Factors associated with multidisciplinary case conference outcomes in children admitted to a regional hospital in Hong Kong with suspected child abuse: a retrospective case series with internal comparison.

PubMed

Lo, W C; Fung, G Pg; Cheung, P Ch

2017-10-01

In all cases of suspected child abuse, accurate risk assessment is vital to guide further management. This study examined the relationship between risk factors in a risk assessment matrix and child abuse case conference outcomes. Records of all children hospitalised at United Christian Hospital in Hong Kong for suspected child abuse from January 2012 to December 2014 were reviewed. Outcomes of the hospital abuse work-up as concluded in the Multi-Disciplinary Case Conference were categorised as 'established', 'high risk', or 'not established'. All cases of 'established' and 'high risk' were included in the positive case conference outcome group and all cases of 'not established' formed the comparison group. On the other hand, using the Risk Assessment Matrix developed by the California State University, Fresno in 1990, each case was allotted a matrix score of low, intermediate, or high risk in each of 15 matrix domains, and an aggregate matrix score was derived. The effect of individual matrix domain on case conference outcome was analysed. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to examine the relationship between case conference outcome and aggregate matrix score. In this study, 265 children suspected of being abused were included, with 198 in the positive case conference outcome group and 67 in the comparison group. Three matrix domains (severity and frequency of abuse, location of injuries, and strength of family support systems) were significantly associated with case conference outcome. An aggregate cut-off score of 23 yielded a sensitivity of 91.4% and specificity of 38.2% in relation to outcome of abuse categorisation. Risk assessment should be performed when handling suspected child abuse cases. A high aggregate score should arouse suspicion in all disciplines managing child abuse cases.

Common breast cancer risk variants in the post-COGS era: a comprehensive review.

PubMed

Maxwell, Kara N; Nathanson, Katherine L

2013-12-20

Breast cancer has a strong heritable component, with approximately 15% of cases exhibiting a family history of the disease. Mutations in genes such as BRCA1, BRCA2 and TP53 lead to autosomal dominant inherited cancer susceptibility and confer a high lifetime risk of breast cancers. Identification of mutations in these genes through clinical genetic testing enables patients to undergo screening and prevention strategies, some of which provide overall survival benefit. In addition, a number of mutant alleles have been identified in genes such as CHEK2, PALB2, ATM and BRIP1, which often display incomplete penetrance and confer moderate lifetime risks of breast cancer. Studies are underway to determine how to use the identification of mutations in these genes to guide clinical practice. Altogether, however, mutations in high and moderate penetrance genes probably account for approximately 25% of familial breast cancer risk; the remainder may be due to mutations in as yet unidentified genes or lower penetrance variants. Common low penetrance alleles, which have been mainly identified through genome-wide association studies (GWAS), are generally present at 10 to 50% population frequencies and confer less than 1.5-fold increases in breast cancer risk. A number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been identified and risk associations extensively replicated in populations of European ancestry, the number of which has substantially increased as a result of GWAS performed by the Collaborative Oncological Gene-environment Study consortium. It is now estimated that 28% of familial breast cancer risk is explained by common breast cancer susceptibility loci. In some cases, SNP associations may be specific to different subsets of women with breast cancer, as defined by ethnicity or estrogen receptor status. Although not yet clinically established, it is hoped that identification of common risk variants may eventually allow identification of women at higher risk of breast cancer and enable implementation of breast cancer screening, prevention or treatment strategies that provide clinical benefit.

Common breast cancer risk variants in the post-COGS era: a comprehensive review

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Breast cancer has a strong heritable component, with approximately 15% of cases exhibiting a family history of the disease. Mutations in genes such as BRCA1, BRCA2 and TP53 lead to autosomal dominant inherited cancer susceptibility and confer a high lifetime risk of breast cancers. Identification of mutations in these genes through clinical genetic testing enables patients to undergo screening and prevention strategies, some of which provide overall survival benefit. In addition, a number of mutant alleles have been identified in genes such as CHEK2, PALB2, ATM and BRIP1, which often display incomplete penetrance and confer moderate lifetime risks of breast cancer. Studies are underway to determine how to use the identification of mutations in these genes to guide clinical practice. Altogether, however, mutations in high and moderate penetrance genes probably account for approximately 25% of familial breast cancer risk; the remainder may be due to mutations in as yet unidentified genes or lower penetrance variants. Common low penetrance alleles, which have been mainly identified through genome-wide association studies (GWAS), are generally present at 10 to 50% population frequencies and confer less than 1.5-fold increases in breast cancer risk. A number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been identified and risk associations extensively replicated in populations of European ancestry, the number of which has substantially increased as a result of GWAS performed by the Collaborative Oncological Gene–environment Study consortium. It is now estimated that 28% of familial breast cancer risk is explained by common breast cancer susceptibility loci. In some cases, SNP associations may be specific to different subsets of women with breast cancer, as defined by ethnicity or estrogen receptor status. Although not yet clinically established, it is hoped that identification of common risk variants may eventually allow identification of women at higher risk of breast cancer and enable implementation of breast cancer screening, prevention or treatment strategies that provide clinical benefit. PMID:24359602

Widespread non-additive and interaction effects within HLA loci modulate the risk of autoimmune diseases.

PubMed

Lenz, Tobias L; Deutsch, Aaron J; Han, Buhm; Hu, Xinli; Okada, Yukinori; Eyre, Stephen; Knapp, Michael; Zhernakova, Alexandra; Huizinga, Tom W J; Abecasis, Gonçalo; Becker, Jessica; Boeckxstaens, Guy E; Chen, Wei-Min; Franke, Andre; Gladman, Dafna D; Gockel, Ines; Gutierrez-Achury, Javier; Martin, Javier; Nair, Rajan P; Nöthen, Markus M; Onengut-Gumuscu, Suna; Rahman, Proton; Rantapää-Dahlqvist, Solbritt; Stuart, Philip E; Tsoi, Lam C; van Heel, David A; Worthington, Jane; Wouters, Mira M; Klareskog, Lars; Elder, James T; Gregersen, Peter K; Schumacher, Johannes; Rich, Stephen S; Wijmenga, Cisca; Sunyaev, Shamil R; de Bakker, Paul I W; Raychaudhuri, Soumya

2015-09-01

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes confer substantial risk for autoimmune diseases on a log-additive scale. Here we speculated that differences in autoantigen-binding repertoires between a heterozygote's two expressed HLA variants might result in additional non-additive risk effects. We tested the non-additive disease contributions of classical HLA alleles in patients and matched controls for five common autoimmune diseases: rheumatoid arthritis (ncases = 5,337), type 1 diabetes (T1D; ncases = 5,567), psoriasis vulgaris (ncases = 3,089), idiopathic achalasia (ncases = 727) and celiac disease (ncases = 11,115). In four of the five diseases, we observed highly significant, non-additive dominance effects (rheumatoid arthritis, P = 2.5 × 10(-12); T1D, P = 2.4 × 10(-10); psoriasis, P = 5.9 × 10(-6); celiac disease, P = 1.2 × 10(-87)). In three of these diseases, the non-additive dominance effects were explained by interactions between specific classical HLA alleles (rheumatoid arthritis, P = 1.8 × 10(-3); T1D, P = 8.6 × 10(-27); celiac disease, P = 6.0 × 10(-100)). These interactions generally increased disease risk and explained moderate but significant fractions of phenotypic variance (rheumatoid arthritis, 1.4%; T1D, 4.0%; celiac disease, 4.1%) beyond a simple additive model.

The Association between ANXA11 Gene Polymorphisms and Sarcoidosis: a Meta-Analysis and systematic review.

PubMed

Zhou, Hongfei; Diao, Mengyuan; Zhang, Mingyue

2016-08-01

The associations of ANXA11 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to sarcoidosis have been evaluated in recent years. However, the results remain controversial, especially in different ethnicity. To assess the associations between ANXA11 and sarcoidosis, we conducted this meta-analysis. Articles were searched in MEDLINE, EMBASE and PubMed from their establishment date to August of 2014, and 4,567 sarcoidosis patients and 4,278 controls from 6 studies were included. The strength of associations was determined by ORs with 95% CIs. The associations between ANXA11 SNP rs1049550, rs2573346, rs2789679 polymorphisms and sarcoidosis risk were assessed using additive, recessive and dominant models. ANXA11 SNP rs2573346 and rs2789679 T allele conferred protection against sarcoidosis (OR: 0.664, 95% CI: 0.607-0.726 for rs2573346, and OR: 0.698, 95% CI: 0.640-0.762 for rs2789679). For SNP rs1049550, individuals carrying the ''T'' allele (TT+CT) had a nearly 46% increased risk for the development of sarcoidosis, when compared with CC homozygotes (OR: 1.461, 95% CI: 1.183-1.803) in overall population. A significant association was also found in additive model (OR: 1.477, 95% CI: 1.328-1.642 for CC vs. CT; OR: 0.610, 95% CI: 0.412-0.905 for TT vs. CC). In addition, ethnicity factors may contribute to the disease risk. The meta-analysis revealed that ''T'' allele of ANXA11 SNP rs2573346 and rs2789679 conferred protection against sarcoidosis. ''C'' allele of SNP rs1049550 may be a risk factor for sarcoidosis in overall population. Our study shows that ANXA11 closely associated with the development of sarcoidosis but further studies in different ethnicity were needed.

Face-Threatening Acts and Politeness Theory: Contrasting Speeches from Supervisory Conferences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Jo

Discourse analysis describes a level of spoken text that lies between grammar and nonlinguistic organization. Using such an approach to understand the practical problems of communication in supervisory conferences, this paper explores two dimensions of the conference: risk and politeness levels. Level of risk is determined by the degrees of…

76 FR 64083 - Reliability Technical Conference; Notice of Technical Conference

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-17

... Technical Conference; Notice of Technical Conference Take notice that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will hold a Technical Conference on Tuesday, November 29, 2011, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and... System. The conference will explore the progress made on the priorities for addressing risks to...

Widespread non-additive and interaction effects within HLA loci modulate the risk of autoimmune diseases

PubMed Central

Lenz, Tobias L.; Deutsch, Aaron J.; Han, Buhm; Hu, Xinli; Okada, Yukinori; Eyre, Stephen; Knapp, Michael; Zhernakova, Alexandra; Huizinga, Tom W.J.; Abecasis, Goncalo; Becker, Jessica; Boeckxstaens, Guy E.; Chen, Wei-Min; Franke, Andre; Gladman, Dafna D.; Gockel, Ines; Gutierrez-Achury, Javier; Martin, Javier; Nair, Rajan P.; Nöthen, Markus M.; Onengut-Gumuscu, Suna; Rahman, Proton; Rantapää-Dahlqvist, Solbritt; Stuart, Philip E.; Tsoi, Lam C.; Van Heel, David A.; Worthington, Jane; Wouters, Mira M.; Klareskog, Lars; Elder, James T.; Gregersen, Peter K.; Schumacher, Johannes; Rich, Stephen S.; Wijmenga, Cisca; Sunyaev, Shamil R.; de Bakker, Paul I.W.; Raychaudhuri, Soumya

2015-01-01

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes confer strong risk for autoimmune diseases on a log-additive scale. Here we speculated that differences in autoantigen binding repertoires between a heterozygote’s two expressed HLA variants may result in additional non-additive risk effects. We tested non-additive disease contributions of classical HLA alleles in patients and matched controls for five common autoimmune diseases: rheumatoid arthritis (RA, Ncases=5,337), type 1 diabetes (T1D, Ncases=5,567), psoriasis vulgaris (Ncases=3,089), idiopathic achalasia (Ncases=727), and celiac disease (Ncases=11,115). In four out of five diseases, we observed highly significant non-additive dominance effects (RA: P=2.5×1012; T1D: P=2.4×10−10; psoriasis: P=5.9×10−6; celiac disease: P=1.2×10−87). In three of these diseases, the dominance effects were explained by interactions between specific classical HLA alleles (RA: P=1.8×10−3; T1D: P=8.6×1027; celiac disease: P=6.0×10−100). These interactions generally increased disease risk and explained moderate but significant fractions of phenotypic variance (RA: 1.4%, T1D: 4.0%, and celiac disease: 4.1%, beyond a simple additive model). PMID:26258845

Using Computational Toxicology to Enable Risk-Based ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

presentation at Drug Safety Gordon Research Conference 2016 on research efforts in NCCT to enable Computational Toxicology to support risk assessment. Slide presentation at Drug Safety Gordon Research Conference 2016 on research efforts in NCCT to enable Computational Toxicology to support risk assessment.

Obesity, Inflammation, and Cancer.

PubMed

Deng, Tuo; Lyon, Christopher J; Bergin, Stephen; Caligiuri, Michael A; Hsueh, Willa A

2016-05-23

Obesity, a worldwide epidemic, confers increased risk for multiple serious conditions, including cancer, and is increasingly recognized as a growing cause of preventable cancer risk. Chronic inflammation, a well-known mediator of cancer, is a central characteristic of obesity, leading to many of its complications, and obesity-induced inflammation confers additional cancer risk beyond obesity itself. Multiple mechanisms facilitate this strong association between cancer and obesity. Adipose tissue is an important endocrine organ, secreting several hormones, including leptin and adiponectin, and chemokines that can regulate tumor behavior, inflammation, and the tumor microenvironment. Excessive adipose expansion during obesity causes adipose dysfunction and inflammation to increase systemic levels of proinflammatory factors. Cells from adipose tissue, such as cancer-associated adipocytes and adipose-derived stem cells, enter the cancer microenvironment to enhance protumoral effects. Dysregulated metabolism that stems from obesity, including insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia, can further impact tumor growth and development. This review describes how adipose tissue becomes inflamed in obesity, summarizes ways these mechanisms impact cancer development, and discusses their role in four adipose-associated cancers that demonstrate elevated incidence or mortality in obesity.

2007 TOXICOLOGY AND RISK ASSESSMENT ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has announced The 2007 Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference Cincinnati Marriott North, West Chester (Cincinnati), OHApril 23- 26, 2007 - Click to register!The Annual Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference is a unique meeting where several Government Agencies come together to discuss toxicology and risk assessment issues that are not only of concern to the government, but also to a broader audience including academia and industry. The theme of this year's conference is Emerging Issues and Challenges in Risk Assessment and the preliminary agenda includes: Plenary Sessions and prominent speakers (tentative) include: Issues of Emerging Chemical ContaminantsUncertainty and Variability in Risk Assessment Use of Mechanistic data in IARC evaluationsParallel Sessions:Uncertainty and Variability in Dose-Response Assessment Recent Advances in Toxicity and Risk Assessment of RDX The Use of Epidemiologic Data for Risk Assessment Applications Cumulative Health Risk Assessment:

"A Question of Balance:" A Conference on Risk and Adventure in Society.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Chris

2000-01-01

In November 2000, a conference in London hosted by three outdoor education associations examined the growing culture of risk aversion in the United Kingdom, the role of risk in learning, the increasing difficulty of finding a balance between risk and adventure, and the challenges of tempting children away from computer games and dealing with…

2009 TOXICOLOGY AND RISK ASSESSMENT CONFERENCE

EPA Science Inventory

EPA has announced

The 2009 Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference
Cincinnati Marriott North, West Chester (Cincinnati), OH
April 27-30, 2009 - Click to register!

The Annual Toxicology and Risk Ass...

2008 TOXICOLOGY AND RISK ASSESSMENT CONFERENCE

EPA Science Inventory

EPA has announced

The 2008 Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference
Cincinnati Marriott North, West Chester (Cincinnati), OH
April 14 - 17, 2008 - Click to register!

The Annual Toxicology and Risk ...

2007 TOXICOLOGY AND RISK ASSESSMENT CONFERENCE

EPA Science Inventory

EPA has announced

The 2007 Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference
Cincinnati Marriott North, West Chester (Cincinnati), OH
April 23- 26, 2007 - Click to register!

The Annual Toxicology and Risk Ass...

Discussing Benefits and Risks of Tracheostomy: What Physicians Actually Say.

PubMed

Hebert, Lauren M; Watson, Anne C; Madrigal, Vanessa; October, Tessie W

2017-12-01

When contemplating tracheostomy placement in a pediatric patient, a family-physician conference is often the setting for the disclosure of risks and benefits of the procedure. Our objective was to compare benefits and risks of tracheostomy presented during family-physician conferences to an expert panel's recommendations for what should be presented. We conducted a retrospective review of 19 transcripts of audio-recorded family-physician conferences regarding tracheostomy placement in children. A multicenter, multidisciplinary expert panel of clinicians was surveyed to generate a list of recommended benefits and risks for comparison. Primary analysis of statements by clinicians was qualitative. Single-center PICU of a tertiary medical center. Family members who participated in family-physician conferences regarding tracheostomy placement for a critically ill child from April 2012 to August 2014. We identified 300 physician statements describing benefits and risks of tracheostomy. Physicians were more likely to discuss benefits than risks (72% vs 28%). Three broad categories of benefits were identified: 1) tracheostomy would limit the impact of being in the PICU (46%); 2) perceived obstacles of tracheostomy can be overcome (34%); and 3) tracheostomy optimizes respiratory health (20%). Risks fell into two categories: tracheostomy involves a big commitment (71%), and it has complications (29%). The expert panel's recommendations were similar to risks and benefits discussed during family conferences; however, they suggested physicians present an equal balance of discussion of risks and benefits. When discussing tracheostomy placement, physicians emphasized benefits that are shared by physicians and families while minimizing the risks. The expert panel recommended a balanced approach by equally weighing risks and benefits. To facilitate educated decision making, physicians should present a more extensive range of risks and benefits to families making this critical decision.

SNPing at the Epidermal Barrier.

PubMed

Kelsell, David P; Byrne, Carolyn

2011-08-01

Filaggrin variants are well-established risk factors for atopic eczema (AE). Recent studies suggest additional epidermal differentiation complex (EDC) gene associations with AE. In this issue, Marenholz and colleagues confirm this prediction and show that a small proline-rich protein 3 (SPRR3) variant confers susceptibility to AE. This finding suggests that further genetic and functional characterization of SPRR3 should be performed in patients with AE.

Environmental risk factors for osteoporosis

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

Goyer, R.A.; Korach, K.S.; Epstein, S.

Environmental risk factors for osteoporosis were reviewed at a conference held at the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences 8-9 November 1993. The conference was co-sponsored by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease and the NIH Office of Research in Women's Health. The objective of the conference was to review what is known about risk factors for osteoporosis and to identify gaps in the present state of knowledge that might be addressed by future research. The conference was divided into two broad themes. The first session focused on current knowledge regarding etiology, risk factors, and approachesmore » to clinical and laboratory diagnosis. This was followed by three sessions in which various environmental pollutants were discussed. Topics selected for review included environmental agents that interfere with bone and calcium metabolism, such as the toxic metals lead, cadmium, aluminum, and fluoride, natural and antiestrogens, calcium, and vitamin D.« less

Co-Occurrence of Linguistic and Behavioural Difficulties in Early Childhood: A Developmental Psychopathology Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carpenter, Johanna L.; Drabick, Deborah A. G.

2011-01-01

Three hypotheses have been posited as competing explanations for the comorbidity or co-occurrence of language difficulties and behavioural problems among children: (1) language difficulties confer risk for behaviour problems, (2) behaviour problems confer risk for language difficulties, and (3) shared risk factors account for their co-occurrence.…

Practicing safe cell culture: applied process designs for minimizing virus contamination risk.

PubMed

Kiss, Robert D

2011-01-01

CONFERENCE PROCEEDING Proceedings of the PDA/FDA Adventitious Viruses in Biologics: Detection and Mitigation Strategies Workshop in Bethesda, MD, USA; December 1-3, 2010 Guest Editors: Arifa Khan (Bethesda, MD), Patricia Hughes (Bethesda, MD) and Michael Wiebe (San Francisco, CA) Genentech responded to a virus contamination in its biologics manufacturing facility by developing and implementing a series of barriers specifically designed to prevent recurrence of this significant and impactful event. The barriers included steps to inactivate or remove potential virus particles from the many raw materials used in cell culture processing. Additionally, analytical testing barriers provided protection of the downstream processing areas should a culture contamination occur, and robust virus clearance capability provided further assurance of virus safety should a low level contamination go undetected. This conference proceeding will review Genentech's approach, and lessons learned, in minimizing virus contamination risk in cell culture processes through multiple layers of targeted barriers designed to deliver biologics products with high success rates.

Variable- and Person-Centered Approaches to Examining Temperament Vulnerability and Resilience to the Effects of Contextual Risk

PubMed Central

Moran, Lyndsey; Lengua, Liliana J.; Zalewski, Maureen; Ruberry, Erika; Klien, Melanie; Thompson, Stephanie; Kiff, Cara

2016-01-01

Using both variable- and person-centered approaches, this study examined the role of temperament in relation to children's vulnerable or resilient responses to cumulative risk. Observed reactivity and regulation dimensions of temperament were tested as mediating and moderating the relation between family cumulative risk and teacher-reported adjustment problems in a sample of 259 preschool-age children. Further, latent profile analyses were used to examine whether profiles of temperament, accounting for multiple characteristics simultaneously, provided additional information about the role of temperament in children's responses to risk. Results support a diathesis-stress model in which high frustration, low fear, and low delay ability confer particular vulnerability for children in high-risk contexts. Benefits of multiple approaches are highlighted. PMID:28408769

Relative Risks of Contributing Factors to Morbidity and Mortality in Adults With Craniopharyngioma on Growth Hormone Replacement.

PubMed

Yuen, Kevin C J; Mattsson, Anders F; Burman, Pia; Erfurth, Eva-Marie; Camacho-Hubner, Cecilia; Fox, Janet L; Verhelst, Johan; Geffner, Mitchell E; Abs, Roger

2018-02-01

In adults, craniopharyngioma (CP) of either childhood-onset (CO-CP) or adult-onset (AO-CP) is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, but data on the relative risks (RRs) of contributing factors are lacking. To assess the RRs of factors contributing to morbidity and mortality in adults with CO-CP and AO-CP. Data on 1669 patients with CP from KIMS (Pfizer International Metabolic Database) were analyzed using univariate and multiple Poisson and Cox regression methods. When CO-CP and AO-CP groups were combined, history of stroke and hyperlipidemia increased cardiovascular risk, higher body mass index (BMI) and radiotherapy increased cerebrovascular risk, and increased waist circumference increased the risk of developing diabetes mellitus (DM). Compared with patients with CO-CP, patients with AO-CP had a threefold higher risk of tumor recurrence, whereas being female and previous radiotherapy exposure conferred lower risks. Radiotherapy and older age with every 10 years from disease onset conferred a 2.3- to 3.5-fold risk for developing new intracranial tumors, whereas older age, greater and/or increasing BMI, history of stroke, and lower insulinlike growth factor I (IGF-I) standard deviation score measured at last sampling before death were related to increased all-cause mortality. Compared with the general population, adults with CP had 9.3-, 8.1-, and 2.2-fold risks of developing DM, new intracranial tumors, and early death, respectively. Conventional factors that increase the risks of cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases and DM and risks for developing new intracranial tumors contributed to excess morbidity and mortality. In addition, lower serum IGF-I level measured from the last sample before death was inversely associated with mortality risk in patients with CP. Copyright © 2017 Endocrine Society

SPECIFIC MOOD SYMPTOMS CONFER RISK FOR SUBSEQUENT SUICIDAL IDEATION IN BIPOLAR DISORDER WITH AND WITHOUT SUICIDE ATTEMPT HISTORY: MULTI-WAVE DATA FROM STEP-BD.

PubMed

Stange, Jonathan P; Kleiman, Evan M; Sylvia, Louisa G; Magalhães, Pedro Vieira da Silva; Berk, Michael; Nierenberg, Andrew A; Deckersbach, Thilo

2016-06-01

Little is known about specific mood symptoms that may confer risk for suicidal ideation (SI) among patients with bipolar disorder (BD). We evaluated prospectively whether particular symptoms of depression and mania precede the onset or worsening of SI, among adults with or without a history of a suicide attempt. We examined prospective data from a large (N = 2,741) cohort of patients participating in the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for BD (STEP-BD). We evaluated history of suicide attempts at baseline, and symptoms of depression and mania at baseline and follow-up visits. Hierarchical linear modeling tested whether specific mood symptoms predicted subsequent levels of SI, and whether the strength of the associations differed based on suicide attempt history, after accounting for the influence of other mood symptoms and current SI. Beyond overall current depression and mania symptom severity, baseline SI, and illness characteristics, several mood symptoms, including guilt, reduced self-esteem, psychomotor retardation and agitation, increases in appetite, and distractibility predicted more severe levels of subsequent SI. Problems with concentration, distraction, sleep loss and decreased need for sleep predicted subsequent SI more strongly among individuals with a suicide attempt history. Several specific mood symptoms may confer risk for the onset or worsening of SI among treatment-seeking patients with BD. Individuals with a previous suicide attempt may be at greater risk in part due to greater reactivity to certain mood symptoms in the form of SI. However, overall, effect sizes were small, suggesting the need to identify additional proximal predictors of SI. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The role of child sexual abuse in the etiology of substance-related disorders.

PubMed

Maniglio, Roberto

2011-01-01

To elucidate the role of child sexual abuse in the etiology of substance-related disorders, a systematic review of the several articles on the childhood sexual abuse-related risk for developing substance problems in adolescence or adulthood is provided. Seven databases were searched, supplemented with hand-search of reference lists. Six reviews, including 200 studies, were included. Results indicate that child sexual abuse is a statistically significant, although general and nonspecific, risk factor for substance problems. Other biological and psychosocial variables contribute to substance-related disorders, with sexual abuse conferring additional risk, either as a distal, indirect cause or as a proximal, direct cause. Recommendations for future research are provided.

Common genetic variation in ETV6 is associated with colorectal cancer susceptibility

PubMed Central

Wang, Meilin; Gu, Dongying; Du, Mulong; Xu, Zhi; Zhang, Suzhan; Zhu, Lingjun; Lu, Jiachun; Zhang, Rui; Xing, Jinliang; Miao, Xiaoping; Chu, Haiyan; Hu, Zhibin; Yang, Lei; Tang, Cuiju; Pan, Lei; Du, Haina; Zhao, Jian; Du, Jiangbo; Tong, Na; Sun, Jielin; Shen, Hongbing; Xu, Jianfeng; Zhang, Zhengdong; Chen, Jinfei

2016-01-01

Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified multiple susceptibility loci for colorectal cancer, but much of heritability remains unexplained. To identify additional susceptibility loci for colorectal cancer, here we perform a GWAS in 1,023 cases and 1,306 controls and replicate the findings in seven independent samples from China, comprising 5,317 cases and 6,887 controls. We find a variant at 12p13.2 associated with colorectal cancer risk (rs2238126 in ETV6, P=2.67 × 10−10). We replicate this association in an additional 1,046 cases and 1,076 controls of European ancestry (P=0.034). The G allele of rs2238126 confers earlier age at onset of colorectal cancer (P=1.98 × 10−6) and reduces the binding affinity of transcriptional enhancer MAX. The mRNA level of ETV6 is significantly lower in colorectal tumours than in paired normal tissues. Our findings highlight the potential importance of genetic variation in ETV6 conferring susceptibility to colorectal cancer. PMID:27145994

Impact of a complex chronic care patient case conference on quality and utilization.

PubMed

Weppner, William G; Davis, Kyle; Tivis, Rick; Willis, Janet; Fisher, Amber; King, India; Smith, C Scott

2018-05-23

There is need for effective venues to allow teams to coordinate care for high-risk or high-need patients. In addition, health systems need to assess the impact of such approaches on outcomes related to chronic health conditions and patient utilization. We evaluate the clinical impact of a novel case conference involving colocated trainees and supervisors in an interprofessional academic primary care clinic. The study utilized a prospective cohort with control group. Intervention patients (N = 104) were matched with controls (N = 104) from the same provider's panel using propensity scores based on age, gender, risk predictors, and prior utilization patterns. Clinical outcomes and subsequent utilization patterns were compared prior to and up to 6 months following the conference. In terms of utilization, intervention patients demonstrated increased visits with primary care team members (p = .0002) compared with controls, without a corresponding increase in the number of primary care providers' visits. There was a trend towards decreased urgent care and emergency visits (p = .07) and a significant decrease in the rate of hospitalizations (p = .04). Patients with poorly-controlled hypertension saw significant decreases in mean systolic blood pressure from 167 to 146 mm Hg. However, there were no differences between the intervention and control groups. Intervention patients with diabetes demonstrated a nonsignificant trend towards decreased hemoglobin A1c from 9.8 to 9.4, when compared with controls. Interprofessional case conferences have potential to improve care coordination and may be associated with improved disease management, decreased unplanned care, and overall reduced hospitalizations.

Sleep disorders and the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide: independent pathways to suicidality?

PubMed

Nadorff, Michael R; Anestis, Michael D; Nazem, Sarra; Claire Harris, H; Samuel Winer, E

2014-01-01

Although sleep disorders are a risk factor for suicidal behavior little research has examined why sleep disorders confer suicide risk. The present study examined the relation between two sleep disorders, insomnia symptoms and nightmares, and suicide risk in the context of Joiner's interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide (IPTS). The present study utilized two large samples (N=747 and 604) recruited from two large public universities in the Southeast. Both studies included measures of insomnia symptoms, nightmares, depressive symptoms, and prior suicide attempts. In addition, study one contained a measure of suicide risk. In study 1, the relations between insomnia symptoms and both suicide risk and prior attempts were not significant after controlling for the IPTS. However, nightmares were related to both suicide risk and suicide attempts independent of the IPTS. Furthermore, nightmares nearly missed significance in the prediction of suicide risk (p=0.054) and significantly predicted suicide attempts even after controlling for depressive symptoms. In study 2, both insomnia and nightmares were found to be significantly associated with prior suicide attempts after controlling for the IPTS and depressive symptoms. The study is limited by its use of a college sample and cross-sectional design. These studies suggest that the IPTS may not explain the relation between sleep problems and suicidality. More research is needed to understand the mechanism by which sleep disorders confer suicide risk, which is clinically relevant as it may inform specific interventions to reduce the adverse effects of sleep disorders. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Do major depressive disorder and dysthymic disorder confer differential risk for suicide?

PubMed

Witte, Tracy K; Timmons, Katherine A; Fink, Erin; Smith, April R; Joiner, Thomas E

2009-05-01

Although there has been a tremendous amount of research examining the risk conferred for suicide by depression in general, relatively little research examines the risk conferred by specific forms of depressive illness (e.g., dysthymic disorder, single episode versus recurrent major depressive disorder [MDD]). The purpose of the current study was to examine differences in suicidal ideation, clinician-rated suicide risk, suicide attempts, and family history of suicide in a sample of outpatients diagnosed with various forms of depressive illness. To accomplish this aim, we conducted a cluster analysis using the aforementioned suicide-related variables in a sample of 494 outpatients seen between January 2001 and July 2007 at the Florida State University Psychology Clinic. Patients were diagnosed using DSM-IV criteria. Two distinct clusters emerged that were indicative of lower and higher risk for suicide. After controlling for the number of comorbid Axis I and Axis II diagnoses, the only depressive illness that significantly predicted cluster membership was recurrent MDD, which tripled an individual's likelihood of being assigned to the higher risk cluster. The use of a cross-sectional design; the relatively low suicide risk in our sample; the relatively small number of individuals with double depression. Our results demonstrate the importance of both chronicity and severity of depression in terms of predicting increased suicide risk. Among the various forms of depressive illness examined, only recurrent MDD appeared to confer greater risk for suicide.

Associations between ghrelin and ghrelin receptor polymorphisms and cancer in Caucasian populations: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Pabalan, Noel A; Seim, Inge; Jarjanazi, Hamdi; Chopin, Lisa K

2014-11-07

There is growing evidence that the ghrelin axis, including ghrelin (GHRL) and its receptor, the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR), play a role in cancer progression. Ghrelin gene and ghrelin receptor gene polymorphisms have been reported to have a range of effects in cancer, from increased risk, to protection from cancer, or having no association. In this study we aimed to clarify the role of ghrelin and ghrelin receptor polymorphisms in cancer by performing a meta-analysis of published case-control studies. In the overall analysis, homozygous and recessive associations indicated that the minor alleles of rs696217 and rs2075356 GHRL polymorphisms conferred reduced cancer risk (odds ratio [OR] 0.61-0.78). The risk was unchanged for breast cancer patients when analysed separately (OR 0.73-0.83). In contrast, the rs4684677 GHRL and the rs572169 GHSR polymorphisms conferred increased breast cancer risk (OR 1.97-1.98, p = 0.08 and OR 1.42-1.43, p = 0.08, respectively). All dominant and co-dominant effects showed null effects (OR 0.96-1.05), except for the rs572169 co-dominant effect, with borderline increased risk (OR 1.08, p = 0.05). This study suggests that the rs696217 and rs2075356 ghrelin gene (GHRL) polymorphisms may protect carriers against breast cancer, and the rs4684677 GHRL and rs572169 GHSR polymorphisms may increase the risk among carriers. In addition, larger studies are required to confirm these findings.

Incorporating New Technologies for 21st Century Toxicity ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Presentation at the GlobalChem conference in Washington, DC on Incorporating New Technologies for 21st Century Toxicity Testing and Risk Assessment Presentation at the GlobalChem conference in Washington, DC on Incorporating New Technologies for 21st Century Toxicity Testing and Risk Assessment

Sports-related concussions - media, science and policy.

PubMed

Mannix, Rebekah; Meehan, William P; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro

2016-08-01

Although growing awareness about the potential long-term deleterious effects of sport-related concussion has led to increased attention to the risks of collision sports, calls to ban these sports, such as American football, might be premature. Collision sports have a relatively high incidence of concussions, but participation in these sports also confers a host of benefits. In addition, the associated risks of participation, including concussion, have not been definitively shown to outweigh the benefits they provide, and the risk-benefit ratio might vary among individuals. The risks of concussion and repetitive concussions associated with collision sports are unknown in the general population and not well characterized even in elite athlete populations. In this article, we discuss current knowledge on sports-related concussion, its neurological consequences, and implications for regulation of the practice of collision sports.

Gene-gene interaction between CETP and APOE polymorphisms confers higher risk for hypertriglyceridemia in oldest-old Chinese women.

PubMed

Sun, Liang; Hu, Caiyou; Zheng, Chenguang; Huang, Zezhi; Lv, Zeping; Huang, Jin; Liang, Siying; Shi, Xiaohong; Zhu, Xiaoquan; Yuan, Huiping; Yang, Ze

2014-07-01

The knowledge of dyslipidemia and its genetic contributors in oldest-old subjects is limited; in addition, the majority of oldest-old subjects are females. Evidence has accumulated that multiple genetic factors play important roles in determining susceptibility to dyslipidemia and extended life span. Cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) and apolipoprotein E (APOE) are two plausible candidate genes for human longevity owing to their functionally related modulation of circulating lipid homeostasis; however, few studies have considered their interplay. In this study, we analyzed the distribution of CETP*V (rs5882) and APOE*4 (rs429358 and rs7412) in 372 oldest-old Chinese women (aged 80-109) and 340 controls (aged 20-58). In addition to replicating the association of longevity, our main goal was to evaluate the contribution of CETP*V, APOE*4 and CETP*APOE interaction to the risk of dyslipidemia. Only APOE*4 conferred a risk against longevity and was associated with high-cholesterol (hTC) and mixed dyslipidemia for oldest-old females. Moreover, CETP*V was found to be associated with hypertriglyceridemia (hTG) independently from APOE*4, age, BMI, alcohol drinking, TC, TG, HDL-c, and LDL-c. The stratification test, multivariable-adjusted logistic regression, and nonparametric MDR analysis all suggested a significant CETP*APOE interaction associated with hTG. The unadjusted odds for hTG were more than 4-fold in subjects with CETP*V and APOE*4 than those without either (OR=4.36, P<0.001). These results provide evidence of strong independent associations between hTG and CETP*V in oldest-old Chinese females, and APOE*4, as an independently non-significant variant, might interact with CETP*V resulting in an increased risk for hTG. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Global Security Scan for Canadian Science Capabilities (2015-2020): Report of Proceedings

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

apply targeted regulation to communications services such as obligations to save routing information as a way to track child predators, obligatory...what is risk, what does security mean to Canada. Is it on-line porn or a terrorist attack? Define the term then define the most heinous thing that...CoE Sec-Gen statement regarding child predators in cyberspace and Convention being open to additional signatories + ITU Plenipotentiary Conference

NATIONAL RESEARCH NEEDS CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS: RISK-BASED DECISION MAKING FOR ONSITE WASTEWATER TREATMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The Research Needs Conference Proceedings consist of a description of the background for the project and a series of white papers on the topics of integrated risk assessment/management for decentralized wastewater systems, design and performance of onsite soil adsorption systems,...

76 FR 2109 - Next Generation Risk Assessment Public Dialogue Conference

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-12

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9246-7] Next Generation Risk Assessment Public Dialogue Conference Correction In notice document 2010-32977 appearing on page 82387 in the issue of Thursday, December 30, 2010, make the following correction: In the second column, below the signature date, the...

Proceedings of Conference XIII, evaluation of regional seismic hazards and risk

USGS Publications Warehouse

Charonnat, Barbara B.

1981-01-01

The participants in the conference concluded that a great deal of useful research has been performed in the national Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program by USGS and non-USGS scientists and engineers and that the state-of-knowledge concerning the evaluation of seismic hazards and risk has been advanced substantially. Many of the technical issues raised during the conference are less controversial now because of new information and insights gained during the first three years of the expanded research program conducted under the Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act. Utilization of research results by many groups of users has also improved during this period and further improvement in utilization appears likely. Additional research is still required to resolve more completely the many complex technical issues summarized above and described in the papers contained in the proceedings. Improved certainty of research results on the evaluation of regional seismic hazards and risk is required before full utilization can be made by state and local governments who deal. with people frequently having a different perception of the hazard and its risk to them than that perceived by scientists or engineers. Each of the papers contained in the proceedings contain throughtful recommendations for improving the state-of-knowledge. Two papers, in particular, focussed on this particular theme. The first was presented by Lynn Sykes in the Geologic Keynote Address. He identified geographic areas throughout the world which may be considered as counterparts or analogues of seismic zones in the United States. He concluded that much can be learned about prediction, tectonic settings, earthquake hazards, and earthquake risk for sites in the United States by studying their tectonic analogues in other countries. The second paper was presented by John Blume in the Engineering Keynote Address. He suggested 20 specific research topics that, in his opinion, will significantly advance the state-of-the-art in earthquakeresistant design. The papers by Sykes and Blume are presented in the front of the proceedings.

Official Positions for FRAX® clinical regarding prior fractures from Joint Official Positions Development Conference of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry and International Osteoporosis Foundation on FRAX®.

PubMed

Blank, Robert D

2011-01-01

The 2010 Position Development Conference addressed four questions related to the impact of previous fractures on 10-year fracture risk as calculated by FRAX(®). To address these questions, PubMed was searched on the keywords "fracture, epidemiology, osteoporosis." Titles of retrieved articles were reviewed for an indication that risk for future fracture was discussed. Abstracts of these articles were reviewed for an indication that one or more of the questions listed above was discussed. For those that did, the articles were reviewed in greater detail to extract the findings and to find additional past work and citing works that also bore on the questions. The official positions and the supporting literature review are presented here. FRAX(®) underestimates fracture probability in persons with a history of multiple fractures (good, A, W). FRAX(®) may underestimate fracture probability in individuals with prevalent severe vertebral fractures (good, A, W). While there is evidence that hip, vertebral, and humeral fractures appear to confer greater risk of subsequent fracture than fractures at other sites, quantification of this incremental risk in FRAX(®) is not possible (fair, B, W). FRAX(®) may underestimate fracture probability in individuals with a parental history of non-hip fragility fracture (fair, B, W). Limitations of the methodology include performance by a single reviewer, preliminary review of the literature being confined to titles, and secondary review being limited to abstracts. Limitations of the evidence base include publication bias, overrepresentation of persons of European descent in the published studies, and technical differences in the methods used to identify prevalent and incident fractures. Emerging topics for future research include fracture epidemiology in non-European populations and men, the impact of fractures in family members other than parents, and the genetic contribution to fracture risk. Copyright © 2011 The International Society for Clinical Densitometry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

School College Collaboration: Teaching At-Risk Youth. Conference Proceedings of the Council of Chief State School Oficers (Baltimore, Maryland, May 8-11, 1988).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yount, Rebecca, Ed.; Magurn, Nancy, Ed.

Presenters at this conference on teaching at-risk youth focused on the following topics: (1) effective teaching approaches to reach different types of learners; (2) improving the school-as-workplace through collaboration among and support of teachers; (3) successful teaching practice for at-risk students; (4) the cultural orientation of black…

Making a Difference for Students at Risk. Trends and Alternatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Margaret C., Ed.; Reynolds, Maynard C., Ed.

Papers in this collection were commissioned for a conference entitled, "Making a Difference for Students at Risk," to serve as springboards for discussion. Discussions and recommendations from conferees were incorporated into the versions presented in this volume. The two topics that dominated discussion at the conference were: basic…

Do Major Depressive Disorder and Dysthymic Disorder confer differential risk for suicide?

PubMed Central

Witte, Tracy K.; Timmons, Katherine A.; Fink, Erin; Smith, April R.; Joiner, Thomas E.

2009-01-01

Background Although there has been a tremendous amount of research examining the risk conferred for suicide by depression in general, relatively little research examines the risk conferred by specific forms of depressive illness (e.g., dysthymic disorder, single episode versus recurrent major depressive disorder [MDD]). The purpose of the current study was to examine differences in suicidal ideation, clinician-rated suicide risk, suicide attempts, and family history of suicide in a sample of outpatients diagnosed with various forms of depressive illness. Methods To accomplish this aim, we conducted a cluster analysis using the aforementioned suicide-related variables in a sample of 494 outpatients seen between January 2001 and July 2007 at the Florida State University Psychology Clinic. Patients were diagnosed using DSM-IV criteria. Results Two distinct clusters emerged that were indicative of lower and higher risk for suicide. After controlling for the number of comorbid Axis I and Axis II diagnoses, the only depressive illness that significantly predicted cluster membership was recurrent MDD, which tripled an individual’s likelihood of being assigned to the higher risk cluster. Limitations The use of a cross-sectional design; the relatively low suicide risk in our sample; the relatively small number of individuals with double depression. Conclusions Our results demonstrate the importance of both chronicity and severity of depression in terms of predicting increased suicide risk. Among the various forms of depressive illness examined, only recurrent MDD appeared to confer greater risk for suicide. PMID:18842304

Adverse childhood experiences and sexual victimization in adulthood.

PubMed

Ports, Katie A; Ford, Derek C; Merrick, Melissa T

2016-01-01

Understanding the link between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and sexual victimization (SV) in adulthood may provide important information about the level of risk for adult SV and sexual re-victimization among childhood sexual abuse (CSA) survivors. In the present paper, we explore the relationship between ACEs, including CSA, and SV in adulthood. Data from the CDC-Kaiser ACE Study were used to examine the effect of experiences of early adversity on adult SV. Adult HMO members (n=7,272) undergoing a routine health exam provided detailed information about ACEs that occurred at age 18 or younger and their experiences of SV in adulthood. Analyses revealed that as ACE score increased, so did risk of experiencing SV in adulthood. Each of the ACE variables was significantly associated with adult SV, with CSA being the strongest predictor of adult SV. In addition, for those who reported CSA, there was a cumulative increase in adult SV risk with each additional ACE experienced. As such, early adversity is a risk factor for adult SV. In particular, CSA is a significant risk factor for sexual re-victimization in adulthood, and additional early adversities experienced by CSA survivors may heighten adult SV risk above and beyond the risk associated with CSA alone. Given the interconnectedness among various experiences of early adversity, adult SV prevention actions must consider how other violence-related and non-violence-related traumatic experiences may exacerbate the risk conferred by CSA on subsequent victimization. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

PREFACE: Inhaled Particles X: 23-25 September 2008, Sheffield UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kenny, Lee; Hurley, Fintan

2009-07-01

Multi-disciplinary research is vital to the science of particle-mediated lung disease and a distinctive feature of the Inhaled Particles Conference series. Continuing this tradition, Inhaled Particles X brought together world-renowned and up-and-coming researchers from a wide range of specialist disciplines, but with a common interest and purpose: to understand better the nature of inhalable particles and their effects once inhaled, for the protection of workers' and public health. IPX was an integrative Conference, in three ways. First, as usual with Inhaled Particles, IPX welcomed the full range of disciplines and scientists concerned with protection of health from inhaled particles. This included engineers concerned with dust control; scientists characterising and modelling emissions; exposure measurement, in the field and in the laboratory; experts in particle deposition and clearance; toxicologists discovering mechanisms of damage; epidemiologists developing and applying methods to link exposure with risk; and those concerned with policy - with setting standards, with protection of individuals. Secondly, IPX was concerned with particles in the workplace, in outdoor air, and in the general indoor environment; and tried to find common threads and encourage cross-over of ideas between these three broad fields. And thirdly, IPX integrated experience and perspectives internationally, including issues such as silicosis and pneumoconiosis that are now unfashionable as research topics in the developed Western economies but still constitute a major public health risk internationally. Contributors to IPX were invited to submit extended abstracts for publication in these Proceedings; in addition, all authors were asked to prepare a short abstract. These short abstracts (including those attached to extended abstracts and papers) are collected and published together in this Conference Overview, to maintain the integrity of the Proceedings as a record of the Conference as a whole.

Common Variants in the MKL1 Gene Confer Risk of Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Luo, Xiong-jian; Huang, Liang; van den Oord, Edwin J.; Aberg, Karolina A.; Gan, Lin; Zhao, Zhongming; Yao, Yong-Gang

2015-01-01

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of schizophrenia have identified multiple risk variants with robust association signals for schizophrenia. However, these variants could explain only a small proportion of schizophrenia heritability. Furthermore, the effect size of these risk variants is relatively small (eg, most of them had an OR less than 1.2), suggesting that additional risk variants may be detected when increasing sample size in analysis. Here, we report the identification of a genome-wide significant schizophrenia risk locus at 22q13.1 by combining 2 large-scale schizophrenia cohort studies. Our meta-analysis revealed that 7 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) on chromosome 22q13.1 reached the genome-wide significance level (P < 5.0×10–8) in the combined samples (a total of 38441 individuals). Among them, SNP rs6001946 had the most significant association with schizophrenia (P = 2.04×10–8). Interestingly, all 7 SNPs are in high linkage disequilibrium and located in the MKL1 gene. Expression analysis showed that MKL1 is highly expressed in human and mouse brains. We further investigated functional links between MKL1 and proteins encoded by other schizophrenia susceptibility genes in the whole human protein interaction network. We found that MKL1 physically interacts with GSK3B, a protein encoded by a well-characterized schizophrenia susceptibility gene. Collectively, our results revealed that genetic variants in MKL1 might confer risk to schizophrenia. Further investigation of the roles of MKL1 in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia is warranted. PMID:25380769

A rare coding variant in TREM2 increases risk for Alzheimer's disease in Han Chinese.

PubMed

Jiang, Teng; Tan, Lan; Chen, Qi; Tan, Meng-Shan; Zhou, Jun-Shan; Zhu, Xi-Chen; Lu, Huan; Wang, Hui-Fu; Zhang, Ying-Dong; Yu, Jin-Tai

2016-06-01

Two recent studies have identified that a rare coding variant (p.R47H) in exon 2 of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) gene is associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) susceptibility in Caucasians. This association was not successfully replicated in Han Chinese, where this variant was rare or even absent. Previously, we resequenced TREM2 exon 2 to investigate whether additional rare variants conferred risk to AD in our cohort. Although several new variants had been identified, none of them was significantly associated with disease susceptibility. Here, to test whether TREM2 is truly a susceptibility gene of AD in Han Chinese, we extend our previous study by sequencing the other four exons of TREM2 in 988 AD patients and 1,354 healthy controls. We provided the first evidence that a rare coding variant (p.H157Y) in TREM2 exon 3 conferred a considerable risk of AD in our cohort (Pcorrected = 0.02, odds ratio = 11.01, 95% confidence interval: 1.38-88.05). This finding indicates that rare coding variants of TREM2 may play an important role in AD in Han Chinese. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Discovery of common variants associated with low TSH levels and thyroid cancer risk

PubMed Central

Gudmundsson, Julius; Sulem, Patrick; Gudbjartsson, Daniel F; Jonasson, Jon G; Masson, Gisli; He, Huiling; Jonasdottir, Aslaug; Sigurdsson, Asgeir; Stacey, Simon N; Johannsdottir, Hrefna; Helgadottir, Hafdis Th; Li, Wei; Nagy, Rebecca; Ringel, Matthew D; Kloos, Richard T; de Visser, Marieke C H; Plantinga, Theo S; den Heijer, Martin; Aguillo, Esperanza; Panadero, Angeles; Prats, Enrique; Garcia-Castaño, Almudena; De Juan, Ana; Rivera, Fernando; Walters, G Bragi; Bjarnason, Hjordis; Tryggvadottir, Laufey; Eyjolfsson, Gudmundur I; Bjornsdottir, Unnur S; Holm, Hilma; Olafsson, Isleifur; Kristjansson, Kristleifur; Kristvinsson, Hoskuldur; Magnusson, Olafur T; Thorleifsson, Gudmar; Gulcher, Jeffrey R; Kong, Augustine; Kiemeney, Lambertus ALM; Jonsson, Thorvaldur; Hjartarson, Hannes; Mayordomo, Jose I; Netea-Maier, Romana T; de la Chapelle, Albert; Hrafnkelsson, Jon; Thorsteinsdottir, Unnur; Rafnar, Thorunn; Stefansson, Kari

2013-01-01

To search for sequence variants conferring risk of nonmedullary thyroid cancer, we focused our analysis on 22 SNPs with a P < 5 × 10−8 in a genome-wide association study on levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in 27,758 Icelanders. Of those, rs965513 has previously been shown to associate with thyroid cancer. The remaining 21 SNPs were genotyped in 561 Icelandic individuals with thyroid cancer (cases) and up to 40,013 controls. Variants suggestively associated with thyroid cancer (P < 0.05) were genotyped in an additional 595 non-Icelandic cases and 2,604 controls. After combining the results, three variants were shown to associate with thyroid cancer: rs966423 on 2q35 (OR = 1.34; Pcombined = 1.3 × 10−9), rs2439302 on 8p12 (OR = 1.36; Pcombined = 2.0 × 10−9) and rs116909374 on 14q13.3 (OR = 2.09; Pcombined = 4.6 × 10−11), a region previously reported to contain an uncorrelated variant conferring risk of thyroid cancer. A strong association (P = 9.1 × 10−91) was observed between rs2439302 on 8p12 and expression of NRG1, which encodes the signaling protein neuregulin 1, in blood. PMID:22267200

Allogeneic Transplantation: Peripheral Blood versus Bone Marrow

PubMed Central

Bensinger, William I.

2013-01-01

Purpose of Review Peripheral Blood Stem Cells (PBSC) have been widely adopted as a source of stem cells for allogeneic transplantation although controversy remains regarding their role compared to the use of bone marrow (BM). Recent Findings Ten year follow-up has been reported from several large randomized trials and a recently completed trial using unrelated donor stem cells have been reported. In addition, two meta-analyses have been reported from the findings of a number of randomized studies. Several studies indicate that PBSC confer survival advantages over BM with matched sibling donors for most disease categories except where the risks of disease recurrence within the first year are low, but with the extra risk of more chronic GVHD. Using PBSC from unrelated donors does not appear to be more beneficial than BM, but with early follow-up. New strategies for rapid mobilization of PBSC from normal donors using plerixafor have been reported. Early studies suggest that filgrastim stimulated BM may confer some of the advantages of PBSC without the risks of chronic GVHD. Summary PBSC are a preferred source of stem cells for many types of allogeneic transplant where matched related donors are available. Whether the same benefits accrue from unrelated donors will require further follow-up. PMID:22185938

Independent associations between a metabolic syndrome severity score and future diabetes by sex and race: the Atherosclerosis Risk In Communities Study and Jackson Heart Study.

PubMed

Gurka, Matthew J; Golden, Sherita H; Musani, Solomon K; Sims, Mario; Vishnu, Abhishek; Guo, Yi; Cardel, Michelle; Pearson, Thomas A; DeBoer, Mark D

2017-07-01

The study aimed to assess for an association between the degree of severity of the metabolic syndrome and risk of type 2 diabetes beyond that conferred by the individual components of the metabolic syndrome. We assessed HRs for an Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP-III) metabolic syndrome score (ATP-III MetS) and a sex- and race-specific continuous metabolic syndrome severity z score related to incident diabetes over a median of 7.8 years of follow-up among participants of two observational cohorts, the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study (n = 10,957) and the Jackson Heart Study (n = 2137). The ATP-III MetS had an HR for incident diabetes of 4.36 (95% CI 3.83, 4.97), which was attenuated in models that included the individual metabolic syndrome components. By contrast, participants in the fourth quartile of metabolic syndrome severity (compared with the first quartile) had an HR of 17.4 (95% CI 12.6, 24.1) for future diabetes; in models that also included the individual metabolic syndrome components, this remained significant, with an HR of 3.69 (95% CI 2.42, 5.64). There was a race × metabolic syndrome interaction in these models such that HR was greater for black participants (5.30) than white participants (2.24). When the change in metabolic syndrome severity score was included in the hazard models, this conferred a further association, with changes in metabolic syndrome severity score of ≥0.5 having a HR of 2.66 compared with changes in metabolic syndrome severity score of ≤0. Use of a continuous sex- and race-specific metabolic syndrome severity z score provided an additional prediction of risk of diabetes beyond that of the individual metabolic syndrome components, suggesting an added risk conferred by the processes underlying the metabolic syndrome. Increases in this score over time were associated with further risk, supporting the potential clinical utility of following metabolic syndrome severity over time.

Breaking new ground in the study and practice of alcohol brief interventions.

PubMed

Heather, Nick

2010-11-01

This article amplifies the decision to subtitle the INEBRIA2009 Conference 'Breaking New Ground'. The effectiveness of screening and brief intervention (SBI) for hazardous and harmful drinking is now well-established for primary health care and is promising for other medical settings. In addition, significant advances in the implementation of SBI are being made in various parts of the world. But, because of the need to establish efficacy and effectiveness, and perhaps too because of a preoccupation with meta-analysis of existing research findings, progress in other aspects of the theory and practice of SBI has been slower than ideal. There may also be a risk of complacency in the SBI field of study. For these reasons and others, the Conference Organizing Committee decided to focus the conference and invite presentations on a number of specific topics in the field of alcohol SBI and these are listed here followed by a discussion of other areas in which new ground needs to be broken.[Heather N. Breaking new ground in the study and practice of alcohol brief interventions. © 2010 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Deciphering the Resistome of the Widespread Pseudomonas aeruginosa Sequence Type 175 International High-Risk Clone through Whole-Genome Sequencing

PubMed Central

López-Causapé, Carla; Ocampo-Sosa, Alain A.; Sommer, Lea M.; Domínguez, María Ángeles; Zamorano, Laura; Juan, Carlos; Tubau, Fe; Rodríguez, Cristina; Moyà, Bartolomé; Martínez-Martínez, Luis; Plesiat, Patrick

2016-01-01

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was used for the characterization of the frequently extensively drug resistant (XDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa sequence type 175 (ST175) high-risk clone. A total of 18 ST175 isolates recovered from 8 different Spanish hospitals were analyzed; 4 isolates from 4 different French hospitals were included for comparison. The typical resistance profile of ST175 included penicillins, cephalosporins, monobactams, carbapenems, aminoglycosides, and fluoroquinolones. In the phylogenetic analysis, the four French isolates clustered together with two isolates from one of the Spanish regions. Sequence variation was analyzed for 146 chromosomal genes related to antimicrobial resistance, and horizontally acquired genes were explored using online databases. The resistome of ST175 was determined mainly by mutational events; resistance traits common to all or nearly all of the strains included specific ampR mutations leading to ampC overexpression, specific mutations in oprD conferring carbapenem resistance, or a mexZ mutation leading to MexXY overexpression. All isolates additionally harbored an aadB gene conferring gentamicin and tobramycin resistance. Several other resistance traits were specific to certain geographic areas, such as a streptomycin resistance gene, aadA13, detected in all four isolates from France and in the two isolates from the Cantabria region and a glpT mutation conferring fosfomycin resistance, detected in all but these six isolates. Finally, several unique resistance mutations were detected in single isolates; particularly interesting were those in genes encoding penicillin-binding proteins (PBP1A, PBP3, and PBP4). Thus, these results provide information valuable for understanding the genetic basis of resistance and the dynamics of the dissemination and evolution of high-risk clones. PMID:27736752

Deciphering the Resistome of the Widespread Pseudomonas aeruginosa Sequence Type 175 International High-Risk Clone through Whole-Genome Sequencing.

PubMed

Cabot, Gabriel; López-Causapé, Carla; Ocampo-Sosa, Alain A; Sommer, Lea M; Domínguez, María Ángeles; Zamorano, Laura; Juan, Carlos; Tubau, Fe; Rodríguez, Cristina; Moyà, Bartolomé; Peña, Carmen; Martínez-Martínez, Luis; Plesiat, Patrick; Oliver, Antonio

2016-12-01

Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was used for the characterization of the frequently extensively drug resistant (XDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa sequence type 175 (ST175) high-risk clone. A total of 18 ST175 isolates recovered from 8 different Spanish hospitals were analyzed; 4 isolates from 4 different French hospitals were included for comparison. The typical resistance profile of ST175 included penicillins, cephalosporins, monobactams, carbapenems, aminoglycosides, and fluoroquinolones. In the phylogenetic analysis, the four French isolates clustered together with two isolates from one of the Spanish regions. Sequence variation was analyzed for 146 chromosomal genes related to antimicrobial resistance, and horizontally acquired genes were explored using online databases. The resistome of ST175 was determined mainly by mutational events; resistance traits common to all or nearly all of the strains included specific ampR mutations leading to ampC overexpression, specific mutations in oprD conferring carbapenem resistance, or a mexZ mutation leading to MexXY overexpression. All isolates additionally harbored an aadB gene conferring gentamicin and tobramycin resistance. Several other resistance traits were specific to certain geographic areas, such as a streptomycin resistance gene, aadA13, detected in all four isolates from France and in the two isolates from the Cantabria region and a glpT mutation conferring fosfomycin resistance, detected in all but these six isolates. Finally, several unique resistance mutations were detected in single isolates; particularly interesting were those in genes encoding penicillin-binding proteins (PBP1A, PBP3, and PBP4). Thus, these results provide information valuable for understanding the genetic basis of resistance and the dynamics of the dissemination and evolution of high-risk clones. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

76 FR 60820 - North American Electric Reliability Corporation; Notice of Technical Conference

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-30

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. RD10-8-000] North American Electric Reliability Corporation; Notice of Technical Conference Take notice that the Federal Energy... Conference will explore the risks of leaving dial-up intelligent electronic devices that are part of the Bulk...

Non-Linear Dose-Response Relationships in Biology, Toxicology and Medicine - An International Conference

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

Calabrese, Edward J.; Kostecki, Paul T.

Conference abstract book contains seven sections: Plenary-4 abstracts; Chemical-9 abstracts; Radiation-7 abstracts; Ultra Low Doses and Medicine-6 abstracts; Biomedical-11 abstracts; Risk Assessment-5 abstracts and Poster Sessions-25 abstracts. Each abstract was provided by the author/presenter participating in the conference.

The polygenic risk for bipolar disorder influences brain regional function relating to visual and default state processing of emotional information.

PubMed

Dima, Danai; de Jong, Simone; Breen, Gerome; Frangou, Sophia

2016-01-01

Genome-wise association studies have identified a number of common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), each of small effect, associated with risk to bipolar disorder (BD). Several risk-conferring SNPs have been individually shown to influence regional brain activation thus linking genetic risk for BD to altered brain function. The current study examined whether the polygenic risk score method, which models the cumulative load of all known risk-conferring SNPs, may be useful in the identification of brain regions whose function may be related to the polygenic architecture of BD. We calculated the individual polygenic risk score for BD (PGR-BD) in forty-one patients with the disorder, twenty-five unaffected first-degree relatives and forty-six unrelated healthy controls using the most recent Psychiatric Genomics Consortium data. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to define task-related brain activation patterns in response to facial affect and working memory processing. We found significant effects of the PGR-BD score on task-related activation irrespective of diagnostic group. There was a negative association between the PGR-BD score and activation in the visual association cortex during facial affect processing. In contrast, the PGR-BD score was associated with failure to deactivate the ventromedial prefrontal region of the default mode network during working memory processing. These results are consistent with the threshold-liability model of BD, and demonstrate the usefulness of the PGR-BD score in identifying brain functional alternations associated with vulnerability to BD. Additionally, our findings suggest that the polygenic architecture of BD is not regionally confined but impacts on the task-dependent recruitment of multiple brain regions.

76 FR 78641 - Southwestern Gas Storage Technical Conference; Notice of Public Conference

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-19

... Storage Technical Conference; Notice of Public Conference Take notice that on February 16, 2012 at 9 a.m... technical conference with interested parties to discuss issues related to natural gas storage development in... Cold Weather Event of February 1-5, 2011: Causes and Recommendations, ``[a]dditional gas storage...

Mental Health Disorders, Suicide Risk, and Treatment seeking among Formerly Deployed National Guard and Reserve Service Member seen in Non-VA Facilities

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

Other Physical and Psychological Health Problems," which was chosen as one of the top 5 posters submitted to the conference. In addition, a brief...mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in veterans from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflict in relation to other physical and psychological health ...associated with other physical and psychological health problems among veterans seen in clinical practice. Methods As part of a larger study involving

Travel for the 2004 American Statistical Association Biannual Radiation Meeting: "Radiation in Realistic Environments: Interactions Between Radiation and Other Factors

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

Brenner, David J.

The 16th ASA Conference on Radiation and Health, held June 27-30, 2004 in Beaver Creek, CO, offered a unique forum for discussing research related to the effects of radiation exposures on human health in a multidisciplinary setting. The Conference furnishes investigators in health related disciplines the opportunity to learn about new quantitative approaches to their problems and furnishes statisticians the opportunity to learn about new applications for their discipline. The Conference was attended by about 60 scientists including statisticians, epidemiologists, biologists and physicists interested in radiation research. For the first time, ten recipients of Young Investigator Awards participated in themore » conference. The Conference began with a debate on the question: “Do radiation doses below 1 cGy increase cancer risks?” The keynote speaker was Dr. Martin Lavin, who gave a banquet presentation on the timely topic “How important is ATM?” The focus of the 2004 Conference on Radiation and Health was Radiation in Realistic Environments: Interactions Between Radiation and Other Risk Modifiers. The sessions of the conference included: Radiation, Smoking, and Lung Cancer Interactions of Radiation with Genetic Factors: ATM Radiation, Genetics, and Epigenetics Radiotherapeutic Interactions The Conference on Radiation and Health is held bi-annually, and participants are looking forward to the 17th conference to be held in 2006.« less

Arrest types and co-occurring disorders in persons with schizophrenia or related psychoses.

PubMed

McCabe, Patrick J; Christopher, Paul P; Druhn, Nicholas; Roy-Bujnowski, Kristen M; Grudzinskas, Albert J; Fisher, William H

2012-07-01

This study examined the patterns of criminal arrest and co-occurring psychiatric disorders among individuals with schizophrenia or related psychosis that were receiving public mental health services and had an arrest history. Within a 10-year period, 65% of subjects were arrested for crimes against public order, 50% for serious violent crimes, and 45% for property crimes. The presence of any co-occurring disorder increased the risk of arrest for all offense categories. For nearly all offense types, antisocial personality disorder and substance use disorders conferred the greatest increase in risk for arrest. Among anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder was associated with a greater risk of arrest for serious violent crimes but not other offense types. Criminal risk assessments and clinical management in this population should focus on co-occurring antisocial personality disorder and substance use disorders in addition to other clinical and non-clinical factors.

DE NOVO MUTATIONS IN AUTISM IMPLICATE THE SYNAPTIC ELIMINATION NETWORK.

PubMed

Ram Venkataraman, Guhan; O'Connell, Chloe; Egawa, Fumiko; Kashef-Haghighi, Dorna; Wall, Dennis P

2017-01-01

Autism has been shown to have a major genetic risk component; the architecture of documented autism in families has been over and again shown to be passed down for generations. While inherited risk plays an important role in the autistic nature of children, de novo (germline) mutations have also been implicated in autism risk. Here we find that autism de novo variants verified and published in the literature are Bonferroni-significantly enriched in a gene set implicated in synaptic elimination. Additionally, several of the genes in this synaptic elimination set that were enriched in protein-protein interactions (CACNA1C, SHANK2, SYNGAP1, NLGN3, NRXN1, and PTEN) have been previously confirmed as genes that confer risk for the disorder. The results demonstrate that autism-associated de novos are linked to proper synaptic pruning and density, hinting at the etiology of autism and suggesting pathophysiology for downstream correction and treatment.

Testing an integrated model of eating disorders in paediatric type 1 diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Wilson, Charlotte E; Smith, Emma L; Coker, Sian E; Hobbis, Imogen Ca; Acerini, Carlo L

2015-11-01

Eating disorders in young people with type 1 diabetes mellitus confer additional health risks beyond those conferred by the disease itself. Risk factors for developing eating disorders are poorly understood. The current study aimed to examine risk factors for eating disturbance in young people with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Both diabetes specific risk factors, such as body mass index (BMI), glycaemic control and diabetes-related conflict, and also more general risk factors such as dysfunctional perfectionism and low self-esteem were assessed. Fifty young people aged 14-16 and their primary caregiver were asked to complete interviews and questionnaires about their eating attitudes and behaviours, dysfunctional perfectionism, self-esteem, family conflict, and general mental health symptoms. Recent weight and height and glycaemic control were extracted from the medical file. Different factors distinguished those young people who displayed eating disorder attitudes from those who did not (higher BMI-z, poorer glycaemic control, and lower self-esteem) and those young people who displayed eating disorder behaviour from those who did not (lower self-esteem and higher diabetes-related family conflict). The results of the current study suggest that there might be different factors associated with eating disorders (ED) attitudes and ED behaviours, but that food/eating-related factors, family factors, and intra-personal factors are all important. Furthermore there are some gender differences in the presence of ED attitudes and behaviours and preliminary evidence that higher body mass indexes (BMIs) impact on girls more than they do on boys. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Official Positions for FRAX® Bone Mineral Density and FRAX® simplification from Joint Official Positions Development Conference of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry and International Osteoporosis Foundation on FRAX®.

PubMed

Lewiecki, E Michael; Compston, Juliet E; Miller, Paul D; Adachi, Jonathan D; Adams, Judith E; Leslie, William D; Kanis, John A; Moayyeri, Alireza; Adler, Robert A; Hans, Didier B; Kendler, David L; Diez-Perez, Adolfo; Krieg, Marc-Antoine; Masri, Basel K; Lorenc, Roman R; Bauer, Douglas C; Blake, Glen M; Josse, Robert G; Clark, Patricia; Khan, Aliya A

2011-01-01

Tools to predict fracture risk are useful for selecting patients for pharmacological therapy in order to reduce fracture risk and redirect limited healthcare resources to those who are most likely to benefit. FRAX® is a World Health Organization fracture risk assessment algorithm for estimating the 10-year probability of hip fracture and major osteoporotic fracture. Effective application of FRAX® in clinical practice requires a thorough understanding of its limitations as well as its utility. For some patients, FRAX® may underestimate or overestimate fracture risk. In order to address some of the common issues encountered with the use of FRAX® for individual patients, the International Society for Clinical Densitometry (ISCD) and International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) assigned task forces to review the medical evidence and make recommendations for optimal use of FRAX® in clinical practice. Among the issues addressed were the use of bone mineral density (BMD) measurements at skeletal sites other than the femoral neck, the use of technologies other than dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, the use of FRAX® without BMD input, the use of FRAX® to monitor treatment, and the addition of the rate of bone loss as a clinical risk factor for FRAX®. The evidence and recommendations were presented to a panel of experts at the Joint ISCD-IOF FRAX® Position Development Conference, resulting in the development of Joint ISCD-IOF Official Positions addressing FRAX®-related issues. Copyright © 2011 The International Society for Clinical Densitometry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

International Conference on Harmonisation; guidance on Q9 Quality Risk Management; availability. Notice.

PubMed

2006-06-02

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of a guidance entitled "Q9 Quality Risk Management."' The guidance was prepared under the auspices of the International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH). The guidance provides principles and examples of tools for quality risk management that can be applied to all aspects of pharmaceutical quality throughout the lifecycle of drug substances, drug products, and biological and biotechnological products. The guidance is intended to enable regulators and industry to make more effective and consistent risk-based decisions.

Increased anaesthesia duration increases venous thromboembolism risk in plastic surgery: A 6-year analysis of over 19,000 cases using the NSQIP dataset.

PubMed

Mlodinow, Alexei S; Khavanin, Nima; Ver Halen, Jon P; Rambachan, Aksharananda; Gutowski, Karol A; Kim, John Y S

2015-01-01

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in the postoperative setting. Various risk stratification schema exist in the plastic surgery literature, but do not take into account variations in procedure length. The putative risk of VTE conferred by increased length of time under anaesthesia has never been rigorously explored. The goal of this study is to assess this relationship and to benchmark VTE rates in plastic surgery. A large, multi-institutional quality-improvement database was queried for plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures performed under general anaesthesia between 2005-2011. In total, 19,276 cases were abstracted from the database. Z-scores were calculated based on procedure-specific mean surgical durations, to assess each case's length in comparison to the mean for that procedure. A total of 70 patients (0.36%) experienced a post-operative VTE. Patients with and without post-operative VTE were compared with respect to a variety of demographics, comorbidities, and intraoperative characteristics. Potential confounders for VTE were included in a regression model, along with the Z-scores. VTE occurred in both cosmetic and reconstructive procedures. Longer surgery time, relative to procedural means, was associated with increased VTE rates. Further, regression analysis showed increase in Z-score to be an independent risk factor for post-operative VTE (Odds Ratio of 1.772 per unit, p-value < 0.001). Subgroup analyses corroborated these findings. This study validates the long-held view that increased surgical duration confers risk of VTE, as well as benchmarks VTE rates in plastic surgery procedures. While this in itself does not suggest an intervention, surgical time under general anaesthesia would be a useful addition to existing risk models in plastic surgery.

Soaring to Excellence. Proceedings of the Annual North East Association for Institutional Research (NEAIR) Conference (33rd, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 4-7, 2006)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alvord, Catherine, Ed.

2006-01-01

The NEAIR 2006 Conference Proceedings is a compilation of papers presented at the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania conference. Topics include: Policy Analysis, Grading Policy, State Higher Education Accountability Program, Performance Assessment, Freshmen Transfer Risk, Assessment, Degree Completion, First-Year Academic Success, Effectiveness in…

Short (≤ 1 mm) positive surgical margin and risk of biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy.

PubMed

Shikanov, Sergey; Marchetti, Pablo; Desai, Vikas; Razmaria, Aria; Antic, Tatjana; Al-Ahmadie, Hikmat; Zagaja, Gregory; Eggener, Scott; Brendler, Charles; Shalhav, Arieh

2013-04-01

WHAT'S KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT? AND WHAT DOES THE STUDY ADD?: It has been suggested that a very short positive margin does not confer additional risk of BCR after radical prostatectomy. This study shows that even very short PSM is associated with increased risk of BCR. To re-evaluate, in a larger cohort with longer follow-up, our previously reported finding that a positive surgical margin (PSM) ≤ 1 mm may not confer an additional risk for biochemical recurrence (BCR) compared with a negative surgical margin (NSM). Margin status and length were evaluated in 2866 men treated with radical prostatectomy (RP) for clinically localized prostate cancer at our institution from 1994 to 2009. We compared the BCR-free survival probability of men with NSMs, a PSM ≤ 1 mm, and a PSM < 1 mm using the Kaplan-Meier method and a Cox regression model adjusted for preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, age, pathological stage and pathological Gleason score (GS). Compared with a NSM, a PSM ≤ 1 mm was associated with 17% lower 3-year BCR-free survival for men with pT3 and GS ≥ 7 tumours and a 6% lower 3-year BCR-free survival for men with pT2 and GS ≤ 6 tumours (log-rank P < 0.001 for all). In the multivariate model, a PSM ≤ 1 mm was associated with a probability of BCR twice as high as that for a NSM (hazard ratio [HR] 2.2), as were a higher PSA level (HR 1.04), higher pathological stage (HR 2.7) and higher pathological GS (HR 3.7 [all P < 0.001]). In men with non-organ-confined or high grade prostate cancer, a PSM ≤ 1 mm has a significant adverse impact on BCR rates. © 2012 The Authors. BJU International © 2012 BJU International.

Risks of Lung Cancer Screening

MedlinePlus

... Events Scientific Meetings & Lectures Conferences Advisory Board Meetings Social Media Events Cancer Currents Blog All Press Releases 2018 ... Events Scientific Meetings & Lectures Conferences Advisory Board Meetings Social Media Cancer Currents Blog About NCI NCI Overview History ...

