Implicit Associations and Explicit Expectancies toward Cannabis in Heavy Cannabis Users and Controls

PubMed Central

Beraha, Esther M.; Cousijn, Janna; Hermanides, Elisa; Goudriaan, Anna E.; Wiers, Reinout W.

2013-01-01

Cognitive biases, including implicit memory associations are thought to play an important role in the development of addictive behaviors. The aim of the present study was to investigate implicit affective memory associations in heavy cannabis users. Implicit positive-arousal, sedation, and negative associations toward cannabis were measured with three Single Category Implicit Association Tests (SC-IAT’s) and compared between 59 heavy cannabis users and 89 controls. Moreover, we investigated the relationship between these implicit affective associations and explicit expectancies, subjective craving, cannabis use, and cannabis related problems. Results show that heavy cannabis users had stronger implicit positive-arousal associations but weaker implicit negative associations toward cannabis compared to controls. Moreover, heavy cannabis users had stronger sedation but weaker negative explicit expectancies toward cannabis compared to controls. Within heavy cannabis users, more cannabis use was associated with stronger implicit negative associations whereas more cannabis use related problems was associated with stronger explicit negative expectancies, decreasing the overall difference on negative associations between cannabis users and controls. No other associations were observed between implicit associations, explicit expectancies, measures of cannabis use, cannabis use related problems, or subjective craving. These findings indicate that, in contrast to other substances of abuse like alcohol and tobacco, the relationship between implicit associations and cannabis use appears to be weak in heavy cannabis users. PMID:23801968

47 CFR 69.603 - Association functions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Association functions. 69.603 Section 69.603... Exchange Carrier Association § 69.603 Association functions. (a) The Association shall not engage in any... with association functions pursuant to § 69.603 (c)-(g), and those expenses that pertain to Commission...

76 FR 40420 - Pilot Program on the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Long-Haul Trucking Provisions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-08

... Association, the Grocery Manufacturers Association, Association of Food, Beverage and Consumer Products..., National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, the Snack Food Association, and Tysons Food... comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc...

12 CFR 615.5172 - Production credit association and agricultural credit association investment in farmers' notes...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Production credit association and agricultural....5172 Production credit association and agricultural credit association investment in farmers' notes... of the Farm Credit Bank or agricultural credit bank and each production credit association and...

12 CFR 561.43 - Savings association.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

..., chartered under section 5 of the Act, or a building and loan, savings and loan, or homestead association, or... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Savings association. 561.43 Section 561.43... AFFECTING ALL SAVINGS ASSOCIATIONS § 561.43 Savings association. The term savings association means a...

Impact of associated injuries in the Floating knee: A retrospective study

PubMed Central

Rethnam, Ulfin; Yesupalan, Rajam S; Nair, Rajagopalan

2009-01-01

Background Floating knee injuries are usually associated with other significant injuries. Do these injuries have implications on the management of the floating knee and the final outcome of patients? Our study aims to assess the implications of associated injuries in the management and final outcome of floating knee. Methods 29 patients with floating knees were assessed in our institution. A retrospective analysis of medical records and radiographs were done and all associated injuries were identified. The impact of associated injuries on delay in initial surgical management, delay in rehabilitation & final outcome of the floating knee were assessed. Results 38 associated injuries were noted. 7 were associated with ipsilateral knee injuries. Lower limb injuries were most commonly associated with the floating knee. Patients with some associated injuries had a delay in surgical management and others a delay in post-operative rehabilitation. Knee ligament and vascular injuries were associated with poor outcome. Conclusion The associated injuries were quite frequent with the floating knee. Some of the associated injuries caused a delay in surgical management and post-operative rehabilitation. In assessment of the final outcome, patients with associated knee and vascular injuries had a poor prognosis. Majority of the patients with associated injuries had a good or excellent outcome. PMID:19144197

Dissociating the Electrophysiological Correlates between Item Retrieval and Associative Retrieval in Associative Recognition: From the Perspective of Directed Forgetting.

PubMed

Wang, Yujuan; Mao, Xinrui; Li, Bingbing; Wang, Wei; Guo, Chunyan

2016-01-01

Although many behavioral studies have reported associative memory was different from item memory, evidence coming from ERP researches has been in debate. In addition, directed forgetting effect for items has been fully discussed, but whether association between items can be directed-forgotten was unclear. The directed forgetting effect was important for dissociating the item retrieval and associative retrieval because of the one-to-one mapping relationship both between item retrieval and familiarity and between associative retrieval and recollection. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the dissociation between item retrieval and associative retrieval and test directed forgetting effect for associative information. Associative recognition paradigm combined with directed forgetting paradigm by ERP recording was employed. Old/rearranged effect in to-be-remembered condition, which was associated with associative memory, was significant at 500-800 ms (LPC) but not at 300-500 ms interval (FN400), indicating that item information was retrieved prior to associative information. The ERP wave calculated by subtracting the to-be-forgotten old pairs with "old" response from those with "rearranged" response, which reflected associative retrieval in the to-be-forgotten condition, was negative from 500 to 800 ms (reversed old/new effect), indicating that association between items can be directed-forgotten. Similar evidence was obtained by contrasting "rearranged" responses aimed to the to-be-forgotten old pairs with those aimed to the to-be-remembered rearranged pairs, which actually represented the complete failure of associative retrieval. Therefore, item retrieval and associative retrieval were indexed by FN400 and LPC respectively, with associative retrieval more inhibited than item retrieval.

OPATs: Omnibus P-value association tests.

PubMed

Chen, Chia-Wei; Yang, Hsin-Chou

2017-07-10

Combining statistical significances (P-values) from a set of single-locus association tests in genome-wide association studies is a proof-of-principle method for identifying disease-associated genomic segments, functional genes and biological pathways. We review P-value combinations for genome-wide association studies and introduce an integrated analysis tool, Omnibus P-value Association Tests (OPATs), which provides popular analysis methods of P-value combinations. The software OPATs programmed in R and R graphical user interface features a user-friendly interface. In addition to analysis modules for data quality control and single-locus association tests, OPATs provides three types of set-based association test: window-, gene- and biopathway-based association tests. P-value combinations with or without threshold and rank truncation are provided. The significance of a set-based association test is evaluated by using resampling procedures. Performance of the set-based association tests in OPATs has been evaluated by simulation studies and real data analyses. These set-based association tests help boost the statistical power, alleviate the multiple-testing problem, reduce the impact of genetic heterogeneity, increase the replication efficiency of association tests and facilitate the interpretation of association signals by streamlining the testing procedures and integrating the genetic effects of multiple variants in genomic regions of biological relevance. In summary, P-value combinations facilitate the identification of marker sets associated with disease susceptibility and uncover missing heritability in association studies, thereby establishing a foundation for the genetic dissection of complex diseases and traits. OPATs provides an easy-to-use and statistically powerful analysis tool for P-value combinations. OPATs, examples, and user guide can be downloaded from http://www.stat.sinica.edu.tw/hsinchou/genetics/association/OPATs.htm. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

GWAS and admixture mapping identify different asthma-associated loci in Latinos: The GALA II Study

PubMed Central

Galanter, Joshua M; Gignoux, Christopher R; Torgerson, Dara G; Roth, Lindsey A; Eng, Celeste; Oh, Sam S; Nguyen, Elizabeth A; Drake, Katherine A; Huntsman, Scott; Hu, Donglei; Sen, Saunak; Davis, Adam; Farber, Harold J.; Avila, Pedro C.; Brigino-Buenaventura, Emerita; LeNoir, Michael A.; Meade, Kelley; Serebrisky, Denise; Borrell, Luisa N; Rodríguez-Cintrón, William; Estrada, Andres Moreno; Mendoza, Karla Sandoval; Winkler, Cheryl A.; Klitz, William; Romieu, Isabelle; London, Stephanie J.; Gilliland, Frank; Martinez, Fernando; Bustamante, Carlos; Williams, L Keoki; Kumar, Rajesh; Rodríguez-Santana, José R.; Burchard, and Esteban G.

2013-01-01

Background Asthma is a complex disease with both genetic and environmental causes. Genome-wide association studies of asthma have mostly involved European populations and replication of positive associations has been inconsistent. Objective To identify asthma-associated genes in a large Latino population with genome-wide association analysis and admixture mapping. Methods Latino children with asthma (n = 1,893) and healthy controls (n = 1,881) were recruited from five sites in the United States: Puerto Rico, New York, Chicago, Houston, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Subjects were genotyped on an Affymetrix World Array IV chip. We performed genome-wide association and admixture mapping to identify asthma-associated loci. Results We identified a significant association between ancestry and asthma at 6p21 (lowest p-value: rs2523924, p < 5 × 10−6). This association replicates in a meta-analysis of the EVE Asthma Consortium (p = 0.01). Fine mapping of the region in this study and the EVE Asthma Consortium suggests an association between PSORS1C1 and asthma. We confirmed the strong allelic association between the 17q21 asthma in Latinos (IKZF3, lowest p-value: rs90792, OR: 0.67, 95% CI 0.61 – 0.75, p = 6 × 10−13) and replicated associations in several genes that had previously been associated with asthma in genome-wide association studies. Conclusions Admixture mapping and genome-wide association are complementary techniques that provide evidence for multiple asthma-associated loci in Latinos. Admixture mapping identifies a novel locus on 6p21 that replicates in a meta-analysis of several Latino populations, while genome-wide association confirms the previously identified locus on 17q21. PMID:24406073

Delineating the contribution of long-term associations to immediate recall.

PubMed

Saint-Aubin, Jean; Guérard, Katherine; Chamberland, Cindy; Malenfant, Amélie

2014-01-01

In the present study we examined the contribution of semantic associative links to short-term recall performance by using the separation effect first introduced in free recall studies (Glanzer, 1969). Pairs of associated words were inserted in the to-be-remembered lists. In two experiments associated words were better recalled than non-associated words, and were better recalled when they were adjacent in the list than when they were separated by one non-associated item. In addition results showed that forward associative links among pair members were as beneficial to immediate serial recall as backward associative links. Finally the benefit of associative links among pair members was observed with both forward and backward recall.

17 CFR 3.12 - Registration of associated persons of futures commission merchants, retail foreign exchange...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... registered under the Act as an associated person of that sponsoring futures commission merchant, retail... capacity of an associated person of such sponsor upon filing by that sponsor with the National Futures... which the associated person is associated. (2) Upon receipt by the National Futures Association of a...

A high intake of saturated fatty acids strengthens the association between the fat mass and obesity-associated gene and BMI

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Evidence that physical activity (PA) modulates the association between the fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) and BMI is emerging; however, information about dietary factors modulating this association is scarce. We investigated whether fat and carbohydrate intake modified the association of...

A novel co-occurrence-based approach to predict pure associative and semantic priming.

PubMed

Roelke, Andre; Franke, Nicole; Biemann, Chris; Radach, Ralph; Jacobs, Arthur M; Hofmann, Markus J

2018-03-15

The theoretical "difficulty in separating association strength from [semantic] feature overlap" has resulted in inconsistent findings of either the presence or absence of "pure" associative priming in recent literature (Hutchison, 2003, Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 10(4), p. 787). The present study used co-occurrence statistics of words in sentences to provide a full factorial manipulation of direct association (strong/no) and the number of common associates (many/no) of the prime and target words. These common associates were proposed to serve as semantic features for a recent interactive activation model of semantic processing (i.e., the associative read-out model; Hofmann & Jacobs, 2014). With stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) as an additional factor, our findings indicate that associative and semantic priming are indeed dissociable. Moreover, the effect of direct association was strongest at a long SOA (1,000 ms), while many common associates facilitated lexical decisions primarily at a short SOA (200 ms). This response pattern is consistent with previous performance-based accounts and suggests that associative and semantic priming can be evoked by computationally determined direct and common associations.

The Influence of Forward and Backward Associative Strength on False Memories for Encoding Context

PubMed Central

Arndt, Jason

2016-01-01

Two experiments examined the effects of Forward Associative Strength (FAS) and Backward Associative Strength (FAS) on false recollection of unstudied lure items. Themes were constructed such that four associates were strongly related to a lure item in terms of FAS or BAS and four associates were weakly related to a lure item in terms of FAS or BAS. Further, when FAS was manipulated, BAS was controlled across strong and weak associates, while FAS was controlled across strong and weak associates when BAS was manipulated. Strong associates were presented in one font while weak associates were presented in a second font. At test, lure items were disproportionately attributed to the source used to present lures’ strong associates compared to lures’ weak associates, both when BAS was manipulated and when FAS was manipulated. This outcome demonstrates that both BAS and FAS influence lure item false recollection, which favors global-matching models’ explanation of false recollection over the explanation offered by spreading-activation theories. PMID:25312499

Genetic Diversity and Association Characters of Bacteria Isolated from Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Spore Walls

PubMed Central

Selvakumar, Gopal; Krishnamoorthy, Ramasamy; Kim, Kiyoon; Sa, Tong-Min

2016-01-01

Association between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and bacteria has long been studied. However, the factors influencing their association in the natural environment is still unknown. This study aimed to isolate bacteria associated with spore walls of AMF and identify their potential characters for association. Spores collected from coastal reclamation land were differentiated based on their morphology and identified by 18S rDNA sequencing as Funneliformis caledonium, Racocetra alborosea and Funneliformis mosseae. Bacteria associated with AMF spore walls were isolated after treating them with disinfection solution at different time intervals. After 0, 10 and 20 min of spore disinfection, 86, 24 and 10 spore associated bacteria (SAB) were isolated, respectively. BOX-PCR fingerprinting analysis showed that diverse bacterial communities were associated to AMF spores. Bacteria belonging to the same genera could associate with different AMF spores. Gram positive bacteria were more closely associated with AMF spores. Isolated SAB were characterized and tested for spore association characters such as chitinase, protease, cellulase enzymes and exopolysaccharide production (EPS). Among the 120 SAB, 113 SAB were able to show one or more characters for association and seven SAB did not show any association characters. The 16S rDNA sequence of SAB revealed that bacteria belonging to the phyla Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Bactereiodes were associated with AMF spore walls. PMID:27479250

Contribution of Large Region Joint Associations to Complex Traits Genetics

PubMed Central

Paré, Guillaume; Asma, Senay; Deng, Wei Q.

2015-01-01

A polygenic model of inheritance, whereby hundreds or thousands of weakly associated variants contribute to a trait’s heritability, has been proposed to underlie the genetic architecture of complex traits. However, relatively few genetic variants have been positively identified so far and they collectively explain only a small fraction of the predicted heritability. We hypothesized that joint association of multiple weakly associated variants over large chromosomal regions contributes to complex traits variance. Confirmation of such regional associations can help identify new loci and lead to a better understanding of known ones. To test this hypothesis, we first characterized the ability of commonly used genetic association models to identify large region joint associations. Through theoretical derivation and simulation, we showed that multivariate linear models where multiple SNPs are included as independent predictors have the most favorable association profile. Based on these results, we tested for large region association with height in 3,740 European participants from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) study. Adjusting for SNPs with known association with height, we demonstrated clustering of weak associations (p = 2x10-4) in regions extending up to 433.0 Kb from known height loci. The contribution of regional associations to phenotypic variance was estimated at 0.172 (95% CI 0.063-0.279; p < 0.001), which compared favorably to 0.129 explained by known height variants. Conversely, we showed that suggestively associated regions are enriched for known height loci. To extend our findings to other traits, we also tested BMI, HDLc and CRP for large region associations, with consistent results for CRP. Our results demonstrate the presence of large region joint associations and suggest these can be used to pinpoint weakly associated SNPs. PMID:25856144

Do puzzle pieces and autism puzzle piece logos evoke negative associations?

PubMed

Gernsbacher, Morton Ann; Raimond, Adam R; Stevenson, Jennifer L; Boston, Jilana S; Harp, Bev

2018-02-01

Puzzle pieces have become ubiquitous symbols for autism. However, puzzle-piece imagery stirs debate between those who support and those who object to its use because they believe puzzle-piece imagery evokes negative associations. Our study empirically investigated whether puzzle pieces evoke negative associations in the general public. Participants' ( N = 400) implicit negative associations were measured with an Implicit Association Task, which is a speeded categorization task, and participants' explicit associations were measured with an Explicit Association Task, which is a standard task for assessing consumers' explicit associations with brands (and images of those brands). Puzzle pieces, both those used as autism logos and those used more generically, evoked negative implicit associations ( t(399) = -5.357, p < 0.001) and negative explicit associations ( z = 4.693, p < 0.001, d = 0.491). Participants explicitly associated puzzle pieces, even generic puzzle pieces, with incompleteness, imperfection, and oddity. Our results bear public policy implications. If an organization's intention for using puzzle-piece imagery is to evoke negative associations, our results suggest the organization's use of puzzle-piece imagery is apt. However, if the organization's intention is to evoke positive associations, our results suggest that puzzle-piece imagery should probably be avoided.

Automated identification of OB associations in M31

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Magnier, Eugene A.; Battinelli, Paolo; Lewin, Walter H. G.; Haiman, Zoltan; Paradijs, Jan Van; Hasinger, Guenther; Pietsch, Wolfgang; Supper, Rodrigo; Truemper, Joachim

1993-01-01

A new identification of OB associations in M31 has been performed using the Path Linkage Criterion (PLC) technique of Battinelli (1991). We found 174 associations with a very small contamination (less than 5%) by random clumps of stars. The expected total number and average size of OB associations in the region of M 31 covered by our data set (Magnier et al. 1992) are approximately 280 and approximately 90 pc, respectively. M31 associations therefore have sizes similar to those of OB associations observed in nearby galaxies, so that we can consider them to be classical OB associations. This list of OB associations will be used for the study of the spatial distribution of OB associations and their correlation with other objects. Taking into account the fact that we do not cover the entire disk of M31, we extrapolate a total number of association in M31 of approximately 420.

Do you know your business associates?

PubMed

Hinkley, Gerald M; Glitz, Rachel; Hirsch, W Reece

2003-01-01

HIPAA's business associate rules require covered entities to identify their business associates and enter into contracts with them to safeguard the privacy of individually identifiable health information. Covered entities need to determine who their business associates are and whether exceptions apply. Covered entities need to examine their business associate contracts to ensure that the contracts contain provisions required by HIPAA. Covered entities should not enter into business associate contracts unnecessarily. Existing business associate contracts are subject to a transition period for compliance with HIPAA.

Antibiotic therapy in ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis: a literature review.

PubMed

Alves, Abel Eduardo; Pereira, José Manuel

2018-03-01

The concept of ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis is controversial; its definition is not unanimously accepted and often overlaps with ventilator-associated pneumonia. Ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis has an incidence similar to that of ventilator-associated pneumonia, with a high prevalence of isolated multiresistant agents, resulting in an increase in the time of mechanical ventilation and hospitalization but without an impact on mortality. The performance of quantitative cultures may allow better diagnostic definition of tracheobronchitis associated with mechanical ventilation, possibly avoiding the overdiagnosis of this condition. One of the major difficulties in differentiating between ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis and ventilator-associated pneumonia is the exclusion of a pulmonary infiltrate by chest radiography; thoracic computed tomography, thoracic ultrasonography, or invasive specimen collection may also be required. The institution of systemic antibiotic therapy does not improve the clinical impact of ventilator-associated tracheobronchitis, particularly in reducing time of mechanical ventilation, hospitalization or mortality, despite the possible reduced progression to ventilator-associated pneumonia. However, there are doubts regarding the methodology used. Thus, considering the high prevalence of tracheobronchitis associated with mechanical ventilation, routine treatment of this condition would result in high antibiotic usage without clear benefits. However, we suggest the institution of antibiotic therapy in patients with tracheobronchitis associated with mechanical ventilation and septic shock and/or worsening of oxygenation, and other auxiliary diagnostic tests should be simultaneously performed to exclude ventilator-associated pneumonia. This review provides a better understanding of the differentiation between tracheobronchitis associated with mechanical ventilation and pneumonia associated with mechanical ventilation, which can significantly decrease the use of antibiotics in critically ventilated patients.

Continuing Education for Department of Defense Health Professionals

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-24

American Pharmacists Association, 60 and American Nurses Association. 61 These associations and other health-focused organizations, including health...1298. Accessed May 29, 2014. 60. American Pharmacists Association. Learn [Web page]. 2014; http://www.pharmacist.com/node/26541. Accessed May 29...American Pharmacists Association. Learn [Web page]. 2014; http://www.pharmacist.com/node/26541. Accessed May 29, 2014. 61. American Nurses Association

Epigenetic Regulation of Autism-Associated Genes by Environmental Insults: Novel Associations

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-01

TITLE: Epigenetic Regulation of Autism -Associated Genes by Environmental Insults: Novel Associations PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Daryl Spinner Ph.D...SUBTITL Epigenetic regulation of Autism -associated genes by environmental insults: Novel associations 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER...environmental-induced cases of autism . Accordingly, we established mouse embryonic cortical cultures of neurons and astrocytes, and exposed them to commonly

Differential Age Effects for Implicit and Explicit Conceptual Associative Memory

PubMed Central

Dew, Ilana T. Z.; Giovanello, Kelly S.

2010-01-01

Older adults show disproportionate declines in explicit memory for associative relative to item information. However, the source of these declines is still uncertain. One explanation is a generalized impairment in the processing of associative information. A second explanation is a more specialized impairment in the strategic, effortful recollection of associative information, leaving less effortful forms of associative retrieval preserved. Assessing implicit memory of new associations is a way to distinguish between these viewpoints. To date, mixed findings have emerged from studies of associative priming in aging. One factor that may account for the variability is whether the manipulations inadvertently involve strategic, explicit processes. In 2 experiments we present a novel paradigm of conceptual associative priming in which subjects make speeded associative judgments about unrelated objects. Using a size classification task, Experiment 1 showed equivalent associative priming between young and older adults. Experiment 2 generalized the results of Experiment 1 to an inside/outside classification task, while replicating the typical age-related impairment in associative but not item recognition. Taken together, the findings support the viewpoint that older adults can incidentally encode and retrieve new meaningful associations despite difficulty with the intentional recollection of the same information. PMID:21077717

Unraveling sexual associations in contact and noncontact child sex offenders using the single category - implicit association test.

PubMed

Hempel, I S; Buck, N M L; Goethals, K R; van Marle, H J C

2013-10-01

Previous studies found associations between children and sex in child sex offenders (CSOs) using the Implicit Association Test (IAT). We used a modification of this task, the Single Category-Implicit Association Test (SC-IAT) to unravel child-sex associations in CSOs. Using the SC-IAT, we were able to test whether CSOs indeed hold stronger child-sex associations relative to adult-sex associations, compared to adult sex offenders and nonoffenders. Furthermore, we examined whether contact CSOs differed from noncontact CSOs in their child-sex associations. The hypothesis that CSOs would have stronger child-sex associations, relative to their adult-sex associations, than adult sex offenders and nonoffenders was confirmed. No difference between contact CSOs and noncontact CSOs was found. Although the Sex SC-IAT was able to distinguish CSOs from nonoffenders, the sensitivity and specificity of the test was poor (AUC of .65) and needs refinement. The results of this study support the existence of a child-sex association as a distinctive characteristic of CSOs. These findings are discussed in the context of theories on deviant cognitions in CSOs and risk for sexual offending.

Analysis of multilocus zygotic associations.

PubMed

Yang, Rong-Cai

2002-05-01

While nonrandom associations between zygotes at different loci (zygotic associations) frequently occur in Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium populations, statistical analysis of such associations has received little attention. In this article, we describe the joint distributions of zygotes at multiple loci, which are completely characterized by heterozygosities at individual loci and various multilocus zygotic associations. These zygotic associations are defined in the same fashion as the usual multilocus linkage (gametic) disequilibria on the basis of gametic and allelic frequencies. The estimation and test procedures are described with details being given for three loci. The sampling properties of the estimates are examined through Monte Carlo simulation. The estimates of three-locus associations are not free of bias due to the presence of two-locus associations and vice versa. The power of detecting the zygotic associations is small unless different loci are strongly associated and/or sample sizes are large (>100). The analysis of zygotic associations not only offers an effective means of packaging numerous genic disequilibria required for a complete characterization of multilocus structure, but also provides opportunities for making inference about evolutionary and demographic processes through a comparative assessment of zygotic association vs. gametic disequilibrium for the same set of loci in nonequilibrium populations.

Structural brain correlates of associative memory in older adults.

PubMed

Becker, Nina; Laukka, Erika J; Kalpouzos, Grégoria; Naveh-Benjamin, Moshe; Bäckman, Lars; Brehmer, Yvonne

2015-09-01

Associative memory involves binding two or more items into a coherent memory episode. Relative to memory for single items, associative memory declines greatly in aging. However, older individuals vary substantially in their ability to memorize associative information. Although functional studies link associative memory to the medial temporal lobe (MTL) and prefrontal cortex (PFC), little is known about how volumetric differences in MTL and PFC might contribute to individual differences in associative memory. We investigated regional gray-matter volumes related to individual differences in associative memory in a sample of healthy older adults (n=54; age=60years). To differentiate item from associative memory, participants intentionally learned face-scene picture pairs before performing a recognition task that included single faces, scenes, and face-scene pairs. Gray-matter volumes were analyzed using voxel-based morphometry region-of-interest (ROI) analyses. To examine volumetric differences specifically for associative memory, item memory was controlled for in the analyses. Behavioral results revealed large variability in associative memory that mainly originated from differences in false-alarm rates. Moreover, associative memory was independent of individuals' ability to remember single items. Older adults with better associative memory showed larger gray-matter volumes primarily in regions of the left and right lateral PFC. These findings provide evidence for the importance of PFC in intentional learning of associations, likely because of its involvement in organizational and strategic processes that distinguish older adults with good from those with poor associative memory. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association of Phosphodiesterase 4D with ischemic stroke: a population-based case-control study.

PubMed

Woo, Daniel; Kaushal, Ritesh; Kissela, Brett; Sekar, Padmini; Wolujewicz, Michael; Pal, Prodipto; Alwell, Kathleen; Haverbusch, Mary; Ewing, Irene; Miller, Rosie; Kleindorfer, Dawn; Flaherty, Matthew; Chakraborty, Ranajit; Deka, Ranjan; Broderick, Joseph

2006-02-01

The Phosphodiesterase 4D (PDE4D) gene was reported recently to be associated with ischemic stroke in an Icelandic population. The association was found predominately with large vessel and cardioembolic stroke. However, 2 recent reports were unable to confirm this association, although a trend toward association with cardioembolic stroke was reported. None of the reports included significant proportions of blacks. We tested for genotype and haplotype association of polymorphisms of the PDE4D gene with ischemic stroke in a population-based, biracial, case-control study. A total of 357 cases of ischemic stroke and 482 stroke-free controls from the same community were examined. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were chosen based on significant associations reported previously. Linkage disequilibrium (LD), SNP, and haplotype association analysis was performed using PHASE 2.0 and Haploview 3.2. Although several univariate associations were identified, only 1 SNP (rs2910829) was found to be significantly associated with cardioembolic stroke among both whites and blacks. The rs152312 SNP was associated with cardioembolic stroke among whites after multiple comparison corrections. The same SNP was not associated with cardioembolic stroke among blacks. However, significant haplotype association was identified for both whites and blacks for all ischemic stroke, cardioembolic stroke, and stroke of unknown origin. Haplotype association was identified for small vessel stroke among whites. PDE4D is a risk factor for ischemic stroke and, in particular, for cardioembolic stroke, among whites and blacks. Further study of this gene is warranted.

Nevus-associated melanomas: clinicopathologic features.

PubMed

Shitara, Danielle; Nascimento, Mauricio M; Puig, Susana; Yamada, Sérgio; Enokihara, Milvia M S S; Michalany, Nilceo; Bagatin, Ediléia

2014-10-01

The clinical significance of nevus-associated melanoma compared with de novo melanomas remains controversial. It has been suggested that nevus-associated melanomas have a higher Breslow thickness and therefore worse prognosis. Over a 10-year period, this study evaluated the incidence of nevus-associated melanoma and its prognostic significance related to clinicopathologic features. Cross-sectional study from 1995 through 2004 in a dermatopathology referral center. With available data, we evaluated sex, primary location, histologic subtype, Breslow thickness, Clark level, presence of ulceration, associated lesion, and histologic subtype of the associated lesion. Of 135,653 pathologic records from skin biopsy specimens over a 10-year period, 1,190 melanoma records were selected. Nevus-associated melanomas corresponded to 390 (32.8%) melanomas, with thin melanomas having a nevus 1.52 times the association observed with thick melanomas (>1.01 mm; 95% confidence interval, 1.16-1.99; P < .001). Superficial spreading melanoma was the most frequent, while no lentigo maligna melanoma was associated with nevi. The median Breslow thickness of nevus-associated melanomas was lower than that of de novo melanomas. Nevus-associated melanomas, which represent one-third of the melanomas in southeast Brazil, are associated with intermittent sun exposure, superficial spreading melanomas, and lower Breslow thickness. This is one of the largest series describing nevus-associated melanomas in Latin America. Copyright© by the American Society for Clinical Pathology.

Learning Recruits Neurons Representing Previously Established Associations in the Corvid Endbrain.

PubMed

Veit, Lena; Pidpruzhnykova, Galyna; Nieder, Andreas

2017-10-01

Crows quickly learn arbitrary associations. As a neuronal correlate of this behavior, single neurons in the corvid endbrain area nidopallium caudolaterale (NCL) change their response properties during association learning. In crows performing a delayed association task that required them to map both familiar and novel sample pictures to the same two choice pictures, NCL neurons established a common, prospective code for associations. Here, we report that neuronal tuning changes during learning were not distributed equally in the recorded population of NCL neurons. Instead, such learning-related changes relied almost exclusively on neurons which were already encoding familiar associations. Only in such neurons did behavioral improvements during learning of novel associations coincide with increasing selectivity over the learning process. The size and direction of selectivity for familiar and newly learned associations were highly correlated. These increases in selectivity for novel associations occurred only late in the delay period. Moreover, NCL neurons discriminated correct from erroneous trial outcome based on feedback signals at the end of the trial, particularly in newly learned associations. Our results indicate that task-relevant changes during association learning are not distributed within the population of corvid NCL neurons but rather are restricted to a specific group of association-selective neurons. Such association neurons in the multimodal cognitive integration area NCL likely play an important role during highly flexible behavior in corvids.

Percutaneous transendocardial delivery of self-complementary adeno-associated virus 6 achieves global cardiac gene transfer in canines

PubMed Central

Bish, Lawrence T.; Sleeper, Meg M.; Brainard, Benjamin; Cole, Stephen; Russell, Nicholas; Withnall, Elanor; Arndt, Jason; Reynolds, Caryn; Davison, Ellen; Sanmiguel, Julio; Wu, Di; Gao, Guangping; Wilson, James M.; Sweeney, H. Lee

2011-01-01

Achieving efficient cardiac gene transfer in a large animal model has proven to be technically challenging. Prior strategies have employed cardio-pulmonary bypass or dual catheterization with the aid of vasodilators to deliver vectors, such as adenovirus, adeno-associated virus or plasmid DNA. While single stranded adeno-associated virus vectors have shown the greatest promise, they suffer from delayed expression, which might be circumvented by using self-complementary vectors. We sought to optimize cardiac gene transfer using a percutaneous transendocardial injection catheter to deliver adeno-associated virus vectors to the canine myocardium. Four vectors were evaluated—single stranded adeno-associated virus 9, self-complementary adeno-associated virus 9, self-complementary adeno-associated virus 8, self-complementary adeno-associated virus 6—so that comparison could be made between single stranded and self complementary vectors as well as among serotypes 9, 8, and 6. We demonstrate that self-complementary adeno-associated virus is superior to single stranded adeno-associated virus and that adeno-associated virus 6 is superior to other serotypes evaluated. Biodistribution studies revealed that vector genome copies were 15 to 4000 times more abundant in the heart than in any other organ for self-complementary adeno-associated virus 6. Percutaneous transendocardial injection of self-complementary adeno-associated virus 6 is a safe, effective method for achieving efficient cardiac gene transfer. PMID:18813281

7 CFR 989.12a - Cooperative bargaining association.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Cooperative bargaining association. 989.12a Section... PRODUCED FROM GRAPES GROWN IN CALIFORNIA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 989.12a Cooperative bargaining association. Cooperative bargaining association means a nonprofit cooperative association of...

The Role of Religion and Spirituality in Psychological Distress Prior to Surgery for Urologic Cancer

PubMed Central

Biegler, Kelly; Cohen, Lorenzo; Scott, Shellie; Hitzhusen, Katherine; Parker, Patricia; Gilts, Chelsea D.; Canada, Andrea; Pisters, Louis

2013-01-01

The present study examined the associations between religion and spirituality (R/S), presurgical distress, and other psychosocial factors such as engagement coping, avoidant coping, and social support. Participants were 115 men scheduled for surgery for urologic cancer. Before surgery, participants completed scales measuring intrinsic religiosity, organized religious activity, and nonorganized religious activity (IR, ORA, NORA); social support (Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey); and distress (Impact of Event Scale [IES], Perceived Stress Scale [PSS], Brief Symptom Inventory-18 [BSI-18], and Profile of Mood States [POMS]). R/S was positively associated with engagement coping. Social support was positively associated with engagement coping and inversely associated with POMS and PSS scores. Engagement coping was positively associated with IES and BSI scores, and avoidant coping was positively associated with all distress measures. R/S moderated the association between engagement coping and IES scores, such that the association between engagement coping and IES was not significant for men with high R/S scores (greater religious belief). R/S moderated the association between social support and distress; the inverse association between social support and PSS and POMS scores was only significant for men who scored high on R/S. This study replicated findings from previous studies suggesting that engagement and avoidant types of coping can lead to increased distress prior to surgery. Although R/S was associated with engagement coping, it was not associated with any of the distress measures. The finding that R/S moderated the associations between engagement coping and distress and social support and distress suggests that the association between R/S, coping style, social support, and adjustment to stressful life situations is not simplistic, and indirect associations should be explored. PMID:21964511

p68 Sam is a substrate of the insulin receptor and associates with the SH2 domains of p85 PI3K.

PubMed

Sánchez-Margalet, V; Najib, S

1999-07-23

The 68 kDa Src substrate associated during mitosis is an RNA binding protein with Src homology 2 and 3 domain binding sites. A role for Src associated in mitosis 68 as an adaptor protein in signaling transduction has been proposed in different systems such as T-cell receptors. In the present work, we have sought to assess the possible role of Src associated in mitosis 68 in insulin receptor signaling. We performed in vivo studies in HTC-IR cells and in vitro studies using recombinant Src associated in mitosis 68, purified insulin receptor and fusion proteins containing either the N-terminal or the C-terminal Src homology 2 domain of p85 phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase. We have found that Src associated in mitosis 68 is a substrate of the insulin receptor both in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, tyrosine-phosphorylated Src associated in mitosis 68 was found to associate with p85 phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase in response to insulin, as assessed by co-immunoprecipitation studies. Therefore, Src associated in mitosis 68 may be part of the signaling complexes of insulin receptor along with p85. In vitro studies demonstrate that Src associated in mitosis 68 associates with the Src homology 2 domains of p85 after tyrosine phosphorylation by the activated insulin receptor. Moreover, tyr-phosphorylated Src associated in mitosis 68 binds with a higher affinity to the N-terminal Src homology 2 domain of p85 compared to the C-terminal Src homology 2 domain of p85, suggesting a preferential association of Src associated in mitosis 68 with the N-terminal Src homology 2 domain of p85. This association may be important for the link of the signaling with RNA metabolism.

Replication of Genome Wide Association Studies of Alcohol Dependence: Support for Association with Variation in ADH1C

PubMed Central

Biernacka, Joanna M.; Geske, Jennifer R.; Schneekloth, Terry D.; Frye, Mark A.; Cunningham, Julie M.; Choi, Doo-Sup; Tapp, Courtney L.; Lewis, Bradley R.; Drews, Maureen S.; L.Pietrzak, Tracy; Colby, Colin L.; Hall-Flavin, Daniel K.; Loukianova, Larissa L.; Heit, John A.; Mrazek, David A.; Karpyak, Victor M.

2013-01-01

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed many single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with complex traits. Although these studies frequently fail to identify statistically significant associations, the top association signals from GWAS may be enriched for true associations. We therefore investigated the association of alcohol dependence with 43 SNPs selected from association signals in the first two published GWAS of alcoholism. Our analysis of 808 alcohol-dependent cases and 1,248 controls provided evidence of association of alcohol dependence with SNP rs1614972 in the ADH1C gene (unadjusted p = 0.0017). Because the GWAS study that originally reported association of alcohol dependence with this SNP [1] included only men, we also performed analyses in sex-specific strata. The results suggest that this SNP has a similar effect in both sexes (men: OR (95%CI) = 0.80 (0.66, 0.95); women: OR (95%CI) = 0.83 (0.66, 1.03)). We also observed marginal evidence of association of the rs1614972 minor allele with lower alcohol consumption in the non-alcoholic controls (p = 0.081), and independently in the alcohol-dependent cases (p = 0.046). Despite a number of potential differences between the samples investigated by the prior GWAS and the current study, data presented here provide additional support for the association of SNP rs1614972 in ADH1C with alcohol dependence and extend this finding by demonstrating association with consumption levels in both non-alcoholic and alcohol-dependent populations. Further studies should investigate the association of other polymorphisms in this gene with alcohol dependence and related alcohol-use phenotypes. PMID:23516558

The relationship between adiposity-associated inflammation and coronary artery and abdominal aortic calcium differs by strata of central adiposity: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

PubMed

Hughes-Austin, Jan M; Wassel, Christina L; Jiménez, Jessica; Criqui, Michael H; Ix, Joachim H; Rasmussen-Torvik, Laura J; Budoff, Matthew J; Jenny, Nancy S; Allison, Matthew A

2014-08-01

Adipokines regulate metabolic processes linked to coronary artery (CAC) and abdominal aorta calcification (AAC). Because adipokine and other adiposity-associated inflammatory marker (AAIM) secretions differ between visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue, we hypothesized that central adiposity modifies associations between AAIMs and CAC and AAC. We evaluated 1878 MESA participants with complete measures of AAIMs, anthropometry, CAC, and AAC. Associations of AAIMs with CAC and AAC prevalence and severity were analyzed per standard deviation of predictors (SD) using log binomial and linear regression models. The waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) was dichotomized at median WHR values based on sex/ethnicity. CAC and AAC prevalence were defined as any calcium (Agatston score >0). Severity was defined as ln (Agatston score). Analyses examined interactions with WHR and were adjusted for traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors. Each SD higher interleukin-6 (IL-6), fibrinogen and CRP was associated with 5% higher CAC prevalence; and each SD higher IL-6 and fibrinogen was associated with 4% higher AAC prevalence. Associations of IL-6 and fibrinogen with CAC severity, but not CAC prevalence, were significantly different among WHR strata. Median-and-above WHR: each SD higher IL-6 was associated with 24.8% higher CAC severity. Below-median WHR: no association (p interaction =0.012). Median-and-above WHR: each SD higher fibrinogen was associated with 19.6% higher CAC severity. Below-median WHR: no association (p interaction =0.034). Adiponectin, leptin, resistin, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were not associated with CAC or AAC prevalence or severity. These results support findings that adiposity-associated inflammation is associated with arterial calcification, and further add that central adiposity may modify this association. © The Author(s) 2014.

Psychotherapies

MedlinePlus

... of Cognitive Therapy Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry American Psychiatric Association American Psychological Association National ...

A picture is worth a thousand words? Not when it comes to associative memory of older adults.

PubMed

Guez, Jonathan; Lev, Dror

2016-02-01

Properties of the binding mechanism in associative recognition were studied by examining the influence of the pictorial superiority effect on the age-related associative deficit. The informative aspect of associative recognition is the recollection of the pairing. Previous findings indicate that recollection is susceptible to aging and that pictorial presentation can enhance recollection and facilitate associative recognition. Pictorial presentation was found to facilitate item recognition by both young and older adults, associative recognition by young adults, but not associative recognition by older adults. Our findings support the hypothesis that the binding mechanism in associative recognition is content independent. Theoretical implications are discussed. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

TU-CD-BRB-07: Identification of Associations Between Radiologist-Annotated Imaging Features and Genomic Alterations in Breast Invasive Carcinoma, a TCGA Phenotype Research Group Study

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

Rao, A; Net, J; Brandt, K

2015-06-15

Purpose: To determine associations between radiologist-annotated MRI features and genomic measurements in breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA) from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Methods: 98 TCGA patients with BRCA were assessed by a panel of radiologists (TCGA Breast Phenotype Research Group) based on a variety of mass and non-mass features according to the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS). Batch corrected gene expression data was obtained from the TCGA Data Portal. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to assess correlations between categorical image features and tumor-derived genomic features (such as gene pathway activity, copy number and mutation characteristics). Image-derived features weremore » also correlated with estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2/neu) status. Multiple hypothesis correction was done using Benjamini-Hochberg FDR. Associations at an FDR of 0.1 were selected for interpretation. Results: ER status was associated with rim enhancement and peritumoral edema. PR status was associated with internal enhancement. Several components of the PI3K/Akt pathway were associated with rim enhancement as well as heterogeneity. In addition, several components of cell cycle regulation and cell division were associated with imaging characteristics.TP53 and GATA3 mutations were associated with lesion size. MRI features associated with TP53 mutation status were rim enhancement and peritumoral edema. Rim enhancement was associated with activity of RB1, PIK3R1, MAP3K1, AKT1,PI3K, and PIK3CA. Margin status was associated with HIF1A/ARNT, Ras/ GTP/PI3K, KRAS, and GADD45A. Axillary lymphadenopathy was associated with RB1 and BCL2L1. Peritumoral edema was associated with Aurora A/GADD45A, BCL2L1, CCNE1, and FOXA1. Heterogeneous internal nonmass enhancement was associated with EGFR, PI3K, AKT1, HF/MET, and EGFR/Erbb4/neuregulin 1. Diffuse nonmass enhancement was associated with HGF/MET/MUC20/SHIP, and HGF/MET/RANBP9. Linear nonmass enhancement was associated with PIK3R1 and AKT activity. Conclusion: MRI-genomic association analysis revealed that several BRCA-associated gene features were associated with radiologist-annotated image features.« less

Associations From Pictures.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pettersson, Rune

A picture can be interpreted in different ways by various persons. There is often a difference between a picture's denotation (literal meaning), connotation (associative meaning), and private associations. Two studies were conducted in order to observe the private associations that pictures awaken in people. One study deals with associations made…

Ethnic Minority Psychological Associations: Connections to Counseling Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delgado-Romero, Edward A.; Forrest, Linda; Lau, Michael Y.

2012-01-01

This article provides the introduction, background and rationale for the Major Contribution focused on five national ethnic minority psychological associations: the Asian American Psychological Association, The Association of Black Psychologists, the National Latina/o Psychological Association, the Society of Indian Psychologists, and the Society…

12 CFR 619.9015 - Agricultural credit associations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Agricultural credit associations. 619.9015 Section 619.9015 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM DEFINITIONS § 619.9015 Agricultural credit associations. Agricultural credit associations are associations created by the merger of...

[Medical Association of the Croatian Coast and Gorski kotar].

PubMed

Bakasun, Vjekoslav; Frković, Aleksandra

2009-01-01

In the Province Hospital Susak the Medical Association of the Croatian Coast and Gorski kotar was founded on October 2nd, 1936. At that time on the territory of the former District of Susak there were 59 physicians. The inauguration meeting was attended by 41 physicians and 26 of them voted for the autonomous Association rather than for one within the Croatian Medical Association of Zagreb. Vladimir Blaz, M.D. was the first elected president. During the Italian occupation in the 2nd World War Association's activities were interrupted. After five years of inactivity, the Association was restored at its constituting session held on June 8th, 1946, when Zdravko Kucić, M.D. was elected president. The Medical Association Rijeka-Susak was founded on September 24th, 1947 and the first elected president was Fran Bakarcić, M.D. It still kept functioning as an autonomous association. The following year the Association became the subsidiary of the Croatian Medical Association.

Amoeba-Resisting Bacteria and Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

PubMed Central

La Scola, Bernard; Boyadjiev, Ioanna; Greub, Gilbert; Khamis, Atieh; Martin, Claude

2003-01-01

To evaluate the role of amoeba-associated bacteria as agents of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), we tested the water from an intensive care unit (ICU) every week for 6 months for such bacteria isolates; serum samples and bronchoalveolar lavage samples (BAL) were also obtained from 30 ICU patients. BAL samples were examined for amoeba-associated bacteria DNA by suicide-polymerase chain reaction, and serum samples were tested against ICU amoeba-associated bacteria. A total of 310 amoeba-associated bacteria from10 species were isolated. Twelve of 30 serum samples seroconverted to one amoeba-associated bacterium isolated in the ICU, mainly Legionella anisa and Bosea massiliensis, the most common isolates from water (p=0.021). Amoeba-associated bacteria DNA was detected in BAL samples from two patients whose samples later seroconverted. Seroconversion was significantly associated with VAP and systemic inflammatory response syndrome, especially in patients for whom no etiologic agent was found by usual microbiologic investigations. Amoeba-associated bacteria might be a cause of VAP in ICUs, especially when microbiologic investigations are negative. PMID:12890321

Common genetic variants associated with cognitive performance identified using the proxy-phenotype method

PubMed Central

Rietveld, Cornelius A.; Esko, Tõnu; Davies, Gail; Pers, Tune H.; Turley, Patrick; Benyamin, Beben; Chabris, Christopher F.; Emilsson, Valur; Johnson, Andrew D.; Lee, James J.; de Leeuw, Christiaan; Marioni, Riccardo E.; Medland, Sarah E.; Miller, Michael B.; Rostapshova, Olga; van der Lee, Sven J.; Vinkhuyzen, Anna A. E.; Amin, Najaf; Conley, Dalton; Derringer, Jaime; van Duijn, Cornelia M.; Fehrmann, Rudolf; Franke, Lude; Glaeser, Edward L.; Hansell, Narelle K.; Hayward, Caroline; Iacono, William G.; Ibrahim-Verbaas, Carla; Jaddoe, Vincent; Karjalainen, Juha; Laibson, David; Lichtenstein, Paul; Liewald, David C.; Magnusson, Patrik K. E.; Martin, Nicholas G.; McGue, Matt; McMahon, George; Pedersen, Nancy L.; Pinker, Steven; Porteous, David J.; Posthuma, Danielle; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Smith, Blair H.; Starr, John M.; Tiemeier, Henning; Timpson, Nicholas J.; Trzaskowski, Maciej; Uitterlinden, André G.; Verhulst, Frank C.; Ward, Mary E.; Wright, Margaret J.; Davey Smith, George; Deary, Ian J.; Johannesson, Magnus; Plomin, Robert; Visscher, Peter M.; Benjamin, Daniel J.; Koellinger, Philipp D.

2014-01-01

We identify common genetic variants associated with cognitive performance using a two-stage approach, which we call the proxy-phenotype method. First, we conduct a genome-wide association study of educational attainment in a large sample (n = 106,736), which produces a set of 69 education-associated SNPs. Second, using independent samples (n = 24,189), we measure the association of these education-associated SNPs with cognitive performance. Three SNPs (rs1487441, rs7923609, and rs2721173) are significantly associated with cognitive performance after correction for multiple hypothesis testing. In an independent sample of older Americans (n = 8,652), we also show that a polygenic score derived from the education-associated SNPs is associated with memory and absence of dementia. Convergent evidence from a set of bioinformatics analyses implicates four specific genes (KNCMA1, NRXN1, POU2F3, and SCRT). All of these genes are associated with a particular neurotransmitter pathway involved in synaptic plasticity, the main cellular mechanism for learning and memory. PMID:25201988

Semantic associative relations and conceptual processing.

PubMed

Di Giacomo, Dina; De Federicis, Lucia Serenella; Pistelli, Manuela; Fiorenzi, Daniela; Passafiume, Domenico

2012-02-01

We analysed the organisation of semantic network using associative mechanisms between different types of information and studied the progression of the use of these associative relations during development. We aimed to verify the linkage of concepts with the use of semantic associative relations. The goal of this study was to analyse the cognitive ability to use associative relations between various items when describing old and/or new concepts. We examined the performance of 100 subjects between the ages of 4 and 7 years on an experimental task using five associative relations based on verbal encoding. The results showed that children are able to use the five semantic associative relations at age 4, but performance with each of the different associative relations improves at different times during development. Functional and part/whole relations develop at an early age, whereas the superordinate relations develop later. Our study clarified the characteristics of the progression of semantic associations during development as well as the roles that associative relations play in the structure and improvement of the semantic store.

Child abuse and negative explicit and automatic self-associations: the cognitive scars of emotional maltreatment.

PubMed

van Harmelen, Anne-Laura; de Jong, Peter J; Glashouwer, Klaske A; Spinhoven, Philip; Penninx, Brenda W J H; Elzinga, Bernet M

2010-06-01

Individuals reporting Childhood Abuse (CA) (i.e., emotional neglect, emotional-, physical- and sexual-abuse) are marked by increased explicit (i.e. self-reported) negative self-associations, and an increased risk to develop depression or anxiety disorders. Automatic self-associations might play an important role in the development and maintenance of affective disorders after exposure to CA, since automatic associations are assumed to be involved in uncontrolled (spontaneous) affective behavior. This study examined whether individuals reporting a history of CA show stronger automatic (and explicit) self-depression and/or self-anxiety associations than individuals who report no CA in a large cohort study (Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA), n = 2981). The Implicit Association Test (IAT) was utilized to assess automatic self-depression and self-anxiety associations. We found that CA was associated with enhanced automatic (and explicit) self-depression and self-anxiety associations. Additionally, when compared to physical- and sexual-abuse, Childhood Emotional Maltreatment (CEM; emotional abuse and emotional neglect) had the strongest link with enhanced automatic (and explicit) self-depression and self-anxiety associations. In addition, automatic and explicit negative self-associations partially mediated the association between CEM and depressive or anxious symptomatology. Implications regarding the importance of CA, and CEM in particular will be discussed. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Associations among Screen Time and Unhealthy Behaviors, Academic Performance, and Well-Being in Chinese Adolescents.

PubMed

Yan, Hanyi; Zhang, Rui; Oniffrey, Theresa M; Chen, Guoxun; Wang, Yueqiao; Wu, Yingru; Zhang, Xinge; Wang, Quan; Ma, Lu; Li, Rui; Moore, Justin B

2017-06-04

Screen time is negatively associated with markers of health in western youth, but very little is known about these relationships in Chinese youth. Middle-school and high-school students ( n = 2625) in Wuhan, China, completed questionnaires assessing demographics, health behaviors, and self-perceptions in spring/summer 2016. Linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine whether, after adjustment for covariates, screen time was associated with body mass index (BMI), eating behaviors, average nightly hours of sleep, physical activity (PA), academic performance, and psychological states. Watching television on school days was negatively associated with academic performance, PA, anxiety, and life satisfaction. Television viewing on non-school days was positively associated with sleep duration. Playing electronic games was positively associated with snacking at night and less frequently eating breakfast, and negatively associated with sleep duration and self-esteem. Receiving electronic news and study materials on non-school days was negatively associated with PA, but on school days, was positively associated with anxiety. Using social networking sites was negatively associated with academic performance, but positively associated with BMI z-score, PA and anxiety. Screen time in adolescents is associated with unhealthy behaviors and undesirable psychological states that can contribute to poor quality of life.

Associations among Screen Time and Unhealthy Behaviors, Academic Performance, and Well-Being in Chinese Adolescents

PubMed Central

Yan, Hanyi; Zhang, Rui; Oniffrey, Theresa M.; Chen, Guoxun; Wang, Yueqiao; Wu, Yingru; Zhang, Xinge; Wang, Quan; Ma, Lu; Li, Rui; Moore, Justin B.

2017-01-01

Screen time is negatively associated with markers of health in western youth, but very little is known about these relationships in Chinese youth. Middle-school and high-school students (n = 2625) in Wuhan, China, completed questionnaires assessing demographics, health behaviors, and self-perceptions in spring/summer 2016. Linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine whether, after adjustment for covariates, screen time was associated with body mass index (BMI), eating behaviors, average nightly hours of sleep, physical activity (PA), academic performance, and psychological states. Watching television on school days was negatively associated with academic performance, PA, anxiety, and life satisfaction. Television viewing on non-school days was positively associated with sleep duration. Playing electronic games was positively associated with snacking at night and less frequently eating breakfast, and negatively associated with sleep duration and self-esteem. Receiving electronic news and study materials on non-school days was negatively associated with PA, but on school days, was positively associated with anxiety. Using social networking sites was negatively associated with academic performance, but positively associated with BMI z-score, PA and anxiety. Screen time in adolescents is associated with unhealthy behaviors and undesirable psychological states that can contribute to poor quality of life. PMID:28587225

Longitudinal association of hemostatic factors with risk for cancers of the breast, colorectum, and lung among postmenopausal women.

PubMed

Kabat, Geoffrey C; Salazar, Christian R; Zaslavsky, Oleg; Lane, Dorothy S; Rohan, Thomas E

2016-09-01

The aim of this study was to examine whether hemostatic factors associated with coagulation and inflammation pathways are associated with cancer risk in postmenopausal women. We used data from the Women's Health Initiative study to examine the association of plasma fibrinogen levels, factor VII antigen activity, and factor VII concentration measured at baseline and during follow-up with the risk for cancers of the breast, colorectum, and lung. Among 5287 women who were followed up for a median of 11.4 years, 275 cases of breast cancer, 102 cases of colorectal cancer, and 90 cases of lung cancer were identified. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association of hemostatic factors with each cancer. Hemostatic factors were not associated with breast cancer in either baseline or longitudinal analyses. Baseline hemostatic factors showed weak associations with colorectal cancer; however, no association was seen in longitudinal analyses. Fibrinogen was positively associated with lung cancer in both baseline and longitudinal analyses; the association was seen only in never and former smokers, not in current smokers. We found no evidence of an association between hemostatic factors and breast or colorectal cancer in postmenopausal women. The positive association of fibrinogen levels with lung cancer requires confirmation in larger studies.

Hippocampus is required for paired associate memory with neither delay nor trial uniqueness

PubMed Central

Yoon, Jinah; Seo, Yeran; Kim, Jangjin; Lee, Inah

2012-01-01

Cued retrieval of memory is typically examined with delay when testing hippocampal functions, as in delayed matching-to-sample tasks. Equally emphasized in the literature, on the other hand, is the hippocampal involvement in making arbitrary associations. Paired associate memory tasks are widely used for examining this function. However, the two variables (i.e., delay and paired association) were often mixed in paired associate tasks, and this makes it difficult to localize the cognitive source of deficits with hippocampal perturbation. Specifically, a few studies have recently shown that rats can learn arbitrary paired associations between certain locations and nonspatial items (e.g., object or flavor) and later can retrieve the paired location when cued by the item remotely. Such tasks involve both (1) delay between sampling the cue and retrieving the target location and (2) arbitrary association between the cueing object and its paired location. Here, we tested whether delay was necessary in a cued paired associate task by using a task in which no delay existed between object cueing and the choice of its paired associate. Moreover, fixed associative relationships between the cueing objects and their paired locations were repeatedly used, thus involving no trial-unique association. Nevertheless, inactivations of the dorsal hippocampus with muscimol severely disrupted retrieval of paired associates, whereas the same manipulations did not affect discriminating individual objects or locations. The results powerfully demonstrate that the hippocampus is inherently required for retrieving paired associations between objects and places, and that delay and trial uniqueness of the paired associates are not necessarily required. PMID:22174309

Learner, Patient, and Supervisor Features Are Associated With Different Types of Cognitive Load During Procedural Skills Training: Implications for Teaching and Instructional Design.

PubMed

Sewell, Justin L; Boscardin, Christy K; Young, John Q; Ten Cate, Olle; O'Sullivan, Patricia S

2017-11-01

Cognitive load theory, focusing on limits of the working memory, is relevant to medical education; however, factors associated with cognitive load during procedural skills training are not well characterized. The authors sought to determine how features of learners, patients/tasks, settings, and supervisors were associated with three types of cognitive load among learners performing a specific procedure, colonoscopy, to identify implications for procedural teaching. Data were collected through an electronically administered survey sent to 1,061 U.S. gastroenterology fellows during the 2014-2015 academic year; 477 (45.0%) participated. Participants completed the survey immediately following a colonoscopy. Using multivariable linear regression analyses, the authors identified sets of features associated with intrinsic, extraneous, and germane loads. Features associated with intrinsic load included learners (prior experience and year in training negatively associated, fatigue positively associated) and patient/tasks (procedural complexity positively associated, better patient tolerance negatively associated). Features associated with extraneous load included learners (fatigue positively associated), setting (queue order positively associated), and supervisors (supervisor engagement and confidence negatively associated). Only one feature, supervisor engagement, was (positively) associated with germane load. These data support practical recommendations for teaching procedural skills through the lens of cognitive load theory. To optimize intrinsic load, level of experience and competence of learners should be balanced with procedural complexity; part-task approaches and scaffolding may be beneficial. To reduce extraneous load, teachers should remain engaged, and factors within the procedural setting that may interfere with learning should be minimized. To optimize germane load, teachers should remain engaged.

Is High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Causally Related to Kidney Function? Evidence From Genetic Epidemiological Studies.

PubMed

Coassin, Stefan; Friedel, Salome; Köttgen, Anna; Lamina, Claudia; Kronenberg, Florian

2016-11-01

A recent observational study with almost 2 million men reported an association between low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and worse kidney function. The causality of this association would be strongly supported if genetic variants associated with HDL cholesterol were also associated with kidney function. We used 68 genetic variants (single-nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs]) associated with HDL cholesterol in genome-wide association studies including >188 000 subjects and tested their association with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) using summary statistics from another genome-wide association studies meta-analysis of kidney function including ≤133 413 subjects. Fourteen of the 68 SNPs (21%) had a P value <0.05 compared with the 5% expected by chance (Binomial test P=5.8×10 - 6 ). After Bonferroni correction, 6 SNPs were still significantly associated with eGFR. The genetic variants with the strongest associations with HDL cholesterol concentrations were not the same as those with the strongest association with kidney function and vice versa. An evaluation of pleiotropy indicated that the effects of the HDL-associated SNPs on eGFR were not mediated by HDL cholesterol. In addition, we performed a Mendelian randomization analysis. This analysis revealed a positive but nonsignificant causal effect of HDL cholesterol-increasing variants on eGFR. In summary, our findings indicate that HDL cholesterol does not causally influence eGFR and propose pleiotropic effects on eGFR for some HDL cholesterol-associated SNPs. This may cause the observed association by mechanisms other than the mere HDL cholesterol concentration. © 2016 The Authors.

Comparative Genomics of Campylobacter fetus from Reptiles and Mammals Reveals Divergent Evolution in Host-Associated Lineages

PubMed Central

Gilbert, Maarten J.; Miller, William G.; Yee, Emma; Zomer, Aldert L.; van der Graaf-van Bloois, Linda; Fitzgerald, Collette; Forbes, Ken J.; Méric, Guillaume; Sheppard, Samuel K.; Wagenaar, Jaap A.; Duim, Birgitta

2016-01-01

Campylobacter fetus currently comprises three recognized subspecies, which display distinct host association. Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus and C. fetus subsp. venerealis are both associated with endothermic mammals, primarily ruminants, whereas C. fetus subsp. testudinum is primarily associated with ectothermic reptiles. Both C. fetus subsp. testudinum and C. fetus subsp. fetus have been associated with severe infections, often with a systemic component, in immunocompromised humans. To study the genetic factors associated with the distinct host dichotomy in C. fetus, whole-genome sequencing and comparison of mammal- and reptile-associated C. fetus was performed. The genomes of C. fetus subsp. testudinum isolated from either reptiles or humans were compared with elucidate the genetic factors associated with pathogenicity in humans. Genomic comparisons showed conservation of gene content and organization among C. fetus subspecies, but a clear distinction between mammal- and reptile-associated C. fetus was observed. Several genomic regions appeared to be subspecies specific, including a putative tricarballylate catabolism pathway, exclusively present in C. fetus subsp. testudinum strains. Within C. fetus subsp. testudinum, sapA, sapB, and sapAB type strains were observed. The recombinant locus iamABC (mlaFED) was exclusively associated with invasive C. fetus subsp. testudinum strains isolated from humans. A phylogenetic reconstruction was consistent with divergent evolution in host-associated strains and the existence of a barrier to lateral gene transfer between mammal- and reptile-associated C. fetus. Overall, this study shows that reptile-associated C. fetus subsp. testudinum is genetically divergent from mammal-associated C. fetus subspecies. PMID:27333878

Aromatase inhibitor associated musculoskeletal symptoms are associated with reduced physical activity among breast cancer survivors.

PubMed

Brown, Justin C; Mao, Jun J; Stricker, Carrie; Hwang, Wei-Ting; Tan, Kay-See; Schmitz, Kathryn H

2014-01-01

Physical activity (PA) has numerous health benefits for breast cancer survivors. Recent data suggest that some breast cancer survivors treated with aromatase inhibitors may experience aromatase inhibitor associated musculoskeletal symptoms. It is unknown whether aromatase inhibitor associated musculoskeletal symptoms are associated with reduced PA and what other risk factors are associated with such PA reductions. We conducted a cross-sectional study at a large university-based breast cancer clinic among breast cancer survivors prescribed an aromatase inhibitor. At routine follow-up, we surveyed participants about aromatase inhibitor associated musculoskeletal symptoms, as well as pre-aromatase inhibitor, and current, PA levels. Among 300 participants, 90 (30%) reported a reduction of PA since the initiation of aromatase inhibitor therapy. Those with aromatase inhibitor associated musculoskeletal symptoms were more likely to report decreased PA (62% versus 38%, p = 0.001) compared with those without aromatase inhibitor associated musculoskeletal symptoms. In multivariate analyses, aromatase inhibitor associated musculoskeletal symptoms (odds ratio [OR] = 2.29 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.36-3.86]), and body mass index (OR = 1.06 [95% CI: 1.02-1.12]) were associated with reductions in PA. In subgroup analysis among breast cancer survivors with aromatase inhibitor associated musculoskeletal symptoms, self-reported lower extremity joint pain (OR = 1.23 [95% CI: 1.00-1.50]) and impaired lower extremity physical function (OR = 1.07 [95% CI: 1.01-1.14]) were associated with reductions in PA. Breast cancer survivors with aromatase inhibitor associated musculoskeletal symptoms were more likely to report reductions in PA since initiating aromatase inhibitor therapy compared with those without aromatase inhibitor associated musculoskeletal symptoms. Our findings suggest that tailored interventions targeting lower extremity functional limitations are needed to enable breast cancer survivors with aromatase inhibitor associated musculoskeletal symptoms to participate in PA. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Implicit Approach-Avoidance Associations for Craved Food Cues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kemps, Eva; Tiggemann, Marika; Martin, Rachel; Elliott, Mecia

2013-01-01

Implicit approach associations are well documented for substances such as alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs. This study reports two experiments designed to establish and modify such associations specifically in the food craving domain. Experiment 1 used a pictorial implicit association task to examine approach-avoidance associations with…

15 CFR 256.2 - The Research Associate Program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false The Research Associate Program. 256.2... INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE FELLOWSHIPS AND RESEARCH ASSOCIATES RESEARCH ASSOCIATE PROGRAM § 256.2 The Research Associate Program. The Bureau provides its facilities, scientific...

15 CFR 256.2 - The Research Associate Program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false The Research Associate Program. 256.2... INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE FELLOWSHIPS AND RESEARCH ASSOCIATES RESEARCH ASSOCIATE PROGRAM § 256.2 The Research Associate Program. The Bureau provides its facilities, scientific...

15 CFR 256.2 - The Research Associate Program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false The Research Associate Program. 256.2... INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE FELLOWSHIPS AND RESEARCH ASSOCIATES RESEARCH ASSOCIATE PROGRAM § 256.2 The Research Associate Program. The Bureau provides its facilities, scientific...

Socioeconomic impact on device-associated infections in pediatric intensive care units of 16 limited-resource countries: international Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium findings.

PubMed

Rosenthal, Victor D; Jarvis, William R; Jamulitrat, Silom; Silva, Cristiane Pavanello Rodrigues; Ramachandran, Bala; Dueñas, Lourdes; Gurskis, Vaidotas; Ersoz, Gulden; Novales, María Guadalupe Miranda; Khader, Ilham Abu; Ammar, Khaldi; Guzmán, Nayide Barahona; Navoa-Ng, Josephine Anne; Seliem, Zeinab Salah; Espinoza, Teodora Atencio; Meng, Cheong Yuet; Jayatilleke, Kushlani

2012-07-01

We report the results of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium prospective surveillance study from January 2004 to December 2009 in 33 pediatric intensive care units of 16 countries and the impact of being in a private vs. public hospital and the income country level on device-associated health care-associated infection rates. Additionally, we aim to compare these findings with the results of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Healthcare Safety Network annual report to show the differences between developed and developing countries regarding device-associated health care-associated infection rates. A prospective cohort, active device-associated health care-associated infection surveillance study was conducted on 23,700 patients in International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium pediatric intensive care units. The protocol and methodology implemented were developed by International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium. Data collection was performed in the participating intensive care units. Data uploading and analyses were conducted at International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium headquarters on proprietary software. Device-associated health care-associated infection rates were recorded by applying Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Healthcare Safety Network device-associated infection definitions, and the impact of being in a private vs. public hospital and the income country level on device-associated infection risk was evaluated. None. Central line-associated bloodstream infection rates were similar in private, public, or academic hospitals (7.3 vs. 8.4 central line-associated bloodstream infection per 1,000 catheter-days [p < .35 vs. 8.2; p < .42]). Central line-associated bloodstream infection rates in lower middle-income countries were higher than low-income countries or upper middle-income countries (12.2 vs. 5.5 central line-associated bloodstream infections per 1,000 catheter-days [p < .02 vs. 7.0; p < .001]). Catheter-associated urinary tract infection rates were similar in academic, public and private hospitals: (4.2 vs. 5.2 catheter-associated urinary tract infection per 1,000 catheter-days [p = .41 vs. 3.0; p = .195]). Catheter-associated urinary tract infection rates were higher in lower middle-income countries than low-income countries or upper middle-income countries (5.9 vs. 0.6 catheter-associated urinary tract infection per 1,000 catheter-days [p < .004 vs. 3.7; p < .01]). Ventilator-associated pneumonia rates in academic hospitals were higher than private or public hospitals: (8.3 vs. 3.5 ventilator-associated pneumonias per 1,000 ventilator-days [p < .001 vs. 4.7; p < .001]). Lower middle-income countries had higher ventilator-associated pneumonia rates than low-income countries or upper middle-income countries: (9.0 vs. 0.5 per 1,000 ventilator-days [p < .001 vs. 5.4; p < .001]). Hand hygiene compliance rates were higher in public than academic or private hospitals (65.2% vs. 54.8% [p < .001 vs. 13.3%; p < .01]). Country socioeconomic level influence device-associated infection rates in developing countries and need to be considered when comparing device-associated infections from one country to another.

Epsiodic and Semantic Memory Components of Verbal Paired-Associate Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elwood, Richard W.

1997-01-01

This study examined correlations between hard (low-associate) and easy (high-associate) verbal paired associates and episodic and semantic memory in a mixed clinical sample of 91 male veterans. The study concludes that hard paired-associate learning should not be presumed to measure episodic memory selectively. (SLD)

Dysplastic nevus associated with seborrheic keratosis*

PubMed Central

Botelho, Luciane Francisca Fernandes; Michalany, Nilceo Schwery; Enokihara, Milvia Maria Simões e Silva; Hirata, Sergio Henrique

2014-01-01

Seborrheic keratosis is a common skin lesion which may coincidentally be associated melanocytic nevi. The authors describe a case of dysplastic nevus associated with seborrheic keratosis and discuss the clinical, dermoscopic, and histological findings of this association. They also discuss the association between seborrheic keratosis and other benign and malignant tumours. PMID:24626665

Happiness by Association: Breadth of Free Association Influences Affective States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brunye, Tad T.; Gagnon, Stephanie A.; Paczynski, Martin; Shenhav, Amitai; Mahoney, Caroline R.; Taylor, Holly A.

2013-01-01

Several studies have demonstrated that affective states influence the number of associations formed between remotely related concepts. Someone in a neutral or negative affective state might draw the association between "cold" and "hot", whereas someone in a positive affective state might spontaneously form the more distant association between…

12 CFR 614.4530 - Special loans, production credit associations and agricultural credit associations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM LOAN POLICIES AND OPERATIONS Special Lending Programs § 614.4530 Special loans, production credit associations and agricultural credit associations. Under policies approved by the bank... associations may make the following special types of loans on commodities covered by price support programs...

12 CFR 583.21 - Savings association.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... AFFECTING SAVINGS AND LOAN HOLDING COMPANIES § 583.21 Savings association. The term savings association means a Federal savings and loan association or a Federal savings bank chartered under section 5 of the Home Owners' Loan Act, a building and loan, savings and loan or homestead association or a cooperative...

Hom-associative Ore extensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bäck, P.; Richter, J.; Silvestrov, S.

2018-02-01

We introduce hom-associative Ore extensions as non-associative, non-unital Ore extensions with a hom-associative multiplication, as well as give some necessary and sufficient conditions when such exist. Within this framework, we also construct a family of hom-associative Weyl algebras as generalizations of the classical analogue, and prove that they are simple.

Tech-Prep/Associate Degree Program Guide: Tech Prep Associate Degree Program, Business Administration Associate Degree Program, Office Administration Associate Degree Program, Allied Health Associate Degree Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marmaras, Judy; Neri, Pat

The Tech-Prep Associate Degree Program (TPAD) at the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) in Warwick, is a high school/community college partnership providing high school students with an alternative program of study focused on goal setting, basic academic skills development, and the skills needed to pursue a career in a technical, business or…

The Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries' collaboration with the Association of American Medical Colleges, Medical Library Association, and other organizations.

PubMed

Jenkins, Carol G; Bader, Shelley A

2003-04-01

The Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries has made collaboration with other organizations a fundamental success strategy throughout its twenty-five year history. From the beginning its relationships with Association of American Medical Colleges and with the Medical Library Association have shaped its mission and influenced its success at promoting academic health sciences libraries' roles in their institutions. This article describes and evaluates those relationships. It also describes evolving relationships with other organizations including the National Library of Medicine and the Association of Research Libraries.

Methodological issues of genetic association studies.

PubMed

Simundic, Ana-Maria

2010-12-01

Genetic association studies explore the association between genetic polymorphisms and a certain trait, disease or predisposition to disease. It has long been acknowledged that many genetic association studies fail to replicate their initial positive findings. This raises concern about the methodological quality of these reports. Case-control genetic association studies often suffer from various methodological flaws in study design and data analysis, and are often reported poorly. Flawed methodology and poor reporting leads to distorted results and incorrect conclusions. Many journals have adopted guidelines for reporting genetic association studies. In this review, some major methodological determinants of genetic association studies will be discussed.

The Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries' collaboration with the Association of American Medical Colleges, Medical Library Association, and other organizations

PubMed Central

Jenkins, Carol G.; Bader, Shelley A.

2003-01-01

The Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries has made collaboration with other organizations a fundamental success strategy throughout its twenty-five year history. From the beginning its relationships with Association of American Medical Colleges and with the Medical Library Association have shaped its mission and influenced its success at promoting academic health sciences libraries' roles in their institutions. This article describes and evaluates those relationships. It also describes evolving relationships with other organizations including the National Library of Medicine and the Association of Research Libraries. PMID:12883582

Testing Alternative Hypotheses Regarding the Association Between Behavioral Inhibition and Language Development in Toddlerhood

PubMed Central

Watts, Ashley K. Smith; Patel, Deepika; Corley, Robin P.; Friedman, Naomi P.; Hewitt, John K.; Robinson, JoAnn L.; Rhee, Soo H.

2014-01-01

Studies have reported an inverse association between language development and behavioral inhibition or shyness across childhood, but the direction of this association is unclear. The present study tested alternative hypotheses regarding this association in a large sample of toddlers. Data on behavioral inhibition and expressive and receptive language abilities were collected from 816 twins at ages 14, 20, and 24 months. Growth and regression models were fit to the data to assess the longitudinal associations between behavioral inhibition and language development from 14 to 24 months. Overall, there were significant associations between behavioral inhibition and expressive language, and minimal associations with receptive language, indicating that the association is better explained by reticence to respond rather than deficient language development. PMID:24499266

Exosome-associated hepatitis C virus in cell cultures and patient plasma

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

Liu, Ziqing; Zhang, Xiugen; Yu, Qigui

Highlights: • HCV occurs in both exosome-free and exosome-associated forms. • Exosome-associated HCV is infectious and resistant to neutralizing antibodies. • More exosome-associated HCV than exosome-free HCV is present in patient plasma. - Abstract: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects its target cells in the form of cell-free viruses and through cell–cell contact. Here we report that HCV is associated with exosomes. Using highly purified exosomes and transmission electron microscopic imaging, we demonstrated that HCV occurred in both exosome-free and exosome-associated forms. Exosome-associated HCV was infectious and resistant to neutralization by an anti-HCV neutralizing antibody. There were more exosome-associated HCV thanmore » exosome-free HCV detected in the plasma of HCV-infected patients. These results suggest exosome-associated HCV as an alternative form for HCV infection and transmission.« less

Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) dyad monthly association rates by demographic group.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barber-Meyer, Shannon M.; Mech, L. David

2015-01-01

Preliminary data from GPS-collared wolves (Canis lupus) in the Superior National Forest of northeastern Minnesota indicated wolves had low association rates with packmates during summer. However, aerial-telemetry locations of very high frequency (VHF)-radioed wolves in this same area showed high associations among packmates during winter. We analyzed aerial-telemetry-location data from VHF-collared wolves in several packs (n=18 dyads) in this same area from 1994-2012 by month, and found lowest association rates occurred during June. While other studies have found low association among wolf packmates during summer, information on differences in association patterns depending on the wolf associates’ demographics is sparse. During May-July, association rates were greatest for breeding pairs, followed by sibling dyads, and lowest for parent– offspring dyads. Our findings improve our understanding of how individual wolf relationships affect monthly association rates. We highlight some important remaining questions regarding wolf packmate associations.

Cross-Cancer Genome-Wide Analysis of Lung, Ovary, Breast, Prostate, and Colorectal Cancer Reveals Novel Pleiotropic Associations.

PubMed

Fehringer, Gordon; Kraft, Peter; Pharoah, Paul D; Eeles, Rosalind A; Chatterjee, Nilanjan; Schumacher, Fredrick R; Schildkraut, Joellen M; Lindström, Sara; Brennan, Paul; Bickeböller, Heike; Houlston, Richard S; Landi, Maria Teresa; Caporaso, Neil; Risch, Angela; Amin Al Olama, Ali; Berndt, Sonja I; Giovannucci, Edward L; Grönberg, Henrik; Kote-Jarai, Zsofia; Ma, Jing; Muir, Kenneth; Stampfer, Meir J; Stevens, Victoria L; Wiklund, Fredrik; Willett, Walter C; Goode, Ellen L; Permuth, Jennifer B; Risch, Harvey A; Reid, Brett M; Bezieau, Stephane; Brenner, Hermann; Chan, Andrew T; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Hudson, Thomas J; Kocarnik, Jonathan K; Newcomb, Polly A; Schoen, Robert E; Slattery, Martha L; White, Emily; Adank, Muriel A; Ahsan, Habibul; Aittomäki, Kristiina; Baglietto, Laura; Blomquist, Carl; Canzian, Federico; Czene, Kamila; Dos-Santos-Silva, Isabel; Eliassen, A Heather; Figueroa, Jonine D; Flesch-Janys, Dieter; Fletcher, Olivia; Garcia-Closas, Montserrat; Gaudet, Mia M; Johnson, Nichola; Hall, Per; Hazra, Aditi; Hein, Rebecca; Hofman, Albert; Hopper, John L; Irwanto, Astrid; Johansson, Mattias; Kaaks, Rudolf; Kibriya, Muhammad G; Lichtner, Peter; Liu, Jianjun; Lund, Eiliv; Makalic, Enes; Meindl, Alfons; Müller-Myhsok, Bertram; Muranen, Taru A; Nevanlinna, Heli; Peeters, Petra H; Peto, Julian; Prentice, Ross L; Rahman, Nazneen; Sanchez, Maria Jose; Schmidt, Daniel F; Schmutzler, Rita K; Southey, Melissa C; Tamimi, Rulla; Travis, Ruth C; Turnbull, Clare; Uitterlinden, Andre G; Wang, Zhaoming; Whittemore, Alice S; Yang, Xiaohong R; Zheng, Wei; Buchanan, Daniel D; Casey, Graham; Conti, David V; Edlund, Christopher K; Gallinger, Steven; Haile, Robert W; Jenkins, Mark; Le Marchand, Loïc; Li, Li; Lindor, Noralene M; Schmit, Stephanie L; Thibodeau, Stephen N; Woods, Michael O; Rafnar, Thorunn; Gudmundsson, Julius; Stacey, Simon N; Stefansson, Kari; Sulem, Patrick; Chen, Y Ann; Tyrer, Jonathan P; Christiani, David C; Wei, Yongyue; Shen, Hongbing; Hu, Zhibin; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Shiraishi, Kouya; Takahashi, Atsushi; Bossé, Yohan; Obeidat, Ma'en; Nickle, David; Timens, Wim; Freedman, Matthew L; Li, Qiyuan; Seminara, Daniela; Chanock, Stephen J; Gong, Jian; Peters, Ulrike; Gruber, Stephen B; Amos, Christopher I; Sellers, Thomas A; Easton, Douglas F; Hunter, David J; Haiman, Christopher A; Henderson, Brian E; Hung, Rayjean J

2016-09-01

Identifying genetic variants with pleiotropic associations can uncover common pathways influencing multiple cancers. We took a two-stage approach to conduct genome-wide association studies for lung, ovary, breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer from the GAME-ON/GECCO Network (61,851 cases, 61,820 controls) to identify pleiotropic loci. Findings were replicated in independent association studies (55,789 cases, 330,490 controls). We identified a novel pleiotropic association at 1q22 involving breast and lung squamous cell carcinoma, with eQTL analysis showing an association with ADAM15/THBS3 gene expression in lung. We also identified a known breast cancer locus CASP8/ALS2CR12 associated with prostate cancer, a known cancer locus at CDKN2B-AS1 with different variants associated with lung adenocarcinoma and prostate cancer, and confirmed the associations of a breast BRCA2 locus with lung and serous ovarian cancer. This is the largest study to date examining pleiotropy across multiple cancer-associated loci, identifying common mechanisms of cancer development and progression. Cancer Res; 76(17); 5103-14. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

Tobacco and alcohol sales in community pharmacies: policy statements from U.S. professional pharmacy associations.

PubMed

Corelli, Robin L; Chai, Tiffany; Karic, Alda; Fairman, Melinda; Baez, Karina; Hudmon, Karen Suchanek

2014-01-01

To characterize the extent to which state and national professional pharmacy associations have implemented formal policies addressing the sale of tobacco and alcohol products in community pharmacies. To determine existence of tobacco and alcohol policies, national professional pharmacy associations (n = 10) and state-level pharmacy associations (n = 86) affiliated with the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and/or the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) were contacted via telephone and/or e-mail, and a search of the association websites was conducted. Of 95 responding associations (99%), 14% have a formal policy opposing the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies and 5% have a formal policy opposing the sale of alcohol in pharmacies. Of the associations representing major tobacco-producing states, 40% have a formal policy against tobacco sales in pharmacies, significantly more than the 8% of non-tobacco state associations with such policies. Among national professional pharmacy associations, only APhA and ASHP have formal policy statements opposing the sale of both tobacco and alcohol in pharmacies. Most state-level professional pharmacy associations affiliated with these two national organizations have no formal policy statement or position.

Associations of Adiposity and Aerobic Fitness with Executive Function and Math Performance in Danish Adolescents.

