 6.82) in published data to MD 3.21 (95% CI 1.38, 5.03), which is below a clinically important difference (defined as MD ≥4). Effects were similar for FACT-F and FACT-An Total. Access to CSRs from EMA reduced reporting biases for QoL outcomes. However, EMA received documentation for a fraction of all RCTs on effects of ESAs in cancer patients. Additional efforts by other agencies and institutions are needed to make CSRs universally available for all RCTs. PMID:29228059

Does age matter? The impact of rodent age on study outcomes.

PubMed

Jackson, Samuel J; Andrews, Nick; Ball, Doug; Bellantuono, Ilaria; Gray, James; Hachoumi, Lamia; Holmes, Alan; Latcham, Judy; Petrie, Anja; Potter, Paul; Rice, Andrew; Ritchie, Alison; Stewart, Michelle; Strepka, Carol; Yeoman, Mark; Chapman, Kathryn

2017-04-01

Rodent models produce data which underpin biomedical research and non-clinical drug trials, but translation from rodents into successful clinical outcomes is often lacking. There is a growing body of evidence showing that improving experimental design is key to improving the predictive nature of rodent studies and reducing the number of animals used in research. Age, one important factor in experimental design, is often poorly reported and can be overlooked. The authors conducted a survey to assess the age used for a range of models, and the reasoning for age choice. From 297 respondents providing 611 responses, researchers reported using rodents most often in the 6-20 week age range regardless of the biology being studied. The age referred to as 'adult' by respondents varied between six and 20 weeks. Practical reasons for the choice of rodent age were frequently given, with increased cost associated with using older animals and maintenance of historical data comparability being two important limiting factors. These results highlight that choice of age is inconsistent across the research community and often not based on the development or cellular ageing of the system being studied. This could potentially result in decreased scientific validity and increased experimental variability. In some cases the use of older animals may be beneficial. Increased scientific rigour in the choice of the age of rodent may increase the translation of rodent models to humans.

Scaled Inverse Probability Weighting: A Method to Assess Potential Bias Due to Event Nonreporting in Ecological Momentary Assessment Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kovalchik, Stephanie A.; Martino, Steven C.; Collins, Rebecca L.; Shadel, William G.; D'Amico, Elizabeth J.; Becker, Kirsten

2018-01-01

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is a popular assessment method in psychology that aims to capture events, emotions, and cognitions in real time, usually repeatedly throughout the day. Because EMA typically involves more intensive monitoring than traditional assessment methods, missing data are commonly an issue and this missingness may bias…

Design Evolution Study - Aging Options

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

P. McDaniel

The purpose of this study is to identify options and issues for aging commercial spent nuclear fuel received for disposal at the Yucca Mountain Mined Geologic Repository. Some early shipments of commercial spent nuclear fuel to the repository may be received with high-heat-output (younger) fuel assemblies that will need to be managed to meet thermal goals for emplacement. The capability to age as much as 40,000 metric tons of heavy metal of commercial spent nuclear he1 would provide more flexibility in the design to manage this younger fuel and to decouple waste receipt and waste emplacement. The following potential agingmore » location options are evaluated: (1) Surface aging at four locations near the North Portal; (2) Subsurface aging in the permanent emplacement drifts; and (3) Subsurface aging in a new subsurface area. The following aging container options are evaluated: (1) Complete Waste Package; (2) Stainless Steel inner liner of the waste package; (3) Dual Purpose Canisters; (4) Multi-Purpose Canisters; and (5) New disposable canister for uncanistered commercial spent nuclear fuel. Each option is compared to a ''Base Case,'' which is the expected normal waste packaging process without aging. A Value Engineering approach is used to score each option against nine technical criteria and rank the options. Open issues with each of the options and suggested future actions are also presented. Costs for aging containers and aging locations are evaluated separately. Capital costs are developed for direct costs and distributable field costs. To the extent practical, unit costs are presented. Indirect costs, operating costs, and total system life cycle costs will be evaluated outside of this study. Three recommendations for aging commercial spent nuclear fuel--subsurface, surface, and combined surface and subsurface are presented for further review in the overall design re-evaluation effort. Options that were evaluated but not recommended are: subsurface aging in a

Does age matter? The impact of rodent age on study outcomes

PubMed Central

Andrews, Nick; Ball, Doug; Bellantuono, Ilaria; Gray, James; Hachoumi, Lamia; Holmes, Alan; Latcham, Judy; Petrie, Anja; Potter, Paul; Rice, Andrew; Ritchie, Alison; Stewart, Michelle; Strepka, Carol; Yeoman, Mark; Chapman, Kathryn

2016-01-01

Rodent models produce data which underpin biomedical research and non-clinical drug trials, but translation from rodents into successful clinical outcomes is often lacking. There is a growing body of evidence showing that improving experimental design is key to improving the predictive nature of rodent studies and reducing the number of animals used in research. Age, one important factor in experimental design, is often poorly reported and can be overlooked. The authors conducted a survey to assess the age used for a range of models, and the reasoning for age choice. From 297 respondents providing 611 responses, researchers reported using rodents most often in the 6–20 week age range regardless of the biology being studied. The age referred to as ‘adult’ by respondents varied between six and 20 weeks. Practical reasons for the choice of rodent age were frequently given, with increased cost associated with using older animals and maintenance of historical data comparability being two important limiting factors. These results highlight that choice of age is inconsistent across the research community and often not based on the development or cellular ageing of the system being studied. This could potentially result in decreased scientific validity and increased experimental variability. In some cases the use of older animals may be beneficial. Increased scientific rigour in the choice of the age of rodent may increase the translation of rodent models to humans. PMID:27307423

ESPGHAN 2012 Guidelines for Coeliac Disease Diagnosis: Validation Through a Retrospective Spanish Multicentric Study.

PubMed

Donat, Ester; Ramos, Jose M; Sánchez-Valverde, Félix; Moreno, Ana; Martinez, Maria-Jose; Leis, Rosaura; Peña-Quintana, Luis; Castillejo, Gemma; Fernández, Sonia; Garcia, Zuriñe; Ortigosa, Luis; Balmaseda, Elena; Marugán, José-Manuel; Eizaguirre, Francisco-Javier; Lorenzo, Helena; Barrio, Josefa; Ribes-Koninckx, Carmen

2016-02-01

A large retrospective multicentre study was conducted in Spain to evaluate the efficiency of the new European Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (ESPGHAN) criteria for the diagnosis of coeliac disease (CD). The study protocol was approved by the ethics committee of Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe (Valencia, Spain). The present study included 2177 children (ages 0.6-15.9 years) with small bowel biopsy (SBB) performed for diagnostic purposes (from 2000 to 2009) and with a minimum 2-year follow-up after biopsy. CD was diagnosed in 2126 patients (97.5%) and excluded in 51 (2.5%). Tissue transglutaminase antibodies (TG2A), anti-endomysial antibodies (EMA), and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) were reported in 751 patients, 640 symptomatic and 111 asymptomatic. TG2A levels >10 times the upper limit of normal, plus positive EMA and HLA DQ2 and/or DQ8 haplotypes, were found in 336 symptomatic patients, all of them with final diagnosis of CD. In 65 of 69 asymptomatic patients, 65 had confirmed CD and 4 did not have CD. According to the 2012 ESPGHAN guidelines, SBB may have been omitted in 52% of the symptomatic patients with CD with serologic and HLA available data. Gluten challenge was performed in 158 children, 75 of them <2 years at first biopsy. Only 1 patient in whom according to the new proposed diagnostic criteria gluten challenge would not have been mandatory did not relapse. Our results support the new ESPGHAN 2012 guidelines for diagnosis of CD can be safely used without the risk of overdiagnosis. A prospective multicentre study is needed to confirm our results.

Summary of the EMA Joint Regulators/Industry QbD workshop (London, UK; 28-29 January 2014).

PubMed

Cook, Graham; France, Georges; Holte, Øyvind; Lorenti, Giampiero; Tainsh, David

2016-01-01

This paper summarizes the discussions and insights gained from the key themes that emerged during the Quality by Design (QbD) Workshop held at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) offices in London, UK, on 28-29 January 2014. Industry and regulators shared practical experiences from six case studies (five approved small molecule products and one phase 3 biotechnological product) based on QbD submissions by five companies (AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, NovoNordisk, and Pfizer).The case studies covered a range of different development, regulatory submission, and post-approval aspects of QbD and were developed through confidential discussions between the company representatives and regulators. Key themes that emerged from the workshop discussions were: 1. presentation of information in submissions (development story and the presentation of information in marketing authorization applications; risk assessment and criticality); 2. development aspects (design space; use of models; control strategy); and 3. post-approval aspects (lifecycle management; dossier-quality system interactions; handling of deviations). Many aspects of QbD for biotechnological products are similar to small molecules, but there are some important differences highlighted in this paper.The final section of the paper discusses some proposals for future developments to address the issues that were identified. This paper summarizes the discussions and insights gained from the key themes that emerged during the Quality by Design (QbD) Workshop held at the European Medicines Agency offices in London, UK, on 28-29 January 2014. Industry and regulators shared practical experiences from six case studies (five approved small-molecule products and one phase 3 biotechnological product) based on QbD submissions by five companies (AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, NovoNordisk, and Pfizer).The case studies covered a range of different development, regulatory submission, and post-approval aspects of

[Cognitive capacity in advanced age: initial results of the Berlin Aging Study].

PubMed

Lindenberger, U; Baltes, P B

1995-01-01

This study reports data on intellectual functioning in old and very old age from the Berlin Aging Study (N = 516; age range = 70-103 years; mean age = 85 years). A psychometric battery of 14 tests was used to assess five cognitive abilities: reasoning, memory, and perceptual speed from the broad fluid-mechanical as well as knowledge and fluency from the broad crystallized-pragmatic domains. Cognitive abilities had a negative linear relationship with age, with more pronounced age-based reductions in fluid-mechanical than crystallized-pragmatic abilities. At the same time, ability intercorrelations formed a highly positive manifold, and did not follow the fluid-crystallized distinction. Interindividual variability was of about equal magnitude across the entire age range studied. There was, however, no evidence for substantial sex differences. As to origins of individual differences, indicators of sensory and sensorimotor functioning were more powerful predictors of intellectual functioning than cultural-biographical variables, and the two sets of predictors were, consistent with theoretical expectations, differentially related to measures of fluid-mechanical (perceptual speed) and crystallized pragmatic (knowledge) functioning. Results, in general indicative of sizeable and general losses with age, are consistent with the view that aging-induced biological influences are a prominent source of individual differences in intellectual functioning in old and very old age. Longitudinal follow-ups are underway to examine the role of cohort effects, selective mortality, and interindividual differences in change trajectories.

Emergence of Sex Differences in Insomnia Symptoms in Adolescents: A Large-Scale School-Based Study

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jihui; Chan, Ngan Yin; Lam, Siu Ping; Li, Shirley Xin; Liu, Yaping; Chan, Joey W.Y.; Kong, Alice Pik Shan; Ma, Ronald C.W.; Chan, Kate C.C.; Li, Albert Martin; Wing, Yun-Kwok

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: This study aimed to explore the moderation of pubertal status on the onset of sex differences in the prevalence of insomnia symptoms and their health correlates. Methods: A total of 7,507 children and adolescents (weighted percentage of female: 48.5%) aged between 6–17 y were recruited from thirty-one primary and secondary schools. Participants with difficulty initiating sleep (DIS), difficulty maintaining sleep (DMS), and/or early morning awakening (EMA) ≥ 3 times/week in the past month were considered as having insomnia symptoms. The severity of insomnia was measured by the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Results: The prevalence of insomnia symptoms increased from 3.4% to 12.2% in girls (3.6-fold) and from 4.3% to 9.1% in boys (2.1-fold) from Tanner stage 1 to 5. There was a significant interaction between sex and Tanner stage in the prevalence of insomnia (P < 0.001) with an emergence of female preponderance at Tanner stage 4 even after controlling for age, family income, and school start time. Similar sex-Tanner stage interactions were found in DIS, DMS, and ISI total score but not EMA. Insomnia symptoms were strongly associated with behavioral problems, poor mental health, and poor general health in both sexes. Boys with insomnia would report more maladaptive lifestyles (smoking, alcohol, and energy drinks) whereas girls with insomnia were more susceptible to emotional and relationship difficulties. Conclusions: Pubertal maturation was associated with a progressive increase in the prevalence of insomnia symptoms with the emergence of female preponderance in both the prevalence and severity of insomnia symptoms at late puberty. Clinical Trials Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Register, http://www.chictr.org.cn, ID: ChiCTR-TRC-12002798 Citation: Zhang J, Chan NY, Lam SP, Li SX, Liu Y, Chan JW, Kong AP, Ma RC, Chan KC, Li AM, Wing YK. Emergence of sex differences in insomnia symptoms in adolescents: a large-scale school-based study. SLEEP

Factors Predicting Compliance to Ecological Momentary Assessment Among Adolescent Smokers

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction: Ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) are increasingly used in smoking research to understand contextual and individual differences related to smoking and changes in smoking. To date, there has been little detailed research into the predictors of EMA compliance. However, patterns or predictors of compliance may affect key relationships under investigation and introduce sources of bias in results. The purpose of this study was to investigate predictors of compliance to random prompts among a sample of adolescents who had ever smoked. Methods: Data for this study were drawn from a sample of 461 adolescents (9th and 10th graders at baseline) participating in a longitudinal study of smoking escalation. We examined 2 outcomes: subject-level EMA compliance (overall rate of compliance over a week-long EMA wave), and in-the-moment prompt-level compliance to the most proximal random prompt. We investigated several covariates including gender, race, smoking rate, alcohol use, psychological symptomatology, home composition, mood, social context, time in study, inter-prompt interval, and location. Results: At the overall subject level, higher mean negative affect, smoking rate, alcohol use, and male gender predicted lower compliance with random EMA prompts. At the prompt level, after controlling for significant subject-level predictors of compliance, increased positive affect, being outside of the home, and longer inter-prompt interval predicted lower momentary compliance. Conclusions: This study identifies several factors associated with overall and momentary EMA compliance among a sample of adolescents participating in a longitudinal study of smoking. We also propose a conceptual framework for investigating the contextual and momentary predictors of compliance within EMA studies. PMID:24097816

Invasive micropapillary carcinoma of urinary bladder: a clinicopathological study.

PubMed

Chatterjee, Debajyoti; Das, Ashim; Radotra, Bishan D

2015-01-01

Micropapillary variant of urothelial carcinoma (MPUC) is a rare but well-recognized tumor of the urinary bladder. Tumors with micropapillary areas accompanying conventional urothelial carcinoma are more aggressive compared to conventional urothelial carcinoma and show variable keratin 7, keratin 20 and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her 2)neu expression. The aim of the study was to analyze the clinical, morphological and immunohistochemical profile of MPUC. Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) chips of seven cases of invasive MPUC with subsequent cystoprostatectomy specimens of five patients was reviewed. Epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), Keratin 7, Keratin 20, and Her 2 immunohistochemistry were performed in all cases. Follow-up information was available for all patients (2-36 months). All seven patients were male, and their ages ranged from 50 to 62 years. All cases presented with hematuria. The micropapillary pattern was seen in 20-95% of the tumor. All cases showed extensive lymphatic emboli with detrusor muscle invasion. Lymph node metastasis was present in all cases undergoing cystoprostatectomy except one. Keratin 7 and abluminal pattern of EMA positivity were seen in all cases. Keratin 20 was positive in five cases (71%), and Her 2neu positivity was seen in four cases. Three patients died 2, 3, and 6 months after initial diagnosis, among which two were Her 2 positive and one was Her 2 negative. There was no clear prognostic significance of Her 2 positivity. (1) MPUC is a rare but highly aggressive tumor. (2) Micropapillary is usually the predominant pattern. (3) Keratin 7 is expressed universally, whereas Keratin 20 expression is variable. (4) Her 2 expression has no clear influence on the survival.

Hidradenocarcinoma: a histological and immunohistochemical study.

PubMed

Ko, Christine J; Cochran, Alistair J; Eng, William; Binder, Scott W

2006-11-01

The diagnosis of hidradenocarcinoma is difficult due to a combination of factors including inconsistent nomenclature/ classification, rarity of the neoplasm, and variable morphology of cells composing the neoplasm. Immunohistochemistry has not been previously performed on a series of hidradenocarcinomas. We evaluated six cases of hidradenocarcinoma histologically and immunohistochemically using antibodies to gross cystic disease fluid protein-15 (GCDFP-15), carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), S-100 protein, keratin AE1/3, cytokeratin 5/6, p53, bcl-1, bcl-2, and Ki67. Histology suggested concurrent eccrine and apocrine differentiation of the cases. Ki67 and p53 staining was strongly positive in five of six tumors. The neoplasms stained with antibodies to CEA, S-100 protein, GCDFP-15, EMA, bcl-1, and bcl-2 in no consistent pattern. All tumors studied stained positively for keratin AE1/3 and cytokeratin 5/6. In making the diagnosis of hidradenocarcinoma, it may be unnecessary to separate hidradenocarcinoma into eccrine and apocrine categories, and although Ki67 and p53 may be helpful, histological parameters remain paramount.

Waking Up on the Wrong Side of the Bed: The Effects of Stress Anticipation on Working Memory in Daily Life.

PubMed

Hyun, Jinshil; Sliwinski, Martin J; Smyth, Joshua M

2018-05-15

The aim of this study was to examine the association between stress anticipated for the upcoming day and cognitive function later on that day, and how this relationship differed across age. A diverse adult community sample (N = 240, age 25-65 years) completed ecological momentary assessment (EMA) reports for 2 weeks on a smartphone; each day they completed a morning survey upon waking, beeped surveys at five times during a day, and an end-of-day survey. Morning and end-of-day surveys included questions to measure stress anticipation, and each beeped survey included measures of stressful events, followed by a spatial working memory (WM) task. Results from multilevel models indicated that stress anticipation reported upon waking, but not on the previous night, was associated with deficit in WM performance later that day; importantly, this effect was over and above the effect of EMA-reported stress. The detrimental effect of stress anticipation upon waking was invariant across age. These findings suggest that anticipatory processes can produce harmful effects on cognitive functioning that are independent of everyday stress experiences. This may identify an important avenue to mitigate everyday cognitive lapses among older adults.

Does social context matter? An ecological momentary assessment study of marijuana use among college students.

PubMed

Phillips, Kristina T; Phillips, Michael M; Lalonde, Trent L; Prince, Mark A

2018-08-01

Past research has shown that marijuana use occurs commonly in social situations for young adults, though few studies have examined the association between immediate social context and marijuana use patterns and associated problems. The current study examined the impact of demographics, marijuana use and problem use, alcohol use, craving, and social context on the likelihood of using marijuana with others via ecological momentary assessment (EMA). College-student marijuana users (N=56) were recruited and completed a baseline assessment and training on the two-week signal-contingent EMA protocol. Participants were sent text messages three times per day randomly for two weeks. Of the 1131 EMA instances during which participants reported using marijuana, 862 (76.22%) were labeled as being with others. Forty-five participants (80.36%) reported marijuana use with others present during at least half of the times they used marijuana. Findings from a multilevel logistic regression model showed a significant positive association between the probability of using with others and minutes spent using marijuana (b=0.047, p<0.001), social facilitation (b=0.138, p<0.001), and DSM-IV diagnosis (dependence versus no diagnosis, b=1.350, p=0.047). Cannabis dependence, more time using marijuana in the moment, and using for social facilitation purposes were positively associated with using marijuana in the context of being with others. Daily users had more variability in terms of the social context of their use. This study illustrates the complex relationship between social context and marijuana use. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Age Identification in the Framework of Successful Aging: A Study of Older Finnish People

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uotinen, Virpi; Suutama, Timo; Ruoppila, Isto

2003-01-01

A person-oriented approach was used in a study of age identification among community-dwelling older people. The study was based on 8-year follow-up data; 843 persons aged 65-84 were involved in the first phase of the study, and 426 persons aged 73-92, in the second phase. Loosely, on the basis of the distinction between successful, usual, and…

Associations between sleep disturbance and alcohol drinking: A large-scale epidemiological study of adolescents in Japan.

PubMed

Morioka, Hisayoshi; Itani, Osamu; Kaneita, Yoshitaka; Ikeda, Maki; Kondo, Shuji; Yamamoto, Ryuichiro; Osaki, Yoneatsu; Kanda, Hideyuki; Higuchi, Susumu; Ohida, Takashi

2013-12-01

In this study, we attempted to clarify the associations between various sleep disturbance symptoms and the frequency and amount of alcohol use among Japanese adolescents. This study was designed as a cross-sectional sampling survey. A self-administered questionnaire survey was administered to students enrolled in randomly selected junior and senior high schools throughout Japan. A total of 99,416 adolescents responded, and 98,867 questionnaires were subjected to analysis. The prevalence rates of sleep disturbance in the 30 days preceding the day of the survey were as follows: subjectively insufficient sleep (SIS) (boys: 37.6%, girls: 38.7%); short sleep duration (SSD) with less than 6 h of sleep (boys: 28.0%, girls: 33.0%); difficulty initiating sleep (DIS) (boys: 12.5%, girls: 14.1%); difficulty maintaining sleep (DMS) (boys: 10.1%, girls: 10.9%); and early morning awakening (EMA) (boys: 5.1%, girls: 5.0%). Adolescents reporting one or more symptoms of DIS, DMS, and EMA were classified as having insomnia, and its prevalence was 21.5%. The prevalence of each symptom of sleep disturbance increased significantly with the number of days on which alcohol was consumed in the previous 30 days and the amount of alcohol consumed per drinking session (p < 0.01). Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for each symptom of sleep disturbance, except SIS and EMA, tended to increase with the number of days on which alcohol was consumed and the amount of alcohol consumed per drinking session. The prevalence of sleep disturbance is particularly high among adolescents drinking alcohol. The risk of having each symptom of sleep disturbance, except SIS and EMA, increases with the number of days on which alcohol was consumed and the amount of alcohol consumed per drinking session. These findings reconfirm the need to eliminate underage drinking to ensure good sleep among adolescents. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Design and process of the EMA Cohort Study: the value of antenatal education in childbirth and breastfeeding

PubMed Central

Paz-Pascual, Carmen; Pinedo, Isabel Artieta; Grandes, Gonzalo; de Gamboa, Gurutze Remiro Fernandez; Hermosilla, Itziar Odriozola; de la Hera, Amaia Bacigalupe; Gordon, Janire Payo; Garcia, Guadalupe Manzano; de Pedro, Magdalena Ureta

2008-01-01

Background Antenatal education (AE) started more than 30 years ago with the purpose of decreasing pain during childbirth. Epidural anaesthesia has achieved this objective, and the value of AE is therefore currently questioned. This article describes the protocol and process of a study designed to assess AE results today. Methods/Design A prospective study was designed in which a cohort of 616 nulliparous pregnant women attending midwife offices of the Basque Health Service were followed for 13 months. Three exposure groups were considered based on the number of AE sessions attended: (a) women attending no session, (b) women attending 1 to 4, and (c) women attending 5 or more sessions. Sociodemographic, personality, and outcome variables related to childbirth and breastfeeding were measured. It was expected 40% of pregnant women not to have participated in any AE session. However, 93% had attended at least one session. This low exposure variability decreased statistical power of the study as compared to the initially planned power. Despite this, there was a greater than 80% power for detecting as significant differences between exposure groups of, for instance, 10% in continuation of breastfeeding at one and a half months and in visits for false labour. Women attending more sessions were seen to have a mean higher age and educational level, and to belong to a higher socioeconomic group (p < 0.01). Follow-up was completed in 99% of participants. Discussion Adequate prior estimation of variability in the exposure under study is essential for designing cohort studies. Sociodemographic characteristics may play a confounding role in studies assessing AE and should be controlled in design and analyses. Quality control during the study process and continued collaboration from both public system midwives and eligible pregnant women resulted in a negligible loss rate. PMID:18435856

X-Ray Exam: Bone Age Study (For Parents)

MedlinePlus

... for Educators Search English Español X-Ray Exam: Bone Age Study KidsHealth / For Parents / X-Ray Exam: Bone Age Study What's in this article? What It ... de la edad ósea What It Is A bone age study helps doctors estimate the maturity of ...

Mobile Phone Ownership Is Not a Serious Barrier to Participation in Studies: Descriptive Study

PubMed Central

Rubin, Leslie F; Smiley, Sabrina L; Zhou, Yitong; Elmasry, Hoda; Pearson, Jennifer L

2018-01-01

Background Rather than providing participants with study-specific data collection devices, their personal mobile phones are increasingly being used as a means for collecting geolocation and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) data in public health research. Objective The purpose of this study was to (1) describe the sociodemographic characteristics of respondents to an online survey screener assessing eligibility to participate in a mixed methods study collecting geolocation and EMA data via the participants’ personal mobile phones, and (2) examine how eligibility criteria requiring mobile phone ownership and an unlimited text messaging plan affected participant inclusion. Methods Adult (≥18 years) daily smokers were recruited via public advertisements, free weekly newspapers, printed flyers, and word of mouth. An online survey screener was used as the initial method of determining eligibility for study participation. The survey screened for twenty-eight inclusion criteria grouped into three categories, which included (1) cell phone use, (2) tobacco use, and (3) additional criteria Results A total of 1003 individuals completed the online screener. Respondents were predominantly African American (605/1003, 60.3%) (60.4%), male (514/1003, 51.3%), and had a median age of 35 years (IQR 26-50). Nearly 50% (496/1003, 49.5%) were unemployed. Most smoked menthol cigarettes (699/1003, 69.7%), and had a median smoking history of 11 years (IQR 5-21). The majority owned a mobile phone (739/1003, 73.7%), could install apps (86.8%), used their mobile phone daily (89.5%), and had an unlimited text messaging plan (871/1003, 86.8%). Of those who completed the online screener, 302 were eligible to participate in the study; 163 were eligible after rescreening, and 117 were enrolled in the study. Compared to employed individuals, a significantly greater proportion of those who were unemployed were ineligible for the study based on mobile phone inclusion criteria (P<.001); yet

Children with multiple sclerosis should not become therapeutic hostages

PubMed Central

Rose, Klaus; Müller, Thomas

2016-01-01

Background: Both the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Union (EU) European Medicines Agency (EMA) order pediatric clinical trials as a condition for approval of new compounds. We evaluate clinical value and likelihood of sufficient recruitment for pediatric multiple sclerosis (pMS) studies and discuss US and EU pediatric legislation with pMS as a paradigm. Methods: We analyzed pMS clinical trials requested by the FDA and the EMA and industry-sponsored pMS studies registered on www.clinicaltrials.gov and www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu. Results: The FDA demands four and the EMA 15 pMS trials Conclusions: pMS is rare. Neither FDA nor EMA prioritize compounds for potential benefit in pMS. The EMA in particular orders multiple pMS studies, which will probably not recruit enough patients. Therefore, it is likely that the pMS trial outcomes will not be relevant for evidence-based medicine analyses, clinical practice and a pMS label for the respective drug. EMA requests for multiple pediatric studies have been described in metastasized adolescent melanoma, another very rare pediatric disease. The terms ‘ghost studies’ and ‘therapeutic hostages’ have been proposed for such trials and children whose parents are lured into permitting study participation. Clinical studies are not ethical if the probability is high that they will not provide reasonable outcomes. For now, pMS clinicians will have to continue to use new MS drugs in children off-label. They might consider a more proactive international coordinating role in prioritizing and testing new MS compounds in children. PMID:27582894

Using High-Resolution Airborne Remote Sensing to Study Aerosol Near Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levy, Robert; Munchak, Leigh; Mattoo, Shana; Marshak, Alexander; Wilcox, Eric; Gao, Lan; Yorks, John; Platnick, Steven

2016-01-01

The horizontal space in between clear and cloudy air is very complex. This so-called twilight zone includes activated aerosols that are not quite clouds, thin cloud fragments that are not easily observable, and dying clouds that have not quite disappeared. This is a huge challenge for satellite remote sensing, specifically for retrieval of aerosol properties. Identifying what is cloud versus what is not cloud is critically important for attributing radiative effects and forcings to aerosols. At the same time, the radiative interactions between clouds and the surrounding media (molecules, surface and aerosols themselves) will contaminate retrieval of aerosol properties, even in clear skies. Most studies on aerosol cloud interactions are relevant to moderate resolution imagery (e.g. 500 m) from sensors such as MODIS. Since standard aerosol retrieval algorithms tend to keep a distance (e.g. 1 km) from the nearest detected cloud, it is impossible to evaluate what happens closer to the cloud. During Studies of Emissions, Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys (SEAC4RS), the NASA ER-2 flew with the enhanced MODIS Airborne Simulator (eMAS), providing MODIS-like spectral observations at high (50 m) spatial resolution. We have applied MODIS-like aerosol retrieval for the eMAS data, providing new detail to characterization of aerosol near clouds. Interpretation and evaluation of these eMAS aerosol retrievals is aided by independent MODIS-like cloud retrievals, as well as profiles from the co-flying Cloud Physics Lidar (CPL). Understanding aerosolcloud retrieval at high resolution will lead to better characterization and interpretation of long-term, global products from lower resolution (e.g.MODIS) satellite retrievals.

Cuba's Aging and Alzheimer Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Llibre-Rodríguez, Juan de Jesús; Valhuerdi-Cepero, Adolfo; López-Medina, Ana M; Noriega-Fernández, Lisseth; Porto-Álvarez, Rutbeskia; Guerra-Hernández, Milagros A; Bosch-Bayard, Rodolfo I; Zayas-Llerena, Tania; Hernandez-Ulloa, Elaine; Rodríguez-Blanco, Ana L; Salazar-Pérez, Enrique; Llibre-Guerra, Juan C; Llibre-Guerra, Jorge J; Marcheco-Teruel, Beatriz

2017-01-01

Aging and Alzheimer is a prospective, longitudinal cohort study involving 2944 adults aged ≥65 years from selected areas in Cuba's Havana and Matanzas Provinces. This door-to-door study, which began in 2003, includes periodic assessments of the cohort based on an interview; physical exam; anthropometric measurements; and diagnosis of dementia and its subtypes, other mental disorders, and other chronic non-communicable diseases and their risk factors. Information was gathered on sociodemographic characteristics; disability, dependency and frailty; use of health services; and characteristics of care and caregiver burden. The first assessment also included blood tests: complete blood count, blood glucose, kidney and liver function, lipid profile and ApoE4 genotype (a susceptibility marker). In 2007-2011, the second assessment was done of 2010 study subjects aged ≥65 years who were still alive. The study provides data on prevalence and incidence of dementia and its risk factors, and of related conditions that affect the health of older adults. It also contributes valuable experiences from field work and interactions with older adults and their families. Building on lessons learned, a third assessment to be done in 2016-2018 will incorporate a community intervention strategy to respond to diseases and conditions that predispose to dementia, frailty and dependency in older adults. KEYWORDS Dementia, Alzheimer disease, chronic disease, aging, chronic illness, frailty, dependency, cohort studies, Cuba.

Concrete containment aging study

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

Pachner, J.; Tai, T.M.; Naus, D.

1994-04-01

In 1989, IAEA initiated a pilot study on the management of aging of nuclear power plant components. The Phase I and II studies of concrete containment are discussed. With the data base, plant owners will be able to review and enhance their existing programs. IAEA will analyze data provided by participating plants and the report is scheduled to be released by late 1994 (final report release mid-1995).

Lessons learned on the design and the conduct of Post-Authorization Safety Studies: review of 3 years of PRAC oversight.

PubMed

Engel, Pierre; Almas, Mariana Ferreira; De Bruin, Marieke Louise; Starzyk, Kathryn; Blackburn, Stella; Dreyer, Nancy Ann

2017-04-01

To describe and characterize the first cohort of Post-Authorization Safety Study (PASS) protocols reviewed under the recent European pharmacovigilance legislation. A systematic approach was used to compile all publicly available information on PASS protocols and assessments submitted from July 2012 to July 2015 from Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) minutes, European Medicines Agency (EMA) and European Network of Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology (ENCePP) webpages. During the study period, 189 different PASS protocols were submitted to the PRAC, half of which were entered in the ENCePP electronic register of post-authorization studies (EU-PAS) by July 2015. Those protocols were assessed during 353 PRAC reviews. The EMA published only 31% of the PRAC feedback, of which the main concerns were study design (37%) and feasibility (30%). Among the 189 PASS, slightly more involved primary data capture (58%). PASS assessing drug utilization mainly leveraged secondary data sources (58%). The majority of the PASS did not include a comparator (65%) and 35% of PASS also evaluated clinical effectiveness endpoints. To the best of our knowledge this is the first comprehensive review of three years of PASS protocols submitted under the new pharmacovigilance legislation. Our results show that both EMA and PASS sponsors could respectively increase the availability of protocol assessments and documents in the EU-PAS. Protocol content review and the high number of PRAC comments related to methodological issues and feasibility concerns should raise awareness among PASS stakeholders to design more thoughtful studies according to pharmacoepidemiological principles and existing guidelines. © 2016 The British Pharmacological Society.

[Testosterone replacement therapy and cardiovascular risk].

PubMed

Corona, Giovanni; Dicuio, Mauro; Rastrelli, Giulia; Sforza, Alessandra; Maggi, Mario

2017-11-01

Late onset hypogonadism (LOH) is the most commonly used term to indicate the age-dependent reduction of testosterone. Sexual dysfunction represents the most important determinant for medical consultation and the most specific symptoms associated with LOH. In particular, data from the European Male Ageing Study (EMAS), a population-based survey on more than 3400 subjects, recognized that a triad of sexual symptoms (low libido and reduced spontaneous and sex-related erections) is the only syndromic association with decreased testosterone levels. Accordingly, a meta-analysis of the available randomized controlled trials documented that testosterone therapy (TTh) is able to improve all aspects of sexual function when compared to placebo. Despite this evidence, however, the relative clinical significance and the potential benefit of TTh in LOH are still the subject of strong criticisms in the scientific community. The debate is further complicated by the recent position statement of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emphasizing a possible increased cardiovascular risk of TTh. However, this position was not endorsed by the European Medicines Association (EMA), which reached an opposite position after a specific review of the available data. In this review, all the conflicting data supporting the different positions of the FDA and EMA will be discussed. In particular, data derived from either population-based studies or interventional trials will be analyzed in detail. Although some evidence suggests an increase in TTh-related cardiovascular risk, the data derived from controlled trials do not support this position especially when the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events are considered. Symptomatic men with documented reduced testosterone levels can be safely treated with TTh.

Fluorosilicone and silicone o-ring aging study.

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

Bernstein, Robert; Gillen, Kenneth T.

2007-10-01

Fluorosilicone o-ring aging studies were performed. These studies examined the compressive force loss of fluorosilicone o-rings at accelerated (elevated) temperatures and were then used to make predictions about force loss at room temperature. The results were non-Arrhenius with evidence for a lowering in Arrhenius activation energies as the aging temperature was reduced. The compression set of these fluorosilicone o-rings was found to have a reasonably linear correlation with the force loss. The aging predictions based on using the observed curvature of the Arrhenius aging plots were validated by field aged o-rings that yielded degradation values reasonably close to the predictions.more » Compression set studies of silicone o-rings from a previous study resulted in good correlation to the force loss predictions for the fluorosilicone o-rings from this study. This resulted in a preliminary conclusion that an approximately linear correlation exists between compression set and force decay values for typical fluorosilicone and silicone materials, and that the two materials age at similar rates at low temperatures. Interestingly, because of the observed curvature of the Arrhenius plots available from longer-term, lower temperature accelerated exposures, both materials had faster force decay curves (and correspondingly faster buildup of compression set) at room temperature than anticipated from typical high-temperature exposures. A brief study on heavily filled conducting silicone o-rings resulted in data that deviated from the linear relationship, implying that a degree of caution must be exercised about any general statement relating force decay and compression set.« less

Revisiting the Affect Regulation Model of Binge Eating: A Meta-Analysis of Studies using Ecological Momentary Assessment

PubMed Central

Haedt-Matt, Alissa A.; Keel, Pamela K.

2011-01-01

The affect regulation model of binge eating, which posits that patients binge eat to reduce negative affect (NA), has received support from cross-sectional and laboratory-based studies. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) involves momentary ratings and repeated assessments over time and is ideally suited to identify temporal antecedents and consequences of binge eating. This meta-analytic review includes EMA studies of affect and binge eating. Electronic database and manual searches produced 36 EMA studies with N = 968 participants (89% Caucasian women). Meta-analyses examined changes in affect before and after binge eating using within-subjects standardized mean gain effect sizes (ES). Results supported greater NA preceding binge eating relative to average affect (ES = .63) and affect before regular eating (ES = .68). However, NA increased further following binge episodes (ES = .50). Preliminary findings suggested that NA decreased following purging in Bulimia Nervosa (ES = −.46). Moderators included diagnosis (with significantly greater elevations of NA prior to bingeing in Binge Eating Disorder compared to Bulimia Nervosa) and binge definition (with significantly smaller elevations of NA before binge versus regular eating episodes for the DSM definition compared to lay definitions of binge eating). Overall, results fail to support the affect regulation model of binge eating and challenge reductions in NA as a maintenance factor for binge eating. However, limitations of this literature include unidimensional analyses of NA and inadequate examination of affect during binge eating as binge eating may regulate only specific facets of affect or may reduce NA only during the episode. PMID:21574678

Revisiting the affect regulation model of binge eating: a meta-analysis of studies using ecological momentary assessment.

PubMed

Haedt-Matt, Alissa A; Keel, Pamela K

2011-07-01

The affect regulation model of binge eating, which posits that patients binge eat to reduce negative affect (NA), has received support from cross-sectional and laboratory-based studies. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) involves momentary ratings and repeated assessments over time and is ideally suited to identify temporal antecedents and consequences of binge eating. This meta-analytic review includes EMA studies of affect and binge eating. Electronic database and manual searches produced 36 EMA studies with N = 968 participants (89% Caucasian women). Meta-analyses examined changes in affect before and after binge eating using within-subjects standardized mean gain effect sizes (ESs). Results supported greater NA preceding binge eating relative to average affect (ES = 0.63) and affect before regular eating (ES = 0.68). However, NA increased further following binge episodes (ES = 0.50). Preliminary findings suggested that NA decreased following purging in bulimia nervosa (ES = -0.46). Moderators included diagnosis (with significantly greater elevations of NA prior to bingeing in binge eating disorder compared to bulimia nervosa) and binge definition (with significantly smaller elevations of NA before binge vs. regular eating episodes for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders definition compared to lay definitions of binge eating). Overall, results fail to support the affect regulation model of binge eating and challenge reductions in NA as a maintenance factor for binge eating. However, limitations of this literature include unidimensional analyses of NA and inadequate examination of affect during binge eating, as binge eating may regulate only specific facets of affect or may reduce NA only during the episode.

Physical Activity and Variation in Momentary Behavioral Cognitions: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.

PubMed

Pickering, Trevor A; Huh, Jimi; Intille, Stephen; Liao, Yue; Pentz, Mary Ann; Dunton, Genevieve F

2016-03-01

Decisions to perform moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) involve behavioral cognitive processes that may differ within individuals depending on the situation. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) was used to examine the relationships of momentary behavioral cognitions (ie, self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, intentions) with MVPA (measured by accelerometer). A sample of 116 adults (mean age, 40.3 years; 72.4% female) provided real-time EMA responses via mobile phones across 4 days. Multilevel models were used to test whether momentary behavioral cognitions differed across contexts and were associated with subsequent MVPA. Mixed-effects location scale models were used to examine whether subject-level means and within-subjects variances in behavioral cognitions were associated with average daily MVPA. Momentary behavioral cognitions differed across contexts for self-efficacy (P = .007) but not for outcome expectancy (P = .53) or intentions (P = .16). Momentary self-efficacy, intentions, and their interaction predicted MVPA within the subsequent 2 hours (Ps < .01). Average daily MVPA was positively associated with within-subjects variance in momentary self-efficacy and intentions for physical activity (Ps < .05). Although momentary behavioral cognitions are related to subsequent MVPA, adults with higher average MVPA have more variation in physical activity self-efficacy and intentions. Performing MVPA may depend more on how much behavioral cognitions vary across the day than whether they are generally high or low.

An algorithm for computing moments-based flood quantile estimates when historical flood information is available

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cohn, T.A.; Lane, W.L.; Baier, W.G.

1997-01-01

This paper presents the expected moments algorithm (EMA), a simple and efficient method for incorporating historical and paleoflood information into flood frequency studies. EMA can utilize three types of at-site flood information: systematic stream gage record; information about the magnitude of historical floods; and knowledge of the number of years in the historical period when no large flood occurred. EMA employs an iterative procedure to compute method-of-moments parameter estimates. Initial parameter estimates are calculated from systematic stream gage data. These moments are then updated by including the measured historical peaks and the expected moments, given the previously estimated parameters, of the below-threshold floods from the historical period. The updated moments result in new parameter estimates, and the last two steps are repeated until the algorithm converges. Monte Carlo simulations compare EMA, Bulletin 17B's [United States Water Resources Council, 1982] historically weighted moments adjustment, and maximum likelihood estimators when fitting the three parameters of the log-Pearson type III distribution. These simulations demonstrate that EMA is more efficient than the Bulletin 17B method, and that it is nearly as efficient as maximum likelihood estimation (MLE). The experiments also suggest that EMA has two advantages over MLE when dealing with the log-Pearson type III distribution: It appears that EMA estimates always exist and that they are unique, although neither result has been proven. EMA can be used with binomial or interval-censored data and with any distributional family amenable to method-of-moments estimation.

