Tuberculosis incidence in prisons: a systematic review.

PubMed

Baussano, Iacopo; Williams, Brian G; Nunn, Paul; Beggiato, Marta; Fedeli, Ugo; Scano, Fabio

2010-12-21

Transmission of tuberculosis (TB) in prisons has been reported worldwide to be much higher than that reported for the corresponding general population. A systematic review has been performed to assess the risk of incident latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) and TB disease in prisons, as compared to the incidence in the corresponding local general population, and to estimate the fraction of TB in the general population attributable (PAF%) to transmission within prisons. Primary peer-reviewed studies have been searched to assess the incidence of LTBI and/or TB within prisons published until June 2010; both inmates and prison staff were considered. Studies, which were independently screened by two reviewers, were eligible for inclusion if they reported the incidence of LTBI and TB disease in prisons. Available data were collected from 23 studies out of 582 potentially relevant unique citations. Five studies from the US and one from Brazil were available to assess the incidence of LTBI in prisons, while 19 studies were available to assess the incidence of TB. The median estimated annual incidence rate ratio (IRR) for LTBI and TB were 26.4 (interquartile range [IQR]: 13.0-61.8) and 23.0 (IQR: 11.7-36.1), respectively. The median estimated fraction (PAF%) of tuberculosis in the general population attributable to the exposure in prisons for TB was 8.5% (IQR: 1.9%-17.9%) and 6.3% (IQR: 2.7%-17.2%) in high- and middle/low-income countries, respectively. The very high IRR and the substantial population attributable fraction show that much better TB control in prisons could potentially protect prisoners and staff from within-prison spread of TB and would significantly reduce the national burden of TB. Future studies should measure the impact of the conditions in prisons on TB transmission and assess the population attributable risk of prison-to-community spread. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

Assessing the underlying breast cancer risk of Chinese females contributed by dietary intake of residual DDT from agricultural soils.

PubMed

Tang, Mengling; Zhao, Meirong; Zhou, Shanshan; Chen, Kun; Zhang, Chunlong; Liu, Weiping

2014-12-01

The greatest concern over DDT exposure in China arose since the early 1990s for the rising breast cancer incidence, and the cause still remains to be elucidated. An extensive survey of DDT background in agricultural soils, covered the entire region of China, was conducted. DDT at concentrations greater than 100 ng/g (the China's Farmland Environmental Quality Evaluation Standards for Edible Agricultural Products) was found to impact 42.3 million Chinese population. Considering the geographical differences with diverse DDT contributions and different diet products and habits, the average daily dietary intake was modeled and estimated to be 0.34 μg/kg p,p'-DDE (the main bioactive constituent in DDT). Population attributable fraction derived from a case-control study from 78 women with breast cancer and 72 controls was used to assess the DDT exposure risk to breast cancer. Based on the estimated population attributable fraction with a median value of 0.6% (IQR 0.23-2.11%), the excess annual breast cancer incidence rate attributable to p,p'-DDE exposure averaged 0.06×10(-5) with significant spatial variations varying from 0.00021×10(-5) to 11.05×10(-5) in Chinese females. Exposure to DDT is a contributor to breast cancer, but the overall limited relative risk and population attributable fraction imply confounding factors for breast cancer in Chinese females. Exposure risk in a regional scale helps understand the cause and prevention of breast cancer. Our mapping and modeling method could be used to assess other environmental carcinogens and related cancer diseases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cancers in Australia in 2010 attributable to insufficient physical activity

PubMed Central

Olsen, Catherine M; Wilson, Louise F; Nagle, Christina M; Kendall, Bradley J; Bain, Christopher J; Pandeya, Nirmala; Webb, Penelope M; Whiteman, David C

2015-01-01

Objectives To estimate the proportion and numbers of cancers occurring in Australia in 2010 attributable to insufficient levels of physical activity. Methods We estimated the population attributable fraction (PAF) of cancers causally associated with insufficient physical activity (colon, post-menopausal breast and endometrium) using standard formulae incorporating prevalence of insufficient physical activity (<60 minutes at least 5 days/week), relative risks associated with physical activity and cancer incidence. We also estimated the proportion change in cancer incidence (potential impact fraction [PIF]) that may have occurred assuming that everyone with insufficient activity levels increased their exercise by 30 minutes/week. Results An estimated 1,814 cases of colon, post-menopausal breast and endometrial cancer were attributable to insufficient levels of physical activity: 707 (6.5%) colon; 971 (7.8%) post-menopausal breast; and 136 (6.0%) endometrial cancers. If those exercising below the recommended level had increased their activity level by 30 minutes/week, we estimate 314 fewer cancers (17% of those attributable to insufficient physical activity) would have occurred in 2010. Conclusions More than 1,500 cancers were attributable to insufficient levels of physical activity in the Australian population. Implications Increasing the proportion of Australians who exercise could reduce the incidence of several common cancers. PMID:26437732

Canadian military personnel's population attributable fractions of mental disorders and mental health service use associated with combat and peacekeeping operations.

PubMed

Sareen, Jitender; Belik, Shay-Lee; Afifi, Tracie O; Asmundson, Gordon J G; Cox, Brian J; Stein, Murray B

2008-12-01

We investigated mental disorders, suicidal ideation, self-perceived need for treatment, and mental health service utilization attributable to exposure to peacekeeping and combat operations among Canadian military personnel. With data from the Canadian Community Health Survey Cycle 1.2 Canadian Forces Supplement, a cross-sectional population-based survey of active Canadian military personnel (N = 8441), we estimated population attributable fractions (PAFs) of adverse mental health outcomes. Exposure to either combat or peacekeeping operations was associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (men: PAF = 46.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 27.3, 62.7; women: PAF = 23.6%; 95% CI = 9.2, 40.1), 1 or more mental disorder assessed in the survey (men: PAF = 9.3%; 95% CI = 0.4, 18.1; women: PAF = 6.1%; 95% CI = 0.0, 13.4), and a perceived need for information (men: PAF = 12.3%; 95% CI = 4.1, 20.6; women: PAF = 7.9%; 95% CI = 1.3, 15.5). A substantial proportion, but not the majority, of mental health-related outcomes were attributable to combat or peacekeeping deployment. Future studies should assess traumatic events and their association with physical injury during deployment, premilitary factors, and postdeployment psychosocial factors that may influence soldiers' mental health.

Attributable risk of carpal tunnel syndrome according to industry and occupation in a general population

PubMed Central

Roquelaure, Yves; Ha, Catherine; Nicolas, Guillaume; Pélier-Cady, Marie-Christine; Mariot, Camille; Descatha, Alexis; Leclerc, Annette; Raimbeau, Guy; Goldberg, Marcel; Imbernon, Ellen

2008-01-01

Objectives An epidemiological surveillance network for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) was set up in the general population of a French region to assess the attributable fraction of CTS according to work in high risk industries and occupations. Methods Cases of CTS occurring among patients aged 20 to 59 living in the Maine and Loire region were included prospectively from 2002 to 2004. Medical and occupation history was gathered by mailed questionnaire for 815 women and 20 men. Age-adjusted relative risks of CTS and the attributable fractions of CTS to work among exposed persons (AFE) were computed in relation to industry sectors and occupation categories. Results Twenty-one industry sectors and eight occupational categories for women, and ten sectors and six occupational categories for men were characterized by a significant excess risk of CTS. High values of AFE were observed in the manufacturing (from 42 to 93% for both genders), construction (66 for men) and personal service industries (66 for women), and trade and commerce (49% for women) sectors. High values of AFE were observed in female lower grade white-collar occupations (from 43 to 67%), and male (from 60 to 74%) and female (from 48 to 88%) blue-collar occupations. Conclusion The attributable fractions of CTS among workers employed in industry sectors and occupation categories identified at high risk of CTS varied between 36 and 93% PMID:18759264

Near-Roadway Air Pollution and Coronary Heart Disease: Burden of Disease and Potential Impact of a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy in Southern California.

PubMed

Ghosh, Rakesh; Lurmann, Frederick; Perez, Laura; Penfold, Bryan; Brandt, Sylvia; Wilson, John; Milet, Meredith; Künzli, Nino; McConnell, Rob

2016-02-01

Several studies have estimated the burden of coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality from ambient regional particulate matter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5). The burden of near-roadway air pollution (NRAP) generally has not been examined, despite evidence of a causal link with CHD. We investigated the CHD burden from NRAP and compared it with the PM2.5 burden in the California South Coast Air Basin for 2008 and under a compact urban growth greenhouse gas reduction scenario for 2035. We estimated the population attributable fraction and number of CHD events attributable to residential traffic density, proximity to a major road, elemental carbon (EC), and PM2.5 compared with the expected disease burden if the population were exposed to background levels of air pollution. In 2008, an estimated 1,300 CHD deaths (6.8% of the total) were attributable to traffic density, 430 deaths (2.4%) to residential proximity to a major road, and 690 (3.7%) to EC. There were 1,900 deaths (10.4%) attributable to PM2.5. Although reduced exposures in 2035 should result in smaller fractions of CHD attributable to traffic density, EC, and PM2.5, the numbers of estimated deaths attributable to each of these exposures are anticipated to increase to 2,500, 900, and 2,900, respectively, due to population aging. A similar pattern of increasing NRAP-attributable CHD hospitalizations was estimated to occur between 2008 and 2035. These results suggest that a large burden of preventable CHD mortality is attributable to NRAP and is likely to increase even with decreasing exposure by 2035 due to vulnerability of an aging population. Greenhouse gas reduction strategies developed to mitigate climate change offer unexploited opportunities for air pollution health co-benefits.

Using reference values to define disease based on the lower limit of normal biased the population attributable fraction, but not the population excess risk: the example of chronic airflow obstruction.

PubMed

Burney, Peter; Minelli, Cosetta

2018-01-01

The impact of disease on population health is most commonly estimated by the population attributable fraction (PAF), or less commonly by the excess risk, an alternative measure that estimates the absolute risk of disease in the population that can be ascribed to the exposure. Using chronic airflow obstruction as an example, we examined the impact on these estimates of defining disease based on different "normal" values. We estimated PAF and the excess risk in scenarios in which the true rate of disease was 10% in the exposed and 5% in the unexposed, and where either 50% or 20% of the population was exposed. Disease definition was based on a "lower limit of normal", using the 5th, 1st and 0.2nd centile of values in a "normal" population as thresholds to define normality. Where normality is defined by centiles of values in a "normal" population, PAF is strongly influenced by which centile is selected to define normality. This is not true for the population excess risk. Care should be taken when interpreting estimates of PAF when disease is defined from a centile of a normal population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Colorectal Cancer Deaths Attributable to Nonuse of Screening in the United States

PubMed Central

Meester, Reinier G.S.; Doubeni, Chyke A.; Lansdorp-Vogelaar, Iris; Goede, S.L.; Levin, Theodore R.; Quinn, Virginia P.; van Ballegooijen, Marjolein; Corley, Douglas A.; Zauber, Ann G.

2015-01-01

Purpose Screening is a major contributor to colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality reductions in the U.S., but is underutilized. We estimated the fraction of CRC deaths attributable to nonuse of screening to demonstrate the potential benefits from targeted interventions. Methods The established MISCAN-colon microsimulation model was used to estimate the population attributable fraction (PAF) in people aged ≥50 years. The model incorporates long-term patterns and effects of screening by age and type of screening test. PAF for 2010 was estimated using currently available data on screening uptake; PAF was also projected assuming constant future screening rates to incorporate lagged effects from past increases in screening uptake. We also computed PAF using Levin's formula to gauge how this simpler approach differs from the model-based approach. Results There were an estimated 51,500 CRC deaths in 2010, about 63% (N∼32,200) of which were attributable to non-screening. The PAF decreases slightly to 58% in 2020. Levin's approach yielded a considerably more conservative PAF of 46% (N∼23,600) for 2010. Conclusions The majority of current U.S. CRC deaths are attributable to non-screening. This underscores the potential benefits of increasing screening uptake in the population. Traditional methods of estimating PAF underestimated screening effects compared with model-based approaches. PMID:25721748

Cancers in Australia in 2010 attributable to and prevented by the use of combined oral contraceptives.

PubMed

Jordan, Susan J; Wilson, Louise F; Nagle, Christina M; Green, Adele C; Olsen, Catherine M; Bain, Christopher J; Pandeya, Nirmala; Whiteman, David C; Webb, Penelope M

2015-10-01

To estimate the proportion and number of cancers occurring in Australia in 2010 attributable to combined oral contraceptive pill (OCP) use. We estimated the population attributable fraction (PAF) for cancers causally associated with combined OCP use (breast, cervix), and the proportion of endometrial and ovarian cancers prevented (prevented fraction [PF]). We used standard formulae incorporating prevalence of combined OCP use in the Australian population, relative risks of cancer associated with this exposure and cancer incidence. An estimated 105 breast and 52 cervical cancers (0.7% and 6.4% of each cancer, respectively) in Australia in 2010 were attributable to current use of combined OCP. Past combined OCP use was estimated to have prevented 1,032 endometrial and 308 ovarian cancers in 2010, reducing the number of cancers that would otherwise have occurred by 31% and 19%, respectively. A small proportion of breast and cervical cancers is attributable to combined OCP use; OCP use is likely to have prevented larger numbers of endometrial and ovarian cancers. Women seeking contraceptive advice should be told of potential adverse effects, but should also be told that - along with reproductive health benefits - combined OCP use can reduce long-term risks of ovarian and endometrial cancers. © 2015 The Authors.

Contribution of placenta accreta to the incidence of postpartum hemorrhage and severe postpartum hemorrhage.

PubMed

Mehrabadi, Azar; Hutcheon, Jennifer A; Liu, Shiliang; Bartholomew, Sharon; Kramer, Michael S; Liston, Robert M; Joseph, K S

2015-04-01

To quantify the contribution of placenta accreta to the rate of postpartum hemorrhage and severe postpartum hemorrhage. All hospital deliveries in Canada (excluding Quebec) for the years 2009 and 2010 (N=570,637) were included in a retrospective cohort study using data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Placenta accreta included placental adhesion to the uterine wall, musculature, and surrounding organs (accreta, increta, or percreta). Severe postpartum hemorrhage included postpartum hemorrhage with blood transfusion, hysterectomy, or other procedures to control bleeding (including uterine suturing and ligation or embolization of pelvic arteries). Rates, rate ratios, population-attributable fractions (ie, incidence of postpartum hemorrhage attributable to placenta accreta), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated. Logistic regression was used to quantify associations between placenta accreta and risk factors. The incidence of placenta accreta was 14.4 (95% CI 13.4-15.4) per 10,000 deliveries (819 cases among 570,637 deliveries), whereas the incidence of placenta accreta with postpartum hemorrhage was 7.2 (95% CI 6.5-8.0) per 10,000 deliveries. Postpartum hemorrhage among women with placenta accreta was predominantly third-stage hemorrhage (41% of all cases). Although placenta accreta was strongly associated with postpartum hemorrhage (rate ratio 8.3, 95% CI 7.7-8.9), its low frequency resulted in a small population-attributable fraction (1.0%, 95% CI 0.93-1.16). However, the strong association between placenta accreta and postpartum hemorrhage with hysterectomy (rate ratio 286, 95% CI 226-361) resulted in a population-attributable fraction of 29.0% (95% CI 24.3-34.3). Placenta accreta is too infrequent to account for the recent temporal increase in postpartum hemorrhage but contributes substantially to the proportion of postpartum hemorrhage with hysterectomy.

The Non-Linear Relationship between BMI and Health Care Costs and the Resulting Cost Fraction Attributable to Obesity.

PubMed

Laxy, Michael; Stark, Renée; Peters, Annette; Hauner, Hans; Holle, Rolf; Teuner, Christina M

2017-08-30

This study aims to analyse the non-linear relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and direct health care costs, and to quantify the resulting cost fraction attributable to obesity in Germany. Five cross-sectional surveys of cohort studies in southern Germany were pooled, resulting in data of 6757 individuals (31-96 years old). Self-reported information on health care utilisation was used to estimate direct health care costs for the year 2011. The relationship between measured BMI and annual costs was analysed using generalised additive models, and the cost fraction attributable to obesity was calculated. We found a non-linear association of BMI and health care costs with a continuously increasing slope for increasing BMI without any clear threshold. Under the consideration of the non-linear BMI-cost relationship, a shift in the BMI distribution so that the BMI of each individual is lowered by one point is associated with a 2.1% reduction of mean direct costs in the population. If obesity was eliminated, and the BMI of all obese individuals were lowered to 29.9 kg/m², this would reduce the mean direct costs by 4.0% in the population. Results show a non-linear relationship between BMI and health care costs, with very high costs for a few individuals with high BMI. This indicates that population-based interventions in combination with selective measures for very obese individuals might be the preferred strategy.

[Parents' education and infant mortality 1967-1998].

PubMed

Arntzen, Annett; Samuelsen, Sven Ove; Bakketeig, Leiv S; Stoltenberg, Camilla

2004-11-18

We have examined the association between socioeconomic status and risk of infant death in Norway between 1967 and 1998. Information from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway on all live births and infant deaths was linked to information from Statistics Norway on parents' education. There were 1,777,364 eligible live births and 15,517 infant deaths. Differences between educational-attainment groups were estimated as risk difference, relative risk, population-attributable fraction, and index of inequality ratio. The risk of infant death decreased in all educational-attainment groups and the level of education increased over time. For neonatal (0-27 days of life) death the risk difference between infants whose mothers had high or low education was reduced from 3.5/1000 in the 1970s to 0.9/1000 in the 1990s. The inequality ratio declined from 1.72 to 1.32 and the population-attributable fraction from 22.3 to 8.4. For risk of postneonatal (28-364 days of life) death, the difference between infants whose mothers were in high or low education brackets increased from 0.7/1000 in the 1970s to 2.0/1000 in the 1990s. The inequality ratio went up from 1.31 to 4.00 and the population-attributable fraction from 9.7 to 39.5. Since the late 1960s, infant mortality has decreased and parental educational levels have risen. There is a higher degree of social equality with regard to risk of neonatal death, while the opposite holds for postneonatal death.

Diseases Burden of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Attributable to Ground-Level Ozone in Thailand: Estimates Based on Surface Monitoring Measurements Data.

PubMed

Pinichka, Chayut; Bundhamcharoen, Kanitta; Shibuya, Kenji

2015-05-14

Ambient ozone (O3) pollution has increased globally since preindustrial times. At present, O3 is one of the major air pollution concerns in Thailand, and is associated with health impacts such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The objective of our study is to estimate the burden of disease attributed to O3 in 2009 in Thailand based on empirical evidence. We estimated disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to O3 using the comparative risk assessment framework in the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) study. We quantified the population attributable fraction (PAF), integrated from Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based spatial interpolation, the population distribution of exposure, and the exposure-response coefficient to spatially characterize exposure to ambient O3 pollution on a national scale. Exposure distribution was derived from GIS-based spatial interpolation O3 exposure model using Pollution Control Department Thailand (PCD) surface air pollution monitor network sources. Relative risk (RR) and population attributable fraction (PAF) were determined using health impact function estimates for O3. PAF (%) of COPD attributable to O3 were determined by region: at approximately, Northern=2.1, Northeastern=7.1, Central=9.6, Eastern=1.75, Western=1.47 and Southern=1.74. The total COPD burden attributable to O3 for Thailand in 2009 was 61,577 DALYs. Approximately 0.6% of the total DALYs in Thailand is male: 48,480 DALYs; and female: 13,097 DALYs. This study provides the first empirical evidence on the health burden (DALYs) attributable to O3 pollution in Thailand. Varying across regions, the disease burden attributable to O3 was 0.6% of the total national burden in 2009. Better empirical data on local specific sites, e.g. urban and rural areas, alternative exposure assessment, e.g. land use regression (LUR), and a local concentration-response coefficient are required for future studies in Thailand.

Using a Marginal Structural Model to Design a Theory-Based Mass Media Campaign.

PubMed

Nishiuchi, Hiromu; Taguri, Masataka; Ishikawa, Yoshiki

2016-01-01

The essential first step in the development of mass media health campaigns is to identify specific beliefs of the target audience. The challenge is to prioritize suitable beliefs derived from behavioral theory. The purpose of this study was to identify suitable beliefs to target in a mass media campaign to change behavior using a new method to estimate the possible effect size of a small set of beliefs. Data were drawn from the 2010 Japanese Young Female Smoker Survey (n = 500), conducted by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Survey measures included intention to quit smoking, psychological beliefs (attitude, norms, and perceived control) based on the theory of planned behavior and socioeconomic status (age, education, household income, and marital status). To identify suitable candidate beliefs for a mass media health campaign, we estimated the possible effect size required to change the intention to quit smoking among the population of young Japanese women using the population attributable fraction from a marginal structural model. Thirteen percent of study participants intended to quit smoking. The marginal structural model estimated a population attributable fraction of 47 psychological beliefs (21 attitudes, 6 norms, and 19 perceived controls) after controlling for socioeconomic status. The belief, "I could quit smoking if my husband or significant other recommended it" suggested a promising target for a mass media campaign (population attributable fraction = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.02-0.23). Messages targeting this belief could possibly improve intention rates by up to 12% among this population. The analysis also suggested the potential for regulatory action. This study proposed a method by which campaign planners can develop theory-based mass communication strategies to change health behaviors at the population level. This method might contribute to improving the quality of future mass health communication strategies and further research is needed.

Using a Marginal Structural Model to Design a Theory-Based Mass Media Campaign

PubMed Central

Taguri, Masataka; Ishikawa, Yoshiki

2016-01-01

Background The essential first step in the development of mass media health campaigns is to identify specific beliefs of the target audience. The challenge is to prioritize suitable beliefs derived from behavioral theory. The purpose of this study was to identify suitable beliefs to target in a mass media campaign to change behavior using a new method to estimate the possible effect size of a small set of beliefs. Methods Data were drawn from the 2010 Japanese Young Female Smoker Survey (n = 500), conducted by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Survey measures included intention to quit smoking, psychological beliefs (attitude, norms, and perceived control) based on the theory of planned behavior and socioeconomic status (age, education, household income, and marital status). To identify suitable candidate beliefs for a mass media health campaign, we estimated the possible effect size required to change the intention to quit smoking among the population of young Japanese women using the population attributable fraction from a marginal structural model. Results Thirteen percent of study participants intended to quit smoking. The marginal structural model estimated a population attributable fraction of 47 psychological beliefs (21 attitudes, 6 norms, and 19 perceived controls) after controlling for socioeconomic status. The belief, “I could quit smoking if my husband or significant other recommended it” suggested a promising target for a mass media campaign (population attributable fraction = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.02–0.23). Messages targeting this belief could possibly improve intention rates by up to 12% among this population. The analysis also suggested the potential for regulatory action. Conclusions This study proposed a method by which campaign planners can develop theory-based mass communication strategies to change health behaviors at the population level. This method might contribute to improving the quality of future mass health communication strategies and further research is needed. PMID:27441626

On estimation of time-dependent attributable fraction from population-based case-control studies.

PubMed

Zhao, Wei; Chen, Ying Qing; Hsu, Li

2017-09-01

Population attributable fraction (PAF) is widely used to quantify the disease burden associated with a modifiable exposure in a population. It has been extended to a time-varying measure that provides additional information on when and how the exposure's impact varies over time for cohort studies. However, there is no estimation procedure for PAF using data that are collected from population-based case-control studies, which, because of time and cost efficiency, are commonly used for studying genetic and environmental risk factors of disease incidences. In this article, we show that time-varying PAF is identifiable from a case-control study and develop a novel estimator of PAF. Our estimator combines odds ratio estimates from logistic regression models and density estimates of the risk factor distribution conditional on failure times in cases from a kernel smoother. The proposed estimator is shown to be consistent and asymptotically normal with asymptotic variance that can be estimated empirically from the data. Simulation studies demonstrate that the proposed estimator performs well in finite sample sizes. Finally, the method is illustrated by a population-based case-control study of colorectal cancer. © 2017, The International Biometric Society.

Tobacco-, Alcohol-, and Drug-Attributable Deaths and Their Contribution to Mortality Disparities in a Cohort of Homeless Adults in Boston

PubMed Central

Chang, Yuchiao; Singer, Daniel E.; Porneala, Bianca C.; Gaeta, Jessie M.; O’Connell, James J.; Rigotti, Nancy A.

2015-01-01

Objectives. We quantified tobacco-, alcohol-, and drug-attributable deaths and their contribution to mortality disparities among homeless adults. Methods. We ascertained causes of death among 28 033 adults seen at the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program in 2003 to 2008. We calculated population-attributable fractions to estimate the proportion of deaths attributable to tobacco, alcohol, or drug use. We compared attributable mortality rates with those for Massachusetts adults using rate ratios and differences. Results. Of 1302 deaths, 236 were tobacco-attributable, 215 were alcohol-attributable, and 286 were drug-attributable. Fifty-two percent of deaths were attributable to any of these substances. In comparison with Massachusetts adults, tobacco-attributable mortality rates were 3 to 5 times higher, alcohol-attributable mortality rates were 6 to 10 times higher, and drug-attributable mortality rates were 8 to 17 times higher. Disparities in substance-attributable deaths accounted for 57% of the all-cause mortality gap between the homeless cohort and Massachusetts adults. Conclusions. In this clinic-based cohort of homeless adults, over half of all deaths were substance-attributable, but this did not fully explain the mortality disparity with the general population. Interventions should address both addiction and non-addiction sources of excess mortality. PMID:25521869

Risk Factors for Incident Hospitalized Heart Failure With Preserved Versus Reduced Ejection Fraction in a Multiracial Cohort of Postmenopausal Women.

PubMed

Eaton, Charles B; Pettinger, Mary; Rossouw, Jacques; Martin, Lisa Warsinger; Foraker, Randi; Quddus, Abdullah; Liu, Simin; Wampler, Nina S; Hank Wu, Wen-Chih; Manson, JoAnn E; Margolis, Karen; Johnson, Karen C; Allison, Matthew; Corbie-Smith, Giselle; Rosamond, Wayne; Breathett, Khadijah; Klein, Liviu

2016-10-01

Heart failure is an important and growing public health problem in women. Risk factors for incident hospitalized heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) compared with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) in women and differences by race/ethnicity are not well characterized. We prospectively evaluated the risk factors for incident hospitalized HFpEF and HFrEF in a multiracial cohort of 42 170 postmenopausal women followed up for a mean of 13.2 years. Cox regression models with time-dependent covariate adjustment were used to define risk factors for HFpEF and HFrEF. Differences by race/ethnicity about incidence rates, baseline risk factors, and their population-attributable risk percentage were analyzed. Risk factors for both HFpEF and HFrEF were as follows: older age, white race, diabetes mellitus, cigarette smoking, and hypertension. Obesity, history of coronary heart disease (other than myocardial infarction), anemia, atrial fibrillation, and more than one comorbidity were associated with HFpEF but not with HFrEF. History of myocardial infarction was associated with HFrEF but not with HFpEF. Obesity was found to be a more potent risk factor for African American women compared with white women for HFpEF (P for interaction=0.007). For HFpEF, the population-attributable risk percentage was greatest for hypertension (40.9%) followed by obesity (25.8%), with the highest population-attributable risk percentage found in African Americans for these risk factors. In this multiracial cohort of postmenopausal women, obesity stands out as a significant risk factor for HFpEF, with the strongest association in African American women. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00000611. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Near-Roadway Air Pollution and Coronary Heart Disease: Burden of Disease and Potential Impact of a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy in Southern California

PubMed Central

Ghosh, Rakesh; Lurmann, Frederick; Perez, Laura; Penfold, Bryan; Brandt, Sylvia; Wilson, John; Milet, Meredith; Künzli, Nino; McConnell, Rob

2015-01-01

Background Several studies have estimated the burden of coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality from ambient regional particulate matter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5). The burden of near-roadway air pollution (NRAP) generally has not been examined, despite evidence of a causal link with CHD. Objective We investigated the CHD burden from NRAP and compared it with the PM2.5 burden in the California South Coast Air Basin for 2008 and under a compact urban growth greenhouse gas reduction scenario for 2035. Methods We estimated the population attributable fraction and number of CHD events attributable to residential traffic density, proximity to a major road, elemental carbon (EC), and PM2.5 compared with the expected disease burden if the population were exposed to background levels of air pollution. Results In 2008, an estimated 1,300 CHD deaths (6.8% of the total) were attributable to traffic density, 430 deaths (2.4%) to residential proximity to a major road, and 690 (3.7%) to EC. There were 1,900 deaths (10.4%) attributable to PM2.5. Although reduced exposures in 2035 should result in smaller fractions of CHD attributable to traffic density, EC, and PM2.5, the numbers of estimated deaths attributable to each of these exposures are anticipated to increase to 2,500, 900, and 2,900, respectively, due to population aging. A similar pattern of increasing NRAP-attributable CHD hospitalizations was estimated to occur between 2008 and 2035. Conclusion These results suggest that a large burden of preventable CHD mortality is attributable to NRAP and is likely to increase even with decreasing exposure by 2035 due to vulnerability of an aging population. Greenhouse gas reduction strategies developed to mitigate climate change offer unexploited opportunities for air pollution health co-benefits. Citation Ghosh R, Lurmann F, Perez L, Penfold B, Brandt S, Wilson J, Milet M, Künzli N, McConnell R. 2016. Near-roadway air pollution and coronary heart disease: burden of disease and potential impact of a greenhouse gas reduction strategy in Southern California. Environ Health Perspect 124:193–200; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1408865 PMID:26149207

Worldwide incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma cases attributable to major risk factors.

PubMed

Baecker, Aileen; Liu, Xing; La Vecchia, Carlo; Zhang, Zuo-Feng

2018-05-01

To facilitate regionally specific liver cancer prevention and control, this study estimates the fraction of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases attributable to five major liver cancer risk factors by geographic region. Prevalence estimates of major HCC risk factors, including chronic infection with hepatitis B and hepatitis C, alcohol drinking, tobacco smoking, obesity, and diabetes, were extracted for each country from the literature, along with recent incidence and risk estimate data, to calculate regionally specific population attributable fractions. Overall, 44% of HCC cases worldwide were attributable to chronic hepatitis B infection, with the majority of cases occurring in Asia. Hepatitis C was responsible for 21% of cases. Lifestyle risk factors such as alcohol drinking and obesity were responsible for a larger percentage of cases in North America and Western, Central, and Eastern Europe. In addition, strong sex disparities were observed when looking at lifestyle risk factors, particularly tobacco smoking, in Asia and Africa. Prominent risk factors for HCC vary depending on the region. Our findings provide useful data for developing regionally specific guidelines for liver cancer prevention and control worldwide.

Estimated Deaths Attributable to Social Factors in the United States

PubMed Central

Tracy, Melissa; Hoggatt, Katherine J.; DiMaggio, Charles; Karpati, Adam

2011-01-01

Objectives. We estimated the number of deaths attributable to social factors in the United States. Methods. We conducted a MEDLINE search for all English-language articles published between 1980 and 2007 with estimates of the relation between social factors and adult all-cause mortality. We calculated summary relative risk estimates of mortality, and we obtained and used prevalence estimates for each social factor to calculate the population-attributable fraction for each factor. We then calculated the number of deaths attributable to each social factor in the United States in 2000. Results. Approximately 245 000 deaths in the United States in 2000 were attributable to low education, 176 000 to racial segregation, 162 000 to low social support, 133 000 to individual-level poverty, 119 000 to income inequality, and 39 000 to area-level poverty. Conclusions. The estimated number of deaths attributable to social factors in the United States is comparable to the number attributed to pathophysiological and behavioral causes. These findings argue for a broader public health conceptualization of the causes of mortality and an expansive policy approach that considers how social factors can be addressed to improve the health of populations. PMID:21680937

The causality between smoking and lung cancer among groups and individuals: addressing issues in tobacco litigation in South Korea

PubMed Central

Khang, Young-Ho

2015-01-01

This article discusses issues on the causality between smoking and lung cancer, which have been raised during the tobacco litigation in South Korea. It should be recognized that the explanatory ability of risk factor(s) for inter-individual variations in disease occurrence is different from the causal contribution of the risk factor(s) to disease occurrence. The affected subjects of the tobacco litigation in South Korea are lung cancer patients with a history of cigarette smoking. Thus, the attributable fraction of the exposed rather than the population attributable fraction should be used in the tobacco litigation regarding the causal contribution of smoking to lung cancer. Scientific evidence for the causal relationship between smoking and lung cancer is based on studies of individuals and groups, studies in animals and humans, studies that are observational or experimental, studies in laboratories and communities, and studies in both underdeveloped and developed countries. The scientific evidence collected is applicable to both groups and individuals. The probability of causation, which is calculated based on the attributable fraction for the association between smoking and lung cancer, could be utilized as evidence to prove causality in individuals. PMID:26137845

The causality between smoking and lung cancer among groups and individuals: addressing issues in tobacco litigation in South Korea.

PubMed

Khang, Young-Ho

2015-01-01

This article discusses issues on the causality between smoking and lung cancer, which have been raised during the tobacco litigation in South Korea. It should be recognized that the explanatory ability of risk factor(s) for inter-individual variations in disease occurrence is different from the causal contribution of the risk factor(s) to disease occurrence. The affected subjects of the tobacco litigation in South Korea are lung cancer patients with a history of cigarette smoking. Thus, the attributable fraction of the exposed rather than the population attributable fraction should be used in the tobacco litigation regarding the causal contribution of smoking to lung cancer. Scientific evidence for the causal relationship between smoking and lung cancer is based on studies of individuals and groups, studies in animals and humans, studies that are observational or experimental, studies in laboratories and communities, and studies in both underdeveloped and developed countries. The scientific evidence collected is applicable to both groups and individuals. The probability of causation, which is calculated based on the attributable fraction for the association between smoking and lung cancer, could be utilized as evidence to prove causality in individuals.

The population impact of obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and tobacco and alcohol consumption on the prevalence of type 2 diabetes: Analysis of a health population survey in Chile, 2010.

PubMed

Bertoglia, María P; Gormaz, Juan G; Libuy, Matías; Sanhueza, Dérgica; Gajardo, Abraham; Srur, Andrea; Wallbaum, Magdalena; Erazo, Marcia

2017-01-01

To estimate the impact of tobacco use, sedentary lifestyle, obesity and alcohol consumption on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) prevalence in the Chilean population. The study-included 5,293 subjects with fasting glycaemia levels from the nationwide cross-sectional health survey in 2010, commissioned by the Ministry of Health, Chile. Crude and Adjusted Odds Ratio to T2DM and its corresponding 95% confidence interval were estimated through logistic regressions. Attributable fractions and population attributable fractions were estimated. T2DM prevalence was 9.5%. Sedentary lifestyles and obesity were significant risk factors for T2DM. 52,4% of T2DM could be avoided if these individuals were not obese, and at a population level, 23% of T2DM could be preventable if obesity did not exist. A 64% of T2DM is explained by sedentariness, and if people would become active, a 62,2% of the cases of diabetes could be avoided. About 79% of T2DM cases in Chile could be prevented with cost-effective strategies focused on preventing sedentary lifestyle and obesity. It's therefore urgent to implement evidence-based public health polices, aimed to decrease the prevalence of T2DM, by controlling its risk factors and consequently, reducing the complications from T2DM.

TO WHAT EXTENT CAN ADOLESCENT SUICIDE ATTEMPTS BE ATTRIBUTED TO VIOLENCE EXPOSURE? A POPULATION-BASED STUDY FROM WESTERN CANADA

PubMed Central

Saewyc, Elizabeth M.; Chen, Weihong

2015-01-01

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among adolescents in Canada and globally. The purpose of our study was to calculate what proportion of adolescent suicide attempts could be prevented in the absence of verbal, physical and sexual violence. Using the province-wide 2008 British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey (N=29,315) we calculated population-attributable fractions for each type of violence, as well as exposure to any violence, separately by gender, among adolescents age 12–19. We found violence victimization is implicated in the majority of suicide attempts. Focusing on violence prevention may be an important strategy for reducing suicide among young people. PMID:26709332

The Population Impact of Childhood Health Conditions on Dropout from Upper-Secondary Education.

PubMed

Mikkonen, Janne; Moustgaard, Heta; Remes, Hanna; Martikainen, Pekka

2018-05-01

To quantify how large a part of educational dropout is due to adverse childhood health conditions and to estimate the risk of dropout across various physical and mental health conditions. A registry-based cohort study was conducted on a 20% random sample of Finns born in 1988-1995 (n = 101 284) followed for school dropout at ages 17 and 21. Four broad groups of health conditions (any, somatic, mental, and injury) and 25 specific health conditions were assessed from inpatient and outpatient care records at ages 10-16 years. We estimated the immediate and more persistent risks of dropout due to health conditions and calculated population-attributable fractions to quantify the population impact of childhood health on educational dropout, while accounting for a wide array of sociodemographic confounders and comorbidity. Children with any health condition requiring inpatient or outpatient care at ages 10-16 years were more likely to be dropouts at ages 17 years (risk ratio 1.71, 95% CI 1.61-1.81) and 21 years (1.46, 1.37-1.54) following adjustment for individual and family sociodemographic factors. A total of 30% of school dropout was attributable to health conditions at age 17 years and 21% at age 21 years. Mental disorders alone had an attributable fraction of 11% at age 21 years, compared with 5% for both somatic conditions and injuries. Adjusting for the presence of mental disorders reduced the effects of somatic conditions. More than one fifth of educational dropout is attributable to childhood health conditions. Early-onset mental disorders emerge as key targets in reducing dropout. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mortality and Burden of Disease Attributable to Cigarette Smoking in Qingdao, China.

PubMed

Wang, Yani; Qi, Fei; Jia, Xiaorong; Lin, Peng; Liu, Hui; Geng, Meiyun; Liu, Yunning; Li, Shanpeng; Tan, Jibin

2016-09-09

In China, smoking is the leading preventable cause of deaths by a disease. Estimating the disease burden attributable to smoking contributes to an evaluation of the adverse impact of smoking. To aid in policy change and implementation, this study estimated the population-attributable fractions (PAFs) of smoking, the all-cause mortality and the loss of life expectancy attributable to smoking in 2014 of Qingdao. PAFs were calculated using the smoking impact ratio (SIR) or current smoking rate (P) and relative risk (RR). We determined the smoking-attributable mortality by multiplying the smoking-attributable fraction by the total mortality. This study used the method of an abridged life table to calculate the loss of life expectancy caused by smoking. Smoking caused about 8635 deaths (6883 males, 1752 females), and accounted for 16% of all deaths; 22% in males and 8% in females. The leading causes of deaths attributable to smoking were lung cancer (38%), ischemic heart disease (19%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, 12%). The PAF for all causes was 22%; 30% in males and 10% in females. Tobacco use may cause a reduction of about 2.01 years of the loss of life expectancy; 3 years in males and 0.87 years in females. The findings highlight the need for taking effective measures to prevent initiation and induce cessation.

Mortality and Burden of Disease Attributable to Cigarette Smoking in Qingdao, China

PubMed Central

Wang, Yani; Qi, Fei; Jia, Xiaorong; Lin, Peng; Liu, Hui; Geng, Meiyun; Liu, Yunning; Li, Shanpeng; Tan, Jibin

2016-01-01

In China, smoking is the leading preventable cause of deaths by a disease. Estimating the disease burden attributable to smoking contributes to an evaluation of the adverse impact of smoking. To aid in policy change and implementation, this study estimated the population-attributable fractions (PAFs) of smoking, the all-cause mortality and the loss of life expectancy attributable to smoking in 2014 of Qingdao. PAFs were calculated using the smoking impact ratio (SIR) or current smoking rate (P) and relative risk (RR). We determined the smoking-attributable mortality by multiplying the smoking-attributable fraction by the total mortality. This study used the method of an abridged life table to calculate the loss of life expectancy caused by smoking. Smoking caused about 8635 deaths (6883 males, 1752 females), and accounted for 16% of all deaths; 22% in males and 8% in females. The leading causes of deaths attributable to smoking were lung cancer (38%), ischemic heart disease (19%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, 12%). The PAF for all causes was 22%; 30% in males and 10% in females. Tobacco use may cause a reduction of about 2.01 years of the loss of life expectancy; 3 years in males and 0.87 years in females. The findings highlight the need for taking effective measures to prevent initiation and induce cessation. PMID:27618084

Cancer incidence due to excess body weight and leisure-time physical inactivity in Canada: implications for prevention.

PubMed

Brenner, Darren R

2014-09-01

This analysis aimed to estimate the number of incident cases of various cancers attributable to excess body weight (overweight, obesity) and leisure-time physical inactivity annually in Canada. The number of attributable cancers was estimated using the population attributable fraction (PAF), risk estimates from recent meta-analyses and population exposure prevalence estimates obtained from the Canadian Community Health Survey (2000). Age-sex-site-specific cancer incidence was obtained from Statistics Canada tables for the most up-to-date year with full national data, 2007. Where the evidence for association has been deemed sufficient, we estimated the number of incident cases of the following cancers attributable to obesity: colon, breast, endometrium, esophagus (adenocarcinomas), gallbladder, pancreas and kidney; and to physical inactivity: colon, breast, endometrium, prostate, lung and/or bronchus, and ovarian. Overall, estimates of all cancer incidence in 2007 suggest that at least 3.5% (n=5771) and 7.9% (n=12,885) are attributed to excess body weight and physical inactivity respectively. For both risk factors the burden of disease was greater among women than among men. Thousands of incident cases of cancer could be prevented annually in Canada as good evidence exists for effective interventions to reduce these risk factors in the population. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Hearing difficulty attributable to employment by industry and occupation: an analysis of the National Health Interview Survey--United States, 1997 to 2003.

PubMed

Tak, SangWoo; Calvert, Geoffrey M

2008-01-01

To estimate the national burden of hearing difficulty among workers in US industries and occupations. Data on 130,102 employed National Health Interview Survey respondents between the ages of 18 to 65 years who were interviewed between 1997 and 2003 were analyzed to estimate the population prevalence, adjusted prevalence ratios, and fractions of hearing difficulty attributable to employment. The estimated population prevalence of hearing difficulty was 11.4% (24% attributable to employment). The adjusted prevalence ratios of hearing difficulty were highest for railroads, mining, and primary metal manufacturing industry. Occupations with increased risk of hearing difficulty were mechanics/repairers, machine operators, and transportation equipment operators. Hearing difficulty was differentially distributed across various industries. In industries with high rates, employers and workers should take preventive action to reduce the risk of occupational hearing loss.

Annual environmental monitoring report of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory

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

Schleimer, G.E.

1983-04-01

In order to establish whether LBL research activities produces any impact on the population surrounding the Laboratory, a program of environmental air and water sampling and continuous radiation monitoring was carried on throughout the year. For 1982, as in the previous several years, doses attributable to LBL radiological operations were a small fraction of the relevant radiation protection guidelines (RPG). The maximum perimeter dose equivalent was less than or equal to 24.0 mrem (the 1982 dose equivalent measured at the Building 88 monitoring station B-13A, about 5% of the RPG). The total population dose equivalent attributable to LBL operations duringmore » 1982 was less than or equal to 16 man-rem, about 0.002% of the RPG of 170 mrem/person to a suitable sample of the population.« less

Population attributable fractions of psychopathology and suicidal behaviour associated with childhood adversities in Northern Ireland.

PubMed

McLafferty, Margaret; O'Neill, Siobhan; Murphy, Sam; Armour, Cherie; Bunting, Brendan

2018-03-01

Childhood adversities are strong predictors of psychopathology and suicidality. However, specific adversities are associated with different outcomes, with cross-national variations reported. The current study examined rates of adversities reported in Northern Ireland (NI), and associations between adverse childhood experiences and psychopathology and suicidal behaviour were explored. Data was obtained from the Northern Ireland Study of Health and Stress (NISHS), conducted as part of the World Mental Health (WMH) survey initiative (2004-2008); response rate 68.4% (n = 1,986). The on-line survey used, the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) to examine psychopathology and associated risk factors in the NI population. Prevalence rates of retrospectively reported childhood adversities were calculated, with gender and age variations explored. Females were more likely to experience sexual abuse. Individuals who grew up during the worst years of the civil conflict in NI experienced elevated levels of childhood adversities. Participants who endured childhood adversities were more likely to have mental health problems but variations in risk factors were found for different disorders. Parental mental illness was associated with all disorders however, with ORs ranging from 2.20 for mood disorders to 4.07 for anxiety disorders. Population attributable fractions (PAF) estimated the reduction in psychopathology and suicidal behaviour in the population if exposure to adverse childhood events had not occurred. The highest PAF values were revealed for parental mental illness and sexual abuse. The findings indicate that a substantial proportion of psychopathology and suicide risk in NI are attributable to childhood adversities, providing support for early intervention and prevention initiatives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of TREM2 rs75932628 association with Alzheimer's disease in a population-based sample: the Cache County Study.

PubMed

Gonzalez Murcia, Josue D; Schmutz, Cameron; Munger, Caitlin; Perkes, Ammon; Gustin, Aaron; Peterson, Michael; Ebbert, Mark T W; Norton, Maria C; Tschanz, Joann T; Munger, Ronald G; Corcoran, Christopher D; Kauwe, John S K

2013-12-01

Recent studies have identified the rs75932628 (R47H) variant in TREM2 as an Alzheimer's disease risk factor with estimated odds ratio ranging from 2.9 to 5.1. The Cache County Memory Study is a large, population-based sample designed for the study of memory and aging. We genotyped R47H in 2974 samples (427 cases and 2540 control subjects) from the Cache County study using a custom TaqMan assay. We observed 7 heterozygous cases and 12 heterozygous control subjects with an odds ratio of 3.5 (95% confidence interval, 1.3-8.8; p = 0.0076). The minor allele frequency and population attributable fraction for R47H were 0.0029 and 0.004, respectively. This study replicates the association between R47H and Alzheimer's disease risk in a large, population-based sample, and estimates the population frequency and attributable risk of this rare variant. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cancers in Australia in 2010 attributable to the consumption of alcohol.

PubMed

Pandeya, Nirmala; Wilson, Louise F; Webb, Penelope M; Neale, Rachel E; Bain, Christopher J; Whiteman, David C

2015-10-01

To estimate the proportion and numbers of cancers occurring in Australia in 2010 that are attributable to alcohol consumption. We estimated the population attributable fraction (PAF) of cancers causally associated with alcohol consumption using standard formulae incorporating prevalence of alcohol consumption and relative risks associated with consumption and cancer. We also estimated the proportion change in cancer incidence (potential impact fraction [PIF]) that might have occurred under the hypothetical scenario that an intervention reduced alcohol consumption, so that no-one drank >2 drinks/day. An estimated 3,208 cancers (2.8% of all cancers) occurring in Australian adults in 2010 could be attributed to alcohol consumption. The greatest numbers were for cancers of the colon (868) and female breast cancer (830). The highest PAFs were for squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity/pharynx (31%) and oesophagus (25%). The incidence of alcohol-associated cancer types could have been reduced by 1,442 cases (4.3%)--from 33,537 to 32,083--if no Australian adult consumed >2 drinks/day. More than 3,000 cancers were attributable to alcohol consumption and thus were potentially preventable. Strategies that limit alcohol consumption to guideline levels could prevent a large number of cancers in Australian adults. © 2015 The Authors.

Which postoperative complications matter most after bariatric surgery? Prioritizing quality improvement efforts to improve national outcomes.

PubMed

Daigle, Christopher R; Brethauer, Stacy A; Tu, Chao; Petrick, Anthony T; Morton, John M; Schauer, Philip R; Aminian, Ali

2018-05-01

National quality programs have been implemented to decrease the burden of adverse events on key outcomes in bariatric surgery. However, it is not well understood which complications have the most impact on patient health. To quantify the impact of specific bariatric surgery complications on key clinical outcomes. The Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) database. Data from patients who underwent primary bariatric procedures were retrieved from the MBSAQIP 2015 participant use file. The impact of 8 specific complications (bleeding, venous thromboembolism [VTE], leak, wound infection, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, myocardial infarction, and stroke) on 5 main 30-day outcomes (end-organ dysfunction, reoperation, intensive care unit admission, readmission, and mortality) was estimated using risk-adjusted population attributable fractions. The population attributable fraction is a calculated measure taking into account the prevalence and severity of each complication. The population attributable fractions represents the percentage reduction in a given outcome that would occur if that complication were eliminated. In total, 135,413 patients undergoing sleeve gastrectomy (67%), Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (29%), adjustable gastric banding (3%), and duodenal switch (1%) were included. The most common complications were bleeding (.7%), wound infection (.5%), urinary tract infection (.3%), VTE (.3%), and leak (.2%). Bleeding and leak were the largest contributors to 3 of 5 examined outcomes. VTE had the greatest effect on readmission and mortality. This study quantifies the impact of specific complications on key surgical outcomes after bariatric surgery. Bleeding and leak were the complications with the largest overall effect on end-organ dysfunction, reoperation, and intensive care unit admission after bariatric surgery. Furthermore, our findings suggest that an initiative targeting reduction of post-bariatric surgery VTE has the greatest potential to reduce mortality and readmission rates. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Population attributable risk of key modifiable risk factors associated with non-exclusive breastfeeding in Nigeria.

PubMed

Ogbo, Felix Akpojene; Page, Andrew; Idoko, John; Agho, Kingsley E

2018-02-13

Non-exclusive breastfeeding (non-EBF) is a risk factor for many of the 2300 under-five deaths occurring daily in Nigeria - a developing country with approximately 40 million children. This study aimed to quantify and compare the attributable burden of key modifiable risk factors associated with non-EBF in Nigeria to inform strategic policy responses and initiatives. Relative risk and exposure prevalence for selected modifiable risk factors were used to calculate population attributable fractions based on Nigeria Demographic and Health Surveys data for the period (1999-2013). Scenarios based on feasible impact of community-based interventions in reducing exposure prevalence were also considered to calculate comparative potential impact fractions. In Nigeria, an estimated 22.8% (95% Confidence Interval, CI: 9.2-37.0%) of non-EBF was attributable to primary and no maternal education; 24.7% (95% CI: 9.5-39.5%) to middle and poor household wealth, 9.7% (1.7-18.1%) to lower number (1-3) and no antenatal care visits; 18.8% (95% CI: 6.9-30.8%) to home delivery and 16.6% (95% CI: 3.0-31.3%) to delivery assisted by a non-health professional. In combination, more than half of all cases of non-EBF (64.5%; 95% CI: 50.0-76.4%) could be attributed to those modifiable risk factors. Scenarios based on feasible impacts of community-based approaches to improve health service access and human capacity suggest that an avoidable burden of non-EBF practice of approximately 11% (95% CI: -5.4; 24.7) is achievable. Key modifiable risk factors contribute significantly to non-EBF in Nigerian women. Community-based initiatives and appropriate socio-economic government policies that specifically consider those modifiable risk factors could substantially reduce non-EBF practice in Nigeria.

Cancers in Australia in 2010 attributable to overweight and obesity.

PubMed

Kendall, Bradley J; Wilson, Louise F; Olsen, Catherine M; Webb, Penelope M; Neale, Rachel E; Bain, Christopher J; Whiteman, David C

2015-10-01

To estimate the proportion and number of cancers occurring in Australia in 2010 attributable to overweight/obesity. We estimated the population attributable fraction (PAF) and number of cancers causally associated with overweight/obesity. We used standard formulae incorporating Australian prevalence data for body mass index (BMI), relative risks associated with BMI and cancer. We also estimated the proportion change in cancer incidence (potential impact fraction [PIF]) that may have occurred assuming that the prevalence of overweight/obesity had remained at 1990 levels. An estimated 3,917 cancer cases (3.4% of all cancers) diagnosed in 2010 were attributable to overweight/obesity, including 1,101 colon cancers, 971 female post-menopausal breast cancers and 595 endometrial cancers (PAFs of 10%, 8% and 26%, respectively). Highest PAFs were observed for oesophageal adenocarcinoma (31%), endometrial cancer (26%) and kidney cancer (19%). If the prevalence of overweight/obesity in Australia had remained at levels prevailing in 1990, we estimate there would have been 820 fewer cancers diagnosed in 2010 (PIF 2%). Overweight/obesity causes a substantial number of cancers in Australia. Public health strategies to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity will reduce the incidence of cancer, particularly of the colon, breast and endometrium. © 2015 The Authors.

Population attributable risk of modifiable risk factors associated with invasive breast cancer in women aged 45-69 years in Queensland, Australia.

PubMed

Wilson, Louise F; Page, Andrew N; Dunn, Nathan A M; Pandeya, Nirmala; Protani, Melinda M; Taylor, Richard J

2013-12-01

To quantify the population attributable risk of key modifiable risk factors associated with breast cancer incidence in Queensland, Australia. Population attributable fractions (PAFs) for high body mass index (BMI), use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), alcohol consumption and inadequate physical activity were calculated, using prevalence data from a representative survey of women attending mammographic screening at BreastScreen Queensland in 2008 and relative risk estimates sourced from published literature. Attributable cancers were calculated using 'underlying' breast cancer incidence data for 2008 based on Poisson regression models, adjusting for the inflation of incidence due to the effects of mammographic screening. Attributable burden of breast cancer due to high body mass index (BMI), use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), alcohol consumption and inadequate physical activity. In Queensland women aged 45-69 years, an estimated 12.1% (95% CI: 11.6-12.5%) of invasive breast cancers were attributable to high BMI in post-menopausal women who have never used HRT; 2.8% (95% CI: 2.7-2.9%) to alcohol consumption; 7.6% (95% CI: 7.4-7.9%) to inadequate physical activity in post-menopausal women and 6.2% (95% CI: 5.5-7.0%) to current use of HRT after stratification by BMI and type of HRT used. Combined, just over one quarter (26.0%; 95% CI: 25.4-26.6%) of all invasive breast cancers in Queensland women aged 45-69 years in 2008 were attributable to these modifiable risk factors. There is benefit in targeting prevention strategies to modify lifestyle behaviours around BMI, physical activity, HRT use and alcohol consumption, as a reduction in these risk factors could decrease invasive breast cancer incidence in the Queensland population. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The population impact of obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and tobacco and alcohol consumption on the prevalence of type 2 diabetes: Analysis of a health population survey in Chile, 2010

PubMed Central

Gormaz, Juan G.; Libuy, Matías; Sanhueza, Dérgica; Gajardo, Abraham; Srur, Andrea; Wallbaum, Magdalena

2017-01-01

Aim To estimate the impact of tobacco use, sedentary lifestyle, obesity and alcohol consumption on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) prevalence in the Chilean population. Methods The study-included 5,293 subjects with fasting glycaemia levels from the nationwide cross-sectional health survey in 2010, commissioned by the Ministry of Health, Chile. Crude and Adjusted Odds Ratio to T2DM and its corresponding 95% confidence interval were estimated through logistic regressions. Attributable fractions and population attributable fractions were estimated. Results T2DM prevalence was 9.5%. Sedentary lifestyles and obesity were significant risk factors for T2DM. 52,4% of T2DM could be avoided if these individuals were not obese, and at a population level, 23% of T2DM could be preventable if obesity did not exist. A 64% of T2DM is explained by sedentariness, and if people would become active, a 62,2% of the cases of diabetes could be avoided. Interpretation About 79% of T2DM cases in Chile could be prevented with cost-effective strategies focused on preventing sedentary lifestyle and obesity. It’s therefore urgent to implement evidence-based public health polices, aimed to decrease the prevalence of T2DM, by controlling its risk factors and consequently, reducing the complications from T2DM. PMID:28542472

Occupational risk factors have to be considered in the definition of high-risk lung cancer populations.

PubMed

Wild, P; Gonzalez, M; Bourgkard, E; Courouble, N; Clément-Duchêne, C; Martinet, Y; Févotte, J; Paris, C

2012-03-27

The aim of this study was to compute attributable fractions (AF) to occupational factors in an area in North-Eastern France with high lung cancer rates and a past of mining and steel industry. A population-based case-control study among males aged 40-79 was conducted, including confirmed primary lung cancer cases from all hospitals of the study region. Controls were stratified by broad age-classes, district and socioeconomic classes. Detailed occupational and personal risk factors were obtained in face-to-face interviews. Cumulative occupational exposure indices were obtained from the questionnaires. Attributable fractions were computed from multiple unconditional logistic regression models. A total of 246 cases and 531 controls were included. The odds ratios (ORs) adjusted on cumulative smoking and family history of lung cancer increased significantly with the cumulative exposure indices to asbestos, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and crystalline silica, and with exposure to diesel motor exhaust. The AF for occupational factors exceeded 50%, the most important contributor being crystalline silica and asbestos. These AFs are higher than most published figures. This can be because of the highly industrialised area or methods for exposure assessments. Occupational factors are important risk factors and should not be forgotten when defining high-risk lung cancer populations.

Socioeconomic status and risk of infant death. A population-based study of trends in Norway, 1967-1998.

PubMed

Arntzen, Annett; Samuelsen, Sven Ove; Bakketeig, Leiv S; Stoltenberg, Camilla

2004-04-01

The aim of this study was to examine the association between socioeconomic status and risk of infant death in Norway from 1967 to 1998. Information from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway on all live births and infant deaths was linked to information from Statistics Norway on parents' education. There were 1777364 eligible live births and 15517 infant deaths. Differences between education groups were estimated as risk differences, relative risks, population attributable fractions, and index of inequality ratios. The risk of infant death decreased in all education groups, and the level of education increased over time. The trends differed for neonatal and postneonatal death. For neonatal death the risk difference between infants whose mothers had high and low education was reduced from 3.5/1000 in the 1970s to 0.9/1000 in the 1990s. The relative index of inequality (RII) for maternal education decreased from 1.72 to1.32. The proportion of neonatal deaths that could be attributed to <13 years of education decreased from 22.3 to 8.4. For postneonatal death the risk difference between infants whose mothers had high and low education increased from 0.7/1000 in the 1970s to 2.0/1000 in the 1990s. The RII for maternal education increased from 1.31 to 4.00. The population attributable fraction increased from 9.7 to 39.5. An inverse association between socioeconomic status and risk of postneonatal death persists, albeit there was a considerable reduction in risk between 1967 and 1998.

Impact of Dietary and Metabolic Risk Factors on Cardiovascular and Diabetes Mortality in South Asia: Analysis From the 2010 Global Burden of Disease Study.

PubMed

Yakoob, Mohammad Y; Micha, Renata; Khatibzadeh, Shahab; Singh, Gitanjali M; Shi, Peilin; Ahsan, Habibul; Balakrishna, Nagalla; Brahmam, Ginnela N V; Chen, Yu; Afshin, Ashkan; Fahimi, Saman; Danaei, Goodarz; Powles, John W; Ezzati, Majid; Mozaffarian, Dariush

2016-12-01

To quantify cardiovascular disease and diabetes deaths attributable to dietary and metabolic risks by country, age, sex, and time in South Asian countries. We used the 2010 Global Burden of Disease national surveys to characterize risk factor levels by age and sex. We derived etiological effects of risk factors-disease endpoints, by age, from meta-analyses. We defined optimal levels. We combined these inputs with cause-specific mortality rates to compute population-attributable fractions as a percentage of total cardiometabolic deaths. Suboptimal diet was the leading cause of cardiometabolic mortality in 4 of 5 countries, with population-attributable fractions from 40.7% (95% uncertainty interval = 37.4, 44.1) in Bangladesh to 56.9% (95% uncertainty interval = 52.4, 61.5) in Pakistan. High systolic blood pressure was the second leading cause, except in Bangladesh, where it superseded suboptimal diet. This was followed in all nations by high fasting plasma glucose, low fruit intake, and low whole grain intake. Other prominent burdens were more variable, such as low intake of vegetables, low omega-3 fats, and high sodium intake in India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Important similarities and differences are evident in cardiometabolic mortality burdens of modifiable dietary and metabolic risks across these countries, informing health policy and program priorities.

Influence of Schistosoma mansoni and Hookworm Infection Intensities on Anaemia in Ugandan Villages.

PubMed

Chami, Goylette F; Fenwick, Alan; Bulte, Erwin; Kontoleon, Andreas A; Kabatereine, Narcis B; Tukahebwa, Edridah M; Dunne, David W

2015-01-01

The association of anaemia with intestinal schistosomiasis and hookworm infections are poorly explored in populations that are not limited to children or pregnant women. We sampled 1,832 individuals aged 5-90 years from 30 communities in Mayuge District, Uganda. Demographic, village, and parasitological data were collected. Infection risk factors were compared in ordinal logistic regressions. Anaemia and infection intensities were analyzed in multilevel models, and population attributable fractions were estimated. Household and village-level predictors of Schistosoma mansoni and hookworm were opposite in direction or significant for single infections. S. mansoni was found primarily in children, whereas hookworm was prevalent amongst the elderly. Anaemia was more prevalent in individuals with S. mansoni and increased by 2.86 fold (p-value<0.001) with heavy S. mansoni infection intensity. Individuals with heavy hookworm were 1.65 times (p-value = 0.008) more likely to have anaemia than uninfected participants. Amongst individuals with heavy S. mansoni infection intensity, 32.0% (p-value<0.001) of anaemia could be attributed to S. mansoni. For people with heavy hookworm infections, 23.7% (p-value = 0.002) of anaemia could be attributed to hookworm. A greater fraction of anaemia (24.9%, p-value = 0.002) was attributable to heavy hookworm infections in adults (excluding pregnant women) as opposed to heavy hookworm infections in school-aged children and pregnant women (20.2%, p-value = 0.001). Community-based surveys captured anaemia in children and adults affected by S. mansoni and hookworm infections. For areas endemic with schistosomiasis or hookworm infections, WHO guidelines should include adults for treatment in helminth control programmes.

Global burden of cancer attributable to high body-mass index in 2012: a population-based study

PubMed Central

Byrnes, Graham; Renehan, Prof Andrew G; Stevens, Gretchen A; Ezzati, Prof Majid; Ferlay, Jacques; Miranda, J. Jaime; Romieu, Isabelle; Dikshit, Rajesh; Forman, David; Soerjomataram, Isabelle

2015-01-01

Background Excess body mass index (BMI) is associated with increased risk of cancer. To inform public health policyand future research, we estimated the global burden of cancer attributable to excess BMI. Methods Population attributable fractions (PAFs) were derived using relative risks and BMI estimates in adults by age, sex and country. Assuming a10-year lag-period, PAFs were calculated using BMI estimates in 2002. GLOBOCAN2012 was used to compute numbers of new cancer cases attributable to excess BMI. In an alternative scenario, we computed the proportion of potentially avoidable cancers assuming that populations maintained their BMI-level observed in 1982. Secondary analyses were performed to test the model and estimate the impactof hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and smoking. Findings Worldwide, we estimated that 481,000 or 3·6% of all new cancer cases in 2012 were attributable to excess BMI. PAFs were greater in women compared with men (5·4% versus 1·9%). The burden was concentrated in countries with very high and high human development index (HDI, PAF: 5·3% and 4·8%) compared with countries with moderate and low HDI (PAF: 1·6% and 1·0%). Corpus uteri, post-menopausal breast and colon cancers accounted for approximately two-thirds (64%) of excess BMI attributable cancers. One fourth (~118,000) of all cases related to excess BMI in 2012 could be attributed to the rising BMI since 1982. Interpretation These findings further underpin the need for a global effort to abate the rising trends in population-level excess weight. Assuming that the relationship between excess BMI and cancer is causal and the current pattern of population weight gain continues, this will likely augment the future burden of cancer. Funding World Cancer Research Fund, Marie Currie Fellowship, the National Health and Medical Research Council Australia and US NIH. PMID:25467404

The future of smoking-attributable mortality: the case of England & Wales, Denmark and the Netherlands.

PubMed

Stoeldraijer, Lenny; Bonneux, Luc; van Duin, Coen; van Wissen, Leo; Janssen, Fanny

2015-02-01

We formally estimate future smoking-attributable mortality up to 2050 for the total national populations of England & Wales, Denmark and the Netherlands, providing an update and extension of the descriptive smoking-epidemic model. We used smoking prevalence and population-level lung cancer mortality data for England & Wales, Denmark and the Netherlands, covering the period 1950-2009. To estimate the future smoking-attributable mortality fraction (SAF) we: (i) project lung cancer mortality by extrapolating age-period-cohort trends, using the observed convergence of smoking prevalence and similarities in past lung cancer mortality between men and women as input; and (ii) add other causes of death attributable to smoking by applying a simplified version of the indirect Peto-Lopez method to the projected lung cancer mortality. The SAF for men in 2009 was 19% (44 872 deaths) in England & Wales, 22% (5861 deaths) in Denmark and 25% (16 385 deaths) in the Netherlands. In our projections, these fractions decline to 6, 12 and 14%, respectively, in 2050. The SAF for women peaked at 14% (38 883 deaths) in 2008 in England & Wales, and is expected to peak in 2028 in Denmark (22%) and in 2033 in the Netherlands (23%). By 2050, a decline to 9, 17 and 19%, respectively, is foreseen. Different indirect estimation methods of the SAF in 2050 yield a range of 1-8% (England & Wales), 8-13% (Denmark) and 11-16% (the Netherlands) for men, and 7-16, 12-26 and 13-31% for women. From northern European data we project that smoking-attributable mortality will remain important for the future, especially for women. Whereas substantial differences between countries remain, the age-specific evolution of smoking-attributable mortality remains similar across countries and between sexes. © 2014 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Is Urografin density gradient centrifugation suitable to separate nonculturable cells from Escherichia coli populations?

PubMed

Arana, Inés; Orruño, Maite; Seco, Carolina; Muela, Alicia; Barcina, Isabel

2008-03-01

The ability of Urografin or Percoll density gradient centrifugations to separate nonculturable subpopulations from heterogeneous Escherichia coli populations was analysed. Bacterial counts (total, active and culturable cells) and flow cytometric analyses were carried out in all recovered bands. After Urografin centrifugation, and despite the different origin of E. coli populations, a common pattern was obtained. High-density bands were formed mainly by nonculturable cells. However, the increase in cell density would not be common to all nonculturable cells, since part of this subpopulations banded in low-density zones, mixed with culturable cells. Bands obtained after Percoll centrifugation were heterogeneous and culturable and nonculturable cells were recovered along the gradient. Thus, fractionation in Urografin cannot be only attributed to changes in buoyant densities during the transition from culturable to nonculturable state. Urografin density gradients allow us to obtain enriched fractions in nonculturable subpopulations from a heterogeneous population, but working conditions should be carefully chosen to avoid Urografin toxicity.

[Disability attributable to excess weight in Spain].

PubMed

Martín-Ramiro, José Javier; Alvarez-Martín, Elena; Gil-Prieto, Ruth

2014-08-19

To estimate the disability attributable to higher than optimal body mass index in the Spanish population in 2006. Excess body weight prevalence data were obtained from the 2006 National Health Survey (NHS), while the prevalence of associated morbidities was extracted from the 2006 NHS and from a national hospital data base. Population attributable fractions were applied and disability attributable was expressed as years life with disability (YLD). In 2006, in the Spanish population aged 35-79 years, 791.650 YLD were lost due to higher than optimal body mass index (46.7% in males and 53.3% in females). Overweight (body mass index 25-29.9) accounted for 45.7% of total YLD. Males YLD were higher than females under 60. The 35-39 quinquennial group showed a difference for males of 16.6% while in the 74-79 group the difference was 23.8% for women. Osteoarthritis and chronic back pain accounted for 60% of YLD while hypertensive disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus were responsible of 37%. Excess body weight is a health risk related to the development of various diseases with an important associated disability burden and social and economical cost. YLD analysis is a useful monitor tool for disease control interventions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Estimating the lifetime risk of cancer associated with multiple CT scans.

PubMed

Ivanov, V K; Kashcheev, V V; Chekin, S Yu; Menyaylo, A N; Pryakhin, E A; Tsyb, A F; Mettler, F A

2014-12-01

Multiple CT scans are often done on the same patient resulting in an increased risk of cancer. Prior publications have estimated risks on a population basis and often using an effective dose. Simply adding up the risks from single scans does not correctly account for the survival function. A methodology for estimating personal radiation risks attributed to multiple CT imaging using organ doses is presented in this article. The estimated magnitude of the attributable risk fraction for the possible development of radiation-induced cancer indicates the necessity for strong clinical justification when ordering multiple CT scans.

Population attributable burden of Helicobacter pylori-related gastric cancer, coronary heart disease, and ischemic stroke in China.

PubMed

Jiang, J; Chen, Y; Shi, J; Song, C; Zhang, J; Wang, K

2017-02-01

Helicobacter pylori, a risk factor of cancer and chronic diseases, remains highly prevalent in China. This review aims to systematically evaluate the H. pylori-attributable burden for gastric cancer (GC), coronary heart disease (CHD), and ischemic stroke (IS) in the Chinese population. Helicobacter pylori prevalence was updated by pooling the results reported in studies across China. The population attributable fraction (PAF) was calculated based on the H. pylori prevalence 10 years ago and relative risks of specific disease by reviewing the prospective studies published from 2000 through 2015. In China, the nationwide average prevalence of H. pylori was estimated to be 42.06 % in the general population during 2009-2013. The fixed effects pooled relative risk (RR) of 1.89 [95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.57-2.26] was obtained for gastric cancer and H. pylori infection. Helicobacter pylori infection was responsible for around 37.38 % of noncardia GC, corresponding to about 105,536 cases in 2012. As for extra-gastric disorders, H. pylori infections had higher risk of CHD (RR = 1.55, 95 % CI: 1.37-1.76) and IS (RR = 1.54, 95 % CI: 1.42-1.66). About 23.15 % of CHD and 22.29 % of IS were attributable to H. pylori infection. The estimates of H. pylori-attributable burden reveal a great potential of reducing H. pylori-related chronic disease burden by H. pylori eradication. Large prospective studies are warranted to identify which H. pylori strains, which subtypes of the disease, and which subgroups of the population have the greatest risk of relevant diseases and the effect of H. pylori eradication on the prevention of H. pylori-related diseases.

Are occupational factors important determinants of socioeconomic inequalities in musculoskeletal pain?

PubMed

Mehlum, Ingrid Sivesind; Kristensen, Petter; Kjuus, Helge; Wergeland, Ebba

2008-08-01

The aim of this study was to quantify socioeconomic inequalities in low-back pain, neck-shoulder pain, and arm pain in the general working population in Oslo and to examine the impact of job characteristics on these inequalities. All economically active 30-, 40-, and 45-year-old persons who attended the Oslo health study in 2000-2001 and answered questions on physical job demands, job autonomy, and musculoskeletal pain were included (N=7293). Occupational class was used as an indicator of socioeconomic status. The lower occupational classes were compared with higher grade professionals, and prevalences, prevalence ratios, prevalence differences, and population attributable fractions were calculated. There were marked, stepwise socioeconomic gradients for musculoskeletal pain, steeper for the men than for the women. The relative differences (prevalence ratios) were larger for low-back pain and arm pain than for neck-shoulder pain. The absolute differences (prevalence differences) were the largest for low-back pain. Physical job demands explained a substantial proportion of the absolute occupational class inequalities in low-back pain, while job autonomy was more important in explaining the inequalities in neck-shoulder pain and arm pain. The estimated population attributable fractions supported the impact of job characteristics at the working population level, especially for low-back pain. In this cross-sectional study, physical job demands and job autonomy explained a substantial proportion of occupational class inequalities in self-reported musculoskeletal pain in the working population in Oslo. This finding indicates that the workplace may be an important arena for preventive efforts to reduce socioeconomic inequalities in musculoskeletal pain.

Estimation of the overall burden of cancers, precancerous lesions, and genital warts attributable to 9-valent HPV vaccine types in women and men in Europe.

PubMed

Hartwig, Susanne; St Guily, Jean Lacau; Dominiak-Felden, Géraldine; Alemany, Laia; de Sanjosé, Silvia

2017-01-01

In addition to cervical cancer, human papillomavirus (HPV) is responsible for a significant proportion of cancers and precancerous lesions of the vulva, vagina, anus, penis, head and neck, as well as genital warts. We estimated the annual number of new cases of these diseases attributable to 9-valent HPV vaccine types in women and men in Europe. The annual number of new cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina, anus, penis, and selected head and neck sites in the population of the European Medicines Agency territory was estimated based on age-specific incidence rates extracted from Cancer Incidence in 5 Continents, Volume X and Eurostat population data for 2015. The annual number of new cancers attributable to 9-valent HPV vaccine types was estimated by applying the HPV attributable fraction from reference publications based on a large European multicenter study. For non-cervical cancers, HPV attributable fractions were based on oncogenically-active HPV infections only (i.e., detection of HPV DNA and either mRNA and/or p16 positivity). For precancerous lesions of the cervix, vulva, vagina, and anus, and for genital warts, previously published estimations were updated for the 2015 population. The annual number of new cancers attributable to 9-valent HPV vaccine types was estimated at 47,992 (95% bound: 39,785-58,511). Cervical cancer showed the highest burden (31,130 cases), followed by head and neck cancer (6,786 cases), anal cancer (6,137 cases), vulvar cancer (1,466 cases), vaginal cancer (1,360 cases), and penile cancer (1,113 cases). About 81% were estimated to occur in women and 19% in men. The annual number of new precancerous lesions (CIN2+, VIN2/3, VaIN2/3, and AIN2/3) and genital warts attributable to 9-valent HPV vaccine types was estimated at 232,103 to 442,347 and 680,344 to 844,391, respectively. The burden of cancers associated with 9-valent HPV vaccine types in Europe is substantial in both sexes. Head and neck cancers constitute a heavy burden, particularly in men. Overall, about 90% of HPV-related cancers, 80% of precancerous lesions, and 90% of genital warts are expected to be attributable to 9-valent HPV vaccine types each year, demonstrating the important preventive potential of the 9-valent HPV vaccine in Europe.

Fractional populations in multiple gene inheritance.

PubMed

Chung, Myung-Hoon; Kim, Chul Koo; Nahm, Kyun

2003-01-22

With complete knowledge of the human genome sequence, one of the most interesting tasks remaining is to understand the functions of individual genes and how they communicate. Using the information about genes (locus, allele, mutation rate, fitness, etc.), we attempt to explain population demographic data. This population evolution study could complement and enhance biologists' understanding about genes. We present a general approach to study population genetics in complex situations. In the present approach, multiple allele inheritance, multiple loci inheritance, natural selection and mutations are allowed simultaneously in order to consider a more realistic situation. A simulation program is presented so that readers can readily carry out studies with their own parameters. It is shown that the multiplicity of the loci greatly affects the demographic results of fractional population ratios. Furthermore, the study indicates that some high infant mortality rates due to congenital anomalies can be attributed to multiple loci inheritance. The simulation program can be downloaded from http://won.hongik.ac.kr/~mhchung/index_files/yapop.htm. In order to run this program, one needs Visual Studio.NET platform, which can be downloaded from http://msdn.microsoft.com/netframework/downloads/default.asp.

Smoking rate and periodontal disease prevalence: 40-year trends in Sweden 1970-2010.

PubMed

Bergstrom, Jan

2014-10-01

To investigate the relationship between smoking rate and periodontal disease prevalence in Sweden. National smoking rates were found from Swedish National Statistics on smoking habits. Based on smoking rates for the years 1970-2010, periodontal disease prevalence estimates were calculated for the age bracket 40-70 years and smoking-associated relative risks between 2.0 and 20.0. The impact of smoking on the population was estimated according to the concept of population attributable fraction. The age-standardized smoking rate in Sweden declined from 44% in 1970 to 15% in 2010. In parallel with the smoking decline the calculated prevalence estimate of periodontal disease dropped from 26% to 12% assuming a 10-fold smoking-associated relative risk. Even at more moderate magnitudes of the relative risk, e.g. 2-fold or 5-fold, the prevalence decrease was quite tangible, suggesting that the current prevalence in Sweden is about 20-50% of the level 40 years ago. The population attributable fraction, estimating the portion of the disease that would have been avoided in the absence of smoking, was 80% in 1970 and 58% in 2010 at a ten-fold relative risk. Calculated estimates of periodontal disease prevalence are closely related to real changes in smoking rate. As smoking rate drops periodontal disease prevalence will drop. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The impact of workplace risk factors on the occurrence of neck and upper limb pain: a general population study.

PubMed

Sim, Julius; Lacey, Rosie J; Lewis, Martyn

2006-09-19

Work-related neck and upper limb pain has mainly been studied in specific occupational groups, and little is known about its impact in the general population. The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence and population impact of work-related neck and upper limb pain. A cross-sectional survey was conducted of 10,000 adults in North Staffordshire, UK, in which there is a common local manual industry. The primary outcome measure was presence or absence of neck and upper limb pain. Participants were asked to give details of up to five recent jobs, and to report exposure to six work activities involving the neck or upper limbs. Psychosocial measures included job control, demand and support. Odds ratios (ORs) and population attributable fractions were calculated for these risk factors. The age-standardized one-month period prevalence of neck and upper limb pain was 44%. There were significant independent associations between neck and upper limb pain and: repeated lifting of heavy objects (OR = 1.4); prolonged bending of neck (OR = 2.0); working with arms at/above shoulder height (OR = 1.3); little job control (OR = 1.6); and little supervisor support (OR = 1.3). The population attributable fractions were 0.24 (24%) for exposure to work activities and 0.12 (12%) for exposure to psychosocial factors. Neck and upper limb pain is associated with both physical and psychosocial factors in the work environment. Inferences of cause-and-effect from cross-sectional studies must be made with caution; nonetheless, our findings suggest that modification of the work environment might prevent up to one in three of cases of neck and upper limb pain in the general population, depending on current exposures to occupational risk.

Influence of Schistosoma mansoni and Hookworm Infection Intensities on Anaemia in Ugandan Villages

PubMed Central

Chami, Goylette F.; Fenwick, Alan; Bulte, Erwin; Kontoleon, Andreas A.; Kabatereine, Narcis B.; Tukahebwa, Edridah M.; Dunne, David W.

2015-01-01

Background The association of anaemia with intestinal schistosomiasis and hookworm infections are poorly explored in populations that are not limited to children or pregnant women. Methods We sampled 1,832 individuals aged 5–90 years from 30 communities in Mayuge District, Uganda. Demographic, village, and parasitological data were collected. Infection risk factors were compared in ordinal logistic regressions. Anaemia and infection intensities were analyzed in multilevel models, and population attributable fractions were estimated. Findings Household and village-level predictors of Schistosoma mansoni and hookworm were opposite in direction or significant for single infections. S. mansoni was found primarily in children, whereas hookworm was prevalent amongst the elderly. Anaemia was more prevalent in individuals with S. mansoni and increased by 2.86 fold (p-value<0.001) with heavy S. mansoni infection intensity. Individuals with heavy hookworm were 1.65 times (p-value = 0.008) more likely to have anaemia than uninfected participants. Amongst individuals with heavy S. mansoni infection intensity, 32.0% (p-value<0.001) of anaemia could be attributed to S. mansoni. For people with heavy hookworm infections, 23.7% (p-value = 0.002) of anaemia could be attributed to hookworm. A greater fraction of anaemia (24.9%, p-value = 0.002) was attributable to heavy hookworm infections in adults (excluding pregnant women) as opposed to heavy hookworm infections in school-aged children and pregnant women (20.2%, p-value = 0.001). Conclusion Community-based surveys captured anaemia in children and adults affected by S. mansoni and hookworm infections. For areas endemic with schistosomiasis or hookworm infections, WHO guidelines should include adults for treatment in helminth control programmes. PMID:26513151

Quantitative cancer risk assessment and local mortality burden for ambient air pollution in an eastern Mediterranean City.

PubMed

Dhaini, Hassan R; Salameh, Thérèse; Waked, Antoine; Sauvage, Stéphane; Borbon, Agnès; Formenti, Paola; Doussin, Jean-François; Locoge, Nadine; Afif, Charbel

2017-06-01

Health risks posed by ambient air pollutants to the urban Lebanese population have not been well characterized. The aim of this study is to assess cancer risk and mortality burden of non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) and particulates (PM) based on two field-sampling campaigns conducted during summer and winter seasons in Beirut. Seventy NMHCs were analyzed by TD-GC-FID. PM 2.5 elemental carbon (EC) components were examined using a Lab OC-EC aerosol Analyzer, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were analyzed by GC-MS. The US EPA fraction-based approach was used to assess non-cancer hazard and cancer risk for the hydrocarbon mixture, and the UK Committee on Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) guidelines were followed to determine the PM 2.5 attributable mortality burden. The average cumulative cancer risk exceeded the US EPA acceptable level (10 -6 ) by 40-fold in the summer and 30-fold in the winter. Benzene was found to be the highest contributor to cancer risk (39-43%), followed by 1,3-butadiene (25-29%), both originating from traffic gasoline evaporation and combustion. The EC attributable average mortality fraction was 7.8-10%, while the average attributable number of deaths (AD) and years of life lost (YLL) were found to be 257-327 and 3086-3923, respectively. Our findings provide a baseline for future air monitoring programs, and for interventions aiming at reducing cancer risk in this population.

Population-attributable causes of cancer in Korea: obesity and physical inactivity.

PubMed

Park, Sohee; Kim, Yeonju; Shin, Hai-Rim; Lee, Boram; Shin, Aesun; Jung, Kyu-Won; Jee, Sun Ha; Kim, Dong Hyun; Yun, Young Ho; Park, Sue Kyung; Boniol, Mathieu; Boffetta, Paolo

2014-01-01

Changes in lifestyle including obesity epidemic and reduced physical activity influenced greatly to increase the cancer burden in Korea. The purpose of the current study was to perform a systematic assessment of cancers attributable to obesity and physical inactivity in Korea. Gender- and cancer site-specific population-attributable fractions (PAF) were estimated using the prevalence of overweight and obesity in 1992-1995 from a large-scale prospective cohort study, the prevalence of low physical activity in 1989 from a Korean National Health Examination Survey, and pooled relative risk estimates from Korean epidemiological studies. The overall PAF was then estimated using 2009 national cancer incidence data from the Korea Central Cancer Registry. Excess body weight was responsible for 1,444 (1.5%) and 2,004 (2.2%) cancer cases among men and women, respectively, in 2009 in Korea. Among men, 6.8% of colorectal, 2.9% of pancreatic, and 16.0% of kidney cancer was attributable to excess body weight. In women, 6.6% of colorectal, 3.9% of pancreatic, 18.7% of kidney, 8.2% of postmenopausal breast, and 32.7% of endometrial cancer was attributable to excess body weight. Low leisure-time physical activity accounted for 8.8% of breast cancer, whereas the PAF for overall cancer was low (0.1% in men, 1.4% in women). Projections suggest that cancers attributable to obesity will increase by 40% in men and 16% in women by 2020. With a significantly increasing overweight and physically inactive population, and increasing incidence of breast and colorectal cancers, Korea faces a large cancer burden attributable to these risk factors. Had the obese population of Korea remained stable, a large portion of obesity-related cancers could have been avoided. Efficient cancer prevention programs that aim to reduce obesity- and physical inactivity-related health problems are essential in Korea.

Population-Attributable Causes of Cancer in Korea: Obesity and Physical Inactivity

PubMed Central

Shin, Hai-Rim; Lee, Boram; Shin, Aesun; Jung, Kyu-Won; Jee, Sun Ha; Kim, Dong Hyun; Yun, Young Ho; Park, Sue Kyung; Boniol, Mathieu; Boffetta, Paolo

2014-01-01

Background Changes in lifestyle including obesity epidemic and reduced physical activity influenced greatly to increase the cancer burden in Korea. The purpose of the current study was to perform a systematic assessment of cancers attributable to obesity and physical inactivity in Korea. Methodology/Principal Findings Gender- and cancer site-specific population-attributable fractions (PAF) were estimated using the prevalence of overweight and obesity in 1992–1995 from a large-scale prospective cohort study, the prevalence of low physical activity in 1989 from a Korean National Health Examination Survey, and pooled relative risk estimates from Korean epidemiological studies. The overall PAF was then estimated using 2009 national cancer incidence data from the Korea Central Cancer Registry. Excess body weight was responsible for 1,444 (1.5%) and 2,004 (2.2%) cancer cases among men and women, respectively, in 2009 in Korea. Among men, 6.8% of colorectal, 2.9% of pancreatic, and 16.0% of kidney cancer was attributable to excess body weight. In women, 6.6% of colorectal, 3.9% of pancreatic, 18.7% of kidney, 8.2% of postmenopausal breast, and 32.7% of endometrial cancer was attributable to excess body weight. Low leisure-time physical activity accounted for 8.8% of breast cancer, whereas the PAF for overall cancer was low (0.1% in men, 1.4% in women). Projections suggest that cancers attributable to obesity will increase by 40% in men and 16% in women by 2020. Conclusions/Significance With a significantly increasing overweight and physically inactive population, and increasing incidence of breast and colorectal cancers, Korea faces a large cancer burden attributable to these risk factors. Had the obese population of Korea remained stable, a large portion of obesity-related cancers could have been avoided. Efficient cancer prevention programs that aim to reduce obesity- and physical inactivity-related health problems are essential in Korea. PMID:24722008

Isoleucine epimerization in the high-molecular-weight fraction of pleistocene Arctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaufman, Darrell S.; Sejrup, Hans-Petter

The extent of amino acid racemization, as traditionally determined in the entire (total acid hydrolysate) pool of amino acids comprising the organic remains of fossils, is a function of the integrated effects of a complex diagenetic reaction network. We investigated the possibility that some of the complications involved in protein diagenesis might be circumvented by isolating one component of the reaction network and studying the extent of racemization in that fraction alone. We used gel-filtration to extract the high-molecular-weight (HMW) fraction of proteinaceous matter from fossil and modem molluscan shells. This fraction contains the largest (ca. > 15,000 MW), most-pristine macromolecules and has been less affected by diagenesis than the more-degraded, lower molecular-weight fractions. Variations in the extent of racemization (isoleucine epimerization; alle/Ile) measured in the HMW fraction of subsamples taken along cross sections of Arctica shells from two interglacial sites, Bø and Fjøsanger, southwestern Norway, are within the range of analytical uncertainty [coefficient of variation (cv) = 5-8%], despite the strong gradient (cv = 20-24%) in alle/Ile of the total amino acid population. Because there is no age difference across a shell, this finding supports the idea that the HMW fraction contains more geochronologically reliable proteinaceous matter than the total amino acid pool. Weighted mean alle/Ile ratios in the HMW fraction of aliquots of powdered sample from the two shells overlap at ± 1σ, despite significantly different alle/Ile ratios in the total amino acid population of some shells from the two sites. The difference in alle/Ile ratios in the total population is attributed to a greater proportion of low-molecular-weight (ca. 300 MW), and hence, extensively epimerized molecules measured in gel-filtered samples from the Fjøsanger shell. Because the rate of epimerization in the HMW fraction is much lower than in the total population, the temporal resolution of the HMW technique is limited, particularly at these high-latitude sites. Therefore, we cannot use the aIle/Ile HMW data to exclude the possibility that the two sites are significantly different ages. Analyses of shells ranging in age from late Pliocene to Holocene indicate that reaction rate in the HMW fraction is about one-fifth the rate in the total amino acid population, although the difference is expected to decrease with increasing aIle/Ile.

