Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the growth hormone - insulin like growth factor axis in straight bred and crossbred Angus, Brahman, and Romosinuano heifers: population genetic analyses and association of genotypes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The growth endocrine axis influences reproduction. Objectives of this study were to evaluate population genetic characteristics of SNP genotypes within genes of the GH and IGF axis in straightbred and diallel-crossed Angus, Brahman and Romosinuano heifers (n = 650) and to test the associations of th...

Colonial, more widely distributed and less abundant bird species undergo wider population fluctuations independent of their population trend

PubMed Central

Møller, Anders P.

2017-01-01

Understanding temporal variability in population size is important for conservation biology because wide population fluctuations increase the risk of extinction. Previous studies suggested that certain ecological, demographic, life-history and genetic characteristics of species might be related to the degree of their population fluctuations. We checked whether that was the case in a large sample of 231 European breeding bird species while taking a number of potentially confounding factors such as population trends or similarities among species due to common descent into account. When species-specific characteristics were analysed one by one, the magnitude of population fluctuations was positively related to coloniality, habitat, total breeding range, heterogeneity of breeding distribution and natal dispersal, and negatively related to urbanisation, abundance, relative number of subspecies, parasitism and proportion of polymorphic loci. However, when abundance (population size) was included in the analyses of the other parameters, only coloniality, habitat, total breeding range and abundance remained significantly related to population fluctuations. The analysis including all these predictors simultaneously showed that population size fluctuated more in colonial, less abundant species with larger breeding ranges. Other parameters seemed to be related to population fluctuations only because of their association with abundance or coloniality. The unexpected positive relationship between population fluctuations and total breeding range did not seem to be mediated by abundance. The link between population fluctuations and coloniality suggests a previously unrecognized cost of coloniality. The negative relationship between population size and population fluctuations might be explained by at least three types of non-mutually exclusive stochastic processes: demographic, environmental and genetic stochasticity. Measurement error in population indices, which was unknown, may have contributed to the negative relationship between population size and fluctuations, but apparently only to a minor extent. The association between population size and fluctuations suggests that populations might be stabilized by increasing population size. PMID:28253345

Measuring the Frequency Occurrence of Handwriting and Handprinting Characteristics^.

PubMed

Johnson, Mark E; Vastrick, Thomas W; Boulanger, Michèle; Schuetzner, Ellen

2017-01-01

The premise of this study was to take a valid population sampling of handwriting and handprinting and assess how many times each of the predetermined characteristic is found in the samples. Approximately 1500 handwriting specimens were collected from across the United States and pared to obtain a representative sample of the U.S. adult population according to selected demographics based on age, sex, ethnicity, handedness, education level, and location of lower-grade school education. This study has been able to support a quantitative assessment of extrinsic and intrinsic effects in handwriting and handprinting for the six subgroups. Additional results include analyses of the interdependence of characteristics. This study found that 98.55% of handprinted characteristics and 97.39% of cursive characteristics had an independence correlation of under 0.2. The conclusions support use of the product rule in general, but with noted caveats. Finally, this study provides frequency occurrence proportions for 776 handwriting and handprinting characteristics. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Gene flow and genetic structure in the Galician population (NW Spain) according to Alu insertions

PubMed Central

Varela, Tito A; Fariña, José; Diéguez, Lois Pérez; Lodeiro, Rosa

2008-01-01

Background The most recent Alu insertions reveal different degrees of polymorphism in human populations, and a series of characteristics that make them particularly suitable genetic markers for Human Biology studies. This has led these polymorphisms to be used to analyse the origin and phylogenetic relationships between contemporary human groups. This study analyses twelve Alu sequences in a sample of 216 individuals from the autochthonous population of Galicia (NW Spain), with the aim of studying their genetic structure and phylogenetic position with respect to the populations of Western and Central Europe and North Africa, research that is of special interest in revealing European population dynamics, given the peculiarities of the Galician population due to its geographical situation in western Europe, and its historical vicissitudes. Results The insertion frequencies of eleven of the Alu elements analysed were within the variability range of European populations, while Yb8NBC125 proved to be the lowest so far recorded to date in Europe. Taking the twelve polymorphisms into account, the GD value for the Galician population was 0.268. The comparative analyses carried out using the MDS, NJ and AMOVA methods reveal the existence of spatial heterogeneity, and identify three population groups that correspond to the geographic areas of Western-Central Europe, Eastern Mediterranean Europe and North Africa. Galicia is shown to be included in the Western-Central European cluster, together with other Spanish populations. When only considering populations from Mediterranean Europe, the Galician population revealed a degree of genetic flow similar to that of the majority of the populations from this geographic area. Conclusion The results of this study reveal that the Galician population, despite its geographic situation in the western edge of the European continent, occupies an intermediate position in relation to other European populations in general, and Iberian populations in particular. This confirms the important role that migratory movements have had in the European gene pool, at least since Neolithic times. In turn, the MDS and NJ analyses place Galicia within the group comprised of Western-Central European populations, which is justified by the influence of Germanic peoples on the Galician population during the Middle Ages. However, it should also be noted that some of the markers analysed have a certain degree of differentiation, possibly due to the region's position as a 'cul-de-sac' in terms of Iberian population dynamics. PMID:19055739

Gene flow and genetic structure in the Galician population (NW Spain) according to Alu insertions.

PubMed

Varela, Tito A; Fariña, José; Diéguez, Lois Pérez; Lodeiro, Rosa

2008-12-02

The most recent Alu insertions reveal different degrees of polymorphism in human populations, and a series of characteristics that make them particularly suitable genetic markers for Human Biology studies. This has led these polymorphisms to be used to analyse the origin and phylogenetic relationships between contemporary human groups. This study analyses twelve Alu sequences in a sample of 216 individuals from the autochthonous population of Galicia (NW Spain), with the aim of studying their genetic structure and phylogenetic position with respect to the populations of Western and Central Europe and North Africa, research that is of special interest in revealing European population dynamics, given the peculiarities of the Galician population due to its geographical situation in western Europe, and its historical vicissitudes. The insertion frequencies of eleven of the Alu elements analysed were within the variability range of European populations, while Yb8NBC125 proved to be the lowest so far recorded to date in Europe. Taking the twelve polymorphisms into account, the GD value for the Galician population was 0.268. The comparative analyses carried out using the MDS, NJ and AMOVA methods reveal the existence of spatial heterogeneity, and identify three population groups that correspond to the geographic areas of Western-Central Europe, Eastern Mediterranean Europe and North Africa. Galicia is shown to be included in the Western-Central European cluster, together with other Spanish populations. When only considering populations from Mediterranean Europe, the Galician population revealed a degree of genetic flow similar to that of the majority of the populations from this geographic area. The results of this study reveal that the Galician population, despite its geographic situation in the western edge of the European continent, occupies an intermediate position in relation to other European populations in general, and Iberian populations in particular. This confirms the important role that migratory movements have had in the European gene pool, at least since Neolithic times. In turn, the MDS and NJ analyses place Galicia within the group comprised of Western-Central European populations, which is justified by the influence of Germanic peoples on the Galician population during the Middle Ages. However, it should also be noted that some of the markers analysed have a certain degree of differentiation, possibly due to the region's position as a 'cul-de-sac' in terms of Iberian population dynamics.

[Gap between the use of and need for youth care: research in Rotterdam neighbourhoods].

PubMed

Jansen, Wilma; Mieloo, Cathelijne L; Anschutz, Justine; de Zwart, Onno

2015-01-01

To determine the relationship between the need for care and the use of care in the youth care system at neighbourhood level and the relationship with population characteristics, with consideration of the decentralisation of youth care. Descriptive, retrospective study. Data on youth care use, indicators of need for care and population characteristics were gathered from monitors and the records of the municipality, institutions and health insurance companies. Data were grouped on a neighbourhood level (n = 49). For the analyses we used univariate and multivariate regression. We used these to distinguish between neighbourhoods with large and small gaps between youth care use and need for youth care. Differences between these neighbourhoods were analysed with t-tests. A multivariate model showed that the percentage of youths with emotional problems and behavioural problems and the percentage of parents with self-reported need for care were not predictors of youth care use at a neighbourhood level. About two thirds of the variance in youth care use between neighbourhoods could be explained by the population characteristics of a neighbourhood, particularly the percentage of youths originally from non-western countries, the percentage of youths with a low level of education or special training and the percentage of people who received income support. The number of 12-18-year-olds in a neighbourhood was a predictor of youth mental health care, and the percentage of youths in a single-parent family was a predictor of out-patient youth and parenting support. Neighbourhoods with a large gap between the need for and use of youth care were socially more disadvantaged than neighbourhoods with a smaller gap. Population characteristics explain the rate of use of youth care better than the need for youth care in a neighbourhood as measured by municipal monitors. The possible gap between the use of and need for youth care on an individual level in neighbourhoods with many characteristics of disadvantage is an important focus point for future neighbourhood teams.

Y-chromosome lineages in native South American population.

PubMed

Blanco-Verea, A; Jaime, J C; Brión, M; Carracedo, A

2010-04-01

The present work tries to investigate the population structure and variation of the Amerindian indigenous populations living in Argentina. A total of 134 individuals from three ethnic groups (Kolla, Mapuche and Diaguitas) living in four different regions were collected and analysed for 26 Y-SNPs and 11 Y-STRs. Intra-population variability was analysed, looking for population substructure and neighbour populations were considered for genetic comparative analysis, in order to estimate the contribution of the Amerindian and the European pool, to the current population. We observe a high frequency of R1b1 and Q1a3a* Y-chromosome haplogroups, in the ethnic groups Mapuche, Diaguita and Kolla, characteristic of European and Native American populations, respectively. When we compare our native Argentinean population with other from the South America we also observe that frequency values for Amerindian lineages are relatively lower in our population. These results show a clear Amerindian genetic component but we observe a predominant European influence too, suggesting that typically European male lineages have given rise to the displacement of genuinely Amerindian male lineages in our South American population. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis on the Climate Change Characteristics of Dianchi Lake Basin under the Background of Global Warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhenyu, Yu; Luo, Yi; Yang, Kun; Qiongfei, Deng

2017-05-01

Based on the data published by the State Statistical Bureau and the weather station data, the annual mean temperature, wind speed, humidity, light duration and precipitation of Dianchi Lake in 1990 ~ 2014 were analysed. Combined with the population The results show that the climatic changes in Dianchi Lake basin are related to the climatic change in the past 25 years, and the correlation between these factors and the main climatic factors are analysed by linear regression, Mann-Kendall test, cumulative anomaly, R/S and Morlet wavelet analysis. Population, housing construction area growth and other aspects of the correlation trends and changes in the process, revealing the population expansion and housing construction area growth on the climate of the main factors of the cycle tendency of significant impact.

7 CFR 3700.3 - Functions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and related farm and trade developments and short to long-term forecasts of domestic and world... world agricultural markets. (3) Conducting special analyses of U.S. and world agricultural markets for... trends in the non-metropolitan and farm populations, the number, location and characteristics of such...

Genetic structure of Plasmodium falciparum populations across the Honduras-Nicaragua border

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The Caribbean coast of Central America remains an area of malaria transmission caused by Plasmodium falciparum despite the fact that morbidity has been reduced in recent years. Parasite populations in that region show interesting characteristics such as chloroquine susceptibility and low mortality rates. Genetic structure and diversity of P. falciparum populations in the Honduras-Nicaragua border were analysed in this study. Methods Seven neutral microsatellite loci were analysed in 110 P. falciparum isolates from endemic areas of Honduras (n = 77) and Nicaragua (n = 33), mostly from the border region called the Moskitia. Several analyses concerning the genetic diversity, linkage disequilibrium, population structure, molecular variance, and haplotype clustering were conducted. Results There was a low level of genetic diversity in P. falciparum populations from Honduras and Nicaragua. Expected heterozigosity (He) results were similarly low for both populations. A moderate differentiation was revealed by the FST index between both populations, and two putative clusters were defined through a structure analysis. The main cluster grouped most of samples from Honduras and Nicaragua, while the second cluster was smaller and included all the samples from the Siuna community in Nicaragua. This result could partially explain the stronger linkage disequilibrium (LD) in the parasite population from that country. These findings are congruent with the decreasing rates of malaria endemicity in Central America. PMID:24093629

Genetic diversity and population structure of Prunus mira (Koehne) from the Tibet plateau in China and recommended conservation strategies

PubMed Central

Bao, Wenquan; Li, Tiezhu; Liu, Huimin; Jiang, Zhongmao; Zhu, Xuchun; Du, Hongyan; Bai, Yu-e

2017-01-01

Prunus mira Koehne, an important economic fruit crop with high breeding and medicinal values, and an ancestral species of many cultivated peach species, has recently been declared an endangered species. However, basic information about genetic diversity, population structure, and morphological variation is still limited for this species. In this study, we sampled 420 P. mira individuals from 21 wild populations in the Tibet plateau to conduct a comprehensive analysis of genetic and morphological characteristics. The results of molecular analyses based on simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers indicated moderate genetic diversity and inbreeding (A = 3.8, Ae = 2.5, He = 0.52, Ho = 0.44, I = 0.95, FIS = 0.17) within P. mira populations. STRUCTURE, GENELAND, and phylogenetic analyses assigned the 21 populations to three genetic clusters that were moderately correlated with geographic altitudes, and this may have resulted from significantly different climatic and environmental factors at different altitudinal ranges. Significant isolation-by-distance was detected across the entire distribution of P. mira populations, but geographic altitude might have more significant effects on genetic structure than geographic distance in partial small-scale areas. Furthermore, clear genetic structure, high genetic differentiation, and restricted gene flow were detected between pairwise populations from different geographic groups, indicating that geographic barriers and genetic drift have significant effects on P. mira populations. Analyses of molecular variance based on the SSR markers indicated high variation (83.7% and 81.7%), whereas morphological analyses revealed low variation (1.30%–36.17%) within the populations. Large and heavy fruits were better adapted than light fruits and nutlets to poor climate and environmental conditions at high altitudes. Based on the results of molecular and morphological analyses, we classified the area into three conservation units and proposed several conservation strategies for wild P. mira populations in the Tibet plateau. PMID:29186199

Genetic diversity and population structure of Prunus mira (Koehne) from the Tibet plateau in China and recommended conservation strategies.

PubMed

Bao, Wenquan; Wuyun, Tana; Li, Tiezhu; Liu, Huimin; Jiang, Zhongmao; Zhu, Xuchun; Du, Hongyan; Bai, Yu-E

2017-01-01

Prunus mira Koehne, an important economic fruit crop with high breeding and medicinal values, and an ancestral species of many cultivated peach species, has recently been declared an endangered species. However, basic information about genetic diversity, population structure, and morphological variation is still limited for this species. In this study, we sampled 420 P. mira individuals from 21 wild populations in the Tibet plateau to conduct a comprehensive analysis of genetic and morphological characteristics. The results of molecular analyses based on simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers indicated moderate genetic diversity and inbreeding (A = 3.8, Ae = 2.5, He = 0.52, Ho = 0.44, I = 0.95, FIS = 0.17) within P. mira populations. STRUCTURE, GENELAND, and phylogenetic analyses assigned the 21 populations to three genetic clusters that were moderately correlated with geographic altitudes, and this may have resulted from significantly different climatic and environmental factors at different altitudinal ranges. Significant isolation-by-distance was detected across the entire distribution of P. mira populations, but geographic altitude might have more significant effects on genetic structure than geographic distance in partial small-scale areas. Furthermore, clear genetic structure, high genetic differentiation, and restricted gene flow were detected between pairwise populations from different geographic groups, indicating that geographic barriers and genetic drift have significant effects on P. mira populations. Analyses of molecular variance based on the SSR markers indicated high variation (83.7% and 81.7%), whereas morphological analyses revealed low variation (1.30%-36.17%) within the populations. Large and heavy fruits were better adapted than light fruits and nutlets to poor climate and environmental conditions at high altitudes. Based on the results of molecular and morphological analyses, we classified the area into three conservation units and proposed several conservation strategies for wild P. mira populations in the Tibet plateau.

Area characteristics and admission rates of people with schizophrenia and affective disorders in a German rural catchment area.

PubMed

Losert, C; Schmauß, M; Becker, T; Kilian, R

2012-12-01

Studies in urban areas identified environmental risk factors for mental illness, but little research on this topic has been performed in rural areas. Hospital admission rates were computed for 174 rural municipalities in the catchment area of the state psychiatric hospital in Günzburg in years 2006 to 2009 and combined with structural and socio-economic data. Relationships of overall and diagnosis-specific admission rates with municipality characteristics were analysed by means of negative binomial regression models. Admission rates of patients with a diagnosis of schizophrenia and affective disorder combined decrease with increasing population growth, population density, average income and green areas, while admission rates are positively correlated with commuter balance, income inequality, unemployment rates and traffic areas. Admission rates for schizophrenia are negatively related to population growth, average income and agricultural areas, but positively related to mobility index, income inequality and unemployment rate. Admission rates for affective disorders are negatively related to population growth, population density, average income and green areas, while higher admission rates are correlated with commuter balance, high income inequality, unemployment rate and traffic-related areas. Effects of wealth, economic inequality, population density and structural area characteristics influence psychiatric admission rates also in rural areas.

RELATIONSHIPS OF INDOOR, OUTDOOR, AND PERSONAL AIR (RIOPA). PART I. COLLECTION METHODS AND DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSES

EPA Science Inventory

The homes and subjects selected did not proportionally represent the greater population. Rather, homes close to sources were preferentially sampled in order to examine the impact of possibly high exposures. In addition, the characteristics of the subjects and the homes diff...

District Survey I. Policy Research Corporation Analyses. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Policy Research Corp., Chicago, IL.

This study, mandated by Congress in the Education Amendments of 1974, was designed to produce estimates which describe the goals of compensatory programs, program operating characteristics, and evaluation techniques in use in compensatory programs. For the purpose of the study, the population sample was defined as all operating public school…

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and personality characteristics in older adults in the general Dutch population.

PubMed

Michielsen, Marieke; Comijs, Hannie C; Semeijn, Evert J; Beekman, Aartjan T F; Deeg, Dorly J H; Kooij, J J Sandra

2014-12-01

The authors wanted to examine the association between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and personality characteristics and the potential mediating role of these characteristics in the relationship between ADHD and depression in older adults in the general Dutch population. Data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam in 2008/2009 were used in a cross-sectional design on 231 participants with and without ADHD aged 60-94 years. Questionnaires assessing self-esteem, self-efficacy, mastery, neuroticism, and social inadequacy were administered. ADHD was measured by means of ADHD diagnosis and level of ADHD symptoms. Linear regression analyses were performed to assess the association between ADHD (symptoms) and personality characteristics. Single and multivariate mediation analyses were performed to examine the mediating role of personality characteristics in the relationship between ADHD (symptoms) and depressive symptoms. ADHD was significantly negatively associated with sense of mastery (B = -2.44, t = -3.14, df = 228, p = 0.002), self-esteem (B = -1.16, t = -2.27, df = 228, p = 0.02), and self-efficacy (B = -2.33, t = -2.02, df = 228, p = 0.045) and positively associated with neuroticism (B = 0.99, t = 4.90, df = 228, p <0.001) and social inadequacy (B = 0.65, t = 3.32, df = 229, p = 0.001). In the single mediation analyses, all personality characteristics were mediators in the relationship between ADHD symptoms and depressive symptoms. In the multivariate analysis only mastery and self-esteem were mediators. Older adults with ADHD reported lower self-esteem and sense of mastery and higher levels of neuroticism and social inadequacy than older adults without ADHD. Mastery and self-esteem partly explained the association between ADHD and depressive symptoms in old age. The results implicate that in treatment clinicians should pay attention to the personality characteristics of older adults with ADHD. Copyright © 2014 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Disaster resilience and population ageing: the 1995 Kobe and 2004 Chuetsu earthquakes in Japan.

PubMed

Chen, Haili; Maki, Norio; Hayashi, Haruo

2014-04-01

This paper provides a framework for evaluating the effects of population ageing on disaster resilience. In so doing, it focuses on the 1995 Kobe and 2004 Chuetsu earthquakes, two major disasters that affected Japan before the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake. It analyses regional population recovery on the basis of pre-disaster and post-recovery demographic characteristics using defined transition patterns of population ageing. The evaluation framework demonstrates that various recovery measures make different contributions to disaster resilience for each transition pattern of population ageing. With reference to regional population ageing, the framework allows for a prediction of disaster resilience, facilitating place vulnerability assessments and potentially informing policy-making strategies for Japan and other countries with ageing populations. © 2014 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2014.

Navy Family Advocacy Program: The Demographics of Family Violence in the Navy and Marine Corps.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-01

child abuse and neglect. These two data sets were examined in relation to the general population of sponsors and dependents in the US Navy and Marine Corps, as well as the general US population. The purpose of these analyses is not only to describe the individuals and families identified, but also to better understand the characteristics of the population at risk, or more likely to be involved in spouse abuse, child maltreatment and sexual assault. Additionally, this data addresses the types of responses that have been made to these individuals and families in terms of

Personality characteristics and trait clusters in final stage astronaut selection.

PubMed

Musson, David M; Sandal, Gro M; Helmreich, Robert L

2004-04-01

This paper presents personality testing data from final stage applicants to the NASA astronaut program. Questions addressed include whether personality predicted final selection into the astronaut corps, whether women and men demonstrated typical gender differences in personality, and whether three characteristic clusters found in other high performance populations replicated in this group. Between 1989 and 1995, 259 final stage astronauts completed the Personal Characteristic Inventory (PCI) which assesses personality characteristics related to the broad traits of Instrumentality and Expressivity. In addition, 147 of these individuals also completed an abbreviated version of the NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) which assesses the "Big Five" traits of Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, And Conscientiousness. Three previously identified trait clusters (Right, Wrong, and No Stuff) were found to replicate in this population. No differences were found on the PCI or on the modified NEO-FFI between applicants who were chosen to become astronauts (n = 63) and those who were not (n = 196). Men scored higher than women on competitiveness, but lower on expressivity and achievement strivings. These analyses suggest that the "Right Stuff," "Wrong Stuff" and "No Stuff" clusters originally described in airline pilots and other high performance groups also exist within this population. Consistent with findings from other high performance populations, men and women tend to differ to a lesser extent than found in the general population, particularly on traits related to achievement motivation. Personality trait testing did not predict which applicants were most likely to be accepted into the astronaut corps.

Equity effects of children's physical activity interventions: a systematic scoping review.

PubMed

Love, Rebecca E; Adams, Jean; van Sluijs, Esther M F

2017-10-02

Differential effects of physical activity (PA) interventions across population sub-groups may contribute to inequalities in health. This systematic scoping review explored the state of the evidence on equity effects in response to interventions targeting children's PA promotion. The aims were to assess and summarise the availability of evidence on differential intervention effects of children's PA interventions across gender, body mass index, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, place of residence and religion. Using a pre-piloted search strategy, six electronic databases were searched for controlled intervention trials, aiming to increase PA in children (6-18 years of age), that used objective forms of measurement. Screening and data extraction were conducted in duplicate. Reporting of analyses of differential effects were summarized for each equity characteristic and logistic regression analyses run to investigate intervention characteristics associated with the reporting of equity analyses. The literature search identified 13,052 publications and 7963 unique records. Following a duplicate screening process 125 publications representing 113 unique intervention trials were included. Although the majority of trials collected equity characteristics at baseline, few reported differential effects analyses across the equity factors of interest. All 113 included interventions reported gender at baseline with 46% of non-gender targeted interventions reporting differential effect analyses by gender. Respective figures were considerably smaller for body mass index, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, place of residence and religion. There was an increased likelihood of studying differential effects in school based interventions (OR: 2.9 [1.2-7.2]) in comparison to interventions in other settings, larger studies (per increase in 100 participants; 1.2 [1.0 - 1.4]); and where a main intervention effect on objectively measured PA was reported (3.0 [1.3-6.8]). Despite regularly collecting relevant information at baseline, most controlled trials of PA interventions in children do not report analyses of differences in intervention effect across outlined equity characteristics. Consequently, there is a scarcity of evidence concerning the equity effects of these interventions, particularly beyond gender, and a lack of understanding of subgroups that may benefit from, or be disadvantaged by, current intervention efforts. Further evidence synthesis and primary research is needed to effectively understand the impact of PA interventions on existing behavioural inequalities within population subgroups of children. PROSPERO (PROSPERO 2016: CRD42016034020 ).

Profile of Hired Farmworkers, 1996 Annual Averages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Runyan, Jack L.

Analyses of data from the 1996 Current Population Survey earnings microdata file examined demographic, earnings, and geographic characteristics of U.S. hired farmworkers. Approximately 906,000 persons aged 15 and older were employed as hired farmworkers each week in 1996, and an additional 72,000 persons were hired as farmworkers as a second job.…

Invasive exotic plants in the tropical Pacific Islands: Patterns of Diversity

Treesearch

J.S. Denslow; J.C. Space; P.A. Thomas

2009-01-01

Oceanic islands are good model systems with which to explore factors affecting exotic species diversity. Islands vary in size, topography, substrate type, degree of isolation, native species diversity, history, human population characteristics, and economic development. Moreover, islands are highly vulnerable to exotic species establishment. We used AICc analyses of...

Promoting Human Capital Development: A Typology of International Scholarship Programs in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perna, Laura W.; Orosz, Kata; Gopaul, Bryan; Jumakulov, Zakir; Ashirbekov, Adil; Kishkentayeva, Marina

2014-01-01

This article sheds light on the availability and characteristics of international scholarship programs that are sponsored by national and federal governments worldwide and that are intended to promote student mobility. Utilizing descriptive and cluster analyses, the article produces a framework for organizing the population of these programs. The…

Socioeconomic Characteristics of the Spanish Origin Hired Farm Working Force, 1973.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Leslie W.

The differentials between Spanish origin and other ethnic groups of farm wageworkers were investigated by comparative analyses of age, sex, education, migratory status, employment, and earnings. Farmworkers were defined as persons 14 years and over in the civilian noninstitutional population who performed farm wagework at some time during 1973,…

Assessing invariance across sex and race/ethnicity in measures of youth psychopathic characteristics.

PubMed

Horan, Jacqueline M; Brown, Joshua L; Jones, Stephanie M; Aber, J Lawrence

2015-06-01

The aim of this study was to assess the measurement invariance of 2 commonly used measures of youth psychopathic characteristics across sex and racial/ethnic groups. Among a community sample of Hispanic and Black adolescents (N = 355; 50.5% female; mean age = 15.09) and their parents, this study tested the configural and metric invariance of the Levenson Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (LSRP; Levenson, Fitzpatrick, & Kiehl, 1995) and the parent-report version of the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (Frick, 2004). Preliminary analyses indicated that the adolescents in the present study reported similar rates of psychopathic characteristics as those reported by other studies of adolescents and young adults. Results of the multigroup invariance analyses indicated that these measures are invariant across sex and between Hispanic and Black youth. In addition, further analyses assessing associations between these measures and a number of behavioral and emotional characteristics indicated that scores on the LSRP Scale and Callous-Unemotional Traits demonstrate good convergent and discriminant validity with few differences by sex or race/ethnicity. To date, research on psychopathy has focused predominantly on samples of White males. Therefore, it is important that research examines the equivalence of measures of psychopathic characteristics across different populations, so that accurate assessments can be made to inform intervention and treatment efforts. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

The cyclophosphamide equivalent dose as an approach for quantifying alkylating agent exposure: a report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.

PubMed

Green, Daniel M; Nolan, Vikki G; Goodman, Pamela J; Whitton, John A; Srivastava, DeoKumar; Leisenring, Wendy M; Neglia, Joseph P; Sklar, Charles A; Kaste, Sue C; Hudson, Melissa M; Diller, Lisa R; Stovall, Marilyn; Donaldson, Sarah S; Robison, Leslie L

2014-01-01

Estimation of the risk of adverse long-term outcomes such as second malignant neoplasms and infertility often requires reproducible quantification of exposures. The method for quantification should be easily utilized and valid across different study populations. The widely used Alkylating Agent Dose (AAD) score is derived from the drug dose distribution of the study population and thus cannot be used for comparisons across populations as each will have a unique distribution of drug doses. We compared the performance of the Cyclophosphamide Equivalent Dose (CED), a unit for quantifying alkylating agent exposure independent of study population, to the AAD. Comparisons included associations from three Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS) outcome analyses, receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves and goodness of fit based on the Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC). The CED and AAD performed essentially identically in analyses of risk for pregnancy among the partners of male CCSS participants, risk for adverse dental outcomes among all CCSS participants and risk for premature menopause among female CCSS participants, based on similar associations, lack of statistically significant differences between the areas under the ROC curves and similar model fit values for the AIC between models including the two measures of exposure. The CED is easily calculated, facilitating its use for patient counseling. It is independent of the drug dose distribution of a particular patient population, a characteristic that will allow direct comparisons of outcomes among epidemiological cohorts. We recommend the use of the CED in future research assessing cumulative alkylating agent exposure. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Psychometric properties of the Occupational Stress and Coping Inventory (AVEM) in a cancer population.

PubMed

Rath, Hilke M; Steimann, Monika; Ullrich, Anneke; Rotsch, Martin; Zurborn, Karl-Heinz; Koch, Uwe; Kriston, Levente; Bergelt, Corinna

2015-02-01

Although the Occupational Stress and Coping Inventory (AVEM) questionnaire is used to assess work behaviour during occupation-related oncological rehabilitation, little is known about its psychometric characteristics in cancer patients. Therefore, we analysed the psychometric properties of the AVEM in this group. The AVEM was administered to 477 cancer patients at the beginning of rehabilitation. The AVEM consists of 11 subscales that categorise patients into one of four types of work behaviour. We obtained data from several subgroups and analysed reliability using Cronbach's α. We performed a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the dimensional structure proposed by the authors of the AVEM. In addition, we analysed the AVEM's predictive validity by examining work-related outcomes one year after the end of rehabilitation (N = 336). Similar to a population-based reference sample, half of the patients exhibited work behaviours that might be problematic in stressful working situations. The AVEM proved to be a reliable instrument, and the CFA supported the factor structure of the AVEM. The analyses of predictive validity suggest that work behaviour and mental health characteristics, that involve the tendency to feel overwhelmed and less motivated at work, might lead to an increased level of occupational stress one year post-rehabilitation. The AVEM can be used during rehabilitation to assess the extent to which patients report work behaviours associated with occupational stress and dissatisfaction. Patients who exhibit the tendency to feel overwhelmed and helpless in stressful work situations should be identified early so they can be offered support.

The German Version of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire: Psychometric Properties, Measurement Invariance, and Population-Based Norms

PubMed Central

Hilbert, Anja; de Zwaan, Martina; Braehler, Elmar; Kersting, Anette

2016-01-01

The Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire is an internationally widely used instrument assessing different eating styles that may contribute to weight gain and overweight: emotional eating, external eating, and restraint. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the 30-item German version of the DEBQ including its measurement invariance across gender, age, and BMI-status in a representative German population sample. Furthermore, we examined the distribution of eating styles in the general population and provide population-based norms for DEBQ scales. A representative sample of the German general population (N = 2513, age ≥ 14 years) was assessed with the German version of the DEBQ along with information on sociodemographic characteristics and body weight and height. The German version of the DEQB demonstrates good item characteristics and reliability (restraint: α = .92, emotional eating: α = .94, external eating: α = .89). The 3-factor structure of the DEBQ could be replicated in exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and results of multi-group confirmatory factor analyses supported its metric and scalar measurement invariance across gender, age, and BMI-status. External eating was the most prevalent eating style in the German general population. Women scored higher on emotional and restrained eating scales than men, and overweight individuals scored higher in all three eating styles compared to normal weight individuals. Small differences across age were found for external eating. Norms were provided according to gender, age, and BMI-status. Our findings suggest that the German version of the DEBQ has good reliability and construct validity, and is suitable to reliably measure eating styles across age, gender, and BMI-status. Furthermore, the results demonstrate a considerable variation of eating styles across gender and BMI-status. PMID:27656879

The German Version of the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire: Psychometric Properties, Measurement Invariance, and Population-Based Norms.

PubMed

Nagl, Michaela; Hilbert, Anja; de Zwaan, Martina; Braehler, Elmar; Kersting, Anette

The Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire is an internationally widely used instrument assessing different eating styles that may contribute to weight gain and overweight: emotional eating, external eating, and restraint. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the 30-item German version of the DEBQ including its measurement invariance across gender, age, and BMI-status in a representative German population sample. Furthermore, we examined the distribution of eating styles in the general population and provide population-based norms for DEBQ scales. A representative sample of the German general population (N = 2513, age ≥ 14 years) was assessed with the German version of the DEBQ along with information on sociodemographic characteristics and body weight and height. The German version of the DEQB demonstrates good item characteristics and reliability (restraint: α = .92, emotional eating: α = .94, external eating: α = .89). The 3-factor structure of the DEBQ could be replicated in exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses and results of multi-group confirmatory factor analyses supported its metric and scalar measurement invariance across gender, age, and BMI-status. External eating was the most prevalent eating style in the German general population. Women scored higher on emotional and restrained eating scales than men, and overweight individuals scored higher in all three eating styles compared to normal weight individuals. Small differences across age were found for external eating. Norms were provided according to gender, age, and BMI-status. Our findings suggest that the German version of the DEBQ has good reliability and construct validity, and is suitable to reliably measure eating styles across age, gender, and BMI-status. Furthermore, the results demonstrate a considerable variation of eating styles across gender and BMI-status.

Analyses of scattering characteristics of chosen anthropogenic aerosols

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaszczuk, Miroslawa; Mierczyk, Zygmunt; Muzal, Michal

2008-10-01

In the work, analyses of scattering profile of chosen anthropogenic aerosols for two wavelengths (λ1 = 1064 nm and λ2 = 532 nm) were made. As an example of anthropogenic aerosol three different pyrotechnic mixtures (DM11, M2, M16) were taken. Main parameters of smoke particles were firstly analyzed and well described, taking particle shape and size into special consideration. Shape of particles was analyzed on the basis of SEM pictures, and particle size was measured. Participation of particles in each fixed fraction characterized by range of sizes was analyzed and parameters of smoke particles of characteristic sizes and function describing aerosol size distribution (ASD) were determinated. Analyses of scattering profiles were carried out on the basis of both model of scattering on spherical and nonspherical particles. In the case of spherical particles Rayleigh-Mie model was used and for nonspherical particles analyses firstly model of spheroids was used, and then Rayleigh-Mie one. For each characteristic particle one calculated value of four parameters (effective scattering cross section σSCA, effective backscattering cross section σBSCA, scattering efficiency QSCA, backscattering efficiency QBSCA) and value of backscattering coefficient β for whole particles population. Obtained results were compared with the same parameters calculated for natural aerosol (cirrus cloud).

Mitochondrial DNA diversity of the Amerindian populations living in the Andean Piedmont of Bolivia: Chimane, Moseten, Aymara and Quechua.

PubMed

Corella, Alfons; Bert, Francesc; Pérez-Pérez, Alejandro; Gené, Manel; Turbón, Daniel

2007-01-01

Chimane, Moseten Aymara and Quechua are Amerindian populations living in the Bolivian Piedmont, a characteristic ecoregion between the eastern slope of the Andean mountains and the Amazonian Llanos de Moxos. In both neighbouring areas, dense and complex societies have developed over the centuries. The Piedmont area is especially interesting from a human peopling perspective since there is no clear evidence regarding the genetic influence and peculiarities of these populations. This land has been used extensively as a territory of economic and cultural exchange between the Andes and Amazonia, however Chimane and Moseten populations have been sufficiently isolated from their neighbour groups to be recognized as distinct populations. Genetic information suggests that evolutionary processes, such as genetic drift, natural selection and genetic admixture have formed the history of the Piedmont populations. The objective of this study is to characterize the genetic diversity of the Piedmont populations, analysing the sequence variability of the HVR-I control region in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Haplogroup mtDNA data available from the whole of Central and South America were utilized to determine the relationship of the Piedmont populations with other Amerindian populations. Hair pulls were obtained in situ, and DNA from non-related individuals was extracted using a standard Chelex 100 method. A 401 bp DNA fragment of HVR-I region was amplified using standard procedures. Two independent 401 and 328 bp DNA fragments were sequenced separately for each sample. The sequence analyses included mismatch distribution and mean pairwise differences, median network analyses, AMOVA and principal component analyses. The genetic diversity of DNA sequences was measured and compared with other South Amerindian populations. The genetic diversity of 401 nucleotide mtDNA sequences, in the hypervariable Control Region, from positions 16 000-16 400, was characterized in a sample of 46 Amerindians living in the Piedmont area in the Beni Department of Bolivia. The results obtained indicate that the genetic diversity in the area is higher than that observed in other American groups living in much larger areas and despite the reduced size of the studied area the human groups analysed show high levels of inter-group variability. In addition, results show that Amerindian populations living in the Piedmont are genetically more related to those in the Andean than in the Amazonian populations.

Living alone, obesity, and smoking increase risk for suicide independently of depressive mood findings from the population-based MONICA/KORA Augsburg cohort study.

PubMed

Schneider, Barbara; Lukaschek, Karoline; Baumert, Jens; Meisinger, Christa; Erazo, Natalia; Ladwig, Karl-Heinz

2014-01-01

Suicide is strongly associated with mental disorders, particularly with depression. There is insufficient knowledge to what extent sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics contribute to suicide risk. A population-based cohort study on three independent cross-sectional MONICA/KORA Augsburg surveys with 12,888 subjects (6456 men, 6432 women) was followed up on average for 12.0 years. Information on sociodemographic characteristics, chronic disease conditions, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, depressive symptoms, personality type, and other psychodiagnostic parameters was assessed by standardized interviews. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) as estimates of relative risks for suicide mortality. Additionally, population-attributable risks were calculated. Within the follow-up period, a total of 1449 persons had died, 38 of them by suicide. Although several variables were associated with increased risk in the basic analyses, only obesity (HR=2.73), smoking (HR=2.23), and living alone (HR=2.19) remained significantly associated with suicide additionally to male sex (HR=3.57) and depressed mood (HR=2.01) in a multivariate analysis. The generalization of our findings to countries with different social, economic or cultural conditions may be questioned. Our findings extend the knowledge about sociodemographic and behavioral risk factors for suicide in the general population: Suicide prevention measures should not consider only subjects with mental disorders but also address other adverse conditions. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Using satellite telemetry to define spatial population structure in polar bears in the Norwegian and western Russian Arctic

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mauritzen, Mette; Derocher, Andrew E.; Wiig, Øystein; Belikov, Stanislav; Boltunov, Andrei N.; Garner, Gerald W.

2002-01-01

1. Animal populations, defined by geographical areas within a species’ distribution where population dynamics are largely regulated by births and deaths rather than by migration from surrounding areas, may be the correct unit for wildlife management. However, in heterogeneous landscapes varying habitat quality may yield subpopulations with distinct patterns in resource use and demography significant to the dynamics of populations.2. To define the spatial population structure of polar bears Ursus maritimus in the Norwegian and western Russian Arctic, and to assess the existence of a shared population between the two countries, we analysed satellite telemetry data obtained from 105 female polar bears over 12 years.3. Using both cluster analyses and home-range estimation methods, we identified five population units inhabiting areas with different sea-ice characteristics and prey availability.4. The continuous distribution of polar bear positions indicated that the different subpopulations formed one continuous polar bear population in the Norwegian and western Russian Arctic. Hence, Norway and Russia have a shared management responsibility.5. The spatial population structure identified will provide a guide for evaluating geographical patterns in polar bear ecology, the dynamics of polar bear–seal relationships and the effects of habitat alteration due to climate change. The work illustrates the importance of defining population borders and subpopulation structure in understanding the dynamics and management of larger animals.

Correlates of Depressive Disorders in the Quebec General Population 6 to 14 Years of Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bergeron, Lise; Valla, Jean-Pierre; Smolla, Nicole; Piche, Genevieve; Berthiaume, Claude; St.-Georges, Marie

2007-01-01

There are relatively few community-based epidemiological studies in which correlates of depressive disorders were identified through multivariate analyses in children and adolescents aged 6-14 years. Moreover, several family characteristics (e.g., parent-child relationship) have never been explored in this regard. The purpose of this study was…

Adjustment Failures in an Immigrant Population: Finns in Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saarela, Jan; Finnas, Fjalar

2007-01-01

Using data sets from both Sweden and Finland, which have been linked at the individual level, we analyse whether Finnish immigrants who lived in Sweden in 1990 were employed, non-employed, return-migrated, or dead by 2001. The aim is to see how they interrelate with socio-demographic characteristics, and to compare Finnish-speaking and…

The Music One-to-One Project: Developing Approaches to Music with Parents and Under-Two-Year-Olds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Susan; Street, Alison; Davies, Eleanor

2007-01-01

Detailed analyses of adult-infant interaction among some European and North American populations have revealed that it resides on characteristics such as synchronous timing, phrasing, pitch contours and variations of dynamic intensity that are essentially musical in nature. Moreover, this musicality of infancy is the medium which enables and…

A Descriptive Analysis of the Principal Workforce in Wisconsin. Summary. Issues & Answers. REL 2012-No. 135

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clifford, Matthew; Condon, Chris; Greenberg, Ariela; Williams, Ryan; Gerdeman, R. Dean; Fetters, Jenni; Baker, Bruce

2012-01-01

This summary describes a study that responds to a request from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for information on Wisconsin's school principal workforce population. In the study, descriptive analyses addressed two research questions: (1) How do the demographic characteristics of Wisconsin school principals compare how did these…

Female characteristics in the Drosophila melanogaster-sigma virus system in natural populations from Languedoc (southern France).

PubMed

Fleuriet, A

1994-01-01

The Drosophila melanogaster-sigma virus system has been extensively analysed for some years in Languedoc. The sigma virus, endemically present in natural populations of the fly, is not contagious but vertically transmitted. The frequency of infected flies dramatically increased from 1983 to 1988 in Languedoc and the increase was clearly correlated with some viral characteristics. From 1988 onwards, this frequency steadily decreased. Three zones were identified in Languedoc, from North to South, in each of which the virus evolved differently. Transovarial transmission and other parameters on the female side in the host virus system were investigated in samples collected in 1992. There were differences in values between the three zones. The contribution of these parameters to the observed differential frequencies of infected flies is discussed.

Primary Care-Mental Health Integration in the Veterans Affairs Health System: Program Characteristics and Performance.

PubMed

Cornwell, Brittany L; Brockmann, Laurie M; Lasky, Elaine C; Mach, Jennifer; McCarthy, John F

2018-06-01

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has achieved substantial national implementation of primary care-mental health integration (PC-MHI) services. However, little is known regarding program characteristics, variation in characteristics across settings, or associations between program fidelity and performance. This study identified core elements of PC-MHI services and evaluated their associations with program characteristics and performance. A principal-components analysis (PCA) of reports from 349 sites identified factors associated with PC-MHI fidelity. Analyses assessed the correlation among factors and between each factor and facility type (medical center or community-based outpatient clinic), primary care population size, and performance indicators (receipt of PC-MHI services, same-day access to mental health and primary care services, and extended duration of services). PCA identified seven factors: core implementation, care management (CM) assessments and supervision, CM supervision receipt, colocated collaborative care (CCC) by prescribing providers, CCC by behavioral health providers, participation in patient aligned care teams (PACTs) for special populations, and treatment of complex mental health conditions. Sites serving larger populations had greater core implementation scores. Medical centers and sites serving larger populations had greater scores for CCC by prescribing providers, CM assessments and supervision, and participation in PACTs. Greater core implementation scores were associated with greater same-day access. Sites with greater scores for CM assessments and supervision had lower scores for treatment of complex conditions. Outpatient clinics and sites serving smaller populations experienced challenges in integrated care implementation. To enhance same-day access, VHA should continue to prioritize PC-MHI implementation. Providing brief, problem-focused care may enhance CM implementation.

The characteristics of wild rat (Rattus spp.) populations from an inner-city neighborhood with a focus on factors critical to the understanding of rat-associated zoonoses.

PubMed

Himsworth, Chelsea G; Jardine, Claire M; Parsons, Kirbee L; Feng, Alice Y T; Patrick, David M

2014-01-01

Norway and black rats (Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus) are among the most ubiquitous urban wildlife species and are the source of a number of zoonotic diseases responsible for significant human morbidity and mortality in cities around the world. Rodent ecology is a primary determinant of the dynamics of zoonotic pathogens in rodent populations and the risk of pathogen transmission to people, yet many studies of rat-associated zoonoses do not account for the ecological characteristics of urban rat populations. This hinders the development of an in-depth understanding of the ecology of rat-associated zoonoses, limits comparability among studies, and can lead to erroneous conclusions. We conducted a year-long trapping-removal study to describe the ecological characteristics of urban rat populations in an inner-city neighborhood of Vancouver, Canada. The study focused on factors that might influence the ecology of zoonotic pathogens in these populations and/or our understanding of that ecology. We found that rat population density varied remarkably over short geographical distances, which could explain observed spatial distributions of rat-associated zoonoses and have implications for sampling and data analysis during research and surveillance. Season appeared to influence rat population composition even within the urban environment, which could cause temporal variation in pathogen prevalence. Body mass and bite wounds, which are often used in epidemiologic analyses as simple proxies for age and aggression, were shown to be more complex than previously thought. Finally, we found that factors associated with trapping can determine the size and composition of sampled rat population, and thus influence inferences made about the source population. These findings may help guide future studies of rats and rat-associated zoonoses.

The Characteristics of Wild Rat (Rattus spp.) Populations from an Inner-City Neighborhood with a Focus on Factors Critical to the Understanding of Rat-Associated Zoonoses

PubMed Central

Himsworth, Chelsea G.; Jardine, Claire M.; Parsons, Kirbee L.; Feng, Alice Y. T.; Patrick, David M.

2014-01-01

Norway and black rats (Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus) are among the most ubiquitous urban wildlife species and are the source of a number of zoonotic diseases responsible for significant human morbidity and mortality in cities around the world. Rodent ecology is a primary determinant of the dynamics of zoonotic pathogens in rodent populations and the risk of pathogen transmission to people, yet many studies of rat-associated zoonoses do not account for the ecological characteristics of urban rat populations. This hinders the development of an in-depth understanding of the ecology of rat-associated zoonoses, limits comparability among studies, and can lead to erroneous conclusions. We conducted a year-long trapping-removal study to describe the ecological characteristics of urban rat populations in an inner-city neighborhood of Vancouver, Canada. The study focused on factors that might influence the ecology of zoonotic pathogens in these populations and/or our understanding of that ecology. We found that rat population density varied remarkably over short geographical distances, which could explain observed spatial distributions of rat-associated zoonoses and have implications for sampling and data analysis during research and surveillance. Season appeared to influence rat population composition even within the urban environment, which could cause temporal variation in pathogen prevalence. Body mass and bite wounds, which are often used in epidemiologic analyses as simple proxies for age and aggression, were shown to be more complex than previously thought. Finally, we found that factors associated with trapping can determine the size and composition of sampled rat population, and thus influence inferences made about the source population. These findings may help guide future studies of rats and rat-associated zoonoses. PMID:24646877

Development of new microsatellite loci and multiplex reactions for muskellunge (Esox masquinongy)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sloss, Brian L.; Franckowiak, R.P.; Murphy, E.L.

2008-01-01

The muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) is a valued fisheries species throughout its native range. Numerous studies have documented performance and phenotypic differences among muskellunge populations, but genetic markers for assessment have been lacking. We characterized 14 microsatellite loci and developed five multiplex polymerase chain reactions. Successful amplification of northern pike (Esox lucius) was observed for seven loci. These microsatellites will be useful for analysing population structure, performance characteristics of propagated strains, and helping to develop and monitor hatchery management guidelines for muskellunge. ?? 2008 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Do job demands and job control affect problem-solving?

PubMed

Bergman, Peter N; Ahlberg, Gunnel; Johansson, Gun; Stoetzer, Ulrich; Aborg, Carl; Hallsten, Lennart; Lundberg, Ingvar

2012-01-01

The Job Demand Control model presents combinations of working conditions that may facilitate learning, the active learning hypothesis, or have detrimental effects on health, the strain hypothesis. To test the active learning hypothesis, this study analysed the effects of job demands and job control on general problem-solving strategies. A population-based sample of 4,636 individuals (55% women, 45% men) with the same job characteristics measured at two times with a three year time lag was used. Main effects of demands, skill discretion, task authority and control, and the combined effects of demands and control were analysed in logistic regressions, on four outcomes representing general problem-solving strategies. Those reporting high on skill discretion, task authority and control, as well as those reporting high demand/high control and low demand/high control job characteristics were more likely to state using problem solving strategies. Results suggest that working conditions including high levels of control may affect how individuals cope with problems and that workplace characteristics may affect behaviour in the non-work domain.

Comparative biology and population mixing among local, coastal and offshore Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) in the North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat and western Baltic

PubMed Central

Slotte, Aril; Johannessen, Arne; Kvamme, Cecilie; Clausen, Lotte Worsøe; Nash, Richard D. M.

2017-01-01

The population structure of Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) from 13 local, coastal and offshore areas of the North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat and western Baltic (northeast Atlantic) was studied using biological and environmental data from 1970–2015. The objective was to identify distinct populations by comparing variability in the temporal and spatial phenotypic characteristics and evaluate the potential for mixing of populations in time and space. The populations varied in biological characteristics such as mean vertebral counts (VS), growth and maturity ogives. Generalized additive models indicated temporally stable VS in the North Sea and western Baltic, whereas intra-annual temporal variation of VS occurred in other areas. High variability of VS within a population was not affected by environmental factors such as temperature and salinity. Consequently, seasonal VS variability can be explained by the presence or absence of herring populations as they migrate between areas. The three main populations identified in this paper correspond to the three managed stocks in this area: Norwegian spring spawners (NSS), western Baltic spring spawners (WBSS) and North Sea autumn spawners (NSAS). In addition, several local populations were identified in fjords or lakes along the coast, but our analyses could not detect direct mixing of local populations with the three main populations. Our results highlight the importance of recognizing herring dynamics and understanding the mixing of populations as a challenge for management of herring. PMID:29084258

[Patient first - The impact of characteristics of target populations on decisions about therapy effectiveness of complex interventions: Psychological variables to assess effectiveness in interdisciplinary multimodal pain therapy].

PubMed

Kaiser, Ulrike; Sabatowski, Rainer; Balck, Friedrich

2017-08-01

The assessment of treatment effectiveness in public health settings is ensured by indicators that reflect the changes caused by specific interventions. These indicators are also applied in benchmarking systems. The selection of constructs should be guided by their relevance for affected patients (patient reported outcomes). The interdisciplinary multimodal pain therapy (IMPT) is a complex intervention based on a biopsychosocial understanding of chronic pain. For quality assurance purposes, psychological parameters (depression, general anxiety, health-related quality of life) are included in standardized therapy assessment in pain medicine (KEDOQ), which can also be used for comparative analyses in a benchmarking system. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relevance of depressive symptoms, general anxiety and mental quality of life in patients undergoing IMPT under real life conditions. In this retrospective, one-armed and exploratory observational study we used secondary data of a routine documentation of IMST in routine care, applying several variables of the German Pain Questionnaire and the facility's comprehensive basic documentation. 352 participants with IMPT (from 2006 to 2010) were included, and the follow-up was performed over two years with six assessments. Because of statistically heterogeneous characteristics a complex analysis consisting of factor and cluster analyses was applied to build subgroups. These subgroups were explored to identify differences in depressive symptoms (HADS-D), general anxiety (HADS-A), and mental quality of life (SF 36 PSK) at the time of therapy admission and their development estimated by means of effect sizes. Analyses were performed using SPSS 21.0®. Six subgroups were derived and mainly proved to be clinically and psychologically normal, with the exception of one subgroup that consistently showed psychological impairment for all three parameters. The follow-up of the total study population revealed medium or large effects; changes in the subgroups were consistently caused by two subgroups, while the other four showed little or no change. In summary, only a small proportion of the target population (20 %) demonstrated clinically relevant scores in the psychological parameters applied. When selecting indicators for quality assurance, the heterogeneity of the target populations as well as conceptual and methodological aspects should be considered. The characteristics of the parameters intended, along with clinical and personal relevance of indicators for patients, should be investigated by specific procedures such as patient surveys and statistical analyses. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

ODE constrained mixture modelling: a method for unraveling subpopulation structures and dynamics.

PubMed

Hasenauer, Jan; Hasenauer, Christine; Hucho, Tim; Theis, Fabian J

2014-07-01

Functional cell-to-cell variability is ubiquitous in multicellular organisms as well as bacterial populations. Even genetically identical cells of the same cell type can respond differently to identical stimuli. Methods have been developed to analyse heterogeneous populations, e.g., mixture models and stochastic population models. The available methods are, however, either incapable of simultaneously analysing different experimental conditions or are computationally demanding and difficult to apply. Furthermore, they do not account for biological information available in the literature. To overcome disadvantages of existing methods, we combine mixture models and ordinary differential equation (ODE) models. The ODE models provide a mechanistic description of the underlying processes while mixture models provide an easy way to capture variability. In a simulation study, we show that the class of ODE constrained mixture models can unravel the subpopulation structure and determine the sources of cell-to-cell variability. In addition, the method provides reliable estimates for kinetic rates and subpopulation characteristics. We use ODE constrained mixture modelling to study NGF-induced Erk1/2 phosphorylation in primary sensory neurones, a process relevant in inflammatory and neuropathic pain. We propose a mechanistic pathway model for this process and reconstructed static and dynamical subpopulation characteristics across experimental conditions. We validate the model predictions experimentally, which verifies the capabilities of ODE constrained mixture models. These results illustrate that ODE constrained mixture models can reveal novel mechanistic insights and possess a high sensitivity.

Hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions and quality of primary care: their relation with socioeconomic and health care variables in the Madrid regional health service (Spain).

PubMed

Magán, Purificación; Alberquilla, Angel; Otero, Angel; Ribera, José Manuel

2011-01-01

Hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSH) have been proposed as an indirect indicator of the effectiveness and quality of care provided by primary health care. To investigate the association of ACSH rates with population socioeconomic factors and with characteristics of primary health care. Cross-sectional, ecologic study. Using hospital discharge data, ACSH were selected from the list of conditions validated for Spain. All 34 health districts in the Region of Madrid, Spain. Individuals aged 65 years or older residing in the region of Madrid between 2001 and 2003, inclusive. Age- and gender-adjusted ACSH rates in each health district. The adjusted ACSH rate per 1000 population was 35.37 in men and 20.45 in women. In the Poisson regression analysis, an inverse relation was seen between ACSH rates and the socioeconomic variables. Physician workload was the only health care variable with a statistically significant relation (rate ratio of 1.066 [95% CI; 1.041-1.091]). These results were similar in the analyses disaggregated by gender. In the multivariate analyses that included health care variables, none of the health care variables were statistically significant. ACSH may be more closely related with socioeconomic variables than with characteristics of primary care activity. Therefore, other factors outside the health system must be considered to improve health outcomes in the population.

CIAS detection of Fasciola hepatica/F. gigantica intermediate forms in bovines from Bangladesh.

PubMed

Ahasan, Syed Ali; Valero, M Adela; Chowdhury, Emdadul Haque; Islam, Mohammad Taohidul; Islam, Mohammad Rafiqul; Hussain Mondal, Mohammad Motahar; Peixoto, Raquel V; Berinde, Lavinia; Panova, Miroslava; Mas-Coma, Santiago

2016-03-01

Fascioliasis is an important food-borne parasitic zoonosis caused by two trematode species, Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica. The characterisation and differentiation of Fasciola populations is crucial to control the disease, given the different transmission, epidemiology and pathology characteristics of the two species. Lineal biometric features of adult liver flukes infecting livestock have been studied to characterise and discriminate fasciolids from Bangladesh. An accurate analysis was conducted to phenotypically discriminate between fasciolids from naturally infected bovines (cattle, buffaloes) throughout the country. Morphometric analyses were made with a computer image analysis system (CIAS) applied on the basis of standardised measurements and the logistic model of the body growth and development of fasciolids in the different host groups. Since it is the first ever comprehensive study of this kind undertaken in Bangladesh, the results are compared to pure fasciolid populations of F. hepatica from the European Mediterranean area and F. gigantica from Burkina Faso, geographical areas where both species do not co-exist. Principal component analysis showed that the biometric characteristics of fasciolids from Bangladesh are situated between F. hepatica and F. gigantica standard populations, indicating the presence of phenotypes of intermediate forms in Bangladesh. These results are analysed by considering the present emergence of animal fascioliasis, the local lymnaeid fauna, the impact of climate change, and the risk of human infection in the country.

Systematic reviews need to consider applicability to disadvantaged populations: inter-rater agreement for a health equity plausibility algorithm

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Systematic reviews have been challenged to consider effects on disadvantaged groups. A priori specification of subgroup analyses is recommended to increase the credibility of these analyses. This study aimed to develop and assess inter-rater agreement for an algorithm for systematic review authors to predict whether differences in effect measures are likely for disadvantaged populations relative to advantaged populations (only relative effect measures were addressed). Methods A health equity plausibility algorithm was developed using clinimetric methods with three items based on literature review, key informant interviews and methodology studies. The three items dealt with the plausibility of differences in relative effects across sex or socioeconomic status (SES) due to: 1) patient characteristics; 2) intervention delivery (i.e., implementation); and 3) comparators. Thirty-five respondents (consisting of clinicians, methodologists and research users) assessed the likelihood of differences across sex and SES for ten systematic reviews with these questions. We assessed inter-rater reliability using Fleiss multi-rater kappa. Results The proportion agreement was 66% for patient characteristics (95% confidence interval: 61%-71%), 67% for intervention delivery (95% confidence interval: 62% to 72%) and 55% for the comparator (95% confidence interval: 50% to 60%). Inter-rater kappa, assessed with Fleiss kappa, ranged from 0 to 0.199, representing very low agreement beyond chance. Conclusions Users of systematic reviews rated that important differences in relative effects across sex and socioeconomic status were plausible for a range of individual and population-level interventions. However, there was very low inter-rater agreement for these assessments. There is an unmet need for discussion of plausibility of differential effects in systematic reviews. Increased consideration of external validity and applicability to different populations and settings is warranted in systematic reviews to meet this need. PMID:23253632

Untangling individual variation in natural populations: ecological, genetic and epigenetic correlates of long-term inequality in herbivory.

PubMed

Herrera, C M; Bazaga, P

2011-04-01

Individual variation in ecologically important features of organisms is a crucial element in ecology and evolution, yet disentangling its underlying causes is difficult in natural populations. We applied a genomic scan approach using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers to quantify the genetic basis of long-term individual differences in herbivory by mammals at a wild population of the violet Viola cazorlensis monitored for two decades. In addition, methylation-sensitive amplified polymorphism (MSAP) analyses were used to investigate the association between browsing damage and epigenetic characteristics of individuals, an aspect that has been not previously explored for any wild plant. Structural equation modelling was used to identify likely causal structures linking genotypes, epigenotypes and herbivory. Individuals of V. cazorlensis differed widely in the incidence of browsing mammals over the 20-year study period. Six AFLP markers (1.6% of total) were significantly related to herbivory, accounting altogether for 44% of population-wide variance in herbivory levels. MSAP analyses revealed considerable epigenetic variation among individuals, and differential browsing damage was significantly related to variation in multilocus epigenotypes. In addition, variation across plants in epigenetic characteristics was related to variation in several herbivory-related AFLP markers. Statistical comparison of alternative causal models suggested that individual differences in herbivory are the outcome of a complex causal structure where genotypes and epigenotypes are interconnected and have direct and indirect effects on herbivory. Insofar as methylation states of MSAP markers influential on herbivory are transgenerationally heritable, herbivore-driven evolutionary changes at the study population will involve correlated changes in genotypic and epigenotypic distributions. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Systematic reviews need to consider applicability to disadvantaged populations: inter-rater agreement for a health equity plausibility algorithm.

PubMed

Welch, Vivian; Brand, Kevin; Kristjansson, Elizabeth; Smylie, Janet; Wells, George; Tugwell, Peter

2012-12-19

Systematic reviews have been challenged to consider effects on disadvantaged groups. A priori specification of subgroup analyses is recommended to increase the credibility of these analyses. This study aimed to develop and assess inter-rater agreement for an algorithm for systematic review authors to predict whether differences in effect measures are likely for disadvantaged populations relative to advantaged populations (only relative effect measures were addressed). A health equity plausibility algorithm was developed using clinimetric methods with three items based on literature review, key informant interviews and methodology studies. The three items dealt with the plausibility of differences in relative effects across sex or socioeconomic status (SES) due to: 1) patient characteristics; 2) intervention delivery (i.e., implementation); and 3) comparators. Thirty-five respondents (consisting of clinicians, methodologists and research users) assessed the likelihood of differences across sex and SES for ten systematic reviews with these questions. We assessed inter-rater reliability using Fleiss multi-rater kappa. The proportion agreement was 66% for patient characteristics (95% confidence interval: 61%-71%), 67% for intervention delivery (95% confidence interval: 62% to 72%) and 55% for the comparator (95% confidence interval: 50% to 60%). Inter-rater kappa, assessed with Fleiss kappa, ranged from 0 to 0.199, representing very low agreement beyond chance. Users of systematic reviews rated that important differences in relative effects across sex and socioeconomic status were plausible for a range of individual and population-level interventions. However, there was very low inter-rater agreement for these assessments. There is an unmet need for discussion of plausibility of differential effects in systematic reviews. Increased consideration of external validity and applicability to different populations and settings is warranted in systematic reviews to meet this need.

Mindful attention and awareness: relationships with psychopathology and emotion regulation.

PubMed

Gregório, Sónia; Pinto-Gouveia, José

2013-01-01

The growing interest in mindfulness from the scientific community has originated several self-report measures of this psychological construct. The Mindful Attention and Awareness Scale (MAAS) is a self-report measure of mindfulness at a trait-level. This paper aims at exploring MAAS psychometric characteristics and validating it for the Portuguese population. The first two studies replicate some of the original author's statistical procedures in two different samples from the Portuguese general community population, in particular confirmatory factor analyses. Results from both analyses confirmed the scale single-factor structure and indicated a very good reliability. Moreover, cross-validation statistics showed that this single-factor structure is valid for different respondents from the general community population. In the third study the Portuguese version of the MAAS was found to have good convergent and discriminant validities. Overall the findings support the psychometric validity of the Portuguese version of MAAS and suggest this is a reliable self-report measure of trait-mindfulness, a central construct in Clinical Psychology research and intervention fields.

Marshes as "Mountain Tops": Genetic Analyses of the Critically Endangered São Paulo Marsh Antwren (Aves: Thamnophilidae).

PubMed

de Camargo, Crisley; Gibbs, H Lisle; Costa, Mariellen C; Del-Rio, Glaucia; Silveira, Luís F; Wasko, Adriane P; Francisco, Mercival R

2015-01-01

Small populations of endangered species can be impacted by genetic processes such as drift and inbreeding that reduce population viability. As such, conservation genetic analyses that assess population levels of genetic variation and levels of gene flow can provide important information for managing threatened species. The São Paulo Marsh Antwren (Formicivora paludicola) is a recently-described and critically endangered bird from São Paulo State (Brazil) whose total estimated population is around 250-300 individuals, distributed in only 15 isolated marshes around São Paulo metropolitan region. We used microsatellite DNA markers to estimate the population genetic characteristics of the three largest remaining populations of this species all within 60 km of each other. We detected a high and significant genetic structure between all populations (overall FST = 0.103) which is comparable to the highest levels of differentiation ever documented for birds, (e.g., endangered birds found in isolated populations on the tops of African mountains), but also evidence for first-generation immigrants, likely from small local unsampled populations. Effective population sizes were small (between 28.8-99.9 individuals) yet there are high levels of genetic variability within populations and no evidence for inbreeding. Conservation implications of this work are that the high levels of genetic structure suggests that translocations between populations need to be carefully considered in light of possible local adaptation and that remaining populations of these birds should be managed as conservation units that contain both main populations studied here but also small outlying populations which may be a source of immigrants.

A Study to Determine the Existence and Characteristics of Distinctively Different Subpopulations Subsumed within the Reading Disabled Population.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steinberg, Laurie S.

Forty-five third-grade and fourth-grade boys identified by their schools as being both normal in intelligence and severely disabled in reading were given a battery of tests of language, visual perception, silent reading comprehension, and finger agnosia. Three consistent groups of subjects emerged from cluster analyses of the results. One group…

The Social and Recreational Characteristics of Adults with Intellectual Disability and Pica Living in Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashworth, Melody; Hirdes, John P.; Martin, Lynn

2009-01-01

This paper reports on the social life of adults with intellectual disability (ID) who engage in pica behaviour (i.e., ingestion of non-food items). Secondary analyses were conducted on the population of adults residing in Ontario's three remaining specialized institutions for persons with ID (N = 1008); 220 individuals (21.8%) had pica. All…

The Determinants of Costs and Length of Stay for Hip Fracture Patients

PubMed Central

Castelli, Adriana; Daidone, Silvio; Jacobs, Rowena; Kasteridis, Panagiotis; Street, Andrew David

2015-01-01

Background and Purpose An ageing population at greater risk of proximal femoral fracture places an additional clinical and financial burden on hospital and community medical services. We analyse the variation in i) length of stay (LoS) in hospital and ii) costs across the acute care pathway for hip fracture from emergency admission, to hospital stay and follow-up outpatient appointments. Patients and Methods We analyse patient-level data from England for 2009/10 for around 60,000 hip fracture cases in 152 hospitals using a random effects generalized linear multi-level model where the dependent variable is given by the patient’s cost or length of stay (LoS). We control for socio-economic characteristics, type of fracture and intervention, co-morbidities, discharge destination of patients, and quality indicators. We also control for provider and social care characteristics. Results Older patients and those from more deprived areas have higher costs and LoS, as do those with specific co-morbidities or that develop pressure ulcers, and those transferred between hospitals or readmitted within 28 days. Costs are also higher for those having a computed tomography (CT) scan or cemented arthroscopy. Costs and LoS are lower for those admitted via a 24h emergency department, receiving surgery on the same day of admission, and discharged to their own homes. Interpretation Patient and treatment characteristics are more important as determinants of cost and LoS than provider or social care factors. A better understanding of the impact of these characteristics can support providers to develop treatment strategies and pathways to better manage this patient population. PMID:26204450

Familiality of major depressive disorder and patterns of lifetime comorbidity. The NEMESIS and GenMood studies. A comparison of three samples.

PubMed

Verhagen, Maaike; van der Meij, Annemarie; Franke, Barbara; Vollebergh, Wilma A M; de Graaf, Ron; Buitelaar, Jan K; Janzing, Joost G E

2008-12-01

Major depressive disorder (MDD) aggregates in families and is associated with high rates of lifetime axis-I comorbidity. This study examined whether familiality of MDD is associated with the presence of specific comorbid disorders, which might be an important factor to be taken into account in MDD treatment and research into MDD etiology. A population sample was divided into subjects with familial (f-MDD; n=432) and nonfamilial MDD (nf-MDD; n=454). Since, more comorbidity was expected in clinical cases, a clinical sample with f-MDD (n=120) was also studied. Subjects were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview and family history methods. Binary logistic regression analyses were carried out to examine the influence of familiality of MDD on comorbidity. Analyses were adjusted for potential confounders, including MDD characteristics such as severity and age of onset. Dysthymia, anxiety disorders, and alcohol use disorders were significantly more prevalent in subjects with f-MDD than in subjects with nf-MDD. Clinical f-MDD was associated with more anxiety disorders and fewer alcohol use disorders than population f-MDD. After adjustment for MDD characteristics including age at onset, severity, and disease course, comorbid disorders remained more prevalent in f-MDD than in nf-MDD. The instruments used in the population and the clinical samples were not identical, however, they were comparable to a substantial degree. F-MDD, especially in clinical cases, appears to increase the risk of development of comorbid disorders, regardless of MDD characteristics. The link between familiality and comorbidity is important because it will aid a better understanding of the MDD phenotype, and it contributes to planning of effective treatment and to molecular genetic studies.

Nebraska's rural behavioral healthcare workforce distribution and relationship between supply and county characteristics.

PubMed

Nguyen, Anh T; Trout, Kate E; Chen, Li-Wu; Madison, Lynda; Watkins, Katherine L; Watanabe-Galloway, Shinobu

2016-01-01

Specific attention is needed to improve mental health outcomes in rural communities. Rural communities continue to have higher unmet mental health needs than their urban counterparts. Quantifying workforce supply and shortages can aid in identifying areas in need of the recruitment, training, licensure, and retention of behavioral health professionals. However, workforce analyses have presented a challenge as comprehensive workforce data are limited. This study examines the geographic distribution of behavioral healthcare professionals and the relationship between supply and county characteristics in Nebraska in 2012. Practice location data for behavioral healthcare professionals were obtained from the 2012 University of Nebraska Medical Center's Health Profession Tracking Service Survey. Behavioral healthcare professionals included were psychiatric prescribers, independent behavioral professionals, mental health practitioners, and addiction counselors. The rural and urban distribution of professionals was examined using descriptive statistics. The relationships between county-level provider-to-population ratios and county characteristics were examined using multivariate Poisson regression analyses. In 2012, there were 2468 behavioral health professionals actively practicing in Nebraska. The majority (71.2%) of all behavioral professionals in Nebraska were actively practicing in metropolitan areas as compared to 27.3% in rural and 1.5% in frontier areas. For all categories of professions, excluding physician assistants, Nebraska's urban areas had the highest ratios of provider to 100 000 population as compared to rural and frontier areas in Nebraska. The total supply of behavioral health professionals was positively associated with metropolitan areas and the percentage of populations in poverty. The total supply of behavioral health professionals was negatively associated with the percentage of children under 18 years of age and the percentage of elderly aged 65 years or older. Rural counties and areas with high proportions of children and aging populations in Nebraska face significant challenges in recruiting and retaining behavioral healthcare professionals. The findings from this study have implications for quantifying the need and demand for behavioral healthcare professionals in workforce planning and policy analysis.

The influence of neighborhood unemployment on mortality after stroke.

PubMed

Unrath, Michael; Wellmann, Jürgen; Diederichs, Claudia; Binse, Lisa; Kalic, Marianne; Heuschmann, Peter Ulrich; Berger, Klaus

2014-07-01

Few studies have investigated the impact of neighborhood characteristics on mortality after stroke. Aim of our study was to analyze the influence of district unemployment as indicator of neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES-NH) on poststroke mortality, and to compare these results with the mortality in the underlying general population. Our analyses involve 2 prospective cohort studies from the city of Dortmund, Germany. In the Dortmund Stroke Register (DOST), consecutive stroke patients (N=1883) were recruited from acute care hospitals. In the Dortmund Health Study (DHS), a random general population sample was drawn (n=2291; response rate 66.9%). Vital status was ascertained in the city's registration office and information on district unemployment was obtained from the city's statistical office. We performed multilevel survival analyses to examine the association between district unemployment and mortality. The association between neighborhood unemployment and mortality was weak and not statistically significant in the stroke cohort. Only stroke patients exposed to the highest district unemployment (fourth quartile) had slightly higher mortality risks. In the general population sample, higher district unemployment was significantly associated with higher mortality following a social gradient. After adjustment for education, health-related behavior and morbidity was made the strength of this association decreased. The impact of SES-NH on mortality was different for stroke patients and the general population. Differences in the association between SES-NH and mortality may be partly explained by disease-related characteristics of the stroke cohort such as homogeneous lifestyles, similar morbidity profiles, medical factors, and old age. Copyright © 2014 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Large-scale mitochondrial DNA analysis in Southeast Asia reveals evolutionary effects of cultural isolation in the multi-ethnic population of Myanmar.

PubMed

Summerer, Monika; Horst, Jürgen; Erhart, Gertraud; Weißensteiner, Hansi; Schönherr, Sebastian; Pacher, Dominic; Forer, Lukas; Horst, David; Manhart, Angelika; Horst, Basil; Sanguansermsri, Torpong; Kloss-Brandstätter, Anita

2014-01-28

Myanmar is the largest country in mainland Southeast Asia with a population of 55 million people subdivided into more than 100 ethnic groups. Ruled by changing kingdoms and dynasties and lying on the trade route between India and China, Myanmar was influenced by numerous cultures. Since its independence from British occupation, tensions between the ruling Bamar and ethnic minorities increased. Our aim was to search for genetic footprints of Myanmar's geographic, historic and sociocultural characteristics and to contribute to the picture of human colonization by describing and dating of new mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups. Therefore, we sequenced the mtDNA control region of 327 unrelated donors and the complete mitochondrial genome of 44 selected individuals according to highest quality standards. Phylogenetic analyses of the entire mtDNA genomes uncovered eight new haplogroups and three unclassified basal M-lineages. The multi-ethnic population and the complex history of Myanmar were reflected in its mtDNA heterogeneity. Population genetic analyses of Burmese control region sequences combined with population data from neighboring countries revealed that the Myanmar haplogroup distribution showed a typical Southeast Asian pattern, but also Northeast Asian and Indian influences. The population structure of the extraordinarily diverse Bamar differed from that of the Karen people who displayed signs of genetic isolation. Migration analyses indicated a considerable genetic exchange with an overall positive migration balance from Myanmar to neighboring countries. Age estimates of the newly described haplogroups point to the existence of evolutionary windows where climatic and cultural changes gave rise to mitochondrial haplogroup diversification in Asia.

Association between job characteristics and plasma fibrinogen in a normal working population: a cross sectional analysis in referents of the SHEEP Study. Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Program.

PubMed

Tsutsumi, A; Theorell, T; Hallqvist, J; Reuterwall, C; de Faire, U

1999-06-01

To explore the association between job characteristics and plasma fibrinogen concentrations. Cross sectional design. The Greater Stockholm area. A total of 1018 men and 490 women aged 45-70 who were randomly selected from the general population during 1992-1994. They were all employed and had no history of myocardial infarction. The self reported job characteristics were measured by a Swedish version of the Karasek demand-control questionnaire. For inferred scoring of job characteristics, psychosocial exposure categories (job control and psychological demands) were assigned by linking each subject's occupational history with a work organisation exposure matrix. Job strain was defined as the ratio between demands and control. In univariate analyses, expected linear trends were found in three of four tests of association between high plasma fibrinogen and low control (the self reported score for women and the inferred score for both sexes), in one of four tests of association between high plasma fibrinogen and high demands (the inferred score for women) and in two of four tests of association between high plasma fibrinogen and job strain (the inferred score for both sexes). Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that men in the inferred job strain group have an increased risk of falling into the increased plasma fibrinogen concentration group (above median level of the distribution) (odds ratio (OR) 1.2; 95% CI 1.0, 1.5) after adjustment for the variables that were associated with plasma fibrinogen in the univariate analyses. In women, low self reported control, high inferred demand, and inferred job strain were significantly associated with increased plasma fibrinogen concentration (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.0, 1.8, OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.0, 2.2, OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.1, 2.2, respectively). These results indicate that adverse job characteristics may be related to plasma fibrinogen concentrations and this relation is more relevant in female workers. The clearest evidence for psychosocial effects on plasma fibrinogen seems to be with job control and the associations are clearer for the objective than for the self report variables.

Duelling timescales of host mixing and disease spread determine invasion of disease in structured populations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cross, P.C.; Lloyd-Smith, James O.; Johnson, P.L.F.; Getz, W.M.

2005-01-01

The epidemic potential of a disease is traditionally assessed using the basic reproductive number, R0. However, in populations with social or spatial structure a chronic disease is more likely to invade than an acute disease with the same R0, because it persists longer within each group and allows for more host movement between groups. Acute diseases ‘perceive’ a more structured host population, and it is more important to consider host population structure in analyses of these diseases. The probability of a pandemic does not arise independently from characteristics of either the host or disease, but rather from the interaction of host movement and disease recovery timescales. The R* statistic, a group-level equivalent of R0, is a better indicator of disease invasion in structured populations than the individual-level R0.

Subgroup Analysis of Trials Is Rarely Easy (SATIRE): a study protocol for a systematic review to characterize the analysis, reporting, and claim of subgroup effects in randomized trials.

PubMed

Sun, Xin; Briel, Matthias; Busse, Jason W; Akl, Elie A; You, John J; Mejza, Filip; Bala, Malgorzata; Diaz-Granados, Natalia; Bassler, Dirk; Mertz, Dominik; Srinathan, Sadeesh K; Vandvik, Per Olav; Malaga, German; Alshurafa, Mohamed; Dahm, Philipp; Alonso-Coello, Pablo; Heels-Ansdell, Diane M; Bhatnagar, Neera; Johnston, Bradley C; Wang, Li; Walter, Stephen D; Altman, Douglas G; Guyatt, Gordon H

2009-11-09

Subgroup analyses in randomized trials examine whether effects of interventions differ between subgroups of study populations according to characteristics of patients or interventions. However, findings from subgroup analyses may be misleading, potentially resulting in suboptimal clinical and health decision making. Few studies have investigated the reporting and conduct of subgroup analyses and a number of important questions remain unanswered. The objectives of this study are: 1) to describe the reporting of subgroup analyses and claims of subgroup effects in randomized controlled trials, 2) to assess study characteristics associated with reporting of subgroup analyses and with claims of subgroup effects, and 3) to examine the analysis, and interpretation of subgroup effects for each study's primary outcome. We will conduct a systematic review of 464 randomized controlled human trials published in 2007 in the 118 Core Clinical Journals defined by the National Library of Medicine. We will randomly select journal articles, stratified in a 1:1 ratio by higher impact versus lower impact journals. According to 2007 ISI total citations, we consider the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, Lancet, Annals of Internal Medicine, and BMJ as higher impact journals. Teams of two reviewers will independently screen full texts of reports for eligibility, and abstract data, using standardized, pilot-tested extraction forms. We will conduct univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses to examine the association of pre-specified study characteristics with reporting of subgroup analyses and with claims of subgroup effects for the primary and any other outcomes. A clear understanding of subgroup analyses, as currently conducted and reported in published randomized controlled trials, will reveal both strengths and weaknesses of this practice. Our findings will contribute to a set of recommendations to optimize the conduct and reporting of subgroup analyses, and claim and interpretation of subgroup effects in randomized trials.

Subgroup Analysis of Trials Is Rarely Easy (SATIRE): a study protocol for a systematic review to characterize the analysis, reporting, and claim of subgroup effects in randomized trials

PubMed Central

Sun, Xin; Briel, Matthias; Busse, Jason W; Akl, Elie A; You, John J; Mejza, Filip; Bala, Malgorzata; Diaz-Granados, Natalia; Bassler, Dirk; Mertz, Dominik; Srinathan, Sadeesh K; Vandvik, Per Olav; Malaga, German; Alshurafa, Mohamed; Dahm, Philipp; Alonso-Coello, Pablo; Heels-Ansdell, Diane M; Bhatnagar, Neera; Johnston, Bradley C; Wang, Li; Walter, Stephen D; Altman, Douglas G; Guyatt, Gordon H

2009-01-01

Background Subgroup analyses in randomized trials examine whether effects of interventions differ between subgroups of study populations according to characteristics of patients or interventions. However, findings from subgroup analyses may be misleading, potentially resulting in suboptimal clinical and health decision making. Few studies have investigated the reporting and conduct of subgroup analyses and a number of important questions remain unanswered. The objectives of this study are: 1) to describe the reporting of subgroup analyses and claims of subgroup effects in randomized controlled trials, 2) to assess study characteristics associated with reporting of subgroup analyses and with claims of subgroup effects, and 3) to examine the analysis, and interpretation of subgroup effects for each study's primary outcome. Methods We will conduct a systematic review of 464 randomized controlled human trials published in 2007 in the 118 Core Clinical Journals defined by the National Library of Medicine. We will randomly select journal articles, stratified in a 1:1 ratio by higher impact versus lower impact journals. According to 2007 ISI total citations, we consider the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, Lancet, Annals of Internal Medicine, and BMJ as higher impact journals. Teams of two reviewers will independently screen full texts of reports for eligibility, and abstract data, using standardized, pilot-tested extraction forms. We will conduct univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses to examine the association of pre-specified study characteristics with reporting of subgroup analyses and with claims of subgroup effects for the primary and any other outcomes. Discussion A clear understanding of subgroup analyses, as currently conducted and reported in published randomized controlled trials, will reveal both strengths and weaknesses of this practice. Our findings will contribute to a set of recommendations to optimize the conduct and reporting of subgroup analyses, and claim and interpretation of subgroup effects in randomized trials. PMID:19900273

Morphometric and molecular analyses of the sand fly species Lutzomyia shannoni (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) collected from seven different geographical areas in the southeastern United States.

PubMed

Florin, David A; Davies, Stephen J; Olsen, Cara; Lawyer, Phillip; Lipnick, Robert; Schultz, George; Rowton, Edgar; Wilkerson, Richard; Keep, Lisa

2011-03-01

A morphometric and molecular study of adult male and female Lutzomyia shannoni (Dyar 1929) collected at seven different locations within the southeastern United States was conducted to assess the degree of divergence between the grouped specimens from each location. The collection locations were as follows: Fort Bragg, NC; Fort Campbell, KY; Fort Rucker, AL; Ossabaw Island, GA; Patuxent National Wildlife Research Refuge, MD; Suwannee National Wildlife Refuge, FL; and Baton Rouge, LA. Forty males and forty females from each location were analyzed morphometrically from 54 and 49 character measurements, respectively. In addition, the molecular markers consisting of the partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (from 105 sand flies: 15 specimens/collection site) and the partial internal transcribed spacer 2 (from 42 sand flies: six specimens/collection site) were compared. Multivariate analyses indicate that the low degree of variation between the grouped specimens from each collection site prevents the separation of any collection site into an entity that could be interpreted as a distinct population. The molecular analyses were in concordance with the morphometric study as no collection location grouped into a separate population based on the two partial markers. The grouped specimens from each collection site appear to be within the normal variance of the species, indicating a single population in the southeast United States. It is recommended that additional character analyses of L. shannoni based on more molecular markers, behavioral, ecological, and physiological characteristics, be conducted before ruling out the possibility of populations or a cryptic species complex within the southeastern United States.

Multifactorial genetic divergence processes drive the onset of speciation in an Amazonian fish

PubMed Central

Torrente-Vilara, Gislene; Quilodran, Claudio; Rodrigues da Costa Doria, Carolina; Montoya-Burgos, Juan I.

2017-01-01

Understanding the processes that drive population genetic divergence in the Amazon is challenging because of the vast scale, the environmental richness and the outstanding biodiversity of the region. We addressed this issue by determining the genetic structure of the widespread Amazonian common sardine fish Triportheus albus (Characidae). We then examined the influence, on this species, of all previously proposed population-structuring factors, including isolation-by-distance, isolation-by-barrier (the Teotônio Falls) and isolation-by-environment using variables that describe floodplain and water characteristics. The population genetics analyses revealed an unusually strong structure with three geographical groups: Negro/Tapajós rivers, Lower Madeira/Central Amazon, and Upper Madeira. Distance-based redundancy analyses showed that the optimal model for explaining the extreme genetic structure contains all proposed structuring factors and accounts for up to 70% of the genetic structure. We further quantified the contribution of each factor via a variance-partitioning analysis. Our results demonstrate that multiple factors, often proposed as individual drivers of population divergence, have acted in conjunction to divide T. albus into three genetic lineages. Because the conjunction of multiple long-standing population-structuring processes may lead to population reproductive isolation, that is, the onset of speciation, we suggest that the multifactorial population-structuring processes highlighted in this study could account for the high speciation rate characterising the Amazon Basin. PMID:29261722

User characteristics of a smartphone app to reduce alcohol consumption.

