What clues are available for differential diagnosis of headaches in emergency settings?

PubMed

Mert, Ertan; Ozge, Aynur; Taşdelen, Bahar; Yilmaz, Arda; Bilgin, Nursel G

2008-04-01

The correct diagnosis of headache disorders in an emergency room is important for developing early management strategies and determining optimal emergency room activities. This prospective clinical based study was performed in order to determine demographic and clinical clues for differential diagnosis of primary and secondary headache disorders and also to obtain a classification plot for the emergency room practitioners. This study included 174 patients older than 15 years of age presenting in the emergency room with a chief complaint of headache. Definite headache diagnoses were made according to ICHD-II criteria. Classification and regression tree was used as new method for the statistical analysis of the differential diagnostic process. Our 174 patients with headache were diagnosed as basically primary (72.9%) and secondary (27.1%) headaches. Univariate analysis with cross tabs showed three important results. First, unilateral pain location caused 1.431-fold increase in the primary headache risk (p = 0.006). Second, having any triggers caused 1.440-fold increase in the primary headache risk (p = 0.001). Third, having associated co-morbid medical disorders caused 4.643-fold increase in the secondary headache risk (p < 0.001). It was concluded that the presence of comorbidity, the patient's age, the existence of trigger and relaxing factors, the pain in other body parts that accompanies headache and the quality of pain in terms of location and duration were all important clues for physicians in making an accurate differentiation between primary and secondary headaches.

Application of genetic algorithm to land use optimization for non-point source pollution control based on CLUE-S and SWAT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qingrui; Liu, Ruimin; Men, Cong; Guo, Lijia

2018-05-01

The genetic algorithm (GA) was combined with the Conversion of Land Use and its Effect at Small regional extent (CLUE-S) model to obtain an optimized land use pattern for controlling non-point source (NPS) pollution. The performance of the combination was evaluated. The effect of the optimized land use pattern on the NPS pollution control was estimated by the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model and an assistant map was drawn to support the land use plan for the future. The Xiangxi River watershed was selected as the study area. Two scenarios were used to simulate the land use change. Under the historical trend scenario (Markov chain prediction), the forest area decreased by 2035.06 ha, and was mainly converted into paddy and dryland area. In contrast, under the optimized scenario (genetic algorithm (GA) prediction), up to 3370 ha of dryland area was converted into forest area. Spatially, the conversion of paddy and dryland into forest occurred mainly in the northwest and southeast of the watershed, where the slope land occupied a large proportion. The organic and inorganic phosphorus loads decreased by 3.6% and 3.7%, respectively, in the optimized scenario compared to those in the historical trend scenario. GA showed a better performance in optimized land use prediction. A comparison of the land use patterns in 2010 under the real situation and in 2020 under the optimized situation showed that Shennongjia and Shuiyuesi should convert 1201.76 ha and 1115.33 ha of dryland into forest areas, respectively, which represented the greatest changes in all regions in the watershed. The results of this study indicated that GA and the CLUE-S model can be used to optimize the land use patterns in the future and that SWAT can be used to evaluate the effect of land use optimization on non-point source pollution control. These methods may provide support for land use plan of an area.

Dermoscopic 'Chaos and Clues' in the diagnosis of melanoma in situ.

PubMed

Ramji, Rajan; Valdes-Gonzalez, Guillermo; Oakley, Amanda; Rademaker, Marius

2017-11-02

To describe the dermoscopic features of melanoma in situ using the Chaos and Clues method. Histologically proven primary melanoma in situ (MIS) diagnosed through a specialist teledermoscopy clinic were reviewed by three dermatologists. By consensus they agreed on the global dermoscopic pattern, colours, presence of chaos (asymmetry of colour and structure and more than one pattern), and each of the nine clues described for malignancy. One hundred MIS in 92 patients of European ethnicity (45 males) were assessed. Mean age was 67.3 years (range 20-95). The mean dimensions of the lesions were 11.1 × 12.0 mm (range 2.5-31.3 × 2.3-32.3 mm). Using pattern analysis, 82% of the lesions had three or more patterns (multicomponent) and the rest had 2 patterns. Colours included light brown (100%), dark brown (98%) and grey (75%). All MIS demonstrated chaos. The most prevalent clues were thick lines (88%), eccentric structureless areas (88%), and grey or blue structures (75%). Dermoscopy can be very helpful in the early diagnosis of melanoma and MIS. The Chaos and Clues method is simple to use. Its unambiguous descriptors can be successfully used to describe MIS. The presence of chaos and clues to malignancy (including thick lines, eccentric structureless areas, and blue/grey structures) should raise a red flag and lead to referral or excision. © 2017 The Australasian College of Dermatologists.

Meat consumption and pancreatic cancer risk among men and women in the Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort.

PubMed

McCullough, Marjorie L; Jacobs, Eric J; Shah, Roma; Campbell, Peter T; Wang, Ying; Hartman, Terryl J; Gapstur, Susan M

2018-01-01

Prospective cohort studies suggest that red and processed meat consumption is associated with increased risk of pancreatic cancer among men, but not women. However, evidence is limited, and less evidence exists for other types of meat. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for the association of meat consumption, by type, with pancreatic cancer risk among 138,266 men and women in the Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort. Diet was assessed at baseline in 1992, and 10 years earlier, at enrollment into the parent CPS-II mortality cohort. 1,156 pancreatic cancers were verified through 2013. Red meat, processed meat, and fish intake at baseline were not associated with pancreatic cancer risk. However, for long-term red and processed meat consumption (highest quartiles in 1982 and 1992, vs. lowest quartiles), risk appeared different in men [hazard ratio (HR) 1.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.90, 1.95] and women (HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.47, 1.10, p heterogeneity by sex = 0.05). Poultry consumption in 1992 was associated with increased pancreatic cancer risk (HR 1.27, 95% CI 1.04, 1.55, p trend = 0.01, top vs. bottom quintile). The associations of meat consumption with pancreatic cancer risk remain unclear and further research, particularly of long-term intake, is warranted.

Reliability of mercury-in-silastic strain gauge plethysmography curve reading: influence of clinical clues and observer variation.

PubMed

Høyer, Christian; Pavar, Susanne; Pedersen, Begitte H; Biurrun Manresa, José A; Petersen, Lars J

2013-08-01

Mercury-in-silastic strain gauge pletysmography (SGP) is a well-established technique for blood flow and blood pressure measurements. The aim of this study was to examine (i) the possible influence of clinical clues, e.g. the presence of wounds and color changes during blood pressure measurements, and (ii) intra- and inter-observer variation of curve interpretation for segmental blood pressure measurements. A total of 204 patients with known or suspected peripheral arterial disease (PAD) were included in a diagnostic accuracy trial. Toe and ankle pressures were measured in both limbs, and primary observers analyzed a total of 804 pressure curve sets. The SGP curves were later reanalyzed separately by two observers blinded to clinical clues. Intra- and inter-observer agreement was quantified using Cohen's kappa and reliability was quantified using intra-class correlation coefficients, coefficients of variance, and Bland-Altman analysis. There was an overall agreement regarding patient diagnostic classification (PAD/not PAD) in 202/204 (99.0%) for intra-observer (κ = 0.969, p < 0.001), and 201/204 (98.5%) for inter-observer readings (κ = 0.953, p < 0.001). Reliability analysis showed excellent correlation between blinded versus non-blinded and inter-observer readings for determination of absolute segmental pressures (all intraclass correlation coefficients ≥ 0.984). The coefficient of variance for determination of absolute segmental blood pressure ranged from 2.9-3.4% for blinded/non-blinded data and from 3.8-5.0% for inter-observer data. This study shows a low inter-observer variation among experienced laboratory technicians for reading strain gauge curves. The low variation between blinded/non-blinded readings indicates that SGP measurements are minimally biased by clinical clues.

Investigating the Effect of Contextual Clues on the Processing of Unfamiliar Words in Second Language Listening Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cai, Wei; Lee, Benny P. H.

2010-01-01

This study examines the effect of contextual clues on the use of strategies (inferencing and ignoring) and knowledge sources (semantics, morphology, world knowledge, and others) for processing unfamiliar words in listening comprehension. Three types of words were investigated: words with local co-text clues, global co-text clues and extra-textual…

Postoperative radiotherapy and tumor recurrence after complete resection of stage II/III thymic tumor: a meta-analysis of cohort studies.

PubMed

Ma, Jietao; Sun, Xin; Huang, Letian; Xiong, Zhicheng; Yuan, Meng; Zhang, Shuling; Han, Cheng-Bo

2016-01-01

Whether postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) is effective for reducing the recurrence risk in patients who received complete resection of the stage II or III thymic tumors has not been determined. A meta-analysis was performed by combining the results of all available controlled trials. PubMed, Cochrane's Library, and the Embase databases were searched for studies which compared the recurrence data for patients with complete resection of the stage II or III thymic tumors assigned to an observing group, or a PORT group. A random effect model was applied to combine the results. Nineteen studies, all designed as retrospective cohort studies were included. These studies included 663 patients of PORT group and 617 patients of observing group. The recurrence rate for the patients in PORT group and observing group were 12.4% and 11.5%, respectively. Results of our study indicated that PORT has no significant influence on recurrent risk in patients with stage II or III thymic tumor after complete resection (odds ratio 1.02, 95% confidence interval 0.55-1.90, P=0.96). When stratified by stages, our meta-analyses did not indicate any significant effects of PORT on recurrent outcomes in either the stage II or the stage III patients. Moreover, subsequent analysis limited to studies only including patients with thymoma or thymic carcinoma also did not support the benefits of PORT on recurrent outcomes. Although derived from retrospective cohort studies, current evidence did not support any benefit of PORT on recurrent risk in patients with complete resection of the stage II or III thymic tumors.

Clue Insensitivity in Remote Associates Test Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Steven M.; Sifonis, Cynthia M.; Angello, Genna

2012-01-01

Does spreading activation from incidentally encountered hints cause incubation effects? We used Remote Associates Test (RAT) problems to examine effects of incidental clues on impasse resolution. When solution words were seen incidentally 3-sec before initially unsolved problems were retested, more problems were resolved (Experiment 1). When…

Postoperative radiotherapy and tumor recurrence after complete resection of stage II/III thymic tumor: a meta-analysis of cohort studies

PubMed Central

Ma, Jietao; Sun, Xin; Huang, Letian; Xiong, Zhicheng; Yuan, Meng; Zhang, Shuling; Han, Cheng-Bo

2016-01-01

Background Whether postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) is effective for reducing the recurrence risk in patients who received complete resection of the stage II or III thymic tumors has not been determined. A meta-analysis was performed by combining the results of all available controlled trials. Methods PubMed, Cochrane’s Library, and the Embase databases were searched for studies which compared the recurrence data for patients with complete resection of the stage II or III thymic tumors assigned to an observing group, or a PORT group. A random effect model was applied to combine the results. Results Nineteen studies, all designed as retrospective cohort studies were included. These studies included 663 patients of PORT group and 617 patients of observing group. The recurrence rate for the patients in PORT group and observing group were 12.4% and 11.5%, respectively. Results of our study indicated that PORT has no significant influence on recurrent risk in patients with stage II or III thymic tumor after complete resection (odds ratio 1.02, 95% confidence interval 0.55–1.90, P=0.96). When stratified by stages, our meta-analyses did not indicate any significant effects of PORT on recurrent outcomes in either the stage II or the stage III patients. Moreover, subsequent analysis limited to studies only including patients with thymoma or thymic carcinoma also did not support the benefits of PORT on recurrent outcomes. Conclusion Although derived from retrospective cohort studies, current evidence did not support any benefit of PORT on recurrent risk in patients with complete resection of the stage II or III thymic tumors. PMID:27524907

Tinea imbricata as a clue to occult immunodeficiency.

PubMed

Maroñas Jiménez, Lidia; Monsálvez, Verónica; Gutiérrez García-Rodrigo, Carlota; Postigo Llorente, Concepción

2014-01-01

Tinea imbricata (TI) is a geographically restricted dermatophytosis with distinctive clinical and immunologic features. We present a case of TI occurring in a native Brazilian child with previously undiagnosed human immunodeficiency virus infection. Physicians should bear in mind that diagnosis of TI may be a clinical clue to potentially serious underlying immunodeficiency. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

TV Crime Reporter Missed Clues | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

MedlinePlus

... JavaScript on. Feature: Women and Heart Disease TV Crime Reporter Missed Clues Past Issues / Spring 2016 Table ... heart attack at the age of 36. A crime reporter for WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C., ...

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II alleles which confer susceptibility or protection in the Morphea in Adults and Children (MAC) cohort

PubMed Central

Jacobe, Heidi; Ahn, Chul; Arnett, Frank; Reveille, John D.

2014-01-01

Objective To determine human leukocyte antigen class I (HLA-class I) and II (HLA-class II) alleles associated with morphea (localized scleroderma) in the Morphea in Adults and Children (MAC) cohort by a nested case–control association study. Methods Morphea patients were included from MAC cohort and matched controls from the NIH/NIAMS Scleroderma Family Registry and DNA Repository and Division of Rheumatology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. HLA- Class II genotyping and SSCP typing was performed of HLA-A, -B, -C alleles. Associations between HLA-Class I and II alleles and morphea as well as its subphenotypes were determined. Results There were 211 cases available for HLA-class I typing with 726 matched controls and 158 cases available for HLA Class-II typing with 1108 matched controls. The strongest associations were found with DRB1*04:04 (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.4–4.0 P=0.002) and HLA-B*37 conferred the highest OR among Class I alleles (3.3, 95% CI 1.6–6.9, P= 0.0016). Comparison with risk alleles in systemic sclerosis determined using the same methods and control population revealed one common allele (DRB*04:04). Conclusion Results of the present study demonstrate specific HLA Class I and II alleles are associated with morphea and likely generalized and linear subtypes. The associated morphea alleles are different than in scleroderma, implicating morphea is also immunogenetically distinct. Risk alleles in morphea are also associated with conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other autoimmune conditions. Population based studies indicate patients with RA have increased risk of morphea, implicating a common susceptibility allele. PMID:25223600

Contextual Clues Vocabulary Strategies Choice among Business Management Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ahmad, Siti Nurshafezan; Muhammad, Ahmad Mazli; Kasim, Aini Mohd

2018-01-01

New trends in vocabulary learning focus on strategic vocabulary learning to create more active and independent language learners. Utilising suitable contextual clues strategies is seen as vital in enabling and equipping language learners with the skill to guess word meaning accurately, moving away from dependency on a dictionary to improve their…

An Analysis of Sixth Grade Pupil's Ability to Use Context Clues in Science and Social Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Arthur V.

The ability of sixth-grade students to use context clues for identifying unknown words in science and social studies reading materials and the types of context clues most frequently used are examined. The 30 subjects from three white, middle-class urban schools missed 50 percent or more of the words on a prevocabulary test. The subjects read two…

Heritability Maps May Hold Clues to Delayed Onset of Mental Disorders

MedlinePlus

... Office 301-443-4536 NIMHpress@nih.gov More Science News about Brain Anatomy and Physiology Genetics Contact ... the Field News from the Field NIMH-Funded Science on EurekAlert Researchers find clues to treating psychoses ...

Mortality among three refinery/petrochemical plant cohorts. II. Retirees.

PubMed

Gamble, J F; Lewis, R J; Jorgensen, G

2000-07-01

This study updates mortality data for 6238 retirees from three refinery/petrochemical plants. Almost 90% of the cohort was deceased. Deaths from all causes (standardized mortality ratio, 104; 95% confidence interval, 102 to 107) and all cancers (standardized mortality ratio, 109; 95% confidence interval, 102 to 116) were elevated. Increased deaths due to kidney cancer, mesothelioma, and the category of other lymphohemopoietic cancers also were observed. The rate of leukemia was not increased. There was little internal or external consistency to support an occupational relationship for kidney cancer, but findings for mesothelioma and other lymphohemopoietic cancers are consistent with reports for other petroleum cohorts. Analyses by age indicated significantly higher all-cause mortality rates among persons retiring before age 65. The results suggest that continued surveillance of mesothelioma and lymphohemopoietic cancer malignancies in younger workers with more contemporary exposures may be warranted. Furthermore, age at retirement should be considered when analyzing occupational cohorts.

Cohort Profile Update: The China Jintan Child Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Liu, Jianghong; Cao, Siyuan; Chen, Zehang; Raine, Adrian; Hanlon, Alexandra; Ai, Yuexian; Zhou, Guoping; Yan, Chonghuai; Leung, Patrick W; McCauley, Linda; Pinto-Martin, Jennifer

2015-01-01

The China Jintan Child Cohort study began in 2004 with 1656 pre-school participants and a research focus on studying the impact of environmental exposures, such as lead, on children’s neurobehavioural outcomes. This population cohort now includes around 1000 of the original participants, who have been assessed three times over a period of 10 years. Since the original IJE cohort profile publication in 2010, participants have experienced a critical developmental transition from pre-school to school age and then adolescence. The study has also witnessed an increase in breadth and depth of data collection from the original aim of risk assessment. This cohort has added new directions to investigate the mechanisms and protective factors for the relationship between early health factors and child physical and mental health outcomes, with an emphasis on neurobehavioural consequences. The study now encompasses 11 domains, composed of repeated measures of the original variables and new domains of biomarkers, sleep, psychophysiology, neurocognition, personality, peer relationship, mindfulness and family dynamics. Depth of evaluation has increased from parent/teacher report to self/peer report and intergenerational family report. Consequently, the cohort has additional directions to include: (i) classmates of the original cohort participants for peer relationship assessment; and (ii) parental and grandparental measures to assess personality and dynamics within families. We welcome interest in our study and ask investigators to contact the corresponding author for additional information on data acquisition. PMID:26323725

ClueNet: Clustering a temporal network based on topological similarity rather than denseness.

PubMed

Crawford, Joseph; Milenković, Tijana

2018-01-01

Network clustering is a very popular topic in the network science field. Its goal is to divide (partition) the network into groups (clusters or communities) of "topologically related" nodes, where the resulting topology-based clusters are expected to "correlate" well with node label information, i.e., metadata, such as cellular functions of genes/proteins in biological networks, or age or gender of people in social networks. Even for static data, the problem of network clustering is complex. For dynamic data, the problem is even more complex, due to an additional dimension of the data-their temporal (evolving) nature. Since the problem is computationally intractable, heuristic approaches need to be sought. Existing approaches for dynamic network clustering (DNC) have drawbacks. First, they assume that nodes should be in the same cluster if they are densely interconnected within the network. We hypothesize that in some applications, it might be of interest to cluster nodes that are topologically similar to each other instead of or in addition to requiring the nodes to be densely interconnected. Second, they ignore temporal information in their early steps, and when they do consider this information later on, they do so implicitly. We hypothesize that capturing temporal information earlier in the clustering process and doing so explicitly will improve results. We test these two hypotheses via our new approach called ClueNet. We evaluate ClueNet against six existing DNC methods on both social networks capturing evolving interactions between individuals (such as interactions between students in a high school) and biological networks capturing interactions between biomolecules in the cell at different ages. We find that ClueNet is superior in over 83% of all evaluation tests. As more real-world dynamic data are becoming available, DNC and thus ClueNet will only continue to gain importance.

ClueNet: Clustering a temporal network based on topological similarity rather than denseness

PubMed Central

Milenković, Tijana

2018-01-01

Network clustering is a very popular topic in the network science field. Its goal is to divide (partition) the network into groups (clusters or communities) of “topologically related” nodes, where the resulting topology-based clusters are expected to “correlate” well with node label information, i.e., metadata, such as cellular functions of genes/proteins in biological networks, or age or gender of people in social networks. Even for static data, the problem of network clustering is complex. For dynamic data, the problem is even more complex, due to an additional dimension of the data—their temporal (evolving) nature. Since the problem is computationally intractable, heuristic approaches need to be sought. Existing approaches for dynamic network clustering (DNC) have drawbacks. First, they assume that nodes should be in the same cluster if they are densely interconnected within the network. We hypothesize that in some applications, it might be of interest to cluster nodes that are topologically similar to each other instead of or in addition to requiring the nodes to be densely interconnected. Second, they ignore temporal information in their early steps, and when they do consider this information later on, they do so implicitly. We hypothesize that capturing temporal information earlier in the clustering process and doing so explicitly will improve results. We test these two hypotheses via our new approach called ClueNet. We evaluate ClueNet against six existing DNC methods on both social networks capturing evolving interactions between individuals (such as interactions between students in a high school) and biological networks capturing interactions between biomolecules in the cell at different ages. We find that ClueNet is superior in over 83% of all evaluation tests. As more real-world dynamic data are becoming available, DNC and thus ClueNet will only continue to gain importance. PMID:29738568

Survival effect of first- and second-line treatments for patients with primary glioblastoma: a cohort study from a prospective registry, 1997-2010.

PubMed

Nava, Francesca; Tramacere, Irene; Fittipaldo, Andrea; Bruzzone, Maria Grazia; Dimeco, Francesco; Fariselli, Laura; Finocchiaro, Gaetano; Pollo, Bianca; Salmaggi, Andrea; Silvani, Antonio; Farinotti, Mariangela; Filippini, Graziella

2014-05-01

Prospective follow-up studies of large cohorts of patients with glioblastoma (GBM) are needed to assess the effectiveness of conventional treatments in clinical practice. We report GBM survival data from the Brain Cancer Register of the Fondazione Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta (INCB) in Milan, Italy, which collected longitudinal data for all consecutive patients with GBM from 1997 to 2010. Survival data were obtained from 764 patients (aged>16 years) with histologically confirmed primary GBM who were diagnosed and treated over a 7-year period (2004-2010) with follow-up to April 2012 (cohort II). Equivalent data from 490 GBM patients diagnosed and treated over the preceding 7 years (1997-2003) with follow-up to April 2005 (cohort I) were available for comparison. Progression-free survival (PFS) was available from 361 and 219 patients actively followed up at INCB in cohorts II and I, respectively. Survival probabilities were 54% at 1 year, 21% at 2 years, and 11% at 3 years, respectively, in cohort II compared with 47%, 11%, and 5%, respectively, in cohort I. PFS was 22% and 12% at 1 year in cohorts II and I. Better survival and PFS in cohort II was significantly associated with introduction of the Stupp protocol into clinical practice, with adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of 0.78 for survival and 0.73 for PFS, or a 22% relative decrease in the risk of death and a 27% relative decrease in the risk of recurrence. After recurrence, reoperation was performed in one-fifth of cohort I and in one-third of cohort II but was not effective (HR, 1.05 in cohort I and 1.02 in cohort II). Second-line chemotherapy, mainly consisting of nitrosourea-based chemotherapy, temozolomide, mitoxantrone, fotemustine, and bevacizumab, improved survival in both cohorts (HR, 0.57 in cohort I and 0.74 in cohort II). Radiosurgery was also effective (HR, 0.52 in cohort II). We found a significant increase in overall survival, PFS, and survival after recurrence after 2004, likely due to

Exploring an Ecologically Sustainable Scheme for Landscape Restoration of Abandoned Mine Land: Scenario-Based Simulation Integrated Linear Programming and CLUE-S Model

PubMed Central

Zhang, Liping; Zhang, Shiwen; Huang, Yajie; Cao, Meng; Huang, Yuanfang; Zhang, Hongyan

2016-01-01

Understanding abandoned mine land (AML) changes during land reclamation is crucial for reusing damaged land resources and formulating sound ecological restoration policies. This study combines the linear programming (LP) model and the CLUE-S model to simulate land-use dynamics in the Mentougou District (Beijing, China) from 2007 to 2020 under three reclamation scenarios, that is, the planning scenario based on the general land-use plan in study area (scenario 1), maximal comprehensive benefits (scenario 2), and maximal ecosystem service value (scenario 3). Nine landscape-scale graph metrics were then selected to describe the landscape characteristics. The results show that the coupled model presented can simulate the dynamics of AML effectively and the spatially explicit transformations of AML were different. New cultivated land dominates in scenario 1, while construction land and forest land account for major percentages in scenarios 2 and 3, respectively. Scenario 3 has an advantage in most of the selected indices as the patches combined most closely. To conclude, reclaiming AML by transformation into more forest can reduce the variability and maintain the stability of the landscape ecological system in study area. These findings contribute to better mapping AML dynamics and providing policy support for the management of AML. PMID:27023575

Exploring an Ecologically Sustainable Scheme for Landscape Restoration of Abandoned Mine Land: Scenario-Based Simulation Integrated Linear Programming and CLUE-S Model.

PubMed

Zhang, Liping; Zhang, Shiwen; Huang, Yajie; Cao, Meng; Huang, Yuanfang; Zhang, Hongyan

2016-03-24

Understanding abandoned mine land (AML) changes during land reclamation is crucial for reusing damaged land resources and formulating sound ecological restoration policies. This study combines the linear programming (LP) model and the CLUE-S model to simulate land-use dynamics in the Mentougou District (Beijing, China) from 2007 to 2020 under three reclamation scenarios, that is, the planning scenario based on the general land-use plan in study area (scenario 1), maximal comprehensive benefits (scenario 2), and maximal ecosystem service value (scenario 3). Nine landscape-scale graph metrics were then selected to describe the landscape characteristics. The results show that the coupled model presented can simulate the dynamics of AML effectively and the spatially explicit transformations of AML were different. New cultivated land dominates in scenario 1, while construction land and forest land account for major percentages in scenarios 2 and 3, respectively. Scenario 3 has an advantage in most of the selected indices as the patches combined most closely. To conclude, reclaiming AML by transformation into more forest can reduce the variability and maintain the stability of the landscape ecological system in study area. These findings contribute to better mapping AML dynamics and providing policy support for the management of AML.

Polymorphisms in genes related to inflammation and obesity and colorectal adenoma risk.

PubMed

Huang, Brian Z; Tsilidis, Konstantinos K; Smith, Michael W; Hoffman-Bolton, Judith; Visvanathan, Kala; Platz, Elizabeth A; Joshu, Corinne E

2018-05-26

We previously investigated the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes related to obesity and inflammation and colorectal cancer in the CLUE II cohort. However, the relationships between these SNPs and colorectal adenomas have not been well evaluated. In a nested case-control study of 135 incident adenoma cases and 269 matched controls in the CLUE II cohort (1989-2000), we genotyped 17 candidate SNPs in 12 genes (PPARG, TCF7L2, ADIPOQ, LEP, IL10, CRP, TLR4, IL6, IL1B, IL8, TNF, RNASEL) and 19 tagSNPs in three genes (IL10, CRP, and TLR4). Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) for adenomas (overall and by size, histology, location, number). Polymorphisms in the inflammatory-related genes CRP, ADIPOQ, IL6, and TLR4 were observed to be associated with adenoma risk. At rs1205 in CRP, T (minor allele) carriers had a higher risk (OR 1.67, 95%CI 1.07-2.60; reference: CC) of adenomas overall and adenomas with aggressive characteristics. At rs1201299 in ADIPOQ, the AC genotype had a higher risk (OR 1.58, 95%CI 1.00-2.49) of adenomas, while the minor AA genotype had a borderline inverse association (OR 0.44, 95%CI 0.18-1.08; reference: CC). At rs1800797 in IL6, the AA genotype had a borderline inverse association (OR 0.53, 95%CI 0.27-1.05; reference: GG). Three TLR4 tagSNPs (rs10116253, rs1927911, rs7873784) were associated with adenomas among obese participants. None of these SNPs were associated with colorectal cancer in our prior study in CLUE II, possibly suggesting a different genetic etiology for early colorectal neoplasia. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Epidermal multinucleated keratinocytes: a histopathologic clue to dermatitis artefacta.

PubMed

Gutierrez, Daniel; Schowalter, Michael K; Piliang, Melissa P; Fernandez, Anthony P

2016-10-01

Dermatitis artefacta is a psycho-cutaneous disorder characterized by self-inflicted cutaneous injuries, often in association with an underlying psychiatric disorder or as a response to external stressors. Cutaneous lesions suggestive of dermatitis artefacta are dependent on the means of injury and thus may be morphologically variable, but typically have geometric shapes, spare hard-to-reach anatomic areas, and are present in variable stages of evolution at any specific time. Although a dermatologist may be suspicious of dermatitis artefacta in a given patient, making a definitive diagnosis is extremely challenging. Patients often clinically evade questioning and deny creating skin lesions, and histopathologic evaluation of lesional biopsies usually reveals non-specific epidermal and dermal changes and inflammation. Thus, identification of clues that lend support to a diagnosis of dermatitis artefacta would be welcomed by both clinicians and pathologists. Here we present a case of dermatitis artefacta with a unique, yet previously reported, histopathological finding of multinucleated keratinocytes within the epidermis. Although probably uncommon and dependent on the etiology of cutaneous injury, we believe this finding is important for dermatopathologists to be aware of as a potential diagnostic clue when evaluating biopsies in patients suspected to have dermatitis artefacta. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Measuring Uncertainty within Organizational Relationships: An Analysis of the CLUES Instrument.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jorgensen, Jerry D.; Petelle, John L.

1992-01-01

Presents an overview of the CLUES (also known as the CL7) instrument. Discusses the instrument's reliability and validity and its application to organizational communication research. Suggests that the instrument demonstrates unidimensionality in low-context cultures, high reliability, and known validity in a wide array of relational types. (RS)

Plasma carotenoids and breast cancer risk in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort.

PubMed

Wang, Ying; Gapstur, Susan M; Gaudet, Mia M; Furtado, Jeremy D; Campos, Hannia; McCullough, Marjorie L

2015-09-01

Several circulating carotenoids have been inversely associated with postmenopausal breast cancer risk in large cohort studies and a pooled analysis. Whether associations differ by tumor or participant characteristics remains unclear. We investigated the associations of plasma carotenoids with postmenopausal breast cancer risk overall and by estrogen receptor (ER) status, tumor stage, smoking status, and body mass index, in a case-control study nested in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort. A total of 496 invasive breast cancer cases diagnosed between blood draw in 1998-2001 and June 30, 2007 and matched 1:1 with controls on race, birth date, and blood draw date were included. Multivariable-adjusted conditional and unconditional logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Plasma α-carotene above the lowest quartile was associated with significant 40-43% lower risk of invasive breast cancer risk (fourth vs. first quartile OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.41-0.87, P-trend = 0.037) after adjustment for multiple covariates. This inverse association was strengthened after further adjustment for other plasma carotenoids and total fruit and vegetable intake (fourth vs. first quartile OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.29-0.85, P-trend = 0.041). Other plasma carotenoids or total carotenoids were not associated with breast cancer risk. The inverse association of α-carotene with breast cancer remained for ER+, but not for ER- tumors, although test for heterogeneity was not statistically significant (P-heterogeneity = 0.49). These results suggest that higher plasma α-carotene is associated with lower risk of invasive breast cancer.

New Literacies and Multimediacy: The Immersive Universe of "The 39 Clues"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sekeres, Diane Carver; Watson, Christopher

2011-01-01

"The 39 Clues" (2009) is a multimedia series produced by Scholastic for readers 7-14 years old that includes printed texts released periodically; trading cards also published periodically in print and virtually; and a complex, intriguing, and entertaining website. To fully experience the multimedia series, the publishers expect that readers can…

Survival effect of first- and second-line treatments for patients with primary glioblastoma: a cohort study from a prospective registry, 1997–2010

PubMed Central

Nava, Francesca; Tramacere, Irene; Fittipaldo, Andrea; Bruzzone, Maria Grazia; DiMeco, Francesco; Fariselli, Laura; Finocchiaro, Gaetano; Pollo, Bianca; Salmaggi, Andrea; Silvani, Antonio; Farinotti, Mariangela; Filippini, Graziella

2014-01-01

Background Prospective follow-up studies of large cohorts of patients with glioblastoma (GBM) are needed to assess the effectiveness of conventional treatments in clinical practice. We report GBM survival data from the Brain Cancer Register of the Fondazione Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta (INCB) in Milan, Italy, which collected longitudinal data for all consecutive patients with GBM from 1997 to 2010. Methods Survival data were obtained from 764 patients (aged>16 years) with histologically confirmed primary GBM who were diagnosed and treated over a 7-year period (2004–2010) with follow-up to April 2012 (cohort II). Equivalent data from 490 GBM patients diagnosed and treated over the preceding 7 years (1997–2003) with follow-up to April 2005 (cohort I) were available for comparison. Progression-free survival (PFS) was available from 361 and 219 patients actively followed up at INCB in cohorts II and I, respectively. Results Survival probabilities were 54% at 1 year, 21% at 2 years, and 11% at 3 years, respectively, in cohort II compared with 47%, 11%, and 5%, respectively, in cohort I. PFS was 22% and 12% at 1 year in cohorts II and I. Better survival and PFS in cohort II was significantly associated with introduction of the Stupp protocol into clinical practice, with adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of 0.78 for survival and 0.73 for PFS, or a 22% relative decrease in the risk of death and a 27% relative decrease in the risk of recurrence. After recurrence, reoperation was performed in one-fifth of cohort I and in one-third of cohort II but was not effective (HR, 1.05 in cohort I and 1.02 in cohort II). Second-line chemotherapy, mainly consisting of nitrosourea-based chemotherapy, temozolomide, mitoxantrone, fotemustine, and bevacizumab, improved survival in both cohorts (HR, 0.57 in cohort I and 0.74 in cohort II). Radiosurgery was also effective (HR, 0.52 in cohort II). Conclusions We found a significant increase in overall survival, PFS, and survival after

The Decline in Female Elementary Principals Since 1928: Riddles and Clues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalvelage, Joan

In 1928, 55 percent of elementary school principals were women. By 1973, only 20 percent were women. This paper examines research data for explanations of the decline of the percentage of women elementary school principals. Both incompetence and sex discrimination are rejected as explanations. Clues to the decline are traced to the decline of the…

Clues to prolific productivity among prominent scientists.

PubMed

Kantha, S S

1992-10-01

In a survey based on the biographical sketches, obituary notes and eulogies of notable scientists, eight were identified as belonging to an elite group, having authored more than 1000 research publications, which include books, monographs and patents. They were, in chronological order, Thomas Alva Edison, Paul Karrer, Margaret Mead, Giulio Natta, Hans Selye, Herbert C Brown, Tetsuji Kametani and Carl Djerassi. Among these, Karrer, Natta and Brown were Nobelists in chemistry. Four criteria which can be identified as clues to their prolific productivity are, 1) enthusiasm for compulsive work and eccentric life style, 2) physical and/or environmental handicap, 3) pioneering efforts in a new research field, and 4) selection of research area, predominantly organic chemistry.

Withholding versus Continuing Angiotensin-converting Enzyme Inhibitors or Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers before Noncardiac Surgery: An Analysis of the Vascular events In noncardiac Surgery patIents cOhort evaluatioN Prospective Cohort.

PubMed

Roshanov, Pavel S; Rochwerg, Bram; Patel, Ameen; Salehian, Omid; Duceppe, Emmanuelle; Belley-Côté, Emilie P; Guyatt, Gordon H; Sessler, Daniel I; Le Manach, Yannick; Borges, Flavia K; Tandon, Vikas; Worster, Andrew; Thompson, Alexandra; Koshy, Mithin; Devereaux, Breagh; Spencer, Frederick A; Sanders, Robert D; Sloan, Erin N; Morley, Erin E; Paul, James; Raymer, Karen E; Punthakee, Zubin; Devereaux, P J

2017-01-01

The effect on cardiovascular outcomes of withholding angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers in chronic users before noncardiac surgery is unknown. In this international prospective cohort study, the authors analyzed data from 14,687 patients (including 4,802 angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin II receptor blocker users) at least 45 yr old who had in-patient noncardiac surgery from 2007 to 2011. Using multivariable regression models, the authors studied the relationship between withholding angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers and a primary composite outcome of all-cause death, stroke, or myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery at 30 days, with intraoperative and postoperative clinically important hypotension as secondary outcomes. Compared to patients who continued their angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers, the 1,245 (26%) angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor/angiotensin II receptor blocker users who withheld their angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers in the 24 h before surgery were less likely to suffer the primary composite outcome of all-cause death, stroke, or myocardial injury (150/1,245 [12.0%] vs. 459/3,557 [12.9%]; adjusted relative risk, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.70 to 0.96; P = 0.01) and intraoperative hypotension (adjusted relative risk, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.72 to 0.93; P < 0.001). The risk of postoperative hypotension was similar between the two groups (adjusted relative risk, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.77 to 1.10; P = 0.36). Results were consistent across the range of preoperative blood pressures. The practice of withholding angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers was only modestly correlated with patient characteristics and the type and timing of surgery. Withholding angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin II receptor blockers before major noncardiac surgery

Effect of retirement on cognitive function: the Whitehall II cohort study.

PubMed

Xue, Baowen; Cadar, Dorina; Fleischmann, Maria; Stansfeld, Stephen; Carr, Ewan; Kivimäki, Mika; McMunn, Anne; Head, Jenny

2017-12-26

According to the 'use it or lose it' hypothesis, a lack of mentally challenging activities might exacerbate the loss of cognitive function. On this basis, retirement has been suggested to increase the risk of cognitive decline, but evidence from studies with long follow-up is lacking. We tested this hypothesis in a cohort of 3433 civil servants who participated in the Whitehall II Study, including repeated measurements of cognitive functioning up to 14 years before and 14 years after retirement. Piecewise models, centred at the year of retirement, were used to compare trajectories of verbal memory, abstract reasoning, phonemic verbal fluency, and semantic verbal fluency before and after retirement. We found that all domains of cognition declined over time. Declines in verbal memory were 38% faster after retirement compared to before, after taking account of age-related decline. In analyses stratified by employment grade, higher employment grade was protective against verbal memory decline while people were still working, but this 'protective effect' was lost when individuals retired, resulting in a similar rate of decline post-retirement across employment grades. We did not find a significant impact of retirement on the other cognitive domains. In conclusion, these findings are consistent with the hypothesis that retirement accelerates the decline in verbal memory function. This study points to the benefits of cognitively stimulating activities associated with employment that could benefit older people's memory.

Developmental origins of NAFLD: a womb with a clue

PubMed Central

Wesolowski, Stephanie R.; El Kasmi, Karim C.; Jonscher, Karen R.; Friedman, Jacob E.

2017-01-01

Changes in the maternal environment leading to an altered intrauterine milieu can result in subtle insults to the fetus, promoting increased lifetime disease risk and/or disease acceleration in childhood and later in life. Particularly worrisome is that the prevalence of NAFLD is rapidly increasing among children and adults, and is being diagnosed at increasingly younger ages, pointing towards an early-life origin. A wealth of evidence, in humans and non-human primates, suggests that maternal nutrition affects the placenta and fetal tissues, leading to persistent changes in hepatic metabolism, mitochondrial function, the intestinal microbiota, liver macrophage activation and susceptibility to NASH postnatally. Deleterious exposures in utero include fetal hypoxia, increased nutrient supply, inflammation and altered gut microbiota that might produce metabolic clues, including fatty acids, metabolites, endotoxins, bile acids and cytokines, which prime the infant liver for NAFLD in a persistent manner and increase susceptibility to NASH. Mechanistic links to early disease pathways might involve shifts in lipid metabolism, mitochondrial dysfunction, pioneering gut microorganisms, macrophage programming and epigenetic changes that alter the liver microenvironment, favouring liver injury. In this Review, we discuss how maternal, fetal, neonatal and infant exposures provide developmental clues and mechanisms to help explain NAFLD acceleration and increased disease prevalence. Mechanisms identified in clinical and preclinical models suggest important opportunities for prevention and intervention that could slow down the growing epidemic of NAFLD in the next generation. PMID:27780972

Examination of Children Decision Making Using Clues during the Logical Reasoning Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çelik, Meryem

2017-01-01

Logical reasoning is the process of thinking about a problem and finding the most effective solution. Children's decision-making skills are part of their cognitive development and are also indicative. The purpose of this study was to examine children's decision-making skills using clues in logical reasoning based on various variables. The study…

[Response of water yield function of ecosystem to land use change in Nansi Lake Basin based on CLUE-S model and InVEST model .

PubMed

Guo, Hong Wei; Sun, Xiao Yin; Lian, Li Shu; Zhang, Da Zhi; Xu, Yan

2016-09-01

Land use change has an important role in hydrological processes and utilization of water resources, and is the main driving force of water yield function of ecosystem. This paper analyzed the change of land use from 1990 to 2013 in Nansi Lake Basin, Shandong Province. The future land use in 2030 was also predicted and simulated by CLUE-S model. Based on land use scenarios, we analyzed the influence of land use change on ecosystem function of water yield in nearly 25 years through InVEST water yield model and spatial mapping. The results showed that the area of construction land increased by 3.5% in 2013 because of burgeoning urbanization process, but farmland area decreased by 2.4% which was conversed to construction land mostly. The simulated result of InVEST model suggested that water yield level of whole basin decreased firstly and increased subsequently during last 25 years and peaked at 232.1 mm in 2013. The construction land area would increase by 6.7% in 2030 based on the land use scenarios of fast urbanization, which would lead to a remarkable growth for water yield and risk of flowing flooding. However, the water yield level of whole basin would decrease by 1.2 % in 2013 if 300 meter-wide forest buffer strips around Nansi Lake were built up.

Syndromes associated with Homo sapiens pol II regulatory genes.

PubMed

Bina, M; Demmon, S; Pares-Matos, E I

2000-01-01

The molecular basis of human characteristics is an intriguing but an unresolved problem. Human characteristics cover a broad spectrum, from the obvious to the abstract. Obvious characteristics may include morphological features such as height, shape, and facial form. Abstract characteristics may be hidden in processes that are controlled by hormones and the human brain. In this review we examine exaggerated characteristics presented as syndromes. Specifically, we focus on human genes that encode transcription factors to examine morphological, immunological, and hormonal anomalies that result from deletion, insertion, or mutation of genes that regulate transcription by RNA polymerase II (the Pol II genes). A close analysis of abnormal phenotypes can give clues into how sequence variations in regulatory genes and changes in transcriptional control may give rise to characteristics defined as complex traits.

Data Driven Quality Improvement of Health Professions Education: Design and Development of CLUE - An Interactive Curriculum Data Visualization Tool.

PubMed

Canning, Claire Ann; Loe, Alan; Cockett, Kathryn Jane; Gagnon, Paul; Zary, Nabil

2017-01-01

Curriculum Mapping and dynamic visualization is quickly becoming an integral aspect of quality improvement in support of innovations which drive curriculum quality assurance processes in medical education. CLUE (Curriculum Explorer) a highly interactive, engaging and independent platform was developed to support curriculum transparency, enhance student engagement, and enable granular search and display. Reflecting a design based approach to meet the needs of the school's varied stakeholders, CLUE employs an iterative and reflective approach to drive the evolution of its platform, as it seeks to accommodate the ever-changing needs of our stakeholders in the fast pace world of medicine and medical education today. CLUE exists independent of institutional systems and in this way, is uniquely positioned to deliver a data driven quality improvement resource, easily adaptable for use by any member of our health care professions.

Cohort Influences in Older Marriages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eskew, Ron W.

Cohort differentiation has been posited to crystallize around periods of social crises and to be most impactful on the young adults of a given socio-historical period. The two most prominent socio-historical events in the pasts of today's older married persons were the Great Depression of the 1930's and World War II. Older married couples were…

A genetic variant near GATA3 implicated in inherited susceptibility and etiology of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).

PubMed

Na, Rong; Helfand, Brian T; Chen, Haitao; Conran, Carly A; Crawford, Susan E; Hayward, Simon W; Tammela, Teuvo L J; Hoffman-Bolton, Judy; Zheng, Siqun L; Walsh, Patrick C; Schleutker, Johanna; Platz, Elizabeth A; Isaacs, William B; Xu, Jianfeng

2017-08-01

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and associated lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are common conditions. Little is known about their etiologies except that studies have suggested a substantial heritable component. Our objective is to provide a comprehensive, genome-wide evaluation of inherited risks and possible mechanisms of etiology in BPH. We performed a three-stage, genome-wide association study (GWAS) of men from three independent populations, the REduction by DUtasteride of prostate Cancer Events (REDUCE) trial, the CLUE II cohort, and a Finnish hospital-based population. DNA samples were genotyped using the Illumina HumanOmniExpress BeadChip in REDUCE and CLUE II, and using the Sequenom iPLEX system for the confirmation stage in the Finnish population. A logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association between each SNP and BPH/LUTS. Fourteen SNPs reached P < 5.0 × 10 -4 in the meta-analysis of the two GWASs (CLUE II and REDUCE). A total of 773 SNPs were chosen for the confirmation step in the Finish cohort. Only one SNP (rs17144046) located ∼489 kb downstream of GATA3 remained significant after correction for multiple testing (P < 6.5 × 10 -5 ). This SNP marginally reached the GWAS significance level after performing a meta-analysis of the three stages (P -meta  = 8.89 × 10 -7 ). Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analyses showed that the risk allele (G) of rs17144046 was significantly associated with increased expression of GATA3 (P = 0.017). Reported studies indicated a close correlation between GATA3 and BPH pathogenesis and progression. Rs17144046 located near GATA3 was significantly associated with BPH/LUTS in three independent populations, but did not reach a stringent GWAS significance level. Genetic variants of GATA3 may play a role in the inherited susceptibility and etiology of BPH/LUTS. Further research in this area is needed. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prehistoric Packrats Piled Up Clues to Climate Change

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cole, Kenneth L.

2008-01-01

Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey and Northern Arizona University studying climate change in the Southwestern United States are getting a helping hand?or would that be paw??from prehistoric packrats. By hoarding parts of animals and plants, including seeds and leaves, in garbage piles or ?middens,? these bushy-tailed rodents preserved crucial ecological and environmental information about the past. From these middens, scientists are able to reconstruct plant communities and natural systems from as long ago as 50,000 years. The contents of middens allow scientists to understand how ecosystems responded to rapid, large-scale climate changes of the past. The insights gained from midden research could offer clues to future changes driven by rapid climate shifts.

A Keen Eye for Clues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Logan, Jonothan

2010-03-01

Samuel Goudsmit, a pioneering atomic theorist who specialized in the exacting, quantitative art of interpreting line spectra and who, with George Uhlenbeck, discovered electron spin, also contributed key studies of nuclear moments, neutron scattering, and the statistics of experimental measurement. Beyond the traditional ambit of laboratory, desk, and blackboard, Goudsmit was drawn to a wider world of inquiry -- to museums and archaeological sites in Cairo as a respected amateur Egyptologist; to the MIT Radiation Lab early in WWII and to the briefing rooms of British pilots, analyzing the effectiveness of radar; and across wartime Europe by jeep, as head of an Allied mission in pursuit of clear information on Germany's secret fission program. After the war he took up chairmanship of a major physics department and editorship of the Physical Review, where he created the ambitious new journal, Physical Review Letters. The present author, Goudsmit's assistant at the journal forty years ago, looks for a common element that might explain this extraordinary diversity of interests and contributions, and finds one in Goudsmit's abiding delight in solving puzzles of every kind, coupled with a detective's keen eye for clues.

Morphological clues to the appropriate recognition of hereditary renal neoplasms.

PubMed

Moch, Holger; Ohashi, Riuko; Gandhi, Jatin S; Amin, Mahul B

2018-05-01

An important emerging role of the surgical pathologist besides the traditional tasks of establishment of the diagnosis and documentation of prognostic and predictive factors, is to recognize the possibility of a hereditary condition in cases where the histology is suggestive for a familial cancer syndrome. In recent years, the knowledge regarding all of the above roles, including the role of recognition of familial cancer, has particularly expanded in renal neoplasms with the close scrutiny to morphology, molecular correlates and clinical features of the different sub-types of renal cell carcinoma. Awareness of these clinically distinctive sub-types and their associated histologic clues will prompt the pathologist for further immunohistochemical or molecular work up, to look for clinical information to support the suspected diagnosis of familial cancer, to alert managing physician/s to look for stigmata of history of familial cancer, which will permit triaging patients and their families for appropriate genetic counseling. This review provides a comprehensive review of the known sub-types of renal cell carcinoma that have a predilection to occur in the setting of hereditary disease; examples include renal cancers occurring in the background of von Hippel Lindau disease, hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell carcinoma syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, Birt Hogg Dube syndrome and succinate dehydrogenase deficiency. Herein we focus on diagnostic clues for renal tumors occurring in a non-pediatric setting that should prompt their correct recognition and reiterate the importance of the correct diagnosis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A web-based data visualization tool for the MIMIC-II database.

PubMed

Lee, Joon; Ribey, Evan; Wallace, James R

2016-02-04

Although MIMIC-II, a public intensive care database, has been recognized as an invaluable resource for many medical researchers worldwide, becoming a proficient MIMIC-II researcher requires knowledge of SQL programming and an understanding of the MIMIC-II database schema. These are challenging requirements especially for health researchers and clinicians who may have limited computer proficiency. In order to overcome this challenge, our objective was to create an interactive, web-based MIMIC-II data visualization tool that first-time MIMIC-II users can easily use to explore the database. The tool offers two main features: Explore and Compare. The Explore feature enables the user to select a patient cohort within MIMIC-II and visualize the distributions of various administrative, demographic, and clinical variables within the selected cohort. The Compare feature enables the user to select two patient cohorts and visually compare them with respect to a variety of variables. The tool is also helpful to experienced MIMIC-II researchers who can use it to substantially accelerate the cumbersome and time-consuming steps of writing SQL queries and manually visualizing extracted data. Any interested researcher can use the MIMIC-II data visualization tool for free to quickly and conveniently conduct a preliminary investigation on MIMIC-II with a few mouse clicks. Researchers can also use the tool to learn the characteristics of the MIMIC-II patients. Since it is still impossible to conduct multivariable regression inside the tool, future work includes adding analytics capabilities. Also, the next version of the tool will aim to utilize MIMIC-III which contains more data.

[Ti II] and [Ni II] Emission from the Strontium Filament of eta Carinae

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bautista, M. A.; Hartman, H.; Gull, T. R.; Smith, N.; Lodders, K.

2005-01-01

We study the nature of the [Ti II] and [Ni II] emission from the so-called strontium filament found in the ejecta of eta Carinae. To this purpose we employ multilevel models of the Ti II and Ni II systems which are used to investigate the physical condition of the filament and the excitation mechanisms of the observed lines. For the Ti II ion, for which no atomic data was previously available, we carry out ab initio calculations of radiative transition rates and electron impact excitation rate coefficients. It is found that the observed spectrum is consistent with the lines being excited in a mostly neutral region with electron density of the order of 10(exp 7) cm(exp -3) and a temperature around 6000 K. In analyzing three observations with different slit orientations recorded between March 2000 and November 2001 we find line ratios that change among various observations, in a way consistent with changes of up to an order of magnitude in the strength of the continuum radiation field. These changes result from different samplings of the extended filament, due to the different slit orientations used for each observation, and yield clues on the spatial extent and optical depth of the filament. The observed emission indicates a large Ti/Ni abundance ratio relative to solar abundances. It is suggested that the observed high Ti/Ni ratio in gas is caused dust-gas fractionation processes and does not reflect the absolute Ti/Ni ratio in the ejecta of eta Carinae. The condensation chemistry shows that if dust condensed in a sequence of layers according to decreasing temperature and increasing distance from the central star, the most refractory dust could be selectively affected by photoevaporation. Thus, Ti would be released back to the gas and the Ti/Ni ratio in the gas would increase to the observed super-solar ratio.

[Ti II] and [Ni II] Emission from the Strontium Filament of eta Carinae

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bautista, M. A.; Hartman, H.; GUll, T. R.; Smith, N.; Lodders, K.

2007-01-01

We study the nature of the [Ti II] and [Ni II] emission from the so-called strontium filament found in the ejecta of eta Carinae. To this purpose we employ multilevel models of the Ti II and Ni II systems which are used to investigate the physical condition of the filament and the excitation mechanisms of the observed lines. For the Ti II ion, for which no atomic data was previously available, we carry out ab initio calculations of radiative transition rates and electron impact excitation rate coefficients. It is found that the observed spectrum is consistent with the lines being excited in a mostly neutral region with an electron density of the order of 10(exp 7) per cubic centimeter and a temperature around 6000 K. In analyzing three observations with different slit orientations recorded between March 2000 and November 2001 we find line ratios that change among various observations, in a way consistent with changes of up to an order of magnitude in the strength of the continuum radiation field. These changes result from different samplings of the extended filament, due to the different slit orientations used for each observation, and yield clues on the spatial extent and optical depth of the filament. The observed emission indicates a large Ti/Ni abundance ratio relative to solar abundances. It is suggested that the observed high Ti/Ni ratio in gas is caused by dust-gas fractionation processes and does not reflect the absolute Ti/Ni ratio in the ejecta of eta Carinae. We study the condensation chemistry of Ti, Ni and Fe within the filament and suggest that the observed gas phase overabundance of Ti is likely the result of selective photo-evaporation of Ti-bearing grains. Some mechanisms for such a scenario are proposed.

Association of Lifecourse Socioeconomic Status with Chronic Inflammation and Type 2 Diabetes Risk: The Whitehall II Prospective Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Stringhini, Silvia; Batty, G. David; Bovet, Pascal; Shipley, Martin J.; Marmot, Michael G.; Kumari, Meena; Tabak, Adam G.; Kivimäki, Mika

2013-01-01

Background Socioeconomic adversity in early life has been hypothesized to “program” a vulnerable phenotype with exaggerated inflammatory responses, so increasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in adulthood. The aim of this study is to test this hypothesis by assessing the extent to which the association between lifecourse socioeconomic status and type 2 diabetes incidence is explained by chronic inflammation. Methods and Findings We use data from the British Whitehall II study, a prospective occupational cohort of adults established in 1985. The inflammatory markers C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 were measured repeatedly and type 2 diabetes incidence (new cases) was monitored over an 18-year follow-up (from 1991–1993 until 2007–2009). Our analytical sample consisted of 6,387 non-diabetic participants (1,818 women), of whom 731 (207 women) developed type 2 diabetes over the follow-up. Cumulative exposure to low socioeconomic status from childhood to middle age was associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes in adulthood (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.96, 95% confidence interval: 1.48–2.58 for low cumulative lifecourse socioeconomic score and HR = 1.55, 95% confidence interval: 1.26–1.91 for low-low socioeconomic trajectory). 25% of the excess risk associated with cumulative socioeconomic adversity across the lifecourse and 32% of the excess risk associated with low-low socioeconomic trajectory was attributable to chronically elevated inflammation (95% confidence intervals 16%–58%). Conclusions In the present study, chronic inflammation explained a substantial part of the association between lifecourse socioeconomic disadvantage and type 2 diabetes. Further studies should be performed to confirm these findings in population-based samples, as the Whitehall II cohort is not representative of the general population, and to examine the extent to which social inequalities attributable to chronic inflammation are reversible

Possibilities and considerations when merging dietary data from the world's two largest pregnancy cohorts: the Danish National Birth Cohort and the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study.

PubMed

Olsen, Sjurdur F; Birgisdottir, Bryndis Eva; Halldorsson, Thorhallur I; Brantsaeter, Anne Lise; Haugen, Margaretha; Torjusen, Hanne; Petersen, Sesilje B; Strøm, Marin; Meltzer, Helle Margrete

2014-11-01

To elucidate the research possibilities when merging data on maternal diet from the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) and the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), through comparison of (i) the methodology used for dietary assessment and (ii) the estimated intake of selected food groups in the two cohorts. Qualitative and quantitative comparison of the two dietary databases. Two national prospective pregnancy cohorts. Denmark, Norway. Comparison of food intake using food frequency questionnaires (FFQs). The FFQs had overlapping time windows and a majority of the questions in the two FFQs were comparable. Calculation principles shared similar features, including the software used and use of global questions to calibrate intakes of different food groups. A total of 63 food groups were defined that could be compared across the two cohorts; these were further aggregated down to 31 broader groups. A comparison of food intakes (grams/d) showed 39, 74 and 141% lower daily intakes of fish, potatoes and rice, respectively, in DNBC vs. MoBa and 39, 54 and 65% higher daily intakes of milk, butter and potatoes in DNBC vs. MoBa. For most other food groups, differences in consumption data were below 20%. The two FFQs are to a large extent compatible and substantial differences in dietary habits were observed between the two cohorts. This may strengthen studies using pooled analysis to examine diet-disease relations. This is a conclusion of great importance given the colossal and costly task involved to establish each of these two cohorts. © 2014 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Observations give us CLUES to Cosmic Flows' origins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sorce, Jenny; Courtois, H.; Gottloeber, S.; Hoffman, Y.; Pomarede, D.; Tully, R. B.; Flows, Cosmic; CLUES

2014-01-01

In an era where the wealth of telescope-data and the development of computer superclusters keep increasing, the knowledge of Large Scale Structures' formation and evolution constitutes a tremendous challenge. Within this context the project Cosmic Flows has recently produced a catalog of peculiar velocities up to 150 Mpc. These velocities, obtained from direct distance measurements, are ideal markers of the underlying gravitational potential. They form a fantastic input to perform constrained simulations of the Local Universe within the CLUES project. A new method has recently been elaborated to achieve these simulations which prove to be excellent replicas of our neighborhood. The Wiener-Filter, the Reverse Zel'dovich Approximation and the Constrained Realization techniques are combined to build Initial Conditions. The resulting second generation of constrained simulations presents us the formidable history of the Great Attractor's and nearby supercluster's formation.

Weight and Veterans' Environments Study (WAVES) I and II: Rationale, Methods, and Cohort Characteristics.

PubMed

Zenk, Shannon N; Tarlov, Elizabeth; Powell, Lisa M; Wing, Coady; Matthews, Stephen A; Slater, Sandy; Gordon, Howard S; Berbaum, Michael; Fitzgibbon, Marian L

2018-03-01

To present the rationale, methods, and cohort characteristics for 2 complementary "big data" studies of residential environment contributions to body weight, metabolic risk, and weight management program participation and effectiveness. Retrospective cohort. Continental United States. A total of 3 261 115 veterans who received Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care in 2009 to 2014, including 169 910 weight management program participants and a propensity score-derived comparison group. The VA MOVE! weight management program, an evidence-based lifestyle intervention. Body mass index, metabolic risk measures, and MOVE! participation; residential environmental attributes (eg, food outlet availability and walkability); and MOVE! program characteristics. Descriptive statistics presented on cohort characteristics and environments where they live. Forty-four percent of men and 42.8% of women were obese, whereas 4.9% of men and 9.9% of women engaged in MOVE!. About half of the cohort had at least 1 supermarket within 1 mile of their home, whereas they averaged close to 4 convenience stores (3.6 for men, 3.9 for women) and 8 fast-food restaurants (7.9 for men, 8.2 for women). Forty-one percent of men and 38.6% of women did not have a park, and 35.5% of men and 31.3% of women did not have a commercial fitness facility within 1 mile. Drawing on a large nationwide cohort residing in diverse environments, these studies are poised to significantly inform policy and weight management program design.

Contract management using cause-effect clues in service worksheets.

PubMed

Chen, J H

1996-01-01

Sophisticated equipment often needs intensive technical resources to maintain its system availability. Service contracts can be an easy channel to outside technical resources. Usually, a service contract purchaser only sees its cost instead of its maintenance quality. A system's needs, however, depend on the trade-off between the cost paid and the quality received. If a clinical engineer can actively interpret and integrate the cause-effect consequences on the compiled service worksheets, those clues can serve as a criterion to justify the quality and the cost-effectiveness of a service contract. Through the analysis of the service labor consumed, the justification of the parts replaced, and the assessment of the "fit" to system availability, this paper provides a cost-effective tool for equipment management.

Association Between Use of Traditional Chinese Medicine Herbal Therapy and Survival Outcomes in Patients With Stage II and III Colorectal Cancer: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Xu, Yun; Mao, Jun J; Sun, Lingyun; Yang, Lin; Li, Jie; Hao, Yingxu; Li, Huashan; Hou, Wei; Chu, Yuping; Bai, Yu; Jia, Xiaoqiang; Wang, Jinwan; Shen, Lin; Zhang, Ying; Wang, Jianbin; Liu, Jianping; Yang, Yufei

2017-11-01

Chinese cancer patients often use Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herbal medicine during or after active cancer treatments. However, little is known about how TCM herbal medicine impacts cancer outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate the association between TCM herbal therapy and survival outcomes in patients with stage II or III colorectal cancer. We conducted an eight-center prospective cohort study in China among patients who had undergone radical resection for stage II and III colorectal cancer. All patients received comprehensive conventional treatments according to National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines, and follow-up visits were conducted over five years. We defined high exposure as a patient's use of TCM individualized herbs for more than one year, ascertained via clinical interviews. The primary outcome was disease-free survival (DFS), with overall survival (OS) as a secondary outcome. Between April 2007 and February 2009, we enrolled 312 patients into the cohort; 166 (53.2%) met the definition of high exposure to TCM herbs. Adjusting for covariates, high exposure to TCM was associated with both better DFS (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.39 to 0.98) and OS (HR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.14 to 0.68). In subgroup exploratory analysis, the effects demonstrated that the differences in outcomes were statistically significant in patients who had received chemotherapy. Longer duration of TCM herbal use is associated with improved survival outcomes in stage II and III colorectal cancer patients in China. More research is needed to evaluate the effects and underlying mechanisms of herbal medicine on colorectal cancer outcomes. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Structure and morphology of submarine slab slides: clues to origin and behavior

USGS Publications Warehouse

O'Leary, Dennis W.

1991-01-01

Geologic features suggest that some slab slides probably result from long-term strength degradation of weak layers deep in the homoclinal section. Time-dependent strain in clay-rich layers can create potential slide surfaces of low frictional strength. Competent layers are weak in tension and probably fragment in the first instance of, or even prior to, translation, and the allochthonous mass is readily transformed into a high-momentum debris flow. The structure and geomorphology of slab slides provide important clues to their origin and behavior. -from Author

Work Stress, Caregiving and Allostatic Load: Prospective results from Whitehall II cohort study

PubMed Central

Dich, Nadya; Lange, Theis; Head, Jenny; Rod, Naja Hulvej

2015-01-01

Objective Studies investigating health effects of work and family stress usually consider these factors in isolation. The present study investigated prospective interactive effects of job strain and informal caregiving on allostatic load (AL), a multisystem indicator of physiological dysregulation. Methods Subjects were 7,007 British civil servants from the Whitehall II cohort study. Phase 3 (1991-1994) served as the baseline, Phases 5 (1997-1999) and 7 (2002-2004) as follow-ups. Job strain (high job demands combined with low control) and caregiving (providing care to aged or disabled relatives) were assessed at baseline. AL index (possible range 0-9) was assessed at baseline and both follow-ups based on 9 cardiovascular, metabolic and immune biomarkers. Linear mixed effect models were used to examine the association of job strain and caregiving with AL. Results High caregiving burden (above the sample median weekly hours of providing care) predicted higher AL levels, with the effect strongest in those also reporting job strain [b = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.01– 0.71)]; however, the interaction between job strain and caregiving was not significant (p = 0.56). Regardless of job strain, participants with low caregiving burden (below sample median) had lower subsequent AL levels than non-caregivers [b = 0.22, 95% CI: 0.06–0.37]. Conclusions The study provides some evidence for adverse effects of stress at work combined with family demands on physiological functioning. However, providing care to others may also have health protective effects if it does not involve excessive time commitment. PMID:25984826

[Chemical submission, epidemiology and some clues for the diagnosis].

PubMed

Cruz-Landeira, Angelines; Quintela-Jorge, Oscar; López-Rivadulla, Manuel

2008-12-06

The use of chemical substances to control people is not a new event. Indeed, it has been done for centuries. This practice has recenttly acquired a new dimension because of its association with sexual assaults and other type of crimes. The frequency of the association of the use of chemical substances with sexual assaults is behind the term SQ (drug facilitated sexual assauit). The Spaniish term foir this practice, Sumisión Química, comes from the French one, Soumissión Chimique, and has a wide meaning. In this review, the epidemiology of SQ is revised and an analysis of its main involved elements, namely the chemical, the victim and the assailant, is done. Chief clinical signs and clues for the toxicological doiagnosis are also appproached.

Residential radon exposure and risk of incident hematologic malignancies in the Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort.

PubMed

Teras, Lauren R; Diver, W Ryan; Turner, Michelle C; Krewski, Daniel; Sahar, Liora; Ward, Elizabeth; Gapstur, Susan M

2016-07-01

Dosimetric models show that radon, an established cause of lung cancer, delivers a non-negligible dose of alpha radiation to the bone marrow, as well as to lymphocytes in the tracheobronchial epithelium, and therefore could be related to risk of hematologic cancers. Studies of radon and hematologic cancer risk, however, have produced inconsistent results. To date there is no published prospective, population-based study of residential radon exposure and hematologic malignancy incidence. We used data from the American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort established in 1992, to examine the association between county-level residential radon exposure and risk of hematologic cancer. The analytic cohort included 140,652 participants (66,572 men, 74,080 women) among which 3019 incident hematologic cancer cases (1711 men, 1308 women) were identified during 19 years of follow-up. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to calculate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for radon exposure and hematologic cancer risk. Women living in counties with the highest mean radon concentrations (>148Bq/m(3)) had a statistically significant higher risk of hematologic cancer compared to those living in counties with the lowest (<74Bq/m(3)) radon levels (HR=1.63, 95% CI:1.23-2.18), and there was evidence of a dose-response relationship (HRcontinuous=1.38, 95% CI:1.15-1.65 per 100Bq/m(3); p-trend=0.001). There was no association between county-level radon and hematologic cancer risk among men. The findings of this large, prospective study suggest residential radon may be a risk factor for lymphoid malignancies among women. Further study is needed to confirm these findings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Statistical controversies in clinical research: building the bridge to phase II-efficacy estimation in dose-expansion cohorts.

PubMed

Boonstra, P S; Braun, T M; Taylor, J M G; Kidwell, K M; Bellile, E L; Daignault, S; Zhao, L; Griffith, K A; Lawrence, T S; Kalemkerian, G P; Schipper, M J

2017-07-01

Regulatory agencies and others have expressed concern about the uncritical use of dose expansion cohorts (DECs) in phase I oncology trials. Nonetheless, by several metrics-prevalence, size, and number-their popularity is increasing. Although early efficacy estimation in defined populations is a common primary endpoint of DECs, the types of designs best equipped to identify efficacy signals have not been established. We conducted a simulation study of six phase I design templates with multiple DECs: three dose-assignment/adjustment mechanisms multiplied by two analytic approaches for estimating efficacy after the trial is complete. We also investigated the effect of sample size and interim futility analysis on trial performance. Identifying populations in which the treatment is efficacious (true positives) and weeding out inefficacious treatment/populations (true negatives) are competing goals in these trials. Thus, we estimated true and false positive rates for each design. Adaptively updating the MTD during the DEC improved true positive rates by 8-43% compared with fixing the dose during the DEC phase while maintaining false positive rates. Inclusion of an interim futility analysis decreased the number of patients treated under inefficacious DECs without hurting performance. A substantial gain in efficiency is obtainable using a design template that statistically models toxicity and efficacy against dose level during expansion. Design choices for dose expansion should be motivated by and based upon expected performance. Similar to the common practice in single-arm phase II trials, cohort sample sizes should be justified with respect to their primary aim and include interim analyses to allow for early stopping. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Lung cancer risk comparison among male smokers between the "six-prefecture cohort" in Japan and the British physicians' cohort.

PubMed

Mizuno, S; Akiba, S; Hirayama, T

1989-12-01

We estimated the effective duration of cigarette smoking using the data of lung cancer mortality among male smokers of a large-scale cohort study in Japan and evaluated its role in the lung cancer risk difference between male smokers of the Japanese cohort and the British physicians' cohort. By selecting male cohort members who answered that they had started smoking at ages 18-22 (average = 20.3), the subjects of our analysis, which numbered 49,013, were made relatively homogeneous in terms of age at which smoking was started. Assuming lung cancer mortality to be proportional to the 4.5th power of the effective duration of cigarette smoking, i.e., (age-theta)4.5, as was proposed on the basis of the British cohort study by Doll and Peto, the parameter theta was estimated to be 29.4 for male smokers aged 40-64 in 1966; therefore, the estimated duration of cigarette smoking was, on average, 9.1 years (95% confidence interval = 5.8-11.6) shorter than that calculated from the reported age at which smoking was started. Our findings suggested that the low lung cancer mortality relative to daily cigarette consumption in Japan resulted from the shorter duration of cigarette smoking in the Japanese cohort, possibly due to the severe shortage of cigarettes during and shortly after World War II. Once the effective duration of cigarette smoking was adjusted, lung cancer mortality in the range of 5-34 cigarettes per day was fairly comparable to that observed among the cohort of male British physicians.

Fossils harbor climate clues and fuel debate over glacier stability

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

Not Available

At the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf near McMurdo Station in Antarctica, scientists have discovered fossils of well preserved wood and a mixture of microscopic marine organisms, dating from the Eocene epoch. This discovery promises significant clues to the onset of glaciation in Antarctica. Geologists believe that this discovery may shed light on Antarctica's link to world climate and help predict future climatic change. Debate centers around when glaciation first became extensive, 15 or 20 million years ago, and whether or not the ice sheet was dynamic and responsive to small fluctuations in climate or stable and able tomore » lock up massive amounts of the world's water. 7 refs.« less

Cancer incidence in Israeli Jewish survivors of World War II.

PubMed

Keinan-Boker, Lital; Vin-Raviv, Neomi; Liphshitz, Irena; Linn, Shai; Barchana, Micha

2009-11-04

Israeli Jews of European origin have high incidence rates of all cancers, and many of them were exposed to severe famine and stress during World War II. We assessed cancer incidence in Israeli Jewish survivors of World War II. Cancer rates were compared in a cohort of 315 544 Israeli Jews who were born in Europe and immigrated to Israel before or during World War II (nonexposed group, n = 57 496) or after World War II and up to 1989 (the exposed group, ie, those potentially exposed to the Holocaust, n = 258 048). Because no individual data were available on actual Holocaust exposure, we based exposure on the immigration date for European-born Israeli Jews and decided against use of the term "Holocaust survivors," implying a known, direct individual Holocaust exposure. Cancer incidences were obtained from the Israel National Cancer Registry. Relative risk (RR) estimates and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated for all cancer sites and for specific cancer sites, stratified by sex and birth cohort, and adjusted for time period. The nonexposed group contributed 908 436 person-years of follow-up, with 13 237 cancer diagnoses (crude rate per 100 000 person-years = 1457.1). The exposed group contributed 4 011 264 person-years of follow-up, with 56 060 cancer diagnoses (crude rate per 100 000 person-years = 1397.6). Exposure, compared with nonexposure, was associated with a statistically significantly increased risk for all-site cancer for all birth cohorts and for both sexes. The strongest associations between exposure and all-site cancer risk were observed in the youngest birth cohort of 1940-1945 (for men, RR = 3.50, 95% CI = 2.17 to 5.65; for women, RR = 2.33, 95% CI = 1.69 to 3.21). Excess risk was pronounced for breast cancer in the 1940-1945 birth cohort (RR = 2.44, 95% CI = 1.46 to 4.06) and for colorectal cancer in the 1935-1939 cohort (for men, RR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.19 to 2.59; for women, RR = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.25 to 3.00). Incidence of all cancers

Calcium intake and mortality from all causes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease: the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort.

PubMed

Yang, Baiyu; Campbell, Peter T; Gapstur, Susan M; Jacobs, Eric J; Bostick, Roberd M; Fedirko, Veronika; Flanders, W Dana; McCullough, Marjorie L

2016-03-01

Calcium intake may be important for bone health, but its effects on other outcomes, including cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer, remain unclear. Recent reports of adverse cardiovascular effects of supplemental calcium have raised concerns. We investigated associations of supplemental, dietary, and total calcium intakes with all-cause, CVD-specific, and cancer-specific mortality in a large, prospective cohort. A total of 132,823 participants in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort, who were followed from baseline (1992 or 1993) through 2012 for mortality outcomes, were included in the analysis. Dietary and supplemental calcium information was first collected at baseline and updated in 1999 and 2003. Multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards models with cumulative updating of exposures were used to calculate RRs and 95% CIs for associations between calcium intake and mortality. During a mean follow-up of 17.5 y, 43,186 deaths occurred. For men, supplemental calcium intake was overall not associated with mortality outcomes (P-trend > 0.05 for all), but men who were taking ≥1000 mg supplemental calcium/d had a higher risk of all-cause mortality (RR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.03, 1.33), which was primarily attributed to borderline statistically significant higher risk of CVD-specific mortality (RR: 1.22; 95% CI: 0.99, 1.51). For women, supplemental calcium was inversely associated with mortality from all causes [RR (95% CI): 0.90 (0.87, 0.94), 0.84 (0.80, 0.88), and 0.93 (0.87, 0.99) for intakes of 0.1 to <500, 500 to <1000, and ≥1000 mg/d, respectively; P-trend < 0.01]. Total calcium intake was inversely associated with mortality in women (P-trend < 0.01) but not in men; dietary calcium was not associated with all-cause mortality in either sex. In this cohort, associations of calcium intake and mortality varied by sex. For women, total and supplemental calcium intakes are associated with lower mortality, whereas for men, supplemental calcium intake �

Cohort-based income gradients in obesity among U.S. adults.

PubMed

Heo, Jongho; Beck, Audrey N; Lin, Shih-Fan; Marcelli, Enrico; Lindsay, Suzanne; Karl Finch, Brian

2018-03-01

No studies have focused on socioeconomic disparities in obesity within and between cohorts. Our objectives were to examine income gradients in obesity between birth-cohorts (inter-cohort variations) and within each birth-cohort (intra-cohort variations) by gender and race/ethnicity. Our sample includes 56,820 white and black adults from pooled, cross-sectional National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (1971-2012). We fit a series of logistic hierarchical Age-Period-Cohort models to control for the effects of age and period, simultaneously. Predicted probabilities of obesity by poverty-to-income ratio were estimated and graphed for 5-year cohort groups from 1901-1990. We also stratified this relationship for four gender and racial/ethnic subgroups. Obesity disparities due to income were weaker for post-World War I and II generations, specifically the mid-1920s and the mid-1940s to 1950s cohorts, than for other cohorts. In contrast, we found greater income gradients in obesity among cohorts from the 1930s to mid-1940s and mid-1960s to 1970s. Moreover, obesity disparities due to income across cohorts vary markedly by gender and race/ethnicity. White women with higher income consistently exhibited a lower likelihood of obesity than those with lower income since early 1900s cohorts; whereas, black men with higher income exhibited higher risks of obesity than those with lower income in most cohorts. Our findings suggest that strategies that address race and/or gender inequalities in obesity should be cognizant of significant historical factors that may be unique to cohorts. Period-based approaches that ignore life-course experiences captured in significant cohort-based experiences may limit the utility of policies and interventions. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Infliximab for Crohn's disease in the Swiss IBD Cohort Study: clinical management and appropriateness.