Prevalence of frailty and contributory factors in three Chinese populations with different socioeconomic and healthcare characteristics.

PubMed

Woo, Jean; Zheng, Zheng; Leung, Jason; Chan, Piu

2015-12-09

Frailty predicts dependence and mortality, and is an important health indicator for aging populations. Comparing frailty prevalence between populations of the same ethnicity but different socioeconomic, lifestyle, health and social care systems, and environmental characteristics would address the role of these factors in contributing to frailty. We compare frailty prevalence and contributory factors across three Chinese populations: Beijing rural, Beijing urban, and Hong Kong (urban). Older people aged 65 years and above living in the community were invited to respond to a general health questionnaire covering demographic, socioeconomic, medical and drug histories, geriatric syndromes, assessment of physical and cognitive functioning, psychological wellbeing and nutritional status. Frailty is defined as an index calculated from multiple deficits > = 0.25 (FI). The ratio of FI/life expectancy at birth was used as an indicator of compression of morbidity. Risk factors and attributable fraction for frailty were compared across the three cohorts. The prevalence of frailty increases with age in all three cohorts, and was lower among rural compared with urban (Beijing and Hong Kong) populations. The highest FI/LE ratio was observed in the Beijing urban population, followed by Hong Kong, with the Beijing rural population having the lowest ratio. Risk factors for frailty were similar in all three populations. Those having the highest ORs were multi-morbidity (number of diseases > = 3), polypharmacy (number of drugs > = 4), age 85+, female gender, followed by low education level, and physical inactivity. For all three cohorts, age and multi-morbidity constitute the highest attributable fraction, and were highest in the Beijing rural cohort. A major difference between the Beijing and Hong Kong cohorts is the high AF from polypharmacy in Beijing and the 'protective' contribution of being married; and the effect of being a teetotaler in the Hong Kong cohort. This comparison draws attention to the importance of frailty prevention for ageing populations.

Myocardial infarction among Danish HIV-infected individuals: population-attributable fractions associated with smoking.

PubMed

Rasmussen, Line D; Helleberg, Marie; May, Margaret T; Afzal, Shoaib; Kronborg, Gitte; Larsen, Carsten S; Pedersen, Court; Gerstoft, Jan; Nordestgaard, Børge G; Obel, Niels

2015-05-01

Human immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals have increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI); however, the contribution from smoking and potentiating effects of HIV are controversial. From the Danish HIV Cohort Study and the Copenhagen General Population Study, we identified 3251 HIV-infected individuals and 13 004 population controls matched on age and gender. Data on MI were obtained from the National Hospital Registry and the National Registry of Causes of Death. We calculated adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRR) for risk of MI and population-attributable fractions (PAF) of MI associated with smoking. In never smokers, HIV was not associated with an increased risk of MI (aIRR, 1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], .41-2.54). In previous and current smokers, HIV was associated with a substantially increased risk of MI (aIRR, 1.78; 95% CI, .75-4.24 and aIRR, 2.83; 95% CI, 1.71-4.70). The PAF associated with ever smoking (previous or current) was 72% (95% CI, 55%-82%) for HIV-infected individuals and 24% (95% CI, 3%-40%) for population controls. If all current smokers stopped smoking, 42% (95% CI, 21%-57%) and 21% (95% CI, 12%-28%) of all MIs could potentially be avoided in these 2 populations. Smoking is associated with a higher risk of MI in the HIV-infected population than in the general population. Approximately 3 of 4 MIs among HIV-infected individuals are associated with ever smoking compared with only 1 of 4 MIs among population controls. Smoking cessation could potentially prevent more than 40% of MIs among HIV-infected individuals, and smoking cessation should be a primary focus in modern HIV care. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effect of HSV-2 on population-level trends in HIV incidence in Uganda between 1990 and 2007

PubMed Central

Biraro, Samuel; Kamali, Anatoli; White, Richard; Karabarinde, Alex; Nsiimire Ssendagala, Juliet; Grosskurth, Heiner; Weiss, Helen A

2013-01-01

Objective To assess the long-term effects of population-level HSV-2 infection on HIV incidence. Methods Data from a population-based cohort in south-western Uganda were used to estimate HIV incidence from 1990 to 2007. Stored blood samples were tested for HSV-2, and the impact of HSV-2 prevalence and incidence on HIV incidence was estimated by calculating population attributable fractions (PAFs). The association between population-level annual HIV incidence and annual HSV-2 incidence/prevalence was analysed using linear regression. Results HIV incidence declined over time among men, from 8.72/1000 person-years (pyr) in 1990 to 4.85/1000 pyr in 2007 (P-trend <0.001). In contrast, there was no decline in HIV incidence among women (4.86/1000 pyr in 1990 to 6.74/1000 pyr in 2007, P-trend = 0.18). PAFs of incident HIV attributable to HSV-2 were high (60% in males; 70% in females). There was no evidence of an association between long-term trends in HIV incidence and HSV-2 prevalence or incidence. Conclusion Assuming a causal relationship, a substantial proportion of new HIV infections in this population are attributable to HSV-2. The study did not find an effect of HSV-2 prevalence/incidence on trends in HIV incidence. HIV incidence did not vary much during the study period. This may partly explain the lack of association. PMID:24016032

New Insights into the Formation of the Blue Main Sequence in NGC 1850

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yujiao; Li, Chengyuan; Deng, Licai; de Grijs, Richard; Milone, Antonino P.

2018-06-01

Recent discoveries of bimodal main sequences (MSs) associated with young clusters (with ages ≲1 Gyr) in the Magellanic Clouds have drawn a lot of attention. One of the prevailing formation scenarios attributes these split MSs to a bimodal distribution in stellar rotation rates, with most stars belonging to a rapidly rotating population. In this scenario, only a small fraction of stars populating a secondary blue sequence are slowly or non-rotating stars. Here, we focus on the blue MS in the young cluster NGC 1850. We compare the cumulative number fraction of the observed blue-MS stars to that of the high-mass-ratio binary systems at different radii. The cumulative distributions of both populations exhibit a clear anti-correlation, characterized by a highly significant Pearson coefficient of ‑0.97. Our observations are consistent with the possibility that blue-MS stars are low-mass-ratio binaries, and therefore their dynamical disruption is still ongoing. High-mass-ratio binaries, on the other hand, are more centrally concentrated.

Health Care Expenditures Attributable to Smoking in Military Veterans

PubMed Central

Hamlett-Berry, Kim; Sung, Hai-Yen; Max, Wendy

2015-01-01

Introduction: The health effects of cigarette smoking have been estimated to account for between 6%–8% of U.S. health care expenditures. We estimated Veterans Health Administration (VHA) health care costs attributable to cigarette smoking. Methods: VHA survey and administrative data provided the number of Veteran enrollees, current and former smoking prevalence, and the cost of 4 types of care for groups defined by age, gender, and region. Cost and smoking status could not be linked at the enrollee level, so we used smoking attributable fractions estimated in sample of U.S. residents where the linkage could be made. Results: The 7.7 million Veterans enrolled in VHA received $40.2 billion in VHA provided health services in 2010. We estimated that $2.7 billion in VHA costs were attributable to the health effects of smoking. This was 7.6% of the $35.3 billion spent on the types of care for which smoking-attributable fractions could be determined. The fraction of inpatient costs that was attributable to smoking (11.4%) was greater than the fraction of ambulatory care cost attributable to smoking (5.3%). More cost was attributable to current smokers ($1.7 billion) than to former smokers ($983 million). Conclusions: The fraction of VHA costs attributable to smoking is similar to that of other health care systems. Smoking among Veterans is slowly decreasing, but prevalence remains high in Veterans with psychiatric and substance use disorders, and in younger and female Veterans. VHA has adopted a number of smoking cessation programs that have the potential for reducing future smoking-attributable costs. PMID:25239960

High population attributable fractions of myocardial infarction associated with waist–hip ratio

PubMed Central

Igland, Jannicke; Vollset, Stein Emil; Sulo, Gerhard; Eide, Geir Egil; Tell, Grethe S.

2016-01-01

Objective To estimate population attributable fractions (PAF) of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) associated with anthropometric measures by sex and age. Methods The Cohort of Norway study identified 140,790 participants free of cardiovascular disease, 1994‐2003. Participants were followed for AMI through 2009 by record linkages through the Cardiovascular Disease in Norway Project. PAFs were adjusted for age, smoking, systolic blood pressure, diabetes, and the ratio of total cholesterol to high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol. Results The PAFs associated with a waist–hip ratio (WHR) in the top two quintiles were 26.1% (95% confidence interval, CI 14.6–36.1) for middle‐aged women (<60 years, mean of 41 years) and 9.3% (95% CI 3.0–15.1) for similarly aged men after adjustment for body mass index (BMI) and conventional risk factors. However, PAFs associated with anthropometric measures in elderly participants (≥ 60 years, mean of 70 years) were non‐significant in multivariable analyses. Also, WHR was a significant predictor of AMI among men and women without an enlarged waist circumference (<102 cm for men and < 88 cm for women) in adjusted analyses. Conclusions WHR measurements could improve identification of at‐risk individuals above and beyond that of conventional risk factors, BMI, or an enlarged waist circumference. PMID:27030172

Evaluation of the social and economic burden of road traffic noise-attributed myocardial infarction in Bulgarian urban population.

PubMed

Dzhambov, Angel M; Dimitrova, Donka D

2015-03-01

Road traffic noise is a widely studied environmental risk factor for ischaemic heart disease and myocardial infarction in particular. Given that myocardial infarction is a leading disability and mortality cause in Bulgaria and that a significant proportion of the urban population is exposed to high noise levels, quantification of the burden of disease attributable to traffic noise is essential for environmental health policy making and noise control engineering. This study aimed at estimating the burden of the myocardial infarction cases attributable to road traffic noise in the Bulgarian urban population. We used the methodology for estimating the burden of disease attributable to environmental noise outlined by the World Health Organization. Risk data were extracted from a recently published meta-analysis providing updated exposure-response relationship between traffic noise and the risk for myocardial infarction. Based on these data we calculated the fraction of myocardial infarction cases attributable to traffic noise, loss of quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and the economic burden, assuming € 12,000 per QALY. About 2.9 % or 101 of all myocardial infarction cases could be attributed to road traffic noise. Fifty-five of these were fatal. Nine hundred and sixty-eight QALYs were lost to these cases. The monetary value of these QALYs was about € 11.6 million. Although the measures used in this study are crude and give only an approximation of the real burden of disease from road traffic noise, they are indicative of the important social and economic aspect of noise pollution in Bulgaria. Hopefully, these results will direct the attention of epidemiologists, environmental hygienists, and health economists to this pivotal environmental issue.

Functional heterogeneity of side population cells in skeletal muscle

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

Uezumi, Akiyoshi; Ojima, Koichi; Fukada, So-ichiro

2006-03-17

Skeletal muscle regeneration has been exclusively attributed to myogenic precursors, satellite cells. A stem cell-rich fraction referred to as side population (SP) cells also resides in skeletal muscle, but its roles in muscle regeneration remain unclear. We found that muscle SP cells could be subdivided into three sub-fractions using CD31 and CD45 markers. The majority of SP cells in normal non-regenerating muscle expressed CD31 and had endothelial characteristics. However, CD31{sup -}CD45{sup -} SP cells, which are a minor subpopulation in normal muscle, actively proliferated upon muscle injury and expressed not only several regulatory genes for muscle regeneration but also somemore » mesenchymal lineage markers. CD31{sup -}CD45{sup -} SP cells showed the greatest myogenic potential among three SP sub-fractions, but indeed revealed mesenchymal potentials in vitro. These SP cells preferentially differentiated into myofibers after intramuscular transplantation in vivo. Our results revealed the heterogeneity of muscle SP cells and suggest that CD31{sup -}CD45{sup -} SP cells participate in muscle regeneration.« less

Highly Charged Rydberg Ions from the Coulomb Explosion of Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komar, D.; Kazak, L.; Almassarani, M.; Meiwes-Broer, K.-H.; Tiggesbäumker, J.

2018-03-01

Ion emission from a nanoplasma produced in the interaction of intense optical laser pulses with argon clusters is studied resolving simultaneously charge states and recoil energies. By applying appropriate static electric fields we observe that a significant fraction of the ions Arq + (q =1 - 7 ) has electrons with binding energies lower than 150 meV; i.e., nRyd≥15 levels are populated. Charge state changes observed on a μ s time scale can be attributed to electron emission due to autoionizing Rydberg states, indicating that high-ℓ Rydberg levels are populated as well. The experiments support theoretical predictions that a significant fraction of delocalized electrons, which are bound with hundreds of eV to the nanoplasma after the laser exposure, fill up meV bound ion states in the adiabatic expansion. We expect the process to be relevant for the long-term evolution of expanding laser-induced dense plasmas in general.

Intake fraction of PM2.5 and NOX from vehicle emissions in Beijing based on personal exposure data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Xuan; Wu, Ye; Fu, Lixin; Wang, Shuxiao; Zhang, Shaojun; Hao, Jiming

2012-09-01

The intake fraction (iF) is the portion of attributable population intake of a source emissions, and is used to link pollutant emissions and population exposure. This study is the first work that reported individual intake fraction of PM2.5 and NOX from vehicle emissions based on personal exposure data in China. We employed PM2.5 and NOX measurement data from 24-h personal exposure sampling and concentration monitoring in traffic environments in the urban area of Beijing to estimate the individual intake fraction (iFi). iFi distributions are presented in microenvironments (traffic, work, home) for adults and children. The individual results are used to calculate the intake fraction for the children group and the adults group in the urban area of Beijing. The iF of PM2.5 for the whole population of these two groups in Beijing is 153 per million, which is significantly higher than those estimates in the United States (1-50 per million) and Mexico (23-120 per million). The iF of NOX is 70 per million, among which the intake in the traffic micro-environment ranks first compared to the iF in the home and office due to a high accumulation of NOX concentration in vehicles. PM2.5 and NOX intake fraction values from vehicle emissions in this study are from at least several times to one order of magnitude higher than those from other industry sources in China. This strongly suggests the health risk from vehicle emissions is significantly higher. Therefore, to protect human health, especially for the large number of people living in the cities of China, controlling vehicle emissions should be the highest priority.

Population attributable fraction of type 2 diabetes due to physical inactivity in adults: a systematic review.

PubMed

Al Tunaiji, Hashel; Davis, Jennifer C; Mackey, Dawn C; Khan, Karim M

2014-05-18

Physical inactivity is a global pandemic. The population attributable fraction (PAF) of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) associated with physical inactivity ranges from 3% to 40%. The purpose of this systematic review was to determine the best estimate of PAF for T2DM attributable to physical inactivity and absence of sport participation or exercise for men and women. We conducted a systematic review that included a comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, SportDiscus, and CINAHL (1946 to April 30 2013) limited by the terms adults and English. Two reviewers screened studies, extracted PAF related data and assessed the quality of the selected studies. We reconstructed 95% CIs for studies missing these data using a substitution method. Of the eight studies reporting PAF in T2DM, two studies included prospective cohort studies (3 total) and six were reviews. There were distinct variations in quality of defining and measuring physical inactivity, T2DM and adjusting for confounders. In the US, PAFs for absence of playing sport ranged from 13% (95% CI: 3, 22) in men and 29% (95% CI: 17, 41) in women. In Finland, PAFs for absence of exercise ranged from 3% (95% CI: -11, 16) in men to 7% (95% CI: -9, 20) in women. The PAF of physical inactivity due to T2DM is substantial. Physical inactivity is a modifiable risk factor for T2DM. The contribution of physical inactivity to T2DM differs by sex; PAF also differs if physical inactivity is defined as the absence of 'sport' or absence of 'exercise'.

Mortality Attributable to Secondhand Smoke Exposure in Spain (2011).

PubMed

López, Maria J; Pérez-Ríos, Mónica; Schiaffino, Anna; Fernández, Esteve

2016-05-01

The objective of this study was to assess the mortality attributable to secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure among never-smokers in Spain in 2011, after the implementation of the Spanish smoking law. Data on SHS exposure were obtained from a computer-assisted telephone survey carried out in a representative sample of the adult Spanish population. We included the two main diseases widely associated with SHS exposure: lung cancer and ischaemic heart disease. The relative risks for these diseases were selected from previously published meta-analyses. The number of deaths attributable to SHS was calculated by applying the population attributable fraction to mortality not attributable to active smoking in 2011. The analyses were stratified by sex, age and setting of exposure (home, workplace, and both combined). In addition, a sensitivity analysis was performed for distinct scenarios. In 2011, a total of 586 deaths in men and 442 deaths in women would be attributable to SHS exposure. The total number of deaths from lung cancer attributable to SHS exposure would be 124, while the total number of deaths from ischaemic heart disease would be 904. The inclusion of ex-smokers or SHS exposure in leisure time in the study would considerably increase the total number of attributable deaths (by 20% and 130%, respectively). The total number of deaths attributable to SHS exposure at home and at work in Spain would be 1028 in 2011. Efforts are still needed to reduce the current prevalence of exposure-mainly due to exposure in nonregulated settings such as homes or cars and some outdoor spaces-and the associated morbidity and mortality. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Body mass index and type 2 diabetes in Thai adults: defining risk thresholds and population impacts.

PubMed

Papier, Keren; D'Este, Catherine; Bain, Chris; Banwell, Cathy; Seubsman, Sam-Ang; Sleigh, Adrian; Jordan, Susan

2017-09-15

Body mass index (BMI) cut-off values (>25 and >30) that predict diabetes risk have been well validated in Caucasian populations but less so in Asian populations. We aimed to determine the BMI threshold associated with increased type 2 diabetes (T2DM) risk and to calculate the proportion of T2DM cases attributable to overweight and obesity in the Thai population. Participants were those from the Thai Cohort Study who were diabetes-free in 2005 and were followed-up in 2009 and 2013 (n = 39,021). We used multivariable logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the BMI-T2DM association. We modelled non-linear associations using restricted cubic splines. We estimated population attributable fractions (PAF) and the number of T2DM incident cases attributed to overweight and obesity. We also calculated the impact of reducing the prevalence of overweight and obesity on T2DM incidence in the Thai population. Non-linear modelling indicated that the points of inflection where the BMI-T2DM association became statistically significant compared to a reference of 20.00 kg/m 2 were 21.60 (OR = 1.27, 95% CI 1.00-1.61) and 20.03 (OR = 1.02, 95% CI 1.02-1.03) for men and women, respectively. Approximately two-thirds of T2DM cases in Thai adults could be attributed to overweight and obesity. Annually, if prevalent obesity was 5% lower, ~13,000 cases of T2DM might be prevented in the Thai population. A BMI cut-point of 22 kg/m 2 , one point lower than the current 23 kg/m 2 , would be justified for defining T2DM risk in Thai adults. Lowering obesity prevalence would greatly reduce T2DM incidence.

Alcohol Consumption and Chronic Liver Disease Mortality in New Mexico and the United States, 1999-2013.

PubMed

Tomedi, Laura E; Roeber, Jim; Landen, Michael

Current chronic liver disease (CLD) mortality surveillance methods may not adequately capture data on all causes of CLD mortality. The objective of this study was to calculate and compare CLD death rates in New Mexico and the United States by using both an expanded definition of CLD and estimates of the fractional impact of alcohol on CLD deaths. We defined CLD mortality as deaths due to alcoholic liver disease, cirrhosis, viral hepatitis, and other liver conditions. We estimated alcohol-attributable CLD deaths by using national and state alcohol-attributable fractions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Alcohol-Related Disease Impact application. We classified causes of CLD death as being alcohol-attributable, non-alcohol-attributable, or hepatitis C. We calculated average annual age-adjusted CLD death rates during five 3-year periods from 1999 through 2013, and we stratified those rates by sex, age, and race/ethnicity. By cause of death, CLD death rates were highest for alcohol-attributable CLD. By sex and race/ethnicity, CLD death rates per 100 000 population increased from 1999-2001 to 2011-2013 among American Indian men in New Mexico (67.4-90.6) and the United States (38.9-49.4), American Indian women in New Mexico (48.4-63.0) and the United States (27.5-39.5), Hispanic men in New Mexico (48.6-52.0), Hispanic women in New Mexico (16.9-24.0) and the United States (12.8-13.1), non-Hispanic white men in New Mexico (17.4-21.3) and the United States (15.9-18.4), and non-Hispanic white women in New Mexico (9.7-11.6) and the United States (7.6-9.7). CLD death rates decreased among Hispanic men in the United States (30.5-27.4). An expanded CLD definition and alcohol-attributable fractions can be used to create comprehensive data on CLD mortality. When stratified by CLD cause and demographic characteristics, these data may help states and jurisdictions improve CLD prevention programs.

Coarse particles and hospital admissions due to respiratory diseases in children. An ecological time series study.

PubMed

César, Ana Cristina Gobbo; Nascimento, Luiz Fernando

2018-06-25

Exposure to particulate matter (PM) is associated with hospitalizations due to respiratory diseases among children. An ecological time series study was carried out to identify the role of coarse fractions of particulate matter (PM10-2.5) in hospitalizations among children up to 10 years of age, in Piracicaba (SP) in the year 2015. A generalized additive model of Poisson regression was used to estimate the risk of hospitalization due to acute laryngitis and tracheitis, pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchiolitis and asthma. Lags of 0 to 7 days were considered, and the model was adjusted for the temperature and relative humidity of the air and controlled for short and long-term exposure. Proportional attributable ratios, population-attributable fractions and hospital costs were calculated with increasing concentrations of these pollutants. 638 hospitalizations were evaluated during this period, with a mean of 1.75 cases per day (standard deviation, SD = 1.86). The daily averages were 22.45 µg/m3 (SD = 13.25) for the coarse fraction (PM10-2.5) and 13.32 µg/m3 (SD = 6.38) for the fine fraction. Significant risks of PM10-2.5 exposure were only observed at lag 0, with relative risk (RR) = 1.012, and at lag 6, with RR = 1.011. An increase of 5 µg/m3 in the coarse fraction concentration implied an increase in the relative risk of hospitalizations of up to 4.8%, with an excess of 72 hospitalizations and excess expenditure of US$ 17,000 per year. This study showed the impact of coarse-fraction exposure on hospital admissions among children due to respiratory diseases.

Regional-level estimation of expected years of life lost attributable to overweight and obesity among Mexican adults.

PubMed

Murillo-Zamora, Efrén; García-Ceballos, Raúl; Delgado-Enciso, Iván; Garza-Guajardo, Raquel; Barboza-Quintana, Oralia; Rodríguez-Sánchez, Irám P; Mendoza-Cano, Oliver

2016-01-01

Excess body weight has become a major public health problem worldwide, and the burden of overweight and obesity was calculated in this work from a health economics perspective. To estimate the burden of disease attributable to overweight and obesity among males and females aged 20 years and older using years of life lost (YLL) and age-standardized YLL rates (ASYLL), and to rank the leading causes of premature death. A cross-sectional study took place (2010-2014) and 6,054 deaths were analyzed. Thirteen basic causes of death associated with overweight or obesity were included. The population attributable fraction (PAF), YLL, and ASYLL were calculated. The overall burden attributable to overweight and obesity was 36,087 YLL, and the estimated ASYLL per 10,000 persons was 1,098 and 1,029 in males and females, respectively. Type 2 diabetes mellitus was the main cause of premature death (males, 968 ASYLL; females, 772 ASYLL). Overweight and obesity are major risk factors of chronic diseases that are main causes of premature death in the study population. Strategies for preventing overweight and obesity may decrease the incidence and mortality associated with these non-communicable diseases. ASYLL seems to be an indicator that is particularly well adapted to decision-making in public health.

Worldwide burden of gastric cancer in 2010 attributable to high sodium intake in 1990 and predicted attributable burden for 2030 based on exposures in 2010.

PubMed

Peleteiro, Bárbara; Barros, Susana; Castro, Clara; Ferro, Ana; Morais, Samantha; Lunet, Nuno

2016-08-01

Assessing the impact that patterns of Na intake may have on gastric cancer will provide a more comprehensive estimation of Na reduction as a primary prevention approach. We aimed to estimate the proportion of gastric cancer cases that are attributable to Na intake above the recommendation by the WHO (≤2 g/d) throughout the world in 2010, as well as expected values for 2030. Population attributable fractions (PAF) were computed for 187 countries, using Na intakes in 1990 and 2010 and estimates of the association between Na intake and gastric cancer, assuming a time lag of 20 years. Median PAF ranged from 10·1% in low to 22·5 % in very high Human Development Index (HDI) countries in men (P<0·001) and from 7·2 to 16·6 %, respectively, among women (P<0·001). An increase in median PAF until 2030 is expected in most settings, except for countries classified as low HDI, in both sexes. High Na intakes account for a large proportion of gastric cancer cases, and proportions are expected to increase in almost all of the countries. Intensified efforts to diminish Na intake in virtually all populations are needed to further reduce gastric cancer burden.

Potential impact of pre-exposure prophylaxis for female sex workers and men who have sex with men in Bangalore, India: a mathematical modelling study.

PubMed

Mitchell, Kate M; Prudden, Holly J; Washington, Reynold; Isac, Shajy; Rajaram, Subramanian P; Foss, Anna M; Terris-Prestholt, Fern; Boily, Marie-Claude; Vickerman, Peter

2016-01-01

In Bangalore, new HIV infections of female sex workers and men who have sex with men continue to occur, despite high condom use. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has high anti-HIV efficacy for men who have sex with men. PrEP demonstration projects are underway amongst Indian female sex workers. We estimated the impact and efficiency of prioritizing PrEP to female sex workers and/or men who have sex with men in Bangalore. A mathematical model of HIV transmission and treatment for female sex workers, clients, men who have sex with men and low-risk groups was parameterized and fitted to Bangalore data. The proportion of transmission attributable (population attributable fraction) to commercial sex and sex between men was calculated. PrEP impact (infections averted, life-years gained) and efficiency (life-years gained/infections averted per 100 person-years on PrEP) were estimated for different levels of PrEP adherence, coverage and prioritization strategies (female sex workers, high-risk men who have sex with men, both female sex workers and high-risk men who have sex with men, or female sex workers with lower condom use), under current conditions and in a scenario with lower baseline condom use amongst key populations. Population attributable fractions for commercial sex and sex between men have declined over time, and they are predicted to account for 19% of all new infections between 2016 and 2025. PrEP could prevent a substantial proportion of infections amongst female sex workers and men who have sex with men in this setting (23%/27% over 5/10 years, with 60% coverage and 50% adherence), which could avert 2.9%/4.3% of infections over 5/10 years in the whole Bangalore population. Impact and efficiency in the whole population was greater if female sex workers were prioritized. Efficiency increased, but impact decreased, if only female sex workers with lower condom use were given PrEP. Greater impact and efficiency was predicted for the scenario with lower condom use. PrEP could be beneficial for female sex workers and men who have sex with men in Bangalore, and give some benefits in the general population, especially in similar settings with lower condom use levels.

Occupational burden of asbestos-related cancer in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico.

PubMed

Pasetto, Roberto; Terracini, Benedetto; Marsili, Daniela; Comba, Pietro

2014-01-01

An estimate at the national level of the occupational cancer burden brought about by the industrial use of asbestos requires detailed routine information on such uses as well as on vital statistics of good quality. A causal association with asbestos exposure has been established for mesothelioma and cancers of the lung, larynx, and ovary. The aim of this study was to provide estimates of the occupational burden of asbestos-related cancer for the Latin American countries that are or have been the highest asbestos consumers in the region: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. The burden of multifactorial cancers has been estimated through the approach suggested for the World Health Organization using the population attributable fraction. The following data were used: Proportion of workforce employed in each economic sector. Proportion of workers exposed to asbestos in each sector. Occupational turnover. Levels of exposure. Proportion of the population in the workforce. Relative risk for each considered disease for 1 or more levels of exposure. Data on the proportion of workers exposed to asbestos in each sector are not available for Latin American countries; therefore, data from the European CAREX database (carcinogen exposure database) were used. Using mortality data of the World Health Organization Health Statistics database for the year 2009 and applying the estimated values for population attributable fractions, the number of estimated deaths in 5 years for mesothelioma and for lung, larynx, and ovary cancers attributable to occupational asbestos exposures, were respectively 735, 233, 29, and 14 for Argentina; 340, 611, 68, and 43 for Brazil; 255, 97, 14, and 9 for Colombia, and 1075, 219, 18, and 22 for Mexico. The limitations in compiling the estimates highlight the need for improvement in the quality of asbestos-related environmental and health data. Nevertheless, the figures are already usable to promote a ban on asbestos use. Copyright © 2014 Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adjusting for unrecorded consumption in survey and per capita sales data: quantification of impact on gender- and age-specific alcohol-attributable fractions for oral and pharyngeal cancers in Great Britain.

PubMed

Meier, Petra Sylvia; Meng, Yang; Holmes, John; Baumberg, Ben; Purshouse, Robin; Hill-McManus, Daniel; Brennan, Alan

2013-01-01

Large discrepancies are typically found between per capita alcohol consumption estimated via survey data compared with sales, excise or production figures. This may lead to significant inaccuracies when calculating levels of alcohol-attributable harms. Using British data, we demonstrate an approach to adjusting survey data to give more accurate estimates of per capita alcohol consumption. First, sales and survey data are adjusted to account for potential biases (e.g. self-pouring, under-sampled populations) using evidence from external data sources. Secondly, survey and sales data are aligned using different implementations of Rehm et al.'s method [in (2010) Statistical modeling of volume of alcohol exposure for epidemiological studies of population health: the US example. Pop Health Metrics 8, 1-12]. Thirdly, the impact of our approaches is tested by using our revised survey dataset to calculate alcohol-attributable fractions (AAFs) for oral and pharyngeal cancers. British sales data under-estimate per capita consumption by 8%, primarily due to illicit alcohol. Adjustments to survey data increase per capita consumption estimates by 35%, primarily due to under-sampling of dependent drinkers and under-estimation of home-poured spirits volumes. Before aligning sales and survey data, the revised survey estimate remains 22% lower than the revised sales estimate. Revised AAFs for oral and pharyngeal cancers are substantially larger with our preferred method for aligning data sources, yielding increases in an AAF from the original survey dataset of 0.47-0.60 (males) and 0.28-0.35 (females). It is possible to use external data sources to adjust survey data to reduce the under-estimation of alcohol consumption and then account for residual under-estimation using a statistical calibration technique. These revisions lead to markedly higher estimated levels of alcohol-attributable harm.

Lamb and kid mortality in village flocks in the coastal savanna zone of Ghana.

PubMed

Turkson, P K

2003-12-01

A cohort study was designed to observe and follow up mortality in lambs and kids in 88 flocks of sheep and goats under the traditional production system in five villages within the coastal savanna zone of Ghana over a 2-year period. The overall mortality rates for kids and lambs were 30.8% and 33.5%, respectively. Significantly higher proportions of kids (80.2%) and lambs (75.6%) up to 3 months of age died compared to kids and lambs from 4 to 12 months of age. The differences in mortality rates, either between male and female kids and lambs or between single-born and multiple-birth kids and lambs, were not significant. The odds ratio (OR) and relative risks (RR) for lambs and kids, on the basis of sex and birth types, were not significant; neither were the values obtained for attributable risk, attributable fraction, population attributable risk and population attributable fraction. The overall mortality rate on the basis of species of animal was not significant. At the village level, significant differences in the proportions of mortality on the basis of sex were seen in two villages. At Akotokyir, more male lambs (54.2%) died compared to females (27.6%), while at Apewosika more female lambs (42.2%) died compared to males (16.7%). The only significant difference in mortality proportions on the basis of birth type at the village level was seen at Apewosika, where more single-born kids died (52.8%) compared to kids born with sibling(s) (28.4%). The significant ORs for mortalities were 3.10 for male lambs at Akotokyir, 3.35 for female lambs at Apewosika and 2.82 for single-born kids at Apewosika. The corresponding RRs were equally significant. On the basis of species, significantly more lambs died at Akotokyir (44.2%) and Kwesimprah (44.7%) compared to kids. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Application of probabilistic event attribution in the summer heat extremes in the western US to emissions traced to major industrial carbon producers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mera, R. J.; Allen, M. R.; Mote, P.; Ekwurzel, B.; Frumhoff, P. C.; Rupp, D. E.

2015-12-01

Heat waves in the western US have become progressively more severe due to increasing relative humidity and nighttime temperatures, increasing the health risks of vulnerable portions of the population, including Latino farmworkers in California's Central Valley and other socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. Recent research has shown greenhouse gas emissions doubled the risk of the hottest summer days during the 2000's in the Central Valley, increasing public health risks and costs, and raising the question of which parties are responsible for paying these costs. It has been argued that these costs should not be taken up solely by the general public through taxation, but that additional parties can be considered, including multinational corporations who have extracted and marketed a large proportion of carbon-based fuels. Here, we apply probabilistic event attribution (PEA) to assess the contribution of emissions traced to the world's 90 largest major industrial carbon producers to the severity and frequency of these extreme heat events. Our research uses very large ensembles of regional climate model simulations to calculate fractional attribution of policy-relevant extreme heat variables. We compare a full forcings world with observed greenhouse gases, sea surface temperatures and sea ice extent to a counter-factual world devoid of carbon pollution from major industrial carbon producers. The results show a discernable fraction of record-setting summer temperatures in the western US during the 2000's can be attributed to emissions sourced from major carbon producers.

Population attributable fraction of incident HIV infections associated with alcohol consumption in fishing communities around Lake Victoria, Uganda

PubMed Central

Kiwanuka, Noah; Ssetaala, Ali; Ssekandi, Ismail; Nalutaaya, Annet; Kitandwe, Paul Kato; Ssempiira, Julius; Bagaya, Bernard Ssentalo; Balyegisawa, Apolo; Kaleebu, Pontiano; Hahn, Judith; Lindan, Christina; Sewankambo, Nelson Kaulukusi

2017-01-01

Background Although the association between alcohol consumption and HIV risk is well documented, few studies have examined the magnitude of new HIV infections that could be prevented by controlling alcohol use. We report the population attributable fraction (PAF) of incident HIV infections due to alcohol consumption among the HIV high-risk population of fishing communities along Lake Victoria, Uganda. Methods In a community-based cohort study, 1607 HIV sero-negative participants aged 18–49 years were enrolled from eight fishing communities along Lake Victoria, Uganda. At follow up 12 months later, 1288 (80.1%) were seen and interviewed. At baseline and follow-up visits, participants completed interviewer-administered questionnaires on alcohol consumption, demographics, and sexual risk behavior, and were tested for HIV infection. HIV incidence and adjusted incident rate ratios (adjusted IRRs) were estimated using Poisson regression models; the crude and adjusted PAFs of incident HIV infections associated with alcohol consumption were calculated using the Greenland and Drescher method for cohort studies. Results Among the 1288 participants seen at follow up, 53.5% reported drinking alcohol of whom 24.4% drank occasionally (2 days a week or less) and 29.1% drank regularly (3–7 days a week). Forty eight incident HIV infections occurred giving an incidence rate of 3.39/100 person years at-risk (pyar) (95% CI, 2.55–4.49). Compared to non-drinkers, the adjusted IRR of HIV was 3.09 (1.13–8.46) among occasional drinkers and 5.34 (2.04–13.97) among regular drinkers. The overall adjusted PAF of incident HIV infections due alcohol was 64.1 (95% CI; 23.5–83.1); ranging from 52.3 (11.9–74.2) among Muslims to 71.2 (32.6–87.7) for participants who reported ≥ 2 sexual partners in the past 12 months. Conclusion In fishing communities along Lake Victoria, Uganda, 64% of new HIV infections can be attributed to drinking alcohol. Interventions to reduce alcohol consumption should be integrated in HIV/AIDS prevention activities for populations in whom both HIV and alcohol consumption are highly prevalent. PMID:28207844

Population attributable fraction: planning of diseases prevention actions in Brazil.

PubMed

Rezende, Leandro Fórnias Machado de; Eluf-Neto, José

2016-06-10

Epidemiology is the study of occurrence, distribution and determinants of health-related events, including the application of that knowledge to the prevention and control of health problems. However, epidemiological studies, in most cases, have limited their research questions to determinants of health outcomes. Research related to the application of knowledge for prevention and control of diseases have been neglected. In this comment, we present a description of how population attributable fraction estimates can provide important elements for planning of prevention and control of diseases in Brazil. RESUMO Epidemiologia é o estudo da ocorrência, distribuição e determinantes de eventos relacionados à saúde da população, incluindo a aplicação desse conhecimento para a prevenção e o controle dos problemas de saúde. Entretanto, estudos epidemiológicos, na maioria das vezes, têm limitado suas perguntas de pesquisa aos fatores determinantes de desfechos em saúde. Pesquisas relacionadas à aplicação do conhecimento para ações de prevenção e controle de doenças têm sido negligenciadas. Nesse comentário, apresentamos uma descrição de como as estimativas de fração atribuível populacional podem fornecer importantes elementos para planejamento de ações de prevenção e controle de doenças no Brasil.

The potential impact of a social redistribution of specific risk factors on socioeconomic inequalities in mortality: illustration of a method based on population attributable fractions.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Rasmus; Eikemo, Terje Andreas; Kulhánová, Ivana; Dahl, Espen; Deboosere, Patrick; Dzúrová, Dagmar; van Oyen, Herman; Rychtaríková, Jitka; Strand, Bjørn Heine; Mackenbach, Johan P

2013-01-01

Socioeconomic differences in health are a major challenge for public health. However, realistic estimates to what extent they are modifiable are scarce. This problem can be met through the systematic application of the population attributable fraction (PAF) to socioeconomic health inequalities. The authors used cause-specific mortality data by educational level from Belgium, Norway and Czech Republic and data on the prevalence of smoking, alcohol, lack of physical activity and high body mass index from national health surveys. Information on the impact of these risk factors on mortality comes from the epidemiological literature. The authors calculated PAFs to quantify the impact on socioeconomic health inequalities of a social redistribution of risk factors. The authors developed an Excel tool covering a wide range of possible scenarios and the authors compare the results of the PAF approach with a conventional regression. In a scenario where the whole population gets the risk factor prevalence currently seen among the highly educated inequalities in mortality can be reduced substantially. According to the illustrative results, the reduction of inequality for all risk factors combined varies between 26% among Czech men and 94% among Norwegian men. Smoking has the highest impact for both genders, and physical activity has more impact among women. After discussing the underlying assumptions of the PAF, the authors concluded that the approach is promising for estimating the extent to which health inequalities can be potentially reduced by interventions on specific risk factors. This reduction is likely to differ substantially between countries, risk factors and genders.

Pneumococcal Acquisition Among Infants Exposed to HIV in Rural Malawi: A Longitudinal Household Study

PubMed Central

Heinsbroek, Ellen; Tafatatha, Terence; Chisambo, Christina; Phiri, Amos; Mwiba, Oddie; Ngwira, Bagrey; Crampin, Amelia C.; Read, Jonathan M.; French, Neil

2016-01-01

The prevalence of Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) carriage is higher in adults who are infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) than in adults who are not. We hypothesized that infants exposed to HIV become carriers of nasopharyngeal pneumococcus earlier and more frequently than infants who are not exposed to HIV. We compared infant pneumococcal acquisition by maternal HIV status and household exposure in Karonga District, Malawi, in 2009–2011, before the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected every 4–6 weeks in the first year of life from infants with known HIV-exposure status, their mothers, and other household members. We studied infant pneumococcal acquisition by maternal HIV status, serotype-specific household exposure, and other risk factors, including seasonality. We recruited 54 infants who were exposed to HIV and 131 infants who were not. There was no significant difference in pneumococcal acquisition by maternal HIV status (adjusted rate ratio (aRR) = 1.00, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.87, 1.15). Carriage by the mother was associated with greater acquisition of the same serotype (aRR = 3.09, 95% CI: 1.47, 6.50), but the adjusted population attributable fraction was negligible (1.9%, 95% CI: 0.0, 4.3). Serotype-specific exposure to children under 5 years of age was associated with higher acquisition (aRR = 4.30, 95% CI: 2.80, 6.60; adjusted population attributable fraction = 8.8%, 95% CI: 4.0, 13.4). We found no evidence to suggest that maternal HIV infection would affect the impact of pneumococcal vaccination on colonization in this population. PMID:26628514

Lifetime number of years of menstruation as a risk index for postmenopausal endometrial cancer in the Norwegian Women and Cancer Study.

PubMed

Gavrilyuk, Oxana; Braaten, Tonje; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Licaj, Idlir; Lund, Eiliv

2018-05-21

Lifetime number of years of menstruation (LNYM) reflects a woman's cumulative exposure to endogenous estrogen and can be used as a measure of the combined effect of reproductive factors related to endometrial cancer (EC) risk. We aimed to study the association between LNYM and EC risk among postmenopausal women and calculate the population attributable fraction of EC for different LNYM categories. Our study sample consisted of 117 589 women from the Norwegian Women and Cancer (NOWAC) Study. All women were aged 30-70 years at enrollment and completed a baseline questionnaire between 1991 and 2006. Women were followed up for EC through December 2014 via linkages to national registries. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for potential confounders. Altogether, 720 women developed EC. We found a statistically significant, positive dose-response relationship between LNYM and EC, with a 9.1% higher risk for each additional year of LNYM (p for trend <0.001). Using the LNYM category ≥40 as a reference, the hazard ratios for LNYM <25, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39 were 0.17 (95% CI 0.22-0.27), 0.25 (95% CI 0.17-0.36), 0.43 (95% CI 0.32-0.58), and 0.68 (95% CI 0.51-0.92), respectively. The association between LNYM and EC was independent of incomplete pregnancies, menopausal hormone therapy, diabetes and body mass index. When considering population attributable fraction, 67% of EC was estimated to be attributable to LNYM ≥25. Our study supports that increasing LNYM is an important and independent predictor of EC risk. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Estimating the attributable fraction for melanoma: a meta-analysis of pigmentary characteristics and freckling.

PubMed

Olsen, Catherine M; Carroll, Heidi J; Whiteman, David C

2010-11-15

Epidemiologic research has demonstrated convincingly that certain pigmentary characteristics are associated with increased relative risks of melanoma; however there has been no comprehensive review to rank these characteristics in order of their importance on a population level. We conducted a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis to quantify the contribution of pigmentary characteristics to melanoma, estimated by the population-attributable fraction (PAF). Eligible studies were those that permitted quantitative assessment of the association between histologically confirmed melanoma and hair colour, eye colour, skin phototype and presence of freckling; we identified 66 such studies using citation databases, followed by manual review of retrieved references. We calculated summary relative risks using weighted averages of the log RR, taking into account random effects, and used these to estimate the PAF. The pooled RRs for pigmentary characteristics were: 2.64 for red/red-blond, 2.0 for blond and 1.46 for light brown hair colour (vs. dark); 1.57 for blue/blue-grey and 1.51 for green/grey/hazel eye colour (vs. dark); 2.27, 1.99 and 1.35 for skin phototypes I, II and III respectively (vs. IV); and 1.99 for presence of freckling. The highest PAFs were observed for skin phototypes 1/II (0.27), presence of freckling (0.23), and blond hair colour (0.23). For eye colour, the PAF for blue/blue-grey eye colour was higher than for green/grey/hazel eye colour (0.18 vs. 0.13). The PAF of melanoma associated with red hair colour was 0.10. These estimates of melanoma burden attributable to pigmentary characteristics provide a basis for designing prevention strategies for melanoma.

Occupation and cancer in Britain

PubMed Central

Rushton, L; Bagga, S; Bevan, R; Brown, T P; Cherrie, J W; Holmes, P; Fortunato, L; Slack, R; Van Tongeren, M; Young, C; Hutchings, S J

2010-01-01

Background: Prioritising control measures for occupationally related cancers should be evidence based. We estimated the current burden of cancer in Britain attributable to past occupational exposures for International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) group 1 (established) and 2A (probable) carcinogens. Methods: We calculated attributable fractions and numbers for cancer mortality and incidence using risk estimates from the literature and national data sources to estimate proportions exposed. Results: 5.3% (8019) cancer deaths were attributable to occupation in 2005 (men, 8.2% (6362); women, 2.3% (1657)). Attributable incidence estimates are 13 679 (4.0%) cancer registrations (men, 10 063 (5.7%); women, 3616 (2.2%)). Occupational attributable fractions are over 2% for mesothelioma, sinonasal, lung, nasopharynx, breast, non-melanoma skin cancer, bladder, oesophagus, soft tissue sarcoma, larynx and stomach cancers. Asbestos, shift work, mineral oils, solar radiation, silica, diesel engine exhaust, coal tars and pitches, occupation as a painter or welder, dioxins, environmental tobacco smoke, radon, tetrachloroethylene, arsenic and strong inorganic mists each contribute 100 or more registrations. Industries and occupations with high cancer registrations include construction, metal working, personal and household services, mining, land transport, printing/publishing, retail/hotels/restaurants, public administration/defence, farming and several manufacturing sectors. 56% of cancer registrations in men are attributable to work in the construction industry (mainly mesotheliomas, lung, stomach, bladder and non-melanoma skin cancers) and 54% of cancer registrations in women are attributable to shift work (breast cancer). Conclusion: This project is the first to quantify in detail the burden of cancer and mortality due to occupation specifically for Britain. It highlights the impact of occupational exposures, together with the occupational circumstances and industrial areas where exposures to carcinogenic agents occurred in the past, on population cancer morbidity and mortality; this can be compared with the impact of other causes of cancer. Risk reduction strategies should focus on those workplaces where such exposures are still occurring. PMID:20424618

Occupation and cancer in Britain.

PubMed

Rushton, L; Bagga, S; Bevan, R; Brown, T P; Cherrie, J W; Holmes, P; Fortunato, L; Slack, R; Van Tongeren, M; Young, C; Hutchings, S J

2010-04-27

Prioritising control measures for occupationally related cancers should be evidence based. We estimated the current burden of cancer in Britain attributable to past occupational exposures for International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) group 1 (established) and 2A (probable) carcinogens. We calculated attributable fractions and numbers for cancer mortality and incidence using risk estimates from the literature and national data sources to estimate proportions exposed. 5.3% (8019) cancer deaths were attributable to occupation in 2005 (men, 8.2% (6362); women, 2.3% (1657)). Attributable incidence estimates are 13 679 (4.0%) cancer registrations (men, 10 063 (5.7%); women, 3616 (2.2%)). Occupational attributable fractions are over 2% for mesothelioma, sinonasal, lung, nasopharynx, breast, non-melanoma skin cancer, bladder, oesophagus, soft tissue sarcoma, larynx and stomach cancers. Asbestos, shift work, mineral oils, solar radiation, silica, diesel engine exhaust, coal tars and pitches, occupation as a painter or welder, dioxins, environmental tobacco smoke, radon, tetrachloroethylene, arsenic and strong inorganic mists each contribute 100 or more registrations. Industries and occupations with high cancer registrations include construction, metal working, personal and household services, mining, land transport, printing/publishing, retail/hotels/restaurants, public administration/defence, farming and several manufacturing sectors. 56% of cancer registrations in men are attributable to work in the construction industry (mainly mesotheliomas, lung, stomach, bladder and non-melanoma skin cancers) and 54% of cancer registrations in women are attributable to shift work (breast cancer). This project is the first to quantify in detail the burden of cancer and mortality due to occupation specifically for Britain. It highlights the impact of occupational exposures, together with the occupational circumstances and industrial areas where exposures to carcinogenic agents occurred in the past, on population cancer morbidity and mortality; this can be compared with the impact of other causes of cancer. Risk reduction strategies should focus on those workplaces where such exposures are still occurring.

Environmental attributable fractions in remote Australia: the potential of a new approach for local public health action.

PubMed

McMullen, Cheryl; Eastwood, Ashley; Ward, Jeanette

2016-04-01

To determine local values for environmental attributable fractions and explore their applicability and potential for public health advocacy. Using World Health Organization (WHO) values for environmental attributable fractions, responses from a practitioner survey (73% response rate) were considered by a smaller skills-based panel to determine consensus values for Kimberley environmental attributable fractions (KEAFs). Applied to de-identified data from 17 remote primary healthcare facilities over two years, numbers and proportions of reasons for attendance directly attributable to the environment were calculated for all ages and children aged 0-4 years, including those for Aboriginal patients. Of 150,357 reasons for attendance for patients of all ages, 31,775 (21.1%) were directly attributable to the environment. The proportion of these directly due to the environment was significantly higher for Aboriginal patients than others (23.1% v 14.6%; p<0.001). Of 29,706 reasons for attendance by Aboriginal children aged 0-4 years, 7,599 (25.6%) were directly attributable to the environment, significantly higher than for non-Aboriginal children aged 0-4 years (25.6% v 18.6%; p<0.001). By addressing environmental factors, 20% of total primary healthcare demand could be prevented and, importantly, some 25% of presentations by Aboriginal children. KEAFs have potential to monitor impact of local environmental investments. © 2015 Public Health Association of Australia.

Cancers in Australia in 2010 attributable to inadequate consumption of fruit, non-starchy vegetables and dietary fibre.

PubMed

Nagle, Christina M; Wilson, Louise F; Hughes, Maria Celia B; Ibiebele, Torukiri I; Miura, Kyoko; Bain, Christopher J; Whiteman, David C; Webb, Penelope M

2015-10-01

To estimate the number and proportion of cancers occurring in Australia in 2010 attributable to consumption deficits in fruit, non-starchy vegetables and dietary fibre. We estimated the population attributable fraction (PAF) for cancers causally associated with inadequate intake of fruit and non-starchy vegetables (oral cavity, pharynx, oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, stomach, larynx); inadequate intake of fruit (lung); and insufficient intake of fibre (colorectum). We used standard formulae incorporating prevalence of exposure (1995 National Nutrition Survey) and relative risks from independent studies. Overall, 1,555 (1.4% of all) and 311 (0.3% of all) cancers were attributable to inadequate intakes of fruit and non-starchy vegetables, respectively. A further 2,609 colorectal cancers (18% of colorectal) were attributable to insufficient fibre intake. If Australians increased their fibre intake by eating the recommended daily intakes of fruit and vegetables, an estimated 1,293 (8.8%) colorectal cancers could be prevented. One in six colorectal cancer cases was attributable to inadequate intake of dietary fibre and about 1,800 cancers at other sites were attributable to insufficient fruit and non-starchy vegetable consumption. Increasing the proportion of Australians who consume the recommended intake of fruit, vegetables and fibre could prevent up to 4% of all cancers. © 2015 The Authors.

Attributable causes of cancer in Japan in 2005--systematic assessment to estimate current burden of cancer attributable to known preventable risk factors in Japan.

PubMed

Inoue, M; Sawada, N; Matsuda, T; Iwasaki, M; Sasazuki, S; Shimazu, T; Shibuya, K; Tsugane, S

2012-05-01

To contribute to evidence-based policy decision making for national cancer control, we conducted a systematic assessment to estimate the current burden of cancer attributable to known preventable risk factors in Japan in 2005. We first estimated the population attributable fractions (PAFs) of each cancer attributable to known risk factors from relative risks derived primarily from Japanese pooled analyses and large-scale cohort studies and the prevalence of exposure in the period around 1990. Using nationwide vital statistics records and incidence estimates, we then estimated the attributable cancer incidence and mortality in 2005. In 2005, ≈ 55% of cancer among men was attributable to preventable risk factors in Japan. The corresponding figure was lower among women, but preventable risk factors still accounted for nearly 30% of cancer. In men, tobacco smoking had the highest PAF (30% for incidence and 35% for mortality, respectively) followed by infectious agents (23% and 23%). In women, in contrast, infectious agents had the highest PAF (18% and 19% for incidence and mortality, respectively) followed by tobacco smoking (6% and 8%). In Japan, tobacco smoking and infections are major causes of cancer. Further control of these factors will contribute to substantial reductions in cancer incidence and mortality in Japan.

ERICA: prevalences of hypertension and obesity in Brazilian adolescents

PubMed Central

Bloch, Katia Vergetti; Klein, Carlos Henrique; Szklo, Moyses; Kuschnir, Maria Cristina C; Abreu, Gabriela de Azevedo; Barufaldi, Laura Augusta; da Veiga, Gloria Valeria; Schaan, Beatriz; da Silva, Thiago Luiz Nogueira; de Vasconcellos, Maurício Teixeira Leite

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To estimate the prevalence of arterial hypertension and obesity and the population attributable fraction of hypertension that is due to obesity in Brazilian adolescents. METHODS Data from participants in the Brazilian Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (ERICA), which was the first national school-based, cross-section study performed in Brazil were evaluated. The sample was divided into 32 geographical strata and clusters from 32 schools and classes, with regional and national representation. Obesity was classified using the body mass index according to age and sex. Arterial hypertension was defined when the average systolic or diastolic blood pressure was greater than or equal to the 95th percentile of the reference curve. Prevalences and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) of arterial hypertension and obesity, both on a national basis and in the macro-regions of Brazil, were estimated by sex and age group, as were the fractions of hypertension attributable to obesity in the population. RESULTS We evaluated 73,399 students, 55.4% female, with an average age of 14.7 years (SD = 1.6). The prevalence of hypertension was 9.6% (95%CI 9.0-10.3); with the lowest being in the North, 8.4% (95%CI 7.7-9.2) and Northeast regions, 8.4% (95%CI 7.6-9.2), and the highest being in the South, 12.5% (95%CI 11.0-14.2). The prevalence of obesity was 8.4% (95%CI 7.9-8.9), which was lower in the North region and higher in the South region. The prevalences of arterial hypertension and obesity were higher in males. Obese adolescents presented a higher prevalence of hypertension, 28.4% (95%CI 25.5-31.2), than overweight adolescents, 15.4% (95%CI 17.0-13.8), or eutrophic adolescents, 6.3% (95%CI 5.6-7.0). The fraction of hypertension attributable to obesity was 17.8%. CONCLUSIONS ERICA was the first nationally representative Brazilian study providing prevalence estimates of hypertension in adolescents. Regional and sex differences were observed. The study indicates that the control of obesity would lower the prevalence of hypertension among Brazilian adolescents by 1/5. PMID:26910553

The burden of cancer attributable to modifiable risk factors: the Australian cancer-PAF cohort consortium.

PubMed

Arriaga, Maria E; Vajdic, Claire M; Canfell, Karen; MacInnis, Robert; Hull, Peter; Magliano, Dianna J; Banks, Emily; Giles, Graham G; Cumming, Robert G; Byles, Julie E; Taylor, Anne W; Shaw, Jonathan E; Price, Kay; Hirani, Vasant; Mitchell, Paul; Adelstein, Barbara-Ann; Laaksonen, Maarit A

2017-06-14

To estimate the Australian cancer burden attributable to lifestyle-related risk factors and their combinations using a novel population attributable fraction (PAF) method that accounts for competing risk of death, risk factor interdependence and statistical uncertainty. 365 173 adults from seven Australian cohort studies. We linked pooled harmonised individual participant cohort data with population-based cancer and death registries to estimate exposure-cancer and exposure-death associations. Current Australian exposure prevalence was estimated from representative external sources. To illustrate the utility of the new PAF method, we calculated fractions of cancers causally related to body fatness or both tobacco and alcohol consumption avoidable in the next 10 years by risk factor modifications, comparing them with fractions produced by traditional PAF methods. Over 10 years of follow-up, we observed 27 483 incident cancers and 22 078 deaths. Of cancers related to body fatness (n=9258), 13% (95% CI 11% to 16%) could be avoided if those currently overweight or obese had body mass index of 18.5-24.9 kg/m 2 . Of cancers causally related to both tobacco and alcohol (n=4283), current or former smoking explains 13% (11% to 16%) and consuming more than two alcoholic drinks per day explains 6% (5% to 8%). The two factors combined explain 16% (13% to 19%): 26% (21% to 30%) in men and 8% (4% to 11%) in women. Corresponding estimates using the traditional PAF method were 20%, 31% and 10%. Our PAF estimates translate to 74 000 avoidable body fatness-related cancers and 40 000 avoidable tobacco- and alcohol-related cancers in Australia over the next 10 years (2017-2026). Traditional PAF methods not accounting for competing risk of death and interdependence of risk factors may overestimate PAFs and avoidable cancers. We will rank the most important causal factors and their combinations for a spectrum of cancers and inform cancer control activities. © 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.

Asthma, other atopic conditions and risk of infections in 105 519 general population never and ever smokers.

PubMed

Helby, J; Nordestgaard, B G; Benfield, T; Bojesen, S E

2017-09-01

Individuals with atopic conditions may have increased susceptibility to infections outside the organs directly affected by their atopic condition. We tested the hypothesis that atopic conditions overall, and stratified by smoking history, are associated with increased risk of hospitalization for infections. We collected information on smoking history and self-reported atopic conditions from 105 519 individuals from the general population and followed them for up to 23 years for infectious disease hospitalizations and deaths. For asthma, we focused on never smokers with asthma diagnosed before age 50 (early asthma) to minimize confounding by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. During follow-up, 11 160 individuals had infections. Never smokers with early asthma versus no atopic conditions had significantly increased risks of any infection (hazard ratio 1.65; 95% confidence interval 1.40-1.94), pneumonia (2.44; 1.92-3.11) and any non-respiratory tract infection (1.36; 1.11-1.67); results were similar in ever smokers. Never smokers with any asthma had significantly increased risks of any infection (1.44; 1.24-1.66) and pneumonia (1.99; 1.62-2.44). Neither atopic dermatitis (1.00; 0.91-1.10) nor hay fever (1.00; 0.93-1.07) was associated with risk of any infection. In never smokers, risk estimates for any infection were comparable between asthma and diabetes, as were the population attributable fractions of 2.2% for any asthma and 2.9% for diabetes. Early asthma was associated with significantly increased risks of any infection, pneumonia and any non-respiratory tract infection in never and ever smokers. In never smokers, risk estimates as well as population attributable fractions for any infection were comparable between asthma and diabetes, suggesting that asthma may be a substantial risk factor for infections in the general population. © 2017 The Association for the Publication of the Journal of Internal Medicine.

Suicidal Ideation Among Korean Elderly: Risk Factors and Population Attributable Fractions.

PubMed

Park, Jong-Il; Yang, Jong-Chul; Han, Changsu; Park, Tae Won; Chung, Sang-Keun

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the risk factors of suicidal ideation and their population attributable fraction (PAF) in a representative sample of the elderly population in Korea. We examined the data set from the Survey of Living Conditions and Welfare Needs of Korean Older Persons, which was conducted by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs (KIHASA) in 2011. In that survey, 10,674 participants were randomly selected from those older than age 65. Simultaneous multivariate logistic regression was used to investigate the risk factors of suicidal ideation in terms of their sociodemographic and health-related variables. Subsequently, the PAF was calculated with adjustment for other risk factors. The weighted prevalences of depression and suicidal ideation were 30.3% and 11.2%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, factors significantly associated with decreased risk of suicidal ideation included old-old age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.66 for 75 to 79 years, OR = 0.52 for 80 to 84 years, OR = 0.32 for older than 85 years), economic status (OR = 0.59 for 5th quintile; more than US$25,700 per year), whereas those associated with increased risk included poor social support (OR = 1.28), currently smoking (OR = 1.42), sleep problems (OR = 1.74), chronic illness (OR = 1.40), poor subjective health (OR = 1.56), functional impairment (OR = 1.45), and depression (OR = 4.36). Depression was associated with a fully adjusted PAF of 45.7%, followed by chronic illness (19.4%), poor subjective health status (18.9%), sleep problems (14.1%), functional impairment (4.9%), poor social support (4.2%), and currently smoking (3.6%). Preventive strategies focused particularly on depression might reduce the impact of suicidal ideation in the elderly population. Also, specific mental health centers focused on the specific needs of the elderly population should be established to manage suicidal risk.

Heat or Cold: Which One Exerts Greater Deleterious Effects on Health in a Basin Climate City? Impact of Ambient Temperature on Mortality in Chengdu, China.

PubMed

Cui, Yan; Yin, Fei; Deng, Ying; Volinn, Ernest; Chen, Fei; Ji, Kui; Zeng, Jing; Zhao, Xing; Li, Xiaosong

2016-12-10

Background : Although studies from many countries have estimated the impact of ambient temperature on mortality, few have compared the relative impacts of heat and cold on health, especially in basin climate cities. We aimed to quantify the impact of ambient temperature on mortality, and to compare the contributions of heat and cold in a large basin climate city, i.e., Chengdu (Sichuan Province, China); Methods : We estimated the temperature-mortality association with a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) with a maximum lag-time of 21 days while controlling for long time trends and day of week. We calculated the mortality risk attributable to heat and cold, which were defined as temperatures above and below an "optimum temperature" that corresponded to the point of minimum mortality. In addition, we explored effects of individual characteristics; Results : The analysis provides estimates of the overall mortality burden attributable to temperature, and then computes the components attributable to heat and cold. Overall, the total fraction of deaths caused by both heat and cold was 10.93% (95%CI: 7.99%-13.65%). Taken separately, cold was responsible for most of the burden (estimate 9.96%, 95%CI: 6.90%-12.81%), while the fraction attributable to heat was relatively small (estimate 0.97%, 95%CI: 0.46%-2.35%). The attributable risk (AR) of respiratory diseases was higher (19.69%, 95%CI: 14.45%-24.24%) than that of cardiovascular diseases (11.40%, 95%CI: 6.29%-16.01%); Conclusions : In Chengdu, temperature was responsible for a substantial fraction of deaths, with cold responsible for a higher proportion of deaths than heat. Respiratory diseases exert a larger effect on death than other diseases especially on cold days. There is potential to reduce respiratory-associated mortality especially among the aged population in basin climate cities when the temperature deviates beneath the optimum. The result may help to comprehensively assess the impact of ambient temperature in basin cities, and further facilitate an appropriate estimate of the health consequences of various climate-change scenarios.

Heat or Cold: Which One Exerts Greater Deleterious Effects on Health in a Basin Climate City? Impact of Ambient Temperature on Mortality in Chengdu, China

PubMed Central

Cui, Yan; Yin, Fei; Deng, Ying; Volinn, Ernest; Chen, Fei; Ji, Kui; Zeng, Jing; Zhao, Xing; Li, Xiaosong

2016-01-01

Background: Although studies from many countries have estimated the impact of ambient temperature on mortality, few have compared the relative impacts of heat and cold on health, especially in basin climate cities. We aimed to quantify the impact of ambient temperature on mortality, and to compare the contributions of heat and cold in a large basin climate city, i.e., Chengdu (Sichuan Province, China); Methods: We estimated the temperature-mortality association with a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) with a maximum lag-time of 21 days while controlling for long time trends and day of week. We calculated the mortality risk attributable to heat and cold, which were defined as temperatures above and below an “optimum temperature” that corresponded to the point of minimum mortality. In addition, we explored effects of individual characteristics; Results: The analysis provides estimates of the overall mortality burden attributable to temperature, and then computes the components attributable to heat and cold. Overall, the total fraction of deaths caused by both heat and cold was 10.93% (95%CI: 7.99%–13.65%). Taken separately, cold was responsible for most of the burden (estimate 9.96%, 95%CI: 6.90%–12.81%), while the fraction attributable to heat was relatively small (estimate 0.97%, 95%CI: 0.46%–2.35%). The attributable risk (AR) of respiratory diseases was higher (19.69%, 95%CI: 14.45%–24.24%) than that of cardiovascular diseases (11.40%, 95%CI: 6.29%–16.01%); Conclusions: In Chengdu, temperature was responsible for a substantial fraction of deaths, with cold responsible for a higher proportion of deaths than heat. Respiratory diseases exert a larger effect on death than other diseases especially on cold days. There is potential to reduce respiratory-associated mortality especially among the aged population in basin climate cities when the temperature deviates beneath the optimum. The result may help to comprehensively assess the impact of ambient temperature in basin cities, and further facilitate an appropriate estimate of the health consequences of various climate-change scenarios. PMID:27973401

Attributable risk of carpal tunnel syndrome according to industry and occupation in a general population.

PubMed

Roquelaure, Yves; Ha, Catherine; Nicolas, Guillaume; Pélier-Cady, Marie-Christine; Mariot, Camille; Descatha, Alexis; Leclerc, Annette; Raimbeau, Guy; Goldberg, Marcel; Imbernon, Ellen

2008-09-15

An epidemiologic surveillance network for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) was set up in the general population of a French region to assess the proportion of CTS cases attributable to work in high-risk industries and occupations. Cases of CTS occurring among patients ages 20-59 years living in the Maine and Loire region were included prospectively from 2002 to 2004. Medical and occupation history was gathered by mailed questionnaire for 815 women and 320 men. Age-adjusted relative risks of CTS and the attributable risk fractions of CTS among exposed persons (AFEs) were computed in relation to industry sectors and occupation categories. Twenty-one industry sectors and 8 occupational categories for women and 10 sectors and 6 occupational categories for men were characterized by a significant excess risk of CTS. High AFE values were observed in the manufacturing (42-93% for both sexes), construction (66% for men), and personal service industries (66% for women) and in the trade and commerce sectors (49% for women). High AFE values were observed in lower-grade white-collar occupations for women (43-67%) and blue-collar occupations for men (60-74%) and women (48-88%). The attributable proportions of CTS cases among workers employed in industry sectors and occupation categories identified at high risk of CTS varied between 36% and 93%.

Occurrence and factors associated with bovine cysticercosis recorded in cattle at meat inspection in Denmark in 2004-2011.

PubMed

Calvo-Artavia, F F; Nielsen, L R; Dahl, J; Clausen, D M; Alban, L

2013-06-01

Current EU regulation requires that every bovine carcass is examined for bovine cysticercosis (BC) at meat inspection. This is costly and might be superfluous at low BC prevalence. However, from a consumer view-point it may be important to identify and manage infected carcasses to avoid human infection. If relevant data could be effectively used to classify animals with respect to their risk of being infected, then the current meat inspection could be replaced by a more cost-effective system targeting high-risk animals. This study aimed to (1) describe the distribution of BC cases in the Danish cattle population, (2) estimate the animal level prevalence (3) provide descriptive statistics of potential risk factors for BC, and (4) determine attributable risks and fractions of selected risk factors potentially useful for a future risk-based meat inspection system. In total, 348 cases of BC were recorded among all cattle slaughtered (n=4,090,661) in Denmark between 2004 and 2011. The true animal level prevalence of BC was estimated to be 0.06%. The herd of origin of the cases were defined as the herd in which the animals spent most of their lifetimes. The detected cases were found to originate from 328 herds, with a maximum of two cases per herd indicating sporadic occurrence. Even though organic farming was associated with a higher risk (RR=1.9 in univariable analysis) of BC-positive animals being detected at slaughter, the population attributable fraction showed that only 5% of the animals with BC could be attributed to organic farming practices at the level of organic farming practiced in Denmark in the study period. Thus, organic farming status was not a suitable risk factor to use to target future risk-based meat inspection. However, 54% of the animals with BC in the cattle population were attributed to female gender. Increasing age at slaughter was also associated with high risk of BC. There may be overlaps between these effects in animals with multiple risk factors. Other underlying factors such as grazing patterns might explain the risk factors and attribution results found in this study. However, grazing practices are currently not recorded in the Danish cattle database. Therefore, animal level risk factors such as age and gender together with other risk factors such as grazing practices might be included as food chain information, required to be provided by the farmer prior to slaughter. The challenges and opportunities of this approach should be investigated further. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Risk of childhood otitis media with focus on potentially modifiable factors: A Danish follow-up cohort study.

PubMed

Kørvel-Hanquist, Asbjørn; Koch, Anders; Lous, Jørgen; Olsen, Sjurdur Frodi; Homøe, Preben

2018-03-01

Otitis media is the primary cause of antibiotic prescription in children. Two-thirds of all children experience at least one episode of otitis media before the age of 7 years. The aim of this study was to characterise the attributable effect of several modifiable risk exposures on the risk of >3 episodes of otitis media at age 18 months and 7 years within a large prospective national birth cohort. The study used the Danish National Birth Cohort comprising information about otitis media and risk exposures from more than 50,000 mother-child pairs from the period 1996-2002. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios for the risk factors and to calculate the population attributable fraction. Short time with breastfeeding, early introduction to daycare, cesarean section, and low compliance to the national vaccination program were all associated with an increased risk of >3 episodes of otitis media at 18 months of age and at 7 years of age. The fraction of children with otitis media attributed from breastfeeding lasting for less than 6 months was 10%. Introduction to daycare before the age of 12 months attributed with 20% of the cases of >3 episodes of otitis media. Short duration of breastfeeding, early introduction into daycare, cesarean section, and low compliance with the national vaccination program increased the risk of experiencing >3 episodes of otitis media at 18 months, and at 7 years of age. These are factors that all can be modulated. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Attributable risk and potential impact of interventions to reduce household air pollution associated with under-five mortality in South Asia.

PubMed

Naz, Sabrina; Page, Andrew; Agho, Kingsley Emwinyore

2018-01-01

Solid fuel use is the major source of household air pollution (HAP) and accounts for a substantial burden of morbidity and mortality in low and middle income countries. To evaluate and compare childhood mortality attributable to HAP in four South Asian countries. A series of Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) datasets for Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan were used for analysis. Estimates of relative risk and exposure prevalence relating to use of cooking fuel and under-five mortality were used to calculate population attributable fractions (PAFs) for each country. Potential impact fractions (PIFs) were also calculated assessing theoretical scenarios based on published interventions aiming to reduce exposure prevalence. There are an increased risk of under-five mortality in those exposed to cooking fuel compared to those not exposed in the four South Asian countries (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.07-1.57, P  = 0.007). Combined PAF estimates for South Asia found that 66% (95% CI: 43.1-81.5%) of the 13,290 estimated cases of under-five mortality was attributable to HAP. Joint PIF estimates (assuming achievable reductions in HAP reported in intervention studies conducted in South Asia) indicates 47% of neonatal and 43% of under-five mortality cases associated with HAP could be avoidable in the four South Asian countries studied. Elimination of exposure to use of cooking fuel in the household targeting valuable intervention strategies (such as cooking in separate kitchen, improved cook stoves) could reduce substantially under-five mortality in South Asian countries.

Burden of disease attributed to ambient air pollution in Thailand: A GIS-based approach.

PubMed

Pinichka, Chayut; Makka, Nuttapat; Sukkumnoed, Decharut; Chariyalertsak, Suwat; Inchai, Puchong; Bundhamcharoen, Kanitta

2017-01-01

Growing urbanisation and population requiring enhanced electricity generation as well as the increasing numbers of fossil fuel in Thailand pose important challenges to air quality management which impacts on the health of the population. Mortality attributed to ambient air pollution is one of the sustainable development goals (SDGs). We estimated the spatial pattern of mortality burden attributable to selected ambient air pollution in 2009 based on the empirical evidence in Thailand. We estimated the burden of disease attributable to ambient air pollution based on the comparative risk assessment (CRA) framework developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Burden of Disease study (GBD). We integrated geographical information systems (GIS)-based exposure assessments into spatial interpolation models to estimate ambient air pollutant concentrations, the population distribution of exposure and the concentration-response (CR) relationship to quantify ambient air pollution exposure and associated mortality. We obtained air quality data from the Pollution Control Department (PCD) of Thailand surface air pollution monitoring network sources and estimated the CR relationship between relative risk (RR) and concentration of air pollutants from the epidemiological literature. We estimated 650-38,410 ambient air pollution-related fatalities and 160-5,982 fatalities that could have been avoided with a 20 reduction in ambient air pollutant concentrations. The summation of population-attributable fraction (PAF) of the disease burden for all-causes mortality in adults due to NO2 and PM2.5 were the highest among all air pollutants at 10% and 7.5%, respectively. The PAF summation of PM2.5 for lung cancer and cardiovascular disease were 16.8% and 14.6% respectively and the PAF summations of mortality attributable to PM10 was 3.4% for all-causes mortality, 1.7% for respiratory and 3.8% for cardiovascular mortality, while the PAF summation of mortality attributable to NO2 was 7.8% for respiratory mortality in Thailand. Mortality due to ambient air pollution in Thailand varies across the country. Geographical distribution estimates can identify high exposure areas for planners and policy-makers. Our results suggest that the benefits of a 20% reduction in ambient air pollution concentration could prevent up to 25% of avoidable fatalities each year in all-causes, respiratory and cardiovascular categories. Furthermore, our findings can provide guidelines for future epidemiological investigations and policy decisions to achieve the SDGs.

Contribution of prepregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain to adverse neonatal outcomes: population attributable fractions for Canada.

PubMed

Dzakpasu, Susie; Fahey, John; Kirby, Russell S; Tough, Suzanne C; Chalmers, Beverley; Heaman, Maureen I; Bartholomew, Sharon; Biringer, Anne; Darling, Elizabeth K; Lee, Lily S; McDonald, Sarah D

2015-02-05

Low or high prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and inadequate or excess gestational weight gain (GWG) are associated with adverse neonatal outcomes. This study estimates the contribution of these risk factors to preterm births (PTBs), small-for-gestational age (SGA) and large-for-gestational age (LGA) births in Canada compared to the contribution of prenatal smoking, a recognized perinatal risk factor. We analyzed data from the Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey. A sample of 5,930 women who had a singleton live birth in 2005-2006 was weighted to a nationally representative population of 71,200 women. From adjusted odds ratios, we calculated population attributable fractions to estimate the contribution of BMI, GWG and prenatal smoking to PTB, SGA and LGA infants overall and across four obstetric groups. Overall, 6% of women were underweight (<18.5 kg/m(2)) and 34.4% were overweight or obese (≥25.0 kg/m(2)). More than half (59.4%) gained above the recommended weight for their BMI, 18.6% gained less than the recommended weight and 10.4% smoked prenatally. Excess GWG contributed more to adverse outcomes than BMI, contributing to 18.2% of PTB and 15.9% of LGA. Although the distribution of BMI and GWG was similar across obstetric groups, their impact was greater among primigravid women and multigravid women without a previous PTB or pregnancy loss. The contributions of BMI and GWG to PTB and SGA exceeded that of prenatal smoking. Maternal weight, and GWG in particular, contributes significantly to the occurrence of adverse neonatal outcomes in Canada. Indeed, this contribution exceeds that of prenatal smoking for PTB and SGA, highlighting its public health importance.

An evaluation of the 25 by 25 goal for premature cardiovascular disease mortality in Taiwan: an age-period-cohort analysis, population attributable fraction and national population-based study.

PubMed

Su, Shih-Yung; Lee, Wen-Chung; Chen, Tzu-Ting; Wang, Hao-Chien; Su, Ta-Chen; Jeng, Jiann-Shing; Tu, Yu-Kang; Liao, Shu-Fen; Lu, Tzu-Pin; Chien, Kuo-Liong

2017-01-01

The aim of the 25 by 25 goal is to reduce mortality from premature non-communicable diseases by 25% before 2025. Studies have evaluated the 25 by 25 goal in many countries, but not in Taiwan. The aim of this study was to estimate the 25 by 25 goal for premature mortality from cardiovascular diseases in Taiwan. We applied the age-period-cohort model to project the incidence of premature death from cardiovascular disease from 2015 to 2024 and used the population attributable fraction to estimate the contributions of targeted risk factors. The probability of death was used to estimate the percent change. The percent change in business-as-usual trend during 2010-2024 was only a 6% (range 1.7-10.7%) lower risk of premature mortality from cardiovascular disease among men. The greatest reduction in the risk of mortality occurred with a 30% reduction in the prevalence of smoking; however, there was only a 14.5% (10.6-18.3%) decrease in percent change and in the corresponding number of men (3706: range 3543-3868) who were prevented from dying. More than a 25% reduction in the percent change of premature cardiovascular disease mortality among women was achieved without control of any risk factor. To reach a 25% reduction in men before 2025, there needs to be a 70% reduction in the prevalence of smoking to reduce mortality by 26.2% (22.9-29.3%). Cigarette smoking is the primary target in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Through the stringent control of smoking, the goal of a 25% reduction in premature mortality from cardiovascular disease may be achieved before 2025 in Taiwan.

Impacts of Illiteracy on the Risk of Dementia: A Global Health Perspective.

PubMed

Suh, Seung Wan; Han, Ji Won; Park, Jae Young; Hong, Jong Woo; Kim, Kayoung; Kim, Taehyun; Lee, Kyoung Hwan; Han, Guehee; Jeong, Hyeon; Seo, Jiyeong; Kim, Tae Hui; Lee, Dong Young; Lee, Dong Woo; Ryu, Seung-Ho; Kim, Shin-Gyeom; Youn, Jong Chul; Jhoo, Jin Hyeong; Kim, Jeong Lan; Lee, Seok Bum; Lee, Jung Jae; Kwak, Kyung Phil; Kim, Bong-Jo; Moon, Seok Woo; Park, Joon Hyuk; Kim, Ki Woong

2016-05-23

Despite its significance as a contributing factor for late-life dementia risk, illiteracy is frequently underappreciated in the management of dementia. In this study, we estimated the proportion of dementia cases attributable to illiteracy using the population attributable fraction (PAF), and calculated to what extent the monetary cost of dementia could be saved in the future by reducing illiteracy from the South Korean, Latin American, South Asian/Middle Eastern, and African populations. We collected necessary data from the 2011 United Nations Human Development Report and prevalence studies conducted in these regions. Additional variables not included in the above sources were estimated using a logit model under a "trend scenario"-based assumption. Around 16% of the total number of dementia cases in South Korea in 2015 can be attributed to illiteracy, with this figure predicted to decline to around 2% by 2050. This translates to a saving in dementia care costs of approximately 52 billion USD, providing we are successful in theoretically eradicating illiteracy as of 2015, in the population aged 65 years or under. Likewise, reducing illiteracy to 50% in Latin America, South Asia/The Middle East, and Africa by 2050 could generate further cost savings of between 71 and 244 billion, 13 and 94 billion, and 17 and 78 billion USD, respectively. Even public policies aimed solely at reducing illiteracy in the childhood, adolescent, or middle-aged population could potentially have a role in the primary prevention of dementia. Moving forward, governments will need to address this issue in a purposeful and systematic manner.

Comparative Mineralogy, Microstructure and Compositional Trends in the Sub-Micron Size Fractions of Mare and Highland Lunar Soils

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, M. S.; Christoffersen, R.; Noble, S. K.; Keller, L. P.

2012-01-01

The morphology, mineralogy, chemical composition and optical properties of lunar soils show distinct correlations as a function of grain size and origin [1,2,3]. In the <20 m size fraction, there is an increased correlation between lunar surface properties observed through remote sensing techniques and those attributed to space weathering phenomenae [1,2]. Despite the establishment of recognizable trends in lunar grains <20 in size [1,2,3], the size fraction < 10 m is characterized as a collective population of grains without subdivision. This investigation focuses specifically on grains in the <1 m diameter size fraction for both highland and mare derived soils. The properties of these materials provide the focus for many aspects of lunar research including the nature of space weathering on surface properties, electrostatic grain transport [4,5] and dusty plasmas [5]. In this study, we have used analytical transmission and scanning transmission electron microscopy (S/TEM) to characterize the mineralogy type, microstructure and major element compositions of grains in this important size range in lunar soils.

Asthma caused by occupational exposures is common – A systematic analysis of estimates of the population-attributable fraction

PubMed Central

Torén, Kjell; Blanc, Paul D

2009-01-01

Background The aim of this paper is to highlight emerging data on occupational attributable risk in asthma. Despite well documented outbreaks of disease and the recognition of numerous specific causal agents, occupational exposures previously had been relegated a fairly minor role relative to other causes of adult onset asthma. In recent years there has been a growing recognition of the potential importance of asthma induced by work-related exposures Methods We searched Pub Med from June 1999 through December 2007. We identified six longitudinal general population-based studies; three case-control studies and eight cross-sectional analyses from seven general population-based samples. For an integrated analysis we added ten estimates prior to 1999 included in a previous review. Results The longitudinal studies indicate that 16.3% of all adult-onset asthma is caused by occupational exposures. In an overall synthesis of all included studies the overall median PAR value was 17.6%. Conclusion Clinicians should consider the occupational history when evaluating patients in working age who have asthma. At a societal level, these findings underscore the need for further preventive action to reduce the occupational exposures to asthma-causing agents. PMID:19178702

Burden of cancer associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Japan, 2010-2030.

PubMed

Saito, Eiko; Charvat, Hadrien; Goto, Atsushi; Matsuda, Tomohiro; Noda, Mitsuhiko; Sasazuki, Shizuka; Inoue, Manami

2016-04-01

Diabetes mellitus constitutes a major disease burden globally, and the prevalence of diabetes continues to increase worldwide. We aimed to estimate the burden of cancer associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Japan between 2010 and 2030. In this study, we estimated the population attributable fraction of cancer risk associated with type 2 diabetes in 2010 and 2030 using the prevalence estimates of type 2 diabetes in Japan from 1990 to 2030, summary hazard ratios of diabetes and cancer risk from a pooled analysis of eight large-scale Japanese cohort studies, observed incidence/mortality of cancer in 2010 and predicted incidence/mortality for 2030 derived from the age-period-cohort model. Our results showed that between 2010 and 2030, the total numbers of cancer incidence and mortality were predicted to increase by 38.9% and 10.5% in adults aged above 20 years, respectively. In the number of excess incident cancer cases associated with type 2 diabetes, an increase of 26.5% in men and 53.2% in women is expected between 2010 and 2030. The age-specific analysis showed that the population attributable fraction of cancer will increase in adults aged >60 years over time, but will not change in adults aged 20-59 years. In conclusion, this study suggests a modest but steady increase in cancers associated with type 2 diabetes. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

Smoking and Mortality in Eastern Europe: Results From the PrivMort Retrospective Cohort Study of 177 376 Individuals.

PubMed

Stefler, Denes; Murphy, Michael; Irdam, Darja; Horvat, Pia; Jarvis, Martin; King, Lawrence; McKee, Martin; Bobak, Martin

2018-05-03

The estimated prevalence of smoking and proportion of deaths due to tobacco in Eastern European countries are among the highest in the world. Existing estimates of mortality attributable to smoking in the region are mostly indirect. The aim of this analysis was to calculate the proportion of tobacco-attributed deaths in three Eastern European countries using individual level cohort data. The PrivMort project established a cohort of relatives of participants in population sample surveys in Russia, Belarus and Hungary. Survey participants provided data on smoking habits and vital statistics of their close relatives between 1982 and 2013. Population attributable risk fractions (PARF) in men (n = 99528) and women (n = 77848) aged 40-79 years were calculated from the prevalence rates of smoking and hazard ratios of mortality for smokers versus non-smokers. Trends in PARF over four 8-year time periods (1982-1989, 1990-1997, 1998-2005, and 2006-2013) were examined. In men in the most recent period (2006-2013), the proportions of deaths attributable to tobacco were 23% in Russia, 22% in Belarus, and 22% in Hungary. The respective estimates in women were lower (2%, 2%, and 13%), possibly due to underestimation of smoking prevalence. PARF estimates have declined slightly since the early 1990s in men but increased in women. Consistently with existing indirect estimates, our results based on individual level cohort data suggest that over one fifth of all deaths in men aged 40-79 years are attributable to tobacco. While these proportions are lower in women, the increasing trend is a major concern. This is the first large scale, individual-level cohort study that estimated the mortality attributable to tobacco smoking directly in Eastern European population samples. The results confirm previous indirect estimates and show that more than 20% of all deaths in Eastern European men can be attributed to tobacco. The study also confirms the increasing trend in smoking-related deaths among women. These findings emphasize the importance of targeted policy interventions in Eastern European countries.

Variation across Canada in the economic burden attributable to excess weight, tobacco smoking and physical inactivity.

PubMed

Krueger, Hans; Krueger, Joshua; Koot, Jacqueline

2015-04-30

Tobacco smoking, excess weight and physical inactivity contribute substantially to the preventable disease burden in Canada. The purpose of this paper is to determine the potential reduction in economic burden if all provinces achieved prevalence rates of these three risk factors (RFs) equivalent to those of the province with the lowest rates, and to update and address a limitation noted in our previous model. We used a previously developed approach based on population attributable fractions to estimate the economic burden associated with these RFs. Sex-specific relative risk and age-/sex-specific prevalence data were used in the modelling. The previous model was updated using the most current data for developing resource allocation weights. In 2012, the prevalence of tobacco smoking, excess weight and physical inactivity was the lowest in British Columbia. If age- and sex-specific prevalence rates from BC were applied to populations living in the other provinces, the annual economic burden attributable to these three RFs would be reduced by $5.3 billion. Updating the model resulted in a considerable shift in economic burden from smoking to excess weight, with the estimated annual economic burden attributable to excess weight now 25% higher compared to that of tobacco smoking ($23.3 vs. $18.7 billion). Achieving RF prevalence rates equivalent to those of the province with the lowest rates would result in a 10% reduction in economic burden attributable to excess weight, smoking and physical inactivity in Canada. This study shows that using current resource use data is important for this type of economic modelling.

