A confirmatory factor analysis of the Beck Depression Inventory-II in end-stage renal disease patients.

PubMed

Chilcot, Joseph; Norton, Sam; Wellsted, David; Almond, Mike; Davenport, Andrew; Farrington, Ken

2011-09-01

We sought to examine several competing factor structures of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI) in a sample of patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), in which setting the factor structure is poorly defined, though depression symptoms are common. In addition, demographic and clinical correlates of the identified factors were examined. The BDI was administered to clinical sample of 460 ESRD patients attending 4 UK renal centres. Competing models of the factor structure of the BDI were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis. The best fitting model consisted of general depression factor that accounted for 81% of the common variance between all items along with orthogonal cognitive and somatic factors (G-S-C model, CFI=.983, TLI=.979, RMSEA=.037), which explained 8% and 9% of the common variance, respectively. Age, diabetes, and ethnicity were significantly related to the cognitive factor, whereas albumin, dialysis adequacy, and ethnicity were related to the somatic factor. No demographic or clinical variable was associated with the general factor. The general-factor model provides the best fitting and conceptually most acceptable interpretation of the BDI. Furthermore, the cognitive and somatic factors appear to be related to specific demographic and clinical factors. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Heritability of circulating growth factors involved in the angiogenesis in healthy human population.

PubMed

Pantsulaia, I; Trofimov, S; Kobyliansky, E; Livshits, G

2004-09-21

The present study examined the extent of genetic and environmental influences on the populational variation of circulating growth factors (VEGF, EGF) involved in angiogenesis in healthy and ethnically homogeneous Caucasian families. The plasma levels of each of the studied biochemical indices were determined by enzyme-linked immunoassay in 478 healthy individuals aged 18-75 years. Quantitative genetic analysis showed that the VEGF and EGF variation was appreciably attributable to genetic effects, with heritability estimates of 79.9% and 48.4%, respectively. Yet, common environmental factors, shared by members of the same household, also played a significant role (P < 0.01) and explained between 20.1% and 32.6% of the variation. The present study additionally examined the covariations between these molecules and either transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) or tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases 1 (TIMP-1), likewise relevant for angiogenesis. Bivariate analysis revealed significant phenotypic correlations (P < 0.002) between all pairs of variables, thus indicating the possible existence of common genetic and environmental factors. The analysis suggested that the pleiotropic genetic effects were consistently the primary (or even the sole) source of correlation between all pairs of studied molecules. The results of our study affirm the existence of specific and common genetic pathways that commonly determine the greater part of the circulating variation of these molecules.

Factors of Spatial Visualization: An Analysis of the PSVT:R

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ernst, Jeremy V.; Willams, Thomas O.; Clark, Aaron C.; Kelly, Daniel P.

2017-01-01

The Purdue Spatial Visualization Test: Visualization of Rotations (PVST:R) is among the most commonly used measurement instruments to assess spatial ability among engineering students. Previous analysis that explores the factor structure of the PSVT:R indicates a single-factor measure of the instrument. With this as a basis, this research seeks to…

Unidimensional and Multidimensional Models for Item Response Theory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Roderick P.

This paper provides an up-to-date review of the relationship between item response theory (IRT) and (nonlinear) common factor theory and draws out of this relationship some implications for current and future research in IRT. Nonlinear common factor analysis yields a natural embodiment of the weak principle of local independence in appropriate…

Common Factors of High Performance Teams

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, Bruce; Madsen, Susan R.

2005-01-01

Utilization of work teams is now wide spread in all types of organizations throughout the world. However, an understanding of the important factors common to high performance teams is rare. The purpose of this content analysis is to explore the literature and propose findings related to high performance teams. These include definition and types,…

Genome-wide investigation and expression analysis of AP2-ERF gene family in salt tolerant common bean

PubMed Central

Kavas, Musa; Kizildogan, Aslihan; Gökdemir, Gökhan; Baloglu, Mehmet Cengiz

2015-01-01

Apetala2-ethylene-responsive element binding factor (AP2-ERF) superfamily with common AP2-DNA binding domain have developmentally and physiologically important roles in plants. Since common bean genome project has been completed recently, it is possible to identify all of the AP2-ERF genes in the common bean genome. In this study, a comprehensive genome-wide in silico analysis identified 180 AP2-ERF superfamily genes in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). Based on the amino acid alignment and phylogenetic analyses, superfamily members were classified into four subfamilies: DREB (54), ERF (95), AP2 (27) and RAV (3), as well as one soloist. The physical and chemical characteristics of amino acids, interaction between AP2-ERF proteins, cis elements of promoter region of AP2-ERF genes and phylogenetic trees were predicted and analyzed. Additionally, expression levels of AP2-ERF genes were evaluated by in silico and qRT-PCR analyses. In silico micro-RNA target transcript analyses identified nearly all PvAP2-ERF genes as targets of by 44 different plant species' miRNAs were identified in this study. The most abundant target genes were PvAP2/ERF-20-25-62-78-113-173. miR156, miR172 and miR838 were the most important miRNAs found in targeting and BLAST analyses. Interactome analysis revealed that the transcription factor PvAP2-ERF78, an ortholog of Arabidopsis At2G28550, was potentially interacted with at least 15 proteins, indicating that it was very important in transcriptional regulation. Here we present the first study to identify and characterize the AP2-ERF transcription factors in common bean using whole-genome analysis, and the findings may serve as a references for future functional research on the transcription factors in common bean. PMID:27152109

The Empirical Verification of an Assignment of Items to Subtests: The Oblique Multiple Group Method versus the Confirmatory Common Factor Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuive, Ilse; Kiers, Henk A. L.; Timmerman, Marieke E.; ten Berge, Jos M. F.

2008-01-01

This study compares two confirmatory factor analysis methods on their ability to verify whether correct assignments of items to subtests are supported by the data. The confirmatory common factor (CCF) method is used most often and defines nonzero loadings so that they correspond to the assignment of items to subtests. Another method is the oblique…

Investigation of the factor structure of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale--Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV): exploratory and higher order factor analyses.

PubMed

Canivez, Gary L; Watkins, Marley W

2010-12-01

The present study examined the factor structure of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale--Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV; D. Wechsler, 2008a) standardization sample using exploratory factor analysis, multiple factor extraction criteria, and higher order exploratory factor analysis (J. Schmid & J. M. Leiman, 1957) not included in the WAIS-IV Technical and Interpretation Manual (D. Wechsler, 2008b). Results indicated that the WAIS-IV subtests were properly associated with the theoretically proposed first-order factors, but all but one factor-extraction criterion recommended extraction of one or two factors. Hierarchical exploratory analyses with the Schmid and Leiman procedure found that the second-order g factor accounted for large portions of total and common variance, whereas the four first-order factors accounted for small portions of total and common variance. It was concluded that the WAIS-IV provides strong measurement of general intelligence, and clinical interpretation should be primarily at that level.

Generalized Structured Component Analysis with Uniqueness Terms for Accommodating Measurement Error

PubMed Central

Hwang, Heungsun; Takane, Yoshio; Jung, Kwanghee

2017-01-01

Generalized structured component analysis (GSCA) is a component-based approach to structural equation modeling (SEM), where latent variables are approximated by weighted composites of indicators. It has no formal mechanism to incorporate errors in indicators, which in turn renders components prone to the errors as well. We propose to extend GSCA to account for errors in indicators explicitly. This extension, called GSCAM, considers both common and unique parts of indicators, as postulated in common factor analysis, and estimates a weighted composite of indicators with their unique parts removed. Adding such unique parts or uniqueness terms serves to account for measurement errors in indicators in a manner similar to common factor analysis. Simulation studies are conducted to compare parameter recovery of GSCAM and existing methods. These methods are also applied to fit a substantively well-established model to real data. PMID:29270146

Spectral compression algorithms for the analysis of very large multivariate images

DOEpatents

Keenan, Michael R.

2007-10-16

A method for spectrally compressing data sets enables the efficient analysis of very large multivariate images. The spectral compression algorithm uses a factored representation of the data that can be obtained from Principal Components Analysis or other factorization technique. Furthermore, a block algorithm can be used for performing common operations more efficiently. An image analysis can be performed on the factored representation of the data, using only the most significant factors. The spectral compression algorithm can be combined with a spatial compression algorithm to provide further computational efficiencies.

Improving Your Exploratory Factor Analysis for Ordinal Data: A Demonstration Using FACTOR

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baglin, James

2014-01-01

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) methods are used extensively in the field of assessment and evaluation. Due to EFA's widespread use, common methods and practices have come under close scrutiny. A substantial body of literature has been compiled highlighting problems with many of the methods and practices used in EFA, and, in response, many…

Replication Analysis in Exploratory Factor Analysis: What It Is and Why It Makes Your Analysis Better

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osborne, Jason W.; Fitzpatrick, David C.

2012-01-01

Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) is a powerful and commonly-used tool for investigating the underlying variable structure of a psychometric instrument. However, there is much controversy in the social sciences with regard to the techniques used in EFA (Ford, MacCallum, & Tait, 1986; Henson & Roberts, 2006) and the reliability of the outcome.…

Constrained Maximum Likelihood Estimation for Two-Level Mean and Covariance Structure Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bentler, Peter M.; Liang, Jiajuan; Tang, Man-Lai; Yuan, Ke-Hai

2011-01-01

Maximum likelihood is commonly used for the estimation of model parameters in the analysis of two-level structural equation models. Constraints on model parameters could be encountered in some situations such as equal factor loadings for different factors. Linear constraints are the most common ones and they are relatively easy to handle in…

In Spite of Indeterminacy Many Common Factor Score Estimates Yield an Identical Reproduced Covariance Matrix

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beauducel, Andre

2007-01-01

It was investigated whether commonly used factor score estimates lead to the same reproduced covariance matrix of observed variables. This was achieved by means of Schonemann and Steiger's (1976) regression component analysis, since it is possible to compute the reproduced covariance matrices of the regression components corresponding to different…

Clinical features and risk factor analysis for lower extremity deep venous thrombosis in Chinese neurosurgical patients

PubMed Central

Guo, Fuyou; Shashikiran, Tagilapalli; Chen, Xi; Yang, Lei; Liu, Xianzhi; Song, Laijun

2015-01-01

Background: Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) contributes significantly to the morbidity and mortality of neurosurgical patients; however, no data regarding lower extremity DVT in postoperative Chinese neurosurgical patients have been reported. Materials and Methods: From January 2012 to December 2013, 196 patients without preoperative DVT who underwent neurosurgical operations were evaluated by color Doppler ultrasonography and D-dimer level measurements on the 3rd, 7th, and 14th days after surgery. Follow-up clinical data were recorded to determine the incidence of lower extremity DVT in postoperative neurosurgical patients and to analyze related clinical features. First, a single factor analysis, Chi-square test, was used to select statistically significant factors. Then, a multivariate analysis, binary logistic regression analysis, was used to determine risk factors for lower extremity DVT in postoperative neurosurgical patients. Results: Lower extremity DVT occurred in 61 patients, and the incidence of DVT was 31.1% in the enrolled Chinese neurosurgical patients. The common symptoms of DVT were limb swelling and lower extremity pain as well as increased soft tissue tension. The common sites of venous involvement were the calf muscle and peroneal and posterior tibial veins. The single factor analysis showed statistically significant differences in DVT risk factors, including age, hypertension, smoking status, operation time, a bedridden or paralyzed state, the presence of a tumor, postoperative dehydration, and glucocorticoid treatment, between the two groups (P < 0.05). The binary logistic regression analysis showed that an age greater than 50 years, hypertension, a bedridden or paralyzed state, the presence of a tumor, and postoperative dehydration were risk factors for lower extremity DVT in postoperative neurosurgical patients. Conclusions: Lower extremity DVT was a common complication following craniotomy in the enrolled Chinese neurosurgical patients. Multiple factors were identified as predictive of DVT in neurosurgical patients, including the presence of a tumor, an age greater than 50 years, hypertension, and immobility. PMID:26752303

The Mindful Attention Awareness Scale: Further Examination of Dimensionality, Reliability, and Concurrent Validity Estimates.

PubMed

Osman, Augustine; Lamis, Dorian A; Bagge, Courtney L; Freedenthal, Stacey; Barnes, Sean M

2016-01-01

We examined the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) in a sample of 810 undergraduate students. Using common exploratory factor analysis (EFA), we obtained evidence for a 1-factor solution (41.84% common variance). To confirm unidimensionality of the 15-item MAAS, we conducted a 1-factor confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results of the EFA and CFA, respectively, provided support for a unidimensional model. Using differential item functioning analysis methods within item response theory modeling (IRT-based DIF), we found that individuals with high and low levels of nonattachment responded similarly to the MAAS items. Following a detailed item analysis, we proposed a 5-item short version of the instrument and present descriptive statistics and composite score reliability for the short and full versions of the MAAS. Finally, correlation analyses showed that scores on the full and short versions of the MAAS were associated with measures assessing related constructs. The 5-item MAAS is as useful as the original MAAS in enhancing our understanding of the mindfulness construct.

A factor analysis of landscape pattern and structure metrics

Treesearch

Kurt H. Riitters; R.V. O' Neill; C.T. Hunsaker; James D. Wickham; D.H. Yankee; S.P. Timmins; K.B. Jones; B.L. Jackson

1995-01-01

Fifty-five metrics of landscape pattern and structure were calculated for 85 maps of land use and land cover. A multivariate factor analysis was used to identify the common axes (or dimensions) of pattern and structure which were measured by a reduced set of 26 metrics. The first six factors explained about 87% of the variation in the 26 landscape metrics. These...

Defining the genetic connection linking amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

PubMed

Lattante, Serena; Ciura, Sorana; Rouleau, Guy A; Kabashi, Edor

2015-05-01

Several genetic causes have been recently described for neurological diseases, increasing our knowledge of the common pathological mechanisms involved in these disorders. Mutation analysis has shown common causative factors for two major neurodegenerative disorders, ALS and FTD. Shared pathological and genetic markers as well as common neurological signs between these diseases have given rise to the notion of an ALS/FTD spectrum. This overlap among genetic factors causing ALS/FTD and the coincidence of mutated alleles (including causative, risk and modifier variants) have given rise to the notion of an oligogenic model of disease. In this review we summarize major advances in the elucidation of novel genetic factors in these diseases which have led to a better understanding of the common pathogenic factors leading to neurodegeneration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Final Technical Report: Advanced Measurement and Analysis of PV Derate Factors.

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

King, Bruce Hardison; Burton, Patrick D.; Hansen, Clifford

2015-12-01

The Advanced Measurement and Analysis of PV Derate Factors project focuses on improving the accuracy and reducing the uncertainty of PV performance model predictions by addressing a common element of all PV performance models referred to as “derates”. Widespread use of “rules of thumb”, combined with significant uncertainty regarding appropriate values for these factors contribute to uncertainty in projected energy production.

Dimensionality of Community Satisfaction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, R. Gary; Knop, Edward

Using factor analysis (both principal factor solutions and rotated factor solutions) to search for underlying statistical commonality among 12 indicators of community satisfaction in 6 Colorado communities, the research explores various dimensions of community satisfaction that may be important across different communities. The communities under…

Configurations of Common Childhood Psychosocial Risk Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Copeland, William; Shanahan, Lilly; Costello, E. Jane; Angold, Adrian

2009-01-01

Background: Co-occurrence of psychosocial risk factors is commonplace, but little is known about psychiatrically-predictive configurations of psychosocial risk factors. Methods: Latent class analysis (LCA) was applied to 17 putative psychosocial risk factors in a representative population sample of 920 children ages 9 to 17. The resultant class…

Exploratory factor analysis of the 12-item Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale in people newly diagnosed with advanced cancer.

PubMed

Bai, Mei; Dixon, Jane K

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to reexamine the factor pattern of the 12-item Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT-Sp-12) using exploratory factor analysis in people newly diagnosed with advanced cancer. Principal components analysis (PCA) and 3 common factor analysis methods were used to explore the factor pattern of the FACIT-Sp-12. Factorial validity was assessed in association with quality of life (QOL). Principal factor analysis (PFA), iterative PFA, and maximum likelihood suggested retrieving 3 factors: Peace, Meaning, and Faith. Both Peace and Meaning positively related to QOL, whereas only Peace uniquely contributed to QOL. This study supported the 3-factor model of the FACIT-Sp-12. Suggestions for revision of items and further validation of the identified factor pattern were provided.

Three Factors Are Critical in Order to Synthesize Intelligible Noise-Vocoded Japanese Speech

PubMed Central

Kishida, Takuya; Nakajima, Yoshitaka; Ueda, Kazuo; Remijn, Gerard B.

2016-01-01

Factor analysis (principal component analysis followed by varimax rotation) had shown that 3 common factors appear across 20 critical-band power fluctuations derived from spoken sentences of eight different languages [Ueda et al. (2010). Fechner Day 2010, Padua]. The present study investigated the contributions of such power-fluctuation factors to speech intelligibility. The method of factor analysis was modified to obtain factors suitable for resynthesizing speech sounds as 20-critical-band noise-vocoded speech. The resynthesized speech sounds were used for an intelligibility test. The modification of factor analysis ensured that the resynthesized speech sounds were not accompanied by a steady background noise caused by the data reduction procedure. Spoken sentences of British English, Japanese, and Mandarin Chinese were subjected to this modified analysis. Confirming the earlier analysis, indeed 3–4 factors were common to these languages. The number of power-fluctuation factors needed to make noise-vocoded speech intelligible was then examined. Critical-band power fluctuations of the Japanese spoken sentences were resynthesized from the obtained factors, resulting in noise-vocoded-speech stimuli, and the intelligibility of these speech stimuli was tested by 12 native Japanese speakers. Japanese mora (syllable-like phonological unit) identification performances were measured when the number of factors was 1–9. Statistically significant improvement in intelligibility was observed when the number of factors was increased stepwise up to 6. The 12 listeners identified 92.1% of the morae correctly on average in the 6-factor condition. The intelligibility improved sharply when the number of factors changed from 2 to 3. In this step, the cumulative contribution ratio of factors improved only by 10.6%, from 37.3 to 47.9%, but the average mora identification leaped from 6.9 to 69.2%. The results indicated that, if the number of factors is 3 or more, elementary linguistic information is preserved in such noise-vocoded speech. PMID:27199790

What Is Rotating in Exploratory Factor Analysis?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osborne, Jason W.

2015-01-01

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is one of the most commonly-reported quantitative methodology in the social sciences, yet much of the detail regarding what happens during an EFA remains unclear. The goal of this brief technical note is to explore what "rotation" is, what exactly is rotating, and why we use rotation when performing…

Application of Factor Analysis on the Financial Ratios of Indian Cement Industry and Validation of the Results by Cluster Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De, Anupam; Bandyopadhyay, Gautam; Chakraborty, B. N.

2010-10-01

Financial ratio analysis is an important and commonly used tool in analyzing financial health of a firm. Quite a large number of financial ratios, which can be categorized in different groups, are used for this analysis. However, to reduce number of ratios to be used for financial analysis and regrouping them into different groups on basis of empirical evidence, Factor Analysis technique is being used successfully by different researches during the last three decades. In this study Factor Analysis has been applied over audited financial data of Indian cement companies for a period of 10 years. The sample companies are listed on the Stock Exchange India (BSE and NSE). Factor Analysis, conducted over 44 variables (financial ratios) grouped in 7 categories, resulted in 11 underlying categories (factors). Each factor is named in an appropriate manner considering the factor loads and constituent variables (ratios). Representative ratios are identified for each such factor. To validate the results of Factor Analysis and to reach final conclusion regarding the representative ratios, Cluster Analysis had been performed.

Item Parameter Estimation for the MIRT Model: Bias and Precision of Confirmatory Factor Analysis-Based Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finch, Holmes

2010-01-01

The accuracy of item parameter estimates in the multidimensional item response theory (MIRT) model context is one that has not been researched in great detail. This study examines the ability of two confirmatory factor analysis models specifically for dichotomous data to properly estimate item parameters using common formulae for converting factor…

Human Factors in Accidents Involving Remotely Piloted Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merlin, Peter William

2013-01-01

This presentation examines human factors that contribute to RPA mishaps and provides analysis of lessons learned. RPA accident data from U.S. military and government agencies were reviewed and analyzed to identify human factors issues. Common contributors to RPA mishaps fell into several major categories: cognitive factors (pilot workload), physiological factors (fatigue and stress), environmental factors (situational awareness), staffing factors (training and crew coordination), and design factors (human machine interface).

Adaptation of the Practice Environment Scale for military nurses: a psychometric analysis.

PubMed

Swiger, Pauline A; Raju, Dheeraj; Breckenridge-Sproat, Sara; Patrician, Patricia A

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to confirm the psychometric properties of Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index in a military population. This study also demonstrates association rule analysis, a contemporary exploratory technique. One of the instruments most commonly used to evaluate the nursing practice environment is the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index. Although the instrument has been widely used, the reliability, validity and individual item function are not commonly evaluated. Gaps exist with regard to confirmatory evaluation of the subscale factors, individual item analysis and evaluation in the outpatient setting and with non-registered nursing staff. This was a secondary data analysis of existing survey data. Multiple psychometric methods were used for this analysis using survey data collected in 2014. First, descriptive analyses were conducted, including exploration using association rules. Next, internal consistency was tested and confirmatory factor analysis was performed to test the factor structure. The specified factor structure did not hold; therefore, exploratory factor analysis was performed. Finally, item analysis was executed using item response theory. The differential item functioning technique allowed the comparison of responses by care setting and nurse type. The results of this study indicate that responses differ between groups and that several individual items could be removed without altering the psychometric properties of the instrument. The instrument functions moderately well in a military population; however, researchers may want to consider nurse type and care setting during analysis to identify any meaningful variation in responses. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Geometric Relationship Between Holland's Personality Typology and the Vocational Preference Inventory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wakefield, James A., Jr.; Doughtie, Eugene B.

1973-01-01

Holland's Vocational Preference Inventory was administered to 373 undergraduates. The 11 scales of the inventory were intercorrelated and factor analyzed. Six common factors were obtained. The placement of the six personality types in six-dimensional space by factor analysis corresponded closely to Holland's model. (Author)

Twenty-Year Systematic Review of the Hip Pathology, Risk Factors, Treatment, and Clinical Outcomes in Artistic Athletes-Dancers, Figure Skaters, and Gymnasts.

PubMed

Bolia, Ioanna; Utsunomiya, Hajime; Locks, Renato; Briggs, Karen; Philippon, Marc J

2018-01-01

To identify (1) the predominant level of evidence of the clinical studies regarding the hip pathology, risk factors, treatment, and clinical outcomes in artistic athletes (dancers, figure skaters, and gymnasts) (2) the most commonly reported hip pathology, risk factors, treatments, and clinical outcomes in dancers, figure skaters, and gymnasts. To conduct this systematic review PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus databases were searched for relevant studies and pertinent data were collected from the eligible articles. Included were studies which reported hip injuries in artistic athletes, the risk factors, treatment, and/or the clinical outcomes. We excluded case reports or irrelevant studies. No meta-analysis was performed because of study heterogeneity. The methodical index for nonrandomized studies (MINORS) criteria were used for quality control. Thirty-eight studies were included in the analysis. The mean MINORS score was 13.6 ± 4.6 points indicating fair quality of evidence of the included articles. The predominant level of evidence was level IV. Chondrolabral pathology and muscle injuries were the most commonly reported pathologies. We found only 2 risk factor analysis studies; however, many studies reported risk correlation between artistic sports or imaging findings and hip pathology. Treatment strategies were reported in only 7 studies, clinical outcomes are significantly underreported. Chondrolabral pathology was the most commonly reported hip pathology in artistic athletes, however, prospective cohort studies are necessary to really understand these injuries and their associated risk factors. The lack of clinical outcomes is significant and future data collection is required to assess the effectiveness of the various treatments.

Trans-Ethnic Meta-Analysis Identifies Common and Rare Variants Associated with Hepatocyte Growth Factor Levels in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

PubMed Central

Larson, Nicholas B.; Berardi, Cecilia; Decker, Paul A.; Wassel, Christina L.; Kirsch, Phillip S.; Pankow, James S.; Sale, Michele M.; de Andrade, Mariza; Sicotte, Hugues; Tang, Weihong; Hanson, Naomi Q.; Tsai, Michael Y.; Taylor, Kent D.; Bielinski, Suzette J.

2015-01-01

Summary Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a mesenchyme-derived pleiotropic factor that regulates cell growth, motility, mitogenesis, and morphogenesis in a variety of cells, and increased serum levels of HGF have been linked to a number of clinical and subclinical cardiovascular disease phenotypes. However, little is currently known regarding what genetic factors influence HGF levels, despite evidence of substantial genetic contributions to HGF variation. Based upon ethnicity-stratified single-variant association analysis and trans-ethnic meta-analysis of 6201 participants of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), we discovered five statistically significant common and low-frequency variants: HGF missense polymorphism rs5745687 (p.E299K) as well as four variants (rs16844364, rs4690098, rs114303452, rs3748034) within or in proximity to HGFAC. We also identified two significant ethnicity-specific gene-level associations (A1BG in African Americans; FASN in Chinese Americans) based upon low-frequency/rare variants, while meta-analysis of gene-level results identified a significant association for HGFAC. However, identified single-variant associations explained modest proportions of the total trait variation and were not significantly associated with coronary artery calcium or coronary heart disease. Our findings indicate genetic factors influencing circulating HGF levels may be complex and ethnically diverse. PMID:25998175

Cross-disease Meta-analysis of Genome-wide Association Studies for Systemic Sclerosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis Reveals IRF4 as a New Common Susceptibility Locus

PubMed Central

López-Isac, Elena; Martín, Jose-Ezequiel; Assassi, Shervin; Simeón, Carmen P; Carreira, Patricia; Ortego-Centeno, Norberto; Freire, Mayka; Beltrán, Emma; Narváez, Javier; Alegre-Sancho, Juan J; Fernández-Gutiérrez, Benjamín; Balsa, Alejandro; Ortiz, Ana M; González-Gay, Miguel A; Beretta, Lorenzo; Santaniello, Alessandro; Bellocchi, Chiara; Lunardi, Claudio; Moroncini, Gianluca; Gabrielli, Armando; Witte, Torsten; Hunzelmann, Nicolas; Distler, Jörg HW; Riekemasten, Gabriella; van der Helm-van Mil, Annete H; de Vries-Bouwstra, Jeska; Magro-Checa, Cesar; Voskuyl, Alexandre E; Vonk, Madelon C; Molberg, Øyvind; Merriman, Tony; Hesselstrand, Roger; Nordin, Annika; Padyukov, Leonid; Herrick, Ariane; Eyre, Steve; Koeleman, Bobby PC; Denton, Christopher P; Fonseca, Carmen; Radstake, Timothy RDJ; Worthington, Jane; Mayes, Maureen D; Martín, Javier

2017-01-01

Objectives Systemic sclerosis (SSc) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are autoimmune diseases that share clinical and immunological characteristics. To date, several shared SSc-RA loci have been identified independently. In this study, we aimed to systematically search for new common SSc-RA loci through an inter-disease meta-GWAS strategy. Methods We performed a meta-analysis combining GWAS datasets of SSc and RA using a strategy that allowed identification of loci with both same-direction and opposing-direction allelic effects. The top single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were followed-up in independent SSc and RA case-control cohorts. This allowed us to increase the sample size to a total of 8,830 SSc patients, 16,870 RA patients and 43,393 controls. Results The cross-disease meta-analysis of the GWAS datasets identified several loci with nominal association signals (P-value < 5 × 10-6), which also showed evidence of association in the disease-specific GWAS scan. These loci included several genomic regions not previously reported as shared loci, besides risk factors associated with both diseases in previous studies. The follow-up of the putatively new SSc-RA loci identified IRF4 as a shared risk factor for these two diseases (Pcombined = 3.29 × 10-12). In addition, the analysis of the biological relevance of the known SSc-RA shared loci pointed to the type I interferon and the interleukin 12 signaling pathways as the main common etiopathogenic factors. Conclusions Our study has identified a novel shared locus, IRF4, for SSc and RA and highlighted the usefulness of cross-disease GWAS meta-analysis in the identification of common risk loci. PMID:27111665

Commonality of Risk Factors for Mothers' Poor Oral Health and General Health: Baseline Analysis of a Population-Based Birth Cohort Study.

PubMed

Ha, Diep H; Spencer, A John; Thomson, W Murray; Scott, Jane A; Do, Loc G

2018-04-01

Objective The association between and commonality of risk factors for poor self-rated oral health (SROH) and general health (SRGH) among new mothers has not been reported. The purpose of this paper is to assess the commonality of risk factors for poor SROH and SRGH, and self-reported obesity and dental pain, among a population-based sample of new mothers in Australia. It also investigated health conditions affecting new mothers' general health. Methods Data collected at baseline of a population-based birth cohort was used. Mothers of newborns in Adelaide were approached to participate. Mothers completed a questionnaire collecting data on socioeconomic status (SES), health behaviours, dental pain, SROH, self-reported height and weight and SRGH. Analysis was conducted sequentially from bivariate to multivariable regression to estimate prevalence rate (PR) of reporting poor/fair SROH and SRGH. Results of the 1895 new mothers, some 21 and 6% rated their SROH and SRGH as poor/fair respectively. Dental pain was associated with low income and smoking status, while being obese was associated with low SES, low education and infrequent tooth brushing. SROH and SRGH was associated with low SES, smoking, and dental pain. SROH was also associated with SRGH [PR: 3.06 (2.42-3.88)]. Conclusion for practice There was a commonality of factors associated with self-rated oral health and general health. Strong associations between OH and GH were also observed. Given the importance of maternal health for future generations, there would be long-term societal benefit from addressing common risk factors for OH and GH in integrated programs.

Application of factor analysis to the water quality in reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, Eliana Costa e.; Lopes, Isabel Cristina; Correia, Aldina; Gonçalves, A. Manuela

2017-06-01

In this work we present a Factor Analysis of chemical and environmental variables of the water column and hydro-morphological features of several Portuguese reservoirs. The objective is to reduce the initial number of variables, keeping their common characteristics. Using the Factor Analysis, the environmental variables measured in the epilimnion and in the hypolimnion, together with the hydromorphological characteristics of the dams were reduced from 63 variables to only 13 factors, which explained a total of 83.348% of the variance in the original data. After performing rotation using the Varimax method, the relations between the factors and the original variables got clearer and more explainable, which provided a Factor Analysis model for these environmental variables using 13 varifactors: Water quality and distance to the source, Hypolimnion chemical composition, Sulfite-reducing bacteria and nutrients, Coliforms and faecal streptococci, Reservoir depth, Temperature, Location, among other factors.

Common multifractality in the heart rate variability and brain activity of healthy humans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, D. C.; Sharif, A.

2010-06-01

The influence from the central nervous system on the human multifractal heart rate variability (HRV) is examined under the autonomic nervous system perturbation induced by the head-up-tilt body maneuver. We conducted the multifractal factorization analysis to factor out the common multifractal factor in the joint fluctuation of the beat-to-beat heart rate and electroencephalography data. Evidence of a central link in the multifractal HRV was found, where the transition towards increased (decreased) HRV multifractal complexity is associated with a stronger (weaker) multifractal correlation between the central and autonomic nervous systems.

Chinese American Post-Secondary Achievement and Attainment: A Cultural and Structural Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pearce, Richard R.; Lin, Zeng

2007-01-01

In this article, the authors compare Chinese American post-secondary educational attainment with that of White Americans and, in identifying those factors that most strongly account for success, argue that commonalities exist among social structural factors, while distinct differences are evident among cultural capital factors. The article rejects…

Confirmatory factor analysis reveals a latent cognitive structure common to bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and normal controls.

PubMed

Schretlen, David J; Peña, Javier; Aretouli, Eleni; Orue, Izaskun; Cascella, Nicola G; Pearlson, Godfrey D; Ojeda, Natalia

2013-06-01

We sought to determine whether a single hypothesized latent factor structure would characterize cognitive functioning in three distinct groups. We assessed 576 adults (340 community controls, 126 adults with bipolar disorder, and 110 adults with schizophrenia) using 15 measures derived from nine cognitive tests. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to examine the fit of a hypothesized six-factor model. The hypothesized factors included attention, psychomotor speed, verbal memory, visual memory, ideational fluency, and executive functioning. The six-factor model provided an excellent fit for all three groups [for community controls, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) <0.048 and comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.99; for adults with bipolar disorder, RMSEA = 0.071 and CFI = 0.99; and for adults with schizophrenia, RMSEA = 0.06 and CFI = 0.98]. Alternate models that combined fluency with processing speed or verbal and visual memory reduced the goodness of fit. Multi-group CFA results supported factor invariance across the three groups. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a single six-factor structure of cognitive functioning among patients with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder and community controls. While the three groups clearly differ in level of performance, they share a common underlying architecture of information processing abilities. These cognitive factors could provide useful targets for clinical trials of treatments that aim to enhance information processing in persons with neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Risk and protective factors in the clinical rehabilitation of chronic back pain

PubMed Central

Wippert, Pia-Maria; Fliesser, Michael; Krause, Matthias

2017-01-01

Objectives Chronic back pain (CBP) can lead to disability and burden. In addition to its medical causes, its development is influenced by psychosocial risk factors, the so-called flag factors, which are categorized and integrated into many treatment guidelines. Currently, most studies investigate single flag factors, which limit the estimation of individual factor significance in the development of chronic pain. Furthermore, factors concerning patients’ lifestyle, biography and treatment history are often neglected. Therefore, the objectives of the present study are to identify commonly neglected factors of CBP and integrate them into an analysis model comparing their significance with established flag factors. Methods A total of 24 patients and therapists were cross-sectionally interviewed to identify commonly neglected factors of CBP. Subsequently, the impact of these factors was surveyed in a longitudinal study. In two rehabilitation clinics, CBP patients (n = 145) were examined before and 6 months after a 3-week inpatient rehabilitation. Outcome variables, chronification factor pain experience (CF-PE) and chronification factor disability (CF-D), were ascertained with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of standardized questionnaires. Predictors were evaluated using stepwise calculations of simple and multiple regression models. Results Through interviews, medical history, iatrogenic factors, poor compliance, critical life events (LEs), social support (SS) type and effort–reward were identified as commonly neglected factors. However, only the final three held significance in comparison to established factors such as depression and pain-related cognitions. Longitudinally, lifestyle factors found to influence future pain were initial pain, physically demanding work, nicotine consumption, gender and rehabilitation clinic. LEs were unexpectedly found to be a strong predictor of future pain, as were the protective factors, reward at work and perceived SS. Discussion These findings shed insight regarding often overlooked factors in the development of CBP, suggesting that more detailed operationalization and superordinate frameworks would be beneficial to further research. Conclusion In particular, LEs should be taken into account in future research. Protective factors should be integrated in therapeutic settings. PMID:28740424

Fluctuations in alliance and use of techniques over time: A bidirectional relation between use of "common factors" techniques and the development of the working alliance.

PubMed

Solomonov, Nili; McCarthy, Kevin S; Keefe, John R; Gorman, Bernard S; Blanchard, Mark; Barber, Jacques P

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was twofold: (a) Investigate whether therapists are consistent in their use of therapeutic techniques throughout supportive-expressive therapy (SET) and (b) Examine the bi-directional relation between therapists' use of therapeutic techniques and the working alliance over the course of SET. Thirty-seven depressed patients were assigned to 16 weeks of SET as part of a larger randomized clinical trial (Barber, Barrett, Gallop, Rynn, & Rickels, ). Working Alliance Inventory-Short Form (WAI-SF) was collected at Weeks 2, 4, and 8. Use of therapeutic interventions was rated by independent observers using the Multitheoretical List of Therapeutic Interventions (MULTI). Intraclass correlation coefficients assessed therapists' consistency in use of techniques. A cross-lagged path analysis estimated the working alliance inventory- Multitheoretical List of Therapeutic Interventions bidirectional relation across time. Therapists were moderately consistent in their use of prescribed techniques (psychodynamic, process-experiential, and person-centred). However, they were inconsistent, or more flexible, in their use of "common factors" techniques (e.g., empathy, active listening, hope, and encouragements). A positive bidirectional relation was found between use of common factors techniques and the working alliance, such that initial high levels of common factors (but not prescribed) techniques predicted higher alliance later on and vice versa. Therapists tend to modulate their use of common factors techniques across treatment. Additionally, when a strong working alliance is developed early in treatment, therapists tend to use more common factors later on. Moreover, high use of common factors techniques is predictive of later improvement in the alliance. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mapping Common Aphasia Assessments to Underlying Cognitive Processes and Their Neural Substrates.

PubMed

Lacey, Elizabeth H; Skipper-Kallal, Laura M; Xing, Shihui; Fama, Mackenzie E; Turkeltaub, Peter E

2017-05-01

Understanding the relationships between clinical tests, the processes they measure, and the brain networks underlying them, is critical in order for clinicians to move beyond aphasia syndrome classification toward specification of individual language process impairments. To understand the cognitive, language, and neuroanatomical factors underlying scores of commonly used aphasia tests. Twenty-five behavioral tests were administered to a group of 38 chronic left hemisphere stroke survivors and a high-resolution magnetic resonance image was obtained. Test scores were entered into a principal components analysis to extract the latent variables (factors) measured by the tests. Multivariate lesion-symptom mapping was used to localize lesions associated with the factor scores. The principal components analysis yielded 4 dissociable factors, which we labeled Word Finding/Fluency, Comprehension, Phonology/Working Memory Capacity, and Executive Function. While many tests loaded onto the factors in predictable ways, some relied heavily on factors not commonly associated with the tests. Lesion symptom mapping demonstrated discrete brain structures associated with each factor, including frontal, temporal, and parietal areas extending beyond the classical language network. Specific functions mapped onto brain anatomy largely in correspondence with modern neural models of language processing. An extensive clinical aphasia assessment identifies 4 independent language functions, relying on discrete parts of the left middle cerebral artery territory. A better understanding of the processes underlying cognitive tests and the link between lesion and behavior may lead to improved aphasia diagnosis, and may yield treatments better targeted to an individual's specific pattern of deficits and preserved abilities.

Eating traits questionnaires as a continuum of a single concept. Uncontrolled eating.

PubMed

Vainik, Uku; Neseliler, Selin; Konstabel, Kenn; Fellows, Lesley K; Dagher, Alain

2015-07-01

Research on eating behaviour has identified several potentially relevant eating-related traits captured by different questionnaires. Often, these questionnaires predict Body Mass Index (BMI), but the relationship between them has not been explicitly studied. We studied the unity and diversity of questionnaires capturing five common eating-related traits: Power of Food, Eating Impulsivity, emotional eating, Disinhibition, and binge eating in women from Estonia (n = 740) and Canada (n = 456). Using bifactor analysis, we showed that a) these questionnaires are largely explained by a single factor, and b) relative to this shared factor, only some questionnaires offered additional variance in predicting BMI. Hence, these questionnaires seemed to characterise a common factor, which we label Uncontrolled Eating. Item Response Theory techniques were then applied to demonstrate that c) within this common factor, the questionnaires could be placed on a continuum of Uncontrolled Eating. That is, Eating Impulsivity focused on the milder degree, Power of Food Scale, emotional eating scales, and Disinhibition on intermediate degrees, and the Binge Eating Scale on the most severe degrees of Uncontrolled Eating. In sum, evidence from two samples showed that questionnaires capturing five common BMI-related traits largely reflected the same underlying latent trait - Uncontrolled Eating. In Estonia, some questionnaires focused on different severities of this common construct, supporting a continuum model of Uncontrolled Eating. These findings provide a starting point for developing better questionnaires of the neurobehavioural correlates of obesity, and provide a unifying perspective from which to view the existing literature. R scripts and data used for the analysis are provided. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SCA with rotation to distinguish common and distinctive information in linked data.

PubMed

Schouteden, Martijn; Van Deun, Katrijn; Pattyn, Sven; Van Mechelen, Iven

2013-09-01

Often data are collected that consist of different blocks that all contain information about the same entities (e.g., items, persons, or situations). In order to unveil both information that is common to all data blocks and information that is distinctive for one or a few of them, an integrated analysis of the whole of all data blocks may be most useful. Interesting classes of methods for such an approach are simultaneous-component and multigroup factor analysis methods. These methods yield dimensions underlying the data at hand. Unfortunately, however, in the results from such analyses, common and distinctive types of information are mixed up. This article proposes a novel method to disentangle the two kinds of information, by making use of the rotational freedom of component and factor models. We illustrate this method with data from a cross-cultural study of emotions.

Risk factors for common mental disorders in women. Population-based longitudinal study.

PubMed

Patel, Vikram; Kirkwood, Betty R; Pednekar, Sulochana; Weiss, Helen; Mabey, David

2006-12-01

The determinants of common mental disorders in women have not been described in longitudinal studies from a low-income country. Population-based cohort study of 2494 women aged 18 to 50 years, in India. The Revised Clinical Interview Schedule was used for the detection of common mental disorders. There were 39 incident cases of common mental disorder in 2166 participants eligible for analysis (12-month rate 1.8%, 95% CI 1.3-2.4%). The following baseline factors were independently associated with the risk for common mental disorder: poverty (low income and having difficulty making ends meet); being married as compared with being single; use of tobacco; experiencing abnormal vaginal discharge; reporting a chronic physical illness; and having higher psychological symptom scores at baseline. Programmes to reduce the burden of common mental disorder in women should target poorer women, women with chronic physical illness and who have gynaecological symptoms, and women who use tobacco.

A dynamic factor model of the evaluation of the financial crisis in Turkey.

PubMed

Sezgin, F; Kinay, B

2010-01-01

Factor analysis has been widely used in economics and finance in situations where a relatively large number of variables are believed to be driven by few common causes of variation. Dynamic factor analysis (DFA) which is a combination of factor and time series analysis, involves autocorrelation matrices calculated from multivariate time series. Dynamic factor models were traditionally used to construct economic indicators, macroeconomic analysis, business cycles and forecasting. In recent years, dynamic factor models have become more popular in empirical macroeconomics. They have more advantages than other methods in various respects. Factor models can for instance cope with many variables without running into scarce degrees of freedom problems often faced in regression-based analysis. In this study, a model which determines the effect of the global crisis on Turkey is proposed. The main aim of the paper is to analyze how several macroeconomic quantities show an alteration before the evolution of the crisis and to decide if a crisis can be forecasted or not.

Student Perceptions of Classroom Achievement Goal Structure: Is It Appropriate to Aggregate?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Arena C.; Ruzek, Erik A.; Schenke, Katerina; Conley, AnneMarie M.; Karabenick, Stuart A.

2015-01-01

Student reports are a common approach to characterizing how students experience their classrooms. We used a recently developed method--multilevel confirmatory factor analysis--to determine whether commonly employed measures of achievement goal structure constructs (mastery and performance) typically verified at the student level can be verified at…

Risk Factors for Parachute Injuries and Airborne Student Observations on the Parachute Ankle Brace

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-10-03

rate of self -reported injuries in the year prior to jump school was 13.9 injuries/ 100 person-years. The most common injury sites were the legs (22...Report No. 12-MA01Q2-08B ES-2 injury risk factors included older age, Airborne recycling, higher BMI, and less physical activity. b. The self ...the most common injury locations. Univariate analysis showed that greater risk of a self -reported jump week injury was associated with higher rank

Diagnosis, clinical manifestations and management of rare bleeding disorders in Iran.

PubMed

Dorgalaleh, Akbar; Alavi, Sayed Ezatolla Rafiee; Tabibian, Shadi; Soori, Shahrzad; Moradi, Es'hagh; Bamedi, Taregh; Asadi, Mansour; Jalalvand, Masumeh; Shamsizadeh, Morteza

2017-05-01

Rare bleeding disorders (RBDs) are heterogeneous disorders, mostly inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern. Iran is a Mideast country with a high rate of consanguinity that has a high rate of RBDs. In this study, we present prevalence and clinical presentation as well as management and genetic defects of Iranian patients with RBDs. For this study, all relevant publications were searched in Medlin until 2015. Iran has the highest global incidence of factor XIII deficiency. Factor VII deficiency also is common in Iran, while factor II deficiency, with a prevalence of 1 per ∼3 million, is the rarest form of RBDs. Factor activity is available for all RBDs except for factor XIII deficiency, in which clot solubility remains as a diagnostic test. Molecular analysis of Iranian patients with RBDs revealed a few recurrent, common mutations only in patients with factor XIII deficiency, and considerable novel mutations in other RBDs. Clinical manifestations of these patients are variable and patients with factor XIII, factor X and factor VII more commonly presented severe life-threatening bleeding, while patients with combined factor V and factor VIII presented a milder phenotype. Plasma-derived products are the most common therapeutic choice in Iran, used prophylactically or on-demand for the management of these patients. Since Iran has a high rate of RBDs with life-threatening bleeding, molecular studies can be used for carrier detection and, therefore, prevention of the further expansion of these disorders and their fatal consequence.

An Underlying Common Factor, Influenced by Genetics and Unique Environment, Explains the Covariation Between Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Burnout: A Swedish Twin Study.

PubMed

Mather, Lisa; Blom, Victoria; Bergström, Gunnar; Svedberg, Pia

2016-12-01

Depression and anxiety are highly comorbid due to shared genetic risk factors, but less is known about whether burnout shares these risk factors. We aimed to examine whether the covariation between major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and burnout is explained by common genetic and/or environmental factors. This cross-sectional study included 25,378 Swedish twins responding to a survey in 2005-2006. Structural equation models were used to analyze whether the trait variances and covariances were due to additive genetics, non-additive genetics, shared environment, and unique environment. Univariate analyses tested sex limitation models and multivariate analysis tested Cholesky, independent pathway, and common pathway models. The phenotypic correlations were 0.71 (0.69-0.74) between MDD and GAD, 0.58 (0.56-0.60) between MDD and burnout, and 0.53 (0.50-0.56) between GAD and burnout. Heritabilities were 45% for MDD, 49% for GAD, and 38% for burnout; no statistically significant sex differences were found. A common pathway model was chosen as the final model. The common factor was influenced by genetics (58%) and unique environment (42%), and explained 77% of the variation in MDD, 69% in GAD, and 44% in burnout. GAD and burnout had additive genetic factors unique to the phenotypes (11% each), while MDD did not. Unique environment explained 23% of the variability in MDD, 20% in GAD, and 45% in burnout. In conclusion, the covariation was explained by an underlying common factor, largely influenced by genetics. Burnout was to a large degree influenced by unique environmental factors not shared with MDD and GAD.

Hip fractures are risky business: an analysis of the NSQIP data.

PubMed

Sathiyakumar, Vasanth; Greenberg, Sarah E; Molina, Cesar S; Thakore, Rachel V; Obremskey, William T; Sethi, Manish K

2015-04-01

Hip fractures are one of the most common types of orthopaedic injury with high rates of morbidity. Currently, no study has compared risk factors and adverse events following the different types of hip fracture surgeries. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the major and minor adverse events and risk factors for complication development associated with five common surgeries for the treatment of hip fractures using the NSQIP database. Using the ACS-NSQIP database, complications for five forms of hip surgeries were selected and categorized into major and minor adverse events. Demographics and clinical variables were collected and an unadjusted bivariate logistic regression analyses was performed to determine significant risk factors for adverse events. Five multivariate regressions were run for each surgery as well as a combined regression analysis. A total of 9640 patients undergoing surgery for hip fracture were identified with an adverse events rate of 25.2% (n=2433). Open reduction and internal fixation of a femoral neck fracture had the greatest percentage of all major events (16.6%) and total adverse events (27.4%), whereas partial hip hemiarthroplasty had the greatest percentage of all minor events (11.6%). Mortality was the most common major adverse event (44.9-50.6%). For minor complications, urinary tract infections were the most common minor adverse event (52.7-62.6%). Significant risk factors for development of any adverse event included age, BMI, gender, race, active smoking status, history of COPD, history of CHF, ASA score, dyspnoea, and functional status, with various combinations of these factors significantly affecting complication development for the individual surgeries. Hip fractures are associated with significantly high numbers of adverse events. The type of surgery affects the type of complications developed and also has an effect on what risk factors significantly predict the development of a complication. Concerted efforts from orthopaedists should be made to identify higher risk patients and prevent the most common adverse events that occur postoperatively. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Candida Species From Eye Infections: Drug Susceptibility, Virulence Factors, and Molecular Characterization.

PubMed

Ranjith, Konduri; Sontam, Bhavani; Sharma, Savitri; Joseph, Joveeta; Chathoth, Kanchana N; Sama, Kalyana C; Murthy, Somasheila I; Shivaji, Sisinthy

2017-08-01

To determine the type of Candida species in ocular infections and to investigate the relationship of antifungal susceptibility profile to virulence factors. Fifty isolates of yeast-like fungi from patients with keratitis, endophthalmitis, and orbital cellulitis were identified by Vitek-2 compact system and DNA sequencing of ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 regions of the rRNA gene, followed by phylogenetic analysis for phenotypic and genotypic identification, respectively. Minimum inhibitory concentration of six antifungal drugs was determined by E test/microbroth dilution methods. Phenotypic and genotypic methods were used to determine the virulence factors. Phylogenetic analysis showed the clustering of all isolates into eight distinct groups with a major cluster formed Candida parapsilosis (n = 21), which was the most common species by both Vitek 2 and DNA sequencing. Using χ2 test no significant difference was noted between the techniques except that Vitek 2 did not identify C. viswanathii, C. orthopsilosis, and two non-Candida genera. Of 43 tested Candida isolates high susceptibility to amphotericin B (39/43, 90.6%) and natamycin (43/43, 100%) was noted. While none of the isolates produced coagulase, all produced esterase and catalase. The potential to form biofilm was detected in 23/43 (53.4%) isolates. Distribution of virulence factors by heat map analysis showed difference in metabolic activity of biofilm producers from nonbiofilm producers. Identified by Vitek 2 and DNA sequencing methods C. parapsilosis was the most common species associated with eye infections. Irrespective of the virulence factors elaborated, the Candida isolates were susceptible to commonly used antifungal drugs such as amphotericin B and natamycin.

Psychometric Characteristics of the Modified World Affairs Questionnaire.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayton, Daniel M., II

1988-01-01

Subjected Modified World Affairs Questionnaire (MWAQ) to comparable common factor analysis which identified five factors: civil defense, escalation, nuclear war outcome, probability/worry, and patriotic. Alpha coefficients and test-retest reliability were determined to be adequate for the first four subscales. Acceptable discriminant validity and…

An exploratory factor analysis of inflammatory and coagulation markers associated with femoral artery atherosclerosis in the San Diego Population Study.

PubMed

Egnot, Natalie Suder; Barinas-Mitchell, Emma; Criqui, Michael H; Allison, Matthew A; Ix, Joachim H; Jenny, Nancy S; Wassel, Christina L

2018-04-01

Several biomarkers of inflammation and coagulation have been implicated in lower extremity atherosclerosis. We utilized an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) to identify distinct factors derived from circulating inflammatory and coagulation biomarkers then examined the associations of these factors with measures of lower extremity subclinical atherosclerosis, including the ankle-brachial index (ABI), common and superficial femoral intima-media thickness (IMT), and atherosclerotic plaque presence, burden, and characteristics. The San Diego Population Study (SDPS) is a prospective, community-living, multi-ethnic cohort of 1103 men and women averaged age 70. Regression analysis was used to assess cross-sectional associations between the identified groupings of biomarkers (factors) and the ABI and femoral artery atherosclerosis measurements. Two biomarker factors emerged from the factor analysis. Factor 1 consisting of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, and fibrinogen was significantly associated with higher odds (OR = 1.99, p < 0.01) of a borderline ABI value (0.91-0.99), while Factor 2 containing D-dimer and pentraxin (PTX)-3 was significantly associated with higher common femoral artery (CFA) IMT (β = 0.23, p < 0.01) and lower ABI (β = -0.03, p < 0.01). Two groupings of biomarkers were identified via EFA of seven circulating biomarkers of inflammation and coagulation. These distinct groups are differentially associated with markers of lower extremity subclinical atherosclerosis. Our findings suggest that high inflammatory and coagulation burden were better markers of more severe lower-extremity disease as indicated by low ABI rather than early atherosclerotic lesion development in the femoral artery. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Providing long-term trend and gravimetric factor at Chandler period from superconducting gravimeter records by using Singular Spectrum Analysis along with its multivariate extension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gruszczynska, M.; Rosat, S.; Klos, A.; Bogusz, J.

2017-12-01

In this study, Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) along with its multivariate extension MSSA (Multichannel SSA) were used to estimate long-term trend and gravimetric factor at the Chandler wobble frequency from superconducting gravimeter (SG) records. We have used data from seven stations located worldwide and contributing to the International Geodynamics and Earth Tides Service (IGETS). The timespan ranged from 15 to 19 years. Before applying SSA and MSSA, we had removed local tides, atmospheric (ECMWF data), hydrological (MERRA2 products) loadings and non-tidal ocean loading (ECCO2 products) effects. In the first part of analysis, we used the SSA approach in order to estimate the long-term trends from SG observations. We use the technique based on the classical Karhunen-Loève spectral decomposition of time series into long-term trend, oscillations and noise. In the second part, we present the determination of common time-varying pole tide (annual and Chandler wobble) to estimate gravimetric factor from SG time series using the MSSA approach. The presented method takes advantage over traditional methods like Least Squares Estimation by determining common modes of variability which reflect common geophysical field. We adopted a 6-year lag-window as the optimal length to extract common seasonal signals and the Chandler components of the Earth polar motion. The signals characterized by annual and Chandler wobble account for approximately 62% of the total variance of residual SG data. Then, we estimated the amplitude factors and phase lags of Chandler wobble with respect to the IERS (International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service) polar motion observations. The resulting gravimetric factors at the Chandler Wobble period are finally compared with previously estimates. A robust estimate of the gravimetric Earth response to the Chandlerian component of the polar motion is required to better constrain the mantle anelasticity at this frequency and hence the attenuation models of the Earth interior.

Detrended partial cross-correlation analysis of two nonstationary time series influenced by common external forces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Xi-Yuan; Liu, Ya-Min; Jiang, Zhi-Qiang; Podobnik, Boris; Zhou, Wei-Xing; Stanley, H. Eugene

2015-06-01

When common factors strongly influence two power-law cross-correlated time series recorded in complex natural or social systems, using detrended cross-correlation analysis (DCCA) without considering these common factors will bias the results. We use detrended partial cross-correlation analysis (DPXA) to uncover the intrinsic power-law cross correlations between two simultaneously recorded time series in the presence of nonstationarity after removing the effects of other time series acting as common forces. The DPXA method is a generalization of the detrended cross-correlation analysis that takes into account partial correlation analysis. We demonstrate the method by using bivariate fractional Brownian motions contaminated with a fractional Brownian motion. We find that the DPXA is able to recover the analytical cross Hurst indices, and thus the multiscale DPXA coefficients are a viable alternative to the conventional cross-correlation coefficient. We demonstrate the advantage of the DPXA coefficients over the DCCA coefficients by analyzing contaminated bivariate fractional Brownian motions. We calculate the DPXA coefficients and use them to extract the intrinsic cross correlation between crude oil and gold futures by taking into consideration the impact of the U.S. dollar index. We develop the multifractal DPXA (MF-DPXA) method in order to generalize the DPXA method and investigate multifractal time series. We analyze multifractal binomial measures masked with strong white noises and find that the MF-DPXA method quantifies the hidden multifractal nature while the multifractal DCCA method fails.

Applying Factor Analysis Combined with Kriging and Information Entropy Theory for Mapping and Evaluating the Stability of Groundwater Quality Variation in Taiwan

PubMed Central

Shyu, Guey-Shin; Cheng, Bai-You; Chiang, Chi-Ting; Yao, Pei-Hsuan; Chang, Tsun-Kuo

2011-01-01

In Taiwan many factors, whether geological parent materials, human activities, and climate change, can affect the groundwater quality and its stability. This work combines factor analysis and kriging with information entropy theory to interpret the stability of groundwater quality variation in Taiwan between 2005 and 2007. Groundwater quality demonstrated apparent differences between the northern and southern areas of Taiwan when divided by the Wu River. Approximately 52% of the monitoring wells in southern Taiwan suffered from progressing seawater intrusion, causing unstable groundwater quality. Industrial and livestock wastewaters also polluted 59.6% of the monitoring wells, resulting in elevated EC and TOC concentrations in the groundwater. In northern Taiwan, domestic wastewaters polluted city groundwater, resulting in higher NH3-N concentration and groundwater quality instability was apparent among 10.3% of the monitoring wells. The method proposed in this study for analyzing groundwater quality inspects common stability factors, identifies potential areas influenced by common factors, and assists in elevating and reinforcing information in support of an overall groundwater management strategy. PMID:21695030

Common Sense Illness Beliefs of Diabetes among At-Risk Latino College Students

PubMed Central

Santos, Silvia J.; Hurtado-Ortiz, Maria T.; Lewis, Laurenne; Ramirez-Garcia, Julia

2017-01-01

This study examined the validity of the Implicit Model of Illness Questionnaire (IMIQ - Schiaffino & Cea, 1995) when used with Latino college students (n = 156; 34% male, 66% female) who are at-risk for developing diabetes due to family history of this disease. An exploratory principal-axis factor analysis yielded four significant factors – curability, personal responsibility, symptom variability/seriousness, and personal attributions – which accounted for 35% of variance and reflected a psychosocial-biomedical common sense perspective of diabetes. Factor-based analyses revealed differences in diabetes illness beliefs based on students’ age, generational status, acculturation orientation, and disease experience of the afflicted relative. PMID:29056849

Developmental Trajectories in Toddlers’ Self-restraint Predict Individual Differences in Executive Functions 14 Years Later: A Behavioral Genetic Analysis

PubMed Central

Friedman, Naomi P.; Miyake, Akira; Robinson, JoAnn L.; Hewitt, John K.

2011-01-01

We examined whether self-restraint in early childhood predicted individual differences in three executive functions (EFs; inhibiting prepotent responses, updating working memory, and shifting task sets) in late adolescence in a sample of ~950 twins. At ages 14, 20, 24, and 36 months, the children were shown an attractive toy and told not to touch it for 30 seconds. Latency to touch the toy increased with age, and latent class growth modeling distinguished two groups of children that differed in their latencies to touch the toy at all 4 time points. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the three EFs (measured with latent variables at age 17 years) were decomposed into a Common EF factor (isomorphic to response inhibition ability) and two factors specific to updating and shifting, respectively. Less restrained children had significantly lower scores on the Common EF factor, equivalent scores on the Updating-specific factor, and higher scores on the Shifting-specific factor than the more restrained children. The less restrained group also had lower IQ scores, but this effect was entirely mediated by the EF components. Twin models indicated that the associations were primarily genetic in origin for the Common EF variable but split between genetics and nonshared environment for the Shifting-specific variable. These results suggest a biological relation between individual differences in self-restraint and EFs, one that begins early in life and persists into late adolescence. PMID:21668099

Types of Standard Systems and Categories of Measurement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aftanas, Marion S.

The term measurement has been used in a number of different sub-areas of psychology without an explicit recognition of the commonalities and potential differences in measurement characteristics. Analysis of these measurement situations reveals that the one common factor is that a mechanism or discriminative process, that is a standard system of…

Dimensionality of Women's Career Orientation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Sandra J.; Wijting, Jan P.

1982-01-01

Factor analysis of data from two samples identified nine indices of women's career orientation. Two factors accounted for significant variance common to the indices: career centeredness, which reflects the importance attached to a career relative to other life activities, and career commitment, which implies a commitment to lifetime employment.…

Redundancy in the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klein, Alice E.

1981-01-01

A factor analysis was performed for two levels of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS). Results showed that there was essentially one common factor with little evidence that the user would gain much nonredundant information from the 15 scores yielded by the ITBS. (Author/GK)

The effects of common risk factors on stock returns: A detrended cross-correlation analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruan, Qingsong; Yang, Bingchan

2017-10-01

In this paper, we investigate the cross-correlations between Fama and French three factors and the return of American industries on the basis of cross-correlation statistic test and multifractal detrended cross-correlation analysis (MF-DCCA). Qualitatively, we find that the return series of Fama and French three factors and American industries were overall significantly cross-correlated based on the analysis of a statistic. Quantitatively, we find that the cross-correlations between three factors and the return of American industries were strongly multifractal, and applying MF-DCCA we also investigate the cross-correlation of industry returns and residuals. We find that there exists multifractality of industry returns and residuals. The result of correlation coefficients we can verify that there exist other factors which influence the industry returns except Fama three factors.

Mapping common aphasia assessments to underlying cognitive processes and their neural substrates

PubMed Central

Lacey, Elizabeth H.; Skipper-Kallal, LM; Xing, S; Fama, ME; Turkeltaub, PE

2017-01-01

Background Understanding the relationships between clinical tests, the processes they measure, and the brain networks underlying them, is critical in order for clinicians to move beyond aphasia syndrome classification toward specification of individual language process impairments. Objective To understand the cognitive, language, and neuroanatomical factors underlying scores of commonly used aphasia tests. Methods 25 behavioral tests were administered to a group of 38 chronic left hemisphere stroke survivors and a high resolution MRI was obtained. Test scores were entered into a principal components analysis to extract the latent variables (factors) measured by the tests. Multivariate lesion-symptom mapping was used to localize lesions associated with the factor scores. Results The principal components analysis yielded four dissociable factors, which we labeled Word Finding/Fluency, Comprehension, Phonology/Working Memory Capacity, and Executive Function. While many tests loaded onto the factors in predictable ways, some relied heavily on factors not commonly associated with the tests. Lesion symptom mapping demonstrated discrete brain structures associated with each factor, including frontal, temporal, and parietal areas extending beyond the classical language network. Specific functions mapped onto brain anatomy largely in correspondence with modern neural models of language processing. Conclusions An extensive clinical aphasia assessment identifies four independent language functions, relying on discrete parts of the left middle cerebral artery territory. A better understanding of the processes underlying cognitive tests and the link between lesion and behavior may lead to improved aphasia diagnosis, and may yield treatments better targeted to an individual’s specific pattern of deficits and preserved abilities. PMID:28135902

Transdiagnostic Factors and Mediation of the Relationship Between Perceived Racial Discrimination and Mental Disorders.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Seijas, Craig; Stohl, Malki; Hasin, Deborah S; Eaton, Nicholas R

2015-07-01

Multivariable comorbidity research indicates that many common mental disorders are manifestations of 2 latent transdiagnostic factors, internalizing and externalizing. Environmental stressors are known to increase the risk for experiencing particular mental disorders, but their relationships with transdiagnostic disorder constructs are unknown. The present study investigated one such stressor, perceived racial discrimination, which is robustly associated with a variety of mental disorders. To examine the direct and indirect associations between perceived racial discrimination and common forms of psychopathology. Quantitative analysis of 12 common diagnoses that were previously assessed in a nationally representative sample (N = 5191) of African American and Afro-Caribbean adults in the United States, taken from the National Survey of American Life, and used to test the possibility that transdiagnostic factors mediate the effects of discrimination on disorders. The data were obtained from February 2001 to March 2003. Latent variable measurement models, including factor analysis, and indirect effect models were used in the study. Mental health diagnoses from reliable and valid structured interviews and perceived race-based discrimination. While perceived discrimination was positively associated with all examined forms of psychopathology and substance use disorders, latent variable indirect effects modeling revealed that almost all of these associations were significantly mediated by the transdiagnostic factors. For social anxiety disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, complete mediation was found. The pathways linking perceived discrimination to psychiatric disorders were not direct but indirect (via transdiagnostic factors). Therefore, perceived discrimination may be associated with risk for myriad psychiatric disorders due to its association with transdiagnostic factors.

Comprehensive analysis and discovery of drought-related NAC transcription factors in common bean.

PubMed

Wu, Jing; Wang, Lanfen; Wang, Shumin

2016-09-07

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is an important warm-season food legume. Drought is the most important environmental stress factor affecting large areas of common bean via plant death or reduced global production. The NAM, ATAF1/2 and CUC2 (NAC) domain protein family are classic transcription factors (TFs) involved in a variety of abiotic stresses, particularly drought stress. However, the NAC TFs in common bean have not been characterized. In the present study, 86 putative NAC TF proteins were identified from the common bean genome database and located on 11 common bean chromosomes. The proteins were phylogenetically clustered into 8 distinct subfamilies. The gene structure and motif composition of common bean NACs were similar in each subfamily. These results suggest that NACs in the same subfamily may possess conserved functions. The expression patterns of common bean NAC genes were also characterized. The majority of NACs exhibited specific temporal and spatial expression patterns. We identified 22 drought-related NAC TFs based on transcriptome data for drought-tolerant and drought-sensitive genotypes. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to confirm the expression patterns of the 20 drought-related NAC genes. Based on the common bean genome sequence, we analyzed the structural characteristics, genome distribution, and expression profiles of NAC gene family members and analyzed drought-responsive NAC genes. Our results provide useful information for the functional characterization of common bean NAC genes and rich resources and opportunities for understanding common bean drought stress tolerance mechanisms.

Instream-Flow Analysis for the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico: Methods and Analysis

Treesearch

F.N. Scatena; S.L. Johnson

2001-01-01

This study develops two habitat-based approaches for evaluating instream-flow requirements within the Luquillo Experimental Forest in northeastern Puerto Rico. The analysis is restricted to instream-flow requirements in upland streams dominated by the common communities of freshwater decapods. In headwater streams, pool volume was the most consistent factor...

Pre-Service Teachers' Mathematics Content Knowledge: Implications for How Mathematics Is Taught in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lowrie, Tom; Jorgensen, Robyn

2016-01-01

This investigation explored pre-service teachers' mathematics content knowledge (MCK) and beliefs associated with mathematics education practices. An Exploratory Factor Analysis, conducted on a beliefs and attitudes questionnaire, produced three common attitude factors associated with (1) inquiry-based teaching; (2) how mathematics knowledge is…

Factor structure and construct validity of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index among island Puerto Ricans.

PubMed

Cintrón, Jennifer A; Carter, Michele M; Suchday, Sonia; Sbrocco, Tracy; Gray, James

2005-01-01

The factor structure and convergent and discriminant validity of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) were examined among a sample of 275 island Puerto Ricans. Results from a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) comparing our data to factor solutions commonly reported as representative of European American and Spanish populations indicated a poor fit. A subsequent exploratory factor analysis (EFA) indicated that a two-factor solution (Factor 1, Anxiety Sensitivity; Factor 2, Emotional Concerns) provided the best fit. Correlations between the ASI and anxiety measures were moderately high providing evidence of convergent validity, while correlations between the ASI and BDI were significantly lower providing evidence of discriminant validity. Scores on all measures were positively correlated with acculturation, suggesting that those who ascribe to more traditional Hispanic culture report elevated anxiety.

Institutional Boundaries and Common-Pool Resource Management: A Comparative Analysis of Water Management Programs in California

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heikkila, Tanya

2004-01-01

Policymakers and academics often identify institutional boundaries as one of the factors that shape the capacity of jurisdictions to manage natural resources such as water, forests, and scenic lands. This article examines two key bodies of literature--common-pool resource management theory and local public economy theory--to explain how the…

The Common Topoi of STEM Discourse: An Apologia and Methodological Proposal, with Pilot Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Lynda

2010-01-01

In this article, the author proposes a methodology for the rhetorical analysis of scientific, technical, mathematical, and engineering (STEM) discourse based on the common topics (topoi) of this discourse. Beginning with work by Miller, Prelli, and other rhetoricians of STEM discourse--but factoring in related studies in cognitive linguistics--she…

Structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children--Fourth Edition among a national sample of referred students.

PubMed

Watkins, Marley W

2010-12-01

The structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV; D. Wechsler, 2003a) was analyzed via confirmatory factor analysis among a national sample of 355 students referred for psychoeducational evaluation by 93 school psychologists from 35 states. The structure of the WISC-IV core battery was best represented by four first-order factors as per D. Wechsler (2003b), plus a general intelligence factor in a direct hierarchical model. The general factor was the predominate source of variation among WISC-IV subtests, accounting for 48% of the total variance and 75% of the common variance. The largest 1st-order factor, Processing Speed, only accounted for 6.1% total and 9.5% common variance. Given these explanatory contributions, recommendations favoring interpretation of the 1st-order factor scores over the general intelligence score appear to be misguided.

Elevated tumour necrosis factor-alpha was associated with intima thickening in obese children.

PubMed

Bo, Luo; Yi-Can, Yang; Qing, Zhou; Xiao-Hui, Wu; Ke, Huang; Chao-Chun, Zou

2017-04-01

This study investigated the relationship between intima-media thickness (IMT) and immune parameters in obese children from five to 16 years of age. We enrolled 185 obese children with a mean age of 10.65 ± 2.10 years and 211 controls with a mean age of 10.32 ± 1.81 years. Glycometabolism, lipid metabolism, sex hormones, immune indices and carotid IMT were measured. Serum interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, white blood cells and common and internal carotid artery IMTs in the obese group were higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05, respectively). Bivariate correlation analysis showed that the common carotid arterial IMT was positively correlated with alanine aminotransferase, triglyceride, uric acid, apolipoprotein B, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-alpha, follicle-stimulating hormone and testosterone. Internal carotid artery IMT was positively correlated with alanine aminotransferase and follicle-stimulating hormone. Both common and internal carotid artery IMTs were inversely correlated with apolipoprotein A1 (p < 0.05, respectively). Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that testosterone, alanine aminotransferase and TNF-alpha were the independent determinants of common carotid arterial IMT. Tumour necrosis factor-alpha, alanine aminotransferase and testosterone were associated with intima thickening in the early life in obese children and may increase later risks of premature atherogenicity and adult cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. ©2016 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Beck Depression Inventory-II: Factor Analyses with Three Groups of Midlife Women of African Descent in the Midwest, the South, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

PubMed

Gary, Faye A; Yarandi, Hossein; Evans, Edris; Still, Carolyn; Mickels, Prince; Hassan, Mona; Campbell, Doris; Conic, Ruzica

2018-03-01

This research encompasses a factor analysis of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), which involves three groups of midlife women of African descent who reside in the Midwest, the South, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The purpose of the study was to determine the factor structure of the BDI-II when administered to a sample of women aged 40-65 of African descent who reside in the three distinct geographical regions of the United States. A correlational, descriptive design was used, and 536 women of African descent were invited to participate in face-to-face interviews that transpired in community settings. Results of the factor analysis revealed a two-factor explanation. Factor one included symptoms such as punishment feelings and pessimism (cognitive), and the second factor included symptoms such as tiredness and loss of energy (somatic-affective). The application of the Beck Depression Inventory-II among the three groups of women generated specific information about each group and common findings across the groups. Knowledge gained from the research could help to guide specific intervention programs for the three groups of women, and explicate the common approaches that could be used for the three groups.