An algorithm for computing moments-based flood quantile estimates when historical flood information is available

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cohn, T. A.; Lane, W. L.; Baier, W. G.

This paper presents the expected moments algorithm (EMA), a simple and efficient method for incorporating historical and paleoflood information into flood frequency studies. EMA can utilize three types of at-site flood information: systematic stream gage record; information about the magnitude of historical floods; and knowledge of the number of years in the historical period when no large flood occurred. EMA employs an iterative procedure to compute method-of-moments parameter estimates. Initial parameter estimates are calculated from systematic stream gage data. These moments are then updated by including the measured historical peaks and the expected moments, given the previously estimated parameters, of the below-threshold floods from the historical period. The updated moments result in new parameter estimates, and the last two steps are repeated until the algorithm converges. Monte Carlo simulations compare EMA, Bulletin 17B's [United States Water Resources Council, 1982] historically weighted moments adjustment, and maximum likelihood estimators when fitting the three parameters of the log-Pearson type III distribution. These simulations demonstrate that EMA is more efficient than the Bulletin 17B method, and that it is nearly as efficient as maximum likelihood estimation (MLE). The experiments also suggest that EMA has two advantages over MLE when dealing with the log-Pearson type III distribution: It appears that EMA estimates always exist and that they are unique, although neither result has been proven. EMA can be used with binomial or interval-censored data and with any distributional family amenable to method-of-moments estimation.

Providing experiential information on early medical abortion: a qualitative evaluation of an animated personal account, Lara's Story.

PubMed

Sherman, Sarah; Harden, Jeni; Cattanach, Dawn; Cameron, Sharon T

2017-10-01

An animated film has been created to provide information to women requesting early medical abortion (EMA). The 9 min film, Lara's Story , was created using one woman's personal account of her experience. This study evaluated the views of women who had recently undergone EMA on the film and its potential usefulness in providing experiential information to women requesting EMA. Women who had undergone EMA within the past month were recruited. They were shown the film and interviewed in a semi-structured style. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. They were analysed using cross-sectional indexing and thematic analysis with an inductive approach. 13 women were interviewed. All reported that the film gave a realistic account of EMA and most agreed that they would have wanted to watch it before EMA had it been available. Some said that it might help women who were struggling with decision-making with regard to EMA and all said that there should be unrestricted access to the film from the website of the abortion service. The women commented that the animated style of the film allowed all groups of women to relate to the story. Some commented that Lara's experience of pain, bleeding and side effects such as nausea differed from their own and therefore felt that it would be useful to make more than one woman's account available. The availability of animated audiovisual films recounting women's experiences of EMA might be a valuable adjunct to clinical information for women seeking EMA. © Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

The Role of Sexual Abuse and Dysfunctional Attitudes in Perceived Stress and Negative Mood in Pregnant Adolescents: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study

PubMed Central

Walsh, Kate; Basu, Archana; Monk, Catherine

2014-01-01

Study Objective Latinas have the highest rates of adolescent pregnancy in the US. Identifying means to improve the well-being among these young women is critical. The current study examined whether a history of child sexual abuse — itself a risk factor for adolescent pregnancy — was associated with more perceived stress and negative mood over the course of pregnancy and whether dysfunctional attitudes explained these associations. Design and Setting This mixed methods study involved lab-based assessments of perceived stress, sexual abuse history, and dysfunctional attitudes as well as Ecological Momentary Assessments (EMA) of mood states every 30 minutes during a 24-hour period once during each trimester of pregnancy. Participants Pregnant adolescents (n = 204, 85% Latina). Main Outcome Measures EMA mood states and lab-based retrospective self–reports of perceived stress. Results One in four pregnant adolescents had a history of sexual abuse. Sexually abused adolescents reported greater perceived stress during the first trimester relative to those without, though the groups did not differ on EMA negative mood ratings. Dysfunctional attitudes explained associations between sexual abuse and perceived stress. Sexual abuse was indirectly associated with the intercept and slope of negative mood through dysfunctional attitudes. Findings were circumscribed to sexual abuse and not other types of child abuse. Conclusions Identifying sexually abused pregnant adolescents and providing support and cognitive therapy to target dysfunctional beliefs may decrease stress during the first trimester as well as negative affect throughout pregnancy. PMID:26130137

PREFACE: European Microbeam Analysis Society's 14th European Workshop on Modern Developments and Applications in Microbeam Analysis (EMAS 2015), Portorož, Slovenia, 3-7 May 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Llovet, Xavier; Matthews, Michael B.; Čeh, Miran; Langer, Enrico; Žagar, Kristina

2016-02-01

This volume of the IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering contains papers from the 14th Workshop of the European Microbeam Analysis Society (EMAS) on Modern Developments and Applications in Microbeam Analysis which took place from the 3rd to the 7th of May 2015 in the Grand Hotel Bernardin, Portorož, Slovenia. The primary aim of this series of workshops is to assess the state-of-the-art and reliability of microbeam analysis techniques. The workshops also provide a forum where students and young scientists starting out on a career in microbeam analysis can meet and discuss with the established experts. The workshops have a unique format comprising invited plenary lectures by internationally recognized experts, poster presentations by the participants and round table discussions on the key topics led by specialists in the field.This workshop was organized in collaboration with the Jožef Stefan Institute and SDM - Slovene Society for Microscopy. The technical programme included the following topics: electron probe microanalysis, STEM and EELS, materials applications, cathodoluminescence and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), and their applications. As at previous workshops there was also a special oral session for young scientists. The best presentation by a young scientist was awarded with an invitation to attend the 2016 Microscopy and Microanalysis meeting at Columbus, Ohio. The prize went to Shirin Kaboli, of the Department of Metals and Materials Engineering of McGill University (Montréal, Canada), for her talk entitled "Electron channelling contrast reconstruction with electron backscattered diffraction". The continuing relevance of the EMAS workshops and the high regard in which they are held internationally can be seen from the fact that 71 posters from 16 countries were on display at the meeting and that the participants came from as far away as Japan, Canada, USA, and Australia. A selection of participants with posters was invited

Advanced Methods for Dose and Regimen Finding During Drug Development: Summary of the EMA/EFPIA Workshop on Dose Finding (London 4–5 December 2014)

PubMed Central

Manolis, E; Holford, N; Cheung, SYA; Friberg, LE; Ogungbenro, K; Posch, M; Yates, JWT; Berry, S; Thomas, N; Corriol‐Rohou, S; Bornkamp, B; Bretz, F; Hooker, AC; Van der Graaf, PH; Standing, JF; Hay, J; Cole, S; Gigante, V; Karlsson, K; Dumortier, T; Benda, N; Serone, F; Das, S; Brochot, A; Ehmann, F; Hemmings, R; Rusten, I Skottheim

2017-01-01

Inadequate dose selection for confirmatory trials is currently still one of the most challenging issues in drug development, as illustrated by high rates of late‐stage attritions in clinical development and postmarketing commitments required by regulatory institutions. In an effort to shift the current paradigm in dose and regimen selection and highlight the availability and usefulness of well‐established and regulatory‐acceptable methods, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in collaboration with the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries Association (EFPIA) hosted a multistakeholder workshop on dose finding (London 4–5 December 2014). Some methodologies that could constitute a toolkit for drug developers and regulators were presented. These methods are described in the present report: they include five advanced methods for data analysis (empirical regression models, pharmacometrics models, quantitative systems pharmacology models, MCP‐Mod, and model averaging) and three methods for study design optimization (Fisher information matrix (FIM)‐based methods, clinical trial simulations, and adaptive studies). Pairwise comparisons were also discussed during the workshop; however, mostly for historical reasons. This paper discusses the added value and limitations of these methods as well as challenges for their implementation. Some applications in different therapeutic areas are also summarized, in line with the discussions at the workshop. There was agreement at the workshop on the fact that selection of dose for phase III is an estimation problem and should not be addressed via hypothesis testing. Dose selection for phase III trials should be informed by well‐designed dose‐finding studies; however, the specific choice of method(s) will depend on several aspects and it is not possible to recommend a generalized decision tree. There are many valuable methods available, the methods are not mutually exclusive, and they should be used in

Associations of Affective Responses During Free-Living Physical Activity and Future Physical Activity Levels: an Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.

PubMed

Liao, Yue; Chou, Chih-Ping; Huh, Jimi; Leventhal, Adam; Dunton, Genevieve

2017-08-01

Affective response during physical activity may influence motivation to perform future physical activity behavior. However, affective response during physical activity is often assessed under controlled laboratory conditions. The current study used ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to capture affective responses during free-living physical activity performed by adults, and determined whether these affective responses predict future moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) levels after 6 and 12 months. At baseline, electronic EMA surveys were randomly prompted across 4 days asking about current activities and affective states (e.g., happy, stressed, energetic, tired). Affective response during physical activity was operationalized as the level of positive or negative affect reported when concurrent physical activity (e.g., exercise or sports) was also reported. Data were available for 82 adults. Future levels of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were measured using accelerometers, worn for seven consecutive days at 6 and 12 months after the baseline assessment. Feeling more energetic during physical activity was associated with performing more minutes of daily MVPA after both 6 and 12 months. Feeling less negative affect during physical activity was associated with engaging in more daily MVPA minutes after 12 months only. This study demonstrated how EMA can be used to capture affective responses during free-living physical activity. Results found that feelings more energetic and less negative during physical activity were associated with more future physical activity, suggesting that positive emotional benefits may reinforce behavior.

Lithofacies, age, depositional setting, and geochemistry of the Otuk Formation in the Red Dog District, northwestern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dumoulin, Julie A.; Burruss, Robert A.; Blome, Charles D.

2013-01-01

Complete penetration of the Otuk Formation in a continuous drill core (diamond-drill hole, DDH 927) from the Red Dog District illuminates the facies, age, depositional environment, source rock potential, and isotope stratigraphy of this unit in northwestern Alaska. The section, in the Wolverine Creek plate of the Endicott Mountains Allochthon (EMA), is ~82 meters (m) thick and appears structurally uncomplicated. Bedding dips are generally low and thicknesses recorded are close to true thicknesses. Preliminary synthesis of sedimentologic, paleontologic, and isotopic data suggests that the Otuk succession in DDH 927 is a largely complete, albeit condensed, marine Triassic section in conformable contact with marine Permian and Jurassic strata. The Otuk Formation in DDH 927 gradationally overlies gray siliceous mudstone of the Siksikpuk Formation (Permian, based on regional correlations) and underlies black organic-rich mudstone of the Kingak(?) Shale (Jurassic?, based on regional correlations). The informal shale, chert, and limestone members of the Otuk are recognized in DDH 927, but the Jurassic Blankenship Member is absent. The lower (shale) member consists of 28 m of black to light gray, silty shale with as much as 6.9 weight percent total organic carbon (TOC). Thin limy layers near the base of this member contain bivalve fragments (Claraia sp.?) consistent with an Early Triassic (Griesbachian-early Smithian) age. Gray radiolarian chert dominates the middle member (25 m thick) and yields radiolarians of Middle Triassic (Anisian and Ladinian) and Late Triassic (Carnian-late middle Norian) ages. Black to light gray silty shale, like that in the lower member, forms interbeds that range from a few millimeters to 7 centimeters in thickness through much of the middle member. A distinctive, 2.4-m-thick interval of black shale and calcareous radiolarite ~17 m above the base of the member has as much as 9.8 weight percent TOC, and a 1.9-m-thick interval of limy to cherty

Acceptability and feasibility of smartphone-assisted 24 h recalls in the Chinese population.

PubMed

Zang, Jiajie; Song, Jun; Wang, Zhengyuan; Yao, Chunxia; Ma, Jianhong; Huang, Cuihua; Zhu, Zhenni; Smith, Lindsey P; Du, Shufa; Hua, Jenna; Seto, Edmund; Popkin, Barry M; Zou, Shurong

2015-12-01

To examine the acceptability and feasibility of using smartphone technology to assess beverage intake and evaluate whether the feasibility of smartphone use is greater among key sub-populations. An acceptability and feasibility study of recording the video dietary record, the acceptability of the ecological momentary assessment (EMA), wearing smartphones and whether the videos helped participants recall intake after a cross-over validation study. Rural and urban area in Shanghai, China. Healthy adults (n 110) aged 20-40 years old. Most participants reported that the phone was acceptable in most aspects, including that videos were easy to use (70%), helped with recalls (77%), EMA reminders helped them record intake (75%) and apps were easy to understand (85%). However, 49% of the participants reported that they had trouble remembering to take videos of the beverages before consumption or 46% felt embarrassed taking videos in front of others. Moreover, 72% reported that the EMA reminders affected their consumption. When assessing overall acceptability of using smartphones, 72% of the participants were favourable responders. There were no statistically significant differences in overall acceptability for overweight v. normal-weight participants or for rural v. urban residents. However, we did find that the overall acceptability was higher for males (81%) than females (61%, P=0·017). Our study did not find smartphone technology helped with dietary assessments in a Chinese population. However, simpler approaches, such as using photographs instead of videos, may be more feasible for enhancing 24 h dietary recalls.

Utilization of an introduced weed biological control agent by a native parasitoid

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A native parasitoid, Kalopolynema ema (Schauff and Grissell) (Hymenoptera, Mymaridae), that usually parasitizes the eggs of Megamelus davisi VanDuzee (Hemiptera, Delphacidae), has begun utilizing a new host, Megamelus scutellaris (Berg) (Hemiptera, Delphacidae), the introduced biological control age...

Development of a personal digital assistant (PDA) system to collect symptom information from home hospice patients.

PubMed

Hachizuka, Maki; Yoshiuchi, Kazuhiro; Yamamoto, Yoshiharu; Iwase, Satoru; Nakagawa, Keiichi; Kawagoe, Koh; Akabayashi, Akira

2010-06-01

Previous studies have found that inappropriate assessment of cancer pain can lead to inadequate pain management. To improve assessment, it may be helpful to collect real-time data in a natural environment using computerized ecological momentary assessment (cEMA). Therefore, the aim of the study was to develop a personal digital assistant (PDA) system to collect information on symptoms such as pain and mood states in patients with cancer using cEMA. Following a pilot study in inpatients with cancer, the second phase of the study involved patients with terminal cancer receiving home hospice care. These patients were asked to record their symptoms in a PDA (a palm-sized portable device) several times per day for a week when they took rescue medications and when an alarm sounded. At the end of the week, an interview on the usability of the device was conducted and overall response rates were calculated. Fifteen patients completed the second phase of the study. Their median age was 64 years and the median survival time after the study period was 22 days. The overall response rates were 90.3% to the sound of the alarm and 80.2% after taking rescue medications. The user-friendliness of the device was rated as 8.8 on a scale of 0 (worst) to 10 (best). The cEMA technique using a PDA might be applicable to patients with cancer in palliative care to evaluate symptoms in a natural setting. This system may also be useful for managing symptoms such as pain and mood states in patients with cancer.

Influences of Electromagnetic Articulography Sensors on Speech Produced by Healthy Adults and Individuals with Aphasia and Apraxia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, William F.; Bharadwaj, Sneha V.; Stettler, Monica P.

2006-01-01

Purpose: This study examined whether the intraoral transducers used in electromagnetic articulography (EMA) interfere with speech and whether there is an added risk of interference when EMA systems are used to study individuals with aphasia and apraxia. Method: Ten adult talkers (5 individuals with aphasia/apraxia, 5 controls) produced 12 American…

Evaluation of Ecological Momentary Assessment for Tinnitus Severity.

PubMed

Goldberg, Rachel L; Piccirillo, Marilyn L; Nicklaus, Joyce; Skillington, Andrew; Lenze, Eric; Rodebaugh, Thomas L; Kallogjeri, Dorina; Piccirillo, Jay F

2017-07-01

Existing patient-reported outcome measures of tinnitus assess the severity and disability retrospectively, which may result in adequate reliability, but cannot capture the fluctuating and individualized nature of tinnitus. Experience sampling may provide an alternative. To use an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to measure tinnitus disability and associated constructs. Forty adults with tinnitus provided self-report of their tinnitus bother using 5 questions measured by EMA, as well as standard retrospective outcome measures. In this 6-week longitudinal observational study conducted from July 15 to December 22, 2014, participants provided EMA data for 2 weeks (part 1); then after a 2-week break, they provided EMA data for an additional 2 weeks (part 2). A text message with a link to the EMA survey was sent for a total of 56 assessments during each 2-week assessment period. Ecological momentary assessment responses were evaluated using multilevel confirmatory factor analysis to assess the fluctuating nature of bothersome tinnitus across the group and within the pool of individuals over time. Ecological momentary assessment questions measured tinnitus disability and associated constructs. Compliance in each study part was assessed based on response rates. The Tinnitus Functional Index and the Overall Global Rating of Bother Scale were assessed at the beginning and end of each 2-week assessment period to explore the effect of the frequent EMAs on the perceived level of bother from tinnitus. Of the 40 participants in the study (10 women and 30 men; mean [SD] age, 60.0 [10.5] years), the median survey response rate was high (49 responses to 56 surveys sent [88%] for part 1 and 47 responses of 56 surveys sent [84%] for part 2). The latent factor identified by the 2-level confirmatory factor analysis models demonstrates that within-individual tinnitus bother, loudness, and stress vary together over time. In addition, tinnitus bother, feeling, and stress symptoms all

Virtues, ecological momentary assessment/intervention and smartphone technology.

PubMed

Runyan, Jason D; Steinke, Ellen G

2015-01-01

Virtues, broadly understood as stable and robust dispositions for certain responses across morally relevant situations, have been a growing topic of interest in psychology. A central topic of discussion has been whether studies showing that situations can strongly influence our responses provide evidence against the existence of virtues (as a kind of stable and robust disposition). In this review, we examine reasons for thinking that the prevailing methods for examining situational influences are limited in their ability to test dispositional stability and robustness; or, then, whether virtues exist. We make the case that these limitations can be addressed by aggregating repeated, cross-situational assessments of environmental, psychological and physiological variables within everyday life-a form of assessment often called ecological momentary assessment (EMA, or experience sampling). We, then, examine how advances in smartphone application (app) technology, and their mass adoption, make these mobile devices an unprecedented vehicle for EMA and, thus, the psychological study of virtue. We, additionally, examine how smartphones might be used for virtue development by promoting changes in thought and behavior within daily life; a technique often called ecological momentary intervention (EMI). While EMA/I have become widely employed since the 1980s for the purposes of understanding and promoting change amongst clinical populations, few EMA/I studies have been devoted to understanding or promoting virtues within non-clinical populations. Further, most EMA/I studies have relied on journaling, PDAs, phone calls and/or text messaging systems. We explore how smartphone app technology provides a means of making EMA a more robust psychological method, EMI a more robust way of promoting positive change, and, as a result, opens up new possibilities for studying and promoting virtues.

Neuropathologic Studies of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA)

PubMed Central

O’Brien, Richard J.; Resnick, Susan M.; Zonderman, Alan B.; Ferrucci, Luigi; Crain, Barbara J.; Pletnikova, Olga; Rudow, Gay; Iacono, Diego; Riudavets, Miguel A.; Driscoll, Ira; Price, Donald L.; Martin, Lee J.; Troncoso, Juan C.

2010-01-01

The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) was established in 1958 and is one the oldest prospective studies of aging in the USA and the world. The BLSA is supported by the National Institute of Aging (NIA) and its mission is to learn what happens to people as they get old and how to sort out changes due to aging and from those due to disease or other causes. In 1986, an autopsy program combined with comprehensive neurologic and cognitive evaluations was established in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins University Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (ADRC). Since then, 211 subjects have undergone autopsy. Here we review the key clinical neuropathological correlations from this autopsy series. The focus is on the morphological and biochemical changes that occur in normal aging, and the early neuropathological changes of neurodegenerative diseases, especially Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We highlight the combined clinical, pathologic, morphometric, and biochemical evidence of asymptomatic AD, a state characterized by normal clinical evaluations in subjects with abundant AD pathology. We conclude that in some individuals, successful cognitive aging results from compensatory mechanisms that occur at the neuronal level (i.e., neuronal hypertrophy and synaptic plasticity) whereas a failure of compensation may culminate in disease. PMID:19661626

The bidirectional association between daytime affect and nighttime sleep in youth with anxiety and depression.

PubMed

Cousins, Jennifer C; Whalen, Diana J; Dahl, Ronald E; Forbes, Erika E; Olino, Thomas M; Ryan, Neal D; Silk, Jennifer S

2011-10-01

This study examines relationships between affect and sleep in youth with affective disorders using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Participants included 94 youth, ages 8-16 (M = 11.73, 53% female) years with an anxiety disorder only (n = 23), primary major depressive disorder (with and without a secondary anxiety diagnoses; n = 42), and healthy controls (n = 29). A cell phone EMA protocol assessed affect and actigraphy measured sleep. The patterns of bidirectional relationships between affect and sleep differed across diagnostic groups. Higher daytime positive affect and positive to negative affect ratios were associated with more time in bed during the subsequent night for youth with primary depression and less time in bed for youth with anxiety only. More time asleep was associated with more positive affect for both diagnostic groups the following day. This relationship may be important to consider in the treatment of youth affective disorders.

Revisiting the Affect Regulation Model of Binge Eating: A Meta-Analysis of Studies Using Ecological Momentary Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haedt-Matt, Alissa A.; Keel, Pamela K.

2011-01-01

The affect regulation model of binge eating, which posits that patients binge eat to reduce negative affect (NA), has received support from cross-sectional and laboratory-based studies. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) involves momentary ratings and repeated assessments over time and is ideally suited to identify temporal antecedents and…

A Cross-Species Mode of Action (Moa) Information Assessment: A Case Study of Bisphenol a (BPA)

EPA Science Inventory

EPA has released a report entitled, <em>A Cross-Species Mode of Action Information Assessment: A Case Study of Bisphenol A [EPA/600/R-50/044F] . This report describes an approach to predict chemical effects and mode of action (MOA) for animal species without data from MOA i...

Outpatient treatment of acute poisonings in Oslo: poisoning pattern, factors associated with hospitalization, and mortality

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Most patients with acute poisoning are treated as outpatients worldwide. In Oslo, these patients are treated in a physician-led outpatient clinic with limited diagnostic and treatment resources, which reduces both the costs and emergency department overcrowding. We describe the poisoning patterns, treatment, mortality, factors associated with hospitalization and follow-up at this Emergency Medical Agency (EMA, "Oslo Legevakt"), and we evaluate the safety of this current practice. Methods All acute poisonings in adults (> or = 16 years) treated at the EMA during one year (April 2008 to April 2009) were included consecutively in an observational study design. The treating physicians completed a standardized form comprising information needed to address the study's aims. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with hospitalization. Results There were 2348 contacts for 1856 individuals; 1157 (62%) were male, and the median age was 34 years. The most frequent main toxic agents were ethanol (43%), opioids (22%) and CO or fire smoke (10%). The physicians classified 73% as accidental overdoses with substances of abuse taken for recreational purposes, 15% as other accidents (self-inflicted or other) and 11% as suicide attempts. Most (91%) patients were treated with observation only. The median observation time until discharge was 3.8 hours. No patient developed sequelae or died at the EMA. Seventeen per cent were hospitalized. Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, respiratory depression, paracetamol, reduced consciousness and suicidal intention were factors associated with hospitalization. Forty-eight per cent were discharged without referral to follow-up. The one-month mortality was 0.6%. Of the nine deaths, five were by new accidental overdose with substances of abuse. Conclusions More than twice as many patients were treated at the EMA compared with all hospitals in Oslo. Despite more than a doubling of the annual number of

Intelligent Control Electromagnetic Actuated Continuously Variable Transmission System for Passenger Car

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, Ataur; Sharif, Sazzad; Mohiuddin, AKM; Faris Ismail, Ahmed; Izan, Sany Ihsan

2017-03-01

Continuously variable transmission (CVT) system transmits the engine /battery power to the car driving wheel smoothly and efficiently. Cars with CVT produces some noise and slow acceleration to meet the car power demand on initial start-ups and slow speed. The car noise is produced as a result of CVT adjustment the engine speed with the hydraulic pressure. The current CVT problems incurred due to the slow response of hydraulic pressure and CVT fluid viscosity due to the development of heat.The aim of this study is to develop electromagnetic actuated CVT (EMA-CVT) with intelligent switching controlling system (ICS). The experimental results of ¼ scale EMA shows that it make the acceleration time of the car in 3.5-5 sec which is 40% less than the hydraulic CVT in the market. The EMA develops the electromagnetic force in the ranged of 350 -1200 N for the supply current in the range of 10-15 amp. This study introduced fuzzy intelligent system (FIS) to predict the EMA system dynamic behaviour in order to identify the current control for the EMA actuation during operation of the CVT. It is expecting that the up scale EMA-CVT would reduce the 75% of vehicle power transmission loss by accelerating vehicle in 5 sec and save the IC engine power consumption about 20% which will makes the vehicle energy efficient (EEV) and reduction of green house gas reduction.

Momentary assessment of adults' physical activity and sedentary behavior: feasibility and validity.

PubMed

Dunton, Genevieve Fridlund; Liao, Yue; Kawabata, Keito; Intille, Stephen

2012-01-01

Mobile phones are ubiquitous and easy to use, and thus have the capacity to collect real-time data from large numbers of people. Research tested the feasibility and validity of an Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) self-report protocol using electronic surveys on mobile phones to assess adults' physical activity and sedentary behaviors. Adults (N = 110; 73% female, 30% Hispanic, 62% overweight/obese) completed a 4-day signal-contingent EMA protocol (Saturday-Tuesday) with eight surveys randomly spaced throughout each day. EMA items assessed current activity (e.g., Watching TV/Movies, Reading/Computer, Physical Activity/Exercise). EMA responses were time-matched to minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary activity (SA) measured by accelerometer immediately before and after each EMA prompt. Unanswered EMA prompts had greater MVPA (±15 min) than answered EMA prompts (p = 0.029) for under/normal weight participants, indicating that activity level might influence the likelihood of responding. The 15-min. intervals before versus after the EMA-reported physical activity (n = 296 occasions) did not differ in MVPA (p > 0.05), suggesting that prompting did not disrupt physical activity. SA decreased after EMA-reported sedentary behavior (n = 904 occasions; p < 0.05) for overweight and obese participants. As compared with other activities, EMA-reported physical activity and sedentary behavior had significantly greater MVPA and SA, respectively, in the ±15 min of the EMA prompt (ps < 0.001), providing evidence for criterion validity. Findings generally support the acceptability and validity of a 4-day signal-contingent EMA protocol using mobile phones to measure physical activity and sedentary behavior in adults. However, some MVPA may be missed among underweight and normal weight individuals.

Episodic memory, concentrated attention and processing speed in aging: A comparative study of Brazilian age groups.

PubMed

Fonseca, Rochele Paz; Zimmermann, Nicolle; Scherer, Lilian Cristine; Parente, Maria Alice de Mattos Pimenta; Ska, Bernadette

2010-01-01

Neuropsychological studies on the processing of some specific cognitive functions throughout aging are essential for the understanding of human cognitive development from ages 19 to 89. This study aimed to verify the occurrence of differences in the processing of episodic memory, concentrated attention and speed of attentional processing among four age groups of adults. A total of 136 neurologically healthy adults, aged 19-89, with 9 or more years of schooling, took part in the study. Participants were divided according to four age groups: young, middle-aged, elderly and oldest old adults. Subtests of the Brief Neuropsychological Evaluation Instrument (NEUPSILIN) were applied for the cognitive assessment. Mean score of corrected answers and of response times were compared between groups by means of a one-way ANOVA test with post-hoc Scheffe procedures and ANCOVA including the co-variables of years of schooling and socio-economical scores. In general, differences in performance were observed from 60 years old on. Only the episodic memory task of delayed recall reflected differences from the age of around 40 onwards and processing speed from around the age of 70 onwards. Thus, differences were found between the age groups regarding their cognitive performance, particularly between young adults and elderly adults, and young adults and oldest old adults. Our research indicates that the middle-aged group should be better analyzed and that comparative cross-sectional studies including only extreme groups such as young and elderly adults are not sufficient.

Subjective age and personality development: a 10-year study.

PubMed

Stephan, Yannick; Sutin, Angelina R; Terracciano, Antonio

2015-04-01

Personality theory and research typically focus on chronological age as a key indicator of personality development. This study examines whether the subjective experience of age is an alternative marker of the biomedical and psychosocial factors that contribute to individual differences in personality development. The present study uses data from the Midlife in the United States longitudinal survey (N = 3,617) to examine how subjective age is associated with stability and change in personality and the dynamic associations between subjective age and personality traits over a 10-year period. Regression analyses indicated that a younger subjective age at baseline was associated with increases in Openness, Conscientiousness, and Agreeableness; correlated changes were also found. The rank-order stability of Extraversion and Openness and overall profile consistency were higher among those with a younger subjective age at baseline and were also associated with the rate of subjective aging over time. The present study reveals that beyond chronological age, the age an individual feels is related to changes in characteristic ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving over time. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Structural architecture of the central Brooks Range foothills, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moore, Thomas E.; Potter, Christopher J.; O'Sullivan, Paul B.

2002-01-01

Five structural levels underlie the Brooks Range foothills, from lowest to highest: (1) autochthon, at a depth of ~9 km; (2) Endicott Mountains allochthon (EMA), thickest under the northern Brooks Range (>15 km) and wedging out northward above the autochthon; (3) higher allochthons (HA), with a composite thickness of 1.5+ km, wedging out northward at or beyond the termination of EMA; (4) Aptian-Albian Fortress Mountain Formation (FM), deposited unconformably on deformed EMA and HA and thickening northward into a >7-km-thick succession of deformed turbidites (Torok Formation); (5) gently folded Albian-Cenomanian deltaic deposits (Nanushuk Group). The dominant faulting pattern in levels 2-3 is thin-skinned thrusting and thrust-related folds formed before deposition of Cretaceous strata. These structures are cut by younger steeply south-dipping reverse faults that truncate and juxtapose structural levels 1-4 and expose progressively deeper structural levels to the south. Structural levels 4-5 are juxtaposed along a north-dipping zone of south-vergent folds and thrusts. Stratigraphic and fission-track age data suggest a kinematic model wherein the foothills belt was formed first, by thrusting of HA and EMA as deformational wedges onto the regionally south-dipping authochon at 140-120Ma. After deposition of FM and Torok during mid-Cretaceous hinterland extension and uplift, a second episode of contractional deformation at 60 Ma shortened the older allochthonous deformational wedges (EMA, HA) and overlying strata on north-vergent reverse faults. To the north, where the allochthons wedge out, shortening caused duplexing in the Torok and development of a triangle zone south of the Tuktu escarpment.

Ecological Momentary Assessment is a Neglected Methodology in Suicidology.

PubMed

Davidson, Collin L; Anestis, Michael D; Gutierrez, Peter M

2017-01-02

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is a group of research methods that collect data frequently, in many contexts, and in real-world settings. EMA has been fairly neglected in suicidology. The current article provides an overview of EMA for suicidologists including definitions, data collection considerations, and different sampling strategies. Next, the benefits of EMA in suicidology (i.e., reduced recall bias, accurate tracking of fluctuating variables, testing assumptions of theories, use in interventions), participant safety considerations, and examples of published research that investigate self-directed violence variables using EMA are discussed. The article concludes with a summary and suggested directions for EMA research in suicidology with the particular aim to spur the increased use of this methodology among suicidologists.

Paternal age and twinning in the Jerusalem Perinatal Study

PubMed Central

Kleinhaus, Karine; Perrin, Mary C.; Manor, O; Friedlander, Yehiel; Calderon-Margalit, Ronit; Harlap, Susan; Malaspina, Dolores

2008-01-01

Objective To investigate whether incidence of twin deliveries is related to father's age, independently of mother's age, and whether it differs for same-sex or opposite-sex twin sets. Study Design In a program of research on effects of paternal age, this study used data from a prospective cohort of 92,408 offspring born in Jerusalem from 1964-1976. Of the 91,253 deliveries in the Jerusalem Perinatal Study, 1,115 were twin deliveries. The data were analyzed with General Estimate Equations to inform unconditional logistic regression. Results After controlling for maternal age, Odds Ratios (OR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (95% CI) associated with father's ages 25-34 and 35+ were 1.3 (1.1, 1.7) and 1.5 (1.2, 2.1) respectively, compared with fathers <25 years old. The effect of maternal age was partly explained by paternal age. The ORs for opposite-sex twin sets and male-male twin sets increased slightly with paternal age, while the OR for same-sex and female-female twin decreased. Conclusion Studies of twins are used to estimate effects of genes and environment in a variety of diseases. Our findings highlight the need to consider paternal as well as maternal age when analyzing data on twins to explore etiology of diseases. PMID:18771839

Progression of aging in Mexico: the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) 2012.

PubMed

Wong, Rebeca; Michaels-Obregón, Alejandra; Palloni, Alberto; Gutiérrez-Robledo, Luis Miguel; González-González, César; López-Ortega, Mariana; Téllez-Rojo, Martha María; Mendoza-Alvarado, Laura Rosario

2015-01-01

To describe the third wave of the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS), completed in 2012, and present preliminary results. Descriptive analyses by gender and age group of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, health conditions and health behaviors, as well as social support and life satisfaction measures are presented. In addition, external validations are presented by comparing MHAS 2012 indicators with other national data sources. For the panel of older adults in the sample, the rate of health care insurance coverage increased greatly between 2001 and 2012, a significantly higher change in rural compared to urban areas. The results for 2012 are consistent with the previous two waves for the main indicators of health and physical disability prevalence, risk factors,and behaviors. The MHAS offers a unique opportunity to study aging in Mexico, as well as to complete cross-national comparisons. The cumulative number of deaths in the cohort should support the study of mortality and its association with health outcomes and behaviors over the life cycle. In addition, the sub-samples of objective markers will enable methodological research on self-reports and associations of biomarkers in old age with similar health outcomes and behaviors.

Reported time to onset of neurological adverse drug reactions among different age and gender groups using metoclopramide: an analysis of the global database Vigibase®.

PubMed

Svendsen, Kristian; Wood, Mollie; Olsson, Erika; Nordeng, Hedvig

2018-05-01

Despite FDA and EMA warnings of long-term use, little is known regarding the time to onset (TTO) of neurological adverse drug reactions (ADR) for metoclopramide. The aims of this study were, first, to evaluate whether neurological ADRs are more commonly reported for metoclopramide than for other medications, and second, to describe how time to onset of neurological ADRs differs by age and gender. All ADR reports with metoclopramide as the suspected/interacting drug were extracted from the WHOs Global ADR database Vigibase® between 1967 and May 2016. Cox proportional hazards models were fit using TTO of neurological ADRs as the outcome and age, gender, and type of ADR as predictors. Proportional Reporting Ratios (PRRs) for neurological ADRs were compared across age and gender. Lawyer reports were excluded in the analysis. Over 47,000 ADR reports with metoclopramide were identified. Over one third (35.6%) of the reports came from lawyers. The majority of ADRs in general and neurological ADRs in specific occurred within the first 5 days of metoclopramide use (median 1 day). TTO increased with age. Neurological ADRs were reported two to four times as frequently for metoclopramide than for other drugs, with the highest PRRs observed in children (PRR = 4.24 for girls and 4.60 for boys). Most adverse drug reactions occur within the first 5 days of treatment with metoclopramide. Patients requiring use of metoclopramide should be carefully monitored for neurological ADRs during the first days of treatment.

Ecological Momentary Assessment of Mood Disorders and Mood Dysregulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ebner-Priemer, Ulrich W.; Trull, Timothy J.

2009-01-01

In this review, we discuss ecological momentary assessment (EMA) studies on mood disorders and mood dysregulation, illustrating 6 major benefits of the EMA approach to clinical assessment: (a) Real-time assessments increase accuracy and minimize retrospective bias; (b) repeated assessments can reveal dynamic processes; (c) multimodal assessments…

Differences in physical aging measured by walking speed: evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

PubMed

Weber, Daniela

2016-01-28

Physical functioning and mobility of older populations are of increasing interest when populations are aging. Lower body functioning such as walking is a fundamental part of many actions in daily life. Limitations in mobility threaten independent living as well as quality of life in old age. In this study we examine differences in physical aging and convert those differences into the everyday measure of single years of age. We use the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, which was collected biennially between 2002 and 2012. Data on physical performance, health as well as information on economics and demographics of participants were collected. Lower body performance was assessed with two timed walks at normal pace each of 8 ft (2.4 m) of survey participants aged at least 60 years. We employed growth curve models to study differences in physical aging and followed the characteristic-based age approach to illustrate those differences in single years of age. First, we examined walking speed of about 11,700 English individuals, and identified differences in aging trajectories by sex and other characteristics (e.g. education, occupation, regional wealth). Interestingly, higher educated and non-manual workers outperformed their counterparts for both men and women. Moreover, we transformed the differences between subpopulations into single years of age to demonstrate the magnitude of those gaps, which appear particularly high at early older ages. This paper expands research on aging and physical performance. In conclusion, higher education provides an advantage in walking of up to 15 years for men and 10 years for women. Thus, enhancements in higher education have the potential to ensure better mobility and independent living in old age for a longer period.

Advanced Methods for Dose and Regimen Finding During Drug Development: Summary of the EMA/EFPIA Workshop on Dose Finding (London 4-5 December 2014).

PubMed

Musuamba, F T; Manolis, E; Holford, N; Cheung, Sya; Friberg, L E; Ogungbenro, K; Posch, M; Yates, Jwt; Berry, S; Thomas, N; Corriol-Rohou, S; Bornkamp, B; Bretz, F; Hooker, A C; Van der Graaf, P H; Standing, J F; Hay, J; Cole, S; Gigante, V; Karlsson, K; Dumortier, T; Benda, N; Serone, F; Das, S; Brochot, A; Ehmann, F; Hemmings, R; Rusten, I Skottheim

2017-07-01

Inadequate dose selection for confirmatory trials is currently still one of the most challenging issues in drug development, as illustrated by high rates of late-stage attritions in clinical development and postmarketing commitments required by regulatory institutions. In an effort to shift the current paradigm in dose and regimen selection and highlight the availability and usefulness of well-established and regulatory-acceptable methods, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in collaboration with the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries Association (EFPIA) hosted a multistakeholder workshop on dose finding (London 4-5 December 2014). Some methodologies that could constitute a toolkit for drug developers and regulators were presented. These methods are described in the present report: they include five advanced methods for data analysis (empirical regression models, pharmacometrics models, quantitative systems pharmacology models, MCP-Mod, and model averaging) and three methods for study design optimization (Fisher information matrix (FIM)-based methods, clinical trial simulations, and adaptive studies). Pairwise comparisons were also discussed during the workshop; however, mostly for historical reasons. This paper discusses the added value and limitations of these methods as well as challenges for their implementation. Some applications in different therapeutic areas are also summarized, in line with the discussions at the workshop. There was agreement at the workshop on the fact that selection of dose for phase III is an estimation problem and should not be addressed via hypothesis testing. Dose selection for phase III trials should be informed by well-designed dose-finding studies; however, the specific choice of method(s) will depend on several aspects and it is not possible to recommend a generalized decision tree. There are many valuable methods available, the methods are not mutually exclusive, and they should be used in conjunction to ensure a

Virtues, ecological momentary assessment/intervention and smartphone technology

PubMed Central

Runyan, Jason D.; Steinke, Ellen G.

2015-01-01

Virtues, broadly understood as stable and robust dispositions for certain responses across morally relevant situations, have been a growing topic of interest in psychology. A central topic of discussion has been whether studies showing that situations can strongly influence our responses provide evidence against the existence of virtues (as a kind of stable and robust disposition). In this review, we examine reasons for thinking that the prevailing methods for examining situational influences are limited in their ability to test dispositional stability and robustness; or, then, whether virtues exist. We make the case that these limitations can be addressed by aggregating repeated, cross-situational assessments of environmental, psychological and physiological variables within everyday life—a form of assessment often called ecological momentary assessment (EMA, or experience sampling). We, then, examine how advances in smartphone application (app) technology, and their mass adoption, make these mobile devices an unprecedented vehicle for EMA and, thus, the psychological study of virtue. We, additionally, examine how smartphones might be used for virtue development by promoting changes in thought and behavior within daily life; a technique often called ecological momentary intervention (EMI). While EMA/I have become widely employed since the 1980s for the purposes of understanding and promoting change amongst clinical populations, few EMA/I studies have been devoted to understanding or promoting virtues within non-clinical populations. Further, most EMA/I studies have relied on journaling, PDAs, phone calls and/or text messaging systems. We explore how smartphone app technology provides a means of making EMA a more robust psychological method, EMI a more robust way of promoting positive change, and, as a result, opens up new possibilities for studying and promoting virtues. PMID:25999869

Intellectual functioning in old and very old age: cross-sectional results from the Berlin Aging Study.

PubMed

Lindenberger, U; Baltes, P B

1997-09-01

This study documents age trends, interrelations, and correlates of intellectual abilities in old and very old age (70-103 years) from the Berlin Aging Study (N = 516). Fourteen tests were used to assess 5 abilities: reasoning, memory, and perceptual speed from the mechanic (broad fluid) domain and knowledge and fluency from the pragmatic (broad crystallized) domain. Intellectual abilities had negative linear age relations, with more pronounced age reductions in mechanic than in pragmatic abilities. Interrelations among intellectual abilities were highly positive and did not follow the mechanic-pragmatic distinction. Sociobiographical indicators were less closely linked to intellectual functioning than sensory-sensorimotor variables, which predicted 59% of the total reliable variance in general intelligence. Results suggest that aging-induced biological factors are a prominent source of individual differences in intelligence in old and very old age.