Burden of lung cancer attributable to occupational diesel engine exhaust exposure in Canada.

PubMed

Kim, Joanne; Peters, Cheryl E; Arrandale, Victoria H; Labrèche, France; Ge, Calvin B; McLeod, Christopher B; Song, Chaojie; Lavoué, Jérôme; Davies, Hugh W; Nicol, Anne-Marie; Pahwa, Manisha; Demers, Paul A

2018-04-28

To estimate the population attributable fraction (PAF) and number of incident and fatal lung cancers in Canada from occupational exposure to diesel engine exhaust (DEE). DEE exposure prevalence and level estimates were used with Canadian Census and Labour Force Survey data to model the exposed population across the risk exposure period (REP, 1961-2001). Relative risks of lung cancer were calculated based on a meta-regression selected from the literature. PAFs were calculated using Levin's equation and applied to the 2011 lung cancer statistics obtained from the Canadian Cancer Registry. We estimated that 2.4% (95% CI 1.6% to 6.6%) of lung cancers in Canada are attributable to occupational DEE exposure, corresponding to approximately 560 (95% CI 380 to 1570) incident and 460 (95% CI 310 to 1270) fatal lung cancers in 2011. Overall, 1.6 million individuals alive in 2011 were occupationally exposed to DEE during the REP, 97% of whom were male. Occupations with the highest burden were underground miners, truck drivers and mechanics. Half of the attributable lung cancers occurred among workers with low exposure. This is the first study to quantify the burden of lung cancer attributable to occupational DEE exposure in Canada. Our results underscore a large potential for prevention, and a large public health impact from occupational exposure to low levels of DEE. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Burden of Mortality Attributable to Diagnosed Diabetes: A Nationwide Analysis Based on Claims Data From 65 Million People in Germany.

PubMed

Jacobs, Esther; Hoyer, Annika; Brinks, Ralph; Kuss, Oliver; Rathmann, Wolfgang

2017-12-01

In Germany, as in many other countries, nationwide data on mortality attributable to diagnosed diabetes are not available. This study estimated the absolute number of excess deaths associated with diabetes (all types) and type 2 diabetes in Germany. A prevalence approach that included nationwide routine data from 64.9 million people insured in the German statutory health insurance system in 2010 was used for the calculation. Because nationwide data on diabetes mortality are lacking in Germany, the mortality rate ratio from the Danish National Diabetes Register was used. The absolute number of excess deaths associated with diabetes was calculated as the number of deaths due to diabetes minus the number of deaths due to diabetes with a mortality that was as high as in the population without diabetes. Furthermore, the mortality population-attributable fraction was calculated. A total of 174,627 excess deaths were due to diabetes in 2010, including 137,950 due to type 2 diabetes. Overall, 21% of all deaths in Germany were attributable to diabetes and 16% were attributable to type 2 diabetes. Most of the excess deaths (34% each) occurred in the 70- to 89-year-old age-group. In this first nationwide calculation of excess deaths related to diabetes in Germany, the results suggest that the official German estimates that rely on information from death certificates are grossly underestimated. Countries without national cohorts or diabetes registries could easily use this method to estimate the number of excess deaths due to diabetes. © 2017 by the American Diabetes Association.

[Burden of disease attributable to high- sodium diets in China, 2013].

PubMed

Liu, M; Li, Y C; Liu, S W; Wang, L J; Liu, Y N; Yin, P; Liu, J M; You, J L; Zhou, M G

2016-09-06

Objective: To examine the burden of disease(BOD)attributable to high-sodium diets in China in 2013. Methods: Data were extracted from the 2013 Global Burden of Disease Study for China to examine the BOD attributable to high-sodium diets in 2013, gender, and disease composition. Measurements for attributable BOD were population attributable fraction(PAF), deaths, standardized mortality and disability-adjusted life years(DALY)(not including Taiwan, China). An average world population age-structure for the period 2000-2025 was adopted to calculate age-standardized rates. Results: In 2013, deaths attributable to high-sodium diets accounted for 12.6% of all deaths and 14.5% of chronic disease deaths. Overall, 7.8% of deaths because of neoplasms, 25.2% of cardiovascular disease deaths, and 22.9% of chronic kidney disease deaths were attributable to high-sodium diets. A total of 1 176 553 deaths were attributable to high-sodium diets and the standardized mortality was 91.5/100 000, which was higher in men than in women(121.7/100 000 and 63.0/100 000, respectively). Overall, 22.759 million DALYs were attributable to high-sodium diets. The DALY standardized rate was 1 588.0/100 000, which was higher in men than in women(2 189.7/100 000 and 993.2/100 000, respectively). When compared by province, PAF in Xinjiang(25.0%), Qinghai(23.7%), Shanxi(23.2%), Tibet(22.1%)and Shandong(20.5%)was higher than other provinces. The standardized mortality in Xinjiang(239.4/100 000), Qinghai(238.9/100 000), Tibet(221.7/100 000), Shanxi(166.2/100 000)and Hebei(149.9/100 000)were higher than other provinces. The DALY standardized rate attributable to high-sodium diets was highest in Xinjiang(4 430.8/100 000), Qinghai(4 422.5/100 000), Tibet(4 021.4/100 000), Shanxi(2 816.6/100 000), and Hebei(2 624.9/100 000). Conclusion: The BOD attributable to high-sodium diets is a serious issue in China, particularly in men and in the northern provinces. Effective measures should be taken in northern provinces to reduce sodium intake.

Sleep deficiency and motor vehicle crash risk in the general population: a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Gottlieb, Daniel J; Ellenbogen, Jeffrey M; Bianchi, Matt T; Czeisler, Charles A

2018-03-20

Insufficient sleep duration and obstructive sleep apnea, two common causes of sleep deficiency in adults, can result in excessive sleepiness, a well-recognized cause of motor vehicle crashes, although their contribution to crash risk in the general population remains uncertain. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relation of sleep apnea, sleep duration, and excessive sleepiness to crash risk in a community-dwelling population. This was a prospective observational cohort study nested within the Sleep Heart Health Study, a community-based study of the health consequences of sleep apnea. The participants were 1745 men and 1456 women aged 40-89 years. Sleep apnea was measured by home polysomnography and questionnaires were used to assess usual sleep duration and daytime sleepiness. A follow-up questionnaire 2 years after baseline ascertained driving habits and motor vehicle crash history. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relation of sleep apnea and sleep duration at baseline to the occurrence of motor vehicle crashes during the year preceding the follow-up visit, adjusting for relevant covariates. The population-attributable fraction of motor vehicle crashes was estimated from the sample proportion of motor vehicle crashes and the adjusted odds ratios for motor vehicle crash within each exposure category. Among 3201 evaluable participants, 222 (6.9%) reported at least one motor vehicle crash during the prior year. A higher apnea-hypopnea index (p < 0.01), fewer hours of sleep (p = 0.04), and self-reported excessive sleepiness (p < 0.01) were each significantly associated with crash risk. Severe sleep apnea was associated with a 123% increased crash risk, compared to no sleep apnea. Sleeping 6 hours per night was associated with a 33% increased crash risk, compared to sleeping 7 or 8 hours per night. These associations were present even in those who did not report excessive sleepiness. The population-attributable fraction of motor vehicle crashes was 10% due to sleep apnea and 9% due to sleep duration less than 7 hours. Sleep deficiency due to either sleep apnea or insufficient sleep duration is strongly associated with motor vehicle crashes in the general population, independent of self-reported excessive sleepiness.

Comparison of the population excess fraction of Chlamydia trachomatis infection on pelvic inflammatory disease at 12-months in the presence and absence of chlamydia testing and treatment: Systematic review and retrospective cohort analysis

PubMed Central

Turner, Katy M. E.; Leung, Stella; Yu, B. Nancy; Frølund, Maria; Benfield, Thomas; Blanchard, James; Westh, Henrik; Ward, Helen

2017-01-01

Background The impact of Chlamydia trachomatis (chlamydia) control on the incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is theoretically limited by the proportion of PID caused by chlamydia. We estimate the population excess fraction (PEF) of treated chlamydia infection on PID at 12-months in settings with widespread chlamydia control (testing and treatment) and compare this to the estimated PEF of untreated chlamydia. Methods We used two large retrospective population-based cohorts of women of reproductive age from settings with widespread chlamydia control to calculate the PEF of treated chlamydia on PID at 12-months. We undertook a systematic review to identify further studies that reported the risk of PID in women who were tested for chlamydia (infected and uninfected). We used the same method to calculate the PEF in eligible studies then compared all estimates of PEF. Results The systematic review identified a single study, a randomised controlled trial of chlamydia screening (POPI-RCT). In the presence of testing and treatment <10% of PID at 12-months was attributable to treated (baseline) chlamydia infections (Manitoba: 8.86%(95%CI 7.15–10.75); Denmark: 3.84%(3.26–4.45); screened-arm POPI-RCT: 0.99%(0.00–29.06)). In the absence of active chlamydia treatment 26.44%(11.57–46.32) of PID at 12-months was attributable to untreated (baseline) chlamydia infections (deferred-arm POPI-RCT). The PEFs suggest that eradicating baseline chlamydia infections could prevent 484 cases of PID at 12-months per 100,000 women in the untreated setting and 13–184 cases of PID per 100,000 tested women in the presence of testing and treatment. Conclusion Testing and treating chlamydia reduced the PEF of chlamydia on PID by 65% compared to the untreated setting. But in the presence of testing and treatment over 90% of PID could not be attributed to a baseline chlamydia infection. More information is needed about the aetiology of PID to develop effective strategies for improving the reproductive health of women. PMID:28199392

Sexual assault while too intoxicated to resist: a general population study of Norwegian teenage girls.

PubMed

Pape, Hilde

2014-04-28

Underage drinking is widespread, but studies on alcohol-related sexual victimization among teenage girls are almost non-existent. Research on individual correlates and risk factors of sexual victimization more generally is also meager. This study focuses on sexual assault while incapacitated due to drunkenness among 15-18 year-old girls and examines how age, drinking behavior, impulsivity and involvement in norm-violating activities are associated with such victimization experiences. Data stemmed from a school survey (response rate: 85%) in 16 Norwegian municipalities. Almost all analyses were restricted to girls who had been intoxicated in the past year (n = 2701). In addition to bivariate associations, adjusted odds ratios and relative risks of incapacitated sexual assault (ISA) were estimated. Further, population-attributable fractions were calculated to explore how the prevalence of ISA victimization was likely to be affected if effective preventive measures were targeted solely at high-risk groups. The majority of the girls (71%) had been intoxicated in the past year, of which 7% had experienced ISA victimization in the same period. The proportion of victims decreased by age within the group that had been intoxicated, reflecting that the youngest girls were more likely to get severely drunk. Impulsivity and involvement in norm-violating behaviors were identified as potential risk factors, but the population-attributable fractions indicated that the groups with the highest risk of ISA victimization accounted for only a minority of all the cases of such victimization. Sexual assault against teenage girls who are too drunk to resist seems to be prevalent in Norway - notably among the youngest girls who engage in heavy episodic drinking. This study also suggests that one should reconsider the notion that no individual attributes are related to females' sexual assault victimization. It also indicates that a high risk approach to prevention, targeting groups with a high level of impulsivity or behavioral problems, may have limited effect on the prevalence of ISA victimization. Thus, from a public health perspective, it may be advisable to give priority to universal preventive measures to curb young girls' risk of being sexually assaulted in a state of alcohol-induced incapacitation.

NMR signal analysis to attribute the components to the solid/liquid phases present in mixes and ice creams.

PubMed

Mariette, François; Lucas, Tiphaine

2005-03-09

The NMR relaxation signals from complex products such as ice cream are hard to interpret because of the multiexponential behavior of the relaxation signal and the difficulty of attributing the NMR relaxation components to specific molecule fractions. An attribution of the NMR relaxation parameters is proposed, however, based on an approach that combines quantitative analysis of the spin-spin and spin-lattice relaxation times and the signal intensities with characterization of the ice cream components. We have been able to show that NMR can be used to describe the crystallized and liquid phases separately. The first component of the spin-spin and spin-lattice relaxation describes the behavior of the protons of the crystallized fat in the mix. The amount of fat crystals can then be estimated. In the case of ice cream, only the spin-lattice relaxation signal from the crystallized fraction is relevant. However, it enables the ice protons and the protons of the crystallized fat to be distinguished. The spin-lattice relaxation time can be used to describe the mobility of the protons in the different crystallized phases and also to quantify the amount of ice crystals and fat crystals in the ice cream. The NMR relaxation of the liquid phase of the mix has a biexponential behavior. A first component is attributable to the liquid fraction of the fat and to the sugars, while a second component is attributable to the aqueous phase. Overall, the study shows that despite the complexity of the NMR signal from ice cream, a number of relevant parameters can be extracted to study the influence of the formulation and of the process stages on the ice fraction, the crystallized fat fraction, and the liquid aqueous fraction.

County Poverty Concentration and Disparities in Unintentional Injury Deaths: A Fourteen-Year Analysis of 1.6 Million U.S. Fatalities

PubMed Central

Karb, Rebecca A.; Subramanian, S. V.; Fleegler, Eric W.

2016-01-01

Unintentional injury is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, and mortality due to injury has risen over the past decade. The social determinants behind these rising trends have not been well documented. This study examines the relationship between county-level poverty and unintentional injury mortality in the United States from 1999–2012. Complete annual compressed mortality and population data for 1999–2012 were obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics and linked with census yearly county poverty measures. The outcomes examined were unintentional injury fatalities, overall and by six specific mechanisms: motor vehicle collisions, falls, accidental discharge of firearms, drowning, exposure to smoke or fire, and unintentional poisoning. Age-adjusted mortality rates and time trends for county poverty categories were calculated, and multivariate negative binomial regression was used to determine changes over time in both the relative risk of living in high poverty concentration areas and the population attributable fraction. Age-adjusted mortality rates for counties with > 20% poverty were 66% higher mortality in 1999 compared with counties with < 5% poverty (45.25 vs. 27.24 per 100,000; 95% CI for rate difference 15.57,20.46), and that gap widened in 2012 to 79% (44.54 vs. 24.93; 95% CI for rate difference 17.13,22.09). The relative risk of living in the highest poverty counties has increased for all injury mechanisms with the exception of accidental discharge of firearms. The population attributable fraction for all unintentional injuries rose from 0.22 (95% CI 0.13,0.30) in 1999 to 0.35 (95% CI 0.22,0.45) in 2012. This is the first study that uses comprehensive mortality data to document the associations between county poverty and injury mortality rates for the entire US population over a 14 year period. This study suggests that injury reduction interventions should focus on areas of high or increasing poverty. PMID:27144919

County Poverty Concentration and Disparities in Unintentional Injury Deaths: A Fourteen-Year Analysis of 1.6 Million U.S. Fatalities.

PubMed

Karb, Rebecca A; Subramanian, S V; Fleegler, Eric W

2016-01-01

Unintentional injury is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, and mortality due to injury has risen over the past decade. The social determinants behind these rising trends have not been well documented. This study examines the relationship between county-level poverty and unintentional injury mortality in the United States from 1999-2012. Complete annual compressed mortality and population data for 1999-2012 were obtained from the National Center for Health Statistics and linked with census yearly county poverty measures. The outcomes examined were unintentional injury fatalities, overall and by six specific mechanisms: motor vehicle collisions, falls, accidental discharge of firearms, drowning, exposure to smoke or fire, and unintentional poisoning. Age-adjusted mortality rates and time trends for county poverty categories were calculated, and multivariate negative binomial regression was used to determine changes over time in both the relative risk of living in high poverty concentration areas and the population attributable fraction. Age-adjusted mortality rates for counties with > 20% poverty were 66% higher mortality in 1999 compared with counties with < 5% poverty (45.25 vs. 27.24 per 100,000; 95% CI for rate difference 15.57,20.46), and that gap widened in 2012 to 79% (44.54 vs. 24.93; 95% CI for rate difference 17.13,22.09). The relative risk of living in the highest poverty counties has increased for all injury mechanisms with the exception of accidental discharge of firearms. The population attributable fraction for all unintentional injuries rose from 0.22 (95% CI 0.13,0.30) in 1999 to 0.35 (95% CI 0.22,0.45) in 2012. This is the first study that uses comprehensive mortality data to document the associations between county poverty and injury mortality rates for the entire US population over a 14 year period. This study suggests that injury reduction interventions should focus on areas of high or increasing poverty.

Diabetes burden in Brazil: fraction attributable to overweight, obesity, and excess weight

PubMed Central

Flor, Luísa Sorio; Campos, Monica Rodrigues; de Oliveira, Andreia Ferreira; Schramm, Joyce Mendes de Andrade

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE To estimate the burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its percentage attributable to overweight and obesity in Brazil. METHODS The burden of diabetes mellitus was described in terms of disability-adjusted life years, which is the sum of two components: years of life lost and years lived with disability. To calculate the fraction of diabetes mellitus attributable to overweight, obesity, and excess weight, we used the prevalence of these risk factors according to sex and age groups (> 20 years) obtained from the 2008 Pesquisa Dimensões Sociais das Desigualdades (Social Dimensions of Inequality Survey) and the relative risks derived from the international literature. RESULTS Diabetes mellitus accounted for 5.4% of Brazilian disability-adjusted life years in 2008, with the largest fraction attributed to the morbidity component (years lived with disability). Women exhibited higher values for disability-adjusted life years. In Brazil, 49.2%, 58.3%, and 70.6% of diabetes mellitus in women was attributable to overweight, obesity, and excess weight, respectively. Among men, these percentages were 40.5%, 45.4%, and 60.3%, respectively. Differences were observed with respect to Brazilian regions and age groups. CONCLUSIONS A large fraction of diabetes mellitus was attributable to preventable individual risk factors and, in about six years, the contribution of these factors significant increased, particularly among men. Policies aimed at promoting healthy lifestyle habits, such as a balanced diet and physical activity, can have a significant impact on reducing the burden of diabetes mellitus in Brazil. PMID:26018787

Diabetes burden in Brazil: fraction attributable to overweight, obesity, and excess weight.

PubMed

Flor, Luísa Sorio; Campos, Monica Rodrigues; Oliveira, Andreia Ferreira de; Schramm, Joyce Mendes de Andrade

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE To estimate the burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus and its percentage attributable to overweight and obesity in Brazil. METHODS The burden of diabetes mellitus was described in terms of disability-adjusted life years, which is the sum of two components: years of life lost and years lived with disability. To calculate the fraction of diabetes mellitus attributable to overweight, obesity, and excess weight, we used the prevalence of these risk factors according to sex and age groups (> 20 years) obtained from the 2008 Pesquisa Dimensões Sociais das Desigualdades (Social Dimensions of Inequality Survey) and the relative risks derived from the international literature. RESULTS Diabetes mellitus accounted for 5.4% of Brazilian disability-adjusted life years in 2008, with the largest fraction attributed to the morbidity component (years lived with disability). Women exhibited higher values for disability-adjusted life years. In Brazil, 49.2%, 58.3%, and 70.6% of diabetes mellitus in women was attributable to overweight, obesity, and excess weight, respectively. Among men, these percentages were 40.5%, 45.4%, and 60.3%, respectively. Differences were observed with respect to Brazilian regions and age groups. CONCLUSIONS A large fraction of diabetes mellitus was attributable to preventable individual risk factors and, in about six years, the contribution of these factors significant increased, particularly among men. Policies aimed at promoting healthy lifestyle habits, such as a balanced diet and physical activity, can have a significant impact on reducing the burden of diabetes mellitus in Brazil.

Quantifying the interplay effect in prostate IMRT delivery using a convolution-based method.

PubMed

Li, Haisen S; Chetty, Indrin J; Solberg, Timothy D

2008-05-01

The authors present a segment-based convolution method to account for the interplay effect between intrafraction organ motion and the multileaf collimator position for each particular segment in intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) delivered in a step-and-shoot manner. In this method, the static dose distribution attributed to each segment is convolved with the probability density function (PDF) of motion during delivery of the segment, whereas in the conventional convolution method ("average-based convolution"), the static dose distribution is convolved with the PDF averaged over an entire fraction, an entire treatment course, or even an entire patient population. In the case of IMRT delivered in a step-and-shoot manner, the average-based convolution method assumes that in each segment the target volume experiences the same motion pattern (PDF) as that of population. In the segment-based convolution method, the dose during each segment is calculated by convolving the static dose with the motion PDF specific to that segment, allowing both intrafraction motion and the interplay effect to be accounted for in the dose calculation. Intrafraction prostate motion data from a population of 35 patients tracked using the Calypso system (Calypso Medical Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA) was used to generate motion PDFs. These were then convolved with dose distributions from clinical prostate IMRT plans. For a single segment with a small number of monitor units, the interplay effect introduced errors of up to 25.9% in the mean CTV dose compared against the planned dose evaluated by using the PDF of the entire fraction. In contrast, the interplay effect reduced the minimum CTV dose by 4.4%, and the CTV generalized equivalent uniform dose by 1.3%, in single fraction plans. For entire treatment courses delivered in either a hypofractionated (five fractions) or conventional (> 30 fractions) regimen, the discrepancy in total dose due to interplay effect was negligible.

Methodology to Estimate the Longitudinal Average Attributable Fraction of Guideline-recommended Medications for Death in Older Adults With Multiple Chronic Conditions

PubMed Central

Zhan, Yilei; Cohen, Andrew B.; Tinetti, Mary E.; Trentalange, Mark; McAvay, Gail

2016-01-01

Background: Persons with multiple chronic conditions receive multiple guideline-recommended medications to improve outcomes such as mortality. Our objective was to estimate the longitudinal average attributable fraction for 3-year survival of medications for cardiovascular conditions in persons with multiple chronic conditions and to determine whether heterogeneity occurred by age. Methods: Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey participants (N = 8,578) with two or more chronic conditions, enrolled from 2005 to 2009 with follow-up through 2011, were analyzed. We calculated the longitudinal extension of the average attributable fraction for oral medications (beta blockers, renin–angiotensin system blockers, and thiazide diuretics) indicated for cardiovascular conditions (atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and hypertension), on survival adjusted for 18 participant characteristics. Models stratified by age (≤80 and >80 years) were analyzed to determine heterogeneity of both cardiovascular conditions and medications. Results: Heart failure had the greatest average attributable fraction (39%) for mortality. The fractional contributions of beta blockers, renin–angiotensin system blockers, and thiazides to improve survival were 10.4%, 9.3%, and 7.2% respectively. In age-stratified models, of these medications thiazides had a significant contribution to survival only for those aged 80 years or younger. The effects of the remaining medications were similar in both age strata. Conclusions: Most cardiovascular medications were attributed independently to survival. The two cardiovascular conditions contributing independently to death were heart failure and atrial fibrillation. The medication effects were similar by age except for thiazides that had a significant contribution to survival in persons younger than 80 years. PMID:26748093

The white-dwarf cooling sequence of NGC 6791: a unique tool for stellar evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Berro, E.; Torres, S.; Renedo, I.; Camacho, J.; Althaus, L. G.; Córsico, A. H.; Salaris, M.; Isern, J.

2011-09-01

Context. NGC 6791 is a well-studied, metal-rich open cluster that is so close to us that it can be imaged down to luminosities fainter than that of the termination of its white-dwarf cooling sequence, thus allowing for an in-depth study of its white dwarf population. Aims: White dwarfs carry important information about the history of the cluster. We use observations of the white-dwarf cooling sequence to constrain important properties of the cluster stellar population, such as the existence of a putative population of massive helium-core white dwarfs, and the properties of a large population of unresolved binary white dwarfs. We also investigate the use of white dwarfs to disclose the presence of cluster subpopulations with a different initial chemical composition, and we obtain an upper bound to the fraction of hydrogen-deficient white dwarfs. Methods: We use a Monte Carlo simulator that employs up-to-date evolutionary cooling sequences for white dwarfs with hydrogen-rich and hydrogen-deficient atmospheres, with carbon-oxygen and helium cores. The cooling sequences for carbon-oxygen cores account for the delays introduced by both 22Ne sedimentation in the liquid phase and by carbon-oxygen phase separation upon crystallization. Results: We do not find evidence for a substantial fraction of helium-core white dwarfs, and hence our results support the suggestion that the origin of the bright peak of the white-dwarf luminosity function can only be attributed to a population of unresolved binary white dwarfs. Moreover, our results indicate that if this hypothesis is at the origin of the bright peak, the number distribution of secondary masses of the population of unresolved binaries has to increase with increasing mass ratio between the secondary and primary components of the progenitor system. We also find that the observed cooling sequence appears to be able to constrain the presence of progenitor subpopulations with different chemical compositions and the fraction of hydrogen-deficient white dwarfs. Conclusions: Our simulations place interesting constraints on important characteristics of the stellar populations of NGC 6791. In particular, we find that the fraction of single helium-core white dwarfs must be smaller than 5%, that a subpopulation of stars with zero metallicity must be ≲12%, while if the adopted metallicity of the subpopulation is solar the upper limit is ~8%. Finally, we also find that the fraction of hydrogen-deficient white dwarfs in this particular cluster is surprinsingly small (≲6%).

Cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes mortality burden of cardiometabolic risk factors from 1980 to 2010: a comparative risk assessment.

PubMed

2014-08-01

High blood pressure, blood glucose, serum cholesterol, and BMI are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and some of these factors also increase the risk of chronic kidney disease and diabetes. We estimated mortality from cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes that was attributable to these four cardiometabolic risk factors for all countries and regions from 1980 to 2010. We used data for exposure to risk factors by country, age group, and sex from pooled analyses of population-based health surveys. We obtained relative risks for the effects of risk factors on cause-specific mortality from meta-analyses of large prospective studies. We calculated the population attributable fractions for each risk factor alone, and for the combination of all risk factors, accounting for multicausality and for mediation of the effects of BMI by the other three risks. We calculated attributable deaths by multiplying the cause-specific population attributable fractions by the number of disease-specific deaths. We obtained cause-specific mortality from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors 2010 Study. We propagated the uncertainties of all the inputs to the final estimates. In 2010, high blood pressure was the leading risk factor for deaths due to cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, and diabetes in every region, causing more than 40% of worldwide deaths from these diseases; high BMI and glucose were each responsible for about 15% of deaths, and high cholesterol for more than 10%. After accounting for multicausality, 63% (10·8 million deaths, 95% CI 10·1-11·5) of deaths from these diseases in 2010 were attributable to the combined effect of these four metabolic risk factors, compared with 67% (7·1 million deaths, 6·6-7·6) in 1980. The mortality burden of high BMI and glucose nearly doubled from 1980 to 2010. At the country level, age-standardised death rates from these diseases attributable to the combined effects of these four risk factors surpassed 925 deaths per 100 000 for men in Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia, but were less than 130 deaths per 100 000 for women and less than 200 for men in some high-income countries including Australia, Canada, France, Japan, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, and Spain. The salient features of the cardiometabolic disease and risk factor epidemic at the beginning of the 21st century are high blood pressure and an increasing effect of obesity and diabetes. The mortality burden of cardiometabolic risk factors has shifted from high-income to low-income and middle-income countries. Lowering cardiometabolic risks through dietary, behavioural, and pharmacological interventions should be a part of the global response to non-communicable diseases. UK Medical Research Council, US National Institutes of Health. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Impact of high salt consumption of blood pressure on a non-hypertensive population].

PubMed

Domínguez Cancino, Karen; Paredes Escobar, María Cristina

2017-12-01

Background There is conflicting evidence regarding the role of salt intake in blood pressure (BP). Aim To estimate the impact of salt consumption on the BP level of a non-hypertensive population aged between 15 and 64 years. Material and Methods Analytical-observational study using data from the National Health Survey 2009-2010. A BP cut-off point at 120/80 mmHg BP was considered to determine risk. Salt consumption was divided into four strata. The prevalence ratios (PR) were determined using the Poisson model with robust variance. The formulas of the studies of Dal Grande and Walter for the estimation of population attributable fraction (PAF) were used. Results The sample was constituted by 1,263 individuals and 24.3% had BP at risk. A statistically significant association was observed between high salt intake and risk BP with PR of 1.91 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.44-2.57) in the consumption stratum of 11 g / day and more. It was estimated that 4.7% (95% CI 4.2-5.2) of BP risk can be attributed to salt consumption, when controlling by age group, sex and educational level. Conclusions The 4.7% PAF is lower than the figure of 30% reported abroad. Interventions to reduce salt consumption in the entire population and the identification of risk groups are recommended.

Analysis of intervention strategies for inhalation exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and associated lung cancer risk based on a Monte Carlo population exposure assessment model.

PubMed

Zhou, Bin; Zhao, Bin

2014-01-01

It is difficult to evaluate and compare interventions for reducing exposure to air pollutants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a widely found air pollutant in both indoor and outdoor air. This study presents the first application of the Monte Carlo population exposure assessment model to quantify the effects of different intervention strategies on inhalation exposure to PAHs and the associated lung cancer risk. The method was applied to the population in Beijing, China, in the year 2006. Several intervention strategies were designed and studied, including atmospheric cleaning, smoking prohibition indoors, use of clean fuel for cooking, enhancing ventilation while cooking and use of indoor cleaners. Their performances were quantified by population attributable fraction (PAF) and potential impact fraction (PIF) of lung cancer risk, and the changes in indoor PAH concentrations and annual inhalation doses were also calculated and compared. The results showed that atmospheric cleaning and use of indoor cleaners were the two most effective interventions. The sensitivity analysis showed that several input parameters had major influence on the modeled PAH inhalation exposure and the rankings of different interventions. The ranking was reasonably robust for the remaining majority of parameters. The method itself can be extended to other pollutants and in different places. It enables the quantitative comparison of different intervention strategies and would benefit intervention design and relevant policy making.

Estimation of Cancer Burden Attributable to Infection in Asia

PubMed Central

Huang, He; Hu, Xiao-Feng; Zhao, Fang-Hui; Garland, Suzanne M.; Bhatla, Neerja; Qiao, You-Lin

2015-01-01

Background Some infectious agents have been shown to be human carcinogens. The current study focused on estimation of cancer burden attributable to infection in different regions of Asia. Methods By systematically reviewing previous studies of the infection prevalence data of 13 countries in Asia and relative risks of specific cancers, we calculated the population attributable fraction of carcinogenic infections. Using data from GLOBOCAN 2012, the overall country-specific and gender-specific number of new cancer cases and deaths resulting from infection were estimated. Results Across 13 principal Asian countries, the average prevalence and range was 6.6% (0.5% in Japanese women to 15.0% in Vietnamese men) for hepatitis B virus (HBV), 2.6% (0.3% in Iran to 5.1% in Saudi Arabia) for hepatitis C virus (HCV), 7.9% (2.8% in Pakistan to 17.7% in China) for human papillomavirus (HPV), and 61.8% (12.8% in Indonesia to 91.7% in Bangladesh) for Helicobacter pylori (HP). The estimated total number of cancer cases and deaths caused by infection in these 13 countries were 1 212 026 (19.6% of all new cancer cases) and 908 549 (22.0% of all deaths from cancer). The fractions of cancer incidence attributable to infection were 19.7% and 19.5% in men and women, respectively. The percentages of cancer deaths attributable to infection were 21.9% and 22.1% in men and women, respectively. Among the main infectious agents, HP was responsible for 31.5% of infection-related cancer cases and 32.8% of infection-related cancer deaths, followed by HBV (28.6% of new cases and 23.8% of deaths), HPV (22.0% of new cases and 27.3% of deaths), and HCV (12.2% of new cases and 10.6% of deaths). Conclusions Approximately one quarter of all cancer cases and deaths were infection-associated in Asia, which could be effectively prevented if appropriate long-term controls of infectious agents were applied. PMID:26399446

Modeling vehicle operating speed on urban roads in Montreal: a panel mixed ordered probit fractional split model.

PubMed

Eluru, Naveen; Chakour, Vincent; Chamberlain, Morgan; Miranda-Moreno, Luis F

2013-10-01

Vehicle operating speed measured on roadways is a critical component for a host of analysis in the transportation field including transportation safety, traffic flow modeling, roadway geometric design, vehicle emissions modeling, and road user route decisions. The current research effort contributes to the literature on examining vehicle speed on urban roads methodologically and substantively. In terms of methodology, we formulate a new econometric model framework for examining speed profiles. The proposed model is an ordered response formulation of a fractional split model. The ordered nature of the speed variable allows us to propose an ordered variant of the fractional split model in the literature. The proposed formulation allows us to model the proportion of vehicles traveling in each speed interval for the entire segment of roadway. We extend the model to allow the influence of exogenous variables to vary across the population. Further, we develop a panel mixed version of the fractional split model to account for the influence of site-specific unobserved effects. The paper contributes substantively by estimating the proposed model using a unique dataset from Montreal consisting of weekly speed data (collected in hourly intervals) for about 50 local roads and 70 arterial roads. We estimate separate models for local roads and arterial roads. The model estimation exercise considers a whole host of variables including geometric design attributes, roadway attributes, traffic characteristics and environmental factors. The model results highlight the role of various street characteristics including number of lanes, presence of parking, presence of sidewalks, vertical grade, and bicycle route on vehicle speed proportions. The results also highlight the presence of site-specific unobserved effects influencing the speed distribution. The parameters from the modeling exercise are validated using a hold-out sample not considered for model estimation. The results indicate that the proposed panel mixed ordered probit fractional split model offers promise for modeling such proportional ordinal variables. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Burden of disease attributed to ambient air pollution in Thailand: A GIS-based approach

PubMed Central

Pinichka, Chayut; Makka, Nuttapat; Sukkumnoed, Decharut; Chariyalertsak, Suwat; Inchai, Puchong

2017-01-01

Background Growing urbanisation and population requiring enhanced electricity generation as well as the increasing numbers of fossil fuel in Thailand pose important challenges to air quality management which impacts on the health of the population. Mortality attributed to ambient air pollution is one of the sustainable development goals (SDGs). We estimated the spatial pattern of mortality burden attributable to selected ambient air pollution in 2009 based on the empirical evidence in Thailand. Methods We estimated the burden of disease attributable to ambient air pollution based on the comparative risk assessment (CRA) framework developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Burden of Disease study (GBD). We integrated geographical information systems (GIS)-based exposure assessments into spatial interpolation models to estimate ambient air pollutant concentrations, the population distribution of exposure and the concentration-response (CR) relationship to quantify ambient air pollution exposure and associated mortality. We obtained air quality data from the Pollution Control Department (PCD) of Thailand surface air pollution monitoring network sources and estimated the CR relationship between relative risk (RR) and concentration of air pollutants from the epidemiological literature. Results We estimated 650–38,410 ambient air pollution-related fatalities and 160–5,982 fatalities that could have been avoided with a 20 reduction in ambient air pollutant concentrations. The summation of population-attributable fraction (PAF) of the disease burden for all-causes mortality in adults due to NO2 and PM2.5 were the highest among all air pollutants at 10% and 7.5%, respectively. The PAF summation of PM2.5 for lung cancer and cardiovascular disease were 16.8% and 14.6% respectively and the PAF summations of mortality attributable to PM10 was 3.4% for all-causes mortality, 1.7% for respiratory and 3.8% for cardiovascular mortality, while the PAF summation of mortality attributable to NO2 was 7.8% for respiratory mortality in Thailand. Conclusion Mortality due to ambient air pollution in Thailand varies across the country. Geographical distribution estimates can identify high exposure areas for planners and policy-makers. Our results suggest that the benefits of a 20% reduction in ambient air pollution concentration could prevent up to 25% of avoidable fatalities each year in all-causes, respiratory and cardiovascular categories. Furthermore, our findings can provide guidelines for future epidemiological investigations and policy decisions to achieve the SDGs. PMID:29267319

Effect of physical inactivity on major noncommunicable diseases and life expectancy in Brazil.

PubMed

de Rezende, Leandro Fornias Machado; Rabacow, Fabiana Maluf; Viscondi, Juliana Yukari Kodaira; Luiz, Olinda do Carmo; Matsudo, Victor Keihan Rodrigues; Lee, I-Min

2015-03-01

In Brazil, one-fifth of the population reports not doing any physical activity. This study aimed to assess the impact of physical inactivity on major noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), all-cause mortality and life expectancy in Brazil, by region and sociodemographic profile. We estimated the population attributable fraction (PAF) for physical inactivity associated with coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, colon cancer, and all-cause mortality. To calculate the PAF, we used the physical inactivity prevalence from the 2008 Brazilian Household Survey and relative risk data in the literature. In Brazil, physical inactivity is attributable to 3% to 5% of all major NCDs and 5.31% of all-cause mortality, ranging from 5.82% in the southeastern region to 2.83% in the southern region. Eliminating physical inactivity would increase the life expectancy by an average of 0.31 years. This reduction would affect mainly individuals with ≥ 15 years of schooling, male, Asian, elderly, residing in an urban area and earning ≥ 2 times the national minimum wage. In Brazil, physical inactivity has a major impact on NCDs and mortality, principally in the southeastern and central-west regions. Public policies and interventions promoting physical activity will significantly improve the health of the population.

Proportion of cancer in a Middle eastern country attributable to established risk factors.

PubMed

Charafeddine, Maya A; Olson, Sara H; Mukherji, Deborah; Temraz, Sally N; Abou-Alfa, Ghassan K; Shamseddine, Ali I

2017-05-18

Providing an estimate of the percentage of cancer in Lebanon by 2018 that is due to the exposure to risk factors in 2008. Factors include: smoking, body mass index (BMI), physical inactivity, dietary factors, alcohol consumption, infections, and air pollution in adults. Population Attributable Fraction (PAF) was calculated using the proportion of the population exposed and relative risks for each risk factor from meta-analyses. The PAF estimates the proportion of cases in which exposure may have played a causal role. Smoking caused most cancer cases, and it will further add a total of 1800 new cases by 2018. Among many other cancers, lung cancer had the largest proportion attributable of around 75%. BMI is expected to increase colorectal, liver and gastric cardia carcinoma specifically in males. High physical activity has a an average of 15% protection rate on cancer on colorectal cancer. Minimal adherence to Mediterranean diet will affect gastric cancer incidence by 7%. Cases of oropharyngeal and esophageal cancer will be the result of alcohol consumption mainly in males. H.Pylori infection is expected to result in half of the gastric cases by 2018. The high exposure to air pollution is expected to contribute by 13% to lung cancer cases in 2018. The highest benefits can be achieved by controlling tobacco smoking. Interrelated and small changes in weight, physical activity and healthy diet with limited alcohol consumption can protect against several GI cancers in the long run. These results can be used to determine public health interventions that target important risk factors in the general population.

Factors attributable for the prevalence of dental caries in Queensland children.

PubMed

Do, Loc Giang; Ha, Diep Hong; Spencer, A John

2015-10-01

Dental caries is a multifactorial condition, prevention of which requires comprehensive understanding of both contextual and compositional determinants and their population impact. To investigate contextual and compositional factors associated with the prevalence of dental caries in children and to estimate the population impact of those factors. Children in one Australian state were selected through stratified random sampling selection in 2010-2011. Oral epidemiological examinations provided individual-level outcomes: prevalence of dental caries in the primary (among 5- to 8-year-olds) and permanent dentitions (9- to 14-year-olds). Socioeconomic status, oral health behaviours and practices and dietary patterns were explanatory factors at the individual-level, school-level and area-level fluoridation status. Three-level multilevel multivariable models were sequentially specified for the prevalence of dental caries to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) associated with explanatory factors, adjusting for covariates and between- and within-group variances. Population attributable fraction (PAF) was estimated as the population impact of the statistically significant explanatory factors. Data from 2214 5- to 8-year-olds and 3186 9- to 14-year-olds from 207 schools in 16 areas were analysed. The prevalence of dental caries in the primary and the permanent dentitions was 47.1% (43.9-50.4) and 38.8% (36.1-41.6), respectively. The highest prevalence of dental caries was observed in the nonfluoridated areas. In bivariate associations, factors at three levels were associated with prevalence of dental caries. In the full models, children in the nonfluoridated areas had significantly higher prevalence of dental caries [PR for the primary: 1.29 (1.11-1.50); PR for the permanent 1.49 (1.01-2.21)] compared with children in fluoridated areas, controlling for other factors. PAF estimates indicated that lack of water fluoridation attributed to 21% and 31% of primary and permanent dental caries, respectively in this child population. A multitude of factors had significant population impact on the prevalence of dental caries in children. Water fluoridation has a significant population impact on dental caries experience in this child population. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Measuring the burden of disease due to climate change and developing a forecast model in South Korea.

PubMed

Yoon, S-J; Oh, I-H; Seo, H-Y; Kim, E-J

2014-08-01

Climate change influences human health in various ways, and quantitative assessments of the effect of climate change on health at national level are becoming essential for environmental health management. This study quantified the burden of disease attributable to climate change in Korea using disability-adjusted life years (DALY), and projected how this would change over time. Diseases related to climate change in Korea were selected, and meteorological data for each risk factor of climate change were collected. Mortality was calculated, and a database of incidence and prevalence was established. After measuring the burden of each disease, the total burden of disease related to climate change was assessed by multiplying population-attributable fractions. Finally, an estimation model for the burden of disease was built based on Korean climate data. The total burden of disease related to climate change in Korea was 6.85 DALY/1000 population in 2008. Cerebrovascular diseases induced by heat waves accounted for 72.1% of the total burden of disease (hypertensive disease 1.82 DALY/1000 population, ischaemic heart disease 1.56 DALY/1000 population, cerebrovascular disease 1.56 DALY/1000 population). According to the estimation model, the total burden of disease will be 11.48 DALY/1000 population in 2100, which is twice the total burden of disease in 2008. This study quantified the burden of disease caused by climate change in Korea, and provides valuable information for determining the priorities of environmental health policy in East Asian countries with similar climates. Copyright © 2014 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new methodological approach to adjust alcohol exposure distributions to improve the estimation of alcohol-attributable fractions.

PubMed

Parish, William J; Aldridge, Arnie; Allaire, Benjamin; Ekwueme, Donatus U; Poehler, Diana; Guy, Gery P; Thomas, Cheryll C; Trogdon, Justin G

2017-11-01

To assess the burden of excessive alcohol use, researchers estimate alcohol-attributable fractions (AAFs) routinely. However, under-reporting in survey data can bias these estimates. We present an approach that adjusts for under-reporting in the estimation of AAFs, particularly within subgroups. This framework is a refinement of a previous method conducted by Rehm et al. We use a measurement error model to derive the 'true' alcohol distribution from a 'reported' alcohol distribution. The 'true' distribution leverages per-capita sales data to identify the distribution average and then identifies the shape of the distribution with self-reported survey data. Data are from the National Alcohol Survey (NAS), the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA) and the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). We compared our approach with previous approaches by estimating the AAF of female breast cancer cases. Compared with Rehm et al.'s approach, our refinement performs similarly under a gamma assumption. For example, among females aged 18-25 years, the two approaches produce estimates from NHSDA that are within a percentage point. However, relaxing the gamma assumption generally produces more conservative evidence. For example, among females aged 18-25 years, estimates from NHSDA based on the best-fitting distribution are only 19.33% of breast cancer cases, which is a much smaller proportion than the gamma-based estimates of approximately 28%. A refinement of Rehm et al.'s approach to adjusting for underreporting in the estimation of alcohol-attributable fractions provides more flexibility. This flexibility can avoid biases associated with failing to account for the underlying differences in alcohol consumption patterns across different study populations. Comparisons of our refinement with Rehm et al.'s approach show that results are similar when a gamma distribution is assumed. However, results are appreciably lower when the best-fitting distribution is chosen versus gamma-based results. © 2017 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Cardiovascular disease mortality and years of life lost attributable to non-optimal systolic blood pressure and hypertension in northeastern Iran.

PubMed

Sepanlou, Sadaf G; Newson, Roger B; Poustchi, Hossein; Malekzadeh, Masoud M; Rezanejad Asl, Parisa; Etemadi, Arash; Khademi, Hooman; Islami, Farhad; Pourshams, Akram; Pharoah, Paul D; Abnet, Christian C; Brennan, Paul; Bofetta, Paolo; Dawsey, Sanford M; Kamangar, Farin; Malekzadeh, Reza

2015-03-01

High blood pressure is the second most important risk factor of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in Iran. It is imperative to estimate the burden of CVDs that can be averted if high blood pressure is controlled at the population level. The aim of the current study was to estimate the avertable CVD mortality in the setting of Golestan Cohort Study (GCS). Over 50,000 participants were recruited and followed for a median of 7 years. The exposures of interest in this study were non-optimal systolic blood pressure (SBP) and hypertension measured at baseline. Deaths by cause have been precisely recorded. The Population Attributable Fraction (PAF) of deaths and Years of Life Lost (YLLs) due to CVDs attributable to exposures of interest were calculated. Overall, 223 deaths due to ischemic heart disease (IHD), 207 deaths due to cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), and 460 deaths due to all CVDs could be averted if the SBP of all subjects in the study were optimal. Similarly, 5,560 YLLs due to IHD, 4,771 YLLs due to CVA, and 11,135 YLLs due to CVDs could be prevented if SBP were optimal. In all age groups, the avertable deaths and YLLs were higher due to IHD compared with CVA. Deaths and YLLs attributable to non-optimal SBP in women were less than men. A very large proportion of CVD deaths can be averted if blood pressure is controlled in Iran. Effective interventions in primary and secondary health care setting are mandatory to be implemented as early as possible.

Impact of high coverage of monovalent human rotavirus vaccine on Emergency Department presentations for rotavirus gastroenteritis.

PubMed

Davey, Heather M; Muscatello, David J; Wood, James G; Snelling, Thomas L; Ferson, Mark J; Macartney, Kristine K

2015-03-30

Australia was one of the first countries to introduce nationally funded rotavirus vaccination. The program has had a substantial impact on both rotavirus and all-cause acute gastroenteritis (AGE) hospitalisations and rotavirus laboratory tests. Evidence for an impact on Emergency Department (ED) presentations is limited. This study assessed changes in ED presentations for rotavirus in children aged <5 years in New South Wales, Australia, following introduction of monovalent human rotavirus vaccine (RV1, Rotarix(®), GlaxoSmithKline Australia Pty Ltd., Victoria, Australia). A time series analysis to examine trends in total non-admitted ED presentations for all-cause AGE and in the rotavirus-attributable fraction using data on rotavirus positive laboratory tests. A decline in the rate of non-admitted ED presentations for all-cause AGE was observed for all ages, being most notable in 1 year old children. Compared with the pre-vaccination period, we estimated the average weekly rate was lower across the first 4.5 years of the program for both all-cause AGE (18.3%; 70.5 versus 57.5 per 100,000 population) and rotavirus attributable (55.4%; 17.3 versus 7.7 per 100,000 population) presentations. In the fourth year of the program, estimated annual rotavirus attributable presentations were 77% lower than the pre-vaccination annual mean (996 versus 4300 per year). The program was associated with a substantial decline in rotavirus attributable non-admitted AGE presentations to ED among children aged <5 years. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimating the burden of disease attributable to diabetes in South Africa in 2000.

PubMed

Bradshaw, Debbie; Norman, Rosana; Pieterse, Desiréé; Levitt, Naomi S

2007-08-01

To estimate the burden of disease attributable to diabetes by sex and age group in South Africa in 2000. The framework adopted for the most recent World Health Organization comparative risk assessment (CRA) methodology was followed. Small community studies used to derive the prevalence of diabetes by population group were weighted proportionately for a national estimate. Population-attributable fractions were calculated and applied to revised burden of disease estimates. Monte Carlo simulation-modelling techniques were used for uncertainty analysis. South Africa. Adults 30 years and older. Mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for ischaemic heart disease (IHD), stroke, hypertensive disease and renal failure. Of South Africans aged >or= 30 years, 5.5% had diabetes which increased with age. Overall, about 14% of IHD, 10% of stroke, 12% of hypertensive disease and 12% of renal disease burden in adult males and females (30+ years) were attributable to diabetes. Diabetes was estimated to have caused 22,412 (95% uncertainty interval 20,755 - 24,872) or 4.3% (95% uncertainty interval 4.0 - 4.8%) of all deaths in South Africa in 2000. Since most of these occurred in middle or old age, the loss of healthy life years comprises a smaller proportion of the total 258,028 DALYs (95% uncertainty interval 236,856 - 290,849) in South Africa in 2000, accounting for 1.6% (95% uncertainty interval 1.5 - 1.8%) of the total burden. Diabetes is an important direct and indirect cause of burden in South Africa. Primary prevention of the disease through multi-level interventions and improved management at primary health care level are needed.

Estimating source-attributable health impacts of ambient fine particulate matter exposure: global premature mortality from surface transportation emissions in 2005

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chambliss, S. E.; Silva, R.; West, J. J.; Zeinali, M.; Minjares, R.

2014-10-01

Exposure to ambient fine particular matter (PM2.5) was responsible for 3.2 million premature deaths in 2010 and is among the top ten leading risk factors for early death. Surface transportation is a significant global source of PM2.5 emissions and a target for new actions. The objective of this study is to estimate the global and national health burden of ambient PM2.5 exposure attributable to surface transportation emissions. This share of health burden is called the transportation attributable fraction (TAF), and is assumed equal to the proportional decrease in modeled ambient particulate matter concentrations when surface transportation emissions are removed. National population-weighted TAFs for 190 countries are modeled for 2005 using the MOZART-4 global chemical transport model. Changes in annual average concentration of PM2.5 at 0.5 × 0.67 degree horizontal resolution are based on a global emissions inventory and removal of all surface transportation emissions. Global population-weighted average TAF was 8.5 percent or 1.75 μg m-3 in 2005. Approximately 242 000 annual premature deaths were attributable to surface transportation emissions, dominated by China, the United States, the European Union and India. This application of TAF allows future Global Burden of Disease studies to estimate the sector-specific burden of ambient PM2.5 exposure. Additional research is needed to capture intraurban variations in emissions and exposure, and to broaden the range of health effects considered, including the effects of other pollutants.

Correlation of soil and sediment organic matter polarity to aqueous sorption of nonionic compounds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kile, D.E.; Wershaw, R. L.; Chiou, C.T.

1999-01-01

Polarities of the soiL/sediment organic matter (SOM) in 19 soil and 9 freshwater sediment sam pies were determined from solid-state 13C-CP/MAS NMR spectra and compared with published partition coefficients (K(oc)) of carbon tetrachloride (CT) from aqueous solution. Nondestructive analysis of whole samples by solid-state NMR permits a direct assessment of the polarity of SOM that is not possible by elemental analysis. The percent of organic carbon associated with polar functional groups was estimated from the combined fraction of carbohydrate and carboxylamide-ester carbons. A plot of the measured partition coefficients (K(oc)) of carbon tetrachloride (CT) vs. percent polar organic carbon (POC) shows distinctly different populations of soils and sediments as well as a roughly inverse trend among the soil/sediment populations. Plots of K(oc) values for CT against other structural group carbon fractions did not yield distinct populations. The results indicate that the polarity of SOM is a significant factor in accounting for differences in K(oc) between the organic matter in soils and sediments. The alternate direct correlation of the sum of aliphatic and aromatic structural carbons with K(oc) illustrates the influence of nonpolar hydrocarbon on solute partition interaction. Additional elemental analysis data of selected samples further substantiate the effect of the organic matter polarity on the partition efficiency of nonpolar solutes. The separation between soil and sediment samples based on percent POC reflects definite differences of the properties of soil and sediment organic matters that are attributable to diagenesis.Polarities of the soil/sediment organic matter (SOM) in 19 soil and 9 freshwater sediment samples were determined from solid-state 13C-CP/MAS NMR spectra and compared with published partition coefficients (Koc) of carbon tetrachloride (CT) from aqueous solution. Nondestructive analysis of whole samples by solid-state NMR permits a direct assessment of the polarity of SOM that is not possible by elemental analysis. The percent of organic carbon associated with polar functional groups was estimated from the combined fraction of carbohydrate and carboxyl-amide-ester carbons. A plot of the measured partition coefficients (Koc) of carbon tetrachloride (CT) vs. percent polar organic carbon (POC) shows distinctly different populations of soils and sediments as well as a roughly inverse trend among the soil/sediment populations. Plots of Koc values for CT against other structural group carbon fractions did not yield distinct populations. The results indicate that the polarity of SOM is a significant factor in accounting for differences in Koc between the organic matter in soils and sediments. The alternate direct correlation of the sum of aliphatic and aromatic structural carbons with Koc illustrates the influence of nonpolar hydrocarbon on solute partition interaction. Additional elemental analysis data of selected samples further substantiate the effect of the organic matter polarity on the partition efficiency of nonpolar solutes. The separation between soil and sediment samples based on percent POC reflects definite differences of the properties of soil and sediment organic matters that are attributable to diagenesis.

Annual environmental monitoring report of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory

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

Schleimer, G.E.

1989-06-01

The Environmental Monitoring Program of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) is described. Data for 1988 are presented and general trends are discussed. In order to establish whether LBL research activities produced any impact on the population surrounding the laboratory, a program of environmental air and water sampling and continuous radiation monitoring was carried on throughout the year. For 1988, as in the previous several years, dose equivalents attributable to LBL radiological operations were a small fraction of both the relevant radiation protection guidelines (RPG) and of the natural radiation background. 16 refs., 7 figs., 21 tabs.

[Health effects of living habits].

PubMed

Vuori, Ilkka

2015-01-01

Single healthy living habits such as non-smoking and regular physical activity decrease the risk of common non-communicable diseases, unsuccessful aging and premature death to a small to moderate degree. Their cumulative effects are, however, large. Only a small minority of people adhere well to all healthy living habits or even the healthiest ones. Consequently, the population attributable fractions of major public health problems due to unhealthy lifestyles are large. Substantial improvement of public health calls for policies and programs to influence the root causes of the lifestyles in the multiple environments and systems where they are developed, maintained, and changed.

The burden of occupationally-related cutaneous malignant melanoma in Britain due to solar radiation.

PubMed

Rushton, Lesley; J Hutchings, Sally

2017-02-14

Increasing evidence highlights the association of occupational exposure and cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM). We estimated the burden of CMM and total skin cancer burden in Britain due to occupational solar radiation exposure. Attributable fractions (AF) and numbers were estimated for CMM mortality and incidence using risk estimates from the published literature and national data sources for proportions exposed. We extended existing methods to account for the exposed population age structure. The estimated total AF for CMM is 2.0% (95% CI: 1.4-2.7%), giving 48 (95% CI: 33-64) deaths in (2012) and 241 (95% CI: 168-325) registrations (in 2011) attributable to occupational exposure to solar radiation. Higher exposure and larger numbers exposed led to much higher numbers for men than women. Industries of concern are construction, agriculture, public administration and defence, and land transport. These results emphasise the urgent need to develop appropriate strategies to reduce this burden.

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

Glascoe, E A; Zaug, J M; Burnham, A K

The effect of pressure on the thermal decomposition rate of the energetic material HMX was studied. HMX was precompressed in a diamond anvil cell (DAC) and heated at various rates. The parent species population was monitored as a function of time and temperature using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Decomposition rates were determined by fitting the fraction reacted to the extended-Prout-Tompkins nucleation-growth model and the Friedman isoconversional method. The results of these experiments and analysis indicate that pressure accelerates the decomposition at low to moderate pressures (i.e. between ambient pressure and 1 GPa) and decelerates the decomposition at higher pressures.more » The decomposition acceleration is attributed to pressure enhanced autocatalysis whereas the deceleration at high pressures is attributed pressure inhibiting bond homolysis step(s), which would result in an increase in volume. These results indicate that both {beta} and {delta} phase HMX are sensitive to pressure in the thermally induced decomposition kinetics.« less

Clinical malaria case definition and malaria attributable fraction in the highlands of western Kenya.

PubMed

Afrane, Yaw A; Zhou, Guofa; Githeko, Andrew K; Yan, Guiyun

2014-10-15

In African highland areas where endemicity of malaria varies greatly according to altitude and topography, parasitaemia accompanied by fever may not be sufficient to define an episode of clinical malaria in endemic areas. To evaluate the effectiveness of malaria interventions, age-specific case definitions of clinical malaria needs to be determined. Cases of clinical malaria through active case surveillance were quantified in a highland area in Kenya and defined clinical malaria for different age groups. A cohort of over 1,800 participants from all age groups was selected randomly from over 350 houses in 10 villages stratified by topography and followed for two-and-a-half years. Participants were visited every two weeks and screened for clinical malaria, defined as an individual with malaria-related symptoms (fever [axillary temperature≥37.5°C], chills, severe malaise, headache or vomiting) at the time of examination or 1-2 days prior to the examination in the presence of a Plasmodium falciparum positive blood smear. Individuals in the same cohort were screened for asymptomatic malaria infection during the low and high malaria transmission seasons. Parasite densities and temperature were used to define clinical malaria by age in the population. The proportion of fevers attributable to malaria was calculated using logistic regression models. Incidence of clinical malaria was highest in valley bottom population (5.0% cases per 1,000 population per year) compared to mid-hill (2.2% cases per 1,000 population per year) and up-hill (1.1% cases per 1,000 population per year) populations. The optimum cut-off parasite densities through the determination of the sensitivity and specificity showed that in children less than five years of age, 500 parasites per μl of blood could be used to define the malaria attributable fever cases for this age group. In children between the ages of 5-14, a parasite density of 1,000 parasites per μl of blood could be used to define the malaria attributable fever cases. For individuals older than 14 years, the cut-off parasite density was 3,000 parasites per μl of blood. Clinical malaria case definitions are affected by age and endemicity, which needs to be taken into consideration during evaluation of interventions.

Substance use disorders, psychiatric disorders, and mortality after release from prison: a nationwide longitudinal cohort study

PubMed Central

Chang, Zheng; Lichtenstein, Paul; Larsson, Henrik; Fazel, Seena

2015-01-01

Summary Background High mortality rates have been reported in people released from prison compared with the general population. However, few studies have investigated potential risk factors associated with these high rates, especially psychiatric determinants. We aimed to investigate the association between psychiatric disorders and mortality in people released from prison in Sweden. Methods We studied all people who were imprisoned since Jan 1, 2000, and released before Dec 31, 2009, in Sweden for risks of all-cause and external-cause (accidents, suicide, homicide) mortality after prison release. We obtained data for substance use disorders and other psychiatric disorders, and criminological and sociodemographic factors from population-based registers. We calculated hazard ratios (HRs) by Cox regression, and then used them to calculate population attributable fractions for post-release mortality. To control for potential familial confounding, we compared individuals in the study with siblings who were also released from prison, but without psychiatric disorders. We tested whether any independent risk factors improved the prediction of mortality beyond age, sex, and criminal history. Findings We identified 47 326 individuals who were imprisoned. During a median follow-up time of 5·1 years (IQR 2·6–7·5), we recorded 2874 (6%) deaths after release from prison. The overall all-cause mortality rate was 1205 deaths per 100 000 person-years. Substance use disorders significantly increased the rate of all-cause mortality (alcohol use: adjusted HR 1·62, 95% CI 1·48–1·77; drug use: 1·67, 1·53–1·83), and the association was independent of sociodemographic, criminological, and familial factors. We identified no strong evidence that other psychiatric disorders increased mortality after we controlled for potential confounders. In people released from prison, 925 (34%) of all-cause deaths in men and 85 (50%) in women were potentially attributable to substance use disorders. Substance use disorders were also an independent determinant of external-cause mortality, with population attributable fraction estimates at 42% in men and 70% in women. Substance use disorders significantly improved the prediction of external-cause mortality, in addition to sociodemographic and criminological factors. Interpretation Interventions to address substance use disorders could substantially decrease the burden of excess mortality in people released from prison, but might need to be provided beyond the immediate period after release. Funding Wellcome Trust, Swedish Research Council, and the Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare. PMID:26360286

Indoor tanning and non-melanoma skin cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Wehner, Mackenzie R; Shive, Melissa L; Chren, Mary-Margaret; Han, Jiali; Qureshi, Abrar A; Linos, Eleni

2012-10-02

To synthesise the literature on indoor tanning and non-melanoma skin cancer. Systematic review and meta-analysis. PubMed (1966 to present), Embase (1974 to present), and Web of Science (1898 to present). All articles that reported an original effect statistic for indoor tanning and non-melanoma skin cancer were included. Articles that presented no data, such as review articles and editorials, were excluded, as were articles in languages other than English. Two investigators independently extracted data. Random effects meta-analysis was used to summarise the relative risk of ever use versus never use of indoor tanning. Dose-response effects and exposure to indoor tanning during early life were also examined. The population attributable risk fraction for the United States population was calculated. 12 studies with 9328 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer were included. Among people who reported ever using indoor tanning compared with those who never used indoor tanning, the summary relative risk for squamous cell carcinoma was 1.67 (95% confidence interval 1.29 to 2.17) and that for basal cell carcinoma was 1.29 (1.08 to 1.53). No significant heterogeneity existed between studies. The population attributable risk fraction for the United States was estimated to be 8.2% for squamous cell carcinoma and 3.7% for basal cell carcinoma. This corresponds to more than 170 000 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer each year attributable to indoor tanning. On the basis of data from three studies, use of indoor tanning before age 25 was more strongly associated with both squamous cell carcinoma (relative risk 2.02, 0.70 to 5.86) and basal cell carcinoma (1.40, 1.29 to 1.52). Indoor tanning is associated with a significantly increased risk of both basal and squamous cell skin cancer. The risk is higher with use in early life (<25 years). This modifiable risk factor may account for hundreds of thousands of cases of non-melanoma skin cancer each year in the United States alone and many more worldwide. These findings contribute to the growing body of evidence on the harms of indoor tanning and support public health campaigns and regulation to reduce exposure to this carcinogen.

Targeting Human Papillomavirus to Reduce the Burden of Cervical, Vulvar and Vaginal Cancer and Pre-Invasive Neoplasia: Establishing the Baseline for Surveillance

PubMed Central

Nygård, Mari; Hansen, Bo Terning; Dillner, Joakim; Munk, Christian; Oddsson, Kristján; Tryggvadottir, Laufey; Hortlund, Maria; Liaw, Kai-Li; Dasbach, Erik J.; Kjær, Susanne Krüger

2014-01-01

Background Infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is causally related to cervical, vulvar and vaginal pre-invasive neoplasias and cancers. Highly effective vaccines against HPV types 16/18 have been available since 2006, and are currently used in many countries in combination with cervical cancer screening to control the burden of cervical cancer. We estimated the overall and age-specific incidence rate (IR) of cervical, vulvar and vaginal cancer and pre-invasive neoplasia in Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden in 2004–2006, prior to the availability of HPV vaccines, in order to establish a baseline for surveillance. We also estimated the population attributable fraction to determine roughly the expected effect of HPV16/18 vaccination on the incidence of these diseases. Methods Information on incident cervical, vulvar and vaginal cancers and high-grade pre-invasive neoplasias was obtained from high-quality national population-based registries. A literature review was conducted to define the fraction of these lesions attributable to HPV16/18, i.e., those that could be prevented by HPV vaccination. Results Among the four countries, the age-standardised IR/105 of cervical, vaginal and vulvar cancer ranged from 8.4–13.8, 1.3–3.1 and 0.2–0.6, respectively. The risk for cervical cancer was highest in women aged 30–39, while vulvar and vaginal cancers were most common in women aged 70+. Age-standardised IR/105 of cervical, vulvar and vaginal pre-invasive neoplasia ranged between 138.8−183.2, 2.5−8.8 and 0.5−1.3, respectively. Women aged 20−29 had the highest risk for cervical pre-invasive neoplasia, while vulvar and vaginal pre-invasive neoplasia peaked in women aged 40−49 and 60−69, respectively. Over 50% of the observed 47,820 incident invasive and pre-invasive cancer cases in 2004−2006 can be attributed to HPV16/18. Conclusion In the four countries, vaccination against HPV 16/18 could prevent approximately 8500 cases of gynecological cancer and pre-cancer annually. Population-based cancer and vaccination registries are essential to assess the predicted public health effects of HPV vaccination. PMID:24505474

Attributable fraction of work accidents related to occupational noise exposure in a Southeastern city of Brazil.

PubMed

Dias, Adriano; Cordeiro, Ricardo

2007-07-01

Noise is the most frequent type of occupational exposure and can lead to both auditory and extra-auditory dysfunction as well as increasing the risk of work accidents. The purpose of this study was to estimate the attributable fraction of work accidents related to occupational noise exposure in a medium-sized city in Southeast Brazil. In this hospital-based case-control study, including 600 cases and 822 controls, the odds ratio of work accidents (controlled for several covariables) was obtained classifying occupational noise exposure into four levels and determining the prevalence at each level. Based on these data, the calculated attributable fraction was 0.3041 (95%CI: 0.2341-0.3676), i.e., 30% of work accidents in the study area were statistically associated with occupational noise exposure. The authors discuss the causes of this association and the implications for the prevention of work accidents.

Years of life lost and morbidity cases attributable to transportation noise and air pollution: A comparative health risk assessment for Switzerland in 2010.

PubMed

Vienneau, Danielle; Perez, Laura; Schindler, Christian; Lieb, Christoph; Sommer, Heini; Probst-Hensch, Nicole; Künzli, Nino; Röösli, Martin

2015-08-01

There is growing evidence that chronic exposure to transportation related noise and air pollution affects human health. However, health burden to a country of these two pollutants have been rarely compared. As an input for external cost quantification, we estimated the cardiorespiratory health burden from transportation related noise and air pollution in Switzerland, incorporating the most recent findings related to the health effects of noise. Spatially resolved noise and air pollution models for the year 2010 were derived for road, rail and aircraft sources. Average day-evening-night sound level (Lden) and particulate matter (PM10) were selected as indicators, and population-weighted exposures derived by transportation source. Cause-specific exposure-response functions were derived from a meta-analysis for noise and literature review for PM10. Years of life lost (YLL) were calculated using life table methods; population attributable fraction was used for deriving attributable cases for hospitalisations, respiratory illnesses, visits to general practitioners and restricted activity days. The mean population weighted exposure above a threshold of 48dB(A) was 8.74dB(A), 1.89dB(A) and 0.37dB(A) for road, rail and aircraft noise. Corresponding mean exposure contributions were 4.4, 0.54, 0.12μg/m(3) for PM10. We estimated that in 2010 in Switzerland transportation caused 6000 and 14,000 YLL from noise and air pollution exposure, respectively. While there were a total of 8700 cardiorespiratory hospital days attributed to air pollution exposure, estimated burden due to noise alone amounted to 22,500 hospital days. YLL due to transportation related pollution in Switzerland is dominated by air pollution from road traffic, whereas consequences for morbidity and indicators of quality of life are dominated by noise. In terms of total external costs the burden of noise equals that of air pollution. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Sociodemographic and geographical inequalities in notifiable infectious diseases in Australia: a retrospective analysis of 21 years of national disease surveillance data.

PubMed

Gibney, Katherine B; Cheng, Allen C; Hall, Robert; Leder, Karin

2017-01-01

Australia is a high-income country with a well established and largely publicly funded health-care system. However, some populations within Australia have shorter life expectancy and worse health outcomes than others. We explored geographical variations and sociodemographic inequities in infectious disease notifications in Australia. In this retrospective study, we analysed National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) notifications from 1991-2011 (n=2·4 million). We assessed the effect of socioeconomic disadvantage and remoteness of residence on national notification incidence. We calculated Gini coefficients, adjusted relative risks (aRRs), population attributable fractions (PAFs), and attributable notifications. We reported aRRs for Indigenous status in three jurisdictions with more than 75% completeness of Indigenous status reporting from the Northern Territory, South Australia, and Western Australia. Of the eight most commonly notified diseases from Jan 1, 1991, to Dec 31, 2011, gonococcal infection was the most geographically unequal and campylobacteriosis was the most evenly distributed across the country. Overall, notification incidence was higher in remote and very remote areas than in major cities (aRR 3·37), and higher in the most socioeconomically disadvantaged quintiles compared with less disadvantaged quintiles (aRR 1·15). The PAF for socioeconomic disadvantage was high for blood-borne viral hepatitis but decreased in other disease groups. In 2011, sexually transmitted infections had 11 093 notifications attributed to remoteness and 5597 notifications attributable to socioeconomic disadvantage. Notification incidence was higher in Indigenous than in non-Indigenous Australians (aRR 5·3). All diseases had differing geographical concentration and sociodemographic risk. Overall, sociodemographic inequities in infectious disease notifications have decreased, but remain unacceptably high. National communicable disease control is complex, requiring both targeted and population-wide interventions. None. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Carbohydrate intake, obesity, metabolic syndrome and cancer risk? A two-part systematic review and meta-analysis protocol to estimate attributability

PubMed Central

Sartorius, B; Sartorius, K; Aldous, C; Madiba, T E; Stefan, C; Noakes, T

2016-01-01

Introduction Linkages between carbohydrates, obesity and cancer continue to demonstrate conflicting results. Evidence suggests inconclusive direct linkages between carbohydrates and specific cancers. Conversely, obesity has been strongly linked to a wide range of cancers. The purpose of the study is to explore linkages between carbohydrate intake and cancer types using a two-step approach. First the study will evaluate the linkages between carbohydrate intake and obesity, potentially stratified by metabolic syndrome status. Second, the estimated attributable fraction of obesity ascribed to carbohydrate intake will be multiplied against obesity attributable fractions for cancer types to give estimated overall attributable fraction for carbohydrate versus cancer type. Methods and analysis We will perform a comprehensive search to identify all possible published and unpublished studies that have assessed risk factors for obesity including dietary carbohydrate intake. Scientific databases, namely PubMed MEDLINE, EMBASE, EBSCOhost and ISI Web of Science will be searched. Following study selection, paper/data acquisition, and data extraction and synthesis, we will appraise the quality of studies and risk of bias, as well as assess heterogeneity. Meta-weighted attributable fractions of obesity due to carbohydrate intake will be estimated after adjusting for other potential confounding factors (eg, physical inactivity, other dietary intake). Furthermore, previously published systematic reviews assessing the cancer-specific risk associated with obesity will also be drawn. These estimates will be linked with the attributability of carbohydrate intake in part 1 to estimate the cancer-specific burden that can be attributed to dietary carbohydrates. This systematic review protocol has been developed according to the ‘Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) 2015’. Ethics and dissemination The current study will be based on published literature and data, and, as such, ethics approval is not required. The final results of this two part systematic review (plus multiplicative calculations) will be published in a relevant international peer-reviewed journal. Trial registration number PROSPERO CRD42015023257. PMID:26729382

Human impact on wildfires varies between regions and with vegetation productivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lasslop, Gitta; Kloster, Silvia

2017-11-01

We assess the influence of humans on burned area simulated with a dynamic global vegetation model. The human impact in the model is based on population density and cropland fraction, which were identified as important drivers of burned area in analyses of global datasets, and are commonly used in global models. After an evaluation of the sensitivity to these two variables we extend the model by including an additional effect of the cropland fraction on the fire duration. The general pattern of human influence is similar in both model versions: the strongest human impact is found in regions with intermediate productivity, where fire occurrence is not limited by fuel load or climatic conditions. Human effects in the model increases burned area in the tropics, while in temperate regions burned area is reduced. While the population density is similar on average for the tropical and temperate regions, the cropland fraction is higher in temperate regions, and leads to a strong suppression of fire. The model shows a low human impact in the boreal region, where both population density and cropland fraction is very low and the climatic conditions, as well as the vegetation productivity limit fire. Previous studies attributed a decrease in fire activity found in global charcoal datasets to human activity. This is confirmed by our simulations, which only show a decrease in burned area when the human influence on fire is accounted for, and not with only natural effects on fires. We assess how the vegetation-fire feedback influences the results, by comparing simulations with dynamic vegetation biogeography to simulations with prescribed vegetation. The vegetation-fire feedback increases the human impact on burned area by 10% for present day conditions. These results emphasize that projections of burned area need to account for the interactions between fire, climate, vegetation and humans.

Economic costs of alcohol use in Sri Lanka.

PubMed

Ranaweera, Sajeeva; Amarasinghe, Hemantha; Chandraratne, Nadeeka; Thavorncharoensap, Montarat; Ranasinghe, Thushara; Karunaratna, Sumudu; Kumara, Dinesh; Santatiwongchai, Benjarin; Chaikledkaew, Usa; Abeykoon, Palitha; De Silva, Amala

2018-01-01

Alcohol related disease conditions are responsible for a significant proportion of morbidity and mortality in Sri Lanka. This study quantified the economic cost of selected alcohol related disease conditions in Sri Lanka in 2015. This study uses the prevalence-based cost of illness methodology specified by the World Health Organization, and uses the gross costing approach. The direct costs includes the costs of curative care (inpatient and outpatient care borne by the state and out of pocket expenditure borne by patients) for alcohol related diseases, weighted by the respective population attributable fractions. Indirect costs consist of lost earnings due to absenteeism of the patient and carers due to seeking care and recuperation, and the loss of income due to mortality. Data form the Ministry of Health, Registrar General's Department, Department of Census and Statistics and the National Cancer Registry was used. Systemic and house costs and population attributable fractions were obtained from research studies. Economists, Public Health Experts, Medical Administrators and Clinical Specialists were iteratively consulted during the estimation and validation of the costs and the results. The estimated present value of current and future economic cost of the alcohol-related conditions for Sri Lanka in 2015 was USD 885.86 million, 1.07% of the GDP of that year. The direct cost of alcohol related disease conditions was USD 388.35 million, which was 44% of the total cost, while the indirect cost was USD 497.50 million, which was 66% of the total cost. Road Injury cost was the highest cost category among the conditions studied. Addressing alcohol use and its harms through effective implementation of evidence-based polices and interventions is urgently required to address the economic costs of alcohol use in Sri Lanka as it imposes a significant burden to the country.

The role of job strain in understanding midlife common mental disorder: a national birth cohort study.

PubMed

Harvey, Samuel B; Sellahewa, Dilan A; Wang, Min-Jung; Milligan-Saville, Josie; Bryan, Bridget T; Henderson, Max; Hatch, Stephani L; Mykletun, Arnstein

2018-06-01

Long-standing concerns exist about reverse causation and residual confounding in the prospective association between job strain and risk of future common mental disorders. We aimed to address these concerns through analysis of data collected in the UK National Child Development Study, a large British cohort study. Data from the National Child Development Study (n=6870) were analysed by use of multivariate logistic regression to investigate the prospective association between job strain variables at age 45 years and risk of future common mental disorders at age 50 years, controlling for lifetime psychiatric history and a range of other possible confounding variables across the lifecourse. Population attributable fractions were calculated to estimate the public health effect of job strain on midlife mental health. In the final model, adjusted for all measured confounders, high job demands (odds ratio 1·70, 95% CI 1·25-2·32; p=0·0008), low job control (1·89, 1·29-2·77; p=0·0010), and high job strain (2·22, 1·59-3·09; p<0·0001) remained significant independent predictors of future onset of common mental disorder. If causality is assumed, our findings suggest that 14% of new cases of common mental disorder could have been prevented through elimination of high job strain (population attributable fraction 0·14, 0·06-0·20). High job strain appears to independently affect the risk of future common mental disorders in midlife. These findings suggest that modifiable work-related risk factors might be an important target in efforts to reduce the prevalence of common mental disorders. iCare Foundation and Mental Health Branch, NSW Health. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of delayed maternity on foetal growth in Spain: An assessment by population attributable fraction.

PubMed

Varea, Carlos; Terán, José Manuel; Bernis, Cristina; Bogin, Barry

2017-09-18

Delayed childbearing is considered a risk factor for maternal-foetal health. As in other higher-income countries, in Spain age at maternity has steadily increased during the last two decades. To quantify the impact of the delay in the age at maternity on small for gestational age (SGA) categories of <3rd, 3rd-5th and 5th-10th percentiles. 2,672,350 singleton live births born to Spanish mothers in 2007-2015 were analysed. Adjusted relative risk was calculated to estimate the adjusted partial population attributable fractions (PAF p ) for mothers aged 35-39 and ≥40 years for each category of SGA considering the interaction between age at maternity and parity. Primipara 35-39 years old mothers have the highest PAF p in the three categories of SGA, with the maximum value for SGA <3rd percentile (2.57%, 95% CI 2.25, 2.88). PAF p for both primipara and multipara ≥40 years old mothers were less than 1%. PAF p for primipara older mothers increased significantly in 2007-2015 for the three categories of SGA, more clearly among those aged 35-39 years. The contribution of multipara mothers of both age groups did not increase significantly during the period. Delayed maternity is a significant adjusted risk factor for SGA, contributing to the increase of its prevalence. However, results also suggest a limited clinical impact of delayed maternity on foetal growth. Positive changes in maternal profile associated with the shift in maternal age might contribute to explain the limited impact of mothers aged 35 years and older on negative birth outcome in Spain. Copyright © 2017 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The population attributable fraction of low education for mortality in South Korea with improvement in educational attainment and no improvement in mortality inequalities.

PubMed

Lim, Dohee; Kong, Kyoung Ae; Lee, Hye Ah; Lee, Won Kyung; Park, Su Hyun; Baik, Sun Jung; Park, Hyesook; Jung-Choi, Kyunghee

2015-03-31

The educational attainment of Koreans has greatly increased, which was expected to reduce the magnitude of the population attributable fraction (PAF) of mortality associated with low education levels. However, increase in the relative risk (RR) of mortality among those with lower educational levels actually increased the PAF. The purpose of this study was to examine the change in the PAF of lower educational levels for mortality in Korea, where educational attainment has improved and is associated with the exacerbation of inequalities in mortality levels. National census data were used to derive educational levels. The mortality-associated RR of lower educational levels was calculated by reference to national census and death certificate data from 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2010. PAFs were calculated for all-cause mortality, malignant neoplasms, cerebrovascular disease, heart disease, and suicide by gender and age group (30-44 and 45-59 years). The PAF of low educational level in terms of total mortality has decreased since 1995 in both genders. This trend was more prominent among those aged 30-44 years. However, the PAFs of suicide in younger females (30-44 years) and of cerebrovascular disease in older males (45-59 years) have increased. The RRs of all-cause mortality and those of the four leading causes of death in those with the lowest educational levels have increased, especially in females aged 30-44 years. The consistent and sharp increase in the attainment of education has contributed to the reduction in the PAFs of lower education for mortality, despite the fact that mortality inequalities have not improved. Efforts to reduce health inequalities must promote healthy public policy and address public health policies.

Population-attributable fraction of hypertension associated with obesity, abdominal obesity, and the joint effect of both in the Central Provinces of Iran.

PubMed

Mohammadi, Masoud; Mirzaei, Masoud

2017-03-01

The prevalence of obesity has been increasing in Iran over the past decade. This study aimed to determine the population-attributable fraction (PAF) of hypertension associated with obesity, abdominal obesity, and the joint effect of both in the central provinces of Iran. Prevalence of hypertension was extracted from the Iranian Ministry of Health Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor InfoBase 2009. Measure of association between obesity and hypertension was extracted from Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study, for males and females, in order to calculate the PAF of hypertension associated with obesity. Age standardization of the reported prevalence of obesity was done using the World Health Organization method. The PAF of hypertension associated with the joint effect of obesity and abdominal obesity in females was highest in Semnan Province: 22.7 [95% confidence interval (CI): 4.2-35.6], followed by Qom 21.09 (95% CI: 3.7-33.1), and Yazd 20.3 (95% CI: 3.5-32.1). In males, the highest PAF was observed in Qom Province 31.07 (95% CI: 16.7-41.1), followed by Semnan 29.6 (95% CI: 15.9-39.3), Qazvin 25.9 (95% CI: 13.7-34.5), Tehran 24.2 (95% CI: 12.7-32.3), and Isfahan 20.4 (95% CI: 3.5-27.4). Prevalence of hypertension is higher in more developed provinces. PAFs suggest that a sizable share of hypertension in these provinces is associated with obesity. It is recommended that health promotion programs focus on obesity in the provinces with a higher share of hypertension due to obesity. Copyright © 2016 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Economic costs of alcohol use in Sri Lanka

PubMed Central

Ranaweera, Sajeeva; Amarasinghe, Hemantha; Thavorncharoensap, Montarat; Ranasinghe, Thushara; Karunaratna, Sumudu; Santatiwongchai, Benjarin; Chaikledkaew, Usa; Abeykoon, Palitha; De Silva, Amala

2018-01-01

Aim Alcohol related disease conditions are responsible for a significant proportion of morbidity and mortality in Sri Lanka. This study quantified the economic cost of selected alcohol related disease conditions in Sri Lanka in 2015. Methods This study uses the prevalence-based cost of illness methodology specified by the World Health Organization, and uses the gross costing approach. The direct costs includes the costs of curative care (inpatient and outpatient care borne by the state and out of pocket expenditure borne by patients) for alcohol related diseases, weighted by the respective population attributable fractions. Indirect costs consist of lost earnings due to absenteeism of the patient and carers due to seeking care and recuperation, and the loss of income due to mortality. Data form the Ministry of Health, Registrar General’s Department, Department of Census and Statistics and the National Cancer Registry was used. Systemic and house costs and population attributable fractions were obtained from research studies. Economists, Public Health Experts, Medical Administrators and Clinical Specialists were iteratively consulted during the estimation and validation of the costs and the results. Results The estimated present value of current and future economic cost of the alcohol-related conditions for Sri Lanka in 2015 was USD 885.86 million, 1.07% of the GDP of that year. The direct cost of alcohol related disease conditions was USD 388.35 million, which was 44% of the total cost, while the indirect cost was USD 497.50 million, which was 66% of the total cost. Road Injury cost was the highest cost category among the conditions studied. Conclusion Addressing alcohol use and its harms through effective implementation of evidence-based polices and interventions is urgently required to address the economic costs of alcohol use in Sri Lanka as it imposes a significant burden to the country. PMID:29879178

A multifactorial evaluation of illness risk factors in athletes preparing for the Summer Olympic Games.

PubMed

Drew, Michael K; Vlahovich, Nicole; Hughes, David; Appaneal, Renee; Peterson, Kirsten; Burke, Louise; Lundy, Bronwen; Toomey, Mary; Watts, David; Lovell, Gregory; Praet, Stephan; Halson, Shona; Colbey, Candice; Manzanero, Silvia; Welvaert, Marijke; West, Nic; Pyne, David B; Waddington, Gordon

2017-08-01

Illness can disrupt training and competition performance of athletes. Few studies have quantified the relative contribution of the known medical, behavioural and lifestyle risk factors. Cross-sectional. Olympic athletes from 11 sports (n=221) were invited to complete questionnaires administered nine months before the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. These included the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Questionnaire (DASS-21), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Dispositional Resilience Scale (DRS), Recovery-Stress Questionnaire (REST-Q-52 item), Low Energy in Females Questionnaire (LEAF-Q), a modified Personal and Household Hygiene questionnaire, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and custom-made questionnaires on probiotic usage and travel. An illness (case) was defined as an event which limited training or competition for greater hours in the prior month. Odds ratios and attributable fractions in the population (AFP) were utilised for categorical variables with independent t-tests or Wilcoxon rank-sum for continuous variables. Eighty-one athletes responded (male, n=26; female, n=55). There were 16 illness cases and 65 controls. Female athletes were at higher odds of illness (OR=9.4, 95%CI 1.3-410, p=0.01, AFP=0.84). Low energy availability (LEAF-Q score ≥8: OR=7.4, 95%CI 0.78-352, p=0.04, AFP=0.76), depression symptoms (DASS-21: depression score >4, OR=8.4, 95%CI 1.1-59, p<0.01; AFP=0.39) and higher perceived stress (PSS: 10-item, p=0.04) were significantly associated with illness. Female sex, low energy availability, and mental health are associated with sports incapacity (time loss) due to illness. Low energy availability had high attributable fractions in the population and stands out as a primary association with illness. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Intervention Strategies for Inhalation Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Associated Lung Cancer Risk Based on a Monte Carlo Population Exposure Assessment Model

PubMed Central

Zhou, Bin; Zhao, Bin

2014-01-01

It is difficult to evaluate and compare interventions for reducing exposure to air pollutants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a widely found air pollutant in both indoor and outdoor air. This study presents the first application of the Monte Carlo population exposure assessment model to quantify the effects of different intervention strategies on inhalation exposure to PAHs and the associated lung cancer risk. The method was applied to the population in Beijing, China, in the year 2006. Several intervention strategies were designed and studied, including atmospheric cleaning, smoking prohibition indoors, use of clean fuel for cooking, enhancing ventilation while cooking and use of indoor cleaners. Their performances were quantified by population attributable fraction (PAF) and potential impact fraction (PIF) of lung cancer risk, and the changes in indoor PAH concentrations and annual inhalation doses were also calculated and compared. The results showed that atmospheric cleaning and use of indoor cleaners were the two most effective interventions. The sensitivity analysis showed that several input parameters had major influence on the modeled PAH inhalation exposure and the rankings of different interventions. The ranking was reasonably robust for the remaining majority of parameters. The method itself can be extended to other pollutants and in different places. It enables the quantitative comparison of different intervention strategies and would benefit intervention design and relevant policy making. PMID:24416436

Cancers in Australia in 2010 attributable to and prevented by the use of menopausal hormone therapy.

PubMed

Jordan, Susan J; Wilson, Louise F; Nagle, Christina M; Green, Adele C; Olsen, Catherine M; Bain, Christopher J; Pandeya, Nirmala; Whiteman, David C; Webb, Penelope M

2015-10-01

To estimate the proportion and number of cancers occurring in Australia in 2010 attributable to menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) use. We estimated the population attributable fraction for cancers causally associated with MHT (breast, endometrium, ovary), and the proportion of colorectal cancers prevented by MHT. We used standard formulae incorporating Australian prevalence data, relative risks of cancer associated with MHT and cancer incidence. We also estimated potential change in cancer incidence under two hypothetical scenarios whereby 25% fewer Australian women used MHT, or women exclusively used oestrogen-only MHT. An estimated 539 cancers in Australia in 2010 were attributable to MHT: 453 breast, 67 endometrial and 19 ovarian cancers equating to 3.4%, 3.1% and 1.6% of each cancer type, respectively. In contrast, MHT may have prevented 52 colorectal cancers. If 25% fewer women used MHT, then 141 cancers may have been avoided. If women exclusively used oestrogen-only MHT then 240 cancers may have been avoided. MHT use caused more than 500 cancers in Australian women in 2010 and prevented ∼50 colorectal cancers. MHT use continues to cause an excess of cancers. The risks, benefits, regimen and treatment duration should be carefully considered for each woman before MHT is commenced. © 2015 The Authors.