PubMed

Huang, Tao; Tarp, Jakob; Domazet, Sidsel Louise; Thorsen, Anne Kær; Froberg, Karsten; Andersen, Lars Bo; Bugge, Anna

2015-10-01

To examine the associations of adiposity and aerobic fitness with executive function and math performance in Danish adolescents. Cross-sectional analyses were conducted with data on 525 adolescents attending sixth and seventh grades from 14 schools in the 5 main regions of Denmark. A modified Eriksen flanker task was used to assess inhibitory control, a key aspect of executive function. Academic performance was assessed by a customized math test. Aerobic fitness was assessed by an intermittent shuttle-run test (Andersen test). Body mass index (BMI) was negatively associated with accuracy on incongruent trials during the flanker task (P = .005). A higher BMI was associated with a larger accuracy interference score (P = .01). Similarly, waist circumference (WC) was negatively associated with accuracy on incongruent trials (P = .008). A higher WC was associated with a larger reaction time (RT) interference score (P = .02) and accuracy interference score (P = .009). Higher aerobic fitness was associated with a faster RT on congruent trials (P = .009) and incongruent trials (P = .003). Higher aerobic fitness was associated with a smaller RT interference score (P = .04). Aerobic fitness was positively associated with math score (P < .001). BMI and WC were not associated with math score (P > .05). These results suggest that aerobic fitness is positively associated with both inhibitory control and math performance in adolescents. Adiposity is negatively associated with inhibitory control in adolescents. Adiposity is not associated with math performance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stroke-induced immunodepression and dysphagia independently predict stroke-associated pneumonia - The PREDICT study.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Sarah; Harms, Hendrik; Ulm, Lena; Nabavi, Darius G; Mackert, Bruno-Marcel; Schmehl, Ingo; Jungehulsing, Gerhard J; Montaner, Joan; Bustamante, Alejandro; Hermans, Marcella; Hamilton, Frank; Göhler, Jos; Malzahn, Uwe; Malsch, Carolin; Heuschmann, Peter U; Meisel, Christian; Meisel, Andreas

2017-12-01

Stroke-associated pneumonia is a frequent complication after stroke associated with poor outcome. Dysphagia is a known risk factor for stroke-associated pneumonia but accumulating evidence suggests that stroke induces an immunodepressive state increasing susceptibility for stroke-associated pneumonia. We aimed to confirm that stroke-induced immunodepression syndrome is associated with stroke-associated pneumonia independently from dysphagia by investigating the predictive properties of monocytic HLA-DR expression as a marker of immunodepression as well as biomarkers for inflammation (interleukin-6) and infection (lipopolysaccharide-binding protein). This was a prospective, multicenter study with 11 study sites in Germany and Spain, including 486 patients with acute ischemic stroke. Daily screening for stroke-associated pneumonia, dysphagia and biomarkers was performed. Frequency of stroke-associated pneumonia was 5.2%. Dysphagia and decreased monocytic HLA-DR were independent predictors for stroke-associated pneumonia in multivariable regression analysis. Proportion of pneumonia ranged between 0.9% in the higher monocytic HLA-DR quartile (≥21,876 mAb/cell) and 8.5% in the lower quartile (≤12,369 mAb/cell). In the presence of dysphagia, proportion of pneumonia increased to 5.9% and 18.8%, respectively. Patients without dysphagia and normal monocytic HLA-DR expression had no stroke-associated pneumonia risk. We demonstrate that dysphagia and stroke-induced immunodepression syndrome are independent risk factors for stroke-associated pneumonia. Screening for immunodepression and dysphagia might be useful for identifying patients at high risk for stroke-associated pneumonia.

Resilience and biomarkers of health risk in Black smokers and nonsmokers.

PubMed

Berg, Carla J; Haardörfer, Regine; McBride, Colleen M; Kilaru, Varun; Ressler, Kerry J; Wingo, Aliza P; Saba, Nabil F; Payne, Jackelyn B; Smith, Alicia

2017-11-01

Blacks are disproportionately affected by tobacco-related illnesses as well as traumatic events associated with psychiatric conditions and smoking. We examined the potential protective nature of resilience within this context, hypothesizing resilience differentially moderates the associations of traumatic experiences to depressive symptoms and to biomarkers of health risk among Black ever versus never smokers. Measures of resilience, traumatic experiences, depressive symptoms, and biomarkers (interleukin-6 [IL-6], C-reactive protein [CRP], allostatic load) were obtained among 852 Blacks recruited from Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. Ever smokers experienced more trauma (p < .001) and depressive symptoms (p = .01). Structural equation modeling indicated that, in ever smokers, childhood trauma was positively associated with depressive symptoms (p < .001); resilience was negatively associated with depressive symptoms (p = .01). Depressive symptoms were positively associated with IL-6 (p = .03), which was positively associated with allostatic load (p = .01). Adulthood trauma was associated with higher CRP levels (p = .03). In never smokers, childhood (p < .001) and adulthood trauma (p = .01) were associated with more depressive symptoms. Adulthood trauma was also associated with higher CRP levels (p < .001), which was positively associated with allostatic load (p < .001). Never smokers with higher resilience had a negative association between childhood trauma and depressive symptoms whereas those with lower resilience had a positive association between childhood trauma and depressive symptoms. Resilience was negatively associated with CRP levels (p < .001). Interventions targeting resilience may prevent smoking and adverse health outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Contrasting Diversity and Host Association of Ectomycorrhizal Basidiomycetes versus Root-Associated Ascomycetes in a Dipterocarp Rainforest

PubMed Central

Sato, Hirotoshi; Tanabe, Akifumi S.; Toju, Hirokazu

2015-01-01

Root-associated fungi, including ectomycorrhizal and root-endophytic fungi, are among the most diverse and important belowground plant symbionts in dipterocarp rainforests. Our study aimed to reveal the biodiversity, host association, and community structure of ectomycorrhizal Basidiomycota and root-associated Ascomycota (including root-endophytic Ascomycota) in a lowland dipterocarp rainforest in Southeast Asia. The host plant chloroplast ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit (rbcL) region and fungal internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region were sequenced using tag-encoded, massively parallel 454 pyrosequencing to identify host plant and root-associated fungal taxa in root samples. In total, 1245 ascomycetous and 127 putative ectomycorrhizal basidiomycetous taxa were detected from 442 root samples. The putative ectomycorrhizal Basidiomycota were likely to be associated with closely related dipterocarp taxa to greater or lesser extents, whereas host association patterns of the root-associated Ascomycota were much less distinct. The community structure of the putative ectomycorrhizal Basidiomycota was possibly more influenced by host genetic distances than was that of the root-associated Ascomycota. This study also indicated that in dipterocarp rainforests, root-associated Ascomycota were characterized by high biodiversity and indistinct host association patterns, whereas ectomycorrhizal Basidiomycota showed less biodiversity and a strong host phylogenetic preference for dipterocarp trees. Our findings lead to the working hypothesis that root-associated Ascomycota, which might be mainly represented by root-endophytic fungi, have biodiversity hotspots in the tropics, whereas biodiversity of ectomycorrhizal Basidiomycota increases with host genetic diversity. PMID:25884708

IL2RA/CD25 Gene Polymorphisms: Uneven Association with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)

PubMed Central

Alcina, Antonio; Fedetz, María; Ndagire, Dorothy; Fernández, Oscar; Leyva, Laura; Guerrero, Miguel; Abad-Grau, María M.; Arnal, Carmen; Delgado, Concepción; Lucas, Miguel; Izquierdo, Guillermo; Matesanz, Fuencisla

2009-01-01

Background IL-2 receptor (IL2R) alpha is the specific component of the high affinity IL2R system involved in the immune response and in the control of autoimmunity. Methods and Results Here we perform a replication and fine mapping of the IL2RA gene region analyzing 3 SNPs previously associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) and 5 SNPs associated with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in a collection of 798 MS patients and 927 matched Caucasian controls from the south of Spain. We observed association with MS in 6 of 8 SNPs. The rs1570538, at the 3′- UTR extreme of the gene, previously reported to have a weak association with MS, is replicated here (P = 0.032). The most associated T1D SNP (rs41295061) was not associated with MS in the present study. However, the rs35285258, belonging to another independent group of SNPs associated with T1D, showed the maximal association in this study but different risk allele. We replicated the association of only one (rs2104286) of the two IL2RA SNPs identified in the recently performed genome-wide association study of MS. Conclusions These findings confirm and extend the association of this gene with MS and reveal a genetic heterogeneity of the associated polymorphisms and risk alleles between MS and T1D suggesting different immunopathological roles of IL2RA in these two diseases. PMID:19125193

Semantic language as a mechanism explaining the association between ADHD symptoms and reading and mathematics underachievement.

PubMed

Gremillion, Monica L; Martel, Michelle M

2012-11-01

ADHD is associated with academic underachievement, but it remains unclear what mechanism accounts for this association. Semantic language is an underexplored mechanism that provides a developmental explanation for this association. The present study will examine whether semantic language deficits explain the association between ADHD and reading and mathematics underachievement, taking into account alternative explanations for associations, including verbal working memory (WM) impairments, as well as specificity of effects to inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptom domains. Participants in this cross-sectional study were 546 children (54 % male) ages six to twelve (M = 9.77, SD = 1.49). ADHD symptoms were measured via maternal and teacher report during structured interviews and on standardized rating forms. Children completed standardized semantic language, verbal WM, and academic testing. Semantic language fully mediated the ADHD-reading achievement association and partially mediated the ADHD-mathematics achievement association. Verbal WM also partially mediated the ADHD-mathematics association but did not mediate the ADHD-reading achievement association. Results generalized across inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptom domains. Semantic language explained the association between ADHD and reading underachievement and partially explained the association between ADHD and mathematics underachievement. Together, language impairment and WM fully explained the association between ADHD and reading underachievement, in line with developmental models suggesting that language and WM conjointly influence the development of attention and subsequent academic achievement. This work has implication for the development of tailored interventions for academic underachievement in children with ADHD.

PTPN22 association in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with respect to individual ancestry and clinical sub-phenotypes.

PubMed

Namjou, Bahram; Kim-Howard, Xana; Sun, Celi; Adler, Adam; Chung, Sharon A; Kaufman, Kenneth M; Kelly, Jennifer A; Glenn, Stuart B; Guthridge, Joel M; Scofield, Robert H; Kimberly, Robert P; Brown, Elizabeth E; Alarcón, Graciela S; Edberg, Jeffrey C; Kim, Jae-Hoon; Choi, Jiyoung; Ramsey-Goldman, Rosalind; Petri, Michelle A; Reveille, John D; Vilá, Luis M; Boackle, Susan A; Freedman, Barry I; Tsao, Betty P; Langefeld, Carl D; Vyse, Timothy J; Jacob, Chaim O; Pons-Estel, Bernardo; Niewold, Timothy B; Moser Sivils, Kathy L; Merrill, Joan T; Anaya, Juan-Manuel; Gilkeson, Gary S; Gaffney, Patrick M; Bae, Sang-Cheol; Alarcón-Riquelme, Marta E; Harley, John B; Criswell, Lindsey A; James, Judith A; Nath, Swapan K

2013-01-01

Protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 22 (PTPN22) is a negative regulator of T-cell activation associated with several autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Missense rs2476601 is associated with SLE in individuals with European ancestry. Since the rs2476601 risk allele frequency differs dramatically across ethnicities, we assessed robustness of PTPN22 association with SLE and its clinical sub-phenotypes across four ethnically diverse populations. Ten SNPs were genotyped in 8220 SLE cases and 7369 controls from in European-Americans (EA), African-Americans (AA), Asians (AS), and Hispanics (HS). We performed imputation-based association followed by conditional analysis to identify independent associations. Significantly associated SNPs were tested for association with SLE clinical sub-phenotypes, including autoantibody profiles. Multiple testing was accounted for by using false discovery rate. We successfully imputed and tested allelic association for 107 SNPs within the PTPN22 region and detected evidence of ethnic-specific associations from EA and HS. In EA, the strongest association was at rs2476601 (P = 4.7 × 10(-9), OR = 1.40 (95% CI = 1.25-1.56)). Independent association with rs1217414 was also observed in EA, and both SNPs are correlated with increased European ancestry. For HS imputed intronic SNP, rs3765598, predicted to be a cis-eQTL, was associated (P = 0.007, OR = 0.79 and 95% CI = 0.67-0.94). No significant associations were observed in AA or AS. Case-only analysis using lupus-related clinical criteria revealed differences between EA SLE patients positive for moderate to high titers of IgG anti-cardiolipin (aCL IgG >20) versus negative aCL IgG at rs2476601 (P = 0.012, OR = 1.65). Association was reinforced when these cases were compared to controls (P = 2.7 × 10(-5), OR = 2.11). Our results validate that rs2476601 is the most significantly associated SNP in individuals with European ancestry. Additionally, rs1217414 and rs3765598 may be associated with SLE. Further studies are required to confirm the involvement of rs2476601 with aCL IgG.

Phenome-Wide Association Study (PheWAS) for Detection of Pleiotropy within the Population Architecture using Genomics and Epidemiology (PAGE) Network

PubMed Central

Pendergrass, Sarah A.; Brown-Gentry, Kristin; Dudek, Scott; Frase, Alex; Torstenson, Eric S.; Goodloe, Robert; Ambite, Jose Luis; Avery, Christy L.; Buyske, Steve; Bůžková, Petra; Deelman, Ewa; Fesinmeyer, Megan D.; Haiman, Christopher A.; Heiss, Gerardo; Hindorff, Lucia A.; Hsu, Chu-Nan; Jackson, Rebecca D.; Kooperberg, Charles; Le Marchand, Loic; Lin, Yi; Matise, Tara C.; Monroe, Kristine R.; Moreland, Larry; Park, Sungshim L.; Reiner, Alex; Wallace, Robert; Wilkens, Lynn R.; Crawford, Dana C.; Ritchie, Marylyn D.

2013-01-01

Using a phenome-wide association study (PheWAS) approach, we comprehensively tested genetic variants for association with phenotypes available for 70,061 study participants in the Population Architecture using Genomics and Epidemiology (PAGE) network. Our aim was to better characterize the genetic architecture of complex traits and identify novel pleiotropic relationships. This PheWAS drew on five population-based studies representing four major racial/ethnic groups (European Americans (EA), African Americans (AA), Hispanics/Mexican-Americans, and Asian/Pacific Islanders) in PAGE, each site with measurements for multiple traits, associated laboratory measures, and intermediate biomarkers. A total of 83 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were genotyped across two or more PAGE study sites. Comprehensive tests of association, stratified by race/ethnicity, were performed, encompassing 4,706 phenotypes mapped to 105 phenotype-classes, and association results were compared across study sites. A total of 111 PheWAS results had significant associations for two or more PAGE study sites with consistent direction of effect with a significance threshold of p<0.01 for the same racial/ethnic group, SNP, and phenotype-class. Among results identified for SNPs previously associated with phenotypes such as lipid traits, type 2 diabetes, and body mass index, 52 replicated previously published genotype–phenotype associations, 26 represented phenotypes closely related to previously known genotype–phenotype associations, and 33 represented potentially novel genotype–phenotype associations with pleiotropic effects. The majority of the potentially novel results were for single PheWAS phenotype-classes, for example, for CDKN2A/B rs1333049 (previously associated with type 2 diabetes in EA) a PheWAS association was identified for hemoglobin levels in AA. Of note, however, GALNT2 rs2144300 (previously associated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in EA) had multiple potentially novel PheWAS associations, with hypertension related phenotypes in AA and with serum calcium levels and coronary artery disease phenotypes in EA. PheWAS identifies associations for hypothesis generation and exploration of the genetic architecture of complex traits. PMID:23382687

Multistate Point-Prevalence Survey of Health Care–Associated Infections

PubMed Central

Magill, Shelley S.; Edwards, Jonathan R.; Bamberg, Wendy; Beldavs, Zintars G.; Dumyati, Ghinwa; Kainer, Marion A.; Lynfield, Ruth; Maloney, Meghan; McAllister-Hollod, Laura; Nadle, Joelle; Ray, Susan M.; Thompson, Deborah L.; Wilson, Lucy E.; Fridkin, Scott K.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND Currently, no single U.S. surveillance system can provide estimates of the burden of all types of health care–associated infections across acute care patient populations. We conducted a prevalence survey in 10 geographically diverse states to determine the prevalence of health care–associated infections in acute care hospitals and generate updated estimates of the national burden of such infections. METHODS We defined health care–associated infections with the use of National Healthcare Safety Network criteria. One-day surveys of randomly selected inpatients were performed in participating hospitals. Hospital personnel collected demographic and limited clinical data. Trained data collectors reviewed medical records retrospectively to identify health care–associated infections active at the time of the survey. Survey data and 2010 Nationwide Inpatient Sample data, stratified according to patient age and length of hospital stay, were used to estimate the total numbers of health care–associated infections and of inpatients with such infections in U.S. acute care hospitals in 2011. RESULTS Surveys were conducted in 183 hospitals. Of 11,282 patients, 452 had 1 or more health care–associated infections (4.0%; 95% confidence interval, 3.7 to 4.4). Of 504 such infections, the most common types were pneumonia (21.8%), surgical-site infections (21.8%), and gastrointestinal infections (17.1%). Clostridium difficile was the most commonly reported pathogen (causing 12.1% of health care–associated infections). Device-associated infections (i.e., central-catheter–associated bloodstream infection, catheter-associated urinary tract infection, and ventilator-associated pneumonia), which have traditionally been the focus of programs to prevent health care–associated infections, accounted for 25.6% of such infections. We estimated that there were 648,000 patients with 721,800 health care–associated infections in U.S. acute care hospitals in 2011. CONCLUSIONS Results of this multistate prevalence survey of health care–associated infections indicate that public health surveillance and prevention activities should continue to address C. difficile infections. As device- and procedure-associated infections decrease, consideration should be given to expanding surveillance and prevention activities to include other health care–associated infections. PMID:24670166

Genetically Distinct Subsets within ANCA-Associated Vasculitis

PubMed Central

Lyons, Paul A.; Rayner, Tim F.; Trivedi, Sapna; Holle, Julia U.; Watts, Richard A.; Jayne, David R.W.; Baslund, Bo; Brenchley, Paul; Bruchfeld, Annette; Chaudhry, Afzal N.; Tervaert, Jan Willem Cohen; Deloukas, Panos; Feighery, Conleth; Gross, Wolfgang L.; Guillevin, Loic; Gunnarsson, Iva; P, Lorraine Harper M.R.C; Hrušková, Zdenka; Little, Mark A.; Martorana, Davide; Neumann, Thomas; Ohlsson, Sophie; Padmanabhan, Sandosh; Pusey, Charles D.; Salama, Alan D.; Sanders, Jan-Stephan F.; Savage, Caroline O.; Segelmark, Mårten; Stegeman, Coen A.; Tesař, Vladimir; Vaglio, Augusto; Wieczorek, Stefan; Wilde, Benjamin; Zwerina, Jochen; Rees, Andrew J.; Clayton, David G.; Smith, Kenneth G.C.

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)–associated vasculitis is a severe condition encompassing two major syndromes: granulomatosis with polyangiitis (formerly known as Wegener’s granulomatosis) and microscopic polyangiitis. Its cause is unknown, and there is debate about whether it is a single disease entity and what role ANCA plays in its pathogenesis. We investigated its genetic basis. METHODS A genomewide association study was performed in a discovery cohort of 1233 U.K. patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis and 5884 controls and was replicated in 1454 Northern European case patients and 1666 controls. Quality control, population stratification, and statistical analyses were performed according to standard criteria. RESULTS We found both major-histocompatibility-complex (MHC) and non-MHC associations with ANCA-associated vasculitis and also that granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis were genetically distinct. The strongest genetic associations were with the antigenic specificity of ANCA, not with the clinical syndrome. Anti–proteinase 3 ANCA was associated with HLA-DP and the genes encoding α1-antitrypsin (SERPINA1) and proteinase 3 (PRTN3) (P = 6.2×10−89, P = 5.6×10−12, and P = 2.6×10−7, respectively). Anti–myeloperoxidase ANCA was associated with HLA-DQ (P = 2.1×10−8). CONCLUSIONS This study confirms that the pathogenesis of ANCA-associated vasculitis has a genetic component, shows genetic distinctions between granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis that are associated with ANCA specificity, and suggests that the response against the autoantigen proteinase 3 is a central pathogenic feature of proteinase 3 ANCA–associated vasculitis. These data provide preliminary support for the concept that proteinase 3 ANCA–associated vasculitis and myeloperoxidase ANCA–associated vasculitis are distinct autoimmune syndromes. (Funded by the British Heart Foundation and others.) PMID:22808956

Genetically determined height and coronary artery disease.

PubMed

Nelson, Christopher P; Hamby, Stephen E; Saleheen, Danish; Hopewell, Jenna C; Zeng, Lingyao; Assimes, Themistocles L; Kanoni, Stavroula; Willenborg, Christina; Burgess, Stephen; Amouyel, Phillipe; Anand, Sonia; Blankenberg, Stefan; Boehm, Bernhard O; Clarke, Robert J; Collins, Rory; Dedoussis, George; Farrall, Martin; Franks, Paul W; Groop, Leif; Hall, Alistair S; Hamsten, Anders; Hengstenberg, Christian; Hovingh, G Kees; Ingelsson, Erik; Kathiresan, Sekar; Kee, Frank; König, Inke R; Kooner, Jaspal; Lehtimäki, Terho; März, Winifred; McPherson, Ruth; Metspalu, Andres; Nieminen, Markku S; O'Donnell, Christopher J; Palmer, Colin N A; Peters, Annette; Perola, Markus; Reilly, Muredach P; Ripatti, Samuli; Roberts, Robert; Salomaa, Veikko; Shah, Svati H; Schreiber, Stefan; Siegbahn, Agneta; Thorsteinsdottir, Unnur; Veronesi, Giovani; Wareham, Nicholas; Willer, Cristen J; Zalloua, Pierre A; Erdmann, Jeanette; Deloukas, Panos; Watkins, Hugh; Schunkert, Heribert; Danesh, John; Thompson, John R; Samani, Nilesh J

2015-04-23

The nature and underlying mechanisms of an inverse association between adult height and the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) are unclear. We used a genetic approach to investigate the association between height and CAD, using 180 height-associated genetic variants. We tested the association between a change in genetically determined height of 1 SD (6.5 cm) with the risk of CAD in 65,066 cases and 128,383 controls. Using individual-level genotype data from 18,249 persons, we also examined the risk of CAD associated with the presence of various numbers of height-associated alleles. To identify putative mechanisms, we analyzed whether genetically determined height was associated with known cardiovascular risk factors and performed a pathway analysis of the height-associated genes. We observed a relative increase of 13.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.4 to 22.1; P<0.001) in the risk of CAD per 1-SD decrease in genetically determined height. There was a graded relationship between the presence of an increased number of height-raising variants and a reduced risk of CAD (odds ratio for height quartile 4 versus quartile 1, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.68 to 0.84; P<0.001). Of the 12 risk factors that we studied, we observed significant associations only with levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides (accounting for approximately 30% of the association). We identified several overlapping pathways involving genes associated with both development and atherosclerosis. There is a primary association between a genetically determined shorter height and an increased risk of CAD, a link that is partly explained by the association between shorter height and an adverse lipid profile. Shared biologic processes that determine achieved height and the development of atherosclerosis may explain some of the association. (Funded by the British Heart Foundation and others.).

Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain, offspring DNA methylation and later offspring adiposity: findings from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children

PubMed Central

Sharp, Gemma C; Lawlor, Debbie A; Richmond, Rebecca C; Fraser, Abigail; Simpkin, Andrew; Suderman, Matthew; Shihab, Hashem A; Lyttleton, Oliver; McArdle, Wendy; Ring, Susan M; Gaunt, Tom R; Davey Smith, George; Relton, Caroline L

2015-01-01

Background: Evidence suggests that in utero exposure to undernutrition and overnutrition might affect adiposity in later life. Epigenetic modification is suggested as a plausible mediating mechanism. Methods: We used multivariable linear regression and a negative control design to examine offspring epigenome-wide DNA methylation in relation to maternal and offspring adiposity in 1018 participants. Results: Compared with neonatal offspring of normal weight mothers, 28 and 1621 CpG sites were differentially methylated in offspring of obese and underweight mothers, respectively [false discovert rate (FDR)-corrected P-value < 0.05), with no overlap in the sites that maternal obesity and underweight relate to. A positive association, where higher methylation is associated with a body mass index (BMI) outside the normal range, was seen at 78.6% of the sites associated with obesity and 87.9% of the sites associated with underweight. Associations of maternal obesity with offspring methylation were stronger than associations of paternal obesity, supporting an intrauterine mechanism. There were no consistent associations of gestational weight gain with offspring DNA methylation. In general, sites that were hypermethylated in association with maternal obesity or hypomethylated in association with maternal underweight tended to be positively associated with offspring adiposity, and sites hypomethylated in association with maternal obesity or hypermethylated in association with maternal underweight tended to be inversely associated with offspring adiposity. Conclusions: Our data suggest that both maternal obesity and, to a larger degree, underweight affect the neonatal epigenome via an intrauterine mechanism, but weight gain during pregnancy has little effect. We found some evidence that associations of maternal underweight with lower offspring adiposity and maternal obesity with greater offspring adiposity may be mediated via increased DNA methylation. PMID:25855720

Orgasm associated incontinence (climacturia) following radical pelvic surgery: rates of occurrence and predictors.

PubMed

Choi, Judy M; Nelson, Christian J; Stasi, Jason; Mulhall, John P

2007-06-01

Orgasm associated incontinence, that is the inadvertent leakage of urine at orgasm, has received little attention in the literature. We evaluated the rate of occurrence of orgasm associated incontinence following radical pelvic surgery as well as its associated factors and predictors. From January 2005 to March 2006, 696 patients were evaluated for post-radical pelvic surgery sexual dysfunction. A database was created, and descriptive statistics, chi-square analysis and logistic regression analysis were used to evaluate associated factors and predictors. Of 475 patients 96 (20%) reported orgasm associated incontinence following radical pelvic surgery. The incidence was significantly less in the cystoprostatectomy group than in the open and laparoscopic radical prostatectomy groups (p <0.05). Orgasm associated incontinence was more commonly found within 12 months following surgery vs greater than 12 months (RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.72-0.92, p <0.01) and in patients with orgasm associated pain (RR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01-1.16, p <0.01) and penile length loss (RR 1.32, 95% CI 1.09-1.59, p <0.01). On multivariate analysis all factors associated on univariate analyses remained predictive. Orgasm associated incontinence was not associated with patient age, the degree of nerve sparing, surgical margin status, seminal vesicle or lymph node involvement, preoperative erectile function, nocturnal erections, libido level or daytime continence. Orgasm associated incontinence occurs in a fifth of men (96 of 475) following radical pelvic surgery. The incidence of orgasm associated incontinence is greater with radical prostatectomy than with radical cystectomy and it is unrelated to the type of prostatectomy performed (open vs laparoscopic). Orgasm associated incontinence is more likely to be reported within year 1 following surgery and in men who complain of orgasmic pain and/or penile shortening.

Discriminating the Difference between Remote and Close Association with Relation to White-Matter Structural Connectivity

PubMed Central

Wu, Chinglin; Zhong, Suyu; Chen, Hsuehchih

2016-01-01

Remote association is a core ability that influences creative output. In contrast to close association, remote association is commonly agreed to be connected with more original and unique concepts. However, although existing studies have discovered that creativity is closely related to the white-matter structure of the brain, there are no studies that examine the relevance between the connectivity efficiencies and creativity of the brain regions from the perspective of networks. Consequently, this study constructed a brain white matter network structure that consisted of cerebral tissues and nerve fibers and used graph theory to analyze the connection efficiencies among the network nodes, further illuminating the differences between remote and close association in relation to the connectivity of the brain network. Researchers analyzed correlations between the scores of 35 healthy adults with regard to remote and close associations and the connectivity efficiencies of the white-matter network of the brain. Controlling for gender, age, and verbal intelligence, the remote association positively correlated with the global efficiency and negatively correlated with the levels of small-world. A close association negatively correlated with the global efficiency. Notably, the node efficiency in the middle temporal gyrus (MTG) positively correlated with remote association and negatively correlated with close association. To summarize, remote and close associations work differently as patterns in the brain network. Remote association requires efficient and convenient mutual connections between different brain regions, while close association emphasizes the limited connections that exist in a local region. These results are consistent with previous results, which indicate that creativity is based on the efficient integration and connection between different regions of the brain and that temporal lobes are the key regions for discriminating remote and close associations. PMID:27760177

Colon tumor mutations and epigenetic changes associated with genetic polymorphism: Insight into disease pathways

PubMed Central

Slattery, Martha L.; Wolff, Roger K.; Curtin, Karen; Fitzpatrick, Frank; Herrick, Jennifer; Potter, John D.; Caan, Bette J.; Samowitz, Wade S.

2010-01-01

Variation in genes associated with serum levels of proteins may be useful for examining specific disease pathways. Using data from a large study of colon cancer, we examine genetic variants in insulin, inflammation, estrogen, metabolizing enzymes, and energy homeostasis genes to explore associations with microsatellite instability (MSI), CpG Island methylator phenotype (CIMP), mutations of p53 in exons 5 through 8, and mutations in codons 12 and 13 of Ki-ras. Insulin-related genes were associated with CIMP positive and MSI tumors, with the strongest associations among aspirin users. The Fok1 Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) polymorphism was associated with CIMP positive/Ki-ras mutated tumors; the Poly A and CDX2 VDR polymorphisms were associated only with Ki-ras mutated tumors. NAT2 was associated with CIMP positive/Ki-ras mutated tumors but not with MSI tumors. The TCF7L2 rs7903146 polymorphism was associated with p53 mutated tumors. Most associations varied by recent aspirin/NSAID use: IL6 rs1800796 and rs1800795 polymorphisms were associated inversely with tumor mutations in the presence of aspirin/NSAIDs; POMC significantly reduced risk of Ki-ras- mutated tumors when aspirin/NSAIDs were not used; the TCF7L2 rs7903146 was associated with reduced risk of Ki-ras-mutated tumors in the presence of aspirin and increased risk in the absence of aspirin. These data, although exploratory, identify specific tumor subsets that may be associated with specific exposures/polymorphism combinations. The important modifying effects of aspirin/NSAIDs on associations with genetic polymorphisms reinforce the underlying role of inflammation in the etiology of colon cancer. PMID:18992263

Associations of variants in FTO and near MC4R with obesity traits in South Asian Indians.

PubMed

Vasan, Senthil K; Fall, Tove; Neville, Matthew J; Antonisamy, Belavendra; Fall, Caroline H; Geethanjali, Finney S; Gu, Harvest F; Raghupathy, Palany; Samuel, Prasanna; Thomas, Nihal; Brismar, Kerstin; Ingelsson, Erik; Karpe, Fredrik

2012-11-01

Recent genome-wide association studies show that loci in FTO and melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) associate with obesity-related traits. Outside Western populations the associations between these variants have not always been consistent and in Indians it has been suggested that FTO relates to diabetes without an obvious intermediary obesity phenotype. We investigated the association between genetic variants in FTO (rs9939609) and near MC4R (rs17782313) with obesity- and type 2 diabetes (T2DM)-related traits in a longitudinal birth cohort of 2,151 healthy individuals from the Vellore birth cohort in South India. The FTO locus displayed significant associations with several conventional obesity-related anthropometric traits. The per allele increase is about 1% for BMI, waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), and waist-hip ratio. Consistent associations were observed for adipose tissue-specific measurements such as skinfold thickness reinforcing the association with obesity-related traits. Obesity associations for the MC4R locus were weak or nonsignificant but a signal for height (P < 0.001) was observed. The effect on obesity-related traits for FTO was seen in adulthood, but not at younger ages. The loci also showed nominal associations with increased blood glucose but these associations were lost on BMI adjustment. The effect of FTO on obesity-related traits was driven by an urban environmental influence. We conclude that rs9939609 variant in the FTO locus is associated with measures of adiposity and metabolic consequences in South Indians with an enhanced effect associated with urban living. The detection of these associations in Indians is challenging because conventional anthropometric obesity measures work poorly in the Indian "thin-fat" phenotype.

Differential Gene Expression in Colon Tissue Associated With Diet, Lifestyle, and Related Oxidative Stress.

PubMed

Slattery, Martha L; Pellatt, Daniel F; Mullany, Lila E; Wolff, Roger K

2015-01-01

Several diet and lifestyle factors may impact health by influencing oxidative stress levels. We hypothesize that level of cigarette smoking, alcohol, anti-inflammatory drugs, and diet alter gene expression. We analyzed RNA-seq data from 144 colon cancer patients who had information on recent cigarette smoking, recent alcohol consumption, diet, and recent aspirin/non-steroidal anti-inflammatory use. Using a false discovery rate of 0.1, we evaluated gene differential expression between high and low levels of exposure using DESeq2. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) was used to determine networks associated with de-regulated genes in our data. We identified 46 deregulated genes associated with recent cigarette use; these genes enriched causal networks regulated by TEK and MAP2K3. Different differentially expressed genes were associated with type of alcohol intake; five genes were associated with total alcohol, six were associated with beer intake, six were associated with wine intake, and four were associated with liquor consumption. Recent use of aspirin and/or ibuprofen was associated with differential expression of TMC06, ST8SIA4, and STEAP3 while a summary oxidative balance score (OBS) was associated with SYCP3, HDX, and NRG4 (all up-regulated with greater oxidative balance). Of the dietary antioxidants and carotenoids evaluated only intake of beta carotene (1 gene), Lutein/Zeaxanthine (5 genes), and Vitamin E (4 genes) were associated with differential gene expression. There were similarities in biological function of de-regulated genes associated with various dietary and lifestyle factors. Our data support the hypothesis that diet and lifestyle factors associated with oxidative stress can alter gene expression. However genes altered were unique to type of alcohol and type of antioxidant. Because of potential differences in associations observed between platforms these findings need replication in other populations.

Comparative Genomics of Campylobacter fetus from Reptiles and Mammals Reveals Divergent Evolution in Host-Associated Lineages.

PubMed

Gilbert, Maarten J; Miller, William G; Yee, Emma; Zomer, Aldert L; van der Graaf-van Bloois, Linda; Fitzgerald, Collette; Forbes, Ken J; Méric, Guillaume; Sheppard, Samuel K; Wagenaar, Jaap A; Duim, Birgitta

2016-07-02

Campylobacter fetus currently comprises three recognized subspecies, which display distinct host association. Campylobacter fetus subsp. fetus and C fetus subsp. venerealis are both associated with endothermic mammals, primarily ruminants, whereas C fetus subsp. testudinum is primarily associated with ectothermic reptiles. Both C. fetus subsp. testudinum and C. fetus subsp. fetus have been associated with severe infections, often with a systemic component, in immunocompromised humans. To study the genetic factors associated with the distinct host dichotomy in C. fetus, whole-genome sequencing and comparison of mammal- and reptile-associated C fetus was performed. The genomes of C fetus subsp. testudinum isolated from either reptiles or humans were compared with elucidate the genetic factors associated with pathogenicity in humans. Genomic comparisons showed conservation of gene content and organization among C fetus subspecies, but a clear distinction between mammal- and reptile-associated C fetus was observed. Several genomic regions appeared to be subspecies specific, including a putative tricarballylate catabolism pathway, exclusively present in C fetus subsp. testudinum strains. Within C fetus subsp. testudinum, sapA, sapB, and sapAB type strains were observed. The recombinant locus iamABC (mlaFED) was exclusively associated with invasive C fetus subsp. testudinum strains isolated from humans. A phylogenetic reconstruction was consistent with divergent evolution in host-associated strains and the existence of a barrier to lateral gene transfer between mammal- and reptile-associated C fetus Overall, this study shows that reptile-associated C fetus subsp. testudinum is genetically divergent from mammal-associated C fetus subspecies. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Association of baseline sex hormone levels with baseline and longitudinal changes in waist-to-hip ratio: Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

PubMed

Vaidya, D; Dobs, A; Gapstur, S M; Golden, S H; Cushman, M; Liu, K; Ouyang, P

2012-12-01

Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) is strongly associated with prevalent atherosclerosis. We analyzed the associations of baseline serum levels of testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), sex-hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) with WHR in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) cohort. Baseline data was available for 3144 men and 2038 postmenopausal women, who were non-users of hormone therapy, who were 45-84 years of age, and of White, Chinese, Black or Hispanic racial/ethnic groups. Of these, 2708 men and 1678 women also had longitudinal measurements of WHR measured at the second and/or the third study visits (median follow-up 578 days and 1135 days, respectively). In cross-sectional analyses adjusted for age, race and cardiovascular disease risk factors, T was negatively associated with baseline WHR in men, whereas in both sexes, E2 was positively associated and SHBG was negatively associated with WHR (all P<0.001). In longitudinal analyses, further adjusted for follow-up time and baseline WHR, baseline T was negatively associated with WHR at follow-up (P=0.001) in men, whereas in both sexes, E2 was positively associated (P=0.004) and SHBG was negatively associated with WHR (P<0.001). The longitudinal association of E2, but not T, was independent of SHBG. In cross-sectional or longitudinal analyses, there were no associations between DHEA and WHR in either men or women. Sex hormones are associated with WHR at baseline and also during follow-up above and beyond their baseline association. Future research is needed to determine if manipulation of hormones is associated with changes in central obesity.

Pathways linking obesity to health-related quality of life.

PubMed

Park, Sangshin

2017-08-01

Obesity is a well-recognized risk factor for impaired health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Nevertheless, few studies have investigated the mechanisms underlying the obesity-HRQOL associations. In this study, we explored potential mediators of the associations between obesity and HRQOL. Body mass index (BMI), an indicator of obesity, and HRQOL data were available for the 34,565 individuals 20 years of age and older participating in the cross-sectional Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2012. HRQOL was measured by the EuroQol five-dimension descriptive system. Path analysis was performed to assess the contributions of obesity-related diseases and self-rated health (SRH) on the relationships between obesity and HRQOL. In men, obesity was negatively associated with HRQOL through diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and dyslipidemia and positively associated with HRQOL through SRH. These opposite indirect effects offset one another and produced a non-significant association between obesity and HRQOL in men. However, in women, obesity was directly associated with HRQOL and indirectly associated with HRQOL through diabetes mellitus and SRH. Since these associations were in the same negative direction, the negative obesity-HRQOL association was clearly observed in women. Obesity was negatively associated with HRQOL through obesity-related diseases in both genders. However, in men, the positive association between obesity and SRH resulted in a non-significant association of obesity with HRQOL.

Parsing the heterogeneity of psychopathy and aggression: Differential associations across dimensions and gender.

PubMed

Hecht, Lisa K; Berg, Joanna M; Lilienfeld, Scott O; Latzman, Robert D

2016-01-01

Psychopathy is a multidimensional construct that is broadly associated with both reactive (RA) and proactive (PA) aggression. Nevertheless, a consistent pattern of associations between psychopathy and these 2 aggression subtypes has yet to emerge because of methodological differences across studies. Moreover, research has yet to examine gender differences in the relation between dimensions of psychopathy and RA/PA. Accordingly, we examined the associations between psychopathy dimensions, as operationalized by 2 self-report instruments, and subtypes of aggression within a diverse sample of undergraduates (N = 1,158). Results confirmed that psychopathy is broadly associated with PA, as well as RA, with dimensions of psychopathy evidencing common and distinct associations with both raw and residual RA and PA scores. In both models of psychopathy, PA was significantly and positively associated with all dimensions, whereas RA was significantly negatively associated with interpersonal and affective dimensions, and significantly positively associated with dimensions related to an antisocial and impulsive lifestyle. Gender significantly moderated associations among dimensions of psychopathy and RA/PA, such that the antisocial/behavioral dimension of psychopathy was positively associated with PA for males, whereas the antisocial/behavioral dimension was positively associated with RA for females. Results suggest both generality and specificity of psychopathy dimensions as related to subtypes of aggression, as well as possible differential pathways from psychopathy to different subtypes of aggression in men and women. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Perfectionism and negative/positive affect associations: the role of cognitive emotion regulation and perceived distress/coping.

PubMed

Castro, Juliana; Soares, Maria João; Pereira, Ana T; Macedo, António

2017-01-01

To explore 1) if perfectionism, perceived distress/coping, and cognitive emotion regulation (CER) are associated with and predictive of negative/positive affect (NA/PA); and 2) if CER and perceived distress/coping are associated with perfectionism and if they mediate the perfectionism-NA/PA associations. There is a distinction between maladaptive and adaptive perfectionism in its association with NA/PA. CER and perceived distress/coping may mediate the maladaptive/adaptive perfectionism and NA/PA associations. 344 students (68.4% girls) completed the Hewitt & Flett and the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scales, the Composite Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, the Profile of Mood States, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. NA predictors were maladaptive/adaptive perfectionism, maladaptive CER and perceived distress (positively), positive reappraisal and planning, and perceived coping (negatively). PA predictors were maladaptive/adaptive perfectionism and perceived distress (negatively), positive reappraisal and planning, positive refocusing and perceived coping (positively). The association between maladaptive perfectionism and NA was mediated by maladaptive CER/low adaptive CER, perceived distress/low coping. Maladaptive perfectionism and low PA association was mediated by perceived distress. High PA was determined by low maladaptive perfectionism and this association was mediated by adaptive REC and coping. Adaptive perfectionism and NA association was mediated by maladaptive CER and perceived distress. CER and perceived distress/coping are associated and mediate the perfectionism-NA/PA associations.

S-R associations, their extinction, and recovery in an animal model of anxiety: a new associative account of phobias without recall of original trauma.

PubMed

Laborda, Mario A; Miller, Ralph R

2011-06-01

Associative accounts of the etiology of phobias have been criticized because of numerous cases of phobias in which the client does not remember a relevant traumatic event (i.e., Pavlovian conditioning trial), instructions, or vicarious experience with the phobic object. In three lick suppression experiments with rats as subjects, we modeled an associative account of such fears. Experiment 1 assessed stimulus-response (S-R) associations in first-order fear conditioning. After behaviorally complete devaluation of the unconditioned stimulus, the target stimulus still produced strong conditioned responses, suggesting that an S-R association had been formed and that this association was not significantly affected when the outcome was devalued through unsignaled presentations of the unconditioned stimulus. Experiments 2 and 3 examined extinction and recovery of S-R associations. Experiment 2 showed that extinguished S-R associations returned when testing occurred outside of the extinction context (i.e., renewal) and Experiment 3 found that a long delay between extinction and testing also produced a return of the extinguished S-R associations (i.e., spontaneous recovery). These experiments suggest that fears for which people cannot recall a cause are explicable in an associative framework, and indicate that those fears are susceptible to relapse after extinction treatment just like stimulus-outcome (S-O) associations. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The association of telomere length and genetic variation in telomere biology genes.

PubMed

Mirabello, Lisa; Yu, Kai; Kraft, Peter; De Vivo, Immaculata; Hunter, David J; Prescott, Jennifer; Wong, Jason Y Y; Chatterjee, Nilanjan; Hayes, Richard B; Savage, Sharon A

2010-09-01

Telomeres cap chromosome ends and are critical for genomic stability. Many telomere-associated proteins are important for telomere length maintenance. Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes encoding telomere-associated proteins (RTEL1 and TERT-CLPTM1) as markers of cancer risk. We conducted an association study of telomere length and 743 SNPs in 43 telomere biology genes. Telomere length in peripheral blood DNA was determined by Q-PCR in 3,646 participants from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial and Nurses' Health Study. We investigated associations by SNP, gene, and pathway (functional group). We found no associations between telomere length and SNPs in TERT-CLPTM1L or RTEL1. Telomere length was not significantly associated with specific functional groups. Thirteen SNPs from four genes (MEN1, MRE11A, RECQL5, and TNKS) were significantly associated with telomere length. The strongest findings were in MEN1 (gene-based P=0.006), menin, which associates with the telomerase promoter and may negatively regulate telomerase. This large association study did not find strong associations with telomere length. The combination of limited diversity and evolutionary conservation suggest that these genes may be under selective pressure. More work is needed to explore the role of genetic variants in telomere length regulation. Published 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Testing association and linkage using affected-sib-parent study designs.

PubMed

Millstein, Joshua; Siegmund, Kimberly D; Conti, David V; Gauderman, W James

2005-11-01

We have developed a method for jointly testing linkage and association using data from affected sib pairs and their parents. We specify a conditional logistic regression model with two covariates, one that quantifies association (either direct association or indirect association via linkage disequilibrium), and a second that quantifies linkage. The latter covariate is computed based on expected identity-by-descend (ibd) sharing of marker alleles between siblings. In addition to a joint test of linkage and association, our general framework can be used to obtain a linkage test comparable to the mean test (Blackwelder and Elston [1985] Genet. Epidemiol. 2:85-97), and an association test comparable to the Family-Based Association Test (FBAT; Rabinowitz and Laird [2000] Hum. Hered. 50:211-223). We present simulation results demonstrating that our joint test can be more powerful than some standard tests of linkage or association. For example, with a relative risk of 2.7 per variant allele at a disease locus, the estimated power to detect a nearby marker with a modest level of LD was 58.1% by the mean test (linkage only), 69.8% by FBAT, and 82.5% by our joint test of linkage and association. Our model can also be used to obtain tests of linkage conditional on association and association conditional on linkage, which can be helpful in fine mapping. Copyright 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Associative Symmetry versus Independent Associations in the Memory for Object-Location Associations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sommer, Tobias; Rose, Michael; Buchel, Christian

2007-01-01

The formation of associations between objects and locations is a vital aspect of episodic memory. More specifically, remembering the location where one experienced an object and, vice versa, the object one encountered at a specific location are both important elements for the memory of an event. Whether episodic associations are holistic…

Sport and Recreation Are Associated with Happiness across Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balish, Shea M.; Conacher, Dan; Dithurbide, Lori

2016-01-01

Purpose: Preliminary findings suggest sport participation is positively associated with happiness. However, it is unknown if this association is universal and how sport compares to other leisure activities in terms of an association with happiness. This study had 3 objectives: (a) to test if sport membership is associated with happiness, (b) to…

Semantic Language as a Mechanism Explaining the Association between ADHD Symptoms and Reading and Mathematics Underachievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gremillion, Monica L.; Martel, Michelle M.

2012-01-01

ADHD is associated with academic underachievement, but it remains unclear what mechanism accounts for this association. Semantic language is an underexplored mechanism that provides a developmental explanation for this association. The present study will examine whether semantic language deficits explain the association between ADHD and reading…

Associating versus Proposing or Associating What We Propose: Comment on Gawronski and Bodenhausen

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albarracin, Dolores; Hart, William; McCulloch, Kathleen C.

2006-01-01

This commentary on the article by B. Gawronski and G. V. Bodenhausen (see record 2006-10465-003) highlights the strengths of the associative-propositional evaluation model. It then describes problems in proposing a qualitative separation between propositional and associative processes. Propositional processes are instead described as associative.…

17 CFR 240.19g2-1 - Enforcement of compliance by national securities exchanges and registered securities associations...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... national securities exchanges and registered securities associations with the Act and rules and regulations... Enforcement of compliance by national securities exchanges and registered securities associations with the Act... associated with its members, a national securities exchange or registered securities association is not...

No Evidence for Improved Associative Memory Performance Following Process-Based Associative Memory Training in Older Adults

PubMed Central

Bellander, Martin; Eschen, Anne; Lövdén, Martin; Martin, Mike; Bäckman, Lars; Brehmer, Yvonne

2017-01-01

Studies attempting to improve episodic memory performance with strategy instructions and training have had limited success in older adults: their training gains are limited in comparison to those of younger adults and do not generalize to untrained tasks and contexts. This limited success has been partly attributed to age-related impairments in associative binding of information into coherent episodes. We therefore investigated potential training and transfer effects of process-based associative memory training (i.e., repeated practice). Thirty-nine older adults (Mage = 68.8) underwent 6 weeks of either adaptive associative memory training or item recognition training. Both groups improved performance in item memory, spatial memory (object-context binding) and reasoning. A disproportionate effect of associative memory training was only observed for item memory, whereas no training-related performance changes were observed for associative memory. Self-reported strategies showed no signs of spontaneous development of memory-enhancing associative memory strategies. Hence, the results do not support the hypothesis that process-based associative memory training leads to higher associative memory performance in older adults. PMID:28119597

Large-scale habitat associations of four desert anurans in Big Bend National Park, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dayton, Gage H.; Jung, R.E.; Droege, S.

2004-01-01

We used night driving to examine large scale habitat associations of four common desert anurans in Big Bend National Park, Texas. We examined association of soil types and vegetation communities with abundance of Couch's Spadefoots (Scaphiopus couchii), Red-spotted Toads (Bufo punctatus), Texas Toads (Bufo speciosus), and Western Green Toads (Bufo debilis). All four species were disproportionately associated with frequently inundated soils that are relatively high in clay content. Bufo punctatus was associated with rocky soil types more frequently than the other three species. Association between all four species and vegetation types was disproportionate in relation to availability. Bufo debilis and Bufo punctatus were associated with creosote and mixed scrub vegetation. Bufo speciosus and Scaphiopus couchii were associated with mesquite scrub vegetation. Bufo debilis, Scaphiopus couchii, and B. speciosus were more tightly associated with specific habitat types, whereas B. punctatus exhibited a broader distribution across the habitat categories. Examining associations between large-scale habitat categories and species abundance is an important first step in understanding factors that influence species distributions and presence-absence across the landscape.

No Evidence for Improved Associative Memory Performance Following Process-Based Associative Memory Training in Older Adults.

PubMed

Bellander, Martin; Eschen, Anne; Lövdén, Martin; Martin, Mike; Bäckman, Lars; Brehmer, Yvonne

2016-01-01

Studies attempting to improve episodic memory performance with strategy instructions and training have had limited success in older adults: their training gains are limited in comparison to those of younger adults and do not generalize to untrained tasks and contexts. This limited success has been partly attributed to age-related impairments in associative binding of information into coherent episodes. We therefore investigated potential training and transfer effects of process-based associative memory training (i.e., repeated practice). Thirty-nine older adults ( M age = 68.8) underwent 6 weeks of either adaptive associative memory training or item recognition training. Both groups improved performance in item memory, spatial memory (object-context binding) and reasoning. A disproportionate effect of associative memory training was only observed for item memory, whereas no training-related performance changes were observed for associative memory. Self-reported strategies showed no signs of spontaneous development of memory-enhancing associative memory strategies. Hence, the results do not support the hypothesis that process-based associative memory training leads to higher associative memory performance in older adults.

SHAME AND GUILT-PRONENESS AS MEDIATORS OF ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN GENERAL CAUSALITY ORIENTATIONS AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS

PubMed Central

YOUNG, CHELSIE M.; NEIGHBORS, CLAYTON; DIBELLO, ANGELO M.; TRAYLOR, ZACHARY K.; TOMKINS, MARY

2017-01-01

The present study examined the roles of shame- and guilt-proneness as mediators of associations between general causality orientations and depressive symptoms. We expected autonomy would be associated with less depressive symptoms based on higher guilt-proneness and lower shame-proneness, whereas control would be associated with more depressive symptoms based on lower guilt-proneness and higher shame-proneness. Undergraduates (N = 354) completed assessments of general causality orientations, shame- and guilt-proneness, and depressive symptoms in exchange for extra credit. Results of mediation analyses were generally supportive of the framework indicating that shame- and guilt-proneness mediate associations between self-determination and depressive symptoms. Autonomy was indirectly associated with less depressive symptoms through positive associations with guilt-proneness, in spite of unexpected positive associations with shame-proneness. Control and impersonal orientation were indirectly associated with more depressive symptoms through positive associations with shame-proneness. Results extend previous research relating self-determination to mental health in providing preliminary support suggesting that individual differences in self-determination facilitate differential tendencies in experiencing guilt and shame. PMID:28344381

Associative memory cells and their working principle in the brain

PubMed Central

Wang, Jin-Hui; Cui, Shan

2018-01-01

The acquisition, integration and storage of exogenous associated signals are termed as associative learning and memory. The consequences and processes of associative thinking and logical reasoning based on these stored exogenous signals can be memorized as endogenous signals, which are essential for decision making, intention, and planning. Associative memory cells recruited in these primary and secondary associative memories are presumably the foundation for the brain to fulfill cognition events and emotional reactions in life, though the plasticity of synaptic connectivity and neuronal activity has been believed to be involved in learning and memory. Current reports indicate that associative memory cells are recruited by their mutual synapse innervations among co-activated brain regions to fulfill the integration, storage and retrieval of associated signals. The activation of these associative memory cells initiates information recall in the mind, and the successful activation of their downstream neurons endorses memory presentations through behaviors and emotion reactions. In this review, we aim to draw a comprehensive diagram for associative memory cells, working principle and modulation, as well as propose their roles in cognition, emotion and behaviors. PMID:29487741

Cross-cancer genome-wide analysis of lung, ovary, breast, prostate and colorectal cancer reveals novel pleiotropic associations

PubMed Central

Fehringer, Gordon; Kraft, Peter; Pharoah, Paul D.; Eeles, Rosalind A.; Chatterjee, Nilanjan; Schumacher, Fred; Schildkraut, Joellen; Lindström, Sara; Brennan, Paul; Bickeböller, Heike; Houlston, Richard S.; Landi, Maria Teresa; Caporaso, Neil; Risch, Angela; Olama, Ali Amin Al; Berndt, Sonja I; Giovannucci, Edward; Grönberg, Henrik; Kote-Jarai, Zsofia; Ma, Jing; Muir, Kenneth; Stampfer, Meir; Stevens, Victoria L.; Wiklund, Fredrik; Willett, Walter; Goode, Ellen L.; Permuth, Jennifer; Risch, Harvey A.; Reid, Brett M.; Bezieau, Stephane; Brenner, Hermann; Chan, Andrew T.; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Hudson, Thomas J.; Kocarnik, Jonathan K.; Newcomb, Polly A.; Schoen, Robert E.; Slattery, Martha L.; White, Emily; Adank, Muriel A.; Ahsan, Habibul; Aittomäki, Kristiina; Baglietto, Laura; Blomquist, Carl; Canzian, Federico; Czene, Kamila; dos-Santos-Silva, Isabel; Eliassen, A. Heather; Figueroa, Jonine; Flesch-Janys, Dieter; Fletcher, Olivia; Garcia-Closas, Montserrat; Gaudet, Mia M.; Johnson, Nichola; Hall, Per; Hazra, Aditi; Hein, Rebecca; Hofman, Albert; Hopper, John L.; Irwanto, Astrid; Johansson, Mattias; Kaaks, Rudolf; Kibriya, Muhammad G.; Lichtner, Peter; Liu, Jianjun; Lund, Eiliv; Makalic, Enes; Meindl, Alfons; Müller-Myhsok, Bertram; Muranen, Taru A.; Nevanlinna, Heli; Peeters, Petra H.; Peto, Julian; Prentice, Ross L.; Rahman, Nazneen; Sanchez, Maria Jose; Schmidt, Daniel F.; Schmutzler, Rita K.; Southey, Melissa C.; Tamimi, Rulla; Travis, Ruth C.; Turnbull, Clare; Uitterlinden, Andre G.; Wang, Zhaoming; Whittemore, Alice S.; Yang, Xiaohong R.; Zheng, Wei; Rafnar, Thorunn; Gudmundsson, Julius; Stacey, Simon N.; Stefansson, Kari; Sulem, Patrick; Chen, Y. Ann; Tyrer, Jonathan P.; Christiani, David C.; Wei, Yongyue; Shen, Hongbing; Hu, Zhibin; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Shiraishi, Kouya; Takahashi, Atsushi; Bossé, Yohan; Obeidat, Ma’en; Nickle, David; Timens, Wim; Freedman, Matthew L.; Li, Qiyuan; Seminara, Daniela; Chanock, Stephen J.; Gong, Jian; Peters, Ulrike; Gruber, Stephen B.; Amos, Christopher I.; Sellers, Thomas A.; Easton, Douglas F.; Hunter, David J.; Haiman, Christopher A.; Henderson, Brian E.; Hung, Rayjean J.

2016-01-01

Identifying genetic variants with pleiotropic associations can uncover common pathways influencing multiple cancers. We took a two-staged approach to conduct genome-wide association studies for lung, ovary, breast, prostate and colorectal cancer from the GAME-ON/GECCO Network (61,851 cases, 61,820 controls) to identify pleiotropic loci. Findings were replicated in independent association studies (55,789 cases, 330,490 controls). We identified a novel pleiotropic association at 1q22 involving breast and lung squamous cell carcinoma, with eQTL analysis showing an association with ADAM15/THBS3 gene expression in lung. We also identified a known breast cancer locus CASP8/ALS2CR12 associated with prostate cancer, a known cancer locus at CDKN2B-AS1 with different variants associated with lung adenocarcinoma and prostate cancer and confirmed the associations of a breast BRCA2 locus with lung and serous ovarian cancer. This is the largest study to date examining pleiotropy across multiple cancer-associated loci, identifying common mechanisms of cancer development and progression. PMID:27197191

Can culture influence body-specific associations between space and valence?

PubMed

de la Fuente, Juanma; Casasanto, Daniel; Román, Antonio; Santiago, Julio

2015-05-01

People implicitly associate positive ideas with their dominant side of space and negative ideas with their non-dominant side. Right-handers tend to associate "good" with "right" and "bad" with "left," but left-handers associate "bad" with "right" and "good" with "left." Whereas right-handers' implicit associations align with idioms in language and culture that link "good" with "right," left-handers' implicit associations go against them. Can cultural conventions modulate the body-specific association between valence and left-right space? Here, we compared people from Spanish and Moroccan cultures, which differ in the strength of taboos against the use of the left hand, and therefore in their preference for the right. Results showed stronger explicit associations between space and valence in Moroccan participants than in Spaniards, but they did not show any increased tendency for right-handed Moroccans to associate "good" with "right" implicitly. Despite differences in cultural conventions between Spaniards and Moroccans, we find no evidence for a cross-cultural difference in the implicit association between space and valence, which appears to depend on patterns of bodily experience. © 2014 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Bundle of measures for external cerebral ventricular drainage-associated ventriculitis.

PubMed

Chatzi, Maria; Karvouniaris, Marios; Makris, Demosthenes; Tsimitrea, Eleni; Gatos, Charalampos; Tasiou, Anastasia; Mantzarlis, Kostas; Fountas, Kostas N; Zakynthinos, Epaminondas

2014-01-01

To assess the prevalence and outcome of external cerebral ventricular drainage-associated ventriculitis in neurocritical patients before and after the implementation of a bundle of external cerebral ventricular drainage-associated ventriculitis control measures. Clinical prospective case series. University Hospital of Larissa, Greece. Consecutive patients were recruited from the ICU of the hospital. Patient inclusion criteria included presence of external ventricular drainage and ICU stay more than 48 hours. The bundle of external cerebral ventricular drainage-associated ventriculitis control measures included 1) reeducation of ICU personnel on issues of infection control related to external cerebral ventricular drainage, 2) meticulous intraventricular catheter handling, 3) cerebrospinal fluid sampling only when clinically necessary, and 4) routine replacement of the drainage catheter on the seventh drainage day if the catheter was still necessary. The bundle was applied after an initial period (preintervention) where standard policy for external cerebral ventricular drainage-associated ventriculitis was established. External cerebral ventricular drainage-associated ventriculitis prevalence, external cerebral ventricular drainage-associated ventriculitis events per 1,000 drainage days (drain-associated infection rate), length of ICU stay, Glasgow Outcome Scale at 6 months, and risk factors for external cerebral ventricular drainage-associated ventriculitis. Eighty-two patients entered the study in the preintervention period and 57 patients during the intervention period. During the preintervention and intervention period, external cerebral ventricular drainage-associated ventriculitis prevalence was 28% and 10.5% (p = 0.02) and drain-associated infection rate was 18 and 7.1, respectively (p = 0.0001); mean (95% CI) length of ICU stay in patients who presented external cerebral ventricular drainage-associated ventriculitis was 44.4 days (36.4-52.4 d), whereas mean (95% CI) length of ICU stay in patients who did not was 20 days (16.9-23.2 d) (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the length of ICU stay was associated with length of drainage (p = 0.0001). Therefore, the presence of external cerebral ventricular drainage-associated ventriculitis and the length of drainage were the only variables associated with a prolonged ICU stay. Unfavorable outcome in Glasgow Outcome Scale at 6 months was not associated with the presence of external cerebral ventricular drainage-associated ventriculitis (p = 0.5). No significant differences were found when Glasgow Outcome Scale was analyzed according to the two study periods. The implementation of a bundle of measures for external cerebral ventricular drainage-associated ventriculitis control was associated with significantly decreased postintervention prevalence of the infection.

Generation and associative encoding in young and old adults: the effect of the strength of association between cues and targets on a cued recall task.

PubMed

Taconnat, Laurence; Froger, Charlotte; Sacher, Mathilde; Isingrini, Michel

2008-01-01

The generation effect (i.e., better recall of the generated items than the read items) was investigated with a between-list design in young and elderly participants. The generation task difficulty was manipulated by varying the strength of association between cues and targets. Overall, strong associates were better recalled than weak associates. However, the results showed different generation effect patterns according to strength of association and age, with a greater generation effect for weak associates in younger adults only. These findings suggest that generating weak associates leads to more elaborated encoding, but that elderly adults cannot use this elaborated encoding as well as younger adults to recall the target words at test.

Accounting for individual differences in human associative learning

PubMed Central

Byrom, Nicola C.

2013-01-01

Associative learning has provided fundamental insights to understanding psychopathology. However, psychopathology occurs along a continuum and as such, identification of disruptions in processes of associative learning associated with aspects of psychopathology illustrates a general flexibility in human associative learning. A handful of studies have looked specifically at individual differences in human associative learning, but while much work has concentrated on accounting for flexibility in learning caused by external factors, there has been limited work considering how to model the influence of dispositional factors. This review looks at the range of individual differences in human associative learning that have been explored and the attempts to account for, and model, this flexibility. To fully understand human associative learning, further research needs to attend to the causes of variation in human learning. PMID:24027551

Peers’ Perceptions of Gender Nonconformity: Associations with Overt and Relational Peer Victimization and Aggression in Early Adolescence

PubMed Central

Card, Noel A.; Casper, Deborah M.

2015-01-01

The current study used reports from 318 early adolescents to examine the associations of peer-reported gender nonconformity with peer- and self-reported overt and relational victimization and aggression and possible sex differences in these associations. Multiple-group structural equation modeling revealed that higher levels of peer-reported gender nonconformity were associated with higher self- and peer-reports of overt and relational victimization and aggression among males and females. The association between peer-reported gender nonconformity and peer-reported overt aggression was moderated by participant sex, such that the association was stronger for females compared to males. Results suggest that perceived gender nonconformity is associated with problematic peer relations, especially among females, in early adolescence and implications of these associations are discussed. PMID:26236066

Associative learning and animal cognition.

PubMed

Dickinson, Anthony

2012-10-05

Associative learning plays a variety of roles in the study of animal cognition from a core theoretical component to a null hypothesis against which the contribution of cognitive processes is assessed. Two developments in contemporary associative learning have enhanced its relevance to animal cognition. The first concerns the role of associatively activated representations, whereas the second is the development of hybrid theories in which learning is determined by prediction errors, both directly and indirectly through associability processes. However, it remains unclear whether these developments allow associative theory to capture the psychological rationality of cognition. I argue that embodying associative processes within specific processing architectures provides mechanisms that can mediate psychological rationality and illustrate such embodiment by discussing the relationship between practical reasoning and the associative-cybernetic model of goal-directed action.

Accounting for individual differences in human associative learning.

PubMed

Byrom, Nicola C

2013-09-04

Associative learning has provided fundamental insights to understanding psychopathology. However, psychopathology occurs along a continuum and as such, identification of disruptions in processes of associative learning associated with aspects of psychopathology illustrates a general flexibility in human associative learning. A handful of studies have looked specifically at individual differences in human associative learning, but while much work has concentrated on accounting for flexibility in learning caused by external factors, there has been limited work considering how to model the influence of dispositional factors. This review looks at the range of individual differences in human associative learning that have been explored and the attempts to account for, and model, this flexibility. To fully understand human associative learning, further research needs to attend to the causes of variation in human learning.

Associate Administrator, Robert Lightfoot address the Marshall Association.

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-07-28

NASA ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR ROBERT LIGHTFOOT SHARED HIS PERSONAL REFLECTIONS ON LEADERSHIP WITH MARSHALL ASSOCIATION MEMBERS AND GUESTS DURING A LUNCHEON JULY 28 AT NASA’S MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER.

Contrasting genetic association of IL2RA with SLE and ANCA-associated vasculitis.

PubMed

Carr, Edward J; Clatworthy, Menna R; Lowe, Christopher E; Todd, John A; Wong, Andrew; Vyse, Timothy J; Kamesh, Lavanya; Watts, Richard A; Lyons, Paul A; Smith, Kenneth G C

2009-03-05

Autoimmune diseases are complex and have genetic and environmental susceptibility factors. The objective was to test the genetic association of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) - associated systemic vasculitis (AAV) with SNPs in the IL2RA region and to correlate genotype with serum levels of IL-2RA. Using a cohort of over 700 AAV patients, two SLE case-control studies and an SLE trio collection (totalling over 1000 SLE patients), and a TaqMan genotyping approach, we tested 3 SNPs in the IL2RA locus, rs11594656, rs2104286 & rs41295061, each with a prior association with autoimmune disease; rs11594656 and rs41295061 with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and rs2104286 with multiple sclerosis (MS) and T1D. We show that SLE is associated with rs11594656 (P = 3.87 x 10-7) and there is some evidence of association of rs41295061 with AAV (P = 0.0122), which both have prior association with T1D. rs2104286, an MS and T1D - associated SNP in the IL2RA locus, is not associated with either SLE or AAV. We have confirmed a previous suggestion that the IL2RA locus is associated with SLE and showed some evidence of association with AAV. Soluble IL-2RA concentrations correlate with rs11594656 genotype in quiescent disease in both AAV and SLE. Differential association of autoimmune diseases and SNPs within the IL2RA locus suggests that the IL2RA pathway may prove to play differing, as yet undefined, roles in each disease.

Psychosocial factors at work, long work hours, and obesity: a systematic review.

PubMed

Solovieva, Svetlana; Lallukka, Tea; Virtanen, Marianna; Viikari-Juntura, Eira

2013-05-01

Associations between psychosocial work environment and excess weight have not been systematically addressed. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the published evidence for the associations of psychosocial factors at work and long work hours with weight-related outcomes . Methods We conducted a search of Medline and Embase for all original articles published up to September 2012 using predefined keywords. After excluding studies with a definite selection bias, we included 39 articles. About 60% of the studies reported at least one positive association between psychosocial factors at work and a weight-related outcome. However, 76% of the tested associations were found to be non-significant. Furthermore, the associations were rather weak. Studies of higher quality tended to observe associations more often than those of lower quality. Positive associations were found more frequently (i) among women versus men, (ii) in cross-sectional versus longitudinal studies, and (iii) for overweight or obesity versus other outcomes. About 70% of the studies reported positive associations between long work hours and weight-related outcomes. All four studies that evaluated the association between working overtime and weight gain (three longitudinal and one cross-sectional), showed a positive association among men and two of them also observed associations among women. We found evidence for weak associations between psychosocial factors at work and excess weight. Associations were observed between long work hours, working overtime, and weight gain, especially among men. More cohort studies among non-obese baseline participants using appropriate analytical methods based on an elaborated hypothetical model are needed.

A systematic review of the association between radiographic and clinical osteoarthritis of hip and knee.

PubMed

Kinds, M B; Welsing, P M J; Vignon, E P; Bijlsma, J W J; Viergever, M A; Marijnissen, A C A; Lafeber, F P J G

2011-07-01

There is ongoing debate on whether an association between radiographic and clinical osteoarthritis (OA) exists. We hypothesized that the inconsistency in the detection of an association might be caused by different definitions of OA, by different radiographic protocols, and by scoring methods for radiographic damage and symptoms. The goal of this study was to evaluate which methodological criteria are important to detect an association between radiographic and clinical OA of hip and knee. A literature search was performed with the keywords 'OA', 'hip', 'knee', 'radiographic', and 'clinical' and results were screened for relevant studies. Quality criteria for study characteristics and methodology were developed. Studies were classified according to these criteria and the presence of an association between radiographic and clinical OA was scored. The importance of methodological quality and patient characteristics on the presence of an association was evaluated. The literature search resulted in 39 studies describing an association between radiographic and clinical OA. The frequency of an association between radiographic and clinical OA outcome measures diminished when less quality criteria were fulfilled. Specifically the criterion for standardized outcome measures appeared important in the detection of an association. The association was not influenced by patient characteristics. Only four studies were identified that fulfilled all quality criteria and in these studies an association was found for the knee joint and an inconsistent association was found for the hip joint. Methodological quality criteria are of importance to reveal an association between radiographic and clinical OA. Copyright © 2011 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Order-memory and association-memory.

PubMed

Caplan, Jeremy B

2015-09-01

Two highly studied memory functions are memory for associations (items presented in pairs, such as SALT-PEPPER) and memory for order (a list of items whose order matters, such as a telephone number). Order- and association-memory are at the root of many forms of behaviour, from wayfinding, to language, to remembering people's names. Most researchers have investigated memory for order separately from memory for associations. Exceptions to this, associative-chaining models build an ordered list from associations between pairs of items, quite literally understanding association- and order-memory together. Alternatively, positional-coding models have been used to explain order-memory as a completely distinct function from association-memory. Both classes of model have found empirical support and both have faced serious challenges. I argue that models that combine both associative chaining and positional coding are needed. One such hybrid model, which relies on brain-activity rhythms, is promising, but remains to be tested rigourously. I consider two relatively understudied memory behaviours that demand a combination of order- and association-information: memory for the order of items within associations (is it William James or James William?) and judgments of relative order (who left the party earlier, Hermann or William?). Findings from these underexplored procedures are already difficult to reconcile with existing association-memory and order-memory models. Further work with such intermediate experimental paradigms has the potential to provide powerful findings to constrain and guide models into the future, with the aim of explaining a large range of memory functions, encompassing both association- and order-memory. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Two Unipolar Terminal-Attractor-Based Associative Memories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Hua-Kuang; Wu, Chwan-Hwa

1995-01-01

Two unipolar mathematical models of electronic neural network functioning as terminal-attractor-based associative memory (TABAM) developed. Models comprise sets of equations describing interactions between time-varying inputs and outputs of neural-network memory, regarded as dynamical system. Simplifies design and operation of optoelectronic processor to implement TABAM performing associative recall of images. TABAM concept described in "Optoelectronic Terminal-Attractor-Based Associative Memory" (NPO-18790). Experimental optoelectronic apparatus that performed associative recall of binary images described in "Optoelectronic Inner-Product Neural Associative Memory" (NPO-18491).

Hetero-association for pattern translation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Francis T. S.; Lu, Thomas T.; Yang, Xiangyang

1991-09-01

A hetero-association neural network using an interpattern association algorithm is presented. By using simple logical rules, hetero-association memory can be constructed based on the association between the input-output reference patterns. For optical implementation, a compact size liquid crystal television neural network is used. Translations between the English letters and the Chinese characters as well as Arabic and Chinese numerics are demonstrated. The authors have shown that the hetero-association model can perform more effectively in comparison to the Hopfield model in retrieving large numbers of similar patterns.

RFC: Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Quality, Objectivity, Utility, and Integrity of Information Disseminated by Federal Agencies

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Submitted by The National Multi Housing Council (NMHC), the National Apartment Association (NAA), the Builders Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the National Leased Housing Association (NLHA), the Real Estate Roundtable (RER), and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (U.S. Chamber)

Appeal RFC: Guidelines for Ensuring and Maximizing the Quality, Objectivity, Utility, and Integrity of Information Disseminated by Federal Agencies

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Submitted by The National Multi Housing Council (NMHC), the National Apartment Association (NAA), the Builders Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (NAREIT), the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the National Leased Housing Association (NLHA), the Real Estate Roundtable (RER), and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (U.S. Chamber)

An actor-partner interdependence analysis of associations between affect and parenting behavior among couples.

PubMed

Murdock, Kyle W; Lovejoy, M Christine; Oddi, Kate B

2014-03-01

Prior studies evaluating associations between parental affect and parenting behavior have typically focused on either mothers or fathers despite evidence suggesting that affect and parenting behavior may be interdependent among couples. This study addressed this gap in the literature by evaluating associations between self-reported affect and parenting behavior using an actor-partner interdependence analysis among a sample of 53 mother-father dyads of 3- to 5-year-old children. Results suggested that mothers' and fathers' negative affect, as well as mothers' and fathers' positive affect, were positively associated. Both mothers' and fathers' negative affect were negatively associated with fathers' positive affect. Mothers' and fathers' harsh/negative parenting behavior, and supportive/engaged parenting behavior, were positively associated. Furthermore, mothers' negative affect was positively associated with mothers' and fathers' harsh/negative parenting behavior while mothers' positive affect was negatively associated with mothers' harsh/negative behavior and positively associated with mothers' supportive/engaged behavior. Fathers' negative affect was positively associated with fathers' supportive/engaged parenting behavior, while fathers' positive affect was positively associated with mothers' and fathers' supportive/engaged behavior. Results highlight the importance of conceptualizing and measuring characteristics of both mothers and fathers, if applicable, when researching the dynamics of interpersonal relationships within families. © 2014 FPI, Inc.

XPAT: a toolkit to conduct cross-platform association studies with heterogeneous sequencing datasets.

PubMed

Yu, Yao; Hu, Hao; Bohlender, Ryan J; Hu, Fulan; Chen, Jiun-Sheng; Holt, Carson; Fowler, Jerry; Guthery, Stephen L; Scheet, Paul; Hildebrandt, Michelle A T; Yandell, Mark; Huff, Chad D

2018-04-06

High-throughput sequencing data are increasingly being made available to the research community for secondary analyses, providing new opportunities for large-scale association studies. However, heterogeneity in target capture and sequencing technologies often introduce strong technological stratification biases that overwhelm subtle signals of association in studies of complex traits. Here, we introduce the Cross-Platform Association Toolkit, XPAT, which provides a suite of tools designed to support and conduct large-scale association studies with heterogeneous sequencing datasets. XPAT includes tools to support cross-platform aware variant calling, quality control filtering, gene-based association testing and rare variant effect size estimation. To evaluate the performance of XPAT, we conducted case-control association studies for three diseases, including 783 breast cancer cases, 272 ovarian cancer cases, 205 Crohn disease cases and 3507 shared controls (including 1722 females) using sequencing data from multiple sources. XPAT greatly reduced Type I error inflation in the case-control analyses, while replicating many previously identified disease-gene associations. We also show that association tests conducted with XPAT using cross-platform data have comparable performance to tests using matched platform data. XPAT enables new association studies that combine existing sequencing datasets to identify genetic loci associated with common diseases and other complex traits.

The role of reduced working memory storage and processing resources in the associative memory deficit of older adults: simulation studies with younger adults.

PubMed

Hara, Yoko; Naveh-Benjamin, Moshe

2015-01-01

Previous research indicates that relative to younger adults, older adults show a larger decline in long-term memory (LTM) for associations than for the components that make up these associations. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether we can impair associative memory performance in young adults by reducing their working memory (WM) resources, hence providing potential clues regarding the underlying causes of the associative memory deficit in older adults. With two experiments, we investigated whether we can reduce younger adults' long-term associative memory using secondary tasks in which either storage or processing WM loads were manipulated, while participants learned name-face pairs and then remembered the names, the faces, and the name-face associations. Results show that reducing either the storage or the processing resources of WM produced performance patterns of an associative long-term memory deficit in young adults. Furthermore, younger adults' associative memory deficit was a function of their performance on a working memory span task. These results indicate that one potential reason older adults have an associative deficit is a reduction in their WM resources but further research is needed to assess the mechanisms involved in age-related associative memory deficits.

Association between psychopathology and substance use among school-going adolescents in Cape Town, South Africa.

PubMed

Saban, Amina; Flisher, Alan J; Distiller, Greg

2010-12-01

Limited information exists regarding the association between psychopathology and specific substance use in young people both globally and locally. We examined the association between psychopathology and substance use in high school students to determine the nature of the associations and the role of demographic factors in these associations. Grade 8 (N=480) and Grade 11 (N=459) students from 39 high schools in Cape Town, South Africa, completed a self-administered questionnaire. Psychopathology information was obtained from total scores on the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory and the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale. Lifetime prevalence rates were calculated for tobacco, alcohol, cannabis and inhalant use. Associations between psychopathology and substance use were determined using regression analyses and structural equation modeling. On adjusting for demographic characteristics, significant associations were found between PTSD and all substance use, between depression, alcohol, cannabis and inhalant use, and between anxiety and cannabis use. The associations of PTSD and depression with alcohol and cannabis use, and between anxiety and cannabis use, were moderated by grade. Although psychopathology and substance use were associated with each other, these associations occurred in accordance with substance and grade. Roles for gender, age and ethnicity emerged in the associations, but further investigation is recommended to examine these.

75 FR 20383 - Amended Certification Regarding Eligibility To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-19

... Personnel Services Corporation, CDI Corporation, Finesse Personnel Associates (W.C. Barlow & Associates... Services Corporation, CDI Corporation, Finesse Personnel Associates (W.C. Barlow & Associates), Hightower...

Williams Syndrome

MedlinePlus

... most significant medical problem associated with WS is cardiovascular disease caused by narrowed arteries. WS is also associated ... most significant medical problem associated with WS is cardiovascular disease caused by narrowed arteries. WS is also associated ...

Polymyositis: Diagnosis

MedlinePlus

... Association (MDA) is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. ©2018, Muscular Dystrophy Association Inc. All ... Association (MDA) is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. ©2018, Muscular Dystrophy Association Inc. All ...

Dermatomyositis: Diagnosis

MedlinePlus

... Association (MDA) is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. ©2018, Muscular Dystrophy Association Inc. All ... Association (MDA) is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. ©2018, Muscular Dystrophy Association Inc. All ...

Genetic variants associated with myocardial infarction risk factors in over 8000 individuals from five ethnic groups: The INTERHEART Genetics Study.

PubMed

Anand, Sonia S; Xie, Changchun; Paré, Guillaume; Montpetit, Alexandre; Rangarajan, Sumathy; McQueen, Matthew J; Cordell, Heather J; Keavney, Bernard; Yusuf, Salim; Hudson, Thomas J; Engert, James C

2009-02-01

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a leading cause of death globally, but specific genetic variants that influence MI and MI risk factors have not been assessed on a global basis. We included 8795 individuals of European, South Asian, Arab, Iranian, and Nepalese origin from the INTERHEART case-control study that genotyped 1536 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 103 genes. One hundred and two SNPs were nominally associated with MI, but the statistical significance did not remain after adjustment for multiple testing. A subset of 940 SNPs from 69 genes were tested against MI risk factors. One hundred and sixty-three SNPs were nominally associated with a MI risk factor and 13 remained significant after adjusting for multiple testing. Of these 13, 11 were associated with apolipoprotein (Apo) B/A1 levels: 8 SNPs from 3 genes were associated with Apo B, and 3 cholesteryl ester transfer protein SNPs were associated with Apo A1. Seven of 8 of the SNPs associated with Apo B levels were nominally associated with MI (P<0.05), whereas none of the 3 cholesteryl ester transfer protein SNPs were associated with MI (P> or =0.17). Of the 3 SNPs most significantly associated with MI, rs7412, which defines the Apo E2 isoform, was associated with both a lower Apo B/A1 ratio (P=1.0x10(-7)) and lower MI risk (P=0.0004). Two low-density lipoprotein receptor variants, 1 intronic (rs6511720) and 1 in the 3' untranslated region (rs1433099) were both associated with a lower Apo B/A1 ratio (P<1.0x10(-5)) and a lower risk of MI (P=0.004 and P=0.003, respectively). Thirteen common SNPs were associated with MI risk factors. Importantly, SNPs associated with Apo B levels were associated with MI, whereas SNPs associated with Apo A1 levels were not. The Apo E isoform, and 2 common low-density lipoprotein receptor variants (rs1433099 and rs6511720) influence MI risk in this multiethnic sample.