Drivers of nutritional change in four South Asian countries: a dynamic observational analysis.

PubMed

Headey, Derek; Hoddinott, John; Park, Seollee

2016-05-01

This paper quantifies the factors explaining long-term improvements in child height for age z-scores in Bangladesh (1996/1997-2011), India (1992/1993-2005/2006), Nepal (1997-2011) and Pakistan (1991-2013). We apply the same statistical techniques to data from a common data source from which we have extracted a set of common explanatory variables that capture 'nutrition-sensitive' factors. Three are particularly important in explaining height for age z-score changes over these timeframes: improvements in material well-being; increases in female education; and improvements in sanitation. These factors have comparable associations across all four countries. © 2016 The Authors. Maternal & Child Nutrition published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Drivers of nutritional change in four South Asian countries: a dynamic observational analysis

PubMed Central

Hoddinott, John; Park, Seollee

2016-01-01

Abstract This paper quantifies the factors explaining long‐term improvements in child height for age z‐scores in Bangladesh (1996/1997–2011), India (1992/1993–2005/2006), Nepal (1997–2011) and Pakistan (1991–2013). We apply the same statistical techniques to data from a common data source from which we have extracted a set of common explanatory variables that capture ‘nutrition‐sensitive’ factors. Three are particularly important in explaining height for age z‐score changes over these timeframes: improvements in material well‐being; increases in female education; and improvements in sanitation. These factors have comparable associations across all four countries. PMID:27187917

Mass media and risk factors for cancer: the under-representation of age.

PubMed

Macdonald, Sara; Cunningham, Yvonne; Patterson, Chris; Robb, Katie; Macleod, Una; Anker, Thomas; Hilton, Shona

2018-04-26

Increasing age is a risk factor for developing cancer. Yet, older people commonly underestimate this risk, are less likely to be aware of the early symptoms, and are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stage cancer. Mass media are a key influence on the public's understanding health issues, including cancer risk. This study investigates how news media have represented age and other risk factors in the most common cancers over time. Eight hundred articles about the four most common cancers (breast, prostate, lung and colorectal) published within eight UK national newspapers in 2003, 2004, 2013 and 2014 were identified using the Nexis database. Relevant manifest content of articles was coded quantitatively and subjected to descriptive statistical analysis in SPSS to identify patterns across the data. Risk was presented in half of the articles but this was rarely discussed in any depth and around a quarter of all articles introduced more than one risk factor, irrespective of cancer site. Age was mentioned as a risk factor in approximately 12% of all articles and this varied by cancer site. Age was most frequently reported in relation to prostate cancer and least often in articles about lung cancer. Articles featuring personal narratives more frequently focused on younger people and this was more pronounced in non-celebrity stories; only 15% of non-celebrity narratives were about people over 60. Other common risks discussed were family history and genetics, smoking, diet, alcohol, and environmental factors. Family history and genetics together featured as the most common risk factors. Risk factor reporting varied by site and family history was most commonly associated with breast cancer, diet with bowel cancer and smoking with lung cancer. Age and older adults were largely obscured in media representation of cancer and cancer experience. Indeed common risk factors in general were rarely discussed in any depth. Our findings will usefully inform the development of future cancer awareness campaigns and media guidelines. It is important that older adults appreciate their heightened risk, particularly in the context of help-seeking decisions.

Determining the Number of Factors to Retain in EFA: Using the SPSS R-Menu v2.0 to Make More Judicious Estimations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Courtney, Matthew Gordon Ray

2013-01-01

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is a common technique utilized in the development of assessment instruments. The key question when performing this procedure is how to best estimate the number of factors to retain. This is especially important as under- or over-extraction may lead to erroneous conclusions. Although recent advancements have been…

Evaluation of the association of polymorphisms in EYA1, environmental factors, and non-syndromic orofacial clefts in Western Han Chinese.

PubMed

Zeng, Ni; Wu, Jun; Zhu, Wen-Chao; Shi, Bing; Jia, Zhong-Lin

2015-11-01

Non-syndromic orofacial clefts (NSOCs) are complex disease involving genetic triggers, environmental factors, and their interplay. Recent studies demonstrated that EYA1, a member of eye absent gene family, might contribute to NSOCs. We investigated three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and eight environmental factors (multivitamin, folic acid and calcium supplementation history, maternal alcohol consumption, common cold history, maternal smoking and environmental tobacco smoke in the first trimester, and paternal smoking in the 3 months before pregnancy) among 294 case-parent trios and 183 individual controls in western Han Chinese to evaluate the relationship between EYA1, environmental factors, and NSOCs. To be better known the gene's role in the etiology of NSOCs, we performed statistical analysis in different aspects including the linkage disequilibrium test, transmission disequilibrium test, haplotype analysis, multiple logistic regression analysis, and conditional logistic regression analysis. Allele C at rs3779748 showed an over-transmission in NSCL/P trios (P = 0.03), and genotype A/A at rs10094908 was under-transmitted among NSCL/P trios (P = 0.03), whereas over-transmitted among NSCPO trios (P = 0.02). The haplotype GC of rs10094908-rs3779748 was over-transmitted among NSCL/P trios (P = 0.05) and NSCPO trios (P = 0.05), respectively. Maternal common cold history, environmental tobacco smoke, and maternal alcohol consumption during the first trimester of pregnancy were risk factors for NSOCs, while calcium supplementation during the first trimester showed a protective effect. No evidence of interactions between EYA1 and environmental factors was found. These results revealed an association between EYA1, some environmental factors, and NSOCs in western Han Chinese. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Psychometric properties of the Body Checking Questionnaire in college women.

PubMed

White, Emily K; Claudat, Kim; Jones, Sarah C; Barchard, Kimberly A; Warren, Cortney S

2015-03-01

While the Body Checking Questionnaire (BCQ; Reas et al., 2002) is the most commonly-used measure of body checking behaviors, findings on the factor structure in nonclinical samples are mixed. This study investigated the factor structure and psychometric properties of the BCQ among nonclinical college women. In Study 1 (n=326), an exploratory factor analysis indicated factors corresponding to (a) behavioral and (b) visual checking. In Study 2 (n=1013), a confirmatory factor analysis revealed adequate fit for these factors, better than the original or total score solutions. Scales based upon the two factors demonstrated good internal consistency, convergent validity with measures of eating pathology, and sensitivity for detecting at-risk eating pathology. Results suggest an alternate two-factor solution that differs from the original three-factor solution. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Diagnosis and management of von Willebrand's syndrome.

PubMed

Rick, M E

1994-05-01

von Willebrand's disease is the most common of the inherited bleeding disorders. It is caused by quantitative and/or qualitative abnormalities of von Willebrand factor, and it usually presents with bleeding from mucosal surfaces. The diagnosis is confirmed by measuring von Willebrand factor activity and antigen levels, factor VIII activity, and performing a multimer analysis of von Willebrand factor. Treatment may require plasma-derived concentrates, but can often be accomplished with DDAVP, a vasopressin analogue that causes transient release of von Willebrand factor from body storage sites.

Problems and Preferences for Source of Help among United Arab Emirates University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Darmaki, Fatima Rashed

2011-01-01

This study examined common problems experienced by Emirati college students and their help-seeking preferences. A Problem Checklist was used to collect data from 450 participants. Factor analysis of the Checklist revealed three reliable factors (personal-interpersonal problems, mood problems, and academic problems). Results indicated that Emirati…

A Structural and Correlational Analysis of Two Common Measures of Personal Epistemology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laster, Bonnie Bost

2010-01-01

Scope and Method of Study: The current inquiry is a factor analytic study which utilizes first and second order factor analytic methods to examine the internal structures of two measurements of personal epistemological beliefs: the Schommer Epistemological Questionnaire (SEQ) and Epistemic Belief Inventory (EBI). The study also examines the…

A Class of Factor Analysis Estimation Procedures with Common Asymptotic Sampling Properties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swain, A. J.

1975-01-01

Considers a class of estimation procedures for the factor model. The procedures are shown to yield estimates possessing the same asymptotic sampling properties as those from estimation by maximum likelihood or generalized last squares, both special members of the class. General expressions for the derivatives needed for Newton-Raphson…

The Interstate Migration of U.S. Immigrants: Individual and Contextual Determinants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gurak, Douglas T.; Kritz, Mary M.

2000-01-01

Analysis of the 1990 Public Use Microdata Sample indicates that interstate migration during 1985-90 was less common for immigrant men than for non-Hispanic, White, native-born men. This difference was most strongly related to human capital factors (age, education, self-employment), followed by social capital factors (nativity group concentration)…

An Analysis of Demotivators in the EFL Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sakai, Hideki; Kikuchi, Keita

2009-01-01

Demotivation is a relatively new issue in the field of second language (L2) motivation. In this study, we review previous studies that investigated demotivation of learners of English in order to identify common demotivating factors and report a survey study which explored demotivating factors for Japanese high school students. A 35-item…

Placenta previa and maternal hemorrhagic morbidity.

PubMed

Gibbins, Karen J; Einerson, Brett D; Varner, Michael W; Silver, Robert M

2018-02-01

Placenta previa is associated with maternal hemorrhage, but most literature focuses on morbidity in the setting of placenta accreta. We aim to characterize maternal morbidity associated with previa and to define risk factors for hemorrhage. This is a secondary cohort analysis of the NICHD Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network Cesarean Section Registry. This analysis included all women undergoing primary Cesarean delivery without placenta accreta. About 496 women with previa were compared with 24,201 women without previa. Primary outcome was composite maternal hemorrhagic morbidity. Non-hemorrhagic morbidities and risk factors for hemorrhage were also evaluated. Maternal hemorrhagic morbidity was more common in women with previa (19 versus 7%, aRR 2.6, 95% CI 1.9-3.5). Atony requiring uterotonics (aRR 3.1, 95% CI 2.0-4.9), red blood cell transfusion (aRR 3.8, 95% CI 2.5-5.7), and hysterectomy (aRR 5.1, 95% CI 1.5-17.3) were also more common with previa. For women with previa, factors associated with maternal hemorrhage were pre-delivery anemia, thrombocytopenia, diabetes, magnesium use, and general anesthesia. Placenta previa is an independent risk factor for maternal hemorrhagic morbidity. Some risk factors are modifiable, but many are intrinsic to the clinical scenario.

Inheritance of dermatoglyphic asymmetry and diversity traits in twins based on factor: variance decomposition analysis.

PubMed

Karmakar, Bibha; Malkin, Ida; Kobyliansky, Eugene

2013-06-01

Dermatoglyphic asymmetry and diversity traits from a large number of twins (MZ and DZ) were analyzed based on principal factors to evaluate genetic effects and common familial environmental influences on twin data by the use of maximum likelihood-based Variance decomposition analysis. Sample consists of monozygotic (MZ) twins of two sexes (102 male pairs and 138 female pairs) and 120 pairs of dizygotic (DZ) female twins. All asymmetry (DA and FA) and diversity of dermatoglyphic traits were clearly separated into factors. These are perfectly corroborated with the earlier studies in different ethnic populations, which indicate a common biological validity perhaps exists of the underlying component structures of dermatoglyphic characters. Our heritability result in twins clearly showed that DA_F2 is inherited mostly in dominant type (28.0%) and FA_F1 is additive (60.7%), but no significant difference in sexes was observed for these factors. Inheritance is also very prominent in diversity Factor 1, which is exactly corroborated with our previous findings. The present results are similar with the earlier results of finger ridge count diversity in twin data, which suggested that finger ridge count diversity is under genetic control.

Orthogonal higher order structure and confirmatory factor analysis of the French Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III).

PubMed

Golay, Philippe; Lecerf, Thierry

2011-03-01

According to the most widely accepted Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) model of intelligence measurement, each subtest score of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Adults (3rd ed.; WAIS-III) should reflect both 1st- and 2nd-order factors (i.e., 4 or 5 broad abilities and 1 general factor). To disentangle the contribution of each factor, we applied a Schmid-Leiman orthogonalization transformation (SLT) to the standardization data published in the French technical manual for the WAIS-III. Results showed that the general factor accounted for 63% of the common variance and that the specific contributions of the 1st-order factors were weak (4.7%-15.9%). We also addressed this issue by using confirmatory factor analysis. Results indicated that the bifactor model (with 1st-order group and general factors) better fit the data than did the traditional higher order structure. Models based on the CHC framework were also tested. Results indicated that a higher order CHC model showed a better fit than did the classical 4-factor model; however, the WAIS bifactor structure was the most adequate. We recommend that users do not discount the Full Scale IQ when interpreting the index scores of the WAIS-III because the general factor accounts for the bulk of the common variance in the French WAIS-III. The 4 index scores cannot be considered to reflect only broad ability because they include a strong contribution of the general factor.

Effects of spatial disturbance on common loon nest site selection and territory success

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCarthy, K.P.; DeStefano, S.

2011-01-01

The common loon (Gavia immer) breeds during the summer on northern lakes and water bodies that are also often desirable areas for aquatic recreation and human habitation. In northern New England, we assessed how the spatial nature of disturbance affects common loon nest site selection and territory success. We found through classification and regression analysis that distance to and density of disturbance factors can be used to classify observed nest site locations versus random points, suggesting that these factors affect loon nest site selection (model 1: Correct classification = 75%, null = 50%, K = 0.507, P < 0.001; model 2: Correct classification = 78%, null = 50%, K = 0.551, P < 0.001). However, in an exploratory analysis, we were unable to show a relation between spatial disturbance variables and breeding success (P = 0.595, R 2 = 0.436), possibly because breeding success was so low during the breeding seasons of 2007-2008. We suggest that by selecting nest site locations that avoid disturbance factors, loons thereby limit the effect that disturbance will have on their breeding success. Still, disturbance may force loons to use sub-optimal nesting habitat, limiting the available number of territories, and overall productivity. We advise that management efforts focus on limiting disturbance factors to allow breeding pairs access to the best nesting territories, relieving disturbance pressures that may force sub-optimal nest placement. ?? 2011 The Wildlife Society.

Arabidopsis transcription factors: genome-wide comparative analysis among eukaryotes.

PubMed

Riechmann, J L; Heard, J; Martin, G; Reuber, L; Jiang, C; Keddie, J; Adam, L; Pineda, O; Ratcliffe, O J; Samaha, R R; Creelman, R; Pilgrim, M; Broun, P; Zhang, J Z; Ghandehari, D; Sherman, B K; Yu, G

2000-12-15

The completion of the Arabidopsis thaliana genome sequence allows a comparative analysis of transcriptional regulators across the three eukaryotic kingdoms. Arabidopsis dedicates over 5% of its genome to code for more than 1500 transcription factors, about 45% of which are from families specific to plants. Arabidopsis transcription factors that belong to families common to all eukaryotes do not share significant similarity with those of the other kingdoms beyond the conserved DNA binding domains, many of which have been arranged in combinations specific to each lineage. The genome-wide comparison reveals the evolutionary generation of diversity in the regulation of transcription.

Dimensionality Assessment of Ordered Polytomous Items with Parallel Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Timmerman, Marieke E.; Lorenzo-Seva, Urbano

2011-01-01

Parallel analysis (PA) is an often-recommended approach for assessment of the dimensionality of a variable set. PA is known in different variants, which may yield different dimensionality indications. In this article, the authors considered the most appropriate PA procedure to assess the number of common factors underlying ordered polytomously…

Mercury-Free Analysis of Lead in Drinking Water by Anodic Stripping Square Wave Voltammetry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilburn, Jeremy P.; Brown, Kyle L.; Cliffel, David E.

2007-01-01

The analysis of drinking water for lead, which has well-known health effects, is presented as an instructive example for undergraduate chemistry students. It allows the students to perform an experiment and evaluate to monitor risk factors and common hazard of everyday life.

Do the digestive tract symptoms in eating disorder patients represent functional gastrointestinal disorders?

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are common in patients with eating disorders. The aim of this study was to determine, using factor analysis, whether these GI symptom factors (clusters) in eating disorder patients hold true to the Rome II classification of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). Methods Inpatients in a specialised eating disorder unit completed the Rome II questionnaire. Data from 185 patients were analysed using factor analysis of 17 questions cited as present in 30% to 70% of the patients. Results Five factors emerged accounting for 68% of the variance and these were termed: ‘oesophageal discomfort’, ‘bowel dysfunction’, ‘abdominal discomfort’, ‘pelvic floor dysfunction’, and ‘self-induced vomiting’. These factors are significantly related to the Rome II FGID categories of functional oesophageal, bowel and anorectal disorders, and to the specific FGIDs of IBS, functional abdominal bloating, functional constipation and pelvic floor dyssynergia. Both heartburn and chest pain were included in the oesophageal discomfort factor. The ‘pelvic floor dysfunction’ factor was distinct from functional constipation. Conclusions The GI symptoms common in eating disorder patients very likely represent the same FGIDs that occur in non-ED patients. Symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction in the absence of functional constipation, however, are prominent in eating disorder patients. Further investigation of the items comprising the ‘pelvic floor dysfunction’ factor in other patient populations may yield useful results. PMID:23448363

Antarctica Meta-Analysis: Psychosocial Factors Related to Long Duration Isolation and Confinement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leveton, Lauren; Shea, Camille; Slack, Kelley J.; Keeton, Kathryn E.; Palinkas, Lawrence A.

2009-01-01

This meta-analysis is examining the psychological effects of wintering-over in Antarctica. As an isolated, confined, and extreme (ICE) environment, Antarctica provides invaluable opportunities to experience stressors more common to spaceflight than to the average person s everyday life. Increased prevalence of psychological symptoms, syndromes, and psychiatric disorders, as well as positive effects, are expected to be associated with various demographic and environmental factors. Implications for spaceflight are discussed. Findings from statistical review of the Antarctic articles will be shared.

Common Rules of Engagement for the Armies of the United States and Australia: A Proposal Stranded on the Moral High Ground

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-04-01

management has between management " "big picture" and employees *Assume subordinates *Assume subordinates have less to contri - share equal bute to...engagement have assumed international importance in light of recent comments by military leaders urging common ROE among allies.3 In 1994, the Commander...of the United States and Australia creating a common set of standing ROE. It will guide the reader through a five -step analysis of influential factors

Factors associated with psychological distress or common mental disorders in migrant populations across the world.

PubMed

Jurado, Dolores; Alarcón, Renato D; Martínez-Ortega, José M; Mendieta-Marichal, Yaiza; Gutiérrez-Rojas, Luis; Gurpegui, Manuel

We systematically review factors associated with the presence of psychological distress or common mental disorders in migrant populations. Articles published between January 2000 and December 2014 were reviewed and 85 applying multivariate statistical analysis were selected. Common mental disorders were significantly associated with socio-demographic and psychological characteristics, as observed in large epidemiological studies on general populations. The probability of common mental disorders occurrence differs significantly among migrant groups according to their region of origin. Moreover, traumatic events prior to migration, forced, unplanned, poorly planned or illegal migration, low level of acculturation, living alone or separated from family in the host country, lack of social support, perceived discrimination, and the length of migrants' residence in the host country all increase the likelihood of CMD. In contrast, language proficiency, family reunification, and perceived social support reduce such probability. Factors related with the risk of psychiatric morbidity among migrants should be taken into account to design preventive strategies. Copyright © 2016 SEP y SEPB. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Motivations and self-presentation strategies on Korean-based "Cyworld" weblog format personal homepages.

PubMed

Jung, Taejin; Youn, Hyunsook; McClung, Steven

2007-02-01

The main purposes of this study are to find out individuals' motives and interpersonal self-presentation strategies on constructing Korean weblog format personal homepage (e.g., "Cyworld mini-homepage"). The study also attempts to find predictor motives that lead to the activities of posting and maintaining a homepage and compare the self-presentation strategies used on the Web with those commonly used in interpersonal situations. By using a principal component factor analysis, four salient self-presentation strategy factors and five interpretable mini-homepage hosting motive factors were identified. Accompanying multiple regression analysis shows that entertainment and personal income factors are major predictors in explaining homepage maintenance expenditures and frequencies of updating.

Review of Aviator Selection

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-07-01

with a large-scale meta- analysis of 19 commonly used personnel selection methods across many occupations (Schmidt & Hunter, 1998)" (p. 24). Regarding...information was used to identify knowledge, skills, attributes, and other factors that should be included in a job analysis focusing on the Army aviator...military; personality; psychomotor; cognitive; job analysis ; review SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF 19. LIMITATION OF 20. NUMBER 21. RESPONSIBLE PERSON

Psychological job demands as a risk factor for common cold in a Dutch working population.

PubMed

Mohren, D C; Swaen, G M; Borm, P J; Bast, A; Galama, J M

2001-01-01

We investigated the effect of Psychological Job Demands (PJD) on the occurrence of the clinical symptoms of common cold. Subjects, participating in a large prospective cohort study on psychological determinants of fatigue at work, were asked to fill in a questionnaire on the occurrence of common cold during the previous four months. High PJD were considered as a potential risk factor. Other factors such as age, gender, and having young children were considered as potential confounders. In logistic regression analysis, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for having a recent cold in subjects reporting high PJD vs. those reporting low PJD was 1.20 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.08-1.33). A higher risk emerged among those with young children (OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.47-1.96), those having a history of asthma (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.28-2.22), or being under the age of 40 (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.14-1.43) and among smokers (OR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.09-1.38). The results support an association between PJD and common cold. In spite of the almost inevitable shortcoming of a large cohort study using questionnaires, this study gave us the opportunity to study the relationship between common cold and work-related factors in a nonexperimental setting with participants observed in a natural environment with all the normal everyday hassles.

Measuring Prosocial Tendencies in Germany: Sources of Validity and Reliablity of the Revised Prosocial Tendency Measure

PubMed Central

Rodrigues, Johannes; Ulrich, Natalie; Mussel, Patrick; Carlo, Gustavo; Hewig, Johannes

2017-01-01

The prosocial tendencies measure (PTM; Carlo and Randall, 2002) is a widely used measurement for prosocial tendencies in English speaking participants. This instrument distinguishes between six different types of prosocial tendencies that partly share some common basis, but also can be opposed to each other. To examine these constructs in Germany, a study with 1067 participants was conducted. The study investigated the structure of this German version of the PTM-R via exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, correlations with similar constructs in subsamples as well as via measurement invariance test concerning the original English version. The German translation showed a similar factor structure to the English version in exploratory factor analysis and in confirmatory factor analysis. Measurement invariance was found between the English and German language versions of the PTM and support for the proposed six-factor structure (altruistic, anonymous, compliant, dire, emotional and public prosocial behavior) was also found in confirmatory factor analysis. Furthermore, the expected interrelations of these factors of prosocial behavior tendencies were obtained. Finally, correlations of the prosocial behavior tendencies with validating constructs and behaviors were found. Thus, the findings stress the importance of seeing prosocial behavior not as a single dimension construct, but as a factored construct which now can also be assessed in German speaking participants. PMID:29270144

Relating Factor Models for Longitudinal Data to Quasi-Simplex and NARMA Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rovine, Michael J.; Molenaar, Peter C. M.

2005-01-01

In this article we show the one-factor model can be rewritten as a quasi-simplex model. Using this result along with addition theorems from time series analysis, we describe a common general model, the nonstationary autoregressive moving average (NARMA) model, that includes as a special case, any latent variable model with continuous indicators…

The Thai anesthesia incident monitoring study (Thai AIMS): an analysis of perioperative myocardial ischemia/infarction.

PubMed

Ngamprasertwong, Pornswan; Kositanurit, Inthiporn; Yokanit, Preechayuth; Wattanavinit, Rhuthai; Atichat, Sunida; Lapisatepun, Worawut

2008-11-01

To analyze the clinical course, outcome, contributing factors and factors minimizing the incidents of perioperative myocardial ischemia or infarction (PMI) from Thai AIMS study. The present study was a prospective multicenter study. Data was collected from 51 hospitals in Thailand during a six-month period. The participating anesthesia provider completed the standardized incident report form of the Thai AIMS as soon as they found the PMI incident. Each incident was reviewed by three peer reviewers for clinical courses, contributing factors, outcome and minimizing factors of PMI. From the Thai AIMS incident report, the authors found 25 suspected PMI cases which was 0.9% of the 2,669 incidents reported in the present study. Most of the PMI occurred in elective cases (84%) and orthopedic procedures (56%). The majority of PMI was reported from the patients undergoing general anesthesia (72%). Suspected PMI occurred mostly during operations (56%). New ST-T segment change was detected in 92% of these patients. The most common immediate outcome of PMI was major physiological change (88%). The most common management effect of PMI was unplanned ICU admission (64%); the others were prolonged ventilatory support (12%) and prolonged hospital stay (16%). Four patients (16%) died after the suspected PMI. Most of the events occurred spontaneously and were unpreventable (80%). Patient factors (100%), anesthesia factors (72%), surgical factors (32%) and system factors (8%) were all judged as a precipitating factor for PMI. Human factors were the most common contributing factors which included poor preoperative evaluation, inexperience and improper decision. The three most common factors minimizing the adverse incidents included prior experienced, high awareness and experienced assistance. The recommended corrective strategies were guideline practice, quality assurance activity, improvement of supervision and additional training. Perioperative myocardial ischemia/infarction was infrequent but may be lethal. Patient factors were the most common precipitating cause. The morbidity and mortality could be reduced by high quality preoperative evaluation and preparation, early detection and appropriate treatment. Guideline practice, quality assurance activity, improvement of supervision and additional training were suggested corrective strategies.

Workplace cluster of Bell’s palsy in Lima, Peru

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background We report on a workplace cluster of Bell’s palsy that occurred within a four-month period in 2011 among employees of a three-story office building in Lima, Peru and our investigation to determine the etiology and associated risk factors. Findings An outbreak investigation was conducted to identify possible common infectious or environmental exposures and included patient interviews, reviews of medical records, an epidemiologic survey, serological analysis for IgM and IgG antibodies to putative Bell’s palsy-inducing pathogens, and an environmental exposure assessment of the office building. Three cases of Bell’s palsy were reported among 65 at-risk employees, attack rate 4.6%. Although two patients had underlying risk factors, there was no clear association or common identifiable risk factor among all cases. Serologic analysis showed no evidence of recent infections, and air and water sample measures of all known chemical or neurotoxins were below maximum allowable concentrations for exposure. Conclusions An infection spread among workplace employees could not be excluded as a potential cause of this cluster; however, it was unlikely a pathogen commonly associated with individual cases of Bell’s palsy. Although a specific etiology was not identified among all cases, we believe this methodology will aid future outbreak investigations of Bell’s palsy and a better understanding of its etiology. While environmental assessments may be useful in their ability to ascertain the cause of clusters of Bell’s palsy, future investigations should prioritize focus on common infectious etiology. PMID:24885256

Dynamic factor analysis for estimating ground water arsenic trends.

PubMed

Kuo, Yi-Ming; Chang, Fi-John

2010-01-01

Drinking ground water containing high arsenic (As) concentrations has been associated with blackfoot disease and the occurrence of cancer along the southwestern coast of Taiwan. As a result, 28 ground water observation wells were installed to monitor the ground water quality in this area. Dynamic factor analysis (DFA) is used to identify common trends that represent unexplained variability in ground water As concentrations of decommissioned wells and to investigate whether explanatory variables (total organic carbon [TOC], As, alkalinity, ground water elevation, and rainfall) affect the temporal variation in ground water As concentration. The results of the DFA show that rainfall dilutes As concentration in areas under aquacultural and agricultural use. Different combinations of geochemical variables (As, alkalinity, and TOC) of nearby monitoring wells affected the As concentrations of the most decommissioned wells. Model performance was acceptable for 11 wells (coefficient of efficiency >0.50), which represents 52% (11/21) of the decommissioned wells. Based on DFA results, we infer that surface water recharge may be effective for diluting the As concentration, especially in the areas that are relatively far from the coastline. We demonstrate that DFA can effectively identify the important factors and common effects representing unexplained variability common to decommissioned wells on As variation in ground water and extrapolate information from existing monitoring wells to the nearby decommissioned wells.

Dynamic factor analysis of long-term growth trends of the intertidal seagrass Thalassia hemprichii in southern Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, Yi-Ming; Lin, Hsing-Juh

2010-01-01

We examined environmental factors which are most responsible for the 8-year temporal dynamics of the intertidal seagrass Thalassia hemprichii in southern Taiwan. A dynamic factor analysis (DFA), a dimension-reduction technique, was applied to identify common trends in a multivariate time series and the relationships between this series and interacting environmental variables. The results of dynamic factor models (DFMs) showed that the leaf growth rate of the seagrass was mainly influenced by salinity (Sal), tidal range (TR), turbidity ( K), and a common trend representing an unexplained variability in the observed time series. Sal was the primary variable that explained the temporal dynamics of the leaf growth rate compared to TR and K. K and TR had larger influences on the leaf growth rate in low- than in high-elevation beds. In addition to K, TR, and Sal, UV-B radiation (UV-B), sediment depth (SD), and a common trend accounted for long-term temporal variations of the above-ground biomass. Thus, K, TR, Sal, UV-B, and SD are the predominant environmental variables that described temporal growth variations of the intertidal seagrass T. hemprichii in southern Taiwan. In addition to environmental variables, human activities may be contributing to negative impacts on the seagrass beds; this human interference may have been responsible for the unexplained common trend in the DFMs. Due to successfully applying the DFA to analyze complicated ecological and environmental data in this study, important environmental variables and impacts of human activities along the coast should be taken into account when managing a coastal environment for the conservation of intertidal seagrass beds.

Common cause evaluations in applied risk analysis of nuclear power plants. [PWR

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

Taniguchi, T.; Ligon, D.; Stamatelatos, M.

1983-04-01

Qualitative and quantitative approaches were developed for the evaluation of common cause failures (CCFs) in nuclear power plants and were applied to the analysis of the auxiliary feedwater systems of several pressurized water reactors (PWRs). Key CCF variables were identified through a survey of experts in the field and a review of failure experience in operating PWRs. These variables were classified into categories of high, medium, and low defense against a CCF. Based on the results, a checklist was developed for analyzing CCFs of systems. Several known techniques for quantifying CCFs were also reviewed. The information provided valuable insights inmore » the development of a new model for estimating CCF probabilities, which is an extension of and improvement over the Beta Factor method. As applied to the analysis of the PWR auxiliary feedwater systems, the method yielded much more realistic values than the original Beta Factor method for a one-out-of-three system.« less

Genetic Factors Influence Serological Measures of Common Infections

PubMed Central

Rubicz, Rohina; Leach, Charles T.; Kraig, Ellen; Dhurandhar, Nikhil V.; Duggirala, Ravindranath; Blangero, John; Yolken, Robert; Göring, Harald H.H.

2011-01-01

Background/Aims Antibodies against infectious pathogens provide information on past or present exposure to infectious agents. While host genetic factors are known to affect the immune response, the influence of genetic factors on antibody levels to common infectious agents is largely unknown. Here we test whether antibody levels for 13 common infections are significantly heritable. Methods IgG antibodies to Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, Toxoplasma gondii, adenovirus 36 (Ad36), hepatitis A virus, influenza A and B, cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 and −2, human herpesvirus-6, and varicella zoster virus were determined for 1,227 Mexican Americans. Both quantitative and dichotomous (seropositive/seronegative) traits were analyzed. Influences of genetic and shared environmental factors were estimated using variance components pedigree analysis, and sharing of underlying genetic factors among traits was investigated using bivariate analyses. Results Serological phenotypes were significantly heritable for most pathogens (h2 = 0.17–0.39), except for Ad36 and HSV-2. Shared environment was significant for several pathogens (c2 = 0.10–0.32). The underlying genetic etiology appears to be largely different for most pathogens. Conclusions Our results demonstrate, for the first time for many of these pathogens, that individual genetic differences of the human host contribute substantially to antibody levels to many common infectious agents, providing impetus for the identification of underlying genetic variants, which may be of clinical importance. PMID:21996708

Shared molecular networks in orofacial and neural tube development.

PubMed

Kousa, Youssef A; Mansour, Tamer A; Seada, Haitham; Matoo, Samaneh; Schutte, Brian C

2017-01-30

Single genetic variants can affect multiple tissues during development. Thus it is possible that disruption of shared gene regulatory networks might underlie syndromic presentations. In this study, we explore this idea through examination of two critical developmental programs that control orofacial and neural tube development and identify shared regulatory factors and networks. Identification of these networks has the potential to yield additional candidate genes for poorly understood developmental disorders and assist in modeling and perhaps managing risk factors to prevent morbidly and mortality. We reviewed the literature to identify genes common between orofacial and neural tube defects and development. We then conducted a bioinformatic analysis to identify shared molecular targets and pathways in the development of these tissues. Finally, we examine publicly available RNA-Seq data to identify which of these genes are expressed in both tissues during development. We identify common regulatory factors in orofacial and neural tube development. Pathway enrichment analysis shows that folate, cancer and hedgehog signaling pathways are shared in neural tube and orofacial development. Developing neural tissues differentially express mouse exencephaly and cleft palate genes, whereas developing orofacial tissues were enriched for both clefting and neural tube defect genes. These data suggest that key developmental factors and pathways are shared between orofacial and neural tube defects. We conclude that it might be most beneficial to focus on common regulatory factors and pathways to better understand pathology and develop preventative measures for these birth defects. Birth Defects Research 109:169-179, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Exploring factors that influence work analysis data: A meta-analysis of design choices, purposes, and organizational context.

PubMed

DuVernet, Amy M; Dierdorff, Erich C; Wilson, Mark A

2015-09-01

Work analysis is fundamental to designing effective human resource systems. The current investigation extends previous research by identifying the differential effects of common design decisions, purposes, and organizational contexts on the data generated by work analyses. The effects of 19 distinct factors that span choices of descriptor, collection method, rating scale, and data source, as well as project purpose and organizational features, are explored. Meta-analytic results cumulated from 205 articles indicate that many of these variables hold significant consequences for work analysis data. Factors pertaining to descriptor choice, collection method, rating scale, and the purpose for conducting the work analysis each showed strong associations with work analysis data. The source of the work analysis information and organizational context in which it was conducted displayed fewer relationships. Findings can be used to inform choices work analysts make about methodology and postcollection evaluations of work analysis information. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Medication errors as malpractice-a qualitative content analysis of 585 medication errors by nurses in Sweden.

PubMed

Björkstén, Karin Sparring; Bergqvist, Monica; Andersén-Karlsson, Eva; Benson, Lina; Ulfvarson, Johanna

2016-08-24

Many studies address the prevalence of medication errors but few address medication errors serious enough to be regarded as malpractice. Other studies have analyzed the individual and system contributory factor leading to a medication error. Nurses have a key role in medication administration, and there are contradictory reports on the nurses' work experience in relation to the risk and type for medication errors. All medication errors where a nurse was held responsible for malpractice (n = 585) during 11 years in Sweden were included. A qualitative content analysis and classification according to the type and the individual and system contributory factors was made. In order to test for possible differences between nurses' work experience and associations within and between the errors and contributory factors, Fisher's exact test was used, and Cohen's kappa (k) was performed to estimate the magnitude and direction of the associations. There were a total of 613 medication errors in the 585 cases, the most common being "Wrong dose" (41 %), "Wrong patient" (13 %) and "Omission of drug" (12 %). In 95 % of the cases, an average of 1.4 individual contributory factors was found; the most common being "Negligence, forgetfulness or lack of attentiveness" (68 %), "Proper protocol not followed" (25 %), "Lack of knowledge" (13 %) and "Practice beyond scope" (12 %). In 78 % of the cases, an average of 1.7 system contributory factors was found; the most common being "Role overload" (36 %), "Unclear communication or orders" (30 %) and "Lack of adequate access to guidelines or unclear organisational routines" (30 %). The errors "Wrong patient due to mix-up of patients" and "Wrong route" and the contributory factors "Lack of knowledge" and "Negligence, forgetfulness or lack of attentiveness" were more common in less experienced nurses. The experienced nurses were more prone to "Practice beyond scope of practice" and to make errors in spite of "Lack of adequate access to guidelines or unclear organisational routines". Medication errors regarded as malpractice in Sweden were of the same character as medication errors worldwide. A complex interplay between individual and system factors often contributed to the errors.

Bacteremia and fungemia in pediatric versus adult cancer patients after chemotherapy: comparison of etiology, risk factors and outcome.

PubMed

Krupova, I; Kaiserova, E; Foltinova, A; Kovacicova, G; Kiskova, M; Krchnakova, A; Kunova, A; Trupl, J; West, D; Krcmery, V

1998-06-01

One hundred and eighteen (118) episodes of bacteremia and fungemia in children with cancer were compared to 401 episodes of bacteremia and fungemia in adults with cancer to assess differences in etiology, risk factors and outcome. A retrospective univariate analysis was performed of all episodes of bacteremia in national pediatric and adult cancer institutions appearing in 1990-1996. A total of 519 episodes of bacteremia were assessed and compared. Both cancer centers differed in prophylactic antibiotic policies. About 50% of adults but less than 5% of children received quinolone prophylaxis during neutropenia, even though the empiric antibiotic therapeutic strategy was similar. There were differences in etiology between the groups: staphylococci and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia were more frequently observed in children (P<0.01), Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. in adults (P<0.05). Gram-positive bacteremia was surprisingly more commonly observed in adults (65.7% vs 33.3%, P<0.01). Mixed polymicrobial bacteremia occurred more commonly in adults (31.8% vs 7.6%, P<0.001) than in children. Analysis of risk factors did not observe differences in risk factors except for underlying disease (acute leukemia was more frequently observed in children -48.3% vs adults 33.7%, P<0.05 and prophylaxis: (prior prophylaxis with quinolones was more common in adults (47.5%) than in children (2.5%) P<0.0001). Overall and attributable mortality in pediatric bacteremia was significantly lower than in adults (P<0.03).

Effects of spatial disturbance on common loon nest site selection and territory success

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCarthy, Kyle P.; DeStefano, Stephen

2011-01-01

The common loon (Gavia immer) breeds during the summer on northern lakes and water bodies that are also often desirable areas for aquatic recreation and human habitation. In northern New England, we assessed how the spatial nature of disturbance affects common loon nest site selection and territory success. We found through classification and regression analysis that distance to and density of disturbance factors can be used to classify observed nest site locations versus random points, suggesting that these factors affect loon nest site selection (model 1: Correct classification = 75%, null = 50%, K = 0.507, P < 0.001; model 2: Correct classification = 78%, null = 50%, K = 0.551, P < 0.001). However, in an exploratory analysis, we were unable to show a relation between spatial disturbance variables and breeding success (P = 0.595, R2 = 0.436), possibly because breeding success was so low during the breeding seasons of 2007–2008. We suggest that by selecting nest site locations that avoid disturbance factors, loons thereby limit the effect that disturbance will have on their breeding success. Still, disturbance may force loons to use sub-optimal nesting habitat, limiting the available number of territories, and overall productivity. We advise that management efforts focus on limiting disturbance factors to allow breeding pairs access to the best nesting territories, relieving disturbance pressures that may force sub-optimal nest placement.

Developing a Basic Scale for Workers' Psychological Burden from the Perspective of Occupational Safety and Health.

PubMed

Kim, Kyung Woo; Lim, Ho Chan; Park, Jae Hee; Park, Sang Gyu; Park, Ye Jin; Cho, Hm Hak

2018-06-01

Organizations are pursing complex and diverse aims to generate higher profits. Many workers experience high work intensity such as workload and work pressure in this organizational environment. Especially, psychological burden is a commonly used term in workplace of Republic of Korea. This study focused on defining the psychological burden from the perspective of occupational safety and health and tried to develop a scale for psychological burden. The 48 preliminary questionnaire items for psychological burden were prepared by a focus group interview with 16 workers through the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire II and Mindful Awareness Attention Scale. The preliminary items were surveyed with 572 workers, and exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and correlation analysis were conducted for a new scale. As a result of the exploratory factor analysis, five factors were extracted: organizational activity, human error, safety and health workload, work attitude, and negative self-management. These factors had significant correlations and reliability, and the stability of the model for validity was confirmed using confirmatory factor analysis. The developed scale for psychological burden can measure workers' psychological burden in relation to safety and health. Despite some limitations, this study has applicability in the workplace, given the relatively small-sized questionnaire.

Comparison of Factor Simplicity Indices for Dichotomous Data: DETECT R, Bentler's Simplicity Index, and the Loading Simplicity Index

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finch, Holmes; Stage, Alan Kirk; Monahan, Patrick

2008-01-01

A primary assumption underlying several of the common methods for modeling item response data is unidimensionality, that is, test items tap into only one latent trait. This assumption can be assessed several ways, using nonlinear factor analysis and DETECT, a method based on the item conditional covariances. When multidimensionality is identified,…

What Do School Report Cards Really Tell Us? (An Analysis of the Relationships among Factors Commonly Reported in School District Report Cards).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bobbett, Gordon C.; And Others

The relationships among factors reported on school district (SD) report cards were studied for 121 Tennessee SDs. The report cards provided data on student outcomes (achievement test scores) and SD characteristics. Relationships were studied through linear regression, Pearson product moment correlation, and Guttman's partial correlation. Six…

State-Space Modeling of Dynamic Psychological Processes via the Kalman Smoother Algorithm: Rationale, Finite Sample Properties, and Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Song, Hairong; Ferrer, Emilio

2009-01-01

This article presents a state-space modeling (SSM) technique for fitting process factor analysis models directly to raw data. The Kalman smoother via the expectation-maximization algorithm to obtain maximum likelihood parameter estimates is used. To examine the finite sample properties of the estimates in SSM when common factors are involved, a…

Quantifying traditional Chinese medicine patterns using modern test theory: an example of functional constipation.

PubMed

Shen, Minxue; Cui, Yuanwu; Hu, Ming; Xu, Linyong

2017-01-13

The study aimed to validate a scale to assess the severity of "Yin deficiency, intestine heat" pattern of functional constipation based on the modern test theory. Pooled longitudinal data of 237 patients with "Yin deficiency, intestine heat" pattern of constipation from a prospective cohort study were used to validate the scale. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the common factors of items. A multidimensional item response model was used to assess the scale with the presence of multidimensionality. The Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.79 to 0.89, and the split-half reliability ranged from 0.67 to 0.79 at different measurements. Exploratory factor analysis identified two common factors, and all items had cross factor loadings. Bidimensional model had better goodness of fit than the unidimensional model. Multidimensional item response model showed that the all items had moderate to high discrimination parameters. Parameters indicated that the first latent trait signified intestine heat, while the second trait characterized Yin deficiency. Information function showed that items demonstrated highest discrimination power among patients with moderate to high level of disease severity. Multidimensional item response theory provides a useful and rational approach in validating scales for assessing the severity of patterns in traditional Chinese medicine.

A psychometric examination of the Interpersonal Sexual Objectification Scale among college men.

PubMed

Davidson, M Meghan; Gervais, Sarah J; Canivez, Gary L; Cole, Brian P

2013-04-01

Whereas sexual objectification has most commonly been studied among women, recent calls by counseling psychologists have urged for an extension of objectification research to more fully include men (e.g., Heimerdinger-Edwards, Vogel, & Hammer, 2011). The present study examined the factor structure of the Interpersonal Sexual Objectification Scale (ISOS; Kozee, Tylka, Augustus-Horvath, & Denchik, 2007) with men. Specifically, analyses included exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with a sample of 287 college men and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with an independent sample of 221 college men. A correlated 3-factor structure was suggested by multiple criteria in EFA and was further confirmed by CFA with a bifactor model illustrating the most item variance associated with a general interpersonal sexual objectification dimension for men.

Examination of fungi in domestic interiors by using factor analysis: Correlations and associations with home factors. [Cladosporium, Alternaria, Epicoccum, Aureobasidium, Aspergillus; Penicillium

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

Su, H.J.; Rotnitzky, A.; Spengler, J.D.

1992-01-01

Factor analysis was utilized to investigate correlations among airborne microorganisms collected with Andersen samplers from homes in Topeka, Kans., during the winter of 1987 to 1988. The factors derived were used to relate microbial concentrations with categorical, questionnaire-derived descriptions of housing conditions. This approach successfully identified groups of common aboveground decay fungi including Cladosporium, Alternaria, Epicoccum, and Aureobasidium spp. The common soil fungi Aspergillus and Penicillium spp. were also separated as a group. These previously known ecological groupings were confirmed with air sampling data by a quantitative evaluation technique. The above ground decay fungi sampled indoors in winter were presentmore » at relatively high concentrations in homes with gas stoves for cooking, suggesting a possible association between these fungi and increased humidity from the combustion process. Elevated concentrations of the soil fungi were significantly associated with the dirt floor, crawl-space type of basement. Elevated concentrations of water-requiring fungi, such as Fusarium spp., were shown to be associated with water collection in domestic interiors. Also, elevated mean concentrations for the group of fungi including Cladosporium, Epicoccum, Aureobasidium, and yeast spp. were found to be associated with symptoms reported on a health questionnaire. This finding was consistent with the authors previous study of associations between respiratory health and airborne microorganisms by univariate logistic regression analysis.« less

Gene analysis of PROP1 in dwarfism with combined pituitary hormone deficiency.

PubMed

Takamura, N; Fofanova, O V; Kinoshita, E; Yamashita, S

1999-06-01

The prophet of Pit-1 gene (PROP1), a novel pituitary-specific homeodomain factor, has been proved to be one of the causative genes for combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD). Recently, PROP1 mutations have been identified in CPHD families, including our Russian cohort. The 2-bp deletion, 296delGA (A301G302del), is the most common mutational hot spot. Furthermore, in our cohort, PROP1 mutations are more common in comparison with human POU1F1 gene mutations. Here we review the gene analysis of PROP1 in patients with CPHD.

Comparison of Methods for Adjusting Incorrect Assignments of Items to Subtests: Oblique Multiple Group Method versus Confirmatory Common Factor Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stuive, Ilse; Kiers, Henk A. L.; Timmerman, Marieke E.

2009-01-01

A common question in test evaluation is whether an a priori assignment of items to subtests is supported by empirical data. If the analysis results indicate the assignment of items to subtests under study is not supported by data, the assignment is often adjusted. In this study the authors compare two methods on the quality of their suggestions to…

The planetary nebula IC 4776 and its post-common-envelope binary central star

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sowicka, Paulina; Jones, David; Corradi, Romano L. M.; Wesson, Roger; García-Rojas, Jorge; Santander-García, Miguel; Boffin, Henri M. J.; Rodríguez-Gil, Pablo

2017-11-01

We present a detailed analysis of IC 4776, a planetary nebula displaying a morphology believed to be typical of central star binarity. The nebula is shown to comprise a compact hourglass-shaped central region and a pair of precessing jet-like structures. Time-resolved spectroscopy of its central star reveals a periodic radial velocity variability consistent with a binary system. Whilst the data are insufficient to accurately determine the parameters of the binary, the most likely solutions indicate that the secondary is probably a low-mass main-sequence star. An empirical analysis of the chemical abundances in IC 4776 indicates that the common-envelope phase may have cut short the asymptotic giant branch evolution of the progenitor. Abundances calculated from recombination lines are found to be discrepant by a factor of approximately 2 relative to those calculated using collisionally excited lines, suggesting a possible correlation between low-abundance discrepancy factors and intermediate-period post-common-envelope central stars and/or Wolf-Rayet central stars. The detection of a radial velocity variability associated with the binarity of the central star of IC 4776 may be indicative of a significant population of (intermediate-period) post-common-envelope binary central stars that would be undetected by classic photometric monitoring techniques.

Stress intensity factors for surface and corner cracks emanating from a wedge-loaded hole

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhao, W.; Sutton, M. A.; Shivakumar, K. N.; Newman, J. C., Jr.

1994-01-01

To assist analysis of riveted lap joints, stress intensity factors are determined for surface and corner cracks emanating from a wedge-loaded hole by using a 3-D weight function method in conjunction with a 3-D finite element method. A stress intensity factor equation for surface cracks is also developed to provide a closed-form solution. The equation covers commonly-encountered geometrical ranges and retains high accuracy over the entire range.

Marriage and Family Therapy Students' Experience with Common Factors Training.

PubMed

Fife, Stephen T; D'Aniello, Carissa; Scott, Sarah; Sullivan, Erin

2018-04-27

With the increased empirical and theoretical support for common factors in the psychotherapy literature, marriage and family therapy (MFT) scholars have begun discussing the inclusion of common factors in MFT training. However, there is very little empirical research on common factors training or how to include common factors in MFT curricula. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate MFT students' experience with common factors training. Seventeen master's degree students who received training in common factors participated in the study. Data was comprised of participants' journal reflections and focus group interviews on their experience learning about common factors and how this influenced their work with clients. Participants' responses to the training were overwhelmingly positive and highlighted the ways in which studying common factors enhanced their confidence, understanding of MFT models, conceptual abilities, and clinical practice. Additional results and discussion about incorporating common factors in MFT training are presented. © 2018 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Potential common factors associated with predisposition to common cold in middle-aged and elderly Japanese: A community-based cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Shibata, Michi; Iwane, Taizo; Higuchi, Ryoko; Suwa, Kaname; Nakajima, Kei

2018-05-01

People worldwide frequently catch a common cold, which occasionally develops into secondary severe conditions such as pneumonia. However, it is unclear whether predisposition to the common cold is associated with the individual's characteristics including age, body weight, lifestyles, diets, and intestinal functions, besides exposure to a responsible pathogen. We addressed this issue epidemiologically considering many relevant clinical factors.We reviewed data from a cross-sectional study consisting of 39,524 apparently healthy Japanese aged 40 to 79 years (26,975 men and 12,549 women) who underwent a checkup in 2007. Self-reported predisposition to common cold (SPCC) and relevant clinical conditions and parameters were considered.We observed no significant difference in most clinical parameters including age, body mass index (BMI), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and prevalence of men and current smokers between subjects with and without SPCC. In univariate analysis, circulating white blood cell (WBC) count and serum alanine-aminotransferase (ALT) were significantly higher in subjects with SPCC than in those without, whereas serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and duration of sleep were lower. In logistic regression analysis after full adjustment for relevant confounding factors, BMI categories except BMI of ≥27.0 kg/m were significantly associated with SPCC compared with BMI of 23.0 to 24.9 kg/m. Short duration of sleep (≤5 hours), occasional alcohol drinking, and no-exercise were significantly associated with SPCC compared with 7 hours sleep duration, no-drinking alcohol, and low frequent exercise (twice per month), respectively. All gastrointestinal disorders (gastric complaints, constipation, and diarrhea) were independently associated with SPCC. Imbalanced diet and taking a snack were also associated with SPCC in a degree dependent manner. Furthermore, WBC count, serum ALT, and HDL-C (as continuous variables) were associated with SPCC (HDL-C was inversely), whereas no significant association was observed between SPCC and age, smoking, HbA1c, and pharmacotherapy for diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia.Our results demonstrated that multifactorial conditions and parameters might be simultaneously associated with the predisposition to common cold. Prospective studies including detailed common cold questionnaire and measurements are needed to confirm currently suspected causative and protective factors.

Molecular epidemiology of newly acquired hepatitis C infections in England 2008-2011: genotype, phylogeny and mutation analysis.

PubMed

May, Shoshanna; Ngui, Siew Lin; Collins, Sarah; Lattimore, Sam; Ramsay, Mary; Tedder, Richard S; Ijaz, Samreen

2015-03-01

Analysis of laboratory testing data collected through the Sentinel Surveillance programme has provided a method for identifying individuals who have recently acquired their hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Access to samples from these individuals provided a rare opportunity to undertake molecular characterization studies. To describe the epidemiology and genetic diversity of hepatitis C in recent seroconverter infections and to predict how this will impact on HCV treatment and control. One hundred and forty seven samples were available from individuals, identified to have recently acquired their HCV infection. Genotype determination with additional phylogenetic analysis was carried out on NS5B sequences. Analysis across the NS3 region investigated the presence of antiviral resistance mutations. Where possible, molecular data was linked to demographic and risk/behavioural factor information. The majority of new infections occurred in males with a mean age of 37 years. The most commonly observed genotypes were 1a (49%) and 3a (42%) and injecting drug use (58%) was the most common risk factor. Genotype distribution differed between persons who inject drugs and those with other risk factors suggesting two possible epidemics. Phylogenetic analysis indicated possible transmission networks within specific risk groups. Amino acid changes associated with antiviral resistance were noted in the NS3 region in some samples. Continued surveillance of linked molecular, virological, demographic and epidemiological information on recently acquired infections will contribute to understanding the on-going HCV epidemic in England. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Transcriptome Analysis of Salt Tolerant Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) under Saline Conditions

PubMed Central

Hiz, Mahmut Can; Canher, Balkan; Niron, Harun; Turet, Muge

2014-01-01

Salinity is one of the important abiotic stress factors that limit crop production. Common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L., a major protein source in developing countries, is highly affected by soil salinity and the information on genes that play a role in salt tolerance is scarce. We aimed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and related pathways by comprehensive analysis of transcriptomes of both root and leaf tissues of the tolerant genotype grown under saline and control conditions in hydroponic system. We have generated a total of 158 million high-quality reads which were assembled into 83,774 all-unigenes with a mean length of 813 bp and N50 of 1,449 bp. Among the all-unigenes, 58,171 were assigned with Nr annotations after homology analyses. It was revealed that 6,422 and 4,555 all-unigenes were differentially expressed upon salt stress in leaf and root tissues respectively. Validation of the RNA-seq quantifications (RPKM values) was performed by qRT-PCR (Quantitative Reverse Transcription PCR) analyses. Enrichment analyses of DEGs based on GO and KEGG databases have shown that both leaf and root tissues regulate energy metabolism, transmembrane transport activity, and secondary metabolites to cope with salinity. A total of 2,678 putative common bean transcription factors were identified and classified under 59 transcription factor families; among them 441 were salt responsive. The data generated in this study will help in understanding the fundamentals of salt tolerance in common bean and will provide resources for functional genomic studies. PMID:24651267

Human Factors in Financial Trading: An Analysis of Trading Incidents.

PubMed

Leaver, Meghan; Reader, Tom W

2016-09-01

This study tests the reliability of a system (FINANS) to collect and analyze incident reports in the financial trading domain and is guided by a human factors taxonomy used to describe error in the trading domain. Research indicates the utility of applying human factors theory to understand error in finance, yet empirical research is lacking. We report on the development of the first system for capturing and analyzing human factors-related issues in operational trading incidents. In the first study, 20 incidents are analyzed by an expert user group against a referent standard to establish the reliability of FINANS. In the second study, 750 incidents are analyzed using distribution, mean, pathway, and associative analysis to describe the data. Kappa scores indicate that categories within FINANS can be reliably used to identify and extract data on human factors-related problems underlying trading incidents. Approximately 1% of trades (n = 750) lead to an incident. Slip/lapse (61%), situation awareness (51%), and teamwork (40%) were found to be the most common problems underlying incidents. For the most serious incidents, problems in situation awareness and teamwork were most common. We show that (a) experts in the trading domain can reliably and accurately code human factors in incidents, (b) 1% of trades incur error, and (c) poor teamwork skills and situation awareness underpin the most critical incidents. This research provides data crucial for ameliorating risk within financial trading organizations, with implications for regulation and policy. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

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

Matthias C. M. Troffaes; Gero Walter; Dana Kelly

In a standard Bayesian approach to the alpha-factor model for common-cause failure, a precise Dirichlet prior distribution models epistemic uncertainty in the alpha-factors. This Dirichlet prior is then updated with observed data to obtain a posterior distribution, which forms the basis for further inferences. In this paper, we adapt the imprecise Dirichlet model of Walley to represent epistemic uncertainty in the alpha-factors. In this approach, epistemic uncertainty is expressed more cautiously via lower and upper expectations for each alpha-factor, along with a learning parameter which determines how quickly the model learns from observed data. For this application, we focus onmore » elicitation of the learning parameter, and find that values in the range of 1 to 10 seem reasonable. The approach is compared with Kelly and Atwood's minimally informative Dirichlet prior for the alpha-factor model, which incorporated precise mean values for the alpha-factors, but which was otherwise quite diffuse. Next, we explore the use of a set of Gamma priors to model epistemic uncertainty in the marginal failure rate, expressed via a lower and upper expectation for this rate, again along with a learning parameter. As zero counts are generally less of an issue here, we find that the choice of this learning parameter is less crucial. Finally, we demonstrate how both epistemic uncertainty models can be combined to arrive at lower and upper expectations for all common-cause failure rates. Thereby, we effectively provide a full sensitivity analysis of common-cause failure rates, properly reflecting epistemic uncertainty of the analyst on all levels of the common-cause failure model.« less

Profile and Risk Factor Analysis of Unintentional Injuries in Children.

PubMed

Bhamkar, Rahul; Seth, Bageshree; Setia, Maninder Singh

2016-10-01

To study the profile and various risk factors associated with unintentional injuries in children. The study is a cross sectional analysis of data collected from 351 children presenting with unintentional injury to a tertiary care hospital in Navi Mumbai, India. Data were collected about variables based on Haddon Phase Factor Matrix - host, environment and agent factors. Proportions for categorical variables across various groups were compared using Chi square test or Fisher's exact test. Logistic regression model was used to evaluate the factors. Falls (36 %) were the most common injuries followed by bites (23 %). Majority of children were school going children (38 %) followed by preschool children (29 %). Forty-seven percent were from lower socioeconomic class. Commonest place of injury was home (48 %) and the commonest time was evening (49 %). Though there was male predominance in injuries, the difference across gender did not vary significantly (p = 0.15). Poisonings were significantly more common in infants and toddlers and in rural population (p < 0.001); kerosene being the commonest agent. Rural population is at more risk of bites compared to urban (p < 0.001); dog bites being the commonest followed by scorpion bites. Foreign bodies were significantly more common in upper and middle socioeconomic class and bites, in lower socioeconomic class (p < 0.005). Injuries from rural area and lower socioeconomic class were more serious, requiring hospitalization; they were also more likely to present late to the hospital (p < 0.05). Profile of injuries varies widely as per the variations in agent, host and environmental factors. Socio-environmental, economic conditions and infancy-toddler age groups are predisposing risk factors for bites and poisoning. Although rural areas and lower socioeconomic class population are more vulnerable to serious types of injuries, they still lack essential basic medical care.

Health systems strengthening: a common classification and framework for investment analysis

PubMed Central

Shakarishvili, George; Lansang, Mary Ann; Mitta, Vinod; Bornemisza, Olga; Blakley, Matthew; Kley, Nicole; Burgess, Craig; Atun, Rifat

2011-01-01

Significant scale-up of donors’ investments in health systems strengthening (HSS), and the increased application of harmonization mechanisms for jointly channelling donor resources in countries, necessitate the development of a common framework for tracking donors’ HSS expenditures. Such a framework would make it possible to comparatively analyse donors’ contributions to strengthening specific aspects of countries’ health systems in multi-donor-supported HSS environments. Four pre-requisite factors are required for developing such a framework: (i) harmonization of conceptual and operational understanding of what constitutes HSS; (ii) development of a common set of criteria to define health expenditures as contributors to HSS; (iii) development of a common HSS classification system; and (iv) harmonization of HSS programmatic and financial data to allow for inter-agency comparative analyses. Building on the analysis of these aspects, the paper proposes a framework for tracking donors’ investments in HSS, as a departure point for further discussions aimed at developing a commonly agreed approach. Comparative analysis of financial allocations by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the GAVI Alliance for HSS, as an illustrative example of applying the proposed framework in practice, is also presented. PMID:20952397

Establishing a culture for patient safety - the role of education.

PubMed

Milligan, Frank J

2007-02-01

This paper argues that the process of making significant moves towards a patient safety culture requires changes in healthcare education. Improvements in patient safety are a shared international priority as too many errors and other forms of unnecessary harm are currently occurring in the process of caring for and treating patients. A description of the patient safety agenda is given followed by a brief analysis of human factors theory and its use in other safety critical industries, most notably aviation. The all too common problem of drug administration errors is used to illustrate the relevance of human factors theory to healthcare education with specific mention made of the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS).

Common mental disorders, neighbourhood income inequality and income deprivation: small-area multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Fone, David; Greene, Giles; Farewell, Daniel; White, James; Kelly, Mark; Dunstan, Frank

2013-04-01

Common mental disorders are more prevalent in areas of high neighbourhood socioeconomic deprivation but whether the prevalence varies with neighbourhood income inequality is not known. To investigate the hypothesis that the interaction between small-area income deprivation and income inequality was associated with individual mental health. Multilevel analysis of population data from the Welsh Health Survey, 2003/04-2010. A total of 88,623 respondents aged 18-74 years were nested within 50,587 households within 1887 lower super output areas (neighbourhoods) and 22 unitary authorities (regions), linked to the Gini coefficient (income inequality) and the per cent of households living in poverty (income deprivation). Mental health was measured using the Mental Health Inventory MHI-5 as a discrete variable and as a 'case' of common mental disorder. High neighbourhood income inequality was associated with better mental health in low-deprivation neighbourhoods after adjusting for individual and household risk factors (parameter estimate +0.70 (s.e. = 0.33), P = 0.036; odds ratio (OR) for common mental disorder case 0.92, 95% CI 0.88-0.97). Income inequality at regional level was significantly associated with poorer mental health (parameter estimate -1.35 (s.e. = 0.54), P = 0.012; OR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.04-1.22). The associations between common mental disorders, income inequality and income deprivation are complex. Income inequality at neighbourhood level is less important than income deprivation as a risk factor for common mental disorders. The adverse effect of income inequality starts to operate at the larger regional level.

Individual and couple-level risk factors for hepatitis C infection among heterosexual drug users: a multilevel dyadic analysis.

PubMed

McMahon, James M; Pouget, Enrique R; Tortu, Stephanie

2007-06-01

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the most common bloodborne pathogen in the United States and is a leading cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality. Although it is known that HCV is most commonly transmitted among injection drug users, the role of sexual transmission in the spread of HCV remains controversial because of inconsistent findings across studies involving heterosexual couples. A novel multilevel modeling technique designed to overcome the limitations of previous research was performed to assess multiple risk factors for HCV while partitioning the source of risk at the individual and couple level. The analysis was performed on risk exposure and HCV screening data obtained from 265 drug-using couples in East Harlem, New York City. In multivariable analysis, significant individual risk factors for HCV included a history of injection drug use, tattooing, and older age. At the couple level, HCV infection tended to cluster within couples, and this interdependence was accounted for by couples' drug-injection behavior. Individual and couple-level sexual behavior was not associated with HCV infection. Our results are consistent with prior research indicating that sexual contact plays little role in HCV transmission. Rather, couples' injection behavior appears to account for the clustering of HCV within heterosexual dyads.

Clinical analysis of HIV/AIDS patients with drug eruption in Yunnan, China.

PubMed

Li, Yu-Ye; Jin, Yong-Mei; He, Li-Ping; Bai, Jin-Song; Liu, Jun; Yu, Min; Chen, Jian-Hua; Wen, Jing; Kuang, Yi-Qun

2016-10-31

Drug eruption is the most common clinical presentation in patients with HIV/AIDS. The systemic clinical and risk factors associated with drug eruption remain unknown. A retrospective analysis in HIV/AIDS patients with drug eruption was carried out with demographic data, epidemiological data, clinical characteristics, laboratory data and follow-up data. The risk factors correlated with prognosis were assessed by case control analysis. A total of 134 out of 1817 HIV/AIDS patients (7.4%) presented drug eruptions. The major class of sensitizing drug was HAART drugs (47.7%), followed by antibiotics (47.0%). Nevirapine (39.6%) was the most common sensitizing drug in the HAART regimens. The patients received HAART or had allergic history were prone to develop drug eruption. The alanine aminotransferase, albumin, globulin, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), lymphocytes, red blood cells (RBC) and eosinophils of the drug eruption patients were significantly different the control patients. The allergic history, opportunistic infection, viral load, CD4 cell count, high globulin and low albumin were the risk factors correlated with death in HIV/AIDS patients with drug eruption. It is proposed that patients with higher viral loads, higher globulin levels and lower white blood cells (WBC) should be given special attention for the prevention of complications and death.

Experimentally Derived δ13C and δ15N Discrimination Factors for Gray Wolves and the Impact of Prior Information in Bayesian Mixing Models

PubMed Central

Bucci, Melanie E.; Callahan, Peggy; Koprowski, John L.; Polfus, Jean L.; Krausman, Paul R.

2015-01-01

Stable isotope analysis of diet has become a common tool in conservation research. However, the multiple sources of uncertainty inherent in this analysis framework involve consequences that have not been thoroughly addressed. Uncertainty arises from the choice of trophic discrimination factors, and for Bayesian stable isotope mixing models (SIMMs), the specification of prior information; the combined effect of these aspects has not been explicitly tested. We used a captive feeding study of gray wolves (Canis lupus) to determine the first experimentally-derived trophic discrimination factors of C and N for this large carnivore of broad conservation interest. Using the estimated diet in our controlled system and data from a published study on wild wolves and their prey in Montana, USA, we then investigated the simultaneous effect of discrimination factors and prior information on diet reconstruction with Bayesian SIMMs. Discrimination factors for gray wolves and their prey were 1.97‰ for δ13C and 3.04‰ for δ15N. Specifying wolf discrimination factors, as opposed to the commonly used red fox (Vulpes vulpes) factors, made little practical difference to estimates of wolf diet, but prior information had a strong effect on bias, precision, and accuracy of posterior estimates. Without specifying prior information in our Bayesian SIMM, it was not possible to produce SIMM posteriors statistically similar to the estimated diet in our controlled study or the diet of wild wolves. Our study demonstrates the critical effect of prior information on estimates of animal diets using Bayesian SIMMs, and suggests species-specific trophic discrimination factors are of secondary importance. When using stable isotope analysis to inform conservation decisions researchers should understand the limits of their data. It may be difficult to obtain useful information from SIMMs if informative priors are omitted and species-specific discrimination factors are unavailable. PMID:25803664

Experimentally derived δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N discrimination factors for gray wolves and the impact of prior information in Bayesian mixing models.

PubMed

Derbridge, Jonathan J; Merkle, Jerod A; Bucci, Melanie E; Callahan, Peggy; Koprowski, John L; Polfus, Jean L; Krausman, Paul R

2015-01-01

Stable isotope analysis of diet has become a common tool in conservation research. However, the multiple sources of uncertainty inherent in this analysis framework involve consequences that have not been thoroughly addressed. Uncertainty arises from the choice of trophic discrimination factors, and for Bayesian stable isotope mixing models (SIMMs), the specification of prior information; the combined effect of these aspects has not been explicitly tested. We used a captive feeding study of gray wolves (Canis lupus) to determine the first experimentally-derived trophic discrimination factors of C and N for this large carnivore of broad conservation interest. Using the estimated diet in our controlled system and data from a published study on wild wolves and their prey in Montana, USA, we then investigated the simultaneous effect of discrimination factors and prior information on diet reconstruction with Bayesian SIMMs. Discrimination factors for gray wolves and their prey were 1.97‰ for δ13C and 3.04‰ for δ15N. Specifying wolf discrimination factors, as opposed to the commonly used red fox (Vulpes vulpes) factors, made little practical difference to estimates of wolf diet, but prior information had a strong effect on bias, precision, and accuracy of posterior estimates. Without specifying prior information in our Bayesian SIMM, it was not possible to produce SIMM posteriors statistically similar to the estimated diet in our controlled study or the diet of wild wolves. Our study demonstrates the critical effect of prior information on estimates of animal diets using Bayesian SIMMs, and suggests species-specific trophic discrimination factors are of secondary importance. When using stable isotope analysis to inform conservation decisions researchers should understand the limits of their data. It may be difficult to obtain useful information from SIMMs if informative priors are omitted and species-specific discrimination factors are unavailable.

Common variants in ZNF365 are associated with both mammographic density and breast cancer risk.

PubMed

Lindström, Sara; Vachon, Celine M; Li, Jingmei; Varghese, Jajini; Thompson, Deborah; Warren, Ruth; Brown, Judith; Leyland, Jean; Audley, Tina; Wareham, Nicholas J; Loos, Ruth J F; Paterson, Andrew D; Rommens, Johanna; Waggott, Darryl; Martin, Lisa J; Scott, Christopher G; Pankratz, V Shane; Hankinson, Susan E; Hazra, Aditi; Hunter, David J; Hopper, John L; Southey, Melissa C; Chanock, Stephen J; Silva, Isabel dos Santos; Liu, JianJun; Eriksson, Louise; Couch, Fergus J; Stone, Jennifer; Apicella, Carmel; Czene, Kamila; Kraft, Peter; Hall, Per; Easton, Douglas F; Boyd, Norman F; Tamimi, Rulla M

2011-03-01

High-percent mammographic density adjusted for age and body mass index is one of the strongest risk factors for breast cancer. We conducted a meta analysis of five genome-wide association studies of percent mammographic density and report an association with rs10995190 in ZNF365 (combined P = 9.6 × 10(-10)). Common variants in ZNF365 have also recently been associated with susceptibility to breast cancer.