Metastable electronic populations and relaxation of Fe(I), Fe(II), and Fe(III) in MgO observed by Mössbauer emission spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuczek, F.; Spiering, H.; Gütlich, P.

1990-06-01

Magnetic-field Mössbauer emission spectra of 57Co in MgO single crystals covering a broad velocity range and measured up to high signal-to-noise ratios are presented. In accordance with a previous study, three charge states of 57Fe are found after 57Co(EC)57Fe (EC stands for electron capture). The evaluation of the Fe(III) fraction indicates nonthermalized populations of the 6A1 ground-state Zeeman levels. The field, temperature, and angular dependences of these populations are evaluated and display qualitative differences to the findings in 57Co/LiNbO3. The implications of the cubic symmetry on the spin-selective ground-state population are considered. In addition, a completely analogous phenomenon is evidenced for the first time within an Fe(II) electronic manifold, namely, the Γ5g ground state of Fe(II) in MgO, after the nuclear decay. In contrast to the Fe(III) case, these populations are not static within the Mössbauer time window. It turns out that the attainment of thermal equilibrium can be conveniently observed by changing the field value, evidencing a direct relaxation process at 4.2 K within Γ5g. The relaxation rates are compatible with static strain data; an initial alignment is observed. Finally, there is strong evidence that the Fe(I) fraction is also populated out of thermal equilibrium. In addition to these ground-state spectra, two features are present that may be attributed to metastable excited states of Fe(II) and Fe(III). It is described in detail how these various contributions can be disentangled.

The attributable risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease due to ambient fine particulate pollution among older adults.

PubMed

Lin, Hualiang; Qian, Zhengmin Min; Guo, Yanfei; Zheng, Yang; Ai, Siqi; Hang, Jian; Wang, Xiaojie; Zhang, Lingli; Liu, Tao; Guan, Weijie; Li, Xing; Xiao, Jianpeng; Zeng, Weilin; Xian, Hong; Howard, Steven W; Ma, Wenjun; Wu, Fan

2018-04-01

The linkage between ambient fine particle pollution (PM 2.5 ) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the attributable risk remained largely unknown. This study determined the cross-sectional association between ambient PM 2.5 and prevalence of COPD among adults ≥50 years of age. We surveyed 29,290 participants aged 50 years and above in this study. The annual average concentrations of PM 2.5 derived from satellite data were used as the exposure indicator. A mixed effect model was applied to determine the associations and the burden of COPD attributable to PM 2.5. RESULTS: Among the participants, 1872 (6.39%) were classified as COPD cases. Our analysis observed a threshold concentration of 30 μg/m 3 in the PM 2.5 -COPD association, above which we found a linear positive exposure-response association between ambient PM 2.5 and COPD. The odds ratio (OR) for each 10 μg/m 3 increase in ambient PM 2.5 was 1.21(95% CI: 1.13, 1.30). Stratified analyses suggested that males, older subjects (65 years and older) and those with lower education attainment might be the vulnerable subpopulations. We further estimated that about 13.79% (95% CI: 7.82%, 21.62%) of the COPD cases could be attributable to PM 2.5 levels higher than 30 μg/m 3 in the study population. Our analysis indicates that ambient PM 2.5 exposure could increase the risk of COPD and accounts for a substantial fraction of COPD among the study population. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Intraspecific Polymorphism, Interspecific Divergence, and the Origins of Function-Altering Mutations in Deer Mouse Hemoglobin

PubMed Central

Natarajan, Chandrasekhar; Hoffmann, Federico G.; Lanier, Hayley C.; Wolf, Cole J.; Cheviron, Zachary A.; Spangler, Matthew L.; Weber, Roy E.; Fago, Angela; Storz, Jay F.

2015-01-01

Major challenges for illuminating the genetic basis of phenotypic evolution are to identify causative mutations, to quantify their functional effects, to trace their origins as new or preexisting variants, and to assess the manner in which segregating variation is transduced into species differences. Here, we report an experimental analysis of genetic variation in hemoglobin (Hb) function within and among species of Peromyscus mice that are native to different elevations. A multilocus survey of sequence variation in the duplicated HBA and HBB genes in Peromyscus maniculatus revealed that function-altering amino acid variants are widely shared among geographically disparate populations from different elevations, and numerous amino acid polymorphisms are also shared with closely related species. Variation in Hb-O2 affinity within and among populations of P. maniculatus is attributable to numerous amino acid mutations that have individually small effects. One especially surprising feature of the Hb polymorphism in P. maniculatus is that an appreciable fraction of functional standing variation in the two transcriptionally active HBA paralogs is attributable to recurrent gene conversion from a tandemly linked HBA pseudogene. Moreover, transpecific polymorphism in the duplicated HBA genes is not solely attributable to incomplete lineage sorting or introgressive hybridization; instead, it is mainly attributable to recurrent interparalog gene conversion that has occurred independently in different species. Partly as a result of concerted evolution between tandemly duplicated globin genes, the same amino acid changes that contribute to variation in Hb function within P. maniculatus also contribute to divergence in Hb function among different species of Peromyscus. In the case of function-altering Hb mutations in Peromyscus, there is no qualitative or quantitative distinction between segregating variants within species and fixed differences between species. PMID:25556236

[Smoking impact on mortality in Spain in 2012].

PubMed

Gutiérrez-Abejón, Eduardo; Rejas-Gutiérrez, Javier; Criado-Espegel, Paloma; Campo-Ortega, Eva P; Breñas-Villalón, María T; Martín-Sobrino, Nieves

2015-12-21

Smoking is an important public health problem, and is one of the main avoidable causes of morbidity and early mortality. The aim was to estimate the mortality attributable to smoking and its impact on premature mortality in Spain in the year 2012. Descriptive, cross-sectional study, carried out on the Spanish population aged ≥ 18 years in 2012. The prevalence of smoking by age and sex was obtained from the National Health Survey 2011-2012, and the number of deaths by age, sex and cause was obtained from the vital statistics of the National Institute of Statistics. The proportion of deaths attributable to smoking was calculated according to sex and age group, from the etiological fraction of the population. Likewise, loss of potential years of life lost (PYLL) and the mean potential years of life lost (MPYLL) were also calculated. In 2012, smoking caused 60,456 deaths which accounted for 15.23% of all deaths. Trachea-bronchial-lung cancer in men and other cardiopathies in women mostly contributed to this mortality. The PYLL were 184,426, and the MPYLL were 3.25 years in men and 2.42 years in women. In 2012, every day, 125 men and 40 women die from smoking-related conditions. The smoking prevalence has diminished in comparison with previous years and the number and percentage of deaths attributable to the smoking have increased in the last 20 years. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The burden of HPV associated cancers in two regions in Nigeria 2012-2014.

PubMed

Jedy-Agba, E E; Dareng, E O; Adebamowo, S N; Odutola, M; Oga, E A; Igbinoba, F; Otu, T; Ezeome, E; Bray, F; Hassan, R; Adebamowo, C A

2016-12-01

HPV attributable cancers are the second most common infection-related cancers worldwide, with much higher burden in less developed regions. There are currently no country-specific estimates of the burden of these cancers in Nigeria just like many other low and middle income countries. In this study, we quantified the proportion of the cancer burden in Nigeria that is attributable to HPV infection from 2012 to 2014 using HPV prevalence estimated from previous studies and data from two population based cancer registries (PBCR) in Nigeria. We considered cancer sites for which there is strong evidence of an association with HPV infection based on the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classification. We obtained age and sex-specific estimates of incident cancers and using the World Standard Population, we derived age standardized incidence (ASR) rates for each cancer type by categories of sex, and estimated the population attributable fractions (PAF). The two PBCR reported 4336 new cancer cases from 2012 to 2014. Of these, 1627 (37.5%) were in males and 2709 (62.5%) in females. Some 11% (488/4336) of these cancers were HPV associated; 2% (38/1627) in men and 17% (450/2709) in women. Of the HPV associated cancers, 7.8% occurred in men and 92.2% in women. The ASRs for HPV associated cancers was 33.5 per 100,000; 2.3 and 31.2 per 100,000 in men and women respectively. The proportion of all cancers attributable to HPV infection ranged from 10.2 to 10.4% (442-453 of 4336) while the proportion of HPV associated cancers attributable to HPV infection ranged from 90.6% to 92.8% (442-453 of the 488 cases). In men, 55.3% to 68.4% of HPV associated cancers were attributable to HPV infection compared to 93.6% to 94.8% in women. The combined ASR for HPV attributable cancers ranged from 31.0 to 31.7 per 100,000. This was 1.4 to 1.7 per 100,000 in men and 29.6 to 30.0 per 100,000 in women. In women, cervical cancer (n=392, ASR 28.3 per 100,000) was the commonest HPV attributable cancer, while anal cancer (n=21, ASR 1.2 per 100,000) was the commonest in men. HPV attributable cancers constitute a substantial cancer burden in Nigerian women, much less so in men. A significant proportion of cancers in Nigerian women would be prevented if strategies such as HPV DNA based screening and HPV vaccination are implemented. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Plasmodium vivax infection: a major determinant of severe anaemia in infancy.

PubMed

Kenangalem, Enny; Karyana, Muhammad; Burdarm, Lenny; Yeung, Shunmay; Simpson, Julie A; Tjitra, Emiliana; Anstey, Nicholas M; Poespoprodjo, Jeanne Rini; Price, Ric N; Douglas, Nicholas M

2016-06-16

Most malarious countries outside of Africa are co-endemic for Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. The comparative burden of anaemia in the community caused by these two species is incompletely characterized. A three-stage, cross-sectional, community survey was used to determine the proportion of moderate or severe anaemia (haemoglobin <7 g/dL) attributable to patent P. vivax, P. falciparum and mixed parasitaemia in Papua, Indonesia. Adjusted population-attributable fractions were calculated from multivariable logistic regression models. Eight hundred and twenty-five households were surveyed with a total of 5255 occupants, 3890 (74 %) of whom were present and provided a blood sample. Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia was present in 8.1 % (n = 315) of participants, P. vivax in 6.4 % (n = 250) and mixed infections in 1.9 % (n = 72). Overall, P. falciparum was associated with a mean reduction in haemoglobin of 1.16 g/dL compared to those without patent parasitaemia [95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) 0.91, 1.41 g/dL]. The corresponding values for P. vivax and mixed infections were 0.66 g/dL (95 % CI 0.35, 0.96) and 1.25 g/dL (0.71, 1.80), respectively. Overall, 16.7 % (95 % CI 8.52, 24.2 %) of haemoglobin concentrations <7 g/dL in the community were estimated to be attributable to patent parasitaemia. The fractions for infants and 1-5 years old were 34.4 % (95 % CI -3.30, 58.3 %) and 23.2 % (95 % CI 3.34, 39.0 %), respectively. Plasmodium vivax was associated with a greater than threefold higher attributable fraction of anaemia in infants compared with P. falciparum [27.6 % (95 % CI -3.20, 49.2 %) versus 7.94 % (-5.87, 20.0 %)]. Despite comparatively low-level endemicity, malaria is associated with a significant proportion of all cases of community anaemia in southern Papua. Contrary to its benign reputation, P. vivax is an important and preventable risk factor for anaemia during infancy-a probable consequence of relapsing disease prior to the development of immunity.

Emergence of heat extremes attributable to anthropogenic influences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Andrew D.; Black, Mitchell T.; Min, Seung-Ki; Fischer, Erich M.; Mitchell, Daniel M.; Harrington, Luke J.; Perkins-Kirkpatrick, Sarah E.

2016-04-01

Climate scientists have demonstrated that a substantial fraction of the probability of numerous recent extreme events may be attributed to human-induced climate change. However, it is likely that for temperature extremes occurring over previous decades a fraction of their probability was attributable to anthropogenic influences. We identify the first record-breaking warm summers and years for which a discernible contribution can be attributed to human influence. We find a significant human contribution to the probability of record-breaking global temperature events as early as the 1930s. Since then, all the last 16 record-breaking hot years globally had an anthropogenic contribution to their probability of occurrence. Aerosol-induced cooling delays the timing of a significant human contribution to record-breaking events in some regions. Without human-induced climate change recent hot summers and years would be very unlikely to have occurred.

Fast deuterium fractionation in magnetized and turbulent filaments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Körtgen, B.; Bovino, S.; Schleicher, D. R. G.; Stutz, A.; Banerjee, R.; Giannetti, A.; Leurini, S.

2018-04-01

Deuterium fractionation is considered as an important process to infer the chemical ages of prestellar cores in filaments. We present here the first magneto-hydrodynamical simulations including a chemical network to study deuterium fractionation in magnetized and turbulent filaments, with a line-mass of Mlin = 42 M⊙ pc-1 within a radius of R = 0.1 pc, and their substructures. The filaments typically show widespread deuterium fractionation with average values ≳ 0.01. For individual cores of similar age, we observe the deuteration fraction to increase with time, but also to be independent of their average properties such as density, virial or mass-to-magnetic flux ratio. We further find a correlation of the deuteration fraction with core mass, average H2 density and virial parameter only at late evolutionary stages of the filament and attribute this to the lifetime of the individual cores. Specifically, chemically old cores reveal higher deuteration fractions. Within the radial profiles of selected cores, we notice differences in the structure of the deuteration fraction or surface density, which we can attribute to their different turbulent properties. High deuteration fractions of the order 0.01 - 0.1 may be reached within approximately 200 kyrs, corresponding to two free-fall times, as defined for cylindrical systems, of the filaments.

Fast deuterium fractionation in magnetized and turbulent filaments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Körtgen, B.; Bovino, S.; Schleicher, D. R. G.; Stutz, A.; Banerjee, R.; Giannetti, A.; Leurini, S.

2018-07-01

Deuterium fractionation is considered as an important process to infer the chemical ages of prestellar cores in filaments. We present here the first magnetohydrodynamical simulations including a chemical network to study deuterium fractionation in magnetized and turbulent filaments, with a line-mass of Mlin = 42 M⊙ pc-1 within a radius of R= 0.1 pc, and their sub-structures. The filaments typically show widespread deuterium fractionation with average values ≳0.01. For individual cores of similar age, we observe the deuteration fraction to increase with time, but also to be independent of their average properties such as density, virial, or mass-to-magnetic flux ratio. We further find a correlation of the deuteration fraction with core mass, average H2 density, and virial parameter only at late evolutionary stages of the filament and attribute this to the lifetime of the individual cores. Specifically, chemically old cores reveal higher deuteration fractions. Within the radial profiles of selected cores, we notice differences in the structure of the deuteration fraction or surface density, which we can attribute to their different turbulent properties. High deuteration fractions of the order of 0.01-0.1 may be reached within approximately 200 kyr, corresponding to two free-fall times, as defined for cylindrical systems, of the filaments.

Estimation of disease burdens on preterm births and low birth weights attributable to maternal fine particulate matter exposure in Shanghai, China.

PubMed

Liu, Anni; Qian, Naisi; Yu, Huiting; Chen, Renjie; Kan, Haidong

2017-12-31

Studies have shown that maternal exposure to particulate matter ≤2.5μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM 2.5 ) was associated with adverse birth outcomes such as preterm birth (PTB) and low birth weight (LBW). However, the burdens of PTB and LBW attributable to PM 2.5 were rarely evaluated, especially in developing countries. To estimate the burdens of PTBs and LBWs attributable to outdoor PM 2.5 in Shanghai, China. We collected annual-average PM 2.5 concentrations, concentration-response relationships between PM 2.5 exposure during pregnancy and PTBs and LBWs, rates of PTB and LBW, number of live births, and population sizes in grids of 10km×10km in Shanghai in 2013. Then, they were combined to estimate the odds ratios (ORs), relative risks (RRs), attributable fractions (AFs), and numbers of PTBs and LBWs associated with PM 2.5 exposure. The population-weighted annual-average concentration of PM 2.5 in Shanghai was 56.19μg/m 3 in 2013. According to the first-class limit of PM 2.5 (15μg/m 3 ) in the Ambient Air Quality Standards of China, the weighted RRs of PTBs or LBWs associated with PM 2.5 in Shanghai were 1.49 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.16-1.80] and 1.31 (95% CI: 1.04-1.67), respectively. There might be 32.61% (95% CI: 13.93%-44.42%) or 4160 (95% CI: 1778-5667) PTBs and 23.36% (95% CI: 3.86%-40.02%) or 1882 (95% CI: 311-3224) LBWs attributable to PM 2.5 exposure. The estimates varied appreciably among different districts of Shanghai. Our analysis suggested that outdoor PM 2.5 air pollution might have led to considerable burdens of PTBs and LBWs in Shanghai, China. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Modeling of particle agglomeration in nanofluids

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

Krishna, K. Hari; Neti, S.; Oztekin, A.

2015-03-07

Agglomeration strongly influences the stability or shelf life of nanofluid. The present computational and experimental study investigates the rate of agglomeration quantitatively. Agglomeration in nanofluids is attributed to the net effect of various inter-particle interaction forces. For the nanofluid considered here, a net inter-particle force depends on the particle size, volume fraction, pH, and electrolyte concentration. A solution of the discretized and coupled population balance equations can yield particle sizes as a function of time. Nanofluid prepared here consists of alumina nanoparticles with the average particle size of 150 nm dispersed in de-ionized water. As the pH of the colloid wasmore » moved towards the isoelectric point of alumina nanofluids, the rate of increase of average particle size increased with time due to lower net positive charge on particles. The rate at which the average particle size is increased is predicted and measured for different electrolyte concentration and volume fraction. The higher rate of agglomeration is attributed to the decrease in the electrostatic double layer repulsion forces. The rate of agglomeration decreases due to increase in the size of nano-particle clusters thus approaching zero rate of agglomeration when all the clusters are nearly uniform in size. Predicted rates of agglomeration agree adequate enough with the measured values; validating the mathematical model and numerical approach is employed.« less

Bioassay of plant growth from soils varying in active C and N fractions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Biologically active soil C and N fractions are important attributes of healthy soil. As a bioassay, we hypothesized that active soil C and N fractions would relate with plant dry matter production from unamended soil. Four replicate soil samples from 22 tall fescue fields in North Carolina and Virgi...

The n-hexane and chloroform fractions of Piper betle L. trigger different arms of immune responses in BALB/c mice and exhibit antifilarial activity against human lymphatic filarid Brugia malayi.

PubMed

Singh, Meghna; Shakya, Shilpy; Soni, Vishal Kumar; Dangi, Anil; Kumar, Nikhil; Bhattacharya, Shailja-Misra

2009-06-01

Modulation of immune functions by using herbal plants and their products has become fundamental regime of therapeutic approach. Piper betle Linn. (Piperaceae) is a widely distributed plant in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world and has been attributed as traditional herbal remedy for many diseases. We have recently reported the antifilarial and antileishmanial efficacy in the leaf extract of Bangla Mahoba landrace of P. betle which is a female plant. The present report describes the in vivo immunomodulatory efficacy of the crude methanolic extract and its n-hexane, chloroform, n-butanol fractions of the female plant at various dose levels ranging between 0.3 and 500 mg/kg in BALB/c. Attempts were also made to observe antifilarial activity of the active extracts and correlate it with the antigen specific immune responses in another rodent Mastomys coucha infected with human lymphatic filarial parasite Brugia malayi. The crude methanol extract and n-hexane fraction were found to potentiate significant (p<0.001) enhancement of both humoral (plaque forming cells, hemagglutination titre) as well as cell-mediated (lymphoproliferation, macrophage activation, delayed type hypersensitivity) immune responses in mice. The flow cytometric analysis of splenocytes of treated mice indicated enhanced population of T-cells (CD4(+), CD8(+)) and B-cells (CD19(+)). The n-hexane fraction (3 mg/kg) was found to induce biased type 2 cytokine response as revealed by increased IL-4(+) and decreased IFN-gamma(+) T-cell population while the chloroform fraction (10 mg/kg) produced a predominant type 1 cytokines. Crude methanolic extract (100 mg/kg) demonstrated a mixed type 1 and type 2 cytokine responses thus suggesting a remarkable immunomodulatory property in this plant. The induction of differential T-helper cell immune response appears ideal to overcome immunosuppression as observed in case of lymphatic, filarial Brugia malayi infection which may also be extended to other infections as well.

Physiographic and land cover attributes of the Puget Lowland and the active streamflow gaging network, Puget Sound Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Konrad, Christopher; Sevier, Maria

2014-01-01

Geospatial information for the active streamflow gaging network in the Puget Sound Basin was compiled to support regional monitoring of stormwater effects to small streams. The compilation includes drainage area boundaries and physiographic and land use attributes that affect hydrologic processes. Three types of boundaries were used to tabulate attributes: Puget Sound Watershed Characterization analysis units (AU); the drainage area of active streamflow gages; and the catchments of Regional Stream Monitoring Program (RSMP) sites. The active streamflow gaging network generally includes sites that represent the ranges of attributes for lowland AUs, although there are few sites with low elevations (less than 60 meters), low precipitation (less than 1 meter year), or high stream density (greater than 5 kilometers per square kilometers). The active streamflow gaging network can serve to provide streamflow information in some AUs and RSMP sites, particularly where the streamflow gage measures streamflow generated from a part of the AU or that drains to the RSMP site, and that part of the AU or RSMP site is a significant fraction of the drainage area of the streamgage. The maximum fraction of each AU or RSMP catchment upstream of a streamflow gage and the maximum fraction of any one gaged basin in an AU or RSMP along with corresponding codes are provided in the attribute tables.

Pressure profiles of plasmas confined in the field of a dipole magnet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Matthew Stiles

Understanding the maintenance and stability of plasma pressure confined by a strong magnetic field is a fundamental challenge in both laboratory and space plasma physics. Using magnetic and X-ray measurements on the Levitated Dipole Experiment (LDX), the equilibrium plasma pressure has been reconstructed, and variations of the plasma pressure for different plasma conditions have been examined. The relationship of these profiles to the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability limit, and to the enhanced stability limit that results from a fraction of energetic trapped electrons, has been analyzed. In each case, the measured pressure profiles and the estimated fractional densities of energetic electrons were qualitatively consistent with expectations of plasma stability. LDX confines high temperature and high pressure plasma in the field of a superconducting dipole magnet. The strong dipole magnet can be either mechanically supported or magnetically levitated. When the dipole was mechanically supported, the plasma density profile was generally uniform while the plasma pressure was highly peaked. The uniform density was attributed to the thermal plasma being rapidly lost along the field to the mechanical supports. In contrast, the strongly peaked plasma pressure resulted from a fraction of energetic, mirror trapped electrons created by microwave heating at the electron cyclotron resonance (ECRH). These hot electrons are known to be gyrokinetically stabilized by the background plasma and can adopt pressure profiles steeper than the MHD limit. X-ray measurements indicated that this hot electron population could be described by an energy distribution in the range 50-100 keV. Combining information from the magnetic reconstruction of the pressure profile, multi-chord interferometer measurements of the electron density profile, and X-ray measurements of the hot electron energy distribution, the fraction of energetic electrons at the pressure peak was estimated to be ˜ 35% of the total electron population. When the dipole was magnetically levitated the plasma density increased substantially because particle losses to the mechanical supports were eliminated so particles could only be lost via slower cross-field transport processes. The pressure profile was observed to be broader during levitated operation than it was during supported operation, and the pressure appeared to be contained in both a thermal population and an energetic electron population. X-ray spectra indicated that the X-rays came from a similar hot electron population during levitated and supported operation; however, the hot electron fraction was an order of magnitude smaller during levitated operation (<3% of the total electron population). Pressure gradients for both supported and levitated plasmas were compared to the MHD limit. Levitated plasmas had pressure profiles that were (i) steeper than, (ii) shallower than, or (iii) near the MHD limit dependent on plasma conditions. However, those profiles that exceeded the MHD limit were observed to have larger fractions of energetic electrons. When the dipole magnet was supported, high pressure plasmas always had profiles that exceeded the MHD interchange stability limit, but the high pressure in these plasmas appeared to arise entirely from a population of energetic trapped electrons.

[Disease burden attributable to household air pollution in 1990 and 2013 in China].

PubMed

Yin, P; Cai, Y; Liu, J M; Liu, Y N; Qi, J L; Wang, L J; You, J L; Zhou, M G

2017-01-06

Objective: To assess the disease burden attributable to household air pollution in 1990 and 2013 in China. Methods: Based on data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 in China (GBD 2013), we used population attributable fractions (PAF) to analyze the burden of different diseases attributable to solid-fuel household pollution in 2013 in China(not inclnding HongKang, Macao, Taiwan). We compared PAF, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) for diseases attributable to solid-fuel household pollution in 31 provinces in mainland China in 1990 and 2013, and stratified the burden by age group. The estimated world average population during 2000- 2025 was used to calculate age-standardized mortality and DALY rates. Results: In 2013, 14.9% of lower respiratory infections in children <5, 32.5% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 12.0% of ischemic stroke, 14.2% of hemorrhagic stroke, 10.9% of ischemic heart disease, and 13.7% of lung cancer were attributable to solid-fuel household pollution. In addition, 807 000 deaths were attributable to solid-fuel household pollution, including 296 000 from COPD, 169 000 from hemorrhagic stroke, 152 000 from ischemic heart disease, 88 000 from ischemic stroke, 75 000 from lung cancer, and 28 000 from lower respiratory infections in children <5. The age-standardized mortality rate from solid-fuel household pollution decreased by 59.3% from 158.8/100 000 in 1990 to 64.6/100 000 in 2013. The age-standardized mortality rate from solid-fuel household pollution decreased in all 31 provinces, with the highest decline observed in Shanghai (96.3%), and lowest in Xinjiang (39.9%). In 2013, the age-standardized DALY rate from solid-fuel household pollution was highest in Guizhou (2 233.0/100 000) and lowest in Shanghai (27.0/100 000). The DALY rate was the highest for the >70 age group (7 006.0/100 000). Compared with 1990, the 2013 mortality rate and DALY rate from solid-fuel household pollution decreased in all age groups, with the highest decline observed in the <5 age group (91.9% and 91.8% , respectively). Conclusion: Although the disease burden attributable to household air pollution decreased notably between 1990 and 2013, household pollution caused a high number of deaths and DALY loss in certain western provinces.

Estimating the burden of disease attributable to physical inactivity in South Africa in 2000.

PubMed

Joubert, Jané; Norman, Rosana; Lambert, Estelle V; Groenewald, Pam; Schneider, Michelle; Bull, Fiona; Bradshaw, Debbie

2007-08-01

To quantify the burden of disease attributable to physical inactivity in persons 15 years or older, by age group and sex, in South Africa for 2000. The global comparative risk assessment (CRA) methodology of the World Health Organization was followed to estimate the disease burden attributable to physical inactivity. Levels of physical activity for South Africa were obtained from the World Health Survey 2003. A theoretical minimum risk exposure of zero, associated outcomes, relative risks, and revised burden of disease estimates were used to calculate population-attributable fractions and the burden attributed to physical inactivity. Monte Carlo simulation-modelling techniques were used for the uncertainty analysis. South Africa. Adults >or= 15 years. Deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from ischaemic heart disease, ischaemic stroke, breast cancer, colon cancer, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Overall in adults >or= 15 years in 2000, 30% of ischaemic heart disease, 27% of colon cancer, 22% of ischaemic stroke, 20% of type 2 diabetes, and 17% of breast cancer were attributable to physical inactivity. Physical inactivity was estimated to have caused 17,037 (95% uncertainty interval 11,394 - 20,407), or 3.3% (95% uncertainty interval 2.2 - 3.9%) of all deaths in 2000, and 176,252 (95% uncertainty interval 133,733 - 203,628) DALYs, or 1.1% (95% uncertainty interval 0.8 - 1.3%) of all DALYs in 2000. Compared with other regions and the global average, South African adults have a particularly high prevalence of physical inactivity. In terms of attributable deaths, physical inactivity ranked 9th compared with other risk factors, and 12th in terms of DALYs. There is a clear need to assess why South Africans are particularly inactive, and to ensure that physical activity/inactivity is addressed as a national health priority.

Estimating the burden of disease attributable to indoor air pollution from household use of solid fuels in South Africa in 2000.

PubMed

Norman, Rosana; Barnes, Brendon; Mathee, Angela; Bradshaw, Debbie

2007-08-01

To estimate the burden of respiratory ill health in South African children and adults in 2000 from exposure to indoor air pollution associated with household use of solid fuels. World Health Organization comparative risk assessment (CRA) methodology was followed. The South African Census 2001 was used to derive the proportion of households using solid fuels for cooking and heating by population group. Exposure estimates were adjusted by a ventilation factor taking into account the general level of ventilation in the households. Population-attributable fractions were calculated and applied to revised burden of disease estimates for each population group. Monte Carlo simulation-modelling techniques were used for uncertainty analysis. South Africa. Black African, coloured, white and Indian children under 5 years of age and adults aged 30 years and older. Mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from acute lower respiratory infections in children under 5 years, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer in adults 30 years and older. An estimated 20% of South African households were exposed to indoor smoke from solid fuels, with marked variation by population group. This exposure was estimated to have caused 2,489 deaths (95% uncertainty interval 1,672 - 3,324) or 0.5% (95% uncertainty interval 0.3 - 0.6%) of all deaths in South Africa in 2000. The loss of healthy life years comprised a slightly smaller proportion of the total: 60,934 DALYs (95% uncertainty interval 41,170 - 81,246) or 0.4% of all DALYs (95% uncertainty interval 0.3 - 0.5%) in South Africa in 2000. Almost 99% of this burden occurred in the black African population. The most important interventions to reduce this impact include access to cleaner household fuels, improved stoves, and better ventilation.

Impact of occupational carcinogens on lung cancer risk in a general population

PubMed Central

De Matteis, Sara; Consonni, Dario; Lubin, Jay H; Tucker, Margaret; Peters, Susan; Vermeulen, Roel CH; Kromhout, Hans; Bertazzi, Pier Alberto; Caporaso, Neil E; Pesatori, Angela C; Wacholder, Sholom; Landi, Maria Teresa

2012-01-01

Background Exposure to occupational carcinogens is an important preventable cause of lung cancer. Most of the previous studies were in highly exposed industrial cohorts. Our aim was to quantify lung cancer burden attributable to occupational carcinogens in a general population. Methods We applied a new job–exposure matrix (JEM) to translate lifetime work histories, collected by personal interview and coded into standard job titles, into never, low and high exposure levels for six known/suspected occupational lung carcinogens in the Environment and Genetics in Lung cancer Etiology (EAGLE) population-based case–control study, conducted in Lombardy region, Italy, in 2002–05. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated in men (1537 cases and 1617 controls), by logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders, including smoking and co-exposure to JEM carcinogens. The population attributable fraction (PAF) was estimated as impact measure. Results Men showed an increased lung cancer risk even at low exposure to asbestos (OR: 1.76; 95% CI: 1.42–2.18), crystalline silica (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.00–1.71) and nickel–chromium (OR: 1.18; 95% CI: 0.90–1.53); risk increased with exposure level. For polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, an increased risk (OR: 1.64; 95% CI: 0.99–2.70) was found only for high exposures. The PAFs for any exposure to asbestos, silica and nickel–chromium were 18.1, 5.7 and 7.0%, respectively, equivalent to an overall PAF of 22.5% (95% CI: 14.1–30.0). This corresponds to about 1016 (95% CI: 637–1355) male lung cancer cases/year in Lombardy. Conclusions These findings support the substantial role of selected occupational carcinogens on lung cancer burden, even at low exposures, in a general population. PMID:22467291

Impact of occupational carcinogens on lung cancer risk in a general population.

PubMed

De Matteis, Sara; Consonni, Dario; Lubin, Jay H; Tucker, Margaret; Peters, Susan; Vermeulen, Roel Ch; Kromhout, Hans; Bertazzi, Pier Alberto; Caporaso, Neil E; Pesatori, Angela C; Wacholder, Sholom; Landi, Maria Teresa

2012-06-01

Exposure to occupational carcinogens is an important preventable cause of lung cancer. Most of the previous studies were in highly exposed industrial cohorts. Our aim was to quantify lung cancer burden attributable to occupational carcinogens in a general population. We applied a new job-exposure matrix (JEM) to translate lifetime work histories, collected by personal interview and coded into standard job titles, into never, low and high exposure levels for six known/suspected occupational lung carcinogens in the Environment and Genetics in Lung cancer Etiology (EAGLE) population-based case-control study, conducted in Lombardy region, Italy, in 2002-05. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated in men (1537 cases and 1617 controls), by logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders, including smoking and co-exposure to JEM carcinogens. The population attributable fraction (PAF) was estimated as impact measure. Men showed an increased lung cancer risk even at low exposure to asbestos (OR: 1.76; 95% CI: 1.42-2.18), crystalline silica (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.00-1.71) and nickel-chromium (OR: 1.18; 95% CI: 0.90-1.53); risk increased with exposure level. For polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, an increased risk (OR: 1.64; 95% CI: 0.99-2.70) was found only for high exposures. The PAFs for any exposure to asbestos, silica and nickel-chromium were 18.1, 5.7 and 7.0%, respectively, equivalent to an overall PAF of 22.5% (95% CI: 14.1-30.0). This corresponds to about 1016 (95% CI: 637-1355) male lung cancer cases/year in Lombardy. These findings support the substantial role of selected occupational carcinogens on lung cancer burden, even at low exposures, in a general population.

Clustering of risk factors and the risk of incident cardiovascular disease in Asian and Caucasian populations: results from the Asia Pacific Cohort Studies Collaboration

PubMed Central

Peters, Sanne A E; Wang, Xin; Lam, Tai-Hing; Kim, Hyeon Chang; Ho, Suzanne; Ninomiya, Toshiharu; Knuiman, Matthew; Vaartjes, Ilonca; Bots, Michael L; Woodward, Mark

2018-01-01

Objective To assess the relationship between risk factor clusters and cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence in Asian and Caucasian populations and to estimate the burden of CVD attributable to each cluster. Setting Asia Pacific Cohort Studies Collaboration. Participants Individual participant data from 34 population-based cohorts, involving 314 024 participants without a history of CVD at baseline. Outcome measures Clusters were 11 possible combinations of four individual risk factors (current smoking, overweight, blood pressure (BP) and total cholesterol). Cox regression models were used to obtain adjusted HRs and 95% CIs for CVD associated with individual risk factors and risk factor clusters. Population-attributable fractions (PAFs) were calculated. Results During a mean follow-up of 7 years, 6203 CVD events were recorded. The ranking of HRs and PAFs was similar for Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) and Asia; clusters including BP consistently showed the highest HRs and PAFs. The BP–smoking cluster had the highest HR for people with two risk factors: 4.13 (3.56 to 4.80) for Asia and 3.07 (2.23 to 4.23) for ANZ. Corresponding PAFs were 24% and 11%, respectively. For individuals with three risk factors, the BP–smoking–cholesterol cluster had the highest HR (4.67 (3.92 to 5.57) for Asia and 3.49 (2.69 to 4.53) for ANZ). Corresponding PAFs were 13% and 10%. Conclusions Risk factor clusters act similarly on CVD risk in Asian and Caucasian populations. Clusters including elevated BP were associated with the highest excess risk of CVD. PMID:29511013

Pressure-dependent decomposition kinetics of the energetic material HMX up to 3.6 GPa.

PubMed

Glascoe, Elizabeth A; Zaug, Joseph M; Burnham, Alan K

2009-12-03

The effect of pressure on the global thermal decomposition rate of the energetic material HMX was studied. HMX was precompressed in a diamond anvil cell (DAC) and heated at various rates. The parent species population was monitored as a function of time and temperature using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Global decomposition rates were determined by fitting the fraction reacted to the extended-Prout-Tompkins nucleation-growth model and the Friedman isoconversional method. The results of these experiments and analysis indicate that pressure accelerates the decomposition at low-to-moderate pressures (i.e., between ambient pressure and 0.1 GPa) and decelerates the decomposition at higher pressures. The decomposition acceleration is attributed to pressure-enhanced autocatalysis, whereas the deceleration at high pressures is attributed to pressure-inhibiting bond homolysis step(s), which would result in an increase in volume. These results indicate that both the beta- and delta-polymorphs of HMX are sensitive to pressure in the thermally induced decomposition kinetics.

Attribution of extreme events in the western US to human activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mera, R. J.

2015-12-01

A project to investigate the role of human activities on the changing nature of extreme events in the western US began as part of a CLIVAR-sponsored Postdocs Applying Climate Expertise (PACE) project. The climate institution was the Oregon State University and the application partner was the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD). DLCD was interested in the changes in weather extremes in the Pacific Northwest, specifically extreme rainfall, flooding, and droughts. The project employs very large ensembles of regional model simulations through volunteer computing resources and allows for probabilistic event attribution (PEA), an important climate research technique. The model was found to have good representation of atmospheric rivers, a major source of extreme precipitation in the Pacific Northwest. The model domain also encompasses California and Nevada. One of the studies focused on attribution of extreme heat in relation to vulnerable populations in California's Central Valley, where heat waves have become progressively more severe due to increasing nighttime temperatures. Specifically, we found that that (1) simulations of the hottest summer days during the 2000s were twice as likely to occur using observed levels of greenhouse gases than in a counterfactual world without major human activities, (2) detrimental impacts of heat on public health-relevant variables, such as the number of days above 40°C, can be quantified and attributed to human activities using PEA, and (3) PEA can serve as a tool for addressing climate justice concerns of populations within developed nations. The research conducted through the PACE program has also provided a framework for a pioneering climate attribution study at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). The UCS project takes advantage of new research that shows that nearly two-thirds of carbon pollution released into the atmosphere, reported as carbon dioxide equivalent with hundred-year global warming potentials, can be traced to carbon extracted from the Earth by a subset of producers of coal, oil, natural gas, and cement manufacturers. The approach for this study is to use superensembles of regional model simulations to explore the specific fractional attribution to emissions traceable to 90 major industrial carbon producers.

The Burden Attributable to Mental and Substance Use Disorders as Risk Factors for Suicide: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010

PubMed Central

Ferrari, Alize J.; Norman, Rosana E.; Freedman, Greg; Baxter, Amanda J.; Pirkis, Jane E.; Harris, Meredith G.; Page, Andrew; Carnahan, Emily; Degenhardt, Louisa; Vos, Theo; Whiteford, Harvey A.

2014-01-01

Background The Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 (GBD 2010) identified mental and substance use disorders as the 5th leading contributor of burden in 2010, measured by disability adjusted life years (DALYs). This estimate was incomplete as it excluded burden resulting from the increased risk of suicide captured elsewhere in GBD 2010's mutually exclusive list of diseases and injuries. Here, we estimate suicide DALYs attributable to mental and substance use disorders. Methods Relative-risk estimates of suicide due to mental and substance use disorders and the global prevalence of each disorder were used to estimate population attributable fractions. These were adjusted for global differences in the proportion of suicide due to mental and substance use disorders compared to other causes then multiplied by suicide DALYs reported in GBD 2010 to estimate attributable DALYs (with 95% uncertainty). Results Mental and substance use disorders were responsible for 22.5 million (14.8–29.8 million) of the 36.2 million (26.5–44.3 million) DALYs allocated to suicide in 2010. Depression was responsible for the largest proportion of suicide DALYs (46.1% (28.0%–60.8%)) and anorexia nervosa the lowest (0.2% (0.02%–0.5%)). DALYs occurred throughout the lifespan, with the largest proportion found in Eastern Europe and Asia, and males aged 20–30 years. The inclusion of attributable suicide DALYs would have increased the overall burden of mental and substance use disorders (assigned to them in GBD 2010 as a direct cause) from 7.4% (6.2%–8.6%) to 8.3% (7.1%–9.6%) of global DALYs, and would have changed the global ranking from 5th to 3rd leading cause of burden. Conclusions Capturing the suicide burden attributable to mental and substance use disorders allows for more accurate estimates of burden. More consideration needs to be given to interventions targeted to populations with, or at risk for, mental and substance use disorders as an effective strategy for suicide prevention. PMID:24694747

The burden attributable to mental and substance use disorders as risk factors for suicide: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010.

PubMed

Ferrari, Alize J; Norman, Rosana E; Freedman, Greg; Baxter, Amanda J; Pirkis, Jane E; Harris, Meredith G; Page, Andrew; Carnahan, Emily; Degenhardt, Louisa; Vos, Theo; Whiteford, Harvey A

2014-01-01

The Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 (GBD 2010) identified mental and substance use disorders as the 5th leading contributor of burden in 2010, measured by disability adjusted life years (DALYs). This estimate was incomplete as it excluded burden resulting from the increased risk of suicide captured elsewhere in GBD 2010's mutually exclusive list of diseases and injuries. Here, we estimate suicide DALYs attributable to mental and substance use disorders. Relative-risk estimates of suicide due to mental and substance use disorders and the global prevalence of each disorder were used to estimate population attributable fractions. These were adjusted for global differences in the proportion of suicide due to mental and substance use disorders compared to other causes then multiplied by suicide DALYs reported in GBD 2010 to estimate attributable DALYs (with 95% uncertainty). Mental and substance use disorders were responsible for 22.5 million (14.8-29.8 million) of the 36.2 million (26.5-44.3 million) DALYs allocated to suicide in 2010. Depression was responsible for the largest proportion of suicide DALYs (46.1% (28.0%-60.8%)) and anorexia nervosa the lowest (0.2% (0.02%-0.5%)). DALYs occurred throughout the lifespan, with the largest proportion found in Eastern Europe and Asia, and males aged 20-30 years. The inclusion of attributable suicide DALYs would have increased the overall burden of mental and substance use disorders (assigned to them in GBD 2010 as a direct cause) from 7.4% (6.2%-8.6%) to 8.3% (7.1%-9.6%) of global DALYs, and would have changed the global ranking from 5th to 3rd leading cause of burden. Capturing the suicide burden attributable to mental and substance use disorders allows for more accurate estimates of burden. More consideration needs to be given to interventions targeted to populations with, or at risk for, mental and substance use disorders as an effective strategy for suicide prevention.

Particle size fractionation of high-amylose rice (Goami 2) flour as an oil barrier in a batter-coated fried system

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The particle size effects of high-amylose rice (Goami 2) flour on quality attributes of frying batters were characterized in terms of physicochemical, rheological, and oil-resisting properties. High-amylose rice flours were fractionated into four fractions (70, 198, 256, and 415 µm) of which morpho...

Inhibitory Effect of Solar Radiation on Amino Acid Uptake in Chesapeake Bay Bacteria

PubMed Central

Bailey, Carmela A.; Neihof, Rex A.; Tabor, Paul S.

1983-01-01

The effect of solar radiation on a natural bacterial population from the Chesapeake Bay was evaluated from measured changes in numbers of organisms engaged in amino acid uptake. From July through May, freshly collected water samples were exposed in quartz containers to 3.5 h of total sunlight both with and without UV-absorbing filters. Water samples were subsequently incubated with tritiated amino acids, and the uptake-active bacteria were assayed by microauto-radiography-epifluorescence microscopy. The survival index, defined as the fraction of the uptake-active population that remained active after the exposure to sunlight, ranged from 0.93 to 0.20. Decreased survival was correlated with increased solar intensity. The inhibition of amino acid uptake was attributed not only to the UV-B component of the solar spectrum (280 to 320 nm), but also to longer UV and visible wavelengths. PMID:16346351

Inhibitory effect of solar radiation on amino Acid uptake in chesapeake bay bacteria.

PubMed

Bailey, C A; Neihof, R A; Tabor, P S

1983-07-01

The effect of solar radiation on a natural bacterial population from the Chesapeake Bay was evaluated from measured changes in numbers of organisms engaged in amino acid uptake. From July through May, freshly collected water samples were exposed in quartz containers to 3.5 h of total sunlight both with and without UV-absorbing filters. Water samples were subsequently incubated with tritiated amino acids, and the uptake-active bacteria were assayed by microauto-radiography-epifluorescence microscopy. The survival index, defined as the fraction of the uptake-active population that remained active after the exposure to sunlight, ranged from 0.93 to 0.20. Decreased survival was correlated with increased solar intensity. The inhibition of amino acid uptake was attributed not only to the UV-B component of the solar spectrum (280 to 320 nm), but also to longer UV and visible wavelengths.

Changing population dynamics and uneven temperature emergence combine to exacerbate regional exposure to heat extremes under 1.5 °C and 2 °C of warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrington, Luke J.; Otto, Friederike E. L.

2018-03-01

Understanding how continuing increases in global mean temperature will exacerbate societal exposure to extreme weather events is a question of profound importance. However, determining population exposure to the impacts of heat extremes at 1.5 °C and 2 °C of global mean warming requires not only (1) a robust understanding of the physical climate system response, but also consideration of (2) projected changes to overall population size, as well as (3) changes to where people will live in the future. This analysis introduces a new framework, adapted from studies of probabilistic event attribution, to disentangle the relative importance of regional climate emergence and changing population dynamics in the exposure to future heat extremes across multiple densely populated regions in Southern Asia and Eastern Africa (SAEA). Our results reveal that, when population is kept at 2015 levels, exposure to heat considered severe in the present decade across SAEA will increase by a factor of 4.1 (2.4-9.6) and 15.8 (5.0-135) under a 1.5°- and 2.0°-warmer world, respectively. Furthermore, projected population changes by the end of the century under an SSP1 and SSP2 scenario can further exacerbate these changes by a factor of 1.2 (1.0-1.3) and 1.5 (1.3-1.7), respectively. However, a large fraction of this additional risk increase is not related to absolute increases in population, but instead attributed to changes in which regions exhibit continued population growth into the future. Further, this added impact of population redistribution will be twice as significant after 2.0 °C of warming, relative to stabilisation at 1.5 °C, due to the non-linearity of increases in heat exposure. Irrespective of the population scenario considered, continued African population expansion will place more people in locations where emergent changes to future heat extremes are exceptionally severe.

Distribution of light and heavy fractions of soil organic carbon as related to land use and tillage practice

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tan, Zhengxi; Lal, R.; Owens, L.; Izaurralde, R. C.

2007-01-01

Mass distributions of different soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions are influenced by land use and management. Concentrations of C and N in light- and heavy fractions of bulk soils and aggregates in 0–20 cm were determined to evaluate the role of aggregation in SOC sequestration under conventional tillage (CT), no-till (NT), and forest treatments. Light- and heavy fractions of SOC were separated using 1.85 g mL−1 sodium polytungstate solution. Soils under forest and NT preserved, respectively, 167% and 94% more light fraction than those under CT. The mass of light fraction decreased with an increase in soil depth, but significantly increased with an increase in aggregate size. C concentrations of light fraction in all aggregate classes were significantly higher under NT and forest than under CT. C concentrations in heavy fraction averaged 20, 10, and 8 g kg−1 under forest, NT, and CT, respectively. Of the total SOC pool, heavy fraction C accounted for 76% in CT soils and 63% in forest and NT soils. These data suggest that there is a greater protection of SOC by aggregates in the light fraction of minimally disturbed soils than that of disturbed soil, and the SOC loss following conversion from forest to agriculture is attributed to reduction in C concentrations in both heavy and light fractions. In contrast, the SOC gain upon conversion from CT to NT is primarily attributed to an increase in C concentration in the light fraction.

Poor early childhood outcomes attributable to maternal depression in Mexican women.

PubMed

de Castro, Filipa; Place, Jean Marie; Villalobos, Aremis; Rojas, Rosalba; Barrientos, Tonatiuh; Frongillo, Edward A

2017-08-01

We aimed to estimate the population fraction of poor early child health and developmental outcomes attributable to maternal depressive symptoms (DS) contrasting it between low- and middle/high-income households. We used a nationally representative probabilistic sample of 4240 children younger than 5 years old and their mothers, derived from the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey Data (ENSANUT 2012). Complex survey design, sampling, and analytic weights were taken into account in analyses. DS was measured by CESD-7. Child outcomes were as follows: breastfeeding, attending well-child check-ups, respiratory disease, diarrhea and general health problems, immunization, accidents, growth, obesity, and food insecurity. Prevalence of DS among mothers was 21.36%. In low-SES households, DS was associated with higher risk of never being breastfed (RR = 1.77; p < .05), health problems (RR = 1.37; p < .05), acute respiratory disease (RR = 1.51; p < .05), accidents requiring child hospitalization (RR = 2.16; p < .01), and moderate or severe food insecurity (RR = 1.58; p < .001). In medium- or high-SES households, DS was associated with higher risk of never attending a developmental check-up (RR = 2.14; p < .05) and moderate or severe food insecurity (RR = 1.75; p < .01). Population risks attributable to DS ranged from 2.30 to 17.45%. Prevention of DS could lead to reduction of problematic early childhood outcomes in both low and medium/high SES.

Preliminary lung cancer risk assessment of exposure to radon progeny for Transylvania, Romania.

PubMed

Truta-Popa, Lucia-Adina; Dinu, Alexandra; Dicu, Tiberius; Szacsvai, Kinga; Cosma, Constantin; Hofmann, Werner

2010-09-01

The objective of the present study was to assess the lung cancer risk induced by exposures to radon progeny of people living in some areas of Transylvania, Romania. Indoor radon concentrations were measured in 667 dwellings of Stei area, Cluj, Bistrita-Nasaud, Sibiu, and Alba counties. Measurements were performed using CR-39 track detectors, exposed for a minimum of 3 mo. Average annual radon concentrations were 232, 114, 71, 62, and 161 Bq m for Stei area, Cluj, Bistrita-Nasaud, Sibiu, and Alba, respectively. The linear risk model of Darby was used to simulate the dose-effect relationship and relative lung cancer risk at low doses of alpha particles specific to residential radon exposures. Predicted relative risks at the measured exposure levels, together with information on the total number of reported lung cancer deaths and the number of people living in these regions, enabled us to estimate the fraction of lung cancer cases in each area that is attributable to radon. These percentages are 16.67% for Stei area, 9.09% for Cluj, 5.66% for Bistrita-Nasaud, 4.76% for Sibiu, and 12.28% for Alba county among lifetime non-smokers. Assuming that the smoking rates are similar for the investigated regions (10.72% smokers among men and 5.95% among women), around 64 to 69% of the total number of annual lung cancer deaths, stratified by sex, would be attributed to radon and occur among smoking male population, and around 35 to 44% would be attributed to radon and occur among smoking female population.

Study of incomplete fusion reaction dynamics in 13C +165 Ho system and its dependence on various entrance channel parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tali, Suhail A.; Kumar, Harish; Ansari, M. Afzal; Ali, Asif; Singh, D.; Ali, Rahbar; Giri, Pankaj K.; Linda, Sneha B.; Parashari, Siddharth; Kumar, R.; Singh, R. P.; Muralithar, S.

2018-02-01

The excitation functions for the evaporation residues populated in the interaction of 13C +165 Ho system have been measured at projectile energies ≈ 4-7 MeV/nucleon. Stacked foil activation technique followed by off-line γ-ray spectroscopy have been employed in the present work. The experimentally measured cross-sections are analyzed in the frame work of statistical model code PACE4, which takes into account only the complete fusion reaction cross-sections. The evaporation residues populated via xn and pxn channels were found to be in good agreement with the PACE4 predictions, while a significant enhancement in the measured cross-sections over PACE4 predictions is observed in case of α-emitting channels, which may be attributed to the incomplete fusion process. For the better understanding of incomplete fusion dynamics, the incomplete fusion fraction has also been deduced and its sensitivity with various entrance channel parameters like: projectile energy, mass-asymmetry, projectile structure in terms of Qα-value and Coulomb effect has been studied in the present work. The incomplete fusion fraction is found to increase with increasing the projectile energy and a strong projectile structure dependent mass-asymmetry systematic is also observed. The incomplete fusion fraction is also found to be small for more negative Qα-value projectile (13C) induced reactions as compared to less negative Qα-value projectiles (12C, 16O and 20Ne) induced reactions with the same target nucleus 165Ho. An interesting trend is obtained on further investigation of incomplete fusion dependence on Coulomb effect (ZPZT).

Risk factors for chronic undernutrition among children in India: Estimating relative importance, population attributable risk and fractions.

PubMed

Corsi, Daniel J; Mejía-Guevara, Iván; Subramanian, S V

2016-05-01

Nearly 40% of the world's stunted children live in India and the prevalence of undernutrition has been persistently high in recent decades. Given numerous available interventions for reducing undernutrition in children, it is not clear of the relative importance of each within a multifactorial framework. We assess the simultaneous contribution of 15 known risk factors for child chronic undernutrition in India. Data are from the 3rd Indian National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3), a nationally representative cross-sectional survey undertaken in 2005-2006. The study population consisted of children aged 6-59 months [n = 26,842 (stunting/low height-for-age), n = 27,483 (underweight/low weight-for-age)]. Risk factors examined for their association with undernutrition were: vitamin A supplementation, vaccination, use of iodized salt, household air quality, improved sanitary facilities, safe disposal of stools, improved drinking water, prevalence of infectious disease, initiation of breastfeeding, dietary diversity, age at marriage, maternal BMI, height, education, and household wealth. Age/sex-adjusted and multivariable adjusted effect sizes (odds ratios) were calculated for risk factors along with Population Attributable Risks (PAR) and Fractions (PAF) using logistic regression. In the mutually adjusted models, the five most important predictors of childhood stunting/underweight were short maternal stature, mother having no education, households in lowest wealth quintile, poor dietary diversity, and maternal underweight. These five factors had a combined PAR of 67.2% (95% CI: 63.3-70.7) and 69.7% (95% CI: 66.3-72.8) for stunting and underweight, respectively. The remaining factors were associated with a combined PAR of 11.7% (95% CI: 6.0-17.4) and 15.1% (95% CI: 8.9-21.3) for stunting and underweight, respectively. Implementing strategies focused on broader progress on social circumstances and infrastructural domains as well as investments in nutrition specific programs to promote dietary adequacy and diversity are required to ensure a long term trajectory of optimal child growth and development in India. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fractional populations in sex-linked inheritance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pyo Lee, Seung; Chung, Myung-Hoon; Koo Kim, Chul; Nahm, Kyun

2001-03-01

We study the fractional populations in chromosome inherited diseases. The governing equations for the fractional populations are found and solved in the presence of mutation and selection. The physical fixed points obtained are used to discuss the cases of color blindness and hemophilia.

The future excess fraction of occupational cancer among those exposed to carcinogens at work in Australia in 2012.

PubMed

Carey, Renee N; Hutchings, Sally J; Rushton, Lesley; Driscoll, Timothy R; Reid, Alison; Glass, Deborah C; Darcey, Ellie; Si, Si; Peters, Susan; Benke, Geza; Fritschi, Lin

2017-04-01

Studies in other countries have generally found approximately 4% of current cancers to be attributable to past occupational exposures. This study aimed to estimate the future burden of cancer resulting from current occupational exposures in Australia. The future excess fraction method was used to estimate the future burden of occupational cancer (2012-2094) among the proportion of the Australian working population who were exposed to occupational carcinogens in 2012. Calculations were conducted for 19 cancer types and 53 cancer-exposure pairings, assuming historical trends and current patterns continued to 2094. The cohort of 14.6 million Australians of working age in 2012 will develop an estimated 4.8 million cancers during their lifetime, of which 68,500 (1.4%) are attributable to occupational exposure in those exposed in 2012. The majority of these will be lung cancers (n=26,000), leukaemias (n=8000), and malignant mesotheliomas (n=7500). A significant proportion of future cancers will result from occupational exposures. This estimate is lower than previous estimates in the literature; however, our estimate is not directly comparable to past estimates of the occupational cancer burden because they describe different quantities - future cancers in currently exposed versus current cancers due to past exposures. The results of this study allow us to determine which current occupational exposures are most important, and where to target exposure prevention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of smoking combined with another risk factor on the risk of mortality from coronary heart disease and stroke: pooled analysis of 10 Japanese cohort studies.

PubMed

Nakamura, Koshi; Nakagawa, Hideaki; Sakurai, Masaru; Murakami, Yoshitaka; Irie, Fujiko; Fujiyoshi, Akira; Okamura, Tomonori; Miura, Katsuyuki; Ueshima, Hirotsugu

2012-01-01

In spite of the importance of a multifactorial approach to preventing cardiovascular disease in smokers, most information on the combined adverse effects of smoking and hypertension or high serum cholesterol on cardiovascular disease has been derived from Western populations, and coronary heart disease was often used as the only endpoint. Therefore, the present large-scale pooled analysis attempted to provide reliable information on the adverse effects of the coexistence of smoking and hypertension or high serum cholesterol on the risk of mortality from coronary heart disease and stroke in both, individuals and the entire population in Japan. A total of 27,385 male and 39,207 female participants aged 40-89 years were enrolled from 10 well-qualified Japanese cohort studies with a mean follow-up of 10.1 years. Hazard ratios and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals in smokers who had hypertension or high serum cholesterol were estimated for men and women separately using a Cox proportional hazards regression model that included age, body mass index, cohort and either serum total cholesterol or systolic blood pressure as covariates. Fractions of deaths attributable to the coexistence of these risk factors were also calculated. The multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios in male and female current smokers with hypertension, compared with those with neither factor were 2.57 (95% confidence intervals, 1.51-4.38) and 6.14 (3.49-10.79) for coronary heart disease, and 3.28 (1.89-5.71) and 1.61 (0.81-3.18) for cerebral infarction, respectively. The fractions of deaths attributable to the coexistence of current smoking and hypertension in men and women were 24.6 and 9.6% for coronary heart disease and 28.1 and 2.0% for cerebral infarction, respectively. Smokers with high serum cholesterol were broadly comparable to hypertensive smokers only with respect to coronary mortality risk; the hazard ratios, compared with those with neither factor were 4.19 (2.33-7.53) for men and 3.90 (1.57-9.67) for women. The fraction of coronary deaths attributable to the coexistence of current smoking and high serum cholesterol was 6.3% in men and 2.2% in women. There was no interaction between smoking habit and blood pressure or serum total cholesterol for these two subtypes in both men and women. Particular attention should be given to smokers who have concomitant hypertension or high serum cholesterol for preventing deaths due to cardiovascular disease. From a public health perspective in Japan, priority should be given to hypertensive smokers, since this group makes a large contribution to the burden of both coronary and cerebral infarction deaths. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Estimating the burden of disease attributable to lead exposure in South Africa in 2000.

PubMed

Norman, Rosana; Mathee, Angela; Barnes, Brendon; van der Merwe, Lize; Bradshaw, Debbie

2007-08-01

To estimate the burden of disease attributable to lead exposure in South Africa in 2000. World Health Organization comparative risk assessment (CRA) methodology was followed. Recent community studies were used to derive mean blood lead concentrations in adults and children in urban and rural areas. Population-attributable fractions were calculated and applied to revised burden of disease estimates for the relevant disease categories for South Africa in the year 2000. Monte Carlo simulation-modelling techniques were used for the uncertainty analysis. South Africa. Children under 5 and adults 30 years and older. Cardiovascular mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in adults 30 years and older and mild mental disability DALYs in children under 5 years. Lead exposure was estimated to cause 1,428 deaths (95% uncertainty interval 1,086-1,772) or 0.27% (95% uncertainty interval: 0.21 - 0.34%) of all deaths in South Africa in 2000. Burden of disease attributed to lead exposure was dominated by mild mental disability in young children, accounting for 75% of the total 58,939 (95% uncertainty interval 55,413 - 62,500) attributable DALYs. Cardiovascular disease in adults accounted for the remainder of the burden. Even with the phasing out of leaded petrol, exposure to lead from its ongoing addition to paint, para-occupational exposure and its use in backyard 'cottage industries' will continue to be an important public health hazard in South Africa for decades. Young children, especially those from disadvantaged communities, remain particularly vulnerable to lead exposure and poisoning.

Estimating and modeling the cure fraction in population-based cancer survival analysis.

PubMed

Lambert, Paul C; Thompson, John R; Weston, Claire L; Dickman, Paul W

2007-07-01

In population-based cancer studies, cure is said to occur when the mortality (hazard) rate in the diseased group of individuals returns to the same level as that expected in the general population. The cure fraction (the proportion of patients cured of disease) is of interest to patients and is a useful measure to monitor trends in survival of curable disease. There are 2 main types of cure fraction model, the mixture cure fraction model and the non-mixture cure fraction model, with most previous work concentrating on the mixture cure fraction model. In this paper, we extend the parametric non-mixture cure fraction model to incorporate background mortality, thus providing estimates of the cure fraction in population-based cancer studies. We compare the estimates of relative survival and the cure fraction between the 2 types of model and also investigate the importance of modeling the ancillary parameters in the selected parametric distribution for both types of model.

Parainfluenza Virus Infection Among Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-Infected and HIV-Uninfected Children and Adults Hospitalized for Severe Acute Respiratory Illness in South Africa, 2009–2014

PubMed Central

Cohen, Adam L.; Sahr, Philip K.; Treurnicht, Florette; Walaza, Sibongile; Groome, Michelle J.; Kahn, Kathleen; Dawood, Halima; Variava, Ebrahim; Tempia, Stefano; Pretorius, Marthi; Moyes, Jocelyn; Olorunju, Steven A. S.; Malope-Kgokong, Babatyi; Kuonza, Lazarus; Wolter, Nicole; von Gottberg, Anne; Madhi, Shabir A.; Venter, Marietjie; Cohen, Cheryl

2015-01-01

Background. Parainfluenza virus (PIV) is a common cause of acute respiratory tract infections, but little is known about PIV infection in children and adults in Africa, especially in settings where human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalence is high. Methods. We conducted active, prospective sentinel surveillance for children and adults hospitalized with severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) from 2009 to 2014 in South Africa. We enrolled controls (outpatients without febrile or respiratory illness) to calculate the attributable fraction for PIV infection. Respiratory specimens were tested by multiplex real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction assay for parainfluenza types 1, 2, and 3. Results. Of 18 282 SARI cases enrolled, 1188 (6.5%) tested positive for any PIV type: 230 (19.4%) were type 1; 168 (14.1%) were type 2; 762 (64.1%) were type 3; and 28 (2.4%) had coinfection with 2 PIV types. After adjusting for age, HIV serostatus, and respiratory viral coinfection, the attributable fraction for PIV was 65.6% (95% CI [confidence interval], 47.1–77.7); PIV contributed to SARI among HIV-infected and -uninfected children <5 years of age and among individuals infected with PIV types 1 and 3. The observed overall incidence of PIV-associated SARI was 38 (95% CI, 36–39) cases per 100 000 population and was highest in children <1 year of age (925 [95% CI, 864–989] cases per 100 000 population). Compared with persons without HIV, persons with HIV had an increased relative risk of PIV hospitalization (9.4; 95% CI, 8.5–10.3). Conclusions. Parainfluenza virus causes substantial severe respiratory disease in South Africa among children <5 years of age, especially those that are infected with HIV. PMID:26566534

Population attributable risk of factors associated with the repetition of self-harm behaviour in young people presenting to clinical services: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Witt, Katrina; Milner, Allison; Spittal, Matthew J; Hetrick, Sarah; Robinson, Jo; Pirkis, Jane; Carter, Gregory

2018-02-03

The repetition of hospital-treated self-harm by young people is common. However, little work has summarised the modifiable factors associated with this. A thorough understanding of those factors most strongly associated with repetition could guide the development of relevant clinical interventions. We systematically reviewed four databases (EMBASE, Medline, PubMed and PsycINFO) until 15 April 2016 to identify all observational studies of factors for the repetition of self-harm or suicide reattempts (together referred to as 'self-harm behaviour') in young people. We quantified the magnitude of association with odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and calculated the population attributable risk (PAR) and population preventable fraction (PPF) for modifiable factors to provide an indication of the potential impact in reducing subsequent self-harm behaviour in this population. Seventeen studies were included comprising 10,726 participants. Borderline personality disorder (OR 3.47, 95% CI 1.84-6.53; PAR 42.4%), any personality disorder (OR 2.54, 95% CI 1.71-3.78; PAR 16.3%), and any mood disorder (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.09-4.29; PAR 42.2%) are important modifiable risk factors. Severity of hopelessness (OR 2.95, 95% CI 1.74-5.01), suicidal ideation (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.43-2.81), and previous sexual abuse (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.02-2.28; PAR 12.8%) are also associated with repetition of self-harm. We recommend that clinical services should focus on identifying key modifiable risk factors at the individual patient level, whilst the reduction of exposure to child and adolescent sexual abuse would also be a useful goal for public health interventions.

Epilepsy, excess deaths and years of life lost from external causes.

PubMed

Nevalainen, Olli; Simola, Mikko; Ansakorpi, Hanna; Raitanen, Jani; Artama, Miia; Isojärvi, Jouko; Auvinen, Anssi

2016-05-01

We systematically quantified excess mortality in epilepsy patients by cause of death using the population-attributable fraction and epilepsy-attributable years of potential life lost (YPLL) by age 75 years at ages 15 and over. We updated and undertook a re-review of mortality studies from our previous systematic review following PRISMA guidelines to identify cohort studies of general epilepsy populations reporting a relative risk (RR) of death by cause relative to the background rates in the population. Studies on epilepsy prevalence were identified through published reviews. Country-specific mortality figures were obtained from the WHO World Mortality Database. We performed a pooled analysis with the DerSimonian-Laird random effects method. In countries with very high Human Development Indices, epilepsy contributed to 0.5-1.1 % of all deaths in the total population. Among external causes, suicides (RR 2.9, 95 % confidence interval 2.2-3.8; I(2) 52 %) were the major contributor to YPLL, corresponding to 6.7 % and 4.2 % of excess YPLL due to epilepsy in the United States (US) and in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2010, with 541 (346-792) and 44 (28-65) excess suicide cases, respectively. Fatal accidental falls were more common, with 813 (610-1064) and 95 (71-125) excess deaths in the US and in the UK, but these caused only 2.0 % of excess YPLL as they occurred in older age groups. Suicides were the most important external cause of death in epilepsy patients in terms of excess YPLL, whereas other external causes were either more common in older ages or caused less excess deaths.

Risk factor modifications and depression incidence: a 4-year longitudinal Canadian cohort of the Montreal Catchment Area Study

PubMed Central

Meng, Xiangfei; Brunet, Alain; Turecki, Gustavo; Liu, Aihua; D'Arcy, Carl; Caron, Jean

2017-01-01

Objective Few studies have examined the effect of risk factor modifications on depression incidence. This study was to explore psychosocial risk factors for depression and quantify the effect of risk factor modifications on depression incidence in a large-scale, longitudinal population-based study. Methods Data were from the Montreal Longitudinal Catchment Area study (N=2433). Multivariate modified Poisson regression was used to estimate relative risk (RR). Population attributable fractions were also used to estimate the potential impact of risk factor modifications on depression incidence. Results The cumulative incidence rate of major depressive disorder at the 2-year follow-up was 4.8%, and 6.6% at the 4-year follow-up. Being a younger adult, female, widowed, separated or divorced, Caucasian, poor, occasional drinker, having a family history of mental health problems, having less education and living in areas with higher unemployment rates and higher proportions of visible minorities, more cultural community centres and community organisations, were consistently associated with the increased risk of incident major depressive disorder. Although only 5.1% of the disease incidence was potentially attributable to occasional drinking (vs abstainers) at the 2-year follow-up, the attribution of occasional drinking doubled at the 4-year follow-up. A 10% reduction in the prevalence of occasional drinking in this population could potentially prevent half of incident cases. Conclusions Modifiable risk factors, both individual and societal, could be the targets for public depression prevention programmes. These programmes should also be gender-specific, as different risk factors have been identified for men and women. Public health preventions at individual levels could focus on the better management of occasional drinking, as it explained around 5%~10% of incident major depressive disorders. Neighbourhood characteristics could also be the target for public prevention programmes. However, this could be very challenging. A cost-effectiveness analysis of a variety of prevention efforts is warranted. PMID:28601831

Immediately modifiable risk factors attributable to colorectal cancer in Malaysia.

PubMed

Naing, Cho; Lai, Pei Kuan; Mak, Joon Wah

2017-08-04

This study aimed to estimate potential reductions in case incidence of colorectal cancer attributable to the modifiable risk factors such as alcohol consumption, overweight and physical inactivity amongst the Malaysian population. Gender specific population-attributable fractions (PAFs) for colorectal cancer in Malaysia were estimated for the three selected risk factors (physical inactivity, overweight, and alcohol consumptions). Exposure prevalence were sourced from a large-scale national representative survey. Risk estimates of the relationship between the exposure of interest and colorectal cancer were obtained from published meta-analyses. The overall PAF was then estimated, using the 2013 national cancer incidence data from the Malaysian Cancer Registry. Overall, the mean incidence rate for colorectal cancer in Malaysia from 2008 to 2013 was 21.3 per 100,000 population, with the mean age of 61.6 years (±12.7) and the majority were men (56.6%). Amongst 369 colorectal cancer cases in 2013, 40 cases (20 men, 20 women), 10 cases (9 men, 1 woman) or 20 cases (16 men,4 women) would be prevented, if they had done physical exercises, could reduce their body weight to normal level or avoided alcohol consumption, assuming that these factors are causally related to colorectal cancer. It was estimated that 66 (17.8%;66/369) colorectal cancer cases (42 men, 24 women) who had all these three risk factors for the last 10 years would have been prevented, if they could control these three risk factors through effective preventive measures. Findings suggest that approximately 18% of colorectal cancer cases in Malaysia would be prevented through appropriate preventive measures such as doing regular physical exercises, reducing their body weight to normal level and avoiding alcohol consumption, if these factors are causally related to colorectal cancer. Scaling-up nationwide public health campaigns tailored to increase physical activity, controlling body weight within normal limits and avoid alcohol intake are recommended. Future studies with other site-specific cancers and additional risk factors are needed.

Determinants of neonatal mortality in rural Haryana: a retrospective population based study.

PubMed

Upadhyay, R P; Dwivedi, P R; Rai, S K; Misra, P; Kalaivani, M; Krishnan, A

2012-04-01

To identify the determinants of neonatal mortality. Nested case-control study. 28 villages under the intensive field practice area of Comprehensive Rural Health Services Project, Ballabgarh, Haryana serving a population of 87,016, as on 31st December 2009. The study period was from 2005 to 2009. The data were obtained from Health Management Information System and analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. A hierarchical approach was used to analyze the factors associated with neonatal deaths, using community level factors, socio-economic status and biological determinants. The population attributable fractions were estimated for significant variables. The total live births during the study period were 10392 and neonatal deaths were 248. The infant and neonatal mortality rates during the study period were 45.6 and 23.8 per 1000 live births, respectively. Socio-economic determinants (Low educational status of parents [OR 2.1, 95% CI; 1.4, 3.3]; fathers occupation [OR 1.8, 95% CI; 1.0, 3.0]; Rajput caste [OR 2.0, 95% CI; 1.2, 3.4] appeared to explain a major fraction (45.7%) of neonatal deaths. Community level factors (villages with no health facility [OR 1.5, 95% CI; 1.0, 2.1]; villages with population >6000 [OR 1.7, 95% CI; 1.2, 2.5]) were associated with 27.3% of all neonatal deaths. Proximate determinants (early childbearing age of mother (<20 years) [OR 2.0, 95% CI; 1.2, 3.2]) were least important. All the three level of variables seemed to act independently with little mediation among them. Neonatal mortality is affected by socioeconomic, community level and proximate biological determinants.

Health benefits and costs of filtration interventions that reduce indoor exposure to PM2.5 during wildfires.

PubMed

Fisk, W J; Chan, W R

2017-01-01

Increases in hospital admissions and deaths are associated with increases in outdoor air particles during wildfires. This analysis estimates the health benefits expected if interventions had improved particle filtration in homes in Southern California during a 10-day period of wildfire smoke exposure. Economic benefits and intervention costs are also estimated. The six interventions implemented in all affected houses are projected to prevent 11% to 63% of the hospital admissions and 7% to 39% of the deaths attributable to wildfire particles. The fraction of the population with an admission attributable to wildfire smoke is small, thus, the costs of interventions in all homes far exceeds the economic benefits of reduced hospital admissions. However, the estimated economic value of the prevented deaths exceed or far exceed intervention costs for interventions that do not use portable air cleaners. For the interventions with portable air cleaner use, mortality-related economic benefits exceed intervention costs as long as the cost of the air cleaners, which have a multi-year life, are not attributed to the short wildfire period. Cost effectiveness is improved by intervening only in the homes of the elderly who experience most of the health effects of particles from wildfires. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Health care and lost productivity costs of overweight and obesity in New Zealand.

PubMed

Lal, Anita; Moodie, Marj; Ashton, Toni; Siahpush, Mohammad; Swinburn, Boyd

2012-12-01

To estimate the costs of health care and lost productivity attributable to overweight and obesity in New Zealand (NZ) in 2006. A prevalence-based approach to costing was used in which costs were calculated for all cases of disease in the year 2006. Population attributable fractions (PAFs) were calculated based on the relative risks obtained from large cohort studies and the prevalence of overweight and obesity. For each disease, the PAF was multiplied by the total health care cost. The costs of lost productivity associated with premature mortality were estimated using both the Human Capital approach (HCA) and Friction Cost approach (FCA). Health care costs attributable to overweight and obesity were estimated to be NZ$686m or 4.5% of New Zealand's total health care expenditure in 2006. The costs of lost productivity using the FCA were estimated to be NZ$98m and NZ$225m using the HCA. The combined costs of health care and lost productivity using the FCA were $784m and $911m using the HCA. The cost burden of overweight and obesity in NZ is considerable. Policies and interventions are urgently needed to reduce the prevalence of obesity thereby decreasing these substantial costs. © 2012 The Authors. ANZJPH © 2012 Public Health Association of Australia.

[Burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease attributable to ambient ozone pollution in 1990 and 2013 in China].

PubMed

Cui, J; Yin, P; Wang, L J; Liu, S W; Li, Y C; Liu, Y N; Liu, J M; You, J L; Zeng, X Y; Zhou, M G

2016-05-01

To investigate the burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in China attributable to ambient ozone pollution in 1990 and 2013. Based on the results of the China Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2013, the population attributable fractions was used to analyze the deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALY) of COPD attributable to ambient ozone pollution in all provinces (not including Taiwan, China) in 1990 and 2013, and to compare changes of the attributable disease burden in 1990 and 2013. In 2013, 7.4% (95% uncertainty interval (95% UI): 6.1%-8.6%) of COPD were attributable to ambient ozone pollution, with the highest rate in Hebei province (15.0%, 95%UI: 12.0%-18.7%) and the lowest in Heilongjiang province (2.8%,95%UI: 0.9%-5.3%). In 2013, 67 485 COPD deaths in China were due to ambient ozone pollution, with the highest number in Sichuan province (11 929) and in China lowest in Macao (11). A total of 1.168 million DALYs caused by COPD were due to ambient ozone pollution, with the highest in Sichuan province (0.189 million) and lowest in Macao (257.4). In 2013, the DALY per 100 000 population caused by COPD due to ambient ozone pollution after age standardization was lowest in Heilongjiang province (21.9), Shanghai (26.7), Beijing (38.4), Tianjin (39.3), and Jilin province (39.7) and highest in Sichuan province (206.4), Qinghai province (202.5), Guizhou province (175.3), and Gansu province (171.4). DALYs caused by COPD attributable to ambient ozone pollution increased with age (0.144 million person years for ages 15-49 years, 0.43 million person years for age 50-69 years and 0.594 million person years for age 70 years and above), which were higher in men than in women (0.708 million person years for men and 0.459 million person years for women in 2013). Deaths of COPD attributable to ambient ozone pollution were 49 514 and 67 485 in 1990 and 2013, respectively. DALYs caused by COPD attributable to ozone pollution totaled 0.894 million and 1.168 million person years in 1990 and 2013, respectively. Ambient ozone pollution-related deaths and DALYs increased 36.3% and 30.6%, respectively. Compared with 1990, the disease burden of COPD in 2013 attributed to ambient ozone pollution in China increased substantially. Ambient ozone pollution caused great losses among Chinese residents. More attention should be directed toward western provinces with a particularly high disease burden due to ambient ozone pollution.

Determinants of Obesity and Associated Population Attributability, South Africa: Empirical Evidence from a National Panel Survey, 2008-2012

PubMed Central

Sartorius, Benn; Veerman, Lennert J.; Manyema, Mercy; Chola, Lumbwe; Hofman, Karen

2015-01-01

Background Obesity is a major risk factor for emerging non-communicable diseases (NCDS) in middle income countries including South Africa (SA). Understanding the multiple and complex determinants of obesity and their true population attributable impact is critical for informing and developing effective prevention efforts using scientific based evidence. This study identified contextualised high impact factors associated with obesity in South Africa. Methods Analysis of three national cross sectional (repeated panel) surveys, using a multilevel logistic regression and population attributable fraction estimation allowed for identification of contextualised high impact factors associated with obesity (BMI>30 kg/m2) among adults (15years+). Results Obesity prevalence increased significantly from 23.5% in 2008 to 27.2% in 2012, with a significantly (p-value<0.001) higher prevalence among females (37.9% in 2012) compared to males (13.3% in 2012). Living in formal urban areas, white ethnicity, being married, not exercising and/or in higher socio-economic category were significantly associated with male obesity. Females living in formal or informal urban areas, higher crime areas, African/White ethnicity, married, not exercising, in a higher socio-economic category and/or living in households with proportionate higher spending on food (and unhealthy food options) were significantly more likely to be obese. The identified determinants appeared to account for 75% and 43% of male and female obesity respectively. White males had the highest relative gain in obesity from 2008 to 2012. Conclusions The rising prevalence of obesity in South Africa is significant and over the past 5 years the rising prevalence of Type-2 diabetes has mirrored this pattern, especially among females. Targeting young adolescent girls should be a priority. Addressing determinants of obesity will involve a multifaceted strategy and requires at individual and population levels. With rising costs in the private and public sector to combat obesity related NCDS, this analysis can inform culturally sensitive mass communications and wellness campaigns. Knowledge of social determinants is critical to develop “best buys”. PMID:26061419

Characterization of taste-active fractions in red wine combining HPLC fractionation, sensory analysis and ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry detection.

PubMed

Sáenz-Navajas, María-Pilar; Ferreira, Vicente; Dizy, Marta; Fernández-Zurbano, Purificación

2010-07-19

Five Tempranillo wines exhibiting marked differences in taste and/or astringency were selected for the study. In each wine the non-volatile extract was obtained by freeze-drying and further liquid extraction in order to eliminate remaining volatile compounds. This extract was fractionated by semipreparative C18-reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography (C18-RP-HPLC) into nine fractions which were freeze-dried, reconstituted with water and sensory assessed for taste attributes and astringency by a specifically trained sensory panel. Results have shown that wine bitterness and astringency cannot be easily related to the bitter and astringent character of the HPLC fractions, what can be due to the existence of perceptual and physicochemical interactions. While the bitter character of the bitterest fractions may be attributed to some flavonols (myricetin, quercetin and their glycosides) the development of a sensitive UPLC-MS method to quantify astringent compounds present in wines has made it possible to demonstrate that proanthocyanidins monomers, dimers, trimers and tetramers, both galloylated or non-galloylated are not relevant compounds for the perceived astringency of the fractions, while cis-aconitic acid, and secondarily vainillic, and syringic acids and ethyl syringate, are the most important molecules driving astringency in two of the fractions (F5 and F6). The identity of the chemicals responsible for the astringency of the third fraction could be assigned to some proanthocyanidins (higher than the tetramer) capable to precipitate with ovalbumin. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Historically Hottest Summers Projected to be the Norm for more than half of the World's Population by 2035

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, B.; Zhang, X.; Zwiers, F. W.

2015-12-01

Global mean temperatures are projected to increase by 3K and 4.9K above pre-industrial levels by 2100 in a moderate stabilization and a high-emission scenario (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 from CMIP5). However, warming rates are regionally different. In this presentation, we focus on the regions defined by the IPCC SREX report. We investigate the year in the future in which historically hottest summers are projected to become the norm, i.e. to occur at least every other year. Using results from a detection and attribution analysis, we provide probabilistic estimates based on RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 simulations constrained by observations during 1950-2012. We also estimate the fraction of attributable risk (FAR), i.e. the probability for hot summers that is attributable to past emissions of anthropogenic greenhouse gases and aerosols. We find that the FAR is larger than 0.9 in many regions. We project that under RCP4.5, more than half of the world's population will experience the historically hottest summer of the past 63 years with a probability of 50% and 90% by 2035 and 2050, respectively. Under the higher emission scenario RCP8.5, historically hottest summers are projected to be more wide-spread. The Mediterranean region, Western and Eastern Asia, Northern Eurasia and the Sahara are among the first regions for which such hot summers might become the norm. Even under RCP4.5, more than 90% of summers are projected to be hotter than the historically hottest summers by 2025 and 2035 for Sahara and the Mediterranean regions, respectively.

Factors other than risks in the workplace as determinants of socioeconomic differences in health in Italy.

PubMed

Mamo, Carlo; Marinacci, Chiara; Demaria, Moreno; Mirabelli, Dario; Costa, Giuseppe

2005-01-01

To evaluate differences in mortality by social class and to determine the impacts of socioeconomic factors on health inequalities in Italy, mortality data from 1981-2001 were analyzed as a function of social class in Turin, controlling for occupational risks, housing conditions, and education. For general and cause-specific mortality, the weight of each socioeconomic indicator was evaluated on population-attributable fraction to social class. Among men, mortality risk was significantly higher in unskilled blue-collar workers (RR = 1.45). Among women, the differences by social class were slighter. Education and economic status mostly explain the mortality differences by social class in men, while economic status showed the highest contribution in women.

Black carbon mixing state impacts on cloud microphysical properties: effects of aerosol plume and environmental conditions

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

Ching, Ping Pui; Riemer, Nicole; West, Matthew

2016-05-27

Black carbon (BC) is usually mixed with other aerosol species within individual aerosol particles. This mixture, along with the particles' size and morphology, determines the particles' optical and cloud condensation nuclei properties, and hence black carbon's climate impacts. In this study the particle-resolved aerosol model PartMC-MOSAIC was used to quantify the importance of black carbon mixing state for predicting cloud microphysical quantities. Based on a set of about 100 cloud parcel simulations a process level analysis framework was developed to attribute the response in cloud microphysical properties to changes in the underlying aerosol population ("plume effect") and the cloud parcelmore » cooling rate ("parcel effect"). It shows that the response of cloud droplet number concentration to changes in BC emissions depends on the BC mixing state. When the aerosol population contains mainly aged BC particles an increase in BC emission results in increasing cloud droplet number concentrations ("additive effect"). In contrast, when the aerosol population contains mainly fresh BC particles they act as sinks for condensable gaseous species, resulting in a decrease in cloud droplet number concentration as BC emissions are increased ("competition effect"). Additionally, we quantified the error in cloud microphysical quantities when neglecting the information on BC mixing state, which is often done in aerosol models. The errors ranged from -12% to +45% for the cloud droplet number fraction, from 0% to +1022% for the nucleation-scavenged black carbon (BC) mass fraction, from -12% to +4% for the effective radius, and from -30% to +60% for the relative dispersion.« less

Improved survival time: what can survival cure models tell us about population-based survival improvements in late-stage colorectal, ovarian, and testicular cancer?

PubMed

Huang, Lan; Cronin, Kathleen A; Johnson, Karen A; Mariotto, Angela B; Feuer, Eric J

2008-05-15

The objective of the current study was to investigate the long-term impact of treatment advances on the survival of patients with late-stage ovarian, colorectal (American Joint Committee on Cancer stage III, men), and testicular cancers by estimating the increase in the percentage cured from their disease and the change in survival time of uncured patients. Cause-specific survival data from 1973 to 2000 were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. Survival cure models were fit and were used to estimate the gain in life expectancy (GLE) attributed to an increase in the fraction of cured patients and to prolonged survival among noncured patients. Treatment improvement for ovarian cancer resulted in a total GLE of 2 years, and 80% of that GLE was because of an extension of survival time in uncured patients (from 0.9 years to 2.1 years) rather than an increased cure fraction (from 12% to 14%). In contrast, the cure rate rose from 29% to 47% for colorectal cancer, representing 82% of a 2.8-year GLE, and from 23% to 81% for testicular cancer, representing 100% of a 24-year GLE. The current results suggested that treatment benefits for testicular and colorectal cancer in men with late-stage disease primarily are the result of increases in cure fraction, whereas survival gains for ovarian cancer occur despite persisting disease. Cure models, in combination with population-level data, provide insight into how treatment advances are changing survival and ultimately impacting mortality. Survival patterns reflect the underlying biology of response to cancer treatment and suggest promising directions for future research.

Sacubitril and valsartan fixed combination to reduce heart failure events in post-acute myocardial infarction patients.

PubMed

Zaid Iskandar, M; Lang, C C

2017-10-01

Heart failure is a term used to define a constellation of symptoms and signs that are commonly attributed to the inability of the heart to produce a cardiac output that meets the demands of the body. It remains a deadly disease, affecting between 1-2% of the population, and is more common in the elderly, with around 6-10% of patients over 65 suffering from the condition. Sacubitril/valsartan (LCZ-696) is a combined neprilysin inhibitor and angiotensin AT1 receptor blocker approved in recent years for the treatment of chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. In an area where there have been limited pharmacological advances in the last 10 years, this drug was a game changer and a much welcomed addition to contemporary heart failure therapy. It is currently being studied in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and for the reduction of heart failure events post-acute myocardial infarction. Results from the ongoing PARADISE-MI study are awaited by the global cardiology community with great interest. Copyright 2017 Clarivate Analytics.

Estimating the burden of disease attributable to four selected environmental risk factors in South Africa.