Verification of the new grading scale for ocular chronic graft-versus-host disease developed by the German-Austrian-Swiss consensus conference on chronic GVHD.

PubMed

Blecha, Christiane; Wolff, Daniel; Holler, Barbara; Holler, Ernst; Weber, Daniela; Vogt, Regine; Helbig, Horst; Dietrich-Ntoukas, Tina

2016-02-01

The purpose of the study was to validate a recently proposed new grading system for ocular manifestations of chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD). Diagnosis of cGVHD was based on the NIH consensus criteria. In addition, a grading scale was applied, which has been developed by the German-Austrian-Swiss Consensus Conference on Clinical Practice in cGVHD. Sixty-six patients (male n = 46, female n = 20, mean age 48 years) with ocular cGVHD were included. Application of the proposed Consensus Conference grading revealed inflammatory activity in all patients with mild (33 %), moderate (44 %), or severe inflammation (23 %). Clinical scoring by the NIH scoring system showed that 6 % of patients had mild symptoms; 59 % of patients had moderate dry eye symptoms partially affecting activities of daily living, without vision impairment; and 35 % of patients had severe dry eye symptoms significantly affecting daily activities. Clinical characterization and grading by the Consensus Conference grading scale revealed that ocular cGVHD (1) frequently leads to severe ocular surface disease based on impaired function of the lacrimal glands and involvement of cornea, conjunctiva, and lids; (2) is mostly associated with ongoing inflammatory activity; (3) often leads to functional impairment and reduced quality of life; and (4) is associated with an increased risk for severe, sight-threatening complications.

Sports-related concussions — media, science and policy

PubMed Central

Mannix, Rebekah; Meehan, William P.; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro

2017-01-01

Although growing awareness about the potential long-term deleterious effects of sport-related concussion has led to increased attention to the risks of collision sports, calls to ban these sports, such as American football, might be premature. Collision sports have a relatively high incidence of concussions, but participation in these sports also confers a host of benefits. In addition, the associated risks of participation, including concussion, have not been definitively shown to outweigh the benefits they provide, and the risk–benefit ratio might vary among individuals. The risks of concussion and repetitive concussions associated with collision sports are unknown in the general population and not well characterized even in elite athlete populations. In this article, we discuss current knowledge on sports-related concussion, its neurological consequences, and implications for regulation of the practice of collision sports. PMID:27364748

Plasma Free Amino Acid Profiles Predict Four-Year Risk of Developing Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, Dyslipidemia, and Hypertension in Japanese Population

PubMed Central

Yamakado, Minoru; Nagao, Kenji; Imaizumi, Akira; Tani, Mizuki; Toda, Akiko; Tanaka, Takayuki; Jinzu, Hiroko; Miyano, Hiroshi; Yamamoto, Hiroshi; Daimon, Takashi; Horimoto, Katsuhisa; Ishizaka, Yuko

2015-01-01

Plasma free amino acid (PFAA) profile is highlighted in its association with visceral obesity and hyperinsulinemia, and future diabetes. Indeed PFAA profiling potentially can evaluate individuals’ future risks of developing lifestyle-related diseases, in addition to diabetes. However, few studies have been performed especially in Asian populations, about the optimal combination of PFAAs for evaluating health risks. We quantified PFAA levels in 3,701 Japanese subjects, and determined visceral fat area (VFA) and two-hour post-challenge insulin (Ins120 min) values in 865 and 1,160 subjects, respectively. Then, models between PFAA levels and the VFA or Ins120 min values were constructed by multiple linear regression analysis with variable selection. Finally, a cohort study of 2,984 subjects to examine capabilities of the obtained models for predicting four-year risk of developing new-onset lifestyle-related diseases was conducted. The correlation coefficients of the obtained PFAA models against VFA or Ins120 min were higher than single PFAA level. Our models work well for future risk prediction. Even after adjusting for commonly accepted multiple risk factors, these models can predict future development of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and dyslipidemia. PFAA profiles confer independent and differing contributions to increasing the lifestyle-related disease risks in addition to the currently known factors in a general Japanese population. PMID:26156880

HLA-DQ distribution and risk assessment of celiac disease in a Spanish center.

PubMed

Martínez-Ojinaga, Eva; Molina, Manuel; Polanco, Isabel; Urcelay, Elena; Núñez, Concepción

2018-04-27

celiac disease is a multisystem immune-mediated disease triggered by gluten in genetically susceptible individuals. The HLA-DQ2 and/or HLA-DQ8 heterodimers are encoded by the main genetic predisposing factors and their presence is required for the development of the immunological response that leads to the disease. However, the HLA-conferred risk can differ within different countries. The aim of the study was to analyze the risk of Spanish children to develop celiac disease according to their HLA-DQ genotype. a retrospective observational case-control study was performed using a sample of 475 celiac patients and 628 controls. children carrying the HLA-DQ2.5 factor had the highest disease risk, especially those with two HLA-DQB1*02 alleles. A similar high risk was observed in HLA-DQ8 homozygous individuals. A risk conferred by HLA-DQ8 in heterozygosity and HLA-DQ2.2 was also found and two patients with celiac disease carried the HLA-DQ7.5 haplotype as the only HLA risk factor. there are four genetic risk categories according to the HLA-DQ genotype. The HLA-DQ7.5 genotype does not confer risk but should not be used to rule out celiac disease when a high suspicion of the disease exists. These findings could be relevant to determine when to perform serological screening in asymptomatic subjects at risk of celiac disease.

Common variant at 16p11.2 conferring risk of psychosis.

PubMed

Steinberg, S; de Jong, S; Mattheisen, M; Costas, J; Demontis, D; Jamain, S; Pietiläinen, O P H; Lin, K; Papiol, S; Huttenlocher, J; Sigurdsson, E; Vassos, E; Giegling, I; Breuer, R; Fraser, G; Walker, N; Melle, I; Djurovic, S; Agartz, I; Tuulio-Henriksson, A; Suvisaari, J; Lönnqvist, J; Paunio, T; Olsen, L; Hansen, T; Ingason, A; Pirinen, M; Strengman, E; Hougaard, D M; Orntoft, T; Didriksen, M; Hollegaard, M V; Nordentoft, M; Abramova, L; Kaleda, V; Arrojo, M; Sanjuán, J; Arango, C; Etain, B; Bellivier, F; Méary, A; Schürhoff, F; Szoke, A; Ribolsi, M; Magni, V; Siracusano, A; Sperling, S; Rossner, M; Christiansen, C; Kiemeney, L A; Franke, B; van den Berg, L H; Veldink, J; Curran, S; Bolton, P; Poot, M; Staal, W; Rehnstrom, K; Kilpinen, H; Freitag, C M; Meyer, J; Magnusson, P; Saemundsen, E; Martsenkovsky, I; Bikshaieva, I; Martsenkovska, I; Vashchenko, O; Raleva, M; Paketchieva, K; Stefanovski, B; Durmishi, N; Pejovic Milovancevic, M; Lecic Tosevski, D; Silagadze, T; Naneishvili, N; Mikeladze, N; Surguladze, S; Vincent, J B; Farmer, A; Mitchell, P B; Wright, A; Schofield, P R; Fullerton, J M; Montgomery, G W; Martin, N G; Rubino, I A; van Winkel, R; Kenis, G; De Hert, M; Réthelyi, J M; Bitter, I; Terenius, L; Jönsson, E G; Bakker, S; van Os, J; Jablensky, A; Leboyer, M; Bramon, E; Powell, J; Murray, R; Corvin, A; Gill, M; Morris, D; O'Neill, F A; Kendler, K; Riley, B; Craddock, N; Owen, M J; O'Donovan, M C; Thorsteinsdottir, U; Kong, A; Ehrenreich, H; Carracedo, A; Golimbet, V; Andreassen, O A; Børglum, A D; Mors, O; Mortensen, P B; Werge, T; Ophoff, R A; Nöthen, M M; Rietschel, M; Cichon, S; Ruggeri, M; Tosato, S; Palotie, A; St Clair, D; Rujescu, D; Collier, D A; Stefansson, H; Stefansson, K

2014-01-01

Epidemiological and genetic data support the notion that schizophrenia and bipolar disorder share genetic risk factors. In our previous genome-wide association study, meta-analysis and follow-up (totaling as many as 18 206 cases and 42 536 controls), we identified four loci showing genome-wide significant association with schizophrenia. Here we consider a mixed schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (psychosis) phenotype (addition of 7469 bipolar disorder cases, 1535 schizophrenia cases, 333 other psychosis cases, 808 unaffected family members and 46 160 controls). Combined analysis reveals a novel variant at 16p11.2 showing genome-wide significant association (rs4583255[T]; odds ratio=1.08; P=6.6 × 10(-11)). The new variant is located within a 593-kb region that substantially increases risk of psychosis when duplicated. In line with the association of the duplication with reduced body mass index (BMI), rs4583255[T] is also associated with lower BMI (P=0.0039 in the public GIANT consortium data set; P=0.00047 in 22 651 additional Icelanders).

Managing Risk in Safety Critical Operations - Lessons Learned from Space Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gonzalez, Steven A.

2002-01-01

The Mission Control Center (MCC) at Johnson Space Center (JSC) has a rich legacy of supporting Human Space Flight operations throughout the Apollo, Shuttle and International Space Station eras. Through the evolution of ground operations and the Mission Control Center facility, NASA has gained a wealth of experience of what it takes to manage the risk in Safety Critical Operations, especially when human life is at risk. The focus of the presentation will be on the processes (training, operational rigor, team dynamics) that enable the JSC/MCC team to be so successful. The presentation will also share the evolution of the Mission Control Center architecture and how the evolution was introduced while managing the risk to the programs supported by the team. The details of the MCC architecture (e.g., the specific software, hardware or tools used in the facility) will not be shared at the conference since it would not give any additional insight as to how risk is managed in Space Operations.

Official Positions for FRAX® clinical regarding smoking from Joint Official Positions Development Conference of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry and International Osteoporosis Foundation on FRAX®.

PubMed

Dimai, Hans P; Chandran, Manju

2011-01-01

The worldwide prevalence of smoking has been estimated at about 50% in men, and 10% in women, with larger variations among different populations studied. Smoking has been shown to affect many organ systems resulting in severe morbidity and increased mortality. In addition, smoking has been identified as a predictor of ten-year fracture risk in men and women, largely independent of an individual's bone mineral density. This finding has eventually lead to incorporation of this risk factor into FRAX®, an algorithm that has been developed to calculate an individual's ten-year fracture risk. However, only little, or conflicting data is available on a possible association between smoking dose, duration, length of time after cessation, type of tobacco and fracture risk, limiting this risk factor's applicability in the context of FRAX®. Copyright © 2011 The International Society for Clinical Densitometry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Escherichia coli O157:H7--Discerning Facts from Fiction: An Integrated Research and Extension Project for Multiple Audiences.

PubMed

Moore, D A; Smith, D R; Sischo, W M; Heaton, K; Besser, T E

2016-02-01

The O157:H7 (EcO157) epidemiology of Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in cattle is complex, and myths about pre-harvest control are perpetuated. The objectives of this project were to identify perpetuated misinformation and inform four audiences about evidence-based risks and pre-harvest control of EcO157 by addressing: (i) EcO157 epidemiology and pre-harvest control; (ii) how food safety policy is created; and (iii) how to present accurate information about EcO157. An environmental scan using a daily Internet search helped identify themes for education. A literature review of pre-harvest control measures contributed to the development of educational materials (fact sheets, website, web presentations and conferences). Conference 1 was a webinar with 315 registrants, 10 countries including 41 US states and four Canadian provinces. Most participants felt confident in using their new knowledge, more than half felt confident enough to answer EcO157 questions from the public and many would recommend the recorded version of the webinar to colleagues. Conference 2 was live in the Washington, DC, area with most participants employed by the US government. All agreed that they better understood pre-harvest control, how food safety policy was made, and were confident they could create an effective message about STEC pre-harvest control. Videos were posted and received 348 Internet visitors within 2 months. Conference 3 was a webinar with a live audience and Twitter feeds, targeting people who give nutrition advice. Almost all ranked the programme good to excellent and relevant to their work. About 25% indicated that they would share: 'grass-fed beef is not safer than grain-fed', 25% would share information on effectiveness of cattle vaccines, and 14% would share information on message mapping. Across all conferences, major changes in knowledge included the following: there is no additional risk of EcO157 shedding from grain-fed versus grass-fed cattle, pre-harvest vaccination is efficacious, and production systems (pasture versus confinement) do not affect EcO157 shedding rates. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

The outcomes of children with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome: proceedings from the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference.

PubMed

Quasney, Michael W; López-Fernández, Yolanda M; Santschi, Miriam; Watson, R Scott

2015-06-01

To provide additional details and evidence behind the recommendations for outcomes assessment of patients with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome from the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference. Consensus conference of experts in pediatric acute lung injury. A panel of 27 experts met over the course of 2 years to develop a taxonomy to define pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome and to make recommendations regarding treatment and research priorities. The outcomes subgroup comprised four experts. When published data were lacking, a modified Delphi approach emphasizing strong professional agreement was used. The Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference experts developed and voted on a total of 151 recommendations addressing the topics related to pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome, seven of which related to outcomes after pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. All seven recommendations had strong agreement. Children with acute respiratory distress syndrome continue to have a high mortality, specifically, in relation to certain comorbidities and etiologies related to pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. Comorbid conditions, such as an immunocompromised state, increase the risk of mortality even further. Likewise, certain etiologies, such as non-pulmonary sepsis, also place children at a higher risk of mortality. Significant long-term effects were reported in adult survivors of acute respiratory distress syndrome: diminished lung function and exercise tolerance, reduced quality of life, and diminished neurocognitive function. Little knowledge of long-term outcomes exists in children who survive pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. Characterization of the longer term consequences of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome in children is vital to help identify opportunities for improved therapeutic and rehabilitative strategies that will lessen the long-term burden of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome and improve the quality of life in children. The Consensus Conference developed pediatric-specific recommendations for pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome regarding outcome measures and future research priorities. These recommendations are intended to promote optimization and consistency of care for children with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome and identify areas of uncertainty requiring further investigation.

PREFACE: 4th International Conference on Safe Production and Use of Nanomaterials (Nanosafe2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tardif, F.; Damlencourt, J.-F.; Schuster, F.; Gaultier, V.

2015-05-01

This volume contains a collection of contributions presented at the 4th International Conference on Safe Production and Use of Nanomaterials (NANOSAFE 2014) held in Grenoble, France, from 18th to 20th November 2014. The issues of fast progress in the field of Nanosafety are up to the potential benefits that nanotechnology can bring to mankind. Making more efficient - more sustainable - easier to share mineral resources, increasing the yields of new energy technologies, enabling drugs that act selectively and locally are just few examples of the wide range of nanomaterial applications that currently benefit humanity. Nevertheless, the dynamic development of nanomaterials requires the adhesion from the general public who rightly demand major progresses in Nanosafety as a prerequisite. This is our exciting responsibility and challenge! Following the successful outcome of the three past international conferences on safe production and use of nanomaterials: Nanosafe 2008, 2010 and 2012, the organizing committee has the pleasure to welcoming you again to Minatec, Grenoble with some of the most famous specialists in the field. This year, two new topics have been added dealing with the "New Application of Nanomaterials" and "Nano-responsible Development" in addition to the usual issues addressed in previous Nanosafe conferences such as Expology, Detection and Characterization, Toxicology, Environmental Interactions, Nanomaterials Release, Life Cycle Analysis, Regulation and Standardization, Risk Management. The debates in 2012 proved highly successful so this formula has been kept in 2014 with 3 round tables: Nano-Responsible Development, Risks and Benefits for the Environment, Toxicology Progress. In this 4th edition, there were more than 330 registered participants from 28 different countries including 160 oral presentation covering the whole Nanosafety issues in 12 sessions, satellite workshops and round tables. This high number of participants makes this edition one of the most successful conference of the series. Finally, 2014 was for the organizing committee, a great year as we ramp up the Nano Safety "PNS" platform at Minatec, with a brand new building spread out over 2000 m2 of laboratories and more than 50 doctors and engineers dedicated to Nanosafety. F. Tardif, J-F. Damlencourt, F. Schuster and V. Gaultier

2010 Defense Industrial Base Critical Infrastructure Protection Conference (DIBCIP) Risk Reduction and Mitigation in the Defense Industrial Base

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-28

Base Critical Infrastructure Protection Conference (DIBCIP) “Risk Reduction & Mitigation in the Defense Industrial Base ” April 26-28, 2010...Philadelphia, PA Agenda Tuesday, April 27, 2010 Keynote Address: The Economic Crisis and Its Impact on the DIB: Defense Industrial Base Forecasts 2010...Ms. Nancy Pomerleau, Exercise Director, Partnership Outreach Division, DHS-IP DIB 2010 DIB CIP DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE CRITICAL

Is type 2 diabetes really a coronary heart disease risk equivalent?

PubMed

Saely, Christoph H; Drexel, Heinz

2013-01-01

The concept of diabetes as a coronary heart risk (CHD) equivalent postulates that patients with diabetes who do not yet have CHD are at an equally high cardiovascular risk as non-diabetic patients with CHD. This implies important therapeutic, psychological, and economical consequences. However, whereas several reports support the concept of diabetes as a CHD risk equivalent, others refute it, and several investigations find that the cardiovascular risk conferred by diabetes is strongly modulated by sex (with diabetes conferring a greater risk increase in women), diabetes duration, concomitant risk factors, or the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis. A detailed review of the literature shows that the concept of diabetes as a CHD risk equivalent is overly simplistic, because not all patients with diabetes are at the same cardiovascular risk. An individualized approach to cardiovascular risk estimation and management appears mandatory in patients with diabetes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

75 FR 82387 - Next Generation Risk Assessment Public Dialogue Conference

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-30

... space. DATES: The conference will be held on February 15, 2011 from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and on February... knowledge about molecular system biology. This is the beginning of a process that will evolve over several... conference. Space is limited, and reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more...

Proceedings of the Annual International Conference of the Association for the Education of Teachers in Science (Austin, TX, January 14-17, 1999).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rubba, Peter A., Ed.; Rye, James A., Ed.; Keig, Patricia F., Ed.

This proceedings contains a copy of the conference program and more than 75 papers and presentation summaries from the meeting, placed in order by conference session. Paper topics include science assessment issues; science for special needs students; science teachers' self-efficacy; teaching science to at-risk students; online inquiry…

Children and Parent Participation in Child Protection Conferences: A Study in One English Local Authority

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muench, Kerry; Diaz, Clive; Wright, Rebecca

2017-01-01

The overall purpose of a child protection conference is to safeguard children. The conferences are multi-agency meetings that aim to ensure children's safety, promote children's health and development, and identify when a child is at continuing risk of significant harm. Law and policies in the United Kingdom highlight that parents and children…

Serving Deaf-Blind Children. Theme of the International Conference on Deaf-Blind Children (4th, 22-27 August 1971, Perkins School for the Blind).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown, MA.

Presented are 30 papers given at a 5-day international conference on serving deaf-blind children. Additionally provided are the conference agenda, a review of the conference, reports of the nominations and resolutions committees, and a list of conference participants. Among the papers are the following titles: "Programs for Non-Verbal Children",…

Combined effects of smoking and HPV16 in oropharyngeal cancer

PubMed Central

Anantharaman, Devasena; Muller, David C; Lagiou, Pagona; Ahrens, Wolfgang; Holcátová, Ivana; Merletti, Franco; Kjærheim, Kristina; Polesel, Jerry; Simonato, Lorenzo; Canova, Cristina; Castellsague, Xavier; Macfarlane, Tatiana V; Znaor, Ariana; Thomson, Peter; Robinson, Max; Conway, David I; Healy, Claire M; Tjønneland, Anne; Westin, Ulla; Ekström, Johanna; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Kaaks, Rudolf; Overvad, Kim; Drogan, Dagmar; Hallmans, Göran; Laurell, Göran; Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB; Peeters, Petra H; Agudo, Antonio; Larrañaga, Nerea; Travis, Ruth C; Palli, Domenico; Barricarte, Aurelio; Trichopoulou, Antonia; George, Saitakis; Trichopoulos, Dimitrios; Quirós, J Ramón; Grioni, Sara; Sacerdote, Carlotta; Navarro, Carmen; Sánchez, María-José; Tumino, Rosario; Severi, Gianluca; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Clavel-Chapelon, Francoise; Panico, Salvatore; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Lund, Eiliv; Gram, Inger T; Riboli, Elio; Pawlita, Michael; Waterboer, Tim; Kreimer, Aimée R; Johansson, Mattias; Brennan, Paul

2016-01-01

Abstract Background: Although smoking and HPV infection are recognized as important risk factors for oropharyngeal cancer, how their joint exposure impacts on oropharyngeal cancer risk is unclear. Specifically, whether smoking confers any additional risk to HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer is not understood. Methods: Using HPV serology as a marker of HPV-related cancer, we examined the interaction between smoking and HPV16 in 459 oropharyngeal (and 1445 oral cavity and laryngeal) cancer patients and 3024 control participants from two large European multi-centre studies. Odds ratios and credible intervals [CrI], adjusted for potential confounders, were estimated using Bayesian logistic regression. Results: Both smoking [odds ratio (OR [CrI]: 6.82 [4.52, 10.29]) and HPV seropositivity (OR [CrI]: 235.69 [99.95, 555.74]) were independently associated with oropharyngeal cancer. The joint association of smoking and HPV seropositivity was consistent with that expected on the additive scale (synergy index [CrI]: 1.32 [0.51, 3.45]), suggesting they act as independent risk factors for oropharyngeal cancer. Conclusions: Smoking was consistently associated with increase in oropharyngeal cancer risk in models stratified by HPV16 seropositivity. In addition, we report that the prevalence of oropharyngeal cancer increases with smoking for both HPV16-positive and HPV16-negative persons. The impact of smoking on HPV16-positive oropharyngeal cancer highlights the continued need for smoking cessation programmes for primary prevention of head and neck cancer. PMID:27197530

Prevention of Infectious Complications in Patients With Chronic Granulomatous Disease.

PubMed

Slack, Maria A; Thomsen, Isaac P

2018-05-09

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a primary immunodeficiency that confers a markedly increased risk of bacterial and fungal infections caused by certain opportunistic pathogens. Current evidence supports the use of prophylactic antibacterial, antifungal, and immunomodulatory therapies designed to prevent serious or life-threatening infections in patients with CGD. In this review, we discuss current strategies for the prevention of infections in children and adults with CGD and the evidence that supports those strategies. In addition, we address current challenges and opportunities for future research in this important area.

Calendar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2004-04-01

MAY 2004 GARP's 3rd Credit & Counterparty Risk Summit, London, UK 21-23 May 2004 Andreas Simou (andreas.simou@garp.com), +44 (0)20 7626 9301, www.garp.com/events/3rdcred IMA Workshop 9: Financial Data Analysis and Applications, University of Minnesota, MN, USA 24-28 May 2004 www.ima.umn.edu/complex/spring/c9.html Global Derivatives & Risk Management 2004, NH Eurobuilding, Madrid, Spain 25-28 May 2004 Aden Watkins, ICBI (awatkins@iirltd.co.uk), +44 (0)20 7915 5198, www.icbi-uk.com/globalderivatives/ WEHIA'04 9th Workshop on Economics and Heterogeneous Interacting Agents, Kyodai-Kaikan, Kyoto, Japan 27-29 May 2004 www.nda.ac.jp/cs/AI/wehia04/ JUNE 2004 Semimartingale Theory and Practice in Finance, Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences, Vancouver, BC, Canada 5-10 June 2004 www.pims.math.ca/birs/workshops/2004/04w5032/ MC2QMC 2004 International Conference on Monte Carlo and Quasi-Monte Carlo Methods, Juan-les-Pins, Côte d'Azur, France 7-10 June 2004 Monique Simonetti (Monique.Simonetti@sophia.inria.fr), +33 4 92 38 78 64, www-sop.inria.fr/omega/MC2QMC2004/ GAIM'04 10th Annual Global Alternative Investment Management Forum, The Beaulieu Centre, Lausanne, Switzerland 8-11 June 2004 +44 (0)20 7915 5103, www.icbi-uk.com/gaim/ 3rd Annual Conference Ri$k Management 2004, Fairmont Hotel, Dubai, United Arab Emirates 12-15 June 2004 www.iirme.com/risk/ 10th Annual Risk USA Congress, Boston, MA, USA 21-24 June 2004 Aristotle Liu (aliu@riskwaters.com), +44 (0)207 484 9700, www.riskusa.com Mannheim Empirical Research Summer School, Mannheim University, Germany 22 June-2 July 2004 oliver@kirchkamp.de, www.sfb504.uni-mannheim.de/merss 9th Annual Conference on Econometric Modelling for Africa, Cape Town, South Africa 30 June-2 July 2004 aesinfo@commerce.uct.ac.za, www.commerce.uct.ac.za/economics/AES2004Conference/ 4th Congress of Nonlinear Analysts. Special Session on Mathematical Methods in Theoretical Finance, Hyatt Grand Cypress Resort, Orlando, FL, USA 30 June-7 July 2004 dkermani@fit.edu, +1 321 674 7412, http://kermani.math.fit.edu/ JULY 2004 2nd World Congress of the Game Theory Society, Faculty of Luminy, Marseille, France 5-9 July 2004 Europa Organisation (europa@europa-organisation.com), +33 5 34 45 26 45, www.gts2004.org Budapest Workshop on Behavioral Economics, Central European University, Budapest, Hungary 5-10 July 2004 Eva Dotzi (behavecon@ceu.hu), www.iza.org/en/calls_conferences/CallCEU_04.pdf FDA'04 1st IFAC Workshop on Fractional Differentiation and its Applications, Bordeaux, France 19-20 July 2004 IFAC secretariat (fda04@lap.u-bordeaux1.fr), www.lap.u-bordeaux.fr/fda04/ Bachelier Finance Society Third World Congress, InterContinental Hotel, Chicago, IL, USA 21-24 July 2004 bfs2004@uic.edu, www.uic.edu/orgs/bachelier/ BS/IMS 2004 6th World Congress of the Bernoulli Society for Mathematical Statistics and Probability, Barcelona, Spain 26-31 July 2004 wc2004@pacifico-meetings.com, +34 93 402 13 85, www.imub.ub.es/events/wc2004 AUGUST 2004 Summer School in Econometrics. The Cointegrated VAR Model: Econometric Methodology and Macroeconomic Applications, Institute of Economics, University of Copenhagen, Denmark 2-22 August 2004 Summerschool@econ.ku.dk, www.econ.ku.dk/summerschool SEPTEMBER 2004 First Bonzenfreies Colloquium on Market Dynamics and Quantitative Economics, Alessandria, Palazzo Borsalino, Italy 9-10 September 2004 colloquium@unipmn.it, www.mfn.unipmn.it/~colloqui/ Risk Analysis 2004. 4th International Conference on Computer Simulation in Risk Analysis and Hazard Mitigation, Aldemar Paradise Royal Mare Hotel, Rhodes, Greece 27-29 September 2004 enquiries@wessex.ac.uk, +44 (0)238 029 3223, www.wessex.ac.uk/conferences/2004/risk04/ OCTOBER 2004 IRC Hedge 2004, InterContinental Hotel, London, UK 10, 11 October 2004 enquiries@irc-conferences.com, www.irc-conferences.com/show_conference.php?id=10 NOVEMBER 2004 IRC DICE 2004, InterContinental Hotel, London, UK 22, 23 November 2004 enquiries@irc-conferences.com, www.irc-conferences.com/show_conference.php?id=13 DECEMBER 2004 Quantitative Methods in Finance 2004, Sydney, Australia 15-18 December 2004 Andrea Schnaufer (qmf@uts.edu.au), +61 2 9514 7737, www.business.uts.edu.au/finance/resources/qmf2004/

Achieving Educational Excellence for Children at Risk. Selected Papers from the NASW National School Social Work Conference, "Educational Excellence in Transitional Times" (3rd, New Orleans, Louisiana, January 31-February 3, 1985).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawkins, Mable T., Ed.

This book consists of selected conference papers that highlight the barriers faced by children at risk in the quest for educational excellence. After an introduction by Mable T. Hawkins, the following articles appear: (1) "Group Work with Gifted Children: A School Resource," by Jackolyn W. Durrett and others; (2) "Children with…

Benefit of Anticoagulation Therapy in Hyperthyroidism-Related Atrial Fibrillation.

PubMed

Chan, Pak-Hei; Hai, Jojo; Yeung, Chun-Yip; Lip, Gregory Y H; Lam, Karen Siu-Ling; Tse, Hung-Fat; Siu, Chung-Wah

2015-08-01

Existing data on the risk of ischemic stroke in hyperthyroidism-related atrial fibrillation (AF) and the impact of long-term anticoagulation in these patients, particularly those with self-limiting AF, remain inconclusive. Risk of stroke in hyperthyroidism-related AF is the same as nonhyperthyroid counterparts. This was a single-center observational study of 9727 Chinese patients with nonvalvular AF from July 1997 to December 2011. Patients with AF diagnosed concomitantly with hyperthyroidism were identified. Primary and secondary endpoints were defined as hospitalization with ischemic stroke and intracranial hemorrhage in the first 2 years. Patient characteristics, duration of AF, and choice of antithrombotic therapy were recorded. Self-limiting AF was defined as <7 days' duration. Out of 9727 patients, 642 (6.6%) had concomitant hyperthyroidism and AF at diagnosis. For stroke prevention, 136 and 243 patients (21.1% and 37.9%) were prescribed warfarin and aspirin, respectively, whereas the remaining patients (41.0%) received no therapy. Ischemic stroke occurred in 50 patients (7.8%), and no patient developed hemorrhagic stroke. Patients with CHA2 DS2 -VASc of 0 did not develop stroke. Warfarin effectively reduced the incidence of stroke compared with aspirin or no therapy in patients with CHA2 DS2 -VASc ≥1 and non-self-limiting AF, but not in those with self-limiting AF or CHA2 DS2 -VASc of 0. Presence of hyperthyroidism did not confer additional risk of ischemic stroke compared with nonhyperthyroid AF. Patients with hyperthyroidism-related AF are at high risk of stroke (3.9% per year). Warfarin confers stroke prevention in patients with CHA2 DS2 -VASc ≥1 and non-self-limiting AF. Overall stroke risk was lower in hyperthyroid non-self-limiting AF patients compared with nonhyperthyroid counterparts. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Feasibility Study and Cost Benefit Analysis of Conference Coordinating at the Naval Postgraduate School

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

such as organic and vegetarian diets at an additional cost. 14 Internet Access To Instruction...requests, including organic, vegetarian and kosher meals. All conference related activities for the Monterey Conference Center are scheduled through the

Genetic and environmental influences on the development of alcoholism: resilience vs. risk.

PubMed

Enoch, Mary-Anne

2006-12-01

The physiological changes of adolescence may promote risk-taking behaviors, including binge drinking. Approximately 40% of alcoholics were already drinking heavily in late adolescence. Most cases of alcoholism are established by the age of 30 years with the peak prevalence at 18-23 years of age. Therefore the key time frame for the development, and prevention, of alcoholism lies in adolescence and young adulthood. Severe childhood stressors have been associated with increased vulnerability to addiction, however, not all stress-exposed children go on to develop alcoholism. Origins of resilience can be both genetic (variation in alcohol-metabolizing genes, increased susceptibility to alcohol's sedative effects) and environmental (lack of alcohol availability, positive peer and parental support). Genetic vulnerability is likely to be conferred by multiple genes of small to modest effects, possibly only apparent in gene-environment interactions. For example, it has been shown that childhood maltreatment interacts with a monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene variant to predict antisocial behavior that is often associated with alcoholism, and an interaction between early life stress and a serotonin transporter promoter variant predicts alcohol abuse in nonhuman primates and depression in humans. In addition, a common Met158 variant in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene can confer both risk and resilience to alcoholism in different drinking environments. It is likely that a complex mix of gene(s)-environment(s) interactions underlie addiction vulnerability and development. Risk-resilience factors can best be determined in longitudinal studies, preferably starting during pregnancy. This kind of research is important for planning future measures to prevent harmful drinking in adolescence.

Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Women.

PubMed

Saeed, Anum; Kampangkaew, June; Nambi, Vijay

2017-01-01

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among women worldwide. The pathophysiological basis of cardiovascular health among men and women is not identical. This leads to variable cardiovascular responses to stimulus and presentation of cardiovascular disease symptoms, both of which can have a direct effect on treatment outcomes. Traditionally, the enrollment of women in clinical trials has been minimal, resulting in a lack of gender-specific analysis of clinical trial data and, therefore, the absence of concrete risk factor assessment among women. However, scientific progress in the past decade has identified a spectrum of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases that may be specific to women. These risk factors, which may include menopause, hypertensive disease of pregnancy, and depression, confer additional risk in women besides the traditional risk factors. The current state of knowledge and awareness about these risk factors is suboptimal at this time. Therefore, although the treatment of cardiovascular diseases is similar in both genders, appropriate risk stratification may be limited in women compared to men. The purpose of this review is to describe the recent trends in identifying female-specific risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, their utility in risk stratification, and current pharmacological options for women with regard to cardiovascular disease prevention.

Epidemiology of ovarian cancer.

PubMed

Permuth-Wey, Jennifer; Sellers, Thomas A

2009-01-01

Ovarian cancer represents the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the world, and causes more deaths per year than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. Despite the high incidence and mortality rates, the etiology of this disease is poorly understood. Established risk factors for ovarian cancer include age and having a family history of the disease, while protective factors include increasing parity, oral contraceptive use, and oophorectomy. Lactation, incomplete pregnancies, and surgeries such as hysterectomy and tubal ligation may confer a weak protective effect against ovarian cancer. Infertility may contribute to ovarian cancer risk among nulliparous women. Other possible risk factors for ovarian cancer include postmenopausal hormone-replacement therapy and lifestyle factors such as cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption. Many of the causes of ovarian cancer are yet to be identified. Additional research is needed to better understand the etiology of this deadly disease.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and the Mental Health of Veterans.

PubMed

McGuinness, Teena M; Waldrop, Jessica R

2015-06-01

Many U.S. Veterans have experienced the burdens of mental illness and suicide. The current article focuses on Veterans who served from 2001-2015. Although combat exposure and suicidal ideation are linked, approximately one half of all suicides among Active Duty service members (who have served since 2001) occurred among those who never deployed. Researchers who sought additional risks for suicide found that Veterans have greater odds of adversities in childhood than the general population. Adverse childhood experiences are stressful and traumatic experiences, including abuse and neglect, as well as witnessing household dysfunction, or growing up with individuals with mental illness or substance abuse. Further, childhood physical abuse has been shown to be a significant predictor for posttraumatic stress disorder and suicide. Adverse childhood experiences confer additional risk for the mental health of service members. Psychiatric nursing implications include the importance of assessing early childhood adversity during psychosocial assessments. Providing trauma-informed strategies for treatment is an essential element of psychiatric nursing care. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

9th Annual CMMI Technology Conference and User Group-Tuesday

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-11-19

evaluating and quantifying risk likelihood and severity risks. Step 4 Project defines thresholds for each risk category. Step 5 Project defines bounds on the...defines consistent criteria for evaluating and quantifying risk likelihood and severity risks in the Risk Management Plan. Step 4 Project defines

Opportunities for nutritional amelioration of radiation-induced cellular damage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, Nancy D.; Braby, Leslie A.; Ford, John; Lupton, Joanne R.

2002-01-01

The closed environment and limited evasive capabilities inherent in space flight cause astronauts to be exposed to many potential harmful agents (chemical contaminants in the environment and cosmic radiation exposure). Current power systems used to achieve space flight are prohibitively expensive for supporting the weight requirements to fully shield astronauts from cosmic radiation. Therefore, radiation poses a major, currently unresolvable risk for astronauts, especially for long-duration space flights. The major detrimental radiation effects that are of primary concern for long-duration space flights are damage to the lens of the eye, damage to the immune system, damage to the central nervous system, and cancer. In addition to the direct damage to biological molecules in cells, radiation exposure induces oxidative damage. Many natural antioxidants, whether consumed before or after radiation exposure, are able to confer some level of radioprotection. In addition to achieving beneficial effects from long-known antioxidants such as vitamins E and C and folic acid, some protection is conferred by several recently discovered antioxidant molecules, such as flavonoids, epigallocatechin, and other polyphenols. Somewhat counterintuitive is the protection provided by diets containing elevated levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, considering they are thought to be prone to peroxidation. Even with the information we have at our disposal, it will be difficult to predict the types of dietary modifications that can best reduce the risk of radiation exposure to astronauts, those living on Earth, or those enduring diagnostic or therapeutic radiation exposure. Much more work must be done in humans, whether on Earth or, preferably, in space, before we are able to make concrete recommendations.

Carriage of the PNPLA3 rs738409 C >G polymorphism confers an increased risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease associated hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Liu, Y-L; Patman, G L; Leathart, J B S; Piguet, A-C; Burt, A D; Dufour, J-F; Day, C P; Daly, A K; Reeves, H L; Anstee, Q M

2014-07-01

Subtle inter-patient genetic variation and environmental factors combine to determine disease progression in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Carriage of the PNPLA3 rs738409 c.444C >G minor allele (encoding the I148M variant) has been robustly associated with advanced NAFLD. Although most hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is related to chronic viral hepatitis or alcoholic liver disease, the incidence of NAFLD-related HCC is increasing. We examined whether rs738409 C >G was associated with HCC-risk in patients with NAFLD. PNPLA3 rs738409 genotype was determined by allelic discrimination in 100 European Caucasians with NAFLD-related HCC and 275 controls with histologically characterised NAFLD. Genotype frequencies were significantly different between NAFLD-HCC cases (CC=28, CG=43, GG=29) and NAFLD-controls (CC=125, CG=117, GG=33) (p=0.0001). In multivariate analysis adjusted for age, gender, diabetes, BMI, and presence of cirrhosis, carriage of each copy of the rs738409 minor (G) allele conferred an additive risk for HCC (adjusted OR 2.26 [95% CI 1.23-4.14], p=0.0082), with GG homozygotes exhibiting a 5-fold [1.47-17.29], p=0.01 increased risk over CC. When compared to the UK general population (1958 British Birth Cohort, n=1476), the risk-effect was more pronounced (GC vs. CC: unadjusted OR 2.52 [1.55-4.10], p=0.0002; GG vs. CC: OR 12.19 [6.89-21.58], p<0.0001). Carriage of the PNPLA3 rs738409 C >G polymorphism is not only associated with greater risk of progressive steatohepatitis and fibrosis but also of HCC. If validated, these findings suggest that PNPLA3 genotyping has the potential to contribute to multi-factorial patient-risk stratification, identifying those to whom HCC surveillance may be targeted. Copyright © 2014 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rural Partnerships: Working Together. Proceedings of the Annual National Conference of the American Council on Rural Special Education (ACRES) (14th, Austin, Texas, March 23-26, 1994).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montgomery, Diane, Ed.

This proceedings contains 60 conference papers that address critical issues related to rural education, special education, teacher training, school reform, and services for students who are at risk. The conference theme of rural partnerships recognizes the diversity of the ACRES membership and the need for developing and maintaining successful…

Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking Conference, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

This document consists of the presentation submitted at the Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking (ARD) Conference. It contains three volumes: ARD hardware technology; ARD software technology; and ARD operations. The purpose of this conference is to identify the technologies required for an on orbit demonstration of the ARD, assess the maturity of these technologies, and provide the necessary insight for a quality assessment of the programmatic management, technical, schedule, and cost risks.

Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking Conference, volume 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

This document consists of the presentation submitted at the Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking (ARD) Conference. The document contains three volumes: ARD hardware technology; ARD software technology; and ARD operations. The purpose of this conference is to identify the technologies required for an on orbit demonstration of ARD, assess the maturity of these technologies, and provide the necessary insight for a quality assessment of programmatic management, technical, schedule, and cost risks.

Climate Change Impacts, Vulnerabilities and Adaption Measures for Egypt's Nile Delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abutaleb, Khaled Abubakr Ali; Mohammed, Asmaa Hassan El-Sayed; Ahmed, Mahmoud H. Mohamed

2018-04-01

During the last few decades there has been growing concern about the impacts of climate change. A significant number of institutions, research centers, universities and governments have funded projects in addition to work done by independent scholars and assessors studying this phenomenon, in particular, to identify vulnerability, mitigation and adaptation against associated risks. Egypt is among the international community which took part in numerous studies, research activities, conferences, seminars and meetings attempting to address climate change and its associated risks. Egypt is particularly concerned with the threat to the Nile Delta as it is considered a low-lying land at high risk. The aim of this paper is to review current and previous projects, technical reports and pilot studies, concerning risk assessments, mitigation, and adaptation strategies for climate change in Egypt. This, in turn, will aid in decision making regarding future funding and establishing of research related to climate change in Egypt. This paper will also highlight the weaknesses and strengths of policymakers solely relying on one or more of these studies.

Proceedings from the 2001 NASA Occupational Health Conference: Risk Assessment and Management in 2001

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberson, Sheri (Editor); Kelly, Bruce (Editor); Gettleman, Alan G. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

This Conference convened approximately 86 registered participants of invited guest speakers, NASA presenters, and a broad spectrum of the Occupational Health disciplines representing NASA Headquarters and all NASA Field Centers. Two days' Professional Development Courses on Exposure Assessment Strategies and Statistics and on Advanced Cardiac Life Support training and recertification preceded the Conference. With the theme, 'Risk Assessment and Management in 2001,' conferees were first provided updates from the Program Principal Center Office and the Headquarters Office. Plenary sessions elaborated on several topics: biological terrorism, OSHA recordability, Workers' Compensation issues, Federal ergonomic standards, bridging aerospace medicine and occupational health-especially in management of risk in spaceflight, and EAP operations with mission failures. A keynote address dealt with resiliency skills for 21st century workers and two NASA astronaut speakers highlighted a tour of the Johnson Space Center. During discipline specific breakout sessions, current issues in occupational health management and policy, credentialing and privileging, health risk assessment, measurement and standardization, audits, database development, prevention and rehabilitation, international travel and infection control, employee assistance, nursing process, and environmental health were presented.

Closing the loop: an interactive action-research conference format for delivering updated medical information while eliciting Latina patient/family experiences and psychosocial needs post-genetic cancer risk assessment.

PubMed

Macdonald, Deborah J; Deri, Julia; Ricker, Charité; Perez, Martin A; Ogaz, Raquel; Feldman, Nancy; Viveros, Lori A; Paz, Benjamin; Weitzel, Jeffrey N; Blazer, Kathleen R

2012-09-01

A patient/family-centered conference was conducted at an underserved community hospital to address Latinas' post-genetic cancer risk assessment (GCRA) medical information and psychosocial support needs, and determine the utility of the action research format. Latinas seen for GCRA were recruited to a half-day conference conducted in Spanish. Content was partly determined from follow-up survey feedback. Written surveys, interactive discussions, and Audience Response System (ARS) queries facilitated the participant-healthcare professional action research process. Analyses included descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The 71 attendees (41 patients and 27 relatives/friends) were primarily non-US born Spanish-speaking females, mean age 43 years. Among patients, 73 % had a breast cancer history; 85 % had BRCA testing (49 % BRCA+). Nearly all (96 %) attendees completed the conference surveys and ARS queries; ≥48 % participated in interactive discussions. Most (95 %) agreed that the format met their personal interests and expectations and provided useful information and resources. Gaps/challenges identified in the GCRA process included pre-consult anxiety, uncertainty about reason for referral and expected outcomes, and psychosocial needs post-GCRA, such as absorbing and disseminating risk information to relatives and concurrently coping with a recent cancer diagnosis. The combined action research and educational conference format was innovative and effective for responding to continued patient information needs and addressing an important data gap about support needs of Latina patients and family members following genetic cancer risk assessment. Findings informed GCRA process improvements and provide a basis for theory-driven cancer control research.

Primary Prevention of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in Women

PubMed Central

McKibben, Rebeccah A.; Al Rifai, Mahmoud; Mathews, Lena M.; Michos, Erin D.

2016-01-01

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among women. Despite improvements in cardiovascular disease prevention efforts, there remain gaps in cardiovascular disease awareness among women, as well as age and racial disparities in ASCVD outcomes for women. Disparity also exists in the impact the traditional risk factors confer on ASCVD risk between women and men, with smoking and diabetes both resulting in stronger relative risks in women compared to men. Additionally there are risk factors that are unique to women (such as pregnancy-related factors) or that disproportionally affect women (such as auto-immune disease) where preventive efforts should be targeted. Risk assessment and management must also be sex-specific to effectively reduce cardiovascular disease and improve outcomes among women. Evidence supports the use of statin therapy for primary prevention in women at higher ASCVD risk. However, some pause should be given to prescribing aspirin therapy in women without known ASCVD, with most evidence supporting the use of aspirin for women≥65 years not at increased risk for bleeding. This review article will summarize (1) traditional and non-traditional assessments of ASCVD risk and (2) lifestyle and pharmacologic therapies for the primary prevention of ASCVD in women. PMID:28149430

Thwarted belongingness as an explanatory link between insomnia symptoms and suicidal ideation: Findings from three samples of military service members and veterans.

PubMed

Hom, Melanie A; Chu, Carol; Schneider, Matthew E; Lim, Ingrid C; Hirsch, Jameson K; Gutierrez, Peter M; Joiner, Thomas E

2017-02-01

Although insomnia has been identified as a robust predictor of suicidal ideation and behaviors, little is known about the mechanisms by which sleep disturbances confer risk for suicide. We investigated thwarted belongingness as an explanatory link between insomnia symptoms and suicidal ideation across three military service member and veteran samples. Data were collected among United States military service members and veterans (N 1 =937, N 2 =3,386, N 3 =417) who completed self-report measures of insomnia symptoms, thwarted belongingness, suicidal ideation, and related psychiatric symptoms (e.g., anxiety, hopelessness). Bias-corrected bootstrap mediation analyses were utilized to examine the indirect effects of insomnia symptoms on suicidal ideation through thwarted belongingness, controlling for related psychiatric symptoms. Consistent with study hypotheses, thwarted belongingness significantly accounted for the relationship between insomnia and suicidal ideation across all three samples; however, insomnia symptoms did not significantly account for the relationship between thwarted belongingness and suicidal ideation, highlighting the specificity of our findings. This study utilized cross-sectional self-report data. Insomnia may confer suicide risk for military service members and veterans, in part, through the pathway of thwarted belongingness. Additional prospective studies are warranted to further delineate this model of risk. Our results offer a potential therapeutic target for the prevention of suicide, via the promotion of belongingness, among service members and veterans experiencing insomnia symptoms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thwarted Belongingness as an Explanatory Link between Insomnia Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation: Findings from Three Samples of Military Service Members and Veterans

PubMed Central

Hom, Melanie A.; Chu, Carol; Schneider, Matthew E.; Lim, Ingrid C.; Hirsch, Jameson K.; Gutierrez, Peter M.; Joiner, Thomas E.

2017-01-01

Background Although insomnia has been identified as a robust predictor of suicidal ideation and behaviors, little is known about the mechanisms by which sleep disturbances confer risk for suicide. We investigated thwarted belongingness as an explanatory link between insomnia symptoms and suicidal ideation across three military service member and veteran samples. Methods Data were collected among United States military service members and veterans (N1=937, N2=3,386, N3=417) who completed self-report measures of insomnia symptoms, thwarted belongingness, suicidal ideation, and related psychiatric symptoms (e.g., anxiety, hopelessness). Bias-corrected bootstrap mediation analyses were utilized to examine the indirect effects of insomnia symptoms on suicidal ideation through thwarted belongingness, controlling for related psychiatric symptoms. Results Consistent with study hypotheses, thwarted belongingness significantly accounted for the relationship between insomnia and suicidal ideation across all three samples; however, insomnia symptoms did not significantly account for the relationship between thwarted belongingness and suicidal ideation, highlighting the specificity of our findings. Limitations This study utilized cross-sectional, self-report data. Conclusions Insomnia may confer suicide risk for military service members and veterans, in part, through the pathway of thwarted belongingness. Additional prospective studies are warranted to further delineate this model of risk. Our results offer a potential target for the therapeutic prevention of suicide, via the promotion of belongingness, among service members and veterans experiencing insomnia symptoms. PMID:27898373

Prevention of diabetes in Mexico: pragmatic solutions for a complex problem.

PubMed

Aguilar-Salinas, Carlos A; Rodriguez, Hector Bourges; Oteyza, Ernestina Polo

2017-01-01

The Tenth Nestlé Nutrition Conference, held in Mexico City in November 2014, focused on prevention of type 2 diabetes considering environment, lifestyles, and nutrition. Based on the evidence and recommendations presented during the conference, which are summarized in another article within this supplemental issue, a series of pragmatic proposals to address the environmental, social, and medical factors that have contributed to the growing prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Mexico was formulated. For this article, the actions were organized into 2 conceptual models: one that is applicable for the whole population and the other for at-risk individuals. In addition, each of the items includes the personal views of the authors regarding feasible actions that could be implemented in Mexico. Readers will find a large number of initiatives that could be applied at various levels and for particular subsets of the population. This makes it feasible for improvements to be induced through environmental changes and/or via increased access for at-risk individuals to validated interventions that prevent or delay the onset of diabetes. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Parent and peer influences on emerging adult substance use disorder: A genetically informed study

PubMed Central

Bountress, Kaitlin; Chassin, Laurie; Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn

2017-01-01

The present study utilizes longitudinal data from a high-risk community sample to examine the unique effects of genetic risk, parental knowledge about the daily activities of adolescents, and peer substance use on emerging adult substance use disorders (SUDs). These effects are examined over and above a polygenic risk score. In addition, this polygenic risk score is used to examine gene–environment correlation and interaction. The results show that during older adolescence, higher adolescent genetic risk for SUDs predicts less parental knowledge, but this relation is nonsignificant in younger adolescence. Parental knowledge (using mother report) mediates the effects of parental alcohol use disorder (AUD) and adolescent genetic risk on risk for SUD, and peer substance use mediates the effect of parent AUD on offspring SUD. Finally, there are significant gene–environment interactions such that, for those at the highest levels of genetic risk, less parental knowledge and more peer substance use confers greater risk for SUDs. However, for those at medium and low genetic risk, these effects are attenuated. These findings suggest that the evocative effects of adolescent genetic risk on parenting increase with age across adolescence. They also suggest that some of the most important environmental risk factors for SUDs exert effects that vary across level of genetic propensity. PMID:26753847

PREFACE: 3rd International Youth Conference "Interdisciplinary Problems of Nanotechnology, Biomedicine and Nanotoxicology" (Nanobiotech 2015)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Refsnes, Magne, Prof; Gusev, Alexander, Dr; Godymchuk, Anna, Dr; Bogdan, Anna

2015-11-01

The 3rd International Youth Conference "Interdisciplinary Problems of Nanotechnology, Biomedicine and Nanotoxicology" (Nanobiotech2015) was held on 21-22 May 2015 in Tambov, Russia, and was jointly organized by Tambov Derzhavin State University (Russia), the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (Norway), the National University of Science and Technology MISiS (Russia), Tomsk Polytechnic University (Russia) and Tomsk State University. The conference gathered experienced and young researchers, post-docs and students, working in the fieldof nanotechnologies, nanomedicine, nano(eco)toxicology and risk assessment of nanomaterials, in order to facilitate the aggregation and sharing of interests and results for better collaboration and visibility of activity. The goal of Nanobiotech2015 was to bring researchers and practitioners together to share the latest knowledge on nanotechnology-specific risks to occupational and environmental health and assessing how to reduce these potential risks. The main objective of the conference is to identify, systematize and solve current scientific problems inthe sphere of nanobiotechnologies, nanomedicine and nanotoxicology, in order to join forces todetermine prospective areas and compose working groups of interested co-workers for carrying out interdisciplinary research projects. The topics of Nanobiotech2015 were: (1) Nanotechnologies in pharmaceutics and medicine; (2) Sources and mechanisms of nanoparticle release into the environment; (3) Ecological and biological effects of nanoparticles; (4) (Eco)toxicology of nanomaterials; (5) Methods for detection of nanoparticles in the environment and in biological objects; and (6) Physico-chemical properties of nanoparticles in the environment. We want to thank the Organizing Committee, the universities and sponsors supporting the conference,and everyone who contributed to the organization of this meeting, for their contribution towards the conference and for their contributions to these proceedings.

Illness, at-risk and resilience neural markers of early-stage bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Lin, Kangguang; Shao, Robin; Geng, Xiujuan; Chen, Kun; Lu, Rui; Gao, Yanling; Bi, Yanan; Lu, Weicong; Guan, Lijie; Kong, Jiehua; Xu, Guiyun; So, Kwok-Fai

2018-05-21

Current knowledge on objective and specific neural markers for bipolar risk and resilience-related processes is lacking, partly due to not subdividing high-risk individuals manifesting different levels of subclinical symptoms who possibly possess different levels of resilience. We delineated grey matter markers for bipolar illness, genetic high risk (endophenotype) and resilience, through comparing across 42 young non-comorbid bipolar patients, 42 healthy controls, and 72 diagnosis-free, medication-naive high-genetic-risk individuals subdivided into a combined-high-risk group who additionally manifested bipolar risk-relevant subsyndromes (N = 38), and an asymptomatic high-risk group (N = 34). Complementary analyses assessed the additional predictive and classification values of grey matter markers beyond those of clinical scores, through using logistic regression and support vector machine analyses. Illness-related effects manifested as reduced grey matter volumes of bilateral temporal limbic-striatal and cerebellar regions, which significantly differentiated bipolar patients from healthy controls and improved clinical classification specificity by 20%. Reduced bilateral cerebellar grey matter volume emerged as a potential endophenotype and (along with parieto-occipital grey matter changes) separated combined-high-risk individuals from healthy and high-risk individuals, and increased clinical classification specificity by approximately 10% and 27%, respectively, while the relatively normalized cerebellar grey matter volumes in the high-risk sample may confer resilience. The cross-validation procedure was not performed on an independent sample using independently-derived features. The BD group had different age and sex distributions than some other groups which may not be fully addressable statistically. Our framework can be applied in other measurement domains to derive complete profiles for bipolar patients and at-risk individuals, towards forming strategies for promoting resilience and preclinical intervention. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

RESEARCH GUIDANCE STUDIES

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

Unknown

2000-04-01

During this quarter, in task area 1, work was performed on three separate areas of activity. These were (1) review of the proposed and final EPA Tier 2 regulations, (2) assistance in preparation of an ultra-clean transportation fuels report for the deputy assistant secretary for Fossil Energy, (3) preparation of a detailed trip report from attending the Clean Fuels 2000 conference in San Diego. In task area 4, three activities were undertaken: an update of coproduction, an analysis of the potential for gasification of petroleum coke in U.S. refineries, and preparation and presentation of a paper at the Coal Utilizationmore » and Fuel Systems conference in Clearwater. In task area 5, a presentation was prepared for the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) Annual Convention to be held in New Orleans in April. This presentation was an overview of GTL technology including the current costs and product values. In addition the potential risks of the technology were addressed and the potential contribution of GTL products to the future world fuel market was discussed.« less

Environmental toxicology and risk assessment: Standardization of biomarkers for endocrine disruption and environmental assessment: Eighth volume. Special technical publication 1364

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

Henshel, D.S.; Black, M.C.; Harrass, M.C.

1999-07-01

This conference was held April 20--22, 1998 in Atlanta, Georgia. The purpose of this conference was to provide a multidisciplinary forum for exchange of state-of-the-art information on biological markers in toxicology and risk assessment, including endocrine disrupter screening assays. Attention is focused on the following: aquatic toxicology; behavioral toxicology; biochemical indicators; developmental indicators; endocrine indicators; biodegradation and fate of chemicals; quality assurance and quality control within laboratory and field studies; risk assessment and communication, and harmonization of standards development. Individual papers have been processed separately for inclusion in the appropriate data bases.

Education, Inequality, and National Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashline, Nelson F., Ed.; And Others

This book, based on an invitational conference held in Newport, Rhode Island, in June 1975, includes an edited record of that conference as well as additional papers which were developed by participants as a result of their conference experience. Twelve papers are included: "Public Education as the Great Equalizer", Fred M. Hechinger; "Types of…

Susceptibility to SLE in South Indian Tamils may be influenced by genetic selection pressure on TLR2 and TLR9 genes.

PubMed

Devaraju, Panneer; Gulati, Reena; Antony, Paul T; Mithun, C B; Negi, Vir S

2015-03-01

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disorder with complex etiology. Genetics plays an important role in lupus pathogenesis through its influence on clinical and autoantibody phenotype of the disease. Toll like receptors (TLR) recognize molecular patterns of pathogens and activate the innate immune system. Their ability to identify nucleic acids makes them suitable candidates for investigation of their role in lupus pathogenesis. Hence, this study was carried out to analyze the G to A and C to T transitions in TLR2 and TLR9 genes respectively and to test their association with lupus susceptibility, clinical and autoantibody phenotypes in South Indian Tamils. Three hundred SLE patients fulfilling ACR 2012 criteria for SLE and 460 age, sex similar, ethnicity matched controls were recruited as cases and controls. TLR2 (R753Q) and TLR9 (-1237C/T) polymorphisms were analyzed by real time PCR. The TLR2 gene remained monomorphic in patients and controls, the frequency of the homozygous wild type allele being 100% and 99.6% respectively. Hence, it did not confer susceptibility to SLE. The more frequent T allele of TLR9 gene conferred a significant risk to develop SLE (p=0.011, OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.1-2.6). Both the polymorphisms did not influence clinical or autoantibody phenotype of the disease. Prevailing endemic infections in the Indian subcontinent may have exerted a selection pressure resulting in TLR2 gene remaining monomorphic and the TLR9 adapting to a mutation for its increased expression. These may have an additive effect in the presence of other genetic and environmental risk factors to confer susceptibility to SLE in South Indian Tamils. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

When does speech sound disorder matter for literacy? The role of disordered speech errors, co-occurring language impairment and family risk of dyslexia.

PubMed

Hayiou-Thomas, Marianna E; Carroll, Julia M; Leavett, Ruth; Hulme, Charles; Snowling, Margaret J

2017-02-01

This study considers the role of early speech difficulties in literacy development, in the context of additional risk factors. Children were identified with speech sound disorder (SSD) at the age of 3½ years, on the basis of performance on the Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology. Their literacy skills were assessed at the start of formal reading instruction (age 5½), using measures of phoneme awareness, word-level reading and spelling; and 3 years later (age 8), using measures of word-level reading, spelling and reading comprehension. The presence of early SSD conferred a small but significant risk of poor phonemic skills and spelling at the age of 5½ and of poor word reading at the age of 8. Furthermore, within the group with SSD, the persistence of speech difficulties to the point of school entry was associated with poorer emergent literacy skills, and children with 'disordered' speech errors had poorer word reading skills than children whose speech errors indicated 'delay'. In contrast, the initial severity of SSD was not a significant predictor of reading development. Beyond the domain of speech, the presence of a co-occurring language impairment was strongly predictive of literacy skills and having a family risk of dyslexia predicted additional variance in literacy at both time-points. Early SSD alone has only modest effects on literacy development but when additional risk factors are present, these can have serious negative consequences, consistent with the view that multiple risks accumulate to predict reading disorders. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Cardiometabolic Risk in PCOS: More than a Reproductive Disorder

PubMed Central

Torchen, Laura C.

2018-01-01

Purpose of Review Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is diagnosed by its characteristic reproductive features. However, PCOS is also associated with metabolic abnormalities, including insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction. The severity of these abnormalities varies according to the reproductive phenotype, with the so-called NIH or classic phenotype conferring the greatest metabolic risk. The increased risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) is well-established among affected women with the NIH phenotype, but whether PCOS also confers an increased risk for cardiovascular events remains unknown. Recent Findings Recent studies in daughters of affected women have found evidence for pancreatic β-cell dysfunction prior to menarche. Further, genetic analyses have provided evidence that metabolic abnormalities such as obesity and insulin resistance contribute to the pathogenesis of PCOS. Summary PCOS increases the risk for T2D. However, the risk for cardiovascular disease has not been quantified, and prospective, longitudinal studies are still critically needed. PMID:29128916

Cardiometabolic Risk in PCOS: More than a Reproductive Disorder.

PubMed

Torchen, Laura C

2017-11-11

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is diagnosed by its characteristic reproductive features. However, PCOS is also associated with metabolic abnormalities, including insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction. The severity of these abnormalities varies according to the reproductive phenotype, with the so-called NIH or classic phenotype conferring the greatest metabolic risk. The increased risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) is well established among affected women with the NIH phenotype, but whether PCOS also confers an increased risk for cardiovascular events remains unknown. Recent studies in daughters of affected women have found evidence for pancreatic β-cell dysfunction prior to menarche. Further, genetic analyses have provided evidence that metabolic abnormalities such as obesity and insulin resistance contribute to the pathogenesis of PCOS. PCOS increases the risk for T2D. However, the risk for cardiovascular disease has not been quantified, and prospective, longitudinal studies are still critically needed.

Environmental Risk Assessment of Nanomaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayramov, A. A.

In this paper, various aspects of modern nanotechnologies and, as a result, risks of nanomaterials impact on an environment are considered. This very brief review of the First International Conference on Material and Information Sciences in High Technologies (2007, Baku, Azerbaijan) is given. The conference presented many reports that were devoted to nanotechnology in biology and business for the developing World, formation of charged nanoparticles for creation of functional nanostructures, nanoprocessing of carbon nanotubes, magnetic and optical properties of manganese-phosphorus nanowires, ultra-nanocrystalline diamond films, and nanophotonics communications in Azerbaijan. The mathematical methods of simulation of the group, individual and social risks are considered for the purpose of nanomaterials risk reduction and remediation. Lastly, we have conducted studies at a plant of polymeric materials (and nanomaterials), located near Baku. Assessments have been conducted on the individual risk of person affection and constructed the map of equal isolines and zones of individual risk for a plant of polymeric materials (and nanomaterials).

Official Positions for FRAX® clinical regarding international differences from Joint Official Positions Development Conference of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry and International Osteoporosis Foundation on FRAX®.

PubMed

Cauley, Jane A; El-Hajj Fuleihan, Ghada; Arabi, Asma; Fujiwara, Saeko; Ragi-Eis, Sergio; Calderon, Andrew; Chionh, Siok Bee; Chen, Zhao; Curtis, Jeffrey R; Danielson, Michelle E; Hanley, David A; Kroger, Heikki; Kung, Annie W C; Lesnyak, Olga; Nieves, Jeri; Pluskiewicz, Wojciech; El Rassi, Rola; Silverman, Stuart; Schott, Anne-Marie; Rizzoli, Rene; Luckey, Marjorie

2011-01-01

Osteoporosis is a serious worldwide epidemic. Increased risk of fractures is the hallmark of the disease and is associated with increased morbidity, mortality and economic burden. FRAX® is a web-based tool developed by the Sheffield WHO Collaborating Center team, that integrates clinical risk factors, femoral neck BMD, country specific mortality and fracture data and calculates the 10 year fracture probability in order to help health care professionals identify patients who need treatment. However, only 31 countries have a FRAX® calculator at the time paper was accepted for publication. In the absence of a FRAX® model for a particular country, it has been suggested to use a surrogate country for which the epidemiology of osteoporosis most closely approximates the index country. More specific recommendations for clinicians in these countries are not available. In North America, concerns have also been raised regarding the assumptions used to construct the US ethnic specific FRAX® calculators with respect to the correction factors applied to derive fracture probabilities in Blacks, Asians and Hispanics in comparison to Whites. In addition, questions were raised about calculating fracture risk in other ethnic groups e.g., Native Americans and First Canadians. In order to provide additional guidance to clinicians, a FRAX® International Task Force was formed to address specific questions raised by physicians in countries without FRAX® calculators and seeking to integrate FRAX® into their clinical practice. The main questions that the task force tried to answer were the following: The Task Force members conducted appropriate literature reviews and developed preliminary statements that were discussed and graded by a panel of experts at the ISCD-IOF joint conference. The statements approved by the panel of experts are discussed in the current paper. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Perspectives on Asthenia in Astronauts and Cosmonauts: Review of the International Research Literature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandoval, Luis; Keeton, Kathryn; Shea, Camille; Otto, Christian; Patterson, Holly; Leveton, Lauren

2012-01-01

The Behavioral Health and Performance Element (BHP) is one of the 6 elements in the NASA Human Research Program (HRP) and is responsible for managing 4 of the identified and named risks to human health and performance from human space exploration: a) Risk of Behavioral Conditions (BMed), b) Risk of Psychiatric Disorders (BMed), c) Risk of Performance Decrements due to inadequate Cooperation, Coordination, Communication and Psychological Adaptation within a Team (Team), and d) Risk of Performance Errors due to Sleep Loss, Circadian De-synchronization, Fatigue and Work Overload (Sleep). Each risk is reviewed by a NASA HRP Standing Review Panel (SRP), and recently the Behavioral Medicine Risk of Psychiatric Disorders was reviewed. The aim of this report is to address one of the recommendations made by that panel, specifically the recommendation that the "literature on asthenia should be evaluated (possibly as a psychological or psychosomatic / psycho-physiological analogue of chronic fatigue syndrome)" (SRP p. 4), in addition to General Recommendation 4, which states that "all reviews must include non-English language materials as well as materials appearing in conferences reports, books, and other non-refereed journal outlets" (SRP p. 2).

Calendar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2004-06-01

JULY 2004 2nd World Congress of the Game Theory Society, Faculty of Luminy, Marseille, France 5-9 July 2004 Europa Organisation (europa@europa-organisation.com), +33 5 34 45 26 45, www.gts2004.org Budapest Workshop on Behavioral Economics, Central European University, Budapest, Hungary 5-10 July 2004 Eva Dotzi (behavecon@ceu.hu), www.iza.org/en/calls_conferences/CallCEU_04.pdf FDA'04. 1st IFAC Workshop on Fractional Differentiation and its Applications, Bordeaux, France 19-20 July 2004 IFAC secretariat (fda04@lap.u-bordeaux1.fr), www.lap.u-bordeaux.fr/fda04/ Bachelier Finance Society Third World Congress, InterContinental Hotel, Chicago, IL, USA 21-24 July 2004 bfs2004@uic.edu, www.uic.edu/orgs/bachelier/ BS/IMS 2004. 6th World Congress of the Bernoulli Society for Mathematical Statistics and Probability, Barcelona, Spain 26-31 July 2004 wc2004@pacifico-meetings.com, +34 93 402 13 85, www.imub.ub.es/events/wc2004 AUGUST 2004 Summer School in Econometrics. The Cointegrated VAR Model: Econometric Methodology and Macroeconomic Applications, Institute of Economics, University of Copenhagen, Denmark 2-22 August 2004 Summerschool@econ.ku.dk, www.econ.ku.dk/summerschool SEPTEMBER 2004 First Bonzenfreies Colloquium on Market Dynamics and Quantitative Economics, Alessandria, Palazzo Borsalino, Italy 9-10 September 2004 colloquium@unipmn.it, www.mfn.unipmn.it/~colloqui/ Risk Analysis 2004. 4th International Conference on Computer Simulation in Risk Analysis and Hazard Mitigation, Aldemar Paradise Royal Mare Hotel, Rhodes, Greece 27-29 September 2004 enquiries@wessex.ac.uk, +44 (0)238 029 3223, www.wessex.ac.uk/conferences/2004/risk04/ OCTOBER 2004 IRC Hedge 2004, InterContinental Hotel, London, UK 10, 11 October 2004 enquiries@irc-conferences.com, www.irc-conferences.com/show_conference.php?id=10 NOVEMBER 2004 IRC DICE 2004, InterContinental Hotel, London, UK 22, 23 November 2004 enquiries@irc-conferences.com, www.irc-conferences.com/show_conference.php?id=13 DECEMBER 2004 Quantitative Methods in Finance 2004, Sydney, Australia 15-18 December 2004 Andrea Schnaufer (qmf@uts.edu.au), +61 2 9514 7737, www.business.uts.edu.au/finance/resources/qmf2004/ JANUARY 2005 Developments in Quantitative Finance, Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Cambridge, UK 24 January-22 July 2005 www.newton.cam.ac.uk/programmes/DQF/index.html

The 2009 National Environmental Public Health Conference: one model for planning green and healthy conferences.

PubMed

Ruckart, Perri Zeitz; Moore, Cory; Burgin, Deborah; Byrne, Maggie Kelly

2011-01-01

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Environmental Health and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry committed to making their 2009 National Environmental Public Health Conference a model for green and healthy conferences. The conference included increased opportunities for physical activity, both as part of conference events and for transportation to the conference. In addition, conference meals were healthy and sustainably sourced. The conference also implemented intuitive, accessible recycling; online scheduling and evaluation to minimize hard-copy materials; and the purchase of carbon offsets to reduce the unwanted environmental impact of the conference. Public health professionals have an opportunity and obligation to support healthy behaviors at their events and to serve as leaders in this area. Facilitating healthy and sustainable choices is in alignment with goals for both public health and broader social issues-such as environmental quality-that have a direct bearing on public health.

Phenotype and Tissue Expression as a Function of Genetic Risk in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

PubMed Central

Pau, Cindy T.; Mosbruger, Tim; Saxena, Richa; Welt, Corrine K.

2017-01-01

Genome-wide association studies and replication analyses have identified (n = 5) or replicated (n = 10) DNA variants associated with risk for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in European women. However, the causal gene and underlying mechanism for PCOS risk at these loci have not been determined. We hypothesized that analysis of phenotype, gene expression and metformin response as a function of genotype would identify candidate genes and pathways that could provide insight into the underlying mechanism for risk at these loci. To test the hypothesis, subjects with PCOS (n = 427) diagnosed according to the NIH criteria (< 9 menses per year and clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism) and controls (n = 407) with extensive phenotyping were studied. A subset of subjects (n = 38) underwent a subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsy for RNA sequencing and were subsequently treated with metformin for 12 weeks with standardized outcomes measured. Data were analyzed according to genotype at PCOS risk loci and adjusted for the false discovery rate. A gene variant in the THADA locus was associated with response to metformin and metformin was a predicted upstream regulator at the same locus. Genotype at the FSHB locus was associated with LH levels. Genes near the PCOS risk loci demonstrated differences in expression as a function of genotype in adipose including BLK and NEIL2 (GATA4 locus), GLIPR1 and PHLDA1 (KRR1 locus). Based on the phenotypes, expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL), and upstream regulatory and pathway analyses we hypothesize that there are PCOS subtypes. FSHB, FHSR and LHR loci may influence PCOS risk based on their relationship to gonadotropin levels. The THADA, GATA4, ERBB4, SUMO1P1, KRR1 and RAB5B loci appear to confer risk through metabolic mechanisms. The IRF1, SUMO1P1 and KRR1 loci may confer PCOS risk in development. The TOX3 and GATA4 loci appear to be involved in inflammation and its consequences. The data suggest potential PCOS subtypes and point to the need for additional studies to replicate these findings and identify personalized diagnosis and treatment options for PCOS. PMID:28068351

Engaging Families: Even Start Regional Technical Assistance Conference Proceedings (St. Louis, Missouri, October 5-8, 1993; Washington, D.C., October 20-23, 1993; Lajolla, California, November 14-16, 1993).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Angelo, Diane; Harvell, Cynthia

Even Start is a comprehensive program of family support intended to help parents provide children who are at-risk with the tools necessary to start formal schooling. This report provides an overview of the conference agendas of three U.S. Department of Education Even Start Technical Assistance conferences, as well as information gathered from the…

Mortality predictors in a 60-year follow-up of adolescent males: exploring delinquency, socioeconomic status, IQ, high-school drop-out status, and personality.

PubMed

Trumbetta, Susan L; Seltzer, Benjamin K; Gottesman, Irving I; McIntyre, Kathleen M

2010-01-01

To examine whether socioeconomic status (SES), high school (HS) completion, IQ, and personality traits that predict delinquency in adolescence also could explain men's delinquency-related (Dq-r) mortality risk across the life span. Through a 60-year Social Security Death Index (SSDI) follow-up of 1812 men from Hathaway's adolescent normative Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) sample, we examined mortality risk at various ages and at various levels of prior delinquency severity. We examined SES (using family rent level), HS completion, IQ, and MMPI indicators simultaneously as mortality predictors and tested for SES (rent level) interactions with IQ and personality. We ascertained 418 decedents. Dq-r mortality peaked between ages 45 years to 64 years and continued through age 75 years, with high delinquency severity showing earlier and higher mortality risk. IQ and rent level failed to explain Dq-r mortality. HS completion robustly conferred mortality protection through ages 55 years and 75 years, explained IQ and rent level-related risk, but did not fully explain Dq-r risk. Dq-r MMPI scales, Psychopathic Deviate, and Social Introversion, respectively, predicted risk for and protection from mortality by age 75 years, explaining mortality risk otherwise attributable to delinquency. Wiggins' scales also explained Dq-r mortality risk, as Authority Conflict conferred risk for and Social Maladjustment and Hypomania conferred protection from mortality by age 75 years. HS completion robustly predicts mortality by ages 55 years and 75 years. Dq-r personality traits predict mortality by age 75 years, accounting, in part, for Dq-r mortality.