Motor impulsivity during childhood and adolescence: a longitudinal biometric analysis of the go/no-go task in 9- to 18-year-old twins.

PubMed

Bezdjian, Serena; Tuvblad, Catherine; Wang, Pan; Raine, Adrian; Baker, Laura A

2014-11-01

In the present study, we investigated genetic and environmental effects on motor impulsivity from childhood to late adolescence using a longitudinal sample of twins from ages 9 to 18 years. Motor impulsivity was assessed using errors of commission (no-go errors) in a visual go/no-go task at 4 time points: ages 9-10, 11-13, 14-15, and 16-18 years. Significant genetic and nonshared environmental effects on motor impulsivity were found at each of the 4 waves of assessment with genetic factors explaining 22%-41% of the variance within each of the 4 waves. Phenotypically, children's average performance improved across age (i.e., fewer no-go errors during later assessments). Multivariate biometric analyses revealed that common genetic factors influenced 12%-40% of the variance in motor impulsivity across development, whereas nonshared environmental factors common to all time points contributed to 2%-52% of the variance. Nonshared environmental influences specific to each time point also significantly influenced motor impulsivity. Overall, results demonstrated that although genetic factors were critical to motor impulsivity across development, both common and specific nonshared environmental factors played a strong role in the development of motor impulsivity across age. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

Risk Factors for Chronic Subdural Hematoma Recurrence Identified Using Quantitative Computed Tomography Analysis of Hematoma Volume and Density.

PubMed

Stavrinou, Pantelis; Katsigiannis, Sotirios; Lee, Jong Hun; Hamisch, Christina; Krischek, Boris; Mpotsaris, Anastasios; Timmer, Marco; Goldbrunner, Roland

2017-03-01

Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH), a common condition in elderly patients, presents a therapeutic challenge with recurrence rates of 33%. We aimed to identify specific prognostic factors for recurrence using quantitative analysis of hematoma volume and density. We retrospectively reviewed radiographic and clinical data of 227 CSDHs in 195 consecutive patients who underwent evacuation of the hematoma through a single burr hole, 2 burr holes, or a mini-craniotomy. To examine the relationship between hematoma recurrence and various clinical, radiologic, and surgical factors, we used quantitative image-based analysis to measure the hematoma and trapped air volumes and the hematoma densities. Recurrence of CSDH occurred in 35 patients (17.9%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the percentage of hematoma drained and postoperative CSDH density were independent risk factors for recurrence. All 3 evacuation methods were equally effective in draining the hematoma (71.7% vs. 73.7% vs. 71.9%) without observable differences in postoperative air volume captured in the subdural space. Quantitative image analysis provided evidence that percentage of hematoma drained and postoperative CSDH density are independent prognostic factors for subdural hematoma recurrence. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Carotid intima media thickness and plaques can predict the occurrence of ischemic cerebrovascular events.

PubMed

Prati, Patrizio; Tosetto, Alberto; Vanuzzo, Diego; Bader, Giovanni; Casaroli, Marco; Canciani, Luigi; Castellani, Sergio; Touboul, Pierre-Jean

2008-09-01

The clinical usefulness of noninvasive measurement of carotid intima media thickness and plaque visualization in the general population is still uncertain. We evaluated the age-specific incidence rates of cerebrovascular events in a cohort of 1348 subjects randomly taken from the census list of San Daniele Township and followed for a mean period of 12.7 years. The association among common carotid intima media thickness, measured at baseline, arterial risk factors, and incidence of ischemic cerebrovascular events was modeled using Poisson regression. The predictive ability of common carotid intima media thickness over arterial risk factors (summarized in the Framingham Stroke Risk Score) was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. During the follow-up, 115 subjects developed nonfatal ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, or vascular death, which were the predefined study end points. After adjustment for age and sex, hypertension, diabetes, common carotid intima media thickness above 1 mm, and carotid plaques were all independent risk factors for development of vascular events. Inclusion of carotid findings (presence of common carotid intima media thickness above 1 mm or carotid plaques) resulted in a predictive power higher than Framingham Stroke Risk Score alone only on for those subjects with a Framingham Stroke Risk Score over 20%. Although common carotid intima media thickness and presence of carotid plaques are known to be risk factors for the development of vascular events and to be independent from the conventional risk factors summarized in the Framingham Stroke Risk Score, their contribution to individual risk prediction is limited. Further studies will be required to address the role of carotid ultrasonography in the primary prevention of high-risk subjects.

Multivariate modelling of endophenotypes associated with the metabolic syndrome in Chinese twins.

PubMed

Pang, Z; Zhang, D; Li, S; Duan, H; Hjelmborg, J; Kruse, T A; Kyvik, K O; Christensen, K; Tan, Q

2010-12-01

The common genetic and environmental effects on endophenotypes related to the metabolic syndrome have been investigated using bivariate and multivariate twin models. This paper extends the pairwise analysis approach by introducing independent and common pathway models to Chinese twin data. The aim was to explore the common genetic architecture in the development of these phenotypes in the Chinese population. Three multivariate models including the full saturated Cholesky decomposition model, the common factor independent pathway model and the common factor common pathway model were fitted to 695 pairs of Chinese twins representing six phenotypes including BMI, total cholesterol, total triacylglycerol, fasting glucose, HDL and LDL. Performances of the nested models were compared with that of the full Cholesky model. Cross-phenotype correlation coefficients gave clear indication of common genetic or environmental backgrounds in the phenotypes. Decomposition of phenotypic correlation by the Cholesky model revealed that the observed phenotypic correlation among lipid phenotypes had genetic and unique environmental backgrounds. Both pathway models suggest a common genetic architecture for lipid phenotypes, which is distinct from that of the non-lipid phenotypes. The declining performance with model restriction indicates biological heterogeneity in development among some of these phenotypes. Our multivariate analyses revealed common genetic and environmental backgrounds for the studied lipid phenotypes in Chinese twins. Model performance showed that physiologically distinct endophenotypes may follow different genetic regulations.

Survival rate and prognostic factors of conventional osteosarcoma in Northern Thailand: A series from Chiang Mai University Hospital.

PubMed

Pruksakorn, Dumnoensun; Phanphaisarn, Areerak; Arpornchayanon, Olarn; Uttamo, Nantawat; Leerapun, Taninnit; Settakorn, Jongkolnee

2015-12-01

Osteosarcoma is a common and aggressive primary malignant bone tumor occurring in children and adolescents. It is one of the most aggressive human cancers and the most common cause of cancer-associated limb loss. As treatment in Thailand has produced a lower survival rate than in developed countries; therefore, this study identified survival rate and the poor prognostic factors of osteosarcoma in Northern Thailand. The retrospective cases of osteosarcoma, diagnosis between 1 January 1996 and 31 December 2013, were evaluated. Five and ten year overall survival rates were analyzed using time-to-event analysis. Potential prognostic factors were identified by multivariate regression analysis. There were 208 newly diagnosed osteosarcomas during that period, and 144 cases met the criteria for analysis. The majority of the osteosarcoma cases (78.5%) were aged 0-24 years. The overall 5- and 10-year survival rates were 37.9% and 33.6%, respectively. Presence of metastasis at initial examination, delayed and against treatment co-operation, and axial skeletal location were identified as independent prognostic factors for survival, with hazard ratios of 4.3, 2.5 and 3.8, and 3.1, respectively. This osteosarcoma cohort had a relatively poor overall survival rate. The prognostic factors identified would play a critical role in modifying survival rates of osteosarcoma patients; as rapid disease recognition, a better treatment counselling, as well as improving of chemotherapeutic regimens were found to be important in improving the overall survival rate in Thailand. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Detection Monitoring of Crown Condition in South Carolina: A Case Study

Treesearch

William A. Bechtold; John W. Coulston

2005-01-01

This article presents a case study of how indicators of forest health can be adjusted for natural factors, standardized to a common basis, and subjected to spatial analysis for the purpose of detecting potential problems related to forest health. Two of five Forest Inventory and Analysis inventory panels in South Carolina and surrounding States were completed in 2000...

Is the notion of central fatigue based on a solid foundation?

PubMed

Contessa, Paola; Puleo, Alessio; De Luca, Carlo J

2016-02-01

Exercise-induced muscle fatigue has been shown to be the consequence of peripheral factors that impair muscle fiber contractile mechanisms. Central factors arising within the central nervous system have also been hypothesized to induce muscle fatigue, but no direct empirical evidence that is causally associated to reduction of muscle force-generating capability has yet been reported. We developed a simulation model to investigate whether peripheral factors of muscle fatigue are sufficient to explain the muscle force behavior observed during empirical studies of fatiguing voluntary contractions, which is commonly attributed to central factors. Peripheral factors of muscle fatigue were included in the model as a time-dependent decrease in the amplitude of the motor unit force twitches. Our simulation study indicated that the force behavior commonly attributed to central fatigue could be explained solely by peripheral factors during simulated fatiguing submaximal voluntary contractions. It also revealed important flaws regarding the use of the interpolated twitch response from electrical stimulation of the muscle as a means for assessing central fatigue. Our analysis does not directly refute the concept of central fatigue. However, it raises important concerns about the manner in which it is measured and about the interpretation of the commonly accepted causes of central fatigue and questions the very need for the existence of central fatigue. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Factors affecting medication adherence in community-managed patients with hypertension based on the principal component analysis: evidence from Xinjiang, China.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuji; Li, Xiaoju; Mao, Lu; Zhang, Mei; Li, Ke; Zheng, Yinxia; Cui, Wangfei; Yin, Hongpo; He, Yanli; Jing, Mingxia

2018-01-01

The analysis of factors affecting the nonadherence to antihypertensive medications is important in the control of blood pressure among patients with hypertension. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between factors and medication adherence in Xinjiang community-managed patients with hypertension based on the principal component analysis. A total of 1,916 community-managed patients with hypertension, selected randomly through a multi-stage sampling, participated in the survey. Self-designed questionnaires were used to classify the participants as either adherent or nonadherent to their medication regimen. A principal component analysis was used in order to eliminate the correlation between factors. Factors related to nonadherence were analyzed by using a χ 2 -test and a binary logistic regression model. This study extracted nine common factors, with a cumulative variance contribution rate of 63.6%. Further analysis revealed that the following variables were significantly related to nonadherence: severity of disease, community management, diabetes, and taking traditional medications. Community management plays an important role in improving the patients' medication-taking behavior. Regular medication regimen instruction and better community management services through community-level have the potential to reduce nonadherence. Mild hypertensive patients should be monitored by community health care providers.

The structure of common emotion regulation strategies: A meta-analytic examination.

PubMed

Naragon-Gainey, Kristin; McMahon, Tierney P; Chacko, Thomas P

2017-04-01

Emotion regulation has been examined extensively with regard to important outcomes, including psychological and physical health. However, the literature includes many different emotion regulation strategies but little examination of how they relate to one another, making it difficult to interpret and synthesize findings. The goal of this meta-analysis was to examine the underlying structure of common emotion regulation strategies (i.e., acceptance, behavioral avoidance, distraction, experiential avoidance, expressive suppression, mindfulness, problem solving, reappraisal, rumination, worry), and to evaluate this structure in light of theoretical models of emotion regulation. We also examined how distress tolerance-an important emotion regulation ability -relates to strategy use. We conducted meta-analyses estimating the correlations between emotion regulation strategies (based on 331 samples and 670 effect sizes), as well as between distress tolerance and strategies. The resulting meta-analytic correlation matrix was submitted to confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses. None of the confirmatory models, based on prior theory, was an acceptable fit to the data. Exploratory factor analysis suggested that 3 underlying factors best characterized these data. Two factors-labeled Disengagement and Aversive Cognitive Perseveration-emerged as strongly correlated but distinct factors, with the latter consisting of putatively maladaptive strategies. The third factor, Adaptive Engagement, was a less unified factor and weakly related to the other 2 factors. Distress tolerance was most closely associated with low levels of repetitive negative thought and experiential avoidance, and high levels of acceptance and mindfulness. We discuss the theoretical implications of these findings and applications to emotion regulation assessment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Bayes factors based on robust TDT-type tests for family trio design.

PubMed

Yuan, Min; Pan, Xiaoqing; Yang, Yaning

2015-06-01

Adaptive transmission disequilibrium test (aTDT) and MAX3 test are two robust-efficient association tests for case-parent family trio data. Both tests incorporate information of common genetic models including recessive, additive and dominant models and are efficient in power and robust to genetic model specifications. The aTDT uses information of departure from Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium to identify the potential genetic model underlying the data and then applies the corresponding TDT-type test, and the MAX3 test is defined as the maximum of the absolute value of three TDT-type tests under the three common genetic models. In this article, we propose three robust Bayes procedures, the aTDT based Bayes factor, MAX3 based Bayes factor and Bayes model averaging (BMA), for association analysis with case-parent trio design. The asymptotic distributions of aTDT under the null and alternative hypothesis are derived in order to calculate its Bayes factor. Extensive simulations show that the Bayes factors and the p-values of the corresponding tests are generally consistent and these Bayes factors are robust to genetic model specifications, especially so when the priors on the genetic models are equal. When equal priors are used for the underlying genetic models, the Bayes factor method based on aTDT is more powerful than those based on MAX3 and Bayes model averaging. When the prior placed a small (large) probability on the true model, the Bayes factor based on aTDT (BMA) is more powerful. Analysis of a simulation data about RA from GAW15 is presented to illustrate applications of the proposed methods.

Factors Influencing Renewable Energy Production & Supply - A Global Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Anika; Saqlawi, Juman Al

2016-04-01

Renewable energy is one of the key technologies through which the energy needs of the future can be met in a sustainable and carbon-neutral manner. Increasing the share of renewable energy in the total energy mix of each country is therefore a critical need. While different countries have approached this in different ways, there are some common aspects which influence the pace and effectiveness of renewable energy incorporation. This presentation looks at data and information from 34 selected countries, analyses the patterns, compares the different parameters and identifies the common factors which positively influence renewable energy incorporation. The most successful countries are analysed for their renewable energy performance against their GDP, policy/regulatory initiatives in the field of renewables, landmass, climatic conditions and population to identify the most influencing factors to bring about positive change in renewable energy share.

Four Genes of Medicago truncatula Controlling Components of a Nod Factor Transduction Pathway

PubMed Central

Catoira, Romy; Galera, Christine; de Billy, Francoise; Penmetsa, R. Varma; Journet, Etienne-Pascal; Maillet, Fabienne; Rosenberg, Charles; Cook, Douglas; Gough, Clare; Dénarié, Jean

2000-01-01

Rhizobium nodulation (Nod) factors are lipo-chitooligosaccharides that act as symbiotic signals, eliciting several key developmental responses in the roots of legume hosts. Using nodulation-defective mutants of Medicago truncatula, we have started to dissect the genetic control of Nod factor transduction. Mutants in four genes (DMI1, DMI2, DMI3, and NSP) were pleiotropically affected in Nod factor responses, indicating that these genes are required for a Nod factor–activated signal transduction pathway that leads to symbiotic responses such as root hair deformations, expressions of nodulin genes, and cortical cell divisions. Mutant analysis also provides evidence that Nod factors have a dual effect on the growth of root hair: inhibition of endogenous (plant) tip growth, and elicitation of a novel tip growth dependent on (bacterial) Nod factors. dmi1, dmi2, and dmi3 mutants are also unable to establish a symbiotic association with endomycorrhizal fungi, indicating that there are at least three common steps to nodulation and endomycorrhization in M. truncatula and providing further evidence for a common signaling pathway between nodulation and mycorrhization. PMID:11006338

Ethnicity and the diagnosis gap in liver disease: a population-based study.

PubMed

Alazawi, William; Mathur, Rohini; Abeysekera, Kushala; Hull, Sally; Boomla, Kambiz; Robson, John; Foster, Graham R

2014-11-01

Liver disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Large numbers of liver function tests (LFTs) are performed in primary care, with abnormal liver biochemistry a common finding. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver injury. Metabolic syndrome, common in people from South Asia, is an important risk factor for NAFLD. It is hypothesised that a large gap exists between numbers of patients with abnormal LFTs and those with recorded liver diagnoses, and that NAFLD is more common among adults of South Asian ethnic groups. A cross-sectional study of 690,683 adults in coterminous general practices in a region with high ethnic diversity. Data were extracted on LFTs, liver disease, and process of care measures from computerised primary care medical records. LFTs were performed on 218,032 patients, of whom 31 627 had elevated serum transaminases. The prevalence of abnormal LFTs was highest among individuals of Bangladeshi ethnicity. Of the patients with abnormal LFTs, 88.4% did not have a coded liver diagnosis. NAFLD was the most frequently recorded liver disease and was most common among Bangladeshi patients. In a multivariate analysis, independent risk factors for NAFLD included Bangladeshi ethnicity, diabetes, raised BMI, hypertension, and hypercholesterolaemia. Abnormal LFTs are common in the population, but are underinvestigated and often remain undiagnosed. Bangladeshi ethnicity is an important independent risk factor for NAFLD. © British Journal of General Practice 2014.

Three dimensional finite-element analysis of finite-thickness fracture specimens

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raju, I. S.; Newman, J. C., Jr.

1977-01-01

The stress-intensity factors for most of the commonly used fracture specimens (center-crack tension, single and double edge-crack tension, and compact), those that have a through-the-thickness crack, were calculated using a three dimensional finite-element elastic stress analysis. Three-dimensional singularity elements were used around the crack front. The stress intensity factors along the crack front were evaluated by using a force method, developed herein, that requires no prior assumption of either plane stress or plane strain. The calculated stress-intensity factors from the present analysis were compared with those from the literature whenever possible and were generally found to be in good agreement. The stress-intensity factors at the midplane for all specimens analyzed were within 3 percent of the two dimensional plane strain values. The stress intensity factors at the specimen surfaces were considerably lower than at the midplanes. For the center-crack tension specimens with large thickness to crack-length ratios, the stress-intensity factor reached a maximum near the surface of the specimen. In all other specimens considered the maximum stress intensity occurred at the midplane.

Factor Structure of Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in Malaysian patients with coronary artery disease.

PubMed

Kaur, Satpal; Zainal, Nor Zuraida; Low, Wah Yun; Ramasamy, Ravindran; Sidhu, Jaideep Singh

2015-05-01

The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) is a common screening instrument used to determine the levels of anxiety and depression experienced by a patient and has been extensively used in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). This study aimed to establish the factor structure of HADS in a Malaysian sample of 189 patients with CAD. Factor analysis of HADS using principal component analysis with varimax rotation yielded 3 factors. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the use of HADS in assessing 3 distinct dimensions of psychological distress--namely, anxiety, anhedonia, and psychomotor retardation. The HADS showed good internal consistency and was found to be a valid measure of psychological distress among Malaysian patients with CAD. However, low mean scores on the original 2 factors--that is, anxiety and depression--and also on the 2 depression subscales--anhedonia and psychomotor retardation--suggests that the recommended cutoff score to screen for psychological distress among CAD patients be reevaluated. Further research to determine the generalizability and consistency for the tridimensional structure of the HADS in Malaysia is recommended. © 2014 APJPH.

Biological mechanism analysis of acute renal allograft rejection: integrated of mRNA and microRNA expression profiles.

PubMed

Huang, Shi-Ming; Zhao, Xia; Zhao, Xue-Mei; Wang, Xiao-Ying; Li, Shan-Shan; Zhu, Yu-Hui

2014-01-01

Renal transplantation is the preferred method for most patients with end-stage renal disease, however, acute renal allograft rejection is still a major risk factor for recipients leading to renal injury. To improve the early diagnosis and treatment of acute rejection, study on the molecular mechanism of it is urgent. MicroRNA (miRNA) expression profile and mRNA expression profile of acute renal allograft rejection and well-functioning allograft downloaded from ArrayExpress database were applied to identify differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs and DE mRNAs. DE miRNAs targets were predicted by combining five algorithm. By overlapping the DE mRNAs and DE miRNAs targets, common genes were obtained. Differentially co-expressed genes (DCGs) were identified by differential co-expression profile (DCp) and differential co-expression enrichment (DCe) methods in Differentially Co-expressed Genes and Links (DCGL) package. Then, co-expression network of DCGs and the cluster analysis were performed. Functional enrichment analysis for DCGs was undergone. A total of 1270 miRNA targets were predicted and 698 DE mRNAs were obtained. While overlapping miRNA targets and DE mRNAs, 59 common genes were gained. We obtained 103 DCGs and 5 transcription factors (TFs) based on regulatory impact factors (RIF), then built the regulation network of miRNA targets and DE mRNAs. By clustering the co-expression network, 5 modules were obtained. Thereinto, module 1 had the highest degree and module 2 showed the most number of DCGs and common genes. TF CEBPB and several common genes, such as RXRA, BASP1 and AKAP10, were mapped on the co-expression network. C1R showed the highest degree in the network. These genes might be associated with human acute renal allograft rejection. We conducted biological analysis on integration of DE mRNA and DE miRNA in acute renal allograft rejection, displayed gene expression patterns and screened out genes and TFs that may be related to acute renal allograft rejection.

Biological mechanism analysis of acute renal allograft rejection: integrated of mRNA and microRNA expression profiles

PubMed Central

Huang, Shi-Ming; Zhao, Xia; Zhao, Xue-Mei; Wang, Xiao-Ying; Li, Shan-Shan; Zhu, Yu-Hui

2014-01-01

Objectives: Renal transplantation is the preferred method for most patients with end-stage renal disease, however, acute renal allograft rejection is still a major risk factor for recipients leading to renal injury. To improve the early diagnosis and treatment of acute rejection, study on the molecular mechanism of it is urgent. Methods: MicroRNA (miRNA) expression profile and mRNA expression profile of acute renal allograft rejection and well-functioning allograft downloaded from ArrayExpress database were applied to identify differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs and DE mRNAs. DE miRNAs targets were predicted by combining five algorithm. By overlapping the DE mRNAs and DE miRNAs targets, common genes were obtained. Differentially co-expressed genes (DCGs) were identified by differential co-expression profile (DCp) and differential co-expression enrichment (DCe) methods in Differentially Co-expressed Genes and Links (DCGL) package. Then, co-expression network of DCGs and the cluster analysis were performed. Functional enrichment analysis for DCGs was undergone. Results: A total of 1270 miRNA targets were predicted and 698 DE mRNAs were obtained. While overlapping miRNA targets and DE mRNAs, 59 common genes were gained. We obtained 103 DCGs and 5 transcription factors (TFs) based on regulatory impact factors (RIF), then built the regulation network of miRNA targets and DE mRNAs. By clustering the co-expression network, 5 modules were obtained. Thereinto, module 1 had the highest degree and module 2 showed the most number of DCGs and common genes. TF CEBPB and several common genes, such as RXRA, BASP1 and AKAP10, were mapped on the co-expression network. C1R showed the highest degree in the network. These genes might be associated with human acute renal allograft rejection. Conclusions: We conducted biological analysis on integration of DE mRNA and DE miRNA in acute renal allograft rejection, displayed gene expression patterns and screened out genes and TFs that may be related to acute renal allograft rejection. PMID:25664019

A computer software system for integration and analysis of grid-based remote sensing data with other natural resource data. Remote Sensing Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tilmann, S. E.; Enslin, W. R.; Hill-Rowley, R.

1977-01-01

A computer-based information system is described designed to assist in the integration of commonly available spatial data for regional planning and resource analysis. The Resource Analysis Program (RAP) provides a variety of analytical and mapping phases for single factor or multi-factor analyses. The unique analytical and graphic capabilities of RAP are demonstrated with a study conducted in Windsor Township, Eaton County, Michigan. Soil, land cover/use, topographic and geological maps were used as a data base to develope an eleven map portfolio. The major themes of the portfolio are land cover/use, non-point water pollution, waste disposal, and ground water recharge.

The structure of paranoia in the general population.

PubMed

Bebbington, Paul E; McBride, Orla; Steel, Craig; Kuipers, Elizabeth; Radovanovic, Mirjana; Brugha, Traolach; Jenkins, Rachel; Meltzer, Howard I; Freeman, Daniel

2013-06-01

Psychotic phenomena appear to form a continuum with normal experience and beliefs, and may build on common emotional interpersonal concerns. We tested predictions that paranoid ideation is exponentially distributed and hierarchically arranged in the general population, and that persecutory ideas build on more common cognitions of mistrust, interpersonal sensitivity and ideas of reference. Items were chosen from the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Disorders (SCID-II) questionnaire and the Psychosis Screening Questionnaire in the second British National Survey of Psychiatric Morbidity (n = 8580), to test a putative hierarchy of paranoid development using confirmatory factor analysis, latent class analysis and factor mixture modelling analysis. Different types of paranoid ideation ranged in frequency from less than 2% to nearly 30%. Total scores on these items followed an almost perfect exponential distribution (r = 0.99). Our four a priori first-order factors were corroborated (interpersonal sensitivity; mistrust; ideas of reference; ideas of persecution). These mapped onto four classes of individual respondents: a rare, severe, persecutory class with high endorsement of all item factors, including persecutory ideation; a quasi-normal class with infrequent endorsement of interpersonal sensitivity, mistrust and ideas of reference, and no ideas of persecution; and two intermediate classes, characterised respectively by relatively high endorsement of items relating to mistrust and to ideas of reference. The paranoia continuum has implications for the aetiology, mechanisms and treatment of psychotic disorders, while confirming the lack of a clear distinction from normal experiences and processes.

Genetic and environmental influences on female sexual orientation, childhood gender typicality and adult gender identity.

PubMed

Burri, Andrea; Cherkas, Lynn; Spector, Timothy; Rahman, Qazi

2011-01-01

Human sexual orientation is influenced by genetic and non-shared environmental factors as are two important psychological correlates--childhood gender typicality (CGT) and adult gender identity (AGI). However, researchers have been unable to resolve the genetic and non-genetic components that contribute to the covariation between these traits, particularly in women. Here we performed a multivariate genetic analysis in a large sample of British female twins (N = 4,426) who completed a questionnaire assessing sexual attraction, CGT and AGI. Univariate genetic models indicated modest genetic influences on sexual attraction (25%), AGI (11%) and CGT (31%). For the multivariate analyses, a common pathway model best fitted the data. This indicated that a single latent variable influenced by a genetic component and common non-shared environmental component explained the association between the three traits but there was substantial measurement error. These findings highlight common developmental factors affecting differences in sexual orientation.

Persistence and withdrawal by students in a preservice science and mathematics teacher education course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tulip, David F.; Lucas, Keith B.

1991-12-01

At a time when recruitment into preservice teacher education courses in mathematics and science is difficult, one strategy to increase the number of graduates is to minimise the number of students who fail to complete their university courses. This study sought to determine factors which distinguish withdrawers from persisters in the first semester of a B.Ed course. Discriminant analysis was employed; a discriminant function employing seven factors resulted in correct classification in 81% of cases. Further analysis distinguishing between dropouts and transferees resulted in two discriminant functions with some common variables.

Enhancing Public Helicopter Safety as a Component of Homeland Security

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

Risk Assessment Tool GPS Global Positioning System IFR instrument flight rules ILS instrument landing system IMC instrument meteorological...flight rules ( IFR ) flying and the lack of a pre-flight risk assessment. Pilot fatigue is a factor that appeared in two of the accident reports (New...three common factors that emerged from the qualitative analysis of coding: inadequate proficiency of IFR flying, lack of a pre- flight risk assessment

Transfer Factors for Contaminant Uptake by Fruit and Nut Trees

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

Napier, Bruce A.; Fellows, Robert J.; Minc, Leah D.

Transfer of radionuclides from soils into plants is one of the key mechanisms for long-term contamination of the human food chain. Nearly all computer models that address soil-to-plant uptake of radionuclides use empirically-derived transfer factors to address this process. Essentially all available soil-to-plant transfer factors are based on measurements in annual crops. Because very few measurements are available for tree fruits, samples were taken of alfalfa and oats and the stems, leaves, and fruits and nuts of almond, apple, apricot, carob, fig, grape, nectarine, pecan, pistachio (natural and grafted), and pomegranate, along with local surface soil. The samples were dried,more » ground, weighed, and analyzed for trace constituents through a combination of induction-coupled plasma mass spectrometry and instrumental neutron activation analysis for a wide range of naturally-occurring elements. Analysis results are presented and converted to soil-to-plant transfer factors. These are compared to commonly used and internationally recommended values. Those determined for annual crops are very similar to commonly-used values; those determined for tree fruits show interesting differences. Most macro- and micronutrients are slightly reduced in fruits; non-essential elements are reduced further. These findings may be used in existing computer models and may allow development of tree-fruit-specific transfer models.« less

Factors influencing the distribution of metastases and survival in metastatic breast carcinoma.

PubMed

Barişta, I; Baltali, E; Güllü, I H; Güler, N; Celik, I; Saraçbaşi, O; Tekuzman, G; Kars, A; Ozişik, Y; Ruacan, S; Atahan, I L; Firat, D

1996-12-01

A total of 370 patients with metastatic breast, carcinoma who had been followed at Hacettepe Oncology Department between 1980 and 1991 were retrospectively analyzed for the factors influencing the distribution of metastases and survival. Median age was 47 years. Radical or modified radical mastectomies were performed in 199 (53.8%). Infiltrative ductal carcinoma was the most common pathologic subtype (69.4%). In 191 patients who were evaluated for estrogen receptor (ER) status, 101 (52.9%) were positive and 90 (47.1%) were negative. The distribution of first metastases did not differ between the soft tissue, bone, and visceral sites. The second, third, and fourth metastases were more common in visceral sites (p < 0.05). ER and menopausal status did not affect distribution. Mortality rate was significantly lower in the group having the first metastasis to the bone (p < 0.05). Of interest, first metastases were predominantly found in visceral sites in patients having radical or modified radical mastectomies (p < 0.05). Response to therapy, presence of initial metastases, axillary status, and age were the important factors influencing the overall survival in univariate analysis, whereas response to therapy, ER status, age, and presence of initial metastases were the important factors according to the multivariate analysis.

Unhealthy environments, unhealthy consequences: Experienced homonegativity and HIV infection risk among young men who have sex with men.

PubMed

Jeffries, William L; Gelaude, Deborah J; Torrone, Elizabeth A; Gasiorowicz, Mari; Oster, Alexandra M; Spikes, Pilgrim S; McCree, Donna Hubbard; Bertolli, Jeanne

2017-01-01

Unfavourable social environments can negatively affect the health of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM). We described how experienced homonegativity - negative perceptions and treatment that MSM encounter due to their sexual orientations - can increase HIV vulnerability among young MSM. Participants (n = 44) were young MSM diagnosed with HIV infection during January 2006-June 2009. All participants completed questionnaires that assessed experienced homonegativity and related factors (e.g. internalised homonegativity). We focus this analysis on qualitative interviews in which a subset of participants (n = 28) described factors that they perceived to have placed them at risk for HIV infection. Inductive content analysis identified themes within qualitative interviews, and we determined the prevalence of homonegativity and related factors using questionnaires. In qualitative interviews, participants reported that young MSM commonly experienced homonegativity. They described how homonegativity generated internalised homonegativity, HIV stigma, silence around homosexuality, and forced housing displacement. These factors could promote HIV risk. Homonegative experiences were more common among young Black (vs. non-Black) MSM who completed questionnaires. Results illustrate multiple pathways through which experienced homonegativity may increase HIV vulnerability among young MSM. Interventions that target homonegativity might help to reduce the burden of HIV within this population.

A single factor underlies the metabolic syndrome: a confirmatory factor analysis.

PubMed

Pladevall, Manel; Singal, Bonita; Williams, L Keoki; Brotons, Carlos; Guyer, Heidi; Sadurni, Josep; Falces, Carles; Serrano-Rios, Manuel; Gabriel, Rafael; Shaw, Jonathan E; Zimmet, Paul Z; Haffner, Steven

2006-01-01

Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to test the hypothesis that the components of the metabolic syndrome are manifestations of a single common factor. Three different datasets were used to test and validate the model. The Spanish and Mauritian studies included 207 men and 203 women and 1,411 men and 1,650 women, respectively. A third analytical dataset including 847 men was obtained from a previously published CFA of a U.S. population. The one-factor model included the metabolic syndrome core components (central obesity, insulin resistance, blood pressure, and lipid measurements). We also tested an expanded one-factor model that included uric acid and leptin levels. Finally, we used CFA to compare the goodness of fit of one-factor models with the fit of two previously published four-factor models. The simplest one-factor model showed the best goodness-of-fit indexes (comparative fit index 1, root mean-square error of approximation 0.00). Comparisons of one-factor with four-factor models in the three datasets favored the one-factor model structure. The selection of variables to represent the different metabolic syndrome components and model specification explained why previous exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, respectively, failed to identify a single factor for the metabolic syndrome. These analyses support the current clinical definition of the metabolic syndrome, as well as the existence of a single factor that links all of the core components.

Use of comparative performance indicators in rehabilitation.

PubMed

Zidarov, Diana; Poissant, Lise; Sicotte, Claude

The development of performance indicators that enable benchmarking between organizations is an important mechanism for accountability, organizational learning, and performance improvement. In the province of Quebec (Canada), 21 rehabilitation organizations developed a common set of performance indicators through interorganizational collaboration. The aims of this study were to describe the rehabilitation organizations' use of a common set of performance indicators and to identify the factors influencing such use. A qualitative survey was performed. Individual semistructured interviews were conducted with executives (n = 18) working at 16 rehabilitation organizations using a common set of performance indicators. A thematic analysis of the factors of use was performed according to the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. The use of performance indicators was categorized as purposeful, political, or passive. Our results showed that all organizations used the common set of performance indicators. Four factors were identified as important to all the rehabilitation organizations to explain their interest in comparative performance indicators: the need to develop their own performance indicators, the compatibility of performance information with organizational needs, complexity/simplicity of performance information, and the support offered by their common association. Sixty-three percent of rehabilitation organizations made purposeful or political use of performance indicators. Three main factors contributed to typify those organizations from the others: the perceived quality of the performance indicators, the leadership of decision makers, and the resources available. Our results showed that use of performance indicators can support the initiation of projects for improving the quality of care. Key recommendations are proposed to decision makers that may enhance performance indicators' use.

The eudaimonic component of satisfaction with life and psychological well-being in Spanish cultures.

PubMed

Díaz, Darío; Stavraki, María; Blanco, Amalio; Gandarillas, Beatriz

2015-01-01

In the study of well-being there are two partially overlapping traditions that have been developed in parallel. Subjective well-being (SWB) has been associated with the hedonistic approach of well-being, and psychological well-being (PWB) with the eudaimonistic one. However, satisfaction with life, the most common SWB indicator, is not strictly a hedonic concept and contains many eudaimonic components. The objective of this research is to examine whether a Eudaimonic Well-being G-Factor of Satisfaction with Life (SWLS) and Psychological Well-being Scales (PWBS) emerges. 400 people from the general population of Colombia (Study 1) and 401 from Spain (Study 2), recruited via advertisement, voluntarily participated and filled in a booklet containing, in order of appearance, the PWBS and the SWLS. According to our hypothesis, parallel analysis, eigenvalues, scree plot graphs and exploratory factor analysis (Study 1) suggested the existence of a one-factor structure. Confirmatory factor analysis (Study 2) indicated that this one-factor model provided excellent data fit. Results of a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis confirmed cross-cultural factor invariance. These results question the view that the satisfaction with life indicator is uniquely hedonic and point to the need for a greater integration between hedonic and eudaimonic traditions.

The wider determinants of inequalities in health: a decomposition analysis

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The common starting point of many studies scrutinizing the factors underlying health inequalities is that material, cultural-behavioural, and psycho-social factors affect the distribution of health systematically through income, education, occupation, wealth or similar indicators of socioeconomic structure. However, little is known regarding if and to what extent these factors can assert systematic influence on the distribution of health of a population independent of the effects channelled through income, education, or wealth. Methods Using representative data from the German Socioeconomic Panel, we apply Fields' regression based decomposition techniques to decompose variations in health into its sources. Controlling for income, education, occupation, and wealth, we assess the relative importance of the explanatory factors over and above their effect on the variation in health channelled through the commonly applied measures of socioeconomic status. Results The analysis suggests that three main factors persistently contribute to variance in health: the capability score, cultural-behavioural variables and to a lower extent, the materialist approach. Of the three, the capability score illustrates the explanatory power of interaction and compound effects as it captures the individual's socioeconomic, social, and psychological resources in relation to his/her exposure to life challenges. Conclusion Models that take a reductionist perspective and do not allow for the possibility that health inequalities are generated by factors over and above their effect on the variation in health channelled through one of the socioeconomic measures are underspecified and may fail to capture the determinants of health inequalities. PMID:21791075

Conceptualization about internalizing problems in children and adolescents.

PubMed

Wilkinson, Paul

2009-01-01

This review will discuss the concept of internalizing disorders. It will describe the two main types of internalizing disorder: depressive and anxiety disorders. It will discuss how they have much in common, but that there are also key differences. The review will use data from modern studies of symptom factor analysis, aetiology, treatment and prognosis to illustrate the commonalities and differences. It will conclude by trying to answer where internalizing disorders should be placed in future diagnostic classification schemes.

Psychometric Assessment of the Child Surgery Worries Questionnaire Among Portuguese Children.

PubMed

Fernandes, Sara; Arriaga, Patrícia; Carvalho, Helena; Esteves, Francisco

2017-12-01

Worries are common in surgical patients, especially in children. The present study analyzed the factor structure and the psychometric properties of a Portuguese version of the Child Surgery Worries Questionnaire (CSWQ-P) in a Portuguese sample of 490 children. Exploratory factor analysis, conducted via principal axis factoring with oblimin rotation, provided evidence for a four-factor structure of the 21 item questionnaire. A confirmatory factor analysis was also conducted, showing the good fit of this solution. The CSWQ-P proved to have one more subscale than the original Spanish version CSWQ. Correlations with the children's trait anxiety provided evidence of convergent validity for the CSWQ-P. Females also scored higher on worries than males on all subscales. Psychometric properties of this revised version of the CSWQ provided support for use with young children, and indicate the CSWQ-P has value for use in healthcare practice and in clinical research.

Psychometric properties of the social phobia and social interaction anxiety scales: evidence of construct equivalence in an African American sample.

PubMed

Carter, Michele M; Sbrocco, Tracy; Tang, Dickson; Rekrut, Frances M; Condit, Caitlin

2014-10-01

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Social Phobia Scale and Social Interaction Anxiety scale in a community sample of African Americans. We conducted a confirmatory factor analysis of the combined scales comparing the data to 2- and 3-factor solutions commonly reported in the literature. The results indicated that neither solution produce an adequate fit to the data in this study. We then proceeded to conduct an exploratory factor analysis within a confirmatory framework of both scales. While we were able to extract a 2-factor solution from the data, the item composition of the factors was somewhat different for African Americans than what is typically reported in non-Hispanic White samples. While we conclude that use of the two social anxiety scales is warranted, we make recommendations regarding the interpretation of both scales with African Americans. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Combined Social Phobia Scale and Social Interaction Anxiety Scale: Support for a Bifactor Model.

PubMed

Gomez, Rapson; Watson, Shaun D

2017-01-01

For the Social Phobia Scale (SPS) and the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) together, this study examined support for a bifactor model, and also the internal consistency reliability and external validity of the factors in this model. Participants ( N = 526) were adults from the general community who completed the SPS and SIAS. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of their ratings indicated good support for the bifactor model. For this model, the loadings for all but six items were higher on the general factor than the specific factors. The three positively worded items had negligible loadings on the general factor. The general factor explained most of the common variance in the SPS and SIAS, and demonstrated good model-based internal consistency reliability (omega hierarchical) and a strong association with fear of negative evaluation and extraversion. The practical implications of the findings for the utilization of the SPS and SIAS, and the theoretical and clinical implications for social anxiety are discussed.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Combined Social Phobia Scale and Social Interaction Anxiety Scale: Support for a Bifactor Model

PubMed Central

Gomez, Rapson; Watson, Shaun D.

2017-01-01

For the Social Phobia Scale (SPS) and the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS) together, this study examined support for a bifactor model, and also the internal consistency reliability and external validity of the factors in this model. Participants (N = 526) were adults from the general community who completed the SPS and SIAS. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of their ratings indicated good support for the bifactor model. For this model, the loadings for all but six items were higher on the general factor than the specific factors. The three positively worded items had negligible loadings on the general factor. The general factor explained most of the common variance in the SPS and SIAS, and demonstrated good model-based internal consistency reliability (omega hierarchical) and a strong association with fear of negative evaluation and extraversion. The practical implications of the findings for the utilization of the SPS and SIAS, and the theoretical and clinical implications for social anxiety are discussed. PMID:28210232

The study design elements employed by researchers in preclinical animal experiments from two research domains and implications for automation of systematic reviews.

PubMed

O'Connor, Annette M; Totton, Sarah C; Cullen, Jonah N; Ramezani, Mahmood; Kalivarapu, Vijay; Yuan, Chaohui; Gilbert, Stephen B

2018-01-01

Systematic reviews are increasingly using data from preclinical animal experiments in evidence networks. Further, there are ever-increasing efforts to automate aspects of the systematic review process. When assessing systematic bias and unit-of-analysis errors in preclinical experiments, it is critical to understand the study design elements employed by investigators. Such information can also inform prioritization of automation efforts that allow the identification of the most common issues. The aim of this study was to identify the design elements used by investigators in preclinical research in order to inform unique aspects of assessment of bias and error in preclinical research. Using 100 preclinical experiments each related to brain trauma and toxicology, we assessed design elements described by the investigators. We evaluated Methods and Materials sections of reports for descriptions of the following design elements: 1) use of comparison group, 2) unit of allocation of the interventions to study units, 3) arrangement of factors, 4) method of factor allocation to study units, 5) concealment of the factors during allocation and outcome assessment, 6) independence of study units, and 7) nature of factors. Many investigators reported using design elements that suggested the potential for unit-of-analysis errors, i.e., descriptions of repeated measurements of the outcome (94/200) and descriptions of potential for pseudo-replication (99/200). Use of complex factor arrangements was common, with 112 experiments using some form of factorial design (complete, incomplete or split-plot-like). In the toxicology dataset, 20 of the 100 experiments appeared to use a split-plot-like design, although no investigators used this term. The common use of repeated measures and factorial designs means understanding bias and error in preclinical experimental design might require greater expertise than simple parallel designs. Similarly, use of complex factor arrangements creates novel challenges for accurate automation of data extraction and bias and error assessment in preclinical experiments.

Exploring the possibility of a common structural model measuring associations between safety climate factors and safety behaviour in health care and the petroleum sectors.

PubMed

Olsen, Espen

2010-09-01

The aim of the present study was to explore the possibility of identifying general safety climate concepts in health care and petroleum sectors, as well as develop and test the possibility of a common cross-industrial structural model. Self-completion questionnaire surveys were administered in two organisations and sectors: (1) a large regional hospital in Norway that offers a wide range of hospital services, and (2) a large petroleum company that produces oil and gas worldwide. In total, 1919 and 1806 questionnaires were returned from the hospital and petroleum organisation, with response rates of 55 percent and 52 percent, respectively. Using a split sample procedure principal factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis revealed six identical cross-industrial measurement concepts in independent samples-five measures of safety climate and one of safety behaviour. The factors' psychometric properties were explored with satisfactory internal consistency and concept validity. Thus, a common cross-industrial structural model was developed and tested using structural equation modelling (SEM). SEM revealed that a cross-industrial structural model could be identified among health care workers and offshore workers in the North Sea. The most significant contributing variables in the model testing stemmed from organisational management support for safety and supervisor/manager expectations and actions promoting safety. These variables indirectly enhanced safety behaviour (stop working in dangerous situations) through transitions and teamwork across units, and teamwork within units as well as learning, feedback, and improvement. Two new safety climate instruments were validated as part of the study: (1) Short Safety Climate Survey (SSCS) and (2) Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture-short (HSOPSC-short). Based on development of measurements and structural model assessment, this study supports the possibility of a common safety climate structural model across health care and the offshore petroleum industry. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of spliceosome mutations on RNA splicing in myelodysplasia: dysregulated genes/pathways and clinical associations.

PubMed

Pellagatti, Andrea; Armstrong, Richard N; Steeples, Violetta; Sharma, Eshita; Repapi, Emmanouela; Singh, Shalini; Sanchi, Andrea; Radujkovic, Aleksandar; Horn, Patrick; Dolatshad, Hamid; Roy, Swagata; Broxholme, John; Lockstone, Helen; Taylor, Stephen; Giagounidis, Aristoteles; Vyas, Paresh; Schuh, Anna; Hamblin, Angela; Papaemmanuil, Elli; Killick, Sally; Malcovati, Luca; Hennrich, Marco L; Gavin, Anne-Claude; Ho, Anthony D; Luft, Thomas; Hellström-Lindberg, Eva; Cazzola, Mario; Smith, Christopher W J; Smith, Stephen; Boultwood, Jacqueline

2018-06-21

SF3B1, SRSF2 and U2AF1 are the most frequently mutated splicing factor genes in the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). We have performed a comprehensive and systematic analysis to determine the impact of these commonly mutated splicing factors on pre-mRNA splicing in the bone marrow stem/progenitor cells and in the erythroid and myeloid precursors in splicing factor mutant MDS. Using RNA-seq, we determined the aberrantly spliced genes and dysregulated pathways in CD34 + cells of 84 MDS patients. Splicing factor mutations result in different alterations in splicing and largely affect different genes, but these converge in common dysregulated pathways and cellular processes, focused on RNA splicing, protein synthesis and mitochondrial dysfunction, suggesting common mechanisms of action in MDS. Many of these dysregulated pathways and cellular processes can be linked to the known disease pathophysiology associated with splicing factor mutations in MDS, whilst several others have not been previously associated with MDS, such as sirtuin signaling. We identified aberrantly spliced events associated with clinical variables, and isoforms which independently predict survival in MDS and implicate dysregulation of focal adhesion and extracellular exosomes as drivers of poor survival. Aberrantly spliced genes and dysregulated pathways were identified in the MDS-affected lineages in splicing factor mutant MDS. Functional studies demonstrated that knockdown of the mitosis regulators SEPT2 and AKAP8, aberrantly spliced target genes of SF3B1 and SRSF2 mutations respectively, led to impaired erythroid cell growth and differentiation. This study illuminates the impact of the common spliceosome mutations on the MDS phenotype and provides novel insights into disease pathophysiology. Copyright © 2018 American Society of Hematology.

Factors associated with efficacy of an ibuprofen/pseudoephedrine combination drug in pharmacy customers with common cold symptoms.

PubMed

Klimek, Ludger; Schumacher, Helmut; Schütt, Tanja; Gräter, Heidemarie; Mueck, Tobias; Michel, Martin C

2017-02-01

The aim of this study was to explore factors affecting efficacy of treatment of common cold symptoms with an over-the-counter ibuprofen/pseudoephedrine combination product. Data from an anonymous survey among 1770 pharmacy customers purchasing the combination product for treatment of own common cold symptoms underwent post-hoc descriptive analysis. Scores of symptoms typically responsive to ibuprofen (headache, pharyngeal pain, joint pain and fever), typically responsive to pseudoephedrine (congested nose, congested sinus and runny nose), considered non-specific (sneezing, fatigue, dry cough, cough with expectoration) and comprising all 11 symptoms were analysed. Multiple regression analysis was applied to explore factors associated with greater reduction in symptom intensity or greater probability of experiencing a symptom reduction of at least 50%. After intake of first dose of medication, typically ibuprofen-sensitive, pseudoephedrine-responsive, non-specific and total symptoms were reduced by 60.0%, 46.3%, 45.4% and 52.8%, respectively. A symptom reduction of at least 50% was reported by 73.6%, 55.1%, 50.9% and 61.6% of participants, respectively. A high baseline score was associated with greater reductions in symptom scores but smaller probability of achieving an improvement of at least 50%. Across both multiple regression approaches, two tablets at first dosing were more effective than one and (except for ibuprofen-sensitive symptoms) starting treatment later than day 2 of the cold was generally less effective. Efficacy of an ibuprofen/pseudoephedrine combination in the treatment of common cold symptoms was dose-dependent and greatest when treatment started within the first 2 days after onset of symptoms. © 2016 The Authors. International Journal of Clinical Practice Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Clinical Analysis of Icotinib on Beneficiary of 
Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer with EGFR Common Mutation].

PubMed

Jiang, Xiaowen; Wang, Wenxian; Zhang, Yiping

2016-04-20

Targeted therapy has become an indispensable therapy method in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment. Epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) can significantly prolong the survival of patients harboring EGFR gene mutation. Icotinb is China's first EGFR-TKI with independent intellectual property rights. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical characteristics about the beneficiary of advanced NSCLC patients with EGFR Common mutation who were treated with Icotinib. Retrospectively collect the data about beneficiary [progression-free survival (PFS)≥6 months] and analysis of the related risk factors for prognosis. From September 1, 2011 to September 30, 2015, 231 cases of advanced NSCLC beneficiary with EGFR common mutation were enrolled for treatment with icotinib in Zhejiang Cancer Hospital. The one year benefit rate was 67.9% in the group treated with Icotinib as first line, and in the groupas second line or above was 53.6%, which is statisticallysignificant. The two years benefit rate was 18.7% and 9.3%, respectively. The median PFS of first line group and the second line or above was 16.7 and 12.4 months, respectively. The presence of brain metastasis (P=0.010), Prior chemotherapy (P=0.001), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score (P=0.001) were the main factors influencing the prognosis. The most common adverse were skin rashes (51 cases, 22.1%) and diarrhea (27 cases, 11.7%). Icotinib offers long-term clinical benefit and good tolerance for advanced NSCLC harboring EGFR gene mutation. Its advantage groups in addition to the patients with brain metastases and better ECOG score, the curative effect of patients with the first-line treatment is superior to second or further line. 
.

Cluster analysis of spontaneous preterm birth phenotypes identifies potential associations among preterm birth mechanisms

PubMed Central

Esplin, M Sean; Manuck, Tracy A.; Varner, Michael W.; Christensen, Bryce; Biggio, Joseph; Bukowski, Radek; Parry, Samuel; Zhang, Heping; Huang, Hao; Andrews, William; Saade, George; Sadovsky, Yoel; Reddy, Uma M.; Ilekis, John

2015-01-01

Objective We sought to employ an innovative tool based on common biological pathways to identify specific phenotypes among women with spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB), in order to enhance investigators' ability to identify to highlight common mechanisms and underlying genetic factors responsible for SPTB. Study Design A secondary analysis of a prospective case-control multicenter study of SPTB. All cases delivered a preterm singleton at SPTB ≤34.0 weeks gestation. Each woman was assessed for the presence of underlying SPTB etiologies. A hierarchical cluster analysis was used to identify groups of women with homogeneous phenotypic profiles. One of the phenotypic clusters was selected for candidate gene association analysis using VEGAS software. Results 1028 women with SPTB were assigned phenotypes. Hierarchical clustering of the phenotypes revealed five major clusters. Cluster 1 (N=445) was characterized by maternal stress, cluster 2 (N=294) by premature membrane rupture, cluster 3 (N=120) by familial factors, and cluster 4 (N=63) by maternal comorbidities. Cluster 5 (N=106) was multifactorial, characterized by infection (INF), decidual hemorrhage (DH) and placental dysfunction (PD). These three phenotypes were highly correlated by Chi-square analysis [PD and DH (p<2.2e-6); PD and INF (p=6.2e-10); INF and DH (p=0.0036)]. Gene-based testing identified the INS (insulin) gene as significantly associated with cluster 3 of SPTB. Conclusion We identified 5 major clusters of SPTB based on a phenotype tool and hierarchal clustering. There was significant correlation between several of the phenotypes. The INS gene was associated with familial factors underlying SPTB. PMID:26070700

Comparison of common carotid artery intima-media thickness between Brazilian Euro-descendants and Afro-descendants with atherosclerosis risk factors.

PubMed

Casella, Ivan Benaduce; Sotelo, Fabio José Bonafé; Yamazaki, Yumiko; Presti, Calógero; Vassoler, Alecxander; Melo, Henry Augusto Hoffmann

2009-01-01

To compare common carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) between the two major Brazilian ethnic groups (those of African descent and those of European descent) among individuals with one or more risk factors for atherosclerotic disease. Two hundred and six patients with one or more risk factors for atherosclerotic disease were evaluated in a cross-sectional study in which their clinical, ethnic and Demographic characteristics were collected. All patients underwent duplex ultrasound examination of their carotid vessels to obtain IMT measurements. One hundred and fifty-three patients (74.3%) had a carotid IMT greater than 1.0 mm at one or more point of measurement in at least one common carotid artery. There was a significant correlation between older age and mean carotid wall thickness (R=0.479 / P<0.01). Multivariate analysis identified male sex, arterial hypertension and older age as variables associated with increased IMT (P<0.05 for all variables). When IMT was compared between the two ethnic groups in this study, no significant differences were noted. Euro-descendants and Afro-descendants had similar IMT values, even when the groups were stratified by degree of IMT (normal vs. increased) and presence of stroke and/or transient ischemic attack (yes vs. no). The risk factors associated with increased common carotid artery IMT in Brazilian individuals are similar to those in previously described populations. No differences were observed between the two main Brazilian ethnic groups. Longitudinal studies are required for a better evaluation of the incidence, etiologic factors and evolution of carotid intimomedial thickening in this population.

Structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth Edition in a Group of Children with ADHD.

PubMed

Gomez, Rapson; Vance, Alasdair; Watson, Shaun D

2016-01-01

This study used confirmatory factor analysis to examine the factor structure for the 10 core WISC-IV subtests in a group of children (N = 812) with ADHD. The study examined oblique four- and five-factor models, higher order models with one general secondary factor and four and five primary factors, and a bifactor model with a general factor and four specific factors. The findings supported all models tested, with the bifactor model being the optimum model. For this model, only the general factor had high explained common variance and omega hierarchical value, and it predicted reading and arithmetic abilities. The findings favor the use of the FSIQ scores of the WISC-IV, but not the subscale index scores.

Language-Independent and Language-Specific Aspects of Early Literacy: An Evaluation of the Common Underlying Proficiency Model.

PubMed

Goodrich, J Marc; Lonigan, Christopher J

2017-08-01

According to the common underlying proficiency model (Cummins, 1981), as children acquire academic knowledge and skills in their first language, they also acquire language-independent information about those skills that can be applied when learning a second language. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relevance of the common underlying proficiency model for the early literacy skills of Spanish-speaking language-minority children using confirmatory factor analysis. Eight hundred fifty-eight Spanish-speaking language-minority preschoolers (mean age = 60.83 months, 50.2% female) participated in this study. Results indicated that bifactor models that consisted of language-independent as well as language-specific early literacy factors provided the best fits to the data for children's phonological awareness and print knowledge skills. Correlated factors models that only included skills specific to Spanish and English provided the best fits to the data for children's oral language skills. Children's language-independent early literacy skills were significantly related across constructs and to language-specific aspects of early literacy. Language-specific aspects of early literacy skills were significantly related within but not across languages. These findings suggest that language-minority preschoolers have a common underlying proficiency for code-related skills but not language-related skills that may allow them to transfer knowledge across languages.

New perspectives in the diagnostic of gingival recession.

PubMed

Dominiak, Marzena; Gedrange, Tomasz

2014-01-01

Gingival recession (GR) is a common clinical situation observed in patient populations regardless of their age and ethnicity. It has been estimated that over 60% of the human population has gingival recession. It is the final effect of the interaction of multiple etiological factors. Identification and definition of the range of influence is often not possible, with the result that new methods for testing and elimination of potential etiological factors are still being sought. The aim of this study is to present the etiopathogenesis of gingival recessions with regard to the analysis of morphological and functional factors. For the assessment of the bone factors, we will describe the new cephalometric method for measuring sagital width of the bone in the central incisors area, places when GR are most commonly observed. Also, a review will be presented of modern methods of treatment; in particular classes recessions; usage substitute of autogenous tissue will be emphasized--collagen matrix, and primary culture fibroblasts on collagen net.

Using confirmatory factor analysis to explore associated factors of intimate partner violence in a sample of Chinese rural women: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Cerulli, Catherine; Wittink, Marsha N,; Caine, Eric D.; Qiu, Peiyuan

2018-01-01

Objectives To estimate the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) among a sample of rural Chinese women and to explore associated factors. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Rural areas of Guangyuan City, Sichuan, China. Participants We recruited 1501 women, aged 16 years and older, who had been living locally for at least 2 years and reported being married or in a relationship during the past 12 months. They were among a sample of 1898 potential participants from our larger parent study on the prevalence of depressive-distress symptoms. Methods Participants completed demographic and social economic measures, the Short Form of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale and the Duke Social Support Index. We applied χ2 test, analysis of variance and confirmatory factor analysis for analysis. Results The overall prevalence of IPV in the past 12 months was 29.05%; the prevalence of physical, psychological and sexual violence was 7.66%, 26.58% and 3.20%, respectively. The overall prevalence was highest among women aged 16–29 years, and was more common among those without a high school diploma and who saw their family’s financial status as very poor or stagnant. Women who were not victims of IPV had higher levels of social support. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the total effects of social support on physical, psychological and sexual violence were −0.12, –0.35 and −0.12, respectively. The indirect effects of objective economic status on physical, psychological and sexual violence were −0.047, –0.014 and −0.047, respectively, but the total effect was not significant. The indirect effect of education on psychological violence was −0.056. Conclusion IPV is common in rural Guangyuan. Our data are comparable with the findings from north-west of China. Social support is an important protective factor. Future work is needed to develop, test and later disseminate potential IPV interventions, with a focus on building actual and perceived supportive social networks. PMID:29420233

Friendship chemistry: An examination of underlying factors☆.

PubMed

Campbell, Kelly; Holderness, Nicole; Riggs, Matt

2015-06-01

Interpersonal chemistry refers to a connection between two individuals that exists upon first meeting. The goal of the current study is to identify beliefs about the underlying components of friendship chemistry. Individuals respond to an online Friendship Chemistry Questionnaire containing items that are derived from interdependence theory and the friendship formation literature. Participants are randomly divided into two subsamples. A principal axis factor analysis with promax rotation is performed on subsample 1 and produces 5 factors: Reciprocal candor, mutual interest, personableness, similarity, and physical attraction. A confirmatory factor analysis is conducted using subsample 2 and provides support for the 5-factor model. Participants with agreeable, open, and conscientious personalities more commonly report experiencing friendship chemistry, as do those who are female, young, and European/white. Responses from participants who have never experienced chemistry are qualitatively analyzed. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.

Common mental disorders, neighbourhood income inequality and income deprivation: small-area multilevel analysis

PubMed Central

Fone, David; Greene, Giles; Farewell, Daniel; White, James; Kelly, Mark; Dunstan, Frank

2013-01-01

Background Common mental disorders are more prevalent in areas of high neighbourhood socioeconomic deprivation but whether the prevalence varies with neighbourhood income inequality is not known. Aims To investigate the hypothesis that the interaction between small-area income deprivation and income inequality was associated with individual mental health. Method Multilevel analysis of population data from the Welsh Health Survey, 2003/04–2010. A total of 88 623 respondents aged 18–74 years were nested within 50 587 households within 1887 lower super output areas (neighbourhoods) and 22 unitary authorities (regions), linked to the Gini coefficient (income inequality) and the per cent of households living in poverty (income deprivation). Mental health was measured using the Mental Health Inventory MHI-5 as a discrete variable and as a ‘case’ of common mental disorder. Results High neighbourhood income inequality was associated with better mental health in low-deprivation neighbourhoods after adjusting for individual and household risk factors (parameter estimate +0.70 (s.e. = 0.33), P = 0.036; odds ratio (OR) for common mental disorder case 0.92, 95% CI 0.88–0.97). Income inequality at regional level was significantly associated with poorer mental health (parameter estimate -1.35 (s.e. = 0.54), P = 0.012; OR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.04–1.22). Conclusions The associations between common mental disorders, income inequality and income deprivation are complex. Income inequality at neighbourhood level is less important than income deprivation as a risk factor for common mental disorders. The adverse effect of income inequality starts to operate at the larger regional level. PMID:23470284

Association between Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and occipital periventricular hyperintensities in a group of Chinese patients: an observational study.

PubMed

Duan, Dazhi; Shen, Lin; Cui, Chun; Shu, Tongsheng; Zheng, Jian

2017-02-27

While occipital periventricular hyperintensities (OPVHs) are among the most common mild white matter hyperintensities, the clinical factors associated with OPVHs remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of clinical factors in development of pure OPVHs. This study included 97 patients with OPVHs and 73 healthy controls. Univariate analysis of clinical factors in OPVH patients and controls was followed by binomial logistic regression analysis to identify clinical factors significantly associated with OPVHs. Univariate analysis indicated that age, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and apolipoprotein-B (Apo-B) levels differed significantly between the OPVH patients and controls (p < 0.05). Age and gender were correlated with OPVH scores (p < 0.05), while LDL-C, triglycerides, Apo-B and TC were anti-correlated with OPVHs scores (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis indicated that LDL-C is negatively correlated with OPVHs (p < 0.05), and age is positively correlated with OPVHs (p < 0.001). In summary, LDL-C was negatively and age was positively associated with OPVHs among Chinese patients in a hospital.

A compendium of transcription factor and Transcriptionally active protein coding gene families in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.).

PubMed

Misra, Vikram A; Wang, Yu; Timko, Michael P

2017-11-22

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is the most important food and forage legume in the semi-arid tropics of sub-Saharan Africa where approximately 80% of worldwide production takes place primarily on low-input, subsistence farm sites. Among the major goals of cowpea breeding and improvement programs are the rapid manipulation of agronomic traits for seed size and quality and improved resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses to enhance productivity. Knowing the suite of transcription factors (TFs) and transcriptionally active proteins (TAPs) that control various critical plant cellular processes would contribute tremendously to these improvement aims. We used a computational approach that employed three different predictive pipelines to data mine the cowpea genome and identified over 4400 genes representing 136 different TF and TAP families. We compare the information content of cowpea to two evolutionarily close species common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), and soybean (Glycine max) to gauge the relative informational content. Our data indicate that correcting for genome size cowpea has fewer TF and TAP genes than common bean (4408 / 5291) and soybean (4408/ 11,065). Members of the GROWTH-REGULATING FACTOR (GRF) and Auxin/indole-3-acetic acid (Aux/IAA) gene families appear to be over-represented in the genome relative to common bean and soybean, whereas members of the MADS (Minichromosome maintenance deficient 1 (MCM1), AGAMOUS, DEFICIENS, and serum response factor (SRF)) and C2C2-YABBY appear to be under-represented. Analysis of the AP2-EREBP APETALA2-Ethylene Responsive Element Binding Protein (AP2-EREBP), NAC (NAM (no apical meristem), ATAF1, 2 (Arabidopsis transcription activation factor), CUC (cup-shaped cotyledon)), and WRKY families, known to be important in defense signaling, revealed changes and phylogenetic rearrangements relative to common bean and soybean that suggest these groups may have evolved different functions. The availability of detailed information on the coding capacity of the cowpea genome and in particular the various TF and TAP gene families will facilitate future comparative analysis and development of strategies for controlling growth, differentiation, and abiotic and biotic stress resistances of cowpea.

Expression of depressive symptoms in a nonclinical Brazilian adolescent sample.

PubMed

Gorenstein, Clarice; Andrade, Laura; Zanolo, Elaine; Artes, Rinaldo

2005-03-01

This study aimed to detect the prevalence of depressive symptomatology and its expression in a nonclinical Brazilian adolescent student sample. A sample of students from private and public schools (n = 1555, aged 13 to 17 years) answered the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). We performed factor analysis of the BDI as an indicator of the expression of depressive symptomatology. The following cut-off scores defined nonclinical subgroups: "nondepressed," BDI < 15; "dysphoria," BDI 16 to 20; and "depressed," BDI > 20. We used discriminant analysis to test whether these subgroups could be separated by the depression-specific and nonspecific items. The point prevalence of depression was 7.6%, according to the BDI cut-off of 20. Girls had higher scores than boys in several items. Scores increased with age. Students from public schools had higher scores than did private school students. Factor analysis showed 2 common factors for the total sample and for each sex: the cognitive affective dimension and the somatic nonspecific dimension. In the adolescents showing clinical depression, items related to self-depreciation, sense of failure, guilty feelings, self-dislike, suicidal wishes, and distortion of body image were common components of BDI factors. Discriminant analysis showed that the BDI highly discriminates depressive symptomatology in adolescent students and also measures specific aspects of depression. The BDI is useful as a measure of specific aspects of depression in nonclinical adolescent samples; it was able to detect depression in approximately 7% of the surveyed population. The expression of depressive symptoms in a Brazilian adolescent population is compatible with international studies in this age group. Detecting depressive symptoms in a school population is a critical preventive strategy; to avoid damage to the learning process, it should be followed with further referral to treatment when needed.

Narratives Reflecting the Lived Experiences of People with Brain Disorders: Common Psychosocial Difficulties and Determinants

PubMed Central

Hartley, Sally; McArthur, Maggie; Coenen, Michaela; Cabello, Maria; Covelli, Venusia; Roszczynska-Michta, Joanna; Pitkänen, Tuuli; Bickenbach, Jerome; Cieza, Alarcos

2014-01-01

Background People with brain disorders - defined as both, mental disorders and neurological disorders experience a wide range of psychosocial difficulties (PSDs) (e.g., concentrating, maintaining energy levels, and maintaining relationships). Research evidence is required to show that these PSDs are common across brain disorders. Objectives To explore and gain deeper understanding of the experiences of people with seven brain disorders (alcohol dependency, depression, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, stroke). It examines the common PSDs and their influencing factors. Methods Seventy seven qualitative studies identified in a systematic literature review and qualitative data derived from six focus groups are used to generate first-person narratives representing seven brain disorders. A theory-driven thematic analysis of these narratives identifies the PSDs and their influencing factors for comparison between the seven disorders. Results First-person narratives illustrate realities for people with brain disorders facilitating a deeper understanding of their every-day life experiences. Thematic analysis serves to highlight the commonalities, both of PSDs, such as loneliness, anger, uncertainty about the future and problems with work activities, and their determinants, such as work opportunities, trusting relationships and access to self-help groups. Conclusions The strength of the methodology and the narratives is that they provide the opportunity for the reader to empathise with people with brain disorders and facilitate deeper levels of understanding of the complexity of the relationship of PSDs, determinants and facilitators. The latter reflect positive aspects of the lives of people with brain disorders. The result that many PSDs and their influencing factors are common to people with different brain disorders opens up the door to the possibility of using cross-cutting interventions involving different sectors. This strengthens the message that ‘a great deal can be done’ to improve the lived experience of persons with brain disorders when medical interventions are exhausted. PMID:24805128

Cultural adaptation in measuring common client characteristics with an urban Mainland Chinese sample.

PubMed

Song, Xiaoxia; Anderson, Timothy; Beutler, Larry E; Sun, Shijin; Wu, Guohong; Kimpara, Satoko

2015-01-01

This study aimed to develop a culturally adapted version of the Systematic Treatment Selection-Innerlife (STS) in China. A total of 300 nonclinical participants collected from Mainland China and 240 nonclinical US participants were drawn from archival data. A Chinese version of the STS was developed, using translation and back-translation procedures. After confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the original STS sub scales failed on both samples, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was then used to access whether a simple structure would emerge on these STS treatment items. Parallel analysis and minimum average partial were used to determine the number of factor to retain. Three cross-cultural factors were found in this study, Internalized Distress, Externalized Distress and interpersonal relations. This supported that regardless of whether one is in presumably different cultural contexts of the USA or China, psychological distress is expressed in a few basic channels of internalized distress, externalized distress, and interpersonal relations, from which different manifestations in different culture were also discussed.

Prevalence and risk factors for scrub typhus in South India.

PubMed

Trowbridge, Paul; P, Divya; Premkumar, Prasanna S; Varghese, George M

2017-05-01

To determine the prevalence and risk factors of scrub typhus in Tamil Nadu, South India. We performed a clustered seroprevalence study of the areas around Vellore. All participants completed a risk factor survey, with seropositive and seronegative participants acting as cases and controls, respectively, in a risk factor analysis. After univariate analysis, variables found to be significant underwent multivariate analysis. Of 721 people participating in this study, 31.8% tested seropositive. By univariate analysis, after accounting for clustering, having a house that was clustered with other houses, having a fewer rooms in a house, having fewer people living in a household, defecating outside, female sex, age >60 years, shorter height, lower weight, smaller body mass index and smaller mid-upper arm circumference were found to be significantly associated with seropositivity. After multivariate regression modelling, living in a house clustered with other houses, female sex and age >60 years were significantly associated with scrub typhus exposure. Overall, scrub typhus is much more common than previously thought. Previously described individual environmental and habitual risk factors seem to have less importance in South India, perhaps because of the overall scrub typhus-conducive nature of the environment in this region. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Econometrics and Psychometrics: A Survey of Communalities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldberger, Arthur S.

1971-01-01

Several themes which are common to both econometrics and psychometrics are surveyed. The themes are illustrated by reference to permanent income hypotheses, simultaneous equation models, adaptive expectations and partial adjustment schemes, and by reference to test score theory, factor analysis, and time-series models. (Author)

Clinical features and genetic analysis of three patients with severe hypertriglyceridaemia.