PubMed

Juillerat, Pascal; Pittet, Valérie; Vader, John-Paul; Burnand, Bernard; Gonvers, Jean-Jacques; de Saussure, Philippe; Mottet, Christian; Seibold, Frank; Rogler, Gerhard; Sagmeister, Markus; Felley, Christian; Michetti, Pierre; Froehlich, Florian

2010-11-01

Antitumor necrosis factor a agents have significantly improved the management of Crohn's disease (CD), but not all patients benefit from this therapy. We used data from the Swiss Inflammatory Bowel Disease Cohort Study and predefined appropriateness criteria to examine the appropriateness of use of infliximab (IFX) in CD patients. EPACT II (European Panel on the Appropriateness of CD Therapy, 2007; www.epact.ch) appropriateness criteria have been developed using a formal explicit panel process combining evidence from the published literature and expert opinion. Questionnaires relating to EPACT II criteria were used at enrollment and follow-up of all Swiss Inflammatory Bowel Disease Cohort Study patients. A step-by-step analysis of all possible indications for IFX therapy in a given patient allowed identification of the most appropriate indication and final classification in a single appropriateness category (appropriate, uncertain, inappropriate). Eight hundred and twenty-one CD patients were prospectively enrolled between November 2006 and March 2009. IFX was administered to 146 patients (18%) at enrollment and was most frequently used for complex fistulizing disease and for the maintenance of remission induced by biological therapy. IFX therapy was considered appropriate in 44%, uncertain in 44%, and inappropriate in 10% of patients. In this cohort, 9 out of 10 indications for IFX therapy were clinically generally acceptable (appropriate or uncertain) according to EPACT II criteria. Uncertain indications resulted mainly from the current more liberal use of IFX in clinical practice as compared with the EPACT II criteria.

The orphan tsunami of 1700—Japanese clues to a parent earthquake in North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Atwater, Brian F.; Musumi-Rokkaku, Satoko; Satake, Kenji; Tsuji, Yoshinobu; Ueda, Kazue; Yamaguchi, David K.

2005-09-15

The Orphan Tsunami of 1700, now in its second edition, tells this scientific detective story through its North American and Japanese clues. The discoveries underpin many of today’s precautions against earthquakes and tsunamis in the Cascadia region of northwestern North America. The Japanese tsunami of March 2011 called attention to those hazards as a mirror image of the transpacific waves of January 1700.

Clues from hands/Part 2. Personal details about patients revealed by hand examination.

PubMed

Schilli, Karen Danielle; Stricklin, Sherea Monica; Payne, Katie Sue; Rader, Ryan Kent; Stoecker, William V

2014-01-01

This is the second part of a two-part article on personal details revealed by hand examination. Examining hands to determine daily activities was the focus of Part 1 in the July/August 2014 Missouri Medicine. Personal traits and preferences, including pets, nutrition and psychology are presented here. These articles serve as a guide for visual clues on the hands to discern a patient's daily activities and personal preference, thereby providing social information that may help establish rapport between patient and physician and may have medical significance.

Hair shafts in trichoscopy: clues for diagnosis of hair and scalp diseases.

PubMed

Rudnicka, Lidia; Rakowska, Adriana; Kerzeja, Marta; Olszewska, Małgorzata

2013-10-01

Trichoscopy (hair and scalp dermoscopy) analyzes the structure and size of growing hair shafts, providing diagnostic clues for inherited and acquired causes of hair loss. Types of hair shaft abnormalities observed include exclamation mark hairs (alopecia areata, trichotillomania, chemotherapy-induced alopecia), Pohl-Pinkus constrictions (alopecia areata, chemotherapy-induced alopecia, blood loss, malnutrition), comma hairs (tinea capitis), corkscrew hairs (tinea capitis), coiled hairs (trichotillomania), flame hairs (trichotillomania), and tulip hairs (in trichotillomania, alopecia areata). Trichoscopy allows differential diagnosis of most genetic hair shaft disorders. This article proposes a classification of hair shaft abnormalities observed by trichoscopy. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Work stress, caregiving, and allostatic load: prospective results from the Whitehall II cohort study.

PubMed

Dich, Nadya; Lange, Theis; Head, Jenny; Rod, Naja Hulvej

2015-06-01

Studies investigating health effects of work and family stress usually consider these factors in isolation. The present study investigated prospective interactive effects of job strain and informal caregiving on allostatic load (AL), a multisystem indicator of physiological dysregulation. Participants were 7007 British civil servants from the Whitehall II cohort study. Phase 3 (1991-1994) served as the baseline, and Phases 5 (1997-1999) and 7 (2002-2004) served as follow-ups. Job strain (high job demands combined with low control) and caregiving (providing care to aged or disabled relatives) were assessed at baseline. AL index (possible range, 0-9) was assessed at baseline and both follow-ups based on nine cardiovascular, metabolic, and immune biomarkers. Linear mixed-effect models were used to examine the association of job strain and caregiving with AL. High caregiving burden (above the sample median weekly hours of providing care) predicted higher AL levels, with the effect strongest in those also reporting job strain (b = 0.36, 95% confidence interval = 0.01-0.71); however, the interaction between job strain and caregiving was not significant (p = .56). Regardless of job strain, participants with low caregiving burden (below sample median) had lower subsequent AL levels than did non-caregivers (b = -0.22, 95% confidence interval = -0.06--0.37). The study provides some evidence for adverse effects of stress at work combined with family demands on physiological functioning. However, providing care to others may also have health protective effects if it does not involve excessive time commitment.

Utility of the clue - From assessing the investigative contribution of forensic science to supporting the decision to use traces.

PubMed

Bitzer, Sonja; Albertini, Nicola; Lock, Eric; Ribaux, Olivier; Delémont, Olivier

2015-12-01

In an attempt to grasp the effectiveness of forensic science in the criminal justice process, a number of studies introduced some form of performance indicator. However, most of these indicators suffer from different weaknesses, from the definition of forensic science itself to problems of reliability and validity. We suggest the introduction of the concept of utility of the clue as an internal evaluation indicator of forensic science in the investigation. Utility of the clue is defined as added value of information, gained by the use of traces. This concept could be used to assess the contribution of the trace in the context of the case. By extension, a second application of this concept is suggested. By formalising and considering, a priori, the perceived utility of using traces, we introduce the notion of expected utility that could be used as decision factor when choosing which traces to use, once they have been collected at the crime scene or from an object in the laboratory. In a case-based approach, utility can be assessed in the light of the available information to evaluate the investigative contribution of forensic science. In the decision-making process, the projection or estimation of the utility of the clue is proposed to be a factor to take into account when triaging the set of traces. Copyright © 2015 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association between midlife health behaviours and transitions out of employment from midlife to early old age: Whitehall II cohort study.

PubMed

Hagger-Johnson, Gareth; Carr, Ewan; Murray, Emily; Stansfeld, Stephen; Shelton, Nicola; Stafford, Mai; Head, Jenny

2017-01-17

It is important to determine whether unhealthy behaviours might influence transitions out of employment from midlife to old age, given the anticipated need for adults to work for longer. Our aim was to determine the association between repeated assessments of cigarette smoking, heavy/problem alcohol drinking, low physical activity and poor diet at midlife, in relation to work exit from midlife to old age. Data from 7704 participants (5392 men) from the Whitehall II cohort study in employment at midlife were used to evaluate the association between unhealthy behaviours and a subsequent transition out of work during 22 years follow-up, using logistic regression models. Men who smoked cigarettes, consistently drank alcohol heavily, or reported problem drinking, were more likely to leave employment over follow-up. Women with a consistently poor diet were more likely to leave employment. Associations were stronger when the reason for leaving was health grounds, and stronger among those with persistently unhealthy behaviours over follow-up. The size of the effects were broadly equivalent to one advancing year of age on employment. Physical health functioning over follow-up only partly accounted for the associations with work exit, whereas physical and mental functioning accounted for most of the associations with work exit on health grounds. Unhealthy behaviours in midlife are associated with transitions out of employment into old age. Promoting healthy behaviours at midlife might support current policy initiatives aimed at extending working life. Future research should consider possible mechanisms that link behaviours to transitions out of employment, and consider sex differences in larger cohorts.

Clues of subjective social status among young adults.

PubMed

Nielsen, François; Roos, J Micah; Combs, R M

2015-07-01

We investigate determinants of subjective social status (SSS) as measured by respondents placing themselves on a ten-rung ladder from least to most "money", "education" and "respected job", in a large sample of young adults. The most potent clues of SSS are proximate in the life course, reflecting educational attainment and current socioeconomic and job situation, rather than distal characteristics such as family background, although relatively distal High school GPA has a lingering effect. Additional analyses reveal that College selectivity has a substantial impact on SSS, net of other variables in the model; Currently married does not significantly contribute to SSS, but contrary to some expectations Number of children significantly lowers SSS. We find no evidence of greater "status borrowing" by women as associations of SSS with shared household characteristics (Household income, Household assets, Home ownership) do not differ by gender. Our findings for these young adults support the conclusion of earlier research that SSS reflects a "cognitive averaging" of standard dimensions of socioeconomic status. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Breast Cancer Incidence in a Cohort of U.S. Flight Attendants

PubMed Central

Schubauer-Berigan, Mary K.; Anderson, Jeri L.; Hein, Misty J.; Little, Mark P.; Sigurdson, Alice J.; Pinkerton, Lynne E.

2015-01-01

Background Flight attendants may have elevated breast cancer incidence (BCI). We evaluated BCI’s association with cosmic radiation dose and circadian rhythm disruption among 6,093 female former U.S. flight attendants. Methods We collected questionnaire data on BCI and risk factors for breast cancer from 2002–2005. We conducted analyses to evaluate (i) BCI in the cohort compared to the U.S. population; and (ii) exposure-response relations. We applied an indirect adjustment to estimate whether parity and age at first birth (AFB) differences between the cohort and U.S. population could explain BCI that differed from expectation. Results BCI was elevated but may be explained by lower parity and older AFB in the cohort than among U.S. women. BCI was not associated with exposure metrics in the cohort overall. Significant positive associations with both were observed only among women with parity of three or more. Conclusions Future cohort analyses may be informative on the role of these occupational exposures and non-occupational risk factors. PMID:25678455

Predictive value of the "clue cells" investigation and the amine volatilization test in vaginal infections caused by Gardnerella vaginalis.

PubMed Central

Marquez-Davila, G; Martinez-Barreda, C E

1985-01-01

Although still controversial, an etiologic role of Gardnerella vaginalis is imputed in vaginitis. Besides isolation of the organism by culture, two alternative diagnostic procedures have been claimed to be useful: the investigation of "clue cells" in clinical specimens and the amine volatilization test or fishy odor perception in genital secretions. Herein we report on the findings of the simultaneous use of G. vaginalis isolation, the clue cell test and amine volatilization perception in specimens from 1,263 consecutive female patients referred to our clinic. Our results show that the simultaneous use of both alternative tests is very useful as a screening procedure. A negative result of both tests predicts a negative culture result in 99% of the cases. However, a positive result of either or both should be considered as an indication to proceed to culture and not as diagnostic of infection. PMID:3878365

Autism Spectrum Disorder and Particulate Matter Air Pollution before, during, and after Pregnancy: A Nested Case–Control Analysis within the Nurses’ Health Study II Cohort

PubMed Central

Roberts, Andrea L.; Lyall, Kristen; Hart, Jaime E.; Just, Allan C.; Laden, Francine; Weisskopf, Marc G.

2014-01-01

Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder with increasing prevalence worldwide, yet has unclear etiology. Objective We explored the association between maternal exposure to particulate matter (PM) air pollution and odds of ASD in her child. Methods We conducted a nested case–control study of participants in the Nurses’ Health Study II (NHS II), a prospective cohort of 116,430 U.S. female nurses recruited in 1989, followed by biennial mailed questionnaires. Subjects were NHS II participants’ children born 1990–2002 with ASD (n = 245), and children without ASD (n = 1,522) randomly selected using frequency matching for birth years. Diagnosis of ASD was based on maternal report, which was validated against the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised in a subset. Monthly averages of PM with diameters ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5) and 2.5–10 μm (PM10–2.5) were predicted from a spatiotemporal model for the continental United States and linked to residential addresses. Results PM2.5 exposure during pregnancy was associated with increased odds of ASD, with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) for ASD per interquartile range (IQR) higher PM2.5 (4.42 μg/m3) of 1.57 (95% CI: 1.22, 2.03) among women with the same address before and after pregnancy (160 cases, 986 controls). Associations with PM2.5 exposure 9 months before or after the pregnancy were weaker in independent models and null when all three time periods were included, whereas the association with the 9 months of pregnancy remained (OR = 1.63; 95% CI: 1.08, 2.47). The association between ASD and PM2.5 was stronger for exposure during the third trimester (OR = 1.42 per IQR increase in PM2.5; 95% CI: 1.09, 1.86) than during the first two trimesters (ORs = 1.06 and 1.00) when mutually adjusted. There was little association between PM10–2.5 and ASD. Conclusions Higher maternal exposure to PM2.5 during pregnancy, particularly the third trimester, was associated with greater odds of a child having ASD

Alternate Healthy Eating Index 2010, Dietary Inflammatory Index and risk of mortality: results from the Whitehall II cohort study and meta-analysis of previous Dietary Inflammatory Index and mortality studies.

PubMed

Shivappa, Nitin; Hebert, James R; Kivimaki, Mika; Akbaraly, Tasnime

2017-08-01

We aimed to examine the association between the Alternative Healthy Eating Index updated in 2010 (AHEI-2010), the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DIITM) and risk of mortality in the Whitehall II study. We also conducted a meta-analysis on the DII-based results from previous studies to summarise the overall evidence. Data on dietary behaviour assessed by self-administered repeated FFQ and on mortality status were available for 7627 participants from the Whitehall II cohort. Cox proportional hazards regression models were performed to assess the association between cumulative average of AHEI-2010 and DII scores and mortality risk. During 22 years of follow-up, 1001 participants died (450 from cancer, 264 from CVD). Both AHEI-2010 (mean=48·7 (sd 10·0)) and DII (mean=0·37 (sd 1·41)) were associated with all-cause mortality. The fully adjusted hazard ratio (HR) per sd, were 0·82; 95 % CI 0·76, 0·88 for AHEI-2010 and 1·18; 95 % CI 1·08, 1·29 for DII. Significant associations were also observed with cardiovascular and cancer mortality risk. For DII, a meta-analysis (using fixed effects) from this and four previous studies showed a positive association of DII score with all-cause (HR=1·04; 95 % CI 1·03, 1·05, 28 891deaths), cardiovascular (HR=1·05; 95 % CI 1·03, 1·07, 10 424 deaths) and cancer mortality (HR=1·05; 95 % CI 1·03, 1·07, n 8269).The present study confirms the validity to assess overall diet through AHEI-2010 and DII in the Whitehall II cohort and highlights the importance of considering diet indices related to inflammation when evaluating all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality risk.

Depressive disorder, coronary heart disease, and stroke: dose-response and reverse causation effects in the Whitehall II cohort study.

PubMed

Brunner, Eric J; Shipley, Martin J; Britton, Annie R; Stansfeld, Stephen A; Heuschmann, Peter U; Rudd, Anthony G; Wolfe, Charles D A; Singh-Manoux, Archana; Kivimaki, Mika

2014-03-01

Systematic reviews examining associations of depressive disorder with coronary heart disease and stroke produce mixed results. Failure to consider reverse causation and dose-response patterns may have caused inconsistencies in evidence. This prospective cohort study on depressive disorder, coronary heart disease, and stroke analysed reverse causation and dose-response effects using four 5-year and three 10-year observation cycles (total follow up 24 years) based on multiple repeat measures of exposure. Participants in the Whitehall II study (n = 10,036, 31,395 person-observations, age at start 44.4 years) provided up to six repeat measures of depressive symptoms via the 30-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30) and one measure via Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). The cohort was followed up for major coronary events (coronary death/nonfatal myocardial infarction) and stroke (stroke death/morbidity) through the national mortality register Hospital Episode Statistics, ECG-screening, medical records, and self-report questionnaires. GHQ-30 caseness predicted stroke over 0-5 years (age-, sex- and ethnicity-adjusted HR 1.60, 95% CI 1.1-2.3) but not over 5-10 years (HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.6-1.4). Using the last 5-year observation cycle, cumulative GHQ-30 caseness was associated with incident coronary heart disease in a dose-response manner (1-2 times a case: HR 1.12, 95% CI 0.7-1.7; 3-4 times: HR 2.06, 95% CI 1.2-3.7), and CES-D caseness predicted coronary heart disease (HR 1.81, 95% CI 1.1-3.1). There was evidence of a dose-response effect of depressive symptoms on risk of coronary heart disease. In contrast, prospective associations of depressive symptoms with stroke appeared to arise wholly or partly through reverse causation.

Identification and Construction of Combinatory Cancer Hallmark-Based Gene Signature Sets to Predict Recurrence and Chemotherapy Benefit in Stage II Colorectal Cancer.

PubMed

Gao, Shanwu; Tibiche, Chabane; Zou, Jinfeng; Zaman, Naif; Trifiro, Mark; O'Connor-McCourt, Maureen; Wang, Edwin

2016-01-01

Decisions regarding adjuvant therapy in patients with stage II colorectal cancer (CRC) have been among the most challenging and controversial in oncology over the past 20 years. To develop robust combinatory cancer hallmark-based gene signature sets (CSS sets) that more accurately predict prognosis and identify a subset of patients with stage II CRC who could gain survival benefits from adjuvant chemotherapy. Thirteen retrospective studies of patients with stage II CRC who had clinical follow-up and adjuvant chemotherapy were analyzed. Respective totals of 162 and 843 patients from 2 and 11 independent cohorts were used as the discovery and validation cohorts, respectively. A total of 1005 patients with stage II CRC were included in the 13 cohorts. Among them, 84 of 416 patients in 3 independent cohorts received fluorouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy. Identification of CSS sets to predict relapse-free survival and identify a subset of patients with stage II CRC who could gain substantial survival benefits from fluorouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy. Eight cancer hallmark-based gene signatures (30 genes each) were identified and used to construct CSS sets for determining prognosis. The CSS sets were validated in 11 independent cohorts of 767 patients with stage II CRC who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy. The CSS sets accurately stratified patients into low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups. Five-year relapse-free survival rates were 94%, 78%, and 45%, respectively, representing 60%, 28%, and 12% of patients with stage II disease. The 416 patients with CSS set-defined high-risk stage II CRC who received fluorouracil-based adjuvant chemotherapy showed a substantial gain in survival benefits from the treatment (ie, recurrence reduced by 30%-40% in 5 years). The CSS sets substantially outperformed other prognostic predictors of stage 2 CRC. They are more accurate and robust for prognostic predictions and facilitate the identification of patients with stage

Prediction of the 10-year probability of gastric cancer occurrence in the Japanese population: the JPHC study cohort II.

PubMed

Charvat, Hadrien; Sasazuki, Shizuka; Inoue, Manami; Iwasaki, Motoki; Sawada, Norie; Shimazu, Taichi; Yamaji, Taiki; Tsugane, Shoichiro

2016-01-15

Gastric cancer is a particularly important issue in Japan, where incidence rates are among the highest observed. In this work, we provide a risk prediction model allowing the estimation of the 10-year cumulative probability of gastric cancer occurrence. The study population consisted of 19,028 individuals from the Japanese Public Health Center cohort II who were followed-up from 1993 to 2009. A parametric survival model was used to assess the impact on the probability of gastric cancer of clinical and lifestyle-related risk factors in combination with serum anti-Helicobacter pylori antibody titres and pepsinogen I and pepsinogen II levels. Based on the resulting model, cumulative probability estimates were calculated and a simple risk scoring system was developed. A total of 412 cases of gastric cancer occurred during 270,854 person-years of follow-up. The final model included (besides the biological markers) age, gender, smoking status, family history of gastric cancer and consumption of highly salted food. The developed prediction model showed good predictive performance in terms of discrimination (optimism-corrected c-index: 0.768) and calibration (Nam and d'Agostino's χ(2) test: 14.78; p values = 0.06). Estimates of the 10-year probability of gastric cancer occurrence ranged from 0.04% (0.02, 0.1) to 14.87% (8.96, 24.14) for men and from 0.03% (0.02, 0.07) to 4.91% (2.71, 8.81) for women. In conclusion, we developed a risk prediction model for gastric cancer that combines clinical and biological markers. It might prompt individuals to modify their lifestyle habits, attend regular check-up visits or participate in screening programmes. © 2015 UICC.

Prognostic significance of NOD2/CARD15 variants in HLA-identical sibling hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: effect on long-term outcome is confirmed in 2 independent cohorts and may be modulated by the type of gastrointestinal decontamination.

PubMed

Holler, Ernst; Rogler, Gerhard; Brenmoehl, Julia; Hahn, Joachim; Herfarth, Hans; Greinix, Hildegard; Dickinson, Anne M; Socié, Gerard; Wolff, Daniel; Fischer, Gottfried; Jackson, Graham; Rocha, Vanderson; Steiner, Beate; Eissner, Guenther; Marienhagen, Jeorg; Schoelmerich, Juergen; Andreesen, Reinhard

2006-05-15

To assess the role of NOD2/CARD15 variants on the long-term outcome of allogeneic stem cell transplantation in a genetically homogeneous group, we extended our previous study (cohort I, n = 78) and typed DNA for NOD2/CARD15 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from an additional 225 recipients and their HLA-identical sibling donors (cohort II) treated at four other European centers. Results of genotyping were compared with clinical outcome. The strong association of NOD2/CARD15 variants with transplantation-related mortality (TRM) was confirmed in univariate and multivariate analysis; TRM increased from 20% in cohort I/22% in cohort II in recipient/donor pairs without any NOD2/CARD15 variants to 47% in cohort I/32% in cohort II in the presence of one variant in either donor or recipient and further to 57% in cohort I/74% in cohort II in the presence of 2 or more variants (P < .002 in both cohorts). NOD2/CARD15 SNPs were not associated with relapse rate but had a strong impact on overall survival. In an analysis of center effects, the type of gastrointestinal decontamination was the only factor interfering with the prognostic significance of NOD2/CARD15 SNPs. Our data further support an interaction between gastrointestinal defense mechanisms, activation of the innate immune system, and specific transplant-related complications.

PAI-1 gain-of-function genotype, factors increasing PAI-1 levels, and airway obstruction: The GALA II Cohort.

PubMed

Sherenian, M G; Cho, S H; Levin, A; Min, J-Y; Oh, S S; Hu, D; Galanter, J; Sen, S; Huntsman, S; Eng, C; Rodriguez-Santana, J R; Serebrisky, D; Avila, P C; Kalhan, R; Smith, L J; Borrell, L N; Seibold, M A; Keoki Williams, L; Burchard, E G; Kumar, R

2017-09-01

PAI-1 gain-of-function variants promote airway fibrosis and are associated with asthma and with worse lung function in subjects with asthma. We sought to determine whether the association of a gain-of-function polymorphism in plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) with airway obstruction is modified by asthma status, and whether any genotype effect persists after accounting for common exposures that increase PAI-1 level. We studied 2070 Latino children (8-21y) with genotypic and pulmonary function data from the GALA II cohort. We estimated the relationship of the PAI-1 risk allele with FEV1/FVC by multivariate linear regression, stratified by asthma status. We examined the association of the polymorphism with asthma and airway obstruction within asthmatics via multivariate logistic regression. We replicated associations in the SAPPHIRE cohort of African Americans (n=1056). Secondary analysis included the effect of the at-risk polymorphism on postbronchodilator lung function. There was an interaction between asthma status and the PAI-1 polymorphism on FEV 1 /FVC (P=.03). The gain-of-function variants, genotypes (AA/AG), were associated with lower FEV 1 /FVC in subjects with asthma (β=-1.25, CI: -2.14,-0.35, P=.006), but not in controls. Subjects with asthma and the AA/AG genotypes had a 5% decrease in FEV 1 /FVC (P<.001). In asthmatics, the risk genotype (AA/AG) was associated with a 39% increase in risk of clinically relevant airway obstruction (OR=1.39, CI: 1.01, 1.92, P=.04). These associations persisted after exclusion of factors that increase PAI-1 including tobacco exposure and obesity. The decrease in the FEV 1 /FVC ratio associated with the risk genotype was modified by asthma status. The genotype increased the odds of airway obstruction by 75% within asthmatics only. As exposures known to increase PAI-1 levels did not mitigate this association, PAI-1 may contribute to airway obstruction in the context of chronic asthmatic airway inflammation. © 2017

Hereditary inclusion-body myopathy: clues on pathogenesis and possible therapy.

PubMed

Broccolini, Aldobrando; Gidaro, Teresa; Morosetti, Roberta; Mirabella, Massimiliano

2009-09-01

Hereditary inclusion-body myopathy (h-IBM), or distal myopathy with rimmed vacuoles (DMRV), is an autosomal recessive disorder with onset in early adult life and a progressive course leading to severe disability. h-IBM/DMRV is due to mutations of a gene (GNE) that codes for a rate-limiting enzyme in the sialic acid biosynthetic pathway. Despite the identification of the causative gene defect, it has not been unambiguously clarified how GNE gene mutations impair muscle metabolism. Although numerous studies have indicated a key role of hyposialylation of glycoproteins in h-IBM/DMRV pathogenesis, others have demonstrated new and unpredicted functions of the GNE gene, outside the sialic acid biosynthetic pathway, that may also be relevant. This review illustrates the clinical and pathologic characteristics of h-IBM/DMRV and the main clues available to date concerning the possible pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic perspectives of this disorder.

Pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain and breast-feeding: a cohort study in China.

PubMed

Tao, Xing-Yong; Huang, Kun; Yan, Shuang-Qin; Zuo, A-Zhu; Tao, Rui-Wen; Cao, Hui; Gu, Chun-Li; Tao, Fang-Biao

2017-04-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the influence of maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain (GWG) on initiation and duration of infant breast-feeding in a prospective birth cohort study. Breast-feeding information was collected at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months postpartum. The association of pre-pregnancy BMI and GWG with delayed lactogenesis II and termination of exclusive breast-feeding was assessed with logistic regression analysis. The risk of early termination of any breast-feeding during the first year postpartum was assessed with Cox proportional hazards models. Urban city in China. Women with infants from the Ma'anshan Birth Cohort Study (n 3196). The median duration of any breast-feeding in this cohort was 7·0 months. Pre-pregnancy obese women had higher risks of delayed lactogenesis II (risk ratio=1·89; 95 % CI 1·04, 3·43) and early termination of any breast-feeding (hazard ratio=1·38; 95 % CI 1·09, 1·75) adjusted for potential maternal and infant confounders, when compared with normal-weight women. No differences in breast-feeding initiation or duration of exclusive breast-feeding according to pre-pregnancy BMI were found. Moreover, GWG was not associated with any poor breast-feeding outcomes. The present study indicated that pre-pregnancy obesity increases the risks of delayed lactogenesis II and early termination of any breast-feeding in Chinese women.

Secondary Dystonia-Clinical Clues and Syndromic Associations

PubMed Central

Schneider, Susanne A; Bhatia, Kailash P

2009-01-01

Background: Dystonia is a hyperkinetic movement disorder defined by involuntary sustained muscle spasms and unusual postures. Etiologically, dystonic syndromes can be broadly divided into primary and secondary forms, dystonia-plus syndromes and heredodegenerative forms. In particular, diagnosis of secondary dystonic syndromes can be challenging in view of the variety of causes. Purpose: The purpose of this article is to highlight some clinical clues and syndromic associations as well as investigational findings which may be helpful in the approach to a patient with suspected secondary dystonia. Methods: We outline characteristic clinical and neuroimaging findings which may be directive in the diagnostic process of dystonia patients and facilitate making the correct diagnosis, thus allowing initiating the best treatment. Results: Secondary causes of dystonia include, among others, strategic brain lesions of various origins, metabolic disease, neurodegenerative conditions, and previous exposure to drugs or toxins. Presence of clinical signs including prominent oromandibular involvement, eye movement disorders, retinitis pigmentosa, deafness, peripheral neuropathy, parkinsonism or progressive dementia should alert the clinician to consider a secondary cause. Strategic lesions within the basal ganglia, but also within the brainstem, cerebellum or cortical areas may underlie dystonia and should thus be excluded. Conclusions: When thorough clinical examination reveals features atypical of primary dystonia, syndromic associations may help the clinician to narrow down the list of differential diagnosis. Directive investigations like neuroimaging may confirm the clinical suspicion. PMID:24868358

Cultivating cohort studies for observational translational research.

PubMed

Ransohoff, David F

2013-04-01

"Discovery" research about molecular markers for diagnosis, prognosis, or prediction of response to therapy has frequently produced results that were not reproducible in subsequent studies. What are the reasons, and can observational cohorts be cultivated to provide strong and reliable answers to those questions? Experimental Selected examples are used to illustrate: (i) what features of research design provide strength and reliability in observational studies about markers of diagnosis, prognosis, and response to therapy? (ii) How can those design features be cultivated in existing observational cohorts, for example, within randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT), other existing observational research studies, or practice settings like health maintenance organization (HMOs)? Examples include a study of RNA expression profiles of tumor tissue to predict prognosis of breast cancer, a study of serum proteomics profiles to diagnose ovarian cancer, and a study of stool-based DNA assays to screen for colon cancer. Strengths and weaknesses of observational study design features are discussed, along with lessons about how features that help assure strength might be "cultivated" in the future. By considering these examples and others, it may be possible to develop a process of "cultivating cohorts" in ongoing RCTs, observational cohort studies, and practice settings like HMOs that have strong features of study design. Such an effort could produce sources of data and specimens to reliably answer questions about the use of molecular markers in diagnosis, prognosis, and response to therapy.

Residential radon exposure and risk of incident hematologic malignancies in the Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort

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

Teras, Lauren R., E-mail: lauren.teras@cancer.org; Diver, W. Ryan; Turner, Michelle C.

Dosimetric models show that radon, an established cause of lung cancer, delivers a non-negligible dose of alpha radiation to the bone marrow, as well as to lymphocytes in the tracheobronchial epithelium, and therefore could be related to risk of hematologic cancers. Studies of radon and hematologic cancer risk, however, have produced inconsistent results. To date there is no published prospective, population-based study of residential radon exposure and hematologic malignancy incidence. We used data from the American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort established in 1992, to examine the association between county-level residential radon exposure and risk of hematologic cancer.more » The analytic cohort included 140,652 participants (66,572 men, 74,080 women) among which 3019 incident hematologic cancer cases (1711 men, 1308 women) were identified during 19 years of follow-up. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to calculate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for radon exposure and hematologic cancer risk. Women living in counties with the highest mean radon concentrations (>148 Bq/m{sup 3}) had a statistically significant higher risk of hematologic cancer compared to those living in counties with the lowest (<74 Bq/m{sup 3}) radon levels (HR=1.63, 95% CI:1.23–2.18), and there was evidence of a dose-response relationship (HR{sub continuous}=1.38, 95% CI:1.15–1.65 per 100 Bq/m{sup 3}; p-trend=0.001). There was no association between county-level radon and hematologic cancer risk among men. The findings of this large, prospective study suggest residential radon may be a risk factor for lymphoid malignancies among women. Further study is needed to confirm these findings. - Highlights: • This is the first prospective, general population study of residential radon and risk of hematologic cancer. • Findings from this study suggest that residential radon exposure may be a

Structural social relations and cognitive ageing trajectories: evidence from the Whitehall II cohort study.

PubMed

Elovainio, Marko; Sommerlad, Andrew; Hakulinen, Christian; Pulkki-Råback, Laura; Virtanen, Marianna; Kivimäki, Mika; Singh-Manoux, Archana

2017-11-07

Social relations are important for health, particularly at older ages. We examined the salience of frequency of social contacts and marital status for cognitive ageing trajectories over 21 years, from midlife to early old age. Data are from the Whitehall II cohort study, including 4290 men and 1776 women aged 35-55 years at baseline (1985-88). Frequency of social contacts and marital status were measured in 1985-88 and 1989-90. Assessment of cognitive function on five occasions (1991-94, 1997-99, 2003-04, 2007-09 and 2012-13) included the following tests: short-term memory, inductive reasoning, verbal fluency (phonemic and semantic) and a combined global score. Cognitive trajectories over the study period were analysed using longitudinal latent growth class analyses, and the associations of these latent classes (trajectory memberships) with social relations were analysed using multinominal logistic regression. More frequent social contacts [relative risk (RRR) 0.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.94 - 0.98] and being married (RRR 0.70, 95% CI 0.58 - 0.84) were associated with lower probability of being on a low rather than high cognitive performance trajectory over the subsequent 21 years. These associations persisted after adjustment for covariates. Of the sub-tests, social relations variables had the strongest association with phonemic fluency (RRR 0.95, 95% CI 0.94 - 0.97 for frequent contact; RRR 0.59, 95% CI 0.48 - 0.71 for being married). More frequent social contacts and having a spouse were associated with more favourable cognitive ageing trajectories. Further studies are needed to examine whether interventions designed to improve social connections affect cognitive ageing. © The Author 2017; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association

Across-cohort QC analyses of GWAS summary statistics from complex traits.

PubMed

Chen, Guo-Bo; Lee, Sang Hong; Robinson, Matthew R; Trzaskowski, Maciej; Zhu, Zhi-Xiang; Winkler, Thomas W; Day, Felix R; Croteau-Chonka, Damien C; Wood, Andrew R; Locke, Adam E; Kutalik, Zoltán; Loos, Ruth J F; Frayling, Timothy M; Hirschhorn, Joel N; Yang, Jian; Wray, Naomi R; Visscher, Peter M

2016-01-01

Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have been successful in discovering SNP trait associations for many quantitative traits and common diseases. Typically, the effect sizes of SNP alleles are very small and this requires large genome-wide association meta-analyses (GWAMAs) to maximize statistical power. A trend towards ever-larger GWAMA is likely to continue, yet dealing with summary statistics from hundreds of cohorts increases logistical and quality control problems, including unknown sample overlap, and these can lead to both false positive and false negative findings. In this study, we propose four metrics and visualization tools for GWAMA, using summary statistics from cohort-level GWASs. We propose methods to examine the concordance between demographic information, and summary statistics and methods to investigate sample overlap. (I) We use the population genetics F st statistic to verify the genetic origin of each cohort and their geographic location, and demonstrate using GWAMA data from the GIANT Consortium that geographic locations of cohorts can be recovered and outlier cohorts can be detected. (II) We conduct principal component analysis based on reported allele frequencies, and are able to recover the ancestral information for each cohort. (III) We propose a new statistic that uses the reported allelic effect sizes and their standard errors to identify significant sample overlap or heterogeneity between pairs of cohorts. (IV) To quantify unknown sample overlap across all pairs of cohorts, we propose a method that uses randomly generated genetic predictors that does not require the sharing of individual-level genotype data and does not breach individual privacy.

Across-cohort QC analyses of GWAS summary statistics from complex traits

PubMed Central

Chen, Guo-Bo; Lee, Sang Hong; Robinson, Matthew R; Trzaskowski, Maciej; Zhu, Zhi-Xiang; Winkler, Thomas W; Day, Felix R; Croteau-Chonka, Damien C; Wood, Andrew R; Locke, Adam E; Kutalik, Zoltán; Loos, Ruth J F; Frayling, Timothy M; Hirschhorn, Joel N; Yang, Jian; Wray, Naomi R; Visscher, Peter M

2017-01-01

Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have been successful in discovering SNP trait associations for many quantitative traits and common diseases. Typically, the effect sizes of SNP alleles are very small and this requires large genome-wide association meta-analyses (GWAMAs) to maximize statistical power. A trend towards ever-larger GWAMA is likely to continue, yet dealing with summary statistics from hundreds of cohorts increases logistical and quality control problems, including unknown sample overlap, and these can lead to both false positive and false negative findings. In this study, we propose four metrics and visualization tools for GWAMA, using summary statistics from cohort-level GWASs. We propose methods to examine the concordance between demographic information, and summary statistics and methods to investigate sample overlap. (I) We use the population genetics Fst statistic to verify the genetic origin of each cohort and their geographic location, and demonstrate using GWAMA data from the GIANT Consortium that geographic locations of cohorts can be recovered and outlier cohorts can be detected. (II) We conduct principal component analysis based on reported allele frequencies, and are able to recover the ancestral information for each cohort. (III) We propose a new statistic that uses the reported allelic effect sizes and their standard errors to identify significant sample overlap or heterogeneity between pairs of cohorts. (IV) To quantify unknown sample overlap across all pairs of cohorts, we propose a method that uses randomly generated genetic predictors that does not require the sharing of individual-level genotype data and does not breach individual privacy. PMID:27552965

Optimal design of studies of influenza transmission in households. II: comparison between cohort and case-ascertained studies.

PubMed

Klick, B; Nishiura, H; Leung, G M; Cowling, B J

2014-04-01

Both case-ascertained household studies, in which households are recruited after an 'index case' is identified, and household cohort studies, where a household is enrolled before the start of the epidemic, may be used to test and estimate the protective effect of interventions used to prevent influenza transmission. A simulation approach parameterized with empirical data from household studies was used to evaluate and compare the statistical power of four study designs: a cohort study with routine virological testing of household contacts of infected index case, a cohort study where only household contacts with acute respiratory illness (ARI) are sampled for virological testing, a case-ascertained study with routine virological testing of household contacts, and a case-ascertained study where only household contacts with ARI are sampled for virological testing. We found that a case-ascertained study with ARI-triggered testing would be the most powerful design while a cohort design only testing household contacts with ARI was the least powerful. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that these conclusions varied by model parameters including the serial interval and the risk of influenza virus infection from outside the household.

Increased risk of coronary heart disease among individuals reporting adverse impact of stress on their health: the Whitehall II prospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Nabi, Hermann; Kivimäki, Mika; Batty, G. David; Shipley, Martin J.; Britton, Annie; Brunner, Eric J.; Vahtera, Jussi; Lemogne, Cédric; Elbaz, Alexis; Singh-Manoux, Archana

2013-01-01

Aim Response to stress can vary greatly between individuals. However, it remains unknown whether perceived impact of stress on health is associated with adverse health outcomes. We examined whether individuals who report that stress adversely affects their health are at increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) compared with those who report that stress has no adverse health impact. Methods and results Analyses are based on 7268 men and women (mean age: 49.5 years, interquartile range: 11 years) from the British Whitehall II cohort study. Over 18 years of follow-up, there were 352 coronary deaths or first non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) events. After adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, participants who reported at baseline that stress has affected their health ‘a lot or extremely’ had a 2.12 times higher (95% CI 1.52–2.98) risk of coronary death or incident non-fatal MI when compared with those who reported no effect of stress on their health. This association was attenuated but remained statistically significant after adjustment for biological, behavioural, and other psychological risk factors including perceived stress levels, and measures of social support; fully adjusted hazard ratio: 1.49 (95% CI 1.01–2.22). Conclusions In this prospective cohort study, the perception that stress affects health, different from perceived stress levels, was associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease. Randomized controlled trials are needed to determine whether disease risk can be reduced by increasing clinical attention to those who complain that stress greatly affects their health. PMID:23804585

Establishment and Validation of GV-SAPS II Scoring System for Non-Diabetic Critically Ill Patients

PubMed Central

Liu, Wen-Yue; Lin, Shi-Gang; Zhu, Gui-Qi; Poucke, Sven Van; Braddock, Martin; Zhang, Zhongheng; Mao, Zhi; Shen, Fei-Xia

2016-01-01

Background and Aims Recently, glucose variability (GV) has been reported as an independent risk factor for mortality in non-diabetic critically ill patients. However, GV is not incorporated in any severity scoring system for critically ill patients currently. The aim of this study was to establish and validate a modified Simplified Acute Physiology Score II scoring system (SAPS II), integrated with GV parameters and named GV-SAPS II, specifically for non-diabetic critically ill patients to predict short-term and long-term mortality. Methods Training and validation cohorts were exacted from the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care database III version 1.3 (MIMIC-III v1.3). The GV-SAPS II score was constructed by Cox proportional hazard regression analysis and compared with the original SAPS II, Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment Score (SOFA) and Elixhauser scoring systems using area under the curve of the receiver operator characteristic (auROC) curve. Results 4,895 and 5,048 eligible individuals were included in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The GV-SAPS II score was established with four independent risk factors, including hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, standard deviation of blood glucose levels (GluSD), and SAPS II score. In the validation cohort, the auROC values of the new scoring system were 0.824 (95% CI: 0.813–0.834, P< 0.001) and 0.738 (95% CI: 0.725–0.750, P< 0.001), respectively for 30 days and 9 months, which were significantly higher than other models used in our study (all P < 0.001). Moreover, Kaplan-Meier plots demonstrated significantly worse outcomes in higher GV-SAPS II score groups both for 30-day and 9-month mortality endpoints (all P< 0.001). Conclusions We established and validated a modified prognostic scoring system that integrated glucose variability for non-diabetic critically ill patients, named GV-SAPS II. It demonstrated a superior prognostic capability and may be an optimal scoring system

Establishment and Validation of GV-SAPS II Scoring System for Non-Diabetic Critically Ill Patients.

PubMed

Liu, Wen-Yue; Lin, Shi-Gang; Zhu, Gui-Qi; Poucke, Sven Van; Braddock, Martin; Zhang, Zhongheng; Mao, Zhi; Shen, Fei-Xia; Zheng, Ming-Hua

2016-01-01

Recently, glucose variability (GV) has been reported as an independent risk factor for mortality in non-diabetic critically ill patients. However, GV is not incorporated in any severity scoring system for critically ill patients currently. The aim of this study was to establish and validate a modified Simplified Acute Physiology Score II scoring system (SAPS II), integrated with GV parameters and named GV-SAPS II, specifically for non-diabetic critically ill patients to predict short-term and long-term mortality. Training and validation cohorts were exacted from the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care database III version 1.3 (MIMIC-III v1.3). The GV-SAPS II score was constructed by Cox proportional hazard regression analysis and compared with the original SAPS II, Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment Score (SOFA) and Elixhauser scoring systems using area under the curve of the receiver operator characteristic (auROC) curve. 4,895 and 5,048 eligible individuals were included in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The GV-SAPS II score was established with four independent risk factors, including hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, standard deviation of blood glucose levels (GluSD), and SAPS II score. In the validation cohort, the auROC values of the new scoring system were 0.824 (95% CI: 0.813-0.834, P< 0.001) and 0.738 (95% CI: 0.725-0.750, P< 0.001), respectively for 30 days and 9 months, which were significantly higher than other models used in our study (all P < 0.001). Moreover, Kaplan-Meier plots demonstrated significantly worse outcomes in higher GV-SAPS II score groups both for 30-day and 9-month mortality endpoints (all P< 0.001). We established and validated a modified prognostic scoring system that integrated glucose variability for non-diabetic critically ill patients, named GV-SAPS II. It demonstrated a superior prognostic capability and may be an optimal scoring system for prognostic evaluation in this patient group.

Fine Particulate Matter and Total Mortality in Cancer Prevention Study Cohort Reanalysis.

PubMed

Enstrom, James E

2017-01-01

In 1997 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ), largely because of its positive relationship to total mortality in the 1982 American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study (CPS II) cohort. Subsequently, EPA has used this relationship as the primary justification for many costly regulations, most recently the Clean Power Plan. An independent analysis of the CPS II data was conducted in order to test the validity of this relationship. The original CPS II questionnaire data, including 1982 to 1988 mortality follow-up, were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression. Results were obtained for 292 277 participants in 85 counties with 1979-1983 EPA Inhalable Particulate Network PM 2.5 measurements, as well as for 212 370 participants in the 50 counties used in the original 1995 analysis. The 1982 to 1988 relative risk (RR) of death from all causes and 95% confidence interval adjusted for age, sex, race, education, and smoking status was 1.023 (0.997-1.049) for a 10 µg/m 3 increase in PM 2.5 in 85 counties and 1.025 (0.990-1.061) in the 50 original counties. The fully adjusted RR was null in the western and eastern portions of the United States, including in areas with somewhat higher PM 2.5 levels, particularly 5 Ohio Valley states and California. No significant relationship between PM 2.5 and total mortality in the CPS II cohort was found when the best available PM 2.5 data were used. The original 1995 analysis found a positive relationship by selective use of CPS II and PM 2.5 data. This independent analysis of underlying data raises serious doubts about the CPS II epidemiologic evidence supporting the PM 2.5 NAAQS. These findings provide strong justification for further independent analysis of the CPS II data.

Fine Particulate Matter and Total Mortality in Cancer Prevention Study Cohort Reanalysis

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background: In 1997 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for fine particulate matter (PM2.5), largely because of its positive relationship to total mortality in the 1982 American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study (CPS II) cohort. Subsequently, EPA has used this relationship as the primary justification for many costly regulations, most recently the Clean Power Plan. An independent analysis of the CPS II data was conducted in order to test the validity of this relationship. Methods: The original CPS II questionnaire data, including 1982 to 1988 mortality follow-up, were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression. Results were obtained for 292 277 participants in 85 counties with 1979-1983 EPA Inhalable Particulate Network PM2.5 measurements, as well as for 212 370 participants in the 50 counties used in the original 1995 analysis. Results: The 1982 to 1988 relative risk (RR) of death from all causes and 95% confidence interval adjusted for age, sex, race, education, and smoking status was 1.023 (0.997-1.049) for a 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 in 85 counties and 1.025 (0.990-1.061) in the 50 original counties. The fully adjusted RR was null in the western and eastern portions of the United States, including in areas with somewhat higher PM2.5 levels, particularly 5 Ohio Valley states and California. Conclusion: No significant relationship between PM2.5 and total mortality in the CPS II cohort was found when the best available PM2.5 data were used. The original 1995 analysis found a positive relationship by selective use of CPS II and PM2.5 data. This independent analysis of underlying data raises serious doubts about the CPS II epidemiologic evidence supporting the PM2.5 NAAQS. These findings provide strong justification for further independent analysis of the CPS II data. PMID:28473741

"Cercariform" cells: a clue to the cytodiagnosis of transitional cell origin of metastatic neoplasms?

PubMed

Powers, C N; Elbadawi, A

1995-07-01

The "cercariform" cell is described as a distinct cytomorphologic clue that may be helpful in the diagnosis of metastatic transitional cell neoplasms, particularly low grade. This cell has a nucleated globular body and a cytoplasmic process with a nontapering, flattened, bulbous or fishtail-like end. The cercariform cell corresponds to intermediate cells in histologic and ultrastructural preparations of normal urothelium. The cercariform appearance is the result of pseudostratification of both normal and low-grade neoplastic urothelium. The unique features of cercariform cells make them readily distinguishable from neoplastic squamous cells as well as spindle cells of mesenchymal origin.

Longitudinal Stability of the Beck Depression Inventory II: A Latent Trait-State-Occasion Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Pei-Chen

2016-01-01

In a six-wave longitudinal study with two cohorts (660 adolescents and 630 young adults), this study investigated the longitudinal stability of the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) using the Trait-State-Occasion (TSO) model. The results revealed that the full TSO model was the best fitting representation of the depression measured by the…

Do baby boomers use more healthcare services than other generations? Longitudinal trajectories of physician service use across five birth cohorts

PubMed Central

Canizares, Mayilee; Gignac, Monique; Hogg-Johnson, Sheilah; Glazier, Richard H; Badley, Elizabeth M

2016-01-01

Objective In light of concerns for meeting the provision of healthcare services given the large numbers of ageing baby boomers, we compared the trajectories of primary care and specialist services use across the lifecourse of 5 birth cohorts and examined factors associated with birth cohort differences. Design Longitudinal panel. Setting Canadian National Population Health Survey (1994–2011). Population Sample of 10 186 individuals aged 20–69 years in 1994–1995 and who were from 5 birth cohorts: Generation X (Gen X; born: 1965–1974), Younger Baby Boomers (born: 1955–1964), Older Baby Boomers (born: 1945–1954), World War II (born: 1935–1944) and pre-World War II (born: 1925–1934). Main outcomes Use of primary care and specialist services. Results Although the overall pattern suggested less use of physician services by each successive recent cohort, this blinded differences in primary and specialist care use by cohort. Multilevel analyses comparing cohorts showed that Gen Xers and younger boomers, particularly those with multimorbidity, were less likely to use primary care than earlier cohorts. In contrast, specialist use was higher in recent cohorts, with Gen Xers having the highest specialist use. These increases were explained by the increasing levels of multimorbidity. Education, income, having a regular source of care, sedentary lifestyle and obesity were significantly associated with physician services use, but only partially contributed to cohort differences. Conclusions The findings suggest a shift from primary care to specialist care among recent cohorts, particularly for those with multimorbidity. This is of concern given policies to promote primary care services to prevent and manage chronic conditions. There is a need for policies to address important generational differences in healthcare preferences and the balance between primary and specialty care to ensure integration and coordination of healthcare delivery. PMID:27687902

The effects of housework on the health of retired older adults: a preliminary investigation from the Tongji-Dongfeng cohort study, China.

PubMed

Wen, Xiaopiao; Liang, Yuan; Zhu, Jiang; Wu, Tangchun

2013-01-01

The aim of the current study was to explore the relationship between housework and health of retired older adults, and to provide new evidences and clues for the effects of housework on health. The data came from the baseline survey of the Tongji-Dongfeng Cohort Study with 25,501 participants. The independent variable was housework including child care, elder care, grocery shopping & cooking, and washing clothes & cleaning house. The dependent variable was self-reported two-week illness. Age, education, marital status, smoking and drinking were used as potential confounding variables. There are gender differences in the four types of housework, with higher prevalence among women than among men. The prevalence of two-week illness in women was higher than that in men. After adjusting for potential confounding variables, the four types of housework had almost no significant effects on two-week illness, except for washing clothes & cleaning house with a negative effect for women (OR = 1.17, 95% CI 1.06-1.29). The association of housework with health, especially of child care, elder care, and grocery shopping & cooking without significance and of washing clothes & cleaning house with significance for women, would provide a valuable clue for in-depth study of housework, namely the effects of housework on health would be subdivided into the dimensions of psychological and social activity besides physical activity, and it may not be suitable to simply classify housework as a kind of exercise.

History of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Risk of Incident Invasive Breast Cancer among Parous Women in the Nurses' Health Study II Prospective Cohort.

PubMed

Powe, Camille E; Tobias, Deirdre K; Michels, Karin B; Chen, Wendy Y; Eliassen, A Heather; Manson, JoAnn E; Rosner, Bernard; Willett, Walter C; Hu, Frank B; Zhang, Cuilin; Rich-Edwards, Janet W; Rexrode, Kathryn M

2017-03-01

Background: Type II diabetes is associated with breast cancer in epidemiologic studies. Pregnancy also modifies breast cancer risk. We hypothesized that women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), which shares pathogenesis and risk factors with type II diabetes, would have greater invasive breast cancer risk than parous women without a history of GDM. Methods: We conducted a prospective analysis among parous women in the Nurses' Health Study II, with mean age 35 years in 1989. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare risks of incident invasive breast cancer in women with and without a history of GDM. Results: Among 86,972 women studied, 5,188 women reported a history of GDM and 2,377 developed invasive breast cancer (100 with history of GDM, 2,277 without GDM) over 22 years of prospective follow-up. History of GDM was inversely associated with incident invasive breast cancer [HR, 0.68; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.55-0.84; P = 0.0004], compared with no history of GDM, after adjustment for body mass index, reproductive history, and other breast cancer risk factors. Findings were similar by menopausal status, although observed person-time was predominantly premenopausal (premenopausal: HR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.56-0.96; P = 0.03; postmenopausal: HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.43-0.92; P = 0.02). Restricting to women undergoing mammography screening modestly attenuated the relationship (HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.57-0.96; P = 0.02). Conclusions: Among a large cohort of U.S. women, history of GDM was not associated with an elevated risk of subsequent invasive breast cancer. Impact: Our findings highlight the need to further investigate GDM's role in breast cancer development. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(3); 321-7. ©2016 AACR . ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

The effect of early operative stabilization on late displacement of zone I and II sacral fractures.

PubMed

Emohare, Osa; Slinkard, Nathaniel; Lafferty, Paul; Vang, Sandy; Morgan, Robert

2013-02-01

This study was designed to evaluate the effect on displacement of early operative stabilization on unstable fractures when compared to stable fractures of the sacrum. Patient consisted of those sustaining traumatic pelvic fractures that also included sacral fractures of Denis type I and type II classification, who were over 18 at the time of the study. Patients were managed emergently, as judged appropriate at the time and then subsequently divided into two cohorts, comprising those who were either treated operatively or non-operatively. The operative group comprised those treated with either internal fixation or external fixation. Twenty-eight patients had zone II fractures, and 20 had zone I fractures. Zone II fractures showed average displacements of 6.5mm and 6.9mm in the rostral-caudal and anteroposterior directions, respectively, at final follow up. Zone I fractures had average displacements of 6.6mm and 6.1mm in both directions. There were no significant differences between zone I and II sacral fractures (rostral-caudal P=0.74, anteroposterior P=0.24). Average changes in fracture displacement in patients with zone I fractures were 0.6-1.0mm in both directions. Average changes in zone II fractures were 1.8-1.5mm in both directions. There were no significant differences between the average changes in zone I and II fractures in any direction (rostral-caudal P=0.64, anteroposterior P=0.68) or in average displacements at final follow up in any of zone or the entire cohort. Statistically significant differences were noted in average changes in displacement in zone II fractures in the anteroposterior plane (P=0.03) and the overall cohort in the anteroposterior plane (P=0.02). Operative fixation for unstable sacral fractures ensures displacement at follow up is comparable with stable fractures treated non operatively. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Socioeconomic status, education, and aortic stiffness progression over 5 years: the Whitehall II prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Trudel, Xavier; Shipley, Martin J; McEniery, Carmel M; Wilkinson, Ian B; Brunner, Eric J

2016-10-01

The inverse association between socioeconomic status (SES) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is well documented. Aortic stiffness assessed by aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a strong predictor of CVD events. However, no previous study has examined the effect of SES on arterial stiffening over time. The present study examines this association, using several measures of SES, and attained education level in a large ageing cohort of British men and women. Participants were drawn from the Whitehall II study. The sample was composed of 3836 men and 1406 women who attended the 2008-2009 clinical examination (mean age = 65.5 years). Aortic PWV was measured in 2008-2009 and in 2012-2013 by applanation tonometry. A total of 3484 participants provided PWV measurements on both occasions. The mean difference in 5-year PWV change was examined according to household income, education, employment grade, and father's social class, using linear mixed models. PWV increase [mean: confidence interval (m/s)] over 5 years was higher among participants with lower employment grade (0.38: 0.11-0.65), household income (0.58, 95%: 0.32-0.85), and education (0.30: 0.01, 0.58), after adjusting for sociodemographic variables, BMI, alcohol consumption, smoking, and other cardiovascular risk factors, namely SBP, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, cholesterol, diabetes, and antihypertensive use. The present study supports the presence of robust socioeconomic disparities in aortic stiffness progression. Our findings suggest that arterial aging could be an important pathophysiological pathway explaining the impact of lower SES on CVD risk.

Social class difference in catch up growth in a national British cohort

PubMed Central

Teranishi, H; Nakagawa, H; Marmot, M

2001-01-01

AIM—To examine the influence of socioeconomic status on growth pattern in height from age 7 to 23years.
METHODS—Prospective cohort study. A total of 10 200 white singleton born children from the 1958 British birth cohort (National Child Development Study) were analysed.
RESULTS—Differences in height by birth weight persisted throughout the follow up period. However, the mean differences in height between low birth weight infants (<2500 g) and adequate birth weight infants (⩾2500 g) were less notable in social classes I and II than in the lower social classes. The catching up of growth in height of low birth weight infants was also more pronounced in social classes I and II than in other social classes. That is, the mean height deficits of low birth weight infants were decreased from 2.9 cm at age 7, to 1.6 cm at age 16, and 2.5 cm at age 23; the significant difference disappeared after age 16 in social classes I and II. Although such improving tendency was more pronounced among the preterm born infants, a similar growth pattern was observed among the term infants. Such improvement was not observed in the other social classes.
CONCLUSION—The growth retardation in height by birth weight can be overcome by improved social conditions and proper health care from childhood to adulthood.

 PMID:11207167

Prospective, comparative cohort studies and their contribution to the benefit assessments of therapeutic options: heart failure treatment with and without Hawthorn special extract WS 1442.

PubMed

Habs, M

2004-08-01

In addition to testing a drug for its efficacy, pharmacological quality and safety, current policies are increasingly demanding evaluations of the therapeutic benefits provided by a drug in general practice with "non-selected" patients and increasingly restrictive economic considerations. One of the trials which addresses this task is the WISO cohort study (Efficacy and socio-economic relevance of treatment of chronic heart failure stage NYHA II with Crataegus extract WS 1442). It compares two different therapeutic strategies in the treatment of heart failure stage NYHA II, i.e. a conventional medication and a therapy which also includes hawthorn special extract WS 1442 (Crataegutt novo 450) in addition to chemical-synthetic drugs. In contrast to clinical trials, the patients in cohort studies are expressly not randomised and the physician in charge independently chooses the administered treatment. This comparative, non-interventional observation provides well-founded evidence of the "real-world effectiveness" of the tested preparation. 952 patients with heart failure (NYHA II) were enrolled in the study by 217 general practitioners. 588 patients received Crataegus special extract WS 1442 (Crataegutt novo 450) either as an add-on therapy or as a monotherapy (Crataegus cohort) and 364 patients received therapy without hawthorn (comparative cohort). These two groups had the same indication (heart failure NYHA II) but were significantly different regarding gender, age and concomitant cardiovascular disease. Basically, in view of the free choice of therapy made by the physician in charge, such differences are to be expected in comparative observational studies. A sufficient degree of patient comparability was provided by means of the matched-pairs technique, which replaced the randomisation procedure normally used in clinical studies. After 2 years, 130 patient pairs generated by this technique could be included in the interim assessment. The clinical symptoms with

Cohort mortality study of roofing granule mine and mill workers. Part II. Epidemiologic analysis, 1945-2004.

PubMed

Olsen, Geary W; Andres, Kara L; Johnson, Rebecca A; Buehrer, Betsy D; Holen, Brian M; Morey, Sandy Z; Logan, Perry W; Hewett, Paul

2012-01-01

The mortality of 2650 employees (93.4% males) in the mine and mill production of roofing granules at four plants was examined between 1945 and 2004. Hypotheses focused on diseases associated with exposure to silica: nonmalignant respiratory disease, lung cancer, and nonmalignant renal disease. Study eligibility required ≥ 1 year of employment by 2000. Work history and vital status were followed through 2004 with < 1% lost to follow-up. Industrial hygiene sampling data (1871 sampling measurements over a 32-year period) and professional judgment were used to construct 15 respirable crystalline silica exposure categories. A category was assigned to all plant-, department-, and time-dependent standard job titles. Cumulative respirable crystalline silica exposure (mg/m(3)-years) was calculated as the sum of the product of time spent and the average exposure for each plant-, department-, job-, and calendar-year combination. The cohort geometric mean was 0.17 mg/m(3)-years (geometric standard deviation 4.01) and differed by plant. Expected deaths were calculated using U.S. (entire cohort) and regional (each plant) mortality rates. Poisson regression was used for internal comparisons. For the entire cohort, 772 deaths (97.4% males) were identified (standardized mortality ratio 0.95, 95% CI 0.88-1.02). There were 50 deaths from nonmalignant respiratory diseases (1.14, 95% CI 0.85-1.51). Lagging exposure 15 years among the male cohort, the relative risks for nonmalignant respiratory disease were 1.00 (reference), 0.80, 1.94, and 2.03 (p value trend = 0.03) when cumulative exposure was categorized < 0.1, 0.1- < 0.5, 0.5- < 1.0, and ≥ 1.0 mg/m(3)-years, respectively. There was a total of 77 lung cancer deaths (1.11, 95% CI 0.88-1.39). Lagging exposure 15 years, the relative risks for males were 1.00 (reference), 1.83, 1.83, and 1.05 (p value trend = 0.9). There were 16 deaths from nonmalignant renal disease (1.76, 95% CI 1.01-2.86). This exposure-response trend was

Profiling of cardio-metabolic risk factors and medication utilisation among Type II diabetes patients in Ghana: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Adua, Eric; Roberts, Peter; Sakyi, Samuel Asamoah; Yeboah, Francis Agyemang; Dompreh, Albert; Frimpong, Kwasi; Anto, Enoch Odame; Wang, Wei

2017-09-07

Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is complicated by multiple cardio-metabolic risk factors. Controlling these factors requires lifestyle modifications alongside utilisation of anti-diabetic medications. Different glucose lowering [(biguanides (BIGs), sulfonylureas (SUAs), thiazolidinediones (TNZ)], lipid lowering (statins), and anti-hypertensive medicines [angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), calcium channel blockers (CCBs), angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) and central acting drugs (CADs)] have been approved for controlling hyperglycaemia, dyslipidaemia and hypertension respectively. Here, we examined factors that characterise T2DM and explored the response to medication therapy among T2DM patients. This prospective cohort study recruited 241 T2DM patients reporting at a clinic in Ghana, from January through to August, 2016. Each patient's demographic, medications and anthropometric data was obtained while information on medication adherence was captured using Morisky adherence scale-8 (MMAS-8). Fasting blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis. The mean age of participants was 57.82 years for baseline and six-month follow-up. Physical activity differed at baseline and follow up (p < 0.05) but not body mass index (BMI). BIG alone, or in combination with SUA and TNZ did not improve glycaemic status at follow up (p > 0.05). Many participants using either ACEI or ARB were able to control their blood pressures. Among dyslipidaemia patients under statin treatment, there was an improved lipid profile at follow-up. Statin medications are effective for reducing dyslipidaemia in T2DM patients. However, control of modifiable risk factors, particularly blood glucose and to a lesser degree blood pressure is suboptimal. Addressing these will require concomitant interventions including education on medication adherence and correct dietary plans, lifestyle modifications and physical activity.

Collateral damage: the German food crisis, educational attainment and labor market outcomes of German post-war cohorts.

PubMed

Jürges, Hendrik

2013-01-01

Using the German 1970 census to study educational and labor market outcomes of cohorts born during the German food crisis after World War II, I document that those born between November 1945 and May 1946 have significantly lower educational attainment and occupational status than cohorts born shortly before or after. Several alternative explanations for this finding are tested. Most likely, a short spell of severe undernutrition around the end of the war has impaired intrauterine conditions in early pregnancies and resulted in long-term detriments among the affected cohorts. This conjecture is corroborated by evidence from Austria. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Characteristics and Utilization Pattern of an Admission Cohort of Nursing Home Patients (II).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Korbin; Manton, Kenneth G.

1984-01-01

Projects utilization history of a synthetic cohort of nursing home admissions in 1976 by normalizing length of stay (LOS) specific discharge rates derived from life tables to an estimated 1.1 million persons. Results focus on the LOS distribution, discharge status, and total days of nursing home care used. (Author/JAC)

The Cycle of Dust in the Milky Ways: Clues from the High-Redshift and the Local Universe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dwek, Eli

2008-01-01

Massive amount of dust has been observed at high-redshifts when the universe was a mere 900 Myr old. The formation and evolution of dust is there dominated by massive stars and interstellar processes. In contrast, in the local universe lower mass stars, predominantly 2-5 Msun AGB stars, play the dominant role in the production of interstellar dust. These two extreme environments offer fascinating clues about the evolution of dust in the Milky Way galaxy

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae colonization and infection in critically ill patients: a retrospective matched cohort comparison with non-carriers.

PubMed

Dickstein, Y; Edelman, R; Dror, T; Hussein, K; Bar-Lavie, Y; Paul, M

2016-09-01

To examine whether carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) carriage is associated with incidence of clinical infection as a means of assessing whether the morbidity and mortality associated with these bacteria are mediated by underlying conditions or intrinsic properties of CRE. This retrospective matched cohort study compared the incidence of invasive infections in CRE-colonized patients and matched non-carriers in the intensive care unit (ICU). The primary outcome was infection caused by CRE of the same species as the colonizing strain among CRE carriers, and infections caused by carbapenem-sensitive strains of the same organism in non-carriers. Hospital discharge and death were considered as competing events. Competing-risks hazard analysis was performed for the entire cohort and for a nested cohort matched by Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores, stratified by matching. In total, 146 CRE carriers were compared with 292 non-carriers. Patients were well matched for most risk factors for Enterobacteriaceae infection, including age, renal failure, previous invasive infection, previous hospitalization, APACHE II score, length of mechanical ventilation, length of hospitalization and CRE carriage. On regression analysis, colonization with CRE was independently associated with Enterobacteriaceae infection {cause-specific hazard ratio (CSHR) 2.06 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-4.09]}. On regression analysis of the APACHE-II-matched cohort (N=284), colonization with CRE remained significantly associated with Enterobacteriaceae infection [CSHR 3.32 (95% CI 1.31-8.43)]. Colonization with CRE was associated with at least a two-fold increased risk of infection by the colonizing strain amongst ICU patients. Copyright © 2016 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tinned Fruit Consumption and Mortality in Three Prospective Cohorts

PubMed Central

Aasheim, Erlend T.; Sharp, Stephen J.; Appleby, Paul N.; Shipley, Martin J.; Lentjes, Marleen A. H.; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Brunner, Eric; Key, Tim J.; Wareham, Nicholas J.

2015-01-01

Dietary recommendations to promote health include fresh, frozen and tinned fruit, but few studies have examined the health benefits of tinned fruit. We therefore studied the association between tinned fruit consumption and mortality. We followed up participants from three prospective cohorts in the United Kingdom: 22,421 participants from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Norfolk cohort (1993–2012), 52,625 participants from the EPIC-Oxford cohort (1993–2012), and 7440 participants from the Whitehall II cohort (1991–2012), all reporting no history of heart attack, stroke, or cancer when entering these studies. We estimated the association between frequency of tinned fruit consumption and all cause mortality (primary outcome measure) using Cox regression models within each cohort, and pooled hazard ratios across cohorts using random-effects meta-analysis. Tinned fruit consumption was assessed with validated food frequency questionnaires including specific questions about tinned fruit. During 1,305,330 person years of follow-up, 8857 deaths occurred. After adjustment for lifestyle factors and risk markers the pooled hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) of all cause mortality compared with the reference group of tinned fruit consumption less often than one serving per month were: 1.05 (0.99, 1.12) for one to three servings per month, 1.10 (1.03, 1.18) for one serving per week, and 1.13 (1.04, 1.23) for two or more servings per week. Analysis of cause-specific mortality showed that tinned fruit consumption was associated with mortality from cardiovascular causes and from non-cardiovascular, non-cancer causes. In a pooled analysis of three prospective cohorts from the United Kingdom self-reported tinned fruit consumption in the 1990s was weakly but positively associated with mortality during long-term follow-up. These findings raise questions about the evidence underlying dietary recommendations to promote tinned fruit

What are the clinical implications of nodular gastritis? Clues from histopathology.

PubMed

Sokmensuer, Cenk; Onal, Ibrahim Koral; Yeniova, Ozgur; Ersoy, Osman; Aydinli, Musa; Yonem, Ozlem; Harmanci, Ozgur; Onal, Eda Demir; Altinok, Gulcin; Batman, Figen; Bayraktar, Yusuf

2009-10-01

There is no widely accepted histopathological definition for nodular gastritis. In this study we aim to uncover the pathologic entity responsible for the nodular appearance and to find clues about the clinical implications of nodular gastritis. Antral biopsy specimens of 160 patients with nodular gastritis and 133 patients without nodular gastritis were examined by an experienced pathologist for dysplasia, foveolar hyperplasia, inflammatory activity, intraepithelial lymphocytosis, intestinal metaplasia, and lymphoid follicle/aggregate formation, and comparative analysis was performed between the two groups of patients. The presence of intraepithelial lymphocytosis was more frequent in patients with nodular gastritis (P < 0.05). There was no difference between the two groups regarding the other pathological features such as presence of dysplasia, inflammatory activity, intestinal metaplasia, lymphoid hyperplasia, and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. Increase of intraepithelial lymphocytes may contribute to formation of macroscopical nodules in this peculiar type of gastritis. Nodular gastritis would not indicate a new therapeutic approach in addition to the current measures for Helicobacter pylori infection.

A Cohort, Is a Cohort, Is a Cohort...or Is It?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pemberton, Cynthia Lee A.; Akkary, Rima Karami

2010-01-01

This paper presents findings from a multi-year qualitative study based upon life-history narratives of women pursuing doctoral degrees in Educational Leadership. This paper focuses on findings specific to educational cohort models, and suggests that perhaps, at least for women, naturally emergent cohorts--born of relationships of choice--may be…

Long-term effects of Class II orthodontic treatment on oral health.

PubMed

Bock, N C; Saffar, M; Hudel, H; Evälahti, M; Heikinheimo, K; Rice, D P C; Ruf, S

2018-03-01

To investigate the long-term (≥15 years) benefit of orthodontic Class II treatment (Tx) on oral health (OH). All patients (Department of Orthodontics, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany) who underwent Class II correction (Herbst-multibracket Tx, end of active Tx ≥ 15 years ago) and agreed to participate in a recall (clinical examination, interview, impressions, and photographs) were included. Records after active Tx were used to assess the long-term OH effects. Data were compared to corresponding population-representative age-cohorts as well as to untreated Class I controls without orthodontic Tx need during adolescence. Of 152 treated Class II patients, 75 could be located and agreed to participate at 33.7 ± 3.0 years of age (pre-Tx age: 14.0 ± 2.7 years). The majority (70.8%) were fully satisfied with their teeth and with their masticatory system. The Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth Index (DMFT) was 7.1 ± 4.8 and, thus, almost identical to that of the untreated Class I controls (7.9 ± 3.6). In contrast, the DMFT in the population-representative age-cohort was 56% higher. The determined mean Community Periodontal Index (CPI) maximum score (1.6 ± 0.6) was also comparable to the untreated Class I controls (1.7 ± 0.9) but in the corresponding population-representative age-cohort it was 19-44% higher. The extent of lower incisor gingival recessions did not differ significantly between the treated Class II participants and the untreated Class I controls (0.1 ± 0.2 vs. 0.0 ± 0.1 mm). Patients with orthodontically treated severe Class II malocclusions had a lower risk for oral health impairment than the general population. The risk corresponded to that of untreated Class I controls (without orthodontic Tx need during adolescence).

Navigating recurrent abdominal pain through clinical clues, red flags, and initial testing.

PubMed

Noe, Joshua D; Li, B U K

2009-05-01

Recurrent abdominal pain is a common chronic complaint that presents to your office. The constant challenge is one of detecting those with organic disease from the majority who have a functional pain disorder including functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, functional abdominal pain, and abdominal migraine. Beginning with a detailed history and physical exam, you can: 1) apply the symptom-based Rome III criteria to positively identify a functional disorder, and 2) filter these findings through the diagnostic clues and red flags that point toward specific organic disease and/or further testing. Once a functional diagnosis has been made or an organic disease is suspected, you can initiate a self-limited empiric therapeutic trial. With this diagnostic approach, you should feel confident navigating through the initial evaluation, management, and consultation referral for a child or adolescent with recurrent abdominal pain.

An unusual otoscopic finding associated with a type II first branchial cleft anomaly.

PubMed

Ebelhar, A J; Potts, K

2012-03-01

We report an interesting case involving a child with a branchial cleft anomaly with two fistulous tracts, one of which was associated with an unusual otoscopic finding. A seven-year-old girl presented with an apparent type II first branchial cleft cyst after an acute infection. Parotidectomy and excision of the tract were performed, with subsequent development of pre-auricular swelling three months later. Further surgery was performed to remove a second duplication anomaly of the external auditory canal. Otomicroscopy showed a fibrous band arising from the wall of the canal and attached to the tympanic membrane at the umbo. Otoscopic findings on physical examination can be important diagnostic clues in the early recognition of branchial cleft anomalies. The classification system proposed by Work may fail to describe some branchial cleft lesions.

The Type II Supernova Mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruenn, Stephen W.

1996-05-01

Supernova 1987A has confirmed the basic core collapse paradigm for Type-II supernovae by the detection of electron antineutrinos in the Kamiokande II and IMB experiments several hours prior to the first optical sighting. Furthermore, the evidence of large-scale mixing and overturn in the debris of SN1987A indicates that hydrodynamic instabilities occurred early on in the evolution of the remnant and have played a crucial role in the explosion mechanism itself. Despite these important clues, and many years of theoretical and numerical investigation of increasing sophistication, the core collapse explosion mechanism is still not well understood. I review the status of the currently favored scenario, which is the transfer of energy from hot material at small radii to cooler material in the region further out behind the stalled shock by a combination of neutrino flow and hydrodynamic instabilities. The nature and role of these hydrodynamic instabilities is explored in detail on the basis of linear perturbation analyses and multidimensional hydrodynamic simulations. Neutrino flow is shown to have an inhibiting effect on convection in the region immediately below the neutrinosphere. Farther in, material is likely to be semiconvective for several hundred milliseconds, but stable thereafter. Convection in the neutrino heated-layer outside the neutrinosphere and below the shock front is found to help but by no means guarantee and explosion. General relativistic effects are shown to be deleterious for neutrino heated explosions. The role of the progenitor structure is discussed on the basis of two distinct but representative examples. Finally, the importance of several neutrino processes not incorporated in current calculations is assessed.

Associations of night-time road traffic noise with carotid intima-media thickness and blood pressure: The Whitehall II and SABRE study cohorts.