Genetic modifiers of CHEK2*1100delC associated breast cancer risk

PubMed Central

Muranen, Taru A.; Greco, Dario; Blomqvist, Carl; Aittomäki, Kristiina; Khan, Sofia; Hogervorst, Frans; Verhoef, Senno; Pharoah, Paul D.P.; Dunning, Alison M.; Shah, Mitul; Luben, Robert; Bojesen, Stig E.; Nordestgaard, Børge G.; Schoemaker, Minouk; Swerdlow, Anthony; García-Closas, Montserrat; Figueroa, Jonine; Dörk, Thilo; Bogdanova, Natalia V.; Hall, Per; Li, Jingmei; Khusnutdinova, Elza; Bermisheva, Marina; Kristensen, Vessela; Borresen-Dale, Anne-Lise; Peto, Julian; dos Santos Silva, Isabel; Couch, Fergus J.; Olson, Janet E.; Hillemans, Peter; Park-Simon, Tjoung-Won; Brauch, Hiltrud; Hamann, Ute; Burwinkel, Barbara; Marme, Frederik; Meindl, Alfons; Schmutzler, Rita K.; Cox, Angela; Cross, Simon S.; Sawyer, Elinor J.; Tomlinson, Ian; Lambrechts, Diether; Moisse, Matthieu; Lindblom, Annika; Margolin, Sara; Hollestelle, Antoinette; Martens, John W.M.; Fasching, Peter A.; Beckmann, Matthias W.; Andrulis, Irene L.; Knight, Julia A.; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Ziogas, Argyrios; Giles, Graham G.; Milne, Roger L.; Brenner, Hermann; Arndt, Volker; Mannermaa, Arto; Kosma, Veli-Matti; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Rudolph, Anja; Devilee, Peter; Seynaeve, Caroline; Hopper, John L.; Southey, Melissa C.; John, Esther M.; Whittemore, Alice S.; Bolla, Manjeet K.; Wang, Qin; Michailidou, Kyriaki; Dennis, Joe; Easton, Douglas F.; Schmidt, Marjanka K.; Nevanlinna, Heli

2016-01-01

Purpose CHEK2*1100delC is a founder variant in European populations conferring a 2–3 fold increased risk of breast cancer (BC). Epidemiologic and family studies have suggested that the risk associated with CHEK2*1100delC is modified by other genetic factors in a multiplicative fashion. We have investigated this empirically using data from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC). Methods With genotype data of 39,139 (624 1100delC carriers) BC patients and 40,063 (224) healthy controls from 32 BCAC studies, we analyzed the combined risk effects of CHEK2*1100delC and 77 common variants in terms of a polygenic risk score (PRS) and pairwise interaction. Results The PRS conferred an odds ratio (OR) of 1.59 [95% CI 1.21–2.09] per standard deviation for BC for CHEK2*1100delC carriers and 1.58 [1.55–1.62] for non-carriers. No evidence for deviation from the multiplicative model was found. The OR for the highest quintile of the PRS was 2.03 [0.86–4.78] for CHEK2*1100delC carriers placing them to the high risk category according to UK NICE guidelines. OR for the lowest quintile was 0.52 [0.16–1.74], indicating life-time risk close to population average. Conclusion Our results confirm the multiplicative nature of risk effects conferred by CHEK2*1100delC and the common susceptibility variants. Furthermore, the PRS could identify the carriers at a high life-time risk for clinical actions. PMID:27711073

Genetic modifiers of CHEK2*1100delC-associated breast cancer risk.

PubMed

Muranen, Taru A; Greco, Dario; Blomqvist, Carl; Aittomäki, Kristiina; Khan, Sofia; Hogervorst, Frans; Verhoef, Senno; Pharoah, Paul D P; Dunning, Alison M; Shah, Mitul; Luben, Robert; Bojesen, Stig E; Nordestgaard, Børge G; Schoemaker, Minouk; Swerdlow, Anthony; García-Closas, Montserrat; Figueroa, Jonine; Dörk, Thilo; Bogdanova, Natalia V; Hall, Per; Li, Jingmei; Khusnutdinova, Elza; Bermisheva, Marina; Kristensen, Vessela; Borresen-Dale, Anne-Lise; Investigators, Nbcs; Peto, Julian; Dos Santos Silva, Isabel; Couch, Fergus J; Olson, Janet E; Hillemans, Peter; Park-Simon, Tjoung-Won; Brauch, Hiltrud; Hamann, Ute; Burwinkel, Barbara; Marme, Frederik; Meindl, Alfons; Schmutzler, Rita K; Cox, Angela; Cross, Simon S; Sawyer, Elinor J; Tomlinson, Ian; Lambrechts, Diether; Moisse, Matthieu; Lindblom, Annika; Margolin, Sara; Hollestelle, Antoinette; Martens, John W M; Fasching, Peter A; Beckmann, Matthias W; Andrulis, Irene L; Knight, Julia A; Investigators, kConFab/Aocs; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Ziogas, Argyrios; Giles, Graham G; Milne, Roger L; Brenner, Hermann; Arndt, Volker; Mannermaa, Arto; Kosma, Veli-Matti; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Rudolph, Anja; Devilee, Peter; Seynaeve, Caroline; Hopper, John L; Southey, Melissa C; John, Esther M; Whittemore, Alice S; Bolla, Manjeet K; Wang, Qin; Michailidou, Kyriaki; Dennis, Joe; Easton, Douglas F; Schmidt, Marjanka K; Nevanlinna, Heli

2017-05-01

CHEK2*1100delC is a founder variant in European populations that confers a two- to threefold increased risk of breast cancer (BC). Epidemiologic and family studies have suggested that the risk associated with CHEK2*1100delC is modified by other genetic factors in a multiplicative fashion. We have investigated this empirically using data from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC). Using genotype data from 39,139 (624 1100delC carriers) BC patients and 40,063 (224) healthy controls from 32 BCAC studies, we analyzed the combined risk effects of CHEK2*1100delC and 77 common variants in terms of a polygenic risk score (PRS) and pairwise interaction. The PRS conferred odds ratios (OR) of 1.59 (95% CI: 1.21-2.09) per standard deviation for BC for CHEK2*1100delC carriers and 1.58 (1.55-1.62) for noncarriers. No evidence of deviation from the multiplicative model was found. The OR for the highest quintile of the PRS was 2.03 (0.86-4.78) for CHEK2*1100delC carriers, placing them in the high risk category according to UK NICE guidelines. The OR for the lowest quintile was 0.52 (0.16-1.74), indicating a lifetime risk close to the population average. Our results confirm the multiplicative nature of risk effects conferred by CHEK2*1100delC and the common susceptibility variants. Furthermore, the PRS could identify carriers at a high lifetime risk for clinical actions.Genet Med advance online publication 06 October 2016.

Low-Quality Housing Is Associated With Increased Risk of Malaria Infection: A National Population-Based Study From the Low Transmission Setting of Swaziland

PubMed Central

Dlamini, Nomcebo; Ntshalintshali, Nyasatu; Pindolia, Deepa; Allen, Regan; Nhlabathi, Nomcebo; Novotny, Joseph; Kang Dufour, Mi-Suk; Midekisa, Alemayehu; Gosling, Roly; LeMenach, Arnaud; Cohen, Justin; Dorsey, Grant; Greenhouse, Bryan; Kunene, Simon

2017-01-01

Abstract Background. Low-quality housing may confer risk of malaria infection, but evidence in low transmission settings is limited. Methods. To examine the relationship between individual level housing quality and locally acquired infection in children and adults, a population-based cross-sectional analysis was performed using existing surveillance data from the low transmission setting of Swaziland. From 2012 to 2015, cases were identified through standard diagnostics in health facilities and by loop-mediated isothermal amplification in active surveillance, with uninfected subjects being household members and neighbors. Housing was visually assessed in a home visit and then classified as low, high, or medium quality, based on housing components being traditional, modern, or both, respectively. Results. Overall, 11426 individuals were included in the study: 10960 uninfected and 466 infected (301 symptomatic and 165 asymptomatic). Six percent resided in low-quality houses, 26% in medium-quality houses, and 68% in high-quality houses. In adjusted models, low- and medium-quality construction was associated with increased risk of malaria compared with high-quality construction (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.11 and 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26–3.53 for low vs high; AOR, 1.56 and 95% CI, 1.15–2.11 for medium vs high). The relationship was independent of vector control, which also conferred a protective effect (AOR, 0.67; 95% CI, .50–.90) for sleeping under an insecticide-treated bed net or a sprayed structure compared with neither. Conclusions. Our study adds to the limited literature on housing quality and malaria risk from low transmission settings. Housing improvements may offer an attractive and sustainable additional strategy to support countries in malaria elimination. PMID:28580365

Low-Quality Housing Is Associated With Increased Risk of Malaria Infection: A National Population-Based Study From the Low Transmission Setting of Swaziland.

PubMed

Dlamini, Nomcebo; Hsiang, Michelle S; Ntshalintshali, Nyasatu; Pindolia, Deepa; Allen, Regan; Nhlabathi, Nomcebo; Novotny, Joseph; Kang Dufour, Mi-Suk; Midekisa, Alemayehu; Gosling, Roly; LeMenach, Arnaud; Cohen, Justin; Dorsey, Grant; Greenhouse, Bryan; Kunene, Simon

2017-01-01

Low-quality housing may confer risk of malaria infection, but evidence in low transmission settings is limited. To examine the relationship between individual level housing quality and locally acquired infection in children and adults, a population-based cross-sectional analysis was performed using existing surveillance data from the low transmission setting of Swaziland. From 2012 to 2015, cases were identified through standard diagnostics in health facilities and by loop-mediated isothermal amplification in active surveillance, with uninfected subjects being household members and neighbors. Housing was visually assessed in a home visit and then classified as low, high, or medium quality, based on housing components being traditional, modern, or both, respectively. Overall, 11426 individuals were included in the study: 10960 uninfected and 466 infected (301 symptomatic and 165 asymptomatic). Six percent resided in low-quality houses, 26% in medium-quality houses, and 68% in high-quality houses. In adjusted models, low- and medium-quality construction was associated with increased risk of malaria compared with high-quality construction (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.11 and 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26-3.53 for low vs high; AOR, 1.56 and 95% CI, 1.15-2.11 for medium vs high). The relationship was independent of vector control, which also conferred a protective effect (AOR, 0.67; 95% CI, .50-.90) for sleeping under an insecticide-treated bed net or a sprayed structure compared with neither. Our study adds to the limited literature on housing quality and malaria risk from low transmission settings. Housing improvements may offer an attractive and sustainable additional strategy to support countries in malaria elimination. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Teacher Perceptions and Benefits of Student-Led Conferencing in Southern and Central Illinois Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Kelly L.

2017-01-01

Student-led conferences are an alternative method of reporting progress to parents. This qualitative phenomenological research study was conducted in order to examine elementary teachers' perceptions of student-led conferences in comparison to traditional parent-teacher conferences in Central and Southern Illinois. Additionally, the study examined…

30 CFR 100.6 - Procedures for review of citations and orders; procedures for assessment of civil penalties and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., the parties may submit any additional relevant information relating to the violation, either prior to... to submit additional information or request a safety and health conference with the District Manager... parties to discuss the issues involved prior to the conference. (d) MSHA will consider all relevant...

Adolescent Health: A Generation at Risk.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hechinger, Fred M.

1994-01-01

A 3-day conference brought together health and education experts to explore responses to adolescent health problems and to suggest ways to implement the recommendations put forward in "Fateful Choices: Healthy Youth for the 21st Century," by Fred M. Hechinger. Conference participants identified a number of adolescent health problems and the areas…

FORUM ON INNOVATIVE HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES: DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL. Third, Dallas, Texas, June 11-13, 1991 - TECHNICAL PAPERS

EPA Science Inventory

On June 11 -13,1991, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Technology Innovation Office and Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory hosted an international conference in Dallas, TX, to exchange solutions to hazardous waste treatment problems. This conference, the Third Forum...

[Treatment of early onset scoliosis : How far can we go?].

PubMed

Studer, D; Hasler, C C; Schulze, A

2015-11-01

Recently, inconsistent definitions of early onset scoliosis (EOS) and a wide variety of treatment options have been observed. To clearly define the term EOS, to depict non-operative and operative treatment options, and to present the limitations of the boundaries of these techniques. Review of the literature, including conference presentations and expert opinions, in addition to personal experiences. Early onset scoliosis (EOS) refers to spine deformity that is present before 10 years of age, regardless of etiology. All existing operative treatment options share a high risk of complications. Therefore, non-operative treatment should act as a time-buying approach to postpone surgery. Awareness of treatment options and their specific indications, in addition to respecting each patient's individual needs and feasibilities, are crucial for the optimal outcome.

Factor V Leiden 1691G/A and prothrombin gene 20210G/A polymorphisms as prothrombotic markers in adult Egyptian acute leukemia patients.

PubMed

El Sissy, Azza Hamdy; El Sissy, Maha H; Elmoamly, Shereef

2014-11-01

Factor V Leiden 1691G/A and prothrombin gene 20210G/A mutations are the most common genetic defects leading to thrombosis. This work aimed to study the FV Leiden and the prothrombin gene polymorphism in adult Egyptian patients with acute leukemia and their importance in thrombophilia screening. The study included 76 patients with acute leukemia and 100 healthy controls. Genotyping was done by real-time polymerase chain reaction technique. For factor V Leiden, the frequency of G/A mutation conferred more than 2.5-fold of increased risk of (OR 2.639 95 % CI 1.045-6.669). The frequency of factor V Leiden combined (G/A + A/A) genotypes conferred 2.83-fold of increased risk (OR 2.828, CI 1.13-7.075), The A allele conferred almost threefold increased risk (OR 2.824, 95 % CI 1.175-6.785). Despite higher frequency in patients compared to controls, there was no risk of association between prothrombin gene mutation and acute leukemia in adult Egyptians nor was there between combined genotypes of prothrombin gene mutation and factor V Leiden.

Common breast cancer susceptibility alleles and the risk of breast cancer for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers: implications for risk prediction.

PubMed

Antoniou, Antonis C; Beesley, Jonathan; McGuffog, Lesley; Sinilnikova, Olga M; Healey, Sue; Neuhausen, Susan L; Ding, Yuan Chun; Rebbeck, Timothy R; Weitzel, Jeffrey N; Lynch, Henry T; Isaacs, Claudine; Ganz, Patricia A; Tomlinson, Gail; Olopade, Olufunmilayo I; Couch, Fergus J; Wang, Xianshu; Lindor, Noralane M; Pankratz, Vernon S; Radice, Paolo; Manoukian, Siranoush; Peissel, Bernard; Zaffaroni, Daniela; Barile, Monica; Viel, Alessandra; Allavena, Anna; Dall'Olio, Valentina; Peterlongo, Paolo; Szabo, Csilla I; Zikan, Michal; Claes, Kathleen; Poppe, Bruce; Foretova, Lenka; Mai, Phuong L; Greene, Mark H; Rennert, Gad; Lejbkowicz, Flavio; Glendon, Gord; Ozcelik, Hilmi; Andrulis, Irene L; Thomassen, Mads; Gerdes, Anne-Marie; Sunde, Lone; Cruger, Dorthe; Birk Jensen, Uffe; Caligo, Maria; Friedman, Eitan; Kaufman, Bella; Laitman, Yael; Milgrom, Roni; Dubrovsky, Maya; Cohen, Shimrit; Borg, Ake; Jernström, Helena; Lindblom, Annika; Rantala, Johanna; Stenmark-Askmalm, Marie; Melin, Beatrice; Nathanson, Kate; Domchek, Susan; Jakubowska, Ania; Lubinski, Jan; Huzarski, Tomasz; Osorio, Ana; Lasa, Adriana; Durán, Mercedes; Tejada, Maria-Isabel; Godino, Javier; Benitez, Javier; Hamann, Ute; Kriege, Mieke; Hoogerbrugge, Nicoline; van der Luijt, Rob B; van Asperen, Christi J; Devilee, Peter; Meijers-Heijboer, E J; Blok, Marinus J; Aalfs, Cora M; Hogervorst, Frans; Rookus, Matti; Cook, Margaret; Oliver, Clare; Frost, Debra; Conroy, Don; Evans, D Gareth; Lalloo, Fiona; Pichert, Gabriella; Davidson, Rosemarie; Cole, Trevor; Cook, Jackie; Paterson, Joan; Hodgson, Shirley; Morrison, Patrick J; Porteous, Mary E; Walker, Lisa; Kennedy, M John; Dorkins, Huw; Peock, Susan; Godwin, Andrew K; Stoppa-Lyonnet, Dominique; de Pauw, Antoine; Mazoyer, Sylvie; Bonadona, Valérie; Lasset, Christine; Dreyfus, Hélène; Leroux, Dominique; Hardouin, Agnès; Berthet, Pascaline; Faivre, Laurence; Loustalot, Catherine; Noguchi, Tetsuro; Sobol, Hagay; Rouleau, Etienne; Nogues, Catherine; Frénay, Marc; Vénat-Bouvet, Laurence; Hopper, John L; Daly, Mary B; Terry, Mary B; John, Esther M; Buys, Saundra S; Yassin, Yosuf; Miron, Alexander; Goldgar, David; Singer, Christian F; Dressler, Anne Catharina; Gschwantler-Kaulich, Daphne; Pfeiler, Georg; Hansen, Thomas V O; Jønson, Lars; Agnarsson, Bjarni A; Kirchhoff, Tomas; Offit, Kenneth; Devlin, Vincent; Dutra-Clarke, Ana; Piedmonte, Marion; Rodriguez, Gustavo C; Wakeley, Katie; Boggess, John F; Basil, Jack; Schwartz, Peter E; Blank, Stephanie V; Toland, Amanda Ewart; Montagna, Marco; Casella, Cinzia; Imyanitov, Evgeny; Tihomirova, Laima; Blanco, Ignacio; Lazaro, Conxi; Ramus, Susan J; Sucheston, Lara; Karlan, Beth Y; Gross, Jenny; Schmutzler, Rita; Wappenschmidt, Barbara; Engel, Christoph; Meindl, Alfons; Lochmann, Magdalena; Arnold, Norbert; Heidemann, Simone; Varon-Mateeva, Raymonda; Niederacher, Dieter; Sutter, Christian; Deissler, Helmut; Gadzicki, Dorothea; Preisler-Adams, Sabine; Kast, Karin; Schönbuchner, Ines; Caldes, Trinidad; de la Hoya, Miguel; Aittomäki, Kristiina; Nevanlinna, Heli; Simard, Jacques; Spurdle, Amanda B; Holland, Helene; Chen, Xiaoqing; Platte, Radka; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Easton, Douglas F

2010-12-01

The known breast cancer susceptibility polymorphisms in FGFR2, TNRC9/TOX3, MAP3K1, LSP1, and 2q35 confer increased risks of breast cancer for BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers. We evaluated the associations of 3 additional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs4973768 in SLC4A7/NEK10, rs6504950 in STXBP4/COX11, and rs10941679 at 5p12, and reanalyzed the previous associations using additional carriers in a sample of 12,525 BRCA1 and 7,409 BRCA2 carriers. Additionally, we investigated potential interactions between SNPs and assessed the implications for risk prediction. The minor alleles of rs4973768 and rs10941679 were associated with increased breast cancer risk for BRCA2 carriers (per-allele HR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.03-1.18, P = 0.006 and HR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.01-1.19, P = 0.03, respectively). Neither SNP was associated with breast cancer risk for BRCA1 carriers, and rs6504950 was not associated with breast cancer for either BRCA1 or BRCA2 carriers. Of the 9 polymorphisms investigated, 7 were associated with breast cancer for BRCA2 carriers (FGFR2, TOX3, MAP3K1, LSP1, 2q35, SLC4A7, 5p12, P = 7 × 10(-11) - 0.03), but only TOX3 and 2q35 were associated with the risk for BRCA1 carriers (P = 0.0049, 0.03, respectively). All risk-associated polymorphisms appear to interact multiplicatively on breast cancer risk for mutation carriers. Based on the joint genotype distribution of the 7 risk-associated SNPs in BRCA2 mutation carriers, the 5% of BRCA2 carriers at highest risk (i.e., between 95th and 100th percentiles) were predicted to have a probability between 80% and 96% of developing breast cancer by age 80, compared with 42% to 50% for the 5% of carriers at lowest risk. Our findings indicated that these risk differences might be sufficient to influence the clinical management of mutation carriers.

Common breast cancer susceptibility alleles and the risk of breast cancer for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers: implications for risk prediction

PubMed Central

Antoniou, Antonis C; Beesley, Jonathan; McGuffog, Lesley; Sinilnikova, Olga M.; Healey, Sue; Neuhausen, Susan L.; Ding, Yuan Chun; Rebbeck, Timothy R.; Weitzel, Jeffrey N.; Lynch, Henry T.; Isaacs, Claudine; Ganz, Patricia A.; Tomlinson, Gail; Olopade, Olufunmilayo I.; Couch, Fergus J.; Wang, Xianshu; Lindor, Noralane M.; Pankratz, Vernon S.; Radice, Paolo; Manoukian, Siranoush; Peissel, Bernard; Zaffaroni, Daniela; Barile, Monica; Viel, Alessandra; Allavena, Anna; Dall’Olio, Valentina; Peterlongo, Paolo; Szabo, Csilla I.; Zikan, Michal; Claes, Kathleen; Poppe, Bruce; Foretova, Lenka; Mai, Phuong L.; Greene, Mark H.; Rennert, Gad; Lejbkowicz, Flavio; Glendon, Gord; Ozcelik, Hilmi; Andrulis, Irene L.; Thomassen, Mads; Gerdes, Anne-Marie; Sunde, Lone; Cruger, Dorthe; Jensen, Uffe Birk; Caligo, Maria; Friedman, Eitan; Kaufman, Bella; Laitman, Yael; Milgrom, Roni; Dubrovsky, Maya; Cohen, Shimrit; Borg, Ake; Jernström, Helena; Lindblom, Annika; Rantala, Johanna; Stenmark-Askmalm, Marie; Melin, Beatrice; Nathanson, Kate; Domchek, Susan; Jakubowska, Ania; Lubinski, Jan; Huzarski, Tomasz; Osorio, Ana; Lasa, Adriana; Durán, Mercedes; Tejada, Maria-Isabel; Godino, Javier; Benitez, Javier; Hamann, Ute; Kriege, Mieke; Hoogerbrugge, Nicoline; van der Luijt, Rob B; van Asperen, Christi J; Devilee, Peter; Meijers-Heijboer, E.J.; Blok, Marinus J; Aalfs, Cora M.; Hogervorst, Frans; Rookus, Matti; Cook, Margaret; Oliver, Clare; Frost, Debra; Conroy, Don; Evans, D. Gareth; Lalloo, Fiona; Pichert, Gabriella; Davidson, Rosemarie; Cole, Trevor; Cook, Jackie; Paterson, Joan; Hodgson, Shirley; Morrison, Patrick J.; Porteous, Mary E.; Walker, Lisa; Kennedy, M. John; Dorkins, Huw; Peock, Susan; Godwin, Andrew K.; Stoppa-Lyonnet, Dominique; de Pauw, Antoine; Mazoyer, Sylvie; Bonadona, Valérie; Lasset, Christine; Dreyfus, Hélène; Leroux, Dominique; Hardouin, Agnès; Berthet, Pascaline; Faivre, Laurence; Loustalot, Catherine; Noguchi, Tetsuro; Sobol, Hagay; Rouleau, Etienne; Nogues, Catherine; Frénay, Marc; Vénat-Bouvet, Laurence; Hopper, John L.; Daly, Mary B.; Terry, Mary B.; John, Esther M.; Buys, Saundra S.; Yassin, Yosuf; Miron, Alex; Goldgar, David; Singer, Christian F.; Dressler, Anne Catharina; Gschwantler-Kaulich, Daphne; Pfeiler, Georg; Hansen, Thomas V. O.; Jønson, Lars; Agnarsson, Bjarni A.; Kirchhoff, Tomas; Offit, Kenneth; Devlin, Vincent; Dutra-Clarke, Ana; Piedmonte, Marion; Rodriguez, Gustavo C.; Wakeley, Katie; Boggess, John F.; Basil, Jack; Schwartz, Peter E.; Blank, Stephanie V.; Toland, Amanda Ewart; Montagna, Marco; Casella, Cinzia; Imyanitov, Evgeny; Tihomirova, Laima; Blanco, Ignacio; Lazaro, Conxi; Ramus, Susan J.; Sucheston, Lara; Karlan, Beth Y.; Gross, Jenny; Schmutzler, Rita; Wappenschmidt, Barbara; Engel, Christoph; Meindl, Alfons; Lochmann, Magdalena; Arnold, Norbert; Heidemann, Simone; Varon-Mateeva, Raymonda; Niederacher, Dieter; Sutter, Christian; Deissler, Helmut; Gadzicki, Dorothea; Preisler-Adams, Sabine; Kast, Karin; Schönbuchner, Ines; Caldes, Trinidad; de la Hoya, Miguel; Aittomäki, Kristiina; Nevanlinna, Heli; Simard, Jacques; Spurdle, Amanda B.; Holland, Helene; Chen, Xiaoqing; Platte, Radka; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Easton, Douglas F.

2010-01-01

The known breast cancer (BC) susceptibility polymorphisms in FGFR2, TNRC9/TOX3, MAP3K1,LSP1 and 2q35 confer increased risks of BC for BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers. We evaluated the associations of three additional SNPs, rs4973768 in SLC4A7/NEK10, rs6504950 in STXBP4/COX11 and rs10941679 at 5p12 and reanalyzed the previous associations using additional carriers in a sample of 12,525 BRCA1 and 7,409 BRCA2 carriers. Additionally, we investigated potential interactions between SNPs and assessed the implications for risk prediction. The minor alleles of rs4973768 and rs10941679 were associated with increased BC risk for BRCA2 carriers (per-allele Hazard Ratio (HR)=1.10, 95%CI:1.03-1.18, p=0.006 and HR=1.09, 95%CI:1.01-1.19, p=0.03, respectively). Neither SNP was associated with BC risk for BRCA1 carriers and rs6504950 was not associated with BC for either BRCA1 or BRCA2 carriers. Of the nine polymorphisms investigated, seven were associated with BC for BRCA2 carriers (FGFR2, TOX3, MAP3K1, LSP1, 2q35, SLC4A7, 5p12, p-values:7×10−11-0.03), but only TOX3 and 2q35 were associated with the risk for BRCA1 carriers (p=0.0049, 0.03 respectively). All risk associated polymorphisms appear to interact multiplicatively on BC risk for mutation carriers. Based on the joint genotype distribution of the seven risk associated SNPs in BRCA2 mutation carriers, the 5% of BRCA2 carriers at highest risk (i.e. between 95th and 100th percentiles) were predicted to have a probability between 80% and 96% of developing BC by age 80, compared with 42-50% for the 5% of carriers at lowest risk. Our findings indicated that these risk differences may be sufficient to influence the clinical management of mutation carriers. PMID:21118973

Fostering Local Health Department and Health System Collaboration Through Case Conferences for At-Risk and Vulnerable Populations.

PubMed

Vest, Joshua R; Caine, Virginia; Harris, Lisa E; Watson, Dennis P; Menachemi, Nir; Halverson, Paul

2018-05-01

In case conferences, health care providers work together to identify and address patients' complex social and medical needs. Public health nurses from the local health department joined case conference teams at federally qualified health center primary care sites to foster cross-sector collaboration, integration, and mutual learning. Public health nurse participation resulted in frequent referrals to local health department services, greater awareness of public health capabilities, and potential policy interventions to address social determinants of health.

National Conference on the Development of Statewide Preservation Programs. Report of a Conference on the Current Status and Future Directions of Statewide Programs for the Preservation of Our Intellectual Heritage (Washington, D.C., March 1-3, 1989).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrow, Carolyn Clark, Ed.

This report presents some of the prominent features of a national invitational conference whose goal was to provide a national forum to discuss ongoing preservation efforts in individual states; describe the preservation challenge faced by all states in common; review the kinds of materials at risk; and alert administrators to the opportunities…

Increased genetic risk for obesity in premature coronary artery disease.

PubMed

Cole, Christopher B; Nikpay, Majid; Stewart, Alexandre F R; McPherson, Ruth

2016-04-01

There is ongoing controversy as to whether obesity confers risk for CAD independently of associated risk factors including diabetes mellitus. We have carried out a Mendelian randomization study using a genetic risk score (GRS) for body mass index (BMI) based on 35 risk alleles to investigate this question in a population of 5831 early onset CAD cases without diabetes mellitus and 3832 elderly healthy control subjects, all of strictly European ancestry, with adjustment for traditional risk factors (TRFs). We then estimated the genetic correlation between these BMI and CAD (rg) by relating the pairwise genetic similarity matrix to a phenotypic covariance matrix between these two traits. GRSBMI significantly (P=2.12 × 10(-12)) associated with CAD status in a multivariate model adjusted for TRFs, with a per allele odds ratio (OR) of 1.06 (95% CI 1.042-1.076). The addition of GRSBMI to TRFs explained 0.75% of CAD variance and yielded a continuous net recombination index of 16.54% (95% CI=11.82-21.26%, P<0.0001). To test whether GRSBMI explained CAD status when adjusted for measured BMI, separate models were constructed in which the score and BMI were either included as covariates or not. The addition of BMI explained ~1.9% of CAD variance and GRSBMI plus BMI explained 2.65% of CAD variance. Finally, using bivariate restricted maximum likelihood analysis, we provide strong evidence of genome-wide pleiotropy between obesity and CAD. This analysis supports the hypothesis that obesity is a causal risk factor for CAD.

Inherited and Environmental Influences on a Childhood Co-Occurring Symptom Phenotype: Evidence From an Adoption Study

PubMed Central

Roos, Leslie E.; Fisher, Philip A.; Shaw, Daniel S.; Kim, Hyoun K.; Neiderhiser, Jenae M.; Reiss, David; Natsuaki, Misaki N.; Leve, Leslie D.

2015-01-01

Risk factors for the childhood development of co-occurring internalizing and externalizing symptoms are not well understood, despite a high prevalence and poor clinical outcomes associated with this co-occurring phenotype. We examined inherited and environmental risk factors for co-occurring symptoms in a sample of children adopted at birth and their birth mothers and adoptive mothers (N = 293). Inherited risk factors (i.e., birth mothers’ processing speed and internalizing symptoms) and environmental risk factors (i.e., adoptive mothers’ processing speed, internalizing symptoms, and uninvolved parenting) were examined as predictors for the development of internalizing-only, externalizing-only, or co-occurring symptoms using structural equation modeling. Results suggested a unique pattern of predictive factors for the co-occurring phenotype, with risk conferred by adoptive mothers’ uninvolved parenting, birth mothers’ slower processing speed, and the birth mothers’ slower processing speed in tandem with adoptive mothers’ higher internalizing symptoms. Additional analyses indicated that when co-occurring-symptom children were incorporated into internalizing and externalizing symptom groups, differential risk factors for externalizing and internalizing symptoms emerged. The findings suggest that spurious results may be found when children with co-occurring symptoms are not examined as a unique phenotypic group. PMID:25851306

Inherited and environmental influences on a childhood co-occurring symptom phenotype: Evidence from an adoption study.

PubMed

Roos, Leslie E; Fisher, Philip A; Shaw, Daniel S; Kim, Hyoun K; Neiderhiser, Jenae M; Reiss, David; Natsuaki, Misake N; Leve, Leslie D

2016-02-01

Risk factors for the childhood development of co-occurring internalizing and externalizing symptoms are not well understood, despite a high prevalence and poor clinical outcomes associated with this co-occurring phenotype. We examined inherited and environmental risk factors for co-occurring symptoms in a sample of children adopted at birth and their birth mothers and adoptive mothers (N = 293). Inherited risk factors (i.e., birth mothers' processing speed and internalizing symptoms) and environmental risk factors (i.e., adoptive mothers' processing speed, internalizing symptoms, and uninvolved parenting) were examined as predictors for the development of internalizing-only, externalizing-only, or co-occurring symptoms using structural equation modeling. Results suggested a unique pattern of predictive factors for the co-occurring phenotype, with risk conferred by adoptive mothers' uninvolved parenting, birth mothers' slower processing speed, and the birth mothers' slower processing speed in tandem with adoptive mothers' higher internalizing symptoms. Additional analyses indicated that when co-occurring-symptom children were incorporated into internalizing and externalizing symptom groups, differential risk factors for externalizing and internalizing symptoms emerged. The findings suggest that spurious results may be found when children with co-occurring symptoms are not examined as a unique phenotypic group.

Research in Action II National Conference Proceedings (Lubbock, Texas, February 9-11, 1983). Volume II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tucker, Jamie, Ed.

This conference program includes explanatory material and reprints 15 of the 43 papers presented in conference sessions. In addition to Rheta De Vries' keynote address--"Can Research Help Teachers Teach?"--research reports are published from four interest session tracks. Papers from the health/handicap track include Patricia Hutinger's…

Annual Conference Journal NABE '90-'91. Proceedings of the National Association for Bilingual Education Conferences (Tucson, Arizona, 1990; Washington, D.C., 1991).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malave, Lilliam M., Ed.

Papers from the 1990 and 1991 conferences of the National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) are presented, including: "Beyond Socially Naive Bilingual Education: The Effects of Schooling and Ethnolinguistic Vitality of the Community on Additive and Subtractive Bilingualism" (Rodriguez Landry, Real Allard); "Descubriendo la…

Topics on Distance Learning Conference Proceedings (Hammond, Indiana, June 5-6, 2001).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purdue Univ., Hammond, IN. Calumet Campus.

The purpose of this conference was to focus attention on the increasing role of distance learning in academia and industry and to inform and educate the participants in several key aspects of distance learning. In addition, the conference spotlights the accomplishments of technology in education and showcases the many leaders in distance learning.…

Addictive behaviors and addiction-prone personality traits: associations with a dopamine multilocus genetic profile.

PubMed

Davis, Caroline; Loxton, Natalie J

2013-07-01

The purpose of this study was to examine reward-related genetic risk for addictive behaviors in a healthy community sample (n=217) of men and women. We tested a mediation model predicting that a quantitative multilocus genetic profile score - reflecting the additive effects of alleles known to confer relatively increased dopamine signaling in the ventral striatum - would relate positively to a composite measure of addictive behaviors, and that this association would be mediated by personality traits consistently associated with addiction disorders. Our model was strongly supported by the data, and accounted for 24% of the variance in addictive behaviors. These data suggest that brain reward processes tend to exert their influence on addiction risk by their role in the development of relatively stable personality traits associated with addictive behaviors. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

National Institutes of Health State-of-the-Science Conference Statement: Symptom management in cancer: pain, depression, and fatigue, July 15-17, 2002.

PubMed

Patrick, Daniel L; Ferketich, Sandra L; Frame, Paul S; Harris, Jesse J; Hendricks, Carolyn B; Levin, Bernard; Link, Michael P; Lustig, Craig; McLaughlin, Joseph; Reid, L Douglas; Turrisi, Andrew T; Unützer, Jürgen; Vernon, Sally W

2004-01-01

Despite advances in early detection and effective treatment, cancer remains one of the most feared diseases. Among the most common side effects of cancer and treatments for cancer are pain, depression, and fatigue. Although research is producing increasingly hopeful insights into the causes and cures for cancer, efforts to manage the side effects of the disease and its treatments have not kept pace. The challenge that faces us is how to increase awareness of the importance of recognizing and actively addressing cancer-related distress. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) convened a State-of-the-Science Conference on Symptom Management in Cancer: Pain, Depression, and Fatigue to examine the current state of knowledge regarding the management of pain, depression, and fatigue in individuals with cancer and to identify directions for future research. Specifically, the conference examined how to identify individuals who are at risk for cancer-related pain, depression, and/or fatigue; what treatments work best to address these symptoms when they occur; and what is the best way to deliver interventions across the continuum of care. STATE-OF-THE-SCIENCE PROCESS: A non-advocate, non-Federal, 14-member panel of experts representing the fields of oncology, radiology, psychology, nursing, public health, social work, and epidemiology prepared the statement. In addition, 24 experts in medical oncology, geriatrics, pharmacology, psychology, and neurology presented data to the panel and to the conference audience during the first 1.5 days of the conference. The panel then prepared its statement, addressing the five predetermined questions and drawing on submitted literature, the speakers' presentations, and discussions held at the conference. The statement was presented to the conference audience, followed by a press conference to allow the panel to respond to questions from the media. After its release at the conference, the draft statement was made available on the Internet. The panel's final statement is available at http://consensus.nih.gov. The panel concluded that the available evidence supports a variety of interventions for treating cancer patients' pain, depression, and fatigue. Clinicians should routinely use brief assessment tools to ask patients about pain, depression, and fatigue and to initiate evidence-based treatments. Assessment should include discussion about common symptoms experienced by cancer patients, and these discussions should continue over the duration of the illness. Impediments to effective symptom management in cancer patients can arise from different sources and interactions among providers, patients and their families, and the health care system. Numerous factors could interfere with adequate symptom management. Among these factors are incomplete effectiveness of some treatments, a lack of sufficient knowledge regarding effective treatment strategies, patient reluctance to report symptoms to caregivers, a belief that such symptoms are simply a part of the cancer experience that must be tolerated, and inadequate coverage and reimbursement for some treatments. Additional research is needed on the definition, occurrence, the treatment of pain, depression, and fatigue, alone and in combination, in adequately funded prospective studies. The panel also concluded that the state of the science in cancer symptom management should be reassessed periodically.

National Institutes of Health State-of-the-Science Conference Statement: Symptom Management in Cancer: Pain, Depression, and Fatigue, July 15-17, 2002.

PubMed

Patrick, Donald L; Ferketich, Sandra L; Frame, Paul S; Harris, Jesse J; Hendricks, Carolyn B; Levin, Bernard; Link, Michael P; Lustig, Craig; McLaughlin, Joseph; Ried, L Douglas; Turrisi, Andrew T; Unützer, Jürgen; Vernon, Sally W

2003-08-06

Despite advances in early detection and effective treatment, cancer remains one of the most feared diseases. Among the most common side effects of cancer and treatments for cancer are pain, depression, and fatigue. Although research is producing increasingly hopeful insights into the causes and cures for cancer, efforts to manage the side effects of the disease and its treatments have not kept pace. The challenge that faces us is how to increase awareness of the importance of recognizing and actively addressing cancer-related distress. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) convened a State-of-the-Science Conference on Symptom Management in Cancer: Pain, Depression, and Fatigue to examine the current state of knowledge regarding the management of pain, depression, and fatigue in individuals with cancer and to identify directions for future research. Specifically, the conference examined how to identify individuals who are at risk for cancer-related pain, depression, and/or fatigue; what treatments work best to address these symptoms when they occur; and what is the best way to deliver interventions across the continuum of care. State-of-the-Science Process: A non-advocate, non-Federal, 14-member panel of experts representing the fields of oncology, radiology, psychology, nursing, public health, social work, and epidemiology prepared the statement. In addition, 24 experts in medical oncology, geriatrics, pharmacology, psychology, and neurology presented data to the panel and to the conference audience during the first 1.5 days of the conference. The panel then prepared its statement, addressing the five predetermined questions and drawing on submitted literature, the speakers' presentations, and discussions held at the conference. The statement was presented to the conference audience, followed by a press conference to allow the panel to respond to questions from the media. After its release at the conference, the draft statement was made available on the Internet. The panel's final statement is available at http://consensus.nih.gov. The panel concluded that the available evidence supports a variety of interventions for treating cancer patients' pain, depression, and fatigue. Clinicians should routinely use brief assessment tools to ask patients about pain, depression, and fatigue and to initiate evidence-based treatments. Assessment should include discussion about common symptoms experienced by cancer patients, and these discussions should continue over the duration of the illness. Impediments to effective symptom management in cancer patients can arise from different sources and interactions among providers, patients and their families, and the health care system. Numerous factors could interfere with adequate symptom management. Among these factors are incomplete effectiveness of some treatments, a lack of sufficient knowledge regarding effective treatment strategies, patient reluctance to report symptoms to caregivers, a belief that such symptoms are simply a part of the cancer experience that must be tolerated, and inadequate coverage and reimbursement for some treatments. Additional research is needed on the definition, occurrence, the treatment of pain, depression, and fatigue, alone and in combination, in adequately funded prospective studies. The panel also concluded that the state of the science in cancer symptom management should be reassessed periodically.

NEUROTOXICOLOGY IN REGULATION AND RISK ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The paper is to be published in the proceedings of a conference on learning disabilities. It summarizes the need for neurotoxicology data in risk assessment, the regulatory agencies which have authority to require toxicity testing, the overall process of risk assessment and the p...

Surveying the opinions of Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police toward officers carrying and administering naloxone.

PubMed

Smyser, Paul A; Lubin, Jeffrey S

2018-01-01

Recent legislation in Pennsylvania allows police officers to administer naloxone to individuals in an opioid overdose. Pressure has subsequently been placed on police departments to adopt naloxone programs. To survey Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police regarding potential obstacles to officer-administered naloxone, and their overall opinion toward such programs. A confidential survey was administered at the Annual Conference for the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association and online over the organization's listserv. Respondents rated their level of concern toward four potential obstacles on a Likert scale from 1 to 5. A fifth question asked the degree to which they agree that the benefits of naloxone programs outweigh the risks. Of 180 attendees, 36 Chiefs of Police responded at the conference and 48 to the online survey. The potential agitation of revived victims was their largest reported concern, with 60% responding either a 4 or 5; this was followed by officers correctly identifying situations to use naloxone (42%), the cost of the medication (38%), and the additional administrative duties of the department (32%). Overall 60% responded they "Strongly Agree" or "Agree" the benefits of naloxone programs outweigh the risks, while 23% responded "Strongly Disagree" or "Disagree." No significant differences were seen when separating participants from rural and urban counties or from counties with high, medium, and low rates of overdose fatalities. The results suggest that although a significant subset shows concern for the above obstacles, the majority of Chiefs of Police believe that the benefits of equipping officers with naloxone outweigh the risks.

Fuels Management-How to Measure Success: Conference Proceedings

Treesearch

Patricia L. Andrews; Bret W. Butler

2006-01-01

Fuels management programs are designed to reduce risks to communities and to improve and maintain ecosystem health. The International Association of Wildland Fire initiated the 1st Fire Behavior and Fuels Conference to address development, implementation, and evaluation of these programs. The focus was on how to measure success. Over 500 participants from several...

Transparent and Open Discussion of Errors Does Not Increase Malpractice Risk in Trauma Patients

PubMed Central

Stewart, Ronald M.; Corneille, Michael G.; Johnston, Joe; Geoghegan, Kathy; Myers, John G.; Dent, Daniel L.; McFarland, Marilyn; Alley, Joshua; Pruitt, Basil A.; Cohn, Stephen M.

2006-01-01

Objective: We set out to determine if there is an increased medical malpractice lawsuit rate when trauma patient cases are presented at an open, multidisciplinary morbidity and mortality conference (M&M). Introduction: Patient safety proponents emphasize the importance of transparency with respect to medical errors. In contrast, the tort system focuses on blame and punishment, which encourages secrecy. Our question: Can the goals of the patient safety movement be met without placing care providers and healthcare institutions at unacceptably high malpractice risk? Methods: The trauma registry, a risk management database, along with the written minutes of the trauma morbidity and mortality conference (M&M) were used to determine the number and incidence of malpractice suits filed following full discussion at an open M&M conference at an academic level I trauma center. Results: A total of 20,749 trauma patients were admitted. A total of 412 patients were discussed at M&M conference and a total of seven lawsuits were filed. Six of the patients were not discussed at M&M prior to the lawsuit being filed. One patient was discussed at M&M prior to the lawsuit being filed. The incidence of lawsuit was calculated in three groups: all trauma patients, all trauma patients with complications, and all patients presented at trauma M&M conference. The ratio of lawsuits filed to patients admitted and incidence in the three groups is as follows: All Patients, 7 lawsuits/20,479 patients (4.25 lawsuits/100,000 patients/year); M&M Presentation, 1 lawsuit/421 patients (29.6 lawsuits/100,000 patients/year); All Trauma Complications, 7 lawsuits/6,225 patients (14 lawsuits/100,000 patients/year). Patients with a complication were more likely to sue (P < 0.01); otherwise, there were no statistical differences between groups. Conclusions: A transparent discussion of errors, complications, and deaths does not appear to lead to an increased risk of lawsuit. PMID:16632999

Rare TREM2 variants associated with Alzheimer's disease display reduced cell surface expression.

PubMed

Sirkis, Daniel W; Bonham, Luke W; Aparicio, Renan E; Geier, Ethan G; Ramos, Eliana Marisa; Wang, Qing; Karydas, Anna; Miller, Zachary A; Miller, Bruce L; Coppola, Giovanni; Yokoyama, Jennifer S

2016-09-02

Rare variation in TREM2 has been associated with greater risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD). TREM2 encodes a cell surface receptor expressed on microglia and related cells, and the R47H variant associated with AD appears to affect the ability of TREM2 to bind extracellular ligands. In addition, other rare TREM2 mutations causing early-onset neurodegeneration are thought to impair cell surface expression. Using a sequence kernel association (SKAT) analysis in two independent AD cohorts, we found significant enrichment of rare TREM2 variants not previously characterized at the protein level. Heterologous expression of the identified variants showed that novel variants S31F and R47C displayed significantly reduced cell surface expression. In addition, we identified rare variant R136Q in a patient with language-predominant AD that also showed impaired surface expression. The results suggest rare TREM2 variants enriched in AD may be associated with altered TREM2 function and that AD risk may be conferred, in part, from altered TREM2 surface expression.

Cardiovascular risk estimation by professionally active cardiovascular nurses: results from the Basel 2005 Nurses Cohort.

PubMed

Scholte op Reimer, Wilma J M; Moons, Philip; De Geest, Sabina; Fridlund, Bengt; Heikkilä, Johanna; Jaarsma, Tiny; Lenzen, Mattie; Martensson, Jan; Norekvål, Tone M; Smith, Karen; Stewart, Simon; Strömberg, Anna; Thompson, David R

2006-12-01

Nurses play a key role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and one would, therefore, expect them to have a heightened awareness of the need for systematic screening and their own CVD risk profile. The aim of this study was to examine personal awareness of CVD risk among a cohort of cardiovascular nurses attending a European conference. Of the 340 delegates attending the 5th annual Spring Meeting on Cardiovascular Nursing (Basel, Switzerland, 2005), 287 (83%) completed a self-report questionnaire to assess their own risk factors for CVD. Delegates were also asked to give an estimation of their absolute total risk of experiencing a fatal CVD event in the next 10 years. Level of agreement between self-reported CVD risk estimation and their actual risk according to the SCORE risk assessment system was compared by calculating weighted Kappa (kappa(w)). Overall, 109 responders (38%) self-reported having either pre-existing CVD (only 2%), one or more markedly raised CVD risk factors, a high total risk of fatal CVD (> or =5% in 10 years) or a strong family history of CVD. About half of this cohort (53%) did not know their own total cholesterol level. Less than half (45%) reported having a 10-year risk of fatal CVD of <1%, while 13% reported having a risk > or =5%. Based on the SCORE risk function, the estimated 10-year risk of a fatal CVD event was <1% for 96% of responders: only 2% had a > or =5% risk of such an event. Overall, less than half (46%) of this cohort's self-reported CVD risk corresponded with that calculated using the SCORE risk function (kappa(w)=0.27). Most cardiovascular nurses attending a European conference in 2005 poorly understood their own CVD risk profile, and the agreement between their self-reported 10-year risk of a fatal CVD and their CVD risk using SCORE was only fair. Given the specialist nature of this conference, our findings clearly demonstrate a need to improve overall nursing awareness of the role and importance of systematic CVD risk assessment.

48 CFR 801.602-72 - Exceptions and additional review requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... review of all proposed contracts with hotels or similar facilities for conferences or similar functions... conference at a particular hotel is a procurement and procurement laws and regulations must be followed. ...

48 CFR 801.602-72 - Exceptions and additional review requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... review of all proposed contracts with hotels or similar facilities for conferences or similar functions... conference at a particular hotel is a procurement and procurement laws and regulations must be followed. ...

The Readmission Reduction Program of Kaiser Permanente Southern California—Knowledge Transfer and Performance Improvement

PubMed Central

Tuso, Philip; Huynh, Dan Ngoc; Garofalo, Lynn; Lindsay, Gail; Watson, Heather L; Lenaburg, Douglas L; Lau, Helen; Florence, Brandy; Jones, Jason; Harvey, Patti; Kanter, Michael H

2013-01-01

In 2011, Kaiser Permanente Northwest Region (KPNW) won the Lawrence Patient Safety Award for its innovative work in reducing hospital readmission rates. In 2012, Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC) won the Transfer Projects Lawrence Safety Award for the successful implementation of the KPNW Region’s “transitional care” bundle to a Region that was almost 8 times the size of KPNW. The KPSC Transition in Care Program consists of 6 KPNW bundle elements and 2 additional bundle elements added by the KPSC team. The 6 KPNW bundle elements were risk stratification, standardized discharge summary, medication reconciliation, a postdischarge phone call, timely follow-up with a primary care physician, and a special transition phone number on discharge instructions. The 2 additional bundle elements added by KPSC were palliative care consult if indicated and a complex-case conference. KPSC has implemented most of the KPNW and KPSC bundle elements during the first quarter of 2012 for our Medicare risk population at all of our 13 medical centers. Each year, KPSC discharges approximately 40,000 Medicare risk patients. After implementation of bundle elements, KPSC Medicare risk all-cause 30-day Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set readmissions observed-over-expected ratio and readmission rates from December 2010 to November 2012 decreased from approximately 1.0 to 0.80 and 12.8% to 11%, respectively. PMID:24355891

Common variants of OPA1 conferring genetic susceptibility to leprosy in Han Chinese from Southwest China.

PubMed

Xiang, Yang-Lin; Zhang, Deng-Feng; Wang, Dong; Li, Yu-Ye; Yao, Yong-Gang

2015-11-01

Leprosy is an ancient chronic infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Onset of leprosy was highly affected by host nutritional condition and energy production, (partially) due to genomic loss and parasitic life style of M. leprae. The optic atrophy 1 (OPA1) gene plays an essential role in mitochondria, which function in cellular energy supply and innate immunity. To investigate the potential involvement of OPA1 in leprosy. We analyzed 7 common genetic variants of OPA1 in 1110 Han Chinese subjects with and without leprosy, followed by mRNA expression profiling and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. We observed positive associations between OPA1 variants rs9838374 (Pgenotypic=0.003) and rs414237 (Pgenotypic=0.002) with lepromatous leprosy. expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis showed that the leprosy-related risk allele C of rs414237 is correlated with lower OPA1 mRNA expression level. Indeed, we identified a decrease of OPA1 mRNA expression in both with patients and cellular model of leprosy. In addition, the PPI analysis showed that OPA1 protein was actively involved in the interaction network of M. leprae induced differentially expressed genes. Our results indicated that OPA1 variants confer risk of leprosy and may affect OPA1 expression, mitochondrial function and antimicrobial pathways. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mitochondrial DNA Haplogroup Confers Genetic Susceptibility to Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in Chaoshanese from Guangdong, China

PubMed Central

Hu, Sheng-Ping; Du, Ju-Ping; Li, De-Rui; Yao, Yong-Gang

2014-01-01

Recent studies have shown association of mtDNA background with cancer development. We analyzed mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region variation of 201 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and of 201 normal controls from Chaoshan Han Chinese to discern mtDNA haplogroup effect on the disease onset. Binary logistic regression analysis with adjustment for gender and age revealed that the haplogroup R9 (P = 0.011, OR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.16–3.16), particularly its sub-haplogroup F1 (P = 0.015, OR = 2.43, 95% CI = 1.18–5.00), were associated significantly with increased NPC risk. These haplogroups were further confirmed to confer high NPC risk in males and/or individuals ≥40 years of age, but not in females or in subjects <40 years old. Our results indicated that mtDNA background confers genetic susceptibility to NPC in Chaoshan Han Chinese, and R9, particularly its sub-haplogroup F1, is a risk factor for NPC. PMID:24498198

Software for predictive microbiology and risk assessment: a description and comparison of tools presented at the ICPMF8 Software Fair.

PubMed

Tenenhaus-Aziza, Fanny; Ellouze, Mariem

2015-02-01

The 8th International Conference on Predictive Modelling in Food was held in Paris, France in September 2013. One of the major topics of this conference was the transfer of knowledge and tools between academics and stakeholders of the food sector. During the conference, a "Software Fair" was held to provide information and demonstrations of predictive microbiology and risk assessment software. This article presents an overall description of the 16 software tools demonstrated at the session and provides a comparison based on several criteria such as the modeling approach, the different modules available (e.g. databases, predictors, fitting tools, risk assessment tools), the studied environmental factors (temperature, pH, aw, etc.), the type of media (broth or food) and the number and type of the provided micro-organisms (pathogens and spoilers). The present study is a guide to help users select the software tools which are most suitable to their specific needs, before they test and explore the tool(s) in more depth. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effective Teaching at a Distance. [Conference Report] (1st, Madison, Wisconsin, August 5-6, 1985).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin Univ., Madison. Dept of Continuing and Vocational Education.

This report provides a brief description of a 1985 conference on distance education together with the papers presented by six of the seven keynote speakers. It is noted that, in addition to these papers, the conference included 30 application sessions which allowed the 182 participants to select issues and topics to explore in small groups. The…

78 FR 36787 - Rechanneling the Current Cardiac Risk Paradigm: Arrhythmia Risk Assessment During Drug...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-19

... International Life Sciences Institute's Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI) will cosponsor a... Society, or Nonprofit Organization....... 250 Government (non-FDA) 150 Seats are limited, and conference...

Pre-offense alcohol intake in homicide offenders and victims: A forensic-toxicological case-control study.

PubMed

Hedlund, Jonatan; Forsman, Jonas; Sturup, Joakim; Masterman, Thomas

2018-05-01

Alcohol is associated with violent behavior, although little is known regarding to what extent alcohol increases homicide risk. We aimed to estimate risks of homicide offending and victimization conferred by the presence of ethanol in blood by using toxicological data from homicide victims and offenders and from controls who had died in vehicle-related accidents. From nationwide governmental registries and databases, forensic-toxicological results were retrieved for victims (n = 200) and offenders (n = 105) of homicides committed during the years 2007-2009 and individuals killed in vehicle-related accidents (n = 1629) during the years 2006-2014. Ethanol levels in blood exceeding 0.01 g/100 ml were considered positive. Using logistic regression, we found that the presence of ethanol in blood conferred a significantly increased risk of homicide offending (age-adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.6, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 2.3-5.6) and homicide victimization (aOR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.4-3.0). After stratification by sex, risk estimates in females were about 3-fold greater than in males for both homicide offending ([aOR = 11.0, 95% CI = 2.4-49.8] versus [aOR = 3.1, 95% CI = 1.9-4.9]) and victimization ([aOR = 5.4, 95% CI = 2.4-12.2] versus [aOR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.1-2.8]). Sensitivity analyses yielded similar estimates. The results of the present study are consistent with prior findings suggesting alcohol to be an important risk factor for homicide offending and victimization. Surprisingly, however, associations were more pronounced in females, although additional studies that control for potential confounders are warranted to facilitate speculations about causality. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Rare and Common Variants Conferring Risk of Tooth Agenesis.

PubMed

Jonsson, L; Magnusson, T E; Thordarson, A; Jonsson, T; Geller, F; Feenstra, B; Melbye, M; Nohr, E A; Vucic, S; Dhamo, B; Rivadeneira, F; Ongkosuwito, E M; Wolvius, E B; Leslie, E J; Marazita, M L; Howe, B J; Moreno Uribe, L M; Alonso, I; Santos, M; Pinho, T; Jonsson, R; Audolfsson, G; Gudmundsson, L; Nawaz, M S; Olafsson, S; Gustafsson, O; Ingason, A; Unnsteinsdottir, U; Bjornsdottir, G; Walters, G B; Zervas, M; Oddsson, A; Gudbjartsson, D F; Steinberg, S; Stefansson, H; Stefansson, K

2018-05-01

We present association results from a large genome-wide association study of tooth agenesis (TA) as well as selective TA, including 1,944 subjects with congenitally missing teeth, excluding third molars, and 338,554 controls, all of European ancestry. We also tested the association of previously identified risk variants, for timing of tooth eruption and orofacial clefts, with TA. We report associations between TA and 9 novel risk variants. Five of these variants associate with selective TA, including a variant conferring risk of orofacial clefts. These results contribute to a deeper understanding of the genetic architecture of tooth development and disease. The few variants previously associated with TA were uncovered through candidate gene studies guided by mouse knockouts. Knowing the etiology and clinical features of TA is important for planning oral rehabilitation that often involves an interdisciplinary approach.

The Acute Risks of Exercise in Apparently Healthy Adults and Relevance for Prevention of Cardiovascular Events.

PubMed

Goodman, Jack M; Burr, Jamie F; Banks, Laura; Thomas, Scott G

2016-04-01

Increased physical activity (PA) is associated with improved quality of life and reductions in cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and all-cause mortality in the general population in a dose-response manner. However, PA acutely increases the risk of adverse CV event or sudden cardiac death (SCD) above levels expected at rest. We review the likelihood of adverse CV events related to exercise in apparently healthy adults and strategies for prevention, and contextualize our understanding of the long-term risk reduction conferred from PA. A systematic review of the literature was performed using electronic databases; additional hand-picked relevant articles from reference lists and additional sources were included after the search. The incidence of adverse CV events in adults is extremely low during and immediately after PA of varying types and intensities and is significantly lower in those with long-standing PA experience. The risk of SCD and nonfatal events during and immediately after PA remains extremely low (well below 0.01 per 10,000 participant hours); increasing age and PA intensity are associated with greater risk. In most cases of exercise-related SCD, occult CV disease is present and SCD is typically the first clinical event. Exercise acutely increases the risk of adverse CV events, with greater risk associated with vigorous intensity. The risks of an adverse CV event during and immediately after exercise are outweighed by the health benefits of vigorous exercise performed regularly. A key challenge remains the identification of occult structural heart disease and inheritable conditions that increase the chances of lethal arrhythmias during exercise. Copyright © 2016 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Extramedullary plasmacytomas in the context of multiple myeloma.

PubMed

Aguado, Beatriz; Iñigo, Belen; Sastre, Jose L; Oriol, Albert

2011-11-01

Plasmacytoma is a frequent complication of multiple myeloma, either at diagnosis or within disease progression. The extramedullary disease confers a poorer prognosis and is biologically distinct with high-risk molecular and histological features, being resistant to conventional treatments. Radiation therapy remains the most effective treatment for extramedullary lesions to achieve local control. There are very limited data from randomized trials regarding the most appropriate systemic treatment. Case reports such as those presented here, as well as retrospective analysis of series, suggest that lenalidomide is an effective agent, in combination with dexamethasone, in this setting. Additional studies are needed to define the proper management of this condition.

Threats, protests greet conference.

PubMed

Struck, D

1994-09-04

In preparation for the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development, Egypt has deployed 14,000 police to protect participants from threatened violence. The Vatican has joined forces with Muslim fundamentalists to condemn the conference as a vehicle for imposing Western ideals, particularly abortion, on Third world countries. In addition, the opposition is raising the specter of a descent of homosexuals onto Cairo and Muslim fundamentalists have threatened to murder Western representatives. A suit filed by Islamic lawyers, aimed at stopping the conference, failed. Sudan and Saudi Arabia plan to boycott the conference, and it remains uncertain whether Libya will be represented. Conference organizers have not been deterred by the threats and note that the controversy has drawn public attention to the central issues under debate.

Adherence to Mediterranean Diet Offers an Additive Protection Over the Use of Statin Therapy: Results from the ATTICA Study (2002-2012).

PubMed

Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B; Georgousopoulou, Ekavi N; Georgiopoulos, Georgios A; Pitsavos, Christos; Chrysohoou, Christina; Skoumas, Ioannis; Ntertimani, Maria; Laskaris, Alexandros; Papadimitriou, Lampros; Tousoulis, Dimitrios; Stefanadis, Christodoulos

2015-01-01

The protective role of Mediterranean diet on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk has been extensively discussed in the literature, but its incremental effect over the use of CVD risk reducing agents (such as hypolipidemic treatment) has rarely been evaluated. The ATTICA study was carried out in the Athens area during 2001-2002 and included 3042 participants free of CVD at baseline (49.8% men, aged 18-89 years). Adherence to Mediterranean diet was assessed using the MedDietScore (range 0-55) and statin use was recorded for all subjects. During 2011-2012, 2583 out of the 3042 baseline participants attended the 10-year follow-up of the ATTICA study (15% lost-to-follow-up) and CVD development was recorded. Adherence to Mediterranean diet (highest tertile) decreased CVD risk by 29.3% (Hazard Ratio (HR): 0.707, 95% Confidence Intervals (CI): 0.537-0.831) as compared with the lowest tertile, independently of statin use. Patients with hyperlipidemia on a statin that adopted unhealthy dietary habits (lowest tertile) had 75% increased CVD risk than normolipidemic subjects with healthy dietary habits (HR=1.75, 95%CI: 1.33-2.29). The addition of Mediterranean diet tertiles in the multivariable model reclassified 46.7% of the participants to CVD risk categories. Adherence to Mediterranean diet confers a considerable reduction in CVD risk, independently of gender, age, family history of CVD, diabetes mellitus, smoking status, hypertension and physical activity status. Therefore, CVD prevention strategies should involve the implementation of a Mediterranean diet in both the general population and patients on a statin.

Communicating the Future: Best Practices for Communication of Science and Technology to the Public

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

Porter, Gail

To advance the state of the art in science and technology communication to the public a conference was held March 6-8, 2002 at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, MD. This report of the conference proceedings includes a summary statement by the conference steering committee, transcripts or other text summarizing the remarks of conference speakers, and abstracts for 48 "best practice" communications programs selected by the steering committee through an open competition and a formal peer review process. Additional information about the 48 best practice programs is available on the archival conference Web site at www.nist.gov/bestpractices.

The risk of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome type 2

PubMed Central

Jessen, Birthe; Bode, Sebastian F. N.; Ammann, Sandra; Chakravorty, Subarna; Davies, Graham; Diestelhorst, Jana; Frei-Jones, Melissa; Gahl, William A.; Gochuico, Bernadette R.; Griese, Matthias; Griffiths, Gillian; Janka, Gritta; Klein, Christoph; Kögl, Tamara; Kurnik, Karin; Lehmberg, Kai; Maul-Pavicic, Andrea; Mumford, Andrew D.; Pace, David; Parvaneh, Nima; Rezaei, Nima; de Saint Basile, Geneviève; Schmitt-Graeff, Annette; Schwarz, Klaus; Karasu, Gulsun T.; Zieger, Barbara; zur Stadt, Udo; Aichele, Peter

2013-01-01

Genetic disorders of lymphocyte cytotoxicity predispose patients to hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Reduced lymphocyte cytotoxicity has been demonstrated in Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome type 2 (HPS2), but only a single patient was reported who developed HLH. Because that patient also carried a potentially contributing heterozygous RAB27A mutation, the risk for HLH in HPS2 remains unclear. We analyzed susceptibility to HLH in the pearl mouse model of HPS2. After infection with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, pearl mice developed all key features of HLH, linked to impaired virus control caused by a moderate defect in CTL cytotoxicity in vivo. However, in contrast to perforin-deficient mice, the disease was transient, and all mice fully recovered and controlled the infection. An additional heterozygous Rab27a mutation did not aggravate the cytotoxicity defect or disease parameters. In the largest survey of 22 HPS2 patients covering 234 patient years, we identified only 1 additional patient with HLH and 2 with incomplete transient HLH-like episodes, although cytotoxicity or degranulation was impaired in all 16 patients tested. HPS2 confers a risk for HLH that is lower than in Griscelli or Chediak-Higashi syndrome, probably because of a milder defect in cytotoxicity. Preemptive hematopoietic stem cell transplantation does not appear justified in HPS2. PMID:23403622

Hospice and palliative social workers' experiences with clients at risk of suicide.

PubMed

Washington, Karla T; Albright, David L; Parker Oliver, Debra; Gage, L Ashley; Lewis, Alexandria; Mooney, Megan J

2016-12-01

We sought to determine the frequency with which hospice and palliative social workers encounter patients, family caregivers, and other clients at risk of suicide, and to discover the extent to which hospice and palliative social workers feel prepared to address issues related to suicide in their professional practice. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of hospice and palliative social workers, recruiting a convenience sample of volunteer respondents through advertisements at professional conferences and listservs, and via social media accounts associated with national organizations, state hospice and palliative care associations, and individual healthcare professionals. Most respondents reported having worked with patients, family caregivers, or other clients who had exhibited warning signs of suicide during the previous year. Fewer respondents indicated that they had worked with patients and family members who had attempted or died by suicide. While the majority of respondents believed they possessed sufficient knowledge and skills to intervene effectively with individuals at risk of suicide, they indicated that additional education on this topic would be valuable for their professional practice. These study results suggest that suicide-related competencies are important in the practice of hospice and palliative social work. Future education and training efforts should include skill development in addition to knowledge building.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in hispanic youth with dysglycemia: Risk for subclinical atherosclerosis?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Obese Hispanic adolescents (OHAs) with dysglycemia have increased cardiovascular disease risk burden. To investigate if nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) confers added risk for endothelial dysfunction in these youth. Cross-sectional study. Academic institution. Thirty-six OHAs (15.360.4 years...

Modulating Cancer Risk: The Gut Takes Control | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

Cancer risk is influenced by a number of factors, including exposure to chemicals in food and drugs and other molecules in the environment. Some of these chemicals may increase risk of developing cancer, while others, including many chemicals in vegetables, may confer protection.

Helicobacter pylori-related chronic gastritis as a risk factor for colonic neoplasms.

PubMed

Inoue, Izumi; Kato, Jun; Tamai, Hideyuki; Iguchi, Mikitaka; Maekita, Takao; Yoshimura, Noriko; Ichinose, Masao

2014-02-14

To summarize the current views and insights on associations between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-related chronic gastritis and colorectal neoplasm, we reviewed recent studies to clarify whether H. pylori infection/H. pylori-related chronic gastritis is associated with an elevated risk of colorectal neoplasm. Recent studies based on large databases with careful control for confounding variables have clearly demonstrated an increased risk of colorectal neoplasm associated with H. pylori infection. The correlation between H. pylori-related chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) and colorectal neoplasm has only been examined in a limited number of studies. A recent large study using a national histopathological database, and our study based on the stage of H. pylori-related chronic gastritis as determined by serum levels of H. pylori antibody titer and pepsinogen, indicated that H. pylori-related CAG confers an increased risk of colorectal neoplasm, and more extensive atrophic gastritis will probably be associated with even higher risk of neoplasm. In addition, our study suggested that the activity of H. pylori-related chronic gastritis is correlated with colorectal neoplasm risk. H. pylori-related chronic gastritis could be involved in an increased risk of colorectal neoplasm that appears to be enhanced by the progression of gastric atrophy and the presence of active inflammation.

Helicobacter pylori-related chronic gastritis as a risk factor for colonic neoplasms

PubMed Central

Inoue, Izumi; Kato, Jun; Tamai, Hideyuki; Iguchi, Mikitaka; Maekita, Takao; Yoshimura, Noriko; Ichinose, Masao

2014-01-01

To summarize the current views and insights on associations between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-related chronic gastritis and colorectal neoplasm, we reviewed recent studies to clarify whether H. pylori infection/H. pylori-related chronic gastritis is associated with an elevated risk of colorectal neoplasm. Recent studies based on large databases with careful control for confounding variables have clearly demonstrated an increased risk of colorectal neoplasm associated with H. pylori infection. The correlation between H. pylori-related chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) and colorectal neoplasm has only been examined in a limited number of studies. A recent large study using a national histopathological database, and our study based on the stage of H. pylori-related chronic gastritis as determined by serum levels of H. pylori antibody titer and pepsinogen, indicated that H. pylori-related CAG confers an increased risk of colorectal neoplasm, and more extensive atrophic gastritis will probably be associated with even higher risk of neoplasm. In addition, our study suggested that the activity of H. pylori-related chronic gastritis is correlated with colorectal neoplasm risk. H. pylori-related chronic gastritis could be involved in an increased risk of colorectal neoplasm that appears to be enhanced by the progression of gastric atrophy and the presence of active inflammation. PMID:24587623

Surveillance of colonic polyps: Are we getting it right?

PubMed Central

Bonnington, Stewart N; Rutter, Matthew D

2016-01-01

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. The identification of colonic polyps can reduce CRC mortality through earlier diagnosis of cancers and the removal of polyps: the precursor lesion of CRC. Following the finding and removal of colonic polyps at an initial colonoscopy, some patients are at an increased risk of developing CRC in the future. This is the rationale for post-polypectomy surveillance colonoscopy. However, not all individuals found to have colonic adenomas have a risk of CRC higher than that of the general population. This review examines the literature on post-polypectomy surveillance including current international clinical guidelines. The potential benefits of surveillance procedures must be weighed against the burden of colonoscopy: resource use, the potential for patient discomfort, and the risk of complications. Therefore surveillance colonoscopy is best utilised in a selected group of individuals at a high risk of developing cancer. Further study is needed into the specific factors conferring higher risk as well as the efficacy of surveillance in mitigating this risk. Such evidence will better inform clinicians and patients of the relative benefits of colonoscopic surveillance for the individual. In addition, the decision to continue with surveillance must be informed by the changing profile of risks and benefits of further procedures with the patient’s advancing age. PMID:26877600

Aeroallergens, allergic rhinitis, and sedating antihistamines: risk factors for traumatic occupational injury and economic impact.

PubMed

Hanrahan, L P; Paramore, L C

2003-10-01

The U.S. workplace injury burden is significant. Our objective was to assess the particular impact of aeroallergen, allergic rhinitis, and antihistamine exposures and side effects on the risk of traumatic work-related injuries, and the associated economic impact. This is an observational case-control study with 1,223 acute traumatic injury cases that are compared to 1,202 chronic back injury controls. Structured telephone interviews were conducted in 1998 and 1999 on Workers' Compensation applicants injured in 1997. Antihistamine use and pollen levels were measured 2 weeks prior to the injury date. Sedating antihistamine exposures elevated acute injury risk (main effect OR: 2.93). A significant increase in traumatic injury risk was observed for combined sedating antihistamine and high pollen exposures among subjects with physician and self-diagnosed allergic rhinitis (OR: 2.41). Direct medical costs associated with this increased risk were estimated at $143 million in 2001. Workers with physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis have as high a reliance on sedating antihistamines as do self-diagnosed and self-medicating nasal allergy sufferers. High pollen exposures along with sedating antihistamine use may confer significant additional injury risks among allergic rhinitis sufferers. Medical management "best practices" of diagnosed allergic rhinitis should include avoidance of sedating antihistamines to minimize acute, traumatic injury risks. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Surveillance of colonic polyps: Are we getting it right?

PubMed

Bonnington, Stewart N; Rutter, Matthew D

2016-02-14

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. The identification of colonic polyps can reduce CRC mortality through earlier diagnosis of cancers and the removal of polyps: the precursor lesion of CRC. Following the finding and removal of colonic polyps at an initial colonoscopy, some patients are at an increased risk of developing CRC in the future. This is the rationale for post-polypectomy surveillance colonoscopy. However, not all individuals found to have colonic adenomas have a risk of CRC higher than that of the general population. This review examines the literature on post-polypectomy surveillance including current international clinical guidelines. The potential benefits of surveillance procedures must be weighed against the burden of colonoscopy: resource use, the potential for patient discomfort, and the risk of complications. Therefore surveillance colonoscopy is best utilised in a selected group of individuals at a high risk of developing cancer. Further study is needed into the specific factors conferring higher risk as well as the efficacy of surveillance in mitigating this risk. Such evidence will better inform clinicians and patients of the relative benefits of colonoscopic surveillance for the individual. In addition, the decision to continue with surveillance must be informed by the changing profile of risks and benefits of further procedures with the patient's advancing age.

1987 Oak Ridge model conference: Proceedings: Volume 2, Environmental protection

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

Not Available

1987-01-01

See the abstract for Volume I for general information on the conference. Topics discussed in Volume II include data management techiques for environmental protection efforts, the use of models in environmental auditing, in emergency plans, chemical accident emergency response, risk assessment, monitoring of waste sites, air and water monitoring of waste sites, and in training programs. (TEM)

Literacy Instruction: Practices, Problems, Promises. Proceedings of the Annual Conference and Course on Literacy (37th, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, June 1990).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Caryn M., Comp.; Bean, Rita M., Comp.

This conference proceedings document contains 18 papers focusing on ideas and strategies for effective literacy instruction. Following opening remarks by Rita M. Bean, are four keynote addresses: "Toward Uncommon Sense Literacy Learning; Integrating Reading and Writing" (John Mayher); "Literacy Learning in At-Risk First…

International High/Scope Registry Conference Proceedings (Ypsilanti, Michigan, May 8-11, 1996).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, Ypsilanti, MI.