PubMed

Garnett, Claire; Crane, David; West, Robert; Michie, Susan; Brown, Jamie; Winstock, Adam

2017-12-01

Digital interventions are available to help people reduce their alcohol consumption, but it is not known who uses these interventions and how this treatment-seeking group compares with the general population of drinkers. The study objective was to compare the socio-demographic and drinking characteristics of users of the 'Drinks Meter' smartphone app with the general population of drinkers in England and website users of the same intervention. Data were used from the Drinks Meter app and website, and a nationally representative cross-sectional survey in England (Alcohol Toolkit Study). Participants were drinkers aged 16+ in England. Data were collected on participants' age, gender, region, sexual orientation, social grade and AUDIT score. Regression analyses were conducted to assess differences in socio-demographic and drinking characteristics between samples. Drinks Meter app users, compared with drinkers of the general population, were younger, more likely to be from the South, not heterosexual, less likely to be of a lower social grade and had a higher mean AUDIT score. Drinks Meter app users were younger than website users and reported greater alcohol consumption and related harms. Drinkers using the Drinks Meter app are more likely to be younger and report greater alcohol consumption and related harms compared with the general population of drinkers in England and website users of the same intervention. Apps that provide feedback on drinking appear to be reaching those who report greater alcohol consumption and related harms.

Characteristics of visitors to practitioners of homeopathy in a large adult Norwegian population (the HUNT 3 study).

PubMed

Løhre, Audhild; Rise, Marit By; Steinsbekk, Aslak

2012-07-01

The aim was to investigate characteristics of female and male visitors to practitioners of homeopathy in a large adult population in Norway. A cross-sectional adult total population health survey from Central Norway (the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study--HUNT 3) conducted in 2008. Variables included demographics, lifestyle, health status and health care use. Multivariate logistic regression models were employed to analyse the data. In total 50,827 participated (54% of the total population). The prevalence of visits to practitioners of homeopathy was 1.3%, a decline from 4.3% 10 years earlier. Both female and male visitors were 4-5 times more likely to experience recent somatic complaints. Further, female visitors were characterised by higher education, non-smoking, more chronic complaints, and visiting a physician or a chiropractor the past year whereas male visitors were characterised by seeking help for psychiatric complaints and visiting a chiropractor. There were no associations of age, marital status, physical activity, perceived global health, respiratory, skin, or musculoskeletal diseases with visiting practitioners of homeopathy. CONCLUSIONS AND PROPOSALS: There has been a marked decline in visits to practitioners of homeopathy. The results indicate a change in reasons to consult from complaints that influences the visitors' global health to less chronic complaints. Further research should compare changes in visits complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners and the characteristics of visitors to practitioners of homeopathy to characteristics of other CAM visitors. Copyright © 2012 The Faculty of Homeopathy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Marshes as “Mountain Tops”: Genetic Analyses of the Critically Endangered São Paulo Marsh Antwren (Aves: Thamnophilidae)

PubMed Central

de Camargo, Crisley; Gibbs, H. Lisle; Costa, Mariellen C.; Del-Rio, Glaucia; Silveira, Luís F.

2015-01-01

Small populations of endangered species can be impacted by genetic processes such as drift and inbreeding that reduce population viability. As such, conservation genetic analyses that assess population levels of genetic variation and levels of gene flow can provide important information for managing threatened species. The São Paulo Marsh Antwren (Formicivora paludicola) is a recently-described and critically endangered bird from São Paulo State (Brazil) whose total estimated population is around 250–300 individuals, distributed in only 15 isolated marshes around São Paulo metropolitan region. We used microsatellite DNA markers to estimate the population genetic characteristics of the three largest remaining populations of this species all within 60 km of each other. We detected a high and significant genetic structure between all populations (overall F ST = 0.103) which is comparable to the highest levels of differentiation ever documented for birds, (e.g., endangered birds found in isolated populations on the tops of African mountains), but also evidence for first-generation immigrants, likely from small local unsampled populations. Effective population sizes were small (between 28.8–99.9 individuals) yet there are high levels of genetic variability within populations and no evidence for inbreeding. Conservation implications of this work are that the high levels of genetic structure suggests that translocations between populations need to be carefully considered in light of possible local adaptation and that remaining populations of these birds should be managed as conservation units that contain both main populations studied here but also small outlying populations which may be a source of immigrants. PMID:26447791

[The Murcia Twin Registry. A resource for research on health-related behaviour].

PubMed

Ordoñana, Juan R; Sánchez Romera, Juan F; Colodro-Conde, Lucía; Carrillo, Eduvigis; González-Javier, Francisca; Madrid-Valero, Juan J; Morosoli-García, José J; Pérez-Riquelme, Francisco; Martínez-Selva, José M

Genetically informative designs and, in particular, twin studies, are the most widely used methodology to analyse the relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors to inter-individual variability. These studies basically compare the degree of phenotypical similarity between monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs. In addition to the traditional estimate of heritability, this kind of registry enables a wide variety of analyses which are unique due to the characteristics of the sample. The Murcia Twin Registry is population-based and focused on the analysis of health-related behaviour. The observed prevalence of health problems is comparable to that of other regional and national reference samples, which guarantees its representativeness. Overall, the characteristics of the Registry facilitate developing various types of research as well as genetically informative designs, and collaboration with different initiatives and consortia. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

ODE Constrained Mixture Modelling: A Method for Unraveling Subpopulation Structures and Dynamics

PubMed Central

Hasenauer, Jan; Hasenauer, Christine; Hucho, Tim; Theis, Fabian J.

2014-01-01

Functional cell-to-cell variability is ubiquitous in multicellular organisms as well as bacterial populations. Even genetically identical cells of the same cell type can respond differently to identical stimuli. Methods have been developed to analyse heterogeneous populations, e.g., mixture models and stochastic population models. The available methods are, however, either incapable of simultaneously analysing different experimental conditions or are computationally demanding and difficult to apply. Furthermore, they do not account for biological information available in the literature. To overcome disadvantages of existing methods, we combine mixture models and ordinary differential equation (ODE) models. The ODE models provide a mechanistic description of the underlying processes while mixture models provide an easy way to capture variability. In a simulation study, we show that the class of ODE constrained mixture models can unravel the subpopulation structure and determine the sources of cell-to-cell variability. In addition, the method provides reliable estimates for kinetic rates and subpopulation characteristics. We use ODE constrained mixture modelling to study NGF-induced Erk1/2 phosphorylation in primary sensory neurones, a process relevant in inflammatory and neuropathic pain. We propose a mechanistic pathway model for this process and reconstructed static and dynamical subpopulation characteristics across experimental conditions. We validate the model predictions experimentally, which verifies the capabilities of ODE constrained mixture models. These results illustrate that ODE constrained mixture models can reveal novel mechanistic insights and possess a high sensitivity. PMID:24992156

Exposure to Neighborhood Green Space and Mental Health: Evidence from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin

PubMed Central

Beyer, Kirsten M. M.; Kaltenbach, Andrea; Szabo, Aniko; Bogar, Sandra; Nieto, F. Javier; Malecki, Kristen M.

2014-01-01

Green space is now widely viewed as a health-promoting characteristic of residential environments, and has been linked to mental health benefits such as recovery from mental fatigue and reduced stress, particularly through experimental work in environmental psychology. Few population level studies have examined the relationships between green space and mental health. Further, few studies have considered the role of green space in non-urban settings. This study contributes a population-level perspective from the United States to examine the relationship between environmental green space and mental health outcomes in a study area that includes a spectrum of urban to rural environments. Multivariate survey regression analyses examine the association between green space and mental health using the unique, population-based Survey of the Health of Wisconsin database. Analyses were adjusted for length of residence in the neighborhood to reduce the impact of neighborhood selection bias. Higher levels of neighborhood green space were associated with significantly lower levels of symptomology for depression, anxiety and stress, after controlling for a wide range of confounding factors. Results suggest that “greening” could be a potential population mental health improvement strategy in the United States. PMID:24662966

Stop Using the Modified Work APGAR to Measure Job Satisfaction

PubMed Central

Mielenz, Thelma J.; DeVellis, Robert F.; Battie, Michele C.; Carey, Timothy S.

2011-01-01

Background. The psychometric properties of the Modified Work APGAR (MWA) scale are not established, yet researchers use this scale as an overall measure of job satisfaction. Objective. Perform psychometric analyses on the MWA scale using data from two populations. Methods. A landmark occupational cohort and a clinical cohort are populations with low back pain studied. The first five items of the MWA scale measure social support from coworkers, one item measures dissatisfaction with job tasks, and the sixth item measures lack of social support from a supervisor. Exploratory principal components analyses were conducted in both cohorts. Results. In both cohorts, the first five items of the MWA scale loaded consistently onto one factor, social support from coworkers subscale. Conclusions. Unless researchers are interested in measuring social support from coworkers only, future studies should use other reliable and valid instruments to measure a broad range of psychosocial work characteristics. PMID:22191021

The Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health (LSAH) Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bopp, Eugenia; Wear, Mary L.; Lee, Lesley R.; VanBaalen, Mary

2013-01-01

From 1989-2010 NASA conducted a research study, the Longitudinal Study of Astronaut Health, to investigate the incidence of acute and chronic morbidity and mortality in astronauts and to determine whether their occupational exposures were associated with increased risk of death or disability. In 2004, the Institute of Medicine recommended that NASA convert the longitudinal study into an occupational health surveillance program and in 2010, NASA initiated the Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health project. The new program collects data on astronaut workplace exposures, especially those occurring in the training and space flight environments, and conducts operational and health care analyses to look for trends in exposure and health outcomes. Astronaut selection and retention medical standards are rigorous, requiring an extensive clinical testing regimen. As a result, this employee population has contributed to a large set of health data available for analyses. Astronauts represent a special population with occupational exposures not typically experienced by other employee populations. Additionally, astronauts are different from the general population in terms of demographic and physiologic characteristics. The challenges and benefits of conducting health surveillance for an employee population with unique occupational exposures will be discussed. Several occupational surveillance projects currently underway to examine associations between astronaut workplace exposures and medical outcomes will be described.

Mobile populations and HIV/AIDS in Central America and Mexico: research for action.

PubMed

Bronfman, Mario N; Leyva, Rene; Negroni, Mirka J; Rueda, Celina M

2002-12-01

To present a multi-centre study that analyses the socioeconomic, cultural and political contexts that give rise to population mobility, and its relationship to vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections (STI)/HIV/AIDS, in order to provide information that can be used to design appropriate and focused interventions. In each of 11 transit stations (border towns, port cities, areas where mobile populations congregate) in Central America and Mexico, a household survey of the local population was conducted to analyse demographic, socioeconomic characteristics, and information known and opinions held about HIV/AIDS and mobile populations. In-depth interviews with key informants, community members and mobile populations were held to ascertain knowledge about prevention and transmission of STI/HIV/AIDS. Likewise, an ethnographic study was undertaken to identify interactions between local and mobile populations. The transit stations share low educational levels among the local population, few public services, repeated human rights violations, violence, poverty and corrupt authorities. Within this social context, transactional sex, sex for survival, rape and non-professional commercial sex happen in conditions that increase the risk of the transmission of STI/HIV, such as infrequent condom use. Migrant women and sex workers are particularly vulnerable in this context. A wide gap exists between information about STI/HIV transmission and reported prevention practices. Given the conditions that exist in these transit stations, interventions should be multisectoral, sustainable, and should defend the human rights of various groups, including women and people living with HIV/AIDS.

DNA methylation profiling reveals the presence of population-specific signatures correlating with phenotypic characteristics.

PubMed

Giri, Anil K; Bharadwaj, Soham; Banerjee, Priyanka; Chakraborty, Shraddha; Parekatt, Vaisak; Rajashekar, Donaka; Tomar, Abhishek; Ravindran, Aarthi; Basu, Analabha; Tandon, Nikhil; Bharadwaj, Dwaipayan

2017-06-01

Phenotypic characteristics are known to vary substantially among different ethnicities around the globe. These variations are mediated by number of stochastic events and cannot be attributed to genetic architecture alone. DNA methylation is a well-established mechanism that sculpts our epigenome influencing phenotypic variation including disease manifestation. Since DNA methylation is an important determinant for health issues of a population, it demands a thorough investigation of the natural differences in genome wide DNA methylation patterns across different ethnic groups. This study is based on comparative analyses of methylome from five different ethnicities with major focus on Indian subjects. The current study uses hierarchical clustering approaches, principal component analysis and locus specific differential methylation analysis on Illumina 450K methylation data to compare methylome of different ethnic subjects. Our data indicates that the variations in DNA methylation patterns of Indians are less among themselves compared to other global population. It empirically correlated with dietary, cultural and demographical divergences across different ethnic groups. Our work further suggests that Indians included in this study, despite their genetic similarity with the Caucasian population, are in close proximity with Japanese in terms of their methylation signatures.

Availability of physical activity-related facilities and neighborhood demographic and socioeconomic characteristics: a national study.

PubMed

Powell, Lisa M; Slater, Sandy; Chaloupka, Frank J; Harper, Deborah

2006-09-01

We examined associations between neighborhood demographic characteristics and the availability of commercial physical activity-related outlets by zip code across the United States. Multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the availability of 4 types of outlets: (1) physical fitness facilities, (2) membership sports and recreation clubs, (3) dance facilities, and (4) public golf courses. Commercial outlet data were linked by zip code to US Census Bureau population and socioeconomic data. Results showed that commercial physical activity-related facilities were less likely to be present in lower-income neighborhoods and in neighborhoods with higher proportions of African American residents, residents with His-panic ethnicity, and residents of other racial minority backgrounds. In addition, these neighborhoods had fewer such facilities available. Lack of availability of facilities that enable and promote physical activity may, in part, underpin the lower levels of activity observed among populations of low socioeconomic status and minority backgrounds.

Job characteristics and serum lipid profile in Japanese rural workers: the Jichi Medical School Cohort Study.

PubMed

Tsutsumi, Akizumi; Kayaba, Kazunori; Ishikawa, Shizukiyo; Gotoh, Tadao; Nago, Naoki; Yamada, Seishi; Mizooka, Masafumi; Sakai, Kenichiro; Hayasaka, Shinya

2003-03-01

To observe the association between adverse psychosocial job characteristics, measured by the Karasek job demand-control questionnaire, and a lipid profile, cross-sectional analyses were performed for a Japanese rural working population. The study population comprised 3,333 male and 3,596 female actively employed workers, aged 65 years and under. Among men, higher psychological demands were associated with high total cholesterol levels, with an adjusted difference from the top to bottom tertiles of 3.3 mg/dl (F = 3.03; p = 0.048). High demands were also positively associated with the total/HDL cholesterol ratio (F = 3.94; p = 0.020). Neither job control nor job strain (the ratio of demands to control) was associated with any of the lipid levels in either gender. A psychologically demanding job may be associated with an unfavorable lipid profile, but the impact of job strain on atherogenic lipids is negligible.

Demographic, genetic and phenotypic characteristics of centenarians in Italy: Focus on gender differences.

PubMed

Montesanto, Alberto; De Rango, Francesco; Pirazzini, Chiara; Guidarelli, Giulia; Domma, Filippo; Franceschi, Claudio; Passarino, Giuseppe

2017-07-01

An impressive and coherent series of epidemiological data from different populations (New England Americans, Mormons, Ashkenazi Jewish, Icelandic, Okinawan Japanese, Italians) suggests that long-lived subjects able to reach the extreme limits of human life, such as centenarians and supercentenarians, represent an extraordinary and informative model to identify the mechanisms responsible for healthy aging and human longevity. In most studies, genetic, demographic and phenotypic characteristics of longevity are discussed separately. However, longevity is a very complex trait due to the complicated interactions of numerous genetic and environmental factors. It is therefore necessary to analyse centenarians with a multidimensional approach, trying to consider different aspects simultaneously. In this review we will focus on Italian centenarians, who have been extensively studied for many years with different approaches, in order to show their peculiarities and the emerging data from the studies carried out on this exceptional population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatiotemporal characteristics of elderly population's traffic accidents in Seoul using space-time cube and space-time kernel density estimation.

PubMed

Kang, Youngok; Cho, Nahye; Son, Serin

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to analyze how the spatiotemporal characteristics of traffic accidents involving the elderly population in Seoul are changing by time period. We applied kernel density estimation and hotspot analyses to analyze the spatial characteristics of elderly people's traffic accidents, and the space-time cube, emerging hotspot, and space-time kernel density estimation analyses to analyze the spatiotemporal characteristics. In addition, we analyzed elderly people's traffic accidents by dividing cases into those in which the drivers were elderly people and those in which elderly people were victims of traffic accidents, and used the traffic accidents data in Seoul for 2013 for analysis. The main findings were as follows: (1) the hotspots for elderly people's traffic accidents differed according to whether they were drivers or victims. (2) The hourly analysis showed that the hotspots for elderly drivers' traffic accidents are in specific areas north of the Han River during the period from morning to afternoon, whereas the hotspots for elderly victims are distributed over a wide area from daytime to evening. (3) Monthly analysis showed that the hotspots are weak during winter and summer, whereas they are strong in the hiking and climbing areas in Seoul during spring and fall. Further, elderly victims' hotspots are more sporadic than elderly drivers' hotspots. (4) The analysis for the entire period of 2013 indicates that traffic accidents involving elderly people are increasing in specific areas on the north side of the Han River. We expect the results of this study to aid in reducing the number of traffic accidents involving elderly people in the future.

Large-scale mitochondrial DNA analysis in Southeast Asia reveals evolutionary effects of cultural isolation in the multi-ethnic population of Myanmar

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Myanmar is the largest country in mainland Southeast Asia with a population of 55 million people subdivided into more than 100 ethnic groups. Ruled by changing kingdoms and dynasties and lying on the trade route between India and China, Myanmar was influenced by numerous cultures. Since its independence from British occupation, tensions between the ruling Bamar and ethnic minorities increased. Results Our aim was to search for genetic footprints of Myanmar’s geographic, historic and sociocultural characteristics and to contribute to the picture of human colonization by describing and dating of new mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups. Therefore, we sequenced the mtDNA control region of 327 unrelated donors and the complete mitochondrial genome of 44 selected individuals according to highest quality standards. Conclusion Phylogenetic analyses of the entire mtDNA genomes uncovered eight new haplogroups and three unclassified basal M-lineages. The multi-ethnic population and the complex history of Myanmar were reflected in its mtDNA heterogeneity. Population genetic analyses of Burmese control region sequences combined with population data from neighboring countries revealed that the Myanmar haplogroup distribution showed a typical Southeast Asian pattern, but also Northeast Asian and Indian influences. The population structure of the extraordinarily diverse Bamar differed from that of the Karen people who displayed signs of genetic isolation. Migration analyses indicated a considerable genetic exchange with an overall positive migration balance from Myanmar to neighboring countries. Age estimates of the newly described haplogroups point to the existence of evolutionary windows where climatic and cultural changes gave rise to mitochondrial haplogroup diversification in Asia. PMID:24467713

HIV-related travel restrictions: trends and country characteristics.

PubMed

Chang, Felicia; Prytherch, Helen; Nesbitt, Robin C; Wilder-Smith, Annelies

2013-06-03

Increasingly, HIV-seropositive individuals cross international borders. HIV-related restrictions on entry, stay, and residence imposed by countries have important consequences for this mobile population. Our aim was to describe the geographical distribution of countries with travel restrictions and to examine the trends and characteristics of countries with such restrictions. In 2011, data presented to UNAIDS were used to establish a list of countries with and without HIV restrictions on entry, stay, and residence and to describe their geographical distribution. The following indicators were investigated to describe the country characteristics: population at mid-year, international migrants as a percentage of the population, Human Development Index, estimated HIV prevalence (age: 15-49), presence of a policy prohibiting HIV screening for general employment purposes, government and civil society responses to having non-discrimination laws/regulations which specify migrants/mobile populations, government and civil society responses to having laws/regulations/policies that present obstacles to effective HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support for migrants/mobile populations, Corruption Perception Index, and gross national income per capita. HIV-related restrictions exist in 45 out of 193 WHO countries (23%) in all regions of the world. We found that the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific Regions have the highest proportions of countries with these restrictions. Our analyses showed that countries that have opted for restrictions have the following characteristics: smaller populations, higher proportions of migrants in the population, lower HIV prevalence rates, and lack of legislation protecting people living with HIV from screening for employment purposes, compared with countries without restrictions. Countries with a high proportion of international migrants tend to have travel restrictions - a finding that is relevant to migrant populations and travel medicine providers alike. Despite international pressure to remove travel restrictions, many countries continue to implement these restrictions for HIV-positive individuals on entry and stay. Since 2010, the United States and China have engaged in high profile removals. This may be indicative of an increasing trend, facilitated by various factors, including international advocacy and the setting of a UNAIDS goal to halve the number of countries with restrictions by 2015.

HIV-related travel restrictions: trends and country characteristics

PubMed Central

Chang, Felicia; Prytherch, Helen; Nesbitt, Robin C.; Wilder-Smith, Annelies

2013-01-01

Introduction Increasingly, HIV-seropositive individuals cross international borders. HIV-related restrictions on entry, stay, and residence imposed by countries have important consequences for this mobile population. Our aim was to describe the geographical distribution of countries with travel restrictions and to examine the trends and characteristics of countries with such restrictions. Methods In 2011, data presented to UNAIDS were used to establish a list of countries with and without HIV restrictions on entry, stay, and residence and to describe their geographical distribution. The following indicators were investigated to describe the country characteristics: population at mid-year, international migrants as a percentage of the population, Human Development Index, estimated HIV prevalence (age: 15–49), presence of a policy prohibiting HIV screening for general employment purposes, government and civil society responses to having non-discrimination laws/regulations which specify migrants/mobile populations, government and civil society responses to having laws/regulations/policies that present obstacles to effective HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support for migrants/mobile populations, Corruption Perception Index, and gross national income per capita. Results HIV-related restrictions exist in 45 out of 193 WHO countries (23%) in all regions of the world. We found that the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific Regions have the highest proportions of countries with these restrictions. Our analyses showed that countries that have opted for restrictions have the following characteristics: smaller populations, higher proportions of migrants in the population, lower HIV prevalence rates, and lack of legislation protecting people living with HIV from screening for employment purposes, compared with countries without restrictions. Conclusion Countries with a high proportion of international migrants tend to have travel restrictions – a finding that is relevant to migrant populations and travel medicine providers alike. Despite international pressure to remove travel restrictions, many countries continue to implement these restrictions for HIV-positive individuals on entry and stay. Since 2010, the United States and China have engaged in high profile removals. This may be indicative of an increasing trend, facilitated by various factors, including international advocacy and the setting of a UNAIDS goal to halve the number of countries with restrictions by 2015. PMID:23735755

What medical students value in a population health tutor: characteristics for consideration in staff recruitment and development.

PubMed

Trevena, Lyndal

2003-03-01

Recent moves to integrate aspects of population health into medical curricula have created new staff development challenges for many institutions. Small group teaching in population health is a relatively new initiative, often requiring recruitment of additional staff and considerable training. This analysis identifies the tutor characteristics rated most positively by medical students in a small-group course in population health and discusses their implication for staff recruitment and development. Retrospective evaluation of tutors by students using a self-administered questionnaire. Overall tutor rating was analysed against various tutor characteristics, using univariate logistic regression methods. Optional qualitative comments were summarized by thematic methods and triangulated with findings from the quantitative analysis. Creating a supportive group climate was the tutor attribute most positively evaluated by students (OR=9.62, 95%CI 4.46-20.83). Perceived interest in teaching (OR=8.93, 95%CI 3.83-20.83) and the ability to give useful feedback (OR=8.40, 95%CI 4.07-17.54) were also highly rated by students as valuable qualities in their tutors. Qualitative analysis highlighted the importance of informed comment, good knowledge and expert input from tutors. Whilst a degree of content expertise in population health was desirable in a tutor, its value was secondary to good facilitation skills and an enthusiasm for teaching when student evaluation was considered. Faculties implementing small-group methods of teaching population health should consider facilitation skills and interest in teaching as priorities when recruiting and training staff. As is the case for self-directed student-led learning in basic and clinical sciences, these appear to be more influential than content expertise, from the students' perspective.

Implementation of evidence-based home visiting programs aimed at reducing child maltreatment: A meta-analytic review.

PubMed

Casillas, Katherine L; Fauchier, Angèle; Derkash, Bridget T; Garrido, Edward F

2016-03-01

In recent years there has been an increase in the popularity of home visitation programs as a means of addressing risk factors for child maltreatment. The evidence supporting the effectiveness of these programs from several meta-analyses, however, is mixed. One potential explanation for this inconsistency explored in the current study involves the manner in which these programs were implemented. In the current study we reviewed 156 studies associated with 9 different home visitation program models targeted to caregivers of children between the ages of 0 and 5. Meta-analytic techniques were used to determine the impact of 18 implementation factors (e.g., staff selection, training, supervision, fidelity monitoring, etc.) and four study characteristics (publication type, target population, study design, comparison group) in predicting program outcomes. Results from analyses revealed that several implementation factors, including training, supervision, and fidelity monitoring, had a significant effect on program outcomes, particularly child maltreatment outcomes. Study characteristics, including the program's target population and the comparison group employed, also had a significant effect on program outcomes. Implications of the study's results for those interested in implementing home visitation programs are discussed. A careful consideration and monitoring of program implementation is advised as a means of achieving optimal study results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emergence and Spread of Epidemic Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

PubMed

Miyoshi-Akiyama, Tohru; Tada, Tatsuya; Ohmagari, Norio; Viet Hung, Nguyen; Tharavichitkul, Prasit; Pokhrel, Bharat Mani; Gniadkowski, Marek; Shimojima, Masahiro; Kirikae, Teruo

2017-12-01

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is one of the most common nosocomial pathogens worldwide. Although the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) P. aeruginosa is a critical problem in medical practice, the key features involved in the emergence and spread of MDR P. aeruginosa remain unknown. This study utilized whole genome sequence (WGS) analyses to define the population structure of 185 P. aeruginosa clinical isolates from several countries. Of these 185 isolates, 136 were categorized into sequence type (ST) 235, one of the most common types worldwide. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these isolates fell within seven subclades. Each subclade harbors characteristic drug resistance genes and a characteristic genetic background confined to a geographic location, suggesting that clonal expansion following antibiotic exposure is the driving force in generating the population structure of MDR P. aeruginosa. WGS analyses also showed that the substitution rate was markedly higher in ST235 MDR P. aeruginosa than in other strains. Notably, almost all ST235 isolates harbor the specific type IV secretion system and very few or none harbor the CRISPR/CAS system. These findings may help explain the mechanism underlying the emergence and spread of ST235 P. aeruginosa as the predominant MDR lineage. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Mating system, feeding type and ex situ conservation effort determine life expectancy in captive ruminants.

PubMed

Müller, Dennis W H; Lackey, Laurie Bingaman; Streich, W Jürgen; Fickel, Jörns; Hatt, Jean-Michel; Clauss, Marcus

2011-07-07

Zoo animal husbandry aims at constantly improving husbandry, reproductive success and ultimately animal welfare. Nevertheless, analyses to determine factors influencing husbandry of different species are rare. The relative life expectancy (rLE; life expectancy (LE) as proportion of longevity) describes husbandry success of captive populations. Correlating rLE with biological characteristics of different species, reasons for variation in rLE can be detected. We analysed data of 166 901 animals representing 78 ruminant species kept in 850 facilities. The rLE of females correlated with the percentage of grass in a species' natural diet, suggesting that needs of species adapted to grass can be more easily accommodated than the needs of those adapted to browse. Males of monogamous species demonstrate higher rLE than polygamous males, which matches observed differences of sexual bias in LE in free-living populations and thus supports the ecological theory that the mating system influences LE. The third interesting finding was that rLE was higher in species managed by international studbooks when compared with species not managed in this way. Our method facilitates the identification of biological characteristics of species that are relevant for their husbandry success, and they also support ecological theory. Translating these findings into feeding recommendations, our approach can help to improve animal husbandry.

Patterns of genetic and morphometric diversity in baobab (Adansonia digitata) populations across different climatic zones of Benin (West Africa).

PubMed

Assogbadjo, A E; Kyndt, T; Sinsin, B; Gheysen, G; van Damme, P

2006-05-01

Baobab (Adansonia digitata) is a multi-purpose tree used daily by rural African communities. The present study aimed at investigating the level of morphometric and genetic variation and spatial genetic structure within and between threatened baobab populations from the three climatic zones of Benin. A total of 137 individuals from six populations were analysed using morphometric data as well as molecular marker data generated using the AFLP technique. Five primer pairs resulted in a total of 217 scored bands with 78.34 % of them being polymorphic. A two-level AMOVA of 137 individuals from six baobab populations revealed 82.37 % of the total variation within populations and 17.63 % among populations (P < 0.001). Analysis of population structure with allele-frequency based F-statistics revealed a global F(ST) of 0.127 +/- 0.072 (P < 0.001). The mean gene diversity within populations (H(S)) and the average gene diversity between populations (D(ST)) were estimated at 0.309 +/- 0.000 and 0.045 +/- 0.072, respectively. Baobabs in the Sudanian and Sudan-Guinean zones of Benin were short and produced the highest yields of pulp, seeds and kernels, in contrast to the ones in the Guinean zone, which were tall and produced only a small number of fruits with a low pulp, seed and kernel productivity. A statistically significant correlation with the observed patterns of genetic diversity was observed for three morphological characteristics: height of the trees, number of branches and thickness of the capsules. The results indicate some degree of physical isolation of the populations collected in the different climatic zones and suggest a substantial amount of genetic structuring between the analysed populations of baobab. Sampling options of the natural populations are suggested for in or ex situ conservation.

Population-based characteristics of fatal and hospital admissions for poisoning in Fiji: TRIP Project-11

PubMed Central

Peiris-John, Roshini; Kafoa, Berlin; Wainiqolo, Iris; Reddy, Ravi Krishnan; McCaig, Eddie; Ameratunga, Shanthi N

2013-01-01

This study investigated the incidence and characteristics of poisoning fatalities and hospital admissions among indigenous Fijians and Indians in Viti Levu, Fiji. Individuals with a mechanism of injury classified as poisoning were identified using the Fiji injury surveillance in hospitals system, a population-based registry established for 12 months in Viti Levu, and analysed using population-based denominators. The mean annual rates of fatalities and hospitalisations were 2.3 and 26.0 per 100 000, respectively. Over two-thirds of poisonings occurred among people of Indian ethnicity. Most intentional poisoning admissions occurred among women (58.3%) and in 15–29-year-old individuals (73.8%). Unintentional poisoning admission rates were highest among Indian boys aged 0–14 years. While over 75% of events occurred at home, the substances involved were not systematically identified. The findings indicate the need for a strategy that addresses the differing contexts across age group, gender and ethnicity, and a lead agency responsible for implementing and monitoring its effectiveness. PMID:23353079

Population-environment drivers of H5N1 avian influenza molecular change in Vietnam

PubMed Central

Carrel, Margaret A.; Emch, Michael; Nguyen, Tung; Jobe, R. Todd; Wan, Xiu-Feng

2013-01-01

This study identifies population and environment drivers of genetic change in H5N1 avian influenza viruses (AIV) in Vietnam using a landscape genetics approach. While prior work has examined how combinations of local-level environmental variables influence H5N1 occurrence, this research expands the analysis to the complex genetic characteristics of H5N1 viruses. A dataset of 125 highly pathogenic H5N1 AIV isolated in Vietnam from 2003–2007 is used to explore which population and environment variables are correlated with increased genetic change among viruses. Results from non-parametric multidimensional scaling and regression analyses indicate that variables relating to both the environmental and social ecology of humans and birds in Vietnam interact to affect the genetic character of viruses. These findings suggest that it is a combination of suitable environments for species mixing, the presence of high numbers of potential hosts, and in particular the temporal characteristics of viral occurrence, that drive genetic change among H5N1 AIV in Vietnam. PMID:22652510

Population-environment drivers of H5N1 avian influenza molecular change in Vietnam.

PubMed

Carrel, Margaret A; Emch, Michael; Nguyen, Tung; Todd Jobe, R; Wan, Xiu-Feng

2012-09-01

This study identifies population and environment drivers of genetic change in H5N1 avian influenza viruses (AIV) in Vietnam using a landscape genetics approach. While prior work has examined how combinations of local-level environmental variables influence H5N1 occurrence, this research expands the analysis to the complex genetic characteristics of H5N1 viruses. A dataset of 125 highly pathogenic H5N1 AIV isolated in Vietnam from 2003 to 2007 is used to explore which population and environment variables are correlated with increased genetic change among viruses. Results from non-parametric multidimensional scaling and regression analyses indicate that variables relating to both the environmental and social ecology of humans and birds in Vietnam interact to affect the genetic character of viruses. These findings suggest that it is a combination of suitable environments for species mixing, the presence of high numbers of potential hosts, and in particular the temporal characteristics of viral occurrence, that drive genetic change among H5N1 AIV in Vietnam. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigating the prehistory of Tungusic peoples of Siberia and the Amur-Ussuri region with complete mtDNA genome sequences and Y-chromosomal markers.

PubMed

Duggan, Ana T; Whitten, Mark; Wiebe, Victor; Crawford, Michael; Butthof, Anne; Spitsyn, Victor; Makarov, Sergey; Novgorodov, Innokentiy; Osakovsky, Vladimir; Pakendorf, Brigitte

2013-01-01

Evenks and Evens, Tungusic-speaking reindeer herders and hunter-gatherers, are spread over a wide area of northern Asia, whereas their linguistic relatives the Udegey, sedentary fishermen and hunter-gatherers, are settled to the south of the lower Amur River. The prehistory and relationships of these Tungusic peoples are as yet poorly investigated, especially with respect to their interactions with neighbouring populations. In this study, we analyse over 500 complete mtDNA genome sequences from nine different Evenk and even subgroups as well as their geographic neighbours from Siberia and their linguistic relatives the Udegey from the Amur-Ussuri region in order to investigate the prehistory of the Tungusic populations. These data are supplemented with analyses of Y-chromosomal haplogroups and STR haplotypes in the Evenks, Evens, and neighbouring Siberian populations. We demonstrate that whereas the North Tungusic Evenks and Evens show evidence of shared ancestry both in the maternal and in the paternal line, this signal has been attenuated by genetic drift and differential gene flow with neighbouring populations, with isolation by distance further shaping the maternal genepool of the Evens. The Udegey, in contrast, appear quite divergent from their linguistic relatives in the maternal line, with a mtDNA haplogroup composition characteristic of populations of the Amur-Ussuri region. Nevertheless, they show affinities with the Evenks, indicating that they might be the result of admixture between local Amur-Ussuri populations and Tungusic populations from the north.

Single-cell gene expression analysis reveals diversity among human spermatogonia.

PubMed

Neuhaus, N; Yoon, J; Terwort, N; Kliesch, S; Seggewiss, J; Huge, A; Voss, R; Schlatt, S; Grindberg, R V; Schöler, H R

2017-02-10

Is the molecular profile of human spermatogonia homogeneous or heterogeneous when analysed at the single-cell level? Heterogeneous expression profiles may be a key characteristic of human spermatogonia, supporting the existence of a heterogeneous stem cell population. Despite the fact that many studies have sought to identify specific markers for human spermatogonia, the molecular fingerprint of these cells remains hitherto unknown. Testicular tissues from patients with spermatogonial arrest (arrest, n = 1) and with qualitatively normal spermatogenesis (normal, n = 7) were selected from a pool of 179 consecutively obtained biopsies. Gene expression analyses of cell populations and single-cells (n = 105) were performed. Two OCT4-positive individual cells were selected for global transcriptional capture using shallow RNA-seq. Finally, expression of four candidate markers was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Histological analysis and blood hormone measurements for LH, FSH and testosterone were performed prior to testicular sample selection. Following enzymatic digestion of testicular tissues, differential plating and subsequent micromanipulation of individual cells was employed to enrich and isolate human spermatogonia, respectively. Endpoint analyses were qPCR analysis of cell populations and individual cells, shallow RNA-seq and immunohistochemical analyses. Unexpectedly, single-cell expression data from the arrest patient (20 cells) showed heterogeneous expression profiles. Also, from patients with normal spermatogenesis, heterogeneous expression patterns of undifferentiated (OCT4, UTF1 and MAGE A4) and differentiated marker genes (BOLL and PRM2) were obtained within each spermatogonia cluster (13 clusters with 85 cells). Shallow RNA-seq analysis of individual human spermatogonia was validated, and a spermatogonia-specific heterogeneous protein expression of selected candidate markers (DDX5, TSPY1, EEF1A1 and NGN3) was demonstrated. The heterogeneity of human spermatogonia at the RNA and protein levels is a snapshot. To further assess the functional meaning of this heterogeneity and the dynamics of stem cell populations, approaches need to be developed to facilitate the repeated analysis of individual cells. Our data suggest that heterogeneous expression profiles may be a key characteristic of human spermatogonia, supporting the model of a heterogeneous stem cell population. Future studies will assess the dynamics of spermatogonial populations in fertile and infertile patients. RNA-seq data is published in the GEO database: GSE91063. This work was supported by the Max Planck Society and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft DFG-Research Unit FOR 1041 Germ Cell Potential (grant numbers SCHO 340/7-1, SCHL394/11-2). The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Associations between male infertility and ancestry in South Americans: a case control study.

PubMed

Skowronek, Maria Fernanda; Velazquez, Tatiana; Mut, Patricia; Figueiro, Gonzalo; Sans, Monica; Bertoni, Bernardo; Sapiro, Rossana

2017-07-26

Infertility affects 15% of human couples, with men being responsible in approximately 50% of cases. Moreover, the aetiology of male factor infertility is poorly understood. The majority of male factor infertility remains idiopathic and potentially genetic in origin. The association of the Y chromosome and mitochondrial haplogroups with male infertility has been previously reported. This association differs between studied populations and their geographical distributions. These effects have been only rarely analysed in mixed populations, such as South Americans. In this study, we analysed the contributions of the Y chromosome and mitochondrial haplogroups to male infertility in a mixed population. A case control study was conducted. Regular PCR and high-resolutionmelting- real-time PCR were performed to type haplogroups from fertile and infertile men. The sperm parameters from infertile men were compared in each haplogroup by logistic regression analysis and ANOVA. The genotyping confirmed the known admixture characteristic of the Uruguayan population. The European paternal contribution was higher than the maternal contribution in both fertile and infertile men. Neither maternal nor paternal ancestry presented differences between the cases and controls. Men belonging to the Y chromosome haplogroup F(xK) more frequently presented with an abnormal sperm morphology than men from other haplogroups. The sperm parameters were not associated with the mitochondrial haplogroups. The data presented in this study showed an association between male infertility and ancestry in the Uruguayan population. Specifically, abnormal sperm morphology was associated with the Y chromosome haplogroup F(xK). Since the Y chromosome lacks recombination, these data suggest that some genes that determine sperm morphology might be inherited in blocks with the region that determines specific haplogroups. However, the possible association between the Y chromosome haplogroup F(xK) and sperm morphology requires further confirmatory testing. Data linking infertility with ancestry are needed to establish the possible causes of infertility and define male populations susceptible to infertility. Whether the admixed characteristics of the Uruguayan population exert any pressure on male fertility potential must be further investigated.

Biology Needs Evolutionary Software Tools: Let’s Build Them Right

PubMed Central

Team, Galaxy; Goecks, Jeremy; Taylor, James

2018-01-01

Abstract Research in population genetics and evolutionary biology has always provided a computational backbone for life sciences as a whole. Today evolutionary and population biology reasoning are essential for interpretation of large complex datasets that are characteristic of all domains of today’s life sciences ranging from cancer biology to microbial ecology. This situation makes algorithms and software tools developed by our community more important than ever before. This means that we, developers of software tool for molecular evolutionary analyses, now have a shared responsibility to make these tools accessible using modern technological developments as well as provide adequate documentation and training. PMID:29688462

OLEM Center for Program Analysis Site Analysis Data

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This asset includes environmental justice-related analyses of population located within a mile of Superfund and RCRA Corrective Action sites. It characterizes demographics and socio-economic characteristics of near-site communities as compared to the average U.S. population. It also examined children of up to 17 years of age living within 1 mile of SF and RCRA CA sites where human health protective measures may not have been in place. It compared data on the health status of these children to the status of all children in the U.S. Information from this study contributed to the America's Children and the Environment (ACE) report for 2013.

Motivation and Readiness for Drug Treatment: Differences by Modality and Special Populations

PubMed Central

Melnick, Gerald; Hawke, Josephine; De Leon, George

2014-01-01

The purpose of this research is to expand our knowledge of motivational factors among admissions to various substance abuse treatment modalities and among those entering special programs. Differences in motivation are reported in a convenience sample of over 6000 admissions to 38 programs. Results from multilevel analyses show (1) an ordered increase in motivation by settings from referral to out patient, to methadone maintenance, to highest levels in residential programs; (2) significantly lower motivation among admissions to programs for special populations. Results are discussed in relation to the demand characteristics of treatment and non-recovery reasons for entering treatment. PMID:24735224

Motivation and readiness for drug treatment: differences by modality and special populations.

PubMed

Melnick, Gerald; Hawke, Josephine; De Leon, George

2014-01-01

The purpose of this research is to expand our knowledge of motivational factors among admissions to various substance abuse treatment modalities and among those entering special programs. Differences in motivation are reported in a convenience sample of more than 6,000 admissions to 38 programs. Results from multilevel analyses show (a) an ordered increase in motivation by settings from referral to outpatient, to methadone maintenance, and to the highest levels in residential programs and (b) significantly lower motivation among admissions to programs for special populations. Results are discussed in relation to the demand characteristics of treatment and non-recovery reasons for entering treatment.

An investigation of emotion dynamics in major depressive disorder patients and healthy persons using sparse longitudinal networks.

PubMed

de Vos, Stijn; Wardenaar, Klaas J; Bos, Elisabeth H; Wit, Ernst C; Bouwmans, Mara E J; de Jonge, Peter

2017-01-01

Differences in within-person emotion dynamics may be an important source of heterogeneity in depression. To investigate these dynamics, researchers have previously combined multilevel regression analyses with network representations. However, sparse network methods, specifically developed for longitudinal network analyses, have not been applied. Therefore, this study used this approach to investigate population-level and individual-level emotion dynamics in healthy and depressed persons and compared this method with the multilevel approach. Time-series data were collected in pair-matched healthy persons and major depressive disorder (MDD) patients (n = 54). Seven positive affect (PA) and seven negative affect (NA) items were administered electronically at 90 times (30 days; thrice per day). The population-level (healthy vs. MDD) and individual-level time series were analyzed using a sparse longitudinal network model based on vector autoregression. The population-level model was also estimated with a multilevel approach. Effects of different preprocessing steps were evaluated as well. The characteristics of the longitudinal networks were investigated to gain insight into the emotion dynamics. In the population-level networks, longitudinal network connectivity was strongest in the healthy group, with nodes showing more and stronger longitudinal associations with each other. Individually estimated networks varied strongly across individuals. Individual variations in network connectivity were unrelated to baseline characteristics (depression status, neuroticism, severity). A multilevel approach applied to the same data showed higher connectivity in the MDD group, which seemed partly related to the preprocessing approach. The sparse network approach can be useful for the estimation of networks with multiple nodes, where overparameterization is an issue, and for individual-level networks. However, its current inability to model random effects makes it less useful as a population-level approach in case of large heterogeneity. Different preprocessing strategies appeared to strongly influence the results, complicating inferences about network density.

Inconsistent self-reported mammography history: Findings from the National Population Health Survey longitudinal cohort

PubMed Central

Bancej, Christina M; Maxwell, Colleen J; Snider, Judy

2004-01-01

Background Self-reported information has commonly been used to monitor mammography utilization across populations and time periods. However, longitudinal investigations regarding the prevalence and determinants of inconsistent responses over time and the impact of such responses on population screening estimates are lacking. Methods Based on longitudinal panel data for a representative cohort of Canadian women aged 40+ years (n = 3,537) assessed in the 1994–95 (baseline) and 1996–97 (follow-up) National Population Health Survey (NPHS), we examined the prevalence of inconsistent self-reports of mammography utilization. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the associations between women's baseline sociodemographic and health characteristics and 2 types of inconsistent responses: (i) baseline reports of ever use which were subsequently contradicted by follow-up reports of never use; and (ii) baseline reports of never use which were contradicted by follow-up reports of use prior to 1994–95. Results Among women who reported having a mammogram at baseline, 5.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 4.6–7.3%) reported at follow-up that they had never had one. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that women with such inconsistent responses were more often outside target age groups, from low income households and less likely to report hormone replacement therapy and Pap smear use. Among women reporting never use at baseline and ever use at follow-up, 17.4% (95%CI: 11.7–23.1%) reported their most recent mammogram as occurring prior to 1994–95 (baseline) and such responses were more common among women aged 70+ years and those in poorer health. Conclusions Women with inconsistent responses of type (i), i.e., ever users at baseline but never users at follow-up, appeared to exhibit characteristics typical of never users of mammography screening. Although limited by sample size, our preliminary analyses suggest that type (ii) responses are more likely to be the result of recall bias due to competing morbidity and age. Inconsistent responses, if removed from the analyses, may be a greater source of loss to follow-up than deaths/institutionalization or item non-response. PMID:15541176

Association between job characteristics and plasma fibrinogen in a normal working population: a cross sectional analysis in referents of the SHEEP Study. Stockholm Heart Epidemiology Program

PubMed Central

Tsutsumi, A.; Theorell, T.; Hallqvist, J.; Reuterwall, C.; de Faire, U.

1999-01-01

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between job characteristics and plasma fibrinogen concentrations. DESIGN: Cross sectional design. SETTING: The Greater Stockholm area. SUBJECTS: A total of 1018 men and 490 women aged 45-70 who were randomly selected from the general population during 1992-1994. They were all employed and had no history of myocardial infarction. MAIN RESULTS: The self reported job characteristics were measured by a Swedish version of the Karasek demand-control questionnaire. For inferred scoring of job characteristics, psychosocial exposure categories (job control and psychological demands) were assigned by linking each subject's occupational history with a work organisation exposure matrix. Job strain was defined as the ratio between demands and control. In univariate analyses, expected linear trends were found in three of four tests of association between high plasma fibrinogen and low control (the self reported score for women and the inferred score for both sexes), in one of four tests of association between high plasma fibrinogen and high demands (the inferred score for women) and in two of four tests of association between high plasma fibrinogen and job strain (the inferred score for both sexes). Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that men in the inferred job strain group have an increased risk of falling into the increased plasma fibrinogen concentration group (above median level of the distribution) (odds ratio (OR) 1.2; 95% CI 1.0, 1.5) after adjustment for the variables that were associated with plasma fibrinogen in the univariate analyses. In women, low self reported control, high inferred demand, and inferred job strain were significantly associated with increased plasma fibrinogen concentration (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.0, 1.8, OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.0, 2.2, OR 1.5; 95% CI 1.1, 2.2, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that adverse job characteristics may be related to plasma fibrinogen concentrations and this relation is more relevant in female workers. The clearest evidence for psychosocial effects on plasma fibrinogen seems to be with job control and the associations are clearer for the objective than for the self report variables.   PMID:10396481

The role of CD133 in the identification and characterisation of tumour-initiating cells in non-small-cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Tirino, Virginia; Camerlingo, Rosa; Franco, Renato; Malanga, Donatella; La Rocca, Antonello; Viglietto, Giuseppe; Rocco, Gaetano; Pirozzi, Giuseppe

2009-09-01

Emerging evidence suggests that specific sub-populations of cancer cells with stem cell characteristics within the bulk of tumours are implicated in the pathogenesis of heterogeneous malignant tumours. The cells that drive tumour growth have been denoted cancer-initiating cells or cancer stem cells (hereafter CSCs). CSCs have been isolated initially from leukaemias and subsequently from several solid tumours including brain, breast, prostate, colon and lung cancer. This study aimed at isolating and characterising the population of tumour-initiating cells in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Specimens of NSCLC obtained from 89 patients undergoing tumour resection at the Cancer National Institute of Naples were analysed. Three methods to isolate the tumour-initiating cells were used: (1) flow cytometry analysis for identification of positive cells for surface markers such as CD24, CD29, CD31, CD34, CD44, CD133 and CD326; (2) Hoechst 33342 dye exclusion test for the identification of a side-population characteristic for the presence of stem cells; (3) non-adherent culture condition able to form spheres with stem cell-like characteristics. Definition of the tumourigenic potential of the cells through soft agar assay and injection into NOD/SCID mice were used to functionally define (in vitro and in vivo) putative CSCs isolated from NSCLC samples. Upon flow cytometry analysis of NSCLC samples, CD133-positive cells were found in 72% of 89 fresh specimens analysed and, on average, represented 6% of the total cells. Moreover, the number of CD133-positive cells increased markedly when the cells, isolated from NSCLC specimens, were grown as spheres in non-adherent culture conditions. Cells from NSCLC, grown as spheres, when assayed in soft agar, give rise to a 3.8-fold larger number of colonies in culture and are more tumourigenic in non-obese diabetic (NOD)/severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice compared with the corresponding adherent cells. We have isolated and characterised a population of CD133-positive cells from NSCLC that is able to give rise to spheres and can act as tumour-initiating cells.

Characteristics and Drivers of High-Altitude Ladybird Flight: Insights from Vertical-Looking Entomological Radar

PubMed Central

Jeffries, Daniel L.; Chapman, Jason; Roy, Helen E.; Humphries, Stuart; Harrington, Richard; Brown, Peter M. J.; Handley, Lori-J. Lawson

2013-01-01

Understanding the characteristics and drivers of dispersal is crucial for predicting population dynamics, particularly in range-shifting species. Studying long-distance dispersal in insects is challenging, but recent advances in entomological radar offer unique insights. We analysed 10 years of radar data collected at Rothamsted Research, U.K., to investigate characteristics (altitude, speed, seasonal and annual trends) and drivers (aphid abundance, air temperature, wind speed and rainfall) of high-altitude flight of the two most abundant U.K. ladybird species (native Coccinella septempunctata and invasive Harmonia axyridis). These species cannot be distinguished in the radar data since their reflectivity signals overlap, and they were therefore analysed together. However, their signals do not overlap with other, abundant insects so we are confident they constitute the overwhelming majority of the analysed data. The target species were detected up to ∼1100 m above ground level, where displacement speeds of up to ∼60 km/h were recorded, however most ladybirds were found between ∼150 and 500 m, and had a mean displacement of 30 km/h. Average flight time was estimated, using tethered flight experiments, to be 36.5 minutes, but flights of up to two hours were observed. Ladybirds are therefore potentially able to travel 18 km in a “typical” high-altitude flight, but up to 120 km if flying at higher altitudes, indicating a high capacity for long-distance dispersal. There were strong seasonal trends in ladybird abundance, with peaks corresponding to the highest temperatures of mid-summer, and warm air temperature was the key driver of ladybird flight. Climatic warming may therefore increase the potential for long-distance dispersal in these species. Low aphid abundance was a second significant factor, highlighting the important role of aphid population dynamics in ladybird dispersal. This research illustrates the utility of radar for studying high-altitude insect flight and has important implications for predicting long-distance dispersal. PMID:24367512

Heat protection behaviour in the UK: results of an online survey after the 2013 heatwave.

PubMed

Khare, Swarna; Hajat, Shakoor; Kovats, Sari; Lefevre, Carmen E; de Bruin, Wändi Bruine; Dessai, Suraje; Bone, Angie

2015-09-10

The Heatwave Plan for England provides guidance for personal and home protection measures during heatwaves. Although studies in the USA, Australia and Europe have surveyed heat-related behaviours during heatwaves, few have been conducted in the UK. This study assesses personal and housing (at-home) behaviour and housing characteristics of the UK population during the 2013 heatwave. This paper analyses data from 1497 respondents of an online survey on heat protection measures and behaviour. Participants were asked questions about their behaviour during the 2013 heatwave, the characteristics of their current housing as well as about any negative health outcomes experienced due to the hot weather. We used multinomial logit regression to analyse personal and home heat protection behaviour and logistic regression to analyse characteristics of participants' current home (installed air conditioner, curtains etc.). We stratified the outcomes by age, sex, ethnicity, income, education and regional location. In 2013, for all heat-related illness (except tiredness), a higher proportion of those in the younger age groups reported symptoms compared with those in the older age groups. Women, higher income groups and those with higher education levels were found to be more likely to report always/often taking personal heat protective measures. The elderly were less likely to take some personal and home protective measures but were more likely to live in insulated homes and open windows at night to keep their home cool. Our study has found a high level of awareness of the actions to take during heatwaves in the UK, and has identified important demographic indicators of sections of the UK population that might benefit from additional or more targeted information. The health agencies should attempt to provide better information about heatwaves to those vulnerable (elderly, those at risk living in London, low income earners) or identify any barriers that might be preventing them from undertaking protective behaviour.

How to engage occupational physicians in recruitment of research participants: a mixed-methods study of challenges and opportunities.

PubMed

Arends, Iris; Bültmann, Ute; Shaw, William S; van Rhenen, Willem; Roelen, Corné; Nielsen, Karina; van der Klink, Jac J L

2014-03-01

To investigate barriers and facilitators for research participant recruitment by occupational physicians (OPs). A mixed-methods approach was used. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with OPs to explore perceived barriers and facilitators for recruitment. Based on data of a cluster-randomised controlled trial (cluster-RCT), univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to investigate associations between OPs' personal and work characteristics and the number of recruited participants for the cluster-RCT per OP. Perceived barriers and facilitators for recruitment were categorised into: study characteristics (e.g. concise inclusion criteria); study population characteristics; OP's attention; OP's workload; context (e.g. working at different locations); and OP's characteristics (e.g. motivated to help). Important facilitators were encouragement by colleagues and reminders by information technology tools. Multivariate analyses showed that the number of OPs within the clinical unit who recruited participants was positively associated with the number of recruited participants per OP [rate ratio of 1.43, 95 % confidence interval 1.24-1.64]. When mobilising OPs for participant recruitment, researchers need to engage entire clinical units rather than approach OPs on an individual basis. OPs consider regular communication, especially face-to-face contact and information technology tools serving as reminders, as helpful.

[An analysis of caesarean sections in Uruguay by type of hospital].

PubMed

Aguirre, Rafael; Antón, José-Ignacio; Triunfo, Patricia

2018-04-20

To analyse on a comparative basis the incidence of caesarean sections among the different health care systems in Uruguay and with respect to the World Health Organization's (WHO) standards, taking into account the medical-obstetric characteristics of the births, particularly, the Robson classification. We examine 190,847 births registered by the Perinatal Information System in Uruguay between 2009 and 2014 by type of health care system. Using logit models, we analyse the probability of caesarean section taking into account the Robson classification, other risk factors and the mothers' characteristics. We compared the caesarean rates predicted by the different subsystems for a common population. Furthermore, we contrast the caesarean rates observed in each subsystem with the rates that resulted if the Uruguayan hospitals followed the guidelines of the sample of WHO reference hospitals. Private health systems in Uruguay exhibit a much higher incidence of caesarean sections than public ones, even after considering the medical-obstetric characteristics of the births. Caesarean rates are more than 75% higher than those observed if the WHO standards are applied. Uruguay has a very high incidence of caesarean sections with respect to WHO standards, particularly, in the private sector. This fact is unrelated to the clinical characteristics of the births. Copyright © 2018 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The epidemiological characteristics and genetic diversity of dengue virus during the third largest historical outbreak of dengue in Guangdong, China, in 2014.

PubMed

Sun, Jiufeng; Wu, De; Zhou, Huiqiong; Zhang, Huan; Guan, Dawei; He, Xiang; Cai, Songwu; Ke, Changwen; Lin, Jinyan

2016-01-01

The third largest historical outbreak of dengue occurred during July to December 2014, in 20 of 21 cities of Guangdong, China. The epidemiological and molecular characteristics of the introduction, expansion and phylogeny of the DENV isolates involved in this outbreak were investigated. A combination analyses of epidemiological characteristics and genetic diversity of dengue virus was performed in this study. In total, 45,236 cases and 6 fatalities were reported. Unemployed individuals, retirees and retailers were the most affected populations. A total of 6024 cases were verified to have DENV infections by nucleic acid detection, of which 5947, 74 and 3 were confirmed to have DENV-1, -2, and -3 infections, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses of DENV-1 isolates were assigned into three genotypes (I, IV, and V). Genotype V was the predominant genotype that likely originated from Singapore. The DENV-2 isolates were assigned to the Cosmopolitan and Asian I genotypes. A unique DENV-3 isolate (genotype III) shared high similarity with isolates obtained from Guangdong in 2013. A combination analyses demonstrated the multiple geographical origins of this outbreak, and highlight the importance of early detection, the case management and vector surveillance for preventing further dengue epidemics in Guangdong. Copyright © 2015 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Racial and ethnic disparities in contraceptive method choice in California.

PubMed

Shih, Grace; Vittinghoff, Eric; Steinauer, Jody; Dehlendorf, Christine

2011-09-01

Unintended pregnancy, an important public health issue, disproportionately affects minority populations. Yet, the independent associations of race, ethnicity and other characteristics with contraceptive choice have not been well studied. Racial and ethnic disparities in contraceptive use among 3,277 women aged 18-44 and at risk for unintended pregnancy were assessed using 2006-2008 data from of the California Women's Health Survey. Sequential logistic regression analyses were used to examine the independent and cumulative associations of racial, ethnic, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics with method choice. Differences in contraceptive use persisted in analyses controlling for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Blacks and foreign-born Asians were less likely than whites to use high-efficacy reversible methods-that is, hormonals or IUDs (odds ratio, 0.5 for each). No differences by race or ethnicity were found specifically for IUD use in the full model. Blacks and U.S.-born Hispanics were more likely than whites to choose female sterilization (1.9 and 1.7, respectively), while foreign-born Asians had reduced odds of such use (0.4). Finally, blacks and foreign-born Asians were less likely than whites to rely on male sterilization (0.3 and 0.1, respectively). Socioeconomic factors did not explain the disparities in method choice among racial and ethnic groups. Intervention programs that focus on improving contraceptive choice among black and, particularly, Asian populations need to be developed, as such programs have the potential to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies that occur among these high-risk groups. Copyright © 2011 by the Guttmacher Institute.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Contraceptive Method Choice in California

PubMed Central

Shih, Grace; Vittinghoff, Eric; Steinauer, Jody; Dehlendorf, Christine

2015-01-01

CONTEXT Unintended pregnancy, an important public health issue, disproportionately affects minority populations. Yet, the independent associations of race, ethnicity and other characteristics with contraceptive choice have not been well studied. METHODS Racial and ethnic disparities in contraceptive use among 3,277 women aged 18–44 and at risk for unintended pregnancy were assessed using 2006–2008 data from of the California Women’s Health Survey. Sequential logistic regression analyses were used to examine the independent and cumulative associations of racial, ethnic, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics with method choice. RESULTS Differences in contraceptive use persisted in analyses controlling for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Blacks and foreign-born Asians were less likely than whites to use high-efficacy reversible methods—that is, hormonals or IUDs (odds ratio, 0.5 for each). No differences by race or ethnicity were found specifically for IUD use in the full model. Blacks and U.S.-born Hispanics were more likely than whites to choose female sterilization (1.9 and 1.7, respectively), while foreign-born Asians had reduced odds of such use (0.4). Finally, blacks and foreign-born Asians were less likely than whites to rely on male sterilization (0.3 and 0.1, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Socioeconomic factors did not explain the disparities in method choice among racial and ethnic groups. Intervention programs that focus on improving contraceptive choice among black and, particularly, Asian populations need to be developed, as such programs have the potential to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies that occur among these high-risk groups. PMID:21884385

Workplace health promotion: a meta-analysis of effectiveness.

PubMed

Rongen, Anne; Robroek, Suzan J W; van Lenthe, Frank J; Burdorf, Alex

2013-04-01

An unhealthy lifestyle may contribute to ill health, absence due to sickness, productivity loss at work, and reduced ability to work. Workplace health promotion programs (WHPPs) aim to improve lifestyle and consequently improve health, work ability, and work productivity. However, systematic reviews on intervention studies have reported small effects, and the overall evaluation of effectiveness of WHPPs is hampered by a large heterogeneity in interventions and study populations. This systematic review aims to investigate the influence of population, study and intervention characteristics, and study quality on the effectiveness of workplace health promotion programs. A systematic literature search was conducted identifying RCTs, published before June 2012, evaluating the effect of a WHPP aimed at smoking cessation, physical activity, healthy nutrition, and/or obesity on self-perceived health, work absence due to sickness, work productivity, or work ability. Studies were included in the meta-analyses if quantitative information was present to calculate an effect size (ES). A meta-analysis, stratified meta-analyses, and meta-regression analyses were performed in Spring 2012 using Comprehensive Meta-analysis software 2.0 and PAWS 17.0.2. In 18 studies describing 21 interventions, the overall effect of a WHPP was small (ES=0.24, 95% CI=0.14, 0.34). The effectiveness of a WHPP was larger in younger populations, in interventions with weekly contacts, and in studies in which the control group received no health promotion. A 2.6-fold lower effectiveness was observed for studies performing an intention-to-treat analysis and a 1.7-fold lower effectiveness for studies controlling for confounders. Studies of poor methodologic quality reported a 2.9-fold higher effect size of the WHPP. The effectiveness of a WHPP is partly determined by intervention characteristics and statistical analysis. High-quality RCTs reported lower effect sizes. It is important to determine the effectiveness of WHPPs in RCTs of high quality. Copyright © 2013 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Understanding drivers of Demand for Emergency Service Trends in Years 2010-2014 in New South Wales: An initial overview of the DESTINY project.

PubMed

Dinh, Michael M; Berendsen Russell, Saartje; Bein, Kendall J; Chalkley, Dane; Muscatello, David; Paoloni, Richard; Ivers, Rebecca

2016-04-01

This study aims to describe the general characteristics and data definitions used in a population-based data set of ED presentations in New South Wales (NSW), used to form the basis of future-trend analyses. Retrospective analysis of the Emergency Department Data Collection registry, which provided clinical and demographic information of ED presentations across all EDs in NSW between 2010 and 2014. Presenting problems and ED diagnoses were classified using broad clinical categories including injury/musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, ear nose and throat, and mental health. Presentations were linked by patient to allow for analysis of representations, and population data were obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. There were 11.8 million presentations that were analysed from 150 EDs (80.6% of all EDs). The rate of ED presentations was highest in those aged 85 years and older and appears to increase across all age groups between 2010 and 2014. The most common ED diagnosis categories were injury/musculoskeletal (27.5%) followed by abdominal/gastrointestinal (12.3%), respiratory (9%) and cardiovascular (8%). Both the Systematised Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (66%) and the International Classification of Diseases (24%) were used to code ED diagnoses. The elderly population had the highest rate of ED attendances. The use of diverse diagnosis classifications and source information systems may present problems with further analysis. Patterns and characteristics of ED presentations in NSW were broadly consistent with those reported in other states in Australia. © 2016 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

Characteristics of COPD in never-smokers and ever-smokers in the general population: results from the CanCOLD study.

PubMed

Tan, W C; Sin, D D; Bourbeau, J; Hernandez, P; Chapman, K R; Cowie, R; FitzGerald, J M; Marciniuk, D D; Maltais, F; Buist, A S; Road, J; Hogg, J C; Kirby, M; Coxson, H; Hague, C; Leipsic, J; O'Donnell, D E; Aaron, S D

2015-09-01

There is limited data on the risk factors and phenotypical characteristics associated with spirometrically confirmed COPD in never-smokers in the general population. To compare the characteristics associated with COPD by gender and by severity of airway obstruction in never-smokers and in ever-smokers. We analysed the data from 5176 adults aged 40 years and older who participated in the initial cross-sectional phase of the population-based, prospective, multisite Canadian Cohort of Obstructive Lung Disease study. Never-smokers were defined as those with a lifetime exposure of <1/20 pack year. Logistic regressions were constructed to evaluate associations for 'mild' and 'moderate-severe' COPD defined by FEV1/FVC <5th centile (lower limits of normal). Analyses were performed using SAS V.9.1 (SAS Institute, Cary, North Carolina, USA). The prevalence of COPD (FEV1/FVC

Maternal lineages of Pinus densata, a diploid hybrid.

PubMed

Song, Bao-Hua; Wang, Xiao-Quan; Wang, Xiao-Ru; Sun, Lan-Ju; Hong, De-Yuan; Peng, Pei-Hao

2002-06-01

Previous morphological, allozyme and chloroplast DNA data have suggested that Pinus densata originated through hybridization between P. tabuliformis and P. yunnanensis. In the present study, sequence and restriction site analyses of maternally inherited mitochondrial nad1 intron were used to detect variation patterns in 19 populations of P. tabuliformis, P. yunnanensis and P. densata. A total of three mitotypes (A, B, C) were detected. All but one of the populations of P. yunnanensis possessed mitotype B while all populations of P. tabuliformis had mitotype A. Pinus densata populations, on the other hand, harboured both mitotypes A and B, which are characteristic of P. tabuliformis and P. yunnanensis, respectively. This result gives strong additional evidence supporting the hybrid origin of this diploid pine. The distribution of mitotypes indicated very different mating compositions and evolutionary history among P. densata populations. It seems that local founder populations and backcrosses may have played important roles in the early establishment of P. densata populations. The uplift of the Tibetan Plateau had a significant impact on the distribution of maternal lineages of P. densata populations.

Epidemiological tracking and population assignment of the non-clonal bacterium, Burkholderia pseudomallei.

PubMed

Dale, Julia; Price, Erin P; Hornstra, Heidie; Busch, Joseph D; Mayo, Mark; Godoy, Daniel; Wuthiekanun, Vanaporn; Baker, Anthony; Foster, Jeffrey T; Wagner, David M; Tuanyok, Apichai; Warner, Jeffrey; Spratt, Brian G; Peacock, Sharon J; Currie, Bart J; Keim, Paul; Pearson, Talima

2011-12-01

Rapid assignment of bacterial pathogens into predefined populations is an important first step for epidemiological tracking. For clonal species, a single allele can theoretically define a population. For non-clonal species such as Burkholderia pseudomallei, however, shared allelic states between distantly related isolates make it more difficult to identify population defining characteristics. Two distinct B. pseudomallei populations have been previously identified using multilocus sequence typing (MLST). These populations correlate with the major foci of endemicity (Australia and Southeast Asia). Here, we use multiple Bayesian approaches to evaluate the compositional robustness of these populations, and provide assignment results for MLST sequence types (STs). Our goal was to provide a reference for assigning STs to an established population without the need for further computational analyses. We also provide allele frequency results for each population to enable estimation of population assignment even when novel STs are discovered. The ability for humans and potentially contaminated goods to move rapidly across the globe complicates the task of identifying the source of an infection or outbreak. Population genetic dynamics of B. pseudomallei are particularly complicated relative to other bacterial pathogens, but the work here provides the ability for broad scale population assignment. As there is currently no independent empirical measure of successful population assignment, we provide comprehensive analytical details of our comparisons to enable the reader to evaluate the robustness of population designations and assignments as they pertain to individual research questions. Finer scale subdivision and verification of current population compositions will likely be possible with genotyping data that more comprehensively samples the genome. The approach used here may be valuable for other non-clonal pathogens that lack simple group-defining genetic characteristics and provides a rapid reference for epidemiologists wishing to track the origin of infection without the need to compile population data and learn population assignment algorithms.

Holocene re-colonisation, central-marginal distribution and habitat specialisation shape population genetic patterns within an Atlantic European grass species.

PubMed

Harter, D E V; Jentsch, A; Durka, W

2015-05-01

Corynephorus canescens (L.) P.Beauv. is an outbreeding, short-lived and wind-dispersed grass species, highly specialised on scattered and disturbance-dependent habitats of open sandy sites. Its distribution ranges from the Iberian Peninsula over Atlantic regions of Western and Central Europe, but excludes the two other classical European glacial refuge regions on the Apennine and Balkan Peninsulas. To investigate genetic patterns of this uncommon combination of ecological and biogeographic species characteristics, we analysed AFLP variation among 49 populations throughout the European distribution range, expecting (i) patterns of SW European glacial refugia and post-glacial expansion to the NE; (ii) decreasing genetic diversity from central to marginal populations; and (iii) interacting effects of high gene flow and disturbance-driven genetic drift. Decreasing genetic diversity from SW to NE and distinct gene pool clustering imply refugia on the Iberian Peninsula and in western France, from where range expansion originated towards the NE. High genetic diversity within and moderate genetic differentiation among populations, and a significant pattern of isolation-by-distance indicate a gene flow drift equilibrium within C. canescens, probably due to its restriction to scattered and dynamic habitats and limited dispersal distances. These features, as well as the re-colonisation history, were found to affect genetic diversity gradients from central to marginal populations. Our study emphasises the need for including the specific ecology into analyses of species (re-)colonisation histories and range centre-margin analyses. To account for discontinuous distributions, new indices of marginality were tested for their suitability in studies of centre-periphery gradients. © 2014 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

Swiss national community survey on functioning after spinal cord injury: Protocol, characteristics of participants and determinants of non-response.

PubMed

Brinkhof, Martin W G; Fekete, Christine; Chamberlain, Jonviea D; Post, Marcel W M; Gemperli, Armin

2016-02-01

To detail the protocol, recruitment, study population, response, and data quality of the first population-based community survey of the Swiss Spinal Cord Injury (SwiSCI) Cohort Study. The survey consisted of 3 successive modules administered between September 2011 and March 2013. The first two modules queried demographics, lesion characteristics and key domains of functioning. The third module collected information on psychological personal factors and health behaviour; work integration; or health services and aging. Community-dwelling persons with chronic spinal cord injury in Switzerland. Descriptive analyses of the recruitment process, participant characteristics, and correspondence between self-reported and clinical data. Determinants for participation and the impact of non-response on survey results were assessed. Out of 3,144 eligible persons 1,549 participated in the first two modules (cumulative response rate 49.3%). Approximately three-quarters of participants were male, with a median age of 53 years, and 78% had traumatic spinal cord injury. Record-linkage with medical records demonstrated substantial agreement with self-reported demographic and lesion characteristics. A minimal non-response bias was found. The community survey was effective in recruiting an unbiased sample, thus providing valuable information to study functioning, health maintenance, and quality of life in the Swiss SCI community.

Whole-genome sequence, SNP chips and pedigree structure: building demographic profiles in domestic dog breeds to optimize genetic-trait mapping.

PubMed

Dreger, Dayna L; Rimbault, Maud; Davis, Brian W; Bhatnagar, Adrienne; Parker, Heidi G; Ostrander, Elaine A

2016-12-01

In the decade following publication of the draft genome sequence of the domestic dog, extraordinary advances with application to several fields have been credited to the canine genetic system. Taking advantage of closed breeding populations and the subsequent selection for aesthetic and behavioral characteristics, researchers have leveraged the dog as an effective natural model for the study of complex traits, such as disease susceptibility, behavior and morphology, generating unique contributions to human health and biology. When designing genetic studies using purebred dogs, it is essential to consider the unique demography of each population, including estimation of effective population size and timing of population bottlenecks. The analytical design approach for genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and analysis of whole-genome sequence (WGS) experiments are inextricable from demographic data. We have performed a comprehensive study of genomic homozygosity, using high-depth WGS data for 90 individuals, and Illumina HD SNP data from 800 individuals representing 80 breeds. These data were coupled with extensive pedigree data analyses for 11 breeds that, together, allowed us to compute breed structure, demography, and molecular measures of genome diversity. Our comparative analyses characterize the extent, formation and implication of breed-specific diversity as it relates to population structure. These data demonstrate the relationship between breed-specific genome dynamics and population architecture, and provide important considerations influencing the technological and cohort design of association and other genomic studies. © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Whole-genome sequence, SNP chips and pedigree structure: building demographic profiles in domestic dog breeds to optimize genetic-trait mapping

PubMed Central

Dreger, Dayna L.; Rimbault, Maud; Davis, Brian W.; Bhatnagar, Adrienne; Parker, Heidi G.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT In the decade following publication of the draft genome sequence of the domestic dog, extraordinary advances with application to several fields have been credited to the canine genetic system. Taking advantage of closed breeding populations and the subsequent selection for aesthetic and behavioral characteristics, researchers have leveraged the dog as an effective natural model for the study of complex traits, such as disease susceptibility, behavior and morphology, generating unique contributions to human health and biology. When designing genetic studies using purebred dogs, it is essential to consider the unique demography of each population, including estimation of effective population size and timing of population bottlenecks. The analytical design approach for genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and analysis of whole-genome sequence (WGS) experiments are inextricable from demographic data. We have performed a comprehensive study of genomic homozygosity, using high-depth WGS data for 90 individuals, and Illumina HD SNP data from 800 individuals representing 80 breeds. These data were coupled with extensive pedigree data analyses for 11 breeds that, together, allowed us to compute breed structure, demography, and molecular measures of genome diversity. Our comparative analyses characterize the extent, formation and implication of breed-specific diversity as it relates to population structure. These data demonstrate the relationship between breed-specific genome dynamics and population architecture, and provide important considerations influencing the technological and cohort design of association and other genomic studies. PMID:27874836

Characteristics of the population studies in China.

PubMed

Liu, C

1989-01-01

The author presents a brief historical sketch of the origins of Chinese population studies and provides 8 characteristics of the post-1978 advances made in population science. Chinese scholars were among the 1st to research population issues but ceased their work in the 18th century. In the late 19th century scholars used the theories of Thomas Malthus to explain population growth. This research peaked in the 1st half of the 20th century and continued in the Malthusian tradition and sociological point of view. Soviet theories on population were popular in the 1930's and 40's, and adopted by the administration with the founding of New China in 1949. Sociologically oriented scholars were criticized, even for Marxist views. The 1978 3rd plenary session of the 11th Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party adopted a policy which emphasized the quest for truth from facts, future planning, and unification. Between 1978-88 huge advances were made in population studies which attracted world attention and contributed to solving China's population problems. Demographic societies were founded at the national, provincial, and municipal levels. Institutions of higher education formed professional departments. Training centers were formed for government family planning officers, and exchanges of students and scholars were made with other countries. An extensive network of party schools and FP departments contributed to population studies. The 8 characteristics which contributed to the originality of the effort were as follows: 1) A blend of Western and Marxist theory was developed. 2) Qualitative and quantitative research was conducted, which surpassed the boring and abstract Soviet research and the Western research short on sociological analyses. 3) Theoretical research was combined with practical research, which lead to the publication of a 30 volume series. 4) Population studies have utilized the theories and methodologies of other related sciences such as economics, sociology, geography, demography, and mathematics to broaden the scope. 5) Traditional and modern research methods have been used. 6) Concern has been placed on quality of life and quantification of numbers, using research on medical science, eugenics, and social security. 7) Knowledge has been popularized and the standards increased. 8) Cooperative efforts have been made with overseas counterparts.

Investigating the role of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) val66met variant in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

PubMed

Hemmings, Sîan M J; Kinnear, Craig J; Van der Merwe, Lize; Lochner, Christine; Corfield, Valerie A; Moolman-Smook, Johanna C; Stein, Dan J

2008-01-01

Although evidence from family studies suggest that genetic factors play an important role in mediating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), results from genetic case-control association analyses have been inconsistent. Discrepant findings may be attributed to the lack of phenotypic resolution, and population stratification. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role that the val66met variant within the gene encoding brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may play in mediating the development of selected OCD subtypes accounting for the aforementioned confounding factors. One hundred and twelve OCD subjects and 140 controls were selected from the South African Afrikaner population. A significant association was observed in the male subgroup, with the met66 allele implicated as the risk allele in the development of OCD. This allele was also found to be associated with an earlier age at onset of OCD in males. On the other hand, the val66val genotype was associated with more severe OCD in the female population. No evidence of population stratification was observed in Afrikaner control subjects. These preliminary results point towards genetically distinct characteristics of OCD mediated by dysfunctions in BDNF. The present investigation forms part of ongoing research to elucidate the genetic components involved in the aetiology of OCD and OCD-related characteristics.

Trends in Regionalization of Care for ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

PubMed

Hsia, Renee Y; Sabbagh, Sarah; Sarkar, Nandita; Sporer, Karl; Rokos, Ivan C; Brown, John F; Brindis, Ralph G; Guo, Joanna; Shen, Yu-Chu

2017-10-01

California has led successful regionalized efforts for several time-critical medical conditions, including ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), but no specific mandated protocols exist to define regionalization of care. We aimed to study the trends in regionalization of care for STEMI patients in the state of California and to examine the differences in patient demographic, hospital, and county trends. Using survey responses collected from all California emergency medical services (EMS) agencies, we developed four categories - no, partial, substantial, and complete regionalization - to capture prehospital and inter-hospital components of regionalization in each EMS agency's jurisdiction between 2005-2014. We linked the survey responses to 2006 California non-public hospital discharge data to study the patient distribution at baseline. STEMI regionalization-of-care networks steadily developed across California. Only 14% of counties were regionalized in 2006, accounting for 42% of California's STEMI patient population, but over half of these counties, representing 86% of California's STEMI patient population, reached complete regionalization in 2014. We did not find any dramatic differences in underlying patient characteristics based on regionalization status; however, differences in hospital characteristics were relatively substantial. Potential barriers to achieving regionalization included competition, hospital ownership, population density, and financial challenges. Minimal differences in patient characteristics can establish that patient differences unlikely played any role in influencing earlier or later regionalization and can provide a framework for future analyses evaluating the impact of regionalization on patient outcomes.

Socio-demographic characteristics and factors associated with hospitalization in psychiatry of old age patients: an international comparison between Ireland and Turkey.

PubMed

Carpar, Elif; McCarthy, Geraldine; Adamis, Dimitrios; Donmezler, Gizem; Cesur, Ender; Fistikci, Nurhan

2018-06-01

Taking predictors of hospitalization characteristics into consideration internationally would broaden our understanding of this population on a local basis. We aimed to examine and compare socio-demographic profiles along with hospitalization characteristics including length of hospital stay (LOS), reasons for admission and diagnoses among older adult inpatients hospitalized in Ireland and Turkey, and to assess factors predicting these features. The admission charts of 356 psychiatric inpatients over 65 years of age who were admitted to two different acute psychiatric hospitals (Sligo/Ireland and Istanbul/Turkey) were analysed by means of descriptive modalities and logistic regression. There were significant differences in several domains of socio-demographics, reasons of admission and diagnoses. LOS was significantly longer in Ireland. Living alone was the only significant predictor for longer LOS in both countries, whereas in addition to living alone, younger age was also a contributor for longer LOS in Turkey. Given that the only factor predicting LOS both in Turkey and Ireland was living alone, helping to identify more acceptable ways of providing social support for living arrangements constitutes an important service to shorten LOS in old age psychiatric population. It is possible to infer that independent from the cultural diversities, living arrangement is a consistent entity to influence length of hospital stay in older adult population.

Characteristics and knowledge about HIV/AIDS and drug abuse associated with inmates education level within prison populations in Singkawang, West Borneo in 2006.

PubMed

Sigarlaki, Herke G

2008-07-01

to identify the characteristics and knowledge of inmates within prison population in Singkawang city about HIV/AIDS and drugs associated with their education level. a cross-sectional study with 240 respondents was conducted in Singkawang City, West Borneo. The subjects were inmates of prison population. They were interviewed by co-assistant doctors who completed the questionnaire forms about various aspects of knowledge about HIV/AIDS and drugs, including the application of standardized scales on subject characteristics. Data was prepared by using Microsoft Excel 2000 and all data were evaluated by univariate and bivariate analyses. The presentation will be shown in table. at the end of 2006, 91.25% respondents were male and mostly were Malay ethnic group. Moreover, 32.08% of them had formal educational background of Senior High School. Approximately 83.33% of respondents had discovered their status of HIV/AIDS by voluntary counseling and testing (VCT). Their level of knowledge about HIV/AIDS issue particularly that AIDS is caused by HIV was 90.42%. Approximately 48.33% respondents agreed that the risk factor for drug abuse was living with a family member who had taken up smoking and alcoholic consumption. our data indicate that higher education level has better contribution to the better knowledge about HIV/AIDS and drugs.

Developing a novel panel of genome-wide ancestry informative markers for bio-geographical ancestry estimates.

PubMed

Jia, Jing; Wei, Yi-Liang; Qin, Cui-Jiao; Hu, Lan; Wan, Li-Hua; Li, Cai-Xia

2014-01-01

Inferring the ancestral origin of DNA samples can be helpful in correcting population stratification in disease association studies or guiding crime investigations. Populations throughout the world vary in appearance features and biological characteristics. Based on this idea, we performed a genome-wide scan for SNPs within genes that are related to physical and biological traits. Using the HapMap database, we screened 52 genes and their flanking regions. Thirty-five SNPs that displayed highly contrasting allele frequencies (F(st)>0.3, linkage disequilibrium r(2)<0.2, and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium P>0.001) among Africans, Europeans, and East Asians were selected and validated. A multiplexed assay was developed to genotype these 35 SNPs in 357 individuals from 10 populations worldwide. This panel provided accurate estimates of individual ancestry proportions with balanced discriminatory power among the three continental ancestries: Africans, Europeans, and East Asians. It also proved very effective in evaluating admixed populations living in joint regions of continents (e.g., Uyghurs and Indians) and discriminating some subpopulations within each of the three continents. Structure analysis was performed to establish and evaluate the panel of ancestry-informative markers, and the components of each population were also described to indicate the structural composition. The 21 population structures in our study are consistent with geographic patterns, and individuals were properly assigned to their original ancestral populations with proportion analyses and random match probability calculations. Thus, the panel and its population information will be useful resources to minimize the effects of population stratification in association analyses and to assign the most likely origin of an unknown DNA contributor in forensic investigations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The usefulness of videomanometry for studying pediatric esophageal motor disease.

PubMed

Kawahara, Hisayoshi; Kubota, Akio; Okuyama, Hiroomi; Oue, Takaharu; Tazuke, Yuko; Okada, Akira

2004-12-01

Abnormalities in esophageal motor function underlie various symptoms in the pediatric population. Manometry remains an important tool for studying esophageal motor function, whereas its analyses have been conducted with considerable subjective interpretation. The usefulness of videomanometry with topographic analysis was examined in the current study. Videomanometry was conducted in 5 patients with primary gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), 4 with postoperative esophageal atresia (EA), 1 with congenital esophageal stenosis (CES), and 1 with diffuse esophageal spasms (DES). Digitized videofluoroscopic images were recorded synchronously with manometric digital data in a personal computer. Manometric analysis was conducted with a view of concurrent esophageal contour and bolus transit. Primary GERD patients showed esophageal flow proceeding into the stomach during peristaltic contractions recorded manometrically, whereas patients with EA/CES frequently showed impaired esophageal transit during defective esophageal peristaltic contractions. A characteristic corkscrew appearance and esophageal flow in a to-and-fro fashion were seen with high-amplitude synchronous esophageal contractions in a DES patient. The topographic analysis showed distinctive images characteristic of each pathological condition. Videomanometry is helpful in interpreting manometric data by analyzing concurrent fluoroscopic images. Topographic analyses provide characteristic images reflecting motor abnormalities in pediatric esophageal disease.