PubMed

Halonen, Jaana I; Dehbi, Hakim-Moulay; Hansell, Anna L; Gulliver, John; Fecht, Daniela; Blangiardo, Marta; Kelly, Frank J; Chaturvedi, Nish; Kivimäki, Mika; Tonne, Cathryn

2017-01-01

Road traffic noise has been linked to increased risk of stroke, for which hypertension and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) are risk factors. A link between traffic noise and hypertension has been established, but there are few studies on blood pressure and no studies on cIMT. To examine cross-sectional associations for long-term exposure to night-time noise with cIMT, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and hypertension. The study population consisted of 2592 adults from the Whitehall II and SABRE cohort studies living within Greater London who had cIMT, SBP and DBP measured. Exposure to night-time road traffic noise (A-weighted dB, referred to as dBA) was estimated at each participant's residential postcode centroid. Mean night-time road noise levels were 52dBA (SD=4). In the pooled analysis adjusted for cohort, sex, age, ethnicity, marital status, smoking, area-level deprivation and NOx there was a 9.1μm (95% CI: -7.1, 25.2) increase in cIMT in association with 10dBA increase in night-time noise. Analyses by noise categories of 55-60dBA (16.2μm, 95% CI: -8.7, 41.2), and >60dBA (21.2μm, 95% CI: -2.5, 44.9) vs. <55dBA were also positive but non-significant, expect among those not using antihypertensive medication and exposed to >60dBA vs. <55dBA (32.6μm, 95% CI: 6.2, 59.0). Associations for SBP, DPB and hypertension were close to null. After adjustments, including for air pollution, the association between night-time road traffic noise and cIMT was only observed among non-medication users but associations with blood pressure and hypertension were largely null. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lycopene, tomato products and prostate cancer-specific mortality among men diagnosed with nonmetastatic prostate cancer in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort.

PubMed

Wang, Ying; Jacobs, Eric J; Newton, Christina C; McCullough, Marjorie L

2016-06-15

While dietary lycopene and tomato products have been inversely associated with prostate cancer incidence, there is limited evidence for an association between consumption of lycopene and tomato products and prostate-cancer specific mortality (PCSM). We examined the associations of prediagnosis and postdiagnosis dietary lycopene and tomato product intake with PCSM in a large prospective cohort. This analysis included men diagnosed with nonmetastatic prostate cancer between enrollment in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort in 1992 or 1993 and June 2011. Prediagnosis dietary data, collected at baseline, were available for 8,898 men, of whom 526 died of prostate cancer through 2012. Postdiagnosis dietary data, collected on follow-up surveys in 1999 and/or 2003, were available for 5,643 men, of whom 363 died of prostate cancer through 2012. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for PCSM. Neither prediagnosis nor postdiagnosis dietary lycopene intake was associated with PCSM (fourth vs. first quartile HR = 1.00, 95% CI 0.78-1.28; HR = 1.22, 95% CI 0.91-1.64, respectively). Similarly, neither prediagnosis nor postdiagnosis consumption of tomato products was associated with PCSM. Among men with high-risk cancers (T3-T4 or Gleason score 8-10, or nodal involvement), consistently reporting lycopene intake ≥ median on both postdiagnosis surveys was associated with lower PCSM (HR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.17-0.99, based on ten PCSM cases consistently ≥ median intake) compared to consistently reporting intake < median. Future studies are needed to confirm the potential inverse association of consistently high lycopene intake with PCSM among men with high-risk prostate cancers. © 2016 UICC.

Prevalence of cystic macular lesions in patients with Usher II syndrome.

PubMed

Walia, S; Fishman, G A; Hajali, M

2009-05-01

To evaluate the prevalence of cystic macular lesions in patients with Usher II syndrome. All Usher type II patients seen in the inherited eye disease clinic at the University of Illinois at Chicago between January 2002 and December 2007 were included (n=76). Each participating patient underwent a detailed clinical examination, including best-corrected visual acuity, slit-lamp biomicroscopy and dilated fundus examination. The presence of cystoid lesions was determined by optical coherence tomography (OCT), fundus fluorescein angiogram (FFA), fundus photographs and/or clinical examination. A cystic-appearing macular change was observed in at least one eye in 19 out of the 76 patients (25%), 13 on the basis of OCT, five using FFA (two solely with the use of FFA and three based on clinical notes and FFA findings) and one based solely on clinical notes. Of the 18 patients with CME, determined by OCT or FFA, five (27.8%) showed either a funduscopically normal-appearing macula (n=4) or an atrophic appearing macular change (n=1). One-fourth of our total cohort of Usher II patients had cystic macular lesions. Moreover, a funduscopically normal-appearing macula was observed in 22% (n=4) of our 18 patients with cystic-appearing macular lesions on OCT and/or FFA testing. On the basis of the reasonably high prevalence of cystic macular lesions in our cohort, it would seem prudent to evaluate Usher II patients for the presence of cystoid macular oedema.

Dietary Energy Density and Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Incidence in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort.

PubMed

Hartman, Terryl J; Gapstur, Susan M; Gaudet, Mia M; Shah, Roma; Flanders, W Dana; Wang, Ying; McCullough, Marjorie L

2016-10-01

Dietary energy density (ED) is a measure of diet quality that estimates the amount of energy per unit of food (kilocalories per gram) consumed. Low-ED diets are generally high in fiber and fruits and vegetables and low in fat. Dietary ED has been positively associated with body mass index (BMI) and other risk factors for postmenopausal breast cancer. We evaluated the associations of total dietary ED and energy-dense (high-ED) foods with postmenopausal breast cancer incidence. Analyses included 56,795 postmenopausal women from the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort with no previous history of breast or other cancers and who provided information on diet, lifestyle, and medical history in 1999. Multivariable-adjusted breast cancer incidence rate ratios (RRs and 95% CIs) were estimated for quintiles of total dietary ED and for the consumption of high-ED foods in Cox proportional hazards regression models. During a median follow-up of 11.7 y, 2509 invasive breast cancer cases were identified, including 1857 estrogen receptor-positive and 277 estrogen receptor-negative tumors. Median dietary ED was 1.5 kcal/g (IQR: 1.3-1.7 kcal/g). After adjusting for age, race, education, reproductive characteristics, and family history, high compared with low dietary ED was associated with a statistically significantly higher risk of breast cancer (RR for fifth quintile compared with first quintile: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.36; P-trend = 0.03). The association between the amount of high-ED foods consumed and breast cancer risk was not statistically significant. We observed no differences by estrogen receptor status or effect modification by BMI, age, or physical activity. These results suggest a modest positive association between total dietary ED and risk of postmenopausal breast cancer. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

Alcohol intake and mortality among survivors of colorectal cancer: The Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort.

PubMed

Yang, Baiyu; Gapstur, Susan M; Newton, Christina C; Jacobs, Eric J; Campbell, Peter T

2017-06-01

Alcohol consumption is associated with a higher risk of colorectal cancer, but to the authors' knowledge its influence on survival after a diagnosis of colorectal cancer is unclear. The authors investigated associations between prediagnosis and postdiagnosis alcohol intake with mortality among survivors of colorectal cancer. The authors identified 2458 men and women who were diagnosed with invasive, nonmetastatic colorectal cancer between 1992 (enrollment into the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort) and 2011. Alcohol consumption was self-reported at baseline and updated in 1997, 1999, 2003, and 2007. Postdiagnosis alcohol data were available for 1599 participants. Of the 2458 participants diagnosed with colorectal cancer, 1156 died during follow-up through 2012. Prediagnosis and postdiagnosis alcohol consumption were not found to be associated with all-cause mortality, except for an association between prediagnosis consumption of <2 drinks per day and a slightly lower risk of all-cause mortality (relative risk [RR], 0.86; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.74-1.00) compared with never drinking. Alcohol use was generally not associated with colorectal cancer-specific mortality, although there was some suggestion of increased colorectal cancer-specific mortality with postdiagnosis drinking (RR, 1.27 [95% CI, 0.87-1.86] for current drinking of <2 drinks/day and RR, 1.44 [95% CI, 0.80-2.60] for current drinking of ≥2 drinks/day). The results of the current study do not support an association between alcohol consumption and all-cause mortality among individuals with nonmetastatic colorectal cancer. The association between postdiagnosis drinking and colorectal cancer-specific mortality should be examined in larger studies of individuals diagnosed with nonmetastatic colorectal cancer. Cancer 2017;123:2006-2013. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

THE IMPORTANCE OF {sup 56}Ni IN SHAPING THE LIGHT CURVES OF TYPE II SUPERNOVAE

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

Nakar, Ehud; Poznanski, Dovi; Katz, Boaz

2016-06-01

What intrinsic properties shape the light curves of SNe II? To address this question we derive observational measures that are robust (i.e., insensitive to detailed radiative transfer) and constrain the contribution from {sup 56}Ni as well as a combination of the envelope mass, progenitor radius, and explosion energy. By applying our methods to a sample of SNe II from the literature, we find that a {sup 56}Ni contribution is often significant. In our sample, its contribution to the time-weighted integrated luminosity during the photospheric phase ranges between 8% and 72% with a typical value of 30%. We find that themore » {sup 56}Ni relative contribution is anti-correlated with the luminosity decline rate. When added to other clues, this in turn suggests that the flat plateaus often observed in SNe II are not a generic feature of the cooling envelope emission, and that without {sup 56}Ni many of the SNe that are classified as II-P would have shown a decline rate that is steeper by up to 1 mag/100 days. Nevertheless, we find that the cooling envelope emission, and not {sup 56}Ni contribution, is the main driver behind the observed range of decline rates. Furthermore, contrary to previous suggestions, our findings indicate that fast decline rates are not driven by lower envelope masses. We therefore suggest that the difference in observed decline rates is mainly a result of different density profiles of the progenitors.« less

Using systematic reviews to inform NIHR HTA trial planning and design: a retrospective cohort.

PubMed

Bhurke, Sheetal; Cook, Andrew; Tallant, Anna; Young, Amanda; Williams, Elaine; Raftery, James

2015-12-29

Chalmers and Glasziou's paper published in 2014 recommends research funding bodies should mandate that proposals for additional primary research are built on systematic reviews of existing evidence showing what is already known. Jones et al. identified 11 (23%) of 48 trials funded during 2006-8 by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) Programme did not reference a systematic review. This study did not explore the reasons for trials not referencing a systematic review or consider trials using any other evidence in the absence of a systematic review. Referencing a systematic review may not be possible in certain circumstances, for instance if the systematic review does not address the question being proposed in the trial. The current study extended Jones' study by exploring the reasons for why trials did not reference a systematic review and included a more recent cohort of trials funded in 2013 to determine if there were any changes in the referencing or use of systematic reviews. Two cohorts of NIHR HTA randomised controlled trials were included. Cohort I included the same trials as Jones et al. (with the exception of one trial which was discontinued). Cohort II included NIHR HTA trials funded in 2013. Data extraction was undertaken independently by two reviewers using full applications and trial protocols. Descriptive statistics was used and no formal statistical analyses were conducted. Five (11%) trials of the 47 funded during 2006-2008 did not reference a systematic review. These 5 trials had warranted reasons for not referencing systematic reviews. All trials from Cohort II referenced a systematic review. A quarter of all those trials with a preceding systematic review used a different primary outcome than those stated in the reviews. The NIHR requires that proposals for new primary research are justified by existing evidence and the findings of this study confirm the adherence to this requirement with a high rate

Cohort Profile: Antiretroviral Therapy Cohort Collaboration (ART-CC)

PubMed Central

May, Margaret T; Ingle, Suzanne M; Costagliola, Dominique; Justice, Amy C; de Wolf, Frank; Cavassini, Matthias; D’Arminio Monforte, Antonella; Casabona, Jordi; Hogg, Robert S; Mocroft, Amanda; Lampe, Fiona C; Dabis, François; Fätkenheuer, Gerd; Sterling, Timothy R; del Amo, Julia; Gill, M John; Crane, Heidi M; Saag, Michael S; Guest, Jodie; Brodt, Hans-Reinhard; Sterne, Jonathan AC

2014-01-01

The advent of effective combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 1996 resulted in fewer patients experiencing clinical events, so that some prognostic analyses of individual cohort studies of human immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals had low statistical power. Because of this, the Antiretroviral Therapy Cohort Collaboration (ART-CC) of HIV cohort studies in Europe and North America was established in 2000, with the aim of studying the prognosis for clinical events in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the mortality of adult patients treated for HIV-1 infection. In 2002, the ART-CC collected data on more than 12,000 patients in 13 cohorts who had begun combination ART between 1995 and 2001. Subsequent updates took place in 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2010. The ART-CC data base now includes data on more than 70 000 patients participating in 19 cohorts who began treatment before the end of 2009. Data are collected on patient demographics (e.g. sex, age, assumed transmission group, race/ethnicity, geographical origin), HIV biomarkers (e.g. CD4 cell count, plasma viral load of HIV-1), ART regimen, dates and types of AIDS events, and dates and causes of death. In recent years, additional data on co-infections such as hepatitis C; risk factors such as smoking, alcohol and drug use; non-HIV biomarkers such as haemoglobin and liver enzymes; and adherence to ART have been collected whenever available. The data remain the property of the contributing cohorts, whose representatives manage the ART-CC via the steering committee of the Collaboration. External collaboration is welcomed. Details of contacts are given on the ART-CC website (www.art-cohort-collaboration.org). PMID:23599235

Two Different Cell Populations Is an Important Clue for Diagnosis of Primary Cutaneous Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma: Immunohistochemical Study

PubMed Central

Alkan, Banu Ince; Karadeniz, Müjde; Bozdoğan, Nazan

2017-01-01

Primary cutaneous adenoid cystic carcinoma (PCACC) is a very rare malignancy. The differential diagnosis of PCACCs in pathology practice can be difficult and a group of primary and metastatic lesions, including adenoid basal cell carcinoma of the skin, should be considered in the differential diagnosis. Besides histomorphological clues, immunohistochemistry studies are very helpful in the differential diagnosis of PCACC. We report herein a case of PCACC with extensive immunohistochemical studies and review the literature from an immunohistochemistry perspective. PMID:28243477

Intensity limits of the PSI Injector II cyclotron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolano, A.; Adelmann, A.; Barlow, R.; Baumgarten, C.

2018-03-01

We investigate limits on the current of the PSI Injector II high intensity separate-sector isochronous cyclotron, in its present configuration and after a proposed upgrade. Accelerator Driven Subcritical Reactors, neutron and neutrino experiments, and medical isotope production all benefit from increases in current, even at the ∼ 10% level: the PSI cyclotrons provide relevant experience. As space charge dominates at low beam energy, the injector is critical. Understanding space charge effects and halo formation through detailed numerical modelling gives clues on how to maximise the extracted current. Simulation of a space-charge dominated low energy high intensity (9.5 mA DC) machine, with a complex collimator set up in the central region shaping the bunch, is not trivial. We use the OPAL code, a tool for charged-particle optics calculations in large accelerator structures and beam lines, including 3D space charge. We have a precise model of the present (production) Injector II, operating at 2.2 mA current. A simple model of the proposed future (upgraded) configuration of the cyclotron is also investigated. We estimate intensity limits based on the developed models, supported by fitted scaling laws and measurements. We have been able to perform more detailed analysis of the bunch parameters and halo development than any previous study. Optimisation techniques enable better matching of the simulation set-up with Injector II parameters and measurements. We show that in the production configuration the beam current scales to the power of three with the beam size. However, at higher intensities, 4th power scaling is a better fit, setting the limit of approximately 3 mA. Currents of over 5 mA, higher than have been achieved to date, can be produced if the collimation scheme is adjusted.

Target proteins of ganoderic acid DM provides clues to various pharmacological mechanisms

PubMed Central

Liu, Jie; Shimizu, Kuniyoshi; Tanaka, Akinobu; Shinobu, Wakako; Ohnuki, Koichiro; Nakamura, Takanori; Kondo, Ryuichiro

2012-01-01

Ganoderma fungus (Ganodermataceae) is a multifunctional medicinal mushroom and has been traditionally used for the treatment of various types of disease. Ganoderic acid DM (1) is a representative triterpenoid isolated from G. lingzhi and exhibits various biological activities. However, a universal starting point that triggers multiple signaling pathways and results in multifunctionality of 1 is unknown. Here we demonstrate the important clues regarding the mechanisms underlying multi-medicinal action of 1. We examined structure–activity relationships between 1 and its analogs and found that the carbonyl group at C-3 was essential for cytotoxicity. Subsequently, we used 1-conjugated magnetic beads as a probe and identified tubulin as a specific 1-binding protein. Furthermore, 1 showed a similar Kd to that of vinblastine and also affected assembly of tubulin polymers. This study revealed multiple biological activities of 1 and may contribute to the design and development of new tubulin-inhibiting agents. PMID:23205267

Cohort profile: Antiretroviral Therapy Cohort Collaboration (ART-CC).

PubMed

May, Margaret T; Ingle, Suzanne M; Costagliola, Dominique; Justice, Amy C; de Wolf, Frank; Cavassini, Matthias; D'Arminio Monforte, Antonella; Casabona, Jordi; Hogg, Robert S; Mocroft, Amanda; Lampe, Fiona C; Dabis, François; Fätkenheuer, Gerd; Sterling, Timothy R; del Amo, Julia; Gill, M John; Crane, Heidi M; Saag, Michael S; Guest, Jodie; Brodt, Hans-Reinhard; Sterne, Jonathan A C

2014-06-01

The advent of effective combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) in 1996 resulted in fewer patients experiencing clinical events, so that some prognostic analyses of individual cohort studies of human immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals had low statistical power. Because of this, the Antiretroviral Therapy Cohort Collaboration (ART-CC) of HIV cohort studies in Europe and North America was established in 2000, with the aim of studying the prognosis for clinical events in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the mortality of adult patients treated for HIV-1 infection. In 2002, the ART-CC collected data on more than 12,000 patients in 13 cohorts who had begun combination ART between 1995 and 2001. Subsequent updates took place in 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2010. The ART-CC data base now includes data on more than 70,000 patients participating in 19 cohorts who began treatment before the end of 2009. Data are collected on patient demographics (e.g. sex, age, assumed transmission group, race/ethnicity, geographical origin), HIV biomarkers (e.g. CD4 cell count, plasma viral load of HIV-1), ART regimen, dates and types of AIDS events, and dates and causes of death. In recent years, additional data on co-infections such as hepatitis C; risk factors such as smoking, alcohol and drug use; non-HIV biomarkers such as haemoglobin and liver enzymes; and adherence to ART have been collected whenever available. The data remain the property of the contributing cohorts, whose representatives manage the ART-CC via the steering committee of the Collaboration. External collaboration is welcomed. Details of contacts are given on the ART-CC website (www.art-cohort-collaboration.org). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association © The Author 2013; all rights reserved.

Introducing laparoscopic total gastrectomy for gastric cancer in general practice: a retrospective cohort study based on a nationwide registry database in Japan.

PubMed

Kodera, Yasuhiro; Yoshida, Kazuhiro; Kumamaru, Hiraku; Kakeji, Yoshihiro; Hiki, Naoki; Etoh, Tsuyoshi; Honda, Michitaka; Miyata, Hiroaki; Yamashita, Yuichi; Seto, Yasuyuki; Kitano, Seigo; Konno, Hiroyuki

2018-02-09

Although laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG) is considered a technically demanding procedure with safety issues, it has been performed in several hospitals in Japan. Data from a nationwide web-based data entry system for surgical procedures (NCD) that started enrollment in 2011 are now available for analysis. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from 32,144 patients who underwent total gastrectomy and were registered in the NCD database between January 2012 and December 2013. Mortality and morbidities were compared between patients who received LTG and those who underwent open total gastrectomy (OTG) in the propensity score-matched Stage I cohort and Stage II-IV cohort. There was no significant difference in mortality rate between LTG and OTG in both cohorts. Operating time was significantly longer in LTG while the blood loss was smaller. In the Stage I cohort, LTG, performed in 33.6% of the patients, was associated with significantly shorter hospital stay but significantly higher incidence of readmission, reoperation, and anastomotic leakage (5.4% vs. 3.6%, p < 0.01). In the Stage II-IV cohort, LTG was performed in only 8.8% of the patients and was associated with significantly higher incidence of leakage (5.7% vs. 3.6%, p < 0.02) although the hospital stay was shorter (15 days vs. 17 days, p < 0.001). LTG was more discreetly introduced than distal gastrectomy, but remained a technically demanding procedure as of 2013. This procedure should be performed only among the well-trained and informed laparoscopic team.

Predictive test for chemotherapy response in resectable gastric cancer: a multi-cohort, retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Cheong, Jae-Ho; Yang, Han-Kwang; Kim, Hyunki; Kim, Woo Ho; Kim, Young-Woo; Kook, Myeong-Cherl; Park, Young-Kyu; Kim, Hyung-Ho; Lee, Hye Seung; Lee, Kyung Hee; Gu, Mi Jin; Kim, Ha Yan; Lee, Jinae; Choi, Seung Ho; Hong, Soonwon; Kim, Jong Won; Choi, Yoon Young; Hyung, Woo Jin; Jang, Eunji; Kim, Hyeseon; Huh, Yong-Min; Noh, Sung Hoon

2018-05-01

Adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery improves survival of patients with stage II-III, resectable gastric cancer. However, the overall survival benefit observed after adjuvant chemotherapy is moderate, suggesting that not all patients with resectable gastric cancer treated with adjuvant chemotherapy benefit from it. We aimed to develop and validate a predictive test for adjuvant chemotherapy response in patients with resectable, stage II-III gastric cancer. In this multi-cohort, retrospective study, we developed through a multi-step strategy a predictive test consisting of two rule-based classifier algorithms with predictive value for adjuvant chemotherapy response and prognosis. Exploratory bioinformatics analyses identified biologically relevant candidate genes in gastric cancer transcriptome datasets. In the discovery analysis, a four-gene, real-time RT-PCR assay was developed and analytically validated in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumour tissues from an internal cohort of 307 patients with stage II-III gastric cancer treated at the Yonsei Cancer Center with D2 gastrectomy plus adjuvant fluorouracil-based chemotherapy (n=193) or surgery alone (n=114). The same internal cohort was used to evaluate the prognostic and chemotherapy response predictive value of the single patient classifier genes using associations with 5-year overall survival. The results were validated with a subset (n=625) of FFPE tumour samples from an independent cohort of patients treated in the CLASSIC trial (NCT00411229), who received D2 gastrectomy plus capecitabine and oxaliplatin chemotherapy (n=323) or surgery alone (n=302). The primary endpoint was 5-year overall survival. We identified four classifier genes related to relevant gastric cancer features (GZMB, WARS, SFRP4, and CDX1) that formed the single patient classifier assay. In the validation cohort, the prognostic single patient classifier (based on the expression of GZMB, WARS, and SFRP4) identified 79 (13%) of 625

A non-linear association between self-reported negative emotional response to stress and subsequent allostatic load: prospective results from the Whitehall II cohort study.

PubMed

Dich, Nadya; Doan, Stacey N; Kivimäki, Mika; Kumari, Meena; Rod, Naja Hulvej

2014-11-01

Previous research suggests that high levels of negative emotions may affect health. However, it is likely that the absence of an emotional response following stressful events may also be problematic. Accordingly, we investigated whether a non-linear association exists between negative emotional response to major life events and allostatic load, a multisystem indicator of physiological dysregulation. Study sample was 6764 British civil service workers from the Whitehall II cohort. Negative emotional response was assessed by self-report at baseline. Allostatic load was calculated using cardiovascular, metabolic and immune function biomarkers at three clinical follow-up examinations. A non-linear association between negative emotional response and allostatic load was observed: being at either extreme end of the distribution of negative emotional response increased the risk of physiological dysregulation. Allostatic load also increased with age, but the association between negative emotional response and allostatic load remained stable over time. These results provide evidence for a more nuanced understanding of the role of negative emotions in long-term physical health. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stellar activity with LAMOST - II. Chromospheric activity in open clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Xiang-Song; Zhao, Gang; Zhao, Jing-Kun; Bharat Kumar, Yerra

2018-05-01

We use the LAMOST spectra of member stars in Pleiades, M34, Praesepe, and Hyades to study how chromospheric activity varies as a function of mass and rotation at different age. We measured excess equivalent widths of H α, H β, and Ca II K based on estimated chromospheric contributions from old and inactive field dwarfs, and excess luminosities are obtained by normalizing bolometric luminosity, for more than 700 late-type stars in these open clusters. Results indicate two activity sequences in cool spot coverage and H α excess emission among GK dwarfs in Pleiades and M dwarfs in Praesepe and Hyades, paralleling with well-known rotation sequences. A weak dependence of chromospheric emission on rotation exists among ultrafast rotators in saturated regime with Rossby number Ro ≲ 0.1. In the unsaturated regime, chromospheric and coronal emission show similar dependence on Ro, but with a shift towards larger Ro, indicating chromospheric emission gets easily saturated than coronal emission, and/or convective turnover time-scales based on X-ray data do not work well with chromospheric emission. More interestingly, our analysis shows fully convective slow rotators obey the rotation-chromospheric activity relation similar to hotter stars, confirming the previous finding. We found correlations among H α, H β, and Ca II K emissions, in which H α losses are more important than Ca II K for cooler and more active stars. In addition, a weak correlation is seen between chromospheric emission and photospheric activity that shows dependence on stellar spectral type and activity level, which provides some clues on how spot configuration varies as a function of mass and activity level.

Changes in the use practitioner-based complementary and alternative medicine over time in Canada: Cohort and period effects

PubMed Central

Canizares, Mayilee; Hogg-Johnson, Sheilah; Gignac, Monique A. M.; Glazier, Richard H.; Badley, Elizabeth M.

2017-01-01

Background The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is growing. However the factors contributing to changes over time and to birth cohort differences in CAM use are not well understood. Setting We used data from 10186 participants, who were aged 20–69 years at the first cycle of data collection in the longitudinal component of the Canadian National Population Health Survey (1994/95-2010/11). We examined chiropractic and other practitioner-based CAM use with a focus on five birth cohorts: pre-World War II (born 1925–1934); World War II (born 1935–1944); older baby boomers (born 1945–1954); younger baby boomers (born 1955–1964); and Gen Xers (born 1965–1974). The survey collected data every two years on predisposing (e.g., sex, education), enabling (e.g., income), behavior-related factors (e.g., obesity), need (e.g., chronic conditions), and use of conventional care (primary care and specialists). Results The findings suggest that, at corresponding ages, more recent cohorts reported greater CAM (OR = 25.9, 95% CI: 20.0; 33.6 for Gen Xers vs. pre-World War) and chiropractic use than their predecessors (OR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.7; 2.8 for Gen Xers vs. pre-World War). There was also a secular trend of increasing CAM use, but not chiropractic use, over time (period effect) across all ages. Factors associated with cohort differences were different for CAM and chiropractic use. Cohort differences in CAM use were partially related to a period effect of increasing CAM use over time across all ages while cohort differences in chiropractic use were related to the higher prevalence of chronic conditions among recent cohorts. The use of conventional care was positively related to greater CAM use (OR = 1.8, 95% CI: 1.6; 2.0) and chiropractic use (OR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.1; 1.4) but did not contribute to changes over time or to cohort differences in CAM and chiropractic use. Conclusion The higher CAM use over time and in recent cohorts could reflect how recent

High School and Beyond. 1980 Senior Coort. Third-Follow-Up (1986). Data File User's Manual. Volume II: Survey Instruments. Contractor Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sebring, Penny; And Others

Survey instruments used in the collection of data for the High School and Beyond base year (1980) through the third follow-up surveys (1986) are provided as Volume II of a user's manual for the senior cohort data file. The complete user's manual is designed to provide the extensive documentation necessary for using the cohort data files. Copies of…

Trends in Algebra II Completion and Failure Rates for Students Entering Texas Public High Schools. REL 2018-289

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stoker, Ginger; Mellor, Lynn; Sullivan, Kate

2018-01-01

This study examines Algebra II completion and failure rates for students entering Texas public high schools from 2007/08 through 2014/15. This period spans the time when Texas students, beginning with the 2007/08 grade 9 cohort, were required to take four courses each in English, math (including Algebra II), science, and social studies (called the…

BDNF Variants May Modulate Long-Term Visual Memory Performance in a Healthy Cohort

PubMed Central

Avgan, Nesli; Sutherland, Heidi G.; Spriggens, Lauren K.; Yu, Chieh; Ibrahim, Omar; Bellis, Claire; Haupt, Larisa M.; Shum, David H. K.; Griffiths, Lyn R.

2017-01-01

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in numerous cognitive functions including learning and memory. BDNF plays an important role in synaptic plasticity in humans and rats with BDNF shown to be essential for the formation of long-term memories. We previously identified a significant association between the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism (rs6265) and long-term visual memory (p-value = 0.003) in a small cohort (n = 181) comprised of healthy individuals who had been phenotyped for various aspects of memory function. In this study, we have extended the cohort to 597 individuals and examined multiple genetic variants across both the BDNF and BDNF-AS genes for association with visual memory performance as assessed by the Wechsler Memory Scale—Fourth Edition subtests Visual Reproduction I and II (VR I and II). VR I assesses immediate visual memory, whereas VR II assesses long-term visual memory. Genetic association analyses were performed for 34 single nucleotide polymorphisms genotyped on Illumina OmniExpress BeadChip arrays with the immediate and long-term visual memory phenotypes. While none of the BDNF and BDNF-AS variants were shown to be significant for immediate visual memory, we found 10 variants (including the Val66Met polymorphism (p-value = 0.006)) that were nominally associated, and three variants (two variants in BDNF and one variant in the BDNF-AS locus) that were significantly associated with long-term visual memory. Our data therefore suggests a potential role for BDNF, and its anti-sense transcript BDNF-AS, in long-term visual memory performance. PMID:28304362

BDNF Variants May Modulate Long-Term Visual Memory Performance in a Healthy Cohort.

PubMed

Avgan, Nesli; Sutherland, Heidi G; Spriggens, Lauren K; Yu, Chieh; Ibrahim, Omar; Bellis, Claire; Haupt, Larisa M; Shum, David H K; Griffiths, Lyn R

2017-03-17

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in numerous cognitive functions including learning and memory. BDNF plays an important role in synaptic plasticity in humans and rats with BDNF shown to be essential for the formation of long-term memories. We previously identified a significant association between the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism (rs6265) and long-term visual memory ( p -value = 0.003) in a small cohort ( n = 181) comprised of healthy individuals who had been phenotyped for various aspects of memory function. In this study, we have extended the cohort to 597 individuals and examined multiple genetic variants across both the BDNF and BDNF-AS genes for association with visual memory performance as assessed by the Wechsler Memory Scale-Fourth Edition subtests Visual Reproduction I and II (VR I and II). VR I assesses immediate visual memory, whereas VR II assesses long-term visual memory. Genetic association analyses were performed for 34 single nucleotide polymorphisms genotyped on Illumina OmniExpress BeadChip arrays with the immediate and long-term visual memory phenotypes. While none of the BDNF and BDNF-AS variants were shown to be significant for immediate visual memory, we found 10 variants (including the Val66Met polymorphism ( p -value = 0.006)) that were nominally associated, and three variants (two variants in BDNF and one variant in the BDNF-AS locus) that were significantly associated with long-term visual memory. Our data therefore suggests a potential role for BDNF , and its anti-sense transcript BDNF-AS , in long-term visual memory performance.

Autoimmune diseases in a Danish cohort of 4,866 carriers of constitutional structural chromosomal rearrangements.

PubMed

Bache, Iben; Nielsen, Nete M; Rostgaard, Klaus; Tommerup, Niels; Frisch, Morten

2007-07-01

Constitutional structural chromosomal rearrangements (CSCRs) have facilitated the identification of genes associated with early-onset monogenic disorders and, more recently, genes associated with common and late-onset disorders. In an attempt to find genetic clues to their etiologies, we studied the risk of autoimmune diseases in a Danish cohort of CSCR carriers. We followed up 4,866 CSCR carriers over 71,230 person-years (1980 through 2004) for autoimmune diseases recorded in the Danish Hospital Discharge Register. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) served as measures of the relative risk. To identify possible candidate loci for autoimmune diseases, the reported chromosomal breakpoints and deletions in CSCR carriers who developed autoimmune diseases were compared with previously suggested loci for these diseases. The overall risk of any autoimmune disease among CSCR carriers was inconspicuous (SIR 1.2 [95% CI 0.95-1.5]; n = 74 cases observed versus 61.3 expected), but carriers of rearrangements involving chromosomes 2, 19, and 21 were at significantly increased risk. For the specific autoimmune diseases studied, cohort members were at significantly increased risk of Dupuytren's contracture, pernicious anemia, and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA). Sixteen carriers who developed an autoimmune disease had a chromosomal breakpoint or deletion coinciding with a previously suggested locus, including deletions 18p11, 18q22, and 22q11 associated with JRA. CSCR carriers do not have a generalized predisposition to autoimmune diseases. However, we confirmed a number of reported susceptibility loci for JRA, and we suggest new susceptibility loci on chromosomes 5 and 11 for Dupuytren's contracture, and 19p13 as a possible shared susceptibility locus for a range of autoimmune diseases.

Selective reporting bias of harm outcomes within studies: findings from a cohort of systematic reviews.

PubMed

Saini, Pooja; Loke, Yoon K; Gamble, Carrol; Altman, Douglas G; Williamson, Paula R; Kirkham, Jamie J

2014-11-21

To determine the extent and nature of selective non-reporting of harm outcomes in clinical studies that were eligible for inclusion in a cohort of systematic reviews. Cohort study of systematic reviews from two databases. Outcome reporting bias in trials for harm outcomes (ORBIT II) in systematic reviews from the Cochrane Library and a separate cohort of systematic reviews of adverse events. 92 systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials and non-randomised studies published in the Cochrane Library between issue 9, 2012 and issue 2, 2013 (Cochrane cohort) and 230 systematic reviews published between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2011 in other publications, synthesising data on harm outcomes (adverse event cohort). A 13 point classification system for missing outcome data on harm was developed and applied to the studies. 86% (79/92) of reviews in the Cochrane cohort did not include full data from the main harm outcome of interest of each review for all of the eligible studies included within that review; 76% (173/230) for the adverse event cohort. Overall, the single primary harm outcome was inadequately reported in 76% (705/931) of the studies included in the 92 reviews from the Cochrane cohort and not reported in 47% (4159/8837) of the 230 reviews in the adverse event cohort. In a sample of primary studies not reporting on the single primary harm outcome in the review, scrutiny of the study publication revealed that outcome reporting bias was suspected in nearly two thirds (63%, 248/393). The number of reviews suspected of outcome reporting bias as a result of missing or partially reported harm related outcomes from at least one eligible study is high. The declaration of important harms and the quality of the reporting of harm outcomes must be improved in both primary studies and systematic reviews. © Saini et al 2014.

How are European birth-cohort studies engaging and consulting with young cohort members?

PubMed

Lucas, Patricia J; Allnock, Debra; Jessiman, Tricia

2013-04-11

Birth cohort studies, where parents consent for their child to be enrolled in a longitudinal study prior to or soon after birth, are a powerful study design in epidemiology and developmental research. Participation often continues into adulthood. Where participants are enrolled as infants, provision should be made for consent, consultation and involvement in study design as they age. This study aims to audit and describe the extent and types of consultation and engagement currently used in birth cohorts in Europe. Seventy study groups (representing 84 cohorts) were contacted to ask about their practice in engaging and involving study members. Information was gathered from study websites and publications, 15 cohorts provided additional information via email and 17 cohorts were interviewed over the phone. The cohorts identified confirm the growth of this study design, with more than half beginning since 1990, and 4 since 2011. Most studies maintain a website open to the general public, although many are written for the scientific community only. Five studies have web pages specifically for young cohort members and one study provides a dedicated page for fathers. Cohorts send newsletters, cards, and summaries of findings to participants to stay in touch. Six cohorts use Facebook for this purpose. Five cohorts provide feedback opportunities for participants after completing a round of data collection. We know of just 8 cohorts who have a mechanism for consulting with parents and 3 a mechanism for consulting with young people themselves, although these were 'one off' consultations for some groups. Barriers to further consultation with cohort members were: concerns about impact on quality of research, ethical constraints, resource limitations, lack of importance, and previous adverse experiences. Although the children in some of the cohorts are still young (born in the last 10 years) many are old enough to include some element of consultation. Barriers to greater

Birth cohorts in Asia: The importance, advantages, and disadvantages of different-sized cohorts.

PubMed

Kishi, Reiko; Araki, Atsuko; Minatoya, Machiko; Itoh, Sachiko; Goudarzi, Houman; Miyashita, Chihiro

2018-02-15

Asia contains half of the world's children, and the countries of Asia are the most rapidly industrializing nations on the globe. Environmental threats to the health of children in Asia are myriad. Several birth cohorts were started in Asia in early 2000, and currently more than 30 cohorts in 13 countries have been established for study. Cohorts can contain from approximately 100-200 to 20,000-30,000 participants. Furthermore, national cohorts targeting over 100,000 participants have been launched in Japan and Korea. The aim of this manuscript is to discuss the importance of Asian cohorts, and the advantages and disadvantages of different-sized cohorts. As for case, one small-sized (n=514) cohort indicate that even relatively low level exposure to dioxin in utero could alter birth size, neurodevelopment, and immune and hormonal functions. Several Asian cohorts focus prenatal exposure to perfluoroalkyo substances and reported associations with birth size, thyroid hormone levels, allergies and neurodevelopment. Inconsistent findings may possibly be explained by the differences in exposure levels and target chemicals, and by possible statistical errors. In a smaller cohort, novel hypotheses or preliminary examinations are more easily verifiable. In larger cohorts, the etiology of rare diseases, such as birth defects, can be analyzed; however, they require a large cost and significant human resources. Therefore, conducting studies in only one large cohort may not always be the best strategy. International collaborations, such as the Birth Cohort Consortium of Asia, would cover the inherent limitation of sample size in addition to heterogeneity of exposure, ethnicity, and socioeconomic conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Study of Group Dynamics in Educational Leadership Cohort and Non-Cohort Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenlee, Bobbie J.; Karanxha, Zorka

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine group dynamics of educational leadership students in cohorts and make comparisons with the group dynamics characteristics of non-cohort students. Cohorts have emerged as dynamic and adaptive entities with attendant group dynamic processes that shape collective learning and action. Cohort (n=42) and…

Cohort profile: the Spanish WORKing life Social Security (WORKss) cohort study

PubMed Central

López Gómez, María Andrée; Durán, Xavier; Zaballa, Elena; Sanchez-Niubo, Albert; Delclos, George L; Benavides, Fernando G

2016-01-01

Purpose The global economy is changing the labour market and social protection systems in Europe. The effect of both changes on health needs to be monitored in view of an ageing population and the resulting increase in prevalence of chronic health conditions. The Spanish WORKing life Social Security (WORKss) cohort study provides unique longitudinal data to study the impact of labour trajectories and employment conditions on health, in terms of sickness absence, permanent disability and death. Participants The WORKss cohort originated from the Continuous Working Life Sample (CWLS) generated by the General Directorate for the Organization of the Social Security in Spain. The CWLS contains a 4% representative sample of all individuals in contact with the Social Security system. The WORKss cohort exclusively includes individuals with a labour trajectory from 1981 or later. In 2004, the cohort was initiated with 1 022 779 Social Security members: 840 770 (82.2%) contributors and 182 009 (17.8%) beneficiaries aged 16 and older. Findings to date The WORKss cohort includes demographic characteristics, chronological data about employment history, retirement, permanent disability and death. These data make possible the measurement of incidence of permanent disability, the number of potential years of working life lost, and the number of contracts and inactive periods with the Social Security system. The WORKss cohort was linked to temporary sickness absence registries to study medical diagnoses that lead to permanent disability and consequently to an earlier exit from the labour market in unhealthy conditions. Future plans Thanks to its administrative source, the WORKss cohort study will continue follow-up in the coming years, keeping the representativeness of the Spanish population affiliated to the Social Security system. The linkage between the WORKss cohort and temporary sickness absence registries is envisioned to continue. Future plans include the linkage of

Salivary secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) and head and neck cancer: The Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort.

PubMed

Pierce Campbell, Christine M; Giuliano, Anna R; Torres, B Nelson; O'Keefe, Michael T; Ingles, Donna J; Anderson, Rebecca L; Teras, Lauren R; Gapstur, Susan M

2016-04-01

Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) is an innate-immunity protein displaying antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that is found in high concentrations in saliva. The role of extracellular salivary SLPI in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains unclear. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the association between SLPI and HNSCC risk in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort. Among 53,180 men and women with no history of cancer who provided an oral rinse between 2001 and 2002, 60 were subsequently diagnosed with incident HNSCC between specimen collection and June 2009. In this nested case-control study, archived oral supernatants were evaluated using the Human SLPI Quantikine ELISA Kit for all 60 cases and 180 controls individually matched on gender, race, date of birth, and date of oral rinse collection. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate HNSCC risk. Overall, pre-diagnostic salivary SLPI was associated with a non-statistically significant higher risk of HNSCC (OR=1.6, 95% CI=0.9-3.0). Among never smokers, high SLPI was associated with a non-statistically significant lower risk (OR=0.5, 95% CI=0.1-1.9), whereas among ever smokers, high SLPI was associated with a statistically significant higher risk (OR=2.1, 95% CI=1.0-4.3) of HNSCC, compared to low SLPI. While results from this study suggest that higher concentrations of salivary SLPI might increase the risk of HNSCC among ever smokers, more research is needed to verify these findings and define the mechanisms by which SLPI and smoking influence the etiology of HNSCC. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A phase I/II study of carfilzomib 2-10-min infusion in patients with advanced solid tumors.

PubMed

Papadopoulos, Kyriakos P; Burris, Howard A; Gordon, Michael; Lee, Peter; Sausville, Edward A; Rosen, Peter J; Patnaik, Amita; Cutler, Richard E; Wang, Zhengping; Lee, Susan; Jones, Suzanne F; Infante, Jeffery R

2013-10-01

Tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics, and antitumor activity of carfilzomib, a selective proteasome inhibitor, administered twice weekly by 2-10-min intravenous (IV) infusion on days 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, and 16 in 28-day cycles, were assessed in patients with advanced solid tumors in this phase I/II study. Adult patients with solid tumors progressing after ≥1 prior therapies were enrolled. The dose was 20 mg/m(2) in week 1 of cycle 1 and 20, 27, or 36 mg/m(2) thereafter. The maximum tolerated dose or protocol-defined maximum planned dose (MPD) identified during dose escalation was administered to an expansion cohort and to patients with small cell lung, non-small cell lung, ovarian, and renal cancer in phase II tumor-specific cohorts. Fourteen patients received carfilzomib during dose escalation. The single dose-limiting toxicity at 20/36 mg/m(2) was grade 3 fatigue, establishing the MPD as the expansion and phase II dose. Sixty-five additional patients received carfilzomib at the MPD. Adverse events included fatigue, nausea, anorexia, and dyspnea. Carfilzomib PK was dose proportional with a half-life <1 h. All doses resulted in at least 80 % proteasome inhibition in blood. Partial responses occurred in two patients in phase I, with 21.5 % stable disease after four cycles in evaluable patients in the expansion and phase II cohorts. Carfilzomib 20/36 mg/m(2) was well tolerated when administered twice weekly by 2-10-min IV infusion. At this dose and infusion rate, carfilzomib inhibited the proteasome in blood but demonstrated limited antitumor activity in patients with advanced solid tumors.

Association analysis of ACE, ACTN3 and PPARGC1A gene polymorphisms in two cohorts of European strength and power athletes

PubMed Central

Jakaitiene, A; Aksenov, MO; Aksenova, AV; Druzhevskaya, AM; Astratenkova, IV; Egorova, ES; Gabdrakhmanova, LJ; Tubelis, L; Kucinskas, V; Utkus, A

2016-01-01

The performance of professional strength and power athletes is influenced, at least partly, by genetic components. The main aim of this study was to investigate individually and in combination the association of ACE (I/D), ACTN3 (R577X) and PPARGC1A (Gly482Ser) gene polymorphisms with strength/power-oriented athletes’ status in two cohorts of European athletes. A cohort of European Caucasians from Russia and Lithuania (161 athletes: by groups – weightlifters (87), powerlifters (60), throwers (14); by elite status – ‘elite’ (104), ‘sub-elite’ (57); and 1,202 controls) were genotyped for ACE, ACTN3 and PPARGC1A polymorphisms. Genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction and/or restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Statistically significant differences in ACTN3 (R577X) allele/genotype distribution were not observed in the whole cohort of athletes or between analysed groups separately when compared with controls. The odds ratio for athletes compared to controls of the ACE I/I genotype was 1.71 (95% CI 1.01-2.92) in the Russian cohort and for the ACE I/D genotype it was 2.35 (95% CI 1.10-5.06) in the Lithuanian cohort. The odds ratio of being a powerlifter in PPARGC1A Ser/Ser genotype carriers was 2.11 (95% CI: 1.09-4.09, P = 0.026). The ACTN3 (R577X) polymorphism is not associated with strength/power athletic status in two cohorts of European athletes. The ACE I/I genotype is probably the ‘preferable genotype’ for Russian athletes and the ACE I/D genotype for Lithuanian strength/power athletes. We found that the PPARGC1A (Gly482Ser) polymorphism is associated with strength/power athlete status. Specifically, the PPARGC1A Ser/Ser genotype is more favourable for powerlifters compared to controls. PMID:27601773

PIRCHE-II Is Related to Graft Failure after Kidney Transplantation

PubMed Central

Geneugelijk, Kirsten; Niemann, Matthias; Drylewicz, Julia; van Zuilen, Arjan D.; Joosten, Irma; Allebes, Wil A.; van der Meer, Arnold; Hilbrands, Luuk B.; Baas, Marije C.; Hack, C. Erik; van Reekum, Franka E.; Verhaar, Marianne C.; Kamburova, Elena G.; Bots, Michiel L.; Seelen, Marc A. J.; Sanders, Jan Stephan; Hepkema, Bouke G.; Lambeck, Annechien J.; Bungener, Laura B.; Roozendaal, Caroline; Tilanus, Marcel G. J.; Vanderlocht, Joris; Voorter, Christien E.; Wieten, Lotte; van Duijnhoven, Elly M.; Gelens, Mariëlle; Christiaans, Maarten H. L.; van Ittersum, Frans J.; Nurmohamed, Azam; Lardy, Junior N. M.; Swelsen, Wendy; van der Pant, Karlijn A.; van der Weerd, Neelke C.; ten Berge, Ineke J. M.; Bemelman, Fréderike J.; Hoitsma, Andries; van der Boog, Paul J. M.; de Fijter, Johan W.; Betjes, Michiel G. H.; Heidt, Sebastiaan; Roelen, Dave L.; Claas, Frans H.; Otten, Henny G.; Spierings, Eric

2018-01-01

Individual HLA mismatches may differentially impact graft survival after kidney transplantation. Therefore, there is a need for a reliable tool to define permissible HLA mismatches in kidney transplantation. We previously demonstrated that donor-derived Predicted Indirectly ReCognizable HLA Epitopes presented by recipient HLA class II (PIRCHE-II) play a role in de novo donor-specific HLA antibodies formation after kidney transplantation. In the present Dutch multi-center study, we evaluated the possible association between PIRCHE-II and kidney graft failure in 2,918 donor–recipient couples that were transplanted between 1995 and 2005. For these donors–recipients couples, PIRCHE-II numbers were related to graft survival in univariate and multivariable analyses. Adjusted for confounders, the natural logarithm of PIRCHE-II was associated with a higher risk for graft failure [hazard ratio (HR): 1.13, 95% CI: 1.04–1.23, p = 0.003]. When analyzing a subgroup of patients who had their first transplantation, the HR of graft failure for ln(PIRCHE-II) was higher compared with the overall cohort (HR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.10–1.34, p < 0.001). PIRCHE-II demonstrated both early and late effects on graft failure in this subgroup. These data suggest that the PIRCHE-II may impact graft survival after kidney transplantation. Inclusion of PIRCHE-II in donor-selection criteria may eventually lead to an improved kidney graft survival. PMID:29556227

Picking up Clues from the Discard Pile

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

As NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander excavates trenches, it also builds piles with most of the material scooped from the holes. The piles, like this one called 'Caterpillar,' provide researchers some information about the soil.

On Aug. 24, 2008, during the late afternoon of the 88th Martian day after landing, Phoenix's Surface Stereo Imager took separate exposures through red, green and blue filters that have been combined into this approximately true-color image.

This conical pile of soil is about 10 centimeters (4 inches) tall. The sources of material that the robotic arm has dropped onto the Caterpillar pile have included the 'Dodo' and ''Upper Cupboard' trenches and, more recently, the deeper 'Stone Soup' trench.

Observations of the pile provide information, such as the slope of the cone and the textures of the soil, that helps scientists understand properties of material excavated from the trenches.

For the Stone Soup trench in particular, which is about 18 centimeters (7 inches) deep, the bottom of the trench is in shadow and more difficult to observe than other trenches that Phoenix has dug. The Phoenix team obtained spectral clues about the composition of material from the bottom of Stone Soup by photographing Caterpillar through 15 different filters of the Surface Stereo Imager when the pile was covered in freshly excavated material from the trench.

The spectral observation did not produce any sign of water-ice, just typical soil for the site. However, the bigger clumps do show a platy texture that could be consistent with elevated concentration of salts in the soil from deep in Stone Soup. The team chose that location as the source for a soil sample to be analyzed in the lander's wet chemistry laboratory, which can identify soluble salts in the soil.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif

Methylation of WNT target genes AXIN2 and DKK1 as robust biomarkers for recurrence prediction in stage II colon cancer

PubMed Central

Kandimalla, R; Linnekamp, J F; van Hooff, S; Castells, A; Llor, X; Andreu, M; Jover, R; Goel, A; Medema, J P

2017-01-01

Stage II colon cancer (CC) still remains a clinical challenge with patient stratification for adjuvant therapy (AT) largely relying on clinical parameters. Prognostic biomarkers are urgently needed for better stratification. Previously, we have shown that WNT target genes AXIN2, DKK1, APCDD1, ASCL2 and LGR5 are silenced by DNA methylation and could serve as prognostic markers in stage II CC patients using methylation-specific PCR. Here, we have extended our discovery cohort AMC90-AJCC-II (N=65) and methylation was analyzed by quantitative pyrosequencing. Subsequently, we validated the results in an independent EPICOLON1 CC cohort (N=79). Methylation of WNT target genes is negatively correlated to mRNA expression. A combination of AXIN2 and DKK1 methylation significantly predicted recurrences in univariate (area under the curve (AUC)=0.83, confidence interval (CI): 0.72–0.94, P<0.0001) analysis in stage II microsatellite stable (MSS) CC patients. This two marker combination showed an AUC of 0.80 (CI: 0.68–0.91, P<0.0001) in the EPICOLON1 validation cohort. Multivariate analysis in the Academic Medical Center (AMC) cohort revealed that both WNT target gene methylation and consensus molecular subtype 4 (CMS4) are significantly associated with poor recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio (HR)methylation: 3.84, 95% CI: 1.14–12.43; HRCMS4: 3.73, 95% CI: 1.22–11.48). CMS4 subtype tumors with WNT target methylation showed worse prognosis. Combining WNT target gene methylation and CMS4 subtype lead to an AUC of 0.89 (0.791–0.982, P<0.0001) for recurrence prediction. Notably, we observed that methylation of DKK1 is high in BRAF mutant and CIMP (CpG island methylator phenotype)-positive cancers, whereas AXIN2 methylation appears to be associated with CMS4. Methylation of AXIN2 and DKK1 were found to be robust markers for recurrence prediction in stage II MSS CC patients. Further validation of these findings in a randomized and prospective manner could pave a way to

Cohort Profile: HAART Observational Medical Evaluation and Research (HOMER) Cohort

PubMed Central

Patterson, Sophie; Cescon, Angela; Samji, Hasina; Cui, Zishan; Yip, Benita; Lepik, Katherine J; Moore, David; Lima, Viviane D; Nosyk, Bohdan; Harrigan, P Richard; Montaner, Julio SG; Shannon, Kate; Wood, Evan; Hogg, Robert S

2015-01-01

Since 1986, antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been available free of charge to individuals living with HIV in British Columbia (BC), Canada, through the BC Centre of Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) Drug Treatment Program (DTP). The Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) Observational Medical Evaluation and Research (HOMER) cohort was established in 1996 to maintain a prospective record of clinical measurements and medication profiles of a subset of DTP participants initiating HAART in BC. This unique cohort provides a comprehensive data source to investigate mortality, prognostic factors and treatment response among people living with HIV in BC from the inception of HAART. Currently over 5000 individuals are enrolled in the HOMER cohort. Data captured include socio-demographic characteristics (e.g. sex, age, ethnicity, health authority), clinical variables (e.g. CD4 cell count, plasma HIV viral load, AIDS-defining illness, hepatitis C co-infection, mortality) and treatment variables (e.g. HAART regimens, date of treatment initiation, treatment interruptions, adherence data, resistance testing). Research findings from the HOMER cohort have featured in numerous high-impact peer-reviewed journals. The HOMER cohort collaborates with other HIV cohorts on both national and international scales to answer complex HIV-specific research questions, and welcomes input from external investigators regarding potential research proposals or future collaborations. For further information please contact the principal investigator, Dr Robert Hogg (robert_hogg@sfu.ca). PMID:24639444

Novel ETFDH mutation and imaging findings in an adult with glutaric aciduria type II.

PubMed

Rosenbohm, Angela; Süssmuth, Sigurd D; Kassubek, Jan; Müller, Hans-Peter; Pontes, Christina; Abicht, Angela; Bulst, Stefanie; Ludolph, Albert C; Pinkhardt, Elmar

2014-03-01

Glutaric aciduria type II (GAII) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder with variable clinical course. The disorder is caused by a defect in the mitochondrial electron transfer flavoprotein or the electron transfer flavoprotein dehydrogenase (ETFDH). We performed clinical characterization, brain and whole body MRI, muscle histopathology, and genetic analysis of the ETFDH gene in a young woman. She presented with rhabdomyolysis and severe quadriparesis. We identified a novel homozygous missense mutation in ETFDH (c.1544G>T, p.Ser515Ile). Body fat MRI revealed a large amount of subcutaneous fat but no increase in visceral fat despite steatosis of liver and muscle. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of cerebral MRI revealed reduced directionality of the white matter tracts. Histopathological findings showed lipid storage myopathy. In this study, we highlight diagnostic clues and body fat MRI in this rare metabolic disorder. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Genome-wide association study identifies SNPs in the MHC class II loci that are associated with self-reported history of whooping cough.

PubMed

McMahon, George; Ring, Susan M; Davey-Smith, George; Timpson, Nicholas J

2015-10-15

Whooping cough is currently seeing resurgence in countries despite high vaccine coverage. There is considerable variation in subject-specific response to infection and vaccine efficacy, but little is known about the role of human genetics. We carried out a case-control genome-wide association study of adult or parent-reported history of whooping cough in two cohorts from the UK: the ALSPAC cohort and the 1958 British Birth Cohort (815/758 cases and 6341/4308 controls, respectively). We also imputed HLA alleles using dense SNP data in the MHC region and carried out gene-based and gene-set tests of association and estimated the amount of additive genetic variation explained by common SNPs. We observed a novel association at SNPs in the MHC class II region in both cohorts [lead SNP rs9271768 after meta-analysis, odds ratio [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] 1.47 (1.35, 1.6), P-value 1.21E - 18]. Multiple strong associations were also observed at alleles at the HLA class II loci. The majority of these associations were explained by the lead SNP rs9271768. Gene-based and gene-set tests and estimates of explainable common genetic variation could not establish the presence of additional associations in our sample. Genetic variation at the MHC class II region plays a role in susceptibility to whooping cough. These findings provide additional perspective on mechanisms of whooping cough infection and vaccine efficacy. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

Genome-wide association study identifies SNPs in the MHC class II loci that are associated with self-reported history of whooping cough

PubMed Central

McMahon, George; Ring, Susan M.; Davey-Smith, George; Timpson, Nicholas J.

2015-01-01

Whooping cough is currently seeing resurgence in countries despite high vaccine coverage. There is considerable variation in subject-specific response to infection and vaccine efficacy, but little is known about the role of human genetics. We carried out a case–control genome-wide association study of adult or parent-reported history of whooping cough in two cohorts from the UK: the ALSPAC cohort and the 1958 British Birth Cohort (815/758 cases and 6341/4308 controls, respectively). We also imputed HLA alleles using dense SNP data in the MHC region and carried out gene-based and gene-set tests of association and estimated the amount of additive genetic variation explained by common SNPs. We observed a novel association at SNPs in the MHC class II region in both cohorts [lead SNP rs9271768 after meta-analysis, odds ratio [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] 1.47 (1.35, 1.6), P-value 1.21E − 18]. Multiple strong associations were also observed at alleles at the HLA class II loci. The majority of these associations were explained by the lead SNP rs9271768. Gene-based and gene-set tests and estimates of explainable common genetic variation could not establish the presence of additional associations in our sample. Genetic variation at the MHC class II region plays a role in susceptibility to whooping cough. These findings provide additional perspective on mechanisms of whooping cough infection and vaccine efficacy. PMID:26231221

Cohort fertility in Western Europe: comparing fertility trends in recent birth cohorts.

PubMed

Hopflinger, F

1984-01-01

A comparative study of fertility levels among cohorts of women born in 1940, 1945, 1950, 1955, and 1960 in 16 European countries was undertaken using vital statistics data. The average number of live birth/woman for each of the 5 cohorts by age 20, 25, 30, and 35 was computed by cumulating age-specific fertility rates of women born in specific years. Median age at childbirth and completed fertility were estimated for the 3 oldest cohorts (1940, 1945, and 1950). 2 estimations of completed fertility were made. 1 was based on the assumption of a constant age-specific fertility rate, and the other was based on a relational Gompertz model. Where possible cohort fertility was disaggregated by birth order. Since the data for the countries was not fully comparable, it was not possible to use sophisticated analytical techniques. Other limits of the study were that fertility, especially for the more recent cohorts was incomplete, parity specific data was not available for all the countries, and open cohorts rather than closed cohorts were used. The analysis indicated that completed cohort fertility was lower for the 1950 cohort than for the 1940 cohort in all 16 countries. For the 1940 cohort, only Germany's estimated completed fertility was less than 2.00. For the other 15 countries, estimated completed fertility ranged from 2.04 (Finland) to 3.36 (Ireland). For the 1950 cohort, estimated completed fertility was less than 2.00 in 8 of the countries. Estimated completed fertility was lowest in Finland and Switzerland (1.82) and highest in Ireland (3.33). No marked increase in childlessness was observed, and for the 1940 and 1950 cohorts, childlessness did not exceed 20% in any of the countries and was considerably less than 20% in most of the countries. There was a trend toward delayed childbearing in most of the countries. An examination of available parity data for the 1940 and 1950 cohorts lead to the conclusion that the major factor contributing toward the decline in

Cohort profile: the Spanish WORKing life Social Security (WORKss) cohort study.

PubMed

López Gómez, María Andrée; Durán, Xavier; Zaballa, Elena; Sanchez-Niubo, Albert; Delclos, George L; Benavides, Fernando G

2016-03-07

The global economy is changing the labour market and social protection systems in Europe. The effect of both changes on health needs to be monitored in view of an ageing population and the resulting increase in prevalence of chronic health conditions. The Spanish WORKing life Social Security (WORKss) cohort study provides unique longitudinal data to study the impact of labour trajectories and employment conditions on health, in terms of sickness absence, permanent disability and death. The WORKss cohort originated from the Continuous Working Life Sample (CWLS) generated by the General Directorate for the Organization of the Social Security in Spain. The CWLS contains a 4% representative sample of all individuals in contact with the Social Security system. The WORKss cohort exclusively includes individuals with a labour trajectory from 1981 or later. In 2004, the cohort was initiated with 1,022 ,79 Social Security members: 840,770 (82.2%) contributors and 182,009 (17.8%) beneficiaries aged 16 and older. The WORKss cohort includes demographic characteristics, chronological data about employment history, retirement, permanent disability and death. These data make possible the measurement of incidence of permanent disability, the number of potential years of working life lost, and the number of contracts and inactive periods with the Social Security system. The WORKss cohort was linked to temporary sickness absence registries to study medical diagnoses that lead to permanent disability and consequently to an earlier exit from the labour market in unhealthy conditions. Thanks to its administrative source, the WORKss cohort study will continue follow-up in the coming years, keeping the representativeness of the Spanish population affiliated to the Social Security system. The linkage between the WORKss cohort and temporary sickness absence registries is envisioned to continue. Future plans include the linkage of the cohort with mortality registries. Published by the BMJ

Phase I/II adaptive design for drug combination oncology trials

PubMed Central

Wages, Nolan A.; Conaway, Mark R.

2014-01-01

Existing statistical methodology on dose finding for combination chemotherapies has focused on toxicity considerations alone in finding a maximum tolerated dose combination to recommend for further testing of efficacy in a phase II setting. Recently, there has been increasing interest in integrating phase I and phase II trials in order to facilitate drug development. In this article, we propose a new adaptive phase I/II method for dual-agent combinations that takes into account both toxicity and efficacy after each cohort inclusion. The primary objective, both within and at the conclusion of the trial, becomes finding a single dose combination with an acceptable level of toxicity that maximizes efficacious response. We assume that there exist monotone dose–toxicity and dose–efficacy relationships among doses of one agent when the dose of other agent is fixed. We perform extensive simulation studies that demonstrate the operating characteristics of our proposed approach, and we compare simulated results to existing methodology in phase I/II design for combinations of agents. PMID:24470329

Analysis of cohort studies with multivariate and partially observed disease classification data.

PubMed

Chatterjee, Nilanjan; Sinha, Samiran; Diver, W Ryan; Feigelson, Heather Spencer

2010-09-01

Complex diseases like cancers can often be classified into subtypes using various pathological and molecular traits of the disease. In this article, we develop methods for analysis of disease incidence in cohort studies incorporating data on multiple disease traits using a two-stage semiparametric Cox proportional hazards regression model that allows one to examine the heterogeneity in the effect of the covariates by the levels of the different disease traits. For inference in the presence of missing disease traits, we propose a generalization of an estimating equation approach for handling missing cause of failure in competing-risk data. We prove asymptotic unbiasedness of the estimating equation method under a general missing-at-random assumption and propose a novel influence-function-based sandwich variance estimator. The methods are illustrated using simulation studies and a real data application involving the Cancer Prevention Study II nutrition cohort.

Cohort profile: the Geoscience and Health Cohort Consortium (GECCO) in the Netherlands

PubMed Central

Timmermans, Erik J; Lakerveld, Jeroen; Beulens, Joline W J; Boomsma, Dorret I; Kramer, Sophia E; Oosterman, Mirjam; Willemsen, Gonneke; Stam, Mariska; Nijpels, Giel; Schuengel, Carlo; Smit, Jan H; Brunekreef, Bert; Dekkers, Jasper E C; Deeg, Dorly J H; Penninx, Brenda W J H; Huisman, Martijn

2018-01-01

Purpose In the Netherlands, a great variety of objectively measured geo-data is available, but these data are scattered and measured at varying spatial and temporal scales. The centralisation of these geo-data and the linkage of these data to individual-level data from longitudinal cohort studies enable large-scale epidemiological research on the impact of the environment on public health in the Netherlands. In the Geoscience and Health Cohort Consortium (GECCO), six large-scale and ongoing cohort studies have been enriched with a variety of existing geo-data. Here, we introduce GECCO by describing: (1) the phenotypes of the involved cohort studies, (2) the collected geo-data and their sources, (3) the methodology that was used to link the collected geo-data to individual cohort studies, (4) the similarity of commonly used geo-data between our consortium and the nationwide situation in the Netherlands and (5) the distribution of geo-data within our consortium. Participants GECCO includes participants from six prospective cohort studies (eg, 44 657 respondents (18–100 years) in 2006) and it covers all municipalities in the Netherlands. Using postal code information of the participants, geo-data on the address-level, postal code-level as well as neighbourhood-level could be linked to individual-level cohort data. Findings to date The geo-data could be successfully linked to almost all respondents of all cohort studies, with successful data-linkage rates ranging from 97.1% to 100.0% between cohort studies. The results show variability in geo-data within and across cohorts. GECCO increases power of analyses, provides opportunities for cross-checking and replication, ensures sufficient geographical variation in environmental determinants and allows for nuanced analyses on specific subgroups. Future plans GECCO offers unique opportunities for (longitudinal) studies on the complex relationships between the environment and health outcomes. For example, GECCO will be

Cohort profile: the Geoscience and Health Cohort Consortium (GECCO) in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Timmermans, Erik J; Lakerveld, Jeroen; Beulens, Joline W J; Boomsma, Dorret I; Kramer, Sophia E; Oosterman, Mirjam; Willemsen, Gonneke; Stam, Mariska; Nijpels, Giel; Schuengel, Carlo; Smit, Jan H; Brunekreef, Bert; Dekkers, Jasper E C; Deeg, Dorly J H; Penninx, Brenda W J H; Huisman, Martijn

2018-06-09

In the Netherlands, a great variety of objectively measured geo-data is available, but these data are scattered and measured at varying spatial and temporal scales. The centralisation of these geo-data and the linkage of these data to individual-level data from longitudinal cohort studies enable large-scale epidemiological research on the impact of the environment on public health in the Netherlands. In the Geoscience and Health Cohort Consortium (GECCO), six large-scale and ongoing cohort studies have been enriched with a variety of existing geo-data. Here, we introduce GECCO by describing: (1) the phenotypes of the involved cohort studies, (2) the collected geo-data and their sources, (3) the methodology that was used to link the collected geo-data to individual cohort studies, (4) the similarity of commonly used geo-data between our consortium and the nationwide situation in the Netherlands and (5) the distribution of geo-data within our consortium. GECCO includes participants from six prospective cohort studies (eg, 44 657 respondents (18-100 years) in 2006) and it covers all municipalities in the Netherlands. Using postal code information of the participants, geo-data on the address-level, postal code-level as well as neighbourhood-level could be linked to individual-level cohort data. The geo-data could be successfully linked to almost all respondents of all cohort studies, with successful data-linkage rates ranging from 97.1% to 100.0% between cohort studies. The results show variability in geo-data within and across cohorts. GECCO increases power of analyses, provides opportunities for cross-checking and replication, ensures sufficient geographical variation in environmental determinants and allows for nuanced analyses on specific subgroups. GECCO offers unique opportunities for (longitudinal) studies on the complex relationships between the environment and health outcomes. For example, GECCO will be used for further research on environmental determinants

Cohort Profile: HAART Observational Medical Evaluation and Research (HOMER) cohort.

PubMed

Patterson, Sophie; Cescon, Angela; Samji, Hasina; Cui, Zishan; Yip, Benita; Lepik, Katherine J; Moore, David; Lima, Viviane D; Nosyk, Bohdan; Harrigan, P Richard; Montaner, Julio S G; Shannon, Kate; Wood, Evan; Hogg, Robert S

2015-02-01

Since 1986, antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been available free of charge to individuals living with HIV in British Columbia (BC), Canada, through the BC Centre of Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) Drug Treatment Program (DTP). The Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) Observational Medical Evaluation and Research (HOMER) cohort was established in 1996 to maintain a prospective record of clinical measurements and medication profiles of a subset of DTP participants initiating HAART in BC. This unique cohort provides a comprehensive data source to investigate mortality, prognostic factors and treatment response among people living with HIV in BC from the inception of HAART. Currently over 5000 individuals are enrolled in the HOMER cohort. Data captured include socio-demographic characteristics (e.g. sex, age, ethnicity, health authority), clinical variables (e.g. CD4 cell count, plasma HIV viral load, AIDS-defining illness, hepatitis C co-infection, mortality) and treatment variables (e.g. HAART regimens, date of treatment initiation, treatment interruptions, adherence data, resistance testing). Research findings from the HOMER cohort have featured in numerous high-impact peer-reviewed journals. The HOMER cohort collaborates with other HIV cohorts on both national and international scales to answer complex HIV-specific research questions, and welcomes input from external investigators regarding potential research proposals or future collaborations. For further information please contact the principal investigator, Dr Robert Hogg (robert_hogg@sfu.ca). © The Author 2014; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.

Higher Maternal Protein Intake during Pregnancy Is Associated with Lower Cord Blood Concentrations of Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF)-II, IGF Binding Protein 3, and Insulin, but Not IGF-I, in a Cohort of Women with High Protein Intake.

PubMed

Switkowski, Karen M; Jacques, Paul F; Must, Aviva; Hivert, Marie-France; Fleisch, Abby; Gillman, Matthew W; Rifas-Shiman, Sheryl; Oken, Emily

2017-07-01

Background: Prenatal exposure to dietary protein may program growth-regulating hormones, consequently influencing early-life growth patterns and later risk of associated chronic diseases. The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) axis is of particular interest in this context given its influence on pre- and postnatal growth and its sensitivity to the early nutritional environment. Objective: Our objective was to examine associations of maternal protein intake during pregnancy with cord blood concentrations of IGF-I, IGF-II, IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), and insulin. Methods: We studied 938 mother-child pairs from early pregnancy through delivery in the Project Viva cohort. Using multivariable linear regression models adjusted for maternal race/ethnicity, education, income, smoking, parity, height, and gestational weight gain and for child sex, we examined associations of second-trimester maternal protein intake [grams per kilogram (weight before pregnancy) per day], as reported on a food frequency questionnaire, with IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-3, and insulin concentrations in cord blood. We also examined how these associations may differ by child sex and parity. Results: Mothers were predominantly white (71%), college-educated (64%), and nonsmokers (67%). Mean ± SD protein intake was 1.35 ± 0.35 g ⋅ kg -1 ⋅ d -1 Each 1-SD increment in second-trimester protein intake corresponded to a change of -0.50 ng/mL (95% CI: -2.26, 1.26 ng/mL) in IGF-I and -0.91 μU/mL (95% CI: -1.45, -0.37 μU/mL) in insulin. Child sex and parity modified associations of maternal protein intake with IGF-II and IGFBP-3: protein intake was inversely associated with IGF-II in girls ( P -interaction = 0.04) and multiparous mothers ( P -interaction = 0.05), and with IGFBP-3 in multiparous mothers ( P -interaction = 0.04). Conclusions: In a cohort of pregnant women with relatively high mean protein intakes, higher intake was associated with lower concentrations of growth-promoting hormones in cord

Operation Everest II

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

mechanism or significance. OE II was unique in the diversity and complexity of studies carried out on a single, courageous cohort of subjects. These studies could never have been carried out in the field, and thus complement studies such as the American Medical Research Expedition to Everest (AMREE) that, although more limited in scope, serve as benchmarks and reality checks for chamber studies like OE II. PMID:20586595

A Longitudinal Investigation of the Science Teaching Efficacy Beliefs and Science Experiences of a Cohort of Preservice Elementary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deehan, James; Danaia, Lena; McKinnon, David H.

2017-01-01

This paper assesses the relationship between participation in two tertiary science courses and the science teaching efficacy beliefs (STEBs) of one cohort of preservice elementary teachers over a four-year period. Two Type II case studies were conducted within the courses. Data were collected through 26 administrations of the Science Teaching…

Clinical implications of SCN1A missense and truncation variants in a large Japanese cohort with Dravet syndrome.

PubMed

Ishii, Atsushi; Watkins, Joseph C; Chen, Debbie; Hirose, Shinichi; Hammer, Michael F

2017-02-01

Two major classes of SCN1A variants are associated with Dravet syndrome (DS): those that result in haploinsufficiency (truncating) and those that result in an amino acid substitution (missense). The aim of this retrospective study was to describe the first large cohort of Japanese patients with SCN1A mutation-positive DS (n = 285), and investigate the relationship between variant (type and position) and clinical expression and response to treatment. We sequenced all exons and intron-exon boundaries of SCN1A in our cohort, investigated differences in the distribution of truncating and missense variants, tested for associations between variant type and phenotype, and compared these patterns with those of cohorts with milder epilepsy and healthy individuals. Unlike truncation variants, missense variants are found at higher density in the S4 voltage sensor and pore loops and at lower density in the domain I-II and II-III linkers and the first three segments of domain II. Relative to healthy individuals, there is an increased frequency of truncating (but not missense) variants in the noncoding C-terminus. The rate of cognitive decline is more rapid for patients with truncation variants regardless of age at seizure onset, whereas age at onset is a predictor of the rate of cognitive decline for patients with missense variants. We found significant differences in the distribution of truncating and missense variants across the SCN1A sequence among healthy individuals, patients with DS, and those with milder forms of SCN1A-variant positive epilepsy. Testing for associations with phenotype revealed that variant type can be predictive of rate of cognitive decline. Analysis of descriptive medication data suggests that in addition to conventional drug therapy in DS, bromide, clonazepam and topiramate may reduce seizure frequency. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 International League Against Epilepsy.

Common mental disorder and obesity: insight from four repeat measures over 19 years: prospective Whitehall II cohort study.

PubMed

Kivimäki, Mika; Lawlor, Debbie A; Singh-Manoux, Archana; Batty, G David; Ferrie, Jane E; Shipley, Martin J; Nabi, Hermann; Sabia, Séverine; Marmot, Michael G; Jokela, Markus

2009-10-06

To examine potential reciprocal associations between common mental disorders and obesity, and to assess whether dose-response relations exist. Prospective cohort study with four measures of common mental disorders and obesity over 19 years (Whitehall II study). Civil service departments in London. 4363 adults (28% female, mean age 44 years at baseline). Common mental disorder defined as general health questionnaire "caseness;" overweight and obesity based on Word Health Organization definitions. In models adjusted for age, sex, and body mass index at baseline, odds ratios for obesity at the fourth screening were 1.33 (95% confidence interval 1.00 to 1.77), 1.64 (1.13 to 2.36), and 2.01 (1.21 to 3.34) for participants with common mental disorder at one, two, or three preceding screenings compared with people free from common mental disorder (P for trend<0.001). The corresponding mean differences in body mass index at the most recent screening were 0.20, 0.31, and 0.50 (P for trend<0.001). These associations remained after adjustment for baseline characteristics related to mental health and exclusion of participants who were obese at baseline. In addition, obesity predicted future risk of common mental disorder, again with evidence of a dose-response relation (P for trend=0.02, multivariable model). However, this association was lost when people with common mental disorder at baseline were excluded (P for trend=0.33). These findings suggest that in British adults the direction of association between common mental disorders and obesity is from common mental disorder to increased future risk of obesity. This association is cumulative such that people with chronic or repeat episodes of common mental disorder are particularly at risk of weight gain.