These conference proceedings provide summaries of 66 presentations on various aspects of the High/Scope active learning approach for high-risk students, as well as related topics. Topics addressed include: (1) real-life problem solving; (2) songs in daily routines; (3) open-ended art materials; (4) transition strategies; (5) recall ideas for…

Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the International Association of School LIbrarianship (19th, Umea, Sweden, July 8-12, 1990).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

International Association of School Librarianship, Kalamazoo, MI.

This conference report contains 32 presented papers: "Talking Books for Children in Sweden in Libraries and Schools" (L. Bergman); "At-Risk Students: How Do School (Library) Systems Respond?" (G. R. Brown); "Providing School Library Services to Immigrant Populations" (K. W. Craver); "Bibliographic Aids for School…

FORUM ON INNOVATIVE HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL - 2nd Philadelphia, Pennsylania, MAY 14-16, 1990 - Technical Papers (EPA/540/2-90/010)

EPA Science Inventory

As a result of the high level of interest in innovative hazardous waste control technologies, U.S. EPA's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OSWER) and Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory (RREL) jointly conducted this conference. The conference consisted of presenta...

PREFACE: Nanosafe 2012: International Conferences on Safe Production and Use of Nanomaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tardif, François

2013-04-01

Welcome from the organizers The rapidly developing field of nanotechnology opens up many exciting opportunities and benefits for new materials with significantly improved properties as well as some revolutionary applications in the fields of energy, environment, medicine, etc. These new materials potentially pave the way to considerable innovations in many industries of the 21st century although associated risks must be perfectly under control for workers, consumers and the environment. So, one can easily understand why Nanosafety is now considered as a specific new scientific area, gaining in importance and maturity every day. Following the successful outcome of the two past international conferences on the safe production and use of nanomaterials: Nanosafe 2008 and 2010, the organizing committee has the pleasure of welcoming again to Grenoble some of the most famous specialists of the field in the world. In addition to the standard issues addressed in previous nanosafe conferences such as Toxicology, Eco-toxicology, Expology, Detection, Life Cycle Analysis, Regulation and Standardization, new topics of great interest will be dealt with this year, concerning Governance and practical Risk Management for OSH experts and Societal issues. In order to enhance the exchanges and conviviality three debates werw organized around Nano Governance, Toxicology and Ethics. We hope that you will appreciate this new Nanosafe edition like the previous ones. This is your Nanosafe conference, please enjoy. The Nanosafe conference organisers François Tardif and Frédéric Shuster Management Vanessa Gaultier Francois TardifFrederic ShusterVanessa Gaultier François TardifFrédéric Shuster Vanessa Gaultier Local Organizing Committee Vanessa GAULTIER (CEA) François TARDIF (CEA) Dominique BAGUET (CEA) Frédédric SHUSTER (CEA) Yves SICARD (CEA) Catherine DURAND (CEA) Didier MOLKO (MINATEC) International Scientific Committee Chair: Frédéric SCHUSTER (CEA, FR) François TARDIF (CEA, FR) Co-chair: Georgios KATALAGARIANAKIS (EC, BE) Mélanie AUFFAN (CEREGE, FR) Jorge BOCZKOWSKI (INSERM, FR) Jean-Yves BOTTERO (CEREGE, FR) Jacques BOUILLARD (INERIS, FR) Derk BROUWER (TNO, NL) Marie CARRIERE (CEA, FR) Claude EMOND (U. MONTREAL, CA) Cassandra ENGEMAN (UCSB, USA) Eric GAFFET (CNRS, FR) François GENSDARMES (IRSN, FR) Alexei GRINBAUM (CEA, FR) Antje GROBE (U.STUTTGART, DE) Peter HOET (KUL, BE) Eric QUEMENEUR (CEA, FR) Olivier LE BIHAN (INERIS, FR) Robert MUIR (NANEUM, UK) Tinh NGUYEN (NIST, USA) Bernd NOWACK (EMPA, CH) Günter OBERDÖRSTER (U. ROCHESTER, USA) David PUI (U. MINNESOTA, USA) Michael RIEDIKER (IST, CH) Yves SAMSON (CEA, FR) Ken TAKEDA (U. TOKYO, JP) Olivier WITSCHGER (INRS, FR) The PDF contains a list of sponsor logos, the conference programme and planning documents.

Perceived association between diagnostic and non-diagnostic cues of women's sexual interest: General Recognition Theory predictors of risk for sexual coercion.

PubMed

Farris, Coreen; Viken, Richard J; Treat, Teresa A

2010-01-01

Young men's errors in sexual perception have been linked to sexual coercion. The current investigation sought to explicate the perceptual and decisional sources of these social perception errors, as well as their link to risk for sexual violence. General Recognition Theory (GRT; [Ashby, F. G., & Townsend, J. T. (1986). Varieties of perceptual independence. Psychological Review, 93, 154-179]) was used to estimate participants' ability to discriminate between affective cues and clothing style cues and to measure illusory correlations between men's perception of women's clothing style and sexual interest. High-risk men were less sensitive to the distinction between women's friendly and sexual interest cues relative to other men. In addition, they were more likely to perceive an illusory correlation between women's diagnostic sexual interest cues (e.g., facial affect) and non-diagnostic cues (e.g., provocative clothing), which increases the probability that high-risk men will misperceive friendly women as intending to communicate sexual interest. The results provide information about the degree of risk conferred by individual differences in perceptual processing of women's interest cues, and also illustrate how translational scientists might adapt GRT to examine research questions about individual differences in social perception.

Quantitative trait loci at the 11q23.3 chromosomal region related to dyslipidemia in the population of Andhra Pradesh, India.

PubMed

Pranavchand, Rayabarapu; Reddy, Battini Mohan

2017-06-13

Given the characteristic atherogenic dyslipidemia of south Indian population and crucial role of APOA1, APOC3, APOA4 and APOA5 genes clustered in 11q23.3 chromosomal region in regulating lipoprotein metabolism and cholesterol homeostasis, a large number of recently identified variants are to be explored for their role in regulating the serum lipid parameters among south Indians. Using fluidigm SNP genotyping platform, a prioritized set of 96 SNPs of the 11q23.3 chromosomal region were genotyped on 516 individuals from Hyderabad, India, and its vicinity and aged >45 years. The linear regression analysis of the individual lipid traits viz., TC, LDLC, HDLC, VLDL and TG with each of the 78 SNPs that confirm to HWE and with minor allele frequency > 1%, suggests 23 of those to be significantly associated (p ≤ 0.05) with at least one of these quantitative traits. Most importantly, the variant rs632153 is involved in elevating TC, LDLC, TG and VLDLs and probably playing a crucial role in the manifestation of dyslipidemia. Additionally, another three SNPs rs633389, rs2187126 and rs1263163 are found risk conferring to dyslipidemia by elevating LDLC and TC levels in the present population. Further, the ROC (receiver operating curve) analysis for the risk scores and dyslipidemia status yielded a significant area under curve (AUC) = 0.675, suggesting high discriminative power of the risk variants towards the condition. The interaction analysis suggests rs10488699-rs2187126 pair of the BUD13 gene to confer significant risk (Interaction odds ratio = 14.38, P = 7.17 × 10 5 ) towards dyslipidemia by elevating the TC levels (β = 37.13, p = 6.614 × 10 5 ). On the other hand, the interaction between variants of APOA1 gene and BUD13 and/or ZPR1 regulatory genes at this region are associated with elevated TG and VLDL. The variants at 11q23.3 chromosomal region seem to determine the quantitative lipid traits and in turn dyslipidemia in the population of Hyderabad. Particularly, the variants rs632153, rs633389, rs2187126 and rs1263163 might be risk conferring to dyslipidemia by elevating LDLC and TC levels, while the variants of APOC3 and APOA1 genes might be the genetic determinants of elevated triglycerides in the present population.

Asia-Pacific Immigration to the United States. A Conference Report (Honolulu, Hawaii, September 20-25, 1984).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fawcett, James T.; And Others

This conference report provides the main findings of a meeting whose goal was to produce a state-of-the-art analysis of Asia-Pacific immigration. Five additional, more specific goals of the conference were: (1) To examine the Asia-Pacific situation in relation to global and historical immigration patterns; (2) To analyze immigration in the context…

Secondary Education of the Handicapped: Conference Proceedings (Estes Park, Colorado, May 28-30, 1980). Reports of the Deans' Grants: 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fender, Marilyn F., Ed.

The proceedings from a 1980 conference on secondary education of the handicapped presents 32 papers on the topic along with 6 papers not presented at the conference. A keynote address by P. Fanning, which considered future needs and trends in secondary programing is summarized. Additional papers touch on such issues as Project NEEDS (a…

Risk Assess: What's Safe? What's Not? Why?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duffy, Roslyn

2010-01-01

"Risk assess!" The words sound like a verbal stop sign. "Stop! Think! Consider!" In this article, the author presents an example of risk assessing that came from a nature education conference in Crieff, Scotland, that she attended as part of an international group of educators seeking ways to increase children's experiences…

Genetic and functional characterization of PCSK1.

PubMed

Choquet, Hélène; Stijnen, Pieter; Creemers, John W M

2011-01-01

PC1/3 is a neuroendocrine-specific member of the mammalian subtilisin-like proprotein convertase family. This seven-member family is involved in the endoproteolytic cleavage of a large number of precursor proteins including prohormones, proneuropeptides, zymogens, and proreceptors. PC1/3 is synthesized as a zymogen, proPC1/3, and its propeptide is rapidly and autocatalytically cleaved in the endoplasmic reticulum. The mature protein is sorted and stored in dense-core secretory vesicles, together with its substrates. Compound-inactivating mutations in the PCSK1 gene, which encodes PC1/3, cause monogenic obesity. Furthermore, the contribution of two common nonsynonymous variants in PCSK1 to polygenic obesity risk has recently been established. Additional rare variants have been identified in non-consanguineous extremely obese Europeans but functional characterization has not yet been described. Sequencing efforts of larger cohorts of obese patients might reveal more variants conferring risk of obesity.

The Association of Partner Abuse Types and Suicidal Ideation Among Men and Women College Students.

PubMed

Wolford-Clevenger, Caitlin; Vann, Noelle C; Smith, Phillip N

2016-01-01

Despite the well-documented relations between intimate partner violence and suicidal ideation, gender differences regarding the relationships between intimate partner violence types and suicidal ideation are less understood. In addition, few studies have examined the risk that harassment may confer for suicidal ideation in the context of intimate partner violence. This study examined gender differences in the associations of harassment, emotional, and physical intimate partner violence with suicidal ideation in 502 college students, while controlling for the influence of depressive symptoms. Results indicated that physical abuse, but not harassment or emotional abuse, was associated with increased suicidal ideation in men. In contrast, emotional abuse, but not physical abuse or harassment, was associated with increased suicidal ideation in women. Clinicians should consider potential gender differences in the impact of intimate partner violence on suicidal ideation when assessing suicide risk.

Rationalising vitamin B6 biofortification in crop plants.

PubMed

Fudge, Jared; Mangel, Nathalie; Gruissem, Wilhelm; Vanderschuren, Hervé; Fitzpatrick, Teresa B

2017-04-01

Vitamin B 6 encompasses a group of related compounds (vitamers) that can only be biosynthesised de novo by plants and microorganisms. Enzymatic cofactor and antioxidant functions for vitamin B 6 are established in all kingdoms. Human vitamin B 6 dietary insufficiency or genetic defects in B 6 vitamer interconversion result in various neurological and inflammatory pathologies with several populations at-risk or marginal for vitamin B 6 status. Three (rice, wheat and cassava) of the world's top five staple crops do not meet the recommended dietary allowance for vitamin B 6 , when consumed as a major proportion of the diet. In addition, controlled enhancement of the appropriate B 6 vitamer in crops has the potential to confer stress resistance. Thus, crop biofortification strategies represent an opportunity to reduce the risk of deficiency in populations with limited diet diversity and quality, as well as improving stress tolerance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social signals of safety and risk confer utility and have asymmetric effects on observers' choices.

PubMed

Chung, Dongil; Christopoulos, George I; King-Casas, Brooks; Ball, Sheryl B; Chiu, Pearl H

2015-06-01

Individuals' risk attitudes are known to guide choices about uncertain options. However, in the presence of others' decisions, these choices can be swayed and manifest as riskier or safer behavior than one would express alone. To test the mechanisms underlying effective social 'nudges' in human decision-making, we used functional neuroimaging and a task in which participants made choices about gambles alone and after observing others' selections. Against three alternative explanations, we found that observing others' choices of gambles increased the subjective value (utility) of those gambles for the observer. This 'other-conferred utility' was encoded in ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and these neural signals predicted conformity. We further identified a parametric interaction with individual risk preferences in anterior cingulate cortex and insula. These data provide a neuromechanistic account of how information from others is integrated with individual preferences that may explain preference-congruent susceptibility to social signals of safety and risk.

The genetic validation of heterogeneity in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Tsutsumi, Atsushi; Glatt, Stephen J; Kanazawa, Tetsufumi; Kawashige, Seiya; Uenishi, Hiroyuki; Hokyo, Akira; Kaneko, Takao; Moritani, Makiko; Kikuyama, Hiroki; Koh, Jun; Matsumura, Hitoshi; Yoneda, Hiroshi

2011-10-07

Schizophrenia is a heritable disorder, however clear genetic architecture has not been detected. To overcome this state of uncertainty, the SZGene database has been established by including all published case-control genetic association studies appearing in peer-reviewed journals. In the current study, we aimed to determine if genetic variants strongly suggested by SZGene are associated with risk of schizophrenia in our case-control samples of Japanese ancestry. In addition, by employing the additive model for aggregating the effect of seven variants, we aimed to verify the genetic heterogeneity of schizophrenia diagnosed by an operative diagnostic manual, the DSM-IV. Each positively suggested genetic polymorphism was ranked according to its p-value, then the seven top-ranked variants (p < 0.0005) were selected from DRD2, DRD4, GRIN2B, TPH1, MTHFR, and DTNBP1 (February, 2007). 407 Schizophrenia cases and 384 controls participated in this study. To aggregate the vulnerability of the disorder based on the participants' genetic information, we calculated the "risk-index" by adding the number of genetic risk factors. No statistically significant deviation between cases and controls was observed in the genetic risk-index derived from all seven variants on the top-ranked polymorphisms. In fact, the average risk-index score in the schizophrenia group (6.5+/-1.57) was slightly lower than among controls (6.6+/-1.39). The current work illustrates the difficulty in identifying universal and definitive risk-conferring polymorphisms for schizophrenia. Our employed number of samples was small, so we can not preclude the possibility that some or all of these variants are minor risk factors for schizophrenia in the Japanese population. It is also important to aggregate the updated positive variants in the SZGene database when the replication work is conducted.

A continuation of the Asia-Pacific Risk Index for natural disasters: extending the record for an updated analysis from 1900-2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniell, James; Daniell, Trevor; Daniell, Katherine; Khazai, Bijan; Schaefer, Andreas; Wenzel, Friedemann

2016-04-01

In 2010, an Asia-Pacific risk index was created for the CECAR5 (Civil Engineering Conference for the Asia-Pacific Region) by Daniell et al. (2010a) for floods and earthquakes, using empirical and analytical risk data for direct as well as socio-economic community vulnerability. The socio-economic situation of countries can aggravate the physical risk of natural disaster impacts, as demonstrated by the impacts of earthquakes in Christchurch and Tohoku 2011; add to this a number of deadly typhoon (Haiyan 2013), cyclone (Yasi 2011), flood (Thailand 2011), bushfire and weather effects, and significant changes to the index in 2010 have been seen. At least 10,000 historical events have been recorded since 1900 across the Asia-Pacific region (western Pacific). The database for global socio-economic indicators was produced to allow comparison of countries in terms of their socio-economic situation for use in risk studies. In addition, a global damaging natural disasters database (CATDAT) has been created over the last 14 years to better understand the historical impact of natural disasters on the Asia-Pacific region as well as globally. Simplified hazard models have been used in conjunction with historical damage data added to human exposure. Post-flood and post-typhoon loss models have been produced this methodology. The relative country level rural and urban building inventories and historical building trends are used to define levels of vulnerability, exposure and hazard. From this, physical and community risk indices are derived for the countries of the Asia-Pacific region. It was found that the vulnerabilities in communities of developing countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines can further intensify the impact from direct damages by many times, showing the increased need for earthquake and flood risk reduction policy. Trends based on HDI and other indicators within the fields of economy, poverty, demographics, governance and environment are also presented, showing the influence of these factors on country-level fragility and resilience showing Philippines and Japan to be the highest at risk countries in absolute and relative terms. (a) Daniell, J.E., Daniell, K.A., Daniell, T.M. & B. Khazai: A country level physical and community risk index in the Asia-Pacific region for earthquakes and floods, Paper No. 0392, 5th CECAR Conference Proceedings, Sydney, Australia, 2010.

11th National Conference on Science, Policy, and the Environment: Our Changing Oceans

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

Peter Saundry

2012-04-17

On January 19-21, 2011, The National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) successfully convened its 11th National Conference on Science, Policy and the Environment: Our Changing Oceans in Washington, DC at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. Over 1,247 participants attended the conference, representing federal, state and local governments, university and colleges across the US, civil society organizations, the business community, and international entities. In addition, the conference was webcast to an audience across several states. The conference provided a forum to examine the profound changes our ocean will undergo over the next 25-50 years and sharemore » various perspectives on the new research, tools, and policy initiatives to protect and sustain our ocean. Conference highlights and recommendations are available to the public on NCSE's conference website, www.OurChangingOceans.org.« less

Reminiscences and Reflections on the History of International Conferences on Spectral Line Shapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szudy, J.

2017-02-01

A brief account of the history of International Conferences on Spectral Line Shapes (ICSLS) is given. Although in common use the “Europhysics Study Conference on Spectral Line Broadening and Related Topics” held in Meudon in 1973 is referred to as the first in the current sequence of ICSLS meetings, it is noted that five conferences dealing with line shape topics were organized before 1973 both in the USA and in Europe. Some details are given about their format and program. In particular, “The First International Conference on Spectral Lines” held in 1972 at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville is remembered as a meeting fully devoted to line shape problems, and as such should be regarded, in addition to the Meudon conference, as one of the roots of the line-shape community. Some of the highlights of particular ICSLS conferences as well as characteristics of their proceedings are briefly reviewed.

Proceedings of a Conference on the Educational and Occupational Needs of Asian-Pacific-American Women (San Francisco, California, August 24-25, 1976).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Inst. of Education (ED), Washington, DC. Teaching and Learning Program.

Papers presented at a 1976 conference on Asian-Pacific American women are collected in this report. Most are directed towards the purpose of the conference, which was to produce an agenda for research that will shape policy on Asian-Pacific American womens' educational and occupational needs. In addition to 14 papers, the report includes a general…

VisionQuest: Journeys toward Visual Literacy. Selected Readings from the Annual Conference of the International Visual Literacy Association (28th, Cheyenne, Wyoming, October, 1996).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffin, Robert E., Ed.; And Others

This document contains 59 selected papers from the 1996 International Visual Literacy Association (IVLA) conference. Topics include: learning to think visually; information design via the Internet; a program for inner-city at-risk children; dubbing versus subtitling television programs; connecting advertisements and classroom reading through…

Proceedings of the Conference on Birth Defects for Educators (May 4, 1978).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davidson, Michael S., Ed.; Davidson, Mary W., Ed.

Six papers from a 1978 conference on birth defects focus on prevention. G. Stickle ("The Health of America's Babies: How Do We Stack Up?'" reviews risk in pregnancy, cites inadequate prenatal care and maternal nutrition, and discusses examples of how the United States is not applying its knowledge of how to improve pregnancy outcome. In "Genetic…

Student Behaviour Problems: Positive Initiatives and New Frontiers. Selected Papers from the National Conference (5th, Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia, 1993).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, David, Ed.; And Others

The following papers from a conference on emotional and behavioral problems of children and adolescents are presented: (1) "Eligibility and Need: Is There a Difference Between Being Disturbed and Being Disturbing?" (Howell); (2) "Prevention and Politics: Giving At-Risk Youth a Future" (Constable and Burton); (3) "The World…

The Relationships between Human Fatigue and Public Health: A Brief Commentary on Selected Papers from the 9th International Conference on Managing Fatigue in Transportation, Resources and Health.

PubMed

Sargent, Charli; Roberts, Paul; Dawson, Drew; Ferguson, Sally; Meuleners, Lynn; Brook, Libby; Roach, Gregory D

2016-08-24

The 9th International Conference on Managing Fatigue in Transportation, Resources and Health was held in Fremantle, Western Australia in March 2015. The purpose of the conferences in this series is to provide a forum for industry representatives, regulators, and scientists to discuss recent advances in the field of fatigue research. We have produced a Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health based on papers from the conference that were focused on various aspects of public health. First, the Special Issue highlights the fact that working long shifts and/or night shifts can affect not only cognitive functioning, but also physical health. In particular, three papers examined the potential relationships between shiftwork and different aspects of health, including the cardiovascular system, sleep disordered breathing, and eating behaviour. Second, the Special Issue highlights the move away from controlling fatigue through prescriptive hours of service rules and toward the application of risk management principles. In particular, three papers indicated that best-practice fatigue risk management systems should contain multiple redundant layers of defense against fatigue-related errors and accidents.

Vancouver AIDS conference: special report. The role of the military: to protect society -- and themselves.

PubMed

Whiteside, A; Winsbury, R

1996-01-01

Military personnel are at particularly high risk of becoming infected with HIV because they are in the age group at highest risk for infection, age 15-24 years; they are away from home for long periods of time; many feel invulnerable and ready to take risks; there are usually prostitutes and drugs in military areas; and troops have cash, but maybe not condoms, in their pockets. The level of attention given to HIV/AIDS in the military has grown over the course of the last few international AIDS conferences. One roundtable on HIV/AIDS in the armed forces was held at the 11th International Conference on AIDS held in Vancouver during July 7-12, 1996. A large-scale survey reported at the conference found the level of sexual activity to be significantly higher among US military personnel than in the civilian population. Even the oldest soldiers reported higher levels of multiple partner sex habits than the most sexually active young men in the UK and France. The data further indicate that significant numbers of those men who were infected continued to knowingly have unprotected sex. Data from Angola, Cambodia, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Thailand, and Zimbabwe show significantly higher levels of HIV infection among military personnel compared to the civilian populations. The authors stress the important role the military can play in preventing the spread of HIV and the need to involve military personnel in AIDS prevention programs.

Innovation in eating disorders research and practice: Expanding our community and perspectives at the 2018 International Conference on Eating Disorders: Editorial to accompany IJED Virtual Issue in honor of the 2018 International Conference on Eating Disorders.

PubMed

Diedrichs, Phillippa C; von Ranson, Kristin M; Thomas, Jennifer J

2018-06-01

This virtual issue of the International Journal of Eating Disorders (IJED) highlights the excellent and innovative research and practice discussed at the 2018 International Conference on Eating Disorders held in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The virtual issue contains a series of articles recently published in IJED, which we have curated to reflect and expand on the insights delivered during the conference keynote and plenary presentations. In line with the conference theme of Innovation in Research and Practice: Expanding our Community and Perspectives, we hope this collection of articles will spark new ideas for research, practice, and collaboration to accelerate knowledge on eating disorder risk factors and recovery, and the reach and impact of evidence-based treatment, prevention, and policy efforts. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms of DNA mismatch repair genes MSH2 and MLH1 confer susceptibility to esophageal cancer.

PubMed

Sun, Ming-Zhong; Ju, Hui-Xiang; Zhou, Zhong-Wei; Jin, Hao; Zhu, Rong

2014-01-01

Defects in DNA mismatch repair genes like MSH2 and MLH1 confer increased risk of cancers. Here, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in MSH2 and MLH1 were investigated for their potential contribution to the risk of esophageal cancer. This study recruited 614 participants from Affiliated Yancheng Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, of which 289 were patients with esophageal cancer, and the remainder was healthy individuals who served as a control group. Two SNPs, MSH2 c.2063T>G and MLH1 IVS14-19A>G, were genotyped using PCR-RFLP. Statistical analysis was performed using chi-square test and logistic regression analysis. Carriers of the MSH2 c.2063G allele were at significantly higher risk for esophageal cancer compared to individuals with the TT genotype [OR = 3.36, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.18-11.03]. The MLH1 IVS14-19A>G allele also conferred significantly increased (1.70-fold) for esophageal cancer compared to the AA genotype (OR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.13-5.06). Further, the variant alleles interacted such that individuals with the susceptible genotypes at both MSH2 and MLH1 had a significantly exacerbated risk for esophageal cancer (OR = 12.38, 95% CI: 3.09-63.11). In brief, SNPs in the DNA mismatch repair genes MSH2 and MLH1 increase the risk of esophageal cancer. Molecular investigations are needed to uncover the mechanism behind their interaction effect.

Joint association between body fat and its distribution with all-cause mortality: A data linkage cohort study based on NHANES (1988-2011)

PubMed Central

Peng, Yang; Wang, Zhiqiang; Adegbija, Odewumi; Hu, Jie; Ma, Jun; Ma, Ying-Hua

2018-01-01

Objective Although obesity is recognized as an important risk of mortality, how the amount and distribution of body fat affect mortality risk is unclear. Furthermore, whether fat distribution confers any additional risk of mortality in addition to fat amount is not understood. Methods This data linkage cohort study included 16415 participants (8554 females) aged 18 to 89 years from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III (1988–1994) and its linked mortality data (31 December 2011). Cox proportional hazard models and parametric survival models were used to estimate the association between body fat percentage (BF%), based on bioelectrical impedance analysis, and waist-hip ratio (WHR) with mortality. Results A total of 4999 deaths occurred during 19-year follow-up. A U-shaped association between BF% and mortality was found in both sexes, with the adjusted hazard ratios for other groups between 1.02 (95% confidence interval: 0.89, 1.18) and 2.10 (1.47, 3.01) when BF% groups of 25–30% in males and 30–35% in females were used as references. A non-linear relationship between WHR and mortality was detected in males, with the adjusted hazard ratios among other groups ranging from 1.05 (0.94, 1.18) to 1.52 (1.15, 2.00) compared with the WHR category of 0.95–1.0. However in females, the death risk constantly increased across the WHR spectrum. Joint impact of BF% and WHR suggested males with BF% of 25–30% and WHR of 0.95–1.0 and females with BF% of 30–35% and WHR <0.9 were associated with the lowest mortality risk and longest survival age compared with their counterparts in other categories. Conclusions This study supported the use of body fat distribution in addition to fat amount in assessing the risk of all-cause mortality. PMID:29474498

Joint association between body fat and its distribution with all-cause mortality: A data linkage cohort study based on NHANES (1988-2011).

PubMed

Dong, Bin; Peng, Yang; Wang, Zhiqiang; Adegbija, Odewumi; Hu, Jie; Ma, Jun; Ma, Ying-Hua

2018-01-01

Although obesity is recognized as an important risk of mortality, how the amount and distribution of body fat affect mortality risk is unclear. Furthermore, whether fat distribution confers any additional risk of mortality in addition to fat amount is not understood. This data linkage cohort study included 16415 participants (8554 females) aged 18 to 89 years from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III (1988-1994) and its linked mortality data (31 December 2011). Cox proportional hazard models and parametric survival models were used to estimate the association between body fat percentage (BF%), based on bioelectrical impedance analysis, and waist-hip ratio (WHR) with mortality. A total of 4999 deaths occurred during 19-year follow-up. A U-shaped association between BF% and mortality was found in both sexes, with the adjusted hazard ratios for other groups between 1.02 (95% confidence interval: 0.89, 1.18) and 2.10 (1.47, 3.01) when BF% groups of 25-30% in males and 30-35% in females were used as references. A non-linear relationship between WHR and mortality was detected in males, with the adjusted hazard ratios among other groups ranging from 1.05 (0.94, 1.18) to 1.52 (1.15, 2.00) compared with the WHR category of 0.95-1.0. However in females, the death risk constantly increased across the WHR spectrum. Joint impact of BF% and WHR suggested males with BF% of 25-30% and WHR of 0.95-1.0 and females with BF% of 30-35% and WHR <0.9 were associated with the lowest mortality risk and longest survival age compared with their counterparts in other categories. This study supported the use of body fat distribution in addition to fat amount in assessing the risk of all-cause mortality.

FRAX(®) Bone Mineral Density Task Force of the 2010 Joint International Society for Clinical Densitometry & International Osteoporosis Foundation Position Development Conference.

PubMed

Lewiecki, E Michael; Compston, Juliet E; Miller, Paul D; Adachi, Jonathan D; Adams, Judith E; Leslie, William D; Kanis, John A

2011-01-01

FRAX(®) is a fracture risk assessment algorithm developed by the World Health Organization in cooperation with other medical organizations and societies. Using easily available clinical information and femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), when available, FRAX(®) is used to predict the 10-year probability of hip fracture and major osteoporotic fracture. These values may be included in country specific guidelines to aid clinicians in determining when fracture risk is sufficiently high that the patient is likely to benefit from pharmacological therapy to reduce that risk. Since the introduction of FRAX(®) into clinical practice, many practical clinical questions have arisen regarding its use. To address such questions, the International Society for Clinical Densitometry (ISCD) and International Osteoporosis Foundations (IOF) assigned task forces to review the best available medical evidence and make recommendations for optimal use of FRAX(®) in clinical practice. Questions were identified and divided into three general categories. A task force was assigned to investigating the medical evidence in each category and developing clinically useful recommendations. The BMD Task Force addressed issues that included the potential use of skeletal sites other than the femoral neck, the use of technologies other than DXA, and the deletion or addition of clinical data for FRAX(®) input. The evidence and recommendations were presented to a panel of experts at the ISCD-IOF FRAX(®) Position Development Conference, resulting in the development of ISCD-IOF Official Positions addressing FRAX(®)-related issues. Copyright © 2011 The International Society for Clinical Densitometry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Childhood adversity and insomnia in adolescence.

PubMed

Wang, Yan; Raffeld, Miriam R; Slopen, Natalie; Hale, Lauren; Dunn, Erin C

2016-05-01

The study aims to evaluate the association between exposure to childhood adversity and insomnia, with an emphasis on the role of adversity type, timing, and accumulation (i.e., the number of specific types of adversities the child reported being exposed to). Our analytic sample comprised 9582 adolescents from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A), a nationally representative population-based sample. We examined the association between 18 different types of retrospectively reported adversities (capturing interpersonal violence, accidents and injuries, social network or witnessing events, and other adverse events) and risk of self-reported past-year insomnia. We also examined whether the age at first exposure to adversity was associated with the risk of insomnia, and whether exposure to a greater number of different types of adversities (ie, accumulation) conferred an elevated risk of insomnia. In addition, we performed a sensitivity analysis excluding adolescents with a past-year diagnosis of major depression, dysthymia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or generalized anxiety disorder. Almost one-third of adolescents reported insomnia, with a higher prevalence among girls and those from racial/ethnic minority groups. Adolescents exposed to at least one childhood adversity of any type (59.41%) were more likely than their nonexposed peers to experience insomnia (across adversities, prevalence ratios (PRs) ranged from 1.31 to 1.89). Risk of insomnia differed based on the age at first exposure to adversity as well as the type of adversity. Adolescents exposed to a greater number of different types of adversities had a higher risk of insomnia compared to those experiencing fewer adversities. These results were similar, by and large, to those obtained after excluding adolescents with at least one of the four past-year psychiatric disorders. Exposure to adversity confers an elevated risk of insomnia. This association varied by type, timing, and accumulation of exposure and did not appear to be driven by psychiatric disorders. Given the well-documented physical and mental health consequences of insomnia, such findings further support the need for practitioners to screen children for exposure to childhood adversity and insomnia symptoms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Software And Systems Engineering Risk Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

RSKM 2004 COSO Enterprise RSKM Framework 2006 ISO/IEC 16085 Risk Management Process 2008 ISO/IEC 12207 Software Lifecycle Processes 2009 ISO/IEC...1 Software And Systems Engineering Risk Management John Walz VP Technical and Conferences Activities, IEEE Computer Society Vice-Chair Planning...Software & Systems Engineering Standards Committee, IEEE Computer Society US TAG to ISO TMB Risk Management Working Group Systems and Software

FOREWORD: 9th Curtin University of Technology Science and Engineering International Conference 2014 (CUTSE2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chieng Chen, Vincent Lee

2015-04-01

A very warm welcome to all participants of the 9th Curtin University Technology, Science and Engineering (CUTSE) Conference 2014. This annual conference dates back to 2006 when the first Curtin University of Technology Science and Engineering (CUTSE) Conference was held in Curtin University, Miri Sarawak. CUTSE Conference was initially intended for Curtin's undergraduates such that they are able to experience the presentation of their work in a conference environment. As time passes and following the urge of knowledge dissemination, CUTSE Conference is hence open to public. This year the Department of Mechanical Engineering has been given the honour to organize the 9th CUTSE Conference. It has been a pleasure to watch CUTSE grow from strength to strength over the years. This year, our theme is "Discovering, Innovating and Engineering". We hope that it is in this spirit that CUTSE participants may align their respective work, such that we all aim for a greater and better implementation of "Discovering, Innovating and Engineering". The 9th CUTSE Conference 2014 is an excellent avenue for researchers, engineers, scientists, academicians, professionals from industry and students to share their research findings and initiate further collaborations in their respective fields. Parallel sessions in Mechanical, Electrical, Computer, Civil and Chemical engineering as well as the sciences will be hosted over a period of two days. Each year, the conference attracts participation from a number of countries in addition to Malaysia and Australia. In addition, student participants will get the opportunity to present their research projects and gain valuable feedback from industry professionals. This year the Conference will be organised by the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Curtin Sarawak's School of Engineering and Science in collaboration with The Institute of Engineers Malaysia, Miri Branch. On behalf of the organizing committee, I would like to thank this year's sponsors and supporters. We appreciate your support for CUTSE 2014 and in research and development, and your foresight in nurturing cutting edge research into industrial applications. CUTSE 2014 would not be possible without the dedicated work and efforts of the organizing committee, who worked tirelessly in all aspects of the conference organization. I thank you for your hard work and commitment towards making CUTSE 2014 a success. Selamat Datai (Welcome) and enjoy the conference. Dr Vincent Lee Chieng Chen Organizing Chairperson, 9th CUTSE Conference 2014

Negative emotions in veterans relate to suicide risk through feelings of perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness.

PubMed

Rogers, Megan L; Kelliher-Rabon, Jessica; Hagan, Christopher R; Hirsch, Jameson K; Joiner, Thomas E

2017-01-15

Suicide rates among veterans are disproportionately high compared to rates among the general population. Veterans may experience a number of negative emotions (e.g., anger, self-directed hostility, shame, guilt) during periods of postwar adjustment and reintegration into civilian life that may uniquely confer risk for suicide. Mechanisms of these associations, however, are less well studied. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between negative emotions and suicide risk in veterans through the theoretical framework of the interpersonal theory of suicide. A large sample of veterans (N = 541) completed measures assessing their negative emotions, perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and suicide risk. Self-directed hostility and shame related indirectly to suicide risk through both perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness. Thwarted belongingness accounted for the association between anger and suicide risk, whereas perceived burdensomeness accounted for the relationship between guilt and suicide risk. This study had a cross-sectional design and relied solely on self-report measures. These findings provide evidence for the role of negative emotions in conferring risk for suicide in veterans. Clinical implications, limitations, and future research directions are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pharmaceutical Pricing and Market Access Outlook Europe 2010-HealthNetwork Communications' fourth annual conference. 24-25 March 2010, London, UK.

PubMed

Ogbighele, Erhimuvi

2010-05-01

The HealthNetwork Communications' Fourth Annual Conference on Pharmaceutical Pricing and Market Access Outlook Europe 2010, held in London, included topics covering the challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry, specifically related to pricing and reimbursement, and demonstrating the value of a pharmaceutical. This conference report highlights selected presentations on a global perspective on pricing and reimbursement, with an analysis of the specific, unique challenges in the six major markets, Europe, the US, Canada, Germany, the UK and Japan, and a discussion of the benefits of risk-sharing schemes.

Carbon Fiber Risk Analysis. [conference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The scope and status of the effort to assess the risks associated with the accidental release of carbon/graphite fibers from civil aircraft is presented. Vulnerability of electrical and electronic equipment to carbon fibers, dispersal of carbon fibers, effectiveness of filtering systems, impact of fiber induced failures, and risk methodology are among the topics covered.

DNA methylation in a Scottish family multiply affected by bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Walker, Rosie May; Christoforou, Andrea Nikie; McCartney, Daniel L; Morris, Stewart W; Kennedy, Nicholas A; Morten, Peter; Anderson, Susan Maguire; Torrance, Helen Scott; Macdonald, Alix; Sussmann, Jessika Elizabeth; Whalley, Heather Clare; Blackwood, Douglas H R; McIntosh, Andrew Mark; Porteous, David John; Evans, Kathryn Louise

2016-01-01

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe, familial psychiatric condition. Progress in understanding the aetiology of BD has been hampered by substantial phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity. We sought to mitigate these confounders by studying a multi-generational family multiply affected by BD and major depressive disorder (MDD), who carry an illness-linked haplotype on chromosome 4p. Within a family, aetiological heterogeneity is likely to be reduced, thus conferring greater power to detect illness-related changes. As accumulating evidence suggests that altered DNA methylation confers risk for BD and MDD, we compared genome-wide methylation between (i) affected carriers of the linked haplotype (ALH) and married-in controls (MIs), (ii) well unaffected haplotype carriers (ULH) and MI, (iii) ALH and ULH and (iv) all haplotype carriers (LH) and MI. Nominally significant differences in DNA methylation were observed in all comparisons, with differences withstanding correction for multiple testing when the ALH or LH group was compared to the MIs. In both comparisons, we observed increased methylation at a locus in FANCI, which was accompanied by increased FANCI expression in the ALH group. FANCI is part of the Fanconi anaemia complementation (FANC) gene family, which are mutated in Fanconi anaemia and participate in DNA repair. Interestingly, several FANC genes have been implicated in psychiatric disorders. Regional analyses of methylation differences identified loci implicated in psychiatric illness by genome-wide association studies, including CACNB2 and the major histocompatibility complex. Gene ontology analysis revealed enrichment for methylation differences in neurologically relevant genes. Our results highlight altered DNA methylation as a potential mechanism by which the linked haplotype might confer risk for mood disorders. Differences in the phenotypic outcome of haplotype carriers might, in part, arise from additional changes in DNA methylation that converge on neurologically important pathways. Further work is required to investigate the underlying mechanisms and functional consequences of the observed differences in methylation.

Biological Risks to Public Health: Lessons from an International Conference to Inform the Development of National Risk Communication Strategies

PubMed Central

Bhatiasevi, Aphaluck; Chaib, Fadela; Baggio, Ombretta; Banluta, Christina; Hollenweger, Lilian; Maaroufi, Abderrahmane

2016-01-01

Biological risk management in public health focuses on the impact of outbreaks on health, the economy, and other systems and on ensuring biosafety and biosecurity. To address this broad range of risks, the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005) request that all member states build defined core capacities, risk communication being one of them. While there is existing guidance on the communication process and on what health authorities need to consider to design risk communication strategies that meet the requirements on a governance level, little has been done on implementation because of a number of factors, including lack of resources (human, financial, and others) and systems to support effective and consistent capacity for risk communication. The international conference on “Risk communication strategies before, during and after public health emergencies” provided a platform to present current strategies, facilitate learning from recent outbreaks of infectious diseases, and discuss recommendations to inform risk communication strategy development. The discussion concluded with 4 key areas for improvement in risk communication: consider communication as a multidimensional process in risk communication, broaden the biomedical paradigm by integrating social science intelligence into epidemiologic risk assessments, strengthen multisectoral collaboration including with local organizations, and spearhead changes in organizations for better risk communication governance. National strategies should design risk communication to be proactive, participatory, and multisectoral, facilitating the connection between sectors and strengthening collaboration. PMID:27875654

Biological Risks to Public Health: Lessons from an International Conference to Inform the Development of National Risk Communication Strategies.

PubMed

Dickmann, Petra; Bhatiasevi, Aphaluck; Chaib, Fadela; Baggio, Ombretta; Banluta, Christina; Hollenweger, Lilian; Maaroufi, Abderrahmane

Biological risk management in public health focuses on the impact of outbreaks on health, the economy, and other systems and on ensuring biosafety and biosecurity. To address this broad range of risks, the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005) request that all member states build defined core capacities, risk communication being one of them. While there is existing guidance on the communication process and on what health authorities need to consider to design risk communication strategies that meet the requirements on a governance level, little has been done on implementation because of a number of factors, including lack of resources (human, financial, and others) and systems to support effective and consistent capacity for risk communication. The international conference on "Risk communication strategies before, during and after public health emergencies" provided a platform to present current strategies, facilitate learning from recent outbreaks of infectious diseases, and discuss recommendations to inform risk communication strategy development. The discussion concluded with 4 key areas for improvement in risk communication: consider communication as a multidimensional process in risk communication, broaden the biomedical paradigm by integrating social science intelligence into epidemiologic risk assessments, strengthen multisectoral collaboration including with local organizations, and spearhead changes in organizations for better risk communication governance. National strategies should design risk communication to be proactive, participatory, and multisectoral, facilitating the connection between sectors and strengthening collaboration.

Diabetes and risk of infections with immunomodulator therapy in inflammatory bowel diseases

PubMed Central

Ananthakrishnan, Ashwin N.; Cagan, Andrew; Cai, Tianxi; Gainer, Vivian S.; Shaw, Stanley Y; Churchill, Susanne; Karlson, Elizabeth W.; Murphy, Shawn N.; Kohane, Isaac; Liao, Katherine P.

2015-01-01

Background Infections are an important concern in patients using immunosuppressive therapy for their inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Diabetes affects nearly 10% of Americans. Whether it confers an additional risk with immunosuppression in IBD has not been examined previously. Aim To examine the association between diabetes and infections with immunomodulator use in IBD Methods Using a validated, multi-institutional IBD cohort, we identified all patients who received at least one prescription for immunomodulators (thiopurines, methotrexate). Our primary outcome was infection within 1 year of the prescription of the immunomodulator. Multivariable logistic regression adjusting for relevant confounders was used to estimate the independent association with diabetes. Results Our study included 2,766 patients receiving at least one prescription for immunomodulators among whom 210(8%) developed an infection within 1 year. Patients who developed an infection were likely to be older, have more comorbidities, more likely to have received a prescription for steroids but similar in initiation of anti-TNF therapy within that year. Only 8% of those without an infection had diabetes compared to 19% of those who developed an infection within 1 year (Odds ratio (OR) 2.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.88 – 3.98, p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, diabetes was independently associated with a nearly two-fold increase in risk of infections (OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.20 – 2.68). There was no increase in risk of infections with addition of anti-TNF therapy (OR 1.14, 95% CI 0.80 – 1.63). Conclusions Diabetes is an independent risk factor for infection in IBD patients using immunomodulator therapy. PMID:25864945

Report on the Audit of the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference Fund

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-31

This is our final report on the audit of the Joint Civilian Orientation Conference (JCOC) Fund (the Fund). We performed the audit from June to July...1990. The Director, Budget and Finance, Washington Headquarters Services, requested the audit because a new Treasurer had been appointed. The overall...Instruction No. 48, Joint Civilian Orientation Conference Fund, May 31, 1983, and with DoD policy and guidelines. In addition, the audit evaluated

Cesium-diode performances from the 1963-to-1971 Thermionic Conversion Specialist Conferences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, J. F.

1972-01-01

Indexes and summaries of the conference papers containing cesium-diode results are presented. Lists of converter materials, geometries, conditions, outputs, and lifetimes accompany the references. Simple chemical designations for emitters, collectors, and additives direct the reader to appropriate selections.

Risk Assessment in the 21st Century - Conference Abstract

EPA Science Inventory

For the past ~50 years, risk assessment depended almost exclusively on animal testing for hazard identification and dose-response assessment. Originally sound and effective, with increasing dependence on chemical tools and the number of chemicals in commerce, this traditional ap...

Improbable Success: Risk Communication and the Terrorism Hazard

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

1998). Risk perception and communication. Proceedings of the North American Conference on Pesticide Spray Drift Management, March 29–April 1, 1998...commonwealth, ecclesiasticall and civill. Edited by Michael Oakeshott. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1946. Hodler, R., Loertscher, S., & Rohner, D. (2007

ISSUES IN SEDIMENT TOXICITY AND ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

This paper is based on a facilitated Workshop and Roundtable Discussion of key issues in sediment toxicology and ecological risk assessment (ERA) as applied to sediments that was held at the Conference on Dredged Material Management: Options and Environmental Considerations. The ...

The Fifth Annual NASA/Contractors Conference on Quality and Productivity. Quality: A Commitment to the Future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

The report is a summary of the 5th NASA/Contractors Conference on Quality and Productivity. The theme was 'Quality - A Commitment to the Future'. The summary report highlights the key points: commitment to quality, strategic and long-range planning, quality commitment, risk management, teaming, quality measurement, creating a quality environment, contract incentives, software quality and reliability.

Farmworker Substance Abuse: An Action Plan for the Year 2000. Proceedings of the National Farmworker Substance Abuse Prevention Conference (San Diego, California, October 18-20, 1991).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Migrant Resource Program, Inc., Austin, TX.

This proceedings contains commissioned background papers used by conference work groups focusing on nine aspects of farmworker substance abuse, and the action plan developed by the work groups. The keynote address by Felipe G. Castro examines risk factors for substance abuse and addiction among Chicano farmworkers, particularly adolescent and…

Proceedings of the International Conference on AIDS and Homeless Youth: An Agenda for the Future (1st, San Francisco, California, June 25, 1990).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luna, G. Cajetan; And Others

This proceedings of the first international conference on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and homeless youth included over 125 delegates from 32 countries. There was strong consensus among delegates that street youth are often in high and multiple Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) risk situations, and programmatic responses are needed.…

A moderately low phosphate intake may provide health benefits analogous to those conferred by UV light - a further advantage of vegan diets.

PubMed

McCarty, M F

2003-01-01

Although exposure to ultraviolet light is often viewed as pathogenic owing to its role in the genesis of skin cancer and skin aging, there is growing epidemiological evidence that such exposure may decrease risk for a number of more serious cancers, may have a favorable impact on blood pressure and vascular health, and may help to prevent certain autoimmune disorders - in addition to its well-known influence on bone density. Most likely, these health benefits are reflective of improved vitamin D status. Increased synthesis or intake of vitamin D can be expected to down-regulate parathyroid hormone (PTH), and to increase autocrine synthesis of its active metabolite calcitriol in certain tissues; these effects, in turn, may impact cancer risk, vascular health, immune regulation, and bone density through a variety of mechanisms. Presumably, a truly adequate supplemental intake of vitamin D - manyfold higher than the grossly inadequate current RDA - could replicate the benefits of optimal UV exposure, without however damaging the skin. Diets moderately low in bioavailable phosphate - like many vegan diets - might be expected to have a complementary impact on disease risks, inasmuch as serum phosphate suppresses renal calcitriol synthesis while up-regulating that of PTH. A proviso is that the impact of dietary phosphorus on bone health is more equivocal than that of vitamin D. Increased intakes of calcium, on the other hand, down-regulate the production of both PTH and calcitriol - the latter effect may explain why the impact of dietary calcium on cancer risk (excepting colon cancer), hypertension, and autoimmunity is not clearly positive. An overview suggests that a vegan diet supplemented with high-dose vitamin D should increase both systemic and autocrine calcitriol production while suppressing PTH secretion, and thus should represent a highly effective way to achieve the wide-ranging health protection conferred by optimal UV exposure.

Mental health nurses' use of Twitter for professional purposes during conference participation using #acmhn2016.

PubMed

Salzmann-Erikson, Martin

2018-04-01

Scholars across different disciplines use Twitter to promote research and to communicate with society. Most conferences nowadays have their unique hashtag in which participants can communicate in real time. Previous research has reported on conference participants' use of Twitter, but no such studies are available in the field of mental health nursing. Thus, the explicit aim of the present study was to examine conference participants' use of Twitter during the 42nd International Mental Health Nursing Conference. Freely-accessible data were mined via a social media platform under the hashtag #acmhn2016. The total dataset consisted of 1973 tweets, and was analysed with descriptive statistics and a directed content analysis. The results demonstrated that 37% of the tweets were original posts, and 63% were engagements. In total, 184 individual accounts engaged in Twitter during the conference, and 16.4 tweets were posted hourly. Most tweets were categorized as conference/session-related content, but Twitter was also used for socializing with other participants. The most frequently-used words mirror a clear connection to a person-centred approach, and deviate from the biomedical terminology. However, not all of the conference participants engaged on Twitter, and might thereby risk being excluded from this backchannel. © 2017 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Cyclin D1 G870A polymorphism and breast cancer risk: a meta-analysis comprising 9,911 cases and 11,171 controls.

PubMed

Sergentanis, Theodoros N; Economopoulos, Konstantinos P

2011-11-01

Cyclin D1 represents a key molecule in the regulation of cell cycle. CCND1 G870A (rs603965) polymorphism has drawn considerable attention as the A allele may generate a variant splice product with possible oncogenic actions. A meta-analysis examining the association between CCND1 G870A polymorphism and breast cancer risk was performed. Separate analyses on Caucasian and Chinese populations were also implemented. Eligible articles were identified for the period up to July 2010. Pooled odds ratios (OR) were appropriately derived from fixed-effects or random-effects models. Sensitivity analysis excluding studies whose genotype frequencies in controls significantly deviated from Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) was performed. Nine case-control studies on Caucasians (7,304 cases and 8,149 controls) and four case-control studies on Chinese (2,607 cases and 3,022 controls) were eligible. At the overall analysis the A allele seemed to be associated with elevated breast cancer risk; the effect seemed to be confined to homozygous carriers (pooled OR = 1.091, 95% CI: 1.008-1.179, P = 0.030, fixed effects) as heterozygous carriers did not exhibit significantly elevated breast cancer risk. No statistically significant associations were demonstrated in Caucasians. On the other hand, Chinese AA carriers exhibited marginally elevated breast cancer risk (pooled OR = 1.144, 95% CI: 0.984-1.329, P = 0.080, fixed effects). Nevertheless, the controls in two out of the four Chinese studies deviated from HWE. In conclusion, this meta-analysis suggests that the A allele of the CCND1 G870A polymorphism may confer additional breast cancer risk when it comes to homozygosity and Chinese populations. The need for additional, methodologically sound studies on Chinese populations seems warranted.

An impetus to move the field forward: a look at child and adolescent mental health services participants' views of the prospects for change.

PubMed

Haynes, Katherine Taylor

2010-03-01

In September 2009 key stakeholders convened for the invitation-only Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS): Issues and Solutions conference. This paper provides a brief synopsis of the key high points and issues in children's mental health (CMH) and describes the process by which participants collectively brainstormed the priorities and distilled the four key foci for the new action agenda, and summarizes the key outcomes. In addition, this paper offers participants' perspectives on the conference. Based on observation notes and post-conference qualitative interviews, this paper reports conference participants' feedback on the event, their views on the prospects for change generated by the conference and suggestions for follow-up.

Official Positions for FRAX® clinical regarding falls and frailty: can falls and frailty be used in FRAX®? From Joint Official Positions Development Conference of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry and International Osteoporosis Foundation on FRAX®.

PubMed

Masud, Tahir; Binkley, Neil; Boonen, Steven; Hannan, Marian T

2011-01-01

Risk factors for fracture can be purely skeletal, e.g., bone mass, microarchitecture or geometry, or a combination of bone and falls risk related factors such as age and functional status. The remit of this Task Force was to review the evidence and consider if falls should be incorporated into the FRAX® model or, alternatively, to provide guidance to assist clinicians in clinical decision-making for patients with a falls history. It is clear that falls are a risk factor for fracture. Fracture probability may be underestimated by FRAX® in individuals with a history of frequent falls. The substantial evidence that various interventions are effective in reducing falls risk was reviewed. Targeting falls risk reduction strategies towards frail older people at high risk for indoor falls is appropriate. This Task Force believes that further fracture reduction requires measures to reduce falls risk in addition to bone directed therapy. Clinicians should recognize that patients with frequent falls are at higher fracture risk than currently estimated by FRAX® and include this in decision-making. However, quantitative adjustment of the FRAX® estimated risk based on falls history is not currently possible. In the long term, incorporation of falls as a risk factor in the FRAX® model would be ideal. Copyright © 2011 The International Society for Clinical Densitometry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

75 FR 12740 - Wyoming Interstate Company, Inc.; Notice of Technical Conference

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-17

... additional technical, engineering, and operational support for its proposed gas quality allocation procedures... should be prepared to support its position with adequate technical, engineering, and operational information. FERC conferences are accessible under section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. For...

Families with Limited English Proficiency Receive Less Information and Support in Interpreted ICU Family Conferences

PubMed Central

Thornton, J. Daryl; Pham, Kiemanh; Engelberg, Ruth A.; Jackson, J. Carey; Curtis, J. Randall

2009-01-01

Objective Family communication is important for delivering high quality end-of-life care in the ICU, yet little research has been conducted to describe and evaluate clinician-family communication with non-English speaking family members. We assessed clinician-family communication during ICU family conferences involving interpreters and compared it to conferences without interpreters. Design Cross-sectional descriptive study. Setting Family conferences in the ICU’s of four hospitals during which discussions about withdrawing life support or delivery of bad news were likely to occur. Participants 70 family members from 10 interpreted conferences and 214 family members from 51 non-interpreted conferences. Nine different physicians led interpreted conferences and 36 different physicians led non-interpreted conferences. Measurements All 61 conferences were audiotaped. We measured the duration of time that families, interpreters, and clinicians spoke during the conference and we tallied the number of supportive statements issued by clinicians in each conference. Results The mean conference time was 26.3 ± 13 minutes for interpreted and 32±15 minutes for non-interpreted conferences (p=0.25). The duration of clinician speech was 10.9 ± 5.8 minutes for interpreted conferences and 19.6 ± 10.2 minutes for non-interpreted conferences (p=0.001). The amount of clinician speech as a proportion of total speech time was 42.7% in interpreted conferences and 60.5% in non-interpreted conferences (p=0.004). Interpreter speech accounted for 7.9 ± 4.4 minutes and 32% of speech in interpreter conferences. Interpreted conferences contained fewer clinician statements providing support for families, including valuing families’ input (p=0.01), easing emotional burdens (p<0.01), and active listening (p<0.01). Conclusions This study suggests that families with non-English speaking members may be at increased risk of receiving less information about their loved one’s critical illness as well as less emotional support from their clinicians. Future studies should identify ways to improve communication with, and support for, non-English speaking families of critically ill patients. PMID:19050633

Are functional foods redefining nutritional requirements?

PubMed

Jones, Peter J; Varady, Krista A

2008-02-01

Functional foods are increasing in popularity owing to their ability to confer health and physiological benefits. Nevertheless, the notion that functional foods improve health when providing nutrients at levels above and beyond existing recommended intakes is inconsistent with the definition of requirement. This disparity highlights the need for an alternative definition of nutrient requirement. The present objective is to examine distinctions between optimization of health, as defined by what we currently deem as required intakes, versus adding physiological benefit using bioactive agents found in functional foods. Presently, requirement is defined as the lowest amount of intake of a nutrient that will maintain a defined level of nourishment for a specific indicator of adequacy. In contrast, functional foods are described as ingredients that are not necessary for body function, yet provide added physiological benefit that confer better overall health. Plant sterols are one example of such an ingredient. Plant sterols lower plasma cholesterol concentrations, and may thus be considered essential nutrients in physiological situations where circulating cholesterol concentrations are high. Similarly, intakes of omega-3 fats beyond existing requirement may confer additional health benefits such as hypolipidemic and anti-diabetic effects. These examples underscore the inconsistencies between what is defined as a nutrient requirement versus what is identified as a health benefit of a functional food. Such discrepancies emphasize the need for a more all-encompassing definition of a nutrient requirement; that is, one that moves beyond the prevention of overt deficiency to encompass improved health and disease risk reduction.

Conflict of interest between professional medical societies and industry: a cross-sectional study of Italian medical societies’ websites

PubMed Central

Fabbri, Alice; Gregoraci, Giorgia; Tedesco, Dario; Ferretti, Filippo; Gilardi, Francesco; Iemmi, Diego; Lisi, Cosima; Lorusso, Angelo; Natali, Francesca; Shahi, Edit; Rinaldi, Alessandro

2016-01-01

Objective To describe how Italian medical societies interact with pharmaceutical and medical device industries through an analysis of the information available on their websites. Design Cross sectional study. Setting Italy. Participants 154 medical societies registered with the Italian Federation of Medical-Scientific Societies. Main outcome measures Indicators of industry sponsorship (presence of industry sponsorship in the programme of the last medical societies’ annual conference; presence of manufacturers’ logos on the homepage; presence of industry sponsorship of satellite symposia during the last annual conference). Results 131 Italian medical societies were considered. Of these, 4.6% had an ethical code covering relationships with industry on their websites, while 45.6% had a statute that mentioned the issue of conflict of interest and 6.1% published the annual financial report. With regard to industry sponsorship, 64.9% received private sponsorship for their last conference, 29.0% had manufacturers’ logos on their webpage, while 35.9% had industry-sponsored satellite symposia at their last conference. The presence of an ethical code on the societies’ websites was associated with both an increased risk of industry sponsorship of the last conference (relative risk (RR) 1.22, 95% CIs 1.01 to 1.48 after adjustment) and of conferences and/or satellite symposia (RR 1.22, 95% CIs 1.02 to 1.48 after adjustment) but not with the presence of manufacturers’ logos on the websites (RR 1.79, 95% CIs 0.66 to 4.82 after adjustment). No association was observed with the other indicators of governance and transparency. Conclusions This survey shows that industry sponsorship of Italian medical societies’ conferences is common, while the presence of a structured regulatory system is not. Disclosure of the amount of industry funding to medical societies is scarce. The level of transparency therefore needs to be improved and the whole relationship between medical societies and industry should be further disciplined in order to avoid any potential for conflict of interest. PMID:27251686

Working Together to Educate about the Environment. Selected Papers from the Joint Conference of the North American Association for Environmental Education and the Conservation Education Association (Estes Park, Colorado, August 18-23, 1989).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gross, Michael P., Ed.; And Others

Proceedings of a conference on environmental education are presented in this document. Featured at the conference were four general sessions, a number of additional invited presentations, three symposia, four workshops, and over 170 contributed presentations. The purpose of this volume is to provide a record of the papers presented at the…

Beneficial reuse `96: The fourth annual conference on the recycle and reuse of radioactive scrap metal

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

NONE

1997-02-01

From October 22-24, 1996 the University of Tennessee`s Energy, Environment and Resources Center and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory`s Center for Risk Management cosponsored Beneficial Reuse `96: The Fourth Annual Conference on the Recycle and Reuse of Radioactive Materials. Along with the traditional focus on radioactive scrap metals, this year`s conference included a wide range of topics pertaining to naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), and contaminated concrete reuse applications. As with previous Beneficial Reuse conferences, the primary goal of this year`s conference was to bring together stakeholder representatives for presentations, panel sessions and workshops on significant waste minimization issues surroundingmore » the recycle and reuse of contaminated metals and other materials. A wide range of industry, government and public stakeholder groups participated in this year`s conference. An international presence from Canada, Germany and Korea helped to make Beneficial Reuse `96 a well-rounded affair. Selected papers have been processed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology Database.« less

Proceedings of the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) Conference 2000

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauer, Robert (Editor); Derwae, Robert (Editor)

2000-01-01

The ACTS experiments program, which began in December 1993 and consisted of 103 different experiments, has made significant contributions to minimizing the risk of advanced satellite communications technology. The ACTS Conference 2000 (AC2000) was held to report the results of the program since the last ACTS conference was held in 1995 and to celebrate the end of a very successful satellite program. The conference was held on May 31, 2000, as part of the 6th Ka-band Utilization Conference in Cleveland, Ohio. Approximately 280 representatives of industry, academia, and government attended. The conference was organized into two parts: a technical session during the day and an evening reception. During the day, a series of five technical sessions included presentations of 17 papers covering the results of the experiment activity and technical performance of the satellite. In the evening, a reception was held to celebrate the end of the ACTS Experiments Program on one of NASA's most successful experimental communications satellite. These proceedings were developed to capture the entire event, including the evening reception.

Empowering Youth-At-Risk with Skills for School and Life.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rea, Dan, Ed.; Warkentin, Robert, Ed.

This book contains papers from a conference on at-risk youth that focused on building strengths and empowering youth by giving them skills for school and life. Following an introduction titled "Motivational Strategies for Empowering Youth-At-Risk" by Dan Rea and Robert Warkentin, the papers are: (1) "The Role of Learning Environments: Social…

Vitamin D insufficiency and schizophrenia risk: evaluation of hyperprolinemia as a mediator of association.

PubMed

Clelland, James D; Read, Laura L; Drouet, Valérie; Kaon, Angela; Kelly, Alexandra; Duff, Karen E; Nadrich, Robert H; Rajparia, Amit; Clelland, Catherine L

2014-06-01

25-Hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) deficits have been associated with schizophrenia susceptibility and supplementation has been recommended for those at-risk. Although the mechanism by which a deficit confers risk is unknown, vitamin D is a potent transcriptional modulator and can regulate proline dehydrogenase (PRODH) expression. PRODH maps to chromosome 22q11, a region conferring the highest known genetic risk of schizophrenia, and encodes proline oxidase, which catalyzes proline catabolism. l-Proline is a neuromodulator at glutamatergic synapses, and peripheral hyperprolinemia has been associated with decreased IQ, cognitive impairment, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia. We investigated the relationship between 25(OH)D and schizophrenia, comparing fasting plasma 25(OH)D in 64 patients and 90 matched controls. We then tested for a mediating effect of hyperprolinemia on the association between 25(OH)D and schizophrenia. 25(OH)D levels were significantly lower in patients, and 25(OH)D insufficiency associated with schizophrenia (OR 2.1, adjusted p=0.044, 95% CI: 1.02-4.46). Moreover, 25(OH)D insufficient subjects had three times greater odds of hyperprolinemia than those with optimal levels (p=0.035, 95% CI: 1.08-8.91), and formal testing established that hyperprolinemia is a significantly mediating phenotype that may explain over a third of the effect of 25(OH)D insufficiency on schizophrenia risk. This study presents a mechanism by which 25(OH)D insufficiency confers risk of schizophrenia; via proline elevation due to reduced PRODH expression, and a concomitant dysregulation of neurotransmission. Although definitive causality cannot be confirmed, these findings strongly support vitamin D supplementation in patients, particularly for those with elevated proline, who may represent a large subgroup of the schizophrenia population. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Loss-of-function of neuroplasticity-related genes confers risk for human neurodevelopmental disorders.

PubMed

Smith, Milo R; Glicksberg, Benjamin S; Li, Li; Chen, Rong; Morishita, Hirofumi; Dudley, Joel T

2018-01-01

High and increasing prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders place enormous personal and economic burdens on society. Given the growing realization that the roots of neurodevelopmental disorders often lie in early childhood, there is an urgent need to identify childhood risk factors. Neurodevelopment is marked by periods of heightened experience-dependent neuroplasticity wherein neural circuitry is optimized by the environment. If these critical periods are disrupted, development of normal brain function can be permanently altered, leading to neurodevelopmental disorders. Here, we aim to systematically identify human variants in neuroplasticity-related genes that confer risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. Historically, this knowledge has been limited by a lack of techniques to identify genes related to neurodevelopmental plasticity in a high-throughput manner and a lack of methods to systematically identify mutations in these genes that confer risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. Using an integrative genomics approach, we determined loss-of-function (LOF) variants in putative plasticity genes, identified from transcriptional profiles of brain from mice with elevated plasticity, that were associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. From five shared differentially expressed genes found in two mouse models of juvenile-like elevated plasticity (juvenile wild-type or adult Lynx1-/- relative to adult wild-type) that were also genotyped in the Mount Sinai BioMe Biobank we identified multiple associations between LOF genes and increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders across 10,510 patients linked to the Mount Sinai Electronic Medical Records (EMR), including epilepsy and schizophrenia. This work demonstrates a novel approach to identify neurodevelopmental risk genes and points toward a promising avenue to discover new drug targets to address the unmet therapeutic needs of neurodevelopmental disease.

77 FR 18798 - President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-28

... on Science and Technology (PCAST), and describes the functions of the Council. Notice of this meeting... purpose of this conference call is to discuss PCAST's Advanced Manufacturing Partnership report. DATES... the conference call, PCAST will discuss its Advanced Manufacturing Partnership report. Additional...

Viral Hepatitis in Hawai‘i - Differing Perspectives

PubMed Central

Bannan, Michael; Bauman, Kay; Collis, Tarquin; Hall, Alba; Haning, William; Hannemann, Shoshana; Hare, C Bradley; Humphry, Joseph; Jao, Robert; Leevy, Carroll; Lusk, Heather; Ochoa, Edward; Palafox, Neal; Withers, Nancy; Akinaka, Kenneth

2010-01-01

This publication contains information from a conference titled “Individual Perspectives on the Silent Epidemic of Viral Hepatitis in Hawai‘i” held in October of 2007 with updates and additional contributions from annual conferences in 2008 and 2009. These conferences were sponsored by the Hepatitis Support Network of Hawai‘i and held in Honolulu, Hawai‘i at the Queen's Conference Center. The primary objectives of the conferences have been to heighten awareness of viral hepatitis in Hawai‘i and to bring together health care professionals to learn about these infections and to help them respond to the challenges they bring to the people of Hawai‘i. The initial conference was oriented to present the unique and individual perspectives of patients, physicians, and other healthcare providers specific to the complex issues of hepatitis in an effort to help them understand their role in the context of others and to develop a team approach in responding to this epidemic. PMID:20533191

Viral hepatitis in Hawai'i--differing perspectives.

PubMed

Tice, Alan D; Bannan, Michael; Bauman, Kay; Collis, Tarquin; Hall, Alba; Haning, William; Hannemann, Shoshana; Hare, C Bradley; Humphry, Joseph; Jao, Robert; Leevy, Carroll; Lusk, Heather; Ochoa, Edward; Palafox, Neal; Withers, Nancy; Akinaka, Kenneth

2010-04-01

This publication contains information from a conference titled "Individual Perspectives on the Silent Epidemic of Viral Hepatitis in Hawai'i" held in October of 2007 with updates and additional contributions from annual conferences in 2008 and 2009. These conferences were sponsored by the Hepatitis Support Network of Hawai'i and held in Honolulu, Hawai'i at the Queen's Conference Center. The primary objectives of the conferences have been to heighten awareness of viral hepatitis in Hawai'i and to bring together health care professionals to learn about these infections and to help them respond to the challenges they bring to the people of Hawai'i. The initial conference was oriented to present the unique and individual perspectives of patients, physicians, and other healthcare providers specific to the complex issues of hepatitis in an effort to help them understand their role in the context of others and to develop a team approach in responding to this epidemic.

National Incomes Policy and Manpower Problems. Proceedings of the Annual Research Conference in Industrial Relations (14th, Los Angeles, California, March 16, 1971).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Univ., Los Angeles. Inst. of Industrial Relations.

Two current economic dilemmas concern how to increase the supply of money without risking further inflation and how to influence wage-price decisions. The major purposes of the conference presented in this document were to define a national incomes policy, to explore alternative approaches to wage-price decisions, and to assess their implications…

Association between angiotensin II type 1 receptor polymorphism and sudden cardiac death in myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Kruzliak, Peter; Kovacova, Gabriela; Pechanova, Olga; Balogh, Stefan

2013-01-01

The renin-angiotensin system is involved in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction (MI). Angiotensin II (Ang II) has many adverse effects such as vasoconstriction and vascular remodeling, and these actions are mediated by the angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R). A total of 1376 patients were recruited from January 2010 to April 2012. The study group consisted of 749 patients with ACS (317 females and 432 males) and of 627 healthy controls. The ACS patients demonstrated a lower proportion of AA genotypes and AC genotypes but higher proportions of CC genotypes than the control population. The AT1R CC genotype conferred a 2.76-fold higher risk of MI compared with the genotype AC and AA. In addition, the CC genotype was also associated with a 4.08 times higher risk of left anterior descending artery infarction and a 3.07 times higher risk of anterior wall infarction. We also found that the CC genotype was independently associated with sudden cardiac death. This study demonstrated that the AT1R CC genotype is an independent risk factor for ACS incidence, and this genotype is associated with a greater ACS severity and greater risk of sudden cardiac death.

The Moderating Effect of Parental Illicit Substance Use Disorders on the Relation Between Adolescent Depression and Subsequent Illicit Substance Use Disorders

PubMed Central

Gorka, Stephanie M.; Shankman, Stewart A.; Seeley, John R.; Lewinsohn, Peter M.

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND Previous research has demonstrated that depression and family history of illicit substance use disorders (ISUDs) are risk factors for the development of ISUDs. However, no study to date has examined whether these risk factors interact to predict onset. In addition, history of parental and sibling ISUDs have been identified as risk factors almost exclusively in healthy individuals and thus, it is unknown whether they confer unique risk among adolescents with a history of depression. METHODS The current study examined these questions using data from the Oregon Adolescent Depression Project (OADP). DSM diagnoses of probands were assessed during 4-waves, first in adolescence (ages 14–18) and subsequently up until age 30. Lifetime DSM diagnoses of ISUDs in biological mothers, fathers, and siblings were obtained. RESULTS Proportional hazards model analyses indicated that there was a significant depression by parental ISUDs interaction. Among probands with parental ISUDs (and not among those without parental ISUDs), depression in adolescence was significantly associated with a shorter time to develop an ISUD. Sibling ISUDs were not associated with onset and did not interact with adolescent depression. CONCLUSION Prevention and intervention efforts targeted at this particularly at-risk group may be effective. PMID:22901413

CHEK2*1100delC homozygosity is associated with a high breast cancer risk in women.

PubMed

Adank, Muriel A; Jonker, Marianne A; Kluijt, Irma; van Mil, Saskia E; Oldenburg, Rogier A; Mooi, Wolter J; Hogervorst, Frans B L; van den Ouweland, Ans M W; Gille, Johan J P; Schmidt, Marjanka K; van der Vaart, Aad W; Meijers-Heijboer, Hanne; Waisfisz, Quinten

2011-12-01

Mutations in the CHEK2 gene confer a moderately increased breast cancer risk. The risk for female carriers of the CHEK2*1100delC mutation is twofold increased. Breast cancer risk for carrier women is higher in a familial breast cancer setting which is due to coinheritance of additional genetic risk factors. This study investigated the occurrence of homozygosity for the CHEK2*1100delC allele among familial breast cancer cases and the associated breast cancer risk. Homozygosity for the CHEK2*1100delC allele was identified in 8/2554 Dutch independent familial non-BRCA1/2 breast cancer cases. The genotype relative risk for breast cancer of homozygous and heterozygous familial breast cancer cases was 101.34 (95% CI 4.47 to 121 000) and 4.04 (95% CI 0.88 to 21.0), respectively. Female homozygotes appeared to have a greater than twofold increased breast cancer risk compared to familial CHEK2*1100delC heterozygotes (p=0.044). These results and the occurrence of multiple primary tumours in 7/10 homozygotes indicate a high cancer risk in homozygous women from non-BRCA1/2 families. Intensive breast surveillance is therefore justified in these homozygous women. It is concluded that diagnostic testing for biallelic mutations in CHEK2 is indicated in non-BRCA1/2 breast cancer families, especially in populations with a relatively high prevalence of deleterious mutations in CHEK2.

Sickle Cell Trait, Exercise, and Altitude.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eichner, Edward R.

1986-01-01

Sickle cell trait is generally benign and does not shorten life, but it may confer some small risk with extremes of exercise or altitude. Research concerning these risks is presented, and it is concluded sickle cell trait is no barrier to outstanding athletic performance. (Author/MT)

Social signals of safety and risk confer utility and have asymmetric effects on observers’ choices

PubMed Central

Chung, Dongil; Ball, Sheryl B; Chiu, Pearl H

2015-01-01

Individuals’ risk attitudes are known to guide choices about uncertain options. However, in the presence of others’ decisions, these choices can be swayed and manifest as riskier or safer behavior than one would express alone. To test the mechanisms underlying effective social ‘nudges’ in human decision-making, we used functional neuroimaging and a task in which participants made choices about gambles alone and after observing others’ selections. Against three alternative explanations, we found that observing others’ choices of gambles increased the subjective value (utility) of those gambles for the observer. This ‘other-conferred utility’ was encoded in ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and these neural signals predicted conformity. We further identified a parametric interaction with individual risk preferences in anterior cingulate cortex and insula. These data provide a neuromechanistic account of how information from others is integrated with individual preferences that may explain preference-congruent susceptibility to social signals of safety and risk. PMID:25984890

Neuropsychiatric symptoms as early manifestations of emergent dementia: Provisional diagnostic criteria for mild behavioral impairment

PubMed Central

Ismail, Zahinoor; Smith, Eric E.; Geda, Yonas; Sultzer, David; Brodaty, Henry; Smith, Gwenn; Agüera-Ortiz, Luis; Sweet, Rob; Miller, David; Lyketsos, Constantine G.