Commonalities in Development of Pure Breeds and Population Isolates Revealed in the Genome of the Sardinian Fonni's Dog.

PubMed

Dreger, Dayna L; Davis, Brian W; Cocco, Raffaella; Sechi, Sara; Di Cerbo, Alessandro; Parker, Heidi G; Polli, Michele; Marelli, Stefano P; Crepaldi, Paola; Ostrander, Elaine A

2016-10-01

The island inhabitants of Sardinia have long been a focus for studies of complex human traits due to their unique ancestral background and population isolation reflecting geographic and cultural restriction. Population isolates share decreased genomic diversity, increased linkage disequilibrium, and increased inbreeding coefficients. In many regions, dogs and humans have been exposed to the same natural and artificial forces of environment, growth, and migration. Distinct dog breeds have arisen through human-driven selection of characteristics to meet an ideal standard of appearance and function. The Fonni's Dog, an endemic dog population on Sardinia, has not been subjected to an intensive system of artificial selection, but rather has developed alongside the human population of Sardinia, influenced by geographic isolation and unregulated selection based on its environmental adaptation and aptitude for owner-desired behaviors. Through analysis of 28 dog breeds, represented with whole-genome sequences from 13 dogs and ∼170,000 genome-wide single nucleotide variants from 155 dogs, we have produced a genomic illustration of the Fonni's Dog. Genomic patterns confirm within-breed similarity, while population and demographic analyses provide spatial identity of Fonni's Dog to other Mediterranean breeds. Investigation of admixture and fixation indices reveals insights into the involvement of Fonni's Dogs in breed development throughout the Mediterranean. We describe how characteristics of population isolates are reflected in dog breeds that have undergone artificial selection, and are mirrored in the Fonni's Dog through traditional isolating factors that affect human populations. Lastly, we show that the genetic history of Fonni's Dog parallels demographic events in local human populations. Copyright © 2016 by the Genetics Society of America.

Does the seed bank contribute to the build-up of a genetic extinction debt in the grassland perennial Campanula rotundifolia?

PubMed

Plue, Jan; Vandepitte, Katrien; Honnay, Olivier; Cousins, Sara A O

2017-09-01

Habitat fragmentation threatens global biodiversity. Many plant species persist in habitat fragments via persistent life cycle stages such as seed banks, generating a species extinction debt. Here, seed banks are hypothesized to cause a temporal delay in the expected loss of genetic variation, which can be referred to as a genetic extinction debt, as a possible mechanism behind species extinction debts. Fragmented grassland populations of Campanula rotundifolia were examined for evidence of a genetic extinction debt, investigating if the seed bank contributed to the extinction debt build-up. The genetic make-up of 15 above- and below-ground populations was analysed in relation to historical and current levels of habitat fragmentation, both separately and combined. Genetic diversity was highest in above-ground populations, though below-ground populations contained 8 % of unique alleles that were absent above-ground. Above-ground genetic diversity and composition were related to historical patch size and connectivity, but not current patch characteristics, suggesting the presence of a genetic extinction debt in the above-ground populations. No such relationships were found for the below-ground populations. Genetic diversity measures still showed a response to historical but not present landscape characteristics when combining genetic diversity of the above- and below-ground populations. The fragmented C. rotundifolia populations exhibited a genetic extinction debt. However, the role of the seed banks in the build-up of this extinction debt is probably small, since the limited, unique genetic diversity of the seed bank alone seems unable to counter the detrimental effects of habitat fragmentation on the population genetic structure of C. rotundifolia. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Commonalities in Development of Pure Breeds and Population Isolates Revealed in the Genome of the Sardinian Fonni's Dog

PubMed Central

Dreger, Dayna L.; Davis, Brian W.; Cocco, Raffaella; Sechi, Sara; Di Cerbo, Alessandro; Parker, Heidi G.; Polli, Michele; Marelli, Stefano P.; Crepaldi, Paola; Ostrander, Elaine A.

2016-01-01

The island inhabitants of Sardinia have long been a focus for studies of complex human traits due to their unique ancestral background and population isolation reflecting geographic and cultural restriction. Population isolates share decreased genomic diversity, increased linkage disequilibrium, and increased inbreeding coefficients. In many regions, dogs and humans have been exposed to the same natural and artificial forces of environment, growth, and migration. Distinct dog breeds have arisen through human-driven selection of characteristics to meet an ideal standard of appearance and function. The Fonni’s Dog, an endemic dog population on Sardinia, has not been subjected to an intensive system of artificial selection, but rather has developed alongside the human population of Sardinia, influenced by geographic isolation and unregulated selection based on its environmental adaptation and aptitude for owner-desired behaviors. Through analysis of 28 dog breeds, represented with whole-genome sequences from 13 dogs and ∼170,000 genome-wide single nucleotide variants from 155 dogs, we have produced a genomic illustration of the Fonni’s Dog. Genomic patterns confirm within-breed similarity, while population and demographic analyses provide spatial identity of Fonni’s Dog to other Mediterranean breeds. Investigation of admixture and fixation indices reveals insights into the involvement of Fonni’s Dogs in breed development throughout the Mediterranean. We describe how characteristics of population isolates are reflected in dog breeds that have undergone artificial selection, and are mirrored in the Fonni’s Dog through traditional isolating factors that affect human populations. Lastly, we show that the genetic history of Fonni’s Dog parallels demographic events in local human populations. PMID:27519604

Investigating the Prehistory of Tungusic Peoples of Siberia and the Amur-Ussuri Region with Complete mtDNA Genome Sequences and Y-chromosomal Markers

PubMed Central

Duggan, Ana T.; Whitten, Mark; Wiebe, Victor; Crawford, Michael; Butthof, Anne; Spitsyn, Victor; Makarov, Sergey; Novgorodov, Innokentiy; Osakovsky, Vladimir; Pakendorf, Brigitte

2013-01-01

Evenks and Evens, Tungusic-speaking reindeer herders and hunter-gatherers, are spread over a wide area of northern Asia, whereas their linguistic relatives the Udegey, sedentary fishermen and hunter-gatherers, are settled to the south of the lower Amur River. The prehistory and relationships of these Tungusic peoples are as yet poorly investigated, especially with respect to their interactions with neighbouring populations. In this study, we analyse over 500 complete mtDNA genome sequences from nine different Evenk and even subgroups as well as their geographic neighbours from Siberia and their linguistic relatives the Udegey from the Amur-Ussuri region in order to investigate the prehistory of the Tungusic populations. These data are supplemented with analyses of Y-chromosomal haplogroups and STR haplotypes in the Evenks, Evens, and neighbouring Siberian populations. We demonstrate that whereas the North Tungusic Evenks and Evens show evidence of shared ancestry both in the maternal and in the paternal line, this signal has been attenuated by genetic drift and differential gene flow with neighbouring populations, with isolation by distance further shaping the maternal genepool of the Evens. The Udegey, in contrast, appear quite divergent from their linguistic relatives in the maternal line, with a mtDNA haplogroup composition characteristic of populations of the Amur-Ussuri region. Nevertheless, they show affinities with the Evenks, indicating that they might be the result of admixture between local Amur-Ussuri populations and Tungusic populations from the north. PMID:24349531

Premorbid personality characteristics and attachment style moderate the effect of injury severity on occupational outcome in traumatic brain injury: another aspect of reserve.

PubMed

Sela-Kaufman, Michal; Rassovsky, Yuri; Agranov, Eugenia; Levi, Yifat; Vakil, Eli

2013-01-01

The concept of "reserve" has been proposed to account for the mismatch between brain pathology and its clinical expression. Prior efforts to characterize this concept focused mostly on brain or cognitive reserve measures. The present study was a preliminary attempt to evaluate premorbid personality and emotional aspects as potential moderators in moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury. Using structural equation modeling and multiple regression analyses, we found that premorbid personality characteristics provided the most robust moderator of injury severity on occupational outcome. Findings offer preliminary support for premorbid personality features as another relevant reserve construct in predicting outcome in this population.

Special population planner 4 : an open source release.

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

Kuiper, J.; Metz, W.; Tanzman, E.

2008-01-01

Emergencies like Hurricane Katrina and the recent California wildfires underscore the critical need to meet the complex challenge of planning for individuals with special needs and for institutionalized special populations. People with special needs and special populations often have difficulty responding to emergencies or taking protective actions, and emergency responders may be unaware of their existence and situations during a crisis. Special Population Planner (SPP) is an ArcGIS-based emergency planning system released as an open source product. SPP provides for easy production of maps, reports, and analyses to develop and revise emergency response plans. It includes tools to manage amore » voluntary registry of data for people with special needs, integrated links to plans and documents, tools for response planning and analysis, preformatted reports and maps, and data on locations of special populations, facility and resource characteristics, and contacts. The system can be readily adapted for new settings without programming and is broadly applicable. Full documentation and a demonstration database are included in the release.« less

A Matter of Perspective: Comparison of the Characteristics of Persons with HIV Infection in the United States from the HIV Outpatient Study, Medical Monitoring Project, and National HIV Surveillance System

PubMed Central

Buchacz, Kate; Frazier, Emma L.; Hall, H. Irene; Hart, Rachel; Huang, Ping; Franklin, Dana; Hu, Xiaohong; Palella, Frank J.; Chmiel, Joan S.; Novak, Richard M.; Wood, Kathy; Yangco, Bienvenido; Armon, Carl; Brooks, John T.; Skarbinski, Jacek

2015-01-01

Comparative analyses of the characteristics of persons living with HIV infection (PLWH) in the United States (US) captured in surveillance and other observational databases are few. To explore potential joint data use to guide HIV treatment and prevention in the US, we examined three CDC-funded data sources in 2012: the HIV Outpatient Study (HOPS), a multisite longitudinal cohort; the Medical Monitoring Project (MMP), a probability sample of PLWH receiving medical care; and the National HIV Surveillance System (NHSS), a surveillance system of all PLWH. Overall, data from 1,697 HOPS, 4,901 MMP, and 865,102 NHSS PLWH were analyzed. Compared with the MMP population, HOPS participants were more likely to be older, non-Hispanic/Latino white, not using injection drugs, insured, diagnosed with HIV before 2009, prescribed antiretroviral therapy, and to have most recent CD4+ T-lymphocyte cell count ≥500 cells/mm3 and most recent viral load test<2 00 copies/mL. The MMP population was demographically similar to all PLWH in NHSS, except it tended to be slightly older, HIV diagnosed more recently, and to have AIDS. Our comparative results provide an essential first step for combined epidemiologic data analyses to inform HIV care and prevention for PLWH in the US. PMID:26793282

Determinants of general practitioners' wages in England.

PubMed

Morris, Stephen; Goudie, Rosalind; Sutton, Matt; Gravelle, Hugh; Elliott, Robert; Hole, Arne Risa; Ma, Ada; Sibbald, Bonnie; Skåtun, Diane

2011-02-01

We analyse the determinants of annual net income and wages (net income/hours) of general practitioners (GPs) using data for 2271 GPs in England recorded during Autumn 2008. The average GP had an annual net income of £97,500 and worked 43 h per week. The mean wage was £51 per h. Net income and wages depended on gender, experience, list size, partnership size, whether or not the GP worked in a dispensing practice, whether they were salaried of self-employed, whether they worked in a practice with a nationally or locally negotiated contract, and the characteristics of the local population (proportion from ethnic minorities, rurality, and income deprivation). The findings have implications for pay discrimination by GP gender and ethnicity, GP preferences for partnership size, incentives for competition for patients, and compensating differentials for local population characteristics. They also shed light on the attractiveness to GPs in England of locally negotiated (personal medical services) versus nationally negotiated (general medical services) contracts.

Association between general practice characteristics and use of out-of-hours GP cooperatives.

PubMed

Smits, Marleen; Peters, Yvonne; Broers, Sanne; Keizer, Ellen; Wensing, Michel; Giesen, Paul

2015-05-01

The use of out-of-hours healthcare services for non-urgent health problems is believed to be related to the organisation of daytime primary care but insight into underlying mechanisms is limited. Our objective was to examine the association between daytime general practice characteristics and the use of out-of-hours care GP cooperatives. A cross-sectional observational study in 100 general practices in the Netherlands, connected to five GP cooperatives. In each GP cooperative, we took a purposeful sample of the 10 general practices with the highest use of out-of-hours care and the 10 practices with the lowest use. Practice and population characteristics were obtained by questionnaires, interviews, data extraction from patient registration systems and telephone accessibility measurements. To examine which aspects of practice organisation were associated with patients' use of out-of-hours care, we performed logistic regression analyses (low versus high out-of-hours care use), correcting for population characteristics. The mean out-of-hours care use in the high use group of general practices was 1.8 times higher than in the low use group. Day time primary care practices with more young children and foreigners in their patient populations and with a shorter distance to the GP cooperative had higher out-of-hours primary care use. In addition, longer telephone waiting times and lower personal availability for palliative patients in daily practice were associated with higher use of out-of-hours care. Moreover, out-of-hours care use was higher when practices performed more diagnostic tests and therapeutic procedures and had more assistant employment hours per 1000 patients. Several other aspects of practice management showed some non-significant trends: high utilising general practices tended to have longer waiting times for non-urgent appointments, lower availability of a telephone consulting hour, lower availability for consultations after 5 p.m., and less frequent holiday openings. Besides patient population characteristics, organisational characteristics of general practices are associated with lower use of out-of-hours care. Improving accessibility and availability of day time primary day care might be a potential effective way to improve the efficient use of out-of-hours care services.

Review of Positive Psychology Outcome Measures for Chronic Illness, Traumatic Brain Injury and Older Adults: Adaptability in Dementia?

PubMed

Stoner, Charlotte R; Orrell, Martin; Spector, Aimee

2015-01-01

Despite positive psychology being increasingly recognised as an important agent in well-being, there is a lack of standardised outcome measures for psychosocial dementia research. This review assessed positive psychology outcome measures using standardised criterion in populations that were identified as having shared characteristics. It aimed to identify robust measures that were suitable for potential adaption or use within a dementia population. The review identified 16 positive psychology outcome measures (and 8 further psychometric assessments of these) within the constructs of resilience, self-efficacy, religiousness/spirituality, life valuation, sense of coherence, autonomy, resourcefulness and a combined measure (CASP-19). Scale development studies were subject to a quality assessment, and most were found to be lacking information on reproducibility and responsiveness. A wide range of measures within the constructs of positive psychology was identified as having potential utility for psychosocial research within a dementia population. Examples included the CD-RISC, GSWB, SWLS, MPAQ, RSOA and CASP-19. It is recommended that such scales are further adapted or validated for people with dementia. Underreporting of appropriate psychometric analyses hampered this review, and it is recommended that future authors endeavour to report such analyses. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The risk-stratified osteoporosis strategy evaluation study (ROSE): a randomized prospective population-based study. Design and baseline characteristics.

PubMed

Rubin, Katrine Hass; Holmberg, Teresa; Rothmann, Mette Juel; Høiberg, Mikkel; Barkmann, Reinhard; Gram, Jeppe; Hermann, Anne Pernille; Bech, Mickael; Rasmussen, Ole; Glüer, Claus C; Brixen, Kim

2015-02-01

The risk-stratified osteoporosis strategy evaluation study (ROSE) is a randomized prospective population-based study investigating the effectiveness of a two-step screening program for osteoporosis in women. This paper reports the study design and baseline characteristics of the study population. 35,000 women aged 65-80 years were selected at random from the population in the Region of Southern Denmark and-before inclusion-randomized to either a screening group or a control group. As first step, a self-administered questionnaire regarding risk factors for osteoporosis based on FRAX(®) was issued to both groups. As second step, subjects in the screening group with a 10-year probability of major osteoporotic fractures ≥15% were offered a DXA scan. Patients diagnosed with osteoporosis from the DXA scan were advised to see their GP and discuss pharmaceutical treatment according to Danish National guidelines. The primary outcome is incident clinical fractures as evaluated through annual follow-up using the Danish National Patient Registry. The secondary outcomes are cost-effectiveness, participation rate, and patient preferences. 20,904 (60%) women participated and included in the baseline analyses (10,411 in screening and 10,949 in control group). The mean age was 71 years. As expected by randomization, the screening and control groups had similar baseline characteristics. Screening for osteoporosis is at present not evidence based according to the WHO screening criteria. The ROSE study is expected to provide knowledge of the effectiveness of a screening strategy that may be implemented in health care systems to prevent fractures.

Suicide in a National Student Mental Health Patient Population, 1997-2012.

PubMed

Farrell, Suhanthini; Kapur, Nav; While, David; Appleby, Louis; Windfuhr, Kirsten

2017-03-01

Entering higher education is a time of transition that coincides with the typical age of onset of serious mental illness. Awareness of the distinguishing characteristics of students with mental illness who die by suicide may inform clinical management. We aimed to compare the characteristics of mental health patients who died by suicide as students with other young people who died by suicide. UK data were analyzed for individuals aged 18-35 years in contact with mental health services who died by suicide from 1997 to 2012. Univariate analyses examined the sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical features of those who died as students. Backward stepwise regression analysis identified factors independently associated with student deaths. In all, 214 university students died by suicide within 12 months of mental health service contact. Factors associated with student deaths were: being younger, female, from an ethnic minority group, and a primary diagnosis of affective disorder. Medication nonadherence was less likely to be associated with student deaths. Deaths by suicide are split almost equally between male and female students, unlike the predominance of male suicide in the general population. There are clear differences in the characteristics of the student and nonstudent groups, although causation could not be established.

A review of neighborhood effects and early child development: How, where, and for whom, do neighborhoods matter?

PubMed

Minh, Anita; Muhajarine, Nazeem; Janus, Magdalena; Brownell, Marni; Guhn, Martin

2017-07-01

This paper describes a scoping review of 42 studies of neighborhood effects on developmental health for children ages 0-6, published between 2009 and 2014. It focuses on three themes: (1) theoretical mechanisms that drive early childhood development, i.e. how neighborhoods matter for early childhood development; (2) dependence of such mechanisms on place-based characteristics i.e. where neighborhood effects occur; (3) dependence of such mechanisms on child characteristics, i.e. for whom is development most affected. Given that ecological systems theories postulate diverse mechanisms via which neighborhood characteristics affect early child development, we specifically examine evidence on mediation and/or moderation effects. We conclude by discussing future challenges, and proposing recommendations for analyses that utilize ecological longitudinal population-based databases. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

New Estimates of Intergenerational Time Intervals for the Calculation of Age and Origins of Mutations

PubMed Central

Tremblay, Marc; Vézina, Hélène

2000-01-01

Summary Intergenerational time intervals are frequently used in human population-genetics studies concerned with the ages and origins of mutations. In most cases, mean intervals of 20 or 25 years are used, regardless of the demographic characteristics of the population under study. Although these characteristics may vary from prehistoric to historical times, we suggest that this value is probably too low, and that the ages of some mutations may have been underestimated. Analyses were performed by using the BALSAC Population Register (Quebec, Canada), from which several intergenerational comparisons can be made. Family reconstitutions were used to measure interval lengths and variations in descending lineages. Various parameters were considered, such as spouse age at marriage, parental age, and reproduction levels. Mother-child and father-child intervals were compared. Intergenerational male and female intervals were also analyzed in 100 extended ascending genealogies. Results showed that a mean value of 30 years is a better estimate of intergenerational intervals than 20 or 25 years. As marked differences between male and female interval length were observed, specific values are proposed for mtDNA, autosomal, X-chromosomal, and Y-chromosomal loci. The applicability of these results for age estimates of mutations is discussed. PMID:10677323

Associations between disability prevalence and local-area characteristics in a general community-living population.

PubMed

Philibert, M D; Pampalon, R; Hamel, D; Daniel, M

2013-10-01

Disability is understood to arise from person-environment interactions. Hence, heterogeneity in local-area characteristics should be associated with local-area variation in disability prevalence. This study evaluated the associations of disability prevalence with local-area socioeconomic status and contextual features. Disability prevalence was obtained from the Canada census of 2001 for the entire province of Québec at the level of dissemination areas (617 individuals on average) based on responses from 20% of the population. Data on local-area characteristics were urban-rural denomination, social and material deprivation, active and collective commuting, residential stability, and housing quality. Associations between local-area characteristics and disability prevalence were assessed using multilevel logistic regressions. Disability was associated with local-area socioeconomic status and contextual characteristics, and heterogeneity in these factors accounted for urban-rural differences in disability prevalence. Associations between contextual features and disability prevalence were confounded by local-area socioeconomic status. Some associations between local-area socioeconomic status and disability prevalence were moderated by contextual characteristics. The importance of this effect modification is greater when expressed in terms of the absolute magnitude of disability than in the relative likelihood of disability. Explanation of rural-urban differences by the contribution of other local-area characteristics is consistent with the conceptualization of urban-rural categories as the reflection of spatially varying ensembles of compositional and contextual factors. Although local-area socioeconomic status explains most variability in disability prevalence, this study shows that contextual characteristics are relevant to analyses of the spatial patterning of disability as they predict spatial variations of disability, sometimes in interaction with socioeconomic status. This study demonstrates that absolute and relative perspectives on effect modification may lead to differing conclusions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

What influences national and foreign physicians' geographic distribution? An analysis of medical doctors' residence location in Portugal.

PubMed

Russo, Giuliano; Ferrinho, Paulo; de Sousa, Bruno; Conceição, Cláudia

2012-07-02

The debate over physicians' geographical distribution has attracted the attention of the economic and public health literature over the last forty years. Nonetheless, it is still to date unclear what influences physicians' location, and whether foreign physicians contribute to fill the geographical gaps left by national doctors in any given country. The present research sets out to investigate the current distribution of national and international physicians in Portugal, with the objective to understand its determinants and provide an evidence base for policy-makers to identify policies to influence it. A cross-sectional study of physicians currently registered in Portugal was conducted to describe the population and explore the association of physician residence patterns with relevant personal and municipality characteristics. Data from the Portuguese Medical Council on physicians' residence and characteristics were analysed, as well as data from the National Institute of Statistics on municipalities' population, living standards and health care network. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, negative binomial and logistic regression modelling were applied to determine: (a) municipality characteristics predicting Portuguese and International physicians' geographical distribution, and; (b) doctors' characteristics that could increase the odds of residing outside the country's metropolitan areas. There were 39,473 physicians in Portugal in 2008, 51.1% of whom male, and 40.2% between 41 and 55 years of age. They were predominantly Portuguese (90.5%), with Spanish, Brazilian and African nationalities also represented. Population, Population's Purchasing Power, Nurses per capita and Municipality Development Index (MDI) were the municipality characteristics displaying the strongest association with national physicians' location. For foreign physicians, the MDI was not statistically significant, while municipalities' foreign population applying for residence appeared to be an additional positive factor in their location decisions. In general, being foreigner and male resulted to be the physician characteristics increasing the odds of residing outside the metropolitan areas. However, among the internationals, older doctors were more likely to reside outside metropolitan areas. Being Spanish or Brazilian (but not of African origin) was found to increase the odds of being based outside the Lisbon and Oporto metropolitan areas. The present study showed the relevance of studying one country's physician population to understand the factors driving national and international doctors' location decisions. A more nuanced understanding of national and foreign doctors' location appears to be needed to design more effective policies to reduce the imbalance of medical services across geographical areas.

Comparison of Three Cognitive Screening Tools in Older Urban and Regional Aboriginal Australians.

PubMed

Radford, Kylie; Mack, Holly A; Draper, Brian; Chalkley, Simon; Delbaere, Kim; Daylight, Gail; Cumming, Robert G; Bennett, Hayley; Broe, Gerald A

2015-01-01

Validated cognitive screening tools for use in urban and regional Aboriginal populations in Australia are lacking. In a cross-sectional community-based study, 235 participants were assessed on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) and an urban modification of the Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment (mKICA). Performance on these cognitive screening tools was compared to dementia diagnosis by clinical consensus. All tests were culturally acceptable with good psychometric properties. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses revealed that the MMSE and mKICA were the most accurate. The MMSE is an effective cognitive screening tool in urban Aboriginal populations. The mKICA is a good alternative when illiteracy, language or cultural considerations deem it appropriate. The RUDAS also has adequate validity in this population. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Incorporating uncertainty of management costs in sensitivity analyses of matrix population models.

PubMed

Salomon, Yacov; McCarthy, Michael A; Taylor, Peter; Wintle, Brendan A

2013-02-01

The importance of accounting for economic costs when making environmental-management decisions subject to resource constraints has been increasingly recognized in recent years. In contrast, uncertainty associated with such costs has often been ignored. We developed a method, on the basis of economic theory, that accounts for the uncertainty in population-management decisions. We considered the case where, rather than taking fixed values, model parameters are random variables that represent the situation when parameters are not precisely known. Hence, the outcome is not precisely known either. Instead of maximizing the expected outcome, we maximized the probability of obtaining an outcome above a threshold of acceptability. We derived explicit analytical expressions for the optimal allocation and its associated probability, as a function of the threshold of acceptability, where the model parameters were distributed according to normal and uniform distributions. To illustrate our approach we revisited a previous study that incorporated cost-efficiency analyses in management decisions that were based on perturbation analyses of matrix population models. Incorporating derivations from this study into our framework, we extended the model to address potential uncertainties. We then applied these results to 2 case studies: management of a Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) population and conservation of an olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) population. For low aspirations, that is, when the threshold of acceptability is relatively low, the optimal strategy was obtained by diversifying the allocation of funds. Conversely, for high aspirations, the budget was directed toward management actions with the highest potential effect on the population. The exact optimal allocation was sensitive to the choice of uncertainty model. Our results highlight the importance of accounting for uncertainty when making decisions and suggest that more effort should be placed on understanding the distributional characteristics of such uncertainty. Our approach provides a tool to improve decision making. © 2013 Society for Conservation Biology.

Defining Chronic Cough: A Systematic Review of the Epidemiological Literature

PubMed Central

Song, Woo-Jung; Chang, Yoon-Seok; Faruqi, Shoaib; Kang, Min-Koo; Kim, Ju-Young; Kang, Min-Gyu; Kim, Sujeong; Jo, Eun-Jung; Lee, Seung-Eun; Kim, Min-Hye; Plevkova, Jana; Park, Heung-Woo

2016-01-01

Purpose Recent evidence suggests a global burden of chronic cough in general populations. However, the definitions vary greatly among epidemiological studies, and none have been validated for clinical relevance. We aimed to examine previous epidemiological definitions in detail and explore the operational characteristics. Methods A systematic review was conducted for epidemiological surveys that reported the prevalence of chronic cough in general adult populations during the years 1980 to 2013. A literature search was performed on Pubmed and Embase without language restriction. Epidemiological definitions for chronic cough were classified according to their components, such as cutoff duration. Meta-analyses were performed for the male-to-female ratio of chronic cough prevalence to explore operational characteristics of epidemiological definitions. Results A total of 70 studies were included in the systematic review. The most common epidemiological definition was identified as 'cough ≥3 months' duration without specification of phlegm (n=50); however, it conflicted with the cutoff duration in current clinical guidelines (cough ≥8 weeks). Meta-analyses were performed for the male-to-female ratio of chronic cough among 28 studies that reported sex-specific prevalence using the most common definition. The pooled male-to-female odds ratio was 1.26 (95% confidence interval 0.92-1.73) with significant heterogeneity (I2=96%, P<0.001), which was in contrast to clinical observations of female predominance from specialist clinics. Subgroup analyses did not reverse the ratio or reduce the heterogeneity. Conclusions This study identified major issues in defining chronic cough in future epidemiological studies. The conflict between epidemiological and clinical diagnostic criteria needs to be resolved. The unexpected difference in the gender predominance between the community and clinics warrants further studies. Clinical validation of the existing definition is required. PMID:26739408

Cell therapy: a therapeutic alternative to treat focal cartilage lesions.

PubMed

Gimeno, M J; Maneiro, E; Rendal, E; Ramallal, M; Sanjurjo, L; Blanco, F J

2005-11-01

Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are present in most of the tissue matrix, taking part in their regeneration when injury or damage occurs. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of cells with pluripotential characteristics in synovial membranes from osteoarthritic (OA) patients and the capacity of these cells to differentiate to chondrocytes. Synovial membranes (n = 8) from OA patients were digested with collagenase. Isolated cells were cultured with DMEM, 20% FBS, and FGFb10 ng/mL. Cells from second subculture were used to carry out phenotypic characterization experiments (flow cytometry analysis with 11 monoclonal antibodies) and chondrogenic differentiation experiments(micropellet cultured in chondrogenic medium). Chondrogenic differentiation of cells was assessment by quantification of cartilage extracellular matrix components by following techniques: Safranin O, Toluidine Blue, and Alcian Blue stains to detect proteoglycans and immunohistochemistry to detect type I and II collagen. Flow cytometry analyses showed that in our population more than 90% of cells were positive for MSC markers: CD29 (95%), CD44 (90%), CD73 (95%), CD90 (98%). Cells were negative for hematopoietic markers (CD11b, CD34, and CD45). Furthermore, cells showed positive stain to multipotent markers such as CD117 (c-kit) (98%), CD166 (74%), and STRO-1 (88%) and to quiescent satellite cells like PAX-7 (35%). The micropellet analyses showed that the culture of these cells with TGFbeta-3 for 2 and 3 weeks stimulates proteoglycan and collagen type II synthesis. Both molecules are characteristic of hyaline articular cartilage. In this work, we demonstrate the presence of a cellular population with MSC characteristics in synovial tissue from OA patients. As MSC takes part in reparative processes of adult tissues, these cells could play an important role in OA pathogenesis and treatment.

Patterns of Genetic and Morphometric Diversity in Baobab (Adansonia digitata) Populations Across Different Climatic Zones of Benin (West Africa)

PubMed Central

ASSOGBADJO, A. E.; KYNDT, T.; SINSIN, B.; GHEYSEN, G.; VAN DAMME, P.

2006-01-01

• Background and Aims Baobab (Adansonia digitata) is a multi-purpose tree used daily by rural African communities. The present study aimed at investigating the level of morphometric and genetic variation and spatial genetic structure within and between threatened baobab populations from the three climatic zones of Benin. • Methods A total of 137 individuals from six populations were analysed using morphometric data as well as molecular marker data generated using the AFLP technique. • Key Results Five primer pairs resulted in a total of 217 scored bands with 78·34 % of them being polymorphic. A two-level AMOVA of 137 individuals from six baobab populations revealed 82·37 % of the total variation within populations and 17·63 % among populations (P < 0·001)· Analysis of population structure with allele-frequency based F-statistics revealed a global FST of 0·127 ± 0·072 (P < 0·001). The mean gene diversity within populations (HS) and the average gene diversity between populations (DST) were estimated at 0·309 ± 0·000 and 0·045 ± 0·072, respectively. Baobabs in the Sudanian and Sudan-Guinean zones of Benin were short and produced the highest yields of pulp, seeds and kernels, in contrast to the ones in the Guinean zone, which were tall and produced only a small number of fruits with a low pulp, seed and kernel productivity. A statistically significant correlation with the observed patterns of genetic diversity was observed for three morphological characteristics: height of the trees, number of branches and thickness of the capsules. • Conclusions The results indicate some degree of physical isolation of the populations collected in the different climatic zones and suggest a substantial amount of genetic structuring between the analysed populations of baobab. Sampling options of the natural populations are suggested for in or ex situ conservation. PMID:16520343

Clinical Trial Participation and Time to Treatment Among Adolescents and Young Adults With Cancer: Does Age at Diagnosis or Insurance Make a Difference?

PubMed Central

Parsons, Helen M.; Harlan, Linda C.; Seibel, Nita L.; Stevens, Jennifer L.; Keegan, Theresa H.M.

2011-01-01

Purpose Because adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with cancer have experienced variable improvement in survival over the past two decades, enhancing the quality and timeliness of cancer care in this population has emerged as a priority area. To identify current trends in AYA care, we examined patterns of clinical trial participation, time to treatment, and provider characteristics in a population-based sample of AYA patients with cancer. Methods Using the National Cancer Institute Patterns of Care Study, we used multivariate logistic regression to evaluate demographic and provider characteristics associated with clinical trial enrollment and time to treatment among 1,358 AYA patients with cancer (age 15 to 39 years) identified through the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. Results In our study, 14% of patients age 15 to 39 years had enrolled onto a clinical trial; participation varied by type of cancer, with the highest participation in those diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (37%) and sarcoma (32%). Multivariate analyses demonstrated that uninsured, older patients and those treated by nonpediatric oncologists were less likely to enroll onto clinical trials. Median time from pathologic confirmation to first treatment was 3 days, but this varied by race/ethnicity and cancer site. In multivariate analyses, advanced cancer stage and outpatient treatment alone were associated with longer time from pathologic confirmation to treatment. Conclusion Our study identified factors associated with low clinical trial participation in AYA patients with cancer. These findings support the continued need to improve access to clinical trials and innovative treatments for this population, which may ultimately translate into improved survival. PMID:21931022

A DISCUSSION ON DIFFERENT APPROACHES FOR ASSESSING LIFETIME RISKS OF RADON-INDUCED LUNG CANCER.

PubMed

Chen, Jing; Murith, Christophe; Palacios, Martha; Wang, Chunhong; Liu, Senlin

2017-11-01

Lifetime risks of radon induced lung cancer were assessed based on epidemiological approaches for Canadian, Swiss and Chinese populations, using the most recent vital statistic data and radon distribution characteristics available for each country. In the risk calculation, the North America residential radon risk model was used for the Canadian population, the European residential radon risk model for the Swiss population, the Chinese residential radon risk model for the Chinese population, and the EPA/BEIR-VI radon risk model for all three populations. The results were compared with the risk calculated from the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP)'s exposure-to-risk conversion coefficients. In view of the fact that the ICRP coefficients were recommended for radiation protection of all populations, it was concluded that, generally speaking, lifetime absolute risks calculated with ICRP-recommended coefficients agree reasonably well with the range of radon induced lung cancer risk predicted by risk models derived from epidemiological pooling analyses. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Impact of population density on collision rates in a rapidly developing rural, exurban area of Los Angeles County.

PubMed

Fischer, Kelly; Sternfeld, Isabelle; Melnick, Douglas Sloan

2013-04-01

To determine if the commonly acknowledged relationships between population density and traffic collisions are found at the subcounty level and to describe how collision characteristics may vary substantially at a local level, with a particular emphasis on exurban areas. Los Angeles County collision data were obtained from the California Highway Patrol and the census tract and service planning area (SPA) for each collision were determined. The correlation between population density and collision rates by census tract was calculated within each SPA and for the entire county. Primary collision factors were compared for geographic areas of different population densities within one exurban SPA in Los Angeles County. An inverse relationship was found between collision rates and population density within Los Angeles County. Primary collisions factors were different in areas of the county with different population densities, with driving or biking under the influence particularly common in the most rural area. Subcounty analyses are very important to the study of traffic collisions. Traffic problems in rapidly developing exurban areas may be quite different from those in older, more established areas.

Maternal Genetic Composition of a Medieval Population from a Hungarian-Slavic Contact Zone in Central Europe.

PubMed

Csákyová, Veronika; Szécsényi-Nagy, Anna; Csősz, Aranka; Nagy, Melinda; Fusek, Gabriel; Langó, Péter; Bauer, Miroslav; Mende, Balázs Gusztáv; Makovický, Pavol; Bauerová, Mária

2016-01-01

The genetic composition of the medieval populations of Central Europe has been poorly investigated to date. In particular, the region of modern-day Slovakia is a blank spot in archaeogenetic research. This paper reports the study of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in ancient samples from the 9th-12th centuries originating from the cemeteries discovered in Nitra-Šindolka and Čakajovce, located in western Slovakia (Central Europe). This geographical region is interesting to study because its medieval multi-ethnic population lived in the so-called contact zone of the territory of the Great Moravian and later Hungarian state formations. We described 16 different mtDNA haplotypes in 19 individuals, which belong to the most widespread European mtDNA haplogroups: H, J, T, U and R0. Using comparative statistical and population genetic analyses, we showed the differentiation of the European gene pool in the medieval period. We also demonstrated the heterogeneous genetic characteristics of the investigated population and its affinity to the populations of modern Europe.

Maternal Genetic Composition of a Medieval Population from a Hungarian-Slavic Contact Zone in Central Europe

PubMed Central

Csákyová, Veronika; Szécsényi-Nagy, Anna; Csősz, Aranka; Nagy, Melinda; Fusek, Gabriel; Langó, Péter; Bauer, Miroslav; Mende, Balázs Gusztáv; Makovický, Pavol; Bauerová, Mária

2016-01-01

The genetic composition of the medieval populations of Central Europe has been poorly investigated to date. In particular, the region of modern-day Slovakia is a blank spot in archaeogenetic research. This paper reports the study of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in ancient samples from the 9th–12th centuries originating from the cemeteries discovered in Nitra-Šindolka and Čakajovce, located in western Slovakia (Central Europe). This geographical region is interesting to study because its medieval multi-ethnic population lived in the so-called contact zone of the territory of the Great Moravian and later Hungarian state formations. We described 16 different mtDNA haplotypes in 19 individuals, which belong to the most widespread European mtDNA haplogroups: H, J, T, U and R0. Using comparative statistical and population genetic analyses, we showed the differentiation of the European gene pool in the medieval period. We also demonstrated the heterogeneous genetic characteristics of the investigated population and its affinity to the populations of modern Europe. PMID:26963389

Geographical genetic structuring and phenotypic variation in the Vellozia hirsuta (Velloziaceae) ochlospecies complex.

PubMed

Barbosa, Ariane R; Fiorini, Cecília F; Silva-Pereira, Viviane; Mello-Silva, Renato; Borba, Eduardo L

2012-09-01

Vellozia hirsuta forms a complex presenting wide morphological and anatomical variation, resulting in five specific names and 14 morpho-anatomical patterns occurring in disjunct populations. We carried out a phylogeographical study to investigate the existence of correlation among the genetic and morphological patterns within this complex, and to determine whether it is composed of various species or should be treated as an ochlospecies, a species having widely polymorphic and weakly polytypic complex variation, with morphological characteristics varying independently. We carried out phylogeographical analyses using cpDNA rpl32F-trnL intergenic region. We found 20 haplotypes in 23 populations sampled. The populations are genetically structured (Φ(ST) = 0.818) into four phylogeographical groups demonstrating geographical structuring but with no correlation with morpho-anatomical patterns. Our analyses do not support recognizing any of the species now synonymized under Vellozia hirsuta. The northern populations were the most genetically differentiated and could be considered a distinct taxon, as they are also morphologically different. It is recommended that Vellozia hirsuta be considered a single enormously variable species. The patterns of variation within V. hirsuta probably are related to climatic changes that occurred during the Pleistocene Epoch in tropical Brazil when reductions in forest cover favored the expansion of V. hirsuta populations into extensive lowland areas. The expansion of forest cover at the end of the glaciations would have again restricted the occurrence of campos rupestres vegetation to high elevations, which constitute the current centers of diversity of this species.

An atypical age-specific pattern of hepatocellular carcinoma in Peru: a threat for Andean populations.

PubMed

Bertani, Stéphane; Pineau, Pascal; Loli, Sebastian; Moura, Julien; Zimic, Mirko; Deharo, Eric; Ruiz, Eloy

2013-01-01

In South America, the highest incidence of primary liver cancer is observed in Peru. However, national estimations on hepatocellular carcinoma incidence and mortality are approximated using aggregated data from surrounding countries. Thus, there is a lack of tangible information from Peru that impairs an accurate description of the local incidence, presentation, and outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma. The present study attempts to fill this gap and assesses the clinical epidemiology of hepatocellular carcinoma in this country. A retrospective cohort study was conducted by analysing the medical charts of 1,541 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma admitted between 1997 and 2010 at the Peruvian national institute for cancer. The medical records including liver function, serologic status, and tumor pathology and stage were monitored. Statistical analyses were performed in order to characterize tumor presentation according to demographic features, risk factors, and regional origin. Surprisingly, the age distribution of the patient population displayed bimodality corresponding to two distinct age-based subpopulations. While an older group was in keeping with the age range observed for hepatocellular carcinoma around the world, a younger population displayed an abnormally juvenile mean age of 25.5 years old. In addition, each subpopulation displayed age-specific pathophysiological and clinical characteristics. The analysis suggests two different age-specific natural histories of hepatocellular carcinoma in the Peruvian patient population. This otherwise unusual tumor process that is ongoing in younger patients leads to the hypothesis that there may be a Peru-endemic risk factor driving hepatocarcinogenesis in the local population.

Minding the gap: Frequency of indels in mtDNA control region sequence data and influence on population genetic analyses

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pearce, J.M.

2006-01-01

Insertions and deletions (indels) result in sequences of various lengths when homologous gene regions are compared among individuals or species. Although indels are typically phylogenetically informative, occurrence and incorporation of these characters as gaps in intraspecific population genetic data sets are rarely discussed. Moreover, the impact of gaps on estimates of fixation indices, such as FST, has not been reviewed. Here, I summarize the occurrence and population genetic signal of indels among 60 published studies that involved alignments of multiple sequences from the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region of vertebrate taxa. Among 30 studies observing indels, an average of 12% of both variable and parsimony-informative sites were composed of these sites. There was no consistent trend between levels of population differentiation and the number of gap characters in a data block. Across all studies, the average influence on estimates of ??ST was small, explaining only an additional 1.8% of among population variance (range 0.0-8.0%). Studies most likely to observe an increase in ??ST with the inclusion of gap characters were those with < 20 variable sites, but a near equal number of studies with few variable sites did not show an increase. In contrast to studies at interspecific levels, the influence of indels for intraspecific population genetic analyses of control region DNA appears small, dependent upon total number of variable sites in the data block, and related to species-specific characteristics and the spatial distribution of mtDNA lineages that contain indels. ?? 2006 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Geographical structuring of Trypanosoma cruzi populations from Chilean Triatoma infestans triatomines and their genetic relationship with other Latino American counterparts

PubMed Central

Venegas, J; Rojas, T; DÍaz, F; Miranda, S; Jercic, M I; González, C; Coñoepán, W; Pichuantes, S; RodrÍguez, J; Gajardo, M; Sánchez, G

2011-01-01

In order to obtain more information about the population structure of Chilean Trypanosoma cruzi, and their genetic relationship with other Latino American counterparts, we performed the study of T. cruzi samples detected in the midgut content of Triatoma infestans insects from three endemic regions of Chile. The genetic characteristics of these samples were analysed using microsatellite markers and PCR conditions that allow the detection of predominant T. cruzi clones directly in triatomine midgut content. Population genetic analyses using the Fisher’s exact method, analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) and the determination of FST showed that the northern T. cruzi population sample was genetically differentiated from the two southern population counterparts. Further analysis showed that the cause of this genetic differentiation was the asymmetrical distribution of TcIII T. cruzi predominant clones. Considering all triatomines from the three regions, the most frequent predominant lineages were TcIII (38%), followed by TcI (34%) and hybrid (8%). No TcII lineage was observed along the predominant T. cruzi clones. The best phylogenetic reconstruction using the shared allelic genetic distance was concordant with the population genetic analysis and tree topology previously described studying foreign samples. The correlation studies showed that the lineage TcIII from the III region was genetically differentiated from the other two, and this differentiation was correlated with geographical distance including Chilean and mainly Brazilian samples. It will be interesting to investigate whether this geographical structure may be related with different clinical manifestation of Chagas disease. PMID:22325822

Hazardous Alcohol Use in 2 Countries: A Comparison Between Alberta, Canada and Queensland, Australia

PubMed Central

Voaklander, Donald

2017-01-01

Objectives This article aimed to compare alcohol consumption between the populations of Queensland in Australia and Alberta in Canada. Furthermore, the associations between greater alcohol consumption and socio-demographic characteristics were explored in each population. Methods Data from 2500 participants of the 2013 Alberta Survey and the 2013 Queensland Social Survey were analyzed. Regression analyses were used to explore the associations between alcohol risk and socio-demographic characteristics. Results A higher rate of hazardous alcohol use was found in Queenslanders than in Albertans. In both Albertans and Queenslanders, hazardous alcohol use was associated with being between 18 and 24 years of age. Higher income, having no religion, living alone, and being born in Canada were also associated with alcohol risk in Albertans; while in Queenslanders, hazardous alcohol use was also associated with common-law marital status. In addition, hazardous alcohol use was lower among respondents with a non-Catholic or Protestant religious affiliation. Conclusions Younger age was associated with greater hazardous alcohol use in both populations. In addition, different socio-demographic factors were associated with hazardous alcohol use in each of the populations studied. Our results allowed us to identify the socio-demographic profiles associated with hazardous alcohol use in Alberta and Queensland. These profiles constitute valuable sources of information for local health authorities and policymakers when designing suitable preventive strategies targeting hazardous alcohol use. Overall, the present study highlights the importance of analyzing the socio-demographic factors associated with alcohol consumption in population-specific contexts. PMID:29020759

Adaptive designs for subpopulation analysis optimizing utility functions.

PubMed

Graf, Alexandra C; Posch, Martin; Koenig, Franz

2015-01-01

If the response to treatment depends on genetic biomarkers, it is important to identify predictive biomarkers that define (sub-)populations where the treatment has a positive benefit risk balance. One approach to determine relevant subpopulations are subgroup analyses where the treatment effect is estimated in biomarker positive and biomarker negative groups. Subgroup analyses are challenging because several types of risks are associated with inference on subgroups. On the one hand, by disregarding a relevant subpopulation a treatment option may be missed due to a dilution of the treatment effect in the full population. Furthermore, even if the diluted treatment effect can be demonstrated in an overall population, it is not ethical to treat patients that do not benefit from the treatment when they can be identified in advance. On the other hand, selecting a spurious subpopulation increases the risk to restrict an efficacious treatment to a too narrow fraction of a potential benefiting population. We propose to quantify these risks with utility functions and investigate nonadaptive study designs that allow for inference on subgroups using multiple testing procedures as well as adaptive designs, where subgroups may be selected in an interim analysis. The characteristics of such adaptive and nonadaptive designs are compared for a range of scenarios. © 2014 The Authors. Biometrical Journal published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Population at risk: using areal interpolation and Twitter messages to create population models for burglaries and robberies

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Population at risk of crime varies due to the characteristics of a population as well as the crime generator and attractor places where crime is located. This establishes different crime opportunities for different crimes. However, there are very few efforts of modeling structures that derive spatiotemporal population models to allow accurate assessment of population exposure to crime. This study develops population models to depict the spatial distribution of people who have a heightened crime risk for burglaries and robberies. The data used in the study include: Census data as source data for the existing population, Twitter geo-located data, and locations of schools as ancillary data to redistribute the source data more accurately in the space, and finally gridded population and crime data to evaluate the derived population models. To create the models, a density-weighted areal interpolation technique was used that disaggregates the source data in smaller spatial units considering the spatial distribution of the ancillary data. The models were evaluated with validation data that assess the interpolation error and spatial statistics that examine their relationship with the crime types. Our approach derived population models of a finer resolution that can assist in more precise spatial crime analyses and also provide accurate information about crime rates to the public. PMID:29887766

When study participants are vulnerable: getting and keeping the right team.

PubMed

Hill, Nikki L; Mogle, Jacqueline; Wion, Rachel; Kolanowski, Ann M; Fick, Donna; Behrens, Liza; Muhall, Paula; McDowell, Jane

2017-09-19

Research assistants (RAs) are critical members of all research teams. When a study involves vulnerable populations, it is particularly important to have the right team members. To describe the motivations, personal characteristics and team characteristics that promoted the job satisfaction of RAs who worked on two multi-year, randomised clinical trials involving older adults with dementia. A survey was conducted with 41 community members who worked as RAs for up to five years. Measures included demographics, work engagement, personality and characteristics of effective teams, as well as open-ended questions about respondents' experiences of the study. Quantitative analyses and coding of open-ended responses were used to summarise results. Almost all the RAs surveyed joined the team because of previous experiences of interacting with cognitively impaired older people. The RA respondents scored higher in 'dedication to work', 'extraversion', 'agreeableness' and 'conscientiousness' than average. An important aspect of their job satisfaction was team culture, including positive interpersonal interaction and the development of supportive team relationships. A positive work culture provides RAs with an opportunity to work with a study population that they are personally driven to help, and promotes motivation and satisfaction in team members. Results from this study can guide the recruitment, screening and retention of team members for studies that include vulnerable populations. ©2012 RCN Publishing Company Ltd. All rights reserved. Not to be copied, transmitted or recorded in any way, in whole or part, without prior permission of the publishers.

Underwater recordings of the whistles of bottlenose dolphins in Fremantle Inner Harbour, Western Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marley, Sarah A.; Erbe, Christine; Kent, Chandra P. Salgado

2017-09-01

Dolphins use frequency-modulated whistles for a variety of social functions. Whistles vary in their characteristics according to context, such as activity state, group size, group composition, geographic location, and ambient noise levels. Therefore, comparison of whistle characteristics can be used to address numerous research questions regarding dolphin populations and behaviour. However, logistical and economic constraints on dolphin research have resulted in data collection biases, inconsistent analytical approaches, and knowledge gaps. This Data Descriptor presents an acoustic dataset of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) whistles recorded in the Fremantle Inner Harbour, Western Australia. Data were collected using an autonomous recorder and analysed using a range of acoustic measurements. Acoustic data review identified 336 whistles, which were subsequently measured for six key characteristics using Raven Pro software. Of these, 164 'high-quality' whistles were manually measured to provide an additional five acoustic characteristics. Digital files of individual whistles and corresponding measurements make this dataset available to researchers to address future questions regarding variations within and between dolphin communities.

On the concept of individual in ecology and evolution.

PubMed

Metz, J A J

2013-03-01

Part of the art of theory building is to construct effective basic concepts, with a large reach and yet powerful as tools for getting at conclusions. The most basic concept of population biology is that of individual. An appropriately reengineered form of this concept has become the basis for the theories of structured populations and adaptive dynamics. By appropriately delimiting individuals, followed by defining their states as well as their environment, it become possible to construct the general population equations that were introduced and studied by Odo Diekmann and his collaborators. In this essay I argue for taking the properties that led to these successes as the defining characteristics of the concept of individual, delegating the properties classically invoked by philosophers to the secondary role of possible empirical indicators for the presence of those characteristics. The essay starts with putting in place as rule for effective concept engineering that one should go for relations that can be used as basis for deductive structure building rather than for perceived ontological essence. By analysing how we want to use it in the mathematical arguments I then build up a concept of individual, first for use in population dynamical considerations and then for use in evolutionary ones. These two concepts do not coincide, and neither do they on all occasions agree with common intuition-based usage.

Convergence characteristics between a rodent, the South American lowland paca, and a ruminant, the African water chevrotain: An exemplary case study.

PubMed

Dubost, Gérard

2017-03-01

The level of convergence between a rodent, the South American lowland paca Cuniculus paca, and a ruminant, the African water chevrotain Hyemoschus aquaticus, is analysed using 231 characteristics belonging to different biological sectors. A convergence index is established based on the degree of rarity of each characteristic in each species compared to other members of its zoological group. Although the divergent characteristics are as numerous as the convergent ones, the two species are globally similar. Convergent characteristics occur in all biological categories, but their rate varies a great deal among them. From internal anatomy and osteology, through behaviour and ecology to the external appearance of the body, convergent characteristics are all the more frequent since the biological category is directly implicated in the adaptation of animals to their external environment (lowland rainforest). However, only the individuals' characteristics are concerned and not those of their population or social organisation. This could be due to differences between the communities of terrestrial mammals to which they belong. Copyright © 2017 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Association of workplace and population characteristics with prevalence of hypertension among Brazilian industry workers: a multilevel analysis

PubMed Central

Vinholes, Daniele B; Bassanesi, Sérgio L; Chaves Junior, Hilton de Castro; Machado, Carlos Alberto; Melo, Ione M F; Fuchs, Flavio Danni

2017-01-01

Background Exposure to risk factors for hypertension may be influenced by the characteristics of the workplace, where workers spend most of their daily time. Objectives To evaluate the association between features of the companies, particularly the presence of facilities to provide meals, and of population characteristics and the prevalence of hypertension, taking into account individual risk factors for hypertension. Material and methods This multilevel analysis was based on a cross-sectional study with individual and company data from the SESI (Serviço Social da Indústria–Social Service of Industries) study and population-based data from the national census statistics. Workers aged ≥15 years were randomly selected from small (20–99), medium (100–499) and large (≥500 employees) companies per state using multistage sampling. Logistic regression was used to analyse the association between hypertension and individual, workplace and population variables, with odds ratios (ORs; 95% CI) adjusted for three-level variables. Results 4818 Workers from 157 companies were interviewed and their blood pressure, weight and height were measured. Overall, 77% were men, aged 35.4 ±10.7 years, with 8.7 ±4.1 years of schooling and mostly worked in companies with a staff canteen (66%). Besides individual characteristics—being male, ageing, low schooling, alcohol abuse and higher BMI—a workplace with no staff canteen (OR=1.28; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.52), small companies (OR=1.31; 95% CI 1.07 to 1.60) and living in cities with higher economic inequality (OR=1.47; 95% CI 1.23 to 1.76) were associated with a higher risk for hypertension. Conclusion Among Brazilian workers, the prevalence of hypertension is associated with individual risk factors, lack of a canteen at the workplace, small companies and higher economic inequalities of cities. These three-level characteristics help to interpret differences in the prevalence of hypertension between regions or countries. PMID:28827245

Mode of Delivery and Long-Term Health-Related Quality-of-Life Outcomes: A Prospective Population-Based Study.

PubMed

Petrou, Stavros; Kim, Sung Wook; McParland, Penny; Boyle, Elaine M

2017-06-01

Relatively little is known about the effects of mode of delivery on long-term health-related quality-of-life outcomes. Furthermore, no previous study has expressed these outcomes in preference-based (utility) metrics. The study population comprised 2,161 mothers recruited from a prospective population-based study in the East Midlands of England encompassing live births and stillbirths between 32 +0 and 36 +6 weeks' gestation and a sample of term-born controls. Perinatal data were extracted from the mothers' maternity records. Health-related quality-of-life outcomes were assessed at 12 months postpartum, using the EuroQol Five Dimensions (EQ-5D) measure with responses to the EQ-5D descriptive system converted into health utility scores. Descriptive statistics and multivariable analyses were used to estimate the relationship between the mode of delivery and health-related quality-of-life outcomes. The overall health-related quality-of-life profile of the women in the study cohort mirrored that of the English adult population as revealed by national health surveys. A significantly higher proportion of women delivering by cesarean delivery reported some, moderate, severe, or extreme pain or discomfort at 12 months postpartum than women undergoing spontaneous vaginal delivery. Multivariable analyses, using the Ordinary Least Squares estimator revealed that, after controlling for maternal sociodemographic characteristics, cesarean delivery without maternal or fetal compromise was associated with a significant EQ-5D utility decrement in comparison to spontaneous vaginal delivery among all women (-0.026; p = 0.038) and among mothers of term-born infants (-0.062; p < 0.001). Among mothers of term-born infants, this result was replicated in models that controlled for all maternal and infant characteristics (utility decrement of -0.061; p < 0.001). The results were confirmed by sensitivity analyses that varied the categorization of the main exposure variable (mode of delivery) and the econometric strategy. Among mothers of term-born infants, cesarean delivery without maternal or fetal compromise is associated with poorer long-term health-related quality of life in comparison to spontaneous vaginal delivery. Further longitudinal studies are needed to understand the magnitude, trajectory, and underpinning mechanisms of health-related quality-of-life outcomes following different modes of delivery. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Murine macrophages: a technical approach.

PubMed

Martinez-Pomares, Luisa; Gordon, Siamon

2008-01-01

In this chapter, we describe current protocols used for the characterization of macrophages (MPhi) in mouse tissues and in cell suspensions from spleen and lymph nodes. Also, we include a brief description of a complementary approach: culture of primary MPhi. Although culture MPhi are extremely useful for analysing the basic biology of MPhi and their receptors, it should not be forgotten that the term MPhi encompasses a wide range of different types of cells with phenotypic characteristics dependent on their activation state and tissue of origin. In our view, there is no perfect MPhi marker and analysis of the expression profile of several markers, and functional studies are required to make an informed guess of the cellular characteristics and function of the MPhi population of interest.

Municipal policies and plans of action aiming to promote physical activity and healthy eating habits among schoolchildren in Stockholm, Sweden: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Guldbrandsson, Karin; Wennerstad, Karin Modig; Rasmussen, Finn

2009-08-03

Promoting physical activity and healthy eating habits by structural measures that reach most children in a society is presumably the most sustainable way of preventing development of overweight and obesity in childhood. The main purpose of the present study was to analyse whether policies and plans of action at the central level in municipalities increased the number of measures that aim to promote physical activity and healthy eating habits among schoolchildren aged six to 16. Another purpose was to analyse whether demographic and socio-economic characteristics were associated with the level of such measures. Questionnaires were used to collect data from 25 municipalities and 18 town districts in Stockholm County, Sweden. The questions were developed to capture municipal structural work and factors facilitating physical activity and the development of healthy eating habits for children. Local policy documents and plans of action were gathered. Information regarding municipal demographic and socio-economic characteristics was collected from public statistics. Policy documents and plans of action in municipalities and town districts did not seem to influence the number of measures aiming to promote physical activity and healthy eating habits among schoolchildren in Stockholm County. Municipal demographic and socio-economic characteristics were, however, shown to influence the number of measures. In town districts with a high total population size, and in municipalities and town districts with a high proportion of adults with more than 12 years of education, a higher level of health-promoting measures was found. In municipalities with a high annual population growth, the number of measures was lower than in municipalities with a lower annual population growth. Another key finding was the lack of agreement between what was reported in the questionnaires regarding existence and contents of local policies and plans of action and what was actually found when these documents were scrutinized. Policy documents and plans of action aiming to promote physical activity and healthy eating habits among schoolchildren aged six to 16 in municipalities and town districts in Stockholm County did not seem to have an impact on the local level of measures. Demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the municipalities and town districts were on the other hand associated with local health-promoting measures.

Patient Perceptions of Patient-Centered Medical Home Characteristics and Satisfaction with Free Clinic Services.

PubMed

Platonova, Elena A; Saunders, William B; Warren-Findlow, Jan; Hutchison, Jenny A

2016-10-01

The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) is a model of health care delivery designed to improve patient health outcomes by increasing the effectiveness of primary care. The effectiveness of PCMH on vulnerable populations is still largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between patient perceptions of PCMH characteristics and patient satisfaction among Spanish-speaking and non-Spanish-speaking patients receiving health care at free clinics. A self-administered survey was used to collect data in 2 free clinics in the United States in 2013. Patients were primarily young and female; 44% were Spanish speaking. Patient perceptions of PCMH characteristics were assessed using multi-item Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems scales developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Patient satisfaction was assessed as satisfaction with care received at the clinic and willingness to recommend the provider. Multivariate logistic regression modeled the association between PCMH components and these 2 patient satisfaction measures. In adjusted analyses among Spanish speakers, satisfaction with clinic care was associated with staff helpfulness (OR = 6.03, 95% CI = 1.87-19.46) and no perceived discrimination (OR = 2.55, 95% CI = 1.22-5.33). For non-Spanish speakers, provider communication and politeness significantly increased odds of satisfaction with clinic services. Provider communication was strongly associated with patients' intention to recommend the provider to others for both Spanish speakers and non-Spanish speakers (OR = 4.83, 95% CI = 1.35-17.24; OR = 5.42, 95% CI = 1.54-19.09, respectively). Findings suggest that interpersonal characteristics of providers and clinic staff are critical to patient satisfaction among vulnerable populations served by free clinics. Future studies should examine PCMH components and clinical outcomes among this population.

Gender differences in socio-demographic, clinical characteristics and psychiatric diagnosis in/of suicide attempters in a Mexican population.

PubMed

Fresán, Ana; González-Castro, Thelma Beatriz; Peralta-Jiménez, Yesenia; Juárez-Rojop, Isela; Pool-García, Sherezada; Velázquez-Sánchez, Martha Patricia; López-Narváez, Lilia; Tovilla-Zárate, Carlos Alfonso

2015-06-01

The aim of the present study was to analyse demographic and clinical characteristics, as well as psychiatric diagnoses to identify gender differences in patients with attempted suicide in a Mexican population. Between September 2010 and September 2012, 140 suicide attempts were documented in the Department of Psychiatry at the General Hospital of Comalcalco (Hospital General de Comalcalco in Spanish) in Tabasco, Mexico. Diagnoses were established using the DSM-IV questionnaire in which Axis I and II were considered. The Suicide Intent Scale was also applied. In our sample, 63.6% were females and 36.4% males. With regard to socio-demographic characteristics, the predominant marital status in males was single, and in females married (χ2=5.93, df=2, p=0.05). In occupation the male group was mainly unemployed and housewife in females (χ2=55.51, df=4, p<0.001). Male subjects were more likely to consume alcohol (χ2=20.40, df=1, p≤0.001), cannabis (χ2=16.62, df=1, p≤0.001) or tobacco. The prevalence of psychiatric diagnosis was significantly different because, the male group was mainly diagnosed with substance-related disorders, whereas female participants showed a prevalence of stress-related disorders (χ2=34.17, gl=4, p=0.0001). Our results provide evidence that the characteristics of suicide attempt are different by gender in the Mexican population. Interventions are necessary for the development of prevention strategies that may lead to a reduction in suicidal behaviour. These preventive activities should consider the occupation for the female group and consumption of alcohol, cannabis or tobacco in the male group.

General self-efficacy in the Norwegian population: Differences and similarities between sociodemographic groups.

PubMed

Bonsaksen, Tore; Lerdal, Anners; Heir, Trond; Ekeberg, Øivind; Skogstad, Laila; Grimholt, Tine K; Schou-Bredal, Inger

2018-02-01

General self-efficacy (GSE) refers to optimistic self-beliefs of being able to perform and control behaviors, and is linked with various physical and mental health outcomes. Measures of self-efficacy are commonly used in health research with clinical populations, but are less explored in relationship to sociodemographic characteristics in general populations. This study investigated GSE in relation to sociodemographic characteristics in the general population in Norway. As part of a larger national survey, the GSE scale was administered to a general population sample, and 1787 out of 4961 eligible participants (response rate 36%) completed the scale. Group comparisons were conducted using independent t-tests and one-way analyses of variance. Linear regression analysis was used to examine factors independently associated with GSE. GSE was lower for older compared to younger participants ( p < 0.001). It was higher for men compared to women ( p < 0.001), higher for those with higher levels of education compared to those with lower levels ( p < 0.001) and higher for those in work compared to their counterparts ( p < 0.001). Controlling for all variables, male gender and employment were independently associated with higher GSE. Age moderated the associations between gender and employment on one hand, and GSE on the other. The association between being male and having higher GSE was more pronounced in younger age, as was the association between being employed and having higher GSE. Male gender and being employed were related to higher GSE among persons in the general population in Norway, and these associations were stronger among persons of younger age. The findings are considered fairly representative for the Norwegian population.

Temporal variation in the mating structure of Sanday, Orkney Islands.

PubMed

Brennan, E R; Relethford, J H

1983-01-01

Pedigree and vital statistics data from the population of Sanday, Orkney Islands, Scotland, were used to assess temporal changes in population structure. Secular trends in patterns of mate choice were analysed for three separate birth cohorts of spouses: 1855-1884, 1885-1924 and 1925-1964. The degree to which mating was random or assortative with respect to both genealogical and geographic distance was determined by comparing average characteristics of all potential mates of married males with those of actual wives. We integrated this procedure, originally developed by Dyke (1971), into a three-fold investigation of population structure: (1) comparison of random and non-random components of relatedness as measured from pedigree data; (2) an analysis of marital distance distributions for actual and potential mates of married males; and (3) the relationship between genealogical relatedness and geographic distance. As population size decreased from 1881 to the present, total kinship and spatial distances between spouses increased. Whereas the random component of relatedness increased over time, consanguinity avoidance was sufficient to decrease the total coefficient of kinship over time. Part of the increase in consanguinity avoidance was associated with isolate breakdown, as distances between island-born spouses, as well as the total amount of off-island migration, increased from the mid-nineteenth century to the present. Mate choice was influenced by geographic distance for all time periods, although this effect diminished over time. Since decreases in population size, concomitant with increases in consanguinity avoidance and community exogamy, have probably occurred quite frequently in small human populations, as well as in rural Western communities in the past century, observed secular trends illustrate the potential for change in population structure characteristic of isolate breakdown.

Demographic monitoring and population viability analysis of two rare beardtongues from the Uinta Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCaffery, Rebecca M.; Reisor, Rita; Irvine, Kathryn M.; Brunson, Jessi

2014-01-01

Energy development, in combination with other environmental stressors, poses a persistent threat to rare species endemic to the energy-producing regions of the Western United States. Demographic analyses of monitored populations can provide key information on the natural dynamics of threatened plant and animal populations, and how they might be affected by ongoing and future development. In the Uinta Basin in Utah and Colorado, Graham’s beardtongue (Penstemon grahamii) and White River beardtongue (Penstemon scariosus var. albifluvis) are two rare endemic wildflowers that persist on oil shale habitats heavily impacted by current energy exploration and development, and slated for expanded traditional drilling and oil shale development. We described demographic characteristics and population viability for two populations of each species that have been monitored since 2004. First, we measured population size, survival rates, transitions between life stages, and recruitment using individually marked plants at the four study areas. Then, we used matrix population models to determine stochastic population growth rates (λ) and the probability that each population would persist 50 years into the future, given current conditions. The two P. grahamii study plots had small populations averaging 70 adult plants, and relatively constant and high survival in both vegetative and flowering plants. The two P. scariosus var. albifluvis study plots had populations that averaged 120 adult plants, with high and stable survival in flowering plants and variable survival in vegetative plants. Recruitment of new seedlings into all populations was low and variable, with most recruitment occurring in one or two years. Both P. grahamii populations had λ near 1.0 (stable). One P. scariosus var. albifluvis population appeared to be declining (λ=0.97), while the other was increasing (λ=1.16). Our analyses reveal populations that appear relatively stable, but that are susceptible to declines now and into the future. Increases in environmental variability, deterministic changes in habitat conditions or stressors, or a single catastrophic event could all have immediately deleterious impacts on the long-term growth trajectory of these populations.

Prevalence and epidemiology of overweight and obesity in children with inflammatory bowel disease.

PubMed

Long, Millie D; Crandall, Wallace V; Leibowitz, Ian H; Duffy, Lynn; del Rosario, Fernando; Kim, Sandra C; Integlia, Mark J; Berman, James; Grunow, John; Colletti, Richard B; Schoen, Bess T; Patel, Ashish S; Baron, Howard; Israel, Esther; Russell, George; Ali, Sabina; Herfarth, Hans H; Martin, Christopher; Kappelman, Michael D

2011-10-01

Obesity is a significant public health threat to children in the United States. The aims were to: 1) Determine the prevalence of obesity in a multicenter cohort of children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); 2) Evaluate whether overweight and obese status is associated with patient demographics or disease characteristics. We used data from the ImproveCareNow Collaborative for pediatric IBD, a multicenter registry of children with IBD, collected between April 2007 and December 2009. Children ages 2-18 years were classified into body mass index (BMI) percentiles. Bivariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression were used to compare demographic and disease characteristics by overweight (BMI >85%) and obese (BMI >95%) status. The population consisted of 1598 children with IBD. The prevalence of overweight/obese status in pediatric IBD is 23.6%, (20.0% for Crohn's disease [CD] and 30.1% for ulcerative colitis [UC] and indeterminate colitis [IC]). African American race (odds ratio [OR] 1.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10-2.48) and Medicaid insurance (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.19-2.34) were positively associated with overweight/obese status. Prior IBD-related surgery (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.07-2.82) was also associated with overweight and obese status in children with CD. Other disease characteristics were not associated with overweight and obesity in children with IBD. Approximately one in five children with CD and one in three with UC are overweight or obese. Rates of obesity in UC are comparable to the general population. Obese IBD patients may have a more severe disease course, as indicated by increased need for surgery. Sociodemographic risk factors for obesity in the IBD population are similar to those in the general population. Copyright © 2010 Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, Inc.

Travel Patterns and Characteristics of Elderly Subpopulation in New York State

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

Hwang, Ho-Ling; Wilson, Daniel W.; Reuscher, Tim

With the increasing demographic shift towards a larger population of elderly (individuals 65 years and older), it is essential for policy makers and planners to have an understanding of transportation issues that affect the elderly. These issues include livability of the community, factors impacting travel behavior and mobility, transportation safety, etc. In this study, Oak Ridge National Laboratory was tasked by the New York State (NYS) Department of Transportation to conduct a detailed examination of travel behaviors, and identify patterns and trends of the elderly within NYS. The National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) was used as the primary data sourcemore » to analyze subjects and address questions such as: Are there differences in traveler demographics between the elderly population and those of younger age groups who live in various NYS regions; e.g., New York City, other urban areas of NYS, or other parts of the country? How do they compare with the population at large? Are there any regional differences (e.g., urban versus rural)? Gender differences? Do any unique travel characteristics or patterns exist within the elderly group? In addition to analysis of NHTS data, roadway travel safety concerns associated with elderly travelers were also investigated in this study. Specifically, data on accidents involving the elderly (including drivers, passengers, and others) as captured in the Fatal Analysis Reporting System (FARS) database was analyzed to examine elderly driver and elderly pedestrian travel safety issues in NYS. The analyses of these data sets provide a greater understanding of the elderly within NYS and their associated transportation issues. Through this study, various key findings on elderly population size, household characteristics, and travel patterns were produced and are report herein this report.« less

Homogeneous Combinations of ASD-ADHD Traits and Their Cognitive and Behavioral Correlates in a Population-Based Sample.

PubMed

van der Meer, Jolanda M J; Lappenschaar, Martijn G A; Hartman, Catharina A; Greven, Corina U; Buitelaar, Jan K; Rommelse, Nanda N J

2017-07-01

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and ADHD are assumed to be the extreme manifestations of continuous heterogeneous traits that frequently co-occur. This study aims to identify subgroups of children with distinct ASD-ADHD trait profiles in the general population, using measures sensitive across both trait continua, and show how these subgroups differ in cognitive functioning. We examined 378 children (6-13 years) from a population-based sample. Latent class analyses (LCA) detected three concordant classes with low (10.1%), medium (54.2%), or high (13.2%) scores on both traits, and two discordant classes with more ADHD than ASD characteristics (ADHD > ASD, 18.3%) and vice versa (ASD > ADHD, 4.2%). Findings suggest that ASD and ADHD traits usually are strongly related in the unaffected population, and that a minority of children displays atypical discordant trait profiles characterized by differential visual-spatial functioning. This dissociation suggests that heterogeneity in ASD and ADHD is rooted in heterogeneity in the lower unaffected end of the distribution.

Association of workplace and population characteristics with prevalence of hypertension among Brazilian industry workers: a multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Vinholes, Daniele B; Bassanesi, Sérgio L; Chaves Junior, Hilton de Castro; Machado, Carlos Alberto; Melo, Ione M F; Fuchs, Flavio Danni; Fuchs, Sandra Costa

2017-08-21

Exposure to risk factors for hypertension may be influenced by the characteristics of the workplace, where workers spend most of their daily time. To evaluate the association between features of the companies, particularly the presence of facilities to provide meals, and of population characteristics and the prevalence of hypertension, taking into account individual risk factors for hypertension. This multilevel analysis was based on a cross-sectional study with individual and company data from the SESI (Serviço Social da Indústria-Social Service of Industries) study and population-based data from the national census statistics. Workers aged ≥15 years were randomly selected from small (20-99), medium (100-499) and large (≥500 employees) companies per state using multistage sampling. Logistic regression was used to analyse the association between hypertension and individual, workplace and population variables, with odds ratios (ORs; 95% CI) adjusted for three-level variables. 4818 Workers from 157 companies were interviewed and their blood pressure, weight and height were measured. Overall, 77% were men, aged 35.4 ±10.7 years, with 8.7 ±4.1 years of schooling and mostly worked in companies with a staff canteen (66%). Besides individual characteristics-being male, ageing, low schooling, alcohol abuse and higher BMI-a workplace with no staff canteen (OR=1.28; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.52), small companies (OR=1.31; 95% CI 1.07 to 1.60) and living in cities with higher economic inequality (OR=1.47; 95% CI 1.23 to 1.76) were associated with a higher risk for hypertension. Among Brazilian workers, the prevalence of hypertension is associated with individual risk factors, lack of a canteen at the workplace, small companies and higher economic inequalities of cities. These three-level characteristics help to interpret differences in the prevalence of hypertension between regions or countries. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Targeting, universalism, and single-mother poverty: a multilevel analysis across 18 affluent democracies.

PubMed

Brady, David; Burroway, Rebekah

2012-05-01

We examine the influence of individual characteristics and targeted and universal social policy on single-mother poverty with a multilevel analysis across 18 affluent Western democracies. Although single mothers are disproportionately poor in all countries, there is even more cross-national variation in single-mother poverty than in poverty among the overall population. By far, the United States has the highest rate of poverty among single mothers among affluent democracies. The analyses show that single-mother poverty is a function of the household's employment, education, and age composition, and the presence of other adults in the household. Beyond individual characteristics, social policy exerts substantial influence on single-mother poverty. We find that two measures of universal social policy significantly reduce single-mother poverty. However, one measure of targeted social policy does not have significant effects, and another measure is significantly negative only when controlling for universal social policy. Moreover, the effects of universal social policy are larger. Additional analyses show that universal social policy does not have counterproductive consequences in terms of family structure or employment, while the results are less clear for targeted social policy. Although debates often focus on altering the behavior or characteristics of single mothers, welfare universalism could be an even more effective anti-poverty strategy.

HIV Prevalence and Risk Behaviors in Male to Female (MTF) Transgender Persons in Tijuana, Mexico.

PubMed

Salas-Espinoza, Kristian Jesús; Menchaca-Diaz, Rufino; Patterson, Thomas L; Urada, Lianne A; Smith, Davey; Strathdee, Steffanie A; Pitpitan, Eileen V

2017-12-01

Compared to HIV research on men who have sex with men, less is known about the risks and vulnerabilities for HIV among Male to Female (MTF) transgender persons, particularly in different geographic regions like Mexico. In Tijuana, Mexico, a border city experiencing a dynamic HIV epidemic, no precedent data exists on the MTF transgender population. Our aims were to estimate HIV prevalence and examine the behaviors and characteristics of the population. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 100 MTF transgender persons recruited through time location sampling in 2012. Participants underwent interviewer-administered (paper and pen) surveys and rapid tests for HIV. Descriptive univariate analyses were conducted on various factors, including sociodemographics, substance use, accessing social services (requested vs. received), stigma, and sex behaviors. A total of 22% tested positive for HIV, a prevalence higher than other key populations at risk for HIV in Tijuana.

Mitochondrial DNA variation in the Viking age population of Norway.

PubMed

Krzewińska, Maja; Bjørnstad, Gro; Skoglund, Pontus; Olason, Pall Isolfur; Bill, Jan; Götherström, Anders; Hagelberg, Erika

2015-01-19

The medieval Norsemen or Vikings had an important biological and cultural impact on many parts of Europe through raids, colonization and trade, from about AD 793 to 1066. To help understand the genetic affinities of the ancient Norsemen, and their genetic contribution to the gene pool of other Europeans, we analysed DNA markers in Late Iron Age skeletal remains from Norway. DNA was extracted from 80 individuals, and mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms were detected by next-generation sequencing. The sequences of 45 ancient Norwegians were verified as genuine through the identification of damage patterns characteristic of ancient DNA. The ancient Norwegians were genetically similar to previously analysed ancient Icelanders, and to present-day Shetland and Orkney Islanders, Norwegians, Swedes, Scots, English, German and French. The Viking Age population had higher frequencies of K*, U*, V* and I* haplogroups than their modern counterparts, but a lower proportion of T* and H* haplogroups. Three individuals carried haplotypes that are rare in Norway today (U5b1b1, Hg A* and an uncommon variant of H*). Our combined analyses indicate that Norse women were important agents in the overseas expansion and settlement of the Vikings, and that women from the Orkneys and Western Isles contributed to the colonization of Iceland. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Mitochondrial DNA variation in the Viking age population of Norway

PubMed Central

Krzewińska, Maja; Bjørnstad, Gro; Skoglund, Pontus; Olason, Pall Isolfur; Bill, Jan; Götherström, Anders; Hagelberg, Erika

2015-01-01

The medieval Norsemen or Vikings had an important biological and cultural impact on many parts of Europe through raids, colonization and trade, from about AD 793 to 1066. To help understand the genetic affinities of the ancient Norsemen, and their genetic contribution to the gene pool of other Europeans, we analysed DNA markers in Late Iron Age skeletal remains from Norway. DNA was extracted from 80 individuals, and mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms were detected by next-generation sequencing. The sequences of 45 ancient Norwegians were verified as genuine through the identification of damage patterns characteristic of ancient DNA. The ancient Norwegians were genetically similar to previously analysed ancient Icelanders, and to present-day Shetland and Orkney Islanders, Norwegians, Swedes, Scots, English, German and French. The Viking Age population had higher frequencies of K*, U*, V* and I* haplogroups than their modern counterparts, but a lower proportion of T* and H* haplogroups. Three individuals carried haplotypes that are rare in Norway today (U5b1b1, Hg A* and an uncommon variant of H*). Our combined analyses indicate that Norse women were important agents in the overseas expansion and settlement of the Vikings, and that women from the Orkneys and Western Isles contributed to the colonization of Iceland. PMID:25487335

Assessing cognitive insight in nonpsychiatric individuals and outpatients with schizophrenia in Taiwan: an investigation using the Beck Cognitive Insight Scale

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The Beck Cognitive Insight Scale (BCIS) was designed for the assessment of the cognitive processes involved in self-reflection and the ability to modify erroneous beliefs and misinterpretations. Studies investigating the factor structure of the BCIS have indicated a two-factor model in the psychotic population. The factor structure of the BCIS, however, has not received much consideration in the nonpsychiatric population. The present study examined the factor structure and validity of the BCIS and compared its scores between nonpsychiatric individuals and outpatients with psychosis. Method The Taiwanese version of the BCIS was administered to 507 nonpsychiatric individuals and 118 outpatients with schizophrenia. The psychometric properties of the BCIS were examined through the following analyses: exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, reliability, correlation analyses, and discriminative validity. Results The BCIS showed adequate internal consistency and stability over time. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses on the 15-item measure indicated a two-factor solution that supported the two dimensions of the Taiwanese BCIS, which was also observed with the original BCIS. Following the construct validation, we obtained a composite index (self-reflectiveness minus self-certainty) of the Taiwanese BCIS that reflected cognitive insight. Consistent with previous studies, our results indicated that psychosis is associated with low self-reflectiveness and high self-certainty, which possibly reflect lower cognitive insight. Our results also showed that better cognitive insight is related to worse depression in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, but not in nonpsychiatric individuals. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses revealed that the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.731. A composite index of 3 was a good limit, with a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 51%. Conclusion The BCIS proved to be useful for measuring cognitive insight in Taiwanese nonpsychiatric and psychotic populations. PMID:22018413

Estimating the use of morphometric measurements from museum specimens for sex determination in Mountain Plovers (Charadrius montanus)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Iko, W.M.; Dinsmore, S.J.; Knopf, F.L.

2004-01-01

The Mountain Plover (Charadrius montanus) is a shorebird species endemic to the dry, terrestrial ecosystems of the Great Plains and southwestern United States. Breeding Bird Survey data suggest that Mountain Plover populations have declined by >60% in the last 30 years. A better understanding of the population dynamics of the Mountain Plover is important in determining future management goals for this species. However, this effort is hampered by the inability to determine the sex of Mountain Plovers accurately under field conditions. In an effort to develop a simple method for sexing plovers in the hand, we measured external morphometric characteristics from 190 museum specimens of adult Mountain Plovers in alternate (breeding) plumage. Logistic regression and discriminant function analyses were performed on 10 external morphometric measurements (lengths of unflattened wing chord, 10th primary, central rectrix, outer rectrix, total head length, exposed culmen, culmen, bill depth, bill width, and tarsus). The results of these analyses indicated that Mountain Plover sexes were similar for all measures except culmen length. However, further analysis determined that culmen length accurately predicted sex in less than two-thirds of the specimens, suggesting that this measure is a poor predictor of sex in Mountain Plovers. Structurally, Mountain Plovers appear to be nearly identical between the sexes, and other methods of sexing birds (e.g., plumage characteristics, behavioral observations, or molecular markers) should be further assessed for devising a simple method for sexing Mountain Plovers under field conditions.

Violent injuries and regional correlates among women in China: results from 21 cities study in China.

PubMed

Yang, Tingzhong; Yang, Xiaozhao Y; Cottrell, Randall R; Wu, Dan; Jiang, Shuhan; Anderson, James G

2016-06-01

Ecological models depict violent injuries against women being influenced by both individual and environmental characteristics. However, only few studies examined the association between regional variables and the likelihood of violent injuries. Our study is a preliminary assessment of the impact of regional variables on the likelihood that a woman has experienced violent injuries. Participants were 16 866 urban residents, who were identified through a multi-stage sampling process conducted in 21 Chinese cities. Out of the sampled population, 8071 respondents were female. Subsequent analyses focused solely on the female sample. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were performed to examine regional variation in violent injuries. Prevalence of violent injuries against women is 10.7% (95% CI: 7.8%, 15.5%). After controlling for individual-level characteristics, higher regional male-female ratio (OR: 1.97, P < 0.05), population growth rate (OR: 4.12, P < 0.01) and unemployment rate (OR: 2.45, P < 0.01) were all associated with an elevated risk of violent injuries among Chinese women caused by physical attack. The results suggest violent injuries among Chinese women caused by physical attack have become an important social and public health problem. The findings point to the importance of developing effective health policies, laws and interventions that focuses on the unequal economic development between different regions. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Rural and urban distribution of trauma incidents in Scotland.

PubMed

Morrison, J J; McConnell, N J; Orman, J A; Egan, G; Jansen, J O

2013-02-01

Trauma systems reduce mortality and improve functional outcomes from injury. Regional trauma networks have been established in several European regions to address longstanding deficiencies in trauma care. A perception of the geography and population distribution as challenging has delayed the introduction of a trauma system in Scotland. The characteristics of trauma incidents attended by the Scottish Ambulance Service were analysed, to gain a better understanding of the geospatial characteristics of trauma in Scotland. Data on trauma incidents collected by the Scottish Ambulance Service between November 2008 and October 2010 were obtained. Incident location was analysed by health board region, rurality and social deprivation. The results are presented as number of patients, average annual incidence rates and relative risks. Of the 141,668 incidents identified, 72·1 per cent occurred in urban regions. The risk of being involved in an incident was similar across the most populous regions, and decreased slightly with increasing rurality. Social deprivation was associated with greater numbers and risk. A total of 53·1 per cent of patients were taken to a large general hospital, and 38·6 per cent to a teaching hospital; the distribution was similar for the subset of incidents involving patients with physiological derangements. The majority of trauma incidents in Scotland occur in urban and deprived areas. A regionalized system of trauma care appears plausible, although the precise configuration of such a system requires further study. Copyright © 2012 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Age and gender effects on the prevalence of poor sleep quality in the adult population.