PubMed

Norman, Rosana; Bradshaw, Debbie; Lewin, Simon; Cairncross, Eugene; Nannan, Nadine; Vos, Theo

2010-01-01

The first South African National Burden of Disease study quantified the underlying causes of premature mortality and morbidity experienced in South Africa in the year 2000. This was followed by a Comparative Risk Assessment to estimate the contributions of 17 selected risk factors to burden of disease in South Africa. This paper describes the health impact of exposure to four selected environmental risk factors: unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene; indoor air pollution from household use of solid fuels; urban outdoor air pollution and lead exposure. The study followed World Health Organization comparative risk assessment methodology. Population-attributable fractions were calculated and applied to revised burden of disease estimates (deaths and disability adjusted life years, [DALYs]) from the South African Burden of Disease study to obtain the attributable burden for each selected risk factor. The burden attributable to the joint effect of the four environmental risk factors was also estimated taking into account competing risks and common pathways. Monte Carlo simulation-modeling techniques were used to quantify sampling, uncertainty. Almost 24 000 deaths were attributable to the joint effect of these four environmental risk factors, accounting for 4.6% (95% uncertainty interval 3.8-5.3%) of all deaths in South Africa in 2000. Overall the burden due to these environmental risks was equivalent to 3.7% (95% uncertainty interval 3.4-4.0%) of the total disease burden for South Africa, with unsafe water sanitation and hygiene the main contributor to joint burden. The joint attributable burden was especially high in children under 5 years of age, accounting for 10.8% of total deaths in this age group and 9.7% of burden of disease. This study highlights the public health impact of exposure to environmental risks and the significant burden of preventable disease attributable to exposure to these four major environmental risk factors in South Africa. Evidence-based policies and programs must be developed and implemented to address these risk factors at individual, household, and community levels.

Cancer incidence attributable to lifestyle and environmental factors in Alberta in 2012: summary of results

PubMed Central

Grundy, Anne; Poirier, Abbey E.; Khandwala, Farah; Grevers, Xin; Friedenreich, Christine M.; Brenner, Darren R.

2017-01-01

Background: Estimates of the proportion of cancer cases that can be attributed to modifiable risk factors are not available for Canada and, more specifically, Alberta. The purpose of this study was to estimate the total proportion of cancer cases in Alberta in 2012 that could be attributed to a set of 24 modifiable lifestyle and environmental risk factors. Methods: We estimated summary population attributable risk estimates for 24 risk factors (smoking [both passive and active], overweight and obesity, inadequate physical activity, diet [inadequate fruit and vegetable consumption, inadequate fibre intake, excess red and processed meat consumption, salt consumption, inadequate calcium and vitamin D intake], alcohol, hormones [oral contraceptives and hormone therapy], infections [Epstein-Barr virus, hepatitis B and C viruses, human papillomavirus, Helicobacter pylori], air pollution, natural and artificial ultraviolet radiation, radon and water disinfection by-products) by combining population attributable risk estimates for each of the 24 factors that had been previously estimated. To account for the possibility that individual cancer cases were the result of a combination of multiple risk factors, we subtracted the population attributable risk for the first factor from 100% and then applied the population attributable risk for the second factor to the remaining proportion that was not attributable to the first factor. We repeated this process in sequential order for all relevant exposures. Results: Overall, an estimated 40.8% of cancer cases in Alberta in 2012 were attributable to modifiable lifestyle and environmental risk factors. The largest proportion of cancers were estimated to be attributable to tobacco smoking, physical inactivity and excess body weight. The summary population attributable risk estimate was slightly higher among women (42.4%) than among men (38.7%). Interpretation: About 41% of cancer cases in Alberta may be attributable to known modifiable lifestyle and environmental risk factors. Reducing the prevalence of these factors in the Alberta population has the potential to substantially reduce the provincial cancer burden. PMID:28687643

Using Blocked Fractional Factorial Designs to Construct Discrete Choice Experiments for Health Care Studies

PubMed Central

Jaynes, Jessica; Wong, Weng Kee; Xu, Hongquan

2016-01-01

Discrete choice experiments (DCEs) are increasingly used for studying and quantifying subjects preferences in a wide variety of health care applications. They provide a rich source of data to assess real-life decision making processes, which involve trade-offs between desirable characteristics pertaining to health and health care, and identification of key attributes affecting health care. The choice of the design for a DCE is critical because it determines which attributes’ effects and their interactions are identifiable. We apply blocked fractional factorial designs to construct DCEs and address some identification issues by utilizing the known structure of blocked fractional factorial designs. Our design techniques can be applied to several situations including DCEs where attributes have different number of levels. We demonstrate our design methodology using two health care studies to evaluate (1) asthma patients’ preferences for symptom-based outcome measures, and (2) patient preference for breast screening services. PMID:26823156

Use of Angle Model to Understand Addition and Subtraction of Fractions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mukwambo, Muzwangowenyu; Ngcoza, Kenneth; Ramasike, Lineo Florence

2018-01-01

Learners in lower primary and even some in upper primary grades grapple to perform mathematical operations which involve fractions. Failure to solve these mathematical operations creates a gap in the teaching and learning processes of mathematics. We opine that this is attributed to use of traditional mathematical approaches of teaching and…

Mechanically fractionated flour isolated from green bananas (M. cavendishii var. nanica) as a tool to increase the dietary fiber and phytochemical bioactivity of layer and sponge cakes.

PubMed

Segundo, Cristina; Román, Laura; Gómez, Manuel; Martínez, Mario M

2017-03-15

This article describes the effect of mechanically fractionated flours from green bananas on the nutritional, physical and sensory attributes of two types of cakes (sponge and layer). A plausible 30% replacement of banana flour in the formulation of layer cakes is demonstrated, finding only a small decline in the sensory perception. On the contrary, sponge cakes were noticeable worsened with the use of banana flours (lower specific volume, worse sensory attributes and higher hardness), which was minimized when using fine flour. Both layer and sponge cakes exhibited an enhancement of the resistant starch and dietary fiber content with the replacement of green banana flour (up to a fivefold improvement in RS performance). Moreover, sponge cakes yielded more polyphenols and antioxidant capacity with banana flours, especially with the coarse fraction. Therefore, results showed that a mechanical fractionation allowed a feasible nutritional enhancement of cakes with the use of banana flours. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The outskirts of spiral galaxies: touching stellar halos at z˜0 and z˜1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakos, J.; Trujillo, I.

Taking advantage of ultra-deep imaging of SDSS Stripe82 and the Hubble Ultra Deep Field by HST, we explore the properties of stellar halos at two relevant epochs of cosmic history. At z˜0 we find that the radial surface brightness profiles of disks have a smooth continuation into the stellar halo that starts to affect the surface brightness profiles at mu r'˜28 {mag arcsec-2}, and at a radial distance of gtrsim 4-10 inner scale-lengths. The light contribution of the stellar halo to the total galaxy light varies from ˜1% to ˜5%, but in case of ongoing mergers, the halo light fraction can be as high as ˜10%. The integrated (g'-r') color of the stellar halo of our galaxies range from ˜0.4 to ˜1.2. By confronting these colors with model predictions, these halos can be attributed to moderately aged and metal-poor populations, however the extreme red colors (˜1) cannot be explained by populations of conventional IMFs. Very red halo colors can be attributed to stellar populations dominated by very low mass stars of low to intermediate metallicity produced by bottom-heavy IMFs. At z˜1 stellar halos appear to be ˜2 magnitudes brighter than their local counterparts, meanwhile they exhibit bluer colors ((g'-r')≲0.3 mag), as well. The stellar populations corresponding to these colors are compatible with having ages ≲1 Gyr. This latter observation strongly suggests the possibility that these halos were formed between z˜1 and z˜2. This result matches very well the theoretical predictions that locate most of the formation of the stellar halos at those early epochs. A pure passive evolutionary scenario, where the stellar populations of our high-z haloes simply fade to match the stellar halo properties found in the local universe, is consistent with our data.

Effect of flour particle size on microstructural, rheological and physico-sensory characteristics of bread and south Indian parotta.

PubMed

Sakhare, Suresh D; Inamdar, Aashitosh A; Soumya, C; Indrani, D; Rao, G Venkateswara

2014-12-01

Wheat flour fractioned by sieving into four different particle size fractions namely finer fractions (<75 and 75-118 μm), coarser fractions (118-150 and >150 μm) were analyzed for their chemical, rheological, bread & parotta making characteristics. The finer fractions had lower ash, higher dry gluten, damaged starch and sodium dodecysulphate (SDS)-sedimentation value than the coarser fractions. The flour from finer fractions gave bread with best sensory and textural attributes. The parottas from finer fractions showed significantly higher sensory scores for colour, texture, layers, mouthfeel and overall quality score than the coarser fractions. In the micrograph of finer flour fractions, higher number of loosened single starch granules than the aggregates of starch and protein matrix were seen as compared to coarser fractions. These studies indicate that the flour from the finer fractions produce higher quality bread, parotta owing to the presence of higher damaged starch content, quantity and quality of protein in these fractions than coarser fractions.

Worldwide burden of cancer attributable to HPV by site, country and HPV type

PubMed Central

Plummer, Martyn; Vignat, Jerome; Franceschi, Silvia

2017-01-01

HPV is the cause of almost all cervical cancer and is responsible for a substantial fraction of other anogenital cancers and oropharyngeal cancers. Understanding the HPV‐attributable cancer burden can boost programs of HPV vaccination and HPV‐based cervical screening. Attributable fractions (AFs) and the relative contributions of different HPV types were derived from published studies reporting on the prevalence of transforming HPV infection in cancer tissue. Maps of age‐standardized incidence rates of HPV‐attributable cancers by country from GLOBOCAN 2012 data are shown separately for the cervix, other anogenital tract and head and neck cancers. The relative contribution of HPV16/18 and HPV6/11/16/18/31/33/45/52/58 was also estimated. 4.5% of all cancers worldwide (630,000 new cancer cases per year) are attributable to HPV: 8.6% in women and 0.8% in men. AF in women ranges from <3% in Australia/New Zealand and the USA to >20% in India and sub‐Saharan Africa. Cervix accounts for 83% of HPV‐attributable cancer, two‐thirds of which occur in less developed countries. Other HPV‐attributable anogenital cancer includes 8,500 vulva; 12,000 vagina; 35,000 anus (half occurring in men) and 13,000 penis. In the head and neck, HPV‐attributable cancers represent 38,000 cases of which 21,000 are oropharyngeal cancers occurring in more developed countries. The relative contributions of HPV16/18 and HPV6/11/16/18/31/33/45/52/58 are 73% and 90%, respectively. Universal access to vaccination is the key to avoiding most cases of HPV‐attributable cancer. The preponderant burden of HPV16/18 and the possibility of cross‐protection emphasize the importance of the introduction of more affordable vaccines in less developed countries. PMID:28369882

Proportion of patients in south London with first-episode psychosis attributable to use of high potency cannabis: a case-control study.

PubMed

Di Forti, Marta; Marconi, Arianna; Carra, Elena; Fraietta, Sara; Trotta, Antonella; Bonomo, Matteo; Bianconi, Francesca; Gardner-Sood, Poonam; O'Connor, Jennifer; Russo, Manuela; Stilo, Simona A; Marques, Tiago Reis; Mondelli, Valeria; Dazzan, Paola; Pariante, Carmine; David, Anthony S; Gaughran, Fiona; Atakan, Zerrin; Iyegbe, Conrad; Powell, John; Morgan, Craig; Lynskey, Michael; Murray, Robin M

2015-03-01

The risk of individuals having adverse effects from drug use (eg, alcohol) generally depends on the frequency of use and potency of the drug used. We aimed to investigate how frequent use of skunk-like (high-potency) cannabis in south London affected the association between cannabis and psychotic disorders. We applied adjusted logistic regression models to data from patients aged 18-65 years presenting to South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust with first-episode psychosis and population controls recruited from the same area of south London (UK) to estimate the effect of the frequency of use, and type of cannabis used on the risk of psychotic disorders. We then calculated the proportion of new cases of psychosis attributable to different types of cannabis use in south London. Between May 1, 2005, and May 31, 2011, we obtained data from 410 patients with first-episode psychosis and 370 population controls. The risk of individuals having a psychotic disorder showed a roughly three-times increase in users of skunk-like cannabis compared with those who never used cannabis (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2·92, 95% CI 1·52-3·45, p=0·001). Use of skunk-like cannabis every day conferred the highest risk of psychotic disorders compared with no use of cannabis (adjusted OR 5·4, 95% CI 2·81-11·31, p=0·002). The population attributable fraction of first-episode psychosis for skunk use for our geographical area was 24% (95% CI 17-31), possibly because of the high prevalence of use of high-potency cannabis (218 [53%] of 410 patients) in our study. The ready availability of high potency cannabis in south London might have resulted in a greater proportion of first onset psychosis cases being attributed to cannabis use than in previous studies. UK National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Specialist Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, SLaM and the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London, Psychiatry Research Trust, Maudsley Charity Research Fund, and th European Community's Seventh Framework Program grant (agreement No. HEALTH-F2-2009-241909 [Project EU-GEI]). Copyright © 2015 Di Forti et al. Open Access article distributed under the terms of CC BY. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Measurement Approach to Teaching Fractions: A Design Experiment in a Pre-Service Course for Elementary Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bobos, Georgeana; Sierpinska, Anna

2017-01-01

In this paper, we present a design experiment in a "Teaching Mathematics" course for prospective elementary teachers where we sought to develop a "measurement approach" to fractions. We focus on the conceptualization of the mathematical content of the approach. We attribute our progress in the conceptualization to our efforts…

Selenium Levels in Serum, Red Blood Cells, and Cerebrospinal Fluid of Alzheimer's Disease Patients: A Report from the Australian Imaging, Biomarker & Lifestyle Flagship Study of Ageing (AIBL).

PubMed

Cardoso, Bárbara R; Hare, Dominic J; Bush, Ashley I; Li, Qiao-Xin; Fowler, Christopher J; Masters, Colin L; Martins, Ralph N; Ganio, Katherine; Lothian, Amber; Mukherjee, Soumya; Kapp, Eugene A; Roberts, Blaine R

2017-01-01

Selenium (Se) protects cells against oxidative stress damage through a range of bioactive selenoproteins. Increased oxidative stress is a prominent feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and previous studies have shown that Se deficiency is associated with age-related cognitive decline. In this study, we assessed Se status in different biofluids from a subgroup of participants in the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle Flagship Study of Ageing. As Se in humans can either be an active component of selenoproteins or inactive via non-specific incorporation into other proteins, we used both size exclusion chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (SEC-ICP-MS) and tandem mass spectrometry to characterize selenoproteins in serum. We observed no differences in total Se concentration in serum or cerebrospinal fluid of AD subjects compared to mildly cognitively impairment patients and healthy controls. However, Se levels in erythrocytes were decreased in AD compared to controls. SEC-ICP-MS analysis revealed a dominant Se-containing fraction. This fraction was subjected to standard protein purification and a bottom-up proteomics approach to confirm that the abundant Se in the fraction was due, in part, to selenoprotein P. The lack of change in the Se level is at odds with our previous observations in a Brazilian population deficient in Se, and we attribute this to the Australian cohort being Se-replete.

Probabilistic dietary exposure assessment taking into account variability in both amount and frequency of consumption.

PubMed

Slob, Wout

2006-07-01

Probabilistic dietary exposure assessments that are fully based on Monte Carlo sampling from the raw intake data may not be appropriate. This paper shows that the data should first be analysed by using a statistical model that is able to take the various dimensions of food consumption patterns into account. A (parametric) model is discussed that takes into account the interindividual variation in (daily) consumption frequencies, as well as in amounts consumed. Further, the model can be used to include covariates, such as age, sex, or other individual attributes. Some illustrative examples show how this model may be used to estimate the probability of exceeding an (acute or chronic) exposure limit. These results are compared with the results based on directly counting the fraction of observed intakes exceeding the limit value. This comparison shows that the latter method is not adequate, in particular for the acute exposure situation. A two-step approach for probabilistic (acute) exposure assessment is proposed: first analyse the consumption data by a (parametric) statistical model as discussed in this paper, and then use Monte Carlo techniques for combining the variation in concentrations with the variation in consumption (by sampling from the statistical model). This approach results in an estimate of the fraction of the population as a function of the fraction of days at which the exposure limit is exceeded by the individual.

Expected number of asbestos-related lung cancers in the Netherlands in the next two decades: a comparison of methods.

PubMed

Van der Bij, Sjoukje; Vermeulen, Roel C H; Portengen, Lützen; Moons, Karel G M; Koffijberg, Hendrik

2016-05-01

Exposure to asbestos fibres increases the risk of mesothelioma and lung cancer. Although the vast majority of mesothelioma cases are caused by asbestos exposure, the number of asbestos-related lung cancers is less clear. This number cannot be determined directly as lung cancer causes are not clinically distinguishable but may be estimated using varying modelling methods. We applied three different modelling methods to the Dutch population supplemented with uncertainty ranges (UR) due to uncertainty in model input values. The first method estimated asbestos-related lung cancer cases directly from observed and predicted mesothelioma cases in an age-period-cohort analysis. The second method used evidence on the fraction of lung cancer cases attributable (population attributable risk (PAR)) to asbestos exposure. The third method incorporated risk estimates and population exposure estimates to perform a life table analysis. The three methods varied substantially in incorporated evidence. Moreover, the estimated number of asbestos-related lung cancer cases in the Netherlands between 2011 and 2030 depended crucially on the actual method applied, as the mesothelioma method predicts 17 500 expected cases (UR 7000-57 000), the PAR method predicts 12 150 cases (UR 6700-19 000), and the life table analysis predicts 6800 cases (UR 6800-33 850). The three different methods described resulted in absolute estimates varying by a factor of ∼2.5. These results show that accurate estimation of the impact of asbestos exposure on the lung cancer burden remains a challenge. 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/

Cigarette smoking, educational level and total and site-specific cancer: a cohort study in men in Lithuania.

PubMed

Everatt, Rūta; Kuzmickienė, Irena; Virvičiūtė, Dalia; Tamošiūnas, Abdonas

2014-11-01

Smoking is an established risk factor for cancer. However, most studies have been carried out on western populations, and less is known about the impact in central and eastern Europe. Our objective was to investigate the association between cigarette smoking, educational level and risk of cancer in a Lithuanian population-based cohort study. The study included 6976 men initially free from cancer. During the follow-up (1978-2008), 1780 cancer cases were identified. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). In addition, the burden of cancer attributable to smoking was assessed by the population attributable fraction. Following adjustment for age, education, alcohol consumption and BMI, for current compared with never smokers, highly significant and strongly elevated estimates were found for total (HR=1.79, 95% CI 1.59-2.02), tobacco-related (HR=2.52, 95% CI 2.16-2.95), upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) (HR=5.77, 95% CI 2.73-12.21), lung (HR=10.47, 95% CI 6.74-16.25), bladder (HR=3.31, 95% CI 1.71-6.41) and liver (HR=4.64, 95% CI 1.53-14.08) cancer. Findings suggest a lower risk of prostate cancer in current smokers. In addition, the occurrence of lung and UADT cancer was significantly elevated in men in the lowest educational attainment category. If smoking had not occurred, ∼23% of total cancer, 37% of tobacco-related, 77% of lung, 58% of UADT, 43% of liver and 45% of bladder cancer cases could have been prevented in this cohort of men. Cancer-control strategies focused on reducing smoking should be a public health priority.

Airborne mineral components and trace metals in Paris region: spatial and temporal variability.

PubMed

Poulakis, E; Theodosi, C; Bressi, M; Sciare, J; Ghersi, V; Mihalopoulos, N

2015-10-01

A variety of mineral components (Al, Fe) and trace metals (V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb) were simultaneously measured in PM2.5 and PM10 fractions at three different locations (traffic, urban, and suburban) in the Greater Paris Area (GPA) on a daily basis throughout a year. Mineral species and trace metal levels measured in both fractions are in agreement with those reported in the literature and below the thresholds defined by the European guidelines for toxic metals (Cd, Ni, Pb). Size distribution between PM2.5 and PM10 fractions revealed that mineral components prevail in the coarse mode, while trace metals are mainly confined in the fine one. Enrichment factor analysis, statistical analysis, and seasonal variability suggest that elements such as Mn, Cr, Zn, Fe, and Cu are attributed to traffic, V and Ni to oil combustion while Cd and Pb to industrial activities with regional origin. Meteorological parameters such as rain, boundary layer height (BLH), and air mass origin were found to significantly influence element concentrations. Periods with high frequency of northern and eastern air masses (from high populated and industrialized areas) are characterized by high metal concentrations. Finally, inner city and traffic emissions were also evaluated in PM2.5 fraction. Significant contributions (>50 %) were measured in the traffic site for Mn, Fe, Cr, Zn, and Cu, confirming that vehicle emissions contribute significantly to their levels, while in the urban site, the lower contributions (18 to 33 %) for all measured metals highlight the influence of regional sources on their levels.

Cancers attributable to excess body weight in Canada in 2010.

PubMed

Zakaria, Dianne; Shaw, Amanda

2017-07-01

Excess body weight (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 25.00 kg/m2) is an established risk factor for diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease, but its relationship to cancer is lesser-known. This study used population attributable fractions (PAFs) to estimate the cancer burden attributable to excess body weight in Canadian adults (aged 25+ years) in 2010. We estimated PAFs using relative risk (RR) estimates from the World Cancer Research Fund International Continuous Update Project, BMI-based estimates of overweight (25.00 kg/m2-29.99 kg/m2) and obesity (30.00+ kg/m2) from the 2000-2001 Canadian Community Health Survey, and cancer case counts from the Canadian Cancer Registry. PAFs were based on BMI corrected for the bias in self-reported height and weight. In Canada in 2010, an estimated 9645 cancer cases were attributable to excess body weight, representing 5.7% of all cancer cases (males 4.9%, females 6.5%). When limiting the analysis to types of cancer associated with high BMI, the PAF increased to 14.9% (males 17.5%, females 13.3%). Types of cancer with the highest PAFs were esophageal adenocarcinoma (42.2%), kidney (25.4%), gastric cardia (20.7%), liver (20.5%), colon (20.5%) and gallbladder (20.2%) for males, and esophageal adenocarcinoma (36.1%), uterus (35.2%), gallbladder (23.7%) and kidney (23.0%) for females. Types of cancer with the greatest number of attributable cases were colon (1445), kidney (780) and advanced prostate (515) for males, and uterus (1825), postmenopausal breast (1765) and colon (675) for females. Irrespective of sex or type of cancer, PAFs were highest in the Prairies (except Alberta) and the Atlantic region and lowest in British Columbia and Quebec. The cancer burden attributable to excess body weight is substantial and will continue to rise in the near future because of the rising prevalence of overweight and obesity in Canada.

Alcohol-attributable morbidity and resulting health care costs in Canada in 2002: recommendations for policy and prevention.

PubMed

Taylor, Benjamin; Rehm, Jürgen; Patra, Jayadeep; Popova, Svetlana; Baliunas, Dolly

2007-01-01

Alcohol is one of the most important risk factors for burden of disease, particularly in high-income countries such as Canada. The purpose of this article was to estimate the number of hospitalizations, hospital days, and the resulting costs attributable to alcohol for Canada in 2002. Exposure distribution was taken from the Canadian Addiction Survey and corrected for per capita consumption from production and sales. For chronic disease, risk relations were taken from the published literature and combined with exposure to calculate age- and gender-specific alcohol-attributable fractions. For injury, alcohol-attributable fractions were taken directly from available statistics. Data on the most responsible diagnosis, length of stay for hospitalizations, and costs were obtained from the national Canadian databases. For Canada in 2002, there were 195,970 alcohol-related diagnoses among acute care hospitalizations, 2,058 alcohol-attributable psychiatric hospitalizations, and 183,589 alcohol-attributable admissions to specialized treatment centers. These accounted for 1,246,945 hospital days in acute care facilities, 54,114 hospital days in psychiatric hospitals, and 3,018,688 hospital days in specialized treatment centers (inpatient and outpatient). The main causes of alcohol-attributable morbidity were neuropsychiatric conditions, cardiovascular disease, and unintentional injuries. In total, Can. $2.29 billion were spent on alcohol-related health care. Alcohol poses a heavy burden of disease as well as a financial strain on Canadian society. However, there are evidence-based effective and cost-effective policy and legislative interventions as well as measures to better enforce these laws.

Balancing Selection in Species with Separate Sexes: Insights from Fisher’s Geometric Model

PubMed Central

Connallon, Tim; Clark, Andrew G.

2014-01-01

How common is balancing selection, and what fraction of phenotypic variance is attributable to balanced polymorphisms? Despite decades of research, answers to these questions remain elusive. Moreover, there is no clear theoretical prediction about the frequency with which balancing selection is expected to arise within a population. Here, we use an extension of Fisher’s geometric model of adaptation to predict the probability of balancing selection in a population with separate sexes, wherein polymorphism is potentially maintained by two forms of balancing selection: (1) heterozygote advantage, where heterozygous individuals at a locus have higher fitness than homozygous individuals, and (2) sexually antagonistic selection (a.k.a. intralocus sexual conflict), where the fitness of each sex is maximized by different genotypes at a locus. We show that balancing selection is common under biologically plausible conditions and that sex differences in selection or sex-by-genotype effects of mutations can each increase opportunities for balancing selection. Although heterozygote advantage and sexual antagonism represent alternative mechanisms for maintaining polymorphism, they mutually exist along a balancing selection continuum that depends on population and sex-specific parameters of selection and mutation. Sexual antagonism is the dominant mode of balancing selection across most of this continuum. PMID:24812306

Culture, demographics, and critical care issues: an overview.

PubMed

Núñez, Germán R

2003-10-01

The population dynamic and the immigration trends in the United States continue to challenge health care professionals who each day must serve an increasingly diverse population. Today's physicians must not only have a solid background in medical sciences but they must also have knowledge of how culture, race, and ethnicity impact how patients view and accept traditional Western practices. Whether doctors and patients are close in the "context spectrum" will often determine their ability to communicate beyond the spoken language. According to a report of the American Medical Association, by the year 2000, out of a total 812,770 physicians, only 2.5% were Black, 3.5% Hispanic, and 8.9% Asian. Only a fraction of a percent was American Native/Alaskan Native. Therefore, the majority of the physicians are Caucasian, and it could be assumed that they would likely be accustomed to high-context communication styles. The gross of the demographic changes and population increases in the United States during the past 10 years can be attributed to immigration from regions of the world where low-context communication styles are prevalent. Such differences between physicians and patients can create difficult, tense situations in an already charged atmosphere as can be that of a critical care unit.

Failure of rabbit neutrophils to secrete endogenous pyrogen when stimulated with staphylococci.

PubMed

Hanson, D F; Murphy, P A; Windle, B E

1980-06-01

Cells obtained from acute peritoneal exudates in rabbits were separated into neutrophil and mononuclear populations by centrifugation on colloidal silica gradients. When these populations were separately incubated in tissue culture medium in the presence of opsonized Staphylococcus epidermidis, endogenous pyrogen was secreted only by the adherent cells of the mononuclear population. Pyrogen production by neutrophils could not have amounted to as much as 1% of the pyrogen produced by macrophages. When mononuclear cells were added back to purified neutrophils, no pyrogen was produced that could not be accounted for by the number of macrophages added. Rabbit blood cells were similarly fractionated on colloidal silica gradients. Again, endogenous pyrogen was made only by the adherent mononuclear population. The neutrophils isolated on these gradients appeared to be morphologically normal and were 85% viable as judged by dye exclusion. They showed normal random motility. Both blood and exudate neutrophils responded chemotactically to N-formyl Met-Leu-Phe, and blood neutrophils responded chemotactically to zymosan-activated serum. Both kinds of neutrophils phagocytosed zymosan particles and both killed opsonized S. epidermidis in a roller tube system. Both blood and exudate neutrophils showed normal superoxide production when stimulated with opsonized zymosan particles. This evidence suggests that macrophages are the only source of endogenous pyrogens, and that pyrogens secreted by cell populations that are rich in neutrophils are to be attributed to the monocytes or macrophages that they contain.

Failure of rabbit neutrophils to secrete endogenous pyrogen when stimulated with staphylococci

PubMed Central

1980-01-01

Cells obtained from acute peritoneal exudates in rabbits were separated into neutrophil and mononuclear populations by centrifugation on colloidal silica gradients. When these populations were separately incubated in tissue culture medium in the presence of opsonized Staphylococcus epidermidis, endogenous pyrogen was secreted only by the adherent cells of the mononuclear population. Pyrogen production by neutrophils could not have amounted to as much as 1% of the pyrogen produced by macrophages. When mononuclear cells were added back to purified neutrophils, no pyrogen was produced that could not be accounted for by the number of macrophages added. Rabbit blood cells were similarly fractionated on colloidal silica gradients. Again, endogenous pyrogen was made only by the adherent mononuclear population. The neutrophils isolated on these gradients appeared to be morphologically normal and were 85% viable as judged by dye exclusion. They showed normal random motility. Both blood and exudate neutrophils responded chemotactically to N-formyl Met-Leu-Phe, and blood neutrophils responded chemotactically to zymosan-activated serum. Both kinds of neutrophils phagocytosed zymosan particles and both killed opsonized S. epidermidis in a roller tube system. Both blood and exudate neutrophils showed normal superoxide production when stimulated with opsonized zymosan particles. This evidence suggests that macrophages are the only source of endogenous pyrogens, and that pyrogens secreted by cell populations that are rich in neutrophils are to be attributed to the monocytes or macrophages that they contain. PMID:6247413

The impact of dietary habits and metabolic risk factors on cardiovascular and diabetes mortality in countries of the Middle East and North Africa in 2010: a comparative risk assessment analysis

PubMed Central

Afshin, Ashkan; Micha, Renata; Khatibzadeh, Shahab; Fahimi, Saman; Shi, Peilin; Powles, John; Singh, Gitanjali; Yakoob, Mohammad Yawar; Abdollahi, Morteza; Al-Hooti, Suad; Farzadfar, Farshad; Houshiar-rad, Anahita; Hwalla, Nahla; Koksal, Eda; Musaiger, Abdulrahman; Pekcan, Gulden; Sibai, Abla Mehio; Zaghloul, Sahar; Danaei, Goodarz; Ezzati, Majid; Mozaffarian, Dariush

2015-01-01

Objective/design We conducted a comparative risk assessment analysis to estimate the cardiometabolic disease (CMD) mortality attributable to 11 dietary and 4 metabolic risk factors in 20 countries of the Middle East by age, sex and time. The national exposure distributions were obtained from a systematic search of multiple databases. Missing exposure data were estimated using a multilevel Bayesian hierarchical model. The aetiological effect of each risk factor on disease-specific mortality was obtained from clinical trials and observational studies. The number of disease-specific deaths was obtained from the 2010 Global Burden of Disease mortality database. Mortality due to each risk factor was determined using the population attributable fraction and total number of disease-specific deaths. Setting/population Adult population in the Middle East by age, sex, country and time. Results Suboptimal diet was the leading risk factor for CMD mortality in 11 countries accounting for 48% (in Morocco) to 72% (in the United Arab Emirates) of CMD deaths. Non-optimal systolic blood pressure was the leading risk factor for CMD deaths in eight countries causing 45% (in Bahrain) to 68% (in Libya) of CMD deaths. Non-optimal body mass index and fasting plasma glucose were the third and fourth leading risk factors for CMD mortality in most countries. Among individual dietary factors, low intake of fruits accounted for 8% (in Jordan) to 21% (in Palestine) of CMD deaths and low intake of whole grains was responsible for 7% (in Palestine) to 22% (in the United Arab Emirates) of CMD deaths. Between 1990 and 2010, the CMD mortality attributable to most risk factors had decreased except for body mass index and trans-fatty acids. Conclusions Our findings highlight key similarities and differences in the impact of the dietary and metabolic risk factors on CMD mortality in the countries of the Middle East and inform priorities for policy measures to prevent CMD. PMID:25995236

Risk factor modifications and depression incidence: a 4-year longitudinal Canadian cohort of the Montreal Catchment Area Study.

PubMed

Meng, Xiangfei; Brunet, Alain; Turecki, Gustavo; Liu, Aihua; D'Arcy, Carl; Caron, Jean

2017-06-10

Few studies have examined the effect of risk factor modifications on depression incidence. This study was to explore psychosocial risk factors for depression and quantify the effect of risk factor modifications on depression incidence in a large-scale, longitudinal population-based study. Data were from the Montreal Longitudinal Catchment Area study (N=2433). Multivariate modified Poisson regression was used to estimate relative risk (RR). Population attributable fractions were also used to estimate the potential impact of risk factor modifications on depression incidence. The cumulative incidence rate of major depressive disorder at the 2-year follow-up was 4.8%, and 6.6% at the 4-year follow-up. Being a younger adult, female, widowed, separated or divorced, Caucasian, poor, occasional drinker, having a family history of mental health problems, having less education and living in areas with higher unemployment rates and higher proportions of visible minorities, more cultural community centres and community organisations, were consistently associated with the increased risk of incident major depressive disorder. Although only 5.1% of the disease incidence was potentially attributable to occasional drinking (vs abstainers) at the 2-year follow-up, the attribution of occasional drinking doubled at the 4-year follow-up. A 10% reduction in the prevalence of occasional drinking in this population could potentially prevent half of incident cases. Modifiable risk factors, both individual and societal, could be the targets for public depression prevention programmes. These programmes should also be gender-specific, as different risk factors have been identified for men and women. Public health preventions at individual levels could focus on the better management of occasional drinking, as it explained around 5%~10% of incident major depressive disorders. Neighbourhood characteristics could also be the target for public prevention programmes. However, this could be very challenging. A cost-effectiveness analysis of a variety of prevention efforts is warranted. © 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.

Individuals versus organisms versus populations in the definition of ecological assessment endpoints.

PubMed

Suter, Glenn W; Norton, Susan B; Fairbrother, Anne

2005-11-01

Discussions and applications of the policies and practices of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) in ecological risk assessment will benefit from continued clarification of the concepts of assessment endpoints and of levels of biological organization. First, assessment endpoint entities and attributes can be defined at different levels of organization. Hence, an organism-level attribute, such as growth or survival, can be applied collectively to a population-level entity such as the brook trout in a stream. Second, assessment endpoints for ecological risk assessment are often mistakenly described as "individual level," which leads to the idea that such assessments are intended to protect individuals. Finally, populations play a more important role in risk assessments than is generally recognized. Organism-level attributes are used primarily for population-level assessments. In addition, the USEPA and other agencies already are basing management decisions on population or community entities and attributes such as production of fisheries, abundance of migratory bird populations, and aquatic community composition.

Quantifying the global contribution of alcohol consumption to cardiomyopathy.

PubMed

Manthey, Jakob; Imtiaz, Sameer; Neufeld, Maria; Rylett, Margaret; Rehm, Jürgen

2017-05-25

The global impact of alcohol consumption on deaths due to cardiomyopathy (CM) has not been quantified to date, even though CM contains a subcategory for alcoholic CM with an effect of heavy drinking over time as the postulated underlying causal mechanism. In this feasibility study, a model to estimate the alcohol-attributable fraction (AAF) of CM deaths based on alcohol exposure measures is proposed. A two-step model was developed based on aggregate-level data from 95 countries, including the most populous (data from 2013 or last available year). First, the crude mortality rate of alcoholic CM per 1,000,000 adults was predicted using a negative binomial regression based on prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUD) and adult alcohol per capita consumption (APC) (n = 52 countries). Second, the proportion of alcoholic CM among all CM deaths (i.e., AAF) was predicted using a fractional response probit regression with alcoholic CM crude mortality rate (from Step 1), AUD prevalence, APC per drinker, and Global Burden of Disease region as predictions. Additional models repeated these steps by sex and for the wider Global Burden of Disease study definition of CM. There were strong correlations (>0.9) between the crude mortality rate of alcoholic CM and the AAFs, supporting the modeling strategy. In the first step, the population-weighted mean crude mortality rate was estimated at 8.4 alcoholic CM deaths per 1,000,000 (95% CI: 7.4-9.3). In the second step, the global AAFs were estimated at 6.9% (95% CI: 5.4-8.4%). Sex-specific figures suggested a lower AAF among females (2.9%, 95% CI: 2.3-3.4%) as compared to males (8.9%, 95% CI: 7.0-10.7%). Larger deviations between observed and predicted AAFs were found in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The model proposed promises to fill the gap to include AAFs for CM into comparative risk assessments in the future. These predictions likely will be underestimates because of the stigma involved in all fully alcohol-attributable conditions and subsequent problems in coding of alcoholic CM deaths.

Estimated Global, Regional, and National Disease Burdens Related to Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption in 2010.

PubMed

Singh, Gitanjali M; Micha, Renata; Khatibzadeh, Shahab; Lim, Stephen; Ezzati, Majid; Mozaffarian, Dariush

2015-08-25

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are consumed globally and contribute to adiposity. However, the worldwide impact of SSBs on burdens of adiposity-related cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), cancers, and diabetes mellitus has not been assessed by nation, age, and sex. We modeled global, regional, and national burdens of disease associated with SSB consumption by age/sex in 2010. Data on SSB consumption levels were pooled from national dietary surveys worldwide. The effects of SSB intake on body mass index and diabetes mellitus, and of elevated body mass index on CVD, diabetes mellitus, and cancers were derived from large prospective cohort pooling studies. Disease-specific mortality/morbidity data were obtained from Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors 2010 Study. We computed cause-specific population-attributable fractions for SSB consumption, which were multiplied by cause-specific mortality/morbidity to compute estimates of SSB-attributable death/disability. Analyses were done by country/age/sex; uncertainties of all input data were propagated into final estimates. Worldwide, the model estimated 184 000 (95% uncertainty interval, 161 000-208 000) deaths/y attributable to SSB consumption: 133 000 (126 000-139 000) from diabetes mellitus, 45 000 (26 000-61 000) from CVD, and 6450 (4300-8600) from cancers. Five percent of SSB-related deaths occurred in low-income, 70.9% in middle-income, and 24.1% in high-income countries. Proportional mortality attributable to SSBs ranged from <1% in Japanese >65 years if age to 30% in Mexicans <45 years of age. Among the 20 most populous countries, Mexico had largest absolute (405 deaths/million adults) and proportional (12.1%) deaths from SSBs. A total of 8.5 (2.8, 19.2) million disability-adjusted life years were related to SSB intake (4.5% of diabetes mellitus-related disability-adjusted life years). SSBs are a single, modifiable component of diet that can impact preventable death/disability in adults in high-, middle-, and low-income countries, indicating an urgent need for strong global prevention programs. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Estimating the Public Health Impact of Air Pollution for Informing Policy in the Twin Cities: A Minnesota Tracking Collaboration.

PubMed

Johnson, Jean E; Bael, David L; Sample, Jeannette M; Lindgren, Paula G; Kvale, Dorian L

The Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency used local air pollution and public health data to estimate the impacts of particulate matter and ozone on population health, to identify disparities, and to inform decisions that will improve health. While air quality in Minnesota currently meets federal standards, urban communities are concerned about the impact of air pollution on their health. The Twin Cities (Minneapolis-St Paul) metropolitan area includes 7 counties where fine particulate levels and rates of asthma exacerbations are elevated in some communities. We used the Environmental Protection Agency's BenMAP (Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program) software, along with local PM2.5 (fine particulate) and ozone ambient concentrations, census and population health data, to calculate impacts for 2008 at the zip code level. The impacts were summed across all zip codes for area-wide estimates. American Community Survey data were used to stratify zip codes by poverty and race for assessment of disparities. Attributable fraction, attributable rate and counts for all-cause mortality, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease hospitalizations, asthma emergency department (ED) visits, and cardiovascular disease hospitalizations. In the Twin Cities (2008), air pollution was a contributing cause for an estimated 2% to 5% of respiratory and cardiovascular hospitalizations and ED visits and between 6% and 13% of premature deaths. The elderly (aged 65+ years) experienced the highest air pollution-attributable rates of death and respiratory hospitalizations; children experienced the highest asthma ED visit rates. Geographical and demographic differences in air pollution-attributable health impacts across the region reflected the differences in the underlying morbidity and mortality rates. Method was effective in demonstrating that changes in air quality can have quantifiable health impacts across the Twin Cities. Key messages and implications from this work were shared with the media, community groups, legislators and the public. The results are being used to inform initiatives aimed at reducing sources of air pollution and to address health disparities in urban communities.

Prospective association of the Mediterranean diet with cardiovascular disease incidence and mortality and its population impact in a non-Mediterranean population: the EPIC-Norfolk study.

PubMed

Tong, Tammy Y N; Wareham, Nicholas J; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Imamura, Fumiaki; Forouhi, Nita G

2016-09-29

Despite convincing evidence in the Mediterranean region, the cardiovascular benefit of the Mediterranean diet is not well established in non-Mediterranean countries and the optimal criteria for defining adherence are unclear. The population attributable fraction (PAF) of adherence to this diet is also unknown. In the UK-based EPIC-Norfolk prospective cohort, we evaluated habitual diets assessed at baseline (1993-1997) and during follow-up (1998-2000) using food-frequency questionnaires (n = 23,902). We estimated a Mediterranean diet score (MDS) using cut-points projected from the Mediterranean dietary pyramid, and also three other pre-existing MDSs. Using multivariable-adjusted Cox regression with repeated measures of MDS and covariates, we examined prospective associations between each MDS with incident cardiovascular diseases (CVD) by 2009 and mortality by 2013, and estimated PAF for each outcome attributable to low MDS. We observed 7606 incident CVD events (2818/100,000 person-years) and 1714 CVD deaths (448/100,000). The MDS based on the Mediterranean dietary pyramid was significantly associated with lower incidence of the cardiovascular outcomes, with hazard ratios (95 % confidence intervals) of 0.95 (0.92-0.97) per one standard deviation for incident CVD and 0.91 (0.87-0.96) for CVD mortality. Associations were similar for composite incident ischaemic heart disease and all-cause mortality. Other pre-existing MDSs showed similar, but more modest associations. PAF due to low dietary pyramid based MDS (<95th percentile) was 3.9 % (1.3-6.5 %) for total incident CVD and 12.5 % (4.5-20.6 %) for CVD mortality. Greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet was associated with lower CVD incidence and mortality in the UK. This diet has an important population health impact for the prevention of CVD.

Review of field studies of aircraft noise-induced sleep disturbance.

PubMed

Michaud, David S; Fidell, Sanford; Pearsons, Karl; Campbell, Kenneth C; Keith, Stephen E

2007-01-01

Aircraft noise-induced sleep disturbance (AN-ISD) is potentially among the more serious effects of aircraft noise on people. This literature review of recent field studies of AN-ISD finds that reliable generalization of findings to population-level effects is complicated by individual differences among subjects, methodological and analytic differences among studies, and predictive relationships that account for only a small fraction of the variance in the relationship between noise exposure and sleep disturbance. It is nonetheless apparent in the studied circumstances of residential exposure that sleep disturbance effects of nighttime aircraft noise intrusions are not dramatic on a per-event basis, and that linkages between outdoor aircraft noise exposure and sleep disturbance are tenuous. It is also apparent that AN-ISD occurs more often during later than earlier parts of the night; that indoor sound levels are more closely associated with sleep disturbance than outdoor measures; and that spontaneous awakenings, or awakenings attributable to nonaircraft indoor noises, occur more often than awakenings attributed to aircraft noise. Predictions of sleep disturbance due to aircraft noise should not be based on over-simplifications of the findings of the reviewed studies, and these reports should be treated with caution in developing regulatory policy for aircraft noise.

Occupational Lymphohematopoietic Cancer in Korea

PubMed Central

Lee, Won Jin; Son, Mia; Kang, Seong-Kyu

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to review the existing studies on lymphohematopoietic (LHP) cancer in Korea, estimate the prevalence of workers exposed to carcinogens, and determine the population attributable fraction (PAF) of leukemia. Two case series and 4 case reports were reviewed. Using official statistics, the prevalence of benzene exposure and ionizing radiation exposure was estimated. Based on the prevalence of exposure and the relative risk, The PAF of leukemia was calculated. Between 1996 and 2005, 51 cases of LHP cancer were reported from the compensation system. Greater than 50% of occupational LHP cancer was leukemia, and the most important cause was benzene. In a cohort study, the standardized incidence ratio was 2.71 (95% CI, 0.56-7.91). The prevalence of exposure was 2.5% and 2.2% in 1995 and 2000, respectively. Using the 1995 prevalence, 3.6-4.8% and 0.1% of cases with leukemia were attributable to benzene and ionizing radiation exposure, respectively, which resulted in 39.7-51.4 cases per year. Benzene is the most important cause of occupational leukemia in Korea. Considering the estimated PAF in this study, the annual number of occupational LHP cancer (51 cases during 10-yr period), might be underreported within the compensation system. PMID:21258598

Prevalence of and factors associated with male perpetration of intimate partner violence: findings from the UN Multi-country Cross-sectional Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific.

PubMed

Fulu, Emma; Jewkes, Rachel; Roselli, Tim; Garcia-Moreno, Claudia

2013-10-01

Male perpetration of intimate partner violence (IPV) is under-researched. In this Article, we present data for the prevalence of, and factors associated with, male perpetration of IPV from the UN Multi-country Cross-sectional Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of perpetration of partner violence, identify factors associated with perpetration of different forms of violence, and inform prevention strategies. We undertook standardised population-based household surveys with a multistage representative sample of men aged 18-49 years in nine sites in Bangladesh, China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Papua New Guinea between January, 2011, and December, 2012. We built multinomial regression models of factors associated with lifetime violence perpetration: physical IPV, sexual IPV, both physical and sexual IPV, multiple emotional or economic IPV versus none, and calculated population-attributable fractions. In the analysis, we considered factors related to social characteristics, gender attitudes and relationship practices, victimisation history, psychological factors, substance misuse, and participation in violence outside the home. 10,178 men completed interviews in our study (between 815 and 1812 per site). The response rate was higher than 82·5% in all sites except for urban Bangladesh (73·2%) and Sri Lanka (58·7%). The prevalence of physical or sexual IPV perpetration, or both, varied by site, between 25·4% (190/746; rural Indonesia) and 80·0% (572/714; Bougainville, Papua New Guinea). When multiple emotional or economic abuse was included, the prevalence of IPV perpetration ranged from 39·3% (409/1040; Sri Lanka) to 87·3% (623/714; Bougainville, Papua New Guinea). Factors associated with IPV perpetration varied by country and type of violence. On the basis of population-attributable fractions, we show factors related to gender and relationship practices to be most important, followed by experiences of childhood trauma, alcohol misuse and depression, low education, poverty, and involvement in gangs and fights with weapons. Perpetration of IPV by men is highly prevalent in the general population in the sites studied. Prevention of IPV is crucial, and interventions should address gender socialisation and power relations, abuse in childhood, mental health issues, and poverty. Interventions should be tailored to respond to the specific patterns of violence in various contexts. Physical and sexual partner violence might need to be addressed in different ways. Partners for Prevention--a UN Development Programme, UN Population Fund, UN Women, and UN Volunteers regional joint programme for gender-based violence prevention in Asia and the Pacific; UN Population Fund Bangladesh and China; UN Women Cambodia and Indonesia; UN Development Programme in Papua New Guinea and Pacific Centre; and the Governments of Australia, the UK, Norway, and Sweden. Copyright © 2013 Fulu et al. Open Access article distributed under the terms of CC BY-NC-ND. Published by .. All rights reserved.

Current Perspectives on Systemic Hypertension in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction.

PubMed

Tam, Marty C; Lee, Ran; Cascino, Thomas M; Konerman, Matthew C; Hummel, Scott L

2017-02-01

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a prevalent but incompletely understood syndrome. Traditional models of HFpEF pathophysiology revolve around systemic HTN and other causes of increased left ventricular afterload leading to left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and diastolic dysfunction. However, emerging models attribute the development of HFpEF to systemic proinflammatory changes secondary to common comorbidities which include HTN. Alterations in passive ventricular stiffness, ventricular-arterial coupling, peripheral microvascular function, systolic reserve, and chronotropic response occur. As a result, HFpEF is heterogeneous in nature, making it difficult to prescribe uniform therapies to all patients. Nonetheless, treating systemic HTN remains a cornerstone of HFpEF management. Antihypertensive therapies have been linked to LVH regression and improvement in diastolic dysfunction. However, to date, no therapies have definitive mortality benefit in HFpEF. Non-pharmacologic management for HTN, including dietary modification, exercise, and treating sleep disordered breathing, may provide some morbidity benefit in the HFpEF population. Future research is need to identify effective treatments, perhaps in more specific subgroups, and focus may need to shift from reducing mortality to improving exercise capacity and symptoms. Tailoring antihypertensive therapies to specific phenotypes of HFpEF may be an important component of this strategy.

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

Tammas-Williams, S., E-mail: Samuel.tammas-wiliams@manchester.ac.uk; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD; Zhao, H.

Selective Electron Beam Melting (SEBM) is a promising powder bed Additive Manufacturing technique for near-net-shape manufacture of high-value titanium components. However without post-manufacture HIPing the fatigue life of SEBM parts is currently dominated by the presence of porosity. In this study, the size, volume fraction, and spatial distribution of the pores in model samples have been characterised in 3D, using X-ray Computed Tomography, and correlated to the process variables. The average volume fraction of the pores (< 0.2%) was measured to be lower than that usually observed in competing processes, such as selective laser melting, but a strong relationship wasmore » found with the different beam strategies used to contour, and infill by hatching, a part section. The majority of pores were found to be small spherical gas pores, concentrated in the infill hatched region; this was attributed to the lower energy density and less focused beam used in the infill strategy allowing less opportunity for gas bubbles to escape the melt pool. Overall, increasing the energy density or focus of the beam was found to correlate strongly to a reduction in the level of gas porosity. Rarer irregular shaped pores were mostly located in the contour region and have been attributed to a lack of fusion between powder particles. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • Vast majority of defects detected were small spherical gas pores. • Gas bubbles trapped in the powder granules expand and coalesce in the melt pool. • Pores have been shown not to be randomly distributed. • Larger and deeper melt pools give more opportunity for gas to escape. • Minor changes to melt strategy result in significant reductions in pore population.« less

Sedentary behaviour and physical activity in South Asian women: time to review current recommendations?

PubMed

Waidyatilaka, Indu; Lanerolle, Pulani; Wickremasinghe, Rajitha; Atukorala, Sunethra; Somasundaram, Noel; de Silva, Angela

2013-01-01

Our aims were to describe activity and sedentary behaviours in urban Asian women, with dysglycaemia (diagnosed at recruitment), and without dysglycaemia and examine the relative contribution of these parameters to their glycaemic status. 2800 urban women (30-45 years) were selected by random cluster sampling and screened for dysglycaemia for a final sample of 272 newly diagnosed, drug naive dysglycaemic and 345 normoglycaemic women. Physical activity and sedentary behaviours were assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Demographic data, diet and anthropometry were recorded. Logistic regression analysis assessed contribution of all parameters to dysglycaemia and exposure attributable fractions were calculated. The mean energy expenditure on walking (2648.5±1023.7 MET-min/week) and on moderate and vigorous physical activity (4342.3±1768.1 MET-min/week) for normoglycemic women and dysglycaemic women (walking;1046.4±728.4 MET-min/week, moderate and vigorous physical activity; 1086.7±1184.4 MET-min/week) was above the recommended amount of physical activity per week. 94.3% of women spent >1000 MET-minutes/week on activity. Mean sitting and TV time for normoglycaemic and dysglycaemic women were 154.3±62.8, 38.4±31.9, 312.6±116.7 and 140.2±56.5 minutes per day respectively. Physical activity and sedentary behaviour contributed to dysglycaemia after adjustment for family history, diet, systolic blood pressure and Body Mass Index. Exposure attributable fractions for dysglycaemia were; lower physical activity: 78%, higher waist circumference: 94%, and TV viewing time: 85%. Urban South Asian women are at risk of dysglycaemia at lower levels of sedentary behaviour and greater physical activity than western populations, indicating the need for re-visiting current physical activity guidelines for South Asians.

Aircraft noise around a large international airport and its impact on general health and medication use

PubMed Central

Franssen, E; van Wiechen, C M A G; Nagelkerke, N; Lebret, E

2004-01-01

Aims: To assess the prevalence of general health status, use of sleep medication, and use of medication for cardiovascular diseases, and to study their relation to aircraft noise exposure. Methods: These health indicators were measured by a cross-sectional survey among 11 812 respondents living within a radius of 25 km around Schiphol airport (Amsterdam). Results: Adjusted odds ratios ranged from 1.02 to 2.34 per 10 dB(A) increase in Lden. The associations were statistically significant for all indicators, except for use of prescribed sleep medication or sedatives and frequent use of this medication. None of the health indicators were associated with aircraft noise exposure during the night, but use of non-prescribed sleep medication or sedatives was associated with aircraft noise exposure during the late evening (OR = 1.72). Vitality related health complaints such as tiredness and headache were associated with aircraft noise, whereas most other physical complaints were not. Odds ratios for the vitality related complaints ranged from 1.16 to 1.47 per 10 dB(A) increase in Lden. A small fraction of the prevalence of poor self rated health (0.13), medication for cardiovascular diseases or increased blood pressure (0.08), and sleep medication or sedatives (0.22) could be attributed to aircraft noise. Although the attributable fraction was highest in the governmentally noise regulated area, aircraft noise had more impact in the non-regulated area, due to the larger population. Conclusions: Results suggest associations between community exposure to aircraft noise and the health indicators poor general health status, use of sleep medication, and use of medication for cardiovascular diseases. PMID:15090660

Estrogenic activity of isoflavonoids from the stem bark of the tropical tree Amphimas pterocarpoides, a source of traditional medicines.

PubMed

Tchoumtchoua, Job; Makropoulou, Maria; Ateba, Sylvain Benjamin; Boulaka, Athina; Halabalaki, Maria; Lambrinidis, George; Meligova, Aggeliki K; Mbanya, Jean Claude; Mikros, Emmanuel; Skaltsounis, Alexios-Leandros; Mitsiou, Dimitra J; Njamen, Dieudonne; Alexis, Michael N

2016-04-01

Various preparations of the African tree Amphimas pterocarpoides Harms are traditionally used to treat endocrine- related adverse health conditions. In the ovariectomized rat, the enriched in phenolics fraction of the methanol extract of stem bark of A. pterocarpoides acted as vaginotrophic agent of considerably weaker uterotrophic activity compared to estradiol. Evaluation of the fraction and 11 isoflavonoids isolated therefrom using Ishikawa cells and estrogen receptor (ER) isotype-specific reporter cells suggested that the estrogenic activity of the fraction could be attributed primarily to daidzein and dihydroglycitein and secondarily to glycitein. The potency-based selectivity of daidzein, dihydroglycitein and glycitein for gene expression through ERβ versus ERα, expressed relative to estradiol, was 37, 27 and 20, respectively. However, the rank order of relative-to-estradiol potencies of induction of alkaline phosphatase in Ishikawa cells, a reliable marker of estrogenic activity, was daidzein>dihydroglycitein>glycitein. The considerably higher estrogenic activity of dihydroglycitein compared to glycitein could be attributed to the partial agonist/antagonist activity of dihydroglycitein through ERβ. Calculation of theoretical free energies of binding predicted the partial agonism/antagonism of dihydroglycitein through ERβ. The fraction and the isolated isoflavonoids promoted lactogenic differentiation of HC11 mammary epithelial cells at least as effectively as premenopausal levels of estradiol. This data suggests that the estrogenic activity of the fraction likely depends on the metabolism of glycitein to dihydroglycitein; that the fraction could exert vaginotrophic activity likely without challenging endocrine cancer risk more than estrogen-alone supplementation; and that the fraction's safety for the reproductive track warrants a more detailed evaluation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A prospective cohort study on hospital mortality due to Clostridium difficile infection.

PubMed

Wenisch, J M; Schmid, D; Tucek, G; Kuo, H-W; Allerberger, F; Michl, V; Tesik, P; Laferl, H; Wenisch, C

2012-10-01

Although an increase in burden of disease has frequently been reported for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), specific data on the effect of CDI on a patient's risk of death or overall hospital mortality are scarce. Therefore, we performed a prospective cohort study to analyse the effect of CDI on the risk of pre-discharge all-cause death in all inpatients with CDI compared to all inpatients without CDI during 2009 in a single hospital. Clostridium difficile infection was defined as by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Data were collected from the medical charts of CDI patients and from the hospital discharge data of non-CDI and CDI patients. The effect measures of CDI used to compute the risk of pre-discharge all-cause death were risk ratio, attributable risk, mortality fraction (%) and population attributable risk percentage. Co-morbidity was categorized using the Charlson co-morbidity score in which a value of ≤2 was defined as low co-morbidity and that of >2 as moderate/severe co-morbidity. A stratified analysis and a Poisson regression model were applied to adjust for the effects of the risk factors sex, age and severity of co-morbidity. A total of 185 hospitalized patients with CDI were compared to 38,644 other hospitalized patients without CDI admitted between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2009. The mean age of the CDI and non-CDI patients was 74.3 (range 72.3-76.4) and 51.9 (range 51.6-52.1) years, respectively. Of the 185 CDI, 136 (73.5%) and 49 (26.5%) were categorized with low and high co-morbidity, respectively, versus 32,107 (83.4%) and 6,352 (16.5%), respectively, in non-CDI patients. Overall, 24 of the 185 CDI patients (13%) versus 1,021 of the 38,459 non-CDI patients (2.7%) died during their hospital stay, resulting in a relative risk of pre-discharge death of 4.89 [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.35-7.13] for CDI patients, a CDI attributable risk of death of 10.3 per 100 patients and a CDI attributable fraction of 79.5 % (95% CI 70.1-86 %). After adjustment for age, sex and co-morbidity the relative risk of pre-discharge death was 2.74 (95% CI 1.82-4.10; p < 0.0001) for patients with CDI, and the proportion of hospital deaths due to CDI was 1.72 (95% CI 1.22-2.05). The results of this study lead to the conclusion that hospitalized patients with CDI are--independent of age, sex and co-morbidity severity--2.74-fold more likely to die during their hospital stay than all other hospitalized patients. The eradication of CDI in the hospital could have prevented 1.72% of in-hospital deaths in our study population during the 1 year of the study.

Anti-tumour potential of a gallic acid-containing phenolic fraction from Oenothera biennis.

PubMed

Pellegrina, Chiara Dalla; Padovani, Giorgia; Mainente, Federica; Zoccatelli, Gianni; Bissoli, Gaetano; Mosconi, Silvia; Veneri, Gianluca; Peruffo, Angelo; Andrighetto, Giancarlo; Rizzi, Corrado; Chignola, Roberto

2005-08-08

A phenolic fraction purified form defatted seeds of Oenothera biennis promoted selective apoptosis of human and mouse bone marrow-derived cell lines following first-order kinetics through a caspase-dependent pathway. In non-leukemia tumour cell lines, such as human colon carcinoma CaCo(2) cells and mouse fibrosarcoma WEHI164 cells, this fraction inhibited (3)H-thymidine incorporation but not cell death or cell cycle arrest. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells showed low sensitivity to treatment. Single bolus injection of the phenolic fraction could delay the growth of established myeloma tumours in syngeneic animals. HPLC and mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the fraction contains gallic acid. However, the biological activity of the fraction differs from the activity of this phenol and hence it should be attributed to other co-purified molecules which remain still unidentified.

Predicting poverty and wealth from mobile phone metadata.

PubMed

Blumenstock, Joshua; Cadamuro, Gabriel; On, Robert

2015-11-27

Accurate and timely estimates of population characteristics are a critical input to social and economic research and policy. In industrialized economies, novel sources of data are enabling new approaches to demographic profiling, but in developing countries, fewer sources of big data exist. We show that an individual's past history of mobile phone use can be used to infer his or her socioeconomic status. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the predicted attributes of millions of individuals can, in turn, accurately reconstruct the distribution of wealth of an entire nation or to infer the asset distribution of microregions composed of just a few households. In resource-constrained environments where censuses and household surveys are rare, this approach creates an option for gathering localized and timely information at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

To what extent does immigration affect inequality?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berman, Yonatan; Aste, Tomaso

2016-11-01

The current surge in income and wealth inequality in most western countries, along with the continuous immigration to those countries demand a quantitative analysis of the effect immigration has on economic inequality. This paper presents a quantitative analysis framework providing a way to calculate this effect. It shows that in most cases, the effect of immigration on wealth and income inequality is limited, mainly due to the relative small scale of immigration waves. For a large scale flow of immigrants, such as the immigration to the US, the UK and Australia in the past few decades, we estimate that 10 % ÷ 15 % of the wealth and income inequality increase can be attributed to immigration. The results demonstrate that immigration could possibly decrease inequality substantially, if the characteristics of the immigrants resemble the characteristics of the destination middle class population in terms of wealth or income. We empirically found that the simple linear relation ΔS = 0.18 ρ roughly describes the increase in the wealth share of the top 10 % due to immigration of a fraction ρ of the population.

Economic costs of childhood lead exposure in low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Attina, Teresa M; Trasande, Leonardo

2013-09-01

Children's blood lead levels have declined worldwide, especially after the removal of lead in gasoline. However, significant exposure remains, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. To date, there have been no global estimates of the costs related to lead exposure in children in developing countries. Our main aim was to estimate the economic costs attributable to childhood lead exposure in low- and middle-income countries. We developed a regression model to estimate mean blood lead levels in our population of interest, represented by each 1-year cohort of children < 5 years of age. We used an environmentally attributable fraction model to estimate lead-attributable economic costs and limited our analysis to the neurodevelopmental impacts of lead, assessed as decrements in IQ points. Our main outcome was lost lifetime economic productivity due to early childhood exposure. We estimated a total cost of $977 billions of international dollars in low- and middle-income countries, with economic losses equal to $134.7 billion in Africa [4.03% of gross domestic product (GDP)], $142.3 billion in Latin America and the Caribbean (2.04% of GDP), and $699.9 billion in Asia (1.88% of GDP). Our sensitivity analysis indicates a total economic loss in the range of $728.6-1162.5 billion. We estimated that, in low- and middle-income countries, the burden associated with childhood lead exposure amounts to 1.20% of world GDP in 2011. For comparison, in the United States and Europe lead-attributable economic costs have been estimated at $50.9 and $55 billion, respectively, suggesting that the largest burden of lead exposure is now borne by low- and middle-income countries.

Smoking-attributable burden of lung cancer in the Philippines.

PubMed

Bilano, Ver Luanni Feliciano; Borja, Maridel P; Cruz, Eduardo L; Tan, Alvin G; Mortera, Lalaine L; Reganit, Paul Ferdinand M

2015-05-01

In the Philippines, smoking is highly prevalent and tobacco control policies fail to fully implement the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control provisions. To aid in policy change, intervention implementation, monitoring and evaluation, this study aimed to provide the first internally consistent and latest Philippine estimates of the following: disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) lost due to lung cancer; population-attributable fractions (PAFs) of smoking; and smoking-attributable lung cancer DALYs. This study applied the Global Burden of Disease and Comparative Risk Assessment frameworks to secondary data, supplemented by expert opinion. A comprehensive internally consistent assessment of disease epidemiology was conducted using DISMOD II and disease impact was quantified as DALYs. PAFs were calculated using the smoking impact ratio and Monte Carlo uncertainty analyses were conducted. For 2008, lung cancer incidence and mortality estimates were 10 871 cases and 9871 deaths respectively. Lung cancer accounted for an estimated 267 787 DALYs lost, 99% of which were due to years of life lost. Overall, the PAF of smoking was 65% and a total of 173 103 DALYs were smoking-attributable. There were increasing trends in incidence, mortality and DALY rates with age. The majority of incidence (72%), mortality (71%) and disease burden (72%) occurred among men, who also had higher PAF estimates. Considerable health gains could be achieved if smoking exposure were reduced in the Philippines. Strong enforcement of measures like increasing taxation to the WHO-endorsed rate, expanding smoke-free environments, and requiring large graphic warnings within a comprehensive tobacco control programme is recommended. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Monte Carlo studies on photon interactions in radiobiological experiments

PubMed Central

Shahmohammadi Beni, Mehrdad; Krstic, D.; Nikezic, D.

2018-01-01

X-ray and γ-ray photons have been widely used for studying radiobiological effects of ionizing radiations. Photons are indirectly ionizing radiations so they need to set in motion electrons (which are a directly ionizing radiation) to perform the ionizations. When the photon dose decreases to below a certain limit, the number of electrons set in motion will become so small that not all cells in an “exposed” cell population can get at least one electron hit. When some cells in a cell population are not hit by a directly ionizing radiation (in other words not irradiated), there will be rescue effect between the irradiated cells and non-irradiated cells, and the resultant radiobiological effect observed for the “exposed” cell population will be different. In the present paper, the mechanisms underlying photon interactions in radiobiological experiments were studied using our developed NRUphoton computer code, which was benchmarked against the MCNP5 code by comparing the photon dose delivered to the cell layer underneath the water medium. The following conclusions were reached: (1) The interaction fractions decreased in the following order: 16O > 12C > 14N > 1H. Bulges in the interaction fractions (versus water medium thickness) were observed, which reflected changes in the energies of the propagating photons due to traversals of different amount of water medium as well as changes in the energy-dependent photon interaction cross-sections. (2) Photoelectric interaction and incoherent scattering dominated for lower-energy (10 keV) and high-energy (100 keV and 1 MeV) incident photons. (3) The fractions of electron ejection from different nuclei were mainly governed by the photoelectric effect cross-sections, and the fractions from the 1s subshell were the largest. (4) The penetration fractions in general decreased with increasing medium thickness, and increased with increasing incident photon energy, the latter being explained by the corresponding reduction in interaction cross-sections. (5) The areas under the angular distribution curves of photons exiting the medium layer and subsequently undergoing interactions within the cell layer became smaller for larger incident photon energies. (6) The number of cells suffering at least one electron hit increased with the administered dose. For larger incident photon energies, the numbers of cells suffering at least one electron hit became smaller, which was attributed to the reduction in the photon interaction cross-section. These results highlighted the importance of the administered dose in radiobiological experiments. In particular, the threshold administered doses at which all cells in the exposed cell array suffered at least one electron hit might provide hints on explaining the intriguing observation that radiation-induced cancers can be statistically detected only above the threshold value of ~100 mSv, and thus on reconciling controversies over the linear no-threshold model. PMID:29561871

IMPACT OF SPECIFIC PHOBIA ON THE RISK OF ONSET OF MENTAL DISORDERS: A 10-YEAR PROSPECTIVE-LONGITUDINAL COMMUNITY STUDY OF ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS.

PubMed

Lieb, Roselind; Miché, Marcel; Gloster, Andrew T; Beesdo-Baum, Katja; Meyer, Andrea H; Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich

2016-07-01

The role of specific phobia as a potentially important psychopathological precursor condition to more severe mental disorders is understudied. We examined the prospective-longitudinal association of early childhood/adolescent phobia with subsequent mental disorders and the proportion of outcome disease incidence attributable to specific phobia simultaneously for a broad range of disorders. N = 2210 14- to 24-year-old community subjects were followed up for 10 years. DSM-IV-specific phobia as exposure and a broad range of DSM-IV mental disorders as outcomes were assessed with the DSM-IV/M-CIDI. Logistic regressions, adjusting for confounders, were used to estimate the associations of specific phobia with the subsequent onset of outcome disorders. Baseline specific phobia predicted the subsequent first onset of anxiety disorders [panic disorder: risk ratio (RR) = 4.38, 95% confidence interval (2.34, 8.21); generalized anxiety disorder: RR = 4.10 (2.19, 7.69); posttraumatic stress disorder: RR = 2.15 (1.13, 4.10); obsessive-compulsive disorder: RR = 3.79 (1.63, 8.82)], affective disorders [major depression: RR = 1.54 (1.16, 2.03); bipolar disorder: RR = 2.20 (1.10, 4.41); dysthymia: RR = 2.75 (1.48, 5.11)], pain disorder: RR = 1.52 (1.14, 2.02), and eating disorders: RR = 2.27 (1.14, 4.51). Population attributable fractions (PAFs; i.e., proportion of outcome disease incidence in the total population attributable to specific phobia) were highest for panic disorder (PAF = 22.9), generalized anxiety disorder (PAF = 32.3), and obsessive-compulsive disorders (PAF = 30.2). This study provides strong evidence that specific phobia is an early onset disorder predicting the subsequent onset of a range of disorders. Future studies should examine the underlying mechanisms and the potential of using specific phobia as a target for prevention of subsequent psychopathology. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Estimated Global, Regional, and National Disease Burdens Related to Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption in 2010

PubMed Central

Singh, Gitanjali M.; Micha, Renata; Khatibzadeh, Shahab; Lim, Stephen; Ezzati, Majid; Mozaffarian, Dariush

2015-01-01

Background Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are consumed globally and contribute to adiposity. However, the worldwide impact of SSBs on burdens of adiposity-related cardiovascular diseases (CVD), cancers, and diabetes has not been assessed by nation, age, and sex. Methods and Results We modeled global, regional, and national burdens of disease associated with SSB consumption by age/sex in 2010. Data on SSB consumption levels were pooled from national dietary surveys worldwide. The effects of SSB intake on BMI and diabetes, and of elevated BMI on CVD, diabetes, and cancers were derived from large prospective cohort pooling studies. Disease-specific mortality/morbidity data were obtained from Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors 2010 Study. We computed cause-specific population-attributable fractions for SSB consumption, which were multiplied by cause-specific mortality/morbidity to compute estimates of SSB-attributable death/disability. Analyses were done by country/age/sex; uncertainties of all input data were propagated into final estimates. Worldwide, the model estimated 184,000(95%UI=161,000–208,000) deaths/year attributable to SSB consumption: 133,000(126,000–139,000) from diabetes, 45,000(26,000–61,000) from CVD, and 6,450(4,300–8,600) from cancers. 5.0% of SSB-related deaths occurred in low-income, 70.9% in middle-income, and 24.1% in high-income countries. Proportional mortality due to SSBs ranged from <1% in Japanese >65y to 30% in Mexicans <45y. Among the 20 most populous countries, Mexico had largest absolute (405 deaths/million adults) and proportional (12.1%) deaths from SSBs. A total of 8.5(2.8, 19.2) million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were related to SSB intake (4.5% of diabetes-related DALYs). Conclusions SSBs, are a single, modifiable component of diet, that can impact preventable death/disability in adults in high, middle, and low-income countries, indicating an urgent need for strong global prevention programs. PMID:26124185

Healthcare service utilisation costs attributable to rheumatoid arthritis in France: Analysis of a representative national claims database.

PubMed

Fautrel, Bruno; Cukierman, Gabrielle; Joubert, Jean-Michel; Laurendeau, Caroline; Gourmelen, Julie; Fagnani, Francis

2016-01-01

To estimate healthcare service utilisation costs of patients with rheumatoid arthritis in France and to estimate the fraction of these costs attributable to RA. The "Échantillon généraliste des bénéficiaires" (EGB) is a 1/97 random sample of the main national claims database covering the French population. A cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis was constituted of all adults benefiting from full coverage for rheumatoid arthritis (ICD-10 M05-06) on 1st january 2009. A control group matched for age and gender was identified. Health expenditures were assessed from the payer's perspective for the year 2010. The annual per capita reimbursed total health expenditure was €6,404 in 2010, an amount around two times higher than in the control group €3,095 (P<0.0001). The main contributors to this extra cost were outpatient care (+€2,407; 72.7%), including medication (+€1,686; 50.0%), and inpatient care (+€903; 27.3%). Patients treated by biological agents generated an age-adjusted per capita annual expenditure about three times higher than untreated patients (€15,757 versus €4,640). Only half of medical expenditure by patients with rheumatoid arthritis is attributable to their disease and use of biological agents has become a major driver of cost. Copyright © 2015 Société française de rhumatologie. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

IDF Diabetes Atlas estimates of 2014 global health expenditures on diabetes.

PubMed

da Rocha Fernandes, Joao; Ogurtsova, Katherine; Linnenkamp, Ute; Guariguata, Leonor; Seuring, Till; Zhang, Ping; Cavan, David; Makaroff, Lydia E

2016-07-01

To estimate health expenditures due to diabetes in 2014 for the world and its regions. Diabetes-attributable health expenditures were estimated using an attributable fraction method. Data were sourced from International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimates of diabetes prevalence, UN population projections, WHO annual health expenditure reports, and estimates of the cost ratio of people with and without diabetes. Health expenditures were calculated in both US dollars (USD) and international dollars (ID). The average health expenditure per person with diabetes worldwide in 2014 was estimated to range from USD 1583 (ID 1742) to USD 2842 (ID 3110). The estimated annual global health expenditure attributable to diabetes ranged from USD 612 billion (ID 673 billion) to USD 1099 billion (ID 1202 billion). Together, the North America and Caribbean Region and the Europe Region were responsible for over 69% of the costs, and less than 10% of the costs were from the Africa Region, South East Asia Region, and Middle East and North Africa Region combined. The North America and Caribbean Region had the highest annual spending per person with diabetes (USD 7984 [ID 8040.39]), while the South East Asia Region had the lowest annual spending per person with diabetes (USD 92 [ID 234]). Diabetes imposes a large economic burden on health care systems across the world, yet varies across world regions. Diabetes prevention and effective management of diabetes should be a public health priority to reduce the financial burden. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Crude estimates of cannabis-attributable mortality and morbidity in Canada-implications for public health focused intervention priorities.

PubMed

Fischer, Benedikt; Imtiaz, Sameer; Rudzinski, Katherine; Rehm, Jürgen

2016-03-01

Cannabis is the most commonly used drug in Canada; while its use is currently controlled by criminal prohibition, debates about potential control reforms are intensifying. There is substantive evidence about cannabis-related risks to health in various key outcome domains; however, little is known about the actual extent of these harms specifically in Canada. Based on epidemiological data (e.g. prevalence of relevant cannabis use rates and relevant risk behaviors; risk ratios; and annual numbers of morbidity/mortality cases in relevant domains), and applying the methodology of comparative risk assessment, we estimated attributable fractions for cannabis-related morbidity and mortality, specifically for: (i) motor-vehicle accidents (MVAs); (ii) use disorders; (iii) mental health (psychosis) and (iv) lung cancer. MVAs and lung cancer are the only domains where cannabis-attributable mortality is estimated to occur. While cannabis use results in morbidity in all domains, MVAs and use disorders by far outweigh the other domains in the number of cases; the popularly debated mental health consequences (e.g., psychosis) translate into relatively small case numbers. The present crude estimates should guide and help prioritize public health-oriented interventions for the cannabis-related health burden in the population in Canada; formal burden of disease calculations should be conducted. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Antibacterial activity of polyphenolic fraction of Kombucha against Vibrio cholerae: targeting cell membrane.

PubMed

Bhattacharya, D; Ghosh, D; Bhattacharya, S; Sarkar, S; Karmakar, P; Koley, H; Gachhui, R

2018-02-01

The present study was undertaken to determine the mechanism of antibacterial activity of a polyphenolic fraction, composed of mainly catechin and isorhamnetin, previously isolated from Kombucha, a 14-day fermented beverage of sugared black tea, against the enteropathogen Vibrio cholerae N16961. Bacterial growth was found to be seriously impaired by the polyphenolic fraction in a dose-dependent manner. Scanning Electron Microscopy demonstrated morphological alterations in bacterial cells when exposed to the polyphenolic fraction in a concentration-dependent manner. Permeabilization assays confirmed that the fraction disrupted bacterial membrane integrity in both time- and dose-dependent manners, which were proportional to the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS). Furthermore, each of the polyphenols catechin and isorhamnetin showed the ability to permeate bacterial cell membranes by generating oxidative stress, thereby suggesting their role in the antibacterial potential of Kombucha. Thus, the basic mechanism of antibacterial activity of the Kombucha polyphenolic fraction against V. cholerae involved bacterial membrane permeabilization and morphological changes, which might be due to the generation of intracellular ROS. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the investigation of antibacterial mechanism of Kombucha, which is mostly attributed to its polyphenolic content. The emergence of multidrug-resistant Vibrio cholerae strains has hindered an efficient anti-Vibrio therapy. This study has demonstrated the membrane damage-mediated antibacterial mechanism of Kombucha, a popular fermented beverage of sugared tea, which is mostly attributed to its polyphenolic content. This study also implies the exploitation of Kombucha as a potential new source of bioactive polyphenols against V. cholerae. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Atrial Electrogram Fractionation Distribution before and after Pulmonary Vein Isolation in Human Persistent Atrial Fibrillation-A Retrospective Multivariate Statistical Analysis.

PubMed

Almeida, Tiago P; Chu, Gavin S; Li, Xin; Dastagir, Nawshin; Tuan, Jiun H; Stafford, Peter J; Schlindwein, Fernando S; Ng, G André

2017-01-01

Purpose: Complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFAE)-guided ablation after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) has been used for persistent atrial fibrillation (persAF) therapy. This strategy has shown suboptimal outcomes due to, among other factors, undetected changes in the atrial tissue following PVI. In the present work, we investigate CFAE distribution before and after PVI in patients with persAF using a multivariate statistical model. Methods: 207 pairs of atrial electrograms (AEGs) were collected before and after PVI respectively, from corresponding LA regions in 18 persAF patients. Twelve attributes were measured from the AEGs, before and after PVI. Statistical models based on multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) have been used to characterize the atrial regions and AEGs. Results: PVI significantly reduced CFAEs in the LA (70 vs. 40%; P < 0.0001). Four types of LA regions were identified, based on the AEGs characteristics: (i) fractionated before PVI that remained fractionated after PVI (31% of the collected points); (ii) fractionated that converted to normal (39%); (iii) normal prior to PVI that became fractionated (9%) and; (iv) normal that remained normal (21%). Individually, the attributes failed to distinguish these LA regions, but multivariate statistical models were effective in their discrimination ( P < 0.0001). Conclusion: Our results have unveiled that there are LA regions resistant to PVI, while others are affected by it. Although, traditional methods were unable to identify these different regions, the proposed multivariate statistical model discriminated LA regions resistant to PVI from those affected by it without prior ablation information.

Alcohol and Road Traffic Injuries in Latin America and the Caribbean: A Case-Crossover Study.

PubMed

Borges, Guilherme; Monteiro, Maristela; Cherpitel, Cheryl J; Orozco, Ricardo; Ye, Yu; Poznyak, Vladimir; Peden, Margie; Pechansky, Flavio; Cremonte, Mariana; Reid, Sandra D; Mendez, Jesus

2017-10-01

This study reports dose-response estimates for the odds ratio (OR) and population attributable risk of acute alcohol use and road traffic injury (RTI). Data were analyzed on 1,119 RTI patients arriving at 16 emergency departments (EDs) in Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Guyana, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, and Trinidad and Tobago. Case-crossover analysis, pair-matching the number of standard drinks consumed within the 6 hours prior to the RTI with 2 control periods (prior d/wk), was performed using fractional polynomial analysis for dose-response. About 1 in 6 RTI patients in EDs were positive for self-reported alcohol 6 hours prior to the injury (country range 8.6 to 24.1%). The likelihood of an RTI with any drinking prior (compared to not drinking) was 5 times higher (country range OR 2.50 to 15.00) and the more a person drinks the higher the risk. Every drink (12.8 g alcohol) increased the risk of an RTI by 13%, even 1 to 2 drinks were associated with a sizable increase in risk of an RTI and a dose-response was found. Differences in ORs for drivers (OR = 3.51; 95% CI = 2.25 to 5.45), passengers (OR = 8.12; 95% CI = 4.22 to 15.61), and pedestrians (OR = 6.30; 95% CI = 3.14 to 12.64) and attributable fractions were noted. Acute use of alcohol was attributable to 14% of all RTIs, varying from 7% for females to 19% for being injured as a passenger. The finding that the presence of alcohol increases risk among drivers and nondrivers alike may further help to urge interventions targeting passengers and pedestrians. Routine screening and brief interventions in all health services could also have a beneficial impact in decreasing rates of RTIs. Higher priority should be given to alcohol as a risk factor for RTIs, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean. Copyright © 2017 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Blood pressure and cerebral white matter share common genetic factors in Mexican Americans.

PubMed

Kochunov, Peter; Glahn, David C; Lancaster, Jack; Winkler, Anderson; Karlsgodt, Kathrin; Olvera, Rene L; Curran, Joanna E; Carless, Melanie A; Dyer, Thomas D; Almasy, Laura; Duggirala, Ravi; Fox, Peter T; Blangero, John

2011-02-01

Elevated arterial pulse pressure and blood pressure (BP) can lead to atrophy of cerebral white matter (WM), potentially attributable to shared genetic factors. We calculated the magnitude of shared genetic variance between BP and fractional anisotropy of water diffusion, a sensitive measurement of WM integrity in a well-characterized population of Mexican Americans. The patterns of whole-brain and regional genetic overlap between BP and fractional anisotropy were interpreted in the context the pulse-wave encephalopathy theory. We also tested whether regional pattern in genetic pleiotropy is modulated by the phylogeny of WM development. BP and high-resolution (1.7 × 1.7 × 3 mm; 55 directions) diffusion tensor imaging data were analyzed for 332 (202 females; mean age 47.9 ± 13.3 years) members of the San Antonio Family Heart Study. Bivariate genetic correlation analysis was used to calculate the genetic overlap between several BP measurements (pulse pressure, systolic BP, and diastolic BP) and fractional anisotropy (whole-brain and regional values). Intersubject variance in pulse pressure and systolic BP exhibited a significant genetic overlap with variance in whole-brain fractional anisotropy values, sharing 36% and 22% of genetic variance, respectively. Regionally, shared genetic variance was significantly influenced by rates of WM development (r=-0.75; P=0.01). The pattern of genetic overlap between BP and WM integrity was generally in agreement with the pulse-wave encephalopathy theory. Our study provides evidence that a set of pleiotropically acting genetic factors jointly influence phenotypic variation in BP and WM integrity. The magnitude of this overlap appears to be influenced by phylogeny of WM development, suggesting a possible role for genotype-by-age interactions.

Role of lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (LCK) in the expansion of glioma-initiating cells by fractionated radiation

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

Kim, Rae-Kwon; Yoon, Chang-Hwan; Hyun, Kyung-Hwan

2010-11-26

Research highlights: {yields} Activation of Lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (LCK) is involved in the fractionated radiation-induced expansion of glioma stem-like cells. {yields} Inhibition of LCK prevents acquisition of fractionated radiation-induced resistance to chemotherapeutic treatment. {yields} LCK activity is critical for the maintenance of self-renewal in glioma stem-like cells. -- Abstract: Brain cancers frequently recur or progress as focal masses after treatment with ionizing radiation. Radiation used to target gliomas may expand the cancer stem cell population and enhance the aggressiveness of tumors; however, the mechanisms underlying the expansion of cancer stem cell population after radiation have remained unclear. In thismore » study, we show that LCK (lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase) is involved in the fractionated radiation-induced expansion of the glioma-initiating cell population and acquisition of resistance to anticancer treatments. Fractionated radiation caused a selective increase in the activity of LCK, a Src family non-receptor tyrosine kinase. The activities of other Src family kinases Src, Fyn, and Lyn were not significantly increased. Moreover, knockdown of LCK expression with a specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) effectively blocked fractionated radiation-induced expansion of the CD133{sup +} cell population. siRNA targeting of LCK also suppressed fractionated radiation-induced expression of the glioma stem cell marker proteins CD133, Nestin, and Musashi. Expression of the known self-renewal-related proteins Notch2 and Sox2 in glioma cells treated with fractionated radiation was also downregulated by LCK inhibition. Moreover, siRNA-mediated knockdown of LCK effectively restored the sensitivity of glioma cells to cisplatin and etoposide. These results indicate that the non-receptor tyrosine kinase LCK is critically involved in fractionated radiation-induced expansion of the glioma-initiating cell population and decreased cellular sensitivity to anticancer treatments. These findings may provide pivotal insights in the context of fractionated radiation-based therapeutic interventions in brain cancer.« less

Lipoprotein-Cholesterol Fractions in Marginalized Roma versus Majority Population.

PubMed

Hubková, Beáta; Bódy, Gabriel; Mašlanková, Jana; Birková, Anna; Frišman, Eugen; Kraus, Vladimír; Mareková, Mária

2018-01-06

The trend of modern clinical biochemistry is to emphasize the composition and the quality of lipoproteins over their quantity. The serum lipoprotein fractions and subfractions were analyzed by the Lipoprint Lipoprotein Subfractions Testing System, the parameters of lipid profile, as total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and triacylglycerides (TAG) were determined by an automated selective biochemical analyzer. Our results showed a significantly lower concentration of cholesterol in the LDL fractions 1 and 2 and in the HDL fractions 8 to 10 in Roma compared to the majority population. The most significant differences between Roma and the majority population when considering body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio and the index of central obesity were in very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), intermediate-density lipoproteins, fraction A (IDL-A) and LDL-2. The last two listed were significantly higher in the majority population. VLDL was significantly higher in overweight or obese Roma men and in Roma men with central obesity compared to men from the majority population, as well as in Roma women with normal weight and physiological waist-to-hip ratio compared to the women from majority population. Our study is among the first describing the distribution of lipoprotein subfractions in different ethnic groups.

Fractionation of radioactivity in the milk of goats administered UC-aflatoxin B1

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

Goto, T.; Hsieh, D.P.

A detailed fractionation of radioactivity in the milk of goats administered UC-aflatoxin B1 at low doses was performed. The milk collected in the first 24 h following dosing contained radioactivity equivalent to 0.45-1.1% of the dose given. The radioactivity in each sample was partitioned into 4 fractions: ether, protein, dichloromethane, and water-alcohol. Over 80% of the radioactivity was detected in the dichloromethane fraction, of which over 95% was attributable to aflatoxin M1. No aflatoxin B1 or other known aflatoxin metabolites were detected in any fraction. The results indicate that the major metabolite of aflatoxin B1 in goat milk is aflatoxinmore » M1 and that other metabolites, including conjugates, are of minor significance.« less

Attributional Style and Depression in Multiple Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Arnett, Peter A.