Mobile Phone Ownership Is Not a Serious Barrier to Participation in Studies: Descriptive Study.

PubMed

Harvey, Emily J; Rubin, Leslie F; Smiley, Sabrina L; Zhou, Yitong; Elmasry, Hoda; Pearson, Jennifer L

2018-02-19

Rather than providing participants with study-specific data collection devices, their personal mobile phones are increasingly being used as a means for collecting geolocation and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) data in public health research. The purpose of this study was to (1) describe the sociodemographic characteristics of respondents to an online survey screener assessing eligibility to participate in a mixed methods study collecting geolocation and EMA data via the participants' personal mobile phones, and (2) examine how eligibility criteria requiring mobile phone ownership and an unlimited text messaging plan affected participant inclusion. Adult (≥18 years) daily smokers were recruited via public advertisements, free weekly newspapers, printed flyers, and word of mouth. An online survey screener was used as the initial method of determining eligibility for study participation. The survey screened for twenty-eight inclusion criteria grouped into three categories, which included (1) cell phone use, (2) tobacco use, and (3) additional criteria. A total of 1003 individuals completed the online screener. Respondents were predominantly African American (605/1003, 60.3%) (60.4%), male (514/1003, 51.3%), and had a median age of 35 years (IQR 26-50). Nearly 50% (496/1003, 49.5%) were unemployed. Most smoked menthol cigarettes (699/1003, 69.7%), and had a median smoking history of 11 years (IQR 5-21). The majority owned a mobile phone (739/1003, 73.7%), could install apps (86.8%), used their mobile phone daily (89.5%), and had an unlimited text messaging plan (871/1003, 86.8%). Of those who completed the online screener, 302 were eligible to participate in the study; 163 were eligible after rescreening, and 117 were enrolled in the study. Compared to employed individuals, a significantly greater proportion of those who were unemployed were ineligible for the study based on mobile phone inclusion criteria (P<.001); yet, 46.4% (333/717) of the individuals who

Differences in stress-related ratings between research center and home environments in dementia caregivers using ecological momentary assessment

PubMed Central

Fonareva, Irina; Amen, Alexandra M.; Ellingson, Roger M.; Oken, Barry S.

2012-01-01

Background Clinicians and researchers working with dementia caregivers typically assess caregiver stress in a clinic or research center, but caregivers’ stress is rooted at home where they provide care. The study aimed to compare ratings of stress-related measures obtained in research setting and home using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Methods EMA of 18 caregivers (mean age 66.4±7.8, 89% females) and 23 non-caregivers (mean age 66.4±7.9, 87% females) was implemented using a personal digital assistant. Subjects rated their perceived stress, fatigue, coping with current situation, mindfulness, and situational demand once in the research center and again at 3–4 semi-random points during a day at home. The data from several assessments conducted at home were averaged for statistical analyses and compared to the data collected in the research center. Results Testing environment had a differential effect on caregivers and non-caregivers for the ratings of perceived stress (p < 0.01) and situational demand (p = 0.01). When tested in research center, ratings for all measures were similar between groups, but when tested at home, caregivers rated their perceived stress higher than non-caregivers (p = 0.02). Overall, caregivers reported higher perceived stress at home than in the research center (p = 0.02), and non-caregivers reported greater situational demand in the research center than at home (p < 0.01). Conclusions The assessment method and environment affect stress-related outcomes. Evaluating participants in their natural environment provides a more sensitive measure of stress-related outcomes. EMA provides a convenient way to gather data when evaluating dementia caregivers. PMID:21777503

Differences in stress-related ratings between research center and home environments in dementia caregivers using ecological momentary assessment.

PubMed

Fonareva, Irina; Amen, Alexandra M; Ellingson, Roger M; Oken, Barry S

2012-01-01

Clinicians and researchers working with dementia caregivers typically assess caregiver stress in a clinic or research center, but caregivers' stress is rooted at home where they provide care. This study aimed to compare ratings of stress-related measures obtained in research settings and in the home using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). EMA of 18 caregivers (mean age 66.4 years ±7.8; 89% females) and 23 non-caregivers (mean age 66.4 years ±7.9; 87% females) was implemented using a personal digital assistant. Subjects rated their perceived stress, fatigue, coping with current situation, mindfulness, and situational demand once in the research center and again at 3-4 semi-random points during a day at home. The data from several assessments conducted at home were averaged for statistical analyses and compared with the data collected in the research center. The testing environment had a differential effect on caregivers and non-caregivers for the ratings of perceived stress (p < 0.01) and situational demand (p = 0.01). When tested in the research center, ratings for all measures were similar between groups, but when tested at home, caregivers rated their perceived stress as higher than non-caregivers (p = 0.02). Overall, caregivers reported higher perceived stress at home than in the research center (p = 0.02), and non-caregivers reported greater situational demand in the research center than at home (p < 0.01). The assessment method and environment affect stress-related outcomes. Evaluating participants in their natural environment provides a more sensitive measure of stress-related outcomes. EMA provides a convenient way to gather data when evaluating dementia caregivers.

Assessing adolescent asthma symptoms and adherence using mobile phones.

PubMed

Mulvaney, Shelagh A; Ho, Yun-Xian; Cala, Cather M; Chen, Qingxia; Nian, Hui; Patterson, Barron L; Johnson, Kevin B

2013-07-17

Self-report is the most common method of measuring medication adherence but is influenced by recall error and response bias, and it typically does not provide insight into the causes of poor adherence. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) of health behaviors using mobile phones offers a promising alternative to assessing adherence and collecting related data that can be clinically useful for adherence problem solving. To determine the feasibility of using EMA via mobile phones to assess adolescent asthma medication adherence and identify contextual characteristics of adherence decision making. We utilized a descriptive and correlational study design to explore a mobile method of symptom and adherence assessment using an interactive voice response system. Adolescents aged 12-18 years with a diagnosis of asthma and prescribed inhalers were recruited from an academic medical center. A survey including barriers to mobile phone use, the Illness Management Survey, and the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire were administered at baseline. Quantitative and qualitative assessment of asthma symptoms and adherence were conducted with daily calls to mobile phones for 1 month. The Asthma Control Test (ACT) was administered at 2 study time points: baseline and 1 month after baseline. The sample consisted of 53 adolescents who were primarily African American (34/53, 64%) and female (31/53, 58%) with incomes US$40K/year or lower (29/53, 55%). The majority of adolescents (37/53, 70%) reported that they carried their phones with them everywhere, but only 47% (25/53) were able to use their mobile phone at school. Adolescents responded to an average of 20.1 (SD 8.1) of the 30 daily calls received (67%). Response frequency declined during the last week of the month (b=-0.29, P<.001) and was related to EMA-reported levels of rescue inhaler adherence (r= 0.33, P=.035). Using EMA, adolescents reported an average of 0.63 (SD 1.2) asthma symptoms per day and used a rescue

Smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment and intervention in a coping-focused intervention for hearing voices (SAVVy): study protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Bell, Imogen H; Fielding-Smith, Sarah F; Hayward, Mark; Rossell, Susan L; Lim, Michelle H; Farhall, John; Thomas, Neil

2018-05-02

Smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment and intervention (EMA/I) show promise for enhancing psychological treatments for psychosis. EMA has the potential to improve assessment and formulation of experiences which fluctuate day-to-day, and EMI may be used to prompt use of therapeutic strategies in daily life. The current study is an examination of these capabilities in the context of a brief, coping-focused intervention for distressing voice hearing experiences. This is a rater-blinded, pilot randomised controlled trial comparing a four-session intervention in conjunction with use of smartphone EMA/I between sessions, versus treatment-as-usual. The recruitment target is 34 participants with persisting and distressing voice hearing experiences, recruited through a Voices Clinic based in Melbourne, Australia, and via wider advertising. Allocation will be made using minimisation procedure, balancing of the frequency of voices between groups. Assessments are completed at baseline and 8 weeks post-baseline. The primary outcomes of this trial will focus on feasibility and acceptability of the intervention and trial methodology, with secondary outcomes examining preliminary clinical effects related to overall voice severity, the emotional and functional impact of the voices, and emotional distress. This study offers a highly novel examination of specific smartphone capabilities and their integration with traditional psychological treatment for distressing voices. Such technology has potential to enhance psychological interventions and promote adaptation to distressing experiences. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry, ACTRN12617000348358 . Registered on 7 March 2017.

Progression of aging in Mexico: the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) 2012

PubMed Central

Wong, Rebeca; Michaels-Obregón, Alejandra; Palloni, Alberto; Gutiérrez-Robledo, Luis Miguel; González-González, César; López-Ortega, Mariana; Téllez-Rojo, Martha María; Mendoza-Alvarado, Laura Rosario

2015-01-01

Objective To describe the third wave of the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS), completed in 2012, and present preliminary results. Materials and methods Descriptive analyses by gender and age group of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, health conditions and health behaviors, as well as social support and life satisfaction measures are presented. In addition, external validations are presented by comparing MHAS 2012 indicators with other national data sources. Results For the panel of older adults in the sample, the rate of health care insurance coverage increased greatly between 2001 and 2012, a significantly higher change in rural compared to urban areas. The results for 2012 are consistent with the previous two waves for the main indicators of health and physical disability prevalence, risk factors, and behaviors. Conclusions The MHAS offers a unique opportunity to study aging in Mexico, as well as to complete cross-national comparisons. The cumulative number of deaths in the cohort should support the study of mortality and its association with health outcomes and behaviors over the life cycle. In addition, the sub-samples of objective markers will enable methodological research on self-reports and associations of biomarkers in old age with similar health outcomes and behaviors. PMID:26172238

Ecological Momentary Assessment of Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia: Relationships to Effort Based Decision Making and Reinforcement Learning

PubMed Central

Moran, Erin K.; Culbreth, Adam J.; Barch, Deanna M.

2017-01-01

Negative symptoms are a core clinical feature of schizophrenia, but conceptual and methodological problems with current instruments can make their assessment challenging. One hypothesis is that current symptom assessments may be influenced by impairments in memory and may not be fully reflective of actual functioning outside of the laboratory. The present study sought to investigate the validity of assessing negative symptoms using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Participants with schizophrenia (N=31) completed electronic questionnaires on smartphones four times a day for one week. Participants also completed Effort-Based Decision Making and Reinforcement Learning (RL) tasks to assess the relationship between EMA and laboratory measures, which tap into negative symptom relevant domains. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses revealed that clinician-rated and self-report measures of negative symptoms were significantly related to negative symptoms assessed via EMA. However, working memory moderated the relationship between EMA and retrospective measures of negative symptoms, such that there was a stronger relationship between EMA and retrospective negative symptom measures among individuals with better working memory. We also found that negative symptoms assessed via EMA were related to poor performance on the Effort task, while clinician-rated symptoms and self-reports were not. Further, we found that negative symptoms were related to poorer performance on learning reward contingencies. Our findings suggest that negative symptoms can be assessed through EMA and that working memory impairments frequently seen in schizophrenia may affect recall of symptoms. Moreover, these findings suggest the importance of examining the relationship between laboratory tasks and symptoms assessed during daily life. PMID:27893230

Aging Trajectories in Different Body Systems Share Common Environmental Etiology: The Healthy Aging Twin Study (HATS).

PubMed

Moayyeri, Alireza; Hart, Deborah J; Snieder, Harold; Hammond, Christopher J; Spector, Timothy D; Steves, Claire J

2016-02-01

Little is known about the extent to which aging trajectories of different body systems share common sources of variance. We here present a large twin study investigating the trajectories of change in five systems: cardiovascular, respiratory, skeletal, morphometric, and metabolic. Longitudinal clinical data were collected on 3,508 female twins in the TwinsUK registry (complete pairs:740 monozygotic (MZ), 986 dizygotic (DZ), mean age at entry 48.9 ± 10.4, range 18-75 years; mean follow-up 10.2 ± 2.8 years, range 4-17.8 years). Panel data on multiple age-related variables were used to estimate biological ages for each individual at each time point, in linear mixed effects models. A weighted average approach was used to combine variables within predefined body system groups. Aging trajectories for each system in each individual were then constructed using linear modeling. Multivariate structural equation modeling of these aging trajectories showed low genetic effects (heritability), ranging from 2% in metabolic aging to 22% in cardiovascular aging. However, we found a significant effect of shared environmental factors on the variations in aging trajectories in cardiovascular (54%), skeletal (34%), morphometric (53%), and metabolic systems (53%). The remainder was due to environmental factors unique to each individual plus error. Multivariate Cholesky decomposition showed that among aging trajectories for various body systems there were significant and substantial correlations between the unique environmental latent factors as well as shared environmental factors. However, there was no evidence for a single common factor for aging. This study, the first of its kind in aging, suggests that diverse organ systems share non-genetic sources of variance for aging trajectories. Confirmatory studies are needed using population-based twin cohorts and alternative methods of handling missing data.

Pregnancy outcomes after maternal use of thiocolchicoside: A case series.

PubMed

Kaplan, Yusuf C; Keskin-Arslan, Elif; Küçüksolak, Gözde; Akyol, Fatih; Karadas, Barış; Görgel, Sacit Nuri; Kaya-Temiz, Tijen

2018-03-01

The 2014 report by European Medicines Agency (EMA) restricted the use of thiocolchicoside for all reproductive-age women. In this study, we aim to expand the systematically-collected human data and discuss it within the frame provided by this report. We identified and evaluated the outcomes of 48 prospectively recorded pregnancies referred to Terafar (Teratology Information Service, Izmir, Turkey). Of 42 pregnancies with first-trimester exposure and known outcomes, 31 resulted in live births, four in miscarriage and seven ended with elective terminations. There were 26 normal outcomes, two major and three minor congenital malformations among the live births. Despite a number of limitations, our results and previous case series collectively strengthen the view that thiocolchicoside is unlikely to be a major teratogen. EMA's 2014 report should be revised to reflect this finding, while current restrictions on use should continue until more detailed safety information is available. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association of environmental indicators with teen alcohol use and problem behavior: Teens' observations vs. objectively-measured indicators.

PubMed

Byrnes, Hilary F; Miller, Brenda A; Morrison, Christopher N; Wiebe, Douglas J; Woychik, Marcie; Wiehe, Sarah E

2017-01-01

Most prior studies use objectively measured data (e.g., census-based indicators) to assess contextual risks. However, teens' observations might be more important for their risk behavior. 1) determine relationships between observed and objective indicators of contextual risks 2) determine relations of observed and objective indicators with teen alcohol use and problem behavior. Teens aged 14-16 (N=170) carried GPS-enabled smartphones for one month, with locations documented. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) measured teens' observations via texts regarding risk behaviors and environmental observations. Objective indicators of alcohol outlets and disorganization were spatially joined to EMAs based on teens' location at the time of the texts. Observed and objective disorganization, and objective indicators of alcohol outlets were related to alcohol use. Observed disorganization was related to problem behavior, while objective indicators were unrelated. Findings suggest the importance of considering teens' observations of contextual risk for understanding influences on risk behavior and suggest future directions for research and prevention strategies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association of Environmental Indicators with Teen Alcohol Use and Problem Behavior: Teens’ Observations vs. Objectively-Measured Indicators

PubMed Central

Byrnes, Hilary F.; Miller, Brenda A.; Morrison, Christopher N.; Wiebe, Douglas J.; Woychik, Marcie; Wiehe, Sarah E.

2017-01-01

Most prior studies use objectively measured data (e.g., census-based indicators) to assess contextual risks. However, teens’ observations might be more important for their risk behavior. Objectives: 1) determine relationships between observed and objective indicators of contextual risks 2) determine relations of observed and objective indicators with teen alcohol use and problem behavior. Teens aged 14–16 (N=170) carried GPS-enabled smartphones for one month, with locations documented. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) measured teens’ observations via texts regarding risk behaviors and environmental observations. Objective indicators of alcohol outlets and disorganization were spatially joined to EMAs based on teens’ location at the time of the texts. Observed and objective disorganization, and objective indicators of alcohol outlets were related to alcohol use. Observed disorganization was related to problem behavior, while objective indicators were unrelated. Findings suggest the importance of considering teens’ observations of contextual risk for understanding influences on risk behavior and suggest future directions for research and prevention strategies. PMID:28061392

Potential Risks of Ecological Momentary Assessment Among Persons Who Inject Drugs.

PubMed

Roth, Alexis M; Rossi, John; Goldshear, Jesse L; Truong, Quan; Armenta, Richard F; Lankenau, Stephen E; Garfein, Richard S; Simmons, Janie

2017-06-07

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA)-which often involves brief surveys delivered via mobile technology-has transformed our understanding of the individual and contextual micro-processes associated with legal and illicit drug use. However, little empirical research has focused on participant's perspective on the probability and magnitude of potential risks in EMA studies. To garner participant perspectives on potential risks common to EMA studies of illicit drug use. We interviewed 38 persons who inject drugs living in San Diego (CA) and Philadelphia (PA), United States. They completed simulations of an EMA tool and then underwent a semi-structured interview that systematically explored domains of risk considered within the proposed revisions to the Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects or the "Common Rule." Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded systematically to explore psychological, physical, social, legal, and informational risks from participation. Participants perceived most risks to be minimal. Some indicated that repetitive questioning about mood or drug use could cause psychological (i.e., anxiety) or behavioral risks (i.e., drug use relapse). Ironically, the questions that were viewed as risky were considered motivational to engage in healthy behaviors. The most cited risks were legal and social risks stemming from participant concerns about data collection and security. Improving our understanding of these issues is an essential first step to protect human participants in future EMA research. We provide a brief set of recommendations that can aid in the design and ethics review of the future EMA protocol with substance using populations.

How do we diagnose and treat epilepsy with myoclonic-atonic seizures (Doose syndrome)? Results of the Pediatric Epilepsy Research Consortium survey.

PubMed

Nickels, Katherine; Thibert, Ronald; Rau, Stephanie; Demarest, Scott; Wirrell, Elaine; Kossoff, Eric H; Joshi, Charuta; Nangia, Srishti; Shellhaas, Renee

2018-04-25

To obtain and assess opinions on EMAS diagnostic criteria, recommended investigations, and therapeutic options, from a large group of physicians who care for children with EMAS. The EMAS focus group of PERC created a survey to assess the opinions of pediatric neurologists who care for children with EMAS regarding diagnosis and treatment of this condition, which was sent to members of PERC, AES, and CNS. A Likert scale was used to assess the respondents' opinions on the importance of diagnostic and exclusion criteria (five point scale), investigations (four point scale), and treatment (six point scale) of EMAS. Inclusion/exclusion criteria were then classified as critical, strong, or modest. Investigations were classified as essential, recommended, or possible. Therapies were classified as first line, beneficial, indeterminate benefit, or contraindicated. Survey results from the 76 participants determined the following: EMAS inclusion criteria: history suggestive of MAS (critical), recorded or home video suggestive of MAS, generalized discharges on inter-ictal EEG, normal neuroimaging, normal development prior to seizure onset (strong). EMAS exclusionary criteria: epileptic spasms, abnormal neuroimaging, focal abnormal exam, seizure onset six years (strong). EEG and MRI (essential), amino acids, organic acids, fatty acid/acylcarnitine profile, microarray, genetic panel, lactate/pyruvate, CSF and serum glucose/lactate (strong). Valproic acid (first line), topiramate, zonisamide, levetiracetam, benzodiazepines, and dietary therapies (beneficial). To date, no similar surveys have been published, even though early syndrome identification and initiation of effective treatment have been associated with improved outcome in EMAS. Medications that exacerbate seizures in EMAS have also been identified. This survey identified critical and preferred diagnostic electro clinical features, investigations, and treatments for EMAS. It will guide future research and

Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS)

PubMed Central

Justice, Amy C.; Dombrowski, Elizabeth; Conigliaro, Joseph; Fultz, Shawn L.; Gibson, Deborah; Madenwald, Tamra; Goulet, Joseph; Simberkoff, Michael; Butt, Adeel A.; Rimland, David; Rodriguez-Barradas, Maria C.; Gibert, Cynthia L.; Oursler, Kris Ann K.; Brown, Sheldon; Leaf, David A.; Goetz, Matthew B.; Bryant, Kendall

2010-01-01

Background The Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) is a study of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected and uninfected patients seen in infectious disease and general medical clinics. VACS includes the earlier 3 and 5 site studies (VACS 3 and VACS 5) as well as the ongoing 8 site study. Objectives We sought to provide background and context for analyses based upon VACS data, including study design and rationale as well as its basic protocol and the baseline characteristics of the enrolled sample. Research Design We undertook a prospectively consented multisite observational study of veterans in care with and without HIV infection. Measures Data were derived from patient and provider self report, telephone interviews, blood and DNA samples, focus groups, and full access to the national VA “paperless” electronic medical record system. Results More than 7200 veterans have been enrolled in at least one of the studies. The 8 site study (VACS) has enrolled 2979 HIV-infected and 3019 HIV-uninfected age–race–site matched comparators and has achieved stratified enrollment targets for race/ethnicity and age and 99% of its total target enrollment as of October 30, 2005. Participants in VACS are similar to other veterans receiving care within the VA. VACS participants are older and more predominantly black than those reported by the Centers for Disease Control. Conclusions VACS has assembled a rich, in-depth, and representative sample of veterans in care with and without HIV infection to conduct longitudinal analyses of questions concerning the association between alcohol use and related comorbid and AIDS-defining conditions. PMID:16849964

Biocatalytic Conversion of Avermectin to 4"-Oxo-Avermectin: Characterization of Biocatalytically Active Bacterial Strains and of Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenase Enzymes and Their Genes

PubMed Central

Jungmann, Volker; Molnár, István; Hammer, Philip E.; Hill, D. Steven; Zirkle, Ross; Buckel, Thomas G.; Buckel, Dagmar; Ligon, James M.; Pachlatko, J. Paul

2005-01-01

4"-Oxo-avermectin is a key intermediate in the manufacture of the agriculturally important insecticide emamectin benzoate from the natural product avermectin. Seventeen biocatalytically active Streptomyces strains with the ability to oxidize avermectin to 4"-oxo-avermectin in a regioselective manner have been discovered in a screen of 3,334 microorganisms. The enzymes responsible for this oxidation reaction in these biocatalytically active strains were found to be cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs) and were termed Ema1 to Ema17. The genes for Ema1 to Ema17 have been cloned, sequenced, and compared to reveal a new subfamily of CYPs. Ema1 to Ema16 have been overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified as His-tagged recombinant proteins, and their basic enzyme kinetic parameters have been determined. PMID:16269732

Violence exposure and adolescents’ same-day obesogenic behaviors: New findings and a replication

PubMed Central

Piontak, Joy Rayanne; Russell, Michael A.; Danese, Andrea; Copeland, William E.; Hoyle, Rick H.; Odgers, Candice L.

2018-01-01

Objective To test whether exposure to violence is associated with same-day increases in obesogenic behaviors among young adolescents, including unhealthy food and beverage consumption, poor quality sleep, and lack of physical activity. Methods Young at-risk adolescents between 12 and 15 years of age were recruited via telephone screening from low-income neighborhoods. Adolescents and their parents completed in-person assessments, followed by Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) delivered to 151 adolescents’ mobile phones three times a day for 30 days (4329 person days). Three obesogenic behaviors – unhealthy food consumption, poor sleep quality, and lack of physical activity – and violence exposure were assessed daily. Adolescents’ body mass index (BMI) was assessed prior to the EMA and 18 months later. A replication was performed among 395 adolescents from a population-representative sample (with 5276 EMA person days). Results On days that at-risk adolescents were exposed versus not exposed to violence, they were more likely to consume unhealthy foods and beverages (b = 0.12, p = 0.01), report feeling tired the next morning (OR = 1.58, p < 0.01), and to be active (OR = 1.61, p < 0.01). At-risk adolescents who reported higher consumption of soda and caffeinated beverages during the 30-day EMA were more likely to experience increases in BMI in later adolescence. Findings related to sleep and activity were supported in the population-based replication sample; however, no significant same-day associations were found between violence exposure and unhealthy dietary consumption. Conclusions This study provides evidence that exposure to violence is associated with same-day unhealthy dietary consumption among at-risk adolescents and next-day tiredness related to sleep quality among adolescents from both at-risk and normative populations. Findings also point to unhealthy soda consumption during early adolescence as an important predictor of weight gain among at

Examining Convergence of Retrospective and Ecological Momentary Assessment Measures of Negative Affect and Eating Disorder Behaviors

PubMed Central

Wonderlich, Joseph A.; Lavender, Jason M.; Wonderlich, Stephen A.; Peterson, Carol B.; Crow, Scott J.; Engel, Scott G.; Le Grange, Daniel; Mitchell, James E.; Crosby, Ross D.

2017-01-01

Objective Data gathered via retrospective forms of assessment are subject to various recall biases. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is an alternative approach involving repeated momentary assessments within a participant's natural environment, thus reducing recall biases and improving ecological validity. EMA has been used in numerous prior studies examining various constructs of theoretical relevance to eating disorders. Method This investigation includes data from three previously published studies with distinct clinical samples: (a) women with anorexia nervosa (N=118), (b) women with bulimia nervosa (N=133), and (c) obese men and women (N=50; 9 with current binge eating disorder). Each study assessed negative affective states and eating disorder behaviors using traditional retrospective assessments and EMA. Spearman rho correlations were used to evaluate the concordance of retrospective versus EMA measures of affective and/or behavioral constructs in each sample. Bland-Altman plots were also used to further evaluate concordance in the assessment of eating disorder behaviors. Results There was moderate to strong concordance for the measures of negative affective states across all three studies. Moderate to strong concordance was also found for the measures of binge eating and exercise frequency. The strongest evidence of concordance across measurement approaches was found for purging behaviors. Discussion Overall, these preliminary findings support the convergence of retrospective and EMA assessments of both negative affective states and various eating disorder behaviors. Given the advantages and disadvantages associated with each of these assessment approaches, the specific questions being studied in future empirical studies should inform decisions regarding selection of the most appropriate method. PMID:25195932

SCI Longitudinal Aging Study: 40 Years of Research.

PubMed

Krause, James S; Clark, Jillian M R; Saunders, Lee L

2015-01-01

The Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Longitudinal Aging Study was initiated in 1973 and has conducted 8 assessments over the past 40 years. It was designed to help rehabilitation professionals understand the life situation of people with SCI, but it has developed into the most long-standing study of aging and SCI and has resulted in over 50 publications. Our purpose was to provide a detailed history of the study, response patterns, utilization of measures, and a summary of key findings reported in the literature. Five participant samples have been incorporated over the 40 years, with enrollment in 1973, 1984, 1993 (2 samples), and 2003. A total of 2,208 participants have completed 6,001 assessments, with a particularly large number of assessments among those who are more than 40 years post injury (n = 349). The overall results have indicated changing patterns of outcomes over time as persons with SCI age, with some notable declines in participation and health. There has been a survivor effect whereby persons who are more active, well-adjusted, and healthier live longer. This study has several important features that are required for longitudinal research including (a) consistency of follow-up, (b) consistency of measures over time, (c) addition of new participant samples to counteract attrition, and (d) inclusion of a large number of individuals who have reached aging milestones unparalleled in the literature. Data from this study can inform the literature on the natural course of aging with SCI.

Association of Aging-Related Endophenotypes With Mortality in 2 Cohort Studies: the Long Life Family Study and the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study.

PubMed

Singh, Jatinder; Schupf, Nicole; Boudreau, Robert; Matteini, Amy M; Prasad, Tanushree; Newman, Anne B; Liu, YongMei; Christensen, Kaare; Kammerer, Candace M

2015-12-01

One method by which to identify fundamental biological processes that may contribute to age-related disease and disability, instead of disease-specific processes, is to construct endophenotypes comprising linear combinations of physiological measures. Applying factor analyses methods to phenotypic data (2006-2009) on 28 traits representing 5 domains (cognitive, cardiovascular, metabolic, physical, and pulmonary) from 4,472 US and Danish individuals in 574 pedigrees from the Long Life Family Study (United States and Denmark), we constructed endophenotypes and assessed their relationship with mortality. The most dominant endophenotype primarily reflected the physical activity and pulmonary domains, was heritable, was significantly associated with mortality, and attenuated the association of age with mortality by 24.1%. Using data (1997-1998) on 1,794 Health, Aging and Body Composition Study participants from Memphis, Tennessee, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, we obtained strikingly similar endophenotypes and relationships to mortality. We also reproduced the endophenotype constructs, especially the dominant physical activity and pulmonary endophenotype, within demographic subpopulations of these 2 cohorts. Thus, this endophenotype construct may represent an underlying phenotype related to aging. Additional genetic studies of this endophenotype may help identify genetic variants or networks that contribute to the aging process. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Profile and determinants of successful aging in the Ibadan Study of Ageing.

PubMed

Gureje, Oye; Oladeji, Bibilola D; Abiona, Taiwo; Chatterji, Somnath

2014-05-01

To determine the profile and determinants of successful aging in a developing country characterized by low life expectancy and where successful agers may represent a unique group. Community-based cohort study. Eight contiguous states in the Yoruba-speaking region of Nigeria. A multistage clustered sampling of households was used to select a representative sample of individuals (N = 2,149) aged 65 and older at baseline. Nine hundred thirty were successfully followed for an average of 64 months between August 2003 and December 2009. Lifestyle and behavioral factors were assessed at baseline. Successful aging, defined using each of three models (absence of chronic health conditions, functional independence, and satisfaction with life), was assessed at follow-up. Between 16% and 75% of respondents could be classified as successful agers using one of the three models while 7.5% could be so classified using a combination of all the models. Correlations between the three models were small, ranging from 0.08 to 0.15. Different features predicted their outcomes, suggesting that they represent relatively independent trajectories of aging. Whichever model was used, more men than women tended to be classified as aging successfully. Men who aged successfully, using a combination of all the three models, were more likely never to have smoked (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 4.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.55-14.46) and to report, at baseline, having contacts with friends (aOR = 4.2, 95% CI = 1.0-18.76) or participating in community activities (aOR = 16.0, 95% CI = 1.23-204.40). In women, there was a nonlinear trend for younger age at baseline to predict this outcome. Modifiable social and lifestyle factors predicted successful aging in this population, suggesting that health promotion targeting behavior change may lead to tangible benefits for health and well-being in old age. © 2014, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2014, The American Geriatrics Society.

Flow cytometric osmotic fragility test and eosin-5'-maleimide dye-binding tests are better than conventional osmotic fragility tests for the diagnosis of hereditary spherocytosis.

PubMed

Arora, R D; Dass, J; Maydeo, S; Arya, V; Radhakrishnan, N; Sachdeva, A; Kotwal, J; Bhargava, M

2018-06-01

Hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is the most common inherited hemolytic anemia with heterogeneous clinico-laboratory manifestations. We evaluated the flow-cytometric tests: eosin-5'-maleimide (EMA) and flow-cytometric osmotic fragility test (FOFT) and the conventional osmotic fragility tests (OFT) for the diagnosis of hereditary spherocytosis (HS). One hundred two suspected HS patients underwent EMA, FOFT, incubated OFT (IOFT), and room temperature OFT (RT-OFT). In addition, 10 cases of immune hemolytic anemia (IHA) were included, and performance of the above 4 tests was evaluated. For EMA and FOFT, 5 normal controls were assessed together with the patients and cutoffs were calculated using receiver-operator-characteristics curve (ROC) analysis. The best cutoff for %EMA decrease was 12.5%, and for FOFT, %residual red cells (%RRC) was 25.6%. The sensitivity and specificity of RT-OFT was 62.06% and 86.3%, respectively, while that of IOFT was 79.31% and 87.67%, respectively. Both flow cytometric tests performed better. Sensitivity and specificity of EMA was 86.2% and 93.9% respectively, and that of FOFT was 96.6% and 98.63%, respectively. The combination of the FOFT with IOFT or EMA dye-binding test yields a sensitivity of 100%, but with EMA, it had a higher specificity. Hb/MCHC was a predictor of the severity of the disease while %EMA decrease and %RRC did not correlate with severity of the disease. Flow-cytometric osmotic fragility test is the best possible single test followed by EMA for diagnosis of HS. A combination of FOFT and EMA can correctly diagnose 100% patients. These tests are likely to replace conventional OFTs in future. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Age differences in the motor control of speech: An fMRI study of healthy aging.

PubMed

Tremblay, Pascale; Sato, Marc; Deschamps, Isabelle

2017-05-01

Healthy aging is associated with a decline in cognitive, executive, and motor processes that are concomitant with changes in brain activation patterns, particularly at high complexity levels. While speech production relies on all these processes, and is known to decline with age, the mechanisms that underlie these changes remain poorly understood, despite the importance of communication on everyday life. In this cross-sectional group study, we investigated age differences in the neuromotor control of speech production by combining behavioral and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. Twenty-seven healthy adults underwent fMRI while performing a speech production task consisting in the articulation of nonwords of different sequential and motor complexity. Results demonstrate strong age differences in movement time (MT), with longer and more variable MT in older adults. The fMRI results revealed extensive age differences in the relationship between BOLD signal and MT, within and outside the sensorimotor system. Moreover, age differences were also found in relation to sequential complexity within the motor and attentional systems, reflecting both compensatory and de-differentiation mechanisms. At very high complexity level (high motor complexity and high sequence complexity), age differences were found in both MT data and BOLD response, which increased in several sensorimotor and executive control areas. Together, these results suggest that aging of motor and executive control mechanisms may contribute to age differences in speech production. These findings highlight the importance of studying functionally relevant behavior such as speech to understand the mechanisms of human brain aging. Hum Brain Mapp 38:2751-2771, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Simultaneous determination of emamectin and ivermectin residues in Atlantic salmon muscle by liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

PubMed

van de Riet, J M; Brothers, N N; Pearce, J N; Burns, B G

2001-01-01

A liquid chromatographic (LC) method for determining residues of the antiparasitic drugs emamectin (EMA) and ivermectin (IVR) in fish tissues has been developed. EMA and IVR residues are extracted with acetonitrile and cleaned up on a C18 solid-phase extraction column. Extracts are derivatized with 1-methylimidazole and trifluoroacetic anhydride and the components are determined by LC on a C18 reversed-phase column with fluorescence detection (excitation: 365 nm, emission: 470 nm). The mobile phase is 94% acetonitrile-water run isocratically. Calibration curves were linear between 1 and 32 ng injected for both EMA and IVR. The limit of detection for both analytes was 0.5 ng/g, with a limit of quantitation of 1.5 ng/g. Recoveries of EMA and IVR added to salmon muscle averaged 96 +/- 9% and 86 +/- 6%, respectively, at levels between 5 and 80 ng/g. The percent relative standard deviation for the described method was less than 7% over the range of concentrations studied. The operational errors, interferences, and recoveries for fortified samples compare favorably with an established IVR method. The recommended method is simple, rapid, and specific for monitoring residues of EMA and IVR in Atlantic salmon muscle.

Comparisons of two moments‐based estimators that utilize historical and paleoflood data for the log Pearson type III distribution

USGS Publications Warehouse

England, John F.; Salas, José D.; Jarrett, Robert D.

2003-01-01

The expected moments algorithm (EMA) [Cohn et al., 1997] and the Bulletin 17B [Interagency Committee on Water Data, 1982] historical weighting procedure (B17H) for the log Pearson type III distribution are compared by Monte Carlo computer simulation for cases in which historical and/or paleoflood data are available. The relative performance of the estimators was explored for three cases: fixed‐threshold exceedances, a fixed number of large floods, and floods generated from a different parent distribution. EMA can effectively incorporate four types of historical and paleoflood data: floods where the discharge is explicitly known, unknown discharges below a single threshold, floods with unknown discharge that exceed some level, and floods with discharges described in a range. The B17H estimator can utilize only the first two types of historical information. Including historical/paleoflood data in the simulation experiments significantly improved the quantile estimates in terms of mean square error and bias relative to using gage data alone. EMA performed significantly better than B17H in nearly all cases considered. B17H performed as well as EMA for estimating X100 in some limited fixed‐threshold exceedance cases. EMA performed comparatively much better in other fixed‐threshold situations, for the single large flood case, and in cases when estimating extreme floods equal to or greater than X500. B17H did not fully utilize historical information when the historical period exceeded 200 years. Robustness studies using GEV‐simulated data confirmed that EMA performed better than B17H. Overall, EMA is preferred to B17H when historical and paleoflood data are available for flood frequency analysis.

Comparisons of two moments-based estimators that utilize historical and paleoflood data for the log Pearson type III distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

England, John F.; Salas, José D.; Jarrett, Robert D.

2003-09-01

The expected moments algorithm (EMA) [, 1997] and the Bulletin 17B [, 1982] historical weighting procedure (B17H) for the log Pearson type III distribution are compared by Monte Carlo computer simulation for cases in which historical and/or paleoflood data are available. The relative performance of the estimators was explored for three cases: fixed-threshold exceedances, a fixed number of large floods, and floods generated from a different parent distribution. EMA can effectively incorporate four types of historical and paleoflood data: floods where the discharge is explicitly known, unknown discharges below a single threshold, floods with unknown discharge that exceed some level, and floods with discharges described in a range. The B17H estimator can utilize only the first two types of historical information. Including historical/paleoflood data in the simulation experiments significantly improved the quantile estimates in terms of mean square error and bias relative to using gage data alone. EMA performed significantly better than B17H in nearly all cases considered. B17H performed as well as EMA for estimating X100 in some limited fixed-threshold exceedance cases. EMA performed comparatively much better in other fixed-threshold situations, for the single large flood case, and in cases when estimating extreme floods equal to or greater than X500. B17H did not fully utilize historical information when the historical period exceeded 200 years. Robustness studies using GEV-simulated data confirmed that EMA performed better than B17H. Overall, EMA is preferred to B17H when historical and paleoflood data are available for flood frequency analysis.

The Stability of Genetic Determination from Age 2 to Age 9: A Longitudinal Twin Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lytton, Hugh; And Others

A longitudinal investigation of the social and cognitive development of male twins was conducted when twins were 2.5 years of age, and again when they were 8- to 10-years-old. This study was designed to re-examine the heritability of the traits studied at the earlier age and, thus, to address the question of the stability of genetic determination.…

Numerical simulation of dynamics of brushless dc motors for aerospace and other applications. Volume 1: Model development and applications, part A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Demerdash, N. A. O.; Nehl, T. W.

1979-01-01

The development, fabrication and evaluation of a prototype electromechanical actuator (EMA) is discussed. Application of the EMA as a motor for control surfaces in aerospace flight is examined. A mathematical model of the EMA is developed for design optimization. Nonlinearities which complicate the mathematical model are discussed. The dynamics of the EMA from the underlying physical principles are determined and a discussion of similating the control logic by means of equivalent boolean expressions is presented.

[Aging of cognitive functions. Results of a longitudinal study].

PubMed

Poitrenaud, J; Barrère, H; Darcet, P; Driss, F

1983-12-29

This study had the two following purposes: to assess the age-related changes in the fluid and crystallized components of intelligence in subjects over age sixty five; to examine whether these age-related changes were linked to any biological, psychological and social factors. The sample was composed of 50 male subjects who were examined three times: in 1968, 1973 and 1977. At the beginning of the study, their age ranged from 60 to 79 years and they were all in good health. In the whole, their socio-economic level was high. At each wave of the study, these subjects were given the same battery of three mental tests: a vocabulary test, selected to assess crystallized intelligence; a perceptual test and a speeded digit coding test, both selected to assess fluid intelligence. Results show that the two components of intelligence have different aging trajectories over age sixty. On the vocabulary test, performances hold until an advanced age (about 75-80), then significantly decline. On the perceptual and digit coding tests, performances sharply and significantly decline with age, this decline looking approximately linear. Whatever the test used, individual differences in age-related changes in performance are found to be great. On vocabulary test, this variability is linked to two factors, independently of age: among subjects who have suffered from a cardio-arterial disease between wave 1 and wave 3, as well as in those who have not maintained an occupational activity, decline in performance is greater than in other subjects. On the two other tests, no factor was found to be significantly linked with change in performance between wave 1 and wave 3.

Age and fecundability in a North American preconception cohort study.

PubMed

Wesselink, Amelia K; Rothman, Kenneth J; Hatch, Elizabeth E; Mikkelsen, Ellen M; Sørensen, Henrik T; Wise, Lauren A

2017-12-01

There is a well-documented decline in fertility treatment success with increasing female age; however, there are few preconception cohort studies that have examined female age and natural fertility. In addition, data on male age and fertility are inconsistent. Given the increasing number of couples who are attempting conception at older ages, a more detailed characterization of age-related fecundability in the general population is of great clinical utility. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between female and male age with fecundability. We conducted a web-based preconception cohort study of pregnancy planners from the United States and Canada. Participants were enrolled between June 2013 and July 2017. Eligible participants were 21-45 years old (female) or ≥21 years old (male) and had not been using fertility treatments. Couples were followed until pregnancy or for up to 12 menstrual cycles. We analyzed data from 2962 couples who had been trying to conceive for ≤3 cycles at study entry and reported no history of infertility. We used life-table methods to estimate the unadjusted cumulative pregnancy proportion at 6 and 12 cycles by female and male age. We used proportional probabilities regression models to estimate fecundability ratios, the per-cycle probability of conception for each age category relative to the referent (21-24 years old), and 95% confidence intervals. Among female patients, the unadjusted cumulative pregnancy proportion at 6 cycles of attempt time ranged from 62.0% (age 28-30 years) to 27.6% (age 40-45 years); the cumulative pregnancy proportion at 12 cycles of attempt time ranged from 79.3% (age 25-27 years old) to 55.5% (age 40-45 years old). Similar patterns were observed among male patients, although differences between age groups were smaller. After adjusting for potential confounders, we observed a nearly monotonic decline in fecundability with increasing female age, with the exception of 28-33 years, at which

Drosophila as a model to study cardiac aging

PubMed Central

Nishimura, Mayuko; Ocorr, Karen; Bodmer, Rolf; Cartry, Jérôme

2010-01-01

With age, cardiac performance declines progressively and the risk of heart disease, a primary cause of mortality, rises dramatically. As the elderly population continues to increase, it is critical to gain a better understanding of the genetic influences and modulatory factors that impact cardiac aging. In an attempt to determine the relevance and utility of the Drosophila heart in unraveling the genetic mechanisms underlying cardiac aging, a variety of heart performance assays have recently been developed to quantify Drosophila heart performance that permit the use of the fruit fly to investigate the heart’s decline with age. As for the human heart, Drosophila heart function also deteriorates with age. Notably, with progressive age the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias, myofibrillar disorganization and susceptibility to heart dysfunction and failure all increase significantly. We review here the evidence for an involvement of the insulin-TOR pathway, the KATP channel subunit dSur, the KCNQ potassium channel, as well as Dystrophin and Myosin in fly cardiac aging, and discuss the utility of the Drosophila heart model for cardiac aging studies. PMID:21130861

Aged induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSCs) as a new cellular model for studying premature aging.