PubMed

Madrid-Valero, Juan J; Martínez-Selva, José M; Ribeiro do Couto, Bruno; Sánchez-Romera, Juan F; Ordoñana, Juan R

Sleep quality has a significant impact on health and quality of life and is affected, among other factors, by age and sex. However, the prevalence of problems in this area in the general population is not well known. Therefore, our objective was to study the prevalence and main characteristics of sleep quality in an adult population sample. 2,144 subjects aged between 43 and 71 years belonging to the Murcia (Spain) Twin Registry. Sleep quality was measured by self-report through the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Logistic regression models were used to analyse the results. The prevalence of poor sleep quality stands at 38.2%. Univariate logistic regression analyses showed that women were almost twice as likely as men (OR: 1.88; 95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 1.54 to 2.28) to have poor quality of sleep. Age was directly and significantly associated with a low quality of sleep (OR: 1.05; 95%CI: 1.03 to 1.06). The prevalence of poor sleep quality is high among adults, especially women. There is a direct relationship between age and deterioration in the quality of sleep. This relationship also appears to be more consistent in women. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

A generalised individual-based algorithm for modelling the evolution of quantitative herbicide resistance in arable weed populations.

PubMed

Liu, Chun; Bridges, Melissa E; Kaundun, Shiv S; Glasgow, Les; Owen, Micheal Dk; Neve, Paul

2017-02-01

Simulation models are useful tools for predicting and comparing the risk of herbicide resistance in weed populations under different management strategies. Most existing models assume a monogenic mechanism governing herbicide resistance evolution. However, growing evidence suggests that herbicide resistance is often inherited in a polygenic or quantitative fashion. Therefore, we constructed a generalised modelling framework to simulate the evolution of quantitative herbicide resistance in summer annual weeds. Real-field management parameters based on Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) Sauer (syn. rudis) control with glyphosate and mesotrione in Midwestern US maize-soybean agroecosystems demonstrated that the model can represent evolved herbicide resistance in realistic timescales. Sensitivity analyses showed that genetic and management parameters were impactful on the rate of quantitative herbicide resistance evolution, whilst biological parameters such as emergence and seed bank mortality were less important. The simulation model provides a robust and widely applicable framework for predicting the evolution of quantitative herbicide resistance in summer annual weed populations. The sensitivity analyses identified weed characteristics that would favour herbicide resistance evolution, including high annual fecundity, large resistance phenotypic variance and pre-existing herbicide resistance. Implications for herbicide resistance management and potential use of the model are discussed. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Characterization of myocardial lesions associated with cardiomyopathy syndrome in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., using laser capture microdissection.

PubMed

Wiik-Nielsen, J; Løvoll, M; Fritsvold, C; Kristoffersen, A B; Haugland, Ø; Hordvik, I; Aamelfot, M; Jirillo, E; Koppang, E O; Grove, S

2012-12-01

Cardiomyopathy syndrome (CMS) in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., is characterized by focal infiltration in the spongy myocardium and endocardium of the heart. The origin of the mononuclear infiltrate is unknown. Using experimentally infected fish, we investigated localization of the causative agent, piscine myocarditis virus (PMCV), within the heart and characterized the cell population associated with myocardial lesions. Cellular and transcriptional characteristics in the lesions were compared with adjacent non-infiltrated tissues using laser capture microdissection, RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry. Our results reveal that PMCV is almost exclusively present in myocardial lesions. The inflammatory infiltrate comprises a variety of leucocyte populations, including T cells, B cells, MHC class II(+) and CD83(+) cells, most likely of the macrophage line. Correlation analyses demonstrated co-ordinated leucocyte activity at the site of the virus infection. Cellular proliferation and/or DNA repair was demonstrated within the myocardial lesions. Different cell populations, mainly myocytes, stained positive for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Densities of endothelial cells and fibroblasts were not significantly increased. The simultaneous presence of PMCV and various inflammatory cells in all myocardial lesions analysed may indicate that both viral lytic and immunopathological effects may contribute to the pathogenesis of CMS. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The characteristics of national health initiatives promoting earlier cancer diagnosis among adult populations: a systematic review protocol

PubMed Central

Calanzani, Natalia; Weller, David; Campbell, Christine

2017-01-01

Introduction The increasing burden of cancer morbidity and mortality has led to the development of national health initiatives to promote earlier cancer diagnosis and improve cancer survival. This protocol describes a systematic review aiming to identify the evidence about such initiatives among the adult population. We will describe their components, stakeholders and target populations, and summarise their outcomes. Methods and analysis We will search databases and websites for peer-reviewed publications and grey literature on national health initiatives in high-income countries as defined by the World Bank. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods studies will be included and assessed for their methodological quality. Study selection, quality assessment and data extraction will be carried out independently by two reviewers. Narrative synthesis will be used to analyse the findings. Ethics and dissemination This systematic review analyses secondary data and ethical approval is not required. Review findings will be helpful to researchers, policy makers, governments and other key stakeholders developing similar initiatives and assessing cancer outcomes. The results will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal in order to reach a diverse group of healthcare professionals, researchers and policy makers. This systematic review protocol is registered at PROSPERO (CRD42016047233). PMID:28698336

An Individual-Based Model of the Evolution of Pesticide Resistance in Heterogeneous Environments: Control of Meligethes aeneus Population in Oilseed Rape Crops

PubMed Central

Stratonovitch, Pierre; Elias, Jan; Denholm, Ian; Slater, Russell; Semenov, Mikhail A.

2014-01-01

Preventing a pest population from damaging an agricultural crop and, at the same time, preventing the development of pesticide resistance is a major challenge in crop protection. Understanding how farming practices and environmental factors interact with pest characteristics to influence the spread of resistance is a difficult and complex task. It is extremely challenging to investigate such interactions experimentally at realistic spatial and temporal scales. Mathematical modelling and computer simulation have, therefore, been used to analyse resistance evolution and to evaluate potential resistance management tactics. Of the many modelling approaches available, individual-based modelling of a pest population offers most flexibility to include and analyse numerous factors and their interactions. Here, a pollen beetle (Meligethes aeneus) population was modelled as an aggregate of individual insects inhabiting a spatially heterogeneous landscape. The development of the pest and host crop (oilseed rape) was driven by climatic variables. The agricultural land of the landscape was managed by farmers applying a specific rotation and crop protection strategy. The evolution of a single resistance allele to the pyrethroid lambda cyhalothrin was analysed for different combinations of crop management practices and for a recessive, intermediate and dominant resistance allele. While the spread of a recessive resistance allele was severely constrained, intermediate or dominant resistance alleles showed a similar response to the management regime imposed. Calendar treatments applied irrespective of pest density accelerated the development of resistance compared to ones applied in response to prescribed pest density thresholds. A greater proportion of spring-sown oilseed rape was also found to increase the speed of resistance as it increased the period of insecticide exposure. Our study demonstrates the flexibility and power of an individual-based model to simulate how farming practices affect pest population dynamics, and the consequent impact of different control strategies on the risk and speed of resistance development. PMID:25531104

An individual-based model of the evolution of pesticide resistance in heterogeneous environments: control of Meligethes aeneus population in oilseed rape crops.

PubMed

Stratonovitch, Pierre; Elias, Jan; Denholm, Ian; Slater, Russell; Semenov, Mikhail A

2014-01-01

Preventing a pest population from damaging an agricultural crop and, at the same time, preventing the development of pesticide resistance is a major challenge in crop protection. Understanding how farming practices and environmental factors interact with pest characteristics to influence the spread of resistance is a difficult and complex task. It is extremely challenging to investigate such interactions experimentally at realistic spatial and temporal scales. Mathematical modelling and computer simulation have, therefore, been used to analyse resistance evolution and to evaluate potential resistance management tactics. Of the many modelling approaches available, individual-based modelling of a pest population offers most flexibility to include and analyse numerous factors and their interactions. Here, a pollen beetle (Meligethes aeneus) population was modelled as an aggregate of individual insects inhabiting a spatially heterogeneous landscape. The development of the pest and host crop (oilseed rape) was driven by climatic variables. The agricultural land of the landscape was managed by farmers applying a specific rotation and crop protection strategy. The evolution of a single resistance allele to the pyrethroid lambda cyhalothrin was analysed for different combinations of crop management practices and for a recessive, intermediate and dominant resistance allele. While the spread of a recessive resistance allele was severely constrained, intermediate or dominant resistance alleles showed a similar response to the management regime imposed. Calendar treatments applied irrespective of pest density accelerated the development of resistance compared to ones applied in response to prescribed pest density thresholds. A greater proportion of spring-sown oilseed rape was also found to increase the speed of resistance as it increased the period of insecticide exposure. Our study demonstrates the flexibility and power of an individual-based model to simulate how farming practices affect pest population dynamics, and the consequent impact of different control strategies on the risk and speed of resistance development.

Research on Captive Broodstock Programs for Pacific Salmon, 2001-2002 Annual Report.

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

Berejikian, Barry A.; Tezak, E.P.; Endicott, Rick

In the 2000 Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) Biological Opinion, NMFS identified six populations of steelhead and several salmon populations that had dropped to critically low levels and continue to decline. Following thorough risk-benefit analyses, captive propagation programs for some or all of the steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) populations may be required to reduce the risk of extinction, and more programs may be required in the future. Thus, captive propagation programs designed to maintain or rebuild steelhead populations require intensive and rigorous scientific evaluation, much like the other objectives of BPA Project 1993-056-00 currently underway for chinook (O. tshawytscha) andmore » sockeye salmon (O. nerka). Pacific salmon reared to the adult stage in captivity exhibit poor reproductive performance when released to spawn naturally. Poor fin quality and swimming performance, incomplete development of secondary sex characteristics, changes in maturation timing, and other factors may contribute to reduced spawning success. Improving natural reproductive performance is critical for the success of captive broodstock programs in which adult-release is a primary reintroduction strategy for maintaining ESA-listed populations.« less

Social vulnerability and the natural and built environment: a model of flood casualties in Texas.

PubMed

Zahran, Sammy; Brody, Samuel D; Peacock, Walter Gillis; Vedlitz, Arnold; Grover, Himanshu

2008-12-01

Studies on the impacts of hurricanes, tropical storms, and tornados indicate that poor communities of colour suffer disproportionately in human death and injury.(2) Few quantitative studies have been conducted on the degree to which flood events affect socially vulnerable populations. We address this research void by analysing 832 countywide flood events in Texas from 1997-2001. Specifically, we examine whether geographic localities characterised by high percentages of socially vulnerable populations experience significantly more casualties due to flood events, adjusting for characteristics of the natural and built environment. Zero-inflated negative binomial regression models indicate that the odds of a flood casualty increase with the level of precipitation on the day of a flood event, flood duration, property damage caused by the flood, population density, and the presence of socially vulnerable populations. Odds decrease with the number of dams, the level of precipitation on the day before a recorded flood event, and the extent to which localities have enacted flood mitigation strategies. The study concludes with comments on hazard-resilient communities and protection of casualty-prone populations.

How effective are messages and their characteristics in changing behavioural intentions to substitute plant-based foods for red meat? The mediating role of prior beliefs.

PubMed

Vainio, Annukka; Irz, Xavier; Hartikainen, Hanna

2018-06-01

By means of a population-based survey experiment, we analysed the effectiveness of two message characteristics - message framing and the refutation of misinformation - in persuading respondents to reduce their consumption of red meat and increase that of plant-based alternatives. We also tested whether the effects of those two message characteristics were moderated by prior beliefs about the health and climate impacts of red meat consumption. The data were collected with an online survey of the adult population living in Finland (N = 1279). We found that messages had a small but desired effect on intentions when the effect of prior beliefs was taken into account, but that that effect was strongly moderated by prior beliefs. In particular, messages changed behavioural intentions among the "meat-sceptics" (i.e., those believing relatively strongly in the negative health and climate effects of meat consumption) but not among the "meat believers" (defined symmetrically). The combination of frames and refutation of misinformation were not found to be more effective strategies than the provision of information through single-framed, one-sided messages. We found limited evidence that the way a message was formulated determined its effectiveness in changing behaviours. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The importance of job characteristics in determining medical care-seeking in the Dutch working population, a longitudinal survey study.

PubMed

Steenbeek, Romy

2012-08-31

The working population is ageing, which will increase the number of workers with chronic health complaints, and, as a consequence, the number of workers seeking health care. It is very important to understand factors that influence medical care-seeking in order to control the costs. I will investigate which work characteristics independently attribute to later care-seeking in order to find possibilities to prevent unnecessary or inefficient care-seeking. Data were collected in a longitudinal two-wave study (n = 2305 workers). The outcome measures were visits (yes/no and frequency) to a general practitioner (GP), a physical therapist, a medical specialist and/or a mental health professional. Multivariate regression analyses were carried out separately for men and women for workers with health complaints. In the Dutch working population, personal, health, and work characteristics, but not sickness absence, were associated with later care-seeking. Work characteristics independently attributed to medical care-seeking but only for men and only for the frequency of visits to the GP. Women experience more health complaints and seek health care more often than men. For women, experiencing a work handicap (health complaints that impede work performance) was the only work characteristic associated with more care-seeking (GP). For men, work characteristics that led to less care-seeking were social support by colleagues (GP frequency), high levels of decision latitude (GP frequency) and high levels of social support by the supervisor (medical specialist). Other work characteristics led to more care-seeking: high levels of engagement (GP), full time work (GP frequency) and experiencing a work handicap (physical therapist). We can conclude that personal and health characteristics are most important when explaining medical care-seeking in the Dutch working population. Work characteristics independently attributed to medical care-seeking but only for men and only for the frequency of visits to the GP. The association between work characteristics and later medical care-seeking differed between health care providers and between men and women. If we aim at reducing health care costs for workers by preventing unnecessary or inefficient care, it is important to reduce the number of workers that report that health complaints impede their work performance. The supervisor could provide more social support, closely monitor workload in combination with work pressure and decision latitude, and when possible help to adjust working conditions. Health care providers could reduce medical costs by taking the work relatedness of health complaints into account and act accordingly, by decreasing the time to referral and waiting lists, and by providing appropriate care and avoiding unnecessary or harmful care.

The history of human populations in the Japanese Archipelago inferred from genome-wide SNP data with a special reference to the Ainu and the Ryukyuan populations.

PubMed

Jinam, Timothy; Nishida, Nao; Hirai, Momoki; Kawamura, Shoji; Oota, Hiroki; Umetsu, Kazuo; Kimura, Ryosuke; Ohashi, Jun; Tajima, Atsushi; Yamamoto, Toshimichi; Tanabe, Hideyuki; Mano, Shuhei; Suto, Yumiko; Kaname, Tadashi; Naritomi, Kenji; Yanagi, Kumiko; Niikawa, Norio; Omoto, Keiichi; Tokunaga, Katsushi; Saitou, Naruya

2012-12-01

The Japanese Archipelago stretches over 4000 km from north to south, and is the homeland of the three human populations; the Ainu, the Mainland Japanese and the Ryukyuan. The archeological evidence of human residence on this Archipelago goes back to >30 000 years, and various migration routes and root populations have been proposed. Here, we determined close to one million single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for the Ainu and the Ryukyuan, and compared these with existing data sets. This is the first report of these genome-wide SNP data. Major findings are: (1) Recent admixture with the Mainland Japanese was observed for more than one third of the Ainu individuals from principal component analysis and frappe analyses; (2) The Ainu population seems to have experienced admixture with another population, and a combination of two types of admixtures is the unique characteristics of this population; (3) The Ainu and the Ryukyuan are tightly clustered with 100% bootstrap probability followed by the Mainland Japanese in the phylogenetic trees of East Eurasian populations. These results clearly support the dual structure model on the Japanese Archipelago populations, though the origins of the Jomon and the Yayoi people still remain to be solved.

Ecological analyses of the associations between injury risk and socioeconomic status, geography and Aboriginal ethnicity in British Columbia, Canada.

PubMed

George, M A; Brussoni, M; Jin, A; Lalonde, C E; McCormick, R

2016-01-01

The current study examines what factors contribute to higher injury risk among Aboriginal peoples, compared to the total British Columbia (BC) population. We explore socioeconomic, geographic, and cultural factors, and combinations of these factors, that contribute to increased injury risk for Aboriginal peoples. This follows from our previously reported findings of improvements in injury risk over time for both the total and Aboriginal populations. We use provincial population-based linked health care databases of hospital discharge records. We identify three population groups: total BC population, and Aboriginal populations living off-reserve, or on-reserve. For each group we calculate age and gender-standardized relative risks (SRR) of injury-related hospitalization, relative to the total population of BC, for two 5-year time periods (1999-2003, and 2004-2008). We use custom data from the 2001 and 2006 long-form Censuses that described income, education, employment, housing conditions, proportion of urban dwellers, proportion of rural dwellers, and prevalence of Aboriginal ethnicity. We use multivariable linear regression to examine the associations between the census characteristics and SRR of injury. The best-fitting model was an excellent fit (R(2) = 0.905, p < 0.001) among the three population groups within Health Service Delivery Areas of BC. We find indicators in all three categories (socioeconomic, geographic, and cultural) are associated with disparity in injury risk. While the socioeconomic indicators (income, education, housing, employment) were shown to be highly correlated, only living in housing that needs major repair and occupational hazardousness, along with rural residence and Aboriginal ethnicity, remained in the final model. Our data show that cultural density is not associated with injury risk for Aboriginal peoples, and that living off-reserve is associated with reduced injury by improving socioeconomic and geographic conditions (compared to living on-reserve). Finally, our analyses show that Aboriginal status itself is associated with injury risk. Our findings confirm previous research indicating that geographical differences differentiate injury risk, including for Aboriginal populations, and that socioeconomic determinants are associated with health risks. Our analyses showing that Aboriginal status itself contributes to injury risk is new, but we can only speculate about pathway, and whether the causes are direct or indirect.

What influences national and foreign physicians’ geographic distribution? An analysis of medical doctors’ residence location in Portugal

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The debate over physicians’ geographical distribution has attracted the attention of the economic and public health literature over the last forty years. Nonetheless, it is still to date unclear what influences physicians’ location, and whether foreign physicians contribute to fill the geographical gaps left by national doctors in any given country. The present research sets out to investigate the current distribution of national and international physicians in Portugal, with the objective to understand its determinants and provide an evidence base for policy-makers to identify policies to influence it. Methods A cross-sectional study of physicians currently registered in Portugal was conducted to describe the population and explore the association of physician residence patterns with relevant personal and municipality characteristics. Data from the Portuguese Medical Council on physicians’ residence and characteristics were analysed, as well as data from the National Institute of Statistics on municipalities’ population, living standards and health care network. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, negative binomial and logistic regression modelling were applied to determine: (a) municipality characteristics predicting Portuguese and International physicians’ geographical distribution, and; (b) doctors’ characteristics that could increase the odds of residing outside the country’s metropolitan areas. Results There were 39,473 physicians in Portugal in 2008, 51.1% of whom male, and 40.2% between 41 and 55 years of age. They were predominantly Portuguese (90.5%), with Spanish, Brazilian and African nationalities also represented. Population, Population’s Purchasing Power, Nurses per capita and Municipality Development Index (MDI) were the municipality characteristics displaying the strongest association with national physicians’ location. For foreign physicians, the MDI was not statistically significant, while municipalities’ foreign population applying for residence appeared to be an additional positive factor in their location decisions. In general, being foreigner and male resulted to be the physician characteristics increasing the odds of residing outside the metropolitan areas. However, among the internationals, older doctors were more likely to reside outside metropolitan areas. Being Spanish or Brazilian (but not of African origin) was found to increase the odds of being based outside the Lisbon and Oporto metropolitan areas. Conclusions The present study showed the relevance of studying one country’s physician population to understand the factors driving national and international doctors’ location decisions. A more nuanced understanding of national and foreign doctors’ location appears to be needed to design more effective policies to reduce the imbalance of medical services across geographical areas. PMID:22748122

Prevalence of Chronic Pain, Treatments, Perception, and Interference on Life Activities: Brazilian Population-Based Survey

PubMed Central

Perissinotti, Dirce Maria Navas; de Oliveira Junior, Jose Oswaldo; da Fonseca, Paulo Renato Barreiros; Posso, Irimar de Paula

2017-01-01

Background and Objectives Chronic pain affects between 30% and 50% of the world population. Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of chronic pain in Brazil, describe and compare differences between pain types and characteristics, and identify the types of therapies adopted and the impact of pain on daily life. Methods Cross-sectional study of a population-based survey with randomized sample from a private database. The interviews were conducted by phone. 78% of the respondents aged 18 years or more agreed to be interviewed, for a total of 723 respondents distributed throughout the country. Independent variables were demographic data, pain and treatment characteristics, and impact of pain on daily life. Comparative and associative statistical analyses were conducted to select variables for nonhierarchical logistic regression. Results Chronic pain prevalence was 39% and mean age was 41 years with predominance of females (56%). We found higher prevalence of chronic pain in the Southern and Southeastern regions. Pain treatment was not specific to gender. Dissatisfaction with chronic pain management was reported by 49% of participants. Conclusion 39% of interviewed participants reported chronic pain, with prevalence of females. Gender-associated differences were found in intensity perception and interference of pain on daily life activities. PMID:29081680

Systemic sclerosis in Canada's North American Native population: assessment of clinical and serological manifestations.

PubMed

Bacher, Adrienne; Mittoo, Shikha; Hudson, Marie; Tatibouet, Solène; Baron, Murray

2013-07-01

Certain North American Native (NAN) populations are known to have higher rates of systemic sclerosis (SSc) compared to non-NAN; however, little is known of the specific disease characteristics in this population in Canada. This study compares the clinical and serological manifestations of SSc in NAN and white patients. This cross-sectional, multicenter study included subjects enrolled in the Canadian Scleroderma Research Group registry between September 2004 and June 2012. Subjects were evaluated with complete medical histories, physical examinations, and self-questionnaires. Ethnicity was defined by self-report. Disease characteristics were compared between NAN and white patients and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the independent association between ethnicity and various clinical manifestations. Of 1278 patients, 1038 (81%) were white, 71 (6%) were NAN, and 169 (13%) were classified as non-white/non-NAN. There were important differences between NAN and white subjects with SSc. In multivariate analysis adjusting for socioeconomic differences and smoking status, NAN ethnicity was an independent risk factor for the severity of Raynaud phenomenon and more gastrointestinal symptoms, and was associated with a nonsignificant increase in the presence of digital ulcers. NAN patients with SSc have a distinct clinical phenotype. Our study provides a strong rationale to pursue further research into genetic and environmental determinants of SSc.

Community Characteristics and Mortality: The Relative Strength of Association of Different Community Characteristics

PubMed Central

Roberts, Eric; McCleary, Rachael; Buttorff, Christine; Gaskin, Darrell J.

2014-01-01

Objectives. We compared the strength of association between average 5-year county-level mortality rates and area-level measures, including air quality, sociodemographic characteristics, violence, and economic distress. Methods. We obtained mortality data from the National Vital Statistics System and linked it to socioeconomic and demographic data from the Census Bureau, air quality data, violent crime statistics, and loan delinquency data. We modeled 5-year average mortality rates (1998–2002) for all-cause, cancer, heart disease, stroke, and respiratory diseases as a function of county-level characteristics using ordinary least squares regression models. We limited analyses to counties with population of 100 000 or greater (n = 458). Results. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, particularly the percentage older than 65 years and near poor, were top predictors of all-cause and condition-specific mortality, as were a high concentration of construction and service workers. We found weaker associations for air quality, mortgage delinquencies, and violent crimes. Protective characteristics included the percentage of Hispanics, Asians, and married residents. Conclusions. Multiple factors influence county-level mortality. Although county demographic and socioeconomic characteristics are important, there are independent, although weaker, associations of other environmental characteristics. Future studies should investigate these factors to better understand community mortality risk. PMID:25033152

Age variations in anthropometric and body composition characteristics and undernutrition among female Bathudis: a tribal population of Keonjhar District, Orissa, India.

PubMed

Bose, Kaushik; Chakraborty, Falguni; Bisai, Samiran

2007-09-01

A cross-sectional study of 183 female Bathudis, a tribal population of the Keonjhar District, Orissa, India, was undertaken to investigate age variations in anthropometric and body composition characteristics and nutritional status. The subjects were categorized into three age groups: < or =30 years, 31-50 years, >50 years. Height, weight, circumferences and skinfolds data were collected. Body mass index (BMI) and several body composition variables and indices were derived using standard equations. The results revealed that there existed significant negative age variations for most of the anthropometric and body composition variables and indices. Correlation studies of age with these variables and indices revealed significant negative correlations. Linear regression analyses revealed that for all variables, age had a significant negative impact. Studies on the nutritional status of these women revealed that with increasing age, there was an increase in the frequency of undernutrition. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that among Bathudi women, age was significantly negatively related with anthropometric and body composition variables and indices. Moreover, with increasing age, the level of undernutrition increased.

Psychological distress in Canada: the role of employment and reasons of non-employment.

PubMed

Marchand, Alain; Drapeau, Aline; Beaulieu-Prévost, Dominic

2012-11-01

This study investigated variations in psychological distress in a large sample of the Canadian population according to employment status, occupation, work organization conditions, reasons for non-employment, stress and support outside the work environment, family situation and individual characteristics. Data came from cycle 4 (2000-1) of the Canadian National Population Health Survey conducted by Statistics Canada. Multiple regression analyses, adjusted for the family situation, the level of support from the social network and the individual characteristics, were carried out on a sample of 7258 individuals aged from 18 to 65 years. Occupation, social support at work, age, self-esteem, presence of children aged five and under and social support outside of the workplace were associated with lower levels of psychological distress, while permanent and temporary disability, psychological demands in the workplace, job insecurity, female gender, and stressful financial, marital and parental situations were related to higher levels of psychological distress. Findings from this study suggest that, in terms of psychological distress, having a job is not always better than non-employment, and that specific non-employment situations associate differently with psychological distress.

[Pitfalls of anthropological typology].

PubMed

Bednarek, Jarosław; Rogalla, Urszula; Grzybowski, Tomasz

2009-01-01

The essence of anthropological typology is to classify people as belonging to anthropological types according to predetermined sets of morphological traits. The authors of the concept claim that traits characteristic of a given type are monogenic and have a Mendelian inheritance pattern. According to these assumptions, it is possible to unambiguously determine hair or eye color, etc. on the basis of scull characteristics only. Such a solution could be of a great importance in identification based on the skeleton but for the fact that the concept contradicts the current body of knowledge of population genetics or evolutionary biology analyses. It is widely known that the vast majority of morphological traits is determined by a complex of cooperating genes. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that genetic distances between populations are low, while most of the diversity is attributed to intrapopulation variation. Therefore, rejecting the classic concept of race seems to be justified. For this reason, today it is more reasonable to use the panel of SNP markers (AIMs) in identification of unknown individuals while aiming at prediction of their ethnic ancestry rather than to believe in the scientific value of anthropological typology.

Oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma - characteristics and survival in aboriginal and non-aboriginal Western australians.

PubMed

Frydrych, A M; Slack-Smith, L M; Parsons, R; Threlfall, T

2014-01-01

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common type of malignancy affecting the oral cavity. While exposures to main risk factors for oral SCC such as smoking and alcohol use are higher amongst the Aboriginal people, little is known about oral cancer in this population. This study aimed to describe characteristics and survival of oral SCC in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Western Australians. All primary oral SCC cases reported to the Western Australian Cancer Registry (WACR) between 1990 and 1999 were analysed with respect to person characteristics including: date of birth, sex and indigenous status; and disease characteristics including: date of biopsy, disease stage and site as well as date of recurrence and date of death. Exclusion criteria included diagnosis not based on incisional or excisional biopsy, diagnosis other than oral SCC or a history of another malignant neoplasm. Aboriginal individuals were more likely to reside in rural areas. No statistically significant differences in oral SCC characteristics and survival were noted between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Western Australians. This study provides new information on person and disease characteristics of Aboriginal Western Australians diagnosed with oral SCC.

Population Profile of the United States: 1976. Current Population Reports, Population Characteristics, Series P-20, No. 307.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bureau of the Census (DOC), Suitland, MD. Population Div.

This booklet summarizes population characteristics of the United States for 1976. A preliminary section of highlights reviews trends in five areas: population growth, social characteristics, population distribution, employment and income, and ethnic groups. The birth rate has declined, and the rate of childlessness has risen. This probably is due…

Types and Characteristics of Childhood Sexual Abuse: How Do They Matter in HIV Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Women in Methadone Treatment in New York City?

PubMed

Engstrom, Malitta; Winham, Katherine; Gilbert, Louisa

2016-01-01

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is often considered an important distal factor in HIV sexual risk behaviors; however, there are limited and mixed findings regarding this relationship among women experiencing substance use problems. In addition, research with this population of women has yet to examine differences in observed CSA-HIV sexual risk behaviors relationships by CSA type and characteristics. This study examines relationships between CSA coding, type, and characteristics and HIV sexual risk behaviors with main intimate partners among a random sample of 390 women in methadone treatment in New York City who completed individual interviews with trained female interviewers. Findings from logistic regression analyses indicate that CSA predicts substance use with sexual activity, with variations by CSA coding, type, and characteristics; however, the role of CSA is more limited than expected. Having a main partner with HIV risk mediates some relationships between CSA and drinking four or more drinks prior to sex. Intimate partner violence is the most consistent predictor of sexual risk behaviors. Other salient factors include polysubstance use, depression, social support, recent incarceration, relationship characteristics, and HIV status. This study contributes to understanding of relationships between CSA and HIV sexual risk behaviors and key correlates associated with HIV sexual risk behaviors among women in methadone treatment. It also highlights the complexity of measuring CSA and its association with sexual risk behaviors and the importance of comprehensive approaches to HIV prevention that address psychological, relational, situational, and substance use experiences associated with sexual risk behaviors among this population.

Characteristics of highly rated leadership in nursing homes using item response theory.

PubMed

Backman, Annica; Sjögren, Karin; Lindkvist, Marie; Lövheim, Hugo; Edvardsson, David

2017-12-01

To identify characteristics of highly rated leadership in nursing homes. An ageing population entails fundamental social, economic and organizational challenges for future aged care. Knowledge is limited of both specific leadership behaviours and organizational and managerial characteristics which have an impact on the leadership of contemporary nursing home care. Cross-sectional. From 290 municipalities, 60 were randomly selected and 35 agreed to participate, providing a sample of 3605 direct-care staff employed in 169 Swedish nursing homes. The staff assessed their managers' (n = 191) leadership behaviours using the Leadership Behaviour Questionnaire. Data were collected from November 2013 - September 2014, and the study was completed in November 2016. A two-parameter item response theory approach and regression analyses were used to identify specific characteristics of highly rated leadership. Five specific behaviours of highly rated nursing home leadership were identified; that the manager: experiments with new ideas; controls work closely; relies on subordinates; coaches and gives direct feedback; and handles conflicts constructively. The regression analyses revealed that managers with social work backgrounds and privately run homes were significantly associated with higher leadership ratings. This study highlights the five most important leadership behaviours that characterize those nursing home managers rated highest in terms of leadership. Managers in privately run nursing homes and managers with social work backgrounds were associated with higher leadership ratings. Further work is needed to explore these behaviours and factors predictive of higher leadership ratings. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

U.S. spousal homicide rates by racial composition of marriage.

PubMed

Roberts, John M

2015-09-01

American spousal homicide rates persistently and substantially vary by racial composition of the married couple. Analyses examined different racial couple types' spousal homicide rates in light of nonspousal homicide victimization and offending rates and couple types' average social, demographic, and economic characteristics. Analyses used 2003 to 2007 spousal homicide data from Supplementary Homicide Reports for which missing data have been multiply imputed. Current Population Survey data provided estimates of the number and average characteristics of different couple types. Log-linear models related couple types' differing spousal homicide rates to different race-sex groups' general rates of homicide victimization and offending and couple types' average characteristics. Among couple types with at least 50,000 couples, annual rates of male-on-female spousal homicide ranged from 0.95 to 8.76 per 100,000 couples; for female-on-male spousal homicide, this range was 0.13 to 2.29. Rates somewhat reflect different race-sex groups' nonspousal homicide activity, but with greater gender disparity and an excess of spousal homicide in some couple types. The association between victim's and offender's race is parsimoniously described by models using couple types' average characteristics (proportion with female's education exceeding the male's, proportion in central cities, and relative frequency). General homicidal-violence reduction strategies may partly apply to spousal homicide, but specifically targeted efforts are required too. Interventions must address different couple types' particular social, economic, and cultural experiences. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Has dementia research lost its sense of reality? A descriptive analysis of eligibility criteria of Dutch dementia research protocols.

PubMed

Jongsma, K R; van Bruchem-Visser, R L; van de Vathorst, S; Mattace Raso, F U S

2016-06-01

A substantial proportion of dementia patients are excluded from research participation, while for extrapolation of the study findings, it is important that the research population represents the patient population. The aim of this study is to provide an analysis of dementia research and its exclusion criteria in order to get a clearer picture whether the research participants represent the general dementia population. Dementia studies registered at ToetsingOnline.nl between 2006-2015 were analysed. Study characteristics, funding and eligibility criteria were described and analysed using a standardised score sheet. The search yielded 103 usable study protocols. The number of trials has increased over the years, and 35% of the studies were industry-financed. Alzheimer's disease was the most researched type of dementia (84%). In observational studies the most frequently observed exclusion criterion is a neurological condition, while in drug studies and other intervention studies this is a somatic condition. Of all protocols, 86% had at least one exclusion criterion concerning comorbidity. Most studies focused on mild or moderate dementia (78%). Our study has shown that the distribution of dementia research over the different subtypes of dementia does not correspond with the prevalence of these subtypes in clinical practice. The research population in the protocols is not representative of the larger patient population. A greater number of dementia patients could derive benefit from the conducted research if the research agenda were more closely aligned with disease prevalence. A better representation of all dementia patients in research will help to meet the needs of these patients.

An Atypical Age-Specific Pattern of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Peru: A Threat for Andean Populations

PubMed Central

Loli, Sebastian; Moura, Julien; Zimic, Mirko; Deharo, Eric; Ruiz, Eloy

2013-01-01

Background In South America, the highest incidence of primary liver cancer is observed in Peru. However, national estimations on hepatocellular carcinoma incidence and mortality are approximated using aggregated data from surrounding countries. Thus, there is a lack of tangible information from Peru that impairs an accurate description of the local incidence, presentation, and outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma. The present study attempts to fill this gap and assesses the clinical epidemiology of hepatocellular carcinoma in this country. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted by analysing the medical charts of 1,541 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma admitted between 1997 and 2010 at the Peruvian national institute for cancer. The medical records including liver function, serologic status, and tumor pathology and stage were monitored. Statistical analyses were performed in order to characterize tumor presentation according to demographic features, risk factors, and regional origin. Results Surprisingly, the age distribution of the patient population displayed bimodality corresponding to two distinct age-based subpopulations. While an older group was in keeping with the age range observed for hepatocellular carcinoma around the world, a younger population displayed an abnormally juvenile mean age of 25.5 years old. In addition, each subpopulation displayed age-specific pathophysiological and clinical characteristics. Conclusions The analysis suggests two different age-specific natural histories of hepatocellular carcinoma in the Peruvian patient population. This otherwise unusual tumor process that is ongoing in younger patients leads to the hypothesis that there may be a Peru-endemic risk factor driving hepatocarcinogenesis in the local population. PMID:23840771

An assessment of sauger population characteristics on two Tennessee River reservoirs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Graham, Christy L.; Bettoli, Phillip William; Churchill, Timothy N.

2015-01-01

In 1992, a 356-mm minimum length limit (MLL) was enacted on Kentucky Lake and a 381-mm MLL was enacted on Watts Bar Lake, two mainstem reservoirs on the Tennessee River, in an attempt to reduce exploitation and improve the size structure of the sauger (Sander canadensis) populations. The objectives of this study were to compare sauger population characteristics immediately following (1993–1994) and 15 years after (2008–2009) the regulations took effect, examine spatial and temporal patterns in growth, examine recruitment patterns in each reservoir using a recruitment variability index (RVI), and assess the current likelihood of overfishing. Saugers were collected with experimental gill nets in each reservoir and aged using otoliths. A Beverton-Holt yield-per-recruit model was used to simulate angler yields and estimate the likelihood of growth overfishing. Recruitment overfishing was assessed by examining spawning potential ratios under various MLL and exploitation rate scenarios. The sauger population in Kentucky Lake experienced modest improvements in size and age structure over the 15 years following enactment of more restrictive harvest regulations, whereas the population in Watts Bar Lake changed very little, if at all, in terms of size and age structure. Mean lengths of age-3 sauger were significantly greater in Watts Bar Lake than in Kentucky Lake in both time periods. The RVI values indicated that between 1993 and 2009 the sauger in Kentucky Lake displayed more stable recruitment than the Watts Bar Lake population. Neither population exhibited signs of growth overfishing in 2008–09 under the current length limits; however, the Watts Bar Lake population would be susceptible to recruitment overfishing at high (>40%) exploitation rates if natural mortality was as low as 20%. These analyses have demonstrated that the Watts Bar Lake and Kentucky Lake populations, in terms of size and age structure, have remained relatively stable over 15+ years and the MLLs appear to be conserving the stocks.

Determination of Genetic Structure and Signatures of Selection in Three Strains of Tanzania Shorthorn Zebu, Boran and Friesian Cattle by Genome-Wide SNP Analyses

PubMed Central

Msalya, George; Kim, Eui-Soo; Laisser, Emmanuel L. K.; Kipanyula, Maulilio J.; Karimuribo, Esron D.; Kusiluka, Lughano J. M.; Chenyambuga, Sebastian W.; Rothschild, Max F.

2017-01-01

Background More than 90 percent of cattle in Tanzania belong to the indigenous Tanzania Short Horn Zebu (TSZ) population which has been classified into 12 strains based on historical evidence, morphological characteristics, and geographic distribution. However, specific genetic information of each TSZ population has been lacking and has caused difficulties in designing programs such as selection, crossbreeding, breed improvement or conservation. This study was designed to evaluate the genetic structure, assess genetic relationships, and to identify signatures of selection among cattle of Tanzania with the main goal of understanding genetic relationship, variation and uniqueness among them. Methodology/Principal findings The Illumina Bos indicus SNP 80K BeadChip was used to genotype genome wide SNPs in 168 DNA samples obtained from three strains of TSZ cattle namely Maasai, Tarime and Sukuma as well as two comparative breeds; Boran and Friesian. Population structure and signatures of selection were examined using principal component analysis (PCA), admixture analysis, pairwise distances (FST), integrated haplotype score (iHS), identical by state (IBS) and runs of homozygosity (ROH). There was a low level of inbreeding (F~0.01) in the TSZ population compared to the Boran and Friesian breeds. The analyses of FST, IBS and admixture identified no considerable differentiation between TSZ trains. Importantly, common ancestry in Boran and TSZ were revealed based on admixture and IBD, implying gene flow between two populations. In addition, Friesian ancestry was found in Boran. A few common significant iHS were detected, which may reflect influence of recent selection in each breed or strain. Conclusions Population admixture and selection signatures could be applied to develop conservation plan of TSZ cattle as well as future breeding programs in East African cattle. PMID:28129396

Intra-specific variation in genome size in maize: cytological and phenotypic correlates

PubMed Central

Realini, María Florencia; Poggio, Lidia; Cámara-Hernández, Julián; González, Graciela Esther

2016-01-01

Genome size variation accompanies the diversification and evolution of many plant species. Relationships between DNA amount and phenotypic and cytological characteristics form the basis of most hypotheses that ascribe a biological role to genome size. The goal of the present research was to investigate the intra-specific variation in the DNA content in maize populations from Northeastern Argentina and further explore the relationship between genome size and the phenotypic traits seed weight and length of the vegetative cycle. Moreover, cytological parameters such as the percentage of heterochromatin as well as the number, position and sequence composition of knobs were analysed and their relationships with 2C DNA values were explored. The populations analysed presented significant differences in 2C DNA amount, from 4.62 to 6.29 pg, representing 36.15 % of the inter-populational variation. Moreover, intra-populational genome size variation was found, varying from 1.08 to 1.63-fold. The variation in the percentage of knob heterochromatin as well as in the number, chromosome position and sequence composition of the knobs was detected among and within the populations. Although a positive relationship between genome size and the percentage of heterochromatin was observed, a significant correlation was not found. This confirms that other non-coding repetitive DNA sequences are contributing to the genome size variation. A positive relationship between DNA amount and the seed weight has been reported in a large number of species, this relationship was not found in the populations studied here. The length of the vegetative cycle showed a positive correlation with the percentage of heterochromatin. This result allowed attributing an adaptive effect to heterochromatin since the length of this cycle would be optimized via selection for an appropriate percentage of heterochromatin. PMID:26644343

Clinical and Economic Implications of AF Related Stroke.

PubMed

Ali, Ali N; Abdelhafiz, Ahmed

2016-01-01

A major cause of morbidity and mortality among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) relates to the increased risk of stroke. The burden of illness that AF imparts on stroke is likely to increase with our aging populations and increasingly sophisticated cardiac monitoring techniques. Understanding the clinical and economic differences between AF related ischaemic stroke and non-AF related stroke is important if we are to improve future cost effectiveness analyses of potential preventative treatments, but also to help educate clinical and policy decision makers on use or availability of treatments to prevent AF related stroke. In this article we review the existing evidence that highlights differences in the clinical characteristics and outcomes between AF and non-AF stroke, as well as differences in their economic impact and discuss ways to improve future economic analyses.

Single Cell Gene Expression Profiling of Skeletal Muscle-Derived Cells.

PubMed

Gatto, Sole; Puri, Pier Lorenzo; Malecova, Barbora

2017-01-01

Single cell gene expression profiling is a fundamental tool for studying the heterogeneity of a cell population by addressing the phenotypic and functional characteristics of each cell. Technological advances that have coupled microfluidic technologies with high-throughput quantitative RT-PCR analyses have enabled detailed analyses of single cells in various biological contexts. In this chapter, we describe the procedure for isolating the skeletal muscle interstitial cells termed Fibro-Adipogenic Progenitors (FAPs ) and their gene expression profiling at the single cell level. Moreover, we accompany our bench protocol with bioinformatics analysis designed to process raw data as well as to visualize single cell gene expression data. Single cell gene expression profiling is therefore a useful tool in the investigation of FAPs heterogeneity and their contribution to muscle homeostasis.

Should studies of risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders be stratified by gender? Lessons from the 1998 Québec Health and Social Survey.

PubMed

Messing, Karen; Stock, Susan R; Tissot, France

2009-03-01

Several studies have reported male-female differences in the prevalence of symptoms of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), some arising from workplace exposure differences. The objective of this paper was to compare two strategies analyzing a single dataset for the relationships between risk factors and MSD in a population-based sample with a wide range of exposures. The 1998 Québec Health and Social Survey surveyed 11 735 respondents in paid work and reported "significant" musculoskeletal pain in 11 body regions during the previous 12 months and a range of personal, physical, and psychosocial risk factors. Five studies concerning risk factors for four musculoskeletal outcomes were carried out on these data. Each included analyses with multiple logistic regression (MLR) performed separately for women, men, and the total study population. The results from these gender-stratified and unstratified analyses were compared. In the unstratified MLR models, gender was significantly associated with musculoskeletal pain in the neck and lower extremities, but not with low-back pain. The gender-stratified MLR models identified significant associations between each specific musculoskeletal outcome and a variety of personal characteristics and physical and psychosocial workplace exposures for each gender. Most of the associations, if present for one gender, were also found in the total population. But several risk factors present for only one gender could be detected only in a stratified analysis, whereas the unstratified analysis added little information. Stratifying analyses by gender is necessary if a full range of associations between exposures and MSD is to be detected and understood.

Prostatitis, other genitourinary infections and prostate cancer: results from a population-based case-control study.

PubMed

Boehm, Katharina; Valdivieso, Roger; Meskawi, Malek; Larcher, Alessandro; Schiffmann, Jonas; Sun, Maxine; Graefen, Markus; Saad, Fred; Parent, Marie-Élise; Karakiewicz, Pierre I

2016-03-01

We relied on a population-based case-control study (PROtEuS) to examine a potential association between the presence of histologically confirmed prostate cancer (PCa) and history of genitourinary infections, e.g., prostatitis, urethritis, orchitis and epididymitis. Cases were 1933 men with incident PCa, diagnosed across Montreal hospitals between 2005 and 2009. Population controls were 1994 men from the same residential area and age distribution. In-person interviews collected information about socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle and medical history, e.g., self-reported history of several genitourinary infections, as well as on PCa screening. Logistic regression analyses tested overall and grade-specific associations, including subgroup analyses with frequent PSA testing. After multivariable adjustment, prostatitis was associated with an increased risk of any PCa (OR 1.81 [1.44-2.27]), but not urethritis (OR 1.05 [0.84-1.30]), orchitis (OR 1.28 [0.92-1.78]) or epididymitis (OR 0.98 [0.57-1.68]). The association between prostatitis and PCa was more pronounced for low-grade PCa (Gleason ≤ 6: OR 2.11 [1.61-2.77]; Gleason ≥ 7: OR 1.59 [1.22-2.07]). Adjusting for frequency of physician visits, PSA testing frequency or restricting analyses to frequently screened subjects did not affect these results. Prostatitis was associated with an increased probability for detecting PCa even after adjustment for frequency of PSA testing and physician visits, but not urethritis, orchitis or epididymitis. These considerations may be helpful in clinical risk stratification of individuals in whom the risk of PCa is pertinent.

The socio-economic distribution of health-related occupational stressors among wage-earners in a Post-Fordist labour market

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Unequal exposure to occupational stressors is a central pathway towards socio-economic health inequalities in working populations. This paper assesses the differential exposure of such stressors within the population of Flemish wage-earners. Our focus is on differences in gender, age, skill levels, occupational and social class positions. Method The analyses are based on the "Flemish Quality of Labour Monitor 2004" (Vlaamse Werkbaarheidsmonitor 2004), a cross-sectional representative sample (N = 11,099) of 16- to 65-year-old wage-earners, living in Flanders. The investigated health-related working conditions are: high quantitative, emotional and physical demands, frequent repetitive movements, atypical work schedules, frequent overtime work and schedule changes, low job autonomy, task variation and superior-support, high job insecurity and exposure to bullying. The distribution of the working conditions is assessed by means of standard logistic regression analyses. Also gender specific analyses are performed. Results At least two clusters of health-related occupational stressors can be identified. On the one hand, high physical demands, atypical schedules, low control over the work environment and high job insecurity are more common in manual, unskilled and subordinate workers. On the other hand, high quantitative and emotional demands, as well as schedule unpredictability are characteristic of higher skilled, professional and managerial employees. Conclusion Since little empirical information on the socio-economic distribution of various health-related occupational stressors is available for Flanders, our results are important for obtaining more insight into the pathways linking occupational health risks to socio-economic health inequalities in the Flemish wage-earning population.

FRAX®: Prediction of Major Osteoporotic Fractures in Women from the General Population: The OPUS Study

PubMed Central

Briot, Karine; Paternotte, Simon; Kolta, Sami; Eastell, Richard; Felsenberg, Dieter; Reid, David M.; Glüer, Claus-C.; Roux, Christian

2013-01-01

Purposes The aim of this study was to analyse how well FRAX® predicts the risk of major osteoporotic and vertebral fractures over 6 years in postmenopausal women from general population. Patients and methods The OPUS study was conducted in European women aged above 55 years, recruited in 5 centers from random population samples and followed over 6 years. The population for this study consisted of 1748 women (mean age 74.2 years) with information on incident fractures. 742 (43.1%) had a prevalent fracture; 769 (44%) and 155 (8.9%) of them received an antiosteoporotic treatment before and during the study respectively. We compared FRAX® performance with and without bone mineral density (BMD) using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) c-statistical analysis with ORs and areas under receiver operating characteristics curves (AUCs) and net reclassification improvement (NRI). Results 85 (4.9%) patients had incident major fractures over 6 years. FRAX® with and without BMD predicted these fractures with an AUC of 0.66 and 0.62 respectively. The AUC were 0.60, 0.66, 0.69 for history of low trauma fracture alone, age and femoral neck (FN) BMD and combination of the 3 clinical risk factors, respectively. FRAX® with and without BMD predicted incident radiographic vertebral fracture (n = 65) with an AUC of 0.67 and 0.65 respectively. NRI analysis showed a significant improvement in risk assignment when BMD is added to FRAX®. Conclusions This study shows that FRAX® with BMD and to a lesser extent also without FN BMD predict major osteoporotic and vertebral fractures in the general population. PMID:24386199

Laboratory techniques and rhythmometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Halberg, F.

1973-01-01

Some of the procedures used for the analysis of rhythms are illustrated, notably as these apply to current medical and biological practice. For a quantitative approach to medical and broader socio-ecologic goals, the chronobiologist gathers numerical objective reference standards for rhythmic biophysical, biochemical, and behavioral variables. These biological reference standards can be derived by specialized computer analyses of largely self-measured (until eventually automatically recorded) time series (autorhythmometry). Objective numerical values for individual and population parameters of reproductive cycles can be obtained concomitantly with characteristics of about-yearly (circannual), about-daily (circadian) and other rhythms.

Demographic monitoring of wild muriqui populations: Criteria for defining priority areas and monitoring intensity.

PubMed

Strier, Karen B; Possamai, Carla B; Tabacow, Fernanda P; Pissinatti, Alcides; Lanna, Andre M; Rodrigues de Melo, Fabiano; Moreira, Leandro; Talebi, Maurício; Breves, Paula; Mendes, Sérgio L; Jerusalinsky, Leandro

2017-01-01

Demographic data are essential to assessments of the status of endangered species. However, establishing an integrated monitoring program to obtain useful data on contemporary and future population trends requires both the identification of priority areas and populations and realistic evaluations of the kinds of data that can be obtained under different monitoring regimes. We analyzed all known populations of a critically endangered primate, the muriqui (genus: Brachyteles) using population size, genetic uniqueness, geographic importance (including potential importance in corridor programs) and implementability scores to define monitoring priorities. Our analyses revealed nine priority populations for the northern muriqui (B. hypoxanthus) and nine for the southern muriqui (B. arachnoides). In addition, we employed knowledge of muriqui developmental and life history characteristics to define the minimum monitoring intensity needed to evaluate demographic trends along a continuum ranging from simple descriptive changes in population size to predictions of population changes derived from individual based life histories. Our study, stimulated by the Brazilian government's National Action Plan for the Conservation of Muriquis, is fundamental to meeting the conservation goals for this genus, and also provides a model for defining priorities and methods for the implementation of integrated demographic monitoring programs for other endangered and critically endangered species of primates.

Genetic variation and forensic characteristic analysis of 25 STRs of a novel fluorescence co-amplification system in Chinese Southern Shaanxi Han population.

PubMed

Liu, Yao-Shun; Chen, Jian-Gang; Mei, Ting; Guo, Yu-Xin; Meng, Hao-Tian; Li, Jian-Fei; Wei, Yuan-Yuan; Jin, Xiao-Ye; Zhu, Bo-Feng; Zhang, Li-Ping

2017-08-15

We analyzed the genetic polymorphisms of 15 autosomal and 10 Y-chromosomal STR loci in 214 individuals of Han population from Southern Shaanxi of China and studied the genetic relationships between Southern Shaanxi Han and other populations. We observed a total of 150 alleles at 15 autosomal STR loci with the corresponding allelic frequencies ranging from 0.0023 to 0.5210, and the combined power of discrimination and exclusion for the 15 autosomal STR loci were 0.99999999999999998866 and 0.999998491, respectively. For the 10 Y-STR loci, totally 100 different haplotypes were obtained, of which 94 were unique. The discriminatory capacity and haplotype diversity values of the 10 Y-STR loci were 0.9259 and 0.998269, respectively. The results demonstrated high genetic diversities of the 25 STR loci in the population for forensic applications. We constructed neighbor-joining tree and conducted principal component analysis based on 15 autosomal STR loci and conducted multidimensional scaling analysis and constructed neighbor-joining tree based on 10 Y-STR loci. The results of population genetic analyses based on both autosomal and Y-chromosome STRs indicated that the studied Southern Shaanxi Han population had relatively closer genetic relationship with Eastern Han population, and distant relationships with Croatian, Serbian and Moroccan populations.

Recovery of a wild fish population from whole-lake additions of a synthetic estrogen.

PubMed

Blanchfield, Paul J; Kidd, Karen A; Docker, Margaret F; Palace, Vince P; Park, Brad J; Postma, Lianne D

2015-03-03

Despite widespread recognition that municipal wastewaters contain natural and synthetic estrogens, which interfere with development and reproduction of fishes in freshwaters worldwide, there are limited data on the extent to which natural populations of fish can recover from exposure to these compounds. We conducted whole-lake additions of an active component of the birth control pill (17α-ethynylestradiol; EE2) that resulted in the collapse of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) population. Here we quantify physiological, population, and genetic characteristics of this population over the 7 years after EE2 additions stopped to determine if complete recovery was possible. By 3 years post-treatment, whole-body vitellogenin concentrations in male fathead minnow had returned to baseline, and testicular abnormalities were absent. In the spring of the fourth year, adult size-frequency distribution and abundance had returned to pretreatment levels. Microsatellite analyses clearly showed that postrecovery fish were descendants of the original EE2-treated population. Results from this whole-lake experiment demonstrate that fish can recover from EE2 exposure at the biochemical through population levels, although the timelines to do so are long for multigenerational exposures. These results suggest that wastewater treatment facilities that reduce discharges of estrogens and their mimics can improve the health of resident fish populations in their receiving environments.

Suicide rates in the national and expatriate population in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

PubMed

Dervic, Kanita; Amiri, Leena; Niederkrotenthaler, Thomas; Yousef, Said; Salem, Mohamed O; Voracek, Martin; Sonneck, Gernot

2012-11-01

Reports on suicide from the Gulf region are scarce. Dubai is a city with a large expatriate population. However, total and gender-specific suicide rates for the national and expatriate populations are not known. To investigate total and gender-specific suicide rates in the national and expatriate population in Dubai and to elicit socio-demographic characteristics of suicide victims. Registered suicides in Dubai from 2003 to 2009, and aggregated socio-demographic data of suicide victims were analysed. Suicide rates per 100,000 population were calculated. Suicide rate among expatriates (6.3/100,000) was seven times higher than the rate among the nationals (0.9/100,000). In both groups, male suicide rate was more than three times higher than the female rate. Approximately three out of four expatriate suicides were committed by Indians. The majority of suicide victims were male, older than 30 years, expatriate, single and employed, with an education of secondary school level and below. Further research on risk factors for and protective factors against suicide, particularly among the expatriate population, is needed. Epidemiological monitoring of suicide trends at the national level and improvement of UAE suicide statistics would provide useful information for developing suicide prevention strategies.

Phenotypic divergence of secondary sexual traits among sage grouse, Centrocercus urophasianus, populations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Young, Jessica R.; Hupp, Jerry W.; Bradbury, Jack W.; Braun, Clait E.

1994-01-01

Sage grouse, Centrocercus urophasianus, in an isolated montane basin near Gunnison, Colorado differ in several morphological and behavioural traits from conspecifics studied in other areas of the species' range. Both sexes in Gunnison are smaller than sage grouse elsewhere, and males possess differences in feather morphology as well. The mating behaviour of male sage grouse in three populations was examined to determine whether male strut displays of Gunnison sage grouse were behaviourally distinct. Behavioural analyses revealed Gunnison males perform strut displays at a slower rate than males in the two other sage grouse populations sampled. In addition, Gunnison males' strut displays contain unique visual and acoustical aspects. The most distinguishing attributes of Gunnison sage grouse were male secondary sexual characteristics including traits that correlate with mating success in other populations. Thus, phenotypic differences observed in the Gunnison population represent a divergence in expression of traits that are likely to be influenced by sexual selection. Recent models of speciation suggest that species characterized by intense sexual selection, such as those with lek mating systems, have the potential for rapid inter-populational divergence in male traits and female preferences leading to speciation.

Bipolar disorder patients have similar levels of education but lower socio-economic status than the general population.

PubMed

Schoeyen, Helle K; Birkenaes, Astrid B; Vaaler, Arne E; Auestad, Bjoern H; Malt, Ulrik F; Andreassen, Ole A; Morken, Gunnar

2011-03-01

There is conflicting evidence regarding the educational level and its importance for social and occupational functioning in bipolar disorder (BD). The aim of this study was to investigate how educational achievement relates to function in BD compared with the general population, and which clinical factors are associated with level of education. Hospitalized patients with DSM-IV BD (N=257; 69.3% BD I; 25.7% BD II; 5.1 BD NOS; 51.4% females) were consecutively recruited from mental health clinics throughout Norway and compared with a geographically matched reference sample from the general population (N=56,540) on levels of education, marital status, income, and disability benefits. Further analyses of association were carried out using logistic regression analyses. A significantly higher proportion of subjects in the BD group than in the reference group was single, had low income, or was disabled. No between-group difference was found in educational level. In the reference group education was inversely correlated with the risk of being disabled, but no such relationship was found in the BD group. Rapid cycling and recurring depressive episodes were the only clinical characteristics associated with low educational level. Acutely admitted patients might not be representative for milder forms of disease. Despite similar levels of education, BD patients had lower social and occupational function than the general population, and no association was found between education and disability for BD patients. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cranial morphological homogeneity in two subspecies of water deer in China and Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Yung Kun; Koyabu, Daisuke; Lee, Hang; Kimura, Junpei

2015-11-01

The water deer (Hydropotes inermis) has conventionally been classified into two subspecies according to geographic distribution and pelage color pattern: H. i. inermis from China and H. i. argyropus from Korea. However, the results of a recent molecular study have called this into question. To further reappraise this classification, we examined morphological variation in craniodental measurements of these 2 subspecies. Results of univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated that these 2 subspecies are not well-differentiated, suggesting that individuals of the 2 populations share common morphological traits. Despite the distribution of the subspecies at different latitudes, no clear morphocline was detected, suggesting that Bergmann's rule does not apply in this case. Discriminant analysis indicated that the characteristics of individuals are shared by both populations, suggesting that not all individuals can be assigned to their original population. Results of principal component analysis showed that the two populations shared more than 75% of individuals, congruent with the "75% rule" of subspecies classification. In both the neighbor-joining and unweighted pair group methods with arithmetic mean cluster analyses, specimens of H. i. argyropus and H. i. inermis were highly mixed within the cladograms. These results suggest that the overall morphological variation in the 2 subspecies overlaps considerably and that there is no coherent craniofacial difference between the 2 groups. The present findings combined with prior observations from molecular biogeography point out that the taxonomic division of water deer into 2 subspecies should be revisited.

Assessing sensitivity to change: choosing the appropriate change coefficient.

PubMed

Stratford, Paul W; Riddle, Daniel L

2005-04-05

The past 20-years have seen the development and evaluation of many health status measures. Unlike the high standards demanded of those who conduct and report clinical intervention trials, the methodological rigor for studies examining the sensitivity to change of health status measures are less demanding. It is likely that the absence of a criterion standard for change in health status contributes to this shortcoming. To increase confidence in the results of these types of studies investigators have often calculated multiple change coefficients for the same patient sample. The purpose of this report is to identify the conflict that arises when multiple change coefficients are applied to the same patient sample. Three families of change coefficients based on different assumptions concerning the sample composition are identified: (1) the sample is homogeneous with respect to change; (2) subgroups of patients who truly change by different amounts exist; (3) individual patients, many of whom truly change by different amounts exist. We present several analyses which illustrate a major conceptual conflict: the signal (a measure's true ability to detect change) for some of these coefficients appears in the noise term (measurement error) of the others. We speculate that this dilemma occurs as a result of insufficient preparatory work such as pilot studies to establish the likely change characteristic of the patient population of interest. Uncertainty in the choice of change coefficient could be overcome by conducting pilot studies to ascertain the likely change characteristic of the population of interest. Once the population's change characteristic is identified, the choice of change coefficient should be clear.

Medical Marijuana Legalization and Marijuana Use Among Youth in Oregon.

PubMed

Paschall, Mallie J; Grube, Joel W; Biglan, Anthony

2017-06-01

While the legalization of marijuana for medical and recreational use has raised concerns about potential influences on marijuana use and beliefs among youth, few empirical studies have addressed this issue. We examined the association between medical marijuana patients and licensed growers per 1000 population in 32 Oregon counties from 2006 to 2015, and marijuana use among youth over the same period. We obtained data on registered medical marijuana patients and licensed growers from the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program and we obtained data on youth marijuana use, perceived parental disapproval, and demographic characteristics from the Oregon Healthy Teens Survey. Across 32 Oregon counties, the mean rate of marijuana patients per 1000 population increased from 2.9 in 2006 to 18.3 in 2015, whereas the grower rate increased from 3.8 to 11.9. Results of multi-level analyses indicated significant positive associations between rates of marijuana patients and growers per 1000 population and the prevalence of past 30-day marijuana use, controlling for youth demographic characteristics. The marijuana patient and grower rates were also inversely associated with parental disapproval of marijuana use, which decreased from 2006 to 2015 and acted as a mediator. These findings suggest that a greater number of registered marijuana patients and growers per 1000 population in Oregon counties was associated with a higher prevalence of marijuana use among youth from 2006 to 2015, and that this relationship was partially attributable to perceived norms favorable towards marijuana use.

Community characteristics that attract physicians in Japan: a cross-sectional analysis of community demographic and economic factors.

PubMed

Matsumoto, Masatoshi; Inoue, Kazuo; Noguchi, Satomi; Toyokawa, Satoshi; Kajii, Eiji

2009-02-18

In many countries, there is a surplus of physicians in some communities and a shortage in others. Population size is known to be correlated with the number of physicians in a community, and is conventionally considered to represent the power of communities to attract physicians. However, associations between other demographic/economic variables and the number of physicians in a community have not been fully evaluated. This study seeks other parameters that correlate with the physician population and show which characteristics of a community determine its "attractiveness" to physicians. Associations between the number of physicians and selected demographic/economic/life-related variables of all of Japan's 3132 municipalities were examined. In order to exclude the confounding effect of community size, correlations between the physician-to-population ratio and other variable-to-population ratios or variable-to-area ratios were evaluated with simple correlation and multiple regression analyses. The equity of physician distribution against each variable was evaluated by the orenz curve and Gini index. Among the 21 variables selected, the service industry workers-to-population ratio (0.543), commercial land price (0.527), sales of goods per person (0.472), and daytime population density (0.451) were better correlated with the physician-to-population ratio than was population density (0.409). Multiple regression analysis showed that the service industry worker-to-population ratio, the daytime population density, and the elderly rate were each independently correlated with the physician-to-population ratio (standardized regression coefficient 0.393, 0.355, 0.089 respectively; each p<0.001). Equity of physician distribution was higher against service industry population (Gini index=0.26) and daytime population (0.28) than against population (0.33). Daytime population and service industry population in a municipality are better parameters of community attractiveness to physicians than population. Because attractiveness is supposed to consist of medical demand and the amenities of urban life, the two parameters may represent the amount of medical demand and/or the extent of urban amenities of the community more precisely than population does. The conventional demand-supply analysis based solely on population as the demand parameter may overestimate the inequity of the physician distribution among communities.

Why Is Bigger Not Always Better in Primary Health Care Practices? The Role of Mediating Organizational Factors.

PubMed

Pineault, Raynald; Provost, Sylvie; Borgès Da Silva, Roxane; Breton, Mylaine; Levesque, Jean-Frédéric

2016-01-01

Size of primary health care (PHC) practices is often used as a proxy for various organizational characteristics related to provision of care. The objective of this article is to identify some of these organizational characteristics and to determine the extent to which they mediate the relationship between size of PHC practice and patients' experience of care, preventive services, and unmet needs. In 2010, we conducted population and organization surveys in 2 regions of the province of Quebec. We carried out multilevel linear and logistic regression analyses, adjusting for respondents' individual characteristics. Size of PHC practice was associated with organizational characteristics and resources, patients' experience of care, unmet needs, and preventive services. Overall, the larger the size of a practice, the higher the accessibility, but the lower the continuity. However, these associations faded away when organizational variables were introduced in the analysis model. This result supports the hypothesized mediating effect of organizational characteristics on relationships between practice size and patients' experience of care, preventive services, and unmet needs. Our results indicate that size does not add much information to organizational characteristics. Using size as a proxy for organizational characteristics can even be misleading because its relationships with different outcomes are highly variable. © The Author(s) 2016.

A novel method of estimating cost of therapy by using patient population characteristics: analysis of fluoroquinolones in various populations with different distributions of renal function.

PubMed

Enzweiler, Kevin A; Bosso, John A; White, Roger L

2003-07-01

Formulary decisions regarding a given drug class are often made in the absence of patient outcome and/or sophisticated pharmacoeconomic data. Analyses that consider factors beyond simple acquisition costs may be useful in such situations. For example, the cost implications of using manufacturers' recommendations for dosing in patients with renal dysfunction may be important, depending on the distribution of various levels of renal function within a patient population. Using four 1000-patient populations representing different renal function distributions and a fifth population of our medical center's distribution, we determined the costs of therapy for intravenous and oral levofloxacin, gatifloxacin, and moxifloxacin for a 10-day course of therapy for community-acquired pneumonia. Costs considered were average wholesale prices (AWPs), 50% of AWP, or same daily price, plus intravenous dose preparation and administration costs when applicable. Costs for each renal function distribution were examined for significant differences with an analysis-of-variance test. Also, costs of failing to adjust dosing regimens for decreased renal function were determined. Differences in fluoroquinolone costs (AWP, 50% AWP, or when matched as the same daily price) among the populations were found. When considering same daily prices, differences among populations ranged from about 35,000 dollars with intravenous gatifloxacin to more than 51,000 dollars for intravenous levofloxacin (all fluoroquinolones, p>0.05). Within a population, differences in costs among the intravenous fluoroquinolones ranged from 47,000-99,000 dollars. Rank orders of the drugs and population costs of therapy were affected by the pricing structure used and varied by the specific population and drug. Differences among the fluoroquinolones or populations were much smaller (<2100 dollars) when considering oral regimens. Costs potentially incurred by failing to adjust dosing for renal function were substantial. Formulary decisions can be facilitated by considering factors such as patient characteristics and related dosing in addition to simple acquisition costs. In our example, consideration of the distribution of renal function within a given patient population and related dosing for these fluoroquinolones revealed potentially important differences within the class.

Creatine Supplementation and Lower Limb Strength Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses.

PubMed

Lanhers, Charlotte; Pereira, Bruno; Naughton, Geraldine; Trousselard, Marion; Lesage, François-Xavier; Dutheil, Frédéric

2015-09-01

Creatine is the most widely used supplementation to increase strength performance. However, the few meta-analyses are more than 10 years old and suffer from inclusion bias such as the absence of randomization and placebo, the diversity of the inclusion criteria (aerobic/endurance, anaerobic/strength), no evaluation on specific muscles or group of muscles, and the considerable amount of conflicting results within the last decade. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate meta-analyzed effects of creatine supplementation on lower limb strength performance. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses of all randomized controlled trials comparing creatine supplementation with a placebo, with strength performance of the lower limbs measured in exercises lasting less than 3 min. The search strategy used the keywords "creatine supplementation" and "performance". Dependent variables were creatine loading, total dose, duration, the time-intervals between baseline (T0) and the end of the supplementation (T1), as well as any training during supplementation. Independent variables were age, sex, and level of physical activity at baseline. We conducted meta-analyses at T1, and on changes between T0 and T1. Each meta-analysis was stratified within lower limb muscle groups and exercise tests. We included 60 studies (646 individuals in the creatine supplementation group and 651 controls). At T1, the effect size (ES) among stratification for squat and leg press were, respectively, 0.336 (95 % CI 0.047-0.625, p = 0.023) and 0.297 (95 % CI 0.098-0.496, p = 0.003). Overall quadriceps ES was 0.266 (95 % CI 0.150-0.381, p < 0.001). Global lower limb ES was 0.235 (95 % CI 0.125-0.346, p < 0.001). Meta-analysis on changes between T0 and T1 gave similar results. The meta-regression showed no links with characteristics of population or of supplementation, demonstrating the creatine efficacy effects, independent of all listed conditions. Creatine supplementation is effective in lower limb strength performance for exercise with a duration of less than 3 min, independent of population characteristic, training protocols, and supplementary doses and duration.

An Evidence-Based Review of Impacts, Strategies and Tools to Mitigate Urban Heat Islands

PubMed Central

Leal Filho, Walter; Echevarria Icaza, Leyre; Emanche, Victoria Omeche; Quasem Al-Amin, Abul

2017-01-01

The impacts of climate changes on cities, which are home to over half of the world’s population, are already being felt. In many cases, the intensive speed with which urban centres have been growing means that little attention has been paid to the role played by climatic factors in maintaining quality of life. Among the negative consequences of rapid city growth is the expansion of the problems posed by urban heat islands (UHIs), defined as areas in a city that are much warmer than other sites, especially in comparison with rural areas. This paper analyses the consistency of the UHI-related literature in three stages: first it outlines its characteristics and impacts in a wide variety of cities around the world, which poses pressures to public health in many different countries. Then it introduces strategies which may be employed in order to reduce its effects, and finally it analyses available tools to systematize the initial high level assessment of the phenomenon for multidisciplinary teams involved in the urban planning process. The analysis of literature on the characteristics, impacts, strategies and digital tools to assess on the UHI, reveals the wide variety of parameters, methods, tools and strategies analysed and suggested in the different studies, which does not always allow to compare or standardize the diagnosis or solutions. PMID:29257100

A European Concern? Genetic Structure and Expansion of Golden Jackals (Canis aureus) in Europe and the Caucasus

PubMed Central

Rutkowski, Robert; Krofel, Miha; Giannatos, Giorgos; Ćirović, Duško; Männil, Peep; Volokh, Anatoliy M.; Lanszki, József; Heltai, Miklós; Szabó, László; Banea, Ovidiu C.; Yavruyan, Eduard; Hayrapetyan, Vahram; Kopaliani, Natia; Miliou, Anastasia; Tryfonopoulos, George A.; Lymberakis, Petros; Penezić, Aleksandra; Pakeltytė, Giedrė; Suchecka, Ewa; Bogdanowicz, Wiesław

2015-01-01

In the first continent-wide study of the golden jackal (Canis aureus), we characterised its population genetic structure and attempted to identify the origin of European populations. This provided a unique insight into genetic characteristics of a native carnivore population with rapid large-scale expansion. We analysed 15 microsatellite markers and a 406 base-pair fragment of the mitochondrial control region. Bayesian-based and principal components methods were applied to evaluate whether the geographical grouping of samples corresponded with genetic groups. Our analysis revealed low levels of genetic diversity, reflecting the unique history of the golden jackal among Europe’s native carnivores. The results suggest ongoing gene flow between south-eastern Europe and the Caucasus, with both contributing to the Baltic population, which appeared only recently. The population from the Peloponnese Peninsula in southern Greece forms a common genetic cluster with samples from south-eastern Europe (ΔK approach in STRUCTURE, Principal Components Analysis [PCA]), although the results based on BAPS and the estimated likelihood in STRUCTURE indicate that Peloponnesian jackals may represent a distinct population. Moreover, analyses of population structure also suggest either genetic distinctiveness of the island population from Samos near the coast of Asia Minor (BAPS, most STRUCTURE, PCA), or possibly its connection with the Caucasus population (one analysis in STRUCTURE). We speculate from our results that ancient Mediterranean jackal populations have persisted to the present day, and have merged with jackals colonising from Asia. These data also suggest that new populations of the golden jackal may be founded by long-distance dispersal, and thus should not be treated as an invasive alien species, i.e. an organism that is “non-native to an ecosystem, and which may cause economic or environmental harm or adversely affect human health”. These insights into the genetic structure and ancestry of Baltic jackals have important implications for management and conservation of jackals in Europe. The golden jackal is listed as an Annex V species in the EU Habitats Directive and as such, considering also the results presented here, should be legally protected in all EU member states. PMID:26540195

Who Are the Okinawans? Ancestry, Genome Diversity, and Implications for the Genetic Study of Human Longevity From a Geographically Isolated Population

PubMed Central

Hsueh, Wen-Chi; He, Qimei; Willcox, D. Craig; Nievergelt, Caroline M.; Donlon, Timothy A.; Kwok, Pui-Yan; Suzuki, Makoto; Willcox, Bradley J.

2014-01-01

Isolated populations have advantages for genetic studies of longevity from decreased haplotype diversity and long-range linkage disequilibrium. This permits smaller sample sizes without loss of power, among other utilities. Little is known about the genome of the Okinawans, a potential population isolate, recognized for longevity. Therefore, we assessed genetic diversity, structure, and admixture in Okinawans, and compared this with Caucasians, Chinese, Japanese, and Africans from HapMap II, genotyped on the same Affymetrix GeneChip Human Mapping 500K array. Principal component analysis, haplotype coverage, and linkage disequilibrium decay revealed a distinct Okinawan genome—more homogeneity, less haplotype diversity, and longer range linkage disequilibrium. Population structure and admixture analyses utilizing 52 global reference populations from the Human Genome Diversity Cell Line Panel demonstrated that Okinawans clustered almost exclusively with East Asians. Sibling relative risk (λs) analysis revealed that siblings of Okinawan centenarians have 3.11 times (females) and 3.77 times (males) more likelihood of centenarianism. These findings suggest that Okinawans are genetically distinct and share several characteristics of a population isolate, which are prone to develop extreme phenotypes (eg, longevity) from genetic drift, natural selection, and population bottlenecks. These data support further exploration of genetic influence on longevity in the Okinawans. PMID:24444611

Do community characteristics predict alcohol-related crime?

PubMed

Breen, Courtney; Shakeshaft, Anthony; Slade, Tim; Love, Stephanie; D'Este, Catherine; Mattick, Richard P

2011-01-01

Alcohol-related crime is a substantial community problem. There is evidence to suggest that certain geographic areas experience higher rates of alcohol-related crime and that both individual and community factors are associated with alcohol-related crime. There is limited research at the community level despite communities being the target of interventions designed to reduce alcohol-related harm. This study aims to determine whether there are differences in alcohol-related crime at the community level and examines whether certain community characteristics are associated with increased alcohol-related crime. Routinely collected police data from 20 rural communities in New South Wales, Australia were analysed. The ratio of alcohol to non-alcohol-related criminal incidents was used as a proxy for alcohol-related crime. Predictor variables were population-adjusted community characteristics, including demographic and resource variables. Regression analyses suggest that there are differences between communities in alcohol-related crime. Less socioeconomic disadvantage and more GPs and licensed premises (pubs and clubs) are associated with greater alcohol-related crime at the community level. Decreasing the socioeconomic well-being of a community is not appropriate; however, introducing additional taxes to increase the cost of alcohol may decrease consumption and therefore alcohol-related crime. Reducing or capping the number of licensed premises, specifically the number of pubs and clubs, may be an appropriate strategy to reduce alcohol-related crime in rural communities.

Types of employment and their associations with work characteristics and health in Swedish women and men.

PubMed

Samuelsson, Åsa; Houkes, Inge; Verdonk, Petra; Hammarström, Anne

2012-03-01

To investigate whether type of employment was related to work characteristics and health status at age 42 adjusted for health status at age 30 and whether gender moderates the associations. Questionnaire data was used from a 27-year follow-up study of school-leavers carried out in Luleå in the north of Sweden (response rate 94%). The study population consisted of 877 (47.8% women) working respondents. Data were analysed by means of t-tests, ANOVAs, and multiple linear regression analyses. Men were more often self-employed, while more women had temporary types of employment. Moreover, men reported more control over work and less emotional exhaustion than women. Compared to permanently employed, self-employed (men and women) perceived more control over work and better health status (p<0.01). Self-employed men also reported more demands and social support (p<0.05). People in temporary types of employment, however, reported less job control, as well as lower health status (only men) (p<0.01). Poor self-reported health and emotional exhaustion were significantly (p<0.05) associated with poor work characteristics (more demands, lower job control, and lower support). No direct associations between type of employment and health were found for women and men. However we find indications of an influence of type of employment on work and thereupon health, with job control playing an important role.

Interactions between neighborhood characteristics and individual functional status in relation to disability among Québec urbanites.

PubMed

Philibert, Mathieu D; Pampalon, Robert; Hamel, Denis; Daniel, Mark

2013-10-01

Disability is conceived as a person-context interaction. Neighborhoods are among the contexts potentially influencing disability. It is thus expected that neighborhood characteristics will be associated with disability prevalence and that such associations will be moderated by individual-level functional status. Empirical research targeting the influences of features of urban environments is relatively rare. To evaluate the presence of contextual differences in disability prevalence and to assess the moderating role of individual functional status on the association between neighborhood characteristics and disability prevalence. Multi-level analyses of individual-level data obtained from the Canadian Community Health Survey and neighborhood-level data derived from the Canada census. A contextual component was observed in the variability of disability prevalence. Significant neighborhood-level differences in disability were found across levels of social deprivation. Evidence of person-place interaction was equivocal. The contextual component of the variability in disability prevalence offers potential for targeting interventions to neighborhoods. The pathway by which social structure is associated with disability prevalence requires further research. Analyses of particular functional limitations may enhance our understanding of the mechanisms by which socioenvironmental factors affect disability. Publicly available survey data on disability in the general Canadian population, while useful, has limitations with respect to estimating socioenvironmental correlates of disability and potential person-place interactions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative analyses of semen and endocrine characteristics of free-living versus captive jaguars (Panthera onca).

PubMed

Morato, R G; Conforti, V A; Azevedo, F C; Jacomo, A T; Silveira, L; Sana, D; Nunes, A L; Guimarães, M A; Barnabe, R C

2001-11-01

Semen and blood samples were obtained from free-living (n = 6) and captive (n = 8) jaguars (Panthera onca) to compare reproductive characteristics between the two populations. Semen samples were analysed for volume (ml), percentage of motile spermatozoa, rate of forward progression (0-5), concentration (10(6) ml(-1)), total sperm count (10(6)) and sperm morphology. Serum testosterone concentration was determined by radioimmunoassay. Although ejaculate volume was greater in captive jaguars (n = 47 samples) than in free-living jaguars (n = 7 samples) (P < 0.05), the free-living jaguars produced more total spermatozoa (59.3 +/- 12.8 versus 152.0 +/- 88.0 x 10(6), respectively; not significant) with better viability and forward progression (2.8 +/- 0.1 versus 3.5 +/- 0.2, respectively; P < 0.05) and more spermatozoa with normal morphology (73.5 +/- 3.9 versus 5.0 +/- 1.1%, respectively; P < 0.05). Serum testosterone concentrations were similar for captive and free-living male jaguars (3.1 +/- 0.7 and 2.1 +/- 0.8 ng ml(-1), respectively). In summary, the data showed that semen may be collected successfully from free-living jaguars and evaluated under field conditions to establish normative reproductive values in this species. The results also indicate that jaguars maintained in zoos show inferior seminal characteristics compared with free-living animals.

MIPS AGN and Galaxy Evolution Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jannuzi, Buell; Armus, Lee; Borys, Colin; Brand, Kate; Brodwin, Mark; Brown, Michael; Cool, Richard; Desai, Vandana; Dey, Arjun; Dickinson, Mark; Dole, Herve; Eisenstein, Daniel; Kochanek, Christopher; Le Floc'h, Emeric; Morrison, Jane; Papovich, Casey; Perez-Gonzalez, Pablo; Rieke, George; Rieke, Marcia; Stern, Daniel; Weiner, Ben; Zehavi, Idit

2008-03-01

We propose a far-IR survey of the 9 square degree Bootes field of the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey (NDWFS) to 5-sigma flux limits of 0.2, 12.8 and 120 mJy to detect approximately 60000, 3000, and 400 sources at 24, 70 and 160 microns respectively. By combining observations at different roll angles, our maps will have excellent control of detector drifts, enabling precise fluctuation analyses in all three maps. In combination with the matching X-ray, UV, optical, near-IR, and mid-IR photometry, variability data, and the 22,000 spectroscopic redshifts for the field, we have three primary goals. First, we will survey the evolution of LIRGS/ULIRGS to redshifts of 0.6/1.3 at 24 microns and 0.4/0.8 at 70 microns. Over 500 0.6

Initial accuracy assessment of the modified S-LANSS for the detection of neuropathic orofacial pain conditions.

PubMed

Herrero Babiloni, Alberto; Nixdorf, Donald R; Law, Alan S; Moana-Filho, Estephan J; Shueb, Sarah S; Nguyen, Ruby H; Durham, Justin

2017-01-01

To evaluate the accuracy of a questionnaire modified for the identification of intraoral pain with neuropathic characteristics in a clinical orofacial pain sample population. 136 participants with at least one of four orofacial pain diagnoses (temporomandibular disorders [TMD, n = 41], acute dental pain [ADP, n = 41], trigeminal neuralgia [TN, n = 19], persistent dentoalveolar pain disorder [PDAP, n = 14]) and a group of pain-free controls (n = 21) completed the modified S-LANSS, a previously adapted version of the original questionnaire devised to detected patients suffering from intraoral pain with neuropathic characteristics. Psychometric properties (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value [PPV], negative predictive value [NPV]) were calculated in two analyses with two different thresholds: (1) Detection of pain with neuropathic characteristics: PDAP + TN were considered positive, and TMD + ADP + controls were considered negative per gold standard (expert opinion). (2) Detection of PDAP: PDAP was considered positive and TMD + ADP were considered negative per gold standard. For both analyses, target values for adequate sensitivity and specificity were defined as ≥ 80%. For detection of orofacial pain with neuropathic characteristics (PDAP + TN), the modified S-LANSS presented with the most optimistic threshold sensitivity of 52% (95% confidence interval [CI], 34-69), specificity of 70% (95% CI, 60-79), PPV of 35% (95% CI, 22-51), and NPV of 82% (95% CI, 72-89). For detection of PDAP only, with the most optimistic threshold sensitivity was 64% (95% CI, 35-87), specificity 63% (95% CI, 52-74), PPV 23% (95% CI, 11-39) and NPV 91% (95% CI, 81-97). Based on a priori defined criteria, the modified S-LANSS did not show adequate accuracy to detect intraoral pain with neuropathic characteristics in a clinical orofacial pain sample.

Integrating health-related quality of life into cross-national clinical trials.

PubMed

Cella, D F; Wiklund, I; Shumaker, S A; Aaronson, N K

1993-12-01

When planning to implement health-related quality of life (HRQL) assessment in a multinational clinical trial, there are at least four general considerations: the natural history of the disease or condition, the characteristics of the population, the treatment under consideration, and the structure and function of the clinical trial organization. Each of these considerations must be addressed simultaneously when planning, implementing and analysing a cross-national clinical trial. There are five relevant polar components of the natural history of a given disease or condition: (1) time frame (acute versus chronic); (2) life threat (yes versus no); (3) symptomatology (present versus absent); (4) symptom expression (episodic versus constant); and (5) functional impact (present versus absent). Differences in population characteristics, (e.g., age, conditions, co-morbidity), embedded within any cross-national trial, must be addressed conceptually prior to initiating the trial, methodologically when planning implementation, and statistically after the collection of the data. In terms of treatment, issues such as adverse and positive effects and timing of effects must be considered. The methods entailed in planning, implementing and analysing HRQL data will depend upon the degree of centralization of personnel and resources within any given clinical trial. The range of possibilities runs from complete centralization, in which all planning and coordination of data collection and transmittal is done by one office, to complete decentralization, in which the work is distributed to participating sites and interested investigators. Finally, successful implementation of HRQL data collection is enhanced by heightening awareness of the importance of, and value in, assessing HRQL in clinical trials.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Physician attitudes regarding pregnancy, fertility care, and assisted reproductive technologies for HIV-infected individuals and couples.