Dermoscopic clues to differentiate facial lentigo maligna from pigmented actinic keratosis.

PubMed

Lallas, A; Tschandl, P; Kyrgidis, A; Stolz, W; Rabinovitz, H; Cameron, A; Gourhant, J Y; Giacomel, J; Kittler, H; Muir, J; Argenziano, G; Hofmann-Wellenhof, R; Zalaudek, I

2016-05-01

Dermoscopy is limited in differentiating accurately between pigmented lentigo maligna (LM) and pigmented actinic keratosis (PAK). This might be related to the fact that most studies have focused on pigmented criteria only, without considering additional recognizable features. To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of established dermoscopic criteria for pigmented LM and PAK, but including in the evaluation features previously associated with nonpigmented facial actinic keratosis. Retrospectively enrolled cases of histopathologically diagnosed LM, PAK and solar lentigo/early seborrhoeic keratosis (SL/SK) were dermoscopically evaluated for the presence of predefined criteria. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed and receiver operating characteristic curves were used. The study sample consisted of 70 LMs, 56 PAKs and 18 SL/SKs. In a multivariate analysis, the most potent predictors of LM were grey rhomboids (sixfold increased probability of LM), nonevident follicles (fourfold) and intense pigmentation (twofold). In contrast, white circles, scales and red colour were significantly correlated with PAK, posing a 14-fold, eightfold and fourfold probability for PAK, respectively. The absence of evident follicles also represented a frequent LM criterion, characterizing 71% of LMs. White and evident follicles, scales and red colour represent significant diagnostic clues for PAK. Conversely, intense pigmentation and grey rhomboidal lines appear highly suggestive of LM. © 2015 British Association of Dermatologists.

Using full-cohort data in nested case-control and case-cohort studies by multiple imputation.

PubMed

Keogh, Ruth H; White, Ian R

2013-10-15

In many large prospective cohorts, expensive exposure measurements cannot be obtained for all individuals. Exposure-disease association studies are therefore often based on nested case-control or case-cohort studies in which complete information is obtained only for sampled individuals. However, in the full cohort, there may be a large amount of information on cheaply available covariates and possibly a surrogate of the main exposure(s), which typically goes unused. We view the nested case-control or case-cohort study plus the remainder of the cohort as a full-cohort study with missing data. Hence, we propose using multiple imputation (MI) to utilise information in the full cohort when data from the sub-studies are analysed. We use the fully observed data to fit the imputation models. We consider using approximate imputation models and also using rejection sampling to draw imputed values from the true distribution of the missing values given the observed data. Simulation studies show that using MI to utilise full-cohort information in the analysis of nested case-control and case-cohort studies can result in important gains in efficiency, particularly when a surrogate of the main exposure is available in the full cohort. In simulations, this method outperforms counter-matching in nested case-control studies and a weighted analysis for case-cohort studies, both of which use some full-cohort information. Approximate imputation models perform well except when there are interactions or non-linear terms in the outcome model, where imputation using rejection sampling works well. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Human T lymphotropic virus type II infection and humoral responses to pneumococcal polysaccharide and tetanus toxoid vaccines.

PubMed

Jarvis, Gary A; Janoff, Edward N; Cheng, Hui; Devita, Deborah; Fasching, Claudine; McCulloch, Charles E; Murphy, Edward L

2005-04-15

Infection with human T lymphotropic virus type II (HTLV-II) has been linked to an increased incidence of bacterial pneumonia. To determine whether HTLV-II infection is associated with impaired humoral immune responses, we immunized a cohort of HTLV-II-infected subjects and matched uninfected control subjects with 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide and tetanus toxoid vaccines. The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine elicited comparable and significant increases in concentrations of IgG against all 5 serotypes tested at 1 and 6 months after immunization in both groups. The avidity and opsonophagocytic functions of the anticapsular IgG were similar. The concentrations of tetanus toxoid-specific IgG also increased comparably and significantly over time in both groups. Thus, HTLV-II-infected persons develop robust humoral responses to potentially protective polysaccharide and protein vaccines.

Associations between social networks and life satisfaction among older Japanese: Does birth cohort make a difference?

PubMed

Kobayashi, Erika; Liang, Jersey; Sugawara, Ikuko; Fukaya, Taro; Shinkai, Shoji; Akiyama, Hiroko

2015-12-01

Japanese older people experienced drastic changes in family structure and values after World War II at different life stages by birth cohorts. We examined how linkages between different types of social ties and life satisfaction (LS) vary across cohorts, in conjunction with age and survey year differences. Data from face-to-face interviews conducted in 1987, 1999, and 2012 with a nationally representative sample of older Japanese (N = 4,917) were analyzed. The participants were members of 4 birth cohorts (C1: 1901-1912, C2: 1913-1924, C3: 1925-1936, C4: 1937-1949), categorized into 6 groups based on cohort and age at time of measurement (young-old [YO]: 63-74; old-old [OO]: 75-86): C1OO, C2YO, C2OO, C3YO, C3OO, and C4YO. Effects of social networks on LS among the 6 groups were compared simultaneously and separately by gender using the Amos software. There were significant cohort variations in the linkages between family network and LS. The positive association between being married and LS was stronger for later cohorts (C3, C4) among men, whereas that of co-residence with a child and LS was stronger for the earlier cohorts (C1, C2) among women. Moreover, the positive association between meeting with nonfamily members and LS increased from 1987 to 2012 among women, indicating a period effect over a cohort effect. The effects of being married and participation in community groups on LS also changed with age. Our results suggest that linkages between social relations and LS should be interpreted within the context of individual and social changes over time. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Cohort Default Rate Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Education, Washington, DC. Default Management Div.

This guide is designed to assist schools with their Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFEL) and the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program cohort default rate. The guide is a reference tool in understanding cohort default rates and processes. This guide incorporates two former guides, the "Draft Cohort Default Rate…

Clues to the Formation of Lenticular Galaxies Using Spectroscopic Bulge-Disk Decomposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnston, E. J.; Aragón-Salamanca, A.; Merrifield, M. R.; Bedregal, A. G.

2014-03-01

Lenticular galaxies have long been thought of as evolved spirals, but the processes involved to quench the star formation are still unclear. By studying the individual star formation histories of the bulges and disks of lenticulars, it is possible to look for clues to the processes that triggered their transformation from spirals. To accomplish this feat, we present a new method for spectroscopic bulge-disk decomposition, in which a long-slit spectrum is decomposed into two one-dimensional spectra representing purely the bulge and disk light. We present preliminary results from applying this method to lenticular galaxies in the Virgo and Fornax Clusters, in which we show that the most recent star formation activity in these galaxies occurred within the bulges. We also find that the star formation timescales of the bulges are longer than the disks, and that more massive galaxies take longer to lose their gas during the transformation. These results point towards slow processes, such as ram-pressure stripping or harassment, being the mechanism responsible for the quenching of star formation in spirals, followed by a burst of star formation in the central regions from the gas that has been funnelled inwards through the disk.

Cohort profile: cerebral palsy in the Norwegian and Danish birth cohorts (MOBAND-CP).

PubMed

Tollånes, Mette C; Strandberg-Larsen, Katrine; Forthun, Ingeborg; Petersen, Tanja Gram; Moster, Dag; Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo; Stoltenberg, Camilla; Olsen, Jørn; Wilcox, Allen J

2016-09-02

The purpose of MOthers and BAbies in Norway and Denmark cerebral palsy (MOBAND-CP) was to study CP aetiology in a prospective design. MOBAND-CP is a cohort of more than 210 000 children, created as a collaboration between the world's two largest pregnancy cohorts-the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort study (MoBa) and the Danish National Birth Cohort. MOBAND-CP includes maternal interview/questionnaire data collected during pregnancy and follow-up, plus linked information from national health registries. Initial harmonisation of data from the 2 cohorts has created 140 variables for children and their mothers. In the MOBAND-CP cohort, 438 children with CP have been identified through record linkage with validated national registries, providing by far the largest such sample with prospectively collected detailed pregnancy data. Several studies investigating various hypotheses regarding CP aetiology are currently on-going. Additional data can be harmonised as necessary to meet requirements of new projects. Biological specimens collected during pregnancy and at delivery are potentially available for assay, as are results from assays conducted on these specimens for other projects. The study size allows consideration of CP subtypes, which is rare in aetiological studies of CP. In addition, MOBAND-CP provides a platform within the context of a merged birth cohort of exceptional size that could, after appropriate permissions have been sought, be used for cohort and case-cohort studies of other relatively rare health conditions of infants and children. 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/

Assessment of three risk evaluation systems for patients aged ≥70 in East China: performance of SinoSCORE, EuroSCORE II and the STS risk evaluation system.

PubMed

Shan, Lingtong; Ge, Wen; Pu, Yiwei; Cheng, Hong; Cang, Zhengqiang; Zhang, Xing; Li, Qifan; Xu, Anyang; Wang, Qi; Gu, Chang; Zhang, Yangyang

2018-01-01

To assess and compare the predictive ability of three risk evaluation systems (SinoSCORE, EuroSCORE II and the STS risk evaluation system) in patients aged ≥70, and who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in East China. Three risk evaluation systems were applied to 1,946 consecutive patients who underwent isolated CABG from January 2004 to September 2016 in two hospitals. Patients were divided into two subsets according to their age: elderly group (age ≥70) with a younger group (age <70) used for comparison. The outcome of interest in this study was in-hospital mortality. The entire cohort and subsets of patients were analyzed. The calibration and discrimination in total and in subsets were assessed by the Hosmer-Lemeshow and the C statistics respectively. Institutional overall mortality was 2.52%. The expected mortality rates of SinoSCORE, EuroSCORE II and the STS risk evaluation system were 0.78(0.64)%, 1.43(1.14)% and 0.78(0.77)%, respectively. SinoSCORE achieved the best discrimination (the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.829), followed by the STS risk evaluation system (AUC = 0.790) and EuroSCORE II (AUC = 0.769) in the entire cohort. In the elderly group, the observed mortality rate was 4.82% while it was 1.38% in the younger group. SinoSCORE (AUC = .829) also achieved the best discrimination in the elderly group, followed by the STS risk evaluation system (AUC = .730) and EuroSCORE II (AUC = 0.640) while all three risk evaluation systems all had good performances in the younger group. SinoSCORE, EuroSCORE II and the STS risk evaluation system all achieved positive calibrations in the entire cohort and subsets. The performance of the three risk evaluation systems was not ideal in the entire cohort. In the elderly group, SinoSCORE appeared to achieve better predictive efficiency than EuroSCORE II and the STS risk evaluation system.

Short-lived non-coding transcripts (SLiTs): Clues to regulatory long non-coding RNA.

PubMed

Tani, Hidenori

2017-03-22

Whole transcriptome analyses have revealed a large number of novel long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Although the importance of lncRNAs has been documented in previous reports, the biological and physiological functions of lncRNAs remain largely unknown. The role of lncRNAs seems an elusive problem. Here, I propose a clue to the identification of regulatory lncRNAs. The key point is RNA half-life. RNAs with a long half-life (t 1/2 > 4 h) contain a significant proportion of ncRNAs, as well as mRNAs involved in housekeeping functions, whereas RNAs with a short half-life (t 1/2 < 4 h) include known regulatory ncRNAs and regulatory mRNAs. This novel class of ncRNAs with a short half-life can be categorized as Short-Lived non-coding Transcripts (SLiTs). I consider that SLiTs are likely to be rich in functionally uncharacterized regulatory RNAs. This review describes recent progress in research into SLiTs.

14 CFR 61.67 - Category II pilot authorization requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... attitude guidance displays; (iv) Use and limitations of RVR; (v) Use of visual clues, their availability or... be made with the use of an approved flight control guidance system, except if an approved auto...

14 CFR 61.67 - Category II pilot authorization requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... attitude guidance displays; (iv) Use and limitations of RVR; (v) Use of visual clues, their availability or... be made with the use of an approved flight control guidance system, except if an approved auto...

14 CFR 61.67 - Category II pilot authorization requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... attitude guidance displays; (iv) Use and limitations of RVR; (v) Use of visual clues, their availability or... be made with the use of an approved flight control guidance system, except if an approved auto...

Impact of HLA-DRB1 allele polymorphisms on control of HIV infection in a Peruvian MSM cohort.

PubMed

Oriol-Tordera, B; Llano, A; Ganoza, C; Cate, S; Hildebrand, W; Sanchez, J; Calle, M L; Brander, C; Olvera, A

2017-10-01

Associations between HLA class II polymorphisms and HIV control were assessed in a Peruvian MSM cohort. Among 233 treatment naïve HIV+ individuals, DRB1*13:02 was linked to elevated viral loads (P = .044) while DRB1*12:01 showed significantly lower viral set points (P = .015) and restricted a dominant T cell response to HIV Gag p24 (P = .038). The present work contributes to a better knowledge of the Peruvian immunogenetics and supports the important role of HLA class II restricted T cells in HIV control. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Urotensin-II System in Genetic Control of Blood Pressure and Renal Function

PubMed Central

Debiec, Radoslaw; Christofidou, Paraskevi; Denniff, Matthew; Bloomer, Lisa D.; Bogdanski, Pawel; Wojnar, Lukasz; Musialik, Katarzyna; Charchar, Fadi J.; Thompson, John R.; Waterworth, Dawn; Song, Kijoung; Vollenweider, Peter; Waeber, Gerard; Zukowska-Szczechowska, Ewa; Samani, Nilesh J.; Lambert, David; Tomaszewski, Maciej

2013-01-01

Urotensin-II controls ion/water homeostasis in fish and vascular tone in rodents. We hypothesised that common genetic variants in urotensin-II pathway genes are associated with human blood pressure or renal function. We performed family-based analysis of association between blood pressure, glomerular filtration and genes of the urotensin-II pathway (urotensin-II, urotensin-II related peptide, urotensin-II receptor) saturated with 28 tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms in 2024 individuals from 520 families; followed by an independent replication in 420 families and 7545 unrelated subjects. The expression studies of the urotensin-II pathway were carried out in 97 human kidneys. Phylogenetic evolutionary analysis was conducted in 17 vertebrate species. One single nucleotide polymorphism (rs531485 in urotensin-II gene) was associated with adjusted estimated glomerular filtration rate in the discovery cohort (p = 0.0005). It showed no association with estimated glomerular filtration rate in the combined replication resource of 8724 subjects from 6 populations. Expression of urotensin-II and its receptor showed strong linear correlation (r = 0.86, p<0.0001). There was no difference in renal expression of urotensin-II system between hypertensive and normotensive subjects. Evolutionary analysis revealed accumulation of mutations in urotensin-II since the divergence of primates and weaker conservation of urotensin-II receptor in primates than in lower vertebrates. Our data suggest that urotensin-II system genes are unlikely to play a major role in genetic control of human blood pressure or renal function. The signatures of evolutionary forces acting on urotensin-II system indicate that it may have evolved towards loss of function since the divergence of primates. PMID:24391740

The racial cohort phenomenon: seroepidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection in a multiracial South-East Asian country.

PubMed

Goh, K L; Parasakthi, N

2001-02-01

multiracial population in Malaysia points to a 'racial cohort' phenomenon. The infection appears to be confined to a racial group, with the Malays having consistently low prevalence rates. This observation may provide clues to the mode of transmission of infection.

Cohort profile: cerebral palsy in the Norwegian and Danish birth cohorts (MOBAND-CP)

PubMed Central

Tollånes, Mette C; Strandberg-Larsen, Katrine; Forthun, Ingeborg; Petersen, Tanja Gram; Moster, Dag; Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo; Stoltenberg, Camilla; Olsen, Jørn; Wilcox, Allen J

2016-01-01

Purpose The purpose of MOthers and BAbies in Norway and Denmark cerebral palsy (MOBAND-CP) was to study CP aetiology in a prospective design. Participants MOBAND-CP is a cohort of more than 210 000 children, created as a collaboration between the world's two largest pregnancy cohorts—the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort study (MoBa) and the Danish National Birth Cohort. MOBAND-CP includes maternal interview/questionnaire data collected during pregnancy and follow-up, plus linked information from national health registries. Findings to date Initial harmonisation of data from the 2 cohorts has created 140 variables for children and their mothers. In the MOBAND-CP cohort, 438 children with CP have been identified through record linkage with validated national registries, providing by far the largest such sample with prospectively collected detailed pregnancy data. Several studies investigating various hypotheses regarding CP aetiology are currently on-going. Future plans Additional data can be harmonised as necessary to meet requirements of new projects. Biological specimens collected during pregnancy and at delivery are potentially available for assay, as are results from assays conducted on these specimens for other projects. The study size allows consideration of CP subtypes, which is rare in aetiological studies of CP. In addition, MOBAND-CP provides a platform within the context of a merged birth cohort of exceptional size that could, after appropriate permissions have been sought, be used for cohort and case-cohort studies of other relatively rare health conditions of infants and children. PMID:27591025

Phase II study of monthly pasireotide LAR (SOM230C) for recurrent or progressive meningioma

PubMed Central

Norden, Andrew D.; Ligon, Keith L.; Hammond, Samantha N.; Muzikansky, Alona; Reardon, David A.; Kaley, Thomas J.; Batchelor, Tracy T.; Plotkin, Scott R.; Raizer, Jeffrey J.; Wong, Eric T.; Drappatz, Jan; Lesser, Glenn J.; Haidar, Sam; Beroukhim, Rameen; Lee, Eudocia Q.; Doherty, Lisa; Lafrankie, Debra; Gaffey, Sarah C.; Gerard, Mary; Smith, Katrina H.; McCluskey, Christine; Phuphanich, Surasak

2015-01-01

Objective: A subset of meningiomas recur after surgery and radiation therapy, but no medical therapy for recurrent meningioma has proven effective. Methods: Pasireotide LAR is a long-acting somatostatin analog that may inhibit meningioma growth. This was a phase II trial in patients with histologically confirmed recurrent or progressive meningioma designed to evaluate whether pasireotide LAR prolongs progression-free survival at 6 months (PFS6). Patients were stratified by histology (atypical [World Health Organization grade 2] and malignant [grade 3] meningiomas in cohort A and benign [grade 3] in cohort B). Results: Eighteen patients were accrued in cohort A and 16 in cohort B. Cohort A had median age 59 years, median Karnofsky performance status 80, 17 (94%) had previous radiation therapy, and 11 (61%) showed high octreotide uptake. Cohort B had median age 52 years, median Karnofsky performance status 90, 11 (69%) had previous radiation therapy, and 12 (75%) showed high octreotide uptake. There were no radiographic responses to pasireotide LAR therapy in either cohort. Twelve patients (67%) in cohort A and 13 (81%) in cohort B achieved stable disease. In cohort A, PFS6 was 17% and median PFS 15 weeks (95% confidence interval: 8–20). In cohort B, PFS6 was 50% and median PFS 26 weeks (12–43). Treatment was well tolerated. Octreotide uptake and insulin-like growth factor–1 levels did not predict outcome. Expression of somatostatin receptor 3 predicted favorable PFS and overall survival. Conclusions: Pasireotide LAR has limited activity in recurrent meningiomas. The finding that somatostatin receptor 3 is associated with favorable outcomes warrants further investigation. Classification of evidence: This study provides Class IV evidence that in patients with recurrent or progressive meningioma, pasireotide LAR does not significantly increase the proportion of patients with PFS at 6 months. PMID:25527270

Zn(II)-dipicolylamine-based metallo-lipids as novel non-viral gene vectors.

PubMed

Su, Rong-Chuan; Liu, Qiang; Yi, Wen-Jing; Zhao, Zhi-Gang

2017-08-01

In this study, a series of Zn(II)-dipicolylamine (Zn-DPA) based cationic lipids bearing different hydrophobic tails (long chains, α-tocopherol, cholesterol or diosgenin) were synthesized. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) of these lipids was studied in detail by investigating the effects of several structural aspects including the type of hydrophobic tails, the chain length and saturation degree. In addition, several assays were used to study their interactions with plasmid DNA, and results reveal that these lipids could condense DNA into nanosized particles with appropriate size and zeta-potentials. MTT-based cell viability assays showed that lipoplexes 5 had low cytotoxicity. The in vitro gene transfection studies showed the hydrophobic tails clearly affected the TE, and hexadecanol-containing lipid 5b gives the best TE, which was 2.2 times higher than bPEI 25k in the presence of 10% serum. The results not only demonstrate that these lipids might be promising non-viral gene vectors, but also afford us clues for further optimization of lipidic gene delivery materials.

Methodology Series Module 1: Cohort Studies

PubMed Central

Setia, Maninder Singh

2016-01-01

Cohort design is a type of nonexperimental or observational study design. In a cohort study, the participants do not have the outcome of interest to begin with. They are selected based on the exposure status of the individual. They are then followed over time to evaluate for the occurrence of the outcome of interest. Some examples of cohort studies are (1) Framingham Cohort study, (2) Swiss HIV Cohort study, and (3) The Danish Cohort study of psoriasis and depression. These studies may be prospective, retrospective, or a combination of both of these types. Since at the time of entry into the cohort study, the individuals do not have outcome, the temporality between exposure and outcome is well defined in a cohort design. If the exposure is rare, then a cohort design is an efficient method to study the relation between exposure and outcomes. A retrospective cohort study can be completed fast and is relatively inexpensive compared with a prospective cohort study. Follow-up of the study participants is very important in a cohort study, and losses are an important source of bias in these types of studies. These studies are used to estimate the cumulative incidence and incidence rate. One of the main strengths of a cohort study is the longitudinal nature of the data. Some of the variables in the data will be time-varying and some may be time independent. Thus, advanced modeling techniques (such as fixed and random effects models) are useful in analysis of these studies. PMID:26955090

Methodology Series Module 1: Cohort Studies.

PubMed

Setia, Maninder Singh

2016-01-01

Cohort design is a type of nonexperimental or observational study design. In a cohort study, the participants do not have the outcome of interest to begin with. They are selected based on the exposure status of the individual. They are then followed over time to evaluate for the occurrence of the outcome of interest. Some examples of cohort studies are (1) Framingham Cohort study, (2) Swiss HIV Cohort study, and (3) The Danish Cohort study of psoriasis and depression. These studies may be prospective, retrospective, or a combination of both of these types. Since at the time of entry into the cohort study, the individuals do not have outcome, the temporality between exposure and outcome is well defined in a cohort design. If the exposure is rare, then a cohort design is an efficient method to study the relation between exposure and outcomes. A retrospective cohort study can be completed fast and is relatively inexpensive compared with a prospective cohort study. Follow-up of the study participants is very important in a cohort study, and losses are an important source of bias in these types of studies. These studies are used to estimate the cumulative incidence and incidence rate. One of the main strengths of a cohort study is the longitudinal nature of the data. Some of the variables in the data will be time-varying and some may be time independent. Thus, advanced modeling techniques (such as fixed and random effects models) are useful in analysis of these studies.

Cholesterol target value attainment and lipid-lowering therapy in patients with stable or acute coronary heart disease: Results from the Dyslipidemia International Study II.

PubMed

Gitt, Anselm K; Lautsch, Dominik; Ferrières, Jean; De Ferrari, Gaetano M; Vyas, Ami; Baxter, Carl A; Bash, Lori D; Ashton, Veronica; Horack, Martin; Almahmeed, Wael; Chiang, Fu-Tien; Poh, Kian Keong; Brudi, Philippe; Ambegaonkar, Baishali

2017-11-01

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is a major contributor to cardiovascular disease. In the Dyslipidemia International Study II (DYSIS II), we determined LDL-C target value attainment, use of lipid-lowering therapy (LLT), and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with stable coronary heart disease (CHD) and those suffering from an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). DYSIS II included patients from 18 countries. Patients with either stable CHD or an ACS were enrolled if they were ≥18 years old and had a full lipid profile available. Data were collected at a physician visit (CHD cohort) or at hospital admission and 120 days later (ACS cohort). A total of 10,661 patients were enrolled, 6794 with stable CHD and 3867 with an ACS. Mean LDL-C levels were low at 88 mg/dl and 108 mg/dl for the CHD and ACS cohorts respectively, with only 29.4% and 18.9% displaying a level below 70 mg/dl. LLT was utilized by 93.8% of the CHD cohort, with a mean daily statin dosage of 25 ± 18 mg. The proportion of the ACS cohort treated with LLT rose from 65.2% at admission to 95.6% at follow-up. LLT-treated patients, who were female, obese, or current smokers, were less likely to achieve an LDL-C level of <70 mg/dl, while those with type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or those taking a higher statin dosage were more likely. Few of these very high-risk patients achieved the LDL-C target, indicating huge potential for improving cardiovascular outcome by use of more intensive LLT. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Histopathological clues in the diagnosis of fungal infection by Scedosporium in a case of endophthalmitis starting as conjunctivitis.

PubMed

Fernandez-Flores, Angel; Lopez-Medrano, Ramiro; Fuster-Foz, Carlos

2016-05-01

Cutaneous fungal infections can result in disastrous episodes if improperly diagnosed and treated, especially in immunosuppressed patients. Although dermatopathologists are highly familiar with some filamentous fungi - such as Aspergillus and Zygomycetes - they are not so aware of other less common species. We report a case of ocular infection by Scedosporium apiospermum that started as conjunctivitis and resulted in Phthisis bulbi and subsequent exeresis of the left eye. We describe some of the main morphological features of the fungus as well as the important morphological clues for the differential diagnosis with some similar species, such as Aspergillus, Scopulariopsis, Fusarium, Paecilomyces and Zygomycetes. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Comparison of mortality prediction models and validation of SAPS II in critically ill burns patients.

PubMed

Pantet, O; Faouzi, M; Brusselaers, N; Vernay, A; Berger, M M

2016-06-30

Specific burn outcome prediction scores such as the Abbreviated Burn Severity Index (ABSI), Ryan, Belgian Outcome of Burn Injury (BOBI) and revised Baux scores have been extensively studied. Validation studies of the critical care score SAPS II (Simplified Acute Physiology Score) have included burns patients but not addressed them as a cohort. The study aimed at comparing their performance in a Swiss burns intensive care unit (ICU) and to observe whether they were affected by a standardized definition of inhalation injury. We conducted a retrospective cohort study, including all consecutive ICU burn admissions (n=492) between 1996 and 2013: 5 epochs were defined by protocol changes. As required for SAPS II calculation, stays <24h were excluded. Data were collected on age, gender, total body surface area burned (TBSA) and inhalation injury (systematic standardized diagnosis since 2006). Study epochs were compared (χ2 test, ANOVA). Score performance was assessed by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. SAPS II performed well (AUC 0.89), particularly in burns <40% TBSA (AUC 0.93). Revised Baux and ABSI scores were not affected by the standardized diagnosis of inhalation injury and showed the best performance (AUC 0.92 and 0.91 respectively). In contrast, the accuracy of the BOBI and Ryan scores was lower (AUC 0.84 and 0.81) and reduced after 2006. The excellent predictive performance of the classic scores (revised Baux score and ABSI) was confirmed. SAPS II was nearly as accurate, particularly in burns <40% TBSA. Ryan and BOBI scores were least accurate, as they heavily weight inhalation injury.

Comparison of mortality prediction models and validation of SAPS II in critically ill burns patients

PubMed Central

Pantet, O.; Faouzi, M.; Brusselaers, N.; Vernay, A.; Berger, M.M.

2016-01-01

Summary Specific burn outcome prediction scores such as the Abbreviated Burn Severity Index (ABSI), Ryan, Belgian Outcome of Burn Injury (BOBI) and revised Baux scores have been extensively studied. Validation studies of the critical care score SAPS II (Simplified Acute Physiology Score) have included burns patients but not addressed them as a cohort. The study aimed at comparing their performance in a Swiss burns intensive care unit (ICU) and to observe whether they were affected by a standardized definition of inhalation injury. We conducted a retrospective cohort study, including all consecutive ICU burn admissions (n=492) between 1996 and 2013: 5 epochs were defined by protocol changes. As required for SAPS II calculation, stays <24h were excluded. Data were collected on age, gender, total body surface area burned (TBSA) and inhalation injury (systematic standardized diagnosis since 2006). Study epochs were compared (χ2 test, ANOVA). Score performance was assessed by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. SAPS II performed well (AUC 0.89), particularly in burns <40% TBSA (AUC 0.93). Revised Baux and ABSI scores were not affected by the standardized diagnosis of inhalation injury and showed the best performance (AUC 0.92 and 0.91 respectively). In contrast, the accuracy of the BOBI and Ryan scores was lower (AUC 0.84 and 0.81) and reduced after 2006. The excellent predictive performance of the classic scores (revised Baux score and ABSI) was confirmed. SAPS II was nearly as accurate, particularly in burns <40% TBSA. Ryan and BOBI scores were least accurate, as they heavily weight inhalation injury. PMID:28149234

External Validation of European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II (EuroSCORE II) for Risk Prioritization in an Iranian Population

PubMed Central

Atashi, Alireza; Amini, Shahram; Tashnizi, Mohammad Abbasi; Moeinipour, Ali Asghar; Aazami, Mathias Hossain; Tohidnezhad, Fariba; Ghasemi, Erfan; Eslami, Saeid

2018-01-01

Introduction The European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II (EuroSCORE II) is a prediction model which maps 18 predictors to a 30-day post-operative risk of death concentrating on accurate stratification of candidate patients for cardiac surgery. Objective The objective of this study was to determine the performance of the EuroSCORE II risk-analysis predictions among patients who underwent heart surgeries in one area of Iran. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted to collect the required variables for all consecutive patients who underwent heart surgeries at Emam Reza hospital, Northeast Iran between 2014 and 2015. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to identify covariates which significantly contribute to higher EuroSCORE II in our population. External validation was performed by comparing the real and expected mortality using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for discrimination assessment. Also, Brier Score and Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test were used to show the overall performance and calibration level, respectively. Results Two thousand five hundred eight one (59.6% males) were included. The observed mortality rate was 3.3%, but EuroSCORE II had a prediction of 4.7%. Although the overall performance was acceptable (Brier score=0.047), the model showed poor discriminatory power by AUC=0.667 (sensitivity=61.90, and specificity=66.24) and calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow test, P<0.01). Conclusion Our study showed that the EuroSCORE II discrimination power is less than optimal for outcome prediction and less accurate for resource allocation programs. It highlights the need for recalibration of this risk stratification tool aiming to improve post cardiac surgery outcome predictions in Iran. PMID:29617500

A class of non-linear exposure-response models suitable for health impact assessment applicable to large cohort studies of ambient air pollution.

PubMed

Nasari, Masoud M; Szyszkowicz, Mieczysław; Chen, Hong; Crouse, Daniel; Turner, Michelle C; Jerrett, Michael; Pope, C Arden; Hubbell, Bryan; Fann, Neal; Cohen, Aaron; Gapstur, Susan M; Diver, W Ryan; Stieb, David; Forouzanfar, Mohammad H; Kim, Sun-Young; Olives, Casey; Krewski, Daniel; Burnett, Richard T

2016-01-01

The effectiveness of regulatory actions designed to improve air quality is often assessed by predicting changes in public health resulting from their implementation. Risk of premature mortality from long-term exposure to ambient air pollution is the single most important contributor to such assessments and is estimated from observational studies generally assuming a log-linear, no-threshold association between ambient concentrations and death. There has been only limited assessment of this assumption in part because of a lack of methods to estimate the shape of the exposure-response function in very large study populations. In this paper, we propose a new class of variable coefficient risk functions capable of capturing a variety of potentially non-linear associations which are suitable for health impact assessment. We construct the class by defining transformations of concentration as the product of either a linear or log-linear function of concentration multiplied by a logistic weighting function. These risk functions can be estimated using hazard regression survival models with currently available computer software and can accommodate large population-based cohorts which are increasingly being used for this purpose. We illustrate our modeling approach with two large cohort studies of long-term concentrations of ambient air pollution and mortality: the American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study II (CPS II) cohort and the Canadian Census Health and Environment Cohort (CanCHEC). We then estimate the number of deaths attributable to changes in fine particulate matter concentrations over the 2000 to 2010 time period in both Canada and the USA using both linear and non-linear hazard function models.

New vision based navigation clue for a regular colonoscope's tip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mekaouar, Anouar; Ben Amar, Chokri; Redarce, Tanneguy

2009-02-01

Regular colonoscopy has always been regarded as a complicated procedure requiring a tremendous amount of skill to be safely performed. In deed, the practitioner needs to contend with both the tortuousness of the colon and the mastering of a colonoscope. So, he has to take the visual data acquired by the scope's tip into account and rely mostly on his common sense and skill to steer it in a fashion promoting a safe insertion of the device's shaft. In that context, we do propose a new navigation clue for the tip of regular colonoscope in order to assist surgeons over a colonoscopic examination. Firstly, we consider a patch of the inner colon depicted in a regular colonoscopy frame. Then we perform a sketchy 3D reconstruction of the corresponding 2D data. Furthermore, a suggested navigation trajectory ensued on the basis of the obtained relief. The visible and invisible lumen cases are considered. Due to its low cost reckoning, such strategy would allow for the intraoperative configuration changes and thus cut back the non-rigidity effect of the colon. Besides, it would have the trend to provide a safe navigation trajectory through the whole colon, since this approach is aiming at keeping the extremity of the instrument as far as possible from the colon wall during navigation. In order to make effective the considered process, we replaced the original manual control system of a regular colonoscope by a motorized one allowing automatic pan and tilt motions of the device's tip.

Leu7Pro polymorphism of PreproNPY associated with an increased risk for type II diabetes in middle-aged subjects.

PubMed

Ukkola, O; Kesäniemi, Y A

2007-09-01

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) plays a central in energy homeostasis and potentially in the development of obesity-related comorbidities, like type II diabetes. As the PreproNPY Leu7Pro polymorphism probably changes the intracellular processing of the synthesized preproNPY peptide, we assessed the hypothesis that PreproNPY Leu7Pro polymorphism is a risk factor for type II diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance and hypertension. Blood pressure recordings and oral glucose tolerance test were performed in the hypertensive (n=515) and control cohorts (n=525) of our well-defined Oulu Project Elucidating Risk of Atherosclerosis (OPERA) study. The prevalence of type II diabetes was 9% (n=93). The genotypes, insulin and glucose metabolism indexes and plasma ghrelin of the subjects were determined. Pro7 allele frequencies were 5.9, 5.3 and 11.3% in the total cohort, in subjects without and with type II diabetes, respectively. The PreproNPY Pro7 carrier status was a significant risk factor for type II diabetes, and the effect remained significant after adjustment for age, sex, waist circumference and study group (odds ratio=3.02, confidence interval: 1.67-5.44 and P<0.001). Pro7 carriers were more insulin resistant and showed lower ghrelin levels compared to non-carriers. The PreproNPY Pro7 allele is associated with an increased risk for type II diabetes. The risk seems to be associated with a higher insulin resistance among Pro7 carriers whereas low ghrelin concentrations in Pro7 carriers are possibly a consequence of high insulin levels.

Search for clues to Mesozoic graben on Long Island

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rogers, W.B.; Aparisi, M.; Sirkin, L.

1989-01-01

The position of Long Island between the Hartford Basin of Connecticut and graben structures reported from seismic reflection studies offshore to the south of the island suggests the possibility that other grabens associated with the early Mesozoic rifting might be buried beneath central Long Island. The hypothesis that post-rift tectonic activity would be related to the rift grabens and that such activity would be expressed in the post-rift sedimentary deposits led to a study of the Cretaceous and Pleistocene section to seek clues for buried grabens on Long Island. The Pleistocene glacial deposits in central and eastern Long Island have been mapped and a pollen zonation in the Upper Cretaceous section in the central part established. This work, combined with literature research, suggests the following: 1. (1) In central Long Island, the spacing of wells which reach basement enables a NE- striking zone free of basement samples to be defined where a buried graben could occur. This zone is referred to as the "permissible zone" because within it the data permit the existence of a hidden graben. 2. (2) The abrupt changes in the thickness of some pollen zones in the Upper Cretaceous deposits of central Long Island may be related to Cretaceous faulting. 3. (3) Buried preglacial valleys, the confluence of glacial lobes and major glacial outwash channels seem concentrated in west central and central Long Island. The loci of these drainage features may reflect structural control by a basement depression. 4. (4) The "permissible zone" is aligned with the zone of structures in an offshore zone south of central Long Island and with the Hartford Basin in Connecticut. Geophysical anomalies also fit into this pattern. 5. (5) A definitive answer to the question of a buried graben on Long Island will require a seismic line across the "permissible zone", or further drilling. ?? 1989.

Segmentation of the hippocampus by transferring algorithmic knowledge for large cohort processing.

PubMed

Thyreau, Benjamin; Sato, Kazunori; Fukuda, Hiroshi; Taki, Yasuyuki

2018-01-01

The hippocampus is a particularly interesting target for neuroscience research studies due to its essential role within the human brain. In large human cohort studies, bilateral hippocampal structures are frequently identified and measured to gain insight into human behaviour or genomic variability in neuropsychiatric disorders of interest. Automatic segmentation is performed using various algorithms, with FreeSurfer being a popular option. In this manuscript, we present a method to segment the bilateral hippocampus using a deep-learned appearance model. Deep convolutional neural networks (ConvNets) have shown great success in recent years, due to their ability to learn meaningful features from a mass of training data. Our method relies on the following key novelties: (i) we use a wide and variable training set coming from multiple cohorts (ii) our training labels come in part from the output of the FreeSurfer algorithm, and (iii) we include synthetic data and use a powerful data augmentation scheme. Our method proves to be robust, and it has fast inference (<30s total per subject), with trained model available online (https://github.com/bthyreau/hippodeep). We depict illustrative results and show extensive qualitative and quantitative cohort-wide comparisons with FreeSurfer. Our work demonstrates that deep neural-network methods can easily encode, and even improve, existing anatomical knowledge, even when this knowledge exists in algorithmic form. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Increasing Use of Nonmedical Analgesics Among Younger Cohorts in the United States: A Birth Cohort Effect

PubMed Central

Miech, Richard; Bohnert, Amy; Heard, Kennon; Boardman, Jason

2017-01-01

Purpose Nonmedical use of prescription pain drugs (hereafter ‘analgesics’) has increased substantially in recent years. It is not known whether today’s youth are disproportionately driving this increase or, instead, the trend is a general one that has affected cohorts of all ages similarly. To address this question we present the first age-period-cohort analysis of nonmedical use of analgesics. Methods Data come from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a series of annual, nationally-representative, cross-sectional surveys of the U.S. civilian, non-institutionalized population. The analysis focuses on the years 1985 to 2009 and uses the recently developed ‘intrinsic estimator’ algorithm to disentangle age-period-cohort effects. Results Substantial increases in the prevalence of nonmedical analgesics use have occurred across all cohorts and ages in recent years, but this increase is significantly amplified among today’s adolescents. The odds of past-year, nonmedical analgesics use for today’s youngest cohort (born 1980–1994) are higher than would be expected on the basis of their age and broad, historical period influences that have increased use across people of all ages and cohorts. The independent influence of cohort on past-year, nonmedical analgesics use is about 40% higher for today’s youth cohort than any of the cohorts that came before them. This finding is present among men, women, non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, and Hispanics. Conclusions Although nonmedical use of analgesics is evident among all ages, cohorts, and periods, today’s younger cohorts warrant special attention for substance abuse policies and interventions targeted at reversing the increase in nonmedical analgesics use. PMID:23260832

Careers and Organizational Labor Markets: Demographic Models of Organizational Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewman, Shelby; Konda, Suresh L.

1983-01-01

Four organizational micro-structures and two triggering mechanisms that provide clues for assessing individual career prospects within an organization are identified. The four microstructures are grade ratios, vacancy chains, managerial selection preferences, and cohort size. The triggering mechanisms are growth and exit rates. (Author/AM)

NCI Cohort Consortium Membership

Cancer.gov

The NCI Cohort Consortium membership is international and includes investigators responsible for more than 40 high-quality cohorts who are studying large and diverse populations in more than 15 different countries.

Adsorption of Pb(II), Cu(II), Cd(II), Zn(II), Ni(II), Fe(II), and As(V) on bacterially produced metal sulfides.

PubMed

Jong, Tony; Parry, David L

2004-07-01

The adsorption of Pb(II), Cu(II), Cd(II), Zn(II), Ni(II), Fe(II) and As(V) onto bacterially produced metal sulfide (BPMS) material was investigated using a batch equilibrium method. It was found that the sulfide material had adsorptive properties comparable with those of other adsorbents with respect to the specific uptake of a range of metals and, the levels to which dissolved metal concentrations in solution can be reduced. The percentage of adsorption increased with increasing pH and adsorbent dose, but decreased with increasing initial dissolved metal concentration. The pH of the solution was the most important parameter controlling adsorption of Cd(II), Cu(II), Fe(II), Ni(II), Pb(II), Zn(II), and As(V) by BPMS. The adsorption data were successfully modeled using the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Desorption experiments showed that the reversibility of adsorption was low, suggesting high-affinity adsorption governed by chemisorption. The mechanism of adsorption for the divalent metals was thought to be the formation of strong, inner-sphere complexes involving surface hydroxyl groups. However, the mechanism for the adsorption of As(V) by BPMS appears to be distinct from that of surface hydroxyl exchange. These results have important implications to the management of metal sulfide sludge produced by bacterial sulfate reduction.

The relative influence of individual risk factors for attempted suicide in patients with bipolar I versus bipolar II disorder.

PubMed

Bobo, William V; Na, Peter J; Geske, Jennifer R; McElroy, Susan L; Frye, Mark A; Biernacka, Joanna M

2018-01-01

To compare the relative influence (RI) of individual predictors for lifetime attempted suicide between adults with bipolar I (BDBD-I) and bipolar II disorder (BDBD-II). We conducted an analysis of data from 1465 enrollees in the Mayo Clinic Bipolar Disorder Biobank. Demographic and clinical variables and history of attempted suicide were ascertained using standardized questionnaires. Height and weight were assessed to determine body mass index (BMI); obesity was defined as BMI ≥30kg/m 2 . The frequencies of these variables were compared between persons with and without self-reported lifetime suicide attempts both overall, and within BD-I and BD-II subgroups. Gradient boosting machine (GBM) models were used to quantify the RI of study variables on the risk of lifetime attempted suicide. Nearly one-third of patients reported having a lifetime suicide attempt. Attempted suicide rates were higher in patients with BD-I than BD-II, but absolute differences were small. Lifetime attempted suicide was associated with female sex, BD-I subtype, psychiatric and substance use comorbidities, binge eating behavior, lifetime history of rapid cycling, other indicators of adverse illness course, and early age of bipolar illness onset in the entire cohort. Differences in the rank-ordering of RI for predictors of attempted suicide between BD-I and BD-II patients were modest. Rapid cycling was a strong risk factor for attempted suicide, particularly in men with BD-I. Actively psychotic or suicidal patients needing psychiatric hospitalization were initially excluded, but were approached after these acute psychiatric problems resolved. The prevalence of lifetime attempted suicide was significantly higher in BD-I than BD-II in this large, cross-sectional cohort. Predictors of attempted suicide were similar in BD-I and BD-II subgroups. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Type I and II Endometrial Cancers: Have They Different Risk Factors?

PubMed Central

Setiawan, Veronica Wendy; Yang, Hannah P.; Pike, Malcolm C.; McCann, Susan E.; Yu, Herbert; Xiang, Yong-Bing; Wolk, Alicja; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Weiss, Noel S.; Webb, Penelope M.; van den Brandt, Piet A.; van de Vijver, Koen; Thompson, Pamela J.; Strom, Brian L.; Spurdle, Amanda B.; Soslow, Robert A.; Shu, Xiao-ou; Schairer, Catherine; Sacerdote, Carlotta; Rohan, Thomas E.; Robien, Kim; Risch, Harvey A.; Ricceri, Fulvio; Rebbeck, Timothy R.; Rastogi, Radhai; Prescott, Jennifer; Polidoro, Silvia; Park, Yikyung; Olson, Sara H.; Moysich, Kirsten B.; Miller, Anthony B.; McCullough, Marjorie L.; Matsuno, Rayna K.; Magliocco, Anthony M.; Lurie, Galina; Lu, Lingeng; Lissowska, Jolanta; Liang, Xiaolin; Lacey, James V.; Kolonel, Laurence N.; Henderson, Brian E.; Hankinson, Susan E.; Håkansson, Niclas; Goodman, Marc T.; Gaudet, Mia M.; Garcia-Closas, Montserrat; Friedenreich, Christine M.; Freudenheim, Jo L.; Doherty, Jennifer; De Vivo, Immaculata; Courneya, Kerry S.; Cook, Linda S.; Chen, Chu; Cerhan, James R.; Cai, Hui; Brinton, Louise A.; Bernstein, Leslie; Anderson, Kristin E.; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Schouten, Leo J.; Horn-Ross, Pamela L.

2013-01-01

Purpose Endometrial cancers have long been divided into estrogen-dependent type I and the less common clinically aggressive estrogen-independent type II. Little is known about risk factors for type II tumors because most studies lack sufficient cases to study these much less common tumors separately. We examined whether so-called classical endometrial cancer risk factors also influence the risk of type II tumors. Patients and Methods Individual-level data from 10 cohort and 14 case-control studies from the Epidemiology of Endometrial Cancer Consortium were pooled. A total of 14,069 endometrial cancer cases and 35,312 controls were included. We classified endometrioid (n = 7,246), adenocarcinoma not otherwise specified (n = 4,830), and adenocarcinoma with squamous differentiation (n = 777) as type I tumors and serous (n = 508) and mixed cell (n = 346) as type II tumors. Results Parity, oral contraceptive use, cigarette smoking, age at menarche, and diabetes were associated with type I and type II tumors to similar extents. Body mass index, however, had a greater effect on type I tumors than on type II tumors: odds ratio (OR) per 2 kg/m2 increase was 1.20 (95% CI, 1.19 to 1.21) for type I and 1.12 (95% CI, 1.09 to 1.14) for type II tumors (Pheterogeneity < .0001). Risk factor patterns for high-grade endometrioid tumors and type II tumors were similar. Conclusion The results of this pooled analysis suggest that the two endometrial cancer types share many common etiologic factors. The etiology of type II tumors may, therefore, not be completely estrogen independent, as previously believed. PMID:23733771

'Batman excision' of ventral skin in hypospadias repair, clue to aesthetic repair (point of technique).

PubMed

Hoebeke, P B; De Kuyper, P; Van Laecke, E

2002-11-01

In the hypospadiac penis the ventral skin is poorly developed, while dorsal skin is redundant. The classical Byars' flaps are a way to use the excess dorsal skin to cover the penile shaft. The appearance after Byars' flaps however is not natural. We use a more natural looking skin allocation with superior aesthetic results. The clue in this reconstruction is an inverted triangle shaped excision of ventral skin expanding over the edges of the hooded prepuce (which makes it look like Batman). After excision of the ventral skin it is possible to close the penile skin in the midline, thus mimicking the natural raphe. In case of preputial reconstruction the excised ventral skin makes the prepuce look more natural. The trend of further refining aesthetic appearance of the hypospadiac penis often neglects the penile skin reconstruction. A technique is presented by which the total penile appearances after surgery ameliorates due to better skin reconstruction.

Genetic Expression Outside the Skin: Clues to Mechanisms of Genotype × Environment Interaction

PubMed Central

Reiss, David; Leve, Leslie D.

2007-01-01

The rapidly moving study of Gene × Environment interaction needs interim conceptual tools to track progress, integrate findings, and apply this knowledge to preventive intervention. We define two closely related concepts: the social mediation of the expression of genetic influences and the interaction between the entire genotype and the social environment (Genotype × Environment interaction; G×E). G×E interaction, the primary focus of this report, assesses individual differences in the full genotype using twin, sibling, and adoption designs and, for the most part, employs fine-grained analyses of relational processes in the social environment. In comparison, studies of Allele × Environment interaction (A×E) assess the influence on development of one or more measured polymorphisms as modified by environmental factors. G×E studies build on work showing how the social environment responds to genetic influences and how genetic influences shape the social environment. Recent G×E research has yielded new insight into variations in the sensitivity of the social environment to genotypic influences and provides clues to the specificity and timing of these environmental responses that can be leveraged to inform preventive interventions aimed at reducing genetic risk for problem behavior. PMID:17931431

Intakes of caffeine, coffee and tea and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Results from five cohort studies.

PubMed

Fondell, Elinor; O'Reilly, É Ilis J; Fitzgerald, Kathryn C; Falcone, Guido J; Kolonel, Laurence N; Park, Yikyung; Gapstur, Susan M; Ascherio, Alberto

2015-01-01

Caffeine is thought to be neuroprotective by antagonizing the adenosine A2A receptors in the brain and thereby protecting motor neurons from excitotoxicity. We examined the association between consumption of caffeine, coffee and tea and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Longitudinal analyses based on over 1,010,000 males and females in five large cohort studies (the Nurses' Health Study, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort, the Multiethnic Cohort Study, and the National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health Study). Cohort-specific multivariable-adjusted risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) estimates of ALS incidence or death were estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression and pooled using random-effects models. Results showed that a total of 1279 cases of ALS were documented during a mean of 18 years of follow-up. Caffeine intake was not associated with ALS risk; the pooled multivariable-adjusted RR comparing the highest to the lowest quintile of intake was 0.96 (95% CI 0.81-1.16). Similarly, neither coffee nor tea was associated with ALS risk. In conclusion, the results of this large study do not support associations of caffeine or caffeinated beverages with ALS risk.

Intakes of caffeine, coffee and tea and risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Results from five cohort studies

PubMed Central

Fondell, Elinor; O'Reilly, Éilis J.; Fitzgerald, Kathryn C.; Falcone, Guido J.; Kolonel, Laurence N.; Park, Yikyung; Gapstur, Susan M.; Ascherio, Alberto

2015-01-01

Objective Caffeine is thought to be neuroprotective by antagonizing the adenosine A2A receptors in the brain and thereby protecting motor neurons from excitotoxicity. We examined the association between consumption of caffeine, coffee and tea and risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Methods Longitudinal analyses based on over 1 010 000 men and women in 5 large cohort studies [the Nurses’ Health Study, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort, the Multiethnic Cohort Study, and the National Institutes of Health – AARP Diet and Health Study]. Cohort-specific multivariable-adjusted risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) estimates of ALS incidence or death was estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression and pooled using random-effects models. Results A total of 1279 cases of ALS were documented during a mean of 18 years of follow-up. Caffeine intake was not associated with ALS risk; the pooled multivariable-adjusted RR comparing the highest to the lowest quintile of intake was 0.96 (95% CI 0.81-1.16). Similarly, neither coffee nor tea was associated with ALS risk. Conclusion The results of this large study do not support associations of caffeine or caffeinated beverages with ALS risk. PMID:25822002

Association of Adjuvant Chemotherapy With Survival in Patients With Stage II or III Gastric Cancer

PubMed Central

Jiang, Yuming; Li, Tuanjie; Liang, Xiaoling; Hu, Yanfeng; Huang, Lei; Liao, Zhenchen; Zhao, Liying; Han, Zhen; Zhu, Shuguang; Wang, Menglan; Xu, Yangwei; Qi, Xiaolong; Liu, Hao; Yang, Yang; Yu, Jiang; Liu, Wei; Cai, Shirong

2017-01-01

Importance The current staging system of gastric cancer is not adequate for defining a prognosis and predicting the patients most likely to benefit from chemotherapy. Objective To construct a survival prediction model based on specific tumor and patient characteristics that enables individualized predictions of the net survival benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with stage II or stage III gastric cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants In this multicenter retrospective analysis, a survival prediction model was constructed using data from a training cohort of 746 patients with stage II or stage III gastric cancer who satisfied the study’s inclusion criteria and underwent surgery between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2012, at Nanfang Hospital in Guangzhou, China. Patient and tumor characteristics were included as covariates, and their association with overall survival and disease-free survival with and without adjuvant chemotherapy was assessed. The model was internally validated for discrimination and calibration using bootstrap resampling. To externally validate the model, data were included from a validation cohort of 973 patients with stage II or stage III gastric cancer who met the inclusion criteria and underwent surgery at First Affiliated Hospital in Guangzhou, China, and at West China Hospital of Sichuan Hospital in Chendu, China, between January 1, 2000, and June 30, 2009. Data were analyzed from July 10, 2016, to September 1, 2016. Main Outcomes and Measures Concordance index and decision curve analysis for each measure associated with postoperative overall survival and disease-free survival. Results Of the 1719 patients analyzed, 1183 (68.8%) were men and 536 (31.2%) were women and the median (interquartile range) age was 57 (49-66) years. Age, location, differentiation, carcinoembryonic antigen, cancer antigen 19-9, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, and adjuvant chemotherapy were significantly associated with overall survival

Realization of entry-to-practice milestones by Canadians who studied medicine abroad and other international medical graduates: a retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Mathews, Maria; Kandar, Rima; Slade, Steve; Yi, Yanqing; Beardall, Sue; Bourgeault, Ivy

2017-06-19

International medical graduates must realize a series of milestones to obtain full licensure. We examined the realization of milestones by Canadian and non-Canadian graduates of Western or Caribbean medical schools, and Canadian and non-Canadian graduates from other medical schools. Using the National IMG Database (data available for 2005-2011), we created 2 cohorts: 1) international medical graduates who had passed the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Part I between 2005 and 2010 and 2) those who had first entered a family medicine postgraduate program between 2005 and 2009, or had first entered a specialty postgraduate program in 2005 or 2006. We examined 3 entry-to-practice milestones; obtaining a postgraduate position, passing the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Part II and obtaining a specialty designation. Of the 6925 eligible graduates in cohort 1, 2144 (31.0%) had obtained a postgraduate position. Of the 1214 eligible graduates in cohort 2, 1126 (92.8%) had passed the Qualifying Examination Part II, and 889 (73.2%) had obtained a specialty designation. In multivariate analyses, Canadian graduates of Western or Caribbean medical schools (odds ratio [OR] 4.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.82-5.71) and Canadian graduates of other medical schools (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.31-1.70) were more likely to obtain a postgraduate position than non-Canadian graduates of other (not Western or Caribbean) medical schools. There was no difference among the groups in passing the Qualifying Examination Part II or obtaining a specialty designation. Canadians who studied abroad were more likely than other international medical graduates to obtain a postgraduate position; there were no differences among the groups in realizing milestones once in a postgraduate program. These findings support policies that do not distinguish postgraduate applicants by citizenship or permanent residency status before medical school. Copyright 2017, Joule Inc. or its

Disease fatality and bias in survival cohorts.

PubMed

Barry, Vaughn; Klein, Mitchel; Winquist, Andrea; Darrow, Lyndsey A; Steenland, Kyle

2015-07-01

Simulate how the effect of exposure on disease occurrence and fatality influences the presence and magnitude of bias in survivor cohorts, motivated by an actual survivor cohort under study. We simulated a cohort of 50,000 subjects exposed to a disease-causing exposure over time and followed forty years, where disease incidence was the outcome of interest. We simulated this 'inception' cohort under different assumptions about the effect of exposure on disease occurrence and fatality after disease occurrence. We then created a corresponding 'survivor' (or 'cross-sectional') cohort, where cohort enrollment took place at a specific date after exposure began in the inception cohort; subjects dying prior to that enrollment date were excluded. The disease of interest caused all deaths in our simulations, but was not always fatal. In the survivor cohort, person-time at risk began before enrollment for all subjects who did not die prior to enrollment. We compared exposure-disease associations in each inception cohort to those in corresponding survivor cohorts to determine how different assumptions impacted bias in the survivor cohorts. All subjects in both inception and survivor cohorts were considered equally susceptible to the effect of exposure in causing disease. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to calculate effect measures. There was no bias in survivor cohort estimates when case fatality among diseased subjects was independent of exposure. This was true even when the disease was highly fatal and more highly exposed subjects were more likely to develop disease and die. Assuming a positive exposure-response in the inception cohort, survivor cohort rate ratios were biased downwards when case fatality was greater with higher exposure. Survivor cohort effect estimates for fatal outcomes are not always biased, although precision can decrease. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Color vision abnormalities in type II diabetes: Sankara Nethralaya Diabetic Retinopathy Epidemiology and Molecular Genetics Study II report no 2

PubMed Central

Gella, Laxmi; Raman, Rajiv; Kulothungan, Vaitheeswaran; Pal, Swakshyar Saumya; Ganesan, Suganeswari; Srinivasan, Sangeetha; Sharma, Tarun

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess color vision abnormalities in a cohort of subjects with type II diabetes and elucidate associated risk factors. Methods: Subjects were recruited from follow-up cohort of Sankara Nethralaya Diabetic Retinopathy Epidemiology and Molecular Genetics Study I. Six hundred and seventy-three eyes of 343 subjects were included from this population-based study. All subjects underwent detailed ophthalmic evaluation, including the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 hue test. Results: The prevalence of impaired color vision (ICV) was 43% (CI: 39.2–46.7). Risk factors for ICV were higher heart rate (odds ratio [OR]: 1.043, [1.023–1.064]) and a higher intraocular pressure (IOP) (OR: 1.086, [1.012–1.165]). Subjects with clinically significant macular edema (CSME) had three times higher chance of having ICV. C1, C2, and C3 are the commonly found Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) patterns. The moment of inertia method showed that the angle did not reveal any specific pattern of color vision defect. Although the major and minor radii were high in those with ICV, we did not observe polarity. Confusion index was high in subjects with ICV, indicating a severe color vision defect. Conclusions: The prevalence of ICV was 43% among subjects with type II diabetes. The most commonly observed patterns were increasing severities of the blue–yellow defect on ETDRS patterns, but no specific pattern was observed at the moment of inertia analysis. The presence of CSME, a higher heart rate, and IOP was significant risk factors for ICV. This functional impairment in color vision could significantly contribute to morbidity among subjects with diabetes. PMID:29044066

Color vision abnormalities in type II diabetes: Sankara Nethralaya Diabetic Retinopathy Epidemiology and Molecular Genetics Study II report no 2.

PubMed

Gella, Laxmi; Raman, Rajiv; Kulothungan, Vaitheeswaran; Pal, Swakshyar Saumya; Ganesan, Suganeswari; Srinivasan, Sangeetha; Sharma, Tarun

2017-10-01

The purpose of this study is to assess color vision abnormalities in a cohort of subjects with type II diabetes and elucidate associated risk factors. Subjects were recruited from follow-up cohort of Sankara Nethralaya Diabetic Retinopathy Epidemiology and Molecular Genetics Study I. Six hundred and seventy-three eyes of 343 subjects were included from this population-based study. All subjects underwent detailed ophthalmic evaluation, including the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 hue test. The prevalence of impaired color vision (ICV) was 43% (CI: 39.2-46.7). Risk factors for ICV were higher heart rate (odds ratio [OR]: 1.043, [1.023-1.064]) and a higher intraocular pressure (IOP) (OR: 1.086, [1.012-1.165]). Subjects with clinically significant macular edema (CSME) had three times higher chance of having ICV. C1, C2, and C3 are the commonly found Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) patterns. The moment of inertia method showed that the angle did not reveal any specific pattern of color vision defect. Although the major and minor radii were high in those with ICV, we did not observe polarity. Confusion index was high in subjects with ICV, indicating a severe color vision defect. The prevalence of ICV was 43% among subjects with type II diabetes. The most commonly observed patterns were increasing severities of the blue-yellow defect on ETDRS patterns, but no specific pattern was observed at the moment of inertia analysis. The presence of CSME, a higher heart rate, and IOP was significant risk factors for ICV. This functional impairment in color vision could significantly contribute to morbidity among subjects with diabetes.

Validation of the pooled cohort risk score in an Asian population - a retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Chia, Yook Chin; Lim, Hooi Min; Ching, Siew Mooi

2014-11-20

The Pooled Cohort Risk Equation was introduced by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and American Heart Association (AHA) 2013 in their Blood Cholesterol Guideline to estimate the 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk. However, absence of Asian ethnicity in the contemporary cohorts and limited studies to examine the use of the risk score limit the applicability of the equation in an Asian population. This study examines the validity of the pooled cohort risk score in a primary care setting and compares the cardiovascular risk using both the pooled cohort risk score and the Framingham General Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) risk score. This is a 10-year retrospective cohort study of randomly selected patients aged 40-79 years. Baseline demographic data, co-morbidities and cardiovascular (CV) risk parameters were captured from patient records in 1998. Pooled cohort risk score and Framingham General CVD risk score for each patient were computed. All ASCVD events (nonfatal myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease (CHD) death, fatal and nonfatal stroke) occurring from 1998-2007 were recorded. A total of 922 patients were studied. In 1998, mean age was 57.5 ± 8.8 years with 66.7% female. There were 47% diabetic patients and 59.9% patients receiving anti-hypertensive treatment. More than 98% of patients with pooled cohort risk score ≥7.5% had FRS >10%. A total of 45 CVD events occurred, 22 (7.2%) in males and 23 (3.7%) in females. The median pooled cohort risk score for the population was 10.1 (IQR 4.7-20.6) while the actual ASCVD events that occurred was 4.9% (45/922). Our study showed moderate discrimination with AUC of 0.63. There was good calibration with Hosmer-Lemeshow test χ2 = 12.6, P = 0.12. The pooled cohort risk score appears to overestimate CV risk but this apparent over-prediction could be a result of treatment. In the absence of a validated score in an untreated population, the pooled cohort risk score appears to be

34 CFR 668.204 - Draft cohort default rates and your ability to challenge before official cohort default rates are...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Draft cohort default rates and your ability to... OF EDUCATION STUDENT ASSISTANCE GENERAL PROVISIONS Cohort Default Rates § 668.204 Draft cohort.... (1) We notify you of your draft cohort default rate before your official cohort default rate is...

34 CFR 668.204 - Draft cohort default rates and your ability to challenge before official cohort default rates are...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Draft cohort default rates and your ability to... OF EDUCATION STUDENT ASSISTANCE GENERAL PROVISIONS Cohort Default Rates § 668.204 Draft cohort.... (1) We notify you of your draft cohort default rate before your official cohort default rate is...

34 CFR 668.204 - Draft cohort default rates and your ability to challenge before official cohort default rates are...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Draft cohort default rates and your ability to... OF EDUCATION STUDENT ASSISTANCE GENERAL PROVISIONS Cohort Default Rates § 668.204 Draft cohort.... (1) We notify you of your draft cohort default rate before your official cohort default rate is...

34 CFR 668.204 - Draft cohort default rates and your ability to challenge before official cohort default rates are...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Draft cohort default rates and your ability to... OF EDUCATION STUDENT ASSISTANCE GENERAL PROVISIONS Cohort Default Rates § 668.204 Draft cohort.... (1) We notify you of your draft cohort default rate before your official cohort default rate is...

Autosomal Dominant Growth Hormone Deficiency (Type II).

PubMed

Alatzoglou, Kyriaki S; Kular, Dalvir; Dattani, Mehul T

2015-06-01

Isolated growth hormone deficiency (IGHD) is the commonest pituitary hormone deficiency resulting from congenital or acquired causes, although for most patients its etiology remains unknown. Among the known factors, heterozygous mutations in the growth hormone gene (GH1) lead to the autosomal dominant form of GHD, also known as type II GHD. In many cohorts this is the commonest form of congenital isolated GHD and is mainly caused by mutations that affect the correct splicing of GH-1. These mutations cause skipping of the third exon and lead to the production of a 17.5-kDa GH isoform that exerts a dominant negative effect on the secretion of the wild type GH. The identification of these mutations has clinical implications for the management of patients, as there is a well-documented correlation between the severity of the phenotype and the increased expression of the 17.5-kDa isoform. Patients with type II GHD have a variable height deficit and severity of GHD and may develop additional pituitary hormone defiencies over time, including ACTH, TSH and gonadotropin deficiencies. Therefore, their lifelong follow-up is recommended. Detailed studies on the effect of heterozygous GH1 mutations on the trafficking, secretion and action of growth hormone can elucidate their mechanism on a cellular level and may influence future treatment options for GHD type II.

Homogamy and Intermarriage of Japanese and Japanese Americans With Whites Surrounding World War II.

PubMed

Ono, Hiromi; Berg, Justin

2010-10-01

Although some sociologists have suggested that Japanese Americans quickly assimilated into mainstream America, scholars of Japanese America have highlighted the heightened exclusion that the group experienced. This study tracked historical shifts in the exclusion level of Japanese and Japanese Americans in the United States surrounding World War II with homogamy and intermarriage with Whites for the prewar (1930-1940) and resettlement (1946-1966) marriage cohorts. The authors applied log-linear models to census microsamples (N = 1,590,416) to estimate the odds ratios of homogamy versus intermarriage. The unadjusted odds ratios of Japanese Americans declined between cohorts and appeared to be consistent with the assimilation hypothesis. Once compositional influences and educational pairing patterns were adjusted, however, the odds ratios increased and supported the heightened exclusion hypothesis.

Change in economic difficulties and physical and mental functioning: Evidence from British and Finnish employee cohorts.

PubMed

Lallukka, Tea; Ferrie, Jane E; Rahkonen, Ossi; Shipley, Martin J; Pietiläinen, Olli; Kivimäki, Mika; Marmot, Michael G; Lahelma, Eero

2013-09-01

The main aims of this longitudinal study were to (i) examine associations between changes in economic difficulties and health functioning among middle-aged employees and (ii) assess whether the associations remained after considering conventional domains of socioeconomic position. The associations were tested in two European welfare state occupational cohorts to strengthen the evidence base and improve generalizability. Data came from two cohorts: the Finnish Helsinki Health Study (baseline 2000-2002, follow-up 2007, N = 6328) and the British Whitehall II Study (baseline 1997-1999, follow-up 2003-2004, N = 4350). Responses to the survey item "finding it hard to afford adequate food and clothes and pay bills" repeated at baseline and follow-up were used to examine persistent, increasing, and decreasing economic difficulties. Poor physical and mental health functioning were denoted as being in the lowest quartile of the Short Form 36 physical and mental component summary. Logistic regression analyses were adjusted for sex, age, childhood economic difficulties, household income at baseline and follow-up, employment status at follow-up, and baseline health functioning. We observed strong sex- and age-adjusted associations between increasing [odds ratio (OR) range 1.69-2.96] and persistent (OR range 2.54-3.21) economic difficulties and poorer physical and mental health functioning in both British and Finnish occupational cohorts. These associations remained after full adjustments. Those reporting decreasing difficulties over follow-up also had poorer functioning (OR range 1.30-1.61) compared to those who did not have difficulties at baseline, possibly reflecting residual effects of economic difficulties at baseline. Changes in economic difficulties are associated with poorer physical and mental health functioning independent of income, employment status, and baseline health functioning.

Implementation and Effects of Risk-Dependent Obstetric Care in the Netherlands (Expect Study II): Protocol for an Impact Study.

PubMed

van Montfort, Pim; Willemse, Jessica Ppm; Dirksen, Carmen D; van Dooren, Ivo Ma; Meertens, Linda Je; Spaanderman, Marc Ea; Zelis, Maartje; Zwaan, Iris M; Scheepers, Hubertina Cj; Smits, Luc Jm

2018-05-04

Recently, validated risk models predicting adverse obstetric outcomes combined with risk-dependent care paths have been made available for early antenatal care in the southeastern part of the Netherlands. This study will evaluate implementation progress and impact of the new approach in obstetric care. The objective of this paper is to describe the design of a study evaluating the impact of implementing risk-dependent care. Validated first-trimester prediction models are embedded in daily clinical practice and combined with risk-dependent obstetric care paths. A multicenter prospective cohort study consisting of women who receive risk-dependent care is being performed from April 2017 to April 2018 (Expect Study II). Obstetric risk profiles will be calculated using a Web-based tool, the Expect prediction tool. The primary outcomes are the adherence of health care professionals and compliance of women. Secondary outcomes are patient satisfaction and cost-effectiveness. Outcome measures will be established using Web-based questionnaires. The secondary outcomes of the risk-dependent care cohort (Expect II) will be compared with the outcomes of a similar prospective cohort (Expect I). Women of this similar cohort received former care-as-usual and were prospectively included between July 1, 2013 and December 31, 2015 (Expect I). Currently, women are being recruited for the Expect Study II, and a total of 300 women are enrolled. This study will provide information about the implementation and impact of a new approach in obstetric care using prediction models and risk-dependent obstetric care paths. Netherlands Trial Register NTR4143; http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=4143 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6t8ijtpd9). ©Pim van Montfort, Jessica PPM Willemse, Carmen D Dirksen, Ivo MA van Dooren, Linda JE Meertens, Marc EA Spaanderman, Maartje Zelis, Iris M Zwaan, Hubertina CJ Scheepers, Luc JM Smits. Originally published in JMIR

Physical activity and inflammatory markers over 10 years: follow-up in men and women from the Whitehall II cohort study.

PubMed

Hamer, Mark; Sabia, Severine; Batty, G David; Shipley, Martin J; Tabák, Adam G; Singh-Manoux, Archana; Kivimaki, Mika

2012-08-21

Inflammatory processes are putative mechanisms underlying the cardioprotective effects of physical activity. An inverse association between physical activity and inflammation has been demonstrated, but no long-term prospective data are available. We therefore examined the association between physical activity and inflammatory markers over a 10-year follow-up period. Participants were 4289 men and women (mean age, 49.2 years) from the Whitehall II cohort study. Self-reported physical activity and inflammatory markers (serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and interleukin-6) were measured at baseline (1991) and follow-up (2002). Forty-nine percent of the participants adhered to standard physical activity recommendations for cardiovascular health (2.5 h/wk moderate to vigorous physical activity) across all assessments. Physically active participants at baseline had lower C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 levels, and this difference remained stable over time. Compared with participants who rarely adhered to physical activity guidelines over the 10-year follow-up, the high-adherence group displayed lower log(e) C-reactive protein (β=-0.07; 95% confidence interval, -0.12 to -0.02) and log(e) interleukin-6 (β=-0.07; 95% confidence interval, -0.10 to -0.03) at follow-up after adjustment for a range of covariates. Compared with participants who remained stable, those who reported an increase in physical activity of at least 2.5 h/wk displayed lower log(e) C-reactive protein (β coefficient=-0.05; 95% confidence interval, -0.10 to -0.001) and log(e) interleukin-6 (β coefficient=-0.06; 95% confidence interval, -0.09 to -0.03) at follow-up. Regular physical activity is associated with lower markers of inflammation over 10 years of follow-up and thus may be important in preventing the proinflammatory state seen with aging.

Workplace bullying, sleep problems and leisure-time physical activity: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Hansen, Åse Marie; Gullander, Maria; Hogh, Annie; Persson, Roger; Kolstad, Henrik A; Willert, Morten Vejs; Bonde, Jens Peter; Kaerlev, Linda; Rugulies, Reiner; Grynderup, Matias Brødsgaard

2016-01-01

Workplace bullying is a potent stressor that may increase sleep problems. Since physical fitness improves resilience to stress, it seems plausible that recreational physical activities may moderate the association between bullying and sleep. The study aimed to examine prospectively whether (i) bullying increases the risk of sleep problems, and (ii) the association between bullying and sleep problems is moderated by leisure-time physical activity (LTPA). The study sample comprised a cohort of public and private sector employees, who were enrolled into the Work Bullying and Harassment (WBH) cohort (N=3278) or the Psychosocial Risk Factors for Stress and Mental Disease (PRISME) cohort (N=4455). We measured workplace bullying using one question that was preceded by a definition of bullying. We used the Karolinska sleep questionnaire to assess sleep problems. The number of hours per week spent on LTPA estimated the degree of physical activity. Workplace bullying at baseline (T1) was associated with awakening problems and lack of restful sleep at follow-up (T2) but not with overall sleep problems and disturbed sleep. T1-LTPA did not moderate the association between T1-workplace bullying and T2-sleep problems. We found support that workplace bullying is related to development of T2-sleep problems, but this association seems not to be modified by LTPA.

Cohort profile: The lidA Cohort Study—a German Cohort Study on Work, Age, Health and Work Participation

PubMed Central

Hasselhorn, Hans Martin; Peter, Richard; Rauch, Angela; Schröder, Helmut; Swart, Enno; Bender, Stefan; du Prel, Jean-Baptist; Ebener, Melanie; March, Stefanie; Trappmann, Mark; Steinwede, Jacob; Müller, Bernd Hans

2014-01-01

The lidA Cohort Study (German Cohort Study on Work, Age, Health and Work Participation) was set up to investigate and follow the effects of work and work context on the physical and psychological health of the ageing workforce in Germany and subsequently on work participation. Cohort participants are initially employed people subject to social security contributions and born in either 1959 (n = 2909) or 1965 (n = 3676). They were personally interviewed in their homes in 2011 and will be visited every 3 years. Data collection comprises socio-demographic data, work and private exposures, work ability, work and work participation attitudes, health, health-related behaviour, personality and attitudinal indicators. Employment biographies are assessed using register data. Subjective health reports and physical strength measures are complemented by health insurance claims data, where permission was given. A conceptual framework has been developed for the lidA Cohort Study within which three confirmatory sub-models assess the interdependencies of work and health considering age, gender and socioeconomic status. The first set of the data will be available to the scientific community by 2015. Access will be given by the Research Data Centre of the German Federal Employment Agency at the Institute for Employment Research (http://fdz.iab.de/en.aspx). PMID:24618186

Picking up Clues from the Discard Pile (Stereo)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

As NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander excavates trenches, it also builds piles with most of the material scooped from the holes. The piles, like this one called 'Caterpillar,' provide researchers some information about the soil.

On Aug. 24, 2008, during the late afternoon of the 88th Martian day after landing, Phoenix's Surface Stereo Imager took separate exposures through its left eye and right eye that have been combined into this stereo view. The image appears three dimensional when seen through red-blue glasses.

This conical pile of soil is about 10 centimeters (4 inches) tall. The sources of material that the robotic arm has dropped onto the Caterpillar pile have included the 'Dodo' and ''Upper Cupboard' trenches and, more recently, the deeper 'Stone Soup' trench.

Observations of the pile provide information, such as the slope of the cone and the textures of the soil, that helps scientists understand properties of material excavated from the trenches.

For the Stone Soup trench in particular, which is about 18 centimeters (7 inches) deep, the bottom of the trench is in shadow and more difficult to observe than other trenches that Phoenix has dug. The Phoenix team obtained spectral clues about the composition of material from the bottom of Stone Soup by photographing Caterpillar through 15 different filters of the Surface Stereo Imager when the pile was covered in freshly excavated material from the trench.