PubMed

Petrini, Stefania; Borghi, Rossella; D'Oria, Valentina; Restaldi, Fabrizia; Moreno, Sandra; Novelli, Antonio; Bertini, Enrico; Compagnucci, Claudia

2017-05-31

Nuclear integrity and mechanical stability of the nuclear envelope (NE) are conferred by the nuclear lamina, a meshwork of intermediate filaments composed of A- and B-type lamins, supporting the inner nuclear membrane and playing a pivotal role in chromatin organization and epigenetic regulation. During cell senescence, nuclear alterations also involving NE architecture are widely described. In the present study, we utilized induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) upon prolonged in vitro culture as a model to study aging and investigated the organization and expression pattern of NE major constituents. Confocal and four-dimensional imaging combined with molecular analyses, showed that aged iPSCs are characterized by nuclear dysmorphisms, nucleoskeletal components (lamin A/C-prelamin isoforms, lamin B1, emerin, and nesprin-2) imbalance, leading to impaired nucleo-cytoplasmic MKL1 shuttling, actin polymerization defects, mitochondrial dysfunctions, SIRT7 downregulation and NF-kBp65 hyperactivation. The observed age-related NE features of iPSCs closely resemble those reported for premature aging syndromes (e.g., Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome) and for somatic cell senescence. These findings validate the use of aged iPSCs as a suitable cellular model to study senescence and for investigating therapeutic strategies aimed to treat premature aging.

Aged induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSCs) as a new cellular model for studying premature aging

PubMed Central

D'Oria, Valentina; Restaldi, Fabrizia; Moreno, Sandra; Novelli, Antonio; Bertini, Enrico; Compagnucci, Claudia

2017-01-01

Nuclear integrity and mechanical stability of the nuclear envelope (NE) are conferred by the nuclear lamina, a meshwork of intermediate filaments composed of A- and B-type lamins, supporting the inner nuclear membrane and playing a pivotal role in chromatin organization and epigenetic regulation. During cell senescence, nuclear alterations also involving NE architecture are widely described. In the present study, we utilized induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) upon prolonged in vitro culture as a model to study aging and investigated the organization and expression pattern of NE major constituents. Confocal and four-dimensional imaging combined with molecular analyses, showed that aged iPSCs are characterized by nuclear dysmorphisms, nucleoskeletal components (lamin A/C-prelamin isoforms, lamin B1, emerin, and nesprin-2) imbalance, leading to impaired nucleo-cytoplasmic MKL1 shuttling, actin polymerization defects, mitochondrial dysfunctions, SIRT7 downregulation and NF-kBp65 hyperactivation. The observed age-related NE features of iPSCs closely resemble those reported for premature aging syndromes (e.g., Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome) and for somatic cell senescence. These findings validate the use of aged iPSCs as a suitable cellular model to study senescence and for investigating therapeutic strategies aimed to treat premature aging. PMID:28562315

Daily Associations of Stress and Eating in Mother-Child Dyads

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunton, Genevieve F.; Dzubur, Eldin; Huh, Jimi; Belcher, Britni R.; Maher, Jaclyn P.; O'Connor, Sydney; Margolin, Gayla

2017-01-01

Background and Aims. This study used Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) in mother-child dyads to examine the day-level associations of stress and eating. Method. Mothers and their 8- to 12-year-old children (N = 167 dyads) completed between three (weekday) and eight (weekend) EMA survey prompts per day at random nonschool times across 8 days.…

Acceptability of Ecological Momentary Assessment among Young Men Who Have Sex with Men

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duncan, Dustin T.; Kapadia, Farzana; Kirchner, Thomas R.; Goedel, William C.; Brady, William J.; Halkitis, Perry N.

2017-01-01

The study evaluated the acceptability of text message- and voice-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) methods among a sample (N = 74) of young men who have sex with men (MSM). We assessed the acceptability of text message- and voice-based EMA methods. Almost all participants (96%) reported that they would be willing to accept texts on their…

Data-based comparisons of moments estimators using historical and paleoflood data

USGS Publications Warehouse

England, J.F.; Jarrett, R.D.; Salas, J.D.

2003-01-01

This paper presents the first systematic comparison, using historical and paleoflood data, of moments-based flood frequency methods. Peak flow estimates were compiled from streamflow-gaging stations with historical and/or paleoflood data at 36 sites located in the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom and China, covering a diverse range of hydrologic conditions. The Expected Moments Algorithm (EMA) and the Bulletin 17B historical weighting procedure (B17H) were compared in terms of goodness of fit using 25 of the data sets. Results from this comparison indicate that EMA is a viable alternative to current B17H procedures from an operational perspective, and performed equal to or better than B17H for the data analyzed. We demonstrate satisfactory EMA performance for the remaining 11 sites with multiple thresholds and binomial censoring, which B17H cannot accommodate. It is shown that the EMA estimator readily incorporates these types of information and the LP-III distribution provided an adequate fit to the data in most cases. The results shown here are consistent with Monte Carlo simulation studies, and demonstrate that EMA is preferred overall to B17H. The Bulletin 17B document could be revised to include an option for EMA as an alternative to the existing historical weighting approach. These results are of practical relevance to hydrologists and water resources managers for applications in floodplain management, design of hydraulic structures, and risk analysis for dams. ?? 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Data-based comparisons of moments estimators using historical and paleoflood data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

England, John F.; Jarrett, Robert D.; Salas, José D.

2003-07-01

This paper presents the first systematic comparison, using historical and paleoflood data, of moments-based flood frequency methods. Peak flow estimates were compiled from streamflow-gaging stations with historical and/or paleoflood data at 36 sites located in the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom and China, covering a diverse range of hydrologic conditions. The Expected Moments Algorithm (EMA) and the Bulletin 17B historical weighting procedure (B17H) were compared in terms of goodness of fit using 25 of the data sets. Results from this comparison indicate that EMA is a viable alternative to current B17H procedures from an operational perspective, and performed equal to or better than B17H for the data analyzed. We demonstrate satisfactory EMA performance for the remaining 11 sites with multiple thresholds and binomial censoring, which B17H cannot accommodate. It is shown that the EMA estimator readily incorporates these types of information and the LP-III distribution provided an adequate fit to the data in most cases. The results shown here are consistent with Monte Carlo simulation studies, and demonstrate that EMA is preferred overall to B17H. The Bulletin 17B document could be revised to include an option for EMA as an alternative to the existing historical weighting approach. These results are of practical relevance to hydrologists and water resources managers for applications in floodplain management, design of hydraulic structures, and risk analysis for dams.

Detection of Legionella species in environmental water by the quantitative PCR method in combination with ethidium monoazide treatment.

PubMed

Inoue, Hiroaki; Takama, Tomoko; Yoshizaki, Miwa; Agata, Kunio

2015-01-01

We detected Legionella species in 111 bath water samples and 95 cooling tower water samples by using a combination of conventional plate culture, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and qPCR combined with ethidium monoazide treatment (EMA-qPCR) methods. In the case of bath water samples, Legionella spp. were detected in 30 samples by plate culture, in 85 samples by qPCR, and in 49 samples by EMA-qPCR. Of 81 samples determined to be Legionella-negative by plate culture, 56 and 23 samples were positive by qPCR and EMA-qPCR, respectively. Therefore, EMA treatment decreased the number of Legionella-positive bath water samples detected by qPCR. In contrast, EMA treatment had no effect on cooling tower water samples. We therefore expect that EMA-qPCR is a useful method for the rapid detection of viable Legionella spp. from bath water samples.

Comparing Presenting Clinical Features in 48 Children With Microscopic Polyangiitis to 183 Children Who Have Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis (Wegener's): An ARChiVe Cohort Study.

PubMed

Cabral, David A; Canter, Debra L; Muscal, Eyal; Nanda, Kabita; Wahezi, Dawn M; Spalding, Steven J; Twilt, Marinka; Benseler, Susanne M; Campillo, Sarah; Charuvanij, Sirirat; Dancey, Paul; Eberhard, Barbara A; Elder, Melissa E; Hersh, Aimee; Higgins, Gloria C; Huber, Adam M; Khubchandani, Raju; Kim, Susan; Klein-Gitelman, Marisa; Kostik, Mikhail M; Lawson, Erica F; Lee, Tzielan; Lubieniecka, Joanna M; McCurdy, Deborah; Moorthy, Lakshmi N; Morishita, Kimberly A; Nielsen, Susan M; O'Neil, Kathleen M; Reiff, Andreas; Ristic, Goran; Robinson, Angela B; Sarmiento, Angelyne; Shenoi, Susan; Toth, Mary B; Van Mater, Heather A; Wagner-Weiner, Linda; Weiss, Jennifer E; White, Andrew J; Yeung, Rae S M

2016-10-01

To uniquely classify children with microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), to describe their demographic characteristics, presenting clinical features, and initial treatments in comparison to patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (Wegener's) (GPA). The European Medicines Agency (EMA) classification algorithm was applied by computation to categorical data from patients recruited to the ARChiVe (A Registry for Childhood Vasculitis: e-entry) cohort, with the data censored to November 2015. The EMA algorithm was used to uniquely distinguish children with MPA from children with GPA, whose diagnoses had been classified according to both adult- and pediatric-specific criteria. Descriptive statistics were used for comparisons. In total, 231 of 440 patients (64% female) fulfilled the classification criteria for either MPA (n = 48) or GPA (n = 183). The median time to diagnosis was 1.6 months in the MPA group and 2.1 months in the GPA group (ranging to 39 and 73 months, respectively). Patients with MPA were significantly younger than those with GPA (median age 11 years versus 14 years). Constitutional features were equally common between the groups. In patients with MPA compared to those with GPA, pulmonary manifestations were less frequent (44% versus 74%) and less severe (primarily, hemorrhage, requirement for supplemental oxygen, and pulmonary failure). Renal pathologic features were frequently found in both groups (75% of patients with MPA versus 83% of patients with GPA) but tended toward greater severity in those with MPA (primarily, nephrotic-range proteinuria, requirement for dialysis, and end-stage renal disease). Airway/eye involvement was absent among patients with MPA, because these GPA-defining features preclude a diagnosis of MPA within the EMA algorithm. Similar proportions of patients with MPA and those with GPA received combination therapy with corticosteroids plus cyclophosphamide (69% and 78%, respectively) or both drugs in combination with

Do Cherished Children Age Successfully? Longitudinal Findings from the VA Normative Aging Study

PubMed Central

Lee, Lewina O.; Aldwin, Carolyn M.; Kubzansky, Laura D.; Chen, Edith; Mroczek, Daniel K.; Wang, Joyce M.; Spiro, Avron

2015-01-01

Although early adversity has been linked to worse mental and physical health in adulthood, few studies have investigated the pathways through which positive and negative dimensions of early experiences can jointly influence psychological well-being in later life. This study examined: (1) profiles of early experiences across multiple domains; (2) the relations of these profiles to hedonic and eudaimonic well-being in later life; and (3) whether midlife social support mediated these relations. We first conducted latent class analysis of early experiences using data from 1,076 men in the VA Normative Aging Study who completed the Childhood Experiences Scale (age: M=69, SD=7). Analyses yielded three profiles of early experiences, labeled as cherished (strong support and some losses), harshly disciplined (harsh parental discipline, low positive reinforcement, and non-normative stressors), and ordinary (few stressors and low parental attention). Next, we applied structural equation modeling to data on a subset of this sample assessed seven years later on hedonic and eudaimonic well-being (n=496; age: M=76, SD=7). In general, the cherished group reported stronger qualitative social support in midlife than the harshly disciplined and ordinary groups, which in turn was related to greater hedonic (life satisfaction, positive affect) and eudaimonic (competence, positive relations with others) well-being in later life. The cherished group also reported higher autonomy than the ordinary group, but this association was independent of midlife social support. Our findings suggest that experiencing adversity in the context of a nurturing early environment can promote successful aging through the maintenance of supportive relationships in midlife. PMID:26436456

Health and aging: development of the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing health assessment.

PubMed

Cronin, Hilary; O'Regan, Clare; Finucane, Ciaran; Kearney, Patricia; Kenny, Rose Anne

2013-05-01

To assist researchers planning studies similar to The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), concerning the development of the health assessment component, to promote use of the archived data set, to inform researchers of the methods employed, and to complement the accompanying article on normative values. Prospective, longitudinal study of older adults. Republic of Ireland. Eight thousand five hundred four community-dwelling adults who participated in wave 1 of the TILDA study. The main areas of focus for the TILDA health assessments are neurocardiovascular instability, locomotion, and vision. The article describes the scientific rationale for the choice of assessments and seeks to determine the potential advantages of incorporating novel biomeasures and technologies in population-based studies to advance understanding of aging-related disorders. The detailed description of the physical measures will facilitate cross-national comparative research and put into context the normative values outlined in the subsequent article. © 2013, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2013, The American Geriatrics Society.

Aging Studies in Drosophila melanogaster

PubMed Central

Sun, Yaning; Yolitz, Jason; Wang, Cecilia; Spangler, Edward; Zhan, Ming; Zou, Sige

2015-01-01

Summary Drosophila is a genetically tractable system ideal for investigating the mechanisms of aging and developing interventions for promoting healthy aging. Here we describe methods commonly used in Drosophila aging research. These include basic approaches for preparation of diets and measurements of lifespan, food intake and reproductive output. We also describe some commonly used assays to measure changes in physiological and behavioral functions of Drosophila in aging, such as stress resistance and locomotor activity. PMID:23929099

Development and validation of a novel questionnaire for self-determination of the range of motion of wrist and elbow.

PubMed

Schnetzke, Marc; Schüler, Svenja; Keil, Holger; Aytac, Sara; Studier-Fischer, Stefan; Grützner, Paul-Alfred; Guehring, Thorsten

2016-07-26

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a novel self-administered questionnaire for assessing the patient's own range of motion (ROM) of the wrist and the elbow. In a prospective clinical study from January 2015 to June 2015, 101 consecutive patients were evaluated with a novel, self-administered, diagram-based, wrist motion assessment score (W-MAS) and elbow motion assessment score (E-MAS). The questionnaire was statistically evaluated for test-retest reliability, patient-physician agreement, comparison with healthy population, and influence of covariates (age, gender, affected side and involvement in workers' compensation cases). Assessment of patient-physician agreement demonstrated almost perfect agreement (k > 0.80) with regard to six out of eight items. There was substantial agreement with regard to two items: elbow extension (k = 0.76) and pronation (k = 0.75). The assessment of the test-retest reliability revealed at least substantial agreement (k = 0.70). The questionnaire revealed a high discriminative power when comparing the healthy population with the study group (p = 0.007 or lower for every item). Age, gender, affected side and involvement in workers' compensation cases did not in general significantly influence the patient-physician agreement for the questionnaire. The W-MAS and E-MAS are valid and reliable self-administered questionnaires that provide a high level of patient-physician agreement for the assessments of wrist and elbow ROM. Diagnostic study, Level II.

"Old Age and Loneliness: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analyses in the Tampere Longitudinal Study on Aging"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jylha, Marja

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine whether older age is associated with increasing loneliness in people aged 60 and over. Data came from TamELSA, a population-based prospective longitudinal study in Tampere, Finland. The followup time was 20 years. Loneliness was measured by a single question--"Do you feel lonely?"--with the…

Photometric Study of Intermediate Age Open Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Contreras, Maria Eugenia; Michel, R.; Schuster, W.; Chavarria-Kleinhenn, C.; Olguin, L.

2011-05-01

We present the study of a sample of intermediate age open clusters (age 10-30 Myr) using optical (UBVRI) and infrared (JHK) photometric data. Optical photometry was obtained as part of the San Pedro Martir Open Clusters Project (SPM-OCP, Schuster et al. 2007; Michel et al. 2011, in preparation) while near-infrared photometry was retrieved from the 2MASS public data archive (ref). Most of the clusters included in SPM-OCP were selected from the Dias et al. (2002). catalog. On one hand, UVRI photometry was used to derive fundamental parameters of each cluster in the sample, such as age, distance and reddening. On the other hand, infrared photometry has allowed us to carry out a preliminary search of candidate stars to posses a circumstellar disk detected via its near-infrared excess. Observational data show that the number of infrared excess detection decreases with stellar age and actually this emission seems to completely disappear in stars with an age of 30 Myr (Strom et al. 1993; Muzerolle et al. 2000). One possible explanation for the lack of infrared emission has been proposed to be grain coagulation where small dust particles grow into larger and larger bodies until forming planetesimals and even planets. In this work we are aimed to analyze a sample of open clusters lying in this crucial age range.

Ecological Momentary Assessments and Automated Time Series Analysis to Promote Tailored Health Care: A Proof-of-Principle Study.

PubMed

van der Krieke, Lian; Emerencia, Ando C; Bos, Elisabeth H; Rosmalen, Judith Gm; Riese, Harriëtte; Aiello, Marco; Sytema, Sjoerd; de Jonge, Peter

2015-08-07

Health promotion can be tailored by combining ecological momentary assessments (EMA) with time series analysis. This combined method allows for studying the temporal order of dynamic relationships among variables, which may provide concrete indications for intervention. However, application of this method in health care practice is hampered because analyses are conducted manually and advanced statistical expertise is required. This study aims to show how this limitation can be overcome by introducing automated vector autoregressive modeling (VAR) of EMA data and to evaluate its feasibility through comparisons with results of previously published manual analyses. We developed a Web-based open source application, called AutoVAR, which automates time series analyses of EMA data and provides output that is intended to be interpretable by nonexperts. The statistical technique we used was VAR. AutoVAR tests and evaluates all possible VAR models within a given combinatorial search space and summarizes their results, thereby replacing the researcher's tasks of conducting the analysis, making an informed selection of models, and choosing the best model. We compared the output of AutoVAR to the output of a previously published manual analysis (n=4). An illustrative example consisting of 4 analyses was provided. Compared to the manual output, the AutoVAR output presents similar model characteristics and statistical results in terms of the Akaike information criterion, the Bayesian information criterion, and the test statistic of the Granger causality test. Results suggest that automated analysis and interpretation of times series is feasible. Compared to a manual procedure, the automated procedure is more robust and can save days of time. These findings may pave the way for using time series analysis for health promotion on a larger scale. AutoVAR was evaluated using the results of a previously conducted manual analysis. Analysis of additional datasets is needed in order to

Aging and Alzheimer's disease: lessons from the Nun Study.

PubMed

Snowdon, D A

1997-04-01

Sister Mary, the gold standard for the Nun Study, was a remarkable woman who had high cognitive test scores before her death at 101 years of age. What is more remarkable is that she maintained this high status despite having abundant neurofibrillary tangles and senile plaques, the classic lesions of Alzheimer's disease. Findings from Sister Mary and all 678 participants in the Nun Study may provide unique clues about the etiology of aging and Alzheimer's disease, exemplify what is possible in old age, and show how the clinical expression of some diseases may be averted.

In vivo oxalate degradation by liposome encapsulated oxalate oxidase in rat model of hyperoxaluria

PubMed Central

Dahiya, Tulika; Pundir, C.S.

2013-01-01

Background & objectives: High level of urinary oxalate substantially increases the risk of hyperoxaluria, a significant risk factor for urolithiasis. The primary goal of this study was to reduce urinary oxalate excretion employing liposome encapsulated oxalate oxidase in animal model. Methods: A membrane bound oxalate oxidase was purified from Bougainvillea leaves. The enzyme in its native form was less effective at the physiological pH of the recipient animal. To increase its functional viability, the enzyme was immobilized on to ethylene maleic anhydride (EMA). Rats were injected with liposome encapsulated EMA- oxalate oxidase and the effect was observed on degradation of oxalic acid. Results: The enzyme was purified to apparent homogeneity with 60-fold purification and 31 per cent yield. The optimum pH of EMA-derivative enzyme was 6.0 and it showed 70 per cent of its optimal activity at pH 7.0. The EMA-bound enzyme encapsulated into liposome showed greater oxalate degradation in 15 per cent casein vitamin B6 deficient fed rats as compared with 30 per cent casein vitamin B6 deficient fed rats and control rats. Interpretation & conclusions: EMA-oxalate oxidase encapsulated liposome caused oxalate degradation in experimental hyperoxaluria indicating that the enzyme could be used as a therapeutic agent in hyperoxaluria leading to urinary stones. PMID:23481063

Use of pupil size to determine the effect of electromagnetic acupuncture on activation level of the autonomic nervous system.

PubMed

Kim, Soo-Byeong; Choi, Woo-Hyuk; Liu, Wen-Xue; Lee, Na-Ra; Shin, Tae-Min; Lee, Yong-Heum

2014-06-01

Magnetic fields are widely considered as a method of treatment to increase the therapeutic effect when applied to acupoints. Hence, this study proposes a new method which creates significant stimulation of acupoints by using weak magnetic fields. We conducted this experiment in order to confirm the effect on the activation level of the autonomic nervous system by measuring pupil sizes in cases of stimulation by using manual acupuncture and electromagnetic acupuncture (EMA) at BL15. We selected 30 Hz of biphasic wave form with 570.1 Gauss. To confirm the biopotential by the magnetic flux density occurring in EMA that affected the activation of the autonomic nervous system, we observed the biopotential induced at the upper and the mid left and right trapezius. We observed a significant decrease in pupil size only in the EMA group (p < 0.05), thus confirming that EMA decreased the pupil size through activation of the parasympathetic nerve in the autonomic nervous system. Moreover, we confirmed that the amplitude of the biopotential which was caused by 570.1 Gauss was higher than ±20 μA. Thus, we can conclude that EMA treatment successfully activates the parasympathetic nerve in the autonomic nervous system by inducing a biotransformation by the induced biopotential. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

MovingU: A prospective cohort study to understand behavioural and environmental contexts influencing physical activity during the transition into emerging adulthood.

PubMed

Kwan, Matthew Y W; Bedard, Chloe; King-Dowling, Sara; Wellman, Sarah; Cairney, John

2016-08-05

Children and youth are often considered the most active segment of the population, however, research indicates that physical activity (PA) tends to peak during the adolescent years, declining thereafter with age. In particular, the acute transition out of high school is a period for which individuals appear to be at high-risk for becoming less active. Relatively few studies have investigated the factors influencing the changes in PA during this transition period. Therefore the purpose of the MovingU study is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the behavioural patterns and the socio-ecological factors related to the changes in PA during the transition out of high school. MovingU is comprised of two phases. Phase I is a prospective cohort design and aims to follow 120 students in their last year of high school through to their first year out of high school. Students will be asked to complete questionnaires measuring various psychosocial and socio-environmental variables (e.g., self-efficacy and distress) four times throughout this transition period. Students will also be given a wrist-worn accelerometer to wear for 7-days at each of the four assessments. Phase II is a cross-sectional study involving 100 first-year university students. Students will be asked to complete the same questionnaire from phase I, wear a wrist-worn accelerometer for 5-days, and complete ecological momentary assessments (EMA) using their smartphones at randomly selected times throughout the day for 5-days. EMA items will capture information regarding contextual and momentary correlates of PA. The MovingU study represents the first to evaluate the social and environmental influences of PA behaviour changes, including the use of intensive real-time data capture strategies during the transition out of high school. This information will be critical in the development of interventions aimed to prevent or attenuate such drastic declines in PA during emerging adulthood period.

Healthy aging and dementia: findings from the Nun Study.

PubMed

Snowdon, David A

2003-09-02

The Nun Study is a longitudinal study of 678 Catholic sisters 75 to 107 years of age who are members of the School Sisters of Notre Dame congregation. Data collected for this study include early and middle-life risk factors from the convent archives, annual cognitive and physical function evaluations during old age, and postmortem neuropathologic evaluations of the participants' brains. The case histories presented include a centenarian who was a model of healthy aging, a 92-year-old with dementia and clinically significant Alzheimer disease neuropathology and vascular lesions, a cognitively and physically intact centenarian with almost no neuropathology, and an 85-year-old with well-preserved cognitive and physical function despite a genetic predisposition to Alzheimer disease and an abundance of Alzheimer disease lesions. These case histories provide examples of how healthy aging and dementia relate to the degree of pathology present in the brain and the level of resistance to the clinical expression of the neuropathology.

Supertoughened renewable PLA reactive multiphase blends system: phase morphology and performance.

PubMed

Zhang, Kunyu; Nagarajan, Vidhya; Misra, Manjusri; Mohanty, Amar K

2014-08-13

Multiphase blends of poly(lactic acid) (PLA), ethylene-methyl acrylate-glycidyl methacrylate (EMA-GMA) terpolymer, and a series of renewable poly(ether-b-amide) elastomeric copolymer (PEBA) were fabricated through reactive melt blending in an effort to improve the toughness of the PLA. Supertoughened PLA blend showing impact strength of ∼500 J/m with partial break impact behavior was achieved at an optimized blending ratio of 70 wt % PLA, 20 wt % EMA-GMA, and 10 wt % PEBA. Miscibility and thermal behavior of the binary blends PLA/PEBA and PLA/EMA-GMA, and the multiphase blends were also investigated through differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Phase morphology and fracture surface morphology of the blends were studied through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to understand the strong corelation between the morphology and its significant effect on imparting tremendous improvement in toughness. A unique "multiple stacked structure" with partial encapsulation of EMA-GMA and PEBA minor phases was observed for the PLA/EMA-GMA/PEBA (70/20/10) revealing the importance of particular blend composition in enhancing the toughness. Toughening mechanism behind the supertoughened PLA blends have been established by studying the impact fractured surface morphology at different zones of fracture. Synergistic effect of good interfacial adhesion and interfacial cavitations followed by massive shear yielding of the matrix was believed to contribute to the enormous toughening effect observed in these multiphase blends.

Momentary factors during marijuana use as predictors of lapse during attempted abstinence in young adults.

PubMed

Shrier, Lydia A; Sarda, Vishnudas; Jonestrask, Cassandra; Harris, Sion Kim

2018-08-01

Young adults using marijuana heavily often try multiple times to quit on their own. We sought to identify momentary experiences during marijuana use that could aid in predicting lapse when young adults subsequently attempt abstinence. Young adults (N=34) age 18-25 using marijuana ≥5days/week and planning to quit completed a survey of sociodemographic characteristics, substance use, marijuana expectancies, use motives, perceived social support, and confidence to abstain. They completed ecological momentary assessment (EMA) smartphone reports several times/day for two weeks prior to, then during two weeks of attempted abstinence. Use period EMA reports assessed affect, craving, accessibility, situational permissibility, use, and motivation to abstain. Baseline survey and EMA data were examined in relation to subsequent lapse during attempted abstinence. Nearly 3 in 4 participants (73.5%) reported lapsing during attempted abstinence from marijuana. On bivariate analyses, lower baseline dependence severity score, negative effect expectancies, perceived family support, and confidence to abstain were each associated with lapse. Of the use period EMA variables, greater percent of days with marijuana use, reports of easy accessibility, and reports of situational permissibility were each associated with lapse. Modeled together, negative effect expectancies, perceived family support, confidence to abstain, and situational permissibility during use were highly accurate in predicting lapse during attempted abstinence. Momentary factors may add to conventionally-surveyed characteristics to enhance prediction of lapse during attempted abstinence among young adults with heavy marijuana use. Momentary assessment prior to a quit attempt may thus enable more effective personalized approaches to preventing lapse. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Minus-Lens–Stimulated Accommodative Amplitude Decreases Sigmoidally with Age: A Study of Objectively Measured Accommodative Amplitudes from Age 3

PubMed Central

Anderson, Heather A.; Hentz, Gloria; Glasser, Adrian; Stuebing, Karla K.; Manny, Ruth E.

2009-01-01

Purpose Guidelines for predicting accommodative amplitude by age are often based on subjective push-up test data that overestimate the accommodative response. Studies in which objective measurements were used have defined expected amplitudes for adults, but expected amplitudes for children remain unknown. In this study, objective methods were used to measure accommodative amplitude in a wide age range of individuals, to define the relationship of amplitude and age from age 3. Methods Accommodative responses were measured in 140 subjects aged 3 to 40 years. Measurements were taken with the Grand Seiko autorefractor (RyuSyo Industrial Co., Ltd., Kagawa, Japan) as the subjects viewed a high-contrast target at 33 cm through minus lenses of increasing power until the responses showed no further increase in accommodation. Results The maximum accommodative amplitude of each subject was plotted by age, and a curvilinear function fit to the data: y = 7.33 − 0.0035(age − 3)2 (P < 0.001). Tangent analysis of the fit indicated that the accommodative amplitude remained relatively stable until age 20. Data from this study were then pooled with objective amplitudes from previous studies of adults up to age 70. A sigmoidal function was fit to the data: y = 7.083/(1 + e[0.2031(age-36.2)−0.6109]) (P < 0.001). The sigmoidal function indicated relatively stable amplitudes below age 20 years, a rapid linear decline between 20 and 50 years, and a taper to 0 beyond 50 years. Conclusions These data indicate that accommodative amplitude decreases in a curvilinear manner from 3 to 40 years. When combined with data from previous studies, a sigmoidal function describes the overall trend throughout life with the biggest decrease occurring between 20 and 50 years. PMID:18326693

Experimental self-etching HEMA-free adhesive systems: cytotoxicity and degree of conversion.

PubMed

Barbosa, Marília Oliveira; de Carvalho, Rodrigo Varella; Demarco, Flávio Fernando; Ogliari, Fabrício Aulo; Zanchi, Cesar Henrique; Piva, Evandro; da Silva, Adriana Fernandes

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of replacing 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) by methacrylate surfactant monomers on the cytotoxicity and degree of conversion of two-step self-etching dentin adhesive systems. Five HEMA-free adhesive systems were tested: Bis-EMA 10, Bis-EMA 30, PEG400, PEG400UDMA, PEG1000, and a HEMA group was used as positive control. The cytotoxicity of the experimental primers, with different monomer concentrations (2 or 20 wt%), and bond resins, containing 25 wt% surfactant, was assessed using murine fibroblast cell line 3T3 and the tetrazolium assay (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT)). The degree of conversion of the bond resins was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The data were submitted to statistical analysis using level of significance set at P < 0.05. The PEG 1000 group obtained higher cell viability in comparison with HEMA in the 2 % primer. The cell survival rate using 20 % primer showed that PEG1000 and BIS-EMA 10 were less cytotoxic than HEMA. With regard to the eluate from bond resin, the data showed that the groups BIS-EMA 10, BIS-EMA 30 and PEG400UDMA were less cytotoxic than HEMA. No statistically significant difference was found among degrees of conversion of the experimental groups and HEMA. PEG 1000, BIS-EMA 10 and 30 monomers showed the biological potential for use in new adhesive system formulations since they showed lower cytotoxicity and similar degree of conversion when compared with the HEMA-containing group.

Pediatric investigation plans for specific immunotherapy: Questionable contributions to childhood health.

PubMed

Rose, Klaus; Kopp, Matthias Volkmar

2015-12-01

Allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) is the only disease-modifying treatment for children, adolescents, and adults with allergic diseases. The EU has a combined system of national and EU-wide marketing authorization for all medicines. Germany introduced a new therapy allergen ordinance in 2008. Allergen products manufacturers had to apply for marketing authorization application for the major allergen groups (grass group, birch group, mites group, bee/wasp venom). Due to the EU pediatric regulation, in force since 2007, manufacturers had also to submit a pediatric investigation plan (PIP) for each allergen product. We investigated the allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC) standard PIP, developed jointly by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the German Paul Ehrlich Institut (PEI). We analyzed the 118 EMA PIP decisions, looked for SIT trials in children in www.clinicaltrials.gov, and further analyzed EMA/EU justifications. The PIPs request a 1-year dose-finding study in adults, a 5-year placebo-controlled (PC) efficacy & safety (E&S) study in adults, and a 5-year PC E&S study in children. Fifty-eight PIP development programs will have to be performed until 2031. But children benefit even more from SIT for ARC than adults. There is no convincing medical/scientific justification for PC E&S studies in children in the relevant EMA documents. The PIP requirement to withhold effective treatment to thousands of children in the placebo group over a 5-year period raises profound concerns. The EMA justifications are formalistic and lack scientific foundation. A critical academic review of the ARC PIPs and the entire PIP system is urgently needed. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Estimating the Reliability of Aggregated and Within-Person Centered Scores in Ecological Momentary Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Po-Hsien; Weng, Li-Jen

2012-01-01

A procedure for estimating the reliability of test scores in the context of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) was proposed to take into account the characteristics of EMA measures. Two commonly used test scores in EMA were considered: the aggregated score (AGGS) and the within-person centered score (WPCS). Conceptually, AGGS and WPCS represent…

Age Differences and Changes of Coping Behavior in Three Age Groups: Findings from the Georgia Centenarian Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Peter; Kliegel, Matthias; Rott, Christoph; Poon, Leonard W.; Johnson, Mary Ann

2008-01-01

With increasing age, older adults are more likely to be challenged by an increasing number of physical, functional and social losses. As a result, coping with losses becomes a central theme in very late life. This study investigated age differences and age changes in active behavioral, active cognitive and avoidance coping and related coping to…

Linear Extended State Observer-Based Motion Synchronization Control for Hybrid Actuation System of More Electric Aircraft.

PubMed

Wang, Xingjian; Liao, Rui; Shi, Cun; Wang, Shaoping

2017-10-25

Moving towards the more electric aircraft (MEA), a hybrid actuator configuration provides an opportunity to introduce electromechanical actuator (EMA) into primary flight control. In the hybrid actuation system (HAS), an electro-hydraulic servo actuator (EHSA) and an EMA operate on the same control surface. In order to solve force fighting problem in HAS, this paper proposes a novel linear extended state observer (LESO)-based motion synchronization control method. To cope with the problem of unavailability of the state signals required by the motion synchronization controller, LESO is designed for EHSA and EMA to observe the state variables. Based on the observed states of LESO, motion synchronization controllers could enable EHSA and EMA to simultaneously track the desired motion trajectories. Additionally, nonlinearities, uncertainties and unknown disturbances as well as the coupling term between EHSA and EMA can be estimated and compensated by using the extended state of the proposed LESO. Finally, comparative simulation results indicate that the proposed LESO-based motion synchronization controller could reduce significant force fighting between EHSA and EMA.

Rubber elasticity for percolation network consisting of Gaussian chains.

PubMed

Nishi, Kengo; Noguchi, Hiroshi; Sakai, Takamasa; Shibayama, Mitsuhiro

2015-11-14

A theory describing the elastic modulus for percolation networks of Gaussian chains on general lattices such as square and cubic lattices is proposed and its validity is examined with simulation and mechanical experiments on well-defined polymer networks. The theory was developed by generalizing the effective medium approximation (EMA) for Hookian spring network to Gaussian chain networks. From EMA theory, we found that the ratio of the elastic modulus at p, G to that at p = 1, G0, must be equal to G/G0 = (p - 2/f)/(1 - 2/f) if the position of sites can be determined so as to meet the force balance, where p is the degree of cross-linking reaction. However, the EMA prediction cannot be applicable near its percolation threshold because EMA is a mean field theory. Thus, we combine real-space renormalization and EMA and propose a theory called real-space renormalized EMA, i.e., REMA. The elastic modulus predicted by REMA is in excellent agreement with the results of simulations and experiments of near-ideal diamond lattice gels.

Linear Extended State Observer-Based Motion Synchronization Control for Hybrid Actuation System of More Electric Aircraft

PubMed Central

Liao, Rui; Shi, Cun; Wang, Shaoping

2017-01-01

Moving towards the more electric aircraft (MEA), a hybrid actuator configuration provides an opportunity to introduce electromechanical actuator (EMA) into primary flight control. In the hybrid actuation system (HAS), an electro-hydraulic servo actuator (EHSA) and an EMA operate on the same control surface. In order to solve force fighting problem in HAS, this paper proposes a novel linear extended state observer (LESO)-based motion synchronization control method. To cope with the problem of unavailability of the state signals required by the motion synchronization controller, LESO is designed for EHSA and EMA to observe the state variables. Based on the observed states of LESO, motion synchronization controllers could enable EHSA and EMA to simultaneously track the desired motion trajectories. Additionally, nonlinearities, uncertainties and unknown disturbances as well as the coupling term between EHSA and EMA can be estimated and compensated by using the extended state of the proposed LESO. Finally, comparative simulation results indicate that the proposed LESO-based motion synchronization controller could reduce significant force fighting between EHSA and EMA. PMID:29068392

Anti-aging proof of concept study: results and summary.

PubMed

Bruce, Suzanne; Karnik, Jwala; Dryer, Laurence; Burkholder, David

2014-09-01

The etiology of aging human skin includes intrinsic physiologic changes greatly accelerated by photoaging, predominantly through exposure to UV light. Consumer interest and demand for anti-aging skin care products is extremely high especially in light of aging populations. Prenatal (fetal) tissue has been shown to possess healing characteristics and regenerative effects. A proprietary tissue engineering technology has been developed to produce a soluble human extracellular matrix material with growth factors and proteins. Neonatal cells are cultured on microbeads under conditions of low oxygen tension. This human cell-conditioned media (hCCM) contains a variety of growth factors and cytokines similar to those found in fetal cells and has been incorporated into a topical preparation for use in facial wound healing (after laser resurfacing procedures) and improving the appearance of aging skin. The objective of this study was to observe the effects of an MRCx™-containing topical skincare regimen on subjects with demonstrated aging skin damage (photodamage) when used consistently over a 3 month time period. Female subjects age 35-65 with Fitzpatrick Skin Type I-IV and mild to moderate amounts of photodamage, fine lines, and wrinkles used Regenica® Replenishing Crème and Regenica® Renew SPF 15 for 3 months. At each visit, photos were taken of subjects while investigators completed skin grading assessments and subjects completed self-assessments. Investigator assessments included evaluation of tactile roughness, visual texture, wrinkles, blotchiness, skin tone evenness, radiance, and translucence on a 5-point scale. Subjects' self-assessments included assessment of fine lines and wrinkles, firmness, evenness of skin tone, brightness, resilience, clarity, and radiance. Changes from baseline were evaluated for each parameter and P values for changes from baseline to each study visit for investigator's assessments and to end-of-study for self-assessments were

Does laboratory cue reactivity correlate with real-world craving and smoking responses to cues?

PubMed

Shiffman, Saul; Li, Xiaoxue; Dunbar, Michael S; Tindle, Hilary A; Scholl, Sarah M; Ferguson, Stuart G

2015-10-01

Laboratory cue reactivity (CR) assessments are used to assess smokers' responses to cues. Likewise, EMA recording is used to characterize real-world response to cues. Understanding the relationship between CR and EMA responses addresses the ecological validity of CR. In 190 daily smokers not currently quitting, craving and smoking responses to cues were assessed in laboratory CR and by real-world EMA recording. Separate CR sessions involved 5 smoking-relevant cues (smoking, alcohol, negative affect, positive affect, smoking prohibitions), and a neutral cue. Subjects used EMA to monitor smoking situations for 3 weeks, completing parallel situational assessments (presence of others smoking, alcohol consumption, negative affect, positive affect, and smoking prohibitions, plus current craving) in smoking and non-smoking occasions (averaging 70 and 60 occasions each). Analyses correlated CR craving and smoking cue responses with EMA craving and smoking correlations with similar cues. Although some cues did not show main effects on average craving or smoking, a wide range of individual differences in response to cues was apparent in both CR and EMA data, providing the necessary context to assess their relationship. Laboratory CR measures of cue response were not correlated with real-world cue responses assessed by EMA. The average correlation was 0.03; none exceeded 0.32. One of 40 correlations examined was significantly greater than 0. Laboratory CR measures do not correlate with EMA-assessed craving or smoking in response to cues, suggesting that CR measures are not accurate predictors of how smokers react to relevant stimuli in the real world. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Kinematic analysis of jaw function in children following traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Loh, E W L; Goozée, J V; Murdoch, B E

2005-07-01

To investigate jaw movements in children following traumatic brain injury (TBI) during speech using electromagnetic articulography (EMA). Jaw movements of two non-dysarthric children (aged 12.75 and 13.08 years) who had sustained a TBI were recorded using the AG-100 EMA system (Carstens Medizineletronik) during word-initial consonant productions. Mean quantitative kinematic parameters and coefficient of variation (variability) values were calculated and individually compared to the mean values obtained by a group of six control children (mean age 12.57 years, SD 1.52). The two children with TBI exhibited word-initial consonant jaw movement durations that were comparable to the control children, with sub-clinical reductions in speed being offset by reduced distances. Differences were observed between the two children in jaw kinematic variability, with one child exhibiting increased variability, while the other child demonstrated reduced or comparable variability compared to the control group. Possible sub-clinical impairments of jaw movement for speech were exhibited by two children who had sustained a TBI, providing insight into the consequences of TBI on speech motor control development.