Drug-disease association and drug-repositioning predictions in complex diseases using causal inference-probabilistic matrix factorization.

PubMed

Yang, Jihong; Li, Zheng; Fan, Xiaohui; Cheng, Yiyu

2014-09-22

The high incidence of complex diseases has become a worldwide threat to human health. Multiple targets and pathways are perturbed during the pathological process of complex diseases. Systematic investigation of complex relationship between drugs and diseases is necessary for new association discovery and drug repurposing. For this purpose, three causal networks were constructed herein for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and neoplasms, respectively. A causal inference-probabilistic matrix factorization (CI-PMF) approach was proposed to predict and classify drug-disease associations, and further used for drug-repositioning predictions. First, multilevel systematic relations between drugs and diseases were integrated from heterogeneous databases to construct causal networks connecting drug-target-pathway-gene-disease. Then, the association scores between drugs and diseases were assessed by evaluating a drug's effects on multiple targets and pathways. Furthermore, PMF models were learned based on known interactions, and associations were then classified into three types by trained models. Finally, therapeutic associations were predicted based upon the ranking of association scores and predicted association types. In terms of drug-disease association prediction, modified causal inference included in CI-PMF outperformed existing causal inference with a higher AUC (area under receiver operating characteristic curve) score and greater precision. Moreover, CI-PMF performed better than single modified causal inference in predicting therapeutic drug-disease associations. In the top 30% of predicted associations, 58.6% (136/232), 50.8% (31/61), and 39.8% (140/352) hit known therapeutic associations, while precisions obtained by the latter were only 10.2% (231/2264), 8.8% (36/411), and 9.7% (189/1948). Clinical verifications were further conducted for the top 100 newly predicted therapeutic associations. As a result, 21, 12, and 32 associations have been studied and many treatment effects of drugs on diseases were investigated for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, and neoplasms, respectively. Related chains in causal networks were extracted for these 65 clinical-verified associations, and we further illustrated the therapeutic role of etodolac in breast cancer by inferred chains. Overall, CI-PMF is a useful approach for associating drugs with complex diseases and provides potential values for drug repositioning.

The Influence of Forward and Backward Associative Strength on False Recognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arndt, Jason

2012-01-01

In an experiment, I examined the influence of 2 associative factors on false memory in the Deese-Roediger-McDermott paradigm (Deese, 1959; Roediger & McDermott, 1995): the strength of the association from studied items to unstudied lure items (backward associative strength, or BAS) and the strength of the association from unstudied lure items…

Perirhinal Cortex Is Necessary for Acquiring, but Not for Retrieving Object-Place Paired Association

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jo, Yong Sang; Lee, Inah

2010-01-01

Remembering events frequently involves associating objects and their associated locations in space, and it has been implicated that the areas associated with the hippocampus are important in this function. The current study examined the role of the perirhinal cortex in retrieving familiar object-place paired associates, as well as in acquiring…

Electrophysiological Activity Generated during the Implicit Association Test: A Study Using Event-Related Potentials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Toole, Catriona; Barnes-Holmes, Dermot

2009-01-01

The Implicit Association Test (IAT) examines the differential association of 2 target concepts with 2 attribute concepts. Responding is predicted to be faster on consistent trials, when concepts that are associated in memory share a response key, than on inconsistent trials, when less associated items share a key. In the current study,…

Gene-assisted selection: applications of association genetics for forest tree breeding

Treesearch

Philip L. Wilcox; Craig E. Echt; Rowland D. Burdon

2007-01-01

This chapter describes application of association genetics in forest tree species for the purposes of selection. We use the term gene-assisted selection (GAS) to denote application of marker-trait associations determined via association genetics, which we anticipate will be based on poly morph isms associated with expressed genes. The salient features of forest trees...

Bar Association Database Continues To Grow. Technical Assistance Bulletin No. 10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koprowski-Moisant, Jane

As part of the American Bar Association's Special Committee on Youth Education for Citizenship's efforts to assist in the establishment and maintenance of law related education (LRE) projects in every state and local bar association, surveys were mailed to the associations. The results of the survey showed that 49 state bar associations and 133…

CADDIS Volume 2. Sources, Stressors and Responses: Urbanization - Hydrology

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

hydrologic (or flow) changes associated with urbanization, baseflow changes associated with urbanization, water withdrawals and interbasin transfers associated with urbanization, biotic responses to hydrologic (or flow) changes associated with urbanization

Signs and Symptoms

MedlinePlus

... Association (MDA) is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. ©2018, Muscular Dystrophy Association Inc. All ... Association (MDA) is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. ©2018, Muscular Dystrophy Association Inc. All ...

Genomic features of bacterial adaptation to plants

DOE PAGES

Levy, Asaf; Salas Gonzalez, Isai; Mittelviefhaus, Maximilian; ...

2017-12-18

Plants intimately associate with diverse bacteria. Plant-associated bacteria have ostensibly evolved genes that enable them to adapt to plant environments. However, the identities of such genes are mostly unknown, and their functions are poorly characterized. In this study, we sequenced 484 genomes of bacterial isolates from roots of Brassicaceae, poplar, and maize. We then compared 3,837 bacterial genomes to identify thousands of plant-associated gene clusters. Genomes of plant-associated bacteria encode more carbohydrate metabolism functions and fewer mobile elements than related non-plant-associated genomes do. We experimentally validated candidates from two sets of plant-associated genes: one involved in plant colonization, and themore » other serving in microbe–microbe competition between plant-associated bacteria. We also identified 64 plant-associated protein domains that potentially mimic plant domains; some are shared with plant-associated fungi and oomycetes. In conclusion, this work expands the genome-based understanding of plant–microbe interactions and provides potential leads for efficient and sustainable agriculture through microbiome engineering.« less

Age-Related Differences in Recognition Memory for Items and Associations: Contribution of Individual Differences in Working Memory and Metamemory

PubMed Central

Bender, Andrew R.; Raz, Naftali

2012-01-01

Ability to form new associations between unrelated items is particularly sensitive to aging, but the reasons for such differential vulnerability are unclear. In this study, we examined the role of objective and subjective factors (working memory and beliefs about memory strategies) on differential relations of age with recognition of items and associations. Healthy adults (N = 100, age 21 to 79) studied word pairs, completed item and association recognition tests, and rated the effectiveness of shallow (e.g., repetition) and deep (e.g., imagery or sentence generation) encoding strategies. Advanced age was associated with reduced working memory (WM) capacity and poorer associative recognition. In addition, reduced WM capacity, beliefs in the utility of ineffective encoding strategies, and lack of endorsement of effective ones were independently associated with impaired associative memory. Thus, maladaptive beliefs about memory in conjunction with reduced cognitive resources account in part for differences in associative memory commonly attributed to aging. PMID:22251381

Association between work role stressors and sleep quality.

PubMed

Iwasaki, S; Deguchi, Y; Inoue, K

2018-05-17

Work-related stressors are associated with low sleep quality. However, few studies have reported an association between role stressors and sleep quality. To elucidate the association between role stressors (including role conflict and ambiguity) and sleep quality. Cross-sectional study of daytime workers whose sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Work-related stressors, including role stressors, were assessed using the Generic Job Stress Questionnaire (GJSQ). The association between sleep quality and work-related stressors was investigated by logistic regression analysis. A total of 243 participants completed questionnaires were received (response rate 71%); 86 participants reported poor sleep quality, based on a global PSQI score ≥6. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that higher role ambiguity was associated with global PSQI scores ≥6, and that role conflict was significantly associated with sleep problems, including sleep disturbance and daytime dysfunction. These results suggest that high role stress is associated with low sleep quality, and that this association should be considered an important determinant of the health of workers.

Neither bridging nor bonding: A test of socialization effects by ethnically diverse voluntary associations on participants' inter-ethnic tolerance, inter-ethnic trust and intra-ethnic belonging.

PubMed

van der Meer, Tom

2016-01-01

The distinction between bridging and bonding associations is a cornerstone of social capital research. Nevertheless, this study is the first to provide a direct test of the socialization mechanism that supposedly causes ethnically mixed (bridging) associations to generate interethnic tolerance and trust, and homogenous (bonding) associations to cement self-affirming identities. This multilevel analysis of the Citizenship, Involvement & Democracy (CID) 1999/2000 survey data on Mannheim (Germany), Enschede (the Netherlands), and Aberdeen (Scotland) covers 3166 active participants in 645 associations. The CID includes objective, exogenous measures of each association's composition and aim. Socialization and self-selection effects are pulled apart through interactions with detailed measures of associational involvement. The results display no evidence for (diverse and homogenous) associations as socializing agents. Although inter-ethnic tolerance is higher in ethnically diverse associations, this should be attributed to self-selection effects. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implicit associative learning in synesthetes and nonsynesthetes

PubMed Central

Bankieris, Kaitlyn R.; Aslin, Richard N.

2016-01-01

Although cross-modal neural connections and genetic underpinnings are prominent in most current theories regarding the development of synesthesia, the potential role of associative learning in the formation of synesthetic associations has recently been revitalized. In this study, we investigated implicit associative learning in synesthetes and nonsynesthetes by recording reaction times to a target whose color was probabilistically correlated with its shape. A continuous measure of target detection at multiple time points during learning revealed that synesthetes and nonsynesthetes learn associations differently. Specifically, our results demonstrate a ‘fast facilitation’ learning effect for nonsynesthetes and ‘fast interference, slow facilitation’ learning effect for synesthetes. Additionally, synesthetes exhibited superior long-term memory for learned associations in a surprise-delayed retest. After this retest, participants implicitly learned new (shuffled) shape-color associations. We found that synesthetes experienced greater interference while learning these new shape-color associations. These results detail ways in which implicit associative learning and memory differ between synesthetes and nonsynesthetes. PMID:27612860

Genomic features of bacterial adaptation to plants

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

Levy, Asaf; Salas Gonzalez, Isai; Mittelviefhaus, Maximilian

Plants intimately associate with diverse bacteria. Plant-associated bacteria have ostensibly evolved genes that enable them to adapt to plant environments. However, the identities of such genes are mostly unknown, and their functions are poorly characterized. In this study, we sequenced 484 genomes of bacterial isolates from roots of Brassicaceae, poplar, and maize. We then compared 3,837 bacterial genomes to identify thousands of plant-associated gene clusters. Genomes of plant-associated bacteria encode more carbohydrate metabolism functions and fewer mobile elements than related non-plant-associated genomes do. We experimentally validated candidates from two sets of plant-associated genes: one involved in plant colonization, and themore » other serving in microbe–microbe competition between plant-associated bacteria. We also identified 64 plant-associated protein domains that potentially mimic plant domains; some are shared with plant-associated fungi and oomycetes. In conclusion, this work expands the genome-based understanding of plant–microbe interactions and provides potential leads for efficient and sustainable agriculture through microbiome engineering.« less

Infanticide risk and the evolution of male-female association in primates.

PubMed

van Schaik, C P; Kappeler, P M

1997-11-22

Year-round association between adult males and females is common in primates, even though internal gestation and lactation predispose males to mate-desertion in the majority of mammals. Because there is little a priori support for alternative explanations, we hypothesized that permanent male-female association in primates serves to reduce the risk of infanticide by strange males whenever females and infants are closely associated. For a phylogenetic test of this hypothesis, we reconstructed the evolution of male-female and female-infant association among primates. The results of Maddison's concentrated changes test confirmed the prediction that mother-infant association, as opposed to infant parking, and female-male association did not evolve independently. Changes in litter size and activity, in contrast, were not significantly associated with evolutionary changes in male-female association. Thus, we demonstrate a fundamental link between primate life history and social behaviour, explain the most basic type of variation in primate social organization, and propose an additional determinant of social organization that may also operate in other mammals.

Infanticide risk and the evolution of male-female association in primates.

PubMed Central

van Schaik, C P; Kappeler, P M

1997-01-01

Year-round association between adult males and females is common in primates, even though internal gestation and lactation predispose males to mate-desertion in the majority of mammals. Because there is little a priori support for alternative explanations, we hypothesized that permanent male-female association in primates serves to reduce the risk of infanticide by strange males whenever females and infants are closely associated. For a phylogenetic test of this hypothesis, we reconstructed the evolution of male-female and female-infant association among primates. The results of Maddison's concentrated changes test confirmed the prediction that mother-infant association, as opposed to infant parking, and female-male association did not evolve independently. Changes in litter size and activity, in contrast, were not significantly associated with evolutionary changes in male-female association. Thus, we demonstrate a fundamental link between primate life history and social behaviour, explain the most basic type of variation in primate social organization, and propose an additional determinant of social organization that may also operate in other mammals. PMID:9404030

Effects on incidental memory of affective tone in associated past and future episodes: influence of emotional intelligence.

PubMed

Toyota, Hiroshi

2011-02-01

The present study examined the effects of emotion elicited by episodes (past events or expected future events) and the relationship between individual differences in emotional intelligence and memory. Participants' emotional intelligence was assessed on the Japanese version of Emotional Skills and Competence Questionnaire. They rated the pleasantness of episodes they associated with targets, and then performed unexpected free recall tests. When the targets were associated with episodes that were past events, all participants recalled more of the targets associated with pleasant and unpleasant episodes than those associated with neutral episodes. However, when the targets were associated with episodes expected to occur in the future, only participants with higher emotional intelligence scores recalled more of the targets associated with pleasant and unpleasant episodes. The participants with lower emotional intelligence scores recalled the three target types with similar accuracy. These results were interpreted as showing that emotional intelligence is associated with the processing of targets associated with future episodes as retrieval cues.

Connective tissue disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension

PubMed Central

Howard, Luke S.

2015-01-01

Although rare in its idiopathic form, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is not uncommon in association with various associated medical conditions, most notably connective tissue disease (CTD). In particular, it develops in approximately 10% of patients with systemic sclerosis and so these patients are increasingly screened to enable early detection. The response of patients with systemic sclerosis to PAH-specific therapy appears to be worse than in other forms of PAH. Survival in systemic sclerosis-associated PAH is inferior to that observed in idiopathic PAH. Potential reasons for this include differences in age, the nature of the underlying pulmonary vasculopathy and the ability of the right ventricle to cope with increased afterload between patients with systemic sclerosis-associated PAH and idiopathic PAH, while coexisting cardiac and pulmonary disease is common in systemic sclerosis-associated PAH. Other forms of connective tissue-associated PAH have been less well studied, however PAH associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has a better prognosis than systemic sclerosis-associated PAH and likely responds to immunosuppression. PMID:25705389

[Association between approach-avoidance commitment to romantic relationships, emotional experiences in romantic relationships, and personal mental health].

PubMed

Komura, Kentaro

2016-02-01

The present study examined the association between approach-avoidance commitment, emotional experiences in romantic relationships, and mental health. It was hypothesized that the association between avoidance commitment and emotional experiences was moderated by approach commitment. Two hundred and three undergraduates who were involved in romantic relationships participated in a questionnaire survey. Results revealed that approach commitment was associated with greater positive emotion and less negative emotion, and these emotional experiences were associated with higher mental health. On the other hand, the association between avoidance commitment and emotional experiences was moderated by approach commitment. That is, only when approach commitment was weak, avoidance commitment was associated with fewer positive emotions and greater negative emotions, and that these emotional experiences were associated with lower mental health. These results reveal that approach-avoidance commitment was associated with mental health via emotional experiences in romantic relationships, and verified Johnson's (1999) and Levinger's (1999) theoretical argument.

Technial Programme Committee

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2014-06-01

Chairpersons Dr Dinesh Sathyamoorthy, Science & Technology Research Institute for Defence (STRIDE), Ministry of Defence, Malaysia Associate Professor Sr Dr Abdul Rashid Mohamed Shariff, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia Dr Ahmad Fikri Abdullah, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia Dr Farrah Melissa Muharram, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia Members Professor Dr Li Jing, Beijing Normal University, China Professor Dr Iyyanki Muralikrishna, Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), India Professor Dr Alias Abdul Rahman, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Malaysia Professor Dr Ismat Mohamed El Hassan, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia Professor Dr George Miliaresis, Open University of Cyprus, Cyprus Professor Dr Christine Pohl, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Malaysia Professor Dr Mahender Kotha, Goa University, India Associate Professor Dr Paolo Gamba, University of Pavia, Italy Associate Professor Dr Behara Seshadri Daya Sagar, Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), India Associate Professor Sr Ranjit Singh, Infrastructure University Kuala Lumpur (IUKL), Malaysia Associate Professor Dr Abdul Nasir Matori, Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP), Malaysia Associate Dr Lucian Dragut, West University of Timişoara, Romania Associate Professor Dr Saied Pirasteh, Islamic Azad University, Iran Associate Professor Dr Peter Yuen, Cranfield University, United Kingdom Associate Professor Dr Lim Hwee San, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Malaysia Associate Professor Dr Wayan Suparta, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Malaysia Associate Professor Dr Tuong Thuy Vu, The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Malaysia Associate Professor Dr Maged Mahmoud Marghany, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Malaysia Associate Professor Dr Rami Al-Ruzouq, University of Sharjah, UAE Associate Professor Dr Biswajeet Pradhan, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia Associate Professor Dr Helmi Zulhaidi Mohd Shafri, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia Associate Professor Dr Benny Peter, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Malaysia Associate Professor Dr Norzailawati Mohd Nor, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Malaysia Dr Josée Lévesque, Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC), Canada Dr Ali Ariapour, Islamic Azad University, Iran Dr Zulkiflee Abd Latif, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia Dr Lim Tien Sze, Multimedia University (MMU), Malaysia Dr Ruzinoor Che Mat, Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Malaysia Dr Eran Sadek Said Md Sadek, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia Dr Siti Khairunniza Bejo, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Dr Ramin Nourqolipour, National Organization of Forest, Range and Watershed Manage Sr Mohktar Azizi Mohd Din, Universiti Malaya Col (Rt) Frederic Hernoust, Magelli Marzieh Mokarram, University of Isf Mohd Fadhil Abuhan, Royal Malaysian Police, Malaysia

Serum Folate, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin A, γ-Tocopherol, α-Tocopherol, and Carotenoids Do Not Modify Associations between Cadmium Exposure and Leukocyte Telomere Length in the General US Adult Population.

PubMed

Nomura, Sarah Jo; Robien, Kim; Zota, Ami R

2017-04-01

Background: Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is a biomarker of the aging process and is associated with the risk of chronic disease. Higher exposure to cadmium may be associated with shorter LTL, and adequate nutrient concentrations may be associated with longer LTL; however, the potential interaction between metals and nutrients on LTL has yet to be examined. Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether serum concentrations of vitamins and carotenoids were associated with LTL, and whether they modified the association between blood cadmium and LTL in the US NHANES (1999-2002). Methods: We evaluated cross-sectional associations between LTL and serum concentrations of vitamin A, γ-tocopherol, α-tocopherol, folate, and vitamin B-12 (1999-2002; n = 7458) and α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein + zeaxanthin, and lycopene (2001-2002; n = 4018) in a nationally representative sample of US adults (≥20 y of age) with the use of multivariable linear regression. We further investigated whether vitamin and carotenoid concentrations modified associations between blood cadmium and LTL with models stratified by serum nutrient concentrations and the inclusion of an interaction term. Results: Blood cadmium was inversely associated with LTL (percentage of LTL difference per 1 μg/L = -3.74; 95% CI: -5.35, -2.10). Serum vitamin A was positively associated (percentage of LTL difference per 1 μg/L = 4.01; 95% CI: 0.26, 7.90) and γ-tocopherol was inversely associated (percentage of LTL difference per 1 μg/dL = -2.49; 95% CI: -4.21, -0.73) with LTL. Serum folate ( P -trend = 0.06) and α-tocopherol ( P -trend = 0.10) were marginally positively associated with LTL, whereas vitamin B-12 ( P -trend = 0.78) was not associated with LTL. Serum carotenoids were generally positively associated with LTL. Serum vitamin and carotenoid concentrations did not modify blood cadmium and LTL associations ( P -interaction > 0.10). Conclusions: Results from this cross-sectional study suggest that exposure to cadmium and certain nutrients may be associated with LTL in US adults, but the serum concentrations of the vitamins and carotenoids evaluated did not modify cross-sectional associations between cadmium exposure and LTL. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Serum Folate, Vitamin B-12, Vitamin A, γ-Tocopherol, α-Tocopherol, and Carotenoids Do Not Modify Associations between Cadmium Exposure and Leukocyte Telomere Length in the General US Adult Population123

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background: Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is a biomarker of the aging process and is associated with the risk of chronic disease. Higher exposure to cadmium may be associated with shorter LTL, and adequate nutrient concentrations may be associated with longer LTL; however, the potential interaction between metals and nutrients on LTL has yet to be examined. Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether serum concentrations of vitamins and carotenoids were associated with LTL, and whether they modified the association between blood cadmium and LTL in the US NHANES (1999–2002). Methods: We evaluated cross-sectional associations between LTL and serum concentrations of vitamin A, γ-tocopherol, α-tocopherol, folate, and vitamin B-12 (1999–2002; n = 7458) and α-carotene, β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lutein + zeaxanthin, and lycopene (2001–2002; n = 4018) in a nationally representative sample of US adults (≥20 y of age) with the use of multivariable linear regression. We further investigated whether vitamin and carotenoid concentrations modified associations between blood cadmium and LTL with models stratified by serum nutrient concentrations and the inclusion of an interaction term. Results: Blood cadmium was inversely associated with LTL (percentage of LTL difference per 1 μg/L = −3.74; 95% CI: −5.35, −2.10). Serum vitamin A was positively associated (percentage of LTL difference per 1 μg/L = 4.01; 95% CI: 0.26, 7.90) and γ-tocopherol was inversely associated (percentage of LTL difference per 1 μg/dL = −2.49; 95% CI: −4.21, −0.73) with LTL. Serum folate (P-trend = 0.06) and α-tocopherol (P-trend = 0.10) were marginally positively associated with LTL, whereas vitamin B-12 (P-trend = 0.78) was not associated with LTL. Serum carotenoids were generally positively associated with LTL. Serum vitamin and carotenoid concentrations did not modify blood cadmium and LTL associations (P-interaction > 0.10). Conclusions: Results from this cross-sectional study suggest that exposure to cadmium and certain nutrients may be associated with LTL in US adults, but the serum concentrations of the vitamins and carotenoids evaluated did not modify cross-sectional associations between cadmium exposure and LTL. PMID:28275103

Catheter-associated UTI

MedlinePlus

... UTI; Health care-associated UTI; Catheter-associated bacteriuria; Hospital acquired-UTI Images Bladder catheterization, female Bladder catheterization, male References Calfee DP. Prevention and control of health care-associated infections. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman's Cecil ...

Inclusion-Body Myositis: Diagnosis

MedlinePlus

... Association (MDA) is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. ©2018, Muscular Dystrophy Association Inc. All ... Association (MDA) is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. ©2018, Muscular Dystrophy Association Inc. All ...

Learn About Neuromuscular Disease

MedlinePlus

... Association (MDA) is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. ©2018, Muscular Dystrophy Association Inc. All ... Association (MDA) is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. ©2018, Muscular Dystrophy Association Inc. All ...

Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy (LGMD)

MedlinePlus

... Association (MDA) is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. ©2018, Muscular Dystrophy Association Inc. All ... Association (MDA) is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. ©2018, Muscular Dystrophy Association Inc. All ...

Dermatomyositis: Signs and Symptoms

MedlinePlus

... Association (MDA) is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. ©2018, Muscular Dystrophy Association Inc. All ... Association (MDA) is a qualified 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. ©2018, Muscular Dystrophy Association Inc. All ...

Motivations for health and their associations with lifestyle, work style, health, vitality, and employee productivity.

PubMed

van Scheppingen, Arjella R; de Vroome, Ernest M M; ten Have, Kristin C J M; Zwetsloot, Gerard I J M; Bos, Ellen H; van Mechelen, Willem

2014-05-01

Investigate employees' underlying motivational regulatory styles toward healthy living and their associations with lifestyle, work style, health, vitality, and productivity. Regression analyses on cross-sectional data from Dutch employees (n = 629), obtained as baseline measurement before a workplace health promotion project. Controlled regulation was not associated with smoking and alcohol use, and negatively associated with physical activity, healthy dietary habits, relaxation, and a balanced work style. Autonomous regulation was positively associated with physical activity, healthy dietary habits, and relaxation, and negatively associated with smoking and alcohol use. Healthy lifestyle and work style were associated with perceived health and vitality, which in turn were associated with employees' productivity (absenteeism and presenteeism). Internalization of the value of health is important to promote a healthy lifestyle and work style among employees, and has meaningful business implications.

Associative memory for online learning in noisy environments using self-organizing incremental neural network.

PubMed

Sudo, Akihito; Sato, Akihiro; Hasegawa, Osamu

2009-06-01

Associative memory operating in a real environment must perform well in online incremental learning and be robust to noisy data because noisy associative patterns are presented sequentially in a real environment. We propose a novel associative memory that satisfies these requirements. Using the proposed method, new associative pairs that are presented sequentially can be learned accurately without forgetting previously learned patterns. The memory size of the proposed method increases adaptively with learning patterns. Therefore, it suffers neither redundancy nor insufficiency of memory size, even in an environment in which the maximum number of associative pairs to be presented is unknown before learning. Noisy inputs in real environments are classifiable into two types: noise-added original patterns and faultily presented random patterns. The proposed method deals with two types of noise. To our knowledge, no conventional associative memory addresses noise of both types. The proposed associative memory performs as a bidirectional one-to-many or many-to-one associative memory and deals not only with bipolar data, but also with real-valued data. Results demonstrate that the proposed method's features are important for application to an intelligent robot operating in a real environment. The originality of our work consists of two points: employing a growing self-organizing network for an associative memory, and discussing what features are necessary for an associative memory for an intelligent robot and proposing an associative memory that satisfies those requirements.

A polyurethane cuffed endotracheal tube is associated with decreased rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia.

PubMed

Miller, Melissa A; Arndt, Jennifer L; Konkle, Mark A; Chenoweth, Carol E; Iwashyna, Theodore J; Flaherty, Kevin R; Hyzy, Robert C

2011-06-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether the use of a polyurethane-cuffed endotracheal tube would result in a decrease in ventilator-associated pneumonia rate. We replaced conventional endotracheal tube with a polyurethane-cuff endotracheal tube (Microcuff, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Rosewell, Ga) in all adult mechanically ventilated patients throughout our large academic hospital from July 2007 to June 2008. We retrospectively compared the rates of ventilator-associated pneumonia before, during, and after the intervention year by interrupted time-series analysis. Ventilator-associated pneumonia rates decreased from 5.3 per 1000 ventilator days before the use of the polyurethane-cuffed endotracheal tube to 2.8 per 1000 ventilator days during the intervention year (P = .0138). During the first 3 months after return to conventional tubes, the rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia was 3.5/1000 ventilator days. Use of the polyurethane-cuffed endotracheal tube was associated with an incidence risk ratio of ventilator-associated pneumonia of 0.572 (95% confidence interval, 0.340-0.963). In statistical regression analysis controlling for other possible alterations in the hospital environment, as measured by rate of tracheostomy-ventilator-associated pneumonia, the incidence risk ratio of ventilator-associated pneumonia in patients intubated with polyurethane-cuffed endotracheal tube was 0.565 (P = .032; 95% confidence interval, 0.335-0.953). Use of a polyurethane-cuffed endotracheal tube was associated with a significant decrease in the rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia in our study. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Birthweight, early life body size and adult mammographic density: a review of epidemiologic studies.

PubMed

Yochum, Laura; Tamimi, Rulla M; Hankinson, Susan E

2014-10-01

To evaluate the association between birth weight and early life body size with adult mammographic density in the peer-reviewed literature. A comprehensive literature search was conducted through January, 2014. English language articles that assessed adult mammographic density (MD) in relation to early life body size (≤18 years old), or birthweight were included. Nine studies reported results for early life body size and %MD. Both exposure and outcome were assessed at different ages using multiple methods. In premenopausal women, findings were inconsistent; two studies reported significant, inverse associations, one reported a non-significant, inverse association, and two observed no association. Reasons for these inconsistencies were not obvious. In postmenopausal women, four of five studies supported an inverse association. Two of three studies that adjusted for menopausal status found significant, inverse associations. Birthweight and %MD was evaluated in nine studies. No association was seen in premenopausal women and two of three studies reported positive associations in postmenopausal women. Three of four studies that adjusted for menopausal status found no association. Early life body size and birthweight appear unrelated to %MD in premenopausal women while an inverse association in postmenopausal women is more likely. Although based on limited data, birthweight and %MD appear positively associated in postmenopausal women. Given the small number of studies, the multiple methods of data collection and analysis, other methodologic issues, and lack of consistency in results, additional research is needed to clarify this complex association and develop a better understanding of the underlying biologic mechanisms.

Emotional arousal impairs association-memory: Roles of amygdala and hippocampus.

PubMed

Madan, Christopher R; Fujiwara, Esther; Caplan, Jeremy B; Sommer, Tobias

2017-08-01

Emotional arousal is well-known to enhance memory for individual items or events, whereas it can impair association memory. The neural mechanism of this association memory impairment by emotion is not known: In response to emotionally arousing information, amygdala activity may interfere with hippocampal associative encoding (e.g., via prefrontal cortex). Alternatively, emotional information may be harder to unitize, resulting in reduced availability of extra-hippocampal medial temporal lobe support for emotional than neutral associations. To test these opposing hypotheses, we compared neural processes underlying successful and unsuccessful encoding of emotional and neutral associations. Participants intentionally studied pairs of neutral and negative pictures (Experiments 1-3). We found reduced association-memory for negative pictures in all experiments, accompanied by item-memory increases in Experiment 2. High-resolution fMRI (Experiment 3) indicated that reductions in associative encoding of emotional information are localizable to an area in ventral-lateral amygdala, driven by attentional/salience effects in the central amygdala. Hippocampal activity was similar during both pair types, but a left hippocampal cluster related to successful encoding was observed only for negative pairs. Extra-hippocampal associative memory processes (e.g., unitization) were more effective for neutral than emotional materials. Our findings suggest that reduced emotional association memory is accompanied by increases in activity and functional coupling within the amygdala. This did not disrupt hippocampal association-memory processes, which indeed were critical for successful emotional association memory formation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative genomics analysis of Lactobacillus species associated with weight gain or weight protection.

PubMed

Drissi, F; Merhej, V; Angelakis, E; El Kaoutari, A; Carrière, F; Henrissat, B; Raoult, D

2014-02-24

Some Lactobacillus species are associated with obesity and weight gain while others are associated with weight loss. Lactobacillus spp. and bifidobacteria represent a major bacterial population of the small intestine where lipids and simple carbohydrates are absorbed, particularly in the duodenum and jejunum. The objective of this study was to identify Lactobacillus spp. proteins involved in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism associated with weight modifications. We examined a total of 13 complete genomes belonging to seven different Lactobacillus spp. previously associated with weight gain or weight protection. We combined the data obtained from the Rapid Annotation using Subsystem Technology, Batch CD-Search and Gene Ontology to classify gene function in each genome. We observed major differences between the two groups of genomes. Weight gain-associated Lactobacillus spp. appear to lack enzymes involved in the catabolism of fructose, defense against oxidative stress and the synthesis of dextrin, L-rhamnose and acetate. Weight protection-associated Lactobacillus spp. encoded a significant gene amount of glucose permease. Regarding lipid metabolism, thiolases were only encoded in the genome of weight gain-associated Lactobacillus spp. In addition, we identified 18 different types of bacteriocins in the studied genomes, and weight gain-associated Lactobacillus spp. encoded more bacteriocins than weight protection-associated Lactobacillus spp. The results of this study revealed that weight protection-associated Lactobacillus spp. have developed defense mechanisms for enhanced glycolysis and defense against oxidative stress. Weight gain-associated Lactobacillus spp. possess a limited ability to breakdown fructose or glucose and might reduce ileal brake effects.

Genomic and Network Patterns of Schizophrenia Genetic Variation in Human Evolutionary Accelerated Regions

PubMed Central

Xu, Ke; Schadt, Eric E.; Pollard, Katherine S.; Roussos, Panos; Dudley, Joel T.

2015-01-01

The population persistence of schizophrenia despite associated reductions in fitness and fecundity suggests that the genetic basis of schizophrenia has a complex evolutionary history. A recent meta-analysis of schizophrenia genome-wide association studies offers novel opportunities for assessment of the evolutionary trajectories of schizophrenia-associated loci. In this study, we hypothesize that components of the genetic architecture of schizophrenia are attributable to human lineage-specific evolution. Our results suggest that schizophrenia-associated loci enrich in genes near previously identified human accelerated regions (HARs). Specifically, we find that genes near HARs conserved in nonhuman primates (pHARs) are enriched for schizophrenia-associated loci, and that pHAR-associated schizophrenia genes are under stronger selective pressure than other schizophrenia genes and other pHAR-associated genes. We further evaluate pHAR-associated schizophrenia genes in regulatory network contexts to investigate associated molecular functions and mechanisms. We find that pHAR-associated schizophrenia genes significantly enrich in a GABA-related coexpression module that was previously found to be differentially regulated in schizophrenia affected individuals versus healthy controls. In another two independent networks constructed from gene expression profiles from prefrontal cortex samples, we find that pHAR-associated schizophrenia genes are located in more central positions and their average path lengths to the other nodes are significantly shorter than those of other schizophrenia genes. Together, our results suggest that HARs are associated with potentially important functional roles in the genetic architecture of schizophrenia. PMID:25681384

A study assessing the association of glycated hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) associated variants with HbA1C, chronic kidney disease and diabetic retinopathy in populations of Asian ancestry.

PubMed

Chen, Peng; Ong, Rick Twee-Hee; Tay, Wan-Ting; Sim, Xueling; Ali, Mohammad; Xu, Haiyan; Suo, Chen; Liu, Jianjun; Chia, Kee-Seng; Vithana, Eranga; Young, Terri L; Aung, Tin; Lim, Wei-Yen; Khor, Chiea-Chuen; Cheng, Ching-Yu; Wong, Tien-Yin; Teo, Yik-Ying; Tai, E-Shyong

2013-01-01

Glycated hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) level is used as a diagnostic marker for diabetes mellitus and a predictor of diabetes associated complications. Genome-wide association studies have identified genetic variants associated with HbA1C level. Most of these studies have been conducted in populations of European ancestry. Here we report the findings from a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies of HbA1C levels in 6,682 non-diabetic subjects of Chinese, Malay and South Asian ancestries. We also sought to examine the associations between HbA1C associated SNPs and microvascular complications associated with diabetes mellitus, namely chronic kidney disease and retinopathy. A cluster of 6 SNPs on chromosome 17 showed an association with HbA1C which achieved genome-wide significance in the Malays but not in Chinese and Asian Indians. No other variants achieved genome-wide significance in the individual studies or in the meta-analysis. When we investigated the reproducibility of the findings that emerged from the European studies, six loci out of fifteen were found to be associated with HbA1C with effect sizes similar to those reported in the populations of European ancestry and P-value ≤ 0.05. No convincing associations with chronic kidney disease and retinopathy were identified in this study.

Factors associated with daily walking of dogs.

PubMed

Westgarth, Carri; Christian, Hayley E; Christley, Robert M

2015-05-19

Regular physical activity is beneficial to the health of both people and animals. The role of regular exercise undertaken together, such as dog walking, is a public health interest of mutual benefit. Exploration of barriers and incentives to regular dog walking by owners is now required so that effective interventions to promote it can be designed. This study explored a well-characterised cross-sectional dataset of 276 dogs and owners from Cheshire, UK, for evidence of factors associated with the dog being walked once or more per day. Factors independently associated with daily walking included: number of dogs owned (multiple (vs. single) dogs negatively associated); size (medium and possibly large dogs (vs. small) positively associated); and number of people in the household (more people negatively associated). Furthermore, a number of factors related to the dog-owner relationship and the dog's behaviour were associated with daily walking, including: having acquired the dog for a hobby (positively associated); dog lying on furniture (positively associated); dog lying on laps (negatively associated); growling at household members (negatively associated); and playing chase games with the dog (negatively associated). These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the strength and nature of the human-dog relationship incentivises dog walking, and that behavioural and demographic factors may affect dog walking via this mechanism. Future studies need to investigate how dog demographic and behavioural factors, plus owner behavioural factors and perceptions of the dog, influence the dog-human relationship in respect to the perceived support and motivation a dog can provide for walking.

A Study Assessing the Association of Glycated Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) Associated Variants with HbA1C, Chronic Kidney Disease and Diabetic Retinopathy in Populations of Asian Ancestry

PubMed Central

Chen, Peng; Ong, Rick Twee-Hee; Tay, Wan-Ting; Sim, Xueling; Ali, Mohammad; Xu, Haiyan; Suo, Chen; Liu, Jianjun; Chia, Kee-Seng; Vithana, Eranga; Young, Terri L.; Aung, Tin; Lim, Wei-Yen; Khor, Chiea-Chuen; Cheng, Ching-Yu; Wong, Tien-Yin; Teo, Yik-Ying; Tai, E-Shyong

2013-01-01

Glycated hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) level is used as a diagnostic marker for diabetes mellitus and a predictor of diabetes associated complications. Genome-wide association studies have identified genetic variants associated with HbA1C level. Most of these studies have been conducted in populations of European ancestry. Here we report the findings from a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies of HbA1C levels in 6,682 non-diabetic subjects of Chinese, Malay and South Asian ancestries. We also sought to examine the associations between HbA1C associated SNPs and microvascular complications associated with diabetes mellitus, namely chronic kidney disease and retinopathy. A cluster of 6 SNPs on chromosome 17 showed an association with HbA1C which achieved genome-wide significance in the Malays but not in Chinese and Asian Indians. No other variants achieved genome-wide significance in the individual studies or in the meta-analysis. When we investigated the reproducibility of the findings that emerged from the European studies, six loci out of fifteen were found to be associated with HbA1C with effect sizes similar to those reported in the populations of European ancestry and P-value ≤ 0.05. No convincing associations with chronic kidney disease and retinopathy were identified in this study. PMID:24244560

Health Care–Associated Native Valve Endocarditis in Patients with no History of Injection Drug Use: Current Importance of Non-Nosocomial Acquisition

PubMed Central

Benito, Natividad; Miró, José M.; de Lazzari, Elisa; Cabell, Christopher H; del Río, Ana; Altclas, Javier; Commerford, Patrick; Delahaye, Francois; Dragulescu, Stefan; Giamarellou, Helen; Habib, Gilbert; Kamarulzaman, Adeeba; Kumar, A. Sampath; Nacinovich, Francisco M.; Suter, Fredy; Tribouilloy, Christophe; Venugopal, K; Moreno, Asuncion; Fowler, Vance G.

2013-01-01

Background The clinical profile and outcome of nosocomial and non-nosocomial health care–associated native valve endocarditis are not well defined. Objective To describe the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of nosocomial and non-nosocomial health care–associated native valve endocarditis. Design Prospective observational study. Setting 61 hospitals in 28 countries. Patients Patients with definite native valve endocarditis and no history of injection drug use who were enrolled in the International Collaboration on Endocarditis–Prospective Cohort Study from June 2000 to August 2005. Measurements Characteristics of nosocomial and non-nosocomial health care–associated native valve endocarditis cases were described and compared with those cases acquired in the community. Results Health care–associated native valve endocarditis was present in 557 (34%) of 1622 patients with native valve endocarditis and no history of injection drug use (nosocomial native valve endocarditis 303 patients [54%]; non-nosocomial health care–associated native valve endocarditis 254 patients [46%]). Staphylococcus aureus was the most common cause of health care-associated native valve endocarditis (nosocomial native valve endocarditis, 47%; non-nosocomial health care–associated native valve endocarditis, 42%; p=0.3), with a notable proportion of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (nosocomial native valve endocarditis, 57%; non-nosocomial health care–associated native valve endocarditis, 41%; p=0.014). Patients with health care–associated native valve endocarditis had lower rates of cardiac surgery (41% health care–associated native valve endocarditis vs 51% community-acquired native valve endocarditis, p<0.001) and higher in-hospital mortality rates than patients with community-acquired native valve endocarditis (25% health care–associated native valve endocarditis vs. 13% community-acquired native valve endocarditis vs., p<0.001). Multivariable analysis confirmed a higher mortality associated with health care–associated native valve endocarditis (incidence risk ratio=1.20 (CI 95%, 1.03–1.61). Limitations This study involves tertiary hospitals with cardiac surgery programs. The results may not be generalized to patient populations receiving care in other types of facility. Conclusions More than one-third of all cases of native valve endocarditis in non-drug users involve contact with health care. S. aureus is the leading cause of health care–associated native valve endocarditis. Non-nosocomial health care–associated native valve endocarditis is common, especially in the US. Patients with health care-associated and community-acquired native valve endocarditis differ in their presentation, microbiology, and outcome. By contrast, patients with nosocomial and non-nosocomial healthcare-associated endocarditis are similar. PMID:19414837

Tracing technology in the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries.

PubMed

Guard, J Roger; Peay, Wayne J

2003-04-01

From the beginning of the association, technology and the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) have been intertwined. Technology was the focus of one of the first committees. Innovative applications of technology have been employed in the operations of the association. Early applications of mini-computers were used in preparing the Annual Statistics. The association's use of network communications was among the first in the country and later applications of the Web have enhanced association services. For its members, technology has transformed libraries. The association's support of the early development of Integrated Advanced Information Management Systems (IAIMS) and of its recent reconceptualization has contributed to the intellectual foundation for this revolution.

Do trust-based beliefs mediate the associations of frequency of private prayer with mental health? A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Pössel, Patrick; Winkeljohn Black, Stephanie; Bjerg, Annie C; Jeppsen, Benjamin D; Wooldridge, Don T

2014-06-01

Significant associations of private prayer with mental health have been found, while mechanisms underlying these associations are largely unknown. This cross-sectional online study (N = 325, age 35.74, SD 18.50, 77.5 % females) used path modeling to test if trust-based beliefs (whether, when, and how prayers are answered) mediated the associations of prayer frequency with the Anxiety, Confusion, and Depression Profile of Mood States-Short Form scales. The association of prayer and depression was fully mediated by trust-based beliefs; associations with anxiety and confusion were partially mediated. Further, the interaction of prayer frequency by stress was associated with anxiety.

From pilot's associate to satellite controller's associate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neyland, David L.; Lizza, Carl; Merkel, Philip A.

1992-01-01

Associate technology is an emerging engineering discipline wherein intelligent automation can significantly augment the performance of man-machine systems. An associate system is one that monitors operator activity and adapts its operational behavior accordingly. Associate technology is most effectively applied when mapped into management of the human-machine interface and display-control loop in typical manned systems. This paper addresses the potential for application of associate technology into the arena of intelligent command and control of satellite systems, from diagnosis of onboard and onground of satellite systems fault conditions, to execution of nominal satellite control functions. Rather than specifying a specific solution, this paper draws parallels between the Pilot's Associate concept and the domain of satellite control.

Sleep and Substance Use among US Adolescents, 1991-2014.

PubMed

Terry-McElrath, Yvonne M; Maslowsky, Julie; O'Malley, Patrick M; Schulenberg, John E; Johnston, Lloyd D

2016-01-01

To examine associations between sleep and alcohol, amphetamine, cigarette, marijuana, and non-heroin narcotic use among US middle and high school students, trends in associations over time, and the comparative impact of select covariates on association strength. Data from the 1991-2014 nationally representative Monitoring the Future study of 8(th)-, 10(th)-, and 12(th)-grade US students were used to estimate standardized correlations between the frequency of getting at least 7 hours of sleep (7+ sleep) and substance use frequency while simultaneously regressing both outcomes on key covariate domains. As 7+ sleep frequency increased, substance use frequency significantly decreased and vice versa. Overall, association strength was inversely associated with grade. Associations were generally modest, varied across substances, and weakened over the historical period examined for 8(th)- and 10(th)- graders. Associations showed little variance by sex and racial/ethnic subgroups. Controlling for deviance, psychosocial and general health covariates significantly attenuated association strength. Among US secondary students, 7+ sleep/substance use associations were largely explained by individual deviance, psychosocial, and general health characteristics. Awareness and exploitation of these shared associations may be useful in improving substance use prevention and/or treatment efforts.

School Start Time and Adolescent Sleep Patterns: Results From the US National Comorbidity Survey—Adolescent Supplement

PubMed Central

Paksarian, Diana; Rudolph, Kara E.

2015-01-01

Objectives. We estimated associations between school start time and adolescent weeknight bedtime, weeknight sleep duration, and weekend compensatory sleep and assessed whether associations differ by age, sex, or urbanicity. Methods. We used a subsample of a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey of 7308 students aged 13 to 18 years attending 245 schools to estimate associations of school start time, reported by school principals, with weeknight bedtime and sleep duration and weekend compensatory sleep, reported during adolescent face-to-face interviews. Results. Start time was positively associated with weeknight bedtime. Associations between start time and weeknight sleep duration were nonlinear and were strongest for start times of 8:00 am and earlier. Associations differed by sex and urbanicity, with the strongest association among boys in major metropolitan counties. Start time was negatively associated with sleep duration among boys in nonurban counties. Start time was not associated with weekend compensatory sleep. Conclusions. Positive overall associations between school start time and adolescent sleep duration at the national level support recent policy recommendations for delaying school start times. However, the impact of start time delays may differ by sex and urbanicity. PMID:25973803

Metabolic syndrome-associated osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Courties, Alice; Sellam, Jérémie; Berenbaum, Francis

2017-03-01

Interest in the metabolic syndrome-associated osteoarthritis phenotype is increasing. Here, we summarize recently published significant findings. Meta-analyses confirmed an association between type 2 diabetes and osteoarthritis and between cardiovascular diseases and osteoarthritis. Recent advances in the study of metabolic syndrome-associated osteoarthritis have focused on a better understanding of the role of metabolic diseases in inducing or aggravating joint damage. In-vivo models of obesity, diabetes, or dyslipidemia have helped to better decipher this association. They give emerging evidence that, beyond the role of common pathogenic mechanisms for metabolic diseases and osteoarthritis (i.e., low-grade inflammation and oxidative stress), metabolic diseases have a direct systemic effect on joints. In addition to the impact of weight, obesity-associated inflammation is associated with osteoarthritis severity and may modulate osteoarthritis progression in mouse models. As well, osteoarthritis synovium from type 2 diabetic patients shows insulin-resistant features, which may participate in joint catabolism. Finally, exciting data are emerging on the association of gut microbiota and circadian rhythm and metabolic syndrome-associated osteoarthritis. The systemic role of metabolic syndrome in osteoarthritis pathophysiology is now better understood, but new avenues of research are being pursued to better decipher the metabolic syndrome-associated osteoarthritis phenotype.

Acrocentric chromosome associations in man.

PubMed Central

Jacobs, P A; Mayer, M; Morton, N E

1976-01-01

Heterogeneity among chromosomes was found to be a highly significant source of variation for association proportions, while culture, slide, and observer were negligible sources of variation for association proportions although important for numbers of associations. The consequences of these results for tests of group differences are discussed. It seems evident that each pair of acrocentric chromosomes has its own characteristic probability of entering into association. This is presumably a combination of the probability for each individual member of the pair, a proposition easily tested utilizing acrocentric chromosomes carrying polymorphisms which allow each member of the pair to be individually recognized. A mathematical theory for pairwise satellite association was developed and shown to fit observations on banded chromosomes. While we found very significant heterogeneity among individuals in the frequency with which different chromosomes entered into associations, there was no significant evidence for preferential association between any particular chromosomes, either heterologous or homologous. This finding in our material of apparently random associations between different chromosomes is contrary to claims made by other investigators and should be tested on other material. No correlation was found between the phenotype of the chromosome, as judged by cytogenetic polymorphisms, and its probability of association. PMID:795295

The universal and automatic association between brightness and positivity.

PubMed

Specker, Eva; Leder, Helmut; Rosenberg, Raphael; Hegelmaier, Lisa Mira; Brinkmann, Hanna; Mikuni, Jan; Kawabata, Hideaki

2018-05-01

The present study investigates the hypothesis that brightness of colors is associated with positivity, postulating that this is an automatic and universal effect. The Implicit Association Test (IAT; Greenwald, McGhee, & Schwartz, 1998) was used in all studies. Study 1 used color patches varying on brightness, Study 2 used achromatic stimuli to eliminate the potential confounding effects of hue and saturation. Study 3 replicated Study 2 in a different cultural context (Japan vs. Austria), both studies also included a measure of explicit association. All studies confirmed the hypothesis that brightness is associated with positivity, at a significance level of p < .001 and Cohen's D varying from 0.90 to 3.99. Study 1-3 provided support for the notion that this is an automatic effect. Additionally, Study 2 and Study 3 showed that people also have an explicit association of brightness with positivity. However, as expected, our results also show that the implicit association was stronger than the explicit association. Study 3 shows clear support for the universality of our effects. In sum, our results support the idea that brightness is associated with positivity and that these associations are automatic and universal. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Prospective Associations Between Features of Borderline Personality Disorder, Emotion Dysregulation, and Aggression

PubMed Central

Scott, Lori N.; Stepp, Stephanie D.; Pilkonis, Paul A.

2014-01-01

Difficulties with emotion regulation and behavioral instability, including impulsive aggression, are seen as core dimensions underlying borderline personality disorder (BPD). Although both BPD and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) are associated with impulsivity and aggressive behavior, difficulties regulating emotions may be associated uniquely with BPD and may explain distinctive associations between BPD and aggression. This study was designed to examine the unique prospective associations between BPD symptoms at baseline, difficulties with emotion regulation and trait impulsivity, and psychological and physical aggression (both perpetration and victimization) over the course of a year after controlling for ASPD symptoms in a mixed clinical and community sample of adults (N = 150). Results of a multivariate path analysis demonstrated that associations between BPD symptoms at baseline and later psychological and physical aggression were fully mediated by difficulties with emotion regulation. Although BPD symptoms also predicted trait impulsivity, impulsivity did not predict aggression after controlling for emotion dysregulation. ASPD symptoms were directly associated with physical assault perpetration and victimization but were not associated with emotion dysregulation, impulsivity, or psychological aggression. These findings suggest that although both BPD and ASPD are associated with aggressive behaviors, associations between BPD symptoms and aggression are mediated uniquely by difficulties regulating emotions. PMID:24635753

Evaluating Reported Candidate Gene Associations with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

PubMed Central

Pau, Cindy; Saxena, Richa; Welt, Corrine Kolka

2013-01-01

Objective To replicate variants in candidate genes associated with PCOS in a population of European PCOS and control subjects. Design Case-control association analysis and meta-analysis. Setting Major academic hospital Patients Women of European ancestry with PCOS (n=525) and controls (n=472), aged 18 to 45 years. Intervention Variants previously associated with PCOS in candidate gene studies were genotyped (n=39). Metabolic, reproductive and anthropomorphic parameters were examined as a function of the candidate variants. All genetic association analyses were adjusted for age, BMI and ancestry and were reported after correction for multiple testing. Main Outcome Measure Association of candidate gene variants with PCOS. Results Three variants, rs3797179 (SRD5A1), rs12473543 (POMC), and rs1501299 (ADIPOQ), were nominally associated with PCOS. However, they did not remain significant after correction for multiple testing and none of the variants replicated in a sufficiently powered meta-analysis. Variants in the FBN3 gene (rs17202517 and rs73503752) were associated with smaller waist circumferences and variant rs727428 in the SHBG gene was associated with lower SHBG levels. Conclusion Previously identified variants in candidate genes do not appear to be associated with PCOS risk. PMID:23375202

Allusive thinking (remote associations) and auditory top-down inhibition skills differentially predict creativity and positive schizotypy.

PubMed

Rominger, Christian; Fink, Andreas; Weiss, Elisabeth M; Bosch, Jannis; Papousek, Ilona

2017-03-01

Positive schizotypy and creativity seem to be linked. However, the question still remains why they are related, and what may make the difference? As creative ideation is hypothesised as a dual process (association and inhibition), the propensity for remote associations might be a shared mechanism. However, positive schizotypy and creative thinking might be differentially linked to inhibition. Therefore, this study investigated a potentially overlapping feature of positive schizotypy and creativity (remote associations) as well as a potential dissociative factor (auditory inhibition). From a large screening sample, 46 participants covering a broad range of positive schizotypy were selected. Association proneness was assessed via two association tasks, auditory inhibition skill with the forced-left condition of the Dichotic Listening Test, and creative thinking by means of two creative ideation tests. Positive schizotypy and creative thinking were positively associated. Both traits were linked to lower rates of common associations. However, creative thinking was associated with higher and positive schizotypy with lower inhibitory control in the auditory domain. While creativity and positive schizotypy shared some variance (related to remote associations), profound inhibition skills may be vital for creative performance and may coincide with lower levels of positive schizotypy.

Value conditioning modulates visual working memory processes.

PubMed

Thomas, Paul M J; FitzGibbon, Lily; Raymond, Jane E

2016-01-01

Learning allows the value of motivationally salient events to become associated with stimuli that predict those events. Here, we asked whether value associations could facilitate visual working memory (WM), and whether such effects would be valence dependent. Our experiment was specifically designed to isolate value-based effects on WM from value-based effects on selective attention that might be expected to bias encoding. In a simple associative learning task, participants learned to associate the color of tinted faces with gaining or losing money or neither. Tinted faces then served as memoranda in a face identity WM task for which previously learned color associations were irrelevant and no monetary outcomes were forthcoming. Memory was best for faces with gain-associated tints, poorest for faces with loss-associated tints, and average for faces with no-outcome-associated tints. Value associated with 1 item in the WM array did not modulate memory for other items in the array. Eye movements when studying faces did not depend on the valence of previously learned color associations, arguing against value-based biases being due to differential encoding. This valence-sensitive value-conditioning effect on WM appears to result from modulation of WM maintenance processes. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

The association between childhood adversities and subsequent first onset of psychotic experiences: a cross-national analysis of 23 998 respondents from 17 countries.

PubMed

McGrath, J J; McLaughlin, K A; Saha, S; Aguilar-Gaxiola, S; Al-Hamzawi, A; Alonso, J; Bruffaerts, R; de Girolamo, G; de Jonge, P; Esan, O; Florescu, S; Gureje, O; Haro, J M; Hu, C; Karam, E G; Kovess-Masfety, V; Lee, S; Lepine, J P; Lim, C C W; Medina-Mora, M E; Mneimneh, Z; Pennell, B E; Piazza, M; Posada-Villa, J; Sampson, N; Viana, M C; Xavier, M; Bromet, E J; Kendler, K S; Kessler, R C

2017-05-01

Although there is robust evidence linking childhood adversities (CAs) and an increased risk for psychotic experiences (PEs), little is known about whether these associations vary across the life-course and whether mental disorders that emerge prior to PEs explain these associations. We assessed CAs, PEs and DSM-IV mental disorders in 23 998 adults in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys. Discrete-time survival analysis was used to investigate the associations between CAs and PEs, and the influence of mental disorders on these associations using multivariate logistic models. Exposure to CAs was common, and those who experienced any CAs had increased odds of later PEs [odds ratio (OR) 2.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.9-2.6]. CAs reflecting maladaptive family functioning (MFF), including abuse, neglect, and parent maladjustment, exhibited the strongest associations with PE onset in all life-course stages. Sexual abuse exhibited a strong association with PE onset during childhood (OR 8.5, 95% CI 3.6-20.2), whereas Other CA types were associated with PE onset in adolescence. Associations of other CAs with PEs disappeared in adolescence after adjustment for prior-onset mental disorders. The population attributable risk proportion (PARP) for PEs associated with all CAs was 31% (24% for MFF). Exposure to CAs is associated with PE onset throughout the life-course, although sexual abuse is most strongly associated with childhood-onset PEs. The presence of mental disorders prior to the onset of PEs does not fully explain these associations. The large PARPs suggest that preventing CAs could lead to a meaningful reduction in PEs in the population.

Suggestive evidence for association between L-type voltage-gated calcium channel (CACNA1C) gene haplotypes and bipolar disorder in Latinos: a family-based association study

PubMed Central

Gonzalez, Suzanne; Xu, Chun; Ramirez, Mercedes; Zavala, Juan; Armas, Regina; Contreras, Salvador A; Contreras, Javier; Dassori, Albana; Leach, Robin J; Flores, Deborah; Jerez, Alvaro; Raventós, Henriette; Ontiveros, Alfonso; Nicolini, Humberto; Escamilla, Michael

2013-01-01

Objectives Through recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS), several groups have reported significant association between variants in the alpha 1C subunit of the L-type voltage-gated calcium channel (CACNA1C) and bipolar disorder (BP) in European and European-American cohorts. We performed a family-based association study to determine whether CACNA1C is associated with BP in the Latino population. Methods This study consisted of 913 individuals from 215 Latino pedigrees recruited from the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica. The Illumina GoldenGate Genotyping Assay was used to genotype 58 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that spanned a 602.9 kb region encompassing the CACNA1C gene including two SNPs (rs7297582 and rs1006737) previously shown to associate with BP. Individual SNP and haplotype association analyses were performed using Family-Based Association Test (version 2.0.3) and Haploview (version 4.2) software. Results An eight-locus haplotype block that included these two markers showed significant association with BP (global marker permuted p = 0.0018) in the Latino population. For individual SNPs, this sample had insufficient power (10%) to detect associations with SNPs with minor effect (odds ratio = 1.15). Conclusions Although we were not able to replicate findings of association between individual CACNA1C SNPs rs7297582 and rs1006737 and BP, we were able to replicate the GWAS signal reported for CACNA1C through a haplotype analysis that encompassed these previously reported significant SNPs. These results provide additional evidence that CACNA1C is associated with BP and provides the first evidence that variations in this gene might play a role in the pathogenesis of this disorder in the Latino population. PMID:23437964

Emergence of sporadic non-clustered cases of hospital-associated listeriosis among immunocompromised adults in southern Taiwan from 1992 to 2013: effect of precipitating immunosuppressive agents.

PubMed

Lee, Chun-Yuan; Tsai, Hung-Chin; Kunin, Calvin M; Lee, Susan Shin-Jung; Wu, Kuan-Sheng; Chen, Yao-Shen

2014-03-19

Sporadic non-clustered hospital-associated listeriosis is an emerging infectious disease in immunocompromised hosts. The current study was designed to determine the impact of long-term and precipitating immunosuppressive agents and underlying diseases on triggering the expression of the disease, and to compare the clinical features and outcome of hospital-associated and community-associated listeriosis. We reviewed the medical records of all patients with Listeria monocytogenes isolated from sterile body sites at a large medical center in southern Taiwan during 1992-2013. Non-clustered cases were defined as those unrelated to any other in time or place. Multivariable regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with prognosis. Thirty-five non-clustered cases of listeriosis were identified. Twelve (34.2%) were hospital-associated, and 23 (65.7%) were community-associated. The 60-day mortality was significantly greater in hospital-associated than in community-associated cases (66.7% vs. 17.4%, p = 0.007). Significantly more hospital-associated than community-associated cases were treated with a precipitating immunosuppressive agent within 4 weeks prior to onset of listeriosis (91.7% vs. 4.3%, respectively p < 0.001). The median period from the start of precipitating immunosuppressive treatment to the onset of listeriosis-related symptoms was 12 days (range, 4-27 days) in 11 of the 12 hospital-associated cases. In the multivariable analysis, APACHE II score >21 (p = 0.04) and receipt of precipitating immunosuppressive therapy (p = 0.02) were independent risk factors for 60-day mortality. Sporadic non-clustered hospital-associated listeriosis needs to be considered in the differential diagnosis of sepsis in immunocompromised patients, particularly in those treated with new or increased doses of immunosuppressive agents.

The associative memory deficit in aging is related to reduced selectivity of brain activity during encoding

PubMed Central

Saverino, Cristina; Fatima, Zainab; Sarraf, Saman; Oder, Anita; Strother, Stephen C.; Grady, Cheryl L.

2016-01-01

Human aging is characterized by reductions in the ability to remember associations between items, despite intact memory for single items. Older adults also show less selectivity in task-related brain activity, such that patterns of activation become less distinct across multiple experimental tasks. This reduced selectivity, or dedifferentiation, has been found for episodic memory, which is often reduced in older adults, but not for semantic memory, which is maintained with age. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate whether there is a specific reduction in selectivity of brain activity during associative encoding in older adults, but not during item encoding, and whether this reduction predicts associative memory performance. Healthy young and older adults were scanned while performing an incidental-encoding task for pictures of objects and houses under item or associative instructions. An old/new recognition test was administered outside the scanner. We used agnostic canonical variates analysis and split-half resampling to detect whole brain patterns of activation that predicted item vs. associative encoding for stimuli that were later correctly recognized. Older adults had poorer memory for associations than did younger adults, whereas item memory was comparable across groups. Associative encoding trials, but not item encoding trials, were predicted less successfully in older compared to young adults, indicating less distinct patterns of associative-related activity in the older group. Importantly, higher probability of predicting associative encoding trials was related to better associative memory after accounting for age and performance on a battery of neuropsychological tests. These results provide evidence that neural distinctiveness at encoding supports associative memory and that a specific reduction of selectivity in neural recruitment underlies age differences in associative memory. PMID:27082043

Do the socioeconomic and hypertension gradients in rural populations of low- and middle-income countries differ by geographical region? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Busingye, Doreen; Arabshahi, Simin; Subasinghe, Asvini K; Evans, Roger G; Riddell, Michaela A; Thrift, Amanda G

2014-10-01

Of the 1 billion people with hypertension globally, two-thirds reside in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The risk of hypertension in LMICs is thought to be positively associated with socioeconomic status (SES). However, recent studies have provided data inconsistent with this concept. Thus, we assessed the association between SES and hypertension in rural populations of LMICs. Further, we explored whether this association differs according to geographical region. Through a search of databases we identified population-based studies that presented risk estimates for the association between SES, or any of its proxies, and hypertension. Meta-analyses were conducted using a random effects model. Overall, no association was detected between educational status and hypertension, whereas a positive association was observed with income. Interestingly, educational status was inversely associated with hypertension in East Asia {effect size [ES] 0.82 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.78, 0.87]} but positively associated in South Asia [ES 1.28 (95% CI 1.14, 1.43)]. Higher income, household assets or social class were positively associated with hypertension in South Asia whereas no association was detected in East Asia and Africa. Compared with other occupations, farmers or manual labourers were associated with a lower risk for hypertension. Further, in regions such as Latin America, few studies were identified that fulfilled our inclusion criteria. We provide evidence that the association between hypertension and SES in rural populations of LMICs in Asia varies according to geographical region. This has important implications for targeting intervention strategies aimed at high-risk populations in different geographical regions. © The Author 2014; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

Associations of serum LDL particle concentration with carotid intima-media thickness and coronary artery calcification.

PubMed

Zaid, Maryam; Miura, Katsuyuki; Fujiyoshi, Akira; Abbott, Robert D; Hisamatsu, Takashi; Kadota, Aya; Arima, Hisatomi; Kadowaki, Sayaka; Torii, Sayuki; Miyagawa, Naoko; Suzuki, Sentaro; Takashima, Naoyuki; Ohkubo, Takayoshi; Sekikawa, Akira; Maegawa, Hiroshi; Horie, Minoru; Nakamura, Yasuyuki; Okamura, Tomonori; Ueshima, Hirotsugu

2016-01-01

Low-density lipoprotein particle (LDL-P) has recently been found to be a stronger predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C). Whether LDL-P is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis, independent of LDL-C, as well as other lipid measures has not been fully examined. We aimed to analyze LDL-P associations with measures of subclinical atherosclerosis. We examined 870 Japanese men randomly selected from Kusatsu City, Shiga, Japan, aged 40-79 years from 2006-2008, free of clinical CVD and not using lipid-lowering medication. Cross-sectional associations of lipid measures with carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and coronary artery calcification (CAC; >0 Agatston score) were examined. LDL-P was significantly positively associated with cIMT and maintained this association after adjustments for LDL-C and other lipid measures. Although these lipid measures were positively associated with cIMT, model adjustment for LDL-P removed any significant relationships. Higher LDL-P was associated with a significantly higher odds ratio of CAC and further adjustment for LDL-C did not affect this relationship. In contrast, the LDL-C association with CAC was no longer significant after adjustment for LDL-P. Other lipid measures attenuated associations of LDL-P with CAC. Likewise, associations of these measures with CAC were attenuated when model adjustments for LDL-P were made. In a community-based sample of Japanese men, free of clinical CVD, LDL-P was a robust marker for subclinical atherosclerosis, independent of LDL-C and other lipid measures. Associations of LDL-C and other lipid measures with either cIMT or CAC were generally not independent of LDL-P. Copyright © 2016 National Lipid Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mother, Infant, and Household Factors Associated with the Type of Food Infants Receive in Developing Countries

PubMed Central

Yarnoff, Benjamin; Allaire, Benjamin; Detzel, Patrick

2014-01-01

Objectives: We explore the complex factors associated with infant feeding by analyzing what mother, infant, and household factors are associated with the types of food given to infants. We seek to quantify associations in order to inform public health policy about the importance of target populations for infant feeding programs. Methods: We used data from the Demographic Health Survey in 20 developing countries for multiple years to examine mother, infant, and household factors associated with six types of food given to infants (exclusive breastfeeding, non-exclusive breastfeeding, infant formula, milk liquids, non-milk liquids, and solid foods). We performed a seemingly unrelated regressions analysis with community-year fixed effects to account for correlation between food types and control for confounding factors associated with community resources, culture, time period, and geography in the pooled analysis. Results: We found that several mother, infant, and household characteristics were associated with each of the feeding types. Most notably, mother’s education, working status, and weight are significantly associated with the type of food given to infants. We provide quantified estimates of the association of each of these variables with six types of food given to infants. Conclusion: By identifying maternal characteristics associated with infant feeding and quantifying those associations, we help public health policymakers generate priorities for targeting infant feeding programs to specific populations that are at greatest risk. Higher educated, working mothers are best to target with exclusive breastfeeding programs for young infants. Mothers with lower education are best to target with complementary feeding programs in infants older than 1 year. Finally, while maternal weight is associated with higher levels of exclusive breastfeeding the association is too weak to merit targeting of breastfeeding programs to low-weight mothers. PMID:24616887

Social relationships, inflammation markers, and breast cancer incidence in the Women's Health Initiative.

PubMed

Busch, Evan L; Whitsel, Eric A; Kroenke, Candyce H; Yang, Yang C

2018-06-01

Previous research has reported associations between social relationships and carcinogenesis. Inflammation is a potential mediator of these associations. To clarify these links for one tumor site, we examined associations between social relationships, circulating inflammation markers, and breast cancer incidence. Among 132,262 participants from the prospective Women's Health Initiative, we used linear and logistic regression to evaluate associations between social relationship characteristics (social support, social strain, social network size) and inflammation markers of C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell count (WBC). Cox regression was used to evaluate associations between inflammation markers and breast cancer incidence, as well as associations between social relationship characteristics and breast cancer incidence with and without adjustment for inflammation markers. Larger social networks were associated with lower continuous CRP (beta = -0.22, 95% CI -0.36, -0.08) and WBC (beta = -0.23, 95% CI -0.31, -0.16). Greater social strain was associated with higher continuous CRP (beta = 0.24, 95% CI 0.14, 0.33) and WBC (beta = 0.09, 95% CI 0.04, 0.14). When WBC was dichotomized at 10,000 cells/uL, high WBC was associated with greater hazards of in situ breast cancer (HR = 1.65, 95% CI 1.17, 2.33) but not invasive breast cancer. Social relationship characteristics were not associated with incidence of invasive or in situ breast cancer. Larger social networks were associated with lower inflammation and greater social strain was associated with higher inflammation. Higher inflammation might be associated with development of in situ breast cancer, but this appeared to be due to factors other than social relationships. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with biological aging.

PubMed

Ward-Caviness, Cavin K; Nwanaji-Enwerem, Jamaji C; Wolf, Kathrin; Wahl, Simone; Colicino, Elena; Trevisi, Letizia; Kloog, Itai; Just, Allan C; Vokonas, Pantel; Cyrys, Josef; Gieger, Christian; Schwartz, Joel; Baccarelli, Andrea A; Schneider, Alexandra; Peters, Annette

2016-11-15

Long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with age-related diseases. We explored the association between accelerated biological aging and air pollution, a potential mechanism linking air pollution and health. We estimated long-term exposure to PM10, PM2.5, PM2.5 absorbance/black carbon (BC), and NOx via land-use regression models in individuals from the KORA F4 cohort. Accelerated biological aging was assessed using telomere length (TeloAA) and three epigenetic measures: DNA methylation age acceleration (DNAmAA), extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (correlated with immune cell counts, EEAA), and intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (independent of immune cell counts, IEAA). We also investigated sex-specific associations between air pollution and biological aging, given the published association between sex and aging measures. In KORA an interquartile range (0.97 µg/m3) increase in PM2.5 was associated with a 0.33 y increase in EEAA (CI = 0.01, 0.64; P = 0.04). BC and NOx (indicators or traffic exposure) were associated with DNAmAA and IEAA in women, while TeloAA was inversely associated with BC in men. We replicated this inverse BC-TeloAA association in the Normative Aging Study, a male cohort based in the USA. A multiple phenotype analysis in KORA F4 combining all aging measures showed that BC and PM10 were broadly associated with biological aging in men. Thus, we conclude that long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with biological aging measures, potentially in a sex-specific manner. However, many of the associations were relatively weak and further replication of overall and sex-specific associations is warranted.

Asymptomatic radiographic hip osteoarthritis is associated with gait differences, especially in women: A population-based study.

PubMed

Verlinden, Vincentius J A; de Kruijf, Marjolein; Bierma-Zeinstra, Sita M A; Hofman, Albert; Uitterlinden, André G; Ikram, M Arfan; van Meurs, Joyce B J; van der Geest, Jos N

2017-05-01

Hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA) are debilitating diseases that impair gait at severe stages. Although associations between OA and gait are established for normal walking, little is known about its relation with turning and tandem (heel-to-toe) walking. Furthermore, it is unknown how asymptomatic OA associates with gait, and whether associations differ by sex. We investigated how symptomatic and asymptomatic hip and knee OA associate with gait in community-dwelling individuals. In 2706 participants of a population-based cohort study, gait was assessed by electronic walkway and summarised into seven gait domains. Hip and knee radiographs were graded for radiographic OA (ROA) using the Kellgren and Lawrence (K&L) score. Linear regression was used to investigate associations between ROA and gait. Analyses were repeated including only participants with asymptomatic ROA, defined as a K&L-score of 2 without pain. In total, 177 participants (6.5%) had hip ROA and 441 (16.3%) knee ROA. We found no associations of knee ROA with gait. Hip ROA associated with Rhythm, Tandem, and Turning. Furthermore, unilateral hip ROA associated with larger gait asymmetry and gait differences in osteoarthritic and non-osteoarthritic leg, when compared to people without hip ROA. Associations between hip ROA and gait were generally stronger for women than men. Associations for hip ROA remained after restricting to asymptomatic ROA. Hip ROA, but not knee ROA, associates with gait differences in normal walking, turning, and tandem walking in community-dwelling individuals. These associations differ between the sexes, and are already present for asymptomatic ROA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Systematic review: Factors associated with return to work in burnout.

PubMed

Kärkkäinen, R; Saaranen, T; Hiltunen, S; Ryynänen, O P; Räsänen, K

2017-08-01

Professional burnout predicts sick leave and even permanent withdrawal from the labour force. However, knowledge of the barriers to and facilitators of return to work (RTW) in such burnout is limited. To identify factors associated with RTW of burned-out individuals to inform occupational health care (OHC) RTW policy. A systematic search of peer-reviewed quantitative and mixed-method studies published from January 2005 to July 2016 in English and Finnish in ARTO, CINAHL (EBSCO), Medic, PsycINFO (ProQuest), PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases, followed by a manual search. We included studies that identify burnout with valid burnout measures and measure the degree of RTW or sick leave as outcomes. We excluded studies with heterogeneous samples without subgroup analyses of RTW in burnout cases. We included 10 studies (three experimental and seven observational) of the initial 1345 identified. The studies reported work-related factors; enhanced communication (positive association) and low control at work (negative association) and individual-related factors; male gender (positive association), covert coping (negative association), high over-commitment to work (positive association) and burnout-related factors; unimpaired sleep (positive association), duration of sick leave over 6 months (negative association) and part-time sick leave (positive association) associated with RTW in burnout. Associations between burnout rehabilitation and RTW, and the level of symptoms and cognitive impairment and RTW remained unclear. Few quantitative studies, of varied methodological quality, explore factors associated with RTW in burnout. Further research is needed to build an evidence base and develop guidelines for supportive OHC actions. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with biological aging

PubMed Central

Ward-Caviness, Cavin K.; Nwanaji-Enwerem, Jamaji C.; Wolf, Kathrin; Wahl, Simone; Colicino, Elena; Trevisi, Letizia; Kloog, Itai; Just, Allan C.; Vokonas, Pantel; Cyrys, Josef; Gieger, Christian; Schwartz, Joel; Baccarelli, Andrea A.; Schneider, Alexandra; Peters, Annette

2016-01-01

Long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with age-related diseases. We explored the association between accelerated biological aging and air pollution, a potential mechanism linking air pollution and health. We estimated long-term exposure to PM10, PM2.5, PM2.5 absorbance/black carbon (BC), and NOx via land-use regression models in individuals from the KORA F4 cohort. Accelerated biological aging was assessed using telomere length (TeloAA) and three epigenetic measures: DNA methylation age acceleration (DNAmAA), extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (correlated with immune cell counts, EEAA), and intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (independent of immune cell counts, IEAA). We also investigated sex-specific associations between air pollution and biological aging, given the published association between sex and aging measures. In KORA an interquartile range (0.97 μg/m3) increase in PM2.5 was associated with a 0.33 y increase in EEAA (CI = 0.01, 0.64; P = 0.04). BC and NOx (indicators or traffic exposure) were associated with DNAmAA and IEAA in women, while TeloAA was inversely associated with BC in men. We replicated this inverse BC-TeloAA association in the Normative Aging Study, a male cohort based in the USA. A multiple phenotype analysis in KORA F4 combining all aging measures showed that BC and PM10 were broadly associated with biological aging in men. Thus, we conclude that long-term exposure to air pollution is associated with biological aging measures, potentially in a sex-specific manner. However, many of the associations were relatively weak and further replication of overall and sex-specific associations is warranted. PMID:27793020

[Risk Factors for Healthcare Associated Sepsis in Very Low Birth Weight Infants].

PubMed

Pereira, Helena; Grilo, Ema; Cardoso, Patrícia; Noronha, Natália; Resende, Cristina

2016-04-01

Healthcare associated infections in very low birth weight infants are associated with significant morbidity and mortality and are also a cause of increased length of stay and hospital costs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the rate of healthcare-associated sepsis and associated risk factors in very low birth weight infants. Retrospective observational study including very low birth weight infants hospitalized in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit during ten years (2005-2014). We evaluated the association between several risk factors and healthcare-associated sepsis. 461 very low birth weight infants were admitted. There were 110 episodes of HS in 104 very low birth weight infants and 53 episodes of sepsis associated with central vascular catheter. The density of the sepsis was 7.5/1 000 days of hospitalization and the density of central vascular catheter - associated sepsis was 22.6/1 000 days of use. The infants with HS had lower average birth weight and gestational age (959 ± 228 g vs 1191 ± 249 g and 27.6 ± 2 vs 29.8 ± 2.2 weeks), p < 0.001. After adjusting for birth weight and gestational age we verified an association between healthcare-associated sepsis and antibiotic therapy in D1, the duration of parenteral nutrition and central vascular catheter. After logistic regression only the gestational age and duration of parenteral nutrition remained as independent significant risk factors for healthcare-associated sepsis. The independent factors for healthcare-associated sepsis are gestational age and duration of parenteral nutrition. For each extra week on gestational age the risk declined in 20% and for each day of NP the risk increased 22%.

The association between childhood adversities and subsequent first onset of psychotic experiences: a cross-national analysis of 23,998 respondents from 17 countries

PubMed Central

McGrath, J. J.; McLaughlin, K. A.; Saha, S.; Aguilar-Gaxiola, S.; Al-Hamzawi, A.; Alonso, J.; Bruffaerts, R.; de Girolamo, G.; de Jonge, P.; Esan, O.; Florescu, S.; Gureje, O.; Haro, J. M.; Hu, C.; Karam, E. G.; Kovess-Masfety, V.; Lee, S.; Lepine, J.; Lim, C. C. W.; Medina-Mora, M. E.; Mneimneh, Z.; Pennell, B.; Piazza, M.; Posada-Villa, J.; Sampson, N.; Viana, M. C.; Xavier, M.; Bromet, E. J.; Kendler, K. S.; Kessler, R. C.

2017-01-01

Background Although there is robust evidence linking childhood adversities (CAs) and an increased risk for psychotic experiences (PEs), little is known about whether these associations vary across the life-course and whether mental disorders that emerge prior to PEs explain these associations. Methods We assessed CAs, PEs and DSM-IV mental disorders in 23,998 adults in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys. Discrete-time survival analysis was used to investigate the associations between CAs and PEs, and the influence of mental disorders on these associations using multivariate logistic models. Results Exposure to CAs was common, and those who experienced any CAs had increased odds of later PEs (OR =2.3, 95%CI=1.9–2.6). CAs reflecting maladaptive family functioning (MFF), including abuse, neglect, and parent maladjustment, exhibited the strongest associations with PE onset in all life-course stages. Sexual abuse exhibited a strong association with PE onset during childhood (OR= 8.5, 95%CI=3.6–20.2), whereas other CA types were associated with PE onset in adolescence. Associations of Other CAs with PEs disappeared in adolescence after adjustment for prior-onset mental disorders. The population attributable risk proportion (PARP) for PEs associated with all CAs was 31% (24% for MFF). Conclusions Exposure to CAs is associated with PE onset throughout the life-course, although sexual abuse is most strongly associated with childhood onset PEs. The presence of mental disorders prior to the onset of PEs does not fully explain these associations. The large PARPs suggest that preventing CAs could lead to a meaningful reduction in PEs in the population. PMID:28065209

The relationship between color-object associations and color preference: further investigation of ecological valence theory.

PubMed

Taylor, Chloe; Franklin, Anna

2012-04-01

Ecological valence theory (EVT; Palmer & Schloss, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 107:8877-8882, 2010) proposes that color preferences are due to affective responses to color-associated objects: That is, people generally like colors to the degree that they like the objects associated with those colors. Palmer and Schloss found that the average valence of objects associated with a color, when weighted by how well the objects matched the color (weighted affective valence estimates: WAVE) explained 80% of the variation in preference across colors. Here, we replicated and extended Palmer and Schloss's investigation to establish whether color-object associations can account for sex differences in color preference and whether the relationship between associated objects and color preference is equally strong for males and females. We found some degree of sex specificity to the WAVEs, but the relationship between WAVE and color preference was significantly stronger for males than for females (74% shared variance for males, 45% for females). Furthermore, analyses identified a significant inverse relationship between the number of objects associated with a color and preference for the color. Participants generally liked colors associated with few objects and disliked colors associated with many objects. For the sample overall and for females alone, this association was not significantly weaker than the association of the WAVE and preference. The success of the WAVE at capturing color preference was partly due to the relationship between the number of associated objects and color preference. The findings identify constraints of EVT in its current form, but they also provide general support for the link between color preference and color-object associations.

Associations between incident ischemic stroke events and stroke and cardiovascular disease-related genome-wide association studies single nucleotide polymorphisms in the Population Architecture Using Genomics and Epidemiology study.