The spectral observation did not produce any sign of water-ice, just typical soil for the site. However, the bigger clumps do show a platy texture that could be consistent with elevated concentration of salts in the soil from deep in Stone Soup. The team chose that location as the source for a soil sample to be analyzed in the lander's wet chemistry laboratory, which can identify soluble salts in the soil.

The Phoenix Mission is led by the University of Arizona, Tucson, on behalf of NASA. Project management of the mission is by NASA

Effect of Cu(II), Cd(II) and Zn(II) on Pb(II) biosorption by algae Gelidium-derived materials.

PubMed

Vilar, Vítor J P; Botelho, Cidália M S; Boaventura, Rui A R

2008-06-15

Biosorption of Pb(II), Cu(II), Cd(II) and Zn(II) from binary metal solutions onto the algae Gelidium sesquipedale, an algal industrial waste and a waste-based composite material was investigated at pH 5.3, in a batch system. Binary Pb(II)/Cu(II), Pb(II)/Cd(II) and Pb(II)/Zn(II) solutions have been tested. For the same equilibrium concentrations of both metal ions (1 mmol l(-1)), approximately 66, 85 and 86% of the total uptake capacity of the biosorbents is taken by lead ions in the systems Pb(II)/Cu(II), Pb(II)/Cd(II) and Pb(II)/Zn(II), respectively. Two-metal results were fitted to a discrete and a continuous model, showing the inhibition of the primary metal biosorption by the co-cation. The model parameters suggest that Cd(II) and Zn(II) have the same decreasing effect on the Pb(II) uptake capacity. The uptake of Pb(II) was highly sensitive to the presence of Cu(II). From the discrete model it was possible to obtain the Langmuir affinity constant for Pb(II) biosorption. The presence of the co-cations decreases the apparent affinity of Pb(II). The experimental results were successfully fitted by the continuous model, at different pH values, for each biosorbent. The following sequence for the equilibrium affinity constants was found: Pb>Cu>Cd approximately Zn.

Long-term effects on adult attachment in German occupation children born after World War II in comparison with a birth-cohort-matched representative sample of the German general population.

PubMed

Kaiser, Marie; Kuwert, Philipp; Braehler, Elmar; Glaesmer, Heide

2018-02-01

Children born of war are a phenomenon of every conflict. At the end of World War II and thereafter, approximately 400,000 children were fathered by foreign soldiers and born to local women in Germany. Quantitative research on psychosocial consequences of growing up as German occupation child (GOC) has been missing so far. This study examines adult attachment and its association with current depression in GOC (N = 146) using self-report instruments: Adult Attachment Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire. Data were compared to a birth-cohort-matched representative sample of the German population (BCMS; N = 786). GOC differ in both attachment dimensions (less comfortable with closeness/intimacy, lowered ability to depend on others) and adult attachment (more dismissive and fearful) compared to BCMS. Insecure adult attachment is associated with current depression. GOC grew up under difficult circumstances (e.g. poverty, adverse events, and stigmatization). Even decades later they display more insecure attachment in current relationships. Findings underline the complex and long-term impact of their developmental conditions on attachment and current mental health.

African hair length in a school population: a clue to disease pathogenesis?

PubMed

Khumalo, N P; Gumedze, F

2007-09-01

Anecdotal data suggest that combed natural African hair reaches a length steady state. Easier grooming and anticipated long hair have made relaxers popular. These hypotheses were tested in a cross-sectional survey of 1042 school children using a piloted questionnaire and hair length measurements done on four scalp regions. Participants included 45% boys and 55% girls. Girls consider length important for hairstyle choice (P < 0.0001). There was no difference in mean length at 2 to 5 vs. > 5 years (P = 0.3) and at 1 to < 2 vs. 2 to 5 years (P = 0.99), suggesting that a steady state is reached within 1 year after a hair cut for combed natural hair [mean, 5.1 cm (4.3)]. Relaxed hair reached length steady state > 2 years after a haircut [mean, 10.9 cm (3.6)], was longer than natural hair (P < 0.0001), shorter than expected, and significantly shorter on the occiput than the rest of the scalp (P < 0.0001). Persistently short combed natural hair years after a hair cut suggests that breakage eventually equals new growth (i.e., steady state), which is likely to be variable. Relaxed hair, irrespective of last haircut, is also short; chemical damage as a limit to potential lengths needs confirmation. Relatively short occipital relaxed hair could be a clue to disease pathogenesis.

EMISSIONS PROFILE CHARACTERIZATION OF LAKE MICHIGAN POLLUTANT SOURCES - PART II

EPA Science Inventory

The southern Lake Michigan area continues to experience poor air quality despite the implementation of many measures to control particulate matter, ozone and toxic pollutants. Fortunately, the ambient atmosphere holds clues to these sources and their contributions to urban pollut...

Free metal ion depletion by "Good's" buffers. III. N-(2-acetamido)iminodiacetic acid, 2:1 complexes with zinc(II), cobalt(II), nickel(II), and copper(II); amide deprotonation by Zn(II), Co(II), and Cu(II).

PubMed

Lance, E A; Rhodes, C W; Nakon, R

1983-09-01

Potentiometric, visible, infrared, electron spin, and nuclear magnetic resonance studies of the complexation of N-(2-acetamido)iminodiacetic acid (H2ADA) by Ca(II), Mg(II), Mn(II), Zn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II) are reported. Ca(II) and Mg(II) were found not to form 2:1 ADA2- to M(II) complexes, while Mn(II), Cu(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), and Co(II) did form 2:1 metal chelates at or below physiological pH values. Co(II) and Zn(II), but not Cu(II), were found to induce stepwise deprotonation of the amide groups to form [M(H-1ADA)4-(2)]. Formation (affinity) constants for the various metal complexes are reported, and the probable structures of the various metal chelates in solution are discussed on the basis of various spectral data.

Dinuclear complexes containing linear M-F-M [M = Mn(II), Fe(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II)] bridges: trends in structures, antiferromagnetic superexchange interactions, and spectroscopic properties.

PubMed

Reger, Daniel L; Pascui, Andrea E; Smith, Mark D; Jezierska, Julia; Ozarowski, Andrew

2012-11-05

The reaction of M(BF(4))(2)·xH(2)O, where M is Fe(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), and Cd(II), with the new ditopic ligand m-bis[bis(3,5-dimethyl-1-pyrazolyl)methyl]benzene (L(m)*) leads to the formation of monofluoride-bridged dinuclear metallacycles of the formula [M(2)(μ-F)(μ-L(m)*)(2)](BF(4))(3). The analogous manganese(II) species, [Mn(2)(μ-F)(μ-L(m)*)(2)](ClO(4))(3), was isolated starting with Mn(ClO(4))(2)·6H(2)O using NaBF(4) as the source of the bridging fluoride. In all of these complexes, the geometry around the metal centers is trigonal bipyramidal, and the fluoride bridges are linear. The (1)H, (13)C, and (19)F NMR spectra of the zinc(II) and cadmium(II) compounds and the (113)Cd NMR of the cadmium(II) compound indicate that the metallacycles retain their structure in acetonitrile and acetone solution. The compounds with M = Mn(II), Fe(II), Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II) are antiferromagnetically coupled, although the magnitude of the coupling increases dramatically with the metal as one moves to the right across the periodic table: Mn(II) (-6.7 cm(-1)) < Fe(II) (-16.3 cm(-1)) < Co(II) (-24.1 cm(-1)) < Ni(II) (-39.0 cm(-1)) ≪ Cu(II) (-322 cm(-1)). High-field EPR spectra of the copper(II) complexes were interpreted using the coupled-spin Hamiltonian with g(x) = 2.150, g(y) = 2.329, g(z) = 2.010, D = 0.173 cm(-1), and E = 0.089 cm(-1). Interpretation of the EPR spectra of the iron(II) and manganese(II) complexes required the spin Hamiltonian using the noncoupled spin operators of two metal ions. The values g(x) = 2.26, g(y) = 2.29, g(z) = 1.99, J = -16.0 cm(-1), D(1) = -9.89 cm(-1), and D(12) = -0.065 cm(-1) were obtained for the iron(II) complex and g(x) = g(y) = g(z) = 2.00, D(1) = -0.3254 cm(-1), E(1) = -0.0153, J = -6.7 cm(-1), and D(12) = 0.0302 cm(-1) were found for the manganese(II) complex. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the exchange integrals and the zero-field splitting on manganese(II) and iron(II) ions were performed

Binding Selectivity of Methanobactin from Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b for Copper(I), Silver(I), Zinc(II), Nickel(II), Cobalt(II), Manganese(II), Lead(II), and Iron(II).

PubMed

McCabe, Jacob W; Vangala, Rajpal; Angel, Laurence A

2017-12-01

Methanobactin (Mb) from Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b is a member of a class of metal binding peptides identified in methanotrophic bacteria. Mb will selectively bind and reduce Cu(II) to Cu(I), and is thought to mediate the acquisition of the copper cofactor for the enzyme methane monooxygenase. These copper chelating properties of Mb make it potentially useful as a chelating agent for treatment of diseases where copper plays a role including Wilson's disease, cancers, and neurodegenerative diseases. Utilizing traveling wave ion mobility-mass spectrometry (TWIMS), the competition for the Mb copper binding site from Ag(I), Pb(II), Co(II), Fe(II), Mn(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II) has been determined by a series of metal ion titrations, pH titrations, and metal ion displacement titrations. The TWIMS analyses allowed for the explicit identification and quantification of all the individual Mb species present during the titrations and measured their collision cross-sections and collision-induced dissociation patterns. The results showed Ag(I) and Ni(II) could irreversibly bind to Mb and not be effectively displaced by Cu(I), whereas Ag(I) could also partially displace Cu(I) from the Mb complex. At pH ≈ 6.5, the Mb binding selectivity follows the order Ag(I)≈Cu(I)>Ni(II)≈Zn(II)>Co(II)>Mn(II)≈Pb(II)>Fe(II), and at pH 7.5 to 10.4 the order is Ag(I)>Cu(I)>Ni(II)>Co(II)>Zn(II)>Mn(II)≈Pb(II)>Fe(II). Breakdown curves of the disulfide reduced Cu(I) and Ag(I) complexes showed a correlation existed between their relative stability and their compact folded structure indicated by their CCS. Fluorescence spectroscopy, which allowed the determination of the binding constant, compared well with the TWIMS analyses, with the exception of the Ni(II) complex. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Age-period-cohort analysis of suicides among Japanese 1950-2003: a Bayesian cohort model analysis.

PubMed

Ooe, Yosuke; Ohno, Yuko; Nakamura, Takashi

2009-07-01

The suicide rate in Japan is one of the highest in the world and presents us with a considerable challenge. Demographic statistics show that the number of suicides is on the rise, and at roughly 30,000 people per year have committed suicide since 1998. Suicide trends are not only related to economic boom and bust but also to certain generations and age groups. During the 1950s, there was a remarkably high suicide rate among people in their 20s, and this cohort was identical to that of the middle-age generation in the 1980s. It is important to separately understand both the trend of suicide rates and the numbers analyzed to determine the different factors that influence suicide. These include age, time period, cohort, interaction between age and time period, and changes in population composition. We performed an age-period-cohort analysis of annual trends of suicide rates by age group in Japan using a Bayesian cohort model. With the help of the Nakamura method, we have been able to break down the effects of age, time period, cohort, and the age-by-period interaction. The cohort comprised of people born in the 1930s demonstrated a relatively high suicide rate. Men currently in their 50s also belong to a high suicide rate cohort. Regarding the period effect, business cycles and by-period interaction effect, it became apparent that the high suicide rate among young adults in their early 20s around 1960 was slowing, especially among men. Instead, there was an obvious recent trend for men in their late 50s to have the highest suicide rate. This study confirmed that age-period-cohort analysis can describe these trends of suicide mortality of the Japanese.

Returning findings within longitudinal cohort studies: the 1958 birth cohort as an exemplar.

PubMed

Wallace, Susan E; Walker, Neil M; Elliott, Jane

2014-01-01

Population-based, prospective longitudinal cohort studies are considering the issues surrounding returning findings to individuals as a result of genomic and other medical research studies. While guidance is being developed for clinical settings, the process is less clear for those conducting longitudinal research. This paper discusses work conducted on behalf of The UK Cohort and Longitudinal Study Enhancement Resource programme (CLOSER) to examine consent requirements, process considerations and specific examples of potential findings in the context of the 1958 British Birth cohort. Beyond deciding which findings to return, there are questions of whether re-consent is needed and the possible impact on the study, how the feedback process will be managed, and what resources are needed to support that process. Recommendations are made for actions a cohort study should consider taking when making vital decisions regarding returning findings. Any decisions need to be context-specific, arrived at transparently, communicated clearly, and in the best interests of both the participants and the study.

Binding Selectivity of Methanobactin from Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b for Copper(I), Silver(I), Zinc(II), Nickel(II), Cobalt(II), Manganese(II), Lead(II), and Iron(II)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCabe, Jacob W.; Vangala, Rajpal; Angel, Laurence A.

2017-12-01

Methanobactin (Mb) from Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b is a member of a class of metal binding peptides identified in methanotrophic bacteria. Mb will selectively bind and reduce Cu(II) to Cu(I), and is thought to mediate the acquisition of the copper cofactor for the enzyme methane monooxygenase. These copper chelating properties of Mb make it potentially useful as a chelating agent for treatment of diseases where copper plays a role including Wilson's disease, cancers, and neurodegenerative diseases. Utilizing traveling wave ion mobility-mass spectrometry (TWIMS), the competition for the Mb copper binding site from Ag(I), Pb(II), Co(II), Fe(II), Mn(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II) has been determined by a series of metal ion titrations, pH titrations, and metal ion displacement titrations. The TWIMS analyses allowed for the explicit identification and quantification of all the individual Mb species present during the titrations and measured their collision cross-sections and collision-induced dissociation patterns. The results showed Ag(I) and Ni(II) could irreversibly bind to Mb and not be effectively displaced by Cu(I), whereas Ag(I) could also partially displace Cu(I) from the Mb complex. At pH ≈ 6.5, the Mb binding selectivity follows the order Ag(I)≈Cu(I)>Ni(II)≈Zn(II)>Co(II)>>Mn(II)≈Pb(II)>Fe(II), and at pH 7.5 to 10.4 the order is Ag(I)>Cu(I)>Ni(II)>Co(II)>Zn(II)>Mn(II)≈Pb(II)>Fe(II). Breakdown curves of the disulfide reduced Cu(I) and Ag(I) complexes showed a correlation existed between their relative stability and their compact folded structure indicated by their CCS. Fluorescence spectroscopy, which allowed the determination of the binding constant, compared well with the TWIMS analyses, with the exception of the Ni(II) complex. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Alcohol-Related Diagnoses in Hospital Admissions for All Causes Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Trends and Cohort Differences From 1993 to 2010.

PubMed

Sacco, Paul; Unick, George Jay; Kuerbis, Alexis; Koru, A Güneş; Moore, Alison A

2015-12-01

This aim of this study was to characterize trends in alcohol-related hospital admissions among middle-aged and older adults from 1993 to 2010 in relation to age, gender, race, and cohort membership. This study utilized repeated cross-sectional data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Using alcohol-related classified admissions, yearly rates and longitudinal trends of alcohol-related inpatient hospitalizations based on age, period, birth cohort, gender, and race were estimated. Among those aged 45 and older, admissions rose from an estimated 610,634 to more than 1,134,876, and rates of any alcohol-related diagnosis also increased from 1993 to 2010. Rates for men were consistently higher than women, and rates for Blacks were higher than Whites. Age was associated with decreasing rates, but post-World War II cohorts displayed higher rates over time. Rates of alcohol-related admissions are increasing among adults above age 45, which may be a function of cohort effects. Training the health care workforce is crucial to respond to this trend. © The Author(s) 2015.

Age, time period, and birth cohort differences in self-esteem: Reexamining a cohort-sequential longitudinal study.

PubMed

Twenge, Jean M; Carter, Nathan T; Campbell, W Keith

2017-05-01

Orth, Trzesniewski, and Robins (2010) concluded that the nationally representative Americans' Changing Lives (ACL) cohort-sequential study demonstrated moderate to large age differences in self-esteem, and no birth cohort (generational) differences in the age trajectory. In a reanalysis of these data using 2 different statistical techniques, we find significant increases in self-esteem that could be attributed to birth cohort or time period. First, hierarchical linear modeling analyses with birth cohort as a continuous variable (vs. the multiple group formulation used by Orth et al.) find that birth cohort has a measurable influence on self-esteem through its interaction with age. Participants born in later years (e.g., 1960) were higher in self-esteem and were more likely to increase in self-esteem as they aged than participants born in earlier years (e.g., 1920). However, the estimated age trajectory up to age 60 is similar in Orth et al.'s results and in the results from our analyses including cohort. Second, comparing ACL respondents of the same age in 1986 versus 2002 (a time-lag design) yields significant birth cohort differences in self-esteem, with 2002 participants of the same age higher in self-esteem than those in 1986. Combined with some previous studies finding significant increases in self-esteem and positive self-views over time, these results suggest that cultural change in the form of cohort and time period cannot be ignored as influences in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Homogamy and Intermarriage of Japanese and Japanese Americans With Whites Surrounding World War II

PubMed Central

Ono, Hiromi; Berg, Justin

2010-01-01

Although some sociologists have suggested that Japanese Americans quickly assimilated into mainstream America, scholars of Japanese America have highlighted the heightened exclusion that the group experienced. This study tracked historical shifts in the exclusion level of Japanese and Japanese Americans in the United States surrounding World War II with homogamy and intermarriage with Whites for the prewar (1930–1940) and resettlement (1946–1966) marriage cohorts. The authors applied log-linear models to census microsamples (N = 1,590,416) to estimate the odds ratios of homogamy versus intermarriage. The unadjusted odds ratios of Japanese Americans declined between cohorts and appeared to be consistent with the assimilation hypothesis. Once compositional influences and educational pairing patterns were adjusted, however, the odds ratios increased and supported the heightened exclusion hypothesis. PMID:21116449

International Childhood Cancer Cohort Consortium

Cancer.gov

An alliance of several large-scale prospective cohort studies of children to pool data and biospecimens from individual cohorts to study various modifiable and genetic factors in relation to cancer risk

34 CFR 668.185 - Draft cohort default rates and your ability to challenge before official cohort default rates are...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Draft cohort default rates and your ability to... OF EDUCATION STUDENT ASSISTANCE GENERAL PROVISIONS Two Year Cohort Default Rates § 668.185 Draft...) General. (1) We notify you of your draft cohort default rate before your official cohort default rate is...

34 CFR 668.185 - Draft cohort default rates and your ability to challenge before official cohort default rates are...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Draft cohort default rates and your ability to... OF EDUCATION STUDENT ASSISTANCE GENERAL PROVISIONS Two Year Cohort Default Rates § 668.185 Draft...) General. (1) We notify you of your draft cohort default rate before your official cohort default rate is...

34 CFR 668.185 - Draft cohort default rates and your ability to challenge before official cohort default rates are...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Draft cohort default rates and your ability to... OF EDUCATION STUDENT ASSISTANCE GENERAL PROVISIONS Two Year Cohort Default Rates § 668.185 Draft...) General. (1) We notify you of your draft cohort default rate before your official cohort default rate is...

34 CFR 668.185 - Draft cohort default rates and your ability to challenge before official cohort default rates are...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Draft cohort default rates and your ability to... OF EDUCATION STUDENT ASSISTANCE GENERAL PROVISIONS Two Year Cohort Default Rates § 668.185 Draft...) General. (1) We notify you of your draft cohort default rate before your official cohort default rate is...

Mutation update and uncommon phenotypes in a French cohort of 96 patients with WFS1-related disorders.

PubMed

Chaussenot, A; Rouzier, C; Quere, M; Plutino, M; Ait-El-Mkadem, S; Bannwarth, S; Barth, M; Dollfus, H; Charles, P; Nicolino, M; Chabrol, B; Vialettes, B; Paquis-Flucklinger, V

2015-05-01

WFS1 mutations are responsible for Wolfram syndrome (WS) characterized by juvenile-onset diabetes mellitus and optic atrophy, and for low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss (LFSNHL). Our aim was to analyze the French cohort of 96 patients with WFS1-related disorders in order (i) to update clinical and molecular data with 37 novel affected individuals, (ii) to describe uncommon phenotypes and, (iii) to precise the frequency of large-scale rearrangements in WFS1. We performed quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 13 patients, carrying only one heterozygous variant, to identify large-scale rearrangements in WFS1. Among the 37 novel patients, 15 carried 15 novel deleterious putative mutations, including one large deletion of 17,444 base pairs. The analysis of the cohort revealed unexpected phenotypes including (i) late-onset symptoms in 13.8% of patients with a probable autosomal recessive transmission; (ii) two siblings with recessive optic atrophy without diabetes mellitus and, (iii) six patients from four families with dominantly-inherited deafness and optic atrophy. We highlight the expanding spectrum of WFS1-related disorders and we show that, even if large deletions are rare events, they have to be searched in patients with classical WS carrying only one WFS1 mutation after sequencing. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Approximation of the breast height diameter distribution of two-cohort stands by mixture models II Goodness-of-fit tests

Treesearch

Rafal Podlaski; Francis .A. Roesch

2013-01-01

The goals of this study are (1) to analyse the accuracy of the approximation of empirical distributions of diameter at breast height (dbh) using two-component mixtures of either the Weibull distribution or the gamma distribution in two−cohort stands, and (2) to discuss the procedure of choosing goodness−of−fit tests. The study plots were...

The Hokkaido Birth Cohort Study on Environment and Children's Health: cohort profile-updated 2017.

PubMed

Kishi, Reiko; Araki, Atsuko; Minatoya, Machiko; Hanaoka, Tomoyuki; Miyashita, Chihiro; Itoh, Sachiko; Kobayashi, Sumitaka; Ait Bamai, Yu; Yamazaki, Keiko; Miura, Ryu; Tamura, Naomi; Ito, Kumiko; Goudarzi, Houman

2017-05-18

The Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health is an ongoing study consisting of two birth cohorts of different population sizes: the Sapporo cohort and the Hokkaido cohort. Our primary study goals are (1) to examine the effects of low-level environmental chemical exposures on birth outcomes, including birth defects and growth retardation; (2) to follow the development of allergies, infectious diseases, and neurobehavioral developmental disorders and perform a longitudinal observation of child development; (3) to identify high-risk groups based on genetic susceptibility to environmental chemicals; and (4) to identify the additive effects of various chemicals, including tobacco smoking. The purpose of this report is to update the progress of the Hokkaido Study, to summarize the recent results, and to suggest future directions. In particular, this report provides the basic characteristics of the cohort populations, discusses the population remaining in the cohorts and those who were lost to follow-up at birth, and introduces the newly added follow-up studies and case-cohort study design. In the Sapporo cohort of 514 enrolled pregnant women, various specimens, including maternal and cord blood, maternal hair, and breast milk, were collected for the assessment of exposures to dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides, perfluoroalkyl substances, phthalates, bisphenol A, and methylmercury. As follow-ups, face-to-face neurobehavioral developmental tests were conducted at several different ages. In the Hokkaido cohort of 20,926 enrolled pregnant women, the prevalence of complicated pregnancies and birth outcomes, such as miscarriage, stillbirth, low birth weight, preterm birth, and small for gestational age were examined. The levels of exposure to environmental chemicals were relatively low in these study populations compared to those reported previously. We also studied environmental chemical exposure in association with health outcomes

Validation of CRIB II for prediction of mortality in premature babies.

PubMed

Rastogi, Pallav Kumar; Sreenivas, V; Kumar, Nirmal

2010-02-01

Validation of Clinical Risk Index for Babies (CRIB II) score in predicting the neonatal mortality in preterm neonates < or = 32 weeks gestational age. Prospective cohort study. Tertiary care neonatal unit. 86 consecutively born preterm neonates with gestational age < or = 32 weeks. The five variables related to CRIB II were recorded within the first hour of admission for data analysis. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was used to check the accuracy of the mortality prediction. HL Goodness of fit test was used to see the discrepancy between observed and expected outcomes. A total of 86 neonates (males 59.6% mean birthweight: 1228 +/- 398 grams; mean gestational age: 28.3 +/- 2.4 weeks) were enrolled in the study, of which 17 (19.8%) left hospital against medical advice (LAMA) before reaching the study end point. Among 69 neonates completing the study, 24 (34.8%) had adverse outcome during hospital stay and 45 (65.2%) had favorable outcome. CRIB II correctly predicted adverse outcome in 90.3% (Hosmer Lemeshow goodness of fit test P=0.6). Area under curve (AUC) for CRIB II was 0.9032. In intention to treat analysis with LAMA cases included as survivors, the mortality prediction was 87%. If these were included as having died then mortality prediction was 83.1%. The CRIB II score was found to be a good predictive instrument for mortality in preterm infants < or = 32 weeks gestation.

Japanese Legacy Cohorts: The Life Span Study Atomic Bomb Survivor Cohort and Survivors’ Offspring

PubMed Central

Grant, Eric J; Kodama, Kazunori

2018-01-01

Cohorts of atomic bomb survivors—including those exposed in utero—and children conceived after parental exposure were established to investigate late health effects of atomic bomb radiation and its transgenerational effects by the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC) in the 1950s. ABCC was reorganized to the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF) in 1975, and all work has been continued at RERF. The Life Span Study, the cohort of survivors, consists of about 120,000 subjects and has been followed since 1950. Cohorts of in utero survivors and the survivors’ children include about 3,600 and 77,000 subjects, respectively, and have been followed since 1945. Atomic bomb radiation dose was estimated for each subject based on location at the time of the bombing and shielding conditions from exposure, which were obtained through enormous efforts of investigators and cooperation of subjects. Outcomes include vital status, cause of death, and cancer incidence. In addition, sub-cohorts of these three cohorts were constructed to examine clinical features of late health effects, and the subjects have been invited to periodic health examinations at clinics of ABCC and RERF. They were also asked to donate biosamples for biomedical investigations. Epidemiological studies have observed increased radiation risks for malignant diseases among survivors, including those exposed in utero, and possible risks for some non-cancer diseases. In children of survivors, no increased risks due to parental exposure to radiation have been observed for malignancies or other diseases, but investigations are continuing, as these cohorts are still relatively young. PMID:29553058

Japanese Legacy Cohorts: The Life Span Study Atomic Bomb Survivor Cohort and Survivors' Offspring.

PubMed

Ozasa, Kotaro; Grant, Eric J; Kodama, Kazunori

2018-04-05

Cohorts of atomic bomb survivors-including those exposed in utero-and children conceived after parental exposure were established to investigate late health effects of atomic bomb radiation and its transgenerational effects by the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission (ABCC) in the 1950s. ABCC was reorganized to the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF) in 1975, and all work has been continued at RERF. The Life Span Study, the cohort of survivors, consists of about 120,000 subjects and has been followed since 1950. Cohorts of in utero survivors and the survivors' children include about 3,600 and 77,000 subjects, respectively, and have been followed since 1945. Atomic bomb radiation dose was estimated for each subject based on location at the time of the bombing and shielding conditions from exposure, which were obtained through enormous efforts of investigators and cooperation of subjects. Outcomes include vital status, cause of death, and cancer incidence. In addition, sub-cohorts of these three cohorts were constructed to examine clinical features of late health effects, and the subjects have been invited to periodic health examinations at clinics of ABCC and RERF. They were also asked to donate biosamples for biomedical investigations. Epidemiological studies have observed increased radiation risks for malignant diseases among survivors, including those exposed in utero, and possible risks for some non-cancer diseases. In children of survivors, no increased risks due to parental exposure to radiation have been observed for malignancies or other diseases, but investigations are continuing, as these cohorts are still relatively young.

Cohort profile: the National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS) in Korea

PubMed Central

Seong, Sang Cheol; Kim, Yeon-Yong; Park, Sue K; Khang, Young Ho; Kim, Hyeon Chang; Park, Jong Heon; Kang, Hee-Jin; Do, Cheol-Ho; Song, Jong-Sun; Lee, Eun-Joo; Ha, Seongjun; Shin, Soon Ae; Jeong, Seung-Lyeal

2017-01-01

Purpose The National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS) is a cohort of participants who participated in health screening programmes provided by the NHIS in the Republic of Korea. The NHIS constructed the NHIS-HEALS cohort database in 2015. The purpose of this cohort is to offer relevant and useful data for health researchers, especially in the field of non-communicable diseases and health risk factors, and policy-maker. Participants To construct the NHIS-HEALS database, a sample cohort was first selected from the 2002 and 2003 health screening participants, who were aged between 40 and 79 in 2002 and followed up through 2013. This cohort included 514 866 health screening participants who comprised a random selection of 10% of all health screening participants in 2002 and 2003. Findings to date The age-standardised prevalence of anaemia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, hypercholesterolaemia and abnormal urine protein were 9.8%, 8.2%, 35.6%, 2.7%, 14.2% and 2.0%, respectively. The age-standardised mortality rate for the first 2 years (through 2004) was 442.0 per 100 000 person-years, while the rate for 10 years (through 2012) was 865.9 per 100 000 person-years. The most common cause of death was malignant neoplasm in both sexes (364.1 per 100 000 person-years for men, 128.3 per 100 000 person-years for women). Future plans This database can be used to study the risk factors of non-communicable diseases and dental health problems, which are important health issues that have not yet been fully investigated. The cohort will be maintained and continuously updated by the NHIS. PMID:28947447

The decline in BMI among Japanese women after World War II.

PubMed

Maruyama, Shiko; Nakamura, Sayaka

2015-07-01

The body mass index (BMI) of the Japanese is significantly lower than is found in other high-income countries. Moreover, the average BMI of Japanese women is lower than that of Japanese men, and the age-specific BMI of Japanese women has decreased over time. The average BMI of Japanese women at age 25 decreased from 21.8 in 1948 to 20.4 in 2010 whereas that of men increased from 21.4 to 22.3 over the same period. We examine the long-term BMI trend in Japan by combining several historical data sources spanning eleven decades, from 1901 to 2012, to determine not only when but also how the BMI decline among women began: whether its inception was period-specific or cohort-specific. Our nonparametric regression analysis generated five findings. First, the BMI of Japanese women peaked with the 1930s birth cohort. This means that the trend is cohort-specific. Second, the BMI of men outpaced that of women in the next cohort. Third, the BMI of Japanese children, boys and girls alike, increased steadily throughout the 20th century. Fourth, the gender difference in the BMI trend is due to a gender difference in the weight trend, not the height trend. Fifth, these BMI trends are observed in urban and rural populations alike. We conclude that the BMI decline among Japanese women began with those who were in their late teens shortly after World War II. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nested Cohort - R software package

Cancer.gov

NestedCohort is an R software package for fitting Kaplan-Meier and Cox Models to estimate standardized survival and attributable risks for studies where covariates of interest are observed on only a sample of the cohort.

A comparison of Cox and logistic regression for use in genome-wide association studies of cohort and case-cohort design.

PubMed

Staley, James R; Jones, Edmund; Kaptoge, Stephen; Butterworth, Adam S; Sweeting, Michael J; Wood, Angela M; Howson, Joanna M M

2017-06-01

Logistic regression is often used instead of Cox regression to analyse genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and disease outcomes with cohort and case-cohort designs, as it is less computationally expensive. Although Cox and logistic regression models have been compared previously in cohort studies, this work does not completely cover the GWAS setting nor extend to the case-cohort study design. Here, we evaluated Cox and logistic regression applied to cohort and case-cohort genetic association studies using simulated data and genetic data from the EPIC-CVD study. In the cohort setting, there was a modest improvement in power to detect SNP-disease associations using Cox regression compared with logistic regression, which increased as the disease incidence increased. In contrast, logistic regression had more power than (Prentice weighted) Cox regression in the case-cohort setting. Logistic regression yielded inflated effect estimates (assuming the hazard ratio is the underlying measure of association) for both study designs, especially for SNPs with greater effect on disease. Given logistic regression is substantially more computationally efficient than Cox regression in both settings, we propose a two-step approach to GWAS in cohort and case-cohort studies. First to analyse all SNPs with logistic regression to identify associated variants below a pre-defined P-value threshold, and second to fit Cox regression (appropriately weighted in case-cohort studies) to those identified SNPs to ensure accurate estimation of association with disease.

Cohort Profile: The International Childhood Cardiovascular Cohort (i3C) Consortium

PubMed Central

Dwyer, Terence; Sun, Cong; Magnussen, Costan G; Raitakari, Olli T; Schork, Nicholas J; Venn, Alison; Burns, Trudy L; Juonala, Markus; Steinberger, Julia; Sinaiko, Alan R; Prineas, Ronald J; Davis, Patricia H; Woo, Jessica G; Morrison, John A; Daniels, Stephen R; Chen, Wei; Srinivasan, Sathanur R; Viikari, Jorma SA; Berenson, Gerald S

2013-01-01

This is a consortium of large children's cohorts that contain measurements of major cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in childhood and had the ability to follow those cohorts into adulthood. The purpose of this consortium is to enable the pooling of data to increase power, most importantly for the follow-up of CVD events in adulthood. Within the consortium, we hope to be able to obtain data on the independent effects of childhood and early adult levels of CVD risk factors on subsequent CVD occurrence. PMID:22434861

Analysis of Clinical Cohort Data Using Nested Case-control and Case-cohort Sampling Designs. A Powerful and Economical Tool.

PubMed

Ohneberg, K; Wolkewitz, M; Beyersmann, J; Palomar-Martinez, M; Olaechea-Astigarraga, P; Alvarez-Lerma, F; Schumacher, M

2015-01-01

Sampling from a large cohort in order to derive a subsample that would be sufficient for statistical analysis is a frequently used method for handling large data sets in epidemiological studies with limited resources for exposure measurement. For clinical studies however, when interest is in the influence of a potential risk factor, cohort studies are often the first choice with all individuals entering the analysis. Our aim is to close the gap between epidemiological and clinical studies with respect to design and power considerations. Schoenfeld's formula for the number of events required for a Cox' proportional hazards model is fundamental. Our objective is to compare the power of analyzing the full cohort and the power of a nested case-control and a case-cohort design. We compare formulas for power for sampling designs and cohort studies. In our data example we simultaneously apply a nested case-control design with a varying number of controls matched to each case, a case cohort design with varying subcohort size, a random subsample and a full cohort analysis. For each design we calculate the standard error for estimated regression coefficients and the mean number of distinct persons, for whom covariate information is required. The formula for the power of a nested case-control design and the power of a case-cohort design is directly connected to the power of a cohort study using the well known Schoenfeld formula. The loss in precision of parameter estimates is relatively small compared to the saving in resources. Nested case-control and case-cohort studies, but not random subsamples yield an attractive alternative for analyzing clinical studies in the situation of a low event rate. Power calculations can be conducted straightforwardly to quantify the loss of power compared to the savings in the num-ber of patients using a sampling design instead of analyzing the full cohort.

Distributional patterns of arsenic concentrations in contaminant plumes offer clues to the source of arsenic in groundwater at landfills

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harte, Philip T.

2015-01-01

The distributional pattern of dissolved arsenic concentrations from landfill plumes can provide clues to the source of arsenic contamination. Under simple idealized conditions, arsenic concentrations along flow paths in aquifers proximal to a landfill will decrease under anthropogenic sources but potentially increase under in situ sources. This paper presents several conceptual distributional patterns of arsenic in groundwater based on the arsenic source under idealized conditions. An example of advanced subsurface mapping of dissolved arsenic with geophysical surveys, chemical monitoring, and redox fingerprinting is presented for a landfill site in New Hampshire with a complex flow pattern. Tools to assist in the mapping of arsenic in groundwater ultimately provide information on the source of contamination. Once an understanding of the arsenic contamination is achieved, appropriate remedial strategies can then be formulated.

Increased breast cancer mortality only in the lower education group: age-period-cohort effect in breast cancer mortality by educational level in South Korea, 1983-2012.

PubMed

Bahk, Jinwook; Jang, Sung-Mi; Jung-Choi, Kyunghee

2017-03-31

A steadily increasing pattern of breast cancer mortality has been reported in South Korea since the late 1980s. This paper explored the trends of educational inequalities of female breast cancer mortality between 1983 and 2012 in Korea, and conducted age-period-cohort (APC) analysis by educational level. Age-standardized mortality rates of breast cancer per 100,000 person-years were calculated. Relative index of inequality (RII) for breast cancer mortality was used as an inequality measure. APC analyses were conducted using the Web tool for APC analysis provided by the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics at the U.S. National Cancer Institute. An increasing trend in breast cancer mortality among Korean women between 1983 and 2012 was due to the increased mortality of the lower education groups (i.e., no formal education or primary education and secondary education groups), not the highest education group. The breast cancer mortality was higher in women with a tertiary education than in women with no education or a primary education during 1983-1992, and the reverse was true in 1993-2012. Consequently, RII was changed from positive to negative associations in the early 2000s. The lower education groups had the increased breast cancer mortality and significant cohort and period effects between 1983 and 2012, whereas the highest group did not. APC analysis by socioeconomic position used in this study could provide an important clue for the causes on breast cancer mortality. The long-term monitoring of socioeconomic patterning in breast cancer risk factors is urgently needed.

Associations of food and nutrient intakes with serum IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-3, TGF-b1, total SOD activity and sFas levels among middle-aged Japanese: the Japan Collaborative Cohort study.

PubMed

Maruyama, Koutatsu; Iso, Hiroyasu; Ito, Yoshinori; Watanabe, Yoshiyuki; Inaba, Yutaka; Tajima, Kazuo; Nakachi, Kei; Tamakoshi, Akiko

2009-12-01

No observational study has examined whether cancer-related biomarkers are associated with diet in Japanese. We therefore assessed sex-specific food and nutrient intakes according to serum IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-3, TGF-b1, total SOD activity and sFas levels, under a cross-sectional study of 10,350 control subjects who answered the food frequency questionnaire in the first-wave nested case-control study within the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study. For both men and women, IGF-I levels were associated with higher intakes of milk, fruits, green tea, calcium and vitamin C. IGF-II levels were associated with higher intakes of milk, yogurt, fruits and miso soup, and lower intakes of rice, coffee and carbohydrate. IGFBP-3 levels were associated with higher intakes of milk, yogurt, fruits and vitamin C, and lower intakes of rice, energy, protein, carbohydrate, sodium and polyunsaturated fatty acids. TGF-b1 levels were associated with lower intakes of coffee intakes, and higher intakes of miso soup and sodium. Total SOD activity levels were associated with lower intakes of most nutrients other than energy, carbohydrate, iron, copper, manganese, retinol equivalents, vitamin A, B2, B12, niacin, folic acid, vitamin C and fish fat. sFas levels were associated with higher intakes of manganese and folic acids. The results of the present study should help to account for findings on those biomarkers regarding risks of cancer and other lifestyle-related diseases in terms of dietary confounding as causality.

Short communication: quantitative comparison of iodothyronine deiodinase I and II mRNA expression in ovine tissues.

PubMed

Foroughi, Mohammad Ali; Dehghani, Hesam

2013-12-01

Iodothyronine deiodinases I and II (DIO1 and DIO2) remove iodine from T4 to convert it to a more biologically active T3. The relative contribution of different tissue deiodinases to the establishment of a euthyroid state in sheep is not known. The objective of this study was to quantitate the amounts of transcription of DIO1 and DIO2 deiodinases in different ovine tissues. Using RT-qPCR, we found that DIO1 deiodinase is transcribed in skeletal muscle, kidney, and heart, more than thyroid, in diaphragm in quantities very similar to thyroid, and in liver, spleen, lung, and mammary gland lower than thyroid. We also found that the level of DIO2 transcription in all other tissues was lower than that in thyroid. In clinical settings, measurement of DIO1 and DIO2 expression in a given tissue may provide important clues on the intensity of selenium deficiency and its effects on the metabolism of thyroid hormones. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cohort profile: the National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS) in Korea.

PubMed

Seong, Sang Cheol; Kim, Yeon-Yong; Park, Sue K; Khang, Young Ho; Kim, Hyeon Chang; Park, Jong Heon; Kang, Hee-Jin; Do, Cheol-Ho; Song, Jong-Sun; Lee, Eun-Joo; Ha, Seongjun; Shin, Soon Ae; Jeong, Seung-Lyeal

2017-09-24

The National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS) is a cohort of participants who participated in health screening programmes provided by the NHIS in the Republic of Korea. The NHIS constructed the NHIS-HEALS cohort database in 2015. The purpose of this cohort is to offer relevant and useful data for health researchers, especially in the field of non-communicable diseases and health risk factors, and policy-maker. To construct the NHIS-HEALS database, a sample cohort was first selected from the 2002 and 2003 health screening participants, who were aged between 40 and 79 in 2002 and followed up through 2013. This cohort included 514 866 health screening participants who comprised a random selection of 10% of all health screening participants in 2002 and 2003. The age-standardised prevalence of anaemia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity, hypercholesterolaemia and abnormal urine protein were 9.8%, 8.2%, 35.6%, 2.7%, 14.2% and 2.0%, respectively. The age-standardised mortality rate for the first 2 years (through 2004) was 442.0 per 100 000 person-years, while the rate for 10 years (through 2012) was 865.9 per 100 000 person-years. The most common cause of death was malignant neoplasm in both sexes (364.1 per 100 000 person-years for men, 128.3 per 100 000 person-years for women). This database can be used to study the risk factors of non-communicable diseases and dental health problems, which are important health issues that have not yet been fully investigated. The cohort will be maintained and continuously updated by the NHIS. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Animal models of Parkinson's disease: a source of novel treatments and clues to the cause of the disease

PubMed Central

Duty, Susan; Jenner, Peter

2011-01-01

Animal models of Parkinson's disease (PD) have proved highly effective in the discovery of novel treatments for motor symptoms of PD and in the search for clues to the underlying cause of the illness. Models based on specific pathogenic mechanisms may subsequently lead to the development of neuroprotective agents for PD that stop or slow disease progression. The array of available rodent models is large and ranges from acute pharmacological models, such as the reserpine- or haloperidol-treated rats that display one or more parkinsonian signs, to models exhibiting destruction of the dopaminergic nigro-striatal pathway, such as the classical 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) rat and 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) mouse models. All of these have provided test beds in which new molecules for treating the motor symptoms of PD can be assessed. In addition, the emergence of abnormal involuntary movements (AIMs) with repeated treatment of 6-OHDA-lesioned rats with L-DOPA has allowed for examination of the mechanisms responsible for treatment-related dyskinesia in PD, and the detection of molecules able to prevent or reverse their appearance. Other toxin-based models of nigro-striatal tract degeneration include the systemic administration of the pesticides rotenone and paraquat, but whilst providing clues to disease pathogenesis, these are not so commonly used for drug development. The MPTP-treated primate model of PD, which closely mimics the clinical features of PD and in which all currently used anti-parkinsonian medications have been shown to be effective, is undoubtedly the most clinically-relevant of all available models. The MPTP-treated primate develops clear dyskinesia when repeatedly exposed to L-DOPA, and these parkinsonian animals have shown responses to novel dopaminergic agents that are highly predictive of their effect in man. Whether non-dopaminergic drugs show the same degree of predictability of response is a matter of debate. As our

Animal models of Parkinson's disease: a source of novel treatments and clues to the cause of the disease.

PubMed

Duty, Susan; Jenner, Peter

2011-10-01

Animal models of Parkinson's disease (PD) have proved highly effective in the discovery of novel treatments for motor symptoms of PD and in the search for clues to the underlying cause of the illness. Models based on specific pathogenic mechanisms may subsequently lead to the development of neuroprotective agents for PD that stop or slow disease progression. The array of available rodent models is large and ranges from acute pharmacological models, such as the reserpine- or haloperidol-treated rats that display one or more parkinsonian signs, to models exhibiting destruction of the dopaminergic nigro-striatal pathway, such as the classical 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) rat and 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) mouse models. All of these have provided test beds in which new molecules for treating the motor symptoms of PD can be assessed. In addition, the emergence of abnormal involuntary movements (AIMs) with repeated treatment of 6-OHDA-lesioned rats with L-DOPA has allowed for examination of the mechanisms responsible for treatment-related dyskinesia in PD, and the detection of molecules able to prevent or reverse their appearance. Other toxin-based models of nigro-striatal tract degeneration include the systemic administration of the pesticides rotenone and paraquat, but whilst providing clues to disease pathogenesis, these are not so commonly used for drug development. The MPTP-treated primate model of PD, which closely mimics the clinical features of PD and in which all currently used anti-parkinsonian medications have been shown to be effective, is undoubtedly the most clinically-relevant of all available models. The MPTP-treated primate develops clear dyskinesia when repeatedly exposed to L-DOPA, and these parkinsonian animals have shown responses to novel dopaminergic agents that are highly predictive of their effect in man. Whether non-dopaminergic drugs show the same degree of predictability of response is a matter of debate. As our

Within-Cohort Age-Related Differences in Cognitive Functioning

PubMed Central

Salthouse, Timothy A.

2013-01-01

It is widely accepted that the level of cognitive functioning can be influenced by characteristics of the environment that change over time. Many developmental researchers have referred to these influences as cohort effects, and have used year of birth as the basis for determining cohort membership. Furthermore, age-related differences in cognitive functioning are sometimes assumed to be primarily attributable to cohort differences, which implies that differences between birth cohorts should be much larger than differences within birth cohorts. Comparisons of composite scores for five cognitive abilities in different people tested at different ages in different years revealed that within-cohort differences across ages were often as large as between-cohort differences across ages. These results lead to questions about the practice of relying on birth cohort to represent influences on cognitive functioning associated with temporal shifts in characteristics of the environment. PMID:23319401

The Netherlands Cohort Study−Meat Investigation Cohort; a population-based cohort over-represented with vegetarians, pescetarians and low meat consumers.

PubMed

Gilsing, Anne M J; Weijenberg, Matty P; Goldbohm, R Alexandra; Dagnelie, Pieter C; van den Brandt, Piet A; Schouten, Leo J

2013-11-29

Vegetarian diets have been associated with lower risk of chronic disease, but little is known about the health effects of low meat diets and the reliability of self-reported vegetarian status. We aimed to establish an analytical cohort over-represented with vegetarians, pescetarians and 1 day/week meat consumers, and to describe their lifestyle and dietary characteristics. In addition, we were able to compare self-reported vegetarians with vegetarians whose status has been confirmed by their response on the extensive food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Embedded within the Netherlands Cohort Study (n = 120,852; including 1150 self-reported vegetarians), the NLCS-Meat Investigation Cohort (NLCS-MIC) was defined by combining all FFQ-confirmed-vegetarians (n = 702), pescetarians (n = 394), and 1 day/week meat consumers (n = 1,396) from the total cohort with a random sample of 2-5 days/week- and 6-7 days/week meat consumers (n = 2,965 and 5,648, respectively). Vegetarians, pescetarians, and 1 day/week meat consumers had more favorable dietary intakes (e.g., higher fiber/vegetables) and lifestyle characteristics (e.g. lower smoking rates) compared to regular meat consumers in both sexes. Vegetarians adhered to their diet longer than pescetarians and 1 day/week meat consumers. 75% of vegetarians with a prevalent cancer at baseline had changed to this diet after diagnosis. 50% of self-reported vegetarians reported meat or fish consumption on the FFQ. Although the misclassification that occurred in terms of diet and lifestyle when merely relying on self-reporting was relatively small, the impact on associations with disease risk remains to be studied. We established an analytical cohort over-represented with persons at the lower end of the meat consumption spectrum which should facilitate prospective studies of major cancers and causes of death using ≥20.3 years of follow-up.

The fine structure of human germ layers in vivo: clues to the early differentiation of embryonic stem cells in vitro.

PubMed

Sathananthan, Henry; Selvaraj, Kamala; Clark, Joan

2011-08-01

The fine structure of the three germ layers in human ectopic embryos (stage 7) have been documented by digital light and electron microscopy. The formation of ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm and notochordal cells, and also the extraembryonic membranes, amnion and yolk sac, are imaged. The germ layers give rise to all the cells and tissues of the human body. Possible clues to the early differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESC) in vitro were obtained, since these events are more or less mimicked in cultures of ESC derived from the inner cell mass of human blastocysts. The findings are discussed with reference to previous studies on the fine structure of ESC using the same technique. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Coffee, caffeine, and risk of completed suicide: results from three prospective cohorts of American adults.

PubMed

Lucas, Michel; O'Reilly, Eilis J; Pan, An; Mirzaei, Fariba; Willett, Walter C; Okereke, Olivia I; Ascherio, Alberto

2014-07-01

To evaluate the association between coffee and caffeine consumption and suicide risk in three large-scale cohorts of US men and women. We accessed data of 43,599 men enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS, 1988-2008), 73,820 women in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS, 1992-2008), and 91,005 women in the NHS II (1993-2007). Consumption of caffeine, coffee, and decaffeinated coffee, was assessed every 4 years by validated food-frequency questionnaires. Deaths from suicide were determined by physician review of death certificates. Multivariate adjusted relative risks (RRs) were estimated with Cox proportional hazard models. Cohort specific RRs were pooled using random-effect models. We documented 277 deaths from suicide. Compared to those consuming ≤ 1 cup/week of caffeinated coffee (< 8 oz/237 ml), the pooled multivariate RR (95% confidence interval [CI]) of suicide was 0.55 (0.38-0.78) for those consuming 2-3 cups/day and 0.47 (0.27-0.81) for those consuming ≥ 4 cups/day (P trend < 0.001). The pooled multivariate RR (95% CI) for suicide was 0.75 (0.63-0.90) for each increment of 2 cups/day of caffeinated coffee and 0.77 (0.63-0.93) for each increment of 300 mg/day of caffeine. These results from three large cohorts support an association between caffeine consumption and lower risk of suicide.

Intake of coffee, caffeine and other methylxanthines and risk of Type I vs Type II endometrial cancer.

PubMed

Uccella, S; Mariani, A; Wang, A H; Vierkant, R A; Cliby, W A; Robien, K; Anderson, K E; Cerhan, J R

2013-10-01

Coffee and other sources of methylxanthines and risk of Type I vs Type II endometrial cancer (EC) have not been evaluated previously. Prospective cohort of 23,356 postmenopausal women with 471 Type I and 71 Type II EC cases. Type I EC was statistically significantly associated with caffeinated (relative risk (RR)=0.65 for 4+ cups per day vs ≤1 cup per month: 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.47-0.89) but not decaffeinated (RR=0.76; 95% CI: 0.50-1.15) coffee intake; there were no associations with tea, cola or chocolate, or for Type II EC. The inverse association with caffeinated coffee intake was specific to women with a body mass index 30+ kg m(-2) (RR=0.56; 95% CI: 0.36-0.89). Coffee may protect against Type I EC in obese postmenopausal women.

South Yorkshire Cohort: a 'cohort trials facility' study of health and weight - protocol for the recruitment phase.

PubMed

Relton, Clare; Bissell, Paul; Smith, Christine; Blackburn, Joanna; Cooper, Cindy L; Nicholl, Jon; Tod, Angela; Copeland, Rob; Loban, Amanda; Chater, Tim; Thomas, Kate; Young, Tracy; Weir, Carol; Harrison, Gill; Millbourn, Alison; Manners, Rachel

2011-08-11

Growing levels of both obesity and chronic disease in the general population pose a major public health problem. In the UK, an innovative 'health and weight' cohort trials facility, the 'South Yorkshire Cohort', is being built in order to provide robust evidence to inform policy, commissioning and clinical decisions in this field. This protocol reports the design of the facility and outlines the recruitment phase methods. The South Yorkshire Cohort health and weight study uses the cohort multiple randomised controlled trial design. This design recruits a large observational cohort of patients with the condition(s) of interest which then provides a facility for multiple randomised controlled trials (with large representative samples of participants, long term outcomes as standard, increased comparability between each trial conducted within the cohort and increased efficiency particularly for trials of expensive interventions) as well as ongoing information as to the natural history of the condition and treatment as usual.This study aims to recruit 20,000 participants to the population based South Yorkshire Cohort health and weight research trials facility. Participants are recruited by invitation letters from their General Practitioners. Data is collected using postal and/or online patient self completed Health Questionnaires. NHS numbers will be used to facilitate record linkage and access to routine data. Participants are eligible if they are: aged 16 - 85 years, registered with one of 40 practices in South Yorkshire, provide consent for further contact from the researchers and to have their information used to look at the benefit of health treatments. The first wave of data is being collected during 2010/12 and further waves are planned at 2 - 5 year intervals for the planned 20 year duration of the facility. The South Yorkshire Cohort combines the strengths of the standard observational, longitudinal cohort study design with a population based cohort facility

South Yorkshire Cohort: a 'cohort trials facility' study of health and weight - Protocol for the recruitment phase

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Growing levels of both obesity and chronic disease in the general population pose a major public health problem. In the UK, an innovative 'health and weight' cohort trials facility, the 'South Yorkshire Cohort', is being built in order to provide robust evidence to inform policy, commissioning and clinical decisions in this field. This protocol reports the design of the facility and outlines the recruitment phase methods. Method/Design The South Yorkshire Cohort health and weight study uses the cohort multiple randomised controlled trial design. This design recruits a large observational cohort of patients with the condition(s) of interest which then provides a facility for multiple randomised controlled trials (with large representative samples of participants, long term outcomes as standard, increased comparability between each trial conducted within the cohort and increased efficiency particularly for trials of expensive interventions) as well as ongoing information as to the natural history of the condition and treatment as usual. This study aims to recruit 20,000 participants to the population based South Yorkshire Cohort health and weight research trials facility. Participants are recruited by invitation letters from their General Practitioners. Data is collected using postal and/or online patient self completed Health Questionnaires. NHS numbers will be used to facilitate record linkage and access to routine data. Participants are eligible if they are: aged 16 - 85 years, registered with one of 40 practices in South Yorkshire, provide consent for further contact from the researchers and to have their information used to look at the benefit of health treatments. The first wave of data is being collected during 2010/12 and further waves are planned at 2 - 5 year intervals for the planned 20 year duration of the facility. Discussion The South Yorkshire Cohort combines the strengths of the standard observational, longitudinal cohort study design with

Cohort profile: seek, test, treat and retain United States criminal justice cohort.

PubMed

Chandler, Redonna; Gordon, Michael S; Kruszka, Bridget; Strand, Lauren N; Altice, Frederick L; Beckwith, Curt G; Biggs, Mary L; Cunningham, William; Chris Delaney, J A; Flynn, Patrick M; Golin, Carol E; Knight, Kevin; Kral, Alex H; Kuo, Irene; Lorvick, Jennifer; Nance, Robin M; Ouellet, Lawrence J; Rich, Josiah D; Sacks, Stanley; Seal, David; Spaulding, Anne; Springer, Sandra A; Taxman, Faye; Wohl, David; Young, Jeremy D; Young, Rebekah; Crane, Heidi M

2017-05-16

The STTR treatment cascade provides a framework for research aimed at improving the delivery of services, care and outcomes of PLWH. The development of effective approaches to increase HIV diagnoses and engage PLWH in subsequent steps of the treatment cascade could lead to earlier and sustained ART treatment resulting in viral suppression. There is an unmet need for research applying the treatment cascade to improve outcomes for those with criminal justice involvement. The Seek, Test, Treat, and Retain (STTR) criminal justice (CJ) cohort combines data from 11 studies across the HIV treatment cascade that focused on persons involved in the criminal justice system, often but not exclusively for reasons related to substance use. The studies were conducted in a variety of CJ settings and collected information across 11 pre-selected domains: demographic characteristics, CJ involvement, HIV risk behaviors, HIV and/or Hepatitis C infections, laboratory measures of CD4 T-cell count (CD4) and HIV RNA viral load (VL), mental illness, health related quality of life (QoL), socioeconomic status, health care access, substance use, and social support. The STTR CJ cohort includes data on 11,070 individuals with and without HIV infection who range in age from 18 to 77 years, with a median age at baseline of 37 years. The cohort reflects racial, ethnic and gender distributions in the U.S. CJ system, and 64% of participants are African-American, 12% are Hispanic and 83% are men. Cohort members reported a wide range of HIV risk behaviors including history of injection drug use and, among those who reported on pre-incarceration sexual behaviors, the prevalence of unprotected sexual intercourse ranged across studies from 4% to 79%. Across all studies, 53% percent of the STTR CJ cohort reported recent polysubstance use. The STTR CJ cohort is comprised of participants from a wide range of CJ settings including jail, prison, and community supervision who report considerable diversity in

Central Metabolic Pathways of Hyperthermophiles: Important Clues on how Metabolism Gives Rise to Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ronimus, R. S.; Morgan, H. W.

2004-06-01

Vital clues on life's origins within the galaxy exist here on present day Earth. Life is currently divided into the three domains Bacteria, Archaea and Eukarya based on the phylogeny of small ribosomal subunit RNA (16S/18S) gene sequences. The domains are presumed to share a ``last universal common ancestor'' (LUCA). Hyperthermophilic bacteria and archaea, which are able to thrive at 80^{circ}C or higher, dominate the bottom of the tree of life and are thus suggested to be the least evolved, or most ``ancient''. Geochemical data indicates that life first appeared on Earth approximately 3.8 billion years ago in a hot environment. Due to these considerations, hyperthermophiles represent the most appropriate microorganisms to investigate the origins of metabolism. The central biochemical pathway of gluconeogenesis/glycolysis (the Embden-Meyerhof pathway) which produces six carbon sugars from three carbon compounds is present in all organisms and can provide important hints concerning the early development of metabolism. Significantly, there are a number of striking deviations from the textbook canonical reaction sequence that are found, particularly in hyperthermophilic archaea. In this paper the phylogenetic istribution of enzymes of the pathway is detailed; overall, the distribution pattern provides strong evidence for the pathway to have developed from the bottom-up.

Relative Leukocyte Telomere Length, Hematological Parameters and Anemia - Data from the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II).

PubMed

Meyer, Antje; Salewsky, Bastian; Buchmann, Nikolaus; Steinhagen-Thiessen, Elisabeth; Demuth, Ilja

2016-01-01

at most marginal. This applies also to the role of rLTL in anemia, at least in the age group investigated here. Since BASE-II is yet another large cohort in which women have on average shorter telomeres than men, this finding will be addressed in the discussion with respect to the ongoing debate on gender differences in telomere length. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in Korean conflict and World War II combat veterans seeking outpatient treatment.

PubMed

McCranie, E W; Hyer, L A

2000-07-01

Given important differences in the Korean conflict and World War II, samples of treatment-seeking combat veterans from these wars (30 Korea, 83 World War II) were compared on the prevalence and severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). With age, ethnicity, and combat exposure taken into account, the Korean veterans reported significantly more severe symptoms on both interview and self-report PTSD measures. Group differences in the prevalence of current PTSD were in a similar direction but not significant. These results are generally consistent with other studies that have found Korean combat veterans to exhibit higher rates of psychosocial maladjustment than World War II combat veterans. Based on related research with Vietnam veterans, one direction for future investigation is to examine what role stressful postmilitary homecoming experiences may have played in influencing the development and course of combat-related PTSD in the aging cohort of "forgotten" Korean conflict veterans.

European Birth Cohorts for Environmental Health Research

PubMed Central

Casas, Maribel; Bergström, Anna; Carmichael, Amanda; Cordier, Sylvaine; Eggesbø, Merete; Eller, Esben; Fantini, Maria P.; Fernández, Mariana F.; Fernández-Somoano, Ana; Gehring, Ulrike; Grazuleviciene, Regina; Hohmann, Cynthia; Karvonen, Anne M.; Keil, Thomas; Kogevinas, Manolis; Koppen, Gudrun; Krämer, Ursula; Kuehni, Claudia E.; Magnus, Per; Majewska, Renata; Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo; Patelarou, Evridiki; Petersen, Maria Skaalum; Pierik, Frank H.; Polanska, Kinga; Porta, Daniela; Richiardi, Lorenzo; Santos, Ana Cristina; Slama, Rémy; Sram, Radim J.; Thijs, Carel; Tischer, Christina; Toft, Gunnar; Trnovec, Tomáš; Vandentorren, Stephanie; Vrijkotte, Tanja G.M.; Wilhelm, Michael; Wright, John; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark

2011-01-01

Background: Many pregnancy and birth cohort studies investigate the health effects of early-life environmental contaminant exposure. An overview of existing studies and their data is needed to improve collaboration, harmonization, and future project planning. Objectives: Our goal was to create a comprehensive overview of European birth cohorts with environmental exposure data. Methods: Birth cohort studies were included if they a) collected data on at least one environmental exposure, b) started enrollment during pregnancy or at birth, c) included at least one follow-up point after birth, d) included at least 200 mother–child pairs, and e) were based in a European country. A questionnaire collected information on basic protocol details and exposure and health outcome assessments, including specific contaminants, methods and samples, timing, and number of subjects. A full inventory can be searched on www.birthcohortsenrieco.net. Results: Questionnaires were completed by 37 cohort studies of > 350,000 mother–child pairs in 19 European countries. Only three cohorts did not participate. All cohorts collected biological specimens of children or parents. Many cohorts collected information on passive smoking (n = 36), maternal occupation (n = 33), outdoor air pollution (n = 27), and allergens/biological organisms (n = 27). Fewer cohorts (n = 12–19) collected information on water contamination, ionizing or nonionizing radiation exposures, noise, metals, persistent organic pollutants, or other pollutants. All cohorts have information on birth outcomes; nearly all on asthma, allergies, childhood growth and obesity; and 26 collected information on child neurodevelopment. Conclusion: Combining forces in this field will yield more efficient and conclusive studies and ultimately improve causal inference. This impressive resource of existing birth cohort data could form the basis for longer-term and worldwide coordination of research on environment and child health. PMID

Line profile variations in M giants - Clues to mass-loss and chromospheric heating mechanisms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Judge, P. G.; Luttermoser, D. G.; Neff, D. H.; Cuntz, M.; Stencel, R. E.

1993-01-01

Analysis is presented of time-series, high dispersion spectra of the Mg II, k, Ca II H, and K lines of the semiregular giants Rho Per (M4 II-III, periodicity of about 50 days), R Lyr (M5 III, period of about 46 days), and g Her (M6 III, period of about 90 days). The fine error sensor on the IUE satellite and ground based UBV photometry was used to relate line profile variations to photospheric variations. The above mentioned stars were selected to study the relative importance of convective motions and global stellar pulsations in determining the structure of the outer atmospheres. Small amplitude changes, but substantial changes in the profiles of Mg II and Ca II lines were detected. It is contended that the observed variability is due to changes in chromospheric conditions and not variations within the circumstellar shell. The picture of a steady state chromosphere, which is modulated on long time scales, is corroborated by these observations. Localized heating is found in g Her.

Lupus erythematosus cells in bone marrow: the only clue to a previously unsuspected diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus.

PubMed

Pujani, Mukta; Kushwaha, Shivani; Sethi, Neha; Beniwal, Anu; Shukla, Shailaja

2013-01-01

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune multisystem disease characterized by the development of antinuclear antibodies. Nowadays considered outdated, lupus erythematosus (LE) cell preparation served as a screening test for SLE for decades. However, the importance of discovering LE cells on routine cytology cannot be overemphasized. We report the case of a 30-year-old female in whom bone marrow aspiration (BMA) was performed during an investigative workup for pyrexia of unknown origin. The observation of LE cells in direct bone marrow smears (without the use of an anticoagulant) raised the suspicion of SLE, which was later confirmed by antinuclear antibody testing. In the present case, LE cells were observed on BMA performed for the investigation of fever of unknown origin. The unexpected observation of LE cells in BMA smears emphasizes the fact that good morphological observation of marrow aspirates can provide crucial clues to a previously unsuspected diagnosis.

Risk of Injurious Fall and Hip Fracture up to 26 y before the Diagnosis of Parkinson Disease: Nested Case-Control Studies in a Nationwide Cohort.

PubMed

Nyström, Helena; Nordström, Anna; Nordström, Peter

2016-02-01

Low muscle strength has been found in late adolescence in individuals diagnosed with Parkinson disease (PD) 30 y later. This study investigated whether this lower muscle strength also may translate into increased risks of falling and fracture before the diagnosis of PD. Among all Swedish citizens aged ≥50 y in 2005, two nested case-control cohorts were compiled. In cohort I, individuals diagnosed with PD during 1988-2012 (n = 24,412) were matched with up to ten controls (n = 243,363), and the risk of fall-related injuries before diagnosis of PD was evaluated. In cohort II, individuals with an injurious fall in need of emergency care during 1988-2012 (n = 622,333) were matched with one control (n = 622,333), and the risk of PD after the injurious fall was evaluated. In cohort I, 18.0% of cases and 11.5% of controls had at least one injurious fall (p < 0.001) prior to PD diagnosis in the case. Assessed by conditional logistic regression analysis adjusted for comorbid diagnoses and education level, PD was associated with increased risks of injurious fall up to 10 y before diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] 1.19, 95% CI 1.08-1.31; 7 to <10 y before diagnosis) and hip fracture ≥15 y before diagnosis (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.10-1.69; 15-26 y before diagnosis). In cohort II, 0.7% of individuals with an injurious fall and 0.5% of controls were diagnosed with PD during follow-up (p < 0.001). The risk of PD was increased for up to 10 y after an injurious fall (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.02-1.37; 7 to <10 y after diagnosis). An important limitation is that the diagnoses were obtained from registers and could not be clinically confirmed for the study. The increased risks of falling and hip fracture prior to the diagnosis of PD may suggest the presence of clinically relevant neurodegenerative impairment many years before the diagnosis of this disease.

Assessing the order of magnitude of outcomes in single-arm cohorts through systematic comparison with corresponding cohorts: An example from the AMOS study

PubMed Central

Hamre, Harald J; Glockmann, Anja; Tröger, Wilfried; Kienle, Gunver S; Kiene, Helmut

2008-01-01

Background When a therapy has been evaluated in the first clinical study, the outcome is often compared descriptively to outcomes in corresponding cohorts receiving other treatments. Such comparisons are often limited to selected studies, and often mix different outcomes and follow-up periods. Here we give an example of a systematic comparison to all cohorts with identical outcomes and follow-up periods. Methods The therapy to be compared (anthroposophic medicine, a complementary therapy system) had been evaluated in one single-arm cohort study: the Anthroposophic Medicine Outcomes Study (AMOS). The five largest AMOS diagnosis groups (A-cohorts: asthma, depression, low back pain, migraine, neck pain) were compared to all retrievable corresponding cohorts (C-cohorts) receiving other therapies with identical outcomes (SF-36 scales or summary measures) and identical follow-up periods (3, 6 or 12 months). Between-group differences (pre-post difference in an A-cohort minus pre-post difference in the respective C-cohort) were divided with the standard deviation (SD) of the baseline score of the A-cohort. Results A-cohorts (5 cohorts with 392 patients) were similar to C-cohorts (84 cohorts with 16,167 patients) regarding age, disease duration, baseline affection and follow-up rates. A-cohorts had ≥ 0.50 SD larger improvements than C-cohorts in 13.5% (70/517) of comparisons; improvements of the same order of magnitude (small or minimal differences: -0.49 to 0.49 SD) were found in 80.1% of comparisons; and C-cohorts had ≥ 0.50 SD larger improvements than A-cohorts in 6.4% of comparisons. Analyses stratified by diagnosis had similar results. Sensitivity analyses, restricting the comparisons to C-cohorts with similar study design (observational studies), setting (primary care) or interventions (drugs, physical therapies, mixed), or restricting comparisons to SF-36 scales with small baseline differences between A- and C-cohorts (-0.49 to 0.49 SD) also had similar results

Latent topic discovery of clinical concepts from hospital discharge summaries of a heterogeneous patient cohort.

PubMed

Lehman, Li-Wei; Long, William; Saeed, Mohammed; Mark, Roger

2014-01-01

Patients in critical care often exhibit complex disease patterns. A fundamental challenge in clinical research is to identify clinical features that may be characteristic of adverse patient outcomes. In this work, we propose a data-driven approach for phenotype discovery of patients in critical care. We used Hierarchical Dirichlet Process (HDP) as a non-parametric topic modeling technique to automatically discover the latent "topic" structure of diseases, symptoms, and findings documented in hospital discharge summaries. We show that the latent topic structure can be used to reveal phenotypic patterns of diseases and symptoms shared across subgroups of a patient cohort, and may contain prognostic value in stratifying patients' post hospital discharge mortality risks. Using discharge summaries of a large patient cohort from the MIMIC II database, we evaluate the clinical utility of the discovered topic structure in identifying patients who are at high risk of mortality within one year post hospital discharge. We demonstrate that the learned topic structure has statistically significant associations with mortality post hospital discharge, and may provide valuable insights in defining new feature sets for predicting patient outcomes.

Changing facial phenotype in Cohen syndrome: towards clues for an earlier diagnosis.

PubMed

El Chehadeh-Djebbar, Salima; Blair, Edward; Holder-Espinasse, Muriel; Moncla, Anne; Frances, Anne-Marie; Rio, Marlène; Debray, François-Guillaume; Rump, Patrick; Masurel-Paulet, Alice; Gigot, Nadège; Callier, Patrick; Duplomb, Laurence; Aral, Bernard; Huet, Frédéric; Thauvin-Robinet, Christel; Faivre, Laurence

2013-07-01

Cohen syndrome (CS) is a rare autosomal recessive condition caused by mutations and/or large rearrangements in the VPS13B gene. CS clinical features, including developmental delay, the typical facial gestalt, chorioretinal dystrophy (CRD) and neutropenia, are well described. CS diagnosis is generally raised after school age, when visual disturbances lead to CRD diagnosis and to VPS13B gene testing. This relatively late diagnosis precludes accurate genetic counselling. The aim of this study was to analyse the evolution of CS facial features in the early period of life, particularly before school age (6 years), to find clues for an earlier diagnosis. Photographs of 17 patients with molecularly confirmed CS were analysed, from birth to preschool age. By comparing their facial phenotype when growing, we show that there are no special facial characteristics before 1 year. However, between 2 and 6 years, CS children already share common facial features such as a short neck, a square face with micrognathia and full cheeks, a hypotonic facial appearance, epicanthic folds, long ears with an everted upper part of the auricle and/or a prominent lobe, a relatively short philtrum, a small and open mouth with downturned corners, a thick lower lip and abnormal eye shapes. These early transient facial features evolve to typical CS facial features with aging. These observations emphasize the importance of ophthalmological tests and neutrophil count in children in preschool age presenting with developmental delay, hypotonia and the facial features we described here, for an earlier CS diagnosis.

Prevalence of melanocortin receptor 4 (MC4R) V103I gene variant and its association with obesity among the Kampar Health Clinic cohort, Perak, Malaysia.

PubMed

Chua, H N; Fan, S H; Say, Y H

2012-04-01

This study investigated the prevalence of the Melanocortin receptor 4 (MC4R) V1031 gene variant and its association with obesity among a cohort of 254 patients (101 males; 118 obese) attending the Kampar Health Clinic. Genotyping revealed the mutated I allele frequency of 0.02, no homozygous mutated (II), and similar distribution of V and I alleles across BMI groups, genders and ethnic groups. No significant difference was found for the means of anthropometric measurements between alleles. Prevalence of this gene variant among the Malaysian cohort was similar with previous populations (2-4% of mutated allele carrier), but was not associated with obesity.

Manganese(II), iron(II), cobalt(II), and copper(II) complexes of an extended inherently chiral tris-bipyridyl cage.

PubMed

Perkins, David F; Lindoy, Leonard F; McAuley, Alexander; Meehan, George V; Turner, Peter

2006-01-17

Manganese(II), iron(II), cobalt(II), and copper(II) derivatives of two inherently chiral, Tris(bipyridyl) cages (L and L') of type [ML]-(PF(6))(2)(solvent)(n) and [FeL'](ClO(4))(2) are reported, where L is the hexa-tertiary butyl-substituted derivative of L'. These products were obtained by using the free cage and metal template procedures; the latter involved the reductive amination of the respective Tris-dialdehyde precursor complexes of iron(II), cobalt(II), or nickel(II). Electrochemical, EPR, and NMR studies have been used to probe the nature of the individual complexes. X-ray structures of the manganese(II), iron(II), and copper(II) complexes of L and the iron(II) complex of L' are presented; these are compared with the previously reported structures of the corresponding nickel(II) complex and metal-free cage (L). In each complex the metal cation occupies the cage's central cavity and is coordinated to six nitrogens from the three bipyridyl groups. The cations [MnL](2+) and [FeL](2+) are isostructural but both exhibit a different arrangement of the bound cage to that observed in the corresponding nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes. The latter have an exo-exo arrangement of the bridgehead nitrogen lone pairs, with the metal inducing a triple helical twist that extends approximately 22 A along the axial length of each complex. In contrast, [MnL](2+) and [FeL](2+) have their terminal nitrogen lone pairs directed endo, causing a significant change in the configuration of the bound ligand. In [FeL'](2+), the cage has both bridgehead nitrogen lone pairs orientated exo. Semiempirical calculations indicate that the observed endo-endo and exo-exo arrangements are of comparable energy.

Lifestyle in progression from hypertensive disorders of pregnancy to chronic hypertension in Nurses' Health Study II: observational cohort study.

PubMed

Timpka, Simon; Stuart, Jennifer J; Tanz, Lauren J; Rimm, Eric B; Franks, Paul W; Rich-Edwards, Janet W

2017-07-12

Objectives  To study the association between lifestyle risk factors and chronic hypertension by history of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP: gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia) and investigate the extent to which these risk factors modify the association between HDP and chronic hypertension. Design  Prospective cohort study. Setting  Nurses' Health Study II (1991-2013). Participants  54 588 parous women aged 32 to 59 years with data on reproductive history and without previous chronic hypertension, stroke, or myocardial infarction. Main outcome measure  Chronic hypertension diagnosed by a physician and indicated through nurse participant self report. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to investigate the development of chronic hypertension contingent on history of HDP and four lifestyle risk factors: post-pregnancy body mass index, physical activity, adherence to the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, and dietary sodium/potassium intake. Potential effect modification (interaction) between each lifestyle factor and previous HDP was evaluated with the relative excess risk due to interaction. Results  10% (n=5520) of women had a history of HDP at baseline. 13 971 cases of chronic hypertension occurred during 689 988 person years of follow-up. Being overweight or obese was the only lifestyle factor consistently associated with higher risk of chronic hypertension. Higher body mass index, in particular, also increased the risk of chronic hypertension associated with history of HDP (relative excess risk due to interaction P<0.01 for all age strata). For example, in women aged 40-49 years with previous HDP and obesity class I (body mass index 30.0-34.9), 25% (95% confidence interval 12% to 37%) of the risk of chronic hypertension was attributable to a potential effect of obesity that was specific to women with previous HDP. There was no clear evidence of effect modification by physical activity, DASH diet

Impact of use of angiotensin II receptor blocker on all-cause mortality in hemodialysis patients: prospective cohort study using a propensity-score analysis.