PubMed

Hooper, Amanda J; Kurtkoti, Jagadeesh; Hamilton-Craig, Ian; Burnett, John R

2014-07-01

Hypertriglyceridaemia is a common biochemical abnormality that can be due to primary causes or, more commonly, secondary causes. Moderate hypertriglyceridaemia is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and can develop into severe hypertriglyceridaemia which is a risk factor for acute pancreatitis. Familial chylomicronaemia is a rare autosomal recessive disorder, usually diagnosed in childhood and is characterized by marked hypertriglyceridaemia and biochemical deficiency of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), apolipoprotein (apo) C-II, homozygous (or compound heterozygous) gene mutations in LPL or more rarely, APOC2. Recently, loss-of-function mutations in the APOA5 gene have been reported in patients with severe hypertriglyceridaemia in whom LPL or APOC2 mutations were not found. We describe the clinical features and genetic analysis of three patients with severe hypertriglyceridaemia including novel mutations LPL c.464T>C (p.Leu155Pro) and APOA5 c.823C>T (p.Gln275*). © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Factors associated with vocal fold pathologies in teachers.

PubMed

Souza, Carla Lima de; Carvalho, Fernando Martins; Araújo, Tânia Maria de; Reis, Eduardo José Farias Borges Dos; Lima, Verônica Maria Cadena; Porto, Lauro Antonio

2011-10-01

To analyze factors associated with the prevalence of the medical diagnosis of vocal fold pathologies in teachers. A census-based epidemiological, cross-sectional study was conducted with 4,495 public primary and secondary school teachers in the city of Salvador, Northeastern Brazil, between March and April 2006. The dependent variable was the self-reported medical diagnosis of vocal fold pathologies and the independent variables were sociodemographic characteristics; professional activity; work organization/interpersonal relationships; physical work environment characteristics; frequency of common mental disorders, measured by the Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20 (SRQ-20 >7); and general health conditions. Descriptive statistical, bivariate and multiple logistic regression analysis techniques were used. The prevalence of self-reported medical diagnosis of vocal fold pathologies was 18.9%. In the logistic regression analysis, the variables that remained associated with this medical diagnosis were as follows: being female, having worked as a teacher for more than seven years, excessive voice use, reporting more than five unfavorable physical work environment characteristics and presence of common mental disorders. The presence of self-reported vocal fold pathologies was associated with factors that point out the need of actions that promote teachers' vocal health and changes in their work structure and organization.

Ideal, nonideal, and no-marker variables: The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) marker technique works when it matters.

PubMed

Williams, Larry J; O'Boyle, Ernest H

2015-09-01

A persistent concern in the management and applied psychology literature is the effect of common method variance on observed relations among variables. Recent work (i.e., Richardson, Simmering, & Sturman, 2009) evaluated 3 analytical approaches to controlling for common method variance, including the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) marker technique. Their findings indicated significant problems with this technique, especially with nonideal marker variables (those with theoretical relations with substantive variables). Based on their simulation results, Richardson et al. concluded that not correcting for method variance provides more accurate estimates than using the CFA marker technique. We reexamined the effects of using marker variables in a simulation study and found the degree of error in estimates of a substantive factor correlation was relatively small in most cases, and much smaller than error associated with making no correction. Further, in instances in which the error was large, the correlations between the marker and substantive scales were higher than that found in organizational research with marker variables. We conclude that in most practical settings, the CFA marker technique yields parameter estimates close to their true values, and the criticisms made by Richardson et al. are overstated. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Dissecting malpractice in pancreaticoduodenectomy cases.

PubMed

Anandalwar, Seema P; Scholer, Anthony J; Ninan, Gigio; Oliver, Joseph B; Christian, Derick; Eloy, Jean Anderson; Chokshi, Ravi J

2017-05-15

Medical malpractice is a growing concern for physicians in all fields. Surgical fields have some of the highest malpractice premiums and litigation rates. Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) has become a popular procedure; however, it is still associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This study is the first to analyze factors involved in litigation regarding PD cases. The Westlaw database was searched for jury verdicts and settlements using the terms "medical malpractice" and "pancreaticoduodenectomy". Twenty-nine cases from 1991 to 2012 were initially collected. Seven entries not involving PD and three duplicate cases were excluded. Nineteen cases were included for analysis. Of the 19 cases included in the analysis, three (15.8%) reached a settlement, three (15.8%) were ruled in favor of the plaintiff, and 13 (68.4%) were ruled in favor of the physician. The average settlement award was $398,333 (range, $195,000-500,000), and the average plaintiff award was $4,288,869 (range, $1,066,608-10,300,000). The most common factors raised in litigation included PD being allegedly unnecessary (47.4%), followed by postoperative negligence and misdiagnosis (36.8% each). The most common factors present in litigation included the allegation that PD was unnecessarily performed. The cases that are awarded large monetary sums are those that involve continued medical care. Ways to improve patient safety and limit litigation include increasing transparency and communication with a thorough discussion between surgeon and patient of the most common topics of litigation discussed. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Driver Behaviour Questionnaire as accident predictor; A methodological re-meta-analysis.

PubMed

Af Wåhlberg, A E; Barraclough, P; Freeman, J

2015-12-01

The Manchester Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) is the most commonly used self-report tool in traffic safety research and applied settings. It has been claimed that the violation factor of this instrument predicts accident involvement, which was supported by a previous meta-analysis. However, that analysis did not test for methodological effects, or include unpublished results. The present study re-analysed studies on prediction of accident involvement from DBQ factors, including lapses, and many unpublished effects. Tests of various types of dissemination bias and common method variance were undertaken. Outlier analysis showed that some effects were probably not reliable data, but excluding them did not change the results. For correlations between violations and crashes, tendencies for published effects to be larger than unpublished ones and for effects to decrease over time were observed, but were not significant. Also, using the mean of accidents as proxy for effect indicated that studies where effects for violations are not reported have smaller effect sizes. These differences indicate dissemination bias. Studies using self-reported accidents as dependent variables had much larger effects than those using recorded accident data. Also, zero-order correlations were larger than partial correlations controlled for exposure. Similarly, violations/accidents effects were strong only when there was also a strong correlation between accidents and exposure. Overall, the true effect is probably very close to zero (r<.07) for violations versus traffic accident involvement, depending upon which tendencies are controlled for. Methodological factors and dissemination bias have inflated the published effect sizes of the DBQ. Strong evidence of various artefactual effects is apparent. A greater level of care should be taken if the DBQ continues to be used in traffic safety research. Also, validation of self-reports should be more comprehensive in the future, taking into account the possibility of common method variance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and National Safety Council. All rights reserved.

Social determinants of common metabolic risk factors (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high body mass index and high waist-hip ratio) of major non-communicable diseases in South Asia region: a systematic review protocol.

PubMed

Sharma, Sudesh Raj; Mishra, Shiva Raj; Wagle, Kusum; Page, Rachel; Matheson, Anna; Lambrick, Danielle; Faulkner, James; Lounsbury, David; Vaidya, Abhinav

2017-09-07

Prevalence of non-communicable diseases has been increasing at a greater pace in developing countries and, in particular, the South Asia region. Various behavioral, social and environmental factors present in this region perpetuate common metabolic risk factors of non-communicable diseases. This study will identify social determinants of common metabolic risk factors of major non-communicable diseases in the context of the South Asian region and map their causal pathway. A systematic review of selected articles will be carried out following Cochrane guidelines. Review will be guided by Social Determinants of Health Framework developed by the World Health Organization to extract social determinants of metabolic risk factors of non-communicable diseases from studies. A distinct search strategy will be applied using key words to screen relevant studies from online databases. Primary and grey literature published from the year 2000 to 2016 and studies with discussion on proximal and distal determinants of non-communicable risk factors among adults of the South Asia region will be selected. They will be further checked for quality, and a matrix illustrating contents of selected articles will be developed. Thematic content analysis will be done to trace social determinants and their interaction with metabolic risk factors. Findings will be illustrated in causal loop diagrams with social determinants of risk factors along with their interaction (feedback mechanism). The review will describe the interplay of social determinants of common NCD metabolic risk factors in the form of causal loop diagram. Findings will be structured in two parts: the first part will explain the linkage between proximal determinants with the metabolic risk factors and the second part will describe the linkage among the risk factors, proximal determinants and distal determinants. Evidences across different regions will be discussed to compare and validate and/or contrast the findings. Possible bias and limitations of this study will also be discussed. PROSPERO CRD42017067212.

Computational Systems Biology Approach Predicts Regulators and Targets of microRNAs and Their Genomic Hotspots in Apoptosis Process.

PubMed

Alanazi, Ibrahim O; Ebrahimie, Esmaeil

2016-07-01

Novel computational systems biology tools such as common targets analysis, common regulators analysis, pathway discovery, and transcriptomic-based hotspot discovery provide new opportunities in understanding of apoptosis molecular mechanisms. In this study, after measuring the global contribution of microRNAs in the course of apoptosis by Affymetrix platform, systems biology tools were utilized to obtain a comprehensive view on the role of microRNAs in apoptosis process. Network analysis and pathway discovery highlighted the crosstalk between transcription factors and microRNAs in apoptosis. Within the transcription factors, PRDM1 showed the highest upregulation during the course of apoptosis, with more than 9-fold expression increase compared to non-apoptotic condition. Within the microRNAs, MIR1208 showed the highest expression in non-apoptotic condition and downregulated by more than 6 fold during apoptosis. Common regulators algorithm showed that TNF receptor is the key upstream regulator with a high number of regulatory interactions with the differentially expressed microRNAs. BCL2 and AKT1 were the key downstream targets of differentially expressed microRNAs. Enrichment analysis of the genomic locations of differentially expressed microRNAs led us to the discovery of chromosome bands which were highly enriched (p < 0.01) with the apoptosis-related microRNAs, such as 13q31.3, 19p13.13, and Xq27.3 This study opens a new avenue in understanding regulatory mechanisms and downstream functions in the course of apoptosis as well as distinguishing genomic-enriched hotspots for apoptosis process.

Development of the family symptom inventory: a psychosocial screener for children with hematology/oncology conditions.

PubMed

Karlson, Cynthia W; Haynes, Stacey; Faith, Melissa A; Elkin, Thomas D; Smith, Maria L; Megason, Gail

2015-03-01

A growing body of literature has begun to underscore the importance of integrating family-based comprehensive psychological screening into standard medical care for children with oncology and hematology conditions. There are no known family-based measures designed to screen for clinically significant emotional and behavioral concerns in pediatric oncology and hematology patients. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the Family Symptom Inventory (FSI), a brief screener of patient and family member psychological symptoms. The FSI also screens for common comorbid physical symptoms (pain and sleep disturbance) and is designed for use at any point during treatment and follow-up. A total of 488 caregivers completed the FSI during regular hematology/oncology visits for 193 cancer, 219 sickle cell disease, and 76 hematology pediatric patients. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and tests of reliability and preliminary validity were conducted. Exploratory factor analysis suggested a 34-item, 4-factor solution, which was confirmed in an independent sample using confirmatory factor analysis (factor loadings=0.49 to 0.88). The FSI demonstrated good internal reliability (α's=0.86 to 0.92) and good preliminary validity. Regular psychosocial screening throughout the course of treatment and follow-up may lead to improved quality of care for children with oncology and hematology conditions.

Prevalence of Common Mental Disorders and Associated Factors among People with Glaucoma Attending Outpatient Clinic at Menelik II Referral Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Bedasso, Kufa; Bedaso, Asres; Feyera, Fetuma; Gebeyehu, Abebaw; Yohannis, Zegeye

2016-01-01

The burden of blindness from glaucoma is high. Therefore, people suffering from a serious eye disease such as glaucoma, which can lead to blindness, usually have an emotional disturbance on the patient. Untreated psychiatric illness is associated with increased morbidity and increased costs of care. This study aimed to assess prevalence of common mental disorders and associated factors among people with Glaucoma attending Menelik II referral hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2014. Institution based Cross-sectional study design was conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology Menelik II Referral Hospital from April 10 to May 15, 2014. 423 participants who had undergone through investigation, examination and diagnosed as patients of glaucoma were selected randomly from the glaucoma clinic. Data were collected through face to face interview using Self Reporting Questionnaire consisted of 20 items. Study subjects who scored ≥11 from SRQ-20 were considered as having common mental disorders. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis with 95% CI were done and variables with P<0.05 in the final model were identified as independent factors associated with common mental disorders. Four hundred five patients with glaucoma were included in our study with response rate of 95.7% and 64.5% were males. The average age was 59±13.37 years. Common mental disorders were observed in 23.2% of Glaucoma patients. It is quite obvious that levels of CMDs were high among patients with glaucoma. There was a significant association between age, sex, chronic physical illness, income and duration of illness at P < 0.05. Symptoms of common mental disorders were the commonest comorbidities among patients with glaucoma. It will be better to assess and treat Common mental disorders as a separate illness in patients with glaucoma.

Genetic regulation of the variation of circulating insulin-like growth factors and leptin in human pedigrees.

PubMed

Pantsulaia, Ia; Pantsulaia, I; Trofimov, Svetlana; Kobyliansky, Eugene; Livshits, Gregory

2005-07-01

Recent literature has shown that circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and/or IGF binding proteins (IGF-BPs) may be of importance in the risk assessment of several chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus and so on. The present study examined the extent of genetic and environmental influences on the populational variation of circulating IGF-I and IGF-BP-1 in apparently healthy and ethnically homogeneous white families. The plasma levels of each of the studied biochemical indices were determined by enzyme-linked immunoassay in 563 individuals aged 18 to 80 years. Quantitative genetic analysis showed that the IGF-I variation was appreciably attributable to genetic effects (47.1% +/- 9.0%), whereas for IGF-BP-1, only 23.3% +/- 7.8% of the interindividual variation was explained by genetic determinants. Common familial environment factors contributed significantly only to IGF-BP-1 variation (23.3% +/- 7.8%). In addition, we examined the covariations between these molecules and between them and IGF-BP-3 and leptin that were previously studied in the same sample. The analysis revealed that the pleiotropic genetic effects were significant for 2 pairs of traits, namely for IGF-I and IGF-BP-3, and for IGF-BP-1 and leptin. The bivariate heritability estimates were 0.21 +/- 0.04 and 0.15 +/- 0.05. The common environmental factors were consistently a significant source of correlation between all pairs (barring IGF-I and leptin) of the studied molecules; they were the sole predictors of correlation between IGF-I and IGF-BP-1, and between IGF-BP-1 and IGF-BP-3. Our results affirm the existence of specific and common genetic pathways that in combination determine a substantial proportion of the circulating variation of these molecules.

Model Fit and Item Factor Analysis: Overfactoring, Underfactoring, and a Program to Guide Interpretation.

PubMed

Clark, D Angus; Bowles, Ryan P

2018-04-23

In exploratory item factor analysis (IFA), researchers may use model fit statistics and commonly invoked fit thresholds to help determine the dimensionality of an assessment. However, these indices and thresholds may mislead as they were developed in a confirmatory framework for models with continuous, not categorical, indicators. The present study used Monte Carlo simulation methods to investigate the ability of popular model fit statistics (chi-square, root mean square error of approximation, the comparative fit index, and the Tucker-Lewis index) and their standard cutoff values to detect the optimal number of latent dimensions underlying sets of dichotomous items. Models were fit to data generated from three-factor population structures that varied in factor loading magnitude, factor intercorrelation magnitude, number of indicators, and whether cross loadings or minor factors were included. The effectiveness of the thresholds varied across fit statistics, and was conditional on many features of the underlying model. Together, results suggest that conventional fit thresholds offer questionable utility in the context of IFA.

The factor structure of the 12-item general health questionnaire (GHQ-12) in young Chinese civil servants.

PubMed

Liang, Ying; Wang, Lei; Yin, Xican

2016-09-26

The 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) is a commonly used screening instrument for measuring mental disorders. However, few studies have measured the mental health of Chinese professionals or explored the factor structure of the GHQ-12 through investigations of young Chinese civil servants. This study analyses the factor structure of the GHQ-12 on young Chinese civil servants. Respondents include 1051 participants from six cities in eastern China. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) is used to identify the potential factor structure of the GHQ-12. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) models of previous studies are referred to for model fitting. The results indicate the GHQ-12 has very good reliability and validity. All ten CFA models are well fitted with the actual data. All the ten models are feasible and fit the data equally well. The Chinese version of the GHQ-12 is suitable for professional groups and can serve as a screening tool to detect anxiety and psychiatric disorders.

Adaptability and phenotypic stability of common bean genotypes through Bayesian inference.

PubMed

Corrêa, A M; Teodoro, P E; Gonçalves, M C; Barroso, L M A; Nascimento, M; Santos, A; Torres, F E

2016-04-27

This study used Bayesian inference to investigate the genotype x environment interaction in common bean grown in Mato Grosso do Sul State, and it also evaluated the efficiency of using informative and minimally informative a priori distributions. Six trials were conducted in randomized blocks, and the grain yield of 13 common bean genotypes was assessed. To represent the minimally informative a priori distributions, a probability distribution with high variance was used, and a meta-analysis concept was adopted to represent the informative a priori distributions. Bayes factors were used to conduct comparisons between the a priori distributions. The Bayesian inference was effective for the selection of upright common bean genotypes with high adaptability and phenotypic stability using the Eberhart and Russell method. Bayes factors indicated that the use of informative a priori distributions provided more accurate results than minimally informative a priori distributions. According to Bayesian inference, the EMGOPA-201, BAMBUÍ, CNF 4999, CNF 4129 A 54, and CNFv 8025 genotypes had specific adaptability to favorable environments, while the IAPAR 14 and IAC CARIOCA ETE genotypes had specific adaptability to unfavorable environments.

Chloroplast Phylogenomics Indicates that Ginkgo biloba Is Sister to Cycads

PubMed Central

Wu, Chung-Shien; Chaw, Shu-Miaw; Huang, Ya-Yi

2013-01-01

Molecular phylogenetic studies have not yet reached a consensus on the placement of Ginkgoales, which is represented by the only living species, Ginkgo biloba (common name: ginkgo). At least six discrepant placements of ginkgo have been proposed. This study aimed to use the chloroplast phylogenomic approach to examine possible factors that lead to such disagreeing placements. We found the sequence types used in the analyses as the most critical factor in the conflicting placements of ginkgo. In addition, the placement of ginkgo varied in the trees inferred from nucleotide (NU) sequences, which notably depended on breadth of taxon sampling, tree-building methods, codon positions, positions of Gnetopsida (common name: gnetophytes), and including or excluding gnetophytes in data sets. In contrast, the trees inferred from amino acid (AA) sequences congruently supported the monophyly of a ginkgo and Cycadales (common name: cycads) clade, regardless of which factors were examined. Our site-stripping analysis further revealed that the high substitution saturation of NU sequences mainly derived from the third codon positions and contributed to the variable placements of ginkgo. In summary, the factors we surveyed did not affect results inferred from analyses of AA sequences. Congruent topologies in our AA trees give more confidence in supporting the ginkgo–cycad sister-group hypothesis. PMID:23315384

An approach to standardization of urine sediment analysis via suggestion of a common manual protocol.

PubMed

Ko, Dae-Hyun; Ji, Misuk; Kim, Sollip; Cho, Eun-Jung; Lee, Woochang; Yun, Yeo-Min; Chun, Sail; Min, Won-Ki

2016-01-01

The results of urine sediment analysis have been reported semiquantitatively. However, as recent guidelines recommend quantitative reporting of urine sediment, and with the development of automated urine sediment analyzers, there is an increasing need for quantitative analysis of urine sediment. Here, we developed a protocol for urine sediment analysis and quantified the results. Based on questionnaires, various reports, guidelines, and experimental results, we developed a protocol for urine sediment analysis. The results of this new protocol were compared with those obtained with a standardized chamber and an automated sediment analyzer. Reference intervals were also estimated using new protocol. We developed a protocol with centrifugation at 400 g for 5 min, with the average concentration factor of 30. The correlation between quantitative results of urine sediment analysis, the standardized chamber, and the automated sediment analyzer were generally good. The conversion factor derived from the new protocol showed a better fit with the results of manual count than the default conversion factor in the automated sediment analyzer. We developed a protocol for manual urine sediment analysis to quantitatively report the results. This protocol may provide a mean for standardization of urine sediment analysis.

Prevalence and early determinants of common mental disorders in the 1982 birth cohort, Pelotas, Southern Brazil

PubMed Central

Anselmi, Luciana; Barros, Fernando C; Minten, Gicele C; Gigante, Denise P; Horta, Bernardo L; Victora, Cesar G

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE To estimate the prevalence of common mental disorders and assess its association with risk factors in a cohort of young adults. METHODS Cross-sectional study nested in a 1982 birth cohort study conducted in Pelotas, Southern Brazil. In 2004-5, 4,297 subjects were interviewed during home visits. Common mental disorders were assessed using the Self-Report Questionnaire. Risk factors included socioeconomic, demographic, perinatal, and environmental variables. The analysis was stratified by gender and crude and adjusted prevalence ratios were estimated by Poisson regression. RESULTS The overall prevalence of common mental disorders was 28.0%; 32.8% and 23.5% in women and men, respectively. Men and women who were poor in 2004-5, regardless of their poor status in 1982, had nearly 1.5-fold increased risk for common mental disorders (p≤0.001) when compared to those who have never been poor. Among women, being poor during childhood (p≤0.001) and black/mixed skin color (p=0.002) increased the risk for mental disorders. Low birth weight and duration of breastfeeding were not associated to the risk of these disorders. CONCLUSIONS Higher prevalence of common mental disorders among low-income groups and race-ethnic minorities suggests that social inequalities present at birth have a major impact on mental health, especially common mental disorders. PMID:19142342

Overcoming Jealousy: An Experiential Analysis of Common Factors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrell, James J.; Richards, Anne C.

1982-01-01

Investigated key aspects of the experience of jealousy through the recorded experiences of a study group consisting of three males and three females. Results indicated that jealousy is a complex experience which may be accompanied by a variety of negative feelings. Provides suggestions for overcoming jealousy. (RC)

Interrelatedness of Proactive Coping, Reactive Coping, and Learned Resourcefulness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moring, John; Fuhrman, Robert; Zauszniewski, Jaclene A.

2011-01-01

Research has identified that coping strategies used by individuals depend on temporal locations of stressors. Dispositional attributes are also identified as predictors of coping. The current study identified commonalities of proactive coping, reactive coping, and learned resourcefulness measures. The analysis yielded three factors reflective of…

A systematic review of the relationship factor between women and health professionals within the multivariant analysis of maternal satisfaction.

PubMed

Macpherson, Ignacio; Roqué-Sánchez, María V; Legget Bn, Finola O; Fuertes, Ferran; Segarra, Ignacio

2016-10-01

personalised support provided to women by health professionals is one of the prime factors attaining women's satisfaction during pregnancy and childbirth. However the multifactorial nature of 'satisfaction' makes difficult to assess it. Statistical multivariate analysis may be an effective technique to obtain in depth quantitative evidence of the importance of this factor and its interaction with the other factors involved. This technique allows us to estimate the importance of overall satisfaction in its context and suggest actions for healthcare services. systematic review of studies that quantitatively measure the personal relationship between women and healthcare professionals (gynecologists, obstetricians, nurse, midwifes, etc.) regarding maternity care satisfaction. The literature search focused on studies carried out between 1970 and 2014 that used multivariate analyses and included the woman-caregiver relationship as a factor of their analysis. twenty-four studies which applied various multivariate analysis tools to different periods of maternity care (antenatal, perinatal, post partum) were selected. The studies included discrete scale scores and questionnaires from women with low-risk pregnancies. The "personal relationship" factor appeared under various names: care received, personalised treatment, professional support, amongst others. The most common multivariate techniques used to assess the percentage of variance explained and the odds ratio of each factor were principal component analysis and logistic regression. the data, variables and factor analysis suggest that continuous, personalised care provided by the usual midwife and delivered within a family or a specialised setting, generates the highest level of satisfaction. In addition, these factors foster the woman's psychological and physiological recovery, often surpassing clinical action (e.g. medicalization and hospital organization) and/or physiological determinants (e.g. pain, pathologies, etc.). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantifying the heritability of testicular germ cell tumour using both population-based and genomic approaches.

PubMed

Litchfield, Kevin; Thomsen, Hauke; Mitchell, Jonathan S; Sundquist, Jan; Houlston, Richard S; Hemminki, Kari; Turnbull, Clare

2015-09-09

A sizable fraction of testicular germ cell tumour (TGCT) risk is expected to be explained by heritable factors. Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have successfully identified a number of common SNPs associated with TGCT. It is however, unclear how much common variation there is left to be accounted for by other, yet to be identified, common SNPs and what contribution common genetic variation makes to the heritable risk of TGCT. We approached this question using two complimentary analytical techniques. We undertook a population-based analysis of the Swedish family-cancer database, through which we estimated that the heritability of TGCT at 48.9% (CI:47.2%-52.3%). We also applied Genome-Wide Complex Trait Analysis to 922 cases and 4,842 controls to estimate the heritability of TGCT. The heritability explained by known common risk SNPs identified by GWAS was 9.1%, whereas the heritability explained by all common SNPs was 37.4% (CI:27.6%-47.2%). These complementary findings indicate that the known TGCT SNPs only explain a small proportion of the heritability and many additional common SNPs remain to be identified. The data also suggests that a fraction of the heritability of TGCT is likely to be explained by other classes of genetic variation, such as rare disease-causing alleles.

Significance of perioperative infection in survival of patients with ovarian cancer.

PubMed

Matsuo, Koji; Prather, Christina P; Ahn, Edward H; Eno, Michele L; Tierney, Katherine E; Yessaian, Annie A; Im, Dwight D; Rosenshein, Neil B; Roman, Lynda D

2012-02-01

Perioperative infectious diseases comprise some of the most common causes of surgical mortality in women with ovarian cancer. This study was aimed to evaluate the significance of perioperative infections in survival of patients with ovarian cancer. Patients who underwent primary cytoreductive surgery were included in the analysis (n = 276). The enumeration and speciation of pathogens, antimicrobial agents used, and sensitivity assay results were culled from medical records and correlated to clinicopathologic demographics and survival outcomes. Perioperative infection was determined as a positive microbiology result obtained within a 6-week postoperative period. The incidence of perioperative infection was 15.9% (common sites: urinary tract, 57.3%, and surgical wound, 21.4%). Commonly isolated pathogens were Enterococcus species (22.4%) and Escherichia coli (19.4%) in urinary tract infection, and Bacteroides fragilis, E. coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae (all, 16%) in surgical wound infection. Imipenem represents one of the least resistant antimicrobial agents commonly seen in urinary tract and surgical wound infections in our institution. Perioperative infection was associated with diabetes, serous histology, lymph node metastasis, bowel resection, decreased bicarbonate, and elevated serum urea nitrogen in multivariate analysis. Perioperative infections were associated with increased surgical mortality, delay in chemotherapy treatment, decreased chemotherapy response, shorter progression-free survival (median time, 8.4 vs 17.6 months; P < 0.001), and decreased overall survival (29.0 vs 51.8 months; P = 0.011). Multivariate analysis showed that perioperative infections other than urinary tract infection remained a significant risk factor for decreased survival (progression-free survival, P = 0.02; and overall survival, P = 0.019). Perioperative infectious disease comprises an independent risk factor for survival of patients with ovarian cancer.

Genetic analysis of motor milestones attainment in early childhood.

PubMed

Peter, I; Vainder, M; Livshits, G

1999-03-01

The age of attainment for four motor developmental traits, such as turning over, sitting up without support, pulling up to a standing position and walking without support, was examined in 822 children, including 626 siblings from families with 2 to 6 children, 68 pairs of dizygotic twins and 30 pairs of monozygotic twins. Correlation analysis, carried out separately for each type of sibship, showed the highest pairwise correlations in monozygotic twins and the lowest correlation in non-twin siblings for all motor milestones. Variance component analysis was used to decompose the different independent components forming the variation of the studied trait, such as genetic effect, common twin environment, common sib environment and residual factors. The results revealed that the major proportion of the total variance after adjustment for gestation age for the attainment of each motor skill, except pulling up to standing position, is explained by the common twin environment (50.5 to 66.6%), whilst a moderate proportion is explained by additive genetic factors (22.2 to 33.5%). Gestational age was found to be an important predictor of appearance of all motor milestones, affecting delay of 4.5 to 8.6 days for the attainment of the motor abilities for each week of earlier gestation. The age of attainment of the standing position was affected only by shared sibs environment (33.3% of the total variance) and showed no influence of either genetic or common twin environment. Phenotypic between trait correlations were high and significant for all studied traits (range between 0.40 and 0.67, P < 0.01 in all instances). Genetic cross correlations, however, were not easily interpreted and did not show clear variance trends among the different groups of children.

The EP-3E vs. the BAMS UAS: An Operating and Support Cost Comparison

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

Accountability Office HALE High Altitude Long Endurance ISR Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance JCC Joint Architecture...others are very complex high altitude long endurance (HALE) aircraft. However, most share the common need for satellite bandwidth. The DoD plan is...collection sites, and risks as they apply to the BAMS UAS. These factors were not adequately considered in the original O&S analysis . Once the analysis

National Institutes of Health Toolbox Emotion Battery for English- and Spanish-speaking adults: normative data and factor-based summary scores.

PubMed

Babakhanyan, Ida; McKenna, Benjamin S; Casaletto, Kaitlin B; Nowinski, Cindy J; Heaton, Robert K

2018-01-01

The National Institutes of Health Toolbox Emotion Battery (NIHTB-EB) is a "common currency", computerized assessment developed to measure the full spectrum of emotional health. Though comprehensive, the NIHTB-EB's 17 scales may be unwieldy for users aiming to capture more global indices of emotional functioning. NIHTB-EB was administered to 1,036 English-speaking and 408 Spanish-speaking adults as a part of the NIH Toolbox norming project. We examined the factor structure of the NIHTB-EB in English- and Spanish-speaking adults and developed factor analysis-based summary scores. Census-weighted norms were presented for English speakers, and sample-weighted norms were presented for Spanish speakers. Exploratory factor analysis for both English- and Spanish-speaking cohorts resulted in the same 3-factor solution: 1) negative affect, 2) social satisfaction, and 3) psychological well-being. Confirmatory factor analysis supported similar factor structures for English- and Spanish-speaking cohorts. Model fit indices fell within the acceptable/good range, and our final solution was optimal compared to other solutions. Summary scores based upon the normative samples appear to be psychometrically supported and should be applied to clinical samples to further validate the factor structures and investigate rates of problematic emotions in medical and psychiatric populations.

Subscales measuring symptoms of non-specific depression, anhedonia, and anxiety in the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.

PubMed

Tuohy, Alan; McVey, Cynthia

2008-06-01

There has been considerable research and clinical interest in the comorbidity of anxiety and depression in the post-partum period, and specifically in the possibility that the commonly used Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) incorporates an anxiety component. We hypothesized that the recommended version of factor analysis (Fabrigar, Wegener, MacCallum, & Strahan, 1999) would identify such covert dimensions more reliably than the commonly used principal components analysis with varimax rotation and eigenvalues greater than 1. Principal axis factor extraction with parallel analysis and oblique (direct quartimin) factor rotation was applied to the 10 EPDS items. The study used a sample of recent mothers recruited and assessed via e-mail and the Internet (N=440). In addition to the EPDS, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Positive and Negative Affect Scales (PANAS) were also administered. Three factors were found, which were identified as 'non-specific depressive symptoms', 'anhedonia', and 'anxietal symptoms' subscales, respectively. These subscales were regressed on the HADS anxiety and depression and the PANAS positive and negative affectivity scales, with results substantially consistent with current structural models of the taxonomy of the emotional disorders. The data were obtained from a self-selected non-clinical sample. In addition, it is known that the use of computer-based assessment may tend to inflate self-report scores. It was concluded that there is now sufficient evidence that clinicians should not assume the EPDS to be unidimensional, but should assess all three subscales when screening for susceptibility to post-partum depression and/or post-partum anxiety.

Assessing Children's Homework Performance: Development of Multi-Dimensional, Multi-Informant Rating Scales.

PubMed

Power, Thomas J; Dombrowski, Stefan C; Watkins, Marley W; Mautone, Jennifer A; Eagle, John W

2007-06-01

Efforts to develop interventions to improve homework performance have been impeded by limitations in the measurement of homework performance. This study was conducted to develop rating scales for assessing homework performance among students in elementary and middle school. Items on the scales were intended to assess student strengths as well as deficits in homework performance. The sample included 163 students attending two school districts in the Northeast. Parents completed the 36-item Homework Performance Questionnaire - Parent Scale (HPQ-PS). Teachers completed the 22-item teacher scale (HPQ-TS) for each student for whom the HPQ-PS had been completed. A common factor analysis with principal axis extraction and promax rotation was used to analyze the findings. The results of the factor analysis of the HPQ-PS revealed three salient and meaningful factors: student task orientation/efficiency, student competence, and teacher support. The factor analysis of the HPQ-TS uncovered two salient and substantive factors: student responsibility and student competence. The findings of this study suggest that the HPQ is a promising set of measures for assessing student homework functioning and contextual factors that may influence performance. Directions for future research are presented.

Assessing Children’s Homework Performance: Development of Multi-Dimensional, Multi-Informant Rating Scales

PubMed Central

Power, Thomas J.; Dombrowski, Stefan C.; Watkins, Marley W.; Mautone, Jennifer A.; Eagle, John W.

2007-01-01

Efforts to develop interventions to improve homework performance have been impeded by limitations in the measurement of homework performance. This study was conducted to develop rating scales for assessing homework performance among students in elementary and middle school. Items on the scales were intended to assess student strengths as well as deficits in homework performance. The sample included 163 students attending two school districts in the Northeast. Parents completed the 36-item Homework Performance Questionnaire – Parent Scale (HPQ-PS). Teachers completed the 22-item teacher scale (HPQ-TS) for each student for whom the HPQ-PS had been completed. A common factor analysis with principal axis extraction and promax rotation was used to analyze the findings. The results of the factor analysis of the HPQ-PS revealed three salient and meaningful factors: student task orientation/efficiency, student competence, and teacher support. The factor analysis of the HPQ-TS uncovered two salient and substantive factors: student responsibility and student competence. The findings of this study suggest that the HPQ is a promising set of measures for assessing student homework functioning and contextual factors that may influence performance. Directions for future research are presented. PMID:18516211

The psychometric characteristics of the revised depression attitude questionnaire (R-DAQ) in Pakistani medical practitioners: a cross-sectional study of doctors in Lahore.

PubMed

Haddad, Mark; Waqas, Ahmed; Sukhera, Ahmed Bashir; Tarar, Asad Zaman

2017-07-27

Depression is common mental health problem and leading contributor to the global burden of disease. The attitudes and beliefs of the public and of health professionals influence social acceptance and affect the esteem and help-seeking of people experiencing mental health problems. The attitudes of clinicians are particularly relevant to their role in accurately recognising and providing appropriate support and management of depression. This study examines the characteristics of the revised depression attitude questionnaire (R-DAQ) with doctors working in healthcare settings in Lahore, Pakistan. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2015 using the revised depression attitude questionnaire (R-DAQ). A convenience sample of 700 medical practitioners based in six hospitals in Lahore was approached to participate in the survey. The R-DAQ structure was examined using Parallel Analysis from polychoric correlations. Unweighted least squares analysis (ULSA) was used for factor extraction. Model fit was estimated using goodness-of-fit indices and the root mean square of standardized residuals (RMSR), and internal consistency reliability for the overall scale and subscales was assessed using reliability estimates based on Mislevy and Bock (BILOG 3 Item analysis and test scoring with binary logistic models. Mooresville: Scientific Software, 55) and the McDonald's Omega statistic. Findings using this approach were compared with principal axis factor analysis based on Pearson correlation matrix. 601 (86%) of the doctors approached consented to participate in the study. Exploratory factor analysis of R-DAQ scale responses demonstrated the same 3-factor structure as in the UK development study, though analyses indicated removal of 7 of the 22 items because of weak loading or poor model fit. The 3 factor solution accounted for 49.8% of the common variance. Scale reliability and internal consistency were adequate: total scale standardised alpha was 0.694; subscale reliability for professional confidence was 0.732, therapeutic optimism/pessimism was 0.638, and generalist perspective was 0.769. The R-DAQ was developed with a predominantly UK-based sample of health professionals. This study indicates that this scale functions adequately and provides a valid measure of depression attitudes for medical practitioners in Pakistan, with the same factor structure as in the scale development sample. However, optimal scale function necessitated removal of several items, with a 15-item scale enabling the most parsimonious factor solution for this population.

Clinical utility and validity of the Functional Disability Inventory (FDI) among a multicenter sample of youth with chronic pain

PubMed Central

Kashikar-Zuck, Susmita; Flowers, Stacy R.; Claar, Robyn Lewis; Guite, Jessica W.; Logan, Deirdre E.; Lynch-Jordan, Anne M; Palermo, Tonya M.; Wilson, Anna C.

2011-01-01

The Functional Disability Inventory (FDI) is a well-established and commonly used measure of physical functioning and disability in youth with chronic pain. Further validation of the measure has been called for, in particular, examination of the clinical utility and factor structure of the measure. To address this need, we utilized a large multicenter dataset of pediatric patients with chronic pain who had completed the FDI and other measures assessing pain and emotional functioning. Clinical reference points to allow for interpretation of raw scores were developed to enhance clinical utility of the measure and exploratory factor analysis was performed to examine its factor structure. Participants included 1300 youth ages 8 to 18 years (M=14.2 years; 76% female) with chronic pain. Examination of the distribution of FDI scores and validation with measures of depressive symptoms and pain intensity yielded three distinct categories of disability: No/Minimal Disability, Moderate Disability and Severe Disability. Factor analysis of FDI scores revealed a two-factor solution representing vigorous Physical Activities and non-physically strenuous Daily Activities. The three-level classification system and factor structure were further explored via comparison across the four most commonly encountered pain conditions in clinical settings (head, back, abdominal and widespread pain). Our findings provide important new information regarding the clinical utility and validity of the FDI. This will greatly enhance the interpretability of scores for research and clinical use in a wide range of pediatric pain conditions. In particular these findings will facilitate use of the FDI as an outcome measure in future clinical trials. PMID:21458162

Family strengths and the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale: a factor analytic study.

PubMed

Schumm, W R; Bollman, S R; Jurich, A P; Hatch, R C

2001-06-01

20 new items were developed to measure six concepts of family strengths and were administered, along with the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale, to over 266 married subjects as part of a larger survey of current and former members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). A common factor analysis suggested that most of the items were associated with their expected factors, while reliability analyses indicated that most of the scales had acceptable estimates of internal consistency. The marital satisfaction items clearly were associated with their own factor and not other factors, providing support for the unidimensional nature of the Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale and for its construct validity.

Risk Factors for Complications of Traumatic Injuries.

PubMed

de Aguiar Júnior, Wagner; Saleh, Carmen Mohamad Rida; Whitaker, Iveth Yamaguchi

2016-01-01

Complications in hospitalized trauma patients are major causes of morbidity and mortality. The aims of this study were to identify the in-hospital trauma patients' complications and identify the risk factors for complications in this population. A retrospective analysis was conducted in a sample from a Brazilian hospital. The sample consisted of 407 patients, 194 (47.66%) of whom had records of complications. The most common complications were infections (41.80%). The risk factors related to the complications were age, length of hospital stay, external causes, and injury severity. The complications were frequent in this sample, and the risk for complications was characterized by multiple factors.

Internal structure of the Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences-Positive (CAPE-P15) scale: Evidence for a general factor.

PubMed

Núñez, D; Arias, V; Vogel, E; Gómez, L

2015-07-01

Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) are prevalent in the general population and are associated with poor mental health and a higher risk of psychiatric disorders. The Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences-Positive (CAPE-P15) scale is a self-screening questionnaire to address subclinical positive psychotic symptoms (PPEs) in community contexts. Although its psychometric properties seem to be adequate to screen PLEs, further research is needed to evaluate certain validity aspects, particularly its internal structure and its functioning in different populations. To uncover the optimal factor structure of the CAPE-P15 scale in adolescents aged 13 to 18 years using factorial analysis methods suitable to manage categorical variables. A sample of 727 students from six secondary public schools and 245 university students completed the CAPE-P15. The dimensionality of the CAPE-P15 was tested through exploratory structural equation models (ESEMs). Based on the ESEM results, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to contrast two factorial structures that potentially underlie the symptoms described by the scale: a) three correlated factors and b) a hierarchical model composed of a general PLE factor plus three specific factors (persecutory ideation, bizarre experiences, and perceptual abnormalities). The underlying structure of PLEs assessed by the CAPE-P15 is consistent with both multidimensional and hierarchical solutions. However, the latter show the best fit. Our findings reveal the existence of a strong general factor underlying scale scores. Compared with the specific factors, the general factor explains most of the common variance observed in subjects' responses. The findings suggest that the factor structure of subthreshold psychotic experiences addressed by the CAPE-P15 can be adequately represented by a general factor and three separable specific traits, supporting the hypothesis according to which there might be a common source underlying PLEs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Two-Factor Model Better Explains Heterogeneity in Negative Symptoms: Evidence from the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale.

PubMed

Jang, Seon-Kyeong; Choi, Hye-Im; Park, Soohyun; Jaekal, Eunju; Lee, Ga-Young; Cho, Young Il; Choi, Kee-Hong

2016-01-01

Acknowledging separable factors underlying negative symptoms may lead to better understanding and treatment of negative symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia. The current study aimed to test whether the negative symptoms factor (NSF) of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) would be better represented by expressive and experiential deficit factors, rather than by a single factor model, using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Two hundred and twenty individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders completed the PANSS; subsamples additionally completed the Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS) and the Motivation and Pleasure Scale-Self-Report (MAP-SR). CFA results indicated that the two-factor model fit the data better than the one-factor model; however, latent variables were closely correlated. The two-factor model's fit was significantly improved by accounting for correlated residuals between N2 (emotional withdrawal) and N6 (lack of spontaneity and flow of conversation), and between N4 (passive social withdrawal) and G16 (active social avoidance), possibly reflecting common method variance. The two NSF factors exhibited differential patterns of correlation with subdomains of the BNSS and MAP-SR. These results suggest that the PANSS NSF would be better represented by a two-factor model than by a single-factor one, and support the two-factor model's adequate criterion-related validity. Common method variance among several items may be a potential source of measurement error under a two-factor model of the PANSS NSF.

Risk factors for refractive errors in primary school children (6-12 years old) in Nakhon Pathom Province.

PubMed

Yingyong, Penpimol

2010-11-01

Refractive error is one of the leading causes of visual impairment in children. An analysis of risk factors for refractive error is required to reduce and prevent this common eye disease. To identify the risk factors associated with refractive errors in primary school children (6-12 year old) in Nakhon Pathom province. A population-based cross-sectional analytic study was conducted between October 2008 and September 2009 in Nakhon Pathom. Refractive error, parental refractive status, and hours per week of near activities (studying, reading books, watching television, playing with video games, or working on the computer) were assessed in 377 children who participated in this study. The most common type of refractive error in primary school children was myopia. Myopic children were more likely to have parents with myopia. Children with myopia spend more time at near activities. The multivariate odds ratio (95% confidence interval)for two myopic parents was 6.37 (2.26-17.78) and for each diopter-hour per week of near work was 1.019 (1.005-1.033). Multivariate logistic regression models show no confounding effects between parental myopia and near work suggesting that each factor has an independent association with myopia. Statistical analysis by logistic regression revealed that family history of refractive error and hours of near-work were significantly associated with refractive error in primary school children.

Friendship chemistry: An examination of underlying factors☆

PubMed Central

Campbell, Kelly; Holderness, Nicole; Riggs, Matt

2015-01-01

Interpersonal chemistry refers to a connection between two individuals that exists upon first meeting. The goal of the current study is to identify beliefs about the underlying components of friendship chemistry. Individuals respond to an online Friendship Chemistry Questionnaire containing items that are derived from interdependence theory and the friendship formation literature. Participants are randomly divided into two subsamples. A principal axis factor analysis with promax rotation is performed on subsample 1 and produces 5 factors: Reciprocal candor, mutual interest, personableness, similarity, and physical attraction. A confirmatory factor analysis is conducted using subsample 2 and provides support for the 5-factor model. Participants with agreeable, open, and conscientious personalities more commonly report experiencing friendship chemistry, as do those who are female, young, and European/white. Responses from participants who have never experienced chemistry are qualitatively analyzed. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed. PMID:26097283

Restraint Procedures and Challenging Behaviours in Intellectual Disability: An Analysis of Causative Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matson, Johnny L.; Boisjoli, Jessica A.

2009-01-01

Background: Persons with intellectual disability often evince challenging behaviours. Efforts have been underway for some time to develop prosocial or positive skill acquisition treatments to address challenging behaviours. However, physical/mechanical and chemical restraint is still commonly used in many clinical and community settings. Such…

A Balanced Accuracy Fitness Function Leads to Robust Analysis Using Grammatical Evolution Neural Networks in the Case of Class Imbalance

EPA Science Inventory

The identification and characterization of genetic and environmental factors that predict common, complex disease is a major goal of human genetics. The ubiquitous nature of epistatic interaction in the underlying genetic etiology of such disease presents a difficult analytical ...

Career Counseling Process: A Qualitative Analysis of Experts' Cases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whiston, Susan C.; Lindeman, Dawn; Rahardja, Daryn; Reed, Jordan H.

2005-01-01

A consensual qualitative research methodology was used to analyze the career counseling cases of 12 noted vocational psychologists to identify common themes and factors. The findings indicated that the career counseling described by these experts often involved the same counseling or helping skills found in personal counseling or psychotherapy.…

Some Statistics for Assessing Person-Fit Based on Continuous-Response Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferrando, Pere Joan

2010-01-01

This article proposes several statistics for assessing individual fit based on two unidimensional models for continuous responses: linear factor analysis and Samejima's continuous response model. Both models are approached using a common framework based on underlying response variables and are formulated at the individual level as fixed regression…

Common Sense Planning for a Computer, or, What's It Worth to You?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawford, Walt

1984-01-01

Suggests factors to be considered in planning for the purchase of a microcomputer, including budgets, benefits, costs, and decisions. Major uses of a personal computer are described--word processing, financial analysis, file and database management, programming and computer literacy, education, entertainment, and thrill of high technology. (EJS)

Therapist Effects on Functional Analysis Outcomes with Young Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huete, John M.; Kurtz, Patricia F.

2010-01-01

Analog functional analyses (FAs) are commonly used to assess factors that maintain problem behavior of individuals with intellectual disabilities. These analyses are usually conducted by trained staff in clinic settings. However, recent research suggests that FAs conducted by unfamiliar individuals, such as hospital or clinic staff, may result in…

Improving Education in Confucian Countries through Analysis of Organizational Challenges, Leadership, and Responsibilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schenck, Andrew D.

2015-01-01

While common philosophical foundations influence instruction and leadership in East Asian nations, variable historical factors also significantly impact education within these countries. The current study was designed to holistically examine educational systems in different Confucian contexts, so that contemporary issues and necessary reforms may…

Expert Reflections on Effective Online Instruction: Importance of Course Content

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Michael; Jonick, Christine; Langub, Lee Woodham

2015-01-01

This study seeks to identify common factors that leaders in online instruction consider most critical to successful teaching and learning at a distance. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of the teaching philosophy narratives of the nominees for the "University System of Georgia Regents' Teaching Excellence Award for Online…

Low plasma eicosapentaenoic acid concentration as a possible risk factor for intracerebral hemorrhage.

PubMed

Ikeya, Yoshimori; Fukuyama, Naoto; Mori, Hidezo

2015-03-01

N-3 fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), prevent ischemic stroke. The preventive effect has been attributed to an antithrombic effect induced by elevated EPA and reduced arachidonic acid (AA) levels. However, the relationship between intracranial hemorrhage and N-3 fatty acids has not yet been elucidated. In this cross-sectional study, we compared common clinical and lifestyle parameters between 70 patients with intracranial hemorrhages and 66 control subjects. The parameters included blood chemistry data, smoking, alcohol intake, fish consumption, and the incidences of underlying diseases. The comparisons were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test followed by multiple logistic regression analysis. Nonparametric tests revealed that the 70 patients with intracerebral hemorrhages exhibited significantly higher diastolic blood pressures and alcohol intakes and lower body mass indices, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels, EPA concentrations, EPA/AA ratios, and vegetable consumption compared with the 66 control subjects. A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that higher diastolic blood pressure and alcohol intake and lower body mass index, HDL cholesterol, EPA/AA ratio, and vegetable consumption were relative risk factors for intracerebral hemorrhage. High HDL cholesterol was a common risk factor in both of the sex-segregated subgroups and the <65-year-old subgroup. However, neither EPA nor the EPA/AA ratio was a risk factor in these subgroups. Eicosapentaenoic acid was relative risk factor only in the ≥65-year-old subgroup. Rather than higher EPA levels, lower EPA concentrations and EPA/AA ratios were found to be risk factors for intracerebral hemorrhage in addition to previously known risk factors such as blood pressure, alcohol consumption, and lifestyle. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cluster analysis of spontaneous preterm birth phenotypes identifies potential associations among preterm birth mechanisms.

PubMed

Esplin, M Sean; Manuck, Tracy A; Varner, Michael W; Christensen, Bryce; Biggio, Joseph; Bukowski, Radek; Parry, Samuel; Zhang, Heping; Huang, Hao; Andrews, William; Saade, George; Sadovsky, Yoel; Reddy, Uma M; Ilekis, John

2015-09-01

We sought to use an innovative tool that is based on common biologic pathways to identify specific phenotypes among women with spontaneous preterm birth (SPTB) to enhance investigators' ability to identify and to highlight common mechanisms and underlying genetic factors that are responsible for SPTB. We performed a secondary analysis of a prospective case-control multicenter study of SPTB. All cases delivered a preterm singleton at SPTB ≤34.0 weeks' gestation. Each woman was assessed for the presence of underlying SPTB causes. A hierarchic cluster analysis was used to identify groups of women with homogeneous phenotypic profiles. One of the phenotypic clusters was selected for candidate gene association analysis with the use of VEGAS software. One thousand twenty-eight women with SPTB were assigned phenotypes. Hierarchic clustering of the phenotypes revealed 5 major clusters. Cluster 1 (n = 445) was characterized by maternal stress; cluster 2 (n = 294) was characterized by premature membrane rupture; cluster 3 (n = 120) was characterized by familial factors, and cluster 4 (n = 63) was characterized by maternal comorbidities. Cluster 5 (n = 106) was multifactorial and characterized by infection (INF), decidual hemorrhage (DH), and placental dysfunction (PD). These 3 phenotypes were correlated highly by χ(2) analysis (PD and DH, P < 2.2e-6; PD and INF, P = 6.2e-10; INF and DH, (P = .0036). Gene-based testing identified the INS (insulin) gene as significantly associated with cluster 3 of SPTB. We identified 5 major clusters of SPTB based on a phenotype tool and hierarch clustering. There was significant correlation between several of the phenotypes. The INS gene was associated with familial factors that were underlying SPTB. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Finding common ground: perspectives on community-based childhood obesity prevention.

PubMed

Porter, Christine M; Pelletier, David L

2012-11-01

To support successful and inclusive community organizing for childhood obesity prevention, this research identified stakeholder perspectives on what communities should do to prevent childhood obesity. It employed factor analysis on statement sorts (Q methodology) conducted by 95 people in an upstate New York community. These participants sorted 36 statements about the issue by how much he or she agreed or disagreed with each. Participants were recruited through strategic snowball sampling to sample a variety of perspectives. The four resulting factors, or perspectives, were interpreted in the context of presort demographic surveys and postsort interviews. This research found one stance that fits the environmental perspective common in public health. The other three factors indicate important variations among perspectives centered on individual responsibility, ranging from libertarian to technocratic views. However, overall, results revealed a substantial degree of agreement among the four perspectives, including on providing access to family activities and on making fruits and vegetables more available and affordable, for example, through subsidies. This article points to common ground for community action on childhood obesity prevention, highlights areas likely to generate considerable contention, and shows whose views are not being accounted for in, at least, this community's childhood obesity prevention project.

Identifying Items to Assess Methodological Quality in Physical Therapy Trials: A Factor Analysis

PubMed Central

Cummings, Greta G.; Fuentes, Jorge; Saltaji, Humam; Ha, Christine; Chisholm, Annabritt; Pasichnyk, Dion; Rogers, Todd

2014-01-01

Background Numerous tools and individual items have been proposed to assess the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The frequency of use of these items varies according to health area, which suggests a lack of agreement regarding their relevance to trial quality or risk of bias. Objective The objectives of this study were: (1) to identify the underlying component structure of items and (2) to determine relevant items to evaluate the quality and risk of bias of trials in physical therapy by using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Design A methodological research design was used, and an EFA was performed. Methods Randomized controlled trials used for this study were randomly selected from searches of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Two reviewers used 45 items gathered from 7 different quality tools to assess the methodological quality of the RCTs. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using the principal axis factoring (PAF) method followed by varimax rotation. Results Principal axis factoring identified 34 items loaded on 9 common factors: (1) selection bias; (2) performance and detection bias; (3) eligibility, intervention details, and description of outcome measures; (4) psychometric properties of the main outcome; (5) contamination and adherence to treatment; (6) attrition bias; (7) data analysis; (8) sample size; and (9) control and placebo adequacy. Limitation Because of the exploratory nature of the results, a confirmatory factor analysis is needed to validate this model. Conclusions To the authors' knowledge, this is the first factor analysis to explore the underlying component items used to evaluate the methodological quality or risk of bias of RCTs in physical therapy. The items and factors represent a starting point for evaluating the methodological quality and risk of bias in physical therapy trials. Empirical evidence of the association among these items with treatment effects and a confirmatory factor analysis of these results are needed to validate these items. PMID:24786942

Identifying items to assess methodological quality in physical therapy trials: a factor analysis.

PubMed

Armijo-Olivo, Susan; Cummings, Greta G; Fuentes, Jorge; Saltaji, Humam; Ha, Christine; Chisholm, Annabritt; Pasichnyk, Dion; Rogers, Todd

2014-09-01

Numerous tools and individual items have been proposed to assess the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The frequency of use of these items varies according to health area, which suggests a lack of agreement regarding their relevance to trial quality or risk of bias. The objectives of this study were: (1) to identify the underlying component structure of items and (2) to determine relevant items to evaluate the quality and risk of bias of trials in physical therapy by using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). A methodological research design was used, and an EFA was performed. Randomized controlled trials used for this study were randomly selected from searches of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Two reviewers used 45 items gathered from 7 different quality tools to assess the methodological quality of the RCTs. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using the principal axis factoring (PAF) method followed by varimax rotation. Principal axis factoring identified 34 items loaded on 9 common factors: (1) selection bias; (2) performance and detection bias; (3) eligibility, intervention details, and description of outcome measures; (4) psychometric properties of the main outcome; (5) contamination and adherence to treatment; (6) attrition bias; (7) data analysis; (8) sample size; and (9) control and placebo adequacy. Because of the exploratory nature of the results, a confirmatory factor analysis is needed to validate this model. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first factor analysis to explore the underlying component items used to evaluate the methodological quality or risk of bias of RCTs in physical therapy. The items and factors represent a starting point for evaluating the methodological quality and risk of bias in physical therapy trials. Empirical evidence of the association among these items with treatment effects and a confirmatory factor analysis of these results are needed to validate these items. © 2014 American Physical Therapy Association.

The 50 Most Cited Articles in Invasive Neuromodulation.

PubMed

Ward, Max; Doran, Joseph; Paskhover, Boris; Mammis, Antonios

2018-06-01

Bibliometric analysis is a commonly used analytic tool for objective determination of the most influential and peer-recognized articles within a given field. This study is the first bibliometric analysis of the literature in the field of invasive neuromodulation, excluding deep brain stimulation. The objectives of this study are to identify the 50 most cited articles in invasive neuromodulation, provide an overview of the literature to assist in clinical education, and evaluate the effect of impact factor on manuscript recognition. Bibliometric analysis was performed using the Science Citation Index from the Institute for Scientific Information, accessed through the Web of Science. Search terms relevant to the field of invasive neuromodulation were used to identify the 50 most cited journal articles between 1900 and 2016. The median number of citations was 236 (range, 173-578). The most common topics among the articles were vagus nerve stimulation (n = 24), spinal cord stimulation (n = 9), and motor cortex stimulation (n = 6). Median journal impact factor was 5.57. Most of these articles (n = 19) contained level I, II, or III evidence. This analysis provides a brief look into the most cited articles within the field, many of which evaluated innovated procedures and therapies that helped to drive surgical neuromodulation forward. These landmark articles contain vital clinical and educational information that remains relevant to clinicians and students within the field and provide insight into areas of expanding research. Journal impact factor may play a significant role in determining the literary relevance and general awareness of invasive neuromodulation studies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Female Sexual Orientation, Childhood Gender Typicality and Adult Gender Identity

PubMed Central

Burri, Andrea; Cherkas, Lynn; Spector, Timothy; Rahman, Qazi

2011-01-01

Background Human sexual orientation is influenced by genetic and non-shared environmental factors as are two important psychological correlates – childhood gender typicality (CGT) and adult gender identity (AGI). However, researchers have been unable to resolve the genetic and non-genetic components that contribute to the covariation between these traits, particularly in women. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we performed a multivariate genetic analysis in a large sample of British female twins (N = 4,426) who completed a questionnaire assessing sexual attraction, CGT and AGI. Univariate genetic models indicated modest genetic influences on sexual attraction (25%), AGI (11%) and CGT (31%). For the multivariate analyses, a common pathway model best fitted the data. Conclusions/Significance This indicated that a single latent variable influenced by a genetic component and common non-shared environmental component explained the association between the three traits but there was substantial measurement error. These findings highlight common developmental factors affecting differences in sexual orientation. PMID:21760939

Quantifying the Strength of General Factors in Psychopathology: A Comparison of CFA with Maximum Likelihood Estimation, BSEM, and ESEM/EFA Bifactor Approaches.

PubMed

Murray, Aja Louise; Booth, Tom; Eisner, Manuel; Obsuth, Ingrid; Ribeaud, Denis

2018-05-22

Whether or not importance should be placed on an all-encompassing general factor of psychopathology (or p factor) in classifying, researching, diagnosing, and treating psychiatric disorders depends (among other issues) on the extent to which comorbidity is symptom-general rather than staying largely within the confines of narrower transdiagnostic factors such as internalizing and externalizing. In this study, we compared three methods of estimating p factor strength. We compared omega hierarchical and explained common variance calculated from confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) bifactor models with maximum likelihood (ML) estimation, from exploratory structural equation modeling/exploratory factor analysis models with a bifactor rotation, and from Bayesian structural equation modeling (BSEM) bifactor models. Our simulation results suggested that BSEM with small variance priors on secondary loadings might be the preferred option. However, CFA with ML also performed well provided secondary loadings were modeled. We provide two empirical examples of applying the three methodologies using a normative sample of youth (z-proso, n = 1,286) and a university counseling sample (n = 359).

Heritabilities of Facial Measurements and Their Latent Factors in Korean Families

PubMed Central

Kim, Hyun-Jin; Im, Sun-Wha; Jargal, Ganchimeg; Lee, Siwoo; Yi, Jae-Hyuk; Park, Jeong-Yeon; Sung, Joohon; Cho, Sung-Il; Kim, Jong-Yeol; Kim, Jong-Il; Seo, Jeong-Sun

2013-01-01

Genetic studies on facial morphology targeting healthy populations are fundamental in understanding the specific genetic influences involved; yet, most studies to date, if not all, have been focused on congenital diseases accompanied by facial anomalies. To study the specific genetic cues determining facial morphology, we estimated familial correlations and heritabilities of 14 facial measurements and 3 latent factors inferred from a factor analysis in a subset of the Korean population. The study included a total of 229 individuals from 38 families. We evaluated a total of 14 facial measurements using 2D digital photographs. We performed factor analysis to infer common latent variables. The heritabilities of 13 facial measurements were statistically significant (p < 0.05) and ranged from 0.25 to 0.61. Of these, the heritability of intercanthal width in the orbital region was found to be the highest (h2 = 0.61, SE = 0.14). Three factors (lower face portion, orbital region, and vertical length) were obtained through factor analysis, where the heritability values ranged from 0.45 to 0.55. The heritability values for each factor were higher than the mean heritability value of individual original measurements. We have confirmed the genetic influence on facial anthropometric traits and suggest a potential way to categorize and analyze the facial portions into different groups. PMID:23843774

Immunoglobulin E and Mast Cell Proteases Are Potential Risk Factors of Human Pre-Diabetes and Diabetes Mellitus

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhen; Zhang, Hong; Shen, Xu-Hui; Jin, Kui-Li; Ye, Guo-fen; Qian, Li; Li, Bo; Zhang, Yong-Hong; Shi, Guo-Ping

2011-01-01

Background Recent studies have suggested that mast-cell activation and inflammation are important in obesity and diabetes. Plasma levels of mast cell proteases and the mast cell activator immunoglobulin E (IgE) may serve as novel inflammatory markers that associate with the risk of pre-diabetes and diabetes mellitus. Methods and Results A total of 340 subjects 55 to 75 years of age were grouped according to the American Diabetes Association 2003 criteria of normal glucose tolerance, pre-diabetes, and diabetes mellitus. The Kruskal-Wallis test demonstrated significant differences in plasma IgE levels (P = 0.008) among groups with different glucose tolerance status. Linear regression analysis revealed significant correlations between plasma levels of chymase (P = 0.030) or IgE (P = 0.022) and diabetes mellitus. Ordinal logistic regression analysis showed that IgE was a significant risk factor of pre-diabetes and diabetes mellitus (odds ratio [OR]: 1.674, P = 0.034). After adjustment for common diabetes risk factors, including age, sex, hypertension, body-mass index, cholesterol, homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) index, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and mast cell chymase and tryptase, IgE remained a significant risk factor (OR: 1.866, P = 0.015). Two-variable ordinal logistic analysis indicated that interactions between hs-CRP and IgE, or between IgE and chymase, increased further the risks of developing pre-diabetes and diabetes mellitus before (OR: 2.204, P = 0.044; OR: 2.479, P = 0.033) and after (OR: 2.251, P = 0.040; OR: 2.594, P = 0.026) adjustment for common diabetes risk factors. Conclusions Both IgE and chymase associate with diabetes status. While IgE and hs-CRP are individual risk factors of pre-diabetes and diabetes mellitus, interactions of IgE with hs-CRP or with chymase further increased the risk of pre-diabetes and diabetes mellitus. PMID:22194960

Factors determining access to oral health services among children aged less than 12 years in Peru.

PubMed

Azañedo, Diego; Hernández-Vásquez, Akram; Casas-Bendezú, Mixsi; Gutiérrez, César; Agudelo-Suárez, Andrés A; Cortés, Sandra

2017-01-01

Background: Understanding problems of access to oral health services requires knowledge of factors that determine access. This study aimed to evaluate factors that determine access to oral health services among children aged <12 years in Peru between 2014 and 2015. Methods: We performed a secondary data analysis of 71,614 Peruvian children aged <12 years and their caregivers. Data were obtained from the Survey on Demography and Family Health 2014-2015 (Encuesta Demográfica y de Salud Familiar - ENDES). Children's access to oral health services within the previous 6 months was used as the dependent variable (i.e. Yes/No), and the Andersen and col model was used to select independent variables. Predisposing (e.g., language spoken by  tutor or guardian, wealth level, caregivers' educational level, area of residence, natural region of residence, age, and sex) and enabling factors (e.g. type of health insurance) were considered. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and multivariate analysis was performed using generalized linear models (Poisson family). Results: Of all the children, 51% were males, 56% were aged <5 years, and 62.6% lived in urban areas. The most common type of health insurance was Integral Health Insurance (57.8%), and most respondents were in the first quintile of wealth (31.6%). Regarding caregivers, the most common educational level was high school (43.02%) and the most frequently spoken language was Spanish (88.4%). Univariate analysis revealed that all variables, except sex and primary educational level, were statistically significant. After adjustment, sex, area of residence, and language were insignificant, whereas the remaining variables were statistically significant. Conclusions: Wealth index, caregivers' education level, natural region of residence, age, and type of health insurance are factors that determine access to oral health services among children aged <12 years in Peru. These factors should be considered when devising strategies to mitigate against inequities in access to oral health services.

Factors determining access to oral health services among children aged less than 12 years in Peru

PubMed Central

Azañedo, Diego; Hernández-Vásquez, Akram; Casas-Bendezú, Mixsi; Gutiérrez, César; Agudelo-Suárez, Andrés A.; Cortés, Sandra

2017-01-01

Background: Understanding problems of access to oral health services requires knowledge of factors that determine access. This study aimed to evaluate factors that determine access to oral health services among children aged <12 years in Peru between 2014 and 2015. Methods: We performed a secondary data analysis of 71,614 Peruvian children aged <12 years and their caregivers. Data were obtained from the Survey on Demography and Family Health 2014-2015 (Encuesta Demográfica y de Salud Familiar - ENDES). Children’s access to oral health services within the previous 6 months was used as the dependent variable (i.e. Yes/No), and the Andersen and col model was used to select independent variables. Predisposing (e.g., language spoken by  tutor or guardian, wealth level, caregivers’ educational level, area of residence, natural region of residence, age, and sex) and enabling factors (e.g. type of health insurance) were considered. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and multivariate analysis was performed using generalized linear models (Poisson family). Results: Of all the children, 51% were males, 56% were aged <5 years, and 62.6% lived in urban areas. The most common type of health insurance was Integral Health Insurance (57.8%), and most respondents were in the first quintile of wealth (31.6%). Regarding caregivers, the most common educational level was high school (43.02%) and the most frequently spoken language was Spanish (88.4%). Univariate analysis revealed that all variables, except sex and primary educational level, were statistically significant. After adjustment, sex, area of residence, and language were insignificant, whereas the remaining variables were statistically significant. Conclusions: Wealth index, caregivers’ education level, natural region of residence, age, and type of health insurance are factors that determine access to oral health services among children aged <12 years in Peru. These factors should be considered when devising strategies to mitigate against inequities in access to oral health services. PMID:29527289

Determining Smoking Cessation Related Information, Motivation, and Behavioral Skills among Opiate Dependent Smokers in Methadone Treatment.

PubMed

Cooperman, Nina A; Richter, Kimber P; Bernstein, Steven L; Steinberg, Marc L; Williams, Jill M

2015-04-01

Over 80% of people in methadone treatment smoke cigarettes, and existing smoking cessation interventions have been minimally effective. To develop an Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) Model of behavior change based smoking cessation intervention for methadone maintained smokers, we examined smoking cessation related IMB factors in this population. Current or former smokers in methadone treatment (n = 35) participated in focus groups. Ten methadone clinic counselors participated in an individual interview. A content analysis was conducted using deductive and inductive approaches. Commonly known IMB factors related to smoking cessation were described. These factors included: the health effects of smoking and treatment options for quitting (information); pregnancy and cost of cigarettes (motivators); and coping with emotions, finding social support, and pharmacotherapy adherence (behavioral skills). IMB factors specific to methadone maintained smokers were also described. These factors included: the relationship between quitting smoking and drug relapse (information), the belief that smoking is the same as using drugs (motivator); and coping with methadone clinic culture and applying skills used to quit drugs to quitting smoking (behavioral skills). IMB strengths and deficits varied by individual. Methadone maintained smokers could benefit from research on an IMB Model based smoking cessation intervention that is individualized, addresses IMB factors common among all smokers, and also addresses IMB factors unique to this population.

Common Cause Case Study: An Estimated Probability of Four Solid Rocket Booster Hold-down Post Stud Hang-ups

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cross, Robert

2005-01-01

Until Solid Rocket Motor ignition, the Space Shuttle is mated to the Mobil Launch Platform in part via eight (8) Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) hold-down bolts. The bolts are fractured using redundant pyrotechnics, and are designed to drop through a hold-down post on the Mobile Launch Platform before the Space Shuttle begins movement. The Space Shuttle program has experienced numerous failures where a bolt has "hung-up." That is, it did not clear the hold-down post before liftoff and was caught by the SRBs. This places an additional structural load on the vehicle that was not included in the original certification requirements. The Space Shuttle is currently being certified to withstand the loads induced by up to three (3) of eight (8) SRB hold-down post studs experiencing a "hang-up." The results af loads analyses performed for four (4) stud-hang ups indicate that the internal vehicle loads exceed current structural certification limits at several locations. To determine the risk to the vehicle from four (4) stud hang-ups, the likelihood of the scenario occurring must first be evaluated. Prior to the analysis discussed in this paper, the likelihood of occurrence had been estimated assuming that the stud hang-ups were completely independent events. That is, it was assumed that no common causes or factors existed between the individual stud hang-up events. A review of the data associated with the hang-up events, showed that a common factor (timing skew) was present. This paper summarizes a revised likelihood evaluation performed for the four (4) stud hang-ups case considering that there are common factors associated with the stud hang-ups. The results show that explicitly (i.e. not using standard common cause methodologies such as beta factor or Multiple Greek Letter modeling) taking into account the common factor of timing skew results in an increase in the estimated likelihood of four (4) stud hang-ups of an order of magnitude over the independent failure case.