PubMed

Yudin, Mark H; Money, Deborah M; Cheung, Matthew C; Loutfy, Mona R

2012-01-01

Family and pregnancy planning are important for HIV-infected individuals and couples. There is a paucity of data regarding physician attitudes with respect to reproduction in this population, but some evidence suggests that attitudes can influence the information, advice, and services they will provide. To determine physician attitudes toward pregnancy, fertility care, and access to assisted reproductive technologies for HIV-infected individuals, and to determine whether attitudes differed based on specific physician characteristics. A survey was sent electronically to obstetrician/gynecologists and infectious disease specialists in Canada. Items were grouped into 5 key domains: physician demographics, physician attitudes toward pregnancy and adoption, physician attitudes toward fertility care, physician attitudes toward assisted reproductive technology, and challenges for an HIV-infected population. Attitudes were determined based on answers to individual questions and also for each domain. Univariate and logistic regression analyses were used to determine the influence of specific physician characteristics on attitudes. Completed surveys were received from 165 physicians. Most had positive attitudes regarding pregnancy or adoption (89%), fertility care (72%), and assisted reproductive technology (79%). In multivariate analyses, having cared for HIV-infected patients was significantly associated with having a positive attitude toward fertility care or assisted reproductive technology. In this national survey of Canadian physicians, most had positive attitudes toward pregnancy, adoption, fertility care, and use of assisted reproductive technology among HIV-infected persons. Physicians who had cared for HIV-infected individuals in the past were more likely to have positive attitudes than those who had not.

The association between height and birth order: evidence from 652,518 Swedish men.

PubMed

Myrskylä, Mikko; Silventoinen, Karri; Jelenkovic, Aline; Tynelius, Per; Rasmussen, Finn

2013-07-01

Birth order is associated with outcomes such as birth weight and adult socioeconomic position (SEP), but little is known about the association with adult height. This potential birth order-height association is important because height predicts health, and because the association may help explain population-level height trends. We studied the birth order-height association and whether it varies by family characteristics or birth cohort. We used the Swedish Military Conscription Register to analyse adult height among 652,518 men born in 1951-1983 using fixed effects regression models that compare brothers and account for genetic and social factors shared by brothers. We stratified the analysis by family size, parental SEP and birth cohort. We compared models with and without birth weight and birth length controls. Unadjusted analyses showed no differences between the first two birth orders but in the fixed effects regression, birth orders 2, 3 and 4 were associated with 0.4, 0.7 and 0.8 cm (p<0.001 for each) shorter height than birth order 1, respectively. The associations were similar in large and small and high-SEP and low-SEP families, but were attenuated in recent cohorts. Birth characteristics did not explain these associations. Birth order is an important determinant of height. The height difference between birth orders 3 and 1 is larger than the population-level height increase achieved over 10 years. The attenuation of the effect over cohorts may reflect improvements in living standards. Decreases in family size may explain some of the secular-height increases in countries with decreasing fertility.

The value of urban open space: meta-analyses of contingent valuation and hedonic pricing results.

PubMed

Brander, Luke M; Koetse, Mark J

2011-10-01

Urban open space provides a number of valuable services to urban populations, including recreational opportunities, aesthetic enjoyment, environmental functions, and may also be associated with existence values. In separate meta-analyses of the contingent valuation (CV) and hedonic pricing (HP) literature we examine which physical, socio-economic, and study characteristics determine the value of open space. The dependent variable in the CV meta-regression is defined as the value of open space per hectare per year in 2003 US$, and in the HP model as the percentage change in house price for a 10 m decrease in distance to open space. Using a multi-level modelling approach we find in both the CV and HP analyses that there is a positive and significant relationship between the value of urban open space and population density, indicating that scarcity and crowdedness matter, and that the value of open space does not vary significantly with income. Further, urban parks are more highly valued than other types of urban open space (forests, agricultural and undeveloped land) and methodological differences in study design have a large influence on estimated values from both CV and HP. We also find important regional differences in preferences for urban open space, which suggests that the potential for transferring estimated values between regions is likely to be limited. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Risky Business: Factor Analysis of Survey Data – Assessing the Probability of Incorrect Dimensionalisation

PubMed Central

van der Eijk, Cees; Rose, Jonathan

2015-01-01

This paper undertakes a systematic assessment of the extent to which factor analysis the correct number of latent dimensions (factors) when applied to ordered-categorical survey items (so-called Likert items). We simulate 2400 data sets of uni-dimensional Likert items that vary systematically over a range of conditions such as the underlying population distribution, the number of items, the level of random error, and characteristics of items and item-sets. Each of these datasets is factor analysed in a variety of ways that are frequently used in the extant literature, or that are recommended in current methodological texts. These include exploratory factor retention heuristics such as Kaiser’s criterion, Parallel Analysis and a non-graphical scree test, and (for exploratory and confirmatory analyses) evaluations of model fit. These analyses are conducted on the basis of Pearson and polychoric correlations. We find that, irrespective of the particular mode of analysis, factor analysis applied to ordered-categorical survey data very often leads to over-dimensionalisation. The magnitude of this risk depends on the specific way in which factor analysis is conducted, the number of items, the properties of the set of items, and the underlying population distribution. The paper concludes with a discussion of the consequences of over-dimensionalisation, and a brief mention of alternative modes of analysis that are much less prone to such problems. PMID:25789992

Elucidating the multiple genetic lineages and population genetic structure of the brooding coral Seriatopora (Scleractinia: Pocilloporidae) in the Ryukyu Archipelago

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakajima, Yuichi; Nishikawa, Akira; Iguchi, Akira; Nagata, Tomofumi; Uyeno, Daisuke; Sakai, Kazuhiko; Mitarai, Satoshi

2017-06-01

The elucidation of species diversity and connectivity is essential for conserving coral reef communities and for understanding the characteristics of coral populations. To assess the species diversity, intraspecific genetic diversity, and genetic differentiation among populations of the brooding coral Seriatopora spp., we conducted phylogenetic and population genetic analyses using a mitochondrial DNA control region and microsatellites at ten sites in the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan. At least three genetic lineages of Seriatopora (Seriatopora-A, -B, and -C) were detected in our specimens. We collected colonies morphologically similar to Seriatopora hystrix, but these may have included multiple, genetically distinct species. Although sexual reproduction maintains the populations of all the genetic lineages, Seriatopora-A and Seriatopora-C had lower genetic diversity than Seriatopora-B. We detected significant genetic differentiation in Seriatopora-B among the three populations as follows: pairwise F ST = 0.064-0.116 (all P = 0.001), pairwise G''ST = 0.107-0.209 (all P = 0.001). Additionally, only one migrant from an unsampled population was genetically identified within Seriatopora-B. Because the peak of the settlement of Seriatopora larvae is within 1 d and almost all larvae are settled within 5 d of spawning, our observations may be related to low dispersal ability. Populations of Seriatopora in the Ryukyu Archipelago will probably not recover unless there is substantial new recruitment from distant populations.

LOD score exclusion analyses for candidate genes using random population samples.

PubMed

Deng, H W; Li, J; Recker, R R

2001-05-01

While extensive analyses have been conducted to test for, no formal analyses have been conducted to test against, the importance of candidate genes with random population samples. We develop a LOD score approach for exclusion analyses of candidate genes with random population samples. Under this approach, specific genetic effects and inheritance models at candidate genes can be analysed and if a LOD score is < or = - 2.0, the locus can be excluded from having an effect larger than that specified. Computer simulations show that, with sample sizes often employed in association studies, this approach has high power to exclude a gene from having moderate genetic effects. In contrast to regular association analyses, population admixture will not affect the robustness of our analyses; in fact, it renders our analyses more conservative and thus any significant exclusion result is robust. Our exclusion analysis complements association analysis for candidate genes in random population samples and is parallel to the exclusion mapping analyses that may be conducted in linkage analyses with pedigrees or relative pairs. The usefulness of the approach is demonstrated by an application to test the importance of vitamin D receptor and estrogen receptor genes underlying the differential risk to osteoporotic fractures.

Estimation of AFEES (Armed Forces Entrance Examination Stations) Survey Weights.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-01-01

DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS IN SPRING WAVE % Unweighted % Weighted % Population Characteristic Survey Survey Eligible Education Level HS...4’ - 22 - Table 10 EFFECT OF WEIGHTING ON ESTIMATED DISTRIBUTION OF POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS IN FALL WAVE % Unweighted % Weighted % Population ... Characteristic Survey Survey Eligible Education Level HS grad or beyond 64.6 59.9 54.4 Cert of gen educ develop 7.4 6.4 4.9 Not HS grad 27.9 33.6 40.5

Descriptive characteristics of prostate cancer in patients with a history of primary male breast cancer - a SEER analysis.

PubMed

Abhyankar, Nikita; Hoskins, Kent F; Abern, Michael R; Calip, Gregory S

2017-09-25

Current evidence on risk of prostate cancer following a diagnosis of male breast cancer is limited and guidance for screening in this potentially higher-risk population remainsunclear. Our objective was to quantify prostate cancer risk in men diagnosed with breast cancer. We identified men diagnosed with first primary breast cancer between 1988 and 2012 using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program registry databases. Men were followed for occurrence of a second primary prostate cancer and secondary outcomes of cancer-specific and overall survival. Stratified analyses were performed by age, breast cancer stage, race, and breast cancer hormone receptor status. Excess risk per 10,000 person-years and standardized incidence ratios (SIR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. We used multivaraible Cox proportional hazard models to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% CI for characteristics associated with secondary prostate cancer and survival. From a cohort of 5753 men with breast cancer with median follow up of 4.3 years, we identified 250 cases of second primary prostate cancer. Overall, the incidence of second primary prostate cancer was modestly greater than expected (SIR = 1.12, 95% CI 0.93-1.33), although not statistically significant. Stratified analyses demonstrated associations for men ages 65-74 at the time of breast cancer diagnosis (SIR = 1.34, 95%CI 1.01-1.73), hormone receptor-positive breast cancer (SIR = 1.23, 95%CI 1.11-1.39) or AJCC stage I breast cancer (SIR = 1.36, 95%CI 1.04-1.75) and second primary prostate cancer diagnosis. The incidence of prostate cancer in men with history of breast cancer is similar to the general population. Men with favorable characteristics of their breast cancer were more likely to develop prostate cancer, possibly due to a lower competing risk of breast cancer mortality.

Evidence of sexually dimorphic introgression in Pinaleno Mountain Apache trout

USGS Publications Warehouse

Porath, M.T.; Nielsen, J.L.

2003-01-01

The high-elevation headwater streams of the Pinaleno Mountains support small populations of threatened Apache trout Oncorhynchus apache that were stocked following the chemical removal of nonnative salmonids in the 1960s. A fisheries survey to assess population composition, growth, and size structure confirmed angler reports of infrequent occurrences of Oncorhynchus spp. exhibiting the external morphological characteristics of both Apache trout and rainbow trout O. mykiss. Nonlethal tissue samples were collected from 50 individuals in the headwaters of each stream. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing and amplification of nuclear microsatellite loci were used to determine the levels of genetic introgression by rainbow trout in Apache trout populations at these locations. Sexually dimorphic introgression from the spawning of male rainbow trout with female Apache trout was detected using mtDNA and microsatellites. Estimates of the degree of hybridization based on three microsatellite loci were 10-88%. The use of nonlethal DNA genetic analyses can supplement information obtained from standard survey methods and be useful in assessing the relative importance of small and sensitive populations with a history of nonnative introductions.

CD271 Defines a Stem Cell-Like Population in Hypopharyngeal Cancer

PubMed Central

Imai, Takayuki; Tamai, Keiichi; Oizumi, Sayuri; Oyama, Kyoko; Yamaguchi, Kazunori; Sato, Ikuro; Satoh, Kennichi; Matsuura, Kazuto; Saijo, Shigeru; Sugamura, Kazuo; Tanaka, Nobuyuki

2013-01-01

Cancer stem cells contribute to the malignant phenotypes of a variety of cancers, but markers to identify human hypopharyngeal cancer (HPC) stem cells remain poorly understood. Here, we report that the CD271+ population sorted from xenotransplanted HPCs possesses an enhanced tumor-initiating capability in immunodeficient mice. Tumors generated from the CD271+ cells contained both CD271+ and CD271− cells, indicating that the population could undergo differentiation. Immunohistological analyses of the tumors revealed that the CD271+ cells localized to a perivascular niche near CD34+ vasculature, to invasive fronts, and to the basal layer. In accordance with these characteristics, a stemness marker, Nanog, and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which are implicated in cancer invasion, were significantly up-regulated in the CD271+ compared to the CD271− cell population. Furthermore, using primary HPC specimens, we demonstrated that high CD271 expression was correlated with a poor prognosis for patients. Taken together, our findings indicate that CD271 is a novel marker for HPC stem-like cells and for HPC prognosis. PMID:23626764

Determining significant endpoints for ecological risk analyses. 1997 annual progress report

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

Hinton, T.G.; Congdon, J.; Rowe, C.

1997-11-01

'This report summarizes the first year''s progress of research funded under the Department of Energy''s Environmental Management Science Program. The research was initiated to better determine ecological risks from toxic and radioactive contaminants. More precisely, the research is designed to determine the relevancy of sublethal cellular damage to the performance of individuals and to identify characteristics of non-human populations exposed to chronic, low-level radiation, as is typically found on many DOE sites. The authors propose to establish a protocol to assess risks to non-human species at higher levels of biological organization by relating molecular damage to more relevant responses thatmore » reflect population health. They think that they can achieve this by coupling changes in metabolic rates and energy allocation patterns to meaningful population response variables, and by using novel biological dosimeters in controlled, manipulative dose/effects experiments. They believe that a scientifically defensible endpoint for measuring ecological risks can only be determined once its understood the extent to which molecular damage from contaminant exposure is detrimental at the individual and population levels of biological organization.'« less

Paternal Genetic Structure of Hainan Aborigines Isolated at the Entrance to East Asia

PubMed Central

Li, Dongna; Li, Hui; Ou, Caiying; Lu, Yan; Sun, Yuantian; Yang, Bo; Qin, Zhendong; Zhou, Zhenjian; Li, Shilin; Jin, Li

2008-01-01

Background At the southern entrance to East Asia, early population migration has affected most of the Y-chromosome variations of East Asians. Methodology/Principal Findings To assess the isolated genetic structure of Hainan Island and the original genetic structure at the southern entrance, we studied the Y chromosome diversity of 405 Hainan Island aborigines from all the six populations, who have little influence of the recent mainland population relocations and admixtures. Here we report that haplogroups O1a* and O2a* are dominant among Hainan aborigines. In addition, the frequency of the mainland dominant haplogroup O3 is quite low among these aborigines, indicating that they have lived rather isolated. Clustering analyses suggests that the Hainan aborigines have been segregated since about 20 thousand years ago, after two dominant haplogroups entered East Asia (31 to 36 thousand years ago). Conclusions/Significance Our results suggest that Hainan aborigines have been isolated at the entrance to East Asia for about 20 thousand years, whose distinctive genetic characteristics could be used as important controls in many population genetic studies. PMID:18478090

Phenotypes of intermediate forms of Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica in buffaloes from Central Punjab, Pakistan.

PubMed

Afshan, K; Valero, M A; Qayyum, M; Peixoto, R V; Magraner, A; Mas-Coma, S

2014-12-01

Fascioliasis is an important food-borne parasitic disease caused by the two trematode species, Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica. The phenotypic features of fasciolid adults and eggs infecting buffaloes inhabiting the Central Punjab area, Pakistan, have been studied to characterize fasciolid populations involved. Morphometric analyses were made with a computer image analysis system (CIAS) applied on the basis of standardized measurements. Since it is the first study of this kind undertaken in Pakistan, the results are compared to pure fasciolid populations: (a) F. hepatica from the European Mediterranean area; and (b) F. gigantica from Burkina Faso; i.e. geographical areas where both species do not co-exist. Only parasites obtained from bovines were used. The multivariate analysis showed that the characteristics, including egg morphometrics, of fasciolids from Central Punjab, Pakistan, are between F. hepatica and F. gigantica standard populations. Similarly, the morphometric measurements of fasciolid eggs from Central Punjab are also between F. hepatica and F. gigantica standard populations. These results demonstrate the existence of fasciolid intermediate forms in endemic areas in Pakistan.

US cardiologist workforce from 1995 to 2007: modest growth, lasting geographic maldistribution, especially in rural areas

PubMed Central

Aneja, Sanjay; Ross, Joseph S.; Wang, Yongfei; Matsumoto, Masatoshi; Rodgers, George P.; Bernheim, Susannah M.; Rathore, Saif S.; Krumholz, Harlan M.

2012-01-01

A sufficient cardiology workforce is necessary to ensure access to cardiovascular care. Specifically, access to cardiologists is important in the management and treatment of chronic cardiovascular disease. Previous workforce analyses focused narrowly on the total numbers necessary to care for the entire population and not the geographic distribution of the workforce. To examine the supply and distribution of the cardiologist workforce, we mapped the ratios of cardiologists, primary care physicians, and total physicians to the population aged 65 years or older within different Hospital Referral Regions from the years 1995 and 2007. We found within the 12-year span of our study growth in the cardiology workforce was modest compared to the primary care physician and total physician workforces. Also we found a persistent geographic misdistribution of cardiologists associated with socioeconomic population characteristics. Our results suggest that large segments of our population, specifically in rural areas, continue to have decreased access to cardiologists despite a modest growth in the overall workforce. Policy initiatives focused upon increasing the cardiologist workforces in these areas in necessary to provide adequate cardiovascular care. PMID:22147857

Significant demographic and fine-scale genetic structure in expanding and senescing populations of the terrestrial orchid Cymbidium goeringii (Orchidaceae).

PubMed

Chung, Mi Yoon; Nason, John D; Chung, Myong Gi

2011-12-01

Fine-scale genetic structure (FSGS) in plants is influenced by variation in spatial and temporal demographic processes. To determine how demographic structure and FSGS change with stages of population succession, we studied replicate expanding and senescing populations of the Asian terrestrial orchid Cymbidium goeringii. We used spatial autocorrelation methods (O-ring and kinship statistics) to quantify spatial demographic structure and FSGS in two expanding and two senescing populations, also measuring genetic diversity and inbreeding in each. All populations exhibited significant aggregation of individuals and FSGS at short spatial scales. In expanding populations, this finding was associated with high recruitment rates, suggesting restricted seed dispersal. In senescing populations, recruitment was minimal, suggesting alternative mechanisms of aggregation, perhaps including spatial associations with mycorrhizal fungi. All populations had significant evidence of genetic bottlenecks, and inbreeding levels were consistently high. Our results indicate that different successional stages can generate similar patterns of spatial demographic and genetic structure, but as a consequence of different processes. These results contrast with the only other study of senescence effects on population genetic structure in an herbaceous perennial, which found little to no FSGS in senescing populations. With the exception of populations subject to mass collection by orchid sellers, significant FSGS is characteristic of the 16 terrestrial orchid species examined to date. From a conservation perspective, this result suggests that inference of orchid population history will benefit from analyses of both FSGS and demographic structure in combination with other ecological field data.

Population analysis of biofilm yeasts during fino sherry wine aging in the Montilla-Moriles D.O. region.

PubMed

Marin-Menguiano, Miriam; Romero-Sanchez, Sandra; Barrales, Ramón R; Ibeas, Jose I

2017-03-06

Fino is the most popular sherry wine produced in southern Spain. Fino is matured by biological aging under a yeast biofilm constituted of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeasts. Although different S. cerevisiae strains can be identified in such biofilms, their diversity and contribution to wine character have been poorly studied. In this work, we analyse the flor yeast population in five different wineries from the Montilla-Moriles D.O. (Denominación de Origen) in southern Spain. Yeasts present in wines of different ages were identified using two different culture-dependent molecular techniques. From 2000 individual yeast isolates, five different strains were identified with one of them dominating in four out of the five wineries analysed, and representing 76% of all the yeast isolates collected. Surprisingly, this strain is similar to the predominant strain isolated twenty years ago in Jerez D.O. wines, suggesting that this yeast is particularly able to adapt to such a stressful environment. Fino wine produced with pure cultures of three of the isolated strains resulted in different levels of acetaldehyde. Because acetaldehyde levels are a distinctive characteristic of fino wines and an indicator of fino aging, the use of molecular techniques for yeast identification and management of yeast populations may be of interest for fino wine producers looking to control one of the main features of this wine. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Determining Factors in the Access to Mental Health Services by the Adult Colombian Population].

PubMed

González, Lina María; Peñaloza, Rolando Enrique; Matallana, María Alexandra; Gil, Fabián; Gómez-Restrepo, Carlos; Landaeta, Angela Patricia Vega

2016-12-01

Access to mental health services by people with mental disorders has traditionally been limited, and is associated with attitudinal, social, and structural variables. To analyse the factors that determine access to mental health services by the adult population (18-44 years old) in Colombia, from the results obtained in the 2015 National Mental Health Survey. Analysis of variables of access to attention in mental health care for adults. The reasons for not consulting were classified as barriers of behavioural supply and demand. To analyse the factors associated with access to mental health services in the Colombian adult population, the use of health services in the last 12 months for emotional, nervous or mental health problems was taken into account, as well as associated variables such as demographic characteristics, occupational activity, affiliation to social security, and health status variables. The relationships between these variables were estimated using bivariate multinomial logistic regression models. Rural residence, being married, and having a chronic disease were associated with the decision to consult or not to consult the doctor. Further studies should be conducted to evaluate the situation as regards mental health care access, as well as to determine the potential factors associated with these limitations. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Tuberculin reactivity and tuberculosis epidemiology in the Pakaanóva (Wari') Indians of Rondônia, south-western Brazilian Amazon.

PubMed

Escobar, A L; Coimbra, C E A; Camacho, L A B; Santos, R V

2004-01-01

To investigate the characteristics of tuberculin skin test reactivity in the Pakaanóva Indians, in Amazonia, Brazil, after revaccination of all study participants with bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG). The investigation was designed as a post-BCG vaccination purified protein derivative (PPD) survey. Data included PPD readings, age, sex, nutritional status, place of residence, previous tuberculosis, physical examinations and BCG status. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. About 90% (n = 505) of the total population participated. One third (32.1%) of the subjects presented induration > or = 10 mm at 72 h. Induration sizes showed weak linear correlation with age; differences between sexes were not observed. Skin reaction was not associated with nutritional status. Individuals with a history of tuberculosis were six times more likely to test positive. History of tuberculosis, age, and previous BCG vaccination were significantly associated with PPD reactivity in the multivariate analyses. The Pakaanóva showed a high proportion (58.4%) of non-reactors, even with a recent BCG booster. Sex differences in PPD reactivity were either not present or could not be demonstrated. The association between age and PPD reactivity resembles that observed in other Amazonian populations. The authors discuss the potential of PPD testing as a screening tool to enhance tuberculosis detection, especially in indigenous populations in Amazonia with limited access to health services.

Spatial disparity in the distribution of superfund sites in South Carolina: an ecological study.

PubMed

Burwell-Naney, Kristen; Zhang, Hongmei; Samantapudi, Ashok; Jiang, Chengsheng; Dalemarre, Laura; Rice, LaShanta; Williams, Edith; Wilson, Sacoby

2013-11-06

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Superfund is a federal government program implemented to clean up uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. Twenty-six sites in South Carolina (SC) have been included on the National Priorities List (NPL), which has serious human health and environmental implications. The purpose of this study was to assess spatial disparities in the distribution of Superfund sites in SC. The 2000 US census tract and block level data were used to generate population characteristics, which included race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), education, home ownership, and home built before 1950. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were used to map Superfund facilities and develop choropleth maps based on the aforementioned sociodemographic variables. Spatial methods, including mean and median distance analysis, buffer analysis, and spatial approximation were employed to characterize burden disparities. Regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between the number of Superfund facilities and population characteristics. Spatial coincidence results showed that of the 29.5% of Blacks living in SC, 55.9% live in Superfund host census tracts. Among all populations in SC living below poverty (14.2%), 57.2% were located in Superfund host census tracts. Buffer analyses results (0.5mi, 1.0mi, 5.0mi, 0.5km, 1.0km, and 5.0km) showed a higher percentage of Whites compared to Blacks hosting a Superfund facility. Conversely, a slightly higher percentage of Blacks hosted (30.2%) a Superfund facility than those not hosting (28.8%) while their White counterparts had more equivalent values (66.7% and 67.8%, respectively). Regression analyses in the reduced model (Adj. R2 = 0.038) only explained a small percentage of the variance. In addition, the mean distance for percent of Blacks in the 90th percentile for Superfund facilities was 0.48mi. Burden disparities exist in the distribution of Superfund facilities in SC at the block and census tract levels across varying levels of demographic composition for race/ethnicity and SES.

Inner-city green space and its association with body mass index and prevalent type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study in an urban German city

PubMed Central

Müller, Grit; Harhoff, Roland; Rahe, Corinna; Berger, Klaus

2018-01-01

Objective The accessibility of green space is an important aspect of the urban residential environment and has been found to be beneficial for health and well-being. This study investigates the association between different indicators of green space and the outcomes body mass index (BMI) and prevalent type 2 diabetes in an urban population. Design Population-based cross-sectional study. Setting Dortmund, a city located in the industrial Ruhr area in Western Germany. Participants 1312 participants aged 25–74 years from the Dortmund Health Study. Methods The participants’ addresses were geocoded and shapefiles of statistical districts, road network and land use, as well as data on neighbourhood characteristics were obtained at baseline. Three indicators of green space were constructed using geographical information systems: proportion of green space, recreation location quotient (RLQ) weighted by population and distance to the next park or forest. Multilevel linear and logistic regression analyses on the association of green space with BMI and type 2 diabetes were performed, adjusted by individual-level characteristics and neighbourhood unemployment rate. Results The multilevel regression analyses showed no association between green space and BMI. In contrast, the three indicators of green space were significantly associated with type 2 diabetes. Residents of neighbourhoods with a low RLQ had a 2.44 (95% CI 1.01 to 5.93) times higher odds to have type 2 diabetes compared with residents of high RLQ neighbourhoods. Likewise, residing more than 0.8 km away from the nearest park or forest increased the odds of type 2 diabetes (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.77). Conclusions This study indicates that green space and its spatial accessibility might play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes. Further research is needed to clarify this association. PMID:29358439

Inner-city green space and its association with body mass index and prevalent type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study in an urban German city.

PubMed

Müller, Grit; Harhoff, Roland; Rahe, Corinna; Berger, Klaus

2018-01-21

The accessibility of green space is an important aspect of the urban residential environment and has been found to be beneficial for health and well-being. This study investigates the association between different indicators of green space and the outcomes body mass index (BMI) and prevalent type 2 diabetes in an urban population. Population-based cross-sectional study. Dortmund, a city located in the industrial Ruhr area in Western Germany. 1312 participants aged 25-74 years from the Dortmund Health Study. The participants' addresses were geocoded and shapefiles of statistical districts, road network and land use, as well as data on neighbourhood characteristics were obtained at baseline. Three indicators of green space were constructed using geographical information systems: proportion of green space, recreation location quotient (RLQ) weighted by population and distance to the next park or forest. Multilevel linear and logistic regression analyses on the association of green space with BMI and type 2 diabetes were performed, adjusted by individual-level characteristics and neighbourhood unemployment rate. The multilevel regression analyses showed no association between green space and BMI. In contrast, the three indicators of green space were significantly associated with type 2 diabetes. Residents of neighbourhoods with a low RLQ had a 2.44 (95% CI 1.01 to 5.93) times higher odds to have type 2 diabetes compared with residents of high RLQ neighbourhoods. Likewise, residing more than 0.8 km away from the nearest park or forest increased the odds of type 2 diabetes (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.05 to 2.77). This study indicates that green space and its spatial accessibility might play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes. Further research is needed to clarify this association. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Alcohol dependence, consumption of alcoholic energy drinks and associated work characteristics in the Taiwan working population.

PubMed

Cheng, Wan-Ju; Cheng, Yawen; Huang, Ming-Chyi; Chen, Chiou-Jong

2012-01-01

To examine the association between work characteristics and the risk of alcohol dependence across different employment types and occupations, including the pattern of alcohol consumption in the form of energy drinks and its association with alcohol dependence. A total of 13,501 men and 8584 women participated in a national survey in Taiwan. Alcohol dependence was defined as ≥2 points in the CAGE questionnaire. A self-administered questionnaire recorded drinking behaviors, consumption of alcoholic energy drinks, employment type, occupation and a number of psychosocial work stressors, namely job demands, job control, employment security and workplace justice. Of the total, 9.4% of men and 0.8% of women were CAGE-positive, and 6.0% of men and 0.7% of women regularly consumed alcoholic energy drinks. In male and female regular consumers of alcoholic energy drinks, 38.7 and 23.3%, respectively, were alcohol-dependent. Multivariate regression analyses showed that male employees in manual skilled occupations, with lower workplace justice, having weekly working hours <40 h and on piece-rated or time-based pay systems were at higher risks of alcohol dependence. Certain occupational groups and workers with adverse psychosocial work characteristics should be targets for prevention of alcohol dependence. Alcoholic energy drink consumption should be taken into consideration while studying alcohol dependence in the work population in Taiwan.

Population-based cohort study of outcomes following cholecystectomy for benign gallbladder diseases.

PubMed

2016-11-01

The aim was to describe the management of benign gallbladder disease and identify characteristics associated with all-cause 30-day readmissions and complications in a prospective population-based cohort. Data were collected on consecutive patients undergoing cholecystectomy in acute UK and Irish hospitals between 1 March and 1 May 2014. Potential explanatory variables influencing all-cause 30-day readmissions and complications were analysed by means of multilevel, multivariable logistic regression modelling using a two-level hierarchical structure with patients (level 1) nested within hospitals (level 2). Data were collected on 8909 patients undergoing cholecystectomy from 167 hospitals. Some 1451 cholecystectomies (16·3 per cent) were performed as an emergency, 4165 (46·8 per cent) as elective operations, and 3293 patients (37·0 per cent) had had at least one previous emergency admission, but had surgery on a delayed basis. The readmission and complication rates at 30 days were 7·1 per cent (633 of 8909) and 10·8 per cent (962 of 8909) respectively. Both readmissions and complications were independently associated with increasing ASA fitness grade, duration of surgery, and increasing numbers of emergency admissions with gallbladder disease before cholecystectomy. No identifiable hospital characteristics were linked to readmissions and complications. Readmissions and complications following cholecystectomy are common and associated with patient and disease characteristics. © 2016 BJS Society Ltd Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Analysis of patterns of patient compliance after an abnormal Pap smear result: the influence of demographic characteristics on patient compliance.

PubMed

Rojas, Christine; Zhou, Ming K; Khamis, Harry J; Amesse, Lawrence

2013-07-01

This study aimed to determine population characteristics that correlate to suboptimal follow-up after an abnormal cervical cytology result. Nonpregnant women, ages 21 to 65 years, with newly diagnosed abnormal cervical cytology result between January 2009 and January 2012 at an urban clinic were eligible for inclusion in this retrospective chart review. Cervical cytology data and demographic characteristics such as age, ethnicity, employment, marital and smoking status, health insurance and number of pregnancies were abstracted from electronic medical record. A log-linear model was used to determine which factors influenced patient compliance. Of the total of 206 women, 78 (37.9%) had optimal follow-up and 128 (62.1%) had suboptimal follow-up. The 3 variables that were statistically significant in influencing patient follow-up after adjusted analyses included severity of cytology result (p = .0013), ethnicity (p = .02), and employment status (p = .0159). The risk ratio for optimal follow-up for those with severe cytology result was 1.81; for the non-whites, 1.77; and for the employed, 1.53. Ethnicity, severity of cervical cytology result, and employment status play an important role in patient follow-up after an abnormal cervical cytology result. Detecting trends in our patient population that influence adherence to follow-up will help health care providers formulate strategies that target this problem.

Urban Household Characteristics and Dietary Diversity: An Analysis of Food Security in Accra, Ghana.

PubMed

Codjoe, Samuel Nii Ardey; Okutu, David; Abu, Mumuni

2016-06-01

The world's population is increasingly becoming urbanized. If the current urban growth rate is to continue, new and unprecedented challenges for food security will be inevitable. Dietary diversity has been used to ascertain food security status albeit at the multicountry and country levels. Thus, household-level studies in urban settings, particularly in sub-Sahara African, are few. Yet, it is imperative that assessments of food security are undertaken particularly in urban settings, due to the projected fast rate of urbanization and the challenges of attaining food security. To examine household characteristics and dietary diversity. The study uses data from 452 households from the second round of the Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS) EDULINK urban poverty and health study. Bivariate and multivariate analyses are undertaken. Mean dietary diversity for all households is 6.8. Vegetables have the highest diversity, followed by cereal-based and grain products. Household characteristics that have statistically significant associations with dietary diversity include sex and level of education of household head, household wealth quintile, and source of food. There is high dietary diversity in the study communities of Accra but low consumption of foods rich in micronutrient, such as fruits and milk/dairy products. The study brings to fore issues related to resource-disadvantaged entities of the urban system, namely, females, poor households, and the non-educated who have food insecurity problems. © The Author(s) 2016.

Factors associated with mortality and length of stay in the Oporto burn unit (2006-2009).

PubMed

Bartosch, Isabel; Bartosch, Carla; Egipto, Paula; Silva, Alvaro

2013-05-01

Retrospective studies are essential to evaluate and improve the efficiency of care of burned patients. This study analyses the work done in the burn unit of Hospital de S. João in the north of Portugal. A retrospective review was performed in patients admitted from 2006 to 2009. The study population was characterised regarding patient demographics, admissions profile, burn aetiology, burn site, extension and treatment. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were done in order to elucidate which of these factors influenced the mortality and length of stay. The characteristics before and after the creation of the burn unit, as well as the similarities and differences with the published data of other national and international burn units, are analysed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Impact of External Beam Adjuvant Radiotherapy on Health-Related Quality of Life for Long-Term Survivors of Endometrial Adenocarcinoma: A Population-Based Study

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

Poll-Franse, Lonneke V. van de; Mols, Floortje; Department of Psychology and Health, Tilburg University, Tilburg

2007-09-01

Purpose: To compare the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among 5-10-year survivors of Stage I-II endometrial (adeno-)carcinoma (EC) treated with surgery alone or surgery with external beam adjuvant radiotherapy (EBRT) and an age-matched norm population. Methods and Materials: A population-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted by the Eindhoven Cancer Registry. All patients were included who had been diagnosed with EC between 1994 and 1998 (n = 462). Information from the questionnaires returned was linked to data from the Eindhoven Cancer Registry on patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics. Results: Responses were received from 75% of the patients. The analyses were restricted tomore » women with Stage I-II disease at diagnosis, treated with either surgery alone or surgery with adjuvant EBRT, and without recurrent disease or new primary malignancies (n = 264). The patients who had received adjuvant EBRT (n = 80) had had a significantly higher tumor stage and grade at diagnosis (p < 0.0001) and a longer mean time since diagnosis (p = 0.04). Age, number of comorbid diseases, current marital status, nulliparity, education, and occupation were similar for both treatment groups. On multivariate analyses, adjuvant EBRT was independently and negatively associated with the vitality and physical and social well-being scale scores. The HRQOL scores of both treatment groups, however, were similar to those of an age-matched norm population. Conclusion: In general, the HRQOL of EC survivors is good. EC survivors treated with surgery alone had a better HRQOL than women treated with surgery and adjuvant EBRT, although for both groups, the HRQOL was in the range of the norm population.« less

How would mental health parity affect the marginal price of care?

PubMed Central

Zuvekas, S H; Banthin, J S; Selden, T M

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of parity in mental health benefits on the marginal prices that consumers face for mental health treatment. DATA SOURCES/DATA COLLECTION: We used detailed information on health plan benefits for a nationally representative sample of the privately insured population under age 65 taken from the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey (Edwards and Berlin 1989). The survey was carefully aged and reweighted to represent 1995 population and coverage characteristics. STUDY DESIGN: We computed marginal out-of-pocket costs from the cost-sharing benefits described by policy booklets under current coverage and under parity for various mental health treatment expenditure levels using the MEDSIM health care microsimulation model developed by researchers at the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Descriptive analyses and two-limit Tobit regression models are used to examine how insurance generosity varies across individuals by demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Our analyses are limited to a description of how parity would change the marginal incentives faced by consumers under their existing plan's cost-sharing arrangements for mental and physical health care. We do not attempt to simulate how parity might affect the level of benefits, including whether benefits are offered at all, or the level of managed care that affects the actual benefits that plan members receive. Rather, we focus only on the nominal benefits described in their policy booklets. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Our results show that as of 1995 parity coverage would substantially reduce the share of mental health expenditures that consumers would pay at the margin under their existing plan's cost-sharing provisions, with larger changes for outpatient care than for inpatient care. Because current mental health coverage generally becomes less generous as expenditures rise, while coverage for other medical care becomes more generous (due to stop-loss provisions), the difference in incentives between current mental health coverage and the assumed parity coverage widens as total expenditure grows. We also find that the impact of parity on marginal incentives would vary greatly across the privately insured population. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the large variation in the impact of parity on marginal incentives across the population under current plan cost-sharing arrangements, changes in the demand for mental health treatment will likely also vary across the population. PMID:11221816

Economic Evaluation of Quality Improvement Interventions Designed to Prevent Hospital Readmission: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Nuckols, Teryl K; Keeler, Emmett; Morton, Sally; Anderson, Laura; Doyle, Brian J; Pevnick, Joshua; Booth, Marika; Shanman, Roberta; Arifkhanova, Aziza; Shekelle, Paul

2017-07-01

Quality improvement (QI) interventions can reduce hospital readmission, but little is known about their economic value. To systematically review economic evaluations of QI interventions designed to reduce readmissions. Databases searched included PubMed, Econlit, the Centre for Reviews & Dissemination Economic Evaluations, New York Academy of Medicine's Grey Literature Report, and Worldcat (January 2004 to July 2016). Dual reviewers selected English-language studies from high-income countries that evaluated organizational or structural changes to reduce hospital readmission, and that reported program and readmission-related costs. Dual reviewers extracted intervention characteristics, study design, clinical effectiveness, study quality, economic perspective, and costs. We calculated the risk difference and net costs to the health system in 2015 US dollars. Weighted least-squares regression analyses tested predictors of the risk difference and net costs. Main outcomes measures included the risk difference in readmission rates and incremental net cost. This systematic review and data analysis is reported in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Of 5205 articles, 50 unique studies were eligible, including 25 studies in populations limited to heart failure (HF) that included 5768 patients, 21 in general populations that included 10 445 patients, and 4 in unique populations. Fifteen studies lasted up to 30 days while most others lasted 6 to 24 months. Based on regression analyses, readmissions declined by an average of 12.1% among patients with HF (95% CI, 8.3%-15.9%; P < .001; based on 22 studies with complete data) and by 6.3% among general populations (95% CI, 4.0%-8.7%; P < .001; 18 studies). The mean net savings to the health system per patient was $972 among patients with HF (95% CI, -$642 to $2586; P = .23; 24 studies), and the mean net loss was $169 among general populations (95% CI, -$2610 to $2949; P = .90; 21 studies), reflecting nonsignificant differences. Among general populations, interventions that engaged patients and caregivers were associated with greater net savings ($1714 vs -$6568; P = .006). Multicomponent QI interventions can be effective at reducing readmissions relative to the status quo, but net costs vary. Interventions that engage general populations of patients and their caregivers may offer greater value to the health system, but the implications for patients and caregivers are unknown.

High-Cost Users of Prescription Drugs: A Population-Based Analysis from British Columbia, Canada.

PubMed

Weymann, Deirdre; Smolina, Kate; Gladstone, Emilie J; Morgan, Steven G

2017-04-01

To examine variation in pharmaceutical spending and patient characteristics across prescription drug user groups. British Columbia's population-based linked administrative health and sociodemographic databases (N = 3,460,763). We classified individuals into empirically derived prescription drug user groups based on pharmaceutical spending patterns outside hospitals from 2007 to 2011. We examined variation in patient characteristics, mortality, and health services usage and applied hierarchical clustering to determine patterns of concurrent drug use identifying high-cost patients. Approximately 1 in 20 British Columbians had persistently high prescription costs for 5 consecutive years, accounting for 42 percent of 2011 province-wide pharmaceutical spending. Less than 1 percent of the population experienced discrete episodes of high prescription costs; an additional 2.8 percent transitioned to or from high-cost episodes of unknown duration. Persistent high-cost users were more likely to concurrently use multiple chronic medications; episodic and transitory users spent more on specialized medicines, including outpatient cancer drugs. Cluster analyses revealed heterogeneity in concurrent medicine use within high-cost groups. Whether low, moderate, or high, costs of prescription drugs for most individuals are persistent over time. Policies controlling high-cost use should focus on reducing polypharmacy and encouraging price competition in drug classes used by ordinary and high-cost users alike. © 2016 The Authors. Health Services Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Health Research and Educational Trust.

Trading biodiversity for pest problems.

PubMed

Lundgren, Jonathan G; Fausti, Scott W

2015-07-01

Recent shifts in agricultural practices have resulted in altered pesticide use patterns, land use intensification, and landscape simplification, all of which threaten biodiversity in and near farms. Pests are major challenges to food security, and responses to pests can represent unintended socioeconomic and environmental costs. Characteristics of the ecological community influence pest populations, but the nature of these interactions remains poorly understood within realistic community complexities and on operating farms. We examine how species diversity and the topology of linkages in species' abundances affect pest abundance on maize farms across the Northern Great Plains. Our results show that increased species diversity, community evenness, and linkage strength and network centrality within a biological network all correlate with significantly reduced pest populations. This supports the assertion that reduced biological complexity on farms is associated with increased pest populations and provides a further justification for diversification of agroecosystems to improve the profitability, safety, and sustainability of food production systems. Bioinventories as comprehensive as the one conducted here are conspicuously absent for most agroecosystems but provide an important baseline for community and ecosystem ecology and the effects of food production on local biodiversity and ecosystem function. Network analyses of abundance correlations of entire communities (rather than focal interactions, for example, trophic interactions) can reveal key network characteristics, especially the importance and nature of network centrality, which aid in understanding how these communities function.

Trading biodiversity for pest problems

PubMed Central

Lundgren, Jonathan G.; Fausti, Scott W.

2015-01-01

Recent shifts in agricultural practices have resulted in altered pesticide use patterns, land use intensification, and landscape simplification, all of which threaten biodiversity in and near farms. Pests are major challenges to food security, and responses to pests can represent unintended socioeconomic and environmental costs. Characteristics of the ecological community influence pest populations, but the nature of these interactions remains poorly understood within realistic community complexities and on operating farms. We examine how species diversity and the topology of linkages in species’ abundances affect pest abundance on maize farms across the Northern Great Plains. Our results show that increased species diversity, community evenness, and linkage strength and network centrality within a biological network all correlate with significantly reduced pest populations. This supports the assertion that reduced biological complexity on farms is associated with increased pest populations and provides a further justification for diversification of agroecosystems to improve the profitability, safety, and sustainability of food production systems. Bioinventories as comprehensive as the one conducted here are conspicuously absent for most agroecosystems but provide an important baseline for community and ecosystem ecology and the effects of food production on local biodiversity and ecosystem function. Network analyses of abundance correlations of entire communities (rather than focal interactions, for example, trophic interactions) can reveal key network characteristics, especially the importance and nature of network centrality, which aid in understanding how these communities function. PMID:26601223

Obesity in pediatric ALL survivors: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Fang Fang; Kelly, Michael J; Saltzman, Edward; Must, Aviva; Roberts, Susan B; Parsons, Susan K

2014-03-01

Previous studies of survivors of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have drawn heterogeneous conclusions regarding the prevalence of obesity and risk factors for developing obesity in pediatric ALL survivors. We sought to determine the prevalence of obesity in pediatric ALL survivors and examine risk factors for obesity through a systematic review and meta-analysis. A MEDLINE search was performed from its inception through 2013. Studies met the inclusion criteria if they (1) included at least 10 survivors of pediatric ALL; (2) assessed the prevalence or indicators of obesity; and (3) compared obesity among ALL survivors to a reference population or external control group. Extracted data included patient and treatment characteristics, study design, population used for comparison, and prevalence of obesity. Forty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Despite significant heterogeneity among the studies (I(2) = 96%), the mean BMI z score in 1742 pediatric ALL survivors was 0.83 (95% confidence interval: 0.60-1.06), which corresponds to the 80th BMI percentile, indicating a significantly higher BMI in pediatric ALL survivors than the reference population. Subgroup analyses found a high prevalence of obesity in ALL survivors regardless of survivors' receipt of cranial irradiation, gender, or age at diagnosis. Obesity is prevalent in pediatric ALL survivors and is independent of patient- and treatment-related characteristics. Clinicians need to screen for obesity and its associated health conditions early in survivorship.

Obesity in Pediatric ALL Survivors: A Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Kelly, Michael J.; Saltzman, Edward; Must, Aviva; Roberts, Susan B.; Parsons, Susan K.

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Previous studies of survivors of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have drawn heterogeneous conclusions regarding the prevalence of obesity and risk factors for developing obesity in pediatric ALL survivors. We sought to determine the prevalence of obesity in pediatric ALL survivors and examine risk factors for obesity through a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: A MEDLINE search was performed from its inception through 2013. Studies met the inclusion criteria if they (1) included at least 10 survivors of pediatric ALL; (2) assessed the prevalence or indicators of obesity; and (3) compared obesity among ALL survivors to a reference population or external control group. Extracted data included patient and treatment characteristics, study design, population used for comparison, and prevalence of obesity. RESULTS: Forty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Despite significant heterogeneity among the studies (I2 = 96%), the mean BMI z score in 1742 pediatric ALL survivors was 0.83 (95% confidence interval: 0.60–1.06), which corresponds to the 80th BMI percentile, indicating a significantly higher BMI in pediatric ALL survivors than the reference population. Subgroup analyses found a high prevalence of obesity in ALL survivors regardless of survivors’ receipt of cranial irradiation, gender, or age at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity is prevalent in pediatric ALL survivors and is independent of patient- and treatment-related characteristics. Clinicians need to screen for obesity and its associated health conditions early in survivorship. PMID:24534408

Social phobia subtypes in the general population revealed by cluster analysis.

PubMed

Furmark, T; Tillfors, M; Stattin, H; Ekselius, L; Fredrikson, M

2000-11-01

Epidemiological data on subtypes of social phobia are scarce and their defining features are debated. Hence, the present study explored the prevalence and descriptive characteristics of empirically derived social phobia subgroups in the general population. To reveal subtypes, data on social distress, functional impairment, number of social fears and criteria fulfilled for avoidant personality disorder were extracted from a previously published epidemiological study of 188 social phobics and entered into an hierarchical cluster analysis. Criterion validity was evaluated by comparing clusters on the Social Phobia Scale (SPS) and the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS). Finally, profile analyses were performed in which clusters were compared on a set of sociodemographic and descriptive characteristics. Three clusters emerged, consisting of phobics scoring either high (generalized subtype), intermediate (non-generalized subtype) or low (discrete subtype) on all variables. Point prevalence rates were 2.0%, 5.9% and 7.7% respectively. All subtypes were distinguished on both SPS and SIAS. Generalized or severe social phobia tended to be over-represented among individuals with low levels of educational attainment and social support. Overall, public-speaking was the most common fear. Although categorical distinctions may be used, the present data suggest that social phobia subtypes in the general population mainly differ dimensionally along a mild moderate-severe continuum, and that the number of cases declines with increasing severity.

Rabies disease dynamics in naïve dog populations in Australia.

PubMed

Sparkes, Jessica; McLeod, Steven; Ballard, Guy; Fleming, Peter J S; Körtner, Gerhard; Brown, Wendy Y

2016-09-01

Currently, Australia is free from terrestrial rabies but an incursion from nearby Indonesia, where the virus is endemic, is a feasible threat. Here, we aimed to determine whether the response to a simulated rabies incursion would vary between three extant Australian dog populations; free-roaming domestic dogs from a remote indigenous community in northern Australia, and free-roaming domestic and wild dogs in peri-urban areas of north-east New South Wales. We further sought to predict how different management strategies impacted disease dynamics in these populations. We used simple stochastic state-transition models and dog demographic and contact rate data from the three dog populations to simulate rabies spread, and used global and local sensitivity analyses to determine effects of model parameters. To identify the most effective control options, dog removal and vaccination strategies were also simulated. Responses to simulated rabies incursions varied between the dog populations. Free-roaming domestic dogs from north-east New South Wales exhibited the lowest risk for rabies maintenance and spread. Due to low containment and high contact rates, rabies progressed rapidly through free-roaming dogs from the remote indigenous community in northern Australia. In contrast, rabies remained at relatively low levels within the north-east New South Wales wild dog population for over a year prior to an epidemic. Across all scenarios, sensitivity analyses revealed that contact rates and the probability of transmission were the most important drivers of the number of infectious individuals within a population. The number of infectious individuals was less sensitive to birth and death rates. Removal of dogs as a control strategy was not effective for any population modelled, while vaccination rates in excess of 70% of the population resulted in significant reductions in disease progression. The variability in response between these distinct dog groups to a rabies incursion, suggests that a blanket approach to management would not be effective or feasible to control rabies in Australia. Control strategies that take into account the different population and behavioural characteristics of these dog groups will maximise the likelihood of effective and efficient rabies control in Australia. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The role of personality in aggressive behaviour among individuals with intellectual disabilities.

PubMed

Chaïb, L S; Crocker, A G

2014-11-01

Aggressive behaviour is associated with certain personality traits in both the general population and among individuals with mental health problems, but little attention has been paid to the relationship between aggressive behaviour and personality among individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID). The aim of this study was to circumscribe personality profiles associated with aggressive behaviour among individuals with ID. In this cross-sectional study of 296 adults with mild or moderate ID, information on mental health, personality and aggressive behaviour was gathered through structured interviews with the ID participants and their case manager, and a review of client files. The results of the Reiss Profile were submitted to hierarchical cluster analysis method. Subsequently, the distribution of aggressive behaviour, sociodemographic characteristics and clinical characteristics across personality profiles was analysed. The analyses yielded seven distinct personality profiles in relation to patterns of aggressive behaviour: Pacifists, Socials, Confidents, Altruists, Conformists, Emotionals and Asocials. The identification of distinct personality profiles sheds light on the risk factors for aggressive behaviour, and suggests new approaches to improving diagnostic and intervention strategies. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, MENCAP & IASSIDD.

The orthopaedic workforce in Queensland now and into the twenty-first century.

PubMed

Licina, P; McGuire, T P

1993-06-01

The objectives of this study were to determine the number and distribution of orthopaedic surgeons in Queensland at present and to assess the adequacy of trainee intake for the future. Characteristics of the orthopaedic workforce in Queensland in 1990 were analysed with regard to the total number of orthopaedic surgeons, their regional distribution, their ratio to the population and their age distribution. Similar statistics were derived for the years 1981 and 1986 and trends were examined. By projecting these trends, the number of surgeons likely to be practising in 2001 was estimated. Using projected population figures, the number of orthopaedic surgeons required in 2001 was calculated, assuming an optimum ratio of surgeons to population of one per 25,000. It was found that in 1990 sufficient orthopaedic surgeons were practising in Queensland but that there was some maldistribution. With the increased intake of five new training registrars per year, the number of orthopaedic surgeons in Queensland in 2001 should be appropriate, as long as current trends continue.

Biology of Grapsus grapsus (L innaeus, 1758) (Brachyura, Grapsidae) in the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago, Equatorial Atlantic Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freire, A. S.; Pinheiro, M. A. A.; Karam-Silva, H.; Teschima, M. M.

2011-09-01

Eleven expeditions were undertaken to the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago to study the reproductive biology of Grapsus grapsus, providing additional information on limb mutilation and carapace colour. MATURE software was used to estimate morphological maturity, while gonadal analyses were conducted to estimate physiological maturity. The puberty moult took place at larger size in males (51.4 mm of carapace length) than in females (33.8 mm), while physiological maturity occurred at a similar size in males (38.4 mm) and in females (33.4 mm). Above 50 mm, the proportion of red males increased in the population, indicating that functional maturity is also related to colour pattern. Small habitat and high local population density contributed to the high rate of cannibalism. The low diversity of food items, absence of predators of large crabs and high geographic isolation are the determinants of unique behavioural and biological characteristics observed in the G. grapsus population.

Heterogeneity in drug abuse among juvenile offenders: is mixture regression more informative than standard regression?

PubMed

Montgomery, Katherine L; Vaughn, Michael G; Thompson, Sanna J; Howard, Matthew O

2013-11-01

Research on juvenile offenders has largely treated this population as a homogeneous group. However, recent findings suggest that this at-risk population may be considerably more heterogeneous than previously believed. This study compared mixture regression analyses with standard regression techniques in an effort to explain how known factors such as distress, trauma, and personality are associated with drug abuse among juvenile offenders. Researchers recruited 728 juvenile offenders from Missouri juvenile correctional facilities for participation in this study. Researchers investigated past-year substance use in relation to the following variables: demographic characteristics (gender, ethnicity, age, familial use of public assistance), antisocial behavior, and mental illness symptoms (psychopathic traits, psychiatric distress, and prior trauma). Results indicated that standard and mixed regression approaches identified significant variables related to past-year substance use among this population; however, the mixture regression methods provided greater specificity in results. Mixture regression analytic methods may help policy makers and practitioners better understand and intervene with the substance-related subgroups of juvenile offenders.

Pharmacometrics in pregnancy: An unmet need.

PubMed

Ke, Alice Ban; Rostami-Hodjegan, Amin; Zhao, Ping; Unadkat, Jashvant D

2014-01-01

Pregnant women and their fetuses are orphan populations with respect to the safety and efficacy of drugs. Physiological and absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) changes during pregnancy can significantly affect drug pharmacokinetics (PK) and may necessitate dose adjustment. Here, the specific aspects related to the design, execution, and analysis of clinical studies in pregnant women are discussed, underlining the unmet need for top-down pharmacometrics analyses and bottom-up modeling approaches. The modeling tools that support data analysis for the pregnancy population are reviewed, with a focus on physiologically based pharmacokinetics (PBPK) and population pharmacokinetics (POP-PK). By integrating physiological data, preclinical data, and clinical data (e.g., via POP-PK) to quantify anticipated changes in the PK of drugs during pregnancy, the PBPK approach allows extrapolation beyond the previously studied model drugs to other drugs with well-characterized ADME characteristics. Such a systems pharmacology approach can identify drugs whose PK may be altered during pregnancy, guide rational PK study design, and support dose adjustment for pregnant women.

External built residential environment characteristics that affect mental health of adults.

PubMed

Ochodo, Charles; Ndetei, D M; Moturi, W N; Otieno, J O

2014-10-01

External built residential environment characteristics include aspects of building design such as types of walls, doors and windows, green spaces, density of houses per unit area, and waste disposal facilities. Neighborhoods that are characterized by poor quality external built environment can contribute to psychosocial stress and increase the likelihood of mental health disorders. This study investigated the relationship between characteristics of external built residential environment and mental health disorders in selected residences of Nakuru Municipality, Kenya. External built residential environment characteristics were investigated for 544 residents living in different residential areas that were categorized by their socioeconomic status. Medically validated interview schedules were used to determine mental health of residents in the respective neighborhoods. The relationship between characteristics of the external built residential environment and mental health of residents was determined by multivariable logistic regression analyses and chi-square tests. The results show that walling materials used on buildings, density of dwelling units, state of street lighting, types of doors, states of roofs, and states of windows are some built external residential environment characteristics that affect mental health of adult males and females. Urban residential areas that are characterized by poor quality external built environment substantially expose the population to daily stressors and inconveniences that increase the likelihood of developing mental health disorders.

Childhood family characteristics and prescription drug misuse in a national sample of Latino adults.

PubMed

Vaughan, Ellen L; Waldron, Mary; de Dios, Marcel A; Richter, James; Cano, Miguel Ángel

2017-08-01

Prescription drug misuse is a growing public health concern and has been understudied in Latino populations. The current study tests the relationships between childhood and family characteristics and prescriptions drug misuse among adult Latinos. A subsample of 8,308 Latinos from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) were examined. Logistic regression analyses tested associations between parental alcoholism, parental divorce before age 18, and parental death before age 18 and prescription drug misuse and prescription drug use disorder. Parental alcoholism and parental divorce increased the odds of both prescription drug misuse and use disorder. Parental death increased the odds of prescription drug use disorders. The results have important implications for understanding the complex associations between family psychosocial history and prescription drug misuse. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

The Foreign-Born Population in the United States: 2003. Population Characteristics. Current Population Reports. P20-551

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larsen, Luke J.

2004-01-01

This report describes the foreign-born population in the United States in 2003. It provides a profile of demographic and socio economic characteristics, such as region of birth, geographic distribution in the United States, age, educational attainment, earnings, and poverty status. These characteristics are compared with those of the native…

School Enrollment--Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2003. Population Characteristics, P20-554

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shin, Hyon B.

2005-01-01

This report highlights school enrollment trends of the population aged 3 and older and the social and economic characteristics of the large and diverse student population, based on data collected in the Current Population Survey (CPS) conducted by the Census Bureau in October 2003. (Contains 5 figures and 5 tables.)

Fatigue among short- and long-term thyroid cancer survivors: results from the population-based PROFILES registry.

PubMed

Husson, Olga; Nieuwlaat, Willy-Anne; Oranje, Wilma A; Haak, Harm R; van de Poll-Franse, Lonneke V; Mols, Floortje

2013-10-01

The aims of this study were (i) to obtain insight into the prevalence of fatigue among short- and long-term thyroid cancer (TC) survivors, by comparing a sample of TC survivors with an age- and sex-matched normative population, and (ii) to investigate which demographic, clinical, and TC-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) characteristics were associated with fatigue. All patients found to have TC between 1990 and 2008, as registered in the Eindhoven Cancer Registry, received a cross-sectional survey on fatigue (Fatigue Assessment Scale), TC-specific HRQoL (THYCA-QoL), and psychological distress (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). The fatigue scores were compared with those of an age- and sex-matched normative population (n=530). Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate the independent associations between clinical and demographic characteristics, TC-specific HRQoL, and psychological distress with fatigue. Eighty-six percent (n=306) responded. TC survivors were more often classified as fatigued or very fatigued (short-term <5 years: 43%; long-term 5-10 years: 44%; long-term 10-15 years: 47%; long-term >15 years: 39%) compared to the normative population (25%; p<0.001). Anxiety (odds ratio (OR) 1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03-1.28) and depression (OR 1.43 [CI 1.22-1.68]) were associated with fatigue, as was also the case for TC-specific neuromuscular (OR 1.03 [CI 1.01-1.06]), concentration (OR 1.03 [CI 1.01-1.06]), and psychological TC-specific HRQoL (OR 1.06 [CI 1.02-1.10]). Short- and long-term TC survivors report higher levels of fatigue than an age- and sex-matched normative population do. Both TC-specific HRQoL and psychological distress were associated with fatigue.

Income, occupation and education: Are they related to smoking behaviors in China?

PubMed

Wang, Qing; Shen, Jay J; Sotero, Michelle; Li, Casey A; Hou, Zhiyuan

2018-01-01

The association between socioeconomic status (SES) and smoking behaviors may differ across countries. This study aimed to estimate the association between socioeconomic status (income, occupation and education) and multiple measures of smoking behaviors among the Chinese elderly population. Using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2013, we examined the relationship between socioeconomic status and smoking behaviors through multivariate regression analysis. Sample selection models were applied to correct for sample selection bias. Smoking behaviors were measured by four indicators: smoking status, cigarette consumption, health risks related to smoking, and smoking dependence. Analyses were stratified by gender and urban-rural residence. Among Chinese people aged 45 years or older, smokers accounted for 40% of the population in 2013, smoking 19 cigarettes per day. It was also found that 79% of smokers were at an increased health risk. Overall, although the influence of income on smoking behaviors was small and even insignificant, occupation and education levels were significantly associated with smoking behaviors. Managers or professionals were more likely to smoke, however there was no significant relationship with smoking dependence. Individuals with higher educational attainment were less likely to be associated with smoking behaviors. In addition, gender and urban-rural differences existed in the relationship between SES and smoking behaviors. Smoking disparities among diverse levels of socioeconomic status existed but varied greatly by SES indicators and population characteristics. Tobacco control policies in China should be increasingly focused on populations with low socioeconomic status in order to break the link between socioeconomic disadvantage and smoking behaviors. Further actions should mitigate inequalities in education, improve the social culture of cigarette use, and tailor interventions based on characteristics of the population.

Capitation funding of primary health organisations in New Zealand: are enrolled populations being funded according to need?

PubMed

Langton, Jennifer; Crampton, Peter

2008-04-18

To determine whether the three main funding formulas for Primary Health Organisations achieved a stated aim of the Primary Health Care Strategy to fund enrolled populations according to need. National data were obtained from the Ministry of Health for a 12-month period beginning in April 2004: these included demographic characteristics of the enrolled Primary Health Organisation population, plus rates tables for: First-Contact Services, Services to Improve Access, and Health Promotion. Funding for Access and Interim practices for four-quarters was calculated for each of these three funding streams. Analysis of the demographic characteristics of Access and Interim practices was undertaken. Maori and Pacific peoples made up a greater proportion of the Access population than the Interim, had higher rates of deprivation than the non-Maori/non-Pacific population, and demonstrated a younger age distribution. The first quarter (April 2004-June 2004) showed there was preferential funding for Access PHOs and in particular high-needs groups. In quarter two, this level of preferential funding had diminished, coinciding with the introduction of increased government funding for all Interim enrolees aged 65 and over. The greater funding for Access enrolees was notably eroded with the introduction of Access-level funding for those aged 65+ in Interim PHOs. Since these data were analysed all remaining Interim age groups have shifted to Access-level funding, benefiting non-Maori /non-Pacific in Interim PHOs. The rapid shift to Access-level funding for First Contact Services has seen a continued erosion of the redistributive effect of the original needs-based formulas. A system cannot be considered equitable if some members of society are not realising their health potential, and financing of primary care should remain redistributive until such a time as this objective is attained.

Income, occupation and education: Are they related to smoking behaviors in China?

PubMed Central

Wang, Qing; Shen, Jay J.; Sotero, Michelle; Li, Casey A.

2018-01-01

Background The association between socioeconomic status (SES) and smoking behaviors may differ across countries. This study aimed to estimate the association between socioeconomic status (income, occupation and education) and multiple measures of smoking behaviors among the Chinese elderly population. Methods Using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2013, we examined the relationship between socioeconomic status and smoking behaviors through multivariate regression analysis. Sample selection models were applied to correct for sample selection bias. Smoking behaviors were measured by four indicators: smoking status, cigarette consumption, health risks related to smoking, and smoking dependence. Analyses were stratified by gender and urban-rural residence. Results Among Chinese people aged 45 years or older, smokers accounted for 40% of the population in 2013, smoking 19 cigarettes per day. It was also found that 79% of smokers were at an increased health risk. Overall, although the influence of income on smoking behaviors was small and even insignificant, occupation and education levels were significantly associated with smoking behaviors. Managers or professionals were more likely to smoke, however there was no significant relationship with smoking dependence. Individuals with higher educational attainment were less likely to be associated with smoking behaviors. In addition, gender and urban-rural differences existed in the relationship between SES and smoking behaviors. Conclusions Smoking disparities among diverse levels of socioeconomic status existed but varied greatly by SES indicators and population characteristics. Tobacco control policies in China should be increasingly focused on populations with low socioeconomic status in order to break the link between socioeconomic disadvantage and smoking behaviors. Further actions should mitigate inequalities in education, improve the social culture of cigarette use, and tailor interventions based on characteristics of the population. PMID:29420649

Experts' Perspectives Toward a Population Health Approach for Children With Medical Complexity.

PubMed

Barnert, Elizabeth S; Coller, Ryan J; Nelson, Bergen B; Thompson, Lindsey R; Chan, Vincent; Padilla, Cesar; Klitzner, Thomas S; Szilagyi, Moira; Chung, Paul J

2017-08-01

Because children with medical complexity (CMC) display very different health trajectories, needs, and resource utilization than other children, it is unclear how well traditional conceptions of population health apply to CMC. We sought to identify key health outcome domains for CMC as a step toward determining core health metrics for this distinct population of children. We conducted and analyzed interviews with 23 diverse national experts on CMC to better understand population health for CMC. Interviewees included child and family advocates, health and social service providers, and research, health systems, and policy leaders. We performed thematic content analyses to identify emergent themes regarding population health for CMC. Overall, interviewees conveyed that defining and measuring population health for CMC is an achievable, worthwhile goal. Qualitative themes from interviews included: 1) CMC share unifying characteristics that could serve as the basis for population health outcomes; 2) optimal health for CMC is child specific and dynamic; 3) health of CMC is intertwined with health of families; 4) social determinants of health are especially important for CMC; and 5) measuring population health for CMC faces serious conceptual and logistical challenges. Experts have taken initial steps in defining the population health of CMC. Population health for CMC involves a dynamic concept of health that is attuned to individual, health-related goals for each child. We propose a framework that can guide the identification and development of population health metrics for CMC. Copyright © 2017 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modeling tradeoffs in avian life history traits and consequences for population growth

USGS Publications Warehouse

Clark, M.E.; Martin, T.E.

2007-01-01

Variation in population dynamics is inherently related to life history characteristics of species, which vary markedly even within phylogenetic groups such as passerine birds. We computed the finite rate of population change (??) from a matrix projection model and from mark-recapture observations for 23 bird species breeding in northern Arizona. We used sensitivity analyses and a simulation model to separate contributions of different life history traits to population growth rate. In particular we focused on contrasting effects of components of reproduction (nest success, clutch size, number of clutches, and juvenile survival) versus adult survival on ??. We explored how changes in nest success or adult survival coupled to costs in other life history parameters affected ?? over a life history gradient provided by our 23 Arizona species, as well as a broader sample of 121 North American passerine species. We further examined these effects for more than 200 passeriform and piciform populations breeding across North America. Model simulations indicate nest success and juvenile survival exert the largest effects on population growth in species with moderate to high reproductive output, whereas adult survival contributed more to population growth in long-lived species. Our simulations suggest that monitoring breeding success in populations across a broad geographic area provides an important index for identifying neotropical migratory populations at risk of serious population declines and a potential method for identifying large-scale mechanisms regulating population dynamics. ?? 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Development of a robust analytical framework for assessing landbird trends, dynamics and relationships with environmental covariates in the North Coast and Cascades Network

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ray, Chris; Saracco, James; Jenkins, Kurt J.; Huff, Mark; Happe, Patricia J.; Ransom, Jason I.

2017-01-01

During 2015-2016, we completed development of a new analytical framework for landbird population monitoring data from the National Park Service (NPS) North Coast and Cascades Inventory and Monitoring Network (NCCN). This new tool for analysis combines several recent advances in modeling population status and trends using point-count data and is designed to supersede the approach previously slated for analysis of trends in the NCCN and other networks, including the Sierra Nevada Network (SIEN). Advances supported by the new model-based approach include 1) the use of combined data on distance and time of detection to estimate detection probability without assuming perfect detection at zero distance, 2) seamless accommodation of variation in sampling effort and missing data, and 3) straightforward estimation of the effects of downscaled climate and other local habitat characteristics on spatial and temporal trends in landbird populations. No changes in the current field protocol are necessary to facilitate the new analyses. We applied several versions of the new model to data from each of 39 species recorded in the three mountain parks of the NCCN, estimating trends and climate relationships for each species during 2005-2014. Our methods and results are also reported in a manuscript in revision for the journal Ecosphere (hereafter, Ray et al.). Here, we summarize the methods and results outlined in depth by Ray et al., discuss benefits of the new analytical framework, and provide recommendations for its application to synthetic analyses of long-term data from the NCCN and SIEN. All code necessary for implementing the new analyses is provided within the Appendices to this report, in the form of fully annotated scripts written in the open-access programming languages R and JAGS.

Sex Hormones and Sleep in Men and Women From the General Population: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study.

PubMed

Kische, Hanna; Ewert, Ralf; Fietze, Ingo; Gross, Stefan; Wallaschofski, Henri; Völzke, Henry; Dörr, Marcus; Nauck, Matthias; Obst, Anne; Stubbe, Beate; Penzel, Thomas; Haring, Robin

2016-11-01

Associations between sex hormones and sleep habits originate mainly from small and selected patient-based samples. We examined data from a population-based sample with various sleep characteristics and the major part of sex hormones measured by mass spectrometry. We used data from 204 men and 213 women of the cross-sectional Study of Health in Pomerania-TREND. Associations of total T (TT) and free T, androstenedione (ASD), estrone, estradiol (E2), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate, SHBG, and E2 to TT ratio with sleep measures (including total sleep time, sleep efficiency, wake after sleep onset, apnea-hypopnea index [AHI], Insomnia Severity Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) were assessed by sex-specific multivariable regression models. In men, age-adjusted associations of TT (odds ratio 0.62; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.46-0.83), free T, and SHBG with AHI were rendered nonsignificant after multivariable adjustment. In multivariable analyses, ASD was associated with Epworth Sleepiness Scale (β-coefficient per SD increase in ASD: -0.71; 95% CI: -1.18 to -0.25). In women, multivariable analyses showed positive associations of dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate with wake after sleep onset (β-coefficient: .16; 95% CI 0.03-0.28) and of E2 and E2 to TT ratio with Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Additionally, free T and SHBG were associated with AHI in multivariable models among premenopausal women. The present cross-sectional, population-based study observed sex-specific associations of androgens, E2, and SHBG with sleep apnea and daytime sleepiness. However, multivariable-adjusted analyses confirmed the impact of body composition and health-related lifestyle on the association between sex hormones and sleep.

Wanted and unwanted fertility in Bolivia: does ethnicity matter?

PubMed

McNamee, Catherine B

2009-12-01

In Bolivia, the total fertility rate (TFR) among indigenous populations is higher than that among the nonindigenous population. It is important to investigate whether this difference is attributable to ethnic differences in wanted or unwanted fertility. Data from the 2003 Bolivian Demographic and Health Survey were used to estimate women's wanted and unwanted TFRs. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine whether women's, men's and couples' characteristics were associated with use of any contraceptive method and modern methods. The TFRs for indigenous and nonindigenous women were 1.5 and 1.7, [corrected] respectively. The wanted fertility rate for indigenous women was nearly the same as that for nonindigenous women (2.8 and 1.4, [corrected] respectively); virtually all of the ethnic difference in the TFRs was attributable to the ethnic difference in unwanted fertility. The proportion of women in need of contraception was greater among indigenous women than among nonindigenous women (26% vs. 19%). In logistic regression analyses, male fertility preferences explained only a small part of the ethnic difference in contraceptive use. Women's, men's and couples' preferences contribute only marginally to unwanted fertility, suggesting that structural factors act as obstacles to preventing unwanted fertility.

A profile of students receiving counselling services at a university in post-apartheid South Africa.

PubMed

Bowman, Brett; Payne, Jarrod

2011-12-01

The purpose of this study was to describe a profile of students seeking counselling at a racially diverse university in post-apartheid South Africa as a means to demonstrate the importance of routinely collecting and analysing student counselling data at university-based centres across the country. Student data were extracted from the only two counselling centres based at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg that provided services to 831 students during 2008. The 26 243 students that did not seek counselling during this period formed the comparison group. These data were analysed using logistic regression. Black, female and students within the 21-25 year age category were more likely to receive counselling, and presenting problems varied by population group. Given the country's past and continued levels of social asymmetry, we argue that the development of standardised university-based reporting systems able to describe the characteristics and presenting problems of students seeking counselling across South African universities should be prioritised by its higher education sector. Timely access to information of this kind is crucial to the generation of evidence-based mental health interventions in a population that is especially important to the country's development vision.

Distress, need for help, and positive feelings derived from participation in sex research: findings of a population study in The Netherlands.

PubMed

Kuyper, Lisette; Wijsen, Ciel; de Wit, John

2014-01-01

To inform cost-benefit analyses of potential harms and benefits for participants in sex research, the current study investigated potential effects of completing a self-report sex survey. The data stem from a sexual health study in a population sample in the Netherlands (N = 8,064; 15 to 70 years old). Three measures assessed potential effects of participation: distress, need for help, and positive feelings related to research participation. Analyses showed that levels of experienced distress and need for help resulting from participation in a self-report sex survey were low, while participants reported positive feelings to a considerable extent. Only few participants reported levels of positive experiences that were lower than the levels of distress (4.8%) or need for help (1.7%) they experienced. Although differences were found according to sociodemographic characteristics and sexual experiences, the proportion of variance explained by these variables was generally small. While the findings of this study show that the balance between potential harm and positive outcomes seems disturbed for few participants, researchers should provide participants with the details of care providers in case they experience any distress or need for help.

Quality of life in Chinese patients with schizophrenia treated in primary care.

PubMed

Li, Yan; Hou, Cai-Lan; Ma, Xin-Rong; Zhong, Bao-Liang; Zang, Yu; Jia, Fu-Jun; Lin, Yong-Qiang; Lai, Kelly Y C; Chiu, Helen F K; Ungvari, Gabor S; Hall, Brian J; Cai, Mei-Ying; Ng, Chee H; Xiang, Yu-Tao

2017-08-01

In China, maintenance treatment for clinically stable patients with schizophrenia is usually provided by primary care physicians. This study examined the quality of life (QOL) in patients with schizophrenia treated in primary care and explored the demographic and clinical characteristics associated with QOL. Altogether, 612 patients with schizophrenia treated in 22 randomly selected primary care services in China formed the study sample. QOL, psychotic and depressive symptoms, extra-pyramidal symptoms and insight were assessed using standardized instruments. Data analyses were conducted with the one sample t-test and multiple linear regression analyses. Compared with the normative data for the Chinese general population, significantly lower scores in physical and mental QOL domains were found in the patient group. Older age, being unemployed, major medical conditions, no smoking, more severe depressive and negative symptoms, more frequent insomnia, and suicidality were independently associated with poor physical QOL. Male gender, more severe depressive and anxiety symptoms, more frequent insomnia, and suicidality were independently associated with poor mental QOL. Patients with schizophrenia treated in primary care had lower level of QOL in comparison with general population. Effective measures need to be implemented to improve their QOL. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

OXTR polymorphism in depression and completed suicide-A study on a large population sample.

PubMed

Wasilewska, Krystyna; Pawlak, Aleksandra; Kostrzewa, Grażyna; Sobczyk-Kopcioł, Agnieszka; Kaczorowska, Aleksandra; Badowski, Jarosław; Brzozowska, Małgorzata; Drygas, Wojciech; Piwoński, Jerzy; Bielecki, Wojciech; Płoski, Rafał

2017-03-01

In the light of contradictory results concerning OXTR polymorphism rs53576 and depression, we decided to verify the potential association between the two on 1) a large, ethnically homogenous sample of 1185 individuals who completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), as well as on 2) a sample of 763 suicide victims. In the population sample, AA males showed significantly lower BDI scores (p=0.005, p cor =0.030). Exploratory analyses suggested that this effect was limited to a subgroup within 0-9 BDI score range (p=0.0007, U-Mann Whitney test), whereas no main effect on depressive symptoms (BDI>9) was found. In the suicide sample no association with rs53576 genotype was present. Exploratory analyses in suicides revealed higher blood alcohol concentration (BAC) among AA than GG/GA males (p=0.014, U-Mann Whitney test). Our results show that the OXTR rs53576 variant modulates the mood in male individuals and may positively correlate with alcohol intake among male suicides, but is not associated with suicide or depression. The study adds to the growing knowledge on rs53576 genotype characteristics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chapman-Enskog Analyses on the Gray Lattice Boltzmann Equation Method for Fluid Flow in Porous Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Chen; Li, Like; Mei, Renwei; Klausner, James F.

2018-03-01

The gray lattice Boltzmann equation (GLBE) method has recently been used to simulate fluid flow in porous media. It employs a partial bounce-back of populations (through a fractional coefficient θ, which represents the fraction of populations being reflected by the solid phase) in the evolution equation to account for the linear drag of the medium. Several particular GLBE schemes have been proposed in the literature and these schemes are very easy to implement; but there exists uncertainty about the need for redefining the macroscopic velocity as there has been no systematic analysis to recover the Brinkman equation from the various GLBE schemes. Rigorous Chapman-Enskog analyses are carried out to show that the momentum equation recovered from these schemes can satisfy Brinkman equation to second order in ɛ only if θ = O( ɛ ) in which ɛ is the ratio of the lattice spacing to the characteristic length of physical dimension. The need for redefining macroscopic velocity is shown to be scheme-dependent. When a body force is encountered such as the gravitational force or that caused by a pressure gradient, different forms of forcing redefinitions are required for each GLBE scheme.

Religiosity and Spiritual Engagement in Two American Indian Populations

PubMed Central

Garroutte, Eva M.; Beals, Janette; Keane, Ellen M.; Kaufman, Carol; Spicer, Paul; Henderson, Jeff; Henderson, Patricia N.; Mitchell, Christina M.; Manson, Spero M.

2015-01-01

Social scientific investigation into the religiospiritual characteristics of American Indians rarely includes analysis of quantitative data. After reviewing information from ethnographic and autobiographical sources, we present analyses of data from a large, population-based sample of two tribes (n = 3,084). We examine salience of belief in three traditions: aboriginal, Christian, and Native American Church. We then investigate patterns in sociodemographic subgroups, determining the significant correlates of salience with other variables controlled. Finally, we examine frequency with which respondents assign high salience to only one tradition (exclusivity) or multiple traditions (nonexclusivity), again investigating subgroup variations. This first detailed, statistical portrait of American Indian religious and spiritual lives links work on tribal ethnic identity to theoretical work on America’s “religious marketplace.” Results may also inform social/behavioral interventions that incorporate religiospiritual elements. PMID:26582963

Structured models of infectious disease: inference with discrete data

PubMed Central

Metcalf, C.J.E.; Lessler, J.; Klepac, P.; Morice, A.; Grenfell, B.T.; Bjørnstad, O.N.

2014-01-01

The usage of structured population models can make substantial contributions to public health, particularly for infections where clinical outcomes vary over age. There are three theoretical challenges in implementing such analyses: i) developing an appropriate framework that models both demographic and epidemiological transitions; ii) parameterizing the framework, where parameters may be based on data ranging from the biological course of infection, basic patterns of human demography, specific characteristics of population growth, and details of vaccination regimes implemented; and iii) evaluating public health strategies in the face of changing human demography. We illustrate the general approach by developing a model of rubella in Costa Rica. The demographic profile of this infection is a crucial aspect of its public health impact, and we use a transient perturbation analysis to explore the impact of changing human demography on immunization strategies implemented. PMID:22178687

Genetic variation and forensic characteristic analysis of 25 STRs of a novel fluorescence co-amplification system in Chinese Southern Shaanxi Han population

PubMed Central

Liu, Yao-Shun; Chen, Jian-Gang; Mei, Ting; Guo, Yu-Xin; Meng, Hao-Tian; Li, Jian-Fei; Wei, Yuan-Yuan; Jin, Xiao-Ye; Zhu, Bo-Feng; Zhang, Li-Ping

2017-01-01

We analyzed the genetic polymorphisms of 15 autosomal and 10 Y-chromosomal STR loci in 214 individuals of Han population from Southern Shaanxi of China and studied the genetic relationships between Southern Shaanxi Han and other populations. We observed a total of 150 alleles at 15 autosomal STR loci with the corresponding allelic frequencies ranging from 0.0023 to 0.5210, and the combined power of discrimination and exclusion for the 15 autosomal STR loci were 0.99999999999999998866 and 0.999998491, respectively. For the 10 Y-STR loci, totally 100 different haplotypes were obtained, of which 94 were unique. The discriminatory capacity and haplotype diversity values of the 10 Y-STR loci were 0.9259 and 0.998269, respectively. The results demonstrated high genetic diversities of the 25 STR loci in the population for forensic applications. We constructed neighbor-joining tree and conducted principal component analysis based on 15 autosomal STR loci and conducted multidimensional scaling analysis and constructed neighbor-joining tree based on 10 Y-STR loci. The results of population genetic analyses based on both autosomal and Y-chromosome STRs indicated that the studied Southern Shaanxi Han population had relatively closer genetic relationship with Eastern Han population, and distant relationships with Croatian, Serbian and Moroccan populations. PMID:28903432

Evaluation of soybean germplasm conserved in NIAS genebank and development of mini core collections

PubMed Central

Kaga, Akito; Shimizu, Takehiko; Watanabe, Satoshi; Tsubokura, Yasutaka; Katayose, Yuichi; Harada, Kyuya; Vaughan, Duncan A.; Tomooka, Norihiko

2012-01-01

Genetic variation and population structure among 1603 soybean accessions, consisted of 832 Japanese landraces, 109 old and 57 recent Japanese varieties, 341 landrace from 16 Asian countries and 264 wild soybean accessions, were characterized using 191 SNP markers. Although gene diversity of Japanese soybean germplasm was slight lower than that of exotic soybean germplasm, population differentiation and clustering analyses indicated clear genetic differentiation among Japanese cultivated soybeans, exotic cultivated soybeans and wild soybeans. Nine hundred ninety eight Japanese accessions were separated to a certain extent into groups corresponding to their agro-morphologic characteristics such as photosensitivity and seed characteristics rather than their geographical origin. Based on the assessment of the SNP markers and several agro-morphologic traits, accessions that retain gene diversity of the whole collection were selected to develop several soybean sets of different sizes using an heuristic approach; a minimum of 12 accessions can represent the observed gene diversity; a mini-core collection of 96 accession can represent a major proportion of both geographic origin and agro-morphologic trait variation. These selected sets of germplasm will provide an effective platform for enhancing soybean diversity studies and assist in finding novel traits for crop improvement. PMID:23136496

Characteristics of airflow and particle deposition in COPD current smokers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Chunrui; Choi, Jiwoong; Haghighi, Babak; Choi, Sanghun; Hoffman, Eric A.; Lin, Ching-Long

2017-11-01

A recent imaging-based cluster analysis of computed tomography (CT) lung images in a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) cohort identified four clusters, viz. disease sub-populations. Cluster 1 had relatively normal airway structures; Cluster 2 had wall thickening; Cluster 3 exhibited decreased wall thickness and luminal narrowing; Cluster 4 had a significant decrease of luminal diameter and a significant reduction of lung deformation, thus having relatively low pulmonary functions. To better understand the characteristics of airflow and particle deposition in these clusters, we performed computational fluid and particle dynamics analyses on representative cluster patients and healthy controls using CT-based airway models and subject-specific 3D-1D coupled boundary conditions. The results show that particle deposition in central airways of cluster 4 patients was noticeably increased especially with increasing particle size despite reduced vital capacity as compared to other clusters and healthy controls. This may be attributable in part to significant airway constriction in cluster 4. This study demonstrates the potential application of cluster-guided CFD analysis in disease populations. NIH Grants U01HL114494 and S10-RR022421, and FDA Grant U01FD005837.

Injecting risk behavior among traveling young injection drug users: travel partner and city characteristics.