2015-01-01

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are common in dementia and in predementia syndromes such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI). NPS in MCI confer a greater risk for conversion to dementia in comparison to MCI patients without NPS. NPS in older adults with normal cognition also confers a greater risk of cognitive decline in comparison to older adults without NPS. Mild behavioral impairment (MBI) has been proposed as a diagnostic construct aimed to identify patients with an increased risk of developing dementia, but who may or may not have cognitive symptoms. We propose criteria that include MCI in the MBI framework, in contrast to prior definitions of MBI. Although MBI and MCI can co-occur, we suggest that they are different and that both portend a higher risk of dementia. These MBI criteria extend the previous literature in this area and will serve as a template for validation of the MBI construct from epidemiologic, neurobiological, treatment, and prevention perspectives. PMID:26096665

Major scientific advances with dairy foods in nutrition and health.

PubMed

Huth, P J; DiRienzo, D B; Miller, G D

2006-04-01

A large body of scientific evidence collected in recent decades demonstrates that an adequate intake of calcium and other nutrients from dairy foods reduces the risk of osteoporosis by increasing bone acquisition during growth, slowing age-related bone loss, and reducing osteoporotic fractures. These results have culminated in the new (2005) Dietary Guidelines for Americans that now recommend 3 servings of milk products per day to reduce the risk of low bone mass and contribute important amounts of many nutrients that may have additional health attributes beyond bone health. A number of animal, observational, and clinical studies have shown that dairy food consumption can help reduce the risk of hypertension. Clinical trials indicate that the consumption of recommended levels of dairy products, as part of a healthy diet, can contribute to lower blood pressure in individuals with normal and elevated blood pressure. Emerging data also indicate that specific peptides associated with casein and whey proteins can significantly lower blood pressure. In addition, a growing body of evidence has provided support for a beneficial effect of dairy foods on body weight and fat loss. Clinical studies have demonstrated that during caloric restriction, body weight and body fat loss occurs when adequate calcium is provided by supplements and that this effect is further augmented by an equivalent amount of calcium supplied from dairy foods. Several studies support a role for calcium, vitamin D, and dairy foods against colon cancer. Additionally, conjugated linoleic acid, a fatty acid found naturally in dairy fat, confers a wide range of anticarcinogenic benefits in experimental animal models and is especially consistent for protection against breast cancer.

Advances in exposure and toxicity assessment of particulate matter: An overview of presentations at the 2009 Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference

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

Gunasekar, Palur G., E-mail: palur.gunasekar@wpafb.af.mil; Stanek, Lindsay W., E-mail: Stanek.Lindsay@epa.gov

2011-07-15

The 2009 Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference (TRAC) session on 'Advances in Exposure and Toxicity Assessment of Particulate Matter' was held in April 2009 in West Chester, OH. The goal of this session was to bring together toxicology, geology and risk assessment experts from the Department of Defense and academia to examine issues in exposure assessment and report on recent epidemiological findings of health effects associated with particulate matter (PM) exposure. Important aspects of PM exposure research are to detect and monitor low levels of PM with various chemical compositions and to assess the health risks associated with these exposures.more » As part of the overall theme, some presenters discussed collection methods for sand and dust from Iraqi and Afghanistan regions, health issues among deployed personnel, and future directions for risk assessment research among these populations. The remaining speakers focused on the toxicity of ultrafine PM and the characterization of aerosols generated during ballistic impacts of tungsten heavy alloys.« less

Advances in exposure and toxicity assessment of particulate matter: an overview of presentations at the 2009 Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference.

PubMed

Gunasekar, Palur G; Stanek, Lindsay W

2011-07-15

The 2009 Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference (TRAC) session on "Advances in Exposure and Toxicity Assessment of Particulate Matter" was held in April 2009 in West Chester, OH. The goal of this session was to bring together toxicology, geology and risk assessment experts from the Department of Defense and academia to examine issues in exposure assessment and report on recent epidemiological findings of health effects associated with particulate matter (PM) exposure. Important aspects of PM exposure research are to detect and monitor low levels of PM with various chemical compositions and to assess the health risks associated with these exposures. As part of the overall theme, some presenters discussed collection methods for sand and dust from Iraqi and Afghanistan regions, health issues among deployed personnel, and future directions for risk assessment research among these populations. The remaining speakers focused on the toxicity of ultrafine PM and the characterization of aerosols generated during ballistic impacts of tungsten heavy alloys. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantifying Federal Funding and Scholarly Output Related to the Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conferences

PubMed Central

Nishijima, Daniel K.; Dinh, Tu; May, Larissa; Yadav, Kabir; Gaddis, Gary M.; Cone, David C.

2014-01-01

Purpose Since 2000, Academic Emergency Medicine (AEM), the journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, has presented a one-day consensus conference to generate a research agenda for advancement of a scientific topic. One of the 12 annual issues of AEM is reserved for the proceedings of these conferences. The purpose of this study was to measure academic productivity of these conferences by evaluating subsequent federal research funding received by authors of conference manuscripts and calculating citation counts of conference papers. Method This was a cross-sectional study conducted during August and September 2012. NIH RePORTER was searched to identify subsequent federal funding obtained by authors of the consensus conference issues from 2000 to 2010. Funded projects were coded as related or unrelated to conference topic. Citation counts for all conference manuscripts were quantified using Scopus and Google Scholar. Simple descriptive statistics were reported. Results 852 individual authors contributed to 280 papers published in the 11 consensus conference issues. 137 authors (16%) obtained funding for 318 projects. A median of 22 topic-related projects per conference (range 10–97 projects) accounted for a median of $20,488,331 per conference (range $7,779,512–122,918,205). The average (±SD) number of citations per paper was 15.7 ±20.5 in Scopus and 23.7 ±32.6 in Google Scholar. Conclusions The authors of consensus conference manuscripts obtained significant federal grant support for follow-up research related to conference themes. In addition, the manuscripts generated by these conferences were frequently cited. Conferences devoted to research agenda development appear to be an academically worthwhile endeavor. PMID:24280853

Editorial: Conference Comments by the General Chair

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LaBel, Ken

2012-12-01

An overview is presented of the 49th Annual International Nuclear and Space Radiation Effects Conference (NSREC), held July 16-20, 2012 at the InterContinental Hotel in downtown Miami, Florida, USA. The 2012 Conference followed previous editions as an international radiation effects on electronics, materials, and systems showcase. The conference was sponsored by the Radiation Effects Committee of the IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society. In addition, NSREC was supported by a cadre of government agencies and industry members. The 2012 edition of the conference was attended by 607 members of the radiation effects community. Of this number, 118 non-US attendees participated from 20 different countries with particularly strong attendance from France, United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, and Germany. Total attendance including exhibitors and guests was 802 people.

SB6.0: The 6th International meeting on Synthetic Biology, July 9-11, 2013

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

Kahl, Linda J.

The Synthetic Biology conference series (SBx.0) is the preeminent academic meeting in synthetic biology. Organized by the BioBricks Foundation, the SBx.0 conference series brings together leading researchers, students, industry executives, and policy makers from around the world to share, consider, debate, and plan efforts to make biology easier to engineer. Historically held every two years, the SBx.0 conferences are held in alternating locations in the United States, Europe, and Asia to encourage global participation and collaboration so that the ramifications of synthetic biology research and development are most likely to be safe ethical, and beneficial. On 9-11 July 2013, themore » 6th installment of the synthetic biology conference series (SB6.0) was held on the campus of Imperial College London (http://sb6.biobricks.org). The SB6.0 conference was attended by over 700 people, and many more were able to participate via video digital conference (http://sb6.biobricks.org/digital-conference/). Over the course of three days, the SB6.0 conference agenda included plenary sessions, workshops, and poster presentations covering topics ranging from the infrastructure needs arising when “Systematic Engineering Meets Biological Complexity” and design-led considerations for “Connecting People and Technologies” to discussions on “Engineering Biology for New Materials,” “Assessing Risk and Managing Biocontainment,” and “New Directions for Energy and Sustainability.” The $10,150 grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DE-SC0010233) to the BioBricks Foundation was used to provide partial reimbursement for the travel expenses of leading researchers from the United States to speak at the SB6.0 conference. A total of $9,450 was used to reimburse U.S. speakers for actual expenses related to the SB6.0 conference, including airfare (economy or coach only), ground transportation, hotel, and registration fees. In addition, $700 of the grant was used to offset direct administrative costs associated with selecting speakers (preparing announcements, evaluating abstract submissions) and handling travel arrangements. Leading U.S. researchers selected to speak at the SB6.0 conference included: Adam Arkin, Ph.D. Division Director of the Physical Biosciences Division at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at UC Berkeley Jay Keasling, Ph.D. Professor in the Department of Bioengineering at Berkeley, Senior Faculty Scientist and Associate Laboratory Director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Chief Executive Officer of the Joint BioEnergy Institute. Debra Mathews, Ph.D. Assistant Director for Science Programs for the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, and Affiliate Faculty in the McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Richard Murray, Ph.D. Thomas E. and Doris Everhart Professor of Control & Dynamical Systems and Bioengineering at Caltech. Sarah Richardson, Ph.D. Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellow in Genomics at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute. and others (for a complete listing of speakers presenting at the SB6.0 conference see http://sb6.biobricks.org/speakers/) The SB6.0 conference was the largest synthetic biology conference to date, and highlights of the SB6.0 conference have been published in a special issue of ACS Synthetic Biology (http://pubs.acs.org/toc/asbcd6/3/3). The BioBricks Foundation appreciates the support of the U.S. Department of Energy in helping to make this most influential and important conference in the field of synthetic biology a success.« less

STAFF REPORT ON CONFERENCE FINDINGS. APPENDIX II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Council on the Aging, Inc., New York, NY.

CONFERENCE SPEAKERS, PANELISTS, AND WORKSHOPS WERE ASKED TO FOCUS ON THE PROBLEMS OF THE 45-PLUS AGE GROUP AND TO MAKE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS ON PUBLIC POLICY, LEGISLATION, AND PUBLIC AND PRIVATE RESEARCH, PROGRAM AND ACTION. IN ADDITION, STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH WERE IMPLICIT IN THE PROCEEDINGS WERE INCLUDED. UNDER EACH SUB-HEADING,…

2008 Tactical Wheeled Vehicles Conference (TWV) Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-02-05

additional LSAC cabs FMTV Gunners Restraint (2,022 LSAC; 1,855 RACK) Counterweight bumper for M1078 Cargo with LSAC Cab and GPK 3 Jan 08NDIA TWV Conference...Objective Gunner Protection Kits to support Up-Armored HMMWV’s GPK Upgrade Program. Partnerships: Ensured partnerships with commercial manufacturers

On Campus with Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

On Campus with Women, 1985

1985-01-01

Developments in education, employment, and the courts concerning the status of women are covered in these two newsletter issues. In addition to news items, the article "United Nations World Conference on Women, 1985: Some Random Reflections on the Nairobi Conference" by Bernice Sandler is included. The article provides an overview of the overall…

International High/Scope Conference Proceedings (Ypsilanti, Michigan, May 4-7, 1999).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, Ypsilanti, MI.

These conference proceedings provide summaries of 61 presentations on various aspects of the High/Scope educational approach. In addition to summaries of special presentations on music and movement and on preschool "basics," topics addressed include: (1) High/Scope in the secondary setting; (2) classroom environment; (3) outdoor…

International High/Scope Registry Conference Proceedings (Ypsilanti, Michigan, May 5-8, 1998).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, Ypsilanti, MI.

These conference proceedings provide summaries of 71 presentations on various aspects of the High/Scope educational approach. In addition to summaries of special presentations on music and movement, topics addressed include: (1) student engagement; (2) outdoor learning; (3) change strategies; (4) various discussions of the Child Observation…

18 CFR 5.26 - Section 10(j) process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Section 10(j) process... concerned may also request a meeting, telephone or video conference, or other additional procedure to..., telephone or video conference, or other procedures to address issues raised by its preliminary determination...

18 CFR 5.26 - Section 10(j) process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Section 10(j) process... concerned may also request a meeting, telephone or video conference, or other additional procedure to..., telephone or video conference, or other procedures to address issues raised by its preliminary determination...

18 CFR 5.26 - Section 10(j) process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Section 10(j) process... concerned may also request a meeting, telephone or video conference, or other additional procedure to..., telephone or video conference, or other procedures to address issues raised by its preliminary determination...

18 CFR 5.26 - Section 10(j) process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Section 10(j) process... concerned may also request a meeting, telephone or video conference, or other additional procedure to..., telephone or video conference, or other procedures to address issues raised by its preliminary determination...

18 CFR 5.26 - Section 10(j) process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Section 10(j) process... concerned may also request a meeting, telephone or video conference, or other additional procedure to..., telephone or video conference, or other procedures to address issues raised by its preliminary determination...

The 16th International Conference on X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS16)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grunwaldt, J.-D.; Hagelstein, M.; Rothe, J.

2016-05-01

This preface of the proceedings volume of the 16th International Conference on X- ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS16) gives a glance on the five days of cutting-edge X-ray science which were held in Karlsruhe, Germany, August 23 - 28, 2015. In addition, several satellite meetings took place in Hamburg, Berlin and Stuttgart, a Sino-German workshop, three data analysis tutorials as well as special symposia on industrial catalysis and XFELs were held at the conference venue.

APS Conference on Understanding the Biological Clock: From Genetics to Physiology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frank, Martin

1996-01-01

The Conference was designed to take advantage of the fusion of two intellectually dominant but heretofore separate lines of clock research, vertebrate physiology and invertebrate and microbial genetics. The APS Conference attracted 251 scientists, 68 of whom were students. In addition to the excellent speaker program organized by Dunlap and Loros, the attendees also submitted 93 volunteer abstracts that were programmed in poster sessions. Thirty-four percent of the submitted abstracts were first authorized by a female student or scientist.

Rationale and design of the Baptist Employee Healthy Heart Study: a randomized trial assessing the efficacy of the addition of an interactive, personalized, web-based, lifestyle intervention tool to an existing health information web platform in a high-risk employee population.

PubMed

Post, Janisse M; Ali, Shozab S; Roberson, Lara L; Aneni, Ehimen C; Shaharyar, Sameer; Younus, Adnan; Jamal, Omar; Ahmad, Rameez; Aziz, Muhammad A; Malik, Rehan; Spatz, Erica S; Feldman, Theodore; Fialkow, Jonathan; Veledar, Emir; Cury, Ricardo C; Agatston, Arthur S; Nasir, Khurram

2016-07-01

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and diabetes confer a high risk for developing subsequent cardiovascular disease (CVD). Persons with MetS constitute 24-34 % of the employee population at Baptist Health South Florida (BHSF), a self-insured healthcare organization. The Baptist Employee Healthy Heart Study (BEHHS) aims to assess the addition of a personalized, interactive, web-based, nutrition-management and lifestyle-management program to the existing health-expertise web platform available to BHSF employees in reducing and/or stabilizing CVD and lifestyle risk factors and markers of subclinical CVD. Subjects with MetS or Type II Diabetes will be recruited from an employee population at BHSF and randomized to either an intervention or a control arm. The intervention arm will be given access to a web-based personalized diet-modification and weight-modification program. The control arm will be reminded to use the standard informational health website available and accessible to all BHSF employees. Subjects will undergo coronary calcium testing, carotid intima-media thickness scans, peripheral arterial tonometry, and advanced lipid panel testing at visit 1, in addition to lifestyle and medical history questionnaires. All tests will be repeated at visits 2 and 4 with the exception of the coronary calcium test, which will only be performed at baseline and visit 4. Visit 3 will capture vitals, anthropometrics, and responses to the questionnaires only. Results of this study will provide information on the effectiveness of personalized, web-based, lifestyle-management tools in reducing healthcare costs, promoting healthy choices, and reducing cardiovascular risk in an employee population. It will also provide information about the natural history of carotid atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction in asymptomatic but high-risk populations. ClinicalTrials.gov registry, NCT01912209 . Registered on 3 July 2013.

Genetic testing of newborns for type 1 diabetes susceptibility: a prospective cohort study on effects on maternal mental health

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Concerns about the general psychological impact of genetic testing have been raised. In the Environmental Triggers of Type 1 Diabetes (MIDIA) study, genetic testing was performed for HLA-conferred type 1 diabetes susceptibility among Norwegian newborns. The present study assessed whether mothers of children who test positively suffer from poorer mental health and well-being after receiving genetic risk information about their children. Methods The study was based on questionnaire data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort (MoBa) study conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. Many of the mothers in the MoBa study also took part in the MIDIA study, in which their newborn children were tested for HLA-conferred genetic susceptibility for type 1 diabetes. We used MoBa questionnaire data from the 30th week of pregnancy (baseline) and 6 months post-partum (3-3.5 months after disclosure of test results). We measured maternal symptoms of anxiety and depression (SCL-8), maternal self-esteem (RSES), and satisfaction with life (SWLS). The mothers also reported whether they were seriously worried about their child 6 months post-partum. We compared questionnaire data from mothers who had received information about having a newborn with high genetic risk for type 1 diabetes (N = 166) with data from mothers who were informed that their baby did not have a high-risk genotype (N = 7224). The association between genetic risk information and maternal mental health was analysed using multiple linear regression analysis, controlling for baseline mental health scores. Results Information on genetic risk in newborns was found to have no significant impact on maternal symptoms of anxiety and depression (p = 0.9), self-esteem (p = 0.2), satisfaction with life (p = 0.2), or serious worry about their child (OR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.64-1.48). Mental health before birth was strongly associated with mental health after birth. In addition, an increased risk of maternal worry was found if the mother herself had type 1 diabetes (OR = 2.39, 95% CI 1.2-4.78). Conclusions This study did not find evidence supporting the notion that genetic risk information about newborns has a negative impact on the mental health of Norwegian mothers. PMID:20630116

Rare, evolutionarily unlikely missense substitutions in CHEK2 contribute to breast cancer susceptibility: results from a breast cancer family registry case-control mutation-screening study.

PubMed

Le Calvez-Kelm, Florence; Lesueur, Fabienne; Damiola, Francesca; Vallée, Maxime; Voegele, Catherine; Babikyan, Davit; Durand, Geoffroy; Forey, Nathalie; McKay-Chopin, Sandrine; Robinot, Nivonirina; Nguyen-Dumont, Tù; Thomas, Alun; Byrnes, Graham B; Hopper, John L; Southey, Melissa C; Andrulis, Irene L; John, Esther M; Tavtigian, Sean V

2011-01-18

Both protein-truncating variants and some missense substitutions in CHEK2 confer increased risk of breast cancer. However, no large-scale study has used full open reading frame mutation screening to assess the contribution of rare missense substitutions in CHEK2 to breast cancer risk. This absence has been due in part to a lack of validated statistical methods for summarizing risk attributable to large numbers of individually rare missense substitutions. Previously, we adapted an in silico assessment of missense substitutions used for analysis of unclassified missense substitutions in BRCA1 and BRCA2 to the problem of assessing candidate genes using rare missense substitution data observed in case-control mutation-screening studies. The method involves stratifying rare missense substitutions observed in cases and/or controls into a series of grades ordered a priori from least to most likely to be evolutionarily deleterious, followed by a logistic regression test for trends to compare the frequency distributions of the graded missense substitutions in cases versus controls. Here we used this approach to analyze CHEK2 mutation-screening data from a population-based series of 1,303 female breast cancer patients and 1,109 unaffected female controls. We found evidence of risk associated with rare, evolutionarily unlikely CHEK2 missense substitutions. Additional findings were that (1) the risk estimate for the most severe grade of CHEK2 missense substitutions (denoted C65) is approximately equivalent to that of CHEK2 protein-truncating variants; (2) the population attributable fraction and the familial relative risk explained by the pool of rare missense substitutions were similar to those explained by the pool of protein-truncating variants; and (3) post hoc power calculations implied that scaling up case-control mutation screening to examine entire biochemical pathways would require roughly 2,000 cases and controls to achieve acceptable statistical power. This study shows that CHEK2 harbors many rare sequence variants that confer increased risk of breast cancer and that a substantial proportion of these are missense substitutions. The study validates our analytic approach to rare missense substitutions and provides a method to combine data from protein-truncating variants and rare missense substitutions into a one degree of freedom per gene test.

Risk stratification of childhood medulloblastoma in the molecular era: the current consensus.

PubMed

Ramaswamy, Vijay; Remke, Marc; Bouffet, Eric; Bailey, Simon; Clifford, Steven C; Doz, Francois; Kool, Marcel; Dufour, Christelle; Vassal, Gilles; Milde, Till; Witt, Olaf; von Hoff, Katja; Pietsch, Torsten; Northcott, Paul A; Gajjar, Amar; Robinson, Giles W; Padovani, Laetitia; André, Nicolas; Massimino, Maura; Pizer, Barry; Packer, Roger; Rutkowski, Stefan; Pfister, Stefan M; Taylor, Michael D; Pomeroy, Scott L

2016-06-01

Historical risk stratification criteria for medulloblastoma rely primarily on clinicopathological variables pertaining to age, presence of metastases, extent of resection, histological subtypes and in some instances individual genetic aberrations such as MYC and MYCN amplification. In 2010, an international panel of experts established consensus defining four main subgroups of medulloblastoma (WNT, SHH, Group 3 and Group 4) delineated by transcriptional profiling. This has led to the current generation of biomarker-driven clinical trials assigning WNT tumors to a favorable prognosis group in addition to clinicopathological criteria including MYC and MYCN gene amplifications. However, outcome prediction of non-WNT subgroups is a challenge due to inconsistent survival reports. In 2015, a consensus conference was convened in Heidelberg with the objective to further refine the risk stratification in the context of subgroups and agree on a definition of risk groups of non-infant, childhood medulloblastoma (ages 3-17). Published and unpublished data over the past 5 years were reviewed, and a consensus was reached regarding the level of evidence for currently available biomarkers. The following risk groups were defined based on current survival rates: low risk (>90 % survival), average (standard) risk (75-90 % survival), high risk (50-75 % survival) and very high risk (<50 % survival) disease. The WNT subgroup and non-metastatic Group 4 tumors with whole chromosome 11 loss or whole chromosome 17 gain were recognized as low-risk tumors that may qualify for reduced therapy. High-risk strata were defined as patients with metastatic SHH or Group 4 tumors, or MYCN-amplified SHH medulloblastomas. Very high-risk patients are Group 3 with metastases or SHH with TP53 mutation. In addition, a number of consensus points were reached that should be standardized across future clinical trials. Although we anticipate new data will emerge from currently ongoing and recently completed clinical trials, this consensus can serve as an outline for prioritization of certain molecular subsets of tumors to define and validate risk groups as a basis for future clinical trials.

Risk stratification of childhood medulloblastoma in the molecular era: The Current Consensus

PubMed Central

Ramaswamy, Vijay; Remke, Marc; Bouffet, Eric; Bailey, Simon; Clifford, Steven C.; Doz, Francois; Kool, Marcel; Dufour, Christelle; Vassal, Gilles; Milde, Till; Witt, Olaf; von Hoff, Katja; Pietsch, Torsten; Northcott, Paul A.; Gajjar, Amar; Robinson, Giles W.; Padovani, Laetitia; André, Nicolas; Massimino, Maura; Pizer, Barry; Packer, Roger; Rutkowski, Stefan; Pfister, Stefan M.; Taylor, Michael D.; Pomeroy, Scott L.

2016-01-01

Historical risk stratification criteria for medulloblastoma rely primarily on clinicopathological variables pertaining to age, presence of metastases, extent of resection, histological subtypes and in some instances individual genetic aberrations such as MYC and MYCN amplification. In 2010, an international panel of experts established consensus defining four main subgroups of medulloblastoma (WNT, SHH, Group 3 and Group 4) delineated by transcriptional profiling. This has led to the current generation of biomarker-driven clinical trials assigning WNT tumors to a favorable prognosis group in addition to clinicopathological criteria including MYC and MYCN gene amplifications. However, outcome prediction of non-WNT subgroups is a challenge due to inconsistent survival reports. In 2015, a consensus conference was convened in Heidelberg with the objective to further refine the risk stratification in the context of subgroups and agree on a definition of risk groups of non-infant, childhood medulloblastoma (ages 3–17). Published and unpublished data over the past five years were reviewed, and a consensus was reached regarding the level of evidence for currently available biomarkers. The following risk groups were defined based on current survival rates: low risk (>90% survival), average (standard) risk (75–90% survival), high risk (50–75% survival) and very high risk (<50% survival) disease. The WNT subgroup and non-metastatic Group 4 tumors with whole chromosome 11 loss or whole chromosome 17 gain were recognized as low risk tumors that may qualify for reduced therapy. High-risk strata were defined as patients with metastatic SHH or Group 4 tumors, or MYCN amplified SHH medulloblastomas. Very high-risk patients are Group 3 with metastases or SHH with TP53 mutation. In addition, a number of consensus points were reached that should be standardized across future clinical trials. Although we anticipate new data will emerge from currently ongoing and recently completed clinical trials, this consensus can serve as an outline for prioritization of certain molecular subsets of tumors to define and validate risk groups as a basis for future clinical trials. PMID:27040285

Mutation intolerant genes and targets of FMRP are enriched for nonsynonymous alleles in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Leonenko, Ganna; Richards, Alexander L; Walters, James T; Pocklington, Andrew; Chambert, Kimberly; Al Eissa, Mariam M; Sharp, Sally I; O'Brien, Niamh L; Curtis, David; Bass, Nicholas J; McQuillin, Andrew; Hultman, Christina; Moran, Jennifer L; McCarroll, Steven A; Sklar, Pamela; Neale, Benjamin M; Holmans, Peter A; Owen, Michael J; Sullivan, Patrick F; O'Donovan, Michael C

2017-10-01

Risk of schizophrenia is conferred by alleles occurring across the full spectrum of frequencies from common SNPs of weak effect through to ultra rare alleles, some of which may be moderately to highly penetrant. Previous studies have suggested that some of the risk of schizophrenia is attributable to uncommon alleles represented on Illumina exome arrays. Here, we present the largest study of exomic variation in schizophrenia to date, using samples from the United Kingdom and Sweden (10,011 schizophrenia cases and 13,791 controls). Single variants, genes, and gene sets were analyzed for association with schizophrenia. No single variant or gene reached genome-wide significance. Among candidate gene sets, we found significant enrichment for rare alleles (minor allele frequency [MAF] < 0.001) in genes intolerant of loss-of-function (LoF) variation and in genes whose messenger RNAs bind to fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). We further delineate the genetic architecture of schizophrenia by excluding a role for uncommon exomic variants (0.01 ≤ MAF ≥ 0.001) that confer a relatively large effect (odds ratio [OR] > 4). We also show risk alleles within this frequency range exist, but confer smaller effects and should be identified by larger studies. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Resistance to hepatitis C virus: potential genetic and immunological determinants.

PubMed

Mina, Michael M; Luciani, Fabio; Cameron, Barbara; Bull, Rowena A; Beard, Michael R; Booth, David; Lloyd, Andrew R

2015-04-01

Studies of individuals who were highly exposed but seronegative (HESN) for HIV infection led to the discovery that homozygosity for the Δ32 deletion mutation in the CCR5 gene prevents viral entry into target cells, and is associated with resistance to infection. Additionally, evidence for protective immunity has been noted in some HESN groups, such as sex workers in The Gambia. Population studies of individuals at high risk for hepatitis C virus infection suggest that an HESN phenotype exists. The body of evidence, which suggests that protective immunity allows clearance of hepatitis C virus without seroconversion is growing. Furthermore, proof-of-principle evidence from in-vitro studies shows that genetic polymorphisms can confer resistance to establishment of infection. This Review discusses the possibility that genetic mutations confer resistance against hepatitis C virus, and also explores evidence for protective immunity, including via genetically programmed variations in host responses. The data generally strengthens the notion that investigations of naturally arising polymorphisms within the hepatitis C virus interactome, and genetic association studies of well characterised HESN individuals, could identify potential targets for vaccine design and inform novel therapies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proceedings of the Second All-USGS Modeling Conference, February 11-14, 2008: Painting the Big Picture

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brady, Shailaja R.

2009-01-01

The Second USGS Modeling Conference was held February 11-14, 2008, in Orange Beach, Ala. Participants at the conference came from all U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) regions and represented all four science discipline - Biology, Geography, Geology, and Water. Representatives from other Department of the Interior (DOI) agencies and partners from the academic community also participated. The conference, which was focused on 'painting the big picture', emphasized the following themes: Integrated Landscape Monitoring, Global Climate Change, Ecosystem Modeling, and Hazards and Risks. The conference centered on providing a forum for modelers to meet, exchange information on current approaches, identify specific opportunities to share existing models and develop more linked and integrated models to address complex science questions, and increase collaboration across disciplines and with other organizations. Abstracts for the 31 oral presentations and more than 60 posters presented at the conference are included here. The conference also featured a field trip to review scientific modeling issues along the Gulf of Mexico. The field trip included visits to Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge, Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, the 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center, and Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. On behalf of all the participants of the Second All-USGS Modeling Conference, the conference organizing committee expresses our sincere appreciation for the support of field trip oganizers and leaders, including the managers from the various Reserves and Refuges. The organizing committee for the conference included Jenifer Bracewell, Sally Brady, Jacoby Carter, Thomas Casadevall, Linda Gundersen, Tom Gunther, Heather Henkel, Lauren Hay, Pat Jellison, K. Bruce Jones, Kenneth Odom, and Mark Wildhaber.

78 FR 22269 - International Conference on Harmonisation; Draft Guidance on M7 Assessment and Control of DNA...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-15

...The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is announcing the availability of a draft guidance entitled ``M7 Assessment and Control of DNA Reactive (Mutagenic) Impurities in Pharmaceuticals to Limit Potential Carcinogenic Risk.'' The draft guidance was prepared under the auspices of the International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH). The draft guidance emphasizes considerations of both safety and quality risk management in establishing levels of mutagenic impurities that are expected to pose negligible carcinogenic risk. It outlines recommendations for assessment and control of mutagenic impurities that reside or are reasonably expected to reside in a final drug substance or product, taking into consideration the intended conditions of human use. The draft guidance is intended to provide guidance for new drug substances and new drug products during their clinical development and subsequent applications for marketing.

Genetic variants in PNPLA3 and risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in a Han Chinese population.

PubMed

Peng, Xian-E; Wu, Yun-Li; Lin, Shao-Wei; Lu, Qing-Qing; Hu, Zhi-Jian; Lin, Xu

2012-01-01

We investigated the possible association between genetic variants in the Patatin like phospholipase-3 (PNPLA3) gene and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a Han Chinese population. We evaluated twelve tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (tSNPs) of the PNPLA3 gene in a frequency matched case-control study from Fuzhou city of China (553 cases, 553 controls). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the rs738409 GG or GC, and rs139051 TT genotypes were found to be associated with increased risk of NAFLD, and a significant trend of increased risk with increasing numbers of risk genotype was observed in the cumulative effect analysis of these single nucleotide polymorphisms. Furthermore, haplotype association analysis showed that, compared with the most common haplotype, the CAAGAATGCGTG and CGAAGGTGTCCG haplotypes conferred a statistically significant increased risk for NAFLD, while the CGGGAACCCGCG haplotype decreased the risk of NAFLD. Moreover, rs738409 C>G appeared to have a multiplicative joint effect with tea drinking (P<0.005) and an additive joint effect with obesity (Interaction contrast ratio (ICR) = 2.31, 95% CI: 0.7-8.86), hypertriglyceridemia (ICR = 3.07, 95% CI: 0.98-5.09) or hypertension (ICR = 1.74, 95% CI: 0.52-3.12). Our data suggests that PNPLA3 genetic polymorphisms might influence the susceptibility to NAFLD development independently or jointly in Han Chinese.

Assessing the contribution of borderline personality disorder and features to suicide risk in psychiatric inpatients with bipolar disorder, major depression and schizoaffective disorder.

PubMed

Zeng, Ruifan; Cohen, Lisa J; Tanis, Thachell; Qizilbash, Azra; Lopatyuk, Yana; Yaseen, Zimri S; Galynker, Igor

2015-03-30

Suicidal behavior often accompanies both borderline personality disorder (BPD) and severe mood disorders, and comorbidity between the two appears to further increase suicide risk. The current study aims to quantify the risk of suicidality conferred by comorbid BPD diagnosis or features in three affective disorders: major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BP) and schizoaffective disorder. One hundred forty-nine (149) psychiatric inpatients were assessed by SCID I and II, and the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. Logistic regression analyses investigated the associations between previous suicide attempt and BPD diagnosis or features in patients with MDD, BP, and schizoaffective disorder, as well as a history of manic or major depressive episodes, and psychotic symptoms. Comorbid BPD diagnosis significantly increased suicide risk in the whole sample, and in those with MDD, BP, and history of depressive episode or psychotic symptoms. Each additional borderline feature also increased risk of past suicide attempt in these same groups (excepting BP) and in those with a previous manic episode. Of the BPD criteria, only unstable relationships and impulsivity independently predicted past suicide attempt. Overall, among patients with severe mood disorders, the presence of comorbid BPD features or disorder appears to substantially increase the risk of suicide attempts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

New Hopes, New Horizons: The Challenges of Diversity in Education. Proceedings of the Biennial International Conference of the International Association of Special Education (5th, Capetown, South Africa, August 3-8, 1997).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prater, Greg, Ed.; Minner, Sam, Ed.; Islam, Mohammad, Ed.; Hawthorne, Deborrah, Ed.

This collection of 64 papers from a 1997 international conference of special educators focuses on the challenges of diversity in education. Topics of the papers include: (1) assessment strategies for individuals with autism; (2) self-determination strategies for at-risk youth with learning, behavior, and emotional disabilities; (3) developing…

Comparative Effectiveness Research: A Roadmap for Physical Activity and Lifestyle

PubMed Central

Jakicic, John M.; Sox, Harold; Blair, Steven N.; Bensink, Mark; Johnson, William G.; King, Abby C.; Lee, I-Min; Nahum-Shani, Inbal; Sallis, James F.; Sallis, Robert E.; Craft, Lynette; Whitehead, James R.; Ainsworth, Barbara E.

2017-01-01

Purpose Comparative Effectiveness Research (CER) is designed to support informed decision making at both the individual, population, and policy levels. The American College of Sports Medicine and partners convened a conference with the focus of building an agenda for CER within the context of physical activity and non-pharmacological lifestyle approaches in the prevention and treatment of chronic disease. This report summarizes the conference content and consensus recommendations that culminated in a CER Roadmap for Physical Activity and Lifestyle approaches to reducing the risk of chronic disease. Methods This conference focused on presentations and discussion around the following topic areas: 1) defining CER, 2) identifying the current funding climate to support CER, 3) summarizing methods for conducting CER, and 4) identifying CER opportunities for physical activity. Results This conference resulted in consensus recommendations to adopt a CER Roadmap for Physical Activity and Lifestyle approaches to reducing the risk of chronic disease. In general, this roadmap provides a systematic framework by which CER for physical activity can move from a planning phase, to a phase of engagement in CER related to lifestyle factors with particular emphasis on physical activity, to a societal change phase that results in changes in policy, practice, and health. Conclusions It is recommended that physical activity researchers and healthcare providers use the roadmap developed from this conference as a method to systematically engage in and apply CER to the promotion of physical activity as a key lifestyle behavior that can be effective at impacting a variety of health-related outcomes. PMID:25426735

Reorienting adolescent sexual and reproductive health research: reflections from an international conference.

PubMed

Michielsen, Kristien; De Meyer, Sara; Ivanova, Olena; Anderson, Ragnar; Decat, Peter; Herbiet, Céline; Kabiru, Caroline W; Ketting, Evert; Lees, James; Moreau, Caroline; Tolman, Deborah L; Vanwesenbeeck, Ine; Vega, Bernardo; Verhetsel, Elizabeth; Chandra-Mouli, Venkatraman

2016-01-13

On December 4th 2014, the International Centre for Reproductive Health (ICRH) at Ghent University organized an international conference on adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) and well-being. This viewpoint highlights two key messages of the conference--(1) ASRH promotion is broadening on different levels and (2) this broadening has important implications for research and interventions--that can guide this research field into the next decade. Adolescent sexuality has long been equated with risk and danger. However, throughout the presentations, it became clear that ASRH and related promotion efforts are broadening on different levels: from risk to well-being, from targeted and individual to comprehensive and structural, from knowledge transfer to innovative tools. However, indicators to measure adolescent sexuality that should accompany this broadening trend, are lacking. While public health related indicators (HIV/STIs, pregnancies) and their behavioral proxies (e.g., condom use, number of partners) are well developed and documented, there is a lack of consensus on indicators for the broader construct of adolescent sexuality, including sexual well-being and aspects of positive sexuality. Furthermore, the debate during the conference clearly indicated that experimental designs may not be the only appropriate study design to measure effectiveness of comprehensive, context-specific and long-term ASRH programmes, and that alternatives need to be identified and applied. Presenters at the conference clearly expressed the need to develop validated tools to measure different sub-constructs of adolescent sexuality and environmental factors. There was a plea to combine (quasi-)experimental effectiveness studies with evaluations of the development and implementation of ASRH promotion initiatives.

Gender-Specific Relationships Between Depressive Symptoms, Marijuana Use, Parental Communication and Risky Sexual Behavior in Adolescence

PubMed Central

Schuster, Randi Melissa; Mermelstein, Robin; Wakschlag, Laurie

2012-01-01

A large body of research has identified correlates of risky sexual behavior, with depressive symptoms and marijuana use among the most consistent psychosocial predictors of sexual risk. However, substantially less research has examined the relationship between these risk variables and adolescent risky sexual behavior over time as well as the interaction of these individual-level predictors with family-level variables such as parenting factors. Additionally, most studies have been restricted to one index of risky sexual behavior, have not taken into account the complex role of gender, and have not controlled for several of the factors that independently confer risk for risky sexual behavior. Therefore, the current study investigated the association between depressive symptoms and parameters of parenting on marijuana use, number of sexual partners and condom usage measured 9 months later for both boys and girls. Participants were 9th and 10th grade adolescents (N = 1,145; 57.7 % female). We found that depressive symptoms may be a gender-specific risk factor for certain indices of risky sexual behavior. For boys only, marijuana use at Time 2 accounted for the variance in the relationship between depressive symptoms at Time 1 and number of partners at Time 2. Additionally, strictness of family rules at Time 1 was associated with the number of partners with whom girls engaged in sex at Time 2, but only among those with lower levels of depressive symptoms at Time 1. Results from the current investigation speak to the utility of examining the complex, gender-specific pathways to sexual risk in adolescents. Findings suggest that treatment of mental health and substance use problems may have important implications in rates of risky sexual behavior and, conceivably, controlling the high rates of serious individual and public health repercussions. PMID:22927009

Gender-specific relationships between depressive symptoms, marijuana use, parental communication and risky sexual behavior in adolescence.

PubMed

Schuster, Randi Melissa; Mermelstein, Robin; Wakschlag, Laurie

2013-08-01

A large body of research has identified correlates of risky sexual behavior, with depressive symptoms and marijuana use among the most consistent psychosocial predictors of sexual risk. However, substantially less research has examined the relationship between these risk variables and adolescent risky sexual behavior over time as well as the interaction of these individual-level predictors with family-level variables such as parenting factors. Additionally, most studies have been restricted to one index of risky sexual behavior, have not taken into account the complex role of gender, and have not controlled for several of the factors that independently confer risk for risky sexual behavior. Therefore, the current study investigated the association between depressive symptoms and parameters of parenting on marijuana use, number of sexual partners and condom usage measured 9 months later for both boys and girls. Participants were 9th and 10th grade adolescents (N = 1,145; 57.7% female). We found that depressive symptoms may be a gender-specific risk factor for certain indices of risky sexual behavior. For boys only, marijuana use at Time 2 accounted for the variance in the relationship between depressive symptoms at Time 1 and number of partners at Time 2. Additionally, strictness of family rules at Time 1 was associated with the number of partners with whom girls engaged in sex at Time 2, but only among those with lower levels of depressive symptoms at Time 1. Results from the current investigation speak to the utility of examining the complex, gender-specific pathways to sexual risk in adolescents. Findings suggest that treatment of mental health and substance use problems may have important implications in rates of risky sexual behavior and, conceivably, controlling the high rates of serious individual and public health repercussions.

Remission is the goal for cardiovascular risk management in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional comparative study.

PubMed

Provan, Sella A; Semb, Anne Grete; Hisdal, Jonny; Stranden, Einar; Agewall, Stefan; Dagfinrud, Hanne; Angel, Kristin; Atar, Dan; Kvien, Tore K

2011-05-01

To compare markers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk between patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in an active disease state and those with RA in remission, and to compare both groups with community controls. 113 patients with RA and 86 community controls were assessed across a panel of biomarkers for CVD. RA in remission was defined as Clinical Disease Activity Index ≤2.8. Community controls were selected at random by Statistics Norway, and controls were matched with patients in the cohorts in strata using details of age, sex and residential area. A panel of biomarkers (N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), total cholesterol, reactive hyperaemia index (RHI), pressure measurements, measures of arterial stiffness and intima-media thickness) were compared between patients with active RA and those with RA in remission. Both groups were compared with controls. In addition, biomarker levels were compared across subgroups based on anticyclic citrullinated peptide status, level of joint destruction and presence of extra-articular manifestations. Patients with active RA had significantly higher levels of NT-proBNP, brachial systolic pressure, augmentation index and central systolic pressure but lower cholesterol than patients in remission and controls. In addition, patients with active RA had significantly higher levels of pulse wave velocity and worse RHI than patients in remission. Comparison across other subgroups gave less consistent differentiations in levels of CVD risk markers. Patients with active RA, but not those in remission, had significantly increased levels of CVD risk markers. These results link inflammatory activity to markers of CVD risk in patients with RA and may indirectly support the notion that remission in RA confers diminished cardiovascular morbidity.

Role of Prophylactic Oxytocin in the Third Stage of Labor: Physiologic Versus Pharmacologically Influenced Labor and Birth.

PubMed

Erickson, Elise N; Lee, Christopher S; Emeis, Cathy L

2017-07-01

Maternity care providers administer oxytocin prophylactically to prevent postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Prophylactic oxytocin is generally considered effective and safe and is promoted by national organizations for standardized use. In this article, the evidence supporting prophylactic oxytocin administration for women undergoing spontaneous labor and birth compared with women whose labors included administration of exogenous oxytocin for induction or augmentation is explored. Using data from randomized controlled trials included in 2 recent Cochrane meta-analyses papers, only studies with women in spontaneous labor were selected for inclusion (N = 4 studies). Outcomes of immediate postpartum bleeding volumes (≥ 500 mL or 1000 mL), risk for blood transfusion, and risk for administration of more uterotonic medication were pooled from these 4 studies. Focused random effects meta-analytics were used. Compared to women without prophylactic oxytocin, women who received prophylactic oxytocin had a lower risk of having a 500 mL or higher blood loss. However, prophylactic oxytocin did not lower risk of PPH (≥ 1000 mL), blood transfusion, or need for additional uterotonic treatment. Prophylactic oxytocin may not confer the same benefits to women undergoing spontaneous labor and birth compared to women laboring with oxytocin infusion. Reasons for this difference are explored from a pharmacologic perspective. In addition, the value of prophylactic oxytocin given recent changes in the definition of PPH from greater than or equal to 500 mL to 1000 mL or more after birth is discussed. Finally, gaps in research on adverse effects of prophylactic oxytocin are presented. More research is needed on reducing risk of PPH for women in spontaneous labor. © 2017 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

Older Age Confers a Higher Risk of 30-Day Morbidity and Mortality Following Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery: an Analysis of the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Quality Improvement Program.

PubMed

Haskins, Ivy N; Ju, Tammy; Whitlock, Ashlyn E; Rivas, Lisbi; Amdur, Richard L; Lin, Paul P; Vaziri, Khashayar

2018-04-17

There is a paucity of literature describing the association of age with the risk of adverse events following bariatric surgery. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association of age with 30-day morbidity and mortality following laparoscopic bariatric surgery using the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) database. All adult patients undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RNGYB) or sleeve gastrectomy (SG) were identified within the MBSAQIP database. Patients were divided into five equal age quintiles. Binary outcomes of interest, including cardiac, pulmonary, wound, septic, clotting, and renal events, in addition to the incidence of related 30-day unplanned reintervention, related 30-day mortality, and a composite morbidity and mortality outcome were compared across the age quintiles and procedures. A total of 266,544 patients met inclusion criteria. Older age was associated with an increased risk of all morbidity outcomes except venous thromboembolism events, 30-day mortality, and the composite morbidity and mortality outcome. Patients who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass had worse outcomes per quintile for almost every outcome of interest when compared to patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy. Older patients and patients who undergo Roux-en-Y gastric bypass are at an increased risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality following laparoscopic bariatric surgery. Additional studies are needed to determine the association of age with long-term weight loss and cardiometabolic comorbidity resolution following bariatric surgery in order to determine if the increased perioperative risk is offset by improved long-term outcomes in older patients undergoing bariatric surgery.

Official Positions for FRAX® clinical regarding rheumatoid arthritis from Joint Official Positions Development Conference of the International Society for Clinical Densitometry and International Osteoporosis Foundation on FRAX®.

PubMed

Broy, Susan B; Tanner, S Bobo

2011-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis is the only secondary cause of osteoporosis that is considered independent of bone density in the FRAX(®) algorithm. Although input for rheumatoid arthritis in FRAX(®) is a dichotomous variable, intuitively, one would expect that more severe or active disease would be associated with a greater risk for fracture. We reviewed the literature to determine if specific disease parameters or medication use could be used to better characterize fracture risk in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis. Although many studies document a correlation between various parameters of disease activity or severity and decreased bone density, fewer have associated these variables with fracture risk. We reviewed these studies in detail and concluded that disability measures such as HAQ (Health Assessment Questionnaire) and functional class do correlate with clinical fractures but not morphometric vertebral fractures. One large study found a strong correlation with duration of disease and fracture risk but additional studies are needed to confirm this. There was little evidence to correlate other measures of disease such as DAS (disease activity score), VAS (visual analogue scale), acute phase reactants, use of non-glucocorticoid medications and increased fracture risk. We concluded that FRAX(®) calculations may underestimate fracture probability in patients with impaired functional status from rheumatoid arthritis but that this could not be quantified at this time. At this time, other disease measures cannot be used for fracture prediction. However only a few, mostly small studies addressed other disease parameters and further research is needed. Additional questions for future research are suggested. Copyright © 2011 The International Society for Clinical Densitometry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

People-centred landslide early warning systems in the context of risk management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haß, S.; Asch, K.; Fernandez-Steeger, T.; Arnhardt, C.

2009-04-01

In the current hazard research people-centred warning becomes more and more important, because different types of organizations and groups have to be involved in the warning process. This fact has to be taken into account when developing early warning systems. The effectiveness of early warning depends not only on technical capabilities but also on the preparedness of decision makers and their immediate response on how to act in case of emergency. Hence early warning systems have to be regarded in the context of an integrated and holistic risk management. Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) measures include people-centred, timely and understandable warning. Further responsible authorities have to be identified in advance and standards for risk communication have to be established. Up to now, hazard and risk assessment for geohazards focuses on the development of inventory, susceptibility, hazard and risk maps. But often, especially in Europe, there are no institutional structures for managing geohazards and in addition there is a lack of an authority that is legally obliged to alarm on landslides at national or regional level. One of the main characteristics within the warning process for natural hazards e.g. in Germany is the split of responsibility between scientific authorities (wissenschaftliche Fachbehörde) and enforcement authorities (Vollzugsbehörde). The scientific authority provides the experts who define the methods and measures for monitoring and evaluate the hazard level. The main focus is the acquisition and evaluation of data and subsequently the distribution of information. The enforcement authority issues official warnings about dangerous natural phenomena. Hence the information chain in the context of early warning ranges over two different institutions, the forecast service and the warning service. But there doesn't exist a framework for warning processes in terms of landslides as yet. The concept for managing natural disasters is often reduced to hazard assessment and emergency response. Great importance is attached to the scientific understanding of hazards and protective structures, while analysis of socio-economic impacts and risk assessment are not considered enough. The reduction of vulnerability has to be taken into greater account. Also the information needs of different stakeholders have to be identified at an early stage and should be integrated in the development of early warning systems. The content of the warning message must be simple, understandable and should cover instructions on how to react. Further the timeliness of the messages has to be guarented. In this context the aim of the landslide monitoring and early warning system SLEWS (Sensor Based Landslide Early Warning System) is to integrate the above mentioned aspects of a holistic disaster and risk management. The technology of spatial data infrastructures and web services provides the use of multiple communication channels within an early warning system. Thus people-centred early warning messages and information about slope stability can be sent in nearly real-time. It has to be underlined that the technological information process is just one element of an effective warning system. Moreover the warning system has also to be considered as a social system and has to make allowance to socio-economic and gender aspects : «[...] Develop early warning systems that are people centered, in particular systems whose warnings are timely and understandable to those at risk, which take into account the demographic, gender, cultural and livelihood characteristics of the target audiences, including guidance on how to act upon warnings, and that support effective operations by disaster managers and other decision makers » (Hyogo Framework, 2005) References : UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY FOR DISASTER REDUCTION SECRETARIAT (UNISDR) (2006): Developing early warning systems: a checklist, Third international conference on early warning (EWC III): from concept to action: 27-29 March 2006, Bonn, Germany. Geneva, Switzerland: International Strategy for Disaster Reduction. WORLD CONFERENCE ON DISASTER REDUCTION (2005) : Report of the World Conference on Disaster Reduction: Kobe, Hyogo, Japan, 18-22 January 2005. Geneva, Switzerland, Secretariat, World Conference on Disaster Reduction. INTER-AGENCY SECRETARIAT OF THE ISDR & GLOBAL PLATFORM FOR DISASTER RISK REDUCTION (2007): Disaster risk reduction: 2007 global review. Geneva, UN, ISDR.

Association of Periodic and Rhythmic Electroencephalographic Patterns With Seizures in Critically Ill Patients.

PubMed

Rodriguez Ruiz, Andres; Vlachy, Jan; Lee, Jong Woo; Gilmore, Emily J; Ayer, Turgay; Haider, Hiba Arif; Gaspard, Nicolas; Ehrenberg, J Andrew; Tolchin, Benjamin; Fantaneanu, Tadeu A; Fernandez, Andres; Hirsch, Lawrence J; LaRoche, Suzette

2017-02-01

Periodic and rhythmic electroencephalographic patterns have been associated with risk of seizures in critically ill patients. However, specific features that confer higher seizure risk remain unclear. To analyze the association of distinct characteristics of periodic and rhythmic patterns with seizures. We reviewed electroencephalographic recordings from 4772 critically ill adults in 3 academic medical centers from February 2013 to September 2015 and performed a multivariate analysis to determine features associated with seizures. Continuous electroencephalography. Association of periodic and rhythmic patterns and specific characteristics, such as pattern frequency (hertz), Plus modifier, prevalence, and stimulation-induced patterns, and the risk for seizures. Of the 4772 patients included in our study, 2868 were men and 1904 were women. Lateralized periodic discharges (LPDs) had the highest association with seizures regardless of frequency and the association was greater when the Plus modifier was present (58%; odds ratio [OR], 2.00, P < .001). Generalized periodic discharges (GPDs) and lateralized rhythmic delta activity (LRDA) were associated with seizures in a frequency-dependent manner (1.5-2 Hz: GPDs, 24%,OR, 2.31, P = .02; LRDA, 24%, OR, 1.79, P = .05; ≥ 2 Hz: GPDs, 32%, OR, 3.30, P < .001; LRDA, 40%, OR, 3.98, P < .001) as was the association with Plus (GPDs, 28%, OR, 3.57, P < .001; LRDA, 40%, P < .001). There was no difference in seizure incidence in patients with generalized rhythmic delta activity compared with no periodic or rhythmic pattern (13%, OR, 1.18, P = .26). Higher prevalence of LPDs and GPDs also conferred increased seizure risk (37% frequent vs 45% abundant/continuous, OR, 1.64, P = .03 for difference; 8% rare/occasional vs 15% frequent, OR, 2.71, P = .03, vs 23% abundant/continuous, OR, 1.95, P = .04). Patterns associated with stimulation did not show an additional risk for seizures from the underlying pattern risk (P > .10). In this study, LPDs, LRDA, and GPDs were associated with seizures while generalized rhythmic delta activity was not. Lateralized periodic discharges were associated with seizures at all frequencies with and without Plus modifier, but LRDA and GPDs were associated with seizures when the frequency was 1.5 Hz or faster or when associated with a Plus modifier. Increased pattern prevalence was associated with increased risk for seizures in LPDs and GPDs. Stimulus-induced patterns were not associated with such risk. These findings highlight the importance of detailed electroencephalographic interpretation using standardized nomenclature for seizure risk stratification and clinical decision making.

A Metadata Calculus for Securing Information Flows

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

mechanism to “purchase risk” using a pseudo- currency . Under the assumption that the line of risk credit or the risk available for purchase in the...Communications Conference (MILCOM 2007), pages 192–206. IEEE Com- puter Society, 2007. [11] J.A. Vaughan and S. Zdancewic. A Crypto - graphic Decentralized Label

Reducing Adolescent Risk: Toward an Integrated Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romer, David, Ed.

This collection of papers focuses on common influences that result in a number of interrelated risk behaviors, summarizing presentations and discussions from a recent conference at which a group of specialists from different health traditions synthesized current knowledge on the subject. There are 39 papers in four parts. Part 1, "Adolescents…

Rural Residence and Hispanic Ethnicity: Doubly Disadvantaged for Diabetes?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koopman, Richelle J.; Mainous, Arch G.; Geesey, Mark E.

2006-01-01

Context: Hispanics are at increased risk for diabetes, while rural residents have historically had decreased access to care. Purpose: To determine whether living in a rural area and being Hispanic confers special risks for diagnosis and control of diabetes. Methods: We analyzed the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey…

17th Space Photovoltaic Research and Technology Conference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jenkins, Phillip (Compiler)

2002-01-01

The 17th Space Photovoltaic Research and Technology (SPRAT XVII) Conference was held September 11-13, 2001, at the Ohio Aerospace Institute (OAI) in Cleveland, Ohio. The SPRAT conference, hosted by the Photovoltaic and Space Environments Branch of the NASA Glenn Research Center, brought together representatives of the space photovoltaic community from around the world to share the latest advances in space solar technology. This year's conference continued to build on many of the trends shown in SPRAT XVI; the use of new high-efficiency cells for commercial use and the development of novel array concepts such as Boeing's Solar Tile concept. In addition, new information was presented on space environmental interactions with solar arrays.

Introduction to the special issue on the joint meeting of the 19th IEEE International Symposium on the Applications of Ferroelectrics and the 10th European Conference on the Applications of Polar Dielectrics.

PubMed

Tsurumi, Takaaki

2011-09-01

The joint meeting of the 19th IEEE International Symposium on the Applications of Ferroelectrics and the 10th European Conference on the Applications of Polar Dielectrics took place in Edinburgh from August 9-12, 2010. The conference was attended by 390 delegates from more than 40 different countries. There were 4 plenary speakers, 56 invited speakers, and a further 222 contributed oral presentations in 7 parallel session. In addition there were 215 poster presentations. Key topics addressed at the conference included piezoelectric materials, leadfree piezoelectrics, and multiferroics.

Evidence for a primary autoimmune type of diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Bottazzo, G F; Cudworth, A G; Moul, D J; Doniach, D; Festenstein, H

1978-11-04

Sixty-eight patients with longstanding diabetes and persistent islet-cell antibody and 35 with coexistent diabetes and Graves's disease or primary myxoedema were studied with particular reference to the HLA system and autoantibody patterns. A higher incidence of HLA-B8 than normal was observed in the two groups. An additive relative risk exists when type I diabetes and autoimmune thyroid disease coexist, indicating that different HLA-linked genes may confer susceptibility to the pancreatic and thyroid disorders. Other characteristics, including female predominance, a later onset of diabetes, and a strong family history of autoimmune endocrinopathy, provide further evidence that this form of diabetes is aetiologically distinct from that generally seen in children. These results support the hypothesis of a primary autoimmune type of diabetes mellitus.

Abraham Lincoln did not have type 5 spinocerebellar ataxia.

PubMed

Sotos, John G

2009-10-20

An autosomal dominant genetic disorder, type 5 spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA5), occurs in multiple descendants of one paternal uncle and one paternal aunt of President Abraham Lincoln. It has been suggested that Lincoln himself had the disease and that his DNA should be tested for an SCA5-conferring gene. Herein, I review the pertinent phenotypes of Lincoln, his father, and his paternal grandmother, and conclude that 1) Lincoln's father did not have SCA5, and, therefore, that Lincoln was not at special risk of the disease; 2) Lincoln had neither subclinical nor visible manifestations of SCA5; 3) little evidence suggests SCA5 is a "Lincolnian" disorder; and 4) without additional evidence, Lincoln's DNA should not be tested for SCA5.

48 CFR 352.270-1 - Accessibility of meetings, conferences, and seminars to persons with disabilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...) The Contractor agrees as follows: (a) Planning. The Contractor shall develop a plan to assure that any... planning the meeting, conference, or seminar, shall include in all announcements and other materials... device for the deaf (TDD). (2) The Contractor shall provide, at no additional cost to the individual...

Collaborative Tool for Command and Control Team Effectiveness Studies: Experimental Test of Interventions to Improve Performance in Command and Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-11-01

weapons system in the United States Air Force (USAF) inventory (Garrity, Morley, Rodriguez , & Tossell, 2004). It is important for potential AOC operators...Research Division in Mesa , AZ. Additionally, cadets were able to participate in two conferences. Please see conference report at Attachment 3

International High/Scope Registry Conference Proceedings (Ypsilanti, Michigan, May 7-10, 1997).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, Ypsilanti, MI.

These conference proceedings provide summaries of 66 presentations on various aspects of the High/Scope educational approach. In addition to summaries of special presentations on music and movement, topics addressed include: (1) observation/feedback strategies; (2) adult-child interaction; (3) songs in daily routines; (4) High/Scope for infants…

Report from the Third IUPAP International Conference on Women in Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freeland, Emily E.; Murphy, N.; Jang-Condell, H.; Gomez Maqueo Chew, Y.

2009-12-01

The Third IUPAP (International Union of Pure and Applied Physics) International Conference on Women in Physics was held in Seoul, South Korea from October 8-10, 2008 with 283 participants from 57 countries. Topics discussed included personal and professional development, attracting girls to physics, site visits for assessing and improving the climate for women, fundraising and leadership, and organizing women in physics working groups. Resolutions unanimously passed by the conference assembly recommend (1) the formation of additional regional or national working groups for women in physics, (2) promotion of site visits as an effective tool for improving the climate of the physics workplace, (3) increased professional development opportunities and outreach activities associated with conferences, and (4) a global survey of physicists in 2009 to assess the status of women in physics. See http://www.icwip2008.org/ for the text of the resolutions and the conference program. In this poster, AAS members who participated will report on this conference as well as resolutions from the first (Paris, 2002) and second (Rio de Janeiro, 2005) conferences. The next IUPAP Conference on Women in Physics is expected to occur in South Africa in 2011.

Modeling effective transmission pathways and control of the world's most successful parasite.

PubMed

Turner, Matthew; Lenhart, Suzanne; Rosenthal, Benjamin; Zhao, Xiaopeng

2013-06-01

Toxoplasma gondii(T. gondii) is a single-celled, intracellular protozoan responsible for the disease toxoplasmosis. The parasite is prevalent worldwide, and it infects all warm-blooded vertebrates. Consumption of meats in which this parasite has encysted confers risk of infection to people and other animals, as does ingestion of water or foods contaminated with environmentally resistant oocysts excreted by cats. Vertical transmission (from mother to offspring) is also possible, leading to disease risk and contributing additional means of ensuring perpetuation of transmission. In this work, we adopt a differential equation model to investigate the effective transmission pathways of T. gondii, as well as potential control mechanisms. Detailed analyses are carried out to examine the significance of transmission routes, virulence, vertical transmission, parasite-induced changes in host behavior, and controls based on vaccination and harvesting. Modeling and analysis efforts may shed insights into understanding the complex life cycle of T. gondii. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

U.S. Bonneville Power Administration

The 2008 Columbia River Estuary Conference was held at the Liberty Theater in Astoria, Oregon, on April 19-20. The conference theme was ecosystem restoration. The purpose of the conference was to exchange data and information among researchers, policy-makers, and the public, i.e., interrelate science with management. Conference organizers invited presentations synthesizing material on Restoration Planning and Implementation (Session 1), Research to Reduce Restoration Uncertainties (Session 2), Wetlands and Flood Management (Session 3), Action Effectiveness Monitoring (Session 4), and Management Perspectives (Session 5). A series of three plenary talks opened the conference. Facilitated speaker and audience discussion periods were held atmore » the end of each session. Contributed posters conveyed additional data and information. These proceedings include abstracts and notes documenting questions from the audience and clarifying answers from the presenter for each talk. The proceedings also document key points from the discussion periods at the end of each session. The conference program is outlined in the agenda section. Speaker biographies are presented in Appendix A. Poster titles and authors are listed in Appendix B. A list of conference attendees is contained in Appendix C.« less

International conference on Recent Advances in Aerospace Engineering (ICRAAE-2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2017-10-01

Introduction The First International conference on Recent Advances in Aerospace Engineering (ICRAAE-2017) will be conducted by the Department of Aerospace Engineering at Karunya University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India, on 3rd and 4th March, 2017. The conference aims to bring together students, academicians, leading scientists, researchers and industrialists working in diverse fields of Aerospace Engineering. This conference provides an inter-disciplinary platform for the educators, researchers and practitioners to present, share and discuss the recent trends, innovations, concerns and solutions in the cutting edge technologies of Aerospace Engineering for mutual benefit and the growth of the nation. Objectives The conference is devoted to benefit the participants who will have the opportunity to gain insight into state-of-the-art technologies in the field of Aerospace Engineering by the expert lectures of scientists and pioneering researchers from India and abroad. In addition, the two-day conference will enable knowledge sharing by personnel involved in active research working on the recent developments in this diverse field. List of International Deep Drawing Research Group, Conference Topics, Facts and Statistics, Achknowledgement, Keynote Speakers, Scientific Committee, Editors all are available in this PDF.

DRD2: Bridging the genome and ingestive behavior

PubMed Central

Sun, Xue; Luquet, Serge; Small, Dana M

2017-01-01

Recent work highlights the importance of genetic variants that influence brain structure and function in conferring risk for polygenic obesity. The neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) plays a pivotal role in energy balance by integrating metabolic signals with circuits supporting cognitive, perceptual and appetitive functions that guide feeding. It has also been established that diet and obesity alter DA signaling leading to compulsive-like feeding and neurocognitive impairments. This raises the possibility that genetic variants that influence DA signaling and adaptation confer risk for overeating and cognitive decline. We consider the role of two common gene variants, FTO and TaqIA rs1800497 in driving gene * environment interactions promoting obesity, metabolic dysfunction, and cognitive change via their influence on dopamine receptor subtype 2 signaling. PMID:28372879

Common genetic variation at BARD1 is not associated with Breast cancer risk in BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carriers

PubMed Central

Spurdle, Amanda B.; Marquart, Louise; McGuffog, Lesley; Healey, Sue; Sinilnikova, Olga; Wan, Fei; Chen, Xiaoqing; Beesley, Jonathan; Singer, Christian F; Dressler, Anne-Catharine; Gschwantler-Kaulich, Daphne; Blum, Joanne L.; Tung, Nadine; Weitzel, Jeff; Lynch, Henry; Garber, Judy; Easton, Douglas F.; Peock, Susan; Cook, Margaret; Oliver, Clare T.; Frost, Debra; Conroy, Don; Evans, D. Gareth; Lalloo, Fiona; Eeles, Ros; Izatt, Louise; Davidson, Rosemarie; Chu, Carol; Eccles, Diana; Selkirk, Christina G.; Daly, Mary; Isaacs, Claudine; Stoppa-Lyonnet, Dominique; Sinilnikova, Olga M.; Buecher, Bruno; Belotti, Muriel; Mazoyer, Sylvie; Barjhoux, Laure; Verny-Pierre, Carole; Lasset, Christine; Dreyfus, Hélène; Pujol, Pascal; Collonge-Rame, Marie-Agnès; Rookus, Matti A.; Verhoef, Senno; Kriege, Mieke; Hoogerbrugge, Nicoline; Ausems, Margreet G.E.M.; van Os, Theo A.; Wijnen, Juul; Devilee, Peter; Meijers-Heijboer, Hanne E.J.; Blok, Marinus J.; Heikkinen, Tuomas; Nevanlinna, Heli; Jakubowska, Anna; Lubiński, Jan; Huzarski, Tomasz; Byrski, Tomasz; Durocher, Francine; Couch, Fergus J.; Lindor, Noralane M.; Wang, Xianshu; Thomassen, Mads; Domchek, Susan; Nathanson, Kate; Caligo, MA; Jernström, Helena; Liljegren, Annelie; Ehrencrona, Hans; Karlsson, Per; Ganz, Patricia A.; Olopade, Olufunmilayo I.; Tomlinson, Gail; Neuhausen, Susan; Antoniou, Antonis C.; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Rebbeck, Timothy R.

2011-01-01

Background Inherited BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BRCA1/2) mutations confer elevated breast cancer risk. Knowledge of factors that can improve breast cancer risk assessment in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers may improve personalized cancer prevention strategies. Methods A cohort of 5,546 BRCA1 and 2,865 BRCA2 mutation carriers was used to evaluate risk of breast cancer associated with BARD1 Cys557Ser. In a second non-independent cohort of 1,537 of BRCA1 and 839 BRCA2 mutation carriers, BARD1 haplotypes were also evaluated. Results The BARD1 Cys557Ser variant was not significantly associated with risk of breast cancer from single SNP analysis, with a pooled effect estimate of 0.90 (95%CI: 0.71-1.15) in BRCA1 carriers and 0.87 (95%CI: 0.59-1.29) in BRCA2 carriers. Further analysis of haplotypes at BARD1 also revealed no evidence that additional common genetic variation not captured by Cys557Ser was associated with breast cancer risk. Conclusion Evidence to date does not support a role for BARD1 variation, including the Cy557Ser variant, as a modifier of risk in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers. Impact Interactors of BRCA1/2 have been implicated as modifiers of BRCA1/2-associated cancer risk. Our finding that BARD1 does not contribute to this risk modification may focus research on other genes that do modify BRCA1/2-associated cancer risk. PMID:21393566

Examining links between sexual risk behaviors and dating violence involvement as a function of sexual orientation.

PubMed

Hipwell, A E; Stepp, S D; Keenan, K; Allen, A; Hoffmann, A; Rottingen, L; McAloon, R

2013-08-01

To examine the association between dating violence perpetration and victimization and sexually risky behaviors among sexual minority and heterosexual adolescent girls. Adolescent girls reported on sexual orientation, sexual behaviors, and risk-taking, and their use of, and experience with, dating violence in the past year. Data were analyzed using multinomial regression adjusted for race, poverty, living in a single parent household, and gender of current partner to examine (1) whether sexual minority status was associated with sexual risk behaviors after sociodemographic correlates of sexual risk were controlled; and (2) whether dating violence context accounted for elevated risk. Urban, population-based sample of girls interviewed in the home. 1,647 adolescent girls (38% European American, 57% African American, and 5% other) aged 17 years. Over one-third of the sample lived in poverty. None. Sexual risk-taking. Sexual minority status differentiated girls engaging in high sexual risk-taking from those reporting none, after controlling for sociodemographic and relationship characteristics. Dating violence perpetration and victimization made unique additional contributions to this model and did not account for the elevated risk conferred by sexual minority status. Sexual minority girls (SMGs) were more likely than heterosexual girls to report high sexual risk-taking and teen dating violence victimization. As with heterosexual girls, sexual risk-taking among SMGs was compounded by dating violence, which was not explained by partner gender. Adolescent girls' risky sexual behavior may be reduced by interventions for teen dating violence regardless of sexual minority status. Copyright © 2013 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Examining links between sexual risk behaviors and dating violence involvement as a function of sexual orientation

PubMed Central

Hipwell, A.E.; Stepp, S.D.; Keenan, K.; Allen, A.; Hoffmann, A.; Rottingen, L.; McAloon, R.

2013-01-01

Study Objective To examine the association between dating violence perpetration and victimization and sexually risky behaviors among sexual minority and heterosexual adolescent girls. Design Adolescent girls reported on sexual orientation, sexual behaviors and risk-taking, and their use of and experience with dating violence in the past year. Data were analyzed using multinomial regression adjusted for race, poverty, living in a single parent household, and gender of current partner to examine (1) whether sexual minority status was associated with sexual risk behaviors after sociodemographic correlates of sexual risk were controlled; and (2) whether dating violence context accounted for elevated risk. Setting Urban, population-based sample of girls interviewed in the home. Participants 1,647 adolescent girls (38% European American, 57% African American, and 5% other) aged 17 years. Over one third of the sample lived in poverty. Interventions None. Main Outcome Measure Sexual risk-taking. Results Sexual minority status differentiated girls engaging in high sexual risk-taking from those reporting none, after controlling for sociodemographic and relationship characteristics. Dating violence perpetration and victimization made unique additional contributions to this model, and did not account for the elevated risk conferred by sexual minority status. Conclusions Sexual minority girls (SMGs) were more likely than heterosexual girls to report high sexual risk-taking and teen dating violence victimization. As with heterosexual girls, sexual risk-taking among SMGs was compounded by dating violence, which was not explained by partner gender. Adolescent girls’ risky sexual behavior may be reduced by interventions for teen dating violence regardless of sexual minority status. PMID:23726138

Association between the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene and mesolimbic responses to rewards.

PubMed

Damiano, Cara R; Aloi, Joseph; Dunlap, Kaitlyn; Burrus, Caley J; Mosner, Maya G; Kozink, Rachel V; McLaurin, Ralph Edward; Mullette-Gillman, O'Dhaniel A; Carter, Ronald McKell; Huettel, Scott A; McClernon, Francis Joseph; Ashley-Koch, Allison; Dichter, Gabriel S

2014-01-31

There has been significant progress in identifying genes that confer risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). However, the heterogeneity of symptom presentation in ASDs impedes the detection of ASD risk genes. One approach to understanding genetic influences on ASD symptom expression is to evaluate relations between variants of ASD candidate genes and neural endophenotypes in unaffected samples. Allelic variations in the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene confer small but significant risk for ASDs for which the underlying mechanisms may involve associations between variability in oxytocin signaling pathways and neural response to rewards. The purpose of this preliminary study was to investigate the influence of allelic variability in the OXTR gene on neural responses to monetary rewards in healthy adults using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The moderating effects of three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs1042778, rs2268493 and rs237887) of the OXTR gene on mesolimbic responses to rewards were evaluated using a monetary incentive delay fMRI task. T homozygotes of the rs2268493 SNP demonstrated relatively decreased activation in mesolimbic reward circuitry (including the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, insula, thalamus and prefrontal cortical regions) during the anticipation of rewards but not during the outcome phase of the task. Allelic variation of the rs1042778 and rs237887 SNPs did not moderate mesolimbic activation during either reward anticipation or outcomes. This preliminary study suggests that the OXTR SNP rs2268493, which has been previously identified as an ASD risk gene, moderates mesolimbic responses during reward anticipation. Given previous findings of decreased mesolimbic activation during reward anticipation in ASD, the present results suggest that OXTR may confer ASD risk via influences on the neural systems that support reward anticipation.

VEGETARIAN DIETS AND THE INCIDENCE OF CANCER IN A LOW-RISK POPULATION

PubMed Central

Tantamango-Bartley, Yessenia; Jaceldo-Siegl, Karen; Fan, Jing; Fraser, Gary

2012-01-01

Background Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the US. Dietary factors account for at least 30% of all cancers in Western countries. Since people do not consume individual foods but rather combinations of them, the assessment of dietary patterns may offer valuable information when determining associations between diet and cancer risk. Methods We examined the association between dietary patterns (non-vegetarians, lacto, pesco, vegan, and semi-vegetarian) and the overall cancer incidence among 69,120 participants of the Adventist Health Study-2. Cancer cases were identified by matching to cancer registries. Cox-proportional hazard regression analysis was performed to estimate hazard ratios, with “attained age” as the time variable. Results 2,939 incident cancer cases were identified. The multivariate HR of overall cancer risk among vegetarians compared to non-vegetarians was statistically significant (HR=0.92; 95%CI: 0.85, 0.99) for both genders combined. Also, a statistically significant association was found between vegetarian diet and cancers of the gastrointestinal tract (HR=0.76; 95%CI: 0.63, 0.90). When analyzing the association of specific vegetarian dietary patterns, vegan diets showed statistically significant protection for overall cancer incidence (HR=0.84; 95%CI: 0.72, 0.99) in both genders combined and for female-specific cancers (HR=0.66; 95%CI: 0.47, 0.92). Lacto-ovo-vegetarians appeared to be associated with decreased risk of cancers of the gastrointestinal system (HR=0.75; 95%CI: 0.60, 0.92). Conclusion Vegetarian diets seem to confer protection against cancer. Impact Vegan diet seems to confer lower risk for overall and female-specific cancer compared to other dietary patterns. The lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets seem to confer protection from cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. PMID:23169929

Proceedings of the Conference on Toxicology: Applications of Advances in Toxicology to Risk Assessment. Held at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio on 19-21 May 1992

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-01

animals in toxicology research, the application of pharmacokinetics and physiologically based pharmacokinetic mdels in chemical risk assessment, selected...metaplasia Neurotoxicity Nonmutagenic carcinogens Ozone P450 PBPK modeling Perfluorohexane Peroxisome proliferators Pharmacokinetics Pharmacokinetic models...Physiological modeling Physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling Polycyclic organic matter Quantitative risk assessment RAIRM model Rats

Variants in DENND1A Are Associated with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Women of European Ancestry

PubMed Central

Styrkarsdottir, Unnur; Ehrmann, David A.; Thorleifsson, Gudmar; Arason, Gudmundur; Gudmundsson, Jens A.; Ober, Carole; Rosenfield, Robert L.; Saxena, Richa; Thorsteinsdottir, Unnur; Crowley, William F.