Common Cause Case Study: An Estimated Probability of Four Solid Rocket Booster Hold-Down Post Stud Hang-ups

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cross, Robert

2005-01-01

Until Solid Rocket Motor ignition, the Space Shuttle is mated to the Mobil Launch Platform in part via eight (8) Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) hold-down bolts. The bolts are fractured using redundant pyrotechnics, and are designed to drop through a hold-down post on the Mobile Launch Platform before the Space Shuttle begins movement. The Space Shuttle program has experienced numerous failures where a bolt has hung up. That is, it did not clear the hold-down post before liftoff and was caught by the SRBs. This places an additional structural load on the vehicle that was not included in the original certification requirements. The Space Shuttle is currently being certified to withstand the loads induced by up to three (3) of eight (8) SRB hold-down experiencing a "hang-up". The results of loads analyses performed for (4) stud hang-ups indicate that the internal vehicle loads exceed current structural certification limits at several locations. To determine the risk to the vehicle from four (4) stud hang-ups, the likelihood of the scenario occurring must first be evaluated. Prior to the analysis discussed in this paper, the likelihood of occurrence had been estimated assuming that the stud hang-ups were completely independent events. That is, it was assumed that no common causes or factors existed between the individual stud hang-up events. A review of the data associated with the hang-up events, showed that a common factor (timing skew) was present. This paper summarizes a revised likelihood evaluation performed for the four (4) stud hang-ups case considering that there are common factors associated with the stud hang-ups. The results show that explicitly (i.e. not using standard common cause methodologies such as beta factor or Multiple Greek Letter modeling) taking into account the common factor of timing skew results in an increase in the estimated likelihood of four (4) stud hang-ups of an order of magnitude over the independent failure case.

Multinational Operations and Small Nations: Implications and Considerations in Lithuanian Perspective

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-06-17

foreign policy (Putnam 2003). Additionally, Kenneth N. Waltz in his book, Theory of International Politics, asserts that states, according to the strength...is another important factor in neorealist analysis. Kenneth N. Waltz in his book, Man, the State and War: A Theoretical Analysis, argues that a state...common operational picture, as well as flexible and secure command and control and sensors and shooters , has slowed the US military’s ability to operate

Structure-Based Design of Molecules to Reactivate Tumor-Derived p53 Mutations

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

cluster in conserved regions or “hot spots” (Hainaut and Hollstein, 2000). Missense mutations leading to amino acid changes are the most common p53...domain stabilization compounds. Analysis of the residue-specific temperature factors of the high resolution core domain structure, coupled with a...second scoring results, 13 compounds (10 from the SPECS database and 3 from the TimTec database) were selected for further analysis using solution

Validation of the burns itch questionnaire.

PubMed

Van Loey, N E; Hofland, H W; Hendrickx, H; Van de Steenoven, J; Boekelaar, A; Nieuwenhuis, M K

2016-05-01

Itch (pruritus) is a common multidimensional complaint after burn that can persist for months to years. A questionnaire able to investigate itch and its consequences is imperative for clinical and research purposes. The current study investigated the factor structure, internal consistency and construct validity of the Burns Itch Questionnaire (BIQ), a questionnaire particularly focusing on itch in the burns population. The BIQ was completed by 195 respondents at 3 months after burn. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed to investigate the factor structure. EFA showed the BIQ comprised three latent factors: itch severity, sleep interference and daily life interference. This was re-evaluated in a confirmatory factor analysis that yielded good fit indices after removing two items. The three subscales showed to have high internal consistency (.89) and were able to distinguish between patients with severe and less severe complaints. In conclusion, the BIQ showed to be useful in persons suffering from itch following burns. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Wagering the future: Cognitive distortions, impulsivity, delay discounting, and time perspective in adolescent gambling.

PubMed

Cosenza, Marina; Nigro, Giovanna

2015-12-01

This study investigated the relationship of cognitive distortions, self-reported impulsivity, delay discounting, and time perspective to gambling severity in Italian adolescents. One thousand and thirty high school students were administered the South Oaks Gambling Screen Revised for Adolescents (SOGS-RA), the Gambling Related Cognitions Scale (GRCS), the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), the Monetary Choice Questionnaire (MCQ), and the Consideration of Future Consequences Scale (CFC-14). A factor analysis, used to evaluate common factors assessed by the different measures, revealed a three-factor structure of Cognitive distortions, Impulsive present orientation, and Delay discounting. The results of regression analysis using factor scores showed that males scored higher than females on the SOGS-RA and that gambling severity correlated positively with high scores on the three factors. These results indicate that cognitive distortions associated with gambling are a powerful predictor of gambling severity, and that adolescent gamblers are impaired in their abilities to think about the future. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Leuconostoc strains isolated from dairy products: Response against food stress conditions.

PubMed

D'Angelo, Luisa; Cicotello, Joaquín; Zago, Miriam; Guglielmotti, Daniela; Quiberoni, Andrea; Suárez, Viviana

2017-09-01

A systematic study about the intrinsic resistance of 29 strains (26 autochthonous and 3 commercial ones), belonging to Leuconostoc genus, against diverse stress factors (thermal, acidic, alkaline, osmotic and oxidative) commonly present at industrial or conservation processes were evaluated. Exhaustive result processing was made by applying one-way ANOVA, Student's test (t), multivariate analysis by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Matrix Hierarchical Cluster Analysis. In addition, heat adaptation on 4 strains carefully selected based on previous data analysis was assayed. The strains revealed wide diversity of resistance to stress factors and, in general, a clear relationship between resistance and Leuconostoc species was established. In this sense, the highest resistance was shown by Leuconostoc lactis followed by Leuconostoc mesenteroides strains, while Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides and Leuconostoc citreum strains revealed the lowest resistance to the stress factors applied. Heat adaptation improved thermal cell survival and resulted in a cross-resistance against the acidic factor. However, all adapted cells showed diminished their oxidative resistance. According to our knowledge, this is the first study regarding response of Leuconostoc strains against technological stress factors and could establish the basis for the selection of "more robust" strains and propose the possibility of improving their performance during industrial processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Food allergen sensitization in young children with typical signs and symptoms of immediate-type food allergies: a comparison between monosensitized and polysensitized children.

PubMed

Kim, Na Yeon; Kim, Ga Ram; Kim, Joon Hwan; Baek, Ji Hyeon; Yoon, Jung Won; Jee, Hye Mi; Baek, Hye Sung; Jung, Yong Ho; Choi, Sun Hee; Kim, Ki Eun; Shin, Youn Ho; Yum, Hye Yung; Han, Man Yong; Kim, Kyu-Earn

2015-09-01

The clinical interpretation of children sensitized to allergens is challenging, particularly in children with food allergies. We aimed to examine clinical differences between children with monosensitization and those with polysensitization to common food allergens and to determine risk factors for polysensitization in young children <10 years of age with immediate-type food allergies. The study included children <10 years of age with signs and symptoms indicative of immediate-type food allergies. Serum total IgE level was measured, and ImmunoCAP analysis for food allergens was performed. The mean age of the study subjects was 1.6±1.6 years (75 boys and 51 girls). Thirty-eight children (30.2%) were monosensitized and 88 children (69.8%) were polysensitized. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the development of polysensitization to common food allergens was positively associated with a parental history of allergic rhinitis (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 6.28; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.78-22.13; P=0.004), season of birth (summer/fall) (aOR, 3.10; 95% CI, 1.10-8.79; P=0.033), and exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months of age (aOR, 3.51; 95% CI, 1.20-10.25; P=0.022). We found significant clinical differences between children with monosensitization and those with polysensitization to common food allergens and identified risk factors for the development of polysensitization in young children with immediate-type food allergies. Clinicians should consider these clinical risk factors when evaluating, counseling, treating, and monitoring young children with food allergies.

Genetic analysis of QTL for eye cross and eye diameter in common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) using microsatellites and SNPs.

PubMed

Jin, S B; Zhang, X F; Lu, J G; Fu, H T; Jia, Z Y; Sun, X W

2015-04-17

A group of 107 F1 hybrid common carp was used to construct a linkage map using JoinMap 4.0. A total of 4877 microsatellite and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers isolated from a genomic library (978 microsatellite and 3899 SNP markers) were assigned to construct the genetic map, which comprised 50 linkage groups. The total length of the linkage map for the common carp was 4775.90 cM with an average distance between markers of 0.98 cM. Ten quantitative trait loci (QTL) were associated with eye diameter, corresponding to 10.5-57.2% of the total phenotypic variation. Twenty QTL were related to eye cross, contributing to 10.8-36.9% of the total phenotypic variation. Two QTL for eye diameter and four QTL for eye cross each accounted for more than 20% of the total phenotypic variation and were considered to be major QTL. One growth factor related to eye diameter was observed on LG10 of the common carp genome, and three growth factors related to eye cross were observed on LG10, LG35, and LG44 of the common carp genome. The significant positive relationship of eye cross and eye diameter with other commercial traits suggests that eye diameter and eye cross can be used to assist in indirect selection for many commercial traits, particularly body weight. Thus, the growth factor for eye cross may also contribute to the growth of body weight, implying that aggregate breeding could have multiple effects. These findings provide information for future genetic studies and breeding of common carp.

Biomechanical Factors Associated With Jump Height: A Comparison of Cross-Sectional and Pre-to-Posttraining Change Findings.

PubMed

Marshall, Brendan M; Moran, Kieran A

2015-12-01

Previous studies investigating the biomechanical factors associated with maximal countermovement jump height have typically used cross-sectional data. An alternative but less common approach is to use pre-to-posttraining change data, where the relationship between an improvement in jump height and a change in a factor is examined more directly. Our study compared the findings of these approaches. Such an evaluation is necessary because cross-sectional studies are currently a primary source of information for coaches when examining what factors to train to enhance performance. The countermovement jump of 44 males was analyzed before and after an 8-week training intervention. Correlations with jump height were calculated using both cross-sectional (pretraining data only) and pre-to-posttraining change data. Eight factors identified in the cross-sectional analysis were not significantly correlated with a change in jump height in the pre-to-post analysis. Additionally, only 6 of 11 factors identified in the pre-to-post analysis were identified in the cross-sectional analysis. These findings imply that (a) not all factors identified in a cross-sectional analysis may be critical to jump height improvement and (b) cross-sectional analyses alone may not provide an insight into all of the potential factors to train to enhance jump height. Coaches must be aware of these limitations when examining cross-sectional studies to identify factors to train to enhance jump ability. Additional findings highlight that although exercises prescribed to improve jump height should aim to enhance concentric power production at all joints, a particular emphasis on enhancing hip joint peak power may be warranted.

Integrative Families and Systems Treatment: A Middle Path toward Integrating Common and Specific Factors in Evidence-Based Family Therapy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraser, J. Scott; Solovey, Andrew D.; Grove, David; Lee, Mo Yee; Greene, Gilbert J.

2012-01-01

A moderate common factors approach is proposed as a synthesis or middle path to integrate common and specific factors in evidence-based approaches to high-risk youth and families. The debate in family therapy between common and specific factors camps is reviewed and followed by suggestions from the literature for synthesis and creative flexibility…

Transcriptome analysis of two recombinant inbred lines of common bean contrasting for symbiotic nitrogen fixation

PubMed Central

Kamfwa, Kelvin; Zhao, Dongyan; Kelly, James D.

2017-01-01

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) fixes atmospheric nitrogen (N2) through symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF) at levels lower than other grain legume crops. An understanding of the genes and molecular mechanisms underlying SNF will enable more effective strategies for the genetic improvement of SNF traits in common bean. In this study, transcriptome profiling was used to identify genes and molecular mechanisms underlying SNF differences between two common bean recombinant inbred lines that differed in their N-fixing abilities. Differential gene expression and functional enrichment analyses were performed on leaves, nodules and roots of the two lines when grown under N-fixing and non-fixing conditions. Receptor kinases, transmembrane transporters, and transcription factors were among the differentially expressed genes identified under N-fixing conditions, but not under non-fixing conditions. Genes up-regulated in the stronger nitrogen fixer, SA36, included those involved in molecular functions such as purine nucleoside binding, oxidoreductase and transmembrane receptor activities in nodules, and transport activity in roots. Transcription factors identified in this study are candidates for future work aimed at understanding the functional role of these genes in SNF. Information generated in this study will support the development of gene-based markers to accelerate genetic improvement of SNF in common bean. PMID:28192540

Common variants in ZNF365 are associated with both mammographic density and breast cancer risk

PubMed Central

Lindström, Sara; Vachon, Celine M.; Li, Jingmei; Varghese, Jajini; Thompson, Deborah; Warren, Ruth; Brown, Judith; Leyland, Jean; Audley, Tina; Wareham, Nicholas J.; Loos, Ruth J.F.; Paterson, Andrew D.; Waggott, Darryl; Martin, Lisa J.; Scott, Christopher G.; Pankratz, V. Shane; Hankinson, Susan E.; Hazra, Aditi; Hunter, David J.; Hopper, John L.; Southey, Melissa C.; Chanock, Stephen J.; Silva, Isabel dos Santos; Liu, JianJun; Eriksson, Louise; Couch, Fergus J.; Stone, Jennifer; Apicella, Carmel; Czene, Kamila; Kraft, Peter; Hall, Per; Easton, Douglas F.; Boyd, Norman F.; Tamimi, Rulla M.

2011-01-01

High percent mammographic density adjusted for age and body mass index (BMI) is one of the strongest risk factors for breast cancer. We conducted a meta-analysis of five genome-wide association studies of percent mammographic density and report an association with rs10995190 in ZNF365 (combined P=9×6·10−10). This finding might partly explain the underlying biology of the recently discovered association between common variants in ZNF365 and breast cancer risk. PMID:21278746

Geospatial Analysis Tool Kit for Regional Climate Datasets (GATOR) : An Open-source Tool to Compute Climate Statistic GIS Layers from Argonne Climate Modeling Results

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-01

This large repository of climate model results for North America (Wang and Kotamarthi 2013, 2014, 2015) is stored in Network Common Data Form (NetCDF...Network Common Data Form (NetCDF). UCAR/Unidata Program Center, Boulder, CO. Available at: http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/software/netcdf. Accessed on 6/20...emissions diverge from each other regarding fossil fuel use, technology, and other socioeconomic factors. As a result, the estimated emissions for each of

Can Rheumatologists Predict Eventual Need for Orthopaedic Intervention in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis? Results of a Systematic Review and Analysis of Two UK Inception Cohorts.

PubMed

Nikiphorou, Elena; Carpenter, Lewis; Norton, Sam; Morris, Stephen; MacGregor, Alex; Dixey, Josh; Williams, Peter; Kiely, Patrick; Walsh, David Andrew; Young, Adam

2017-03-01

The structural damage caused by rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can often be mitigated by orthopaedic surgery in late disease. This study evaluates the value of predictive factors for orthopaedic intervention. A systematic review of literature was undertaken to identify papers describing predictive factors for orthopaedic surgery in RA. Manuscripts were selected if they met inclusion criteria of cohort study design, diagnosis of RA, follow-up duration/disease duration ≥3 years, any orthopaedic surgical interventions recorded, and then summarised for predictive factors. A separate predictive analysis was performed on two consecutive UK Early RA cohorts, linked to national datasets. The literature search identified 15 reports examining predictive factors for orthopaedic intervention, 4 inception, 5 prospective and 6 retrospective. Despite considerable variation, acute phase, x-ray scores, women and genotyping were the most commonly reported prognostic markers. The current predictive analysis included 1602 procedures performed in 711 patients (25-year cumulative incidence 26%). Earlier recruitment year, erosions and lower haemoglobin predicted both intermediate and major surgery (P<0.05). Studies report variations in type of and predictive power of clinical and laboratory parameters for different surgical interventions suggesting specific contributions from different pathological and/or patient-level factors. Our current analysis suggests that attention to non-inflammatory factors in addition to suppression of inflammation is needed to minimise the burden of orthopaedic surgery.

Finding Imaging Patterns of Structural Covariance via Non-Negative Matrix Factorization

PubMed Central

Sotiras, Aristeidis; Resnick, Susan M.; Davatzikos, Christos

2015-01-01

In this paper, we investigate the use of Non-Negative Matrix Factorization (NNMF) for the analysis of structural neuroimaging data. The goal is to identify the brain regions that co-vary across individuals in a consistent way, hence potentially being part of underlying brain networks or otherwise influenced by underlying common mechanisms such as genetics and pathologies. NNMF offers a directly data-driven way of extracting relatively localized co-varying structural regions, thereby transcending limitations of Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Independent Component Analysis (ICA) and other related methods that tend to produce dispersed components of positive and negative loadings. In particular, leveraging upon the well known ability of NNMF to produce parts-based representations of image data, we derive decompositions that partition the brain into regions that vary in consistent ways across individuals. Importantly, these decompositions achieve dimensionality reduction via highly interpretable ways and generalize well to new data as shown via split-sample experiments. We empirically validate NNMF in two data sets: i) a Diffusion Tensor (DT) mouse brain development study, and ii) a structural Magnetic Resonance (sMR) study of human brain aging. We demonstrate the ability of NNMF to produce sparse parts-based representations of the data at various resolutions. These representations seem to follow what we know about the underlying functional organization of the brain and also capture some pathological processes. Moreover, we show that these low dimensional representations favorably compare to descriptions obtained with more commonly used matrix factorization methods like PCA and ICA. PMID:25497684

Comparison of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis in Nepal- a hospital-based retrospective study.

PubMed

Sreeramareddy, Chandrashekhar T; Panduru, Kishore V; Verma, Sharat C; Joshi, Hari S; Bates, Michael N

2008-01-24

Studies from developed countries have reported on host-related risk factors for extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB). However, similar studies from high-burden countries like Nepal are lacking. Therefore, we carried out this study to compare demographic, life-style and clinical characteristics between EPTB and PTB patients. A retrospective analysis was carried out on 474 Tuberculosis (TB) patients diagnosed in a tertiary care hospital in western Nepal. Characteristics of demography, life-style and clinical features were obtained from medical case records. Risk factors for being an EPTB patient relative to a PTB patient were identified using logistic regression analysis. The age distribution of the TB patients had a bimodal distribution. The male to female ratio for PTB was 2.29. EPTB was more common at younger ages (< 25 years) and in females. Common sites for EPTB were lymph nodes (42.6%) and peritoneum and/or intestines (14.8%). By logistic regression analysis, age less than 25 years (OR 2.11 95% CI 1.12-3.68) and female gender (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.12-2.56) were associated with EPTB. Smoking, use of immunosuppressive drugs/steroids, diabetes and past history of TB were more likely to be associated with PTB. Results suggest that younger age and female gender may be independent risk factors for EPTB in a high-burden country like Nepal. TB control programmes may target young and female populations for EPTB case-finding. Further studies are necessary in other high-burden countries to confirm our findings.

Common side closure type, but not stapler brand or oversewing, influences side-to-side anastomotic leak rates.

PubMed

Fleetwood, V A; Gross, K N; Alex, G C; Cortina, C S; Smolevitz, J B; Sarvepalli, S; Bakhsh, S R; Poirier, J; Myers, J A; Singer, M A; Orkin, B A

2017-03-01

Anastomotic leak (AL) increases costs and cancer recurrence. Studies show decreased AL with side-to-side stapled anastomosis (SSA), but none identify risk factors within SSAs. We hypothesized that stapler characteristics and closure technique of the common enterotomy affect AL rates. Retrospective review of bowel SSAs was performed. Data included stapler brand, staple line oversewing, and closure method (handsewn, HC; linear stapler [Barcelona technique], BT; transverse stapler, TX). Primary endpoint was AL. Statistical analysis included Fisher's test and logistic regression. 463 patients were identified, 58.5% BT, 21.2% HC, and 20.3% TX. Covidien staplers comprised 74.9%, Ethicon 18.1%. There were no differences between stapler types (Covidien 5.8%, Ethicon 6.0%). However, AL rates varied by common side closure (BT 3.7% vs. TX 10.6%, p = 0.017), remaining significant on multivariate analysis. Closure method of the common side impacts AL rates. Barcelona technique has fewer leaks than transverse stapled closure. Further prospective evaluation is recommended. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Collaboration: a SWOT analysis of the process of conducting a review of nursing workforce policies in five European countries.

PubMed

Uhrenfeldt, Lisbeth; Lakanmaa, Riitta-Liisa; Flinkman, Mervi; Basto, Marta Lima; Attree, Moira

2014-05-01

This paper critically reviews the literature on international collaboration and analyses the collaborative process involved in producing a nursing workforce policy analysis. Collaboration is increasingly promoted as a means of solving shared problems and achieving common goals; however, collaboration creates its own opportunities and challenges. Evidence about the collaboration process, its outcomes and critical success factors is lacking. A literature review and content analysis of data collected from six participants (from five European countries) members of the European Academy of Nursing Science Scholar Collaborative Workforce Workgroup, using a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis template. Two major factors affecting scholarly collaboration were identified: Facilitators, which incorporated personal attributes and enabling contexts/mechanisms, including individual commitment, responsibility and teamwork, facilitative supportive structures and processes. The second, Barriers, incorporated unmet needs for funding; time; communication and impeding contexts/mechanisms, including workload and insufficient support/mentorship. The literature review identified a low level of evidence on collaboration processes, outcomes, opportunities and challenges. The SWOT analysis identified critical success factors, planning strategies and resources of effective international collaboration. Collaboration is an important concept for management. Evidence-based knowledge of the critical success factors facilitating and impeding collaboration could help managers make collaboration more effective. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Factors Influencing Compliance and Health Seeking Behaviour for Hypertension in Mukono and Buikwe in Uganda: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Musinguzi, Geofrey; Anthierens, Sibyl; Nuwaha, Fred; Van Geertruyden, Jean-Pierre; Wanyenze, Rhoda K; Bastiaens, Hilde

2018-01-01

Hypertension is a global public health challenge and a leading risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Hypertension control rates are low worldwide, and delay in seeking care is associated with increased mortality. In a qualitative study, known hypertensive patients were interviewed to explore factors influencing compliance and health seeking behaviour (HSB). Data was analyzed following a semantic thematic analysis approach. Patients sought various channels of care for their hypertension. Self-medication and access to antihypertensive drugs with or without prescription were common as well as use of herbal remedies. Regular monitoring of blood pressure was not a common practice. Factors influencing HSB were related to health systems and the patient socioeconomic and structural environment. The main system issues were related to availability and attitudes of staff and shortage of supplies and medicines. The patient factors were related to awareness, perceived severity, perceived effectiveness of therapy, adverse effects, and perceived fears of lifelong dependence on medicines. The patient socioeconomic status played a role as did the marketing of traditional medicine. Patients seek varied channels of care for their hypertension. Strategies to address the multifactorial dimensions that affect HSB are needed to improve hypertension control in this population.

Revealing Dimensions of Thinking in Open-Ended Self-Descriptions: An Automated Meaning Extraction Method for Natural Language

PubMed Central

2008-01-01

A new method for extracting common themes from written text is introduced and applied to 1,165 open-ended self-descriptive narratives. Drawing on a lexical approach to personality, the most commonly-used adjectives within narratives written by college students were identified using computerized text analytic tools. A factor analysis on the use of these adjectives in the self-descriptions produced a 7-factor solution consisting of psychologically meaningful dimensions. Some dimensions were unipolar (e.g., Negativity factor, wherein most loaded items were negatively valenced adjectives); others were dimensional in that semantically opposite words clustered together (e.g., Sociability factor, wherein terms such as shy, outgoing, reserved, and loud all loaded in the same direction). The factors exhibited modest reliability across different types of writ writing samples and were correlated with self-reports and behaviors consistent with the dimensions. Similar analyses with additional content words (adjectives, adverbs, nouns, and verbs) yielded additional psychological dimensions associated with physical appearance, school, relationships, etc. in which people contextualize their self-concepts. The results suggest that the meaning extraction method is a promising strategy that determines the dimensions along which people think about themselves. PMID:18802499

Psychometric Properties of the Catastrophic Cognitions Questionnaire-Modified (CCQ-Modified) Among Community Samples in Malaysia.

PubMed

Abdul Khaiyom, Jamilah Hanum; Mukhtar, Firdaus; Ibrahim, Normala; Mohd Sidik, Sherina; Oei, Tian Po Sumantri

2016-12-01

The Catastrophic Cognitions Questionnaire-Modified (CCQ-M) is a common instrument for measuring catastrophic thoughts. In some countries, however, CCQ-M still poses concerns following the lack of appropriate validation among their populations. The current study aimed to examine the factor structure of the CCQ-M, the reliability, and the validity in community samples in Malaysia. The Malay version of CCQ-M and additional measures assessing the symptoms and cognitions relevant to anxiety disorders were completed by 682 university students and general community. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure accounting for 62.2% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the two-factor model by deleting four items. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the total and the two subscales were .94, .90, and .92, respectively. Test-retest reliability analysis was conducted on 82 university students in the interval period of 14 days, and the result was r = .58. Evidence supported the concurrent, convergent, and discriminant validity. In conclusion, the 17-item CCQ-M-Malaysia is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing catastrophic cognitions among Malaysian populations. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Scanning electron microscopy fractography analysis of fractured hollow implants.

PubMed

Sbordone, Ludovico; Traini, Tonino; Caputi, Sergio; Scarano, Antonio; Bortolaia, Claudia; Piattelli, Adriano

2010-01-01

Fracture of the implant is one of the possible complications affecting dental implants; it is a rare event but of great clinical relevance. The aim of the present study was to perform a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) fractography evaluation of 7 International Team for oral Implantology (ITI) hollow implants removed because of fracture. The most common clinical risk factors, such as malocclusion, bruxism, and cantilevers on the prosthesis, were absent. Seven fractured ITI hollow implants were retrieved from 5 patients and were analyzed with the use of SEM. SEM analysis showed typical signs of a cleavage-type fracture. Fractures could be due to an association of multiple factors such as fatigue, inner defects, material electrochemical problems, and tensocorrosion.

A study on p53 gene alterations in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and their correlation to common dietary risk factors among population of the Kashmir valley.

PubMed

Murtaza, Imtiyaz; Mushtaq, Dhuha; Margoob, Mushtaq A; Dutt, Amit; Wani, Nisar Ahmad; Ahmad, Ishfaq; Bhat, Mohan Lal

2006-07-07

To systematically examine the extent of correlation of risk factors, such as age, consumed dietary habit and familial predisposition with somatic Tp53 molecular lesion causal to elevate carcinogenesis severity of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) among the Kashmiri population of Northern India. All cases (n = 51) and controls (n = 150) were permanent residents of the Kashmir valley. Genetic alterations were determined in exons 5-8 of Tp53 tumor suppressor gene among 45 ESCC cases histologically confirmed by PCR-SSCP analysis. Data for individual cancer cases (n = 45) and inpatient controls (n = 150) with non-cancer disease included information on family history of cancer, thirty prevailing common dietary risk factors along with patient's age group. Correlation of genetic lesion in p53 exons to animistic data from these parameters was generated by Chi-square test to all 45 histologically confirmed ESCC cases along with healthy controls. Thirty-five of 45 (77.8%) histologically characterized tumor samples had analogous somatic mutation as opposed to 1 of 45 normal sample obtained from adjacent region from the same patient showed germline mutation. The SSCP analysis demonstrated that most common p53 gene alterations were found in exon 6 (77.7%), that did not correlate with the age of the individual and clinicopathological parameters but showed significant concordance (P<0.05) with familial history of cancer (CD = 58), suggesting germline predisposition at an unknown locus, and dietary habit of consuming locally grown Brassica vegetable "Hakh" (CD = 19.5), red chillies (CD = 20.2), hot salty soda tea (CD = 2.37) and local baked bread (CD = 1.1). Our study suggests that somatic chromosomal mutations, especially in exon 6 of Tp53 gene, among esophageal cancer patients of an ethnically homogenous population of Kashmir valley are closely related to continued exposure to various common dietary risk factors, especially hot salty tea, meat, baked bread and "Hakh", that are rich in nitrosoamines and familial cancer history.

Premature atherosclerosis in pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus: risk factors for increased carotid intima-media thickness in the atherosclerosis prevention in pediatric lupus erythematosus cohort.

PubMed

Schanberg, Laura E; Sandborg, Christy; Barnhart, Huiman X; Ardoin, Stacy P; Yow, Eric; Evans, Gregory W; Mieszkalski, Kelly L; Ilowite, Norman T; Eberhard, Anne; Levy, Deborah M; Kimura, Yukiko; von Scheven, Emily; Silverman, Earl; Bowyer, Suzanne L; Punaro, Lynn; Singer, Nora G; Sherry, David D; McCurdy, Deborah; Klein-Gitelman, Marissa; Wallace, Carol; Silver, Richard; Wagner-Weiner, Linda; Higgins, Gloria C; Brunner, Hermine I; Jung, Lawrence; Soep, Jennifer B; Reed, Ann

2009-05-01

To evaluate risk factors for subclinical atherosclerosis in a population of patients with pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In a prospective multicenter study, a cohort of 221 patients underwent baseline measurements of carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) as part of the Atherosclerosis Prevention in Pediatric Lupus Erythematosus (APPLE) trial. SLE disease measures, medications, and traditional risk factors for atherosclerosis were assessed. A standardized protocol was used to assess the thickness of the bilateral common carotid arteries and the mean maximal IMT of 12 segments. Univariable analysis identified potential associations with CIMT, which were examined in multivariable linear regression modeling. Based on the mean-mean common or the mean-max CIMT as the dependent variable, univariable analysis showed significant associations of the following variables with increased CIMT: increasing age, longer SLE duration, minority status, higher body mass index (BMI), male sex, increased creatinine clearance, higher lipoprotein(a) level, proteinuria, azathioprine treatment, and prednisone dose. In multivariable modeling, both azathioprine use (P=0.005 for the mean-mean model and P=0.102 for the mean-max model) and male sex (P<0.001) were associated with increases in the mean-max CIMT. A moderate dosage of prednisone (0.15-0.4 mg/kg/day) was associated with decreases in the mean-max CIMT (P=0.024), while high-dose and low-dose prednisone were associated with increases in the mean-mean common CIMT (P=0.021) and the mean-max CIMT (P=0.064), respectively. BMI (P<0.001) and creatinine clearance (P=0.031) remained associated with increased mean-mean common CIMT, while increasing age (P<0.001) and increasing lipoprotein(a) level (P=0.005) were associated with increased mean-max CIMT. Traditional as well as nontraditional risk factors were associated with increased CIMT in this cohort of patients in the APPLE trial. Azathioprine treatment was associated with increased CIMT. The relationship between CIMT and prednisone dose may not be linear.

Validation of the Dyadic Coping Inventory with Chinese couples: Factorial structure, measurement invariance, and construct validity.

PubMed

Xu, Feng; Hilpert, Peter; Randall, Ashley K; Li, Qiuping; Bodenmann, Guy

2016-08-01

The Dyadic Coping Inventory (DCI, Bodenmann, 2008) assesses how couples support each other when facing individual (e.g., workload) and common (e.g., parenting) stressors. Specifically, the DCI measures partners' perceptions of their own (Self) and their partners' behaviors (Partner) when facing individual stressors, and partners' common coping behaviors when facing common stressors (Common). To date, the DCI has been validated in 6 different languages from individualistic Western cultures; however, because culture can affect interpersonal interactions, it is unknown whether the DCI is a reliable measure of coping behaviors for couples living in collectivistic Eastern cultures. Based on data from 474 Chinese couples (N = 948 individuals), the current study examined the Chinese version of the DCI's factorial structure, measurement invariance (MI), and construct validity of test scores. Using 3 cultural groups (China, Switzerland, and the United States [U.S.]), confirmatory factor analysis revealed a 5-factor structure regarding Self and Partner and a 2-factor structure regarding Common dyadic coping (DC). Results from analyses of MI indicated that the DCI subscales met the criteria for configural, metric, and full/partial scalar invariance across cultures (Chinese-Swiss and Chinese-U.S.) and genders (Chinese men and women). Results further revealed good construct validity of the DCI test scores. In all, the Chinese version of the DCI can be used for measuring Chinese couples' coping behaviors, and is available for cross-cultural studies examining DC behaviors between Western and Eastern cultures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Common Trajectories of Regional Competitiveness in the Knowledge Economy: A European Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brioschi, Maria Sole; Cassia, Lucio

2006-01-01

This paper analyses a number of European regions which, in the last two decades, have exhibited a significant shift towards knowledge-intensive industrial sectors coupled with a considerable increase in competitiveness and growth. The analysis identifies the main factors of territorial development behind each regional renewal process and captures…

Analyzing Response Times in Tests with Rank Correlation Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ranger, Jochen; Kuhn, Jorg-Tobias

2013-01-01

It is common practice to log-transform response times before analyzing them with standard factor analytical methods. However, sometimes the log-transformation is not capable of linearizing the relation between the response times and the latent traits. Therefore, a more general approach to response time analysis is proposed in the current…

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Ordinal Variables with Misspecified Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang-Wallentin, Fan; Joreskog, Karl G.; Luo, Hao

2010-01-01

Ordinal variables are common in many empirical investigations in the social and behavioral sciences. Researchers often apply the maximum likelihood method to fit structural equation models to ordinal data. This assumes that the observed measures have normal distributions, which is not the case when the variables are ordinal. A better approach is…

The Multidimensional Structure of University Absenteeism: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

López-Bonilla, Jesús Manuel; López-Bonilla, Luis Miguel

2015-01-01

Absenteeism has been a common and very extended problem in university spheres for several years. This problem has become a permanent feature in academic studies in general, yet it has received scarce empirical research attention. This work is focused on the analysis of the factors that determine university absenteeism. It evaluates a series of…

Universal Factors of Student Achievement in High-Performing Eastern and Western Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jihyun

2014-01-01

This study investigates whether a common set of student attitudes and behavioral tendencies can account for academic achievement across different, especially high-performing, countries via analysis of the PISA 2009 international data set. The 13 countries examined are 5 of the top-performing Eastern countries/systems, namely Shanghai China, South…

Interferon Antagonism as a Common Virulence Factor of Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-02-01

S. Prehn , A. Leutz, H. Haller, and E. Hartmann. 1997. Cloning of two novel human importin-alpha subunits and analysis of the expression pattern of...the importin-alpha protein family. FEBS Lett 417:104-8. 12. Kohler, M., C. Speck, M. Christiansen, F. R. Bischoff, S. Prehn , H. Haller, D. Gorlich

Acquiescent Responding in Balanced Multidimensional Scales and Exploratory Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorenzo-Seva, Urbano; Rodriguez-Fornells, Antoni

2006-01-01

Personality tests often consist of a set of dichotomous or Likert items. These response formats are known to be susceptible to an agreeing-response bias called acquiescence. The common assumption in balanced scales is that the sum of appropriately reversed responses should be reasonably free of acquiescence. However, inter-item correlation (or…

Relationship between School and Residential Segregation at the Turn of the Century.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rickles, Jordan; Ong, Paul M.

This paper examines the relationship between school and residential segregation, noting that while these two forms of segregation are fundamentally linked, other factors cause them to diverge. The analysis focuses on segregation in 329 metropolitan areas. Data come from the 1998-99 National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data…

When What You See Isn’t What You Get: How Viewshed Analysis is Impacted by Digital Surface Model (DSM) Resolution

EPA Science Inventory

A key factor for improving models of ecosystem benefits is the availability of high quality spatial data. High resolution LIDAR data are now commonly available and can be used to produce more accurate model outputs. However, increased resolution leads to higher computer resource...

Spoken Verb Processing in Spanish: An Analysis Using a New Online Resource

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rivera, Semilla M.; Bates, Elizabeth A.; Orozco-Fegueroa, Araceli; Wicha, Nicole Y. Y.

2010-01-01

Verbs are one of the basic building blocks of grammar, yet few studies have examined the grammatical, morphological, and phonological factors contributing to lexical access and production of Spanish verb inflection. This report describes an online data set that incorporates psycholinguistic dimensions for 50 of the most common early-acquired…

Obesity and eating disorders in integrative prevention programmes for adolescents: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Obesity and eating disorders are public health problems that have lifelong financial and personal costs and common risk factors, for example, body dissatisfaction, weight teasing and disordered eating. Obesity prevention interventions might lead to the development of an eating disorder since focusin...

Mixed Methods Analysis of Multicultural Identity and Psychological Help Seeking Beliefs in College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walter, Jeffrey P.

2012-01-01

Research on the psychological help-seeking beliefs and behaviors of college students has provided evidence for differences among students based on demographic factors, with different variables being salient for different cultural groups. This mixed methods study focuses on understanding how common psychological help-seeking variables, including…

Mapping and QTL analysis of drought tolerance in a spring wheat population using AFLP and DArt markers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Water availability is commonly the most limiting factor to crop production. This study was conducted to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) involved in drought tolerance in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to enable their use for marker assisted selection (MAS) in breeding. Using amplified fragment leng...

Social Support for Exercise and Dietary Habits among College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gruber, Kenneth J.

2008-01-01

An assessment inventory (the Friend/Peer Support-Health Eating Physical Activity Scale-FPS-HEPAS) was developed to measure social influence patterns of college student physical activity and food consumption habits. Principal components analysis of 50 items with two referent sets (friends and peers) produced two scales with common factors:…

Integration of different data gap filling techniques to facilitate assessment of polychlorinated biphenyls: A proof of principle case study (ASCCT meeting)

EPA Science Inventory

Data gap filling techniques are commonly used to predict hazard in the absence of empirical data. The most established techniques are read-across, trend analysis and quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs). Toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) are less frequently used d...

Rural factors and survival from cancer: analysis of Scottish cancer registrations.

PubMed

Campbell, N C; Elliott, A M; Sharp, L; Ritchie, L D; Cassidy, J; Little, J

2000-06-01

In this survival study 63,976 patients diagnosed with one of six common cancers in Scotland were followed up. Increasing distance from a cancer centre was associated with less chance of diagnosis before death for stomach, breast and colorectal cancers and poorer survival after diagnosis for prostate and lung cancers.

Early Home Activities and Oral Language Skills in Middle Childhood: A Quantile Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Law, James; Rush, Robert; King, Tom; Westrupp, Elizabeth; Reilly, Sheena

2018-01-01

Oral language development is a key outcome of elementary school, and it is important to identify factors that predict it most effectively. Commonly researchers use ordinary least squares regression with conclusions restricted to average performance conditional on relevant covariates. Quantile regression offers a more sophisticated alternative.…

On insomnia analysis using methods of artificial intelligence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wasiewicz, P.; Skalski, M.

2011-10-01

Insomnia generally is defined as a subjective report of difficulty falling sleep, difficulty staying asleep, early awakening, or nonrestorative sleep. It is one of the most common health complaints among the general population. in this paper we try to find relationships between different insomnia cases and predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors following by pharmacological treatment.

A Linear Variable-[theta] Model for Measuring Individual Differences in Response Precision

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferrando, Pere J.

2011-01-01

Models for measuring individual response precision have been proposed for binary and graded responses. However, more continuous formats are quite common in personality measurement and are usually analyzed with the linear factor analysis model. This study extends the general Gaussian person-fluctuation model to the continuous-response case and…

[Progress in studies on the genetic risk factors for nonsyndromic cleft lip or palate in China].

PubMed

Huang, Y Q

2017-04-09

Cleft lip and palate is the most common congenital defects of oral and maxillofacial region in human beings. The etiology of this malformation is complex, with both genetic and environmental causal factors are involved. To provide a better understanding in the genetic etiology of cleft lip or palate, the author summarized recent years studies based on Chinese population. Those researches included validation of some candidate genes for cleft lip or palate, using genome wide association analysis which included six independent cohorts from China to elucidate the genetic architecture of non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate in Chinese population and finally found a new susceptibility locus. This locus was on the 16p13.3 (rs8049367) between CREBBP and ADCY9. It has been mentioned common methods of genetic analysis involved in the researches on cleft lip or palate in this paper. Furthermore, we try to discuss new methods to illustrate the etiology of cleft lip and palate that could provide more inspiration on future researches.

Hepatitis E virus and fulminant hepatitis--a virus or host-specific pathology?

PubMed

Smith, Donald B; Simmonds, Peter

2015-04-01

Fulminant hepatitis is a rare outcome of infection with hepatitis E virus. Several recent reports suggest that virus variation is an important determinant of disease progression. To critically examine the evidence that virus-specific factors underlie the development of fulminant hepatitis following hepatitis E virus infection. Published sequence information of hepatitis E virus isolates from patients with and without fulminant hepatitis was collected and analysed using statistical tests to identify associations between virus polymorphisms and disease outcome. Fulminant hepatitis has been reported following infection with all four hepatitis E virus genotypes that infect humans comprising multiple phylogenetic lineages within genotypes 1, 3 and 4. Analysis of virus sequences from individuals infected by a common source did not detect any common substitutions associated with progression to fulminant hepatitis. Re-analysis of previously reported associations between virus substitutions and fulminant hepatitis suggests that these were probably the result of sampling biases. Host-specific factors rather than virus genotype, variants or specific substitutions appear to be responsible for the development of fulminant hepatitis. © 2014 The Authors. Liver International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Random measurement error: Why worry? An example of cardiovascular risk factors.

PubMed

Brakenhoff, Timo B; van Smeden, Maarten; Visseren, Frank L J; Groenwold, Rolf H H

2018-01-01

With the increased use of data not originally recorded for research, such as routine care data (or 'big data'), measurement error is bound to become an increasingly relevant problem in medical research. A common view among medical researchers on the influence of random measurement error (i.e. classical measurement error) is that its presence leads to some degree of systematic underestimation of studied exposure-outcome relations (i.e. attenuation of the effect estimate). For the common situation where the analysis involves at least one exposure and one confounder, we demonstrate that the direction of effect of random measurement error on the estimated exposure-outcome relations can be difficult to anticipate. Using three example studies on cardiovascular risk factors, we illustrate that random measurement error in the exposure and/or confounder can lead to underestimation as well as overestimation of exposure-outcome relations. We therefore advise medical researchers to refrain from making claims about the direction of effect of measurement error in their manuscripts, unless the appropriate inferential tools are used to study or alleviate the impact of measurement error from the analysis.

Path analysis of risk factors leading to premature birth.

PubMed

Fields, S J; Livshits, G; Sirotta, L; Merlob, P

1996-01-01

The present study tested whether various sociodemographic, anthropometric, behavioral, and medical/physiological factors act in a direct or indirect manner on the risk of prematurity using path analysis on a sample of Israeli births. The path model shows that medical complications, primarily toxemia, chorioammionitis, and a previous low birth weight delivery directly and significantly act on the risk of prematurity as do low maternal pregnancy weight gain and ethnicity. Other medical complications, including chronic hypertension, preclampsia, and placental abruption, although significantly correlated with prematurity, act indirectly on prematurity through toxemia. The model further shows that the commonly accepted sociodemographic, anthropometric, and behavioral risk factors act by modifying the development of medical complications that lead to prematurity as opposed to having a direct effect on premature delivery. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Copyright © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Reliability and construct validity of the Malay version of the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) among secondary school teachers in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia.

PubMed

Hadi, Azlihanis Abdul; Naing, Nyi Nyi; Daud, Aziah; Nordin, Rusli

2006-11-01

This study was conducted to assess the reliability and construct validity of the Malay version of Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ) among secondary school teachers in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. A total of 68 teachers consented to participate in the study and were administered the Malay version of JCQ. Reliability was determined using Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency whilst construct validity was assessed using factor analysis. The results indicated that Cronbach's alpha coefficients revealed decision latitude (0.75), psychological job demand (0.50) and social support (0.84). Factor analysis showed three meaningful common factors that could explain the construct of Karasek's demand-control-social support model. The study suggests the JCQ scales are reliable and valid tools for assessing job stress in school teachers.

Multi-Group Covariance and Mean Structure Modeling of the Relationship between the WAIS-III Common Factors and Sex and Educational Attainment in Spain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dolan, Conor V.; Colom, Roberto; Abad, Francisco J.; Wicherts, Jelte M.; Hessen, David J.; van de Sluis, Sophie

2006-01-01

We investigated sex effects and the effects of educational attainment (EA) on the covariance structure of the WAIS-III in a subsample of the Spanish standardization data. We fitted both first order common factor models and second order common factor models. The latter include general intelligence ("g") as a second order common factor.…

A retrospective analysis to identify the factors affecting infection in patients undergoing chemotherapy.

PubMed

Park, Ji Hyun; Kim, Hyeon-Young; Lee, Hanna; Yun, Eun Kyoung

2015-12-01

This study compares the performance of the logistic regression and decision tree analysis methods for assessing the risk factors for infection in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. The subjects were 732 cancer patients who were receiving chemotherapy at K university hospital in Seoul, Korea. The data were collected between March 2011 and February 2013 and were processed for descriptive analysis, logistic regression and decision tree analysis using the IBM SPSS Statistics 19 and Modeler 15.1 programs. The most common risk factors for infection in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy were identified as alkylating agents, vinca alkaloid and underlying diabetes mellitus. The logistic regression explained 66.7% of the variation in the data in terms of sensitivity and 88.9% in terms of specificity. The decision tree analysis accounted for 55.0% of the variation in the data in terms of sensitivity and 89.0% in terms of specificity. As for the overall classification accuracy, the logistic regression explained 88.0% and the decision tree analysis explained 87.2%. The logistic regression analysis showed a higher degree of sensitivity and classification accuracy. Therefore, logistic regression analysis is concluded to be the more effective and useful method for establishing an infection prediction model for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Overcoming redundancies in bedside nursing assessments by validating a parsimonious meta-tool: findings from a methodological exercise study.

PubMed

Palese, Alvisa; Marini, Eva; Guarnier, Annamaria; Barelli, Paolo; Zambiasi, Paola; Allegrini, Elisabetta; Bazoli, Letizia; Casson, Paola; Marin, Meri; Padovan, Marisa; Picogna, Michele; Taddia, Patrizia; Chiari, Paolo; Salmaso, Daniele; Marognolli, Oliva; Canzan, Federica; Ambrosi, Elisa; Saiani, Luisa; Grassetti, Luca

2016-10-01

There is growing interest in validating tools aimed at supporting the clinical decision-making process and research. However, an increased bureaucratization of clinical practice and redundancies in the measures collected have been reported by clinicians. Redundancies in clinical assessments affect negatively both patients and nurses. To validate a meta-tool measuring the risks/problems currently estimated by multiple tools used in daily practice. A secondary analysis of a database was performed, using a cross-validation and a longitudinal study designs. In total, 1464 patients admitted to 12 medical units in 2012 were assessed at admission with the Brass, Barthel, Conley and Braden tools. Pertinent outcomes such as the occurrence of post-discharge need for resources and functional decline at discharge, as well as falls and pressure sores, were measured. Explorative factor analysis of each tool, inter-tool correlations and a conceptual evaluation of the redundant/similar items across tools were performed. Therefore, the validation of the meta-tool was performed through explorative factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and the structural equation model to establish the ability of the meta-tool to predict the outcomes estimated by the original tools. High correlations between the tools have emerged (from r 0.428 to 0.867) with a common variance from 18.3% to 75.1%. Through a conceptual evaluation and explorative factor analysis, the items were reduced from 42 to 20, and the three factors that emerged were confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis. According to the structural equation model results, two out of three emerged factors predicted the outcomes. From the initial 42 items, the meta-tool is composed of 20 items capable of predicting the outcomes as with the original tools. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Linear regression analysis: part 14 of a series on evaluation of scientific publications.

PubMed

Schneider, Astrid; Hommel, Gerhard; Blettner, Maria

2010-11-01

Regression analysis is an important statistical method for the analysis of medical data. It enables the identification and characterization of relationships among multiple factors. It also enables the identification of prognostically relevant risk factors and the calculation of risk scores for individual prognostication. This article is based on selected textbooks of statistics, a selective review of the literature, and our own experience. After a brief introduction of the uni- and multivariable regression models, illustrative examples are given to explain what the important considerations are before a regression analysis is performed, and how the results should be interpreted. The reader should then be able to judge whether the method has been used correctly and interpret the results appropriately. The performance and interpretation of linear regression analysis are subject to a variety of pitfalls, which are discussed here in detail. The reader is made aware of common errors of interpretation through practical examples. Both the opportunities for applying linear regression analysis and its limitations are presented.

Control and prediction of the course of brewery fermentations by gravimetric analysis.

PubMed

Kosín, P; Savel, J; Broz, A; Sigler, K

2008-01-01

A simple, fast and cheap test suitable for predicting the course of brewery fermentations based on mass analysis is described and its efficiency is evaluated. Compared to commonly used yeast vitality tests, this analysis takes into account wort composition and other factors that influence fermentation performance. It can be used to predict the shape of the fermentation curve in brewery fermentations and in research and development projects concerning yeast vitality, fermentation conditions and wort composition. It can also be a useful tool for homebrewers to control their fermentations.

What factors are associated with unplanned return following transurethral resection of bladder tumor? An analysis of a large single institution's experience.

PubMed

Ghali, Fady; Moses, Rachel A; Raffin, Eric; Hyams, Elias S

2016-10-01

This study sought to evaluate factors associated with unplanned hospital return (UR) following transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT), the largest source of readmission among ambulatory urological procedures. A retrospective review of TURBTs at a single academic institution between April 2011 and August 2014 was performed. Demographics, comorbidities, length of stay, tumor size and multiple other factors were recorded. UR was recorded within 30 days of surgery. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were performed to determine factors associated with UR. Among 708 patients undergoing TURBT, 23.9% were female with a mean age of 70 years. The rate of UR was 10.9%. The most common cause of UR was gross hematuria, accounting for 70%. On bivariate analysis, Foley catheter placement in the operating room, non-aspirin anticoagulation and index length of stay longer than 24 h were associated with hematuria-related UR (p < 0.05). Preoperative antibiotics, female gender and aspirin therapy were associated with lower rates of hematuria-related UR (p < 0.05), while tumor size, distance of residence to the hospital, and Foley on hospital discharge (rather than from the operating room) had no association (p > 0.05). On multivariable analysis, only Foley placement in the operating room remained associated with higher rates of hematuria-related UR, while preoperative antibiotics, female gender and aspirin therapy remained associated with a lower likelihood of this event. UR following TURBT is common and typically results from gross hematuria. Patients with postoperative Foley catheterization in the operating room may require additional counseling or supervision before discharge, and should be considered for discharge with a Foley rather than having a prompt voiding trial.

Multivariate Analysis of Factors Associated with the Koebner Phenomenon in Vitiligo: An Observational Study of 381 Patients

PubMed Central

Khurrum, Huma; Bedaiwi, Khalid M.; AlBalahi, Naif Meshael

2017-01-01

Background The Koebner phenomenon (KP) is a common entity observed in dermatological disorders. The reported incidence of KP in vitiligo varies widely. Although the KP is frequently observed in patients with viltiligo, the associated factors with KP has not been established yet. Objective The aim is to estimate the prevalence of KP in vitiligo patients and to investigate the associated factors with KP among vitiligo characteristics. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was conducted using 381 vitiligo patients. Demographic and clinical information was obtained via the completion of Vitiligo European Task Force (VETF) questionnaires. Patients with positive history of KP were extracted from this vitiligo database. Multivariate analysis was performed to assess associations with KP. Results The median age of cases was 24 years (range, 0.6~76). In total, 237 of the patients were male (62.2%). Vitiligo vulgaris was the most common type observed (152/381, 39.9%). Seventy-two percent (274/381) patients did not exhibit KP, whereas 28.1% (107/381) of patients exhibited this condition. Multivariable analysis showed the following to be independent factors with KP in patients with vitiligo: the progressive disease (odds ratio [OR], 1.82; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.17~2.92; p=0.041), disease duration longer than 5 years (OR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.22~2.11; p=0.003), and body surface area more than 2% (OR, 2.20; 95% CI, 1.26~3.24; p<0.001). Conclusion Our results suggest that KP may be used to evaluate disease activity and investigate different associations between the clinical profile and course of vitiligo. Further studies are needed to predict the relationship between KP and responsiveness to therapy. PMID:28566906

Risk factors for falls in older patients with cancer.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaotao; Sun, Ming; Liu, Suyu; Leung, Cheuk Hong; Pang, Linda; Popat, Uday R; Champlin, Richard; Holmes, Holly M; Valero, Vicente; Dinney, Colin P; Tripathy, Debu; Edwards, Beatrice J

2018-03-01

A rising number of patients with cancer are older adults (65 years of age and older), and this proportion will increase to 70% by the year 2020. Falls are a common condition in older adults. We sought to assess the prevalence and risk factors for falls in older patients with cancer. This is a single-site, retrospective cohort study. Patients who were receiving cancer care underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessments, including cognitive, functional, nutritional, physical, falls in the prior 6 months and comorbidity assessment. Vitamin D and bone densitometry were performed. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression. A total of 304 patients aged 65 or above were enrolled in this study. The mean age was 78.4±6.9 years. They had haematological, gastrointestinal, urological, breast, lung and gynaecological cancers. A total of 215 patients with available information about falls within the past 6 months were included for final analysis. Seventy-seven (35.8%) patients had at least one fall in the preceding 6 months. Functional impairment (p=0.048), frailty (p<0.001), dementia (p=0.021), major depression (p=0.010) and low social support (p=0.045) were significantly associated with the fall status in the univariate analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified frailty and functional impairment to be independent risk factors for falls. Falls are common in older patients with cancer and lead to adverse clinical outcomes. Major depression, functional impairment, frailty, dementia and low social support were risk factors for falls. Heightened awareness and targeted interventions can prevent falls in older patients with cancer. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Neural Representations of Physics Concepts.

PubMed

Mason, Robert A; Just, Marcel Adam

2016-06-01

We used functional MRI (fMRI) to assess neural representations of physics concepts (momentum, energy, etc.) in juniors, seniors, and graduate students majoring in physics or engineering. Our goal was to identify the underlying neural dimensions of these representations. Using factor analysis to reduce the number of dimensions of activation, we obtained four physics-related factors that were mapped to sets of voxels. The four factors were interpretable as causal motion visualization, periodicity, algebraic form, and energy flow. The individual concepts were identifiable from their fMRI signatures with a mean rank accuracy of .75 using a machine-learning (multivoxel) classifier. Furthermore, there was commonality in participants' neural representation of physics; a classifier trained on data from all but one participant identified the concepts in the left-out participant (mean accuracy = .71 across all nine participant samples). The findings indicate that abstract scientific concepts acquired in an educational setting evoke activation patterns that are identifiable and common, indicating that science education builds abstract knowledge using inherent, repurposed brain systems. © The Author(s) 2016.

Validation of the organizational culture assessment instrument.

PubMed

Heritage, Brody; Pollock, Clare; Roberts, Lynne

2014-01-01

Organizational culture is a commonly studied area in industrial/organizational psychology due to its important role in workplace behaviour, cognitions, and outcomes. Jung et al.'s [1] review of the psychometric properties of organizational culture measurement instruments noted many instruments have limited validation data despite frequent use in both theoretical and applied situations. The Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) has had conflicting data regarding its psychometric properties, particularly regarding its factor structure. Our study examined the factor structure and criterion validity of the OCAI using robust analysis methods on data gathered from 328 (females = 226, males = 102) Australian employees. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a four factor structure of the OCAI for both ideal and current organizational culture perspectives. Current organizational culture data demonstrated expected reciprocally-opposed relationships between three of the four OCAI factors and the outcome variable of job satisfaction but ideal culture data did not, thus indicating possible weak criterion validity when the OCAI is used to assess ideal culture. Based on the mixed evidence regarding the measure's properties, further examination of the factor structure and broad validity of the measure is encouraged.

Validation of the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument

PubMed Central

Heritage, Brody; Pollock, Clare; Roberts, Lynne

2014-01-01

Organizational culture is a commonly studied area in industrial/organizational psychology due to its important role in workplace behaviour, cognitions, and outcomes. Jung et al.'s [1] review of the psychometric properties of organizational culture measurement instruments noted many instruments have limited validation data despite frequent use in both theoretical and applied situations. The Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) has had conflicting data regarding its psychometric properties, particularly regarding its factor structure. Our study examined the factor structure and criterion validity of the OCAI using robust analysis methods on data gathered from 328 (females = 226, males = 102) Australian employees. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a four factor structure of the OCAI for both ideal and current organizational culture perspectives. Current organizational culture data demonstrated expected reciprocally-opposed relationships between three of the four OCAI factors and the outcome variable of job satisfaction but ideal culture data did not, thus indicating possible weak criterion validity when the OCAI is used to assess ideal culture. Based on the mixed evidence regarding the measure's properties, further examination of the factor structure and broad validity of the measure is encouraged. PMID:24667839

Calibrated Bayes Factors Should Not Be Used: A Reply to Hoijtink, van Kooten, and Hulsker.

PubMed

Morey, Richard D; Wagenmakers, Eric-Jan; Rouder, Jeffrey N

2016-01-01

Hoijtink, Kooten, and Hulsker ( 2016 ) present a method for choosing the prior distribution for an analysis with Bayes factor that is based on controlling error rates, which they advocate as an alternative to our more subjective methods (Morey & Rouder, 2014 ; Rouder, Speckman, Sun, Morey, & Iverson, 2009 ; Wagenmakers, Wetzels, Borsboom, & van der Maas, 2011 ). We show that the method they advocate amounts to a simple significance test, and that the resulting Bayes factors are not interpretable. Additionally, their method fails in common circumstances, and has the potential to yield arbitrarily high Type II error rates. After critiquing their method, we outline the position on subjectivity that underlies our advocacy of Bayes factors.

Delayed onset of lactogenesis among first-time mothers is related to maternal obesity and factors associated with ineffective breastfeeding.

PubMed

Nommsen-Rivers, Laurie A; Chantry, Caroline J; Peerson, Janet M; Cohen, Roberta J; Dewey, Kathryn G

2010-09-01

Delayed onset of lactogenesis (OL) is most common in primiparas and increases the risk of excess neonatal weight loss, formula supplementation, and early weaning. We examined variables associated with delayed OL among first-time mothers who delivered at term and initiated breastfeeding (n = 431). We conducted in-person interviews during pregnancy and at days 0, 3, and 7 postpartum and extracted obstetric and newborn information from medical records. We defined OL as delayed if it occurred after 72 h and used chi-square analysis to examine its association with potential risk factors across 6 dimensions: 1) prenatal characteristics, 2) maternal anthropometric characteristics, 3) labor and delivery experience, 4) newborn characteristics, 5) maternal postpartum factors, and 6) infant feeding variables. We examined independent associations by using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Median OL was 68.9 h postpartum; 44% of mothers experienced delayed OL. We observed significant bivariate associations between delayed OL and variables in all 6 dimensions (P < 0.05). In a multivariate model adjusted for prenatal feeding intentions, independent risk factors for delayed OL were maternal age > or =30 y, body mass index in the overweight or obese range, birth weight >3600 g, absence of nipple discomfort between 0-3 d postpartum, and infant failing to "breastfeed well" > or =2 times in the first 24 h. Postpartum edema was significant in an alternate model excluding body mass index (P < 0.05). The risk factors for delayed OL are multidimensional. Public health and obstetric and maternity care interventions are needed to address what has become an alarmingly common problem among primiparas.

[Clinical features of invasive candidiasis and risk factors for Candida bloodstream infection in children: a multicenter study in Urumqi, China].

PubMed

Ai Er Ken, Ai Bi Bai; Ma, Zhi-Hua; Xiong, Dai-Qin; Xu, Pei-Ru

2017-04-01

To investigate the clinical features of invasive candidiasis in children and the risk factors for Candida bloodstream infection. A retrospective study was performed on 134 children with invasive candidiasis and hospitalized in 5 tertiary hospitals in Urumqi, China, between January 2010 and December 2015. The Candida species distribution was investigated. The clinical data were compared between the patients with and without Candida bloodstream infection. The risk factors for Candida bloodstream infection were investigated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. A total of 134 Candida strains were isolated from 134 children with invasive candidiasis, and non-albicans Candida (NAC) accounted for 53.0%. The incidence of invasive candidiasis in the PICU and other pediatric wards were 41.8% and 48.5% respectively. Sixty-eight patients (50.7%) had Candida bloodstream infection, and 45 patients (33.6%) had Candida urinary tract infection. There were significant differences in age, rate of use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, and incidence rates of chronic renal insufficiency, heart failure, urinary catheterization, and NAC infection between the patients with and without Candida bloodstream infection (P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that younger age (1-24 months) (OR=6.027) and NAC infection (OR=1.020) were the independent risk factors for Candida bloodstream infection. The incidence of invasive candidiasis is similar between the PICU and other pediatric wards. NAC is the most common species of invasive candidiasis. Candida bloodstream infection is the most common invasive infection. Younger age (1-24 months) and NAC infection are the risk factors for Candida bloodstream infection.

Fears related to pregnancy and childbirth among primigravidae who requested caesarean versus vaginal delivery in Iran.

PubMed

Matinnia, Nasrin; Faisal, Ibrahim; Hanafiah Juni, Muhamad; Herjar, Abdul Rahman; Moeini, Babak; Osman, Zubaidah Jamil

2015-05-01

Pregnancy- and childbirth-related fears are common psychological concerns and the primary reasons for requesting caesarean section (CS). We aimed to examine the content of maternal fear and the associated demographic factors in a sample of Iranian primigravidae. A randomly selected sample of primigravidae (n = 342) was recruited in four health care centres in Iran. Data were collected using a 30-item questionnaire. Principal components factor analysis was applied to identify the main factors of pregnancy- and childbirth-related fears. All primigravidae reported some degree of fear, 48.2 % presented severe fear, and 62.6 % requested a CS because of childbirth-related fear. Most of the employed primigravidae with higher education level, higher family income, and unplanned pregnancy requested CS. The items constructed to measure maternal fear were subjected to exploratory factor analysis. Six categories were identified, including 'process of labour and childbirth', 'life and well-being of the baby', 'competence and behaviour of maternity ward personnel', 'own capabilities and reactions', 'becoming a parent and family life after delivery' and 'general fear in pregnancy' that cumulatively explained 55.3 % of the variance. The most common factor was 'life and well-being of the baby'. Severe fear was found in 70.6 % of those who chose CS, while 10.9 % of those who chose vaginal delivery reported severe fear. The between-group differences for mean scores and levels of fear were statistically significant. Pregnancy- and childbirth-related fears were frequently experienced by all low-risk primigravidae. Better strategies to address women's psychological needs during pregnancy are necessary.

Rethinking the Heterosexual Infectivity of HIV-1: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Powers, Kimberly A.; Poole, Charles; Pettifor, Audrey E.; Cohen, Myron S.

2009-01-01

Background Studies of cumulative HIV incidence suggest that co-factors such as genital ulcer disease (GUD), HIV disease stage, and circumcision influence HIV transmission; however, the heterosexual infectivity of HIV-1 is commonly cited as a fixed value (∼0·001, or 1 transmission per thousand contacts). We sought to estimate transmission co-factor effects on the heterosexual infectivity of HIV-1 and to quantify the extent to which study methods have affected infectivity estimates. Methods We conducted a systematic search (through April 2008) of PubMed, Web of Science, and relevant bibliographies to identify articles estimating the heterosexual infectivity of HIV-1. We used meta-regression and stratified random-effects meta-analysis to assess differences in infectivity by co-factors and study methods. Findings Infectivity estimates were extremely heterogeneous, ranging from zero transmissions after more than 100 penile-vaginal contacts in some sero-discordant couples to one transmission for every 3·1 episodes of heterosexual anal intercourse. Estimates were only weakly associated with study methods. Infectivity differences (95% confidence intervals), expressed as number of transmissions per 1000 contacts, were 8 (0-16) comparing uncircumcised to circumcised male susceptibles, 6 (3-9) comparing susceptible individuals with and without GUD, 2 (1-3) comparing late-stage to mid-stage index cases, and 3 (0-5) comparing early-stage to mid-stage index cases. Interpretation A single value for the heterosexual infectivity of HIV-1 fails to reflect the variation associated with important co-factors. The commonly cited value of ∼0·001 was estimated among stable couples with low prevalences of high-risk co-factors, and represents a lower bound. Co-factor effects are important to include in epidemic models, policy considerations, and prevention messages. PMID:18684670

Large Covariance Estimation by Thresholding Principal Orthogonal Complements

PubMed Central

Fan, Jianqing; Liao, Yuan; Mincheva, Martina

2012-01-01

This paper deals with the estimation of a high-dimensional covariance with a conditional sparsity structure and fast-diverging eigenvalues. By assuming sparse error covariance matrix in an approximate factor model, we allow for the presence of some cross-sectional correlation even after taking out common but unobservable factors. We introduce the Principal Orthogonal complEment Thresholding (POET) method to explore such an approximate factor structure with sparsity. The POET estimator includes the sample covariance matrix, the factor-based covariance matrix (Fan, Fan, and Lv, 2008), the thresholding estimator (Bickel and Levina, 2008) and the adaptive thresholding estimator (Cai and Liu, 2011) as specific examples. We provide mathematical insights when the factor analysis is approximately the same as the principal component analysis for high-dimensional data. The rates of convergence of the sparse residual covariance matrix and the conditional sparse covariance matrix are studied under various norms. It is shown that the impact of estimating the unknown factors vanishes as the dimensionality increases. The uniform rates of convergence for the unobserved factors and their factor loadings are derived. The asymptotic results are also verified by extensive simulation studies. Finally, a real data application on portfolio allocation is presented. PMID:24348088

Large Covariance Estimation by Thresholding Principal Orthogonal Complements.

PubMed

Fan, Jianqing; Liao, Yuan; Mincheva, Martina

2013-09-01

This paper deals with the estimation of a high-dimensional covariance with a conditional sparsity structure and fast-diverging eigenvalues. By assuming sparse error covariance matrix in an approximate factor model, we allow for the presence of some cross-sectional correlation even after taking out common but unobservable factors. We introduce the Principal Orthogonal complEment Thresholding (POET) method to explore such an approximate factor structure with sparsity. The POET estimator includes the sample covariance matrix, the factor-based covariance matrix (Fan, Fan, and Lv, 2008), the thresholding estimator (Bickel and Levina, 2008) and the adaptive thresholding estimator (Cai and Liu, 2011) as specific examples. We provide mathematical insights when the factor analysis is approximately the same as the principal component analysis for high-dimensional data. The rates of convergence of the sparse residual covariance matrix and the conditional sparse covariance matrix are studied under various norms. It is shown that the impact of estimating the unknown factors vanishes as the dimensionality increases. The uniform rates of convergence for the unobserved factors and their factor loadings are derived. The asymptotic results are also verified by extensive simulation studies. Finally, a real data application on portfolio allocation is presented.

Individual and Neighborhood Characteristics of Children Seeking Emergency Department Care for Firearm Injuries Within the PECARN Network.

PubMed

Carter, Patrick M; Cook, Lawrence J; Macy, Michelle L; Zonfrillo, Mark R; Stanley, Rachel M; Chamberlain, James M; Fein, Joel A; Alpern, Elizabeth R; Cunningham, Rebecca M

2017-07-01

The objective was to describe the characteristics of children seeking emergency care for firearm injuries within the PECARN network and assess the influence of both individual and neighborhood factors on firearm-related injury risk. This was a retrospective, multicenter cross-sectional analysis of children (<19 years old) presenting to 16 pediatric EDs (2004-2008). ICD-9-CM E-codes were used to identify and categorize firearm injuries by mechanism/intent. Neighborhood variables were derived from home address data. Multivariable analysis examined the influence of individual and neighborhood factors on firearm-related injuries compared to nonfirearm ED visits. Injury recidivism was assessed. A total of 1,758 pediatric ED visits for firearm-related injuries were analyzed. Assault (51.4%, n = 904) and unintentional injury (33.2%, n = 584) were the most common injury mechanisms. Among children with firearm injuries, 68.3% were older adolescents (15-19 years old), 82.3% were male, 68.2% were African American, and 76.3% received public insurance/were uninsured. Extremity injuries were most common (75.9%), with 20% sustaining injuries to multiple body regions, 48.1% requiring admission and 1% ED mortality. Multivariable analysis identified firearm injury risk factors, including adolescent age (p < 0.001), male sex (p < 0.001), non-Caucasian race/ethnicity (p < 0.001), public payer/uninsured status (p < 0.001), and higher levels of neighborhood disadvantage (p < 0.001). Among children with firearm injuries, 12-month ED recidivism for any reason was 22.4%, with < 1% returning for another firearm injury. Among children receiving ED treatment within the PECARN network, there are distinct demographic and neighborhood factors associated with firearm injuries. Among younger children (<10 years old), unintentional injuries predominate, while assault-type injuries were most common among older adolescents. Overall, among this PECARN patient population, male adolescents living in neighborhoods characterized by high levels of concentrated disadvantage had an elevated risk for firearm injury. Public health efforts should focus on developing and implementing initiatives addressing risk factors at both the individual and the community level, including ED-based interventions to reduce the risk for firearm injuries among high-risk pediatric populations. © 2017 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

An investigation of the factor structure of the beck depression inventory-II in anorexia nervosa.

PubMed

Fuss, Samantha; Trottier, Kathryn; Carter, Jacqueline

2015-01-01

Symptoms of depression frequently co-occur with eating disorders and have been associated with negative outcomes. Self-report measures such as the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) are commonly used to assess for the presence of depressive symptoms in eating disorders, but the instrument's factor structure in this population has not been examined. The purposes of this study were to explore the factor structure of the BDI-II in a sample of individuals (N = 437) with anorexia nervosa undergoing inpatient treatment and to examine changes in depressive symptoms on each of the identified factors following a course of treatment for anorexia nervosa in order to provide evidence supporting the construct validity of the measure. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that a three-factor model reflected the best fit for the data. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to validate this model against competing models and the three-factor model exhibited strong model fit characteristics. BDI-II scores were significantly reduced on all three factors following inpatient treatment, which supported the construct validity of the scale. The BDI-II appears to be reliable in this population, and the factor structure identified through this analysis may offer predictive utility for identifying individuals who may have more difficulty achieving weight restoration in the context of inpatient treatment. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Drivers of wetland conversion: a global meta-analysis.