PubMed

Montgomery, Martha E; Fatch, Robin S; Evans, Jennifer L; Yu, Michelle; Davidson, Peter J; Page, Kimberly; Hahn, Judith A

2013-06-01

Young injection drug users (IDUs), a highly mobile population, engage in high levels of injecting risk behavior, yet little is understood about how such risk behavior may vary by the characteristics of the cities to which they travel, including the existence of a syringe exchange program (SEP), as well as travel partner characteristics. In 2004-2005, we conducted a 6-month prospective study to investigate the risk behavior of 89 young IDUs as they traveled, with detailed information gathered about 350 city visits. In multivariable analyses, travel to larger urban cities with a population of 500,000-1,000,000 was significantly associated with injecting drugs (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.71; 95 % confidence interval (CI), 1.56-8.82), ancillary equipment sharing (AES; AOR = 7.05; 95 % CI, 2.25-22.06) and receptive needle sharing (RNS; AOR = 5.73; 95 % CI, 1.11-27.95), as compared with visits to smaller cities with populations below 50,000. Region of the country, and the existence of a SEP within the city visited, were not independently associated with injecting drugs, AES, or RNS during city visits. Traveling with more than one injecting partner was associated with injecting drugs during city visits (AOR = 2.77; 95 % CI, 1.46-5.27), when compared with traveling alone. Additionally, both non-daily and daily/almost daily alcohol use during city visits were associated with AES (AOR = 3.37; 95 % CI, 1.42-7.68; AOR = 3.03; 95 % CI, 1.32-6.97, respectively) as compared with no alcohol consumption. Traveling young IDUs are more likely to inject when traveling with other IDUs and to engage in higher risk injection behavior when they are in large cities. Risk behavior occurring in city visits, including equipment sharing and alcohol consumption, suggests further need for focused interventions to reduce risk for viral infection among this population.

Family and home characteristics correlate with mold in homes.

PubMed

Reponen, Tiina; Levin, Linda; Zheng, Shu; Vesper, Stephen; Ryan, Patrick; Grinshpun, Sergey A; LeMasters, Grace

2013-07-01

Previously, we demonstrated that infants residing in homes with higher Environmental Relative Moldiness Index were at greater risk for developing asthma by age seven. The purpose of this analysis was to identify the family and home characteristics associated with higher moldiness index values in infants' homes at age one. Univariate linear regression of each characteristic determined that family factors associated with moldiness index were race and income. Home characteristics associated with the moldiness index values were: air conditioning, carpet, age of the home, season of home assessment, and house dust mite allergen. Parental history of asthma, use of dehumidifier, visible mold, dog and cat allergen levels were not associated with moldiness index. Results of multiple linear regression showed that older homes had 2.9 units higher moldiness index (95% confidence interval [CI]=0.4, 5.4), whereas homes with central air conditioning had 2.5 units lower moldiness index (95% CI=-4.7, -0.4). In addition, higher dust mite allergen levels and carpeting were positively and negatively associated with higher moldiness index, respectively. Because older homes and lack of air conditioning were also correlated with race and lower income, whereas carpeting was associated with newer homes, the multivariate analyses suggests that lower overall socioeconomic position is associated with higher moldiness index values. This may lead to increased asthma risk in homes inhabited by susceptible, vulnerable population subgroups. Further, age of the home was a surrogate of income, race and carpeting in our population; thus the use of these factors should carefully be evaluated in future studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impact of pain characteristics and fear-avoidance beliefs on physical activity levels among older adults with chronic pain: a population-based, longitudinal study.

PubMed

Larsson, Caroline; Ekvall Hansson, Eva; Sundquist, Kristina; Jakobsson, Ulf

2016-02-24

To explore the level of physical activity in a population based sample of older adults; to analyze the influence of pain characteristics and fear-avoidance beliefs as predictors of physical activity among older adults reporting chronic pain. Demographics, pain characteristics (duration, intensity), physical activity, kinesiophobia (excessive fear of movement/(re) injury), self-efficacy and self-rated health were measured with questionnaires at baseline and 12-months later. Logistic regression analyses were done to identify associations at baseline and predictors of physical activity 12-months later during follow-up. Of the 1141 older adults (mean age 74.4 range 65-103 years, 53.5% women) included in the study, 31.1% of those with chronic pain were sufficiently active (scoring ≥ 4 on Grimby's physical activity scale) compared to 56.9% of those without chronic pain. Lower age (OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.88-0.99), low kinesiophobia OR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.91-0.99), and higher activity level at baseline (OR = 10.0, 95% CI = 4.98-20.67) significantly predicted higher levels of physical activity in individuals with chronic pain. The level of physical activity was significantly lower among those with chronic pain and was significantly associated with kinesiophobia. Our findings suggest that fear- avoidance believes plays a more important role in predicting future physical activity levels than pain characteristics. Thus our findings are important to consider when aiming to increase physical activity in older adults that have chronic pain.

Requests for new oral antibiotic prescriptions in children within 2 days: a Norwegian population-based study.

PubMed

Bergene, E H; Nordeng, H; Rø, T B; Steinsbekk, A

2018-05-09

Children commonly refuse to take antibiotics, which may induce parents to request new antibiotic prescriptions with different pharmaceutical characteristics. To investigate prescription changes for children 0-12 years receiving oral liquid or solid antibiotic formulations and to explore the relationships between prescription changes and characteristics related to the child, prescriber and antibiotic. A population-based registry study based on data from the Norwegian Prescription Database (NorPD) from 2004 to 2016. Antibiotic prescription changes were defined as the dispensing of subsequent antibiotics with different pharmaceutical characteristics to the same child within 2 days after initial prescriptions. Data were analysed using multivariable logistic regression and generalized estimating equations. Requests for new prescriptions followed 3.0% of 2 691 483 initial antibiotic prescriptions for children. Young children who received solid formulations (10.9%) and certain poor-tasting antibiotics (8.6%) had the highest proportions of new prescriptions. Penicillin V was most commonly changed, while macrolides/lincosamides dominated subsequent prescriptions. In order of magnitude, the characteristics associated with requests for new prescriptions were the children's ages, poor taste and concentration of liquids, size and shape of solids, prescribers born in recent decades, and girl patients. Reimbursed prescriptions and scored solids were associated with fewer requests. While only 3% of the antibiotic prescriptions were changed, the preference of broad-spectrum over narrow-spectrum antibiotics for young children in this study mirrors international prescription patterns. Avoiding the costs of children's refusal and consequent changes may thus be a motivation for choosing more preferred antibiotics.

Predictors of suicide and suicide attempt in subway stations: a population-based ecological study.

PubMed

Niederkrotenthaler, Thomas; Sonneck, Gernot; Dervic, Kanita; Nader, Ingo W; Voracek, Martin; Kapusta, Nestor D; Etzersdorfer, Elmar; Mittendorfer-Rutz, Ellenor; Dorner, Thomas

2012-04-01

Suicidal behavior on the subway often involves young people and has a considerable impact on public life, but little is known about factors associated with suicides and suicide attempts in specific subway stations. Between 1979 and 2009, 185 suicides and 107 suicide attempts occurred on the subway in Vienna, Austria. Station-specific suicide and suicide attempt rates (defined as the frequency of suicidal incidents per time period) were modeled as the outcome variables in bivariate and multivariate Poisson regression models. Structural station characteristics (presence of a surveillance unit, train types used, and construction on street level versus other construction), contextual station characteristics (neighborhood to historical sites, size of the catchment area, and in operation during time period of extensive media reporting on subway suicides), and passenger-based characteristics (number of passengers getting on the trains per day, use as meeting point by drug users, and socioeconomic status of the population in the catchment area) were used as the explanatory variables. In the multivariate analyses, subway suicides increased when stations were served by the faster train type. Subway suicide attempts increased with the daily number of passengers getting on the trains and with the stations' use as meeting points by drug users. The findings indicate that there are some differences between subway suicides and suicide attempts. Completed suicides seem to vary most with train type used. Suicide attempts seem to depend mostly on passenger-based characteristics, specifically on the station's crowdedness and on its use as meeting point by drug users. Suicide-preventive interventions should concentrate on crowded stations and on stations frequented by risk groups.

Optimal waist circumference cut-off values for predicting cardiovascular risk factors in a multi-ethnic Malaysian population.

PubMed

Cheong, Kee C; Ghazali, Sumarni M; Hock, Lim K; Yusoff, Ahmad F; Selvarajah, Sharmini; Haniff, Jamaiyah; Zainuddin, Ahmad Ali; Ying, Chan Y; Lin, Khor G; Rahman, Jamalludin A; Shahar, Suzana; Mustafa, Amal N

2014-01-01

Previous studies have proposed the lower waist circumference (WC) cutoffs be used for defining abdominal obesity in Asian populations. To determine the optimal cut-offs of waist circumference (WC) in predicting cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in the multi-ethnic Malaysian population. We analysed data from 32,703 respondents (14,980 men and 17,723 women) aged 18 years and above who participated in the Third National Health and Morbidity Survey in 2006. Gender-specific logistic regression analyses were used to examine associations between WC and three CV risk factors (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia). The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the cut-off values of WC with optimum sensitivity and specificity for detecting these CV risk factors. The odds ratio for having diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia, or at least one of these risks, increased significantly as the WC cut-off point increased. Optimal WC cut-off values for predicting the presence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and at least one of the three CV risk factors varied from 81.4 to 85.5 cm for men and 79.8 to 80.7 cm for women. Our findings indicate that WC cut-offs of 81 cm for men and 80 cm for women are appropriate for defining abdominal obesity and for recommendation to undergo cardiovascular risk screening and weight management in the Malaysian adult population. © 2014 Asian Oceanian Association for the Study of Obesity . Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genome-wide signatures of population bottlenecks and diversifying selection in European wolves

PubMed Central

Pilot, M; Greco, C; vonHoldt, B M; Jędrzejewska, B; Randi, E; Jędrzejewski, W; Sidorovich, V E; Ostrander, E A; Wayne, R K

2014-01-01

Genomic resources developed for domesticated species provide powerful tools for studying the evolutionary history of their wild relatives. Here we use 61K single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) evenly spaced throughout the canine nuclear genome to analyse evolutionary relationships among the three largest European populations of grey wolves in comparison with other populations worldwide, and investigate genome-wide effects of demographic bottlenecks and signatures of selection. European wolves have a discontinuous range, with large and connected populations in Eastern Europe and relatively smaller, isolated populations in Italy and the Iberian Peninsula. Our results suggest a continuous decline in wolf numbers in Europe since the Late Pleistocene, and long-term isolation and bottlenecks in the Italian and Iberian populations following their divergence from the Eastern European population. The Italian and Iberian populations have low genetic variability and high linkage disequilibrium, but relatively few autozygous segments across the genome. This last characteristic clearly distinguishes them from populations that underwent recent drastic demographic declines or founder events, and implies long-term bottlenecks in these two populations. Although genetic drift due to spatial isolation and bottlenecks seems to be a major evolutionary force diversifying the European populations, we detected 35 loci that are putatively under diversifying selection. Two of these loci flank the canine platelet-derived growth factor gene, which affects bone growth and may influence differences in body size between wolf populations. This study demonstrates the power of population genomics for identifying genetic signals of demographic bottlenecks and detecting signatures of directional selection in bottlenecked populations, despite their low background variability. PMID:24346500

Orbital and Physical Characteristics of Meter-sized Earth Impactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Peter G.; Wiegert, Paul; Clark, David; Tagliaferri, Edward

2015-11-01

We have analysed the orbits and ablation characteristics in the atmosphere of more than 60 earth-impacting meteoroids of one meter in diameter or larger. Using heights at peak luminosity as a proxy for strength, we find that there is roughly an order of magnitude spread in the apparent strength of the population of meter-sized impactors at the Earth. The orbits and physical strength of these objects are consistent with the majority being asteroidal bodies originating from the inner main asteroid belt. We find ~10-15% of our objects have a probable cometary (Jupiter-Family comet and/or Halley-type comet) origin based on orbital characteristics alone. Only half this number, however, show evidence for the expected weaker than average structure compared to asteroidal bodies. Almost all impactors show peak brightness between 20-40 km altitude. Several events have exceptionally high (relative to the remainder of the population) heights of peak brightness. These are physically most consistent with high microporosity objects, though all were on asteroidal-type orbits. We also find three events, including the Oct 8, 2009 airburst near Sulawesi, Indonesia, which display comparatively low heights of peak brightness, consistent with strong monolithic stones or iron meteoroids. Based on orbital similarity, we find a probable connection among several NEOs in our population with the Taurid meteoroid complex. No other major meteoroid streams show linkages with the pre-atmospheric orbits of our meter-class impactors. Our events cover almost four orders of magnitude in mass, but no trend in height of peak brightness is evident, suggesting no strong trend in strength with size for small NEOs, a finding consistent with the results of Popova et al (2011).

Challenges of developing a cardiovascular risk calculator for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Crowson, Cynthia S; Rollefstad, Silvia; Kitas, George D; van Riel, Piet L C M; Gabriel, Sherine E; Semb, Anne Grete

2017-01-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk calculators designed for use in the general population do not accurately predict the risk of CVD among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), who are at increased risk of CVD. The process of developing risk prediction models involves numerous issues. Our goal was to develop a CVD risk calculator for patients with RA. Thirteen cohorts of patients with RA originating from 10 different countries (UK, Norway, Netherlands, USA, Sweden, Greece, South Africa, Spain, Canada and Mexico) were combined. CVD risk factors and RA characteristics at baseline, in addition to information on CVD outcomes were collected. Cox models were used to develop a CVD risk calculator, considering traditional CVD risk factors and RA characteristics. Model performance was assessed using measures of discrimination and calibration with 10-fold cross-validation. A total of 5638 RA patients without prior CVD were included (mean age: 55 [SD: 14] years, 76% female). During a mean follow-up of 5.8 years (30139 person years), 389 patients developed a CVD event. Event rates varied between cohorts, necessitating inclusion of high and low risk strata in the models. The multivariable analyses revealed 2 risk prediction models including either a disease activity score including a 28 joint count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28ESR) or a health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) along with age, sex, presence of hypertension, current smoking and ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Unfortunately, performance of these models was similar to general population CVD risk calculators. Efforts to develop a specific CVD risk calculator for patients with RA yielded 2 potential models including RA disease characteristics, but neither demonstrated improved performance compared to risk calculators designed for use in the general population. Challenges encountered and lessons learned are discussed in detail.

Characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis and its association with major comorbid conditions: cross-sectional study of 502 649 UK Biobank participants

PubMed Central

Siebert, Stefan; Lyall, Donald M; Mackay, Daniel F; Porter, Duncan; McInnes, Iain B; Sattar, Naveed; Pell, Jill P

2016-01-01

Introduction To characterise the detailed phenotypic and comorbid characteristics of participants with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the large population-based UK Biobank, thereby enabling future longitudinal analyses. Methods We undertook a cross-sectional study using baseline data from the unique UK Biobank resource (n=502 649). RA was based on self-report, and type of medication was used as a proxy measure of valid diagnosis. Participants with and without RA were compared in terms of sociodemographic, lifestyle and other disease-related risk factors. Logistic regression models were used to determine whether participants with RA were more likely to report comorbid conditions, and whether this varied by RA severity. The models were adjusted for potential confounders and lifestyle risk factors. Results At baseline, 5657 (1.13%) eligible UK Biobank participants reported RA of whom 2849 (0.57%) had medically treated RA (median duration=10 years). Prevalence was significantly higher among female, South Asian and socioeconomically deprived participants. Participants with RA were significantly more likely to report diabetes (covariate-adjusted OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.32, p<0.01), hypertension (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.21 to 1.27, p<0.001) and cardiovascular disease (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.39 to 1.67, p<0.001). Conclusions UK Biobank provides extensive data concerning RA population-level comorbidity and risk factors. The frequency, distribution and characteristics of participants reporting RA in UK Biobank are largely consistent with other studies. It provides a unique opportunity to interrogate biomarkers, genetic data, detailed imaging and linkage to clinical records at the population level across primary and secondary care. PMID:27403335

The Associations and Correlations Between Self-reported Health and Neighborhood Cohesion and Disorder in a Community-dwelling U.S. Chinese Population.

PubMed

Dong, XinQi; Bergren, Stephanie M

2017-08-01

Characteristics of neighborhood have been found to be associated with physical and psychological health status of older adults, especially in relationship to social dynamics like cohesion and disorder. This study aims to examine correlations and associations between sociodemographic characteristics, self-reported health status, cohesion, and disorder among Chinese older adults in the greater Chicago area. The Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago is a cross-sectional, population-based study with community-dwelling Chinese older adults aged 60 and older, recruited through a community-based participatory research approach. Cohesion was measured through six questions; disorder was measured through eight questions. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted using SAS. Among 3,158 participants enrolled in the study, 92.3% reported any neighborhood cohesion; 69.8% reported any neighborhood disorder. After controlling for age, sex, education, income, marital status, living arrangement, number of children, years in the community, years in the United States, country of origin, language preference, and location, a higher level of cohesion is associated with higher quality of life (odds ratio [OR]: 1.25, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.13, 1.39) and a higher level of disorder is associated with lower overall health status (OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.95, 0.99) and lower quality of life (OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.95, 0.98). Our findings suggest that neighborhood cohesion and neighborhood disorder are correlated to the health of U.S. Chinese older adults. Future longitudinal research should examine the relationship between community characteristics, both structural and social, and health-related outcomes. © The Author 2016. 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.

Population dynamics of brown trout (Salmo trutta) in Spruce Creek Pennsylvania: A quarter-century perspective

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grossman, Gary D.; Carline, Robert F.; Wagner, Tyler

2017-01-01

We examined the relationship between density-independent and density-dependent factors on the demography of a dense, relatively unexploited population of brown trout in Spruce Creek Pennsylvania between 1985 and 2011.Individual PCAs of flow and temperature data elucidated groups of years with multiple high flow versus multiple low flow characteristics and high versus low temperature years, although subtler patterns of variation also were observed.Density and biomass displayed similar temporal patterns, ranging from 710 to 1,803 trout/ha and 76–263 kg/ha. We detected a significantly negative linear stock-recruitment relationship (R2 = .39) and there was no evidence that flow or water temperature affected recruitment.Both annual survival and the per-capita rate of increase (r) for the population varied over the study, and density-dependent mechanisms possessed the greatest explanatory power for annual survival data. Temporal trends in population r suggested it displayed a bounded equilibrium with increases observed in 12 years and decreases detected in 13 years.Model selection analysis of per-capita rate of increase data for age 1, and adults (N = eight interpretable models) indicated that both density-dependent (five of eight) and negative density-independent processes (five of eight, i.e. high flows or temperatures), affected r. Recruitment limitation also was identified in three of eight models. Variation in the per-capita rate of increase for the population was most strongly affected by positive density independence in the form of increasing spring–summer temperatures and recruitment limitation.Model selection analyses describing annual variation in both mean length and mass data yielded similar results, although maximum wi values were low ranging from 0.09 to 0.23 (length) and 0.13 to 0.22 (mass). Density-dependence was included in 15 of 15 interpretable models for length and all ten interpretable models for mass. Similarly, positive density-independent effects in the form of increasing autumn–winter flow were present in seven of 15 interpretable models for length and five of ten interpretable models for mass. Negative density independent effects also were observed in the form of high spring–summer flows or temperatures (N = 4), or high autumn–winter temperatures (N = 1).Our analyses of the factors affecting population regulation in an introduced population of brown trout demonstrate that density-dependent forces affected every important demographic characteristic (recruitment, survivorship, the rate of increase, and size) within this population. However, density-independent forces in the form of seasonal variations in flow and temperature also helped explain annual variation in the per-capita rate of increase, and mean length and mass data. Consequently, population regulation within this population is driven by a complex of biotic and environmental factors, although it seems clear that density-dependent factors play a dominant role.

Myocardial infarction in Québec rural and urban populations between 1995 and 1997.

PubMed

Loslier, Julie; Vanasse, Alain; Niyonsenga, Théophile; Courteau, Josiane; Orzanco, Gabriela; Hemiari, Abbas

2007-01-01

There is abundant evidence of health inequities between urban and rural populations. The purpose of this paper is to describe the socioeconomic characteristics of Québec urban and rural populations and the relation between rurality and incidence of myocardial infarction (MI), care management and outcomes. Socioeconomic data by census subdivisions were available from the 1996 Canadian census, representing 7,137,245 individuals. Data on patients with MI were taken from the provincial administrative health database (MED-ECHO), which is managed by the Ministry of Health and contains clinical and demographic information collected when patients are released from acute care hospitals in Québec. We included a total of 37,678 cases compiled over the 3 years of follow-up in the analyses. Residents of rural areas with low urban influence have higher MI incidence rates than all of the other populations in the study. In comparison with urban populations, their observed rural counterparts are at a disadvantage with regard to education, employment and income. Although angioplasty and coronary artery bypass graft surgery rates were higher in more urban areas, the survival rate was lower than in rural areas. This study revealed geographic heterogeneity of MI incidence, revascularization rates and survival rates among urban and rural populations.

Molecular Diversity and Population Structure of a Worldwide Collection of Cultivated Tetraploid Alfalfa (Medicago sativa subsp. sativa L.) Germplasm as Revealed by Microsatellite Markers.

PubMed

Qiang, Haiping; Chen, Zhihong; Zhang, Zhengli; Wang, Xuemin; Gao, Hongwen; Wang, Zan

2015-01-01

Information on genetic diversity and population structure of a tetraploid alfalfa collection might be valuable in effective use of the genetic resources. A set of 336 worldwide genotypes of tetraploid alfalfa (Medicago sativa subsp. sativa L.) was genotyped using 85 genome-wide distributed SSR markers to reveal the genetic diversity and population structure in the alfalfa. Genetic diversity analysis identified a total of 1056 alleles across 85 marker loci. The average expected heterozygosity and polymorphism information content values were 0.677 and 0.638, respectively, showing high levels of genetic diversity in the cultivated tetraploid alfalfa germplasm. Comparison of genetic characteristics across chromosomes indicated regions of chromosomes 2 and 3 had the highest genetic diversity. A higher genetic diversity was detected in alfalfa landraces than that of wild materials and cultivars. Two populations were identified by the model-based population structure, principal coordinate and neighbor-joining analyses, corresponding to China and other parts of the world. However, lack of strictly correlation between clustering and geographic origins suggested extensive germplasm exchanges of alfalfa germplasm across diverse geographic regions. The quantitative analysis of the genetic diversity and population structure in this study could be useful for genetic and genomic analysis and utilization of the genetic variation in alfalfa breeding.

Paleolithic spread of Y-chromosomal lineage of tribes in eastern and northeastern India.

PubMed

Borkar, Minal; Ahmad, Fahim; Khan, Faisal; Agrawal, Suraksha

2011-11-01

The Indian peninsula provides a suitable region for examination of the demographic impact of migrations and invasions in historical times, because its complex recent history has involved the long-term residence of different populations with distinct geographical origins and their own particular cultural characteristics. The aim of the present study was to analyse Y chromosome haplotypes in tribes from eastern and north-eastern India, which provided the necessary phylogeographic resolution. A total of 32 Y-chromosome SNPs and 17 Y-STRs were genotyped in 607 males from nine populations (Munda, Birhor, Oraon, Paharia, Santhal, Ho, Lachung, Mech and Rajbanshi) residing in East and Northeastern India. Y-chromosomal analysis revealed high frequency of the O2a haplogroup in Austroasiatic tribes and high haplotype diversity within specific haplogroups demonstrating a lesser degree of admixture of these populations with neighbouring populations in eastern India. In addition, the presence of O3a haplogroups in Sino-Tibetan populations reflects the influx from Southeast Asia during the demographic expansion through the Northeastern corridor. The study suggested that the majority of the male gene flow of Austroasiatic tribes occurred during the late Pleistocene period. The results suggest gene flow from Southeast Asia to Northeast India, albeit more significantly among Tibeto-Burman than Austroasiatic-speaking populations.

Characteristics of terrestrial basaltic rock populations: Implications for Mars lander and rover science and safety

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craddock, Robert A.; Golombek, Matthew P.

2016-08-01

We analyzed the morphometry of basaltic rock populations that have been emplaced or affected by a variety of geologic processes, including explosive volcanic eruptions (as a proxy for impact cratering), catastrophic flooding, frost shattering, salt weathering, alluvial deposition, and chemical weathering. Morphometric indices for these rock populations were compared to an unmodified population of rocks that had broken off a solidified lava flow to understand how different geologic processes change rock shape. We found that a majority of rocks have an sphericity described as either a disc or sphere in the Zingg classification system and posit that this is a function of cooling fractures in the basalt (Zingg [1935] Schweiz. Miner. Petrogr. Mitt., 15, 39-140). Angularity (roundness) is the most diagnostic morphometric index, but the Corey Shape Factor (CSF), Oblate-Prolate Index (OPI) and deviation from compactness (D) also sometimes distinguished weathering processes. Comparison of our results to prior analyses of rock populations found at the Mars Pathfinder, Spirit, and Curiosity landing sites support previous conclusions. The observation that the size-frequency distribution of terrestrial rock populations follow exponential functions similar to lander and orbital measurements of rocks on Mars, which is expected from fracture and fragmentation theory, indicates that these distributions are being dominantly controlled by the initial fracture and fragmentation of the basalt.

Demographic and psychosocial characteristics of mobile phone ownership and usage among youth living in the slums of Kampala, Uganda.

PubMed

Swahn, Monica H; Braunstein, Sarah; Kasirye, Rogers

2014-08-01

The use of mobile phones and other technology for improving health through research and practice is growing quickly, in particular in areas with difficult-to-reach population or where the research infrastructure is less developed. In Sub-Saharan Africa, there appears to be a dramatic increase in mobile phone ownership and new initiatives that capitalize on this technology to support health promotion campaigns to change behavior and to increase health literacy. However, the extent to which difficult-to-reach youth in the slums of Kampala may own and use mobile phones has not been reported despite the burden of injuries, substance use, and HIV that they face. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of mobile phone ownership and use in this high-risk population and to identify psychosocial characteristics that may differentiate those owning and using a phone from those who do not. We conducted secondary analyses of the Kampala Youth Survey (N=457). Data collection took place in 2011, and the survey was designed to quantify high-risk behaviors in a convenience sample of urban youth living on the streets or in the slums, 14-24 years of age, who were participating in a Uganda Youth Development Link drop-in center for disadvantaged street youth. We computed chi-square analyses to determine any significant differences in psychosocial characteristics based on phone ownership and use. Overall, 46.9% of youth reported owning a mobile phone and ownership did not vary by sex but was more common among youth older than 18 years of age. Mobile phone ownership was also more common among those who reported taking care of themselves at night, who reported current drug use and who reported trading sex for money, food or other things. Given that nearly half of the youth own and use phones daily, new research is needed to determine next steps for mobile health (mhealth), including the feasibility of using mobile phones for data collection and interventions with this hard-to-reach population. Moreover, this technology may also be suitable for injury-specific research given that there were few differences with respect to injury-related variables in mobile phone ownership and usage.

Genetic Diversity, Molecular Phylogeny, and Selection Evidence of Jinchuan Yak Revealed by Whole-Genome Resequencing

PubMed Central

Lan, Daoliang; Xiong, Xianrong; Mipam, Tserang-Donko; Fu, Changxiu; Li, Qiang; Ai, Yi; Hou, Dingchao; Chai, Zhixin; Zhong, Jincheng; Li, Jian

2018-01-01

Jinchuan yak, a newly discovered yak breed, not only possesses a large proportion of multi-ribs but also exhibits many good characteristics, such as high meat production, milk yield, and reproductive performance. However, there is limited information about its overall genetic structure, relationship with yaks in other areas, and possible origins and evolutionary processes. In this study, 7,693,689 high-quality single-nucleotide polymorphisms were identified by resequencing the genome of Jinchuan yak. Principal component and population genetic structure analyses showed that Jinchuan yak could be distinguished as an independent population among the domestic yak population. Linkage disequilibrium analysis showed that the decay rate of Jinchuan yak was the lowest of the domestic yak breeds, indicating that the degree of domestication and selection intensity of Jinchuan yak were higher than those of other yak breeds. Combined with archaeological data, we speculated that the origin of domestication of Jinchuan yak was ∼6000 yr ago (4000–10,000 yr ago). The quantitative dynamics of population growth history in Jinchuan yak was similar to that of other breeds of domestic and wild yaks, but was closer to that of the wild yak. No significant gene exchange between Jinchuan and other domestic yaks occurred. Compared with other domestic yaks, Jinchuan yak possessed 339 significantly and positively selected genes, several of which relate to physiological rhythm, histones, and the breed’s excellent production characteristics. Our results provide a basis for the discovery of the evolution, molecular origin, and unique traits of Jinchuan yak. PMID:29339406

Genetic Diversity, Molecular Phylogeny, and Selection Evidence of Jinchuan Yak Revealed by Whole-Genome Resequencing.

PubMed

Lan, Daoliang; Xiong, Xianrong; Mipam, Tserang-Donko; Fu, Changxiu; Li, Qiang; Ai, Yi; Hou, Dingchao; Chai, Zhixin; Zhong, Jincheng; Li, Jian

2018-03-02

Jinchuan yak, a newly discovered yak breed, not only possesses a large proportion of multi-ribs but also exhibits many good characteristics, such as high meat production, milk yield, and reproductive performance. However, there is limited information about its overall genetic structure, relationship with yaks in other areas, and possible origins and evolutionary processes. In this study, 7,693,689 high-quality single-nucleotide polymorphisms were identified by resequencing the genome of Jinchuan yak. Principal component and population genetic structure analyses showed that Jinchuan yak could be distinguished as an independent population among the domestic yak population. Linkage disequilibrium analysis showed that the decay rate of Jinchuan yak was the lowest of the domestic yak breeds, indicating that the degree of domestication and selection intensity of Jinchuan yak were higher than those of other yak breeds. Combined with archaeological data, we speculated that the origin of domestication of Jinchuan yak was ∼6000 yr ago (4000-10,000 yr ago). The quantitative dynamics of population growth history in Jinchuan yak was similar to that of other breeds of domestic and wild yaks, but was closer to that of the wild yak. No significant gene exchange between Jinchuan and other domestic yaks occurred. Compared with other domestic yaks, Jinchuan yak possessed 339 significantly and positively selected genes, several of which relate to physiological rhythm, histones, and the breed's excellent production characteristics. Our results provide a basis for the discovery of the evolution, molecular origin, and unique traits of Jinchuan yak. Copyright © 2018 Lan et al.

The adder (Vipera berus) in Southern Altay Mountains: population characteristics, distribution, morphology and phylogenetic position

PubMed Central

Cui, Shaopeng; Luo, Xiao; Chen, Daiqiang; Sun, Jizhou; Chu, Hongjun

2016-01-01

As the most widely distributed snake in Eurasia, the adder (Vipera berus) has been extensively investigated in Europe but poorly understood in Asia. The Southern Altay Mountains represent the adder’s southern distribution limit in Central Asia, whereas its population status has never been assessed. We conducted, for the first time, field surveys for the adder at two areas of Southern Altay Mountains using a combination of line transects and random searches. We also described the morphological characteristics of the collected specimens and conducted analyses of external morphology and molecular phylogeny. The results showed that the adder distributed in both survey sites and we recorded a total of 34 sightings. In Kanas river valley, the estimated encounter rate over a total of 137 km transects was 0.15 ± 0.05 sightings/km. The occurrence of melanism was only 17%. The small size was typical for the adders in Southern Altay Mountains in contrast to other geographic populations of the nominate subspecies. A phylogenetic tree obtained by Bayesian Inference based on DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (1,023 bp) grouped them within the Northern clade of the species but failed to separate them from the subspecies V. b. sachalinensis. Our discovery extends the distribution range of V. berus and provides a basis for further researches. We discuss the hypothesis that the adder expands its distribution border to the southwest along the mountains’ elevation gradient, but the population abundance declines gradually due to a drying climate. PMID:27602300

Wolf population genetics in Europe: a systematic review, meta-analysis and suggestions for conservation and management.

PubMed

Hindrikson, Maris; Remm, Jaanus; Pilot, Malgorzata; Godinho, Raquel; Stronen, Astrid Vik; Baltrūnaité, Laima; Czarnomska, Sylwia D; Leonard, Jennifer A; Randi, Ettore; Nowak, Carsten; Åkesson, Mikael; López-Bao, José Vicente; Álvares, Francisco; Llaneza, Luis; Echegaray, Jorge; Vilà, Carles; Ozolins, Janis; Rungis, Dainis; Aspi, Jouni; Paule, Ladislav; Skrbinšek, Tomaž; Saarma, Urmas

2017-08-01

The grey wolf (Canis lupus) is an iconic large carnivore that has increasingly been recognized as an apex predator with intrinsic value and a keystone species. However, wolves have also long represented a primary source of human-carnivore conflict, which has led to long-term persecution of wolves, resulting in a significant decrease in their numbers, genetic diversity and gene flow between populations. For more effective protection and management of wolf populations in Europe, robust scientific evidence is crucial. This review serves as an analytical summary of the main findings from wolf population genetic studies in Europe, covering major studies from the 'pre-genomic era' and the first insights of the 'genomics era'. We analyse, summarize and discuss findings derived from analyses of three compartments of the mammalian genome with different inheritance modes: maternal (mitochondrial DNA), paternal (Y chromosome) and biparental [autosomal microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)]. To describe large-scale trends and patterns of genetic variation in European wolf populations, we conducted a meta-analysis based on the results of previous microsatellite studies and also included new data, covering all 19 European countries for which wolf genetic information is available: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Belarus, Russia, Italy, Croatia, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Spain and Portugal. We compared different indices of genetic diversity in wolf populations and found a significant spatial trend in heterozygosity across Europe from south-west (lowest genetic diversity) to north-east (highest). The range of spatial autocorrelation calculated on the basis of three characteristics of genetic diversity was 650-850 km, suggesting that the genetic diversity of a given wolf population can be influenced by populations up to 850 km away. As an important outcome of this synthesis, we discuss the most pressing issues threatening wolf populations in Europe, highlight important gaps in current knowledge, suggest solutions to overcome these limitations, and provide recommendations for science-based wolf conservation and management at regional and Europe-wide scales. © 2016 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

Chicago's Spanish-Speaking Population: Selected Statistics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chicago Dept. of Development and Planning, IL.

Based on selected data from the 1970 census, this report provides a general description of Chicago's Spanish-speaking population's: (1) general population characteristics; (2) age and family characteristics; (3) income; (4) labor force characteristics; (5) education; and (6) housing. Using the Census Bureau's definition of Spanish speaking (all…

Testing the reliability of information extracted from ancient zircon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kielman, Ross; Whitehouse, Martin; Nemchin, Alexander

2015-04-01

Studies combining zircon U-Pb chronology, trace element distribution as well as O and Hf isotope systematics are a powerful way to gain understanding of the processes shaping Earth's evolution, especially in detrital populations where constraints from the original host are missing. Such studies of the Hadean detrital zircon population abundant in sedimentary rocks in Western Australia have involved analysis of an unusually large number of individual grains, but also highlighted potential problems with the approach, only apparent when multiple analyses are obtained from individual grains. A common feature of the Hadean as well as many early Archaean zircon populations is their apparent inhomogeneity, which reduces confidence in conclusions based on studies combining chemistry and isotopic characteristics of zircon. In order to test the reliability of information extracted from early Earth zircon, we report results from one of the first in-depth multi-method study of zircon from a relatively simple early Archean magmatic rock, used as an analogue to ancient detrital zircon. The approach involves making multiple SIMS analyses in individual grains in order to be comparable to the most advanced studies of detrital zircon populations. The investigated sample is a relatively undeformed, non-migmatitic ca. 3.8 Ga tonalite collected a few kms south of the Isua Greenstone Belt, southwest Greenland. Extracted zircon grains can be combined into three different groups based on the behavior of their U-Pb systems: (i) grains that show internally consistent and concordant ages and define an average age of 3805±15 Ma, taken to be the age of the rock, (ii) grains that are distributed close to the concordia line, but with significant variability between multiple analyses, suggesting an ancient Pb loss and (iii) grains that have multiple analyses distributed along a discordia pointing towards a zero intercept, indicating geologically recent Pb-loss. This overall behavior has important implications for the studies of detrital populations, suggesting that even zircon from a supposedly single population can form a complex age distribution pattern. Notably, the age groups are also very similar to those identified at this time interval in the zircon population from Jack Hills in Western Australia. Interestingly 18O in zircon from the Greenland tonalite sample is very consistent at the mantle value and independent of the behavior of the U-Pb system, suggesting general stability of even metamict zircon as related to the O isotope exchange. At least it indicates that if this exchange takes place as it appears to be the case for the Hadean zircon, factors other than just the radiation damage have to play a role in the zircon modification.

Farm Population of the United States: 1976. Current Population Reports: Farm Population.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banks, Vera J.; And Others

Prepared cooperatively by the Bureau of the Census and the Economic Research Service of the U.S. DeparLment of Agriculture, this document presents narrative and tabular data on: demographic and social characteristics of the farm population; economic characteristics of the farm population; revision of farm population processing procedures; and…

Households, Families, Marital Status, and Living Arrangements: March 1986 (Advance Report).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Current Population Reports, 1986

1986-01-01

This report updates recent trends in household and family characteristics and contains demographic data from the March 1986 "Current Population Survey." The population characteristics include household composition, household and family size, age at marriage, and unmarried couples. The document reports that the U.S. population characteristics are…

Children's Living Arrangements and Characteristics: March 2002. Current Population Reports.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fields, Jason

As part of the 2002 Current Population Survey, this report presents information on several characteristics of children, covering different aspects of their lives. It focuses on demographic characteristics of the child population of the United States and family living arrangements, including single parent families, cohabiting parent families, and…

Long-term health experience of jet engine manufacturing workers: V. Issues with the analysis of non-malignant central nervous system neoplasms.

PubMed

Buchanich, Jeanine M; Youk, Ada O; Marsh, Gary M; Kennedy, Kathleen J; Lacey, Steven E; Hancock, Roger P; Esmen, Nurtan A; Cunningham, Michael A; Leiberman, Frank S; Fleissner, Mary Lou

2011-01-01

We attempted to examine non-malignant central nervous system (CNS) neoplasms incidence rates for workers at 8 jet engine manufacturing facilities in Connecticut. The objective of this manuscript is to describe difficulties encountered regarding these analyses to aid future studies. We traced the cohort for incident cases of CNS neoplasms in states where 95% of deaths in the total cohort occurred. We used external and internal analyses in an attempt to obtain the true risk of non-malignant CNS in the cohort. Because these analyses were limited by data constraints, we conducted sensitivity analyses, including using state driver's license data to adjust person-year stop dates to help minimize underascertainment and more accurately determine cohort risk estimates. We identified 3 unanticipated challenges: case identification, determination of population-based cancer incidence rates, and handling of case underascertainment. These factors precluded an accurate assessment of non-malignant CNS neoplasm incidence risks in this occupational epidemiology study. The relatively recent (2004) mandate of capturing non-malignant CNS tumor data at the state level means that, in time, it may be possible to conduct external analyses of these data. Meanwhile, similar occupational epidemiology studies may be limited to descriptive analysis of the non-malignant CNS case characteristics.

Meta-synthesis of health behavior change meta-analyses.

PubMed

Johnson, Blair T; Scott-Sheldon, Lori A J; Carey, Michael P

2010-11-01

We integrated and compared meta-analytic findings across diverse behavioral interventions to characterize how well they have achieved change in health behavior. Outcomes from 62 meta-analyses of interventions for change in health behavior were quantitatively synthesized, including 1011 primary-level investigations with 599,559 participants. Content coding suggested 6 behavioral domains: eating and physical activity, sexual behavior, addictive behaviors, stress management, female-specific screening and intervention behaviors, and behaviors involving use of health services. Behavior change interventions were efficacious (mean effect sizes = 0.08-0.45). Behavior change was more evident in more recent meta-analyses; those that sampled older interventions and literatures or sampled more published articles; those that included studies that relied on self-report, used briefer interventions, or sampled fewer, older, or female participants; and in some domains (e.g., stress management) more than others (e.g., sexual behaviors). Interventions improved health-related behaviors; however, efficacy varied as a function of participant and intervention characteristics. This meta-synthesis provides information about the efficacy of behavioral change interventions across health domains and populations; this knowledge can inform the design and development of public health interventions and future meta-analyses of these studies.

Population Stratification and Underrepresentation of Indian Subcontinent Genetic Diversity in the 1000 Genomes Project Dataset

PubMed Central

Sengupta, Dhriti; Choudhury, Ananyo; Basu, Analabha; Ramsay, Michèle

2016-01-01

Genomic variation in Indian populations is of great interest due to the diversity of ancestral components, social stratification, endogamy and complex admixture patterns. With an expanding population of 1.2 billion, India is also a treasure trove to catalogue innocuous as well as clinically relevant rare mutations. Recent studies have revealed four dominant ancestries in populations from mainland India: Ancestral North-Indian (ANI), Ancestral South-Indian (ASI), Ancestral Tibeto–Burman (ATB) and Ancestral Austro-Asiatic (AAA). The 1000 Genomes Project (KGP) Phase-3 data include about 500 genomes from five linguistically defined Indian-Subcontinent (IS) populations (Punjabi, Gujrati, Bengali, Telugu and Tamil) some of whom are recent migrants to USA or UK. Comparative analyses show that despite the distinct geographic origins of the KGP-IS populations, the ANI component is predominantly represented in this dataset. Previous studies demonstrated population substructure in the HapMap Gujrati population, and we found evidence for additional substructure in the Punjabi and Telugu populations. These substructured populations have characteristic/significant differences in heterozygosity and inbreeding coefficients. Moreover, we demonstrate that the substructure is better explained by factors like differences in proportion of ancestral components, and endogamy driven social structure rather than invoking a novel ancestral component to explain it. Therefore, using language and/or geography as a proxy for an ethnic unit is inadequate for many of the IS populations. This highlights the necessity for more nuanced sampling strategies or corrective statistical approaches, particularly for biomedical and population genetics research in India. PMID:27797945

Farm Population of the United States: 1974. Current Population Reports, Farm Population.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banks, Vera J.; And Others

Based on data derived primarily from the Current Population Survey of the Bureau of the Census, this statistical report presents demographic and labor force characteristics of the U.S. farm population and a comparison of selected characteristics of the farm and nonfarm population. Tabular data are presented as follows: (1) Population of the U.S.,…

Morphological analysis of Trichomycterus areolatus Valenciennes, 1846 from southern Chilean rivers using a truss-based system (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae).

PubMed

Colihueque, Nelson; Corrales, Olga; Yáñez, Miguel

2017-01-01

Trichomycterus areolatus Valenciennes, 1846 is a small endemic catfish inhabiting the Andean river basins of Chile. In this study, the morphological variability of three T. areolatus populations, collected in two river basins from southern Chile, was assessed with multivariate analyses, including principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant function analysis (DFA). It is hypothesized that populations must segregate morphologically from each other based on the river basin that they were sampled from, since each basin presents relatively particular hydrological characteristics. Significant morphological differences among the three populations were found with PCA (ANOSIM test, r = 0.552, p < 0.0001) and DFA (Wilks's λ = 0.036, p < 0.01). PCA accounted for a total variation of 56.16% by the first two principal components. The first Principal Component (PC1) and PC2 explained 34.72 and 21.44% of the total variation, respectively. The scatter-plot of the first two discriminant functions (DF1 on DF2) also validated the existence of three different populations. In group classification using DFA, 93.3% of the specimens were correctly-classified into their original populations. Of the total of 22 transformed truss measurements, 17 exhibited highly significant ( p < 0.01) differences among populations. The data support the existence of T. areolatus morphological variation across different rivers in southern Chile, likely reflecting the geographic isolation underlying population structure of the species.

Genotyping of 75 SNPs using arrays for individual identification in five population groups.

PubMed

Hwa, Hsiao-Lin; Wu, Lawrence Shih Hsin; Lin, Chun-Yen; Huang, Tsun-Ying; Yin, Hsiang-I; Tseng, Li-Hui; Lee, James Chun-I

2016-01-01

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing offers promise to forensic genetics. Various strategies and panels for analyzing SNP markers for individual identification have been published. However, the best panels with fewer identity SNPs for all major population groups are still under discussion. This study aimed to find more autosomal SNPs with high heterozygosity for individual identification among Asian populations. Ninety-six autosomal SNPs of 502 DNA samples from unrelated individuals of five population groups (208 Taiwanese Han, 83 Filipinos, 62 Thais, 69 Indonesians, and 80 individuals with European, Near Eastern, or South Asian ancestry) were analyzed using arrays in an initial screening, and 75 SNPs (group A, 46 newly selected SNPs; groups B, 29 SNPs based on a previous SNP panel) were selected for further statistical analyses. Some SNPs with high heterozygosity from Asian populations were identified. The combined random match probability of the best 40 and 45 SNPs was between 3.16 × 10(-17) and 7.75 × 10(-17) and between 2.33 × 10(-19) and 7.00 × 10(-19), respectively, in all five populations. These loci offer comparable power to short tandem repeats (STRs) for routine forensic profiling. In this study, we demonstrated the population genetic characteristics and forensic parameters of 75 SNPs with high heterozygosity from five population groups. This SNPs panel can provide valuable genotypic information and can be helpful in forensic casework for individual identification among these populations.

Estimating the prevalence of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Akioyamen, Leo E; Genest, Jacques; Shan, Shubham D; Reel, Rachel L; Albaum, Jordan M; Chu, Anna; Tu, Jack V

2017-01-01

Objectives Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) confers a significant risk for premature cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the estimated prevalence of FH varies substantially among studies. We aimed to provide a summary estimate of FH prevalence in the general population and assess variations in frequency across different sociodemographic characteristics. Setting, participants and outcome measures We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO and PubMed for peer-reviewed literature using validated strategies. Results were limited to studies published in English between January 1990 and January 2017. Studies were eligible if they determined FH prevalence using clinical criteria or DNA-based analyses. We determined a pooled point prevalence of FH in adults and children and assessed the variation of the pooled frequency by age, sex, geographical location, diagnostic method, study quality and year of publication. Estimates were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. Differences by study-level characteristics were investigated through subgroups, meta-regression and sensitivity analyses. Results The pooled prevalence of FH from 19 studies including 2 458 456 unique individuals was 0.40% (95% CI 0.29% to 0.52%) which corresponds to a frequency of 1 in 250 individuals. FH prevalence was found to vary by age and geographical location but not by any other covariates. Results were consistent in sensitivity analyses. Conclusions Our systematic review suggests that FH is a common disorder, affecting 1 in 250 individuals. These findings underscore the need for early detection and management to decrease CVD risk. PMID:28864697

Mortality inequality in two native population groups.

PubMed

Saarela, Jan; Finnäs, Fjalar

2005-11-01

A sample of people aged 40-67 years, taken from a longitudinal register compiled by Statistics Finland, is used to analyse mortality differences between Swedish speakers and Finnish speakers in Finland. Finnish speakers are known to have higher death rates than Swedish speakers. The purpose is to explore whether labour-market experience and partnership status, treated as proxies for measures of variation in health-related characteristics, are related to the mortality differential. Persons who are single, disability pensioners, and those having experienced unemployment are found to have substantially higher death rates than those with a partner and employed persons. Swedish speakers have a more favourable distribution on both variables, which thus notably helps to reduce the Finnish-Swedish mortality gradient. A conclusion from this study is that future analyses on the topic should focus on mechanisms that bring a greater proportion of Finnish speakers into the groups with poor health or supposed unhealthy behaviour.

Exploring Mexican American adolescent romantic relationship profiles and adjustment

PubMed Central

Moosmann, Danyel A.V.; Roosa, Mark W.

2015-01-01

Although Mexican Americans are the largest ethnic minority group in the nation, knowledge is limited regarding this population's adolescent romantic relationships. This study explored whether 12th grade Mexican Americans’ (N = 218; 54% female) romantic relationship characteristics, cultural values, and gender created unique latent classes and if so, whether they were linked to adjustment. Latent class analyses suggested three profiles including, relatively speaking, higher, satisfactory, and lower quality romantic relationships. Regression analyses indicated these profiles had distinct associations with adjustment. Specifically, adolescents with higher and satisfactory quality romantic relationships reported greater future family expectations, higher self-esteem, and fewer externalizing symptoms than those with lower quality romantic relationships. Similarly, adolescents with higher quality romantic relationships reported greater academic self-efficacy and fewer sexual partners than those with lower quality romantic relationships. Overall, results suggested higher quality romantic relationships were most optimal for adjustment. Future research directions and implications are discussed. PMID:26141198

Associations Between Quality of Life and Functioning in an Assertive Community Treatment Population.

PubMed

Clausen, Hanne; Landheim, Anne; Odden, Sigrun; Heiervang, Kristin Sverdvik; Stuen, Hanne Kilen; Killaspy, Helen; Šaltytė Benth, Jurate; Ruud, Torleif

2015-11-01

Level of functioning is positively associated with subjective quality of life for people with severe mental illness, but a detailed relationship between functioning and satisfaction with various life domains is largely unknown, and this gap prompted this study. Demographic and clinical data were obtained from 149 patients engaged with 12 assertive community treatment teams in Norway. Multivariate regression analyses were used to explore associations between subjective quality of life and patient characteristics. Analyses confirmed positive associations between quality of life and age, functioning, and weekly contact with family and friends and a negative association with anxiety and depressive symptoms. Positive associations between several areas of practical and social functioning and satisfaction with related life domains also were found. Although a causal direction of the associations between functioning and life satisfaction has not been determined in this study, the positive findings might indicate that programs aiming to improve functioning could affect patients' quality of life.

Examining the Supply of and Demand for Physiotherapy in Saskatchewan: The Relationship between Where Physiotherapists Work and Population Health Need.

PubMed

McFadden, Brighid; Jones McGrath, Kendra; Lowe, Teghan; Thiessen, Carla; Irinici, Steven; Shah, Tayyab; Milosavljevic, Stephan; Bath, Brenna

Purpose: This research examined the association between the distribution of physiotherapists in Saskatchewan relative to population health characteristics and self-reported physiotherapy use. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, de-identified data were collected from the 2013 Saskatchewan College of Physical Therapy membership renewals ( n =643), and Saskatchewan population health characteristics data were obtained from the 2009-2012 Canadian Community Health Surveys (CCHSs). Age- and sex-adjusted proportions of selected population health characteristics were calculated and stratified by health region and rural-urban location; both were determined, for physiotherapists and CCHS participants, using postal codes. The association between physiotherapy distribution and physiotherapy use was calculated, and geospatial mapping techniques were used to display physiotherapist distribution across the province relative to population health characteristics. Results: Across health regions, a positive correlation ( r =0.655, p <0.029) was found between physiotherapist distribution and self-reported physiotherapy use. Mapping population health characteristics according to physiotherapist distribution demonstrated an imbalance between supply and distribution of physiotherapists and population health needs and demands. Conclusion: There is a discrepancy in Saskatchewan among the distribution of physiotherapists, self-reported physiotherapy use, and population health characteristics, especially in rural settings. These findings provide insight into which areas are in need of increased physiotherapy services.

Examining the Supply of and Demand for Physiotherapy in Saskatchewan: The Relationship between Where Physiotherapists Work and Population Health Need

PubMed Central

McFadden, Brighid; Jones McGrath, Kendra; Lowe, Teghan; Thiessen, Carla; Irinici, Steven; Shah, Tayyab; Milosavljevic, Stephan

2016-01-01

Purpose: This research examined the association between the distribution of physiotherapists in Saskatchewan relative to population health characteristics and self-reported physiotherapy use. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, de-identified data were collected from the 2013 Saskatchewan College of Physical Therapy membership renewals (n=643), and Saskatchewan population health characteristics data were obtained from the 2009–2012 Canadian Community Health Surveys (CCHSs). Age- and sex-adjusted proportions of selected population health characteristics were calculated and stratified by health region and rural–urban location; both were determined, for physiotherapists and CCHS participants, using postal codes. The association between physiotherapy distribution and physiotherapy use was calculated, and geospatial mapping techniques were used to display physiotherapist distribution across the province relative to population health characteristics. Results: Across health regions, a positive correlation (r=0.655, p<0.029) was found between physiotherapist distribution and self-reported physiotherapy use. Mapping population health characteristics according to physiotherapist distribution demonstrated an imbalance between supply and distribution of physiotherapists and population health needs and demands. Conclusion: There is a discrepancy in Saskatchewan among the distribution of physiotherapists, self-reported physiotherapy use, and population health characteristics, especially in rural settings. These findings provide insight into which areas are in need of increased physiotherapy services. PMID:27904233

The population structure of Escherichia coli isolated from subtropical and temperate soils.

PubMed

Byappanahalli, Muruleedhara N; Yan, Tao; Hamilton, Matthew J; Ishii, Satoshi; Fujioka, Roger S; Whitman, Richard L; Sadowsky, Michael J

2012-02-15

While genotypically-distinct naturalized Escherichia coli strains have been shown to occur in riparian soils of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior watersheds, comparative analyses of E. coli populations in diverse soils across a range of geographic and climatic conditions have not been investigated. The main objectives of this study were to: (a) examine the population structure and genetic relatedness of E. coli isolates collected from different soil types on a tropical island (Hawaii), and (b) determine if E. coli populations from Hawaii and temperate soils (Indiana, Minnesota) shared similar genotypes that may be reflective of biome-related soil conditions. DNA fingerprint and multivariate statistical analyses were used to examine the population structure and genotypic characteristics of the E. coli isolates. About 33% (98 of 293) of the E. coli from different soil types and locations on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, had unique DNA fingerprints, indicating that these bacteria were relatively diverse; the Shannon diversity index for the population was 4.03. Nearly 60% (171 of 293) of the E. coli isolates from Hawaii clustered into two major groups and the rest, with two or more isolates, fell into one of 22 smaller groups, or individual lineages. Multivariate analysis of variance of 89, 21, and 106 unique E. coli DNA fingerprints for Hawaii, Indiana, and Minnesota soils, respectively, showed that isolates formed tight cohesive groups, clustering mainly by location. However, there were several instances of clonal isolates being shared between geographically different locations. Thus, while nearly identical E. coli strains were shared between disparate climatologically- and geographically-distinct locations, a vast majority of the soil E. coli strains were genotypically diverse and were likely derived from separate lineages. This supports the hypothesis that these bacteria are not unique and multiple genotypes can readily adapt to become part of the soil autochthonous microflora. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The population structure of Escherichia coli isolated from subtropical and temperate soils

USGS Publications Warehouse

Byappanahalli, Muruleedhara N.; Yan, Tao; Hamilton, Matthew J.; Ishii, Satoshi; Fujioka, Roger S.; Whitman, Richard L.; Sadowsky, Michael J.

2012-01-01

While genotypically-distinct naturalized Escherichia coli strains have been shown to occur in riparian soils of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior watersheds, comparative analyses of E. coli populations in diverse soils across a range of geographic and climatic conditions have not been investigated. The main objectives of this study were to: (a) examine the population structure and genetic relatedness of E. coli isolates collected from different soil types on a tropical island (Hawaii), and (b) determine if E. coli populations from Hawaii and temperate soils (Indiana, Minnesota) shared similar genotypes that may be reflective of biome-related soil conditions. DNA fingerprint and multivariate statistical analyses were used to examine the population structure and genotypic characteristics of the E. coli isolates. About 33% (98 of 293) of the E. coli from different soil types and locations on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, had unique DNA fingerprints, indicating that these bacteria were relatively diverse; the Shannon diversity index for the population was 4.03. Nearly 60% (171 of 293) of the E. coli isolates from Hawaii clustered into two major groups and the rest, with two or more isolates, fell into one of 22 smaller groups, or individual lineages. Multivariate analysis of variance of 89, 21, and 106 unique E. coli DNA fingerprints for Hawaii, Indiana, and Minnesota soils, respectively, showed that isolates formed tight cohesive groups, clustering mainly by location. However, there were several instances of clonal isolates being shared between geographically different locations. Thus, while nearly identical E. coli strains were shared between disparate climatologically- and geographically-distinct locations, a vast majority of the soil E. coli strains were genotypically diverse and were likely derived from separate lineages. This supports the hypothesis that these bacteria are not unique and multiple genotypes can readily adapt to become part of the soil autochthonous microflora.

Ethnic and Racial Inequalities in Notified Cases of Tuberculosis in Brazil

PubMed Central

Viana, Paulo Victor de Sousa; Gonçalves, Maria Jacirema Ferreira; Basta, Paulo Cesar

2016-01-01

Objective This study analysed clinical and sociodemographic aspects and follow-up for notified cases of tuberculosis (TB) and explored inequalities in incidence rates and outcome by colour or race and the geographic macro-regions of Brazil. Methods This paper reports the results of a population-based descriptive epidemiological study of all notified cases of TB in Brazil during the period from 01/01/2008 to 31/12/2011. We analysed sociodemographic and clinical variables according to colour or race (white, black, Asian, mixed, and indigenous) and geographic macro-regions of the country (North, Northeast, Central-West, South, and Southeast). Results During the study period, the average incidence of TB in Brazil was 36.7 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, with the highest rates occurring in the North and Southeast regions. The analysis of TB notifications by colour or race revealed that the indigenous population presented the highest incidence rates in all macro-regions except the South, where higher rates were reported in black patients. ‘Cured’ was the most frequently reported treatment outcome for all skin colour categories. The highest cure rate occurred among the indigenous population (76.8%), while the lowest cure rate occurred among the black population (70.7%). Rates of treatment default were highest among blacks (10.5%) and lowest among the indigenous population (6.9%). However, the fatality rate was similar across race categories, varying between 2.8% and 3.8% for whites and the indigenous population, respectively. The lowest cure rates were observed when follow-up was inadequate (58.3%), and the highest was observed when the follow-up was classified as excellent (96.8%). Conclusions This study revealed that—apart from the heterogeneous distribution of TB among the Brazilian macro-regions—ethnic-racial inequalities exist in terms of clinical-epidemiological characteristics and incidence rates as well as follow-up for cases undergoing treatment. The highest rates of TB occurred among the indigenous people. PMID:27176911

Psychosocial co-morbidities in Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain syndrome (IC/BPS): A systematic review.

PubMed

McKernan, Lindsey C; Walsh, Colin G; Reynolds, William S; Crofford, Leslie J; Dmochowski, Roger R; Williams, David A

2018-03-01

Psychosocial factors amplify symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis (IC/BPS). While psychosocial self-management is efficacious in other pain conditions, its impact on an IC/BPS population has rarely been studied. The objective of this review is to learn the prevalence and impact of psychosocial factors on IC/BPS, assess baseline psychosocial characteristics, and offer recommendations for assessment and treatment. Following PRISMA guidelines, primary information sources were PubMed including MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, and GoogleScholar. Inclusion criteria included: (i) a clearly defined cohort with IC/BPS or with Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome provided the IC/BPS cohort was delineated with quantitative results from the main cohort; (ii) all genders and regions; (iii) studies written in English from 1995 to April 14, 2017; (iv) quantitative report of psychosocial factors as outcome measures or at minimum as baseline characteristics. Thirty-four of an initial 642 articles were reviewed. Quantitative analyses demonstrate the magnitude of psychosocial difficulties in IC/BPS, which are worse than average on all measures, and fall into areas of clinical concern for 7 out of 10 measures. Meta-analyses shows mean Mental Component Score of the Short-Form 12 Health Survey (MCS) of 40.80 (SD 6.25, N = 2912), where <36 is consistent with severe psychological impairment. Averaged across studies, the population scored in the range seen in clinical depression (CES-D 19.89, SD 13.12, N = 564) and generalized anxiety disorder (HADS-A 8.15, SD 4.85, N = 465). The psychological impact of IC/BPS is pervasive and severe. Existing evidence of treatment is lacking and suggests self-management intervention may be helpful. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The effect of medical and operative birth interventions on child health outcomes in the first 28 days and up to 5 years of age: A linked data population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Peters, Lilian L; Thornton, Charlene; de Jonge, Ank; Khashan, Ali; Tracy, Mark; Downe, Soo; Feijen-de Jong, Esther I; Dahlen, Hannah G

2018-03-25

Spontaneous vaginal birth rates are decreasing worldwide, while cesarean delivery, instrumental births, and medical birth interventions are increasing. Emerging evidence suggests that birth interventions may have an effect on children's health. Therefore, the aim of our study was to examine the association between operative and medical birth interventions on the child's health during the first 28 days and up to 5 years of age. In New South Wales (Australia), population-linked data sets were analyzed, including data on maternal characteristics, child characteristics, mode of birth, interventions during labor and birth, and adverse health outcomes of the children (ie, jaundice, feeding problems, hypothermia, asthma, respiratory infections, gastrointestinal disorders, other infections, metabolic disorder, and eczema) registered with the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification codes. Logistic regression analyses were performed for each adverse health outcome. Our analyses included 491 590 women and their children; of those 38% experienced a spontaneous vaginal birth. Infants who experienced an instrumental birth after induction or augmentation had the highest risk of jaundice, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.75 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.61-2.91) compared with spontaneous vaginal birth. Children born by cesarean delivery were particularly at statistically significantly increased risk for infections, eczema, and metabolic disorder, compared with spontaneous vaginal birth. Children born by emergency cesarean delivery showed the highest association for metabolic disorder, aOR 2.63 (95% CI 2.26-3.07). Children born by spontaneous vaginal birth had fewer short- and longer-term health problems, compared with those born after birth interventions. © 2018 the Authors. Birth published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mortality outcomes in hospitals with public, private not-for-profit and private for-profit ownership in Chile 2001-2010.

PubMed

Cid Pedraza, Camilo; Herrera, Cristian A; Prieto Toledo, Lorena; Oyarzún, Felipe

2015-03-01

Public, private not-for-profit (PNFP) and private for-profit (PFP) hospitals may have different behaviour and performance in different indicators such as health outcomes, cost-efficiency and quality. Chile has a mixed healthcare system both in financing and service delivery. The public National Health Fund (Fondo Nacional de Salud) covers 76% of the population-poorer and with higher health risks-whereas private health insurers cover 16% of the population-richer and with lower health risks. The aim of the study was to analyse the in-patient mortality outcomes by hospital ownership in Chile. We use hospital discharge data in Chile for the period 2001-10 with a total of 16,205,314 discharges in 20 public, 6 PNFP and 15 PFP hospitals. We analyse in-patient mortality considering all diagnoses and a subsample considering only myocardial infarction and stroke diagnoses. Using a probit regression, we estimate how hospital ownership explains in-patient mortality controlling for other confounding variables like health and socioeconomic status, and hospital characteristics. The discharge condition was reported as death in 3.5% of the public hospitals' discharges, 1.3% in PNFP and 0.7% in PFP. PNFP and PFP hospitals show a lower risk of in-hospital mortality for all diagnoses, myocardial infarction and stroke in comparison with public hospitals. The question about which type of hospital ownership performs better in Chile remains open. Policy decisions regarding health service provision requires more evidence explaining differences by ownership. Better controls for health risk and hospital characteristics are suggested to address these differences in hospital performance. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2015; all rights reserved.

Factors influencing professional life satisfaction among neurologists.

PubMed

Teixeira-Poit, Stephanie M; Halpern, Michael T; Kane, Heather L; Keating, Michael; Olmsted, Murrey

2017-06-19

Predicted shortages in the supply of neurologists may limit patients' access to and quality of care for neurological disorders. Retaining neurologists already in practice provides one opportunity to support the overall supply of practicing neurologists. Understanding factors associated with professional life satisfaction (and dissatisfaction) and implementing policies to enhance satisfaction may encourage neurologists to remain in clinical practice. In this paper, we present results from the first study examining factors associated with professional life satisfaction among a large sample of U.S, neurologists. We collaborated with the AAN to survey a sample of U.S. neurologists about their professional life satisfaction. Analyses examined the association of physician and practice characteristics with aspects of professional life satisfaction, including satisfaction with their career in medicine, medical specialty, current position, relationship with colleagues, relationship with patients, work/life balance, and pay. The study population consisted of 625 neurologists. In multivariate regression analyses, no single group or population stratum indicated high (or low) responses to all aspects of satisfaction. Older neurologists reported higher satisfaction with career, specialty, and relationship with patients than younger neurologists. Female neurologists had significantly lower satisfaction with pay than male neurologists. Neurologists who spent more time in research and teaching had greater satisfaction with specialty, relationship with colleagues, and relationship with patients than those spending no time in research. Neurologists who practiced in small cities/rural areas reported lower satisfaction across multiple dimensions than those practicing in large urban areas. Neurologists in solo practice had greater satisfaction with the relationship with their patients, but lower satisfaction with pay. Satisfaction is a multidimensional construct that is associated with physician and practice characteristics. Enhancing professional life satisfaction among neurologists requires multiple strategies, such as promoting comparable wages for men and women, providing collaboration and research opportunities, and providing resources for small and rural practices.

Toward tailored disease management for type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Elissen, Arianne M J; Duimel-Peeters, Inge G P; Spreeuwenberg, Cor; Spreeuwenberg, Marieke; Vrijhoef, Hubertus J M

2012-10-01

To assess the differentiated effects of population-based disease management programs (DMPs) for type 2 diabetes on intermediary clinical outcomes in The Netherlands. Data covering a period from 20 to 24 months between January 2008 and December 2010 were collected from 18 Dutch care groups (primary care provider networks that have bundled payment contracts for delivery of diabetes DMPs). Meta-analysis and meta-regression methods were used to conduct differentiated analyses of these programs' effects over time on 4 clinical indicators: glycated hemoglobin, lowdensity lipoprotein, systolic blood pressure, and body mass index. Heterogeneous average results were stratified according to various patient and process characteristics to investigate whether differences in these features could explain variation in outcomes. Between 56% and 71% of patients (N = 105,056) had valid first- and second-year measurements of the study outcomes. Although average changes in these measures over time were small, stratified analyses demonstrated that clinically relevant improvements were achieved in patients with poor first-year health values. Interactions with age, disease duration, comorbidity, and smoking status were not consistent across outcomes; nonetheless, heterogeneity in results decreased considerably when simultaneously correcting for known patient characteristics. Positive effects tended to diminish with longer length of follow-up, while greater measurement frequency was associated with improved results, especially in patients with poor health. Our data suggest that tailored disease management, in which not only evidencebased guidelines but also patient characteristics directly determine care processes, including self-management support, has great potential to improve the cost-effectiveness of current chronic care delivery.

Changes in population characteristics and their implication on public health research.

PubMed

Du, Ping; Coles, F Bruce; O'Campo, Patricia; McNutt, Louise-Anne

2007-07-10

Population estimates are generally drawn from one point in time to study disease trends over time; changes in population characteristics over time are usually not assessed and included in the study design. We evaluated whether population characteristics remained static and assessed the degree of population shifts over time. The analysis was based on the New York State 1990 and 2000 census data with adjustments for changes in geographic boundaries. Differences in census tract information were quantified by calculating the mean, median, standard deviation, and the percent of change for each population characteristic. Between 1990 and 2000, positive and negative fluctuations in population size created a U-shaped bimodal pattern of population change which increased the disparities in demographics and socioeconomic status for many census tracts. While 268 (10%) census tracts contracted by 10%, twice as many census tracts (21%, N = 557) grew at least 10%. Notably, the non-Hispanic African-American population grew 10% or more in 152 tracts. Although there were overall reductions in working class and undereducated populations and gains in incomes, most census tracts experienced growing income inequalities and an increased poverty rate. These changes were most pronounced in urban census tracts. Differences in population characteristics in a decade showed growing disparities in demographics and socioeconomic status. This study elucidates that important population shifts should be taken into account when conducting longitudinal research.

Changes in population characteristics and their implication on public health research

PubMed Central

Du, Ping; Coles, F Bruce; O'Campo, Patricia; McNutt, Louise-Anne

2007-01-01

Population estimates are generally drawn from one point in time to study disease trends over time; changes in population characteristics over time are usually not assessed and included in the study design. We evaluated whether population characteristics remained static and assessed the degree of population shifts over time. The analysis was based on the New York State 1990 and 2000 census data with adjustments for changes in geographic boundaries. Differences in census tract information were quantified by calculating the mean, median, standard deviation, and the percent of change for each population characteristic. Between 1990 and 2000, positive and negative fluctuations in population size created a U-shaped bimodal pattern of population change which increased the disparities in demographics and socioeconomic status for many census tracts. While 268 (10%) census tracts contracted by 10%, twice as many census tracts (21%, N = 557) grew at least 10%. Notably, the non-Hispanic African-American population grew 10% or more in 152 tracts. Although there were overall reductions in working class and undereducated populations and gains in incomes, most census tracts experienced growing income inequalities and an increased poverty rate. These changes were most pronounced in urban census tracts. Differences in population characteristics in a decade showed growing disparities in demographics and socioeconomic status. This study elucidates that important population shifts should be taken into account when conducting longitudinal research. PMID:17623097

Determinants of practice nurses' intention to implement a new smoking cessation intervention: the importance of attitude and innovation characteristics.

PubMed

Smit, Eline Suzanne; de Vries, Hein; Hoving, Ciska

2013-12-01

To identify determinants of practice nurses' intention to implement a new smoking cessation intervention and to investigate the independent value of attitude and Rogers' innovation characteristics. While effective smoking cessation interventions exist, implementation is often suboptimal. No previous studies have disentangled the independent value of beliefs towards implementation and innovation characteristics in explaining implementation. A cross-sectional descriptive study. In 2010, 56 of 91 general practice nurses who participated in an intervention effectiveness trial completed an online questionnaire concerning demographics, patient population characteristics, attitude, innovation characteristics, self-efficacy, perceived social influence and intention to implement the intervention in the future. Recruitment success during the trial was defined as the number of patients participating. To detect differences between intending and non-intending practice nurses, independent sample t-tests and Chi-squared tests were conducted. Correlation coefficients were calculated to identify associations between potential determinants of intention. To identify significant determinants logistic hierarchical regression analyses were conducted. Innovation characteristics and attitude were both significantly associated with practice nurses' intention to implement. While recruitment success showed a significant positive association with intention, perceived patient support was only a significant determinant when including innovation characteristics or attitude. To increase new interventions' implementation rates, it is most important to convince health professionals of its beneficial characteristics, to generate a positive attitude towards the intervention, to aid practice nurses in recruiting smoking patients and to increase perceived patient support. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Measurement of nonclinical personality characteristics of women with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa.

PubMed

Pryor, T; Wiederman, M W

1996-10-01

Past research on personality and eating disorders has most often emphasized personality psychopathology and personality disorders. We further investigated nonclinical personality characteristics among women with anorexia nervosa (n = 35) or bulimia nervosa (n = 45) using the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ; Tellegen, 1982, 1985). The MPQ measures several personality traits that have been shown to consist of a substantial genetic component (Tellegen et al., 1988). In logistic regression analyses, women with anorexia nervosa evidenced greater degrees of control (vs. impulsivity) and general constraint, and a lower degree of absorption in sensory experiences relative to those with bulimia nervosa. Relative to the normative population (Tellegen, 1982), our sample evidenced very low scores on Well-being, Social Closeness, and Positive Affectivity and high scores on Stress Reaction, Alienation, and Negative Affectivity. Our results emphasize the importance of considering nonclinical personality features and temperament, and varying methods of assessment, in the understanding of predisposing factors for eating disorders.

Mobile text messaging for health: a systematic review of reviews.

PubMed

Hall, Amanda K; Cole-Lewis, Heather; Bernhardt, Jay M

2015-03-18

The aim of this systematic review of reviews is to identify mobile text-messaging interventions designed for health improvement and behavior change and to derive recommendations for practice. We have compiled and reviewed existing systematic research reviews and meta-analyses to organize and summarize the text-messaging intervention evidence base, identify best-practice recommendations based on findings from multiple reviews, and explore implications for future research. Our review found that the majority of published text-messaging interventions were effective when addressing diabetes self-management, weight loss, physical activity, smoking cessation, and medication adherence for antiretroviral therapy. However, we found limited evidence across the population of studies and reviews to inform recommended intervention characteristics. Although strong evidence supports the value of integrating text-messaging interventions into public health practice, additional research is needed to establish longer-term intervention effects, identify recommended intervention characteristics, and explore issues of cost-effectiveness.

Trajectories of Leisure Activity and Disability in Older Adults Over 11 Years in Taiwan.

PubMed

Yu, Hsiao-Wei; Chiang, Tung-Liang; Chen, Duan-Rung; Tu, Yu-Kang; Chen, Ya-Mei

2018-06-01

We aimed to identify leisure activity (LA) trajectories and examined the association among baseline characteristics, LA trajectories, and the later disability among older Taiwanese adults. Data were from the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging Survey for the years 1996-2007 ( N = 3,186). LA trajectories were identified by using latent class growth curve modeling. Regression analyses were applied to predict the relationships among baseline characteristics, LA trajectories, and disability. Four LA trajectories-consistent high, consistent low, increasing, and decreasing-were identified. Lower depressive symptom was related to consistently active in LAs. Younger age and fewer comorbidities were related to develop an increasing LA trajectory. Participants in the consistent-high or increasing LA trajectories were more likely to be functionally independent, but those in the decreasing LA subgroup were more at risk of developing disability. The findings suggested that long-term changes in LA over time have benefits on physical health in older population.

Mobile Text Messaging for Health: A Systematic Review of Reviews

PubMed Central

Hall, Amanda K.; Cole-Lewis, Heather; Bernhardt, Jay M.

2015-01-01

The aim of this systematic review of reviews is to identify mobile text-messaging interventions designed for health improvement and behavior change and to derive recommendations for practice. We have compiled and reviewed existing systematic research reviews and meta-analyses to organize and summarize the text-messaging intervention evidence base, identify best-practice recommendations based on findings from multiple reviews, and explore implications for future research. Our review found that the majority of published text-messaging interventions were effective when addressing diabetes self-management, weight loss, physical activity, smoking cessation, and medication adherence for antiretroviral therapy. However, we found limited evidence across the population of studies and reviews to inform recommended intervention characteristics. Although strong evidence supports the value of integrating text-messaging interventions into public health practice, additional research is needed to establish longer-term intervention effects, identify recommended intervention characteristics, and explore issues of cost-effectiveness. PMID:25785892

OTD Observations of Continental US Ground and Cloud Flashes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koshak, William

2007-01-01

Lightning optical flash parameters (e.g., radiance, area, duration, number of optical groups, and number of optical events) derived from almost five years of Optical Transient Detector (OTD) data are analyzed. Hundreds of thousands of OTD flashes occurring over the continental US are categorized according to flash type (ground or cloud flash) using US National Lightning Detection Network TM (NLDN) data. The statistics of the optical characteristics of the ground and cloud flashes are inter-compared on an overall basis, and as a function of ground flash polarity. A standard two-distribution hypothesis test is used to inter-compare the population means of a given lightning parameter for the two flash types. Given the differences in the statistics of the optical characteristics, it is suggested that statistical analyses (e.g., Bayesian Inference) of the space-based optical measurements might make it possible to successfully discriminate ground and cloud flashes a reasonable percentage of the time.

Differences in the workforce experiences of women and men with arthritis disability: a population health perspective.

PubMed

Kaptein, Simone A; Gignac, Monique A M; Badley, Elizabeth M

2009-05-15

To examine the employment status characteristics of people with arthritis disability, with a focus on gender differences and who remains in the workforce. Analyses were based on cross-sectional, self-reported data of the Canadian Participation and Activity Limitation Survey, administered in 2001-2002 (n = 28,908). Labor force status was categorized into employed, unemployed, and not in the labor force. Prevalence estimates were derived from descriptive analyses, and logistic regression determined the factors associated with being out of the labor force. Chi-square and sex-stratified analyses examined gender differences. An estimated 2.3% of the working-age population (ages 25-64 years) reported arthritis disability, and >50% were out of the labor force. Being female, single, older, and having less education and more severe pain and disability were associated with being out of the labor force. Employed women with arthritis disability required more accommodations in the workplace and reported more activity limitations than men. Perceived discrimination was more likely to be reported by employed men, and men reported more changes to their work than women. This study underscores the importance of looking more closely at differences in the employment experiences of women and men. Specifically, the results suggest that arthritis may marginalize women and men in different ways. Women may be more likely to leave employment, whereas men may be more likely to remain working and report negative workplace experiences.

Impact of asian ethnicity on colorectal cancer screening: a population-based analysis.

PubMed

Homayoon, Babak; Shahidi, Neal C; Cheung, Winson Y

2013-04-01

Although research shows that African Americans and Hispanics frequently receive less colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) than whites, few studies have focused on CRCS among Asians. The aims of this study were to compare CRCS between Asians and whites and to evaluate for clinical predictors of CRCS. From the 2007 California Health Interview Survey, we identified all Asian and white respondents who were eligible for CRCS. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate for differences in CRCS. We used stratified and interaction analyses to examine whether associations between race and CRCS were modified by insurance status, birthplace, or language skills, while controlling for other confounders. Baseline characteristics were similar between Asians and whites. Only 58% of Asians and 66% of whites reported undergoing up-to-date CRCS (P < 0.01). In multivariate analyses, visiting a physician more than 5 times produced the highest odds of being up-to-date with screening. When compared with whites, Asians had decreased odds of being up-to-date with screening. Stratified analyses showed that this disparity existed mainly in the insured, but not in the uninsured, and it was not modified by place of birth or English language proficiency. Despite its ability to reduce mortality, CRCS is suboptimal in our US population-based cohort of Asians when compared with whites. A contributing factor to this problem for the Chinese and Koreans may be a lack of awareness regarding CRCS, whereas the source of the problem in the Vietnamese seems to be related to healthcare access.

Application of the Andersen's health care utilization framework to secondary complications of spinal cord injury: a scoping review.

PubMed

Guilcher, Sara J T; Craven, B Cathy; McColl, Mary Ann; Lemieux-Charles, Louise; Casciaro, Tiziana; Jaglal, Susan B

2012-01-01

The purpose of this scoping review was to identify research priority areas related to secondary complications and associated health care use for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Peer-reviewed journals were identified using CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, Social Sciences Abstracts, Social Works Abstract and PsycInfo search engines. Key references were hand searched. A total of 289 abstracts were identified from the initial search strategy. We removed studies that did not measure health care and those that did not involve analytical investigation. The selected 31 studies were reviewed in detail using a coding template based on the domains and sub-components of the Andersen model (i.e. environmental, population characteristics, health behavior and outcome). Most studies measured predisposing characteristics (e.g., age, gender) and need characteristics (e.g., level of injury). There was a notable absence of environmental characteristics (e.g., health system, neighborhood variables), enabling characteristics and health behaviors (beyond diet and nutrition). We identified a gap in the SCI literature. Future research should focus on longitudinal study designs with more representation of non-traumatic spinal cord injury, as well as utilizing more advanced statistical analyses (i.e., multivariate level) to adjust for confounding variables.

The influence of institutional characteristics on length of stay for psychiatric patients: a national database study in South Korea.

PubMed

Chung, Woojin; Cho, Woo Hyun; Yoon, Chung Won

2009-03-01

The institutionalization of psychiatric patients has put a tremendous burden on many societies, but few studies have examined the effects of institutional characteristics on patient length of stay (LOS). This paper investigated the association between institutional characteristics and LOS for 160,517 psychiatric patients in South Korea by applying a two-level modeling technique to administrative claims databases covering the entire patient population. Patient LOS, expressed in terms of days, was analyzed by taking account of institutional type, ownership, location, inpatient capacity, staffing, and patient demographics. The characteristics of inpatients were used as control variables and consisted of gender, age, sub-diagnosis, and the type of national health security program. The main findings of this study are: (1) patient LOS was 69% longer at psychiatric hospitals than at tertiary-care hospitals; (2) neither location nor inpatient capacity was associated with LOS; (3) larger staffs reduced LOS; and (4), LOS increased with a higher proportion of male inpatients, inpatients > or =65 years old, or inpatients diagnosed with organic or schizophrenic disorders, possibly through contextual effects. The results of this study suggest that researchers and policy makers could improve their assessment of psychiatric patient LOS and its association with health outcome by taking into account institutional characteristics and using multi-level analyses.

Morphological characteristics and genetic diversity of Burmese long-tailed Macaques (Macaca fascicularis aurea).

PubMed

Bunlungsup, Srichan; Imai, Hiroo; Hamada, Yuzuru; Gumert, Michael D; San, Aye Mi; Malaivijitnond, Suchinda

2015-12-15

Macaca fascicularis aurea (Mfa) is the only macaque which has been recorded to use stone tools to access encased foods. They live in close contact with M. fascicularis fascicularis (Mff) in southwestern Thailand and the hybrids were reported [Fooden, 1995]. Although Mff and Mfa can be seen in the same habitat types, tool-use behavior has never been reported in Mff. Thus, comparing the morphological characteristics and genetics between Mfa and Mff should help elucidate not only the morphological differences and genetic divergence between these subspecies but also potentially the relationship between genetics and their tool use behavior. We surveyed Mfa and Mff in Myanmar and Thailand, ranging from 16° 58' to 7° 12' N. Fecal or blood samples were collected from eight, five, and four populations of Mfa, Mff, and Mff × Mfa morphological hybrids along with three individuals of captive Chinese M. mulatta (Mm), respectively, for mtDNA and Y-chromosome (TSPY and SRY genes) DNA sequence analyses. In addition, eight populations were captured and measured for 38 somatometric dimensions. Comparison of the somatic measurements revealed that Mfa had a statistically significantly shorter tail than Mff (P < 0.05). Based on the mtDNA sequences, Mfa was separated from the Mm/Mff clade. Within the Mfa clade, the mainland Myanmar population was separate from the Mergui Archipelago and Thailand Andaman seacoast populations. All the morphological hybrids had the Mff mtDNA haplotype. Based on the Y-chromosome sequences, the three major clades of Mm/Indochinese Mff, Sundaic Mff, and Mfa were constructed. The hybrid populations grouped either with the Mm/Indochinese Mff or with the Mfa. Regarding the genetic analysis, one subspecies hybrid population in Thailand (KRI) elicited tool use behavior, thus the potential role of genetics in tool use behavior is raised in addition to the environmental force, morphological suitability, and cognitive capability. Am. J. Primatol. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Genetic Resources in the “Calabaza Pipiana” Squash (Cucurbita argyrosperma) in Mexico: Genetic Diversity, Genetic Differentiation and Distribution Models

PubMed Central

Sánchez-de la Vega, Guillermo; Castellanos-Morales, Gabriela; Gámez, Niza; Hernández-Rosales, Helena S.; Vázquez-Lobo, Alejandra; Aguirre-Planter, Erika; Jaramillo-Correa, Juan P.; Montes-Hernández, Salvador; Lira-Saade, Rafael; Eguiarte, Luis E.