PubMed

Tanaka, Marenao; Yamashita, Tomohisa; Koyama, Masayuki; Moniwa, Norihito; Ohno, Kohei; Mitsumata, Kaneto; Itoh, Takahito; Furuhashi, Masato; Ohnishi, Hirofumi; Yoshida, Hideaki; Tsuchihashi, Kazufumi; Miura, Tetsuji

2016-06-01

It is controversial whether treatment with an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) or a calcium channel blocker (CCB) improves prognosis of hemodialysis (HD) patients. This study was designed as a multicenter prospective cohort study. HD patients (n = 1071) were enrolled from 22 institutes in January 2009 and followed up for 3 years. Patients with missing data, kidney transplantation or retraction of consent during the follow-up period (n = 204) were excluded, and 867 patients contributed to analysis of mortality. Propensity score (PS) for use of ARB and that for CCB was calculated using a multiple logistic regression model. ARB and CCB were prescribed in 45.6 and 54.7 % of patients at enrollment. During the 3-year follow-up period, all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality rates were 18.8 and 5.1 %, respectively. Kaplan-Meier curves showed that all-cause and cardiovascular mortality rates were lower in the ARB group than in the non-ARB group, though the mortality rates were similar in the CCB group and non-CCB group. In PS-stratified Cox regression analysis, ARB treatment was associated with 34 and 45 % reduction of all-cause death and cardiovascular death, respectively. In PS matching analysis, ARB treatment was associated with a significant reduction (46 % reduction) in the risk of all-cause death. A significant impact of CCB treatment on all-cause or cardiovascular mortality was not detected in PS analysis. The use of an ARB, but not a CCB, is associated with reduced all-cause and cardiovascular mortalities in patients on HD.

Competitive adsorption of copper(II), cadmium(II), lead(II) and zinc(II) onto basic oxygen furnace slag.

PubMed

Xue, Yongjie; Hou, Haobo; Zhu, Shujing

2009-02-15

Polluted and contaminated water can often contain more than one heavy metal species. It is possible that the behavior of a particular metal species in a solution system will be affected by the presence of other metals. In this study, we have investigated the adsorption of Cd(II), Cu(II), Pb(II), and Zn(II) onto basic oxygen furnace slag (BOF slag) in single- and multi-element solution systems as a function of pH and concentration, in a background solution of 0.01M NaNO(3). In adsorption edge experiments, the pH was varied from 2.0 to 13.0 with total metal concentration 0.84mM in the single element system and 0.21mM each of Cd(II), Cu(II), Pb(II), and Zn(II) in the multi-element system. The value of pH(50) (the pH at which 50% adsorption occurs) was found to follow the sequence Zn>Cu>Pb>Cd in single-element systems, but Pb>Cu>Zn>Cd in the multi-element system. Adsorption isotherms at pH 6.0 in the multi-element systems showed that there is competition among various metals for adsorption sites on BOF slag. The adsorption and potentiometric titrations data for various slag-metal systems were modeled using an extended constant-capacitance surface complexation model that assumed an ion-exchange process below pH 6.5 and the formation of inner-sphere surface complexes at higher pH. Inner-sphere complexation was more dominant for the Cu(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II) systems.

A comparison of entropy balance and probability weighting methods to generalize observational cohorts to a population: a simulation and empirical example.

PubMed

Harvey, Raymond A; Hayden, Jennifer D; Kamble, Pravin S; Bouchard, Jonathan R; Huang, Joanna C

2017-04-01

We compared methods to control bias and confounding in observational studies including inverse probability weighting (IPW) and stabilized IPW (sIPW). These methods often require iteration and post-calibration to achieve covariate balance. In comparison, entropy balance (EB) optimizes covariate balance a priori by calibrating weights using the target's moments as constraints. We measured covariate balance empirically and by simulation by using absolute standardized mean difference (ASMD), absolute bias (AB), and root mean square error (RMSE), investigating two scenarios: the size of the observed (exposed) cohort exceeds the target (unexposed) cohort and vice versa. The empirical application weighted a commercial health plan cohort to a nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey target on the same covariates and compared average total health care cost estimates across methods. Entropy balance alone achieved balance (ASMD ≤ 0.10) on all covariates in simulation and empirically. In simulation scenario I, EB achieved the lowest AB and RMSE (13.64, 31.19) compared with IPW (263.05, 263.99) and sIPW (319.91, 320.71). In scenario II, EB outperformed IPW and sIPW with smaller AB and RMSE. In scenarios I and II, EB achieved the lowest mean estimate difference from the simulated population outcome ($490.05, $487.62) compared with IPW and sIPW, respectively. Empirically, only EB differed from the unweighted mean cost indicating IPW, and sIPW weighting was ineffective. Entropy balance demonstrated the bias-variance tradeoff achieving higher estimate accuracy, yet lower estimate precision, compared with IPW methods. EB weighting required no post-processing and effectively mitigated observed bias and confounding. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Toward standardized reporting for a cohort study on functioning: The Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort Study.

PubMed

Prodinger, Birgit; Ballert, Carolina S; Brach, Mirjam; Brinkhof, Martin W G; Cieza, Alarcos; Hug, Kerstin; Jordan, Xavier; Post, Marcel W M; Scheel-Sailer, Anke; Schubert, Martin; Tennant, Alan; Stucki, Gerold

2016-02-01

Functioning is an important outcome to measure in cohort studies. Clear and operational outcomes are needed to judge the quality of a cohort study. This paper outlines guiding principles for reporting functioning in cohort studies and addresses some outstanding issues. Principles of how to standardize reporting of data from a cohort study on functioning, by deriving scores that are most useful for further statistical analysis and reporting, are outlined. The Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort Study Community Survey serves as a case in point to provide a practical application of these principles. Development of reporting scores must be conceptually coherent and metrically sound. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) can serve as the frame of reference for this, with its categories serving as reference units for reporting. To derive a score for further statistical analysis and reporting, items measuring a single latent trait must be invariant across groups. The Rasch measurement model is well suited to test these assumptions. Our approach is a valuable guide for researchers and clinicians, as it fosters comparability of data, strengthens the comprehensiveness of scope, and provides invariant, interval-scaled data for further statistical analyses of functioning.

Melanoma-specific MHC-II expression represents a tumour-autonomous phenotype and predicts response to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy

PubMed Central

Johnson, Douglas B.; Estrada, Monica V.; Salgado, Roberto; Sanchez, Violeta; Doxie, Deon B.; Opalenik, Susan R.; Vilgelm, Anna E.; Feld, Emily; Johnson, Adam S.; Greenplate, Allison R.; Sanders, Melinda E.; Lovly, Christine M.; Frederick, Dennie T.; Kelley, Mark C.; Richmond, Ann; Irish, Jonathan M.; Shyr, Yu; Sullivan, Ryan J.; Puzanov, Igor; Sosman, Jeffrey A.; Balko, Justin M.

2016-01-01

Anti-PD-1 therapy yields objective clinical responses in 30–40% of advanced melanoma patients. Since most patients do not respond, predictive biomarkers to guide treatment selection are needed. We hypothesize that MHC-I/II expression is required for tumour antigen presentation and may predict anti-PD-1 therapy response. In this study, across 60 melanoma cell lines, we find bimodal expression patterns of MHC-II, while MHC-I expression was ubiquitous. A unique subset of melanomas are capable of expressing MHC-II under basal or IFNγ-stimulated conditions. Using pathway analysis, we show that MHC-II(+) cell lines demonstrate signatures of ‘PD-1 signalling', ‘allograft rejection' and ‘T-cell receptor signalling', among others. In two independent cohorts of anti-PD-1-treated melanoma patients, MHC-II positivity on tumour cells is associated with therapeutic response, progression-free and overall survival, as well as CD4+ and CD8+ tumour infiltrate. MHC-II+ tumours can be identified by melanoma-specific immunohistochemistry using commercially available antibodies for HLA-DR to improve anti-PD-1 patient selection. PMID:26822383

Cohort versus Non-Cohort High School Students' Math Performance: Achievement Test Scores and Coursework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parke, Carol S.; Keener, Dana

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study is to compare multiple measures of mathematics achievement for 1,378 cohort students who attended the same high school in a district from 9th to 12th grade with non-cohort students in each grade level. Results show that mobility had an impact on math achievement. After accounting for gender, ethnicity, and SES, adjusted…

Eribulin mesylate (halichondrin B Analog E7389) in platinum-resistant and platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer: a two-cohort, phase II study

PubMed Central

Hensley, Martee L.; Kravetz, Sara; Jia, Xiaoyu; Iasonos, Alexia; Tew, William; Pereira, Lauren; Sabbatini, Paul; Whalen, Christin; Aghajanian, Carol A.; Zarwan, Corinne; Berlin, Suzanne

2011-01-01

Background Eribulin mesylate is a tubulin inhibitor with activity superior to paclitaxel in NIH:OVCAR-3 human epithelial ovarian cancer xenograft models. We sought to assess the efficacy of eribulin in platinum-resistant and platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer. Methods Patients with recurrent measurable epithelial ovarian cancer, ≤2 prior cytotoxic regimens, and adequate organ function were enrolled into two separate cohorts: 1) Platinum resistant (progression-free interval from last platinum-based therapy <6 months); and 2) Platinum sensitive (progression-free interval from last platinum-based therapy ≥6 months). Treatment: Eribulin 1.4 mg/m2 over 15 minutes by vein on days 1 and 8, every 21 days. Efficacy was determined by objective response by computed tomography. Results Platinum-resistant cohort: Thirty-seven patients enrolled. Thirty-six patients were evaluable for response and toxicity. Two patients achieved partial response (PR, 5.5%). Sixteen (44%) had a best response of stable disease. Median progression-free survival was 1.8 months (95% confidence interval, 1.4–2.8 months). Platinum-sensitive cohort: Thirty-seven patients enrolled, and all were evaluable for response. Seven patients achieved partial response (PR, 19%). Median progression-free survival was 4.1 months (95% confidence interval, 2.8–5.8 months). The major toxicity was grade 3 or 4 neutropenia (42% in platinum-resistant patients; 54% in platinum-sensitive patients). Conclusions Eribulin achieved objective response in 5.5% of women with platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer and in 19% of women with platinum-sensitive disease. Median progression-free survival was 1.8 months in the platinum-resistant group and 4.1 months in the platinum-sensitive group. PMID:21935916

Dietary patterns and the risk of rhinitis in primary school children: a prospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Liu, Xudong; Wong, Claudie Chiu-Yi; Yu, Ignatius T. S.; Zhang, Zilong; Tan, Lixing; Lau, Arthur P. S.; Lee, Albert; Yeoh, Eng Kiong; Lao, Xiang Qian

2017-01-01

This study was to investigate the association between dietary patterns and rhinitis in primary school children. 1,599 students without rhinitis at baseline survey were selected from a primary school children cohort. Information on food consumption, respiratory symptoms, and confounders was collected using questionnaires. Dietary patterns were defined using principal component analysis. Logistic regression was performed to calculate odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). The incidence of rhinitis during 12 months follow-up was 21.2%. Three patterns were extracted and labeled as pattern I, II and III. Dietary pattern II which had higher factor loadings of legumes, butter, nuts and potatoes was associated with an increased risk of rhinitis (OR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.01–1.87) when the highest tertile of pattern score was compared to the lowest tertile, after adjusted for confounders. Besides, every 1-unit increase of score of pattern II was also associated with an increased risk of rhinitis (OR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.05–1.35). Neither pattern I nor Pattern III was observed to be associated with risk of rhinitis. A diet with higher levels of consumption of legumes, butter, nuts and potatoes may increase the risk of allergic rhinitis in primary school children. PMID:28294150

Cohort profile: the Nordic Antireflux Surgery Cohort (NordASCo)

PubMed Central

Wahlin, Karl; Artama, Miia; Brusselaers, Nele; Färkkilä, Martti; Lynge, Elsebeth; Mattsson, Fredrik; Pukkala, Eero; Romundstad, Pål; Tryggvadóttir, Laufey; von Euler-Chelpin, My; Lagergren, Jesper

2017-01-01

Purpose To describe a newly created all-Nordic cohort of patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), entitled the Nordic Antireflux Surgery Cohort (NordASCo), which will be used to compare participants having undergone antireflux surgery with those who have not regarding risk of cancers, other diseases and mortality. Participants Included were individuals with a GORD diagnosis recorded in any of the nationwide patient registries in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) in 1964–2014 (with various start and end years in different countries). Data regarding cancer, other diseases and mortality were retrieved from the nationwide registries for cancer, patients and causes of death, respectively. Findings to date The NordASCo includes 945 153 individuals with a diagnosis of GORD. Of these, 48 433 (5.1%) have undergone primary antireflux surgery. Median age at primary antireflux surgery ranged from 47 to 52 years in the different countries. The coding practices of GORD seem to have differed between the Nordic countries. Future plans The NordASCo will initially be used to analyse the risk of developing known or potential GORD-related cancers, that is, tumours of the oesophagus, stomach, larynx, pharynx and lung, and to evaluate the mortality in the short-term and long-term perspectives. Additionally, the cohort will be used to evaluate the risk of non-malignant respiratory conditions that might be caused by aspiration of gastric contents. PMID:28600380

Mitochondrion-to-Chloroplast DNA Transfers and Intragenomic Proliferation of Chloroplast Group II Introns in Gloeotilopsis Green Algae (Ulotrichales, Ulvophyceae)

PubMed Central

Turmel, Monique; Otis, Christian; Lemieux, Claude

2016-01-01

Abstract To probe organelle genome evolution in the Ulvales/Ulotrichales clade, the newly sequenced chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes of Gloeotilopsis planctonica and Gloeotilopsis sarcinoidea (Ulotrichales) were compared with those of Pseudendoclonium akinetum (Ulotrichales) and of the few other green algae previously sampled in the Ulvophyceae. At 105,236 bp, the G. planctonica mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is the largest mitochondrial genome reported so far among chlorophytes, whereas the 221,431-bp G. planctonica and 262,888-bp G. sarcinoidea chloroplast DNAs (cpDNAs) are the largest chloroplast genomes analyzed among the Ulvophyceae. Gains of non-coding sequences largely account for the expansion of these genomes. Both Gloeotilopsis cpDNAs lack the inverted repeat (IR) typically found in green plants, indicating that two independent IR losses occurred in the Ulvales/Ulotrichales. Our comparison of the Pseudendoclonium and Gloeotilopsis cpDNAs offered clues regarding the mechanism of IR loss in the Ulotrichales, suggesting that internal sequences from the rDNA operon were differentially lost from the two original IR copies during this process. Our analyses also unveiled a number of genetic novelties. Short mtDNA fragments were discovered in two distinct regions of the G. sarcinoidea cpDNA, providing the first evidence for intracellular inter-organelle gene migration in green algae. We identified for the first time in green algal organelles, group II introns with LAGLIDADG ORFs as well as group II introns inserted into untranslated gene regions. We discovered many group II introns occupying sites not previously documented for the chloroplast genome and demonstrated that a number of them arose by intragenomic proliferation, most likely through retrohoming. PMID:27503298

Proteomic Discovery and Development of a Multiplexed Targeted MRM-LC-MS/MS Assay for Urine Biomarkers of Extracellular Matrix Disruption in Mucopolysaccharidoses I, II, and VI.

PubMed

Heywood, Wendy E; Camuzeaux, Stephane; Doykov, Ivan; Patel, Nina; Preece, Rhian-Lauren; Footitt, Emma; Cleary, Maureen; Clayton, Peter; Grunewald, Stephanie; Abulhoul, Lara; Chakrapani, Anupam; Sebire, Neil J; Hindmarsh, Peter; de Koning, Tom J; Heales, Simon; Burke, Derek; Gissen, Paul; Mills, Kevin

2015-12-15

The mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) are lysosomal storage disorders that result from defects in the catabolism of glycosaminoglycans. Impaired muscle, bone, and connective tissue are typical clinical features of MPS due to disruption of the extracellular matrix. Markers of MPS disease pathology are needed to determine disease severity and monitor effects of existing and emerging new treatments on disease mechanisms. Urine samples from a small cohort of MPS-I, -II, and -VI patients (n = 12) were analyzed using label-free quantative proteomics. Fifty-three proteins including many associated with extracellular matrix organization were differently expressed. A targeted multiplexed peptide MRM LC-MS/MS assay was used on a larger validation cohort of patient samples (MPS-I n = 18, MPS-II n = 12, MPS-VI n = 6, control n = 20). MPS-I and -II groups were further subdivided according to disease severity. None of the markers assessed were altered significantly in the mild disease groups compared to controls. β-galactosidase, a lysosomal protein, was elevated 3.6-5.7-fold significantly (p < 0.05) in all disease groups apart from mild MPS-I and -II. Collagen type Iα, fatty-acid-binding-protein 5, nidogen-1, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 concentrations were elevated in severe MPS I and II groups. Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7, and β-galactosidase were able to distinguish the severe neurological form of MPS-II from the milder non-neurological form. Protein Heg1 was significantly raised only in MPS-VI. This work describes the discovery of new biomarkers of MPS that represent disease pathology and allows the stratification of MPS-II patients according to disease severity.

Development and validation of a brief screening instrument for psychosocial risk associated with genetic testing: a pan-Canadian cohort study

PubMed Central

Esplen, Mary Jane; Cappelli, Mario; Wong, Jiahui; Bottorff, Joan L; Hunter, Jon; Carroll, June; Dorval, Michel; Wilson, Brenda; Allanson, Judith; Semotiuk, Kara; Aronson, Melyssa; Bordeleau, Louise; Charlemagne, Nicole; Meschino, Wendy

2013-01-01

Objectives To develop a brief, reliable and valid instrument to screen psychosocial risk among those who are undergoing genetic testing for Adult-Onset Hereditary Disease (AOHD). Design A prospective two-phase cohort study. Setting 5 genetic testing centres for AOHD, such as cancer, Huntington's disease or haemochromatosis, in ambulatory clinics of tertiary hospitals across Canada. Participants 141 individuals undergoing genetic testing were approached and consented to the instrument development phase of the study (Phase I). The Genetic Psychosocial Risk Instrument (GPRI) developed in Phase I was tested in Phase II for item refinement and validation. A separate cohort of 722 individuals consented to the study, 712 completed the baseline package and 463 completed all follow-up assessments. Most participants were female, at the mid-life stage. Individuals in advanced stages of the illness or with cognitive impairment or a language barrier were excluded. Interventions Phase I: GPRI items were generated from (1) a review of the literature, (2) input from genetic counsellors and (3) phase I participants. Phase II: further item refinement and validation were conducted with a second cohort of participants who completed the GPRI at baseline and were followed for psychological distress 1-month postgenetic testing results. Primary and secondary outcome measures GPRI, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and Impact of Event Scale (IES). Results The final 20-item GPRI had a high reliability—Cronbach's α at 0.81. The construct validity was supported by high correlations between GPRI and BSI and IES. The predictive value was demonstrated by a receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.78 plotting GPRI against follow-up assessments using HAM-D and HAM-A. Conclusions With a cut-off score of 50, GPRI identified 84% of participants who displayed distress postgenetic testing results, supporting its

Breast cancer incidence in food- vs non-food-producing areas in Norway: possible beneficial effects of World War II

PubMed Central

Robsahm, T E; Tretli, S

2002-01-01

It has been suggested that World War II influenced breast cancer risk among Norwegian women by affecting adolescent growth. Diet changed substantially during the war, and the reduction in energy intake was assumed to be larger in non-food- producing than in food-producing municipalities. In the present study, we have looked at the influence of residential history in areas with and without food production on the incidence of breast cancer in a population-based cohort study consisting of 597 906 women aged between 30 and 64 years. The study included 7311 cases of breast cancer, diagnosed between 1964 and 1992. The risk estimates were calculated using a Poisson regression model. The results suggest that residential history may influence the risk of breast cancer, where the suggested advantageous effect of World War II seems to be larger in non-food-producing than in food-producing areas. Breast cancer incidence was observed to decline for the post-war cohorts, which is discussed in relation to diet. British Journal of Cancer (2002) 86, 362–366. DOI: 10.1038/sj/bjc/6600084 www.bjcancer.com © 2002 The Cancer Research Campaign PMID:11875700

Tuberculosis among people living with HIV/AIDS in the German ClinSurv HIV Cohort: long-term incidence and risk factors.

PubMed

Karo, Basel; Haas, Walter; Kollan, Christian; Gunsenheimer-Bartmeyer, Barbara; Hamouda, Osamah; Fiebig, Lena

2014-03-19

Tuberculosis (TB) still presents a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), including those on antiretroviral therapy. In this study, we aimed to determine the long-term incidence density rate (IDR) of TB and risk factors among PLWHA in relation to combination antiretroviral therapy (cART)-status. Data of PLWHA enrolled from 2001 through 2011 in the German ClinSurv HIV Cohort were investigated using survival analysis and Cox regression. TB was diagnosed in 233/11,693 PLWHA either at enrollment (N = 62) or during follow-up (N = 171). The TB IDR during follow-up was 0.37 cases per 100 person-years (PY) overall [95% CI, 0.32-0.43], and was higher among patients who never started cART and among patients originating from Sub-Saharan Africa (1.23 and 1.20 per 100PY, respectively). In two multivariable analyses, both patients (I) who never started cART and (II) those on cART shared the same risk factors for TB, namely: originating from Sub-Saharan Africa compared to Germany (I, hazard ratio (HR); [95% CI]) 4.05; [1.87-8.78] and II, HR 5.15 [2.76-9.60], CD4+ cell count <200 cells/μl (I, HR 8.22 [4.36-15.51] and II, HR 1.90 [1.14-3.15]) and viral load >5 log10 copies/ml (I, HR 2.51 [1.33-4.75] and II, HR 1.77 [1.11-2.82]). Gender, age or HIV-transmission risk group were not independently associated with TB. In the German ClinSurv HIV cohort, patients originating from Sub-Saharan Africa, with low CD4+ cell count or high viral load at enrollment were at increased risk of TB even after cART initiation. As patients might be latently infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, early screening for latent TB infection and implementing isoniazid preventive therapy in line with available recommendations is crucial.

Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy and the Risk of Vascular Complications in Patients With Type II Diabetes Mellitus: A Nationwide, Retrospective, Taiwanese-Registry, Cohort Study.

PubMed

Lee, Ai-Lin; Chen, Bor-Chyuan; Mou, Chih-Hsin; Sun, Mao-Feng; Yen, Hung-Rong

2016-01-01

With an increasing use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), evidence of long-term benefit with adjunctive TCM treatment is limited. This study investigated whether the concurrent TCM treatment reduces the risk of vascular complications in T2DM patients by using a large population from National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD).We identified 33,457 adult patients with newly diagnosed T2DM using anti-diabetic agents from a random sample of one million beneficiaries in the NHIRD between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2011. We recruited 1049 TCM users (received TCM over 30 days with a diagnosis of T2DM) and randomly selected 4092 controls as the non-TCM cohort at a ratio of 1:4 frequency-matched by age, sex, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and index year. We investigated the prescription pattern of TCM and conducted a Cox proportional hazards regression to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) of stroke, chronic kidney diseases (CKD), and diabetic foot between the 2 cohorts.In the TCM cohort, the prescription pattern of TCM was different between insulin and noninsulin patients. The most common herbs were Dan-Shen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae) in noninsulin group and Da-Huang (Radix et Rhizoma Rhei) in insulin group. The most common formulae were Liu-Wei-Di-Huang-Wan in noninsulin group and Yu-Quan-Wan in insulin group. Although no significant reduction in the hazard ratio of CKD and diabetic foot, the incidence rate of stroke was 7.19 per 1000 person-years in the TCM cohort and 10.66 per 1000 person-years in the control cohort, respectively. After adjustment of age, sex, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and antidiabetes agent use (including sulfonylureas, α-glucosidase, metformin, meglitinide, thiazolidinediones, and insulin), TCM cohorts were found to have a 33% decreased risk of stroke (95% CI = 0.46-0.97; P < 0.05).This population-based retrospective study showed that the complementary TCM therapy might associate with

An Historical Framework for Cohort Differences in Intelligence

PubMed Central

Schaie, K. Warner; Willis, Sherry L.; Pennak, Sara

2006-01-01

This article reviews key issues regarding the controversy on the direction and magnitude of cohort differences in intelligence. Data from the Seattle Longitudinal Study (SLS) illustrate why differences must be studied across multiple cohorts and multiple chronological ages. Differential cohort patterns for multiple dimensions of intelligence are described. A conceptual framework is suggested for the identification of historical influences important for developmental study of cohort differences. PMID:16858496

[Application of cohort study in cancer prevention and control].

PubMed

Dai, Min; Bai, Yana; Pu, Hongquan; Cheng, Ning; Li, Haiyan; He, Jie

2016-03-01

Cancer control is a long-term work. Cancer research and intervention really need the support of cohort study. In the recent years, more and more cohort studies on cancer control were conducted in China along with the increased ability of scientific research in China. Since 2010, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, collaborated with Lanzhou University and the Worker' s Hospital of Jinchuan Group Company Limited, have carried out a large-scale cohort study on cancer, which covered a population of more than 50 000 called " Jinchang cohort". Since 2012, a National Key Public Health Project, "cancer screening in urban China" , has been conducted in Jinchang, which strengthened the Jinchang cohort study. Based on the Jinchang cohort study, historical cohort study, cross-sectional study and prospective cohort study have been conducted, which would provide a lot of evidence for the cancer control in China.

Coffee, caffeine, and risk of completed suicide: results from 3 prospective cohorts of American adults

PubMed Central

Lucas, Michel; O’Reilly, Eilis J.; Pan, An; Mirzaei, Fariba; Willett, Walter C.; Okereke, Olivia I.; Ascherio, Alberto

2014-01-01

Objective To evaluate the association between coffee and caffeine consumption and suicide risk in three large-scale cohorts of U.S. men and women. Methods We accessed data of 43,599 men enrolled in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (HPFS, 1988–2008), 73,820 women in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS, 1992–2008), and 91,005 women in the NHS II (1993–2007). Consumption of caffeine, coffee, and decaffeinated coffee, was assessed every four years by validated food-frequency questionnaires. Deaths from suicide were determined by physician review of death certificates. Multivariate adjusted relative risks (RRs) were estimated with Cox proportional hazard models. Cohort specific RRs were pooled using random-effect models. Results We documented 277 deaths from suicide. Compared to those consuming ≤1 cup/week of caffeinated coffee (≤8 oz/237 ml), the pooled multivariate RR (95% confidence interval [CI]) of suicide was 0.55 (0.38–0.78) for those consuming 2–3 cups/day and 0.47 (0.27–0.81) for those consuming ≥4 cups/day (P trend <0.001). The pooled multivariate RR (95% CI) for suicide was 0.75 (0.63–0.90) for each increment of 2 cups/day of caffeinated coffee and 0.77 (0.63–0.93) for each increment of 300 mg/day of caffeine. Conclusions These results from three large cohorts support an association between caffeine consumption and lower risk of suicide. PMID:23819683

Chronological Age and Risk of Chemotherapy Nonfeasibility: A Real-Life Cohort Study of 153 Stage II or III Colorectal Cancer Patients Given Adjuvant-modified FOLFOX6.

PubMed

Laurent, Marie; Des Guetz, Gaétan; Bastuji-Garin, Sylvie; Culine, Stéphane; Caillet, Philippe; Aparicio, Thomas; Audureau, Etienne; Carvahlo-Verlinde, Muriel; Reinald, Nicoleta; Tournigand, Christophe; Landre, Thierry; LeThuaut, Aurélie; Paillaud, Elena; Canouï-Poitrine, Florence

2018-01-01

To assess nonfeasibility of adjuvant-modified FOLFOX6 chemotherapy in patients with stage II or III colorectal cancer. Consecutive patients managed between 2009 and 2013 in 2 teaching hospitals in the Paris urban area were included in the CORSAGE (COlorectal canceR, AGe, and chemotherapy fEasability study) cohort study. Nonfeasibility was defined by the frequencies of empirical first-cycle dose reduction (>15%), early discontinuation (<12 cycles), and low relative dose intensity (RDI) (<0.85). Risk factors for chemotherapy nonfeasibility were identified using multivariate logistic regression. Among 153 patients, 56.2% were male (median age, 65.6 y; 35.3%≥70 y; 7.3% with performance status [PS]≥2). For 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), 20.9% of patients had first-cycle dose reduction and 28.1% early discontinuation; RDI was 0.91 (25th to 75th percentiles, 0.68 to 0.99). Factors independently associated with first-cycle 5-FU dose reduction were aged 65 to 69 years versus those younger than 65 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 5.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5-19.9) but not age 70 years and older, PS≥2 (aOR, 6.02; 95% CI, 1.15-31.4), higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (aOR1-point increase, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.05-1.82), or larger number of medications (aOR 1-medication increase, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.00-1.42). Oxaliplatin dose reduction occurred in 52.3% of patients and early discontinuation in 62.7%; the latter was more common in the 70 years and older group (92.6% vs. 74.6% in the <65-y group; P=0.01); RDI was 0.7 (95% CI, 0.55-0.88). In the real-world setting, compared with their younger and older counterparts, patients aged 65 to 69 years given modified FOLFOX6 for stage II or III colorectal cancer had higher frequencies of 5-FU nonfeasibility defined based on first-cycle dose reduction, early discontinuation, and RDI; and these differences were independent from PS, comorbidities, and number of medications.

DEMONSTRATION OF LOW COST BURDEN, EXPOSURE MONITORING STRATEGIES FOR USE IN LONGITUDINAL COHORT STUDIES - VOLUME I - FINAL REPORT AND VOLUME II - APPENDICES

EPA Science Inventory

The Federal Government is currently planning a large, prospective birth cohort study known as the National Children's Study that will potentially involve 100,000 children and their families. The observation period will start as close to conception as possible and will continue f...

Impact of Contextual Factors on Interventions to Reduce Acute Care Transfers II Implementation and Hospital Readmission Rates.

PubMed

Rask, Kimberly J; Hodge, Jennifer; Kluge, Linda

2017-11-01

Identify contextual and implementation factors impacting the effectiveness of an organizational-level intervention to reduce preventable hospital readmissions from affiliated skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Observational study of the implementation of Interventions to Reduce Acute Care Transfers tools in 3 different cohorts. SNFs. SNFs belonging to 1 of 2 corporate entities and a group of independent SNFs that volunteered to participate in a Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) training program. Two groups of SNFs received INTERACT II training and technical assistance from corporate staff, and 1 group of SNFs received training from QIO staff. Thirty-day acute care hospital readmissions from Medicare fee-for-service claims, contextual factors using the Model for Understanding Success in Quality framework. All 3 cohorts were able to deliver the INTERACT training program to their constituent facilities through regional events as well as onsite technical assistance, but the impact on readmission rates varied. Facilities supported by the QIO and corporation A were able to achieve statistically significant reductions in 30-day readmission rates. A review of contextual factors found that although all cohorts were challenged by staff turnover and workload, corporation B facilities struggled with a less mature quality improvement (QI) culture and infrastructure. Both corporations demonstrated a strong corporate commitment to implementing INTERACT II, but differences in training strategies, QI culture, capacity, and competing pressures may have impacted the effectiveness of the training. Proactively addressing these factors may help long-term care organizations interested in reducing acute care readmission rates increase the likelihood of QI success. Copyright © 2017 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. All rights reserved.

Cardiovascular risk in advanced naïve HIV-infected patients starting antiretroviral therapy: Comparison of three different regimens - PREVALEAT II cohort.

PubMed

Maggi, Paolo; Bellacosa, Chiara; Leone, Armando; Volpe, Anna; Ricci, Elena Delfina; Ladisa, Nicoletta; Cicalini, Stefania; Grilli, Elisabetta; Viglietti, Rosaria; Chirianni, Antonio; Bellazzi, Lara Ines; Maserati, Renato; Martinelli, Canio; Corsi, Paola; Celesia, Benedetto Maurizio; Sozio, Federica; Angarano, Gioacchino

2017-08-01

PREVALEAT (PREmature VAscular LEsions and Antiretroviral Therapy) II is a multicenter, longitudinal cohort study aimed at the evaluation of cardiovascular risk among advanced HIV-positive, treatment-naïve patients starting their first therapy. We hypothesized that these patients, present a higher cardiovascular (CV) risk. The study included all consecutive naïve patients with less than 200 CD4 cells/ml starting antiretroviral therapy. Our primary objective was to evaluate changes in carotid intima- media thickness (IMT). Secondary endpoints included changes in flow mediated vasodilation (FMD), inflammatory markers, triglycerides and cholesterol. Patients were evaluated at time 0, and after 3, 6 and 12 months. We enrolled 119 patients, stratified into three different groups: patients receiving atazanavir/ritonavir boosted (ATV/r) based regimens, efavirenz (EFV) based regimens and darunavir/ritonavir boosted (DRV/r) based regimens. At baseline, advanced naïve patients showed a relevant deterioration of CV conditions in terms of traditional CV risk factors, endothelial dysfunction and serum biomarkers. During the 12-month follow up period, mean blood lipids significantly increased: total cholesterol from 159 to 190 mg/dL, HDL-C from 31 to 41 mg/dL, and LDL-C from 99 to 117 mg/dL. D-dimers steadily decreased (median level 624 at baseline and 214 at T3), whereas ICAM and VCAM consistently raised. DRV/r and ATV/r determined a more marked decrease of D-dimers as compared to EFV. Regarding the epi-aortic changes (IMT >1 mm or presence of atherosclerotic plaques), patients in the DRV/r group were at risk of developing pathological IMT during the study (OR 6.0, 95% CI 0.9-36.9), as compared to EFV ones. CV risk was elevated in advanced naïve patients and tended to remain high in the first year of therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

All in the family: Clueing into the link between metabolic syndrome and hematologic malignancies.

PubMed

Karmali, Reem; Dalovisio, Andrew; Borgia, Jeffrey A; Venugopal, Parameswaran; Kim, Brian W; Grant-Szymanski, Kelly; Hari, Parameswaran; Lazarus, Hillard

2015-03-01

Metabolic syndrome constitutes a constellation of findings including central obesity, insulin resistance/type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), dyslipidemia and hypertension. Metabolic syndrome affects 1 in 4 adults in the United States and is rapidly rising in prevalence, largely driven by the dramatic rise in obesity and insulin resistance/DM. Being central to the development of metabolic syndrome and its other related diseases, much focus has been placed on identifying the mitogenic effects of obesity and insulin resistance/DM as mechanistic clues of the link between metabolic syndrome and cancer. Pertinent mechanisms identified include altered lipid signaling, adipokine and inflammatory cytokine effects, and activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR and RAS/RAF/MAPK/ERK pathways via dysregulated insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) signaling. Through variable activation of these multiple pathways, obesity and insulin resistance/DM pre-dispose to hematologic malignancies, imposing the aggressive and chemo-resistant phenotypes typically seen in cancer patients with underlying metabolic syndrome. Growing understanding of these pathways has identified druggable cancer targets, rationalizing the development and testing of agents like PI3K inhibitor idelalisib, mTOR inhibitors everolimus and temsirolimus, and IGF-1 receptor inhibitor linsitinib. It has also led to exploration of obesity and diabetes-directed therapies including statins and oral hypoglycemic for the management of metabolic syndrome-related hematologic neoplasms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Netherlands Cohort Study – Meat Investigation Cohort; a population-based cohort over-represented with vegetarians, pescetarians and low meat consumers

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Vegetarian diets have been associated with lower risk of chronic disease, but little is known about the health effects of low meat diets and the reliability of self-reported vegetarian status. We aimed to establish an analytical cohort over-represented with vegetarians, pescetarians and 1 day/week meat consumers, and to describe their lifestyle and dietary characteristics. In addition, we were able to compare self-reported vegetarians with vegetarians whose status has been confirmed by their response on the extensive food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Study methods Embedded within the Netherlands Cohort Study (n = 120,852; including 1150 self-reported vegetarians), the NLCS-Meat Investigation Cohort (NLCS-MIC) was defined by combining all FFQ-confirmed-vegetarians (n = 702), pescetarians (n = 394), and 1 day/week meat consumers (n = 1,396) from the total cohort with a random sample of 2–5 days/week- and 6–7 days/week meat consumers (n = 2,965 and 5,648, respectively). Results Vegetarians, pescetarians, and 1 day/week meat consumers had more favorable dietary intakes (e.g. higher fiber/vegetables) and lifestyle characteristics (e.g. lower smoking rates) compared to regular meat consumers in both sexes. Vegetarians adhered to their diet longer than pescetarians and 1 day/week meat consumers. 75% of vegetarians with a prevalent cancer at baseline had changed to this diet after diagnosis. 50% of self-reported vegetarians reported meat or fish consumption on the FFQ. Although the misclassification that occurred in terms of diet and lifestyle when merely relying on self-reporting was relatively small, the impact on associations with disease risk remains to be studied. Conclusion We established an analytical cohort over-represented with persons at the lower end of the meat consumption spectrum which should facilitate prospective studies of major cancers and causes of death using ≥20.3 years of follow-up. PMID:24289207

Cohort profile: the Nordic Antireflux Surgery Cohort (NordASCo).

PubMed

Maret-Ouda, John; Wahlin, Karl; Artama, Miia; Brusselaers, Nele; Färkkilä, Martti; Lynge, Elsebeth; Mattsson, Fredrik; Pukkala, Eero; Romundstad, Pål; Tryggvadóttir, Laufey; Euler-Chelpin, My von; Lagergren, Jesper

2017-06-08

To describe a newly created all-Nordic cohort of patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), entitled the Nordic Antireflux Surgery Cohort (NordASCo), which will be used to compare participants having undergone antireflux surgery with those who have not regarding risk of cancers, other diseases and mortality. Included were individuals with a GORD diagnosis recorded in any of the nationwide patient registries in the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) in 1964-2014 (with various start and end years in different countries). Data regarding cancer, other diseases and mortality were retrieved from the nationwide registries for cancer, patients and causes of death, respectively. The NordASCo includes 945 153 individuals with a diagnosis of GORD. Of these, 48 433 (5.1%) have undergone primary antireflux surgery. Median age at primary antireflux surgery ranged from 47 to 52 years in the different countries. The coding practices of GORD seem to have differed between the Nordic countries. The NordASCo will initially be used to analyse the risk of developing known or potential GORD-related cancers, that is, tumours of the oesophagus, stomach, larynx, pharynx and lung, and to evaluate the mortality in the short-term and long-term perspectives. Additionally, the cohort will be used to evaluate the risk of non-malignant respiratory conditions that might be caused by aspiration of gastric contents. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers reduced dementia risk in patients with diabetes mellitus and hypertension.

PubMed

Kuan, Yi-Chun; Huang, Kuang-Wei; Yen, Der-Jen; Hu, Chaur-Jong; Lin, Cheng-Li; Kao, Chia-Hung

2016-10-01

The effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) on dementia risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension remain unknown. We investigated the effects of ACEIs and ARBs on dementia risk in patients with type 2 DM and hypertension. We conducted a cohort study by using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. We included 2377 patients receiving ACEIs and 1780 patients receiving ARBs in the ACEI and ARB cohorts, respectively. We included a comparable number of patients not receiving ACEIs and ARBs as controls in the non-ACEI and non-ARB cohorts through propensity score matching. The effect of ACEIs and ARBs on dementia risk was estimated through multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression after adjustment for several confounding factors. During the 12-year follow-up period, compared with the non-ACEI cohort, all-cause dementia risk decreased by 26% in the ACEI cohort [hazard ratio (HR)=0.74, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.56-0.96]. The all-cause dementia risk was nearly 40% lower in the ARB cohort than in the non-ARB cohort (HR=0.60, 95% CI=0.37-0.97). These drugs prevented the occurrence of vascular dementia (VD), however, this effect was nonsignificant for Alzheimer's dementia (AD). Treatment duration- and dosage-related protection effects on dementia occurrence were observed. ACEIs and ARBs may effectively prevent all-cause dementia, particularly VD, in patients with type 2 DM and hypertension. Moreover, compared with ACEIs, ARBs appear to be more advantageous in dementia prevention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

REGRESSION MODELS FOR COHORT MORTALITY STUDIES

EPA Science Inventory

Cohort studies evaluate suspect health hazards from occupational or environmental exposures by recording tile facts and causes of deaths in the exposed group as they occur over an extended time period. his article reviews several methods for analyzing cohort: mortality data and s...

Use and Yield of Baseline Imaging and Laboratory Testing in Stage II Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Guo, Hao; Sutton, Jazmine; Spring, Laura; Faig, Jennifer; Dagogo-Jack, Ibiayi; Battelli, Chiara; Houlihan, Mary Jane; Yeh, Tsai-Chu; Come, Steven E.; Lin, Nancy U.

2016-01-01

Background. Despite guideline recommendations, baseline laboratory testing and advanced imaging are widely ordered in clinical practice to stage asymptomatic patients with clinical stage II breast cancer (BC). Materials and Methods. A retrospective study at two academic centers in Boston, Massachusetts, between 2006 and 2007 explored the use, results, and implications of laboratory tests, tumor markers, and imaging in patients with clinical stage II BC. Results. Among 411 patients, 233 (57%) had liver function testing, 134 (33%) had tumor marker tests, and 237 (58%) had computed tomography (CT) as part of their initial diagnostic workup. Median age was 52 (range, 23–90 years). On multivariable analysis, young age, more advanced stage, and tumor subtype (human epidermal growth receptor-positive [HER2+] and triple-negative breast cancer [TNBC]) were significantly associated with baseline CT. The rate of detection of true metastatic disease with use of baseline staging imaging was 2.1% (95% confidence interval, 0.7%–5%). It was 2.2% (3 of 135) for estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor-positive disease, 1.9% (1 of 54) for HER2+ disease, and 2.1% (1 of 48) for TNBC. At 5 years of follow-up, 46 of 406 patients were diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Thirty-four of 46 (73.9%) who developed recurrent disease had imaging at their initial diagnosis, and of these, five had abnormalities on their initial imaging that was correlated with where they developed metastatic disease. Conclusion. In this cohort of women with stage II BC, staging imaging at diagnosis had a low yield in detecting distant metastases (2.1%). The detection rate was not higher with HER2+ disease or TNBC, despite the trend that patients with these subtypes were more likely to undergo imaging. Implications for Practice: Despite guideline recommendations, asymptomatic patients with stage II breast cancer (BC) often undergo staging imaging with computed tomography, bone scanning, or positron

Cancer Epidemiology Cohorts

Cancer.gov

Cohort studies are fundamental for epidemiological research by helping researchers better understand the etiology of cancer and provide insights into the key determinants of this disease and its outcomes.

A magnetostructural study of linear NiII MnIII NiII, NiII CrIII NiII and triangular Ni(II)3 species containing (pyridine-2-aldoximato)nickel(II) unit as a building block.

PubMed

Weyhermüller, Thomas; Wagner, Rita; Khanra, Sumit; Chaudhuri, Phalguni

2005-08-07

Three trinuclear complexes, NiII MnIII NiII, NiII CrIII NiII and Ni(II)3 based on (pyridine-2-aldoximato)nickel(II) units are described. Two of them, and , contain metal-centers in linear arrangement, as is revealed by X-ray diffraction. Complex is a homonuclear complex in which the three nickel(II) centers are disposed in a triangular fashion. The compounds were characterized by various physical methods including cyclic voltammetric and variable-temperature (2-290 K) susceptibility measurements. Complexes and display antiferromagnetic exchange coupling of the neighbouring metal centers, while weak ferromagnetic spin exchange between the adjacent Ni II and Cr III ions in is observed. The experimental magnetic data were simulated by using appropriate models.

Retrospective Methods Analysis of Semiautomated Intracerebral Hemorrhage Volume Quantification From a Selection of the STICH II Cohort (Early Surgery Versus Initial Conservative Treatment in Patients With Spontaneous Supratentorial Lobar Intracerebral Haematomas).

PubMed

Haley, Mark D; Gregson, Barbara A; Mould, W Andrew; Hanley, Daniel F; Mendelow, Alexander David

2018-02-01

The ABC/2 method for calculating intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) volume has been well validated. However, the formula, derived from the volume of an ellipse, assumes the shape of ICH is elliptical. We sought to compare the agreement of the ABC/2 formula with other methods through retrospective analysis of a selection of the STICH II cohort (Early Surgery Versus Initial Conservative Treatment in Patients With Spontaneous Supratentorial Lobar Intracerebral Haematomas). From 390 patients, 739 scans were selected from the STICH II image archive based on the availability of a CT scan compatible with OsiriX DICOM viewer. ICH volumes were calculated by the reference standard semiautomatic segmentation in OsiriX software and compared with calculated arithmetic methods (ABC/2, ABC/2.4, ABC/3, and 2/3SC) volumes. Volumes were compared by difference plots for specific groups: randomization ICH (n=374), 3- to 7-day postsurgical ICH (n=206), antithrombotic-associated ICH (n=79), irregular-shape ICH (n=703) and irregular-density ICH (n=650). Density and shape were measured by the Barras ordinal shape and density groups (1-5). The ABC/2.4 method had the closest agreement to the semiautomatic segmentation volume in all groups, except for the 3- to 7-day postsurgical ICH group where the ABC/3 method was superior. Although the ABC/2 formula for calculating elliptical ICH is well validated, it must be used with caution in ICH scans where the elliptical shape of ICH is a false assumption. We validated the adjustment of the ABC/2.4 method in randomization, antithrombotic-associated, heterogeneous-density, and irregular-shape ICH. URL: http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN22153967. Unique identifier: ISRCTN22153967. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

Predictors of Persistent Milk Allergy in Children: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Koike, Yumi; Sato, Sakura; Yanagida, Noriyuki; Asaumi, Tomoyuki; Ogura, Kiyotake; Ohtani, Kiyotaka; Imai, Takanori; Ebisawa, Motohiro

2018-01-01

Cow's milk (CM) allergy is the second most common food allergy developed during infancy in Japan. To identify predictors of persistent CM allergy, we investigated the tolerance acquisition rate based on an oral food challenge in children under 6 years of age, diagnosed with immediate-type CM allergy. This retrospective cohort study included 131 children born in 2005 with a history of immediate allergic reaction to CM, of whom 39 were excluded because of ongoing oral immunotherapy (n = 18) or a lack of follow-up data (n = 21). The 92 remaining participants were followed for 6 years. Tolerance was defined as no adverse reaction to 200 mL of CM and regular intake of milk at home. Subjects were divided into 3 groups based on age at tolerance acquisition: group I (<3 years; n = 31), group II (3-6 years; n = 42), and group III (persistent allergic group; n = 19). Tolerance acquisition rates by 3, 5, and 6 years of age were 32.6% (30/92), 64.1% (59/92), and 84.8% (70/92), respectively. Age at first hospital visit was significantly higher in groups II and III than in group I (p < 0.001). The incidence of anaphylaxis to other foods was also higher in group III than in group I (p = 0.04), as was CM-induced anaphylaxis (p = 0.03). Furthermore, milk and casein-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels were significantly higher in group III than in group II after birth and remained high thereafter (p < 0.05). The history of anaphylaxis and high milk-specific IgE levels were associated with persistent CM allergy. © 2018 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Average [O II] nebular emission associated with Mg II absorbers: dependence on Fe II absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joshi, Ravi; Srianand, Raghunathan; Petitjean, Patrick; Noterdaeme, Pasquier

2018-05-01

We investigate the effect of Fe II equivalent width (W2600) and fibre size on the average luminosity of [O II] λλ3727, 3729 nebular emission associated with Mg II absorbers (at 0.55 ≤ z ≤ 1.3) in the composite spectra of quasars obtained with 3 and 2 arcsec fibres in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We confirm the presence of strong correlations between [O II] luminosity (L_{[O II]}) and equivalent width (W2796) and redshift of Mg II absorbers. However, we show L_{[O II]} and average luminosity surface density suffer from fibre size effects. More importantly, for a given fibre size, the average L_{[O II]} strongly depends on the equivalent width of Fe II absorption lines and found to be higher for Mg II absorbers with R ≡W2600/W2796 ≥ 0.5. In fact, we show the observed strong correlations of L_{[O II]} with W2796 and z of Mg II absorbers are mainly driven by such systems. Direct [O II] detections also confirm the link between L_{[O II]} and R. Therefore, one has to pay attention to the fibre losses and dependence of redshift evolution of Mg II absorbers on W2600 before using them as a luminosity unbiased probe of global star formation rate density. We show that the [O II] nebular emission detected in the stacked spectrum is not dominated by few direct detections (i.e. detections ≥3σ significant level). On an average, the systems with R ≥ 0.5 and W2796 ≥ 2 Å are more reddened, showing colour excess E(B - V) ˜ 0.02, with respect to the systems with R < 0.5 and most likely trace the high H I column density systems.

The Presence, Persistence and Functional Properties of Plasmodium vivax Duffy Binding Protein II Antibodies Are Influenced by HLA Class II Allelic Variants

PubMed Central

Torres, Leticia M.; Lima, Barbara A. S.; Sousa, Taís N.; Alves, Jéssica R. S.; Rocha, Roberto S.; Fontes, Cor J. F.; Sanchez, Bruno A. M.; Adams, John H.; Brito, Cristiana F. A.; Pires, Douglas E. V.; Ascher, David B.; Sell, Ana Maria; Carvalho, Luzia H.

2016-01-01

Background The human malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax infects red blood cells through a key pathway that requires interaction between Duffy binding protein II (DBPII) and its receptor on reticulocytes, the Duffy antigen/receptor for chemokines (DARC). A high proportion of P. vivax-exposed individuals fail to develop antibodies that inhibit DBPII-DARC interaction, and genetic factors that modulate this humoral immune response are poorly characterized. Here, we investigate if DBPII responsiveness could be HLA class II-linked. Methodology/Principal Findings A community-based open cohort study was carried out in an agricultural settlement of the Brazilian Amazon, in which 336 unrelated volunteers were genotyped for HLA class II (DRB1, DQA1 and DQB1 loci), and their DBPII immune responses were monitored over time (baseline, 6 and 12 months) by conventional serology (DBPII IgG ELISA-detected) and functional assays (inhibition of DBPII–erythrocyte binding). The results demonstrated an increased susceptibility of the DRB1*13:01 carriers to develop and sustain an anti-DBPII IgG response, while individuals with the haplotype DRB1*14:02-DQA1*05:03-DQB1*03:01 were persistent non-responders. HLA class II gene polymorphisms also influenced the functional properties of DBPII antibodies (BIAbs, binding inhibitory antibodies), with three alleles (DRB1*07:01, DQA1*02:01 and DQB1*02:02) comprising a single haplotype linked with the presence and persistence of the BIAbs response. Modelling the structural effects of the HLA-DRB1 variants revealed a number of differences in the peptide-binding groove, which is likely to lead to altered antigen binding and presentation profiles, and hence may explain the differences in subject responses. Conclusions/Significance The current study confirms the heritability of the DBPII antibody response, with genetic variation in HLA class II genes influencing both the development and persistence of IgG antibody responses. Cellular studies to increase

Undenatured type II collagen (UC-II®) for joint support: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in healthy volunteers

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background UC-II contains a patented form of undenatured type II collagen derived from chicken sternum. Previous preclinical and clinical studies support the safety and efficacy of UC-II in modulating joint discomfort in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and tolerability of UC-II in moderating joint function and joint pain due to strenuous exercise in healthy subjects. Methods This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in healthy subjects who had no prior history of arthritic disease or joint pain at rest but experienced joint discomfort with physical activity. Fifty-five subjects who reported knee pain after participating in a standardized stepmill performance test were randomized to receive placebo (n = 28) or the UC-II (40 mg daily, n = 27) product for 120 days. Joint function was assessed by changes in degree of knee flexion and knee extension as well as measuring the time to experiencing and recovering from joint pain following strenuous stepmill exertion. Results After 120 days of supplementation, subjects in the UC-II group exhibited a statistically significant improvement in average knee extension compared to placebo (81.0 ± 1.3º vs 74.0 ± 2.2º; p = 0.011) and to baseline (81.0 ± 1.3º vs 73.2 ± 1.9º; p = 0.002). The UC-II cohort also demonstrated a statistically significant change in average knee extension at day 90 (78.8 ± 1.9º vs 73.2 ± 1.9º; p = 0.045) versus baseline. No significant change in knee extension was observed in the placebo group at any time. It was also noted that the UC-II group exercised longer before experiencing any initial joint discomfort at day 120 (2.8 ± 0.5 min, p = 0.019), compared to baseline (1.4 ± 0.2 min). By contrast, no significant changes were seen in the placebo group. No product related adverse events were observed during the study. At study conclusion, five

Undenatured type II collagen (UC-II®) for joint support: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Lugo, James P; Saiyed, Zainulabedin M; Lau, Francis C; Molina, Jhanna Pamela L; Pakdaman, Michael N; Shamie, Arya Nick; Udani, Jay K

2013-10-24

UC-II contains a patented form of undenatured type II collagen derived from chicken sternum. Previous preclinical and clinical studies support the safety and efficacy of UC-II in modulating joint discomfort in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and tolerability of UC-II in moderating joint function and joint pain due to strenuous exercise in healthy subjects. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in healthy subjects who had no prior history of arthritic disease or joint pain at rest but experienced joint discomfort with physical activity. Fifty-five subjects who reported knee pain after participating in a standardized stepmill performance test were randomized to receive placebo (n = 28) or the UC-II (40 mg daily, n = 27) product for 120 days. Joint function was assessed by changes in degree of knee flexion and knee extension as well as measuring the time to experiencing and recovering from joint pain following strenuous stepmill exertion. After 120 days of supplementation, subjects in the UC-II group exhibited a statistically significant improvement in average knee extension compared to placebo (81.0 ± 1.3º vs 74.0 ± 2.2º; p = 0.011) and to baseline (81.0 ± 1.3º vs 73.2 ± 1.9º; p = 0.002). The UC-II cohort also demonstrated a statistically significant change in average knee extension at day 90 (78.8 ± 1.9º vs 73.2 ± 1.9º; p = 0.045) versus baseline. No significant change in knee extension was observed in the placebo group at any time. It was also noted that the UC-II group exercised longer before experiencing any initial joint discomfort at day 120 (2.8 ± 0.5 min, p = 0.019), compared to baseline (1.4 ± 0.2 min). By contrast, no significant changes were seen in the placebo group. No product related adverse events were observed during the study. At study conclusion, five individuals in the UC-II cohort

Benefits gained, benefits lost: comparing baby boomers to other generations in a longitudinal cohort study of self-rated health.

PubMed

Badley, Elizabeth M; Canizares, Mayilee; Perruccio, Anthony V; Hogg-Johnson, Sheilah; Gignac, Monique A M

2015-03-01

POLICY POINTS: Despite beliefs that baby boomers are healthier than previous generations, we found no evidence that the health of baby boomers is substantially different from that of the previous or succeeding cohorts. The effects of increased education, higher income, and lower smoking rates on improving self-rated health were nearly counterbalanced by the adverse effect of increasing body mass index (BMI). Assumptions that baby boomers will require less health care as they age because of better education, more prosperity, and less propensity to smoke may not be realized because of increases in obesity. Baby boomers are commonly believed to be healthier than the previous generation. Using self-rated health (SRH) as an indicator of health status, this study examines the effects of age, period, and birth cohort on the trajectory of health across 4 generations: World War II (born between 1935 and 1944), older baby boomers (born between 1945 and 1954), younger baby boomers (born between 1955 and 1964), and Generation X (born between 1965 and 1974). We analyzed Canada's longitudinal National Population Health Survey 1994-2010 (n = 8,570 at baseline), using multilevel growth models to estimate the age trajectory of SRH by cohort, accounting for period and incorporating the influence of changes in education, household income, smoking status, and body mass index (BMI) on SRH over time. SRH worsened with increasing age in all cohorts. Cohort differences in SRH were modest (p = 0.034), but there was a significant period effect (p = 0.002). We found marked cohort effects for increasing education, income, and BMI, and decreasing smoking from the youngest to the oldest cohorts, which were much reduced (education and smoking) or removed (income and BMI) once period was taken into account. At the population level, multivariable analysis showed the benefits of increasing education and income and declines in smoking on the trajectory of improving SRH were almost counterbalanced by

Benefits Gained, Benefits Lost: Comparing Baby Boomers to Other Generations in a Longitudinal Cohort Study of Self-Rated Health

PubMed Central

BADLEY, ELIZABETH M; CANIZARES, MAYILEE; PERRUCCIO, ANTHONY V; HOGG-JOHNSON, SHEILAH; GIGNAC, MONIQUE AM

2015-01-01

Policy Points Despite beliefs that baby boomers are healthier than previous generations, we found no evidence that the health of baby boomers is substantially different from that of the previous or succeeding cohorts. The effects of increased education, higher income, and lower smoking rates on improving self-rated health were nearly counterbalanced by the adverse effect of increasing body mass index (BMI). Assumptions that baby boomers will require less health care as they age because of better education, more prosperity, and less propensity to smoke may not be realized because of increases in obesity. Context Baby boomers are commonly believed to be healthier than the previous generation. Using self-rated health (SRH) as an indicator of health status, this study examines the effects of age, period, and birth cohort on the trajectory of health across 4 generations: World War II (born between 1935 and 1944), older baby boomers (born between 1945 and 1954), younger baby boomers (born between 1955 and 1964), and Generation X (born between 1965 and 1974). Methods We analyzed Canada’s longitudinal National Population Health Survey 1994-2010 (n = 8,570 at baseline), using multilevel growth models to estimate the age trajectory of SRH by cohort, accounting for period and incorporating the influence of changes in education, household income, smoking status, and body mass index (BMI) on SRH over time. Findings SRH worsened with increasing age in all cohorts. Cohort differences in SRH were modest (p = 0.034), but there was a significant period effect (p = 0.002). We found marked cohort effects for increasing education, income, and BMI, and decreasing smoking from the youngest to the oldest cohorts, which were much reduced (education and smoking) or removed (income and BMI) once period was taken into account. At the population level, multivariable analysis showed the benefits of increasing education and income and declines in smoking on the trajectory of improving SRH were

ACTN3 R577X and ACE I/D gene variants influence performance in elite sprinters: a multi-cohort study.

PubMed

Papadimitriou, Ioannis D; Lucia, Alejandro; Pitsiladis, Yannis P; Pushkarev, Vladimir P; Dyatlov, Dmitry A; Orekhov, Evgeniy F; Artioli, Guilherme G; Guilherme, João Paulo L F; Lancha, Antonio H; Ginevičienė, Valentina; Cieszczyk, Pawel; Maciejewska-Karlowska, Agnieszka; Sawczuk, Marek; Muniesa, Carlos A; Kouvatsi, Anastasia; Massidda, Myosotis; Calò, Carla Maria; Garton, Fleur; Houweling, Peter J; Wang, Guan; Austin, Krista; Druzhevskaya, Anastasiya M; Astratenkova, Irina V; Ahmetov, Ildus I; Bishop, David J; North, Kathryn N; Eynon, Nir

2016-04-13

To date, studies investigating the association between ACTN3 R577X and ACE I/D gene variants and elite sprint/power performance have been limited by small cohorts from mixed sport disciplines, without quantitative measures of performance. To examine the association between these variants and sprint time in elite athletes. We collected a total of 555 best personal 100-, 200-, and 400-m times of 346 elite sprinters in a large cohort of elite Caucasian or African origin sprinters from 10 different countries. Sprinters were genotyped for ACTN3 R577X and ACE ID variants. On average, male Caucasian sprinters with the ACTN3 577RR or the ACE DD genotype had faster best 200-m sprint time than their 577XX (21.19 ± 0.53 s vs. 21.86 ± 0.54 s, p = 0.016) and ACE II (21.33 ± 0.56 vs. 21.93 ± 0.67 sec, p = 0.004) counterparts and only one case of ACE II, and no cases of ACTN3 577XX, had a faster 200-m time than the 2012 London Olympics qualifying (vs. 12 qualified sprinters with 577RR or 577RX genotype). Caucasian sprinters with the ACE DD genotype had faster best 400-m sprint time than their ACE II counterparts (46.94 ± 1.19 s vs. 48.50 ± 1.07 s, p = 0.003). Using genetic models we found that the ACTN3 577R allele and ACE D allele dominant model account for 0.92 % and 1.48 % of sprint time variance, respectively. Despite sprint performance relying on many gene variants and environment, the % sprint time variance explained by ACE and ACTN3 is substantial at the elite level and might be the difference between a world record and only making the final.

Global teaching and training initiatives for emerging cohort studies

PubMed Central

Paulus, Jessica K.; Santoyo-Vistrain, Rocío; Havelick, David; Cohen, Amy; Kalyesubula, Robert; Ajayi, Ikeoluwapo O.; Mattsson, Jens G.; Adami, Hans-Olov; Dalal, Shona

2015-01-01

A striking disparity exists across the globe, with essentially no large-scale longitudinal studies ongoing in regions that will be significantly affected by the oncoming non-communicable disease epidemic. The successful implementation of cohort studies in most low-resource research environments presents unique challenges that may be aided by coordinated training programs. Leaders of emerging cohort studies attending the First World Cohort Integration Workshop were surveyed about training priorities, unmet needs and potential cross-cohort solutions to these barriers through an electronic pre-workshop questionnaire and focus groups. Cohort studies representing India, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, Sweden, Tanzania and Uganda described similar training needs, including on-the-job training, data analysis software instruction, and database and bio-bank management. A lack of funding and protected time for training activities were commonly identified constraints. Proposed solutions include a collaborative cross-cohort teaching platform with web-based content and interactive teaching methods for a range of research personnel. An international network for research mentorship and idea exchange, and modifying the graduate thesis structure were also identified as key initiatives. Cross-cohort integrated educational initiatives will efficiently meet shared needs, catalyze the development of emerging cohorts, speed closure of the global disparity in cohort research, and may fortify scientific capacity development in low-resource settings. PMID:23856451

Macrocyclic receptor showing extremely high Sr(II)/Ca(II) and Pb(II)/Ca(II) selectivities with potential application in chelation treatment of metal intoxication.

PubMed

Ferreirós-Martínez, Raquel; Esteban-Gómez, David; Tóth, Éva; de Blas, Andrés; Platas-Iglesias, Carlos; Rodríguez-Blas, Teresa

2011-04-18

Herein we report a detailed investigation of the complexation properties of the macrocyclic decadentate receptor N,N'-Bis[(6-carboxy-2-pyridil)methyl]-4,13-diaza-18-crown-6 (H(2)bp18c6) toward different divalent metal ions [Zn(II), Cd(II), Pb(II), Sr(II), and Ca(II)] in aqueous solution. We have found that this ligand is especially suited for the complexation of large metal ions such as Sr(II) and Pb(II), which results in very high Pb(II)/Ca(II) and Pb(II)/Zn(II) selectivities (in fact, higher than those found for ligands widely used for the treatment of lead poisoning such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (edta)), as well as in the highest Sr(II)/Ca(II) selectivity reported so far. These results have been rationalized on the basis of the structure of the complexes. X-ray crystal diffraction, (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy, as well as theoretical calculations at the density functional theory (B3LYP) level have been performed. Our results indicate that for large metal ions such as Pb(II) and Sr(II) the most stable conformation is Δ(δλδ)(δλδ), while for Ca(II) our calculations predict the Δ(λδλ)(λδλ) form being the most stable one. The selectivity that bp18c6(2-) shows for Sr(II) over Ca(II) can be attributed to a better fit between the large Sr(II) ions and the relatively large crown fragment of the ligand. The X-ray crystal structure of the Pb(II) complex shows that the Δ(δλδ)(δλδ) conformation observed in solution is also maintained in the solid state. The Pb(II) ion is endocyclically coordinated, being directly bound to the 10 donor atoms of the ligand. The bond distances to the donor atoms of the pendant arms (2.55-2.60 Å) are substantially shorter than those between the metal ion and the donor atoms of the crown moiety (2.92-3.04 Å). This is a typical situation observed for the so-called hemidirected compounds, in which the Pb(II) lone pair is stereochemically active. The X-ray structures of the Zn(II) and Cd(II) complexes show that

Health Assessment Questionnaire disability progression in early rheumatoid arthritis: Systematic review and analysis of two inception cohorts

PubMed Central

Norton, Sam; Fu, Bo; Scott, David L.; Deighton, Chris; Symmons, Deborah P.M.; Wailoo, Allan J.; Tosh, Jonathan; Lunt, Mark; Davies, Rebecca; Young, Adam; Verstappen, Suzanne M.M

2014-01-01

Objective The Health Assessment Questionnaire is widely used for patients with inflammatory polyarthritis (IP) and its subset, rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study, we evaluated the progression of HAQ scores in RA (i) by systematically reviewing the published literature on the methods used to assess changes in functional disability over time and (ii) to study in detail HAQ progression in two large prospective observational studies from the UK. Methods Data from two large inception cohorts, ERAS and NOAR, were studied to determine trajectories of HAQ progression over time by applying latent class growth models (LCGMs) to each dataset separately. Age, sex, baseline DAS28, symptom duration, rheumatoid factor, fulfilment of the 1987 ACR criteria and socio-economic status (SES) were included as potential predictors of HAQ trajectory subgroup membership. Results The literature search identified 49 studies showing that HAQ progression has mainly been based on average changes in the total study population. In the HAQ progression study, a LCGM with four HAQ trajectory subgroups was selected as providing the best fit in both cohorts. In both the cohorts, older age, female sex, longer symptom duration, fulfilment of the 1987 ACR criteria, higher DAS28 and lower SES were associated with increased likelihood of membership of subgroups with worse HAQ progression. Conclusion Four distinct HAQ trajectory subgroups were derived from the ERAS and NOAR cohorts. The fact that the subgroups identified were nearly identical supports their validity. Identifying distinct groups of patients who are at risk of poor functional outcome may help to target therapy to those who are most likely to benefit. PMID:24925692

[Ethical considerations in genomic cohort study].

PubMed

Choi, Eun Kyung; Kim, Ock-Joo

2007-03-01

During the last decade, genomic cohort study has been developed in many countries by linking health data and genetic data in stored samples. Genomic cohort study is expected to find key genetic components that contribute to common diseases, thereby promising great advance in genome medicine. While many countries endeavor to build biobank systems, biobank-based genome research has raised important ethical concerns including genetic privacy, confidentiality, discrimination, and informed consent. Informed consent for biobank poses an important question: whether true informed consent is possible in population-based genomic cohort research where the nature of future studies is unforeseeable when consent is obtained. Due to the sensitive character of genetic information, protecting privacy and keeping confidentiality become important topics. To minimize ethical problems and achieve scientific goals to its maximum degree, each country strives to build population-based genomic cohort research project, by organizing public consultation, trying public and expert consensus in research, and providing safeguards to protect privacy and confidentiality.

Failure to Replicate a Genetic Association May Provide Important Clues About Genetic Architecture

PubMed Central

Greene, Casey S.; Penrod, Nadia M.; Williams, Scott M.; Moore, Jason H.

2009-01-01

Replication has become the gold standard for assessing statistical results from genome-wide association studies. Unfortunately this replication requirement may cause real genetic effects to be missed. A real result can fail to replicate for numerous reasons including inadequate sample size or variability in phenotype definitions across independent samples. In genome-wide association studies the allele frequencies of polymorphisms may differ due to sampling error or population differences. We hypothesize that some statistically significant independent genetic effects may fail to replicate in an independent dataset when allele frequencies differ and the functional polymorphism interacts with one or more other functional polymorphisms. To test this hypothesis, we designed a simulation study in which case-control status was determined by two interacting polymorphisms with heritabilities ranging from 0.025 to 0.4 with replication sample sizes ranging from 400 to 1600 individuals. We show that the power to replicate the statistically significant independent main effect of one polymorphism can drop dramatically with a change of allele frequency of less than 0.1 at a second interacting polymorphism. We also show that differences in allele frequency can result in a reversal of allelic effects where a protective allele becomes a risk factor in replication studies. These results suggest that failure to replicate an independent genetic effect may provide important clues about the complexity of the underlying genetic architecture. We recommend that polymorphisms that fail to replicate be checked for interactions with other polymorphisms, particularly when samples are collected from groups with distinct ethnic backgrounds or different geographic regions. PMID:19503614

Transferrin hypoglycosylation in hereditary fructose intolerance: using the clues and avoiding the pitfalls.

PubMed

Adamowicz, M; Płoski, R; Rokicki, D; Morava, E; Gizewska, M; Mierzewska, H; Pollak, A; Lefeber, D J; Wevers, R A; Pronicka, E

2007-06-01

Hereditary fructose intolerance (HFI) is caused by a deficiency of aldolase B due to mutations of the ALDOB gene. The disease poses diagnostic problems because of unspecific clinical manifestations. We report three cases of HFI all of whom had a chronic disease with neurological, nephrological or gastroenterological symptoms, whereas nutritional fructose intolerance, the pathognomonic sign of HFI, was apparent only in retrospect. In all patients a hypoglycosylated pattern of transferrin isoforms was found but was misinterpreted as a sign of CDG Ix. The correct diagnosis was achieved with marked delay (26, 36 and 24 months, respectively) by sequencing of the ALDOB gene two common mutations were identified on both alleles or on one (A150P/A175D, A150P/-, and A150P/A175D). The diagnosis was further supported by normalization of transferrin isoforms on a fructose-free diet. Data available in two patients showed that following the fructose restriction the type I pattern of carbohydrate-deficient transferrin detectable on fructose-containing diet disappeared after 3-4 weeks. These cases illustrate that in the first years of life HFI may show misleading variability in clinical presentation and that protein glycosylation analysis such as transferrin isofocusing may give important diagnostic clues. However, care should be taken not to misinterpret the abnormal results as CDG Ix as well as to remember that a normal profile does not exclude HFI due to the possibility of spontaneous fructose restriction in the diet. The presented data also emphasize the usefulness of ALDOB mutation screening for diagnosis of HFI.

Structural, spectroscopic and thermal characterization of 2-tert-butylaminomethylpyridine-6-carboxylic acid methylester and its Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and UO(2)(II) complexes.

PubMed

Mohamed, Gehad G; El-Gamel, Nadia E A

2005-04-01

Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and UO(2)(II) complexes with the ligand 2-tert-butylaminomethylpyridine-6-carboxylic acid methylester (HL(2)) have been prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, molar conductance, magnetic moment, thermal analysis and spectral data. 1:1 M:HL(2) complexes, with the general formula [M(HL(2))X(2)].nH(2)O (where M = Co(II) (X = Cl, n = 0), Ni(II) (X = Cl, n = 3), Cu(II) (grey colour, X = AcO, n = 1), Cu(II) (yellow colour, X = Cl, n = 0) and Zn(II) (X = Br, n = 0). In addition, the Fe(III) and UO(2)(II) complexes of the type 1:2 M:HL(2) and with the formulae [Fe(L(2))(2)]Cl and [UO(2)(HL(2))(2)](NO(3))(2) are prepared. From the IR data, it is seen that HL(2) ligand behaves as a terdentate ligand coordinated to the metal ions via the pyridyl N, carboxylate O and protonated NH group; except the Fe(III) complex, it coordinates via the deprotonated NH group. This is supported by the molar conductance data, which show that all the complexes are non-electrolytes, while the Fe(III) and UO(2)(II) complexes are 1:1 electrolytes. IR and H1-NMR spectral studies suggest a similar behaviour of the Zn(II) complex in solid and solution states. From the solid reflectance spectral data and magnetic moment measurements, the complexes have a trigonal bipyramidal (Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes) and octahedral (Fe(III), UO(2)(II) complexes) geometrical structures. The thermal behaviour of the complexes is studied and the different dynamic parameters are calculated applying Coats-Redfern equation.

Predictive and construct validity of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence with the Taiwan Birth Cohort Study instrument.

PubMed

Lung, For-Wey; Chen, Po-Fei; Shu, Bih-Ching

2012-08-01

This study aimed to investigate the concurrent validity of the parent-report Taiwan Birth Cohort Study Developmental Instrument (TBCS-DI) with the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-Second Edition (BSID-II) and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised (WPPSI-R) at 6, 18, 36, and 60 months. 100 children were recruited at 6 months, 88 children followed-up at 18 months, 71 at 36 months, and 53 at 60 months. Longitudinally, the parent-report TBCS-DI, with the professional psychological assessments of the BSID-II and the WPPSI-R showed predictive validity. Looking at each time point in cross section, at 6 and 18 months the TBCS-DI had good concurrent validity with the BSID-II, and at 36 and 60 months the TBCS-DI was correlated only with the motor and performance domains of the BSID-II and WPPSI-R. With further investigation, the TBCS-DI may be used both in research and in clinical settings.

Evaluation of statistical designs in phase I expansion cohorts: the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center experience.

PubMed

Dahlberg, Suzanne E; Shapiro, Geoffrey I; Clark, Jeffrey W; Johnson, Bruce E

2014-07-01

Phase I trials have traditionally been designed to assess toxicity and establish phase II doses with dose-finding studies and expansion cohorts but are frequently exceeding the traditional sample size to further assess endpoints in specific patient subsets. The scientific objectives of phase I expansion cohorts and their evolving role in the current era of targeted therapies have yet to be systematically examined. Adult therapeutic phase I trials opened within Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC) from 1988 to 2012 were identified for sample size details. Statistical designs and study objectives of those submitted in 2011 were reviewed for expansion cohort details. Five hundred twenty-two adult therapeutic phase I trials were identified during the 25 years. The average sample size of a phase I study has increased from 33.8 patients to 73.1 patients over that time. The proportion of trials with planned enrollment of 50 or fewer patients dropped from 93.0% during the time period 1988 to 1992 to 46.0% between 2008 and 2012; at the same time, the proportion of trials enrolling 51 to 100 patients and more than 100 patients increased from 5.3% and 1.8%, respectively, to 40.5% and 13.5% (χ(2) test, two-sided P < .001). Sixteen of the 60 trials (26.7%) in 2011 enrolled patients to three or more sub-cohorts in the expansion phase. Sixty percent of studies provided no statistical justification of the sample size, although 91.7% of trials stated response as an objective. Our data suggest that phase I studies have dramatically changed in size and scientific scope within the last decade. Additional studies addressing the implications of this trend on research processes, ethical concerns, and resource burden are needed. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Solid Phase Extraction of Trace Al(III), Fe(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) Ions in Beverages on Functionalized Polymer Microspheres Prior to Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometric Determinations.