2012-01-01

Context: A genome-wide association study has identified three loci (five independent signals) that confer risk for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in Han Chinese women. Replication is necessary to determine whether the same variants confer risk for PCOS in women of European ancestry. Objective: The objective of the study was to test whether these PCOS risk variants in Han Chinese women confer risk for PCOS in women of European ancestry. Design: This was a case-control study. Setting: The study was conducted at deCODE Genetics in Iceland and two academic medical centers in the United States. Patients: Cases were 376 Icelandic women and 565 and 203 women from Boston, MA, and Chicago, IL, respectively, all diagnosed with PCOS by the National Institutes of Health criteria. Controls were 16,947, 483, and 189 women not known to have PCOS from Iceland, Boston, and Chicago, respectively. Intervention: There were no interventions. Main Outcomes: Main outcomes were allele frequencies for seven variants in PCOS cases and controls. Results: Two strongly correlated Han Chinese PCOS risk variants on chromosome 9q33.3, rs10986105[C], and rs10818854[A], were replicated in samples of European ancestry with odds ratio of 1.68 (P = 0.00033) and odds ratio of 1.53 (P = 0.0019), respectively. Other risk variants at 2p16.3 (rs13405728), 2p21 (rs12468394, rs12478601, and rs13429458), and 9q33.3 (rs2479106), or variants correlated with them, did not associate with PCOS. The same allele of rs10986105 that increased the risk of PCOS also increased the risk of hyperandrogenism in women without PCOS from Iceland and demonstrated a stronger risk for PCOS defined by the National Institutes of Health criteria than the Rotterdam criteria. Conclusions: We replicated one of the five Chinese PCOS association signals, represented by rs10986105 and rs10818854 on 9q33, in individuals of European ancestry. Examination of the subjects meeting at least one of the Rotterdam criteria for PCOS suggests that the variant may be involved in the hyperandrogenism and possibly the irregular menses of PCOS. PMID:22547425

Variants in DENND1A are associated with polycystic ovary syndrome in women of European ancestry.

PubMed

Welt, Corrine K; Styrkarsdottir, Unnur; Ehrmann, David A; Thorleifsson, Gudmar; Arason, Gudmundur; Gudmundsson, Jens A; Ober, Carole; Rosenfield, Robert L; Saxena, Richa; Thorsteinsdottir, Unnur; Crowley, William F; Stefansson, Kari

2012-07-01

A genome-wide association study has identified three loci (five independent signals) that confer risk for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in Han Chinese women. Replication is necessary to determine whether the same variants confer risk for PCOS in women of European ancestry. The objective of the study was to test whether these PCOS risk variants in Han Chinese women confer risk for PCOS in women of European ancestry. This was a case-control study. The study was conducted at deCODE Genetics in Iceland and two academic medical centers in the United States. Cases were 376 Icelandic women and 565 and 203 women from Boston, MA, and Chicago, IL, respectively, all diagnosed with PCOS by the National Institutes of Health criteria. Controls were 16,947, 483, and 189 women not known to have PCOS from Iceland, Boston, and Chicago, respectively. There were no interventions. Main outcomes were allele frequencies for seven variants in PCOS cases and controls. Two strongly correlated Han Chinese PCOS risk variants on chromosome 9q33.3, rs10986105[C], and rs10818854[A], were replicated in samples of European ancestry with odds ratio of 1.68 (P = 0.00033) and odds ratio of 1.53 (P = 0.0019), respectively. Other risk variants at 2p16.3 (rs13405728), 2p21 (rs12468394, rs12478601, and rs13429458), and 9q33.3 (rs2479106), or variants correlated with them, did not associate with PCOS. The same allele of rs10986105 that increased the risk of PCOS also increased the risk of hyperandrogenism in women without PCOS from Iceland and demonstrated a stronger risk for PCOS defined by the National Institutes of Health criteria than the Rotterdam criteria. We replicated one of the five Chinese PCOS association signals, represented by rs10986105 and rs10818854 on 9q33, in individuals of European ancestry. Examination of the subjects meeting at least one of the Rotterdam criteria for PCOS suggests that the variant may be involved in the hyperandrogenism and possibly the irregular menses of PCOS.

Two functional serotonin polymorphisms moderate the effect of food reinforcement on BMI

PubMed Central

Carr, Katelyn A.; Lin, Henry; Fletcher, Kelly D.; Sucheston, Lara; Singh, Prashant K.; Salis, Robbert; Erbe, Richard; Faith, Myles; Allison, David; Stice, Eric; Epstein, Leonard H.

2014-01-01

Food reinforcement, or the motivation to eat, has been associated with increased energy intake, greater body weight and prospective weight gain. Much of the previous research on the reinforcing value of food has focused on the role of dopamine, but it may be worthwhile to examine genetic polymorphisms in the serotonin and opioid systems as these neurotransmitters have been shown to be related to reinforcement processes and to influence energy intake. We examined the relationship among 44 candidate genetic polymorphisms in the dopamine, serotonin and opioid systems, and food reinforcement and body mass index (BMI) in a sample of 245 individuals. Polymorphisms in the Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA-LPR) and serotonin receptor 2A genes (rs6314) moderated the effect of food reinforcement on BMI, accounting for an additional 5-10% variance and revealed a potential role of the single nucleotide polymorphism, rs6314 in the serotonin 2A receptor as a differential susceptibility factor for obesity. Differential susceptibility describes a factor that can confer either risk or protection depending on a second variable, such that rs6314 is predictive of both high and low BMI based on the level of food reinforcement, while the diathesis stress or dual-gain model influences only one end of the outcome measure. The interaction with MAOA-LPR better fit the dual-risk or diathesis stress model, with the 3.5R/4R allele conferring protection for individuals low in food reinforcement. These results provide new insight into genes theoretically involved in obesity and support the hypothesis that genetics moderate the association between food reinforcement on BMI. PMID:23544600

Added Healthcare Charges Conferred by Smoking in Outpatient Plastic Surgery.

PubMed

Sieffert, Michelle R; Johnson, R Michael; Fox, Justin P

2018-01-31

A history of smoking confers additional risk of complications following plastic surgical procedures, which may require hospital-based care to address. To determine if patients with a smoking history experience higher rates of complications leading to higher hospital-based care utilization, and therefore greater healthcare charges, after common outpatient plastic surgeries. Using ambulatory surgery data from California, Florida, Nebraska, and New York, we identified adult patients who underwent common facial, breast, or abdominal contouring procedures from January 2009 to November 2013. Our primary outcomes were hospital-based, acute care (hospital admissions and emergency department visits), serious adverse events, and cumulative healthcare charges within 30 days of discharge. Multivariable regression models were used to compare outcomes between patients with and without a smoking history. The final sample included 214,761 patients, of which 10,426 (4.9%) had a smoking history. Compared to patients without, those with a smoking history were more likely to have a hospital-based, acute care encounter (3.4% vs 7.1%; AOR = 1.36 [1.25-1.48]) or serious adverse event (0.9% vs 2.2%; AOR = 1.38 [1.18-1.60]) within 30 days. On average, these events added $1826 per patient with a smoking history. These findings were consistent when stratified by specific procedure and controlled for patient factors. Patients undergoing common outpatient plastic surgery procedures who have a history of smoking are at risk for more frequent complications, and incur higher healthcare charges than patients who are nonsmokers. © 2018 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com

Isocyanates and human health: Multi-stakeholder information needs and research priorities

PubMed Central

Lockey, JE; Redlich, CA; Streicher, R; Pfahles-Hutchens, A; Hakkinen, PJ; Ellison, GL; Harber, P; Utell, M; Holland, J; Comai, A; White, Marc

2014-01-01

Objective Outline the knowledge gaps and research priorities identified by a broad-base of stakeholders involved in the planning and participation of an international conference and research agenda workshop on isocyanates and human health held in Potomac, Maryland in April 2013. Methods A multi-modal iterative approach was employed for data collection including pre-conference surveys, review of a 2001 consensus conference on isocyanates, oral and poster presentations, focused break-out sessions, panel discussions and post-conference research agenda workshop. Results Participants included representatives of consumer and worker health, health professionals, regulatory agencies, academic and industry scientists, labor, and trade associations. Conclusions Recommendations were summarized regarding knowledge gaps and research priorities in the following areas: worker and consumer exposures; toxicology, animal models, and biomarkers; human cancer risk; environmental exposure and monitoring; and respiratory epidemiology and disease, and occupational health surveillance. PMID:25563538

2010 Plant Molecular Biology Gordon Research Conference

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

Michael Sussman

The Plant Molecular Biology Conference has traditionally covered a breadth of exciting topics and the 2010 conference will continue in that tradition. Emerging concerns about food security have inspired a program with three main themes: (1) genomics, natural variation and breeding to understand adaptation and crop improvement, (2) hormonal cross talk, and (3) plant/microbe interactions. There are also sessions on epigenetics and proteomics/metabolomics. Thus this conference will bring together a range of disciplines, will foster the exchange of ideas and enable participants to learn of the latest developments and ideas in diverse areas of plant biology. The conference provides anmore » excellent opportunity for individuals to discuss their research because additional speakers in each session will be selected from submitted abstracts. There will also be a poster session each day for a two-hour period prior to dinner. In particular, this conference plays a key role in enabling students and postdocs (the next generation of research leaders) to mingle with pioneers in multiple areas of plant science.« less

Radioactivity in consumer products

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

Moghissi, A.A.; Paras, P.; Carter, M.W.

1978-08-01

Papers presented at the conference dealt with regulations and standards; general and biological risks; radioluminous materials; mining, agricultural, and construction materials containing radioactivity; and various products containing radioactive sources.

Becoming an Environmental Professional 1990. Articles from Leading Environmental Professionals on Employment and Career Trends in the 1990s--Plus Proceedings from the CEIP Fund's Annual Environmental Careers Conference, "What on Earth Can You Do?" (6th, Boston, Massachusetts, October 22, 1989).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

CEIP Fund, Inc., Cleveland, OH.

Presented in this collection are proceedings from a conference focused on how to go about preserving and protecting the environment and attended by over 120 colleges and universities and some 60 environmental organizations, as well as 10 additional articles on careers in areas related to the environment. Included in the conference proceedings are:…

Neoplasms of the Stomach, Liver & Pancreas: Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment among High-Risk Populations | Division of Cancer Prevention

Cancer.gov

Agenda - Day 1, September 18, 2015 08:00 am - Registration 08:30 am - Welcome remarks and overview of the Conference Dr. Leslie Ford (NCI) – 5 min Dr. Edgar Colon (RCM and UPRCCC) - 5 min Luz Maria Rodriguez – Conference objectives & structure  Global Cancer Burden: An Overview and State of the Problem Moderators: Dr. Luz Maria Rodriguez and Dr. Victor Jose Carlo (PR

E-conferencing for delivery of residency didactics.

PubMed

Markova, Tsveti; Roth, Linda M

2002-07-01

While didactic conferences are an important component of residency training, delivering them efficiently is a challenge for many programs, especially when residents are located in multiple sites, as they are at Wayne State University School of Medicine in the Department of Family Medicine. Our residents find it difficult to travel from our hospitals or rotation sites to a centralized location for conferences. In order to overcome this barrier, we implemented distance learning and electronically delivered the conferences to the residents. We introduced an Internet-delivered, group-learning interactive conference model in which the lecturer is in one location with a group of residents and additional residents are in multiple locations. We launched the project in July 2001 using external company meeting services to schedule, coordinate, support, and archive the conferences. Equipment needed in each location consisted of a computer with an Internet connection, a telephone line, and a LCD projector (a computer monitor sufficed for small groups). We purposely chose simple distance-learning technology and used widely available equipment. Our e-conferencing had two components: (1) audio transmission via telephone connection and (2) visual transmission of PowerPoint presentations via the Internet. The telephone connection was open to all users, allowing residents to ask questions or make comments. Residents chose a conference location depending on geographic proximity to their rotation locations. Although we could accommodate up to 50 sites, we focused on a small number of locations in order to facilitate interaction among residents and faculty. Each conference session is archived and stored on the server for one week so those residents whose other residency-related responsibilities precluded attendance can view any conferences they have missed. E-conferencing proved to be an effective method of delivering didactics in our residency program. Its many advantages included ease of use, cost-efficiency, and wide availability of equipment. Residents had the advantage of both geographic and temporal independence. Our e-conferences were interactive, and in addition to a PowerPoint presentation, faculty provided Web sites and hyperlinks for references. Initial problems included slow-speed connection, the requirement for digital materials, and the need for residents and faculty to adjust to a new learning method. There was also a need for increased coordination at the sites and reliance on electronic communication. To assess the effectiveness of the program, residents completed knowledge pre- and post-tests and a conference evaluation form. We also monitored conference attendance rates. Preliminary results indicated positive resident attitudes toward distance learning and significant increases in conference attendance. To objectively evaluate this instructional delivery method, we will compare residents' knowledge gains in the face-to-face instructor group with those of the group to which the lecture is broadcast. Ultimately, we are hoping to offer this educational opportunity to other family practice residency programs in the area, to medical students interested in family medicine, and to community family physicians for continuing medical education. We are considering the addition of streaming video to the presentations in the future, once the bandwidth of the Internet connections is sufficient.

Different DRB1*03:01-DQB1*02:01 haplotypes confer different risk for celiac disease.

PubMed

Alshiekh, S; Zhao, L P; Lernmark, Å; Geraghty, D E; Naluai, Å T; Agardh, D

2017-08-01

Celiac disease is associated with the HLA-DR3-DQA1*05:01-DQB1*02:01 and DR4-DQA1*03:01-DQB1*03:02 haplotypes. In addition, there are currently over 40 non-HLA loci associated with celiac disease. This study extends previous analyses on different HLA haplotypes in celiac disease using next generation targeted sequencing. Included were 143 patients with celiac disease and 135 non-celiac disease controls investigated at median 9.8 years (1.4-18.3 years). PCR-based amplification of HLA and sequencing with Illumina MiSeq technology were used for extended sequencing of the HLA class II haplotypes HLA-DRB1, DRB3, DRB4, DRB5, DQA1 and DQB1, respectively. Odds ratios were computed marginally for every allele and haplotype as the ratio of allelic frequency in patients and controls as ratio of exposure rates (RR), when comparing a null reference with equal exposure rates in cases and controls. Among the extended HLA haplotypes, the strongest risk haplotype for celiac disease was shown for DRB3*01:01:02 in linkage with DQA1*05:01-DQB1*02:01 (RR = 6.34; P-value < .0001). In a subpopulation analysis, DRB3*01:01:02-DQA1*05:01-DQB1*02:01 remained the most significant in patients with Scandinavian ethnicity (RR = 4.63; P < .0001) whereas DRB1*07:01:01-DRB4*01:03:01-DQA1*02:01-DQB1*02:02:01 presented the highest risk of celiac disease among non-Scandinavians (RR = 7.94; P = .011). The data also revealed 2 distinct celiac disease risk DR3-DQA1*05:01-DQB*02:01 haplotypes distinguished by either the DRB3*01:01:02 or DRB3*02:02:01 alleles, indicating that different DRB1*03:01-DQB1*02:01 haplotypes confer different risk for celiac disease. The associated risk of celiac disease for DR3-DRB3*01:01:02-DQA1*05:01-DQB1*02:01 is predominant among patients of Scandinavian ethnicity. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

CTLA-4 and MDR1 polymorphisms increase the risk for ulcerative colitis: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Zhao, Jia-Jun; Wang, Di; Yao, Hui; Sun, Da-Wei; Li, Hong-Yu

2015-09-14

To evaluate the correlations between cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and multi-drug resistance 1 (MDR1) genes polymorphisms with ulcerative colitis (UC) risk. PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CBM databases, Springerlink, Wiley, EBSCO, Ovid, Wanfang database, VIP database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Weipu Journal databases were exhaustively searched using combinations of keywords relating to CTLA-4, MDR1 and UC. The published studies were filtered using our stringent inclusion and exclusion criteria, the quality assessment for each eligible study was conducted using Critical Appraisal Skill Program and the resultant high-quality data from final selected studies were analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-analysis 2.0 (CMA 2.0) software. The correlations between SNPs of CTLA-4 gene, MDR1 gene and the risk of UC were evaluated by OR at 95%CI. Z test was carried out to evaluate the significance of overall effect values. Cochran's Q-statistic and I(2) tests were applied to quantify heterogeneity among studies. Funnel plots, classic fail-safe N and Egger's linear regression test were inspected for indication of publication bias. A total of 107 studies were initially retrieved and 12 studies were eventually selected for meta-analysis. These 12 case-control studies involved 1860 UC patients and 2663 healthy controls. Our major result revealed that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of CTLA-4 gene rs3087243 G > A and rs231775 G > A may increase the risk of UC (rs3087243 G > A: allele model: OR = 1.365, 95%CI: 1.023-1.822, P = 0.035; dominant model: OR = 1.569, 95%CI: 1.269-1.940, P < 0.001; rs231775 G > A: allele model: OR = 1.583, 95%CI: = 1.306-1.918, P < 0.001; dominant model: OR = 1.805, 95%CI: 1.393-2.340, P < 0.001). In addition, based on our result, SNPs of MDR1 gene rs1045642 C > T might also confer a significant increases for the risk of UC (allele model: OR = 1.389, 95%CI: 1.214-1.590, P < 0.001; dominant model: OR = 1.518, 95%CI: 1.222-1.886, P < 0.001). CTLA-4 gene rs3087243 G > A and rs231775 G > A, and MDR1 gene rs1045642 C > T might confer an increase for UC risk.

Conflict of interest between professional medical societies and industry: a cross-sectional study of Italian medical societies' websites.

PubMed

Fabbri, Alice; Gregoraci, Giorgia; Tedesco, Dario; Ferretti, Filippo; Gilardi, Francesco; Iemmi, Diego; Lisi, Cosima; Lorusso, Angelo; Natali, Francesca; Shahi, Edit; Rinaldi, Alessandro

2016-06-01

To describe how Italian medical societies interact with pharmaceutical and medical device industries through an analysis of the information available on their websites. Cross sectional study. Italy. 154 medical societies registered with the Italian Federation of Medical-Scientific Societies. Indicators of industry sponsorship (presence of industry sponsorship in the programme of the last medical societies' annual conference; presence of manufacturers' logos on the homepage; presence of industry sponsorship of satellite symposia during the last annual conference). 131 Italian medical societies were considered. Of these, 4.6% had an ethical code covering relationships with industry on their websites, while 45.6% had a statute that mentioned the issue of conflict of interest and 6.1% published the annual financial report. With regard to industry sponsorship, 64.9% received private sponsorship for their last conference, 29.0% had manufacturers' logos on their webpage, while 35.9% had industry-sponsored satellite symposia at their last conference. The presence of an ethical code on the societies' websites was associated with both an increased risk of industry sponsorship of the last conference (relative risk (RR) 1.22, 95% CIs 1.01 to 1.48 after adjustment) and of conferences and/or satellite symposia (RR 1.22, 95% CIs 1.02 to 1.48 after adjustment) but not with the presence of manufacturers' logos on the websites (RR 1.79, 95% CIs 0.66 to 4.82 after adjustment). No association was observed with the other indicators of governance and transparency. This survey shows that industry sponsorship of Italian medical societies' conferences is common, while the presence of a structured regulatory system is not. Disclosure of the amount of industry funding to medical societies is scarce. The level of transparency therefore needs to be improved and the whole relationship between medical societies and industry should be further disciplined in order to avoid any potential for conflict of interest. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

International Conference on Recent Research and Development in Vocational Education (Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, March 12-19, 1989). Additional Papers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

TAFE National Centre for Research and Development, Payneham (Australia).

The conference recorded in this document covered a wide variety of themes and consisted of keynote addresses, research presentations, and workshops. The following keynote addresses are include: "Some Recent TAFE National Centre Research and Development in Australian Vocational Education" (Hall); "Vocational Teacher Education:…

75 FR 66752 - ILP Effectiveness Evaluation 2010; Additional Notice of Multi-Stakeholder Technical Conference on...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-29

... Licensing Process October 21, 2010. As announced in the May 18, 2010, ``Notice of Interviews... at [email protected]com by October 29, 2010 to receive the toll-free telephone number and password... Stephanie Obadia at [email protected]com by October 29, 2010. For more information about this conference...

Assessment of Reading Comprehension, Panel 5; Conference on Studies in Reading (Washington, D.C., August 1974).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Marshall S., Ed.

The aim of the panel on reading comprehension, sponsored by the National Institute of Education Conference on Studies in Reading, was to determine the influence of intellectual factors, general experiences with the world, knowledge specific to the particular reading task, and general decoding skills to successful reading performance. In addition,…

Day of Dialogue: Research Priorities from the Researching Academies Conference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woods, Glenys J.; Woods, Philip A.

2009-01-01

The Researching Academies (RA) Conference, hosted by the University of Gloucestershire in Cheltenham on 12 November 2008 and organised by the authors, was a unique one-day event, funded as part of a research project (a case study of an Academy) supported by a British Academy (BA) grant, with additional support and funding from BELMAS. The RA…

Multiple Genetic Associations with Irish Wolfhound Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

PubMed

Simpson, Siobhan; Dunning, Mark D; Brownlie, Serena; Patel, Janika; Godden, Megan; Cobb, Malcolm; Mongan, Nigel P; Rutland, Catrin S

2016-01-01

Cardiac disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in dogs and humans, with dilated cardiomyopathy being a large contributor to this. The Irish Wolfhound (IWH) is one of the most commonly affected breeds and one of the few breeds with genetic loci associated with the disease. Mutations in more than 50 genes are associated with human dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), yet very few are also associated with canine DCM. Furthermore, none of the identified canine loci explain many cases of the disease and previous work has indicated that genotypes at multiple loci may act together to influence disease development. In this study, loci previously associated with DCM in IWH were tested for associations in a new cohort both individually and in combination. We have identified loci significantly associated with the disease individually, but no genotypes individually or in pairs conferred a significantly greater risk of developing DCM than the population risk. However combining three loci together did result in the identification of a genotype which conferred a greater risk of disease than the overall population risk. This study suggests multiple rather than individual genetic factors, cooperating to influence DCM risk in IWH.

Multiple Genetic Associations with Irish Wolfhound Dilated Cardiomyopathy

PubMed Central

Dunning, Mark D.; Brownlie, Serena

2016-01-01

Cardiac disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in dogs and humans, with dilated cardiomyopathy being a large contributor to this. The Irish Wolfhound (IWH) is one of the most commonly affected breeds and one of the few breeds with genetic loci associated with the disease. Mutations in more than 50 genes are associated with human dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), yet very few are also associated with canine DCM. Furthermore, none of the identified canine loci explain many cases of the disease and previous work has indicated that genotypes at multiple loci may act together to influence disease development. In this study, loci previously associated with DCM in IWH were tested for associations in a new cohort both individually and in combination. We have identified loci significantly associated with the disease individually, but no genotypes individually or in pairs conferred a significantly greater risk of developing DCM than the population risk. However combining three loci together did result in the identification of a genotype which conferred a greater risk of disease than the overall population risk. This study suggests multiple rather than individual genetic factors, cooperating to influence DCM risk in IWH. PMID:28070514

Empagliflozin for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: An Overview of Phase 3 Clinical Trials

PubMed Central

Levine, Matthew J.

2017-01-01

Introduction: Sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have a unique mecha-nism of action leading to excretion of glucose in the urine and subsequent lowering of plasma glu-cose. This mechanism is independent of β-cell function; thus, these agents are effective treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) at theoretically any disease stage. This class should not confer an additional risk of hypoglycemia (unless combined with insulin or an insulin secretagogue) and has the potential to be combined with other classes of glucose-lowering agents. Empagliflozin is one of three currently approved SGLT2 inhibitors in the United States, and has shown a favorable benefit-risk ratio in phase 3 clinical trials as monotherapy and as add-on to other glucose-lowering therapy in broad patient populations. In addition to its glucose-lowering effects, empagliflozin has been shown to reduce body weight and blood pressure without a compensatory increase in heart rate. Moreover, on top of standard of care, empagliflozin is the first glucose-lowering agent to demonstrate cardiovas-cular risk reduction in patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease in a prospective outcomes trial: a 14% reduction in risk of the 3-point composite endpoint of death from cardiovascular causes, nonfa-tal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke. Like other SGLT2 inhibitors, empagliflozin is associated with a higher rate of genital mycotic infections than placebo and has the potential for volume deple-tion–associated events. Conclusion: This review summarizes the empagliflozin phase 3 clinical trials program and its poten-tial significance in the treatment of patients with T2DM. Evidence from these clinical trials show re-ductions in glycated hemoglobin (–0.59 to –0.82%) with a low risk of hypoglycemia except when used with insulin or insulin secretagogues, and moderate reductions in body weight (–2.1 to –2.5 kg) and systolic blood pressure (–2.9 to –5.2 mm Hg), thus supporting the use of empagliflozin as mono-therapy or in addition to other glucose-lowering agents. In addition, evidence from the recent EMPA-REG OUTCOME study, which demonstrated relative risk reductions in major adverse cardiac events (14%), cardiovascular mortality (38%) and all-cause mortality (32%), as well as hospitalization for heart failure (36%), supports use of empagliflozin in patients with T2DM and increased cardiovascu-lar risk. PMID:27296042

Clinical and genetic aspects of testicular germ cell tumours.

PubMed

Lutke Holzik, Martijn F; Sijmons, Rolf H; Hoekstra-Weebers, Josette Ehm; Sleijfer, Dirk T; Hoekstra, Harald J

2008-02-15

In this paper we review clinical and genetic aspects of testicular germ cell tumours (TGCTs). TGCT is the most common type of malignant disorder in men aged 1540 years. Its incidence has increased sharply in recent years. Fortunately, survival of patients with TGCT has improved enormously, which can chiefly be attributed to the cisplatin-based polychemotherapy that was introduced in the nineteen eighties to treat patients with metastasized TGCT. In addition, new strategies have been developed in the surgical approach to metastasized/non-metastasized TGCT and alterations have been made to the radiotherapy technique and radiation dose for seminoma. Family history of TGCT is among the strongest risk factors for this tumour type. Although this fact and others suggest the existence of genetic predisposition to develop TGCT, no germline mutations conferring high risk of developing TGCT have been identified so far. A small deletion, referred to as gr/gr, identified on the Y chromosome is probably associated with only a modest increase in TGCT risk, and linkage of familial TGCT to the Xq27 region has not been confirmed yet. Whether highly penetrant TGCT-predisposing mutations truly exist or familial clustering of TGCT can be explained by combinations of weak predispositions, shared in utero or postnatal risks factors and coincidental somatic mutations is an intriguing puzzle, still waiting to be solved.

Associations of preexisting depression and anxiety with hospitalization in patients with cardiovascular disease.

PubMed

Chamberlain, Alanna M; Vickers, Kristin S; Colligan, Robert C; Weston, Susan A; Rummans, Teresa A; Roger, Véronique L

2011-11-01

To determine the risk of hospitalization and death in relation to preexisting depression and anxiety among patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). The cohort consisted of 799 Olmsted County, MN, residents diagnosed with CVD (myocardial infarction or heart failure) from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 2009, who completed a Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) prior to their event. The MMPI was used to identify depression and anxiety, and participants were followed up for hospitalizations and death during an average of 6.2 years. Depression and anxiety were identified in 282 (35%) and 210 (26%) participants, respectively. After adjustment, depression and anxiety were independently associated with a 28% (95% confidence interval [CI], 8%-51%) and 26% (95% CI, 3%-53%) increased risk of being hospitalized, respectively. Depression also conferred an increased risk of all-cause mortality of similar magnitude, whereas the hazard ratio for anxiety was not statistically significant. The combined occurrence of depression and anxiety led to a 35% (95% CI, 8%-71%) increase in the risk of hospitalizations. Among patients with CVD, both preexisting depression and anxiety, occurring on average 17 years before the CVD event, independently predict hospitalizations. In addition, the 2 conditions may act synergistically on increasing health care utilization in patients with CVD.

76 FR 53683 - Draft Guidance for Industry on Oversight of Clinical Investigations: A Risk-Based Approach to...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-29

... risk-based approach to the oversight of clinical investigations. It does not create or confer any... a range of approaches to monitoring. FDA currently has OMB approval for the information collection... Interested persons may submit to the Division of Dockets Management (see ADDRESSES) either electronic or...

75 FR 3243 - NIH State-of-the-Science Conference: Preventing Alzheimer's Disease and Cognitive Decline; Notice

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-20

... Alzheimer's--mental stimulation, exercise, and a variety of dietary supplements--have been suggested, but... population. Age is the strongest known risk factor for Alzheimer's, with most people diagnosed with the late... pressure, and diabetes, influence an individual's risk of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. To...

Infants at Risk: Assessment and Intervention. An Update for Health-Care Professionals and Parents. Pediatric Round Table: 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Catherine Caldwell, Ed.

Summarized in this book are conference presentations focusing on new approaches to developmental screening of infants and strategies for early intervention with children at-risk. Summaries concerning assessment describe characteristics of an "optimality scale" for neurological assessment; a five-step neurological assessment for…

Sexual Behavior, Risk Beliefs, and Assertiveness among Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lang, Michelle A.

HIV risk behaviors were examined with 457 adolescents, ages 12 to 19, from four environments (community, high school, and two youth conferences). Over half reported being sexually experienced, with an average age of 13.6 for willingly engaging in first sexual intercourse. Boys reported engaging in intercourse at a significantly younger age than…

Professionalizing the Practice of Public Policy in the Prevention of Violence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dodge, Kenneth A.

2006-01-01

The State of the Science Conference Statement on "Preventing Violence and Related Health-Risking Social Behaviors in Adolescents" accurately summarizes the state of knowledge regarding risk factors for violence and intervention efficacy. The Statement missed an opportunity, however, to move the field of prevention practice and policy forward by…

A CT-rich haplotype in intron 4 of SNCA confers risk for Lewy body pathology in Alzheimer’s disease and affects SNCA expression

PubMed Central

Lutz, Michael W.; Saul, Robert; Linnertz, Colton; Glenn, Omolara-Chinue; Roses, Allen D.; Chiba-Falek, Ornit

2015-01-01

INTRODUCTION We recently showed that tagging-SNPs across the SNCA locus were significantly associated with increased risk for LB pathology in AD cases. However, the actual genetic variant(s) that underlie the observed associations remain elusive. METHODS We used a bioinformatics algorithm to catalogue Structural-Variants in a region of SNCA-intron4, followed by phased-sequencing. We performed a genetic-association analysis in autopsy series of LBV/AD cases compared with AD-only controls. We investigated the biological functions by expression analysis using temporal-cortex samples. RESULTS We identified four distinct haplotypes within a highly-polymorphic-low-complexity CT-rich region. We showed that a specific haplotype conferred risk to develop LBV/AD. We demonstrated that the CT-rich site acts as an enhancer element, where the risk haplotype was significantly associated with elevated levels of SNCA-mRNA. DISCUSSION We have discovered a novel haplotype in a CT-rich region in SNCA that contributes to LB pathology in AD patients, possibly via cis-regulation of the gene expression. PMID:26079410

Barcelona conference on epigenetics and cancer 2016 – beyond cancer genomes

PubMed Central

Dumbovic, Gabrijela; Biayna, Josep; Font, Berta; Buschbeck, Marcus; Forcales, Sonia-V.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The Barcelona Conference on Epigenetics and Cancer (BCEC) entitled “Beyond Cancer Genomes” took place October 13th and 14th 2016 in Barcelona. The 2016 BCEC was the fourth edition of a series of annual conferences coordinated by Marcus Buschbeck and subsequently organized by leading research centers in Barcelona together with B•DEBATE, a joint initiative of BIOCAT and “La Caixa” Foundation. Salvador Aznar-Benitah, Eduard Batlle, and Raúl Méndez from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine in Barcelona selected the 2016 BCEC panel of speakers. As the title indicates, this year's conference expanded the epigenetic focus to include additional cancer-relevant topics, such as tumor heterogeneity and RNA regulation. Methods to develop therapeutic approaches on the basis of novel insights have been discussed in great detail. The conference has attracted 217 participants from 11 countries. PMID:28121228

Report on annual utility oil buyers conference

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

Stambler, K.

1994-08-01

What was discussed at this year`s Utility Oil Buyers` Conference is summarized. This year`s conference was held in Boston and there were over 200 attendees representing over 130 different companies from the utility, oil trading, consulting and inspection industries. Attendees for this year`s came from as far away as Italy and Argentina. The mood at this year`s conference was somber, as each sector is feeling the effects of the decline in residual fuel oil demand--due to natural gas displacement, non-utility generation and an economy that is still lethargic. The topics that were covered ranged from {open_quotes}Life after Order 636{close_quotes} tomore » {open_quotes}Does Residual Fuel Oil Have a Future in a Utility Steam Boiler?{close_quotes} to {open_quotes}The Future of Shipping after OPA of 1990.{close_quotes} In addition, there were several topics that have been or will be covered at this conference.« less

Association of colorectal cancer susceptibility variants with esophageal cancer in a Chinese population.

PubMed

Geng, Ting-Ting; Xun, Xiao-Jie; Li, Sen; Feng, Tian; Wang, Li-Ping; Jin, Tian-Bo; Hou, Peng

2015-06-14

To investigate the association between colorectal cancer (CRC) genetic susceptibility variants and esophageal cancer in a Chinese Han population. A case-control study was conducted including 360 esophageal cancer patients and 310 healthy controls. Thirty-one single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with CRC risk from previous genome-wide association studies were analyzed. SNPs were genotyped using Sequenom Mass-ARRAY technology, and genotypic frequencies in controls were tested for departure from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium using a Fisher's exact test. The allelic frequencies were compared between cases and controls using a χ(2) test. Associations between the SNPs and the risk of esophageal cancer were tested using various genetic models (codominant, dominant, recessive, overdominant, and additive). ORs and 95%CIs were calculated by unconditional logistic regression with adjustments for age and sex. The minor alleles of rs1321311 and rs4444235 were associated with a 1.53-fold (95%CI: 1.15-2.06; P = 0.004) and 1.28-fold (95%CI: 1.03-1.60; P = 0.028) increased risk of esophageal cancer in the allelic model analysis, respectively. In the genetic model analysis, the C/C genotype of rs3802842 was associated with a reduced risk of esophageal cancer in the codominant model (OR = 0.52, 95%CI: 0.31-0.88; P = 0.033) and recessive model (OR = 0.55, 95%CI: 0.34-0.87; P = 0.010). The rs4939827 C/T-T/T genotype was associated with a 0.67-fold (95%CI: 0.46-0.98; P = 0.038) decreased esophageal cancer risk under the dominant model. In addition, rs6687758, rs1321311, and rs4444235 were associated with an increased risk. In particular, the T/T genotype of rs1321311 was associated with an 8.06-fold (95%CI: 1.96-33.07; P = 0.004) increased risk in the codominant model. These results provide evidence that known genetic variants associated with CRC risk confer risk for esophageal cancer, and may bring risk for other digestive system tumors.

Support for the 2001 Gordon Research Conference on the Origins of Solar Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, David J.

2002-01-01

This grant provided partial support for participants at the Gordon Research Conference on Origins of Solar Systems, held at Connecticut College, June 17 through June 22, 2001. This conference was chaired by the PI (David Stevenson) and Pat Cassell (NASA Ames) was Vice-Chair. In addition to the money provided by this grant ($15,000), the Gordon Research Conference organization provided about $22,000 (in large part from registration fees) and BPI provided $10,000 (through Director David Black); the latter targeted primarily for students and postdocs. Accordingly the grant money from NASA was used to cover the costs of registration and travel for about one half of the invited speakers (22 in total) and discussion leaders (about 10 in total).

Support for the 2001 Gordon Research Conference on the Origins of Solar Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevenson, David J.

2002-01-01

This grant provided partial support for participants at the Gordon Research Conference on Origins of Solar Systems, held at Connecticut College, June 17 through June 22, 2001. This conference was chaired by the PI (David Stevenson) and Pat Cassell (NASA Ames) was Vice-Chair. In addition to the money provided by this grant (15,000), the Gordon Research Conference organization provided about 22,000 (in large part from registration fees) and BPI provided 10,000 (through Director David Black); the latter targeted primarily for students and postdocs. Accordingly the grant money from NASA was used to cover the costs of registration and travel for about one half of the invited speakers (22 in total) and discussion leaders (about 10 in total).

Neural Mechanisms Underlying 5-HTTLPR Related Sensitivity to Acute Stress

PubMed Central

Drabant, Emily M; Ramel, Wiveka; Edge, Michael D; Hyde, Luke W; Kuo, Janice R; Goldin, Philippe R; Hariri, Ahmad R; Gross, James J

2013-01-01

Objective Many studies have shown that 5-HTTLPR genotype interacts with exposure to stress in conferring risk for psychopathology. However, the specific neural mechanisms through which this gene-by-environment interaction confers risk remain largely unknown, and no study to date has directly examined the modulatory effects of the 5-HTTLPR on corticolimbic circuit responses during exposure to acute stress. Methods An acute laboratory stressor was administered to 51 healthy women during BOLD fMRI scanning. In this task, electric shocks of uncertain intensity were threatened and unpredictably delivered to the wrist after a long anticipatory cue period of unpredictable duration. Results Relative to those carrying the L allele, SS homozygotes showed enhanced activation during threat anticipation in a network of regions including amygdala, hippocampus, anterior insula, thalamus, pulvinar, caudate, precuneus, anterior cingulate cortex, and medial prefrontal cortex. SS homozygotes also displayed enhanced positive coupling between medial prefrontal cortex activation and anxiety experience, whereas individuals carrying the L allele displayed enhanced negative coupling between insula activation and perceived success at regulating anxiety. Conclusions The present findings suggest that, when exposed to stress, SS homozygotes may preferentially engage neural systems which enhance fear and arousal, modulate attention toward threat, and perseverate on emotional salience of the threat. This may be one mechanism underlying risk for psychopathology conferred by the S allele upon exposure to life stressors. PMID:22362395

ROLE OF MATERNAL CHILDHOOD TRAUMA ON PARENTING AMONG DEPRESSED MOTHERS OF PSYCHIATRICALLY ILL CHILDREN

PubMed Central

Zalewski, Maureen; Cyranowski, Jill M.; Cheng, Yu; Swartz, Holly A.

2015-01-01

Background Independently, maternal depression and maternal history of childhood abuse confer risk for impaired parenting. These associations may be compounded when depressed mothers with histories of childhood abuse are faced with the challenge of parenting offspring who themselves struggle with mental health problems. This study examined the relationships among maternal history of childhood abuse, maternal depression, and parenting style in the context of parenting a psychiatrically ill child, with an emphasis on examining maternal emotional abuse and neglect. We hypothesized that maternal childhood emotional abuse would be associated with maladaptive parenting strategies (lower levels of maternal acceptance and higher levels of psychological control), independent of maternal depression severity and other psychosocial risk factors. Method Ninety-five mother-child dyads (children ages 7–18) were recruited from child mental health centers where children were receiving treatment for at least one internalizing disorder. Participating mothers met DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder. Mothers reported on their own childhood abuse histories and children reported on their mothers’ parenting. Results Regression analyses demonstrated that maternal childhood emotional abuse was associated with child reports of lower maternal acceptance and greater psychological control, controlling for maternal depression severity, and other psychosocial risk factors. Conclusions When treating psychiatrically ill children, it is important for a child’s clinician to consider mothers’ childhood abuse histories in addition to their history of depression. These mothers appear to have additional barriers to effective parenting. PMID:23649503

Role of maternal childhood trauma on parenting among depressed mothers of psychiatrically ill children.

PubMed

Zalewski, Maureen; Cyranowski, Jill M; Cheng, Yu; Swartz, Holly A

2013-09-01

Independently, maternal depression and maternal history of childhood abuse confer risk for impaired parenting. These associations may be compounded when depressed mothers with histories of childhood abuse are faced with the challenge of parenting offspring who themselves struggle with mental health problems. This study examined the relationships among maternal history of childhood abuse, maternal depression, and parenting style in the context of parenting a psychiatrically ill child, with an emphasis on examining maternal emotional abuse and neglect. We hypothesized that maternal childhood emotional abuse would be associated with maladaptive parenting strategies (lower levels of maternal acceptance and higher levels of psychological control), independent of maternal depression severity and other psychosocial risk factors. Ninety-five mother-child dyads (children ages 7-18) were recruited from child mental health centers where children were receiving treatment for at least one internalizing disorder. Participating mothers met DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder. Mothers reported on their own childhood abuse histories and children reported on their mothers' parenting. Regression analyses demonstrated that maternal childhood emotional abuse was associated with child reports of lower maternal acceptance and greater psychological control, controlling for maternal depression severity, and other psychosocial risk factors. When treating psychiatrically ill children, it is important for a child's clinician to consider mothers' childhood abuse histories in addition to their history of depression. These mothers appear to have additional barriers to effective parenting. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Functional foods and dietary supplements for the management of dyslipidaemia.

PubMed

Hunter, Paola M; Hegele, Robert A

2017-05-01

Dyslipidaemia is characterized by increased blood levels of total or LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, or decreased HDL cholesterol levels, and is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Dyslipidaemia has a high worldwide prevalence, and many patients are turning to alternatives to pharmacotherapy to manage their lipid levels. Lifestyle modification should be emphasized in all patients to reduce cardiovascular risk and can be initiated before pharmacotherapy in primary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Many functional foods and natural health products have been investigated for potential lipid-lowering properties. Those with good evidence for a biochemical effect on plasma lipid levels include soy protein, green tea, plant sterols, probiotic yogurt, marine-derived omega-3 fatty acids and red yeast rice. Other products such as seaweed, berberine, hawthorn and garlic might confer some limited benefit in certain patient groups. Although none of these products can reduce lipid levels to the same extent as statins, most are safe to use in addition to other lifestyle modifications and pharmacotherapy. Natural health products marketed at individuals with dyslipidaemia, such as policosanol, guggulsterone and resveratrol, have minimal definitive evidence of a biochemical benefit. Additional research is required in this field, which should include large, high-quality randomized controlled trials with long follow-up periods to investigate associations with cardiovascular end points.

Plant characterization of genetically modified maize hybrids MON-89Ø34-3 × MON-88Ø17-3, MON-89Ø34-3 × MON-ØØ6Ø3-6, and MON-ØØ6Ø3-6: alternatives for maize production in Mexico.

PubMed

Heredia Díaz, Oscar; Aldaba Meza, José Luis; Baltazar, Baltazar M; Bojórquez Bojórquez, Germán; Castro Espinoza, Luciano; Corrales Madrid, José Luis; de la Fuente Martínez, Juan Manuel; Durán Pompa, Héctor Abel; Alonso Escobedo, José; Espinoza Banda, Armando; Garzón Tiznado, José Antonio; González García, Juvencio; Guzmán Rodríguez, José Luis; Madueño Martínez, Jesús Ignacio; Martínez Carrillo, José Luis; Meng, Chen; Quiñones Pando, Francisco Javier; Rosales Robles, Enrique; Ruiz Hernández, Ignacio; Treviño Ramírez, José Elías; Uribe Montes, Hugo Raúl; Zavala García, Francisco

2017-02-01

Environmental risk assessment (ERA) of genetically modified (GM) crops is a process to evaluate whether the biotechnology trait(s) in a GM crop may result in increased pest potential or harm to the environment. In this analysis, two GM insect-resistant (IR) herbicide-tolerant maize hybrids (MON-89Ø34-3 × MON-88Ø17-3 and MON-89Ø34-3 × MON-ØØ6Ø3-6) and one herbicide-tolerant GM hybrid (MON-ØØ6Ø3-6) were compared with conventional maize hybrids of similar genetic backgrounds. Two sets of studies, Experimental Phase and Pilot Phase, were conducted across five ecological regions (ecoregions) in Mexico during 2009-2013, and data were subject to meta-analysis. Results from the Experimental Phase studies, which were used for ERA, indicated that the three GM hybrids were not different from conventional maize for early stand count, days-to-silking, days-to-anthesis, root lodging, stalk lodging, or final stand count. Statistically significant differences were observed for seedling vigor, ear height, plant height, grain moisture, and grain yield, particularly in the IR hybrids; however, none of these phenotypic differences are expected to contribute to a biological or ecological change that would result in an increased pest potential or ecological risk when cultivating these GM hybrids. Overall, results from the Experimental Phase studies are consistent with those from other world regions, confirming that there are no additional risks compared to conventional maize. Results from Pilot Phase studies indicated that, compared to conventional maize hybrids, no differences were detected for the agronomic and phenotypic characteristics measured on the three GM maize hybrids, with the exception of grain moisture and grain yield in the IR hybrids. Since MON-89Ø34-3 × MON-88Ø17-3 and MON-89Ø34-3 × MON-ØØ6Ø3-6 confer resistance to target insect pests, they are an alternative for farmers in Mexico to protect the crop from insect damage. Additionally, the herbicide tolerance conferred by all three GM hybrids enables more cost-effective weed management.

Assessment of Heart Transplant Waitlist Time and Pre- and Post-transplant Failure: A Mixed Methods Approach.

PubMed

Goldstein, Benjamin A; Thomas, Laine; Zaroff, Jonathan G; Nguyen, John; Menza, Rebecca; Khush, Kiran K

2016-07-01

Over the past two decades, there have been increasingly long waiting times for heart transplantation. We studied the relationship between heart transplant waiting time and transplant failure (removal from the waitlist, pretransplant death, or death or graft failure within 1 year) to determine the risk that conservative donor heart acceptance practices confer in terms of increasing the risk of failure among patients awaiting transplantation. We studied a cohort of 28,283 adults registered on the United Network for Organ Sharing heart transplant waiting list between 2000 and 2010. We used Kaplan-Meier methods with inverse probability censoring weights to examine the risk of transplant failure accumulated over time spent on the waiting list (pretransplant). In addition, we used transplant candidate blood type as an instrumental variable to assess the risk of transplant failure associated with increased wait time. Our results show that those who wait longer for a transplant have greater odds of transplant failure. While on the waitlist, the greatest risk of failure is during the first 60 days. Doubling the amount of time on the waiting list was associated with a 10% (1.01, 1.20) increase in the odds of failure within 1 year after transplantation. Our findings suggest a relationship between time spent on the waiting list and transplant failure, thereby supporting research aimed at defining adequate donor heart quality and acceptance standards for heart transplantation.

Sibship structure and risk of infectious mononucleosis: a population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Rostgaard, Klaus; Nielsen, Trine Rasmussen; Wohlfahrt, Jan; Ullum, Henrik; Pedersen, Ole; Erikstrup, Christian; Nielsen, Lars Peter; Hjalgrim, Henrik

2014-10-01

Present understanding of increased risk of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-related infectious mononucleosis among children of low birth order or small sibships is mainly based on old and indirect evidence. Societal changes and methodological limitations of previous studies call for new data. We used data from the Danish Civil Registration System and the Danish National Hospital Discharge Register to study incidence rates of inpatient hospitalizations for infectious mononucleosis before the age of 20 years in a cohort of 2,543,225 Danes born between 1971 and 2008, taking individual sibship structure into account. A total of 12,872 cases of infectious mononucleosis were observed during 35.3 million person-years of follow-up. Statistical modelling showed that increasing sibship size was associated with a reduced risk of infectious mononucleosis and that younger siblings conferred more protection from infectious mononucleosis than older siblings. In addition to this general association with younger and older siblings, children aged less than 4 years transiently increased their siblings’ infectious mononucleosis risk. Our results were confirmed in an independent sample of blood donors followed up retrospectively for self-reported infectious mononucleosis. Younger siblings, and to a lesser degree older siblings, seem to be important in the transmission of EBV within families. Apparently the dogma of low birth order in a sibship as being at the highest risk of infectious mononucleosis is no longer valid.

A Multi-Disciplinary Review of the Potential Association between Closed-Suction Drains and Surgical Site Infection

PubMed Central

Reiffel, Alyssa J.; Barie, Philip S.

2013-01-01

Abstract Background Despite the putative advantages conferred by closed-suction drains (CSDs), the widespread utilization of post-operative drains has been questioned due to concerns regarding both efficacy and safety, particularly with respect to the risk of surgical site infection (SSI). Although discipline-specific reports exist delineating risk factors associated with SSI as they relate to the presence of CSDs, there are no broad summary studies to examine this issue in depth. Methods The pertinent medical literature exploring the relationship between CSDs and SSI across multiple surgical disciplines was reviewed. Results Across most surgical disciplines, studies to evaluate the risk of SSI associated with routine post-operative CSD have yielded conflicting results. A few studies do suggest an increased risk of SSI associated with drain placement, but are usually associated with open drainage and not the use of CSDs. No studies whatsoever attribute a decrease in the incidence of SSI (including organ/space SSI) to drain placement. Conclusions Until additional, rigorous randomized trials are available to address the issue definitively, we recommend judicious use and prompt, timely removal of CSDs. Given that the evidence is scant and weak to suggest that CSD use is associated with increased risk of SSI, there is no justification for the prolongation of antibiotic prophylaxis to “cover” an indwelling drain. PMID:23718273

HLA similarities indicate shared genetic risk in 21-hydroxylase autoantibody positive South African and United States Addison's disease.

PubMed

Ross, I L; Babu, S; Armstrong, T; Zhang, L; Schatz, D; Pugliese, A; Eisenbarth, G; Baker Ii, P

2014-10-01

Genetic similarities between patients from the United States and South African (SA) Addison's Disease (AD) strengthen evidence for genetic association. SA-AD (n = 73), SA healthy controls (N = 78), and US-AD patients (N = 83) were genotyped for DQA1, DQB1, DRB1, and HLA-B alleles. Serum was tested for the quantity of 21OH-AA and IFNα-AA at the Barbara Davis Center. Although not as profound as in US-AD, in SA-AD 21OH-AA + subjects the predominantly associated risk haplotypes were DRB1*0301-DQB1*0201 (DR3), DRB1*04xx-DQB1*0302 (DR4), and the combined DR3/4 genotype. DQB1*0302 associated DRB1*04xx haplotypes conferred higher risk than those DRB1*04xx haplotypes associated with other DQB1 alleles. We found negative association in 21OH-AA + SA-AD for DQA1*0201-DQB1*0202 and DQA1*0101-DQB1*0501 vs SA controls, and positive association for DQA1*0401-DQB1*0402 vs US-AD. Apart from the class II DR3 haplotype, HLA-B8 did not have an independent effect; however together DR3 and HLA-B8 conferred the highest risk vs 21OH-AA negative SA-AD and SA-controls. HLA-B7 (often with DR4) conferred novel risk in 21OH-AA + SA-AD vs controls. This study represents the first comparison between South African and United States AD populations utilizing genotyping and serology performed at the same center. SA-AD and US-AD 21OH-AA + patients share common HLA risk haplotypes including DR4 (with HLA-B7) and DR3 (with HLA-B8), strengthening previously described HLA associations and implicating similar genetic etiology. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Stress tolerance in plants via habitat-adapted symbiosis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rodriguez, R.J.; Henson, J.; Van Volkenburgh, E.; Hoy, M.; Wright, L.; Beckwith, F.; Kim, Y.-O.; Redman, R.S.

2008-01-01

We demonstrate that native grass species from coastal and geothermal habitats require symbiotic fungal endophytes for salt and heat tolerance, respectively. Symbiotically conferred stress tolerance is a habitat-specific phenomenon with geothermal endophytes conferring heat but not salt tolerance, and coastal endophytes conferring salt but not heat tolerance. The same fungal species isolated from plants in habitats devoid of salt or heat stress did not confer these stress tolerances. Moreover, fungal endophytes from agricultural crops conferred disease resistance and not salt or heat tolerance. We define habitat-specific, symbiotically-conferred stress tolerance as habitat-adapted symbiosis and hypothesize that it is responsible for the establishment of plants in high-stress habitats. The agricultural, coastal and geothermal plant endophytes also colonized tomato (a model eudicot) and conferred disease, salt and heat tolerance, respectively. In addition, the coastal plant endophyte colonized rice (a model monocot) and conferred salt tolerance. These endophytes have a broad host range encompassing both monocots and eudicots. Interestingly, the endophytes also conferred drought tolerance to plants regardless of the habitat of origin. Abiotic stress tolerance correlated either with a decrease in water consumption or reactive oxygen sensitivity/generation but not to increased osmolyte production. The ability of fungal endophytes to confer stress tolerance to plants may provide a novel strategy for mitigating the impacts of global climate change on agricultural and native plant communities.The ISME Journal (2008) 2, 404-416; doi:10.1038/ismej.2007.106; published online 7 February 2008. ?? 2008 International Society for Microbial Ecology All rights reserved.

Calcium intake: good for the bones but bad for the heart? An analysis of clinical studies.

PubMed

Lima, Guilherme Alcantara Cunha; Lima, Priscilla Damião Araújo; Barros, Maria da Glória Costa Reis Monteiro de; Vardiero, Lívia Paiva; Melo, Elisa Fernandes de; Paranhos-Neto, Francisco de Paula; Madeira, Miguel; Farias, Maria Lucia Fleiuss de

2016-06-01

The proper dietary calcium intake and calcium supplementation, when indicated, are important factors in the acquisition of peak bone mass during youth and in the prevention of fractures in old age. In addition to its deposition in bone, calcium confers an increase in its resistance and exhibits important activities in different enzymatic pathways in the body (e.g., neural, hormonal, muscle-related and blood clotting pathways). Thus, calcium supplementation can directly or indirectly affect important functions in the body, such as the control of blood pressure, plasma glucose, body weight, lipid profile and endothelial function. Since one publication reported increased cardiovascular risk due to calcium supplementation, many researchers have studied whether this risk actually exists; the results are conflicting, and the involved mechanisms are uncertain. However, studies that have evaluated the influence of the consumption of foods rich in calcium have reported no increase in the cardiovascular risk, which suggests that nutritional intake should be prioritized as a method for supplementation and that the use of calcium supplements should be reserved for patients who truly need supplementation and are unable to achieve the recommended daily nutritional intake of calcium.

Conditional Creation and Rescue of Nipbl-Deficiency in Mice Reveals Multiple Determinants of Risk for Congenital Heart Defects

PubMed Central

Jacobs, Russell E.; Lopez-Burks, Martha E.; Choi, Hojae; Wikenheiser, Jamie; Hallgrimsson, Benedikt; Jamniczky, Heather A.; Fraser, Scott E.; Lander, Arthur D.; Calof, Anne L.

2016-01-01

Elucidating the causes of congenital heart defects is made difficult by the complex morphogenesis of the mammalian heart, which takes place early in development, involves contributions from multiple germ layers, and is controlled by many genes. Here, we use a conditional/invertible genetic strategy to identify the cell lineage(s) responsible for the development of heart defects in a Nipbl-deficient mouse model of Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, in which global yet subtle transcriptional dysregulation leads to development of atrial septal defects (ASDs) at high frequency. Using an approach that allows for recombinase-mediated creation or rescue of Nipbl deficiency in different lineages, we uncover complex interactions between the cardiac mesoderm, endoderm, and the rest of the embryo, whereby the risk conferred by genetic abnormality in any one lineage is modified, in a surprisingly non-additive way, by the status of others. We argue that these results are best understood in the context of a model in which the risk of heart defects is associated with the adequacy of early progenitor cell populations relative to the sizes of the structures they must eventually form. PMID:27606604

Diagnosis, prevention, and management of statin adverse effects and intolerance: Canadian Working Group Consensus update.

PubMed

Mancini, G B John; Tashakkor, A Yashar; Baker, Steven; Bergeron, Jean; Fitchett, David; Frohlich, Jiri; Genest, Jacques; Gupta, Milan; Hegele, Robert A; Ng, Dominic S; Pearson, Glen J; Pope, Janet

2013-12-01

The Proceedings of a Canadian Working Group Consensus Conference, first published in 2011, provided a summary of statin-associated adverse effects and intolerance and management suggestions. In this update, new clinical studies identified since then that provide further insight into effects on muscle, cognition, cataracts, diabetes, kidney disease, and cancer are discussed. Of these, the arenas of greatest controversy pertain to purported effects on cognition and the emergence of diabetes during long-term therapy. Regarding cognition, the available evidence is not strongly supportive of a major adverse effect of statins. In contrast, the linkage between statin therapy and incident diabetes is more firm. However, this risk is more strongly associated with traditional risk factors for new-onset diabetes than with statin itself and any possible negative effect of new-onset diabetes during statin treatment is far outweighed by the cardiovascular risk reduction benefits. Additional studies are also discussed, which support the principle that systematic statin rechallenge, and lower or intermittent statin dosing strategies are the main methods for dealing with suspected statin intolerance at this time. Copyright © 2013 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

Johnson, Gary E.; Sutherland, G. Bruce

The 2008 Columbia River Estuary Conference was held at the Liberty Theater in Astoria, Oregon, on April 19-20. The conference theme was ecosystem restoration. The purpose of the conference was to exchange data and information among researchers, policy-makers, and the public, i.e., interrelate science with management. Conference organizers invited presentations synthesizing material on Restoration Planning and Implementation (Session 1), Research to Reduce Restoration Uncertainties (Session 2), Wetlands and Flood Management (Session 3), Action Effectiveness Monitoring (Session 4), and Management Perspectives (Session 5). A series of three plenary talks opened the conference. Facilitated speaker and audience discussion periods were held atmore » the end of each session. Contributed posters conveyed additional data and information. These proceedings include abstracts and notes documenting questions from the audience and clarifying answers from the presenter for each talk. The proceedings also document key points from the discussion periods at the end of each session. The conference program is outlined in the agenda section. Speaker biographies are presented in Appendix A. Poster titles and authors are listed in Appendix B. A list of conference attendees is contained in Appendix C. A compact disk, attached to the back cover, contains material in hypertext-markup-language from the conference website (http://cerc.labworks.org/) and the individual presentations.« less

EPRI-DOE Conference on Environmentally-Enhanced Hydropower Turbines: Technical Papers

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

Hogan, T.

2011-12-01

The EPRI-DOE Conference on Environmentally-Enhanced Hydropower Turbines was a component of a larger project. The goal of the overall project was to conduct the final developmental engineering required to advance the commercialization of the Alden turbine. As part of this effort, the conference provided a venue to disseminate information on the status of the Alden turbine technology as well as the status of other advanced turbines and research on environmentally-friendly hydropower turbines. The conference was also a product of a federal Memorandum of Understanding among DOE, USBR, and USACE to share technical information on hydropower. The conference was held inmore » Washington, DC on May 19 and 20, 2011 and welcomed over 100 attendees. The Conference Organizing Committee included the federal agencies with a vested interest in hydropower in the U.S. The Committee collaboratively assembled this conference, including topics from each facet of the environmentally-friendly conventional hydropower research community. The conference was successful in illustrating the readiness of environmentally-enhanced hydropower technologies. Furthermore, the topics presented illustrated the need for additional deployment and field testing of these technologies in an effort to promote the growth of environmentally sustainable hydropower in the U.S. and around the world.« less

Physicians' fear of legal action becoming "pervasive," lawyer tells Ottawa conference.

PubMed Central

Rafuse, J

1995-01-01

Medical malpractice claims may be more common in the US than Canada, but that does not diminish the negative emotional, physical and professional consequences of legal action, delegates to the recent International Conference on Physician Health in Ottawa were told. Several US speakers described how physicians should employ risk-management strategies to avoid malpractice suits. They were also warned about what to expect during a legal action and the likelihood of facing subsequent suits alleging substandard care. PMID:7859204

Defense Science And Technology: Further DOD And DOE Actions Needed to Provide Timely Conference Decisions and Analyze Risks from Changes in Participation

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-01

Conference Planning and Food and Beverage Costs, Audit Report 11-43 (October 2011). 5White House, Executive Order 13589, Promoting Efficient Spending, 76...and conducted a content analysis of these interviews. Based on this analysis, we enumerated challenges and mitigation strategies as well as benefits...of officials, asking respondents to rate the effect of each potential mitigation strategy and prioritize steps for implementing the strategies . We

[From the licensure of vaccines to the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Vaccination in Germany : criteria for the assessment of benefits and risks].

PubMed

Pfleiderer, Michael; Wichmann, Ole

2015-03-01

Vaccines are among the most effective preventive measures in modern medicine and have led to a dramatic decline and-for a few diseases-even to the elimination of severely infectious diseases. There are some particularities of the risk-benefit assessment of vaccines compared with that of therapeutic drugs. These include the fact that vaccines are applied to healthy individuals with the aim of preventing an infectious disease, while therapeutic drugs are administered to sick people to cure them of an already acquired disease. The acceptable level of risk associated with the application of a vaccine is therefore much lower. In addition, high vaccination coverage can lead to population-level effects (e.g., the indirect protection of unvaccinated individuals) that can confer additional benefits to the population overall. When a marketing authorization application (MAA) for a novel vaccine is evaluated, conclusions are made regarding its quality, safety, and efficacy, and a benefit-risk assessment is carried out accordingly. In contrast, when deciding on the introduction of a new vaccine into a national immunization program or on a recommendation for a specific risk-group, the focus is shifted to considerations of how a licensed vaccine can be best used in a population (e.g., which immunization strategy is most effective in preventing deaths or hospitalizations, or in reducing treatment costs for the health care system). Stringent assessment criteria have been developed that require a robust safety analysis before a new vaccine is administered to humans for the first time in pre-licensure studies. Similarly, criteria are applied for calculating the benefit-risk ratio at the time of the licensure of a new vaccine in addition to during the entire post-licensure period. However, when deciding if and how a licensed vaccine can best be integrated into an existing immunization program, additional criteria are applied that are different, yet complementary to those applied for granting a marketing authorization. These decisions require-in addition to considerations of vaccine quality, vaccine efficacy and safety-conclusions regarding population-level effects combined with an integrative analysis of the local context (e.g., local epidemiology, cost-effectiveness, and acceptance by the population). To serve these objectives, national authorities such as the Standing Committee on Vaccination in Germany (STIKO) have been established to integrate globally developed vaccines into the national context of immunization strategies.

Task difficulty, risk, effort and comfort in a simulated driving task--Implications for Risk Allostasis Theory.

PubMed

Lewis-Evans, Ben; Rothengatter, Talib

2009-09-01

Risk Allostasis Theory states that drivers seek to maintain a feeling of risk within a preferred range [Fuller, R., 2008. What drives the driver? Surface tensions and hidden consensus. In: Keynote at the 4th International Conference on Traffic and Transport Psychology, Washington, DC, August 31-September 4, 2008]. Risk Allostasis Theory is the latest version of Task-Difficulty Homeostasis theory, and is in part based on the findings of experiments where participants were asked to rate the task difficulty, feeling of risk and chance of collision of scenes shown in digitally altered video clips [Fuller, R., McHugh, C., Pender, S., 2008b. Task difficulty and risk in the determination of driver behaviour. Revue européenne de psychologie appliqée 58, 13-21]. The focus of the current research was to expand upon the previous video based experiments using a driving simulator. This allowed participants to be in control of the vehicle rather than acting as passive observers, as well as providing additional speed cues. The results support previous findings that ratings of task difficulty and feeling of risk are related, and that they are also highly related to ratings of effort and moderately related to ratings of comfort and habit. However, the linearly increasing trend for task difficulty and feeling of risk described by the previous research was not observed: instead the findings of this experiment support a threshold effect where ratings of risk (feeling of and chance of loss of control/collision), difficulty, effort, and comfort go through a period of stability and only start to increase once a certain threshold has been crossed. It is within the period of stability where subjective experience of risk and difficulty is low, or absent, that drivers generally prefer to operate.

Controversy in clinical endocrinology: diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome: the Rotterdam criteria are premature.

PubMed

Azziz, Ricardo

2006-03-01

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is defined most commonly according to the proceedings of an expert conference sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in April 1990, which noted the disorder as having 1) hyperandrogenism and/or hyperandrogenemia, 2) oligoovulation, and 3) exclusion of known disorders. Alternatively, another expert conference held in Rotterdam in May 2003 defined PCOS, after the exclusion of related disorders, by two of the following three features: 1) oligo- or anovulation, 2) clinical and/or biochemical signs of hyperandrogenism, or 3) polycystic ovaries. In essence, the Rotterdam 2003 expanded the NIH 1990 definition creating two new phenotypes: 1) ovulatory women with polycystic ovaries and hyperandrogenism, and 2) oligoanovulatory women with polycystic ovaries, but without hyperandrogenism. The objective of this study was to ascertain the validity of using the Rotterdam 2003 criteria rather than the NIH 1991 criteria for the diagnosis of PCOS. Interventions included the use of the Rotterdam 2003 criteria for diagnosing PCOS and, in particular, the proposal to define two new phenotypes as PCOS. POSITIONS: Available data suggest that hyperandrogenic ovulatory women with polycystic ovaries tend to have mild insulin resistance and mild evidence of ovarian dysfunction, although significantly less than women with anovulatory PCOS. However, whether these women will have an increased risk of infertility or metabolic complications, such as type 2 diabetes, remains to be determined. Alternatively, the risk of insulin resistance and long-term metabolic risks of oligoovulatory women with polycystic ovaries is even less well characterized and may be nonexistent. Because of the paucity of data on the two new phenotypes and their long-term implications and the potential negative impact on research, clinical practice, and patient insurability, the adoption of the Rotterdam 2003 criteria for defining PCOS should be considered premature. However, because polycystic ovaries are a frequent feature of PCOS, a modification of the NIH 1990 criteria is proposed. Additional research characterizing the phenotypes and associated morbidities of PCOS is urgently required.

A rare variant P507L in TPP1 interrupts TPP1-TIN2 interaction, influences telomere length, and confers colorectal cancer risk in Chinese population.

PubMed

Li, Jiaoyuan; Chang, Jiang; Tian, Jianbo; Ke, Juntao; Zhu, Ying; Yang, Yang; Gong, Yajie; Zou, Danyi; Peng, Xiating; Yang, Nan; Mei, Shufang; Wang, Xiaoyang; Cheng, Liming; Hu, Weiguo; Gong, Jing; Zhong, Rong; Miao, Xiaoping

2018-06-11

Telomere dysfunction triggers cellular senescence and constitutes a driving force for cancer initiation. Genetic variants in genes involved in telomere maintenance may contribute to colorectal cancer (CRC) susceptibility. In this study, we firstly captured germline mutations in 192 CRC patients by sequencing the coding regions of 13 core components implicated in telomere biology. Five potential functional variants were then genotyped and assessed in a case-control set with 3,761 CRC cases and 3,839 healthy controls. The promising association was replicated in additional 6,765 cases and 6,906 controls. Functional experiments were used to further clarify the potential function of the significant variant and uncover the underlying mechanism in CRC development. The two-stage association studies showed that a rare missense variant rs149418249 (c.C1520T, p.P507L) in the 11th exon of TPP1 (also known as ACD, gene ID 65057) was significantly associated with CRC risk with the ORs being 2.90 (95% CI:1.04-8.07, P=0.041), 2.50 (95% CI:1.04-6.04, P=0.042), and 2.66 (95%CI:1.36-5.18, P=0.004) in discovery, replication, and the combined samples, respectively. Further functional annotation indicated that the TPP1 P507L substitution interrupted TPP1-TIN2 interaction, impaired telomerase processivity, and shortened telomere length, which subsequently facilitated cell proliferation and promoted CRC development. A rare variant P507L in TPP1 confers increased risk of CRC through interrupting TPP1-TIN2 interaction, impairing telomerase processivity, and shrinking telomere length. These findings emphasize the important role of telomere dysfunction in CRC development, and provide new insights about the prevention of this type of cancer. Copyright ©2018, American Association for Cancer Research.

ISMB 2016 offers outstanding science, networking, and celebration

PubMed Central

Fogg, Christiana

2016-01-01

The annual international conference on Intelligent Systems for Molecular Biology (ISMB) is the major meeting of the International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB). Over the past 23 years the ISMB conference has grown to become the world's largest bioinformatics/computational biology conference. ISMB 2016 will be the year's most important computational biology event globally. The conferences provide a multidisciplinary forum for disseminating the latest developments in bioinformatics/computational biology. ISMB brings together scientists from computer science, molecular biology, mathematics, statistics and related fields. Its principal focus is on the development and application of advanced computational methods for biological problems. ISMB 2016 offers the strongest scientific program and the broadest scope of any international bioinformatics/computational biology conference. Building on past successes, the conference is designed to cater to variety of disciplines within the bioinformatics/computational biology community.  ISMB 2016 takes place July 8 - 12 at the Swan and Dolphin Hotel in Orlando, Florida, United States. For two days preceding the conference, additional opportunities including Satellite Meetings, Student Council Symposium, and a selection of Special Interest Group Meetings and Applied Knowledge Exchange Sessions (AKES) are all offered to enable registered participants to learn more on the latest methods and tools within specialty research areas. PMID:27347392

ISMB 2016 offers outstanding science, networking, and celebration.

PubMed

Fogg, Christiana

2016-01-01

The annual international conference on Intelligent Systems for Molecular Biology (ISMB) is the major meeting of the International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB). Over the past 23 years the ISMB conference has grown to become the world's largest bioinformatics/computational biology conference. ISMB 2016 will be the year's most important computational biology event globally. The conferences provide a multidisciplinary forum for disseminating the latest developments in bioinformatics/computational biology. ISMB brings together scientists from computer science, molecular biology, mathematics, statistics and related fields. Its principal focus is on the development and application of advanced computational methods for biological problems. ISMB 2016 offers the strongest scientific program and the broadest scope of any international bioinformatics/computational biology conference. Building on past successes, the conference is designed to cater to variety of disciplines within the bioinformatics/computational biology community.  ISMB 2016 takes place July 8 - 12 at the Swan and Dolphin Hotel in Orlando, Florida, United States. For two days preceding the conference, additional opportunities including Satellite Meetings, Student Council Symposium, and a selection of Special Interest Group Meetings and Applied Knowledge Exchange Sessions (AKES) are all offered to enable registered participants to learn more on the latest methods and tools within specialty research areas.

Influence of a Shorter Duration of Post-Operative Antibiotic Prophylaxis on Infectious Complications in Patients Undergoing Elective Liver Resection.

PubMed

Sakoda, Masahiko; Iino, Satoshi; Mataki, Yuko; Kawasaki, Yota; Kurahara, Hiroshi; Maemura, Kosei; Ueno, Shinichi; Natsugoe, Shoji

Antibiotic prophylaxis has been recommended to reduce post-operative infectious complications. Discontinuation of post-operative antibiotic administration within 24 hours of operation is currently recommended. Many surgeons, however, conventionally tend to extend the duration of prophylactic antibiotic use. In this study, we performed a retrospective analysis to assess the efficacy of extended post-operative antibiotic use in patients who underwent elective liver resection. A total of 208 consecutive patients who underwent liver resection without biliary reconstruction were investigated. Patients were divided into two groups according to the duration of post-operative antibiotic use: Only once after the operation (the post-operative day [POD] 0 group) and until three days after the operation (the POD 3 group). Post-operative complications in the two groups were analyzed and compared. Incisional surgical site infections (SSIs) were observed in 5% of the POD 0 group and 3% of the POD 3 group (p = 0.517). Organ/space SSIs were observed in 2% of the POD 0 group and 3% of the POD 3 group (p = 0.694). Overall infectious complications including SSIs and remote site infections were observed in 12% of the POD 0 group and 11% of the POD 3 group. Multi-variable analyses revealed that the short-term post-operative antibiotic regimen did not confer additional risk for infectious complications. In elective liver resection, the administration of prophylactic antibiotics on the operative day alone appears to be sufficient, because no additional benefit in the incidence of post-operative infectious complications was conferred on patients given antibiotic agents for three days.

Clusters of antibiotic resistance genes enriched together stay together in swine agriculture

DOE PAGES

Johnson, Timothy A.; Stedtfeld, Robert D.; Wang, Qiong; ...