PubMed

van Asselen, Sanneke; Verburg, Peter H; Vermaat, Jan E; Janse, Jan H

2013-01-01

Meta-analysis of case studies has become an important tool for synthesizing case study findings in land change. Meta-analyses of deforestation, urbanization, desertification and change in shifting cultivation systems have been published. This present study adds to this literature, with an analysis of the proximate causes and underlying forces of wetland conversion at a global scale using two complementary approaches of systematic review. Firstly, a meta-analysis of 105 case-study papers describing wetland conversion was performed, showing that different combinations of multiple-factor proximate causes, and underlying forces, drive wetland conversion. Agricultural development has been the main proximate cause of wetland conversion, and economic growth and population density are the most frequently identified underlying forces. Secondly, to add a more quantitative component to the study, a logistic meta-regression analysis was performed to estimate the likelihood of wetland conversion worldwide, using globally-consistent biophysical and socioeconomic location factor maps. Significant factors explaining wetland conversion, in order of importance, are market influence, total wetland area (lower conversion probability), mean annual temperature and cropland or built-up area. The regression analyses results support the outcomes of the meta-analysis of the processes of conversion mentioned in the individual case studies. In other meta-analyses of land change, similar factors (e.g., agricultural development, population growth, market/economic factors) are also identified as important causes of various types of land change (e.g., deforestation, desertification). Meta-analysis helps to identify commonalities across the various local case studies and identify which variables may lead to individual cases to behave differently. The meta-regression provides maps indicating the likelihood of wetland conversion worldwide based on the location factors that have determined historic conversions.

Drivers of Wetland Conversion: a Global Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

van Asselen, Sanneke; Verburg, Peter H.; Vermaat, Jan E.; Janse, Jan H.

2013-01-01

Meta-analysis of case studies has become an important tool for synthesizing case study findings in land change. Meta-analyses of deforestation, urbanization, desertification and change in shifting cultivation systems have been published. This present study adds to this literature, with an analysis of the proximate causes and underlying forces of wetland conversion at a global scale using two complementary approaches of systematic review. Firstly, a meta-analysis of 105 case-study papers describing wetland conversion was performed, showing that different combinations of multiple-factor proximate causes, and underlying forces, drive wetland conversion. Agricultural development has been the main proximate cause of wetland conversion, and economic growth and population density are the most frequently identified underlying forces. Secondly, to add a more quantitative component to the study, a logistic meta-regression analysis was performed to estimate the likelihood of wetland conversion worldwide, using globally-consistent biophysical and socioeconomic location factor maps. Significant factors explaining wetland conversion, in order of importance, are market influence, total wetland area (lower conversion probability), mean annual temperature and cropland or built-up area. The regression analyses results support the outcomes of the meta-analysis of the processes of conversion mentioned in the individual case studies. In other meta-analyses of land change, similar factors (e.g., agricultural development, population growth, market/economic factors) are also identified as important causes of various types of land change (e.g., deforestation, desertification). Meta-analysis helps to identify commonalities across the various local case studies and identify which variables may lead to individual cases to behave differently. The meta-regression provides maps indicating the likelihood of wetland conversion worldwide based on the location factors that have determined historic conversions. PMID:24282580

Testing Group Mean Differences of Latent Variables in Multilevel Data Using Multiple-Group Multilevel CFA and Multilevel MIMIC Modeling.

PubMed

Kim, Eun Sook; Cao, Chunhua

2015-01-01

Considering that group comparisons are common in social science, we examined two latent group mean testing methods when groups of interest were either at the between or within level of multilevel data: multiple-group multilevel confirmatory factor analysis (MG ML CFA) and multilevel multiple-indicators multiple-causes modeling (ML MIMIC). The performance of these methods were investigated through three Monte Carlo studies. In Studies 1 and 2, either factor variances or residual variances were manipulated to be heterogeneous between groups. In Study 3, which focused on within-level multiple-group analysis, six different model specifications were considered depending on how to model the intra-class group correlation (i.e., correlation between random effect factors for groups within cluster). The results of simulations generally supported the adequacy of MG ML CFA and ML MIMIC for multiple-group analysis with multilevel data. The two methods did not show any notable difference in the latent group mean testing across three studies. Finally, a demonstration with real data and guidelines in selecting an appropriate approach to multilevel multiple-group analysis are provided.

Factors associated with physical activity promotion by allied and other non-medical health professionals: A systematic review.

PubMed

Crisford, Paul; Winzenberg, Tania; Venn, Alison; Schultz, Martin; Aitken, Dawn; Cleland, Verity

2018-05-21

To identify factors associated with non-medical health professionals' engagement in physical activity (PA) promotion. Five electronic databases were searched for studies including practising health professionals (excluding medical doctors), a PA promotion practice measure, a test of association between potential influencing factors and PA promotion practice, and written in English. Two researchers independently screened studies and extracted data. Extracted data were synthesized in a tabular format with a narrative summary (thematic analysis). Thirty studies involving 7734 non-medical health professionals were included. Self-efficacy in PA promotion, positive beliefs in the benefits of PA, assessing patients' PA, and PA promotion training were the main factors associated with engaging in PA promotion. Lack of remuneration was not associated. Common study limitations included a lack of information on non-responders, data collection by survey only and limited reliability or validity testing of measurements. There are common factors influencing PA promotion, but the absence of studies from some health professions, limitations related to study measures, and the lack of randomised controlled intervention trials highlights the need for further research. The factors identified may prove useful for guiding the development of strategies to encourage greater engagement in PA promotion by health professionals. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Factors influencing deprescribing habits among geriatricians.

PubMed

Ní Chróinín, Danielle; Ní Chróinín, Chantelle; Beveridge, Alexander

2015-07-01

deprescribing habits among physicians managing older, frailer, cognitively impaired patients have not been well investigated. an anonymised electronic survey was disseminated to all members of an international geriatric society/local advanced trainee network (N = 930). This comprised a Likert-scale analysis of factors influencing desprescribing, and five case vignettes, detailing a patient with progressive cognitive impairment and dependency, on a background of ischaemic heart disease and hypertension. among 134 respondents (response rate 14.4%), 47.4% were female, 48.9% aged 36-50 years and 84.1% specialists (15.9% trainees). Respondents commonly rated limited life expectancy (96.2%) and cognitive impairment (84.1%) as very/extremely important to deprescribing practices. On multivariable analysis, older respondents less commonly rated functional dependency (odds ratio [OR] 0.22 per change in age category; P < 0.001) and limited life expectancy (OR 0.09, P = 0.04) important when deprescribing, while female participants (OR 3.03, P < 0.001) and trainees (versus specialists OR 14.29, P < 0.001) more often rated adherence to evidence-based guidelines important. As vignettes described increasing dependency and cognitive impairment, physicians were more likely to stop donepezil, aspirin, atorvastatin and antihypertensives (all P < 0.001 for trend). Aspirin (93.6%) and ramipril (94.1%) were most commonly deprescribed. Commonest reasons cited for deprescribing medications were 'dementia severity', followed by pill burden. in this exploratory analysis, geriatricians rated limited life expectancy and cognitive impairment very important in driving deprescribing practices. Geriatricians more often deprescribed multiple medications in the setting of advancing dependency and cognitive impairment, driven by dementia severity and pill burden concerns. Physician characteristics also influence deprescribing practices. Further exploration of factors influencing deprescribing patterns, and patient outcomes, is needed. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[Validation and reliability study of the parent concerns about surgery questionnaire: What worries parents?

PubMed

Gironés Muriel, Alberto; Campos Segovia, Ana; Ríos Gómez, Patricia

2018-01-01

The study of mediating variables and psychological responses to child surgery involves the evaluation of both the patient and the parents as regards different stressors. To have a reliable and reproducible valid evaluation tool that assesses the level of paternal involvement in relation to different stressors in the setting of surgery. A self-report questionnaire study was completed by 123 subjects of both sexes, subdivided into 2populations, due to their relationship with the hospital setting. The items were determined by a group of experts and analysed using the Lawshe validity index to determine a first validity of content. Subsequently, the reliability of the tool was determined by an item-re-item analysis of the 2sub-populations. A factorial analysis was performed to analyse the construct validity with the maximum likelihood and rotation of varimax type factors. A questionnaire of paternal concern was offered, consisting of 21 items with a Cronbach coefficient of 0.97, giving good precision and stability. The posterior factor analysis gives an adequate validity to the questionnaire, with the determination of 10 common stressors that cover 74.08% of the common and non-common variance of the questionnaire. The proposed questionnaire is reliable, valid and easy-to-apply and is developed to assess the level of paternal concern about the surgery of a child and to be able to apply measures and programs through the prior assessment of these elements. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Paediatricians' decision making about prescribing stimulant medications for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Chow, S-J; Sciberras, E; Gillam, L H; Green, J; Efron, D

2014-05-01

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is now the most common reason for a child to present to a paediatrician in Australia. Stimulant medications are commonly prescribed for children with ADHD, to reduce symptoms and improve function. In this study we investigated the factors that influence paediatricians' decisions about prescribing stimulant medications. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with paediatricians (n = 13) who were purposively recruited so as to sample a broad demographic of paediatricians working in diverse clinical settings. Paediatricians were recruited from public outpatient and private paediatrician clinics in Victoria, Australia. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim for thematic analysis. Paediatricians also completed a questionnaire describing their demographic and practice characteristics. Our findings showed that the decision to prescribe is a dynamic process involving two key domains: (1) weighing up clinical factors; and (2) interacting with parents and the patient along the journey to prescribing. Five themes relating to this process emerged from data analysis: comprehensive assessments that include history, examination and information from others; influencing factors such as functional impairment and social inclusion; previous success; facilitating parental understanding including addressing myths and parental confusion; and decision-making model. Paediatricians' decisions to prescribe stimulant medications are influenced by multiple factors that operate concurrently and interdependently. Paediatricians do not make decisions about prescribing in isolation; rather, they actively involve parents, teachers and patients, to arrive at a collective, well-informed decision. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A registry analysis of damage to the deceased donor pancreas during procurement.

PubMed

Ausania, F; Drage, M; Manas, D; Callaghan, C J

2015-11-01

Surgical injury to the pancreas is thought to occur commonly during procurement. The UK Transplant Registry was analyzed to determine the frequency of pancreatic injuries, identify factors associated with damage, and assess the impact of injuries on graft survival. Twelve hundred ninety-six pancreata were procured from donation after brain death donors, with 314 (19.5%) from donation after circulatory death donors. More than 50% of recovered pancreata had at least one injury, most commonly a short portal vein (21.5%). Liver donation, procurement team origin, hepatic artery (HA) arising from the superior mesenteric artery (SMA), and increasing donor BMI were associated with increased rates of pancreas damage on univariate analyses; on multivariate analysis only the presence of an HA from the SMA remained significant (p = 0.02). Six hundred forty solid organ pancreas transplants were performed; 238 had some form of damage. Overall, there was no difference in graft survival between damaged and undamaged organs (p = 0.28); however, graft loss was significantly more frequent in pancreata with arterial damage (p = 0.04) and in those with parenchymal damage (p = 0.05). Damage to the pancreas during organ recovery is more common than other organs, and meticulous surgical technique and awareness of damage risk factors are essential to reduce rates of procurement-related injuries. © Copyright 2015 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.

The conceptualization and measurement of cognitive reserve using common proxy indicators: Testing some tenable reflective and formative models.

PubMed

Ikanga, Jean; Hill, Elizabeth M; MacDonald, Douglas A

2017-02-01

The examination of cognitive reserve (CR) literature reveals a lack of consensus regarding conceptualization and pervasive problems with its measurement. This study aimed at examining the conceptual nature of CR through the analysis of reflective and formative models using eight proxies commonly employed in the CR literature. We hypothesized that all CR proxies would significantly contribute to a one-factor reflective model and that educational and occupational attainment would produce the strongest loadings on a single CR factor. The sample consisted of 149 participants (82 male/67 female), with 18.1 average years of education and ages of 45-99 years. Participants were assessed for eight proxies of CR (parent socioeconomic status, intellectual functioning, level of education, health literacy, occupational prestige, life leisure activities, physical activities, and spiritual and religious activities). Primary statistical analyses consisted of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test reflective models and structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate multiple indicators multiple causes (MIMIC) models. CFA did not produce compelling support for a unitary CR construct when using all eight of our CR proxy variables in a reflective model but fairly cogent evidence for a one-factor model with four variable proxies. A second three-factor reflective model based upon an exploratory principal components analysis of the eight proxies was tested using CFA. Though all eight indicators significantly loaded on their assigned factors, evidence in support of overall model fit was mixed. Based upon the results involving the three-factor reflective model, two alternative formative models were developed and evaluated. While some support was obtained for both, the model in which the formative influences were specified as latent variables appeared to best account for the contributions of all eight proxies to the CR construct. While the findings provide partial support for our hypothesis regarding CR as a one-dimensional reflective construct, the results strongly suggest that the construct is more complex than what can be captured in a reflective model alone. There is a need for theory to better identify and differentiate formative from reflective indicators and to articulate the mechanisms by which CR develops and operates.

Distribution and prevalence of major risk factors of noncommunicable diseases in selected countries: the WHO Inter-Health Programme.

PubMed Central

Berrios, X.; Koponen, T.; Huiguang, T.; Khaltaev, N.; Puska, P.; Nissinen, A.

1997-01-01

The Inter-Health Programme was launched in 1986 by WHO, with the collaboration of a coordination centre (National Public Health Institute, Finland) to control and prevent chronic noncommunicable diseases (CNCDs) among adults. Programmes for action were organized based on the concept that most major CNCDs share common risk factors and that those that are lifestyle related are modifiable through efficient interventions using multifactorial strategies involving community participation and behaviour changes carried out at the primary health care level. Twelve countries from all WHO Regions have joined the programme. A baseline survey was undertaken in all countries with a common protocol, following the criteria and methods employed in the MONICA Project. Altogether 36815 men and women aged 35-64 years were included in the present analysis from the following Inter-Health countries: Chile, China, Cyprus, Finland, Lithuanian SSR, Malta, Mauritius, Russian SFSR, United Republic of Tanzania, and USA. In addition to individual country analysis, centralized analysis was carried out at the Finnish National Public Health Institute and the Department of Community Health, Kuopio University, Finland. Reported here are the mean values of blood pressure, body mass index, and serum total cholesterol as well as specific prevalences of smoking, hypertension, obesity, and hypercholesterolaemia. PMID:9185361

A systematic review and meta-analysis of factors that relate to aggression perpetrated against nurses by patients/relatives or staff.

PubMed

Edward, Karen-leigh; Stephenson, John; Ousey, Karen; Lui, Steve; Warelow, Philip; Giandinoto, Jo-Ann

2016-02-01

The aim of this meta-analysis was to identify the factors that related to aggression (verbal abuse or physical abuse/assault) perpetrated against the nurse or other health professionals by patients/relatives or staff. In the light of the paucity of systematic reviews on this common issue in nursing, the objective was to present a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of these papers. Aggression towards nurses is common around the world and can be the impetus for nurses leaving the profession or developing anxiety when working in particular settings. Systematic review with meta-analysis. Meta-analyses were conducted to assess the effect of the factors of gender and context (dichotomised as mental health/psychiatric or nonmental health/psychiatric). The databases of Medline (1966-2015), CINAHL (1982-2015) and PsychInfo (1920-2015). A total of 1571 papers were screened by two reviewers. At the final decision 14 were selected for analysis. A higher proportion of female nurses than male nurses were reported to be the victims of verbal abuse, with the difference in proportions being statistically significant. A statistically significant higher proportion of male nurses than female nurses were reported to be the victims of physical abuse. There was a significantly higher proportion of mental health nurses reported experiencing physical abuse as compared to nonmental health nurses. The analysis reveal female nurses have greater odds of verbal abuse than male nurses and male nurses have greater odds of physical abuse than female nurses. Overall mental health nurses had three times higher odds of physical assault than other nurses. In the light of the findings it is recommended organisational support improve in high aggression potential clinical areas and for nursing curriculums to incorporate education about the management of challenging behaviours in undergraduate programmes. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Prevalence of Common Mental Disorders and Associated Factors among People with Glaucoma Attending Outpatient Clinic at Menelik II Referral Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Bedasso, Kufa; Feyera, Fetuma; Gebeyehu, Abebaw; Yohannis, Zegeye

2016-01-01

Background The burden of blindness from glaucoma is high. Therefore, people suffering from a serious eye disease such as glaucoma, which can lead to blindness, usually have an emotional disturbance on the patient. Untreated psychiatric illness is associated with increased morbidity and increased costs of care. Objective This study aimed to assess prevalence of common mental disorders and associated factors among people with Glaucoma attending Menelik II referral hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2014. Methods Institution based Cross-sectional study design was conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology Menelik II Referral Hospital from April 10 to May 15, 2014. 423 participants who had undergone through investigation, examination and diagnosed as patients of glaucoma were selected randomly from the glaucoma clinic. Data were collected through face to face interview using Self Reporting Questionnaire consisted of 20 items. Study subjects who scored ≥11 from SRQ-20 were considered as having common mental disorders. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis with 95% CI were done and variables with P<0.05 in the final model were identified as independent factors associated with common mental disorders. Results Four hundred five patients with glaucoma were included in our study with response rate of 95.7% and 64.5% were males. The average age was 59±13.37 years. Common mental disorders were observed in 23.2% of Glaucoma patients. It is quite obvious that levels of CMDs were high among patients with glaucoma. There was a significant association between age, sex, chronic physical illness, income and duration of illness at P < 0.05. Conclusion and Recommendation Symptoms of common mental disorders were the commonest comorbidities among patients with glaucoma. It will be better to assess and treat Common mental disorders as a separate illness in patients with glaucoma. PMID:27584147

Shared polymorphisms and modifiable behavior factors for myocardial infarction and high cholesterol in a retrospective population study

PubMed Central

Liang, Yulan; Kelemen, Arpad

2017-01-01

Abstract Genetic and environmental (behavior, clinical, and demographic) factors are associated with increased risks of both myocardial infarction (MI) and high cholesterol (HC). It is known that HC is major risk factor that may cause MI. However, whether there are common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) associated with both MI and HC is not firmly established, and whether there are modulate and modified effects (interactions of genetic and known environmental factors) on either HC or MI, and whether these joint effects improve the predictions of MI, is understudied. The purpose of this study is to identify novel shared SNPs and modifiable environmental factors on MI and HC. We assess whether SNPs from a metabolic pathway related to MI may relate to HC; whether there are moderate effects among SNPs, lifestyle (smoke and drinking), HC, and MI after controlling other factors [gender, body mass index (BMI), and hypertension (HTN)]; and evaluate prediction power of the joint and modulate genetic and environmental factors influencing the MI and HC. This is a retrospective study with residents of Erie and Niagara counties in New York with a history of MI or with no history of MI. The data set includes environmental variables (demographic, clinical, lifestyle). Thirty-one tagSNPs from a metabolic pathway related to MI are genotyped. Generalized linear models (GLMs) with imputation-based analysis are conducted for examining the common effects of tagSNPs and environmental exposures and their interactions on having a history of HC or MI. MI, BMI, and HTN are significant risk factors for HC. HC shows the strongest effect on risk of MI in addition to HTN; gender and smoking status while drinking status shows protective effect on MI. rs16944 (gene IL-1β) and rs17222772 (gene ALOX) increase the risks of HC, while rs17231896 (gene CETP) has protective effects on HC either with or without the clinical, behavioral, demographic factors with different effect sizes that may indicate the existence of moderate or modifiable effects. Further analysis with the inclusions of gene–gene and gene–environmental interactions shows interactions between rs17231896 (CETP) and rs17222772 (ALOX); rs17231896 (CETP) and gender. rs17237890 (CETP) and rs2070744 (NOS3) are found to be significantly associated with risks of MI adjusted by both SNPs and environmental factors. After multiple testing adjustments, these effects diminished as expected. In addition, an interaction between drinking and smoking status is significant. Overall, the prediction power in successfully classifying MI status is increased to 80% with inclusions of all significant tagSNPs and environmental factors and their interactions compared with environmental factors only (72%). Having a history of either HC or MI has significant effects on each other in both directions, in addition to HTN and gender. Genes/SNPs identified from this analysis that are associated with HC may be potentially linked to MI, which could be further examined and validated through haplotype-pairs analysis with appropriate population stratification corrections, and function/pathway regulation analysis to eliminate the limitations of the current analysis. PMID:28906356

Shared polymorphisms and modifiable behavior factors for myocardial infarction and high cholesterol in a retrospective population study.

PubMed

Liang, Yulan; Kelemen, Arpad

2017-09-01

Genetic and environmental (behavior, clinical, and demographic) factors are associated with increased risks of both myocardial infarction (MI) and high cholesterol (HC). It is known that HC is major risk factor that may cause MI. However, whether there are common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) associated with both MI and HC is not firmly established, and whether there are modulate and modified effects (interactions of genetic and known environmental factors) on either HC or MI, and whether these joint effects improve the predictions of MI, is understudied.The purpose of this study is to identify novel shared SNPs and modifiable environmental factors on MI and HC. We assess whether SNPs from a metabolic pathway related to MI may relate to HC; whether there are moderate effects among SNPs, lifestyle (smoke and drinking), HC, and MI after controlling other factors [gender, body mass index (BMI), and hypertension (HTN)]; and evaluate prediction power of the joint and modulate genetic and environmental factors influencing the MI and HC.This is a retrospective study with residents of Erie and Niagara counties in New York with a history of MI or with no history of MI. The data set includes environmental variables (demographic, clinical, lifestyle). Thirty-one tagSNPs from a metabolic pathway related to MI are genotyped. Generalized linear models (GLMs) with imputation-based analysis are conducted for examining the common effects of tagSNPs and environmental exposures and their interactions on having a history of HC or MI.MI, BMI, and HTN are significant risk factors for HC. HC shows the strongest effect on risk of MI in addition to HTN; gender and smoking status while drinking status shows protective effect on MI. rs16944 (gene IL-1β) and rs17222772 (gene ALOX) increase the risks of HC, while rs17231896 (gene CETP) has protective effects on HC either with or without the clinical, behavioral, demographic factors with different effect sizes that may indicate the existence of moderate or modifiable effects. Further analysis with the inclusions of gene-gene and gene-environmental interactions shows interactions between rs17231896 (CETP) and rs17222772 (ALOX); rs17231896 (CETP) and gender. rs17237890 (CETP) and rs2070744 (NOS3) are found to be significantly associated with risks of MI adjusted by both SNPs and environmental factors. After multiple testing adjustments, these effects diminished as expected. In addition, an interaction between drinking and smoking status is significant. Overall, the prediction power in successfully classifying MI status is increased to 80% with inclusions of all significant tagSNPs and environmental factors and their interactions compared with environmental factors only (72%).Having a history of either HC or MI has significant effects on each other in both directions, in addition to HTN and gender. Genes/SNPs identified from this analysis that are associated with HC may be potentially linked to MI, which could be further examined and validated through haplotype-pairs analysis with appropriate population stratification corrections, and function/pathway regulation analysis to eliminate the limitations of the current analysis.

[Precipitating factors in patients with repetitive exacerbation of chronic left heart failure].

PubMed

Sasaki, T; Yanagitani, Y; Kubo, T; Matsuo, H; Miyatake, K

1998-04-01

The precipitating factors of repetitive exacerbation were investigated in 110 consecutive patients with chronic left heart failure admitted due to acute exacerbation more than twice to the medical emergency ward of National Cardiovascular Center from January, 1992 to December, 1996. The controls were 189 consecutive patients with chronic left heart failure admitted to the ward due to acute exacerbation only once during the same period. Excessive intake of water or sodium, overwork and infection were common precipitating factors in the first decompensation of left heart failure, but the former two factors became less common with repeated admission. Patient mistakes such as excessive intake of water or sodium, overwork and noncompliance with medications, and new onset arrhythmias were common precipitating factors in patients (n = 13) admitted to the ward more than four times. Infection was a common precipitating factor (63%) in patients with a time interval between readmission and the last discharge of longer than 2 years. Despite repeated admission, infection was a common precipitating factor in patients with valvular heart disease (n = 31), patient mistakes were common in heart disease with left ventricular hypertrophy (n = 20), and infection and new onset arrhythmias were common in dilated cardiomyopathy (n = 28) and old myocardial infarction (n = 31). Patient mistakes and new onset arrhythmias were the common factors that led to repetitive exacerbation of left heart failure, and precipitating factors were characterized by the etiology of left heart failure.

The pitfalls of hair analysis for toxicants in clinical practice: three case reports.

PubMed Central

Frisch, Melissa; Schwartz, Brian S

2002-01-01

Hair analysis is used to assess exposure to heavy metals in patients presenting with nonspecific symptoms and is a commonly used procedure in patients referred to our clinic. We are frequently called on to evaluate patients who have health-related concerns as a result of hair analysis. Three patients first presented to outside physicians with nonspecific, multisystemic symptoms. A panel of analytes was measured in hair, and one or more values were interpreted as elevated. As a result of the hair analysis and other unconventional diagnostic tests, the patients presented to us believing they suffered from metal toxicity. In this paper we review the clinical efficacy of this procedure within the context of a patient population with somatic disorders and no clear risk factors for metal intoxication. We also review limitations of hair analysis in this setting; these limitations include patient factors such as low pretest probability of disease and test factors such as the lack of validation of analytic techniques, the inability to discern between exogenous contaminants and endogenous toxicants in hair, the variability of analytic procedures, low interlaboratory reliability, and the increased likelihood of false positive test results in the measurement of panels of analytes. PMID:11940463

Analysis of In Vivo Chromatin and Protein Interactions of Arabidopsis Transcript Elongation Factors.

PubMed

Pfab, Alexander; Antosz, Wojciech; Holzinger, Philipp; Bruckmann, Astrid; Griesenbeck, Joachim; Grasser, Klaus D

2017-01-01

A central step to elucidate the function of proteins commonly comprises the analysis of their molecular interactions in vivo. For nuclear regulatory proteins this involves determining protein-protein interactions as well as mapping of chromatin binding sites. Here, we present two protocols to identify protein-protein and chromatin interactions of transcript elongation factors (TEFs) in Arabidopsis. The first protocol (Subheading 3.1) describes protein affinity-purification coupled to mass spectrometry (AP-MS) that utilizes suspension cultured cells as experimental system. This approach provides an unbiased view of proteins interacting with epitope-tagged TEFs. The second protocol (Subheading 3.2) depicts details about a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) procedure to characterize genomic binding sites of TEFs. These methods should be valuable tools for the analysis of a broad variety of nuclear proteins.

Does the Assessment of Recovery Capital scale reflect a single or multiple domains?

PubMed

Arndt, Stephan; Sahker, Ethan; Hedden, Suzy

2017-01-01

The goal of this study was to determine whether the 50-item Assessment of Recovery Capital scale represents a single general measure or whether multiple domains might be psychometrically useful for research or clinical applications. Data are from a cross-sectional de-identified existing program evaluation information data set with 1,138 clients entering substance use disorder treatment. Principal components and iterated factor analysis were used on the domain scores. Multiple group factor analysis provided a quasi-confirmatory factor analysis. The solution accounted for 75.24% of the total variance, suggesting that 10 factors provide a reasonably good fit. However, Tucker's congruence coefficients between the factor structure and defining weights (0.41-0.52) suggested a poor fit to the hypothesized 10-domain structure. Principal components of the 10-domain scores yielded one factor whose eigenvalue was greater than one (5.93), accounting for 75.8% of the common variance. A few domains had perceptible but small unique variance components suggesting that a few of the domains may warrant enrichment. Our findings suggest that there is one general factor, with a caveat. Using the 10 measures inflates the chance for Type I errors. Using one general measure avoids this issue, is simple to interpret, and could reduce the number of items. However, those seeking to maximally predict later recovery success may need to use the full instrument and all 10 domains.

Decision-making in rectal and colorectal cancer: systematic review and qualitative analysis of surgeons' preferences.

PubMed

Broc, Guillaume; Gana, Kamel; Denost, Quentin; Quintard, Bruno

2017-04-01

Surgeons are experiencing difficulties implementing recommendations not only owing to incomplete, confusing or conflicting information but also to the increasing involvement of patients in decisions relating to their health. This study sought to establish which common factors including heuristic factors guide surgeons' decision-making in colon and rectal cancers. We conducted a systematic literature review of surgeons' decision-making factors related to colon and rectal cancer treatment. Eleven of 349 identified publications were eligible for data analyses. Using the IRaMuTeQ (Interface of R for the Multidimensional Analyses of Texts and Questionnaire), we carried out a qualitative analysis of the significant factors collected in the studies reviewed. Several validation procedures were applied to control the robustness of the findings. Five categories of factors (i.e. patient, surgeon, treatment, tumor and organizational cues) were found to influence surgeons' decision-making. Specifically, all decision criteria including biomedical (e.g. tumor information) and heuristic (e.g. surgeons' dispositional factors) criteria converged towards the factor 'age of patient' in the similarity analysis. In the light of the results, we propose an explanatory model showing the impact of heuristic criteria on medical issues (i.e. diagnosis, prognosis, treatment features, etc.) and thus on decision-making. Finally, the psychosocial complexity involved in decision-making is discussed and a medico-psycho-social grid for use in multidisciplinary meetings is proposed.

Factor analysis of submicron particle size distributions near a major United States-Canada trade bridge.

PubMed

Ogulei, David; Hopke, Philip K; Ferro, Andrea R; Jaques, Peter A

2007-02-01

A factor analytic model has been applied to resolve and apportion particles based on submicron particle size distributions downwind of a United States-Canada bridge in Buffalo, NY. The sites chosen for this study were located at gradually increasing distances downwind of the bridge complex. Seven independent factors were resolved, including four factors that were common to all of the five sites considered. The common factors were generally characterized by the existence of two or more number and surface area modes. The seven factors resolved were identified as follows: fresh tail-pipe diesel exhaust, local/street diesel traffic, aged/evolved diesel particles, spark-ignition gasoline emissions, background urban emissions, heavy-duty diesel agglomerates, and secondary/transported material. Submicron (<0.5 microm) and ultrafine (<0.1 microm) particle emissions downwind of the bridge were dominated by commercial diesel truck emissions. Thus, this study obtained size distinction between fresh versus aged vehicle exhaust and spark-ignition versus diesel emissions based on the measured high time-resolution particle number concentrations. Because this study mainly used particles <300 nm in diameter, some sources that would usually exhibit number modes >100 nm were not resolved. Also, the resolved profiles suggested that the major number mode for fresh tailpipe diesel exhaust might exist below the detection limit of the spectrometer used. The average particle number contributions from the resolved factors were highest closest to the bridge.

A qualitative secondary data analysis of intentional and unintentional medication nonadherence in adults with chronic heart failure.

PubMed

Riegel, Barbara; Dickson, Victoria Vaughan

To explore factors contributing to intentional and unintentional medication nonadherence in adults with chronic heart failure (HF). Medication nonadherence is prevalent in HF but the factors contributing to it are not well understood. This secondary data analysis of qualitative data explored narrative accounts about medication adherence from four previous studies (N = 112). The Necessity-Concerns-Framework derived from the Common Sense Model (CSM) of Self-Regulation guided the interpretation of themes. In this diverse sample (39% Black, 6% Hispanic, 63% male; mean age 59 ± 15 years), 90% reported at least intermittent nonadherence. For many (60%), missing medication was unintentional but 27% reported intentional nonadherence. Four interconnected patterns of behavior emerged: 1) rarely nonadherent, 2) frequently nonadherent, 3) intentionally nonadherent, and 4) reformed nonadherent. Misperceptions about HF, beliefs, concerns, and contextual factors contributed to both intentional and unintentional nonadherence. Medication nonadherence is prevalent in HF and influenced by modifiable factors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Common genetic factors among sexual orientation, gender nonconformity, and number of sex partners in female twins: implications for the evolution of homosexuality.

PubMed

Burri, Andrea; Spector, Tim; Rahman, Qazi

2015-04-01

Homosexuality is a stable population-level trait in humans that lowers direct fitness and yet is substantially heritable, resulting in a so-called Darwinian "paradox." Evolutionary models have proposed that polymorphic genes influencing homosexuality confer a reproductive benefit to heterosexual carriers, thus offsetting the fitness costs associated with persistent homosexuality. This benefit may consist of a "sex typicality" intermediate phenotype. However, there are few empirical tests of this hypothesis using genetically informative data in humans. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that common genetic factors can explain the association between measures of sex typicality, mating success, and homosexuality in a Western (British) sample of female twins. Here, we used data from 996 female twins (498 twin pairs) comprising 242 full dizygotic pairs and 256 full monozygotic pairs (mean age 56.8) and 1,555 individuals whose co-twin did not participate. Measures of sexual orientation, sex typicality (recalled childhood gender nonconformity), and mating success (number of lifetime sexual partners) were completed. Variables were subject to multivariate variance component analysis. We found that masculine women are more likely to be nonheterosexual, report more sexual partners, and, when heterosexual, also report more sexual partners. Multivariate twin modeling showed that common genetic factors explained the relationship between sexual orientation, sex typicality, and mating success through a shared latent factor. Our findings suggest that genetic factors responsible for nonheterosexuality are shared with genetic factors responsible for the number of lifetime sexual partners via a latent sex typicality phenotype in human females. These results may have implications for evolutionary models of homosexuality but are limited by potential mediating variables (such as personality traits) and measurement issues. © 2015 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Post-ERCP acute pancreatitis and its risk factors.

PubMed

Iorgulescu, A; Sandu, I; Turcu, F; Iordache, N

2013-03-15

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a complex endoscopic technique that evolved from a diagnostic to a mainly therapeutic procedure. This was due to the identification of post-procedural complications that can follow both simple ERCP and that associated with the instrumentation of the biliary and pancreatic ductals. The identification of post ERCP complications in a proportion of 5 to 10% of cases, with a mortality rate of 0.33%, imposed their analysis and study of risk factors involved in their occurrence. The significance of post ERCP complications reveals the necessity of their avoidance by adopting additional measures if risk factors are identified. We have retrospectively analyzed 900 cases that underwent ERCP in the Surgery Department of "Sf. Ioan" Clinical Hospital in a period of 17 years. The complications of the procedure were studied. Among them, a special attention was given to post-ERCP acute pancreatitis (pERCP-AP), the most common complication that occurred in the study group. We also tried to find out and highlight the risk factors for this complication. ERCP is a relatively safe invasive procedure, yet it has complications (8% of cases), some of them potentially fatal (mortality 0.43%). The most common complications after ERCP are acute pancreatitis (3.7%), papillary bleeding (1.04%), retroperitoneal duodenal perforation (0.69%) and biliary septic complications like acute cholecystitis and cholangitis (1.21%). Acute pancreatitis is by far the most common complication. Risk factors for its occurrence are difficult sphincterotomy with precut use, failure of CBD desobstruction, pancreatic sphincterotomy, repeated injection of contrast in the pancreatic ductal system, dysfunction of the sphincter of Oddi and the absence of changes of chronic pancreatitis. When risk factors are identified, the patients' selection must be very strict and diagnostic ERCP should be avoided in favor of non-invasive diagnostic methods (MRI-cholangiography, echo-endoscopy).

Interacting factors associated with Low antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections in primary health care - a mixed methods study in Sweden.

PubMed

Strandberg, Eva Lena; Brorsson, Annika; André, Malin; Gröndal, Hedvig; Mölstad, Sigvard; Hedin, Katarina

2016-07-18

Prescribing of antibiotics for common infections varies widely, and there is no medical explanation. Systematic reviews have highlighted factors that may influence antibiotic prescribing and that this is a complex process. It is unclear how factors interact and how the primary care organization affects diagnostic procedures and antibiotic prescribing. Therefore, we sought to explore and understand interactions between factors influencing antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections in primary care. Our mixed methods design was guided by the Triangulation Design Model according to Creswell. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected in parallel. Quantitative data were collected by prescription statistics, questionnaires to patients, and general practitioners' audit registrations. Qualitative data were collected through observations and semi-structured interviews. From the analysis of the data from the different sources an overall theme emerged: A common practice in the primary health care centre is crucial for low antibiotic prescribing in line with guidelines. Several factors contribute to a common practice, such as promoting management and leadership, internalized guidelines including inter-professional discussions, the general practitioner's diagnostic process, nurse triage, and patient expectation. These factors were closely related and influenced each other. The results showed that knowledge must be internalized and guidelines need to be normative for the group as well as for every individual. Low prescribing is associated with adapted and transformed guidelines within all staff, not only general practitioners. Nurses' triage and self-care advice played an important role. Encouragement from the management level stimulated inter-professional discussions about antibiotic prescribing. Informal opinion moulders talking about antibiotic prescribing was supported by the managers. Finally, continuous professional development activities were encouraged for up-to-date knowledge.

Risk factors associated with iatrogenic opioid and benzodiazepine withdrawal in critically ill pediatric patients: a systematic review and conceptual model.

PubMed

Best, Kaitlin M; Boullata, Joseph I; Curley, Martha A Q

2015-02-01

Analgesia and sedation are common therapies in pediatric critical care, and rapid titration of these medications is associated with iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome. We performed a systematic review of the literature to identify all common and salient risk factors associated with iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome and build a conceptual model of iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome risk in critically ill pediatric patients. Multiple databases, including PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Central Registry of Clinical Trials, were searched using relevant terms from January 1, 1980, to August 1, 2014. Articles were included if they were published in English and discussed iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome following either opioid or benzodiazepine therapy in children in acute or intensive care settings. Articles were excluded if subjects were neonates born to opioid- or benzodiazepine-dependent mothers, children diagnosed as substance abusers, or subjects with cancer-related pain; if data about opioid or benzodiazepine treatment were not specified; or if primary data were not reported. In total, 1,395 articles were evaluated, 33 of which met the inclusion criteria. To facilitate analysis, all opioid and/or benzodiazepine doses were converted to morphine or midazolam equivalents, respectively. A table of evidence was developed for qualitative analysis of common themes, providing a framework for the construction of a conceptual model. The strongest risk factors associated with iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome include duration of therapy and cumulative dose. Additionally, evidence exists linking patient, process, and system factors in the development of iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome. Most articles were prospective observational or interventional studies. Given the state of existing evidence, well-designed prospective studies are required to better characterize iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome in critically ill pediatric patients. This review provides data to support the construction of a conceptual model of iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome risk that, if supported, could be useful in guiding future research.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Beck Depression Inventory-II in Bariatric Surgery Candidates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Brian J.; Hood, Megan M.; Nackers, Lisa M.; Azarbad, Leila; Ivan, Iulia; Corsica, Joyce

2013-01-01

Screening for depression is an integral part of psychological evaluations conducted prior to bariatric surgery. The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) is the most commonly used measure of depression in these treatment evaluations. The reliability and validity of the BDI-II has not yet been evaluated within bariatric surgery-seeking samples,…

Online Intercultural Collaborations Using Wikis: An Analysis of Students' Comments and Factors Affecting Project Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Forsythe, Edo

2014-01-01

Online intercultural collaborations using wiki pages are becoming common in foreign language education. However, research into their effectiveness and the types of comments students make in their interactions remains scant. This study addresses this gap by exploring three years' worth of interactions among Japanese students of English and American…

A multivariate decision tree analysis of biophysical factors in tropical forest fire occurrence

Treesearch

Rey S. Ofren; Edward Harvey

2000-01-01

A multivariate decision tree model was used to quantify the relative importance of complex hierarchical relationships between biophysical variables and the occurrence of tropical forest fires. The study site is the Huai Kha Kbaeng wildlife sanctuary, a World Heritage Site in northwestern Thailand where annual fires are common and particularly destructive. Thematic...

Test Anxiety Analysis of Chinese College Students in Computer-Based Spoken English Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yanxia, Yang

2017-01-01

Test anxiety was a commonly known or assumed factor that could greatly influence performance of test takers. With the employment of designed questionnaires and computer-based spoken English test, this paper explored test anxiety manifestation of Chinese college students from both macro and micro aspects, and found out that the major anxiety in…

Using Multigroup Confirmatory Factor Analysis to Test Measurement Invariance in Raters: A Clinical Skills Examination Application

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahraman, Nilufer; Brown, Crystal B.

2015-01-01

Psychometric models based on structural equation modeling framework are commonly used in many multiple-choice test settings to assess measurement invariance of test items across examinee subpopulations. The premise of the current article is that they may also be useful in the context of performance assessment tests to test measurement invariance…

Examining Shared and Unique Aspects of Social Anxiety Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Susan W.; Bray, Bethany C.; Ollendick, Thomas H.

2012-01-01

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are fairly common psychiatric conditions that impair the functioning of otherwise healthy young adults. Given that the two conditions frequently co-occur, measurement of the characteristics unique to each condition is critical. This study evaluated the structure and construct…

Internal Structure and Clinical Utility of the Anxiety Control Questionnaire-Revised (ACQ-R) Spanish Version.

PubMed

Osma, Jorge; Barrada, Juan Ramón; García-Palacios, Azucena; Navarro-Haro, María; Aguilar, Alejandra

2016-10-03

Perceived control has shown predictive value for anxiety severity symptoms as well as cognitive-behavior therapy outcomes. The most commonly used measure of perceived control is the Anxiety Control Questionnaire (ACQ), and more recently the ACQ Revised (ACQ-R). However, both questionnaires have shown structural inconsistencies among several studies. Also, although the ACQ and ACQ-R seem to be multidimensional instruments, a single total score have been commonly used. This study examined the internal structure of the ACQ-R Spanish version using exploratory factor and exploratory bi-factor analysis in a sample of 382 college students and 52 people diagnosed of panic disorder (with or without agoraphobia). Also, in this study we assessed the preliminary diagnostic value of the ACQ-R scores. The results indicated that the ACQ-R Spanish version structure consisted of two factors: one related with perceived control of internal emotional reactions (Emotion Control) and another related with perceived control of external events (Threat and Stress Control). Both specific factors can be adequately summarized by a general factor (General Anxiety Perception of Control; CFI = .973, TLI = .954, RMSEA = .039; p = .002), which accounted for 70% of the common explained variance. The correlations between the ACQ-R scores and with variables like anxiety (r = -.66) or anxiety sensitivity (r = -.50) presented the expected pattern of results. Either the two dimensions structure or the total score have proved to be a good tool to distinguish between participants with panic disorder and non-clinical samples (area under the curve = 0.79).

CVD and obesity in transitional Syria: a perspective from the Middle East

PubMed Central

Barakat, Hani; Barakat, Hanniya; Baaj, Mohamad K

2012-01-01

Purpose Syria is caught in the middle of a disruptive nutritional transition. Its healthcare system is distracted by challenges and successes in other areas while neglecting to address the onslaught of Syria’s cardiovascular disease (CVD) epidemic. Despite the official viewpoint touting improvement in health indicators, current trends jeopardize population health, and several surveys in the Syrian population signal the epidemic spreading far and wide. The goal is to counteract the indifference towards obesity as a threat to Syrian’s health, as the country is slowly becoming a leader in CVD mortality globally. Methods PubMed, World Health Organization, and official government websites were searched for primary surveys in Syria related to CVD morbidity, mortality, and risk factors. Inclusion criteria ensured that results maximized relevance while producing comparable studies. Statistical analysis was applied to detect the most common risk factor and significant differences in risk factor prevalence and CVD rates. Results Obesity remained the prevailing CVD risk factor except in older Syrian men, where smoking and hypertension were more common. CVD mortality was more common in males due to coronary disease, while stroke dominated female mortality. The young workforce is especially impacted, with 50% of CVD mortality occurring before age 65 years and an 81% prevalence of obesity in women over 45 years. Conclusion Syria can overcome its slow response to the CVD epidemic and curb further deterioration by reducing obesity and, thus, inheritance and clustering of risk factors. This can be achieved via multilayered awareness and intensive parental and familial involvement. Extinguishing the CVD epidemic is readily achievable as demonstrated in other countries. PMID:22454558

CVD and obesity in transitional Syria: a perspective from the Middle East.

PubMed

Barakat, Hani; Barakat, Hanniya; Baaj, Mohamad K

2012-01-01

Syria is caught in the middle of a disruptive nutritional transition. Its healthcare system is distracted by challenges and successes in other areas while neglecting to address the onslaught of Syria's cardiovascular disease (CVD) epidemic. Despite the official viewpoint touting improvement in health indicators, current trends jeopardize population health, and several surveys in the Syrian population signal the epidemic spreading far and wide. The goal is to counteract the indifference towards obesity as a threat to Syrian's health, as the country is slowly becoming a leader in CVD mortality globally. PubMed, World Health Organization, and official government websites were searched for primary surveys in Syria related to CVD morbidity, mortality, and risk factors. Inclusion criteria ensured that results maximized relevance while producing comparable studies. Statistical analysis was applied to detect the most common risk factor and significant differences in risk factor prevalence and CVD rates. Obesity remained the prevailing CVD risk factor except in older Syrian men, where smoking and hypertension were more common. CVD mortality was more common in males due to coronary disease, while stroke dominated female mortality. The young workforce is especially impacted, with 50% of CVD mortality occurring before age 65 years and an 81% prevalence of obesity in women over 45 years. Syria can overcome its slow response to the CVD epidemic and curb further deterioration by reducing obesity and, thus, inheritance and clustering of risk factors. This can be achieved via multilayered awareness and intensive parental and familial involvement. Extinguishing the CVD epidemic is readily achievable as demonstrated in other countries.

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

Temporal trends and risks factors for antimicrobial resistant Enterobacteriaceae urinary isolates from outpatients in Guadeloupe.

PubMed

Guyomard-Rabenirina, Stéphanie; Malespine, Joyce; Ducat, Célia; Sadikalay, Syndia; Falord, Mélanie; Harrois, Dorothée; Richard, Vincent; Dozois, Charles; Breurec, Sébastien; Talarmin, Antoine

2016-06-24

Urinary tract infections are bacterial infections most commonly encountered in the community. The resistance rate of uropathogens to commonly prescribed antibiotics has increased worldwide but there are no published data concerning the resistance of strains isolated from community-acquired UTI in Guadeloupe. To assess the susceptibility patterns of Enterobacteriaceae strains isolated from outpatients in Guadeloupe we conducted a prospective study from December 2012 to May 2014 among outpatients consulting at private and public laboratories for urine analysis. Risk factors for E. coli resistance to amoxicillin, third-generation cephalosporin, and ciprofloxacin were also determined. To study the trends of E. coli resistance rates over the past 10 years, data on the susceptibility patterns of E. coli from 2003 to 2014 were also collected from three major laboratories for a retrospective study. During the prospective study, we isolated 1293 bacterial strains from the urine of outpatients presenting for urine analysis. The most commonly isolated bacteria were E. coli (57 %) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (15.5 %). Thirty seven per cent of the E. coli strains were resistant to amoxicillin. Resistance rates to third generation cephalosporin were low for E. coli and other Enterobacteriaceae (3.1 and 12.2 % respectively) and mostly due to the presence of an Extended Spectrum Beta-lactamase. Resistance to cotrimoxazole and ciprofloxacin was moderate (17.8 and 15.6 % respectively). However, the resistance rate of E. coli to ciprofloxacin has significantly increased during the last 10 years. Risk factors were consistent with previously reported data, especially for the increasing ciprofloxacin resistance with age. General practitioners in Guadeloupe need to be better informed to favor the prescription of fosfomycin-trometamol to reduce the risk of resistance to fluoroquinolones.

Development and validation of 26-item dysfunctional attitude scale.

PubMed

Ebrahimi, Amrollah; Samouei, Rahele; Mousavii, Sayyed Ghafour; Bornamanesh, Ali Reza

2013-06-01

Dysfunctional Attitude Scale is one of the most common instruments used to assess cognitive vulnerability. This study aimed to develop and validate a short form of Dysfunctional Attitude Scale appropriate for an Iranian clinical population. Participants were 160 psychiatric patients from medical centers affiliated with Isfahan Medical University, as well as 160 non-patients. Research instruments were clinical interviews based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV-TR, Dysfunctional Attitude Scale and General Heath Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Data was analyzed using multicorrelation calculations and factor analysis. Based on the results of factor analysis and item-total correlation, 14 items were judged candidates for omission. Analysis of the 26-item Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS-26) revealed a Cronbach's alpha of 0.92. Evidence for the concurrent criterion validity was obtained through calculating the correlation between the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale and psychiatric diagnosis (r = 0.55), GHQ -28 (r = 0.56) and somatization, anxiety, social dysfunction, and depression subscales (0.45,0.53,0.48, and 0.57, respectively). Factor analysis deemed a four-factor structure the best. The factors were labeled as success-perfectionism, need for approval, need for satisfying others, and vulnerability-performance evaluation. The results showed that the Iranian version of the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS-26) bears satisfactory psychometric properties suggesting that this cognitive instrument is appropriate for use in an Iranian cultural context. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Demographics as predictors of suicidal thoughts and behaviors: A meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Huang, Xieyining; Ribeiro, Jessica D.; Musacchio, Katherine M.; Franklin, Joseph C.

2017-01-01

Background Certain demographic factors have long been cited to confer risk or protection for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. However, many studies have found weak or non-significant effects. Determining the effect strength and clinical utility of demographics as predictors is crucial for suicide risk assessment and theory development. As such, we conducted a meta-analysis to determine the effect strength and clinical utility of demographics as predictors. Methods We searched PsycInfo, PubMed, and GoogleScholar for studies published before January 1st, 2015. Inclusion criteria required that studies use at least one demographic factor to longitudinally predict suicide ideation, attempt, or death. The initial search yielded 2,541 studies, 159 of which were eligible. A total of 752 unique statistical tests were included in analysis. Results Suicide death was the most commonly studied outcome, followed by attempt and ideation. The average follow-up length was 9.4 years. The overall effects of demographic factors studied in the field as risk factors were significant but weak, and that of demographic factors studied as protective factors were non-significant. Adjusting for publication bias further reduced effect estimates. No specific demographic factors appeared to be strong predictors. The effects were consistent across multiple moderators. Conclusions At least within the narrow methodological constraints of the existing literature, demographic factors were statistically significant risk factors, but not protective factors. Even as risk factors, demographics offer very little improvement in predictive accuracy. Future studies that go beyond the limitations of the existing literature are needed to further understand the effects of demographics. PMID:28700728

Harmonic analysis of the precipitation in Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nastos, P. T.; Zerefos, C. S.

2009-04-01

Greece is a country with a big variety of climates due to its geographical position, to the many mountain ranges and also to the multifarious and long coastline. The mountainous volumes are of such orientation that influences the distribution of the precipitation, having as a result, Western Greece to present great differentiations from Central and Eastern Greece. The application of harmonic analysis to the annual variability of precipitation is the goal of this study, so that the components, which compose the annual variability, be elicited. For this purpose, the mean monthly precipitation data from 30 meteorological stations of National Meteorological Service were used for the time period 1950-2000. The initial target is to reduce the number of variables and to detect structure in the relationships between variables. The most commonly used technique for this purpose is the application of Factor Analysis to a table having as columns the meteorological stations-variables and rows the monthly mean precipitation, so that 2 main factors were calculated, which explain the 98% of total variability of precipitation in Greece. Factor 1, representing the so-called uniform field and interpreting the most of the total variance, refers in fact to the Mediterranean depressions, affecting mainly the West of Greece and also the East Aegean and the Asia Minor coasts. In the process, the Fourier Analysis was applied to the factor scores extracted from the Factor Analysis, so that 2 harmonic components are resulted, which explain above the 98% of the total variability of each main factor, and are due to different synoptic and thermodynamic processes associated with Greece's precipitation construction. Finally, the calculation of the time of occurrence of the maximum precipitation, for each harmonic component of each one of the two main factors, gives the spatial distribution of appearance of the maximum precipitation in the Hellenic region.

Analysis of Lrrk2 R1628P as a risk factor for Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Ross, Owen A; Wu, Yih-Ru; Lee, Mei-Ching; Funayama, Manabu; Chen, Meng-Ling; Soto, Alexandra I; Mata, Ignacio F; Lee-Chen, Guey-Jen; Chen, Chiung Mei; Tang, Michelle; Zhao, Yi; Hattori, Nobutaka; Farrer, Matthew J; Tan, Eng-King; Wu, Ruey-Meei

2008-07-01

Common genetic variants that increase the risk for Parkinson's disease may differentiate patient subgroups and influence future individualized therapeutic strategies. Herein we show evidence for leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) c.4883G>C (R1628P) as a risk factor in ethnic Chinese populations. A study of 1,986 individuals from 3 independent centers in Taiwan and Singapore demonstrates that Lrrk2 R1628P increases risk for Parkinson's disease (odds ratio, 1.84; 95% confidence interval, 1.20-2.83; p = 0.006). Haplotype analysis suggests an ancestral founder for carriers approximately 2,500 years ago. These findings support the importance of LRRK2 variants in sporadic Parkinson's disease. Ann Neurol 2008.

Intercultural comparison of patient satisfaction with physiotherapy care in Australia and Korea: an exploratory factor analysis.

PubMed

Hush, Julia M; Lee, Haejung; Yung, Vivian; Adams, Roger; Mackey, Martin; Wand, Benedict M; Nelson, Roger; Beattie, Paul

2013-05-01

The aim of this study was to conduct a cross-cultural comparison of the factors that influence patient satisfaction with musculoskeletal physiotherapy care in Australia and Korea. Prospective studies were conducted in Australia and Korea. Patient satisfaction data were collected using the MedRisk Instrument for Measuring Patient Satisfaction with Physical Therapy Care (MRPS) from a total of 1666 patients who were attending clinics for physiotherapy treatment of a musculoskeletal condition. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to identify factors determining patient satisfaction in each cohort. A four-factor solution for the MRPS was found for the Australian and Korean data sets, explaining 61 and 55% of the variance respectively. Communication and respect, convenience and quality time and person-focused care were factors common to both countries. One factor unique to Korea was courtesy and propriety. For both cultures, global patient satisfaction was significantly but weakly correlated with the outcome of treatment. The interpersonal aspect of care, namely effective communication and respect from the therapist, appears to be the predominant and universal factor that influences patient satisfaction with physiotherapy care, although other culturally specific factors were identified. Physiotherapists can maximize patient satisfaction with care by addressing those features that uniquely contribute to patient satisfaction in the cultural context in which they are working.

Lifestyle and Genetic Predictors of Stiffness Index in Community-dwelling Elderly Korean Men and Women.

PubMed

Park, Kyung-Ae; Park, Yeon-Hwan; Suh, Min-Hee; Choi-Kwon, Smi

2015-09-01

Differing lifestyle, nutritional, and genetic factors may lead to a differing stiffness index (SI) determined by quantitative ultrasound in elderly men and women. The purpose of this study was to determine SI and the gender-specific factors associated with low SI in a Korean elderly cohort. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study identifying the gender-specific factors related to SI in 252 men and women aged 65 years and greater from local senior centers in Seoul, Korea between January and February 2009. The mean SI of elderly men was significantly higher than that of the women's. A multiple regression analysis reveals that age, nutritional status, and physical activity were predictive factors of lower SI in men, whereas age, alcohol consumption, educational level, and genetic polymorphism were predictive factors for elderly women. Low SI was common in both elderly men and women. We found gender differences in factors linked to low SI. In multiple regression analysis, nutritional status and physical activity were more important factors in men, whereas alcohol consumption, educational level, and genetic polymorphism were significant factors predicting low SI in women. Gender-specific modifiable risk factors associated with low SI should be considered when developing osteoporosis prevention programs for the elderly. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Assessing the Structure of the Ways of Coping Questionnaire in Fibromyalgia Patients Using Common Factor Analytic Approaches.

PubMed

Van Liew, Charles; Santoro, Maya S; Edwards, Larissa; Kang, Jeremy; Cronan, Terry A

2016-01-01

The Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ) is a widely used measure of coping processes. Despite its use in a variety of populations, there has been concern about the stability and structure of the WCQ across different populations. This study examines the factor structure of the WCQ in a large sample of individuals diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The participants were 501 adults (478 women) who were part of a larger intervention study. Participants completed the WCQ at their 6-month assessment. Foundational factoring approaches were performed on the data (i.e., maximum likelihood factoring [MLF], iterative principal factoring [IPF], principal axis factoring (PAF), and principal components factoring [PCF]) with oblique oblimin rotation. Various criteria were evaluated to determine the number of factors to be extracted, including Kaiser's rule, Scree plot visual analysis, 5 and 10% unique variance explained, 70 and 80% communal variance explained, and Horn's parallel analysis (PA). It was concluded that the 4-factor PAF solution was the preferable solution, based on PA extraction and the fact that this solution minimizes nonvocality and multivocality. The present study highlights the need for more research focused on defining the limits of the WCQ and the degree to which population-specific and context-specific subscale adjustments are needed.

Assessing the Structure of the Ways of Coping Questionnaire in Fibromyalgia Patients Using Common Factor Analytic Approaches

PubMed Central

Edwards, Larissa; Kang, Jeremy

2016-01-01

The Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ) is a widely used measure of coping processes. Despite its use in a variety of populations, there has been concern about the stability and structure of the WCQ across different populations. This study examines the factor structure of the WCQ in a large sample of individuals diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The participants were 501 adults (478 women) who were part of a larger intervention study. Participants completed the WCQ at their 6-month assessment. Foundational factoring approaches were performed on the data (i.e., maximum likelihood factoring [MLF], iterative principal factoring [IPF], principal axis factoring (PAF), and principal components factoring [PCF]) with oblique oblimin rotation. Various criteria were evaluated to determine the number of factors to be extracted, including Kaiser's rule, Scree plot visual analysis, 5 and 10% unique variance explained, 70 and 80% communal variance explained, and Horn's parallel analysis (PA). It was concluded that the 4-factor PAF solution was the preferable solution, based on PA extraction and the fact that this solution minimizes nonvocality and multivocality. The present study highlights the need for more research focused on defining the limits of the WCQ and the degree to which population-specific and context-specific subscale adjustments are needed. PMID:28070160

Fighting for Intelligence: A Brief Overview of the Academic Work of John L. Horn

PubMed Central

McArdle, John J.; Hofer, Scott M.

2015-01-01

John L. Horn (1928–2006) was a pioneer in multivariate thinking and the application of multivariate methods to research on intelligence and personality. His key works on individual differences in the methodological areas of factor analysis and the substantive areas of cognition are reviewed here. John was also our mentor, teacher, colleague, and friend. We overview John Horn’s main contributions to the field of intelligence by highlighting 3 issues about his methods of factor analysis and 3 of his substantive debates about intelligence. We first focus on Horn’s methodological demonstrations describing (a) the many uses of simulated random variables in exploratory factor analysis; (b) the exploratory uses of confirmatory factor analysis; and (c) the key differences between states, traits, and trait-changes. On a substantive basis, John believed that there were important individual differences among people in terms of cognition and personality. These sentiments led to his intellectual battles about (d) Spearman’s g theory of a unitary intelligence, (e) Guilford’s multifaceted model of intelligence, and (f) the Schaie and Baltes approach to defining the lack of decline of intelligence earlier in the life span. We conclude with a summary of John Horn’s unique approaches to dealing with common issues. PMID:26246642

Directly observed treatment is associated with reduced default among foreign tuberculosis patients in Thailand.

PubMed

Kapella, B K; Anuwatnonthakate, A; Komsakorn, S; Moolphate, S; Charusuntonsri, P; Limsomboon, P; Wattanaamornkiat, W; Nateniyom, S; Varma, J K

2009-02-01

Thailand's Tuberculosis (TB) Active Surveillance Network in four provinces in Thailand. As treatment default is common in mobile and foreign populations, we evaluated risk factors for default among non-Thai TB patients in Thailand. Observational cohort study using TB program data. Analysis was restricted to patients with an outcome categorized as cured, completed, failure or default. We used multivariate analysis to identify factors associated with default, including propensity score analysis, to adjust for factors associated with receiving directly observed treatment (DOT). During October 2004-September 2006, we recorded data for 14359 TB patients, of whom 995 (7%) were non-Thais. Of the 791 patients analyzed, 313 (40%) defaulted. In multivariate analysis, age>or=45 years (RR 1.47, 95%CI 1.25-1.74), mobility (RR 2.36, 95%CI 1.77-3.14) and lack of DOT (RR 2.29, 95%CI 1.45-3.61) were found to be significantly associated with default among non-Thais. When controlling for propensity to be assigned DOT, the risk of default remained increased in those not assigned DOT (RR 1.99, 95%CI 1.03-3.85). In non-Thai TB patients, DOT was the only modifiable factor associated with default. Using DOT may help improve TB treatment outcomes in non-Thai TB patients.

Computer analysis of femoral angiograms for evaluation of atherosclerosis in post-infarct males-clinical correlates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sanmarco, M. E.; Blankenhorn, D. H.

1975-01-01

Femoral artery atheromatous lesions were studied and their changes as a measure of therapeutic effectiveness were assessed. The incidence of coronary risk factors in 100 patients was determined. Abnormal cholesterol was present in 42 percent, abnormal triglycerides in 66 percent, abnormal intravenous glucose tolerance test in 52 percent, judged from a K value of .9 or less by the technique of Wahlbert. A history of high blood pressure was present in 32 percent. Smoking was one of the most common factors.

Hospitalized for fever? Understanding hospitalization for common illnesses among insured women in a low-income setting.

PubMed

Sinha, Tara; Desai, Sapna; Mahal, Ajay

2014-07-01

Health microinsurance is a financial tool that increases utilization of health care services among low-income persons. There is limited understanding of the illnesses for which insured persons are hospitalized. Analysis of health claims at VimoSEWA, an Indian microinsurance scheme, shows that a significant proportion of hospitalization among insured adult women is for common illnesses—fever, diarrhoea and malaria—that are amenable to outpatient treatment. This study aims to understand the factors that result in hospitalization for common illnesses. The article uses a mixed methods approach. Quantitative data were collected from a household survey of 816 urban low-income households in Gujarat, India. The qualitative data are based on 10 in-depth case studies of insured women hospitalized for common illnesses and interviews with five providers. Quantitative and qualitative data were supplemented with data from the insurance scheme’s administrative records. Socioeconomic characteristics and morbidity patterns among insured and uninsured women were similar with fever the most commonly reported illness. While fever was the leading cause for hospitalization among insured women, no uninsured women were hospitalized for fever. Qualitative investigation indicates that 9 of 10 hospitalized women first sought outpatient treatment. Precipitating factors for hospitalization were either the persistence or worsening of symptoms. Factors that facilitated hospitalization included having insurance and the perceptions of doctors regarding the need for hospitalization. In the absence of quality primary care, health insurance can lead to hospitalization for non-serious illnesses. Deterrents to hospitalization point away from member moral hazard; provider moral hazard cannot be ruled out. This study underscores the need for quality primary health care and its better integration with health microinsurance schemes.

Personality disorder traits, family environment, and alcohol misuse: a multivariate behavioural genetic analysis.

PubMed

Jang, K L; Vernon, P A; Livesley, W J

2000-06-01

This study seeks to estimate the extent to which a common genetic and environmental basis is shared between (i) traits delineating specific aspects of antisocial personality and alcohol misuse, and (ii) childhood family environments, traits delineating broad domains of personality pathology and alcohol misuse. Postal survey data were collected from monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs. Twin pairs were recruited from Vancouver, British Columbia and London, Ontario, Canada using newspaper advertisements, media stories and twin clubs. Data obtained from 324 monozygotic and 335 dizygotic twin pairs were used to estimate the extent to which traits delineating specific antisocial personality traits and alcohol misuse shared a common genetic and environmental aetiology. Data from 81 monozygotic and 74 dizygotic twin pairs were used to estimate the degree to which traits delineating personality pathology, childhood family environment and alcohol misuse shared a common aetiology. Current alcohol misuse and personality pathology were measured using scales contained in the self-report Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology. Perceptions of childhood family environment were measured using the self-report Family Environment Scale. Multivariate genetic analyses showed that a subset of traits delineating components of antisocial personality (i.e. grandiosity, attention-seeking, failure to adopt social norms, interpersonal violence and juvenile antisocial behaviours) are influenced by genetic factors in common to alcohol misuse. Genetically based perceptions of childhood family environment had little relationship with alcohol misuse. Heritable personality factors that influence the perception of childhood family environment play only a small role in the liability to alcohol misuse. Instead, liability to alcohol misuse is related to genetic factors common a specific subset of antisocial personality traits describing conduct problems, narcissistic and stimulus-seeking behaviour.

Using Fault Trees to Advance Understanding of Diagnostic Errors.

PubMed

Rogith, Deevakar; Iyengar, M Sriram; Singh, Hardeep

2017-11-01

Diagnostic errors annually affect at least 5% of adults in the outpatient setting in the United States. Formal analytic techniques are only infrequently used to understand them, in part because of the complexity of diagnostic processes and clinical work flows involved. In this article, diagnostic errors were modeled using fault tree analysis (FTA), a form of root cause analysis that has been successfully used in other high-complexity, high-risk contexts. How factors contributing to diagnostic errors can be systematically modeled by FTA to inform error understanding and error prevention is demonstrated. A team of three experts reviewed 10 published cases of diagnostic error and constructed fault trees. The fault trees were modeled according to currently available conceptual frameworks characterizing diagnostic error. The 10 trees were then synthesized into a single fault tree to identify common contributing factors and pathways leading to diagnostic error. FTA is a visual, structured, deductive approach that depicts the temporal sequence of events and their interactions in a formal logical hierarchy. The visual FTA enables easier understanding of causative processes and cognitive and system factors, as well as rapid identification of common pathways and interactions in a unified fashion. In addition, it enables calculation of empirical estimates for causative pathways. Thus, fault trees might provide a useful framework for both quantitative and qualitative analysis of diagnostic errors. Future directions include establishing validity and reliability by modeling a wider range of error cases, conducting quantitative evaluations, and undertaking deeper exploration of other FTA capabilities. Copyright © 2017 The Joint Commission. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prevalence and clinical correlates of sarcopenia in community-dwelling older people: application of the EWGSOP definition and diagnostic algorithm.

PubMed

Volpato, Stefano; Bianchi, Lara; Cherubini, Antonio; Landi, Francesco; Maggio, Marcello; Savino, Elisabetta; Bandinelli, Stefania; Ceda, Gian Paolo; Guralnik, Jack M; Zuliani, Giovanni; Ferrucci, Luigi

2014-04-01

Muscle impairment is a common condition in older people and a powerful risk factor for disability and mortality. The aim of this study was to apply the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People criteria to estimate the prevalence and investigate the clinical correlates of sarcopenia, in a sample of Italian community-dwelling older people. Cross-sectional analysis of 730 participants (74% aged 65 years and older) enrolled in the InCHIANTI study. Sarcopenia was defined according to the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People criteria using bioimpedance analysis for muscle mass assessment. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors independently associated with sarcopenia. Sarcopenia defined by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People criteria increased steeply with age (p < .001), with 31.6% of women and 17.4% of men aged 80 years or older being affected by this condition. Higher education (odds ratio: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.74-0.98), lower insulin-like growth factor I (lowest vs highest tertile, odds ratio: 3.89; 95% CI: 1.03-14.1), and low bioavailable testosterone (odds ratio: 2.67; 95% CI: 1.31-5.44) were independently associated with the likelihood of being sarcopenic. Nutritional intake, physical activity, and level of comorbidity were not associated with sarcopenia. Sarcopenia identified by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People criteria is a relatively common condition in Italian octogenarians, and its prevalence increases with aging. Correlates of sarcopenia identified in this study might suggest new approaches for prevention and treatment of sarcopenia.

Finding imaging patterns of structural covariance via Non-Negative Matrix Factorization.

PubMed

Sotiras, Aristeidis; Resnick, Susan M; Davatzikos, Christos

2015-03-01

In this paper, we investigate the use of Non-Negative Matrix Factorization (NNMF) for the analysis of structural neuroimaging data. The goal is to identify the brain regions that co-vary across individuals in a consistent way, hence potentially being part of underlying brain networks or otherwise influenced by underlying common mechanisms such as genetics and pathologies. NNMF offers a directly data-driven way of extracting relatively localized co-varying structural regions, thereby transcending limitations of Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Independent Component Analysis (ICA) and other related methods that tend to produce dispersed components of positive and negative loadings. In particular, leveraging upon the well known ability of NNMF to produce parts-based representations of image data, we derive decompositions that partition the brain into regions that vary in consistent ways across individuals. Importantly, these decompositions achieve dimensionality reduction via highly interpretable ways and generalize well to new data as shown via split-sample experiments. We empirically validate NNMF in two data sets: i) a Diffusion Tensor (DT) mouse brain development study, and ii) a structural Magnetic Resonance (sMR) study of human brain aging. We demonstrate the ability of NNMF to produce sparse parts-based representations of the data at various resolutions. These representations seem to follow what we know about the underlying functional organization of the brain and also capture some pathological processes. Moreover, we show that these low dimensional representations favorably compare to descriptions obtained with more commonly used matrix factorization methods like PCA and ICA. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis in Nepal- a hospital-based retrospective study

PubMed Central

Sreeramareddy, Chandrashekhar T; Panduru, Kishore V; Verma, Sharat C; Joshi, Hari S; Bates, Michael N

2008-01-01

Background Studies from developed countries have reported on host-related risk factors for extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB). However, similar studies from high-burden countries like Nepal are lacking. Therefore, we carried out this study to compare demographic, life-style and clinical characteristics between EPTB and PTB patients. Methods A retrospective analysis was carried out on 474 Tuberculosis (TB) patients diagnosed in a tertiary care hospital in western Nepal. Characteristics of demography, life-style and clinical features were obtained from medical case records. Risk factors for being an EPTB patient relative to a PTB patient were identified using logistic regression analysis. Results The age distribution of the TB patients had a bimodal distribution. The male to female ratio for PTB was 2.29. EPTB was more common at younger ages (< 25 years) and in females. Common sites for EPTB were lymph nodes (42.6%) and peritoneum and/or intestines (14.8%). By logistic regression analysis, age less than 25 years (OR 2.11 95% CI 1.12–3.68) and female gender (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.12–2.56) were associated with EPTB. Smoking, use of immunosuppressive drugs/steroids, diabetes and past history of TB were more likely to be associated with PTB. Conclusion Results suggest that younger age and female gender may be independent risk factors for EPTB in a high-burden country like Nepal. TB control programmes may target young and female populations for EPTB case-finding. Further studies are necessary in other high-burden countries to confirm our findings. PMID:18218115

Effects of icotinib on early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer as neoadjuvant treatment with different epidermal growth factor receptor phenotypes.