PubMed

Berber, Hale; Alpdogan, Güzin

2017-01-01

In this study, poly(glycidyl methacrylate-methyl methacrylate-divinylbenzene) was synthesized in the form of microspheres, and then functionalized by 2-aminobenzothiazole ligand. The sorption properties of these functionalized microspheres were investigated for separation, preconcentration and determination of Al(III), Fe(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The optimum pH values for quantitative sorption were 2 - 4, 5 - 8, 6 - 8, 4 - 6, 2 - 6 and 2 - 3 for Al(III), Fe(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II), respectively, and also the highest sorption capacity of the functionalized microspheres was found to be for Cu(II) with the value of 1.87 mmol g -1 . The detection limits (3σ; N = 6) obtained for the studied metals in the optimal conditions were observed in the range of 0.26 - 2.20 μg L -1 . The proposed method was successfully applied to different beverage samples for the determination of Al(III), Fe(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions, with the relative standard deviation of <3.7%.

Reexamination of human T cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV-I/II) prevalence.

PubMed

Zucker-Franklin, D; Pancake, B A; Marmor, M; Legler, P M

1997-06-10

In the United States, blood donors are being screened for infection with human T cell lymphotropic viruses I and II (HTLV-I/II) by serologic means, which detect antibodies to the structural proteins of these viruses. Because patients with mycosis fungoides (MF) usually do not have such antibodies even though their cells harbor HTLV-I Tax and/or pol proviral sequences, it was questioned whether the prevalence of HTLV infection among healthy blood donors may also be underestimated by current means of testing. To examine this possibility, a study on specimens of relatives of mycosis fungoides patients (MFR) was begun. In addition, to collect data more expeditiously, a cohort of former injection drug users (IDUs) was tested by routine serologic methods, as well as by PCR/Southern blot analysis for Tax, pol, and gag proviral sequences and Western blot analysis for antibodies to the Tax gene product. To date, 6/8 MFRs and 42/81 (51.8%) of HIV-negative IDUs proved to be positive for HTLV, whereas routine serology identified none of the MFR and only 18/81 (22.2%) of the IDUs. Among the latter test subjects, the incidence of HTLV-I also proved to be 10 times higher than expected. Therefore, it is likely that among healthy blood donors infection with HTLV-I/II is more prevalent than is currently assumed. Since Tax is the transforming sequence of HTLV-I/II, testing for Tax sequences and antibodies to its gene product may be desirable in blood transfusion and tissue donor facilities.

Regulation of Viable and Optimal Cohorts

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

Aubin, Jean-Pierre, E-mail: aubin.jp@gmail.com

This study deals with the evolution of (scalar) attributes (resources or income in evolutionary demography or economics, position in traffic management, etc.) of a population of “mobiles” (economic agents, vehicles, etc.). The set of mobiles sharing the same attributes is regarded as an instantaneous cohort described by the number of its elements. The union of instantaneous cohorts during a mobile window between two attributes is a cohort. Given a measure defining the number of instantaneous cohorts, the accumulation of the mobile attributes on a evolving mobile window is the measure of the cohort on this temporal mobile window. Imposing accumulationmore » constraints and departure conditions, this study is devoted to the regulation of the evolutions of the attributes which are1.viable in the sense that the accumulations constraints are satisfied at each instant;2.and, among them, optimal, in the sense that both the duration of the temporal mobile window is maximum and that the accumulation on this temporal mobile window is the largest viable one. This value is the “accumulation valuation” function. Viable and optimal evolutions under accumulation constraints are regulated by an “implicit Volterra integro-differential inclusion” built from the accumulation valuation function, solution to an Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman partial differential equation under constraints which is constructed for this purpose.« less

Cohort studies in health sciences librarianship.

PubMed

Eldredge, Jonathan

2002-10-01

What are the key characteristics of the cohort study design and its varied applications, and how can this research design be utilized in health sciences librarianship? The health, social, behavioral, biological, library, earth, and management sciences literatures were used as sources. All fields except for health sciences librarianship were scanned topically for either well-known or diverse applications of the cohort design. The health sciences library literature available to the author principally for the years 1990 to 2000, supplemented by papers or posters presented at annual meetings of the Medical Library Association. A narrative review for the health, social, behavioral, biological, earth, and management sciences literatures and a systematic review for health sciences librarianship literature for the years 1990 to 2000, with three exceptions, were conducted. The author conducted principally a manual search of the health sciences librarianship literature for the years 1990 to 2000 as part of this systematic review. The cohort design has been applied to answer a wide array of theoretical or practical research questions in the health, social, behavioral, biological, and management sciences. Health sciences librarianship also offers several major applications of the cohort design. The cohort design has great potential for answering research questions in the field of health sciences librarianship, particularly evidence-based librarianship (EBL), although that potential has not been fully explored.

Cohort studies in health sciences librarianship

PubMed Central

Eldredge, Jonathan

2002-01-01

Question: What are the key characteristics of the cohort study design and its varied applications, and how can this research design be utilized in health sciences librarianship? Data Sources: The health, social, behavioral, biological, library, earth, and management sciences literatures were used as sources. Study Selection: All fields except for health sciences librarianship were scanned topically for either well-known or diverse applications of the cohort design. The health sciences library literature available to the author principally for the years 1990 to 2000, supplemented by papers or posters presented at annual meetings of the Medical Library Association. Data Extraction: A narrative review for the health, social, behavioral, biological, earth, and management sciences literatures and a systematic review for health sciences librarianship literature for the years 1990 to 2000, with three exceptions, were conducted. The author conducted principally a manual search of the health sciences librarianship literature for the years 1990 to 2000 as part of this systematic review. Main Results: The cohort design has been applied to answer a wide array of theoretical or practical research questions in the health, social, behavioral, biological, and management sciences. Health sciences librarianship also offers several major applications of the cohort design. Conclusion: The cohort design has great potential for answering research questions in the field of health sciences librarianship, particularly evidence-based librarianship (EBL), although that potential has not been fully explored. PMID:12398244

Simplified Acute Physiology Score II as Predictor of Mortality in Intensive Care Units: A Decision Curve Analysis.

PubMed

Allyn, Jérôme; Ferdynus, Cyril; Bohrer, Michel; Dalban, Cécile; Valance, Dorothée; Allou, Nicolas

2016-01-01

End-of-life decision-making in Intensive care Units (ICUs) is difficult. The main problems encountered are the lack of a reliable prediction score for death and the fact that the opinion of patients is rarely taken into consideration. The Decision Curve Analysis (DCA) is a recent method developed to evaluate the prediction models and which takes into account the wishes of patients (or surrogates) to expose themselves to the risk of obtaining a false result. Our objective was to evaluate the clinical usefulness, with DCA, of the Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II) to predict ICU mortality. We conducted a retrospective cohort study from January 2011 to September 2015, in a medical-surgical 23-bed ICU at University Hospital. Performances of the SAPS II, a modified SAPS II (without AGE), and age to predict ICU mortality, were measured by a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis and DCA. Among the 4.370 patients admitted, 23.3% died in the ICU. Mean (standard deviation) age was 56.8 (16.7) years, and median (first-third quartile) SAPS II was 48 (34-65). Areas under ROC curves were 0.828 (0.813-0.843) for SAPS II, 0.814 (0.798-0.829) for modified SAPS II and of 0.627 (0.608-0.646) for age. DCA showed a net benefit whatever the probability threshold, especially under 0.5. DCA shows the benefits of the SAPS II to predict ICU mortality, especially when the probability threshold is low. Complementary studies are needed to define the exact role that the SAPS II can play in end-of-life decision-making in ICUs.

Mitochondrion-to-Chloroplast DNA Transfers and Intragenomic Proliferation of Chloroplast Group II Introns in Gloeotilopsis Green Algae (Ulotrichales, Ulvophyceae).

PubMed

Turmel, Monique; Otis, Christian; Lemieux, Claude

2016-09-19

To probe organelle genome evolution in the Ulvales/Ulotrichales clade, the newly sequenced chloroplast and mitochondrial genomes of Gloeotilopsis planctonica and Gloeotilopsis sarcinoidea (Ulotrichales) were compared with those of Pseudendoclonium akinetum (Ulotrichales) and of the few other green algae previously sampled in the Ulvophyceae. At 105,236 bp, the G planctonica mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is the largest mitochondrial genome reported so far among chlorophytes, whereas the 221,431-bp G planctonica and 262,888-bp G sarcinoidea chloroplast DNAs (cpDNAs) are the largest chloroplast genomes analyzed among the Ulvophyceae. Gains of non-coding sequences largely account for the expansion of these genomes. Both Gloeotilopsis cpDNAs lack the inverted repeat (IR) typically found in green plants, indicating that two independent IR losses occurred in the Ulvales/Ulotrichales. Our comparison of the Pseudendoclonium and Gloeotilopsis cpDNAs offered clues regarding the mechanism of IR loss in the Ulotrichales, suggesting that internal sequences from the rDNA operon were differentially lost from the two original IR copies during this process. Our analyses also unveiled a number of genetic novelties. Short mtDNA fragments were discovered in two distinct regions of the G sarcinoidea cpDNA, providing the first evidence for intracellular inter-organelle gene migration in green algae. We identified for the first time in green algal organelles, group II introns with LAGLIDADG ORFs as well as group II introns inserted into untranslated gene regions. We discovered many group II introns occupying sites not previously documented for the chloroplast genome and demonstrated that a number of them arose by intragenomic proliferation, most likely through retrohoming. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Psychosocial working conditions, occupational groups, and risk of disability pension due to mental diagnoses: a cohort study of 43,000 Swedish twins.

PubMed

Samuelsson, Åsa; Ropponen, Annina; Alexanderson, Kristina; Svedberg, Pia

2013-07-01

The aim of this study was to investigate associations between psychosocial working conditions, occupational groups defined by sector, and disability pension (DP) with mental diagnoses while accounting for familial confounding. A prospective population-based cohort study was conducted, including all Swedish twins who, in January 1993, were living and working in Sweden and not on old-age pension or DP (N=42 715). The twins were followed from 1993-2008 regarding DP. Data on DP, exposures, and covariates were obtained from national registries. Cox proportional hazards regression models with hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were constructed for the whole cohort, and for discordant twin pairs. The associations for the whole cohort between DP with mental diagnoses and (i) job demands (HR 1.23, 95% CI 1.06-1.43), (ii) job control (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.83-0.99), (iii) healthcare and social work (HR 1.41, 95% CI 1.04-1.92), and (iv) service and military work (HR 2.07, 95% CI 1.37-3.14) remained after accounting for possible confounders, including familial factors, while the associations between DP and (i) social support, (ii) type of jobs, and (iii) some of the occupational groups were attenuated, becoming non-significant. In the discordant twin pair analyses, commercial work was significantly associated with lower risk of DP (HR 0.55, 95% CI 0.32-0.95). One unit increase in job demands and working in the occupational groups healthcare and social work or service and military work seem to be risk factors of DP with mental diagnoses, independent from various background factors including familial ones. However, one unit increase in job control or working in commercial work seem to be protective factors of such DP, accounting for confounding factors of this study.

The importance of chemosensory clues in Aguaruna tree classification and identification.

PubMed

Jernigan, Kevin A

2008-05-03

The ethnobotanical literature still contains few detailed descriptions of the sensory criteria people use for judging membership in taxonomic categories. Olfactory criteria in particular have been explored very little. This paper will describe the importance of odor for woody plant taxonomy and identification among the Aguaruna Jívaro of the northern Peruvian Amazon, focusing on the Aguaruna category númi (trees excluding palms). Aguaruna informants almost always place trees that they consider to have a similar odor together as kumpají - 'companions,' a metaphor they use to describe trees that they consider to be related. The research took place in several Aguaruna communities in the upper Marañón region of the Peruvian Amazon. Structured interview data focus on informant criteria for membership in various folk taxa of trees. Informants were also asked to explain what members of each group of related companions had in common. This paper focuses on odor and taste criteria that came to light during these structured interviews. Botanical voucher specimens were collected, wherever possible. Of the 182 tree folk genera recorded in this study, 51 (28%) were widely considered to possess a distinctive odor. Thirty nine of those (76%) were said to have odors similar to some other tree, while the other 24% had unique odors. Aguaruna informants very rarely described tree odors in non-botanical terms. Taste was used mostly to describe trees with edible fruits. Trees judged to be related were nearly always in the same botanical family. The results of this study illustrate that odor of bark, sap, flowers, fruit and leaves are important clues that help the Aguaruna to judge the relatedness of trees found in their local environment. In contrast, taste appears to play a more limited role. The results suggest a more general ethnobotanical hypothesis that could be tested in other cultural settings: people tend to consider plants with similar odors to be related, but say that

California Verbal Learning Test-II performance in schizophrenia as a function of ascertainment strategy: comparing the first and second phases of the Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia (COGS).

PubMed

Stone, William S; Mesholam-Gately, Raquelle I; Braff, David L; Calkins, Monica E; Freedman, Robert; Green, Michael F; Greenwood, Tiffany A; Gur, Raquel E; Gur, Ruben C; Lazzeroni, Laura C; Light, Gregory A; Nuechterlein, Keith H; Olincy, Ann; Radant, Allen D; Siever, Larry J; Silverman, Jeremy M; Sprock, Joyce; Sugar, Catherine A; Swerdlow, Neal R; Tsuang, Debby W; Tsuang, Ming T; Turetsky, Bruce I; Seidman, Larry J

2015-04-01

The first phase of the Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia (COGS-1) showed performance deficits in learning and memory on the California Verbal Learning Test, Second Edition (CVLT-II) in individuals with schizophrenia (SZ), compared to healthy comparison subjects (HCS). A question is whether the COGS-1 study, which used a family study design (i.e. studying relatively intact families), yielded "milder" SZ phenotypes than those acquired subsequently in the COGS-2 case-control design that did not recruit unaffected family members. CVLT-II performance was compared for the COGS-1 and COGS-2 samples. Analyses focused on learning, recall and recognition variables, with age, gender and education as covariates. Analyses of COGS-2 data explored effects of additional covariates and moderating factors in CVLT-II performance. 324 SZ subjects and 510 HCS had complete CVLT-II and covariate data in COGS-1, while 1356 SZ and 1036 HCS had complete data in COGS-2. Except for recognition memory, analysis of covariance showed significantly worse performance in COGS-2 on all CVLT-II variables for SZ and HCS, and remained significant in the presence of the covariates. Performance in each of the 5 learning trials differed significantly. However, effect sizes comparing cases and controls were comparable across the two studies. COGS-2 analyses confirmed SZ performance deficits despite effects of multiple significant covariates and moderating factors. CVLT-II performance was worse in COGS-2 than in COGS-1 for both the SZ and the HCS in this large cohort, likely due to cohort effects. Demographically corrected data yield a consistent pattern of performance across the two studies in SZ. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

California Verbal Learning Test-II performance in schizophrenia as a function of ascertainment strategy: Comparing the first and second phases of the Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia (COGS)

PubMed Central

Stone, William S.; Mesholam-Gately, Raquelle I.; Braff, David L.; Calkins, Monica E.; Freedman, Robert; Green, Michael F.; Greenwood, Tiffany A.; Gur, Raquel E.; Gur, Ruben C.; Lazzeroni, Laura C.; Light, Gregory A.; Nuechterlein, Keith H.; Olincy, Ann; Radant, Allen D.; Siever, Larry J.; Silverman, Jeremy M.; Sprock, Joyce; Sugar, Catherine A.; Swerdlow, Neal R.; Tsuang, Debby W.; Tsuang, Ming T.; Turetsky, Bruce I.; Seidman, Larry J.

2018-01-01

The first phase of the Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia (COGS-1) showed performance deficits in learning and memory on the California Verbal Learning Test, Second Edition (CVLT-II) in individuals with schizophrenia (SZ), compared to healthy comparison subjects (HCS). A question is whether the COGS-1 study, which used a family study design (i.e. studying relatively intact families), yielded “milder” SZ phenotypes than those acquired subsequently in the COGS-2 case–control design that did not recruit unaffected family members. CVLT-II performance was compared for the COGS-1 and COGS-2 samples. Analyses focused on learning, recall and recognition variables, with age, gender and education as covariates. Analyses of COGS-2 data explored effects of additional covariates and moderating factors in CVLT-II performance. 324 SZ subjects and 510 HCS had complete CVLT-II and covariate data in COGS-1, while 1356 SZ and 1036 HCS had complete data in COGS-2. Except for recognition memory, analysis of covariance showed significantly worse performance in COGS-2 on all CVLT-II variables for SZ and HCS, and remained significant in the presence of the covariates. Performance in each of the 5 learning trials differed significantly. However, effect sizes comparing cases and controls were comparable across the two studies. COGS-2 analyses confirmed SZ performance deficits despite effects of multiple significant covariates and moderating factors. CVLT-II performance was worse in COGS-2 than in COGS-1 for both the SZ and the HCS in this large cohort, likely due to cohort effects. Demographically corrected data yield a consistent pattern of performance across the two studies in SZ. PMID:25497440

Composition, Characterization and Antibacterial activity of Mn(II), Co(II),Ni(II), Cu(II) Zn(II) and Cd(II) mixed ligand complexes Schiff base derived from Trimethoprim with 8-Hydroxy quinoline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Numan, Ahmed T.; Atiyah, Eman M.; Al-Shemary, Rehab K.; Ulrazzaq, Sahira S. Abd

2018-05-01

New Schiff base ligand 2-((4-amino-5-(3, 4, 5-trimethoxybenzyl) pyrimidin-2-ylimino) (phenyl)methyl)benzoic acid] = [HL] was synthesized using microwave irradiation trimethoprim and 2-benzoyl benzoic acid. Mixed ligand complexes of Mn((II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) are reacted in ethanol with Schiff base ligand [HL] and 8-hydroxyquinoline [HQ] then reacted with metal salts in ethanol as a solvent in (1:1:1) ratio. The ligand [HL] is characterized by FTIR, UV-Vis, melting point, elemental microanalysis (C.H.N), 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and mass spectra. The mixed ligand complexes are characterized by infrared spectra, electronic spectra, (C.H.N), melting point, atomic absorption, molar conductance and magnetic moment measurements. These measurements indicate that the ligand [HL] coordinates with metal (II) ion in a tridentate manner through the oxygen and nitrogen atoms of the ligand, octahedral structures are suggested for these complexes. Antibacterial activity of the ligands [HL], [HQ] and their complexes are studied against (gram positive) and (gram negative) bacteria.

Small Diameter Bomb Increment II (SDB II)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

Selected Acquisition Report ( SAR ) RCS: DD-A&T(Q&A)823-439 Small Diameter Bomb Increment II (SDB II) As of FY 2017 President’s Budget Defense...Acquisition Management Information Retrieval (DAMIR) March 23, 2016 16:19:13 UNCLASSIFIED SDB II December 2015 SAR March 23, 2016 16:19:13 UNCLASSIFIED...Document OSD - Office of the Secretary of Defense O&S - Operating and Support PAUC - Program Acquisition Unit Cost SDB II December 2015 SAR March 23

Interpersonal Influence Styles of Adult Cohorts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoffman, Stephanie B.

Generational differences in the balance of power contribute to varying patterns of influence strategy use within cohorts of young, middle-aged, and older adults. The self-report Likelihood of Influence Tactic Use Scale was administered to 10 males and 10 females in each of three cohort groups to investigate the influence tactics used at different…

A Chinese Birth Cohort: Theoretical Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friday, Paul C.; Ren, Xin; Weitekamp, Elmar; Kerner, Hans-Jurgen; Taylor, Terrance

2005-01-01

Research on delinquency has shown consistent results across Western industrialized countries. Few studies have been done in non-Western cultures. This study reports on the results of a birth cohort study in China, which was started by Marvin Wolfgang but never completed. The cohort, born in 1973, was traced through official and community files.…

Human 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3: structural clues of 5α-DHT reverse binding and enzyme down-regulation decreasing MCF7 cell growth.

PubMed

Zhang, Bo; Hu, Xiao-Jian; Wang, Xiao-Qiang; Thériault, Jean-François; Zhu, Dao-Wei; Shang, Peng; Labrie, Fernand; Lin, Sheng-Xiang

2016-04-15

Human 3α-HSD3 (3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 3) plays an essential role in the inactivation of the most potent androgen 5α-DHT (5α-dihydrotestosterone). The present study attempts to obtain the important structure of 3α-HSD3 in complex with 5α-DHT and to investigate the role of 3α-HSD3 in breast cancer cells. We report the crystal structure of human 3α-HSD3·NADP(+)·A-dione (5α-androstane-3,17-dione)/epi-ADT (epiandrosterone) complex, which was obtained by co-crystallization with 5α-DHT in the presence of NADP(+) Although 5α-DHT was introduced during the crystallization, oxidoreduction of 5α-DHT occurred. The locations of A-dione and epi-ADT were identified in the steroid-binding sites of two 3α-HSD3 molecules per crystal asymmetric unit. An overlay showed that A-dione and epi-ADT were oriented upside-down and flipped relative to each other, providing structural clues for 5α-DHT reverse binding in the enzyme with the generation of different products. Moreover, we report the crystal structure of the 3α-HSD3·NADP(+)·4-dione (4-androstene-3,17-dione) complex. When a specific siRNA (100 nM) was used to suppress 3α-HSD3 expression without interfering with 3α-HSD4, which shares a highly homologous active site, the 5α-DHT concentration increased, whereas MCF7 cell growth was suppressed. The present study provides structural clues for 5α-DHT reverse binding within 3α-HSD3, and demonstrates for the first time that down-regulation of 3α-HSD3 decreases MCF7 breast cancer cell growth. © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

Intratumoral peripheral small papillary tufts: a diagnostic clue of renal tumors associated with Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome.

PubMed

Kuroda, Naoto; Furuya, Mitsuko; Nagashima, Yoji; Gotohda, Hiroko; Moritani, Suzuko; Kawakami, Fumi; Imamura, Yoshiaki; Bando, Yoshimi; Takahashi, Masayuki; Kanayama, Hiro-omi; Ota, Satoshi; Michal, Michal; Hes, Ondrej; Nakatani, Yukio

2014-06-01

In this article, we searched for the common histologic characteristic of renal tumors in patients with Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome (BHDS). We selected 6 patients with histologically confirmed renal tumor in BHDS. Germline FLCN gene mutation has been identified in 5 patients. Multifocality and bilaterality of the renal tumors were pathologically or radiologically confirmed in 5 and 2 cases, respectively. Histologic subtypes of the dominant tumor included 3 previously described hybrid oncocytic tumors, one composite chromophobe/papillary/clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and one unclassified RCC resembling hybrid chromophobe/clear cell RCC. In one case, chromophobe RCC and clear cell RCC were separately observed. Small papillary lesions located in the peripheral area of the tumor, which we designated as intratumoral peripheral small papillary tufts, were identified in all patients. In conclusion, multifocality/bilaterality of renal tumors, discordance of histologic subtypes, and the presence of intratumoral peripheral small papillary tufts may be important clues to identify BHDS-associated renal tumors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

National Cohort Study of Suicidality and Violent Criminality among Danish Immigrants

PubMed Central

Webb, Roger T.; Antonsen, Sussie; Mok, Pearl L. H.; Agerbo, Esben; Pedersen, Carsten B.

2015-01-01

Background Immigrant populations in western societies have grown in their size and diversity yet evidence is incomplete for their risks of suicidality and criminal violence. We examined these correlated harmful behaviours in a national cohort. Aims (i) Compare absolute risk between first and second generation immigrants, foreign-born adoptees and native Danes by plotting cumulative incidence curves to onset of early middle age; (ii) estimate sex-specific relative risks for these immigrant type subgroups vs. native Danes; (iii) examine effect modification by higher vs. lower socio-economic status. Methods In a cohort of over two million persons, attempted suicides and violent crimes were investigated using data from multiple interlinked registers. We plotted sex-specific cumulative incidence curves and estimated incidence rate ratios. Results In the whole study cohort, 1414 people died by suicide, 46,943 attempted suicide, and 51,344 were convicted of committing a violent crime. Among all immigrant subgroups combined, compared with native Danes, relative risk of attempted suicide was greater in female immigrants (incidence rate ratio, 1.59; 95% confidence interval: CI 1.54-1.64) than in male immigrants (1.26; CI 1.20-1.32), and vice versa for relative risk of violent offending in male immigrants (2.36; CI 2.31-2.42) than in female immigrants (1.74; CI 1.62-1.87). Risk for both adverse outcomes was significantly elevated in virtually every gender-specific immigrant type subgroup examined. Violent crime risk was markedly raised in first generation immigrant males and in the Danish born male children of two immigrant parents. However, male immigrants of lower social status had lower risk of attempted suicide than their native Danish peers. Conclusion Young immigrants of both first and second generation status face serious challenges and vulnerabilities that western societies need to urgently address. Relative risk patterns for these adverse outcomes vary greatly

National Cohort Study of Suicidality and Violent Criminality among Danish Immigrants.

PubMed

Webb, Roger T; Antonsen, Sussie; Mok, Pearl L H; Agerbo, Esben; Pedersen, Carsten B

2015-01-01

Immigrant populations in western societies have grown in their size and diversity yet evidence is incomplete for their risks of suicidality and criminal violence. We examined these correlated harmful behaviours in a national cohort. (i) Compare absolute risk between first and second generation immigrants, foreign-born adoptees and native Danes by plotting cumulative incidence curves to onset of early middle age; (ii) estimate sex-specific relative risks for these immigrant type subgroups vs. native Danes; (iii) examine effect modification by higher vs. lower socio-economic status. In a cohort of over two million persons, attempted suicides and violent crimes were investigated using data from multiple interlinked registers. We plotted sex-specific cumulative incidence curves and estimated incidence rate ratios. In the whole study cohort, 1414 people died by suicide, 46,943 attempted suicide, and 51,344 were convicted of committing a violent crime. Among all immigrant subgroups combined, compared with native Danes, relative risk of attempted suicide was greater in female immigrants (incidence rate ratio, 1.59; 95% confidence interval: CI 1.54-1.64) than in male immigrants (1.26; CI 1.20-1.32), and vice versa for relative risk of violent offending in male immigrants (2.36; CI 2.31-2.42) than in female immigrants (1.74; CI 1.62-1.87). Risk for both adverse outcomes was significantly elevated in virtually every gender-specific immigrant type subgroup examined. Violent crime risk was markedly raised in first generation immigrant males and in the Danish born male children of two immigrant parents. However, male immigrants of lower social status had lower risk of attempted suicide than their native Danish peers. Young immigrants of both first and second generation status face serious challenges and vulnerabilities that western societies need to urgently address. Relative risk patterns for these adverse outcomes vary greatly between the genders and also by socioeconomic

Synthesis, investigation and spectroscopic characterization of piroxicam ternary complexes of Fe(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) with glycine and DL-phenylalanine.

PubMed

Mohamed, Gehad G; El-Gamel, Nadia E A

2004-11-01

The ternary piroxicam (Pir; 4-hydroxy-2-methyl-N-(2-pyridyl)-2H-1,2-benzothiazine-3-carboxamide 1,1-dioxide) complexes of Fe(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) with various amino acids (AA) such as glycine (Gly) or DL-phenylalanine (PhA) were prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, molar conductance, IR, UV-Vis, magnetic moment, diffuse reflectance and X-ray powder diffraction. The UV-Vis spectra of Pir and the effect of metal chelation on the different interligand transitions are discussed in detailed manner. IR and UV-Vis spectra confirm that Pir behaves as a neutral bidentate ligand coordinated to the metal ions via the pyridine-N and carbonyl group of the amide moiety. Gly molecule acted as a uninegatively monodentate ligand and coordinate to the metal ions through its carboxylic group, in addition PhA acted as a uninegatively bidentate ligand and coordinate to the metal ions through its carboxylic and amino groups. All the chelates have octahedral geometrical structures while Cu(II)- and Zn(II)-ternary chelates with PhA have square planar geometrical structures. The molar conductance data reveal that most of these chelates are non electrolytes, while Fe(III)-Pir-Gly, Co(II)-, Ni(II)-, Cu(II)- and Zn(II)-Pir-PhA chelates were 1:1 electrolytes. X-ray powder diffraction is used as a new tool to estimate the crystallinity of chelates as well as to elucidate their geometrical structures.

Synthesis, investigation and spectroscopic characterization of piroxicam ternary complexes of Fe(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) with glycine and DL-phenylalanine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamed, Gehad G.; El-Gamel, Nadia E. A.

2004-11-01

The ternary piroxicam (Pir; 4-hydroxy-2-methyl- N-(2-pyridyl)-2H-1,2-benzothiazine-3-carboxamide 1,1-dioxide) complexes of Fe(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) with various amino acids (AA) such as glycine (Gly) or DL-phenylalanine (PhA) were prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, molar conductance, IR, UV-Vis, magnetic moment, diffuse reflectance and X-ray powder diffraction. The UV-Vis spectra of Pir and the effect of metal chelation on the different interligand transitions are discussed in detailed manner. IR and UV-Vis spectra confirm that Pir behaves as a neutral bidentate ligand coordinated to the metal ions via the pyridine- N and carbonyl group of the amide moiety. Gly molecule acted as a uninegatively monodentate ligand and coordinate to the metal ions through its carboxylic group, in addition PhA acted as a uninegatively bidentate ligand and coordinate to the metal ions through its carboxylic and amino groups. All the chelates have octahedral geometrical structures while Cu(II)- and Zn(II)-ternary chelates with PhA have square planar geometrical structures. The molar conductance data reveal that most of these chelates are non electrolytes, while Fe(III)-Pir-Gly, Co(II)-, Ni(II)-, Cu(II)- and Zn(II)-Pir-PhA cheletes were 1:1 electrolytes. X-ray powder diffraction is used as a new tool to estimate the crystallinity of chelates as well as to elucidate their geometrical structures.

Brain injury as a risk factor for fever upon admission to the intensive care unit and association with in-hospital case fatality: a matched cohort study.

PubMed

Rincon, Fred; Patel, Utkal; Schorr, Christa; Lee, Elizabeth; Ross, Steven; Dellinger, R Phillip; Zanotti-Cavazzoni, Sergio

2015-02-01

To test the hypothesis that fever was more frequent in critically ill patients with brain injury when compared to nonneurological patients and to study its effect on in-hospital case fatality. Retrospective matched cohort study utilizing a single-center prospectively compiled registry. Critically ill neurological patients ≥18 years and consecutively admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with acute ischemic stroke (AIS), intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and traumatic brain injury (TBI) were selected. Patients were matched by sex, age, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE-II) to a cohort of nonneurological patients. Fever was defined as any temperature ≥37.5°C within the first 24 hours upon admission to the ICU. The primary outcome measure was in-hospital case fatality. Mean age among neurological patients was 65.6 ± 15 years, 46% were men, and median APACHE-II was 15 (interquartile range 11-20). There were 18% AIS, 27% ICH, and 6% TBI. More neurological patients experienced fever than nonneurological patients (59% vs 47%, P = .007). The mean hospital length of stay was higher for nonneurological patients (18 ± 20 vs 14 ± 15 days, P = .007), and more neurological patients were dead at hospital discharge (29% vs 20%, P < .0001). After risk factor adjustment, diagnosis (neurological vs nonneurological), and the probability of being exposed to fever (propensity score), the following variables were associated with higher in-hospital case fatality: APACHE-II, neurological diagnosis, mean arterial pressure, cardiovascular and respiratory dysfunction in ICU, and fever (odds ratio 1.9, 95% confidence interval 1.04-3.6, P = .04). These data suggest that fever is a frequent occurrence after brain injury, and that it is independently associated with in-hospital case fatality. © The Author(s) 2013.

Greater Coronary Heart Disease Risk With Lower Intensity and Longer Duration Smoking Compared With Higher Intensity and Shorter Duration Smoking: Congruent Results Across Diverse Cohorts.

PubMed

Lubin, Jay H; Albanes, Demetrius; Hoppin, Jane A; Chen, Honglei; Lerro, Catherine C; Weinstein, Stephanie J; Sandler, Dale P; Beane Freeman, Laura E

2017-07-01

Relative risks (RRs) for coronary heart disease (CHD) by cigarettes/day exhibit a concave pattern, implying the RR increase with each additional cigarette/day consumed decreases with greater intensity. Interpreting this pattern faces limitations, since cigarettes/day alone does not fully characterize smoking-related exposure. A more complete understanding of smoking and CHD risk requires a more comprehensive representation of smoking. Using Poisson regression, we applied a RR model in pack-years and cigarettes/day to analyze two diverse cohorts, the US Agricultural Health Study, with 4396 CHD events and 1 425 976 person-years of follow-up, and the Finnish Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study, with 5979 CHD events and 486 643 person-years. In both cohorts, the concave RR pattern with cigarettes/day was consistent with cigarettes/day modifying a linear RR association for CHD by pack-years within categories of cigarettes/day, indicating that strength of the pack-years association depended on cigarettes/day (p < .01). For example, at 50 pack-years (365 000 total cigarettes), estimated RRs of CHD were 2.1 for accrual at 20 cigarettes/day and 1.5 for accrual at 50 cigarettes/day. RRs for CHD increased with pack-years with smoking intensities affecting the strength of association. For equal pack-years, smoking fewer cigarettes/day for longer duration was more deleterious than smoking more cigarettes/day for shorter duration. We have now observed inverse smoking intensity effects in multiple cohorts with differing smoking patterns and other characteristics, suggesting a common underlying phenomenon. Risk of CHD increases with pack-years of smoking, but accrual intensity strongly influences the strength of the association, such that smoking fewer cigarettes/day for longer duration is more deleterious than smoking more cigarettes/day for shorter duration. This observation offers clues to better understanding biological mechanisms, and reinforces the

Effectiveness of angiotensin II receptor antagonists in a cohort of Dutch patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (ZODIAC-14).

PubMed

van Hateren, Kornelis J J; Landman, Gijs W D; Groenier, Klaas H; Bilo, Henk J G; Kleefstra, Nanne

2015-04-01

There is limited evidence with respect to the between-group effects of various angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) on blood pressure and albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effects of differing ARBs on systolic blood pressure (SBP) and the albumin-creatinine ratio after 1 year in a large cohort of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. In 2007, 24 940 primary care patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus participated in the Zwolle Outpatient Diabetes project Integrating Available Care (ZODIAC) study, a prospective observational cohort study. Patients were included in the current study if they were prescribed an ARB in 2007 and if 1-year follow-up data were available. The final study population comprised 3610 patients. Multivariate mixed-model analyses were performed to estimate effects of the various ARBs on SBP and albuminuria. Stratified subgroup analyses were performed according to baseline hypertension and albuminuria. SBP decreased in all groups, the largest decrease being observed in the group receiving telmisartan. No significant or relevant changes over time were observed among groups for SBP and albuminuria. In the subgroup (n=1225) of normotensive patients, telmisartan was associated with a larger decrease in SBP after 1 year compared to other ARBs, without different effects on the albumin-creatinine ratio. We observed no differences in effects on SBP and the albumin-creatinine ratio among differing ARBs in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Copyright © 2015 Canadian Diabetes Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

CRITICAL DIFFERENCES AND CLUES IN ETA CAR'S 2009 EVENT ,

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

Mehner, Andrea; Davidson, Kris; Humphreys, Roberta M.

2011-10-20

We monitored Eta Carinae with the Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 and Gemini GMOS throughout the 2009 spectroscopic event, which was expected to differ from its predecessor in 2003. Here we report major observed differences between events and their implications. Some of these results were quite unexpected. (1) The UV brightness minimum was much deeper in 2009. This suggests that physical conditions in the early stages of an event depend on different parameters than the 'normal' inter-event wind. Extra mass ejection from the primary star is one possible cause. (2) The expected He II {lambda}4687 brightness maximum was followed several weeksmore » later by another. We explain why this fact and the timing of the {lambda}4687 maxima strongly support a 'shock breakup' hypothesis for X-ray and {lambda}4687 behavior as proposed 5-10 years ago. (3) We observed a polar view of the star via light reflected by dust in the Homunculus nebula. Surprisingly, at that location, the variations of emission-line brightness and Doppler velocities closely resembled a direct view of the star, which should not have been true for any phenomena related to the orbit. This result casts very serious doubt on all the proposed velocity interpretations that depend on the secondary star's orbital motion. (4) Latitude-dependent variations of H I, He I, and Fe II features reveal aspects of wind behavior during the event. In addition, we discuss implications of the observations for several crucial unsolved problems.« less

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and traffic noise and incident hypertension in seven cohorts of the European study of cohorts for air pollution effects (ESCAPE).

PubMed

Fuks, Kateryna B; Weinmayr, Gudrun; Basagaña, Xavier; Gruzieva, Olena; Hampel, Regina; Oftedal, Bente; Sørensen, Mette; Wolf, Kathrin; Aamodt, Geir; Aasvang, Gunn Marit; Aguilera, Inmaculada; Becker, Thomas; Beelen, Rob; Brunekreef, Bert; Caracciolo, Barbara; Cyrys, Josef; Elosua, Roberto; Eriksen, Kirsten Thorup; Foraster, Maria; Fratiglioni, Laura; Hilding, Agneta; Houthuijs, Danny; Korek, Michal; Künzli, Nino; Marrugat, Jaume; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark; Östenson, Claes-Göran; Penell, Johanna; Pershagen, Göran; Raaschou-Nielsen, Ole; Swart, Wim J R; Peters, Annette; Hoffmann, Barbara

2017-04-01

We investigated whether traffic-related air pollution and noise are associated with incident hypertension in European cohorts. We included seven cohorts of the European study of cohorts for air pollution effects (ESCAPE). We modelled concentrations of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5), ≤10 µm (PM10), >2.5, and ≤10 µm (PMcoarse), soot (PM2.5 absorbance), and nitrogen oxides at the addresses of participants with land use regression. Residential exposure to traffic noise was modelled at the facade according to the EU Directive 2002/49/EC. We assessed hypertension as (i) self-reported and (ii) measured (systolic BP ≥ 140 mmHg or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg or intake of BP lowering medication (BPLM). We used Poisson regression with robust variance estimation to analyse associations of traffic-related exposures with incidence of hypertension, controlling for relevant confounders, and combined the results from individual studies with random-effects meta-analysis. Among 41 072 participants free of self-reported hypertension at baseline, 6207 (15.1%) incident cases occurred within 5-9 years of follow-up. Incidence of self-reported hypertension was positively associated with PM2.5 (relative risk (RR) 1.22 [95%-confidence interval (CI):1.08; 1.37] per 5 µg/m³) and PM2.5 absorbance (RR 1.13 [95% CI:1.02; 1.24] per 10 - 5m - 1). These estimates decreased slightly upon adjustment for road traffic noise. Road traffic noise was weakly positively associated with the incidence of self-reported hypertension. Among 10 896 participants at risk, 3549 new cases of measured hypertension occurred. We found no clear associations with measured hypertension. Long-term residential exposures to air pollution and noise are associated with increased incidence of self-reported hypertension. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, thermal analysis and electrical conductivity studies of Mg(II), Ca(II), Sr(II) and Ba(II) vitamin B2 complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Refat, Moamen S.; Moussa, Mohamed A. A.; Mohamed, Soha F.

2011-05-01

Riboflavin (RF) complexes of Mg(II), Ca(II), Sr(II) and Ba(II) were successfully synthesized. Structures of metal complexes obtained were confirmed and characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductance, and infrared spectra. DC electrical conductivity measurements indicated that the alkaline earth metal (II) complexes of RF ligand are non-electrolytes. Elemental analysis of chelates suggest that the metal(II) ligand ratio is 1:2 with structure formula as [M(RF) 2( X) 2]· nH 2O. Infrared assignments clearly show that RF ligand coordinated as a bidentate feature through azomethine nitrogen of pyrazine ring and C dbnd O of pyrimidine-2,4-dione. Thermal analyses of Mg(II), Ca(II), Sr(II) and Ba(II) complexes were investigated using (TG/DSC) under atmospheric nitrogen between 30 and 800 °C. The surface morphology of the complexes was studied by SEM. The electrical conductivities of RF and its metal complexes were also measured with DC electrical conductivity in the temperature range from room to 483 K.

Long-term Outcomes of Laparoscopic Versus Open Surgery for Clinical Stage II/III Gastric Cancer: A Multicenter Cohort Study in Japan (LOC-A Study).

PubMed

Kinoshita, Takahiro; Uyama, Ichiro; Terashima, Masanori; Noshiro, Hirokazu; Nagai, Eishi; Obama, Kazutaka; Tamamori, Yutaka; Nabae, Toshinaga; Honda, Michitaka; Abe, Takayuki

2018-04-24

A large-scale multicenter historical cohort study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) in comparison to open gastrectomy (OG) for locally advanced gastric cancer. LG is now practiced widely, but its applicability for advanced gastric cancer is still controversial. As oncologic outcomes of randomized trials are still pending, there is an urgent need for information that would be relevant to current practice. Through a consensus meeting involving surgeons and biostatisticians, 30 preoperative variables possibly influencing the choice of surgical approach and associated with outcome were identified to enable rigorous estimation of propensity scores. A total of 1948 consecutive patients who underwent gastrectomy for clinical stage II/III gastric adenocarcinoma between 2008 and 2014 were identified, and their clinical data were collected from 8 participating hospitals. After propensity score matching, 610 cases (OG = 305, LG = 305) were finally selected for comparison of long-term outcomes. In the propensity-matched OG and LG populations, the mean observation period was 3.5 and 3.4 years, and the 5-year overall survival was 53.0% and 54.2%, respectively. The hazard ratio (LG/OG) for overall survival was 1.01 (95% confidence interval, 0.80-1.29), and noninferiority of LG was demonstrated statistically as the upper 95% confidence limit was less than the prespecified margin (1.33). The recurrence rate was 30.8% and 29.8% for OG and LG, respectively, and the hazard ratio for recurrence was 0.98 (95% confidence interval, 0.74-1.31). The patterns of recurrence in the 2 groups were similar. This observational study strictly adjusted for confounding factors has provided evidence to suggest that LG is oncologically comparable to OG for locally advanced gastric cancer. The validity of this result will be examined in ongoing randomized trials.

Cohort Differences in Cognitive Aging in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam.

PubMed

Brailean, Anamaria; Huisman, Martijn; Prince, Martin; Prina, A Matthew; Deeg, Dorly J H; Comijs, Hannie

2016-09-30

This study aims to examine cohort differences in cognitive performance and rates of change in episodic memory, processing speed, inductive reasoning, and general cognitive performance and to investigate whether these cohort effects may be accounted for by education attainment. The first cohort (N = 705) was born between 1920 and 1930, whereas the second cohort (N = 646) was born between 1931 and 1941. Both birth cohorts were aged 65 to 75 years at baseline and were followed up 3 and 6 years later. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models. The later born cohort had better general cognitive performance, inductive reasoning, and processing speed at baseline, but cohort differences in inductive reasoning and general cognitive performance disappeared after adjusting for education. The later born cohort showed steeper decline in processing speed. Memory decline was steeper in the earlier born cohort but only from Time 1 to Time 3 when the same memory test was administered. Education did not account for cohort differences in cognitive decline. The later born cohort showed better initial performance in certain cognitive abilities, but no better preservation of cognitive abilities overtime compared with the earlier born cohort. These findings carry implications for healthy cognitive aging. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America.

Prevalence of uninvestigated dyspepsia 8 years after a large waterborne outbreak of bacterial dysentery: a cohort study.

PubMed

Ford, Alexander C; Thabane, Marroon; Collins, Stephen M; Moayyedi, Paul; Garg, Amit X; Clark, William F; Marshall, John K

2010-05-01

Symptoms of dyspepsia may occur following an episode of acute gastroenteritis, but data are conflicting. We assessed prevalence of uninvestigated dyspepsia in a cohort of individuals, some of whom were exposed to bacterial dysentery in May 2000, as well as risk factors for dyspepsia in exposed individuals. This was a cohort study conducted in the town of Walkerton, Ontario, Canada. Involved individuals were recruited into the Walkerton Health Study between 2002 and 2003 and were attending for annual assessment in 2008. Exposed individuals were subdivided into those with self-reported gastroenteritis, with acute illness unconfirmed by health records, and those with clinically confirmed gastroenteritis, with substantiation of acute illness by health record review. Presence of dyspepsia at 8 years, according to a broad definition (any symptom referable to the upper gastrointestinal tract), and the Rome II criteria, was compared between exposed and nonexposed individuals. Of 2597 subjects eligible, 1088 (41.9%) provided data for analysis, and 706 (64.9%) had reported acute gastroenteritis. Multivariate odd ratios for dyspepsia at 8 years in exposed individuals using a broad definition and the Rome II definition were 2.09 (95% confidence interval: 1.58-2.78) and 2.30 (95% confidence interval: 1.63-3.26), respectively. Prevalence of dyspepsia was higher in females; smokers; those with premorbid irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, or depression; and those reporting >7 days of diarrhea or abdominal cramps during the acute illness. Symptoms of dyspepsia 8 years after an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis were significantly more prevalent in exposed compared with nonexposed individuals. Copyright 2010 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Physicochemical Profiles of the Marketed Agrochemicals and Clues for Agrochemical Lead Discovery and Screening Library Development.

PubMed

Rao, Hanbing; Huangfu, Changxin; Wang, Yanying; Wang, Xianxiang; Tang, Tiansheng; Zeng, Xianyin; Li, Zerong; Chen, Yuzong

2015-05-01

Combinatorial chemistry, high-throughput and virtual screening technologies have been extensively used for discovering agrochemical leads from chemical libraries. The knowledge of the physicochemical properties of the marketed agrochemicals is useful for guiding the design and selection of such libraries. Since the earlier profiling of marketed agrochemicals, the number and types of marketed agrochemicals have significantly increased. Recent studies have shown the change of some physicochemical properties of oral drugs with time. There is a need to also profile the physicochemical properties of the marketed agrochemicals. In this work, we analyzed the key physicochemical properties of 1751 marketed agrochemicals in comparison with the previously-analyzed herbicides and insecticides, 106 391 natural products and 57 548 diverse synthetic libraries compounds. Our study revealed the distribution profiles and evolution trend of different types of agrochemicals that in many respects are broadly similar to the reported profiles for oral drugs, with the most marked difference being that agrochemicals have a lower number of hydrogen bond donors. The derived distribution patterns provided the rule of thumb guidelines for selecting potential agrochemical leads and also provided clues for further improving the libraries for agrochemical lead discovery. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Centronuclear myopathies: genotype-phenotype correlation and frequency of defined genetic forms in an Italian cohort.

PubMed

Fattori, Fabiana; Maggi, Lorenzo; Bruno, Claudio; Cassandrini, Denise; Codemo, Valentina; Catteruccia, Michela; Tasca, Giorgio; Berardinelli, Angela; Magri, Francesca; Pane, Marika; Rubegni, Anna; Santoro, Lucio; Ruggiero, Lucia; Fiorini, Patrizio; Pini, Antonella; Mongini, Tiziana; Messina, Sonia; Brisca, Giacomo; Colombo, Irene; Astrea, Guja; Fiorillo, Chiara; Bragato, Cinzia; Moroni, Isabella; Pegoraro, Elena; D'Apice, Maria Rosaria; Alfei, Enrico; Mora, Marina; Morandi, Lucia; Donati, Alice; Evilä, Anni; Vihola, Anna; Udd, Bjarne; Bernansconi, Pia; Mercuri, Eugenio; Santorelli, Filippo Maria; Bertini, Enrico; D'Amico, Adele

2015-07-01

Centronuclear myopathies (CNMs) are a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous muscle disorders. To date, mutation in 7 different genes has been reported to cause CNMs but 30 % of cases still remain genetically undefined. Genetic investigations are often expensive and time consuming. Clinical and morphological clues are needed to facilitate genetic tests and to choose the best approach for genetic screening. We aimed to describe genotype-phenotype correlation in an Italian cohort of patients affected by CNMs, to define the relative frequencies of its defined genetic forms and to draw a diagnostic algorithm to address genetic investigations. We recruited patients with CNMs from all the Italian tertiary neuromuscular centers following clinical and histological criteria. All selected patients were screened for the four 'canonical' genes related to CNMs: MTM1, DNM2, RYR1 and BIN1. Pathogenetic mutations were found in 38 of the 54 screened patients (70 %), mostly in patients with congenital onset (25 of 30 patients, 83 %): 15 in MTM1, 6 in DNM2, 3 in RYR1 and one in TTN. Among the 13 patients with a childhood-adolescence onset, mutations were found in 6 patients (46 %), all in DNM2. In the group of the 11 patients with adult onset, mutations were identified in 7 patients (63 %), again in DNM2, confirming that variants in this gene are relatively more common in late-onset phenotypes. The present study provides the relative molecular frequency of centronuclear myopathy and of its genetically defined forms in Italy and also proposes a diagnostic algorithm to be used in clinical practice to address genetic investigations.

Military Service and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in a Population-based Cohort

PubMed Central

Cudkowicz, Merit E.; Johnson, Norman

2015-01-01

Background: Military service has been suggested to be associated with an increased risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but only one prospective study—of a volunteer cohort—has examined this question. Methods: We prospectively assessed the relation between service in the military and ALS mortality among participants in the National Longitudinal Mortality Study, a population-representative cohort of U.S. men and women surveyed from 1973 through 2002. Participant follow-up was conducted from 1979 through 2002 for ALS mortality. There were 696,743 men and 392,571 women who were 25 years old or more with military service data. In this group, there were 375 male ALS deaths and 96 female ALS deaths. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using Cox proportional hazards. Results: Men who served in the military had an increased adjusted ALS death rate [HR: 1.23; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.98, 1.53] compared with those who did not serve. An increase in ALS mortality was found among those who served during World War II (HR: 1.47; 95% CI: 1.13, 1.91) but not during other time periods. This pattern of results was similar for women, but with larger confidence intervals (HR for military service: 1.26; 95% CI: 0.29, 5.59; HR for service during World War II: 2.03; 95% CI: 0.45, 9.05). Conclusions: Military personnel have an increased risk of ALS, which may be specific to certain service periods although there was no data on actual deployment. Because of the longer follow-up time for World War II veterans, we cannot rule out that increased risk for those who served during other periods would be seen with further follow-up. PMID:26414854

Tooth size discrepancies in Class II division 1 and Class III malocclusion requiring surgical-orthodontic or orthodontic treatment.

PubMed

McSwiney, Timothy P; Millett, Declan T; McIntyre, Grant T; Barry, Mark K; Cronin, Michael S

2014-06-01

To compare mean anterior (AR) and mean overall (OR) tooth size ratios, prevalence of clinically significant tooth size discrepancies (TSDs) and correlation between AR and OR in subjects with Class II division 1 and Class III malocclusion treated by surgical-orthodontic or orthodontic means. Retrospective, cross-sectional. State-funded and private clinics. From pre-treatment cohorts of 770 surgical and 610 non-surgical subjects, Class II division 1 and Class III malocclusion groups were identified with 60 surgical and 60 non-surgical subjects, comprising 30 males and 30 females, in each. AR and OR were calculated by landmarking digital models. Differences in AR and OR and their relationship were analysed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and a correlation coefficient, respectively. The proportions of the surgical and non-surgical groups with a TSD were assessed using logistic regression. Intra-examiner reproducibility involved re-landmarking 30 randomly selected image sets and differences in ARs and ORs were compared using a paired t-test. Random error was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Analyses were performed using SAS (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA) at the 5% level of significance. There were no statistically significant differences associated with the measurement of either the mean AR (P = 0·913) or the mean OR (P = 0·874). ICC values were very high (AR = 0·95; OR = 0·90). Differences existed between both Class II and Class III surgical (AR: P<0·001; OR: P<0·001) and non-surgical groups (AR: P = 0·012; OR: P = 0·003). The AR and OR relationship was strong (correlation coefficient = 0·72). The highest percentage of clinically significant TSDs was seen in the AR of both Class II and Class III surgical groups (23·3%). In the cohort examined: AR and OR differed significantly for malocclusion groups. The prevalence of clinically significant TSDs did not differ significantly between

Galactic bulge population II Cepheids in the VVV survey: period-luminosity relations and a distance to the Galactic centre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhardwaj, A.; Rejkuba, M.; Minniti, D.; Surot, F.; Valenti, E.; Zoccali, M.; Gonzalez, O. A.; Romaniello, M.; Kanbur, S. M.; Singh, H. P.

2017-09-01

Context. Multiple stellar populations of different ages and metallicities reside in the Galactic bulge that trace its structure and provide clues to its formation and evolution. Aims: We present the near-infrared observations of population II Cepheids in the Galactic bulge from VISTA Variables in the Vía Láctea (VVV) survey. The JHKs photometry together with optical data from Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) survey provide an independent estimate of the distance to the Galactic centre. The old, metal-poor and low-mass population II Cepheids are also investigated as useful tracers for the structure of the Galactic bulge. Methods: We identify 340 population II Cepheids in the VVV survey Galactic bulge catalogue based on their match with the OGLE-III Catalogue. The single-epoch JH and multi-epoch Ks observations complement the accurate periods and optical (VI) mean-magnitudes from OGLE. The sample consisting of BL Herculis and W Virginis subtypes is used to derive period-luminosity relations after correcting mean-magnitudes for the extinction. Our Ks-band period-luminosity relation, Ks = -2.189(0.056) [log (P)-1] + 11.187(0.032), is consistent with published work for BL Herculis and W Virginis variables in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Results: We present a combined OGLE-III and VVV catalogue with periods, classification, mean magnitudes, and extinction for 264 Galactic bulge population II Cepheids that have good-quality Ks-band light curves. The absolute magnitudes for population II Cepheids and RR Lyraes calibrated using Gaia and Hubble Space Telescope parallaxes, together with calibrated magnitudes for Large Magellanic Cloud population II Cepheids, are used to obtain a distance to the Galactic centre, R0 = 8.34 ± 0.03(stat.) ± 0.41(syst.), which changes by with different extinction laws. While noting the limitation of small number statistics, we find that the present sample of population II Cepheids in the Galactic bulge shows a nearly spheroidal

Static Air Support Surfaces to Prevent Pressure Injuries: A Multicenter Cohort Study in Belgian Nursing Homes.

PubMed

Serraes, Brecht; Beeckman, Dimitri

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and risk factors for developing pressure injuries (PIs) in patients placed on a static air support surfaces: mattress overlay, heel wedge, and seat cushion. Multicenter cohort study. The sample comprised 176 residents; their mean age was 87 (SD = 6.76) years; their mean Braden Scale score was 14 (SD = 2.54). The study was performed on a convenience sample of 6 nursing homes in Belgium. Data were collected on 23 care units. The primary outcome measure, cumulative PI incidence (category [stage] II-IV) over a 30-day observation period, was calculated. Pressure injury occurrence was defined according to the 2014 European and US National Pressure Injury Advisory panels, Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance classification system. The PI incidence for category (stage) II-IV was 5.1%. Six residents (3.4%) developed a category II PI, and 3 (1.7%) developed a category III PI; no category IV ulcers occurred. No significant risk factors for category II-IV PIs were identified using multivariate logistic regression. Time of sitting in a chair was found to be a risk factor for development of nonblanchable erythema (category I PI) (odds ratio = 21.608; 95% confidence interval [CI], 20.510-22.812; P = .013). The median time to develop a category II-IV PI was 16 days (interquartile range = 2-26). The interrater reliability between the observations of the researcher and nurses on-site was almost perfect (0.86; 95% CI, 0.81-0.91). We found a low incidence of PIs when using a static air overlay mattress for patients at risk in a nursing home population. Static air support surfaces, alongside patient-tailored patient repositioning protocols, should be considered to prevent PIs in this patient population.

Disability Rises Gradually for a Cohort of Older Americans

PubMed Central

Brown, Dustin C.; Zajacova, Anna

2017-01-01

Objectives: We study changes in average disability over nearly two decades for a large epidemiological cohort of older Americans. As some people exit by mortality, do average disability levels for the living cohort rise rapidly, rise gradually, stay steady, or decline? Method: Data are from the Study of Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) cohort for 1993–2010. Cohort members are aged 70+ in 1993 (mean = 77.5 years), and the survivors are aged 87+ in 2010 (mean = 90.2 years). Personal care disability (activities of daily living), household management disability (instrumental activities of daily living), and physical limitations are studied. We study average disability for the living cohort over time and the disability histories for decedent and survivor groups. Results: Average disability rises gradually over time for the living cohort. Earlier decedent groups have higher average disability than later ones. Near death, disability rises sharply for all decedent groups. Longer surviving groups have less average disability, and slower disability increases, than shorter surviving groups. All results are repeated for younger cohort members (baseline age = 70–79 years), older ones (baseline age = 80+ years), women, and men. Discussion: As a cohort ages, average disability among living members increases gradually, signaling behavioral, psychological, and biological fitness in very old persons. PMID:26968638

NCI Cohort Consortium

Cancer.gov

The NCI Cohort Consortium is an extramural-intramural partnership formed by the National Cancer Institute to address the need for large-scale collaborations to pool the large quantity of data and biospecimens necessary to conduct a wide range of cancer studies.

Chitosan film loaded with silver nanoparticles-sorbent for solid phase extraction of Al(III), Cd(II), Cu(II), Co(II), Fe(III), Ni(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II).

PubMed

Djerahov, Lubomir; Vasileva, Penka; Karadjova, Irina; Kurakalva, Rama Mohan; Aradhi, Keshav Krishna

2016-08-20

The present study describes the ecofriendly method for the preparation of chitosan film loaded with silver nanoparticles (CS-AgNPs) and application of this film as efficient sorbent for separation and enrichment of Al(III), Cd(II), Cu(II), Co(II), Fe(III), Ni(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II). The stable CS-AgNPs colloid was prepared by dispersing the AgNPs sol in chitosan solution at appropriate ratio and further used to obtain a cast film with very good stability under storage and good mechanical strength for easy handling in aqueous medium. The incorporation of AgNPs in the structure of CS film and interaction between the polymer matrix and nanoparticles were confirmed by UV-vis and FTIR spectroscopy. The homogeneously embedded AgNPs (average diameter 29nm, TEM analysis) were clearly observed throughout the film by SEM. The CS-AgNPs nanocomposite film shows high sorption activity toward trace metals under optimized chemical conditions. The results suggest that the CS-AgNPs nanocomposite film can be feasibly used as a novel sorbent material for solid-phase extraction of metal pollutants from surface waters. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Collaborative Research to Optimize Warfighter Nutrition II (CROWN II)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

Award Number: W81XWH-14-1-0335 TITLE: Collaborative Research to Optimize Warfighter Nutrition II (CROWN II) PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Jennifer C...2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Collaborative Research to Optimize Warfighter Nutrition II (CROWN II) 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-14-1...has been forged between USARIEM and Pennington Biomedical Research Center (PBRC) since 1988. Objective: CROWN II conducts research in nutrition

Cohort profile: the Italian Network of Longitudinal Metropolitan Studies (IN-LiMeS), a multicentre cohort for socioeconomic inequalities in health monitoring

PubMed Central

Giorgi Rossi, Paolo; Spadea, Teresa; Pacelli, Barbara; Broccoli, Serena; Ballotari, Paola; Costa, Giuseppe; Zengarini, Nicolás; Agabiti, Nera; Bargagli, Anna Maria; Cacciani, Laura; Canova, Cristina; Cestari, Laura; Biggeri, Annibale; Grisotto, Laura; Terni, Gianna; Costanzo, Gianfranco; Mirisola, Concetta; Petrelli, Alessio

2018-01-01

Purpose The Italian Network of Longitudinal Metropolitan Studies (IN-LiMeS) is a system of integrated data on health outcomes, demographic and socioeconomic information, and represents a powerful tool to study health inequalities. Participants IN-LiMeS is a multicentre and multipurpose pool of metropolitan population cohorts enrolled in nine Italian cities: Turin, Venice, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, Florence, Leghorn, Prato and Rome. Data come from record linkage of municipal population registries, the 2001 population census, mortality registers and hospital discharge archives. Depending on the source of enrolment, cohorts can be closed or open. The census-based closed cohort design includes subjects resident in any of the nine cities at the 2001 census day; 4 466 655 individuals were enrolled in 2001 in the nine closed cohorts. The open cohort design includes subjects resident in 2001 or subsequently registered by birth or immigration until the latest available follow-up (currently 31 December 2013). The open cohort design is available for Turin, Venice, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, Prato and Rome. Detailed socioeconomic data are available for subjects enrolled in the census-based cohorts; information on demographic characteristics, education and citizenship is available from population registries. Findings to date The first IN-LiMeS application was the study of differentials in mortality between immigrants and Italians. Either using a closed cohort design (nine cities) or an open one (Turin and Reggio Emilia), individuals from high migration pressure countries generally showed a lower mortality risk. However, a certain heterogeneity between the nine cities was noted, especially among men, and an excess mortality risk was reported for some macroareas of origin and specific causes of death. Future plans We are currently working on the linkage of the 2011 population census data, the expansion of geographical coverage and the implementation of the open design

Changes in cohort wealth over a generation.

PubMed

David, M H; Menchik, P L

1988-08-01

Empirical computation of expected wealth is hampered by two problems: mortality risks vary in the population and over time; and observation of net estates for most cohorts is truncated, as some individuals in a cohort survive the calendar date on which observation is terminated. These two problems are solved in estimating cohort wealth for a sample of Wisconsin taxpayers. Hazard rate models of differential occupational mortality risks were estimated from the occupational information on the tax records. Values of net estate are simulated for individuals in each birth cohort who survived. Survivors have characteristics that imply greater wealth holdings than the deceased in every birth year covered by the study (1890-1924). Because of this, estimates of wealth-age relationships produced by the estate multiplier method for any given year will have a serious downward bias. Longitudinal data imply that dissaving does not occur after age 65.

Reexamination of human T cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV-I/II) prevalence

PubMed Central

Zucker-Franklin, Dorothea; Pancake, Bette A.; Marmor, Michael; Legler, Patricia M.

1997-01-01

In the United States, blood donors are being screened for infection with human T cell lymphotropic viruses I and II (HTLV-I/II) by serologic means, which detect antibodies to the structural proteins of these viruses. Because patients with mycosis fungoides (MF) usually do not have such antibodies even though their cells harbor HTLV-I Tax and/or pol proviral sequences, it was questioned whether the prevalence of HTLV infection among healthy blood donors may also be underestimated by current means of testing. To examine this possibility, a study on specimens of relatives of mycosis fungoides patients (MFR) was begun. In addition, to collect data more expeditiously, a cohort of former injection drug users (IDUs) was tested by routine serologic methods, as well as by PCR/Southern blot analysis for Tax, pol, and gag proviral sequences and Western blot analysis for antibodies to the Tax gene product. To date, 6/8 MFRs and 42/81 (51.8%) of HIV-negative IDUs proved to be positive for HTLV, whereas routine serology identified none of the MFR and only 18/81 (22.2%) of the IDUs. Among the latter test subjects, the incidence of HTLV-I also proved to be 10 times higher than expected. Therefore, it is likely that among healthy blood donors infection with HTLV-I/II is more prevalent than is currently assumed. Since Tax is the transforming sequence of HTLV-I/II, testing for Tax sequences and antibodies to its gene product may be desirable in blood transfusion and tissue donor facilities. PMID:9177230

Coordination behavior of tetraaza [N4] ligand towards Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Cu(I) and Pd(II) complexes: Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization and anticancer activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Boraey, Hanaa A.

2012-11-01

Novel eight Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Cu(I) and Pd(II) complexes with [N4] ligand (L) i.e. 2-amino-N-{2-[(2-aminobenzoyl)amino]ethyl}benzamide have been synthesized and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, spectral, thermal (TG/DTG), magnetic, and molar conductivity measurements. On the basis of IR, mass, electronic and EPR spectral studies an octahedral geometry has been proposed for Co(II), Ni(II) complexes and Cu(II) chloride complex, square-pyramidal for Cu(I) bromide complex. For Cu(II) nitrate complex (6), Pd(II) complex (8) square planar geometry was proposed. The EPR data of Cu(II) complexes in powdered form indicate dx2-y2 ground state of Cu(II) ion. The antitumor activity of the synthesized ligand and some selected metal complexes has been studied. The palladium(II) complex (8) was found to display cytotoxicity (IC50 = 25.6 and 41 μM) against human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and human hepatocarcinoma HEPG2 cell line.

Simplified Acute Physiology Score II as Predictor of Mortality in Intensive Care Units: A Decision Curve Analysis

PubMed Central

Allyn, Jérôme; Ferdynus, Cyril; Bohrer, Michel; Dalban, Cécile; Valance, Dorothée; Allou, Nicolas

2016-01-01

Background End-of-life decision-making in Intensive care Units (ICUs) is difficult. The main problems encountered are the lack of a reliable prediction score for death and the fact that the opinion of patients is rarely taken into consideration. The Decision Curve Analysis (DCA) is a recent method developed to evaluate the prediction models and which takes into account the wishes of patients (or surrogates) to expose themselves to the risk of obtaining a false result. Our objective was to evaluate the clinical usefulness, with DCA, of the Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II) to predict ICU mortality. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study from January 2011 to September 2015, in a medical-surgical 23-bed ICU at University Hospital. Performances of the SAPS II, a modified SAPS II (without AGE), and age to predict ICU mortality, were measured by a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis and DCA. Results Among the 4.370 patients admitted, 23.3% died in the ICU. Mean (standard deviation) age was 56.8 (16.7) years, and median (first-third quartile) SAPS II was 48 (34–65). Areas under ROC curves were 0.828 (0.813–0.843) for SAPS II, 0.814 (0.798–0.829) for modified SAPS II and of 0.627 (0.608–0.646) for age. DCA showed a net benefit whatever the probability threshold, especially under 0.5. Conclusion DCA shows the benefits of the SAPS II to predict ICU mortality, especially when the probability threshold is low. Complementary studies are needed to define the exact role that the SAPS II can play in end-of-life decision-making in ICUs. PMID:27741304

HLA typing associated with hepatitis B E antigen seroconversion in children with chronic hepatitis B virus infection: a long-term prospective sibling cohort study in Taiwan.

PubMed

Wu, Jia-Feng; Chen, Chen-Hsin; Hsieh, Rhong-Phong; Shih, Hsiang-Hung; Chen, Yi-Hau; Li, Chi-Rong; Chiang, Chih-Yao; Shau, Wen-Yi; Ni, Yen-Hsuan; Chen, Huey-Ling; Hsu, Hong-Yuan; Chang, Mei-Hwei

2006-05-01

To conduct a prospective cohort study to clarify the relationship between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) polymorphisms and the seroconversion of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg). In the prospective cohort study, 81 HBeAg-positive children with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection from 40 unrelated families were recruited and followed-up regularly for a mean period of 17.70 +/- 3.23 years. The association between HLA antigen and the age at HBeAg seroconversion was analyzed using Cox regression model with shared frailties under left truncation and right censorship. HLA-B61 and HLA-DQB1*0503 antigens predicted a higher HBeAg seroconversion rate (relative incidence = 6.17 and 3.22, P = .024 and .017, respectively). Within-family frailty in our sibling cohort study demonstrated a negligible or a low degree of within-family correlation with spontaneous HBeAg seroconversion in each HLA antigen. HLA class I antigen B61 and class II antigen DQB1*0503 are associated with earlier HBeAg seroconversion in Taiwanese children with chronic HBV infection.

Synthesis, characterization and anti-microbial evaluation of Cu(II), Ni(II), Pt(II) and Pd(II) sulfonylhydrazone complexes; 2D-QSAR analysis of Ni(II) complexes of sulfonylhydrazone derivatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Özbek, Neslihan; Alyar, Saliha; Alyar, Hamit; Şahin, Ertan; Karacan, Nurcan

2013-05-01

Copper(II), nickel(II), platinum(II) and palladium(II) complexes with 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde-N-methylpropanesulfonylhydrazone (nafpsmh) derived from propanesulfonic acid-1-methylhydrazide (psmh) were synthesized, their structure were identified, and antimicrobial activity of the compounds was screened against three Gram-positive and three Gram-negative bacteria. The results of antimicrobial studies indicate that Pt(II) and Pd(II) complexes showed the most activity against all bacteria. The crystal structure of 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde-N-methylpropanesulfonylhydrazone (nafpsmh) was also investigated by X-ray analysis. A series of Ni(II) sulfonyl hydrazone complexes (1-33) was synthesized and tested in vitro against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Their antimicrobial activities were used in the QSAR analysis. Four-parameter QSAR models revealed that nucleophilic reaction index for Ni and O atoms, and HOMO-LUMO energy gap play key roles in the antimicrobial activity.

Time-trends in the prescribing of gastroprotective agents to primary care patients initiating low-dose aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: a population-based cohort study

PubMed Central

Warlé-van Herwaarden, Margaretha F; Koffeman, Aafke R; Valkhoff, Vera E; ’t Jong, Geert W; Kramers, Cornelis; Sturkenboom, Miriam C; De Smet, Peter A G M

2015-01-01

Aims Low-dose aspirin (LDA) and non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) both increase the risk of upper gastrointestinal events (UGIEs). In the Netherlands, recommendations regarding the prescription of gastroprotective agents (GPAs) in LDA users were first issued in 2009 in the HARM-Wrestling consensus. National guidelines on gastroprotective strategies (GPSs) in NSAID users were issued in the first part of the preceding. The aim of the present study was to examine time-trends in GPSs in patients initiating LDA and those initiating NSAIDs between 2000 and 2012. Methods Within a large electronic primary healthcare database, two cohorts were selected: (i) patients newly prescribed LDA and (ii) patients newly prescribed NSAIDs between 2000 and 2012. Patients who had been prescribed a GPA in the previous six months were excluded. For both cohorts, patients’ risk of a UGIE was classified as low, moderate or high, based on the HARM-Wrestling consensus, and the presence of an adequate GPSwas determined. Results A total of 37 578 patients were included in the LDA cohort and 352 025 patients in the NSAID cohort. In both cohorts, an increase in GPSs was observed over time, but prescription of GPAs was lower in the LDA cohort. By 2012, an adequate GPS was present in 31.8% of high-risk LDA initiators, vs. 48.0% of high-risk NSAID initiators. Conclusions Despite a comparable risk of UGIEs, GPSs are prescribed less in high-risk LDA initiators than in high-risk NSAID initiators. For both groups of patients, there is still room for improvement in guideline adherence. PMID:25777983

Time-trends in the prescribing of gastroprotective agents to primary care patients initiating low-dose aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: a population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Warlé-van Herwaarden, Margaretha F; Koffeman, Aafke R; Valkhoff, Vera E; 't Jong, Geert W; Kramers, Cornelis; Sturkenboom, Miriam C; De Smet, Peter A G M

2015-09-01

Low-dose aspirin (LDA) and non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) both increase the risk of upper gastrointestinal events (UGIEs). In the Netherlands, recommendations regarding the prescription of gastroprotective agents (GPAs) in LDA users were first issued in 2009 in the HARM-Wrestling consensus. National guidelines on gastroprotective strategies (GPSs) in NSAID users were issued in the first part of the preceding. The aim of the present study was to examine time-trends in GPSs in patients initiating LDA and those initiating NSAIDs between 2000 and 2012. Within a large electronic primary healthcare database, two cohorts were selected: (i) patients newly prescribed LDA and (ii) patients newly prescribed NSAIDs between 2000 and 2012. Patients who had been prescribed a GPA in the previous six months were excluded. For both cohorts, patients' risk of a UGIE was classified as low, moderate or high, based on the HARM-Wrestling consensus, and the presence of an adequate GPSwas determined. A total of 37 578 patients were included in the LDA cohort and 352 025 patients in the NSAID cohort. In both cohorts, an increase in GPSs was observed over time, but prescription of GPAs was lower in the LDA cohort. By 2012, an adequate GPS was present in 31.8% of high-risk LDA initiators, vs. 48.0% of high-risk NSAID initiators. Despite a comparable risk of UGIEs, GPSs are prescribed less in high-risk LDA initiators than in high-risk NSAID initiators. For both groups of patients, there is still room for improvement in guideline adherence. © 2015 The British Pharmacological Society.

Mortality Probability Model III and Simplified Acute Physiology Score II

PubMed Central

Vasilevskis, Eduard E.; Kuzniewicz, Michael W.; Cason, Brian A.; Lane, Rondall K.; Dean, Mitzi L.; Clay, Ted; Rennie, Deborah J.; Vittinghoff, Eric; Dudley, R. Adams

2009-01-01

Background: To develop and compare ICU length-of-stay (LOS) risk-adjustment models using three commonly used mortality or LOS prediction models. Methods: Between 2001 and 2004, we performed a retrospective, observational study of 11,295 ICU patients from 35 hospitals in the California Intensive Care Outcomes Project. We compared the accuracy of the following three LOS models: a recalibrated acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) IV-LOS model; and models developed using risk factors in the mortality probability model III at zero hours (MPM0) and the simplified acute physiology score (SAPS) II mortality prediction model. We evaluated models by calculating the following: (1) grouped coefficients of determination; (2) differences between observed and predicted LOS across subgroups; and (3) intraclass correlations of observed/expected LOS ratios between models. Results: The grouped coefficients of determination were APACHE IV with coefficients recalibrated to the LOS values of the study cohort (APACHE IVrecal) [R2 = 0.422], mortality probability model III at zero hours (MPM0 III) [R2 = 0.279], and simplified acute physiology score (SAPS II) [R2 = 0.008]. For each decile of predicted ICU LOS, the mean predicted LOS vs the observed LOS was significantly different (p ≤ 0.05) for three, two, and six deciles using APACHE IVrecal, MPM0 III, and SAPS II, respectively. Plots of the predicted vs the observed LOS ratios of the hospitals revealed a threefold variation in LOS among hospitals with high model correlations. Conclusions: APACHE IV and MPM0 III were more accurate than SAPS II for the prediction of ICU LOS. APACHE IV is the most accurate and best calibrated model. Although it is less accurate, MPM0 III may be a reasonable option if the data collection burden or the treatment effect bias is a consideration. PMID:19363210

Period Effects, Cohort Effects, and the Narrowing Gender Wage Gap

PubMed Central

Campbell, Colin; Pearlman, Jessica

2015-01-01

Despite the abundance of sociological research on the gender wage gap, questions remain. In particular, the role of cohorts is under investigated. Using data from the Current Population Survey, we use Age-Period-Cohort analysis to uniquely estimate age, period, and cohort effects on the gender wage gap. The narrowing of the gender wage gap that occurred between 1975 and 2009 is largely due to cohort effects. Since the mid-1990s, the gender wage gap has continued to close absent of period effects. While gains in female wages contributed to declines in the gender wage gap for cohorts born before 1950, for later cohorts the narrowing of the gender wage gap is primarily a result of declines in male wages. PMID:24090861

Impact of Cohort Bonds on Student Satisfaction and Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Kimberly A.; Goldwasser, Molly M.; Galentino, Richard

2017-01-01

This study examines differences in student satisfaction and engagement in cohort programs versus traditional, non-cohort educational programs by studying the impact of close bonds between students. The authors measure and compare "close bonds" within an educational cohort to a traditional program and measure the impact of close bonds on…

Retrospective cohort mortality study of workers at an aircraft maintenance facility. II. Exposures and their assessment.