PubMed

Carty, Cara L; Buzková, Petra; Fornage, Myriam; Franceschini, Nora; Cole, Shelley; Heiss, Gerardo; Hindorff, Lucia A; Howard, Barbara V; Mann, Sue; Martin, Lisa W; Zhang, Ying; Matise, Tara C; Prentice, Ross; Reiner, Alexander P; Kooperberg, Charles

2012-04-01

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified loci associated with ischemic stroke (IS) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in European-descent individuals, but their replication in different populations has been largely unexplored. Nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) selected from GWAS and meta-analyses of stroke, and 86 SNPs previously associated with myocardial infarction and CVD risk factors, including blood lipids (high density lipoprotein [HDL], low density lipoprotein [LDL], and triglycerides), type 2 diabetes, and body mass index (BMI), were investigated for associations with incident IS in European Americans (EA) N=26 276, African-Americans (AA) N=8970, and American Indians (AI) N=3570 from the Population Architecture using Genomics and Epidemiology Study. Ancestry-specific fixed effects meta-analysis with inverse variance weighting was used to combine study-specific log hazard ratios from Cox proportional hazards models. Two of 9 stroke SNPs (rs783396 and rs1804689) were significantly associated with [corrected] IS hazard in AA; none were significant in this large EA cohort. Of 73 CVD risk factor SNPs tested in EA, 2 (HDL and triglycerides SNPs) were associated with IS. In AA, SNPs associated with LDL, HDL, and BMI were significantly associated with IS (3 of 86 SNPs tested). Out of 58 SNPs tested in AI, 1 LDL SNP was significantly associated with IS. Our analyses showing lack of replication in spite of reasonable power for many stroke SNPs and differing results by ancestry highlight the need to follow up on GWAS findings and conduct genetic association studies in diverse populations. We found modest IS associations with BMI and lipids SNPs, though these findings require confirmation.

Associations of lead and cadmium with sex hormones in adult males

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

Kresovich, Jacob K., E-mail: jkreso2@uic.edu; Argos, Maria; Turyk, Mary E.

Heavy metal exposures are ubiquitous in the environment and their relation to sex hormones is not well understood. This paper investigates the associations between selected heavy metals (lead and cadmium) and sex hormones (testosterone, free testosterone, estradiol, free estradiol) as well as other major molecules in the steroid biosynthesis pathway (androstanedione glucuronide and sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG)). Blood lead and cadmium were selected as biomarkers of exposure, and tested for associations in males using National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 1999–2004. After adjustment for age, race, body mass index, smoking status, diabetes and alcohol intake, blood leadmore » was positively associated with testosterone and SHBG while blood cadmium was positively associated with SHBG. After controlling for additional heavy metal exposure, the associations between lead and testosterone as well as cadmium and SHBG remained significant. Furthermore, the association between blood lead and testosterone was modified by smoking status (P for interaction=0.011), diabetes (P for interaction=0.021) and blood cadmium (P for interaction=0.029). The association between blood cadmium and SHBG levels was modified by blood lead (P for interaction=0.004). This study is the most comprehensive investigation to date regarding the association between heavy metals and sex hormones in males. - Highlights: • We used a nationally representative dataset (NHANES) and employed sample weighting. • We examined associations between lead and cadmium with sex-hormone levels. • Blood lead level was positively associated with serum testosterone and SHBG levels. • Blood cadmium level was positively associated with SHBG levels, modified by lead. • Diabetes, smoking and cadmium modified lead and testosterone association.« less

Homicide and Suicide During the Perinatal Period: Findings from the National Violent Death Reporting System

PubMed Central

Palladino, Christie Lancaster; Singh, Vijay; Campbell, Jacquelyn; Flynn, Heather; Gold, Katherine

2012-01-01

Objective Homicide and suicide are two important and potentially preventable causes of maternal injury. We analyzed data from the National Violent Death Reporting System to estimate the rates of pregnancy-associated homicide and suicide in a multi-state sample, to compare these rates with other causes of maternal mortality, and to describe victims’ demographic characteristics. Methods We analyzed data from female victims of reproductive age from 2003–2007. We identified pregnancy-associated violent deaths as deaths due to homicide or suicide during pregnancy or within the first year postpartum. We calculated the rates of pregnancy-associated homicide and suicide as the number of deaths per 100,000 live births in the sample population. We used descriptive statistics to report victims’ demographic characteristics and prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV). Results There were 94 counts of pregnancy-associated suicide and 139 counts of pregnancy-associated homicide, yielding pregnancy-associated suicide and homicide rates of 2.0 and 2.9 deaths/100,000 live births, respectively. Victims of pregnancy-associated suicide were significantly more likely to be older and of Caucasian or American Indian descent as compared to all live births in NVDRS states. Pregnancy-associated homicide victims were significantly more likely to be at the extremes of the age range and African American. 54.3% of pregnancy-associated suicides involved intimate partner conflict that appeared to contribute to the suicide. 45.3% of pregnancy-associated homicides were IPV-associated. Conclusions Our results indicate that pregnancy-associated homicide and suicide are important contributors to maternal mortality and confirm the need to evaluate the relationships between socio demographic disparities and IPV with pregnancy-associated violent death. PMID:22015873

Genetics Home Reference: PDGFRB-associated chronic eosinophilic leukemia

MedlinePlus

... associated chronic eosinophilic leukemia PDGFRB-associated chronic eosinophilic leukemia Printable PDF Open All Close All Enable Javascript ... expand/collapse boxes. Description PDGFRB -associated chronic eosinophilic leukemia is a type of cancer of blood-forming ...

Genetically Predicted Body Mass Index and Breast Cancer Risk: Mendelian Randomization Analyses of Data from 145,000 Women of European Descent.

PubMed

Guo, Yan; Warren Andersen, Shaneda; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Michailidou, Kyriaki; Bolla, Manjeet K; Wang, Qin; Garcia-Closas, Montserrat; Milne, Roger L; Schmidt, Marjanka K; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Dunning, Allison; Bojesen, Stig E; Ahsan, Habibul; Aittomäki, Kristiina; Andrulis, Irene L; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Arndt, Volker; Beckmann, Matthias W; Beeghly-Fadiel, Alicia; Benitez, Javier; Bogdanova, Natalia V; Bonanni, Bernardo; Børresen-Dale, Anne-Lise; Brand, Judith; Brauch, Hiltrud; Brenner, Hermann; Brüning, Thomas; Burwinkel, Barbara; Casey, Graham; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Couch, Fergus J; Cox, Angela; Cross, Simon S; Czene, Kamila; Devilee, Peter; Dörk, Thilo; Dumont, Martine; Fasching, Peter A; Figueroa, Jonine; Flesch-Janys, Dieter; Fletcher, Olivia; Flyger, Henrik; Fostira, Florentia; Gammon, Marilie; Giles, Graham G; Guénel, Pascal; Haiman, Christopher A; Hamann, Ute; Hooning, Maartje J; Hopper, John L; Jakubowska, Anna; Jasmine, Farzana; Jenkins, Mark; John, Esther M; Johnson, Nichola; Jones, Michael E; Kabisch, Maria; Kibriya, Muhammad; Knight, Julia A; Koppert, Linetta B; Kosma, Veli-Matti; Kristensen, Vessela; Le Marchand, Loic; Lee, Eunjung; Li, Jingmei; Lindblom, Annika; Luben, Robert; Lubinski, Jan; Malone, Kathi E; Mannermaa, Arto; Margolin, Sara; Marme, Frederik; McLean, Catriona; Meijers-Heijboer, Hanne; Meindl, Alfons; Neuhausen, Susan L; Nevanlinna, Heli; Neven, Patrick; Olson, Janet E; Perez, Jose I A; Perkins, Barbara; Peterlongo, Paolo; Phillips, Kelly-Anne; Pylkäs, Katri; Rudolph, Anja; Santella, Regina; Sawyer, Elinor J; Schmutzler, Rita K; Seynaeve, Caroline; Shah, Mitul; Shrubsole, Martha J; Southey, Melissa C; Swerdlow, Anthony J; Toland, Amanda E; Tomlinson, Ian; Torres, Diana; Truong, Thérèse; Ursin, Giske; Van Der Luijt, Rob B; Verhoef, Senno; Whittemore, Alice S; Winqvist, Robert; Zhao, Hui; Zhao, Shilin; Hall, Per; Simard, Jacques; Kraft, Peter; Pharoah, Paul; Hunter, David; Easton, Douglas F; Zheng, Wei

2016-08-01

Observational epidemiological studies have shown that high body mass index (BMI) is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women but an increased risk in postmenopausal women. It is unclear whether this association is mediated through shared genetic or environmental factors. We applied Mendelian randomization to evaluate the association between BMI and risk of breast cancer occurrence using data from two large breast cancer consortia. We created a weighted BMI genetic score comprising 84 BMI-associated genetic variants to predicted BMI. We evaluated genetically predicted BMI in association with breast cancer risk using individual-level data from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC) (cases  =  46,325, controls  =  42,482). We further evaluated the association between genetically predicted BMI and breast cancer risk using summary statistics from 16,003 cases and 41,335 controls from the Discovery, Biology, and Risk of Inherited Variants in Breast Cancer (DRIVE) Project. Because most studies measured BMI after cancer diagnosis, we could not conduct a parallel analysis to adequately evaluate the association of measured BMI with breast cancer risk prospectively. In the BCAC data, genetically predicted BMI was found to be inversely associated with breast cancer risk (odds ratio [OR]  =  0.65 per 5 kg/m2 increase, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.56-0.75, p = 3.32 × 10-10). The associations were similar for both premenopausal (OR   =   0.44, 95% CI:0.31-0.62, p  =  9.91 × 10-8) and postmenopausal breast cancer (OR  =  0.57, 95% CI: 0.46-0.71, p  =  1.88 × 10-8). This association was replicated in the data from the DRIVE consortium (OR  =  0.72, 95% CI: 0.60-0.84, p   =   1.64 × 10-7). Single marker analyses identified 17 of the 84 BMI-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in association with breast cancer risk at p < 0.05; for 16 of them, the allele associated with elevated BMI was associated with reduced breast cancer risk. BMI predicted by genome-wide association studies (GWAS)-identified variants is inversely associated with the risk of both pre- and postmenopausal breast cancer. The reduced risk of postmenopausal breast cancer associated with genetically predicted BMI observed in this study differs from the positive association reported from studies using measured adult BMI. Understanding the reasons for this discrepancy may reveal insights into the complex relationship of genetic determinants of body weight in the etiology of breast cancer.

Genetically Predicted Body Mass Index and Breast Cancer Risk: Mendelian Randomization Analyses of Data from 145,000 Women of European Descent

PubMed Central

Guo, Yan; Warren Andersen, Shaneda; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Michailidou, Kyriaki; Bolla, Manjeet K.; Wang, Qin; Garcia-Closas, Montserrat; Milne, Roger L.; Schmidt, Marjanka K.; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Dunning, Allison; Bojesen, Stig E.; Ahsan, Habibul; Aittomäki, Kristiina; Andrulis, Irene L.; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Beckmann, Matthias W.; Beeghly-Fadiel, Alicia; Benitez, Javier; Bogdanova, Natalia V.; Bonanni, Bernardo; Børresen-Dale, Anne-Lise; Brand, Judith; Brauch, Hiltrud; Brenner, Hermann; Brüning, Thomas; Burwinkel, Barbara; Casey, Graham; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Couch, Fergus J.; Cross, Simon S.; Czene, Kamila; Dörk, Thilo; Dumont, Martine; Fasching, Peter A.; Figueroa, Jonine; Flesch-Janys, Dieter; Fletcher, Olivia; Flyger, Henrik; Fostira, Florentia; Gammon, Marilie; Giles, Graham G.; Guénel, Pascal; Haiman, Christopher A.; Hamann, Ute; Hooning, Maartje J.; Hopper, John L.; Jakubowska, Anna; Jasmine, Farzana; Jenkins, Mark; John, Esther M.; Johnson, Nichola; Jones, Michael E.; Kabisch, Maria; Knight, Julia A.; Koppert, Linetta B.; Kosma, Veli-Matti; Kristensen, Vessela; Le Marchand, Loic; Lee, Eunjung; Li, Jingmei; Lindblom, Annika; Lubinski, Jan; Malone, Kathi E.; Mannermaa, Arto; Margolin, Sara; McLean, Catriona; Meindl, Alfons; Neuhausen, Susan L.; Nevanlinna, Heli; Neven, Patrick; Olson, Janet E.; Perez, Jose I. A.; Perkins, Barbara; Phillips, Kelly-Anne; Pylkäs, Katri; Rudolph, Anja; Santella, Regina; Sawyer, Elinor J.; Schmutzler, Rita K.; Seynaeve, Caroline; Shah, Mitul; Shrubsole, Martha J.; Southey, Melissa C.; Swerdlow, Anthony J.; Toland, Amanda E.; Tomlinson, Ian; Torres, Diana; Truong, Thérèse; Ursin, Giske; Van Der Luijt, Rob B.; Verhoef, Senno; Whittemore, Alice S.; Winqvist, Robert; Zhao, Hui; Zhao, Shilin; Hall, Per; Simard, Jacques; Kraft, Peter; Hunter, David; Easton, Douglas F.; Zheng, Wei

2016-01-01

Background Observational epidemiological studies have shown that high body mass index (BMI) is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women but an increased risk in postmenopausal women. It is unclear whether this association is mediated through shared genetic or environmental factors. Methods We applied Mendelian randomization to evaluate the association between BMI and risk of breast cancer occurrence using data from two large breast cancer consortia. We created a weighted BMI genetic score comprising 84 BMI-associated genetic variants to predicted BMI. We evaluated genetically predicted BMI in association with breast cancer risk using individual-level data from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC) (cases  =  46,325, controls  =  42,482). We further evaluated the association between genetically predicted BMI and breast cancer risk using summary statistics from 16,003 cases and 41,335 controls from the Discovery, Biology, and Risk of Inherited Variants in Breast Cancer (DRIVE) Project. Because most studies measured BMI after cancer diagnosis, we could not conduct a parallel analysis to adequately evaluate the association of measured BMI with breast cancer risk prospectively. Results In the BCAC data, genetically predicted BMI was found to be inversely associated with breast cancer risk (odds ratio [OR]  =  0.65 per 5 kg/m2 increase, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.56–0.75, p = 3.32 × 10−10). The associations were similar for both premenopausal (OR   =   0.44, 95% CI:0.31–0.62, p  =  9.91 × 10−8) and postmenopausal breast cancer (OR  =  0.57, 95% CI: 0.46–0.71, p  =  1.88 × 10−8). This association was replicated in the data from the DRIVE consortium (OR  =  0.72, 95% CI: 0.60–0.84, p   =   1.64 × 10−7). Single marker analyses identified 17 of the 84 BMI-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in association with breast cancer risk at p < 0.05; for 16 of them, the allele associated with elevated BMI was associated with reduced breast cancer risk. Conclusions BMI predicted by genome-wide association studies (GWAS)-identified variants is inversely associated with the risk of both pre- and postmenopausal breast cancer. The reduced risk of postmenopausal breast cancer associated with genetically predicted BMI observed in this study differs from the positive association reported from studies using measured adult BMI. Understanding the reasons for this discrepancy may reveal insights into the complex relationship of genetic determinants of body weight in the etiology of breast cancer. PMID:27551723

All-optical associative memory using photorefractive crystals and a saturable absorber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duelli, Markus; Cudney, Roger S.; Keller, Claude; Guenter, Peter

1995-07-01

We report on the investigation of a new configuration of an all-optical associative memory. The images to be recalled associatively are stored in a LiNbO3 crystal via angular multiplexing. Thresholding of the reconstructed reference beams during associative readout is achieved by using a saturable absorber with an intensity-tunable threshold. We demonstrate associative readout and error correction for 10 strongly overlapping black-and-white images. Associative recall and full reconstruction is performed when only 1/500 of the image stored is entered.

MAGNAMWAR: an R package for genome-wide association studies of bacterial orthologs.

PubMed

Sexton, Corinne E; Smith, Hayden Z; Newell, Peter D; Douglas, Angela E; Chaston, John M

2018-06-01

Here we report on an R package for genome-wide association studies of orthologous genes in bacteria. Before using the software, orthologs from bacterial genomes or metagenomes are defined using local or online implementations of OrthoMCL. These presence-absence patterns are statistically associated with variation in user-collected phenotypes using the Mono-Associated GNotobiotic Animals Metagenome-Wide Association R package (MAGNAMWAR). Genotype-phenotype associations can be performed with several different statistical tests based on the type and distribution of the data. MAGNAMWAR is available on CRAN. john_chaston@byu.edu.

Lack of association between two key SNPs on chromosome 12p13 and ischemic stroke in Chinese Uyghur population.

PubMed

Tong, Yeqing; Zhan, Faxian; Han, Jinjun; Zhang, Yanwei; Yin, Xiaoxu; Geng, Yijie; Hou, Shuangyi; Ye, Jianjun; Guan, Xuhua; Han, Shenhong; Wang, Yunxia; Mason, Katherine A; Lu, Zuxun; Liu, Jiafa; Cheng, Jinquan

2012-12-15

Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified two key SNPs (rs11833579 and rs12425791) on chromosome 12p13 that were significantly associated with stroke in Caucasians. However, the validity of the association has remained controversial. We performed genetic association analyses in a very unique population which has 60% European ancestry and 40% East Asian ancestry. No significant association between these two SNPs and ischemic stroke was detected in this Chinese Uyghur population. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multi-Ancestral Analysis of Inflammation-Related Genetic Variants and C-Reactive Protein in the Population Architecture using Genomics and Epidemiology (PAGE) Study

PubMed Central

Kocarnik, Jonathan M.; Pendergrass, Sarah A.; Carty, Cara L.; Pankow, James S.; Schumacher, Fredrick R.; Cheng, Iona; Durda, Peter; Ambite, JoséLuis; Deelman, Ewa; Cook, Nancy R.; Liu, Simin; Wactawski-Wende, Jean; Hutter, Carolyn; Brown-Gentry, Kristin; Wilson, Sarah; Best, Lyle G.; Pankratz, Nathan; Hong, Ching-Ping; Cole, Shelley A.; Voruganti, V. Saroja; Bůžková, Petra; Jorgensen, Neal W.; Jenny, Nancy S.; Wilkens, Lynne R.; Haiman, Christopher A.; Kolonel, Laurence N.; LaCroix, Andrea; North, Kari; Jackson, Rebecca; Le Marchand, Loic; Hindorff, Lucia A.; Crawford, Dana C.; Gross, Myron; Peters, Ulrike

2014-01-01

Background C-reactive protein (CRP) is a biomarker of inflammation. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with CRP concentrations and inflammation-related traits such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity. We aimed to replicate previous CRP-SNP associations, assess whether these associations generalize to additional race/ethnicity groups, and evaluate inflammation-related SNPs for a potentially pleiotropic association with CRP. Methods and Results We selected and analyzed 16 CRP-associated and 250 inflammation-related GWAS SNPs among 40,473 African American, American Indian, Asian/Pacific Islander, European American, and Hispanic participants from 7 studies collaborating in the Population Architecture using Genomics and Epidemiology (PAGE) study. Fixed-effect meta-analyses combined study-specific race/ethnicity-stratified linear regression estimates to evaluate the association between each SNP and high-sensitivity CRP. Overall, 18 SNPs in 8 loci were significantly associated with CRP (Bonferroni-corrected p<3.1×10−3 for replication, p<2.0×10−4 for pleiotropy): Seven of these were specific to European Americans, while 9 additionally generalized to African Americans (1), Hispanics (5), or both (3); 1 SNP was seen only in African Americans and Hispanics. Two SNPs in the CELSR2/PSRC1/SORT1 locus showed a potentially novel association with CRP: rs599839 (p=2.0×10−6) and rs646776 (p=3.1×10−5). Conclusions We replicated 16 SNP-CRP associations, 10 of which generalized to African Americans and/or Hispanics. We also identified potentially novel pleiotropic associations with CRP for two SNPs previously associated with coronary artery disease and LDL cholesterol. These findings demonstrate the benefit of evaluating genotype-phenotype associations in multiple race/ethnicity groups, and of looking for pleiotropic relationships among SNPs previously associated with related phenotypes. PMID:24622110

Genome-Wide Assessment of Differential DNA Methylation Associated with Autoantibody Production in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

PubMed

Chung, Sharon A; Nititham, Joanne; Elboudwarej, Emon; Quach, Hong L; Taylor, Kimberly E; Barcellos, Lisa F; Criswell, Lindsey A

2015-01-01

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by the development of autoantibodies associated with specific clinical manifestations. Previous studies have shown an association between differential DNA methylation and SLE susceptibility, but have not investigated SLE-related autoantibodies. Our goal was to determine whether DNA methylation is associated with production of clinically relevant SLE-related autoantibodies, with an emphasis on the anti-dsDNA autoantibody. In this study, we characterized the methylation status of 467,314 CpG sites in 326 women with SLE. Using a discovery and replication study design, we identified and replicated significant associations between anti-dsDNA autoantibody production and the methylation status of 16 CpG sites (pdiscovery<1.07E-07 and preplication<0.0029) in 11 genes. Associations were further investigated using multivariable regression to adjust for estimated leukocyte cell proportions and population substructure. The adjusted mean DNA methylation difference between anti-dsDNA positive and negative cases ranged from 1.2% to 19%, and the adjusted odds ratio for anti-dsDNA autoantibody production comparing the lowest and highest methylation tertiles ranged from 6.8 to 18.2. Differential methylation for these CpG sites was also associated with anti-SSA, anti-Sm, and anti-RNP autoantibody production. Overall, associated CpG sites were hypomethylated in autoantibody positive compared to autoantibody negative cases. Differential methylation of CpG sites within the major histocompatibility region was not strongly associated with autoantibody production. Genes with differentially methylated CpG sites represent multiple biologic pathways, and have not been associated with autoantibody production in genetic association studies. In conclusion, hypomethylation of CpG sites within genes from different pathways is associated with anti-dsDNA, anti-SSA, anti-Sm, and anti-RNP production in SLE, and these associations are not explained by genetic variation. Thus, studies of epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation represent a complementary method to genetic association studies to identify biologic pathways that may contribute to the clinical heterogeneity of autoimmune diseases.

Matrix factorization-based data fusion for the prediction of lncRNA-disease associations.

PubMed

Fu, Guangyuan; Wang, Jun; Domeniconi, Carlotta; Yu, Guoxian

2018-05-01

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play crucial roles in complex disease diagnosis, prognosis, prevention and treatment, but only a small portion of lncRNA-disease associations have been experimentally verified. Various computational models have been proposed to identify lncRNA-disease associations by integrating heterogeneous data sources. However, existing models generally ignore the intrinsic structure of data sources or treat them as equally relevant, while they may not be. To accurately identify lncRNA-disease associations, we propose a Matrix Factorization based LncRNA-Disease Association prediction model (MFLDA in short). MFLDA decomposes data matrices of heterogeneous data sources into low-rank matrices via matrix tri-factorization to explore and exploit their intrinsic and shared structure. MFLDA can select and integrate the data sources by assigning different weights to them. An iterative solution is further introduced to simultaneously optimize the weights and low-rank matrices. Next, MFLDA uses the optimized low-rank matrices to reconstruct the lncRNA-disease association matrix and thus to identify potential associations. In 5-fold cross validation experiments to identify verified lncRNA-disease associations, MFLDA achieves an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.7408, at least 3% higher than those given by state-of-the-art data fusion based computational models. An empirical study on identifying masked lncRNA-disease associations again shows that MFLDA can identify potential associations more accurately than competing models. A case study on identifying lncRNAs associated with breast, lung and stomach cancers show that 38 out of 45 (84%) associations predicted by MFLDA are supported by recent biomedical literature and further proves the capability of MFLDA in identifying novel lncRNA-disease associations. MFLDA is a general data fusion framework, and as such it can be adopted to predict associations between other biological entities. The source code for MFLDA is available at: http://mlda.swu.edu.cn/codes.php? name = MFLDA. gxyu@swu.edu.cn. Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Genetic Variants Associated with Optic Nerve Vertical Cup-to-Disc Ratio Are Risk Factors for Primary Open Angle Glaucoma in a US Caucasian Population

PubMed Central

Fan, Bao Jian; Wang, Dan Yi; Pasquale, Louis R.; Haines, Jonathan L.

2011-01-01

Purpose. Genetically complex disorders, such as primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), may include highly heritable quantitative traits as part of the overall phenotype, and mapping genes influencing the related quantitative traits may effectively identify genetic risk factors predisposing to the complex disease. Recent studies have identified SNPs associated with optic nerve area and vertical cup-to-disc ratio (VCDR). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between these SNPs and POAG in a US Caucasian case-control sample. Methods. Five SNPs previously associated with optic disc area, or VCDR, were genotyped in 539 POAG cases and 336 controls. Genotype data were analyzed for single SNP associations and SNP interactions with VCDR and POAG. Results. SNPs associated with VCDR rs1063192 (CDKN2B) and rs10483727 (SIX1/SIX6) were also associated with POAG (P = 0.0006 and P = 0.0043 for rs1063192 and rs10483727, respectively). rs1063192, associated with smaller VCDR, had a protective effect (odds ratio [OR] = 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.58–0.90), whereas rs10483727, associated with larger VCDR, increased POAG risk (OR = 1.33; 95% CI, 1.08–1.65). POAG risk associated with increased VCDR was significantly influenced by the C allele of rs1900004 (ATOH7), associated with increased optic nerve area (P-interaction = 0.025; OR = 1.89; 95% CI, 1.22–2.94). Conclusions. Genetic variants influencing VCDR are associated with POAG in a US Caucasian population. Variants associated with optic nerve area are not independently associated with disease but can influence the effects of VCDR variants suggesting that increased optic disc area can significantly contribute to POAG risk when coupled with risk factors controlling VCDR. PMID:21398277

To be or not to be associated: power study of four statistical modeling approaches to identify parasite associations in cross-sectional studies

PubMed Central

Vaumourin, Elise; Vourc'h, Gwenaël; Telfer, Sandra; Lambin, Xavier; Salih, Diaeldin; Seitzer, Ulrike; Morand, Serge; Charbonnel, Nathalie; Vayssier-Taussat, Muriel; Gasqui, Patrick

2014-01-01

A growing number of studies are reporting simultaneous infections by parasites in many different hosts. The detection of whether these parasites are significantly associated is important in medicine and epidemiology. Numerous approaches to detect associations are available, but only a few provide statistical tests. Furthermore, they generally test for an overall detection of association and do not identify which parasite is associated with which other one. Here, we developed a new approach, the association screening approach, to detect the overall and the detail of multi-parasite associations. We studied the power of this new approach and of three other known ones (i.e., the generalized chi-square, the network and the multinomial GLM approaches) to identify parasite associations either due to parasite interactions or to confounding factors. We applied these four approaches to detect associations within two populations of multi-infected hosts: (1) rodents infected with Bartonella sp., Babesia microti and Anaplasma phagocytophilum and (2) bovine population infected with Theileria sp. and Babesia sp. We found that the best power is obtained with the screening model and the generalized chi-square test. The differentiation between associations, which are due to confounding factors and parasite interactions was not possible. The screening approach significantly identified associations between Bartonella doshiae and B. microti, and between T. parva, T. mutans, and T. velifera. Thus, the screening approach was relevant to test the overall presence of parasite associations and identify the parasite combinations that are significantly over- or under-represented. Unraveling whether the associations are due to real biological interactions or confounding factors should be further investigated. Nevertheless, in the age of genomics and the advent of new technologies, it is a considerable asset to speed up researches focusing on the mechanisms driving interactions between parasites. PMID:24860791

Association between vitamin K intake from fermented soybeans, natto, and bone mineral density in elderly Japanese men: the Fujiwara-kyo Osteoporosis Risk in Men (FORMEN) study.

PubMed

Fujita, Y; Iki, M; Tamaki, J; Kouda, K; Yura, A; Kadowaki, E; Sato, Y; Moon, J-S; Tomioka, K; Okamoto, N; Kurumatani, N

2012-02-01

A cross-sectional analysis of 1,662 community dwelling elderly Japanese men suggested that habitual natto intake was significantly associated with higher bone mineral density (BMD). When adjustment was made for undercarboxylated osteocalcin levels, this association was insignificant, showing the natto-bone association to be primarily mediated by vitamin K. Low vitamin K intake is associated with an increased risk of hip fracture, but reports have been inconsistent on its effect on BMD. Our first aim was to examine the association between BMD and intake of fermented soybeans, natto, which contain vitamin K1 (20 μg/pack) and K2 (380 μg/pack). Our second aim was to examine the association between undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC), a biomarker of vitamin K intake, and BMD to evaluate the role of vitamin K in this association. Of the Japanese men aged ≥65 years who participated in the baseline survey of the Fujiwara-kyo Osteoporosis Risk in Men study, 1,662 men without diseases or medications known to affect bone metabolism were examined for associations between self-reported natto intake or serum ucOC levels with lumbar spine or hip BMD. The subjects with greater intake of natto showed significantly lower level of serum ucOC. Analysis after adjustment for confounding variables showed an association of greater intake of natto with both significantly higher BMD and lower risk of low BMD (T-score < -1 SD) at the total hip and femoral neck. This association became insignificant after further adjustment for ucOC level. Habitual intake of natto was associated with a beneficial effect on bone health in elderly men, and this association is primarily due to vitamin K content of natto, although the lack of information on dietary nutrient intake, including vitamin K1 and K2, prevented us from further examining the association.

Association of social isolation and health across different racial and ethnic groups of older Americans

PubMed Central

MIYAWAKI, CHRISTINA E.

2015-01-01

Social isolation is a social and public health problem that affects people of all ages, especially elders. Previous studies have found that social isolation across numerous industrialised countries is associated with negative health outcomes. However, it is unknown whether and how this association differs by race/ethnicity and age. To begin to address this gap, this study examines the association of social isolation and physical and mental health among Black, White and Hispanic elders in the United States of America. Building on Cornwell and Waite's perceived isolation and social disconnectedness dimension model of social isolation, the author used multi-stage survey data from a nationally representative sample of 3,005 community-residing adults aged 57–85 from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. Tests for association were conducted on health by age, gender, marital status, education and race/ethnicity separately. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to test the association of social isolation and health exclusively and separately among these three groups. Results showed that social isolation is strongly associated with physical and mental health. Both perceived isolation and social disconnectedness had a significant negative association with physical and mental health among White elders. For Blacks, social disconnectedness is negatively associated with their physical health while perceived isolation had a negative association with mental health. Among Hispanic elders, there seemed to be no association between social isolation and physical health, but a significant negative association was found with their mental health. Despite various associated patterns, however, social isolation overall was associated with health outcomes that were similar across three elder groups. By identifying factors influencing social isolation and health among minority older Americans, this study has relevance to the development of culturally sensitive health-care practice and services, which may be applicable to minority elders in different countries. PMID:26494934

Association of social isolation and health across different racial and ethnic groups of older Americans.

PubMed

Miyawaki, Christina E

2015-11-01

Social isolation is a social and public health problem that affects people of all ages, especially elders. Previous studies have found that social isolation across numerous industrialised countries is associated with negative health outcomes. However, it is unknown whether and how this association differs by race/ethnicity and age. To begin to address this gap, this study examines the association of social isolation and physical and mental health among Black, White and Hispanic elders in the United States of America. Building on Cornwell and Waite's perceived isolation and social disconnectedness dimension model of social isolation, the author used multi-stage survey data from a nationally representative sample of 3,005 community-residing adults aged 57-85 from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. Tests for association were conducted on health by age, gender, marital status, education and race/ethnicity separately. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to test the association of social isolation and health exclusively and separately among these three groups. Results showed that social isolation is strongly associated with physical and mental health. Both perceived isolation and social disconnectedness had a significant negative association with physical and mental health among White elders. For Blacks, social disconnectedness is negatively associated with their physical health while perceived isolation had a negative association with mental health. Among Hispanic elders, there seemed to be no association between social isolation and physical health, but a significant negative association was found with their mental health. Despite various associated patterns, however, social isolation overall was associated with health outcomes that were similar across three elder groups. By identifying factors influencing social isolation and health among minority older Americans, this study has relevance to the development of culturally sensitive health-care practice and services, which may be applicable to minority elders in different countries.

Multiancestral analysis of inflammation-related genetic variants and C-reactive protein in the population architecture using genomics and epidemiology study.

PubMed

Kocarnik, Jonathan M; Pendergrass, Sarah A; Carty, Cara L; Pankow, James S; Schumacher, Fredrick R; Cheng, Iona; Durda, Peter; Ambite, José Luis; Deelman, Ewa; Cook, Nancy R; Liu, Simin; Wactawski-Wende, Jean; Hutter, Carolyn; Brown-Gentry, Kristin; Wilson, Sarah; Best, Lyle G; Pankratz, Nathan; Hong, Ching-Ping; Cole, Shelley A; Voruganti, V Saroja; Bůžkova, Petra; Jorgensen, Neal W; Jenny, Nancy S; Wilkens, Lynne R; Haiman, Christopher A; Kolonel, Laurence N; Lacroix, Andrea; North, Kari; Jackson, Rebecca; Le Marchand, Loic; Hindorff, Lucia A; Crawford, Dana C; Gross, Myron; Peters, Ulrike

2014-04-01

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a biomarker of inflammation. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with CRP concentrations and inflammation-related traits such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and obesity. We aimed to replicate previous CRP-SNP associations, assess whether these associations generalize to additional race/ethnicity groups, and evaluate inflammation-related SNPs for a potentially pleiotropic association with CRP. We selected and analyzed 16 CRP-associated and 250 inflammation-related GWAS SNPs among 40 473 African American, American Indian, Asian/Pacific Islander, European American, and Hispanic participants from 7 studies collaborating in the Population Architecture using Genomics and Epidemiology (PAGE) study. Fixed-effect meta-analyses combined study-specific race/ethnicity-stratified linear regression estimates to evaluate the association between each SNP and high-sensitivity CRP. Overall, 18 SNPs in 8 loci were significantly associated with CRP (Bonferroni-corrected P<3.1×10(-3) for replication, P<2.0×10(-4) for pleiotropy): Seven of these were specific to European Americans, while 9 additionally generalized to African Americans (1), Hispanics (5), or both (3); 1 SNP was seen only in African Americans and Hispanics. Two SNPs in the CELSR2/PSRC1/SORT1 locus showed a potentially novel association with CRP: rs599839 (P=2.0×10(-6)) and rs646776 (P=3.1×10(-5)). We replicated 16 SNP-CRP associations, 10 of which generalized to African Americans and/or Hispanics. We also identified potentially novel pleiotropic associations with CRP for two SNPs previously associated with coronary artery disease and/or low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. These findings demonstrate the benefit of evaluating genotype-phenotype associations in multiple race/ethnicity groups and looking for pleiotropic relationships among SNPs previously associated with related phenotypes.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D is associated with cognitive executive function in Dutch prefrail and frail elderly: a cross-sectional study exploring the associations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D with glucose metabolism, cognitive performance and depression.

PubMed

Brouwer-Brolsma, Elske M; van de Rest, Ondine; Tieland, Michael; van der Zwaluw, Nikita L; Steegenga, Wilma T; Adam, Jos J; van Loon, Luc J C; Feskens, Edith J M; de Groot, Lisette C P G M

2013-11-01

The primary objective was to explore the possible association of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) and vitamin D intake with markers of glucose metabolism, depression, and cognitive performance. In addition, we examined to what extent the associations between vitamin D and cognitive performance were modified or mediated by fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels. Cross-sectional study using data of 127 frail or prefrail Dutch elderly, aged 65 years or older. Frailty was defined according to the criteria of Fried and colleagues. A participant was classified prefrail when 1 to 2 criteria were met; frailty was classified as the presence of 3 or more criteria. Associations of 25(OH)D and vitamin D intake with markers of glucose metabolism and domain-specific cognitive performance were examined by multivariable regression analyses. The possible association of vitamin D with depression and global cognitive performance was explored by Poisson regression. No associations were observed for 25(OH)D with FPG, fasting plasma insulin (FPI), Homeostasis Model Assessment-estimated Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), or depression. In contrast, serum 25(OH)D was positively associated with executive functioning (β 0.007, P = .01) and tended to be associated with information-processing speed (β 0.006, P = .06). FPG did not modify or mediate these associations. Vitamin D intake was not associated with cognitive performance, glucose metabolism, or depression. This cross-sectional study suggests an association of serum 25(OH)D with domain-specific cognitive performance, in particular executive functioning and possibly information-processing speed, but not with FPG, FPI, HOMA-IR, or depression. Whether these associations are causal is yet to be demonstrated. Copyright © 2013 American Medical Directors Association, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Peptide Handling by HLA-B27 Subtypes Influences Their Biological Behavior, Association with Ankylosing Spondylitis and Susceptibility to Endoplasmic Reticulum Aminopeptidase 1 (ERAP1)*

PubMed Central

García-Medel, Noel; Sanz-Bravo, Alejandro; Alvarez-Navarro, Carlos; Gómez-Molina, Patricia; Barnea, Eilon; Marcilla, Miguel; Admon, Arie; de Castro, José A. López

2014-01-01

HLA-B27 is strongly associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). We analyzed the relationship between structure, peptide specificity, folding, and stability of the seven major HLA-B27 subtypes to determine the role of their constitutive peptidomes in the pathogenicity of this molecule. Identification of large numbers of ligands allowed us to define the differences among subtype-bound peptidomes and to elucidate the peptide features associated with AS and molecular stability. The peptides identified only in AS-associated or high thermostability subtypes with identical A and B pockets were longer and had bulkier and more diverse C-terminal residues than those found only among non-AS-associated/lower-thermostability subtypes. Peptides sequenced from all AS-associated subtypes and not from non-AS-associated ones, thus strictly correlating with disease, were very rare. Residue 116 was critical in determining peptide binding, thermodynamic properties, and folding, thus emerging as a key feature that unified HLA-B27 biology. HLA-B27 ligands were better suited to TAP transport than their N-terminal precursors, and AS-associated subtype ligands were better than those from non-AS-associated subtypes, suggesting a particular capacity of AS-associated subtypes to bind epitopes directly produced in the cytosol. Peptides identified only from AS-associated/high-thermostability subtypes showed a higher frequency of ERAP1-resistant N-terminal residues than ligands found only in non-AS-associated/low-thermostability subtypes, reflecting a more pronounced effect of ERAP1 on the former group. Our results reveal the basis for the relationship between peptide specificity and other features of HLA-B27, provide a unified view of HLA-B27 biology and pathogenicity, and suggest a larger influence of ERAP1 polymorphism on AS-associated than non-AS-associated subtypes. PMID:25187574

Peptide handling by HLA-B27 subtypes influences their biological behavior, association with ankylosing spondylitis and susceptibility to endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 1 (ERAP1).

PubMed

García-Medel, Noel; Sanz-Bravo, Alejandro; Alvarez-Navarro, Carlos; Gómez-Molina, Patricia; Barnea, Eilon; Marcilla, Miguel; Admon, Arie; de Castro, José A López

2014-12-01

HLA-B27 is strongly associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). We analyzed the relationship between structure, peptide specificity, folding, and stability of the seven major HLA-B27 subtypes to determine the role of their constitutive peptidomes in the pathogenicity of this molecule. Identification of large numbers of ligands allowed us to define the differences among subtype-bound peptidomes and to elucidate the peptide features associated with AS and molecular stability. The peptides identified only in AS-associated or high thermostability subtypes with identical A and B pockets were longer and had bulkier and more diverse C-terminal residues than those found only among non-AS-associated/lower-thermostability subtypes. Peptides sequenced from all AS-associated subtypes and not from non-AS-associated ones, thus strictly correlating with disease, were very rare. Residue 116 was critical in determining peptide binding, thermodynamic properties, and folding, thus emerging as a key feature that unified HLA-B27 biology. HLA-B27 ligands were better suited to TAP transport than their N-terminal precursors, and AS-associated subtype ligands were better than those from non-AS-associated subtypes, suggesting a particular capacity of AS-associated subtypes to bind epitopes directly produced in the cytosol. Peptides identified only from AS-associated/high-thermostability subtypes showed a higher frequency of ERAP1-resistant N-terminal residues than ligands found only in non-AS-associated/low-thermostability subtypes, reflecting a more pronounced effect of ERAP1 on the former group. Our results reveal the basis for the relationship between peptide specificity and other features of HLA-B27, provide a unified view of HLA-B27 biology and pathogenicity, and suggest a larger influence of ERAP1 polymorphism on AS-associated than non-AS-associated subtypes. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

A hidden two-locus disease association pattern in genome-wide association studies

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Recent association analyses in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) mainly focus on single-locus association tests (marginal tests) and two-locus interaction detections. These analysis methods have provided strong evidence of associations between genetics variances and complex diseases. However, there exists a type of association pattern, which often occurs within local regions in the genome and is unlikely to be detected by either marginal tests or interaction tests. This association pattern involves a group of correlated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The correlation among SNPs can lead to weak marginal effects and the interaction does not play a role in this association pattern. This phenomenon is due to the existence of unfaithfulness: the marginal effects of correlated SNPs do not express their significant joint effects faithfully due to the correlation cancelation. Results In this paper, we develop a computational method to detect this association pattern masked by unfaithfulness. We have applied our method to analyze seven data sets from the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC). The analysis for each data set takes about one week to finish the examination of all pairs of SNPs. Based on the empirical result of these real data, we show that this type of association masked by unfaithfulness widely exists in GWAS. Conclusions These newly identified associations enrich the discoveries of GWAS, which may provide new insights both in the analysis of tagSNPs and in the experiment design of GWAS. Since these associations may be easily missed by existing analysis tools, we can only connect some of them to publicly available findings from other association studies. As independent data set is limited at this moment, we also have difficulties to replicate these findings. More biological implications need further investigation. Availability The software is freely available at http://bioinformatics.ust.hk/hidden_pattern_finder.zip. PMID:21569557

Associations between body composition and bone density and structure in men and women across the adult age spectrum.

PubMed

Baker, Joshua F; Davis, Matthew; Alexander, Ruben; Zemel, Babette S; Mostoufi-Moab, Sogol; Shults, Justine; Sulik, Michael; Schiferl, Daniel J; Leonard, Mary B

2013-03-01

The objective of this study was to identify independent associations between body composition and bone outcomes, including cortical structure and cortical and trabecular volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) across the adult age spectrum. This cross-sectional study evaluated over 400 healthy adults (48% male, 44% black race), ages 21-78years. Multivariable linear regression models evaluated associations between whole-body DXA measures of lean body mass index (LBMI) and fat mass index (FMI) and tibia peripheral quantitative CT (pQCT) measures of cortical section modulus, cortical and trabecular vBMD and muscle density (as a measure of intramuscular fat), adjusted for age, sex, and race. All associations reported below were statistically significant (p<0.05). Older age and female sex were associated with lower LBMI and muscle strength. Black race was associated with greater LBMI but lower muscle density. Greater FMI was associated with lower muscle density. Cortical section modulus was positively associated with LBMI and muscle strength and negatively associated with FMI. Adjustment for body composition eliminated the greater section modulus observed in black participants and attenuated the lower section modulus in females. Greater LBMI was associated with lower cortical BMD and greater trabecular BMD. FMI was not associated with either BMD outcome. Greater muscle density was associated with greater trabecular and cortical BMD. Associations between body composition and bone outcomes did not vary by sex (no significant tests for interaction). These data highlight age-, sex- and race-specific differences in body composition, muscle strength and muscle density, and demonstrate discrete associations with bone density and structure. These data also show that age-, sex- and race-related patterns of bone density and strength are independent of differences in body composition. Longitudinal studies are needed to examine the temporal relations between changes in bone and body composition. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Associations between Body Composition and Bone Density and Structure in Men and Women across the Adult Age Spectrum

PubMed Central

Baker, Joshua F.; Davis, Matthew; Alexander, Ruben; Zemel, Babette S.; Mostoufi-Moab, Sogol; Shults, Justine; Sulik, Michael; Schiferl, Daniel J.; Leonard, Mary B.

2012-01-01

Background/Purpose The objective of this study was identify independent associations between body composition and bone outcomes, including cortical structure and cortical and trabecular volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) across the adult age spectrum. Methods This cross-sectional study evaluated over 400 healthy adults (48% male, 44% black race), ages 21–78 years. Multivariable linear regression models evaluated associations between whole-body DXA measures of lean body mass index (LBMI) and fat mass index (FMI) and tibia peripheral quantitative CT (pQCT) measures of cortical section modulus, cortical and trabecular vBMD and muscle density (as a measure of intramuscular fat), adjusted for age, sex, and race. All associations reported below were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Results Older age and female sex were associated with lower LBMI and muscle strength. Black race was associated with greater LBMI but lower muscle density. Greater FMI was associated with lower muscle density. Cortical section modulus was positively associated with LBMI and muscle strength and negatively associated with FMI. Adjustment for body composition eliminated the greater section modulus observed in black participants and attenuated the lower section modulus in females. Greater LBMI was associated with lower cortical BMD and greater trabecular BMD. FMI was not associated with either BMD outcome. Greater muscle density was associated with greater trabecular and cortical BMD. Associations between body composition and bone outcomes did not vary by sex (no significant tests for interaction). Conclusions These data highlight age, sex- and race-specific differences in body composition, muscle strength and muscle density, and demonstrate discrete associations with bone density and structure. These data also show that age, sex- and race- related patterns of bone density and strength are independent of differences in body composition. Longitudinal studies are needed to examine the temporal relations between changes in bone and body composition. PMID:23238122

Common germline polymorphisms associated with breast cancer-specific survival.

PubMed

Pirie, Ailith; Guo, Qi; Kraft, Peter; Canisius, Sander; Eccles, Diana M; Rahman, Nazneen; Nevanlinna, Heli; Chen, Constance; Khan, Sofia; Tyrer, Jonathan; Bolla, Manjeet K; Wang, Qin; Dennis, Joe; Michailidou, Kyriaki; Lush, Michael; Dunning, Alison M; Shah, Mitul; Czene, Kamila; Darabi, Hatef; Eriksson, Mikael; Lambrechts, Dieter; Weltens, Caroline; Leunen, Karin; van Ongeval, Chantal; Nordestgaard, Børge G; Nielsen, Sune F; Flyger, Henrik; Rudolph, Anja; Seibold, Petra; Flesch-Janys, Dieter; Blomqvist, Carl; Aittomäki, Kristiina; Fagerholm, Rainer; Muranen, Taru A; Olsen, Janet E; Hallberg, Emily; Vachon, Celine; Knight, Julia A; Glendon, Gord; Mulligan, Anna Marie; Broeks, Annegien; Cornelissen, Sten; Haiman, Christopher A; Henderson, Brian E; Schumacher, Frederick; Le Marchand, Loic; Hopper, John L; Tsimiklis, Helen; Apicella, Carmel; Southey, Melissa C; Cross, Simon S; Reed, Malcolm Wr; Giles, Graham G; Milne, Roger L; McLean, Catriona; Winqvist, Robert; Pylkäs, Katri; Jukkola-Vuorinen, Arja; Grip, Mervi; Hooning, Maartje J; Hollestelle, Antoinette; Martens, John Wm; van den Ouweland, Ans Mw; Marme, Federick; Schneeweiss, Andreas; Yang, Rongxi; Burwinkel, Barbara; Figueroa, Jonine; Chanock, Stephen J; Lissowska, Jolanta; Sawyer, Elinor J; Tomlinson, Ian; Kerin, Michael J; Miller, Nicola; Brenner, Hermann; Butterbach, Katja; Holleczek, Bernd; Kataja, Vesa; Kosma, Veli-Matti; Hartikainen, Jaana M; Li, Jingmei; Brand, Judith S; Humphreys, Keith; Devilee, Peter; Tollenaar, Robert Aem; Seynaeve, Caroline; Radice, Paolo; Peterlongo, Paolo; Manoukian, Siranoush; Ficarazzi, Filomena; Beckmann, Matthias W; Hein, Alexander; Ekici, Arif B; Balleine, Rosemary; Phillips, Kelly-Anne; Benitez, Javier; Zamora, M Pilar; Perez, Jose Ignacio Arias; Menéndez, Primitiva; Jakubowska, Anna; Lubinski, Jan; Gronwald, Jacek; Durda, Katarzyna; Hamann, Ute; Kabisch, Maria; Ulmer, Hans Ulrich; Rüdiger, Thomas; Margolin, Sara; Kristensen, Vessela; Nord, Siljie; Evans, D Gareth; Abraham, Jean; Earl, Helena; Poole, Christopher J; Hiller, Louise; Dunn, Janet A; Bowden, Sarah; Yang, Rose; Campa, Daniele; Diver, W Ryan; Gapstur, Susan M; Gaudet, Mia M; Hankinson, Susan; Hoover, Robert N; Hüsing, Anika; Kaaks, Rudolf; Machiela, Mitchell J; Willett, Walter; Barrdahl, Myrto; Canzian, Federico; Chin, Suet-Feung; Caldas, Carlos; Hunter, David J; Lindstrom, Sara; Garcia-Closas, Montserrat; Couch, Fergus J; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Mannermaa, Arto; Andrulis, Irene L; Hall, Per; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Easton, Douglas F; Bojesen, Stig E; Cox, Angela; Fasching, Peter A; Pharoah, Paul Dp; Schmidt, Marjanka K

2015-04-22

Previous studies have identified common germline variants nominally associated with breast cancer survival. These associations have not been widely replicated in further studies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of previously reported SNPs with breast cancer-specific survival using data from a pooled analysis of eight breast cancer survival genome-wide association studies (GWAS) from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium. A literature review was conducted of all previously published associations between common germline variants and three survival outcomes: breast cancer-specific survival, overall survival and disease-free survival. All associations that reached the nominal significance level of P value <0.05 were included. Single nucleotide polymorphisms that had been previously reported as nominally associated with at least one survival outcome were evaluated in the pooled analysis of over 37,000 breast cancer cases for association with breast cancer-specific survival. Previous associations were evaluated using a one-sided test based on the reported direction of effect. Fifty-six variants from 45 previous publications were evaluated in the meta-analysis. Fifty-four of these were evaluated in the full set of 37,954 breast cancer cases with 2,900 events and the two additional variants were evaluated in a reduced sample size of 30,000 samples in order to ensure independence from the previously published studies. Five variants reached nominal significance (P <0.05) in the pooled GWAS data compared to 2.8 expected under the null hypothesis. Seven additional variants were associated (P <0.05) with ER-positive disease. Although no variants reached genome-wide significance (P <5 x 10(-8)), these results suggest that there is some evidence of association between candidate common germline variants and breast cancer prognosis. Larger studies from multinational collaborations are necessary to increase the power to detect associations, between common variants and prognosis, at more stringent significance levels.

Cost of treating ventilator-associated pneumonia post cardiac surgery in the National Health Service: Results from a propensity-matched cohort study.

PubMed

Luckraz, Heyman; Manga, Na'ngono; Senanayake, Eshan L; Abdelaziz, Mahmoud; Gopal, Shameer; Charman, Susan C; Giri, Ramesh; Oppong, Raymond; Andronis, Lazaros

2018-05-01

Ventilator-associated pneumonia is associated with significant morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs. Most of the cost data that are available relate to general intensive care patients in privately remunerated institutions. This study assessed the cost of managing ventilator-associated pneumonia in a cardiac intensive care unit in the National Health Service in the United Kingdom. Propensity-matched study of prospectively collected data from the cardiac surgical database between April 2011 and December 2014 in all patients undergoing cardiac surgery (n = 3416). Patients who were diagnosed as developing ventilator-associated pneumonia, as per the surveillance definition for ventilator-associated pneumonia (n = 338), were propensity score matched with those who did not (n = 338). Costs of treating post-op cardiac surgery patients in intensive care and cost difference if ventilator-associated pneumonia occurred based on Healthcare Resource Group categories were assessed. Secondary outcomes included differences in morbidity, mortality and cardiac intensive care unit and in-hospital length of stay. There were no significant differences in the pre-operative characteristics or procedures between the groups. Ventilator-associated pneumonia developed in 10% of post-cardiac surgery patients. Post-operatively, the ventilator-associated pneumonia group required longer ventilation (p < 0.01), more respiratory support, longer cardiac intensive care unit (8 vs 3, p < 0.001) and in-hospital stay (16 vs 9) days. The overall cost for post-operative recovery after cardiac surgery for ventilator-associated pneumonia patients was £15,124 compared to £6295 for non-ventilator-associated pneumonia (p < 0.01). The additional cost of treating patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia was £8829. Ventilator-associated pneumonia was associated with significant morbidity to the patients, generating significant costs. This cost was nearer to the lower end for the cost for general intensive care unit patients in privately reimbursed systems.

Socio-economic variations in tobacco consumption, intention to quit and self-efficacy to quit among male smokers in Thailand and Malaysia: results from the International Tobacco Control-South-East Asia (ITC-SEA) survey.

PubMed

Siahpush, Mohammad; Borland, Ron; Yong, Hua-Hie; Kin, Foong; Sirirassamee, Buppha

2008-03-01

Aim To examine the association of socio-economic position (education, income and employment status) with cigarette consumption, intention to quit and self-efficacy to quit among male smokers in Thailand and Malaysia. Design and setting The data were based on a survey of adult smokers conducted in early 2005 in Thailand and Malaysia as part of the International Tobacco Control-South-East Asia (ITC-SEA) project. Participants A total of 1846 men in Thailand and 1906 men in Malaysia. Measurement Participants were asked questions on daily cigarette consumption, intention to quit and self-efficacy to quit in face-to-face interviews. Findings Analyses were based on multivariate regression models that adjusted for all three socio-economic indicators. In Thailand, higher level of education was associated strongly with not having self-efficacy, associated weakly with having an intention to quit and was not associated with cigarette consumption. Higher income was associated strongly with having self-efficacy, associated weakly with high cigarette consumption and was not associated with having an intention to quit. Being employed was associated strongly with having an intention to quit and was not associated with cigarette consumption or self-efficacy. In Malaysia, higher level of education was not associated with any of the outcomes. Higher income was associated strongly with having self-efficacy, and was not associated with the other outcomes. Being employed was associated moderately with higher cigarette consumption and was not associated with the other outcomes. Conclusion Socio-economic and cultural conditions, as well as tobacco control policies and tobacco industry activities, shape the determinants of smoking behaviour and beliefs. Existing knowledge from high-income countries about disparities in smoking should not be generalized readily to other countries.

Genetic Variation near IRF8 is Associated with Serologic and Cytokine Profiles in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Multiple Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Chrabot, Beverly S.; Kariuki, Silvia N.; Zervou, Maria I.; Feng, Xuan; Arrington, Jasmine; Jolly, Meenakshi; Boumpas, Dimitrios T.; Reder, Anthony T.; Goulielmos, George N.; Niewold, Timothy B.

2013-01-01

Alleles of IRF8 are associated with susceptibility to both systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and multiple sclerosis (MS). While high type I interferon (IFN) is thought to be causal in SLE, type I IFN is used as a therapy in MS. We investigated whether IRF8 alleles were associated with type I IFN levels or serologic profiles in SLE and MS. Alleles which have been previously associated with SLE or MS were genotyped in SLE and MS patients. The MS-associated rs17445836G allele was associated with anti-dsDNA autoantibodies in SLE patients (meta-analysis OR=1.92). The same allele was associated with decreased serum IFN activity in SLE patients with anti-dsDNA antibodies, and with decreased type I IFN-induced gene expression in PBMC from anti-dsDNA negative SLE patients. In secondary progressive MS patients, rs17445836G was associated with decreased serum type I IFN. Rs17445836G was associated with increased IRF8 expression in SLE patient B cells. In summary, IRF8 rs17445836G is associated with human autoimmune disease characterized by low type I IFN levels, and this may have pharmacogenetic relevance as type I IFN is modulated in SLE and MS. The association with autoantibodies and increased IRF8 expression in B cells supports a role for rs17445836G in humoral tolerance. PMID:23965942

Context Effects of Alcohol Availability at Home: Implicit Alcohol Associations and the Prediction of Adolescents' Drinking Behavior.

PubMed

Peeters, Margot; Koning, Ina; Monshouwer, Karin; Vollebergh, Wilma A M; Wiers, Reinout W

2016-09-01

Recent studies suggest that the predictive effect of implicit alcohol associations is context dependent. Findings indicate that implicit associations are more easily retrieved in an alcohol-associated setting or context (e.g., bar) compared with a neutral setting. In line with this reasoning, we hypothesized that alcohol availability at home might moderate the relationship between implicit alcohol associations and future drinking behavior of adolescents. Participants were 262 at-risk adolescents (235 boys, 27 girls, adolescents with externalizing behavioral problems) with a mean age of 14.11 years (SD = 0.86, age range: 12-16 years) at baseline. Adolescents completed a questionnaire and a modified version of the Implicit Association Test (i.e., Single Category Implicit Association Test; SC-IAT). Stronger implicit alcohol associations predicted increase in frequency of alcohol use, only in adolescents who indicated that alcohol was available at home. No moderating effects were found for increase in quantity of alcohol use and problematic alcohol use, suggesting that implicit alcohol associations particularly influence the decision of whether to drink in adolescence. The findings illustrate that the availability of alcohol in the home setting influences adolescents' implicit alcohol associations and consequently affects the frequency of alcohol use. In this way, alcohol availability at home may be an important contextual factor to consider when examining the effect of implicit alcohol associations on the future drinking behavior of adolescents.

Sound iconicity of abstract concepts: Place of articulation is implicitly associated with abstract concepts of size and social dominance.

PubMed

Auracher, Jan

2017-01-01

The concept of sound iconicity implies that phonemes are intrinsically associated with non-acoustic phenomena, such as emotional expression, object size or shape, or other perceptual features. In this respect, sound iconicity is related to other forms of cross-modal associations in which stimuli from different sensory modalities are associated with each other due to the implicitly perceived correspondence of their primal features. One prominent example is the association between vowels, categorized according to their place of articulation, and size, with back vowels being associated with bigness and front vowels with smallness. However, to date the relative influence of perceptual and conceptual cognitive processing on this association is not clear. To bridge this gap, three experiments were conducted in which associations between nonsense words and pictures of animals or emotional body postures were tested. In these experiments participants had to infer the relation between visual stimuli and the notion of size from the content of the pictures, while directly perceivable features did not support-or even contradicted-the predicted association. Results show that implicit associations between articulatory-acoustic characteristics of phonemes and pictures are mainly influenced by semantic features, i.e., the content of a picture, whereas the influence of perceivable features, i.e., size or shape, is overridden. This suggests that abstract semantic concepts can function as an interface between different sensory modalities, facilitating cross-modal associations.

Polymorphisms in the non-muscle myosin heavy chain 9 gene (MYH9) are strongly associated with end-stage renal disease historically attributed to hypertension in African Americans

PubMed Central

Freedman, Barry I.; Hicks, Pamela J.; Bostrom, Meredith A.; Cunningham, Mary E.; Liu, Yongmei; Divers, Jasmin; Kopp, Jeffrey B.; Winkler, Cheryl A.; Nelson, George W.; Langefeld, Carl D.; Bowden, Donald W.

2009-01-01

African Americans have high incidence rates of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) labeled as due to hypertension. As recent studies showed strong association with idiopathic and HIV-related focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and non-muscle myosin heavy chain 9 (MYH9) gene polymorphisms in this ethnic group, we tested for MYH9 associations in a variety of kidney diseases. Fifteen MYH9 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were evaluated in 175 African Americans with chronic glomerulonephritis-associated ESRD, 696 African Americans reportedly with hypertension-associated ESRD, and 948 control subjects without kidney disease. Significant associations were detected with 14 of the 15 polymorphisms in all 871 non-diabetic patients with ESRD. In hypertension-associated ESRD cases alone, significant associations were found with 13 MYH9 polymorphisms and the previously reported E1 haplotype. Thus, hypertension-associated ESRD in African Americans is substantially related to MYH9 gene polymorphisms and this may explain the poor response to blood pressure control in those diagnosed with hypertensive nephrosclerosis. It is possible that many African Americans classified as having hypertension-associated ESRD have occult MYH9-associated segmental or global glomerulosclerosis. Our study shows that gene-environment and/or gene–gene interactions may initiate kidney disease in genetically susceptible individuals, because African Americans homozygous for MYH9 risk alleles do not universally develop kidney disease. PMID:19177153

A qualitative evaluation of the Scottish Staff and Associate Specialist Development Programme.

PubMed

Cleland, Jennifer; Burr, Jacqueline; Johnston, Peter

2016-05-01

The continued professional development of staff and associate specialist doctors in the UK was ill served prior to the introduction of the new staff and associate specialist doctor's contract in 2008. The aim of this study was to independently evaluate NHS Education for Scotland's approach to improving professional development for staff and associate specialist doctors, the staff and associate specialist Professional Development Fund. Semi-structured telephone interviews with key stakeholders, framed by a realistic approach to evaluate what works, for whom and in how and under what circumstances. An inductive and data-driven thematic analysis was carried out and then the realist framework was applied to the data. We interviewed 22 key stakeholders: staff and associate specialist doctors, staff and associate specialist educational advisors, programme architects and clinical directors, between end February and May 2014. The resultant data indicated five broad themes: organisational barriers to continued professional development for staff and associate specialist doctors, the purpose of funding, gains from funding, the need for better communication about the staff and associate specialist Programme Development Fund, and the interplay between individual and systems factors. The staff and associate specialist Programme Development Fund has changed the opportunities available to staff and associate specialist doctors in Scotland and, in that sense, has changed the context for this group - or at least those who have realised the opportunities. © The Author(s) 2016.

Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations between Serum Bilirubin and Prediabetes in a Health Screening Population.

PubMed

Oda, Eiji

2016-06-01

Longitudinal associations between total bilirubin (TB) and prediabetes have not been reported. This study investigated cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between TB and prediabetes. Cross-sectional associations between TB and prediabetes were investigated in 3681 nondiabetic subjects. Longitudinal associations between TB and prediabetes over 6 years were investigated in 2149 subjects who were normoglycemic at baseline. Prediabetes was defined as fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels of ≥5.6 mmol/L or glycated hemoglobin levels of ≥5.7% excluding diabetes. The prevalence of prediabetes was 25.4%, and the cumulative incidence of prediabetes during 6 years was 25.5% in a Japanese health screening population. Prevalent prediabetes was significantly associated with the quintiles of TB in nonsmoking men (trend, p<0.001) and women (trend, p=0.012), but not in smoking men (trend, p=0.689). Incident prediabetes was not significantly associated with the quintiles of TB, while it was positively associated with 1 standard deviation increase in TB in nonsmoking men (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]; 1.21 [1.07 to 1.37], p=0.002). TB levels were significantly inversely associated with prevalent prediabetes in nonsmokers, but not in smokers, whereas an inverse association between TB levels and incident prediabetes seemed to be unlikely. Copyright © 2016 Canadian Diabetes Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Global and local indicators of spatial association between points and polygons: A study of land use change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Luo; Du, Shihong; Haining, Robert; Zhang, Lianjun

2013-04-01

The existing indicators related to spatial association, especially the K function, can measure only the same dimension of vector data, such as points, lines and polygons, respectively. We develop four new indicators that can analyze and model spatial association for the mixture of different dimensions of vector data, such as lines and points, points and polygons, lines and polygons. The four indicators can measure the spatial association between points and polygons from both global and local perspectives. We also apply the presented methods to investigate the association of temples and villages on land-use change at multiple distance scales in the Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province, PR China. Global indicators show that temples are positively associated with land-use change at large spatial distances (e.g., >6000 m), while the association between villages and land-use change is insignificant at all distance scales. Thus temples, as religious and cultural centers, have a stronger association with land-use change than the places where people live. However, local indicators show that these associations vary significantly in different sub-areas of the study region. Furthermore, the association of temples with land-use change is also dependent on the specific type of land-use change. The case study demonstrates that the presented indicators are powerful tools for analyzing the spatial association between points and polygons.

Influenza Virus Assembly and Lipid Raft Microdomains: a Role for the Cytoplasmic Tails of the Spike Glycoproteins

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jie; Pekosz, Andrew; Lamb, Robert A.

2000-01-01

Influenza viruses encoding hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) glycoproteins with deletions in one or both cytoplasmic tails (HAt− or NAt−) have a reduced association with detergent-insoluble glycolipids (DIGs). Mutations which eliminated various combinations of the three palmitoylation sites in HA exhibited reduced amounts of DIG-associated HA in virus-infected cells. The influenza virus matrix (M1) protein was also found to be associated with DIGs, but this association was decreased in cells infected with HAt− or NAt− virus. Regardless of the amount of DIG-associated protein, the HA and NA glycoproteins were targeted primarily to the apical surface of virus-infected, polarized cells. The uncoupling of DIG association and apical transport was augmented by the observation that the influenza A virus M2 protein as well as the influenza C virus HA-esterase-fusion glycoprotein were not associated with DIGs but were apically targeted. The reduced DIG association of HAt− and NAt− is an intrinsic property of the glycoproteins, as similar reductions in DIG association were observed when the proteins were expressed from cDNA. Examination of purified virions indicated reduced amounts of DIG-associated lipids in the envelope of HAt− and NAt− viruses. The data indicate that deletion of both the HA and NA cytoplasmic tails results in reduced DIG association and changes in both virus polypeptide and lipid composition. PMID:10775599

Common variants APOC3, APOA5, APOE and PON1 are associated with variation in plasma lipoprotein traits in Greenlanders.

PubMed

Lahiry, Piya; Ban, Matthew R; Pollex, Rebecca L; Feldman, Ross D; Sawyez, Cynthia G; Huff, Murray W; Young, T Kue; Bjerregaard, Peter; Hegele, Robert A

2007-12-01

We undertook studies of the association between common genomic variations in APOC3, APOA5, APOE and PON1 genes and variation in biochemical phenotypes in a sample of Greenlanders. Genetic association study of quantitative lipoprotein traits. In a sample of 1,310 adult Greenlanders, fasting plasma lipid, lipoprotein and apolipoprotein (apo) concentrations were assessed for association with known functional genomic variants of APOC3, APOA5, APOE and PON1. For significantly associated polymorphisms, between-genotype differences were examined in closer detail. We found that (1) the APOE restriction isotype was associated with variation in plasma total and LDL cholesterol and apo B (all p < .0001); (2) the APOC3 promoter genotype was associated with variation in plasma triglycerides, HDL cholesterol and apo A-I (all p < .002); (3) the APOA5 codon 19 genotype was associated with variation in plasma triglycerides (p = .027); and (4) the PON1 codon 192 genotype was associated with variation in total and LDL cholesterol and apo B (all p < .05). Taken together, our results suggest that common genetic variations in APOC3, APOA5, APOE and PON1 are associated with significant variation in intermediate traits in plasma lipoprotein metabolism in Greenlanders; the associations are similar to those observed for these variants in other populations.

Age-varying associations between nonmarital sexual behavior and depressive symptoms across adolescence and young adulthood.

PubMed

Vasilenko, Sara A

2017-02-01

Research has demonstrated associations between adolescent sexual behavior and depressive symptoms, but no single study has examined individuals at different ages throughout adolescence and young adulthood in order to determine at what ages sexual behavior may be associated with higher or lower levels of depressive symptoms. Using nationally representative longitudinal data and an innovative method, the time-varying effect model (TVEM), which examines how the strength of an association changes over time, this study examines how nonmarital sexual intercourse is associated with depressive symptoms at different ages, which behaviors and contexts may contribute to these associations, and whether associations differ for male and female participants. Findings indicate that sexual behavior in adolescence is associated with a higher level of depressive symptoms, particularly for female adolescents, and this association is relatively consistent across different partner types and adolescent contexts. Associations between sexual behavior and depressive symptoms in young adulthood are more dependent on partner factors and adolescent contexts; sexual behavior in young adulthood is associated with fewer depressive symptoms for women who have sex with a single partner and for men whose parents did not strongly disapprove of adolescent sexual behavior. Findings suggest that delaying sexual behavior into young adulthood may have some benefits for mental health, although contextual and relationship factors also play a role. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Age-varying associations between non-marital sexual behavior and depressive symptoms across adolescence and young adulthood

PubMed Central

Vasilenko, Sara A.

2016-01-01

Research has demonstrated associations between adolescent sexual behavior and depressive symptoms, but no single study has examined individuals at different ages throughout adolescence and young adulthood in order to determine at what ages sexual behavior may be associated with higher or lower levels of depressive symptoms. Using nationally representative longitudinal data and an innovative method, the time-varying effect model (TVEM), which examines how the strength of an association changes over time, this study examines how non-marital sexual intercourse is associated with depressive symptoms at different ages, which behaviors and contexts may contribute to these associations, and whether associations differ for male and female participants. Findings indicate that sexual behavior in adolescence is associated with a higher level of depressive symptoms, particularly for female adolescents, and this association is relatively consistent across different partner types and adolescent contexts. Associations between sexual behavior and depressive symptoms in young adulthood are more dependent on partner factors and adolescent contexts; sexual behavior in young adulthood is associated with fewer depressive symptoms for women who have sex with a single partner and for men whose parents did not strongly disapprove of adolescent sexual behavior. Findings suggest that delaying sexual behavior into young adulthood may have some benefits for mental health, although contextual and relationship factors also play a role. PMID:27854469

Association of lung function genes with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

PubMed

Kim, Woo Jin; Lim, Myoung Nam; Hong, Yoonki; Silverman, Edwin K; Lee, Ji-Hyun; Jung, Bock Hyun; Ra, Seung Won; Choi, Hye Sook; Jung, Young Ju; Park, Yong Bum; Park, Myung Jae; Lee, Sei Won; Lee, Jae Seung; Oh, Yeon-Mok; Lee, Sang Do

2014-08-01

Spirometric measurements of pulmonary function are important in diagnosing and determining the severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We performed this study to determine whether candidate genes identified in genome-wide association studies of spirometric measurements were associated with COPD and if they interacted with smoking intensity. The current analysis included 1,000 COPD subjects and 1,000 controls recruited from 24 hospital-based pulmonary clinics. Thirteen SNPs, chosen based on genome-wide association studies of spirometric measurements in the Korean population cohorts, were genotyped. Genetic association tests were performed, adjusting for age, sex, and smoking intensity, using models including a SNP-by-smoking interaction term. PID1 and FAM13A were significantly associated with COPD susceptibility. There were also significant interactions between SNPs in ACN9 and FAM13A and smoking pack-years, and an association of ACN9 with COPD in the lowest smoking tertile. The risk allele of FAM13A was associated with increased expression of FAM13A in the lung. We have validated associations of FAM13A and PID1 with COPD. ACN9 showed significant interaction with smoking and is a potential candidate gene for COPD. Significant associations of genetic variants of FAM13A with gene expression levels suggest that the associated loci may act as genetic regulatory elements for FAM13A gene expression.

Association between Dietary Energy Density and Risk of Breast, Endometrial, Ovarian, and Colorectal Cancer among Canadian Women.

PubMed

Arthur, Rhonda; Kirsh, Victoria; Rohan, Thomas E

2018-03-01

Background: Dietary energy density (DED) is strongly associated with cancer-associated metabolic disorders such as obesity and metabolic syndrome and may thus influence carcinogenesis. However, little is known about its association with cancer. Therefore, we investigated the association of DED with risk of breast, endometrial, ovarian, and colorectal cancers in the Canadian Study of Diet, Lifestyle, and Health. Methods: We conducted a case-cohort study that included an age-stratified subcohort of 3,120 of the 39,532 female participants who completed self-administered lifestyle and dietary questionnaires at baseline, and in whom, respectively, 922, 188, 104, and 269 incident breast, endometrial, ovarian, and colorectal cancer cases were diagnosed, respectively. We estimated HRs and 95% confidence intervals for the association of DED with risk of these cancers using Cox proportional hazards regression models modified for the case-cohort design. Results: There was no statistically significant association between DED and risk of breast, endometrial, ovarian, and colorectal cancers. Conclusions: Our study suggests that DED is not independently associated with risk of breast, endometrial, ovarian, and colorectal cancers among women. Impact: Further investigation of the association between DED and risk of these cancers in larger prospective studies is warranted, as demonstration of associations may have important implications for primary prevention of these cancers. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 27(3); 338-41. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

78 FR 22198 - Connect America Fund; A National Broadband Plan for Our Future; Establishing Just and Reasonable...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-15

... waiver, filed by the United States Telecom Association and CTIA--The Wireless Association. The Bureau... States Telecom Association (USTelecom) and CTIA--The Wireless Association (CTIA) (collectively... 22201

The perplexing links between contraceptive sterilization and (dis)advantage in ten low-fertility countries.

PubMed

Eeckhaut, Mieke C W; Sweeney, Megan M

2016-01-01

This study investigated the association between contraceptive sterilization and socio-economic status (measured by educational attainment) in ten countries, using data from the 2006-10 National Survey of Family Growth and the 2004-10 Generations and Gender Surveys. The findings confirm that a long-standing association between socio-economic status and sterilization persists in the contemporary United States: female sterilization is associated with economic disadvantage, whereas male sterilization is associated with economic advantage. The latter association is found to be unique to the United States, but female sterilization is associated with disadvantage in most of the other countries studied. While basic demographic background factors such as early childbearing and parity can explain the observed associations in most of the countries, a strong gendered association between sterilization and socio-economic status remains in the United States and Belgium even after adjusting for these factors.

The perplexing links between contraceptive sterilization and (dis)advantage in ten low-fertility countries1

PubMed Central

Eeckhaut, Mieke C. W.; Sweeney, Megan M.

2015-01-01

This study investigates the association between sterilization and socioeconomic status in comparative context, using data from the 2006–10 National Survey of Family Growth and the 2004–10 Generations and Gender Surveys. We first confirm that longstanding patterns of association between socioeconomic status and sterilization persist in the contemporary United States. Specifically, female sterilization is associated with economic disadvantage whereas male sterilization is associated with economic advantage. We next show that female sterilization is similarly associated with disadvantage in most study countries, whereas a positive association between socioeconomic advantage and male sterilization is largely unique to the United States. However, while basic demographic background factors such as early childbearing and parity can explain the observed associations in most study countries, a strong gendered association between sterilization and socioeconomic status remains in the U.S. and Belgium even when adjusting for these factors. PMID:26792541

Stochastic associative memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumann, Erwin W.; Williams, David L.

1993-08-01

Artificial neural networks capable of learning and recalling stochastic associations between non-deterministic quantities have received relatively little attention to date. One potential application of such stochastic associative networks is the generation of sensory 'expectations' based on arbitrary subsets of sensor inputs to support anticipatory and investigate behavior in sensor-based robots. Another application of this type of associative memory is the prediction of how a scene will look in one spectral band, including noise, based upon its appearance in several other wavebands. This paper describes a semi-supervised neural network architecture composed of self-organizing maps associated through stochastic inter-layer connections. This 'Stochastic Associative Memory' (SAM) can learn and recall non-deterministic associations between multi-dimensional probability density functions. The stochastic nature of the network also enables it to represent noise distributions that are inherent in any true sensing process. The SAM architecture, training process, and initial application to sensor image prediction are described. Relationships to Fuzzy Associative Memory (FAM) are discussed.

Flexible nonlinear estimates of the association between height and mental ability in early life.

PubMed

Murasko, Jason E

2014-01-01

To estimate associations between early-life mental ability and height/height-growth in contemporary US children. Structured additive regression models are used to flexibly estimate the associations between height and mental ability at approximately 24 months of age. The sample is taken from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort, a national study whose target population was children born in the US during 2001. A nonlinear association is indicated between height and mental ability at approximately 24 months of age. There is an increasing association between height and mental ability below the mean value of height, but a flat association thereafter. Annualized growth shows the same nonlinear association to ability when controlling for baseline length at 9 months. Restricted growth at lower values of the height distribution is associated with lower measured mental ability in contemporary US children during the first years of life. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Dark Side of Humor: DSM-5 Pathological Personality Traits and Humor Styles

PubMed Central

Zeigler-Hill, Virgil; McCabe, Gillian A.; Vrabel, Jennifer K.

2016-01-01

Basic personality traits (e.g., extraversion) have been found to be associated with the humor styles that individuals employ. In the present study, we were interested in determining whether pathological personality traits were also associated with humor styles. We examined the associations between the pathological personality traits captured by the Personality Inventory for the DSM-5 (PID-5) and humor styles in a sample of college students (N = 594). Negative affectivity and detachment were negatively associated with the affiliative and self-enhancing humor styles. Antagonism was positively associated with the aggressive humor style but negatively associated with the affiliative humor style. Disinhibition was positively associated with the aggressive humor style, whereas disinhibition and psychoticism were both positively associated with the self-defeating humor style. Discussion focuses on the implications of these findings and how they can expand our understanding of the connections between the darker aspects of personality and humor. PMID:27547254

Gambling and Sport: Implicit Association and Explicit Intention Among Underage Youth.

PubMed

Li, En; Langham, Erika; Browne, Matthew; Rockloff, Matthew; Thorne, Hannah

2018-03-23

This study examined whether an implicit association existed between gambling and sport among underage youth in Australia, and whether this implicit association could shape their explicit intention to gamble. A sample of 14-17 year old Australian participants completed two phases of tasks, including an implicit association test based online experiment, and a post-experiment online survey. The results supported the existence of an implicit association between gambling and sport among the participants. This implicit association became stronger when they saw sport-relevant (vs. sport-irrelevant) gambling logos, or gambling-relevant (vs. gambling-irrelevant) sport names. In addition, this implicit association was positively related to the amount of sport viewing, but only among those participants who had more favorable gambling attitudes. Lastly, gambling attitudes and advertising knowledge, rather than the implicit association, turned out to be significant predictors of the explicit intention to gamble.

A prevalence-based association test for case-control studies.

PubMed

Ryckman, Kelli K; Jiang, Lan; Li, Chun; Bartlett, Jacquelaine; Haines, Jonathan L; Williams, Scott M

2008-11-01

Genetic association is often determined in case-control studies by the differential distribution of alleles or genotypes. Recent work has demonstrated that association can also be assessed by deviations from the expected distributions of alleles or genotypes. Specifically, multiple methods motivated by the principles of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) have been developed. However, these methods do not take into account many of the assumptions of HWE. Therefore, we have developed a prevalence-based association test (PRAT) as an alternative method for detecting association in case-control studies. This method, also motivated by the principles of HWE, uses an estimated population allele frequency to generate expected genotype frequencies instead of using the case and control frequencies separately. Our method often has greater power, under a wide variety of genetic models, to detect association than genotypic, allelic or Cochran-Armitage trend association tests. Therefore, we propose PRAT as a powerful alternative method of testing for association.

Review for Disease of the Year: Epidemiology of HLA-B27 Associated Ocular Disorders.

PubMed

Kopplin, Laura J; Mount, George; Suhler, Eric B

2016-08-01

Acute anterior uveitis is generally recognized as the most common form of uveitis. An association with HLA-B27 is seen in approximately half of cases of acute anterior uveitis. The prevalence of HLA-B27 varies widely between ethnic populations, with an approximate 8-10% prevalence in non-Hispanic whites and lower prevalence in Mexican- (4%) and African- (2-4%) Americans. A group of systemic inflammatory diseases, the spondyloarthropathies, similarly demonstrates a strong association with HLA-B27. The strength of association varies, depending on the specific spondyloarthropathy, with the strongest association found in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. The majority of patients with HLA-B27 associated uveitis will have an underlying spondyloarthropathy. Suspicion for HLA-B27 associated uveitis should prompt a careful clinical history to assess for features of a spondyloarthropathy as the characteristics of any associated uveitis may vary.

Causes, types and severity of injury among army soldiers hospitalized with alcohol comorbidity.

PubMed

Howland, Jonathan; Bell, Nicole S; Hollander, Ilyssa E

2007-09-01

To examine the relationship between alcohol use and the cause, type and severity of hospitalized injuries. We used the Total Army Injury and Health Outcomes Database (TAIHOD) to conduct cross-sectional analyses of the association between alcohol comorbidity and the cause, type and severity of soldiers' non-combat injuries requiring hospitalization. Subjects were active-duty US army soldiers (n = 211 790) hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of injury between 1980 and 2002. Alcohol comorbidity was positively associated with hospitalized injuries resulting from fights and falls and negatively associated with sports injuries; positively associated with hospitalized cases of head injury, open wounds and poisonings and negatively associated with musculoskeletal injury; and, overall, associated with shorter length of stay. Controlling for demographic factors did not moderate the association between alcohol and cause, type or severity of injury. Alcohol comorbidity is specifically associated with injuries related to impairment and antisocial behavior.