2013-01-01

Several etiologic theories have been proposed to explain depression in the general population. Studying these models and modifying them for use in the multiple sclerosis (MS) population may allow us to better understand depression in MS. According to the reformulated learned helplessness (LH) theory, individuals who attribute negative events to internal, stable, and global causes are more vulnerable to depression. This study differentiated attributional style that was or was not related to MS in 52 patients with MS to test the LH theory in this population and to determine possible differences between illness-related and non-illness-related attributions. Patients were administered measures of attributional style, daily stressors, disability, and depressive symptoms. Participants were more likely to list non-MS-related than MS-related causes of negative events on the Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ), and more-disabled participants listed significantly more MS-related causes than did less-disabled individuals. Non-MS-related attributional style correlated with stress and depressive symptoms, but MS-related attributional style did not correlate with disability or depressive symptoms. Stress mediated the effect of non-MS-related attributional style on depressive symptoms. These results suggest that, although attributional style appears to be an important construct in MS, it does not seem to be related directly to depressive symptoms; rather, it is related to more perceived stress, which in turn is related to increased depressive symptoms. PMID:24453767

Attributional style and depression in multiple sclerosis: the learned helplessness model.

PubMed

Vargas, Gray A; Arnett, Peter A

2013-01-01

Several etiologic theories have been proposed to explain depression in the general population. Studying these models and modifying them for use in the multiple sclerosis (MS) population may allow us to better understand depression in MS. According to the reformulated learned helplessness (LH) theory, individuals who attribute negative events to internal, stable, and global causes are more vulnerable to depression. This study differentiated attributional style that was or was not related to MS in 52 patients with MS to test the LH theory in this population and to determine possible differences between illness-related and non-illness-related attributions. Patients were administered measures of attributional style, daily stressors, disability, and depressive symptoms. Participants were more likely to list non-MS-related than MS-related causes of negative events on the Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ), and more-disabled participants listed significantly more MS-related causes than did less-disabled individuals. Non-MS-related attributional style correlated with stress and depressive symptoms, but MS-related attributional style did not correlate with disability or depressive symptoms. Stress mediated the effect of non-MS-related attributional style on depressive symptoms. These results suggest that, although attributional style appears to be an important construct in MS, it does not seem to be related directly to depressive symptoms; rather, it is related to more perceived stress, which in turn is related to increased depressive symptoms.

Multi-species attributes as the condition for adaptive sampling of rare species using two-stage sequential sampling with an auxiliary variable

USGS Publications Warehouse

Panahbehagh, B.; Smith, D.R.; Salehi, M.M.; Hornbach, D.J.; Brown, D.J.; Chan, F.; Marinova, D.; Anderssen, R.S.

2011-01-01

Assessing populations of rare species is challenging because of the large effort required to locate patches of occupied habitat and achieve precise estimates of density and abundance. The presence of a rare species has been shown to be correlated with presence or abundance of more common species. Thus, ecological community richness or abundance can be used to inform sampling of rare species. Adaptive sampling designs have been developed specifically for rare and clustered populations and have been applied to a wide range of rare species. However, adaptive sampling can be logistically challenging, in part, because variation in final sample size introduces uncertainty in survey planning. Two-stage sequential sampling (TSS), a recently developed design, allows for adaptive sampling, but avoids edge units and has an upper bound on final sample size. In this paper we present an extension of two-stage sequential sampling that incorporates an auxiliary variable (TSSAV), such as community attributes, as the condition for adaptive sampling. We develop a set of simulations to approximate sampling of endangered freshwater mussels to evaluate the performance of the TSSAV design. The performance measures that we are interested in are efficiency and probability of sampling a unit occupied by the rare species. Efficiency measures the precision of population estimate from the TSSAV design relative to a standard design, such as simple random sampling (SRS). The simulations indicate that the density and distribution of the auxiliary population is the most important determinant of the performance of the TSSAV design. Of the design factors, such as sample size, the fraction of the primary units sampled was most important. For the best scenarios, the odds of sampling the rare species was approximately 1.5 times higher for TSSAV compared to SRS and efficiency was as high as 2 (i.e., variance from TSSAV was half that of SRS). We have found that design performance, especially for adaptive designs, is often case-specific. Efficiency of adaptive designs is especially sensitive to spatial distribution. We recommend that simulations tailored to the application of interest are highly useful for evaluating designs in preparation for sampling rare and clustered populations.

Estimating the burden of disease attributable to vitamin A deficiency in South Africa in 2000.

PubMed

Nojilana, Beatrice; Norman, Rosana; Bradshaw, Debbie; van Stuijvenberg, Martha E; Dhansay, Muhammad A; Labadorios, Demetre

2007-08-01

To estimate the burden of disease attributable to vitamin A deficiency in children aged 0 - 4 years and pregnant women aged 15 - 49 years in South Africa in 2000. The framework adopted for the most recent World Health Organization comparative risk assessment (CRA) methodology was followed. Population-attributable fractions were calculated from South African Vitamin A Consultative Group (SAVACG) survey data on the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency in children and the relative risks of associated health problems, applied to revised burden of disease estimates for South Africa in the year 2000. Small community studies were used to derive the prevalence in pregnant women. Monte Carlo simulation-modelling techniques were used for the uncertainty analysis. South Africa. Children under 5 years and pregnant women 15 - 49 years. Direct sequelae of vitamin A deficiency, including disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), as well as mortality associated with measles, diarrhoeal diseases and other infections, and mortality and DALYs associated with malaria in children and all-cause maternal mortality. One-third of children aged 0 - 4 years and 1 - 6% of pregnant women were vitamin A-deficient. Of deaths among young children aged 0 - 4 years in 2000, about 28% of those resulting from diarrhoeal diseases, 23% of those from measles, and 21% of those from malaria were attributed to vitamin A deficiency, accounting for some 3,000 deaths. Overall, about 110,467 ( 95% uncertainty interval 86,388 - 136,009) healthy years of life lost, or between 0.5% and 0.8% of all DALYs in South Africa in 2000 were attributable to vitamin A deficiency. The vitamin A supplementation programme for children and the recent food fortification programme introduced in South Africa in 2003 should prevent future morbidity and mortality related to vitamin A deficiency. Monitoring the effectiveness of these interventions is strongly recommended.

Fraction of stroke mortality attributable to alcohol consumption in Russia.

PubMed

Y E, Razvodovsky

2014-01-01

Stroke is an international health problem with high associated human and economic costs. The mortality rate from stroke in Russia is one of the highest in the world. Risk factors identification is therefore a high priority from the public health perspective. Epidemiological evidence suggests that binge drinking is an important determinant of high stroke mortality rate in Russia. The aim of the present study was to estimate the premature stroke mortality attributable to alcohol abuse in Russia on the basis of aggregate-level data of stroke mortality and alcohol consumption. Age-standardized sex-specific male and female stroke mortality data for the period 1980-2005 and data on overall alcohol consumption were analyzed by means ARIMA time series analysis. The results of the analysis suggest that 26.8% of all male stroke deaths and 18.4% female stroke deaths in Russia could be attributed to alcohol. The estimated alcohol-attributable fraction for men ranged from 16.2% (75+ age group) to 57,5% (30-44 age group) and for women from 21.7% (60-74 age group) and 43.5% (30- 44 age group). The outcomes of this study provide support for the hypothesis that alcohol is an important contributor to the high stroke mortality rate in Russian Federation. Therefore prevention of alcohol-attributable harm should be a major public health priority in Russia. Given the distribution of alcohol-related stroke deaths, interventions should be focused on the young and middle-aged men and women.

Population annealing simulations of a binary hard-sphere mixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Callaham, Jared; Machta, Jonathan

2017-06-01

Population annealing is a sequential Monte Carlo scheme well suited to simulating equilibrium states of systems with rough free energy landscapes. Here we use population annealing to study a binary mixture of hard spheres. Population annealing is a parallel version of simulated annealing with an extra resampling step that ensures that a population of replicas of the system represents the equilibrium ensemble at every packing fraction in an annealing schedule. The algorithm and its equilibration properties are described, and results are presented for a glass-forming fluid composed of a 50/50 mixture of hard spheres with diameter ratio of 1.4:1. For this system, we obtain precise results for the equation of state in the glassy regime up to packing fractions φ ≈0.60 and study deviations from the Boublik-Mansoori-Carnahan-Starling-Leland equation of state. For higher packing fractions, the algorithm falls out of equilibrium and a free volume fit predicts jamming at packing fraction φ ≈0.667 . We conclude that population annealing is an effective tool for studying equilibrium glassy fluids and the jamming transition.

Short-term harmful effects of unionised ammonia on natural populations of Moina micrura and Brachionus rubens in a deep waste treatment pond.

PubMed

Arauzo, M; Valladolid, M

2003-06-01

Populations of Moina micrura and Brachionus rubens in a deep waste treatment pond were exposed to the natural short-term fluctuations of unionised ammonia (90-min intervals of monitoring) that occur in the course of a day during a summer algal bloom. Under natural conditions, three replicate experiments were conducted in which water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, total ammonia, unionised ammonia, phytoplankton biomass and zooplankton (number of living and dead organisms, mortality rate and instant mortality) were studied. The time-course of unionised ammonia concentration was consistent with those shown by temperature, pH, phytoplankton biomass, dissolved oxygen, Moina micrura mortality and Brachionus rubens mortality. On the other hand, temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen never exceeded the tolerance ranges described for Moina and Brachionus, which led us to attribute the cause of zooplankton mortality to unionised ammonia toxicity. Mortality rates of 63%, 27% and 34% were recorded for Moina in each replicate experiment. Brachionus was less affected, with mortalities of 7.3%, 6.2% and 6.0%. These results confirm previous field observations (Water Res. 34(14) (2000) 3666; Water Res. 37(5) (2003) 1048) that attributed a reduction in zooplankton biomass during certain periods of summer (algal blooms) to a harmful side-effect of an excessive increase in phytoplankton biomass: high photosynthetic activity during these periods of proliferation of algae gives rise to an increased pH (>/=8) and, subsequently, leads to production of unionised ammonia (toxic for aquatic organisms) from its ionised fraction.

Occupational asthma in the developing and industrialised world: a review.

PubMed

Jeebhay, M F; Quirce, S

2007-02-01

Occupational asthma is the most common occupational lung disease in industrialised countries, and the second most common occupational lung disease reported after pneumoconioses in developing countries. The median proportion of adult cases of asthma attributable to occupational exposure is between 10% and 15%. The population attributable fraction appears to be similar in industrialised and developing countries characterised by rapid industrialisation (13-15%), but lower in less industrialised developing countries (6%). The high-risk occupations and industries associated with the development of occupational asthma vary depending on the dominant industrial sectors in a particular country. High-risk exposure to cleaning agents and pesticide exposure in developing countries appear to be as important as exposure to isocyanates, cereal flour/grain dust, welding fumes, wood dust and, more recently, hairdressing chemicals, commonly reported in industrialised countries. The reported mean annual incidence of occupational asthma in developing countries is less than 2 per 100 000 population, compared to very high rates of up to 18/100 000 in Scandinavian countries. While occupational asthma remains under-recognised, especially in developing countries, it remains poorly diagnosed and managed and inadequately compensated worldwide. Primary and secondary preventive strategies should be directed at controlling workplace exposures, accompanied by intense educational and managerial improvements. Appropriate treatment remains early removal from exposure to ensure that the worker has no further exposure to the causal agent, with preservation of income. However, up to one third of workers with occupational asthma continue to remain exposed to the causative agent or suffer prolonged work disruption, discrimination and risk of unemployment.

Toward a High-Stability Coherent Population Trapping Cs Vapor-Cell Atomic Clock Using Autobalanced Ramsey Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdel Hafiz, Moustafa; Coget, Grégoire; Petersen, Michael; Rocher, Cyrus; Guérandel, Stéphane; Zanon-Willette, Thomas; de Clercq, Emeric; Boudot, Rodolphe

2018-06-01

Vapor-cell atomic clocks are widely appreciated for their excellent short-term fractional frequency stability and their compactness. However, they are known to suffer on medium and long time scales from significant frequency instabilities, generally attributed to light-induced frequency-shift effects. In order to tackle this limitation, we investigate the application of the recently proposed autobalanced Ramsey (ABR) interrogation protocol onto a pulsed hot-vapor Cs vapor-cell clock based on coherent population trapping (CPT). We demonstrate that the ABR protocol, developed initially to probe the one-photon resonance of quantum optical clocks, can be successfully applied to a two-photon CPT resonance. The applied method, based on the alternation of two successive Ramsey-CPT sequences with unequal free-evolution times and the subsequent management of two interconnected phase and frequency servo loops, is found to allow a relevant reduction of the clock-frequency sensitivity to laser-power variations. This original ABR-CPT approach, combined with the implementation of advanced electronics laser-power stabilization systems, yields the demonstration of a CPT-based Cs vapor-cell clock with a short-term fractional frequency stability at the level of 3.1×10 -13τ-1 /2 , averaging down to the level of 6 ×10-15 at 2000-s integration time. These encouraging performances demonstrate that the use of the ABR interrogation protocol is a promising option towards the development of high-stability CPT-based frequency standards. Such clocks could be attractive candidates in numerous applications including next-generation satellite-based navigation systems, secure communications, instrumentation, or defense systems.

Balancing selection in species with separate sexes: insights from Fisher's geometric model.

PubMed

Connallon, Tim; Clark, Andrew G

2014-07-01

How common is balancing selection, and what fraction of phenotypic variance is attributable to balanced polymorphisms? Despite decades of research, answers to these questions remain elusive. Moreover, there is no clear theoretical prediction about the frequency with which balancing selection is expected to arise within a population. Here, we use an extension of Fisher's geometric model of adaptation to predict the probability of balancing selection in a population with separate sexes, wherein polymorphism is potentially maintained by two forms of balancing selection: (1) heterozygote advantage, where heterozygous individuals at a locus have higher fitness than homozygous individuals, and (2) sexually antagonistic selection (a.k.a. intralocus sexual conflict), where the fitness of each sex is maximized by different genotypes at a locus. We show that balancing selection is common under biologically plausible conditions and that sex differences in selection or sex-by-genotype effects of mutations can each increase opportunities for balancing selection. Although heterozygote advantage and sexual antagonism represent alternative mechanisms for maintaining polymorphism, they mutually exist along a balancing selection continuum that depends on population and sex-specific parameters of selection and mutation. Sexual antagonism is the dominant mode of balancing selection across most of this continuum. Copyright © 2014 by the Genetics Society of America.

The Magnitude of Mortality from Ischemic Heart Disease Attributed to Occupational Factors in Korea - Attributable Fraction Estimation Using Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Ha, Jaehyeok; Kim, Soo-Geun; Paek, Domyung; Park, Jungsun

2011-03-01

Ischemic heart disease (IHD) is a major cause of death in Korea and known to result from several occupational factors. This study attempted to estimate the current magnitude of IHD mortality due to occupational factors in Korea. After selecting occupational risk factors by literature investigation, we calculated attributable fractions (AFs) from relative risks and exposure data for each factor. Relative risks were estimated using meta-analysis based on published research. Exposure data were collected from the 2006 Survey of Korean Working Conditions. Finally, we estimated 2006 occupation-related IHD mortality. FOR THE FACTORS CONSIDERED, WE ESTIMATED THE FOLLOWING RELATIVE RISKS: noise 1.06, environmental tobacco smoke 1.19 (men) and 1.22 (women), shift work 1.12, and low job control 1.15 (men) and 1.08 (women). Combined AFs of those factors in the IHD were estimated at 9.29% (0.3-18.51%) in men and 5.78% (-7.05-19.15%) in women. Based on these fractions, Korea's 2006 death toll from occupational IHD between the age of 15 and 69 was calculated at 353 in men (total 3,804) and 72 in women (total 1,246). We estimated occupational IHD mortality of Korea with updated data and more relevant evidence. Despite the efforts to obtain reliable estimates, there were many assumptions and limitations that must be overcome. Future research based on more precise design and reliable evidence is required for more accurate estimates.

Air pollution and heart failure: Relationship with the ejection fraction

PubMed Central

Dominguez-Rodriguez, Alberto; Abreu-Afonso, Javier; Rodríguez, Sergio; Juarez-Prera, Ruben A; Arroyo-Ucar, Eduardo; Gonzalez, Yenny; Abreu-Gonzalez, Pedro; Avanzas, Pablo

2013-01-01

AIM: To study whether the concentrations of particulate matter in ambient air are associated with hospital admission due to heart failure in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and reduced ejection fraction. METHODS: We studied 353 consecutive patients admitted into a tertiary care hospital with a diagnosis of heart failure. Patients with ejection fraction of ≥ 45% were classified as having heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and those with an ejection fraction of < 45% were classified as having heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. We determined the average concentrations of different sizes of particulate matter (< 10, < 2.5, and < 1 μm) and the concentrations of gaseous pollutants (carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone) from 1 d up to 7 d prior to admission. RESULTS: The heart failure with preserved ejection fraction population was exposed to higher nitrogen dioxide concentrations compared to the heart failure with reduced ejection fraction population (12.95 ± 8.22 μg/m3 vs 4.50 ± 2.34 μg/m3, P < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that nitrogen dioxide was a significant predictor of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (odds ratio ranging from (1.403, 95%CI: 1.003-2.007, P = 0.04) to (1.669, 95%CI: 1.043-2.671, P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that short-term nitrogen dioxide exposure is independently associated with admission in the heart failure with preserved ejection fraction population. PMID:23538391

Risk of cancer among HIV-infected individuals compared to the background population: impact of smoking and HIV.

PubMed

Helleberg, Marie; Gerstoft, Jan; Afzal, Shoaib; Kronborg, Gitte; Larsen, Carsten S; Pedersen, Court; Bojesen, Stig E; Nordestgaard, Børge G; Obel, Niels

2014-06-19

The relative impact of immune deficiency and lifestyle-related factors on risk of cancer in the HIV-infected population is controversial. We aimed to estimate the population-attributable fractions (PAFs) associated with smoking, being HIV-infected and with immune deficiency. In a Danish, nationwide, population-based cohort study (1995-2011), incidences of cancer were compared between an HIV-infected cohort and a population-based matched cohort in analyses stratified on cancer category, smoking status and for HIV patients: low CD4 cell count. We included 3503 HIV patients [baseline CD4+ 450 cells/μl (inter-quartile range 310-630)] and 12,979 population controls. Smoking-related and virological cancers accounted for 23 and 43% of cancers in the HIV-infected population. The risk of these cancers were higher among HIV patients compared to controls [incidence rate ratio (IRR) 2.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.6-4.9; and IRR 11.5, 95% CI 6.5-20.5], whereas the risk of other cancers did not differ (IRR 1.0, 95% CI 0.7-1.3). Non-smoking HIV patients did not have increased risk of non-virological cancers compared to non-smoking controls (IRR 1.2, 95% CI 0.7-2.1). The PAFs of cancer associated with smoking and with being HIV-infected were 27 and 49%, respectively. For cancers not strongly related to smoking or viral infections, the PAFs associated with being HIV-infected and with immune deficiency were 0%. The risk of cancer is increased in HIV patients compared to the background population. In absence of smoking, the increase in risk is confined to cancers related to viral infections, whereas the risk of other cancers is not elevated and does not seem to be associated with immune deficiency.

The impact of smoking on gender differences in life expectancy: more heterogeneous than often stated

PubMed Central

Wegner-Siegmundt, Christian

2015-01-01

Background: Throughout industrialized countries, tobacco consumption is seen as the predominant driver of both the trend and the extent of gender differences in life expectancy. However, several factors raise doubts to this generalization. We hypothesize that the impact of smoking on the gender gap is context-specific and differs between populations. Methods: We decompose the gender differences in life expectancy into fractions caused by smoking and other non-biological factors for 53 industrialized countries and the period 1955–2009 to assess the significance of smoking among the causes that can be influenced by direct or indirect interference. Results: The trend of the gender gap can indeed be attributed to smoking in most populations of the western world. However, with regard to the overall extent of male excess mortality, smoking is the main driver only in the minority of the studied populations. While the impact of smoking to gender differences in life expectancy declines in all populations, the contribution of other non-biological factors is in most cases higher at the end than at the beginning of the observation period. Conclusions: Over-generalized statements suggesting that smoking is the main driver of the gender gap in all populations can be misleading. The results of this study demonstrate that—regardless of the prevailing effect of smoking—many populations have still remarkable potentials to further narrow their gender gaps in life expectancy. Although measures to further reduce the prevalence of tobacco consumption must be continued, more attention should be directed to the growing importance of other non-biological factors. PMID:25505018

Occupation and male lung cancer: a case-control study in northern Sweden.

PubMed Central

Damber, L A; Larsson, L G

1987-01-01

Using a case-control study comprising about 600 men with lung cancer in northern Sweden the potential risk of different occupations and groups of occupations was studied. Longitudinal data concerning occupation, employment, and smoking habits were obtained by questionnaires. Some occupational groups (underground miners, copper smelter workers, electricians, and plumbers) exposed to previously known lung carcinogenic agents such as radon daughters, arsenic, and asbestos, had considerably increased odds ratios, which persisted after adjustment for smoking. A slightly raised odds ratio was observed in a group of blue collar workers potentially exposed to lung carcinogenic agents; this rise in the group as a whole mainly disappeared after adjustment for smoking. Farmers and foresters had strikingly low odds ratios, which could only partly be explained by their more moderate smoking habits. The population aetiological fraction attributable to occupation was estimated as 9%. PMID:3620367

What proportion of cancer deaths in the contemporary United States is attributable to cigarette smoking?

PubMed

Jacobs, Eric J; Newton, Christina C; Carter, Brian D; Feskanich, Diane; Freedman, Neal D; Prentice, Ross L; Flanders, W Dana

2015-03-01

The proportion of cancer deaths in the contemporary United States caused by cigarette smoking (the population attributable fraction [PAF]) is not well documented. The PAF of all cancer deaths due to active cigarette smoking among adults 35 years and older in the United States in 2010 was calculated using age- and sex-specific smoking prevalence from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and age- and sex-specific relative risks from the Cancer Prevention Study-II (for ages 35-54 years) and from the Pooled Contemporary Cohort data set (for ages 55 years and older). The PAF for active cigarette smoking was 28.7% when estimated conservatively, including only deaths from the 12 cancers currently formally established as caused by smoking by the US Surgeon General. The PAF was 31.7% when estimated more comprehensively, including excess deaths from all cancers. These estimates do not include additional potential cancer deaths from environmental tobacco smoke or other type of tobacco use such as cigars, pipes, or smokeless tobacco. Cigarette smoking causes a large proportion of cancer deaths in the contemporary United States. Reducing smoking prevalence as rapidly as possible should be a top priority for the US public health efforts to prevent cancer deaths. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Family, money, and health: Regional differences in the determinants of life satisfaction over the life course

PubMed Central

Margolis, Rachel; Myrskylä, Mikko

2013-01-01

We examine how family, money, and health explain variation in life satisfaction over the life cycle across seven global regions using data from the World Values Survey. With a life domain approach, we study whether the importance of the life domains varies by region and age groups and whether the variation explained by each factor is due to the magnitude or prevalence of each factor. Globally, family, money, and health explain a substantial fraction of life satisfaction, increasing from 12 percent in young adulthood to 15 percent in mature adulthood. Health is the most important factor, and its importance increases with age. Income is unimportant above age 50. Remarkably, the contribution of family is small across ages. Across regions health is most important in the wealthier, and income in the poorer regions of the world. Family explains a substantial fraction of life satisfaction only in Western Europe and Anglophone countries. Findings highlight that the population-level importance of family, money, and health in explaining variation in life satisfaction across regions is mainly attributable to the individual-level life satisfaction differences between people of different statuses rather than differences in the distribution of various states such as poor health across regions. PMID:24796263

Atmospheric trace metals measured at a regional background site (Welgegund) in South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venter, Andrew D.; van Zyl, Pieter G.; Beukes, Johan P.; Josipovic, Micky; Hendriks, Johan; Vakkari, Ville; Laakso, Lauri

2017-03-01

Atmospheric trace metals can cause a variety of health-related and environmental problems. Only a few studies on atmospheric trace metal concentrations have been conducted in South Africa. Therefore the aim of this study was to determine trace metal concentrations in aerosols collected at a regional background site, i.e. Welgegund, South Africa. PM1, PM1-2. 5 and PM2. 5-10 samples were collected for 13 months, and 31 atmospheric trace metal species were detected. Atmospheric iron (Fe) had the highest concentrations in all three size fractions, while calcium (Ca) was the second-most-abundant species. Chromium (Cr) and sodium (Na) concentrations were the third- and fourth-most-abundant species, respectively. The concentrations of the trace metal species in all three size ranges were similar, with the exception of Fe, which had higher concentrations in the PM1 size fraction. With the exception of titanium (Ti), aluminium (Al) and manganese (Mg), 70 % or more of the trace metal species detected were in the smaller size fractions, which indicated the influence of industrial activities. However, the large influence of wind-blown dust was reflected by 30 % or more of trace metals being present in the PM2. 5-10 size fraction. Comparison of trace metals determined at Welgegund to those in the western Bushveld Igneous Complex indicated that at both locations similar species were observed, with Fe being the most abundant. However, concentrations of these trace metal species were significantly higher in the western Bushveld Igneous Complex. Fe concentrations at the Vaal Triangle were similar to levels thereof at Welgegund, while concentrations of species associated with pyrometallurgical smelting were lower. Annual average Ni was 4 times higher, and annual average As was marginally higher than their respective European standard values, which could be attributed to regional influence of pyrometallurgical industries in the western Bushveld Igneous Complex. All three size fractions indicated elevated trace metal concentrations coinciding with the end of the dry season, which could partially be attributed to decreased wet removal and increases in wind generation of particulates. Principal component factor analysis (PCFA) revealed four meaningful factors in the PM1 size fraction, i.e. crustal, pyrometallurgical-related and Au slimes dams. No meaningful factors were determined for the PM1-2. 5 and PM2. 5-10 size fractions, which was attributed to the large influence of wind-blown dust on atmospheric trace metals determined at Welgegund. Pollution roses confirmed the influence of wind-blown dust on trace metal concentrations measured at Welgegund, while the impact of industrial activities was also substantiated.

The burden of COPD mortality due to ambient air pollution in Guangzhou, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Li; Yang, Jun; Song, Yun-Feng; Chen, Ping-Yan; Ou, Chun-Quan

2016-05-01

Few studies have investigated the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mortality fraction attributable to air pollution and modification by individual characteristics of air pollution effects. We applied distributed lag non-linear models to assess the associations between air pollution and COPD mortality in 2007-2011 in Guangzhou, China, and the total COPD mortality fraction attributable to air pollution was calculated as well. We found that an increase of 10 μg/m3 in particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 μm or less (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was associated with a 1.58% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.12-3.06%), 3.45% (95% CI: 1.30-5.66%) and 2.35% (95% CI: 0.42-4.32%) increase of COPD mortality over a lag of 0-15 days, respectively. Greater air pollution effects were observed in the elderly, males and residents with low educational attainment. The results showed 10.91% (95% CI: 1.02-9.58%), 12.71% (95% CI: 5.03-19.85%) and 13.38% (95% CI: 2.67-22.84%) COPD mortality was attributable to current PM10, SO2 and NO2 exposure, respectively. In conclusion, the associations between air pollution and COPD mortality differed by individual characteristics. There were remarkable COPD mortality burdens attributable to air pollution in Guangzhou.

A class of traveling wave solutions for space-time fractional biological population model in mathematical physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akram, Ghazala; Batool, Fiza

2017-10-01

The (G'/G)-expansion method is utilized for a reliable treatment of space-time fractional biological population model. The method has been applied in the sense of the Jumarie's modified Riemann-Liouville derivative. Three classes of exact traveling wave solutions, hyperbolic, trigonometric and rational solutions of the associated equation are characterized with some free parameters. A generalized fractional complex transform is applied to convert the fractional equations to ordinary differential equations which subsequently resulted in number of exact solutions. It should be mentioned that the (G'/G)-expansion method is very effective and convenient for solving nonlinear partial differential equations of fractional order whose balancing number is a negative integer.

Population attribute compression

DOEpatents

White, James M.; Faber, Vance; Saltzman, Jeffrey S.

1995-01-01

An image population having a large number of attributes is processed to form a display population with a predetermined smaller number of attributes that represent the larger number of attributes. In a particular application, the color values in an image are compressed for storage in a discrete look-up table (LUT). Color space containing the LUT color values is successively subdivided into smaller volumes until a plurality of volumes are formed, each having no more than a preselected maximum number of color values. Image pixel color values can then be rapidly placed in a volume with only a relatively few LUT values from which a nearest neighbor is selected. Image color values are assigned 8 bit pointers to their closest LUT value whereby data processing requires only the 8 bit pointer value to provide 24 bit color values from the LUT.

Attribution of trends in global vegetation greenness from 1982 to 2011

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Z.; Xu, L.; Bi, J.; Myneni, R.; Knyazikhin, Y.

2012-12-01

Time series of remotely sensed vegetation indices data provide evidence of changes in terrestrial vegetation activity over the past decades in the world. However, it is difficult to attribute cause-and-effect to vegetation trends because variations in vegetation productivity are driven by various factors. This study investigated changes in global vegetation productivity first, and then attributed the global natural vegetation with greening trend. Growing season integrated normalized difference vegetation index (GSI NDVI) derived from the new GIMMS NDVI3g dataset (1982-2011was analyzed. A combined time series analysis model, which was developed from simper linear trend model (SLT), autoregressive integrated moving average model (ARIMA) and Vogelsang's t-PST model shows that productivity of all vegetation types except deciduous broadleaf forest predominantly showed increasing trends through the 30-year period. The evolution of changes in productivity in the last decade was also investigated. Area of greening vegetation monotonically increased through the last decade, and both the browning and no change area monotonically decreased. To attribute the predominant increase trend of productivity of global natural vegetation, trends of eight climate time series datasets (three temperature, three precipitation and two radiation datasets) were analyzed. The attribution of trends in global vegetation greenness was summarized as relaxation of climatic constraints, fertilization and other unknown reasons. Result shows that nearly all the productivity increase of global natural vegetation was driven by relaxation of climatic constraints and fertilization, which play equally important role in driving global vegetation greenness.; Area fraction and productivity change fraction of IGBP vegetation land cover classes showing statistically significant (10% level) trend in GSI NDVIt;

Intervening to reduce the future burden of occupational cancer in britain: what could work?

PubMed

Hutchings, Sally; Cherrie, John W; Van Tongeren, Martie; Rushton, Lesley

2012-10-01

In Britain, 14 carcinogenic agents and occupational circumstances currently account for 86% of estimated occupation attributable cancer. The future burden associated with these carcinogens has been forecast, using attributable fractions for forecast scenarios representing patterns of past and predicted future exposure, and exposure levels representing the introduction of new occupational exposure limits, increased levels of compliance with these limits and other reductions in worker exposure. Without intervention, occupational attributable cancers are forecast to remain at more than 10,000 by 2060. With modest intervention over 2,600, or with stricter interventions more than 8,200 cancers could be avoided by 2060 although because of long latency no impact will be seen until at least 10 years after intervention. Effective interventions assessed in this study include reducing workplace exposure limits and improving compliance with these limits. Cancers associated with asbestos, diesel engine exhaust, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, work as a painter, radon, and solar radiation are forecast to continue, with construction remaining the prime industry of concern. Although exposure levels to the established carcinogens are falling, workers are remaining exposed at low levels at which there is still a cancer risk, although the aging population also contributes to rising cancer numbers, These forecasts can be used to assess the relative costs to society of different occupational carcinogenic agents, and the relative merits and savings associated with alternative intervention strategies. The methods are adaptable for different data circumstances, other types of interventions and could be extended to environmental carcinogens and other chronic diseases.

Quantitative Assessment of Liver Fat with Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Reeder, Scott B.; Cruite, Irene; Hamilton, Gavin; Sirlin, Claude B.

2011-01-01

Hepatic steatosis is characterized by abnormal and excessive accumulation of lipids within hepatocytes. It is an important feature of diffuse liver disease, and the histological hallmark of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Other conditions associated with steatosis include alcoholic liver disease, viral hepatitis, HIV and genetic lipodystrophies, cystic fibrosis liver disease, and hepatotoxicity from various therapeutic agents. Liver biopsy, the current clinical gold standard for assessment of liver fat, is invasive and has sampling errors, and is not optimal for screening, monitoring, clinical decision making, or well-suited for many types of research studies. Non-invasive methods that accurately and objectively quantify liver fat are needed. Ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT) can be used to assess liver fat but have limited accuracy as well as other limitations. Magnetic resonance (MR) techniques can decompose the liver signal into its fat and water signal components and therefore assess liver fat more directly than CT or US. Most magnetic resonance (MR) techniques measure the signal fat-fraction (the fraction of the liver MR signal attributable to liver fat), which may be confounded by numerous technical and biological factors and may not reliably reflect fat content. By addressing the factors that confound the signal fat-fraction, advanced MR techniques measure the proton density fat-fraction (the fraction of the liver proton density attributable to liver fat), which is a fundamental tissue property and a direct measure of liver fat content. These advanced techniques show promise for accurate fat quantification and are likely to be commercially available soon. PMID:22025886

Phenolics and antioxidant capacity of table grape (Vitis vinifera L.) cultivars grown in Chile.

PubMed

Lutz, Mariane; Jorquera, Katterin; Cancino, Beatriz; Ruby, Rene; Henriquez, Carolina

2011-09-01

Grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) possess health-promoting effects attributed to their supply of a wide variety of bioactive phenolics. Juice and skin fractions of 4 varieties of table grapes: Red Globe, Crimson Seedless, Autumn Royal, and Ribier were prepared to determine and compare their total phenolics content, antioxidant capacity (DPPH, FRAP, and ORAC), anthocyanins, and specific phenolics (caffeic acid, gallic acid, resveratrol, and catechin) content, since a series of positive health benefits are expected from the intake of any of these fractions. Higher amounts of total phenolics and antioxidant capacity were observed in the skin fractions (P < 0.05). Blue grapes (Autumn Royal and Ribier) exhibited higher phenolics content and antioxidant capacity (P < 0.05) than red grapes. The most abundant phenolic compound observed was catechin (P < 0.05). Significant correlations between the antioxidant capacity and total phenolics were observed in grape juice and skin fractions. Autumn Royal juice provides a very high amount of phenolics, anthocyanins, and exhibits the highest antioxidant capacity, offering the best health promoting properties compared with the other grape varieties studied. Grapes possess health-promoting effects attributed to their supply of a wide variety of bioactive phenolics. Grape juice made with blue grapes (Autumn Royal, Ribier) exhibit higher phenolics content and antioxidant capacity than juice elaborated with red grapes (Red Globe, Crimson Seedless). The skin is a good source of phenolics and has a high antioxidant capacity. Specific health-promoting phenolics are more abundant in blue grapes, mainly in their skin fraction, which should not be discarded. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Static metrics of impact for a dynamic problem: The need for smarter tools to guide suicide prevention planning and investment.

PubMed

Page, Andrew; Atkinson, Jo-An; Heffernan, Mark; McDonnell, Geoff; Prodan, Ante; Osgood, Nathaniel; Hickie, Ian

2018-01-01

This study investigates two approaches to estimate the potential impact of a population-level intervention on Australian suicide, to highlight the importance of selecting appropriate analytic approaches for informing evidence-based strategies for suicide prevention. The potential impact of a psychosocial therapy intervention on the incidence of suicide in Australia over the next 10 years was used as a case study to compare the potential impact on suicides averted using: (1) a traditional epidemiological measure of population attributable risk and (2) a dynamic measure of population impact based on a systems science model of suicide that incorporates changes over time. Based on the population preventive fraction, findings suggest that the psychosocial therapy intervention if implemented among all eligible individuals in the Australian population would prevent 5.4% of suicides (or 1936 suicides) over the next 10 years. In comparison, estimates from the dynamic simulation model which accounts for changes in the effect size of the intervention over time, the time taken for the intervention to have an impact in the population, and likely barriers to the uptake and availability of services suggest that the intervention would avert a lower proportion of suicides (between 0.4% and 0.5%) over the same follow-up period. Traditional epidemiological measures used to estimate population health burden have several limitations that are often understated and can lead to unrealistic expectations of the potential impact of evidence-based interventions in real-world settings. This study highlights these limitations and proposes an alternative analytic approach to guide policy and practice decisions to achieve reductions in Australian suicide.

Assessing the potential impact of increased participation in higher education on mortality: evidence from 21 European populations.

PubMed

Kulhánová, Ivana; Hoffmann, Rasmus; Judge, Ken; Looman, Caspar W N; Eikemo, Terje A; Bopp, Matthias; Deboosere, Patrick; Leinsalu, Mall; Martikainen, Pekka; Rychtaříková, Jitka; Wojtyniak, Bogdan; Menvielle, Gwenn; Mackenbach, Johan P

2014-09-01

Although higher education has been associated with lower mortality rates in many studies, the effect of potential improvements in educational distribution on future mortality levels is unknown. We therefore estimated the impact of projected increases in higher education on mortality in European populations. We used mortality and population data according to educational level from 21 European populations and developed counterfactual scenarios. The first scenario represented the improvement in the future distribution of educational attainment as expected on the basis of an assumption of cohort replacement. We estimated the effect of this counterfactual scenario on mortality with a 10-15-year time horizon among men and women aged 30-79 years using a specially developed tool based on population attributable fractions (PAF). We compared this with a second, upward levelling scenario in which everyone has obtained tertiary education. The reduction of mortality in the cohort replacement scenario ranged from 1.9 to 10.1% for men and from 1.7 to 9.0% for women. The reduction of mortality in the upward levelling scenario ranged from 22.0 to 57.0% for men and from 9.6 to 50.0% for women. The cohort replacement scenario was estimated to achieve only part (4-25% (men) and 10-31% (women)) of the potential mortality decrease seen in the upward levelling scenario. We concluded that the effect of on-going improvements in educational attainment on average mortality in the population differs across Europe, and can be substantial. Further investments in education may have important positive side-effects on population health. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Patterns, factors associated and morbidity burden of asthma in India

PubMed Central

Ram, Usha

2017-01-01

Background Asthma is a non-curable but preventable disease, responsible for higher morbidity worldwide. According to recent WHO report, nearly 235 million people are suffering from asthma leading to 383000 deaths in 2015. The burden of asthma morbidity is higher in developed countries and is increasing in developing countries. Objective The present study was aimed at studying the change in prevalence rate of asthma, associated risk factors and estimation of morbidity burden and avoidable cases of asthma in India. Methods The second round of Indian Human Development Survey (IHDS-II), 2011–12, was used for the study. For the present study, asthma was defines as ever diagnosed with asthma or having cough with short breath. Multiple-logistic regression was used to identify the possible risk factors associated with prevalence of reporting asthma. Population attributable fractions (PAFs) were computed to estimate the overall and risk factors specific burden of morbidity due to asthma using the extrapolated population of year 2015 using 2011 census. Results Overall prevalence rate of asthma increased from 41.9 (per 1000 population) in 2004–05 to 54.9 (per 1000 population) in 2011–12. The prevalence rate of reporting asthma was higher in poorer states compared to richer states, and also varied by sub-geographies, with higher prevalence rate in northern states of the country and lower rates in north-eastern states of the country. The odds of reporting asthma was higher for younger and older ages, individual with fewer years of schooling (OR: 1.41; 95% CI: 1.21–1.64) for individual with zero years of schooling compared to those with 11 or more years of schooling, individual from lower economic status, individual living in household using unclean fuels (OR:1.21; 95% CI: 1.08–1.34) and smokers (OR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.17–1.55) compared to their counterparts. In the year 2015, the overall morbidity burden of asthma was estimated at nearly 65 million and more than 82 thousand deaths were attributed due to asthma. The burden was highest among individuals living in households using solid fuels (firewood~80%, Kerosene~78%). One-third of the cases could be eliminated by minimising the use of any solid fuels. Around 17% of all the asthma cases in population could be attributed to underweight. Conclusion Eliminating the modifiable risk factors could help reduce in huge amount of asthma cases for example by providing education, cessation in smoking, and schemes like Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), by providing clean fuel (LPG) to poor and vulnerable households. PMID:29073132

Connecting micro dynamics and population distributions in system dynamics models

PubMed Central

Rahmandad, Hazhir; Chen, Hsin-Jen; Xue, Hong; Wang, Youfa

2014-01-01

Researchers use system dynamics models to capture the mean behavior of groups of indistinguishable population elements (e.g., people) aggregated in stock variables. Yet, many modeling problems require capturing the heterogeneity across elements with respect to some attribute(s) (e.g., body weight). This paper presents a new method to connect the micro-level dynamics associated with elements in a population with the macro-level population distribution along an attribute of interest without the need to explicitly model every element. We apply the proposed method to model the distribution of Body Mass Index and its changes over time in a sample population of American women obtained from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Comparing the results with those obtained from an individual-based model that captures the same phenomena shows that our proposed method delivers accurate results with less computation than the individual-based model. PMID:25620842

Sensor Technologies for Particulate Detection and Characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenberg, Paul S.

2008-01-01

Planned Lunar missions have resulted in renewed attention to problems attributable to fine particulates. While the difficulties experienced during the sequence of Apollo missions did not prove critical in all cases, the comparatively long duration of impending missions may present a different situation. This situation creates the need for a spectrum of particulate sensing technologies. From a fundamental perspective, an improved understanding of the properties of the dust fraction is required. Described here is laboratory-based reference instrumentation for the measurement of fundamental particle size distribution (PSD) functions from 2.5 nanometers to 20 micrometers. Concomitant efforts for separating samples into fractional size bins are also presented. A requirement also exists for developing mission compatible sensors. Examples include provisions for air quality monitoring in spacecraft and remote habitation modules. Required sensor attributes such as low mass, volume, and power consumption, autonomy of operation, and extended reliability cannot be accommodated by existing technologies.

The role of chondrules in nebular fractionations of volatiles and other elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grossman, J. N.

1994-01-01

For at least 30 years, cosmochemists have been grappling with the question of how and why groups of geochemically and volatility related elements became fractionated in the major chondrite groups. At least five relatively independent fractionations are known. Virtually everyone who has thought about these facts has been attempted to attribute at least some of the fractionations to the physical separation or mixing of the visible components. By far the most abundant of these components in meteorites is chondrules, and indeed chondrules have long been suspected of playing a direct role in fractionation of volatile elements. The question addressed here is whether chondrules formed before or after chemical components became separated is of fundamental importance to our understanding of the early solar system, as the answer constrains how, when, where, and from what chondrules formed, and tells us about how materials were processed in the nebula.

Analysis of dust samples from the Middle East using high-density resequencing micro-array RPM-TEI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leski, T. A.; Gregory, M. J.; Malanoski, A. P.; Smith, J. P.; Glaven, R. H.; Wang, Z.; Stenger, D. A.; Lin, B.

2010-04-01

A previously developed resequencing microarray, "Tropical and Emerging Infections (RPM-TEI v.1.0 chip)", designed to identify and discriminate between tropical diseases and other potential biothreat agents, their near-neighbor species, and/or potential confounders, was used to characterize the microbes present in the silt/clay fraction of surface soils and airborne dust collected from the Middle East. Local populations and U.S. military personnel deployed to the Middle East are regularly subjected to high levels of airborne desert dust containing a significant fraction of inhalable particles and some portion require clinical aid. Not all of the clinical symptoms can be directly attributed to the physical action of material in the human respiratory tract. To better understand the potential health effects of the airborne dust, the composition of the microbial communities associated with surface soil and/or airborne dust (air filter) samples from 19 different sites in Iraq and Kuwait was identified using RPM-TEI v.1.0. Results indicated that several microorganisms including a class of rapidly growing Mycobacterium, Bacillus, Brucella, Clostridium and Coxiella burnetti, were present in the samples. The presence of these organisms in the surface soils and the inhalable fraction of airborne dust analyzed may pose a human health risk and warrants further investigation. Better understanding of the factors influencing the composition of these microbial communities is important to address questions related to human health and is critical to achieving Force Health Protection for the Warfighter operating in the Middle East, Afghanistan, North Africa and other arid regions.

Using binary statistics in Taurus-Auriga to distinguish between brown dwarf formation processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marks, M.; Martín, E. L.; Béjar, V. J. S.; Lodieu, N.; Kroupa, P.; Manjavacas, E.; Thies, I.; Rebolo López, R.; Velasco, S.

2017-08-01

Context. One of the key questions of the star formation problem is whether brown dwarfs (BDs) form in the manner of stars directly from the gravitational collapse of a molecular cloud core (star-like) or whether BDs and some very low-mass stars (VLMSs) constitute a separate population that forms alongside stars comparable to the population of planets, for example through circumstellar disk (peripheral) fragmentation. Aims: For young stars in Taurus-Auriga the binary fraction has been shown to be large with little dependence on primary mass above ≈ 0.2 M⊙, while for BDs the binary fraction is < 10%. Here we investigate a case in which BDs in Taurus formed dominantly, but not exclusively, through peripheral fragmentation, which naturally results in small binary fractions. The decline of the binary frequency in the transition region between star-like formation and peripheral formation is modelled. Methods: We employed a dynamical population synthesis model in which stellar binary formation is universal with a large binary fraction close to unity. Peripheral objects form separately in circumstellar disks with a distinctive initial mass function (IMF), their own orbital parameter distributions for binaries, and small binary fractions, according to observations and expectations from smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) and grid-based computations. A small amount of dynamical processing of the stellar component was accounted for as appropriate for the low-density Taurus-Auriga embedded clusters. Results: The binary fraction declines strongly in the transition region between star-like and peripheral formation, exhibiting characteristic features. The location of these features and the steepness of this trend depend on the mass limits for star-like and peripheral formation. Such a trend might be unique to low density regions, such as Taurus, which host binary populations that are largely unprocessed dynamically in which the binary fraction is large for stars down to M-dwarfs and small for BDs. Conclusions: The existence of a strong decline in the binary fraction - primary mass diagram will become verifiable in future surveys on BD and VLMS binarity in the Taurus-Auriga star-forming region. The binary fraction - primary mass diagram is a diagnostic of the (non-)continuity of star formation along the mass scale, the separateness of the stellar and BD populations, and the dominant formation channel for BDs and BD binaries in regions of low stellar density hosting dynamically unprocessed populations.

Intimate partner violence, relationship power inequity, and incidence of HIV infection in young women in South Africa: a cohort study.

PubMed

Jewkes, Rachel K; Dunkle, Kristin; Nduna, Mzikazi; Shai, Nwabisa

2010-07-03

Cross-sectional studies have shown that intimate partner violence and gender inequity in relationships are associated with increased prevalence of HIV in women. Yet temporal sequence and causality have been questioned, and few HIV prevention programmes address these issues. We assessed whether intimate partner violence and relationship power inequity increase risk of incident HIV infection in South African women. We did a longitudinal analysis of data from a previously published cluster-randomised controlled trial undertaken in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa in 2002-06. 1099 women aged 15-26 years who were HIV negative at baseline and had at least one additional HIV test over 2 years of follow-up were included in the analysis. Gender power equity and intimate partner violence were measured by a sexual relationship power scale and the WHO violence against women instrument, respectively. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of HIV acquisition at 2 years were derived from Poisson models, adjusted for study design and herpes simplex virus type 2 infection, and used to calculate population attributable fractions. 128 women acquired HIV during 2076 person-years of follow-up (incidence 6.2 per 100 person-years). 51 of 325 women with low relationship power equity at baseline acquired HIV (8.5 per 100 person-years) compared with 73 of 704 women with medium or high relationship power equity (5.5 per 100 person-years); adjusted multivariable Poisson model IRR 1.51, 95% CI 1.05-2.17, p=0.027. 45 of 253 women who reported more than one episode of intimate partner violence at baseline acquired HIV (9.6 per 100 person-years) compared with 83 of 846 who reported one or no episodes (5.2 per 100 person-years); adjusted multivariable Poisson model IRR 1.51, 1.04-2.21, p=0.032. The population attributable fractions were 13.9% (95% CI 2.0-22.2) for relationship power equity and 11.9% (1.4-19.3) for intimate partner violence. Relationship power inequity and intimate partner violence increase risk of incident HIV infection in young South African women. Policy, interventions, and programmes for HIV prevention must address both of these risk factors and allocate appropriate resources. National Institute of Mental Health and South African Medical Research Council. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Growth parameters and density variation of a queen conch, Strombus gigas (Neotaenioglossa: Strombidae), population from Xel-Ha park, a marine protected area.

PubMed

Baqueiro Cárdenas, Erick; Aldana Aranda, Dalila

2014-03-01

The queen conch, Strombus gigas, is a gastropod of commercial importance in the Caribbean. Population studies are based on size frequency analysis, using either length or weight parameters for the whole live organism. This contribution used mark-recapture data to estimate the Von Bertalanffy equation parameters and population number variation within a non harvest population from a protected area, to clarify the biometric parameters that better suit for the whole population, or for the juvenile and adult fractions. Conchs from Xel-Ha Park were monthly sampled from November 2001 to August 2005. Every conch found was measured and marked with a numbered tag that identified month and locality; and monthly abundance was estimated with Jolly's method. Length, lip thickness and weight increments were used to estimate the Von Bertalanffy growth equation parameters with Appeldoorn's subroutine of FISAT program. The population number varied through the study, with a minimum of 49 in April 2003 and maximum of 9 848 during June 2005. Conchs make only temporary use of Xel-Ha cove. Shell length gave the best fit for the juvenile fraction: L(infinity)=251, K=0.3, C=0.8 Wp=0.3; and lip thickness for adults: L(infinity)=47.78, K=0.17, C=0.1, Wp=0.86, while, the whole population was better represented by weight: L(infinity)=3850, K=0.36, C=0.8, Wp=0.3. A maximum age of 19 years was estimated from the population. Natural mortality was 0.49/year for juveniles and 0.29/year for adults. There were two pulses of recruitment: fall-winter and summer. It is concluded that population studies from length frequency data, should be analyzed independently in two groups, shell for the juvenile fraction and lip thickness for the adult fraction, or if it is not possible to analyze the population fractions separately, weight should be used to avoid miss calculation of the age structure.

Economic Burden of Human Papillomavirus-Related Diseases in Italy

PubMed Central

Baio, Gianluca; Capone, Alessandro; Marcellusi, Andrea; Mennini, Francesco Saverio; Favato, Giampiero

2012-01-01

Introduction Human papilloma virus (HPV) genotypes 6, 11, 16, and 18 impose a substantial burden of direct costs on the Italian National Health Service that has never been quantified fully. The main objective of the present study was to address this gap: (1) by estimating the total direct medical costs associated with nine major HPV-related diseases, namely invasive cervical cancer, cervical dysplasia, cancer of the vulva, vagina, anus, penis, and head and neck, anogenital warts, and recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, and (2) by providing an aggregate measure of the total economic burden attributable to HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18 infection. Methods For each of the nine conditions, we used available Italian secondary data to estimate the lifetime cost per case, the number of incident cases of each disease, the total economic burden, and the relative prevalence of HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18, in order to estimate the aggregate fraction of the total economic burden attributable to HPV infection. Results The total direct costs (expressed in 2011 Euro) associated with the annual incident cases of the nine HPV-related conditions included in the analysis were estimated to be €528.6 million, with a plausible range of €480.1–686.2 million. The fraction attributable to HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18 was €291.0 (range €274.5–315.7 million), accounting for approximately 55% of the total annual burden of HPV-related disease in Italy. Conclusions The results provided a plausible estimate of the significant economic burden imposed by the most prevalent HPV-related diseases on the Italian welfare system. The fraction of the total direct lifetime costs attributable to HPV 6, 11, 16, and 18 infections, and the economic burden of noncervical HPV-related diseases carried by men, were found to be cost drivers relevant to the making of informed decisions about future investments in programmes of HPV prevention. PMID:23185412

Maternal and perinatal mortality by place of delivery in sub-Saharan Africa: a meta-analysis of population-based cohort studies.

PubMed

Chinkhumba, Jobiba; De Allegri, Manuela; Muula, Adamson S; Robberstad, Bjarne

2014-09-28

Facility-based delivery has gained traction as a key strategy for reducing maternal and perinatal mortality in developing countries. However, robust evidence of impact of place of delivery on maternal and perinatal mortality is lacking. We aimed to estimate the risk of maternal and perinatal mortality by place of delivery in sub-Saharan Africa. We conducted a systematic review of population-based cohort studies reporting on risk of maternal or perinatal mortality at the individual level by place of delivery in sub-Saharan Africa. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess study quality. Outcomes were summarized in pooled analyses using fixed and random effects models. We calculated attributable risk percentage reduction in mortality to estimate exposure effect. We report mortality ratios, crude odds ratios and associated 95% confidence intervals. We found 9 population-based cohort studies: 6 reporting on perinatal and 3 on maternal mortality. The mean study quality score was 10 out of 15 points. Control for confounders varied between the studies. A total of 36,772 pregnancy episodes were included in the analyses. Overall, perinatal mortality is 21% higher for home compared to facility-based deliveries, but the difference is only significant when produced with a fixed effects model (OR 1.21, 95% CI: 1.02-1.46) and not when produced by a random effects model (OR 1.21, 95% CI: 0.79-1.84). Under best settings, up to 14 perinatal deaths might be averted per 1000 births if the women delivered at facilities instead of homes. We found significantly increased risk of maternal mortality for facility-based compared to home deliveries (OR 2.29, 95% CI: 1.58-3.31), precluding estimates of attributable risk fraction. Evaluating the impact of facility-based delivery strategy on maternal and perinatal mortality using population-based studies is complicated by selection bias and poor control of confounders. Studies that pool data at an individual level may overcome some of these problems and provide better estimates of relative effectiveness of place of delivery in the region.

The economic burden of physical inactivity: a systematic review and critical appraisal.

PubMed

Ding, Ding; Kolbe-Alexander, Tracy; Nguyen, Binh; Katzmarzyk, Peter T; Pratt, Michael; Lawson, Kenny D

2017-10-01

To summarise the literature on the economic burden of physical inactivity in populations, with emphases on appraising the methodologies and providing recommendations for future studies. Systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PROSPERO registration number CRD42016047705). Electronic databases for peer-reviewed and grey literature were systematically searched, followed by reference searching and consultation with experts. Studies that examined the economic consequences of physical inactivity in a population/population-based sample, with clearly stated methodologies and at least an abstract/summary written in English. Of the 40 eligible studies, 27 focused on direct healthcare costs only, 13 also estimated indirect costs and one study additionally estimated household costs. For direct costs, 23 studies used a population attributable fraction (PAF) approach with estimated healthcare costs attributable to physical inactivity ranging from 0.3% to 4.6% of national healthcare expenditure; 17 studies used an econometric approach, which tended to yield higher estimates than those using a PAF approach. For indirect costs, 10 studies used a human capital approach, two used a friction cost approach and one used a value of a statistical life approach. Overall, estimates varied substantially, even within the same country, depending on analytical approaches, time frame and other methodological considerations. Estimating the economic burden of physical inactivity is an area of increasing importance that requires further development. There is a marked lack of consistency in methodological approaches and transparency of reporting. Future studies could benefit from cross-disciplinary collaborations involving economists and physical activity experts, taking a societal perspective and following best practices in conducting and reporting analysis, including accounting for potential confounding, reverse causality and comorbidity, applying discounting and sensitivity analysis, and reporting assumptions, limitations and justifications for approaches taken. We have adapted the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards checklist as a guide for future estimates of the economic burden of physical inactivity and other risk factors. © 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.

In vitro anti-MRSA activity of Couroupita guianensis extract and its component Tryptanthrin.

PubMed

Costa, Danielle Cristina Machado; Azevedo, Mariana Maria Barros de; Silva, Davi Oliveira E; Romanos, Maria Teresa Villela; Souto-Padrón, Thais Cristina Baeta Soares; Alviano, Celuta Sales; Alviano, Daniela Sales

2017-09-01

Couroupita guianensis is known in Brazil as 'Abricó-de-Macaco' and it has some attributes such as: antihypertensive, analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. This study evaluated the antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extract and fractions of C. guianensis flowers and isolation of bioactive component. These extracts and fractions were subjected to agar diffusion, MIC, TLC and bioautography to bacteria, filamentous fungi and yeasts. Among the fractions of EtOH extract, the DCM fraction was the most active, particularly against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with MIC of 156 μg/mL. The active compound in this fraction was identified as Tryptanthrin, which showed promising antibacterial activity for MRSA showing MIC of 62.5 μg/mL. Ultrastructural analysis of MRSA incubated in the presence of Tryptanthrin by transmission electron microscope showed significant alterations in the cellular structure. Cytotoxicity tests demonstrated that DCM fraction and Tryptanthrin showed low toxicity, which makes it a promising candidate for alternative therapies to control and combat diseases.

[Antiinflammatory activity of extracts and fractions obtained from Physalis peruviana L. calyces].

PubMed

Franco, Luis A; Matiz, Germán E; Calle, Jairo; Pinzón, Roberto; Ospina, Luis F

2007-03-01

Cape gooseberry calyces (Physalis peruviana) have been used in folk medicine for their medicinal properties including anticancer, antimycobacterial, antipyretic, diuretic, immunomodulatory and antiinflammatory properties. The antiinflammatory effect was evaluated for extracts and fractions obtained from Physalis peruviana calyces in a mice model of acute inflammation. The fractions responsible for antiinflammatory activity were extracted for possible identification. The Physalis peruviana calyces were extracted by percolation with organic solvents. The primary hydroalcoholic fraction was purified by column chromatography. The antiinflammatory effect of extracts and fractions was evaluated using the 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced mouse model of ear edema. Thirty-eight secondary fractions were obtained by column chromatography of primary hydroalcoholic fraction. Six fractions, evaluated in 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced inflammation assay, showed significant antiinflammatory activity (p<0.05). The major fraction, Pp-D28-LF, showed a significant dose-dependent response at doses over 250 microg/ear. The antiinflammatory activity attributed to Physalis peruviana calyces was confirmed and validated its use in folk medicine. Fractions responsible for the antiinflammatory action were identified and seem promising for phytomedicinal development. Further studies are needed to isolate and identify the active constituents of these fractions as well as to ascertain the mechanisms involved in the antiinflammatory effect.

Enrichment of putative stem cells from adipose tissue using dielectrophoretic field-flow fractionation

PubMed Central

Vykoukal, Jody; Vykoukal, Daynene M.; Freyberg, Susanne; Alt, Eckhard U.; Gascoyne, Peter R. C.

2009-01-01

We have applied the microfluidic cell separation method of dielectrophoretic field-flow fractionation (DEP-FFF) to the enrichment of a putative stem cell population from an enzyme-digested adipose tissue derived cell suspension. A DEP-FFF separator device was constructed using a novel microfluidic-microelectronic hybrid flex-circuit fabrication approach that is scaleable and anticipates future low-cost volume manufacturing. We report the separation of a nucleated cell fraction from cell debris and the bulk of the erythrocyte population, with the relatively rare (<2% starting concentration) NG2-positive cell population (pericytes and/or putative progenitor cells) being enriched up to 14-fold. This work demonstrates a potential clinical application for DEP-FFF and further establishes the utility of the method for achieving label-free fractionation of cell subpopulations. PMID:18651083

[The impact of low birth weight related to gestational depression on federal funding of public health: a study in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil].

PubMed

Menezes, Leticia Oliveira de; Pinheiro, Ricardo Tavares; Quevedo, Luciana de Avila; Oliveira, Sandro Schreiber de; Silva, Ricardo Azevedo da; Pinheiro, Karen Amaral Tavares; Santo, Graciela Coelho Espírito; Jansen, Karen

2012-10-01

Low birth weight is related to morbidity and mortality and sequelae during infant development, thereby impacting health system costs. It is thus important to evaluate factors that influence low birth weight and to estimate their impact on the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS). This was a nested prospective study in a cohort of pregnant women who received prenatal care and gave birth in the National Health System in hospitals with ICUs in the city of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Gestational depression was associated with a fourfold risk of low birth weight (PR = 3.94; CI: 1.49-10.36). Based on the population-attributable fraction, in the overall population an estimated 36.17% of low birth weight infants are born to mothers with an episode of depression during pregnancy, with an estimated cost of more than R$76 million (U$38 million) in Brazil. The study recommends the expansion of preventive and therapeutic mental health care measures for pregnant women and the adequate use of resources in the Unified National Health System to improve neonatal outcomes.

Relationship between adverse childhood experiences and homelessness and the impact of axis I and II disorders.

PubMed

Roos, Leslie E; Mota, Natalie; Afifi, Tracie O; Katz, Laurence Y; Distasio, Jino; Sareen, Jitender

2013-12-01

We investigated the links between homelessness associated with serious mental and physical healthy disparities and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in nationally representative data, with Axis I and II disorders as potential mediators. We examined data from the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions in 2001-2002 and 2004-2005, and included 34,653 participants representative of the noninstitutionalized US population who were 20 years old or older. We studied the variables related to 4 classes of Axis I disorders, all 10 Axis II personality disorders, a wide range of ACEs, and a lifetime history of homelessness. Analyses revealed high prevalences of each ACE in individuals experiencing lifetime homelessness (17%-60%). A mediation model with Axis I and II disorders determined that childhood adversities were significantly related to homelessness through direct effects (adjusted odd ratios = 2.04, 4.24) and indirect effects, indicating partial mediation. Population attributable fractions were also reported. Although Axis I and II disorders partially mediated the relationship between ACEs and homelessness, a strong direct association remained. This novel finding has implications for interventions and policy. Additional research is needed to understand relevant causal pathways.

Risk factors for stillbirth in developing countries: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Di Mario, Simona; Say, Lale; Lincetto, Ornella

2007-07-01

To identify risk factors for stillbirth in developing countries and to measure their impact by calculating the population attributable fraction (PAF) for each risk factor. Systematic review of published studies on risk factors for stillbirth within 3 broadly defined categories: infections, other clinical conditions, and context-dependent conditions such as socioeconomic status, maternal literacy, and receipt of antenatal care. Where statistically significant associations were found between a risk factor and occurrence of stillbirth, the PAF (the proportion of cases occurring in the total population that would be avoided if the exposure was removed) was calculated. A total of 33 studies, conducted in 31 developing countries, were included in the review. The definition of stillbirth varied widely in these studies. Risk factors for stillbirth having a PAF higher than 50% were maternal syphilis, chorioamnionitis, maternal malnutrition, lack of antenatal care, and maternal socioeconomic disadvantage. Maternal syphilis prevention, screening and treatment together with other interventions targeting universal use of antenatal care (that includes screening for syphilis) and improving the socioeconomic conditions including nutritional status of the mother, could effectively contribute towards reducing the unacceptably high burden due to stillbirth in developing countries.

Educational inequalities in falls mortality among older adults: population-based multiple cause of death data from Sweden.

PubMed

Ahmad Kiadaliri, Aliasghar; Turkiewicz, Aleksandra; Englund, Martin

2018-01-01

Falls are the leading cause of fatal injuries among elderly adults. While socioeconomic status including education is a well-documented predictor of many individual health outcomes including mortality, little is known about socioeconomic inequalities in falls mortality among adults. This study aimed to assess educational inequalities in falls mortality among older adults in Sweden using multiple cause of death data. All residents aged 50‒75 years in the Skåne region, Sweden, during 1998‒2013 (n=566 478) were followed until death, relocation outside Skåne or end of 2014. We identified any mention of falls on death certificates (n=1047). We defined three levels of education. We used an additive hazards model and Cox regression with age as time scale adjusted for marital status and country of birth to calculate slope and relative indices of inequality (SII/RII). We also computed the population attributable fraction of lower educational attainment. Analyses were performed separately for men and women. Both SII and RII revealed statistically significant educational inequalities in falls mortality among men in favour of high educated (SII (95% CI): 15.5 (9.8 to 21.3) per 100 000 person-years; RII: 2.19 (1.60 to 3.00)) but not among women. Among men, 34% (95% CI 19 to 46) of falls deaths were attributable to lower education. There was an inverse association between education and deaths from falls among men but not women. The results suggest that individual's education should be considered in falls reduction interventions. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Contribution of overweight and obesity to adverse pregnancy outcomes among immigrant and non-immigrant women in Berlin, Germany.

PubMed

Reiss, Katharina; Breckenkamp, Jürgen; Borde, Theda; Brenne, Silke; David, Matthias; Razum, Oliver

2015-10-01

Maternal excessive weight and smoking are associated with an increased risk of pregnancy complications and adverse pregnancy outcomes. In Germany, immigrant women have a higher prevalence of pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity compared with autochthonous women. We compared the contribution of pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity to adverse pregnancy outcomes among immigrant and autochthonous women in Berlin/Germany. Data from 2586 immigrant women (from Turkey, Lebanon, other countries of origin) and 2676 autochthonous women delivering in three maternity hospitals of Berlin within 12 months (2011/2012) was used. Cox regression models were applied to estimate the association between overweight/obesity and smoking with the outcomes large-for-gestational-age (LGA), small-for-gestational-age (SGA), preterm birth (PTB) and extreme preterm-birth (E-PTB). Population attributive fractions (PAF) were calculated to quantify the proportion of the outcomes attributable to overweight/obesity and smoking, respectively. Prevalence of overweight and obesity was 33.4% among autochthonous and 53.6% among Turkish women. Prevalence risk ratios of excessive weight were highest for LGA infants among immigrant and autochthonous women. The PAFs were -11.8% (SGA), +16.3% (LGA), +3.6% (PTB) and +16.5% (E-PTB) for the total study population. Overweight/obesity is strongly associated with an increased risk of delivering an LGA infant among both immigrant and autochthonous women. Compared with autochthonous women, the contribution of excessive weight to LGA is even higher among immigrant women, in whom PAFs of overweight/obesity even exceed those of smoking for some outcomes. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Association between maternal dental periapical infections and pregnancy outcomes: results from a cross-sectional study in Malawi.

PubMed

Harjunmaa, Ulla; Järnstedt, Jorma; Alho, Lotta; Dewey, Kathryn G; Cheung, Yin Bun; Deitchler, Megan; Ashorn, Ulla; Maleta, Kenneth; Klein, Nigel J; Ashorn, Per

2015-11-01

Maternal infections are associated with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preterm birth (PTB). Dental infections are common in low-income settings, but their contribution to adverse pregnancy outcomes is unknown. We studied the epidemiology of dental periapical infections among pregnant women and their association to foetal growth restriction and the duration of pregnancy in a rural sub-Saharan African population. This was a cross-sectional study on the association between maternal dental periapical infections and birth outcomes, in Malawi, Africa. We assessed oral health clinically and radiologically among recently delivered women with known duration of pregnancy and measured birthweight (BW), length and head circumference of their infants. Of 1024 analysed participants, 23.5% had periapical infections. Mean duration of pregnancy was 39.4 weeks, BW 2979 g and length 49.7 cm. Women with periapical infection had mean (95% CI) pregnancy duration 0.4 weeks (0.1-0.8) shorter and delivered infants with 79 g (13-145) lower BW and 0.5 cm (0.2-0.9) shorter neonatal length than women without periapical infection. The incidence of PTB was 10.0% among women with periapical infection and 7.3% among those without (adjusted difference 3.5%, 95% CI -1.1-8.1%). Corresponding prevalences for stunting were 20.9% and 14.2% (adjusted difference 9.0%, 95% CI 2.7%-15.2%). The population-attributable risk fraction attributable to periapical infection was 9.7% for PTB and 12.8% for stunting. Periapical infection was associated with shorter pregnancy duration and IUGR in the study area; interventions addressing this risk factor may improve birth outcomes in low-income settings. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Visual Impairment, Undercorrected Refractive Errors, and Activity Limitations in Older Adults: Findings From the Three-City Alienor Study.

PubMed

Naël, Virginie; Pérès, Karine; Carrière, Isabelle; Daien, Vincent; Scherlen, Anne-Catherine; Arleo, Angelo; Korobelnik, Jean-Francois; Delcourt, Cécile; Helmer, Catherine

2017-04-01

As vision is required in almost all activities of daily living, visual impairment (VI) may be one of the major treatable factors for preventing activity limitations. We aimed to evaluate the attributable risk of VI associated with activity limitations and the extent to which limitations are avoidable with optimal optical correction of undercorrected refractive errors. We analyzed 709 older adults from the Three-City-Alienor population-based study. VI was defined by presenting distance visual acuity in the better-seeing eye. Multivariate modified Poisson regressions were used to estimate the associations between vision, activity limitations, and social participation restrictions. Population attributable risk (PAR) and generalized impact fraction (GIF) were estimated. Bootstrapping was used to estimate 95% confidence intervals (CI). After adjustment for potential confounders, VI was associated with each domain of activity limitations, except basic activities of daily living (ADL) limitations. These associations were found for even minimal levels of VI. PAR was estimated at 10.1% (95% CI: 5.2-10.6) for mobility limitations, at 26.0% (95% CI: 13.5-41.2) for instrumental ADL (IADL) limitations, and at 24.9% (95% CI: 10.5-47.1) for social participation restrictions. GIF for improvement of undercorrected refractive errors was 6.1% (95% CI: 3.8-8.5) for mobility limitations, 15.8% (95% CI: 11.5-20.1) for IADL limitations and 21.4% (95% CI: 13.8-28.5) for social participation restrictions. About one-sixth of IADL limitations and one-fifth of social participation restrictions could be prevented by an optimal optical correction. These results underline the importance of eye examinations in older adults to prevent disability.

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.

Disparities in Cancer Incidence, Stage, and Mortality at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program

PubMed Central

Baggett, Travis P.; Chang, Yuchiao; Porneala, Bianca C.; Bharel, Monica; Singer, Daniel E.; Rigotti, Nancy A.

2015-01-01

Introduction Homeless people have a high burden of cancer risk factors and suboptimal rates of cancer screening, but the epidemiology of cancer has not been well described in this population. We assessed cancer incidence, stage, and mortality in homeless adults relative to general population standards. Methods We cross-linked a cohort of 28,033 adults seen at Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program in 2003–2008 to Massachusetts cancer registry and vital registry records. We calculated age-standardized cancer incidence and mortality ratios (SIRs and SMRs). We examined tobacco use among incident cases and estimated smoking-attributable fractions. Trend tests were used to compare cancer stage distributions with those in Massachusetts adults. Analyses were conducted in 2012–2015. Results During 90,450 person-years of observation, there were 361 incident cancers (SIR=1.13, 95% CI=1.02, 1.25) and 168 cancer deaths (SMR=1.88, 95% CI=1.61, 2.19) among men, and 98 incident cancers (SIR=0.93, 95% CI=0.76, 1.14) and 38 cancer deaths (SMR=1.61, 95% CI=1.14, 2.20) among women. For both sexes, bronchus and lung cancer was the leading type of incident cancer and cancer death, exceeding Massachusetts estimates more than twofold. Oropharyngeal and liver cancer cases and deaths occurred in excess among men, whereas cervical cancer cases and deaths occurred in excess among women. About one third of incident cancers were smoking-attributable. Colorectal, female breast, and oropharyngeal cancers were diagnosed at more-advanced stages than in Massachusetts adults. Conclusions Efforts to reduce cancer disparities in homeless people should include addressing tobacco use and enhancing participation in evidence-based screening. PMID:26143955

The population of single and binary white dwarfs of the Galactic bulge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres, S.; García-Berro, E.; Cojocaru, R.; Calamida, A.

2018-05-01

Recent Hubble Space Telescope observations have unveiled the white dwarf cooling sequence of the Galactic bulge. Although the degenerate sequence can be well fitted employing the most up-to-date theoretical cooling sequences, observations show a systematic excess of red objects that cannot be explained by the theoretical models of single carbon-oxygen white dwarfs of the appropriate masses. Here, we present a population synthesis study of the white dwarf cooling sequence of the Galactic bulge that takes into account the populations of both single white dwarfs and binary systems containing at least one white dwarf. These calculations incorporate state-of-the-art cooling sequences for white dwarfs with hydrogen-rich and hydrogen-deficient atmospheres, for both white dwarfs with carbon-oxygen and helium cores, and also take into account detailed prescriptions of the evolutionary history of binary systems. Our Monte Carlo simulator also incorporates all the known observational biases. This allows us to model with a high degree of realism the white dwarf population of the Galactic bulge. We find that the observed excess of red stars can be partially attributed to white dwarf plus main sequence binaries, and to cataclysmic variables or dwarf novae. Our best fit is obtained with a higher binary fraction and an initial mass function slope steeper than standard values, as well as with the inclusion of differential reddening and blending. Our results also show that the possible contribution of double degenerate systems or young and thick-discbulge stars is negligible.

Elevated Proportions of Deleterious Genetic Variation in Domestic Animals and Plants

PubMed Central

Rubin, Carl-Johan; Carneiro, Miguel; Axelsson, Erik; Andersson, Leif

2018-01-01

Abstract A fraction of genetic variants segregating in any population are deleterious, which negatively impacts individual fitness. The domestication of animals and plants is associated with population bottlenecks and artificial selection, which are predicted to increase the proportion of deleterious variants. However, the extent to which this is a general feature of domestic species is unclear. Here, we examine the effects of domestication on the prevalence of deleterious variation using pooled whole-genome resequencing data from five domestic animal species (dog, pig, rabbit, chicken, and silkworm) and two domestic plant species (rice and soybean) compared with their wild ancestors. We find significantly reduced genetic variation and increased proportion of nonsynonymous amino acid changes in all but one of the domestic species. These differences are observable across a range of allele frequencies, both common and rare. We find proportionally more single nucleotide polymorphisms in highly conserved elements in domestic species and a tendency for domestic species to harbor a higher proportion of changes classified as damaging. Our findings most likely reflect an increased incidence of deleterious variants in domestic species, which is most likely attributable to population bottlenecks that lead to a reduction in the efficacy of selection. An exception to this pattern is displayed by European domestic pigs, which do not show traces of a strong population bottleneck and probably continued to exchange genes with wild boar populations after domestication. The results presented here indicate that an elevated proportion of deleterious variants is a common, but not ubiquitous, feature of domestic species. PMID:29325102

Focus Groups in Elderly Ophthalmologic Patients: Setting the Stage for Quantitative Preference Elicitation.

PubMed

Danner, Marion; Vennedey, Vera; Hiligsmann, Mickaël; Fauser, Sascha; Stock, Stephanie

2016-02-01

Patients suffering from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are rarely actively involved in decision-making, despite facing preference-sensitive treatment decisions. This paper presents a qualitative study to prepare quantitative preference elicitation in AMD patients. The aims of this study were (1) to gain familiarity with and learn about the special requirements of the AMD patient population for quantitative data collection; and (2) to select/refine patient-relevant treatment attributes and levels, and gain insights into preference structures. Semi-structured focus group interviews were performed. An interview guide including preselected categories in the form of seven potentially patient-relevant treatment attributes was followed. To identify the most patient-relevant treatment attributes, a ranking exercise was performed. Deductive content analyses were done by two independent reviewers for each attribute to derive subcategories (potential levels of attributes) and depict preference trends. The focus group interviews included 21 patients. The interviews revealed that quantitative preference surveys in this population will have to be interviewer assisted to make the survey feasible for patients. The five most patient-relevant attributes were the effect on visual function [ranking score (RS): 139], injection frequency (RS: 101), approval status (RS: 83), side effects (RS: 79), and monitoring frequency (RS: 76). Attribute and level refinement was based on patients' statements. Preference trends and dependencies between attributes informed the quantitative instrument design. This study suggests that qualitative research is a very helpful step to prepare the design and administration of quantitative preference elicitation instruments. It especially facilitated familiarization with the target population and its preferences, and it supported attribute/level refinement.

Modulatory effects of condensed tannin fractions of different molecular weights from a Leucaena leucocephala hybrid on the bovine rumen bacterial community in vitro.

PubMed

Saminathan, Mookiah; Sieo, Chin Chin; Gan, Han Ming; Ravi, Sharanya; Venkatachalam, Karthikkumar; Abdullah, Norhani; Wong, Clemente Michael Vui Ling; Ho, Yin Wan

2016-10-01

Condensed tannin (CT) fractions of different molecular weights (MWs) may affect rumen microbial metabolism by altering bacterial diversity. In this study the effects of unfractionated CTs (F0) and five CT fractions (F1-F5) of different MWs (F1, 1265.8 Da; F2, 1028.6 Da; F3, 652.2 Da; F4, 562.2 Da; F5, 469.6 Da) from Leucaena leucocephala hybrid-Rendang (LLR) on the structure and diversity of the rumen bacterial community were investigated in vitro. Real-time polymerase chain reaction assay showed that the total bacterial population was not significantly (P > 0.05) different among the dietary treatments. Inclusion of higher-MW CT fractions F1 and F2 significantly (P < 0.05) increased the Fibrobacter succinogenes population compared with F0 and CT fractions F3-F5. Although inclusion of F0 and CT fractions (F1-F5) significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the Ruminococcus flavefaciens population, there was no effect on the Ruminococcus albus population when compared with the control (without CTs). High-throughput sequencing of the V3 region of 16S rRNA showed that the relative abundance of genera Prevotella and unclassified Clostridiales was significantly (P < 0.05) decreased, corresponding with increasing MW of CT fractions, whereas cellulolytic bacteria of the genus Fibrobacter were significantly (P < 0.05) increased. Inclusion of higher-MW CT fractions F1 and/or F2 decreased the relative abundance of minor genera such as Ruminococcus, Streptococcus, Clostridium XIVa and Anaeroplasma but increased the relative abundance of Acinetobacter, Treponema, Selenomonas, Succiniclasticum and unclassified Spirochaetales compared with the control and lower-MW CT fractions. This study indicates that CT fractions of different MWs may play an important role in altering the structure and diversity of the rumen bacterial community in vitro, and the impact was more pronounced for CT fractions with higher MW. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Costs of coronary heart disease and mortality associated with near-roadway air pollution.

PubMed

Brandt, Sylvia; Dickinson, Brenton; Ghosh, Rakesh; Lurmann, Frederick; Perez, Laura; Penfold, Bryan; Wilson, John; Künzli, Nino; McConnell, Rob

2017-12-01

Emerging evidence indicates that the near-roadway air pollution (NRAP) mixture contributes to CHD, yet few studies have evaluated the associated costs. We integrated an assessment of NRAP-attributable CHD in Southern California with new methods to value the associated mortality and hospitalizations. Based on population-weighted residential exposure to NRAP (traffic density, proximity to a major roadway and elemental carbon), we estimated the inflation-adjusted value of NRAP-attributable mortality and costs of hospitalizations that occurred in 2008. We also estimated anticipated costs in 2035 based on projected changes in population and in NRAP exposure associated with California's plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For comparison, we estimated the value of CHD mortality attributable to PM less than 2.5μm in diameter (PM 2.5 ) in both 2008 and 2035. The value of CHD mortality attributable to NRAP in 2008 was between $3.8 and $11.5 billion, 23% (major roadway proximity) to 68% (traffic density) of the $16.8 billion attributable to regulated regional PM 2.5 . NRAP-attributable costs were projected to increase to $10.6 to $22 billion in 2035, depending on the NRAP metric. Cost of NRAP-attributable hospitalizations for CHD in 2008 was $48.6 million and was projected to increase to $51.4 million in 2035. We developed an economic framework that can be used to estimate the benefits of regulations to improve air quality. CHD attributable to NRAP has a large economic impact that is expected to increase by 2035, largely due to an aging population. PM 2.5 -attributable costs may underestimate total value of air pollution-attributable CHD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

BINARY ASTROMETRIC MICROLENSING WITH GAIA

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

Sajadian, Sedighe, E-mail: sajadian@ipm.ir; Department of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11155-9161, Tehran

2015-04-15

We investigate whether or not Gaia can specify the binary fractions of massive stellar populations in the Galactic disk through astrometric microlensing. Furthermore, we study whether or not some information about their mass distributions can be inferred via this method. In this regard, we simulate the binary astrometric microlensing events due to massive stellar populations according to the Gaia observing strategy by considering (i) stellar-mass black holes, (ii) neutron stars, (iii) white dwarfs, and (iv) main-sequence stars as microlenses. The Gaia efficiency for detecting the binary signatures in binary astrometric microlensing events is ∼10%–20%. By calculating the optical depth duemore » to the mentioned stellar populations, the numbers of the binary astrometric microlensing events being observed with Gaia with detectable binary signatures, for the binary fraction of about 0.1, are estimated to be 6, 11, 77, and 1316, respectively. Consequently, Gaia can potentially specify the binary fractions of these massive stellar populations. However, the binary fraction of black holes measured with this method has a large uncertainty owing to a low number of the estimated events. Knowing the binary fractions in massive stellar populations helps with studying the gravitational waves. Moreover, we investigate the number of massive microlenses for which Gaia specifies masses through astrometric microlensing of single lenses toward the Galactic bulge. The resulting efficiencies of measuring the mass of mentioned populations are 9.8%, 2.9%, 1.2%, and 0.8%, respectively. The numbers of their astrometric microlensing events being observed in the Gaia era in which the lens mass can be inferred with the relative error less than 0.5 toward the Galactic bulge are estimated as 45, 34, 76, and 786, respectively. Hence, Gaia potentially gives us some information about the mass distribution of these massive stellar populations.« less

Antihepatoma Activity of Artocarpus communis Is Higher in Fractions with High Artocarpin Content

PubMed Central

Tzeng, Cheng-Wei; Yen, Feng-Lin; Lee, Chiang-Wen; Yen, Ming-Hong; Tzeng, Wen-Sheng; Lin, Chun-Ching

2014-01-01

Extracts from natural plants have been used in traditional medicine for many centuries worldwide. Artocarpus communis is one such plant that has been used to treat liver cirrhosis, hypertension, and diabetes. To our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the antihepatoma activity of A. communis toward HepG2 and PLC/PRF/5 cells and the first to explore the relationship between antihepatoma activity and the active compound artocarpin content in different fractions of A. communis. A. communis methanol extract and fractions induced dose-dependent reduction of tumor cell viability. DNA laddering analysis revealed that A. communis extract and fractions did not induce apoptosis in HepG2 and PLC/PRF/5 cells. Instead, acridine orange staining revealed that A. communis triggered autophagic cell death in a dose-dependent manner. The antihepatoma activity of A. communis is attributable to artocarpin. The fractions with the highest artocarpin content were also the fractions with the highest antihepatoma activity in the following order: dichloromethane fraction > methanol extract > ethyl acetate fraction > n-butanol fraction > n-hexane fraction. Taken together, A. communis showed antihepatoma activity through autophagic cell death. The effect was related to artocarpin content. Artocarpin could be considered an indicator of the anticancer potential of A. communis extract. PMID:25133268

Global and regional trends in particulate air quality and attributable health burden over the past 50 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butt, Edward W.; Turnock, Steven T.; Rigby, Richard; Reddington, Carly L.; Yoshioka, Masaru; Johnson, Jill S.; Regayre, Leighton A.; Pringle, Kirsty J.; Mann, Graham W.; Spracklen, Dominick V.

2017-04-01

Long-term exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM2.5, mass of particles with an aerodynamic dry diameter of < 2.5 μm) is associated with premature mortality. Previous studies have focussed on present day or future attributable health burdens. Few studies have estimated changes in PM2.5 concentrations and associated health burdens over the last few decades, a period where air quality has changed rapidly. Here we used the HadGEM3-UKCA coupled chemistry-climate model, integrated exposure-response relationships, demographic data and background disease prevalence to provide the first estimate of the changes in global and regional health burdens attributable to ambient PM2.5 exposure over the period 1960 to 2009. Over this period, simulated global mean population-weighted PM2.5 increased by 37% to 48% dominated by large increases over China (53% to 66%) and India (70% to 116%). We find that global attributable mortality due to long-term PM2.5 exposure increased by 124% to 147% between 1960 and 2009, substantially more than the increase in PM2.5 concentrations over the same period. This increase is dominated by India and China and is driven by population growth and an ageing population combined with increased PM2.5 concentrations. Our results show that PM2.5 concentrations in China and India will need to be reduced substantially to slow the increasing attributable health burdens that are being driven by population growth and an older population.

Pregnancy-Related Risk Factors Are Associated With a Significant Burden of Treated Hypertension Within 10 Years of Delivery: Findings From a Population-Based Norwegian Cohort.

PubMed

Egeland, Grace M; Skurtveit, Svetlana; Staff, Anne Cathrine; Eide, Geir Egil; Daltveit, Anne-Kjersti; Klungsøyr, Kari; Trogstad, Lill; Magnus, Per M; Brantsæter, Anne Lise; Haugen, Margaretha

2018-05-13

The association between pregnancy complications and women's later cardiovascular disease has, primarily, been evaluated in studies lacking information on important covariates. This report evaluates the prospective associations between pregnancy-related risk factors (preeclampsia/eclampsia, gestational hypertension, pregestational and gestational diabetes mellitus, preterm delivery, and fetal growth restriction) and pharmacologically treated hypertension within 10 years after pregnancy, while adjusting for a wide range of covariates. Prepregnancy normotensive women participating in the MoBa (Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study) from January 2004 through July 2009 were linked to the Norwegian Prescription Database to identify women with pharmacologically treated hypertension beyond the postpartum period of 3 months. The burden of hypertension associated with pregnancy-related risk factors was evaluated using an attributable fraction method. A total of 1480 women developed pharmacologically treated hypertension within the follow-up among 60 027 women (rate of hypertension, 3.6/1000 person-years). The proportion of hypertension associated with a history of preeclampsia/eclampsia, gestational hypertension, preterm delivery, and pregestational or gestational diabetes mellitus was 28.6% (95% confidence interval, 25.5%-31.6%) on the basis of multivariable analyses adjusting for numerous covariates. The proportion was similar for women with a healthy prepregnancy body mass index (18.5-24.9 kg/m 2 ; attributable fraction (AF)% 25.9%; 95% confidence interval, 21.3%-30.3%), but considerably higher for nulliparous women at baseline within the first 5 years of follow-up. Small-for-gestational age, however, did not increase subsequent hypertension risk in multivariable analyses. A structured postpartum follow-up of high-risk women identified through pregnancy-related risk factors would facilitate personalized preventive strategies to postpone or avoid onset of premature cardiovascular events. © 2018 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

Dynamics of asymmetric binary glass formers. I. A dielectric and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy study

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

Kahlau, R.; Bock, D.; Schmidtke, B.