2016-04-12

Antibiotic resistance is a worldwide health risk, but the influence of animal agriculture on the genetic context and enrichment of individual antibiotic resistance alleles remains unclear. Using quantitative PCR followed by amplicon sequencing, we quantified and sequenced 44 genes related to antibiotic resistance, mobile genetic elements, and bacterial phylogeny in microbiomes from U.S. laboratory swine and from swine farms from three Chinese regions. We identified highly abundant resistance clusters: groups of resistance and mobile genetic element alleles that cooccur. For example, the abundance of genes conferring resistance to six classes of antibiotics together with class 1 integrase and the abundancemore » of IS6100-type transposons in three Chinese regions are directly correlated. These resistance cluster genes likely colocalize in microbial genomes in the farms. Resistance cluster alleles were dramatically enriched (up to 1 to 10% as abundant as 16S rRNA) and indicate that multidrug-resistant bacteria are likely the norm rather than an exception in these communities. This enrichment largely occurred independently of phylogenetic composition; thus, resistance clusters are likely present in many bacterial taxa. Furthermore, resistance clusters contain resistance genes that confer resistance to antibiotics independently of their particular use on the farms. Selection for these clusters is likely due to the use of only a subset of the broad range of chemicals to which the clusters confer resistance. The scale of animal agriculture and its wastes, the enrichment and horizontal gene transfer potential of the clusters, and the vicinity of large human populations suggest that managing this resistance reservoir is important for minimizing human risk.Agricultural antibiotic use results in clusters of cooccurring resistance genes that together confer resistance to multiple antibiotics. The use of a single antibiotic could select for an entire suite of resistance genes if they are genetically linked. No links to bacterial membership were observed for these clusters of resistance genes. These findings urge deeper understanding of colocalization of resistance genes and mobile genetic elements in resistance islands and their distribution throughout antibiotic-exposed microbiomes. In addition, as governments seek to combat the rise in antibiotic resistance, a balance is sought between ensuring proper animal health and welfare and preserving medically important antibiotics for therapeutic use. Metagenomic and genomic monitoring will be critical to determine if resistance genes can be reduced in animal microbiomes, or if these gene clusters will continue to be coselected by antibiotics not deemed medically important for human health but used for growth promotion or by medically important antibiotics used therapeutically.« less

Clusters of antibiotic resistance genes enriched together stay together in swine agriculture

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

Johnson, Timothy A.; Stedtfeld, Robert D.; Wang, Qiong

Antibiotic resistance is a worldwide health risk, but the influence of animal agriculture on the genetic context and enrichment of individual antibiotic resistance alleles remains unclear. Using quantitative PCR followed by amplicon sequencing, we quantified and sequenced 44 genes related to antibiotic resistance, mobile genetic elements, and bacterial phylogeny in microbiomes from U.S. laboratory swine and from swine farms from three Chinese regions. We identified highly abundant resistance clusters: groups of resistance and mobile genetic element alleles that cooccur. For example, the abundance of genes conferring resistance to six classes of antibiotics together with class 1 integrase and the abundancemore » of IS6100-type transposons in three Chinese regions are directly correlated. These resistance cluster genes likely colocalize in microbial genomes in the farms. Resistance cluster alleles were dramatically enriched (up to 1 to 10% as abundant as 16S rRNA) and indicate that multidrug-resistant bacteria are likely the norm rather than an exception in these communities. This enrichment largely occurred independently of phylogenetic composition; thus, resistance clusters are likely present in many bacterial taxa. Furthermore, resistance clusters contain resistance genes that confer resistance to antibiotics independently of their particular use on the farms. Selection for these clusters is likely due to the use of only a subset of the broad range of chemicals to which the clusters confer resistance. The scale of animal agriculture and its wastes, the enrichment and horizontal gene transfer potential of the clusters, and the vicinity of large human populations suggest that managing this resistance reservoir is important for minimizing human risk.Agricultural antibiotic use results in clusters of cooccurring resistance genes that together confer resistance to multiple antibiotics. The use of a single antibiotic could select for an entire suite of resistance genes if they are genetically linked. No links to bacterial membership were observed for these clusters of resistance genes. These findings urge deeper understanding of colocalization of resistance genes and mobile genetic elements in resistance islands and their distribution throughout antibiotic-exposed microbiomes. In addition, as governments seek to combat the rise in antibiotic resistance, a balance is sought between ensuring proper animal health and welfare and preserving medically important antibiotics for therapeutic use. Metagenomic and genomic monitoring will be critical to determine if resistance genes can be reduced in animal microbiomes, or if these gene clusters will continue to be coselected by antibiotics not deemed medically important for human health but used for growth promotion or by medically important antibiotics used therapeutically.« less

Glycopeptides versus β-lactams for the prevention of surgical site infections in cardiovascular and orthopedic surgery: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Saleh, Anas; Khanna, Ashish; Chagin, Kevin M; Klika, Alison K; Johnston, Douglas; Barsoum, Wael K

2015-01-01

To compare the efficacy of glycopeptides and β-lactams in preventing surgical site infections (SSIs) in cardiac, vascular, and orthopedic surgery. The cost-effectiveness of switching from β-lactams to glycopeptides for preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis has been controversial. β-Lactams are generally recommended in clean surgical procedures, but they are ineffective against resistant gram-positive bacteria. PubMed, International Pharmaceuticals Abstracts, Scopus, and Cochrane were searched for randomized clinical trials comparing glycopeptides and β-lactams for prophylaxis in adults undergoing cardiac, vascular, or orthopedic surgery. Abstracts and conference proceedings were included. Two independent reviewers performed study selection, data extraction, and assessment of risk of bias. Fourteen studies with a total of 8952 patients were analyzed. No difference was detected in overall SSIs between antibiotic types. However, compared with β-lactams, glycopeptides reduced the risk of resistant staphylococcal SSIs by 48% (relative risk, 0.52; 95% confidence interval, 0.29-0.93; P = 0.03) and enterococcal SSIs by 64% (relative risk, 0.36; 95% confidence interval, 0.16-0.80; P = 0.01), but increased respiratory tract infections by 54% (relative risk, 1.54; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-2.01; P ≤ 0.01). Subgroup analysis of cardiac procedures showed superiority of β-lactams in preventing superficial and deep chest SSIs, susceptible staphylococcal SSIs, and respiratory tract infections. Glycopeptides reduce the risk of resistant staphylococcal SSIs and enterococcal SSIs, but increase the risk of respiratory tract infections. Additional high-quality randomized clinical trials are needed as these results are limited by high risk of bias.

Proceedings of the third USGS modeling conference, June 7-11, 2010, Broomfield, Colorado-Understanding and predicting for a changing world

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brady, Shailaja R.

2011-01-01

The Third USGS Modeling Conference was held June 7th-11, 2010, in Broomfield, Colorado. The conference focused on the development and application of analytical and theoretical models and data availability that support managing the Nation's resources and help protect lives and property. Participants at the conference included scientists and managers from Department of the Interior (DOI) Bureaus; national and international Federal, State, and local agencies; academic institutions; and nongovernmental organizations. The conference was organized according to DOI priorities and the strategic directions of the USGS Science Strategy; the following themes were emphasized: (1) Understanding Ecosystems and Restoring America's Treasured Landscapes; (2) Climate Change and Impact; (3) New Energy Frontier and Minerals for America; (4) A National Hazards, Risk, and Resilience Assessment Program; (5) Role of Environment and Wildlife in Human Health; (6) A Water Census of the United States; and (7) New Methods of Investigation and Discovery. The conference theme-"Understanding and Predicting for a Changing World"-focused on the following goals: advance development and application of models; provide tools that address management issues; present state-of-the-art models ranging from individual phenomena to integrated systems; and foster a working community among scientists and managers.

The role of probiotics on each component of the metabolic syndrome and other cardiovascular risks.

PubMed

Miglioranza Scavuzzi, Bruna; Miglioranza, Lucia Helena da Silva; Henrique, Fernanda Carla; Pitelli Paroschi, Thanise; Lozovoy, Marcell Alysson Batisti; Simão, Andréa Name Colado; Dichi, Isaias

2015-01-01

Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms that when administered in adequate amounts confer health benefits to the host. The consumption of probiotics has gained increasing recognition from the scientific community due to the promising effects on metabolic health through gut microbiota modulation. This article presents a review of scientific studies investigating probiotic species and their effects on different risk factors of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). This article also presents a summary of the major mechanisms involved with gut microbiota and the components of the MetS and raises the key issues to be considered by scientists in search of probiotics species for treatment of patients suffering from this metabolic disorder. Probiotics may confer numerous health benefits to the host through positive gut microbiota modulation. The strain selection is the most important factor for determining health effects. Further studies may consider gut microbiota as a novel target for prevention and management of MetS components and other cardiovascular risks.

Comprehensive risk reduction in patients with atrial fibrillation: emerging diagnostic and therapeutic options—a report from the 3rd Atrial Fibrillation Competence NETwork/European Heart Rhythm Association consensus conference

PubMed Central

Kirchhof, Paulus; Lip, Gregory Y.H.; Van Gelder, Isabelle C.; Bax, Jeroen; Hylek, Elaine; Kaab, Stefan; Schotten, Ulrich; Wegscheider, Karl; Boriani, Giuseppe; Brandes, Axel; Ezekowitz, Michael; Diener, Hans; Haegeli, Laurent; Heidbuchel, Hein; Lane, Deirdre; Mont, Luis; Willems, Stephan; Dorian, Paul; Aunes-Jansson, Maria; Blomstrom-Lundqvist, Carina; Borentain, Maria; Breitenstein, Stefanie; Brueckmann, Martina; Cater, Nilo; Clemens, Andreas; Dobrev, Dobromir; Dubner, Sergio; Edvardsson, Nils G.; Friberg, Leif; Goette, Andreas; Gulizia, Michele; Hatala, Robert; Horwood, Jenny; Szumowski, Lukas; Kappenberger, Lukas; Kautzner, Josef; Leute, Angelika; Lobban, Trudie; Meyer, Ralf; Millerhagen, Jay; Morgan, John; Muenzel, Felix; Nabauer, Michael; Baertels, Christoph; Oeff, Michael; Paar, Dieter; Polifka, Juergen; Ravens, Ursula; Rosin, Ludger; Stegink, W.; Steinbeck, Gerhard; Vardas, Panos; Vincent, Alphons; Walter, Maureen; Breithardt, Günter; Camm, A. John

2012-01-01

While management of atrial fibrillation (AF) patients is improved by guideline-conform application of anticoagulant therapy, rate control, rhythm control, and therapy of accompanying heart disease, the morbidity and mortality associated with AF remain unacceptably high. This paper describes the proceedings of the 3rd Atrial Fibrillation NETwork (AFNET)/European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) consensus conference that convened over 60 scientists and representatives from industry to jointly discuss emerging therapeutic and diagnostic improvements to achieve better management of AF patients. The paper covers four chapters: (i) risk factors and risk markers for AF; (ii) pathophysiological classification of AF; (iii) relevance of monitored AF duration for AF-related outcomes; and (iv) perspectives and needs for implementing better antithrombotic therapy. Relevant published literature for each section is covered, and suggestions for the improvement of management in each area are put forward. Combined, the propositions formulate a perspective to implement comprehensive management in AF. PMID:21791573

Psychotic-Like Experiences in Nonpsychotic Help-Seekers: Associations With Distress, Depression, and Disability

PubMed Central

Yung, Alison R; Buckby, Joe A; Cotton, Sue M; Cosgrave, Elizabeth M; Killackey, Eoin J; Stanford, Carrie; Godfrey, Katherine; McGorry, Patrick D

2006-01-01

Psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) increase the risk of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders yet are common in the community. Some PLEs, such as those associated with depression, distress, and poor functioning, may confer increased risk. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of PLEs in a nonpsychotic clinical sample and to investigate whether any subtypes of PLEs are associated with the above factors. Consecutive referrals to a youth psychiatric service (N = 140) were assessed to measure PLEs, depression, and functioning. PLE data were factor analyzed, and the associations of psychotic subtypes and distress, depression, and disability were analyzed. Three subtypes of PLEs were identified: Bizarre Experiences, Persecutory Ideas, and Magical Thinking. Bizarre Experiences and Persecutory Ideas were associated with distress, depression, and poor functioning. Magical Thinking was not, unless accompanied by distress. Bizarre Experiences and Persecutory Ideas may be more malignant forms of psychotic symptoms, as they are associated with current disability, and may confer increased risk of development of full-blown psychotic disorder. PMID:16254060

Perspectives on benefit-risk decision-making in vaccinology: Conference report.

PubMed

Greenberg, M; Simondon, F; Saadatian-Elahi, M

2016-01-01

Benefit/risk (B/R) assessment methods are increasingly being used by regulators and companies as an important decision-making tool and their outputs as the basis of communication. B/R appraisal of vaccines, as compared with drugs, is different due to their attributes and their use. For example, vaccines are typically given to healthy people, and, for some vaccines, benefits exist both at the population and individual level. For vaccines in particular, factors such as the benefit afforded through herd effects as a function of vaccine coverage and consequently impact the B/R ratio, should also be taken into consideration and parameterized in B/R assessment models. Currently, there is no single agreed methodology for vaccine B/R assessment that can fully capture all these aspects. The conference "Perspectives on Benefit-Risk Decision-making in Vaccinology," held in Annecy (France), addressed these issues and provided recommendations on how to advance the science and practice of B/R assessment of vaccines and vaccination programs.

1973 Winter Simulation Conference. Sponsored by ACM/AIIE/SHARE/SCi/TIMS.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoggatt, Austin Curwood, Ed.

A record of the current state of the art of simulation and the major part it now plays in policy formation in large organizations is provided by these conference proceedings. The 40 papers presented reveal an emphasis on the applications of simulation. In addition, the abstracts of 28 papers submitted to a more informal "paper fair" are also…

Advancing the fundamental sciences: proceedings of the Forest Service National Earth Sciences Conference, San Diego, CA, 18-22 October 2004.

Treesearch

Michael J. Furniss; Catherine F. Clifton; Kathryn L. Ronnenberg

2007-01-01

This conference was attended by nearly 450 Forest Service earth scientists representing hydrology, soil science, geology, and air. In addition to active members of the earth science professions, many retired scientists also attended and participated. These 60 peer-reviewed papers represent a wide spectrum of earth science investigation, experience, research, and...

Workshop on Wildlife Crime: An Interdisciplinary Perspective

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

12211 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2211 Wildlife crime, computation, conservation, criminology , conservation biology, risk, poaching REPORT...Action items? Conference on “Conservation, Computation, Criminology ” C^3? Technology Transfer

Bridging the gap?

PubMed

del Rio, C; Soto-Ramirez, L E

1998-09-01

At the 12th World AIDS Conference in Geneva many sessions discussed the reality that although AIDS treatment has made major advances, it remains financially out of reach for most of the world's population. Since the Vancouver conference, an additional 10 million people have become infected with HIV. A chart shows the prevalence of AIDS by continent. While many believe a reliable and affordable vaccine is the answer, none of the vaccines under development appear very effective. Other sessions at the conference discussed preventing perinatal transmission, the status of highly active antiretroviral therapy research, viral resistance, and results of studies on tuberculosis, STDs, and other opportunistic infections.

Association of recently identified type 2 diabetes gene variants with Gestational Diabetes in Asian Indian population.

PubMed

Kanthimathi, Sekar; Chidambaram, Manickam; Bodhini, Dhanasekaran; Liju, Samuel; Bhavatharini, Aruyerchelvan; Uma, Ram; Anjana, Ranjit Mohan; Mohan, Viswanathan; Radha, Venkatesan

2017-06-01

Earlier studies have provided evidence that the gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) share common genetic background. A recent genome wide association study (GWAS) showed a strong association of six novel gene variants with T2DM among south Asians but not with Europeans. The aim of this study was to investigate whether these variants that confer susceptibility to T2DM in Asian Indian population also correlate with GDM in Asian Indian population. In addition to these novel variants, three T2DM associated SNPs that were previously identified by GWAS in Caucasian populations, which also showed association with T2DM in south Indian population in our previous study were also evaluated for their susceptibility to GDM in our population. The study groups comprised unrelated pregnant women with GDM (n = 518) and pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) (n = 1220). A total of nine SNPs in or near nine loci, namely AP3S2 (rs2028299), BAZ1B (rs12056034), CDKN2A/B (rs7020996), GRB14 (rs3923113), HHEX (rs7923837), HMG20A (rs7178572), HNF4A (rs4812829), ST6GAL1 (rs16861329) and VPS26A (rs1802295) were genotyped using the MassARRAY system. Among these nine SNPs that previously showed an association with T2DM in Asian Indians, HMG20A (rs7178572) and HNF4A (rs4812829) gene variants showed a significant association with GDM. The risk alleles of rs7178572 in HMG20A and rs4812829 in HNF4A gene conferred 1.24 and 1.28 times higher risk independently and about 1.44 and 1.97 times increased susceptibility to GDM for one and two risk genotypes, respectively. We report that the HMG20A (rs7178572) and HNF4A (rs4812829) variants that have previously shown a strong association with T2DM in Asian Indians also contributes significant risk to GDM in this population. This is the first report of the association of HMG20A (rs7178572) and HNF4A (rs4812829) variants with GDM.

Genetic Variants in PNPLA3 and Risk of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in a Han Chinese Population

PubMed Central

Lin, Shao-Wei; Lu, Qing-Qing; Hu, Zhi-Jian; Lin, Xu

2012-01-01

We investigated the possible association between genetic variants in the Patatin like phospholipase-3 (PNPLA3) gene and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a Han Chinese population. We evaluated twelve tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (tSNPs) of the PNPLA3 gene in a frequency matched case–control study from Fuzhou city of China (553 cases, 553 controls). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the rs738409 GG or GC, and rs139051 TT genotypes were found to be associated with increased risk of NAFLD, and a significant trend of increased risk with increasing numbers of risk genotype was observed in the cumulative effect analysis of these single nucleotide polymorphisms. Furthermore, haplotype association analysis showed that, compared with the most common haplotype, the CAAGAATGCGTG and CGAAGGTGTCCG haplotypes conferred a statistically significant increased risk for NAFLD, while the CGGGAACCCGCG haplotype decreased the risk of NAFLD. Moreover, rs738409 C>G appeared to have a multiplicative joint effect with tea drinking (P<0.005) and an additive joint effect with obesity (Interaction contrast ratio (ICR) = 2.31, 95% CI: 0.7–8.86), hypertriglyceridemia (ICR = 3.07, 95% CI: 0.98–5.09) or hypertension (ICR = 1.74, 95% CI: 0.52–3.12). Our data suggests that PNPLA3 genetic polymorphisms might influence the susceptibility to NAFLD development independently or jointly in Han Chinese. PMID:23226254

Genome-wide Association Study of Subtype-Specific Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Risk Alleles Using Pooled DNA

PubMed Central

Earp, Madalene A.; Kelemen, Linda E.; Magliocco, Anthony M.; Swenerton, Kenneth D.; Chenevix–Trench, Georgia; Lu, Yi; Hein, Alexander; Ekici, Arif B.; Beckmann, Matthias W.; Fasching, Peter A.; Lambrechts, Diether; Despierre, Evelyn; Vergote, Ignace; Lambrechts, Sandrina; Doherty, Jennifer A.; Rossing, Mary Anne; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Rudolph, Anja; Friel, Grace; Moysich, Kirsten B.; Odunsi, Kunle; Sucheston-Campbell, Lara; Lurie, Galina; Goodman, Marc T.; Carney, Michael E.; Thompson, Pamela J.; Runnebaum, Ingo B.; Dürst, Matthias; Hillemanns, Peter; Dörk, Thilo; Antonenkova, Natalia; Bogdanova, Natalia; Leminen, Arto; Nevanlinna, Heli; Pelttari, Liisa M.; Butzow, Ralf; Bunker, Clareann H.; Modugno, Francesmary; Edwards, Robert P.; Ness, Roberta B.; du Bois, Andreas; Heitz, Florian; Schwaab, Ira; Harter, Philipp; Karlan, Beth Y.; Walsh, Christine; Lester, Jenny; Jensen, Allan; Kjær, Susanne K.; Høgdall, Claus K.; Høgdall, Estrid; Lundvall, Lene; Sellers, Thomas A.; Fridley, Brooke L.; Goode, Ellen L.; Cunningham, Julie M.; Vierkant, Robert A.; Giles, Graham G.; Baglietto, Laura; Severi, Gianluca; Southey, Melissa C.; Liang, Dong; Wu, Xifeng; Lu, Karen; Hildebrandt, Michelle A.T.; Levine, Douglas A.; Bisogna, Maria; Schildkraut, Joellen M.; Iversen, Edwin S.; Weber, Rachel Palmieri; Berchuck, Andrew; Cramer, Daniel W.; Terry, Kathryn L.; Poole, Elizabeth M.; Tworoger, Shelley S.; Bandera, Elisa V.; Chandran, Urmila; Orlow, Irene; Olson, Sara H.; Wik, Elisabeth; Salvesen, Helga B.; Bjorge, Line; Halle, Mari K.; van Altena, Anne M.; Aben, Katja K.H.; Kiemeney, Lambertus A.; Massuger, Leon F.A.G.; Pejovic, Tanja; Bean, Yukie T.; Cybulski, Cezary; Gronwald, Jacek; Lubinski, Jan; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Brinton, Louise A.; Lissowska, Jolanta; Garcia–Closas, Montserrat; Dicks, Ed; Dennis, Joe; Easton, Douglas F.; Song, Honglin; Tyrer, Jonathan P.; Pharoah, Paul D. P.; Eccles, Diana; Campbell, Ian G.; Whittemore, Alice S.; McGuire, Valerie; Sieh, Weiva; Rothstein, Joseph H.; Flanagan, James M.; Paul, James; Brown, Robert; Phelan, Catherine M.; Risch, Harvey A.; McLaughlin, John R.; Narod, Steven A.; Ziogas, Argyrios; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Gentry-Maharaj, Aleksandra; Menon, Usha; Gayther, Simon A.; Ramus, Susan J.; Wu, Anna H.; Pearce, Celeste L.; Pike, Malcolm C.; Dansonka-Mieszkowska, Agnieszka; Rzepecka, Iwona K; Szafron, Lukasz M; Kupryjanczyk, Jolanta; Cook, Linda S.; Le, Nhu D.; Brooks–Wilson, Angela

2014-01-01

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a heterogeneous cancer with both genetic and environmental risk factors. Variants influencing the risk of developing the less-common EOC subtypes have not been fully investigated. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of EOC according to subtype by pooling genomic DNA from 545 cases and 398 controls of European descent, and testing for allelic associations. We evaluated for replication 188 variants from the GWAS (56 variants for mucinous, 55 for endometrioid and clear cell, 53 for low malignant potential (LMP) serous, and 24 for invasive serous EOC), selected using pre-defined criteria. Genotypes from 13,188 cases and 23,164 controls of European descent were used to perform unconditional logistic regression under the log-additive genetic model; odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals are reported. Nine variants tagging 6 loci were associated with subtype-specific EOC risk at P<0.05, and had an OR that agreed in direction of effect with the GWAS results. Several of these variants are in or near genes with a biological rationale for conferring EOC risk, including ZFP36L1 and RAD51B for mucinous EOC (rs17106154, OR=1.17, P=0.029, n=1,483 cases), GRB10 for endometrioid and clear cell EOC (rs2190503, P=0.014, n=2,903 cases), and C22orf26/BPIL2 for LMP serous EOC (rs9609538, OR=0.86, P=0.0043, n=892 cases). In analyses that included the 75 GWAS samples, the association between rs9609538 (OR=0.84, P=0.0007) and LMP serous EOC risk remained statistically significant at P<0.0012 adjusted for multiple testing. Replication in additional samples will be important to verify these results for the less-common EOC subtypes. PMID:24190013

Differential effects of PCSK9 variants on risk of coronary disease and ischaemic stroke

PubMed Central

Hopewell, Jemma C; Malik, Rainer; Valdés-Márquez, Elsa; Worrall, Bradford B; Collins, Rory

2018-01-01

Abstract Aims PCSK9 genetic variants that have large effects on low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and coronary heart disease (CHD) have prompted the development of therapeutic PCSK9-inhibition. However, there is limited evidence that PCSK9 variants are associated with ischaemic stroke (IS). Methods and results Associations of the loss-of-function PCSK9 genetic variant (rs11591147; R46L), and five additional PCSK9 variants, with IS and IS subtypes (cardioembolic, large vessel, and small vessel) were estimated in a meta-analysis involving 10 307 IS cases and 19 326 controls of European ancestry. They were then compared with the associations of these variants with LDL-C levels (in up to 172 970 individuals) and CHD (in up to 60 801 CHD cases and 123 504 controls). The rs11591147 T allele was associated with 0.5 mmol/L lower LDL-C level (P = 9 × 10−143) and 23% lower CHD risk [odds ratio (OR): 0.77, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.69–0.87, P = 7 × 10−6]. However, it was not associated with risk of IS (OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.84–1.28, P = 0.74) or IS subtypes. Information from additional PCSK9 variants also indicated consistently weaker effects on IS than on CHD. Conclusion PCSK9 genetic variants that confer life-long lower PCSK9 and LDL-C levels appear to have significantly weaker, if any, associations with risk of IS than with risk of CHD. By contrast, similar proportional reductions in risks of IS and CHD have been observed in randomized trials of therapeutic PCSK9-inhibition. These findings have implications for our understanding of when Mendelian randomization can be relied upon to predict the effects of therapeutic interventions. PMID:29020353

Associations between interarm differences in blood pressure and cardiovascular disease outcomes: protocol for an individual patient data meta-analysis and development of a prognostic algorithm.

PubMed

Clark, Christopher E; Boddy, Kate; Warren, Fiona C; Taylor, Rod S; Aboyans, Victor; Cloutier, Lyne; McManus, Richard J; Shore, Angela C; Campbell, John L

2017-07-02

Individual cohort studies in various populations and study-level meta-analyses have shown interarm differences (IAD) in blood pressure to be associated with increased cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. However, key questions remain, such as follows: (1) What is the additional contribution of IAD to prognostic risk estimation for cardiovascular and all-cause mortality? (2) What is the minimum cut-off value for IAD that defines elevated risk? (3) Is there a prognostic value of IAD and do different methods of IAD measurement impact on the prognostic value of IAD? We aim to address these questions by conducting an individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis. This study will identify prospective cohort studies that measured blood pressure in both arms during recruitment, and invite authors to contribute IPD datasets to this collaboration. All patient data received will be combined into a single dataset. Using one-stage meta-analysis, we will undertake multivariable time-to-event regression modelling, with the aim of developing a new prognostic model for cardiovascular risk estimation that includes IAD. We will explore variations in risk contribution of IAD across predefined population subgroups (eg, hypertensives, diabetics), establish the lower limit of IAD that is associated with additional cardiovascular risk and assess the impact of different methods of IAD measurement on risk prediction. This study will not include any patient identifiable data. Included datasets will already have ethical approval and consent from their sponsors. Findings will be presented to international conferences and published in peer reviewed journals, and we have a comprehensive dissemination strategy in place with integrated patient and public involvement. CRD42015031227. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Regular consumption of cocoa powder with milk increases HDL cholesterol and reduces oxidized LDL levels in subjects at high-risk of cardiovascular disease.

PubMed

Khan, N; Monagas, M; Andres-Lacueva, C; Casas, R; Urpí-Sardà, M; Lamuela-Raventós, R M; Estruch, R

2012-12-01

Epidemiological studies suggest that regular consumption of cocoa-containing products may confer cardiovascular protection, reducing the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). However, studies on the effects of cocoa on different cardiovascular risk factors are still scarce. The aim of this study was too evaluate the effects of chronic cocoa consumption on lipid profile, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) particles and plasma antioxidant vitamin concentrations in high-risk patients. Forty-two high-risk volunteers (19 men and 23 women, mean age 69.7 ± 11.5 years) were included in a randomized, crossover feeding trial. All received 40g of cocoa powder with 500 mL of skimmed milk/day(C + M) or only 500 mL/day of skimmed milk (M) for 4 weeks in a random order. Before and after each intervention period, plasma lipids, oxLDL and antioxidant vitamin concentrations were measured, as well as urinary cocoa polyphenols metabolites derived from phase II and microbial metabolisms. Compared to M, C + M intervention increases HDLc [2.67 mg/dL (95% confidence intervals, CI, 0.58-4.73; P = 0.008)] and decreases oxLDL levels [-12.3 U/L (CI,-19.3 to -5.2;P = 0.001)]. No changes between intervention groups were observed in vitamins B1, B6, B12, C and E, or folic acid concentrations. In addition, subjects who showed higher increments in urinary cocoa polyphenol metabolites exhibited significant increases in HDLc and significant decreases in oxLDL levels (P < 0.05; all). Consumption of cocoa power with milk modulates the lipid profile in high-risk subjects for CHD. In addition, the relationship observed between the urinary excretion of cocoa polyphenol metabolites and plasma HDLc and oxLDL levels suggests a beneficial role for cocoa polyphenols in lipid metabolism. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dramatic Impact of Action Research of Arts-Based Teaching on At-Risk Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Xin; Kenzy, Patty; Underwood, Lucy; Severson, Laura

2015-01-01

This study was presented at the American Educational Research Association 2012 conference in Vancouver, Canada. The study explored how action research of arts-based teaching (ABT) impacted at-risk students in three urban public schools in southern California, USA. ABT was defined as using arts, music, drama, and dance in teaching other subjects. A…

Dimensions of Being "At-Risk": Children and Youth in Rural Environments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bull, Kay Sather; Garrett, Marta

This bibliography of 185 books, journal articles, government and private agency reports, literature reviews, and conference papers was prepared for the "At-Risk" Task Force of the American Council on Rural Special Education. The general problem is one of children and youth who are placed, by the actions of self or others, in situations where they…

Maternal Over-Control Moderates the Association between Early Childhood Behavioral Inhibition and Adolescent Social Anxiety Symptoms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lewis-Morrarty, Erin; Degnan, Kathryn A.; Chronis-Tuscano, Andrea; Rubin, Kenneth H.; Cheah, Charissa S. L.; Pine, Daniel S.; Henderon, Heather A.; Fox, Nathan A.

2012-01-01

Behavioral inhibition (BI) and maternal over-control are early risk factors for later childhood internalizing problems, particularly social anxiety disorder (SAD). Consistently high BI across childhood appears to confer risk for the onset of SAD by adolescence. However, no prior studies have prospectively examined observed maternal over-control as…

Genetic and Behavioral Influences on Received Aggression during Observed Play among Unfamiliar Preschool-Aged Peers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiLalla, Lisabeth Fisher; John, Sufna Gheyara

2014-01-01

Peer victimization appears heritable, but it is unclear whether the traits that confer genetic risk require time and familiarity with a perpetrator to manifest or whether novel and brief interactions can lead to received aggression that demonstrates similar genetic risk. We examined 20-minute, peer-play interactions between 5-year-olds, pairing…

Emerging therapies to treat frailty syndrome in the elderly.

PubMed

Cherniack, E Paul; Florez, Hermes J; Troen, Bruce R

2007-09-01

Frailty syndrome (FS) has become increasingly recognized as a major predictor of co-morbidities and mortality in older individuals. Interventions with the potential to benefit frail elders include nutritional supplementation (vitamins D, carotenoids, creatine, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate) and exercise modalities (tai chi and cobblestone walking). While these have not been explicitly tested for their impact on FS, vitamin D supplementation appears to offer significant promise in enhancing long-term health of the elderly. Exercise modalities such as tai chi and cobblestone walking, because of probable low risk and ease of participation, may also confer benefit. Additional studies are needed to investigate interventions that directly prevent, delay, and/or ameliorate frailty. Successful therapies may well involve multi-component approaches utilizing a combination of medication, nutritional supplementation, and exercise.

ASM Conference on Prokaryotic Development

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

Kaplan, H. B.

2005-07-13

Support was provided by DOE for the 2nd ASM Conference on Prokaryotic Development. The final conference program and abstracts book is attached. The conference presentations are organized around topics that are central to the current research areas in prokaryotic development. The program starts with topics that involve relatively simple models systems and ends with systems that are more complex. The topics are: i) the cell cycle, ii) the cytoskeleton, iii) morphogenesis, iv) developmental transcription, v) signaling, vi) multicellularity, and vii) developmental diversity and symbiosis. The best-studied prokaryotic development model systems will be highlighted at the conference through research presentations bymore » leaders in the field. Many of these systems are also model systems of relevance to the DOE mission including carbon sequestration (Bradyrizobium, Synechococcus), energy production (Anabaena, Rhodobacter) and bioremediation (Caulobacter, Mesorhizobium). In addition, many of the highlighted organisms have important practical applications; the actinomycetes and myxobacteria produce antimicrobials that are of commercial interest. It is certain that the cutting-edge science presented at the conference will be applicable to the large group of bacteria relevant to the DOE mission.« less

Short Term Cyber Attacks with Long Term Effects and Degradation of Supply Chain Capability

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

Artificial Intelligence Research Society Conference, 271–275, St. Augustine: Florida. Goetschalckx, Marc. 2011. Supply Chain Engineering. New York: Springer...term risks in a network supply chain to establish the existence of black swan events. 14. SUBJECT TERMS cybersecurity , supply chain risk...Mission, and Information System View (NIST SP 800–39) .....50 6. Cybersecurity Instruction for the DOD (DODI 8500.01) .........51 7. Risk Management

Technologies for Assessing Behavioral and Cognitive Markers of Suicide Risk

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

the annual conference of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies in New York, NY October 27, 2016 – October 30, 2016. How were the...AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0632 TITLE: Technologies for Assessing Behavioral and Cognitive Markers of Suicide Risk PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Brian...CONTRACT NUMBER Technologies for Assessing Behavioral and Cognitive Markers of Suicide Risk 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-15-1-0632 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT

The use of a Mentoring-Based Conference as a Research Career Stimulation Strategy

PubMed Central

Interian, Alejandro; Escobar, Javier I.

2009-01-01

Introduction Across healthcare, US minority populations including Latinos face disparities in risk for disease, clinical outcomes, and quality of care. The discourse related to disparity problems has often highlighted the need to increase the number of minority scientists so that the productivity of research focusing on minority populations is expanded. As a result, a group of Latino mental health researchers collaborated to develop a national network of senior mentors that participated in annual mentoring-oriented conferences. A cost-effective program was developed to stimulate the entry of new investigators into the field and provide mentoring with a focus on Latino mental health issues. Method A conference-platform was used as the career stimulation strategy. Annual conferences were held (2002 – 2006) that emphasized the showcasing of new investigators' work, pairing new investigators with senior researchers, and a feedback-oriented environment. Quantitative data were used to track new investigator career progress (i.e., publications, research grants), while qualitative data were used to assess all attendees' feedback, which was provided via conference feedback questionnaires. Results The feedback questionnaires revealed high levels of satisfaction with the conference, noting most highly the interactive, friendly, and nurturing conference format. Career tracking data indicated that nearly half of the new investigators participants published their work in peer-reviewed journals, and that about one-third of were successful in obtaining research funding. Conclusions These mentoring conferences appear to be an effective tool for stimulating the research careers of new investigators engaged in Latino mental health research. PMID:19881428

Protective Role of Dietary Berries in Cancer

PubMed Central

Kristo, Aleksandra S.; Klimis-Zacas, Dorothy; Sikalidis, Angelos K.

2016-01-01

Dietary patterns, including regular consumption of particular foods such as berries as well as bioactive compounds, may confer specific molecular and cellular protection in addition to the overall epidemiologically observed benefits of plant food consumption (lower rates of obesity and chronic disease risk), further enhancing health. Mounting evidence reports a variety of health benefits of berry fruits that are usually attributed to their non-nutritive bioactive compounds, mainly phenolic substances such as flavonoids or anthocyanins. Although it is still unclear which particular constituents are responsible for the extended health benefits, it appears that whole berry consumption generally confers some anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory protection to humans and animals. With regards to cancer, studies have reported beneficial effects of berries or their constituents including attenuation of inflammation, inhibition of angiogenesis, protection from DNA damage, as well as effects on apoptosis or proliferation rates of malignant cells. Berries extend effects on the proliferation rates of both premalignant and malignant cells. Their effect on premalignant cells is important for their ability to cause premalignant lesions to regress both in animals and in humans. The present review focuses primarily on in vivo and human dietary studies of various berry fruits and discusses whether regular dietary intake of berries can prevent cancer initiation and delay progression in humans or ameliorate patients’ cancer status. PMID:27775562

Protective Role of Dietary Berries in Cancer.

PubMed

Kristo, Aleksandra S; Klimis-Zacas, Dorothy; Sikalidis, Angelos K

2016-10-19

Dietary patterns, including regular consumption of particular foods such as berries as well as bioactive compounds, may confer specific molecular and cellular protection in addition to the overall epidemiologically observed benefits of plant food consumption (lower rates of obesity and chronic disease risk), further enhancing health. Mounting evidence reports a variety of health benefits of berry fruits that are usually attributed to their non-nutritive bioactive compounds, mainly phenolic substances such as flavonoids or anthocyanins. Although it is still unclear which particular constituents are responsible for the extended health benefits, it appears that whole berry consumption generally confers some anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory protection to humans and animals. With regards to cancer, studies have reported beneficial effects of berries or their constituents including attenuation of inflammation, inhibition of angiogenesis, protection from DNA damage, as well as effects on apoptosis or proliferation rates of malignant cells. Berries extend effects on the proliferation rates of both premalignant and malignant cells. Their effect on premalignant cells is important for their ability to cause premalignant lesions to regress both in animals and in humans. The present review focuses primarily on in vivo and human dietary studies of various berry fruits and discusses whether regular dietary intake of berries can prevent cancer initiation and delay progression in humans or ameliorate patients' cancer status.

Cardiovascular diseases in women: a statement from the policy conference of the European Society of Cardiology.

PubMed

Stramba-Badiale, Marco; Fox, Kim M; Priori, Silvia G; Collins, Peter; Daly, Caroline; Graham, Ian; Jonsson, Benct; Schenck-Gustafsson, Karin; Tendera, Michal

2006-04-01

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of mortality both in men and women. In Europe, about 55% of all females' deaths are caused by CVD, especially coronary heart disease and stroke. Unfortunately, however, the risk of heart disease in women is underestimated because of the perception that women are 'protected' against ischaemic heart disease. What is not fully understood is that women during the fertile age have a lower risk of cardiac events, but this protection fades after menopause thus leaving women with untreated risk factors vulnerable to develop myocardial infarction, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death. Furthermore, clinical manifestations of ischaemic heart disease in women may be different from those commonly observed in males and this factor may account for under-recognition of the disease. The European Society of Cardiology has recently initiated an extensive 'Women at heart' program to coordinate research and educational initiatives on CVD in women. A Policy Conference on CVD in Women was one of the first steps in the development of this program. The objective of the conference was to collect the opinion of experts in the field coming from the European Society of Cardiology member countries to: (1) summarize the state-of-the-art from an European perspective; (2) to identify the scientific gaps on CVD in women; and (3) to delineate the strategies for changing the misperception of CVD in women, improving risk stratification, diagnosis, and therapy from a gender perspective and increasing women representation in clinical trials. The Policy Conference has provided the opportunity to review and comment on the current status of knowledge on CVD in women and to prioritize the actions needed to advance this area of knowledge in cardiology. In the preparation of this document we intend to provide the medical community and the stakeholders of this field with an overview of the more critical aspects that have emerged during the discussion. We also propose some immediate actions that should be undertaken with the hope that synergic activities will be implemented at European level with the support of national health care authorities.

Endocrine disorders among long-term survivors of childhood head and neck rhabdomyosarcoma.

PubMed

Clement, S C; Schoot, R A; Slater, O; Chisholm, J C; Abela, C; Balm, A J M; van den Brekel, M W; Breunis, W B; Chang, Y C; Davila Fajardo, R; Dunaway, D; Gajdosova, E; Gaze, M N; Gupta, S; Hartley, B; Kremer, L C M; van Lennep, M; Levitt, G A; Mandeville, H C; Pieters, B R; Saeed, P; Smeele, L E; Strackee, S D; Ronckers, C M; Caron, H N; van Santen, H M; Merks, J H M

2016-02-01

Head and neck rhabdomyosarcoma (HNRMS) survivors are at increased risk of developing pituitary dysfunction as an adverse event of radiotherapy. Our aim was to investigate the frequency and risk factors for pituitary dysfunction in these survivors. Secondly, we aimed to compare the prevalence of pituitary dysfunction between survivors treated with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and survivors treated with the ablative surgery, moulage technique after loading brachytherapy, and surgical reconstruction (AMORE) procedure. Eighty HNRMS survivors treated in London (EBRT based) and Amsterdam (AMORE based: AMORE if feasible, otherwise EBRT) in the period 1990-2010 and alive ≥ 2 years post-treatment were evaluated. Survivors were evaluated in multidisciplinary late-effects clinics, with measurement of linear growth, determination of thyroid function, and growth hormone parameters. Additional data, such as baseline characteristics, anthropometrics, pubertal stage, and the results of additional laboratory investigations, were retrieved from patient charts. Pituitary dysfunction was diagnosed in 24 in 80 (30%) survivors, after a median follow-up time of 11 years. Median time to develop pituitary dysfunction after HNRMS diagnosis was 3.0 years. Risk factors were EBRT-based therapy (odds ratio [OR] 2.06; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.79-2.46), parameningeal tumour site (OR 1.83; 95% CI 1.60-2.17) and embryonal RMS histology (OR 1.49; 95% CI 1.19-1.90). Radiotherapy used for the treatment of HNRMS confers a significant risk of the development of pituitary dysfunction. AMORE-based treatment in children with HNRMS resulted in less pituitary dysfunction than treatment with conventional EBRT. Our findings underscore the importance of routine early endocrine follow-up in this specific population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Disordered APP metabolism and neurovasculature in trauma and aging: Combined risks for chronic neurodegenerative disorders.

PubMed

Ikonomovic, Milos D; Mi, Zhiping; Abrahamson, Eric E

2017-03-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), advanced age, and cerebral vascular disease are factors conferring increased risk for late onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). These conditions are also related pathologically through multiple interacting mechanisms. The hallmark pathology of AD consists of pathological aggregates of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides and tau proteins. These molecules are also involved in neuropathology of several other chronic neurodegenerative diseases, and are under intense investigation in the aftermath of TBI as potential contributors to the risk for developing AD and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The pathology of TBI is complex and dependent on injury severity, age-at-injury, and length of time between injury and neuropathological evaluation. In addition, the mechanisms influencing pathology and recovery after TBI likely involve genetic/epigenetic factors as well as additional disorders or comorbid states related to age and central and peripheral vascular health. In this regard, dysfunction of the aging neurovascular system could be an important link between TBI and chronic neurodegenerative diseases, either as a precipitating event or related to accumulation of AD-like pathology which is amplified in the context of aging. Thus with advanced age and vascular dysfunction, TBI can trigger self-propagating cycles of neuronal injury, pathological protein aggregation, and synaptic loss resulting in chronic neurodegenerative disease. In this review we discuss evidence supporting TBI and aging as dual, interacting risk factors for AD, and the role of Aβ and cerebral vascular dysfunction in this relationship. Evidence is discussed that Aβ is involved in cyto- and synapto-toxicity after severe TBI, and that its chronic effects are potentiated by aging and impaired cerebral vascular function. From a therapeutic perspective, we emphasize that in the fields of TBI- and aging-related neurodegeneration protective strategies should include preservation of neurovascular function. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Future challenges to microbial food safety.

PubMed

Havelaar, Arie H; Brul, Stanley; de Jong, Aarieke; de Jonge, Rob; Zwietering, Marcel H; Ter Kuile, Benno H

2010-05-30

Despite significant efforts by all parties involved, there is still a considerable burden of foodborne illness, in which micro-organisms play a prominent role. Microbes can enter the food chain at different steps, are highly versatile and can adapt to the environment allowing survival, growth and production of toxic compounds. This sets them apart from chemical agents and thus their study from food toxicology. We summarize the discussions of a conference organized by the Dutch Food and Consumer Products Safety Authority and the European Food Safety Authority. The goal of the conference was to discuss new challenges to food safety that are caused by micro-organisms as well as strategies and methodologies to counter these. Management of food safety is based on generally accepted principles of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points and of Good Manufacturing Practices. However, a more pro-active, science-based approach is required, starting with the ability to predict where problems might arise by applying the risk analysis framework. Developments that may influence food safety in the future occur on different scales (from global to molecular) and in different time frames (from decades to less than a minute). This necessitates development of new risk assessment approaches, taking the impact of different drivers of change into account. We provide an overview of drivers that may affect food safety and their potential impact on foodborne pathogens and human disease risks. We conclude that many drivers may result in increased food safety risks, requiring active governmental policy setting and anticipation by food industries whereas other drivers may decrease food safety risks. Monitoring of contamination in the food chain, combined with surveillance of human illness and epidemiological investigations of outbreaks and sporadic cases continue to be important sources of information. New approaches in human illness surveillance include the use of molecular markers for improved outbreak detection and source attribution, sero-epidemiology and disease burden estimation. Current developments in molecular techniques make it possible to rapidly assemble information on the genome of various isolates of microbial species of concern. Such information can be used to develop new tracking and tracing methods, and to investigate the behavior of micro-organisms under environmentally relevant stress conditions. These novel tools and insight need to be applied to objectives for food safety strategies, as well as to models that predict microbial behavior. In addition, the increasing complexity of the global food systems necessitates improved communication between all parties involved: scientists, risk assessors and risk managers, as well as consumers. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

F8 haplotype and inhibitor risk: results from the Hemophilia Inhibitor Genetics Study (HIGS) Combined Cohort

PubMed Central

Schwarz, John; Astermark, Jan; Menius, Erika D.; Carrington, Mary; Donfield, Sharyne M.; Gomperts, Edward D.; Nelson, George W.; Oldenburg, Johannes; Pavlova, Anna; Shapiro, Amy D.; Winkler, Cheryl A.; Berntorp, Erik

2012-01-01

Background Ancestral background, specifically African descent, confers higher risk for development of inhibitory antibodies to factor VIII (FVIII) in hemophilia A. It has been suggested that differences in the distribution of factor VIII gene (F8) haplotypes, and mismatch between endogenous F8 haplotypes and those comprising products used for treatment could contribute to risk. Design and Methods Data from the HIGS Combined Cohort were used to determine the association between F8 haplotype 3 (H3) vs. haplotypes 1 and 2 (H1+H2) and inhibitor risk among individuals of genetically-determined African descent. Other variables known to affect inhibitor risk including type of F8 mutation and HLA were included in the analysis. A second research question regarding risk related to mismatch in endogenous F8 haplotype and recombinant FVIII products used for treatment was addressed. Results H3 was associated with higher inhibitor risk among those genetically-identified (N=49) as of African ancestry, but the association did not remain significant after adjustment for F8 mutation type and the HLA variables. Among subjects of all racial ancestries enrolled in HIGS who reported early use of recombinant products (N=223), mismatch in endogenous haplotype and the FVIII proteins constituting the products used did not confer greater risk for inhibitor development. Conclusion H3 was not an independent predictor of inhibitor risk. Further, our findings did not support a higher risk of inhibitors in the presence of a haplotype mismatch between the FVIII molecule infused and that of the individual. PMID:22958194

Exome sequencing in an admixed isolated population indicates NFXL1 variants confer a risk for specific language impairment.

PubMed

Villanueva, Pía; Nudel, Ron; Hoischen, Alexander; Fernández, María Angélica; Simpson, Nuala H; Gilissen, Christian; Reader, Rose H; Jara, Lillian; Echeverry, María Magdalena; Echeverry, Maria Magdalena; Francks, Clyde; Baird, Gillian; Conti-Ramsden, Gina; O'Hare, Anne; Bolton, Patrick F; Hennessy, Elizabeth R; Palomino, Hernán; Carvajal-Carmona, Luis; Veltman, Joris A; Cazier, Jean-Baptiste; De Barbieri, Zulema; Fisher, Simon E; Newbury, Dianne F

2015-03-01

Children affected by Specific Language Impairment (SLI) fail to acquire age appropriate language skills despite adequate intelligence and opportunity. SLI is highly heritable, but the understanding of underlying genetic mechanisms has proved challenging. In this study, we use molecular genetic techniques to investigate an admixed isolated founder population from the Robinson Crusoe Island (Chile), who are affected by a high incidence of SLI, increasing the power to discover contributory genetic factors. We utilize exome sequencing in selected individuals from this population to identify eight coding variants that are of putative significance. We then apply association analyses across the wider population to highlight a single rare coding variant (rs144169475, Minor Allele Frequency of 4.1% in admixed South American populations) in the NFXL1 gene that confers a nonsynonymous change (N150K) and is significantly associated with language impairment in the Robinson Crusoe population (p = 2.04 × 10-4, 8 variants tested). Subsequent sequencing of NFXL1 in 117 UK SLI cases identified four individuals with heterozygous variants predicted to be of functional consequence. We conclude that coding variants within NFXL1 confer an increased risk of SLI within a complex genetic model.

ARID5B polymorphism confers an increased risk to acquire specific MLL rearrangements in early childhood leukemia

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Acute leukemia in early age (EAL) is characterized by acquired genetic alterations such as MLL rearrangements (MLL-r). The aim of this case-controlled study was to investigate whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IKZF1, ARID5B, and CEBPE could be related to the onset of EAL cases (<24 months-old at diagnosis). Methods The SNPs (IKZF1 rs11978267, ARID5B rs10821936 and rs10994982, CEBPE rs2239633) were genotyped in 265 cases [169 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 96 acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)] and 505 controls by Taqman allelic discrimination assay. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between SNPs of cases and controls, adjusted on skin color and/or age. The risk was determined by calculating odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results Children with the IKZF1 SNP had an increased risk of developing MLL-germline ALL in white children. The heterozygous/mutant genotype in ARID5B rs10994982 significantly increased the risk for MLL-germline leukemia in white and non-white children (OR 2.60, 95% CI: 1.09-6.18 and OR 3.55, 95% CI: 1.57-8.68, respectively). The heterozygous genotype in ARID5B rs10821936 increased the risk for MLL-r leukemia in both white and non-white (OR 2.06, 95% CI: 1.12-3.79 and OR 2.36, 95% CI: 1.09-5.10, respectively). Furthermore, ARID5B rs10821936 conferred increased risk for MLL-MLLT3 positive cases (OR 7.10, 95% CI:1.54-32.68). Our data do not show evidence that CEBPE rs2239633 confers increased genetic susceptibility to EAL. Conclusions IKZF1 and CEBPE variants seem to play a minor role in genetic susceptibility to EAL, while ARID5B rs10821936 increased the risk of MLL-MLLT3. This result shows that genetic susceptibility could be associated with the differences regarding MLL breakpoints and partner genes. PMID:24564228

Dysmobility Syndrome Independently Increases Fracture Risk in the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Prospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Buehring, Bjoern; Hansen, Karen E; Lewis, Brian L; Cummings, Steven R; Lane, Nancy E; Binkley, Neil; Ensrud, Kristine E; Cawthon, Peggy M

2018-04-27

We proposed the term "dysmobility syndrome" (DS) to identify individuals with impaired musculoskeletal health, a risk factor for falls and fractures. Whether DS is associated with increased risk of incident fracture is unknown. The "Osteoporotic Fractures in Men" study enrolled 5994 men ages ≥65 years, between March 2000 and April 2002. We used baseline data to determine whether DS increased fracture risk, independent of FRAX. Men met DS criteria at baseline if they had ≥3 of the following: appendicular lean mass/height 2 <7.26 kg/m 2 , total body fat >30%, spine or hip T-score ≤-2.5, grip strength <30 kg, gait speed <1.0 m/s, and ≥1 fall within 12 months. We examined whether baseline DS increased the risk of hip and major osteoporotic fractures (MOF) over a median of 14 (IQR 9, 15) years. Among 5834 men mean age 74 ± 6 years, 471 (8%) had DS and 635 (11%) experienced a MOF, including 274 (5%) hip fractures. Age (per SD increase) conferred a HR of 1.72 (95% CI, 1.59, 1.86), DS conferred a HR of 3.45 (95% CI 2.78, 4.29,) and FRAX calculated with BMD (per %) conferred a HR of 1.10 (95% CI 1.08, 1.11) for MOF. Prediction of MOF using the FRAX score provided a concordance value of 0.67 (SE 0.012). Concordance increased to 0.69 (SE 0.012) by adding DS and to 0.70 (SE 0.012 by adding DS and age to the multivariate model. Kaplan Meier curves indicated that men with both DS and a FRAX risk above the National Osteoporosis Foundation treatment thresholds had higher MOF (HR 6.23, 95% CI 3.10, 12.54) and hip (HR 7.73, 95% CI 5.95, 10.04) fracture risk than men with neither condition. We suggest further studies to determine the optimal criteria for DS, and to test DS as a predictor of falls and fractures, especially in women. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Biomedical informatics publications: a global perspective: part I: conferences.

PubMed

Maojo, V; García-Remesal, M; Bielza, C; Crespo, J; Perez-Rey, D; Kulikowski, C

2012-01-01

In the past decade, Medical Informatics (MI) and Bioinformatics (BI) have converged towards a new discipline, called Biomedical Informatics (BMI) bridging informatics methods across the spectrum from genomic research to personalized medicine and global healthcare. This convergence still raises challenging research questions which are being addressed by researchers internationally, which in turn raises the question of how biomedical informatics publications reflect the contributions from around the world in documenting the research. To analyse the worldwide participation of biomedical informatics researchers from professional groups and societies in the best-known scientific conferences in the field. The analysis is focused on their geographical affiliation, but also includes other features, such as the impact and recognition of the conferences. We manually collected data about authors of papers presented at three major MI conferences: Medinfo, MIE and the AMIA symposium. In addition, we collected data from a BI conference, ISMB, as a comparison. Finally, we analyzed the impact and recognition of these conferences within their scientific contexts. Data indicate a predominance of local authors at the regional conferences (AMIA and MIE), whereas other conferences with a world-wide scope (Medinfo and ISMB) had broader participation. Our analysis shows that the influence of these conferences beyond the discipline remains somewhat limited. Our results suggest that for BMI to be recognized as a broad discipline, both in the geographical and scientific sense, it will need to extend the scope of collaborations and their interdisciplinary impacts worldwide.

Library and Information Science Education in the Americas: Present and Future. Papers from a Conference held in Austin, Texas, February 14, l980.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jackson, William Vernon, Ed.

Four primary papers and additional related reaction papers are presented from a conference sponsored by the Association of American Library Schools, the Organization of American States, and the Seminar on the Acquisition of Latin American Library Materials, which was held to promote a useful dialog between educators from North American library…

New Directions in Resources for Special Needs Hearing Impaired Students: Outreach '88. Proceedings of the Annual Southeast Regional Summer Conference (8th, Cave Spring, Georgia, June 14-17, 1988).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kemp, Faye, Ed.; And Others

The proceedings include, after the keynote address by E.M. Childers and the conference agenda, the following papers: "An Additional Handicap: Visual Perceptual Learning Disabilities of Deaf Children" (Vivienne Ratner); "Minimum Competency Testing" (Carl Williams); "Transitional Planning for Hearing Impaired Students in the Mainstream" (Helen…

Identification and characterization of Sr13, a tetraploid wheat gene that confers resistance to the Ug99 stem rust race group

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt) Ug99 race group is virulent to most stem rust resistance genes currently deployed in wheat and poses a serious threat to global wheat production. The durum wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. durum) gene Sr13 confers resistance to Ug99 in addition to virulent rac...

Converging Technologies. Selected Papers from the EdTech '90 Conference of the Australian Society for Educational Technology (Sydney, Australia, July 4-6, 1990).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hedberg, John G., Ed.; And Others

This collection contains 30 selected papers and abstracts of six additional papers from the 1990 Conference of the Australian Society for Educational Technology. Titles and authors of the papers are as follows: (1) "Interactive Media into the Millenium" (Clark); (2) "Open Learning Centre Network Project and the Preparatory and…

Western Regional Remote Sensing Conference Proceedings, 1979

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

Remote sensing users from the 14 western states explained their diverse applications of LANDSAT data, discussed operational goals, and exchanged problems and solutions. In addition, conference participants stressed the need for increased cooperation among state and local governments, private industry, and universities to aid NASA's objective of transferring to user agencies the ability to operationally use remote sensing technology for resource and environmental quality management.

Identification of two 14q32 deletions involving DICER1 associated with the development of DICER1-related tumors.

PubMed

Herriges, John C; Brown, Sara; Longhurst, Maria; Ozmore, Jillian; Moeschler, John B; Janze, Aura; Meck, Jeanne; South, Sarah T; Andersen, Erica F

2018-04-24

DICER1 encodes an RNase III endonuclease protein that regulates the production of small non-coding RNAs. Germline mutations in DICER1 are associated with an autosomal dominant hereditary cancer predisposition syndrome that confers an increased risk for the development of several rare childhood and adult-onset tumors, the most frequent of which include pleuropulmonary blastoma, ovarian sex cord-stromal tumors, cystic nephroma, and thyroid gland neoplasia. The majority of reported germline DICER1 mutations are truncating sequence-level alterations, suggesting that a loss-of-function type mechanism drives tumor formation in DICER1 syndrome. However, reports of patients with germline DICER1 whole gene deletions are limited, and thus far, only two have reported an association with tumor development. Here we report the clinical findings of three patients from two unrelated families with 14q32 deletions that encompass the DICER1 locus. The deletion identified in Family I is 1.4 Mb and was initially identified in a 6-year-old male referred for developmental delay, hypotonia, macrocephaly, obesity, and behavioral problems. Subsequent testing revealed that this deletion was inherited from his mother, who had a clinical history that included bilateral multinodular goiter and papillary thyroid carcinoma. The second deletion is 5.0 Mb and was identified in a 15-year-old female who presented with autism, coarse facial features, Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor, and Wilms' tumor. These findings provide additional supportive evidence that germline deletion of DICER1 confers an increased risk for DICER1-related tumor development, and provide new insight into the clinical significance of deletions involving the 14q32 region. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Increased burden of cardiovascular disease in carriers of APOL1 genetic variants.

PubMed

Ito, Kaoru; Bick, Alexander G; Flannick, Jason; Friedman, David J; Genovese, Giulio; Parfenov, Michael G; Depalma, Steven R; Gupta, Namrata; Gabriel, Stacey B; Taylor, Herman A; Fox, Ervin R; Newton-Cheh, Christopher; Kathiresan, Sekar; Hirschhorn, Joel N; Altshuler, David M; Pollak, Martin R; Wilson, James G; Seidman, J G; Seidman, Christine

2014-02-28

Two distinct alleles in the gene encoding apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1), a major component of high-density lipoprotein, confer protection against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense infection and also increase risk for chronic kidney disease. Approximately 14% of Americans with African ancestry carry 2 APOL1 risk alleles, accounting for the high chronic kidney disease burden in this population. We tested whether APOL1 risk alleles significantly increase risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) in African Americans. We sequenced APOL1 in 1959 randomly selected African American participants in the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) and evaluated associations between APOL1 genotypes and renal and cardiovascular phenotypes. Previously identified association between APOL1 genotypes and chronic kidney disease was confirmed (P=2.4×10(-6)). Among JHS participants with 2 APOL1 risk alleles, we observed increased risk for CVD (50/763 events among participants without versus 37/280 events among participants with 2 risk alleles; odds ratio, 2.17; P=9.4×10(-4)). We replicated this novel association of APOL1 genotype with CVD in Women's Health Initiative (WHI) participants (66/292 events among participants without versus 37/101 events among participants with 2 risk alleles; odds ratio, 1.98; P=8.37×10(-3); JHS and WHI combined, P=8.5×10(-5); odds ratio, 2.12). The increased risk for CVD conferred by APOL1 alleles was robust to correction for both traditional CVD risk factors and chronic kidney disease. APOL1 variants contribute to atherosclerotic CVD risk, indicating a genetic component to cardiovascular health disparities in individuals of African ancestry. The considerable population of African Americans with 2 APOL1 risk alleles may benefit from intensive interventions to reduce CVD.

Evaluation of prevalence and risk factors for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus colonization in veterinary personnel attending an international equine veterinary conference.

PubMed

Anderson, Maureen E C; Lefebvre, Sandra L; Weese, J Scott

2008-06-22

Infection and colonization with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are now increasingly being reported in animals and people who work with animals, including horses and horse personnel. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of MRSA colonization in veterinary personnel attending an international equine veterinary conference, and to identify risk factors for MRSA colonization in this group. Volunteers were recruited at the conference to provide a single nasal swab and complete a questionnaire regarding contact with the human health care system, contact with horses, and personal hand hygiene. Colonization with MRSA was found in 26/257 (10.1%) of study participants. Multivariable analysis showed an increased risk of MRSA colonization associated with having been diagnosed with or having treated a patient diagnosed with MRSA colonization or infection in the last year (odds ratio [OR] 8.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.51-49.92, P=0.015; OR 3.27, 95% CI 1.05-10.11, P=0.039, respectively), whereas hand washing between infectious cases (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.11-0.72, P=0.009) and hand washing between farms (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.14-0.98, P=0.047) were protective. The prevalence of MRSA colonization among equine veterinary personnel found in this study was high compared to that of other studies of the general population. These data support previous suggestions that equine veterinary personnel are at increased risk of colonization with MRSA. This is the first study to demonstrate a statistically significant association between hand hygiene practices and a measurable clinical outcome in veterinary medicine.

Siberia Integrated Regional Study megaproject: approaches, first results and challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gordov, E. P.; Vaganov, E. A.

2010-12-01

Siberia Integrated Regional Study (SIRS, http://sirs.scert.ru/en/) is a NEESPI megaproject coordinating national and international activity in the region in line with Earth System Science Program approach whose overall objectives are to understand impact of Global change on on-going regional climate and ecosystems dynamics; to study future potential changes in both, and to estimate possible influence of those processes on the whole Earth System dynamics. Needs for SIRS are caused by accelerated warming occurring in Siberia, complexity of on-going and potential land-surface processes sharpened by inherent hydrology pattern and permafrost presence, and lack of reliable high-resolution meteorological and climatic modeling data. The SIRS approaches include coordination of different scale national and international projects, capacity building targeted to early career researchers thematic education and training, and development of distributed information-computational infrastructure required in support of multidisciplinary teams of specialists performing cooperative work with tools for sharing of data, models and knowledge. Coordination within SIRS projects is devoted to major regional and global risks rising with regional environment changes and currently is concentrated on three interrelated problems, whose solution has strong regional environmental and socio-economical impacts and is very important for understanding potential change of the whole Earth System dynamics: Permafrost border shift, which seriously threatens the oil and gas transporting infrastructure and leads to additional carbon release; Desert - steppe- forest-tundra ecosystems changes, which might vary region input into global carbon cycle as well as provoke serious socio-economical consequences for local population; and Temperature/precipitation/hydrology regime changes, which might increase risks of forest and peat fires, thus causing significant carbon release from the region under study. Some findings of those projects will be presented in the report. The information-computational infrastructure is aimed to manage multidisciplinary environmental data and to generate high resolution data sets on demand. One of its key elements, optimizing the usage of information-computational resources, services and applications is the climatic web portal under development. The prototype (http://climate.risks.scert.ru/) is now providing an access to an interactive web- GIS system for climate change assessment on the base of available meteorological data archives in the selected region. SIRS education and training program is run via annual organization in the region either international multidisciplinary conference with elements of young scientists school ENVIROMIS or young scientists school and collocated international conference CITES (http://www.scert.ru/en/conferences/). All the listed above activities have an international dimension whose enlargement might significantly assist in profound understanding of regional and global consequences in on-going Siberia processes.

Implementation Science and Employer Disability Practices: Embedding Implementation Factors in Research Designs.

PubMed

Main, Chris J; Nicholas, Michael K; Shaw, William S; Tetrick, Lois E; Ehrhart, Mark G; Pransky, Glenn

2016-12-01

Purpose For work disability research to have an impact on employer policies and practices it is important for such research to acknowledge and incorporate relevant aspects of the workplace. The goal of this article is to summarize recent theoretical and methodological advances in the field of Implementation Science, relate these to research of employer disability management practices, and recommend future research priorities. Methods The authors participated in a year-long collaboration culminating in an invited 3-day conference, "Improving Research of Employer Practices to Prevent Disability", held October 14-16, 2015, in Hopkinton, MA, USA. The collaboration included a topical review of the literature, group conference calls to identify key areas and challenges, drafting of initial documents, review of industry publications, and a conference presentation that included feedback from peer researchers and a question/answer session with a special panel of knowledge experts with direct employer experience. Results A 4-phase implementation model including both outer and inner contexts was adopted as the most appropriate conceptual framework, and aligned well with the set of process evaluation factors described in both the work disability prevention literature and the grey literature. Innovative interventions involving disability risk screening and psychologically-based interventions have been slow to gain traction among employers and insurers. Research recommendations to address this are : (1) to assess organizational culture and readiness for change in addition to individual factors; (2) to conduct process evaluations alongside controlled trials; (3) to analyze decision-making factors among stakeholders; and (4 ) to solicit input from employers and insurers during early phases of study design. Conclusions Future research interventions involving workplace support and involvement to prevent disability may be more feasible for implementation if organizational decision-making factors are imbedded in research designs and interventions are developed to take account of these influences.

Sex- and gender-specific research priorities for the emergency management of heart failure and acute arrhythmia: proceedings from the 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference Cardiovascular Research Workgroup.

PubMed

McGregor, Alyson J; Frank Peacock, W; Marie Chang, Anna; Safdar, Basmah; Diercks, Deborah

2014-12-01

The emergency department (ED) is the point of first contact for patients with acute heart failure and arrhythmias, with 1 million annual ED visits in the United States. Although the total numbers of men and women living with heart failure are similar, female patients are underrepresented in clinical studies, with current knowledge predominantly based on data from male patients. This has led to an underappreciation of the sex-specific differences in clinical characteristics and pathophysiology-based management of heart failure. Similar disparities have been found in management of acute arrhythmias, especially atrial arrhythmias that lead to an increased risk of stroke in women. Additionally, peripartum and postpartum cardiomyopathy represent a diagnostic and treatment dilemma. This article is the result of a breakout session in the cardiovascular and resuscitation work group of the 2014 Academic Emergency Medicine consensus conference "Gender-Specific Research in Emergency Medicine: Investigate, Understand, and Translate How Gender Affects Patient Outcomes." A nominal group technique was used to identify and prioritize themes and research questions using electronic mail, monthly conference calls, in-person meetings, and Web-based surveys between June 2013 and May 2014. Consensus was achieved through three rounds of nomination followed by the meeting on May 13, 2014, and resulted in seven priority themes that are essential to the common complex clinical syndrome of heart failure for both men and women and include the areas of pathophysiology; presentation and symptomatology; and diagnostic strategies using biomarkers, treatment, and mortality, with special consideration to arrhythmia management and pregnancy. © 2014 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.

Science in a Post-Sendai World

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brosnan, D. M.

2015-12-01

Adopted at the U.N. Conference on March 18, 2015 in Sendai Japan, the international framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) will guide how nations across the world address disasters and hazards for the next fifteen years. The agreement, reached after several years of negotiation, marks a shift in thinking and approach to DRR. Traditionally DRR has been the domain of humanitarian responses and methods have been well honed over the decades. However, a defining element of this agreement is the stronger recognition of the role that science can play in preparing for, managing, and mitigating disasters. The framework identifies four priority areas: understanding disaster risk; strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk; investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience; and enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to "build back better" in recovery rehabilitation and reconstruction. Science can underpin each one. For example, the first priority to better understand risks will require scientific and technological input. In addition embedded throughout the Framework are calls for several other specific actions including, dedicated scientific and technical work on disaster risk reduction; mobilization. The challenge moving forward will be to move from rhetoric to action. Are governments ready to embrace the scientific community's input or are many still resistant? What, if any, structures are in place to ensure that the necessary science is carried out and then heard by those who can use it? What steps can scientists and scientific organizations take to ensure the role of science and make their efforts are effective? How science can respond to the opportunities and challenges in a Post-Sendai world will be discussed in the presentation.

The effect of high-polyphenol extra virgin olive oil on cardiovascular risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

George, Elena S; Marshall, Skye; Mayr, Hannah L; Trakman, Gina L; Tatucu-Babet, Oana A; Lassemillante, Annie-Claude M; Bramley, Andrea; Reddy, Anjana J; Forsyth, Adrienne; Tierney, Audrey C; Thomas, Colleen J; Itsiopoulos, Catherine; Marx, Wolfgang

2018-04-30

The polyphenol fraction of extra-virgin olive oil may be partly responsible for its cardioprotective effects. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of high versus low polyphenol olive oil on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in clinical trials. In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, CINAHL, PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases were systematically searched for relevant studies. Randomized controlled trials that investigated markers of CVD risk (e.g. outcomes related to cholesterol, inflammation, oxidative stress) were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the Jadad scale. A meta-analysis was conducted using clinical trial data with available CVD risk outcomes. Twenty-six studies were included. Compared to low polyphenol olive oil, high polyphenol olive oil significantly improved measures of malondialdehyde (MD: -0.07µmol/L [95%CI: -0.12, -0.02µmol/L]; I 2 : 88%; p = 0.004), oxidized LDL (SMD: -0.44 [95%CI: -0.78, -0.10µmol/L]; I 2 : 41%; P = 0.01), total cholesterol (MD 4.5mg/dL [95%CI: -6.54, -2.39mg/dL]; p<0.0001) and HDL cholesterol (MD 2.37mg/dL [95%CI: 0.41, 5.04mg/dL]; p = 0.02). Subgroup analyses and individual studies reported additional improvements in inflammatory markers and blood pressure. Most studies were rated as having low-to-moderate risk of bias. High polyphenol oils confer some CVD-risk reduction benefits; however, further studies with longer duration and in non-Mediterranean populations are required.

CompNanoTox2015: novel perspectives from a European conference on computational nanotoxicology on predictive nanotoxicology.

PubMed

Bañares, Miguel A; Haase, Andrea; Tran, Lang; Lobaskin, Vladimir; Oberdörster, Günter; Rallo, Robert; Leszczynski, Jerzy; Hoet, Peter; Korenstein, Rafi; Hardy, Barry; Puzyn, Tomasz

2017-09-01

A first European Conference on Computational Nanotoxicology, CompNanoTox, was held in November 2015 in Benahavís, Spain with the objectives to disseminate and integrate results from the European modeling and database projects (NanoPUZZLES, ModENPTox, PreNanoTox, MembraneNanoPart, MODERN, eNanoMapper and EU COST TD1204 MODENA) as well as to create synergies within the European NanoSafety Cluster. This conference was supported by the COST Action TD1204 MODENA on developing computational methods for toxicological risk assessment of engineered nanoparticles and provided a unique opportunity for cross fertilization among complementary disciplines. The efforts to develop and validate computational models crucially depend on high quality experimental data and relevant assays which will be the basis to identify relevant descriptors. The ambitious overarching goal of this conference was to promote predictive nanotoxicology, which can only be achieved by a close collaboration between the computational scientists (e.g. database experts, modeling experts for structure, (eco) toxicological effects, performance and interaction of nanomaterials) and experimentalists from different areas (in particular toxicologists, biologists, chemists and material scientists, among others). The main outcome and new perspectives of this conference are summarized here.

CompNanoTox2015: novel perspectives from a European conference on computational nanotoxicology on predictive nanotoxicology

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

Bañares, Miguel A.; Haase, Andrea; Tran, Lang

A first European Conference on Computational Nanotoxicology, CompNanoTox, was held in November 2015 in Benahavís, Spain with the objectives to disseminate and integrate results from the European modeling and database projects (NanoPUZZLES, ModENPTox, PreNanoTox, MembraneNanoPart, MODERN, eNanoMapper and EU COST TD1204 MODENA) as well as to create synergies within the European NanoSafety Cluster. This conference was supported by the COST Action TD1204 MODENA on developing computational methods for toxicological risk assessment of engineered nanoparticles and provided a unique opportunity for crossfertilization among complementary disciplines. The efforts to develop and validate computational models crucially depend on high quality experimental data andmore » relevant assays which will be the basis to identify relevant descriptors. The ambitious overarching goal of this conference was to promote predictive nanotoxicology, which can only be achieved by a close collaboration between the computational scientists (e.g. database experts, modeling experts for structure, (eco) toxicological effects, performance and interaction of nanomaterials) and experimentalists from different areas (in particular toxicologists, biologists, chemists and material scientists, among others). The main outcome and new perspectives of this conference are summarized here.« less

Deficiencies in the publication and reporting of the results of systematic reviews presented at scientific medical conferences.