Is Alcohol Consumption Associated with Poor Academic Achievement in University Students?

PubMed Central

El Ansari, Walid; Stock, Christiane; Mills, Claire

2013-01-01

Background: We assessed associations between educational achievement and alcohol consumption. Methods: We employed five alcohol consumption measures (length of time of and amount consumed during most recent drinking occasion, frequency of alcohol consumption, heavy episodic drinking, problem drinking); and three educational achievement indicators (students’ subjective importance of achieving good grades, students’ appraisal of their academic performance in comparison with peers, students’ actual module mark). Results: Males were positively associated with all five alcohol consumption measures. Age was negatively associated with three alcohol consumption measures. While students´ importance of good grades was negatively associated with three alcohol consumption measures, academic performance in comparison with peers was negatively associated with heavy episodic drinking. Actual module mark was not associated with any alcohol consumption measure. Conclusions: Alcohol consumption showed negative associations with motivation for and subjectively achieved academic performance. University alcohol prevention activities might have positive impact on students’ academic success. PMID:24319558

Adults' implicit associations to infant positive and negative acoustic cues: Moderation by empathy and gender.

PubMed

Senese, Vincenzo Paolo; Venuti, Paola; Giordano, Francesca; Napolitano, Maria; Esposito, Gianluca; Bornstein, Marc H

2017-09-01

In this study a novel auditory version of the Single Category Implicit Association Test (SC-IAT-A) was developed to investigate (a) the valence of adults' associations to infant cries and laughs, (b) moderation of implicit associations by gender and empathy, and (c) the robustness of implicit associations controlling for auditory sensitivity. Eighty adults (50% females) were administered two SC-IAT-As, the Empathy Quotient, and the Weinstein Noise Sensitivity Scale. Adults showed positive implicit associations to infant laugh and negative ones to infant cry; only the implicit associations with the infant laugh were negatively related to empathy scores, and no gender differences were observed. Finally, implicit associations to infant cry were affected by noise sensitivity. The SC-IAT-A is useful to evaluate the valence of implicit reactions to infant auditory cues and could provide fresh insights into understanding processes that regulate the quality of adult-infant relationships.

Polarimetric Investigations of Stellar Associations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khachikian, E. Ye.; Eritsian, M. A.; Hovhannessian, R. Kh.

2002-07-01

The degree of polarization of light from stars in 44 O B associations as a function of interstellar absorption is investigated. It is shown that the character of the dependence of P on A V for stars in associations and stars not in associations depends on the value of A V: for A V 2 m .5 it has a linear character and is the same for both groups of stars. For A V > 2 m .5 the dependence of P on A V for stars in and not in associations departs from linearity and for A V = 4 m .5 it reaches P ass = 1.8% and P nonass = 1%, respectively. Such a difference is explained by the additional depolarization in stellar associations. Such strong depolarization in associations may be due to the overall magnetic field of the Galaxy and to physical peculiarities in the association itself.

Clam-associated vibriosis, USA, 1988-2010.

PubMed

Slayton, R B; Newton, A E; Depaola, A; Jones, J L; Mahon, B E

2014-05-01

Infections with Vibrio spp. have frequently been associated with consumption of bivalve molluscs, especially oysters, but illness associated with clams has also been well documented. We describe the 2312 domestically acquired foodborne Vibrio infections reported to the Cholera and Other Vibrio Illness Surveillance system from 1988 to 2010. Clams were associated with at least 4% (93 persons, 'only clams') and possibly as many as 24% (556 persons, 'any clams') of foodborne cases. Of those who consumed 'only clams', 77% of infections were caused by V. parahaemolyticus. Clam-associated illnesses were generally similar to those associated with other seafood consumption. Clams associated with these illnesses were most frequently harvested from the Atlantic coastal states and eaten raw. Our study describes the contribution of clams to the overall burden of foodborne vibriosis and indicates that a comprehensive programme to prevent foodborne vibriosis need to address the risks associated with clams.

Clam-associated vibriosis, USA, 1988–2010

PubMed Central

Slayton, R. B.; Newton, A. E.; Depaola, A.; Jones, J. L.; Mahon, B. E.

2015-01-01

SUMMARY Infections with Vibrio spp. have frequently been associated with consumption of bivalve molluscs, especially oysters, but illness associated with clams has also been well documented. We describe the 2312 domestically acquired foodborne Vibrio infections reported to the Cholera and Other Vibrio Illness Surveillance system from 1988 to 2010. Clams were associated with at least 4% (93 persons, ‘only clams’) and possibly as many as 24% (556 persons, ‘any clams’) of foodborne cases. Of those who consumed ‘only clams’, 77% of infections were caused by V. parahaemolyticus. Clam-associated illnesses were generally similar to those associated with other seafood consumption. Clams associated with these illnesses were most frequently harvested from the Atlantic coastal states and eaten raw. Our study describes the contribution of clams to the overall burden of foodborne vibriosis and indicates that a comprehensive programme to prevent foodborne vibriosis need to address the risks associated with clams. PMID:23920418

Catalog of Completed Health Care and Dental Care Studies, December 1988

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-01

Care Nurses American Nurses’ Association American Nurses’ Foundation Association of Military Surgeons Association of the United States Army California...Applied Psychology Society of Military Surgeons American Association for the Advancement of Science Association for the Advancement of Psychology... Satisfaction and Retention AD A067592 (HCSD Report No. 78-008) Mar 79 Patient and Community Health Education Model; A Developmental and Evaluation Project

12 CFR 559.13 - How may a savings association exercise its salvage power in connection with a service corporation...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false How may a savings association exercise its... Regulations Applicable to All Savings Associations § 559.13 How may a savings association exercise its salvage... section, a savings association (“you”) may exercise your salvage power to make a contribution or a loan...

12 CFR 559.13 - How may a savings association exercise its salvage power in connection with a service corporation...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2014-01-01 2012-01-01 true How may a savings association exercise its... Regulations Applicable to All Savings Associations § 559.13 How may a savings association exercise its salvage... section, a savings association (“you”) may exercise your salvage power to make a contribution or a loan...

12 CFR 559.13 - How may a savings association exercise its salvage power in connection with a service corporation...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 6 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false How may a savings association exercise its... Regulations Applicable to All Savings Associations § 559.13 How may a savings association exercise its salvage... section, a savings association (“you”) may exercise your salvage power to make a contribution or a loan...

12 CFR 559.13 - How may a savings association exercise its salvage power in connection with a service corporation...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false How may a savings association exercise its... Regulations Applicable to All Savings Associations § 559.13 How may a savings association exercise its salvage... section, a savings association (“you”) may exercise your salvage power to make a contribution or a loan...

Genome-wide association analysis confirms and extends the association of SLC2A9 with serum uric acid levels to Mexican Americans

PubMed Central

Voruganti, Venkata Saroja; Kent, Jack W.; Debnath, Subrata; Cole, Shelley A.; Haack, Karin; Göring, Harald H. H.; Carless, Melanie A.; Curran, Joanne E.; Johnson, Matthew P.; Almasy, Laura; Dyer, Thomas D.; MacCluer, Jean W.; Moses, Eric K.; Abboud, Hanna E.; Mahaney, Michael C.; Blangero, John; Comuzzie, Anthony G.

2013-01-01

Increased serum uric acid (SUA) is a risk factor for gout and renal and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The purpose of this study was to identify genetic factors that affect the variation in SUA in 632 Mexican Americans participants of the San Antonio Family Heart Study (SAFHS). A genome-wide association (GWA) analysis was performed using the Illumina Human Hap 550K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray. We used a linear regression-based association test under an additive model of allelic effect, while accounting for non-independence among family members via a kinship variance component. All analyses were performed in the software package SOLAR. SNPs rs6832439, rs13131257, and rs737267 in solute carrier protein 2 family, member 9 (SLC2A9) were associated with SUA at genome-wide significance (p < 1.3 × 10−7). The minor alleles of these SNPs had frequencies of 36.2, 36.2, and 38.2%, respectively, and were associated with decreasing SUA levels. All of these SNPs were located in introns 3–7 of SLC2A9, the location of the previously reported associations in European populations. When analyzed for association with cardiovascular-renal disease risk factors, conditional on SLC2A9 SNPs strongly associated with SUA, significant associations were found for SLC2A9 SNPs with BMI, body weight, and waist circumference (p < 1.4 × 10−3) and suggestive associations with albumin-creatinine ratio and total antioxidant status (TAS). The SLC2A9 gene encodes an urate transporter that has considerable influence on variation in SUA. In addition to the primary association locus, suggestive evidence (p < 1.9 × 10−6) for joint linkage/association (JLA) was found at a previously-reported urate quantitative trait locus (Logarithm of odds score = 3.6) on 3p26.3. In summary, our GWAS extends and confirms the association of SLC2A9 with SUA for the first time in a Mexican American cohort and also shows for the first time its association with cardiovascular-renal disease risk factors. PMID:24379826

High Fiber and Low Starch Intakes Are Associated with Circulating Intermediate Biomarkers of Type 2 Diabetes among Women.

PubMed

AlEssa, Hala B; Ley, Sylvia H; Rosner, Bernard; Malik, Vasanti S; Willett, Walter C; Campos, Hannia; Hu, Frank B

2016-02-01

Carbohydrate quality has been consistently related to the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, limited information is available about the effect of carbohydrate quality on biomarkers related to T2D. We examined the associations of carbohydrate quality measures (CQMs) including carbohydrate intake; starch intake; glycemic index; glycemic load; total, cereal, fruit, and vegetable fiber intakes; and different combinations of these nutrients with plasma concentrations of adiponectin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). This is a cross-sectional analysis of 2458 diabetes-free women, ages 43-70 y, in the Nurses Health Study. CQMs were estimated from food-frequency questionnaires, and averages from 1984, 1986, and 1990 were used. Plasma biomarkers were collected in 1990. Multiple linear regression models were used to assess the associations between CQMs and biomarkers. After age, body mass index, lifestyle, and dietary variables were adjusted, 1) total fiber intake was positively associated with adiponectin (P-trend = 0.004); 2) cereal fiber intake was positively associated with adiponectin and inversely associated with CRP, and fruit fiber intake was negatively associated with HbA1c concentrations (all P-trend < 0.03); 3) starch intake was inversely associated with adiponectin (P-trend = 0.02); 4) a higher glycemic index was associated with lower adiponectin and higher HbA1c (both P-trend < 0.05); 5) a higher carbohydrate-to-total fiber intake ratio was associated with lower adiponectin (P-trend = 0.005); 6) a higher starch-to-total fiber intake ratio was associated with lower adiponectin and higher HbA1c (both P-trend < 0.05); and 7) a higher starch-to-cereal fiber intake ratio was associated with lower adiponectin (P-trend = 0.002). A greater fiber intake and a lower starch-to-fiber intake ratio are favorably associated with adiponectin and HbA1c, but only cereal fiber intake was associated with CRP in women. Further research is warranted to understand the potential mechanism of these associations in early progression of T2D. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

Does household access to improved water and sanitation in infancy and childhood predict better vocabulary test performance in Ethiopian, Indian, Peruvian and Vietnamese cohort studies?

PubMed Central

Dearden, Kirk A; Brennan, Alana T; Behrman, Jere R; Schott, Whitney; Crookston, Benjamin T; Humphries, Debbie L; Penny, Mary E; Fernald, Lia C H

2017-01-01

Objective Test associations between household water and sanitation (W&S) and children's concurrent and subsequent Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) scores. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Ethiopia, India, Peru, Vietnam. Participants 7269 children. Primary outcome measures PPVT scores at 5 and 8 years. Key exposure variables were related to W&S, and collected at 1, 5 and 8 years, including ‘improved’ water (eg, piped, public tap or standpipe) and ‘improved’ toilets (eg, collection, storage, treatment and recycling of human excreta). Results Access to improved water at 1 year was associated with higher language scores at 5 years (3/4 unadjusted associations) and 8 years (4/4 unadjusted associations). Ethiopian children with access to improved water at 1 year had test scores that were 0.26 SD (95% CI 0.17 to 0.36) higher at 5 years than children without access. Access to improved water at 5 years was associated with higher concurrent PPVT scores (in 3/4 unadjusted associations), but not later scores (in 1/4 unadjusted associations). 5-year-old Peruvian children with access to improved water had better concurrent performance on the PPVT (0.44 SD, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.59) than children without access to improved water. Toilet access at 1 year was also associated with better PPVT scores at 5 years (3/4 unadjusted associations) and sometimes associated with test results at 8 years (2/4 unadjusted associations). Toilet access at 5 years was associated with concurrent PPVT scores (3/4 unadjusted associations). More than half of all associations in unadjusted models (water and toilets) persisted in adjusted models, particularly for toilets in India, Peru and Vietnam. Conclusions Access to ‘improved’ water and toilets had independent associations with children's PPVT scores that often persisted with adjustment for covariates. Our findings suggest that effects of W&S may go beyond subacute and acute infections and physical growth to include children's language performance, a critical component of cognitive development. PMID:28270388

IQ and obesity in adolescence: a population-based, cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Goldberg, S; Werbeloff, N; Fruchter, E; Portuguese, S; Davidson, M; Weiser, M

2014-12-01

Low IQ is associated with high BMI in childhood. There are inconsistent findings on the association between low SES and high BMI. Youth with low IQ have been reported to have poorer health behaviors, such as poor nutrition and less physical activity. Low IQ is significantly associated with obesity for both male and female adolescents, though more strongly for female adolescents. Physical activity has a mediating effect on the association between low IQ and obesity among both male and female adolescents, though more strongly for male adolescents. The association between low IQ and obesity is strongest among adolescents from high SES backgrounds. Previous studies have shown an association between low intelligence quotient (IQ), high body mass index and low socioeconomic status (SES). This study examined the cross-sectional association between IQ and obesity, exploring the roles of gender, SES and physical activity in this association. Subjects were 235,663 male and 169,259 female adolescents assessed by the Israeli military draft board. Low IQ was significantly associated with increased odds of obesity among male (odds ratio [OR] = 1.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.36-1.52) and female adolescents (OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.51-1.73); this association was significantly stronger among female adolescents. Sobel tests indicated that physical activity had a significant mediating effect on this association for male and female adolescents, although more strongly for male adolescents. Dividing the sample according to SES, the association between low IQ and obesity was strongest in the high SES group (male adolescents: OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.10-1.43, female adolescents: OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.38-1.89), even when controlling for physical activity. The findings suggest that low IQ is associated with increased odds of obesity, particularly in female adolescents and in adolescents with high SES. Physical activity has a mediating effect on this association, although more strongly for male than for female adolescents. Public health measures on decreasing obesity might focus on these groups. © 2013 The Authors. Pediatric Obesity © 2013 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Genome-wide copy number variation analysis identified deletions in SFMBT1 associated with fasting plasma glucose in a Han Chinese population.

PubMed

Chung, Ren-Hua; Chiu, Yen-Feng; Hung, Yi-Jen; Lee, Wen-Jane; Wu, Kwan-Dun; Chen, Hui-Ling; Lin, Ming-Wei; Chen, Yii-Der I; Quertermous, Thomas; Hsiung, Chao A

2017-08-08

Fasting glucose and fasting insulin are glycemic traits closely related to diabetes, and understanding the role of genetic factors in these traits can help reveal the etiology of type 2 diabetes. Although single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in several candidate genes have been found to be associated with fasting glucose and fasting insulin, copy number variations (CNVs), which have been reported to be associated with several complex traits, have not been reported for association with these two traits. We aimed to identify CNVs associated with fasting glucose and fasting insulin. We conducted a genome-wide CNV association analysis for fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and fasting plasma insulin (FPI) using a family-based genome-wide association study sample from a Han Chinese population in Taiwan. A family-based CNV association test was developed in this study to identify common CNVs (i.e., CNVs with frequencies ≥ 5%), and a generalized estimating equation approach was used to test the associations between the traits and counts of global rare CNVs (i.e., CNVs with frequencies <5%). We found a significant genome-wide association for common deletions with a frequency of 5.2% in the Scm-like with four mbt domains 1 (SFMBT1) gene with FPG (association p-value = 2×10 -4 and an adjusted p-value = 0.0478 for multiple testing). No significant association was observed between global rare CNVs and FPG or FPI. The deletions in 20 individuals with DNA samples available were successfully validated using PCR-based amplification. The association of the deletions in SFMBT1 with FPG was further evaluated using an independent population-based replication sample obtained from the Taiwan Biobank. An association p-value of 0.065, which was close to the significance level of 0.05, for FPG was obtained by testing 9 individuals with CNVs in the SFMBT1 gene region and 11,692 individuals with normal copies in the replication cohort. Previous studies have found that SNPs in SFMBT1 are associated with blood pressure and serum urate concentration, suggesting that SFMBT1 may have functional implications in some metabolic-related traits.

Memory Asymmetry of Forward and Backward Associations in Recognition Tasks

PubMed Central

Yang, Jiongjiong; Zhu, Zijian; Mecklinger, Axel; Fang, Zhiyong; Li, Han

2013-01-01

There is an intensive debate on whether memory for serial order is symmetric. The objective of this study was to explore whether associative asymmetry is modulated by memory task (recognition vs. cued recall). Participants were asked to memorize word triples (Experiment 1–2) or pairs (Experiment 3–6) during the study phase. They then recalled the word by a cue during a cued recall task (Experiment 1–4), and judged whether the presented two words were in the same or in a different order compared to the study phase during a recognition task (Experiment 1–6). To control for perceptual matching between the study and test phase, participants were presented with vertical test pairs when they made directional judgment in Experiment 5. In Experiment 6, participants also made associative recognition judgments for word pairs presented at the same or the reversed position. The results showed that forward associations were recalled at similar levels as backward associations, and that the correlations between forward and backward associations were high in the cued recall tasks. On the other hand, the direction of forward associations was recognized more accurately (and more quickly) than backward associations, and their correlations were comparable to the control condition in the recognition tasks. This forward advantage was also obtained for the associative recognition task. Diminishing positional information did not change the pattern of associative asymmetry. These results suggest that associative asymmetry is modulated by cued recall and recognition manipulations, and that direction as a constituent part of a memory trace can facilitate associative memory. PMID:22924326

Craniofacial anomalies associated with hypospadias. Description of a hospital based population in South America.

PubMed

Fernandez, Nicolas; Escobar, Rebeca; Zarante, Ignacio

2016-01-01

Hypospadias is a congenital abnormality of the penis, in which there is incomplete development of the distal urethra. There are numerous reports showing na increase of prevalence of hypospadias. Association of craniofacial malformations in patients diagnosed with hypospadias is rare. The aim of this study is to describe the association between hypospadias and craniofacial congenital anomalies. A retrospective review of the Latin-American collaborative study of congenital malformations (ECLAMC) data was performed between January 1982 and December 2011. We included children diagnosed with associated hypospadias and among them we selected those that were associated with any craniofacial congenital anomaly. Global prevalence was 11.3 per 10.000 newborns. In this population a total of 809 patients with 1117 associated anomalies were identified. On average there were 1.7 anomalies per patient. Facial anomalies were present in 13.2%. The most commonly major facial anomaly associated to hypospadias was cleft lip/palate with 52 cases. We identified that 18% have an association with other anomalies, and found an association between craniofacial anomalies and hypospadias in 0.59 cases/10.000 newborns. Hypospadias is the most common congenital anomaly affecting the genitals. Its association with other anomalies is rare. It has been reported that other malformations occur in 29.3% of the cases with hypospadias. The more proximal the meatus, the higher the risk for having another associated anomaly. Associated hypospadias are rare, and it is important to identify the concurrent occurrence of craniofacial anomalies to better treat patients that might need a multidisciplinary approach. Copyright© by the International Brazilian Journal of Urology.

Craniofacial anomalies associated with hypospadias. Description of a hospital based population in South America

PubMed Central

Fernandez, Nicolas; Escobar, Rebeca; Zarante, Ignacio

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Introduction: Hypospadias is a congenital abnormality of the penis, in which there is incomplete development of the distal urethra. There are numerous reports showing an increase of prevalence of hypospadias. Association of craniofacial malformations in patients diagnosed with hypospadias is rare. The aim of this study is to describe the association between hypospadias and craniofacial congenital anomalies. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of the Latin-American collaborative study of congenital malformations (ECLAMC) data was performed between January 1982 and December 2011. We included children diagnosed with associated hypospadias and among them we selected those that were associated with any craniofacial congenital anomaly. Results: Global prevalence was 11.3 per 10.000 newborns. In this population a total of 809 patients with 1117 associated anomalies were identified. On average there were 1.7 anomalies per patient. Facial anomalies were present in 13.2%. The most commonly major facial anomaly associated to hypospadias was cleft lip/palate with 52 cases. We identified that 18% have an association with other anomalies, and found an association between craniofacial anomalies and hypospadias in 0.59 cases/10.000 newborns. Discussion: Hypospadias is the most common congenital anomaly affecting the genitals. Its association with other anomalies is rare. It has been reported that other malformations occur in 29.3% of the cases with hypospadias. The more proximal the meatus, the higher the risk for having another associated anomaly. Conclusion: Associated hypospadias are rare, and it is important to identify the concurrent occurrence of craniofacial anomalies to better treat patients that might need a multidisciplinary approach. PMID:27564292

17q25 Locus Is Associated With White Matter Hyperintensity Volume in Ischemic Stroke, But Not With Lacunar Stroke Status

PubMed Central

Adib-Samii, Poneh; Rost, Natalia; Traylor, Matthew; Devan, William; Biffi, Alessandro; Lanfranconi, Silvia; Fitzpatrick, Kaitlin; Bevan, Steve; Kanakis, Allison; Valant, Valerie; Gschwendtner, Andreas; Malik, Rainer; Richie, Alexa; Gamble, Dale; Segal, Helen; Parati, Eugenio A.; Ciusani, Emilio; Holliday, Elizabeth G.; Maguire, Jane; Wardlaw, Joanna; Worrall, Bradford; Bis, Joshua; Wiggins, Kerri L.; Longstreth, Will; Kittner, Steve J.; Cheng, Yu-Ching; Mosley, Thomas; Falcone, Guido J.; Furie, Karen L.; Leiva-Salinas, Carlos; Lau, Benison C.; Khan, Muhammed Saleem; Sharma, Pankaj; Fornage, Myriam; Mitchell, Braxton D.; Psaty, Bruce M.; Sudlow, Cathie; Levi, Christopher; Boncoraglio, Giorgio B.; Rothwell, Peter M.; Meschia, James; Dichgans, Martin; Rosand, Jonathan; Markus, Hugh S.

2013-01-01

Background and Purpose Recently, a novel locus at 17q25 was associated with white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on MRI in stroke-free individuals. We aimed to replicate the association with WMH volume (WMHV) in patients with ischemic stroke. If the association acts by promoting a small vessel arteriopathy, it might be expected to also associate with lacunar stroke. Methods We quantified WMH on MRI in the stroke-free hemisphere of 2588 ischemic stroke cases. Association between WMHV and 6 single-nucleotide polymorphisms at chromosome 17q25 was assessed by linear regression. These single-nucleotide polymorphisms were also investigated for association with lacunar stroke in 1854 cases and 51 939 stroke-free controls from METASTROKE. Meta-analyses with previous reports and a genetic risk score approach were applied to identify other novel WMHV risk variants and uncover shared genetic contributions to WMHV in community participants without stroke and ischemic stroke. Results Single-nucleotide polymorphisms at 17q25 were associated with WMHV in ischemic stroke, the most significant being rs9894383 (P=0.0006). In contrast, there was no association between any single-nucleotide polymorphism and lacunar stroke. A genetic risk score analysis revealed further genetic components to WMHV shared between community participants without stroke and ischemic stroke. Conclusions This study provides support for an association between the 17q25 locus and WMH. In contrast, it is not associated with lacunar stroke, suggesting that the association does not act by promoting small-vessel arteriopathy or the same arteriopathy responsible for lacunar infarction. PMID:23674528

Parental feeding styles, young children's fruit, vegetable, water and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, and the moderating role of maternal education and ethnic background.

PubMed

Inhulsen, Maj-Britt Mr; Mérelle, Saskia Ym; Renders, Carry M

2017-08-01

To examine the associations between parental feeding styles and children's dietary intakes and the modifying effect of maternal education and children's ethnicity on these associations. Cross-sectional study of parental feeding styles, assessed by the Parental Feeding Style Questionnaire, and children's dietary intakes. Multiple regression analyses were carried out to assess the associations between the parental feeding styles studied ('control', 'emotional feeding', 'encouragement to eat' and 'instrumental feeding') and children's dietary intakes (consumption of fruit, vegetables, water and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB)). The modifying effect of maternal education and children's ethnicity on these associations was explored. North-western part of the Netherlands. Children aged 3-7 years (n 5926). Both 'encouragement' and 'control' were associated with higher consumption of vegetables and lower consumption of SSB, but only 'encouragement' was positively associated with fruit and water intakes. 'Instrumental feeding' showed a positive association with SSB and negative associations with fruit, vegetable and water consumption. No significant associations were found for 'emotional feeding'. Maternal educational level and children's ethnicity moderated some associations; for example, 'control' was beneficial for vegetable intake in all subgroups, whereas the association with SSB was beneficial only in highly educated mothers. The study shows that both encouraging and controlling feeding styles may improve children's dietary behaviour, while 'instrumental feeding' may have a detrimental effect. Furthermore, maternal educational level and children's ethnicity influence these associations. The study's findings could provide a basis for development of interventions to improve parental feeding styles.

Differential Associations of UPPS-P Impulsivity Traits With Alcohol Problems.

PubMed

McCarty, Kayleigh N; Morris, David H; Hatz, Laura E; McCarthy, Denis M

2017-07-01

The UPPS-P model posits that impulsivity comprises five factors: positive urgency, negative urgency, lack of planning, lack of perseverance, and sensation seeking. Negative and positive urgency are the traits most consistently associated with alcohol problems. However, previous work has examined alcohol problems either individually or in the aggregate, rather than examining multiple problem domains simultaneously. Recent work has also questioned the utility of distinguishing between positive and negative urgency, as this distinction did not meaningfully differ in predicting domains of psychopathology. The aims of this study were to address these issues by (a) testing unique associations of UPPS-P with specific domains of alcohol problems and (b) determining the utility of distinguishing between positive and negative urgency as risk factors for specific alcohol problems. Associations between UPPS-P traits and alcohol problem domains were examined in two cross-sectional data sets using negative binomial regression models. In both samples, negative urgency was associated with social/interpersonal, self-perception, risky behaviors, and blackout drinking problems. Positive urgency was associated with academic/occupational and physiological dependence problems. Both urgency traits were associated with impaired control and self-care problems. Associations for other UPPS-P traits did not replicate across samples. Results indicate that negative and positive urgency have differential associations with alcohol problem domains. Results also suggest a distinction between the type of alcohol problems associated with these traits-negative urgency was associated with problems experienced during a drinking episode, whereas positive urgency was associated with alcohol problems that result from longer-term drinking trends.

No Evidence That Schizophrenia Candidate Genes Are More Associated With Schizophrenia Than Noncandidate Genes.

PubMed

Johnson, Emma C; Border, Richard; Melroy-Greif, Whitney E; de Leeuw, Christiaan A; Ehringer, Marissa A; Keller, Matthew C

2017-11-15

A recent analysis of 25 historical candidate gene polymorphisms for schizophrenia in the largest genome-wide association study conducted to date suggested that these commonly studied variants were no more associated with the disorder than would be expected by chance. However, the same study identified other variants within those candidate genes that demonstrated genome-wide significant associations with schizophrenia. As such, it is possible that variants within historic schizophrenia candidate genes are associated with schizophrenia at levels above those expected by chance, even if the most-studied specific polymorphisms are not. The present study used association statistics from the largest schizophrenia genome-wide association study conducted to date as input to a gene set analysis to investigate whether variants within schizophrenia candidate genes are enriched for association with schizophrenia. As a group, variants in the most-studied candidate genes were no more associated with schizophrenia than were variants in control sets of noncandidate genes. While a small subset of candidate genes did appear to be significantly associated with schizophrenia, these genes were not particularly noteworthy given the large number of more strongly associated noncandidate genes. The history of schizophrenia research should serve as a cautionary tale to candidate gene investigators examining other phenotypes: our findings indicate that the most investigated candidate gene hypotheses of schizophrenia are not well supported by genome-wide association studies, and it is likely that this will be the case for other complex traits as well. Copyright © 2017 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative genomics analysis of Lactobacillus species associated with weight gain or weight protection

PubMed Central

Drissi, F; Merhej, V; Angelakis, E; El Kaoutari, A; Carrière, F; Henrissat, B; Raoult, D

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Some Lactobacillus species are associated with obesity and weight gain while others are associated with weight loss. Lactobacillus spp. and bifidobacteria represent a major bacterial population of the small intestine where lipids and simple carbohydrates are absorbed, particularly in the duodenum and jejunum. The objective of this study was to identify Lactobacillus spp. proteins involved in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism associated with weight modifications. METHODS: We examined a total of 13 complete genomes belonging to seven different Lactobacillus spp. previously associated with weight gain or weight protection. We combined the data obtained from the Rapid Annotation using Subsystem Technology, Batch CD-Search and Gene Ontology to classify gene function in each genome. RESULTS: We observed major differences between the two groups of genomes. Weight gain-associated Lactobacillus spp. appear to lack enzymes involved in the catabolism of fructose, defense against oxidative stress and the synthesis of dextrin, L-rhamnose and acetate. Weight protection-associated Lactobacillus spp. encoded a significant gene amount of glucose permease. Regarding lipid metabolism, thiolases were only encoded in the genome of weight gain-associated Lactobacillus spp. In addition, we identified 18 different types of bacteriocins in the studied genomes, and weight gain-associated Lactobacillus spp. encoded more bacteriocins than weight protection-associated Lactobacillus spp. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study revealed that weight protection-associated Lactobacillus spp. have developed defense mechanisms for enhanced glycolysis and defense against oxidative stress. Weight gain-associated Lactobacillus spp. possess a limited ability to breakdown fructose or glucose and might reduce ileal brake effects. PMID:24567124

Contemporary Risk Factors and Outcomes of Transfusion-Associated Circulatory Overload.

PubMed

Roubinian, Nareg H; Hendrickson, Jeanne E; Triulzi, Darrell J; Gottschall, Jerome L; Michalkiewicz, Michael; Chowdhury, Dhuly; Kor, Daryl J; Looney, Mark R; Matthay, Michael A; Kleinman, Steven H; Brambilla, Donald; Murphy, Edward L

2018-04-01

Transfusion-associated circulatory overload is characterized by hydrostatic pulmonary edema following blood transfusion. Restrictive transfusion practice may affect the occurrence and severity of transfusion-associated circulatory overload in critically ill patients. We sought to examine contemporary risk factors and outcomes for transfusion-associated circulatory overload. Case-control study. Four tertiary care hospitals. We prospectively enrolled 200 patients with transfusion-associated circulatory overload identified by active surveillance and 405 controls matched by transfusion intensity. None. Among 20,845 transfused patients who received 128,263 blood components from May 2015 until July 2016, transfusion-associated circulatory overload incidence was one case per 100 transfused patients. In addition to cardiovascular comorbidities, multivariable analysis identified the following independent predictors of transfusion-associated circulatory overload: acute kidney injury, emergency surgery, pretransfusion diuretic use, and plasma transfusion-the latter especially in females. Compared with matched controls, transfusion-associated circulatory overload cases were more likely to require mechanical ventilation (71% vs 49%; p < 0.001), experienced longer intensive care and hospital lengths of stay following transfusion, and had higher mortality (21% vs 11%; p = 0.02) even after adjustment for other potentially confounding variables. Despite restrictive transfusion practice, transfusion-associated circulatory overload remains a frequent complication of transfusion and is an independent risk factor for in-hospital morbidity and mortality. In addition to cardiovascular and renal risk factors, plasma transfusion was associated with transfusion-associated circulatory overload after controlling for other covariates. Additional research is needed to examine the benefit of reduced erythrocyte or plasma exposure in patients at high risk for transfusion-associated circulatory overload.

The differential effects of emotional salience on direct associative and relational memory during a nap.

PubMed

Alger, Sara E; Payne, Jessica D

2016-12-01

Relational memories are formed from shared components between directly learned memory associations, flexibly linking learned information to better inform future judgments. Sleep has been found to facilitate both direct associative and relational memories. However, the impact of incorporating emotionally salient information into learned material and the interaction of emotional salience and sleep in facilitating both types of memory is unknown. Participants encoded two sets of picture pairs, with either emotionally negative or neutral objects paired with neutral faces. The same objects were present in both sets, paired with two different faces across the sets. Baseline memory for these directly paired associates was tested immediately after encoding, followed by either a 90-min nap opportunity or wakefulness. Five hours after learning, a surprise test assessed relational memory, the indirect association between two faces paired with the same object during encoding, followed by a retest of direct associative memory. Overall, negative information was remembered better than neutral for directly learned pairs. A nap facilitated both preservation of direct associative memories and formation of relational memories, compared to remaining awake. Interestingly, however, this sleep benefit was observed specifically for neutral directly paired associates, while both neutral and negative relational associations benefitted from a nap. Finally, REM sleep played opposing roles in neutral direct and relational associative memory formation, with more REM sleep leading to forgetting of direct associations but promoting relational associations, suggesting that, while not benefitting memory consolidation for directly learned details, REM sleep may foster the memory reorganization needed for relational memory.

Quantile regression analyses of associated factors for body mass index in Korean adolescents.

PubMed

Kim, T H; Lee, E K; Han, E

2015-05-01

This study examined the influence of home and school environments, and individual health-risk behaviours on body weight outcomes in Korean adolescents. This was a cross-sectional observational study. Quantile regression models to explore heterogeneity in the association of specific factors with body mass index (BMI) over the entire conditional BMI distribution was used. A nationally representative web-based survey for youths was used. Paternal education level of college or more education was associated with lower BMI for girls, whereas college or more education of mothers was associated with higher BMI for boys; for both, the magnitude of association became larger at the upper quantiles of the conditional BMI distribution. Girls with good family economic status were more likely to have higher BMIs than those with average family economic status, particularly at the upper quantile of the conditional BMI distribution. Attending a co-ed school was associated with lower BMI for both genders with a larger association at the upper quantiles. Substantial screen time for TV watching, video games, or internet surfing was associated with a higher BMI with a larger association at the upper quantiles for both girls and boys. Dental prevention was negatively associated with BMI, whereas suicide consideration was positively associated with BMIs of both genders with a larger association at a higher quantile. These findings suggest that interventions aimed at behavioural changes and positive parental roles are needed to effectively address high adolescent BMI. Copyright © 2015 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Do smoking and fruit and vegetable intake mediate the association between socio-economic status and plasma carotenoids?

PubMed

Kvaavik, Elisabeth; Totland, Torunn H; Bastani, Nasser; Kjøllesdal, Marte K; Tell, Grethe S; Andersen, Lene F

2014-08-01

The aim was to study whether the association between educational attainment and antioxidant status is mediated by smoking and fruit and vegetable intake. Cross-sectional analyses of the Oslo Youth Study 2006 wave were carried out. Information about education, smoking habits and diet was collected by questionnaire for 261 subjects (142 women and 119 men aged 38-42 years). Blood samples, height and weight measurements were taken by the participants' General Practitioner. Blood were analysed for plasma carotenoids. Linear regression analyses were used to examine whether smoking and fruit and vegetable intake mediate the association between education and plasma carotenoids. Educational level was positively associated with β-cryptoxanthin, α-carotene and lutein/zeaxanthin, but not with total carotenoids, β-carotene or lycopene. Education was negatively associated with smoking and positively associated with fruit and vegetable intake. Smoking was negatively associated with β-cryptoxanthin, and fruit and vegetable intake was positively associated with β-cryptoxanthin (adjusted for educational level). Moreover, cigarette consumption mediated the association between education and β-cryptoxanthin by 37%, while fruit and vegetable intake mediated this association by 18%. The total mediation effect was 55%. Smoking seemed to be more important as a mediator between education and plasma levels of β-cryptoxanthin than the intake of fruit and vegetables, but more studies are needed to establish the relative importance of smoking and diet as mediators of the association between education and antioxidant status. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Association Analysis in Rice: From Application to Utilization

PubMed Central

Zhang, Peng; Zhong, Kaizhen; Shahid, Muhammad Qasim; Tong, Hanhua

2016-01-01

Association analysis based on linkage disequilibrium (LD) is an efficient way to dissect complex traits and to identify gene functions in rice. Although association analysis is an effective way to construct fine maps for quantitative traits, there are a few issues which need to be addressed. In this review, we will first summarize type, structure, and LD level of populations used for association analysis of rice, and then discuss the genotyping methods and statistical approaches used for association analysis in rice. Moreover, we will review current shortcomings and benefits of association analysis as well as specific types of future research to overcome these shortcomings. Furthermore, we will analyze the reasons for the underutilization of the results within association analysis in rice breeding. PMID:27582745

Amount of HIV DNA in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells is Proportional to the Severity of HIV-1-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders

PubMed Central

Shiramizu, Bruce; Williams, Andrew E.; Shikuma, Cecilia; Valcour, Victor

2009-01-01

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was previously associated with neuropsychological function. By including individuals encompassing the full range of HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorders, this study reports results from subjects with normal cognition, minor cognitive motor disorder, and HIV-1-associated dementia. Individuals with normal cognition had relatively low HIV DNA levels compared to those with minor cognitive motor disorder and HIV-1-associated dementia. Neuropsychological deficits were significantly associated with entry HIV DNA in all domains. These findings demonstrate for the first time that the severity of HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorders is proportional to the amount of circulating HIV DNA. PMID:19359454

Seeing odors in color: Cross-modal associations in children and adults from two cultural environments.

PubMed

Goubet, Nathalie; Durand, Karine; Schaal, Benoist; McCall, Daniel D

2018-02-01

We investigated the occurrence and underlying processes of odor-color associations in French and American 6- to 10-year-old children (n = 386) and adults (n = 137). Nine odorants were chosen according to their familiarity to either cultural group. Participants matched each odor with a color, gave hedonic and familiarity judgments, and identified each odor. By 6 years of age, children displayed culture-specific odor-color associations, but age differences were noted in the type of associations. Children and adults in both cultural groups shared common associations and formed associations that were unique to their environment, underscoring the importance of exposure learning in odor-color associations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

7 CFR 1150.119 - Cooperative association.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Cooperative association. 1150.119 Section 1150.119 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Marketing... Order Definitions § 1150.119 Cooperative association. Cooperative association means any cooperative...

12 CFR 619.9135 - Direct lender.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and Banking FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION FARM CREDIT SYSTEM DEFINITIONS § 619.9135 Direct lender. The term direct lender refers to Farm Credit banks and associations (production credit associations, agricultural credit associations, and Federal land credit associations) authorized to lend to eligible...

77 FR 43151 - Permissible Investments for Federal and State Savings Associations: Corporate Debt Securities

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-24

... 1044 insured state and federal savings associations. Of these 1044 insured savings associations, 356... represents only 0.97 percent of the aggregate total assets of the 1044 savings associations. \\16\\ This line...

Predicting exposure-response associations of ambient particulate matter with mortality in 73 Chinese cities.

PubMed

Madaniyazi, Lina; Guo, Yuming; Chen, Renjie; Kan, Haidong; Tong, Shilu

2016-01-01

Estimating the burden of mortality associated with particulates requires knowledge of exposure-response associations. However, the evidence on exposure-response associations is limited in many cities, especially in developing countries. In this study, we predicted associations of particulates smaller than 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) with mortality in 73 Chinese cities. The meta-regression model was used to test and quantify which city-specific characteristics contributed significantly to the heterogeneity of PM10-mortality associations for 16 Chinese cities. Then, those city-specific characteristics with statistically significant regression coefficients were treated as independent variables to build multivariate meta-regression models. The model with the best fitness was used to predict PM10-mortality associations in 73 Chinese cities in 2010. Mean temperature, PM10 concentration and green space per capita could best explain the heterogeneity in PM10-mortality associations. Based on city-specific characteristics, we were able to develop multivariate meta-regression models to predict associations between air pollutants and health outcomes reasonably well. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Does Emotion Dysregulation Mediate the Association Between Sluggish Cognitive Tempo and College Students' Social Impairment?

PubMed

Flannery, Andrew J; Becker, Stephen P; Luebbe, Aaron M

2016-09-01

Studies demonstrate an association between sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) and social impairment, although no studies have tested possible mechanisms of this association. This study aimed to (a) examine SCT in relation to college students' social functioning; (b) test if SCT is significantly associated with emotion dysregulation beyond depressive, anxious, and ADHD symptoms; and (c) test if emotion dysregulation mediates the association between SCT symptoms and social impairment. College students (N = 158) completed measures of psychopathology symptoms, emotion dysregulation, and social functioning. Participants with elevated SCT (12%) had higher ADHD, depressive, and anxious symptoms in addition to poorer emotion regulation and social adjustment than participants without elevated SCT. Above and beyond other psychopathologies, SCT was significantly associated with social impairment but not general interpersonal functioning. SCT was also associated with emotion dysregulation, even after accounting for the expectedly strong association between depression and emotion dysregulation. Further analyses supported emotion dysregulation as a mediator of the association between SCT and social impairment. These findings are important for theoretical models of SCT and underscore the need for additional, longitudinal research. © The Author(s) 2014.

Operational practices associated with foodborne disease outbreaks in the catering industry in England and Wales.

PubMed

Jones, Sarah L; Parry, Sharon M; O'Brien, Sarah J; Palmer, Stephen R

2008-08-01

Catering businesses continue to be the most common setting for foodborne disease outbreaks. In a study of catering businesses in England and Wales, operational practices relating to the supply, preparation, and service of food in 88 businesses associated with outbreaks were compared with those practices at 88 control businesses. Operational practices did not differ significantly between case and control businesses but larger small medium-size enterprise (SME) businesses were more likely to be associated with foodborne disease outbreaks than were micro-SME businesses. Businesses associated with outbreaks of Salmonella infection were less likely to use local or national suppliers but instead used regional suppliers, especially for eggs. This practice was the only significantly independent operational practice associated with outbreaks of Salmonella infection. Regional egg suppliers also were more likely to be used by businesses associated with outbreaks attributed to food vehicles containing eggs. Businesses associated with egg-associated outbreaks were less likely to use eggs produced under an approved quality assurance scheme, suggesting that the underlying risk associated with using regional suppliers may relate to the use of contaminated eggs.

The informational value of dreams and associations.

PubMed

Olsson, G

1996-03-01

The manifest dream has usually been the object of study by researchers, while psychotherapists mainly have paid attention to the latent content of the dream, reached through free associations. The question is which aspects of the dream, manifest content or associations, yield information about the dreamer's psychic life. In the present study it is suggested that the manifest dream to a large extent maintains thematic continuity with the dreamer's associations. However, with regard to emotions, there is no clear overlap between the information contained in the manifest dream and in its associations. The associations make the dream into the dreamer's own personal dream. Associating to a dream changes strangers into known people in the life of the dreamer. The dreamer comes to recognize aspects of himself or herself in these people. In associations, the dreamers portray themselves as more responsible of emotions, while they in dreams rather ascribe emotions to others, and they themselves become objects of these emotions. The author argues for the value of both the manifest dream in its own right and the enhanced experiental closeness afforded by the dreamer's associations.

The relation between navigation strategy and associative memory: An individual differences approach.

PubMed

Ngo, Chi T; Weisberg, Steven M; Newcombe, Nora S; Olson, Ingrid R

2016-04-01

Although the hippocampus is implicated in both spatial navigation and associative memory, very little is known about whether individual differences in the 2 domains covary. People who prefer to navigate using a hippocampal-dependent place strategy may show better performance on associative memory tasks than those who prefer a caudate-dependent response strategy (Bohbot, Gupta, Banner, & Dahmani, 2011), but not all studies suggest such an effect (Woollett & Maguire, 2009, 2012). Here we tested nonexpert young adults and found that preference for a place strategy positively correlated with spatial (object-location) associative memory performance but did not correlate with nonspatial (face-name) associative memory performance. Importantly, these correlations differed from each other, indicating that the relation between navigation strategy and associative memory is specific to the spatial domain. In addition, the 2 associative memory tasks significantly correlated, suggesting that object-location memory taps into processes relevant to both hippocampal-dependent navigation and nonspatial associative memory. Our findings also suggest that individual differences in spatial associative memory may account for some of the variance in navigation strategies. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Associations among sleep, daily experiences, and loneliness in adolescence: evidence of moderating and bidirectional pathways.

PubMed

Doane, Leah D; Thurston, Emily C

2014-02-01

The present study examined the dynamic associations among daily stress levels, affect, and objective sleep quality in adolescence. We also explored loneliness as a potential moderator of these associations. Seventy-eight adolescents participated over three days. They completed diary reports of stressful experiences and affect five times a day while wearing an actigraph to obtain objective measurement of sleep. They also provided self-reports of loneliness. High daily stress was associated with shorter sleep duration. Models testing bidirectional associations indicated that prior day stress was associated with shorter sleep duration, but poor sleep duration and sleep efficiency were also associated with greater stress the next day. Loneliness was a significant moderator of the associations between daily stress and sleep duration and latency such that lonely individuals had shorter sleep durations and sleep latencies after particularly stressful days. Results suggest daily dynamic associations among loneliness, daily stress, and objective measures of adolescent sleep. Copyright © 2013 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Not just semantics: Strong frequency and weak cognate effects on semantic association in bilinguals

PubMed Central

Antón-Méndez, Inés; Gollan, Tamar H.

2012-01-01

To investigate the possibility that knowledge of two languages influences the nature of semantic representations, bilinguals and monolinguals were compared in a word association task. In Experiment 1, bilinguals produced less typical responses relative to monolinguals when given cues with a very common associate (e.g., given bride, bilinguals said “dress” instead of “groom”). In Experiment 2, bilinguals produced responses as typical as those of monolinguals when given cues with high-frequency associates, but not when given cues with low-frequency associates. Bilinguals’ responses were also affected, to a certain extent, by the cognate status of the stimulus word pairs: They were more similar to monolinguals’ responses when the cue and its strongest associate were both cognates (e.g., minute–second is minuto–segundo in Spanish), as opposed to both being noncognates. Experiment 3 confirmed the presence of a robust frequency effect on bilingual but not on monolingual association responses. These findings imply a lexical locus for the bilingual effect on association responses and reveal the association task to be not quite as purely semantic as was previously assumed. PMID:20852236

Improving associative memory in older adults with unitization.

PubMed

Ahmad, Fahad N; Fernandes, Myra; Hockley, William E

2015-01-01

We examined if unitization inherent preexperimentally could reduce the associative deficit in older adults. In Experiment 1, younger and older adults studied compound word (CW; e.g., store keeper) and noncompound word (NCW; e.g., needle birth) pairs. We found a reduction in the age-related associative deficit such that older but not younger adults showed a discrimination advantage for CW relative to NCW pairs on a yes-no associative recognition test. These results suggest that CW compared to NCW word pairs provide schematic support that older adults can use to improve their memory. In Experiment 2, reducing study time in younger adults decreased associative recognition performance, but did not produce a discrimination advantage for CW pairs. In Experiment 3, both older and younger adults showed a discrimination advantage for CW pairs on a two-alternative forced-choice recognition test, which encourages greater use of familiarity. These results suggest that test format influenced young adults' use of familiarity during associative recognition of unitized pairs, and that older adults rely more on familiarity than recollection for associative recognition. Unitization of preexperimental associations, as in CW pairs, can alleviate age-related associative deficits.

The role of neuroticism and extraversion in the stress-anxiety and stress-depression relationships.

PubMed

Uliaszek, Amanda A; Zinbarg, Richard E; Mineka, Susan; Craske, Michelle G; Sutton, Jonathan M; Griffith, James W; Rose, Raphael; Waters, Allison; Hammen, Constance

2010-07-01

Though there is a considerable amount of research supporting the association between stressful life events and major depression, there is a paucity of research concerning a range of other life stress constructs, non-depressive disorders, the role of stable personality traits, and gender differences. This study addresses these deficits by: (a) focusing on the association between interpersonal and non-interpersonal chronic life stress (CLS) and both depressive and anxiety disorders; (b) examining the roles of neuroticism and low extraversion in these associations; and (c) assessing gender differences. Participants were 603 adolescents from a study examining risk factors for emotional disorders. Depression and social phobia were associated with interpersonal CLS (IP-CLS), with neuroticism partially accounting for these associations. Low extraversion partially accounted for the association between social phobia and IP-CLS. Depression was also associated with non-interpersonal CLS (NI-CLS), but only in females. This study provides preliminary evidence for the importance of personality variables in explaining shared associations between stress and depression. Additionally, the stress-social phobia relationship is highlighted with no evidence supporting an association between other anxiety disorders and CLS.

Rate of muscle contraction is associated with cognition in women, not in men.

PubMed

Tian, Qu; Osawa, Yusuke; Resnick, Susan M; Ferrucci, Luigi; Studenski, Stephanie A

2018-05-08

In older persons, lower hand grip strength is associated with poorer cognition. Little is known about how the rate of muscle contraction relates to cognition and upper extremity motor function, and sex differences are understudied. Linear regression, adjusting for age, race, education, body mass index, appendicular lean mass, and knee pain assessed sex-specific cross-sectional associations of peak torque, rate of torque development (RTD) and rate of velocity development (RVD) with cognition and upper extremity motor function. In men (n=447), higher rate-adjusted peak torque and a greater RVD were associated with faster simple finger tapping speed, and a greater RVD was associated with higher nondominant pegboard performance. In women (n=447), higher peak torque was not associated with any measures, but a greater RTD was associated with faster simple tapping speed and higher language performance, and a greater RVD was associated with higher executive function, attention, memory, and nondominant pegboard performance. In women with low isokinetic peak torque, RVD was associated with attention and memory. RVD capacity may reflect neural health, especially in women with low muscle strength.

Hunger modulates behavioral disinhibition and attention allocation to food-associated cues in normal-weight controls.

PubMed

Loeber, Sabine; Grosshans, Martin; Herpertz, Stephan; Kiefer, Falk; Herpertz, Sabine C

2013-12-01

Overeating, weight gain and obesity are considered as a major health problem in Western societies. At present, an impairment of response inhibition and a biased salience attribution to food-associated stimuli are considered as important factors associated with weight gain. However, recent findings suggest that the association between an impaired response inhibition and salience attribution and weight gain might be modulated by other factors. Thus, hunger might cause food-associated cues to be perceived as more salient and rewarding and might be associated with an impairment of response inhibition. However, at present, little is known how hunger interacts with these processes. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether hunger modulates response inhibition and attention allocation towards food-associated stimuli in normal-weight controls. A go-/nogo task with food-associated and control words and a visual dot-probe task with food-associated and control pictures were administered to 48 normal-weight participants (mean age 24.5 years, range 19-40; mean BMI 21.6, range 18.5-25.4). Hunger was assessed twofold using a self-reported measure of hunger and a measurement of the blood glucose level. Our results indicated that self-reported hunger affected behavioral response inhibition in the go-/nogo task. Thus, hungry participants committed significantly more commission errors when food-associated stimuli served as distractors compared to when control stimuli were the distractors. This effect was not observed in sated participants. In addition, we found that self-reported hunger was associated with a lower number of omission errors in response to food-associated stimuli indicating a higher salience of these stimuli. Low blood glucose level was not associated with an impairment of response inhibition. However, our results indicated that the blood glucose level was associated with an attentional bias towards food-associated cues in the visual dot probe task. In conclusion our results suggest that hunger induces an approach bias and is associated with an impairment of response inhibition when normal-weight participants are confronted with food-associated cues. These findings are important as these processes play a crucial role with regard to the control of food-intake and weight gain and are assumed to contribute to obesity. Thus, individualized treatment approaches taking into account the experience of hunger in everyday-life situations should be considered in addition to a training of response inhibition. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

There's More than Meets the Eye: Complex Associations of Daily Pain, Physical Symptoms, and Self-Efficacy with Activity in Middle and Older Adulthood.

PubMed

Curtis, Rachel G; Windsor, Tim D; Mogle, Jacqueline A; Bielak, Allison A M

2017-01-01

Participation in activities is associated with a range of positive outcomes in adulthood. Research has shown that pain and physical symptoms are associated with less activity in older adults, whereas higher self-efficacy is associated with more activity. Such research tends to examine cross-sectional or long-term between-person change, limiting the opportunity to explore dynamic within-person processes that unfold over shorter time periods. This study aimed to (1) replicate previous between-person associations of self-efficacy with engagement in activity and (2) examine whether daily variation in pain, physical symptoms, and self-efficacy corresponded with daily within-person variation in different types of activity. We predicted that participants would engage in less activity on days when they experienced more pain or physical symptoms than their average (a negative within-person association) and that participants would engage in more activity on days when self-efficacy was higher than average (a positive within-person association). This study used an online diary study to assess self- reported daily pain, physical symptoms, self-efficacy, and engagement in activity among 185 adults aged 51-84 years for up to 7 days. Multilevel modelling was used to examine whether between-person (average) and daily within-person variability in pain, physical symptoms, and self-efficacy were associated with social, physical, and mental activity. In line with previous research, between-person self-efficacy was positively associated with social and physical activity. Supporting the hypotheses, within-person self-efficacy was also positively associated with social and physical activity. The results for pain and physical symptoms were less consistent. Between-person pain was positively associated with social activity. Age interactions indicated that within-person pain was negatively associated with social activity and positively associated with physical activity among older adults. Within-person physical symptoms were positively related to social and mental activity. Stable individual differences as well as short-term within-person variation in physical and psychological functioning are associated with day-to-day variation in activity. Between-person associations did not always reflect within-person associations (e.g., for pain). These complex associations may be influenced by a range of factors including the type of activity and how it is defined (e.g., specific activities and their difficulty), the type of physical symptoms experienced, and age. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Assembly of Associations: Communique, 2002.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Helle, Comp.; Brown, Gerald R., Comp.

This document reports developments in school librarianship from around the world. Reports from the following countries, regions, and organizations are included: Austria; the Australian School Library Association; the Botswana Secondary School Librarians Association; Burundi; the Association for Teacher-Librarianship in Canada; the Canadian School…

The War in Iraq: Scholarly Societies Respond

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Academic Questions, 2008

2008-01-01

The American Sociological Association, the Modern Language Association, the American Historical Society, the American Psychological Association, and the American Anthropological Association have taken official stands on questions pertaining to America's current military involvement in Iraq. Here are their resolutions. (Contains 2 footnotes.)

Reconciling genetic evolution and the associative learning account of mirror neurons through data-acquisition mechanisms.

PubMed

Lotem, Arnon; Kolodny, Oren

2014-04-01

An associative learning account of mirror neurons should not preclude genetic evolution of its underlying mechanisms. On the contrary, an associative learning framework for cognitive development should seek heritable variation in the learning rules and in the data-acquisition mechanisms that construct associative networks, demonstrating how small genetic modifications of associative elements can give rise to the evolution of complex cognition.

Methods for associating or dissociating guest materials with a metal organic framework, systems for associating or dissociating guest materials within a series of metal organic frameworks, thermal energy transfer assemblies, and methods for transferring thermal energy

DOEpatents

McGrail, B. Peter; Brown, Daryl R.; Thallapally, Praveen K.

2016-08-02

Methods for releasing associated guest materials from a metal organic framework are provided. Methods for associating guest materials with a metal organic framework are also provided. Methods are provided for selectively associating or dissociating guest materials with a metal organic framework. Systems for associating or dissociating guest materials within a series of metal organic frameworks are provided. Thermal energy transfer assemblies are provided. Methods for transferring thermal energy are also provided.

Methods for associating or dissociating guest materials with a metal organic framework, systems for associating or dissociating guest materials within a series of metal organic frameworks, thermal energy transfer assemblies, and methods for transferring thermal energy

DOEpatents

McGrail, B. Peter; Brown, Daryl R.; Thallapally, Praveen K.

2014-08-05

Methods for releasing associated guest materials from a metal organic framework are provided. Methods for associating guest materials with a metal organic framework are also provided. Methods are provided for selectively associating or dissociating guest materials with a metal organic framework. Systems for associating or dissociating guest materials within a series of metal organic frameworks are provided. Thermal energy transfer assemblies are provided. Methods for transferring thermal energy are also provided.

Study of Simvastatin Self-Association Using Electrospray-Ionization Mass Spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vetrova, E. V.; Lekar, A. V.; Filonova, O. V.; Borisenko, S. N.; Maksimenko, E. V.; Borisenko, N. I.

2015-07-01

Self-association of simvastatin, which is widely used to treat coronary heart disease, was investigated using electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry. Formation of simvastatin self-associates in various solvents was demonstrated using mass spectrometry. Solvation effects were shown to play a special role in the formation of the self-associates. Self-associates containing from two to fi ve simvastatin molecules were detected in mass spectra of an aqueous MeOH (20%) solution of simvastatin. The formation of simvastatin self-associates could compete with the complexation of supramolecular structures during the synthesis of new generation drugs.

Nonrandom Associations of Graphemes with Colors in Arabic.

PubMed

van Leeuwen, Tessa M; Dingemanse, Mark; Todil, Büşra; Agameya, Amira; Majid, Asifa

2016-01-01

Numerous studies demonstrate people associate colors with letters and numbers in systematic ways. But most of these studies rely on speakers of English, or closely related languages. This makes it difficult to know how generalizable these findings are, or what factors might underlie these associations. We investigated letter-color and number-color associations in Arabic speakers, who have a different writing system and unusual word structure compared to Standard Average European languages. We also aimed to identify grapheme-color synaesthetes (people who have conscious color experiences with letters and numbers). Participants associated colors with 28 basic Arabic letters and ten digits by typing color names that best fit each grapheme. We found language-specific principles determining grapheme-color associations. For example, the word formation process in Arabic was relevant for color associations. In addition, psycholinguistic variables, such as letter frequency and the intrinsic order of graphemes influenced associations. Contrary to previous studies we found no evidence for sounds playing a role in letter-color associations for Arabic, and only a very limited role for shape influencing color associations. These findings highlight the importance of linguistic and psycholinguistic features in cross-modal correspondences, and illustrate why it is important to play close attention to each language on its own terms in order to disentangle language-specific from universal effects.

Personality and Cognitive Decline in Older Adults: Data From a Longitudinal Sample and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

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

2016-01-01

Objectives: Personality traits are associated with risk of dementia; less is known about their association with the trajectory of cognitive functioning. This research examines the association between the 5 major dimensions of personality and cognitive function and decline in older adulthood and includes a meta-analysis of published studies. Method: Personality traits, objective and subjective memory, and cognitive status were collected in a large national sample (N = 13,987) with a 4-year follow-up period. For each trait, the meta-analysis pooled results from up to 5 prospective studies to examine personality and change in global cognition. Results: Higher Neuroticism was associated with worse performance on all cognitive measures and greater decline in memory, whereas higher Conscientiousness and Openness were associated with better memory performance concurrently and less decline over time. All traits were associated with subjective memory. Higher Conscientiousness and lower Extraversion were associated with better cognitive status and less decline. Although modest, these associations were generally larger than that of hypertension, diabetes, history of psychological treatment, obesity, smoking, and physical inactivity. The meta-analysis supported the association between Neuroticism and Conscientiousness and cognitive decline. Discussion: Personality is associated with cognitive decline in older adults, with effects comparable to established clinical and lifestyle risk factors. PMID:25583598

Intrapersonal and interpersonal functions of non suicidal self-injury: associations with emotional and social functioning.

PubMed

Turner, Brianna J; Chapman, Alexander L; Layden, Brianne K

2012-02-01

Understanding the functions of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) has important implications for the development and refinement of theoretical models and treatments of NSSI. Emotional and social vulnerabilities associated with five common functions of NSSI-emotion relief (ER), feeling generation (FG), self-punishment (SP), interpersonal influence (II), and interpersonal communication (IC)-were investigated to clarify why individuals use this behavior in the service of different purposes. Female participants (n = 162) with a history of NSSI completed online measures of self-injury, emotion regulation strategies and abilities, trait affectivity, social problem-solving styles, and interpersonal problems. ER functions were associated with more intense affectivity, expressive suppression, and limited access to emotion regulation strategies. FG functions were associated with a lack of emotional clarity. Similar to ER functions, SP functions were associated with greater affective intensity and expressive suppression. II functions were negatively associated with expressive suppression and positively associated with domineering/controlling and intrusive/needy interpersonal styles. IC functions were negatively associated with expressive suppression and positively associated with a vindictive or self-centered interpersonal style. These findings highlight the specific affective traits, emotional and social skill deficits, and interpersonal styles that may render a person more likely to engage in NSSI to achieve specific goals. © 2012 The American Association of Suicidology.

Genetic variation associated with cardiovascular risk in autoimmune diseases

PubMed Central

Perrotti, Pedro P.; Aterido, Adrià; Fernández-Nebro, Antonio; Cañete, Juan D.; Ferrándiz, Carlos; Tornero, Jesús; Gisbert, Javier P.; Domènech, Eugeni; Fernández-Gutiérrez, Benjamín; Gomollón, Fernando; García-Planella, Esther; Fernández, Emilia; Sanmartí, Raimon; Gratacós, Jordi; Martínez-Taboada, Víctor Manuel; Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Luís; Palau, Núria; Tortosa, Raül; Corbeto, Mireia L.; Lasanta, María L.; Marsal, Sara; Julià, Antonio

2017-01-01

Autoimmune diseases have a higher prevalence of cardiovascular events compared to the general population. The objective of this study was to investigate the genetic basis of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in autoimmunity. We analyzed genome-wide genotyping data from 6,485 patients from six autoimmune diseases that are associated with a high socio-economic impact. First, for each disease, we tested the association of established CVD risk loci. Second, we analyzed the association of autoimmune disease susceptibility loci with CVD. Finally, to identify genetic patterns associated with CVD risk, we applied the cross-phenotype meta-analysis approach (CPMA) on the genome-wide data. A total of 17 established CVD risk loci were significantly associated with CVD in the autoimmune patient cohorts. From these, four loci were found to have significantly different genetic effects across autoimmune diseases. Six autoimmune susceptibility loci were also found to be associated with CVD risk. Genome-wide CPMA analysis identified 10 genetic clusters strongly associated with CVD risk across all autoimmune diseases. Two of these clusters are highly enriched in pathways previously associated with autoimmune disease etiology (TNFα and IFNγ cytokine pathways). The results of this study support the presence of specific genetic variation associated with the increase of CVD risk observed in autoimmunity. PMID:28982122

A hierarchical and modular approach to the discovery of robust associations in genome-wide association studies from pooled DNA samples

PubMed Central

Sebastiani, Paola; Zhao, Zhenming; Abad-Grau, Maria M; Riva, Alberto; Hartley, Stephen W; Sedgewick, Amanda E; Doria, Alessandro; Montano, Monty; Melista, Efthymia; Terry, Dellara; Perls, Thomas T; Steinberg, Martin H; Baldwin, Clinton T

2008-01-01

Background One of the challenges of the analysis of pooling-based genome wide association studies is to identify authentic associations among potentially thousands of false positive associations. Results We present a hierarchical and modular approach to the analysis of genome wide genotype data that incorporates quality control, linkage disequilibrium, physical distance and gene ontology to identify authentic associations among those found by statistical association tests. The method is developed for the allelic association analysis of pooled DNA samples, but it can be easily generalized to the analysis of individually genotyped samples. We evaluate the approach using data sets from diverse genome wide association studies including fetal hemoglobin levels in sickle cell anemia and a sample of centenarians and show that the approach is highly reproducible and allows for discovery at different levels of synthesis. Conclusion Results from the integration of Bayesian tests and other machine learning techniques with linkage disequilibrium data suggest that we do not need to use too stringent thresholds to reduce the number of false positive associations. This method yields increased power even with relatively small samples. In fact, our evaluation shows that the method can reach almost 70% sensitivity with samples of only 100 subjects. PMID:18194558

Effects of early morning nap sleep on associative memory for neutral and emotional stimuli.

PubMed

Sopp, Marie Roxanne; Michael, Tanja; Mecklinger, Axel

2018-06-18

Emotional events are preferentially retained in episodic memory. This effect is commonly attributed to enhanced consolidation and has been linked specifically to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep physiology. While several studies have demonstrated an enhancing effect of REM sleep on emotional item memory, it has not been thoroughly explored whether this effect extends to the retention of associative memory. Moreover, it is unclear how non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep contributes to these effects. The present study thus examined associative recognition of emotional and non-emotional material across an early morning nap (N= 23) and sustained wakefulness (N= 23). Nap group subjects demonstrated enhanced post-sleep associative memory performance, which was evident across both valence categories. Subsequent analyses revealed significant correlations between NREM spindle density and pre-sleep memory performance. Moreover, NREM spindle density was positively correlated with post-sleep neutral associative memory performance but not with post-sleep emotional associative memory. Accordingly, only neutral associative memory, but not emotional associative memory, was significantly correlated with spindle density after an additional night of sleep (+24 h). These results illustrate a temporally persistent relationship between spindle density and memory for neutral associations, whereas post-sleep emotional associative memory appears to be disengaged from NREM-sleep-dependent processes. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Quasi-causal associations of physical activity and neighborhood walkability with body mass index: a twin study.

PubMed

Duncan, Glen E; Cash, Stephanie Whisnant; Horn, Erin E; Turkheimer, Eric

2015-01-01

Physical activity, neighborhood walkability, and body mass index (BMI, kg/m(2)) associations were tested using quasi-experimental twin methods. We hypothesized that physical activity and walkability were independently associated with BMI within twin pairs, controlling for genetic and environmental background shared between them. Data were from 6376 (64% female; 58% identical) same-sex pairs, University of Washington Twin Registry, 2008-2013. Neighborhood walking, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and BMI were self-reported. Residential address was used to calculate walkability. Phenotypic (non-genetically informed) and biometric (genetically informed) regression was employed, controlling for age, sex, and race. Walking and MVPA were associated with BMI in phenotypic analyses; associations were attenuated but significant in biometric analyses (Ps<0.05). Walkability was not associated with BMI, however, was associated with walking (but not MVPA) in both phenotypic and biometric analyses (Ps<0.05), with no attenuation accounting for shared genetic and environmental background. The association between activity and BMI is largely due to shared genetic and environmental factors, but a significant causal relationship remains accounting for shared background. Although walkability is not associated with BMI, it is associated with neighborhood walking (but not MVPA) accounting for shared background, suggesting a causal relationship between them. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiation-induced association of beta-glucuronidase with purified nuclei from irradiated MOLT-4 and HeLa cells

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

McClain, D.E.; Kalinich, J.F.; Poplack, J.K.

1989-02-01

Beta-glucuronidase, a lysosomal marker enzyme, associates with purified nuclei from HeLa and MOLT-4 cell lines in a radiation dose-dependent manner, up to 300 cGy in MOLT-4 cells, and 1000 cGy in HeLa cells. In MOLT-4 cells (200-cGy exposure), there is a significant increase in beta-glucuronidase activity detected in the nuclear fraction 24 h postirradiation with a maximum association occurring at 72 h. In HeLa cells (1000-cGy exposure), a significant association is first detected 24 h postirradiation with a maximum association at 48 h. The association is not the result of nonspecific contamination occurring during nuclei purification since nuclei from irradiatedmore » cells show no greater levels of plasma membrane marker and mitochondrial marker than controls. The nature of the association remains unclear, but activity is not removed by detergents used in the nuclei isolation procedure, and incubation of the nuclei with EDTA reverses the association only modestly. Exposure of nuclei from irradiated cells to anisotonic buffers also results in only a small decrease in beta-glucuronidase activity associated with the nuclei. These observations suggest that lysosomal hydrolases become intimately associated with the nuclei of irradiated cells.« less

Associations between different components of fitness and fatness with academic performance in Chilean youths.

PubMed

Olivares, Pedro R; García-Rubio, Javier

2016-01-01

To analyze the associations between different components of fitness and fatness with academic performance, adjusting the analysis by sex, age, socio-economic status, region and school type in a Chilean sample. Data of fitness, fatness and academic performance was obtained from the Chilean System for the Assessment of Educational Quality test for eighth grade in 2011 and includes a sample of 18,746 subjects (49% females). Partial correlations adjusted by confounders were done to explore association between fitness and fatness components, and between the academic scores. Three unadjusted and adjusted linear regression models were done in order to analyze the associations of variables. Fatness has a negative association with academic performance when Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist to Height Ratio (WHR) are assessed independently. When BMI and WHR are assessed jointly and adjusted by cofounders, WHR is more associated with academic performance than BMI, and only the association of WHR is positive. For fitness components, strength was the variable most associated with the academic performance. Cardiorespiratory capacity was not associated with academic performance if fatness and other fitness components are included in the model. Fitness and fatness are associated with academic performance. WHR and strength are more related with academic performance than BMI and cardiorespiratory capacity.

Associations between national tuberculosis program budgets and tuberculosis outcomes: an ecological study.

PubMed

Chapple, Will; Katz, Alan Roy; Li, Dongmei

2012-01-01

The objective of this study is to explore the associations between national tuberculosis program (NTP) budget allocation and tuberculosis related outcomes in the World Health Organization's 22 high burden countries from 2007-2009. This ecological study used mixed effects and generalized estimating equation models to identify independent associations between NTP budget allocations and various tuberculosis related outcomes. Models were adjusted for a number of independent variables previously noted to be associated with tuberculosis incidence. Increasing the percent of the NTP budget for advocacy, communication and social mobilization was associated with an increase in the case detection rate. Increasing TB-HIV funding was associated with an increase in HIV testing among TB patients. Increasing the percent of the population covered by the Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) program was associated with an increase in drug susceptibility testing. Laboratory funding was positively associated with tuberculosis notification. Increasing the budgets for first line drugs, management and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) was associated with a decrease in smear positive deaths. Effective TB control is a complex and multifaceted challenge. This study revealed a number of budget allocation related factors associated with improved TB outcome parameters. If confirmed with future longitudinal studies, these findings could help guide NTP managers with allocation decisions.

Associations between national tuberculosis program budgets and tuberculosis outcomes: an ecological study

PubMed Central

Chapple, Will; Katz, Alan Roy; Li, Dongmei

2012-01-01

Introduction The objective of this study is to explore the associations between national tuberculosis program (NTP) budget allocation and tuberculosis related outcomes in the World Health Organization's 22 high burden countries from 2007–2009. Methods This ecological study used mixed effects and generalized estimating equation models to identify independent associations between NTP budget allocations and various tuberculosis related outcomes. Models were adjusted for a number of independent variables previously noted to be associated with tuberculosis incidence. Results Increasing the percent of the NTP budget for advocacy, communication and social mobilization was associated with an increase in the case detection rate. Increasing TB-HIV funding was associated with an increase in HIV testing among TB patients. Increasing the percent of the population covered by the Directly Observed Therapy (DOT) program was associated with an increase in drug susceptibility testing. Laboratory funding was positively associated with tuberculosis notification. Increasing the budgets for first line drugs, management and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) was associated with a decrease in smear positive deaths. Conclusion Effective TB control is a complex and multifaceted challenge. This study revealed a number of budget allocation related factors associated with improved TB outcome parameters. If confirmed with future longitudinal studies, these findings could help guide NTP managers with allocation decisions. PMID:23024825

Association of endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphism with the risk of Henoch-Schönlein purpura/Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis.

PubMed

Zhong, Weiqiang; Zhou, Tian-Biao; Jiang, Zongpei

2015-04-01

Association between endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene polymorphism and Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP)/Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) risk is still controversial. A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the association between eNOS gene polymorphism and HSP/HSPN susceptibility. A predefined literature search and selection of eligible relevant studies were performed to collect data from electronic database. Three articles were identified for the analysis of association between eNOS gene polymorphism and HSPN/HSP risk. eNOS G894T gene polymorphism was not associated with HSPN susceptibility and the risk of patients with HSP developing into HSPN. Interestingly, eNOS G894T T allele and GG genotype were associated with HSP susceptibility, but not the TT genotype. eNOS T786C TT genotype was associated with HSPN susceptibility, but not C allele and CC genotype. Furthermore, eNOS T786C gene polymorphism was not associated with HSP risk and the risk of patients with HSP developing into HSPN. In conclusion, eNOS T786C TT genotype was associated with and eNOS G894T T allele and GG genotype were associated with HSP susceptibility. However, more studies should be performed in the future.

Associations between different components of fitness and fatness with academic performance in Chilean youths

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Objectives To analyze the associations between different components of fitness and fatness with academic performance, adjusting the analysis by sex, age, socio-economic status, region and school type in a Chilean sample. Methods Data of fitness, fatness and academic performance was obtained from the Chilean System for the Assessment of Educational Quality test for eighth grade in 2011 and includes a sample of 18,746 subjects (49% females). Partial correlations adjusted by confounders were done to explore association between fitness and fatness components, and between the academic scores. Three unadjusted and adjusted linear regression models were done in order to analyze the associations of variables. Results Fatness has a negative association with academic performance when Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist to Height Ratio (WHR) are assessed independently. When BMI and WHR are assessed jointly and adjusted by cofounders, WHR is more associated with academic performance than BMI, and only the association of WHR is positive. For fitness components, strength was the variable most associated with the academic performance. Cardiorespiratory capacity was not associated with academic performance if fatness and other fitness components are included in the model. Conclusions Fitness and fatness are associated with academic performance. WHR and strength are more related with academic performance than BMI and cardiorespiratory capacity. PMID:27761345

Associative memory in aging: the effect of unitization on source memory.

PubMed

Bastin, Christine; Diana, Rachel A; Simon, Jessica; Collette, Fabienne; Yonelinas, Andrew P; Salmon, Eric

2013-03-01

In normal aging, memory for associations declines more than memory for individual items. Unitization is an encoding process defined by creation of a new single entity to represent a new arbitrary association. The current study tested the hypothesis that age-related differences in associative memory can be reduced by encoding instructions that promote unitization. In two experiments, groups of 20 young and 20 older participants learned new associations between a word and a background color under two conditions. In the item detail condition, they had to imagine that the item is the same color as the background-an instruction promoting unitization of the associations. In the context detail condition, which did not promote unitization, they had to imagine that the item interacted with another colored object. At test, they had to retrieve the color that was associated with each word (source memory). In both experiments, the results showed an age-related decrement in source memory performance in the context detail but not in the item detail condition. Moreover, Experiment 2 examined receiver operating characteristics in older participants and indicated that familiarity contributed more to source memory performance in the item detail than in the context detail condition. These findings suggest that unitization of new associations can overcome the associative memory deficit observed in aging, at least for item-color associations.

Dietary Patterns in European and Brazilian Adolescents: Comparisons and Associations with Socioeconomic Factors

PubMed Central

Slater, Betzabeth; Santaliestra-Pasías, Alba Maria; Mouratidou, Theodora; Huybrechts, Inge; Widhalm, Kurt; Manios, Yannis; Valtueña, Jara; Le Donne, Cinzia; Marcos, Ascensión; Molnar, Dénes; Castillo, Manuel J.; De Henauw, Stefaan; Moreno, Luis A.

2018-01-01

Associations between dietary patterns (DP) and socioeconomic factors have been little explored in adolescents. The aim of this study was to identify DP in European and Brazilian adolescents and to investigate their associations with a range of socioeconomic indicators. Adolescents from the HELENA-study and the Household Budget Survey were analyzed. Factor analysis was used to obtain DP. Linear regression was used to examine the association between DP and SES. In Europeans, the Western DP was associated with low education of the mother, high socioeconomic status (boys), older age (boys), and living in cities of the Northern Europe; in Brazilians, the Western DP was associated with high secondary education of the mother, high socioeconomic status and living in Southern areas of the country. The Traditional European DP, in both genders, was associated with high secondary education of the mother and inversely associated with a high socioeconomic status; the Traditional Brazilian DP, was associated with university level education of the mother and older age (boys). The association between DP and socioeconomic factors is relevant for the understanding of food-related practices and highlight the importance of performing a complete assessment of the socioeconomic influence in adolescent’s DP from developed and developing countries. PMID:29315272

Association between Self-Rated Health and the Ethnic Composition of the Residential Environment of Six Ethnic Groups in Amsterdam

PubMed Central

Veldhuizen, Eleonore M.; Musterd, Sako; Dijkshoorn, Henriëtte; Kunst, Anton E.

2015-01-01

Background: Studies on the association between health and neighborhood ethnic composition yielded inconsistent results, possibly due to methodological limitations. We assessed these associations at different spatial scales and for different measures of ethnic composition. Methods: We obtained health survey data of 4673 respondents of Dutch, Surinamese, Moroccan, Turkish other non-Western and other Western origin. Neighborhood ethnic composition was measured for buffers varying from 50–1000 m. Associations with self-rated health were measured using logistic multilevel regression analysis, with control for socioeconomic position at the individual and area level. Results: Overall ethnic heterogeneity was not related to health for any ethnic group. The presence of other Surinamese was associated with poor self-rated health among Surinamese respondents. The presence of Moroccans or Turks was associated with poor health among some groups. The presence of Dutch was associated with better self-rated health among Surinamese and Turks. In most cases, these associations were stronger at lower spatial scales. We found no other associations. Conclusions: In Amsterdam, self-rated health was not associated with ethnic heterogeneity in general, but may be related to the presence of specific ethnic groups. Policies regarding social and ethnic mixing should pay special attention to the co-residence of groups with problematic interrelations. PMID:26569282

Association of Liver Injury From Specific Drugs, or Groups of Drugs, With Polymorphisms in HLA and Other Genes in a Genome-wide Association Study

PubMed Central

Nicoletti, Paola; Aithal, Guruprasad P.; Bjornsson, Einar S.; Andrade, Raul J.; Sawle, Ashley; Arrese, Marco; Barnhart, Huiman X.; Bondon-Guitton, Emmanuelle; Hayashi, Paul H.; Bessone, Fernando; Carvajal, Alfonso; Cascorbi, Ingolf; Cirulli, Elizabeth T.; Chalasani, Naga; Conforti, Anita; Coulthard, Sally A.; Daly, Mark J.; Day, Christopher P.; Dillon, John F.; Fontana, Robert J.; Grove, Jane I.; Hallberg, Pär; Hernández, Nelia; Ibáñez, Luisa; Kullak-Ublick, Gerd A.; Laitinen, Tarja; Larrey, Dominique; Lucena, M. Isabel; Maitland-van der Zee, Anke H.; Martin, Jennifer H.; Molokhia, Mariam; Pirmohamed, Munir; Powell, Elizabeth E.; Qin, Shengying; Serrano, Jose; Stephens, Camilla; Stolz, Andrew; Wadelius, Mia; Watkins, Paul B.; Floratos, Aris; Shen, Yufeng; Nelson, Matthew R.; Urban, Thomas J.; Daly, Ann K.

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND & AIMS We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify genetic risk factors for drug-induced liver injury (DILI) from licensed drugs without previously reported genetic risk factors. METHODS We performed a GWAS of 862 persons with DILI and 10588 population-matched controls. The first set of cases was recruited prior to May 2009 in Europe (n=137) or the USA (n=274). The second set of cases were identified from May 2009 through May 2013 from international collaborative studies performed in Europe, the USA and South America. For the GWAS, we included only cases of European ancestry associated with a particular drug (but not flucloxacillin or amoxicillin-clavulanate). We used DNA samples from all subjects to analyze human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). After the discovery analysis was concluded, we validated our findings using data from 283 European patients with diagnosis of DILI associated with various drugs. RESULTS We associated DILI with rs114577328 (a proxy for A*33:01 a HLA class I allele; odds ratio [OR], 2.7; 95% CI, 1.9–3.8; P=2.4×10−8) and with rs72631567 on chromosome 2 (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.6–2.5; P=9.7×10−9). The association with A*33:01 was mediated by large effects for terbinafine-, fenofibrate-, and ticlopidine-related DILI. The variant on chromosome 2 was associated with DILI from a variety of drugs. Further phenotypic analysis indicated that the association between DILI and A*33:01 was significant, genome wide, for cholestatic and mixed DILI, but not for hepatocellular DILI; the polymorphism on chromosome 2 associated with cholestatic and mixed DILI as well as hepatocellular DILI. We identified an association between rs28521457 (within the LRBA gene) and only hepatocellular DILI (OR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.6–2.7; P=4.8×10−9). We did not associate any specific drug classes with genetic polymorphisms, except for statin-associated DILI, which was associated with rs116561224 on chromosome 18 (OR=5.4; 95% CI, 3.0–9.5; P=7.1×10−9). We validated the association between A*33:01 terbinafine- and sertraline-induced DILI. We could not validate the association between DILI and rs72631567, rs28521457, or rs116561224. CONCLUSIONS In a GWAS of persons of European descent with DILI, we associated HLA-A*33:01 with DILI due to terbinafine and possibly fenofibrate and ticlopidine. We identified polymorphisms that appear to be associated with DILI from statins, as well as 2 non–drug-specific risk factors. PMID:28043905

Associations of the MCM6-rs3754686 proxy for milk intake in Mediterranean and American populations with cardiovascular biomarkers, disease and mortality: Mendelian randomization.