Ecological momentary assessment: what it is and why it is a method of the future in clinical psychopharmacology

PubMed Central

Moskowitz, Debbie S.; Young, Simon N.

2006-01-01

Current methods of assessment in clinical psychopharmacology have several serious disadvantages, particularly for the study of social functioning. We aimed to review the strengths and weaknesses of current methods used in clinical psychopharmacology and to compare them with a group of methods, developed by personality/social psychologists, termed ecological momentary assessment (EMA), which permit the research participant to report on symptoms, affect and behaviour close in time to experience and which sample many events or time periods. EMA has a number of advantages over more traditional methods for the assessment of patients in clinical psychopharmacological studies. It can both complement and, in part, replace existing methods. EMA methods will permit more sensitive assessments and will enable more wide-ranging and detailed measurements of mood and behaviour. These types of methods should be adopted more widely by clinical psychopharmacology researchers. PMID:16496031

Does Sensory Function Decline Independently or Concomitantly with Age? Data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.

PubMed

Gadkaree, Shekhar K; Sun, Daniel Q; Li, Carol; Lin, Frank R; Ferrucci, Luigi; Simonsick, Eleanor M; Agrawal, Yuri

2016-01-01

Objectives . To investigate whether sensory function declines independently or in parallel with age within a single individual. Methods . Cross-sectional analysis of Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) participants who underwent vision (visual acuity threshold), proprioception (ankle joint proprioceptive threshold), vestibular function (cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential), hearing (pure-tone average audiometric threshold), and Health ABC physical performance battery testing. Results . A total of 276 participants (mean age 70 years, range 26-93) underwent all four sensory tests. The function of all four systems declined with age. After age adjustment, there were no significant associations between sensory systems. Among 70-79-year-olds, dual or triple sensory impairment was associated with poorer physical performance. Discussion . Our findings suggest that beyond the common mechanism of aging, other distinct (nonshared) etiologic mechanisms may contribute to decline in each sensory system. Multiple sensory impairments influence physical performance among individuals in middle old-age (age 70-79).

Does Sensory Function Decline Independently or Concomitantly with Age? Data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

PubMed Central

Gadkaree, Shekhar K.; Sun, Daniel Q.; Li, Carol; Lin, Frank R.; Ferrucci, Luigi; Simonsick, Eleanor M.

2016-01-01

Objectives. To investigate whether sensory function declines independently or in parallel with age within a single individual. Methods. Cross-sectional analysis of Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) participants who underwent vision (visual acuity threshold), proprioception (ankle joint proprioceptive threshold), vestibular function (cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potential), hearing (pure-tone average audiometric threshold), and Health ABC physical performance battery testing. Results. A total of 276 participants (mean age 70 years, range 26–93) underwent all four sensory tests. The function of all four systems declined with age. After age adjustment, there were no significant associations between sensory systems. Among 70–79-year-olds, dual or triple sensory impairment was associated with poorer physical performance. Discussion. Our findings suggest that beyond the common mechanism of aging, other distinct (nonshared) etiologic mechanisms may contribute to decline in each sensory system. Multiple sensory impairments influence physical performance among individuals in middle old-age (age 70–79). PMID:27774319

Childhood bullying behaviors at age eight and substance use at age 18 among males. A nationwide prospective study.

PubMed

Niemelä, S; Brunstein-Klomek, A; Sillanmäki, L; Helenius, H; Piha, J; Kumpulainen, K; Moilanen, I; Tamminen, T; Almqvist, F; Sourander, A

2011-03-01

Childhood bullying behaviors (bullying and victimization) were studied as risk factors for substance use among Finnish males. The study design was a nationwide prospective general population study, where information was collected in 1989 and 1999. Bullying behaviors and childhood psychopathology at age eight were collected from teachers, parents and boys themselves. At age 18, self-reports of frequent drunkenness (once a week or more often), daily heavy smoking (10 cigarettes or more per day), and illicit drug use during the past six months were obtained from 78% of the boys attending the study at age eight (n=2946). Being frequently victimized at age eight predicted daily heavy smoking, and this was evident even after adjusting for childhood family background, psychopathology at age eight and at age 18, and other forms of substance use. In multivariate analysis, bullying others frequently predicted illicit drug use, while being a victim of bullying associated with a lower occurrence of illicit drug use. Bullying behaviors had no association with frequent drunkenness independent of other factors. Accordingly, being a victim of bullying predisposes in particular to subsequent smoking. Bullying others in childhood can be regarded as an early indicator to illicit drug use later in life. The screening and intervention possibilities in order to recognize the risk group for later health compromising behaviors are emphasized. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Coping with missing data in phase III pivotal registration trials: Tolvaptan in subjects with kidney disease, a case study.

PubMed

Ouyang, John; Carroll, Kevin J; Koch, Gary; Li, Junfang

2017-07-01

Missing data cause challenging issues, particularly in phase III registration trials, as highlighted by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the US National Research Council. We explore, as a case study, how the issues from missing data were tackled in a double-blind phase III trial in subjects with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. A total of 1445 subjects were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive active treatment (tolvaptan), or placebo. The primary outcome, the rate of change in total kidney volume, favored tolvaptan (P < .0001). The key secondary efficacy endpoints of clinical progression of disease and rate of decline in kidney function also favored tolvaptan. However, as highlighted by Food and Drug Administration and EMA, the interpretation of results was hampered by a high number of unevenly distributed dropouts, particularly early dropouts. In this paper, we outline the analyses undertaken to address the issue of missing data thoroughly. "Tipping point analyses" were performed to explore how extreme and detrimental outcomes among subjects with missing data must be to overturn the positive treatment effect attained in those subjects who had complete data. Nonparametric rank-based analyses were also performed accounting for missing data. In conclusion, straightforward and transparent analyses directly taking into account missing data convincingly support the robustness of the preplanned analyses on the primary and secondary endpoints. Tolvaptan was confirmed to be effective in slowing total kidney volume growth, which is considered an efficacy endpoint by EMA, and in lessening the decline in renal function in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Efficient constraint handling in electromagnetism-like algorithm for traveling salesman problem with time windows.

PubMed

Yurtkuran, Alkın; Emel, Erdal

2014-01-01

The traveling salesman problem with time windows (TSPTW) is a variant of the traveling salesman problem in which each customer should be visited within a given time window. In this paper, we propose an electromagnetism-like algorithm (EMA) that uses a new constraint handling technique to minimize the travel cost in TSPTW problems. The EMA utilizes the attraction-repulsion mechanism between charged particles in a multidimensional space for global optimization. This paper investigates the problem-specific constraint handling capability of the EMA framework using a new variable bounding strategy, in which real-coded particle's boundary constraints associated with the corresponding time windows of customers, is introduced and combined with the penalty approach to eliminate infeasibilities regarding time window violations. The performance of the proposed algorithm and the effectiveness of the constraint handling technique have been studied extensively, comparing it to that of state-of-the-art metaheuristics using several sets of benchmark problems reported in the literature. The results of the numerical experiments show that the EMA generates feasible and near-optimal results within shorter computational times compared to the test algorithms.

Dynamic Stiffness Transfer Function of an Electromechanical Actuator Using System Identification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sang Hwa; Tahk, Min-Jea

2018-04-01

In the aeroelastic analysis of flight vehicles with electromechanical actuators (EMAs), an accurate prediction of flutter requires dynamic stiffness characteristics of the EMA. The dynamic stiffness transfer function of the EMA with brushless direct current (BLDC) motor can be obtained by conducting complicated mathematical calculations of control algorithms and mechanical/electrical nonlinearities using linearization techniques. Thus, system identification approaches using experimental data, as an alternative, have considerable advantages. However, the test setup for system identification is expensive and complex, and experimental procedures for data collection are time-consuming tasks. To obtain the dynamic stiffness transfer function, this paper proposes a linear system identification method that uses information obtained from a reliable dynamic stiffness model with a control algorithm and nonlinearities. The results of this study show that the system identification procedure is compact, and the transfer function is able to describe the dynamic stiffness characteristics of the EMA. In addition, to verify the validity of the system identification method, the simulation results of the dynamic stiffness transfer function and the dynamic stiffness model were compared with the experimental data for various external loads.

External Memory Aid Preferences of Individuals with Mild Memory Impairments.

PubMed

Lanzi, Alyssa; Wallace, Sarah E; Bourgeois, Michelle S

2018-07-01

Individuals with mild memory impairments often rely on external memory aids (EMAs) to compensate for impaired cognitive abilities and to support independent completion of activities of daily living. These strategies are evidence based; however, professionals have limited knowledge regarding individual preferences and guidance on how to incorporate a person-centered approach into the EMA development phase. The purpose of the current study was to qualitatively investigate individuals' preferences and experiences as they relate to EMAs. Data analysis included (1) evaluation of a posttreatment questionnaire to explore individual strategy preferences following intervention and (2) evaluation of group intervention videos using thematic coding to investigate individuals' experiences with strategies during intervention. Results suggest that older adults with mild memory impairments have unique preferences and experiences, despite limited variability in demographic characteristics. Some themes that emerged included memory ability awareness and attitudes toward technology. Within a person-centered approach, skilled professionals must consider individuals' unique needs, preferences, and experiences when developing strategies throughout the continuum of care to promote sustained EMA use within everyday settings. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Violence exposure and adolescents' same-day obesogenic behaviors: New findings and a replication.

PubMed

Piontak, Joy Rayanne; Russell, Michael A; Danese, Andrea; Copeland, William E; Hoyle, Rick H; Odgers, Candice L

2017-09-01

To test whether exposure to violence is associated with same-day increases in obesogenic behaviors among young adolescents, including unhealthy food and beverage consumption, poor quality sleep, and lack of physical activity. Young at-risk adolescents between 12 and 15 years of age were recruited via telephone screening from low-income neighborhoods. Adolescents and their parents completed in-person assessments, followed by Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) delivered to 151 adolescents' mobile phones three times a day for 30 days (4329 person days). Three obesogenic behaviors - unhealthy food consumption, poor sleep quality, and lack of physical activity - and violence exposure were assessed daily. Adolescents' body mass index (BMI) was assessed prior to the EMA and 18 months later. A replication was performed among 395 adolescents from a population-representative sample (with 5276 EMA person days). On days that at-risk adolescents were exposed versus not exposed to violence, they were more likely to consume unhealthy foods and beverages (b = 0.12, p = 0.01), report feeling tired the next morning (OR = 1.58, p < 0.01), and to be active (OR = 1.61, p < 0.01). At-risk adolescents who reported higher consumption of soda and caffeinated beverages during the 30-day EMA were more likely to experience increases in BMI in later adolescence. Findings related to sleep and activity were supported in the population-based replication sample; however, no significant same-day associations were found between violence exposure and unhealthy dietary consumption. This study provides evidence that exposure to violence is associated with same-day unhealthy dietary consumption among at-risk adolescents and next-day tiredness related to sleep quality among adolescents from both at-risk and normative populations. Findings also point to unhealthy soda consumption during early adolescence as an important predictor of weight gain among at-risk adolescents. Copyright © 2017

Healthy ageing in the Nun Study: definition and neuropathologic correlates.

PubMed

Tyas, Suzanne L; Snowdon, David A; Desrosiers, Mark F; Riley, Kathryn P; Markesbery, William R

2007-11-01

Although the concept of healthy ageing has stimulated considerable interest, no generally accepted definition has been developed nor has its biological basis been determined. To develop a definition of healthy ageing and investigate its association with longevity and neuropathology. Analyses were based on cognitive, physical, and post-mortem assessments from 1991 to 1998 in the Nun Study, a longitudinal study of ageing in participants 75+ years at baseline. We defined three mutually exclusive levels of healthy ageing (excellent, very good, and good) based on measures of global cognitive function, short-term memory, basic and instrumental activities of daily living, and self-rated function. Mortality analyses were based on 636 participants; neuropathologic analyses were restricted to 221 who had died and were autopsied. Only 11% of those meeting criteria for the excellent level of healthy ageing at baseline subsequently died, compared with 24% for the very good, 39% for the good, and 60% for the remaining participants. Survival curves showed significantly greater longevity with higher levels of healthy ageing. The risk of not attaining healthy ageing, adjusted for age, increased two-fold in participants with brain infarcts alone, six-fold in those with Alzheimer neuropathology alone, and more than thirteen-fold in those with both brain infarcts and Alzheimer neuropathology. The biological validity of our definition of healthy ageing is supported by its strong association with mortality and longevity. Avoiding Alzheimer and stroke neuropathology is critical to the maintenance of healthy ageing, and the presence of both pathologies dramatically decreases the likelihood of healthy ageing.

Healthy ageing in the Nun Study: definition and neuropathologic correlates

PubMed Central

Tyas, Suzanne L.; Snowdon, David A.; Desrosiers, Mark F.; Riley, Kathryn P.; Markesbery, William R.

2008-01-01

Background although the concept of healthy ageing has stimulated considerable interest, no generally accepted definition has been developed nor has its biological basis been determined. Objective to develop a definition of healthy ageing and investigate its association with longevity and neuropathology. Methods analyses were based on cognitive, physical, and post-mortem assessments from 1991 to 1998 in the Nun Study, a longitudinal study of ageing in participants 75+ years at baseline. We defined three mutually exclusive levels of healthy ageing (excellent, very good, and good) based on measures of global cognitive function, short-term memory, basic and instrumental activities of daily living, and self-rated function. Mortality analyses were based on 636 participants; neuropathologic analyses were restricted to 221 who had died and were autopsied. Results only 11% of those meeting criteria for the excellent level of healthy ageing at baseline subsequently died, compared with 24% for the very good, 39% for the good, and 60% for the remaining participants. Survival curves showed significantly greater longevity with higher levels of healthy ageing. The risk of not attaining healthy ageing, adjusted for age, increased two-fold in participants with brain infarcts alone, six-fold in those with Alzheimer neuropathology alone, and more than thirteen-fold in those with both brain infarcts and Alzheimer neuropathology. Conclusions the biological validity of our definition of healthy ageing is supported by its strong association with mortality and longevity. Avoiding Alzheimer and stroke neuropathology is critical to the maintenance of healthy ageing, and the presence of both pathologies dramatically decreases the likelihood of healthy ageing. PMID:17906306

Juvenile animal studies and pediatric drug development: a European regulatory perspective.

PubMed

Carleer, Jacqueline; Karres, Janina

2011-08-01

During the workshop organized by ILSI/HESI on May 5-6, 2010 on the value of juvenile animal toxicity studies, the implementation of the European Pediatric Regulation and in particular the review process of the nonclinical part of the Pediatric Investigation Plan (PIP) were described. A PIP is intended to outline the development of a medicinal product in the pediatric population (i.e. quality, safety, efficacy of the medicine and timing of studies); it is reviewed and agreed by the Pediatric Committee (PDCO) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA).  The Nonclinical Working Group (NcWG) supports the PDCO in the review process of the nonclinical part of a PIP and is composed of members from the PDCO, the EMA Safety Working Party, additional experts from national competent authorities and the FDA.  This article summarizes the NcWG review process and outcomes of 97 approved or ongoing PIPs, from the establishment of the NcWG in November 2008 to May 2010, as presented during the workshop. Juvenile animal studies were proposed by the applicant in 33% or required by the NcWG in 26% of the PIPs. The requirements were mainly motivated by concerns regarding potential developmental toxicities, in view of the young age of the pediatric population to be investigated, the lack of knowledge concerning the maturation of the pharmacological target, the lack of sufficient (non)clinical data, observed toxicities in the adult (non)clinical studies and the long duration of the intended treatments. Most juvenile animal studies were in the therapeutic areas of oncology, infectious diseases and endocrinology. In about 14% of the PIPs submitted, the NcWG requested either justifications of, or amendments to the study designs proposed by the applicants (e.g. justification of endpoints, study duration, species selection and timing with regards to clinical pediatric studies). Generally, only one species was selected or proposed for the juvenile studies, the rat being the most prevalent. The

Aging Studies of VCE Dismantlement Returns

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

Letant, S; Alviso, C; Pearson, M

2011-10-17

VCE is an ethylene/vinyl acetate/vinyl alcohol terpolymer binder for filled elastomers which is designed to accept high filler loadings. Filled elastomer parts consist of the binder (VCE), a curing agent (Hylene MP, diphenol-4-4{prime}-methylenebis(phenylcarbamate)), a processing aid (LS, lithium stearate), and filler particles (typically 70% fraction by weight). The curing of the filled elastomer parts occurs from the heat-activated reaction between the hydroxyl groups of VCE with the Hylene MP curing agent, resulting in a cross-linked network. The final vinyl acetate content is typically between 34.9 and 37.9%, while the vinyl alcohol content is typically between 1.27 and 1.78%. Surveillance datamore » for this material is both scarce and scattered, complicating the assessment of any aging trends in systems. In addition, most of the initial surveillance efforts focused on mechanical properties such as hardness and tensile strength, and chemical information is therefore lacking. Material characterization and aging studies had been performed on previous formulations of the VCE material but the Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) starting copolymer is no longer commercially available. New formulations with replacement EVA materials are currently being established and will require characterization as well as updated aging models.« less

Colonic involvement in celiac disease and possible implications of the sigmoid mucosa organ culture in its diagnosis.

PubMed

Picarelli, Antonio; Di Tola, Marco; Borghini, Raffaele; Isonne, Claudia; Saponara, Annarita; Marino, Mariacatia; Casale, Rossella; Tiberti, Antonio; Pica, Roberta; Donato, Giuseppe; Frieri, Giuseppe; Corazziari, Enrico

2013-10-01

Celiac disease (CD), a systemic autoimmune disorder that typically involves duodenal mucosa, can also affect other intestinal areas. Duodenal and oral mucosa organ culture has already been demonstrated as a reliable procedure to identify CD. The present study investigated gluten-dependent immunological activation of colonic mucosa in CD patients. We took advantage of the numerous colonoscopies performed for various clinical conditions or only for defensive medicine. Forty-four patients with gastrointestinal symptoms or in need of colorectal cancer screening were divided into patients with serum anti-endomysium (EMA) and anti-tissue transglutaminase (anti-tTG) antibody positive results (Group A), patients with serum antibody negative results (Group B), and patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) (Group C). The autoantibodies EMA and anti-tTG were evaluated in supernatants of cultured sigmoid and duodenal biopsies from patients on a gluten-containing diet. In Group A, EMA and anti-tTG resulted positive in all duodenal culture supernatants. In sigmoid culture supernatants, EMA and anti-tTG were detected in 12/16 (75 %) and 13/16 (81.3 %) patients, respectively. In Group B, none of the 17 patients showed EMA and anti-tTG positive results in both duodenal and sigmoid cultures. In Group C, all 11 patients presented EMA negative results in sigmoid cultures. Only in one patient, anti-tTG were detectable in the sigmoid culture supernatant, as expected in cases of IBD. Data confirm that the gluten-dependent immunological activation affects more intestinal tracts with different degrees of involvement, suggesting that the organ culture of colonic biopsies could represent a new tool to opportunistically detect CD.

A Comparison of Affect Ratings Obtained with Ecological Momentary Assessment and the Day Reconstruction Method

PubMed Central

Dockray, Samantha; Grant, Nina; Stone, Arthur A.; Kahneman, Daniel; Wardle, Jane

2010-01-01

Measurement of affective states in everyday life is of fundamental importance in many types of quality of life, health, and psychological research. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is the recognized method of choice, but the respondent burden can be high. The day reconstruction method (DRM) was developed by Kahneman and colleagues (Science, 2004, 306, 1776–1780) to assess affect, activities and time use in everyday life. We sought to validate DRM affect ratings by comparison with contemporaneous EMA ratings in a sample of 94 working women monitored over work and leisure days. Six EMA ratings of happiness, tiredness, stress, and anger/frustration were obtained over each 24 h period, and were compared with DRM ratings for the same hour, recorded retrospectively at the end of the day. Similar profiles of affect intensity were recorded with the two techniques. The between-person correlations adjusted for attenuation ranged from 0.58 (stress, working day) to 0.90 (happiness, leisure day). The strength of associations was not related to age, educational attainment, or depressed mood. We conclude that the DRM provides reasonably reliable estimates both of the intensity of affect and variations in affect over the day, so is a valuable instrument for the measurement of everyday experience in health and social research. PMID:21113328

Maternal age and offspring developmental vulnerability at age five: A population-based cohort study of Australian children

PubMed Central

Banks, Emily; Lynch, John; Brownell, Marni; Eades, Sandra; Jorm, Louisa

2018-01-01

Background In recent decades, there has been a shift to later childbearing in high-income countries. There is limited large-scale evidence of the relationship between maternal age and child outcomes beyond the perinatal period. The objective of this study is to quantify a child’s risk of developmental vulnerability at age five, according to their mother’s age at childbirth. Methods and findings Linkage of population-level perinatal, hospital, and birth registration datasets to data from the Australian Early Development Census (AEDC) and school enrolments in Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales (NSW), enabled us to follow a cohort of 99,530 children from birth to their first year of school in 2009 or 2012. The study outcome was teacher-reported child development on five domains measured by the AEDC, including physical health and well-being, emotional maturity, social competence, language and cognitive skills, and communication skills and general knowledge. Developmental vulnerability was defined as domain scores below the 2009 AEDC 10th percentile cut point. The mean maternal age at childbirth was 29.6 years (standard deviation [SD], 5.7), with 4,382 children (4.4%) born to mothers aged <20 years and 20,026 children (20.1%) born to mothers aged ≥35 years. The proportion vulnerable on ≥1 domains was 21% overall and followed a reverse J-shaped distribution according to maternal age: it was highest in children born to mothers aged ≤15 years, at 40% (95% CI, 32–49), and was lowest in children born to mothers aged between 30 years and ≤35 years, at 17%–18%. For maternal ages 36 years to ≥45 years, the proportion vulnerable on ≥1 domains increased to 17%–24%. Adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics significantly attenuated vulnerability risk in children born to younger mothers, while adjustment for potentially modifiable factors, such as antenatal visits, had little additional impact across all ages. Although the multi

Relative age effects in international age group championships: A study of Spanish track and field athletes

PubMed Central

Martínez-Valencia, María Asunción; Müller, Lisa; Andronikos, Georgios; Martindale, Russell J. J.

2018-01-01

The relative age effect is a well-researched phenomenon, however there is still a dearth of understanding in track and field and female sport. This study investigated the role of relative age on selection for international competition of Spanish age group athletes between 2006–2014. Six hundred and forty two athletes competed for Spain at U20 or U18 age group international competition (n = 359 males; 283 females) across 9 years. The birthdates of these athletes were compared against the population of registered athletes at that time (14,502 males; 10,096 females). The results highlighted the influential role of relative age on selection to these opportunities. In line with previous research, this effect was mediated by age and gender, with stronger effects for both males and younger athletes (U18). The data best supported the ‘maturation-selection’ hypothesis as a mechanism for RAEs. These results highlight the need to carefully consider the role and need for international competitive opportunities at different age groups. A number of possible context relevant solutions are discussed, including correction adjustments techniques and competition structure within track and field. PMID:29689117

A Road Map to Canadian Chemical Recovery Handbook for Inhabited Areas: Scoping Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-01

A Road Map to Canadian Chemical Recovery Handbook for I © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National...Australia (EMA) Office of Attorney General, Canberra. b) Australian Emergency Management Institute Mount Macedon, Victoria

Lifetime risk of stroke in young-aged and middle-aged Chinese population: the Chinese Multi-Provincial Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Wang, Ying; Liu, Jing; Wang, Wei; Wang, Miao; Qi, Yue; Xie, Wuxiang; Li, Yan; Sun, Jiayi; Liu, Jun; Zhao, Dong

2016-01-01

Objective: Stroke is a major cause of premature death in China. Early prevention of stroke requires a more effective method to differentiate the stroke risk among young-aged and middle-aged individuals than the 10-year risk of cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to establish a lifetime stroke risk model and risk charts for the young-aged and middle-aged population in China. Methods: The Chinese Multi-Provincial Cohort Study participants (n = 21 953) aged 35–84 years without cardiovascular disease at baseline were followed for 18 years (263 016 person-years). Modified Kaplan–Meier method was used to estimate the mean lifetime stroke risk up to age of 80 years and the lifetime stroke risk according to major stroke risk factors for the population aged 35–60 years. Results: A total of 917 participants developed first-ever strokes. For the participants aged 35–40 years (98 stroke cases), the lifetime stroke risk was 18.0 and 14.7% in men and women, respectively. Blood pressure most effectively discriminated the lifetime stroke risk. The lifetime risk of stroke for the individuals with all risk factors optimal was 8–10 times lower compared with those with two or more high risk factors at age 35–60 years at baseline. Conclusion: In young-aged and middle-aged population, the lifetime stroke risk will keep very low if major risk factors especially blood pressure level is at optimal levels, but the risk substantially increases even with a slight elevation of major risk factors, which could not be identified using 10-year risk estimation. PMID:27512963

On the Methodology of Studying Aging in Humans

DTIC Science & Technology

1961-01-01

prediction of death rates The relation of death rate to age has been extensively studied for over 100 years. As an illustration recent death rates for...log death rates appear to be linear, the simpler Gompertz curve fits closely. While on this subject of the Makeham-Gompertz function, it should be...Makeham-Gompertz curve to 5 year age specific death rates . Each fitting provided estimates of the parameters a, {j, and log c for each of the five year

Cross-Sectional Study of Sleep Quantity and Quality and Amnestic and Non-Amnestic Cognitive Function in an Ageing Population: The English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)

PubMed Central

Miller, Michelle A.; Wright, Hayley; Ji, Chen; Cappuccio, Francesco P.

2014-01-01

Background The aim was to investigate the association between sleep disturbances and cognitive function in younger and older individuals from an ageing population. Methods 3,968 male and 4,821 female white participants, aged 50 years and over, from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) were studied. Information on sleep quality and quantity as well as both amnestic (memory, ACF) and non-amnestic (non-memory, nACF) function was available at Wave 4 (2008). Analysis of covariance was used to evaluate the relationship between sleep and cognitive function. Results After adjustment for multiple confounders in the younger group (50–64 years) duration of sleep explained 15.2% of the variance in ACF (p = 0.003) and 20.6% of nACF (p = 0.010). In the older group (65+ years) the estimates were 21.3% (p<0.001) and 25.6% (p<0.001), respectively. For sleep quality, there was a statistically significant association between sleep quality and both ACF (p<0.001) and nACF (p<0.001) in the older age group, but not in the younger age group (p = 0.586 and p = 0.373, respectively; interaction between age and sleep quality in the study sample including both age groups: p<0.001 for ACF and p = 0.018 for nACF). Sleep quality explained between 15.1% and 25.5% of the variance in cognition. The interaction with age was independent of duration of sleep. At any level of sleep duration there was a steeper association between sleep quality and ACF in the older than the younger group. Conclusions The associations between sleep disturbances and cognitive function vary between younger and older adults. Prospective studies will determine the temporal relationships between sleep disturbances and changes in cognition in different age groups. PMID:24968354

The Origin and Evolutionary Consequences of Skeletal Traits Shaped by Embryonic Muscular Activity, from Basal Theropods to Modern Birds.

PubMed

Vargas, Alexander O; Ruiz-Flores, Macarena; Soto-Acuña, Sergio; Haidr, Nadia; Acosta-Hospitaleche, Carolina; Ossa-Fuentes, Luis; Muñoz-Walther, Vicente

2017-12-01

Embryonic muscular activity (EMA) is involved in the development of several distinctive traits of birds. Modern avian diversity and the fossil record of the dinosaur-bird transition allow special insight into their evolution. Traits shaped by EMA result from mechanical forces acting at post-morphogenetic stages, such that genes often play a very indirect role. Their origin seldom suggests direct selection for the trait, but a side-effect of other changes such as musculo-skeletal rearrangements, heterochrony in skeletal maturation, or increased incubation temperature (which increases EMA). EMA-shaped traits like sesamoids may be inconstant, highly conserved, or even disappear and then reappear in evolution. Some sesamoids may become increasingly influenced in evolution by genetic-molecular mechanisms (genetic assimilation). There is also ample evidence of evolutionary transitions from sesamoids to bony eminences at tendon insertion sites, and vice-versa. This can be explained by newfound similarities in the earliest development of both kinds of structures, which suggest these transitions are likely triggered by EMA. Other traits that require EMA for their formation will not necessarily undergo genetic assimilation, but still be conserved over tens and hundreds of millions of years, allowing evolutionary reduction and loss of other skeletal elements. Upon their origin, EMA-shaped traits may not be directly genetic, nor immediately adaptive. Nevertheless, EMA can play a key role in evolutionary innovation, and have consequences for the subsequent direction of evolutionary change. Its role may be more important and ubiquitous than currently suspected. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Rubber elasticity for percolation network consisting of Gaussian chains

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

Nishi, Kengo, E-mail: kengo.nishi@phys.uni-goettingen.de, E-mail: sakai@tetrapod.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp, E-mail: sibayama@issp.u-tokyo.ac.jp; Noguchi, Hiroshi; Shibayama, Mitsuhiro, E-mail: kengo.nishi@phys.uni-goettingen.de, E-mail: sakai@tetrapod.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp, E-mail: sibayama@issp.u-tokyo.ac.jp

2015-11-14

A theory describing the elastic modulus for percolation networks of Gaussian chains on general lattices such as square and cubic lattices is proposed and its validity is examined with simulation and mechanical experiments on well-defined polymer networks. The theory was developed by generalizing the effective medium approximation (EMA) for Hookian spring network to Gaussian chain networks. From EMA theory, we found that the ratio of the elastic modulus at p, G to that at p = 1, G{sub 0}, must be equal to G/G{sub 0} = (p − 2/f)/(1 − 2/f) if the position of sites can be determined somore » as to meet the force balance, where p is the degree of cross-linking reaction. However, the EMA prediction cannot be applicable near its percolation threshold because EMA is a mean field theory. Thus, we combine real-space renormalization and EMA and propose a theory called real-space renormalized EMA, i.e., REMA. The elastic modulus predicted by REMA is in excellent agreement with the results of simulations and experiments of near-ideal diamond lattice gels.« less

Impact of biological aging on arterial aging in American Indians: findings from the Strong Heart Family Study.

PubMed

Peng, Hao; Zhu, Yun; Yeh, Fawn; Cole, Shelley A; Best, Lyle G; Lin, Jue; Blackburn, Elizabeth; Devereux, Richard B; Roman, Mary J; Lee, Elisa T; Howard, Barbara V; Zhao, Jinying

2016-08-01

Telomere length, a marker of biological aging, has been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Increased arterial stiffness, an indicator of arterial aging, predicts adverse CVD outcomes. However, the relationship between telomere length and arterial stiffness is less well studied. Here we examined the cross-sectional association between leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and arterial stiffness in 2,165 American Indians in the Strong Heart Family Study (SHFS). LTL was measured by qPCR. Arterial stiffness was assessed by stiffness index β. The association between LTL and arterial stiffness was assessed by generalized estimating equation model, adjusting for sociodemographics (age, sex, education level), study site, metabolic factors (fasting glucose, lipids, systolic blood pressure, and kidney function), lifestyle (BMI, smoking, drinking, and physical activity), and prevalent CVD. Results showed that longer LTL was significantly associated with a decreased arterial stiffness (β=-0.070, P=0.007). This association did not attenuate after further adjustment for hsCRP (β=-0.071, P=0.005) or excluding participants with overt CVD (β=-0.068, P=0.012), diabetes (β=-0.070, P=0.005), or chronic kidney disease (β=-0.090, P=0.001). In summary, shorter LTL was significantly associated with an increased arterial stiffness, independent of known risk factors. This finding may shed light on the potential role of biological aging in arterial aging in American Indians.

Cumulative Lead Exposure and Age-related Hearing Loss: The VA Normative Aging Study

PubMed Central

Park, Sung Kyun; Elmarsafawy, Sahar; Mukherjee, Bhramar; Spiro, Avron; Vokonas, Pantel S.; Nie, Huiling; Weisskopf, Marc G.; Schwartz, Joel; Hu, Howard

2010-01-01

Although lead has been associated with hearing loss in occupational settings and in children, little epidemiologic research has been conducted on the impact of cumulative lead exposure on age-related hearing loss in the general population. We determined whether bone lead levels, a marker of cumulative lead exposure, are associated with decreased hearing ability in 448 men from the Normative Aging Study, seen between 1962 and 1996 (2,264 total observations). Air conduction hearing thresholds were measured at 0.25 to 8 kHz and pure tone averages (PTA) (mean of 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz) were computed. Tibia and patella lead levels were measured using K x-ray fluorescence between 1991 and 1996. In cross-sectional analyses, after adjusting for potential confounders including occupational noise, patella lead levels were significantly associated with poorer hearing thresholds at 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 kHz and PTA. The odds of hearing loss significantly increased with patella lead levels. We also found significant positive associations between tibia lead and the rate change in hearing thresholds at 1, 2, and 8 kHz and PTA in longitudinal analyses. Our results suggest that chronic low-level lead exposure may be an important risk factor for age-related hearing loss and reduction of lead exposure could help prevent or delay development of age-related hearing loss. PMID:20638461

Nothobranchius as a model for aging studies. A review

PubMed Central

Lucas-Sánchez, Alejandro; Almaida-Pagán, Pedro Francisco; Mendiola, Pilar; de Costa, Jorge

2014-01-01

In recent decades, the increase in human longevity has made it increasingly important to expand our knowledge on aging. To accomplish this, the use of animal models is essential, with the most common being mouse (phylogenetically similar to humans, and a model with a long life expectancy) and Caenorhabditis elegans (an invertebrate with a short life span, but quite removed from us in evolutionary terms). However, some sort of model is needed to bridge the differences between those mentioned above, achieving a balance between phylogenetic distance and life span. Fish of the genus Nothobranchius were suggested 10 years ago as a possible alternative for the study of the aging process. In the meantime, numerous studies have been conducted at different levels: behavioral (including the study of the rest-activity rhythm), populational, histochemical, biochemical and genetic, among others, with very positive results. This review compiles what we know about Nothobranchius to date, and examines its future prospects as a true alternative to the classic models for studies on aging. PMID:25110612

Aging and Alzheimer's Disease: Lessons from the Nun Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snowdon, David A.

1997-01-01

Describes a woman who maintained high cognitive test scores until her death at 101 years of age despite anatomical evidence of Alzheimer's disease. The woman was part of a larger "Nun Study" in which 678 sisters donated their brains to teach others about the etiology of aging and Alzheimer's disease. Findings are discussed. (RJM)

The Mediterranean healthy eating, ageing, and lifestyle (MEAL) study: rationale and study design.

PubMed

Grosso, Giuseppe; Marventano, Stefano; D'Urso, Maurizio; Mistretta, Antonio; Galvano, Fabio

2017-08-01

There is accumulating evidence suggesting that Mediterranean lifestyles, including nutrition and sleeping patterns as well as social integration, may play a role in reducing age-related diseases. However, the literature is mostly deficient of evidence provided by Italian Mediterranean islands that more closely adhered to the originally described lifestyles. In this paper, we described the rationale and the study design of the Mediterranean healthy Eating, Ageing, and Lifestyle (MEAL) study, a prospective population-based cohort established in Sicily, southern Italy. The main exposures investigated are classical determinants of health, including demographic, nutritional habits, smoking and physical activity status, as well as eating-related behaviors, sleeping habits, sun exposure, social resources, and perceived stress. Anthropometric measurements will be collected. The main outcomes included depression, quality of life, and, after the follow-up period, also cardiovascular disease and cancer. The MEAL study may provide important data to increase our knowledge regarding the prevalence, incidence, and risk factors of age-related disorders in the Mediterranean region.

The dependence of Islamic and conventional stocks: A copula approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razak, Ruzanna Ab; Ismail, Noriszura

2015-09-01

Recent studies have found that Islamic stocks are dependent on conventional stocks and they appear to be more risky. In Asia, particularly in Islamic countries, research on dependence involving Islamic and non-Islamic stock markets is limited. The objective of this study is to investigate the dependence between financial times stock exchange Hijrah Shariah index and conventional stocks (EMAS and KLCI indices). Using the copula approach and a time series model for each marginal distribution function, the copula parameters were estimated. The Elliptical copula was selected to present the dependence structure of each pairing of the Islamic stock and conventional stock. Specifically, the Islamic versus conventional stocks (Shariah-EMAS and Shariah-KLCI) had lower dependence compared to conventional versus conventional stocks (EMAS-KLCI). These findings suggest that the occurrence of shocks in a conventional stock will not have strong impact on the Islamic stock.

Diabetes is Associated with Worse Executive Function in Both Eastern and Western Populations: Shanghai Aging Study and Mayo Clinic Study of Aging.

PubMed

Zhao, Qianhua; Roberts, Rosebud O; Ding, Ding; Cha, Ruth; Guo, Qihao; Meng, Haijiao; Luo, Jianfeng; Machulda, Mary M; Shane Pankratz, V; Wang, Bei; Christianson, Teresa J H; Aakre, Jeremiah A; Knopman, David S; Boeve, Bradley F; Hong, Zhen; Petersen, Ronald C

2015-01-01

It remains unknown whether the association between diabetes mellitus (DM) and cognitive function differs in Eastern and Western populations. This study aimed to elucidate whether DM is associated with worse cognitive performance in both populations. The Shanghai Aging Study (SAS) and the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging (MCSA) are two population-based studies with similar design and methodology in Shanghai, China and Rochester, MN, USA. Non-demented participants underwent cognitive testing, and DM was assessed from the medical record. Separate analyses were performed in SAS and MCSA regarding the association between DM and cognitive performance. A total of 3,348 Chinese participants in the SAS and 3,734 American subjects in the MCSA were included. Compared with MCSA subjects, SAS participants were younger, less educated, and had lower frequency of vascular disease, APOE ɛ4 carriers and obesity. Participants with DM (compared to non-DM participants) performed significantly worse on all the cognitive domains in both the SAS and MCSA. After adjustment for age, gender, education, and vascular covariates, DM was associated with worse performance in executive function (β=-0.15, p = 0.001 for SAS, and β=-0.10, p = 0.008 for MCSA) in the total sample and in the cognitively normal sub-sample. Furthermore, DM was associated with poor performance in visuospatial skills, language, and memory in the SAS, but not in the MCSA. Diabetes is associated with cognitive dysfunction and, in particular, exerts a negative impact on executive function regardless of race, age, and prevalence of vascular risk factors.

Age-related differences in emotion recognition ability: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Mill, Aire; Allik, Jüri; Realo, Anu; Valk, Raivo

2009-10-01

Experimental studies indicate that recognition of emotions, particularly negative emotions, decreases with age. However, there is no consensus at which age the decrease in emotion recognition begins, how selective this is to negative emotions, and whether this applies to both facial and vocal expression. In the current cross-sectional study, 607 participants ranging in age from 18 to 84 years (mean age = 32.6 +/- 14.9 years) were asked to recognize emotions expressed either facially or vocally. In general, older participants were found to be less accurate at recognizing emotions, with the most distinctive age difference pertaining to a certain group of negative emotions. Both modalities revealed an age-related decline in the recognition of sadness and -- to a lesser degree -- anger, starting at about 30 years of age. Although age-related differences in the recognition of expression of emotion were not mediated by personality traits, 2 of the Big 5 traits, openness and conscientiousness, made an independent contribution to emotion-recognition performance. Implications of age-related differences in facial and vocal emotion expression and early onset of the selective decrease in emotion recognition are discussed in terms of previous findings and relevant theoretical models.

Auditory temporal processing in healthy aging: a magnetoencephalographic study

PubMed Central

Sörös, Peter; Teismann, Inga K; Manemann, Elisabeth; Lütkenhöner, Bernd

2009-01-01

Background Impaired speech perception is one of the major sequelae of aging. In addition to peripheral hearing loss, central deficits of auditory processing are supposed to contribute to the deterioration of speech perception in older individuals. To test the hypothesis that auditory temporal processing is compromised in aging, auditory evoked magnetic fields were recorded during stimulation with sequences of 4 rapidly recurring speech sounds in 28 healthy individuals aged 20 – 78 years. Results The decrement of the N1m amplitude during rapid auditory stimulation was not significantly different between older and younger adults. The amplitudes of the middle-latency P1m wave and of the long-latency N1m, however, were significantly larger in older than in younger participants. Conclusion The results of the present study do not provide evidence for the hypothesis that auditory temporal processing, as measured by the decrement (short-term habituation) of the major auditory evoked component, the N1m wave, is impaired in aging. The differences between these magnetoencephalographic findings and previously published behavioral data might be explained by differences in the experimental setting between the present study and previous behavioral studies, in terms of speech rate, attention, and masking noise. Significantly larger amplitudes of the P1m and N1m waves suggest that the cortical processing of individual sounds differs between younger and older individuals. This result adds to the growing evidence that brain functions, such as sensory processing, motor control and cognitive processing, can change during healthy aging, presumably due to experience-dependent neuroplastic mechanisms. PMID:19351410

Age estimation using exfoliative cytology and radiovisiography: A comparative study.