PubMed

Hopewell, Sally; Boutron, Isabelle; Altman, Douglas G; Ravaud, Philippe

2015-12-01

To evaluate the publication and quality of reporting of abstracts of systematic reviews presented at scientific medical conferences. We included all abstracts of systematic reviews published in the proceedings of nine leading international conferences in 2010. For each conference abstract, we searched PubMed (January 1, 2010, to June 2013) to identify their corresponding full publication. We assessed the extent to which conference abstracts and their corresponding journal abstract reported items included in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis for Abstracts checklist and recorded any important discrepancies between sources. We identified 197 abstracts of systematic reviews, representing <1% of the total number of conference abstracts presented. Of these 53% were published in full, the median time to publication was 14 months (interquartile range, 6.6-20.1 months). Although most conference and journal abstracts reported details of included studies (conference n = 83 of 103; 81% vs. journal n = 81 of 103; 79%), size and direction of effect (76% vs. 75%), and conclusions (79% vs. 81%), many failed to report the date of search (27% vs. 25%), assessment of risk of bias (18% vs. 12%), and the result for the main efficacy outcome(s) including the number of studies (37% vs. 31%) and participants (30% vs. 20%), harms(s) (17% vs. 17%), strengths (17% vs. 13%) and limitations (36% vs. 30%) of the evidence, or funding source (1% vs. 0%). There were discrepancies between journal and corresponding conference abstracts including deletion of studies (13%), changes in reported efficacy (11%), and harm (10%) outcome(s) and changes in the nature or direction of conclusions (24%). Despite the importance of systematic reviews in the delivery of evidence-based health care, very few are presented at scientific conferences and only half of those presented are published in full. Serious deficiencies in the reporting of abstracts of systematic reviews make it difficult for readers to reliably assess their findings. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Patient-reported disease knowledge and educational needs in Lynch syndrome: findings of an interactive multidisciplinary patient conference

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Patients with Lynch Syndrome, the most common hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome, benefit from genetic education and family counseling regarding diagnostic testing and cancer surveillance/prevention recommendations. Although genetic counseling is currently the most common venue where such education and counseling takes place, little is known about the level of disease knowledge and education needs as directly reported by patients and families with Lynch Syndrome. Furthermore, experiences with forums for larger-scale knowledge transfer have been limited in the current literature. Methods We conducted a one-day interactive multidisciplinary patient conference, designed to complement individual genetic counseling for updating disease knowledge, supportive networking and needs assessment among Lynch Syndrome patients and their family members. The patient conference was designed utilizing the conceptual framework of action research. Paired pre- and post-conference surveys were administered to 44 conference participants anonymously to assess patient-reported disease knowledge and education needs. Results A multidisciplinary team of expert providers utilized a variety of educational formats during the one-day conference. Four main focus areas were: genetic testing, surveillance/prevention, living with Lynch Syndrome, and update on research. Thirty-two participants (73%) completed the pre-conference, and 28 (64%) participants completed the post-conference surveys. Nineteen respondents were affected and the remaining were unaffected. The scores of the disease-knowledge items significantly increased from 84% pre- to 92% post-conference (p = 0.012). Patients reported a high level of satisfaction and identified further knowledge needs in nutrition (71%), surveillance/prevention options (71%), support groups (36%), cancer risk assessment (32%), active role in medical care (32%), and research opportunities (5%). Conclusion Our experience with a dedicated patient education conference focused on Lynch Syndrome demonstrated that such an educational format is effective for updating or reinforcing disease knowledge, for identifying patient-reported unmet educational needs, as well as for peer-support. PMID:24499499

Patient-reported disease knowledge and educational needs in Lynch syndrome: findings of an interactive multidisciplinary patient conference.

PubMed

Bannon, Sarah A; Mork, Maureen; Vilar, Eduardo; Peterson, Susan K; Lu, Karen; Lynch, Patrick M; Rodriguez-Bigas, Miguel A; You, Yiqian Nancy

2014-02-05

Patients with Lynch Syndrome, the most common hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome, benefit from genetic education and family counseling regarding diagnostic testing and cancer surveillance/prevention recommendations. Although genetic counseling is currently the most common venue where such education and counseling takes place, little is known about the level of disease knowledge and education needs as directly reported by patients and families with Lynch Syndrome. Furthermore, experiences with forums for larger-scale knowledge transfer have been limited in the current literature. We conducted a one-day interactive multidisciplinary patient conference, designed to complement individual genetic counseling for updating disease knowledge, supportive networking and needs assessment among Lynch Syndrome patients and their family members. The patient conference was designed utilizing the conceptual framework of action research. Paired pre- and post-conference surveys were administered to 44 conference participants anonymously to assess patient-reported disease knowledge and education needs. A multidisciplinary team of expert providers utilized a variety of educational formats during the one-day conference. Four main focus areas were: genetic testing, surveillance/prevention, living with Lynch Syndrome, and update on research. Thirty-two participants (73%) completed the pre-conference, and 28 (64%) participants completed the post-conference surveys. Nineteen respondents were affected and the remaining were unaffected. The scores of the disease-knowledge items significantly increased from 84% pre- to 92% post-conference (p = 0.012). Patients reported a high level of satisfaction and identified further knowledge needs in nutrition (71%), surveillance/prevention options (71%), support groups (36%), cancer risk assessment (32%), active role in medical care (32%), and research opportunities (5%). Our experience with a dedicated patient education conference focused on Lynch Syndrome demonstrated that such an educational format is effective for updating or reinforcing disease knowledge, for identifying patient-reported unmet educational needs, as well as for peer-support.

Ethical issues in biological psychiatric research with children and adolescents.

PubMed

Arnold, L E; Stoff, D M; Cook, E; Cohen, D J; Kruesi, M; Wright, C; Hattab, J; Graham, P; Zametkin, A; Castellanos, F X

1995-07-01

This article reviews, discusses, and elaborates considerations and recommendations summarized by the biological research working group at the May 1993 NIMH conference on ethical issues in mental health research on children and adolescents. Notes from the conference were summarized and supplemented by a computer search of relevant literature. Drafts were circulated for comment to national and international experts, some of whom joined as coauthors. Issues addressed include possible overprotection by policy makers and institutional review boards arising out of the recognition of children's special vulnerability without equal recognition of their need for research; the definition of minimal risk, which has often been equated with no risk in the case of children; assessment of the risk-benefit ratio; procedures for minimization of risk, such as improved technology, "piggybacking" onto clinical tests, and age-appropriate preparation; the difficulty of justifying risk for normal controls; age-graded consent; special considerations about neuroimaging; "coercive" inducement, both material and psychological; disposition of unexpected or unwanted knowledge about individuals, including the subject's right not to know and parent's right not to tell; and socioeconomic status and cultural/ethnic equity. The working group adopted a position of advocacy for children's right to research access while recognizing that this advocacy must be tempered by thoughtful protections for child and adolescent subjects.

Blackout Drinking Predicts Sexual Revictimization in a College Sample of Binge-Drinking Women

PubMed Central

Valenstein-Mah, Helen; Larimer, Mary; Zoellner, Lori; Kaysen, Debra

2016-01-01

Sexual victimization is prevalent on U.S. college campuses. Some women experience multiple sexual victimizations with heightened risk among those with prior victimization histories. One risk factor for sexual revictimization is alcohol use. Most research has focused on associations between alcohol consumption and revictimization. The current study’s objective was to understand potential mechanisms by which drinking confers risk for revictimization. We hypothesized that specific drinking consequences would predict risk for revictimization above and beyond the quantity of alcohol consumed. There were 162 binge-drinking female students (mean age = 20.21 years, 71.3% White, 36.9% juniors) from the University of Washington who were assessed for baseline victimization (categorized as childhood vs. adolescent victimization), quantity of alcohol consumed, and drinking consequences experienced, then assessed 30 days later for revictimization. There were 40 (24.6%) women who were revictimized in the following 30 days. Results showed that blackout drinking at baseline predicted incapacitated sexual revictimization among women previously victimized as adolescents, after accounting for quantity of alcohol consumed (OR = 1.79, 95% CI [1.07, 3.01]). Other drinking consequences were not strongly predictive of revictimization. Adolescent sexual victimization was an important predictor of sexual revictimization in college women; blackout drinking may confer unique risk for revictimization. PMID:26401899

Germline sequence variants in TGM3 and RGS22 confer risk of basal cell carcinoma

PubMed Central

Stacey, Simon N.; Sulem, Patrick; Gudbjartsson, Daniel F.; Jonasdottir, Aslaug; Thorleifsson, Gudmar; Gudjonsson, Sigurjon A.; Masson, Gisli; Gudmundsson, Julius; Sigurgeirsson, Bardur; Benediktsdottir, Kristrun R.; Thorisdottir, Kristin; Ragnarsson, Rafn; Fuentelsaz, Victoria; Corredera, Cristina; Grasa, Matilde; Planelles, Dolores; Sanmartin, Onofre; Rudnai, Peter; Gurzau, Eugene; Koppova, Kvetoslava; Hemminki, Kari; Nexø, Bjørn A; Tjønneland, Anne; Overvad, Kim; Johannsdottir, Hrefna; Helgadottir, Hafdis T.; Thorsteinsdottir, Unnur; Kong, Augustine; Vogel, Ulla; Kumar, Rajiv; Nagore, Eduardo; Mayordomo, José I.; Rafnar, Thorunn; Olafsson, Jon H.; Stefansson, Kari

2014-01-01

To search for new sequence variants that confer risk of cutaneous basal cell carcinoma (BCC), we conducted a genome-wide association study of 38.5 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and small indels identified through whole-genome sequencing of 2230 Icelanders. We imputed genotypes for 4208 BCC patients and 109 408 controls using Illumina SNP chip typing data, carried out association tests and replicated the findings in independent population samples. We found new BCC susceptibility loci at TGM3 (rs214782[G], P = 5.5 × 10−17, OR = 1.29) and RGS22 (rs7006527[C], P = 8.7 × 10−13, OR = 0.77). TGM3 encodes transglutaminase type 3, which plays a key role in production of the cornified envelope during epidermal differentiation. PMID:24403052

Quark Matter 2017: Young Scientist Support

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

Evdokimov, Olga

Quark Matter conference series are amongst the major scientific events for the Relativistic Heavy Ion community. With over 30 year long history, the meetings are held about every 1½ years to showcase the progress made in theoretical and experimental studies of nuclear matter under extreme conditions. The 26th International Conference on Ultra-relativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions (Quark Matter 2017) was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Chicago from Sunday, February 5th through Saturday, February 11th, 2017. The conference featured about 180 plenary and parallel presentations of the most significant recent results in the field, a poster session for additional presentations,more » and an evening public lecture. Following the tradition of previous Quark Matter meetings, the first day of the conference was dedicated entirely to a special program for young scientists (graduate students and postdoctoral researchers). This grant will provided financial support for 235 young physicists facilitating their attendance of the conference.« less

Systematic Integration of Brain eQTL and GWAS Identifies ZNF323 as a Novel Schizophrenia Risk Gene and Suggests Recent Positive Selection Based on Compensatory Advantage on Pulmonary Function

PubMed Central

Luo, Xiong-Jian; Mattheisen, Manuel; Li, Ming; Huang, Liang; Rietschel, Marcella; Børglum, Anders D.; Als, Thomas D.; van den Oord, Edwin J.; Aberg, Karolina A.; Mors, Ole; Mortensen, Preben Bo; Luo, Zhenwu; Degenhardt, Franziska; Cichon, Sven; Schulze, Thomas G.; Nöthen, Markus M.; Su, Bing; Zhao, Zhongming; Gan, Lin; Yao, Yong-Gang

2015-01-01

Genome-wide association studies have identified multiple risk variants and loci that show robust association with schizophrenia. Nevertheless, it remains unclear how these variants confer risk to schizophrenia. In addition, the driving force that maintains the schizophrenia risk variants in human gene pool is poorly understood. To investigate whether expression-associated genetic variants contribute to schizophrenia susceptibility, we systematically integrated brain expression quantitative trait loci and genome-wide association data of schizophrenia using Sherlock, a Bayesian statistical framework. Our analyses identified ZNF323 as a schizophrenia risk gene (P = 2.22×10–6). Subsequent analyses confirmed the association of the ZNF323 and its expression-associated single nucleotide polymorphism rs1150711 in independent samples (gene-expression: P = 1.40×10–6; single-marker meta-analysis in the combined discovery and replication sample comprising 44123 individuals: P = 6.85×10−10). We found that the ZNF323 was significantly downregulated in hippocampus and frontal cortex of schizophrenia patients (P = .0038 and P = .0233, respectively). Evidence for pleiotropic effects was detected (association of rs1150711 with lung function and gene expression of ZNF323 in lung: P = 6.62×10–5 and P = 9.00×10–5, respectively) with the risk allele (T allele) for schizophrenia acting as protective allele for lung function. Subsequent population genetics analyses suggest that the risk allele (T) of rs1150711 might have undergone recent positive selection in human population. Our findings suggest that the ZNF323 is a schizophrenia susceptibility gene whose expression may influence schizophrenia risk. Our study also illustrates a possible mechanism for maintaining schizophrenia risk variants in the human gene pool. PMID:25759474

An initial examination of the potential role of T-cell immunity in protection against feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection.

PubMed

Aranyos, Alek M; Roff, Shannon R; Pu, Ruiyu; Owen, Jennifer L; Coleman, James K; Yamamoto, Janet K

2016-03-14

The importance of vaccine-induced T-cell immunity in conferring protection with prototype and commercial FIV vaccines is still unclear. Current studies performed adoptive transfer of T cells from prototype FIV-vaccinated cats to partial-to-complete feline leukocyte antigen (FLA)-matched cats a day before either homologous FIVPet or heterologous-subtype pathogenic FIVFC1 challenge. Adoptive-transfer (A-T) conferred a protection rate of 87% (13 of 15, p < 0.001) against FIVPet using the FLA-matched T cells, whereas all 12 control cats were unprotected. Furthermore, A-T conferred protection rate of 50% (6 of 12, p<0.023) against FIVFC1 using FLA-matched T cells, whereas all 8 control cats were unprotected. Transfer of FLA-matched T and B cells demonstrated that T cells are needed to confer A-T protection. In addition, complete FLA-matching and addition of T-cell numbers > 13 × 10(6) cells were required for A-T protection against FIVFC1 strain, reported to be a highly pathogenic virus resistant to vaccine-induced neutralizing-antibodies. The addition of FLA-matched B cells alone was not protective. The poor quality of the anti-FIV T-cell immunity induced by the vaccine likely contributed to the lack of protection in an FLA-matched recipient against FIVFC1. The quality of the immune response was determined by the presence of high mRNA levels of cytolysin (perforin) and cytotoxins (granzymes A, B, and H) and T helper-1 cytokines (interferon-γ [IFNγ] and IL2). Increased cytokine, cytolysin and cytotoxin production was detected in the donors which conferred protection in A-T studies. In addition, the CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell proliferation and/or IFNγ responses to FIV p24 and reverse transcriptase increased with each year in cats receiving 1X-3X vaccine boosts over 4 years. These studies demonstrate that anti-FIV T-cell immunity induced by vaccination with a dual-subtype FIV vaccine is essential for prophylactic protection against AIDS lentiviruses such as FIV and potentially HIV-1. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An initial examination of the potential role of T-cell immunity in protection against feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infection

PubMed Central

Aranyos, Alek M.; Roff, Shannon R.; Pu, Riuyu; Owen, Jennifer L.; Coleman, James K.; Yamamoto, Janet K.

2016-01-01

The importance of vaccine-induced T-cell immunity in conferring protection with prototype and commercial FIV vaccines is still unclear. Current studies performed adoptive transfer of T cells from prototype FIV-vaccinated cats to partial-to-complete feline leukocyte antigen (FLA)-matched cats a day before either homologous FIVPet or heterologous-subtype pathogenic FIVFC1 challenge. Adoptive-transfer (A–T) conferred a protection rate of 87% (13 of 15, p<0.001) against FIVPet using FLA-matched T cells, whereas all 12 control cats were unprotected. Furthermore, A-T conferred protection rate of 50% (6 of 12, p<0.023) against FIVFC1 using FLA-matched T cells, whereas all 8 control cats were unprotected. Transfer of FLA-matched T and B cells demonstrated that T cells are needed to confer A-T protection. In addition, complete FLA-matching and addition of T-cell numbers >13×106 cells were required for A-T protection against FIVFC1 strain, reported to be a highly pathogenic virus resistant to vaccine-induced neutralizing-antibodies. The addition of FLA-matched B cells alone was not protective. The poor quality of the anti-FIV T-cell immunity induced by the vaccine likely contributed to the lack of protection in an FLA-matched recipient against FIVFC1. The quality of the immune response was determined by the presence of high mRNA levels of cytolysin (perforin) and cytotoxins (granzymes A, B, and H) and T helper-1 cytokines (interferon-γ [IFNγ] and IL2). Increased cytokine, cytolysin and cytotoxin production was detected in the donors which conferred protection in A-T studies. In addition, the CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell proliferation and/or IFNγ responses to FIV p24 and reverse transcriptase increased with each year in cats receiving 1X-3X vaccine boosts over 4 years. These studies demonstrate that anti-FIV T-cell immunity induced by vaccination with a dual-subtype FIV vaccine is essential for prophylactic protection against AIDS lentiviruses such as FIV and potentially HIV-1. PMID:26802606

Family Maltreatment, Substance Problems, and Suicidality: Prevalence Surveillance and Ecological Risk/Protective Factors Models

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

Factors of Child Abuse in A Large Survey Sample. International FamilyViolence and Child Victimization Research Conference. Portsmouth, New...manuscript in preparation). Physical child abuse in a large-scale survey of the U.S. Air Force: Risk and promotive factors. Slep, A. M. S., Snarr, J...D., Heyman, R. E., & Foran, H. M. (manuscript in preparation). Risk and promotive factors for emotional child abuse among active duty U.S. Air

Suicidality as a Function of Impulsivity, Callous/Unemotional Traits, and Depressive Symptoms in Youth

PubMed Central

Javdani, Shabnam; Sadeh, Naomi; Verona, Edelyn

2012-01-01

Suicidality represents one of the most important areas of risk for adolescents, with both internalizing (e.g., depression, anxiety) and externalizing/antisocial (e.g., substance use, conduct) disorders conferring risk for suicidal ideation and attempts (e.g., Bridge et al., 2006). However, no study has attended to gender differences in relationships between suicidality and different facets of psychopathic tendencies in youth. Further, very little research has focused on disentangling the multiple manifestations of suicide risk in the same study, including behaviors (suicide attempts with intent to die, self- injurious behavior) and general suicide risk marked by suicidal ideation/plans. To better understand these relationships, we recruited 184 adolescents from the community and those in treatment. As predicted, psychopathic traits and depressive symptoms in youth showed differential associations with components of suicidality. Specifically, impulsive traits uniquely contributed to suicide attempts and self- injurious behaviors, above the influence of depression. Indeed, once psychopathic tendencies were entered in the model, depressive symptoms only explained general suicide risk marked by ideation/plans but not behaviors. Further, callous/unemotional traits conferred protection from suicide attempts selectively in girls. These findings have important implications for developing integrative models that incorporate differential relationships between 1) depressed mood and 2) personality risk factors (i.e., impulsivity and callous-unemotional traits) for suicidality in youth. PMID:21280931

A case of erectile dysfunction and risk factors for coronary artery disease.

PubMed

Kloner, R A

2005-12-01

The hypothetical case of a man with erectile dysfunction and multiple cardiovascular risk factors is presented to illustrate the use of the second Princeton Consensus Conference Guidelines. Methods to optimize efficacy of the phosphodiesterase inhibitors are described. The overall cardiovascular safety of the phosphodiesterase inhibitors and their interaction with organic nitrates and alpha blockers are discussed.

A Prospective Examination of the Association of Stimulant Medication History and Drug Use Outcomes among Community Samples of ADHD Youths

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winters, Ken C.; Lee, Susanne; Botzet, Andria; Fahnhorst, Tamara; Realmuto, George M.; August, Gerald J.

2011-01-01

A continuing debate in the child psychopathology literature is the extent to which pharmacotherapy for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), in particular stimulant treatment, confers a risk of subsequent drug abuse. If stimulant treatment for ADHD contributes to drug abuse, then the risk versus therapeutic benefits of…

Utilizing Biopsychosocial and Strengths-Based Approaches within the Field of Child Health: What We Know and Where We Can Grow

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Jessica M.; Hoeft, Fumiko

2015-01-01

We continue to increase our understanding of the experiences and settings that contribute to positive developmental outcomes in childhood, and those that confer greater risk. Although the mechanisms by which the risk and protective factors affect developmental outcomes need to be further elucidated through research, converging findings from the…

Emerging contaminants: Presentations at the 2009 Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference

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

Murnyak, George, E-mail: George.murnyak@us.army.mil; Vandenberg, John, E-mail: Vandenberg.John@epamail.epa.gov; Yaroschak, Paul J., E-mail: Paul.Yaroschak@osd.mil

2011-07-15

A session entitled 'Emerging Contaminants' was held in April 2009 in Cincinnati, OH at the 2009 Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference. The purpose of the session was to share information on both programmatic and technical aspects associated with emerging contaminants. Emerging contaminants are chemicals or materials that are characterized by a perceived or real threat to human health or environment, a lack of published health standards or an evolving standard. A contaminant may also be 'emerging' because of the discovery of a new source, a new pathway to humans, or a new detection method or technology. The session included fivemore » speakers representing the Department of Defense (DoD), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and each of the military services. The DoD created the Emerging Contaminant Directorate to proactively address environmental, health, and safety concerns associated with emerging contaminants. This session described the scan-watch-action list process, impact assessment methodology, and integrated risk management concept that DoD has implemented to manage emerging contaminants. EPA presented emerging trends in health risk assessment. Researchers made technical presentations on the status of some emerging contaminates in the assessment process (i.e. manganese, RDX, and naphthalene).« less

Conference summary: Navigating the Sea of Genomic Data, October 28-29, 2015.

PubMed

Pihlstrom, Bruce L; Barnett, Michael L

2016-03-01

The rapid pace of biomedical discoveries in the past few years has resulted in substantial advances in our ability to diagnose, treat, and prevent a wide variety of diseases. The sequencing of the human genome offered the possibility of understanding the etiology, pathogenesis, and risk of developing disease from a genetic perspective and has resulted, for example, in the development of genomic-based diagnostic or risk-assessment tests for a number of medical and dental conditions. To assess the scientific evidence underlying such tests and determine whether they may be useful in clinical practice, practitioners need to have a basic understanding of the state-of-the-science of genomics and genetic testing. To assist practitioners in understanding the science of genomics, the American Dental Association and the Task Force on Design and Analysis in Oral Health Research co-sponsored a landmark conference, Navigating the Sea of Genomic Data, held October 28-29, 2015, at the American Dental Association headquarters building in Chicago, IL. The purpose of this conference was to review the basics of genomic science, promote sound design and analysis of genomic studies of oral diseases, and provide a basis or "framework" to guide practitioners in assessing new development in genomics and genetic tests for oral diseases. Presentations at this conference were made by 9 world-renowned scientists who discussed a wide range of topics involving genomic science, genetic testing for rare mendelian single gene disorders, and genetic testing for assessing the risk of experiencing common complex diseases. This article summarizes the key points and concepts presented by the speakers. It is essential for oral health care professionals to have a fundamental understanding of genomic science so that they can evaluate new advances in this field and the use of genetic testing for the benefit of their patients. Copyright © 2016 American Dental Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

2006 Defense Economics Conference: The Defense Department’s Future in a Changing Macroeconomic Environment. Held in Alexandria, Virginia on September 21, 2006

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

cost of defense and the value of insurance against threats purchased by those costs. But a large fraction of the public debate at this time was...happen. One extreme we could ask of people is basically to self- insure . Let them bear the cost of things to happen. Th at’s a pretty powerful incentive...instruments KEYNOTE ADDRESS 11 2006 DEFENSE ECONOMICS CONFERENCE that can be used to shift risk burdens, and the use of insurance and pricing of

Current Scientific Approaches to Decision Making in Complex Systems: 3. Volume 1. Conference Proceedings. Third Conference, Richmond, Surrey, England, 6-8 August 1978

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-01-01

filter and select out. You use your nose - or heuristics. That is just maturity. The only thing we can do is help people discuss possible models of their...Decision models / Conversation Theory Decision training Team decisions Man-computer interaction Learning strategies 2& ANTAACT (Cme1 revere le N nneesmod...paper by Maria Novakowska on a new model of decision under risk. , /V TI I~ 4 A SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF TIS PAOUI(Ves Date EntetQ ii ,ln 1 to hi

Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking Conference, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking (ARD) will be a requirement for future space programs. Clear examples include satellite servicing, repair, recovery, and reboost in the near term, and the longer range lunar and planetary exploration programs. ARD will permit more aggressive unmanned space activities, while providing a valuable operational capability for manned missions. The purpose of the conference is to identify the technologies required for an on-orbit demonstration of ARD, assess the maturity of those technologies, and provide the necessary insight for a quality assessment of programmatic management, technical, schedule, and cost risks.

2012 AAPS National Biotech Conference Open Forum: a perspective on the current state of immunogenicity prediction and risk management.

PubMed

Rajadhyaksha, Manoj; Subramanyam, Meena; Rup, Bonnie

2013-10-01

The immunogenicity profile of a biotherapeutic is determined by multiple product-, process- or manufacturing-, patient- and treatment-related factors and the bioanalytical methodology used to monitor for immunogenicity. This creates a complex situation that limits direct correlation of individual factors to observed immunogenicity rates. Therefore, mechanistic understanding of how these factors individually or in concert could influence the overall incidence and clinical risk of immunogenicity is crucial to provide the best benefit/risk profile for a given biotherapeutic in a given indication and to inform risk mitigation strategies. Advances in the field of immunogenicity have included development of best practices for monitoring anti-drug antibody development, categorization of risk factors contributing to immunogenicity, development of predictive tools, and development of effective strategies for risk management and mitigation. Thus, the opportunity to ask "where we are now and where we would like to go from here?" was the main driver for organizing an Open Forum on Improving Immunogenicity Risk Prediction and Management, conducted at the 2012 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists' (AAPS) National Biotechnology Conference in San Diego. The main objectives of the Forum include the following: to understand the nature of immunogenicity risk factors, to identify analytical tools used and animal models and management strategies needed to improve their predictive value, and finally to identify collaboration opportunities to improve the reliability of risk prediction, mitigation, and management. This meeting report provides the Forum participant's and author's perspectives on the barriers to advancing this field and recommendations for overcoming these barriers through collaborative efforts.

Plasma FGF23 and the risk of stroke

PubMed Central

Dong, Chuanhui; Stark, Matthew; Silverberg, Shonni; Rundek, Tatjana; Elkind, Mitchell S.V.; Sacco, Ralph L.; Mendez, Armando; Wolf, Myles

2014-01-01

Objective: To examine fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) as a risk factor for incident stroke in a racially/ethnically diverse population-based urban cohort. Methods: Stroke-free Northern Manhattan Study participants with FGF23 measurements (n = 2,525) were followed for a mean of 12 (±5) years to detect incident strokes. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the association of baseline FGF23 with incident total, ischemic, and hemorrhagic stroke. Results: Median FGF23 was 57 relative units (RU)/mL (interquartile range = 44–81 RU/mL). Each unit increase of natural log-transformed FGF23 conferred a 40% greater overall stroke risk after adjusting for estimated glomerular filtration rate and sociodemographic and vascular risk factors (hazard ratio = 1.4, 95% confidence interval 1.1–1.6, p = 0.004). Penalized spline analysis revealed a linear association with overall stroke risk at ≥90 RU/mL FGF23, compared with <90 RU/mL (hazard ratio = 1.5, 95% confidence interval = 1.2–2.1, p = 0.004). Greater FGF23 conferred a doubling of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) risk but no significant increased risk of ischemic stroke. The associations of elevated FGF23 levels with greater risks of overall stroke and ICH events were independent of phosphate and parathyroid hormone levels and were similar among participants without chronic kidney disease. Conclusions: Elevated FGF23 was a risk factor for overall stroke and ICH events, in particular in a racially and ethnically diverse urban community, independent of chronic kidney disease. PMID:24706015

Sudden cardiac death: epidemiology and risk factors

PubMed Central

Adabag, A. Selcuk; Luepker, Russell V.; Roger, Véronique L.; Gersh, Bernard J.

2016-01-01

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is an important public-health problem with multiple etiologies, risk factors, and changing temporal trends. Substantial progress has been made over the past few decades in identifying markers that confer increased SCD risk at the population level. However, the quest for predicting the high-risk individual who could be a candidate for an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, or other therapy, continues. In this article, we review the incidence, temporal trends, and triggers of SCD, and its demographic, clinical, and genetic risk factors. We also discuss the available evidence supporting the use of public-access defibrillators. PMID:20142817

Internet conferences in glycobiology.

PubMed

Hardy, B J; Doughty, S W; Parretti, M F; Tennison, J; Wilson, I

1997-09-01

In this article we describe recent activities in the use of electronic conferencing in glycobiology focusing on our experiences with the organization and development of the Second Electronic Glycoscience Conference (EGC-2), which was held on the Internet and World Wide Web in September 1996. EGC-2 involved the presentation and discussion of scientific research results in a virtual conferencing environment which incorporated virtual replicas of many activities usually observed at a physical conference in addition to features unique to the electronic medium. Highlights of the scientific program and technical developments in the design and use of these facilities are briefly described. EGC-3 will be held in October 1997.

Association between dietary antioxidant vitamins intake/blood level and risk of gastric cancer.

PubMed

Li, Peiwei; Zhang, Honghe; Chen, Jiamin; Shi, Yu; Cai, Jianting; Yang, Jun; Wu, Yihua

2014-09-15

We aimed to systematically evaluate the association between dietary intake/blood levels of antioxidant vitamins (vitamin C, vitamin E, β-carotene, and α-carotene) and gastric cancer risk. Systematic literature searches were conducted until April 2013 in Pubmed and Embase to identify relevant studies. Either a fixed- or a random-effects model was adopted to estimate overall odds ratios (ORs). Dose-response, meta-regression, subgroup, and publication bias analyses were applied. Forty articles were finally included in the present study. Higher dietary intake of vitamin C, vitamin E, β-carotene, and α-carotene was inversely associated with gastric cancer risk (for vitamin C, pooled OR=0.58, 95% CI 0.51-0.65; for vitamin E, pooled OR=0.65, 95% CI 0.57-0.74; for β-carotene, pooled OR=0.59, 95% CI 0.49-0.70; for α-carotene, pooled OR=0.69, 95% CI 0.52-0.93). Subgroup analyses suggested the effects of these antioxidant vitamins were different in gastric cancer subtypes. As indicated by dose-response analysis, a 100 mg/day increment of vitamin C intake conferred an OR of 0.78 (95% CI 0.67-0.90); a 15 mg/day increment of vitamin E intake conferred an OR of 0.79 (95% CI 0.66-0.94); and a 5 mg/day increment in β-carotene intake conferred an OR of 0.80 (95% CI 0.60-1.04). No significant association was observed between blood vitamin C, α-tocopherol, γ- tocopherol, β-carotene and α-carotene levels and gastric cancer risk. In conclusion, dietary intake of vitamin C, vitamin E, β-carotene and α-carotene was inversely associated with gastric cancer risk while no such association was observed for blood levels of these antioxidant vitamins, thus the results should be interpreted cautiously. © 2014 UICC.

4th Annual Conference for African-American Researchers in the Mathematical Sciences (CAARMS4). Preliminary Program

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

Tapia, Richard

1998-06-01

In June, The Center for Research on Parallel Computation (CRPC), an NSF-funded Science and Technology Center, hosted the 4th Annual Conference for African-American Reserachers in the Mathematical Sciences (CAARMS4) at Rice University. The main goal of this conference was to highlight current work by African-American researchers and graduate students in mathematics. This conference strengthened the mathematical sciences by encouraging the increased participation of African-American and underrepresented groups into the field, facilitating working relationships between them and helping to cultivate their careers. In addition to the talks there was a graduate student poster session and tutorials on topics in mathematics andmore » computer science. These talks, presentations, and discussions brought a broader perspective to the critical issues involving minority participation in mathematics.« less

Essential learning tools for continuing medical education for physicians, geneticists, nurses, allied health professionals, mental health professionals, business administration professionals, and reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI) fellows: the Midwest Reproductive Symposium International.

PubMed

Collins, Gretchen G; Jeelani, Roohi; Beltsos, Angeline; Kearns, William G

2018-04-01

Essential learning tools for continuing medical education are a challenge in today's rapidly evolving field of reproductive medicine. The Midwest Reproductive Symposium International (MRSi) is a yearly conference held in Chicago, IL. The conference is targeted toward physicians, geneticists, nurses, allied health professionals, mental health professionals, business administration professionals, and reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI) fellows engaged in the practice of reproductive medicine. In addition to the scientific conference agenda, there are specific sessions for nurses, mental health professionals, and REI fellows. Unique to the MRSi conference, there is also a separate "Business Minds" session to provide education on business acumen as it is an important element to running a department, division, or private clinic.

Race and ethnic differences in the epidemiology and risk factors for graft failure after heart transplantation.

PubMed

Morris, Alanna A; Kalogeropoulos, Andreas P; Zhao, Liping; Owen, Melissa; Raja Laskar, S; David Vega, J; Smith, Andrew; Butler, Javed

2015-06-01

Contemporary epidemiology of chronic graft failure (GF) after heart transplantation (HT) is not well described. Moreover, differences in the epidemiology of GF based on race/ethnicity remain poorly understood, despite clear evidence of inferior survival of ethnic minorities after HT. The incidence of GF and the population-attributable risk (PAR) of independent risk factors for GF were assessed in 15,255 patients (76% men; mean age 52 ± 12 years) who underwent primary HT from 2004 to 2012. During a median follow-up of 4.7 years (interquartile range, 2.3-7.1 years), GF developed in 2,926 patients (19.2%), corresponding to an incidence rate of 39.8/1,000 person-years (95% confidence interval, 38.4-41.3). Blacks were more likely to develop GF than Hispanics or whites, with incidence rates of 55.1, 42.2, and 36.5/1,000 person-years, respectively. After multivariable adjustment, black race was associated with a higher risk of GF (hazard ratio, 1.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-1.6; p < 0.001). Blacks and Hispanics were more likely to have risk factors for GF, including low education, public insurance, allosensitization, higher human leukocyte antigen mismatch, non-adherence, and history of rejection requiring hospitalization (all p < 0.001). Rejection requiring hospitalization carried the highest population-attributable risk in all groups, with the highest fraction in blacks (25.8%) compared with whites (18.6%) and Hispanics (15.6%). Socioeconomic and donor risk factors conferred relatively less risk of GF. Black HT recipients have the highest risk of GF, with immunologic factors conferring the greatest proportion of that risk. Racial differences in risk factors for GF after HT require further study. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Gender Differences in Genetic Risk Profiles for Cardiovascular Disease

PubMed Central

Silander, Kaisa; Saarela, Olli; Ripatti, Samuli; Auro, Kirsi; Karvanen, Juha; Kulathinal, Sangita; Niemelä, Matti; Ellonen, Pekka; Vartiainen, Erkki; Jousilahti, Pekka; Saarela, Janna; Kuulasmaa, Kari; Evans, Alun; Perola, Markus; Salomaa, Veikko; Peltonen, Leena

2008-01-01

Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence, complications and burden differ markedly between women and men. Although there is variation in the distribution of lifestyle factors between the genders, they do not fully explain the differences in CVD incidence and suggest the existence of gender-specific genetic risk factors. We aimed to estimate whether the genetic risk profiles of coronary heart disease (CHD), ischemic stroke and the composite end-point of CVD differ between the genders. Methodology/Principal Findings We studied in two Finnish population cohorts, using the case-cohort design the association between common variation in 46 candidate genes and CHD, ischemic stroke, CVD, and CVD-related quantitative risk factors. We analyzed men and women jointly and also conducted genotype-gender interaction analysis. Several allelic variants conferred disease risk for men and women jointly, including rs1801020 in coagulation factor XII (HR = 1.31 (1.08–1.60) for CVD, uncorrected p = 0.006 multiplicative model). Variant rs11673407 in the fucosyltransferase 3 gene was strongly associated with waist/hip ratio (uncorrected p = 0.00005) in joint analysis. In interaction analysis we found statistical evidence of variant-gender interaction conferring risk of CHD and CVD: rs3742264 in the carboxypeptidase B2 gene, p(interaction) = 0.009 for CHD, and rs2774279 in the upstream stimulatory factor 1 gene, p(interaction) = 0.007 for CHD and CVD, showed strong association in women but not in men, while rs2069840 in interleukin 6 gene, p(interaction) = 0.004 for CVD, showed strong association in men but not in women (uncorrected p-values). Also, two variants in the selenoprotein S gene conferred risk for ischemic stroke in women, p(interaction) = 0.003 and 0.007. Importantly, we identified a larger number of gender-specific effects for women than for men. Conclusions/Significance A false discovery rate analysis suggests that we may expect half of the reported findings for combined gender analysis to be true positives, while at least third of the reported genotype-gender interaction results are true positives. The asymmetry in positive findings between the genders could imply that genetic risk loci for CVD are more readily detectable in women, while for men they are more confounded by environmental/lifestyle risk factors. The possible differences in genetic risk profiles between the genders should be addressed in more detail in genetic studies of CVD, and more focus on female CVD risk is also warranted in genome-wide association studies. PMID:18974842

Examining a Comprehensive Model of Disaster-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Systematically Studied Survivors of 10 Disasters

PubMed Central

Oliver, Julianne; Pandya, Anand

2012-01-01

Objectives. Using a comprehensive disaster model, we examined predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in combined data from 10 different disasters. Methods. The combined sample included data from 811 directly exposed survivors of 10 disasters between 1987 and 1995. We used consistent methods across all 10 disaster samples, including full diagnostic assessment. Results. In multivariate analyses, predictors of PTSD were female gender, younger age, Hispanic ethnicity, less education, ever-married status, predisaster psychopathology, disaster injury, and witnessing injury or death; exposure through death or injury to friends or family members and witnessing the disaster aftermath did not confer additional PTSD risk. Intentionally caused disasters associated with PTSD in bivariate analysis did not independently predict PTSD in multivariate analysis. Avoidance and numbing symptoms represented a PTSD marker. Conclusions. Despite confirming some previous research findings, we found no associations between PTSD and disaster typology. Prospective research is needed to determine whether early avoidance and numbing symptoms identify individuals likely to develop PTSD later. Our findings may help identify at-risk populations for treatment research. PMID:22897543

Sequence variant on 8q24 confers susceptibility to urinary bladder cancer

PubMed Central

Kiemeney, Lambertus A.; Thorlacius, Steinunn; Sulem, Patrick; Geller, Frank; Aben, Katja K.H.; Stacey, Simon N.; Gudmundsson, Julius; Jakobsdottir, Margret; Bergthorsson, Jon T.; Sigurdsson, Asgeir; Blondal, Thorarinn; Witjes, J. Alfred; Vermeulen, Sita H.; Hulsbergen-van de Kaa, Christina A.; Swinkels, Dorine W.; Ploeg, Martine; Cornel, Erik B.; Vergunst, Henk; Thorgeirsson, Thorgeir E.; Gudbjartsson, Daniel; Gudjonsson, Sigurjon A.; Thorleifsson, Gudmar; Kristinsson, Kari T.; Mouy, Magali; Snorradottir, Steinunn; Placidi, Donatella; Campagna, Marcello; Arici, Cecilia; Koppova, Kvetoslava; Gurzau, Eugene; Rudnai, Peter; Kellen, Eliane; Polidoro, Silvia; Guarrera, Simonetta; Sacerdote, Carlotta; Sanchez, Manuel; Saez, Berta; Valdivia, Gabriel; Ryk, Charlotta; de Verdier, Petra; Lindblom, Annika; Golka, Klaus; Bishop, D. Timothy; Knowles, Margaret A.; Nikulasson, Sigfus; Petursdottir, Vigdis; Jonsson, Eirikur; Geirsson, Gudmundur; Kristjansson, Baldvin; Mayordomo, Jose I.; Steineck, Gunnar; Porru, Stefano; Buntinx, Frank; Zeegers, Maurice P.; Fletcher, Tony; Kumar, Rajiv; Matullo, Giuseppe; Vineis, Paolo; Kiltie, Anne E.; Gulcher, Jeffrey R.; Thorsteinsdottir, Unnur; Kong, Augustine; Rafnar, Thorunn; Stefansson, Kari

2015-01-01

We conducted a genome wide SNP association study on 1,803 Urinary Bladder Cancer (UBC) cases and 34,336 controls from Iceland and the Netherlands and follow up studies in seven additional case control groups (2,165 cases and 3,800 controls). The strongest association was observed with allele T of rs9642880 on chromosome 8q24, 30kb upstream of the c-Myc gene (allele specific OR=1.22; P=9.34×10−12). Approximately 20% of individuals of European ancestry are homozygous for rs9642880 (T) and their estimated risk of developing UBC is 1.49 times that of non-carriers with population attributable risk (PAR) of 17%. No association was observed between UBC and the four 8q24 variants previously associated with prostate, colorectal and breast cancers, nor did rs9642880 associate with any of these three cancers. A weaker signal, but nonetheless of genome wide significance, was captured by rs710521 (A) located near the TP63 gene on chromosome 3q28 (allele specific OR=1.19; P=1. 15× 10−7). PMID:18794855

Long-term associations of nut consumption with body weight and obesity1234

PubMed Central

Jackson, Chandra L

2014-01-01

There is some concern that the high-fat, energy-dense content of nuts may promote weight gain. Nuts, however, are rich in protein and dietary fiber, which are associated with increased satiety. They also contain high amounts of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytoesterols that may confer health benefits for cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes delay and prevention. Therefore, it is important to determine the association between nut consumption and long-term weight change and disease risk to reach scientific consensus and to make evidence-based public health recommendations. Several cross-sectional analyses have shown an inverse association between higher nut consumption and lower body weight. In addition, several independent prospective studies found that increasing nut consumption was associated with lower weight gain over relatively long periods of time. Moreover, high consumption of nuts (especially walnuts) has been associated with lower diabetes risk. Therefore, regular consumption (approximately one handful daily) of nuts over the long term, as a replacement to less healthful foods, can be incorporated as a component of a healthy diet for the prevention of obesity and type 2 diabetes. PMID:24898229

Chocolate--guilty pleasure or healthy supplement?

PubMed

Latham, Laura S; Hensen, Zeb K; Minor, Deborah S

2014-02-01

Dark chocolate and other cocoa products are popular in the population as a whole, but their overall health benefit remains controversial. Observations from the Kuna Indian population have shown an impressive cardiovascular health benefit from cocoa. For various reasons, this benefit has not been as robust as in other populations. Additionally, several mechanisms have been proposed that might confer cocoa's possible health benefit, but no consensus has been reached on cocoa's physiologic role in promoting cardiovascular health. Flavanols, as well as theobromine, may contribute to enhancements in endothelial function and subsequent improvements in various contributors to cardiovascular disease (CVD) including hypertension, platelet aggregation and adhesion, insulin resistance, and hypercholesterolemia. While the benefits of cocoa may be altered at the various stages of growth, development, and production, it appears that for many people "healthy" dark chocolate may, indeed, provide a pleasurable role in CVD risk reduction. The objectives of this review are to discuss the associations of cocoa with decreased blood pressure and improved CVD risk, to describe the possible mechanisms for these potential benefits, and to highlight considerations for the use of cocoa as a dietary supplement.

Depression in dementia: epidemiology, mechanisms, and treatment.

PubMed

Enache, Daniela; Winblad, Bengt; Aarsland, Dag

2011-11-01

Depression in people with dementia has important implications, such as reduced quality of life of patients and carers, and is associated with increased costs and reduced cognition. Here, we review recent studies of the epidemiology, course, mechanisms and treatment of depression in people with dementia. Depression is both a risk factor and a prodrome of Alzheimer's disease. Depression is a common occurrence in all types of dementias and at all disease stages, including in mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Many studies have explored whether depression in MCI increased the conversion rate to dementia, but findings are inconsistent. Studies of the mechanisms are relatively few and findings inconsistent, but inflammatory, trophic and cerebrovascular factors may contribute, in addition to monoamine deficiency and severity of plaques and tangle pathology. Studies of antidepressants for depression in dementia are inconclusive, with several negative findings reported in recent large studies, suggesting that antidepressant may not confer benefit over placebo. Depression is a common risk factor, prodrome, and accompanying symptom of people with Alzheimer's dementia. The mechanisms are unknown, and there is little evidence of effective therapies.

Evaluation of Chromosomal Instability in Diabetic Rats Treated with Naringin

PubMed Central

A. Bakheet, Saleh; M. Attia, Sabry

2011-01-01

We used the bone marrow DNA strand breaks, micronucleus formations, spermatocyte chromosomal aberrations, and sperm characteristic assays to investigate the chromosomal instability in somatic and germinal cells of diabetic rats treated with multiple doses of naringin. The obtained results revealed that naringin was neither cytotoxic nor genotoxic for the rats at all tested doses. Moreover, naringin significantly reduced the diabetes-induced chromosomal instability in somatic and germinal cells in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, diabetes induced marked biochemical alterations characteristic of oxidative stress including enhanced lipid peroxidation, accumulation of oxidized glutathione, reduction in reduced glutathione, and accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species. Treatment with naringin ameliorated these biochemical markers dose-dependently. In conclusion, naringin confers an appealing protective effect against diabetes-induced chromosomal instability towards rat somatic and germinal cells which might be explained partially via diminishing the de novo free radical generation induced by hyperglycemia. Thus, naringin might be a good candidate to reduce genotoxic risk associated with hyperglycemia and may provide decreases in the development of secondary malignancy and abnormal reproductive outcomes risks, which seems especially important for diabetic patients. PMID:21941606

Opposing Effects of Cat and Dog Ownership and Allergic Sensitization on Eczema in an Atopic Birth Cohort

PubMed Central

Epstein, Tolly G.; Bernstein, David I.; Levin, Linda; Khurana Hershey, Gurjit K.; Ryan, Patrick H.; Reponen, Tiina; Villareal, Manuel; Lockey, James E.; LeMasters, Grace K.

2016-01-01

Objective To examine risk factors for eczema at age 4 years. Study design Beginning at age one, infants of atopic parents (n=636) had annual clinical evaluations and skin prick tests (SPTs) to 15 aeroallergens, and milk and egg. Parents completed validated surveys on eczema and environmental exposures. House dust samples were evaluated for allergens and endotoxin. Eczema was defined as a parental report of scratching, and redness, “raised bumps,” or dry skin/scaling for 6 of the last 12 months. Results At age four, 90 children (16%) had eczema. Not having a dog prior to age one and being dog SPT+ at ages one, two, and/or three conferred a four-fold higher risk for eczema at age four (aOR=3.9 [1.6–9.2]; p=0.002). Among dog owners, however, dog SPT+ was not associated with significantly increased risk (aOR 1.3 [0.3–6.8]; p=0.8). Among children with cats prior to age one, cat SPT+ conferred significantly increased risk for eczema (aOR= 13.3 [3.1–57.9]; p<0.001). Among non-cat owners, cat SPT+ was not associated with increased risk (aOR=1.1 [0.5–2.7]; p=0.8). Conclusion Dog ownership significantly reduced the risk for eczema at age four among dog sensitized children, and cat ownership combined with cat sensitization significantly increased the risk. PMID:20884006

Opposing effects of cat and dog ownership and allergic sensitization on eczema in an atopic birth cohort.

PubMed

Epstein, Tolly G; Bernstein, David I; Levin, Linda; Khurana Hershey, Gurjit K; Ryan, Patrick H; Reponen, Tiina; Villareal, Manuel; Lockey, James E; Lemasters, Grace K

2011-02-01

To examine risk factors for eczema at age 4 years. Beginning at 1 year of age, infants of atopic parents (n = 636) had annual clinical evaluations and skin prick tests (SPTs) to 15 aeroallergens and milk and egg. Parents completed validated surveys on eczema and environmental exposures. House dust samples were evaluated for allergens and endotoxin. Eczema was defined as a parental report of scratching, and redness, "raised bumps," or dry skin/scaling for 6 of the last 12 months. At age 4 years, a total of 90 children (14%) had eczema. Not having a dog before 1 year of age and being dog SPT+ at 1, 2, or 3 years of age conferred a 4-fold higher risk for eczema at age 4 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.9 [1.6-9.2]; P = .002). Among dog owners, however, dog SPT+ was not associated with significantly increased risk (aOR 1.3 [0.3-6.8]; P = .8). Among children with cats before 1 year of age, cat SPT+ conferred significantly increased risk for eczema (aOR = 13.3 [3.1-57.9]; P < .001). Among non-cat owners, cat SPT+ was not associated with increased risk (aOR = 1.1 [0.5-2.7]; P = .8). Dog ownership significantly reduced the risk for eczema at age 4 years among dog-sensitized children, cat ownership combined with cat sensitization significantly increased the risk. Copyright © 2011 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale to Screen for Depression in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

PubMed Central

Julian, Laura J.; Gregorich, Steven E.; Tonner, Chris; Yazdany, Jinoos; Trupin, Laura; Criswell, Lindsey A.; Yelin, ED; Katz, Patricia P.

2013-01-01

Objective Identifying persons with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) at risk for depression would facilitate the identification and treatment of an important comorbidity conferring additional risk for poor outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the utility of a brief screening measure, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), in detecting mood disorders in persons with SLE. Methods This cross-sectional study examined 150 persons with SLE. Screening cut points were empirically derived using threshold selection methods, and receiver operating characteristic curves were estimated. The empirically derived cut points of the CES-D were used as the screening measures and were compared to other commonly used CES-D cut points in addition to other commonly used methods to screen for depression. Diagnoses of major depressive disorder or other mood disorders were determined using a “gold standard” structured clinical interview. Results Of the 150 persons with SLE, 26% of subjects met criteria for any mood disorder and 17% met criteria for major depressive disorder. Optimal threshold estimations suggested a CES-D cut score of 24 and above, which yielded adequate sensitivity and specificity in detecting major depressive disorder (88% and 93%, respectively) and correctly classified 92% of participants. To detect the presence of any mood disorder, a cut score of 20 and above was suggested, yielding sensitivity and specificity of 87% and correctly classifying 87%. Conclusion These results suggest the CES-D may be a useful screening measure to identify patients at risk for depression. PMID:21312347

The Continuum of Life: Health Concerns of the Indian Elderly. Final Report on the National Indian Conference on Aging (2nd, Billings, Montana, August 15-18, 1978).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Indian Council on Aging, Albuquerque, NM.

Focusing on the physical well-being and personal environment of the Indian elderly, the conference attracted 3,000 persons from 209 Indian tribes. Its program was organized into: (1) description of existing resources serving elderly Indians; (2) determination of the additional or remedial action required; and (3) identification of methodology for…

The Maritime Environment - International Conference and Exhibition on Ballast Water, Waste Water and Sewage Treatment on Ships and in Ports Held in Bremerhaven, Germany on 12-14 September 2001. Conference Proceedings.

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-09-01

Cheese & Yogurt • Biochemical Processes: Digestion • Organic Waste Reduction: Wastewater Treatment Bacterial Growth Curve Time C el l C ou nt s C el...bottom and ferment . In addition, the slope and configuration of double bottom tanks is conducive to anaerobic solid accumulation. This is potentially

The impact of bleeding complications in patients receiving target-specific oral anticoagulants: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Chai-Adisaksopha, Chatree; Crowther, Mark; Isayama, Tetsuya; Lim, Wendy

2014-10-09

Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) have been the standard of care for treatment of thromboembolic diseases. Target-specific oral anticoagulants (TSOACs) have been developed and found to be at least noninferior to VKAs with regard to efficacy, but the risk of bleeding with TSOACs remains controversial. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of phase-3 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess the bleeding side effects of TSOACs compared with VKAs in patients with venous thromboembolism or atrial fibrillation. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials; conference abstracts; and www.clinicaltrials.gov with no language restriction. Two reviewers independently performed study selection, data extraction, and study quality assessment. Twelve RCTs involving 102 607 patients were retrieved. TSOACs significantly reduced the risk of overall major bleeding (relative risk [RR] 0.72, P < .01), fatal bleeding (RR 0.53, P < .01), intracranial bleeding (RR 0.43, P < .01), clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding (RR 0.78, P < .01), and total bleeding (RR 0.76, P < .01). There was no significant difference in major gastrointestinal bleeding between TSOACs and VKAs (RR 0.94, P = .62). When compared with VKAs, TSOACs are associated with less major bleeding, fatal bleeding, intracranial bleeding, clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding, and total bleeding. Additionally, TSOACs do not increase the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding. © 2014 by The American Society of Hematology.

Evaluation of regulatory genetic variants in POU5F1 and risk of congenital heart disease in Han Chinese

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yuan; Ding, Chenyue; Zhang, Kai; Ni, Bixian; da, Min; Hu, Liang; Hu, Yuanli; Xu, Jing; Wang, Xiaowei; Chen, Yijiang; Mo, Xuming; Cui, Yugui; Shen, Hongbing; Sha, Jiahao; Liu, Jiayin; Hu, Zhibin

2015-10-01

OCT4 is a transcription factor of the POU family, which plays a key role in embryonic development and stem cell pluripotency. Previous studies have shown that Oct4 is required for cardiomyocyte differentiation in mice and its depletion could result in cardiac morphogenesis in embryo. However, whether the genetic variations in OCT4 coding gene, POU5F1, confer the predisposition to congenital heart disease (CHD) is unclear. This study sought to investigate the associations between low-frequency (defined here as having minor allele frequency (MAF) between 0.1%-5%) and rare (MAF below 0.1%) variants with potential function in POU5F1 and risk of CHD. We conducted association analysis in a two-stage case-control study with a total of 2,720 CHD cases and 3,331 controls in Chinese. The low-frequency variant rs3130933 was observed to be associated with a significantly increased risk of CHD [additive model: adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.15, adjusted P = 3.37 × 10-6]. Furthermore, luciferase activity assay showed that the variant A allele led to significantly lower expression levels as compared to the G allele. These findings indicate for the first time that low-frequency functional variant in POU5F1 may contribute to the risk of congenital heart malformations.

The schizophrenia risk gene ZNF804A: clinical associations, biological mechanisms and neuronal functions.

PubMed

Chang, H; Xiao, X; Li, M

2017-07-01

ZNF804A (zinc-finger protein 804A) has been recognized as a schizophrenia risk gene across multiple world populations. Its intronic single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1344706 is among one of the strongest susceptibility variants that have achieved genome-wide significance in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for schizophrenia and has been widely and intensively studied. To elucidate the biological mechanisms underlying the genetic risk conferred by rs1344706, we retrospectively analyzed the progresses in brain gene expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analyses, ZNF804A-induced pathway alterations in neural cells and changes in synaptic phenotypes associated with ZNF804A expression. Based on these data, we hypothesize a potential biological mechanism for a genetic risk allele of ZNF804A in schizophrenia pathogenesis. We also review the efforts being made to characterize the affected intermediate phenotypes using neuroimaging and neuropsychological approaches. We then discuss additional common and rare ZNF804A variants in schizophrenia susceptibility and the potential genetic heterogeneity of these genomic loci between Europeans and Asians. This review for we believe the first time systematically presents the evidence for ZNF804A, describing its discovery and likely roles in brain development and schizophrenia pathogenesis. We believe that this work has summarized this information with a systemic and broad assessment of recent findings.

Consumption of raw or unpasteurized milk and milk products by pregnant women and children.

PubMed

2014-01-01

Sales of raw or unpasteurized milk and milk products are still legal in at least 30 states in the United States. Raw milk and milk products from cows, goats, and sheep continue to be a source of bacterial infections attributable to a number of virulent pathogens, including Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejuni, Salmonella species, Brucella species, and Escherichia coli O157. These infections can occur in both healthy and immunocompromised individuals, including older adults, infants, young children, and pregnant women and their unborn fetuses, in whom life-threatening infections and fetal miscarriage can occur. Efforts to limit the sale of raw milk products have met with opposition from those who are proponents of the purported health benefits of consuming raw milk products, which contain natural or unprocessed factors not inactivated by pasteurization. However, the benefits of these natural factors have not been clearly demonstrated in evidence-based studies and, therefore, do not outweigh the risks of raw milk consumption. Substantial data suggest that pasteurized milk confers equivalent health benefits compared with raw milk, without the additional risk of bacterial infections. The purpose of this policy statement was to review the risks of raw milk consumption in the United States and to provide evidence of the risks of infectious complications associated with consumption of unpasteurized milk and milk products, especially among pregnant women, infants, and children.

Non-psychotropic medication and risk of suicide or attempted suicide: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Gorton, Hayley C; Webb, Roger T; Kapur, Navneet; Ashcroft, Darren M

2016-01-01

Objectives To establish which non-psychotropic medications have been assessed in relation to risk of suicide or attempted suicide in observational studies, document reported associations and consider study strengths and limitations. Design Systematic review. Methods Four databases (Embase, Medline, PsycINFO and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts) were searched from 1990 to June 2014, and reference lists of included articles were hand-searched. Case–control, cohort and case only studies which reported suicide or attempted suicide in association with any non-psychotropic medication were included. Outcome measures The outcomes eligible for inclusion were suicide and attempted suicide, as defined by the authors of the included study. Results Of 11 792 retrieved articles, 19 were eligible for inclusion. Five studies considered cardiovascular medication and antiepileptics; two considered leukotriene receptor antagonists, isotretinoin and corticosteroids; one assessed antibiotics and another assessed varenicline. An additional study compared multiple medications prescribed to suicide cases versus controls. There was marked heterogeneity in study design, outcome and exposure classification, and control for confounding factors; particularly comorbid mental and physical illness. No increased risk was associated with cardiovascular medications, but associations with other medications remained inconclusive and meta-analysis was inappropriate due to study heterogeneity. Conclusions Whether non-psychotropic medications are associated with increased risk of suicide or attempted suicide remains largely unknown. Robust identification of suicide outcomes and control of comorbidities could improve quantification of risk associated with non-psychotropic medication, beyond that conferred by underlying physical and mental illnesses. PMID:26769782

Use of hygiene protocols to control the spread of viruses in a hotel.

PubMed

Sifuentes, Laura Y; Koenig, David W; Phillips, Ronnie L; Reynolds, Kelly A; Gerba, Charles P

2014-09-01

The goals of this study were to observe the spread of viruses in a hotel setting and to assess the effectiveness of a hygiene intervention in reducing their spread. Selected fomites in one hotel room were inoculated with bacteriophage ϕx-174, and fomites in a conference center within the same hotel were inoculated using bacteriophage MS2. Cleaning of the contaminated room resulted in the spread of viruses to other rooms by the housekeeping staff. Furthermore, viruses were transferred by hotel guests to the conference center and a communal kitchen area. Additionally, conference attendees transferred viruses from the conference center to their hotel rooms and a communal kitchen area. This study demonstrated how viruses can be spread throughout a hotel setting by both housekeepers and guests. A hygiene intervention, which included providing hand hygiene products and facial tissues to the guests and disinfecting solutions with disposable wipes to the housekeeping staff, was successful in reducing the spread of viruses between the hotel guest rooms and conference center. The hygiene intervention resulted in significantly reduced transfer of the ϕx-174 between the contaminated hotel room and other hotel rooms, communal areas, and the conference center (p = 0.02).

A Novel de novo CDH1 Germline Variant Aids in the Classification of C-terminal E-cadherin Alterations Predicted to Escape Nonsense-Mediated mRNA Decay.

PubMed

Krempely, Kate; Karam, Rachid

2018-05-24

Most truncating CDH1 pathogenic alterations confer an elevated lifetime risk of diffuse gastric cancer and lobular breast cancer. However, transcripts containing carboxyl-terminal (C-terminal) premature stop codons have been demonstrated to escape the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway, and gastric and breast cancer risks associated with these truncations should be carefully evaluated. A female patient underwent multigene panel testing due to a personal history of invasive lobular breast cancer diagnosed at age 54, which identified the germline CDH1 nonsense alteration, c.2506G>T (p.E836*), in the last exon of the gene. Subsequent parental testing for the alteration was negative and additional short tandem repeat analysis confirmed the familial relationships and the de novo occurrence in the proband. Based on the de novo occurrence, clinical history, and rarity in general population databases, this alteration was classified as a likely pathogenic variant. This is the most C-terminal pathogenic alteration reported to date. Additionally, this alteration contributed to the classification of six other upstream CDH1 C-terminal truncating variants as pathogenic or likely pathogenic. Identifying the most distal pathogenic alteration provides evidence to classify other C-terminal truncating variants as either pathogenic or benign, a fundamental step to offering pre-symptomatic screening and prophylactic procedures to the appropriate patients. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Gene expression profiling assigns CHEK2 1100delC breast cancers to the luminal intrinsic subtypes.

PubMed

Nagel, Jord H A; Peeters, Justine K; Smid, Marcel; Sieuwerts, Anieta M; Wasielewski, Marijke; de Weerd, Vanja; Trapman-Jansen, Anita M A C; van den Ouweland, Ans; Brüggenwirth, Hennie; van I Jcken, Wilfred F J; Klijn, Jan G M; van der Spek, Peter J; Foekens, John A; Martens, John W M; Schutte, Mieke; Meijers-Heijboer, Hanne

2012-04-01

CHEK2 1100delC is a moderate-risk cancer susceptibility allele that confers a high breast cancer risk in a polygenic setting. Gene expression profiling of CHEK2 1100delC breast cancers may reveal clues to the nature of the polygenic CHEK2 model and its genes involved. Here, we report global gene expression profiles of a cohort of 155 familial breast cancers, including 26 CHEK2 1100delC mutant tumors. In line with previous work, all CHEK2 1100delC mutant tumors clustered among the hormone receptor-positive breast cancers. In the hormone receptor-positive subset, a 40-gene CHEK2 signature was subsequently defined that significantly associated with CHEK2 1100delC breast cancers. The identification of a CHEK2 gene signature implies an unexpected biological homogeneity among the CHEK2 1100delC breast cancers. In addition, all 26 CHEK2 1100delC tumors classified as luminal intrinsic subtype breast cancers, with 8 luminal A and 18 luminal B tumors. This biological make-up of CHEK2 1100delC breast cancers suggests that a relatively limited number of additional susceptibility alleles are involved in the polygenic CHEK2 model. Identification of these as-yet-unknown susceptibility alleles should be aided by clues from the 40-gene CHEK2 signature.

Association of serum microRNAs with islet autoimmunity, disease progression and metabolic impairment in relatives at risk of type 1 diabetes.

PubMed

Snowhite, Isaac V; Allende, Gloria; Sosenko, Jay; Pastori, Ricardo L; Messinger Cayetano, Shari; Pugliese, Alberto

2017-08-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of gene expression and novel biomarkers for many diseases. We investigated the hypothesis that serum levels of some miRNAs would be associated with islet autoimmunity and/or progression to type 1 diabetes. We measured levels of 93 miRNAs most commonly detected in serum. This retrospective cohort study included 150 autoantibody-positive and 150 autoantibody-negative family-matched siblings enrolled in the TrialNet Pathway to Prevention Study. This was a young cohort (mean age = 11 years), and most autoantibody-positive relatives were at high risk because they had multiple autoantibodies, with 39/150 (26%, progressors) developing type 1 diabetes within an average 8.7 months of follow-up. We analysed miRNA levels in relation to autoantibody status, future development of diabetes and OGTT C-peptide and glucose indices of disease progression. Fifteen miRNAs were differentially expressed when comparing autoantibody-positive/negative siblings (range -2.5 to 1.3-fold). But receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated low specificity and sensitivity. Seven additional miRNAs were differentially expressed among autoantibody-positive relatives according to disease progression; ROC returned significant AUC values and identified miRNA cut-off levels associated with an increased risk of disease in both cross-sectional and survival analyses. Levels of several miRNAs showed significant correlations (r values range 0.22-0.55) with OGTT outcomes. miR-21-3p, miR-29a-3p and miR-424-5p had the most robust associations. Serum levels of selected miRNAs are associated with disease progression and confer additional risk of the development of type 1 diabetes in young autoantibody-positive relatives. Further studies, including longitudinal assessments, are warranted to further define miRNA biomarkers for prediction of disease risk and progression.

Brief communication: Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction - success or warning sign for Paris?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mysiak, Jaroslav; Surminski, Swenja; Thieken, Annegret; Mechler, Reinhard; Aerts, Jeroen

2016-09-01

In March 2015, a new international blueprint for disaster risk reduction (DRR) was adopted in Sendai, Japan, at the end of the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR, 14-18 March 2015). We review and discuss the agreed commitments and targets, as well as the negotiation leading the Sendai Framework for DRR (SFDRR) and discuss briefly its implication for the later UN-led negotiations on sustainable development goals and climate change.

SHIPshaping, an Interpretive Summary of a Seminar on Management of the Ship Environment to Improve Navy Effectiveness in the Future

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-07-01

Invitees were carefully selected to represent a wide range of interests and back- ground in the Navy. Despite the risk of not being able to match...important to accept the risk of inviting different specialists, «each with his own agenda , who aren’t accustomed to conferring and collaborating...claim by common-sense criteria. Otherwise, we run the risk of allowing the choice of paint and fittings to nullify the very traditions and

Integrated Hybrid System Architecture for Risk Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moynihan, Gary P.; Fonseca, Daniel J.; Ray, Paul S.

2010-01-01

A conceptual design has been announced of an expert-system computer program, and the development of a prototype of the program, intended for use as a project-management tool. The program integrates schedule and risk data for the purpose of determining the schedule applications of safety risks and, somewhat conversely, the effects of changes in schedules on changes on safety. It is noted that the design has been delivered to a NASA client and that it is planned to disclose the design in a conference presentation.

CTLA-4 and MDR1 polymorphisms increase the risk for ulcerative colitis: A meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Zhao, Jia-Jun; Wang, Di; Yao, Hui; Sun, Da-Wei; Li, Hong-Yu

2015-01-01

AIM: To evaluate the correlations between cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and multi-drug resistance 1 (MDR1) genes polymorphisms with ulcerative colitis (UC) risk. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CBM databases, Springerlink, Wiley, EBSCO, Ovid, Wanfang database, VIP database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Weipu Journal databases were exhaustively searched using combinations of keywords relating to CTLA-4, MDR1 and UC. The published studies were filtered using our stringent inclusion and exclusion criteria, the quality assessment for each eligible study was conducted using Critical Appraisal Skill Program and the resultant high-quality data from final selected studies were analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-analysis 2.0 (CMA 2.0) software. The correlations between SNPs of CTLA-4 gene, MDR1 gene and the risk of UC were evaluated by OR at 95%CI. Z test was carried out to evaluate the significance of overall effect values. Cochran’s Q-statistic and I2 tests were applied to quantify heterogeneity among studies. Funnel plots, classic fail-safe N and Egger’s linear regression test were inspected for indication of publication bias. RESULTS: A total of 107 studies were initially retrieved and 12 studies were eventually selected for meta-analysis. These 12 case-control studies involved 1860 UC patients and 2663 healthy controls. Our major result revealed that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of CTLA-4 gene rs3087243 G > A and rs231775 G > A may increase the risk of UC (rs3087243 G > A: allele model: OR = 1.365, 95%CI: 1.023-1.822, P = 0.035; dominant model: OR = 1.569, 95%CI: 1.269-1.940, P < 0.001; rs231775 G > A: allele model: OR = 1.583, 95%CI: = 1.306-1.918, P < 0.001; dominant model: OR = 1.805, 95%CI: 1.393-2.340, P < 0.001). In addition, based on our result, SNPs of MDR1 gene rs1045642 C > T might also confer a significant increases for the risk of UC (allele model: OR = 1.389, 95%CI: 1.214-1.590, P < 0.001; dominant model: OR = 1.518, 95%CI: 1.222-1.886, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: CTLA-4 gene rs3087243 G > A and rs231775 G > A, and MDR1 gene rs1045642 C > T might confer an increase for UC risk. PMID:26379408

Adolescents’ Perceptions of Health Risks, Social Risks, and Benefits Differ Across Tobacco Products

PubMed Central

Roditis, Maria; Delucchi, Kevin; Cash, David; Halpern-Felsher, Bonnie

2016-01-01

Objective This study assesses perceptions of overall harm, short-term health and social risks, long-term health risks, and benefits associated with various tobacco products including conventional cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, chew, and hookah. This study also assesses whether and how perceptions differ by age, gender, race/ethnicity, and previous experience with tobacco. Methods A total of 722 high school students completed an online survey, answering questions about their use and perceptions of a variety of tobacco products. Differences in perceptions across products were assessed using a generalized estimation equation with an exchangeable correlation structure. Results Adolescents rated the various tobacco products as conferring significantly different levels of risks and benefits. Generally, adolescents rated cigarettes as most risky, followed by cigars and chew, with hookah and e-cigarettes rated as least risky. Adolescents rated hookah followed by cigarettes and e-cigarettes as most likely to make them look cool or fit in and cigars and chew as least likely to confer these benefits. There were interaction effects by age and use, with older adolescents and those with tobacco experience holding lower perceptions of risk. There were no significant interaction effects by race/ethnicity or gender. Conclusion Given the significant differences in adolescents’ perceptions of risks and benefits of using different tobacco products and research showing the predictive relationship between perceptions and behavior, there is a need for comprehensive messaging that discusses risks of all tobacco products, particularly hookah and e-cigarettes. There is also a need to address perceived benefits of tobacco products, especially hookah and e-cigarettes. PMID:27107909

The inpatient evaluation and treatment of a self-professed budding serial killer.

PubMed

Reisner, Andrew D; McGee, Mark; Noffsinger, Stephen G

2003-02-01

The authors present the case of a man who was hospitalized after claiming that he was about to become a serial killer. The patient presented with extensive written homicidal fantasies and homicidal intentions without evidence of actual homicidal acts. In addition to routine assessments, hospital staff members used case conferences, psychological testing, outside forensic consultation, and a forensic review process to make decisions regarding diagnosis, treatment planning, and discharge. The patient was discharged after 8 months of inpatient treatment and was apparently free of homicidal impulses or symptoms of severe mental illness. A 2-year court commitment allowed for the enactment and potential enforcement of a discharge plan that was endorsed by the patient, the hospital, and community care providers. The authors review diagnostic and risk management issues. Comparisons with known features of typical serial killers are made.

Benefits and Effectiveness of Administering Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine With Seasonal Influenza Vaccine: An Approach for Policymakers

PubMed Central

Nanni, Angeline; Levine, Orin

2012-01-01

For the influenza pandemic of 2009–2010, countries responded to the direct threat of influenza but may have missed opportunities and strategies to limit secondary pneumococcal infections. Delivering both vaccines together can potentially increase pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) immunization rates and prevent additional hospitalizations and mortality in the elderly and other high-risk groups. We used PubMed to review the literature on the concomitant use of PPV23 with seasonal influenza vaccines. Eight of 9 clinical studies found that a concomitant program conferred clinical benefits. The 2 studies that compared the cost-effectiveness of different strategies found concomitant immunization to be more cost-effective than either vaccine given alone. Policymakers should consider a stepwise strategy to reduce the burden of secondary pneumococcal infections during seasonal and pandemic influenza outbreaks. PMID:22397339

Medical and surgical management of perianal Crohn’s disease

PubMed Central

Adegbola, Samuel O.; Pisani, Anthea; Sahnan, Kapil; Tozer, Phil; Ellul, Pierre; Warusavitarne, Janindra

2018-01-01

Crohn’s disease is increasingly thought to encompass multiple possible phenotypes. Perianal manifestations account for one such phenotype and represent an independent disease modifier. In its more severe form, perianal Crohn’s disease confers a higher risk of a severe and disabling disease course, relapses, hospital admissions and operations. This, in turn, imposes a considerable burden and disability on patients. Identification of the precise manifestation is important, as management is nuanced, with both medical and surgical components, and is best undertaken in a multidisciplinary setting for both diagnosis and ongoing treatment. The introduction of biologic medication has heralded a significant addition to the management of fistulizing perianal Crohn’s disease in particular, albeit with modest results. It remains a very challenging condition to treat and further work is required to optimize management in this group of patients. PMID:29507460

Theory-Based Analysis of Interest in an HIV Vaccine for Reasons Indicative of Risk Compensation among African American Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Painter, Julia E.; Temple, Brandie S.; Woods, Laura A.; Cwiak, Carrie; Haddad, Lisa B.; Mulligan, Mark J.; DiClemente, Ralph J.

2018-01-01

Licensure of an HIV vaccine could reduce or eliminate HIV among vulnerable populations. However, vaccine effectiveness could be undermined by risk compensation (RC), defined by an increase in risky behavior due to a belief that the vaccine will confer protection. Interest in an HIV vaccine for reasons indicative of RC may serve as an indicator of…

Planning for an Accelerated School. A Two Day Workshop (Stanford, California, November 17-18, 1988). Illinois Network of Accelerated Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Illinois State Board of Education, Springfield. Dept. of School Improvement Services.

The thesis of this conference report is that acceleration is a much more effective method than remediation for bringing at-risk children into the educational mainstream at an early age. The papers summarized in the report provide a background on the history, politics, and demography of at-risk students and suggest applications of acceleration to…

The use of biomarkers in the military: from theory to practice.

PubMed

Yehuda, Rachel; Neylan, Thomas C; Flory, Janine D; McFarlane, Alexander C

2013-09-01

This paper provides a summary of relevant issues covered in the conference, "The Use of Biomarkers in the Military: Theory to Practice" held at the New York Academy of Science on September 14, 2012. The conference covered the state of the science in identification of PTSD biomarkers, including, the definition of different classes of biomarkers pertaining to PTSD. The aim of the satellite conference was to bring together researchers who have been supported by the Department of Defense, Veterans Administration, National Institutes of Health, and other agencies around the world, who are interested in the identification of biomarkers for PTSD risk, diagnosis, symptom severity and treatment response, for a discussion of salient issues regarding biomarker development for PTSD, as well as special considerations for the use of biomarkers in the military. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

76 FR 19373 - The 14th Annual Food and Drug Administration-Orange County Regulatory Affairs Educational...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-07

... (OCRA). The conference is intended to provide the drug, device, biologics, and dietary supplement... will be product approval, compliance, and risk management in the three medical product areas. Industry...