PubMed

Smith, Caren E; Coltell, Oscar; Sorlí, Jose V; Estruch, Ramón; Martínez-González, Miguel Ángel; Salas-Salvadó, Jordi; Fitó, Montserrat; Arós, Fernando; Dashti, Hassan S; Lai, Chao Q; Miró, Leticia; Serra-Majem, Lluís; Gómez-Gracia, Enrique; Fiol, Miquel; Ros, Emilio; Aslibekyan, Stella; Hidalgo, Bertha; Neuhouser, Marian L; Di, Chongzhi; Tucker, Katherine L; Arnett, Donna K; Ordovás, José M; Corella, Dolores

2016-09-14

Controversy persists on the association between dairy products, especially milk, and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Genetic proxies may improve dairy intake estimations, and clarify diet-disease relationships through Mendelian randomization. We meta-analytically (n ≤ 20,089) evaluated associations between a lactase persistence (LP) SNP, the minichromosome maintenance complex component 6 (MCM6)-rs3754686C>T (nonpersistence>persistence), dairy intake, and CVD biomarkers in American (Hispanics, African-American and Whites) and Mediterranean populations. Moreover, we analyzed longitudinal associations with milk, CVD and mortality in PREDIMED), a randomized Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) intervention trial (n = 7185). The MCM6-rs3754686/MCM6-rs309180 (as proxy), LP-allele (T) was strongly associated with higher milk intake, but inconsistently associated with glucose and lipids, and not associated with CVD or total mortality in the whole population. Heterogeneity analyses suggested some sex-specific associations. The T-allele was associated with higher CVD and mortality risk in women but not in men (P-sex interaction:0.005 and 0.032, respectively), mainly in the MedDiet group. However, milk intake was not associated with CVD biomarkers, CVD or mortality either generally or in sub-groups. Although MCM6-rs3754686 is a good milk intake proxy in these populations, attributing its associations with CVD and mortality in Mediterranean women to milk is unwarranted, as other factors limiting the assumption of causality in Mendelian randomization may exist.

Novel Autism Subtype-Dependent Genetic Variants Are Revealed by Quantitative Trait and Subphenotype Association Analyses of Published GWAS Data

PubMed Central

Hu, Valerie W.; Addington, Anjene; Hyman, Alexander

2011-01-01

The heterogeneity of symptoms associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) has presented a significant challenge to genetic analyses. Even when associations with genetic variants have been identified, it has been difficult to associate them with a specific trait or characteristic of autism. Here, we report that quantitative trait analyses of ASD symptoms combined with case-control association analyses using distinct ASD subphenotypes identified on the basis of symptomatic profiles result in the identification of highly significant associations with 18 novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The symptom categories included deficits in language usage, non-verbal communication, social development, and play skills, as well as insistence on sameness or ritualistic behaviors. Ten of the trait-associated SNPs, or quantitative trait loci (QTL), were associated with more than one subtype, providing partial replication of the identified QTL. Notably, none of the novel SNPs is located within an exonic region, suggesting that these hereditary components of ASDs are more likely related to gene regulatory processes (or gene expression) than to structural or functional changes in gene products. Seven of the QTL reside within intergenic chromosomal regions associated with rare copy number variants that have been previously reported in autistic samples. Pathway analyses of the genes associated with the QTL identified in this study implicate neurological functions and disorders associated with autism pathophysiology. This study underscores the advantage of incorporating both quantitative traits as well as subphenotypes into large-scale genome-wide analyses of complex disorders. PMID:21556359

Further evidence for lack of negative associations between hormonal contraception and mental health.

PubMed

Toffol, Elena; Heikinheimo, Oskari; Koponen, Päivikki; Luoto, Riitta; Partonen, Timo

2012-11-01

There is limited and inconsistent information concerning the effects of hormonal contraception [oral contraceptives (OCs) and the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS)] on mental health. The aim of this work was to further study the association(s) between the use of OCs and the LNG-IUS and psychopathology. Data concerning adult women who participated in the national FINRISK Study Surveys in Finland in 1997, 2002 and 2007 were analyzed. The associations between the current use, as well as the duration of use of OCs and the LNG-IUS vs. mood symptoms, psychological and physical symptoms and recent psychiatric diagnoses were tested. A negative association between the current use of OCs and Beck Depression Inventory-13 (BDI-13) score was found. Some other negative associations, all characterized by a small effect size, were detected between current use of OCs and the BDI items feelings of dissatisfaction, feelings of uselessness, irritability, lost interest in people and lost appetite. Additionally, only weak positive associations were found between the duration of OC use and irregular heart rate, insomnia and recent anhedonia. No noteworthy associations emerged between current use of the LNG-IUS, or its duration, and any of the inquired items. The use of hormonal contraception is not associated with negative influence on mental health. Current OC use seems to be associated with better mood, whereas the associations between duration of use of hormonal contraception and mental health effects are not clear. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association mapping of iron deficiency chlorosis loci in soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) advanced breeding lines.

PubMed

Wang, Ju; McClean, Phillip E; Lee, Rian; Goos, R Jay; Helms, Ted

2008-04-01

Association mapping is an alternative to mapping in a biparental population. A key to successful association mapping is to avoid spurious associations by controlling for population structure. Confirming the marker/trait association in an independent population is necessary for the implementation of the marker in other genetic studies. Two independent soybean populations consisting of advanced breeding lines representing the diversity within maturity groups 00, 0, and I were screened in multi-site, replicated field trials to discover molecular markers associated with iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC), a major yield-limiting factor in soybean. Lines with extreme phenotypes were initially screened to identify simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers putatively associated with the IDC. Marker data collected from all lines were used to control for population structure and kinship relationships. Single factor analysis of variance (SFA) and mixed linear model (MLM) analyses were used to discover marker/trait associations. The MLM analyses, which include population structure, kinship or both factors, reduced the number of markers significantly associated with IDC by 50% compared with SFA. With the MLM approach, three markers were found to be associated with IDC in the first population. Two of these markers, Satt114 and Satt239, were also found to be associated with IDC in the second confirmation population. For both populations, those lines with the tolerance allele at both these two marker loci had significantly lower IDC scores than lines with one or no tolerant alleles.

Diversity and classification of mycorrhizal associations.

PubMed

Brundrett, Mark

2004-08-01

Most mycorrhizas are 'balanced' mutualistic associations in which the fungus and plant exchange commodities required for their growth and survival. Myco-heterotrophic plants have 'exploitative' mycorrhizas where transfer processes apparently benefit only plants. Exploitative associations are symbiotic (in the broad sense), but are not mutualistic. A new definition of mycorrhizas that encompasses all types of these associations while excluding other plant-fungus interactions is provided. This definition recognises the importance of nutrient transfer at an interface resulting from synchronised plant-fungus development. The diversity of interactions between mycorrhizal fungi and plants is considered. Mycorrhizal fungi also function as endophytes, necrotrophs and antagonists of host or non-host plants, with roles that vary during the lifespan of their associations. It is recommended that mycorrhizal associations are defined and classified primarily by anatomical criteria regulated by the host plant. A revised classification scheme for types and categories of mycorrhizal associations defined by these criteria is proposed. The main categories of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal associations (VAM) are 'linear' or 'coiling', and of ectomycorrhizal associations (ECM) are 'epidermal' or 'cortical'. Subcategories of coiling VAM and epidermal ECM occur in certain host plants. Fungus-controlled features result in 'morphotypes' within categories of VAM and ECM. Arbutoid and monotropoid associations should be considered subcategories of epidermal ECM and ectendomycorrhizas should be relegated to an ECM morphotype. Both arbuscules and vesicles define mycorrhizas formed by glomeromycotan fungi. A new classification scheme for categories, subcategories and morphotypes of mycorrhizal associations is provided.

Associations between mental disorders and subsequent onset of hypertension

PubMed Central

Stein, Dan J.; Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio; Alonso, Jordi; Bruffaerts, Ronny; de Jonge, Peter; Liu, Zharoui; Caldas-de-Almeida, Jose Miguel; O’Neill, Siobhan; Viana, Maria Carmen; Al-Hamzawi, Ali Obaid; Angermeyer, Mattias C.; Benjet, Corina; de Graaf, Ron; Ferry, Finola; Kovess-Masfety, Viviane; Levinson, Daphna; de Girolamo, Giovanni; Florescu, Silvia; Hu, Chiyi; Kawakami, Norito; Haro, Josep Maria; Piazza, Marina; Wojtyniak, Bogdan J; Xavier, Miguel; Lim, Carmen C.W.; Kessler, Ronald C.; Scott, Kate

2013-01-01

Background Previous work has suggested significant associations between various psychological symptoms (e.g. depression, anxiety, anger, alcohol abuse) and hypertension. However, the presence and extent of associations between common mental disorders and subsequent adult onset of hypertension remains unclear. Further, there is little data available on how such associations vary by gender or over life course. Methods Data from the World Mental Health Surveys (comprising 19 countries, and 52,095 adults) were used. Survival analyses estimated associations between first onset of common mental disorders and subsequent onset of hypertension, with and without psychiatric comorbidity adjustment. Variations in the strength of associations by gender and by life course stage of onset of both the mental disorder and hypertension were investigated. Results After psychiatric comorbidity adjustment, depression, panic disorder, social phobia, specific phobia, binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa, alcohol abuse, and drug abuse were significantly associated with subsequent diagnosis of hypertension (with ORs ranging from 1.1 to 1.6). Number of lifetime mental disorders was associated with subsequent hypertension in a dose-response fashion. For social phobia and alcohol abuse, associations with hypertension were stronger for males than females. For panic disorder, the association with hypertension was particularly apparent in earlier onset hypertension. Conclusions Depression, anxiety, impulsive eating disorders, and substance use disorders disorders were significantly associated with the subsequent diagnosis of hypertension. These data underscore the importance of early detection of mental disorders, and of physical health monitoring in people with these conditions.. PMID:24342112

Genome-wide analysis of Epstein-Barr virus identifies variants and genes associated with gastric carcinoma and population structure.

PubMed

Yao, Youyuan; Xu, Miao; Liang, Liming; Zhang, Haojiong; Xu, Ruihua; Feng, Qisheng; Feng, Lin; Luo, Bing; Zeng, Yi-Xin

2017-10-01

Epstein-Barr virus is a ubiquitous virus and is associated with several human malignances, including the significant subset of gastric carcinoma, Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma. Some Epstein-Barr virus-associated diseases are uniquely prevalent in populations with different geographic origins. However, the features of the disease and geographically associated Epstein-Barr virus genetic variation as well as the roles that the variation plays in carcinogenesis and evolution remain unclear. Therefore, in this study, we sequenced 95 geographically distinct Epstein-Barr virus isolates from Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma biopsies and saliva of healthy donors to detect variants and genes associated with gastric carcinoma and population structure from a genome-wide spectrum. We demonstrated that Epstein-Barr virus revealed the population structure between North China and South China. In addition, we observed population stratification between Epstein-Barr virus strains from gastric carcinoma and healthy controls, indicating that certain Epstein-Barr virus subtypes are associated with different gastric carcinoma risks. We identified that the BRLF1, BBRF3, and BBLF2/BBLF3 genes had significant associations with gastric carcinoma. LMP1 and BNLF2a genes were strongly geographically associated genes in Epstein-Barr virus. Our study provides insights into the genetic basis of oncogenic Epstein-Barr virus for gastric carcinoma, and the genetic variants associated with gastric carcinoma can serve as biomarkers for oncogenic Epstein-Barr virus.

Associations between aging-related changes in grip strength and cognitive function in older adults: A systematic review.

PubMed

Zammit, Andrea R; Robitaille, Annie; Piccinin, Andrea; Muniz-Terrera, Graciela; Hofer, Scott M

2018-03-08

Grip strength and cognitive function reflect upper body muscle strength and mental capacities. Cross-sectional research has suggested that in old age these two processes are moderately to highly associated, and that an underlying common cause drives this association. Our aim was to synthesize and evaluate longitudinal research addressing whether changes in grip strength are associated with changes in cognitive function in healthy older adults. We systematically reviewed English-language research investigating the longitudinal association between repeated measures of grip strength and of cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults to evaluate the extent to which the two indices decline concurrently. We used four search engines: Embase, PsychINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science. Of 459 unique citations, 6 met our full criteria: 4 studies reported a longitudinal association between rates of change in grip strength and cognitive function in older adults, 2 of which reported the magnitudes of these associations as ranging from low to moderate; 2 studies reported significant cross-sectional but not longitudinal associations among rates of change. All studies concluded that cognitive function and grip strength declined, on average, with increasing age, although with little to no evidence for longitudinal associations among rates of change. Future research is urged to expand the study of physical and cognitive associations in old age using a within-person and multi-study integrative approach to evaluate the reliability of longitudinal results with greater emphasis on the magnitude of this association.

Depressive Symptoms and Salivary Telomere Length in a Probability Sample of Middle-Aged and Older Adults.

PubMed

Whisman, Mark A; Richardson, Emily D

To examine the association between depressive symptoms and salivary telomere length in a probability sample of middle-aged and older adults, and to evaluate age and sex as potential moderators of this association and test whether this association was incremental to potential confounds. Participants were 3,609 individuals from the 2008 wave of the Health and Retirement Study. Telomere length assays were performed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction on DNA extracted from saliva samples. Depressive symptoms were assessed via interview, and health and lifestyle factors, traumatic life events, and neuroticism were assessed via self-report. Regression analyses were conducted to examine the associations between predictor variables and salivary telomere length. After adjusting for demographics, depressive symptoms were negatively associated with salivary telomere length (b = -.003; p = .014). Furthermore, this association was moderated by sex (b = .005; p = .011), such that depressive symptoms were significantly and negatively associated with salivary telomere length for men (b = - .006; p < .001) but not for women (b = - .001; p = .644). The negative association between depressive symptoms and salivary telomere length in men remained statistically significant after additionally adjusting for cigarette smoking, body mass index, chronic health conditions, childhood and lifetime exposure to traumatic life events, and neuroticism. Higher levels of depressive symptoms were associated with shorter salivary telomeres in men, and this association was incremental to several potential confounds. Shortened telomeres may help account for the association between depression and poor physical health and mortality.

Parental internalizing problems in a community sample: association with child psychosocial problems.

PubMed

Spijkers, Willem; Jansen, Daniëlle E M C; Reijneveld, Sijmen A

2014-02-01

Offspring of depressed, anxious and stressed parents are at increased risk of developing mental disorders. However, most studies investigating this association concentrate on clinical symptoms. The objective of this study is to examine the association between parental internalizing problems (symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress) and child psychosocial problems in a community sample, crude and adjusted for potential confounders (such as child gender, parental educational level, ethnicity) and whether parental concerns affect this association. Preceding a routine health examination, cross-sectional data were obtained from a representative sample of 9453 parents of children aged 9-11 years (response 65%). Measures of parental internalizing problems (Depression Anxiety Stress Scale), child psychosocial problems (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire-Total Difficulties Score), background characteristics and parental concerns were completed by the parents. Parental internalizing problems were associated with child psychosocial problems in crude analysis and after adjustment for child, parent and family characteristics [β = 0.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.10-0.14]. Parental concerns about their child's emotional and behavioural problems were also strongly associated with child psychosocial problems. After adjustment for these parental concerns, the association of parental stress with child psychosocial problems remained, while the association of parental depression and anxiety symptoms with child psychosocial problems lost statistical significance. As in clinical samples, parental internalizing problems in a community sample are associated with child psychosocial problems. Parental concerns on the child seem to affect this association. Further research is needed on the mechanisms affecting this association.

Dietary factors associated with subclinical inflammation among girls.

PubMed

Del Mar Bibiloni, M; Maffeis, C; Llompart, I; Pons, A; Tur, J A

2013-12-01

Dietary patterns and biomarkers of inflammation have been scarcely associated. The aim was to assess dietary factors associated with subclinical inflammation among girls. Fasting blood samples were collected from 12- to 17-year old girls (n=219) to measure adiponectin, leptin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels. Body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and food intake were also measured. Western (WDP) and Mediterranean (MDP) dietary patterns were identified. BMI and WHtR were associated with adiponectin, leptin and hs-CRP (the last, only associated with BMI). Intakes of β-carotene equivalents and vitamin C were associated with adiponectin; saturated fatty acids (SFA), vitamin A, manganese and selenium with leptin; linoleic acid with PAI-1; and oleic acid and vitamin E with IL-6. Selenium was inversely associated with adiponectin, whereas magnesium was positively associated with IL-6. MDP was associated with higher plasma concentrations of adiponectin (β=0.174, P<0.05); after adjustment for BMI, associations were not significant (β=0.144, P=0.076). WDP was negatively associated with adiponectin (β=-0.177, P<0.05) and positively with IL-6 (β=0.183, P<0.05). Subclinical inflammation is detectable with increasing BMI and also WHtR. Measures of adiposity (BMI and WHtR) are significant predictors of adiponectin, leptin and hs-CRP. Dietary patterns per se have a small role in affecting inflammatory markers among adolescents.

Associations between Narrow Angle and Adult Anthropometry: The Liwan Eye Study

PubMed Central

Jiang, Yuzhen; He, Mingguang; Friedman, David S.; Khawaja, Anthony P.; Lee, Pak Sang; Nolan, Winifred P.; Yin, Qiuxia; Foster, Paul J.

2015-01-01

Purpose To assess the associations between narrow angle and adult anthropometry. Methods Chinese adults aged 50 years and older were recruited from a population-based survey in the Liwan District of Guangzhou, China. Narrow angle was defined as the posterior trabecular meshwork not visible under static gonioscopy in at least three quadrants (i.e. a circumference of at least 270°). Logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between narrow angle and anthropomorphic measures (height, weight and body mass index, BMI). Results Among the 912 participants, lower weight, shorter height, and lower BMI were significantly associated with narrower angle width (tests for trend: mean angle width in degrees vs weight p<0.001; vs height p<0.001; vs BMI p = 0.012). In univariate analyses, shorter height, lower weight and lower BMI were all significantly associated with greater odds of narrow angle. The crude association between height and narrow angle was largely attributable to a stronger association with age and sex. Lower BMI and weight remained significantly associated with narrow angle after adjustment for height, age, sex, axial ocular biometric measures and education. In analyses stratified by sex, the association between BMI and narrow angle was only observed in women. Conclusion Lower BMI and weight were associated with significantly greater odds of narrow angle after adjusting for age, education, axial ocular biometric measures and height. The odds of narrow angle increased 7% per 1 unit decrease in BMI. This association was most evident in women. PMID:24707840

Associations between DSM-IV mental disorders and subsequent heart disease onset: beyond depression.

PubMed

Scott, Kate M; de Jonge, Peter; Alonso, Jordi; Viana, Maria Carmen; Liu, Zhaorui; O'Neill, Siobhan; Aguilar-Gaxiola, Sergio; Bruffaerts, Ronny; Caldas-de-Almeida, Jose Miguel; Stein, Dan J; de Girolamo, Giovanni; Florescu, Silvia E; Hu, Chiyi; Taib, Nezar Ismet; Lépine, Jean-Pierre; Levinson, Daphna; Matschinger, Herbert; Medina-Mora, Maria Elena; Piazza, Marina; Posada-Villa, José A; Uda, Hidenori; Wojtyniak, Bogdan J; Lim, Carmen C W; Kessler, Ronald C

2013-10-15

Prior studies on the depression-heart disease association have not usually used diagnostic measures of depression, or taken other mental disorders into consideration. As a result, it is not clear whether the association between depression and heart disease onset reflects a specific association, or the comorbidity between depression and other mental disorders. Additionally, the relative magnitude of associations of a range of mental disorders with heart disease onset is unknown. Face-to-face household surveys were conducted in 19 countries (n=52,095; person years=2,141,194). The Composite International Diagnostic Interview retrospectively assessed lifetime prevalence and age at onset of 16 DSM-IV mental disorders. Heart disease was indicated by self-report of physician's diagnosis, or self-report of heart attack, together with their timing (year). Survival analyses estimated associations between first onset of mental disorders and subsequent heart disease onset. After comorbidity adjustment, depression, panic disorder, specific phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol use disorders were associated with heart disease onset (ORs 1.3-1.6). Increasing number of mental disorders was associated with heart disease in a dose-response fashion. Mood disorders and alcohol abuse were more strongly associated with earlier onset than later onset heart disease. Associations did not vary by gender. Depression, anxiety and alcohol use disorders were significantly associated with heart disease onset; depression was the weakest predictor. If confirmed in future prospective studies, the breadth of psychopathology's links with heart disease onset has substantial clinical and public health implications. © 2013.

Rare coding variation in paraoxonase-1 is associated with ischemic stroke in the NHLBI Exome Sequencing Project.

PubMed

Kim, Daniel Seung; Crosslin, David R; Auer, Paul L; Suzuki, Stephanie M; Marsillach, Judit; Burt, Amber A; Gordon, Adam S; Meschia, James F; Nalls, Mike A; Worrall, Bradford B; Longstreth, W T; Gottesman, Rebecca F; Furlong, Clement E; Peters, Ulrike; Rich, Stephen S; Nickerson, Deborah A; Jarvik, Gail P

2014-06-01

HDL-associated paraoxonase-1 (PON1) is an enzyme whose activity is associated with cerebrovascular disease. Common PON1 genetic variants have not been consistently associated with cerebrovascular disease. Rare coding variation that likely alters PON1 enzyme function may be more strongly associated with stroke. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Exome Sequencing Project sequenced the coding regions (exomes) of the genome for heart, lung, and blood-related phenotypes (including ischemic stroke). In this sample of 4,204 unrelated participants, 496 had verified, noncardioembolic ischemic stroke. After filtering, 28 nonsynonymous PON1 variants were identified. Analysis with the sequence kernel association test, adjusted for covariates, identified significant associations between PON1 variants and ischemic stroke (P = 3.01 × 10(-3)). Stratified analyses demonstrated a stronger association of PON1 variants with ischemic stroke in African ancestry (AA) participants (P = 5.03 × 10(-3)). Ethnic differences in the association between PON1 variants with stroke could be due to the effects of PON1Val109Ile (overall P = 7.88 × 10(-3); AA P = 6.52 × 10(-4)), found at higher frequency in AA participants (1.16% vs. 0.02%) and whose protein is less stable than the common allele. In summary, rare genetic variation in PON1 was associated with ischemic stroke, with stronger associations identified in those of AA. Increased focus on PON1 enzyme function and its role in cerebrovascular disease is warranted.

Associations between narrow angle and adult anthropometry: the Liwan Eye Study.

PubMed

Jiang, Yuzhen; He, Mingguang; Friedman, David S; Khawaja, Anthony P; Lee, Pak Sang; Nolan, Winifred P; Yin, Qiuxia; Foster, Paul J

2014-06-01

To assess the associations between narrow angle and adult anthropometry. Chinese adults aged 50 years and older were recruited from a population-based survey in the Liwan District of Guangzhou, China. Narrow angle was defined as the posterior trabecular meshwork not visible under static gonioscopy in at least three quadrants (i.e. a circumference of at least 270°). Logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between narrow angle and anthropomorphic measures (height, weight and body mass index, BMI). Among the 912 participants, lower weight, shorter height, and lower BMI were significantly associated with narrower angle width (tests for trend: mean angle width in degrees vs weight p < 0.001; vs height p < 0.001; vs BMI p = 0.012). In univariate analyses, shorter height, lower weight and lower BMI were all significantly associated with greater odds of narrow angle. The crude association between height and narrow angle was largely attributable to a stronger association with age and sex. Lower BMI and weight remained significantly associated with narrow angle after adjustment for height, age, sex, axial ocular biometric measures and education. In analyses stratified by sex, the association between BMI and narrow angle was only observed in women. Lower BMI and weight were associated with significantly greater odds of narrow angle after adjusting for age, education, axial ocular biometric measures and height. The odds of narrow angle increased 7% per 1 unit decrease in BMI. This association was most evident in women.

13 CFR 120.850 - Expiration of Associate Development Company designation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Development Company designation. 120.850 Section 120.850 Business Credit and Assistance SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION BUSINESS LOANS Development Company Loan Program (504) Associate Development Companies (adcs) § 120.850 Expiration of Associate Development Company designation. The designation of Associate Development...

42 CFR 102.90 - Reconsideration of the Secretary's eligibility and benefits determinations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... to the Associate Administrator, Healthcare Systems Bureau, Health Resources and Services... carrier or private courier service must be sent to the Associate Administrator, Healthcare Systems Bureau.... When the Associate Administrator of the Healthcare Systems Bureau (the Associate Administrator...

42 CFR 102.90 - Reconsideration of the Secretary's eligibility and benefits determinations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... to the Associate Administrator, Healthcare Systems Bureau, Health Resources and Services... carrier or private courier service must be sent to the Associate Administrator, Healthcare Systems Bureau.... When the Associate Administrator of the Healthcare Systems Bureau (the Associate Administrator...

42 CFR 102.90 - Reconsideration of the Secretary's eligibility and benefits determinations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... to the Associate Administrator, Healthcare Systems Bureau, Health Resources and Services... carrier or private courier service must be sent to the Associate Administrator, Healthcare Systems Bureau.... When the Associate Administrator of the Healthcare Systems Bureau (the Associate Administrator...

42 CFR 102.90 - Reconsideration of the Secretary's eligibility and benefits determinations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... to the Associate Administrator, Healthcare Systems Bureau, Health Resources and Services... carrier or private courier service must be sent to the Associate Administrator, Healthcare Systems Bureau.... When the Associate Administrator of the Healthcare Systems Bureau (the Associate Administrator...

42 CFR 102.90 - Reconsideration of the Secretary's eligibility and benefits determinations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... to the Associate Administrator, Healthcare Systems Bureau, Health Resources and Services... carrier or private courier service must be sent to the Associate Administrator, Healthcare Systems Bureau.... When the Associate Administrator of the Healthcare Systems Bureau (the Associate Administrator...

29 CFR 2580.412-30 - Conditions of exemption.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... BONDING RULES Exemptions Savings and Loan Associations Subject to Federal Regulation § 2580.412-30 Conditions of exemption. This exemption applies only to those savings and loan associations (including building and loan associations, cooperative banks and homestead associations) subject to regulation and...

Image segmentation using association rule features.

PubMed

Rushing, John A; Ranganath, Heggere; Hinke, Thomas H; Graves, Sara J

2002-01-01

A new type of texture feature based on association rules is described. Association rules have been used in applications such as market basket analysis to capture relationships present among items in large data sets. It is shown that association rules can be adapted to capture frequently occurring local structures in images. The frequency of occurrence of these structures can be used to characterize texture. Methods for segmentation of textured images based on association rule features are described. Simulation results using images consisting of man made and natural textures show that association rule features perform well compared to other widely used texture features. Association rule features are used to detect cumulus cloud fields in GOES satellite images and are found to achieve higher accuracy than other statistical texture features for this problem.

Sexual dysfunction and relationship stress: how does this association vary for men and women?

PubMed

McCabe, Marita P; Connaughton, Catherine

2017-02-01

This paper examines the association between relationship stress and sexual dysfunction. The results demonstrated a strong association between female sexual dysfunction (FSD) and relationship stress, and between male sexual dysfunction (MSD) and relationship stress among their female partners. No studies examined the association between FSD and relationship stress of male partners. Treatment for MSD was associated with improved relationship stress for female partners, but no studies were located that examined this association for treatment of FSD. These findings suggest that FSD and relationship stress are strongly related, but the association does not seem to be so strong for men. The review highlights the need for further research in this field to inform therapy for both sexual dysfunction and relationship problems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-forgiveness is associated with reduced psychological distress in cancer patients and unmatched caregivers: Hope and self-blame as mediating mechanisms.

PubMed

Toussaint, Loren; Barry, Michael; Angus, Drew; Bornfriend, Lynn; Markman, Maurie

2017-01-01

This study examined the association between self-forgiveness and psychological distress and tested whether self-blame and hope mediated these associations equally for both patients and caregivers. Participants were 38 patients and 44 unmatched caregivers receiving care at a national cancer hospital. Participants completed measures of self-forgiveness, self-blame, hope, and psychological distress. Self-forgiveness was inversely associated with self-blame and psychological distress and positively associated with hope. Self-forgiveness was indirectly associated with psychological distress through hope but not self-blame and more strongly for caregivers than patients. Group differences between patients and caregivers in associations are intriguing and may have implications for improved psychosocial care of cancer patients and support of caregivers.

Associations between positive and negative affect and 12-month physical disorders in a national sample.

PubMed

Weiser, Eric B

2012-06-01

Associations between positive and negative affect and a range of 12-month physical disorders were investigated in the Midlife Development in the United States Survey, a nationally representative sample of 3,032 adults ages 25-74. These associations were examined, controlling for relevant sociodemographic and psychiatric covariates. High positive affect was associated with decreased risk of physical disorders, whereas high negative affect was associated with increased risk. However, associations between positive affect and physical disorders were partially attenuated following adjustment for concurrent negative affect. Additionally, high affect balance was associated with decreased risk of physical disorders before and after adjustments. These findings underscore the relevance of affective disposition in health status, suggesting that both positive and negative affect may serve as viable health risk parameters.

Evaluation of Parkinson Disease Risk Variants as Expression-QTLs

PubMed Central

Latourelle, Jeanne C.; Dumitriu, Alexandra; Hadzi, Tiffany C.; Beach, Thomas G.; Myers, Richard H.

2012-01-01

The recent Parkinson Disease GWAS Consortium meta-analysis and replication study reports association at several previously confirmed risk loci SNCA, MAPT, GAK/DGKQ, and HLA and identified a novel risk locus at RIT2. To further explore functional consequences of these associations, we investigated modification of gene expression in prefrontal cortex brain samples of pathologically confirmed PD cases (N = 26) and controls (N = 24) by 67 associated SNPs in these 5 loci. Association between the eSNPs and expression was evaluated using a 2-degrees of freedom test of both association and difference in association between cases and controls, adjusted for relevant covariates. SNPs at each of the 5 loci were tested for cis-acting effects on all probes within 250 kb of each locus. Trans-effects of the SNPs on the 39,122 probes passing all QC on the microarray were also examined. From the analysis of cis-acting SNP effects, several SNPs in the MAPT region show significant association to multiple nearby probes, including two strongly correlated probes targeting the gene LOC644246 and the duplicated genes LRRC37A and LRRC37A2, and a third uncorrelated probe targeting the gene DCAKD. Significant cis-associations were also observed between SNPs and two probes targeting genes in the HLA region on chromosome 6. Expanding the association study to examine trans effects revealed an additional 23 SNP-probe associations reaching statistical significance (p<2.8×10−8) including SNPs from the SNCA, MAPT and RIT2 regions. These findings provide additional context for the interpretation of PD associated SNPs identified in recent GWAS as well as potential insight into the mechanisms underlying the observed SNP associations. PMID:23071545

Network Analysis of Associations between Serum Interferon Alpha Activity, Autoantibodies, and Clinical Features in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

PubMed Central

Weckerle, Corinna E.; Franek, Beverly S.; Kelly, Jennifer A.; Kumabe, Marissa; Mikolaitis, Rachel A.; Green, Stephanie L.; Utset, Tammy O.; Jolly, Meenakshi; James, Judith A.; Harley, John B.; Niewold, Timothy B.

2010-01-01

Background Interferon-alpha (IFN-α) is a primary pathogenic factor in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and high IFN-α levels may be associated with particular clinical manifestations. The prevalence of individual clinical and serologic features differs significantly by ancestry. We used multivariate and network analyses to detect associations between clinical and serologic disease manifestations and serum IFN-α activity in a large diverse SLE cohort. Methods 1089 SLE patients were studied (387 African-American, 186 Hispanic-American, and 516 European-American). Presence or absence of ACR clinical criteria for SLE, autoantibodies, and serum IFN-α activity data were analyzed in univariate and multivariate models. Iterative multivariate logistic regression was performed in each background separately to establish the network of associations between variables that were independently significant following Bonferroni correction. Results In all ancestral backgrounds, high IFN-α activity was associated with anti-Ro and anti-dsDNA antibodies (p-values 4.6×10−18 and 2.9 × 10−16 respectively). Younger age, non-European ancestry, and anti-RNP were also independently associated with increased serum IFN-α activity (p≤6.7×10−4). We found 14 unique associations between variables in network analysis, and only 7 of these associations were shared by more than one ancestral background. Associations between clinical criteria were different in different ancestral backgrounds, while autoantibody-IFN-α relationships were similar across backgrounds. IFN-α activity and autoantibodies were not associated with ACR clinical features in multivariate models. Conclusions Serum IFN-α activity was strongly and consistently associated with autoantibodies, and not independently associated with clinical features in SLE. IFN-α may be more relevant to humoral tolerance and initial pathogenesis than later clinical disease manifestations. PMID:21162028

Does sufficient evidence exist to support a causal association between vitamin D status and cardiovascular disease risk? An assessment using Hill's criteria for causality.

PubMed

Weyland, Patricia G; Grant, William B; Howie-Esquivel, Jill

2014-09-02

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels have been found to be inversely associated with both prevalent and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors; dyslipidemia, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. This review looks for evidence of a causal association between low 25(OH)D levels and increased CVD risk. We evaluated journal articles in light of Hill's criteria for causality in a biological system. The results of our assessment are as follows. Strength of association: many randomized controlled trials (RCTs), prospective and cross-sectional studies found statistically significant inverse associations between 25(OH)D levels and CVD risk factors. Consistency of observed association: most studies found statistically significant inverse associations between 25(OH)D levels and CVD risk factors in various populations, locations and circumstances. Temporality of association: many RCTs and prospective studies found statistically significant inverse associations between 25(OH)D levels and CVD risk factors. Biological gradient (dose-response curve): most studies assessing 25(OH)D levels and CVD risk found an inverse association exhibiting a linear biological gradient. Plausibility of biology: several plausible cellular-level causative mechanisms and biological pathways may lead from a low 25(OH)D level to increased risk for CVD with mediators, such as dyslipidemia, hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Experimental evidence: some well-designed RCTs found increased CVD risk factors with decreasing 25(OH)D levels. Analogy: the association between serum 25(OH)D levels and CVD risk is analogous to that between 25(OH)D levels and the risk of overall cancer, periodontal disease, multiple sclerosis and breast cancer. all relevant Hill criteria for a causal association in a biological system are satisfied to indicate a low 25(OH)D level as a CVD risk factor.

Genetic Association Analysis of Functional Impairment in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

PubMed Central

Hersh, Craig P.; DeMeo, Dawn L.; Lazarus, Ross; Celedón, Juan C.; Raby, Benjamin A.; Benditt, Joshua O.; Criner, Gerard; Make, Barry; Martinez, Fernando J.; Scanlon, Paul D.; Sciurba, Frank C.; Utz, James P.; Reilly, John J.; Silverman, Edwin K.

2006-01-01

Rationale: Patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may have varying levels of disability despite similar levels of lung function. This variation may reflect different COPD subtypes, which may have different genetic predispositions. Objectives: To identify genetic associations for COPD-related phenotypes, including measures of exercise capacity, pulmonary function, and respiratory symptoms. Methods: In 304 subjects from the National Emphysema Treatment Trial, we genotyped 80 markers in 22 positional and/or biologically plausible candidate genes. Regression models were used to test for association, using a test–replication approach to guard against false-positive results. For significant associations, effect estimates were recalculated using the entire cohort. Positive associations with dyspnea were confirmed in families from the Boston Early-Onset COPD Study. Results: The test–replication approach identified four genes—microsomal epoxide hydrolase (EPHX1), latent transforming growth factor-β binding protein-4 (LTBP4), surfactant protein B (SFTPB), and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFB1)—that were associated with COPD-related phenotypes. In all subjects, single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in EPHX1 (p ⩽ 0.03) and in LTBP4 (p ⩽ 0.03) were associated with maximal output on cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Markers in LTBP4 (p ⩽ 0.05) and SFTPB (p = 0.005) were associated with 6-min walk test distance. SNPs in EPHX1 were associated with carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (p ⩽ 0.04). Three SNPs in TGFB1 were associated with dyspnea (p ⩽ 0.002), one of which replicated in the family study (p = 0.02). Conclusions: Polymorphisms in several genes seem to be associated with COPD-related traits other than FEV1. These associations may identify genes in pathways important for COPD pathogenesis. PMID:16456143

Acquired activated protein C resistance is associated with lupus anticoagulants and thrombotic events in pediatric patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

PubMed

Male, C; Mitchell, L; Julian, J; Vegh, P; Joshua, P; Adams, M; David, M; Andrew, M E

2001-02-15

Acquired activated protein C resistance (APCR) has been hypothesized as a possible mechanism by which antiphospholipid antibodies (APLAs) cause thrombotic events (TEs). However, available evidence for an association of acquired APCR with APLAs is limited. More importantly, an association of acquired APCR with TEs has not been demonstrated. The objective of the study was to determine, in pediatric patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), whether (1) acquired APCR is associated with the presence of APLAs, (2) APCR is associated with TEs, and (3) there is an interaction between APCR and APLAs in association with TEs. A cross-sectional cohort study of 59 consecutive, nonselected children with SLE was conducted. Primary clinical outcomes were symptomatic TEs, confirmed by objective radiographic tests. Laboratory testing included lupus anticoagulants (LAs), anticardiolipin antibodies (ACLAs), APC ratio, protein S, protein C, and factor V Leiden. The results revealed that TEs occurred in 10 (17%) of 59 patients. Acquired APCR was present in 18 (31%) of 58 patients. Acquired APCR was significantly associated with the presence of LAs but not ACLAs. Acquired APCR was also significantly associated with TEs. There was significant interaction between APCR and LAs in the association with TEs. Presence of both APCR and LAs was associated with the highest risk of a TE. Protein S and protein C concentrations were not associated with the presence of APLAs, APCR, or TEs. Presence of acquired APCR is a marker identifying LA-positive patients at high risk of TEs. Acquired APCR may reflect interference of LAs with the protein C pathway that may represent a mechanism of LA-associated TEs. (Blood. 2001;97:844-849)

Early Childhood Media Exposure and Self-Regulation: Bi-Directional Longitudinal Associations.

PubMed

Cliff, Dylan P; Howard, Steven J; Radesky, Jenny S; McNeill, Jade; Vella, Stewart A

2018-04-26

To investigate: i) prospective associations between media exposure (television viewing, computers, and electronic games) at 2 years and self-regulation at 4 and 6 years, and ii) bi-directional associations between media exposure and self-regulation at 4 and 6 years. We hypothesized that media exposure and self-regulation would display a negative prospective association and subsequent bi-directional inverse associations. Data from the nationally-representative Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) when children were aged 2 (n=2786) and 4/6 years (n=3527) were used. Primary caregivers reported children's weekly electronic media exposure. A composite measure of self-regulation was computed from caregivers-, teacher-, and observer-report data. Associations were examined using linear regression and cross-lagged panel models, accounting for covariates. Lower television viewing and total media exposure at 2 years were associated with higher self-regulation at 4 years (both β -0.02; 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.03, -0.01). Lower self-regulation at 4 years was also significantly associated with higher television viewing (β -0.15; 95% CI -0.21, -0.08), electronic game use (β -0.05; 95% CI -0.09, -0.01), and total media exposure (β -0.19; 95% CI -0.29, -0.09) at 6 years. However, media exposure at 4 years was not associated with self-regulation at 6 years. Although media exposure duration at 2 years was associated with later self-regulation, and self-regulation at 4 years was associated with later media exposure, associations were of small magnitude. More research is needed examining content quality, social context, and mobile media use and child self-regulation. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Association of MTHFR C677T Genotype With Ischemic Stroke Is Confined to Cerebral Small Vessel Disease Subtype

PubMed Central

Traylor, Matthew; Adib-Samii, Poneh; Thijs, Vincent; Sudlow, Cathie; Rothwell, Peter M.; Boncoraglio, Giorgio; Dichgans, Martin; Meschia, James; Maguire, Jane; Levi, Christopher; Rost, Natalia S.; Rosand, Jonathan; Hassan, Ahamad; Bevan, Steve; Markus, Hugh S.

2016-01-01

Background and Purpose— Elevated plasma homocysteine levels are associated with stroke. However, this might be a reflection of bias or confounding because trials have failed to demonstrate an effect from homocysteine lowering in stroke patients, although a possible benefit has been suggested in lacunar stroke. Genetic studies could potentially overcome these issues because genetic variants are inherited randomly and are fixed at conception. Therefore, we tested the homocysteine levels–associated genetic variant MTHFR C677T for association with magnetic resonance imaging–confirmed lacunar stroke and compared this with associations with large artery and cardioembolic stroke subtypes. Methods— We included 1359 magnetic resonance imaging–confirmed lacunar stroke cases, 1824 large artery stroke cases, 1970 cardioembolic stroke cases, and 14 448 controls, all of European ancestry. Furthermore, we studied 3670 ischemic stroke patients in whom white matter hyperintensities volume was measured. We tested MTHFR C677T for association with stroke subtypes and white matter hyperintensities volume. Because of the established association of homocysteine with hypertension, we additionally stratified for hypertension status. Results— MTHFR C677T was associated with lacunar stroke (P=0.0003) and white matter hyperintensity volume (P=0.04), but not with the other stroke subtypes. Stratifying the lacunar stroke cases for hypertension status confirmed this association in hypertensive individuals (P=0.0002), but not in normotensive individuals (P=0.30). Conclusions— MTHFR C677T was associated with magnetic resonance imaging–confirmed lacunar stroke, but not large artery or cardioembolic stroke. The association may act through increased susceptibility to, or interaction with, high blood pressure. This heterogeneity of association might explain the lack of effect of lowering homocysteine in secondary prevention trials which included all strokes. PMID:26839351

The conundrum of the Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma in the Americas

PubMed Central

Carrasco-Avino, Gonzalo; Riquelme, Ismael; Padilla, Oslando; Villaseca, Miguel; Aguayo, Francisco R.; Corvalan, Alejandro H.

2017-01-01

Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma shows a higher prevalence in the Americas than Asia. We summarize all studies of Epstein Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma in the Americas, focusing on host characteristics, environmental associations and phylogeographic diversity of Epstein-Barr virus strains. In the Americas, the prevalence of Epstein Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma is 11.4%, more frequent in males and portray predominantly diffuse-type histology. EBERs, EBNAs, BARTs and LMP are the highest expressed genes; their variations in healthy individuals may explain the phylogeographic diversity of Epstein-Barr virus across the region. Gastric cancer cases harbor exclusively the western genotype (subtype D and kept Xho I site), suggesting a disrupted co-evolution between the pathogen and its host. Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma molecular subtype cases from The Cancer Genome Atlas display PIK3CA gene mutations, amplification of JAK2, PD-L1 and PD-L2 and CpG island methylator phenotype, leading to more extensive methylation of host and viral genomes than any other subtypes from the study. Environmental conditions include negative- and positive- associations with being firstborn child and smoking, respectively. A marginal association with H. pylori has also been reported. Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma is associated with Epstein Barr virus in 80%–86% of cases, most of which have been included as part of Epstein Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma series (prevalence 1.1%–7.6%). Whether these cases represent a variant of Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma is discussed. We propose novel research strategies to solve the conundrum of the high prevalence of Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma in the Americas. PMID:29088902

Importance of hepatitis C virus-associated insulin resistance: Therapeutic strategies for insulin sensitization

PubMed Central

Kawaguchi, Takumi; Sata, Michio

2010-01-01

Insulin resistance is one of the pathological features in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Generally, persistence of insulin resistance leads to an increase in the risk of life-threatening complications such as cardiovascular diseases. However, these complications are not major causes of death in patients with HCV-associated insulin resistance. Indeed, insulin resistance plays a crucial role in the development of various complications and events associated with HCV infection. Mounting evidence indicates that HCV-associated insulin resistance may cause (1) hepatic steatosis; (2) resistance to anti-viral treatment; (3) hepatic fibrosis and esophageal varices; (4) hepatocarcinogenesis and proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma; and (5) extrahepatic manifestations. Thus, HCV-associated insulin resistance is a therapeutic target at any stage of HCV infection. Although the risk of insulin resistance in HCV-infected patients has been documented, therapeutic guidelines for preventing the distinctive complications of HCV-associated insulin resistance have not yet been established. In addition, mechanisms for the development of HCV-associated insulin resistance differ from lifestyle-associated insulin resistance. In order to ameliorate HCV-associated insulin resistance and its complications, the efficacy of the following interventions is discussed: a late evening snack, coffee consumption, dietary iron restriction, phlebotomy, and zinc supplements. Little is known regarding the effect of anti-diabetic agents on HCV infection, however, a possible association between use of exogenous insulin or a sulfonylurea agent and the development of HCC has recently been reported. On the other hand, insulin-sensitizing agents are reported to improve sustained virologic response rates. In this review, we summarize distinctive complications of, and therapeutic strategies for, HCV-associated insulin resistance. Furthermore, we discuss supplementation with branched-chain amino acids as a unique insulin-sensitizing strategy for patients with HCV-associated insulin resistance. PMID:20419831

Paranoid Ideation and Violence: Meta-analysis of Individual Subject Data of 7 Population Surveys

PubMed Central

Coid, Jeremy W.; Ullrich, Simone; Bebbington, Paul; Fazel, Seena; Keers, Robert

2016-01-01

There is controversy whether associations between psychosis and violence are due to coexisting substance misuse and factors increasing risk in nonpsychotic persons. Recent studies in clinical samples have implicated independent effects of paranoid delusions. Research findings suggest that individual psychotic-like-experiences on the psychosis continuum in the general population are associated with violence; it remains unclear whether this association is due to psychiatric comorbidity. We pooled data from 7 UK general population surveys (n = 23 444) and conducted a meta-analysis of individual subject data. Further meta-analyses were performed to identify heterogeneity. Main exposure variables: 5 psychotic-like-experiences and a categorical measure of psychosis. Comorbidity was established through standardized self-report instruments. Information was collected on violence, severity, victims. Paranoid ideation was associated with violence (AOR 2.26, 95% CI 1.75–2.91), severity and frequency, even when controlling for effects of other psychotic-like-experiences. Associations were not explained by comorbid conditions, including substance dependence. Psychotic disorder was associated with violence and injury to the perpetrator but associations were explained by paranoid ideation. Individual associations between hypomania, thought insertion, hallucinations, and violence were nonsignificant after adjustments, and significantly associated only when comorbid with antisocial personality disorder. Strange experiences were only associated with intimate partner violence. Paranoid ideation on a psychosis-continuum in the general population was associated with violence. All other associations were explained by comorbidity. Further investigation should determine whether paranoid ideation among persons in the community require preventive interventions, similar to those presenting to mental health services. Nevertheless, risks are considerably increased for psychotic-like-experiences with co-occurring antisocial personality disorder. PMID:26884548

Paranoid Ideation and Violence: Meta-analysis of Individual Subject Data of 7 Population Surveys.

PubMed

Coid, Jeremy W; Ullrich, Simone; Bebbington, Paul; Fazel, Seena; Keers, Robert

2016-07-01

There is controversy whether associations between psychosis and violence are due to coexisting substance misuse and factors increasing risk in nonpsychotic persons. Recent studies in clinical samples have implicated independent effects of paranoid delusions. Research findings suggest that individual psychotic-like-experiences on the psychosis continuum in the general population are associated with violence; it remains unclear whether this association is due to psychiatric comorbidity. We pooled data from 7 UK general population surveys (n = 23 444) and conducted a meta-analysis of individual subject data. Further meta-analyses were performed to identify heterogeneity. Main exposure variables: 5 psychotic-like-experiences and a categorical measure of psychosis. Comorbidity was established through standardized self-report instruments. Information was collected on violence, severity, victims. Paranoid ideation was associated with violence (AOR 2.26, 95% CI 1.75-2.91), severity and frequency, even when controlling for effects of other psychotic-like-experiences. Associations were not explained by comorbid conditions, including substance dependence. Psychotic disorder was associated with violence and injury to the perpetrator but associations were explained by paranoid ideation. Individual associations between hypomania, thought insertion, hallucinations, and violence were nonsignificant after adjustments, and significantly associated only when comorbid with antisocial personality disorder. Strange experiences were only associated with intimate partner violence. Paranoid ideation on a psychosis-continuum in the general population was associated with violence. All other associations were explained by comorbidity. Further investigation should determine whether paranoid ideation among persons in the community require preventive interventions, similar to those presenting to mental health services. Nevertheless, risks are considerably increased for psychotic-like-experiences with co-occurring antisocial personality disorder. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center.

Irritability, Externalizing, and Internalizing Psychopathology in Adolescence: Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations and Moderation by Sex.

PubMed

Humphreys, Kathryn L; Schouboe, Sophie N F; Kircanski, Katharina; Leibenluft, Ellen; Stringaris, Argyris; Gotlib, Ian H

2018-04-18

Irritability is a common feature of many psychiatric disorders, including both externalizing and internalizing disorders. There is little research, however, examining associations between irritability and these symptom domains, particularly during the important developmental period of adolescence, characterized by sex differences in the prevalence of disorders. We examined the cross-sectional associations between irritability, measured with the Affective Reactivity Index, and symptoms of externalizing and internalizing domains of psychopathology, measured with the Youth Self Report, in a volunteer community sample (N = 183) of 9- to 13-year-old (M = 11.39, SD = 1.07) boys and girls (37% White/Caucasian, 8% Asian, 11% Hispanic, 8% African American, 2% Native American, 2% Pacific Islander, 28% Other, and 3% not reported). A subset of the sample (n = 112) provided data at a 2-year follow-up, used to extend these associations. There were no sex differences in levels of irritability; however, the associations between irritability and symptom domains were moderated by sex. Specifically, in girls, irritability was associated equally with externalizing and internalizing symptoms. In contrast, in boys, irritability was associated more strongly with externalizing symptoms than with internalizing symptoms. Thus, across both sexes, irritability was moderately associated with externalizing symptoms, but the association between irritability and internalizing symptoms was stronger in girls than in boys. At follow-up, sex moderated the association between baseline irritability and later externalizing and internalizing symptoms. These findings indicate that irritability is associated with both externalizing and internalizing symptoms in early adolescence and that irritability is associated with internalizing symptoms more strongly in girls than in boys.

Parental and offspring associations of the metabolic syndrome in the Fels Longitudinal Study123

PubMed Central

Sabo, Roy T; Lu, Zheng; Deng, Xiaoyan; Ren, Chunfeng; Daniels, Stephen; Arslanian, Silva; Sun, Shumei S

2012-01-01

Background: Evidence shows that some causes of the metabolic syndrome (MS) begin in childhood, which could indicate a familial association, through either genetic inheritance or cohabitation. Objective: This study examined associations between parents and adult offspring diagnoses of the MS and its risk factors. Design: Measurements were obtained from adult participants and their adult offspring enrolled in the Fels Longitudinal Study, with simultaneous waist circumference, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), triglycerides, HDL, and glucose observations used for diagnosis. On the basis of repeated measurements (in some cases), adult participants were classified as having the MS at least once or as never having the MS. Chi-square tests, ORs, and mixed-effects models were used to study familial associations. Results: Maternal (OR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.1, 5.5) and paternal (OR: 4.1; 95% CI: 1.4, 12.1) MS classifications were significantly associated with MS classification in sons. MS classification in mothers and daughters (OR: 2.7; 95% CI: 0.9, 8.7; P = 0.08) was similar to that in sons but was not significant, whereas fathers and daughters were not associated (OR: 1.1; 95% CI: 0.4, 3.5). Maternal MS diagnoses were significantly and positively associated with triglycerides in male offspring and were significantly associated with SBP, DBP, and triglycerides in females. Paternal diagnoses were significantly associated only with DBP and HDL in male offspring. Conclusions: Parental MS diagnosis is significantly associated with MS diagnosis in adult male offspring, and adverse levels of certain risk factors are associated between offspring and parents, although these associations vary across risk factors and child sex. PMID:22811445

Specialised sympathetic neuroeffector associations in rat iris arterioles

PubMed Central

SANDOW, SHAUN L.; WHITEHOUSE, DREW; HILL, CARYL E.

1998-01-01

Vascular sympathetic neuroeffector associations have been examined in rat iris arterioles using serial section electron microscopy and reconstruction techniques. Examination of random sections showed that, of all profiles of varicosities (199) seen to lie closer than 4 μm to vascular smooth muscle cells, only a small proportion (29/199) were found in close association with vascular smooth muscle cells, where adjacent membranes were separated by less than 100 nm. However, serial section examination, from intervaricose region to intervaricose region, of 79 varicosities similarly observed lying within 4 μm of vascular smooth muscle cells showed that 54 formed close associations with vascular smooth muscle cells. In serial sections, all these varicosities were also closely associated with melanocytes and of the 25 remaining varicosities, 22 formed close associations with melanocytes alone, whilst 3 did not come into close association with any effector cell. The increased observation of close associations with vascular smooth muscle cells in serial sections, compared with random sections, is consistent with the demonstration that the area of contact only occupies, on average, a small percentage (5%) of the total surface area of the varicosity as seen in the 3-dimensional reconstructions. In both random and serial sections, close associations were observed between varicosities and vascular smooth muscle cells or melanocytes irrespective of whether fibres were present singly or in small nerve bundles. Three-dimensional reconstruction of associations of varicosities and vascular smooth muscle cells demonstrated several common features, such as accumulations of synaptic vesicles and loss of Schwann cell covering at the region of membrane facing the effector cell. The similarity in the appearance of the neuroeffector association seen in this study and those described in previous studies provides evidence for the existence of a common sympathetic neuroeffector association, irrespective of the receptor subtype involved in neurotransmission. PMID:9568560

The prevalence and associated factors for prehypertension and hypertension in Cambodia

PubMed Central

Gupta, Vinay; LoGerfo, James P; Raingsey, Prak Piseth; Fitzpatrick, Annette L

2013-01-01

Background Hypertension is strongly associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes and was the leading modifiable associated factor for global disease burden in 2010. Analysis of modifiable associated factors will be important to those concerned with mitigating the adverse effects of hypertension. We studied factors associated with hypertension in adults aged 25–64 years of age in Cambodia in order to help develop strategies for planned new initiatives for prevention and control of hypertension. Methods Using data from a nationwide survey in Cambodia assessing the prevalence of associated factors for non-communicable disease in 2010 (WHO STEPs survey), 5017 participants between the ages of 25 and 64 years were included in a secondary analysis of the prevalence and predictors of hypertension. Results The prevalence of prehypertension in this sample was approximately double that of overall hypertension (27.9% vs 15.3%). Male sex, increasing age and known cardiovascular associated factors, including higher Body Mass Index (BMI), dyslipidaemia, impaired fasting glycaemia, and abdominal obesity were all associated with an increased prevalence of hypertension. In multivariate models, increasing age was the strongest associated factor for hypertension (OR 8.79, 95% CI (5.43 to 14.2)), whereas, higher BMI was the primary associated factor associated with prehypertension (OR 3.27, 95% CI 2.21 to 4.82). Conclusions Modifiable cardiovascular-associated factors are strongly correlated with prehypertension and hypertension in Cambodia, and may be a focus of public health and primary care strategies to mitigate subsequent ischaemic heart disease and stroke. A national strategy aimed at increased screening and adherence to medical therapy is a necessary first step to reduce burden of disease and related morbidities. PMID:27326148

2015 American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Focused Update of the 2013 Guidelines for the Early Management of Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke Regarding Endovascular Treatment: A Guideline for Healthcare Professionals From the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.

PubMed

Powers, William J; Derdeyn, Colin P; Biller, José; Coffey, Christopher S; Hoh, Brian L; Jauch, Edward C; Johnston, Karen C; Johnston, S Claiborne; Khalessi, Alexander A; Kidwell, Chelsea S; Meschia, James F; Ovbiagele, Bruce; Yavagal, Dileep R

2015-10-01

The aim of this guideline is to provide a focused update of the current recommendations for the endovascular treatment of acute ischemic stroke. When there is overlap, the recommendations made here supersede those of previous guidelines. This focused update analyzes results from 8 randomized, clinical trials of endovascular treatment and other relevant data published since 2013. It is not intended to be a complete literature review from the date of the previous guideline publication but rather to include pivotal new evidence that justifies changes in current recommendations. Members of the writing committee were appointed by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Stroke Council's Scientific Statement Oversight Committee and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association Manuscript Oversight Committee. Strict adherence to the American Heart Association conflict of interest policy was maintained throughout the consensus process. Recommendations follow the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association methods of classifying the level of certainty of the treatment effect and the class of evidence. Prerelease review of the draft guideline was performed by 6 expert peer reviewers and by the members of the Stroke Council Scientific Statement Oversight Committee and Stroke Council Leadership Committee. Evidence-based guidelines are presented for the selection of patients with acute ischemic stroke for endovascular treatment, for the endovascular procedure, and for systems of care to facilitate endovascular treatment. Certain endovascular procedures have been demonstrated to provide clinical benefit in selected patients with acute ischemic stroke. Systems of care should be organized to facilitate the delivery of this care. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Amount of stroma is associated with mammographic density and stromal expression of oestrogen receptor in normal breast tissues.

PubMed

Gabrielson, Marike; Chiesa, Flaminia; Paulsson, Janna; Strell, Carina; Behmer, Catharina; Rönnow, Katarina; Czene, Kamila; Östman, Arne; Hall, Per

2016-07-01

Following female sex and age, mammographic density is considered one of the strongest risk factors for breast cancer. Despite the association between mammographic density and breast cancer risk, little is known about the underlying histology and biological basis of breast density. To better understand the mechanisms behind mammographic density we assessed morphology, proliferation and hormone receptor status in relation to mammographic density in breast tissues from healthy women. Tissues were obtained from 2012-2013 by ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy from 160 women as part of the Karma (Karolinska mammography project for risk prediction for breast cancer) project. Mammograms were collected through routine mammography screening and mammographic density was calculated using STRATUS. The histological composition, epithelial and stromal proliferation status and hormone receptor status were assessed through immunohistochemical staining. Higher mammographic density was significantly associated with a greater proportion of stromal and epithelial tissue and a lower proportion of adipose tissue. Epithelial expression levels of Ki-67, oestrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) were not associated with mammographic density. Epithelial Ki-67 was associated with a greater proportion of epithelial tissue, and epithelial PR was associated with a greater proportion of stromal and a lower proportion of adipose tissue. Epithelial ER was not associated with any tissues. In contrast, expression of ER in the stroma was significantly associated with a greater proportion of stroma, and negatively associated with the amount of adipose tissue. High mammographic density is associated with higher amount of stroma and epithelium and less amount of fat, but is not associated with a change in epithelial proliferation or receptor status. Increased expressions of both epithelial PR and stromal ER are associated with a greater proportion of stroma, suggesting hormonal involvement in regulating breast tissue composition.

Association of abdominal fat with serum amylase in an older cohort: The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.

PubMed

Dias, Jenny Pena; Schrack, Jennifer A; Shardell, Michelle D; Egan, Josephine M; Studenski, Stephanie

2016-06-01

Abdominal fat is a major determinant of metabolic diseases in older individuals. Obesity and diabetes are associated with low serum amylase (SA) levels, but the association between SA and metabolic disease is poorly understood. We investigated the association of low SA with diabetes and sex-specific associations of serum amylase with abdominal fat in older adults. In community-dwelling volunteers from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (778 participants, age 66.8±13.6years), we assessed abdominal fat by computed tomography and diabetes status using the American Diabetes Association criteria. Linear regression analyses assessed the cross-sectional associations between abdominal fat and SA, and logistic regression assessed the odds of diabetes, given low SA. In unadjusted analyses, individuals in the lowest SA quartile (<48μ/L) had 1.97 greater odds of diabetes, (95%CI, 1.01-3.83) than those in the highest quartile (⩾80μ/L). This association was no longer significant after adjusting for visceral adipose tissue area (VAT, dm(2)), abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT, dm(2)) or BMI. In adjusted analyses, VAT and SAT were significantly associated with SA in both sexes. Among women, SA was more strongly associated with VAT than with SAT or BMI; VAT (β=-0.117±0.048, P<0.001), SAT (β=-0.023±0.025, P=0.346) and BMI (β=-0.0052±0.075, P=0.49). The association between SA and diabetes was explained mainly by abdominal visceral fat. In women, SA was more strongly associated with VAT than with BMI or SAT. These findings provide motivation for future mechanistic studies on SA's role in metabolic diseases. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

FTO gene variants are strongly associated with type 2 diabetes in South Asian Indians.

PubMed

Yajnik, C S; Janipalli, C S; Bhaskar, S; Kulkarni, S R; Freathy, R M; Prakash, S; Mani, K R; Weedon, M N; Kale, S D; Deshpande, J; Krishnaveni, G V; Veena, S R; Fall, C H D; McCarthy, M I; Frayling, T M; Hattersley, A T; Chandak, G R

2009-02-01

Variants of the FTO (fat mass and obesity associated) gene are associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes in white Europeans, but these associations are not consistent in Asians. A recent study in Asian Indian Sikhs showed an association with type 2 diabetes that did not seem to be mediated through BMI. We studied the association of FTO variants with type 2 diabetes and measures of obesity in South Asian Indians in Pune. We genotyped, by sequencing, two single nucleotide polymorphisms, rs9939609 and rs7191344, in the FTO gene in 1,453 type 2 diabetes patients and 1,361 controls from Pune, Western India and a further 961 population-based individuals from Mysore, South India. We observed a strong association of the minor allele A at rs9939609 with type 2 diabetes (OR per allele 1.26; 95% CI 1.13-1.40; p = 3 x 10(-5)). The variant was also associated with BMI but this association appeared to be weaker (0.06 SDs; 95% CI 0.01-0.10) than the previously reported effect in Europeans (0.10 SDs; 95% CI 0.09-0.12; heterogeneity p = 0.06). Unlike in the Europeans, the association with type 2 diabetes remained significant after adjusting for BMI (OR per allele for type 2 diabetes 1.21; 95% CI 1.06-1.37; p = 4.0 x 10(-3)), and also for waist circumference and other anthropometric variables. Our study replicates the strong association of FTO variants with type 2 diabetes and similar to the study in North Indians Sikhs, shows that this association may not be entirely mediated through BMI. This could imply underlying differences between Indians and Europeans in the mechanisms linking body size with type 2 diabetes.

Factors accounting for the association between anxiety and depression, and eczema: the Hordaland health study (HUSK)

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The association between anxiety and depression, and eczema is well known in the literature, but factors underlying this association remain unclear. Low levels of omega-3 fatty acids and female gender have been found to be associated with both depression and eczema. Somatization and health anxiety are known to be associated with anxiety and depression, further, somatization symptoms and health anxiety have also been found in several dermatological conditions. Accordingly, omega-3 fatty acid supplement, female gender, somatization and health anxiety are possible contributing factors in the association between anxiety and depression, and eczema. The aim of the study is to examine the relevance of proposed contributing factors for the association between anxiety and depression, and eczema, including, omega-3 fatty acid supplement, female gender, health anxiety and somatization. Methods Anxiety and depression was measured in the general population (n = 15715) employing the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Information on eczema, female gender, omega-3 fatty acid supplement, health anxiety and somatization was obtained by self-report. Results Somatization and health anxiety accounted for more than half of the association between anxiety/depression, and eczema, while the other factors examined were of minor relevance for the association of interest. Conclusions We found no support for female gender and omega-3 fatty acid supplement as contributing factors in the association between anxiety/depression, and eczema. Somatization and health anxiety accounted for about half of the association between anxiety/depression, and eczema, somatization contributed most. The association between anxiety/depression, and eczema was insignificant after adjustment for somatization and health anxiety. Biological mechanisms underlying the mediating effect of somatization are yet to be revealed. PMID:20412596

An epigenome-wide association study meta-analysis of educational attainment.

PubMed

Karlsson Linnér, R; Marioni, R E; Rietveld, C A; Simpkin, A J; Davies, N M; Watanabe, K; Armstrong, N J; Auro, K; Baumbach, C; Bonder, M J; Buchwald, J; Fiorito, G; Ismail, K; Iurato, S; Joensuu, A; Karell, P; Kasela, S; Lahti, J; McRae, A F; Mandaviya, P R; Seppälä, I; Wang, Y; Baglietto, L; Binder, E B; Harris, S E; Hodge, A M; Horvath, S; Hurme, M; Johannesson, M; Latvala, A; Mather, K A; Medland, S E; Metspalu, A; Milani, L; Milne, R L; Pattie, A; Pedersen, N L; Peters, A; Polidoro, S; Räikkönen, K; Severi, G; Starr, J M; Stolk, L; Waldenberger, M; Eriksson, J G; Esko, T; Franke, L; Gieger, C; Giles, G G; Hägg, S; Jousilahti, P; Kaprio, J; Kähönen, M; Lehtimäki, T; Martin, N G; van Meurs, J B C; Ollikainen, M; Perola, M; Posthuma, D; Raitakari, O T; Sachdev, P S; Taskesen, E; Uitterlinden, A G; Vineis, P; Wijmenga, C; Wright, M J; Relton, C; Davey Smith, G; Deary, I J; Koellinger, P D; Benjamin, D J

2017-12-01

The epigenome is associated with biological factors, such as disease status, and environmental factors, such as smoking, alcohol consumption and body mass index. Although there is a widespread perception that environmental influences on the epigenome are pervasive and profound, there has been little evidence to date in humans with respect to environmental factors that are biologically distal. Here we provide evidence on the associations between epigenetic modifications-in our case, CpG methylation-and educational attainment (EA), a biologically distal environmental factor that is arguably among the most important life-shaping experiences for individuals. Specifically, we report the results of an epigenome-wide association study meta-analysis of EA based on data from 27 cohort studies with a total of 10 767 individuals. We find nine CpG probes significantly associated with EA. However, robustness analyses show that all nine probes have previously been found to be associated with smoking. Only two associations remain when we perform a sensitivity analysis in the subset of never-smokers, and these two probes are known to be strongly associated with maternal smoking during pregnancy, and thus their association with EA could be due to correlation between EA and maternal smoking. Moreover, the effect sizes of the associations with EA are far smaller than the known associations with the biologically proximal environmental factors alcohol consumption, body mass index, smoking and maternal smoking during pregnancy. Follow-up analyses that combine the effects of many probes also point to small methylation associations with EA that are highly correlated with the combined effects of smoking. If our findings regarding EA can be generalized to other biologically distal environmental factors, then they cast doubt on the hypothesis that such factors have large effects on the epigenome.

Association of anthropometric measures with fat and fat-free mass in the elderly: The Rotterdam study.

PubMed

Dhana, Klodian; Koolhaas, Chantal M; Schoufour, Josje D; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Hofman, Albert; Kavousi, Maryam; Franco, Oscar H

2016-06-01

The decrease in fat-free mass (FFM) seen in many elderly people is usually associated with an increase in fat mass (FM), a state referred to as sarcopenic obesity. It is not clear which anthropometric measures are best used to identify sarcopenic obesity. We therefore evaluated which anthropometric measures are differentially associated with FM and FFM. The anthropometric measures tested were body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and a body shape index (ABSI = WC/(BMI(2/3)*Height(1/2))). FM and FFM were estimated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. An index-score was calculated for both FM (FMI) and FFM (FFMI) by dividing FM and FFM by height. Multivariable linear regression models were used to assess the associations of BMI, WC and ABSI with FMI and FFMI among 3612 participants (2092 women) from the prospective population-based Rotterdam Study. In multivariate models adjusted for confounders, BMI and WC were positively associated with both FMI and FFMI in men and women. ABSI was positively associated with FMI (β 1.01, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) 0.85, 1.17) and negatively associated with FFMI (β -0.28, 95%CI -0.38, -0.17) in men. In women, ABSI was not associated with FMI and was positively associated with FFMI (β 0.18, 95%CI 0.10, 0.26). While BMI and WC were both positively associated with FM and FFM, ABSI showed a differential association with FM and FFM in men, but not in women. Since sarcopenic obesity is associated with decreased FFM and increased FM, ABSI could be a useful tool for identifying men at higher risk of sarcopenic obesity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association of insertion-deletions polymorphisms with colorectal cancer risk and clinical features.

PubMed

Marques, Diego; Ferreira-Costa, Layse Raynara; Ferreira-Costa, Lorenna Larissa; Correa, Romualdo da Silva; Borges, Aline Maciel Pinheiro; Ito, Fernanda Ribeiro; Ramos, Carlos Cesar de Oliveira; Bortolin, Raul Hernandes; Luchessi, André Ducati; Ribeiro-Dos-Santos, Ândrea; Santos, Sidney; Silbiger, Vivian Nogueira

2017-10-07

To investigate the association between 16 insertion-deletions (INDEL) polymorphisms, colorectal cancer (CRC) risk and clinical features in an admixed population. One hundred and forty patients with CRC and 140 cancer-free subjects were examined. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples. Polymorphisms and genomic ancestry distribution were assayed by Multiplex-PCR reaction, separated by capillary electrophoresis on the ABI 3130 Genetic Analyzer instrument and analyzed on GeneMapper ID v3.2. Clinicopathological data were obtained by consulting the patients' clinical charts, intra-operative documentation, and pathology scoring. Logistic regression analysis showed that polymorphism variations in IL4 gene was associated with increased CRC risk, while TYMS and UCP2 genes were associated with decreased risk. Reference to anatomical localization of tumor Del allele of NFKB1 and CASP8 were associated with more colon related incidents than rectosigmoid. In relation to the INDEL association with tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage risk, the Ins alleles of ACE , HLAG and TP53 (6 bp INDEL) were associated with higher TNM stage. Furthermore, regarding INDEL association with relapse risk, the Ins alleles of ACE , HLAG , and UGT1A1 were associated with early relapse risk, as well as the Del allele of TYMS . Regarding INDEL association with death risk before 10 years, the Ins allele of SGSM3 and UGT1A1 were associated with death risk. The INDEL variations in ACE , UCP2 , TYMS , IL4 , NFKB1 , CASP8 , TP53 , HLAG , UGT1A1 , and SGSM3 were associated with CRC risk and clinical features in an admixed population. These data suggest that this cancer panel might be useful as a complementary tool for better clinical management, and more studies need to be conducted to confirm these findings.

Association of abdominal fat with serum amylase in an older cohort: The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

PubMed Central

Dias, Jenny Pena; Schrack, Jennifer A.; Shardell, Michelle D.; Egan, Josephine M.; Studenski, Stephanie

2018-01-01

Aims Abdominal fat is a major determinant of metabolic diseases in older individuals. Obesity and diabetes are associated with low serum amylase (SA) levels, but the association between SA and metabolic disease is poorly understood. We investigated the association of low SA with diabetes and sex-specific associations of serum amylase with abdominal fat in older adults. Methods In community-dwelling volunteers from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (778 participants, age 66.8 ± 13.6 years), we assessed abdominal fat by computed tomography and diabetes status using the American Diabetes Association criteria. Linear regression analyses assessed the cross-sectional associations between abdominal fat and SA, and logistic regression assessed the odds of diabetes, given low SA. Results In unadjusted analyses, individuals in the lowest SA quartile (<48 μ/L) had 1.97 greater odds of diabetes, (95%CI, 1.01–3.83) than those in the highest quartile (≥80 μ/L). This association was no longer significant after adjusting for visceral adipose tissue area (VAT, dm2), abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT, dm2) or BMI. In adjusted analyses, VAT and SAT were significantly associated with SA in both sexes. Among women, SA was more strongly associated with VAT than with SAT or BMI; VAT (β = −0.117 ± 0.048, P < 0.001), SAT (β = −0.023 ± 0.025, P = 0.346) and BMI (β = −0.0052 ± 0.075, P = 0.49). Conclusions The association between SA and diabetes was explained mainly by abdominal visceral fat. In women, SA was more strongly associated with VAT than with BMI or SAT. These findings provide motivation for future mechanistic studies on SA’s role in metabolic diseases. PMID:27321338

Global Distribution of Outbreaks of Water-Associated Infectious Diseases

PubMed Central

Yang, Kun; LeJeune, Jeffrey; Alsdorf, Doug; Lu, Bo; Shum, C. K.; Liang, Song

2012-01-01

Background Water plays an important role in the transmission of many infectious diseases, which pose a great burden on global public health. However, the global distribution of these water-associated infectious diseases and underlying factors remain largely unexplored. Methods and Findings Based on the Global Infectious Disease and Epidemiology Network (GIDEON), a global database including water-associated pathogens and diseases was developed. In this study, reported outbreak events associated with corresponding water-associated infectious diseases from 1991 to 2008 were extracted from the database. The location of each reported outbreak event was identified and geocoded into a GIS database. Also collected in the GIS database included geo-referenced socio-environmental information including population density (2000), annual accumulated temperature, surface water area, and average annual precipitation. Poisson models with Bayesian inference were developed to explore the association between these socio-environmental factors and distribution of the reported outbreak events. Based on model predictions a global relative risk map was generated. A total of 1,428 reported outbreak events were retrieved from the database. The analysis suggested that outbreaks of water-associated diseases are significantly correlated with socio-environmental factors. Population density is a significant risk factor for all categories of reported outbreaks of water-associated diseases; water-related diseases (e.g., vector-borne diseases) are associated with accumulated temperature; water-washed diseases (e.g., conjunctivitis) are inversely related to surface water area; both water-borne and water-related diseases are inversely related to average annual rainfall. Based on the model predictions, “hotspots” of risks for all categories of water-associated diseases were explored. Conclusions At the global scale, water-associated infectious diseases are significantly correlated with socio-environmental factors, impacting all regions which are affected disproportionately by different categories of water-associated infectious diseases. PMID:22348158

Externalizing Behaviors and Callous-Unemotional Traits: Different Associations With Sleep Quality.

PubMed

Denis, Dan; Akhtar, Reece; Holding, Benjamin C; Murray, Christina; Panatti, Jennifer; Claridge, Gordon; Sadeh, Avi; Barclay, Nicola L; O'Leary, Rachael; Maughan, Barbara; McAdams, Tom A; Rowe, Richard; Eley, Thalia C; Viding, Essi; Gregory, Alice M

2017-08-01

Sleep quality is associated with different aspects of psychopathology, but relatively little research has examined links between sleep quality and externalizing behaviors or callous-unemotional traits. We examined: (1) whether an association exists between sleep quality and externalizing behaviors; (2) whether anxiety mediates this association; (3) whether callous-unemotional traits are associated with sleep quality. Data from two studies were used. Study 1 involved 1556 participants of the G1219 study aged 18-27 years (62% female). Questionnaire measures assessed sleep quality, anxiety, externalizing behaviors, and callous-unemotional traits. Study 2 involved 338 participants aged 18-66 years (65% female). Questionnaires measured sleep quality, externalizing behaviors, and callous-unemotional traits. In order to assess objective sleep quality, actigraphic data were also recorded for a week from a subsample of study 2 participants (n = 43). In study 1, poorer sleep quality was associated with greater externalizing behaviors. This association was partially mediated by anxiety and moderated by levels of callous-unemotional traits. There was no significant relationship between sleep quality and callous-unemotional traits. In study 2, poorer sleep quality, as assessed via self-reported but not objective measures, was associated with higher levels of externalizing behaviors. Furthermore, in study 2, better sleep quality (indicated in both questionnaires and actigraphy measures: lower mean activity, and greater sleep efficiency) was associated with higher levels of callous-unemotional traits. Self-reports of poorer sleep quality are associated with externalizing behaviors, and this association is partially mediated by anxiety. Callous-unemotional traits are not associated with poor sleep and may even be related to better sleep quality. This is an exceptional finding given that poor sleep quality appears to be a characteristic of most psychopathology. © Sleep Research Society 2017. Published by Oxford University Press [on behalf of the Sleep Research Society].

Externalizing Behaviors and Callous-Unemotional Traits: Different Associations With Sleep Quality

PubMed Central

Akhtar, Reece; Holding, Benjamin C; Murray, Christina; Panatti, Jennifer; Claridge, Gordon; Sadeh, Avi; Barclay, Nicola L; O’Leary, Rachael; Maughan, Barbara; McAdams, Tom A; Rowe, Richard; Eley, Thalia C; Viding, Essi

2017-01-01

Abstract Study Objectives Sleep quality is associated with different aspects of psychopathology, but relatively little research has examined links between sleep quality and externalizing behaviors or callous-unemotional traits. We examined: (1) whether an association exists between sleep quality and externalizing behaviors; (2) whether anxiety mediates this association; (3) whether callous-unemotional traits are associated with sleep quality. Methods Data from two studies were used. Study 1 involved 1556 participants of the G1219 study aged 18–27 years (62% female). Questionnaire measures assessed sleep quality, anxiety, externalizing behaviors, and callous-unemotional traits. Study 2 involved 338 participants aged 18–66 years (65% female). Questionnaires measured sleep quality, externalizing behaviors, and callous-unemotional traits. In order to assess objective sleep quality, actigraphic data were also recorded for a week from a subsample of study 2 participants (n = 43). Results In study 1, poorer sleep quality was associated with greater externalizing behaviors. This association was partially mediated by anxiety and moderated by levels of callous-unemotional traits. There was no significant relationship between sleep quality and callous-unemotional traits. In study 2, poorer sleep quality, as assessed via self-reported but not objective measures, was associated with higher levels of externalizing behaviors. Furthermore, in study 2, better sleep quality (indicated in both questionnaires and actigraphy measures: lower mean activity, and greater sleep efficiency) was associated with higher levels of callous-unemotional traits. Conclusions Self-reports of poorer sleep quality are associated with externalizing behaviors, and this association is partially mediated by anxiety. Callous-unemotional traits are not associated with poor sleep and may even be related to better sleep quality. This is an exceptional finding given that poor sleep quality appears to be a characteristic of most psychopathology. PMID:28575510

Association Study of Prostate Cancer Susceptibility Variants with Risks of Invasive Ovarian, Breast, and Colorectal Cancer

PubMed Central

Song, Honglin; Koessler, Thibaud; Ahmed, Shahana; Ramus, Susan J.; Kjaer, Susanne Krüger; DiCioccio, Richard A.; Wozniak, Eva; Hogdall, Estrid; Whittemore, Alice S.; McGuire, Valerie; Ponder, Bruce A.J.; Turnbull, Clare; Hines, Sarah; Rahman, Nazneen; Eeles, Rosalind A.; Easton, Douglas F.; Gayther, Simon A.; Dunning, Alison M.; Pharoah, Paul D.P.

2009-01-01

Several prostate cancer susceptibility loci have recently been identified by genome-wide association studies. These loci are candidates for susceptibility to other epithelial cancers. The aim of this study was to test these tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) for association with invasive ovarian, colorectal, and breast cancer. Twelve prostate cancer-associated tag SNPs were genotyped in ovarian (2,087 cases/3,491 controls), colorectal (2,148 cases/2,265 controls) and breast (first set, 4,339 cases/4,552controls; second set, 3,800 cases/3,995 controls) case-control studies. The primary test of association was a comparison of genotype frequencies between cases and controls, and a test for trend stratified by study where appropriate. Genotype-specific odds ratios (OR) were estimated by logistic regression. SNP rs2660753 (chromosome 3p12) showed evidence of association with ovarian cancer [per minor allele OR, 1.19; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.04-1.37; Ptrend = 0.012]. This association was stronger for the serous histologic subtype (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.09-1.53; P = 0.003). SNP rs7931342 (chromosome 11q13) showed some evidence of association with breast cancer (per minor allele OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91-0.99; Ptrend = 0.028). This association was somewhat stronger for estrogen receptor-positive tumors (OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.87-0.98; P = 0.011). None of these tag SNPs were associated with risk of colorectal cancer. In conclusion, loci associated with risk of prostate cancer may also be associated with ovarian and breast cancer susceptibility. However, the effects are modest and warrant replication in larger studies. PMID:18974127

Association of single-nucleotide polymorphisms of the tau gene with late-onset Parkinson disease.