PubMed

Nallamala, Shilpa; Guttikonda, Venkateswara Rao; Manchikatla, Praveen Kumar; Taneeru, Sravya

2017-01-01

Age estimation is one of the essential factors in establishing the identity of an individual. Among various methods, exfoliative cytology (EC) is a unique, noninvasive technique, involving simple, and pain-free collection of intact cells from the oral cavity for microscopic examination. The study was undertaken with an aim to estimate the age of an individual from the average cell size of their buccal smears calculated using image analysis morphometric software and the pulp-tooth area ratio in mandibular canine of the same individual using radiovisiography (RVG). Buccal smears were collected from 100 apparently healthy individuals. After fixation in 95% alcohol, the smears were stained using Papanicolaou stain. The average cell size was measured using image analysis software (Image-Pro Insight 8.0). The RVG images of mandibular canines were obtained, pulp and tooth areas were traced using AutoCAD 2010 software, and area ratio was calculated. The estimated age was then calculated using regression analysis. The paired t -test between chronological age and estimated age by cell size and pulp-tooth area ratio was statistically nonsignificant ( P > 0.05). In the present study, age estimated by pulp-tooth area ratio and EC yielded good results.

Defining and Estimating Healthy Aging in Spain: A Cross-sectional Study.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Laso, Angel; McLaughlin, Sara J; Urdaneta, Elena; Yanguas, Javier

2018-03-19

Using an operational continuum of healthy aging developed by U.S. researchers, we sought to estimate the prevalence of healthy aging among older Spaniards, inform the development of a definition of healthy aging in Spain, and foster cross-national research on healthy aging. The ELES pilot study is a nationwide, cross-sectional survey of community-dwelling Spaniards 50 years and older. The prevalence of healthy aging was calculated for the 65 and over population using varying definitions. To evaluate their validity, we examined the association of healthy aging with the 8 foot up & go test, quality of life scores and self-perceived health using multiple linear and logistic regression. The estimated prevalence of healthy aging varied across the operational continuum, from 4.5% to 49.2%. Prevalence figures were greater for men and those aged 65 to 79 years and were higher than in the United States. Predicted mean physical performance scores were similar for 3 of the 4 definitions, suggesting that stringent definitions of healthy aging offer little advantage over a more moderate one. Similar to U.S. researchers, we recommend a definition of healthy aging that incorporates measures of functional health and limiting disease as opposed to definitions requiring the absence of all disease in studies designed to assess the effect of policy initiatives on healthy aging.

BRain health and healthy AgeINg in retired rugby union players, the BRAIN Study: study protocol for an observational study in the UK.

PubMed

Gallo, Valentina; McElvenny, Damien; Hobbs, Catherine; Davoren, Donna; Morris, Huw; Crutch, Sebastian; Zetterberg, Henrik; Fox, Nick C; Kemp, Simon; Cross, Matthew; Arden, Nigel K; Davies, Madeleine A M; Malaspina, Andrea; Pearce, Neil

2017-12-26

Relatively little is known about the long-term health of former elite rugby players, or former sportspeople more generally. As well as the potential benefits of being former elite sportspersons, there may be potential health risks from exposures occurring during an individual's playing career, as well as following retirement. Each contact sport has vastly different playing dynamics, therefore exposing its players to different types of potential traumas. Current evidence suggests that these are not necessarily comparable in terms of pathophysiology, and their potential long-term adverse effects might also differ. There is currently limited but increasing evidence that poorer age-related and neurological health exists among former professional sportsmen exposed to repetitive concussions; however the evidence is limited on rugby union players, specifically. We present the protocol for a cross-sectional study to assess the association between self-reported history of concussion during a playing career, and subsequent measures of healthy ageing and neurological and cognitive impairment. We are recruiting a sample of approximately 200 retired rugby players (former Oxford and Cambridge University rugby players and members of the England Rugby International Club) aged 50 years or more, and collecting a number of general and neurological health-related outcome measures though validated assessments. Biomarkers of neurodegeneration (neurofilaments and tau) will be also be measured. Although the study is focusing on rugby union players specifically, the general study design and the methods for assessing neurological health are likely to be relevant to other studies of former elite sportspersons. The study has been approved by the Ethical Committee of London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (reference: 11634-2). It is intended that results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed medical journals, communicated to participants, the general public and all relevant

[Successful aging and indicators of frailty in the elderly. Octabaix Study].

PubMed

Ferrer, Assumpta; Formiga, Francesc; Sanz, Héctor; Monserrate, Elena; Verges, Dolors

2014-11-01

Successful aging as a process of adaptation to the optimal state is little known in older people. To describe successful aging and to analyze the factors associated with frailty in people aged 86 years. A cross-sectional study of a clinical trial at the second year of follow-up (Octabaix Study). Seven Primary Care Centers. Non-institutionalized subjects born in 1924. Data on sociodemographic, comorbidity and geriatric assessment scales were collected. Frailty was defined by the presence of 3 or more of the following criteria: muscle weakness, slow walking, weight loss, exhaustion, low physical activity. Successful aging was defined as: Barthel index >90/100 and Lobo test ≥ 24/35. Multiple regression analysis was performed. A total of 273 patients were evaluated, 39.2% men. The prevalence of successful aging was 47.2% (129). In the unsuccessful aging, the frailty prevalence was 34.7% (50). The frailty factors associated with unsuccessful aging were low activity (OR: 7.56; 95%CI: 3.8 -14.9), weakness (OR: 6.08; 95%CI: 2.5-14.7), slowness (OR: 5.1; 95%CI: 2.8-9.5), and exhaustion (OR: 3.6; 95%CI: 1.6-8.3). The prevalence of successful aging is high in 86-year-old community-dwelling subjects. The low physical activity multiplied by seven, and muscle weakness by 6, were the factors most associated with unsuccessful aging. Therefore, incorporating screening designed to detect these two factors could improve future interventions towards more optimal aging in the community, if these results are confirmed in future studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Online aging study of a high rate MRPC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jie; Wang, Yi; Feng, S. Q.; Xie, Bo; Lv, Pengfei; Wang, Fuyue; Guo, Baohong; Han, Dong; Li, Yuanjing

2016-05-01

With the constant increase of accelerator luminosity, the rate requirements of MRPC detectors have become very important, and the aging characteristics of the detector have to be studied meticulously. An online aging test system has been set up in our lab, and in this paper the setup of the system is described and the performance stability of a high-rate MRPC studied over a long running time under a high luminosity environment. The high rate MRPC was irradiated by X-rays for 36 days and the accumulated charge density reached 0.1 C/cm2. No obvious performance degradation was observed for the detector. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (11420101004, 11461141011, 11275108), Ministry of Science and Technology (2015CB856905)

Accelerated optical polymer aging studies for LED luminaire applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Estupiñán, Edgar; Wendling, Peter; Kostrun, Marijan; Garner, Richard

2013-09-01

There is a need in the lighting industry to design and implement accelerated aging methods that accurately simulate the aging process of LED luminaire components. In response to this need, we have built a flexible and reliable system to study the aging characteristics of optical polymer materials, and we have employed it to study a commercially available LED luminaire diffuser made of PMMA. The experimental system consists of a "Blue LED Emitter" and a working surface. Both the temperatures of the samples and the optical powers of the LEDs are appropriately characterized in the system. Several accelerated aging experiments are carried out at different temperatures and optical powers over a 90 hour period and the measured transmission values are used as inputs to a degradation model derived using plausibility arguments. This model seems capable of predicting the behavior of the material as a function of time, temperature and optical power. The model satisfactorily predicts the measured transmission values of diffusers aged in luminaires at two different times and thus can be used to make application recommendations for this material. Specifically, at 35000 hours (the manufacturer's stated life of the luminaire) and at the typical operational temperature of the diffuser, the model predicts a transmission loss of only a few percent over the original transmission of the material at 450 nm, which renders this material suitable for this application.

The use of honeybees reared in a thermostatic chamber for aging studies.

PubMed

Hsu, Chin-Yuan; Chan, Yu-Pei

2013-02-01

Honeybees (Apis mellifera) are an attractive model system for studying aging. However, the aging level of worker honeybees from the field hive is in dispute. To eliminate the influence of task performance and confirm the relationship between chronological age and aging, we reared newly emerged workers in a thermostat at 34°C throughout their lives. A survivorship curve was obtained, indicating that workers can be reared away from the field hive, and the only difference between these workers is age. To confirm that these workers can be used for aging studies, we assayed age-related molecules in the trophocytes and fat cells of young and old workers. Old workers expressed more senescence-associated β-galactosidase, lipofuscin granules, lipid peroxidation, and protein oxidation than young workers. Furthermore, cellular energy metabolism molecules were also assayed. Old workers exhibited less ATP concentration, β-oxidation, and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3) than young workers. These results demonstrate that honeybees reared in a thermostatic chamber can be used for aging studies and cellular energy metabolism in the trophocytes and fat cells of workers changes with advancing age.

Ecological Momentary Assessments and Automated Time Series Analysis to Promote Tailored Health Care: A Proof-of-Principle Study

PubMed Central

Emerencia, Ando C; Bos, Elisabeth H; Rosmalen, Judith GM; Riese, Harriëtte; Aiello, Marco; Sytema, Sjoerd; de Jonge, Peter

2015-01-01

Background Health promotion can be tailored by combining ecological momentary assessments (EMA) with time series analysis. This combined method allows for studying the temporal order of dynamic relationships among variables, which may provide concrete indications for intervention. However, application of this method in health care practice is hampered because analyses are conducted manually and advanced statistical expertise is required. Objective This study aims to show how this limitation can be overcome by introducing automated vector autoregressive modeling (VAR) of EMA data and to evaluate its feasibility through comparisons with results of previously published manual analyses. Methods We developed a Web-based open source application, called AutoVAR, which automates time series analyses of EMA data and provides output that is intended to be interpretable by nonexperts. The statistical technique we used was VAR. AutoVAR tests and evaluates all possible VAR models within a given combinatorial search space and summarizes their results, thereby replacing the researcher’s tasks of conducting the analysis, making an informed selection of models, and choosing the best model. We compared the output of AutoVAR to the output of a previously published manual analysis (n=4). Results An illustrative example consisting of 4 analyses was provided. Compared to the manual output, the AutoVAR output presents similar model characteristics and statistical results in terms of the Akaike information criterion, the Bayesian information criterion, and the test statistic of the Granger causality test. Conclusions Results suggest that automated analysis and interpretation of times series is feasible. Compared to a manual procedure, the automated procedure is more robust and can save days of time. These findings may pave the way for using time series analysis for health promotion on a larger scale. AutoVAR was evaluated using the results of a previously conducted manual analysis

Inflammation, But Not Telomere Length, Predicts Successful Ageing at Extreme Old Age: A Longitudinal Study of Semi-supercentenarians.

PubMed

Arai, Yasumichi; Martin-Ruiz, Carmen M; Takayama, Michiyo; Abe, Yukiko; Takebayashi, Toru; Koyasu, Shigeo; Suematsu, Makoto; Hirose, Nobuyoshi; von Zglinicki, Thomas

2015-10-01

To determine the most important drivers of successful ageing at extreme old age, we combined community-based prospective cohorts: Tokyo Oldest Old Survey on Total Health (TOOTH), Tokyo Centenarians Study (TCS) and Japanese Semi-Supercentenarians Study (JSS) comprising 1554 individuals including 684 centenarians and (semi-)supercentenarians, 167 pairs of centenarian offspring and spouses, and 536 community-living very old (85 to 99 years). We combined z scores from multiple biomarkers to describe haematopoiesis, inflammation, lipid and glucose metabolism, liver function, renal function, and cellular senescence domains. In Cox proportional hazard models, inflammation predicted all-cause mortality with hazard ratios (95% CI) 1.89 (1.21 to 2.95) and 1.36 (1.05 to 1.78) in the very old and (semi-)supercentenarians, respectively. In linear forward stepwise models, inflammation predicted capability (10.8% variance explained) and cognition (8(.)6% variance explained) in (semi-)supercentenarians better than chronologic age or gender. The inflammation score was also lower in centenarian offspring compared to age-matched controls with Δ (95% CI) = - 0.795 (- 1.436 to - 0.154). Centenarians and their offspring were able to maintain long telomeres, but telomere length was not a predictor of successful ageing in centenarians and semi-supercentenarians. We conclude that inflammation is an important malleable driver of ageing up to extreme old age in humans.

Inflammation, But Not Telomere Length, Predicts Successful Ageing at Extreme Old Age: A Longitudinal Study of Semi-supercentenarians

PubMed Central

Arai, Yasumichi; Martin-Ruiz, Carmen M.; Takayama, Michiyo; Abe, Yukiko; Takebayashi, Toru; Koyasu, Shigeo; Suematsu, Makoto; Hirose, Nobuyoshi; von Zglinicki, Thomas

2015-01-01

To determine the most important drivers of successful ageing at extreme old age, we combined community-based prospective cohorts: Tokyo Oldest Old Survey on Total Health (TOOTH), Tokyo Centenarians Study (TCS) and Japanese Semi-Supercentenarians Study (JSS) comprising 1554 individuals including 684 centenarians and (semi-)supercentenarians, 167 pairs of centenarian offspring and spouses, and 536 community-living very old (85 to 99 years). We combined z scores from multiple biomarkers to describe haematopoiesis, inflammation, lipid and glucose metabolism, liver function, renal function, and cellular senescence domains. In Cox proportional hazard models, inflammation predicted all-cause mortality with hazard ratios (95% CI) 1.89 (1.21 to 2.95) and 1.36 (1.05 to 1.78) in the very old and (semi-)supercentenarians, respectively. In linear forward stepwise models, inflammation predicted capability (10.8% variance explained) and cognition (8.6% variance explained) in (semi-)supercentenarians better than chronologic age or gender. The inflammation score was also lower in centenarian offspring compared to age-matched controls with Δ (95% CI) = − 0.795 (− 1.436 to − 0.154). Centenarians and their offspring were able to maintain long telomeres, but telomere length was not a predictor of successful ageing in centenarians and semi-supercentenarians. We conclude that inflammation is an important malleable driver of ageing up to extreme old age in humans. PMID:26629551

Muscle-Specific Effective Mechanical Advantage and Joint Impulse in Weightlifting.

PubMed

Kipp, Kristof; Harris, Chad

2017-07-01

Kipp, K, and Harris, C. Muscle-specific effective mechanical advantage and joint impulse in weightlifting. J Strength Cond Res 31(7): 1905-1910, 2017-Lifting greater loads during weightlifting exercises may theoretically be achieved through increasing the magnitudes of net joint impulses or manipulating the joints' effective mechanical advantage (EMA). The purpose of this study was to investigate muscle-specific EMA and joint impulse as well as impulse-momentum characteristics of the lifter-barbell system across a range of external loads during the execution of the clean. Collegiate-level weightlifters performed submaximal cleans at 65, 75, and 85% of their 1-repetition maximum (1-RM), whereas data from a motion analysis system and a force plate were used to calculate lifter-barbell system impulse and velocity, as well as net extensor impulse generated at the hip, knee, and ankle joints and the EMA of the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quadriceps, and triceps surae muscles. The results indicated that the lifter-barbell system impulse did not change as load increased, whereas the velocity of the lifter-barbell system decreased with greater load. In addition, the net extensor impulse at all joints increased as load increased. The EMA of all muscles did not, however, change as load increased. The load-dependent effects on the impulse-velocity characteristics of the lifter-barbell system may reflect musculoskeletal force-velocity behaviors, and may further indicate that the weightlifting performance is limited by the magnitude of ground reaction force impulse. In turn, the load-dependent effects observed at the joint level indicated that lifting greater loads were due to greater net extensor impulses generated at the joints of the lower extremity and not greater EMAs of the respective extensor muscles. In combination, these results suggest that lifting greater external loads during the clean is due to the ability to generate large extensor joint impulses, rather than

N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide and abnormal brain aging: The AGES-Reykjavik Study.

PubMed

Sabayan, Behnam; van Buchem, Mark A; de Craen, Anton J M; Sigurdsson, Sigurdur; Zhang, Qian; Harris, Tamara B; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Arai, Andrew E; Launer, Lenore J

2015-09-01

To investigate the independent association of serum N-terminal fragment of the prohormone natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) with structural and functional features of abnormal brain aging in older individuals. In this cross-sectional study based on the Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility (AGES)-Reykjavik Study, we included 4,029 older community-dwelling individuals (born 1907 to 1935) with a measured serum level of NT-proBNP. Outcomes included parenchymal brain volumes estimated from brain MRI, cognitive function measured by tests of memory, processing speed, and executive functioning, and presence of depressive symptoms measured using the Geriatric Depression Scale. In a substudy, cardiac output of 857 participants was assessed using cardiac MRI. In multivariate analyses, adjusted for sociodemographic and cardiovascular factors, higher levels of NT-proBNP were independently associated with lower total (p < 0.001), gray matter (p < 0.001), and white matter (p = 0.001) brain volumes. Likewise, in multivariate analyses, higher levels of NT-proBNP were associated with worse scores in memory (p = 0.005), processing speed (p = 0.001), executive functioning (p < 0.001), and more depressive symptoms (p = 0.002). In the substudy, the associations of higher NT-proBNP with lower brain parenchymal volumes, impaired executive function and processing speed, and higher depressive symptoms were independent of the level of cardiac output. Higher serum levels of NT-proBNP, independent of cardiovascular risk factors and a measure of cardiac function, are linked with alterations in brain structure and function. Roles of natriuretic peptides in the process of brain aging need to be further elucidated. © 2015 American Academy of Neurology.

Environment and cognitive aging: A cross-sectional study of place of residence and cognitive performance in the Irish longitudinal study on aging.

PubMed

Cassarino, Marica; O'Sullivan, Vincent; Kenny, Rose Anne; Setti, Annalisa

2016-07-01

Stimulating environments foster cognitive vitality in older age. However, it is not known whether and how geographical and physical characteristics of lived environments contribute to cognitive aging. Evidence of higher prevalence of dementia in rural rather than urban contexts suggests that urban environments may be more stimulating either cognitively, socially, or in terms of lifestyle. The present study explored urban/rural differences in cognition for healthy community-dwelling older people while controlling for a comprehensive spectrum of confounding factors. Cognitive performance of 3,765 healthy Irish people aged 50+ years participating in Wave 1 of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging was analyzed in relation to current location of residence-urban, other settlements, or rural areas-and its interaction with childhood residence. Regression models controlled for sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle factors. Urban residents showed better performance than the other 2 residence groups for global cognition and executive functions after controlling for covariates. Childhood urban residence was associated with a cognitive advantage especially for currently rural participants. Our findings suggest higher cognitive functioning for urban residents, although childhood residence modulates this association. Suggestions for further developments of these results are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

An investigation into drug products withdrawn from the EU market between 2002 and 2011 for safety reasons and the evidence used to support the decision-making.

PubMed

McNaughton, Rhian; Huet, Gwenaël; Shakir, Saad

2014-01-15

The objective of this study was to determine the nature of evidence used to support the withdrawal of marketing authorisations of drug products for safety reasons throughout the European Union (EU) between 2002 and 2011. Products withdrawn, either by a medicines agency or a marketing authorisation holder, during the period 2002-2011 were identified by conducting detailed searches of the WHO, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and national medicines agency websites throughout the EU plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. The scientific evidence used to support the decision was identified from a search within PubMed, the EMA and national medicines agencies websites. Information about spontaneous case reports entered into EudraVigilance and unavailable on the EMA website was received by email from the EMA. 19 drugs were withdrawn from the market, throughout the EU, for safety reasons from 2002 to 2011. Case reports were cited in 95% of withdrawals (18/19) and case-control studies (4/19), cohort studies (4/19), randomised controlled trials (RCTs) (12/19) or meta-analysis (5/19) were cited in 63% of withdrawals (12/19). Cardiovascular events or disorders were the main reason for withdrawal (9/19), followed by hepatic disorders (4/19) and neurological or psychiatric disorders (4/19). This study has shown that the level of evidence used to support drug withdrawal has improved during the past 10 years, with an increased use of case-control studies, cohort studies, RCTs and meta-analyses. This research has demonstrated that such studies have contributed to decision-making in almost two-thirds of cases.

Peripheral Retinal Changes Associated with Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2: Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 Report Number 12 by the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 Optos PEripheral RetinA (OPERA) Study Research Group.

PubMed

Domalpally, Amitha; Clemons, Traci E; Danis, Ronald P; Sadda, SriniVas R; Cukras, Catherine A; Toth, Cynthia A; Friberg, Thomas R; Chew, Emily Y

2017-04-01

To compare rates of peripheral retinal changes in Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) participants with at least intermediate age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with control subjects without intermediate age-related changes (large drusen). Cross-sectional evaluation of clinic-based patients enrolled in AREDS2 and a prospective study. Participants from prospective studies. The 200° pseudocolor and fundus autofluorescence (FAF) images were captured on the Optos 200 Tx Ultrawide-field device (Optos, Dunfermline, Scotland) by centering on the fovea and then steering superiorly and inferiorly. The montaged images were graded at a reading center with the images divided into 3 zones (zone 1 [posterior pole], zone 2 [midperiphery], and zone 3 [far periphery]) to document the presence of peripheral lesions. Peripheral retinal lesions: drusen, hypopigmentary/hyperpigmentary changes, reticular pseudodrusen, senile reticular pigmentary changes, cobblestone degeneration, and FAF abnormalities. A total of 484 (951 eyes) AREDS2 participants with AMD (cases) and 89 (163 eyes) controls without AMD had gradable color and FAF images. In zones 2 and 3, neovascularization and geographic atrophy (GA) were present, ranging from 0.4% to 6% in eyes of cases, respectively, and GA was present in 1% of eyes of controls. Drusen were detected in 97%, 78%, and 64% of eyes of cases and 48%, 21%, and 9% of eyes of controls in zones 2 and 3 superior and 3 inferior, respectively (P < 0.001 for all). Peripheral reticular pseudodrusen were seen in 15%. Senile reticular pigmentary change was the predominant peripheral change seen in 48% of cases and 16% of controls in zone 2 (P < 0.001). Nonreticular pigment changes were less frequent in the periphery than in the posterior pole (46% vs. 76%) and negligible in controls. Peripheral retinal changes are more prevalent in eyes with AMD than in control eyes. Drusen are seen in a majority of eyes with AMD in both the mid and far periphery, whereas

40 shades of black: regional differences in vegetation response to a changing human influence in the Low Countries during the Dark Ages (AD 300-1000).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gouw-Bouman, Marjolein T. I. J.; Donders, Timme H.; Hoek, Wim Z.

2016-04-01

During the Dark Ages, which includes the Late Roman Period (LRP, AD 300-500) and the Early Middle Ages (EMA, AD 500-1000), large scale vegetation development in Northwestern Europe is generally characterized by a forest regeneration. This forest redevelopment phase was not uniformous across the Netherlands. A comparison between existing pollen records shows that forest redevelopment started earlier and was more severe in the southern part of the Netherlands than in the northeastern Netherlands. The prevailing view advocates that the forest redevelopment is the result of a diminishing human influence on the landscape due to the collapse of the Roman Empire. Following this view, regional changes in forest regeneration are explained by varying population densities. However, existing climate-records indicate a colder and wetter climate during the Dark Ages and the geomorphological record points to a changing landscape. How and to what extent these climatic and environmental changes contributed to the changes in vegetation development or even to the decline of the Roman Empire is largely unknown. To understand the relative importance of the factors (climate, environment, economy and demography) influencing vegetation development it is important to accurately map regional differences in vegetation both on a regional and extra-regional scale. For an extra-regional overview all available pollen records in the Netherlands from this period are compiled to show differences in amplitude of the vegetation development during the Dark Ages. On a regional scale, vegetation reconstruction maps have been produced reflecting the influence of geological/geomorphological factors.

Stressors of School-age Children With Allergic Diseases: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Iio, Misa; Hamaguchi, Mana; Nagata, Mayumi; Yoshida, Koichi

2018-05-08

Most studies of stress in children with chronic diseases have been geared toward parents and caregivers have not considered allergic diseases together. This study aimed to identify the stressors associated with allergic diseases in Japanese school-age children. Stressors associated with allergic diseases of 11 school-age children (seven boys and four girls; age range: 9-12 years) were investigated using semi-structured interviews. In the qualitative thematic analysis of stressors about allergic diseases, two themes: allergic disease-specific stressors and common stressors in chronic diseases, and 12 categories were identified. A thematic map was applied to four domains of stressor: physiological factors, psychological factors, social factors, and environmental factors. The results showed that school-age children with allergic diseases have a variety of stressors. Future studies should aim to develop an allergic disease-specific stress management program with school-age children. In children with allergic diseases, not only is stress management in daily life important, but also stress management for disease-specific matters to control the symptoms and maintain mental health. Stress management should be supported for school-age children with allergic diseases. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Understanding Nontraditionally Aged College Students: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Julie R.

2010-01-01

This dissertation was written in partial fulfillment of the doctoral degree requirements in Counseling Psychology at Capella University. This study was interested in exploring the growing population of nontraditionally aged college students. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that correlated with the academic success of this group…

Ecologic Momentary Assessment: Perspectives on Applications and Opportunities in Research and Practice Regarding Nutrition Behaviors.

PubMed

Hand, Rosa K; Perzynski, Adam T

2016-09-01

Retrospective self-reported data have limitations, making it important to evaluate alternative forms of measurement for nutrition behaviors. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) attempts to overcome the challenges of recalled data with real-time data collection in a subject's natural environment, often leveraging technology. This perspective piece 1) introduces the concepts and terminology of EMA, 2) provides an overview of the methodological and analytical considerations, 3) gives examples of past research using EMA, and 4) suggests new opportunities (including combining assessment and intervention) and limitations (including the need for technology) for the application of EMA to research and practice regarding nutrition behaviors. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Age estimation using exfoliative cytology and radiovisiography: A comparative study

PubMed Central

Nallamala, Shilpa; Guttikonda, Venkateswara Rao; Manchikatla, Praveen Kumar; Taneeru, Sravya

2017-01-01

Introduction: Age estimation is one of the essential factors in establishing the identity of an individual. Among various methods, exfoliative cytology (EC) is a unique, noninvasive technique, involving simple, and pain-free collection of intact cells from the oral cavity for microscopic examination. Objective: The study was undertaken with an aim to estimate the age of an individual from the average cell size of their buccal smears calculated using image analysis morphometric software and the pulp–tooth area ratio in mandibular canine of the same individual using radiovisiography (RVG). Materials and Methods: Buccal smears were collected from 100 apparently healthy individuals. After fixation in 95% alcohol, the smears were stained using Papanicolaou stain. The average cell size was measured using image analysis software (Image-Pro Insight 8.0). The RVG images of mandibular canines were obtained, pulp and tooth areas were traced using AutoCAD 2010 software, and area ratio was calculated. The estimated age was then calculated using regression analysis. Results: The paired t-test between chronological age and estimated age by cell size and pulp–tooth area ratio was statistically nonsignificant (P > 0.05). Conclusion: In the present study, age estimated by pulp–tooth area ratio and EC yielded good results. PMID:29657491

The Food and Drug Administration reports provided more data but were more difficult to use than the European Medicines Agency reports.

PubMed

Schroll, Jeppe Bennekou; Abdel-Sattar, Maher; Bero, Lisa

2015-01-01

To compare the accessibility, comprehensiveness, and usefulness of data available from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug reports. This is a cross-sectional study. All new molecular drugs approved between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2012 from the FDA and EMA Web sites were eligible. We included 27 drug reports. Most were searchable, but the FDA table of contents did not match the file's page numbers. Several FDA documents must be searched compared with a single EMA document, but the FDA reports contain more summary data on harms. Detailed information about harms was reported for 93% of the FDA reports (25 of 27 reports) and 26% of the EMA reports (7 of 27 reports). The reports contained information about trial methodology but did not include trial registry IDs or investigator names. All reports but one contained sufficient information to be used in a meta-analysis. Detailed data on efficacy and harms are available at the two agencies. The FDA has more summary data on harms, but the documents are harder to navigate. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Efficient Constraint Handling in Electromagnetism-Like Algorithm for Traveling Salesman Problem with Time Windows

PubMed Central

Yurtkuran, Alkın

2014-01-01

The traveling salesman problem with time windows (TSPTW) is a variant of the traveling salesman problem in which each customer should be visited within a given time window. In this paper, we propose an electromagnetism-like algorithm (EMA) that uses a new constraint handling technique to minimize the travel cost in TSPTW problems. The EMA utilizes the attraction-repulsion mechanism between charged particles in a multidimensional space for global optimization. This paper investigates the problem-specific constraint handling capability of the EMA framework using a new variable bounding strategy, in which real-coded particle's boundary constraints associated with the corresponding time windows of customers, is introduced and combined with the penalty approach to eliminate infeasibilities regarding time window violations. The performance of the proposed algorithm and the effectiveness of the constraint handling technique have been studied extensively, comparing it to that of state-of-the-art metaheuristics using several sets of benchmark problems reported in the literature. The results of the numerical experiments show that the EMA generates feasible and near-optimal results within shorter computational times compared to the test algorithms. PMID:24723834

Pathological Gambling, Problem Gambling and Sleep Complaints: An Analysis of the National Comorbidity Survey: Replication (NCS-R)

PubMed Central

Siani, Aaron; Rosenthal, Richard J.; Fong, Timothy W.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between sleep disturbances and gambling behavior. Data from the National Comorbidity Survey—Replication (NCS-R) was used to examine the relationship between three specific sleep complaints (difficulty initiating sleep [DIS], difficulty maintaining sleep [DMS], and early morning awakening [EMA]) and gambling behavior. Bivariate logistic regression models were used to control for potentially confounding psychiatric disorders and age. Almost half of respondents with problem gambling behavior (45.9%) and two thirds (67.7%) of respondents with pathological gambling behavior reported at least one sleep compliant. Compared to respondents with no gambling pathology, respondents with pathological gambling were significantly more likely to report at least one sleep complaint (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 3.444, 95% CI = 1.538–7.713), to report all sleep complaints (AOR = 3.449, 95% CI = 1.503–7.914), and to report any individual complaint (DIS: OR = 2.300, 95% CI = 1.069–4.946; DMS: AOR = 4.604, 95% CI = 2.093–10.129; EMA: AOR = 3.968, 95% CI = 1.856–8.481). The relationship between problem gambling and sleep complaints were more modest (any sleep complaint: AOR = 1.794, 95% CI = 1.142–2.818; all three sleep complaints: AOR = 2.144, 95% CI = 1.169–3.931; DIS: AOR = 1.961, 95% CI = 1.204–3.194; DMS: AOR = 1.551, 95% CI = 0.951–2.529; EMA: AOR = 1.796, 95% CI = 1.099–2.935). Given the individual and societal ramifications linked with the presence of sleep problems, this study presents another health-related repercussion associated with gambling pathology rarely discussed in the literature. PMID:22396174

Social mobility and inflammatory and metabolic markers at older ages: the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

PubMed

Na-Ek, Nat; Demakakos, Panayotes

2017-03-01

Since our knowledge of the associations between socioeconomic position (SEP) over the life course and inflammatory and metabolic markers, which are excellent predictors of cardiovascular disease, remains limited, we examined the association between social mobility over the life course and these markers at older ages. Our study used cross-sectionally collected data from 6142 participants aged 50 years and older from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. We estimated linear and logistic models of the associations between social mobility, using information on childhood and adult SEP, C reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Our models were gradually adjusted for age, sex, chronic diseases, obesity, physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking status and depressive symptoms. Participants who experienced upward social mobility had higher CRP, fibrinogen and HbA1c levels compared with those who had stable high SEP over the life course, but lower compared with those who experienced downward social mobility or had stable low SEP. They also had lower HDL levels compared with those who had stable high SEP or downwardly mobile. Adjustment for covariates partially explained the associations between social mobility and CRP and HDL, and fully explained those between social mobility and fibrinogen and HbA1c. Social mobility is associated with inflammatory and metabolic markers at older ages with some of the observed associations persisting after accounting for covariates. Upward social mobility appears to partially reverse the damaging effect of childhood social disadvantage on inflammatory profiles in older ages. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Photochemical Aging of Organic Aerosols: A Laboratory Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papanastasiou, Dimitrios K.; Kostenidou, Evangelia; Gkatzelis, Georgios I.; Psichoudaki, Magdalini; Louvaris, Evangelos; Pandis, Spyros N.

2014-05-01

Organic aerosols (OA) are either emitted directly (primary OA) or formed (secondary OA) in the atmosphere and consist of an extremely complex mixture of thousands of organic compounds. Although the scientific community has put significant effort, in the past few decades, to understand organic aerosol (OA) formation, evolution and fate in the atmosphere, traditional models often fail to reproduce the ambient OA levels. Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formed, in traditional laboratory chamber experiments, from the gas phase oxidation of known precursors, such as α-pinene, is semi-volatile and with an O:C ratio of around 0.4. In contrast, OA found in the atmosphere is significantly less volatile, while the O:C ratio often ranges from 0.5 to 1. In conclusion, there is a significant gap of knowledge in our understanding of OA formation and photochemical transformation in the atmosphere. There is increased evidence that homogeneous gas phase aging by OH radicals might be able to explain, at least in part, the significantly higher OA mass loadings observed and also the oxidation state and volatility of OA in the atmosphere. In this study, laboratory chamber experiments were performed to study the role of the continued oxidation of first generation volatile and semi-volatile species by OH radicals in the evolution of the SOA characteristics (mass concentration, volatility, and oxidation state). Ambient air mixtures or freshly formed SOA from α-pinene ozonolysis were used as the source of organic aerosols and semi-volatile species. The initial mixture of organic aerosols and gas phase species (volatile and semi-volatile) was then exposed to atmospheric concentrations of OH radicals to study the aging of aerosols. Experiments were performed with various OH radical sources (H2O2 or HONO) and under various NOx conditions. A suite of instruments was employed to characterize both the gas and the aerosol phase. A Scanning Mobility Particle Sizer (SMPS) and a High

Feasibility and Acceptability of Smartphone-Based Ecological Momentary Assessment of Alcohol Use Among African American Men Who Have Sex With Men in Baltimore.

PubMed

Yang, Cui; Linas, Beth; Kirk, Gregory; Bollinger, Robert; Chang, Larry; Chander, Geetanjali; Siconolfi, Daniel; Braxton, Sharif; Rudolph, Abby; Latkin, Carl

2015-06-17

Alcohol use is a risk factor for the acquisition of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among African American men who have sex with men (MSM). Mobile phone-based ecological momentary assessments (EMA) could minimize bias due to retrospective recall and thus provide a better understanding of the social and structural context of alcohol use and its relationship with HIV-related risk behaviors in this population as well as other highly stigmatized populations. We describe the study design and the implementation, feasibility, reactivity, and acceptability of an EMA study of alcohol use and HIV-related behaviors among African American MSM in Baltimore. Participants were recruited through flyers and word-of-mouth in Baltimore from September 2013 to November 2014. Each participant was loaned an Android smartphone and instructed to respond to multiple prompts from the mobile app for 4 weeks. Data were collected through (1) random prompts delivered three times daily assessing participants' location, activity, mood, and social context, (2) daily prompts capturing drinking and sex events occurring in the past 24 hours, and (3) event-contingent responses collecting participants' self-reported episodes of drinking. A total of 16 participants enrolled in the study. The current analyses focused on 15 participants who completed at least 24 days of follow-up (mean follow-up time 29 days; range 24-35 days). Study participants (N=15) were a median 38 years of age (range 27-62 years) with low levels of income and educational attainment. Ten individuals self-reported living with HIV/AIDS, over half reported drinking alcohol at least 2-3 times a week, and a third reported binge drinking (ie, 6 or more drinks on one occasion) on a weekly basis. Based on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) score, nearly half were classified as hazardous drinkers (score 8-15) and a fifth were likely dependent (score ≥16). A total of 140 participant-initiated events were reported, and 75

Dental cementum in age estimation: a polarized light and stereomicroscopic study.

PubMed

Kasetty, Sowmya; Rammanohar, M; Raju Ragavendra, T

2010-05-01

Dental hard tissues are good candidates for age estimation as they are less destructive and procedures to determine age can be easily performed. Although cementum annulations and cementum thickness are important parameters in this regard, they are seldom used. This study was undertaken to review the methods, difficulties in execution of techniques, and accuracy of cementum thickness and annulations in estimating the age. Unstained and stained ground sections of tooth were used to measure cemental thickness and count cemental annulations based on which age was estimated and was compared with known age. Although there was positive relation between cemental thickness and annulations with age, only in 1-1.5% of cases, age could be predicted with accuracy.

Aging and Executive Functioning: A Training Study on Focus-Switching

PubMed Central

Dorbath, Lara; Hasselhorn, Marcus; Titz, Cora

2011-01-01

Many studies suggest that age differences in a variety of cognitive tasks are due to age-related changes in executive control processes. However, not all executive control processes seem to be age-sensitive. Recently, Verhaeghen et al. (2005) described dissociable age effects in an executive control process responsible for the switching of representations between different functional units of working memory. This so called focus-switching process has two components: (1) the switching of representations from an activated part of long-term memory into a region of immediate access (focus of attention) and (2) the maintenance of representations outside the focus of attention. Age-related deficits occurred in maintaining representations outside the focus of attention, but were absent in switching representations into and out of the focus of attention (e.g., Dorbath and Titz, 2011). In the present study we applied a training approach to examine age-related differences in the trainability of maintenance and switching. We investigated 85 younger (age 19–35, M = 24.07, SD = 3.79) and 91 older (age 59–80, M = 66.27, SD = 4.75) adults using a continuous counting task in a pretest–training–posttest design. The participants were assigned to one of four training conditions differing in the demand to switch or to maintain. The results suggest the influence of training in both components of focus-switching for both, younger and older adults. However, age differences in the amount of training gains were observed. With respect to maintenance the results indicate a compensatory effect of training for older adults who improved their performance to the level of younger adults. With respect to switching, younger adults benefited more from training than older adults. Trainability is thus reduced in older adults with respect to switching, but not for maintenance. PMID:22016742

Epidemiology of cognitive aging and Alzheimer's disease: contributions of the cache county utah study of memory, health and aging.

PubMed

Hayden, Kathleen M; Welsh-Bohmer, Kathleen A

2012-01-01

Epidemiological studies of Alzheimer's disease (AD) provide insights into changing public health trends and their contribution to disease incidence. The current chapter considers how the population-based approach has contributed to our understanding of lifetime exposures that contribute to later disease risk and may act to modify onset of symptoms. We focus on the findings from a recent survey of an exceptionally long-lived population, the Cache County Utah Study of Memory, Health, and Aging. This study is confined to a single geographic population has allowed estimation of the genetic and environmental influences on AD expression across the expected human lifespan of 95+ years. Given the emphasis of this text on the behavioral neurosciences of aging, we highlight within the current chapter the particular contributions of this population-based study to the neuropsychology of aging and AD. We also discuss hypotheses generated from this survey with respect to factors that may either accelerate or delay symptom onset in AD and the conditions that appear to be associated with successful cognitive aging.

Evaluating the real-world predictive validity of the Body Image Quality of Life Inventory using Ecological Momentary Assessment.

PubMed

Heron, Kristin E; Mason, Tyler B; Sutton, Tiphanie G; Myers, Taryn A

2015-09-01

Perceptions of physical appearance, or body image, can affect psychosocial functioning and quality of life (QOL). The present study evaluated the real-world predictive validity of the Body Image Quality of Life Inventory (BIQLI) using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA). College women reporting subclinical disordered eating/body dissatisfaction (N=131) completed the BIQLI and related measures. For one week they then completed five daily EMA surveys of mood, social interactions, stress, and eating behaviors on palmtop computers. Results showed better body image QOL was associated with less negative affect, less overwhelming emotions, more positive affect, more pleasant social interactions, and higher self-efficacy for handling stress. Lower body image QOL was marginally related to less overeating and lower loss of control over eating in daily life. To our knowledge, this is the first study to support the real-world predictive validity of the BIQLI by identifying social, affective, and behavioral correlates in everyday life using EMA. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Study of Correlation of Various Growth Indicators with Chronological Age.

PubMed

Singh, Sarabjeet; Sandhu, Navreet; Puri, Taruna; Gulati, Ritika; Kashyap, Rita

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship of chronological age with cervical vertebrae skeletal maturation, frontal sinus width and antegonial notch depth and a correlation, if any, among the three variables. The samples were derived from lateral cephalometric radiographs of 80 subjects (40 males, 40 females; age range: 10 to 19 years). Cervical vertebral development was evaluated by the method of Hassel and Farman, frontal sinus width was measured by the method described by Ertürk and antegonial notch depth as described by Singer et al. The Pearson's correlation coefficients were estimated to assess the relationship of chronological age with cervical vertebrae skeletal maturation, frontal sinus width and antegonial notch depth. The Pearson's correlation coefficient were 0.855 (p < 0.001) between chronological age and cervical vertebrae skeletal maturation, and 0.333 (p < 0.001) between chronological age and frontal sinus width. A highly significant positive correlation was found between chronological age and cervical vertebrae skeletal maturation, and between chronological age and frontal sinus width. Nonsignificant correlation was found between chronological age and antegonial notch depth. How to cite this article: Singh S, Sandhu N, Puri T, Gulati R, Kashyap R. A Study of Correlation of Various Growth Indicators with Chronological Age. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2015;8(3): 190-195.

Burden of disability attributable to vertigo and dizziness in the aged: results from the KORA-Age study.