PubMed

Wang, Tao; Liu, Yang; Zhou, Bin; Wang, Zhi; Liang, Naichao; Zhang, Yundong; Dong, Zhouhuan; Li, Jie

2016-01-01

Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) have demonstrated efficacy in treating advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Preliminary findings suggested that EGFR-TKIs might also be beneficial in neoadjuvant therapy in treating NSCLC. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant therapy with icotinib in patients with early-stage NSCLC. We retrospectively reviewed the medical history of patients who were initially diagnosed with stage IA-IIIA NSCLC and were under icotinib administration before surgery between December 2011 and December 2014. Tumor assessment was conducted between the second and fourth week from initial icotinib treatment. The association between personal characteristics, smoking status, disease stage, EGFR mutation status, and clinical outcomes were investigated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. A total of 67 patients with NSCLC were reviewed, and approximately half (38/67) of them were identified as having EGFR-mutant tumors. The overall response rate of all patients was 26.7% at 2-4 weeks' assessment. Multivariate analysis showed that female sex (38.5% versus 10.7% in males, P=0.028) and EGFR mutation status (42.1% versus 6.9% in EGFR wild type, P=0.011) were independent predictive factors. The analysis also showed that the most common adverse effects were rash (43.3%) and dry skin (34.4%), which were tolerable. Icotinib induced clinical response with minimal toxicity as neoadjuvant treatment in early NSCLC, especially in patients with common EGFR mutations. Further studies are warranted to confirm our findings.

National Trends of Simple Prostatectomy for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia With an Analysis of Risk Factors for Adverse Perioperative Outcomes.

PubMed

Pariser, Joseph J; Pearce, Shane M; Patel, Sanjay G; Bales, Gregory T

2015-10-01

To examine the national trends of simple prostatectomy (SP) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) focusing on perioperative outcomes and risk factors for complications. The National Inpatient Sample (2002-2012) was utilized to identify patients with BPH undergoing SP. Analysis included demographics, hospital details, associated procedures, and operative approach (open, robotic, or laparoscopic). Outcomes included complications, length of stay, charges, and mortality. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the risk factors for perioperative complications. Linear regression was used to assess the trends in the national annual utilization of SP. The study population included 35,171 patients. Median length of stay was 4 days (interquartile range 3-6). Cystolithotomy was performed concurrently in 6041 patients (17%). The overall complication rate was 28%, with bleeding occurring most commonly. In total, 148 (0.4%) patients experienced in-hospital mortality. On multivariate analysis, older age, black race, and overall comorbidity were associated with greater risk of complications while the use of a minimally invasive approach and concurrent cystolithotomy had a decreased risk. Over the study period, the national use of simple prostatectomy decreased, on average, by 145 cases per year (P = .002). By 2012, 135/2580 procedures (5%) were performed using a minimally invasive approach. The nationwide utilization of SP for BPH has decreased. Bleeding complications are common, but perioperative mortality is low. Patients who are older, black race, or have multiple comorbidities are at higher risk of complications. Minimally invasive approaches, which are becoming increasingly utilized, may reduce perioperative morbidity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measuring risky adolescent cycling behaviour.

PubMed

Feenstra, Hans; Ruiter, Robert A C; Schepers, Jan; Peters, Gjalt-Jorn; Kok, Gerjo

2011-09-01

Adolescents are at a greater risk of being involved in traffic accidents than most other age groups, even before they start driving cars. This article aims to determine the factor structure of a self-report questionnaire measuring adolescent risky cycling behaviour, the ACBQ (Adolescent Cycling Behaviour Questionnaire). The questionnaire's structure was based on the widely used Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ). A sample of secondary school students (N = 1749; age range: 13-18 years) filled out the questionnaire. Factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure underlying the questionnaire, which was confirmed on two equally large portions of the entire sample. These three underlying factors were identified as errors, common violations and exceptional violations. The ACBQ is a useful instrument for measuring adolescents' risky cycling behaviour.

Directivity in NGA earthquake ground motions: Analysis using isochrone theory

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spudich, P.; Chiou, B.S.J.

2008-01-01

We present correction factors that may be applied to the ground motion prediction relations of Abrahamson and Silva, Boore and Atkinson, Campbell and Bozorgnia, and Chiou and Youngs (all in this volume) to model the azimuthally varying distribution of the GMRotI50 component of ground motion (commonly called 'directivity') around earthquakes. Our correction factors may be used for planar or nonplanar faults having any dip or slip rake (faulting mechanism). Our correction factors predict directivity-induced variations of spectral acceleration that are roughly half of the strike-slip variations predicted by Somerville et al. (1997), and use of our factors reduces record-to-record sigma by about 2-20% at 5 sec or greater period. ?? 2008, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute.

A comparison of leading and lagging indicators of safety in naval aviation.

PubMed

O'Connor, Paul; Cowan, Shawn; Alton, Jeffrey

2010-07-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine the results of two different methods of identifying human factors safety concerns in U.S. Naval aviation. In both studies, the information was collected using the Department of Defense Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (DoD-HFACS). In the first study, aviation mishap data (a lagging indictor) was obtained on 47 F/A-18 and 16 H-60 mishaps. In the second study, the responses of 68 squadrons to a survey regarding the human factors issues that they considered to be of the greatest safety concern were examined (a leading indicator). First study results revealed that skill-based errors were the most commonly cited factors for both F/A-18 and H-60 mishaps (70.2% and 81.3%, respectively). More specifically, the most commonly used nanocodes were 'over control/ under control' (27.7% and 56.3%, respectively), 'breakdown in visual scan' (27.7% and 12.5%, respectively), and 'procedural errors' (23.4% and 37.6%, respectively). The second study identified that the main concern of F/A-18 and H-60 aviators was workload and operational tempo (identified by 85% of squadrons). It can be concluded that the nanocodes that were most commonly used to classify the causes of past mishaps were not identified as major concerns by the squadrons who responded to the survey. The findings from these studies emphasize the importance of examining a number of performance metrics to ensure that effective measures are being taken to improve safety.

Building a Values-Informed Mental Model for New Orleans Climate Risk Management.

PubMed

Bessette, Douglas L; Mayer, Lauren A; Cwik, Bryan; Vezér, Martin; Keller, Klaus; Lempert, Robert J; Tuana, Nancy

2017-10-01

Individuals use values to frame their beliefs and simplify their understanding when confronted with complex and uncertain situations. The high complexity and deep uncertainty involved in climate risk management (CRM) lead to individuals' values likely being coupled to and contributing to their understanding of specific climate risk factors and management strategies. Most mental model approaches, however, which are commonly used to inform our understanding of people's beliefs, ignore values. In response, we developed a "Values-informed Mental Model" research approach, or ViMM, to elicit individuals' values alongside their beliefs and determine which values people use to understand and assess specific climate risk factors and CRM strategies. Our results show that participants consistently used one of three values to frame their understanding of risk factors and CRM strategies in New Orleans: (1) fostering a healthy economy, wealth, and job creation, (2) protecting and promoting healthy ecosystems and biodiversity, and (3) preserving New Orleans' unique culture, traditions, and historically significant neighborhoods. While the first value frame is common in analyses of CRM strategies, the latter two are often ignored, despite their mirroring commonly accepted pillars of sustainability. Other values like distributive justice and fairness were prioritized differently depending on the risk factor or strategy being discussed. These results suggest that the ViMM method could be a critical first step in CRM decision-support processes and may encourage adoption of CRM strategies more in line with stakeholders' values. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.

Breast Cancer Risk From Modifiable and Non-Modifiable Risk Factors among Women in Southeast Asia: A Meta-Analysis

PubMed

Nindrea, Ricvan Dana; Aryandono, Teguh; Lazuardi, Lutfan

2017-12-28

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine breast cancer risk from modifiable and non-modifiable factors among women in Southeast Asia. Methods: This meta-analysis was performed on research articles on breast cancer risk factors in PubMed, ProQuest and EBSCO databases published between 1997 and October 2017. Pooled odds ratios (OR) are calculated using fixed and random-effect models. Data were processed using Review Manager 5.3 (RevMan 5.3). Results: From a total of 1,211 articles, 15 studies (1 cohort and 14 case control studies) met the criteria for systematic review. Meta-analysis results showed that of the known modifiable risk factors for breast cancer, parity (nulipara) had the highest odd ratio (OR = 1.85 [95% CI 1.47-2.32]) followed by body mass index (overweight) (OR = 1.61 [95% CI 1.43-1.80]) and use of oral contraceptives (OR = 1.27 [95% CI 1.07-1.51]). Of non-modifiable risk factors, family history of breast cancer had the highest odd ratio (OR = 2.53 [95% CI 1.25-5.09]), followed by age (≥ 40 years) (OR = 1.53 [95% CI 1.34-1.76]) and menopausal status (OR = 1.44 [95% CI 1.26-1.65]). Conclusion: This analysis confirmed associations between both modifiable risk factors (parity, body mass index and use of oral contraceptives) and non-modifiable risk factors (family history of breast cancer, age and menopausal status) with breast cancer. Creative Commons Attribution License

Estimating the Diets of Animals Using Stable Isotopes and a Comprehensive Bayesian Mixing Model

PubMed Central

Hopkins, John B.; Ferguson, Jake M.

2012-01-01

Using stable isotope mixing models (SIMMs) as a tool to investigate the foraging ecology of animals is gaining popularity among researchers. As a result, statistical methods are rapidly evolving and numerous models have been produced to estimate the diets of animals—each with their benefits and their limitations. Deciding which SIMM to use is contingent on factors such as the consumer of interest, its food sources, sample size, the familiarity a user has with a particular framework for statistical analysis, or the level of inference the researcher desires to make (e.g., population- or individual-level). In this paper, we provide a review of commonly used SIMM models and describe a comprehensive SIMM that includes all features commonly used in SIMM analysis and two new features. We used data collected in Yosemite National Park to demonstrate IsotopeR's ability to estimate dietary parameters. We then examined the importance of each feature in the model and compared our results to inferences from commonly used SIMMs. IsotopeR's user interface (in R) will provide researchers a user-friendly tool for SIMM analysis. The model is also applicable for use in paleontology, archaeology, and forensic studies as well as estimating pollution inputs. PMID:22235246

TES X-ray microcalorimeters for X-ray astronomy and material analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitsuda, Kazuhisa

2016-11-01

TES X-ray microcalorimeter arrays provide not only high-energy resolution (FWHM < 10eV) in X-ray spectroscopy but also imaging and high-counting-rate capabilities. They are very promising spectrometer for X-ray astronomy and material analysis. In this paper, we report our recent progress. For material analysis, we have fabricated 8 × 8 format array with a fast signal response ( 40 μs) and proved the energy resolution of 5.8 eV FWHM at 5.9 keV. We developed common biasing scheme to reduce number of wirings from room temperature to the cryogenic stage. From measurements using the newly-designed common-bias SQUID array amplifier chips, and from numerical simulations, we demonstrated that signal cross talks due to the common bias is enough small. For space applications, we are developing frequency-division signal multiplexing system. We have fabricated a baseband feedback system and demonstrated that the noise added by the feedback system is about 4 eV FWHM equivalent for 16 ch multiplexing system. The digital to analog converter (DAC) dominates the noise, and needs be reduced by a factor of four for future astronomy missions.

Part II--Factors associated with school nurse ratios: key state informants' perceptions.

PubMed

Maughan, Erin

2009-08-01

This paper is the second of a two-part series examining factors influencing school nurse to pupil staffing ratios. The paper reports data from a qualitative study exploring the social and political factors that potentially influence ratios. Interviews were conducted with 30 key state informants from these states. Content analysis of the data identified common themes. Positive factors reported to influence ratios included: the approach taken to effect change, value placed upon school nurses, local support (from both educators and parents) and community buy-in, fear of litigation, and dynamic leadership. Barriers to improving ratios included: lack of funding and misunderstanding of the role of the school nurse. Philosophical beliefs and state geography were "swing" factors that influenced staffing positively or negatively. This study adds to our knowledge of the factors influencing staffing and highlights important social and political factors that school nurses can target to improve nurse to pupil ratios.

Disentangling Wording and Substantive Factors in the Spiritual Well-Being Scale.

PubMed

Murray, Aja L; Johnson, Wendy; Gow, Alan J; Deary, Ian J

2015-05-01

We evaluated the extent to which the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) may help to meet the need for multidimensional, psychometrically sophisticated measures of spiritual and religious traits. Although the various forms of validity of the scale have, for the most part, been supported by psychometric studies, conflicting evidence surrounding its dimensionality has called into question its structural validity. Specifically, numerous authors have suggested that a more appropriate factor structure for the SWBS includes further substantive factors in addition to the 2 factors that the scale was originally intended to measure. In the current study, we attempted to resolve these debates using a combination of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis based investigations in the Lothian Birth Cohort, 1921 study. Our analyses suggested that the additional factors suggested in previous studies may not have reflected substantive constructs; but rather, common variance due to methodological factors.

Hazardous alcohol consumption in non-aboriginal male inmates in New South Wales.

PubMed

Field, Courtney

2018-03-12

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine correlates and predictors of hazardous drinking behaviour, that may be considered evidence of generalised strain, in a sample of incarcerated non-Aboriginal males in New South Wales, Australia. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 283 non-Aboriginal male inmates as part of a larger epidemiological survey of inmates in NSW undertaken in 2015 by the Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network. Data relating to a range of social factors were selected with reference to relevant literature and assessed with regards their predictive value for scores from the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). To facilitate regression analysis, variables were logically organised into historical factors or adult factors. Findings Almost all participants reported some history of alcohol consumption. Hazardous drinking was common among participants. While parental alcohol problems and adult drug use were the only correlates of AUDIT scores, parental misuse of alcohol was shown to be an important predictor of AUDIT scores in regression analysis. The role of parent gender was inconclusive. Previous incarceration as an adult, employment status, and drug use as an adult also predicted AUDIT scores. Originality/value Alcohol abuse is common among inmates and the use of alcohol is implicated in the commission of many offences. A better understanding of its genesis may inspire novel approaches to treatment, leading to improved health outcomes for inmates.

Exploratory factor analysis of signalment and conformational measurements in Thoroughbred horses with and without recurrent laryngeal neuropathy.

PubMed

McGivney, C L; Gough, K F; McGivney, B A; Farries, G; Hill, E W; Katz, L M

2018-06-23

Conflicting results have been reported for risk factors for recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN) based on resting endoscopic evaluation and comparison of single conformation traits, with many traits correlated to one another. To simplify identification of signalment and conformation traits (i.e. variables) associated with RLN cases and controls diagnosed with exercising overground endoscopy (OGE) using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Prospective cohort. Pearson's rank correlation was used to establish significance and association between variables collected from n = 188 Thoroughbreds from one stable by observers blinded to OGE results. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on 9 variables for cases and controls; common elements between variables developed a factor, with variables grouped into 3 factors for cases and controls, respectively. Correlation (loading) between each variable and factor was calculated to rank relationships between variables and cases/controls, with factors retrospectively named based on their underlying correlations with variables. Numerous inter-correlations were present between variables. Most strongly correlated in cases were wither height with body weight (r = 0.70) and ventral neck length (r = 0.68) and in controls body weight with rostral neck circumference (r = 0.58). Wither height (r = 0.61) significantly loaded the top-ranked factor for cases ('height RLN '), explaining 25% of conformational variance. Ventral neck length (r = 0.69) and age (r = 0.57) significantly loaded the second-ranked factor for cases ('neck length RLN '), explaining 16% of conformational variance. Rostral neck circumference (r = 0.86) and body weight (r = 0.6) significantly loaded the top-ranked factor for controls ('body size CON '), explaining 19% of the variance. Wither height (r = 0.84) significantly loaded the second-ranked factor for controls ('height CON '), explaining 13% of the variance. Horses had not reached skeletal maturity. Exploratory factor analysis allowed weightings to be determined for each variable. Wither height was the predominant conformational feature associated with RLN. Exploratory factor analysis confirms aggregated conformational differences exist between RLN cases and controls, suitable for future evaluations. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Identification of common immunodominant antigens of Eimeria tenella, Eimeria acervulina and Eimeria maxima by immunoproteomic analysis

PubMed Central

Liu, Jianhua; Li, Wenyu; Ji, Yihong; Tian, Di; Tian, Lu; Yang, Xinchao; Xu, Lixin; Yan, Ruofeng; Li, Xiangrui; Song, Xiaokai

2017-01-01

Clinical chicken coccidiosis is mostly caused by simultaneous infection of several Eimeria species, and host immunity against Eimeria is species-specific. It is urgent to identify common immunodominant antigen of Eimeria for developing multivalent anticoccidial vaccines. In this study, sporozoite proteins of Eimeria tenella, Eimeria acervulina and Eimeria maxima were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE). Western bot analysis was performed on the yielded 2DE gel using antisera of E. tenella E. acervulina and E. maxima respectively. Next, the detected immunodominant spots were identified by comparing the data from MALDI-TOF-MS/MS with available databases. Finally, Eimeria common antigens were identified by comparing amino acid sequence between the three Eimeria species. The results showed that analysis by 2DE of sporozoite proteins detected 629, 626 and 632 protein spots from E. tenella, E. acervulina and E. maxima respectively. Western bot analysis revealed 50 (E. tenella), 64 (E. acervulina) and 57 (E. maxima) immunodominant spots from the sporozoite 2DE gels of the three Eimeria species. The immunodominant spots were identified as 33, 27 and 25 immunodominant antigens of E. tenella, E. acervulina and E. maxima respectively. Fifty-four immunodominant proteins were identified as 18 ortholog proteins among the three Eimeria species. Finally, 5 of the 18 ortholog proteins were identified as common immunodominant antigens including elongation factor 2 (EF-2), 14-3-3 protein, ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme domain-containing protein (UCE) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). In conclusion, our results not only provide Eimeria sporozoite immunodominant antigen map and additional immunodominant antigens, but also common immunodominant antigens for developing multivalent anticoccidial vaccines. PMID:28432276

Identification of common immunodominant antigens of Eimeria tenella, Eimeria acervulina and Eimeria maxima by immunoproteomic analysis.

PubMed

Liu, Lianrui; Huang, Xinmei; Liu, Jianhua; Li, Wenyu; Ji, Yihong; Tian, Di; Tian, Lu; Yang, Xinchao; Xu, Lixin; Yan, Ruofeng; Li, Xiangrui; Song, Xiaokai

2017-05-23

Clinical chicken coccidiosis is mostly caused by simultaneous infection of several Eimeria species, and host immunity against Eimeria is species-specific. It is urgent to identify common immunodominant antigen of Eimeria for developing multivalent anticoccidial vaccines. In this study, sporozoite proteins of Eimeria tenella, Eimeria acervulina and Eimeria maxima were analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE). Western bot analysis was performed on the yielded 2DE gel using antisera of E. tenella E. acervulina and E. maxima respectively. Next, the detected immunodominant spots were identified by comparing the data from MALDI-TOF-MS/MS with available databases. Finally, Eimeria common antigens were identified by comparing amino acid sequence between the three Eimeria species. The results showed that analysis by 2DE of sporozoite proteins detected 629, 626 and 632 protein spots from E. tenella, E. acervulina and E. maxima respectively. Western bot analysis revealed 50 (E. tenella), 64 (E. acervulina) and 57 (E. maxima) immunodominant spots from the sporozoite 2DE gels of the three Eimeria species. The immunodominant spots were identified as 33, 27 and 25 immunodominant antigens of E. tenella, E. acervulina and E. maxima respectively. Fifty-four immunodominant proteins were identified as 18 ortholog proteins among the three Eimeria species. Finally, 5 of the 18 ortholog proteins were identified as common immunodominant antigens including elongation factor 2 (EF-2), 14-3-3 protein, ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme domain-containing protein (UCE) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). In conclusion, our results not only provide Eimeria sporozoite immunodominant antigen map and additional immunodominant antigens, but also common immunodominant antigens for developing multivalent anticoccidial vaccines.

SU34. A Systematic Review of Behavioral Research and Lesion Evidence for the 2-Factor Theory of Monothematic Delusions

PubMed Central

Neustadter, Eli; Pinder, Juno; Corlett, Philip

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Two-factor theory (TFT) posits monothematic delusion formation requires damage producing delusion content (factor 1) and a deficit in belief evaluation (factor 2, posited to be localized in right frontal cortex). The purpose of the current study was 2-fold: (1) to review the behavioral data supporting TFT and (2) to assess whether locations of delusion-inducing lesions were consistent with TFT predictions: ie, common factor 1 damage within a particular monothematic delusion and common factor 2 damage across delusions. Furthermore, factor 2 damage ought to distinguish Capgras syndrome (the delusion that a previously familiar person is an imposter) from nondelusional-affective agnosia (unfamiliarity without delusion). Methods: We reviewed all papers concerned with TFT and all studies of galvanic skin response (GSR) in monothematic delusions (frequently cited as behavioral evidence for TFT). Next, we reviewed case reports of lesion-induced monothematic delusions including Capgras, Fregoli, Cotard, and somatoparaphrenia, as well as affective agnosia. We report lesion location frequencies in 12 regions of interest. Results: We found 27 articles on TFT. Only 3 contained empirical evidence (11%, all hypnosis studies): one had no direct hypothesis regarding TFT, one was inconclusive, and another failed to support TFT. We found 7 additional GSR studies of Capgras, 6 of which reported statistically significant abnormal GSR, but no effects were specific to the familiar person accused of being an imposter. One neuroimaging case study of Capgras did find fMRI correlates of perceiving the imposter in the left hemisphere. One study of somatoparaphrenia reported a GSR deficit to noxious stimuli approaching the denied limb. There were no published studies testing TFT predictions about Cotard or Fregoli. We analyzed 46 reports of lesion-induced delusions and 20 cases of affective agnosia. Right hemisphere damage was most common in monothematic delusion cases (χ2(1, N = 46) = 40.09, P < .0001). Within the right hemisphere, frontal and temporal damage were most common (46% of cases had damage in these regions). The patterns of regional codamage were not consistent within delusion contents (as factor 1 would demand). Contrary to TFT, affective agnosia was associated with bilateral frontal damage more frequently than Capgras delusion (P < .005), which calls into question a right frontal locus for factor 2. Conclusion: Overall, this study found no strong hypothesis-driven support of TFT. GSR findings often failed to account for the specificity of delusional content and no common pattern of brain damage for factor 2 emerged. However, the anatomical analysis was coarse (by dint of the data available in the case reports), and diaschesis effects (wherein damage in one region effects function of a distant region) are also potentially important.

Quantitative simultaneous multi-element microprobe analysis using combined wavelength and energy dispersive systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walter, L. S.; Doan, A. S., Jr.; Wood, F. M., Jr.; Bredekamp, J. H.

1972-01-01

A combined WDS-EDS system obviates the severe X-ray peak overlap problems encountered with Na, Mg, Al and Si common to pure EDS systems. By application of easily measured empirical correction factors for pulse pile-up and peak overlaps which are normally observed in the analysis of silicate minerals, the accuracy of analysis is comparable with that expected for WDS electron microprobe analyses. The continuum backgrounds are subtracted for the spectra by a spline fitting technique based on integrated intensities between the peaks. The preprocessed data are then reduced to chemical analyses by existing data reduction programs.

Jaundice: an important, poorly recognized risk factor for diminished survival in patients with adenocarcinoma of the head of the pancreas

PubMed Central

Strasberg, Steven M; Gao, Feng; Sanford, Dominic; Linehan, David C; Hawkins, William G; Fields, Ryan; Carpenter, Danielle H; Brunt, Elizabeth M; Phillips, Carolyn

2014-01-01

Objectives: Jaundice impairs cellular immunity, an important defence against the dissemination of cancer. Jaundice is a common mode of presentation in pancreatic head adenocarcinoma. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is an association between preoperative jaundice and survival in patients who have undergone resection of such tumours. Methods: Thirty possible survival risk factors were evaluated in a database of over 400 resected patients. Univariate analysis was used to determine odds ratio for death. All factors for which a P-value of <0.30 was obtained were entered into a multivariate analysis using the Cox model with backward selection. Results: Preoperative jaundice, age, positive node status, poor differentiation and lymphatic invasion were significant indicators of poor outcome in multivariate analysis. Absence of jaundice was a highly favourable prognostic factor. Interaction emerged between jaundice and nodal status. The benefit conferred by the absence of jaundice was restricted to patients in whom negative node status was present. Five-year overall survival in this group was 66%. Jaundiced patients who underwent preoperative stenting had a survival advantage. Conclusions: Preoperative jaundice is a negative risk factor in adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. Additional studies are required to determine the exact mechanism for this effect. PMID:23600768

Intrinsic Risk Factors of Lateral Ankle Sprain: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Kobayashi, Takumi; Tanaka, Masashi; Shida, Masahiro

2016-01-01

Lateral ankle ligamentous sprain (LAS) is one of the most common injuries in recreational activities and competitive sports. Many studies have attempted to determine whether there are certain intrinsic factors that can predict LAS. However, no consensus has been reached on the predictive intrinsic factors. To identify the intrinsic risk factors of LAS by meta-analysis from data in randomized control trials and prospective cohort studies. A systematic computerized literature search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, ScienceDirect, SPORTDiscus, and Cochrane Register of Clinical Trials was performed. A computerized literature search from inception to January 2015 resulted in 1133 studies of the LAS intrinsic risk factors written in English. Systematic review. Level 4. The modified quality index was used to assess the quality of the design of the papers and the standardized mean difference was used as an index to pool included study outcomes. Eight articles were included in this systematic review. Meta-analysis results showed that body mass index, slow eccentric inversion strength, fast concentric plantar flexion strength, passive inversion joint position sense, and peroneus brevis reaction time correlated with LAS. Body mass index, slow eccentric inversion strength, fast concentric plantar flexion strength, passive inversion joint position sense, and the reaction time of the peroneus brevis were associated with significantly increased risk of LAS.

Relationships between breast cancer and common non- communicable disease risk factors: an ecological study.

PubMed

Abbastabar, Hedayat; Hamidifard, Parvin; Roustazadeh, Abazar; Mousavi, Seyyed Hamid; Mohseni, Shokrallah; Sepandi, Mojtaba; Barouni, Mohsen; Alizadeh, Ali

2013-01-01

Breast cancer is one the most common cause of cancer-related deaths among women worldwide. The aims of this study were to investigate the impact of dietary factors and health status indicators on breast cancer (BC) incidence. Risk factor data (RFD) of 89,404 individuals (15-64 years old) were gathered by questionnaire and laboratory examinations through a cross sectional study from the Non- Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (NCDSC) of Iran. BC incidences of all provinces through 2001-2006 segregated by age and gender were obtained from the Cancer Registry Ministry of Health (CRMH). A significant positive relationship was seen between diabetes mellitus, fish consumption, percent of academic education and non-consumption of fruit, and breast cancer in women. However, non fish consumption, percent age illiteracy and taking fruit showed a significant negative relationship with the incidence of breast cancer. In addition, multiple linear regression analysis showed associations among percentage with academic education, fruit consumption and diabetes. We conclude that dietary factors such as fish and fruit consumption, dairy products, health status indicators, academic education, and some diseases like diabetes mellitus can affect the BC incidence, although the results of ecologic studies like this must naturally be interpreted with caution.

Platelet-derived growth factor receptors differentially inform intertumoral and intratumoral heterogeneity

PubMed Central

Kim, Youngmi; Kim, Eunhee; Wu, Qiulian; Guryanova, Olga; Hitomi, Masahiro; Lathia, Justin D.; Serwanski, David; Sloan, Andrew E.; Weil, Robert J.; Lee, Jeongwu; Nishiyama, Akiko; Bao, Shideng; Hjelmeland, Anita B.; Rich, Jeremy N.

2012-01-01

Growth factor-mediated proliferation and self-renewal maintain tissue-specific stem cells and are frequently dysregulated in cancers. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) ligands and receptors (PDGFRs) are commonly overexpressed in gliomas and initiate tumors, as proven in genetically engineered models. While PDGFRα alterations inform intertumoral heterogeneity toward a proneural glioblastoma (GBM) subtype, we interrogated the role of PDGFRs in intratumoral GBM heterogeneity. We found that PDGFRα is expressed only in a subset of GBMs, while PDGFRβ is more commonly expressed in tumors but is preferentially expressed by self-renewing tumorigenic GBM stem cells (GSCs). Genetic or pharmacological targeting of PDGFRβ (but not PDGFRα) attenuated GSC self-renewal, survival, tumor growth, and invasion. PDGFRβ inhibition decreased activation of the cancer stem cell signaling node STAT3, while constitutively active STAT3 rescued the loss of GSC self-renewal caused by PDGFRβ targeting. In silico survival analysis demonstrated that PDGFRB informed poor prognosis, while PDGFRA was a positive prognostic factor. Our results may explain mixed clinical responses of anti-PDGFR-based approaches and suggest the need for integration of models of cancer as an organ system into development of cancer therapies. PMID:22661233

Root Cause Analyses of Suicides of Mental Health Clients: Identifying Systematic Processes and Service-Level Prevention Strategies.

PubMed

Gillies, Donna; Chicop, David; O'Halloran, Paul

2015-01-01

The ability to predict imminent risk of suicide is limited, particularly among mental health clients. Root cause analysis (RCA) can be used by health services to identify service-wide approaches to suicide prevention. To (a) develop a standardized taxonomy for RCAs; (b) to quantitate service-related factors associated with suicides; and (c) to identify service-related suicide prevention strategies. The RCAs of all people who died by suicide within 1 week of contact with the mental health service over 5 years were thematically analyzed using a data collection tool. Data were derived from RCAs of all 64 people who died by suicide between 2008 and 2012. Major themes were categorized as individual, situational, and care-related factors. The most common factor was that clients had recently denied suicidality. Reliance on carers, recent changes in medication, communication problems, and problems in follow-through were also commonly identified. Given the difficulty in predicting suicide in people whose expressions of suicidal ideation change so rapidly, services may consider the use of strategies aimed at improving the individual, stressor, support, and care factors identified in this study.

Causative factors of cost overrun in highway projects of Sindh province of Pakistan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sohu, S.; Halid, A.; Nagapan, S.; Fattah, A.; Latif, I.; Ullah, K.

2017-11-01

Cost overrun is an increase of cost of project from approved budget which was signed by parties at the time of tender. Cost overrun in construction of highway projects is a common problem worldwide and construction industry of Pakistan is also facing this crucial problem of cost overrun in highway projects of Pakistan. The main objective of this research is to identify the causative factors of cost overrun in highway projects of Sindh province of Pakistan. A well designed questionnaire was developed based on 64 common factors of cost overrun from literature review. Developed questionnaire was distributed among selected 30 experts from owner/client, designer/consultant and contractor who have experience more than 20 years’ experience in highway projects. The collected data was statistical analyzed. After analysis results showed that delay process in payment by client, inadequate planning, client interference, poor contract management, delay of decision making, change of scope of project and financial problems faced by client were most causative factors of cost overrun in highway projects. This research will provide alertness to stakeholders of highway projects of Sindh province to avoid cost overrun in projects.

Exploring Work-Related Causal Attributions of Common Mental Disorders.

PubMed

Olsen, Ingrid Blø; Øverland, Simon; Reme, Silje Endresen; Løvvik, Camilla

2015-09-01

Common mental disorders (CMDs) are major causes of sickness absence and disability. Prevention requires knowledge of how individuals perceive causal mechanisms, and in this study we sought to examine work-related factors as causal attribution of CMDs. A trial sample of n = 1,193, recruited because they struggled with work participation due to CMDs, answered an open-ended questionnaire item about what they believed were the most important causes of their CMDs. The population included participants at risk of sickness absence, and participants with reduced work participation due to sickness absence, disability or unemployment. We used thematic content analysis and categorized responses from 487 participants who reported work-related factors as causal attributions of their CMDs. Gender differences in work-related causal attributions were also examined. The participants attributed their CMDs to the following work-related factors; work stress, leadership, reduced work participation, job dissatisfaction, work conflict, social work environment, job insecurity and change, workplace bullying, and physical strain. Women tended to attribute CMDs to social factors at work. Findings from this study suggest several work-related risk factors for CMDs. Both factors at the workplace, and reduced work participation, were perceived by study participants as contributing causes of CMDs. Thus, there is a need to promote work participation whilst at the same time targeting aversive workplace factors. Further, our findings indicate that work-related factors may affect women and men differently. This illustrates that the association between work participation and CMDs is complex, and needs to be explored further.

Separating Common from Unique Variance Within Emotional Distress: An Examination of Reliability and Relations to Worry.

PubMed

Marshall, Andrew J; Evanovich, Emma K; David, Sarah Jo; Mumma, Gregory H

2018-01-17

High comorbidity rates among emotional disorders have led researchers to examine transdiagnostic factors that may contribute to shared psychopathology. Bifactor models provide a unique method for examining transdiagnostic variables by modelling the common and unique factors within measures. Previous findings suggest that the bifactor model of the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) may provide a method for examining transdiagnostic factors within emotional disorders. This study aimed to replicate the bifactor model of the DASS, a multidimensional measure of psychological distress, within a US adult sample and provide initial estimates of the reliability of the general and domain-specific factors. Furthermore, this study hypothesized that Worry, a theorized transdiagnostic variable, would show stronger relations to general emotional distress than domain-specific subscales. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the bifactor model structure of the DASS in 456 US adult participants (279 females and 177 males, mean age 35.9 years) recruited online. The DASS bifactor model fitted well (CFI = 0.98; RMSEA = 0.05). The General Emotional Distress factor accounted for most of the reliable variance in item scores. Domain-specific subscales accounted for modest portions of reliable variance in items after accounting for the general scale. Finally, structural equation modelling indicated that Worry was strongly predicted by the General Emotional Distress factor. The DASS bifactor model is generalizable to a US community sample and General Emotional Distress, but not domain-specific factors, strongly predict the transdiagnostic variable Worry.

A study among dental students regarding the factors influenced dental students to choose dentistry as career

PubMed Central

AnbuSelvan, Gobichetti Palayam Jagatheeswaran; Gokulnathan, Subramaniam; PrabuRajan, Vilvanathan; RajaRaman, Gangadharan; Kumar, Singaravelu Suresh; Thagavelu, Arthie

2013-01-01

Introduction: Career choice is a complex decision for students since it determines the kind of profession that they intend to pursue in life. As students try to make a career choice while in secondary school, they face the problem of matching their career choices with their abilities and school performance. Aims: The purpose of this study was to examine factors influencing career choice among dental college students in private dental collages in Tamil Nadu, India. Settings and Design: The study was conducted using descriptive survey design with a population of 989 students. The data for this study was collected using a questionnaire and interview schedules. Materials and Methods: The data for this study was collected using questionnaire previously used by Swati Shah and Rajaraman and interview schedules. The analysis of the study was based on the factors: Outcome expectations, gender, personal interests, and other factors. Results and Conclusion: The most common reason for among the dental students to choose dental science as their career choice was self-interested followed by didn′t get medicine degree, prestige and gives respect. The least common reasons observed in the study population were inspired by dentists. The findings of this study indicate that availability the most influential factors affecting career choices among students. PMID:23946573

The X-Factor: an evaluation of common methods used to analyse major inter-segment kinematics during the golf swing.

PubMed

Brown, Susan J; Selbie, W Scott; Wallace, Eric S

2013-01-01

A common biomechanical feature of a golf swing, described in various ways in the literature, is the interaction between the thorax and pelvis, often termed the X-Factor. There is no consistent method used within golf biomechanics literature however to calculate these segment interactions. The purpose of this study was to examine X-factor data calculated using three reported methods in order to determine the similarity or otherwise of the data calculated using each method. A twelve-camera three-dimensional motion capture system was used to capture the driver swings of 19 participants and a subject specific three-dimensional biomechanical model was created with the position and orientation of each model estimated using a global optimisation algorithm. Comparison of the X-Factor methods showed significant differences for events during the swing (P < 0.05). Data for each kinematic measure were derived as a times series for all three methods and regression analysis of these data showed that whilst one method could be successfully mapped to another, the mappings between methods are subject dependent (P <0.05). Findings suggest that a consistent methodology considering the X-Factor from a joint angle approach is most insightful in describing a golf swing.

Factors Influencing Compliance and Health Seeking Behaviour for Hypertension in Mukono and Buikwe in Uganda: A Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Anthierens, Sibyl; Nuwaha, Fred; Van Geertruyden, Jean-Pierre; Wanyenze, Rhoda K.; Bastiaens, Hilde

2018-01-01

Background and Methods Hypertension is a global public health challenge and a leading risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Hypertension control rates are low worldwide, and delay in seeking care is associated with increased mortality. Methods In a qualitative study, known hypertensive patients were interviewed to explore factors influencing compliance and health seeking behaviour (HSB). Data was analyzed following a semantic thematic analysis approach. Results Patients sought various channels of care for their hypertension. Self-medication and access to antihypertensive drugs with or without prescription were common as well as use of herbal remedies. Regular monitoring of blood pressure was not a common practice. Factors influencing HSB were related to health systems and the patient socioeconomic and structural environment. The main system issues were related to availability and attitudes of staff and shortage of supplies and medicines. The patient factors were related to awareness, perceived severity, perceived effectiveness of therapy, adverse effects, and perceived fears of lifelong dependence on medicines. The patient socioeconomic status played a role as did the marketing of traditional medicine. Conclusion Patients seek varied channels of care for their hypertension. Strategies to address the multifactorial dimensions that affect HSB are needed to improve hypertension control in this population. PMID:29854433

The contribution of reinforcement sensitivity to the personality-psychopathology hierarchical structure in childhood and adolescence.

PubMed

Slobodskaya, Helena R

2016-11-01

This study examined the contribution of reinforcement sensitivity to the hierarchical structure of child personality and common psychopathology in community samples of parent reports of children aged 2-18 (N = 968) and self-reports of adolescents aged 10-18 (N = 1,543) using the Inventory of Child Individual Differences-Short version (ICID-S), the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire (SPSRQ). A joint higher-order factor analysis of the ICID-S and SDQ scales suggested a 4-factor solution; congruence coefficients indicated replicability of the factors across the 2 samples at all levels of the personality-psychopathology hierarchy. The canonical correlation analyses indicated that reinforcement sensitivity and personality-psychopathology dimensions shared much of their variance. The main contribution of reinforcement sensitivity was through opposing effects of reward and punishment sensitivities. The superordinate factors Beta and Internalizing were best predicted by reinforcement sensitivity, followed by the Externalizing and Positive personality factors. These findings provide evidence for consistency of the hierarchical structure of personality and common psychopathology across informants and highlight the role of reinforcement systems in the development of normal and abnormal patterns of behavior and affect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Self-injurious behavior among Greek male prisoners: prevalence and risk factors.

PubMed

Sakelliadis, E I; Papadodima, S A; Sergentanis, T N; Giotakos, O; Spiliopoulou, C A

2010-04-01

Self-harm among prisoners is a common phenomenon. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of self-injurious behavior (SIB) among Greek male prisoners, record their motives and determine independent risk factors. A self-administered, anonymous questionnaire was administered to 173 male prisoners in the Chalkida prison, Greece. The questionnaire included items on self-harm/SIB, demographic parameters, childhood history, family history, physical and mental disease, lifestyle and smoking habits, alcohol dependence (CAGE questionnaire), illicit substance use, aggression (Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire [BPAQ] and Lifetime History of Aggression [LTHA]), impulsivity (Barrat Impulsivity Scale-11) and suicidal ideation (Spectrum of Suicidal Behavior Scale). Univariate nonparametric statistics and multivariate ordinal logistic regression were performed. Of all the participants, 49.4% (95% CI: 41.5-57.3%) disclosed self-harm (direct or indirect). The prevalence of SIB was equal to 34.8% (95% CI: 27.5-42.6%). Most frequently, SIB coexisted with indirect self-harm (80.7%). The most common underlying motives were to obtain emotional release (31.6%) and to release anger (21.1%). At the univariate analysis, SIB was positively associated with a host of closely related factors: low education, physical/sexual abuse in childhood, parental neglect, parental divorce, alcoholism in family, psychiatric condition in family, recidivism, age, sentence already served, impulsivity, aggression, alcohol dependence, self-reported diagnosed psychiatric condition and illicit substance use. Childhood variables were particularly associated with the presence of diagnosed psychiatric condition. At the multivariate analysis, however, only three parameters were proven independent risk factors: self-reported diagnosed psychiatric condition, illicit substance use and aggression (BPAQ scale). The prevalence of SIB is particularly high. Psychiatric condition, illicit substance use and aggression seem to be the most meaningful risk factors; childhood events seem only to act indirectly. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Environmental contaminants and microRNA regulation: Transcription factors as regulators of toxicant-altered microRNA expression

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

Sollome, James; Martin, Elizabeth

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression by binding mRNA and inhibiting translation and/or inducing degradation of the associated transcripts. Expression levels of miRNAs have been shown to be altered in response to environmental toxicants, thus impacting cellular function and influencing disease risk. Transcription factors (TFs) are known to be altered in response to environmental toxicants and play a critical role in the regulation of miRNA expression. To date, environmentally-responsive TFs that are important for regulating miRNAs remain understudied. In a state-of-the-art analysis, we utilized an in silico bioinformatic approach to characterize potential transcriptional regulators of environmentally-responsive miRNAs. Using the miRStart database,more » genomic sequences of promoter regions for all available human miRNAs (n = 847) were identified and promoter regions were defined as − 1000/+500 base pairs from the transcription start site. Subsequently, the promoter region sequences of environmentally-responsive miRNAs (n = 128) were analyzed using enrichment analysis to determine overrepresented TF binding sites (TFBS). While most (56/73) TFs differed across environmental contaminants, a set of 17 TFs was enriched for promoter binding among miRNAs responsive to numerous environmental contaminants. Of these, one TF was common to miRNAs altered by the majority of environmental contaminants, namely SWI/SNF-related, matrix-associated, actin-dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily A, member 3 (SMARCA3). These identified TFs represent candidate common transcriptional regulators of miRNAs perturbed by environmental toxicants. - Highlights: • Transcription factors that regulate environmentally-modulated miRNA expression are understudied • Transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) located within DNA promoter regions of miRNAs were identified. • Specific transcription factors may serve as master regulators of environmentally-mediated microRNA expression.« less

The correlation of osteoporosis to clinical features: a study of 4382 female cases of a hospital cohort with musculoskeletal symptoms in southwest China.

PubMed

Li, Shasha; He, Hongchen; Ding, Mingfu; He, Chengqi

2010-08-16

By analyzing the clinical features and risk factors in female patients with musculoskeletal symptoms of Southwest China, this report presents the initial analysis of characteristics in this region and compared with international evaluative criteria. Diagnosis of osteoporosis (OP) was made in female hospital patients age > or = 18 years admitted from January 1998 to December 2008 according to WHO definition. Case data were analyzed by symptoms, age, disease course and risk factors to reveal correlation with diagnosis of OP. Logistic regression was used to identify the risks of osteoporosis. A total of 4382 patients were included in the analysis of the baseline characteristics, among which 1455 in the OP group and 2927 in the non-OP group. The morbidity of OP is significantly increased in females' > or = 50 years. Both groups had symptoms related to pain and numbness; no significant difference was found in reported upper and lower back pain, or leg pain between two groups (p > 0.05). Neck, shoulder and arm pain, leg and arm numbness were more common in the non-osteoporosis group (p < 0.05, OR < 1, and upper limit of 95% CI of OR < 1). Hypertension, diabetes, hyperostosis were major risk factors for the patients with OP. The most common lifestyle-related risk factors for osteoporosis were smoking, body mass index, lack of physical activity and menopause. The present study offers the first reference data of the relationship between epidemiologic distribution of osteoporosis and associated factors in adults Chinese women. These findings provide a theoretical basis for its prevention and treatment in developing country.

The analysis of morphometric data on rocky mountain wolves and artic wolves using statistical method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ammar Shafi, Muhammad; Saifullah Rusiman, Mohd; Hamzah, Nor Shamsidah Amir; Nor, Maria Elena; Ahmad, Noor’ani; Azia Hazida Mohamad Azmi, Nur; Latip, Muhammad Faez Ab; Hilmi Azman, Ahmad

2018-04-01

Morphometrics is a quantitative analysis depending on the shape and size of several specimens. Morphometric quantitative analyses are commonly used to analyse fossil record, shape and size of specimens and others. The aim of the study is to find the differences between rocky mountain wolves and arctic wolves based on gender. The sample utilised secondary data which included seven variables as independent variables and two dependent variables. Statistical modelling was used in the analysis such was the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). The results showed there exist differentiating results between arctic wolves and rocky mountain wolves based on independent factors and gender.

[Forensic Analysis of 63 Cases of Non-violent Death Occurred in Custody].

PubMed

Yang, S M; Cheng, Y B

2017-10-01

To collect cases of non-violent death occurred in custody for analyzing the forensic characteristics and related influencing factors. Sixty-three cases of non-violent death among detainees in custody that handled by a forensic science center from 2000 to 2015 were collected. The type, onset season, medical history, clinical manifestation, treatment and duration of related fatal diseases were analyzed retrospectively. The deaths due to diseases in custody were common in male, and with a high incidence in middle aged adults. The most common cause of death was cardiac death （50.8%）. Chronic inflammatory diseases such as gastrointestinal perforation, pulmonary tuberculosis, pneumonia, hepatitis and pancreatitis, were common. There was a peak incidence in summer. The acute symptoms included sudden onset during sleep and sudden apsychia, and emesis, abdominal pain, fatigue, chest tightness, shortness of breath, fever and anorexia were the most common chronic symptoms. The management system, custody condition, medical level and rescue rudiment of custody still need improvements. It should be pay more attention to collecting the information of medical history, autopsy, histological examination and toxicological analysis, etc. Copyright© by the Editorial Department of Journal of Forensic Medicine

Tinea capitis among children in the Columbus area, Ohio, USA.

PubMed

Coloe, Jacquelyn R; Diab, Mohammad; Moennich, Jessica; Diab, Diab; Pawaskar, Manjiri; Balkrishnan, Rajesh; Bechtel, Mark A

2010-03-01

Tinea capitis is a fungal infection of the hair follicles of the scalp. In the US, the most common organisms have traditionally been Trichophyton tonsurans, and occasionally Microsporum canis. This study was designed to examine patterns of organisms causing tinea capitis and determine factors associated with infection. A retrospective database analysis was conducted to locate records of patients with tinea capitis from May 2001 to May 2006 at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, OH. Descriptive statistics, frequency analysis, chi-squared test, and Student's t-test were performed to evaluate types of causative organisms and associated patient characteristics. One hundred and eighty-nine charts of patients with a positive scalp culture for tinea capitis were located. Trichophyton tonsurans (88.9%) was the foremost causative agent followed by Trichophyton violaceum (4.2%). Tinea capitis was more prevalent among African Americans and was more common in urban areas (P < 0.05). Children of African descent inhabiting urban settings were most vulnerable to tinea capitis. The most common organism isolated in this retrospective study was T. tonsurans. Trichophyton violaceum and Trichophyton soudanense were also isolated, which are not commonly reported causes of tinea capitis in the US.

Self-help books for people with depression: the role of the therapeutic relationship.

PubMed

Richardson, Rachel; Richards, David A; Barkham, Michael

2010-01-01

In the UK, bibliotherapy schemes have become a widespread source of support for people with common mental health disorders such as depression. However, the current evidence suggests that bibliotherapy schemes that are offered without guidance are not effective. It may be possible to improve the effectiveness of self-help books by incorporating into them some of the "common factors" that operate in personal therapeutic encounters, for example therapist responsiveness. The aim was to test whether and to what extent authors have incorporated common factors into self-help books. A model of how common factors might be incorporated into CBT-based self-help books was developed and a sample of three books were examined against the model criteria. The sampled self-help books were found to have common factors to a greater or lesser extent, but some types of common factors were more prevalent than others. Factors addressing the development and maintenance of the therapeutic alliance were less often apparent. Self-help books have the potential to provide a valuable service to people with depression, but further work is necessary to develop them. It is suggested that future generations of self-help books should pay explicit attention to the use of common factors, in particular developing and investigating how factors such as flexibility, responsiveness and alliance-rupture repair can be woven into the text.

Predicting Esophagitis After Chemoradiation Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: An Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis

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

Palma, David A., E-mail: david.palma@uwo.ca; Senan, Suresh; Oberije, Cary

Purpose: Concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) improves survival compared with sequential treatment for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer, but it increases toxicity, particularly radiation esophagitis (RE). Validated predictors of RE for clinical use are lacking. We performed an individual-patient-data meta-analysis to determine factors predictive of clinically significant RE. Methods and Materials: After a systematic review of the literature, data were obtained on 1082 patients who underwent CCRT, including patients from Europe, North America, Asia, and Australia. Patients were randomly divided into training and validation sets (2/3 vs 1/3 of patients). Factors predictive of RE (grade ≥2 and grade ≥3) weremore » assessed using logistic modeling, with the concordance statistic (c statistic) used to evaluate the performance of each model. Results: The median radiation therapy dose delivered was 65 Gy, and the median follow-up time was 2.1 years. Most patients (91%) received platinum-containing CCRT regimens. The development of RE was common, scored as grade 2 in 348 patients (32.2%), grade 3 in 185 (17.1%), and grade 4 in 10 (0.9%). There were no RE-related deaths. On univariable analysis using the training set, several baseline factors were statistically predictive of RE (P<.05), but only dosimetric factors had good discrimination scores (c > .60). On multivariable analysis, the esophageal volume receiving ≥60 Gy (V60) alone emerged as the best predictor of grade ≥2 and grade ≥3 RE, with good calibration and discrimination. Recursive partitioning identified 3 risk groups: low (V60 <0.07%), intermediate (V60 0.07% to 16.99%), and high (V60 ≥17%). With use of the validation set, the predictive model performed inferiorly for the grade ≥2 endpoint (c = .58) but performed well for the grade ≥3 endpoint (c = .66). Conclusions: Clinically significant RE is common, but life-threatening complications occur in <1% of patients. Although several factors are statistically predictive of RE, the V60 alone provides the best predictive ability. Efforts to reduce the V60 should be prioritized, with further research needed to identify and validate new predictive factors.« less

Common Factors: Where the Soul of Counseling and Psychotherapy Resides

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ottens, Allen J.; Klein, James F.

2005-01-01

The authors show how theoretical and empirical findings from the common factors and psychotherapy integration literatures possess potential for infusing soul into psychotherapy. They describe the term soul, outline how the definition translates into soul-nurturing psychotherapy, examine the common factors and integration literatures, and discuss…

Perceived exercise benefits and barriers among power wheelchair soccer players.

PubMed

Barfield, J P; Malone, Laurie A

2013-01-01

Lack of exercise is a major risk factor for secondary conditions among persons dependent upon motorized wheelchairs. Power wheelchair soccer is a unique exercise opportunity for this population, and understanding factors that influence exercise decision-making is necessary for clinicians to help those in motorized chairs reduce their secondary risk. Therefore, this study examined differences in perceived benefits and barriers to exercise among power wheelchair soccer players using a mixed-methods analysis. The most common perceived benefit to exercise was "Exercising lets me have contact with friends and persons I enjoy." Post hoc comparisons of quantitative data indicated that persons with muscular dystrophy perceived exercise to be significantly less important than did other disability groups (p < 0.05). "Exercise is hard work for me," "Exercise tires me," and "There are too few places for me to exercise" were the most common perceived barriers. These findings can assist with development of exercise opportunities for power wheelchair users.

Pyroglutamic acidosis in association with therapeutic paracetamol use.

PubMed

Hunter, Robert W; Lawson, Cate; Galitsiou, Evangelia; Gifford, Fiona; Neary, John J

2016-12-01

Long-term use of paracetamol (at therapeutic doses) can cause the accumulation of endogenous organic pyroglutamate, resulting in metabolic acidosis with an elevated anion gap. This occurs in the presence of malnutrition, infection, antibiotic use, renal failure and pregnancy. Given the prevalence of these risk factors, this condition is thought to be relatively common in a hospitalised population but is probably significantly underdiagnosed. Prompt recognition is essential because the condition is entirely reversible if the causative agents are withdrawn.Here we describe five cases of pyroglutamic acidosis that we have encountered in a tertiary referral hospital. Together they illustrate the common clinical risk factors and the excellent prognosis, once a diagnosis is made. We describe how a rudimentary acid-base analysis (calculation of the anion gap) usually leads to the diagnosis but how a more nuanced approach may be required in the presence of mixed acid-base disorders. © Royal College of Physicians 2016. All rights reserved.

Umbilical hernia with cholelithiasis and hiatal hernia: a clinical entity similar to Saint's triad.

PubMed

Yamanaka, Takahiro; Miyazaki, Tatsuya; Kumakura, Yuji; Honjo, Hiroaki; Hara, Keigo; Yokobori, Takehiko; Sakai, Makoto; Sohda, Makoto; Kuwano, Hiroyuki

2015-01-01

We experienced two cases involving the simultaneous presence of cholelithiasis, hiatal hernia, and umbilical hernia. Both patients were female and overweight (body mass index of 25.0-29.9 kg/m(2)) and had a history of pregnancy and surgical treatment of cholelithiasis. Additionally, both patients had two of the three conditions of Saint's triad. Based on analysis of the pathogenesis of these two cases, we consider that these four diseases (Saint's triad and umbilical hernia) are associated with one another. Obesity is a common risk factor for both umbilical hernia and Saint's triad. Female sex, older age, and a history of pregnancy are common risk factors for umbilical hernia and two of the three conditions of Saint's triad. Thus, umbilical hernia may readily develop with Saint's triad. Knowledge of this coincidence is important in the clinical setting. The concomitant occurrence of Saint's triad and umbilical hernia may be another clinical "tetralogy."

[Association between risk factors of cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis in postmenopausal Chinese women].

PubMed

Xue, Wen-qiong; Deng, Juan; Li, Jing-jing; Liu, Jing; He, Li-ping; Chen, Zong-qiu; Chen, Yu-ming

2011-06-01

To assess the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and osteoporosis. 2202 women aged 50 - 73 years were included in this cross-sectional study from the communities in Guangzhou, from July 2008 to January 2010. Cardiovascular risk factors including age, years since menopause, physical activity, anthropometrics, body composition, blood pressure, fasting serum lipids, glucose and uric acid, intima-media thickness (IMT) of carotid artery were assessed. Ultrasonic bone density (speed of sound) at the radius and tibia were determined. Osteoporosis was defined as T-score ≤ -2.5. Common factors for the cardiovascular risk factors were extracted using the factor analysis method. Eight common factors representing obesity, lean mass, blood triglycerides and uric acid, cholesterol, age, blood pressure, IMT and physical activity were extracted. Data from the Multivariate logistic regression showed a dose-dependent association of greater scores of age and IMT factors and lower score of lean mass factor with the increased risk of osteoporosis at the radius and tibia. As compared with the bottom quartile, the OR (95%CI) of radius and tibia osteoporosis were 0.62 (0.44 - 0.88) and 0.62 (0.48 - 0.80) for lean mass factor, 4.02 (2.72 - 5.94) and 3.68 (2.81 - 4.82) for age factor, 1.41 (1.00 - 2.00) and 1.54 (1.19 - 2.00) for IMT factors, respectively. Moreover, greater blood pressure score was associated with higher risk of radius osteoporosis while the higher obese score, was correlated with the increased risk of tibia osteoporosis. The cardiovascular-related risk factors of greater IMT, obesity, blood pressure and lower lean mass scores were associated with increased osteoporosis risks while called for more concern among the Chinese women.

[Worrying behaviour in pre-school children aged three to seven years: a factor analysis of the results of a questionnaire].

PubMed

Pilecki, Maciej Wojciech; Kowal, Małgorzata; Woronkowicz, Agnieszka; Sobiecki, Jan; Kryst, Łukasz; Kamińska-Reyman, Jadwiga

2014-01-01

The aims of the study were: 1) the assessment of the interaction between the factors specified for behavioural problems observed in pre-school children based on a factor analysis and 2) the assessment of the relationship the specified factors have with the age and gender of the study group. A factor analysis based on a Principal Component Analysis of the main results of a Disturbing Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) completed by pre-school teachers, which includes categories of behaviour observed among pre-school age children that provoke the greatest concern among parents, guardians and educators. Nine-hundred and sixty-one children aged from 2.7 to 7.9 years (mean: 5.4; SD 1.13) from randomly chosen pre-schools in all districts of Krak6w. Based on a screen plot, as well as on a substantive analysis of the results, a decision was taken to employ a four-factor analysis (Lagging behind, Excessive behaviour, Eating-avoidance and Overeating) explaining 68% of the common factor variance. A very high Cronbach's alpha value was returned for the reliability of the individual scales. The conducted analysis of the relationship of the scales with age and gender indicated a greater intensity of disturbing behaviour in boys for the Lagging behind factor, the Excessive behaviour factor and the overall scale for the Disturbing Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ). These were the scales, along with the Eating-avoidance scale, that were found to be related to age. A greater intensity of disturbing behaviour was found to occur in the younger children. The relationship between the Overeating and Excessive behaviour scales that was found among girls but not among boys indicated that--even at such a young age--the characteristics associated with eating in the context of gender were already present. The authors consider that the coherence of the results obtained and their consistency with other studies ofpre-school age children provide a sound platform for further analyses using the questionnaire described above.

[Assessment of temperament with the Infant Behavior Questionnaire Revised (IBQ-R) - the psychometric properties of a German version].

PubMed

Vonderlin, Eva; Ropeter, Anna; Pauen, Sabina

2012-09-01

The Infant Behavior Questionnaire Revised (IBQ-R; Gartstein & Rothbart, 2003) is one of the most common parent-report instruments for assessing infant temperament. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of a German version. We studied item characteristics, internal consistency, and descriptive statistics for all 14 scales in a sample of 7- to 9-month-old infants and their mothers (N = 119). Factor analysis was conducted to identify higher-order relationships between the scales. Item analysis showed mixed corrected item-total correlations. Internal consistencies were all moderate to high. Results of the factor analysis confirmed the two dimensions of Surgency/Extraversion and Negative Affectivity, whereas the dimension Orienting/Regulation was not replicated. In contrast to the American sample, activity level in the German sample loaded on the factor Negative Affectivity. The scales low intensity pleasure and soothability, which loaded on factor Orienting/Regulation in the original version, showed substantial loadings on both dimensions Surgency/Extraversion and Negative Affectivity (inverted), whereas the scale duration of orienting was located on the factor Surgency/Extraversion. The German version of the IBQ-R provides a satisfying instrument for investigating infant temperament. However, further work is needed to improve the methodological quality of the questionnaire. Further research should especially focus on the factor structure of infant temperament. We suggest developing a shorter version and testing it with a larger and more diverse sample.

Metabolic syndrome-related composite factors over 5 years in the STANISLAS family study: genetic heritability and common environmental influences.

PubMed

Herbeth, Bernard; Samara, Anastasia; Ndiaye, Coumba; Marteau, Jean-Brice; Berrahmoune, Hind; Siest, Gérard; Visvikis-Siest, Sophie

2010-06-03

We estimated genetic heritability and common environmental influences for various traits related to metabolic syndrome in young families from France. At entrance and after 5 years, nineteen traits related to metabolic syndrome were measured in a sample of families drawn from the STANISLAS study. In addition, 5 aggregates of these traits were identified using factor analysis. At entrance, genetic heritability was high (20 to 44%) for plasma lipids and lipoproteins, uric acid, fasting glucose, and the related clusters "risk lipids" and "protective lipids". Intermediate or low genetic heritability (less than 20%) was shown for triglycerides, adiposity indices, blood pressure, hepatic enzyme activity, inflammatory makers and the related clusters: "liver enzymes", "adiposity/blood pressure" and "inflammation". Moreover, common environmental influences were significant for all the parameters. With regard to 5-year changes, polygenic variance was low and not statistically significant for any of the individual variables or clusters whereas shared environment influence was significant. In these young families, genetic heritability of metabolic syndrome-related traits was generally lower than previously reported while the common environmental influences were greater. In addition, only shared environment contributed to short-term changes of these traits. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of a modified 16-item Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS): Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses.

PubMed

Yu, Tzu-Chieh; Jowsey, Tanisha; Henning, Marcus

2018-04-18

The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) was developed to assess undergraduate readiness for engaging in interprofessional education (IPE). It has become an accepted and commonly used instrument. To determine utility of a modified 16-item RIPLS instrument, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. Data used were collected from a pre- and post-intervention study involving 360 New Zealand undergraduate students from one university. Just over half of the participants were enrolled in medicine (51%) while the remainder were in pharmacy (27%) and nursing (22%). The intervention was a two-day simulation-based IPE course focused on managing unplanned acute medical problems in hospital wards ("ward calls"). Immediately prior to the course, 288 RIPLS were collected and immediately afterwards, 322 (response rates 80% and 89%, respectively). Exploratory factor analysis involving principal axis factoring with an oblique rotation method was conducted using pre-course data. The scree plot suggested a three-factor solution over two- and four-factor solutions. Subsequent confirmatory factor analysis performed using post-course data demonstrated partial goodness-of-fit for this suggested three-factor model. Based on these findings, further robust psychometric testing of the RIPLS or modified versions of it is recommended before embarking on its use in evaluative research in various healthcare education settings.

Clinical validation of nuclear factor kappa B expression in invasive breast cancer.

PubMed

Agrawal, Anil Kumar; Pielka, Ewa; Lipinski, Artur; Jelen, Michal; Kielan, Wojciech; Agrawal, Siddarth

2018-01-01

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Polish women. The expression of transcription nuclear factor kappa B, a key inducer of inflammatory response promoting carcinogenesis and cancer progression in breast cancer, is not well-established. We assessed the nuclear factor kappa B expression in a total of 119 invasive breast carcinomas and 25 healthy control samples and correlated this expression pattern with several clinical and pathologic parameters including histologic type and grade, tumor size, lymph node status, estrogen receptor status, and progesterone receptor status. The data used for the analysis were derived from medical records. An immunohistochemical analysis of nuclear factor kappa B, estrogen receptor, and progesterone receptor was carried out and evaluation of stainings was performed. The expression of nuclear factor kappa B was significantly higher than that in the corresponding healthy control samples. No statistical difference was demonstrated in nuclear factor kappa B expression in relation to age, menopausal status, lymph node status, tumor size and location, grade and histologic type of tumor, and hormonal status (estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor). Nuclear factor kappa B is significantly overexpressed in invasive breast cancer tissues. Although nuclear factor kappa B status does not correlate with clinicopathological findings, it might provide important additional information on prognosis and become a promising object for targeted therapy.

Health-seeking behaviour among patients with faecal incontinence in a Malaysian academic setting.

PubMed

Roslani, A C; Ramakrishnan, R; Azmi, S

2017-12-01

Faecal incontinence (FI) is not a common presenting complaint in Malaysia, and little has been published on this topic. Since it is a treatable condition, a greater understanding of factors contributing to healthseeking behaviour is needed in order to plan effective provision of services. A survey of 1000 patients and accompanying relatives, visiting general surgical and obstetrics and gynaecology clinics for matters unrelated to FI, was conducted at University Malaya Medical Centre between January 2009 and February 2010. A follow-up regression analysis of the 83 patients who had FI, to identify factors associated with health-seeking behaviour, was performed. Variables identified through univariate analysis were subjected to multivariate analysis to determine independence. Reasons for not seeking treatment were also analysed. Only eight patients (9.6%) had sought medical treatment. On univariate analysis, the likelihood of seeking treatment was significantly higher among patients who had more severe symptoms (OR 30.0, p=0.002), had incontinence to liquid stool (OR 3.83, p=0.002) or when there was an alteration to lifestyle (OR: 17.34; p<0.001). Nevertheless, the only independently-associated variable was alteration in lifestyle. Common reasons given for not seeking treatment was that the condition did not affect patients' daily activities (88.0%), "social taboo" (5.3%) and "other" reasons (6.7%). Lifestyle alteration is the main driver of healthseeking behaviour in FI. However, the majority do not seek treatment. Greater public and physician-awareness on FI and available treatment options is needed.

Metabolic networks in epilepsy by MR spectroscopic imaging.

PubMed

Pan, J W; Spencer, D D; Kuzniecky, R; Duckrow, R B; Hetherington, H; Spencer, S S

2012-12-01

The concept of an epileptic network has long been suggested from both animal and human studies of epilepsy. Based on the common observation that the MR spectroscopic imaging measure of NAA/Cr is sensitive to neuronal function and injury, we use this parameter to assess for the presence of a metabolic network in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) patients. A multivariate factor analysis is performed with controls and MTLE patients, using NAA/Cr measures from 12 loci: the bilateral hippocampi, thalami, basal ganglia, and insula. The factor analysis determines which and to what extent these loci are metabolically covarying. We extract two independent factors that explain the data's variability in control and MTLE patients. In controls, these factors characterize a 'thalamic' and 'dominant subcortical' function. The MTLE patients also exhibit a 'thalamic' factor, in addition to a second factor involving the ipsilateral insula and bilateral basal ganglia. These data suggest that MTLE patients demonstrate a metabolic network that involves the thalami, also seen in controls. The MTLE patients also display a second set of metabolically covarying regions that may be a manifestation of the epileptic network that characterizes limbic seizure propagation. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Relationships of colorectal cancer with dietary factors and public health indicators: an ecological study.

PubMed

Abbastabar, Hedayat; Roustazadeh, Abazar; Alizadeh, Ali; Hamidifard, Parvin; Valipour, Mehrdad; Valipour, Ali Asghar

2015-01-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in Iranian women and fifth in men. The aims of this study were to investigate the relation of dietary factors and public health indicators to its development. The required information (2001-2006) about risk factors was obtained from the Non- Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre (NCDSC) of Iran. Risk factor data (RFD) from 89,404 individuals (15-64 years old) were gathered by questionnaire and laboratory examinations through a cross sectional study in all provinces by systematic clustering sampling method. CRC incidence segregated by age and gender was obtained from Cancer Registry Ministry of Health (CRMH) of Iran. First, correlation coefficients were used for data analysis and then multiple regression analysis was performed to control for confounding factors. Colorectal cancer incidence showed a positive relationship with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, lacking or low physical activity, high education, high intake of dairy products, and non-consumption of vegetables and fruits. We concluded that many dietary factors and public health indicators have positive relationships with CRC and might therefore be targets of preliminary prevention. However, since this is an ecological study limited by potential ecological fallacy the results must be interpreted with caution.

Risk factors for falling in home-dwelling older women with stroke: the Women's Health and Aging Study.

PubMed

Lamb, S E; Ferrucci, L; Volapto, S; Fried, L P; Guralnik, J M

2003-02-01

Much of our knowledge of risk factors for falls comes from studies of the general population. The aim of this study was to estimate the risk of falling associated with commonly accepted and stroke-specific factors in a home-dwelling stroke population. This study included an analysis of prospective fall reports in 124 women with confirmed stroke over 1 year. Variables relating to physical and mental health, history of falls, stroke symptoms, self-reported difficulties in activities of daily living, and physical performance tests were collected during home assessments. Risk factors for falling commonly reported in the general population, including performance tests of balance, incontinence, previous falls, and sedative/hypnotic medications, did not predict falls in multivariate analyses. Frequent balance problems while dressing were the strongest risk factor for falls (odds ratio, 7.0). Residual balance, dizziness, or spinning stroke symptoms were also a strong risk factor for falling (odds ratio, 5.2). Residual motor symptoms were not associated with an increased risk of falling. Interventions to reduce the frequency of balance problems during complex tasks may play a significant role in reducing falls in stroke. Clinicians should be aware of the increased risk of falling in women with residual balance, dizziness, or spinning stroke symptoms and recognize that risk assessments developed for use in the general population may not be appropriate for stroke patients.

[Physical fitness in dependence on cardiovascular risk factors - an assessment of 20- to 30-year-old adults].

PubMed

Sammito, S; Niebel, I

2013-01-01

Cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors are already common in the young adult population. The prevalence of obesity increases. More and more employees are not able to stand the physical demands at the workplace. In the course of increasing the statutory retirement age ("retirement with 67") more knowledge about the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and their influence on the physical fitness is necessary for a wise and goal-oriented primary prevention. A retrospective analysis of survey examinations from young German soldiers in terms of prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and their physical fitness was undertaken. The causes for rejection were analysed. In the group of 646 test persons (in average 23.4 years old) there were large rates of people with overweight (37.9%) and obesity (10.8%). Smoking (55.6%), hypercholesteremia (18.6%) and hypertriglyceridemia (13.3%) were also common. Apparent diseases were rare. With an increasing number of cardiovascular risk factors, the physical fitness was significantly lower. High liver enzymes, obesity and lacking physical fitness were reasons for rejection. Already in this young adult collective cardiovascular risk factors are widely spread. This reduces the physical fitness directly or indirectly. A goal-oriented primary prevention is already necessary in this collective of young employees to avoid later limitations in ability to work. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Impact of Damping Uncertainty on SEA Model Response Variance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schiller, Noah; Cabell, Randolph; Grosveld, Ferdinand

2010-01-01

Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) is commonly used to predict high-frequency vibroacoustic levels. This statistical approach provides the mean response over an ensemble of random subsystems that share the same gross system properties such as density, size, and damping. Recently, techniques have been developed to predict the ensemble variance as well as the mean response. However these techniques do not account for uncertainties in the system properties. In the present paper uncertainty in the damping loss factor is propagated through SEA to obtain more realistic prediction bounds that account for both ensemble and damping variance. The analysis is performed on a floor-equipped cylindrical test article that resembles an aircraft fuselage. Realistic bounds on the damping loss factor are determined from measurements acquired on the sidewall of the test article. The analysis demonstrates that uncertainties in damping have the potential to significantly impact the mean and variance of the predicted response.