PubMed

Martin, E R; Scott, W K; Nance, M A; Watts, R L; Hubble, J P; Koller, W C; Lyons, K; Pahwa, R; Stern, M B; Colcher, A; Hiner, B C; Jankovic, J; Ondo, W G; Allen, F H; Goetz, C G; Small, G W; Masterman, D; Mastaglia, F; Laing, N G; Stajich, J M; Ribble, R C; Booze, M W; Rogala, A; Hauser, M A; Zhang, F; Gibson, R A; Middleton, L T; Roses, A D; Haines, J L; Scott, B L; Pericak-Vance, M A; Vance, J M

2001-11-14

The human tau gene, which promotes assembly of neuronal microtubules, has been associated with several rare neurologic diseases that clinically include parkinsonian features. We recently observed linkage in idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD) to a region on chromosome 17q21 that contains the tau gene. These factors make tau a good candidate for investigation as a susceptibility gene for idiopathic PD, the most common form of the disease. To investigate whether the tau gene is involved in idiopathic PD. Among a sample of 1056 individuals from 235 families selected from 13 clinical centers in the United States and Australia and from a family ascertainment core center, we tested 5 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the tau gene for association with PD, using family-based tests of association. Both affected (n = 426) and unaffected (n = 579) family members were included; 51 individuals had unclear PD status. Analyses were conducted to test individual SNPs and SNP haplotypes within the tau gene. Family-based tests of association, calculated using asymptotic distributions. Analysis of association between the SNPs and PD yielded significant evidence of association for 3 of the 5 SNPs tested: SNP 3, P =.03; SNP 9i, P =.04; and SNP 11, P =.04. The 2 other SNPs did not show evidence of significant association (SNP 9ii, P =.11, and SNP 9iii, P =.87). Strong evidence of association was found with haplotype analysis, with a positive association with one haplotype (P =.009) and a negative association with another haplotype (P =.007). Substantial linkage disequilibrium (P<.001) was detected between 4 of the 5 SNPs (SNPs 3, 9i, 9ii, and 11). This integrated approach of genetic linkage and positional association analyses implicates tau as a susceptibility gene for idiopathic PD.

Collagen type III alpha I is a gastro-oesophageal reflux disease susceptibility gene and a male risk factor for hiatus hernia.

PubMed

Asling, B; Jirholt, J; Hammond, P; Knutsson, M; Walentinsson, A; Davidson, G; Agreus, L; Lehmann, A; Lagerström-Fermer, M

2009-08-01

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is a common gastrointestinal disorder with a genetic component. Our aim was to identify genetic factors associated with GORD. Four separate patient cohorts were analysed using a step-wise approach. (1) Whole genome linkage analysis was performed in 36 families. (2) Candidate genes were tested for GORD association in a trio cohort. (3) Genetic association was replicated in a case-control cohort. We also investigated genetic association to hiatus hernia (HH). (4) Protein expression was analysed in oesophageal biopsies. A region on chromosome 2, containing collagen type III alpha 1 (COL3A1), was identified (LOD = 3.3) in families with dominant transmission of GORD, stratified for hiatus hernia (HH). COL3A1 showed significant association with GORD in an independent paediatric trio cohort (p(corr) = 0.003). The association was male specific (p(corr) = 0.018). The COL3A1 association was replicated in an independent adult case control cohort (p(corr) = 0.022). Moreover, male specific association to HH (p(corr) = 0.019) was found for a SNP not associated to GORD. Collagen type III protein was more abundant in oesophageal biopsies from male patients with GORD (p = 0.03). COL3A1 is a disease-associated gene in both paediatric and adult GORD. Furthermore, we show that COL3A1 is genetically associated with HH in adult males. The GORD- and HH-associated alleles are different, indicating two separate mechanisms leading to disease. Our data provides new insight into GORD aetiology, identifying a connective tissue component and indicating a tissue remodelling mechanism in GORD. Our results implicate gender differences in the genetic risk for both for GORD and HH.

Association between ADIPOQ SNPs with plasma adiponectin and glucose homeostasis and adiposity phenotypes in the IRAS Family Study.

PubMed

An, S Sandy; Hanley, Anthony J G; Ziegler, Julie T; Brown, W Mark; Haffner, Steven M; Norris, Jill M; Rotter, Jerome I; Guo, Xiuqing; Chen, Y-D Ida; Wagenknecht, Lynne E; Langefeld, Carl D; Bowden, Donald W; Palmer, Nicholette D

2012-12-01

Adiponectin is an adipocytokine associated with a variety of metabolic traits. These associations in human studies, in conjunction with functional studies in model systems, have implicated adiponectin in multiple metabolic processes. We hypothesize that genetic variants associated with plasma adiponectin would also be associated with glucose homeostasis and adiposity phenotypes. The Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Family Study was designed to identify the genetic and environmental basis of insulin resistance and adiposity in the Hispanic- (n=1,424) and African-American (n=604) population. High quality metabolic phenotypes, e.g. insulin sensitivity (S(I)), acute insulin response (AIR), disposition index (DI), fasting glucose, body mass index (BMI), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), and waist circumference, were explored. Based on association analysis of more than 40 genetic polymorphisms in the adiponectin gene (ADIPOQ), we found no consistent association of ADIPOQ variants with plasma adiponectin levels and adiposity phenotypes. However, there were two promoter variants, rs17300539 and rs822387, associated with plasma adiponectin levels (P=0.0079 and 0.021, respectively) in the Hispanic-American cohort that were also associated with S(I) (P=0.0067 and 0.013, respectively). In contrast, there was only a single promoter SNP, rs17300539, associated with plasma adiponectin levels (P=0.0018) and fasting glucose (P=0.042) in the African-American cohort. Strikingly, high impact coding variants did not show evidence of association. The lack of consistent patterns of association between variants, adiponectin levels, glucose homeostasis, and adiposity phenotypes suggests a reassessment of the influence of adiponectin in these pathways. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chronic Recreational Physical Inactivity and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Risk: Evidence from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium.

PubMed

Cannioto, Rikki; LaMonte, Michael J; Risch, Harvey A; Hong, Chi-Chen; Sucheston-Campbell, Lara E; Eng, Kevin H; Brian Szender, J; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Schmalfeldt, Barbara; Klapdor, Ruediger; Gower, Emily; Minlikeeva, Albina N; Zirpoli, Gary R; Bandera, Elisa V; Berchuck, Andrew; Cramer, Daniel; Doherty, Jennifer A; Edwards, Robert P; Fridley, Brooke L; Goode, Ellen L; Goodman, Marc T; Hogdall, Estrid; Hosono, Satoyo; Jensen, Allan; Jordan, Susan; Kjaer, Susanne K; Matsuo, Keitaro; Ness, Roberta B; Olsen, Catherine M; Olson, Sara H; Leigh Pearce, Celeste; Pike, Malcolm C; Anne Rossing, Mary; Szamreta, Elizabeth A; Thompson, Pamela J; Tseng, Chiu-Chen; Vierkant, Robert A; Webb, Penelope M; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Wicklund, Kristine G; Winham, Stacey J; Wu, Anna H; Modugno, Francesmary; Schildkraut, Joellen M; Terry, Kathryn L; Kelemen, Linda E; Moysich, Kirsten B

2016-07-01

Despite a large body of literature evaluating the association between recreational physical activity and epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) risk, the extant evidence is inconclusive, and little is known about the independent association between recreational physical inactivity and EOC risk. We conducted a pooled analysis of nine studies from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium to investigate the association between chronic recreational physical inactivity and EOC risk. In accordance with the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, women reporting no regular, weekly recreational physical activity were classified as inactive. Multivariable logistic regression was utilized to estimate the ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between inactivity and EOC risk overall and by subgroups based upon histotype, menopausal status, race, and body mass index. The current analysis included data from 8,309 EOC patients and 12,612 controls. We observed a significant positive association between inactivity and EOC risk (OR = 1.34; 95% CI, 1.14-1.57), and similar associations were observed for each histotype. In this large pooled analysis examining the association between recreational physical inactivity and EOC risk, we observed consistent evidence of an association between chronic inactivity and all EOC histotypes. These data add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that inactivity is an independent risk factor for cancer. If the apparent association between inactivity and EOC risk is substantiated, additional work via targeted interventions should be pursued to characterize the dose of activity required to mitigate the risk of this highly fatal disease. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(7); 1114-24. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

A simulator for evaluating methods for the detection of lesion-deficit associations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Megalooikonomou, V.; Davatzikos, C.; Herskovits, E. H.

2000-01-01

Although much has been learned about the functional organization of the human brain through lesion-deficit analysis, the variety of statistical and image-processing methods developed for this purpose precludes a closed-form analysis of the statistical power of these systems. Therefore, we developed a lesion-deficit simulator (LDS), which generates artificial subjects, each of which consists of a set of functional deficits, and a brain image with lesions; the deficits and lesions conform to predefined distributions. We used probability distributions to model the number, sizes, and spatial distribution of lesions, to model the structure-function associations, and to model registration error. We used the LDS to evaluate, as examples, the effects of the complexities and strengths of lesion-deficit associations, and of registration error, on the power of lesion-deficit analysis. We measured the numbers of recovered associations from these simulated data, as a function of the number of subjects analyzed, the strengths and number of associations in the statistical model, the number of structures associated with a particular function, and the prior probabilities of structures being abnormal. The number of subjects required to recover the simulated lesion-deficit associations was found to have an inverse relationship to the strength of associations, and to the smallest probability in the structure-function model. The number of structures associated with a particular function (i.e., the complexity of associations) had a much greater effect on the performance of the analysis method than did the total number of associations. We also found that registration error of 5 mm or less reduces the number of associations discovered by approximately 13% compared to perfect registration. The LDS provides a flexible framework for evaluating many aspects of lesion-deficit analysis.

Imputation of Exome Sequence Variants into Population- Based Samples and Blood-Cell-Trait-Associated Loci in African Americans: NHLBI GO Exome Sequencing Project

PubMed Central

Auer, Paul L.; Johnsen, Jill M.; Johnson, Andrew D.; Logsdon, Benjamin A.; Lange, Leslie A.; Nalls, Michael A.; Zhang, Guosheng; Franceschini, Nora; Fox, Keolu; Lange, Ethan M.; Rich, Stephen S.; O’Donnell, Christopher J.; Jackson, Rebecca D.; Wallace, Robert B.; Chen, Zhao; Graubert, Timothy A.; Wilson, James G.; Tang, Hua; Lettre, Guillaume; Reiner, Alex P.; Ganesh, Santhi K.; Li, Yun

2012-01-01

Researchers have successfully applied exome sequencing to discover causal variants in selected individuals with familial, highly penetrant disorders. We demonstrate the utility of exome sequencing followed by imputation for discovering low-frequency variants associated with complex quantitative traits. We performed exome sequencing in a reference panel of 761 African Americans and then imputed newly discovered variants into a larger sample of more than 13,000 African Americans for association testing with the blood cell traits hemoglobin, hematocrit, white blood count, and platelet count. First, we illustrate the feasibility of our approach by demonstrating genome-wide-significant associations for variants that are not covered by conventional genotyping arrays; for example, one such association is that between higher platelet count and an MPL c.117G>T (p.Lys39Asn) variant encoding a p.Lys39Asn amino acid substitution of the thrombpoietin receptor gene (p = 1.5 × 10−11). Second, we identified an association between missense variants of LCT and higher white blood count (p = 4 × 10−13). Third, we identified low-frequency coding variants that might account for allelic heterogeneity at several known blood cell-associated loci: MPL c.754T>C (p.Tyr252His) was associated with higher platelet count; CD36 c.975T>G (p.Tyr325∗) was associated with lower platelet count; and several missense variants at the α-globin gene locus were associated with lower hemoglobin. By identifying low-frequency missense variants associated with blood cell traits not previously reported by genome-wide association studies, we establish that exome sequencing followed by imputation is a powerful approach to dissecting complex, genetically heterogeneous traits in large population-based studies. PMID:23103231

The Spanish Psoriasis Patients' Association According to Its Members: Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study of Members' Opinions of the Association's Functions.

PubMed

González-de Paz, L; Ribera, M; Gratacós-Masmitjà, J; Ros, S; Blanch Mur, C; Alfonso-Zamora, S

2016-11-01

Patient associations form part of health care systems, but little is known about how their members' view the functionality of these associations and whether they endorse their goals and activities. To study how the members of the leading Spanish association of patients with psoriasis and their relatives view the group's functioning. Survey study using a self-administered questionnaire answered by members of the association (total membership, 26 349 persons). The credibility of the association and respondents' confidence in and satisfaction with it were studied and compared with their attitudes toward other agents in the health care system. A Rasch model was used to analyze respondents' ranking of functions. Analysis of variance was used to study between-group differences. A total of 746 members participated (response rate 2.83%). The association's credibility was rated in second place, after that of specialists who treat psoriasis. Support for the association functions was good (7.53 on a scale of 0 to 10). The function the members rated highest was the raising of societal awareness of psoriasis and its problems. Rated lowest were functions related to personal services for members. Educational level was the only participant factor associated with significant differences in evaluations (P<.05). The psoriasis association contributes by disseminating information about the disease and patient care, and it serves to represent patients. Health professionals and institutions should take the association into account in their efforts to deal with the disease and in designing effective policies. Copyright © 2016 AEDV. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Language use statistics and prototypical grapheme colours predict synaesthetes' and non-synaesthetes' word-colour associations.

PubMed

Goodhew, Stephanie C; Kidd, Evan

2017-02-01

Synaesthesia is the neuropsychological phenomenon in which individuals experience unusual sensory associations, such as experiencing particular colours in response to particular words. While it was once thought the particular pairings between stimuli were arbitrary and idiosyncratic to particular synaesthetes, there is now growing evidence for a systematic psycholinguistic basis to the associations. Here we sought to assess the explanatory value of quantifiable lexical association measures (via latent semantic analysis; LSA) in the pairings observed between words and colours in synaesthesia. To test this, we had synaesthetes report the particular colours they experienced in response to given concept words, and found that language association between the concept and colour words provided highly reliable predictors of the reported pairings. These results provide convergent evidence for a psycholinguistic basis to synaesthesia, but in a novel way, showing that exposure to particular patterns of associations in language can predict the formation of particular synaesthetic lexical-colour associations. Consistent with previous research, the prototypical synaesthetic colour for the first letter of the word also played a role in shaping the colour for the whole word, and this effect also interacted with language association, such that the effect of the colour for the first letter was stronger as the association between the concept word and the colour word in language increased. Moreover, when a group of non-synaesthetes were asked what colours they associated with the concept words, they produced very similar reports to the synaesthetes that were predicted by both language association and prototypical synaesthetic colour for the first letter of the word. This points to a shared linguistic experience generating the associations for both groups. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Association between serum long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and cognitive performance in elderly men and women: The Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study.

PubMed

D'Ascoli, T A; Mursu, J; Voutilainen, S; Kauhanen, J; Tuomainen, T-P; Virtanen, J K

2016-08-01

Fish intake and the long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in fish have been suggested to lower the risk of cognitive decline. We assessed whether serum long-chain omega-3 PUFAs eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are associated with performance on neuropsychological tests in an older population and whether exposure to methylmercury, mainly from fish, or apolipoprotein-E4 (Apo-E4) phenotype can modify the associations. A total of 768 participants from the population-based Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study were included. Cognitive function was measured using five neuropsychological tests: the Trail Making Test, the Verbal Fluency Test, the Selective Reminding Test, the Visual Reproduction Test and the Mini Mental State Exam. Multivariate-adjusted analysis of covariance and linear regression were used to analyze the cross-sectional associations. We found statistically significant associations between serum EPA+DPA+DHA and better performance in the Trail Making Test and the Verbal Fluency Test. The individual associations with EPA and DHA were similar with the findings with EPA+DPA+DHA, although the associations with DHA were stronger. No associations were observed with serum DPA. Pubic hair mercury content was associated only with a worse performance in the Trail Making Test, and mercury had only little impact on the associations between the serum PUFAs and cognitive performance. Apo-E4 phenotype did not modify the associations with PUFAs or mercury. Higher serum long-chain omega-3 PUFA concentrations were associated with better performance on neuropsychological tests of frontal lobe functioning in older men and women. Mercury exposure or Apo-E4 phenotype had little impact on cognitive performance.

Pleiotropic and Sex-Specific Effects of Cancer GWAS SNPs on Melanoma Risk in the Population Architecture Using Genomics and Epidemiology (PAGE) Study

PubMed Central

Kocarnik, Jonathan M.; Park, S. Lani; Han, Jiali; Dumitrescu, Logan; Cheng, Iona; Wilkens, Lynne R.; Schumacher, Fredrick R.; Kolonel, Laurence; Carlson, Chris S.; Crawford, Dana C.; Goodloe, Robert J.; Dilks, Holli H.; Baker, Paxton; Richardson, Danielle; Matise, Tara C.; Ambite, José Luis; Song, Fengju; Qureshi, Abrar A.; Zhang, Mingfeng; Duggan, David; Hutter, Carolyn; Hindorff, Lucia; Bush, William S.; Kooperberg, Charles; Le Marchand, Loic; Peters, Ulrike

2015-01-01

Background Several regions of the genome show pleiotropic associations with multiple cancers. We sought to evaluate whether 181 single-nucleotide polymorphisms previously associated with various cancers in genome-wide association studies were also associated with melanoma risk. Methods We evaluated 2,131 melanoma cases and 20,353 controls from three studies in the Population Architecture using Genomics and Epidemiology (PAGE) study (EAGLE-BioVU, MEC, WHI) and two collaborating studies (HPFS, NHS). Overall and sex-stratified analyses were performed across studies. Results We observed statistically significant associations with melanoma for two lung cancer SNPs in the TERT-CLPTM1L locus (Bonferroni-corrected p<2.8x10-4), replicating known pleiotropic effects at this locus. In sex-stratified analyses, we also observed a potential male-specific association between prostate cancer risk variant rs12418451 and melanoma risk (OR=1.22, p=8.0x10-4). No other variants in our study were associated with melanoma after multiple comparisons adjustment (p>2.8e-4). Conclusions We provide confirmatory evidence of pleiotropic associations with melanoma for two SNPs previously associated with lung cancer, and provide suggestive evidence for a male-specific association with melanoma for prostate cancer variant rs12418451. This SNP is located near TPCN2, an ion transport gene containing SNPs which have been previously associated with hair pigmentation but not melanoma risk. Previous evidence provides biological plausibility for this association, and suggests a complex interplay between ion transport, pigmentation, and melanoma risk that may vary by sex. If confirmed, these pleiotropic relationships may help elucidate shared molecular pathways between cancers and related phenotypes. PMID:25789475

Association between lysyl oxidase and fibrotic focus in relation with inflammation in breast cancer

PubMed Central

Jeong, Young Ju; Park, Sung Hwan; Mun, Sung Hee; Kwak, Sang Gyu; Lee, Sun-Jae; Oh, Hoon Kyu

2018-01-01

We hypothesized that lysyl oxidase (LOX) contributes to the formation of fibrotic focus (FF) in association with inflammation and serves a significant role in breast carcinogenesis. In the present study, the association between the expression of LOX family members and FF with regards to with inflammation was analyzed, and the prognostic significance of LOX and FF in breast cancer was investigated. Immunohistochemical staining for LOX, LOX-like protein (LOXL) 1, LOXL2 and LOXL3 was performed in primary breast cancer tissues. The status of FF within the tumor was assessed, including size and grade. Levels of inflammatory markers, intratumoral and peritumoral lymphocyte infiltration were also evaluated. The clinicopathological characteristics were evaluated from the medical records of patients. In the present study, the expression of LOX family members was not associated with the presence of FF. FF was identified to be associated with intratumoral and peritumoral inflammation, tumor stage, larger tumor size, lymph node metastasis, high histologic grade, and p53 expression. LOX and LOXL3 were associated with intratumoral, and peritumoral inflammation. Furthermore, LOXL1 was associated with intratumoral inflammation and interleukin-4. In addition, LOX was associated with cluster of differentiation 8+ T cells. LOXL3 was associated with expression of ER and PR, and molecular subtype. In the survival analysis, overall survival time was statistically significantly longer in the FF-negative compared with that in the FF-positive group. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that FF and the expression of LOX family members were associated with inflammation in breast cancer. FF was associated with poor prognostic markers of breast cancer. Further studies are required to clarify the mechanisms underlying the association between the LOX family, FF and inflammation in breast cancer. PMID:29434955

Efficacy of Current Practices for Pain Assessment in Premature Ventilated Infants in the NICU Exposed to a High Number of Pain-Associated Procedures.

PubMed

Rohan, Annie J

2015-01-01

To study infant factors, characteristics of pain scores, and analgesic practices associated with patient-days in the NICU with a high frequency of pain-associated procedures (defined as >10 pain-associated procedures in the day). This is a secondary analysis of data from a cross-sectional study that used medical record audits of premature, ventilated infants. The primary two-institution study yielded data for 196 patient-days. Data included 804 pain scores and 836 pain-associated procedures. A high frequency of pain-associated procedures occurred in 8% of days at Site A and in 25% of days at Site B. Prevalence of days with high frequency of pain-associated procedures differed by institution, and was higher at the institution where infants were more mature at birth and had fewer surgical procedures. High frequency of pain-associated procedures was related to endotracheal intubation at both institutions. There were no elevated pain scores and no documented analgesic administrations on days with over 20 pain-associated procedures. High exposure to pain-associated procedures during a 24-hour period for a premature, ventilated infant is rarely associated with elevated pain scores or analgesic administration. Prevalence of days with high-procedural exposure at an institution appears to be closely related to use of invasive ventilation and to individual institutional practices. Examination and discussion of the daily frequency of pain-associated procedures for premature, ventilated infants (especially for those receiving invasive ventilation) may be helpful in developing approaches for attenuating the cumulative pain experience for these babies. Resources that are expended on regular pain reassessment documentation processes in the NICU may need to be reconsidered in light of the very low yield for clinical alterations in care in this setting.

Associations of psychosocial working conditions with self-rated general health and mental health among municipal employees.

PubMed

Laaksonen, Mikko; Rahkonen, Ossi; Martikainen, Pekka; Lahelma, Eero

2006-03-01

To examine associations of job demands and job control, procedural and relational organizational fairness, and physical work load with self-rated general health and mental health. In addition, the effect of occupational class on these associations is examined. The data were derived from the Helsinki Health Study baseline surveys in 2001-2002. Respondents to cross-sectional postal surveys were middle-aged employees of the City of Helsinki (n=5.829, response rate 67%). Associations of job demands and job control, organizational fairness and physical work load with less than good self-rated health and poor GHQ-12 mental health were examined. Those with the poorest working conditions two to three times more, often reported poor general and mental health than those with the best working conditions. Adjustment for occupational class weakened the associations of low job control and physical work load with general health by one fifth, but even more strengthened that of high job demands. Adjustment for occupational class clearly strengthened the associations of job control and physical work load with mental health in men. Mutual adjustment for all working conditions notably weakened their associations with both health measures, except those of job control in men. All working conditions except relational organizational fairness remained independently associated with general and mental health. All studied working conditions were strongly associated with both general and mental health but the associations weakened after mutual adjustments. Of the two organizational fairness measures, procedural fairness remained independently associated with both health outcomes. Adjustment for occupational class had essentially different effects on the associations of different working conditions and different health outcomes.

Characterization of a novel isoform of alpha-nascent polypeptide-associated complex as IgE-defined autoantigen.

PubMed

Mossabeb, Roschanak; Seiberler, Susanne; Mittermann, Irene; Reininger, Renate; Spitzauer, Susanne; Natter, Susanne; Verdino, Petra; Keller, Walter; Kraft, Dietrich; Valenta, Rudolf

2002-10-01

The nascent polypeptide-associated complex is required for intracellular translocation of newly synthesized polypeptides in eukaryotic cells. It may also act as a transcriptional coactivator in humans and various eukaryotic organisms and binds to nucleic acids. Recently, we provided evidence that a component of nascent polypeptide-associated complex, alpha-nascent polypeptide-associated complex, represents an IgE-reactive autoantigen for atopic dermatitis patients. By oligonucleotide screening we isolated a complete cDNA coding for a so far unknown alpha-nascent polypeptide-associated complex isoform from a human epithelial cDNA library. Southern blot hybridization experiments provided further evidence that alpha-nascent polypeptide-associated complex is encoded by a gene family. Recombinant alpha-nascent polypeptide-associated complex was expressed in Escherichia coli as a soluble, His-tagged protein, and purified via nickel affinity chromatography. By circular dichroism analysis it is demonstrated that purified recombinant alpha-nascent polypeptide-associated complex represents a folded protein of mixed alpha-helical and beta-sheet conformation with unusual high thermal stability and remarkable refolding capacity. Complete recombinant alpha-nascent polypeptide-associated complex (215 amino acids) and its 86 amino acid C-terminal fragment specifically bound IgE autoantibodies. Recombinant alpha-nascent polypeptide-associated complex also inhibited IgE binding to natural alpha-nascent polypeptide-associated complex, demonstrating the presence of common IgE epitopes between the recombinant and natural protein. Furthermore, recombinant alpha-nascent polypeptide-associated complex induced specific lymphoproliferative responses in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of a sensitized atopic dermatitis patient. As has been proposed for environmental allergens it is possible that T cell responses to IgE-defined autoantigens may contribute to the chronic skin manifestations in atopic dermatitis.

Associations of Early and Late Gestational Weight Gain with Infant Birth Size.

PubMed

Wander, Pandora L; Sitlani, Colleen M; Badon, Sylvia E; Siscovick, David S; Williams, Michelle A; Enquobahrie, Daniel A

2015-11-01

Associations of gestational weight gain (GWG) during specific periods of pregnancy with infant birth size have been inconsistent. Infant sex-specific differences in these associations are unknown Information on GWG (kg) [total, early (<20 weeks gestation), and late (≥20 weeks gestation)] and indices of infant birth size including birthweight (BW), ponderal index (PI), crown-heel length (CHL), and head circumference (HC) was collected from 3,621 pregnant women. We calculated adjusted mean differences and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) relating total, early and late GWG to infant birth size using multivariable linear regression procedures. We used stratified analyses and interaction terms to test whether associations differed by infant sex. One-kg increases in total, early or late GWG were associated with BW increases of 17.2 g (95 % CI 13.8-18.9), 14.1 g (95 % CI 10.3-18.0), and 21.0 g (95 % CI 16.7-25.4), respectively. Early GWG-BW and late GWG-BW associations were different (p = 0.026). Sex-stratified total GWG-BW associations were similar to overall results. There were sex-specific differences in early GWG-BW and late GWG-BW associations. Among females, early GWG-BW (12.0 g, 95 % CI 6.7-17.2) and late GWG-BW (24.2 g, 95 % CI 18.2-30.3) associations differed (p = 0.0042); the corresponding associations did not differ among males. Total, early, and late GWG were associated with CHL and HC, but not with PI. Associations did not differ for early or late GWG. For comparable GWG, late-GWG-related BW increase is greater than early-GWG-related BW increase, particularly among female infants.

Epigenetic Patterns in Blood Associated With Lipid Traits Predict Incident Coronary Heart Disease Events and Are Enriched for Results From Genome-Wide Association Studies.

PubMed

Hedman, Åsa K; Mendelson, Michael M; Marioni, Riccardo E; Gustafsson, Stefan; Joehanes, Roby; Irvin, Marguerite R; Zhi, Degui; Sandling, Johanna K; Yao, Chen; Liu, Chunyu; Liang, Liming; Huan, Tianxiao; McRae, Allan F; Demissie, Serkalem; Shah, Sonia; Starr, John M; Cupples, L Adrienne; Deloukas, Panos; Spector, Timothy D; Sundström, Johan; Krauss, Ronald M; Arnett, Donna K; Deary, Ian J; Lind, Lars; Levy, Daniel; Ingelsson, Erik

2017-01-01

Genome-wide association studies have identified loci influencing circulating lipid concentrations in humans; further information on novel contributing genes, pathways, and biology may be gained through studies of epigenetic modifications. To identify epigenetic changes associated with lipid concentrations, we assayed genome-wide DNA methylation at cytosine-guanine dinucleotides (CpGs) in whole blood from 2306 individuals from 2 population-based cohorts, with replication of findings in 2025 additional individuals. We identified 193 CpGs associated with lipid levels in the discovery stage ( P <1.08E-07) and replicated 33 (at Bonferroni-corrected P <0.05), including 25 novel CpGs not previously associated with lipids. Genes at lipid-associated CpGs were enriched in lipid and amino acid metabolism processes. A differentially methylated locus associated with triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C; cg27243685; P =8.1E-26 and 9.3E-19) was associated with cis -expression of a reverse cholesterol transporter ( ABCG1; P =7.2E-28) and incident cardiovascular disease events (hazard ratio per SD increment, 1.38; 95% confidence interval, 1.15-1.66; P =0.0007). We found significant cis -methylation quantitative trait loci at 64% of the 193 CpGs with an enrichment of signals from genome-wide association studies of lipid levels ( P TC =0.004, P HDL-C =0.008 and P triglycerides =0.00003) and coronary heart disease ( P =0.0007). For example, genome-wide significant variants associated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and coronary heart disease at APOB were cis -methylation quantitative trait loci for a low-density lipoprotein cholesterol-related differentially methylated locus. We report novel associations of DNA methylation with lipid levels, describe epigenetic mechanisms related to previous genome-wide association studies discoveries, and provide evidence implicating epigenetic regulation of reverse cholesterol transport in blood in relation to occurrence of cardiovascular disease events. © 2017 The Authors.

Maternal serum markers of lipid metabolism in relation to neonatal anthropometry

PubMed Central

Boghossian, Nansi S.; Mendola, Pauline; Liu, Aiyi; Robledo, Candace; Yeung, Edwina H.

2017-01-01

Objective To examine associations between lipids (HDL, LDL, total cholesterol, triglycerides, lipoprotein (a)) measured on average three time-points during pregnancy and neonatal anthropometrics. Study Design Stored samples from a preeclampsia trial measured as part of a case-control study from five US centers (1992-1995) were used. The sample included women without pregnancy complications (n=136), and cases of gestational diabetes (n=93), abnormal glucose tolerance (n=76), gestational hypertension (n=170), and preeclampsia (n=177). Linear regression and linear mixed-effects models estimated adjusted associations between lipids and birth weight z-score, ponderal index, length, and head circumference. Results Among women without complications, cross-sectional associations between total cholesterol measured at different gestational ages increased ponderal index 2.23 to 2.55 kg/m3 per-unit increase in cholesterol. HDL was inversely associated with birth length (β's=-2.21 and -2.56 cm). For gestational hypertension, triglycerides were associated with birth weight z-score (β's=0.24 to 0.31). For preeclampsia, HDL was associated with lower birth weight z-scores (β's=-0.49 and -0.82). Women with gestational diabetes or abnormal glucose tolerance had inconsistent associations. Examining the level changes across pregnancy, each 0.0037 mmol/L increase in HDL was associated with decreased birth weight z-score (β=-0.22), length (β=-0.24 cm), and head circumference (β=-0.24 cm) whereas each 0.028 mmol/L increase in triglycerides was associated with increased birth weight z-score (β=0.13) and head circumference (β=0.19 cm). Conclusion Although associations varied by complications, in general, growth promoting fuels as total cholesterol and triglycerides were associated with increased neonatal size whereas high HDL was associated with smaller size. Maternal HDL that failed to decrease over pregnancy was associated with smaller neonate size. PMID:28333159

Subglottic secretion drainage for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Muscedere, John; Rewa, Oleksa; McKechnie, Kyle; Jiang, Xuran; Laporta, Denny; Heyland, Daren K

2011-08-01

Aspiration of secretions containing bacterial pathogens into the lower respiratory tract is the main cause of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Endotracheal tubes with subglottic secretion drainage can potentially reduce this and, therefore, the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia. New evidence on subglottic secretion drainage as a preventive measure for ventilator-associated pneumonia has been recently published and to consider the evidence in totality, we conducted an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. We searched computerized databases, reference lists, and personal files. We included randomized clinical trials of mechanically ventilated patients comparing standard endotracheal tubes to those with subglottic secretion drainage and reporting on the occurrence of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Studies were meta-analyzed for the primary outcome of ventilator-associated pneumonia and secondary clinical outcomes. We identified 13 randomized clinical trials that met the inclusion criteria with a total of 2442 randomized patients. Of the 13 studies, 12 reported a reduction in ventilator-associated pneumonia rates in the subglottic secretion drainage arm; in meta-analysis, the overall risk ratio for ventilator-associated pneumonia was 0.55 (95% confidence interval, 0.46-0.66; p < .00001) with no heterogeneity (I = 0%). The use of subglottic secretion drainage was associated with reduced intensive care unit length of stay (-1.52 days; 95% confidence interval, -2.94 to -0.11; p = .03); decreased duration of mechanically ventilated (-1.08 days; 95% confidence interval, -2.04 to -0.12; p = .03), and increased time to first episode of ventilator-associated pneumonia (2.66 days; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-4.26; p = .001). There was no effect on adverse events or on hospital or intensive care unit mortality. In those at risk for ventilator-associated pneumonia, the use of endotracheal tubes with subglottic secretion drainage is effective for the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia and may be associated with reduced duration of mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit length of stay.

Emergence of sporadic non-clustered cases of hospital-associated listeriosis among immunocompromised adults in southern Taiwan from 1992 to 2013: effect of precipitating immunosuppressive agents

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Sporadic non-clustered hospital-associated listeriosis is an emerging infectious disease in immunocompromised hosts. The current study was designed to determine the impact of long-term and precipitating immunosuppressive agents and underlying diseases on triggering the expression of the disease, and to compare the clinical features and outcome of hospital-associated and community-associated listeriosis. Methods We reviewed the medical records of all patients with Listeria monocytogenes isolated from sterile body sites at a large medical center in southern Taiwan during 1992–2013. Non-clustered cases were defined as those unrelated to any other in time or place. Multivariable regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with prognosis. Results Thirty-five non-clustered cases of listeriosis were identified. Twelve (34.2%) were hospital-associated, and 23 (65.7%) were community-associated. The 60-day mortality was significantly greater in hospital-associated than in community-associated cases (66.7% vs. 17.4%, p = 0.007). Significantly more hospital-associated than community-associated cases were treated with a precipitating immunosuppressive agent within 4 weeks prior to onset of listeriosis (91.7% vs. 4.3%, respectively p < 0.001). The median period from the start of precipitating immunosuppressive treatment to the onset of listeriosis-related symptoms was 12 days (range, 4–27 days) in 11 of the 12 hospital-associated cases. In the multivariable analysis, APACHE II score >21 (p = 0.04) and receipt of precipitating immunosuppressive therapy (p = 0.02) were independent risk factors for 60-day mortality. Conclusions Sporadic non-clustered hospital-associated listeriosis needs to be considered in the differential diagnosis of sepsis in immunocompromised patients, particularly in those treated with new or increased doses of immunosuppressive agents. PMID:24641498

Analysis of metabolic syndrome components in >15 000 african americans identifies pleiotropic variants: results from the population architecture using genomics and epidemiology study.

PubMed

Carty, Cara L; Bhattacharjee, Samsiddhi; Haessler, Jeff; Cheng, Iona; Hindorff, Lucia A; Aroda, Vanita; Carlson, Christopher S; Hsu, Chun-Nan; Wilkens, Lynne; Liu, Simin; Selvin, Elizabeth; Jackson, Rebecca; North, Kari E; Peters, Ulrike; Pankow, James S; Chatterjee, Nilanjan; Kooperberg, Charles

2014-08-01

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) refers to the clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors, including dyslipidemia, central adiposity, hypertension, and hyperglycemia, in individuals. Identification of pleiotropic genetic factors associated with MetS traits may shed light on key pathways or mediators underlying MetS. Using the Metabochip array in 15 148 African Americans from the Population Architecture using Genomics and Epidemiology (PAGE) study, we identify susceptibility loci and investigate pleiotropy among genetic variants using a subset-based meta-analysis method, ASsociation-analysis-based-on-subSETs (ASSET). Unlike conventional models that lack power when associations for MetS components are null or have opposite effects, Association-analysis-based-on-subsets uses 1-sided tests to detect positive and negative associations for components separately and combines tests accounting for correlations among components. With Association-analysis-based-on-subsets, we identify 27 single nucleotide polymorphisms in 1 glucose and 4 lipids loci (TCF7L2, LPL, APOA5, CETP, and APOC1/APOE/TOMM40) significantly associated with MetS components overall, all P<2.5e-7, the Bonferroni adjusted P value. Three loci replicate in a Hispanic population, n=5172. A novel African American-specific variant, rs12721054/APOC1, and rs10096633/LPL are associated with ≥3 MetS components. We find additional evidence of pleiotropy for APOE, TOMM40, TCF7L2, and CETP variants, many with opposing effects (eg, the same rs7901695/TCF7L2 allele is associated with increased odds of high glucose and decreased odds of central adiposity). We highlight a method to increase power in large-scale genomic association analyses and report a novel variant associated with all MetS components in African Americans. We also identify pleiotropic associations that may be clinically useful in patient risk profiling and for informing translational research of potential gene targets and medications. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

Neighborhood walkability and cardiometabolic risk factors in Australian adults: an observational study.

PubMed

Müller-Riemenschneider, Falk; Pereira, Gavin; Villanueva, Karen; Christian, Hayley; Knuiman, Matthew; Giles-Corti, Billie; Bull, Fiona C

2013-08-15

Studies repeatedly highlight associations between the built environment and physical activity, particularly walking. Fewer studies have examined associations with cardiometabolic risk factors, with associations with obesity inconsistent and scarce evidence examining associations with other cardiometabolic risk factors. We aim to investigate the association between neighborhood walkability and the prevalence of obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, and type-2 diabetes mellitus. Cross-sectional study of 5,970 adults in Western Australia. Walkability was measured objectively for a 1,600 m and 800 m neighborhood buffer. Logistic regression was used to assess associations overall and by sex, adjusting for socio-demographic factors. Mediation by physical activity and sedentary behavior was investigated. Individuals living in high compared with less walkable areas were less likely to be obese (1,600 m OR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.7 to 1; 800 m OR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.62 to 0.9) and had lower odds of type-2 diabetes mellitus at the 800 m buffer (800 m OR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.51 to 0.93). There was little evidence for an association between walkability and hypertension or hypercholesterolaemia. The only significant evidence of any difference in the associations in men and women was a stronger association with type-2 diabetes mellitus at the 800 m buffer in men. Associations with obesity and diabetes attenuated when additionally adjusting for physical activity and sedentary behavior but the overall association with obesity remained significant at the 800 m buffer (800 m OR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.64 to 0.96). A protective association between neighborhood walkability and obesity was observed. Neighborhood walkability may also be protective of type-2 diabetes mellitus, particularly in men. No association with hypertension or hypercholesterolaemia was found. This warrants further investigation. Findings contribute towards the accumulating evidence that city planning and policy related strategies aimed at creating supportive environments could play an important role in the prevention of chronic diseases.

Relationship between chronic nonurological associated somatic syndromes and symptom severity in urological chronic pelvic pain syndromes: baseline evaluation of the MAPP study.

PubMed

Krieger, John N; Stephens, Alisa J; Landis, J Richard; Clemens, J Quentin; Kreder, Karl; Lai, H Henry; Afari, Niloofar; Rodríguez, Larissa; Schaeffer, Anthony; Mackey, Sean; Andriole, Gerald L; Williams, David A

2015-04-01

We used MAPP data to identify participants with urological chronic pelvic pain syndromes only or a chronic functional nonurological associated somatic syndrome in addition to urological chronic pelvic pain syndromes. We characterized these 2 subgroups and explored them using 3 criteria, including 1) MAPP eligibility criteria, 2) self-reported medical history or 3) RICE criteria. Self-reported cross-sectional data were collected on men and women with urological chronic pelvic pain syndromes, including predominant symptoms, symptom duration and severity, nonurological associated somatic syndrome symptoms and psychosocial factors. Of 424 participants with urological chronic pelvic pain syndromes 162 (38%) had a nonurological associated somatic syndrome, including irritable bowel syndrome in 93 (22%), fibromyalgia in 15 (4%), chronic fatigue syndrome in 13 (3%) and multiple syndromes in 41 (10%). Of 233 females 103 (44%) had a nonurological associated somatic syndrome compared to 59 of 191 males (31%) (p = 0.006). Participants with a nonurological associated somatic syndrome had more severe urological symptoms and more frequent depression and anxiety. Of 424 participants 228 (54%) met RICE criteria. Of 228 RICE positive participants 108 (47%) had a nonurological associated somatic syndrome compared to 54 of 203 RICE negative patients (28%) with a nonurological associated somatic syndrome (p < 0.001). Nonurological associated somatic syndromes represent important clinical characteristics of urological chronic pelvic pain syndromes. Participants with a nonurological associated somatic syndrome have more severe symptoms, longer duration and higher rates of depression and anxiety. RICE positive patients are more likely to have a nonurological associated somatic syndrome and more severe symptoms. Because nonurological associated somatic syndromes are more common in women, future studies must account for this potential confounding factor in urological chronic pelvic pain syndromes. Copyright © 2015 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association Between Chromosome 9p21 Variants and the Ankle-Brachial Index Identified by a Meta-Analysis of 21 Genome-Wide Association Studies

PubMed Central

Murabito, Joanne M.; White, Charles C.; Kavousi, Maryam; Sun, Yan V.; Feitosa, Mary F.; Nambi, Vijay; Lamina, Claudia; Schillert, Arne; Coassin, Stefan; Bis, Joshua C.; Broer, Linda; Crawford, Dana C.; Franceschini, Nora; Frikke-Schmidt, Ruth; Haun, Margot; Holewijn, Suzanne; Huffman, Jennifer E.; Hwang, Shih-Jen; Kiechl, Stefan; Kollerits, Barbara; Montasser, May E.; Nolte, Ilja M.; Rudock, Megan E.; Senft, Andrea; Teumer, Alexander; van der Harst, Pim; Vitart, Veronique; Waite, Lindsay L.; Wood, Andrew R.; Wassel, Christina L.; Absher, Devin M.; Allison, Matthew A.; Amin, Najaf; Arnold, Alice; Asselbergs, Folkert W.; Aulchenko, Yurii; Bandinelli, Stefania; Barbalic, Maja; Boban, Mladen; Brown-Gentry, Kristin; Couper, David J.; Criqui, Michael H.; Dehghan, Abbas; Heijer, Martin den; Dieplinger, Benjamin; Ding, Jingzhong; Dörr, Marcus; Espinola-Klein, Christine; Felix, Stephan B.; Ferrucci, Luigi; Folsom, Aaron R.; Fraedrich, Gustav; Gibson, Quince; Goodloe, Robert; Gunjaca, Grgo; Haltmayer, Meinhard; Heiss, Gerardo; Hofman, Albert; Kieback, Arne; Kiemeney, Lambertus A.; Kolcic, Ivana; Kullo, Iftikhar J.; Kritchevsky, Stephen B.; Lackner, Karl J.; Li, Xiaohui; Lieb, Wolfgang; Lohman, Kurt; Meisinger, Christa; Melzer, David; Mohler, Emile R; Mudnic, Ivana; Mueller, Thomas; Navis, Gerjan; Oberhollenzer, Friedrich; Olin, Jeffrey W.; O’Connell, Jeff; O’Donnell, Christopher J.; Palmas, Walter; Penninx, Brenda W.; Petersmann, Astrid; Polasek, Ozren; Psaty, Bruce M.; Rantner, Barbara; Rice, Ken; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Rotter, Jerome I.; Seldenrijk, Adrie; Stadler, Marietta; Summerer, Monika; Tanaka, Toshiko; Tybjaerg-Hansen, Anne; Uitterlinden, Andre G.; van Gilst, Wiek H.; Vermeulen, Sita H.; Wild, Sarah H.; Wild, Philipp S.; Willeit, Johann; Zeller, Tanja; Zemunik, Tatijana; Zgaga, Lina; Assimes, Themistocles L.; Blankenberg, Stefan; Boerwinkle, Eric; Campbell, Harry; Cooke, John P.; de Graaf, Jacqueline; Herrington, David; Kardia, Sharon L. R.; Mitchell, Braxton D.; Murray, Anna; Münzel, Thomas; Newman, Anne; Oostra, Ben A.; Rudan, Igor; Shuldiner, Alan R.; Snieder, Harold; van Duijn, Cornelia M.; Völker, Uwe; Wright, Alan F.; Wichmann, H.-Erich; Wilson, James F.; Witteman, Jacqueline C.M.; Liu, Yongmei; Hayward, Caroline; Borecki, Ingrid B.; Ziegler, Andreas; North, Kari E.; Cupples, L. Adrienne; Kronenberg, Florian

2012-01-01

Background Genetic determinants of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) remain largely unknown. To identify genetic variants associated with the ankle-brachial index (ABI), a noninvasive measure of PAD, we conducted a meta-analysis of genome-wide association study data from 21 population-based cohorts. Methods and Results Continuous ABI and PAD (ABI≤0.9) phenotypes adjusted for age and sex were examined. Each study conducted genotyping and imputed data to the ~2.5 million SNPs in HapMap. Linear and logistic regression models were used to test each SNP for association with ABI and PAD using additive genetic models. Study-specific data were combined using fixed-effects inverse variance weighted meta-analyses. There were a total of 41,692 participants of European ancestry (~60% women, mean ABI 1.02 to 1.19), including 3,409 participants with PAD and with GWAS data available. In the discovery meta-analysis, rs10757269 on chromosome 9 near CDKN2B had the strongest association with ABI (β= −0.006, p=2.46x10−8). We sought replication of the 6 strongest SNP associations in 5 population-based studies and 3 clinical samples (n=16,717). The association for rs10757269 strengthened in the combined discovery and replication analysis (p=2.65x10−9). No other SNP associations for ABI or PAD achieved genome-wide significance. However, two previously reported candidate genes for PAD and one SNP associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) were associated with ABI : DAB21P (rs13290547, p=3.6x10−5); CYBA (rs3794624, p=6.3x10−5); and rs1122608 (LDLR, p=0.0026). Conclusions GWAS in more than 40,000 individuals identified one genome-wide significant association on chromosome 9p21 with ABI. Two candidate genes for PAD and 1 SNP for CAD are associated with ABI. PMID:22199011

"Parsing the heterogeneity of psychopathy and aggression: Differential associations across dimensions and gender": Correction to Hecht et al. (2016).

PubMed

2017-01-01

Reports an error in "Parsing the heterogeneity of psychopathy and aggression: Differential associations across dimensions and gender" by Lisa K. Hecht, Joanna M. Berg, Scott O. Lilienfeld and Robert D. Latzman ( Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment , 2016[Jan], Vol 7[1], 2-14). In the article, there was an error in Table 3 and in the fifth paragraph of the Results. The correct information has been provided. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2015-29370-001.) Psychopathy is a multidimensional construct that is broadly associated with both reactive (RA) and proactive (PA) aggression. Nevertheless, a consistent pattern of associations between psychopathy and these 2 aggression subtypes has yet to emerge because of methodological differences across studies. Moreover, research has yet to examine gender differences in the relation between dimensions of psychopathy and RA/PA. Accordingly, we examined the associations between psychopathy dimensions, as operationalized by 2 self-report instruments, and subtypes of aggression within a diverse sample of undergraduates (N = 1,158). Results confirmed that psychopathy is broadly associated with PA, as well as RA, with dimensions of psychopathy evidencing common and distinct associations with both raw and residual RA and PA scores. In both models of psychopathy, PA was significantly and positively associated with all dimensions, whereas RA was significantly negatively associated with interpersonal and affective dimensions, and significantly positively associated with dimensions related to an antisocial and impulsive lifestyle. Gender significantly moderated associations among dimensions of psychopathy and RA/PA, such that the antisocial/behavioral dimension of psychopathy was positively associated with PA for males, whereas the antisocial/behavioral dimension was positively associated with RA for females. Results suggest both generality and specificity of psychopathy dimensions as related to subtypes of aggression, as well as possible differential pathways from psychopathy to different subtypes of aggression in men and women. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Associations of Coffee Drinking and Cancer Mortality in the Cancer Prevention Study-II.

PubMed

Gapstur, Susan M; Anderson, Rebecca L; Campbell, Peter T; Jacobs, Eric J; Hartman, Terryl J; Hildebrand, Janet S; Wang, Ying; McCullough, Marjorie L

2017-10-01

Background: Associations of coffee consumption with cancer mortality are inconsistent for many types of cancer, and confounding by smoking is an important concern. Methods: Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate multivariable-adjusted HRs for coffee consumption associated with death from all cancers combined and from specific cancer types among 922,896 Cancer Prevention Study-II participants ages 28-94 years who completed a four-page questionnaire and were cancer free at baseline in 1982. Results: During follow-up through 2012, there were 118,738 cancer-related deaths. There was a nonlinear association between coffee consumption and all-cancer death among current smokers and former smokers and no association among never smokers. Among nonsmokers, a 2 cup/day increase in coffee consumption was inversely associated with death from colorectal [HR = 0.97; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.95-0.99], liver [HR = 0.92; 95% CI, 0.88-0.96], and female breast (HR = 0.97; 95% CI, 0.94-0.99) cancers, and positively associated with esophageal cancer-related death (HR = 1.07; 95% CI, 1.02-1.12). For head and neck cancer, a nonlinear inverse association was observed starting at 2-3 cups per day (HR = 0.72; 95% CI, 0.55-0.95), with similar associations observed at higher levels of consumption. Conclusions: These findings are consistent with many other studies that suggest coffee drinking is associated with a lower risk of colorectal, liver, female breast, and head and neck cancer. The association of coffee consumption with higher risk of esophageal cancer among nonsmokers in our study should be confirmed. Impact: These results underscore the importance of assessing associations between coffee consumption and cancer mortality by smoking status. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(10); 1477-86. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

A Multivariate Genome-Wide Association Analysis of 10 LDL Subfractions, and Their Response to Statin Treatment, in 1868 Caucasians

PubMed Central

Shim, Heejung; Chasman, Daniel I.; Smith, Joshua D.; Mora, Samia; Ridker, Paul M.; Nickerson, Deborah A.; Krauss, Ronald M.; Stephens, Matthew

2015-01-01

We conducted a genome-wide association analysis of 7 subfractions of low density lipoproteins (LDLs) and 3 subfractions of intermediate density lipoproteins (IDLs) measured by gradient gel electrophoresis, and their response to statin treatment, in 1868 individuals of European ancestry from the Pharmacogenomics and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease study. Our analyses identified four previously-implicated loci (SORT1, APOE, LPA, and CETP) as containing variants that are very strongly associated with lipoprotein subfractions (log10Bayes Factor > 15). Subsequent conditional analyses suggest that three of these (APOE, LPA and CETP) likely harbor multiple independently associated SNPs. Further, while different variants typically showed different characteristic patterns of association with combinations of subfractions, the two SNPs in CETP show strikingly similar patterns - both in our original data and in a replication cohort - consistent with a common underlying molecular mechanism. Notably, the CETP variants are very strongly associated with LDL subfractions, despite showing no association with total LDLs in our study, illustrating the potential value of the more detailed phenotypic measurements. In contrast with these strong subfraction associations, genetic association analysis of subfraction response to statins showed much weaker signals (none exceeding log10Bayes Factor of 6). However, two SNPs (in APOE and LPA) previously-reported to be associated with LDL statin response do show some modest evidence for association in our data, and the subfraction response proles at the LPA SNP are consistent with the LPA association, with response likely being due primarily to resistance of Lp(a) particles to statin therapy. An additional important feature of our analysis is that, unlike most previous analyses of multiple related phenotypes, we analyzed the subfractions jointly, rather than one at a time. Comparisons of our multivariate analyses with standard univariate analyses demonstrate that multivariate analyses can substantially increase power to detect associations. Software implementing our multivariate analysis methods is available at http://stephenslab.uchicago.edu/software.html. PMID:25898129

Estimating genetic and phenotypic parameters of cellular immune-associated traits in dairy cows.

PubMed

Denholm, Scott J; McNeilly, Tom N; Banos, Georgios; Coffey, Mike P; Russell, George C; Bagnall, Ainsley; Mitchell, Mairi C; Wall, Eileen

2017-04-01

Data collected from an experimental Holstein-Friesian research herd were used to determine genetic and phenotypic parameters of innate and adaptive cellular immune-associated traits. Relationships between immune-associated traits and production, health, and fertility traits were also investigated. Repeated blood leukocyte records were analyzed in 546 cows for 9 cellular immune-associated traits, including percent T cell subsets, B cells, NK cells, and granulocytes. Variance components were estimated by univariate analysis. Heritability estimates were obtained for all 9 traits, the highest of which were observed in the T cell subsets percent CD4 + , percent CD8 + , CD4 + :CD8 + ratio, and percent NKp46 + cells (0.46, 0.41, 0.43 and 0.42, respectively), with between-individual variation accounting for 59 to 81% of total phenotypic variance. Associations between immune-associated traits and production, health, and fertility traits were investigated with bivariate analyses. Strong genetic correlations were observed between percent NKp46 + and stillbirth rate (0.61), and lameness episodes and percent CD8 + (-0.51). Regarding production traits, the strongest relationships were between CD4 + :CD8 + ratio and weight phenotypes (-0.52 for live weight; -0.51 for empty body weight). Associations between feed conversion traits and immune-associated traits were also observed. Our results provide evidence that cellular immune-associated traits are heritable and repeatable, and the noticeable variation between animals would permit selection for altered trait values, particularly in the case of the T cell subsets. The associations we observed between immune-associated, health, fertility, and production traits suggest that genetic selection for cellular immune-associated traits could provide a useful tool in improving animal health, fitness, and fertility. The Authors. Published by the Federation of Animal Science Societies and Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the American Dairy Science Association®. This is an open access article under the CC BY 2.0 license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/).

Automatic and deliberate affective associations with sexual stimuli in women with lifelong vaginismus before and after therapist-aided exposure treatment.

PubMed

Melles, Reinhilde J; ter Kuile, Moniek M; Dewitte, Marieke; van Lankveld, Jacques J D M; Brauer, Marieke; de Jong, Peter J

2014-03-01

The intense fear response to vaginal penetration in women with lifelong vaginismus, who have never been able to experience coitus, may reflect negative automatic and deliberate appraisals of vaginal penetration stimuli which might be modified by exposure treatment. The aim of this study is to examine whether (i) sexual stimuli elicit relatively strong automatic and deliberate threat associations in women with vaginismus, as well as relatively negative automatic and deliberate global affective associations, compared with symptom-free women; and (ii) these automatic and more deliberate attitudes can be modified by therapist-aided exposure treatment. A single target Implicit Association Test (st-IAT) was used to index automatic threat associations, and an Affective Simon Task (AST) to index global automatic affective associations. Participants were women with lifelong vaginismus (N = 68) and women without sexual problems (N = 70). The vaginismus group was randomly allocated to treatment (n = 34) and a waiting list control condition (n = 34). Indices of automatic threat were obtained by the st-IAT and automatic global affective associations by the AST, visual analogue scales (VAS) were used to assess deliberate appraisals of the sexual pictures (fear and global positive affect). More deliberate fear and less global positive affective associations with sexual stimuli were found in women with vaginismus. Following therapist-aided exposure treatment, the strength of fear was strongly reduced, whereas global positive affective associations were strengthened. Automatic associations did not differ between women with and without vaginismus and did not change following treatment. Relatively stronger negative (threat or global affect) associations with sexual stimuli in vaginismus appeared restricted to the deliberate level. Therapist-aided exposure treatment was effective in reducing subjective fear of sexual penetration stimuli and led to more global positive affective associations with sexual stimuli. The impact of exposure might be further improved by strengthening the association between vaginal penetration and positive affect (e.g., by using counter-conditioning techniques). © 2013 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Exome-chip association analysis reveals an Asian-specific missense variant in PAX4 associated with type 2 diabetes in Chinese individuals.

PubMed

Cheung, Chloe Y Y; Tang, Clara S; Xu, Aimin; Lee, Chi-Ho; Au, Ka-Wing; Xu, Lin; Fong, Carol H Y; Kwok, Kelvin H M; Chow, Wing-Sun; Woo, Yu-Cho; Yuen, Michele M A; Hai, JoJo S H; Jin, Ya-Li; Cheung, Bernard M Y; Tan, Kathryn C B; Cherny, Stacey S; Zhu, Feng; Zhu, Tong; Thomas, G Neil; Cheng, Kar-Keung; Jiang, Chao-Qiang; Lam, Tai-Hing; Tse, Hung-Fat; Sham, Pak-Chung; Lam, Karen S L

2017-01-01

Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified many common type 2 diabetes-associated variants, mostly at the intronic or intergenic regions. Recent advancements of exome-array genotyping platforms have opened up a novel means for detecting the associations of low-frequency or rare coding variants with type 2 diabetes. We conducted an exomechip association analysis to identify additional type 2 diabetes susceptibility variants in the Chinese population. An exome-chip association study was conducted by genotyping 5640 Chinese individuals from Hong Kong, using a custom designed exome array, the Asian Exomechip. Single variant association analysis was conducted on 77,468 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Fifteen SNPs were subsequently genotyped for replication analysis in an independent Chinese cohort comprising 12,362 individuals from Guangzhou. A combined analysis involving 7189 cases and 10,813 controls was performed. In the discovery stage, an Asian-specific coding variant rs2233580 (p.Arg192His) in PAX4, and two variants at the known loci, CDKN2B-AS1 and KCNQ1, were significantly associated with type 2 diabetes with exome-wide significance (p discovery  < 6.45 × 10 -7 ). The risk allele (T) of PAX4 rs2233580 was associated with a younger age at diabetes diagnosis. This variant was replicated in an independent cohort and demonstrated a stronger association that reached genome-wide significance (p meta-analysis [p meta ] = 3.74 × 10 -15 ) in the combined analysis. We identified the association of a PAX4 Asian-specific missense variant rs2233580 with type 2 diabetes in an exome-chip association analysis, supporting the involvement of PAX4 in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. Our findings suggest PAX4 is a possible effector gene of the 7q32 locus, previously identified from GWAS in Asians.

ARL and Association 3.0: Ten Management Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Funk, Carla J.

2009-01-01

Association management in today's "association 3.0" environment presents some new challenges and new perspectives on old ones. This paper summarizes 10 such challenges including collaboration, diversity, innovation, transparency, financial stability, member benefits, knowledge-based decision-making, a demand-driven association model, pro-activity…

7 CFR 1000.18 - Cooperative association.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 9 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Cooperative association. 1000.18 Section 1000.18... Definitions § 1000.18 Cooperative association. Cooperative association means any cooperative marketing... milk products for its members. A federation of 2 or more cooperatives incorporated under the laws of...

27 CFR 10.22 - Employee associations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 27 Alcohol, Tobacco Products and Firearms 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Employee associations. 10..., DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY LIQUORS COMMERCIAL BRIBERY Commercial Bribery § 10.22 Employee associations. Gifts... employee associations are considered the same as bonuses, premiums, compensation, or other things of value...

75 FR 34482 - Certain Biometric Scanning Devices, Components Thereof, Associated Software, and Products...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-17

..., Components Thereof, Associated Software, and Products Containing the Same; Notice of Investigation AGENCY: U... scanning devices, components thereof, associated software, and products containing the same by reason of... after importation of certain biometric scanning devices, components thereof, associated software, or...

Calling the Question

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitehead, Diane

2009-01-01

Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) has a long and proud history as an association of members dedicated to the cause of childhood education. The word "association" originates from the word "associate," for which there exists several definitions, with the common distinction of joining together or uniting in partnership. When…

NLN: Celebrating Associate Degree Nursing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoddick, Nancy A.

1981-01-01

Introduces a project celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of associate degree nursing (ADN) education. Reviews the efforts and plans of two national associations to identify and resolve recurring ADN issues and recognize the associate degree nurse's contributions. Describes the forums and publications planned to meet these objectives. Includes…

25 CFR 700.722 - Grazing associations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... association's constitution and bylaws. (3) The officers other than secretary and treasurer must be grazing permittees on the range unit involved. (4) The association's activities must be governed by a constitution and bylaws acceptable to the Commissioner and signed by him. (5) The association's constitution and...

Professional Associations and Memberships in Rehabilitation Counseling.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sussman, Marvin B.; And Others

As part of a study of the career contingencies of the rehabilitation counselor, an examination was made of the role, membership patterns, and goals of three professional associations--the National Rehabilitation Counseling Association (NRCA), the American Rehabilitation Counseling Association (ARCA), and the American Psychological Association…

29 CFR 2580.412-29 - Exemption.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Exemptions Savings and Loan Associations Subject to Federal Regulation § 2580.412-29 Exemption. An exemption... Act is granted whereby savings and loan associations (including building and loan associations... for the benefit of their own employees, where such a savings and loan association is the administrator...

Influence of iron solubility and charged surface-active compounds on lipid oxidation in fatty acid ethyl esters containing association colloids.

PubMed

Homma, Rika; Johnson, David R; McClements, D Julian; Decker, Eric A

2016-05-15

The impact of iron compounds with different solubilities on lipid oxidation was studied in the presence and absence of association colloids. Iron (III) sulfate only accelerated lipid oxidation in the presence of association colloids while iron (III) oleate accelerated oxidation in the presence and absence of association colloids. Further, iron (III) oxide retarded lipid oxidation both with and without association colloids. The impact of charged association colloids on lipid oxidation in ethyl oleate was also investigated. Association colloids consisting of the anionic surface-active compound dodecyl sulphosuccinate sodium salt (AOT), cationic surface-active compound hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and nonionic surface-active compound 4-(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)phenyl-polyethylene glycol (Triton X-100) retarded, promoted, and had no effect on lipid oxidation rates, respectively. These results indicate that the polarity of metal compounds and the charge of association colloids play a big role in lipid oxidation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ACBD5 and VAPB mediate membrane associations between peroxisomes and the ER.

PubMed

Costello, Joseph L; Castro, Inês G; Hacker, Christian; Schrader, Tina A; Metz, Jeremy; Zeuschner, Dagmar; Azadi, Afsoon S; Godinho, Luis F; Costina, Victor; Findeisen, Peter; Manner, Andreas; Islinger, Markus; Schrader, Michael

2017-02-01

Peroxisomes (POs) and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) cooperate in cellular lipid metabolism and form tight structural associations, which were first observed in ultrastructural studies decades ago. PO-ER associations have been suggested to impact on a diverse number of physiological processes, including lipid metabolism, phospholipid exchange, metabolite transport, signaling, and PO biogenesis. Despite their fundamental importance to cell metabolism, the mechanisms by which regions of the ER become tethered to POs are unknown, in particular in mammalian cells. Here, we identify the PO membrane protein acyl-coenzyme A-binding domain protein 5 (ACBD5) as a binding partner for the resident ER protein vesicle-associated membrane protein-associated protein B (VAPB). We show that ACBD5-VAPB interaction regulates PO-ER associations. Moreover, we demonstrate that loss of PO-ER association perturbs PO membrane expansion and increases PO movement. Our findings reveal the first molecular mechanism for establishing PO-ER associations in mammalian cells and report a new function for ACBD5 in PO-ER tethering. © 2017 Costello et al.

ACBD5 and VAPB mediate membrane associations between peroxisomes and the ER

PubMed Central

Costello, Joseph L.; Hacker, Christian; Schrader, Tina A.; Zeuschner, Dagmar; Findeisen, Peter

2017-01-01

Peroxisomes (POs) and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) cooperate in cellular lipid metabolism and form tight structural associations, which were first observed in ultrastructural studies decades ago. PO–ER associations have been suggested to impact on a diverse number of physiological processes, including lipid metabolism, phospholipid exchange, metabolite transport, signaling, and PO biogenesis. Despite their fundamental importance to cell metabolism, the mechanisms by which regions of the ER become tethered to POs are unknown, in particular in mammalian cells. Here, we identify the PO membrane protein acyl-coenzyme A–binding domain protein 5 (ACBD5) as a binding partner for the resident ER protein vesicle-associated membrane protein-associated protein B (VAPB). We show that ACBD5–VAPB interaction regulates PO–ER associations. Moreover, we demonstrate that loss of PO–ER association perturbs PO membrane expansion and increases PO movement. Our findings reveal the first molecular mechanism for establishing PO–ER associations in mammalian cells and report a new function for ACBD5 in PO–ER tethering. PMID:28108524

[Studies on main interspecific association of rare and endangered medicinal plant Sinopodophyllum hexandrum community in Kangding Zheduo mountain of Sichuan province].

PubMed

Liu, Xiang; Zhao, Ji-Feng; Wang, Chang-Hua; Zhang, Zhi-Wei; Qin, Song-Yun; Zhong, Guo-Yue

2014-07-01

Based on the 2 x 2 contingency table, by using multi-species relevance (variance ratio, VR), chi2-test, Ochiai index, Dice index, Jaccard index, t-test of v/x and F-test of Morisita, s index, the interspecific relationships and the spatial distribution pattern between 20 dominants in Kangding Zheduo Mountain of Sichuan province were studied. The results indicated that the interspecific association between dominants of Sinopodophyllum hexandrum community in this area did not show significant association, which suggested that the S. hexandrum community was in mature stage, and showed stronger independency, among total 190 pairs in 20 dominant species, 2 species pairs exhibited extremely significantly positive association, 12 species pairs showed significantly positive association, 6 species pairs exhibited significantly negative association and there were no pairs showed extremely significantly negative association. S. hexandrum in community did not show significant association, which indicates they are independent in community, the spatial distribution pattern of S. hexandrum is characterized by random distribution.

Audiovisual associations alter the perception of low-level visual motion

PubMed Central

Kafaligonul, Hulusi; Oluk, Can

2015-01-01

Motion perception is a pervasive nature of vision and is affected by both immediate pattern of sensory inputs and prior experiences acquired through associations. Recently, several studies reported that an association can be established quickly between directions of visual motion and static sounds of distinct frequencies. After the association is formed, sounds are able to change the perceived direction of visual motion. To determine whether such rapidly acquired audiovisual associations and their subsequent influences on visual motion perception are dependent on the involvement of higher-order attentive tracking mechanisms, we designed psychophysical experiments using regular and reverse-phi random dot motions isolating low-level pre-attentive motion processing. Our results show that an association between the directions of low-level visual motion and static sounds can be formed and this audiovisual association alters the subsequent perception of low-level visual motion. These findings support the view that audiovisual associations are not restricted to high-level attention based motion system and early-level visual motion processing has some potential role. PMID:25873869

Screen Time, Other Sedentary Behaviours, and Obesity Risk in Adults: A Review of Reviews.

PubMed

Biddle, Stuart J H; García Bengoechea, Enrique; Pedisic, Zeljko; Bennie, Jason; Vergeer, Ineke; Wiesner, Glen

2017-06-01

The aim of this paper is to assess the association between sedentary behaviours, including screen time, and risk of obesity in adults. A review of 10 systematic reviews was undertaken. Available evidence is generally not supportive of associations between sedentary behaviour and obesity in adults. Most studies that found significant associations indicated mostly small effect sizes. Somewhat more consistent associations were shown for screen time (mainly TV viewing), among older adults, and for pre-adult sedentary behaviour to increase the risk of obesity in adulthood. Some evidence also exists for breaks in sedentary time to be associated with a more favourable BMI, and for use of a car to be associated with greater risk of obesity. There is limited evidence for an association between sedentary behaviour in adulthood and obesity and any association that exists does not seem to be causal. Future research is required investigating potentially positive effects for frequent breaks from sitting, less car use, and an uncoupling of TV viewing and dietary intake.

Integrative approaches for large-scale transcriptome-wide association studies

PubMed Central

Gusev, Alexander; Ko, Arthur; Shi, Huwenbo; Bhatia, Gaurav; Chung, Wonil; Penninx, Brenda W J H; Jansen, Rick; de Geus, Eco JC; Boomsma, Dorret I; Wright, Fred A; Sullivan, Patrick F; Nikkola, Elina; Alvarez, Marcus; Civelek, Mete; Lusis, Aldons J.; Lehtimäki, Terho; Raitoharju, Emma; Kähönen, Mika; Seppälä, Ilkka; Raitakari, Olli T.; Kuusisto, Johanna; Laakso, Markku; Price, Alkes L.; Pajukanta, Päivi; Pasaniuc, Bogdan

2016-01-01

Many genetic variants influence complex traits by modulating gene expression, thus altering the abundance levels of one or multiple proteins. Here, we introduce a powerful strategy that integrates gene expression measurements with summary association statistics from large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify genes whose cis-regulated expression is associated to complex traits. We leverage expression imputation to perform a transcriptome wide association scan (TWAS) to identify significant expression-trait associations. We applied our approaches to expression data from blood and adipose tissue measured in ~3,000 individuals overall. We imputed gene expression into GWAS data from over 900,000 phenotype measurements to identify 69 novel genes significantly associated to obesity-related traits (BMI, lipids, and height). Many of the novel genes are associated with relevant phenotypes in the Hybrid Mouse Diversity Panel. Our results showcase the power of integrating genotype, gene expression and phenotype to gain insights into the genetic basis of complex traits. PMID:26854917

Eosinophilic pustular folliculitis associated with hematological disorders: A report of two cases and review of Japanese literature.

PubMed

Takamura, Saori; Teraki, Yuichi

2016-04-01

Eosinophilic pustular folliculitis (EPF) occurs in patients with hematological disorders. However, clinical information about hematological disorder-associated EPF is scarce. We report two cases of EPF associated with mantle cell lymphoma and reviewed the available published work on Japanese cases. We identified a total of 23 Japanese cases, including the two cases reported here, who had hematological disorder-associated EPF. Fourteen cases were associated with treatment for hematological malignancies (transplantation-related EPF) and nine cases were associated with hematological malignancies themselves (hematological malignancy-related EPF). Although the skin eruption was clinically indistinguishable between the two subtypes, transplantation-related EPF occurred on the face and trunk of young and middle-aged men and women, whereas hematological malignancy-related EPF occurred mostly on the face of older men. Peripheral blood eosinophilia was more frequently observed in transplantation-related EPF. These observations suggest variations among patients with EPF associated with hematological disorders. © 2015 Japanese Dermatological Association.

New loci associated with birth weight identify genetic links between intrauterine growth and adult height and metabolism.

PubMed

Horikoshi, Momoko; Yaghootkar, Hanieh; Mook-Kanamori, Dennis O; Sovio, Ulla; Taal, H Rob; Hennig, Branwen J; Bradfield, Jonathan P; St Pourcain, Beate; Evans, David M; Charoen, Pimphen; Kaakinen, Marika; Cousminer, Diana L; Lehtimäki, Terho; Kreiner-Møller, Eskil; Warrington, Nicole M; Bustamante, Mariona; Feenstra, Bjarke; Berry, Diane J; Thiering, Elisabeth; Pfab, Thiemo; Barton, Sheila J; Shields, Beverley M; Kerkhof, Marjan; van Leeuwen, Elisabeth M; Fulford, Anthony J; Kutalik, Zoltán; Zhao, Jing Hua; den Hoed, Marcel; Mahajan, Anubha; Lindi, Virpi; Goh, Liang-Kee; Hottenga, Jouke-Jan; Wu, Ying; Raitakari, Olli T; Harder, Marie N; Meirhaeghe, Aline; Ntalla, Ioanna; Salem, Rany M; Jameson, Karen A; Zhou, Kaixin; Monies, Dorota M; Lagou, Vasiliki; Kirin, Mirna; Heikkinen, Jani; Adair, Linda S; Alkuraya, Fowzan S; Al-Odaib, Ali; Amouyel, Philippe; Andersson, Ehm Astrid; Bennett, Amanda J; Blakemore, Alexandra I F; Buxton, Jessica L; Dallongeville, Jean; Das, Shikta; de Geus, Eco J C; Estivill, Xavier; Flexeder, Claudia; Froguel, Philippe; Geller, Frank; Godfrey, Keith M; Gottrand, Frédéric; Groves, Christopher J; Hansen, Torben; Hirschhorn, Joel N; Hofman, Albert; Hollegaard, Mads V; Hougaard, David M; Hyppönen, Elina; Inskip, Hazel M; Isaacs, Aaron; Jørgensen, Torben; Kanaka-Gantenbein, Christina; Kemp, John P; Kiess, Wieland; Kilpeläinen, Tuomas O; Klopp, Norman; Knight, Bridget A; Kuzawa, Christopher W; McMahon, George; Newnham, John P; Niinikoski, Harri; Oostra, Ben A; Pedersen, Louise; Postma, Dirkje S; Ring, Susan M; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Robertson, Neil R; Sebert, Sylvain; Simell, Olli; Slowinski, Torsten; Tiesler, Carla M T; Tönjes, Anke; Vaag, Allan; Viikari, Jorma S; Vink, Jacqueline M; Vissing, Nadja Hawwa; Wareham, Nicholas J; Willemsen, Gonneke; Witte, Daniel R; Zhang, Haitao; Zhao, Jianhua; Wilson, James F; Stumvoll, Michael; Prentice, Andrew M; Meyer, Brian F; Pearson, Ewan R; Boreham, Colin A G; Cooper, Cyrus; Gillman, Matthew W; Dedoussis, George V; Moreno, Luis A; Pedersen, Oluf; Saarinen, Maiju; Mohlke, Karen L; Boomsma, Dorret I; Saw, Seang-Mei; Lakka, Timo A; Körner, Antje; Loos, Ruth J F; Ong, Ken K; Vollenweider, Peter; van Duijn, Cornelia M; Koppelman, Gerard H; Hattersley, Andrew T; Holloway, John W; Hocher, Berthold; Heinrich, Joachim; Power, Chris; Melbye, Mads; Guxens, Mònica; Pennell, Craig E; Bønnelykke, Klaus; Bisgaard, Hans; Eriksson, Johan G; Widén, Elisabeth; Hakonarson, Hakon; Uitterlinden, André G; Pouta, Anneli; Lawlor, Debbie A; Smith, George Davey; Frayling, Timothy M; McCarthy, Mark I; Grant, Struan F A; Jaddoe, Vincent W V; Jarvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Timpson, Nicholas J; Prokopenko, Inga; Freathy, Rachel M

2013-01-01

Birth weight within the normal range is associated with a variety of adult-onset diseases, but the mechanisms behind these associations are poorly understood. Previous genome-wide association studies of birth weight identified a variant in the ADCY5 gene associated both with birth weight and type 2 diabetes and a second variant, near CCNL1, with no obvious link to adult traits. In an expanded genome-wide association meta-analysis and follow-up study of birth weight (of up to 69,308 individuals of European descent from 43 studies), we have now extended the number of loci associated at genome-wide significance to 7, accounting for a similar proportion of variance as maternal smoking. Five of the loci are known to be associated with other phenotypes: ADCY5 and CDKAL1 with type 2 diabetes, ADRB1 with adult blood pressure and HMGA2 and LCORL with adult height. Our findings highlight genetic links between fetal growth and postnatal growth and metabolism.

Associative Memory Synthesis, Performance, Storage Capacity And Updating: New Heteroassociative Memory Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Casasent, David; Telfer, Brian

1988-02-01

The storage capacity, noise performance, and synthesis of associative memories for image analysis are considered. Associative memory synthesis is shown to be very similar to that of linear discriminant functions used in pattern recognition. These lead to new associative memories and new associative memory synthesis and recollection vector encodings. Heteroassociative memories are emphasized in this paper, rather than autoassociative memories, since heteroassociative memories provide scene analysis decisions, rather than merely enhanced output images. The analysis of heteroassociative memories has been given little attention. Heteroassociative memory performance and storage capacity are shown to be quite different from those of autoassociative memories, with much more dependence on the recollection vectors used and less dependence on M/N. This allows several different and preferable synthesis techniques to be considered for associative memories. These new associative memory synthesis techniques and new techniques to update associative memories are included. We also introduce a new SNR performance measure that is preferable to conventional noise standard deviation ratios.

A method to estimate the contribution of regional genetic associations to complex traits from summary association statistics.

PubMed

Pare, Guillaume; Mao, Shihong; Deng, Wei Q

2016-06-08

Despite considerable efforts, known genetic associations only explain a small fraction of predicted heritability. Regional associations combine information from multiple contiguous genetic variants and can improve variance explained at established association loci. However, regional associations are not easily amenable to estimation using summary association statistics because of sensitivity to linkage disequilibrium (LD). We now propose a novel method, LD Adjusted Regional Genetic Variance (LARGV), to estimate phenotypic variance explained by regional associations using summary statistics while accounting for LD. Our method is asymptotically equivalent to a multiple linear regression model when no interaction or haplotype effects are present. It has several applications, such as ranking of genetic regions according to variance explained or comparison of variance explained by two or more regions. Using height and BMI data from the Health Retirement Study (N = 7,776), we show that most genetic variance lies in a small proportion of the genome and that previously identified linkage peaks have higher than expected regional variance.

Anxiety, depression, and fall-related psychological concerns in community-dwelling older people.

PubMed

Hull, Samantha L; Kneebone, Ian I; Farquharson, Lorna

2013-12-01

Establish the association between affect and fall-related psychological concerns (fear of falling, fall-related self-efficacy, balance confidence, and outcome expectancy). A total of 205 community-dwelling older people (mean age 81, SD 7.5 years) completed the Geriatric Depression Scale-15, Geriatric Anxiety Inventory, Modified Survey of Activities and Fear of Falling, Falls-Efficacy Scale- International, Activity-Specific Balance Confidence Scale, and the Consequences of Falling Scale. Hierarchical regression models showed that anxiety was independently associated with all fall-related psychological concerns; depression was only associated with falls efficacy. Associations between fall-related psychological concerns and age, gender, accommodation,medications, self-rated physical health, falls history, mobility, and sensory aids are also discussed. This is the first study that investigates the association between affect and the four fall-related psychological concerns. Anxiety was a significant factor associated with all four, whereas depression was only associated with activity avoidance. Implications for healthcare providers are discussed. Copyright © 2013 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mediterranean diet, micronutrients and macronutrients, and MRI measures of cortical thickness.

PubMed

Staubo, Sara C; Aakre, Jeremiah A; Vemuri, Prashanthi; Syrjanen, Jeremy A; Mielke, Michelle M; Geda, Yonas E; Kremers, Walter K; Machulda, Mary M; Knopman, David S; Petersen, Ronald C; Jack, Clifford R; Roberts, Rosebud O

2017-02-01

The Mediterranean diet (MeDi) is associated with reduced risk of cognitive impairment, but it is unclear whether it is associated with better brain imaging biomarkers. Among 672 cognitively normal participants (mean age, 79.8 years, 52.5% men), we investigated associations of MeDi score and MeDi components with magnetic resonance imaging measures of cortical thickness for the four lobes separately and averaged (average lobar). Higher MeDi score was associated with larger frontal, parietal, occipital, and average lobar cortical thickness. Higher legume and fish intakes were associated with larger cortical thickness: legumes with larger superior parietal, inferior parietal, precuneus, parietal, occipital, lingual, and fish with larger precuneus, superior parietal, posterior cingulate, parietal, and inferior parietal. Higher carbohydrate and sugar intakes were associated with lower entorhinal cortical thickness. In this sample of elderly persons, higher adherence to MeDi was associated with larger cortical thickness. These cross-sectional findings require validation in prospective studies. Copyright © 2016 the Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early-Life State-of-Residence Characteristics and Later Life Hypertension, Diabetes, and Ischemic Heart Disease.