PubMed

Mueller, Martin; Strobl, Ralf; Jahn, Klaus; Linkohr, Birgit; Peters, Annette; Grill, Eva

2014-10-01

Complaints of vertigo and dizziness are common in primary care in the aged. They can be caused by distinct vestibular disorders, but can also be a symptom in other conditions like non-vestibular sensory loss, vascular encephalopathy or anxiety. The aim of this study was to investigate the specific contribution of vertigo and dizziness to the total burden of disability in aged persons when controlling for the presence of other health conditions. Data originate from the MONICA/KORA study, a population-based cohort. Survivors of the original cohorts who were 65 years and older were examined by telephone interview in 2009. Disability was assessed with the Health Assessment Questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to adjust for potential confounders and additive regression to estimate the contribution of vertigo and dizziness to disability prevalence. Adjusted for age, sex and other chronic conditions, vertigo and dizziness were associated with disability (odds ratio 1.66, 95% confidence intervals 1.40-1.98). In both men and women between 65 and 79 years, vertigo and dizziness were among the strongest contributors to the burden of disability with a prevalence of 10.5% (6.6 to 15.1) in men and 9.0% (5.7 to 13.0) in women. In men, this effect is stable across all age-groups, whereas it decreases with age in women. Vertigo and dizziness independently and relevantly contribute to population-attributable disability in the aged. They are not inevitable consequences of ageing but arise from distinct disease entities. Careful management of vertigo and dizziness might increase population health and reduce disability. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Neuroimaging Studies Illustrate the Commonalities Between Ageing and Brain Diseases.

PubMed

Cole, James H

2018-07-01

The lack of specificity in neuroimaging studies of neurological and psychiatric diseases suggests that these different diseases have more in common than is generally considered. Potentially, features that are secondary effects of different pathological processes may share common neurobiological underpinnings. Intriguingly, many of these mechanisms are also observed in studies of normal (i.e., non-pathological) brain ageing. Different brain diseases may be causing premature or accelerated ageing to the brain, an idea that is supported by a line of "brain ageing" research that combines neuroimaging data with machine learning analysis. In reviewing this field, I conclude that such observations could have important implications, suggesting that we should shift experimental paradigm: away from characterizing the average case-control brain differences resulting from a disease toward methods that place individuals in their age-appropriate context. This will also lead naturally to clinical applications, whereby neuroimaging can contribute to a personalized-medicine approach to improve brain health. © 2018 WILEY Periodicals, Inc.

Emotions and Steroid Secretion in Aging Men: A Multi—Study Report

PubMed Central

Walther, Andreas; Waldvogel, Patricia; Noser, Emilou; Ruppen, Jessica; Ehlert, Ulrike

2017-01-01

Although aging increases the risk of cognitive and socioemotional deterioration, it has also been shown to be accompanied by an increase in experienced positive emotions and a decrease in negative emotions. Steroid hormones and age-related alterations in secretion patterns have been suggested to play a crucial role in these age-related changes in emotional experience. Importantly, previous studies identified effects of neuroactive hormones on age-related alterations in emotional experience, which vary by sex and depression levels. Therefore, in three independent cross-sectional studies including a total of 776 men, we examined age-related differences in emotional experience and subsequently the moderation effect of steroid hormones. Sample one consisted of 271 self-reporting healthy (SRH) men aged between 40 and 75 years, while sample two comprised 121 men in the identical age range but only including vitally exhausted (VE) men. Sample three included 384 men aged between 25 and 78 years who reported having fathered (FA) at least one child. For the SRH men, age was negatively associated with anxiety symptoms and aggression, while negative trends emerged for depressive symptoms. In VE men, age was negatively associated with depressive symptoms and positively associated with aggression and positive emotions. For FA men, anxiety symptoms and aggression were negatively associated with age. Age trends of steroid hormones and identified moderation effects are reported. However, with adjustment for multiple comparisons, most of the significant associations fade and the reported associations need to be regarded as exploratory starting points for the further investigation of age-related alterations in emotional experience and their relation to steroid secretion. Overall, the results indicate that salivary cortisol might be a moderator of the association between age and symptoms of anxiety for SRH and VE men, while salivary testosterone seems to moderate the association

Rumination, Age, and Years of Experience: A Predictive Study of Burnout

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDuffy, Moriel S.

2016-01-01

This study used a non-experimental design to examine whether job satisfaction, rumination, age and years of experience predict burnout among human service workers serving high-risk populations. The study also used a stepwise regression to assess whether job satisfaction, rumination, age, or years of experience predict burnout equally. Burnout was…

A correlative study of dental age and skeletal maturation.

PubMed

Sachan, Kiran; Sharma, Vijay Prakash; Tandon, Pradeep

2011-01-01

Skeletal age had been assessed by comparison between maturation of hand-wrist with stages of cervical vertebrae or canine calcification stages in past and this had been closely related to craniofacial growth. The importance of pubertal growth spurt in various types of orthodontic therapies is already established. Hence, this study was aimed to evaluate the relationship of skeletal maturity by hand-wrist with cervical vertebral maturation indicators and canine calcification stages. The study consisted of randomly selected 90 children from Lucknow population with 45 males (age range 10-13 years) and 45 females (age range 9-12 years). Lateral Cephalogram, hand-wrist x-ray, and periapical x-rays of maxillary and mandibular right canines were taken. Mean, standard deviation was calculated of different groups. Correlation was made among cervical vertebral maturation, hand wrist maturation, and canine calcification stages at various age groups. There was strong correlation between skeletal maturation indicator and cervical vertebral maturation indicator for both male (0.849) and female (0.932), whereas correlation between skeletal maturation indicator and canine calcification was good for both male and female (0.635, 0.891). It was concluded that cervical vertebral maturation indicator and canine calcification stages can also be used for assessing skeletal maturity.

Study of Intermediate Age (~10-30 Myr) Open Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olguin, Lorenzo; Michel, Raul; Contreras, Maria; Hernandez, Jesus; Schuster, William; Chavarria-Kleinhenn, Carlos

2013-07-01

We present the study of a sample of intermediate age open clusters (age ~ 10-30 Myr) using optical (UBVRI) and infrared photometric data. Optical photometry was obtained as part of the San Pedro Martir Open Clusters Project (SPM-OCP, Schuster et al. 2007; Michel et al. 2013). Infrared photometry was retrieved from 2MASS public data archive and WISE database. Open clusters included in the SPM-OCP were selected from catalogues presented by Dias et al. (2002) and Froebrich, Scholz & Raftery (2007). One of the main goals of the SPM-OCP is to compile a self-consistent and homogeneous set of cluster fundamental parameters such as reddening, distance, age, and metallicity whenever possible. In this work, we have analyzed a set of 25 clusters from the SPM-OCP with estimated ages between 10 and 30 Myr. Derived fundamental parameters for each cluster in the sample as well as an example of typical color-color and color-magnitude diagrams are presented. Kinematic membership was established by using proper motion data taken from the literature. Based on infrared photometry, we have searched for candidate stars to posses a circumstellar disk within each clusters. For those selected candidates a follow-up spectroscpic study is being carried out. This work was partially supported by UNAM-PAPIIT grant IN-109311.

Ecological momentary assessment for chronic pain in fibromyalgia using a smartphone: a randomized crossover study.

PubMed

Garcia-Palacios, A; Herrero, R; Belmonte, M A; Castilla, D; Guixeres, J; Molinari, G; Baños, R M

2014-07-01

Daily diaries are a useful way of measuring fluctuations in pain-related symptoms. However, traditional diaries do not assure the gathering of data in real time, not solving the problem of retrospective assessment. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) by means of electronic diaries helps to improve repeated assessment. However, it is important to test its feasibility in specific populations in order to reach a wider number of people who could benefit from these procedures. The present study compares the compliance and acceptability of an electronic diary running on a smartphone using a crossover design for a sample with a specific pain condition, fibromyalgia and low familiarity with technology. Forty-seven participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: (1) paper diary - smartphone diary and (2) smartphone diary - paper diary, using each assessment method for 1 week. The findings of this study showed that the smartphone diary made it possible to gather more accurate and complete ratings. Besides, this method was well accepted by a sample of patients with fibromyalgia referred by a public hospital, with an important proportion of participants with low level of education and low familiarity with technology. The findings of this study support the use of smartphones for EMA even in specific populations with a specific pain condition, fibromyalgia and with low familiarity with technology. These methods could help clinicians and researchers to gather more accurate ratings of relevant pain-related variables even in populations with low familiarity with technology.

[MESGI50 study: description of a cohort on Maturity and Satisfactory Ageing].

PubMed

Corominas Barnadas, Josep María; López-Pousa, Secundino; Vilalta-Franch, Joan; Calvó-Perxas, Laia; Juvinyà Canal, Dolors; Garre-Olmo, Josep

To describe the demographic, health and socio-economic characteristics of the participants in the Study on Maturity and Satisfactory Ageing in Girona (MESGI50 study). Population-based Study linked to the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). The reference population was the inhabitants of the province of Girona (Spain) aged 50 and over. A probabilistic two-stage stratified cluster sampling according to the number of inhabitants and the degree of ageing of the population was used. Twenty-eight municipalities were randomly selected according to their type (demographically aged or young), and then stratified by the population size. The response rate was 65% with a mean of 1.7 eligible individuals per household and a final sample of 2,065 households and 3,331 participants. The design effect was 1.27. 52.9% were women and the mean age was 66.9 years (SD=11.5). The self-rated health status, hand grip strength, restriction in daily life activities and depressive symptomatology increased with age and more markedly in women. There were differences in alcohol consumption and eating patterns depending on the area of residence. The demographic, health and socio-economic characteristics during the ageing process differ depending on age group, gender, and area of residence. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Understanding successful aging: a study of older Indian adults in Singapore.

PubMed

Nagalingam, Jayanthi

2007-01-01

This qualitative study examines the factors that determine older Indian adults' perceptions of successful aging. Comparisons are made between the Western and Singaporean notions of successful aging and care is taken to identify the differences in the definition of successful aging across gender, income, and educational levels. Finally, I analyze the role played by state policy and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in understanding and defining successful aging in Singapore. Concepts from Kahana, Kahana, and Kercher's (1999) model of successful aging are used to test their degree of importance as factors associated with older Indians' definition of successful aging in Singapore. Three variables, work status, marital status, and living arrangements, were employed to determine their influence on respondents'perceptions of successful aging. In general, regardless of income and education, older males viewed financial stability and females indicated familial networks as key factors in successful aging.

Aging Well: Observations From the Women’s Health Initiative Study

PubMed Central

Rillamas-Sun, Eileen; Cochrane, Barbara B.; La Croix, Andrea Z.; Seeman, Teresa E.; Tindle, Hilary A.; Zaslavsky, Oleg; Bird, Chloe E.; Johnson, Karen C.; Manson, JoAnn E.; Ockene, Judith K.; Seguin, Rebecca A.; Wallace, Robert B.

2016-01-01

Abstract Background. As the proportion of the population aged 80 and over accelerates, so does the value of understanding the processes of aging well. The purposes of this article are to: (a) review contemporary theoretical and conceptual perspectives on aging well, (b) describe indicators of aging well that reflect key concepts and perspectives as assessed in the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) and (c) characterize the status of aging among women aged 80 and older using data obtained from WHI participants at the WHI Extension 2 follow-up. Methods. Data from the Lifestyle Questionnaire, which was administered from 2011 to 2012 during the WHI Follow-up Study (Extension 2), were analyzed to provide a profile of the WHI cohort with respect to aging well. Results. Data revealed substantial diversity in the cohort with respect to the various measures of aging well. Although many reported physical functioning levels consistent with disability, most rated their health as good or better. Most reported moderately high levels of resilience, self-control, and self-mastery but lower levels of environmental mastery. Finally, the cohort reported high levels of optimal aging as reflected by their high levels of emotional well-being and moderately high levels of life satisfaction and social support, but more modest levels of personal growth and purpose in life. Conclusions. The wide range of some dimensions of aging well suggest that further examination of predictors of positive coping and resilience in the face of aging-related disability could identify opportunities to support and facilitate aging well among U.S. women. PMID:26858322

Momentary assessment of contextual influences on affective response during physical activity.

PubMed

Dunton, Genevieve Fridlund; Liao, Yue; Intille, Stephen; Huh, Jimi; Leventhal, Adam

2015-12-01

Higher positive and lower negative affective response during physical activity may reinforce motivation to engage in future activity. However, affective response during physical activity is typically examined under controlled laboratory conditions. This research used ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to examine social and physical contextual influences on momentary affective response during physical activity in naturalistic settings. Participants included 116 adults (mean age = 40.3 years, 73% female) who completed 8 randomly prompted EMA surveys per day for 4 days across 3 semiannual waves. EMA surveys measured current activity level, social context, and physical context. Participants also rated their current positive and negative affect. Multilevel models assessed whether momentary physical activity level moderated differences in affective response across contexts controlling for day of the week, time of day, and activity intensity (measured by accelerometer). The Activity Level × Alone interaction was significant for predicting positive affect (β = -0.302, SE = 0.133, p = .024). Greater positive affect during physical activity was reported when with other people (vs. alone). The Activity Level × Outdoors interaction was significant for predicting negative affect (β = -0.206, SE = 0.097, p = .034). Lower negative affect during physical activity was reported outdoors (vs. indoors). Being with other people may enhance positive affective response during physical activity, and being outdoors may dampen negative affective response during physical activity. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Daily Associations of Stress and Eating in Mother-Child Dyads.

PubMed

Dunton, Genevieve F; Dzubur, Eldin; Huh, Jimi; Belcher, Britni R; Maher, Jaclyn P; O'Connor, Sydney; Margolin, Gayla

2017-06-01

This study used Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) in mother-child dyads to examine the day-level associations of stress and eating. Mothers and their 8- to 12-year-old children ( N = 167 dyads) completed between three (weekday) and eight (weekend) EMA survey prompts per day at random nonschool times across 8 days. EMA measured perceived stress, and past 2-hour healthy (i.e., fruit and vegetables) and unhealthy (e.g., pastries/sweets, soda/energy drinks) eating. Children reported more healthy and unhealthy eating on days when their mothers also engaged in more healthy and unhealthy eating, respectively. On days when mothers' perceived stress was greater than usual, they reported more healthy eating. Eating behaviors were coupled between mothers and children at the day level. Mothers' stress was related to their own eating but not to children's eating.

Perceptions of Successful Ageing Among Iranian Elders: Insights From a Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Zanjari, Nasibeh; Sharifian Sani, Maryam; Hosseini Chavoshi, Meimanat; Rafiey, Hassan; Mohammadi Shahboulaghi, Farahnaz

2016-10-01

The aim of this article is to explore the perceptions of successful ageing among Iranian elderly. The data were collected in Tehran city on 60 older adults using a semistructured interview. The collected data were analyzed using directed content analysis. The findings revealed various dimensions of successful ageing among Iranian older adults. Social well-being is the most prevalent dimension of successful ageing, followed by psychological well-being, physical health, spirituality and transcendence, financial security, and an elder-friendly environmental and social context. Also, the findings from this study provide a new understanding of successful ageing in the context of Iran and contribute additional elements. This qualitative study highlights the importance of multidimensional and contextual viewpoints to successful ageing. In conclusion, to achieve multidimensional successful ageing, the interaction between all levels of successful ageing such as individual, family, and environment must be considered. © The Author(s) 2016.

Building for the future: essential infrastructure for rodent ageing studies.

PubMed

Wells, Sara E; Bellantuono, Ilaria

2016-08-01

When planning ageing research using rodent models, the logistics of supply, long term housing and infrastructure provision are important factors to take into consideration. These issues need to be prioritised to ensure they meet the requirements of experiments which potentially will not be completed for several years. Although these issues are not unique to this discipline, the longevity of experiments and indeed the animals, requires a high level of consistency and sustainability to be maintained throughout lengthy periods of time. Moreover, the need to access aged stock or material for more immediate experiments poses many issues for the completion of pilot studies and/or short term intervention studies on older models. In this article, we highlight the increasing demand for ageing research, the resources and infrastructure involved, and the need for large-scale collaborative programmes to advance studies in both a timely and a cost-effective way.

An Empirical Comparison of Different Models of Active Aging in Canada: The International Mobility in Aging Study

PubMed Central

Ahmed, Tamer; Filiatrault, Johanne; Yu, Hsiu-Ting; Zunzunegui, Maria Victoria

2017-01-01

Abstract Purpose: Active aging is a concept that lacks consensus. The WHO defines it as a holistic concept that encompasses the overall health, participation, and security of older adults. Fernández-Ballesteros and colleagues propose a similar concept but omit security and include mood and cognitive function. To date, researchers attempting to validate conceptual models of active aging have obtained mixed results. The goal of this study was to examine the validity of existing models of active aging with epidemiological data from Canada. Methods: The WHO model of active aging and the psychological model of active aging developed by Fernández-Ballesteros and colleagues were tested with confirmatory factor analysis. The data used included 799 community-dwelling older adults between 65 and 74 years old, recruited from the patient lists of family physicians in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec and Kingston, Ontario. Results: Neither model could be validated in the sample of Canadian older adults. Although a concept of healthy aging can be modeled adequately, social participation and security did not fit a latent factor model. A simple binary index indicated that 27% of older adults in the sample did not meet the active aging criteria proposed by the WHO. Implications: Our results suggest that active aging might represent a human rights policy orientation rather than an empirical measurement tool to guide research among older adult populations. Binary indexes of active aging may serve to highlight what remains to be improved about the health, participation, and security of growing populations of older adults. PMID:26350153

An EMA/EPG Study of Vowel-to-Vowel Articulation across Velars in Southern British English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fletcher, Janet

2004-01-01

Recent studies have attested that the extent of transconsonantal vowel-to-vowel coarticulation is at least partly dependent on degree of prosodic accentuation, in languages like English. A further important factor is the mutual compatibility of consonant and vowel gestures associated with the segments in question. In this study two speakers of…

The Gambian Bone and Muscle Ageing Study: Baseline Data from a Prospective Observational African Sub-Saharan Study

PubMed Central

Zengin, Ayse; Fulford, Anthony J.; Sawo, Yankuba; Jarjou, Landing M.; Schoenmakers, Inez; Goldberg, Gail; Prentice, Ann; Ward, Kate A.

2017-01-01

The Gambian Bone and Muscle Ageing Study is a prospective observational study investigating bone and muscle ageing in men and women from a poor, subsistence farming community of The Gambia, West Africa. Musculoskeletal diseases, including osteoporosis and sarcopenia, form a major part of the current global non-communicable disease burden. By 2050, the vast majority of the world’s ageing population will live in low- and middle-income countries with an estimated two-fold rise in osteoporotic fracture. The study design was to characterise change in bone and muscle outcomes and to identify possible preventative strategies for fracture and sarcopenia in the increasing ageing population. Men and women aged ≥40 years from the Kiang West region of The Gambia were recruited with stratified sampling by sex and age. Baseline measurements were completed in 488 participants in 2012 who were randomly assigned to follow-up between 1.5 and 2 years later. Follow-up measurements were performed on 465 participants approximately 1.7 years after baseline measurements. The data set comprises a wide range of measurements on bone, muscle strength, anthropometry, biochemistry, and dietary intake. Questionnaires were used to obtain information on health, lifestyle, musculoskeletal pain, and reproductive status. Baseline cross-sectional data show preliminary evidence for bone mineral density and muscle loss with age. Men had greater negative differences in total body lean mass with age than women following adjustments for body size. From peripheral quantitative computed tomography scans, greater negative associations between bone outcomes and age at the radius and tibia were shown in women than in men. Ultimately, the findings from The Gambian Bone and Muscle Ageing Study will contribute to the understanding of musculoskeletal health in a transitioning population and better characterise fracture and sarcopenia incidence in The Gambia with an aim to the development of preventative

Age-specific population frequencies of amyloidosis and neurodegeneration among cognitively normal people age 50-89 years: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Jack, Clifford R.; Wiste, Heather J.; Weigand, Stephen D.; Rocca, Walter A.; Knopman, David S.; Mielke, Michelle M.; Lowe, Val J.; Senjem, Matthew L.; Gunter, Jeffrey L.; Preboske, Gregory M.; Pankratz, Vernon S.; Vemuri, Prashanthi; Petersen, Ronald C.

2015-01-01

Summary Background As treatment of pre-clinical Alzheimer's disease (AD) becomes a focus of therapeutic intervention, observational research studies should recognize the overlap between imaging abnormalities associated with typical aging vs those associated with AD. Our objective was to characterize how typical aging and pre-clinical AD blend together with advancing age in terms of neurodegeneration and b-amyloidosis. Methods We measured age-specific frequencies of amyloidosis and neurodegeneration in 985 cognitively normal subjects age 50 to 89 from a population-based study of cognitive aging. Potential participants were randomly selected from the Olmsted County, Minnesota population by age- and sex-stratification and invited to participate in cognitive evaluations and undergo multimodality imaging. To be eligible for inclusion, subjects must have been judged clinically to have no cognitive impairment and have undergone amyloid PET, FDG PET and MRI. Imaging studies were obtained from March 2006 to December 2013. Amyloid positive/negative status (A+/A−) was determined by amyloid PET using Pittsburgh Compound B. Neurodegeneration positive/negative status (N+/N−) was determined by an AD-signature FDG PET measure and/or hippocampal volume on MRI. We labeled subjects positive or negative for neurodegeneration (FDG PET or MRI) or amyloidosis by using cutpoints defined such that 90% of 75 clinically diagnosed AD dementia subjects were categorized as abnormal. APOE genotype was assessed using DNA extracted from blood. Every individual was assigned to one of four groups: A−N−, A+N−, A−N+, or A+N+. Age specific frequencies of the 4 A/N groups were determined cross-sectionally using multinomial regression models. Associations with APOE ε4 and sex effects were evaluated by including these covariates in the multinomial models. Findings The population frequency of A−N− was 100% (n=985) at age 50 and declined thereafter. The frequency of A+N− increased to a

Metabolic profiles of biological aging in American Indians: the Strong Heart Family Study.

PubMed

Zhao, Jinying; Zhu, Yun; Uppal, Karan; Tran, ViLinh T; Yu, Tianwei; Lin, Jue; Matsuguchi, Tet; Blackburn, Elizabeth; Jones, Dean; Lee, Elisa T; Howard, Barbara V

2014-03-01

Short telomere length, a marker of biological aging, has been associated with age-related metabolic disorders. Telomere attrition induces profound metabolic dysfunction in animal models, but no study has examined the metabolome of telomeric aging in human. Here we studied 423 apparently healthy American Indians participating in the Strong Family Heart Study. Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) was measured by qPCR. Metabolites in fasting plasma were detected by untargeted LC/MS. Associations of LTL with each metabolite and their combined effects were examined using generalized estimating equation adjusting for chronological age and other aging-related factors. Multiple testing was corrected using the q-value method (q<0.05). Of the 1,364 distinct m/z features detected, nineteen metabolites in the classes of glycerophosphoethanolamines, glycerophosphocholines, glycerolipids, bile acids, isoprenoids, fatty amides, or L-carnitine ester were significantly associated with LTL, independent of chronological age and other aging-related factors. Participants with longer (top tertile) and shorter (bottom tertile) LTL were clearly separated into distinct groups using a multi-marker score comprising of all these metabolites, suggesting that these newly detected metabolites could be novel metabolic markers of biological aging. This is the first study to interrogate the human metabolome of telomeric aging. Our results provide initial evidence for a metabolic control of LTL and may reveal previously undescribed new roles of various lipids in the aging process.

Cirrus Cloud Optical and Microphysical Property Retrievals from eMAS During SEAC4RS Using Bi-Spectral Reflectance Measurements Within the 1.88 micron Water Vapor Absorption Band

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, K.; Platnick, S.; Arnold, G. T.; Holz, R. E.; Veglio, P.; Yorks, J.; Wang, C.

2016-01-01

Previous bi-spectral imager retrievals of cloud optical thickness (COT) and effective particle radius (CER) based on the Nakajima and King (1990) approach, such as those of the operational MODIS cloud optical property retrieval product (MOD06), have typically paired a non-absorbing visible or near-infrared wavelength, sensitive to COT, with an absorbing shortwave or midwave infrared wavelength sensitive to CER. However, in practice it is only necessary to select two spectral channels that exhibit a strong contrast in cloud particle absorption. Here it is shown, using eMAS observations obtained during NASAs SEAC4RS field campaign, that selecting two absorbing wavelength channels within the broader 1.88 micron water vapor absorption band, namely the 1.83 and 1.93 micron channels that have sufficient differences in ice crystal single scattering albedo, can yield COT and CER retrievals for thin to moderately thick single-layer cirrus that are reasonably consistent with other solar and IR imager-based and lidar-based retrievals. A distinct advantage of this channel selection for cirrus cloud retrievals is that the below cloud water vapor absorption minimizes the surface contribution to measured cloudy TOA reflectance, in particular compared to the solar window channels used in heritage retrievals such as MOD06. This reduces retrieval uncertainty resulting from errors in the surface reflectance assumption, as well as reduces the frequency of retrieval failures for thin cirrus clouds.

Cirrus cloud optical and microphysical property retrievals from eMAS during SEAC4RS using bi-spectral reflectance measurements within the 1.88 µm water vapor absorption band

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, Kerry; Platnick, Steven; Arnold, G. Thomas; Holz, Robert E.; Veglio, Paolo; Yorks, John; Wang, Chenxi

2016-04-01

Previous bi-spectral imager retrievals of cloud optical thickness (COT) and effective particle radius (CER) based on the Nakajima and King (1990) approach, such as those of the operational MODIS cloud optical property retrieval product (MOD06), have typically paired a non-absorbing visible or near-infrared wavelength, sensitive to COT, with an absorbing shortwave or mid-wave infrared wavelength sensitive to CER. However, in practice it is only necessary to select two spectral channels that exhibit a strong contrast in cloud particle absorption. Here it is shown, using eMAS observations obtained during NASA's SEAC4RS field campaign, that selecting two absorbing wavelength channels within the broader 1.88 µm water vapor absorption band, namely the 1.83 and 1.93 µm channels that have sufficient differences in ice crystal single scattering albedo, can yield COT and CER retrievals for thin to moderately thick single-layer cirrus that are reasonably consistent with other solar and IR imager-based and lidar-based retrievals. A distinct advantage of this channel selection for cirrus cloud retrievals is that the below-cloud water vapor absorption minimizes the surface contribution to measured cloudy top-of-atmosphere reflectance, in particular compared to the solar window channels used in heritage retrievals such as MOD06. This reduces retrieval uncertainty resulting from errors in the surface reflectance assumption and reduces the frequency of retrieval failures for thin cirrus clouds.

What Drives Teacher Engagement: A Study of Different Age Cohorts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guglielmi, Dina; Bruni, Ilaria; Simbula, Silvia; Fraccaroli, Franco; Depolo, Marco

2016-01-01

Despite the growing body of research on work engagement, little is known about what drives work engagement among different age cohorts. This study aims to investigate whether engagement varies across age cohorts and examines the job resources that foster teacher engagement. A questionnaire was distributed to 537 teachers who were employed in…

Age and Workers' Perceptions of Workplace Safety: A Comparative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gyekye, Seth Ayim; Salminen, Simo

2009-01-01

The study examined the relationship between age and I) safety perception; ii) job satisfaction; iii) compliance with safety management policies; and (iv) accident frequency. Participants were Ghanaian industrial workers (N = 320) categorized into 4 age groups: 19-29 years; 30-39 years; 40-50 years; and 51 years and above. Workplace safety…

Availability of evidence of benefits on overall survival and quality of life of cancer drugs approved by European Medicines Agency: retrospective cohort study of drug approvals 2009-13.

PubMed

Davis, Courtney; Naci, Huseyin; Gurpinar, Evrim; Poplavska, Elita; Pinto, Ashlyn; Aggarwal, Ajay

2017-10-04

Objective  To determine the availability of data on overall survival and quality of life benefits of cancer drugs approved in Europe. Design  Retrospective cohort study. Setting  Publicly accessible regulatory and scientific reports on cancer approvals by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) from 2009 to 2013. Main outcome measures  Pivotal and postmarketing trials of cancer drugs according to their design features (randomisation, crossover, blinding), comparators, and endpoints. Availability and magnitude of benefit on overall survival or quality of life determined at time of approval and after market entry. Validated European Society for Medical Oncology Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (ESMO-MCBS) used to assess the clinical value of the reported gains in published studies of cancer drugs. Results  From 2009 to 2013, the EMA approved the use of 48 cancer drugs for 68 indications. Of these, eight indications (12%) were approved on the basis of a single arm study. At the time of market approval, there was significant prolongation of survival in 24 of the 68 (35%). The magnitude of the benefit on overall survival ranged from 1.0 to 5.8 months (median 2.7 months). At the time of market approval, there was an improvement in quality of life in seven of 68 indications (10%). Out of 44 indications for which there was no evidence of a survival gain at the time of market authorisation, in the subsequent postmarketing period there was evidence for extension of life in three (7%) and reported benefit on quality of life in five (11%). Of the 68 cancer indications with EMA approval, and with a median of 5.4 years' follow-up (minimum 3.3 years, maximum 8.1 years), only 35 (51%) had shown a significant improvement in survival or quality of life, while 33 (49%) remained uncertain. Of 23 indications associated with a survival benefit that could be scored with the ESMO-MCBS tool, the benefit was judged to be clinically meaningful in less than half (11/23, 48%). Conclusions

Cohort Differences in Cognitive Aging in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam.

PubMed

Brailean, Anamaria; Huisman, Martijn; Prince, Martin; Prina, A Matthew; Deeg, Dorly J H; Comijs, Hannie

2016-09-30

This study aims to examine cohort differences in cognitive performance and rates of change in episodic memory, processing speed, inductive reasoning, and general cognitive performance and to investigate whether these cohort effects may be accounted for by education attainment. The first cohort (N = 705) was born between 1920 and 1930, whereas the second cohort (N = 646) was born between 1931 and 1941. Both birth cohorts were aged 65 to 75 years at baseline and were followed up 3 and 6 years later. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models. The later born cohort had better general cognitive performance, inductive reasoning, and processing speed at baseline, but cohort differences in inductive reasoning and general cognitive performance disappeared after adjusting for education. The later born cohort showed steeper decline in processing speed. Memory decline was steeper in the earlier born cohort but only from Time 1 to Time 3 when the same memory test was administered. Education did not account for cohort differences in cognitive decline. The later born cohort showed better initial performance in certain cognitive abilities, but no better preservation of cognitive abilities overtime compared with the earlier born cohort. These findings carry implications for healthy cognitive aging. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America.

Why older workers work beyond the retirement age: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Sewdas, Ranu; de Wind, Astrid; van der Zwaan, Lennart G L; van der Borg, Wieke E; Steenbeek, Romy; van der Beek, Allard J; Boot, Cécile R L

2017-08-22

The aims of the present study were to: 1) gain insight into reasons for working beyond the statutory retirement age from older workers' perspectives, and 2) explore how the domains of the research framework Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation (STREAM) can be applied to working beyond retirement age. A qualitative research design included individual interviews (n = 15) and three focus groups (n = 18 participants) conducted with older workers aged 65 years and older continuing in a paid job or self-employment. Interview participants were recruited from an existing STREAM cohort study. Focus group participants were recruited from companies and employment agencies. The data were subjected to thematic analysis. The most important motives for working beyond retirement age were maintaining daily routines and financial benefit. Good health and flexible work arrangements were mentioned as important preconditions. The themes emerging from the categorization of the motives and preconditions corresponded to the domains of health, work characteristics, skills and knowledge, and social and financial factors from the STREAM research framework. However, our analysis revealed one additional theme-purpose in life. This study offers important new insights into the various preconditions and motives that influence working beyond retirement age. In addition, the five domains of the STREAM research framework, including the additional domain of 'purpose in life', seem to be applicable to working beyond retirement age. This knowledge contributes to the development of work-related interventions that enhance older workers' motivation to prolong their working lives.

[Studies of the biological age in adult taiga ticks Ixodes persulcatus (Ixodinae)].

PubMed

Grigor'eva, L A

2013-01-01

The history of studies of the biological age in ixodid ticks is discussed. A method of estimation of the biological age in adult ticks of the genus Ixodes by the degree of fat inclusions in midgut cells and in the fat body is developed. An "age scale" for the determination of the calendar age was assumed.

The contributions of the European Medicines Agency and its pediatric committee to the fight against childhood leukemia.

PubMed

Rose, Klaus; Walson, Philip D

2015-01-01

Although the diagnosis of childhood leukemia is no longer a death sentence, too many patients still die, more with acute myeloid leukemia than with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The European Union pediatric legislation was introduced to improve pharmaceutical treatment of children, but some question whether the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approach is helping children with leukemia. Some have even suggested that the decisions of EMA pediatric committee (PDCO) are counterproductive. This study was designed to investigate the impact of PDCO-issued pediatric investigation plans (PIPs) for leukemia drugs. All PIPs listed under "oncology" were downloaded from the EMA website. Non-leukemia decisions including misclassifications, waivers (no PIP), and solid tumors were discarded. The leukemia decisions were analyzed, compared to pediatric leukemia trials in the database http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, and discussed in the light of current literature. The PDCO leukemia decisions demand clinical trials in pediatric leukemia for all new adult drugs without prioritization. However, because leukemia in children is different and much rarer than in adults, these decisions have resulted in proposed studies that are scientifically and ethically questionable. They are also unnecessary, since once promising new compounds are approved for adults, more appropriate, prioritized pediatric leukemia trials are initiated worldwide without PDCO involvement. EMA/PDCO leukemia PIPs do little to advance the treatment of childhood leukemia. The unintended negative effects of the flawed EMA/PDCO's standardized requesting of non-prioritized testing of every new adult leukemia drug in children with relapsed or refractory disease expose these children to questionable trials, and could undermine public trust in pediatric clinical research. Institutions, investigators, and ethics committees/institutional review boards need to be skeptical of trials triggered by PDCO. New, better ways to facilitate

The contributions of the European Medicines Agency and its pediatric committee to the fight against childhood leukemia

PubMed Central

Rose, Klaus; Walson, Philip D

2015-01-01

Background Although the diagnosis of childhood leukemia is no longer a death sentence, too many patients still die, more with acute myeloid leukemia than with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The European Union pediatric legislation was introduced to improve pharmaceutical treatment of children, but some question whether the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approach is helping children with leukemia. Some have even suggested that the decisions of EMA pediatric committee (PDCO) are counterproductive. This study was designed to investigate the impact of PDCO-issued pediatric investigation plans (PIPs) for leukemia drugs. Methods All PIPs listed under “oncology” were downloaded from the EMA website. Non-leukemia decisions including misclassifications, waivers (no PIP), and solid tumors were discarded. The leukemia decisions were analyzed, compared to pediatric leukemia trials in the database http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, and discussed in the light of current literature. Results The PDCO leukemia decisions demand clinical trials in pediatric leukemia for all new adult drugs without prioritization. However, because leukemia in children is different and much rarer than in adults, these decisions have resulted in proposed studies that are scientifically and ethically questionable. They are also unnecessary, since once promising new compounds are approved for adults, more appropriate, prioritized pediatric leukemia trials are initiated worldwide without PDCO involvement. Conclusion EMA/PDCO leukemia PIPs do little to advance the treatment of childhood leukemia. The unintended negative effects of the flawed EMA/PDCO’s standardized requesting of non-prioritized testing of every new adult leukemia drug in children with relapsed or refractory disease expose these children to questionable trials, and could undermine public trust in pediatric clinical research. Institutions, investigators, and ethics committees/institutional review boards need to be skeptical of trials

Tests for Serum Transglutaminase and Endomysial Antibodies Do Not Detect Most Patients With Celiac Disease and Persistent Villous Atrophy on Gluten-free Diets: a Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Silvester, Jocelyn A; Kurada, Satya; Szwajcer, Andrea; Kelly, Ciarán P; Leffler, Daniel A; Duerksen, Donald R

2017-09-01

Tests to measure serum endomysial antibodies (EMA) and antibodies to tissue transglutaminase (tTG) were developed to screen for celiac disease in patients consuming gluten. However, they are commonly used to monitor patients on a gluten-free diet (GFD). We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the sensitivity and specificity of tTG IgA and EMA IgA assays in identifying patients with celiac disease who have persistent villous atrophy despite a GFD. We searched PUBMED, EMBASE, BIOSIS, SCOPUS, clinicaltrials.gov, Science Citation Index, and Cochrane Library databases through November 2016. Inclusion criteria were studies of subjects with biopsy-confirmed celiac disease, follow-up biopsies, and measurement of serum antibodies on a GFD, biopsy performed on subjects regardless of symptoms, or antibody test results. Our analysis excluded subjects with refractory celiac disease, undergoing gluten challenge, or consuming a prescribed oats-containing GFD. Tests were considered to have positive or negative findings based on manufacturer cut-off values. Villous atrophy was defined as a Marsh 3 lesion or villous height:crypt depth ratio below 3.0. We constructed forest plots to determine the sensitivity and specificity of detection for individual studies. For the meta-analysis, a bivariate random effects model was used to jointly model sensitivity and specificity. Our search identified 5408 unique citations. Following review of abstracts, 442 articles were reviewed in detail. Only 26 studies (6 of tTG assays, 15 of EMA assays, and 5 of tTG and EMA assays) met our inclusion criteria. The most common reason studies were excluded from our analysis was inability to cross-tabulate histologic and serologic findings. The serum assays identified patients with persistent villous atrophy with high levels of specificity: 0.83 for the tTG IgA assay (95% CI, 0.79-0.87) and 0.91 for the EMA IgA assay (95% CI, 0.87-0.94). However, they detected villous atrophy with low levels of sensitivity: 0

Factors associated with premature skin aging (photoaging) before the age of 55: a population-based study.

PubMed

Green, A C; Hughes, M C B; McBride, P; Fourtanier, A

2011-02-01

Precise factors associated with premature skin aging, or photoaging, in the general population are unknown. To examine the risk factors for photoaging in a Queensland community. A cross-sectional study of 1,400 randomly selected residents aged 20-54 years, using casts of the back of the hand (surface microtopography) and dermatological assessment of photoaging. 83% of the participants had premature skin aging, worsening after the age of 30. Severe neck wrinkling was 3 times more likely in men and some 4 times more likely in fair-skinned people (odds ratio, OR=3.86, 95% confidence interval, CI=2.40-6.23). Red hair and mainly outdoor work or leisure raised the odds of microtopographic photoaging. Current smoking was strongly associated with facial comedones and telangiectasia, and among current smokers, the microtopography grade was significantly associated with moderate and heavy smoking measured by pack-years of exposure, with OR=3.18 (95% CI=1.38-7.35) in the heaviest (>20 pack-years) smoking category compared with 1-7 pack-years. Premature skin aging is common in the subtropics, more severe in men and the fair-skinned. It is associated with high sun exposure during leisure or work, and moderate to heavy smoking, and therefore is preventable. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Setup optimization toward accurate ageing studies of gas filled detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abuhoza, A.; Schmidt, H. R.; Biswas, S.; Frankenfeld, U.; Hehner, J.; Schmidt, C. J.

2013-08-01

An infrastructure has been set up at the GSI detector laboratory to study the influence of construction materials on the ageing properties of gas filled detectors, such as multi-wire proportional chamber (MWPC), gas electron multiplier (GEM). Optimization of an ageing setup was performed by observing the variation of the normalized gain obtained using two identical MWPCs. An accuracy in the relative gain measurement below 1% has been achieved by monitoring environmental conditions and by systematic improvements of the measuring equipment. Ageing test of fiberglass G11 has been performed.

The adverse drug reaction reporting assignment for specialist oncology nurses: a preliminary evaluation of quality, relevance and educational value in a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Schutte, Tim; van Eekeren, Rike; Richir, Milan; van Staveren, Jojanneke; van Puijenbroek, Eugène; Tichelaar, Jelle; van Agtmael, Michiel

2018-01-01

In a new prescribing qualification course for specialist oncology nurses, we thought that it is important to emphasize pharmacovigilance and adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting. We aimed to develop and evaluate an ADR reporting assignment for specialist oncology nurses. The quality of report documentation was assessed with the "Clinical Documentation tool to assess Individual Case Safety Reports" (ClinDoc). The relevance of the reports was evaluated in terms of ADR seriousness, the listing for additional monitoring of the drug by European Medicines Agency (EMA), and lack of labelling information about the ADR. Nurses' opinions of the assignment were evaluated using an E-survey. Thirty-three ADRs were reported, 32 (97%) of which were well documented according to ClinDoc. Thirteen ADRs (39%) were "serious" according to CIOMS criteria. In five cases (15%), the suspect drugs were listed for additional monitoring by EMA and in seven cases (21%), the ADR was not mentioned in the Summary of Product Characteristics. Twenty-five (78.1%) of the 32 enrolled nurses completed the E-survey. Most were > 45 years of age (68%), female (92%) and had extensive clinical experience (6-33 years). All agreed or completely agreed that the reporting assignment was useful, that it fitted in daily practice and that it increased their attention for medication/patient safety. A large majority (84.0%) agreed the assignment changed how they dealt with ADRs. Specialist oncology nurses are capable of reporting ADRs, and they considered the assignment useful. The assignment yielded valuable, relevant, and well-documented ADR reports for pharmacovigilance practice.

An Empirical Comparison of Different Models of Active Aging in Canada: The International Mobility in Aging Study.