2014-01-28

Dielectric spectroscopy as well as {sup 2}H and {sup 31}P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) are applied to probe the component dynamics of the binary glass former tripropyl phosphate (TPP)/polystyrene (PS/PS-d{sub 3}) in the full concentration (c{sub TPP}) range. In addition, depolarized light scattering and differential scanning calorimetry experiments are performed. Two glass transition temperatures are found: T{sub g1}(c{sub TPP}) reflects PS dynamics and shows a monotonic plasticizer effect, while the lower T{sub g2}(c{sub TPP}) exhibits a maximum and is attributed to (faster) TPP dynamics, occurring in a slowly moving or immobilized PS matrix. Dielectric spectroscopy probing solely TPP identifiesmore » two different time scales, which are attributed to two sub-ensembles. One of them, again, shows fast TPP dynamics (α{sub 2}-process), the other (α{sub 1}-process) displays time constants identical with those of the slow PS matrix. Upon heating the α{sub 1}-fraction of TPP decreases until above some temperature T{sub c} only a single α{sub 2}-population exists. Inversely, below T{sub c} a fraction of the TPP molecules is trapped by the PS matrix. At low c{sub TPP} the α{sub 2}-relaxation does not follow frequency-temperature superposition (FTS), instead it is governed by a temperature independent distribution of activation energies leading to correlation times which follow Arrhenius laws, i.e., the α{sub 2}-relaxation resembles a secondary process. Yet, {sup 31}P NMR demonstrates that it involves isotropic reorientations of TPP molecules within a slowly moving or rigid matrix of PS. At high c{sub TPP} the super-Arrhenius temperature dependence of τ{sub 2}(T), as well as FTS are recovered, known as typical of the glass transition in neat systems.« less

Effect of ZnO facet on ethanol steam reforming over Co/ZnO

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

Yu, Ning; Zhang, He; Davidson, Stephen D.

2016-01-01

The effects of ZnO facets on ethanol steam reforming (ESR) were investigated over Co/ZnO catalysts synthesized using ZnO with different fractions of (10-10) non-polar facet. Co supported on ZnO with a higher fraction of (10-10) non-polar facet shows higher C-C cleavage activity and higher selectivity to CO2 (lower selectivity to CO) compared with Co supported on ZnO with less (10-10) non-polar facet exposed. The improved ethanol steam reforming performances are attributed to the high fraction of metallic Co stabilized by the ZnO (10-10) non-polar facet, which enhanced C-C cleavage and water-gas-shift (WGS) activities.

Estimating the hatchery fraction of a natural population: a Bayesian approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barber, Jarrett J.; Gerow, Kenneth G.; Connolly, Patrick J.; Singh, Sarabdeep

2011-01-01

There is strong and growing interest in estimating the proportion of hatchery fish that are in a natural population (the hatchery fraction). In a sample of fish from the relevant population, some are observed to be marked, indicating their origin as hatchery fish. The observed proportion of marked fish is usually less than the actual hatchery fraction, since the observed proportion is determined by the proportion originally marked, differential survival (usually lower) of marked fish relative to unmarked hatchery fish, and rates of mark retention and detection. Bayesian methods can work well in a setting such as this, in which empirical data are limited but for which there may be considerable expert judgment regarding these values. We explored a Bayesian estimation of the hatchery fraction using Monte Carlo–Markov chain methods. Based on our findings, we created an interactive Excel tool to implement the algorithm, which we have made available for free.

Impact of Workplace and Other Convenient Vehicle Charging

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

Levinson, Rebecca Sobel; West, Todd H.

This work uses market analysis and simulation to explore the potential impact of workplace and similarly convenient away-from-home charging infrastructure (AFHCI) in reducing US light duty vehicle (LDV) petroleum use and greenhouse gas emissions. The ParaChoice model simulates the evolution of LDV sales, fuel use, and emissions through 2050, considering consumer responses to different options of electric range extension made available through AFHCI, fraction of the population with access, and delay in infrastructure implementation. Results indicate that providing a greater fraction of the population access to level 1 AFHCI for a full workday may provide more benefit than providing levelmore » 2 charging to a lesser fraction. This result holds even considering the fraction of the population without at-home charging. Moreover, delays in infrastructure implementation have no substantial drawbacks for long term petroleum use reduction and EV adoption, though delays will impact short term gains.« less

LPA and PLG sequence variation and kringle IV-2 copy number in two populations.

PubMed

Crawford, Dana C; Peng, Ze; Cheng, Jan-Fang; Boffelli, Dario; Ahearn, Magdalena; Nguyen, Dan; Shaffer, Tristan; Yi, Qian; Livingston, Robert J; Rieder, Mark J; Nickerson, Deborah A

2008-01-01

Lp(a) levels have long been recognized as a potential risk factor for coronary heart disease that is almost completely under genetic control. Much of the genetics impacting Lp(a) levels has been attributed to the highly polymorphic LPA kringle IV-2 copy number variant, and most of the variance in Lp(a) levels in populations of European-descent is inversely correlated with kringle IV copy number. However, less of the variance is explained in African-descent populations for the same structural variation. African-descent populations have, on average, higher levels of Lp(a), suggesting other genetic factors contribute to Lp(a) level variability across populations. To identify potential cis-acting factors, we re-sequenced the gene LPA for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) discovery in 23 European-Americans and 24 African-Americans. We also re- sequenced the neighboring gene plasminogen (PLG) and genotyped the kringle IV copy number variant in the same reference samples. These data are the most comprehensive description of sequence variation in LPA and its relationship with the kringle IV copy number variant. With these data, we demonstrate that only a fraction of LPA sequence diversity has been previously documented. Also, we identify several high frequency SNPs present in the African-American sample but absent in the European-American sample. Finally, we show that SNPs within PLG are not in linkage disequilibrium with SNPs in LPA, and we show that kringle IV copy number variation is not in linkage disequilibrium with either LPA or PLG SNPs. Together, these data suggest that LPA SNPs could independently contribute to Lp(a) levels in the general population. Copyright (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Mesenchymal precursor cells in the blood of normal individuals

PubMed Central

Zvaifler, Nathan J; Marinova-Mutafchieva, Lilla; Adams, Gill; Edwards, Christopher J; Moss, Jill; Burger, Jan A; Maini, Ravinder N

2000-01-01

Introduction: Adult human bone marrow contains a minority population of MSCs that contribute to the regeneration of tissues such as bone, cartilage, muscle, ligaments, tendons, fat, and stroma. Evidence that these MSCs are pluripotent, rather than being a mixture of committed progenitor cells each with a restricted potential, includes their rapid proliferation in culture, a characteristic morphology, the presence of typical marker proteins, and their consistent differentiation into various mesenchymal lineages. These attributes are maintained through multiple passages and are identifiable in individual stem cells. Aims: Since stem cells are present in both the bone marrow and other tissues, we thought it possible that cells with a similar appearance and pluripotent mesenchymal potential would be present in the blood. We applied techniques used successfully with marrow MSCs to identify similar cells in elutriation fractions of normal human blood. Methods: BMPCs were elutriated by diluting the buffy coats from 500 ml of anticoagulant-treated, platelet-depleted blood 1:4 in RPMI-1640 medium (RPMI) and layering 25-ml portions over 20 ml of Lymphoprep™. These samples were centrifuged at 2000 rpm for 20 min. The leukocyte-rich interface cells were collected, made up to 20 ml in RPMI, and separated by density-gradient centrifugation. The interface cells, now depleted of red blood cells, were collected, resuspended in 50 ml of sterile RMPI and 5% heat-inactivated FCS, and introduced into the sample line of the flow system of a Beckman JE-50 cell elutriator charged with elutriation buffer. The chamber was centrifuged at 25 000 rpm at 10°C and the flow rate adjusted to 12 ml/min. After about 150 ml had been collected, the flow rate was increased by 1 ml/min. Fractions nos. 1-6 (flow rates of 12-16 ml/min) contained most of the lymphocytes. Monocytes usually appeared in fractions 6 or 7 (as determined by flow cytometric analysis in a fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS). BMPCs were concentrated in fractions 7 and 8, along with monocytes and lymphocytes. Elutriation fractions with more than 50% and less than 75% monocytes were collected and concentrated by centrifugation at 1200 rpm for 5 min, and the cell pellets were combined, reconstituted in DMEM plus 20% sterile heat-inactivated FCS, counted, washed in medium, repelleted, and then resuspended in DMEM to 5 × 106/ml and dispensed into either tissue-culture plastic slides or glass chamber slides. Cells thus obtained were observed in time-lapse cinematography, assayed for proliferation, and examined immunohistologically and histochemically, and their ability to become fibroblasts, osteoclasts, osteoblasts, and adipocytes was documented. Results: BMPCs were found in elutriation fractions containing less than 30% T cells and more than 60% monocytes from the blood of more than 100 normal persons. BMPCs adhered to plastic and glass and proliferated logarithmically in DMEM-20% FCS without added growth factors. The initial elutriate had only small, round, mononuclear cells; upon culture, these were replaced by fibroblast-like cells and large, round, stromal cells. The formation of cells with fibroblast-like and stromal morphology was not affected by eliminating CD34, CD3, or CD14 cells from the elutriation fraction. Osteogenic supplements (dexamethasone, ascorbic acid, and β-glycero-phosphate) added to the culture inhibited fibroblast formation, and BMPCs assumed the cuboidal shape of osteoblasts. After 5 days in supplemented medium, the elutriated cells displayed AP and its production was doubled by the addition of BMP2 (1 ng) (P < 0.04). Two weeks later, 30% of the cells were very large and reacted with anti-osteocalcin antibody. The same cultures contained two other types of cell: sudanophlic adipocytes and multinucleated giant cells, which stain for TRAP and vitronectin receptors (attributes of osteoclasts). Cultured BMPCs were immunostained by antibodies to vimentin, type I collagen, and BMP receptors (heterodimeric structures expressed on mesenchymal lineage cells). The cultured cells also stained strongly for the SH-2 (endoglin) antigen, a putative marker for marrow MSCs. BMPCs express the gene for SDF-1, a potent stroma-derived CXCα chemokine. Discussion: In the circulation of normal individuals is a small population of CD34- mononuclear cells that proliferate rapidly in culture as an adherent population with a variable morphology, display cytoskeletal, cytoplasmic, and surface markers of mesenchymal precursors, and differentiate into several lineages (fibroblasts, osteoblasts, and adipocytes). These are all features found in bone-marrow-derived MSCs. Therefore, autologous blood could provide cells useful for tissue engineering and gene therapy. In addition, the demonstration of similar cells in the inflammatory joint fluids and synovium of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) suggests that these cells may play a role in the pathogenesis of RA. PMID:11056678

Indoor dampness and molds and development of adult-onset asthma: a population-based incident case-control study.

PubMed Central

Jaakkola, Maritta S; Nordman, Henrik; Piipari, Ritva; Uitti, Jukka; Laitinen, Jukka; Karjalainen, Antti; Hahtola, Paula; Jaakkola, Jouni J K

2002-01-01

Previous cross-sectional and prevalent case-control studies have suggested increased risk of asthma in adults related to dampness problems and molds in homes. We conducted a population-based incident case-control study to assess the effects of indoor dampness problems and molds at work and at home on development of asthma in adults. We recruited systematically all new cases of asthma during a 2.5-year study period (1997-2000) and randomly selected controls from a source population consisting of adults 21-63 years old living in the Pirkanmaa Hospital district, South Finland. The clinically diagnosed case series consisted of 521 adults with newly diagnosed asthma and the control series of 932 controls, after we excluded 76 (7.5%) controls with a history of asthma. In logistic regression analysis adjusting for confounders, the risk of asthma was related to the presence of visible mold and/or mold odor in the workplace (odds ratio, 1.54; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-2.32) but not to water damage or damp stains alone. We estimated the fraction of asthma attributable to workplace mold exposure to be 35.1% (95% confidence interval, 1.0-56.9%) among the exposed. Present results provide new evidence of the relation between workplace exposure to indoor molds and adult-onset asthma. PMID:12003761

"Invisible" conformers of an antifungal disulfide protein revealed by constrained cold and heat unfolding, CEST-NMR experiments, and molecular dynamics calculations.

PubMed

Fizil, Ádám; Gáspári, Zoltán; Barna, Terézia; Marx, Florentine; Batta, Gyula

2015-03-23

Transition between conformational states in proteins is being recognized as a possible key factor of function. In support of this, hidden dynamic NMR structures were detected in several cases up to populations of a few percent. Here, we show by two- and three-state analysis of thermal unfolding, that the population of hidden states may weight 20-40 % at 298 K in a disulfide-rich protein. In addition, sensitive (15) N-CEST NMR experiments identified a low populated (0.15 %) state that was in slow exchange with the folded PAF protein. Remarkably, other techniques failed to identify the rest of the NMR "dark matter". Comparison of the temperature dependence of chemical shifts from experiments and molecular dynamics calculations suggests that hidden conformers of PAF differ in the loop and terminal regions and are most similar in the evolutionary conserved core. Our observations point to the existence of a complex conformational landscape with multiple conformational states in dynamic equilibrium, with diverse exchange rates presumably responsible for the completely hidden nature of a considerable fraction. © 2015 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Undernutrition as an underlying cause of child deaths associated with diarrhea, pneumonia, malaria, and measles.

PubMed

Caulfield, Laura E; de Onis, Mercedes; Blössner, Monika; Black, Robert E

2004-07-01

Previous analyses derived the relative risk (RR) of dying as a result of low weight-for-age and calculated the proportion of child deaths worldwide attributable to underweight. The objectives were to examine whether the risk of dying because of underweight varies by cause of death and to estimate the fraction of deaths by cause attributable to underweight. Data were obtained from investigators of 10 cohort studies with both weight-for-age category (<-3 SDs, -3 to <-2 SDs, -2 to <-1 SD, and >-1 SD) and cause of death information. All 10 studies contributed information on weight-for-age and risk of diarrhea, pneumonia, and all-cause mortality; however, only 6 studies contributed information on deaths because of measles, and only 3 studies contributed information on deaths because of malaria or fever. With use of weighted random effects models, we related the log mortality rate by cause and anthropometric status in each study to derive cause-specific RRs of dying because of undernutrition. Prevalences of each weight-for-age category were obtained from analyses of 310 national nutrition surveys. With use of the RR and prevalence information, we then calculated the fraction of deaths by cause attributable to undernutrition. The RR of mortality because of low weight-for-age was elevated for each cause of death and for all-cause mortality. Overall, 52.5% of all deaths in young children were attributable to undernutrition, varying from 44.8% for deaths because of measles to 60.7% for deaths because of diarrhea. A significant proportion of deaths in young children worldwide is attributable to low weight-for-age, and efforts to reduce malnutrition should be a policy priority.

The burden of COPD mortality due to ambient air pollution in Guangzhou, China

PubMed Central

Li, Li; Yang, Jun; Song, Yun-Feng; Chen, Ping-Yan; Ou, Chun-Quan

2016-01-01

Few studies have investigated the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mortality fraction attributable to air pollution and modification by individual characteristics of air pollution effects. We applied distributed lag non-linear models to assess the associations between air pollution and COPD mortality in 2007–2011 in Guangzhou, China, and the total COPD mortality fraction attributable to air pollution was calculated as well. We found that an increase of 10 μg/m3 in particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 μm or less (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was associated with a 1.58% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.12–3.06%), 3.45% (95% CI: 1.30–5.66%) and 2.35% (95% CI: 0.42–4.32%) increase of COPD mortality over a lag of 0–15 days, respectively. Greater air pollution effects were observed in the elderly, males and residents with low educational attainment. The results showed 10.91% (95% CI: 1.02–9.58%), 12.71% (95% CI: 5.03–19.85%) and 13.38% (95% CI: 2.67–22.84%) COPD mortality was attributable to current PM10, SO2 and NO2 exposure, respectively. In conclusion, the associations between air pollution and COPD mortality differed by individual characteristics. There were remarkable COPD mortality burdens attributable to air pollution in Guangzhou. PMID:27195597

A quality-by-design study for an immediate-release tablet platform: examining the relative impact of active pharmaceutical ingredient properties, processing methods, and excipient variability on drug product quality attributes.

PubMed

Kushner, Joseph; Langdon, Beth A; Hicks, Ian; Song, Daniel; Li, Fasheng; Kathiria, Lalji; Kane, Anil; Ranade, Gautam; Agarwal, Kam

2014-02-01

The impact of filler-lubricant particle size ratio variation (3.4-41.6) on the attributes of an immediate-release tablet was compared with the impacts of the manufacturing method used (direct compression or dry granulation) and drug loading (1%, 5%, and 25%), particle size (D[4,3]: 8-114 μm), and drug type (theophylline or ibuprofen). All batches were successfully manufactured, except for direct compression of 25% drug loading of 8 μm (D[4,3]) drug, which exhibited very poor flow properties. All manufactured tablets possessed adequate quality attributes: tablet weight uniformity <4% RSD, tablet potency: 94%-105%, content uniformity <6% RSD, acceptance value ≤ 15, solid fraction: 0.82-0.86, tensile strength >1 MPa, friability ≤ 0.2% weight loss, and disintegration time < 4 min. The filler-lubricant particle size ratio exhibited the greatest impact on blend and granulation particle size and granulation flow, whereas drug property variation dominated blend flow, ribbon solid fraction, and tablet quality attributes. Although statistically significant effects were observed, the results of this study suggest that the manufacturability and performance of this immediate-release tablet formulation is robust to a broad range of variation in drug properties, both within-grade and extra-grade excipient particle size variations, and the choice of manufacturing method. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

The impact of dietary habits and metabolic risk factors on cardiovascular and diabetes mortality in countries of the Middle East and North Africa in 2010: a comparative risk assessment analysis.

PubMed

Afshin, Ashkan; Micha, Renata; Khatibzadeh, Shahab; Fahimi, Saman; Shi, Peilin; Powles, John; Singh, Gitanjali; Yakoob, Mohammad Yawar; Abdollahi, Morteza; Al-Hooti, Suad; Farzadfar, Farshad; Houshiar-Rad, Anahita; Hwalla, Nahla; Koksal, Eda; Musaiger, Abdulrahman; Pekcan, Gulden; Sibai, Abla Mehio; Zaghloul, Sahar; Danaei, Goodarz; Ezzati, Majid; Mozaffarian, Dariush

2015-05-20

We conducted a comparative risk assessment analysis to estimate the cardiometabolic disease (CMD) mortality attributable to 11 dietary and 4 metabolic risk factors in 20 countries of the Middle East by age, sex and time. The national exposure distributions were obtained from a systematic search of multiple databases. Missing exposure data were estimated using a multilevel Bayesian hierarchical model. The aetiological effect of each risk factor on disease-specific mortality was obtained from clinical trials and observational studies. The number of disease-specific deaths was obtained from the 2010 Global Burden of Disease mortality database. Mortality due to each risk factor was determined using the population attributable fraction and total number of disease-specific deaths. Adult population in the Middle East by age, sex, country and time. Suboptimal diet was the leading risk factor for CMD mortality in 11 countries accounting for 48% (in Morocco) to 72% (in the United Arab Emirates) of CMD deaths. Non-optimal systolic blood pressure was the leading risk factor for CMD deaths in eight countries causing 45% (in Bahrain) to 68% (in Libya) of CMD deaths. Non-optimal body mass index and fasting plasma glucose were the third and fourth leading risk factors for CMD mortality in most countries. Among individual dietary factors, low intake of fruits accounted for 8% (in Jordan) to 21% (in Palestine) of CMD deaths and low intake of whole grains was responsible for 7% (in Palestine) to 22% (in the United Arab Emirates) of CMD deaths. Between 1990 and 2010, the CMD mortality attributable to most risk factors had decreased except for body mass index and trans-fatty acids. Our findings highlight key similarities and differences in the impact of the dietary and metabolic risk factors on CMD mortality in the countries of the Middle East and inform priorities for policy measures to prevent CMD. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Disease burden due to biomass cooking-fuel-related household air pollution among women in India.

PubMed

Sehgal, Meena; Rizwan, Suliankatchi Abdulkader; Krishnan, Anand

2014-01-01

Household air pollution (HAP) due to biomass cooking fuel use is an important risk factor for a range of diseases, especially among adult women who are primary cooks, in India. About 80% of rural households in India use biomass fuel for cooking. The aim of this study is to estimate the attributable cases (AC) for four major diseases/conditions associated with biomass cooking fuel use among adult Indian women. We used the population attributable fraction (PAF) method to calculate the AC of chronic bronchitis, tuberculosis (TB), cataract, and stillbirths due to exposure to biomass cooking fuel. A number of data sources were accessed to obtain population totals and disease prevalence rates. A meta-analysis was conducted to obtain adjusted pooled odds ratios (ORs) for strength of association. Using this, PAF and AC were calculated using a standard formula. Results were presented as number of AC and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The fixed effects pooled OR obtained from the meta-analysis were 2.37 (95% CI: 1.59, 3.54) for chronic bronchitis, 2.33 (1.65, 3.28) for TB, 2.16 (1.42, 3.26) for cataract, and 1.26 (1.12, 1.43) for stillbirths. PAF varied across conditions being maximum (53%) for chronic bronchitis in rural areas and least (1%) for cataract in older age and urban areas. About 2.4 (95% CI: 1.4, 3.1) of 5.6 m cases of chronic bronchitis, 0.3 (0.2, 0.4) of 0.76 m cases of TB, 5.0 (2.8, 6.7) of 51.4 m cases of cataract among adult Indian women and 0.02 (0.01, 0.03) of 0.15 m stillbirths across India are attributable to HAP due to biomass cooking fuel. These estimates should be cautiously interpreted in the light of limitations discussed which relate to exposure assessment, exposure characterization, and age-specific prevalence of disease. HAP due to biomass fuel has diverse and major impacts on women's health in India. Although challenging, incorporating the agenda of universal clean fuel access or cleaner technology within the broader framework of rural development will go a long way in reducing disease burden.

The economic burden of physical inactivity: a global analysis of major non-communicable diseases.

PubMed

Ding, Ding; Lawson, Kenny D; Kolbe-Alexander, Tracy L; Finkelstein, Eric A; Katzmarzyk, Peter T; van Mechelen, Willem; Pratt, Michael

2016-09-24

The pandemic of physical inactivity is associated with a range of chronic diseases and early deaths. Despite the well documented disease burden, the economic burden of physical inactivity remains unquantified at the global level. A better understanding of the economic burden could help to inform resource prioritisation and motivate efforts to increase levels of physical activity worldwide. Direct health-care costs, productivity losses, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) attributable to physical inactivity were estimated with standardised methods and the best data available for 142 countries, representing 93·2% of the world's population. Direct health-care costs and DALYs were estimated for coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, and colon cancer attributable to physical inactivity. Productivity losses were estimated with a friction cost approach for physical inactivity related mortality. Analyses were based on national physical inactivity prevalence from available countries, and adjusted population attributable fractions (PAFs) associated with physical inactivity for each disease outcome and all-cause mortality. Conservatively estimated, physical inactivity cost health-care systems international $ (INT$) 53·8 billion worldwide in 2013, of which $31·2 billion was paid by the public sector, $12·9 billion by the private sector, and $9·7 billion by households. In addition, physical inactivity related deaths contribute to $13·7 billion in productivity losses, and physical inactivity was responsible for 13·4 million DALYs worldwide. High-income countries bear a larger proportion of economic burden (80·8% of health-care costs and 60·4% of indirect costs), whereas low-income and middle-income countries have a larger proportion of the disease burden (75·0% of DALYs). Sensitivity analyses based on less conservative assumptions led to much higher estimates. In addition to morbidity and premature mortality, physical inactivity is responsible for a substantial economic burden. This paper provides further justification to prioritise promotion of regular physical activity worldwide as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce non-communicable diseases. None. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterisation of taste-active extracts from raw Brassica oleracea vegetables.

PubMed

Zabaras, Dimitrios; Roohani, Mahshid; Krishnamurthy, Raju; Cochet, Maeva; Delahunty, Conor M

2013-04-25

Chemical and sensory characterisation of whole and fractionated myrosinase-free extracts from selected Australian-grown, raw Brassica vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and red cabbage) was carried out to determine the contribution of key phytochemicals (i.e. glucosinolates, free sugars, phenolics) to the taste profiles of these vegetables. Glucosinolate (GS) and phenolic profiles were determined by liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array detection and mass spectrometry. Ten glucosinolates (GS) were quantified across the vegetables investigated. Brussels sprouts (186.3 μg g(-1) FW) followed by broccoli (164.1 μg g(-1) FW) were found to contain the most GS. The phenolic profiles of all samples were dominated by hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives. As expected, red cabbage was the only vegetable with a significant anthocyanin signal (574.0 μg g(-1) FW). Red cabbage (26.7 mg g(-1) FW) and cauliflower (18.7 mg g(-1) FW) were found to contain a higher concentration of free sugars than Brussels sprouts (12.6 mg g(-1) FW) and broccoli (10.2 mg g(-1) FW). Descriptive sensory analysis of the whole extracts found sweetness (cauliflower and red cabbage sweeter than broccoli and Brussels sprouts) and bitterness (Brussels sprouts more bitter than others) as the most discriminating attributes. A hydrophilic fraction with sweetness, umami and saltiness as the main attributes was the most taste active fraction across all Brassica whole extracts. Sub-fractionation showed that this fraction was also bitter but the presence of sugars counteracted bitterness. Several components within each extract were found to contribute to the bitterness of whole Brassica extracts. The total and individual GS content alone could not explain the perceived bitterness of these extracts. Phenolics and/or other components are likely to be contributing to the bitterness associated with these vegetables.

Soybean plant-based toxicity assessment and phytoremediation of soils contaminated by vegetable and mineral oils used in power electrical transformers.

PubMed

Sanderson, Karina; Módenes, Aparecido Nivaldo; Espinoza-Quiñones, Fernando Rodolfo; Trigueros, Daniela Estelita Goes; Júnior, Luiz Antônio Zanão; Schuelter, Adilson Ricken; Neves, Camila Vargas; Kroumov, Alexander Dimitrov

2018-04-01

In this work, deleterious effects in soils due to the presence of dielectric fluids were investigated. For this purpose, vegetable (Envirotemp ® FR3) and mineral (Lubrax AV 66 IN) oils were used for simulating a set of soils contaminated in different oil contents (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10%) in which three 120-days soybean crop periods (SCP) were carried out using the species Glycine max (L.) Merr. Both soil and soybean plant samples were analysed on following the changes on chemical attributes, content of oils and greases (COG) in soils and phytotechnical characteristics of soybean plant. No significant changes on soil chemical attributes were found. For a 0.5% vegetable oil fraction, COG removals of 35, 60 and 90% were observed after the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd SCPs, respectively, whereas removals of 25, 40 and 70% were observed for 0.5% mineral oil fraction after the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd SCPs, respectively. There was an effectively accumulated removal on all tested oil fractions as being proportional to the integrated 120-days SCPs, suggesting a lesser number of crops for a complete abatement of oil fraction in soil. A 100% recovery on the seedlings emergence fractions was also evidenced, revealing that at least a number of 7 and 9 SCPs should be applied continuously in soils contaminated by vegetable and mineral oils, respectively, in order to no longer jeopardize soybean plant growth. Finally, an empirical prediction of the number of SCPs necessary for the complete removal of oil from the soil was proposed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The economic burden of not meeting food recommendations in Canada: The cost of doing nothing.

PubMed

Lieffers, Jessica R L; Ekwaru, John Paul; Ohinmaa, Arto; Veugelers, Paul J

2018-01-01

Few studies have estimated the economic burden of chronic diseases (e.g., type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancers) attributable to unhealthy eating. In this study, we estimated the economic burden of chronic disease attributable to not meeting Canadian food recommendations. We first obtained chronic disease risk estimates for intakes of both protective (1. vegetables; 2. fruit; 3. whole grains; 4. milk; 5. nuts and seeds) and harmful (6. processed meat; 7. red meat; 8. sugar-sweetened beverages) foods from the Global Burden of Disease Study, and food intakes from the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey 24-hour dietary recalls (n = 33,932 respondents). We then calculated population attributable fractions (PAFs) for all relevant food-chronic disease combinations by age and sex groups. These PAFs were then mathematically combined for each disease for each age and sex group. We then estimated attributable costs by multiplying these combined PAFs with estimated 2014 annual direct health care (hospital, drug, physician) and indirect (human capital approach) costs for each disease. We found that not meeting recommendations for the eight foods was responsible for CAD$13.8 billion/year (direct health care: CAD$5.1 billion, indirect: CAD$8.7 billion). Nuts and seeds and whole grains were the top cost contributors rather than vegetables and fruit. Our findings suggest that unhealthy eating constitutes a tremendous economic burden to Canada that is similar in magnitude to the burden of smoking and larger than that of physical inactivity which were estimated using similar approaches. A status quo in promotion of healthy eating will allow this burden to continue. Interventions to reduce the health and economic burden of unhealthy eating in Canada may be more effective if they are broad in focus and include promotion of nuts and seeds and whole grains along with vegetables and fruit rather than have a narrow focus such as primarily on vegetables and fruit.

[Deaths and life expectancy losses attributable to diet high in sodium in China].

PubMed

Liu, S W; Cai, Y; Zeng, X Y; Yin, P; Qi, J L; Liu, Y N; Liu, J M; Zhao, Z P; Zhang, M; Wang, L M; Wang, L J; Xue, M; Zhou, M G

2017-08-10

Objective: To quantitatively estimate the deaths and life expectancy losses attributable to diet high in sodium in China, and examine the gains and shifts under different control scenarios of sodium consumption. Methods: Based on data from the cause-of-death through the National Mortality Surveillance System, and 24 hours urinary sodium values from Global Burden of Disease study on Chinese's estimates, population attributable fractions with the framework of comparative risk assessment were used to analyze the deaths and life expectancy losses due to diet high in sodium. The same methods were followed to examine the gains and shifts under different control scenarios of sodium consumption. Results: In 2013, 1 430 (940 for men and 490 for women) thousand deaths were attributable to diet high in sodium, accounting for 15.6% (17.4% for men and 13.0% for women) of all-cause deaths in China, which causing 2.17 (2.49 for men and 1.71 for women) years of life expectancy loss. Diet with high sodium in 2013 caused 1 200, 50 and 180 thousand deaths from cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and stomach cancer respectively, accounting for 31.5%, 30.8% and 64.8% of those specific causes. Comparing to the baseline in 2013, if the targets of 10% decrease of sodium consumption by 2020 and 15% by 2030 for Chinese chronic disease prevention and treatment planning, and 30% decrease by 2030 for WHO non-communicable disease monitoring framework are achieved, 220, 340 and 730 thousand deaths will be averted, which may gain 0.30, 0.45 and 0.95 years of life expectancy, respectively. Conclusions: As one of the leading risk factors, diet high in sodium had caused heavy burden of disease from cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease and stomach cancer on Chinese residents. Intervention programs on sodium-reduction are urgently needed in China and related cost-effectiveness is highly expected.

Ambient fine and coarse particulate matter pollution and respiratory morbidity in Dongguan, China.

PubMed

Zhao, Yiju; Wang, Shengyong; Lang, Lingling; Huang, Caiyan; Ma, Wenjun; Lin, Hualiang

2017-03-01

We estimated the short-term effects of particulate matter (PM) pollution with aerodynamic diameters ≤2.5 μm (PM 2.5 ) and between 2.5 and 10 μm (PM c ) on hospital outpatient visits due to overall and specific respiratory diseases, as well as the associated morbidity burden in Dongguan, a subtropical city in South China. A time-series model with quasi-Poisson link was used to examine the association between PM pollution and morbidities from respiratory diseases, COPD, asthma and pneumonia in Dongguan during 2013-2015. We further estimated the morbidity burden (population attributable fraction and attributable morbidity) due to ambient PM pollution. A total of 44,801 hospital outpatient visits for respiratory diseases were recorded during the study period. Both PM 2.5 and PM c were found to be significantly associated with morbidity of overall respiratory diseases, COPD, and asthma. An IQR (interquartile range) increase in PM 2.5 at lag 03 day was associated with 15.41% (95% CI: 10.99%, 20.01%) increase in respiratory morbidity, and each IQR increase in PM c at lag 03 corresponded to 7.24% (95% CI: 4.25%, 10.32%) increase in respiratory morbidity. We did not find significant effects of PM 2.5 and PM c on pneumonia. Using WHO's guideline (25 μg/m 3 ) as reference concentration, about 8.32% (95% CI: 5.90%, 10.86%) of respiratory morbidity (3727, 95% CI: 2642, 4867, in morbidity number) were estimated to be attributed to PM 2.5 , and 0.86% (95% CI: 0.50%, 1.23%) of respiratory morbidity, representing 385 (95% CI: 225, 551) hospital outpatient visits, could be attributed to coarse particulate pollutant. Our study suggests that both fine and coarse particulate pollutants are an important trigger of hospital outpatient visits for respiratory diseases, and account for substantial respiratory morbidity in Dongguan, China. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Screening of Tanzanian women of childbearing age for urinary schistosomiasis: validity of urine reagent strip readings and self-reported symptoms.

PubMed Central

Poggensee, G.; Krantz, I.; Kiwelu, I.; Feldmeier, H.

2000-01-01

The screening of women of childbearing age for haematuria, leukocyturia and proteinuria to detect urinary schistosomiasis can be confounded by several factors such as menstruation, pregnancy and genitourinary infections. We therefore undertook a study in an area endemic for Schistosoma haematobium in the United Republic of Tanzania to carry out the following: assess the sensitivity, specificity and predictive values--in women of childbearing age--of indirect indicators of urinary schistosomiasis, as measured by urine reagent strip readings; assess the predictive values of self-reported symptoms; and finally to estimate the morbidity attributable to S. haematobium. A total of 303 women (128 and 175, respectively, living in high- and low-risk sites) participated in the study. Haematuria was more frequent among women excreting S. haematobium eggs than among those who did not (65% versus 32%). The predictive potential of all indirect disease markers was poor in the highly endemic site, while in the sites with low endemicity the negative predictive values were high. Among infected women, 54% of haematuria could be attributed to S. haematobium, but for patients with more than 10 eggs/10 ml the attributable fraction rose to 70%. Symptoms of "bloody urine" and "pain while urinating" were recalled significantly more often by women living in the highly endemic site. On a population level, one-third of the self-reported cases with bloody urine could be attributed to urinary schistosomiasis. Screening of women of childbearing age for urinary schistosomiasis using urine reagent strips can be biased in two directions. The prevalence of S. haematobium will be overestimated if other causes of haematuria, such as reproductive tract infections, are highly endemic. On the other hand, women with light or very light infections will be missed and will not be treated. This is of concern because genital schistosomiasis, a possible risk factor for the transmission of HIV, occurs among women even with light infections. PMID:10885183

Economic Costs of Childhood Lead Exposure in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

PubMed Central

Trasande, Leonardo

2013-01-01

Background: Children’s blood lead levels have declined worldwide, especially after the removal of lead in gasoline. However, significant exposure remains, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. To date, there have been no global estimates of the costs related to lead exposure in children in developing countries. Objective: Our main aim was to estimate the economic costs attributable to childhood lead exposure in low- and middle-income countries. Methods: We developed a regression model to estimate mean blood lead levels in our population of interest, represented by each 1-year cohort of children < 5 years of age. We used an environmentally attributable fraction model to estimate lead-attributable economic costs and limited our analysis to the neurodevelopmental impacts of lead, assessed as decrements in IQ points. Our main outcome was lost lifetime economic productivity due to early childhood exposure. Results: We estimated a total cost of $977 billions of international dollars in low- and middle-income countries, with economic losses equal to $134.7 billion in Africa [4.03% of gross domestic product (GDP)], $142.3 billion in Latin America and the Caribbean (2.04% of GDP), and $699.9 billion in Asia (1.88% of GDP). Our sensitivity analysis indicates a total economic loss in the range of $728.6–1162.5 billion. Conclusions: We estimated that, in low- and middle-income countries, the burden associated with childhood lead exposure amounts to 1.20% of world GDP in 2011. For comparison, in the United States and Europe lead-attributable economic costs have been estimated at $50.9 and $55 billion, respectively, suggesting that the largest burden of lead exposure is now borne by low- and middle-income countries. Citation: Attina TM, Trasande L. 2013. Economic costs of childhood lead exposure in low- and middle-income countries. Environ Health Perspect 121:1097–1102; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1206424 PMID:23797342

Cotransport of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles and hematite colloids in saturated porous media: Mechanistic insights from mathematical modeling and phosphate oxygen isotope fractionation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Dengjun; Jin, Yan; Jaisi, Deb P.

2015-11-01

The fate and transport of individual type of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in porous media have been studied intensively and the corresponding mechanisms controlling ENPs transport and deposition are well-documented. However, investigations regarding the mobility of ENPs in the concurrent presence of another mobile colloidal phase such as naturally occurring colloids (colloid-mediated transport of ENPs) are largely lacking. Here, we investigated the cotransport and retention of engineered hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HANPs) with naturally occurring hematite colloids in water-saturated sand columns under environmentally relevant transport conditions, i.e., pH, ionic strength (IS), and flow rate. Particularly, phosphate oxygen isotope fractionation of HANPs during cotransport was explored at various ISs and flow rates to examine the mechanisms controlling the isotope fractionation of HANPs in abiotic transport processes (physical transport). During cotransport, greater mobility of both HANPs and hematite occurred at higher pHs and flow rates, but at lower ISs. Intriguingly, the mobility of both HANPs and hematite was substantially lower during cotransport than the individual transport of either, attributed primarily to greater homo- and hetero-aggregation when both particles are copresent in the suspension. The shapes of breakthrough curves (BTCs) and retention profiles (RPs) during cotransport for both particles evolved from blocking to ripening with time and from flat to hyperexponential with depth, respectively, in response to decreases in pH and flow rate, and increases in IS. The blocking BTCs and RPs that are flat or hyperexponential can be well-approximated by a one-site kinetic attachment model. Conversely, a ripening model that incorporates attractive particle-particle interaction has to be employed to capture the ripening BTCs that are impacted by particle aggregation during cotransport. A small phosphate oxygen isotope fractionation (≤ 1.8‰) occurred among HANPs populations during cotransport responding to IS and flow rate changes. This fractionation is most likely a result of hetero-aggregation between hematite and HANPs that favors light phosphate isotopes (P16O4). This interpretation is further supported by the increase in isotope fractionation at higher ISs (i.e., greater aggregation). However, the fractionation was progressively erased by decreasing flow rate, ascribed to the reduced mass transfer of HANPs between the influent and effluent. Together our findings suggest that the cotransport and retention of HANPs and hematite colloids are highly sensitive to the considered physicochemical factors, and isotope tracing could serve as a promising tool to identify the sources and transport of phosphate-based NPs in complex subsurface environments due to insignificant transport-related isotope fractionation.

Getting off on the Wrong Foot: Longitudinal Effects of Hispanic Students' Stability Attributions Following Poor Initial Test Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Cody B.; Yang, Yan

2012-01-01

Though studies have established that following poor performance, attributions to stable causes affect the performance of minority students, few studies have explored the impact of stability attributions over time. This study explored attributions following initial failure among a predominantly Hispanic student population. We measured students'…

Classification of stellar populations in globular clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yue; Zhao, Gang; Li, Hai-Ning

2017-04-01

Possessing multiple stellar populations has been accepted as a common feature of globular clusters (GCs). Different stellar populations manifest themselves with different chemical features, e.g. the well-known O-Na anti-correlation. Generally, the first (primordial) population has O and Na abundances consistent with those of field stars with similar metallicity; while the second (polluted) population is identified by their Na overabundance and O deficiency. The fraction of the populations is an important constraint on the GC formation scenario. Several methods have been proposed for the classification of GC populations. Here we examine a criterion derived based on the distribution of Galactic field stars, which relies on Na abundance as a function of [Fe/H], to distinguish first and second stellar populations in GCs. By comparing the first population fractions of 17 GCs estimated by the field star criterion with those in the literature derived by methods related to individual GCs, we find that the field star criterion tends to overestimate the first population fractions. The population separation methods, which are related to an individual GC sample, are recommended because the diversity of GCs can be taken into consideration. Currently, more caution should be exercised if one wants to regard field stars as a reference for the identification of a GC population. However, further study on the connection between field stars and GCs populations is still needed.

Source apportionment of organic compounds in Berlin using positive matrix factorization - assessing the impact of biogenic aerosol and biomass burning on urban particulate matter.

PubMed

Wagener, Sandra; Langner, Marcel; Hansen, Ute; Moriske, Heinz-Jörn; Endlicher, Wilfried R

2012-10-01

Source apportionment of 13 organic compounds, elemental carbon and organic carbon of ambient PM(10) and PM(1) was performed with positive matrix factorization (PMF). Samples were collected at three sites characterized by different vegetation influences in Berlin, Germany in 2010. The aim was to determine organic, mainly biogenic sources and their impact on urban aerosol collected in a densely populated region. A 6-factor solution provided the best data fit for both PM-fractions, allowing the sources isoprene- and α-pinene-derived secondary organic aerosol (SOA), bio primary, primarily attributable to fungal spores, bio/urban primary including plant fragments in PM(10) and cooking and traffic emissions in PM(1), biomass burning and combustion fossil to be identified. With mean concentrations up to 2.6 μg Cm(-3), biomass burning dominated the organic fraction in cooler months. Concentrations for α-pinene-derived SOA exceeded isoprene-derived concentrations. Estimated secondary organic carbon contributions to total organic carbon (OC) were between 7% and 42% in PM(10) and between 11% and 60% in PM(1), which is slightly lower than observed for US- or Asian cities. Primary biogenic emissions reached up to 33% of OC in the PM(10)-fraction in the late summer and autumn months. Temperature-dependence was found for both SOA-factors, correlations with ozone and mix depth only for the α-pinene-derived SOA-factor. Latter indicated input of α-pinene from the borders, highlighting differences in the origin of the precursors of both factors. Most factors were regionally distributed. High regional distribution was found to be associated with stronger influence of ambient parameters and higher concentrations at the background station. A significant contribution of biogenic emissions and biomass burning to urban organic aerosol could be stated. This indicates a considerable impact on PM concentrations also in cities in a densely populated area, and should draw the attention concerning health aspects not only to cardio-vascular diseases but also to allergy issues. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Missed Opportunities along the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission Services Cascade in South Africa: Uptake, Determinants, and Attributable Risk (the SAPMTCTE)

PubMed Central

Woldesenbet, Selamawit; Jackson, Debra; Lombard, Carl; Dinh, Thu-Ha; Puren, Adrian; Sherman, Gayle; Ramokolo, Vundli; Doherty, Tanya; Mogashoa, Mary; Bhardwaj, Sanjana; Chopra, Mickey; Shaffer, Nathan; Pillay, Yogan; Goga, Ameena

2015-01-01

Objectives We examined uptake of prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) services, predictors of missed opportunities, and infant HIV transmission attributable to missed opportunities along the PMTCT cascade across South Africa. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 4–8 week old infants receiving first immunisations in 580 nationally representative public health facilities in 2010. This included maternal interviews and testing infants’ dried blood spots for HIV. A weighted analysis was performed to assess uptake of antenatal and perinatal PMTCT services along the PMTCT cascade (namely: maternal HIV testing, CD4 count test/result, and receiving maternal and infant antiretroviral treatment) and predictors of dropout. The population attributable fraction associated with dropouts at each service point are estimated. Results Of 9,803 mothers included, 31.7% were HIV-positive as identified by reactive infant antibody tests. Of these 80.4% received some form of maternal and infant antiretroviral treatment. More than a third (34.9%) of mothers dropped out from one or more steps in the PMTCT service cascade. In a multivariable analysis, the following characteristics were associated with increased dropout from the PMTCT cascade: adolescent (<20 years) mothers, low socioeconomic score, low education level, primiparous mothers, delayed first antenatal visit, homebirth, and non-disclosure of HIV status. Adolescent mothers were twice (adjusted odds ratio: 2.2, 95% confidence interval: 1.5–3.3) as likely to be unaware of their HIV-positive status and had a significantly higher rate (85.2%) of unplanned pregnancies compared to adults aged ≥20 years (55.5%, p = 0.0001). A third (33.8%) of infant HIV infections were attributable to dropout in one or more steps in the cascade. Conclusion A third of transmissions attributable to missed opportunities of PMTCT services can be prevented by optimizing the uptake of PMTCT services. Identified risk factors for low PMTCT service uptake should be addressed through health facility and community-level interventions, including raising awareness, promoting women education, adolescent focused interventions, and strengthening linkages/referral-system between communities and health facilities. PMID:26147598

Pre-K-8 Prospective Teachers' Understanding of Fractions: An Extension of Fractions Schemes and Operations Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lovin, LouAnn H.; Stevens, Alexis L.; Siegfried, John; Wilkins, Jesse L. M.; Norton, Anderson

2018-01-01

In an effort to expand our knowledge base pertaining to pre-K-8 prospective teachers' understanding of fractions, the present study was designed to extend the work on fractions schemes and operations to this population. One purpose of our study was to validate the fractions schemes and operations hierarchy with the pre-K-8 prospective teacher…

Early risk of mortality after coronary artery revascularization in patients with left ventricular dysfunction and potential role of the wearable cardioverter defibrillator.

PubMed

Zishiri, Edwin T; Williams, Sarah; Cronin, Edmond M; Blackstone, Eugene H; Ellis, Stephen G; Roselli, Eric E; Smedira, Nicholas G; Gillinov, A Marc; Glad, Jo Ann; Tchou, Patrick J; Szymkiewicz, Steven J; Chung, Mina K

2013-02-01

Implantation of implantable cardioverter defibrillator for prevention of sudden cardiac death is deferred for 90 days after coronary revascularization, but mortality may be highest early after cardiac procedures in patients with ventricular dysfunction. We determined mortality risk in postrevascularization patients with left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35% and compared survival with those discharged with a wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD). Hospital survivors after surgical (coronary artery bypass graft surgery) or percutaneous (percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI]) revascularization with left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35% were included from Cleveland Clinic and national WCD registries. Kaplan-Meier, Cox proportional hazards, propensity score-matched survival, and hazard function analyses were performed. Early mortality hazard was higher among 4149 patients discharged without a defibrillator compared with 809 with WCDs (90-day mortality post-coronary artery bypass graft surgery 7% versus 3%, P=0.03; post-PCI 10% versus 2%, P<0.0001). WCD use was associated with adjusted lower risks of long-term mortality in the total cohort (39%, P<0.0001) and both post-coronary artery bypass graft surgery (38%, P=0.048) and post-PCI (57%, P<0.0001) cohorts (mean follow-up, 3.2 years). In propensity-matched analyses, WCD use remained associated with lower mortality (58% post-coronary artery bypass graft surgery, P=0.002; 67% post-PCI, P<0.0001). Mortality differences were not attributable solely to therapies for ventricular arrhythmia. Only 1.3% of the WCD group had a documented appropriate therapy. Patients with left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35% have higher early compared to late mortality after coronary revascularization, particularly after PCI. As early hazard seemed less marked in WCD users, prospective studies in this high-risk population are indicated to confirm whether WCD use as a bridge to left ventricular ejection fraction improvement or implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation can improve outcomes after coronary revascularization.

Global Intraurban Intake Fractions for Primary Air Pollutants from Vehicles and Other Distributed Sources

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

We model intraurban intake fraction (iF) values for distributed ground-level emissions in all 3646 global cities with more than 100 000 inhabitants, encompassing a total population of 2.0 billion. For conserved primary pollutants, population-weighted median, mean, and interquartile range iF values are 26, 39, and 14–52 ppm, respectively, where 1 ppm signifies 1 g inhaled/t emitted. The global mean urban iF reported here is roughly twice as large as previous estimates for cities in the United States and Europe. Intake fractions vary among cities owing to differences in population size, population density, and meteorology. Sorting by size, population-weighted mean iF values are 65, 35, and 15 ppm, respectively, for cities with populations larger than 3, 0.6–3, and 0.1–0.6 million. The 20 worldwide megacities (each >10 million people) have a population-weighted mean iF of 83 ppm. Mean intraurban iF values are greatest in Asia and lowest in land-rich high-income regions. Country-average iF values vary by a factor of 3 among the 10 nations with the largest urban populations. PMID:22332712

THE ROLE OF PRE-EVENT CANOPY STORAGE IN THROUGHFALL AND STEMFLOW USING ISOTOPIC TRACERS

EPA Science Inventory

Stable isotopes can be a valuable tool for tracing the redistribution, storage, and evaporation of water associated with canopy interception of rainfall. Isotopic differences between throughfall and rainfall have been attributed to three mechanisms: evaporative fractionation, iso...

Continent-scale global change attribution in European birds - combining annual and decadal time scales.

PubMed

Jørgensen, Peter Søgaard; Böhning-Gaese, Katrin; Thorup, Kasper; Tøttrup, Anders P; Chylarecki, Przemysław; Jiguet, Frédéric; Lehikoinen, Aleksi; Noble, David G; Reif, Jiri; Schmid, Hans; van Turnhout, Chris; Burfield, Ian J; Foppen, Ruud; Voříšek, Petr; van Strien, Arco; Gregory, Richard D; Rahbek, Carsten

2016-02-01

Species attributes are commonly used to infer impacts of environmental change on multiyear species trends, e.g. decadal changes in population size. However, by themselves attributes are of limited value in global change attribution since they do not measure the changing environment. A broader foundation for attributing species responses to global change may be achieved by complementing an attributes-based approach by one estimating the relationship between repeated measures of organismal and environmental changes over short time scales. To assess the benefit of this multiscale perspective, we investigate the recent impact of multiple environmental changes on European farmland birds, here focusing on climate change and land use change. We analyze more than 800 time series from 18 countries spanning the past two decades. Analysis of long-term population growth rates documents simultaneous responses that can be attributed to both climate change and land-use change, including long-term increases in populations of hot-dwelling species and declines in long-distance migrants and farmland specialists. In contrast, analysis of annual growth rates yield novel insights into the potential mechanisms driving long-term climate induced change. In particular, we find that birds are affected by winter, spring, and summer conditions depending on the distinct breeding phenology that corresponds to their migratory strategy. Birds in general benefit from higher temperatures or higher primary productivity early on or in the peak of the breeding season with the largest effect sizes observed in cooler parts of species' climatic ranges. Our results document the potential of combining time scales and integrating both species attributes and environmental variables for global change attribution. We suggest such an approach will be of general use when high-resolution time series are available in large-scale biodiversity surveys. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A systematic review of ecological attributes that confer resilience to climate change in environmental restoration

PubMed Central

Timpane-Padgham, Britta L.

2017-01-01

Ecological restoration is widely practiced as a means of rehabilitating ecosystems and habitats that have been degraded or impaired through human use or other causes. Restoration practices now are confronted by climate change, which has the potential to influence long-term restoration outcomes. Concepts and attributes from the resilience literature can help improve restoration and monitoring efforts under changing climate conditions. We systematically examined the published literature on ecological resilience to identify biological, chemical, and physical attributes that confer resilience to climate change. We identified 45 attributes explicitly related to climate change and classified them as individual- (9), population- (6), community- (7), ecosystem- (7), or process-level attributes (16). Individual studies defined resilience as resistance to change or recovery from disturbance, and only a few studies explicitly included both concepts in their definition of resilience. We found that individual and population attributes generally are suited to species- or habitat-specific restoration actions and applicable at the population scale. Community attributes are better suited to habitat-specific restoration at the site scale, or system-wide restoration at the ecosystem scale. Ecosystem and process attributes vary considerably in their type and applicability. We summarize these relationships in a decision support table and provide three example applications to illustrate how these classifications can be used to prioritize climate change resilience attributes for specific restoration actions. We suggest that (1) including resilience as an explicit planning objective could increase the success of restoration projects, (2) considering the ecological context and focal scale of a restoration action is essential in choosing appropriate resilience attributes, and (3) certain ecological attributes, such as diversity and connectivity, are more commonly considered to confer resilience because they apply to a wide variety of species and ecosystems. We propose that identifying sources of ecological resilience is a critical step in restoring ecosystems in a changing climate. PMID:28301560

A systematic review of ecological attributes that confer resilience to climate change in environmental restoration.

PubMed

Timpane-Padgham, Britta L; Beechie, Tim; Klinger, Terrie

2017-01-01

Ecological restoration is widely practiced as a means of rehabilitating ecosystems and habitats that have been degraded or impaired through human use or other causes. Restoration practices now are confronted by climate change, which has the potential to influence long-term restoration outcomes. Concepts and attributes from the resilience literature can help improve restoration and monitoring efforts under changing climate conditions. We systematically examined the published literature on ecological resilience to identify biological, chemical, and physical attributes that confer resilience to climate change. We identified 45 attributes explicitly related to climate change and classified them as individual- (9), population- (6), community- (7), ecosystem- (7), or process-level attributes (16). Individual studies defined resilience as resistance to change or recovery from disturbance, and only a few studies explicitly included both concepts in their definition of resilience. We found that individual and population attributes generally are suited to species- or habitat-specific restoration actions and applicable at the population scale. Community attributes are better suited to habitat-specific restoration at the site scale, or system-wide restoration at the ecosystem scale. Ecosystem and process attributes vary considerably in their type and applicability. We summarize these relationships in a decision support table and provide three example applications to illustrate how these classifications can be used to prioritize climate change resilience attributes for specific restoration actions. We suggest that (1) including resilience as an explicit planning objective could increase the success of restoration projects, (2) considering the ecological context and focal scale of a restoration action is essential in choosing appropriate resilience attributes, and (3) certain ecological attributes, such as diversity and connectivity, are more commonly considered to confer resilience because they apply to a wide variety of species and ecosystems. We propose that identifying sources of ecological resilience is a critical step in restoring ecosystems in a changing climate.

Consumer preferences and brand equity measurement of Spanish national daily newspapers: a conjoint analysis approach.

PubMed

Varela Mallou, J; Rial Boubeta, A; Braña Tobío, T

2001-05-01

Brand is a product attribute that, for many types of goods or services, makes a major contribution to consumer preferences. Conjoint analysis is a useful technique for the assessment of brand values for a given consumer or group of consumers. In this paper, an application of conjoint analysis to the estimation of brand values in the Spanish daily newspaper market is reported. Four newspaper attributes were considered: brand (i.e., newspaper name), price (0.60, 1.05, or 1.50 euros), Sunday supplement (yes/no), and daily pullout (yes/no). A total of 510 regular readers of the national press, stratified by age and sex, were asked to rank 16 profiles representing an orthogonal fraction of the possible attribute-level combinations. Brand was by far the most important attribute, whereas price had negligible effect. More generally, the results confirm the utility of conjoint analysis for assessing brand equity in the newspaper market and for estimating the relative importance of the various attributes to different subgroups of consumers.

A Systematic Approach of Employing Quality by Design Principles: Risk Assessment and Design of Experiments to Demonstrate Process Understanding and Identify the Critical Process Parameters for Coating of the Ethylcellulose Pseudolatex Dispersion Using Non-Conventional Fluid Bed Process.

PubMed

Kothari, Bhaveshkumar H; Fahmy, Raafat; Claycamp, H Gregg; Moore, Christine M V; Chatterjee, Sharmista; Hoag, Stephen W

2017-05-01

The goal of this study was to utilize risk assessment techniques and statistical design of experiments (DoE) to gain process understanding and to identify critical process parameters for the manufacture of controlled release multiparticulate beads using a novel disk-jet fluid bed technology. The material attributes and process parameters were systematically assessed using the Ishikawa fish bone diagram and failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) risk assessment methods. The high risk attributes identified by the FMEA analysis were further explored using resolution V fractional factorial design. To gain an understanding of the processing parameters, a resolution V fractional factorial study was conducted. Using knowledge gained from the resolution V study, a resolution IV fractional factorial study was conducted; the purpose of this IV study was to identify the critical process parameters (CPP) that impact the critical quality attributes and understand the influence of these parameters on film formation. For both studies, the microclimate, atomization pressure, inlet air volume, product temperature (during spraying and curing), curing time, and percent solids in the coating solutions were studied. The responses evaluated were percent agglomeration, percent fines, percent yield, bead aspect ratio, median particle size diameter (d50), assay, and drug release rate. Pyrobuttons® were used to record real-time temperature and humidity changes in the fluid bed. The risk assessment methods and process analytical tools helped to understand the novel disk-jet technology and to systematically develop models of the coating process parameters like process efficiency and the extent of curing during the coating process.

Deaths and years of life lost due to suboptimal breast-feeding among children in the developing world: a global ecological risk assessment.

PubMed

Lauer, Jeremy A; Betrán, Ana Pilar; Barros, Aluísio J D; de Onís, Mercedes

2006-09-01

We estimate attributable fractions, deaths and years of life lost among infants and children < or = 2 years of age due to suboptimal breast-feeding in developing countries. We compare actual practices to a minimum exposure pattern consisting of exclusive breast-feeding for infants < or = 6 months of age and continued breast-feeding for older infants and children < or = 2 years of age. For infants, we consider deaths due to diarrhoeal disease and lower respiratory tract infections, and deaths due to all causes are considered in the second year of life. Outcome measures are attributable fractions, deaths, years of life lost and offsetting deaths potentially caused by mother-to-child transmission of HIV through breast-feeding. Developing countries. Infants and children < or = 2 years of age. Attributable fractions for deaths due to diarrhoeal disease and lower respiratory tract infections are 55% and 53%, respectively, for the first six months of infancy, 20% and 18% for the second six months, and are 20% for all-cause deaths in the second year of life. Globally, as many as 1.45 million lives (117 million years of life) are lost due to suboptimal breast-feeding in developing countries. Offsetting deaths caused by mother-to-child transmission of HIV through breast-feeding could be as high as 242,000 (18.8 million years of life lost) if relevant World Health Organization recommendations are not followed. The size of the gap between current practice and recommendations is striking when one considers breast-feeding involves no out-of-pocket costs, that there exists universal consensus on best practices, and that implementing current international recommendations could potentially save 1.45 million children's lives each year.

The burden of disease from indoor air pollution in developing countries: comparison of estimates.

PubMed

Smith, Kirk R; Mehta, Sumi

2003-08-01

Four different methods have been applied to estimate the burden of disease due to indoor air pollution from household solid fuel use in developing countries (LDCs). The largest number of estimates involves applying exposure-response information from urban ambient air pollution studies to estimate indoor exposure concentrations of particulate air pollution. Another approach is to construct child survival curves using the results of large-scale household surveys, as has been done for India. A third approach involves cross-national analyses of child survival and household fuel use. The fourth method, referred to as the 'fuel-based' approach, which is explored in more depth here, involves applying relative risk estimates from epidemiological studies that use exposure surrogates, such as fuel type, to estimates of household solid fuel use to determine population attributable fractions by disease and age group. With this method and conservative assumptions about relative risks, 4-5 percent of the global LDC totals for both deaths and DALYs (disability adjusted life years) from acute respiratory infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, tuberculosis, asthma, lung cancer, ischaemic heart disease, and blindness can be attributed to solid fuel use in developing countries. Acute respiratory infections in children under five years of age are the largest single category of deaths (64%) and DALYs (81%) from indoor air pollution, apparently being responsible globally for about 1.2 million premature deaths annually in the early 1990s.

Spatiotemporal Changes in Fine Particulate Matter Pollution and the Associated Mortality Burden in China between 2015 and 2016

PubMed Central

Feng, Luwei; Ye, Bo; Feng, Huan; Ren, Fu; Huang, Shichun; Zhang, Xiaotong; Du, Qingyun

2017-01-01

In recent years, research on the spatiotemporal distribution and health effects of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has been conducted in China. However, the limitations of different research scopes and methods have led to low comparability between regions regarding the mortality burden of PM2.5. A kriging model was used to simulate the distribution of PM2.5 in 2015 and 2016. Relative risk (RR) at a specified PM2.5 exposure concentration was estimated with an integrated exposure–response (IER) model for different causes of mortality: lung cancer (LC), ischaemic heart disease (IHD), cerebrovascular disease (stroke) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The population attributable fraction (PAF) was adopted to estimate deaths attributed to PM2.5. 72.02% of cities experienced decreases in PM2.5 from 2015 to 2016. Due to the overall decrease in the PM2.5 concentration, the total number of deaths decreased by approximately 10,658 per million in 336 cities, including a decrease of 1400, 1836, 6312 and 1110 caused by LC, IHD, stroke and COPD, respectively. Our results suggest that the overall PM2.5 concentration and PM2.5-related deaths exhibited decreasing trends in China, although air quality in local areas has deteriorated. To improve air pollution control strategies, regional PM2.5 concentrations and trends should be fully considered. PMID:29084175

Differentiation in the fertility of Inceptisols as related to land use in the upper Solimões river region, western Amazon.

PubMed

Moreira, Fatima Maria de Souza; Nóbrega, Rafaela Simão Abrahão; Jesus, Ederson da Conceição; Ferreira, Daniel Furtado; Pérez, Daniel Vidal

2009-12-20

The Upper Solimões river region, western Amazon, is the homeland of indigenous populations and contains small-scale agricultural systems that are important for biodiversity conservation. Although traditional slash-and-burn agriculture is being practiced over many years, deforestation there is relatively small compared to other Amazon regions. Pastures are restricted to the vicinity of cities and do not spread to the small communities along the river. Inceptisols are the main soil order (>90%) in the area and have unique attributes including high Al content and high cation exchange capacity (CEC) due to the enrichment of the clay fraction with 2:1 secondary aluminosilicates. Despite its importance, few studies have focussed on this soil order when considering land use effects on the fertility of Amazon soils. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate changes in soil fertility of representative land use systems (LUSs) in the Upper Solimões region, namely: primary rainforest, old secondary forest, young secondary forest, agroforestry, pasture and agriculture. LUSs were significantly differentiated by the chemical attributes of their topsoil (0-20 cm). Secondary forests presented soil chemical attributes more similar to primary rainforest areas, while pastures exhibited the highest dissimilarity from all the other LUSs. As a whole, soil chemical changes among Inceptisols dominated LUSs showed patterns that were distinct from those reported from other Amazon soils like Oxisols and Ultisols. This is probably related to the presence of high-activity clays enriched in exchangeable aluminum that heavily influenced the soil chemical reactions over the expected importance of organic matter found in most studies conducted over Oxisol and Ultisol.

Cancer incidence attributable to air pollution in Alberta in 2012

PubMed Central

Poirier, Abbey E.; Grundy, Anne; Khandwala, Farah; Friedenreich, Christine M.; Brenner, Darren R.

2017-01-01

Background: The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified outdoor air pollution (fine particulate matter [PM2.5]) as a Group 1 lung carcinogen in humans. We aimed to estimate the proportion of lung cancer cases attributable to PM2.5 exposure in Alberta in 2012. Methods: Annual average concentrations of PM2.5 in 2011 for 22 communities across Alberta were extracted from the Clean Air Strategic Alliance Data Warehouse and were population-weighted across the province. Using 7.5 µg/m3 and 3.18 µg/m3 as the annual average theoretical minimum risk concentrations of PM2.5, we estimated the proportion of the population above this cut-off to determine the population attributable risk of lung cancer due to PM2.5 exposure. Results: The mean population-weighted concentration of PM2.5 for Alberta in 2011 was 10.03 µg/m3. We estimated relative risks of 1.02 and 1.06 for theoretical minimum risk PM2.5 concentration thresholds of 7.5 µg/m3 and 3.18 µg/m3, respectively. About 1.87%-5.69% of incident lung cancer cases in Alberta were estimated to be attributable to PM2.5 exposure. Interpretation: Our estimate of attributable burden is low compared to that reported in studies in other areas of the world owing to the relatively low levels of PM2.5 recorded in Alberta. Reducing PM2.5 emissions in Alberta should continue to be a priority to help decrease the burden of lung cancer in the population. PMID:28659352

Cyclic AMP-receptor proteins in heart muscle of rats flown on Cosmos 1887

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mednieks, Maija I.; Popova, Irina A.; Grindeland, Richard E.

1991-01-01

The cellular compartmentalization of the cyclic AMP-receptor proteins in heart ventricular tissue obtained from rats flown on the Cosmos 1887 is determined. Photoaffinity labeling of soluble and particular cell fractions with a (32P)-8-azido analog of cyclic AMP is followed by electrophoretic separation of the proteins and by autoradiographic identification of the labeled isoforms of cAPK R subunits. It is shown that RII in the particulate subcellular fraction was significantly decreased in heart cells from rats in the flight group when compared to controls. Protein banding patterns in both the cytoplasmic fraction and in a fraction enriched in chromatin-bound proteins exhibited some variability in tissues of individual animals, but showed no changes that could be directly attributed to flight conditions. No significant change was apparent in the distribution of RI or RII cyclic AMP binding in the soluble fractions. It is inferred that the cardiac cell integrity or its protein content is not compromised under flight conditions.

Estimates of burden and consequences of infants born small for gestational age in low and middle income countries with INTERGROWTH-21st standard: analysis of CHERG datasets.

PubMed

Lee, Anne Cc; Kozuki, Naoko; Cousens, Simon; Stevens, Gretchen A; Blencowe, Hannah; Silveira, Mariangela F; Sania, Ayesha; Rosen, Heather E; Schmiegelow, Christentze; Adair, Linda S; Baqui, Abdullah H; Barros, Fernando C; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A; Caulfield, Laura E; Christian, Parul; Clarke, Siân E; Fawzi, Wafaie; Gonzalez, Rogelio; Humphrey, Jean; Huybregts, Lieven; Kariuki, Simon; Kolsteren, Patrick; Lusingu, John; Manandhar, Dharma; Mongkolchati, Aroonsri; Mullany, Luke C; Ndyomugyenyi, Richard; Nien, Jyh Kae; Roberfroid, Dominique; Saville, Naomi; Terlouw, Dianne J; Tielsch, James M; Victora, Cesar G; Velaphi, Sithembiso C; Watson-Jones, Deborah; Willey, Barbara A; Ezzati, Majid; Lawn, Joy E; Black, Robert E; Katz, Joanne

2017-08-17

Objectives  To estimate small for gestational age birth prevalence and attributable neonatal mortality in low and middle income countries with the INTERGROWTH-21 st birth weight standard. Design  Secondary analysis of data from the Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group (CHERG), including 14 birth cohorts with gestational age, birth weight, and neonatal follow-up. Small for gestational age was defined as infants weighing less than the 10th centile birth weight for gestational age and sex with the multiethnic, INTERGROWTH-21 st birth weight standard. Prevalence of small for gestational age and neonatal mortality risk ratios were calculated and pooled among these datasets at the regional level. With available national level data, prevalence of small for gestational age and population attributable fractions of neonatal mortality attributable to small for gestational age were estimated. Setting  CHERG birth cohorts from 14 population based sites in low and middle income countries. Main outcome measures  In low and middle income countries in the year 2012, the number and proportion of infants born small for gestational age; number and proportion of neonatal deaths attributable to small for gestational age; the number and proportion of neonatal deaths that could be prevented by reducing the prevalence of small for gestational age to 10%. Results  In 2012, an estimated 23.3 million infants (uncertainty range 17.6 to 31.9; 19.3% of live births) were born small for gestational age in low and middle income countries. Among these, 11.2 million (0.8 to 15.8) were term and not low birth weight (≥2500 g), 10.7 million (7.6 to 15.0) were term and low birth weight (<2500 g) and 1.5 million (0.9 to 2.6) were preterm. In low and middle income countries, an estimated 606 500 (495 000 to 773 000) neonatal deaths were attributable to infants born small for gestational age, 21.9% of all neonatal deaths. The largest burden was in South Asia, where the prevalence was the highest (34%); about 26% of neonatal deaths were attributable to infants born small for gestational age. Reduction of the prevalence of small for gestational age from 19.3% to 10.0% in these countries could reduce neonatal deaths by 9.2% (254 600 neonatal deaths; 164 800 to 449 700). Conclusions  In low and middle income countries, about one in five infants are born small for gestational age, and one in four neonatal deaths are among such infants. Increased efforts are required to improve the quality of care for and survival of these high risk infants in low and middle income countries. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Estimates of burden and consequences of infants born small for gestational age in low and middle income countries with INTERGROWTH-21st standard: analysis of CHERG datasets

PubMed Central

Kozuki, Naoko; Cousens, Simon; Stevens, Gretchen A; Blencowe, Hannah; Silveira, Mariangela F; Sania, Ayesha; Rosen, Heather E; Schmiegelow, Christentze; Adair, Linda S; Baqui, Abdullah H; Barros, Fernando C; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A; Caulfield, Laura E; Christian, Parul; Clarke, Siân E; Fawzi, Wafaie; Gonzalez, Rogelio; Humphrey, Jean; Huybregts, Lieven; Kariuki, Simon; Kolsteren, Patrick; Lusingu, John; Manandhar, Dharma; Mongkolchati, Aroonsri; Mullany, Luke C; Ndyomugyenyi, Richard; Nien, Jyh Kae; Roberfroid, Dominique; Saville, Naomi; Terlouw, Dianne J; Tielsch, James M; Victora, Cesar G; Velaphi, Sithembiso C; Watson-Jones, Deborah; Willey, Barbara A; Ezzati, Majid; Lawn, Joy E; Black, Robert E; Katz, Joanne

2017-01-01

Objectives To estimate small for gestational age birth prevalence and attributable neonatal mortality in low and middle income countries with the INTERGROWTH-21st birth weight standard. Design Secondary analysis of data from the Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group (CHERG), including 14 birth cohorts with gestational age, birth weight, and neonatal follow-up. Small for gestational age was defined as infants weighing less than the 10th centile birth weight for gestational age and sex with the multiethnic, INTERGROWTH-21st birth weight standard. Prevalence of small for gestational age and neonatal mortality risk ratios were calculated and pooled among these datasets at the regional level. With available national level data, prevalence of small for gestational age and population attributable fractions of neonatal mortality attributable to small for gestational age were estimated. Setting CHERG birth cohorts from 14 population based sites in low and middle income countries. Main outcome measures In low and middle income countries in the year 2012, the number and proportion of infants born small for gestational age; number and proportion of neonatal deaths attributable to small for gestational age; the number and proportion of neonatal deaths that could be prevented by reducing the prevalence of small for gestational age to 10%. Results In 2012, an estimated 23.3 million infants (uncertainty range 17.6 to 31.9; 19.3% of live births) were born small for gestational age in low and middle income countries. Among these, 11.2 million (0.8 to 15.8) were term and not low birth weight (≥2500 g), 10.7 million (7.6 to 15.0) were term and low birth weight (<2500 g) and 1.5 million (0.9 to 2.6) were preterm. In low and middle income countries, an estimated 606 500 (495 000 to 773 000) neonatal deaths were attributable to infants born small for gestational age, 21.9% of all neonatal deaths. The largest burden was in South Asia, where the prevalence was the highest (34%); about 26% of neonatal deaths were attributable to infants born small for gestational age. Reduction of the prevalence of small for gestational age from 19.3% to 10.0% in these countries could reduce neonatal deaths by 9.2% (254 600 neonatal deaths; 164 800 to 449 700). Conclusions In low and middle income countries, about one in five infants are born small for gestational age, and one in four neonatal deaths are among such infants. Increased efforts are required to improve the quality of care for and survival of these high risk infants in low and middle income countries PMID:28819030

Reliability of peripheral arterial tonometry in patients with heart failure, diabetic nephropathy and arterial hypertension.

PubMed

Weisrock, Fabian; Fritschka, Max; Beckmann, Sebastian; Litmeier, Simon; Wagner, Josephine; Tahirovic, Elvis; Radenovic, Sara; Zelenak, Christine; Hashemi, Djawid; Busjahn, Andreas; Krahn, Thomas; Pieske, Burkert; Dinh, Wilfried; Düngen, Hans-Dirk

2017-08-01

Endothelial dysfunction plays a major role in cardiovascular diseases and pulse amplitude tonometry (PAT) offers a non-invasive way to assess endothelial dysfunction. However, data about the reliability of PAT in cardiovascular patient populations are scarce. Thus, we evaluated the test-retest reliability of PAT using the natural logarithmic transformed reactive hyperaemia index (LnRHI). Our cohort consisted of 91 patients (mean age: 65±9.7 years, 32% female), who were divided into four groups: those with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) ( n=25), heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) ( n=22), diabetic nephropathy ( n=21), and arterial hypertension ( n=23). All subjects underwent two separate PAT measurements at a median interval of 7 days (range 4-14 days). LnRHI derived by PAT showed good reliability in subjects with diabetic nephropathy (intra-class correlation (ICC) = 0.863) and satisfactory reliability in patients with both HFpEF (ICC = 0.557) and HFrEF (ICC = 0.576). However, in subjects with arterial hypertension, reliability was poor (ICC = 0.125). We demonstrated that PAT is a reliable technique to assess endothelial dysfunction in adults with diabetic nephropathy, HFpEF or HFrEF. However, in subjects with arterial hypertension, we did not find sufficient reliability, which can possibly be attributed to variations in heart rate and the respective time of the assessments. Clinical Trial Registration Identifier: NCT02299960.

The relationship of blood vessel proximity and time after radiolabeled thymidine administration to tumor cell population kinetics in a transplanted mouse mammary tumor.

PubMed Central

Pavelic, Z. P.; Allen, L. M.; Mihich, E.

1981-01-01

The relation between the time of administration of tritiated thymidine and the proximity of cells to blood vessels and their labeling index, grain density per labeled cells, mitotic index, and growth fraction have been determined autoradiographically in a transplanted mammary tumor of mice. The tumor was rich in blood vessels, and the cells were densely packed, showing a few glandular structures. Shortly after tritiated thymidine administration, cells closer to the blood vessels (0-70 mu) showed a higher percentage of labeled and mitotic cells, more grains per labeled cells, and a higher growth fraction than the cells located in the outer zone (70-140 mu). Eight days later the values of these parameters were similar in both areas. The cell cycle time, the duration of mitosis, the S phase, the G1 phase and the G2 phase were essentially the same in both zones. These results could be attributed either to reutilization of nucleic acid metabolites or release of the original precursor from cells. It is suggested that label redistribution, which may perturb the measurement of the apparent turnover of labeled proliferating cellular systems in the body should be considered in all cases of autoradiographic or labeled purine-pyrimidine turnover studies. Images Figure 4 Figure 5 PMID:7468761

Tropical High Cloud Fraction Controlled by Cloud Lifetime Rather Than Clear-sky Convergence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seeley, J.; Jeevanjee, N.; Romps, D. M.

2016-12-01

Observations and simulations show a peak in cloud fraction below the tropopause. This peak is usually attributed to a roughly co-located peak in radiatively-driven clear-sky convergence, which is presumed to force convective detrainment and thus promote large cloud fraction. Using simulations of radiative-convective equilibrium forced by various radiative cooling profiles, we refute this mechanism by showing that an upper-tropospheric peak in cloud fraction persists even in simulations with no peak in clear-sky convergence. Instead, cloud fraction profiles seem to be controlled by cloud lifetimes — i.e., how long it takes for clouds to dissipate after they have detrained. A simple model of cloud evaporation shows that the small saturation deficit in the upper troposphere greatly extends cloud lifetimes there, while the large saturation deficit in the lower troposphere causes condensate to evaporate quickly. Since cloud mass flux must go to zero at the tropopause, a peak in cloud fraction emerges at a "sweet spot" below the tropopause where cloud lifetimes are long and there is still sufficient mass flux to be detrained.

Field and laboratory measurements of biomass burning and vehicle exhaust using a PTR-MS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

VanderSchelden, Graham Samuel

The Proton Transfer Reaction Mass Spectrometer (PTR-MS) is a powerful tool for analyzing organic compounds in air and has been applied in field and laboratory applications to assess emissions from biomass burning and vehicles. Biomass burning is an important source of air pollution globally in the form of wild fires, burning of crop stubble, and combustion of organic material for home energy. In the United States, residential wood combustion combined with low inversion heights in winter time has caused air quality problems. Through field deployment of the PTR-MS in Xi'an China during August of 2011, it was determined that 27%, 16%, 26%, and 12% of ambient carbon monoxide (CO), acetaldehyde, benzene, and toluene could be attributed to biomass burning. The PTR-MS was also deployed to Yakima, Washington in January of 2013, finding that residential wood combustion was a substantial source of air toxics and PM. Residential wood combustion contributed 100%, 73%, 69%, 55%, 36%, 19%, 19%, and 17% of organic PM1, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, black carbon, benzene, toluene, C2-alkylbenzenes, and CO respectively. Diesel vehicles are becoming a larger fraction of the vehicle fleet and can be held responsible for a substantial fraction of air pollution emissions from on and off road mobile sources. Diesel engines are a source of low volatility products that are difficult to measure and are thought to be important in the formation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). This work focuses on measuring important diesel exhaust compounds with the PTR-MS and assessing oxidation processes of these compounds. When the PTR-MS was deployed to the field along with a thermal desorption pre-concentration system, we estimated that diesel vehicles were about 3-15% of the vehicle activity influencing our study site in Yakima, WA using the ratio of m/z 157 to m/z 129. SOA yields of diesel exhaust compounds were assessed and about 48% of the SOA was attributed to compounds measured by the PTR-MS; with 21% attributed to alkylbenzenes, 20% attributed to alkanes, 3% attributed to alkylnaphthalenes, 3% attributed to molecular weight 178 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and 1% attributable to cycloalkanes.

Attributes of God: Conceptual Foundations of a Foundational Belief.

PubMed

Shtulman, Andrew; Lindeman, Marjaana

2016-04-01

Anthropomorphism, or the attribution of human properties to nonhuman entities, is often posited as an explanation for the origin and nature of God concepts, but it remains unclear which human properties we tend to attribute to God and under what conditions. In three studies, participants decided whether two types of human properties-psychological (mind-dependent) properties and physiological (body-dependent) properties-could or could not be attributed to God. In Study 1 (n = 1,525), participants made significantly more psychological attributions than physiological attributions, and the frequency of those attributions was correlated both with participants' religiosity and with their attribution of abstract, theological properties. In Study 2 (n = 99) and Study 3 (n = 138), participants not only showed the same preference for psychological properties but were also significantly faster, more consistent, and more confident when attributing psychological properties to God than when attributing physiological properties. And when denying properties to God, they showed the reverse pattern-that is, they were slower, less consistent, and less confident when denying psychological properties than when denying physiological properties. These patterns were observed both in a predominantly Christian population (Study 2) and a predominantly Hindu population (Study 3). Overall, we argue that God is conceptualized not as a person in general but as an agent in particular, attributed a mind by default but attributed a body only upon further consideration. Copyright © 2015 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Life-history strategies associated with local population variability confer regional stability.

PubMed

Pribil, Stanislav; Houlahan, Jeff E

2003-07-07

A widely held ecological tenet is that, at the local scale, populations of K-selected species (i.e. low fecundity, long lifespan and large body size) will be less variable than populations of r-selected species (i.e. high fecundity, short lifespan and small body size). We examined the relationship between long-term population trends and life-history attributes for 185 bird species in the Czech Republic and found that, at regional spatial scales and over moderate temporal scales (100-120 years), K-selected bird species were more likely to show both large increases and decreases in population size than r-selected species. We conclude that life-history attributes commonly associated with variable populations at the local scale, confer stability at the regional scale.

Bayesian Estimation of Pneumonia Etiology: Epidemiologic Considerations and Applications to the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health Study

PubMed Central

Fu, Wei; Shi, Qiyuan; Prosperi, Christine; Wu, Zhenke; Hammitt, Laura L.; Feikin, Daniel R.; Baggett, Henry C.; Howie, Stephen R.C.; Scott, J. Anthony G.; Murdoch, David R.; Madhi, Shabir A.; Thea, Donald M.; Brooks, W. Abdullah; Kotloff, Karen L.; Li, Mengying; Park, Daniel E.; Lin, Wenyi; Levine, Orin S.; O’Brien, Katherine L.; Zeger, Scott L.

2017-01-01

Abstract In pneumonia, specimens are rarely obtained directly from the infection site, the lung, so the pathogen causing infection is determined indirectly from multiple tests on peripheral clinical specimens, which may have imperfect and uncertain sensitivity and specificity, so inference about the cause is complex. Analytic approaches have included expert review of case-only results, case–control logistic regression, latent class analysis, and attributable fraction, but each has serious limitations and none naturally integrate multiple test results. The Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (PERCH) study required an analytic solution appropriate for a case–control design that could incorporate evidence from multiple specimens from cases and controls and that accounted for measurement error. We describe a Bayesian integrated approach we developed that combined and extended elements of attributable fraction and latent class analyses to meet some of these challenges and illustrate the advantage it confers regarding the challenges identified for other methods. PMID:28575370

Sequential CD34 cell fractionation by magnetophoresis in a magnetic dipole flow sorter.

PubMed

Schneider, Thomas; Karl, Stephan; Moore, Lee R; Chalmers, Jeffrey J; Williams, P Stephen; Zborowski, Maciej

2010-01-01

Cell separation and fractionation based on fluorescent and magnetic labeling procedures are common tools in contemporary research. These techniques rely on binding of fluorophores or magnetic particles conjugated to antibodies to target cells. Cell surface marker expression levels within cell populations vary with progression through the cell cycle. In an earlier work we showed the reproducible magnetic fractionation (single pass) of the Jurkat cell line based on the population distribution of CD45 surface marker expression. Here we present a study on magnetic fractionation of a stem and progenitor cell (SPC) population using the established acute myelogenous leukemia cell line KG-1a as a cell model. The cells express a CD34 cell surface marker associated with the hematopoietic progenitor cell activity and the progenitor cell lineage commitment. The CD34 expression level is approximately an order of magnitude lower than that of the CD45 marker, which required further improvements of the magnetic fractionation apparatus. The cells were immunomagnetically labeled using a sandwich of anti-CD34 antibody-phycoerythrin (PE) conjugate and anti-PE magnetic nanobead and fractionated into eight components using a continuous flow dipole magnetophoresis apparatus. The CD34 marker expression distribution between sorted fractions was measured by quantitative PE flow cytometry (using QuantiBRITE PE calibration beads), and it was shown to be correlated with the cell magnetophoretic mobility distribution. A flow outlet addressing scheme based on the concept of the transport lamina thickness was used to control cell distribution between the eight outlet ports. The fractional cell distributions showed good agreement with numerical simulations of the fractionation based on the cell magnetophoretic mobility distribution in the unsorted sample.

Influence of a Small Fraction of Individuals with Enhanced Mutations on a Population Genetic Pool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cebrat, S.; Stauffer, D.

It has been observed that a higher mutation load could be introduced into the genomes of children conceived by assisted reproduction technology (fertilization in-vitro). This generates two effects — slightly higher mutational pressure on the whole genetic pool of population and inhomogeneity of mutation distributions in the genetic pool. Computer simulations of the Penna ageing model suggest that already a small fraction of births with enhanced number of new mutations can negatively influence the whole population.

Polymorphic Transformation in Mixtures of High- and Low-Melting Fractions of Milk Fat

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

Cisneros,A.; Mazzanti, G.; Campos, R.

2006-01-01

The kinetics of crystallization of high-melting fraction (HMF) and a mixture of 40% HMF and 60% low-melting fraction (LMF) of milk fat were studied at 5 C by time-resolved in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction. HMF crystallized in the {alpha} polymorph, had a longer lifetime than the ones previously reported in pure milk fat, and was almost completely solid. The HMF/LMF mixture crystallized initially in the {alpha} form and transformed into the {beta}' polymorph, with a solid fat content much lower than that of HMF. The polymorphic change was therefore attributed to a delayed sudden formation of {beta}' mixed crystals from themore » uncrystallized melt. These findings are important for the food industry and as fundamental knowledge to improve our understanding of the origin of the macroscopic physical properties of solid milk fat fractions used in many manufacturing processes.« less

Optimizing conservation strategies for Mexican freetailed bats: a population viability and ecosystem services approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wiederholt, Ruscena; Lopez-Hoffman, Laura; Svancara, Colleen; McCracken, Gary; Thogmartin, Wayne E.; Diffendorfer, James E.; Mattson, Brady; Bagstad, Kenneth J.; Cryan, Paul; Russell, Amy; Semmens, Darius J.; Rodrigo A. Medellín,

2015-01-01

Conservation planning can be challenging due to the need to balance biological concerns about population viability with social concerns about the benefits biodiversity provide to society, often while operating under a limited budget. Methods and tools that help prioritize conservation actions are critical for the management of at-risk species. Here, we use a multi-attribute utility function to assess the optimal maternity roosts to conserve for maintaining the population viability and the ecosystem services of a single species, the Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana). Mexican free-tailed bats provide ecosystem services such as insect pest-suppression in agricultural areas and recreational viewing opportunities, and may be threatened by climate change and development of wind energy. We evaluated each roost based on five attributes: the maternity roost’s contribution to population viability, the pest suppression ecosystem services to the surrounding area provided by the bats residing in the roost, the ecotourism value of the roost, the risks posed to each roost structure, and the risks posed to the population of bats residing in each roost. We compared several scenarios that prioritized these attributes differently, hypothesizing that the set of roosts with the highest rankings would vary according to the conservation scenario. Our results indicate that placing higher values on different roost attributes (e.g. population importance over ecosystem service value) altered the roost rankings. We determined that the values placed on various conservation objectives are an important determinant of habitat planning.

On the Identification of Associations between Five World Health Organization Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Phenotypes and Six Predictors in Low and Middle-Income Countries.