PubMed

Rehkopf, David H; Eisen, Ellen A; Modrek, Sepideh; Mokyr Horner, Elizabeth; Goldstein, Benjamin; Costello, Sadie; Cantley, Linda F; Slade, Martin D; Cullen, Mark R

2015-08-01

We examined how state characteristics in early life are associated with individual chronic disease later in life. We assessed early-life state of residence using the first 3 digits of social security numbers from blue- and white-collar workers from a US manufacturing company. Longitudinal data were available from 1997 to 2012, with 305 936 person-years of observation. Disease was assessed using medical claims. We modeled associations using pooled logistic regression with inverse probability of censoring weights. We found small but statistically significant associations between early-state-of-residence characteristics and later life hypertension, diabetes, and ischemic heart disease. The most consistent associations were with income inequality, percentage non-White, and education. These associations were similar after statistically controlling for individual socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and current state characteristics. Characteristics of the state in which an individual lives early in life are associated with prevalence of chronic disease later in life, with a strength of association equivalent to genetic associations found for these same health outcomes.

Causes, types and severity of injury among army soldiers hospitalized with alcohol comorbidity*

PubMed Central

Howland, Jonathan; Bell, Nicole S.; Hollander, Ilyssa E.

2007-01-01

Aim To examine the relationship between alcohol use and the cause, type and severity of hospitalized injuries. Design/setting We used the Total Army Injury and Health Outcomes Database (TAIHOD) to conduct cross-sectional analyses of the association between alcohol comorbidity and the cause, type and severity of soldiers’ non-combat injuries requiring hospitalization. Participants Subjects were active-duty US army soldiers (n = 211 790) hospitalized with a primary diagnosis of injury between 1980 and 2002. Findings Alcohol comorbidity was positively associated with hospitalized injuries resulting from fights and falls and negatively associated with sports injuries; positively associated with hospitalized cases of head injury, open wounds and poisonings and negatively associated with musculoskeletal injury; and, overall, associated with shorter length of stay. Controlling for demographic factors did not moderate the association between alcohol and cause, type or severity of injury. Conclusion Alcohol comorbidity is specifically associated with injuries related to impairment and antisocial behavior. PMID:17697276

ASSOCIATIVE CONCEPT LEARNING IN ANIMALS

PubMed Central

Zentall, Thomas R.; Wasserman, Edward A.; Urcuioli, Peter J.

2014-01-01

Nonhuman animals show evidence for three types of concept learning: perceptual or similarity-based in which objects/stimuli are categorized based on physical similarity; relational in which one object/stimulus is categorized relative to another (e.g., same/different); and associative in which arbitrary stimuli become interchangeable with one another by virtue of a common association with another stimulus, outcome, or response. In this article, we focus on various methods for establishing associative concepts in nonhuman animals and evaluate data documenting the development of associative classes of stimuli. We also examine the nature of the common within-class representation of samples that have been associated with the same reinforced comparison response (i.e., many-to-one matching) by describing manipulations for distinguishing possible representations. Associative concepts provide one foundation for human language such that spoken and written words and the objects they represent become members of a class of interchangeable stimuli. The mechanisms of associative concept learning and the behavioral flexibility it allows, however, are also evident in the adaptive behaviors of animals lacking language. PMID:24170540

Parenting style in childhood and mortality risk at older ages: a longitudinal cohort study.

PubMed

Demakakos, Panayotes; Pillas, Demetris; Marmot, Michael; Steptoe, Andrew

2016-08-01

Parenting style is associated with offspring health, but whether it is associated with offspring mortality at older ages remains unknown. We examined whether childhood experiences of suboptimal parenting style are associated with increased risk of death at older ages. Longitudinal cohort study of 1964 community-dwelling adults aged 65-79 years. The association between parenting style and mortality was inverse and graded. Participants in the poorest parenting style score quartile had increased risk of death (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.72, 95% CI 1.20-2.48) compared with those in the optimal parenting style score quartile after adjustment for age and gender. Full adjustment for covariates partially explained this association (HR = 1.49, 95% CI 1.02-2.18). Parenting style was inversely associated with cancer and other mortality, but not cardiovascular mortality. Maternal and paternal parenting styles were individually associated with mortality. Experiences of suboptimal parenting in childhood are associated with increased risk of death at older ages. © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2016.

Subjective memory complaints, cognitive performance, and psychological factors in healthy older adults.

PubMed

Steinberg, Susanne I; Negash, Selamawit; Sammel, Mary D; Bogner, Hillary; Harel, Brian T; Livney, Melissa G; McCoubrey, Hannah; Wolk, David A; Kling, Mitchel A; Arnold, Steven E

2013-12-01

To determine whether subjective memory complaints (SMCs) are associated with performance on objective cognitive measures and psychological factors in healthy, community-dwelling older adults. The cohort was composed of adults, 65 years and older with no clinical evidence of cognitive impairment (n = 125). Participants were administered: CogState computerized neurocognitive battery, Prospective Retrospective Memory Questionnaire, personality and meaning-in-life measures. SMCs were associated with poorer performance on measures of executive function (p = 0.001). SMCs were also associated with impaired delayed recall (p = 0.006) but this did not remain significant after statistical adjustment for multiple comparisons. SMCs were inversely associated with conscientiousness (p = 0.004) and directly associated with neuroticism (p < 0.001). Higher scores on SMCs were associated with higher perceived stress (p = 0.001), and ineffective coping styles (p = 0.001). Factors contributing to meaning-in-life were associated with fewer SMCs (p < 0.05). SMCs may reflect early, subtle cognitive changes and are associated with personality traits and meaning-in-life in healthy, older adults.

Parenting style in childhood and mortality risk at old age: a longitudinal cohort study

PubMed Central

Demakakos, Panayotes; Pillas, Demetris; Marmot, Michael; Steptoe, Andrew

2018-01-01

Background Parenting style is associated with offspring health, but whether it is associated with offspring mortality at older ages remains unknown. Aims We examined whether childhood experiences of suboptimal parenting style are associated with increased risk of death at older ages. Method Longitudinal cohort study of 1,964 community-dwelling adults aged 65 to 79 years. Results The association between parenting style and mortality was inverse and graded. Participants in the poorest parenting style score quartile had increased risk of death (hazard ratio (HR) 1.72; 95% CI, 1.20-2.48) compared with those in the optimal parenting style score quartile after adjustment for age and sex. Full adjustment for covariates partially explained this association (HR 1.49; 95% CI, 1.02-2.18). Parenting style was inversely associated with cancer and other mortality, but not cardiovascular mortality. Maternal and paternal parenting styles were individually associated with mortality. Conclusions Experiences of suboptimal parenting in childhood are associated with increased risk of death at older ages. PMID:26941265

Beyond left and right: Automaticity and flexibility of number-space associations.

PubMed

Antoine, Sophie; Gevers, Wim

2016-02-01

Close links exist between the processing of numbers and the processing of space: relatively small numbers are preferentially associated with a left-sided response while relatively large numbers are associated with a right-sided response (the SNARC effect). Previous work demonstrated that the SNARC effect is triggered in an automatic manner and is highly flexible. Besides the left-right dimension, numbers associate with other spatial response mappings such as close/far responses, where small numbers are associated with a close response and large numbers with a far response. In two experiments we investigate the nature of this association. Associations between magnitude and close/far responses were observed using a magnitude-irrelevant task (Experiment 1: automaticity) and using a variable referent task (Experiment 2: flexibility). While drawing a strong parallel between both response mappings, the present results are also informative with regard to the question about what type of processing mechanism underlies both the SNARC effect and the association between numerical magnitude and close/far response locations.

Genetic Associations With White Matter Hyperintensities Confer Risk of Lacunar Stroke

PubMed Central

Rutten-Jacobs, Loes C.A.; Thijs, Vincent; Holliday, Elizabeth G.; Levi, Chris; Bevan, Steve; Malik, Rainer; Boncoraglio, Giorgio; Sudlow, Cathie; Rothwell, Peter M.; Dichgans, Martin; Markus, Hugh S.

2016-01-01

Background and Purpose— White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are increased in patients with lacunar stroke. Whether this is because of shared pathogenesis remains unknown. Using genetic data, we evaluated whether WMH-associated genetic susceptibility factors confer risk of lacunar stroke, and therefore whether they share pathogenesis. Methods— We used a genetic risk score approach to test whether single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with WMH in community populations were associated with magnetic resonance imaging–confirmed lacunar stroke (n=1,373), as well as cardioembolic (n=1,331) and large vessel (n=1,472) Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment subtypes, against 9,053 controls. Second, we separated lacunar strokes into those with WMH (n=568) and those without (n=787) and tested for association with the risk score in these 2 groups. In addition, we evaluated whether WMH-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms are associated with lacunar stroke, or in the 2 groups. Results— The WMH genetic risk score was associated with lacunar stroke (odds ratio [OR; 95% confidence interval [CI

A method to estimate the contribution of regional genetic associations to complex traits from summary association statistics

PubMed Central

Pare, Guillaume; Mao, Shihong; Deng, Wei Q.

2016-01-01

Despite considerable efforts, known genetic associations only explain a small fraction of predicted heritability. Regional associations combine information from multiple contiguous genetic variants and can improve variance explained at established association loci. However, regional associations are not easily amenable to estimation using summary association statistics because of sensitivity to linkage disequilibrium (LD). We now propose a novel method, LD Adjusted Regional Genetic Variance (LARGV), to estimate phenotypic variance explained by regional associations using summary statistics while accounting for LD. Our method is asymptotically equivalent to a multiple linear regression model when no interaction or haplotype effects are present. It has several applications, such as ranking of genetic regions according to variance explained or comparison of variance explained by two or more regions. Using height and BMI data from the Health Retirement Study (N = 7,776), we show that most genetic variance lies in a small proportion of the genome and that previously identified linkage peaks have higher than expected regional variance. PMID:27273519

Large-scale association analyses identifies 13 new susceptibility loci for coronary artery disease

PubMed Central

Schunkert, Heribert; König, Inke R.; Kathiresan, Sekar; Reilly, Muredach P.; Assimes, Themistocles L.; Holm, Hilma; Preuss, Michael; Stewart, Alexandre F. R.; Barbalic, Maja; Gieger, Christian; Absher, Devin; Aherrahrou, Zouhair; Allayee, Hooman; Altshuler, David; Anand, Sonia S.; Andersen, Karl; Anderson, Jeffrey L.; Ardissino, Diego; Ball, Stephen G.; Balmforth, Anthony J.; Barnes, Timothy A.; Becker, Diane M.; Becker, Lewis C.; Berger, Klaus; Bis, Joshua C.; Boekholdt, S. Matthijs; Boerwinkle, Eric; Braund, Peter S.; Brown, Morris J.; Burnett, Mary Susan; Buysschaert, Ian; Carlquist, Cardiogenics, John F.; Chen, Li; Cichon, Sven; Codd, Veryan; Davies, Robert W.; Dedoussis, George; Dehghan, Abbas; Demissie, Serkalem; Devaney, Joseph M.; Do, Ron; Doering, Angela; Eifert, Sandra; El Mokhtari, Nour Eddine; Ellis, Stephen G.; Elosua, Roberto; Engert, James C.; Epstein, Stephen E.; Faire, Ulf de; Fischer, Marcus; Folsom, Aaron R.; Freyer, Jennifer; Gigante, Bruna; Girelli, Domenico; Gretarsdottir, Solveig; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Gulcher, Jeffrey R.; Halperin, Eran; Hammond, Naomi; Hazen, Stanley L.; Hofman, Albert; Horne, Benjamin D.; Illig, Thomas; Iribarren, Carlos; Jones, Gregory T.; Jukema, J.Wouter; Kaiser, Michael A.; Kaplan, Lee M.; Kastelein, John J.P.; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Knowles, Joshua W.; Kolovou, Genovefa; Kong, Augustine; Laaksonen, Reijo; Lambrechts, Diether; Leander, Karin; Lettre, Guillaume; Li, Mingyao; Lieb, Wolfgang; Linsel-Nitschke, Patrick; Loley, Christina; Lotery, Andrew J.; Mannucci, Pier M.; Maouche, Seraya; Martinelli, Nicola; McKeown, Pascal P.; Meisinger, Christa; Meitinger, Thomas; Melander, Olle; Merlini, Pier Angelica; Mooser, Vincent; Morgan, Thomas; Mühleisen, Thomas W.; Muhlestein, Joseph B.; Münzel, Thomas; Musunuru, Kiran; Nahrstaedt, Janja; Nelson, Christopher P.; Nöthen, Markus M.; Olivieri, Oliviero; Patel, Riyaz S.; Patterson, Chris C.; Peters, Annette; Peyvandi, Flora; Qu, Liming; Quyyumi, Arshed A.; Rader, Daniel J.; Rallidis, Loukianos S.; Rice, Catherine; Rosendaal, Frits R.; Rubin, Diana; Salomaa, Veikko; Sampietro, M. Lourdes; Sandhu, Manj S.; Schadt, Eric; Schäfer, Arne; Schillert, Arne; Schreiber, Stefan; Schrezenmeir, Jürgen; Schwartz, Stephen M.; Siscovick, David S.; Sivananthan, Mohan; Sivapalaratnam, Suthesh; Smith, Albert; Smith, Tamara B.; Snoep, Jaapjan D.; Soranzo, Nicole; Spertus, John A.; Stark, Klaus; Stirrups, Kathy; Stoll, Monika; Tang, W. H. Wilson; Tennstedt, Stephanie; Thorgeirsson, Gudmundur; Thorleifsson, Gudmar; Tomaszewski, Maciej; Uitterlinden, Andre G.; van Rij, Andre M.; Voight, Benjamin F.; Wareham, Nick J.; Wells, George A.; Wichmann, H.-Erich; Wild, Philipp S.; Willenborg, Christina; Witteman, Jaqueline C. M.; Wright, Benjamin J.; Ye, Shu; Zeller, Tanja; Ziegler, Andreas; Cambien, Francois; Goodall, Alison H.; Cupples, L. Adrienne; Quertermous, Thomas; März, Winfried; Hengstenberg, Christian; Blankenberg, Stefan; Ouwehand, Willem H.; Hall, Alistair S.; Deloukas, Panos; Thompson, John R.; Stefansson, Kari; Roberts, Robert; Thorsteinsdottir, Unnur; O’Donnell, Christopher J.; McPherson, Ruth; Erdmann, Jeanette; Samani, Nilesh J.

2011-01-01

We performed a meta-analysis of 14 genome-wide association studies of coronary artery disease (CAD) comprising 22,233 cases and 64,762 controls of European descent, followed by genotyping of top association signals in 60,738 additional individuals. This genomic analysis identified 13 novel loci harboring one or more SNPs that were associated with CAD at P<5×10−8 and confirmed the association of 10 of 12 previously reported CAD loci. The 13 novel loci displayed risk allele frequencies ranging from 0.13 to 0.91 and were associated with a 6 to 17 percent increase in the risk of CAD per allele. Notably, only three of the novel loci displayed significant association with traditional CAD risk factors, while the majority lie in gene regions not previously implicated in the pathogenesis of CAD. Finally, five of the novel CAD risk loci appear to have pleiotropic effects, showing strong association with various other human diseases or traits. PMID:21378990

Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid in Whole Blood Are Differentially and Sex-Specifically Associated with Cardiometabolic Risk Markers in 8–11-Year-Old Danish Children

PubMed Central

Damsgaard, Camilla T.; Eidner, Maj B.; Stark, Ken D.; Hjorth, Mads F.; Sjödin, Anders; Andersen, Malene R.; Andersen, Rikke; Tetens, Inge; Astrup, Arne; Michaelsen, Kim F.; Lauritzen, Lotte

2014-01-01

n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids improve cardiovascular risk markers in adults. These effects may differ between eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20∶5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22∶6n-3), but we lack evidence in children. Using baseline data from the OPUS School Meal Study we 1) investigated associations between EPA and DHA in whole blood and early cardiometabolic risk markers in 713 children aged 8–11 years and 2) explored potential mediation through waist circumference and physical activity and potential dietary confounding. We collected data on parental education, pubertal stage, 7-day dietary records, physical activity by accelerometry and measured anthropometry, blood pressure, and heart rate. Blood samples were analyzed for whole blood fatty acid composition, cholesterols, triacylglycerol, insulin resistance by the homeostatic model of assessment (HOMA-IR), and inflammatory markers. Whole blood EPA was associated with a 2.7 mmHg (95% CI 0.4; 5.1) higher diastolic blood pressure per weight% EPA, but only in boys. Heart rate was negatively associated with both EPA and DHA status (P = 0.02 and P = 0.002, respectively). Whole blood EPA was negatively associated with triacylglycerol (P = 0.003) and positively with total cholesterol, low density and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and HDL:triacylglycerol (all P<0.01) whereas DHA was negatively associated with insulin and HOMA-IR (P = 0.003) and tended to be negatively associated with a metabolic syndrome-score (P = 0.05). Adjustment for waist circumference and physical activity did not change the associations. The association between DHA and HOMA-IR was attenuated but remained after adjustment for fiber intake and none of the other associations were confounded by dietary fat, protein, fiber or energy intake. This study showed that EPA status was negatively associated with triacylglycerol and positively with cholesterols whereas DHA was negatively associated with insulin resistance, and both were inversely associated with heart rate in children. The sex-specific associations with blood pressure confirm our previous findings and warrant further investigation. PMID:25330302

Single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with thermoregulation in lactating dairy cows exposed to heat stress.

PubMed

Dikmen, S; Wang, X-z; Ortega, M S; Cole, J B; Null, D J; Hansen, P J

2015-12-01

Dairy cows with increased rectal temperature experience lower milk yield and fertility. Rectal temperature during heat stress is heritable, so genetic selection for body temperature regulation could reduce effects of heat stress on production. One aim of the study was to validate the relationship between genotype and heat tolerance for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) previously associated with resistance to heat stress. A second aim was to identify new SNPs associated with heat stress resistance. Thermotolerance was assessed in lactating Holsteins during the summer by measuring rectal temperature (a direct measurement of body temperature regulation; n = 435), respiration rate (an indirect measurement of body temperature regulation, n = 450) and sweating rate (the major evaporative cooling mechanism in cattle, n = 455). The association between genotype and thermotolerance was evaluated for 19 SNPs previously associated with rectal temperature from a genomewide analysis study (GWAS), four SNPs previously associated with change in milk yield during heat stress from GWAS, 2 candidate gene SNPs previously associated with rectal temperature and respiration rate during heat stress (ATPA1A and HSP70A) and 66 SNPs in genes previously shown to be associated with reproduction, production or health traits in Holsteins. For SNPs previously associated with heat tolerance, regions of BTA4, BTA6 and BTA24 were associated with rectal temperature; regions of BTA6 and BTA24 were associated with respiration rate; and regions of BTA5, BTA26 and BTA29 were associated with sweating rate. New SNPs were identified for rectal temperature (n = 12), respiration rate (n = 8) and sweating rate (n = 3) from among those previously associated with production, reproduction or health traits. The SNP that explained the most variation were PGR and ASL for rectal temperature, ACAT2 and HSD17B7 for respiration rate, and ARL6IP1 and SERPINE2 for sweating rate. ARL6IP1 was associated with all three thermotolerance traits. In conclusion, specific genetic markers responsible for genetic variation in thermoregulation during heat stress in Holsteins were identified. These markers may prove useful in genetic selection for heat tolerance in Holstein cattle. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Influence of Urbanicity and County Characteristics on the Association between Ozone and Asthma Emergency Department Visits in North Carolina

PubMed Central

Rappold, Ana G.; Davis, J. Allen; Richardson, David B.; Waller, Anna E.; Luben, Thomas J.

2014-01-01

Background: Air pollution epidemiologic studies, often conducted in large metropolitan areas because of proximity to regulatory monitors, are limited in their ability to examine potential associations between air pollution exposures and health effects in rural locations. Methods: Using a time-stratified case-crossover framework, we examined associations between asthma emergency department (ED) visits in North Carolina (2006–2008), collected by a surveillance system, and short-term ozone (O3) exposures using predicted concentrations from the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. We estimated associations by county groupings based on four urbanicity classifications (representative of county size and urban proximity) and county health. Results: O3 was associated with asthma ED visits in all-year and warm season (April–October) analyses [odds ratio (OR) = 1.019; 95% CI: 0.998, 1.040; OR = 1.020; 95% CI: 0.997, 1.044, respectively, for a 20-ppb increase in lag 0–2 days O3]. The association was strongest in Less Urbanized counties, with no evidence of a positive association in Rural counties. Associations were similar when adjusted for fine particulate matter in copollutant models. Associations were stronger for children (5–17 years of age) compared with other age groups, and for individuals living in counties identified with poorer health status compared with counties that had the highest health rankings, although estimated associations for these subgroups had larger uncertainty. Conclusions: Associations between short-term O3 exposures and asthma ED visits differed by overall county health and urbanicity, with stronger associations in Less Urbanized counties, and no positive association in Rural counties. Results also suggest that children are at increased risk of O3-related respiratory effects. Citation: Sacks JD, Rappold AG, Davis JA Jr, Richardson DB, Waller AE, Luben TJ. 2014. Influence of urbanicity and county characteristics on the association between ozone and asthma emergency department visits in North Carolina. Environ Health Perspect 122:506–512; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1306940 PMID:24569869

Height, adiposity and body fat distribution and breast density in young women.

PubMed

Dorgan, Joanne F; Klifa, Catherine; Shepherd, John A; Egleston, Brian L; Kwiterovich, Peter O; Himes, John H; Gabriel, Kelley; Horn, Linda; Snetselaar, Linda G; Stevens, Victor J; Barton, Bruce A; Robson, Alan M; Lasser, Norman L; Deshmukh, Snehal; Hylton, Nola M

2012-07-13

Breast density is one of the strongest risk factors for breast cancer, but determinants of breast density in young women remain largely unknown. Associations of height, adiposity and body fat distribution with percentage dense breast volume (%DBV) and absolute dense breast volume (ADBV) were evaluated in a cross-sectional study of 174 healthy women, 25 to 29 years old. Adiposity and body fat distribution were measured by anthropometry and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), while %DBV and ADBV were measured by magnetic resonance imaging. Associations were evaluated using linear mixed-effects models. All tests of statistical significance are two-sided. Height was significantly positively associated with %DBV but not ADBV; for each standard deviation (SD) increase in height, %DBV increased by 18.7% in adjusted models. In contrast, all measures of adiposity and body fat distribution were significantly inversely associated with %DBV; a SD increase in body mass index (BMI), percentage fat mass, waist circumference and the android:gynoid fat mass ratio (A:G ratio) was each associated significantly with a 44.4 to 47.0% decrease in %DBV after adjustment for childhood BMI and other covariates. Although associations were weaker than for %DBV, all measures of adiposity and body fat distribution also were significantly inversely associated with ADBV before adjustment for childhood BMI. After adjustment for childhood BMI, however, only the DXA measures of percentage fat mass and A:G ratio remained significant; a SD increase in each was associated with a 13.8 to 19.6% decrease in ADBV. In mutually adjusted analysis, the percentage fat mass and the A:G ratio remained significantly inversely associated with %DBV, but only the A:G ratio was significantly associated with ADBV; a SD increase in the A:G ratio was associated with an 18.5% decrease in ADBV. Total adiposity and body fat distribution are independently inversely associated with %DBV, whereas in mutually adjusted analysis only body fat distribution (A:G ratio) remained significantly inversely associated with ADBV in young women. Research is needed to identify biological mechanisms underlying these associations.

Cross-sectional associations between maternal parenting styles, physical activity and screen sedentary time in children.

PubMed

Van der Geest, K E; Mérelle, S Y M; Rodenburg, G; Van de Mheen, D; Renders, C M

2017-09-29

Children's activity level, including physical activity (PA) and screen sedentary time (SST), is influenced by environmental factors in which parents play a critical role. Different types of parenting styles may influence children's activity level. Inconsistent results were found on the association between parenting styles and PA, and few studies tested the association between parenting styles and SST. This study examined the association between parenting styles, PA and SST and the modifying effect of children's gender and maternal educational level on these associations. Cross-sectional data were collected from parents of children aged 8-11 years old who completed a web-based non-standardized questionnaire (N = 4047). Since 85% of the questionnaires were filled in by mothers, parenting styles are mainly reported by mothers. Multiple linear regression techniques were used to assess the associations between parenting styles (authoritative, permissive, authoritarian and neglectful), and PA and SST (mean min/day). The modifying effect of children's gender and maternal educational level on these associations was explored. P values ≤.0125 were considered as statistically significant based on the Bonferroni correction for four primary analyses. The neglectful parenting style was most widely used (35.3%), while the authoritarian style was least common (14.8%). No significant association was found between parenting styles and PA level. As regards SST, an authoritative parenting style was significantly associated with lower SST in boys while a neglectful parenting style was significantly associated with higher SST in both boys and girls. When the mother had a medium educational level, an authoritative parenting style was significantly associated with lower SST while neglectful parenting was significantly associated with higher SST. No association was found between parenting styles and PA. However, an authoritative parenting style was associated with a reduction in SST and a neglectful parenting style with an increase in SST, especially in boys and in children whose mother had a medium education level. Future studies of parenting practices are needed to gain more insight into the role of parents in children's PA and SST levels, as a basis for the development of interventions tailored to support parents in stimulating PA and reducing SST in children.

Risk factors for hospital-associated venous thromboembolism in critically ill children following cardiothoracic surgery or therapeutic cardiac catheterisation.

PubMed

Atchison, Christie M; Amankwah, Ernest; Wilhelm, Jean; Arlikar, Shilpa; Branchford, Brian R; Stock, Arabela; Streiff, Michael; Takemoto, Clifford; Ayala, Irmel; Everett, Allen; Stapleton, Gary; Jacobs, Marshall L; Jacobs, Jeffrey P; Goldenberg, Neil A

2018-02-01

Paediatric hospital-associated venous thromboembolism is a leading quality and safety concern at children's hospitals. The aim of this study was to determine risk factors for hospital-associated venous thromboembolism in critically ill children following cardiothoracic surgery or therapeutic cardiac catheterisation. We conducted a retrospective, case-control study of children admitted to the cardiovascular intensive care unit at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital (St. Petersburg, Florida, United States of America) from 2006 to 2013. Hospital-associated venous thromboembolism cases were identified based on ICD-9 discharge codes and validated using radiological record review. We randomly selected two contemporaneous cardiovascular intensive care unit controls without hospital-associated venous thromboembolism for each hospital-associated venous thromboembolism case, and limited the study population to patients who had undergone cardiothoracic surgery or therapeutic cardiac catheterisation. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for associations between putative risk factors and hospital-associated venous thromboembolism were determined using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Among 2718 admissions to the cardiovascular intensive care unit during the study period, 65 met the criteria for hospital-associated venous thromboembolism (occurrence rate, 2%). Restriction to cases and controls having undergone the procedures of interest yielded a final study population of 57 hospital-associated venous thromboembolism cases and 76 controls. In a multiple logistic regression model, major infection (odds ratio=5.77, 95% confidence interval=1.06-31.4), age ⩽1 year (odds ratio=6.75, 95% confidence interval=1.13-160), and central venous catheterisation (odds ratio=7.36, 95% confidence interval=1.13-47.8) were found to be statistically significant independent risk factors for hospital-associated venous thromboembolism in these children. Patients with all three factors had a markedly increased post-test probability of having hospital-associated venous thromboembolism. Major infection, infancy, and central venous catheterisation are independent risk factors for hospital-associated venous thromboembolism in critically ill children following cardiothoracic surgery or cardiac catheter-based intervention, which, in combination, define a high-risk group for hospital-associated venous thromboembolism.

Dietary ascorbic acid and subsequent change in body weight and waist circumference: associations may depend on genetic predisposition to obesity - a prospective study of three independent cohorts

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Cross-sectional data suggests that a low level of plasma ascorbic acid positively associates with both Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Circumference (WC). This leads to questions about a possible relationship between dietary intake of ascorbic acid and subsequent changes in anthropometry, and whether such associations may depend on genetic predisposition to obesity. Hence, we examined whether dietary ascorbic acid, possibly in interaction with the genetic predisposition to a high BMI, WC or waist-hip ratio adjusted for BMI (WHR), associates with subsequent annual changes in weight (∆BW) and waist circumference (∆WC). Methods A total of 7,569 participants’ from MONICA, the Diet Cancer and Health study and the INTER99 study were included in the study. We combined 50 obesity associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in four genetic scores: a score of all SNPs and a score for each of the traits (BMI, WC and WHR) with which the SNPs associate. Linear regression was used to examine the association between ascorbic acid intake and ΔBW or ΔWC. SNP-score × ascorbic acid interactions were examined by adding product terms to the models. Results We found no significant associations between dietary ascorbic acid and ∆BW or ∆WC. Regarding SNP-score × ascorbic acid interactions, each additional risk allele of the 14 WHR associated SNPs associated with a ∆WC of 0.039 cm/year (P = 0.02, 95% CI: 0.005 to 0.073) per 100 mg/day higher ascorbic acid intake. However, the association to ∆WC only remained borderline significant after adjustment for ∆BW. Conclusion In general, our study does not support an association between dietary ascorbic acid and ∆BW or ∆WC, but a diet with a high content of ascorbic acid may be weakly associated to higher WC gain among people who are genetically predisposed to a high WHR. However, given the quite limited association any public health relevance is questionable. PMID:24886192

Self-efficacy, pros, and cons as variables associated with adjacent stages of change for regular exercise in Japanese college students.

PubMed

Horiuchi, Satoshi; Tsuda, Akira; Kobayashi, Hisanori; Fallon, Elizabeth A; Sakano, Yuji

2017-07-01

This study examined self-efficacy (confidence to exercise), pros (exercise's advantages), and cons (exercise's disadvantages) as variables associated across the transtheoretical model's six stages of change in 403 Japanese college students. A series of logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results showed that higher pros and lower cons were associated with being in contemplation compared to precontemplation. Lower cons were associated with being in preparation compared to contemplation. Higher self-efficacy was associated with being in action compared to preparation as well as being in maintenance compared to action. Lower cons were associated with being in termination compared to maintenance.

Implicit and explicit attitudes towards conventional and complementary and alternative medicine treatments: Introduction of an Implicit Association Test.

PubMed

Green, James A; Hohmann, Cynthia; Lister, Kelsi; Albertyn, Riani; Bradshaw, Renee; Johnson, Christine

2016-06-01

This study examined associations between anticipated future health behaviour and participants' attitudes. Three Implicit Association Tests were developed to assess safety, efficacy and overall attitude. They were used to examine preference associations between conventional versus complementary and alternative medicine among 186 participants. A structural equation model suggested only a single implicit association, rather than three separate domains. However, this single implicit association predicted additional variance in anticipated future use of complementary and alternative medicine beyond explicit. Implicit measures should give further insight into motivation for complementary and alternative medicine use. © The Author(s) 2014.

[Not Available].

PubMed

Medina, Yves

2015-01-01

To date, work on health democracy has never dealt with relationships between patient associations and the pharmaceutical industry. The emergence of a genuine health citizenship depends, however, to a great extent on the quality of such a relationship. This communication, which is based on a survey of 1742 patient associations and 270 French-pharmaceutical companies, conducted by BVA upon request of the Ethics Commitee of the French association of pharmaceutical companies (CODEEM) highlights the significance of the ethical issues. Beyond the financial issue, the relationship between patient associations and pharmaceutical companies raises the issue of associations governance, and reveals the limits of "association expertise" but also a high expectations for effective partnerships.

[Fetal atrioventricular septal defect associated with Patau and Edwards syndromes, as well as trisomy 22].

PubMed

Cesko, I; Hajdú, J; Marton, T; Tóth-Pál, E; Papp, C; Papp, Z

1998-05-03

The atrioventricular septal defect is usually associated with trisomy 21 and it may be observed in the heterotaxia syndromes. Atrioventricular septal defect may be associated with 8p deletion. There are reported cases of familial atrioventricular septal defect. Atrioventicular septal defect is rarely associated with other chromosomal abnormalities. We are reporting three unusual cases of atrioventricular septal defect that were associated with trisomy 13, 18 and 22. This association may be due to effect of genetic loci on the 13, 18 and 22 chromosome which could play the role in the development and fusion of endocardial cushion and atrioventricular septal defect.

Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Autoantibody Associated Systemic Vasculitis Is Associated with Epstein - Barr virus in the Setting of HIV Infection.

PubMed

Mirsaeidi, Mehdi; Syed, Fatima; Jaffe, Elaine S

2013-01-01

EBV has been a leading candidate as a trigger for several autoimmune diseases. We describe an antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA) -associated systemic vasculitis as the initial presenting illness of AIDS. The patient was diagnosed ANCA -associated systemic vasculitis in the setting of HIV infection because of a high level of ANCA level, crescent glomerulonephritis in pathology, and clinical signs and symptoms compatible with systemic vasculitis. He also had HIV associated lymphadenopathy with scattered. EBV-RNA positive cells and reactive germinal centers. EBV genome was found in reactive lymph nodes and, therefore, may be associated with the immunopathogenesis of vasculitis.

Compass: a hybrid method for clinical and biobank data mining.

PubMed

Krysiak-Baltyn, K; Nordahl Petersen, T; Audouze, K; Jørgensen, Niels; Angquist, L; Brunak, S

2014-02-01

We describe a new method for identification of confident associations within large clinical data sets. The method is a hybrid of two existing methods; Self-Organizing Maps and Association Mining. We utilize Self-Organizing Maps as the initial step to reduce the search space, and then apply Association Mining in order to find association rules. We demonstrate that this procedure has a number of advantages compared to traditional Association Mining; it allows for handling numerical variables without a priori binning and is able to generate variable groups which act as "hotspots" for statistically significant associations. We showcase the method on infertility-related data from Danish military conscripts. The clinical data we analyzed contained both categorical type questionnaire data and continuous variables generated from biological measurements, including missing values. From this data set, we successfully generated a number of interesting association rules, which relate an observation with a specific consequence and the p-value for that finding. Additionally, we demonstrate that the method can be used on non-clinical data containing chemical-disease associations in order to find associations between different phenotypes, such as prostate cancer and breast cancer. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association Between Substance Use and Gun-Related Behaviors

PubMed Central

Chen, Danhong; Wu, Li-Tzy

2016-01-01

Gun-related violence is a public health concern. This study synthesizes findings on associations between substance use and gun-related behaviors. Searches through PubMed, Embase, and PsycINFO located 66 studies published in English between 1992 and 2014. Most studies found a significant bivariate association between substance use and increased odds of gun-related behaviors. However, their association after adjustment was mixed, which could be attributed to a number of factors such as variations in definitions of substance use and gun activity, study design, sample demographics, and the specific covariates considered. Fewer studies identified a significant association between substance use and gun access/possession than other gun activities. The significant association between nonsubstance covariates (e.g., demographic covariates and other behavioral risk factors) and gun-related behaviors might have moderated the association between substance use and gun activities. Particularly, the strength of association between substance use and gun activities tended to reduce appreciably or to become nonsignificant after adjustment for mental disorders. Some studies indicated a positive association between the frequency of substance use and the odds of engaging in gun-related behaviors. Overall, the results suggest a need to consider substance use in research and prevention programs for gun-related violence. PMID:26769722

The Dark Triad and the PID-5 Maladaptive Personality Traits: Accuracy, Confidence and Response Bias in Judgments of Veracity.

PubMed

Wissing, Benno G; Reinhard, Marc-André

2017-01-01

The Dark Triad traits-narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy-have been found to be associated with intra- or interpersonal deception production frequency. This cross-sectional study ( N = 207) investigated if the Dark Triad traits are also associated with deception detection accuracy, as implicated by the recent conception of a deception-general ability. To investigate associations between maladaptive personality space and deception, the PID-5 maladaptive personality traits were included to investigate if besides Machiavellianism, Detachment is negatively associated with response bias. Finally, associations between the Dark Triad traits, Antagonism, Negative Affectivity and confidence judgments were investigated. Participants watched videos of lying vs. truth-telling senders and judged the truthfulness of the statements. None of the Dark Triad traits was found to be associated with the ability to detect deception. Detachment was negatively associated with response bias. Psychopathy was associated with global confidence judgments. The results provide additional support that dark and maladaptive personality traits are associated with judgmental biases but not with accuracy in deception detection. The internal consistencies of 4 of the 8 subscales of the used personality short scales were only low and nearly sufficient (αs =0.65-0.69).

The association between peripheral total IGF-1, IGFBP-3, and IGF-1/IGFBP-3 and functional and cognitive outcomes in the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging.

PubMed

Wennberg, Alexandra M V; Hagen, Clinton E; Machulda, Mary M; Hollman, John H; Roberts, Rosebud O; Knopman, David S; Petersen, Ronald C; Mielke, Michelle M

2018-06-01

Levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, IGF-binding protein (IGFBP)-3, and their ratio in the blood may be useful for monitoring those at risk of cognitive and functional decline. However, the association between IGF measures and functional and cognitive outcomes has been mixed, and the associations may vary by sex. The present study investigated the cross-sectional, sex-specific associations between serum measures total IGF-1, IGFBP-3, and the IGF-1/IGFBP-3 ratio, gait speed, and cognition in 1320 cognitively unimpaired participants aged 50-95 years enrolled in the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging. We used multivariable linear regression models to determine the association between IGF measures and gait speed or cognitive test performance by sex. IGF measures were not associated with cognitive or functional performance among men. Among women, higher levels of log total IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 were associated with better performance in attention, visuospatial, and global cognitive domains, independent of the gait speed. These findings suggest that among women, IGF measures are associated with cognition, and these associations are independent of function. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Microbiome Networks: A Systems Framework for Identifying Candidate Microbial Assemblages for Disease Management.

PubMed

Poudel, R; Jumpponen, A; Schlatter, D C; Paulitz, T C; Gardener, B B McSpadden; Kinkel, L L; Garrett, K A

2016-10-01

Network models of soil and plant microbiomes provide new opportunities for enhancing disease management, but also challenges for interpretation. We present a framework for interpreting microbiome networks, illustrating how observed network structures can be used to generate testable hypotheses about candidate microbes affecting plant health. The framework includes four types of network analyses. "General network analysis" identifies candidate taxa for maintaining an existing microbial community. "Host-focused analysis" includes a node representing a plant response such as yield, identifying taxa with direct or indirect associations with that node. "Pathogen-focused analysis" identifies taxa with direct or indirect associations with taxa known a priori as pathogens. "Disease-focused analysis" identifies taxa associated with disease. Positive direct or indirect associations with desirable outcomes, or negative associations with undesirable outcomes, indicate candidate taxa. Network analysis provides characterization not only of taxa with direct associations with important outcomes such as disease suppression, biofertilization, or expression of plant host resistance, but also taxa with indirect associations via their association with other key taxa. We illustrate the interpretation of network structure with analyses of microbiomes in the oak phyllosphere, and in wheat rhizosphere and bulk soil associated with the presence or absence of infection by Rhizoctonia solani.

Association mapping for yield and grain quality traits in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Association analysis was applied to a panel of accessions of Embrapa Rice Core Collection (ERiCC) with 86 SSR and field data from two experiments. A clear subdivision between lowland and upland accessions was apparent, thereby indicating the presence of population structure. Thirty-two accessions with admixed ancestry were identified through structure analysis, these being discarded from association analysis, thus leaving 210 accessions subdivided into two panels. The association of yield and grain-quality traits with SSR was undertaken with a mixed linear model, with markers and subpopulation as fixed factors, and kinship matrix as a random factor. Eight markers from the two appraised panels showed significant association with four different traits, although only one (RM190) maintained the marker-trait association across years and cultivation. The significant association detected between amylose content and RM190 was in agreement with previous QTL analyses in the literature. Herein, the feasibility of undertaking association analysis in conjunction with germplasm characterization was demonstrated, even when considering low marker density. The high linkage disequilibrium expected in rice lines and cultivars facilitates the detection of marker-trait associations for implementing marker assisted selection, and the mining of alleles related to important traits in germplasm. PMID:21637426

Efficient genome-wide association in biobanks using topic modeling identifies multiple novel disease loci.

PubMed

McCoy, Thomas H; Castro, Victor M; Snapper, Leslie A; Hart, Kamber L; Perlis, Roy H

2017-08-31

Biobanks and national registries represent a powerful tool for genomic discovery, but rely on diagnostic codes that may be unreliable and fail to capture the relationship between related diagnoses. We developed an efficient means of conducting genome-wide association studies using combinations of diagnostic codes from electronic health records (EHR) for 10845 participants in a biobanking program at two large academic medical centers. Specifically, we applied latent Dirichilet allocation to fit 50 disease topics based on diagnostic codes, then conducted genome-wide common-variant association for each topic. In sensitivity analysis, these results were contrasted with those obtained from traditional single-diagnosis phenome-wide association analysis, as well as those in which only a subset of diagnostic codes are included per topic. In meta-analysis across three biobank cohorts, we identified 23 disease-associated loci with p<1e-15, including previously associated autoimmune disease loci. In all cases, observed significant associations were of greater magnitude than for single phenome-wide diagnostic codes, and incorporation of less strongly-loading diagnostic codes enhanced association. This strategy provides a more efficient means of phenome-wide association in biobanks with coded clinical data.

Efficient Genome-wide Association in Biobanks Using Topic Modeling Identifies Multiple Novel Disease Loci

PubMed Central

McCoy, Thomas H; Castro, Victor M; Snapper, Leslie A; Hart, Kamber L; Perlis, Roy H

2017-01-01

Biobanks and national registries represent a powerful tool for genomic discovery, but rely on diagnostic codes that can be unreliable and fail to capture relationships between related diagnoses. We developed an efficient means of conducting genome-wide association studies using combinations of diagnostic codes from electronic health records for 10,845 participants in a biobanking program at two large academic medical centers. Specifically, we applied latent Dirichilet allocation to fit 50 disease topics based on diagnostic codes, then conducted a genome-wide common-variant association for each topic. In sensitivity analysis, these results were contrasted with those obtained from traditional single-diagnosis phenome-wide association analysis, as well as those in which only a subset of diagnostic codes were included per topic. In meta-analysis across three biobank cohorts, we identified 23 disease-associated loci with p < 1e-15, including previously associated autoimmune disease loci. In all cases, observed significant associations were of greater magnitude than single phenome-wide diagnostic codes, and incorporation of less strongly loading diagnostic codes enhanced association. This strategy provides a more efficient means of identifying phenome-wide associations in biobanks with coded clinical data. PMID:28861588

The importance of unitization for familiarity-based learning.

PubMed

Parks, Colleen M; Yonelinas, Andrew P

2015-05-01

It is often assumed that recollection is necessary to support memory for novel associations, whereas familiarity supports memory for single items. However, the levels of unitization framework assumes that familiarity can support associative memory under conditions in which the components of an association are unitized (i.e., treated as a single coherent item). In the current study we tested two critical assumptions of this framework. First, does unitization reflect a specialized form of learning or is it simply a form of semantic or elaborative encoding, and, second, can the beneficial effects of unitization on familiarity be observed for across-domain associations or are they limited to creating new associations between items that are from the same stimulus domains? Unitization was found to increase associative recognition but not item recognition. It affected familiarity more than recollection, increased associative but not item priming, and was dissociable from levels of processing effects. Moreover, unitization effects were found to be particularly effective in supporting face-word and fractal-sound pairs. The current results indicate that unitization reflects a specialized form of learning that supports associative familiarity of within- and across-domain associations. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Longitudinal Association between Prostatitis and Development of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

PubMed Central

St. Sauver, Jennifer L.; Jacobson, Debra J.; McGree, Michaela E.; Girman, Cynthia J.; Lieber, Michael M.; Jacobsen, Steven J.

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVES To determine whether physician-diagnosed prostatitis was associated with later development of development of BPH-associated events in a longitudinal, population-based sample of 2447 men residing in Olmsted County, Minnesota. METHODS Medical records were reviewed for physician diagnosis of prostatitis and subsequent diagnoses of BPH, enlarged prostate, prostatism, and acute urinary retention. Records were also reviewed for medical or surgical treatments for BPH. Odds ratios were calculated to assess the associations between physician-diagnosed prostatitis and later development of development of BPH-associated events. RESULTS Physician-diagnosed prostatitis was associated with a 2.4-fold increased odds of receiving a later diagnosis of prostatism, enlarged prostate, or BPH (OR: 2.44, 95% CI: 1.48, 4.01). Prostatitis was also associated with a 70% increased odds of requiring later treatment for BPH (OR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.28, 2.22), and a non-significant increased odds of acute urinary retention (OR: 1.33, 95% CI: 0.89, 1.99). CONCLUSIONS Physician-diagnosed prostatitis was associated with an increased risk of later onset of several BPH-associated events. Physician-diagnosed prostatitis may therefore be an early marker or a risk factor for development of later prostatic or urologic problems. PMID:18342190

Association between allergies, asthma, and breast cancer risk among women in Ontario, Canada.

PubMed

Lowcock, Elizabeth C; Cotterchio, Michelle; Ahmad, Noor

2013-05-01

To investigate the association between allergies, asthma, and breast cancer risk in a large, population-based case-control study. Breast cancer cases (n = 3,101) were identified using the Ontario Cancer Registry and population controls (n = 3,471) through random digit dialing. Self-reported histories of allergies, hay fever, and asthma were collected by questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to assess associations between breast cancer risk and history of allergy/hay fever and asthma, with 16 possible confounders examined. Analyses were stratified by menopausal status. A history of allergies or hay fever was associated with a small reduction in breast cancer risk [age-adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.86, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.77-0.96] and did not differ by menopausal status. Asthma was not associated with breast cancer risk overall; however, among premenopausal women, asthma was associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer (AOR = 0.72, 95 % CI 0.54-0.97). A history of allergies may be associated with a modest reduction in breast cancer risk. Asthma does not appear to be associated with breast cancer risk overall; however, asthma may be associated with reduced breast cancer risk among premenopausal women.

Association between genetic variants of the clock gene and obesity and sleep duration.

PubMed

Valladares, Macarena; Obregón, Ana María; Chaput, Jean-Philippe

2015-12-01

Obesity is a multifactorial disease caused by the interaction of genetic and environmental factors related to lifestyle aspects. It has been shown that reduced sleep is associated with increased body mass index (BMI). Circadian Locomotor Output Cycles Kaput (CLOCK) gene variants have also been associated with obesity. The objective of this mini-review was to discuss the available literature related to CLOCK gene variants associated with adiposity and sleep duration in humans. In total, 16 articles complied with the terms of the search that reported CLOCK variants associated with sleep duration, energy intake, and BMI. Overall, six CLOCK single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been associated with sleep duration, and three variants have been associated with energy intake variables. Overall, the most studied area has been the association of CLOCK gene with obesity; close to eight common variants have been associated with obesity. The most studied CLOCK SNP in different populations is rs1801260, and most of these populations correspond to European populations. Collectively, identifying at risk CLOCK genotypes is a new area of research that may help identify individuals who are more susceptible to overeating and gaining weight when exposed to short sleep durations.

Sensation Seeking and Online Gaming Addiction in Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model of Positive Affective Associations and Impulsivity.

PubMed

Hu, Jianping; Zhen, Shuangju; Yu, Chengfu; Zhang, Qiuyan; Zhang, Wei

2017-01-01

Based on the Dual Systems Model (Somerville et al., 2010; Steinberg, 2010a) and the biosocial-affect model (Romer and Hennessy, 2007) of adolescent sensation seeking and problem behaviors, the present study examined how (affective associations with online games as a mediator) and when (impulsivity as a moderator) did sensation seeking influence online gaming addiction in adolescence. A total of 375 Chinese male adolescents (mean age = 16.02 years, SD = 0.85) from southern China completed anonymous questionnaires regarding sensation seeking, positive affective associations with online games, impulsivity, and online gaming addiction. Our findings revealed that sensation seeking, positive affective associations with online games and impulsivity were each significantly and positively associated with online gaming addiction in adolescents. Positive affective associations mediated the relationship between sensation seeking and online gaming addiction. Further, impulsivity moderated the relationship between positive affective associations and online gaming addiction, such that the association between positive affective association and online gaming addiction was stronger for high than for low impulsivity adolescents. These findings underscore the importance of integrating the biosocial-affect model and the Dual Systems Model to understand how and when sensation seeking impacts adolescent online gaming addiction.

A systematic review investigating associations between parenting style and child feeding behaviours.

PubMed

Collins, C; Duncanson, K; Burrows, T

2014-12-01

A direct association between parenting style and child feeding behaviours has not been established. This review explores whether an authoritative, authoritarian or permissive parenting style is associated with parental pressure to eat, responsibility, monitoring or restriction of child dietary intake. A search of eight electronic health databases was conducted. Inclusion criteria were children aged <12 years, published between 1975 and 2012, measured and reported associations between parenting style and child feeding behaviours. Seven studies (n = 1845) were identified in the review. An authoritarian parenting style was associated with pressuring a child to eat and having restrictive parental food behaviours. Authoritative parenting was associated with parental monitoring of child food intake. A permissive parenting style was inversely related to monitoring of child dietary intake. Parenting styles showed only weak to moderate associations with individual domains of child feeding. The most consistent relationship found was a negative association between permissive parenting and monitoring for both mothers and fathers in two studies. Progress in this field could be achieved by conducting studies targeting fathers and culturally diverse populations, and development of a tool which could reflect overall child feeding behaviour rather than individual domains. © 2014 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

Associations of wintering birds with habitat in semidesert and plains grasslands in Arizona

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ruth, Janet M.; Stanley, Thomas R.; Gordon, Caleb E.

2014-01-01

We studied associations with winter habitat for seven species of birds, one species-group (eastern and western meadowlarks combined), and total sparrows at seven sites in the semidesert and plains grasslands of southeastern Arizona from 1999–2001, sampling with mist-nets and survey-transects. We measured structure and composition of vegetation, assessing vegetative differences among sites, and modeled associations between indices of avian abundance and six vegetative variables using generalized linear models. For all vegetative variables, there were significant differences among sites. Numbers of northern harriers (Circus cyaneus) were positively associated with total number of sparrows. Indices of abundance for individual species of birds were statistically correlated with various measures of structure and composition of vegetation. In particular, grasshopper (Ammodramus savannarum) and vesper (Pooecetes gramineus) sparrows were negatively associated with amount of bare ground; horned larks (Eremophila alpestris) were negatively associated with vertical grass density; Baird's sparrows (A. bairdii) were negatively associated with shrub density; meadowlarks (Sturnella magna and S. neglecta combined) were positively associated with native grass. Our results suggest that these species would benefit from management of habitat that affects the vegetative characteristics associated with their abundance.

Infant EEG and temperament negative affectivity: Coherence of vulnerabilities to mothers' perinatal depression.

PubMed

Lusby, Cara M; Goodman, Sherryl H; Yeung, Ellen W; Bell, Martha Ann; Stowe, Zachary N

2016-11-01

Associations between infants' frontal EEG asymmetry and temperamental negative affectivity (NA) across infants' first year of life and the potential moderating role of maternal prenatal depressive symptoms were examined prospectively in infants (n = 242) of mothers at elevated risk for perinatal depression. In predicting EEG, in the context of high prenatal depressive symptoms, infant NA and frontal EEG asymmetry were negatively associated at 3 months of age and positively associated by 12 months of age. By contrast, for low depression mothers, infant NA and EEG were not significantly associated at any age. Postnatal depressive symptoms did not add significantly to the models. Dose of infants' exposure to maternal depression mattered: infants exposed either pre- or postnatally shifted from a positive association at 3 months to a negative association at 12 months; those exposed both pre- and postnatally shifted from a negative association at 3 months to a positive association at 12 months. Prenatal relative to postnatal exposure did not matter for patterns of association between NA and EEG. The findings highlight the importance of exploring how vulnerabilities at two levels of analysis, behavioral and psychophysiological, co-occur over the course of infancy and in the context of mothers' depressive symptomatology.

Pleiotropic analysis of cancer risk loci on esophageal adenocarcinoma risk

PubMed Central

Lee, Eunjung; Stram, Daniel O.; Ek, Weronica E.; Onstad, Lynn E; MacGregor, Stuart; Gharahkhani, Puya; Ye, Weimin; Lagergren, Jesper; Shaheen, Nicholas J.; Murray, Liam J.; Hardie, Laura J; Gammon, Marilie D.; Chow, Wong-Ho; Risch, Harvey A.; Corley, Douglas A.; Levine, David M; Whiteman, David C.; Bernstein, Leslie; Bird, Nigel C.; Vaughan, Thomas L.; Wu, Anna H.

2015-01-01

Background Several cancer-associated loci identified from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been associated with risks of multiple cancer sites, suggesting pleiotropic effects. We investigated whether GWAS-identified risk variants for other common cancers are associated with risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA) or its precursor, Barrett's esophagus (BE). Methods We examined the associations between risks of EA and BE and 387 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that have been associated with risks of other cancers, by using genotype imputation data on 2,163 control participants and 3,885 (1,501 EA and 2,384 BE) case patients from the Barrett's and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Genetic Susceptibility Study, and investigated effect modification by smoking history, body mass index (BMI), and reflux/heartburn. Results After correcting for multiple testing, none of the tested 387 SNPs were statistically significantly associated with risk of EA or BE. No evidence of effect modification by smoking, BMI, or reflux/heartburn was observed. Conclusions Genetic risk variants for common cancers identified from GWAS appear not to be associated with risks of EA or BE. Impact To our knowledge, this is the first investigation of pleiotropic genetic associations with risks of EA and BE. PMID:26364162

Use of Antihistamine Medications During Early Pregnancy and Isolated Major Malformations

PubMed Central

Gilboa, Suzanne M.; Strickland, Matthew J.; Olshan, Andrew F.; Werler, Martha M.; Correa, Adolfo

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND Antihistamines are commonly used during pregnancy. There is little evidence that they have teratogenic effects, but there are knowledge gaps with respect to newer products, as well as the relationship between specific antihistamines and specific birth defects. METHODS Using the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (1997-2003), the authors examined associations between maternal use of 14 antihistamines during early pregnancy and 26 isolated major birth defects. A Bayesian analysis incorporating prior knowledge about the relationships between the antihistamines, birth defects, and measured covariates was conducted. RESULTS Of the 364 associations investigated, 24 had 95% posterior intervals excluding 1.0. All 24 associations were positive; 23 associations were of weak to moderate magnitude (posterior odds ratio [OR] < 3.0) and one was strong (OR > 6.0) but very imprecise. Of the 24 associations, 20 were with non-cardiac defects. Eight associations involved the antihistamine diphenhydramine. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study generally were consistent with no association between birth defects and antihistamine use during early pregnancy. Several of the findings might warrant further investigation, although the observed elevated associations should be interpreted in the context of the number of associations investigated and the analysis of retrospective, self-reported data. PMID:19161158

Sensation Seeking and Online Gaming Addiction in Adolescents: A Moderated Mediation Model of Positive Affective Associations and Impulsivity

PubMed Central

Hu, Jianping; Zhen, Shuangju; Yu, Chengfu; Zhang, Qiuyan; Zhang, Wei

2017-01-01

Based on the Dual Systems Model (Somerville et al., 2010; Steinberg, 2010a) and the biosocial-affect model (Romer and Hennessy, 2007) of adolescent sensation seeking and problem behaviors, the present study examined how (affective associations with online games as a mediator) and when (impulsivity as a moderator) did sensation seeking influence online gaming addiction in adolescence. A total of 375 Chinese male adolescents (mean age = 16.02 years, SD = 0.85) from southern China completed anonymous questionnaires regarding sensation seeking, positive affective associations with online games, impulsivity, and online gaming addiction. Our findings revealed that sensation seeking, positive affective associations with online games and impulsivity were each significantly and positively associated with online gaming addiction in adolescents. Positive affective associations mediated the relationship between sensation seeking and online gaming addiction. Further, impulsivity moderated the relationship between positive affective associations and online gaming addiction, such that the association between positive affective association and online gaming addiction was stronger for high than for low impulsivity adolescents. These findings underscore the importance of integrating the biosocial-affect model and the Dual Systems Model to understand how and when sensation seeking impacts adolescent online gaming addiction. PMID:28529494

Associations of Adolescent Hopelessness and Self-Worth With Pregnancy Attempts and Pregnancy Desire

PubMed Central

Fedorowicz, Anna R.; Schreiner, Pamela J.; Bolland, John M.

2014-01-01

Objectives. We examined the associations of pregnancy desire (ambivalence or happiness about a pregnancy in the next year) and recent pregnancy attempts with hopelessness and self-worth among low-income adolescents. Methods. To evaluate independent associations among the study variables, we conducted gender-stratified multivariable logistic regression analyses with data derived from 2285 sexually experienced 9- to 18-year-old participants in the Mobile Youth Survey between 2006 and 2009. Results. Fifty-seven percent of youths reported a desire for pregnancy and 9% reported pregnancy attempts. In multivariable analyses, hopelessness was positively associated and self-worth was negatively associated with pregnancy attempts among both female and male youths. Hopelessness was weakly associated (P = .05) with pregnancy desire among female youths. Conclusions. The negative association of self-worth and the positive association of hopelessness with pregnancy attempts among young men as well as young women and the association of hopelessness with pregnancy desire among young women raise questions about why pregnancy is apparently valued by youths who rate their social and cognitive competence as low and who live in an environment with few options for material success. PMID:24922147

[Associative Learning between Orientation and Color in Early Visual Areas].

PubMed

Amano, Kaoru; Shibata, Kazuhisa; Kawato, Mitsuo; Sasaki, Yuka; Watanabe, Takeo

2017-08-01

Associative learning is an essential neural phenomenon where the contingency of different items increases after training. Although associative learning has been found to occur in many brain regions, there is no clear evidence that associative learning of visual features occurs in early visual areas. Here, we developed an associative decoded functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) neurofeedback (A-DecNef) to determine whether associative learning of color and orientation can be induced in early visual areas. During the three days' training, A-DecNef induced fMRI signal patterns that corresponded to a specific target color (red) mostly in early visual areas while a vertical achromatic grating was simultaneously, physically presented to participants. Consequently, participants' perception of "red" was significantly more frequently than that of "green" in an achromatic vertical grating. This effect was also observed 3 to 5 months after training. These results suggest that long-term associative learning of two different visual features such as color and orientation, was induced most likely in early visual areas. This newly extended technique that induces associative learning may be used as an important tool for understanding and modifying brain function, since associations are fundamental and ubiquitous with respect to brain function.

A Unified Framework for Association Analysis with Multiple Related Phenotypes

PubMed Central

Stephens, Matthew

2013-01-01

We consider the problem of assessing associations between multiple related outcome variables, and a single explanatory variable of interest. This problem arises in many settings, including genetic association studies, where the explanatory variable is genotype at a genetic variant. We outline a framework for conducting this type of analysis, based on Bayesian model comparison and model averaging for multivariate regressions. This framework unifies several common approaches to this problem, and includes both standard univariate and standard multivariate association tests as special cases. The framework also unifies the problems of testing for associations and explaining associations – that is, identifying which outcome variables are associated with genotype. This provides an alternative to the usual, but conceptually unsatisfying, approach of resorting to univariate tests when explaining and interpreting significant multivariate findings. The method is computationally tractable genome-wide for modest numbers of phenotypes (e.g. 5–10), and can be applied to summary data, without access to raw genotype and phenotype data. We illustrate the methods on both simulated examples, and to a genome-wide association study of blood lipid traits where we identify 18 potential novel genetic associations that were not identified by univariate analyses of the same data. PMID:23861737

The importance of unitization for familiarity-based learning

PubMed Central

Parks, Colleen M.; Yonelinas, Andrew P.

2014-01-01

It is often assumed that recollection is necessary to support memory for novel associations, whereas familiarity supports memory for single items. However, the levels of unitization (LOU) framework assumes that familiarity can support associative memory under conditions in which the components of an association are unitized (i.e., treated as a single coherent item). In the current study we test two critical assumptions of this framework. First, does unitization reflect a specialized form of learning or is it simply a form of semantic or elaborative encoding, and, second, can the beneficial effects of unitization on familiarity be observed for across-domain associations or are they limited to creating new associations between items that are from the same stimulus domains? Unitization was found to increase associative recognition but not item recognition, it affected familiarity more so than recollection, it increased associative but not item priming, and it was dissociable from levels of processing effects. Moreover, unitization effects were found to be particularly effective in supporting face-word and fractal-sound pairs. The current results indicate that unitization reflects a specialized form of learning that supports associative familiarity of within- and across-domain associations. PMID:25329077

Childhood trauma is associated with maladaptive personality traits.

PubMed

de Carvalho, Hudson W; Pereira, Rebeca; Frozi, Julia; Bisol, Luísa W; Ottoni, Gustavo L; Lara, Diogo R

2015-06-01

The association between childhood trauma and personality traits has been poorly characterized and reported. Our aim was to evaluate whether distinct types of childhood abuse and neglect are associated with various personality dimensions using data from a large web-based survey. A total of 12,225 volunteers responded anonymously to the Internet versions of the Temperament and Character Inventory-Revised (TCI-R) and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) via our research website, but only 8,114 subjects (75.7% women, mean age 34.8±11.3yrs) who met the criteria for validity were included in the analysis. Childhood trauma was positively associated with harm avoidance and was negatively associated with self-directedness and, to a lesser extent, with cooperativeness. The associations were robust with emotional abuse and neglect but were non-significant or mild with physical trauma. Emotional neglect was associated with reduced reward dependence and persistence. All types of abuse, but not neglect, were associated with increased novelty seeking scores. Reporting of childhood trauma, especially of an emotional nature, was associated with maladaptive personality traits. Further investigation of the effects of different types of childhood trauma on psychological and neurobiological parameters is warranted. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[The first official organization of traditional Chinese medicine in modern China-TCM Improvement Research Association].

PubMed

Liu, Y; Zhang, P F

2016-07-28

In modern China, most of the mass organizations of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) were civilian and established by the individuals with self support financially.The TCM Improvement Research Association of Shanxi Province was the first official TCM organization in modern China. For the purpose of ruling and recognition of TCM, Yan Xishan, the chief executive of Shanxi province, gave a full support to its creation, development, and operation of the Association with the military and political officials in the government served as part-time staff members of a few of important position in the Association. The Association was given funding and policy support by official ways. The local administrative departments cooperated with the Association affairs actively. Because of the stable organization and the abundant fund, the TCM Improvement Research Association developed quickly and steadily. As a result, the Association had been playing an important and increasing role in academic research, TCM education, medical and epidemic prevention and so on. It had become one of the great national TCM academic societies with prolonged existence. As an official Association, it was characterized with a dual property: a better foundation for development and little independency.

Associations between a polymorphism in the hydroxysteroid (11-beta) dehydrogenase 1 gene, neuroticism and postpartum depression.

PubMed

Iliadis, S I; Comasco, E; Hellgren, C; Kollia, N; Sundström Poromaa, I; Skalkidou, A

2017-01-01

This study examined the association between a single nucleotide polymorphism in the hydroxysteroid (11-beta) dehydrogenase 1 gene and neuroticism, as well as the possible mediatory role of neuroticism in the association between the polymorphism and postpartum depressive symptoms. 769 women received questionnaires containing the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at six weeks postpartum and demographic data at pregnancy week 17 and 32 and at six weeks postpartum, as well as the Swedish universities Scales of Personality at pregnancy week 32. Linear regression models showed an association between the GG genotype and depressive symptoms. When neuroticism was introduced in the model, it was associated with EPDS score, whereas the association between the GG genotype and EPDS became borderline significant. A path analysis showed that neuroticism had a mediatory role in the association between the polymorphism and EPDS score. The use of the EPDS, which is a self-reporting instrument. Neuroticism was associated with the polymorphism and had a mediatory role in the association between the polymorphism and postpartum depression. This finding elucidates the genetic background of neuroticism and postpartum depression. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Predictors of microbial agents in dust and respiratory health in the Ecrhs.

PubMed

Tischer, Christina; Zock, Jan-Paul; Valkonen, Maria; Doekes, Gert; Guerra, Stefano; Heederik, Dick; Jarvis, Deborah; Norbäck, Dan; Olivieri, Mario; Sunyer, Jordi; Svanes, Cecilie; Täubel, Martin; Thiering, Elisabeth; Verlato, Giuseppe; Hyvärinen, Anne; Heinrich, Joachim

2015-05-02

Dampness and mould exposure have been repeatedly associated with respiratory health. However, less is known about the specific agents provoking or arresting health effects in adult populations. We aimed to assess predictors of microbial agents in mattress dust throughout Europe and to investigate associations between microbial exposures, home characteristics and respiratory health. Seven different fungal and bacterial parameters were assessed in mattress dust from 956 adult ECRHS II participants in addition to interview based home characteristics. Associations between microbial parameters and the asthma score and lung function were examined using mixed negative binomial regression and linear mixed models, respectively. Indoor dampness and pet keeping were significant predictors for higher microbial agent concentrations in mattress dust. Current mould and condensation in the bedroom were significantly associated with lung function decline and current mould at home was positively associated with the asthma score. Higher concentrations of muramic acid were associated with higher mean ratios of the asthma score (aMR 1.37, 95%CI 1.17-1.61). There was no evidence for any association between fungal and bacterial components and lung function. Indoor dampness was associated with microbial levels in mattress dust which in turn was positively associated with asthma symptoms.

Predicting binary, discrete and continued lncRNA-disease associations via a unified framework based on graph regression.

PubMed

Shi, Jian-Yu; Huang, Hua; Zhang, Yan-Ning; Long, Yu-Xi; Yiu, Siu-Ming

2017-12-21

In human genomes, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have attracted more and more attention because their dysfunctions are involved in many diseases. However, the associations between lncRNAs and diseases (LDA) still remain unknown in most cases. While identifying disease-related lncRNAs in vivo is costly, computational approaches are promising to not only accelerate the possible identification of associations but also provide clues on the underlying mechanism of various lncRNA-caused diseases. Former computational approaches usually only focus on predicting new associations between lncRNAs having known associations with diseases and other lncRNA-associated diseases. They also only work on binary lncRNA-disease associations (whether the pair has an association or not), which cannot reflect and reveal other biological facts, such as the number of proteins involved in LDA or how strong the association is (i.e., the intensity of LDA). To address abovementioned issues, we propose a graph regression-based unified framework (GRUF). In particular, our method can work on lncRNAs, which have no previously known disease association and diseases that have no known association with any lncRNAs. Also, instead of only a binary answer for the association, our method tries to uncover more biological relationship between a pair of lncRNA and disease, which may provide better clues for researchers. We compared GRUF with three state-of-the-art approaches and demonstrated the superiority of GRUF, which achieves 5%~16% improvement in terms of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). GRUF also provides a predicted confidence score for the predicted LDA, which reveals the significant correlation between the score and the number of RNA-Binding Proteins involved in LDAs. Lastly, three out of top-5 LDA candidates generated by GRUF in novel prediction are verified indirectly by medical literature and known biological facts. The proposed GRUF has two advantages over existing approaches. Firstly, it can be used to work on lncRNAs that have no known disease association and diseases that have no known association with any lncRNAs. Secondly, instead of providing a binary answer (with or without association), GRUF works for both discrete and continued LDA, which help revealing the pathological implications between lncRNAs and diseases.

Association between parenting practices and children's dietary intake, activity behavior and development of body mass index: the KOALA Birth Cohort Study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Insights into the effects of energy balance-related parenting practices on children's diet and activity behavior at an early age is warranted to determine which practices should be recommended and to whom. The purpose of this study was to examine child and parent background correlates of energy balance-related parenting practices at age 5, as well as the associations of these practices with children's diet, activity behavior, and body mass index (BMI) development. Methods Questionnaire data originated from the KOALA Birth Cohort Study for ages 5 (N = 2026) and 7 (N = 1819). Linear regression analyses were used to examine the association of child and parent background characteristics with parenting practices (i.e., diet- and activity-related restriction, monitoring and stimulation), and to examine the associations between these parenting practices and children's diet (in terms of energy intake, dietary fiber intake, and added sugar intake) and activity behavior (i.e., physical activity and sedentary time) at age 5, as well as BMI development from age 5 to age 7. Moderation analyses were used to examine whether the associations between the parenting practices and child behavior depended on child characteristics. Results Several child and parent background characteristics were associated with the parenting practices. Dietary monitoring, stimulation of healthy intake and stimulation of physical activity were associated with desirable energy balance-related behaviors (i.e., dietary intake and/or activity behavior) and desirable BMI development, whereas restriction of sedentary time showed associations with undesirable behaviors and BMI development. Child eating style and weight status, but not child gender or activity style, moderated the associations between parenting practices and behavior. Dietary restriction and monitoring showed weaker, or even undesirable associations for children with a deviant eating style, whereas these practices showed associations with desirable behavior for normal eaters. By contrast, stimulation to eat healthy worked particularly well for children with a deviant eating style or a high BMI. Conclusion Although most energy balance-related parenting practices were associated with desirable behaviors, some practices showed associations with undesirable child behavior and weight outcomes. Only parental stimulation showed desirable associations with regard to both diet and activity behavior. The interaction between parenting and child characteristics in the association with behavior calls for parenting that is tailored to the individual child. PMID:21401954

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) load in cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral blood of patients with EBV-associated central nervous system diseases after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

PubMed

Liu, Q-F; Ling, Y-W; Fan, Z-P; Jiang, Q-L; Sun, J; Wu, X-L; Zhao, J; Wei, Q; Zhang, Y; Yu, G-P; Wu, M-Q; Feng, R

2013-08-01

To evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic utility of monitoring the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) load in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and peripheral blood for the patients with EBV-associated central nervous system (CNS) diseases after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), 172 patients undergoing allo-HSCT were enrolled in the study. The EBV DNA levels of blood were monitored regularly in recipients of transplants for 3 years post transplantation. The EBV DNA levels of CSF were monitored in patients with EBV-associated CNS diseases before the treatment and at different points following the treatment. Post-transplant EBV-associated diseases developed in 27 patients, including 12 patients with EBV-associated CNS diseases. The 3-year cumulative incidences of EBV-associated diseases and EBV-associated CNS diseases were 19.5 ± 3.5% and 8.6 ± 2.4%, respectively. Patients with EBV-associated diseases showed higher loads of EBV DNA in their blood compared with patients with EBV DNA-emia. No difference was seen between the EBV DNA levels of blood in patients with CNS involvement and patients without CNS involvement. The EBV DNA loads of blood increased 3-14 days before the clinical manifestations of EBV-associated diseases emerged. The EBV DNA loads of CSF were higher than that of blood in patients with EBV-associated CNS diseases. In 12 patients with EBV-associated CNS diseases, EBV DNA levels were declining in both blood and CSF with the control of diseases, and the EBV DNA loads of CSF decreased faster than that of blood in 5 patients who responded to treatment, and the EBV DNA levels of CSF increased in 5 patients who were unresponsive to treatment. On multivariate analysis, the use of anti-thymocyte globulin and intensified conditioning regimens were independent risk factors for EBV-associated diseases and EBV-associated CNS diseases. EBV-associated CNS diseases are not rare after allo-HSCT. The EBV DNA loads of CSF could act as an important indicator, but the EBV DNA loads of blood could not, for the diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic evaluation of EBV-associated CNS diseases. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Association between dietary pattern and risk of cardiovascular disease among adults in the Middle East and North Africa region: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Aljefree, Najlaa; Ahmed, Faruk

2015-01-01

Objective This paper reviews the evidence related to the association of dietary pattern with coronary heart disease (CHD), strokes, and the associated risk factors among adults in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Methods A systematic review of published articles between January 1990 and March 2015 was conducted using Pro-Quest Public Health, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar. The term ‘dietary pattern’ refers to data derived from dietary pattern analyses and individual food component analyses. Results The search identified 15 studies. The available data in the MENA region showed that Western dietary pattern has been predominant among adults with fewer adherences to the traditional diet, such as the Mediterranean diet. The Western dietary pattern was found to be associated with an increased risk of dyslipidaemia, diabetes, metabolic syndrome (MetS), body mass index (BMI), and hypertension. The Mediterranean diet, labelled in two studies as ‘the traditional Lebanese diet’, was negatively associated with BMI, waist circumference (WC), and the risk of diabetes, while one study found no association between the Mediterranean diet and MetS. Two randomised controlled trials conducted in Iran demonstrated the effect of the dietary approach to stop hypertension (DASH) in reducing metabolic risk among patients with diabetes and MetS. Likewise, the consumption of dairy products was associated with decreased blood pressure and WC, while the intake of whole grains was associated with reduced WC. In addition, the high consumption of black tea was found to be associated with decreased serum lipids. The intake of fish, vegetable oils, and tea had a protective effect on CHD, whereas the intake of full-fat yoghurt and hydrogenated fats was associated with an increased risk of CHD. Conclusion There appears to be a significant association of Western dietary pattern with the increased risk of CHD, strokes, and associated risk factors among adults in the MENA region. Conversely, increased adherence to Mediterranean and/or DASH dietary patterns or their individual food components is associated with a decreased risk of CHD and the associated risk factors. Therefore, increasing awareness of the high burden of CHD and the associated risk factors is crucial, as well as the need for nutrition education programs to improve the knowledge among the MENA population regarding healthy diets and diet-related diseases. PMID:26088003

Does household access to improved water and sanitation in infancy and childhood predict better vocabulary test performance in Ethiopian, Indian, Peruvian and Vietnamese cohort studies?

PubMed

Dearden, Kirk A; Brennan, Alana T; Behrman, Jere R; Schott, Whitney; Crookston, Benjamin T; Humphries, Debbie L; Penny, Mary E; Fernald, Lia C H

2017-03-07

Test associations between household water and sanitation (W&S) and children's concurrent and subsequent Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (PPVT) scores. Prospective cohort study. Ethiopia, India, Peru, Vietnam. 7269 children. PPVT scores at 5 and 8 years. Key exposure variables were related to W&S, and collected at 1, 5 and 8 years, including 'improved' water (eg, piped, public tap or standpipe) and 'improved' toilets (eg, collection, storage, treatment and recycling of human excreta). Access to improved water at 1 year was associated with higher language scores at 5 years (3/4 unadjusted associations) and 8 years (4/4 unadjusted associations). Ethiopian children with access to improved water at 1 year had test scores that were 0.26 SD (95% CI 0.17 to 0.36) higher at 5 years than children without access. Access to improved water at 5 years was associated with higher concurrent PPVT scores (in 3/4 unadjusted associations), but not later scores (in 1/4 unadjusted associations). 5-year-old Peruvian children with access to improved water had better concurrent performance on the PPVT (0.44 SD, 95% CI 0.30 to 0.59) than children without access to improved water. Toilet access at 1 year was also associated with better PPVT scores at 5 years (3/4 unadjusted associations) and sometimes associated with test results at 8 years (2/4 unadjusted associations). Toilet access at 5 years was associated with concurrent PPVT scores (3/4 unadjusted associations). More than half of all associations in unadjusted models (water and toilets) persisted in adjusted models, particularly for toilets in India, Peru and Vietnam. Access to 'improved' water and toilets had independent associations with children's PPVT scores that often persisted with adjustment for covariates. Our findings suggest that effects of W&S may go beyond subacute and acute infections and physical growth to include children's language performance, a critical component of cognitive development. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Genetic Associations with Plasma B12, B6, and Folate Levels in an Ischemic Stroke Population from the Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention (VISP) Trial.

PubMed

Keene, Keith L; Chen, Wei-Min; Chen, Fang; Williams, Stephen R; Elkhatib, Stacey D; Hsu, Fang-Chi; Mychaleckyj, Josyf C; Doheny, Kimberly F; Pugh, Elizabeth W; Ling, Hua; Laurie, Cathy C; Gogarten, Stephanie M; Madden, Ebony B; Worrall, Bradford B; Sale, Michele M

2014-01-01

B vitamins play an important role in homocysteine metabolism, with vitamin deficiencies resulting in increased levels of homocysteine and increased risk for stroke. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 2,100 stroke patients from the Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention (VISP) trial, a clinical trial designed to determine whether the daily intake of high-dose folic acid, vitamins B6, and B12 reduce recurrent cerebral infarction. Extensive quality control (QC) measures resulted in a total of 737,081 SNPs for analysis. Genome-wide association analyses for baseline quantitative measures of folate, Vitamins B12, and B6 were completed using linear regression approaches, implemented in PLINK. Six associations met or exceeded genome-wide significance (P ≤ 5 × 10(-08)). For baseline Vitamin B12, the strongest association was observed with a non-synonymous SNP (nsSNP) located in the CUBN gene (P = 1.76 × 10(-13)). Two additional CUBN intronic SNPs demonstrated strong associations with B12 (P = 2.92 × 10(-10) and 4.11 × 10(-10)), while a second nsSNP, located in the TCN1 gene, also reached genome-wide significance (P = 5.14 × 10(-11)). For baseline measures of Vitamin B6, we identified genome-wide significant associations for SNPs at the ALPL locus (rs1697421; P = 7.06 × 10(-10) and rs1780316; P = 2.25 × 10(-08)). In addition to the six genome-wide significant associations, nine SNPs (two for Vitamin B6, six for Vitamin B12, and one for folate measures) provided suggestive evidence for association (P ≤ 10(-07)). Our GWAS study has identified six genome-wide significant associations, nine suggestive associations, and successfully replicated 5 of 16 SNPs previously reported to be associated with measures of B vitamins. The six genome-wide significant associations are located in gene regions that have shown previous associations with measures of B vitamins; however, four of the nine suggestive associations represent novel finding and warrant further investigation in additional populations.

Association between parenting practices and children's dietary intake, activity behavior and development of body mass index: the KOALA Birth Cohort Study.

PubMed

Gubbels, Jessica S; Kremers, Stef P J; Stafleu, Annette; de Vries, Sanne I; Goldbohm, R Alexandra; Dagnelie, Pieter C; de Vries, Nanne K; van Buuren, Stef; Thijs, Carel

2011-03-14

Insights into the effects of energy balance-related parenting practices on children's diet and activity behavior at an early age is warranted to determine which practices should be recommended and to whom. The purpose of this study was to examine child and parent background correlates of energy balance-related parenting practices at age 5, as well as the associations of these practices with children's diet, activity behavior, and body mass index (BMI) development. Questionnaire data originated from the KOALA Birth Cohort Study for ages 5 (N = 2026) and 7 (N = 1819). Linear regression analyses were used to examine the association of child and parent background characteristics with parenting practices (i.e., diet- and activity-related restriction, monitoring and stimulation), and to examine the associations between these parenting practices and children's diet (in terms of energy intake, dietary fiber intake, and added sugar intake) and activity behavior (i.e., physical activity and sedentary time) at age 5, as well as BMI development from age 5 to age 7. Moderation analyses were used to examine whether the associations between the parenting practices and child behavior depended on child characteristics. Several child and parent background characteristics were associated with the parenting practices. Dietary monitoring, stimulation of healthy intake and stimulation of physical activity were associated with desirable energy balance-related behaviors (i.e., dietary intake and/or activity behavior) and desirable BMI development, whereas restriction of sedentary time showed associations with undesirable behaviors and BMI development. Child eating style and weight status, but not child gender or activity style, moderated the associations between parenting practices and behavior. Dietary restriction and monitoring showed weaker, or even undesirable associations for children with a deviant eating style, whereas these practices showed associations with desirable behavior for normal eaters. By contrast, stimulation to eat healthy worked particularly well for children with a deviant eating style or a high BMI. Although most energy balance-related parenting practices were associated with desirable behaviors, some practices showed associations with undesirable child behavior and weight outcomes. Only parental stimulation showed desirable associations with regard to both diet and activity behavior. The interaction between parenting and child characteristics in the association with behavior calls for parenting that is tailored to the individual child.

Optoelectronic Terminal-Attractor-Based Associative Memory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Hua-Kuang; Barhen, Jacob; Farhat, Nabil H.

1994-01-01

Report presents theoretical and experimental study of optically and electronically addressable optical implementation of artificial neural network that performs associative recall. Shows by computer simulation that terminal-attractor-based associative memory can have perfect convergence in associative retrieval and increased storage capacity. Spurious states reduced by exploiting terminal attractors.