2018-01-01

Analyses of genetic variation allow understanding the origin, diversification and genetic resources of cultivated plants. Domesticated taxa and their wild relatives are ideal systems for studying genetic processes of plant domestication and their joint is important to evaluate the distribution of their genetic resources. Such is the case of the domesticated subspecies C. argyrosperma ssp. argyrosperma, known in Mexico as calabaza pipiana, and its wild relative C. argyrosperma ssp. sororia. The main aim of this study was to use molecular data (microsatellites) to assess the levels of genetic variation and genetic differentiation within and among populations of domesticated argyrosperma across its distribution in Mexico in comparison to its wild relative, sororia, and to identify environmental suitability in previously proposed centers of domestication. We analyzed nine unlinked nuclear microsatellite loci to assess levels of diversity and distribution of genetic variation within and among populations in 440 individuals from 19 populations of cultivated landraces of argyrosperma and from six wild populations of sororia, in order to conduct a first systematic analysis of their genetic resources. We also used species distribution models (SDMs) for sororia to identify changes in this wild subspecies’ distribution from the Holocene (∼6,000 years ago) to the present, and to assess the presence of suitable environmental conditions in previously proposed domestication sites. Genetic variation was similar among subspecies (HE = 0.428 in sororia, and HE = 0.410 in argyrosperma). Nine argyrosperma populations showed significant levels of inbreeding. Both subspecies are well differentiated, and genetic differentiation (FST) among populations within each subspecies ranged from 0.152 to 0.652. Within argyrosperma we found three genetic groups (Northern Mexico, Yucatan Peninsula, including Michoacan and Veracruz, and Pacific coast plus Durango). We detected low levels of gene flow among populations at a regional scale (<0.01), except for the Yucatan Peninsula, and the northern portion of the Pacific Coast. Our analyses suggested that the Isthmus of Tehuantepec is an effective barrier isolating southern populations. Our SDM results indicate that environmental characteristics in the Balsas-Jalisco region, a potential center of domestication, were suitable for the presence of sororia during the Holocene. PMID:29662500

Genetic Resources in the "Calabaza Pipiana" Squash (Cucurbita argyrosperma) in Mexico: Genetic Diversity, Genetic Differentiation and Distribution Models.

PubMed

Sánchez-de la Vega, Guillermo; Castellanos-Morales, Gabriela; Gámez, Niza; Hernández-Rosales, Helena S; Vázquez-Lobo, Alejandra; Aguirre-Planter, Erika; Jaramillo-Correa, Juan P; Montes-Hernández, Salvador; Lira-Saade, Rafael; Eguiarte, Luis E

2018-01-01

Analyses of genetic variation allow understanding the origin, diversification and genetic resources of cultivated plants. Domesticated taxa and their wild relatives are ideal systems for studying genetic processes of plant domestication and their joint is important to evaluate the distribution of their genetic resources. Such is the case of the domesticated subspecies C. argyrosperma ssp. argyrosperma , known in Mexico as calabaza pipiana , and its wild relative C. argyrosperma ssp. sororia . The main aim of this study was to use molecular data (microsatellites) to assess the levels of genetic variation and genetic differentiation within and among populations of domesticated argyrosperma across its distribution in Mexico in comparison to its wild relative, sororia , and to identify environmental suitability in previously proposed centers of domestication. We analyzed nine unlinked nuclear microsatellite loci to assess levels of diversity and distribution of genetic variation within and among populations in 440 individuals from 19 populations of cultivated landraces of argyrosperma and from six wild populations of sororia , in order to conduct a first systematic analysis of their genetic resources. We also used species distribution models (SDMs) for sororia to identify changes in this wild subspecies' distribution from the Holocene (∼6,000 years ago) to the present, and to assess the presence of suitable environmental conditions in previously proposed domestication sites. Genetic variation was similar among subspecies ( H E = 0.428 in sororia , and H E = 0.410 in argyrosperma ). Nine argyrosperma populations showed significant levels of inbreeding. Both subspecies are well differentiated, and genetic differentiation ( F ST ) among populations within each subspecies ranged from 0.152 to 0.652. Within argyrosperma we found three genetic groups (Northern Mexico, Yucatan Peninsula, including Michoacan and Veracruz, and Pacific coast plus Durango). We detected low levels of gene flow among populations at a regional scale (<0.01), except for the Yucatan Peninsula, and the northern portion of the Pacific Coast. Our analyses suggested that the Isthmus of Tehuantepec is an effective barrier isolating southern populations. Our SDM results indicate that environmental characteristics in the Balsas-Jalisco region, a potential center of domestication, were suitable for the presence of sororia during the Holocene.

Population-based cohort study on comparative effectiveness and safety of biologics in inflammatory bowel disease

PubMed Central

Trotta, Francesco; Cascini, Silvia; Agabiti, Nera; Kohn, Anna; Gasbarrini, Antonio; Davoli, Marina; Addis, Antonio

2018-01-01

Background The comparison of effectiveness and safety of anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha agents for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is relevant for clinical practice and stakeholders. Objective The objective of this study was to compare the risk of abdominal surgery, steroid utilization, and hospitalization for infection in Crohn’s disease (CD) or ulcerative colitis (UC) patients newly treated with infliximab (IFX) or adalimumab (ADA). Methods A retrospective population-based cohort study was performed using health information systems data from Lazio region, Italy. Patients with CD or UC diagnosis were enrolled at first prescription of IFX or ADA during 2008–2014 (index date). Only new drug users were followed for 2 years from the index date. IFX versus ADA adjusted hazard ratios were calculated applying “intention-to-treat” approach, controlling for several characteristics and stratifying the analysis on steroid use according to previous drug utilization. Sensitivity analyses were performed according to “as-treated” approach, adjusting for propensity score, censoring at switching or discontinuation, and evaluating different lengths of follow-up periods. Results We enrolled 1,432 IBD patients (42% and 83% exposed to IFX for CD and UC, respectively). In both diseases, treatment effects did not differ in any outcome considered, and sensitivity analyses confirmed the results from the main analysis. Conclusion In our population-based cohort study, effectiveness and safety data in new users of ADA or IFX with CD or UC were comparable for the outcomes we tested. PMID:29440933

Helminth communities of the autochthonous mustelids Mustela lutreola and M. putorius and the introduced Mustela vison in south-western France.

PubMed

Torres, J; Miquel, J; Fournier, P; Fournier-Chambrillon, C; Liberge, M; Fons, R; Feliu, C

2008-12-01

This study presents the first comprehensive helminthological data on three sympatric riparian mustelids (the European mink Mustela lutreola, the polecat M. putorius and the American mink M. vison) in south-western France. One hundred and twenty-four specimens (45 M. lutreola, 37 M. putorius and 42 M. vison) from eight French departments were analysed. Globally, 15 helminth species were detected: Troglotrema acutum, Pseudamphistomum truncatum, Euryhelmis squamula, Euparyphium melis and Ascocotyle sp. (Trematoda), Taenia tenuicollis (Cestoda), Eucoleus aerophilus, Pearsonema plica, Aonchotheca putorii, Strongyloides mustelorum, Molineus patens, Crenosoma melesi, Filaroides martis and Skrjabingylus nasicola (Nematoda) and larval stages of Centrorhynchus species (Acanthocephala). The autochthonous European mink harboured the highest species richness (13 species) followed by the polecat with 11 species. The introduced American mink presented the most depauperate helminth community (nine species). The prevalence and worm burden of most of the helminths found in M. putorius and M. lutreola were also higher than those of M. vison. Some characteristics of their helminth communities were compared to relatively nearby populations (Spain) and other very distant populations (Belarus). This comparison emphasized M. patens as the most frequent parasite in all of the analysed mustelid populations. It was possible to conclude that the invasive M. vison contributes to the maintenance of the life cycle of the pathogenic T. acutum and S. nasicola helminths, with possible implications for the conservation of the endangered European mink.

Severe hypertriglyceridemia. Clinical characteristics and therapeutic management.

PubMed

Masson, Walter; Rossi, Emiliano; Siniawski, Daniel; Damonte, Juan; Halsband, Ana; Barolo, Ramiro; Scaramal, Miguel

2018-05-19

The therapeutic management of severe hypertriglyceridaemia represents a clinical challenge. The objectives of this study were 1) to identify the clinical characteristics of patients with severe hypertriglyceridaemia, and 2) to analyse the treatment established by the physicians in each case. A cross-sectional study was carried out using the computerised medical records of all patients>18 years of age with a blood triglyceride level≥1,000mg/dL between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2016. Clinical and laboratory variables were collected. The behaviour of the physicians in the 6 months after the lipid finding was analysed. A total of 420 patients were included (mean age 49.1±11.4 years, males 78.8%). The median of triglycerides was 1,329mg/dL (interquartile range 1,174-1,658). No secondary causes were found in 34.1% of the patients. The most frequent secondary causes were obesity (38.6%) and diabetes (28.1%). Physical activity was recommended and a nutritionist was referred to in 49.1% and 44.2% of the patients, respectively. Secondary causes were identified and attempts were made to correct them in 40.7% of cases. The most indicated pharmacological treatments were fenofibrate 200mg/day (26.5%) and gemfibrozil 900mg/day (19.3%). Few patients received the indication of omega 3 fatty acids or niacin. This study showed, for the first time in our country, the characteristics of a population with severe hypertriglyceridaemia. The therapeutic measures instituted by the physicians were insufficient. Knowing the characteristics in this particular clinical scenario could improve the current approach of these patients. Copyright © 2018 Sociedad Española de Arteriosclerosis. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Modeling hard clinical end-point data in economic analyses.

PubMed

Kansal, Anuraag R; Zheng, Ying; Palencia, Roberto; Ruffolo, Antonio; Hass, Bastian; Sorensen, Sonja V

2013-11-01

The availability of hard clinical end-point data, such as that on cardiovascular (CV) events among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, is increasing, and as a result there is growing interest in using hard end-point data of this type in economic analyses. This study investigated published approaches for modeling hard end-points from clinical trials and evaluated their applicability in health economic models with different disease features. A review of cost-effectiveness models of interventions in clinically significant therapeutic areas (CV diseases, cancer, and chronic lower respiratory diseases) was conducted in PubMed and Embase using a defined search strategy. Only studies integrating hard end-point data from randomized clinical trials were considered. For each study included, clinical input characteristics and modeling approach were summarized and evaluated. A total of 33 articles (23 CV, eight cancer, two respiratory) were accepted for detailed analysis. Decision trees, Markov models, discrete event simulations, and hybrids were used. Event rates were incorporated either as constant rates, time-dependent risks, or risk equations based on patient characteristics. Risks dependent on time and/or patient characteristics were used where major event rates were >1%/year in models with fewer health states (<7). Models of infrequent events or with numerous health states generally preferred constant event rates. The detailed modeling information and terminology varied, sometimes requiring interpretation. Key considerations for cost-effectiveness models incorporating hard end-point data include the frequency and characteristics of the relevant clinical events and how the trial data is reported. When event risk is low, simplification of both the model structure and event rate modeling is recommended. When event risk is common, such as in high risk populations, more detailed modeling approaches, including individual simulations or explicitly time-dependent event rates, are more appropriate to accurately reflect the trial data.

Spatiotemporal characteristics of elderly population’s traffic accidents in Seoul using space-time cube and space-time kernel density estimation

PubMed Central

Cho, Nahye; Son, Serin

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to analyze how the spatiotemporal characteristics of traffic accidents involving the elderly population in Seoul are changing by time period. We applied kernel density estimation and hotspot analyses to analyze the spatial characteristics of elderly people’s traffic accidents, and the space-time cube, emerging hotspot, and space-time kernel density estimation analyses to analyze the spatiotemporal characteristics. In addition, we analyzed elderly people’s traffic accidents by dividing cases into those in which the drivers were elderly people and those in which elderly people were victims of traffic accidents, and used the traffic accidents data in Seoul for 2013 for analysis. The main findings were as follows: (1) the hotspots for elderly people’s traffic accidents differed according to whether they were drivers or victims. (2) The hourly analysis showed that the hotspots for elderly drivers’ traffic accidents are in specific areas north of the Han River during the period from morning to afternoon, whereas the hotspots for elderly victims are distributed over a wide area from daytime to evening. (3) Monthly analysis showed that the hotspots are weak during winter and summer, whereas they are strong in the hiking and climbing areas in Seoul during spring and fall. Further, elderly victims’ hotspots are more sporadic than elderly drivers’ hotspots. (4) The analysis for the entire period of 2013 indicates that traffic accidents involving elderly people are increasing in specific areas on the north side of the Han River. We expect the results of this study to aid in reducing the number of traffic accidents involving elderly people in the future. PMID:29768453

Association between preterm birth and its subtypes and maternal sociodemographic characteristics during the post-transitional phase in a developing country with a very high human development index.

PubMed

Araya, B M; Díaz, M; Paredes, D; Ortiz, J

2017-06-01

Chile is a post-transitional country evolving towards a stationary population pyramid, which may be associated with increasing preterm birth (PTB) rates. This study aimed to compare maternal sociodemographic characteristics between the start of the post-transition phase (1994) and an established stage (2013) and to evaluate associations between these characteristics and PTB. An observational analytic design was conducted using national birth records (n = 4,956,311). Variables analysed in the 20 birth cohorts from 1994 to 2013 were: length of gestation (preterm <37 weeks) subdivided by gestational age (extreme, moderate/severe and late); maternal age (≤19, 20-35 and >35 years); education level (<8, 8-12 and >12 years of education); employment; marital status; area of residence; and type of birth (singleton, twins, and triplets or higher order). The prevalence of PTB was expressed as a percentage, and associations between PTB and predictor variables were analysed using logistic regression models. Education level, age >35 years, maternal employment, unmarried status, twin delivery and urban residency rates increased between 1994 and 2013. According to the adjusted models, age >35 years and delivery of more than two foetuses were risk factors for all PTB subtypes. Maternal employment was a risk factor for moderate/severe, late and total PTB, and a low level of education was a risk factor for late and total PTB. On the other hand, age ≤19 years was protective against all PTB subtypes. All maternal characteristics changed between 1994 and 2013. Furthermore, the prevalence of PTB increased for all predictor variables studied over this period. Copyright © 2017 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Path analyses of cross-sectional and longitudinal data suggest that variability in natural communities of blood-associated parasites is derived from host characteristics and not interspecific interactions.

PubMed

Cohen, Carmit; Einav, Monica; Hawlena, Hadas

2015-08-19

The parasite composition of wild host individuals often impacts their behavior and physiology, and the transmission dynamics of pathogenic species thereby determines disease risk in natural communities. Yet, the determinants of parasite composition in natural communities are still obscure. In particular, three fundamental questions remain open: (1) what are the relative roles of host and environmental characteristics compared with direct interactions between parasites in determining the community composition of parasites? (2) do these determinants affect parasites belonging to the same guild and those belonging to different guilds in similar manners? and (3) can cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses work interchangeably in detecting community determinants? Our study was designed to answer these three questions in a natural community of rodents and their fleas, ticks, and two vector-borne bacteria. We sampled a natural population of Gerbillus andersoni rodents and their blood-associated parasites on two occasions. By combining path analysis and model selection approaches, we then explored multiple direct and indirect paths that connect (i) the environmental and host-related characteristics to the infection probability of a host by each of the four parasite species, and (ii) the infection probabilities of the four species by each other. Our results suggest that the majority of paths shaping the blood-associated communities are indirect, mostly determined by host characteristics and not by interspecific interactions or environmental conditions. The exact effects of host characteristics on infection probability by a given parasite depend on its life history and on the method of sampling, in which the cross-sectional and longitudinal methods are complementary. Despite the awareness of the need of ecological investigations into natural host-vector-parasite communities in light of the emergence and re-emergence of vector-borne diseases, we lack sampling methods that are both practical and reliable. Here we illustrated how comprehensive patterns can be revealed from observational data by applying path analysis and model selection approaches and combining cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. By employing this combined approach on blood-associated parasites, we were able to distinguish between direct and indirect effects and to predict the causal relationships between host-related characteristics and the parasite composition over time and space. We concluded that direct interactions within the community play only a minor role in determining community composition relative to host characteristics and the life history of the community members.

Detection of serotype k Streptococcus mutans in Thai subjects.

PubMed

Lapirattanakul, J; Nakano, K; Nomura, R; Nemoto, H; Kojima, A; Senawongse, P; Srisatjaluk, R; Ooshima, T

2009-10-01

Streptococcus mutans, known to be a pathogen of dental caries as well as bacteremia and infective endocarditis, is classified into four serotypes, c, e, f and k, based on the structures of serotype-specific polysaccharides. Serotype k was recently designated using blood isolates from Japanese subjects and such strains are considered to be virulent in the bloodstream. The purpose of the present study was to analyse the serotype distribution of strains isolated from Thai subjects and determine whether serotype k strains were present. A total of 250 S. mutans strains were isolated from 50 Thai subjects, and serotypes of all strains were determined. Then, molecular and biological analyses were carried out for serotype k strains. Immunodiffusion and polymerase chain reaction analyses showed that serotype c was the most prevalent (70%), followed by serotypes e (22.8%), f (4.4%) and k (2.8%), which indicated that serotype k S. mutans strains occurred in Thai individuals at a similar rate to that previously reported for Japanese and Finnish populations. Molecular analyses of the seven serotype k strains showed extremely low expression of rgpE, which is related to glucose side-chain formation in serotype-specific rhamnose-glucose polymers, similar to previous reports for those other populations. In addition, analysis of the biological properties of the seven serotype k strains demonstrated low levels of sucrose-dependent adhesion, cellular hydrophobicity, dextran-binding activity and phagocytosis susceptibility by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes, which are characteristics similar to those of serotype k strains previously isolated in Japan. Our results indicate the possibility of a worldwide prevalence of serotype k strains with properties in common with those of previously reported strains.

Impact of diabetes-related gene polymorphisms on the clinical characteristics of type 2 diabetes Chinese Han population.

PubMed

Li, Jing; Wei, Jiachen; Xu, Pengcheng; Yan, Mengdan; Li, Jingjie; Chen, Zhengshuai; Jin, Tianbo

2016-12-20

We investigated the correlation between type 2 diabetes (T2D)-related genes and the clinical characteristics of T2D in the Chinese Han population. Our study included 319 patients and 387 controls. Age, gender, clinical features, medications intake and biochemical blood profiles were analyzed. Genotyping was performed on a total of 18 single nucleotide polymorphisms previously reported to be associated with T2D. Our analyses revealed that the CT genotype of ARHGAP22 rs4838605 is associated with T2D risk. Upon analyzing the subjects' clinical characteristics, we found that for rs2811893, the TT genotype correlated with high creatinine levels, while the AA genotype of rs17045754 and the TT genotype of rs4838605 correlated with elevated triglyceride levels. In addition, the AA genotype of rs17376456 and the TT genotype of rs6214 (p = 0.006) correlated with elevated hemoglobin A1c levels. Lastly, those carrying the TT genotype of rs7772697 and the CA genotype of rs3918227 exhibited higher mean body mass index and Cystatin C than controls. Our results showing that the ARHGAP22 gene is associated with an increased risk of T2D, and that seven SNPs in MYSM1, PLXDC2, ARHGAP22 and HS6ST3 promote T2D progression and could help predict the clinical course of T2D in patients at risk.

Can Psychological, Social and Demographical Factors Predict Clinical Characteristics Symptomatology of Bipolar Affective Disorder and Schizophrenia?

PubMed

Maciukiewicz, Malgorzata; Pawlak, Joanna; Kapelski, Pawel; Łabędzka, Magdalena; Skibinska, Maria; Zaremba, Dorota; Leszczynska-Rodziewicz, Anna; Dmitrzak-Weglarz, Monika; Hauser, Joanna

2016-09-01

Schizophrenia (SCH) is a complex, psychiatric disorder affecting 1 % of population. Its clinical phenotype is heterogeneous with delusions, hallucinations, depression, disorganized behaviour and negative symptoms. Bipolar affective disorder (BD) refers to periodic changes in mood and activity from depression to mania. It affects 0.5-1.5 % of population. Two types of disorder (type I and type II) are distinguished by severity of mania episodes. In our analysis, we aimed to check if clinical and demographical characteristics of the sample are predictors of symptom dimensions occurrence in BD and SCH cases. We included total sample of 443 bipolar and 439 schizophrenia patients. Diagnosis was based on DSM-IV criteria using Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. We applied regression models to analyse associations between clinical and demographical traits from OPCRIT and symptom dimensions. We used previously computed dimensions of schizophrenia and bipolar affective disorder as quantitative traits for regression models. Male gender seemed protective factor for depression dimension in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder sample. Presence of definite psychosocial stressor prior disease seemed risk factor for depressive and suicidal domain in BD and SCH. OPCRIT items describing premorbid functioning seemed related with depression, positive and disorganised dimensions in schizophrenia and psychotic in BD. We proved clinical and demographical characteristics of the sample are predictors of symptom dimensions of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. We also saw relation between clinical dimensions and course of disorder and impairment during disorder.

Local variations in the timing of RSV epidemics.

PubMed

Noveroske, Douglas B; Warren, Joshua L; Pitzer, Virginia E; Weinberger, Daniel M

2016-11-11

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a primary cause of hospitalizations in children worldwide. The timing of seasonal RSV epidemics needs to be known in order to administer prophylaxis to high-risk infants at the appropriate time. We used data from the Connecticut State Inpatient Database to identify RSV hospitalizations based on ICD-9 diagnostic codes. Harmonic regression analyses were used to evaluate RSV epidemic timing at the county level and ZIP code levels. Linear regression was used to investigate associations between the socioeconomic status of a locality and RSV epidemic timing. 9,740 hospitalizations coded as RSV occurred among children less than 2 years old between July 1, 1997 and June 30, 2013. The earliest ZIP code had a seasonal RSV epidemic that peaked, on average, 4.64 weeks earlier than the latest ZIP code. Earlier epidemic timing was significantly associated with demographic characteristics (higher population density and larger fraction of the population that was black). Seasonal RSV epidemics in Connecticut occurred earlier in areas that were more urban (higher population density and larger fraction of the population that was). These findings could be used to better time the administration of prophylaxis to high-risk infants.

Genetic diversity is largely unpredictable but scales with museum occurrences in a species-rich clade of Australian lizards

PubMed Central

Huang, Huateng; Title, Pascal O.; Donnellan, Stephen C.; Holmes, Iris; Rabosky, Daniel L.

2017-01-01

Genetic diversity is a fundamental characteristic of species and is affected by many factors, including mutation rate, population size, life history and demography. To better understand the processes that influence levels of genetic diversity across taxa, we collected genome-wide restriction-associated DNA data from more than 500 individuals spanning 76 nominal species of Australian scincid lizards in the genus Ctenotus. To avoid potential biases associated with variation in taxonomic practice across the group, we used coalescent-based species delimitation to delineate 83 species-level lineages within the genus for downstream analyses. We then used these genetic data to infer levels of within-population genetic diversity. Using a phylogenetically informed approach, we tested whether variation in genetic diversity could be explained by population size, environmental heterogeneity or historical demography. We find that the strongest predictor of genetic diversity is a novel proxy for census population size: the number of vouchered occurrences in museum databases. However, museum occurrences only explain a limited proportion of the variance in genetic diversity, suggesting that genetic diversity might be difficult to predict at shallower phylogenetic scales. PMID:28469025

Psychological strains and depression in Chinese rural populations.

PubMed

Zhang, Jie; Lv, Juncheng

2014-01-01

The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between psychological strains and depression and to further test the Strain Theory of Suicide and Mental Disorders. Data for the current study were from a large psychological autopsy (PA) study in Chinese rural populations with a case-control design to investigate the environmental and other characteristics of rural young suicides and controls. Subjects (N = 1618) for the current study were the informants in the PA interviews. The center for epidemiologic studies depression scale was used to assess the respondents' depression level. Chi-square x², t test, t' test, and general linear regression model were used to analyse the data by SPSS software. Value strain and deprivation strain are positively correlated with the depression level for both men and women of the Chinese rural population. Religion is another strong risk factor for depression and marriage is not a protective factor for depression in this sample. The study verifies that there is strong correlation between the psychological strains and depression in Chinese rural populations. It is suggested that reducing psychological strains may be a possible approach to reduce the prevalence of depression so as to help bring down the suicide risk in rural China.

The Medicare Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program: potential unintended consequences for hospitals serving vulnerable populations.

PubMed

Gu, Qian; Koenig, Lane; Faerberg, Jennifer; Steinberg, Caroline Rossi; Vaz, Christopher; Wheatley, Mary P

2014-06-01

To explore the impact of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) on hospitals serving vulnerable populations. Medicare inpatient claims to calculate condition-specific readmission rates. Medicare cost reports and other sources to determine a hospital's share of duals, profit margin, and characteristics. Regression analyses and projections were used to estimate risk-adjusted readmission rates and financial penalties under the HRRP. Findings were compared across groups of hospitals, determined based on their share of duals, to assess differential impacts of the HRRP. Both patient dual-eligible status and a hospital's dual-eligible share of Medicare discharges have a positive impact on risk-adjusted hospital readmission rates. Under current Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service methodology, which does not adjust for socioeconomic status, high-dual hospitals are more likely to have excess readmissions than low-dual hospitals. As a result, HRRP penalties will disproportionately fall on high-dual hospitals, which are more likely to have negative all-payer margins, raising concerns of unintended consequences of the program for vulnerable populations. Policies to reduce hospital readmissions must balance the need to ensure continued access to quality care for vulnerable populations. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

The Medicare Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program: Potential Unintended Consequences for Hospitals Serving Vulnerable Populations

PubMed Central

Gu, Qian; Koenig, Lane; Faerberg, Jennifer; Steinberg, Caroline Rossi; Vaz, Christopher; Wheatley, Mary P

2014-01-01

Objective To explore the impact of the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program (HRRP) on hospitals serving vulnerable populations. Data Sources/Study Setting Medicare inpatient claims to calculate condition-specific readmission rates. Medicare cost reports and other sources to determine a hospital's share of duals, profit margin, and characteristics. Study Design Regression analyses and projections were used to estimate risk-adjusted readmission rates and financial penalties under the HRRP. Findings were compared across groups of hospitals, determined based on their share of duals, to assess differential impacts of the HRRP. Principal Findings Both patient dual-eligible status and a hospital's dual-eligible share of Medicare discharges have a positive impact on risk-adjusted hospital readmission rates. Under current Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service methodology, which does not adjust for socioeconomic status, high-dual hospitals are more likely to have excess readmissions than low-dual hospitals. As a result, HRRP penalties will disproportionately fall on high-dual hospitals, which are more likely to have negative all-payer margins, raising concerns of unintended consequences of the program for vulnerable populations. Conclusions Policies to reduce hospital readmissions must balance the need to ensure continued access to quality care for vulnerable populations. PMID:24417309

Genetic diversity is largely unpredictable but scales with museum occurrences in a species-rich clade of Australian lizards.

PubMed

Singhal, Sonal; Huang, Huateng; Title, Pascal O; Donnellan, Stephen C; Holmes, Iris; Rabosky, Daniel L

2017-05-17

Genetic diversity is a fundamental characteristic of species and is affected by many factors, including mutation rate, population size, life history and demography. To better understand the processes that influence levels of genetic diversity across taxa, we collected genome-wide restriction-associated DNA data from more than 500 individuals spanning 76 nominal species of Australian scincid lizards in the genus Ctenotus To avoid potential biases associated with variation in taxonomic practice across the group, we used coalescent-based species delimitation to delineate 83 species-level lineages within the genus for downstream analyses. We then used these genetic data to infer levels of within-population genetic diversity. Using a phylogenetically informed approach, we tested whether variation in genetic diversity could be explained by population size, environmental heterogeneity or historical demography. We find that the strongest predictor of genetic diversity is a novel proxy for census population size: the number of vouchered occurrences in museum databases. However, museum occurrences only explain a limited proportion of the variance in genetic diversity, suggesting that genetic diversity might be difficult to predict at shallower phylogenetic scales. © 2017 The Author(s).

Global-scale river flood vulnerability in the last 50 years.

PubMed

Tanoue, Masahiro; Hirabayashi, Yukiko; Ikeuchi, Hiroaki

2016-10-26

The impacts of flooding are expected to rise due to population increases, economic growth and climate change. Hence, understanding the physical and spatiotemporal characteristics of risk drivers (hazard, exposure and vulnerability) is required to develop effective flood mitigation measures. Here, the long-term trend in flood vulnerability was analysed globally, calculated from the ratio of the reported flood loss or damage to the modelled flood exposure using a global river and inundation model. A previous study showed decreasing global flood vulnerability over a shorter period using different disaster data. The long-term analysis demonstrated for the first time that flood vulnerability to economic losses in upper-middle, lower-middle and low-income countries shows an inverted U-shape, as a result of the balance between economic growth and various historical socioeconomic efforts to reduce damage, leading to non-significant upward or downward trends. We also show that the flood-exposed population is affected by historical changes in population distribution, with changes in flood vulnerability of up to 48.9%. Both increasing and decreasing trends in flood vulnerability were observed in different countries, implying that population growth scenarios considering spatial distribution changes could affect flood risk projections.

Global-scale river flood vulnerability in the last 50 years

PubMed Central

Tanoue, Masahiro; Hirabayashi, Yukiko; Ikeuchi, Hiroaki

2016-01-01

The impacts of flooding are expected to rise due to population increases, economic growth and climate change. Hence, understanding the physical and spatiotemporal characteristics of risk drivers (hazard, exposure and vulnerability) is required to develop effective flood mitigation measures. Here, the long-term trend in flood vulnerability was analysed globally, calculated from the ratio of the reported flood loss or damage to the modelled flood exposure using a global river and inundation model. A previous study showed decreasing global flood vulnerability over a shorter period using different disaster data. The long-term analysis demonstrated for the first time that flood vulnerability to economic losses in upper-middle, lower-middle and low-income countries shows an inverted U-shape, as a result of the balance between economic growth and various historical socioeconomic efforts to reduce damage, leading to non-significant upward or downward trends. We also show that the flood-exposed population is affected by historical changes in population distribution, with changes in flood vulnerability of up to 48.9%. Both increasing and decreasing trends in flood vulnerability were observed in different countries, implying that population growth scenarios considering spatial distribution changes could affect flood risk projections. PMID:27782160

Biotic Responses of Headwater Streams to Geophysical Alteration and Disturbance Related to Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gresswell, R. E.; Sedell, E. R.; Cannon, S.; Hostetler, S. W.; Williams, J. E.; Haak, A. L.; Kershner, J. L.

2009-12-01

Climate change will potentially alter physical habitat availability for trout species (both native and nonnative) in the western USA, and ultimately affect population distribution and abundance in watersheds across the region. To understand the biological consequences of habitat alteration associated with climate change, we have developed models linking contemporary patterns of occurrence and abundance to geomorphic variables (e.g., aspect, elevation, and slope) and stream conditions derived from the habitat (e.g., temperature, discharge, and flood regimes). Because headwater streams may be especially susceptible to catastrophic disturbances in the form of debris flow torrents that have the potential to radically alter the physical structure of channels and sometimes extirpate local fish populations, we are focusing fine-scale spatial analyses in the high elevation systems. Risks of such disturbances increase exponentially in landscapes that have experienced recent wildfires when high-intensity precipitation or runoff events occur. Although predicting the timing, extent, and severity of future wildfires or subsequent precipitation and runoff events is difficult, it is possible to identify channels within stream networks that may be prone to debris flows. These channels can be identified using models based on characteristic storm and burn scenarios and geographic information describing topographic, soil, and vegetation characteristics. At-risk channels are being mapped throughout the stream networks within the study areas in the headwaters of the Colorado River to provide information about the potential for catastrophic population disturbance in response to variety of wildfire and post-wildfire storm scenarios.

Grassland management regimens reduce small-scale heterogeneity and species diversity of beta-proteobacterial ammonia pxidizer populations.

PubMed

Webster, Gordon; Embley, T Martin; Prosser, James I

2002-01-01

The impact of soil management practices on ammonia oxidizer diversity and spatial heterogeneity was determined in improved (addition of N fertilizer), unimproved (no additions), and semi-improved (intermediate management) grassland pastures at the Sourhope Research Station in Scotland. Ammonia oxidizer diversity within each grassland soil was assessed by PCR amplification of microbial community DNA with both ammonia oxidizer-specific, 16S rRNA gene (rDNA) and functional, amoA, gene primers. PCR products were analysed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, phylogenetic analysis of partial 16S rDNA and amoA sequences, and hybridization with ammonia oxidizer-specific oligonucleotide probes. Ammonia oxidizer populations in unimproved soils were more diverse than those in improved soils and were dominated by organisms representing Nitrosospira clusters 1 and 3 and Nitrosomonas cluster 7 (closely related phylogenetically to Nitrosomonas europaea). Improved soils were only dominated by Nitrosospira cluster 3 and Nitrosomonas cluster 7. These differences were also reflected in functional gene (amoA) diversity, with amoA gene sequences of both Nitrosomonas and Nitrosospira species detected. Replicate 0.5-g samples of unimproved soil demonstrated significant spatial heterogeneity in 16S rDNA-defined ammonia oxidizer clusters, which was reflected in heterogeneity in ammonium concentration and pH. Heterogeneity in soil characteristics and ammonia oxidizer diversity were lower in improved soils. The results therefore demonstrate significant effects of soil management on diversity and heterogeneity of ammonia oxidizer populations that are related to similar changes in relevant soil characteristics.

Phenetic Comparison of Prokaryotic Genomes Using k-mers

PubMed Central

Déraspe, Maxime; Raymond, Frédéric; Boisvert, Sébastien; Culley, Alexander; Roy, Paul H.; Laviolette, François; Corbeil, Jacques

2017-01-01

Abstract Bacterial genomics studies are getting more extensive and complex, requiring new ways to envision analyses. Using the Ray Surveyor software, we demonstrate that comparison of genomes based on their k-mer content allows reconstruction of phenetic trees without the need of prior data curation, such as core genome alignment of a species. We validated the methodology using simulated genomes and previously published phylogenomic studies of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We also investigated the relationship of specific genetic determinants with bacterial population structures. By comparing clusters from the complete genomic content of a genome population with clusters from specific functional categories of genes, we can determine how the population structures are correlated. Indeed, the strain clustering based on a subset of k-mers allows determination of its similarity with the whole genome clusters. We also applied this methodology on 42 species of bacteria to determine the correlational significance of five important bacterial genomic characteristics. For example, intrinsic resistance is more important in P. aeruginosa than in S. pneumoniae, and the former has increased correlation of its population structure with antibiotic resistance genes. The global view of the pangenome of bacteria also demonstrated the taxa-dependent interaction of population structure with antibiotic resistance, bacteriophage, plasmid, and mobile element k-mer data sets. PMID:28957508

Disease dynamics during wildlife translocations: disruptions to the host population and potential consequences for transmission in desert tortoise contact networks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Aiello, Christina M.; Nussear, Kenneth E.; Walde, Andrew D.; Esque, Todd C.; Emblidge, Patrick G.; Sah, Pratha; Bansal, S.; Hudson, Peter J.

2014-01-01

Wildlife managers consider animal translocation a means of increasing the viability of a local population. However, augmentation may disrupt existing resident disease dynamics and initiate an outbreak that would effectively offset any advantages the translocation may have achieved. This paper examines fundamental concepts of disease ecology and identifies the conditions that will increase the likelihood of a disease outbreak following translocation. We highlight the importance of susceptibility to infection, population size and population connectivity – a characteristic likely affected by translocation but not often considered in risk assessments – in estimating outbreak risk due to translocation. We then explore these features in a species of conservation concern often translocated in the presence of infectious disease, the Mojave Desert tortoise, and use data from experimental tortoise translocations to detect changes in population connectivity that may influence pathogen transmission. Preliminary analyses comparing contact networks inferred from spatial data at control and translocation plots and infection simulation results through these networks suggest increased outbreak risk following translocation due to dispersal-driven changes in contact frequency and network structure. We outline future research goals to test these concepts and aid managers in designing effective risk assessment and intervention strategies that will improve translocation success.

More reliable estimates of divergence times in Pan using complete mtDNA sequences and accounting for population structure.

PubMed

Stone, Anne C; Battistuzzi, Fabia U; Kubatko, Laura S; Perry, George H; Trudeau, Evan; Lin, Hsiuman; Kumar, Sudhir

2010-10-27

Here, we report the sequencing and analysis of eight complete mitochondrial genomes of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) from each of the three established subspecies (P. t. troglodytes, P. t. schweinfurthii and P. t. verus) and the proposed fourth subspecies (P. t. ellioti). Our population genetic analyses are consistent with neutral patterns of evolution that have been shaped by demography. The high levels of mtDNA diversity in western chimpanzees are unlike those seen at nuclear loci, which may reflect a demographic history of greater female to male effective population sizes possibly owing to the characteristics of the founding population. By using relaxed-clock methods, we have inferred a timetree of chimpanzee species and subspecies. The absolute divergence times vary based on the methods and calibration used, but relative divergence times show extensive uniformity. Overall, mtDNA produces consistently older times than those known from nuclear markers, a discrepancy that is reduced significantly by explicitly accounting for chimpanzee population structures in time estimation. Assuming the human-chimpanzee split to be between 7 and 5 Ma, chimpanzee time estimates are 2.1-1.5, 1.1-0.76 and 0.25-0.18 Ma for the chimpanzee/bonobo, western/(eastern + central) and eastern/central chimpanzee divergences, respectively.

Perceived discrimination and self-rated health in the immigrant population of the Basque Country, Spain.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Álvarez, Elena; González-Rábago, Yolanda; Borrell, Luisa N; Lanborena, Nerea

To examine the effect of perceived discrimination and self-rated health among the immigrant population in the Basque Country, Spain, and determine whether this effect varies according to region of origin, age, sex and education. Descriptive cross-sectional study. The study population included immigrants aged 18 and older residing in the Basque Country. Data from the 2014 Foreign Immigrant Population Survey (n=3,456) were used. Log-binomial regression was used to quantify the association between perceived discrimination and self-rated health before and after checking for the selected characteristics. Almost 1 in 10 immigrant adults reports perceiving discrimination. In adjusted analyses, the immigrants perceiving discrimination were almost were 1.92 more likely to rate their health as poor (prevalence ratio: 1.92; 95% CI: 1.44-2.56) than those who did not report discrimination. This association did not vary according to region of origin, age, sex or educational level. Perceived discrimination shows a consistent relationship with perceived health. Moreover, this association did not depend on the region of origin, age, sex or educational level of immigrants. These results show the need for implementing inclusive policies to eliminate individual and institutional discrimination and reduce health inequalities between the immigrant and native populations. Copyright © 2017. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U.

Celebrity suicides and their differential influence on suicides in the general population: a national population-based study in Korea.

PubMed

Myung, Woojae; Won, Hong-Hee; Fava, Maurizio; Mischoulon, David; Yeung, Albert; Lee, Dongsoo; Kim, Doh Kwan; Jeon, Hong Jin

2015-04-01

Although evidence suggests that there is an increase in suicide rates in the general population following celebrity suicide, the rates are heterogeneous across celebrities and countries. It is unclear which is the more vulnerable population according to the effect sizes of celebrity suicides to general population. All suicide victims in the general population verified by the Korea National Statistical Office and suicides of celebrity in South Korea were included for 7 years from 2005 to 2011. Effect sizes were estimated by comparing rates of suicide in the population one month before and after each celebrity suicide. The associations between suicide victims and celebrities were examined. Among 94,845 suicide victims, 17,209 completed suicide within one month after 13 celebrity suicides. Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that suicide victims who died after celebrity suicide were significantly likely to be of age 20-39, female, and to die by hanging. These qualities were more strongly associated among those who followed celebrity suicide with intermediate and high effect sizes than lower. Younger suicide victims were significantly associated with higher effect size, female gender, white collar employment, unmarried status, higher education, death by hanging, and night-time death. Characteristics of celebrities were significantly associated with those of general population in hanging method and gender. Individuals who commit suicide after a celebrity suicide are likely to be younger, female, and prefer hanging as method of suicide, which are more strongly associated in higher effect sizes of celebrity suicide.

Power System Oscillatory Behaviors: Sources, Characteristics, & Analyses

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

Follum, James D.; Tuffner, Francis K.; Dosiek, Luke A.

This document is intended to provide a broad overview of the sources, characteristics, and analyses of natural and forced oscillatory behaviors in power systems. These aspects are necessarily linked. Oscillations appear in measurements with distinguishing characteristics derived from the oscillation’s source. These characteristics determine which analysis methods can be appropriately applied, and the results from these analyses can only be interpreted correctly with an understanding of the oscillation’s origin. To describe oscillations both at their source within a physical power system and within measurements, a perspective from the boundary between power system and signal processing theory has been adopted.

Selected Characteristics of Persons and Families of Mexican, Puerto Rican, and Other Spanish Origin: March 1972. (Advance Data from March 1972 Sample Survey.) Population Characteristics: Current Population Reports.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bureau of the Census (DOC), Suitland, MD.

Data on a variety of social and economic characteristics for persons and families in the United States of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, and other Spanish origin and comparative data for the remaining population were selected from the March 1972 Bureau of the Census Current Population Survey (CPS). Revisions in the March 1972 CPS, as compared to…

Using multi-level data to estimate the effect of an 'alcogenic' environment on hazardous alcohol consumption in the former Soviet Union.

PubMed

Murphy, Adrianna; Roberts, Bayard; Ploubidis, George B; Stickley, Andrew; McKee, Martin

2014-05-01

The purpose of this study was to assess whether alcohol-related community characteristics act collectively to influence individual-level alcohol consumption in the former Soviet Union (fSU). Using multi-level data from nine countries in the fSU we conducted a factor analysis of seven alcohol-related community characteristics. The association between any latent factors underlying these characteristics and two measures of hazardous alcohol consumption was then analysed using a population average regression modelling approach. Our factor analysis produced one factor with an eigenvalue >1 (EV=1.28), which explained 94% of the variance. This factor was statistically significantly associated with increased odds of CAGE problem drinking (OR=1.40 (1.08-1.82)). The estimated association with EHD was not statistically significant (OR=1.10 (0.85-1.44)). Our findings suggest that a high number of beer, wine and spirit advertisements and high alcohol outlet density may work together to create an 'alcogenic' environment that encourages hazardous alcohol consumption in the fSU. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Defining key features of the broad autism phenotype: a comparison across parents of multiple- and single-incidence autism families.

PubMed

Losh, Molly; Childress, Debra; Lam, Kristen; Piven, Joseph

2008-06-05

This study examined the frequency of personality, language, and social-behavioral characteristics believed to comprise the broad autism phenotype (BAP), across families differing in genetic liability to autism. We hypothesized that within this unique sample comprised of multiple-incidence autism families (MIAF), single-incidence autism families (SIAF), and control Down syndrome families (DWNS), a graded expression would be observed for the principal characteristics conferring genetic susceptibility to autism, in which such features would express most profoundly among parents from MIAFs, less strongly among SIAFs, and least of all among comparison parents from DWNS families, who should display population base rates. Analyses detected linear expression of traits in line with hypotheses, and further suggested differential intrafamilial expression across family types. In the vast majority of MIAFs both parents displayed BAP characteristics, whereas within SIAFs, it was equally likely that one, both, or neither parent show BAP features. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to etiologic mechanisms in autism and relevance to molecular genetic studies. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Birth characteristics and all-cause mortality: a sibling analysis using the Uppsala birth cohort multigenerational study.

PubMed

Juárez, S; Goodman, A; De Stavola, B; Koupil, I

2016-08-01

This paper investigates the association between perinatal health and all-cause mortality for specific age intervals, assessing the contribution of maternal socioeconomic characteristics and the presence of maternal-level confounding. Our study is based on a cohort of 12,564 singletons born between 1915 and 1929 at the Uppsala University Hospital. We fitted Cox regression models to estimate age-varying hazard ratios of all-cause mortality for absolute and relative birth weight and for gestational age. We found that associations with mortality vary by age and according to the measure under scrutiny, with effects being concentrated in infancy, childhood or early adult life. For example, the effect of low birth weight was greatest in the first year of life and then continued up to 44 years of age (HR between 2.82 and 1.51). These associations were confirmed in within-family analyses, which provided no evidence of residual confounding by maternal characteristics. Our findings support the interpretation that policies oriented towards improving population health should invest in birth outcomes and hence in maternal health.

What is the optimal rate of caesarean section at population level? A systematic review of ecologic studies.

PubMed

Betran, Ana Pilar; Torloni, Maria Regina; Zhang, Jun; Ye, Jiangfeng; Mikolajczyk, Rafael; Deneux-Tharaux, Catherine; Oladapo, Olufemi Taiwo; Souza, João Paulo; Tunçalp, Özge; Vogel, Joshua Peter; Gülmezoglu, Ahmet Metin

2015-06-21

In 1985, WHO stated that there was no justification for caesarean section (CS) rates higher than 10-15% at population-level. While the CS rates worldwide have continued to increase in an unprecedented manner over the subsequent three decades, concern has been raised about the validity of the 1985 landmark statement. We conducted a systematic review to identify, critically appraise and synthesize the analyses of the ecologic association between CS rates and maternal, neonatal and infant outcomes. Four electronic databases were searched for ecologic studies published between 2000 and 2014 that analysed the possible association between CS rates and maternal, neonatal or infant mortality or morbidity. Two reviewers performed study selection, data extraction and quality assessment independently. We identified 11,832 unique citations and eight studies were included in the review. Seven studies correlated CS rates with maternal mortality, five with neonatal mortality, four with infant mortality, two with LBW and one with stillbirths. Except for one, all studies were cross-sectional in design and five were global analyses of national-level CS rates versus mortality outcomes. Although the overall quality of the studies was acceptable; only two studies controlled for socio-economic factors and none controlled for clinical or demographic characteristics of the population. In unadjusted analyses, authors found a strong inverse relationship between CS rates and the mortality outcomes so that maternal, neonatal and infant mortality decrease as CS rates increase up to a certain threshold. In the eight studies included in this review, this threshold was at CS rates between 9 and 16%. However, in the two studies that adjusted for socio-economic factors, this relationship was either weakened or disappeared after controlling for these confounders. CS rates above the threshold of 9-16% were not associated with decreases in mortality outcomes regardless of adjustments. Our findings could be interpreted to mean that at CS rates below this threshold, socio-economic development may be driving the ecologic association between CS rates and mortality. On the other hand, at rates higher than this threshold, there is no association between CS and mortality outcomes regardless of adjustment. The ecological association between CS rates and relevant morbidity outcomes needs to be evaluated before drawing more definite conclusions at population level.

Phenotyping asthma, rhinitis and eczema in MeDALL population-based birth cohorts: an allergic comorbidity cluster.

PubMed

Garcia-Aymerich, J; Benet, M; Saeys, Y; Pinart, M; Basagaña, X; Smit, H A; Siroux, V; Just, J; Momas, I; Rancière, F; Keil, T; Hohmann, C; Lau, S; Wahn, U; Heinrich, J; Tischer, C G; Fantini, M P; Lenzi, J; Porta, D; Koppelman, G H; Postma, D S; Berdel, D; Koletzko, S; Kerkhof, M; Gehring, U; Wickman, M; Melén, E; Hallberg, J; Bindslev-Jensen, C; Eller, E; Kull, I; Lødrup Carlsen, K C; Carlsen, K-H; Lambrecht, B N; Kogevinas, M; Sunyer, J; Kauffmann, F; Bousquet, J; Antó, J M

2015-08-01

Asthma, rhinitis and eczema often co-occur in children, but their interrelationships at the population level have been poorly addressed. We assessed co-occurrence of childhood asthma, rhinitis and eczema using unsupervised statistical techniques. We included 17 209 children at 4 years and 14 585 at 8 years from seven European population-based birth cohorts (MeDALL project). At each age period, children were grouped, using partitioning cluster analysis, according to the distribution of 23 variables covering symptoms 'ever' and 'in the last 12 months', doctor diagnosis, age of onset and treatments of asthma, rhinitis and eczema; immunoglobulin E sensitization; weight; and height. We tested the sensitivity of our estimates to subject and variable selections, and to different statistical approaches, including latent class analysis and self-organizing maps. Two groups were identified as the optimal way to cluster the data at both age periods and in all sensitivity analyses. The first (reference) group at 4 and 8 years (including 70% and 79% of children, respectively) was characterized by a low prevalence of symptoms and sensitization, whereas the second (symptomatic) group exhibited more frequent symptoms and sensitization. Ninety-nine percentage of children with comorbidities (co-occurrence of asthma, rhinitis and/or eczema) were included in the symptomatic group at both ages. The children's characteristics in both groups were consistent in all sensitivity analyses. At 4 and 8 years, at the population level, asthma, rhinitis and eczema can be classified together as an allergic comorbidity cluster. Future research including time-repeated assessments and biological data will help understanding the interrelationships between these diseases. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cost-effectiveness of vedolizumab compared with conventional therapy for ulcerative colitis patients in the UK.

PubMed

Wilson, Michele R; Azzabi Zouraq, Ismail; Chevrou-Severac, Helene; Selby, Ross; Kerrigan, Matthew C

2017-01-01

To examine the clinical and economic impact of vedolizumab compared with conventional therapy in the treatment of moderately-to-severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) in the UK based on results of the GEMINI I trial. A decision-analytic model in Microsoft Excel was used to compare vedolizumab with conventional therapy (aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, immunomodulators) for the treatment of patients with UC in the UK. We considered the following three populations: the overall intent-to-treat population from the GEMINI I trial, patients naïve to anti-TNF therapy, and those who had failed anti-TNF-therapy. Population characteristics and efficacy data were obtained from the GEMINI I trial. Other inputs (eg, unit costs, probability of surgery, mortality) were obtained from published literature. Time horizon was a lifetime horizon, with costs and outcomes discounted by 3.5% per year. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to measure the impact of parameter uncertainty. Vedolizumab had incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of £4,095/quality-adjusted life-year (QALY), £4,423/QALY, and £5,972/QALY compared with conventional therapy in the intent-to-treat, anti-TNF-naïve, and anti-TNF-failure populations, respectively. Patients on vedolizumab accrued more QALYs while incurring more costs than patients on conventional therapy. The sensitivity analyses showed that the results were most sensitive to induction response and transition probabilities for each treatment. The results suggest that vedolizumab results in more QALYs and may be a cost-effective treatment option compared with conventional therapy for both anti-TNF-naïve and anti-TNF-failure patients with moderately-to-severely active UC.

Attitudes towards euthanasia in severely ill and dementia patients and cremation in Cyprus: a population-based survey

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Population studies on end-of-life decisions have not been conducted in Cyprus. Our study aim was to evaluate the beliefs and attitudes of Greek Cypriots towards end-of-life issues regarding euthanasia and cremation. Methods A population-based telephone survey was conducted in Cyprus. One thousand randomly selected individuals from the population of Cyprus age 20 years or older were invited to participate. Beliefs and attitudes on end-of-life decisions were collected using an anonymous and validated questionnaire. Statistical analyses included cross-tabulations, Pearson’s chi-square tests and multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models. Results A total of 308 males and 689 females participated in the survey. About 70% of the respondents did not support euthanasia for people with incurable illness and/or elders with dementia when requested by them and 77% did not support euthanasia for people with incurable illness and/or elders with dementia when requested by relatives. Regarding cremation, 78% were against and only 14% reported being in favor. Further statistical analyses showed that male gender, being single and having reached higher educational level were factors positively associated with support for euthanasia in a statistically significant fashion. On the contrary, the more religiosity expressed by study participants, the less support they reported for euthanasia or cremation. Conclusions The vast majority of Greek Cypriots does not support euthanasia for people with incurable illness and/or elders with dementia and also do not support cremation. Certain demographic characteristics such as age and education have a positive influence towards attitudes for euthanasia and cremation, while religiosity exerts a strong negative influence on the above. Family bonding as well as social and cultural traditions may also play a role although not comprehensively evaluated in the current study. PMID:24060291

Attitudes towards euthanasia in severely ill and dementia patients and cremation in Cyprus: a population-based survey.

PubMed

Televantos, Anastasios; Talias, Michael A; Charalambous, Marianna; Soteriades, Elpidoforos S

2013-09-23

Population studies on end-of-life decisions have not been conducted in Cyprus. Our study aim was to evaluate the beliefs and attitudes of Greek Cypriots towards end-of-life issues regarding euthanasia and cremation. A population-based telephone survey was conducted in Cyprus. One thousand randomly selected individuals from the population of Cyprus age 20 years or older were invited to participate. Beliefs and attitudes on end-of-life decisions were collected using an anonymous and validated questionnaire. Statistical analyses included cross-tabulations, Pearson's chi-square tests and multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models. A total of 308 males and 689 females participated in the survey. About 70% of the respondents did not support euthanasia for people with incurable illness and/or elders with dementia when requested by them and 77% did not support euthanasia for people with incurable illness and/or elders with dementia when requested by relatives. Regarding cremation, 78% were against and only 14% reported being in favor. Further statistical analyses showed that male gender, being single and having reached higher educational level were factors positively associated with support for euthanasia in a statistically significant fashion. On the contrary, the more religiosity expressed by study participants, the less support they reported for euthanasia or cremation. The vast majority of Greek Cypriots does not support euthanasia for people with incurable illness and/or elders with dementia and also do not support cremation. Certain demographic characteristics such as age and education have a positive influence towards attitudes for euthanasia and cremation, while religiosity exerts a strong negative influence on the above. Family bonding as well as social and cultural traditions may also play a role although not comprehensively evaluated in the current study.

Life history and ecology of the elusive European short-snouted seahorse Hippocampus hippocampus.

PubMed

Curtis, J M R; Santos, S V; Nadeau, J L; Gunn, B; Bigney Wilner, K; Balasubramanian, H; Overington, S; Lesage, C-M; D'entremont, J; Wieckowski, K

2017-12-01

To improve the understanding of the life history and ecology of one of Europe's most elusive fishes, the short-snouted seahorse Hippocampus hippocampus, data from wild populations in a shallow coastal lagoon in southern Portugal were analysed. The data were collected from 17 tagged seahorses on a focal-study grid as well as from >350 seahorses encountered during underwater visual surveys and a fishery-independent study using beach seines. These populations of settled juveniles and adults had a mean population density of 0·009 m -2 . During the study period (2000-2004), reproduction peaked in July and August. Juveniles recruited to the lagoon at c. 66 mm standard length (L S ) and 0·5 years of age and established small home ranges (0·8 to 18·2 m 2 ). First reproduction was estimated at 100 mm and 1 year of age. Based on a fitted von Bertalanffy model, H. hippocampus grew quickly (growth coefficient K = 0·93) to a maximum theoretical size L ∞  = 150 mm and have a maximum lifespan of c. 3·2 years. Courtship behaviours were consistent with the maintenance of pair bonds and males brooded multiple batches of young per year. Estimated annual reproductive output averaged 871 young (±632). Together these analyses provide the first life-history parameters for this species and indicate that H. hippocampus bears characteristics of opportunist and intermediate strategists. Such populations are predicted to exhibit large fluctuations in abundance, making them vulnerable to extended periods of poor recruitment. © 2017 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

The effect of rate denominator source on US fatal occupational injury rate estimates.

PubMed

Richardson, David; Loomis, Dana; Bailer, A John; Bena, James

2004-09-01

The Current Population Survey (CPS) is often used as a source of denominator information for analyses of US fatal occupational injury rates. However, given the relatively small sample size of the CPS, analyses that examine the cross-classification of occupation or industry with demographic or geographic characteristics will often produce highly imprecise rate estimates. The Decennial Census of Population provides an alternative source for rate denominator information. We investigate the comparability of fatal injury rates derived using these two sources of rate denominator information. Information on fatal occupational injuries that occurred between January 1, 1983 and December 31, 1994 was obtained from the National Traumatic Occupational Fatality surveillance system. Annual estimates of employment by occupation, industry, age, and sex were derived from the CPS, and by linear interpolation and extrapolation from the 1980 and 1990 Census of Population. Fatal injury rates derived using these denominator data were compared. Fatal injury rates calculated using Census-based denominator data were within 10% of rates calculated using CPS data for all major occupation groups except farming/forestry/fishing, for which the fatal injury rate calculated using Census-based denominator data was 24.69/100,000 worker-years and the rate calculated using CPS data was 19.97/100,000 worker-years. The choice of denominator data source had minimal influence on estimates of trends over calendar time in the fatal injury rates for most major occupation and industry groups. The Census offers a reasonable source for deriving fatal injury rate denominator data in situations where the CPS does not provide sufficiently precise data, although the Census may underestimate the population-at-risk in some industries as a consequence of seasonal variation in employment.

Characterization of a high repetition-rate laser-driven short-pulsed neutron source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hah, J.; Nees, J. A.; Hammig, M. D.; Krushelnick, K.; Thomas, A. G. R.

2018-05-01

We demonstrate a repetitive, high flux, short-pulsed laser-driven neutron source using a heavy-water jet target. We measure neutron generation at 1/2 kHz repetition rate using several-mJ pulse energies, yielding a time-averaged neutron flux of 2 × 105 neutrons s‑1 (into 4π steradians). Deuteron spectra are also measured in order to understand source characteristics. Analyses of time-of-flight neutron spectra indicate that two separate populations of neutrons, ‘prompt’ and ‘delayed’, are generated at different locations. Gamma-ray emission from neutron capture 1H(n,γ) is also measured to confirm the neutron flux.

Country-specific birth weight and length in type 1 diabetes high-risk HLA genotypes in combination with prenatal characteristics.

PubMed

Sterner, Y; Törn, C; Lee, H-S; Larsson, H; Winkler, C; McLeod, W; Lynch, K; Simell, O; Ziegler, A; Schatz, D; Hagopian, W; Rewers, M; She, J-X; Krischer, J P; Akolkar, B; Lernmark, A

2011-12-01

To examine the relationship between high-risk human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genotypes for type 1 diabetes and birth size in combination with prenatal ch aracteristics in different countries. Four high-risk HLA genotypes were enrolled in the Environmental determinants of Diabetes in the Young study newborn babies from the general population in Finland, Germany, Sweden and the United States. Stepwise regression analyses were used to adjust for country, parental physical characteristics and environmental factors during pregnancy. Regression analyses did not reveal differences in birth size between the four type 1 diabetes high-risk HLA genotypes. Compared with DQ 4/8 in each country, (1) DQ 2/2 children were heavier in the United States (P=0.028) mostly explained however, by parental weight; (2) DQ 2/8 (P=0.023) and DQ 8/8 (P=0.046) children were longer in Sweden independent of parents height and as well as (3) in the United States for DQ 2/8 (P=0.023), but again dependent on parental height. Children born with type 1 diabetes high-risk HLA genotypes have comparable birth size. Longitudinal follow-up of these children should reveal whether birth size differences between countries contribute to the risk for islet autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes.

Which came first, people or pollution? A review of theory and evidence from longitudinal environmental justice studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohai, Paul; Saha, Robin

2015-12-01

A considerable number of quantitative analyses have been conducted in the past several decades that demonstrate the existence of racial and socioeconomic disparities in the distribution of a wide variety of environmental hazards. The vast majority of these have been cross-sectional, snapshot studies employing data on hazardous facilities and population characteristics at only one point in time. Although some limited hypotheses can be tested with cross-sectional data, fully understanding how present-day disparities come about requires longitudinal analyses that examine the demographic characteristics of sites at the time of facility siting and track demographic changes after siting. Relatively few such studies exist and those that do exist have often led to confusing and contradictory findings. In this paper we review the theoretical arguments, methods, findings, and conclusions drawn from existing longitudinal environmental justice studies. Our goal is to make sense of this literature and to identify the direction future research should take in order to resolve confusion and arrive at a clearer understanding of the processes and contributory factors by which present-day racial and socioeconomic disparities in the distribution of environmental hazards have come about. Such understandings also serve as an important step in identifying appropriate and effective societal responses to ameliorate environmental disparities.

[Knowledge and perception about tuberculosis among public transport workers in Lima, Peru].

PubMed

Lukac, Danitza; Garaycochea, Octavio; Taype-Rondan, Alvaro; Luque Bustamante, Laura; Mujica-Vasquez, André; Zamora, Dario

2016-11-23

To describe the level of knowledge and perception of tuberculosis among public transport workers attending Road Safety Education courses in Lima, Peru. An observational, cross-sectional, analytic study was conducted between July and August 2014 in public transport workers attending the courses of Road Safety education. In Lima, such courses are mandatory for workers in the public transport area. An anonymous and voluntary survey was applied to obtain the following variables: sociodemographic characteristics, history of tuberculosis, tuberculosis knowledge and attitudes towards the disease. The factors associated to the risk perception of Tuberculosis infection were analysed using Poisson regression. From 309 attendees, 216 surveys were analysed (69.9%). Of these, 88.4% were males, 3.2% had a history of tuberculosis. The most widely known symptom was cough with phlegm (44.4%), the most popular source of information was television (39.8%), and only 9.7% had any training about tuberculosis. A 41.2% of respondents believed that working in the public transport sector was an occupation with a high risk of tuberculosis infection. No significant association between risk perception of tuberculosis and sociodemographic characteristics was found. A considerable lack of knowledge about tuberculosis symptoms and a low perception of risk for tuberculosis exists among public transport workers in Lima. Education strategies directed to this population need to be implemented.

Implicit assumptions underlying simple harvest models of marine bird populations can mislead environmental management decisions.

PubMed

O'Brien, Susan H; Cook, Aonghais S C P; Robinson, Robert A

2017-10-01

Assessing the potential impact of additional mortality from anthropogenic causes on animal populations requires detailed demographic information. However, these data are frequently lacking, making simple algorithms, which require little data, appealing. Because of their simplicity, these algorithms often rely on implicit assumptions, some of which may be quite restrictive. Potential Biological Removal (PBR) is a simple harvest model that estimates the number of additional mortalities that a population can theoretically sustain without causing population extinction. However, PBR relies on a number of implicit assumptions, particularly around density dependence and population trajectory that limit its applicability in many situations. Among several uses, it has been widely employed in Europe in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA), to examine the acceptability of potential effects of offshore wind farms on marine bird populations. As a case study, we use PBR to estimate the number of additional mortalities that a population with characteristics typical of a seabird population can theoretically sustain. We incorporated this level of additional mortality within Leslie matrix models to test assumptions within the PBR algorithm about density dependence and current population trajectory. Our analyses suggest that the PBR algorithm identifies levels of mortality which cause population declines for most population trajectories and forms of population regulation. Consequently, we recommend that practitioners do not use PBR in an EIA context for offshore wind energy developments. Rather than using simple algorithms that rely on potentially invalid implicit assumptions, we recommend use of Leslie matrix models for assessing the impact of additional mortality on a population, enabling the user to explicitly define assumptions and test their importance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimating Burst Swim Speeds and Jumping Characteristics of Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) Using Video Analyses and Principles of Projectile Physics

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

Characteristics of Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) Using Video Analyses and Principles of Projectile Physics by Glenn R. Parsons, Ehlana Stell...2002) estimated maximum swim speeds of videotaped, captive, and free-ranging dolphins, Delphinidae, by timed sequential analyses of video frames... videos to estimate the swim speeds and leap characteristics of carp as they exit the waters’ surface. We used both direct estimates of swim speeds as

Genetic divergence in populations of Lutzomyia ayacuchensis, a vector of Andean-type cutaneous leishmaniasis, in Ecuador and Peru.

PubMed

Kato, Hirotomo; Cáceres, Abraham G; Gomez, Eduardo A; Mimori, Tatsuyuki; Uezato, Hiroshi; Hashiguchi, Yoshihisa

2015-01-01

Haplotype and gene network analyses were performed on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I and cytochrome b gene sequences of Lutzomyia (Lu.) ayacuchensis populations from Andean areas of Ecuador and southern Peru where the sand fly species transmit Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana and Leishmania (Viannia) peruviana, respectively, and populations from the northern Peruvian Andes, for which transmission of Leishmania by Lu. ayacuchensis has not been reported. The haplotype analyses showed higher intrapopulation genetic divergence in northern Peruvian Andes populations and less divergence in the southern Peru and Ecuador populations, suggesting that a population bottleneck occurred in the latter populations, but not in former ones. Importantly, both haplotype and phylogenetic analyses showed that populations from Ecuador consisted of clearly distinct clusters from southern Peru, and the two populations were separated from those of northern Peru. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Compliance with French nutrition and health program recommendations is strongly associated with socioeconomic characteristics in the general adult population.

PubMed

Malon, Aurélie; Deschamps, Valérie; Salanave, Benoit; Vernay, Michel; Szego, Emmanuelle; Estaquio, Carla; Kesse-Guyot, Emmanuelle; Hercberg, Serge; Castetbon, Katia

2010-06-01

In many countries, nutrition policies such as the Programme National Nutrition Santé (PNNS), implemented in France since 2001, have been developed to prevent and reduce the risk of chronic disease. However, the way in which such programs might benefit persons having different socioeconomic characteristics is unknown. The French nutrition and health survey (Etude Nationale Nutrition Santé [ENNS]) represented an opportunity to address this issue. To describe compliance with PNNS recommendations in the general population and to investigate the relationship between social, economic, and educational characteristics and poor compliance with French nutrition recommendations. A national cross-sectional multistage sampling survey. Food intake was estimated through three 24-hour recalls. Adherence to French nutrition recommendations was estimated using the PNNS guideline score (15 possible points). Two thousand five hundred seventy-seven adults aged 18 to 74 years living in France in 2006-2007 were included in these analyses. All analyses were carried out in men and women separately. Sex-specific quartiles of score were estimated. Multiple logistic models were used to identify socioeconomic characteristics (ie, age, marital status, occupational status, education level, and holiday trip in the past 12 months) associated with poor compliance with recommendations (first PNNS guideline score quartile vs three other quartiles), estimating odds ratios (ORs), and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The mean PNNS guideline score was 7.67+/-0.17 in men and 8.55+/-0.12 in women. In both sex groups, a difference of approximately four attained recommendations (out of 13 maximum) was observed between the lowest and highest quartiles. In multivariate models, being in the first PNNS guideline score quartile was significantly associated with lower age and lower occupational status for both sexes. Moreover, women living without a partner were at higher risk of poor compliance with recommendations (adjusted OR 1.43; 95% CI 1.01 to 2.04, vs women living with a partner), as were men not having taken a holiday trip during the past 12 months (adjusted OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.05 to 3.02, vs at least one holiday trip). Compliance with nutrition recommendations can be improved despite several years of public health interventions carried out by the PNNS. Identification of characteristics associated with poor compliance should help to target future public health measures. 2010 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

"Don't know" responses to risk perception measures: implications for underserved populations.

PubMed

Waters, Erika A; Hay, Jennifer L; Orom, Heather; Kiviniemi, Marc T; Drake, Bettina F

2013-02-01

Risk perceptions are legitimate targets for behavioral interventions because they can motivate medical decisions and health behaviors. However, some survey respondents may not know (or may not indicate) their risk perceptions. The scope of "don't know" (DK) responding is unknown. Examine the prevalence and correlates of responding DK to items assessing perceived risk of colorectal cancer. Two nationally representative, population-based, cross-sectional surveys (2005 National Health Interview Survey [NHIS]; 2005 Health Information National Trends Survey [HINTS]), and one primary care clinic-based survey comprised of individuals from low-income communities. Analyses included 31,202 (NHIS), 1,937 (HINTS), and 769 (clinic) individuals. Five items assessed perceived risk of colorectal cancer. Four of the items differed in format and/or response scale: comparative risk (NHIS, HINTS); absolute risk (HINTS, clinic), and "likelihood" and "chance" response scales (clinic). Only the clinic-based survey included an explicit DK response option. "Don't know" responding was 6.9% (NHIS), 7.5% (HINTS-comparative), and 8.7% (HINTS-absolute). "Don't know" responding was 49.1% and 69.3% for the "chance" and "likely" response options (clinic). Correlates of DK responding were characteristics generally associated with disparities (e.g., low education), but the pattern of results varied among samples, question formats, and response scales. The surveys were developed independently and employed different methodologies and items. Consequently, the results were not directly comparable. There may be multiple explanations for differences in the magnitude and characteristics of DK responding. "Don't know" responding is more prevalent in populations affected by health disparities. Either not assessing or not analyzing DK responses could further disenfranchise these populations and negatively affect the validity of research and the efficacy of interventions seeking to eliminate health disparities.

Study of the Relationships between the Spatial Extent of Surface Urban Heat Islands and Urban Characteristic Factors Based on Landsat ETM+ Data

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jinqu; Wang, Yunpeng

2008-01-01

Ten cities with different population and urban sizes located in the Pearl River Delta, Guangdong Province, P.R. China were selected to study the relationships between the spatial extent of surface urban heat islands (SUHI) and five urban characteristic factors such as urban size, development area, water proportion, mean NDVI (Normalized Vegetation Index) and population density, etc. The spatial extent of SUHI was quantified by using the hot island area (HIA). All the cities are almost at the same latitude, showing similar climate and solar radiation, the influence of which could thus be eliminated during our computation and comparative study. The land surface temperatures (LST) were retrieved from the data of Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) band 6 using a mono-window algorithm. A variance-segmenting method was proposed to compute HIA for each city from the retrieved LST. Factors like urban size, development area and water proportion were extracted directly from the classification images of the same ETM+ data and the population density factor is from the official census. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to study the relationships between the HIA and the related factors, and the results show that HIA is highly correlated to urban size (r=0.95), population density (r=0.97) and development area (r=0.83) in this area. It was also proved that a weak negative correlation existed between HIA and both mean NDVI and water proportion for each city. Linear functions between HIA and its related factors were established, respectively. The HIA can reflect the spatial extent and magnitude of the surface urban heat island effect, and can be used as reference in the urban planning. PMID:27873939

Prevalences of scabies and pediculosis corporis among homeless people in the Paris region: results from two randomized cross-sectional surveys (HYTPEAC study).

PubMed

Arnaud, A; Chosidow, O; Détrez, M-A; Bitar, D; Huber, F; Foulet, F; Le Strat, Y; Vandentorren, S

2016-01-01

Dermatological infections constitute the most common health problem in the homeless population. To estimate the prevalences of scabies and pediculosis corporis and to identify associated factors in the homeless population. Two randomized cross-sectional surveys were performed, one on the homeless population sleeping in public places in Paris, and the other on the homeless population in various shelters in the Ile-de-France administrative region. Overall 341 and 667 people, respectively, were interviewed about sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle and hygiene practices, and were examined by a nurse. In individuals sleeping in public places the prevalence of scabies was estimated at 6·5% [95% confidence interval (CI) 0·5-12·5] and for pediculosis corporis at 5·4% (95% CI 1·7-9·1). For those sleeping in shelters these values were 0·4% (95% CI 0·1-1·8) and 0·15% (95% CI 0·0-9·7), respectively (P < 0·01 in both cases). In public places, after multivariate analysis, being a woman, citing squats among the three main types of accommodation and not possessing a sleeping bag were significantly associated with diagnosis of scabies. Likewise, begging, a history of pubic lice, and not taking showers in municipal baths were associated with pediculosis corporis in public places. Firstly, this study highlights the real existence of two distinct subpopulations having different sociodemographic characteristics, with specific lifestyles and practices, and with different prevalences of ectoparasitism. Secondly, the results of the multivariate analyses will help the implementation of specific actions targeting the group of people who sleep in public places. © 2015 British Association of Dermatologists.

The prevalence and characteristics of tinnitus in the youth population of the United States.

PubMed

Mahboubi, Hossein; Oliaei, Sepehr; Kiumehr, Saman; Dwabe, Sami; Djalilian, Hamid R

2013-08-01

To evaluate the prevalence, characteristics, and associated risk factors of tinnitus in U.S. adolescents. Cross-sectional analyses of U.S. representative demographic and audiometric data, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005 to 2008. The study population consisted of 3,520 individuals aged 12 to 19 years with complete tinnitus-related data. Tinnitus was defined as the presence of ringing or buzzing in the ears lasting for at least 5 minutes during the preceding 12 months. In addition, we defined a chronic tinnitus subgroup as being bothered by tinnitus for more than 3 months. Demographic and other data regarding tinnitus, smoking, body mass index (BMI), anemia, hypertension, history of ear infections, tympanostomy tube placement, otoscopy, tympanometry and hearing thresholds, history of firearm use, and recreational and occupational exposure to noise were extracted and analyzed. Overall, tinnitus lasting 5 minutes or more in the preceding 12 months was reported by 7.5% of the 12- to 19-year-old population. This represents about 2.5 million adolescents in the United States. The prevalence of chronic tinnitus was 4.7%, corresponding to about 1.6 million adolescents in the United States. Multivariable-adjusted analysis revealed that both overall and chronic tinnitus were associated with female gender, low income, exposure to passive smoking, type A tympanogram, and occupational and recreational noise exposure. History of ≥ 3 ear infections and history of tympanostomy tube placement were associated only with overall tinnitus. Tinnitus afflicts a substantial portion of the youth population. Further investigation of the association between tinnitus and the identified risk factors is warranted. © 2013 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Determinants in the place of death for people with different cancer types: a national population-based study.

PubMed

Öhlén, Joakim; Cohen, Joachim; Håkanson, Cecilia

2017-03-01

Place of death has for the past decade increasingly come to be regarded as a robust indicator of how palliative care is organized and provided, and is also recognized as an important factor for well being at the end of life. Variations in place of cancer deaths have previously been reported in the context of country-specific healthcare organization, but without differentiating between cancer types and national regional variations. Our aim was to examine, at a population level, where people with cancer diseases die in Sweden, and to investigate associations of place of death and cancer type with individual, socioeconomic and geographical characteristics of the deceased. This population level study is based on death certificate data (sex; age; underlying cause of death and place of death) and population register data (educational attainment, marital status, living arrangements, area of residence, degree of urbanization, and healthcare region) of all 2012 cancer deaths in Sweden, with a registered place of death (hospital, nursing home, home, other places). Data were explored descriptively. To investigate associations between place of death and cancer types, and individual, socioeconomic and environmental characteristics, a series of multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. The most frequent type of cancer death occurring at home was upper gastrointestinal cancer (25.6%) and the least frequent was hematological cancer (15.2%). Regional variations in cancer deaths occurring at home ranged from 17.1% to 28.4%. Factors associated with place of death by cancer type were age, educational attainment, marital status, healthcare regions and degree of urbanization. Large healthcare regional variations in place of death among different cancer types were found. The socioeconomic inequality previously demonstrated for screening, diagnostic and treatment processes, rehabilitation and survival thus also seems to be reflected in the place of death.

Development of and Selected Performance Characteristics of CANJEM, a General Population Job-Exposure Matrix Based on Past Expert Assessments of Exposure.

PubMed

Sauvé, Jean-François; Siemiatycki, Jack; Labrèche, France; Richardson, Lesley; Pintos, Javier; Sylvestre, Marie-Pierre; Gérin, Michel; Bégin, Denis; Lacourt, Aude; Kirkham, Tracy L; Rémen, Thomas; Pasquet, Romain; Goldberg, Mark S; Rousseau, Marie-Claude; Parent, Marie-Élise; Lavoué, Jérôme

2018-06-12

We developed a job-exposure matrix called CANJEM using data generated in population-based case-control studies of cancer. This article describes some of the decisions in developing CANJEM, and some of its performance characteristics. CANJEM is built from exposure information from 31673 jobs held by study subjects included in our past case-control studies. For each job, experts had evaluated the intensity, frequency, and likelihood of exposure to a predefined list of agents based on jobs histories and descriptions of tasks and workplaces. The creation of CANJEM involved a host of decisions regarding the structure of CANJEM, and operational decisions regarding which parameters to present. The goal was to produce an instrument that would provide great flexibility to the user. In addition to describing these decisions, we conducted analyses to assess how well CANJEM covered the range of occupations found in Canada. Even at quite a high level of resolution of the occupation classifications and time periods, over 90% of the recent Canadian working population would be covered by CANJEM. Prevalence of exposure of specific agents in specific occupations ranges from 0% to nearly 100%, thereby providing the user with basic information to discriminate exposed from unexposed workers. Furthermore, among exposed workers there is information that can be used to discriminate those with high exposure from those with low exposure. CANJEM provides good coverage of the Canadian working population and possibly that of several other countries. Available in several occupation classification systems and including 258 agents, CANJEM can be used to support exposure assessment efforts in epidemiology and prevention of occupational diseases.

Depression among family caregivers of community-dwelling older people who used services under the Long Term Care Insurance program: a large-scale population-based study in Japan.

PubMed

Arai, Yumiko; Kumamoto, Keigo; Mizuno, Yoko; Washio, Masakazu

2014-01-01

To identify predictors for depression among family caregivers of community-dwelling older people under the Long Term Care Insurance (LTCI) program in Japan through a large-scale population-based survey. All 5938 older people with disabilities, using domiciliary services under the LTCI in the city of Toyama, and their family caregivers participated in this study. Caregiver depression was defined as scores of ≥16 on the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Other caregiver measures included age, sex, hours spent caregiving, relationship to the care recipient, income adequacy, living arrangement, self-rated health, and work status. Care recipient measures included age, sex, level of functional disability, and severity of dementia. The data from 4128 pairs of the care recipients and their family caregivers were eligible for further analyses. A multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the predictors associated with being at risk of clinical depression (CES-D of ≥16). Overall, 34.2% of caregivers scored ≥16 on the CES-D. The independent predictors for depression by logistic regression analysis were six caregiver characteristics (female, income inadequacy, longer hours spent caregiving, worse subjective health, and co-residence with the care recipient) and one care-recipient characteristic (moderate dementia). This is one of the first population-based examinations of caregivers of older people who are enrolled in a national service system that provides affordable access to services. The results highlighted the importance of monitoring caregivers who manifest the identified predictors to attenuate caregiver depression at the population level under the LTCI.

HIV, HCV, HBV, and syphilis among transgender women from Brazil: Assessing different methods to adjust infection rates of a hard-to-reach, sparse population.

PubMed

Bastos, Francisco I; Bastos, Leonardo Soares; Coutinho, Carolina; Toledo, Lidiane; Mota, Jurema Corrêa; Velasco-de-Castro, Carlos Augusto; Sperandei, Sandro; Brignol, Sandra; Travassos, Tamiris Severino; Dos Santos, Camila Mattos; Malta, Monica Siqueira

2018-05-01

Different sampling strategies, analytic alternatives, and estimators have been proposed to better assess the characteristics of different hard-to-reach populations and their respective infection rates (as well as their sociodemographic characteristics, associated harms, and needs) in the context of studies based on respondent-driven sampling (RDS). Despite several methodological advances and hundreds of empirical studies implemented worldwide, some inchoate findings and methodological challenges remain. The in-depth assessment of the local structure of networks and the performance of the available estimators are particularly relevant when the target populations are sparse and highly stigmatized. In such populations, bottlenecks as well as other sources of biases (for instance, due to homophily and/or too sparse or fragmented groups of individuals) may be frequent, affecting the estimates.In the present study, data were derived from a cross-sectional, multicity RDS study, carried out in 12 Brazilian cities with transgender women (TGW). Overall, infection rates for HIV and syphilis were very high, with some variation between different cities. Notwithstanding, findings are of great concern, considering the fact that female TGW are not only very hard-to-reach but also face deeply-entrenched prejudice and have been out of the reach of most therapeutic and preventive programs and projects.We cross-compared findings adjusted using 2 estimators (the classic estimator usually known as estimator II, originally proposed by Volz and Heckathorn) and a brand new strategy to adjust data generated by RDS, partially based on Bayesian statistics, called for the sake of this paper, the RDS-B estimator. Adjusted prevalence was cross-compared with estimates generated by non-weighted analyses, using what has been called by us a naïve estimator or rough estimates.

Molecular Diversity and Population Structure of a Worldwide Collection of Cultivated Tetraploid Alfalfa (Medicago sativa subsp. sativa L.) Germplasm as Revealed by Microsatellite Markers

PubMed Central

Qiang, Haiping; Chen, Zhihong; Zhang, Zhengli; Wang, Xuemin; Gao, Hongwen; Wang, Zan

2015-01-01

Information on genetic diversity and population structure of a tetraploid alfalfa collection might be valuable in effective use of the genetic resources. A set of 336 worldwide genotypes of tetraploid alfalfa (Medicago sativa subsp. sativa L.) was genotyped using 85 genome-wide distributed SSR markers to reveal the genetic diversity and population structure in the alfalfa. Genetic diversity analysis identified a total of 1056 alleles across 85 marker loci. The average expected heterozygosity and polymorphism information content values were 0.677 and 0.638, respectively, showing high levels of genetic diversity in the cultivated tetraploid alfalfa germplasm. Comparison of genetic characteristics across chromosomes indicated regions of chromosomes 2 and 3 had the highest genetic diversity. A higher genetic diversity was detected in alfalfa landraces than that of wild materials and cultivars. Two populations were identified by the model-based population structure, principal coordinate and neighbor-joining analyses, corresponding to China and other parts of the world. However, lack of strictly correlation between clustering and geographic origins suggested extensive germplasm exchanges of alfalfa germplasm across diverse geographic regions. The quantitative analysis of the genetic diversity and population structure in this study could be useful for genetic and genomic analysis and utilization of the genetic variation in alfalfa breeding. PMID:25901573

Evaluating the performance of selection scans to detect selective sweeps in domestic dogs.

PubMed

Schlamp, Florencia; van der Made, Julian; Stambler, Rebecca; Chesebrough, Lewis; Boyko, Adam R; Messer, Philipp W

2016-01-01

Selective breeding of dogs has resulted in repeated artificial selection on breed-specific morphological phenotypes. A number of quantitative trait loci associated with these phenotypes have been identified in genetic mapping studies. We analysed the population genomic signatures observed around the causal mutations for 12 of these loci in 25 dog breeds, for which we genotyped 25 individuals in each breed. By measuring the population frequencies of the causal mutations in each breed, we identified those breeds in which specific mutations most likely experienced positive selection. These instances were then used as positive controls for assessing the performance of popular statistics to detect selection from population genomic data. We found that artificial selection during dog domestication has left characteristic signatures in the haplotype and nucleotide polymorphism patterns around selected loci that can be detected in the genotype data from a single population sample. However, the sensitivity and accuracy at which such signatures were detected varied widely between loci, the particular statistic used and the choice of analysis parameters. We observed examples of both hard and soft selective sweeps and detected strong selective events that removed genetic diversity almost entirely over regions >10 Mbp. Our study demonstrates the power and limitations of selection scans in populations with high levels of linkage disequilibrium due to severe founder effects and recent population bottlenecks. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

European Surveillance System on Contact Allergies (ESSCA): polysensitization, 2009-2014.

PubMed

Dittmar, Daan; Uter, Wolfgang; Bauer, Andrea; Fortina, Ana B; Bircher, Andreas J; Czarnecka-Operacz, Magdalena; Dugonik, Aleksandra; Elsner, Peter; Gallo, Rosella; Ghaffar, Sharizan A; Giménez-Arnau, Anna; Johnston, Graham A; Kręcisz, Beata; Filon, Francesca L; Rustemeyer, Thomas; Sadowska-Przytocka, Anna; Sánchez-Pérez, Javier; Schnuch, Axel; Simon, Dagmar; Spiewak, Radoslaw; Spring, Philipp; Corradin, Maria T; Valiukevičienė, Skaidra; Vok, Marko; Weisshaar, Elke; Wilkinson, Mark; Schuttelaar, Marie L

2018-06-01

Polysensitization, defined as being allergic to three or more haptens from the European baseline series, is considered to reflect increased susceptibility to developing a contact allergy, and is likely to be associated with an impaired quality of life. To evaluate the prevalences of polysensitization across Europe and to analyse factors associated with polysensitization. Patch test data collected by the European Surveillance System on Contact Allergies (ESSCA; www.essca-dc.org) in consecutively patch tested patients from January 2009 to December 2014, comprising 11 countries and 57 departments, were retrospectively analysed. A total of 86 416 patients were available for analysis, showing a standardized prevalence of polysensitization of 7.02%, ranging from 12.7% (Austria) to 4.6% (Italy). Allergen pairs with the strongest association are reported for the total population, for South Europe, and for North/Central Europe. Overall, polysensitized patients showed a higher percentage of extreme (+++) positive patch test reactions than oligosensitized patients. Female sex, occupational dermatitis and age > 40 years were risk factors for polysensitization. The varying prevalences of polysensitization across Europe most likely reflect differences in patient characteristics and referral patterns between departments. Known risk factors for polysensitization are confirmed in a European dermatitis population. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Apparent Activation Energies Associated with Protein Dynamics on Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Surfaces

PubMed Central

Langdon, Blake B.; Kastantin, Mark; Schwartz, Daniel K.