PubMed

Bélanger, Emmanuelle; Ahmed, Tamer; Filiatrault, Johanne; Yu, Hsiu-Ting; Zunzunegui, Maria Victoria

2017-04-01

Active aging is a concept that lacks consensus. The WHO defines it as a holistic concept that encompasses the overall health, participation, and security of older adults. Fernández-Ballesteros and colleagues propose a similar concept but omit security and include mood and cognitive function. To date, researchers attempting to validate conceptual models of active aging have obtained mixed results. The goal of this study was to examine the validity of existing models of active aging with epidemiological data from Canada. The WHO model of active aging and the psychological model of active aging developed by Fernández-Ballesteros and colleagues were tested with confirmatory factor analysis. The data used included 799 community-dwelling older adults between 65 and 74 years old, recruited from the patient lists of family physicians in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec and Kingston, Ontario. Neither model could be validated in the sample of Canadian older adults. Although a concept of healthy aging can be modeled adequately, social participation and security did not fit a latent factor model. A simple binary index indicated that 27% of older adults in the sample did not meet the active aging criteria proposed by the WHO. Our results suggest that active aging might represent a human rights policy orientation rather than an empirical measurement tool to guide research among older adult populations. Binary indexes of active aging may serve to highlight what remains to be improved about the health, participation, and security of growing populations of older adults. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Genetic Parameters of Pre-adjusted Body Weight Growth and Ultrasound Measures of Body Tissue Development in Three Seedstock Pig Breed Populations in Korea

PubMed Central

Choy, Yun Ho; Mahboob, Alam; Cho, Chung Il; Choi, Jae Gwan; Choi, Im Soo; Choi, Tae Jeong; Cho, Kwang Hyun; Park, Byoung Ho

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of body weight growth adjustment methods on genetic parameters of body growth and tissue among three pig breeds. Data collected on 101,820 Landrace, 281,411 Yorkshire, and 78,068 Duroc pigs, born in Korean swine breeder farms since 2000, were analyzed. Records included body weights on test day and amplitude (A)-mode ultrasound carcass measures of backfat thickness (BF), eye muscle area (EMA), and retail cut percentage (RCP). Days to 90 kg body weight (DAYS90), through an adjustment of the age based on the body weight at the test day, were obtained. Ultrasound measures were also pre-adjusted (ABF, EMA, AEMA, ARCP) based on their test day measures. The (co)variance components were obtained with 3 multi-trait animal models using the REMLF90 software package. Model I included DAYS90 and ultrasound traits, whereas model II and III accounted DAYS90 and pre-adjusted ultrasound traits. Fixed factors were sex (sex) and contemporary groups (herd-year-month of birth) for all traits among the models. Additionally, model I and II considered a linear covariate of final weight on the ultrasound measure traits. Heritability (h2) estimates for DAYS90, BF, EMA, and RCP ranged from 0.36 to 0.42, 0.34 to 0.43, 0.20 to 0.22, and 0.39 to 0.45, respectively, among the models. The h2 estimates of DAYS90 from model II and III were also somewhat similar. The h2 for ABF, AEMA, and ARCP were 0.35 to 0.44, 0.20 to 0.25, and 0.41 to 0.46, respectively. Our heritability estimates varied mostly among the breeds. The genetic correlations (rG) were moderately negative between DAYS90 and BF (−0.29 to −0.38), and between DAYS90 and EMA (−0.16 to −0.26). BF had strong rG with RCP (−0.87 to −0.93). Moderately positive rG existed between DAYS90 and RCP (0.20 to 0.28) and between EMA and RCP (0.35 to 0.44) among the breeds. For DAYS90, model II and III, its correlations with ABF, AEMA, and ARCP were mostly low or negligible except the r

Genetic Parameters of Pre-adjusted Body Weight Growth and Ultrasound Measures of Body Tissue Development in Three Seedstock Pig Breed Populations in Korea.

PubMed

Choy, Yun Ho; Mahboob, Alam; Cho, Chung Il; Choi, Jae Gwan; Choi, Im Soo; Choi, Tae Jeong; Cho, Kwang Hyun; Park, Byoung Ho

2015-12-01

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of body weight growth adjustment methods on genetic parameters of body growth and tissue among three pig breeds. Data collected on 101,820 Landrace, 281,411 Yorkshire, and 78,068 Duroc pigs, born in Korean swine breeder farms since 2000, were analyzed. Records included body weights on test day and amplitude (A)-mode ultrasound carcass measures of backfat thickness (BF), eye muscle area (EMA), and retail cut percentage (RCP). Days to 90 kg body weight (DAYS90), through an adjustment of the age based on the body weight at the test day, were obtained. Ultrasound measures were also pre-adjusted (ABF, EMA, AEMA, ARCP) based on their test day measures. The (co)variance components were obtained with 3 multi-trait animal models using the REMLF90 software package. Model I included DAYS90 and ultrasound traits, whereas model II and III accounted DAYS90 and pre-adjusted ultrasound traits. Fixed factors were sex (sex) and contemporary groups (herd-year-month of birth) for all traits among the models. Additionally, model I and II considered a linear covariate of final weight on the ultrasound measure traits. Heritability (h(2)) estimates for DAYS90, BF, EMA, and RCP ranged from 0.36 to 0.42, 0.34 to 0.43, 0.20 to 0.22, and 0.39 to 0.45, respectively, among the models. The h(2) estimates of DAYS90 from model II and III were also somewhat similar. The h(2) for ABF, AEMA, and ARCP were 0.35 to 0.44, 0.20 to 0.25, and 0.41 to 0.46, respectively. Our heritability estimates varied mostly among the breeds. The genetic correlations (rG) were moderately negative between DAYS90 and BF (-0.29 to -0.38), and between DAYS90 and EMA (-0.16 to -0.26). BF had strong rG with RCP (-0.87 to -0.93). Moderately positive rG existed between DAYS90 and RCP (0.20 to 0.28) and between EMA and RCP (0.35 to 0.44) among the breeds. For DAYS90, model II and III, its correlations with ABF, AEMA, and ARCP were mostly low or negligible except the r

A Study of Elementary and Secondary Teacher Knowledge and Attitudes toward Aging and the Implementation of Aging Education in Taiwan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Chin-Shan

2012-01-01

This study surveys elementary and secondary teachers in Taiwan and compares the findings with other studies conducted in America and Japan. The objective is to explore differences among teachers in Taiwan, Japan, and the United States in terms of their knowledge of, and attitudes toward, aging and the implementation of aging education in schools.…

Lifetime Occupational Physical Activity and Musculoskeletal Aging in Middle-Aged Men and Women in Denmark: Retrospective Cohort Study Protocol and Methods

PubMed Central

Mortensen, Ole Steen; Reventlow, Susanne; Skov, Peder Georg; Andersen, Johan Hviid; Rubak, Tine Steen; Hansen, Åse Marie; Andersen, Lars L; Lund, Rikke; Osler, Merete; Christensen, Ulla; Avlund, Kirsten

2012-01-01

Background Physical function is essential for performing most aspects of daily life and musculoskeletal aging leads to a decline in physical function. The onset and rate of this process vary and are influenced by environmental, genetic, and hormonal factors. Although everyone eventually experiences musculoskeletal aging, it is beneficial to study the factors that influence the aging process in order to prevent disability. The role of occupational physical activity in the musculoskeletal aging process is unclear. In the past, hard physical work was thought to strengthen the worker, but current studies in this field fail to find a training effect in jobs with a high level of occupational physical activity. Objective The aim of this study is to examine the influence of lifetime occupational physical activity on physical function in midlife. The study follows the “occupational life-course perspective,” emphasizing the importance of occupational exposures accumulated throughout life on the musculoskeletal aging process taking socioeconomic and lifestyle factors into consideration. Methods This study is a retrospective cohort study including a cross-sectional measurement of physical function in 5000 middle-aged Danes. Data was obtained from the Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank (CAMB) which is based on three existing Danish cohorts. Using questionnaire information about the five longest-held occupations, the job history was coded from the Danish version of the International Standard Classification of Occupations (D-ISCO 88) and a job exposure matrix containing information about occupational physical activity in Danish jobs was applied to the dataset. The primary outcomes are three tests of physical function: handgrip strength, balance, and chair rise. In the analyses, we will compare physical function in midlife according to accumulated exposure to high levels of occupational physical activity. Conclusions We have a unique opportunity to study the influence of

Teaching gerontology in globalized academics: a qualitative study of Thai nursing students' views on ageing when studying abroad.

PubMed

Mattsson, Karin; Pietilä Rosendahl, Sirpa

2017-02-01

Negative views towards ageing and older adults may be a reason why nurses do not choose to work in gerontological nursing. Studying in another cultural context can challenge these views. The Objective was to explore nursing students' views on ageing and older adults before and after a gerontology course held abroad. A qualitative approach based on content analysis of responses to open-ended questions by 30 Thai nursing students studying a gerontology course in Sweden. Three main categories: positive imprints of ageing, ageing takes its toll, and knowledge leading to action, emerged through sub-categories carrying a view of older adults as not only in need of care, but also as resourceful and competent. Professional healthcare, besides family was seen as potential caregivers in old age. Studying gerontology abroad can widen views towards ageing and older adults, inspiring nurses to work in gerontological nursing.

Paradoxical Trend for Improvement in Mental Health With Aging: A Community-Based Study of 1,546 Adults Aged 21-100 Years.

PubMed

Thomas, Michael L; Kaufmann, Christopher N; Palmer, Barton W; Depp, Colin A; Martin, Averria Sirkin; Glorioso, Danielle K; Thompson, Wesley K; Jeste, Dilip V

2016-08-01

Studies of aging usually focus on trajectories of physical and cognitive function, with far less emphasis on overall mental health, despite its impact on general health and mortality. This study examined linear and nonlinear trends of physical, cognitive, and mental health over the entire adult lifespan. Cross-sectional data were obtained from 1,546 individuals aged 21-100 years, selected using random digit dialing for the Successful AGing Evaluation (SAGE) study, a structured multicohort investigation that included telephone interviews and in-home surveys of community-based adults without dementia. Data were collected from 1/26/2010 to 10/07/2011 targeting participants aged 50-100 years and from 6/25/2012 to 7/15/2013 targeting participants aged 21-100 years with an emphasis on adding younger individuals. Data included self-report measures of physical health, measures of both positive and negative attributes of mental health, and a phone interview-based measure of cognition. Comparison of age cohorts using polynomial regression suggested a possible accelerated deterioration in physical and cognitive functioning, averaging 1.5 to 2 standard deviations over the adult lifespan. In contrast, there appeared to be a linear improvement of about 1 standard deviation in various attributes of mental health over the same life period. These cross-sectional findings suggest the possibility of a linear improvement in mental health beginning in young adulthood rather than a U-shaped curve reported in some prior studies. Lifespan research combining psychosocial and biological markers may improve our understanding of resilience to mental disability in older age and lead to broad-based interventions promoting mental health in all age groups. © Copyright 2016 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Age-related differences in recovery from inhalational anesthesia: a retrospective study.

PubMed

Tsukamoto, Masanori; Yamanaka, Hitoshi; Yokoyama, Takeshi

2018-03-03

It is important to understand the anesthetic requirements of elderly patients. However, little is known about age-related recovery from inhalational anesthetics. In this retrospective study, we compared age-related differences in recovery from three inhalational anesthetics  in elderly subjects. Patients were investigated as three age groups which can be defined as age ranges pediatric (< 15 years), adult (15-64 years), and elderly patients ( > 65 years) under general anesthesia using inhalational anesthetics. Anesthesia and surgery times, drug end-tidal concentrations, the time to first movement, time to eye opening, body movement, extubation, and discharge were recorded. The data were analyzed using a Kruskal-Wallis test and Steel-Dwass multiple comparisons. A total of 594 patients were included in the study. In inhalational anesthetics such as sevoflurane, isoflurane, or desflurane, recovery from general anesthesia was not significantly different among age groups (P > 0.05). In inhalational group, recovery was significantly 5-40% faster in desflurane group than in other inhalational anesthetics groups (P < 0.05). There were 20% faster recovery in pediatric and adult groups with desflurane than in elderly with desflurane group. Drug end-tidal inhalational concentrations in pediatric group were significantly higher than that in adult and elderly groups of all inhalational anesthetics, respectively (P < 0.05). In the current study, we have found that recovery from desflurane was faster in younger patients than in other inhalational anesthetics and aged patients.

Genome-wide association studies and epistasis analyses of candidate genes related to age at menarche and age at natural menopause in a Korean population.

PubMed

Pyun, Jung-A; Kim, Sunshin; Cho, Nam H; Koh, InSong; Lee, Jong-Young; Shin, Chol; Kwack, KyuBum

2014-05-01

The aim of this study was to identify polymorphisms and gene-gene interactions that are significantly associated with age at menarche and age at menopause in a Korean population. A total of 3,452 and 1,827 women participated in studies of age at menarche and age at natural menopause, respectively. Linear regression analyses adjusted for residence area were used to perform genome-wide association studies (GWAS), candidate gene association studies, and interactions between the candidate genes for age at menarche and age at natural menopause. In GWAS, four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs7528241, rs1324329, rs11597068, and rs6495785) were strongly associated with age at natural menopause (lowest P = 9.66 × 10). However, GWAS of age at menarche did not reveal any strong associations. In candidate gene association studies, SNPs with P < 0.01 were selected to test their synergistic interactions. For age at natural menopause, there was a significant interaction between intronic SNPs on ADAM metallopeptidase with thrombospondin type I motif 9 (ADAMTS9) and SMAD family member 3 (SMAD3) genes (P = 9.52 × 10). For age at menarche, there were three significant interactions between three intronic SNPs on follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) gene and one SNP located at the 3' flanking region of insulin-like growth factor 2 receptor (IGF2R) gene (lowest P = 1.95 × 10). Novel SNPs and synergistic interactions between candidate genes are significantly associated with age at menarche and age at natural menopause in a Korean population.

Towards measurement of the Healthy Ageing Phenotype in lifestyle-based intervention studies.

PubMed

Lara, Jose; Godfrey, Alan; Evans, Elizabeth; Heaven, Ben; Brown, Laura J E; Barron, Evelyn; Rochester, Lynn; Meyer, Thomas D; Mathers, John C

2013-10-01

Given the biological complexity of the ageing process, there is no single, simple and reliable measure of how healthily someone is ageing. Intervention studies need a panel of measures which capture key features of healthy ageing. To help guide our research in this area, we have adopted the concept of the "Healthy Ageing Phenotype" (HAP) and this study aimed to (i) identify the most important features of the HAP and (ii) identify/develop tools for measurement of those features. After a comprehensive assessment of the literature we selected the following domains: physiological and metabolic health, physical capability, cognitive function, social wellbeing, and psychological wellbeing which we hoped would provide a reasonably holistic characterisation of the HAP. We reviewed the literature and identified systematic reviews and/or meta-analysis of cohort studies, and clinical guidelines on outcome measures of these domains relevant to the HAP. Selection criteria for these measures included: frequent use in longitudinal studies of ageing; expected to change with age; evidence for strong association with/prediction of ageing-related phenotypes such as morbidity, mortality and lifespan; whenever possible, focus on studies measuring these outcomes in populations rather than on individuals selected on the basis of a particular disease; (bio)markers that respond to (lifestyle-based) intervention. Proposed markers were exposed to critique in a Workshop held in Newcastle, UK in October 2012. We have selected a tentative panel of (bio)markers of physiological and metabolic health, physical capability, cognitive function, social wellbeing, and psychological wellbeing which we propose may be useful in characterising the HAP and which may have utility as outcome measures in intervention studies. In addition, we have identified a number of tools which could be applied in community-based intervention studies designed to enhance healthy ageing. We have proposed, tentatively, a panel

Development of an Ecological Momentary Assessment Mobile App for a Low-Literacy, Mexican American Population to Collect Disordered Eating Behaviors

PubMed Central

Stein, Karen F; Chaudry, Beenish; Trabold, Nicole

2016-01-01

Background Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is a popular method for understanding population health in which participants report their experiences while in naturally occurring contexts in order to increase the reliability and ecological validity of the collected data (as compared to retrospective recall). EMA studies, however, have relied primarily on text-based questionnaires, effectively eliminating low-literacy populations from the samples. Objective To provide a case study of design of an EMA mobile app for a low-literacy population. In particular, we present the design process and final design of an EMA mobile app for low literate, Mexican American women to record unhealthy eating and weight control behaviors (UEWCBs). Methods An iterative, user-centered design process was employed to develop the mobile app. An existing EMA protocol to measure UEWCBs in college-enrolled Mexican American women was used as the starting point for the application. The app utilizes an icon interface, with optional audio prompts, that is culturally sensitive and usable by a low-literacy population. A total of 41 women participated over the course of 4 phases of the design process, which included 2 interview and task-based phases (n=8, n=11), focus groups (n=15), and a 5-day, in situ deployment (n=7). Results Participants’ mental models of UEWCBs differed substantially from prevailing definitions found in the literature, prompting a major reorganization of the app interface. Differences in health literacy and numeracy were better identified with the Newest Vital Sign tool, as compared with the Short Assessment of Health Literacy tool. Participants had difficulty imagining scenarios in the interviews to practice recording a specific UEWCB; instead, usability was best tested in situ. Participants were able to use the EMA mobile app over the course of 5 days to record UEWCBs. Conclusions Results suggest that the iterative, user-centered design process was essential for designing

Resonant mode controllers for launch vehicle applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schreiner, Ken E.; Roth, Mary Ellen

1992-01-01

Electro-mechanical actuator (EMA) systems are currently being investigated for the National Launch System (NLS) as a replacement for hydraulic actuators due to the large amount of manpower and support hardware required to maintain the hydraulic systems. EMA systems in weight sensitive applications, such as launch vehicles, have been limited to around 5 hp due to system size, controller efficiency, thermal management, and battery size. Presented here are design and test data for an EMA system that competes favorably in weight and is superior in maintainability to the hydraulic system. An EMA system uses dc power provided by a high energy density bipolar lithium thionyl chloride battery, with power conversion performed by low loss resonant topologies, and a high efficiency induction motor controlled with a high performance field oriented controller to drive a linear actuator.

Age at Natural Menopause and Risk of Ischemic Stroke: The Framingham Heart Study

PubMed Central

Lisabeth, Lynda D; Beiser, Alexa S; Brown, Devin L; Murabito, Joanne M; Kelly-Hayes, Margaret; Wolf, Philip A

2009-01-01

Background Women have increased lifetime stroke risk and more disabling strokes compared with men. Insights into the association between menopause and stroke could lead to new prevention strategies for women. The objective of this study was to examine the association of age at natural menopause with ischemic stroke risk in the Framingham Heart Study. Methods Participants included women who survived stroke-free until age 60, experienced natural menopause, did not use estrogen prior to menopause, and who had complete data (n=1,430). Participants were followed until first ischemic stroke, death, or end of follow-up (2006). Age at natural menopause was self-reported. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the association between age at natural menopause (<42, 42-54, ≥55) and ischemic stroke risk adjusted for age, systolic blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, diabetes, current smoking, cardiovascular disease and estrogen use. Results There were 234 ischemic strokes identified. Average age at menopause was 49 years (sd=4). Women with menopause at ages 42-54 (HR=0.50; 95% CI:0.29-0.89) and at ages ≥55 (HR=0.31; 95% CI:0.13-0.76) had lower stroke risk compared with those with menopause <42 years adjusted for covariates. Women with menopause before age 42 had twice the stroke risk compared to all other women (HR=2.03; 95% CI: 1.16-3.56). Conclusion In this prospective study, age at natural menopause before age 42 was associated with increased ischemic stroke risk. Future stroke studies with measures of endogenous hormones are needed to inform the underlying mechanisms so that novel prevention strategies for mid-life women can be considered. PMID:19233935

Perspectives on healthy aging among Thai elderly: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Thanakwang, Kattika; Soonthorndhada, Kusol; Mongkolprasoet, Jiraporn

2012-12-01

In this qualitative study, we provide an in-depth understanding of the views of healthy aging among Thai elderly and explore the ways that contribute to healthy aging. Data were collected using focus groups and in-depth interviews in four selected provinces of Thailand, and were analyzed using content analysis. The results revealed that Thai elderly described being healthy as the result of multiple components involving physical, mental, and social well-being. Healthy aging was viewed as an absence of serious diseases, having functional independence, a positive psycho-emotional outlook, and making a social contribution. The factors considered to contribute to healthy aging included activities promoting physical and psychological health, as well as active engagement in social activities. Understanding how the elderly define healthy aging and identifying the most important components and factors that contribute to being healthy provides insight into possible policy implications and interventions to promote health and well-being among Thai elderly. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Lessons from the Bone Chapter of the Malaysian Aging Men Study

PubMed Central

Chin, Kok-Yong; Wan Ngah, Wan Zurinah; Ima-Nirwana, Soelaiman

2016-01-01

Male osteoporosis in Malaysia is a largely neglected problem. Therefore, a bone health study in men using quantitative ultrasonometry was launched as part of the Malaysian Aging Men Study in 2009–2012. This review aimed to summarize the findings of the aforementioned bone health study. The study examined the bone health of Chinese and Malaysian men aged 20 years and above living in Kuala Lumpur using a quantitative ultrasound device. Participants answered a questionnaire on their demographic details and physical activity status. Body anthropometry of the participants was measured and their blood collected for biochemical analysis. Results showed that a significant proportion of the Malaysian Chinese and Malay men had suboptimal bone health indicated by calcaneal speed of sound and vitamin D status. Age-related decline of the calcaneal speed of sound in these men was gradual and biphasic without ethnic difference. Body anthropometry such as height, weight, body mass index, and body fat percentage contributed to the variation of the calcaneal speed of sound in Malaysian men. Age-related changes in testosterone, insulin-like growth factor 1, and thyroid stimulating hormone also influenced the calcaneal speed of sound in these men. This study serves as a reminder that male osteoporosis in Malaysia should be an issue of concern. It is also a basis for a more comprehensive study on bone health in men in the future. PMID:27231930

Lessons from the Bone Chapter of the Malaysian Aging Men Study.

PubMed

Chin, Kok-Yong; Wan Ngah, Wan Zurinah; Ima-Nirwana, Soelaiman

2016-05-25

Male osteoporosis in Malaysia is a largely neglected problem. Therefore, a bone health study in men using quantitative ultrasonometry was launched as part of the Malaysian Aging Men Study in 2009-2012. This review aimed to summarize the findings of the aforementioned bone health study. The study examined the bone health of Chinese and Malaysian men aged 20 years and above living in Kuala Lumpur using a quantitative ultrasound device. Participants answered a questionnaire on their demographic details and physical activity status. Body anthropometry of the participants was measured and their blood collected for biochemical analysis. Results showed that a significant proportion of the Malaysian Chinese and Malay men had suboptimal bone health indicated by calcaneal speed of sound and vitamin D status. Age-related decline of the calcaneal speed of sound in these men was gradual and biphasic without ethnic difference. Body anthropometry such as height, weight, body mass index, and body fat percentage contributed to the variation of the calcaneal speed of sound in Malaysian men. Age-related changes in testosterone, insulin-like growth factor 1, and thyroid stimulating hormone also influenced the calcaneal speed of sound in these men. This study serves as a reminder that male osteoporosis in Malaysia should be an issue of concern. It is also a basis for a more comprehensive study on bone health in men in the future.

Examining Affect and Perfectionism in Relation to Eating Disorder Symptoms among Women with Anorexia Nervosa

PubMed Central

Lavender, Jason M.; Mason, Tyler B.; Utzinger, Linsey M.; Wonderlich, Stephen A.; Crosby, Ross D.; Engel, Scott G.; Mitchell, James E.; Le Grange, Daniel; Crow, Scott J.; Peterson, Carol B.

2016-01-01

This study examined personality and affective variables in relation to eating disorder symptoms in anorexia nervosa (AN). Women (N=118) with DSM-IV AN completed baseline questionnaires (Beck Depression Inventory, Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale) and interviews (Eating Disorder Examination, Yale-Brown-Cornell Eating Disorder Scale), followed by two weeks of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) involving multiple daily reports of affective states and eating disorder behaviors. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted using eating disorder symptoms as dependent variables (i.e., EMA binge eating, EMA self-induced vomiting, eating disorder rituals, eating disorder preoccupations, dietary restraint). Predictor variables were maladaptive perfectionism (baseline), depressive symptoms (baseline), and affect lability (EMA). Results revealed that affect lability was independently associated with binge eating, whereas depressive symptoms were independently associated with self-induced vomiting. Depressive symptoms were independently associated with eating disorder rituals, whereas both depressive symptoms and maladaptive perfectionism were independently associated with eating disorder preoccupations. Finally, maladaptive perfectionism and affect lability were both independently associated with dietary restraint. This pattern of findings suggests the importance of affective and personality constructs in relation to eating disorder symptoms in AN and may highlight the importance of targeting these variables in the context of treatment. PMID:27208513

Examining affect and perfectionism in relation to eating disorder symptoms among women with anorexia nervosa.

PubMed

Lavender, Jason M; Mason, Tyler B; Utzinger, Linsey M; Wonderlich, Stephen A; Crosby, Ross D; Engel, Scott G; Mitchell, James E; Le Grange, Daniel; Crow, Scott J; Peterson, Carol B

2016-07-30

This study examined personality and affective variables in relation to eating disorder symptoms in anorexia nervosa (AN). Women (N=118) with DSM-IV AN completed baseline questionnaires (Beck Depression Inventory, Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale) and interviews (Eating Disorder Examination, Yale-Brown-Cornell Eating Disorder Scale), followed by two weeks of ecological momentary assessment (EMA) involving multiple daily reports of affective states and eating disorder behaviors. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted using eating disorder symptoms as dependent variables (i.e., EMA binge eating, EMA self-induced vomiting, eating disorder rituals, eating disorder preoccupations, dietary restraint). Predictor variables were maladaptive perfectionism (baseline), depressive symptoms (baseline), and affect lability (EMA). Results revealed that affect lability was independently associated with binge eating, whereas depressive symptoms were independently associated with self-induced vomiting. Depressive symptoms were independently associated with eating disorder rituals, whereas both depressive symptoms and maladaptive perfectionism were independently associated with eating disorder preoccupations. Finally, maladaptive perfectionism and affect lability were both independently associated with dietary restraint. This pattern of findings suggests the importance of affective and personality constructs in relation to eating disorder symptoms in AN and may highlight the importance of targeting these variables in the context of treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Temporal Associations Between Social Activity and Mood, Fatigue, and Pain in Older Adults With HIV: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.

PubMed

Paolillo, Emily W; Tang, Bin; Depp, Colin A; Rooney, Alexandra S; Vaida, Florin; Kaufmann, Christopher N; Mausbach, Brent T; Moore, David J; Moore, Raeanne C

2018-05-14

Social isolation is associated with an increased risk for mental and physical health problems, especially among older persons living with HIV (PLWH). Thus, there is a need to better understand real-time temporal associations between social activity and mood- and health-related factors in this population to inform possible future interventions. This study aims to examine real-time relationships between social activity and mood, fatigue, and pain in a sample of older PLWH. A total of 20 older PLWH, recruited from the University of California, San Diego HIV Neurobehavioral Research Program in 2016, completed smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) surveys 5 times per day for 1 week. Participants reported their current social activity (alone vs not alone and number of social interactions) and levels of mood (sadness, happiness, and stress), fatigue, and pain. Mixed-effects regression models were used to analyze concurrent and lagged associations among social activity, mood, fatigue, and pain. Participants (mean age 58.8, SD 4.3 years) reported being alone 63% of the time, on average, (SD 31.5%) during waking hours. Being alone was related to lower concurrent happiness (beta=-.300; 95% CI -.525 to -.079; P=.008). In lagged analyses, social activity predicted higher levels of fatigue later in the day (beta=-1.089; 95% CI -1.780 to -0.396; P=.002), and higher pain levels predicted being alone in the morning with a reduced likelihood of being alone as the day progressed (odds ratio 0.945, 95% CI 0.901-0.992; P=.02). The use of EMA elucidated a high rate of time spent alone among older PLWH. Promoting social activity despite the presence of pain or fatigue may improve happiness and psychological well-being in this population. ©Emily W Paolillo, Bin Tang, Colin A Depp, Alexandra S Rooney, Florin Vaida, Christopher N Kaufmann, Brent T Mausbach, David J Moore, Raeanne C Moore. Originally published in JMIR Mental Health (http://mental.jmir.org), 14.05.2018.

There is no age limit for methadone: a retrospective cohort study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Data from the US indicates that methadone-maintained populations are aging, with an increase of patients aged 50 or older. Data from European methadone populations is sparse. This retrospective cohort study sought to evaluate the age trends and related developments in the methadone population of Basel-City, Switzerland. Methods The study included methadone patients between April 1, 1995 and March 31, 2003. Anonymized data was taken from the methadone register of Basel-City. For analysis of age distributions, patient samples were split into four age categories from '20-29 years' to '50 years and over'. Cross-sectional comparisons were performed using patient samples of 1996 and 2003. Results Analysis showed a significant increase in older patients between 1996 and 2003 (p < 0.001). During that period, the percentage of patients aged 50 and over rose almost tenfold, while the proportion of patients aged under 30 dropped significantly from 52.8% to 12.3%. The average methadone dose (p < 0.001) and the 1-year retention rate (p < 0.001) also increased significantly. Conclusions Findings point to clear trends in aging of methadone patients in Basel-City which are comparable, although less pronounced, to developments among US methadone populations. Many unanswered questions on medical, psychosocial and health economic consequences remain as the needs of older patients have not yet been evaluated extensively. However, older methadone patients, just as any other patients, should be accorded treatment appropriate to their medical condition and needs. Particular attention should be paid to adequate solutions for persons in need of care. PMID:21592331

Associations of pet ownership with biomarkers of ageing: population based cohort study.

PubMed

Batty, G David; Zaninotto, Paola; Watt, Richard G; Bell, Steven

2017-12-13

To examine the prospective relation between animal companionship and biomarkers of ageing in older people. Analyses of data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, an ongoing, open, prospective cohort study initiated in 2002-03. Nationally representative study from England. 8785 adults (55% women) with a mean age of 67 years (SD 9) at pet ownership assessment in 2010-11 (wave 5). Established biomarkers of ageing in the domains of physical, immunological, and psychological function, as assessed in 2012-13 (wave 6). One third of study members reported pet ownership: 1619 (18%) owned a dog, 1077 (12%) a cat, and 274 (3%) another animal. After adjustment for a range of covariates, there was no evidence of a clear association of any type of pet ownership with walking speed, lung function, chair rise time, grip strength, leg raises, balance, three markers of systemic inflammation, memory, or depressive symptoms. In this population of older adults, the companionship of creatures great and small seems to essentially confer no relation with standard ageing phenotypes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Accelerated Brain Aging in Schizophrenia: A Longitudinal Pattern Recognition Study.

PubMed

Schnack, Hugo G; van Haren, Neeltje E M; Nieuwenhuis, Mireille; Hulshoff Pol, Hilleke E; Cahn, Wiepke; Kahn, René S

2016-06-01

Despite the multitude of longitudinal neuroimaging studies that have been published, a basic question on the progressive brain loss in schizophrenia remains unaddressed: Does it reflect accelerated aging of the brain, or is it caused by a fundamentally different process? The authors used support vector regression, a supervised machine learning technique, to address this question. In a longitudinal sample of 341 schizophrenia patients and 386 healthy subjects with one or more structural MRI scans (1,197 in total), machine learning algorithms were used to build models to predict the age of the brain and the presence of schizophrenia ("schizophrenia score"), based on the gray matter density maps. Age at baseline ranged from 16 to 67 years, and follow-up scans were acquired between 1 and 13 years after the baseline scan. Differences between brain age and chronological age ("brain age gap") and between schizophrenia score and healthy reference score ("schizophrenia gap") were calculated. Accelerated brain aging was calculated from changes in brain age gap between two consecutive measurements. The age prediction model was validated in an independent sample. In schizophrenia patients, brain age was significantly greater than chronological age at baseline (+3.36 years) and progressively increased during follow-up (+1.24 years in addition to the baseline gap). The acceleration of brain aging was not constant: it decreased from 2.5 years/year just after illness onset to about the normal rate (1 year/year) approximately 5 years after illness onset. The schizophrenia gap also increased during follow-up, but more pronounced variability in brain abnormalities at follow-up rendered this increase nonsignificant. The progressive brain loss in schizophrenia appears to reflect two different processes: one relatively homogeneous, reflecting accelerated aging of the brain and related to various measures of outcome, and a more variable one, possibly reflecting individual variation and

Prevalence of coeliac disease in Italian patients affected by Addison's disease.

PubMed

Biagi, Federico; Campanella, Jonia; Soriani, Alessandra; Vailati, Alberto; Corazza, Gino R

2006-03-01

It is well known that coeliac disease is associated with autoimmune endocrine diseases, such as autoimmune thyroid disease and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Recently, coeliac disease has been shown in approximately 10% of patients with autoimmune Addison's disease. Addison's disease is the most common cause of primary adrenocortical insufficiency and it shares several clinical features with coeliac disease. Although hyperpigmentation and hypotension are the most specific signs, gastrointestinal symptoms are common and can be the first complaints of the patients. The aim of our study was to investigate the prevalence of coeliac disease in Italian patients with Addison's disease. Seventeen consecutive patients affected by Addison's disease (14 F, mean age 53.9 years, range 26-79 years) were enrolled in the study. Eleven of them were affected by Addison's disease associated with autoimmune thyroid disease and/or insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; the other 6 patients were suffering from isolated Addison's disease. Diagnosis had been performed at the age of 40.5 years (range 23-55). Steroid treatment had already been started in 16 of the patients. Endomysial antibodies were tested in all of them and a duodenal biopsy was taken in those found to be positive for antiendomysial antibody (EMA). One out of 17 patients was found to be EMA positive. Duodenal biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of coeliac disease by showing subtotal villous atrophy. Although we studied only a small sample, our preliminary results confirmed that Addison's disease is associated with coeliac disease, being present in 5.9% of patients with Addison's disease. Since the symptoms can be similar and treatment of Addison's disease can mask coeliac disease, this association should always be actively investigated.

Pets, Social Participation, and Aging-in-Place: Findings from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging.

PubMed

Toohey, Ann M; Hewson, Jennifer A; Adams, Cindy L; Rock, Melanie J

2018-06-01

ABSTRACTThe objective of this study was to assess whether pet ownership contributes to social participation and life satisfaction for older adults. We used baseline data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) for this purpose, and logistic regression models to estimate associations between social participation and life satisfaction for pet owners and non-owners. One third of all older adults (≥ 65 years, n = 7,474) in our sample reported pet ownership. Pet owners were less likely than non-pet owners to report life satisfaction and to participate frequently in social, recreational, or cultural activities, but pet owners were no less satisfied than were non-owners with their current levels of social participation. For pet owners experiencing barriers to social participation, pets appeared protective of life satisfaction in some circumstances. Both individual characteristics and structural factors linked to the World Health Organization's age-friendly communities framework were relevant to understanding these findings.

Gender and stress in predicting depressive symptoms following stroke.

PubMed

Mazure, Carolyn M; Weinberger, Andrea H; Pittman, Brian; Sibon, Igor; Swendsen, Joel

2014-01-01

Post-stroke depression (PSD) is associated with poor clinical and functional outcomes, and women are likely to experience PSD more than men. Although stress is related to depression, and women report greater emotional reactivity to stressful life events, the link between stress and gender is yet to be examined relative to PSD. Further, electronic momentary assessment (EMA), a mobile technology, has not been used to assess stressful life events and PSD in real time and in the natural environments of daily life. The purpose of the current study was to examine gender differences in the relationship of stress and PSD using EMA. Individuals admitted to the Stroke Center at the University of Bordeaux were contacted for participation in a prospective study of symptoms and experiences in daily life using ambulatory monitoring. Forty-three post-stroke patients (47% female) completed electronic assessments of life events, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms (i.e., sad mood, anhedonia, fatigue, concentration difficulties, appetite change, negative thoughts, hopelessness) during their daily life for one week. Patients also completed a clinician-administered standardized depression scale at baseline and three-month follow-up. Using EMA, participants responded to 83.7% of the electronic interviews for a total of 1,140 observations across diverse daily life contexts. Stressful events of any degree of negativity were reported at over one-third (37.3%) of all EMA assessments. The severity of depressive symptoms as assessed in daily life through EMA was greater in women following stroke than in men. Further, there was a significant association between EMA-assessed depressive symptoms and daily life stress for women, but not men. This association was due primarily to three specific depressive symptoms: sad mood, fatigue, and appetite change. No difference was observed between men and women in standardized depression assessments administered during clinic visits at baseline or

Auditory pathway maturational study in small for gestational age preterm infants.

PubMed

Angrisani, Rosanna Giaffredo; Diniz, Edna Maria Albuquerque; Guinsburg, Ruth; Ferraro, Alexandre Archanjo; Azevedo, Marisa Frasson de; Matas, Carla Gentile

2014-01-01

To follow up the maturation of the auditory pathway in preterm infants small for gestational age (SGA), through the study of absolute and interpeak latencies of auditory brainstem response (ABR) in the first six months of age. This multicentric prospective cross-sectional and longitudinal study assessed 76 newborn infants, 35 SGA and 41 appropriate for gestational age (AGA), born between 33 and 36 weeks in the first evaluation. The ABR was carried out in three moments (neonatal period, three months and six months). Twenty-nine SGA and 33 AGA (62 infants), between 51 and 54 weeks (corrected age), returned for the second evaluation. In the third evaluation, 49 infants (23 SGA and 26 AGA), with age range from 63 to 65 weeks (corrected age), were assessed. The bilateral presence of Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions and normal tympanogram were inclusion criteria. It was found interaural symmetry in both groups. The comparison between the two groups throughout the three periods studied showed no significant differences in the ABR parameters, except for the latencies of wave III in the period between three and six months. As for the maturation with tone burst 0.5 and 1 kHz, it was found that the groups did not differ. The findings suggest that, in the premature infants, the maturational process of the auditory pathway occurs in a similar rate for SGA and AGA. These results also suggest that prematurity is a more relevant factor for the maturation of the auditory pathway than birth weight.

Changes in human gut flora with age: an Indian familial study.

PubMed

Marathe, Nachiket; Shetty, Sudarshan; Lanjekar, Vikram; Ranade, Dilip; Shouche, Yogesh

2012-09-26

The gut micro flora plays vital role in health status of the host. The majority of microbes residing in the gut have a profound influence on human physiology and nutrition. Different human ethnic groups vary in genetic makeup as well as the environmental conditions they live in. The gut flora changes with genetic makeup and environmental factors and hence it is necessary to understand the composition of gut flora of different ethnic groups. Indian population is different in physiology from western population (YY paradox) and thus the gut flora in Indian population is likely to differ from the extensively studied gut flora in western population. In this study we have investigated the gut flora of two Indian families, each with three individuals belonging to successive generations and living under the same roof. Denaturation gradient gel electrophoresis analysis showed age-dependant variation in gut microflora amongst the individuals within a family. Different bacterial genera were dominant in the individual of varying age in clone library analysis. Obligate anaerobes isolated from individuals within a family showed age related differences in isolation pattern, with 27% (6 out of 22) of the isolates being potential novel species based on 16S rRNA gene sequence. In qPCR a consistent decrease in Firmicutes number and increase in Bacteroidetes number with increasing age was observed in our subjects, this pattern of change in Firmicutes / Bacteroidetes ratio with age is different than previously reported in European population. There is change in gut flora with age amongst the individuals within a family. The isolation of high percent of novel bacterial species and the pattern of change in Firmicutes /Bacteroidetes ratio with age suggests that the composition of gut flora in Indian individuals may be different than the western population. Thus, further extensive study is needed to define the gut flora in Indian population.

Age 60 study, part II : airline pilot age and performance - a review of the scientific literature.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1994-10-01

This review of the literature establishes the scientific foundation for subsequent studies on the Age 60 Rule research conducted under a contract with Hilton Systems, Inc. The scientific literature relevant to the two separate scientific approaches r...

[Clinicopathologic study of sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma and its contrast with olfactory neuroblastoma].

PubMed

Li, Xue; Liu, Hong-Gang; Xie, Xin-Ji; Han, Yi-Ding; Li, Ming

2008-07-01

To study the clinicopathologic features, diagnosis and differential diagnosis of sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma (SNTCS) and olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB), and to discuss the histogenesis and possible relationship between SNTCS and ONB. Seven cases of SNTCS and 34 cases of ONB were retrieved from the pathological archives together with one case each of malignant teratoma and immature embryonic tissue at 8 weeks were collected from Beijing Tongren Hospital. The clinicopathologic features were analyzed and immunohistochemical staining was performed on paraffin sections. Six of the SNTCS patients were male and one was female. The patients age range was 25 to 69 years (mean age 46). Four cases were initial presentation and three were recurrences. Histologically, the tumor shows multiple tissue components derived from three germ layers. There were mixture of teratoma-like tissue and carcinosarcoma. The components include fetal clear cell squamous epithelium derived from ectoderm. Glandular and tubular structures and ciliated columnar epithelium derived from endoderm. Fibroblasts, striated muscle, smooth muscle, cartilage and osteoid matrix derived from mesoderm. The carcinoma component exhibited mostly adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, whereas the sarcoma component mostly exhibited rhabdomyosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, and fibrosarcoma. In addition, carcinoid, and primitive mesenchymal tissue and the ONB component were also seen. The morphological characteristics of SNTCS comprised fetal clear cell squamous epithelium, carcinosarcoma and the ONB component. By immunohistochemistry, the epithelial component and cells with epithelium differentiation were positive for cytokeratin (pan) and EMA. The ONB component was positive for Syn, NSE, CD99, NF and CgA to different degrees. Neurofibril bundles were positive for S-100, and Flexner-Wintersteiner rosettes expressed cytokeratin (pan) and EMA. The spindle cells expressed vimentin, SMA, desmin, myosin and myoglobin. The