"Heroes" and "villains" of world history across cultures.

PubMed

Hanke, Katja; Liu, James H; Sibley, Chris G; Paez, Dario; Gaines, Stanley O; Moloney, Gail; Leong, Chan-Hoong; Wagner, Wolfgang; Licata, Laurent; Klein, Olivier; Garber, Ilya; Böhm, Gisela; Hilton, Denis J; Valchev, Velichko; Khan, Sammyh S; Cabecinhas, Rosa

2015-01-01

Emergent properties of global political culture were examined using data from the World History Survey (WHS) involving 6,902 university students in 37 countries evaluating 40 figures from world history. Multidimensional scaling and factor analysis techniques found only limited forms of universality in evaluations across Western, Catholic/Orthodox, Muslim, and Asian country clusters. The highest consensus across cultures involved scientific innovators, with Einstein having the most positive evaluation overall. Peaceful humanitarians like Mother Theresa and Gandhi followed. There was much less cross-cultural consistency in the evaluation of negative figures, led by Hitler, Osama bin Laden, and Saddam Hussein. After more traditional empirical methods (e.g., factor analysis) failed to identify meaningful cross-cultural patterns, Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was used to identify four global representational profiles: Secular and Religious Idealists were overwhelmingly prevalent in Christian countries, and Political Realists were common in Muslim and Asian countries. We discuss possible consequences and interpretations of these different representational profiles.

Interrelationships of locus of control content dimensions and hopelessness.

PubMed

Ward, L C; Thomas, L L

1985-07-01

Items from three locus of control (LOC) tests and the Beck Hopelessness Scale were administered to 197 college students. Factor analyses produced multiple factors for each LOC test, but the Beck scale proved to be unidimensional. Factor scales were constructed for each test, and scores were factor analyzed to discover common content. Each LOC test contained a salient dimension that described belief in luck, chance, or fate, and corresponding scales were well correlated. Internal control was the second common theme, with variations according to whether control was attributed to oneself or to people in general. The third common component expressed a personal helplessness or powerlessness. Each common factor was loaded by the Hopelessness Scale, which also correlated with all but one LOC factor scale.

Integrative Computational Network Analysis Reveals Site-Specific Mediators of Inflammation in Alzheimer's Disease

PubMed Central

Ravichandran, Srikanth; Michelucci, Alessandro; del Sol, Antonio

2018-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a major neurodegenerative disease and is one of the most common cause of dementia in older adults. Among several factors, neuroinflammation is known to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of chronic neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, studies of brains affected by AD show a clear involvement of several inflammatory pathways. Furthermore, depending on the brain regions affected by the disease, the nature and the effect of inflammation can vary. Here, in order to shed more light on distinct and common features of inflammation in different brain regions affected by AD, we employed a computational approach to analyze gene expression data of six site-specific neuronal populations from AD patients. Our network based computational approach is driven by the concept that a sustained inflammatory environment could result in neurotoxicity leading to the disease. Thus, our method aims to infer intracellular signaling pathways/networks that are likely to be constantly activated or inhibited due to persistent inflammatory conditions. The computational analysis identified several inflammatory mediators, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a)-associated pathway, as key upstream receptors/ligands that are likely to transmit sustained inflammatory signals. Further, the analysis revealed that several inflammatory mediators were mainly region specific with few commonalities across different brain regions. Taken together, our results show that our integrative approach aids identification of inflammation-related signaling pathways that could be responsible for the onset or the progression of AD and can be applied to study other neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, such computational approaches can enable the translation of clinical omics data toward the development of novel therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases. PMID:29551980

Integrative Computational Network Analysis Reveals Site-Specific Mediators of Inflammation in Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Ravichandran, Srikanth; Michelucci, Alessandro; Del Sol, Antonio

2018-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a major neurodegenerative disease and is one of the most common cause of dementia in older adults. Among several factors, neuroinflammation is known to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of chronic neurodegenerative diseases. In particular, studies of brains affected by AD show a clear involvement of several inflammatory pathways. Furthermore, depending on the brain regions affected by the disease, the nature and the effect of inflammation can vary. Here, in order to shed more light on distinct and common features of inflammation in different brain regions affected by AD, we employed a computational approach to analyze gene expression data of six site-specific neuronal populations from AD patients. Our network based computational approach is driven by the concept that a sustained inflammatory environment could result in neurotoxicity leading to the disease. Thus, our method aims to infer intracellular signaling pathways/networks that are likely to be constantly activated or inhibited due to persistent inflammatory conditions. The computational analysis identified several inflammatory mediators, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a)-associated pathway, as key upstream receptors/ligands that are likely to transmit sustained inflammatory signals. Further, the analysis revealed that several inflammatory mediators were mainly region specific with few commonalities across different brain regions. Taken together, our results show that our integrative approach aids identification of inflammation-related signaling pathways that could be responsible for the onset or the progression of AD and can be applied to study other neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, such computational approaches can enable the translation of clinical omics data toward the development of novel therapeutic strategies for neurodegenerative diseases.

Evaluating factors that dictate struvite stone composition: A multi-institutional clinical experience from the EDGE Research Consortium.

PubMed

Flannigan, Ryan K; Battison, Andrew; De, Shubha; Humphreys, Mitchell R; Bader, Markus; Lellig, Ekaterina; Monga, Manoj; Chew, Ben H; Lange, Dirk

2018-04-01

Struvite stones account for 15% of urinary calculi and are typically associated with urease-producing urinary tract infections and carry significant morbidity. This study aims to characterize struvite stones based on purity of stone composition, bacterial speciation, risk factors, and clinical features. Retrospective data was collected from patients diagnosed with infection stones between 2008 and 2012. Stone analysis, perioperative urine cultures, bacterial speciation, and clinical data were collected and analyzed. The purity of struvite stones was determined. Statistical comparisons were made among homogeneous and heterogeneous struvite stones. From the four participating centres, 121 struvite stones were identified. Only 13.2% (16/121) were homogenous struvite. Other components included calcium phosphate (42.1%), calcium oxalate (33.9%), calcium carbonate (27.3%), and uric acid (5.8%). Partial or full staghorn calculi occurred in 23.7% of cases. Urease-producing bacteria were only present in 30% of cases. Proteus, E. coli, and Enterococcus were the most common bacterial isolates from perioperative urine, and percutaneous nephrolithotomy was the most common modality of treatment. Only 40% of patients had a urinalysis that was nitrite-positive, indicating that urinalysis alone is not reliable for diagnosing infection stones. The study's limitation is its retrospective nature; as such, the optimal timing of cultures with respect to stone analysis or treatment was not always possible, urine cultures were often not congruent with stone cultures in the same patient, and our findings of E. coli commonly cultured does not suggest causation. Struvite stones are most often heterogeneous in composition. Proteus remains a common bacterial isolate; however, E. coli and Enterococcus were also frequently identified. This new data provides evidence that patients with struvite stones can have urinary tract pathogens other than urease-producing bacteria, thus challenging previous conventional dogma.

Analyzing risks to protected areas using the human modification framework: a Colorado case study

Treesearch

David M. Theobald; Alisa Wade; Grant Wilcox; Nate Peterson

2010-01-01

A framework that organizes natural and protected areas is often used to help understand the potential risks to natural areas and aspects of their ecological and human dimensions. The spatial (or landscape) context of these dynamics is also a critical, but, rarely considered, factor. Common classification systems include the U.S. Geological (USGS) Gap Analysis Program...

Child and Family Factors Associated with the Use of Services for Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Irvin, Dwight W.; McBee, Matthew; Boyd, Brian A.; Hume, Kara; Odom, Samuel L.

2012-01-01

This study examines child and family characteristics thought to affect the dosage and type of common in-school and private services (i.e., speech language therapy (SLT), occupational therapy (OT) and applied behavior analysis (ABA)) received by children with ASD. Participants included 137 families and their preschool-aged children with ASD from…

Cumulative Socioeconomic Status Risk, Allostatic Load, and Adjustment: A Prospective Latent Profile Analysis with Contextual and Genetic Protective Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brody, Gene H.; Yu, Tianyi; Chen, Yi-Fu; Kogan, Steven M.; Evans, Gary W.; Beach, Steven R. H.; Windle, Michael; Simons, Ronald L.; Gerrard, Meg; Gibbons, Frederick X.; Philibert, Robert A.

2013-01-01

The health disparities literature has identified a common pattern among middle-aged African Americans that includes high rates of chronic disease along with low rates of psychiatric disorders despite exposure to high levels of cumulative socioeconomic status (SES) risk. The current study was designed to test hypotheses about the developmental…

The Beck Depression Inventory, Second Edition (BDI-II): A Cross-Sample Structural Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strunk, Kamden K.; Lane, Forrest C.

2017-01-01

A common concern about the Beck Depression Inventory, Second edition (BDI-II) among researchers in the area of depression has long been the single-factor scoring scheme. Methods exist for making cross-sample comparisons of latent structure but tend to rely on estimation methods that can be imprecise and unnecessarily complex. This study presents a…

Language Use in Six Study Abroad Programs: An Exploratory Analysis of Possible Predictors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dewey, Dan P.; Bown, Jennifer; Baker, Wendy; Martinsen, Rob A.; Gold, Carrie; Eggett, Dennis

2014-01-01

A common predictor of language gains during study abroad (SA) is amount of language use. Yet little attention has been given to determining what factors influence the extent of language use while abroad. Studies in this area have mainly been case studies of learners in single locations. In this larger study, we seek to determine variables…

Educational Leadership and Common Discipline Issues of Elementary School Children and How to Deal with Them

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsubaie, Merfat Ayesh

2015-01-01

Discipline issues are obstacles towards childhood learning in elementary school settings. There are a number of factors which positively and negatively affect a student's behavior in the classroom, and past literature was explored and an analysis of that literature performed in order to obtain a clear idea about the techniques, relationships, and…

Identification of Genetic Co-Modifiers in Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

abnormalities, pancreatic insufficient, and bone marrow failure.5 Neutropenia characterizes the primary defect in SDS, however, the degree of... neutropenia can fluctuate and panctyopenia commonly occurs. Skeletal defects (e.g. metaphyseal dysplasia or polydactyly) are associated with lower numbers of...Analysis of risk factors for myelodysplasias, leukemias and death from infection among patients with congenital neutropenia . Experience of the

Neglect the Structure of Multitrait-Multimethod Data at Your Peril: Implications for Associations with External Variables

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castro-Schilo, Laura; Widaman, Keith F.; Grimm, Kevin J.

2013-01-01

In 1959, Campbell and Fiske introduced the use of multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) matrices in psychology, and for the past 4 decades confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) has commonly been used to analyze MTMM data. However, researchers do not always fit CFA models when MTMM data are available; when CFA modeling is used, multiple models are available…

Death Anxiety in Persons with HIV/AIDS: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Audrey K.; Lee, Brittany L.; Henderson, Craig E.

2012-01-01

One of the most commonly cited psychological sequelae of HIV/AIDS is anxiety regarding death due to the illness (i.e., death anxiety; DA). However, extant research is inconclusive on several empirical issues, such as DA's relation to HIV/AIDS diagnostic status, the impact of illness-related symptoms on DA, and factors that may protect against DA.…

An Empirical Analysis of the Relationship between Foreign Language Reading Anxiety and Reading Strategy Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Çapan, Seyit Ahmet; Pektas, Rumeysa

2013-01-01

Anxiety is a psychological factor commonly associated with such feelings as fear, apprehension and uneasiness. It is an individual's affective reaction to a perceived or a real threat (MacIntyre, 1995). Foreign language reading anxiety (FLRA) refers to one's negative attitudes which may, to some extent, account for the inhibition that s/he suffers…

A time series analysis of multiple ambient pollutants to investigate the underlying air pollution dynamics and interactions.

PubMed

Yu, Hwa-Lung; Lin, Yuan-Chien; Kuo, Yi-Ming

2015-09-01

Understanding the temporal dynamics and interactions of particulate matter (PM) concentration and composition is important for air quality control. This paper applied a dynamic factor analysis method (DFA) to reveal the underlying mechanisms of nonstationary variations in twelve ambient concentrations of aerosols and gaseous pollutants, and the associations with meteorological factors. This approach can consider the uncertainties and temporal dependences of time series data. The common trends of the yearlong and three selected diurnal variations were obtained to characterize the dominant processes occurring in general and specific scenarios in Taipei during 2009 (i.e., during Asian dust storm (ADS) events, rainfall, and under normal conditions). The results revealed the two distinct yearlong NOx transformation processes, and demonstrated that traffic emissions and photochemical reactions both critically influence diurnal variation, depending upon meteorological conditions. During an ADS event, transboundary transport and distinct weather conditions both influenced the temporal pattern of identified common trends. This study shows the DFA method can effectively extract meaningful latent processes of time series data and provide insights of the dominant associations and interactions in the complex air pollution processes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genome-wide meta-analysis of common variant differences between men and women

PubMed Central

Boraska, Vesna; Jerončić, Ana; Colonna, Vincenza; Southam, Lorraine; Nyholt, Dale R.; William Rayner, Nigel; Perry, John R.B.; Toniolo, Daniela; Albrecht, Eva; Ang, Wei; Bandinelli, Stefania; Barbalic, Maja; Barroso, Inês; Beckmann, Jacques S.; Biffar, Reiner; Boomsma, Dorret; Campbell, Harry; Corre, Tanguy; Erdmann, Jeanette; Esko, Tõnu; Fischer, Krista; Franceschini, Nora; Frayling, Timothy M.; Girotto, Giorgia; Gonzalez, Juan R.; Harris, Tamara B.; Heath, Andrew C.; Heid, Iris M.; Hoffmann, Wolfgang; Hofman, Albert; Horikoshi, Momoko; Hua Zhao, Jing; Jackson, Anne U.; Hottenga, Jouke-Jan; Jula, Antti; Kähönen, Mika; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Kiemeney, Lambertus A.; Klopp, Norman; Kutalik, Zoltán; Lagou, Vasiliki; Launer, Lenore J.; Lehtimäki, Terho; Lemire, Mathieu; Lokki, Marja-Liisa; Loley, Christina; Luan, Jian'an; Mangino, Massimo; Mateo Leach, Irene; Medland, Sarah E.; Mihailov, Evelin; Montgomery, Grant W.; Navis, Gerjan; Newnham, John; Nieminen, Markku S.; Palotie, Aarno; Panoutsopoulou, Kalliope; Peters, Annette; Pirastu, Nicola; Polašek, Ozren; Rehnström, Karola; Ripatti, Samuli; Ritchie, Graham R.S.; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Robino, Antonietta; Samani, Nilesh J.; Shin, So-Youn; Sinisalo, Juha; Smit, Johannes H.; Soranzo, Nicole; Stolk, Lisette; Swinkels, Dorine W.; Tanaka, Toshiko; Teumer, Alexander; Tönjes, Anke; Traglia, Michela; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Valsesia, Armand; van Gilst, Wiek H.; van Meurs, Joyce B.J.; Smith, Albert Vernon; Viikari, Jorma; Vink, Jacqueline M.; Waeber, Gerard; Warrington, Nicole M.; Widen, Elisabeth; Willemsen, Gonneke; Wright, Alan F.; Zanke, Brent W.; Zgaga, Lina; Boehnke, Michael; d'Adamo, Adamo Pio; de Geus, Eco; Demerath, Ellen W.; den Heijer, Martin; Eriksson, Johan G.; Ferrucci, Luigi; Gieger, Christian; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Hayward, Caroline; Hengstenberg, Christian; Hudson, Thomas J.; Järvelin, Marjo-Riitta; Kogevinas, Manolis; Loos, Ruth J.F.; Martin, Nicholas G.; Metspalu, Andres; Pennell, Craig E.; Penninx, Brenda W.; Perola, Markus; Raitakari, Olli; Salomaa, Veikko; Schreiber, Stefan; Schunkert, Heribert; Spector, Tim D.; Stumvoll, Michael; Uitterlinden, André G.; Ulivi, Sheila; van der Harst, Pim; Vollenweider, Peter; Völzke, Henry; Wareham, Nicholas J.; Wichmann, H.-Erich; Wilson, James F.; Rudan, Igor; Xue, Yali; Zeggini, Eleftheria

2012-01-01

The male-to-female sex ratio at birth is constant across world populations with an average of 1.06 (106 male to 100 female live births) for populations of European descent. The sex ratio is considered to be affected by numerous biological and environmental factors and to have a heritable component. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of common allele modest effects at autosomal and chromosome X variants that could explain the observed sex ratio at birth. We conducted a large-scale genome-wide association scan (GWAS) meta-analysis across 51 studies, comprising overall 114 863 individuals (61 094 women and 53 769 men) of European ancestry and 2 623 828 common (minor allele frequency >0.05) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Allele frequencies were compared between men and women for directly-typed and imputed variants within each study. Forward-time simulations for unlinked, neutral, autosomal, common loci were performed under the demographic model for European populations with a fixed sex ratio and a random mating scheme to assess the probability of detecting significant allele frequency differences. We do not detect any genome-wide significant (P < 5 × 10−8) common SNP differences between men and women in this well-powered meta-analysis. The simulated data provided results entirely consistent with these findings. This large-scale investigation across ∼115 000 individuals shows no detectable contribution from common genetic variants to the observed skew in the sex ratio. The absence of sex-specific differences is useful in guiding genetic association study design, for example when using mixed controls for sex-biased traits. PMID:22843499

A meta-analysis of public microarray data identifies biological regulatory networks in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Su, Lining; Wang, Chunjie; Zheng, Chenqing; Wei, Huiping; Song, Xiaoqing

2018-04-13

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a long-term degenerative disease that is caused by environmental and genetic factors. The networks of genes and their regulators that control the progression and development of PD require further elucidation. We examine common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from several PD blood and substantia nigra (SN) microarray datasets by meta-analysis. Further we screen the PD-specific genes from common DEGs using GCBI. Next, we used a series of bioinformatics software to analyze the miRNAs, lncRNAs and SNPs associated with the common PD-specific genes, and then identify the mTF-miRNA-gene-gTF network. Our results identified 36 common DEGs in PD blood studies and 17 common DEGs in PD SN studies, and five of the genes were previously known to be associated with PD. Further study of the regulatory miRNAs associated with the common PD-specific genes revealed 14 PD-specific miRNAs in our study. Analysis of the mTF-miRNA-gene-gTF network about PD-specific genes revealed two feed-forward loops: one involving the SPRK2 gene, hsa-miR-19a-3p and SPI1, and the second involving the SPRK2 gene, hsa-miR-17-3p and SPI. The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA)-mediated regulatory network identified lncRNAs associated with PD-specific genes and PD-specific miRNAs. Moreover, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis of the PD-specific genes identified two significant SNPs, and SNP analysis of the neurodegenerative disease-specific genes identified seven significant SNPs. Most of these SNPs are present in the 3'-untranslated region of genes and are controlled by several miRNAs. Our study identified a total of 53 common DEGs in PD patients compared with healthy controls in blood and brain datasets and five of these genes were previously linked with PD. Regulatory network analysis identified PD-specific miRNAs, associated long non-coding RNA and feed-forward loops, which contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms underlying PD. The SNPs identified in our study can determine whether a genetic variant is associated with PD. Overall, these findings will help guide our study of the complex molecular mechanism of PD.

Postpartum Depression in Women: A Risk Factor Analysis.

PubMed

Zaidi, Farheen; Nigam, Aruna; Anjum, Ruby; Agarwalla, Rashmi

2017-08-01

Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a known entity affecting not only the women but the whole family. It affects women more harshly and chronically due to their increased stress sensitivity, maladaptive coping strategies and multiple social roles in the community. To estimate the commonly associated risk factors of PPD among the women coming to a tertiary hospital in New Delhi, India. It was a longitudinal study conducted at the antenatal clinic for a period of one year. Total 260 women were screened at > 36 weeks of gestation, of which 149 postnatal women completed the questionnaire for PPD at six weeks of their delivery. The inform consent, demographical data and obstetrical details from each participant was taken before commencing the screening. Various risk factors and their association were determined by odds-ratio and significant association was accepted at < 5% level of error. In order to identify the most important confounding variables, logistic regression analysis was used. PPD is a common mental health problem seen among the postnatal women as it was found in 12.75% (19 out of 149) of subjects at six weeks of their delivery. Moreover, it has significant association with the young maternal age (p-value=0.040), birth of the female child (p-value=0.015), previous stressful life events (p-value= 0.003), low self-esteem and feeling of loneliness (p-value=0.007). This study provides important information regarding the risk factors associated with development of PPD in this region of India. Female sex of the new born and the younger age play an important role in the development of PPD.

Refining the tobacco dependence phenotype using the Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (WISDM)

PubMed Central

Piper, Megan E.; Bolt, Daniel M.; Kim, Su-Young; Japuntich, Sandra J.; Smith, Stevens S.; Niederdeppe, Jeff; Cannon, Dale S.; Baker, Timothy B.

2008-01-01

The construct of tobacco dependence is important from both scientific and public health perspectives, but it is poorly understood. The current research integrates person-centered analyses (e.g., latent profile analysis) and variable-centered analyses (e.g., exploratory factor analysis) to understand better the latent structure of dependence and to guide distillation of the phenotype. Using data from four samples of smokers (including treatment and non-treatment samples), latent profiles were derived using the Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (WISDM) subscale scores. Across all four samples, results revealed a unique latent profile that had relative elevations on four dependence motive subscales (Automaticity, Craving, Loss of Control, and Tolerance). Variable-centered analyses supported the uniqueness of these four subscales both as measures of a common factor distinct from that underlying the other nine subscales, and as the strongest predictors of relapse, withdrawal and other dependence criteria. Conversely, the remaining nine motives carried little unique predictive validity regarding dependence. Applications of a factor mixture model further support the presence of a unique class of smokers in relation to a common factor underlying the four subscales. The results illustrate how person-centered analyses may be useful as a supplement to variable-centered analyses for uncovering variables that are necessary and/or sufficient predictors of disorder criteria, as they may uncover small segments of a population in which the variables are uniquely distributed. The results also suggest that severe dependence is associated with a pattern of smoking that is heavy, pervasive, automatic and relatively unresponsive to instrumental contingencies. PMID:19025223

Study of immunisation status of rural children (12-23 months age) of district Jaipur, Rajasthan and factors influencing it: a hospital based study.

PubMed

Masand, Rupesh; Dixit, A M; Gupta, R K

2012-11-01

To outline the immunisation status of rural children and factors influencing it, a cross-sectional study was undertaken in the paediatric OPD of a medical college hospital among children (n = 300) in the age group of 12-23 months belonging to rural areas of the district Jaipur, Rajasthan. Parents of 300 children were interviewed using a preformed schedule. Children were labelled as 'completely immunised', 'partially immunised' or 'non-immunised' according to working definitions. Various socioeconomic, demographic, cultural, logistic and behavioural factors found to influence the immunisation status were outlined. Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis was done for statistical analysis. There were 100 children (33.3%) who were 'completely' immunised, 144 (48%) were 'partially' immunised and the remaining 56 (18.7%) were 'non-immunised'. The immunisation status was significantly influenced by the visit of the health worker at home, social class, religion, place of delivery, distance from the vaccination centre to child's residence, caste and education. Sex of the child, birth order and type of the family had no impact. The most common reasons for partial immunisation (n = 144) were: Parents' 'forgetfulness' of the schedule, adverse effects observed and not recalled by the health worker. The most common reasons for non-immunisation (n = 56) were lack of knowledge regarding vaccines and schedule, fear of 'injection' and busy in profession. The various factors found to influence the immunisation status of rural children need to be addressed in order to achieve millennium development goal of reducing under-five child mortality.

Multivariate analysis: A statistical approach for computations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michu, Sachin; Kaushik, Vandana

2014-10-01

Multivariate analysis is a type of multivariate statistical approach commonly used in, automotive diagnosis, education evaluating clusters in finance etc and more recently in the health-related professions. The objective of the paper is to provide a detailed exploratory discussion about factor analysis (FA) in image retrieval method and correlation analysis (CA) of network traffic. Image retrieval methods aim to retrieve relevant images from a collected database, based on their content. The problem is made more difficult due to the high dimension of the variable space in which the images are represented. Multivariate correlation analysis proposes an anomaly detection and analysis method based on the correlation coefficient matrix. Anomaly behaviors in the network include the various attacks on the network like DDOs attacks and network scanning.

Coronary Angiography Findings and Its Determinants in Patients Presenting With Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Descriptive Analysis from Asian Population.

PubMed

Chourasiya, M; Satheesh, S; Selvaraj, R; Jayaraman, B; Pillai, A A

2017-10-01

The aim was to study the angiographic profile in patients presented as acute coronary syndrome and its relation with risk factors and comparison between genders. This prospective observational study was performed on total 352 patients of acute coronary syndrome were analyzed for various risk factors, angiographic pattern in Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, South India from January 2015 to July 2016. Mean age of presentation was 52.62±11.63 years. Male were 271(77.0%) and female were 81(23.0%). Majority of patients were STEMI (67.6%) followed by UA (24.4%) and NSTEMI (8%). Smoker was 117(33.3%) patients. Hypertensive were 124(35.2%) of patients and 149(42.3%) were diabetics. Family history of CAD was positive in 45(12.8%). On angiographic evaluation left main reference diameter was lower in females (4.02±0.72) than males (4.07±0.82). LAD was most commonly involved followed by RCA and LCX among all three group of acute coronary syndrome. Left main was least involved (8.3%). In STEMI SVD (40.3%) was most common presentation, after that DVD was seen in 22.3%, TVD in 10.5%, non-obstructive coronary was seen in 16% of patients and normal coronary was seen in 11% of patients. In UA 28%, 22.8%, 13.2%, 15.8%, 20.2% was seen in SVD, DVD, TVD, non-obstructive and normal coronary respectively. Long length coronary lesions (>20mm) were seen in majority in all type of acute coronary syndrome. Coronary lesion length was not associated with presentation acute coronary syndrome and genders. Male were most commonly presented as acute coronary syndrome. STEMI was most common presentation. Diabetic was most prevalent risk factor. SVD was most common angiographic pattern and LAD was most common involved arteries.

The Chapel Hill hemophilia A dog colony exhibits a factor VIII gene inversion

PubMed Central

Lozier, Jay N.; Dutra, Amalia; Pak, Evgenia; Zhou, Nan; Zheng, Zhili; Nichols, Timothy C.; Bellinger, Dwight A.; Read, Marjorie; Morgan, Richard A.

2002-01-01

In the Chapel Hill colony of factor VIII-deficient dogs, abnormal sequence (ch8, for canine hemophilia 8, GenBank no. AF361485) follows exons 1–22 in the factor VIII transcript in place of exons 23–26. The canine hemophilia 8 locus (ch8) sequence was found in a 140-kb normal dog genomic DNA bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clone that was completely outside the factor VIII gene, but not in BAC clones containing the factor VIII gene. The BAC clone that contained ch8 also contained a homologue of F8A (factor 8 associated) sequence, which participates in a common inversion that causes severe hemophilia A in humans. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis indicated that exons 1–26 normally proceed sequentially from telomere to centromere at Xq28, and ch8 is telomeric to the factor VIII gene. The appearance of an “upstream” genomic sequence element (ch8) at the end of the aberrant factor VIII transcript suggested that an inversion of genomic DNA replaced factor VIII exons 22–26 with ch8. The F8A sequence appeared also in overlapping normal BAC clones containing factor VIII sequence. We hypothesized that homologous recombination between copies of canine F8A inside and outside the factor VIII gene had occurred, as in human hemophilia A. High-resolution fluorescent in situ hybridization on hemophilia A dog DNA revealed a pattern consistent with this inversion mechanism. We also identified a HindIII restriction fragment length polymorphism of F8A fragments that distinguished hemophilia A, carrier, and normal dogs' DNA. The Chapel Hill hemophilia A dog colony therefore replicates the factor VIII gene inversion commonly seen in humans with severe hemophilia A. PMID:12242334

Health manpower development in Bayelsa State, Nigeria.

PubMed

McFubara, Kalada G; Edoni, Elizabeth R; Ezonbodor-Akwagbe, Rose E

2012-01-01

Health manpower is one of the critical factors in the development of a region. This is because health is an index of development. Bayelsa State has a low level of health manpower. Thus, in this study, we sought to identify factors necessary for effective development of health manpower. Three methods were used to gather information, ie, face-to-face interviews, postal surveys, and documentary analysis. Critical incidents were identified, and content and thematic analyses were conducted. There is no full complement of a primary health care workforce in any of the health centers in the state. The three health manpower training institutions have the limitations of inadequate health care educators and other manpower training facilities, including lack of a teaching hospital. Accreditation of health manpower training institutions is a major factor for effective development of health manpower. Public officers can contribute to the accreditation process by subsuming their personal interest into the state's common interest. Bayelsa is a fast-growing state and needs a critical mass of health care personnel. To develop this workforce requires a conscious effort rich in common interests in the deployment of resources.

Factors impacting perceived safety among staff working on mental health wards.

PubMed

Haines, Alina; Brown, Andrew; McCabe, Rhiannah; Rogerson, Michelle; Whittington, Richard

2017-09-01

Safety at work is a core issue for mental health staff working on in-patient units. At present, there is a limited theoretical base regarding which factors may affect staff perceptions of safety. This study attempted to identify which factors affect perceived staff safety working on in-patient mental health wards. A cross-sectional design was employed across 101 forensic and non-forensic mental health wards, over seven National Health Service trusts nationally. Measures included an online staff survey, Ward Features Checklist and recorded incident data. Data were analysed using categorical principal components analysis and ordinal regression. Perceptions of staff safety were increased by ward brightness, higher number of patient beds, lower staff to patient ratios, less dayroom space and more urban views. The findings from this study do not represent common-sense assumptions. Results are discussed in the context of the literature and may have implications for current initiatives aimed at managing in-patient violence and aggression. None. © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.

Dietary patterns and whole grain cereals in the Scandinavian countries--differences and similarities. The HELGA project.

PubMed

Engeset, Dagrun; Hofoss, Dag; Nilsson, Lena M; Olsen, Anja; Tjønneland, Anne; Skeie, Guri

2015-04-01

To identify dietary patterns with whole grains as a main focus to see if there is a similar whole grain pattern in the three Scandinavian countries; Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Another objective is to see if items suggested for a Nordic Food Index will form a typical Nordic pattern when using factor analysis. The HELGA study population is based on samples of existing cohorts: the Norwegian Women and Cancer Study, the Swedish Västerbotten cohort and the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health study. The HELGA study aims to generate knowledge about the health effects of whole grain foods. The study included a total of 119 913 participants. The associations among food variables from FFQ were investigated by principal component analysis. Only food groups common for all three cohorts were included. High factor loading of a food item shows high correlation of the item to the specific diet pattern. The main whole grain for Denmark and Sweden was rye, while Norway had highest consumption of wheat. Three similar patterns were found: a cereal pattern, a meat pattern and a bread pattern. However, even if the patterns look similar, the food items belonging to the patterns differ between countries. High loadings on breakfast cereals and whole grain oat were common in the cereal patterns for all three countries. Thus, the cereal pattern may be considered a common Scandinavian whole grain pattern. Food items belonging to a Nordic Food Index were distributed between different patterns.

DECISION-COMPONENTS OF NICE'S TECHNOLOGY APPRAISALS ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK.

PubMed

de Folter, Joost; Trusheim, Mark; Jonsson, Pall; Garner, Sarah

2018-01-01

Value assessment frameworks have gained prominence recently in the context of U.S. healthcare. Such frameworks set out a series of factors that are considered in funding decisions. The UK's National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an established health technology assessment (HTA) agency. We present a novel application of text analysis that characterizes NICE's Technology Appraisals in the context of the newer assessment frameworks and present the results in a visual way. A total of 243 documents of NICE's medicines guidance from 2007 to 2016 were analyzed. Text analysis was used to identify a hierarchical set of decision factors considered in the assessments. The frequency of decision factors stated in the documents was determined and their association with terms related to uncertainty. The results were incorporated into visual representations of hierarchical factors. We identified 125 decision factors, and hierarchically grouped these into eight domains: Clinical Effectiveness, Cost Effectiveness, Condition, Current Practice, Clinical Need, New Treatment, Studies, and Other Factors. Textual analysis showed all domains appeared consistently in the guidance documents. Many factors were commonly associated with terms relating to uncertainty. A series of visual representations was created. This study reveals the complexity and consistency of NICE's decision-making processes and demonstrates that cost effectiveness is not the only decision-criteria. The study highlights the importance of processes and methodology that can take both quantitative and qualitative information into account. Visualizations can help effectively communicate this complex information during the decision-making process and subsequently to stakeholders.

Validation and factor structure of the Thai version of the EURO-D scale for depression among older psychiatric patients.

PubMed

Jirapramukpitak, Tawanchai; Darawuttimaprakorn, Niphon; Punpuing, Sureeporn; Abas, Melanie

2009-11-01

To assess the concurrent and the construct validity of the Euro-D in older Thai persons. Eight local psychiatrists used the major depressive episode section of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview to interview 150 consecutive psychiatric clinic attendees. A trained interviewer administered the Euro-D. We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to assess the overall discriminability of the Euro-D scale and principal components factor analysis to assess its construct validity. The area under the ROC curve for the Euro-D with respect to major depressive episode was 0.78 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.70-0.90] indicating moderately good discriminability. At a cut-point of 5/6 the sensitivity for major depressive episodes is 84.3%, specificity 58.6%, and kappa 0.37 (95% CI 0.22-0.52) indicating fair concordance. However, at the 3/4 cut-point recommended from European studies there is high sensitivity (94%) but poor specificity (34%). The principal components analysis suggested four factors. The first two factors conformed to affective suffering (depression, suicidality and tearfulness) and motivation (interest, concentration and enjoyment). Sleep and appetite constituted a separate factor, whereas pessimism loaded on its own factor. Among Thai psychiatric clinic attendees Euro-D is moderately valid for major depression. A much higher cut-point may be required than that which is usually advocated. The Thai version also shares two common factors as reported from most of previous studies.

Awareness of risk factors and warning signs of stroke in a Nigeria university.

PubMed

Obembe, Adebimpe O; Olaogun, Matthew O; Bamikole, Adesola A; Komolafe, Morenikeji A; Odetunde, Marufat O

2014-04-01

Rapid access to medical services which is an important predictor of treatment and rehabilitation outcome requires that there is an understanding of stroke risk factors and early warning signs. This study assessed awareness of stroke risk factors and warning signs among students and staff of Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. This was a cross sectional survey involving 994 (500 students and 494 staff) respondents. Information on the awareness of stroke risk factors and warning signs was collected with the aid of a structured questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis. Weakness (66.2%) was the most commonly identified warning sign of stroke with more staff (69.8%) identifying correctly than students (62.6%). Hypertension (83.4%) was the most commonly identified stroke risk factor, with more staff (91.7%) identifying correctly than students (83.2%). There were significant differences (p < 0.05) in the awareness of some risk factors (age, hypertension, stress and obesity), and warning signs (dizziness, numbness, weakness, headache and vision problems) between students and staff. Predictors for adequate awareness of both stroke risk factors and warning signs were younger age, smoking history and higher educational level. Majority of the respondents recognized individual important stroke risk factors and warning signs, but few recognized multiple stroke risk factors and warning signs. Awareness programs on stroke should be organized, even in communities with educated people to increase public awareness on the prevention of stroke and on the reduction of morbidity in the survivors. Copyright © 2014 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial Factors Associated with Subclinical Atherosclerosis in South Asians: The MASALA Study.

PubMed

Shah, Bijal M; Shah, Shriraj; Kandula, Namratha R; Gadgil, Meghana D; Kanaya, Alka M

2016-12-01

South Asians have the highest rates of premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease amongst all ethnic groups in the world; however this risk cannot be fully explained by traditional risk factors. Participants from the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America Study were included in this cross-sectional analysis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of psychosocial factors (including anger, anxiety, depressive symptoms, current and chronic stress, and everyday hassles) with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). Three multivariate models were examined to evaluate the association between the psychosocial factors and CIMT. Findings suggest that the impact of psychosocial factors on subclinical atherosclerosis is differential for South Asian men and women. For men, anxiety and depression were associated; while for women, stress was associated with common carotid intima media thickness, independent of traditional CVD risk factors, diet and physical activity.

Structural and incremental validity of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition with a clinical sample.

PubMed

Nelson, Jason M; Canivez, Gary L; Watkins, Marley W

2013-06-01

Structural and incremental validity of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV; Wechsler, 2008a) was examined with a sample of 300 individuals referred for evaluation at a university-based clinic. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the WAIS-IV structure was best represented by 4 first-order factors as well as a general intelligence factor in a direct hierarchical model. The general intelligence factor accounted for the most common and total variance among the subtests. Incremental validity analyses indicated that the Full Scale IQ (FSIQ) generally accounted for medium to large portions of academic achievement variance. For all measures of academic achievement, the first-order factors combined accounted for significant achievement variance beyond that accounted for by the FSIQ, but individual factor index scores contributed trivial amounts of achievement variance. Implications for interpreting WAIS-IV results are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

Hierarchical and Complex System Entropy Clustering Analysis Based Validation for Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Patterns of Chronic Atrophic Gastritis.

PubMed

Zhang, Yin; Liu, Yue; Li, Yannan; Zhao, Xia; Zhuo, Lin; Zhou, Ajian; Zhang, Li; Su, Zeqi; Chen, Cen; Du, Shiyu; Liu, Daming; Ding, Xia

2018-03-22

Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) is the precancerous stage of gastric carcinoma. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been widely used in treating CAG. This study aimed to reveal core pathogenesis of CAG by validating the TCM syndrome patterns and provide evidence for optimization of treatment strategies. This is a cross-sectional study conducted in 4 hospitals in China. Hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) and complex system entropy clustering analysis (CSECA) were performed, respectively, to achieve syndrome pattern validation. Based on HCA, 15 common factors were assigned to 6 syndrome patterns: liver depression and spleen deficiency and blood stasis in the stomach collateral, internal harassment of phlegm-heat and blood stasis in the stomach collateral, phlegm-turbidity internal obstruction, spleen yang deficiency, internal harassment of phlegm-heat and spleen deficiency, and spleen qi deficiency. By CSECA, 22 common factors were assigned to 7 syndrome patterns: qi deficiency, qi stagnation, blood stasis, phlegm turbidity, heat, yang deficiency, and yin deficiency. Combination of qi deficiency, qi stagnation, blood stasis, phlegm turbidity, heat, yang deficiency, and yin deficiency may play a crucial role in CAG pathogenesis. In accord with this, treatment strategies by TCM herbal prescriptions should be targeted to regulating qi, activating blood, resolving turbidity, clearing heat, removing toxin, nourishing yin, and warming yang. Further explorations are needed to verify and expand the current conclusions.

Intimate partner violence, common mental disorders and household food insecurity: an analysis using path analysis.

PubMed

Moraes, Claudia Leite de; Marques, Emanuele Souza; Reichenheim, Michael Eduardo; Ferreira, Marcela de Freitas; Salles-Costa, Rosana

2016-11-01

To investigate the direct and indirect associations between psychological and physical intimate partner violence and the occurrence of common mental disorders (CMD) and how they relate to the occurrence of household food insecurity (HFI). This was a population-based cross-sectional study. Intimate partner violence was assessed using the Brazilian version of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2) and HFI was assessed using the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale. The propositional analytical model was based on a review of the literature and was tested using path analysis. Duque de Caxias, Greater Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (April-December 2010). Women (n 849) who had been in a relationship in the 12 months preceding the interview. Both psychological and physical violence were found to be major risk factors of HFI. Psychological violence was associated with HFI indirectly via physical violence and CMD, and directly by an unidentified path. The effects of physical violence seemed to be manifested exclusively through CMD. Most of the variables in the propositional model related to socio-economic position, demographic characteristics, degree of women's social support and partner alcohol misuse were retained in the 'final' model, indicating that these factors contribute significantly to the increased likelihood of HFI. The results reinforce the importance of considering domestic violence and other psychosocial aspects of family life when implementing interventions designed to reduce/eradicate HFI.

Evaluation of standardized and applied variables in predicting treatment outcomes of polytrauma patients.

PubMed

Aksamija, Goran; Mulabdic, Adi; Rasic, Ismar; Muhovic, Samir; Gavric, Igor

2011-01-01

Polytrauma is defined as an injury where they are affected by at least two different organ systems or body, with at least one life-threatening injuries. Given the multilevel model care of polytrauma patients within KCUS are inevitable weaknesses in the management of this category of patients. To determine the dynamics of existing procedures in treatment of polytrauma patients on admission to KCUS, and based on statistical analysis of variables applied to determine and define the factors that influence the final outcome of treatment, and determine their mutual relationship, which may result in eliminating the flaws in the approach to the problem. The study was based on 263 polytrauma patients. Parametric and non-parametric statistical methods were used. Basic statistics were calculated, based on the calculated parameters for the final achievement of research objectives, multicoleration analysis, image analysis, discriminant analysis and multifactorial analysis were used. From the universe of variables for this study we selected sample of n = 25 variables, of which the first two modular, others belong to the common measurement space (n = 23) and in this paper defined as a system variable methods, procedures and assessments of polytrauma patients. After the multicoleration analysis, since the image analysis gave a reliable measurement results, we started the analysis of eigenvalues, that is defining the factors upon which they obtain information about the system solve the problem of the existing model and its correlation with treatment outcome. The study singled out the essential factors that determine the current organizational model of care, which may affect the treatment and better outcome of polytrauma patients. This analysis has shown the maximum correlative relationships between these practices and contributed to development guidelines that are defined by isolated factors.

Urinary tract infection in renal transplant recipients: incidence, risk factors, and impact on graft function.

PubMed

Camargo, L F; Esteves, A B A; Ulisses, L R S; Rivelli, G G; Mazzali, M

2014-01-01

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the most common infection posttransplant. However, the risk factors for and the impact of UTIs remain controversial. The aim of this study was to identify the incidence of posttransplant UTIs in a series of renal transplant recipients from deceased donors. Secondary objectives were to identify: (1) the most frequent infectious agents; (2) risk factors related to donor; (3) risk factors related to recipients; and (4) impact of UTI on graft function. This was a retrospective analysis of medical records from renal transplant patients from January to December 2010. Local ethics committee approved the protocol. The incidence of UTI in this series was 34.2%. Risk factors for UTI were older age, (independent of gender), biopsy-proven acute rejection episodes, and kidneys from deceased donors (United Network for Organ Sharing criteria). For female patients, the number of pretransplant pregnancies was an additional risk factor. Recurrent UTI was observed in 44% of patients from the UTI group. The most common infectious agents were Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, for both isolated and recurrent UTI. No difference in renal graft function or immunosuppressive therapy was observed between groups after the 1-year follow-up. In this series, older age, previous pregnancy, kidneys from expanded criteria donors, and biopsy-proven acute rejection episodes were risk factors for posttransplant UTI. Recurrence of UTI was observed in 44%, with no negative impact on graft function or survival. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Alternatives for discounting in the analysis of noninferiority trials.

PubMed

Snapinn, Steven M

2004-05-01

Determining the efficacy of an experimental therapy relative to placebo on the basis of an active-control noninferiority trial requires reference to historical placebo-controlled trials. The validity of the resulting comparison depends on two key assumptions: assay sensitivity and constancy. Since the truth of these assumptions cannot be verified, it seems logical to raise the standard of evidence required to declare efficacy; this concept is referred to as discounting. It is not often recognized that two common design and analysis approaches, setting a noninferiority margin and requiring preservation of a fraction of the standard therapy's effect, are forms of discounting. The noninferiority margin is a particularly poor approach, since its degree of discounting depends on an irrelevant factor. Preservation of effect is more reasonable, but it addresses only the constancy assumption, not the issue of assay sensitivity. Gaining consensus on the most appropriate approach to the design and analysis of noninferiority trials will require a common understanding of the concept of discounting.

[The concept of culture from the perspective of emergency victims with migration background and experts in the context of emergency care].

PubMed

Kietzmann, Diana; Hannig, Christian; Kehl, Doris; Schmidt, Silke

2014-08-01

In the field of emergency care there is a lack of conceptual foundations of Intercultural Competence. This study aims to elaborate a practice relevant definition of the term culture in order to develop a qualification training. Interviews were conducted with 43 emergency victims and 20 experts. The analysis was performed based on the statements concerning the individual interpretation of the term culture according to the principles of the qualitative content analysis. The content analysis showed 11 distinguishable categories. Socialisation was a factor frequently mentioned by all persons interviewed. Moreover, emergency victims often linked culture to the fields of behaviour and way of life whilst experts gave priority to functional aspects of culture. A single definition would not be suitable for a common understanding. Rather, several key aspects commonly associated with the term culture should be considered by taking into account complex life environments. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Clinical and Genetic Risk Factors for Acute Pancreatitis in Patients With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

PubMed Central

Liu, Chengcheng; Yang, Wenjian; Devidas, Meenakshi; Cheng, Cheng; Pei, Deqing; Smith, Colton; Carroll, William L.; Raetz, Elizabeth A.; Bowman, W. Paul; Larsen, Eric C.; Maloney, Kelly W.; Martin, Paul L.; Mattano, Leonard A.; Winick, Naomi J.; Mardis, Elaine R.; Fulton, Robert S.; Bhojwani, Deepa; Howard, Scott C.; Jeha, Sima; Pui, Ching-Hon; Hunger, Stephen P.; Evans, William E.; Loh, Mignon L.

2016-01-01

Purpose Acute pancreatitis is one of the common causes of asparaginase intolerance. The mechanism is unknown, and genetic predisposition to asparaginase-induced pancreatitis has not been previously identified. Methods To determine clinical risk factors for asparaginase-induced pancreatitis, we studied a cohort of 5,185 children and young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, including 117 (2.3%) who were diagnosed with at least one episode of acute pancreatitis during therapy. A genome-wide association study was performed in the cohort and in an independent case-control group of 213 patients to identify genetic risk factors. Results Risk factors associated with pancreatitis included genetically defined Native American ancestry (P < .001), older age (P < .001), and higher cumulative dose of asparaginase (P < .001). No common variants reached genome-wide significance in the genome-wide association study, but a rare nonsense variant rs199695765 in CPA2, encoding carboxypeptidase A2, was highly associated with pancreatitis (hazard ratio, 587; 95% CI, 66.8 to 5166; P = 9.0 × 10−9). A gene-level analysis showed an excess of additional CPA2 variants in patients who did versus those who did not develop pancreatitis (P = .001). Sixteen CPA2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were associated (P < .05) with pancreatitis, and 13 of 24 patients who carried at least one of these variants developed pancreatitis. Biologic functions that were overrepresented by common variants modestly associated with pancreatitis included purine metabolism and cytoskeleton regulation. Conclusion Older age, higher exposure to asparaginase, and higher Native American ancestry were independent risk factors for pancreatitis in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Those who inherit a nonsense rare variant in the CPA2 gene had a markedly increased risk of asparaginase-induced pancreatitis. PMID:27114598

Tracking functional status across the spinal cord injury lifespan: linking pediatric and adult patient-reported outcome scores.

PubMed

Tian, Feng; Ni, Pengsheng; Mulcahey, M J; Hambleton, Ronald K; Tulsky, David; Haley, Stephen M; Jette, Alan M

2014-11-01

To use item response theory (IRT) methods to link scores from 2 recently developed contemporary functional outcome measures, the adult Spinal Cord Injury-Functional Index (SCI-FI) and the Pedi SCI (both the parent version and the child version). Secondary data analysis of the physical functioning items of the adult SCI-FI and the Pedi SCI instruments. We used a nonequivalent group design with items common to both instruments and the Stocking-Lord method for the linking. Linking was conducted so that the adult SCI-FI and Pedi SCI scaled scores could be compared. Community. This study included a total sample of 1558 participants. Pedi SCI items were administered to a sample of children (n=381) with SCI aged 8 to 21 years, and of parents/caregivers (n=322) of children with SCI aged 4 to 21 years. Adult SCI-FI items were administered to a sample of adults (n=855) with SCI aged 18 to 92 years. Not applicable. Five scales common to both instruments were included in the analysis: Wheelchair, Daily Routine/Self-care, Daily Routine/Fine Motor, Ambulation, and General Mobility functioning. Confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory factor analysis results indicated that the 5 scales are unidimensional. A graded response model was used to calibrate the items. Misfitting items were identified and removed from the item banks. Items that function differently between the adult and child samples (ie, exhibit differential item functioning) were identified and removed from the common items used for linking. Domain scores from the Pedi SCI instruments were transformed onto the adult SCI-FI metric. This IRT linking allowed estimation of adult SCI-FI scale scores based on Pedi SCI scale scores and vice versa; therefore, it provides clinicians with a means of tracking long-term functional data for children with an SCI across their entire lifespan. Copyright © 2014 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dimensions of aberrant driving behaviours in Tunisia: identifying the relation between Driver Behaviour Questionnaire results and accident data.

PubMed

Mohamed, Dhibi; Lotfi, Belkacem

2016-12-01

In this study, the Manchester Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) was used to examine the self-reported driving behaviours of a group of Tunisian drivers (N = 900) and to collect socio-demographic data, driver behaviours and DBQ items. A sample of Tunisian drivers above 18 years was selected. The aim of the present study was to investigate the factorial structure of the DBQ in Tunisia. The principal component analysis identified three factor solutions: inattention errors, dangerous errors and dangerous violations. Logistic regression analysis showed that dangerous errors, dangerous violations and speeding preference factors predicted crash involvement in Tunisia. Speeding is the most common form of aberrant behaviour reported by drivers in the current sample. It remains one of the major road safety concerns.

Psychosocial work environment and mental health--a meta-analytic review.

PubMed

Stansfeld, Stephen; Candy, Bridget

2006-12-01

To clarify the associations between psychosocial work stressors and mental ill health, a meta-analysis of psychosocial work stressors and common mental disorders was undertaken using longitudinal studies identified through a systematic literature review. The review used a standardized search strategy and strict inclusion and quality criteria in seven databases in 1994-2005. Papers were identified from 24,939 citations covering social determinants of health, 50 relevant papers were identified, 38 fulfilled inclusion criteria, and 11 were suitable for a meta-analysis. The Comprehensive Meta-analysis Programme was used for decision authority, decision latitude, psychological demands, and work social support, components of the job-strain and iso-strain models, and the combination of effort and reward that makes up the effort-reward imbalance model and job insecurity. Cochran's Q statistic assessed the heterogeneity of the results, and the I2 statistic determined any inconsistency between studies. Job strain, low decision latitude, low social support, high psychological demands, effort-reward imbalance, and high job insecurity predicted common mental disorders despite the heterogeneity for psychological demands and social support among men. The strongest effects were found for job strain and effort-reward imbalance. This meta-analysis provides robust consistent evidence that (combinations of) high demands and low decision latitude and (combinations of) high efforts and low rewards are prospective risk factors for common mental disorders and suggests that the psychosocial work environment is important for mental health. The associations are not merely explained by response bias. The impact of work stressors on common mental disorders differs for women and men.

[Thrombosis and obstruction associated with central venous lines. Incidence and risk factors].

PubMed

Vivanco Allende, A; Rey Galán, C; Rodríguez de la Rúa, M V; Alvarez García, F; Medina Villanueva, A; Concha Torre, A; Mayordomo Colunga, J; Martínez Camblor, P

2013-09-01

To analyse the incidence of thrombosis and obstruction associated with central venous lines (CVL) inserted in critically ill children, and to determine their risk factors. Prospective observational study in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in a University Hospital. An analysis was made of 825 CVL placed in 546 patients. Age, gender, weight, type of catheter (lines, size, and brand), final location of the catheter, mechanical ventilation, type of sedation and analgesia used, initial failure by the doctor to perform CVL catheterization, number of attempts, CVL indication, admission diagnosis, emergency or scheduled procedure, and delayed mechanical complications (DMC). Risk factors for these complications were determined by a multiple regression analysis. A total of 52 cases of DMC, 42 cases of obstruction, and 10 of thrombosis were registered. Obstruction and thrombosis rates were 4.96 and 1.18 per 100 CVL, respectively. The only risk factor independently linked to obstruction was the duration of the CVL (OR 1.05; 95% CI; 1.00-1.10). The number of lines with thrombosis (OR 4.88; 95% CI; 1.26-18.0), as well as parenteral nutrition (OR 4.17; 95% CI; 1.06-16.31) was statistically significant according to bivariate analysis. However, no risk factors for thrombosis were found in the multivariate analysis. Obstruction and thrombosis of CVL inserted in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit are relatively common complications. CVL duration is an independent risk factor for any line obstruction. Copyright © 2012 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Variation in the miRNA-433 Binding Site of FGF20 Confers Risk for Parkinson Disease by Overexpression of α-Synuclein

PubMed Central

Wang, Gaofeng; van der Walt, Joelle M.; Mayhew, Gregory; Li, Yi-Ju; Züchner, Stephan; Scott, William K.; Martin, Eden R.; Vance, Jeffery M.

2008-01-01

Parkinson disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder caused by environmental and genetic factors. We have previously shown linkage of PD to chromosome 8p. Subsequently, fibroblast growth factor 20 (FGF20) at 8p21.3–22 was identified as a risk factor in several association studies. To identify the risk-conferring polymorphism in FGF20, we performed genetic and functional analysis of single-nucleotide polymorphisms within the gene. In a sample of 729 nuclear families with 1089 affected and 1165 unaffected individuals, the strongest evidence of association came from rs12720208 in the 3′ untranslated region of FGF20. We show in several functional assays that the risk allele for rs12720208 disrupts a binding site for microRNA-433, increasing translation of FGF20 in vitro and in vivo. In a cell-based system and in PD brains, this increase in translation of FGF20 is correlated with increased α-synuclein expression, which has previously been shown to cause PD through both overexpression and point mutations. We suggest a novel mechanism of action for PD risk in which the modulation of the susceptibility gene's translation by common variations interfere with the regulation mechanisms of microRNA. We propose this is likely to be a common mechanism of genetic modulation of individual susceptibility to complex disease. PMID:18252210

Risk factors for depressive symptoms in adolescent pregnancy in a late-teen subsample.

PubMed

Koleva, Hristina; Stuart, Scott

2014-04-01

Depression in adolescent pregnancy is common but underrecognized and can be associated with negative medical outcomes. This brief report examines the relationship between depressive symptoms and various demographic and obstetrical risk factors, as well as the use of antidepressants in pregnant adolescents of late teenage years. Data were derived from a relatively large sample (506 women) recruited from university-based and community mental health centers in Iowa. A cross-sectional analysis did not reveal significant statistical associations between the risk factors and depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory). Antidepressant use was very low (3.7 %), and adolescents with higher depression scores were more likely to take medications. In conclusion, screening for depression in pregnant adolescents should be universal, regardless of demographic and obstetrical risk factors, and promptly addressed.

Intrinsic Factors Influencing Decision making of Arbitrators in Dispute Resolution of variation Claims

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iyer, K. C.; Chaphalkar, N. B.; Patil, Smita K.

2018-06-01

Occurrence of disputes is a common feature in construction contracts. Adjudication of disputes through the arbitration process involves detailed and through analysis of facts and evidences related to the case before arriving at the final decision. These facts and evidences have been explored by researchers to develop dispute resolution mechanisms. As a part of the research, the present work identifies the factors which influence the decision making of arbitrators in resolving disputes through a case study of 72 arbitration awards and settled court cases related to Indian construction contracts. This work further seeks consensus for the identified factors from experts and also ranks the factors based on their importance with the help of the responses obtained through a questionnaire survey and statistical tests.

Constrained Least Squares Estimators of Oblique Common Factors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Roderick P.

1981-01-01

An expression is given for weighted least squares estimators of oblique common factors of factor analyses, constrained to have the same covariance matrix as the factors they estimate. A proof of the uniqueness of the solution is given. (Author/JKS)

Towards improved migraine management: Determining potential trigger factors in individual patients.

PubMed

Peris, Francesc; Donoghue, Stephen; Torres, Ferran; Mian, Alec; Wöber, Christian

2017-04-01

Background Certain chronic diseases such as migraine result in episodic, debilitating attacks for which neither cause nor timing is well understood. Historically, possible triggers were identified through analysis of aggregated data from populations of patients. However, triggers common in populations may not be wholly responsible for an individual's attacks. To explore this hypothesis we developed a method to identify individual 'potential trigger' profiles and analysed the degree of inter-individual variation. Methods We applied N = 1 statistical analysis to a 326-migraine-patient database from a study in which patients used paper-based diaries for 90 days to track 33 factors (potential triggers or premonitory symptoms) associated with their migraine attacks. For each patient, univariate associations between factors and migraine events were analysed using Cox proportional hazards models. Results We generated individual factor-attack association profiles for 87% of the patients. The average number of factors associated with attacks was four per patient: Factor profiles were highly individual and were unique in 85% of patients with at least one identified association. Conclusion Accurate identification of individual factor-attack profiles is a prerequisite for testing which are true triggers and for development of trigger avoidance or desensitisation strategies. Our methodology represents a necessary development toward this goal.

The influence of solvent processing on polyester bioabsorbable polymers.

PubMed

Manson, Joanne; Dixon, Dorian

2012-01-01

Solvent-based methods are commonly employed for the production of polyester-based samples and coatings in both medical device production and research. The influence of solvent casting and subsequent drying time was studied using thermal analysis, spectroscopy and weight measurement for four grades of 50 : 50 poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) produced by using chloroform, dichloromethane, and acetone. The results demonstrate that solvent choice and PLGA molecular weight are critical factors in terms of solvent removal rate and maintaining sample integrity, respectively. The protocols widely employed result in high levels of residual solvent and a new protocol is presented together with solutions to commonly encountered problems.

Odontomas and Supernumerary Teeth: Is There a Common Origin?

PubMed Central

Pippi, Roberto

2014-01-01

The aim of the present work is to analyze all scientific evidence to verify whether similarities supporting a unified explanation for odontomas and supernumerary teeth exist. A literature search was first conducted for epidemiologic studies indexed by PubMed, to verify their worldwide incidence. The analysis of the literature data shows some interesting similarities between odontomas and supernumerary teeth concerning their topographic distribution and pathologic manifestations. There is also some indication of common genetic and immuno-histochemical factors. Although from a nosological point of view, odontomas and supernumeraries are classified as distinct entities, they seem to be the expression of the same pathologic process, either malformative or hamartomatous. PMID:25419174

The prior statistics of object colors.

PubMed

Koenderink, Jan J

2010-02-01

The prior statistics of object colors is of much interest because extensive statistical investigations of reflectance spectra reveal highly non-uniform structure in color space common to several very different databases. This common structure is due to the visual system rather than to the statistics of environmental structure. Analysis involves an investigation of the proper sample space of spectral reflectance factors and of the statistical consequences of the projection of spectral reflectances on the color solid. Even in the case of reflectance statistics that are translationally invariant with respect to the wavelength dimension, the statistics of object colors is highly non-uniform. The qualitative nature of this non-uniformity is due to trichromacy.

Intercultural comparison of patient satisfaction with physiotherapy care in Australia and Korea: an exploratory factor analysis

PubMed Central

Hush, Julia M; Lee, Haejung; Yung, Vivian; Adams, Roger; Mackey, Martin; Wand, Benedict M; Nelson, Roger; Beattie, Paul

2013-01-01

Objectives: The aim of this study was to conduct a cross-cultural comparison of the factors that influence patient satisfaction with musculoskeletal physiotherapy care in Australia and Korea. Methods: Prospective studies were conducted in Australia and Korea. Patient satisfaction data were collected using the MedRisk Instrument for Measuring Patient Satisfaction with Physical Therapy Care (MRPS) from a total of 1666 patients who were attending clinics for physiotherapy treatment of a musculoskeletal condition. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to identify factors determining patient satisfaction in each cohort. Results: A four-factor solution for the MRPS was found for the Australian and Korean data sets, explaining 61 and 55% of the variance respectively. Communication and respect, convenience and quality time and person-focused care were factors common to both countries. One factor unique to Korea was courtesy and propriety. For both cultures, global patient satisfaction was significantly but weakly correlated with the outcome of treatment. Conclusions: The interpersonal aspect of care, namely effective communication and respect from the therapist, appears to be the predominant and universal factor that influences patient satisfaction with physiotherapy care, although other culturally specific factors were identified. Physiotherapists can maximize patient satisfaction with care by addressing those features that uniquely contribute to patient satisfaction in the cultural context in which they are working. PMID:24421620

Use of the Ishikawa diagram in a case-control analysis to assess the causes of a diffuse lamellar keratitis outbreak.

PubMed

Lira, Luis Henrique; Hirai, Flávio E; Oliveira, Marivaldo; Portellinha, Waldir; Nakano, Eliane Mayumi

2017-01-01

To identify the causes of a diffuse lamellar keratitis (DLK) outbreak using a systematic search tool in a case-control analysis. An Ishikawa diagram was used to guide physicians to determine the potential risk factors involved in this outbreak. Coherence between the occurrences and each possible cause listed in the diagram was verified, and the total number of eyes at risk was used to calculate the proportion of affected eyes. Multivariate analysis was performed using logistic regression to determine the independent effect of the risk factors, after controlling for confounders and test interactions. All DLK cases were reported in 2007 between June 13 and December 21; during this period, 3,698 procedures were performed. Of the 1,682 flap-related procedures, 204 eyes of 141 individuals presented with DLK. No direct relationship was observed between the occurrence of DLK and the presence of any specific factors; however, flap-lifting enhancements, procedures performed during the morning shift, and non-use of therapeutic contact lenses after the surgery were significantly related to higher occurrence percentages of this condition. The Ishikawa diagram, like most quality tools, is a visualization and knowledge organization tool. This systematization allowed the investigators to thoroughly assess all the possible causes of DLK outbreak. A clear view of the entire surgical logistics permitted even more rigid management of the main factors involved in the process and, as a result, highlighted factors that deserved attention. The case-control analysis on every factor raised by the Ishikawa diagram indicated that the commonly suspected factors such as biofilm contamination of the water reservoir in autoclaves, the air-conditioning filter system, glove powder, microkeratome motor oil, and gentian violet markers were not related to the outbreak.

A Risk Analysis Methodology to Address Human and Organizational Factors in Offshore Drilling Safety: With an Emphasis on Negative Pressure Test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabibzadeh, Maryam

According to the final Presidential National Commission report on the BP Deepwater Horizon (DWH) blowout, there is need to "integrate more sophisticated risk assessment and risk management practices" in the oil industry. Reviewing the literature of the offshore drilling industry indicates that most of the developed risk analysis methodologies do not fully and more importantly, systematically address the contribution of Human and Organizational Factors (HOFs) in accident causation. This is while results of a comprehensive study, from 1988 to 2005, of more than 600 well-documented major failures in offshore structures show that approximately 80% of those failures were due to HOFs. In addition, lack of safety culture, as an issue related to HOFs, have been identified as a common contributing cause of many accidents in this industry. This dissertation introduces an integrated risk analysis methodology to systematically assess the critical role of human and organizational factors in offshore drilling safety. The proposed methodology in this research focuses on a specific procedure called Negative Pressure Test (NPT), as the primary method to ascertain well integrity during offshore drilling, and analyzes the contributing causes of misinterpreting such a critical test. In addition, the case study of the BP Deepwater Horizon accident and their conducted NPT is discussed. The risk analysis methodology in this dissertation consists of three different approaches and their integration constitutes the big picture of my whole methodology. The first approach is the comparative analysis of a "standard" NPT, which is proposed by the author, with the test conducted by the DWH crew. This analysis contributes to identifying the involved discrepancies between the two test procedures. The second approach is a conceptual risk assessment framework to analyze the causal factors of the identified mismatches in the previous step, as the main contributors of negative pressure test misinterpretation. Finally, a rational decision making model is introduced to quantify a section of the developed conceptual framework in the previous step and analyze the impact of different decision making biases on negative pressure test results. Along with the corroborating findings of previous studies, the analysis of the developed conceptual framework in this paper indicates that organizational factors are root causes of accumulated errors and questionable decisions made by personnel or management. Further analysis of this framework identifies procedural issues, economic pressure, and personnel management issues as the organizational factors with the highest influence on misinterpreting a negative pressure test. It is noteworthy that the captured organizational factors in the introduced conceptual framework are not only specific to the scope of the NPT. Most of these organizational factors have been identified as not only the common contributing causes of other offshore drilling accidents but also accidents in other oil and gas related operations as well as high-risk operations in other industries. In addition, the proposed rational decision making model in this research introduces a quantitative structure for analysis of the results of a conducted NPT. This model provides a structure and some parametric derived formulas to determine a cut-off point value, which assists personnel in accepting or rejecting an implemented negative pressure test. Moreover, it enables analysts to assess different decision making biases involved in the process of interpreting a conducted negative pressure test as well as the root organizational factors of those biases. In general, although the proposed integrated research methodology in this dissertation is developed for the risk assessment of human and organizational factors contributions in negative pressure test misinterpretation, it can be generalized and be potentially useful for other well control situations, both offshore and onshore; e.g. fracking. In addition, this methodology can be applied for the analysis of any high-risk operations, in not only the oil and gas industry but also in other industries such as nuclear power plants, aviation industry, and transportation sector.

Clinical profile and factors associated with mortality in hospitalized patients with HIV/AIDS: a retrospective analysis from Tripoli Medical Centre, Libya, 2013.

PubMed

Shalaka, N S; Garred, N A; Zeglam, H T; Awasi, S A; Abukathir, L A; Altagdi, M E; Rayes, A A

2015-10-02

In Libya, little is known about HIV-related hospitalizations and in-hospital mortality. This was a retrospective analysis of HIV-related hospitalizations at Tripoli Medical Centre in 2013. Of 227 cases analysed, 82.4% were males who were significantly older (40.0 versus 36.5 years), reported injection drug use (58.3% versus 0%) and were hepatitis C virus co-infected (65.8% versus 0%) compared with females. Severe immunosuppression was prevalent (median CD4 count = 42 cell/μL). Candidiasis was the most common diagnosis (26.0%); Pneumocystis pneumonia was the most common respiratory disease (8.8%), while cerebral toxoplasmosis was diagnosed in 8.4% of patients. Current HAART use was independently associated with low risk of in-hospital mortality (OR 0.33), while central nervous system symptoms (OR 4.12), sepsis (OR 6.98) and low total lymphocyte counts (OR 3.60) were associated with increased risk. In this study, late presentation with severe immunosuppression was common, and was associated with significant in-hospital mortality.

Heterogeneity in the development of proactive and reactive aggression in childhood: Common and specific genetic - environmental factors

PubMed Central

Lacourse, Eric; Brendgen, Mara; Vitaro, Frank; Dionne, Ginette; Tremblay, Richard Ernest; Boivin, Michel

2017-01-01

Background Few studies are grounded in a developmental framework to study proactive and reactive aggression. Furthermore, although distinctive correlates, predictors and outcomes have been highlighted, proactive and reactive aggression are substantially correlated. To our knowledge, no empirical study has examined the communality of genetic and environmental underpinning of the development of both subtypes of aggression. The current study investigated the communality and specificity of genetic-environmental factors related to heterogeneity in proactive and reactive aggression’s development throughout childhood. Methods Participants were 223 monozygotic and 332 dizygotic pairs. Teacher reports of aggression were obtained at 6, 7, 9, 10 and 12 years of age. Joint development of both phenotypes were analyzed through a multivariate latent growth curve model. Set point, differentiation, and genetic maturation/environmental modulation hypotheses were tested using a biometric decomposition of intercepts and slopes. Results Common genetic factors accounted for 64% of the total variation of proactive and reactive aggression’s intercepts. Two other sets of uncorrelated genetic factors accounted for reactive aggression’s intercept (17%) on the one hand, and for proactive (43%) and reactive (13%) aggression’s slopes on the other. Common shared environmental factors were associated with proactive aggression’s intercept (21%) and slope (26%) and uncorrelated shared environmental factors were also associated with reactive aggression’s slope (14%). Common nonshared environmental factors explained most of the remaining variability of proactive and reactive aggression slopes. Conclusions A genetic differentiation hypothesis common to both phenotypes was supported by common genetic factors associated with the developmental heterogeneity of proactive and reactive aggression in childhood. A genetic maturation hypothesis common to both phenotypes, albeit stronger for proactive aggression, was supported by common genetic factors associated with proactive and reactive aggression slopes. A shared environment set point hypothesis for proactive aggression was supported by shared environmental factors associated with proactive aggression baseline and slope. Although there are many common features to proactive and reactive aggression, the current research underscores the advantages of differentiating them when studying aggression. PMID:29211810

Improved methods for the measurement and modeling of PV module and system performance for all operating conditions

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

King, D.L.

1995-11-01

The objective of this work was to develop improved performance model for modules and systems for for all operating conditions for use in module specifications, system and BOS component design, and system rating or monitoring. The approach taken was to identify and quantify the influence of dominant factors of solar irradiance, cell temperature, angle-of-incidence; and solar spectrum; use outdoor test procedures to separate the effects of electrical, thermal, and optical performance; use fundamental cell characteristics to improve analysis; and combine factors in simple model using the common variables.