2012-01-01

With the use of single-molecule total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM), the dynamics of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human fibrinogen (Fg) at low concentrations were observed at the solid-aqueous interface as a function of temperature on hydrophobic trimethylsilane (TMS) and hydrophilic fused silica (FS) surfaces. Multiple dynamic modes and populations were observed and characterized by their surface residence times and squared-displacement distributions (surface diffusion). Characteristic desorption and diffusion rates for each population/mode were generally found to increase with temperature, and apparent activation energies were determined from Arrhenius analyses. The apparent activation energies of desorption and diffusion were typically higher on FS than on TMS surfaces, suggesting that protein desorption and mobility were hindered on hydrophilic surfaces due to favorable protein-surface and solvent-surface interactions. The diffusion of BSA on TMS appeared to be activationless for several populations, whereas diffusion on FS always exhibited an apparent activation energy. All activation energies were small in absolute terms (generally only a few kBT), suggesting that most adsorbed protein molecules are weakly bound and move and desorb readily under ambient conditions. PMID:22713578

Risk factors associated with typhoid fever in children aged 2-16 years in Karachi, Pakistan.

PubMed

Khan, M I; Ochiai, R L; Soofi, S B; Von-Seidlein, L; Khan, M J; Sahito, S M; Habib, M A; Puri, M K; Park, J K; You, Y A; Ali, M; Nizami, S Q; Acosta, C J; Bradley-Sack, R; Clemens, J D; Bhutta, Z A

2012-04-01

We analysed the data from the control group in a typhoid vaccine trial in Karachi to assess the differences in individual-, household- and cluster-level characteristics for developing typhoid fever. The annual incidence of typhoid in children aged 2-16 years in the control arm of the vaccine trial was 151/100 000 population. After adjustment, the risk of typhoid was lower with increasing age [risk ratio (RR) 0·89, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0·83-0·95], was higher with an increase in population density (RR 1·13, 95% CI 1·05-1·21) and was lower in the households using a safe drinking-water source (RR 0·63, 95% CI 0·41-0·99). Typhoid fever affects younger children living in areas of high population density and lack of access to safe water in Pakistan. A combination of environmental and biological interventions is required to prevent the continued epidemiological and economic impact of typhoid fever in high-risk areas of Pakistan.

Client characteristics and gender-specific correlates of testing HIV positive: a comparison of standalone center versus mobile outreach HIV testing and counseling in Botswana.

PubMed

Hood, Julia E; MacKellar, Duncan; Spaulding, Anne; Nelson, Rob; Mosiakgabo, Boingotlo; Sikwa, Bangwato; Puso, Innocentia; Raats, Jan; Loeto, Peter; Alwano, Mary Grace; Monyatsi, Blessed

2012-10-01

Using data from Botswana's largest HIV testing and counseling (HTC) provider, Tebelopele, we evaluate populations served and gender-specific correlates of testing HIV-positive among clients of two programs: standalone centers and outreach testing. Client records from January to June 2007 (n = 47,890) were evaluated by HTC program and gender. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify demographic, testing, and risk-behavior variables associated with testing HIV-positive. Compared to outreach testing, standalone centers served proportionally more clients who were young, well-educated, unmarried, and HIV-infected; outreach testing reached an older, less-educated population. Age, educational attainment, marital status, couples testing, testing because of illness or discordant relationship, and nonuse of condoms (among young clients only) were consistently associated with testing HIV-positive, by HTC program and gender. Our evaluation suggests that Tebelopele standalone and outreach HTC programs serve different populations, and identifies strategies to reduce HIV infection risk and to improve uptake of HTC by HIV-infected, undiagnosed Batswana.

Orthorexia nervosa in the general population: a preliminary screening using a self-administered questionnaire (ORTO-15).

PubMed

Ramacciotti, C E; Perrone, P; Coli, E; Burgalassi, A; Conversano, C; Massimetti, G; Dell'Osso, L

2011-06-01

Orthorexia, from the Greek words orthos (straight, proper) and orexis (appetite), is a newly conceptualized disorder characterized by distorted eating habits and cognitions concerning supposedly healthy nutrition. In this article we present preliminary results of a wider research aimed to investigate the diffusion of Orthorexia in the general population and to highlight its characteristics and particularly the relationship with Eating Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. One-hundred and seventy seven adult subjects from the general population, were administered the ORTO-15 test, a selfadministered questionnaire specifically designed to assess orthorexic symptomatology; note that statistical analyses were repeated twice, referring to different diagnostic thresholds (40/35). Orthorexia had a 57.6% prevalence in our sample, using the 40-point threshold, with a female/male ratio 2:1; the figure was sensibly lower with the 35-point threshold (21%). The results of this study highlight the diffusion of Orthorexia which may constitute an important risk factor for mental and physical health, but also the opportunity of more specific diagnostic instruments, so to facilitate a thorough understanding of this disorder.

Predicting Geomorphic and Hydrologic Risks after Wildfire Using Harmonic and Stochastic Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikesell, J.; Kinoshita, A. M.; Florsheim, J. L.; Chin, A.; Nourbakhshbeidokhti, S.

2017-12-01

Wildfire is a landscape-scale disturbance that often alters hydrological processes and sediment flux during subsequent storms. Vegetation loss from wildfires induce changes to sediment supply such as channel erosion and sedimentation and streamflow magnitude or flooding. These changes enhance downstream hazards, threatening human populations and physical aquatic habitat over various time scales. Using Williams Canyon, a basin burned by the Waldo Canyon Fire (2012) as a case study, we utilize deterministic and statistical modeling methods (Fourier series and first order Markov chain) to assess pre- and post-fire geomorphic and hydrologic characteristics, including of precipitation, enhanced vegetation index (EVI, a satellite-based proxy of vegetation biomass), streamflow, and sediment flux. Local precipitation, terrestrial Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) scanning, and satellite-based products are used for these time series analyses. We present a framework to assess variability of periodic and nonperiodic climatic and multivariate trends to inform development of a post-wildfire risk assessment methodology. To establish the extent to which a wildfire affects hydrologic and geomorphic patterns, a Fourier series was used to fit pre- and post-fire geomorphic and hydrologic characteristics to yearly temporal cycles and subcycles of 6, 4, 3, and 2.4 months. These cycles were analyzed using least-squares estimates of the harmonic coefficients or amplitudes of each sub-cycle's contribution to fit the overall behavior of a Fourier series. The stochastic variances of these characteristics were analyzed by composing first-order Markov models and probabilistic analysis through direct likelihood estimates. Preliminary results highlight an increased dependence of monthly post-fire hydrologic characteristics on 12 and 6-month temporal cycles. This statistical and probabilistic analysis provides a basis to determine the impact of wildfires on the temporal dependence of geomorphic and hydrologic characteristics, which can be incorporated into post-fire mitigation, management, and recovery-based measures to protect and rehabilitate areas subject to influence from wildfires.

Influence of quality of care and individual patient characteristics on quality of life and return to work in survivors of the acute respiratory distress syndrome: protocol for a prospective, observational, multi-centre patient cohort study (DACAPO).

PubMed

Brandstetter, Susanne; Dodoo-Schittko, Frank; Blecha, Sebastian; Sebök, Philipp; Thomann-Hackner, Kathrin; Quintel, Michael; Weber-Carstens, Steffen; Bein, Thomas; Apfelbacher, Christian

2015-12-17

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and return to work are important outcomes in critical care medicine, reaching beyond mortality. Little is known on factors predictive of HRQoL and return to work in critical illness, including the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and no evidence exists on the role of quality of care (QoC) for outcomes in survivors of ARDS. It is the aim of the DACAPO study ("Surviving ARDS: the influence of QoC and individual patient characteristics on quality of life") to investigate the role of QoC and individual patient characteristics on quality of life and return to work. A prospective, observational, multi-centre patient cohort study will be performed in Germany, using hospitals from the "ARDS Network Germany" as the main recruiting centres. It is envisaged to recruit 2400 patients into the DACAPO study and to analyse a study population of 1500 survivors. They will be followed up until 12 months after discharge from hospital. QoC will be assessed as process quality, structural quality and volume at the institutional level. The main outcomes (HRQoL and return to work) will be assessed by self-report questionnaires. Further data collection includes general medical and ARDS-related characteristics of patients as well as sociodemographic and psycho-social parameters. Multilevel hierarchical modelling will be performed to analyse the effects of QoC and individual patient characteristics on outcomes, taking the cluster structure of the data into account. By obtaining comprehensive data at patient and hospital level using a prospective multi-centre design, the DACAPO-study is the first study investigating the influence of QoC on individual outcomes of ARDS survivors.

[Pediatric facial fractures. Characteristics of Portuguese population].

PubMed

Ferreira, Pedro; Silva, Natividade; Silva, Alvaro; Cardoso, Augusta; Rodrigues, Jorge; Reis, Jorge; Amarante, José

2004-01-01

Fractures of the facial skeleton are relatively uncommon in children and adolescents, and there are only few reports that review a significative number of patients. We performed a retrospective study to analyse the different characteristics of such fractures in the pediatric population in the north of Portugal. We reviewed the clinical and the surgical records of a series of 247 patients younger than 19 years, that were submitted to operation due to facial fractures by the Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Service of São João Hospital, Oporto (Portugal) between 1993 and 2002. The following parameters were evaluated: age, sex, cause of the accident, time and month of hospital admission, location and type of fractures, presence and location of associated injuries, treatment methods, length of in-hospital stay, and complications. Surgical treatment of 325 fractures was performed. The ratio of boys to girls was 3.3:1. The majority of injuries occurred in patients with 16 to 18 years old. Motor-vehicle accident (MVA) was the most common cause of injuries (57.1%). Mandibular fractures were the most common (62.5%). Associated injuries occurred in 63.2% of patients. Pediatric facial fractures are usually associated with severe trauma. Although MVA was the most frequent cause of fractures, this has decreased. The incidence of these type of fractures is high in Portugal.

The 2007–2010 Q fever epidemic in The Netherlands: characteristics of notified acute Q fever patients and the association with dairy goat farming.

PubMed

Dijkstra, Frederika; van der Hoek, Wim; Wijers, Nancy; Schimmer, Barbara; Rietveld, Ariene; Wijkmans, Clementine J; Vellema, Piet; Schneeberger, Peter M

2012-02-01

We describe the Q fever epidemic in the Netherlands with emphasis on the epidemiological characteristics of acute Q fever patients and the association with veterinary factors. Data from 3264 notifications for acute Q fever in the period from 2007 through 2009 were analysed. The patients most affected were men, smokers and persons aged 40–60 years. Pneumonia was the most common clinical presentation (62% in 2007 and 2008). Only 3.2% of the patients were working in the agriculture sector and 0.5% in the meat-processing industry including abattoirs. Dairy goat farms with Coxiella burnetii-induced abortion waves were mainly located in the same area where human cases occurred. Airborne transmission of contaminated dust particles from commercial dairy goat farms in densely populated areas has probably caused this epidemic. In 2010, there was a sharp decline in the number of notified cases following the implementation of control measures on dairy goat and sheep farms such as vaccination, hygiene measures and culling of pregnant animals on infected farms. In combination with a rise in the human population with antibodies against C. burnetii, these have most likely ended the outbreak. Development of chronic Q fever in infected patients remains an important problem for years to come.

Interspecific Relationships in Benthic Assemblages of a Large Lowland River : Co-existence or Competition as a Result of Habitat Characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akopian, M.; Usseglio-Polatera, P.

2005-05-01

Macrobenthic assemblages of the lower, regulated and canalized Marne River (France) are dominated by several "exotic", recently introduced species. Arrival, installation and spread of such alien species were certainly promoted by (1) the close connection between French and other European river systems (Rhine, Danube), (2) the modification of natural river flow and benthic habitats. Both habitat characteristics (e.g. granulometric composition, organic content) and corresponding benthic assemblage structure were analysed to identify the substrate affinity of major taxa in the lower Marne River. The main aim of the study was to evaluate the possible biotic interactions (i.e. competition for food and/or space) among dominant taxa as function of habitat features and to predict the future development of newly established species, already known as potential invaders: Corbicula fluminea (Bivalvia), Hypania invalida (Polychaeta), Chelicorophium curvispinum (Amphipoda), etc. Most of the newly established species, coming from the same biogeographical area ("invasional meltdown" hypothesis?), are eurytopic, with high fecundity and large food spectrum. First results demonstrated the co-existence of such species in the Marne River. But the future ecological importance of these organisms in benthic assemblages of the river depends on their present population size, population dynamics, and ability to colonize bottom substrates.

Population Stratification and Underrepresentation of Indian Subcontinent Genetic Diversity in the 1000 Genomes Project Dataset.

PubMed

Sengupta, Dhriti; Choudhury, Ananyo; Basu, Analabha; Ramsay, Michèle

2016-12-31

Genomic variation in Indian populations is of great interest due to the diversity of ancestral components, social stratification, endogamy and complex admixture patterns. With an expanding population of 1.2 billion, India is also a treasure trove to catalogue innocuous as well as clinically relevant rare mutations. Recent studies have revealed four dominant ancestries in populations from mainland India: Ancestral North-Indian (ANI), Ancestral South-Indian (ASI), Ancestral Tibeto-Burman (ATB) and Ancestral Austro-Asiatic (AAA). The 1000 Genomes Project (KGP) Phase-3 data include about 500 genomes from five linguistically defined Indian-Subcontinent (IS) populations (Punjabi, Gujrati, Bengali, Telugu and Tamil) some of whom are recent migrants to USA or UK. Comparative analyses show that despite the distinct geographic origins of the KGP-IS populations, the ANI component is predominantly represented in this dataset. Previous studies demonstrated population substructure in the HapMap Gujrati population, and we found evidence for additional substructure in the Punjabi and Telugu populations. These substructured populations have characteristic/significant differences in heterozygosity and inbreeding coefficients. Moreover, we demonstrate that the substructure is better explained by factors like differences in proportion of ancestral components, and endogamy driven social structure rather than invoking a novel ancestral component to explain it. Therefore, using language and/or geography as a proxy for an ethnic unit is inadequate for many of the IS populations. This highlights the necessity for more nuanced sampling strategies or corrective statistical approaches, particularly for biomedical and population genetics research in India. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Genetic Diversity of Plasmodium falciparum in Haiti: Insights from Microsatellite Markers

PubMed Central

Carter, Tamar E.; Malloy, Halley; Existe, Alexandre; Memnon, Gladys; St. Victor, Yves; Okech, Bernard A.; Mulligan, Connie J.

2015-01-01

Hispaniola, comprising Haiti and the Dominican Republic, has been identified as a candidate for malaria elimination. However, incomplete surveillance data in Haiti hamper efforts to assess the impact of ongoing malaria control interventions. Characteristics of the genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum populations can be used to assess parasite transmission, which is information vital to evaluating malaria elimination efforts. Here we characterize the genetic diversity of P. falciparum samples collected from patients at seven sites in Haiti using 12 microsatellite markers previously employed in population genetic analyses of global P. falciparum populations. We measured multiplicity of infections, level of genetic diversity, degree of population geographic substructure, and linkage disequilibrium (defined as non-random association of alleles from different loci). For low transmission populations like Haiti, we expect to see few multiple infections, low levels of genetic diversity, high degree of population structure, and high linkage disequilibrium. In Haiti, we found low levels of multiple infections (12.9%), moderate to high levels of genetic diversity (mean number of alleles per locus = 4.9, heterozygosity = 0.61), low levels of population structure (highest pairwise Fst = 0.09 and no clustering in principal components analysis), and moderate linkage disequilibrium (ISA = 0.05, P<0.0001). In addition, population bottleneck analysis revealed no evidence for a reduction in the P. falciparum population size in Haiti. We conclude that the high level of genetic diversity and lack of evidence for a population bottleneck may suggest that Haiti’s P. falciparum population has been stable and discuss the implications of our results for understanding the impact of malaria control interventions. We also discuss the relevance of parasite population history and other host and vector factors when assessing transmission intensity from genetic diversity data. PMID:26462203

Characteristics of the Low-Income Population, 1971. Current Population Reports: Consumer Income, Series P-60, Number 86.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shelburne, Elizabeth C.

This report presents social and economic statistics for the population of the United States below the low-income level in 1971, based on the March 1972 Current Population Survey. Included are data on selected characteristics of the population below the low-income level in 1971, such as geographic distribution, race and ethnic origin, family…

Effects of habitat characteristics on the growth of carrier population leading to increased spread of typhoid fever: a model.

PubMed

Shukla, J B; Goyal, Ashish; Singh, Shikha; Chandra, Peeyush

2014-06-01

In this paper, a non-linear model is proposed and analyzed to study the effects of habitat characteristics favoring logistically growing carrier population leading to increased spread of typhoid fever. It is assumed that the cumulative density of habitat characteristics and the density of carrier population are governed by logistic models; the growth rate of the former increases as the density of human population increases. The model is analyzed by stability theory of differential equations and computer simulation. The analysis shows that as the density of the infective carrier population increases due to habitat characteristics, the spread of typhoid fever increases in comparison with the case without such factors. Copyright © 2013 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evolution and connectivity in the world-wide migration system of the mallard: Inferences from mitochondrial DNA

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Main waterfowl migration systems are well understood through ringing activities. However, in mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) ringing studies suggest deviations from general migratory trends and traditions in waterfowl. Furthermore, surprisingly little is known about the population genetic structure of mallards, and studying it may yield insight into the spread of diseases such as Avian Influenza, and in management and conservation of wetlands. The study of evolution of genetic diversity and subsequent partitioning thereof during the last glaciation adds to ongoing discussions on the general evolution of waterfowl populations and flyway evolution. Hypothesised mallard flyways are tested explicitly by analysing mitochondrial mallard DNA from the whole northern hemisphere. Results Phylogenetic analyses confirm two mitochondrial mallard clades. Genetic differentiation within Eurasia and North-America is low, on a continental scale, but large differences occur between these two land masses (FST = 0.51). Half the genetic variance lies within sampling locations, and a negligible portion between currently recognised waterfowl flyways, within Eurasia and North-America. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) at continent scale, incorporating sampling localities as smallest units, also shows the absence of population structure on the flyway level. Finally, demographic modelling by coalescence simulation proposes a split between Eurasia and North-America 43,000 to 74,000 years ago and strong population growth (~100fold) since then and little migration (not statistically different from zero). Conclusions Based on this first complete assessment of the mallard's world-wide population genetic structure we confirm that no more than two mtDNA clades exist. Clade A is characteristic for Eurasia, and clade B for North-America although some representatives of clade A are also found in North-America. We explain this pattern by evaluating competing hypotheses and conclude that a complex mix of historical, recent and anthropogenic factors shaped the current mallard populations. We refute population classification based on flyways proposed by ornithologists and managers, because they seem to have little biological meaning. Our results have implications for wetland management and conservation, with special regard to the release of farmed mallards for hunting, as well as for the possible transmission of Avian Influenza by mallards due to migration. PMID:22093799

A model to predict disease progression in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD): the ADPKD Outcomes Model.

PubMed

McEwan, Phil; Bennett Wilton, Hayley; Ong, Albert C M; Ørskov, Bjarne; Sandford, Richard; Scolari, Francesco; Cabrera, Maria-Cristina V; Walz, Gerd; O'Reilly, Karl; Robinson, Paul

2018-02-13

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the leading inheritable cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD); however, the natural course of disease progression is heterogeneous between patients. This study aimed to develop a natural history model of ADPKD that predicted progression rates and long-term outcomes in patients with differing baseline characteristics. The ADPKD Outcomes Model (ADPKD-OM) was developed using available patient-level data from the placebo arm of the Tolvaptan Efficacy and Safety in Management of ADPKD and its Outcomes Study (TEMPO 3:4; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00428948). Multivariable regression equations estimating annual rates of ADPKD progression, in terms of total kidney volume (TKV) and estimated glomerular filtration rate, formed the basis of the lifetime patient-level simulation model. Outputs of the ADPKD-OM were compared against external data sources to validate model accuracy and generalisability to other ADPKD patient populations, then used to predict long-term outcomes in a cohort matched to the overall TEMPO 3:4 study population. A cohort with baseline patient characteristics consistent with TEMPO 3:4 was predicted to reach ESRD at a mean age of 52 years. Most patients (85%) were predicted to reach ESRD by the age of 65 years, with many progressing to ESRD earlier in life (18, 36 and 56% by the age of 45, 50 and 55 years, respectively). Consistent with previous research and clinical opinion, analyses supported the selection of baseline TKV as a prognostic factor for ADPKD progression, and demonstrated its value as a strong predictor of future ESRD risk. Validation exercises and illustrative analyses confirmed the ability of the ADPKD-OM to accurately predict disease progression towards ESRD across a range of clinically-relevant patient profiles. The ADPKD-OM represents a robust tool to predict natural disease progression and long-term outcomes in ADPKD patients, based on readily available and/or measurable clinical characteristics. In conjunction with clinical judgement, it has the potential to support decision-making in research and clinical practice.

The missing lynx of Eurasia at its Southern edge: a connection to the critically endangered Balkan lynx.

PubMed

Cömert, Numan; Carlı, Oya; Dinçtürk, H Benan

2018-03-08

The populations of Eurasian lynx in Anatolia are as fragmented as the European populations. Although the origins of and the connections between the European lynx populations have been elucidated, there have been no genetic studies on the lynx populations in Turkey. The lack of genetic and evolutionary information about lynx in Anatolia, which is considered to be a biodiversity hotspot, makes it difficult to track the migration routes during the Quaternary. In this study, we present the genetic characteristics of two isolated lynx populations in Southwest Taurus Mountains and the Turkish Caucasus as well as two individuals from Erzincan area. DNA purified from the ecological scat samples collected from Çığlıkara Nature Reserve in Elmalı-Antalya and Allahuekber Mountains in Sarıkamış-Kars, as well as two roadkill samples from Erzincan, has been analysed for phylogenetic markers such as the mitochondrial DNA control region and cytochrome b. The DNA sequences were compared with haplotypes previously detected in populations from Europe and the Caucasus in order to determine the evolutionary relationships of the populations. This study compares the current genetic structure of some of the Turkish lynx populations to the other lynx genetic data, mostly carried out with museum samples around the world. Three haplotypes were found in three different regions of Anatolia. The Northeast and Southwest populations harbour genetically distinct haplotypes, the latter one, a new haplotype: H13-TR is the only phylogenetic connection to the critically endangered Balkan lynx yet to be described.

Evolution of sociality in spiders leads to depleted genomic diversity at both population and species levels.

PubMed

Settepani, V; Schou, M F; Greve, M; Grinsted, L; Bechsgaard, J; Bilde, T

2017-08-01

Across several animal taxa, the evolution of sociality involves a suite of characteristics, a "social syndrome," that includes cooperative breeding, reproductive skew, primary female-biased sex ratio, and the transition from outcrossing to inbreeding mating system, factors that are expected to reduce effective population size (Ne). This social syndrome may be favoured by short-term benefits but come with long-term costs, because the reduction in Ne amplifies loss of genetic diversity by genetic drift, ultimately restricting the potential of populations to respond to environmental change. To investigate the consequences of this social life form on genetic diversity, we used a comparative RAD-sequencing approach to estimate genomewide diversity in spider species that differ in level of sociality, reproductive skew and mating system. We analysed multiple populations of three independent sister-species pairs of social inbreeding and subsocial outcrossing Stegodyphus spiders, and a subsocial outgroup. Heterozygosity and within-population diversity were sixfold to 10-fold lower in social compared to subsocial species, and demographic modelling revealed a tenfold reduction in Ne of social populations. Species-wide genetic diversity depends on population divergence and the viability of genetic lineages. Population genomic patterns were consistent with high lineage turnover, which homogenizes the genetic structure that builds up between inbreeding populations, ultimately depleting genetic diversity at the species level. Indeed, species-wide genetic diversity of social species was 5-8 times lower than that of subsocial species. The repeated evolution of species with this social syndrome is associated with severe loss of genomewide diversity, likely to limit their evolutionary potential. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Comparison of cognitive functioning as measured by the Ruff Figural Fluency Test and the CogState computerized battery within the LifeLines Cohort Study.

PubMed

Kuiper, Jisca S; Oude Voshaar, Richard C; Verhoeven, Floor E A; Zuidema, Sytse U; Smidt, Nynke

2017-05-12

The Ruff Figural Fluency Test (RFFT; a pencil and paper test) and the CogState (a computerized cognitive test battery) are well-validated and suitable tests to evaluate cognitive functioning in large observational studies at the population level. The LifeLines Cohort Study includes the RFFT as baseline measurement and incorporated the CogState as replacement for the RFFT at follow-up. It is unknown how these two tests relate to each other. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the correlation between the RFFT and the CogState and the impact of demographic characteristics on this association. A subcohort of the LifeLines Cohort Study, a large population based cohort study, participated in this study. Correlations between the RFFT and six subtasks of the CogState were examined. Subgroup analyses were performed to investigate the influence of age, education, and gender on the results. With sensitivity analyses we investigated the influence of computer experience and (physical) impairments. A total of 509 participants (mean age (SD): 53 years (14.6); range 18-87 years) participated in this study. All correlations between the RFFT and the CogState were statistically significant (except for the correlation between the RFFT error ratio and the CogState One Back Task), ranging from -0.39 to 0.28. Stratifying the analyses for age, education, and gender did not substantially affect our conclusions. Sensitivity analyses showed no substantial influence of level of computer experience or (physical) impairments. Correlations found in the present study were only weak to moderate, indicating that cognitive functioning measured by the RFFT does not measure the same components of cognitive functioning as six subtasks of the CogState. Computerized testing such as the CogState may be very well suited for large cohort studies to assess cognitive functioning in the general population and to identify cognitive changes as early as possible, as it is a less time- and labor intensive tool.

Anaphylaxis to foods in a population of adolescents: incidence, characteristics and associated risks.

PubMed

Vetander, M; Protudjer, J L P; Lilja, G; Kull, I; Hedlin, G; van Hage, M; Östblom, E; Bergström, A; Wickman, M

2016-12-01

Information about severe reactions to foods in adolescence is limited. To describe reactions to foods, including anaphylaxis, with regard to incidence, characteristics and associated risks, among 16-year-olds (adolescents) in a large, population-based birth cohort. Parent-reported questionnaire data from ages 2-3 months, and 1, 2 and 16 years were used (N = 3153). Anaphylaxis at age 16 years was defined per NIAID/FAAN criteria. Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to 14 common food and inhalant allergens were analysed at ages 4 (n = 2283) and 16 years (n = 2510). Among adolescents with food-related symptoms (FRS) and for whom blood was available (n = 221), 25 additional food allergen extracts or allergen components were analysed. Associations between reactions to foods, and sensitization and allergic multimorbidity were investigated. In the 12 months prior to the 16-year assessment, 8.5% of adolescents had FRS. This included 0.8% (n = 24) adolescents who were classified as having anaphylaxis, yielding an incidence rate of 761/100 000 person-years. One-third of adolescents accessed health care during anaphylaxis. Allergic multimorbidity in infancy, as well as sensitization to foods and airborne allergens at age 4 years, was associated with an increased risk for FRS in adolescence. Peanuts and tree nuts were the most common culprit foods for anaphylaxis, and fruits and vegetables for non-anaphylactic reactions. Adolescents with anaphylaxis were significantly more likely to be sensitized to storage proteins (Ara h 2, Cor a 9, Cor a 14) and to be polysensitized to foods (P < 0.001 vs. non-anaphylactic reactions). The incidence of food-induced anaphylaxis during adolescence in our population-based birth cohort is higher than previously reported. Adolescents with anaphylaxis differ from adolescents with non-anaphylactic FRS with regard to culprit foods and sensitization. Adolescents with previous anaphylaxis are likely to be polysensitized to foods, particularly tree nut and peanut storage proteins, and which warrants consideration at follow-up. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Spatial disparity in the distribution of superfund sites in South Carolina: an ecological study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Superfund is a federal government program implemented to clean up uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. Twenty-six sites in South Carolina (SC) have been included on the National Priorities List (NPL), which has serious human health and environmental implications. The purpose of this study was to assess spatial disparities in the distribution of Superfund sites in SC. Methods The 2000 US census tract and block level data were used to generate population characteristics, which included race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), education, home ownership, and home built before 1950. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were used to map Superfund facilities and develop choropleth maps based on the aforementioned sociodemographic variables. Spatial methods, including mean and median distance analysis, buffer analysis, and spatial approximation were employed to characterize burden disparities. Regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between the number of Superfund facilities and population characteristics. Results Spatial coincidence results showed that of the 29.5% of Blacks living in SC, 55.9% live in Superfund host census tracts. Among all populations in SC living below poverty (14.2%), 57.2% were located in Superfund host census tracts. Buffer analyses results (0.5mi, 1.0mi, 5.0mi, 0.5km, 1.0km, and 5.0km) showed a higher percentage of Whites compared to Blacks hosting a Superfund facility. Conversely, a slightly higher percentage of Blacks hosted (30.2%) a Superfund facility than those not hosting (28.8%) while their White counterparts had more equivalent values (66.7% and 67.8%, respectively). Regression analyses in the reduced model (Adj. R2 = 0.038) only explained a small percentage of the variance. In addition, the mean distance for percent of Blacks in the 90th percentile for Superfund facilities was 0.48mi. Conclusion Burden disparities exist in the distribution of Superfund facilities in SC at the block and census tract levels across varying levels of demographic composition for race/ethnicity and SES. PMID:24195573

Comparing Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use with or without Including Prayer as a Modality in a Local and Diverse United States Jurisdiction.

PubMed

Robles, Brenda; Upchurch, Dawn M; Kuo, Tony

2017-01-01

Few studies to date have examined the utilization of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in a local, ethnically diverse population in the United States (U.S.). Fewer have addressed the differences in their use based on inclusion or exclusion of prayer as a modality. Variable definitions of CAM are known to affect public health surveillance (i.e., continuous, systematic data collection, analysis, and interpretation) or benchmarking (i.e., identifying and comparing key indicators of health to inform community planning) related to this non-mainstream collection of health and wellness therapies. The present study sought to better understand how including or excluding prayer could affect reporting of CAM use among residents of a large, urban U.S. jurisdiction. Using population-weighted data from a cross-sectional Internet panel survey collected as part of a larger countywide population health survey, the study compared use of CAM based on whether prayer or no prayer was included in its definition. Patterns of CAM use by socio-demographic characteristics were described for the two operationalized definitions. Multivariable binomial regression analyses were performed to control for gender, age, race/ethnicity, education, employment, income, and health insurance status. One of the analyses explored the associations between CAM use and racial/ethnic characteristics in the study sample. Los Angeles County, California. A socio-demographically diverse sample of Los Angeles County residents. CAM use (with prayer) and CAM use (excluding prayer). Blacks were among the highest users of CAM when compared to Whites, especially when prayer was included as a CAM modality. Regardless of prayer inclusion, being a woman predicted higher use of CAM. How CAM is defined matters in gauging the utilization of this non-mainstream collection of therapies. Given that surveillance and/or benchmarking data are often used to inform resource allocation and planning decisions, results from the present study suggest that when prayer is included as part of the CAM definition, utilization/volume estimates of its use increased correspondingly, especially among non-White residents of the region.

Hydrology and trout populations of cold-water rivers of Michigan and Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hendrickson, G.E.; Knutilla, R.L.

1974-01-01

Statistical multiple-regression analyses showed significant relationships between trout populations and hydrologic parameters. Parameters showing the higher levels of significance were temperature, hardness of water, percentage of gravel bottom, percentage of bottom vegetation, variability of streamflow, and discharge per unit drainage area. Trout populations increase with lower levels of annual maximum water temperatures, with increase in water hardness, and with increase in percentage of gravel and bottom vegetation. Trout populations also increase with decrease in variability of streamflow, and with increase in discharge per unit drainage area. Most hydrologic parameters were significant when evaluated collectively, but no parameter, by itself, showed a high degree of correlation with trout populations in regression analyses that included all the streams sampled. Regression analyses of stream segments that were restricted to certain limits of hardness, temperature, or percentage of gravel bottom showed improvements in correlation. Analyses of trout populations, in pounds per acre and pounds per mile and hydrologic parameters resulted in regression equations from which trout populations could be estimated with standard errors of 89 and 84 per cent, respectively.

A Study of Upper Error Limits in Accounting Populations.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-09-01

The error amount intensity is a population characteristic obtained by dividing the total...423.36/$763,931.19). This population characteristic is of interest because the results of the simulation done for research questions four through v.o

Deciphering Natural Allelic Variation in Switchgrass for Biomass Yield and Quality Using a Nested Association Mapping Population

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

Saha, Malay C.; Brummer, E. Charles; Kaeppler, Shawn

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a C4 grass with high biomass yield potential and a model species for bioenergy feedstock development. Understanding the genetic basis of quantitative traits is essential to facilitate genome-enabled breeding programs. The nested association mapping (NAM) analysis combines the best features of both bi-parental and association analyses and can provide high power and high resolution in QTL detection and will ensure significant improvements in biomass yield and quality. To develop a NAM population of switchgrass, 15 highly diverse genotypes with specific characteristics were selected from a diversity panel and crossed to a recurrent parent, AP13, amore » genotype selected for whole genome sequencing and parent of a mapping population. Ten genotypes from each of the 15 F1 families were then chain crossed. Progenies form each family were randomly selected to develop the NAM population. The switchgrass NAM population consists of a total of 2000 genotypes from 15 families. All the progenies, founder parents, F1 parents (n=2350) were evaluated in replicated field trials at Ardmore, OK and Knoxville, TN. Phenotypic data on plant height, tillering ability, regrowth, flowering time, and biomass yield were collected. Dried biomass samples were also analyzed using prediction equations of NIRS at the Noble Foundation and for lignin content, S/G ratio, and sugar release characteristics at the NREL. Genomic shotgun sequencing of 15 switchgrass NAM founder parental genomes at JGI produced 28-66 Gb high-quality sequence data. Alignment of these sequences with the reference genome, AP13 (v3.0), revealed that up to 99% of the genomic sequences mapped to the reference genome. A total of 2,149 individuals from NAM populations were sequenced by exome capture and two sets of 15 SNP matrices (one for each family) were generated. QTL associated with important traits have been identified and verified in breeding populations. The QTL detected and their associated markers can be used in molecular breeding programs to facilitate development of improved switchgrass cultivars for biofuel production.« less

Addressing potential local adaptation in species distribution models: implications for conservation under climate change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hällfors, Maria Helena; Liao, Jishan; Dzurisin, Jason D. K.; Grundel, Ralph; Hyvärinen, Marko; Towle, Kevin; Wu, Grace C.; Hellmann, Jessica J.

2016-01-01

Species distribution models (SDMs) have been criticized for involving assumptions that ignore or categorize many ecologically relevant factors such as dispersal ability and biotic interactions. Another potential source of model error is the assumption that species are ecologically uniform in their climatic tolerances across their range. Typically, SDMs to treat a species as a single entity, although populations of many species differ due to local adaptation or other genetic differentiation. Not taking local adaptation into account, may lead to incorrect range prediction and therefore misplaced conservation efforts. A constraint is that we often do not know the degree to which populations are locally adapted, however. Lacking experimental evidence, we still can evaluate niche differentiation within a species' range to promote better conservation decisions. We explore possible conservation implications of making type I or type II errors in this context. For each of two species, we construct three separate MaxEnt models, one considering the species as a single population and two of disjunct populations. PCA analyses and response curves indicate different climate characteristics in the current environments of the populations. Model projections into future climates indicate minimal overlap between areas predicted to be climatically suitable by the whole species versus population-based models. We present a workflow for addressing uncertainty surrounding local adaptation in SDM application and illustrate the value of conducting population-based models to compare with whole-species models. These comparisons might result in more cautious management actions when alternative range outcomes are considered.

Morphological analysis of Trichomycterus areolatus Valenciennes, 1846 from southern Chilean rivers using a truss-based system (Siluriformes, Trichomycteridae)

PubMed Central

Colihueque, Nelson; Corrales, Olga; Yáñez, Miguel

2017-01-01

Abstract Trichomycterus areolatus Valenciennes, 1846 is a small endemic catfish inhabiting the Andean river basins of Chile. In this study, the morphological variability of three T. areolatus populations, collected in two river basins from southern Chile, was assessed with multivariate analyses, including principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant function analysis (DFA). It is hypothesized that populations must segregate morphologically from each other based on the river basin that they were sampled from, since each basin presents relatively particular hydrological characteristics. Significant morphological differences among the three populations were found with PCA (ANOSIM test, r = 0.552, p < 0.0001) and DFA (Wilks’s λ = 0.036, p < 0.01). PCA accounted for a total variation of 56.16% by the first two principal components. The first Principal Component (PC1) and PC2 explained 34.72 and 21.44% of the total variation, respectively. The scatter-plot of the first two discriminant functions (DF1 on DF2) also validated the existence of three different populations. In group classification using DFA, 93.3% of the specimens were correctly-classified into their original populations. Of the total of 22 transformed truss measurements, 17 exhibited highly significant (p < 0.01) differences among populations. The data support the existence of T. areolatus morphological variation across different rivers in southern Chile, likely reflecting the geographic isolation underlying population structure of the species. PMID:29134012

Reproductive pattern in agrarian and immigrant receptor populations: a survey of El Ejido (SE Spain).

PubMed

Alonso, Verónica; Luna, Francisco

2005-06-01

This paper deals with the fertility pattern of the El Ejido population, an agricultural Spanish community characterised by the rapid development of its modern agrarian economy. Consequently, the arrival of immigrants has sharply increased throughout the second half of the twentieth century, with important demographic consequences as well as reproductive changes. The analyses of the age-specific fertility rate (fx) and the total fertility rate (TFR) were used in order to describe the reproductive pattern of this population in 2000. The main characteristics were the following: a) Regarding the temporal change, an important decrease of fx has been observed in all age groups for the last twenty years, as a consequence of progressive birth control. However, the reproductive pattern has kept almost invariable and has been characterised by a maximum fertility at age group of 25-29 years old. b) Regarding the general Spanish fertility, the comparison of fx in both populations suggests a younger maternity in the agricultural population than in the national, the maximum fertility delayed to the 30-34 age group. c) Moreover, the El Ejido population showed a clear higher offspring per woman (TFR = 1.42) than the national (TFR = 1.24), according to the agrarian character of the El Ejido population. d) Finally, this greater reproductive level of El Ejido is also due to the arrival of women at fertile age, who come mainly from Africa, and above all from Morocco.

Effects of stream acidification and habitat on fish populations of a North American river

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baldigo, Barry P.; Lawrence, G.B.

2001-01-01

Water quality, physical habitat, and fisheries at sixteen reaches in the Neversink River Basin were studied during 1991-95 to identify the effects of acidic precipitation on stream-water chemistry and on selected fish-species populations, and to test the hypothesis that the degree of stream acidification affected the spatial distribution of each fish-species population. Most sites on the East Branch Neversink were strongly to severely acidified, whereas most sites on the West Branch were minimally to moderately acidified. Mean density of fish populations ranged from 0 to 2.15 fish/m2; biomass ranged from 0 to 17.5 g/m2. Where brook trout were present, their population density ranged from 0.04 to 1.09 fish/m2, biomass ranged from 0.76 to 12.2 g/m2, and condition (K) ranged from 0.94 to 1.07. Regression analyses revealed strong relations (r2 ?? 0.41 to 0.99; p ??? 0.05) between characteristics of the two most common species (brook trout and slimy sculpin) populations and mean concentrations of inorganic monomeric aluminum (Alim), pH, Si, K+, NO3/-, NH4/+, DOC, Ca2+, and Na+; acid neutralizing capacity (ANC); and water temperature. Stream acidification may have adversely affected fish populations at most East Branch sites, but in other parts of the Neversink River Basin these effects were masked or mitigated by other physical habitat, geochemical, and biological factors.

Clinical characteristics of 150 consecutive fibromyalgia patients attending an Australian public hospital clinic.

PubMed

Guymer, Emma K; Maruff, Paul; Littlejohn, Geoffrey O

2012-08-01

To describe clinical characteristics of fibromyalgia in an Australian population. Data was collected from 150 consecutive patients with clinical features of fibromyalgia seen in an Australian public hospital clinic. Demographic information and clinical characteristics were recorded. Significant correlations between clinical characteristics were identified, then used in multiple regression analyses to identify factors influencing outcome in physical function, pain, fatigue and sleep disturbance. Clinical features in groups who were or were not using different treatment strategies were compared. Most patients were female and Caucasian. The majority reported a recognizable trigger factor and many had associated conditions, most commonly headache and irritable bowel syndrome. Physical function was significantly accounted for by pain levels (P = 0.001); pain score was significantly predicted by tenderness (P = 0.002) and physical function level (P = 0.001); fatigue levels were significantly influenced by age (P = 0.007) and sleep disturbance (P < 0.001), and sleep disturbance was significantly predicted by fatigue (P < 0.001). Just over one-third (34%) of patients were using fibromyalgia medications (low-dose tricyclic antidepressant, pregabalin or duloxetine); however, they had less anxiety (P = 0.006) and better reported physical function (P = 0.04) than those who were not. Less than half (43.6%) of the patients were regularly exercising; however, they had reduced overall illness impact scores (P = 0.004), better physical function (P = 0.01) and less fatigue (P = 0.03), anxiety (P = 0.02) and depressive features (P = 0.008) than non-exercisers. Baseline clinical characteristics in this group were comparable to other study populations. The use of management modalities with proven benefit in fibromyalgia was limited; however, those patients who were engaged in regular exercise or using medication had better self-reported outcome measures than those who were not. © 2012 The Authors International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases © 2012 Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Aspects of emotional functioning following oesophageal cancer surgery in a population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Hellstadius, Ylva; Lagergren, Pernilla; Lagergren, Jesper; Johar, Asif; Hultman, Christina M; Wikman, Anna

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to establish the proportion of patients reporting emotional problems following oesophagectomy for cancer and identify the risk characteristics for emotional problems. A Swedish population-based cohort study of patients with surgically treated oesophageal cancer was used. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 was used to assess tension, worry, irritation and depressed mood at 6 months and 5 years after surgery. Potential risk characteristics were retrieved from medical notes and data linkages to Swedish health registries. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to examine risk characteristics for poor emotional recovery. Of 401 patients included at 6 months, 49% reported problems with tension, 61% worry, 62% irritation and 63% depressed mood. Of the 140 (35%) patients who completed the 5-year follow-up, 39% reported problems with tension and about half of the patients reported problems with worry, irritation, and depressed mood (49, 45 and 52%, respectively). Squamous cell carcinoma was identified as a risk characteristic for tension (OR 2.15, 95% CI 1.30-3.55), worry (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.19-3.40) and depressed mood (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.01-2.90) at 6 months compared with adenocarcinoma. Compared with higher education, lower education was associated with tension (upper secondary schooling: OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.02-3.79 and 9-year compulsory: OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.28-4.74), while non-cohabitating patients were less likely to report problems with worry at 6 months (OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.34-0.84) compared with cohabitating patients. A substantial proportion of patients reports emotional problems following oesophagectomy, and risk characteristics include squamous cell carcinoma histology and low educational level. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Using a Bayesian network to clarify areas requiring research in a host-pathogen system.

PubMed

Bower, D S; Mengersen, K; Alford, R A; Schwarzkopf, L

2017-12-01

Bayesian network analyses can be used to interactively change the strength of effect of variables in a model to explore complex relationships in new ways. In doing so, they allow one to identify influential nodes that are not well studied empirically so that future research can be prioritized. We identified relationships in host and pathogen biology to examine disease-driven declines of amphibians associated with amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis). We constructed a Bayesian network consisting of behavioral, genetic, physiological, and environmental variables that influence disease and used them to predict host population trends. We varied the impacts of specific variables in the model to reveal factors with the most influence on host population trend. The behavior of the nodes (the way in which the variables probabilistically responded to changes in states of the parents, which are the nodes or variables that directly influenced them in the graphical model) was consistent with published results. The frog population had a 49% probability of decline when all states were set at their original values, and this probability increased when body temperatures were cold, the immune system was not suppressing infection, and the ambient environment was conducive to growth of B. dendrobatidis. These findings suggest the construction of our model reflected the complex relationships characteristic of host-pathogen interactions. Changes to climatic variables alone did not strongly influence the probability of population decline, which suggests that climate interacts with other factors such as the capacity of the frog immune system to suppress disease. Changes to the adaptive immune system and disease reservoirs had a large effect on the population trend, but there was little empirical information available for model construction. Our model inputs can be used as a base to examine other systems, and our results show that such analyses are useful tools for reviewing existing literature, identifying links poorly supported by evidence, and understanding complexities in emerging infectious-disease systems. © 2017 Society for Conservation Biology.

Application of agriculture-developed demographic analysis for the conservation of the Hawaiian alpine wekiu bug.

PubMed

Eiben, Jesse; Rubinoff, Daniel

2014-08-01

Insects that should be considered for conservation attention are often overlooked because of a lack of data. The detailed information necessary to assess population growth, decline, and maximum range is particularly difficult to acquire for rare and cryptic species. Many of these difficulties can be overcome with the use of life table analyses and heat energy accumulation models common in agriculture. The wekiu bug (Nysius wekiuicola), endemic to the summit of one volcanic mountain in Hawaii, is a rare insect living in an environmentally sensitive alpine stone desert, where field-based population assessments would be inefficient or potentially detrimental to natural and cultural resources. We conducted laboratory experiments with the insects by manipulating rearing temperatures of laboratory colonies and made detailed observations of habitat conditions to develop life tables representing population growth parameters and environmental models for wekiu bug phenology and demographic change. Wekiu bugs developed at temperatures only found in its environment on sunny days and required the thermal buffer found on cinder cones for growth and population increase. Wekiu bugs required approximately 3.5 months to complete one generation. The bug developed optimally from 26 to 30 °C, temperatures that are much higher than the air temperature attains in its elevational range. The developmental temperature range of the species confirmed a physiological reason why the wekiu bug is only found on cinder cones. This physiology information can help guide population monitoring and inform habitat restoration and conservation. The wekiu bug was a candidate for listing under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, and the developmental parameters we quantified were used to determine the species would not be listed as endangered or threatened. The use of developmental threshold experiments, life table analyses, and degree day modeling can directly inform otherwise unobservable habitat needs and demographic characteristics of extremely rare insects. © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

Effects of Sample Selection Bias on the Accuracy of Population Structure and Ancestry Inference

PubMed Central

Shringarpure, Suyash; Xing, Eric P.

2014-01-01

Population stratification is an important task in genetic analyses. It provides information about the ancestry of individuals and can be an important confounder in genome-wide association studies. Public genotyping projects have made a large number of datasets available for study. However, practical constraints dictate that of a geographical/ethnic population, only a small number of individuals are genotyped. The resulting data are a sample from the entire population. If the distribution of sample sizes is not representative of the populations being sampled, the accuracy of population stratification analyses of the data could be affected. We attempt to understand the effect of biased sampling on the accuracy of population structure analysis and individual ancestry recovery. We examined two commonly used methods for analyses of such datasets, ADMIXTURE and EIGENSOFT, and found that the accuracy of recovery of population structure is affected to a large extent by the sample used for analysis and how representative it is of the underlying populations. Using simulated data and real genotype data from cattle, we show that sample selection bias can affect the results of population structure analyses. We develop a mathematical framework for sample selection bias in models for population structure and also proposed a correction for sample selection bias using auxiliary information about the sample. We demonstrate that such a correction is effective in practice using simulated and real data. PMID:24637351

Approach to prevention of obesity of Roma population in the Region of South Bohemia with focus on selected eating behaviors.

PubMed

Dolák, František; Šedová, Lenka; Nováková, Dita; Olišarová, Věra

2016-12-01

To survey obesity prevention methods for use in the Roma population with a focus on eating behaviors. A semi-structured interview was used to identify potentially useful obesity prevention methods. Basic anthropometric measurements were also gathered at the same time. This study was part of the "Obesity and overweight in the Roma minority in the Region of South Bohemia" research project (grant project 280-COST-LD14114). Participants consisted of members of the Roma minority (302 respondents) as well as the majority (Czech) population for comparisons. Differences in eating behaviors like irregular eating schedules and excessive consumption of fast food were observed. Statistically significant differences between the Roma minority and the majority (Czech/non-Roma) population were found in this area with the help of statistical significance tests. The Chi-square characteristic of independence (χ2) was, in case of this distribution, valued at 30.815 with 5 degrees of freedom, P < 0.001. The analyses, based on the second degree of classification, identified statistically significant differences between the Roma minority and the majority population. Members of the Roma minority attended preventive health check-ups statistically less often than members of the majority population. Differences between the majority and the Roma population were also found in the degree of patient cooperation with general practitioners. The results show that the Roma population is more likely to engage in eating behaviors that can contribute to overweight and obesity than the majority population. Based on the results of a semi-structured interview and on the results of anthropometric measurements, we can say that the Roma population is at a greater health risk, relative to overweight and obesity, than the majority population.

Population genetics features for persistent, but transient, Botryllus schlosseri (Urochordata) congregations in a central Californian marina.

PubMed

Karahan, Arzu; Douek, Jacob; Paz, Guy; Rinkevich, Baruch

2016-08-01

The colonial tunicate Botryllus schlosseri is a globally distributed, invasive ascidian that has colonized the Californian coasts of the USA during the mid-late 1940s and has, since the late 1980s, spread north to Washington. This study analyzes the population genetic characteristics of transient populations residing at the Elkhorn Yacht-Club (EYC), in central California (seven sessions, 1996-2008), which suffered periodic catastrophes caused by episodic fresh-water floods and a single sampling session (in the year 2001) of five West-Coast populations using the mtDNA COI gene and five microsatellite markers. EYC microsatellite results were further compared with the closely situated but persistent population of the Santa Cruz Harbor (SCH) to understand the impact on EYC population regeneration processes after the 2005-flood catastrophe. All microsatellites were highly polymorphic, revealing a large number of unique alleles at different sampling dates. Whereas pairwise θ did not reveal significant differences between the EYC time-series samplings, the overall θ was significant, as it was between all the 2001 West Coast populations. The most likely cluster number was 3 for the EYC samples whereas two K values were obtained (2 and 5) for the 2001 samples. Tajima's D and Fu's/Fs tests did not reject the null hypothesis for COI neutral evolution, except for in the EYC-2000, 2007 and two 2001 samplings. The wide geographical range of the analyses has indicated that following the EYC 2005-flood catastrophe, newcomers could have originated from neighboring populations, from deep-water colonies that may have escaped the 2005 low salinity event, or less expectedly, from far away West-Coast populations, while revealing that the SCH population is the most probable source for the EYC population. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Relative information content of polymorphic microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA for inferring dispersal and population genetic structure in the olive sea snake, Aipysurus laevis.

PubMed

Lukoschek, V; Waycott, M; Keogh, J S

2008-07-01

Polymorphic microsatellites are widely considered more powerful for resolving population structure than mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) markers, particularly for recently diverged lineages or geographically proximate populations. Weaker population subdivision for biparentally inherited nuclear markers than maternally inherited mtDNA may signal male-biased dispersal but can also be attributed to marker-specific evolutionary characteristics and sampling properties. We discriminated between these competing explanations with a population genetic study on olive sea snakes, Aipysurus laevis. A previous mtDNA study revealed strong regional population structure for A. laevis around northern Australia, where Pleistocene sea-level fluctuations have influenced the genetic signatures of shallow-water marine species. Divergences among phylogroups dated to the Late Pleistocene, suggesting recent range expansions by previously isolated matrilines. Fine-scale population structure within regions was, however, poorly resolved for mtDNA. In order to improve estimates of fine-scale genetic divergence and to compare population structure between nuclear and mtDNA, 354 olive sea snakes (previously sequenced for mtDNA) were genotyped for five microsatellite loci. F statistics and Bayesian multilocus genotype clustering analyses found similar regional population structure as mtDNA and, after standardizing microsatellite F statistics for high heterozygosities, regional divergence estimates were quantitatively congruent between marker classes. Over small spatial scales, however, microsatellites recovered almost no genetic structure and standardized F statistics were orders of magnitude smaller than for mtDNA. Three tests for male-biased dispersal were not significant, suggesting that recent demographic expansions to the typically large population sizes of A. laevis have prevented microsatellites from reaching mutation-drift equilibrium and local populations may still be diverging.

Cost-effectiveness of open versus endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm.

PubMed

van Bochove, Cornelis A; Burgers, Laura T; Vahl, Anco C; Birnie, Erwin; van Schothorst, Marien G; Redekop, William K

2016-03-01

Patients with a large unruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm with a diameter >5.0 cm are treated with open surgical repair (OSR) or endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Because many studies have assessed the cost-effectiveness of these treatments with conflicting results, this systematic review examined published cost-effectiveness analyses of elective EVAR vs OSR in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm. A systematic search strategy using three databases was conducted to find all relevant studies. Characteristics extracted from these studies included study characteristics (eg, age of the population), input parameters (eg, costs of the EVAR procedure), general results, and sensitivity analyses. The quality of each study was assessed using the Drummond checklist. The search identified 1141 potentially relevant studies, of which 13 studies met inclusion criteria. Most studies found that EVAR was more expensive and more effective than OSR. However, most studies concluded that the health gained from EVAR did not offset the higher total costs, leading to an unacceptably high incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. EVAR was considered more cost-effective in patient groups with a high surgical risk. The quality of most studies was judged as reasonably good. Overall, published cost-effectiveness analyses of EVAR do not provide a clear answer about whether elective EVAR is a cost-effective solution because the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio varies considerably among the studies. This answer can best be provided through a cost-effectiveness analysis of EVAR that incorporates more recent technologic advances and the improved experience that clinicians have with EVAR. Copyright © 2016 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Suicides in the indigenous and non-indigenous populations in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Northwestern Russia, and associated socio-demographic characteristics.

PubMed

Sumarokov, Yury A; Brenn, Tormod; Kudryavtsev, Alexander V; Nilssen, Odd

2014-01-01

To describe suicide rates in the indigenous and non-indigenous populations of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug (NAO) in 2002-2012, as well as associated socio-demographic characteristics. Retrospective population-based mortality study. Data from autopsy reports were used to identify 252 cases of suicide in the NAO in 2002-2012. Data on socio-demographic characteristics of these cases were obtained from passports and medical records at local primary health care units, and were then linked to total population data from the Censuses in 2002 and 2010. Suicide rates for the indigenous Nenets population and the non-indigenous population were standardized to the European standard population. The rates were also estimated according to different socio-demographic characteristics and compared by calculating relative risks. The crude suicide rates were 79.8 per 100,000 person-years (PYs) in the Nenets population and 49.2 per 100,000 PYs in the non-indigenous population. The corresponding standardized estimates were 72.7 per 100,000 PYs and 50.7 per 100,000 PYs. The highest suicide rates in the Nenets population were observed in the age group 20-29 years (391 per 100,000 PYs), and in females aged 30-39 years (191 per 100,000 PYs). Socio-demographic characteristics associated with high suicide rates in the Nenets population were age 20-39 years, male, urban residence, having secondary school or higher education, being an employee or employer, and being single or divorced. Males aged 20-29 years, and females aged 30-39 and aged 70 years and above had the highest suicide rates in the non-indigenous population (137.5, 21.6 and 29.9 per 100,000 PYs, respectively). The elevated suicide rates observed in the non-indigenous population were associated with male sex, rural residence, secondary school education, being an employee or employer, and being single or divorced. Suicide rates in the NAO were substantially higher among the indigenous Nenets population than the non-indigenous population, and were associated with different socio-demographic characteristics.

Suicides in the indigenous and non-indigenous populations in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Northwestern Russia, and associated socio-demographic characteristics

PubMed Central

Sumarokov, Yury A.; Brenn, Tormod; Kudryavtsev, Alexander V.; Nilssen, Odd

2014-01-01

Background To describe suicide rates in the indigenous and non-indigenous populations of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug (NAO) in 2002–2012, as well as associated socio-demographic characteristics. Study design Retrospective population-based mortality study. Methods Data from autopsy reports were used to identify 252 cases of suicide in the NAO in 2002–2012. Data on socio-demographic characteristics of these cases were obtained from passports and medical records at local primary health care units, and were then linked to total population data from the Censuses in 2002 and 2010. Suicide rates for the indigenous Nenets population and the non-indigenous population were standardized to the European standard population. The rates were also estimated according to different socio-demographic characteristics and compared by calculating relative risks. Results The crude suicide rates were 79.8 per 100,000 person-years (PYs) in the Nenets population and 49.2 per 100,000 PYs in the non-indigenous population. The corresponding standardized estimates were 72.7 per 100,000 PYs and 50.7 per 100,000 PYs. The highest suicide rates in the Nenets population were observed in the age group 20–29 years (391 per 100,000 PYs), and in females aged 30–39 years (191 per 100,000 PYs). Socio-demographic characteristics associated with high suicide rates in the Nenets population were age 20–39 years, male, urban residence, having secondary school or higher education, being an employee or employer, and being single or divorced. Males aged 20–29 years, and females aged 30–39 and aged 70 years and above had the highest suicide rates in the non-indigenous population (137.5, 21.6 and 29.9 per 100,000 PYs, respectively). The elevated suicide rates observed in the non-indigenous population were associated with male sex, rural residence, secondary school education, being an employee or employer, and being single or divorced. Conclusions Suicide rates in the NAO were substantially higher among the indigenous Nenets population than the non-indigenous population, and were associated with different socio-demographic characteristics. PMID:25006556

Systematic reviews: guidance relevant for studies of older people

PubMed Central

Wilkinson, Tim; Dodds, Richard M.; Ioannidis, John P. A.

2017-01-01

Abstract Systematic reviews and meta-analyses are increasingly common. This article aims to provide guidance for people conducting systematic reviews relevant to the healthcare of older people. An awareness of these issues will also help people reading systematic reviews to determine whether the results will influence their clinical practice. It is essential that systematic reviews are performed by a team which includes the required technical and clinical expertise. Those performing reviews for the first time should ensure they have appropriate training and support. They must be planned and performed in a transparent and methodologically robust way: guidelines are available. The protocol should be written—and if possible published—before starting the review. Geriatricians will be interested in a table of baseline characteristics, which will help to determine if the studied samples or populations are similar to their patients. Reviews of studies of older people should consider how they will manage issues such as different age cut-offs; non-specific presentations; multiple predictors and outcomes; potential biases and confounders. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses may provide evidence to improve older people's care, or determine where new evidence is required. Newer methodologies, such as meta-analyses of individual level data, network meta-analyses and umbrella reviews, and realist synthesis, may improve the reliability and clinical utility of systematic reviews. PMID:28655142

Associations between skin barrier characteristics, skin conditions and health of aged nursing home residents: a multi-center prevalence and correlational study.

PubMed

Hahnel, Elisabeth; Blume-Peytavi, Ulrike; Trojahn, Carina; Kottner, Jan

2017-11-13

Geriatric patients are affected by a range of skin conditions and dermatological diseases, functional limitations and chronic diseases. Skin problems are highly prevalent in elderly populations. Aim of this study was to investigate possible associations between health, functional and cutaneous variables in aged long-term care residents. This observational, cross-sectional, descriptive prevalence study was conducted in a random sample of 10 institutional long-term care facilities in Berlin. In total, n = 223 residents were included. Demographic and functional characteristics, xerosis cutis, incontinence associated dermatitis, pressure ulcers and skin tears were assessed. Stratum corneum hydration, transepidermal water loss, skin surface pH and skin temperature were measured. Data analysis was descriptive and explorative. To explore possible bivariate associations, a correlation matrix was created. The correlation matrix was also used to detect possible collinearity in the subsequent regression analyses. Mean age (n = 223) was 83.6 years, 67.7% were female. Most residents were affected by xerosis cutis (99.1%; 95% CI: 97.7% - 100.0%). The prevalence of pressure ulcers was 9.0% (95% CI: 5.0% - 13.0%), of incontinence associated dermatitis 35.4% (95% CI: 29.9% - 42.2%) and of skin tears 6.3% (95% CI: 3.2% - 9.5%). Biophysical skin parameters were not associated with overall care dependency, but with age and skin dryness. In general, skin dryness and measured skin barrier parameters were associated between arms and legs indicating similar overall skin characteristics of the residents. Prevalence of xerosis cutis, pressure ulcers and skin tears were high, indicating the load of these adverse skin conditions in this population. Only few associations of demographic characteristics, skin barrier impairments and the occurrence of dry skin, pressure ulcers, skin tears and incontinence-associated dermatitis have been detected, that might limit the diagnostic value of skin barrier parameters in this population. Overall, the measured skin barrier parameters seem to have limited diagnostic value for the reported skin conditions except xerosis cutis. This study is registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02216526 . Registration date: 8th November 2014.

Mechanistic simulation of normal-tissue damage in radiotherapy—implications for dose-volume analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rutkowska, Eva; Baker, Colin; Nahum, Alan

2010-04-01

A radiobiologically based 3D model of normal tissue has been developed in which complications are generated when 'irradiated'. The aim is to provide insight into the connection between dose-distribution characteristics, different organ architectures and complication rates beyond that obtainable with simple DVH-based analytical NTCP models. In this model the organ consists of a large number of functional subunits (FSUs), populated by stem cells which are killed according to the LQ model. A complication is triggered if the density of FSUs in any 'critical functioning volume' (CFV) falls below some threshold. The (fractional) CFV determines the organ architecture and can be varied continuously from small (series-like behaviour) to large (parallel-like). A key feature of the model is its ability to account for the spatial dependence of dose distributions. Simulations were carried out to investigate correlations between dose-volume parameters and the incidence of 'complications' using different pseudo-clinical dose distributions. Correlations between dose-volume parameters and outcome depended on characteristics of the dose distributions and on organ architecture. As anticipated, the mean dose and V20 correlated most strongly with outcome for a parallel organ, and the maximum dose for a serial organ. Interestingly better correlation was obtained between the 3D computer model and the LKB model with dose distributions typical for serial organs than with those typical for parallel organs. This work links the results of dose-volume analyses to dataset characteristics typical for serial and parallel organs and it may help investigators interpret the results from clinical studies.

Psychosocial job characteristics, wealth, and culture: differential effects on mental health in the UK and Thailand.

PubMed

Yiengprugsawan, Vasoontara; Lazzarino, Antonio Ivan; Steptoe, Andrew; Seubsman, Sam-ang; Sleigh, Adrian C

2015-07-08

Most research on the influence of psychosocial job characteristics on health status has been conducted within affluent Western economies. This research addresses the same topic in a middle-income Southeast Asian country, enabling comparison with a Western benchmark. We analysed and compared the Health Survey for England conducted in 2010 and the Thai Cohort Study data at 2005 baseline for workers aged 35-45 years. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess relationships between psychosocial job characteristics and health, measured as Adjusted Odd Ratios (AOR), controlling for potential covariates in final analyses. In both UK and Thai working adults, psychological distress was associated with job insecurity (AOR 2.58 and 2.32, respectively), inadequate coping with job demands (AOR 2.57 and 2.42), and low support by employers (AOR 1.93 and 1.84). Job autonomy was associated with psychological distress in the UK samples (AOR 2.61) but no relationship was found among Thais after adjusting for covariates (AOR 0.99). Low job security, inability to cope with job demands, and low employer support were associated with psychological distress both among Thai and UK workers. Job autonomy was an important part of a healthy work environment in Western cultures, but not in Thailand. This finding could reflect cultural differences with Thais less troubled by individualistic expression at work. Our study also highlights the implications for relevant workplace laws and regulations to minimise the adverse job effects. These public health strategies would promote mental health and wellbeing in the population.

Effects of state-level medicaid policies and patient characteristics on time to breast cancer surgery among medicaid beneficiaries.

PubMed

Halpern, Michael T; Schrag, Deborah

2016-08-01

Medicaid beneficiaries with cancer are less likely to receive timely and high-quality care. This study examined whether differences in state-level Medicaid policies affect delays in time to surgery (TTS) among women diagnosed with breast cancer. Using 2006-2008 Medicaid data, we identified women aged 18-64 enrolled in Medicaid diagnosed with breast cancer. Analyses examined associations of state-specific Medicaid surgery reimbursements, Medicaid eligibility recertification period (annually vs. shorter) and required patient copayment on time from breast cancer diagnosis to receipt of breast surgery. Patients receiving neoadjuvant therapy were excluded. Separate multivariable regression analyses controlling for patient demographic characteristics and clustering by state were performed for breast conserving surgery (BCS), inpatient mastectomy, and outpatient mastectomy. The study included 7542 Medicaid beneficiaries with breast cancer: 3272 received BCS, 2156 outpatient mastectomy, and 2115 inpatient mastectomy. Higher Medicaid reimbursements for BCS were associated with decreased time from diagnosis to surgery. A 12-month (vs. <12 month) Medicaid eligibility recertification period was associated with decreased TTS for BCS and outpatient mastectomy. Black Medicaid beneficiaries (compared with non-Hispanic White beneficiaries) were more likely to experience delays for all three types of surgery, while Hispanic beneficiaries were more likely to experience delays only for outpatient mastectomy. State-level Medicaid policies and patient characteristics can affect receipt of timely surgery among Medicaid beneficiaries with breast cancer. As delays in surgery can increase morbidity and mortality, changes to state Medicaid policies and health system programs are needed to improve access to care for this vulnerable population.

Students' approaches to medical school choice: relationship with students' characteristics and motivation.

PubMed

Wouters, Anouk; Croiset, Gerda; Schripsema, Nienke R; Cohen-Schotanus, Janke; Spaai, Gerard W G; Hulsman, Robert L; Kusurkar, Rashmi A

2017-06-12

The aim was to examine main reasons for students' medical school choice and their relationship with students' characteristics and motivation during the students' medical study. In this multisite cross-sectional study, all Year-1 and Year-4 students who had participated in a selection procedure in one of the three Dutch medical schools included in the study were invited to complete an online survey comprising personal data, their main reason for medical school choice and standard, validated questionnaires to measure their strength of motivation (Strength of Motivation for Medical School-Revised) and autonomous and controlled type of motivation (Academic Self-regulation Questionnaire). Four hundred seventy-eight students participated. We performed frequency analyses on the reasons for medical school choice and regression analyses and ANCOVAs to study their associations with students' characteristics and motivation during their medical study. Students indicated 'city' (Year-1: 24.7%, n=75 and Year-4: 36.0%, n=52) and 'selection procedure' (Year-1: 56.9%, n=173 and Year-4: 46.9%, n=68) as the main reasons for their medical school choice. The main reasons were associated with gender, age, being a first-generation university student, ethnic background and medical school, and no significant associations were found between the main reasons and the strength and type of motivation during the students' medical study. Most students had based their medical school choice on the selection procedure. If medical schools desire to achieve a good student-curriculum fit and attract a diverse student population aligning the selection procedure with the curriculum and taking into account various students' different approaches is important.

Fatigue Among Short- and Long-Term Thyroid Cancer Survivors: Results from the Population-Based PROFILES Registry

PubMed Central

Nieuwlaat, Willy-Anne; Oranje, Wilma A.; Haak, Harm R.; van de Poll-Franse, Lonneke V.; Mols, Floortje

2013-01-01

Background The aims of this study were (i) to obtain insight into the prevalence of fatigue among short- and long-term thyroid cancer (TC) survivors, by comparing a sample of TC survivors with an age- and sex-matched normative population, and (ii) to investigate which demographic, clinical, and TC-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) characteristics were associated with fatigue. Methods All patients found to have TC between 1990 and 2008, as registered in the Eindhoven Cancer Registry, received a cross-sectional survey on fatigue (Fatigue Assessment Scale), TC-specific HRQoL (THYCA-QoL), and psychological distress (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). The fatigue scores were compared with those of an age- and sex-matched normative population (n=530). Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to investigate the independent associations between clinical and demographic characteristics, TC-specific HRQoL, and psychological distress with fatigue. Results Eighty-six percent (n=306) responded. TC survivors were more often classified as fatigued or very fatigued (short-term <5 years: 43%; long-term 5–10 years: 44%; long-term 10–15 years: 47%; long-term >15 years: 39%) compared to the normative population (25%; p<0.001). Anxiety (odds ratio (OR) 1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–1.28) and depression (OR 1.43 [CI 1.22–1.68]) were associated with fatigue, as was also the case for TC-specific neuromuscular (OR 1.03 [CI 1.01–1.06]), concentration (OR 1.03 [CI 1.01–1.06]), and psychological TC-specific HRQoL (OR 1.06 [CI 1.02–1.10]). Conclusion Short- and long-term TC survivors report higher levels of fatigue than an age- and sex-matched normative population do. Both TC-specific HRQoL and psychological distress were associated with fatigue. PMID:23578315

Health and morbidity among Bedouin women in southern Israel: a descriptive literature review of the past two decades.

PubMed

Treister-Goltzman, Yulia; Peleg, Roni

2014-08-01

In this paper we describe health and morbidity characteristics of Bedouin women in southern Israel, based on papers published over the past 20 years. This is a unique population whose customs, tradition, singular circumstances as a population "in transit", and underprivileged socio-economic status are reflected in mental illness, pregnancy course, perinatal morbidity and mortality rates, and acute and chronic disease. Recognition of these characteristics can help the medical team treat various health problems in this population as well as other populations with similar characteristics.

Investigations of the structure and function of bacterial communities associated with Sphagnum mosses.

PubMed

Opelt, Katja; Chobot, Vladimir; Hadacek, Franz; Schönmann, Susan; Eberl, Leo; Berg, Gabriele

2007-11-01

High acidity, low temperature and extremely low concentration of nutrients form Sphagnum bogs into extreme habitats for organisms. Little is known about the bacteria associated with living Sphagnum plantlets, especially about their function for the host. Therefore, we analysed the endo- and ectophytic bacterial populations associated with two widely distributed Sphagnum species, Sphagnum magellanicum and Sphagnum fallax, by a multiphasic approach. The screening of 1222 isolates for antagonistic activity resulted in 326 active isolates. The bacterial communities harboured a high proportion of antifungal (26%) but a low proportion of antibacterial isolates (0.4%). Members of the genus Burkholderia (38%) were found to be the most dominant group of antagonistic bacteria. The finding that a large proportion (89%) of the antagonistic bacteria produced antifungal compounds may provide an explanation for the well-known antimicrobial activity of certain Sphagnum species. The secondary metabolites of the Sphagnum species themselves were analysed by HPLC-PDA. The different spectra of detected compounds may not only explain the antifungal activity but also the species specificity of the microbial communities. The latter was analysed using cultivation-independent single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. Using Burkholderia-specific primers we found a high diversity of Burkholderia isolates in the endophytic and ectophytic habitats of Sphagnum. Furthermore, a high diversity of nitrogen-fixing bacteria was detected by using nifH-specific primers, especially inside Sphagnum mosses. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that both Sphagnum species were colonized by characteristic bacterial populations, which appear to be important for pathogen defence and nitrogen fixation.

Are different parasite guilds of Pagrus pagrus equally suitable sources of information on host zoogeography?

PubMed

Soares, I A; Lanfranchi, A L; Luque, J L; Haimovici, M; Timi, J T

2018-06-01

Metazoan parasite assemblages of Pagrus pagrus inhabiting the southwestern Atlantic were analysed with the aim of identifying the existence of different stocks and to comparatively assess the value of different parasite guilds as indicators of zoogeographical regions. A total of 186 fish was examined. Samples were obtained from three Brazilian and one Argentine localities, distributed in three different biogeographic districts of the Argentine Zoogeographical Province. Pagrus pagrus harboured 26 metazoan parasite species distributed in three guilds, ectoparasites (10 species), long-lived larval endoparasites and short-lived gastrointestinal endoparasites (eight species each). Prevalence and abundance values of the former two guilds allowed analysing them comparatively to assess their value as biological indicators of both host population structure and zoogeography. Results of analyses on long-lived parasites evidenced the existence of three stocks, one in the regions of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, other in southern Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul) and a third in northern Argentina (Mar del Plata), responding to the differential environmental conditions characteristic of three zoogeographical ecoregions. Ectoparasite assemblages exhibited significant differences between all pairs of samples, including those considered as a single stock according to data on persistent parasites. Assemblages of long-lived larval parasites are considered as better indicators for stock assessment purposes than ectoparasites, whose population parameters were variable temporally and heterogeneous at small spatial scales. The distributional variability of persistent parasites of P. pagrus along large scales provides valuable information to help defining robust biogeographical patterns, applicable to stock identification and fishery management of this species.

Provenance of sediments from Sumatra, Indonesia - Insights from detrital U-Pb zircon geochronology, heavy mineral analyses and Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liebermann, C.; Hall, R.; Gough, A.

2017-12-01

The island of Sumatra is situated at the southwestern margin of the Indonesian archipelago. Although it is the sixth largest island in the world, the geology of the Sumatra sedimentary basins and their underlying basement is relatively poorly understood in terms of their provenance. This work is a multi-proxy provenance study utilizing U-Pb detrital zircon dating by LA-ICP-MS combined with optical and Raman spectroscopy-based heavy mineral analysis. It will help to unravel the stratigraphy of Sumatra, contribute to paleogeographic reconstruction of western SE Asia, and aid a wider understanding of Sumatran petroleum plays. Thin section analyses, heavy mineral assemblages, and >3500 concordant U-Pb zircon ages, from samples acquired during two fieldwork seasons indicate a mixed provenance for Cenozoic sedimentary formations, including both local igneous sources and mature basement rocks. Characteristic Precambrian zircon age spectra are found in all analysed Cenozoic sedimentary strata. These can be correlated with zircon age populations found in Sumatran basement rocks; Neoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic age groups are dominant (c. 500-600 Ma, c. 850-1000 Ma, c. 1050-1200 Ma). Paleoproterozoic to Archaean zircons occur as minor populations. The Phanerozoic age spectra of the Cenozoic formations are characterised by distinct Carboniferous, Permo-Triassic, and Jurassic-Cretaceous zircon populations. Permo-Triassic zircons are interpreted to come from granitoids in the Malay peninsula or Sumatra itself. Eocene to Lower Miocene strata are characterised by ultrastable heavy minerals such as zircon, tourmaline, and rutile, which together with garnet, suggest the principal sources were igneous and metamorphic basement rocks. Cenozoic zircons appear only from the Middle Miocene onwards. This change is interpreted to indicate a new contribution from a local volcanic arc, and is supported by the occurrence of unstable heavy minerals such as apatite and clinopyroxene, and the presence of volcanic quartz. The absence of an earlier volcanic contribution is surprising since subduction is widely considered to have been active from the Eocene.

Reconstructing populations dynamics: Mortality and recruitment of the southern geoduck Panopea abbreviata

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaidman, Paula C.; Morsan, Enrique

2018-05-01

In the development of management measures for sustainable fisheries, estimating the natural mortality rate and recruitment are fundamental. In northern Patagonia, Argentina, the southern geoduck, Panopea abbreviata, a long-lived clam that forms spatially disjunct subpopulations, supports an unregulated fishery. In this study, we estimate natural mortality. We studied the age structure of beds within the northern Patagonia gulfs, San Matías Gulf (SMG) and San Jose Gulf (SJG), and we estimated a time series for back-reconstructed recruitment to explore spatial coherence in relation to local oceanographic conditions and to elucidate its population dynamics. We constructed a cumulative frequency distribution of the age of dead shells collected and used the exponential and Weibull models to model mortality. Live geoducks were sampled from six populations between 2000 and 2006. Age-frequency distributions and mortality models were used to back-calculate the time series of recruitment for each population. The recruitment time series was analysed using continuous wavelet transform. The value of natural mortality estimated by the exponential model was 0.054 years-1, whereas those estimated by the Weibull model were α = 0.00085 years-1 and β = 2.1. For the latter, M values for cohorts were 0.01 for 10 years, 0.02 for 20 years, 0.04 for 30 years and 0.05 for 40 years. The Weibull model was observed to be the best fit to the data. The natural mortality rate of P. abbreviata estimated in this study was lower than that estimated in a previous work for populations from SMG. The back-calculated time series for recruitment demonstrated considerable yearly variation, suggesting that local conditions have an important role in recruitment regulation. At a decadal temporal scale, a clear increasing recruitment trend was evident over the last 20 years in all populations. Populations in SMG were settled >60 years ago. In contrast, no individuals older than 30 years were observed in the populations from SJG. P. abbreviata has several characteristics, such as longevity and low instantaneous natural mortality rate, which require attention in any resource planning. However, this species also has positive characteristics for fishery development, as historical recruitment trends indicate that populations are expanding and are part of a widely distributed metapopulation, suggesting that sustainable exploitation is possible.

Developing educational resources for population genetics in R: An open and collaborative approach

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The R computing and statistical language community has developed a myriad of resources for conducting populations genetic analyses. However, resources for learning how to carry out population genetic analyses in R are scattered and often incomplete, which can make acquiring this skill unnecessarily ...

Analysing the World Population: Using Population Pyramids and "If the World Were a Village"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caniglia, Joanne; Leapard, Barbara

2010-01-01

The book "If the World Were a Village," by David J. Smith, is the context for analysing and creating graphs of the world's demographic information. Students examine numerical information regarding the more than six billion world inhabitants by imagining the world's population as 100 people.

Characteristics of Hookah Tobacco Smoking Sessions and Correlates of Use Frequency Among US Adults: Findings From Wave 1 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study.

PubMed

Robinson, Joelle N; Wang, Baoguang; Jackson, Kia J; Donaldson, Elisabeth A; Ryant, Chase A

2018-05-03

Hookah tobacco smoking has increased in the United States. However, information on hookah use frequency and other characteristics of hookah use is limited. Investigators analyzed data from Wave 1 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, a nationally representative, longitudinal cohort study of US youth and adults. Our analysis draws on baseline data from adult (ages ≥18 years) ever (N = 10 624) and past year (n = 3947) hookah users. Bivariate and regression analyses were conducted to identify associations between demographics, use characteristics, and hookah use frequency. Overall, 16.4% of adults reported ever smoking tobacco from a hookah. Of those, 31.9% reported smoking hookah within the past year. Among 3947 past-year hookah tobacco smokers, 10.7% were daily/weekly users, 13.7% were monthly users, 42.1% smoked every couple of months, and 33.5% smoked about once a year. Among daily/weekly hookah users, 66% were young adults (ages 18-24 years). When comparing daily/weekly hookah users to those who smoked every couple of months, more frequent hookah use was associated with younger age, male gender, a greater number of times the hookah is refilled during a session, fewer people sharing, and hookah ownership. Although there were few demographic differences between daily/weekly users and less frequent hookah tobacco smokers, some notable differences in use behaviors exist among use frequency groups. Unlike other tobacco products, hookah is often smoked communally, over an extended time period. A detailed understanding of hookah user characteristics and experiences could inform hookah-specific measures, messaging, and regulations. To our knowledge, this is one of the first studies to characterize hookah use frequency, session length, and other hookah use experiences using a nationally representative sample of US adult hookah smokers. Understanding characteristics of hookah tobacco smokers, their use experiences, and patterns of hookah use frequency would be useful in assessing risks for hookah tobacco dependence at the population level. Additionally, identifying variation in use behaviors of hookah tobacco smokers could be used to inform the development of strategies to reduce and prevent hookah tobacco use, such as tobacco regulations or public education efforts, particularly among young adults.

Too big or too narrow? Disturbance characteristics determine the functional resilience in virtual microbial ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

König, Sara; Firle, Anouk-Letizia; Koehnke, Merlin; Banitz, Thomas; Frank, Karin

2017-04-01

In general ecology, there is an ongoing debate about the influence of fragmentation on extinction thresholds. Whether this influence is positive or negative depends on the considered type of fragmentation: whereas habitat fragmentation often has a negative influence on population extinction thresholds, spatially fragmented disturbances are observed to have mostly positive effects on the extinction probability. Besides preventing population extinction, in soil systems ecology we are interested in analyzing how ecosystem functions are maintained despite disturbance events. Here, we analyzed the influence of disturbance size and fragmentation on the functional resilience of a microbial soil ecosystem. As soil is a highly heterogeneous environment exposed to disturbances of different spatial configurations, the identification of critical disturbance characteristics for maintaining its functions is crucial. We used the numerical simulation model eColony considering bacterial growth, degradation and dispersal for analyzing the dynamic response of biodegradation examplary for an important microbial ecosystem service to disturbance events of different spatial configurations. We systematically varied the size and the degree of fragmentation of the affected area (disturbance pattern). We found that the influence of the disturbance size on functional recovery and biodegradation performance highly depends on the spatial fragmentation of the disturbance. Generally, biodegradation performance decreases with increasing clumpedness and increasing size of the affected area. After spatially correlated disturbance events, biodegradation performance decreases linear with increasing disturbance size. After spatially fragmented disturbance events, on the other hand, an increase in disturbance size has no influence on the biodegradation performance until a critical disturbance size is reached. Is the affected area bigger than this critical size, the functional performance decreases dramatically. Under recurrent disturbance events, this threshold is shifted to lower disturbance sizes. The more frequent disturbances are recurring, the lower is the critical disturbance size. Our simulation results indicate the importance of spatial characteristics of disturbance events for the functional resilience of microbial ecosystems. Critical values for disturbance size and fragmentation emerge from an interplay between both characteristics. In consequence, a precise definition of the specific disturbance regime is necessary for analysing functional resilience. With this study, we show that we need to consider the influence of fragmentation in terrestrial environments not only on population extincions but also on the resilience of ecosystem functions. Moreover, spatial disturbance characteristics - which are widely discussed on landscape scale - are an important factor on smaller scales, too.

Associations between preterm birth, low birth weight, and postpartum health in a predominantly Hispanic WIC population.

PubMed

Leonard, Stephanie A; Gee, Denise; Zhu, Yuda; Crespi, Catherine M; Whaley, Shannon E

2014-01-01

To describe the postpartum health of predominantly Hispanic participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and identify how health characteristics differ between mothers who delivered preterm or low birth weight infants and those who did not. Cross-sectional survey among postpartum WIC mothers. Los Angeles and Orange Counties, CA. WIC participants within 1 year of delivery (n = 1,420). Postpartum health behaviors, health characteristics, and birth spacing intentions and behaviors. Frequencies of health characteristics were estimated using analyses with sample weights. Differences were assessed with chi-square and Fisher exact tests with Bonferroni correction for pairs of tests. Many women exhibited postpartum risk factors for future adverse health events, including overweight or obesity (62.3%), depressive symptoms (27.5%), and no folic acid supplementation (65.5%). Most characteristics did not differ significantly (P > .025) between mothers of preterm infants and full-term infants or between mothers of low birth weight and normal birth weight infants. Despite few differences between postpartum characteristics of mothers who delivered preterm or low birth weight infants and those who did not, a high percentage of mothers had risk factors that need to be addressed. Current postpartum educational activities of WIC programs should be evaluated and shared. Copyright © 2014 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Educational Attainment in the United States: 2015. Population Characteristics. Current Population Reports. P20-578

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Camille L.; Bauman, Kurt

2016-01-01

This report provides a portrait of educational attainment in the United States based on data collected from the Current Population Survey (CPS). The report examines educational attainment of the adult population by demographic and social characteristics such as age, sex, race and Hispanic origin, and disability status, as well as differences in…