PubMed Central

Stewart, P A; Lee, J S; Marano, D E; Spirtas, R; Forbes, C D; Blair, A

1991-01-01

Methods are presented that were used for assessing exposures in a cohort mortality study of 15,000 employees who held 150,000 jobs at an Air Force base from 1939 to 1982. Standardisation of the word order and spelling of the job titles identified 43,000 unique job title organisation combinations. Walkthrough surveys were conducted, long term employees were interviewed, and available industrial hygiene data were collected to evaluate historic exposures. Because of difficulties linking air monitoring data and use of specific chemicals to the departments identified in the work histories, position descriptions were used to identify the tasks in each job. From knowledge of the tasks and the chemicals used in those tasks the presence or absence of 23 chemicals or groups of chemicals were designated for each job organisation combination. Also, estimates of levels of exposure were made for trichloroethylene and for mixed solvents, a category comprising several solvents including trichloroethylene, Stoddard solvent, carbon tetrachloride, JP4 gasoline, freon, alcohols, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, acetone, toluene, methyl ethyl ketone, methylene chloride, o-dichlorobenzene, perchloroethylene, chloroform, styrene, and xylene. PMID:1878309

Treatment strategies and cumulative live birth rates in WHO-II ovulation disorders.

PubMed

Braam, Sanne C; de Bruin, Jan Peter; Buisman, Erato T I A; Brandes, Monique; Nelen, Willianne L D M; Smeenk, Jesper M J; van der Steeg, Jan Willem; Mol, Ben Willem J; Hamilton, Carl J C M

2018-04-10

To assess the live birth rate in women with WHO II anovulation and the proportion of women that need second or third line treatments if the initial therapy fails. In this multicenter cohort study we included couples with unfulfilled child wish who were referred to three fertility clinics in the Netherlands and selected women with a WHO II ovulation disorder as the only final infertility diagnosis (n = 468). The cumulative live birth rate of the total group was 82% (383/468). The majority started with clomiphene-citrate as first-line treatment (n = 378) resulting in 180 (48%) live births. There were 153 couples (40%) who underwent a second-line treatment (recombinant-FSH or laparoscopic electrocoagulation of the ovaries, LEO) and 52 couples (14%) a third-line treatment (IVF/ICSI), resulting in 44% and 63% treatment dependent live births rates, respectively. Of all couples, 92 (20%) conceived naturally, 186 (40%) after clomiphene-citrate, 60 (13%) after recombinant-FSH, nine (2%) after LEO and 36 (8%) after IVF. Subfertile women with a WHO II ovulation disorder have a good prognosis on live birth, and most did so after ovulation induction with clomiphene-citrate. If first-line ovulation induction has failed ovulation induction with gonadotrophins or IVF still result in a live birth in about half of the cases. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Long working hours and sleep disturbances: the Whitehall II prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Virtanen, Marianna; Ferrie, Jane E; Gimeno, David; Vahtera, Jussi; Elovainio, Marko; Singh-Manoux, Archana; Marmot, Michael G; Kivimäki, Mika

2009-06-01

To examine whether exposure to long working hours predicts various forms of sleep disturbance; short sleep, difficulty falling asleep, frequent waking, early waking and waking without feeling refreshed. Prospective study with 2 measurements of working hours (phase 3, 1991-1994 and phase 5, 1997-1999) and 2 measurements of subjective sleep disturbances (phase 5 and phase 7, 2002-2004). The Whitehall II study of British civil servants. Full time workers free of sleep disturbances at phase 5 and employed at phases 5 and 7 (n = 937-1594) or at phases 3, 5, and 7 (n = 886-1510). Working more than 55 hours a week, compared with working 35-40 hours a week, was related to incident sleep disturbances; demographics-adjusted odds ratio (95% CI) 1.98 (1.05, 3.76) for shortened sleeping hours, 3.68 (1.58, 8.58) for difficulty falling asleep; and 1.98 (1.04, 3.77) for waking without feeling refreshed. Repeat exposure to long working hours was associated with odds ratio 3.24 (1.45, 7.27) for shortened sleep, 6.66 (2.64, 16.83) for difficulty falling asleep, and 2.23 (1.16, 4.31) for early morning awakenings. Some associations were attenuated after adjustment for other risk factors. To a great extent, similar results were obtained using working hours as a continuous variable. Imputation of missing values supported the findings on shortened sleep and difficulty in falling asleep. Working long hours appears to be a risk factor for the development of shortened sleeping hours and difficulty falling asleep.

Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, first order nonlinear optical properties and DFT calculations of novel Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes with 1,3-diphenyl-4-phenylazo-5-pyrazolone ligand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdel-Latif, Samir A.; Mohamed, Adel A.

2018-02-01

Novel Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) metal ions with 1,3-diphenyl-4-phenylazo-5-pyrazolone (L) have been prepared and characterized using different analytical and spectroscopic techniques. 1:1 Complexes of Mn(II), Co(II) and Zn(II) are distorted octahedral whereas Ni(II) complex is square planar and Cu(II) is distorted trigonal bipyramid. 1:2 Complexes of Mn(II), Co(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) are distorted trigonal bipyramid whereas Ni(II) complex is distorted tetrahedral. All complexes behave as non-ionic in dimethyl formamide (DMF). The electronic structure and nonlinear optical parameters (NLO) of the complexes were investigated theoretically at the B3LYP/GEN level of theory. Molecular stability and bond strengths have been investigated by applying natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis. The geometries of the studied complexes are non-planner. DFT calculations have been also carried out to calculate the global properties; hardness (η), global softness (S) and electronegativity (χ). The calculated small energy gap between HOMO and LUMO energies shows that the charge transfer occurs within the complexes. The total static dipole moment (μtot), the mean polarizability (<α>), the anisotropy of the polarizability (Δα) and the mean first-order hyperpolarizability (<β>) were calculated and compared with urea as a reference material. The complexes show implying optical properties.

Hybrid capture-II and LCR-E7 PCR assays for HPV typing in cervical cytologic samples.

PubMed

Yamazaki, H; Sasagawa, T; Basha, W; Segawa, T; Inoue, M

2001-10-15

As part of an ongoing cohort study in the Hokuriku region of Japan, cervical cell samples from histologically confirmed normal (n = 114) or abnormal (n = 286) women were examined for the presence of HPV DNA using a second-generation hybrid capture assay (HCA-II) and LCR-E7 PCR. HCA-II detected low-risk (HPV-6, -11, -42, 43 and -44) and high-risk (HPV-16, -18, -31, -33, -35, -39, -45, -51, -52, -56, -58, -59 and -68) HPV types, while LCR-E7 PCR detected an additional 7 HPV types and some uncharacterized types. In screening of high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) and invasive cervical cancer, the sensitivities of HCA-II and LCR-E7 PCR testing the high-risk HPV types were 83% and 81%, respectively, while the specificity of both assays was 93%. The sensitivity of LCR-E7 PCR increased to 87%, which was significantly higher than that in HCA-II, when testing both high-risk and other HPV types. Sixty-eight inconsistent results (17% of total tested) from HCA-II and LCR-E7 PCR were due to (i) low copy number of HPV genome (false-negative for HCA-II, 5.3% and for LCR-E7 PCR, 1.3%), (ii) infection with HPV types undetectable by HCA-II (4.8%), (iii) multiple HPV infections (5%) or (iv) unknown reasons (0.8%). LCR-E7 PCR revealed that infections with HPV-16, -18, -31, -33, -35, -51, -52, -56, -58 or -67 was a high risk for cancer since these types predominated in HSIL and invasive cervical cancer. Samples showing high relative light units (>20) with a high-risk probe in HCA-II also gave positive results in LCR-E7 PCR and were generally associated with abnormal cervical lesions. Thus, we propose that both HCA-II and LCR-E7 PCR are valuable screening tests for premalignant and malignant cervical lesions. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Health Impact of US Military Service in a Large Population-Based Military Cohort: Findings of the Millennium Cohort Study, 2001-2008

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

427. 26. Smith TC, Wingard DL, Ryan MA, Kritz- Silverstein D, Slymen DJ, Sallis JF, for the Millennium Cohort Study Team: Prior assault and... Silverstein D, for the Millennium Cohort Study Team: New onset and persistent symptoms of post- traumatic stress disorder self reported after deployment...deployed to the 2003 Iraq war: a cohort study. Lancet 2006, 367(9524):1731-1741. 41. Smith TC, Wingard DL, Ryan MAK, Kritz- Silverstein D, Slymen DJ, Sallis

Period effects, cohort effects, and the narrowing gender wage gap.

PubMed

Campbell, Colin; Pearlman, Jessica

2013-11-01

Despite the abundance of sociological research on the gender wage gap, questions remain. In particular, the role of cohorts is under investigated. Using data from the Current Population Survey, we use age-period-cohort analysis to uniquely estimate age, period, and cohort effects on the gender wage gap. The narrowing of the gender wage gap that occurred between 1975 and 2009 is largely due to cohort effects. Since the mid-1990s, the gender wage gap has continued to close absent of period effects. While gains in female wages contributed to declines in the gender wage gap for cohorts born before 1950, for later cohorts the narrowing of the gender wage gap is primarily a result of declines in male wages. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The international primary ciliary dyskinesia cohort (iPCD Cohort): methods and first results.

PubMed

Goutaki, Myrofora; Maurer, Elisabeth; Halbeisen, Florian S; Amirav, Israel; Barbato, Angelo; Behan, Laura; Boon, Mieke; Casaulta, Carmen; Clement, Annick; Crowley, Suzanne; Haarman, Eric; Hogg, Claire; Karadag, Bulent; Koerner-Rettberg, Cordula; Leigh, Margaret W; Loebinger, Michael R; Mazurek, Henryk; Morgan, Lucy; Nielsen, Kim G; Omran, Heymut; Schwerk, Nicolaus; Scigliano, Sergio; Werner, Claudius; Yiallouros, Panayiotis; Zivkovic, Zorica; Lucas, Jane S; Kuehni, Claudia E

2017-01-01

Data on primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) epidemiology is scarce and published studies are characterised by low numbers. In the framework of the European Union project BESTCILIA we aimed to combine all available datasets in a retrospective international PCD cohort (iPCD Cohort).We identified eligible datasets by performing a systematic review of published studies containing clinical information on PCD, and by contacting members of past and current European Respiratory Society Task Forces on PCD. We compared the contents of the datasets, clarified definitions and pooled them in a standardised format.As of April 2016 the iPCD Cohort includes data on 3013 patients from 18 countries. It includes data on diagnostic evaluations, symptoms, lung function, growth and treatments. Longitudinal data are currently available for 542 patients. The extent of clinical details per patient varies between centres. More than 50% of patients have a definite PCD diagnosis based on recent guidelines. Children aged 10-19 years are the largest age group, followed by younger children (≤9 years) and young adults (20-29 years).This is the largest observational PCD dataset available to date. It will allow us to answer pertinent questions on clinical phenotype, disease severity, prognosis and effect of treatments, and to investigate genotype-phenotype correlations. Copyright ©ERS 2017.

The international primary ciliary dyskinesia cohort (iPCD Cohort): methods and first results

PubMed Central

Goutaki, Myrofora; Maurer, Elisabeth; Halbeisen, Florian S.; Amirav, Israel; Barbato, Angelo; Behan, Laura; Boon, Mieke; Casaulta, Carmen; Clement, Annick; Crowley, Suzanne; Haarman, Eric; Hogg, Claire; Karadag, Bulent; Koerner-Rettberg, Cordula; Leigh, Margaret W.; Loebinger, Michael R.; Mazurek, Henryk; Morgan, Lucy; Nielsen, Kim G.; Omran, Heymut; Schwerk, Nicolaus; Scigliano, Sergio; Werner, Claudius; Yiallouros, Panayiotis; Zivkovic, Zorica; Lucas, Jane S.

2017-01-01

Data on primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) epidemiology is scarce and published studies are characterised by low numbers. In the framework of the European Union project BESTCILIA we aimed to combine all available datasets in a retrospective international PCD cohort (iPCD Cohort). We identified eligible datasets by performing a systematic review of published studies containing clinical information on PCD, and by contacting members of past and current European Respiratory Society Task Forces on PCD. We compared the contents of the datasets, clarified definitions and pooled them in a standardised format. As of April 2016 the iPCD Cohort includes data on 3013 patients from 18 countries. It includes data on diagnostic evaluations, symptoms, lung function, growth and treatments. Longitudinal data are currently available for 542 patients. The extent of clinical details per patient varies between centres. More than 50% of patients have a definite PCD diagnosis based on recent guidelines. Children aged 10–19 years are the largest age group, followed by younger children (≤9 years) and young adults (20–29 years). This is the largest observational PCD dataset available to date. It will allow us to answer pertinent questions on clinical phenotype, disease severity, prognosis and effect of treatments, and to investigate genotype–phenotype correlations. PMID:28052956

Impact of the REACH II and REACH VA Dementia Caregiver Interventions on Healthcare Costs.

PubMed

Nichols, Linda O; Martindale-Adams, Jennifer; Zhu, Carolyn W; Kaplan, Erin K; Zuber, Jeffrey K; Waters, Teresa M

2017-05-01

Examine caregiver and care recipient healthcare costs associated with caregivers' participation in Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregivers Health (REACH II or REACH VA) behavioral interventions to improve coping skills and care recipient management. RCT (REACH II); propensity-score matched, retrospective cohort study (REACH VA). Five community sites (REACH II); 24 VA facilities (REACH VA). Care recipients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) and their caregivers who participated in REACH II study (analysis sample of 110 caregivers and 197 care recipients); care recipients whose caregivers participated in REACH VA and a propensity matched control group (analysis sample of 491). Previously collected data plus Medicare expenditures (REACH II) and VA costs plus Medicare expenditures (REACH VA). There was no increase in VA or Medicare expenditures for care recipients or their caregivers who participated in either REACH intervention. For VA care recipients, REACH was associated with significantly lower total VA costs of care (33.6%). VA caregiver cost data was not available. In previous research, both REACH II and REACH VA have been shown to provide benefit for dementia caregivers at a cost of less than $5/day; however, concerns about additional healthcare costs may have hindered REACH's widespread adoption. Neither REACH intervention was associated with additional healthcare costs for caregivers or patients; in fact, for VA patients, there were significantly lower healthcare costs. The VA costs savings may be related to the addition of a structured format for addressing the caregiver's role in managing complex ADRD care to an existing, integrated care system. These findings suggest that behavioral interventions are a viable mechanism to support burdened dementia caregivers without additional healthcare costs. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics Society.

34 CFR 668.204 - Draft cohort default rates and your ability to challenge before official cohort default rates are...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Draft cohort default rates and your ability to challenge before official cohort default rates are issued. 668.204 Section 668.204 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT...

34 CFR 668.185 - Draft cohort default rates and your ability to challenge before official cohort default rates are...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Draft cohort default rates and your ability to challenge before official cohort default rates are issued. 668.185 Section 668.185 Education Regulations of the Offices of the Department of Education (Continued) OFFICE OF POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT...

N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide is an independent predictor of outcome in an unselected cohort of critically ill patients.

PubMed

Meyer, Brigitte; Huelsmann, Martin; Wexberg, Paul; Delle Karth, Georg; Berger, Rudolf; Moertl, Deddo; Szekeres, Thomas; Pacher, Richard; Heinz, Gottfried

2007-10-01

Natriuretic peptides emerged during recent years as potent prognostic markers in patients with heart failure and acute myocardial infarction. In addition, natriuretic peptides show strong predictive value in patients with pulmonary embolism, sepsis, renal failure, and shock. The present study tests the prognostic information of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-pro-BNP) in an unselected cohort of critically ill patients. Prospective, observational study. A tertiary intensive care unit in a university hospital. A total of 289 consecutive patients admitted to the intensive care unit during a 16-month period with the following data: age 64 +/- 14 yrs, male n = 191, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II of 52 +/- 24, mechanical ventilation n = 180 (62%), vasopressors n = 179 (62%), renal failure n = 24 (8%). None. Plasma NT-pro-BNP samples (Roche Diagnostics) were obtained on intensive care unit admission. Data are given as median [range]. Intensive care unit survivors had significantly lower NT-pro-BNP values compared with intensive care unit nonsurvivors (3394 [24-35,000] vs. 6776 [303-35,000] pg/mL, survivors vs. nonsurvivors, respectively, p = .001). Hospital survivors were characterized by significantly lower NT-pro-BNP values (2656 [24-35,000] vs. 8390 [303-35,000] pg/mL, survivors vs. nonsurvivors, respectively, p = .001). NT-pro-BNP levels were not significantly different in patients with primary cardiac diagnosis compared with those with a noncardiac admission diagnosis (4794 [26-35,000], n = 202 vs. 3349 [24-35,000], n = 87, cardiac vs. noncardiac, respectively, p = .28). In a logistic regression model, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II and NT-pro-BNP were independently associated with hospital survival (chi = 35.6, p = .0001 and chi = 11.3, p = .0008, Simplified Acute Physiology Score II and NT-pro-BNP, respectively). Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of NT-pro-BNP and Simplified Acute Physiology Score II were not

Vitamin D supplementation during the first year of life and risk of schizophrenia: a Finnish birth cohort study.

PubMed

McGrath, John; Saari, Kaisa; Hakko, Helinä; Jokelainen, Jari; Jones, Peter; Järvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Chant, David; Isohanni, Matti

2004-04-01

Based on clues from epidemiology and animal experiments, low vitamin D during early life has been proposed as a risk factor for schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to explore the association between the use of vitamin D supplements during the first year of life and risk of developing schizophrenia. Subjects were drawn from the Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort (n=9,114). During the first year of life, data were collected about the frequency and dose of vitamin D supplementation. Our primary outcome measures were schizophrenia, psychotic disorders other than schizophrenia, and nonpsychotic disorders as diagnosed by age 31 years. Males and females were examined separately. In males, the use of either irregular or regular vitamin D supplements was associated with a reduced risk of schizophrenia (Risk ratio (RR)=0.08, 95% CI 0.01-0.95; RR=0.12, 95% CI 0.02-0.90, respectively) compared with no supplementation. In males, the use of at least 2000 IU of vitamin D was associated with a reduced risk of schizophrenia (RR=0.23, 95% CI 0.06-0.95) compared to those on lower doses. There were no significant associations between either the frequency or dose of vitamin D supplements and (a) schizophrenia in females, nor with (b) nonpsychotic disorder or psychotic disorders other than schizophrenia in either males or females. Vitamin D supplementation during the first year of life is associated with a reduced risk of schizophrenia in males. Preventing hypovitaminosis D during early life may reduce the incidence of schizophrenia.

War and Marriage: Assortative Mating and the World War II GI Bill.

PubMed

Larsen, Matthew F; McCarthy, T J; Moulton, Jeremy G; Page, Marianne E; Patel, Ankur J

2015-10-01

World War II and its subsequent GI Bill have been widely credited with playing a transformative role in American society, but there have been few quantitative analyses of these historical events' broad social effects. We exploit between-cohort variation in the probability of military service to investigate how WWII and the GI Bill altered the structure of marriage, and find that it had important spillover effects beyond its direct effect on men's educational attainment. Our results suggest that the additional education received by returning veterans caused them to "sort" into wives with significantly higher levels of education. This suggests an important mechanism by which socioeconomic status may be passed on to the next generation.

Cohort profile: the chronic kidney disease prognosis consortium.

PubMed

Matsushita, Kunihiro; Ballew, Shoshana H; Astor, Brad C; Jong, Paul E de; Gansevoort, Ron T; Hemmelgarn, Brenda R; Levey, Andrew S; Levin, Adeera; Wen, Chi-Pang; Woodward, Mark; Coresh, Josef

2013-12-01

The Chronic Kidney Disease Prognosis Consortium (CKD-PC) was established in 2009 to provide comprehensive evidence about the prognostic impact of two key kidney measures that are used to define and stage CKD, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria, on mortality and kidney outcomes. CKD-PC currently consists of 46 cohorts with data on these kidney measures and outcomes from >2 million participants spanning across 40 countries/regions all over the world. CKD-PC published four meta-analysis articles in 2010-11, providing key evidence for an international consensus on the definition and staging of CKD and an update for CKD clinical practice guidelines. The consortium continues to work on more detailed analysis (subgroups, different eGFR equations, other exposures and outcomes, and risk prediction). CKD-PC preferably collects individual participant data but also applies a novel distributed analysis model, in which each cohort runs statistical analysis locally and shares only analysed outputs for meta-analyses. This distributed model allows inclusion of cohorts which cannot share individual participant level data. According to agreement with cohorts, CKD-PC will not share data with third parties, but is open to including further eligible cohorts. Each cohort can opt in/out for each topic. CKD-PC has established a productive and effective collaboration, allowing flexible participation and complex meta-analyses for studying CKD.

Cohort profile: the Italian Network of Longitudinal Metropolitan Studies (IN-LiMeS), a multicentre cohort for socioeconomic inequalities in health monitoring.

PubMed

Caranci, Nicola; Di Girolamo, Chiara; Giorgi Rossi, Paolo; Spadea, Teresa; Pacelli, Barbara; Broccoli, Serena; Ballotari, Paola; Costa, Giuseppe; Zengarini, Nicolás; Agabiti, Nera; Bargagli, Anna Maria; Cacciani, Laura; Canova, Cristina; Cestari, Laura; Biggeri, Annibale; Grisotto, Laura; Terni, Gianna; Costanzo, Gianfranco; Mirisola, Concetta; Petrelli, Alessio

2018-04-20

The Italian Network of Longitudinal Metropolitan Studies (IN-LiMeS) is a system of integrated data on health outcomes, demographic and socioeconomic information, and represents a powerful tool to study health inequalities. IN-LiMeS is a multicentre and multipurpose pool of metropolitan population cohorts enrolled in nine Italian cities: Turin, Venice, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, Florence, Leghorn, Prato and Rome. Data come from record linkage of municipal population registries, the 2001 population census, mortality registers and hospital discharge archives. Depending on the source of enrolment, cohorts can be closed or open. The census-based closed cohort design includes subjects resident in any of the nine cities at the 2001 census day; 4 466 655 individuals were enrolled in 2001 in the nine closed cohorts. The open cohort design includes subjects resident in 2001 or subsequently registered by birth or immigration until the latest available follow-up (currently 31 December 2013). The open cohort design is available for Turin, Venice, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, Prato and Rome. Detailed socioeconomic data are available for subjects enrolled in the census-based cohorts; information on demographic characteristics, education and citizenship is available from population registries. The first IN-LiMeS application was the study of differentials in mortality between immigrants and Italians. Either using a closed cohort design (nine cities) or an open one (Turin and Reggio Emilia), individuals from high migration pressure countries generally showed a lower mortality risk. However, a certain heterogeneity between the nine cities was noted, especially among men, and an excess mortality risk was reported for some macroareas of origin and specific causes of death. We are currently working on the linkage of the 2011 population census data, the expansion of geographical coverage and the implementation of the open design in all the participating cohorts. © Article author

Byrsonic acid--the clue to floral mimicry involving oil-producing flowers and oil-collecting bees.

PubMed

Reis, Mariza G; de Faria, D Aparecida; dos Santos, Isabel Alves; Amaral, Maria do Carmo E; Marsaioli, Anita J

2007-07-01

Tetrapedia diversipes and other Apidae (Anthophoridae) may be deceived by floral similarities between Malpighiaceae and Orchidaceae of the Oncidiinae subtribe. The latter do not usually exudate floral oils. Thus, visitors may pollinate the flowers in a deceit/food/pollination syndrome. We studied the chemical compositions of Byrsonima intermedia (Malpighiaceae) floral oil and T. diversipes (Anthophoridae) cell provisions. From B. intermedia floral oil, we isolated a novel fatty acid (3R, 7R)-3,7-diacetoxy-docosanoic acid, here named byrsonic acid, and from T diversipes cell provisions we isolated two novel fatty acid derivatives 3,7-dihydroxy-eicosanoic acid and 3,7-dihydroxy-docosanoic acid, here named tetrapedic acids A and B, respectively. The three fatty acid derivatives have common features: possess long chains (20 or 22 carbon atoms) with no double bond and either hydroxy or acetoxy groups at carbons 3 and 7. This characteristic was also encountered in the fatty acid moiety of oncidinol (2S, 3'R, 7'R)-l-acetyl-2-[3', 7'-diacetoxyeicosanyl)-glycerol, a major floral oil constituent of several Oncidiinae species (Orchidaceae). Thus, both tetrapedic A (C20) and B (C22) could be the biotransformation products of oncidinol and byrsonic acid by T. diversipes hydrolases. These are the chemical clues for bee visitation and oil collecting from both plant species. The results indicate that the deceit/pollination syndrome should not be applied to all Oncidiinae flowers.

Gender-specific selection in utero among contemporary human birth cohorts.

PubMed

Catalano, Ralph; Ahern, Jennifer; Bruckner, Tim; Anderson, Elizabeth; Saxton, Katherine

2009-05-01

Much literature argues that natural selection has conserved mechanisms by which stressed females cull frail males in utero. This argument implies that males from low sex ratio birth cohorts should, on average, live longer than those from high sex ratio cohorts. Research reports such associations but these tests use completed lifespan as the outcome and, therefore, must end with cohorts born in 1913 because too many males survive from more contemporary cohorts to determine average lifespan. The empirical literature does not, therefore, address whether selection affects male mortality in contemporary cohorts. We apply time-series methods to monthly cohorts born in California between 1989 and 2003 to measure the association between the ratio of male to female live births and infant mortality, controlling for all forms of autocorrelation that induce spurious correlations. Consistent with theories of selection in utero, we find a positive correlation between cohort sex ratio and male infant mortality. The results suggest that natural selection conserved the stress mechanism in females to end the gestation of relatively less fit males and that this mechanism manifests itself in contemporary human societies.

[Quality standards for epidemiologic cohort studies : An evaluated catalogue of requirements for the conduct and preparation of cohort studies].

PubMed

Schmidt, Carsten Oliver; Krabbe, Christine E M; Schössow, Janka; Berger, Klaus; Enzenbach, Cornelia; Kamtsiuris, Panagiotis; Schöne, Gina; Houben, Robin; Meisinger, Christa; Bamberg, Fabian; Hendel, Thomas; Selder, Sonja; Nonnemacher, Michael; Moebus, Susanne; Stausberg, Jürgen

2018-01-01

Cohort studies are a longitudinal observational study type. They are firmly established within epidemiology to assess the course of diseases and risk factors. Yet, standards to describe and evaluate quality characteristics of cohort studies need further development. Within the TMF ("Technologie- und Methodenplattform für die vernetzte medizinische Forschung e. V.") project "Quality management standards in cohort studies", a catalogue of requirements was compiled and evaluated, focusing on the preparation and conduct of epidemiologic cohort studies. The catalogue of requirements was established based on a consensus process between representatives of seven German epidemiologic cohort studies. For this purpose, a set of expert meetings (telephone, face-to-face, web-based) was conducted and the importance of each element of the catalogue was assessed as well as its implementation. A catalogue of requirements with 138 requirements was consented. It is structured into ten sections: 1. Study documentation; 2. Selection of instruments; 3. Study implementation, 4. Organizational structure; 5. Qualification and certification; 6. Participant recruitment; 7. Preparation, conduct and follow-up processing of examinations; 8. Study logistics and maintenance, 9. Data capture and data management; 10. Reporting and monitoring. In total, 41 elements were categorized as being essential, 91 as important, and 6 as less important. The catalogue of requirements provides a guideline to improve the preparation and operation of cohort studies. The evaluation of the importance and degree of implementation of requirements depended on the study design. With adaptations, the catalogue might be transferable to other study types.

Cohort profile: The Canadian HIV Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health Cohort Study (CHIWOS).

PubMed

Loutfy, Mona; de Pokomandy, Alexandra; Kennedy, V Logan; Carter, Allison; O'Brien, Nadia; Proulx-Boucher, Karène; Ding, Erin; Lewis, Johanna; Nicholson, Valerie; Beaver, Kerrigan; Greene, Saara; Tharao, Wangari; Benoit, Anita; Dubuc, Danièle; Thomas-Pavanel, Jamie; Sereda, Paul; Jabbari, Shahab; Shurgold, Jayson H; Colley, Guillaume; Hogg, Robert S; Kaida, Angela

2017-01-01

Globally, women are at increased vulnerability to HIV due to biological, social, structural, and political reasons. Women living with HIV also experience unique issues related to their medical and social healthcare, which makes a clinical care model specific to their needs worthy of exploration. Furthermore, there is a dearth of research specific to women living with HIV. Research for this population has often been narrowly focused on pregnancy-related issues without considering their complex structural inequalities, social roles, and healthcare and biological needs. For these reasons, we have come together, as researchers, clinicians and community members in Canada, to develop the Canadian HIV Women's Sexual and Reproductive Health Cohort Study (CHIWOS) to investigate the concept of women-centred HIV care (WCHC) and its impact on the overall, HIV, women's, mental, sexual, and reproductive health outcomes of women living with HIV. Here, we present the CHIWOS cohort profile, which describes the cohort and presents preliminary findings related to perceived WCHC. CHIWOS is a prospective, observational cohort study of women living with HIV in British Columbia (BC), Ontario, and Quebec. Two additional Canadian provinces, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, will join the cohort in 2018. Using community-based research principles, CHIWOS engages women living with HIV throughout the entire research process meeting the requirements of the 'Greater Involvement of People living with HIV/AIDS'. Study data are collected through an interviewer-administered questionnaire that uses a web-based platform. From August 2013 to May 2015, a total of 1422 women living with HIV in BC, Ontario, and Quebec were enrolled and completed the baseline visit. Follow-up interviews are being conducted at 18-month intervals. Of the 1422 participants at baseline, 356 were from BC (25%), 713 from Ontario (50%), 353 from Quebec (25%). The median age of the participants at baseline was 43 years (range, 16-74). 22

Depressive symptoms in the Belgian population: disentangling age and cohort effects.

PubMed

Brault, Marie-Christine; Meuleman, Bart; Bracke, Piet

2012-06-01

Although the association between age and depression has been previously demonstrated, uncertainty remains because of the confounding relationship existing between age and cohort. A study by Yang (J Health Soc Behav 48(1):16, 2007) has evidenced important cohort effects and age-by-cohort interactions in depressive symptoms among US citizens. A crucial limitation, however, is that this study confines itself to elderly population. The objective of the present study is to bring further clarification to the association between age, cohort membership and depressive symptoms, by analyzing a sample with a wider age range. The Panel Study of Belgian Households is a prospective longitudinal survey, following adults ages 25-74, annually from 1992 to 2002. Missing data were replaced using multiple imputation, allowing for a complete dataset (N = 7,000) at each wave. Respondents were classified into one of five birth cohorts: 1918-1927; 1928-1937; 1938-1947; 1948-1957; 1958-1967. Frequency of depressive symptoms was reported using a modified version of the Health and Daily Living form. Growth curve modeling was used to determine the effect of age and cohort on depression trajectory. All cohorts differed significantly from one another, with recent cohorts always obtaining the highest mean HDL-depression score. The intensity of depressive symptoms increases linearly with age, but significant age-by-cohorts interactions were detected, indicating that the relationship between age and depression varies across cohorts. No evidence of a WW2 effect was found. The association between age and depression has to take cohort membership into account. Cohort replacement effects explain the increase in depression in Belgium.

Dominant-Negative Mutations in α-II Spectrin Cause West Syndrome with Severe Cerebral Hypomyelination, Spastic Quadriplegia, and Developmental Delay

PubMed Central

Saitsu, Hirotomo; Tohyama, Jun; Kumada, Tatsuro; Egawa, Kiyoshi; Hamada, Keisuke; Okada, Ippei; Mizuguchi, Takeshi; Osaka, Hitoshi; Miyata, Rie; Furukawa, Tomonori; Haginoya, Kazuhiro; Hoshino, Hideki; Goto, Tomohide; Hachiya, Yasuo; Yamagata, Takanori; Saitoh, Shinji; Nagai, Toshiro; Nishiyama, Kiyomi; Nishimura, Akira; Miyake, Noriko; Komada, Masayuki; Hayashi, Kenji; Hirai, Syu-ichi; Ogata, Kazuhiro; Kato, Mitsuhiro; Fukuda, Atsuo; Matsumoto, Naomichi

2010-01-01

A de novo 9q33.3-q34.11 microdeletion involving STXBP1 has been found in one of four individuals (group A) with early-onset West syndrome, severe hypomyelination, poor visual attention, and developmental delay. Although haploinsufficiency of STXBP1 was involved in early infantile epileptic encephalopathy in a previous different cohort study (group B), no mutations of STXBP1 were found in two of the remaining three subjects of group A (one was unavailable). We assumed that another gene within the deletion might contribute to the phenotype of group A. SPTAN1 encoding α-II spectrin, which is essential for proper myelination in zebrafish, turned out to be deleted. In two subjects, an in-frame 3 bp deletion and a 6 bp duplication in SPTAN1 were found at the initial nucleation site of the α/β spectrin heterodimer. SPTAN1 was further screened in six unrelated individuals with WS and hypomyelination, but no mutations were found. Recombinant mutant (mut) and wild-type (WT) α-II spectrin could assemble heterodimers with β-II spectrin, but α-II (mut)/β-II spectrin heterodimers were thermolabile compared with the α-II (WT)/β-II heterodimers. Transient expression in mouse cortical neurons revealed aggregation of α-II (mut)/β-II and α-II (mut)/β-III spectrin heterodimers, which was also observed in lymphoblastoid cells from two subjects with in-frame mutations. Clustering of ankyrinG and voltage-gated sodium channels at axon initial segment (AIS) was disturbed in relation to the aggregates, together with an elevated action potential threshold. These findings suggest that pathological aggregation of α/β spectrin heterodimers and abnormal AIS integrity resulting from SPTAN1 mutations were involved in pathogenesis of infantile epilepsy. PMID:20493457

Cohort Changes in Attitudes About Legalized Abortion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cutler, Stephen J.; And Others

Cohort changes in attitudes about the availability of legal abortions are traced over a 12-year period using data from seven national surveys. Contrary to the aging-conservatism hypothesis, trends in the direction of increasingly favorable attitudes between 1965 and 1973 and general stability thereafter characterize all cohorts. On this issue,…

[Identification of novel compound heterozygous mutations of USH2A gene in a family with Usher syndrome type II].

PubMed

Jiang, Haiou; Ge, Chuanqin; Wang, Yiwang; Tang, Genyun; Quan, Qingli

2015-06-01

To identify potential mutations in a Chinese family with Usher syndrome type II. Genomic DNA was obtained from two affected and four unaffected members of the family and subjected to amplification of the entire coding sequence and splicing sites of USH2A gene. Mutation detection was conducted by direct sequencing of the PCR products. A total of 100 normal unrelated individuals were used as controls. The patients were identified to be a compound heterozygote for two mutations: c.8272G>T (p.E2758X) in exon 42 from his mother and c.12376-12378ACT>TAA(p.T4126X) in exon 63 of the USH2A gene from his father. Both mutations were not found in either of the two unaffected family members or 100 unrelated controls, and had completely co-segregated with the disease phenotype in the family. Neither mutation has been reported in the HGMD database. The novel compound heterozygous mutations c.8272G>T and c.12376-12378ACT>TAA within the USH2A gene may be responsible for the disease. This result may provide new clues for molecular diagnosis of this disease.

Chelation of Cu(II), Zn(II), and Fe(II) by tannin constituents of selected edible nuts.

PubMed

Karamać, Magdalena

2009-12-22

The tannin fractions isolated from hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds were characterised by colorimetric assays and by an SE-HPLC technique. The complexation of Cu(II) and Zn(II) was determined by the reaction with tetramethylmurexide, whereas for Fe(II), ferrozine was employed. The walnut tannins exhibited a significantly weaker reaction with the vanillin/HCl reagent than hazelnut and almond tannins, but the protein precipitation capacity of the walnut fraction was high. The SE-HPLC chromatogram of the tannin fraction from hazelnuts revealed the presence of oligomers with higher molecular weights compared to that of almonds. Copper ions were most effectively chelated by the constituents of the tannin fractions of hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds. At a 0.2 mg/assay addition level, the walnut tannins complexed almost 100% Cu(II). The Fe(II) complexation capacities of the tannin fractions of walnuts and hazelnuts were weaker in comparison to that of the almond tannin fraction, which at a 2.5 mg/assay addition level, bound Fe(II) by approximately 90%. The capacity to chelate Zn(II) was quite varied for the different nut tannin fractions: almond tannins bound as much as 84% Zn(II), whereas the value for walnut tannins was only 8.7%; and for hazelnut tannins, no Zn(II) chelation took place at the levels tested.

Chelation of Cu(II), Zn(II), and Fe(II) by Tannin Constituents of Selected Edible Nuts

PubMed Central

Karamać, Magdalena

2009-01-01

The tannin fractions isolated from hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds were characterised by colorimetric assays and by an SE-HPLC technique. The complexation of Cu(II) and Zn(II) was determined by the reaction with tetramethylmurexide, whereas for Fe(II), ferrozine was employed. The walnut tannins exhibited a significantly weaker reaction with the vanillin/HCl reagent than hazelnut and almond tannins, but the protein precipitation capacity of the walnut fraction was high. The SE-HPLC chromatogram of the tannin fraction from hazelnuts revealed the presence of oligomers with higher molecular weights compared to that of almonds. Copper ions were most effectively chelated by the constituents of the tannin fractions of hazelnuts, walnuts and almonds. At a 0.2 mg/assay addition level, the walnut tannins complexed almost 100% Cu(II). The Fe(II) complexation capacities of the tannin fractions of walnuts and hazelnuts were weaker in comparison to that of the almond tannin fraction, which at a 2.5 mg/assay addition level, bound Fe(II) by ~90%. The capacity to chelate Zn(II) was quite varied for the different nut tannin fractions: almond tannins bound as much as 84% Zn(II), whereas the value for walnut tannins was only 8.7%; and for hazelnut tannins, no Zn(II) chelation took place at the levels tested. PMID:20054482

Prognostic value of MACC1 and proficient mismatch repair status for recurrence risk prediction in stage II colon cancer patients: the BIOGRID studies.

PubMed

Rohr, U-P; Herrmann, P; Ilm, K; Zhang, H; Lohmann, S; Reiser, A; Muranyi, A; Smith, J; Burock, S; Osterland, M; Leith, K; Singh, S; Brunhoeber, P; Bowermaster, R; Tie, J; Christie, M; Wong, H-L; Waring, P; Shanmugam, K; Gibbs, P; Stein, U

2017-08-01

We assessed the novel MACC1 gene to further stratify stage II colon cancer patients with proficient mismatch repair (pMMR). Four cohorts with 596 patients were analyzed: Charité 1 discovery cohort was assayed for MACC1 mRNA expression and MMR in cryo-preserved tumors. Charité 2 comparison cohort was used to translate MACC1 qRT-PCR analyses to FFPE samples. In the BIOGRID 1 training cohort MACC1 mRNA levels were related to MACC1 protein levels from immunohistochemistry in FFPE sections; also analyzed for MMR. Chemotherapy-naïve pMMR patients were stratified by MACC1 mRNA and protein expression to establish risk groups based on recurrence-free survival (RFS). Risk stratification from BIOGRID 1 was confirmed in the BIOGRID 2 validation cohort. Pooled BIOGRID datasets produced a best effect-size estimate. In BIOGRID 1, using qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry for MACC1 detection, pMMR/MACC1-low patients had a lower recurrence probability versus pMMR/MACC1-high patients (5-year RFS of 92% and 67% versus 100% and 68%, respectively). In BIOGRID 2, longer RFS was confirmed for pMMR/MACC1-low versus pMMR/MACC1-high patients (5-year RFS of 100% versus 90%, respectively). In the pooled dataset, 6.5% of patients were pMMR/MACC1-low with no disease recurrence, resulting in a 17% higher 5-year RFS [95% confidence interval (CI) (12.6%-21.3%)] versus pMMR/MACC1-high patients (P = 0.037). Outcomes were similar for pMMR/MACC1-low and deficient MMR (dMMR) patients (5-year RFS of 100% and 96%, respectively). MACC1 expression stratifies colon cancer patients with unfavorable pMMR status. Stage II colon cancer patients with pMMR/MACC1-low tumors have a similar favorable prognosis to those with dMMR with potential implications for the role of adjuvant therapy. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Tissue hypoxia during ischemic stroke: adaptive clues from hypoxia-tolerant animal models.

PubMed

Nathaniel, Thomas I; Williams-Hernandez, Ashley; Hunter, Anan L; Liddy, Caroline; Peffley, Dennis M; Umesiri, Francis E; Imeh-Nathaniel, Adebobola

2015-05-01

The treatment and prevention of hypoxic/ischemic brain injury in stroke patients remain a severe and global medical issue. Numerous clinical studies have resulted in a failure to develop chemical neuroprotection for acute, ischemic stroke. Over 150 estimated clinical trials of ischemic stroke treatments have been done, and more than 200 drugs and combinations of drugs for ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes have been developed. Billions of dollars have been invested for new scientific breakthroughs with only limited success. The revascularization of occluded cerebral arteries such as anti-clot treatments of thrombolysis has proven effective, but it can only be used in a 3-4.5h time frame after the onset of a stroke, and not for every patient. This review is about novel insights on how to resist tissue hypoxia from unconventional animal models. Ability to resist tissue hypoxia is an extraordinary ability that is not common in many laboratory animals such as rat and mouse models. For example, we can learn from a naked mole-rat, Chrysemys picta, how to actively regulate brain metabolic activity to defend the brain against fluctuating oxygen tension and acute bouts of oxidative stress following the onset of a stroke. Additionally, a euthermic arctic ground squirrel can teach us how the brain of a stroke patient can remain well oxygenated during tissue hypoxia with no evidence of cellular stress. In this review, we discuss how these animals provide us with a system to gain insight into the possible mechanisms of tissue hypoxia/ischemia. This issue is of clinical significance to stroke patients. We describe specific physiological and molecular adaptations employed by different animals' models of hypoxia tolerance in aquatic and terrestrial environments. We highlight how these adaptations might provide potential clues on strategies to adapt for the clinical management of tissue hypoxia during conditions such as stroke where oxygen demand fails to match the supply. Copyright

The usefulness of changing focus during examination using Gram staining as initial diagnostic clue for infective tuberculosis.

PubMed

Atsukawa, Yoshiko; Kawakami, Sayoko; Asahara, Miwa; Ishigaki, Shinobu; Tanaka, Takashi; Ono, Yasuo; Nishiya, Hajime; Fujisaki, Ryuichi; Koga, Ichiro; Ota, Yasuo; Miyazawa, Yukihisa

2011-08-01

Gram staining is a useful technique for detecting bacteria but is highly questionable in detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Its detection generally requires special staining, such as Ziehl-Neelsen staining. We experienced three cases in which tuberculosis was first suggested by Gram staining of sputum or pus, confirmed by Ziehl-Neelsen staining, and diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction or culture. To find colorless tubercle bacilli in clinical samples with various organisms, varying the focus to slightly longer and shorter during study of the slides is indispensable. We present criteria for detecting infective pulmonary tuberculosis in Gram staining. First, in the ordinary focus, weakly stained, thin, gram-positive bacilli are found; second, with a slightly longer focus distance, the thin, cord-like, conspicuous gram-positive bacilli can be observed; and third, with a shorter focus distance, the gram-positive bacilli have changed into the brightened, colorless, or ghost ones. Four laboratory technologists each evaluated 20 Gram-stained samples after being lectured on the criteria, with no prior information about the sample. They accurately evaluated the presence of the bacilli in Gram-stained preparations in more than 90% of samples containing 3+ bacilli on Ziehl-Neelsen staining. Gram staining is available as an easy and rapid initial clue to recognize highly infective tuberculosis.

WWII GI Bill and Its Effect on Low Education Levels: Did the World War II GI Bill Have an Effect on High School Completion, Poverty, and Employment?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Megan D.

2017-01-01

Did the World War II (WWII) GI Bill increase the probability of completing high school and further affect the probability of poverty and employment for the cohorts for whom it benefited? This paper studies whether the GI Bill, one of the largest public financial aid policies for education, affected low education levels in addition to its…

Cohort Default Rate Guide. Revised August 2006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

US Department of Education, 2006

2006-01-01

This guide is designed to assist schools with their Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program and William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program cohort default rate data. The guide is intended as a reference tool in understanding cohort default rates and processes. Material is organized into four parts: (1) Introduction; (2) General…

Class II HLA interactions modulate genetic risk for multiple sclerosis

PubMed Central

Dilthey, Alexander T; Xifara, Dionysia K; Ban, Maria; Shah, Tejas S; Patsopoulos, Nikolaos A; Alfredsson, Lars; Anderson, Carl A; Attfield, Katherine E; Baranzini, Sergio E; Barrett, Jeffrey; Binder, Thomas M C; Booth, David; Buck, Dorothea; Celius, Elisabeth G; Cotsapas, Chris; D’Alfonso, Sandra; Dendrou, Calliope A; Donnelly, Peter; Dubois, Bénédicte; Fontaine, Bertrand; Fugger, Lars; Goris, An; Gourraud, Pierre-Antoine; Graetz, Christiane; Hemmer, Bernhard; Hillert, Jan; Kockum, Ingrid; Leslie, Stephen; Lill, Christina M; Martinelli-Boneschi, Filippo; Oksenberg, Jorge R; Olsson, Tomas; Oturai, Annette; Saarela, Janna; Søndergaard, Helle Bach; Spurkland, Anne; Taylor, Bruce; Winkelmann, Juliane; Zipp, Frauke; Haines, Jonathan L; Pericak-Vance, Margaret A; Spencer, Chris C A; Stewart, Graeme; Hafler, David A; Ivinson, Adrian J; Harbo, Hanne F; Hauser, Stephen L; De Jager, Philip L; Compston, Alastair; McCauley, Jacob L; Sawcer, Stephen; McVean, Gil

2016-01-01

Association studies have greatly refined the understanding of how variation within the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes influences risk of multiple sclerosis. However, the extent to which major effects are modulated by interactions is poorly characterized. We analyzed high-density SNP data on 17,465 cases and 30,385 controls from 11 cohorts of European ancestry, in combination with imputation of classical HLA alleles, to build a high-resolution map of HLA genetic risk and assess the evidence for interactions involving classical HLA alleles. Among new and previously identified class II risk alleles (HLA-DRB1*15:01, HLA-DRB1*13:03, HLA-DRB1*03:01, HLA-DRB1*08:01 and HLA-DQB1*03:02) and class I protective alleles (HLA-A*02:01, HLA-B*44:02, HLA-B*38:01 and HLA-B*55:01), we find evidence for two interactions involving pairs of class II alleles: HLA-DQA1*01:01–HLA-DRB1*15:01 and HLA-DQB1*03:01–HLA-DQB1*03:02. We find no evidence for interactions between classical HLA alleles and non-HLA risk-associated variants and estimate a minimal effect of polygenic epistasis in modulating major risk alleles. PMID:26343388

Metabolomics Profiles of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Korean Prospective Cohort: The Korean Cancer Prevention Study-II.

PubMed

Jee, Sun Ha; Kim, Minjoo; Kim, Minkyung; Yoo, Hye Jin; Kim, Hyungyoon; Jung, Keum Ji; Hong, Seri; Lee, Jong Ho

2018-05-01

In the prospective Korean Cancer Prevention Study-II (KCPS-II), we investigated the application of metabolomics to differentiate subjects with incident hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC group) from subjects who remained free of cancer (control group) during a mean follow-up period of 7 years with the aim of identifying valuable metabolic biomarkers for HCC. We used baseline serum samples from 75 subjects with incident HCC and 134 age- and gender-matched cancer-free subjects. Serum metabolic profiles associated with HCC incidence were investigated via metabolomics analysis. Compared with the control group, the HCC group showed significantly higher serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase, and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase. At baseline, compared with the control group, the HCC group showed significantly higher levels of 9 metabolites, including leucine, 5-hydroxyhexanoic acid, phenylalanine, tyrosine, arachidonic acid, and tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), but lower levels of 28 metabolites, including oleamide, androsterone sulfate, L-palmitoylcarnitine, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) 16:0, LPA 18:1, and lysophosphatidylcholines (lysoPC). Multiple linear regression revealed that the incidence of HCC was associated with the levels of tyrosine, AST, lysoPCs (16:1, 20:3), oleamide, 5-hydroxyhexanoic acid, androsterone sulfate, and TUDCA (adjusted R 2 = 0.514, P = 0.036). This study showed the clinical relevance of the dysregulation of not only branched amino acids, aromatic amino acids, and lysoPCs but also bile acid biosynthesis and linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, and fatty acid metabolism. In addition, tyrosine, AST, lysoPCs (16:1, 20:3), oleamide, 5-hydroxyhexanoic acid, androsterone sulfate, and TUDCA were identified as independent variables associated with the incidence of HCC. Cancer Prev Res; 11(5); 303-12. ©2018 AACR . ©2018 American Association for Cancer Research.

Understanding trends in Australian alcohol consumption-an age-period-cohort model.

PubMed

Livingston, Michael; Raninen, Jonas; Slade, Tim; Swift, Wendy; Lloyd, Belinda; Dietze, Paul

2016-09-01

To decompose Australian trends in alcohol consumption into their age, period (survey year) and cohort (birth year/generation) components. In particular, we aimed to test whether recent declines in overall consumption have been influenced by reductions in drinking among recently born cohorts. Seven cross-sectional waves of the Australian National Drug Strategy Household Survey (1995-2013). Age, period and cohort effects were estimated using a linear and logistic cross-classified random-effects models (CCREMs). Australia A total of 124 440 Australians (69 193 females and 55 257 males), aged 14-79 years. Whether or not respondents consumed alcohol in the 12 months prior to the survey and, for those who did, the estimated volume of pure alcohol consumed, derived using standard quantity-frequency survey questions. Controlling for age and period effects, there was significant variation in drinking participation and drinking volume by birth cohort. In particular, male cohorts born between the 1965 and 1974 and female cohorts born between 1955 and 1974 reported higher rates of drinking participation (P < 0.05), while the most recent cohorts (born in the 1990s) had lower rates of participation (P < 0.01). Among drinkers, the most recently born cohort also had sharply lower average consumption volumes than older cohorts for both men and women (P < 0.01). Recent birth cohorts (born between 1995 and 1999) in Australia report significantly lower rates of both drinking participation and drinking volume than previous cohorts, controlling for their age distribution and overall changes in population drinking. These findings suggest that the recent decline in alcohol consumption in Australia has been driven by declines in drinking among these recently born cohorts. These trends are consistent with international shifts in youth drinking. © 2016 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Synthesis, characterization, nucleic acid interactions and photoluminescent properties of methaniminium hydrazone Schiff base and its Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sennappan, M.; Murali Krishna, P.; Hosamani, Amar A.; Hari Krishna, R.

2018-07-01

An environmental benign and efficient reaction was carried out via amine exchange and condensation reaction in water and methanol mixture (3:1) and absence of catalyst between 1-[3-(2-hydroxy benzylidene)amine)phenyl]ethanone and benzhydrazide yields methaniminium hydrazone Schiff base in high yield. The prepared ligand was structurally characterized by using single crystal XRD, elemental analysis and spectroscopy (UV-Vis, FT-IR, LC-MS and NMR) techniques. The crystal data indicates the ligand crystallizes in orthorhombic system with Pna21 space group. Further, the ligand was used in synthesis of mononuclear Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II) complexes and were characterized by elemental analysis, magnetic moment and spectroscopy (UV-Vis, FT-IR and ESR) studies. The spectral data showed that ligand is coordinated to the metal ion through azomethine nitrogen and methaniminium nitrogen. The DNA binding absorption titrations reveals that, ligand, L and its metal complexes, 1-6 are avid binders to CT- DNA. The apparent binding constant values of compounds are in the order of 106 M-1. The nuclease activity of ligand, L and its metal complexes, 1-6 were investigated by gel electrophoresis method using pUC18 DNA. The photoluminescent properties of the methaniminium hydrazone ligand, L and its various metal complexes, 1-6 were investigated. The emission spectra of both ligand (L) and metal complexes (1-6) exhibits emission in the range of blue to red.

Astronomers Gain Clues About Fundamental Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2005-12-01

An international team of astronomers has looked at something very big -- a distant galaxy -- to study the behavior of things very small -- atoms and molecules -- to gain vital clues about the fundamental nature of our entire Universe. The team used the National Science Foundation's Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) to test whether the laws of nature have changed over vast spans of cosmic time. The Green Bank Telescope The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope CREDIT: NRAO/AUI/NSF (Click on image for GBT gallery) "The fundamental constants of physics are expected to remain fixed across space and time; that's why they're called constants! Now, however, new theoretical models for the basic structure of matter indicate that they may change. We're testing these predictions." said Nissim Kanekar, an astronomer at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), in Socorro, New Mexico. So far, the scientists' measurements show no change in the constants. "We've put the most stringent limits yet on some changes in these constants, but that's not the end of the story," said Christopher Carilli, another NRAO astronomer. "This is the exciting frontier where astronomy meets particle physics," Carilli explained. The research can help answer fundamental questions about whether the basic components of matter are tiny particles or tiny vibrating strings, how many dimensions the Universe has, and the nature of "dark energy." The astronomers were looking for changes in two quantities: the ratio of the masses of the electron and the proton, and a number physicists call the fine structure constant, a combination of the electron charge, the speed of light and the Planck constant. These values, considered fundamental physical constants, once were "taken as time independent, with values given once and forever" said German particle physicist Christof Wetterich. However, Wetterich explained, "the viewpoint of modern particle theory has changed in recent years," with ideas such as

Spectroscopic and mycological studies of Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes with 4-aminoantipyrine derivative

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Amit Kumar; Chandra, Sulekh

2011-10-01

Complexes of the type [M(L)X 2], where M = Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II), have been synthesized with novel NO-donor Schiff's base ligand, 1,4-diformylpiperazine bis(4-imino-2,3-dimethyl-1-phenyl-3-pyrazolin-5-one) which is obtained by the acid catalyzed condensation of 1,4-diformylpiperazine with 4-aminoantipyrine. The elemental analyses, molar conductance measurements, magnetic susceptibility measurements, IR, UV, NMR, mass and EPR studies of the compounds led to the conclusion that the ligand acts as tetradentate chelate. The Schiff's base ligand forms hexacoordinated complexes having octahedral geometry for Ni(II) and tetragonal geometry for Co(II) and Cu(II) complexes. The mycological studies of the compounds were examined against the several opportunistic pathogens, i.e., Alternaria brassicae, Aspergillus niger and Fusarium oxysporum. The Cu(II) complexes were found to have most fungicidal behavior.

Clinical and laboratorial impact of antiretroviral therapy in a cohort of Portuguese patients chronically infected with HIV-2.

PubMed

Miranda, Ana; Peres, Susana; Moneti, Virginia; Azevedo, Telma; Aldir, Isabel; Mansinho, Kamal

2014-01-01

HIV-2 infection is endemic in West Africa and some European countries, namely Portugal. HIV-2 antiretroviral (ARV) treatment presents some restrains related to intrinsic resistance to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI) and fusion inhibitors, and poorer response to protease inhibitors (PI). Retrospective observational study of a cohort of 135 infected HIV-2 patients, diagnosed between 1989 and 2008. Evaluation of epidemiologic, clinical, immunologic and virologic progression, comparing to groups of patients (naïve vs ARV experienced); characterization of therapeutic, immunologic and virologic response. SPSS version 20.0 was used for statistical analysis. The study included 135 patients: 41% (n=55) naïve and 59% (n=80) with ARV experience. The comparison between groups (naïve vs ARV) revealed: male prevalence 76% vs 50%; mean age 54.5 years vs 54.8 (p=0.90); main geographic origin Guiné Bissau (47% vs 44%) and Portugal (22% vs 33%); and transmission mainly acquired by heterosexual contact (87% vs 80%). Mean time since diagnosis was 14 vs 13 years (p=0.31); 2% vs 50% presented AIDS criteria at diagnosis (p<0.001) and 93% vs 38% registered TCD4>350 cell/mm(3) at diagnosis (p<0.001). Immunological evolution showed no significant decline in naïve population (Δ=-67 cell/mm(3) - p=0.18) and a significant recovery in ARV experienced (Δ=+207 cell/mm(3) - p<0.001). Global mortality rate found was 18% (6% vs 13% - p=0.122). Eighty patients initiated ARV: 84% presented a time interval of ARV exposure between 0-5 years (42%) and 5-10 years (42%). Fifty percent experienced ≤2 ARV regimens and the remaining >2 regimes. Considering the first ARV therapy: 56% initiated PI, 30% NTRI and 5% integrase inhibitor (II)-based regimens. Currently, 54 patients maintain regular follow-up and ARV therapy: 60% NTRI+PI; 37% NRTI+PI+II and 3% NRTI+II. TDF/FTC is the backbone in 56%. Most frequent PIs are LPV/r (54%), DRV/r (19%) and ATV/r (12%). Mean time of exposure

40 CFR Table II-1 to Subpart II of... - Emission Factors

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Emission Factors II Table II-1 to Subpart II of Part 98 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) MANDATORY GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING Industrial Wastewater Treatment Pt. 98, Subpt. II, Table II-1...

40 CFR Table II-1 to Subpart II of... - Emission Factors

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Emission Factors II Table II-1 to Subpart II of Part 98 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) MANDATORY GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING Industrial Wastewater Treatment Pt. 98, Subpt. II, Table II-1...

2011 Cohort Graduation and Dropout Rate Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Utah State Office of Education, 2011

2011-01-01

To align with new federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) regulations for graduation rate calculations, the Utah State Office of Education (USOE) is reporting a new graduation rate beginning with the 2011 graduating class (also known as the 2011 cohort). The four-year cohort rate (includes all students who started 9th grade in 2007-2008 plus…

X-ray illumination of globular cluster puzzles. [globular cluster X ray sources as clues to Milky Way Galaxy age and evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lightman, A. P.; Grindlay, J. E.

1982-01-01

Globular clusters are thought to be among the oldest objects in the Galaxy, and provide, in this connection, important clues for determining the age and process of formation of the Galaxy. The present investigation is concerned with puzzles relating to the X-ray emission of globular clusters, taking into account questions regarding the location of X-ray emitting clusters (XEGC) unusually near the galactic plane and/or galactic center. An adopted model is discussed for the nature, formation, and lifetime of X-ray sources in globular clusters. An analysis of the available data is conducted in connection with a search for correlations between binary formation time scales, central relaxation times, galactic locations, and X-ray emission. The positive correlation found between distance from galactic center and two-body binary formation time for globular clusters, explanations for this correlation, and the hypothesis that X-ray sources in globular clusters require binary star systems provide a possible explanation of the considered puzzles.

Mother and child characteristics at birth and early age leukemia: a case-cohort population-based study.

PubMed

Reis, Rejane de Souza; Silva, Neimar de Paula; Santos, Marceli de Oliveira; Oliveira, Julio Fernando Pinto; Thuler, Luiz Claudio Santos; de Camargo, Beatriz; Pombo-de-Oliveira, Maria S

The population-based cancer registries (PBCR) and the Information System on Live Births in Brazil (Sistema de Informações sobre Nascidos Vivos [SINASC]) have information that enables the test for risk factors associated with leukemia at an early age. The aim of this study was to identify maternal and birth characteristics associated with early-age acute leukemia (EAL) in Brazil. A case-cohort study was performed using secondary dataset information of PBCR and SINASC. The risk association variables were grouped into (i) characteristics of the child at birth and (ii) characteristics of maternal exposure during pregnancy. The case-control ratio was 1:4. Linkage was performed using R software; odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated by logistic regression models. EAL was associated with maternal occupational exposure to chemicals (agricultural, chemical, and petrochemical industry; adjOR: 2.18, 95% CI: 1.16-4.10) and with birth defects (adjOR: 3.62, 95% CI: 1.19-11.00). The results of this study, with the identification of EAL risk factors in population-based case-cohort study, strengthen the knowledge and improve databases, contributing to investigations on risk factors associated with childhood leukemia worldwide. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Multi-metals column adsorption of lead(II), cadmium(II) and manganese(II) onto natural bentonite clay.

PubMed

Alexander, Jock Asanja; Surajudeen, Abdulsalam; Aliyu, El-Nafaty Usman; Omeiza, Aroke Umar; Zaini, Muhammad Abbas Ahmad

2017-10-01

The present work was aimed at evaluating the multi-metals column adsorption of lead(II), cadmium(II) and manganese(II) ions onto natural bentonite. The bentonite clay adsorbent was characterized for physical and chemical properties using X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area and cation exchange capacity. The column performance was evaluated using adsorbent bed height of 5.0 cm, with varying influent concentrations (10 mg/L and 50 mg/L) and flow rates (1.4 mL/min and 2.4 mL/min). The result shows that the breakthrough time for all metal ions ranged from 50 to 480 minutes. The maximum adsorption capacity was obtained at initial concentration of 10 mg/L and flow rate of 1.4 mL/min, with 2.22 mg/g of lead(II), 1.71 mg/g of cadmium(II) and 0.37 mg/g of manganese(II). The order of metal ions removal by natural bentonite is lead(II) > cadmium(II) > manganese(II). The sorption performance and the dynamic behaviour of the column were predicted using Adams-Bohart, Thomas, and Yoon-Nelson models. The linear regression analysis demonstrated that the Thomas and Yoon-Nelson models fitted well with the column adsorption data for all metal ions. The natural bentonite was effective for the treatment of wastewater laden with multi-metals, and the process parameters obtained from this work can be used at the industrial scale.

Cohort profile: the Healthy Life in an Urban Setting (HELIUS) study in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

PubMed Central

Snijder, Marieke B; Galenkamp, Henrike; Prins, Maria; Derks, Eske M; Peters, Ron J G; Zwinderman, Aeilko H; Stronks, Karien

2017-01-01

Purpose Ethnic minority groups usually have a more unfavourable disease risk profile than the host population. In Europe, ethnic inequalities in health have been observed in relatively small studies, with limited possibilities to explore underlying causes. The aim of the Healthy Life in an Urban Setting (HELIUS) study is to investigate the causes of (the unequal burden of) diseases across ethnic groups, focusing on three disease categories: cardiovascular diseases, mental health and infectious diseases. Participants The HELIUS study is a prospective cohort study among six large ethnic groups living in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Between 2011 and 2015, a total 24 789 participants (aged 18–70 years) were included at baseline. Similar-sized samples of individuals of Dutch, African Surinamese, South-Asian Surinamese, Ghanaian, Turkish and Moroccan origin were included. Participants filled in an extensive questionnaire and underwent a physical examination that included the collection of biological samples (biobank). Findings to date Data on physical, behavioural, psychosocial and biological risk factors, and also ethnicity-specific characteristics (eg, culture, migration history, ethnic identity, socioeconomic factors and discrimination) were collected, as were measures of health outcomes (cardiovascular, mental health and infections). The first results have confirmed large inequalities in health between ethnic groups, such as diabetes and depressive symptoms, and also early markers of disease such as arterial wave reflection and chronic kidney disease, which can only just partially be explained by inequalities in traditional risk factors, such as obesity and socioeconomic status. In addition, the first results provided important clues for targeting prevention and healthcare. Future plans HELIUS will be used for further research on the underlying causes of ethnic differences in health. Follow-up data will be obtained by repeated measurements and by linkages with

Efficacy and safety of nab-paclitaxel in patients with previously treated metastatic colorectal cancer: a phase II COLO-001 trial.

PubMed

Ducreux, Michel; Bennouna, Jaafar; Adenis, Antoine; Conroy, Thierry; Lièvre, Astrid; Portales, Fabienne; Jeanes, Julie; Li, Li; Romano, Alfredo

2017-01-01

This single-arm, phase II trial evaluated nab-paclitaxel monotherapy in pretreated patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Patients with mCRC (RAS wild-type and RAS mutant cohorts) received nab-paclitaxel 125 mg/m 2 days 1, 8, and 15 (28-day cycle). The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS) rate at week 8; secondary endpoints included overall survival, overall response rate, and safety. Stage 1 planned enrollment was 15 patients per cohort per Simon 2-stage design. Stage 2 enrollment was to continue unless ≤8 of the first 15 patients per cohort achieved PFS at 8 weeks. Stage 1 enrolled 41 patients (RAS wild type: n = 18; RAS mutant: n = 23). In both RAS cohorts, 3 of 15 patients initially enrolled were progression-free at week 8 (20%; 95% CI 4.0-48.0). Median PFS was 8.1 weeks (95% CI 7.7-8.6) and 7.9 weeks (95% CI 7.6-8.0) for RAS wild-type and RAS mutant cohorts, respectively. There were no complete or partial responses. The overall disease control rate was 16% (95% CI 6.0-32.0), and rates were similar in the RAS wild-type and RAS mutant cohorts (18 and 15%, respectively). No new safety signals were reported; the most common grade ≥3 adverse events included neutropenia, asthenia, and peripheral neuropathy. This study did not progress to stage 2 per the preplanned statistical stopping rule. In patients with heavily pretreated mCRC, nab-paclitaxel did not demonstrate promising antitumor activity; further assessment of nab-paclitaxel monotherapy in this population of patients is not supported. NCT02103062.

Switching to second-line ART in relation to mortality in a large Tanzanian HIV cohort.

PubMed

Hawkins, Claudia; Hertzmark, Ellen; Spiegelman, Donna; Muya, Aisa; Ulenga, Nzovu; Kim, Sehee; Khudyakov, Polyna; Christian, Beatrice; Sando, David; Aris, Eric; Fawzi, Wafaie

2017-07-01

In a large cohort of HIV-infected Tanzanians, we assessed: (i) rates of first-line treatment failure and switches to second-line ART; (ii) the effect of switching to second-line ART on death and loss to follow-up; and (iii) treatment outcomes on second-line ART by regimen. HIV-1-infected adults (≥15 years) initiated on first-line ART between November 2004 and September 2012, and who remained on initial therapy for at least 24 weeks before switching, were studied. Survival analyses were conducted to examine the effect of second-line ART on mortality and loss to follow-up in: (i) the whole cohort; (ii) all patients eligible for second-line ART by immunological failure (IF) and/or virological failure (VF) criteria; and (iii) patients eligible by VF criteria. In total, 47 296 HIV-infected patients [mean age 37.5 (SD 9.5) years, CD4 175 (SD 158) cells/mm 3 , 71% female] were included in the analyses. Of these, 1760 (3.7%) patients switched to second-line ART (incidence rate = 1.7/100 person-years). Higher rates of mortality were observed in switchers versus non-switchers in all patients and patients with ART failure using IF/VF criteria. Switching only protected against mortality in patients with ART failure defined virologically and with the highest level of adherence [switching versus non-switching; >95% adherence; adjusted HR = 0.50 (95% CI = 0.26-0.93); P  =   0.03]. Switching patients to second-line ART may only be beneficial in a select group of patients who are virologically monitored and demonstrate good adherence. Our data emphasize the need for routine viral load monitoring and aggressive adherence interventions in HIV programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Fe (III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes of schiff bases based-on glycine and phenylalanine: Synthesis, magnetic/thermal properties and antimicrobial activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sevgi, Fatih; Bagkesici, Ugur; Kursunlu, Ahmed Nuri; Guler, Ersin

2018-02-01

Zinc (II), copper (II), nickel (II), cobalt (II) and iron (III) complexes of Schiff bases (LG, LP) derived from 2-hydroxynaphthaldehyde with glycine and phenylalanine were reported and characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, elemental analyses, melting point, FT-IR, magnetic susceptibility and thermal analyses (TGA). TGA data show that iron and cobalt include to the coordinated water and metal:ligand ratio is 1:2 while the complex stoichiometry for Ni (II), Cu (II) and Zn (II) complexes is 1:1. As expected, Ni (II) and Zn (II) complexes are diamagnetic; Cu (II), Co (II) and Fe (III) complexes are paramagnetic character due to a strong ligand of LG and LP. The LG, LP and their metal complexes were screened for their antimicrobial activities against five Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Bacillus cereus, Streptococcus mutans and Enterococcus faecalis) and three Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and one fungi (Candida albicans) by using broth microdilution techniques. The activity data show that ligands and their metal complexes exhibited moderate to good activity against Gram-positive bacteria and fungi.

Proximal splenic angioembolization does not improve outcomes in treating blunt splenic injuries compared with splenectomy: a cohort analysis.

PubMed

Duchesne, Juan C; Simmons, Jon D; Schmieg, Robert E; McSwain, Norman E; Bellows, Charles F

2008-12-01

Although splenic angioembolization (SAE) has been introduced and adopted in many trauma centers, the appropriate selection for and utility of SAE in trauma patients remains under debate. This study examined the outcomes of proximal SAE as part of a management algorithm for adult traumatic splenic injury compared with splenectomy. A retrospective cohort analysis was performed on all hemodynamically stable (HDS) blunt trauma patients with isolated splenic injury and computed tomographic (CT) evidence of active contrast extravasation that presented to a level 1 Trauma Center over a period of 5 years. The cohorts were defined by two separate 30 month periods and included 78 patients seen before (group I) and 76 patients seen after (group II) the introduction of an institutional SAE protocol. Demographics, splenic injury grade, and outcomes of the two groups were compared using Student's t test, or chi2 test. Analysis was by intention-to-treat. Six hundred eighty-two patients with blunt splenic injury were identified; 154 patients (29%) were HDS with CT evidence of active contrast extravasation. Group I (n = 78) was treated with splenectomy and group II (n = 76) was treated with proximal SAE. There was no difference in age (33 +/- 14 vs. 37 +/- 17 years), Injury Severity Score (31 +/- 13 vs. 29 +/- 11), or mortality (18% vs. 15%) between the two groups. However, the incidence of Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) was 4-fold higher in those patients that underwent proximal SAE compared with those that underwent splenectomy (22% vs. 5%, p = 0.002). Twenty two patients failed nonoperative management (NOM) after SAE. This failure appeared to be directly related to the grade of splenic organ injury (grade I and II: 0%; grade III: 24%; grade IV: 53%; and grade V: 100%). Introduction of proximal SAE in NOM of HDS splenic trauma patients with active extravasation did not alter mortality rates at a Level 1 Trauma Center. Increased incidence of ARDS and association of

German-wide prospective DACAPO cohort of survivors of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS): a cohort profile

PubMed Central

Dodoo-Schittko, Frank; Brandstetter, Susanne; Brandl, Magdalena; Blecha, Sebastian; Quintel, Michael; Weber-Carstens, Steffen; Kluge, Stefan; Kirschning, Thomas; Muders, Thomas; Bercker, Sven; Ellger, Björn; Arndt, Christian; Meybohm, Patrick; Adamzik, Michael; Goldmann, Anton; Karagiannidis, Christian; Bein, Thomas

2018-01-01

Purpose While most research focuses on the association between medical characteristics and residual morbidity of survivors of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), little is known about the relation between potentially modifiable intensive care unit (ICU) features and the course of health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Accordingly, the DACAPO study was set up to elucidate the influence of quality of intensive care on HRQoL and return to work (RtW) in survivors of ARDS. The continued follow-up of these former ICU patients leads to the establishment of the DACAPO (survivor) cohort. Participants Sixty-one ICUs all over Germany recruited patients with ARDS between September 2014 and April 2016. Inclusion criteria were: (1) age older than 18 years and (2) ARDS diagnosis according to the ‘Berlin definition’. No further inclusion or exclusion criteria were applied. 1225 patients with ARDS could be included in the DACAPO ICU sample. Subsequently, the 876 survivors at ICU discharge form the actual DACAPO cohort. Findings to date The recruitment of the participants of the DACAPO cohort and the baseline data collection has been completed. The care-related data of the DACAPO cohort reveal a high proportion of adverse events (in particular, hypoglycaemia and reintubation). However, evidence-based supportive measures were applied frequently. Future plans Three months, 6 months and 1 year after ICU admission a follow-up assessment is conducted. The instruments of the follow-up questionnaires comprise the domains: (A) HRQoL, (B) RtW, (C) general disability, (D) psychiatric symptoms and (E) social support. Additionally, an annual follow-up of the DACAPO cohort focusing on HRQoL, psychiatric symptoms and healthcare utilisation will be conducted. Furthermore, several add-on projects affecting medical issues are envisaged. Trial registration number NCT02637011. PMID:29622574

Piecewise exponential survival times and analysis of case-cohort data.

PubMed

Li, Yan; Gail, Mitchell H; Preston, Dale L; Graubard, Barry I; Lubin, Jay H

2012-06-15

Case-cohort designs select a random sample of a cohort to be used as control with cases arising from the follow-up of the cohort. Analyses of case-cohort studies with time-varying exposures that use Cox partial likelihood methods can be computer intensive. We propose a piecewise-exponential approach where Poisson regression model parameters are estimated from a pseudolikelihood and the corresponding variances are derived by applying Taylor linearization methods that are used in survey research. The proposed approach is evaluated using Monte Carlo simulations. An illustration is provided using data from the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study of male smokers in Finland, where a case-cohort study of serum glucose level and pancreatic cancer was analyzed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.