PubMed

Ellis, Hugh; Schoenberger, Erica

2017-01-01

According to the most recent estimates, 842,000 deaths in low- to middle-income countries were attributable to inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene in 2012. Despite billions of dollars and decades of effort, we still lack a sound understanding of which kinds of WASH interventions are most effective in improving public health outcomes, and an important corollary-whether the right things are being measured. The World Health Organization (WHO) has made a concerted effort to compile comprehensive data on drinking water quality and sanitation in the developing world. A recent 2014 report provides information on three phenotypes (responses): Unsafe Water Deaths, Unsafe Sanitation Deaths, Unsafe Hygiene Deaths; two grouped phenotypes: Unsafe Water and Sanitation Deaths and Unsafe Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Deaths; and six explanatory variables (predictors): Improved Sanitation, Unimproved Water Source, Piped Water To Premises, Other Improved Water Source, Filtered and Bottled Water in the Household and Handwashing. Regression analyses were performed to identify statistically significant associations between these mortality responses and predictors. Good fitted-model performance required: (1) the use of population-normalized death fractions as opposed to number of deaths; (2) transformed response (logit or power); and (3) square-root predictor transformation. Given the complexity and heterogeneity of the relationships and countries being studied, these models exhibited remarkable performance and explained, for example, about 85% of the observed variance in population-normalized Unsafe Sanitation Death fraction, with a high F-statistic and highly statistically significant predictor p-values. Similar performance was found for all other responses, which was an unexpected result (the expected associations between responses and predictors-i.e., water-related with water-related, etc. did not occur). The set of statistically significant predictors remains the same across all responses. That is, Unsafe Water Source (UWS), Improved Sanitation (IS) and Filtered and Bottled Water in the Household (FBH) were the only statistically significant predictors whether the response was Unsafe Sanitation Death Fraction, Unsafe Hygiene Death Fraction or Unsafe Water Death Fraction. Moreover, the fraction of variance explained for all fitted models remained relatively high (adjusted R2 ranges from 0.7605 to 0.8533). We find that two of the statistically significant predictors-Improved Sanitation and Unimproved Water Sources-are particularly influential. We also find that some predictors (Piped Water to Premises, Other Improved Water Sources) have very little explanatory power for predicting mortality and one (Other Improved Water Sources) has a counterintuitive effect on response (Unsafe Sanitary Death Fraction increases with increases in OIWS) and one predictor (Hand Washing) to have essentially no explanatory usefulness. Our results suggest that a higher priority may need to be given to improved sanitation than has been the case. Nevertheless, while our focus in this paper is mortality, morbidity is a staggering consequence of inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene, and lower impact on mortality may not mean a similarly low impact on morbidity. More specifically, those predictors that we found uninfluential for predicting mortality-related responses may indeed be important when morbidity is the response.

Carbon isotope fractionation by thermophilic phototrophic sulfur bacteria: evidence for autotrophic growth in natural populations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madigan, M. T.; Takigiku, R.; Lee, R. G.; Gest, H.; Hayes, J. M.

1989-01-01

Purple phototrophic bacteria of the genus Chromatium can grow as either photoautotrophs or photoheterotrophs. To determine the growth mode of the thermophilic Chromatium species, Chromatium tepidum, under in situ conditions, we have examined the carbon isotope fractionation patterns in laboratory cultures of this organism and in mats of C. tepidum which develop in sulfide thermal springs in Yellowstone National Park. Isotopic analysis (13C/12C) of total carbon, carotenoid pigments, and bacteriochlorophyll from photoautotrophically grown cultures of C. tepidum yielded 13C fractionation factors near -20%. Cells of C. tepidum grown on excess acetate, wherein synthesis of the Calvin cycle enzyme ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase) was greatly repressed, were isotopically heavier, fractionation factors of ca. -7% being observed. Fractionation factors determined by isotopic analyses of cells and pigment fractions of natural populations of C. tepidum growing in three different sulfide thermal springs in Yellowstone National Park were approximately -20%, indicating that this purple sulfur bacterium grows as a photoautotroph in nature.

Destruction of solid tumors by immune cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López, Álvaro G.; Seoane, Jesús M.; Sanjuán, Miguel A. F.

2017-03-01

The fractional cell kill is a mathematical expression describing the rate at which a certain population of cells is reduced to a fraction of itself. In order to investigate the fractional cell kill that governs the rate at which a solid tumor is lysed by a cell population of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells (CTLs), we present several in silico simulations and mathematical analyses. When the CTLs eradicate efficiently the tumor cells, the models predict a correlation between the morphology of the tumors and the rate at which they are lysed. However, when the effectiveness of the immune cells is decreased, the mathematical function fails to reproduce the process of lysis. This limit is thoroughly discussed and a new fractional cell kill is proposed.

Job strain — Attributable depression in a sample of working Australians: Assessing the contribution to health inequalities

PubMed Central

LaMontagne, Anthony D; Keegel, Tessa; Vallance, Deborah; Ostry, Aleck; Wolfe, Rory

2008-01-01

Background The broad aim of this study was to assess the contribution of job strain to mental health inequalities by (a) estimating the proportion of depression attributable to job strain (low control and high demand jobs), (b) assessing variation in attributable risk by occupational skill level, and (c) comparing numbers of job strain–attributable depression cases to numbers of compensated 'mental stress' claims. Methods Standard population attributable risk (PAR) methods were used to estimate the proportion of depression attributable to job strain. An adjusted Odds Ratio (OR) of 1.82 for job strain in relation to depression was obtained from a recently published meta-analysis and combined with exposure prevalence data from the Australian state of Victoria. Job strain exposure prevalence was determined from a 2003 population-based telephone survey of working Victorians (n = 1101, 66% response rate) using validated measures of job control (9 items, Cronbach's alpha = 0.80) and psychological demands (3 items, Cronbach's alpha = 0.66). Estimates of absolute numbers of prevalent cases of depression and successful stress-related workers' compensation claims were obtained from publicly available Australian government sources. Results Overall job strain-population attributable risk (PAR) for depression was 13.2% for males [95% CI 1.1, 28.1] and 17.2% [95% CI 1.5, 34.9] for females. There was a clear gradient of increasing PAR with decreasing occupational skill level. Estimation of job strain–attributable cases (21,437) versus "mental stress" compensation claims (696) suggest that claims statistics underestimate job strain–attributable depression by roughly 30-fold. Conclusion Job strain and associated depression risks represent a substantial, preventable, and inequitably distributed public health problem. The social patterning of job strain-attributable depression parallels the social patterning of mental illness, suggesting that job strain is an important contributor to mental health inequalities. The numbers of compensated 'mental stress' claims compared to job strain-attributable depression cases suggest that there is substantial under-recognition and under-compensation of job strain-attributable depression. Primary, secondary, and tertiary intervention efforts should be substantially expanded, with intervention priorities based on hazard and associated health outcome data as an essential complement to claims statistics. PMID:18505559

College-Student Personal-Growth and Attributions of Cause

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, W. P., Jr.; Lopez-Baez, Sandra I.

2012-01-01

Little is known about levels of personal growth attributed by students to typical college life experiences. This paper documents two studies of student self-reported and posttraumatic growth and compares growth levels across populations. Both studies measure student attributions of cause to academic and non-academic experiences, respectively. It…

Molecular dynamics simulations of polyethers and a quaternary ammonium ionic liquid as CO2 absorbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardoso, Piercarlo Fortunato; Fernandez, Juan S. L. C.; Lepre, Luiz Fernando; Ando, Rômulo Augusto; Costa Gomes, Margarida F.; Siqueira, Leonardo J. A.

2018-04-01

The properties of mixtures of butyltrimethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, [N4111][NTf2], with poly(ethyleneglycol) dimethyl ether, PEO, were described as a function of PEO chain size by molecular dynamics simulations. Both PEO chain size and mixture composition revealed to play a significant role in determining the structure and the dynamics of the fluids. The remarkably higher viscosity observed for mixtures composed by 0.25 mole fraction of PEO was attributed to the increase in the gauche population of OCCO dihedral of the polyether of longer chains. The negative solvation enthalpy (ΔsolH < 0) and entropy (ΔsolS < 0) revealed a favorable CO2 absorption by the neat and mixture systems. The CO2 absorption was higher in neat PEO, particularly considering longer chains. The gas solubility in the mixtures presented intermediate values in comparison to the neat PEO and neat ionic liquid. The CO2 solutions had their structures discussed in the light of the calculated radial and spatial distribution functions.

Molecular dynamics simulations of polyethers and a quaternary ammonium ionic liquid as CO2 absorbers.

PubMed

Cardoso, Piercarlo Fortunato; Fernandez, Juan S L C; Lepre, Luiz Fernando; Ando, Rômulo Augusto; Costa Gomes, Margarida F; Siqueira, Leonardo J A

2018-04-07

The properties of mixtures of butyltrimethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, [N 4111 ][NTf 2 ], with poly(ethyleneglycol) dimethyl ether, PEO, were described as a function of PEO chain size by molecular dynamics simulations. Both PEO chain size and mixture composition revealed to play a significant role in determining the structure and the dynamics of the fluids. The remarkably higher viscosity observed for mixtures composed by 0.25 mole fraction of PEO was attributed to the increase in the gauche population of OCCO dihedral of the polyether of longer chains. The negative solvation enthalpy (Δ sol H < 0) and entropy (Δ sol S < 0) revealed a favorable CO 2 absorption by the neat and mixture systems. The CO 2 absorption was higher in neat PEO, particularly considering longer chains. The gas solubility in the mixtures presented intermediate values in comparison to the neat PEO and neat ionic liquid. The CO 2 solutions had their structures discussed in the light of the calculated radial and spatial distribution functions.

Epidemiological associations of hearing impairment and health among a national cohort of 87 134 adults in Thailand.

PubMed

Yiengprugsawan, Vasoontara; Hogan, Anthony; Harley, David; Seubsman, Sam-ang; Sleigh, Adrian C

2012-11-01

Studies on socioeconomic and epidemiological effects of hearing impairment in middle-income countries of Southeast Asia are still quite scarce. This study examines the association between hearing impairment and health outcomes in Thailand. Data derived from a cohort of 87 134 Open University adults aged 15 to 87 years residing throughout Thailand. Approximately 8.5% of cohort members reported trouble hearing and 0.13% reported being deaf. After adjusting for age and gender, poor self-assessed health was strongly associated with some trouble hearing (odds ratio [OR] = 2.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.48-2.93) and deafness (OR = 3.08, 95% CI = 1.73-5.50). Population attributable fractions for hearing impairment were 12.9% for poor self-assessed health, 9.8% for poor psychological health, 3.3% for metabolic disorders, and 4.1% for cardiovascular conditions. More attention needs to be paid on hearing impairment with regular check-ups and early detections.

Driving-while-intoxicated history as a risk marker for general aviation pilots.

PubMed

Li, Guohua; Baker, Susan P; Qiang, Yandong; Grabowski, Jurek G; McCarthy, Melissa L

2005-01-01

The Federal Aviation Administration conducts background checking for driving-while-intoxicated (DWI) convictions on all pilots. This study examined the association between DWI history and crash risk in a cohort of 335,672 general aviation pilots. These pilots were followed up from 1994 to 2000 through the aviation crash surveillance system of the National Transportation Safety Board. At baseline, 3.4% of the pilots had a DWI history. DWI history was associated with a 43% increased risk of crash involvement (adjusted relative risk: 1.43; 95% confidence interval: 1.15-1.77). The population-attributable risk fraction for DWI history was estimated as 1.4%. In addition to DWI history, male gender, older age, and inexperience were associated with significantly increased risk of crash involvement. The results of this study support DWI history as a valid risk marker for general aviation pilots. The safety benefit of background checking for DWI history needs to be further evaluated.

In Vitro Study on Glucose Utilization Capacity of Bioactive Fractions of Houttuynia cordata in Isolated Rat Hemidiaphragm and Its Major Phytoconstituent

PubMed Central

Kumar, Manish; Prasad, Satyendra K.; Hemalatha, Siva

2016-01-01

Objective. The whole plant of Houttuynia cordata has been reported to have potent antihyperglycemic activity. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to investigate the glucose utilization capacity of bioactive fractions of ethanol extract of Houttuynia cordata (HC) in isolated rat hemidiaphragm. Methods. All the fractions, that is, aqueous (AQ), hexane (HEX), chloroform (CHL), and ethyl acetate (EA), obtained from ethanol extract of H. cordata were subjected to phytochemical standardization use in quercetin as a marker with the help of HPTLC. Further, glucose utilization capacity by rat hemidiaphragm was evaluated in 12 different sets of in vitro experiments. In the study, different fractions from H. cordata as mentioned above were evaluated, where insulin was used as standard and quercetin as a biological standard. Results. Among all the tested fractions, AQ and EA significantly increased glucose uptake by isolated rat hemidiaphragm compared to negative control. Moreover, AQ fractions enhanced the uptake of glucose significantly (p < 0.05) and was found to be more effective than insulin. Conclusions. The augmentation in glucose uptake by hemidiaphragm in presence of AQ and EA fractions may be attributed to the presence of quercetin, which was found to be 7.1 and 3.2% w/w, respectively, in both the fractions. PMID:26925100

In Vitro Study on Glucose Utilization Capacity of Bioactive Fractions of Houttuynia cordata in Isolated Rat Hemidiaphragm and Its Major Phytoconstituent.

PubMed

Kumar, Manish; Prasad, Satyendra K; Hemalatha, Siva

2016-01-01

Objective. The whole plant of Houttuynia cordata has been reported to have potent antihyperglycemic activity. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to investigate the glucose utilization capacity of bioactive fractions of ethanol extract of Houttuynia cordata (HC) in isolated rat hemidiaphragm. Methods. All the fractions, that is, aqueous (AQ), hexane (HEX), chloroform (CHL), and ethyl acetate (EA), obtained from ethanol extract of H. cordata were subjected to phytochemical standardization use in quercetin as a marker with the help of HPTLC. Further, glucose utilization capacity by rat hemidiaphragm was evaluated in 12 different sets of in vitro experiments. In the study, different fractions from H. cordata as mentioned above were evaluated, where insulin was used as standard and quercetin as a biological standard. Results. Among all the tested fractions, AQ and EA significantly increased glucose uptake by isolated rat hemidiaphragm compared to negative control. Moreover, AQ fractions enhanced the uptake of glucose significantly (p < 0.05) and was found to be more effective than insulin. Conclusions. The augmentation in glucose uptake by hemidiaphragm in presence of AQ and EA fractions may be attributed to the presence of quercetin, which was found to be 7.1 and 3.2% w/w, respectively, in both the fractions.

The changing importance of key factors associated with anaemia in 6- to 59-month-old children in a sub-Saharan African setting where malaria is on the decline: analysis of the Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey 2010.

PubMed

Nkulikiyinka, Richard; Binagwaho, Agnes; Palmer, Katie

2015-12-01

To estimate the relative contribution of malaria and other potential determinants to current anaemia prevalence in Rwanda. The database for this study was the Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey 2010. Haemoglobin and malaria test results, and additional exposures ascertained through mothers' interviews, were analysed for all eligible children age 6-59 months (n = 4068), in addition to diet data available for the youngest under 5-year-old per household. We examined anaemia-exposure associations through forward logistic regression, first for the overall population (n = 3685), and second, for the subpopulation with diet data (n = 1934). In the overall study population, malaria was strongly associated with anaemia (OR = 6.83, 95% CI: 2.90-16.05), but population impact was modest (population-attributable fraction = 2.5%). Factors associated with lower odds of anaemia were recent de-worming medication (six months; OR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.49-0.74), female sex (OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.66-0.87), increasing age, residence in North Province and educated mother. Being underweight and recent fever (two weeks) were associated with higher odds. In the subpopulation with diet data, odds were lower with consumption of vitamin A-rich foods (OR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.50-0.88); and higher in households with many young children. Malaria remains a strong determinant of anaemia for the individual child: transmission control efforts must be maintained. At population level, to further reduce anaemia prevalence, promoting regular vitamin A intake from natural sources and reducing intestinal helminths burden appear the most promising strategies to explore; exploring potential hitherto unidentified sex-linked factors is warranted. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Trends in educational inequalities in premature mortality in Belgium between the 1990s and the 2000s: the contribution of specific causes of deaths.

PubMed

Renard, Françoise; Gadeyne, Sylvie; Devleesschauwer, Brecht; Tafforeau, Jean; Deboosere, Patrick

2017-04-01

Reducing socioeconomic inequalities in mortality, a key public health objective may be supported by a careful monitoring and assessment of the contributions of specific causes of death to the global inequality. The 1991 and 2001 Belgian censuses were linked with cause-of-death data, each yielding a study population of over 5 million individuals aged 25-64, followed up for 5 years. Age-standardised mortality rates (ASMR) were computed by educational level (EL) and cause. Inequalities were measured through rate differences (RDs), rate ratios (RRs) and population attributable fractions (PAFs). We analysed changes in educational inequalities between the 1990s and the 2000s, and decomposed the PAF into the main causes of death. All-cause and avoidable ASMR decreased in all ELs and both sexes. Lung cancer, ischaemic heart disease (IHD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and suicide in men, and IHD, stroke, lung cancer and COPD in women had the highest impact on population mortality. RDs decreased in men but increased in women. RRs and PAFs increased in both sexes, albeit more in women. In men, the impact of lung cancer and COPD inequalities on population mortality decreased while that of suicide and IHD increased. In women, the impact of all causes except IHD increased. Absolute inequalities decreased in men while increasing in women; relative inequalities increased in both sexes. The PAFs decomposition revealed that targeting mortality inequalities from lung cancer, IHD, COPD in both sexes, suicide in men and stroke in women would have the largest impact at population level. 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/.

Perception of the etiology of illness: causal attributions in a heart patient population.

PubMed

Koslowsky, M; Croog, S H; La Voie, L

1978-10-01

This study examined perceived causes of myocardial infarction in a patient population of 345 men previously free from significant medical problems. Investigation of their perceptions following the life-threatening illness crisis indicated that stress and tension factors were the causes most commonly cited. Possible social and psychological correlates are analyzed using an attribution theory framework, and their implications are discussed.

Population-Wide Impact of Non-Hip Non-Vertebral Fractures on Mortality.

PubMed

Tran, Thach; Bliuc, Dana; van Geel, Tineke; Adachi, Jonathan D; Berger, Claudie; van den Bergh, Joop; Eisman, John A; Geusens, Piet; Goltzman, David; Hanley, David A; Josse, Robert G; Kaiser, Stephanie M; Kovacs, Christopher S; Langsetmo, Lisa; Prior, Jerilynn C; Nguyen, Tuan V; Center, Jacqueline R

2017-09-01

Data on long-term consequences of non-hip non-vertebral (NHNV) fractures, accounting for approximately two-thirds of all fragility fractures, are scanty. Our study aimed to quantify the population-wide impact of NHNV fractures on mortality. The national population-based prospective cohort study (Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study) included 5526 community dwelling women and 2163 men aged 50 years or older followed from July 1995 to September 2013. Population impact number was used to quantify the average number of people for whom one death would be attributable to fracture and case impact number to quantify the number of deaths out of which one would be attributable to a fracture. There were 1370 fragility fractures followed by 296 deaths in women (mortality rate: 3.49; 95% CI, 3.11 to 3.91), and 302 fractures with 92 deaths in men (5.05; 95% CI, 4.12 to 6.20). NHNV fractures accounted for three-quarters of fractures. In women, the population-wide impact of NHNV fractures on mortality was greater than that of hip and vertebral fractures because of the greater number of NHNV fractures. Out of 800 women, one death was estimated to be attributable to a NHNV fracture, compared with one death in 2000 women attributable to hip or vertebral fracture. Similarly, out of 15 deaths in women, one was estimated to be attributable to a NHNV fracture, compared with one in over 40 deaths for hip or vertebral fracture. The impact of forearm fractures (ie, one death in 2400 women and one out of 42 deaths in women attributable to forearm fracture) was similar to that of hip, vertebral, or rib fractures. Similar, albeit not significant, results were noted for men. The study highlights the important contribution of NHNV fractures on mortality because many NHNV fracture types, except for the most distal fractures, have serious adverse consequences that affect a significant proportion of the population. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

HYPERSAMP - HYPERGEOMETRIC ATTRIBUTE SAMPLING SYSTEM BASED ON RISK AND FRACTION DEFECTIVE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

De, Salvo L. J.

1994-01-01

HYPERSAMP is a demonstration of an attribute sampling system developed to determine the minimum sample size required for any preselected value for consumer's risk and fraction of nonconforming. This statistical method can be used in place of MIL-STD-105E sampling plans when a minimum sample size is desirable, such as when tests are destructive or expensive. HYPERSAMP utilizes the Hypergeometric Distribution and can be used for any fraction nonconforming. The program employs an iterative technique that circumvents the obstacle presented by the factorial of a non-whole number. HYPERSAMP provides the required Hypergeometric sample size for any equivalent real number of nonconformances in the lot or batch under evaluation. Many currently used sampling systems, such as the MIL-STD-105E, utilize the Binomial or the Poisson equations as an estimate of the Hypergeometric when performing inspection by attributes. However, this is primarily because of the difficulty in calculation of the factorials required by the Hypergeometric. Sampling plans based on the Binomial or Poisson equations will result in the maximum sample size possible with the Hypergeometric. The difference in the sample sizes between the Poisson or Binomial and the Hypergeometric can be significant. For example, a lot size of 400 devices with an error rate of 1.0% and a confidence of 99% would require a sample size of 400 (all units would need to be inspected) for the Binomial sampling plan and only 273 for a Hypergeometric sampling plan. The Hypergeometric results in a savings of 127 units, a significant reduction in the required sample size. HYPERSAMP is a demonstration program and is limited to sampling plans with zero defectives in the sample (acceptance number of zero). Since it is only a demonstration program, the sample size determination is limited to sample sizes of 1500 or less. The Hypergeometric Attribute Sampling System demonstration code is a spreadsheet program written for IBM PC compatible computers running DOS and Lotus 1-2-3 or Quattro Pro. This program is distributed on a 5.25 inch 360K MS-DOS format diskette, and the program price includes documentation. This statistical method was developed in 1992.

Estimation of the optimal number of radiotherapy fractions for breast cancer: A review of the evidence.

PubMed

Wong, Karen; Delaney, Geoff P; Barton, Michael B

2015-08-01

There is variation in radiotherapy fractionation practice, however, there is no evidence-based benchmark for appropriate activity. An evidence-based model was constructed to estimate the optimal number of fractions for the first course of radiotherapy for breast cancer to aid in services planning and performance benchmarking. The published breast cancer radiotherapy utilisation model was adapted. Evidence-based number of fractions was added to each radiotherapy indication. The overall optimal number of fractions was calculated based on the frequency of specific clinical conditions where radiotherapy is indicated and the recommended number of fractions for each condition. Sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the impact of uncertainties on the model. For the entire Australian breast cancer patient population, the estimated optimal number of fractions per patient was 16.8, 14.6, 13.7 and 0.8 for ductal carcinoma in situ, early, advanced and metastatic breast cancer respectively. Overall, the optimal number of fractions per patient was 14.4 (range 14.4-18.7). These results allow comparison with actual practices, and workload prediction to aid in services planning. The model can be easily adapted to other countries by inserting population-specific epidemiological data, and to future changes in cancer incidence, stage distribution and fractionation recommendations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trypanocidal, trichomonacidal and cytotoxic components of cultivated Artemisia absinthium Linnaeus (Asteraceae) essential oil

PubMed Central

Martínez-Díaz, Rafael Alberto; Ibáñez-Escribano, Alexandra; Burillo, Jesús; Heras, Lorena de las; del Prado, Gema; Agulló-Ortuño, M Teresa; Julio, Luis F; González-Coloma, Azucena

2015-01-01

Artemisia absinthium is an aromatic and medicinal plant of ethnopharmacological interest and it has been widely studied. The use ofA. absinthium based on the collection of wild populations can result in variable compositions of the extracts and essential oils (EOs). The aim of this paper is the identification of the active components of the vapour pressure (VP) EO from a selected and cultivated A. absinthiumSpanish population (T2-11) against two parasitic protozoa with different metabolic pathways: Trypanosoma cruzi andTrichomonas vaginalis. VP showed activity on both parasites at the highest concentrations. The chromatographic fractionation of the VP T2-11 resulted in nine fractions (VLC1-9). The chemical composition of the fractions and the antiparasitic effects of fractions and their main compounds suggest that the activity of the VP is related with the presence oftrans-caryophyllene and dihydrochamazulene (main components of fractions VLC1 and VLC2 respectively). Additionally, the cytotoxicity of VP and fractions has been tested on several tumour and no tumour human cell lines. Fractions VLC1 and VLC2 were not cytotoxic against the nontumoural cell line HS5, suggesting selective antiparasitic activity for these two fractions. The VP and fractions inhibited the growth of human tumour cell lines in a dose-dependent manner. PMID:26107187

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

Yang, X. J.; Zhong, J. X.; Glaser, R.

The unidentified infrared emission (UIE) features at 3.3, 6.2, 7.7, 8.6, and 11.3 μm, commonly attributed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules, have recently been ascribed to mixed aromatic/aliphatic organic nanoparticles. More recently, an upper limit of <9% was placed on the aliphatic fraction (i.e., the fraction of carbon atoms in aliphatic form) of the UIE carriers based on the observed intensities of the 3.4 μm and 3.3 μm emission features by attributing them to aliphatic and aromatic C-H stretching modes, respectively, and assuming A{sub 3.4}/A{sub 3.3} ≈ 0.68 derived from a small set of aliphatic and aromatic compounds, wheremore » A{sub 3.4} and A{sub 3.3} are, respectively, the band strengths of the 3.4 μm aliphatic and 3.3 μm aromatic C-H bonds. To improve the estimate of the aliphatic fraction of the UIE carriers, here we analyze 35 UIE sources exhibiting both the 3.3 μm and 3.4 μm C-H features and determine I{sub 3.4}/I{sub 3.3}, the ratio of the power emitted from the 3.4 μm feature to that from the 3.3 μm feature. We derive the median ratio to be (I{sub 3.4}/I{sub 3.3}) ≈ 0.12. We employ density functional theory to compute A{sub 3.4}/A{sub 3.3} for a range of methyl-substituted PAHs. The resulting A{sub 3.4}/A{sub 3.3} ratio well exceeds ∼1.4, with an average ratio of A{sub 3.4}/A{sub 3.3} ≈ 1.76. By attributing the 3.4 μm feature exclusively to aliphatic C-H stretch (i.e., neglecting anharmonicity and superhydrogenation), we derive the fraction of C atoms in aliphatic form from I{sub 3.4}/I{sub 3.3} ≈ 0.12 and A{sub 3.4}/A{sub 3.3} ≈ 1.76 to be ∼2%. We therefore conclude that the UIE emitters are predominantly aromatic.« less

Trojan Binaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noll, K. S.

2017-12-01

The Jupiter Trojans, in the context of giant planet migration models, can be thought of as an extension of the small body populations found beyond Neptune in the Kuiper Belt. Binaries are a distinctive feature of small body populations in the Kuiper Belt with an especially high fraction apparent among the brightest Cold Classicals. The binary fraction, relative sizes, and separations in the dynamically excited populations (Scattered, Resonant) reflects processes that may have eroded a more abundant initial population. This trend continues in the Centaurs and Trojans where few binaries have been found. We review new evidence including a third resolved Trojan binary and lightcurve studies to understand how the Trojans are related to the small body populations that originated in the outer protoplanetary disk.

Medical cost of type 2 diabetes attributable to physical inactivity in the United States in 2012.

PubMed

Shah, Priyank; Shamoon, Fayez; Bikkina, Mahesh; Kohl, Harold W

Type 2 diabetes has grown to epidemic proportions in the U.S. and physical activity levels in the population continues to remain low, although it is one of the primary preventive strategies for diabetes. The objectives of this study were to estimate the direct medical costs of type 2 diabetes attributable to not meeting physical activity Guidelines and to physical inactivity in the U.S. in 2012. This was a cross sectional study that used physical activity prevalence data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to estimate the population attributable risk percentage for type 2 diabetes. These data were combined with the prevalence and cost data of type 2 diabetes to estimate the cost of type 2 diabetes attributable to not meeting physical activity Guidelines and to inactivity in 2012. The cost of type 2 diabetes in the U.S. in 2012, attributable to not meeting physical activity guidelines was estimated to be $18.3 billion, and that attributable to physical inactivity was estimated to be $4.65 billion. Based on sensitivity analyses, these estimates ranged from $10.19 billion to $27.43 billion for not meeting physical activity guidelines and $2.59 billion-$6.98 billion for physical inactivity in the year 2012. This study shows that billions of dollars could be saved annually just in terms of type 2 diabetes cost in the U.S., if the entire adult population met physical activity guidelines. Physical activity promotion, particularly at the environmental and policy level should be a priority in the population. Copyright © 2016 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A comparison between the multimedia fate and exposure models CalTOX and uniform system for evaluation of substances adapted for life-cycle assessment based on the population intake fraction of toxic pollutants.

PubMed

Huijbregts, Mark A J; Geelen, Loes M J; Hertwich, Edgar G; McKone, Thomas E; van de Meent, Dik

2005-02-01

In life-cycle assessment (LCA) and comparative risk assessment, potential human exposure to toxic pollutants can be expressed as the population intake fraction (iF), which represents the fraction of the quantity emitted that enters the human population. To assess the influence of model differences in the calculation of the population iF ingestion and inhalation iFs of 365 substances emitted to air, freshwater, and soil were calculated with two commonly applied multimedia fate and exposure models, CalTOX and the uniform system for evaluation of substances adapted for life-cycle assessment (USES-LCA). The model comparison showed that differences in the iFs due to model choices were the lowest after emission to air and the highest after emission to soil. Inhalation iFs were more sensitive to model differences compared to ingestion iFs. The choice for a continental seawater compartment, vertical stratification of the soil compartment, rain and no-rain scenarios, and drinking water purification mainly clarify the relevant model differences found in population iFs. Furthermore, pH correction of chemical properties and aerosol-associated deposition on plants appeared to be important for dissociative organics and metals emitted to air, respectively. Finally, it was found that quantitative structure-activity relationship estimates for superhydrophobics may introduce considerable uncertainty in the calculation of population intake fractions.

Membrane Stabilization and Detoxification of Acetaminophen-Mediated Oxidative Onslaughts in the Kidneys of Wistar Rats by Standardized Fraction of Zea mays L. (Poaceae), Stigma maydis.

PubMed

Sabiu, S; O'Neill, F H; Ashafa, A O T

2016-01-01

This study evaluated membrane stabilization and detoxification potential of ethyl acetate fraction of Zea mays L., Stigma maydis in acetaminophen-induced oxidative onslaughts in the kidneys of Wistar rats. Nephrotoxic rats were orally pre- and posttreated with the fraction and vitamin C for 14 days. Kidney function, antioxidative and histological analyses were thereafter evaluated. The acetaminophen-mediated significant elevations in the serum concentrations of creatinine, urea, uric acid, sodium, potassium, and tissue levels of oxidized glutathione, protein-oxidized products, lipid peroxidized products, and fragmented DNA were dose-dependently assuaged in the fraction-treated animals. The fraction also markedly improved creatinine clearance rate, glutathione, and calcium concentrations as well as activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase in the nephrotoxic rats. These improvements may be attributed to the antioxidative and membrane stabilization activities of the fraction. The observed effects compared favorably with that of vitamin C and are informative of the fraction's ability to prevent progression of renal pathological conditions and preserve kidney functions as evidently supported by the histological analysis. Although the effects were prominently exhibited in the fraction-pretreated groups, the overall data from the present findings suggest that the fraction could prevent or extenuate acetaminophen-mediated oxidative renal damage via fortification of antioxidant defense mechanisms.

Membrane Stabilization and Detoxification of Acetaminophen-Mediated Oxidative Onslaughts in the Kidneys of Wistar Rats by Standardized Fraction of Zea mays L. (Poaceae), Stigma maydis

PubMed Central

Sabiu, S.; O'Neill, F. H.

2016-01-01

This study evaluated membrane stabilization and detoxification potential of ethyl acetate fraction of Zea mays L., Stigma maydis in acetaminophen-induced oxidative onslaughts in the kidneys of Wistar rats. Nephrotoxic rats were orally pre- and posttreated with the fraction and vitamin C for 14 days. Kidney function, antioxidative and histological analyses were thereafter evaluated. The acetaminophen-mediated significant elevations in the serum concentrations of creatinine, urea, uric acid, sodium, potassium, and tissue levels of oxidized glutathione, protein-oxidized products, lipid peroxidized products, and fragmented DNA were dose-dependently assuaged in the fraction-treated animals. The fraction also markedly improved creatinine clearance rate, glutathione, and calcium concentrations as well as activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase in the nephrotoxic rats. These improvements may be attributed to the antioxidative and membrane stabilization activities of the fraction. The observed effects compared favorably with that of vitamin C and are informative of the fraction's ability to prevent progression of renal pathological conditions and preserve kidney functions as evidently supported by the histological analysis. Although the effects were prominently exhibited in the fraction-pretreated groups, the overall data from the present findings suggest that the fraction could prevent or extenuate acetaminophen-mediated oxidative renal damage via fortification of antioxidant defense mechanisms. PMID:27579048

Susceptibility to Plasmodium liver stage infection is altered by hepatocyte polyploidy.

PubMed

Austin, Laura S; Kaushansky, Alexis; Kappe, Stefan H I

2014-05-01

Plasmodium parasites infect hepatocytes of their mammalian hosts and undergo obligate liver stage development. The specific host cell attributes that are important for liver infection remain largely unknown. Several host signalling pathways are perturbed in infected hepatocytes, some of which are important in the generation of hepatocyte polyploidy. To test the functional consequence of polyploidy on liver infection, we infected hepatocytes with the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium yoelii both in vitro and in vivo and examined the ploidy of infected and uninfected hepatocytes by flow cytometry. In both hepatoma cell lines and in the mouse liver, the fraction of polyploid cells was higher in the infected cell population than in the uninfected cell population. When the data were reanalysed by comparing the extent of Plasmodium infection within each ploidy subset, we found that infection rates were elevated in more highly polyploid cells and lower in diploid cells. Furthermore, we found that the parasite's preference for host cells with high ploidy is conserved among rodent malaria species and the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. This parasite preference for host cells of high ploidy cannot be explained by differences in hepatocyte size or DNA replication. We conclude that Plasmodium preferentially infects and develops in polyploid hepatocytes. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Homelessness and the Impact of Axis I and II Disorders

PubMed Central

Roos, Leslie E.; Mota, Natalie; Afifi, Tracie O.; Katz, Laurence Y.; Distasio, Jino

2013-01-01

Objectives. We investigated the links between homelessness associated with serious mental and physical healthy disparities and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in nationally representative data, with Axis I and II disorders as potential mediators. Methods. We examined data from the National Epidemiologic Survey of Alcohol and Related Conditions in 2001–2002 and 2004–2005, and included 34 653 participants representative of the noninstitutionalized US population who were 20 years old or older. We studied the variables related to 4 classes of Axis I disorders, all 10 Axis II personality disorders, a wide range of ACEs, and a lifetime history of homelessness. Results. Analyses revealed high prevalences of each ACE in individuals experiencing lifetime homelessness (17%–60%). A mediation model with Axis I and II disorders determined that childhood adversities were significantly related to homelessness through direct effects (adjusted odd ratios = 2.04, 4.24) and indirect effects, indicating partial mediation. Population attributable fractions were also reported. Conclusions. Although Axis I and II disorders partially mediated the relationship between ACEs and homelessness, a strong direct association remained. This novel finding has implications for interventions and policy. Additional research is needed to understand relevant causal pathways. PMID:24148049

Sequence-based analysis of the microbial composition of water kefir from multiple sources.

PubMed

Marsh, Alan J; O'Sullivan, Orla; Hill, Colin; Ross, R Paul; Cotter, Paul D

2013-11-01

Water kefir is a water-sucrose-based beverage, fermented by a symbiosis of bacteria and yeast to produce a final product that is lightly carbonated, acidic and that has a low alcohol percentage. The microorganisms present in water kefir are introduced via water kefir grains, which consist of a polysaccharide matrix in which the microorganisms are embedded. We aimed to provide a comprehensive sequencing-based analysis of the bacterial population of water kefir beverages and grains, while providing an initial insight into the corresponding fungal population. To facilitate this objective, four water kefirs were sourced from the UK, Canada and the United States. Culture-independent, high-throughput, sequencing-based analyses revealed that the bacterial fraction of each water kefir and grain was dominated by Zymomonas, an ethanol-producing bacterium, which has not previously been detected at such a scale. The other genera detected were representatives of the lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria. Our analysis of the fungal component established that it was comprised of the genera Dekkera, Hanseniaspora, Saccharomyces, Zygosaccharomyces, Torulaspora and Lachancea. This information will assist in the ultimate identification of the microorganisms responsible for the potentially health-promoting attributes of these beverages. © 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Susceptibility to Plasmodium liver stage infection is altered by hepatocyte polyploidy

PubMed Central

Austin, Laura S.; Kaushansky, Alexis; Kappe, Stefan H.I.

2014-01-01

Summary Plasmodium parasites infect hepatocytes of their mammalian hosts and within undergo obligate liver stage development. The specific host cell attributes that are important for liver infection remain largely unknown. Several host signaling pathways are perturbed in infected hepatocytes, some of which are important in the generation of hepatocyte polyploidy. To test the functional consequence of polyploidy in liver infection, we infected hepatocytes with the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium yoelii both in vitro and in vivo and examined the ploidy of infected and uninfected hepatocytes by flow cytometry. In both hepatoma cell lines and in the mouse liver, the fraction of polyploid cells was higher in the infected cell population than in the uninfected cell population. When the data were reanalyzed by comparing the extent of Plasmodium infection within each ploidy subset, we found that infection rates were elevated in more highly polyploid cells and lower in diploid cells. Furthermore, we found that the parasite’s preference for host cells with high ploidy is conserved among rodent malaria species and the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. This parasite preference for host cells of high ploidy cannot be explained by differences in hepatocyte size or DNA replication. We conclude that Plasmodium preferentially infects and develops in polyploid hepatocytes. PMID:24612025

Potential association between the recent increase in campylobacteriosis incidence in the Netherlands and proton-pump inhibitor use - an ecological study.

PubMed

Bouwknegt, M; van Pelt, W; Kubbinga, M E; Weda, M; Havelaar, A H

2014-08-14

The Netherlands saw an unexplained increase in campylobacteriosis incidence between 2003 and 2011, following a period of continuous decrease. We conducted an ecological study and found a statistical association between campylobacteriosis incidence and the annual number of prescriptions for proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), controlling for the patient's age, fresh and frozen chicken purchases (with or without correction for campylobacter prevalence in fresh poultry meat). The effect of PPIs was larger in the young than in the elderly. However, the counterfactual population-attributable fraction for PPIs was largest for the elderly (ca 45% in 2011) and increased at population level from 8% in 2004 to 27% in 2011. Using the regression model and updated covariate values, we predicted a trend break for 2012, largely due to a decreased number of PPI prescriptions, that was subsequently confirmed by surveillance data. Although causality was not shown, the biological mechanism, age effect and trend-break prediction suggest a substantial impact of PPI use on campylobacteriosis incidence in the Netherlands. We chose the ecological study design to pilot whether it is worthwhile to further pursue the effect of PPI on campylobacteriosis and other gastrointestinal pathogens in prospective cohort studies. We now provide strong arguments to do so.

Attributional intervention for depression in two people with multiple sclerosis (MS): single case design.

PubMed

Wain, Helen; Kneebone, Ian I; Cropley, Mark

2011-01-01

Depression is common in those with MS. The hopelessness theory of depression, emphasizing the role of attributional style, is supported in this population. Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) that can affect attributional style can reduce depression in people who have MS. The present study aimed to consider whether changing attributional style would reduce depression in two people with MS, thereby supporting the importance of this component of CBT with this population. Two female participants with MS were offered a 5-session intervention designed to alter attributional style. The study followed an ABA design. Attributional style and depressive symptoms were the principal measures considered. Negative life events and MS related stresses were also monitored. The intervention appeared effective for one of the participants, with predicted changes in attributional style and sizeable reductions in depressive symptoms from pre- to post-treatment that were sustained at 3-month follow-up. Improvement was still evident at 6 months, although with some reduction of effect. The intervention was less successful for the other participant who declined further treatment after three sessions. Some support for the hopelessness theory of depression was found, indicating its relevance to CBT interventions for those who have MS and depression.

Different populations of Wnt-containing vesicles are individually released from polarized epithelial cells

PubMed Central

Chen, Qiuhong; Takada, Ritsuko; Noda, Chiyo; Kobayashi, Satoru; Takada, Shinji

2016-01-01

Accumulating evidence suggests that exosomes are heterogeneous in molecular composition and physical properties. Here we examined whether epithelial cells secrete a heterogeneous population of exosomes, and if that is the case, whether epithelial cell polarity affects release of different populations of exosomes, especially that of those carrying Wnt. Sucrose-density ultracentrifugation and molecular marker analysis revealed that different populations of exosomes or exosome-like vesicles were released from MDCK cells depending on the cell polarity. Wnt3a associated with these vesicles were detectable in culture media collected from both apical and basolateral sides of the cells. Basolaterally secreted Wnt3a were co-fractionated with a typical exosomal protein TSG101 in fractions having typical exosome densities. In contrast, most of apically secreted Wnt3a, as well as Wnt11, were co-fractionated with CD63 and Hsp70, which are also common to the most exosomes, but recovered in higher density fractions. Wnt3a exhibiting similar floatation behavior to the apically secreted ones were also detectable in the culture media of Wnt3a-expressing L and HEK293 cells. The lipidation of Wnt3a was required for its basolateral secretion in exosomes but was dispensable for the apical one. Thus, epithelial cells release Wnt via distinct populations of vesicles differing in secretion polarity and lipidation dependency. PMID:27765945

Patients' preferences for primary health care - a systematic literature review of discrete choice experiments.

PubMed

Kleij, Kim-Sarah; Tangermann, Ulla; Amelung, Volker E; Krauth, Christian

2017-07-11

Primary care is a key element of health care systems and addresses the main health problems of the population. Due to the demographic change, primary care even gains in importance. The knowledge of the patients' preferences can help policy makers as well as physicians to set priorities in their effort to make health care delivery more responsive to patients' needs. Our objective was to describe which aspects of primary care were included in preference studies and which of them were the most preferred aspects. In order to elicit the preferences for primary care, a systematic literature search was conducted. Two researchers searched three electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and PsycINFO) and conducted a narrative synthesis. Inclusion criteria were: focus on primary health care delivery, discrete choice experiment as elicitation method, and studies published between 2006 and 2015 in English language. We identified 18 studies that elicited either the patients' or the population's preferences for primary care based on a discrete choice experiment. Altogether the studies used 16 structure attributes, ten process attributes and four outcome attributes. The most commonly applied structure attribute was "Waiting time till appointment", the most frequently used process attribute was "Shared decision making / professional's attention paid to your views". "Receiving the 'best' treatment" was the most commonly applied outcome attribute. Process attributes were most often the ones of highest importance for patients or the population. The attributes and attribute levels used in the discrete choice experiments were identified by literature research, qualitative research, expert interviews, or the analysis of policy documents. The results of the DCE studies show different preferences for primary health care. The diversity of the results may have several reasons, such as the method of analysis, the selection procedure of the attributes and their levels or the specific research question of the study. As the results of discrete choice experiments depend on many different factors, it is important for a better comprehensibility of the studies to transparently report the steps undertaken in a study as well as the interim results regarding the identification of attributes and levels.

Relationship of Enhanced Butyrate Production by Colonic Butyrate-Producing Bacteria to Immunomodulatory Effects in Normal Mice Fed an Insoluble Fraction of Brassica rapa L.

PubMed Central

Tanaka, Sachi; Yamamoto, Kana; Yamada, Kazuki; Furuya, Kanon

2016-01-01

This study was performed to determine the effects of feeding a fiber-rich fraction of Brassica vegetables on the immune response through changes in enteric bacteria and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production in normal mice. The boiled-water-insoluble fraction of Brassica rapa L. (nozawana), which consists mainly of dietary fiber, was chosen as a test material. A total of 31 male C57BL/6J mice were divided into two groups and housed in a specific-pathogen-free facility. The animals were fed either a control diet or the control diet plus the insoluble B. rapa L. fraction for 2 weeks and sacrificed to determine microbiological and SCFA profiles in lower-gut samples and immunological molecules. rRNA-based quantification indicated that the relative population of Bacteroidetes was markedly lower in the colon samples of the insoluble B. rapa L. fraction-fed group than that in the controls. Populations of the Eubacterium rectale group and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, both of which are representative butyrate-producing bacteria, doubled after 2 weeks of fraction intake, accompanying a marginal increase in the proportion of colonic butyrate. In addition, feeding with the fraction significantly increased levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) and tended to increase splenic regulatory T cell numbers but significantly reduced the population of cells expressing activation markers. We demonstrated that inclusion of the boiled-water-insoluble fraction of B. rapa L. can alter the composition of the gut microbiota to decrease the numbers of Bacteroidetes and to increase the numbers of butyrate-producing bacteria, either of which may be involved in the observed shift in the production of splenic IL-10. PMID:26921420

The Influence of Growth Rate on 2H/1H Fractionation in Continuous Cultures of the Coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi and the Diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana

PubMed Central

Sachs, Julian P.; Kawka, Orest E.

2015-01-01

The hydrogen isotope (2H/1H) ratio of lipids from phytoplankton is a powerful new tool for reconstructing hydroclimate variations in the geologic past from marine and lacustrine sediments. Water 2H/1H changes are reflected in lipid 2H/1H changes with R2 > 0.99, and salinity variations have been shown to cause about a 1‰ change in lipid δ2H values per unit (ppt) change in salinity. Less understood are the effects of growth rate, nutrient limitation and light on 2H/1H fractionation in phytoplankton. Here we present the first published study of growth rate effects on 2H/1H fractionation in the lipids of coccolithophorids grown in continuous cultures. Emiliania huxleyi was cultivated in steady state at four growth rates and the δ2H value of individual alkenones (C37:2, C37:3, C38:2, C38:3), fatty acids (C14:0, C16:0, C18:0), and 24-methyl cholest-5,22-dien-3β-ol (brassicasterol) were measured. 2H/1H fractionation increased in all lipids as growth rate increased by 24‰ to 79‰ (div d-1)-1. We attribute this response to a proportional increase in the fraction of NADPH from Photosystem I (PS1) of photosynthesis relative to NADPH from the cytosolic oxidative pentose phosphate (OPP) pathway in the synthesis of lipids as growth rate increases. A 3-endmember model is presented in which lipid hydrogen comes from NADPH produced in PS1, NADPH produced by OPP, and intracellular water. With published values or best estimates of the fractionation factors for these sources (αPS1 = 0.4, αOPP = 0.75, and αH2O = 0) and half of the hydrogen in a lipid derived from water the model indicates αlipid = 0.79. This value is within the range measured for alkenones (αalkenone = 0.77 to 0.81) and fatty acids (αFA = 0.75 to 0.82) in the chemostat cultures, but is greater than the range for brassicasterol (αbrassicasterol = 0.68 to 0.72). The latter is attributed to a greater proportion of hydrogen from NADPH relative to water in isoprenoid lipids. The model successfully explains the increase in 2H/1H fractionation in the sterol 24-methyl-cholesta-5,24(28)-dien-3β-ol from marine centric diatom T. pseudonana chemostat cultures as growth rate increases. Insensitivity of αFA in those same cultures may be attributable to a larger fraction of hydrogen in fatty acids sourced from intracellular water at the expense of NADPH as growth rate increases. The high sensitivity of α to growth rate in E. huxleyi lipids and a T. pseudonana sterol implies that any change in growth rate larger than ~0.15 div d-1 can cause a change in δ2Hlipid that is larger than the analytical error of the measurement (~5‰), and needs to be considered when interpreting δ2Hlipid variations in sediments. PMID:26576007

Platinum-group element geochemistry used to determine Cu and Au fertility in the Northparkes igneous suites, New South Wales, Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, Hongda; Campbell, Ian H.; Park, Jung-Woo; Cooke, David R.

2017-11-01

Recent studies have shown that platinum-group elements (PGE) can be used to constrain the timing of sulfide saturation in evolving felsic systems. In this study, we report trace-element, PGE, Re and Au data for the barren and ore-associated suites of intermediate to felsic rocks from the Northparkes Cu-Au porphyry region, emphasizing the timing of sulfide saturation and its influence on the tenor of the associated hydrothermal mineralization. Two barren suites, the Goonumbla and Wombin Volcanics and associate intrusive rocks, are found in the region. Geochemical modelling shows that the barren suites are dominated by plagioclase-pyroxene fractionation, whereas the ore-associated Northparkes Cu-Au porphyry suite is characterized by plagioclase-amphibole fractionation, which requires the ore-bearing suite to have crystallized from a wetter magma than barren suites. The concentrations of PGE, Re and Au in the barren suites decrease continuously during fractional crystallization. This is attributed to early sulfide saturation with the fraction of immiscible sulfide precipitation required to produce the observed trend, being 0.13 and 0.16 wt.% for the Goonumbla and Wombin suites, respectively. The calculated partition coefficients for Au and Pd required to model the observed change in these elements with MgO are well below published values, indicating that R, the mass ratio of silicate to sulfide melt, played a significant role in controlling the rate of decline of these elements with fractionation. Palladium in the ore-associated suite, in contrast, first increases with fractionation then decreases abruptly at 1.2 wt.% MgO. The sharp decrease is attributed to the onset of sulfide precipitation. Platinum on the other hand shows a moderate decrease, starting from the highest MgO sample analysed, but then decreasing strongly from 1.2 wt.% MgO. The initial Pt decrease is attributed to precipitation of a platinum-group mineral (PGM), probably a Pt-Fe alloy, and the sharp decrease of both Pt and Pd at 1.2 wt.% MgO to sulfide saturation. We suggest that the Goonumbla and Wombin suites are barren because early sulfide saturation locked most of the Cu and Au in a sulfide phase in the cumulus pile of a deep parental magma chamber, well before volatile saturation, so that when the magma reached volatile saturation, it did not have access to the Cu and Au. This contrasts with the relatively late sulfide saturation in the ore-associated suite, which was followed shortly afterwards by volatile saturation. Rayleigh fractionation concentrated incompatible Cu and Au by at least a factor of five before volatile saturation. The short crystallization interval between immiscible sulfide and volatile saturation allowed some Au and Cu to be stripped from the evolving magma. Gold, with its higher partition coefficient into immiscible sulfide melts, was more affected than Cu. The result is a Cu-Au deposit. Our study also suggests that Rayleigh fractionation is as at least as important as the initial concentration of chalcophile elements in the parent magma in determining the fertility of felsic magma suites.

The Influence of Growth Rate on 2H/1H Fractionation in Continuous Cultures of the Coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi and the Diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana.

PubMed

Sachs, Julian P; Kawka, Orest E

2015-01-01

The hydrogen isotope (2H/1H) ratio of lipids from phytoplankton is a powerful new tool for reconstructing hydroclimate variations in the geologic past from marine and lacustrine sediments. Water 2H/1H changes are reflected in lipid 2H/1H changes with R2 > 0.99, and salinity variations have been shown to cause about a 1‰ change in lipid δ2H values per unit (ppt) change in salinity. Less understood are the effects of growth rate, nutrient limitation and light on 2H/1H fractionation in phytoplankton. Here we present the first published study of growth rate effects on 2H/1H fractionation in the lipids of coccolithophorids grown in continuous cultures. Emiliania huxleyi was cultivated in steady state at four growth rates and the δ2H value of individual alkenones (C37:2, C37:3, C38:2, C38:3), fatty acids (C14:0, C16:0, C18:0), and 24-methyl cholest-5,22-dien-3β-ol (brassicasterol) were measured. 2H/1H fractionation increased in all lipids as growth rate increased by 24‰ to 79‰ (div d-1)-1. We attribute this response to a proportional increase in the fraction of NADPH from Photosystem I (PS1) of photosynthesis relative to NADPH from the cytosolic oxidative pentose phosphate (OPP) pathway in the synthesis of lipids as growth rate increases. A 3-endmember model is presented in which lipid hydrogen comes from NADPH produced in PS1, NADPH produced by OPP, and intracellular water. With published values or best estimates of the fractionation factors for these sources (αPS1 = 0.4, αOPP = 0.75, and αH2O = 0) and half of the hydrogen in a lipid derived from water the model indicates αlipid = 0.79. This value is within the range measured for alkenones (αalkenone = 0.77 to 0.81) and fatty acids (αFA = 0.75 to 0.82) in the chemostat cultures, but is greater than the range for brassicasterol (αbrassicasterol = 0.68 to 0.72). The latter is attributed to a greater proportion of hydrogen from NADPH relative to water in isoprenoid lipids. The model successfully explains the increase in 2H/1H fractionation in the sterol 24-methyl-cholesta-5,24(28)-dien-3β-ol from marine centric diatom T. pseudonana chemostat cultures as growth rate increases. Insensitivity of αFA in those same cultures may be attributable to a larger fraction of hydrogen in fatty acids sourced from intracellular water at the expense of NADPH as growth rate increases. The high sensitivity of α to growth rate in E. huxleyi lipids and a T. pseudonana sterol implies that any change in growth rate larger than ~0.15 div d-1 can cause a change in δ2Hlipid that is larger than the analytical error of the measurement (~5‰), and needs to be considered when interpreting δ2Hlipid variations in sediments.

Genetic variants in PNPLA3 and TM6SF2 predispose to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in individuals with alcohol-related cirrhosis.

PubMed

Stickel, Felix; Buch, Stephan; Nischalke, Hans Dieter; Weiss, Karl Heinz; Gotthardt, Daniel; Fischer, Janett; Rosendahl, Jonas; Deltenre, Pierre; Marot, Astrid; Elamly, Mona; Casper, Markus; Lammert, Frank; McQuillin, Andrew; Zopf, Steffen; Spengler, Ulrich; Marhenke, Silke; Kirstein, Martha M; Vogel, Arndt; Eyer, Florian; von Felden, Johann; Wege, Henning; Buch, Thorsten; Schafmayer, Clemens; Braun, Felix; Berg, Thomas; Morgan, Marsha Y; Hampe, Jochen

2018-03-13

Variants in patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing 3 (PNPLA3; rs738409), transmembrane 6 superfamily member 2 (TM6SF2; rs58542926), and membrane bound O-acyltransferase domain containing 7 (MBOAT7; rs641738) are risk factors for the development of alcohol-related cirrhosis. Within this population, PNPLA3 rs738409 is also an established risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to explore possible risk associations of TM6SF2 rs58542926 and MBOAT7 rs641738 with HCC. Risk variants in PNPLA3, TM6SF2, and MBOAT7 were genotyped in 751 cases with alcohol-related cirrhosis and HCC and in 1165 controls with alcohol-related cirrhosis without HCC. Association with the risk of developing HCC was analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. The development of HCC was independently associated with PNPLA3 rs738409 (OR adjusted 1.84 [95% CI 1.55-2.18], p = 1.85 × 10 -12 ) and TM6SF2 rs58542926 (OR adjusted 1.66 [1.30-2.13], p = 5.13 × 10 -05 ), using an additive model, and controlling the sex, age, body mass index, and type 2 diabetes mellitus; the risk associated with carriage of MBOAT7 rs641738 (OR adjusted 1.04 [0.88-1.24], p = 0.61) was not significant. The population-attributable fractions were 43.5% for PNPLA3 rs738409, 11.5% for TM6SF2 rs58542926, and 49.9% for the carriage of both the variants combined. Carriage of TM6SF2 rs58542926 is an additional risk factor for the development of HCC in people with alcohol-related cirrhosis. Carriage of both PNPLA3 rs738409 and TM6SF2 rs58542926 accounts for half of the attributable risk for HCC in this population. Genotyping will allow for more precise HCC risk-stratification of patients with alcohol-related cirrhosis, and genotype-guided screening algorithms would optimize patient care.

One- and Two-Color Resonant Photoionization Spectroscopy of Chromium-Doped Helium Nanodroplets

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

We investigate the photoinduced relaxation dynamics of Cr atoms embedded into superfluid helium nanodroplets. One- and two-color resonant two-photon ionization (1CR2PI and 2CR2PI, respectively) are applied to study the two strong ground state transitions z7P2,3,4° ← a7S3 and y7P2,3,4° ← a7S3. Upon photoexcitation, Cr* atoms are ejected from the droplet in various excited states, as well as paired with helium atoms as Cr*–Hen exciplexes. For the y7P2,3,4° intermediate state, comparison of the two methods reveals that energetically lower states than previously identified are also populated. With 1CR2PI we find that the population of ejected z5P3° states is reduced for increasing droplet size, indicating that population is transferred preferentially to lower states during longer interaction with the droplet. In the 2CR2PI spectra we find evidence for generation of bare Cr atoms in their septet ground state (a7S3) and metastable quintet state (a5S2), which we attribute to a photoinduced fast excitation–relaxation cycle mediated by the droplet. A fraction of Cr atoms in these ground and metastable states is attached to helium atoms, as indicated by blue wings next to bare atom spectral lines. These relaxation channels provide new insight into the interaction of excited transition metal atoms with helium nanodroplets. PMID:24708058

Tuberculosis and poverty: why are the poor at greater risk in India?

PubMed

Oxlade, Olivia; Murray, Megan

2012-01-01

Although poverty is widely recognized as an important risk factor for tuberculosis (TB) disease, the specific proximal risk factors that mediate this association are less clear. The objective of our study was to investigate the mechanisms by which poverty increases the risk of TB. Using individual level data from 198,754 people from the 2006 Demographic Health Survey (DHS) for India, we assessed self-reported TB status, TB determinants and household socioeconomic status. We used these data to calculate the population attributable fractions (PAF) for each key TB risk factor based on the prevalence of determinants and estimates of the effect of these risk factors derived from published sources. We conducted a mediation analysis using principal components analysis (PCA) and regression to demonstrate how the association between poverty and TB prevalence is mediated. The prevalence of self-reported TB in the 2006 DHS for India was 545 per 100,000 and ranged from 201 in the highest quintile to 1100 in the lowest quintile. Among those in the poorest population, the PAFs for low body mass index (BMI) and indoor air pollution were 34.2% and 28.5% respectively. The PCA analysis also showed that low BMI had the strongest mediating effect on the association between poverty and prevalent TB (12%, p = 0.019). TB control strategies should be targeted to the poorest populations that are most at risk, and should address the most important determinants of disease--specifically low BMI and indoor air pollution.

The Impact of the Built Environment on Children's School Conduct Grades: The Role of Diversity of Use in a Hispanic Neighborhood

PubMed Central

Szapocznik, José; Lombard, Joanna; Martinez, Frank; Mason, Craig A.; Gorman-Smith, Deborah; Plater-Zyberk, Elizabeth; Brown, Scott C.; Spokane, Arnold

2013-01-01

A population-based study examined the relationship between diversity of use of the built environment and teacher reports of children's grades. Diversity of use of the built environment (i.e., proportion of a block that is residential, institutional, commercial and vacant) was assessed for all 403 city blocks in East Little Havana, Miami—a Hispanic neighborhood. Cluster analysis identified three block-types, based on diversity of use: Residential, Mixed-Use, and Commercial. Cross-classified hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine the impact of diversity of use, school, gender, and year-in-school on academic and conduct grades for 2857 public school children who lived in these blocks. Contrary to popular belief, mixed-use blocks were associated with optimal outcomes. Specifically, follow-up analyses found that a youth living on a residential block had a 74% greater odds of being in the lowest 10% of conduct grades (conduct GPA <2.17) than a youth living on a mixed-use block. In fact, an analysis of the population attributable fraction suggests that if the risk associated with residential blocks could be reduced to the level of risk associated with mixed-use blocks, a 38% reduction in Conduct GPAs <2.17 could be achieved in the total population. These findings suggest that public policy targeting the built environment may be a mechanism for community-based interventions to enhance children's classroom conduct, and potentially related sequelae. PMID:16967342

Risk factors for atopic and non-atopic asthma in a rural area of Ecuador.

PubMed

Moncayo, Ana Lucia; Vaca, Maritza; Oviedo, Gisela; Erazo, Silvia; Quinzo, Isabel; Fiaccone, Rosemeire L; Chico, Martha E; Barreto, Mauricio L; Cooper, Philip J

2010-05-01

BACKGROUND Asthma has emerged as an important public health problem of urban populations in Latin America. Epidemiological data suggest that a minority of asthma cases in Latin America may be associated with allergic sensitisation and that other mechanisms causing asthma have been overlooked. The aim of the present study was to investigate risk factors for atopic and non-atopic asthma in school-age children. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted among 3960 children aged 6-16 years living in Afro-Ecuadorian rural communities in Esmeraldas province in Ecuador. Allergic diseases and risk factors were assessed by questionnaire and allergic sensitisation by allergen skin prick reactivity. RESULTS A total of 390 (10.5%) children had wheeze within the previous 12 months, of whom 14.4% had at least one positive skin test. The population-attributable fraction for recent wheeze associated with atopy was 2.4%. Heavy Trichuris trichiura infections were strongly inversely associated with atopic wheeze. Non-atopic wheeze was positively associated with maternal allergic symptoms and sedentarism (watching television (>3 h/day)) but inversely associated with age and birth order. CONCLUSIONS The present study showed a predominance of non-atopic compared with atopic wheeze among schoolchildren living in a poor rural region of tropical Latin America. Distinct risk factors were associated with the two wheeze phenotypes and may indicate different causal mechanisms. Future preventive strategies in such populations may need to be targeted at the causes of non-atopic wheeze.

Genomic analysis of a heterogeneous Mendelian phenotype: multiple novel alleles for inherited hearing loss in the Palestinian population

PubMed Central

2006-01-01

Recessively inherited phenotypes are frequent in the Palestinian population, as the result of a historical tradition of marriages within extended kindreds, particularly in isolated villages. In order to characterise the genetics of inherited hearing loss in this population, we worked with West Bank schools for the deaf to identify children with prelingual, bilateral, severe to profound hearing loss not attributable to infection, trauma or other known environmental exposure. Of 156 families enrolled, hearing loss in 17 families (11 per cent) was due to mutations in GJB2 (connexin 26), a smaller fraction of GJB2-associated deafness than in other populations. In order to estimate how many different genes might be responsible for hearing loss in this population, we evaluated ten families for linkage to all 36 known human autosomal deafness-related genes, fully sequencing hearing-related genes at any linked sites in informative relatives. Four families harboured four novel alleles of TMPRSS3 (988ΔA = 352stop), otoancorin (1067A >T = D356V) and pendrin (716T > A = V239D and 1001G > T = 346stop). In each family, all affected individuals were homozygous for the critical mutation. Each allele was specific to one or a few families in the cohort; none were widespread. Since epidemiological tests of association of mutations with deafness were not feasible for such rare alleles, we used functional and bioinformatics approaches to evaluate their consequences. In six other families, hearing loss was not linked to any known gene, suggesting that these families harbour novel genes responsible for this phenotype. We conclude that inherited hearing loss is highly heterogeneous in this population, with most extended families acting as genetic isolates in this context. We also conclude that the same genes are responsible for hearing loss in this population as elsewhere, so that gene discovery in these families informs the genetics of hearing loss worldwide. PMID:16460646

Enzymatic degradation of hybrid iota-/nu-carrageenan by Alteromonas fortis iota-carrageenase.

PubMed

Jouanneau, Diane; Boulenguer, Patrick; Mazoyer, Jacques; Helbert, William

2010-05-07

Hybrid iota-/nu-carrageenan was water-extracted from Eucheuma denticulatum and incubated with Alteromonas fortis iota-carrageenase. The degradation products were then separated by anion-exchange chromatography. The three most abundant fractions of hybrid iota-/nu-carrageenan oligosaccharides were purified and their structures were analyzed by NMR. The smallest hybrid was an octasaccharide with a iota-iota-nu-iota structure. The second fraction was composed of two decasaccharides with iota-iota-iota-nu-iota and iota-[iota/nu]-iota-iota structures. The third fraction was a mixture of dodecasaccharides which contained at least a iota-iota-iota-iota-nu-iota oligosaccharide. The carbon and proton NMR spectra of the octasaccharides were completely assigned, thereby completely attributing the nu-carrabiose moiety for the first time.

A genetic chronology for the Indian Subcontinent points to heavily sex-biased dispersals.

PubMed

Silva, Marina; Oliveira, Marisa; Vieira, Daniel; Brandão, Andreia; Rito, Teresa; Pereira, Joana B; Fraser, Ross M; Hudson, Bob; Gandini, Francesca; Edwards, Ceiridwen; Pala, Maria; Koch, John; Wilson, James F; Pereira, Luísa; Richards, Martin B; Soares, Pedro

2017-03-23

India is a patchwork of tribal and non-tribal populations that speak many different languages from various language families. Indo-European, spoken across northern and central India, and also in Pakistan and Bangladesh, has been frequently connected to the so-called "Indo-Aryan invasions" from Central Asia ~3.5 ka and the establishment of the caste system, but the extent of immigration at this time remains extremely controversial. South India, on the other hand, is dominated by Dravidian languages. India displays a high level of endogamy due to its strict social boundaries, and high genetic drift as a result of long-term isolation which, together with a very complex history, makes the genetic study of Indian populations challenging. We have combined a detailed, high-resolution mitogenome analysis with summaries of autosomal data and Y-chromosome lineages to establish a settlement chronology for the Indian Subcontinent. Maternal lineages document the earliest settlement ~55-65 ka (thousand years ago), and major population shifts in the later Pleistocene that explain previous dating discrepancies and neutrality violation. Whilst current genome-wide analyses conflate all dispersals from Southwest and Central Asia, we were able to tease out from the mitogenome data distinct dispersal episodes dating from between the Last Glacial Maximum to the Bronze Age. Moreover, we found an extremely marked sex bias by comparing the different genetic systems. Maternal lineages primarily reflect earlier, pre-Holocene processes, and paternal lineages predominantly episodes within the last 10 ka. In particular, genetic influx from Central Asia in the Bronze Age was strongly male-driven, consistent with the patriarchal, patrilocal and patrilineal social structure attributed to the inferred pastoralist early Indo-European society. This was part of a much wider process of Indo-European expansion, with an ultimate source in the Pontic-Caspian region, which carried closely related Y-chromosome lineages, a smaller fraction of autosomal genome-wide variation and an even smaller fraction of mitogenomes across a vast swathe of Eurasia between 5 and 3.5 ka.

Patch dynamics and the timing of colonization-abandonment events by male Kirtland’s Warblers in an early succession habitat

USGS Publications Warehouse

Donner, Deahn M.; Ribic, Christine; Probst, John R.

2010-01-01

Habitat colonization and abandonment affects the distribution of a species in space and time, ultimately influencing the duration of time habitat is used and the total area of habitat occupied in any given year. Both aspects have important implications to long-term conservation planning. The importance of patch isolation and area to colonization–extinction events is well studied, but little information exists on how changing regional landscape structure and population dynamics influences the variability in the timing of patch colonization and abandonment events. We used 26 years of Kirtland’s Warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii) population data taken during a habitat restoration program (1979–2004) across its historical breeding range to examine the influence of patch attributes and temporal large-scale processes, specifically the rate of habitat turnover and fraction of occupied patches, on the year-to-year timing of patch colonization and abandonment since patch origin. We found the timing of patch colonization and abandonment was influenced by patch and large-scale regional factors. In this system, larger patches were typically colonized earlier (i.e., at a younger age) and abandoned later than smaller patches. Isolated patches (i.e., patches farther from another occupied patch) were generally colonized later and abandoned earlier. Patch habitat type affected colonization and abandonment; colonization occurred at similar patch ages between plantation and wildfire areas (9 and 8.5 years, respectively), but plantations were abandoned at earlier ages (13.9 years) than wildfire areas (16.4 years) resulting in shorter use. As the fraction of occupied patches increased, patches were colonized and abandoned at earlier ages. Patches were abandoned at older ages when the influx of new habitat patches was at low and high rates. Our results provide empirical support for the temporal influence of patch dynamics (i.e., patch destruction, creation, and succession) on local colonization and extinction processes that help explain large-scale patterns of habitat occupancy. Results highlight the need for practitioners to consider the timing of habitat restoration as well as total amount and spatial arrangement of habitat to sustain populations.

Prevalence, clinical profile, iron status, and subject-specific traits for excessive erythrocytosis in andean adults living permanently at 3,825 meters above sea level.

PubMed

De Ferrari, Aldo; Miranda, J Jaime; Gilman, Robert H; Dávila-Román, Victor G; León-Velarde, Fabiola; Rivera-Ch, Maria; Huicho, Luis; Bernabé-Ortiz, Antonio; Wise, Robert A; Checkley, William

2014-11-01

Excessive erythrocytosis (EE) is a prevalent condition in populations living at high altitudes (> 2,500 m above sea level). Few large population-based studies have explored the association between EE and multiple subject-specific traits including oxygen saturation, iron status indicators, and pulmonary function. We enrolled a sex-stratified and age-stratified sample of 1,065 high-altitude residents aged ≥ 35 years from Puno, Peru (3,825 m above sea level) and conducted a standardized questionnaire and physical examination that included spirometry, pulse oximetry, and a blood sample for multiple clinical markers. Our primary objectives were to estimate the prevalence of EE, characterize the clinical profile and iron status indicators of subjects with EE, and describe subject-specific traits associated with EE. Overall prevalence of EE was 4.5% (95% CI, 3.3%-6.0%). Oxygen saturation was significantly lower among EE than non-EE group subjects (85.3% vs 90.1%, P < .001) but no difference was found in iron status indicators between both groups (P > .09 for all values). In multivariable logistic regression, we found that age ≥ 65 years (OR = 2.45, 95% CI, 1.16-5.09), male sex (3.86, 1.78-9.08), having metabolic syndrome (2.66, 1.27-5.75) or being overweight (5.20, 1.95-16.77), pulse oximetry < 85% (14.90, 6.43-34.90), and % predicted FVC < 80% (13.62, 4.40-41.80) were strongly associated with EE. Attributable fractions for EE were greatest for being overweight (26.7%), followed by male sex (21.5%), pulse oximetry < 85% (16.4%), having metabolic syndrome (14.4%), and % predicted FVC < 80% (9.3%). We found a lower prevalence of EE than in previous reports in the Peruvian Andes. Although the presence of hypoxemia and decreased vital capacity were strongly associated with excessive erythrocytosis, being overweight or having metabolic syndrome were associated with an important fraction of cases in our study population.

Prevalence, Clinical Profile, Iron Status, and Subject-Specific Traits for Excessive Erythrocytosis in Andean Adults Living Permanently at 3,825 Meters Above Sea Level

PubMed Central

De Ferrari, Aldo; Miranda, J. Jaime; Gilman, Robert H.; Dávila-Román, Victor G.; León-Velarde, Fabiola; Rivera-Ch, Maria; Huicho, Luis; Bernabé-Ortiz, Antonio; Wise, Robert A.

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Excessive erythrocytosis (EE) is a prevalent condition in populations living at high altitudes (> 2,500 m above sea level). Few large population-based studies have explored the association between EE and multiple subject-specific traits including oxygen saturation, iron status indicators, and pulmonary function. METHODS: We enrolled a sex-stratified and age-stratified sample of 1,065 high-altitude residents aged ≥ 35 years from Puno, Peru (3,825 m above sea level) and conducted a standardized questionnaire and physical examination that included spirometry, pulse oximetry, and a blood sample for multiple clinical markers. Our primary objectives were to estimate the prevalence of EE, characterize the clinical profile and iron status indicators of subjects with EE, and describe subject-specific traits associated with EE. RESULTS: Overall prevalence of EE was 4.5% (95% CI, 3.3%-6.0%). Oxygen saturation was significantly lower among EE than non-EE group subjects (85.3% vs 90.1%, P < .001) but no difference was found in iron status indicators between both groups (P > .09 for all values). In multivariable logistic regression, we found that age ≥ 65 years (OR = 2.45, 95% CI, 1.16-5.09), male sex (3.86, 1.78-9.08), having metabolic syndrome (2.66, 1.27-5.75) or being overweight (5.20, 1.95-16.77), pulse oximetry < 85% (14.90, 6.43-34.90), and % predicted FVC < 80% (13.62, 4.40-41.80) were strongly associated with EE. Attributable fractions for EE were greatest for being overweight (26.7%), followed by male sex (21.5%), pulse oximetry < 85% (16.4%), having metabolic syndrome (14.4%), and % predicted FVC < 80% (9.3%). CONCLUSIONS: We found a lower prevalence of EE than in previous reports in the Peruvian Andes. Although the presence of hypoxemia and decreased vital capacity were strongly associated with excessive erythrocytosis, being overweight or having metabolic syndrome were associated with an important fraction of cases in our study population. PMID:24874587

Robustness of Fat Quantification using Chemical Shift Imaging

PubMed Central

Hansen, Katie H; Schroeder, Michael E; Hamilton, Gavin; Sirlin, Claude B; Bydder, Mark

2011-01-01

This purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of parameter changes that can potentially lead to unreliable measurements in fat quantification. Chemical shift imaging was performed using spoiled gradient echo sequences with systematic variations in the following: 2D/3D sequence, number of echoes, delta echo time, fractional echo factor, slice thickness, repetition time, flip angle, bandwidth, matrix size, flow compensation and field strength. Results indicated no significant (or significant but small) changes in fat fraction with parameter. The significant changes can be attributed to known effects of T1 bias and the two forms of noise bias. PMID:22055856

Antiulcerogenic activity of fractions and 3,15-dioxo-21alpha-hydroxy friedelane isolated from Maytenus robusta (Celastraceae).

PubMed

de Andrade, Sérgio Faloni; Comunello, Eros; Noldin, Vânia Floriani; Monache, Franco Delle; Cechinel Filho, Valdir; Niero, Rivaldo

2008-01-01

The hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and aqueous-soluble fractions from leaves of Maytenus robusta (Celastraceae) were evaluated for their protective actions against ethanol-induced gastric lesions in rats. The treatment with all fractions (150 mg/kg) and omeprazol (30 mg/kg) significantly reduced the lesion index, the total lesion area, and the percentage of lesion, in comparison with the control group (p<0.05). Since the ethyl acetate-soluble fraction was found to be most active in the pylorus ligated model, this fraction was further investigated and resulted in the isolation of triterpene 3,15-dioxo-21alpha-hydroxy friedelane. The triterpene was evaluated in the HCl/ethanol-induced ulcer model in mice. In this assay, both the groups treated with 3,15-dioxo-21alpha-hydroxy friedelane and omeprazol, at a dose of 30 mg/kg, presented a significant reduction in lesion index, total lesion area, and in the percentage of the lesion, when compared with the control group (p<0.05). The result suggests that the antiulcer effect observed in the extract and fractions may be attributed, at least in part, to this compound. Further experiments are underway to determine which antiulcer mechanisms involved in gastroprotection.

Persian Gulf Jellyfish (Cassiopea andromeda) Venom Fractions Induce Selective Injury and Cytochrome C Release in Mitochondria Obtained from Breast Adenocarcinoma Patients

PubMed

Mirshamsi, Mohammad Reza; Omranipour, Ramesh; Vazirizadeh, Amir; Fakhri, Amir; Zangeneh, Fatemeh; Mohebbi, Gholam Hussain; Seyedian, Ramin; Pourahmad, Jalal

2017-01-01

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate whether fractions of jellyfish Cassiope andromeda venom, could selectively induce toxicity on mitochondria isolated from cancer tissue of patients with breast adenocarcinomas. Methods: Firstly, we extracted two fractions, (f1 and f2) from crude jellyfish venom by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200.Then different dilutions of these extracted fractions were applied to mitochondria isolated from human breast tumoral- and extra-tumoral tissues. Parameters of mitochondrial toxicity including generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) collapse, swelling, cytochrome c release, activation of caspase3 and apoptosis were then assayed. Result: Our results demonstrate that fraction 2 of Cassiopea andromeda crude venom significantly (P<0.05) decreased mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase activity, increased mitochondrial ROS production, induced mitochondrial swelling, MMP collapse and cytochrome c release, activated caspase3 and induced apoptosis only in tumoral mitochondria, and not in mitochondria obtained from extra-tumoral tissue (P<0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion this study suggested that fraction 2 of Cassiopea andromeda crude venom selectively induces ROS mediated cytotoxicity by directly targeting mitochondria isolated from human breast tumor tissue. Creative Commons Attribution License

Retention of antioxidant capacity of vacuum microwave dried cranberry.

PubMed

Leusink, Gwen J; Kitts, David D; Yaghmaee, Parastoo; Durance, Tim

2010-04-01

In this study, cranberries were dried by vacuum-microwave drying (VMD), freeze-drying (FD), or hot air-drying (AD), to compare the effects of different drying processes on both physical changes as well as the retention of bioactive components in dried samples. Total porosity (%) and average pore radius of dehydrated cranberries were greater using VMD compared to FD and AD (P < 0.05). Crude methanol cranberry powdered extracts were fractionated by solid phase extraction (SPE) into organic acid-, total phenolics-, anthocyanin-, or proanthocyanidin-enriched extracts, respectively. The chemical composition of the 60% acidified methanol fractions contained cyanidin-3-galactoside, cyanidin-3-arabinoside, peonidin-3-galactoside, and peonidin-3-arabinoside, as assessed by HPLC. Antioxidant activities of cranberry fractions were measured using chemical ORAC and ABTS methods. The 60% acidified methanol fraction had a significantly higher (P < 0.05) antioxidant potential than the other chemical fractions, which was largely attributed to the relatively higher anthocyanin content. In general, vacuum-microwave drying and freeze-drying resulted in similar retention of anthocyanins and antioxidant activity, which were both relatively higher (P < 0.05) than that recovered from cranberries dried by hot air drying.

Solar radiation and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Japan.

PubMed

Onozuka, Daisuke; Hagihara, Akihito

2017-11-01

Although several studies have estimated the effects of temperature on mortality and morbidity, little is known regarding the burden of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) attributable to solar radiation. We obtained data for all cases of OHCA and meteorological data reported between 2011 and 2014 in 3 Japanese prefectures: Hokkaido, Ibaraki, and Fukuoka. We first examined the relationship between daily solar radiation and OHCA risk for each prefecture using time-varying distributed lag non-linear models and then pooled the results in a multivariate random-effects meta-analysis. The attributable fractions of OHCA were calculated for low and high solar radiation, defined as solar radiation below and above the minimum morbidity solar radiation, respectively. The minimum morbidity solar radiation was defined as the specific solar radiation associated with the lowest morbidity risk. A total of 49,892 cases of OHCA occurred during the study period. The minimum morbidity solar radiation for each prefecture was the 100th percentile (72.5 MJ/m 2 ) in Hokkaido, the 83rd percentile (59.7 MJ/m 2 ) in Ibaraki, and the 70th percentile (53.8 MJ/m 2 ) in Fukuoka. Overall, 20.00% (95% empirical confidence interval [eCI]: 10.97-27.04) of the OHCA cases were attributable to daily solar radiation. The attributable fraction for low solar radiation was 19.50% (95% eCI: 10.00-26.92), whereas that for high solar radiation was 0.50% (95% eCI: -0.07-1.01). Low solar radiation was associated with a substantial attributable risk for OHCA. Our findings suggest that public health efforts to reduce OHCA burden should consider the solar radiation level. Large prospective studies with longitudinal collection of individual data is required to more conclusively assess the impact of solar radiation on OHCA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating sampling designs by computer simulation: A case study with the Missouri bladderpod

USGS Publications Warehouse

Morrison, L.W.; Smith, D.R.; Young, C.; Nichols, D.W.

2008-01-01

To effectively manage rare populations, accurate monitoring data are critical. Yet many monitoring programs are initiated without careful consideration of whether chosen sampling designs will provide accurate estimates of population parameters. Obtaining accurate estimates is especially difficult when natural variability is high, or limited budgets determine that only a small fraction of the population can be sampled. The Missouri bladderpod, Lesquerella filiformis Rollins, is a federally threatened winter annual that has an aggregated distribution pattern and exhibits dramatic interannual population fluctuations. Using the simulation program SAMPLE, we evaluated five candidate sampling designs appropriate for rare populations, based on 4 years of field data: (1) simple random sampling, (2) adaptive simple random sampling, (3) grid-based systematic sampling, (4) adaptive grid-based systematic sampling, and (5) GIS-based adaptive sampling. We compared the designs based on the precision of density estimates for fixed sample size, cost, and distance traveled. Sampling fraction and cost were the most important factors determining precision of density estimates, and relative design performance changed across the range of sampling fractions. Adaptive designs did not provide uniformly more precise estimates than conventional designs, in part because the spatial distribution of L. filiformis was relatively widespread within the study site. Adaptive designs tended to perform better as sampling fraction increased and when sampling costs, particularly distance traveled, were taken into account. The rate that units occupied by L. filiformis were encountered was higher for adaptive than for conventional designs. Overall, grid-based systematic designs were more efficient and practically implemented than the others. ?? 2008 The Society of Population Ecology and Springer.

Isolation and Structural Elucidation of Antiproliferative Compounds of Lipidic Fractions from White Shrimp Muscle (Litopenaeus vannamei)

PubMed Central

López-Saiz, Carmen-María; Velázquez, Carlos; Hernández, Javier; Cinco-Moroyoqui, Francisco-Javier; Plascencia-Jatomea, Maribel; Robles-Sánchez, Maribel; Machi-Lara, Lorena; Burgos-Hernández, Armando

2014-01-01

Shrimp is one of the most popular seafood items worldwide, and has been reported as a source of chemopreventive compounds. In this study, shrimp lipids were separated by solvent partition and further fractionated by semi-preparative RP-HPLC and finally by open column chromatography in order to obtain isolated antiproliferative compounds. Antiproliferative activity was assessed by inhibition of M12.C3.F6 murine cell growth using the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide) assay. The methanolic fraction showed the highest antiproliferative activity; this fraction was separated into 15 different sub-fractions (M1–M15). Fractions M8, M9, M10, M12, and M13 were antiproliferative at 100 µg/mL and they were further tested at lower concentrations. Fractions M12 and M13 exerted the highest growth inhibition with an IC50 of 19.5 ± 8.6 and 34.9 ± 7.3 µg/mL, respectively. Fraction M12 was further fractionated in three sub-fractions M12a, M12b, and M12c. Fraction M12a was identified as di-ethyl-hexyl-phthalate, fraction M12b as a triglyceride substituted by at least two fatty acids (predominantly oleic acid accompanied with eicosapentaenoic acid) and fraction M12c as another triglyceride substituted with eicosapentaenoic acid and saturated fatty acids. Bioactive triglyceride contained in M12c exerted the highest antiproliferative activity with an IC50 of 11.33 ± 5.6 µg/mL. Biological activity in shrimp had been previously attributed to astaxanthin; this study demonstrated that polyunsaturated fatty acids are the main compounds responsible for antiproliferative activity. PMID:25526568

Chemical compositions and source identification of PM₂.₅ aerosols for estimation of a diesel source surrogate.

PubMed

Sahu, Manoranjan; Hu, Shaohua; Ryan, Patrick H; Le Masters, Grace; Grinshpun, Sergey A; Chow, Judith C; Biswas, Pratim

2011-06-01

Exposure to traffic-related pollution during childhood has been associated with asthma exacerbation, and asthma incidence. The objective of the Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study (CCAAPS) is to determine if the development of allergic and respiratory disease is associated with exposure to diesel engine exhaust particles. A detailed receptor model analyses was undertaken by applying positive matrix factorization (PMF) and UNMIX receptor models to two PM₂.₅ data sets: one consisting of two carbon fractions and the other of eight temperature-resolved carbon fractions. Based on the source profiles resolved from the analyses, markers of traffic-related air pollution were estimated: the elemental carbon attributed to traffic (ECAT) and elemental carbon attributed to diesel vehicle emission (ECAD). Application of UNMIX to the two data sets generated four source factors: combustion related sulfate, traffic, metal processing and soil/crustal. The PMF application generated six source factors derived from analyzing two carbon fractions and seven factors from temperature-resolved eight carbon fractions. The source factors (with source contribution estimates by mass concentrations in parentheses) are: combustion sulfate (46.8%), vegetative burning (15.8%), secondary sulfate (12.9%), diesel vehicle emission (10.9%), metal processing (7.5%), gasoline vehicle emission (5.6%) and soil/crustal (0.7%). Diesel and gasoline vehicle emission sources were separated using eight temperature-resolved organic and elemental carbon fractions. Application of PMF to both datasets also differentiated the sulfate rich source from the vegetative burning source, which are combined in a single factor by UNMIX modeling. Calculated ECAT and ECAD values at different locations indicated that traffic source impacts depend on factors such as traffic volumes, meteorological parameters, and the mode of vehicle operation apart from the proximity of the sites to highways. The difference in ECAT and ECAD, however, was less than one standard deviation. Thus, a cost benefit consideration should be used when deciding on the benefits of an eight or two carbon approach. Published by Elsevier B.V.

How much downside? Quantifying the relative harm from tobacco taxation

PubMed Central

Wilson, N; Thomson, G; Tobias, M; Blakely, T

2004-01-01

Objective: To estimate the loss of life expectancy attributable to tobacco taxation (via financial hardship and flow-on health effect) in New Zealand. Design: Data were used on the gradients in life expectancy and smoking by neighbourhood socioeconomic deprivation and survey data on tobacco expenditure. Three estimates were modelled of the percentage of the crude association of neighbourhood deprivation with life expectancy that might be mediated via financial hardship: 100%, 50%, and 25% (best estimate). From this information the impact of tobacco taxation on life expectancy was estimated. Main results: For the total population, the estimated loss of life expectancy due to tobacco tax ranged from 0.005 years to 0.027 years. For people living in the most deprived 30% of neighbourhoods, the range was 0.009 to 0.044 years (that is, 3 to 16 days of lost life expectancy). For the total population the loss of life expectancy attributable to tobacco tax ranged from 119 to 460 times less than that attributable to deprivation. The loss of life expectancy attributable to tobacco tax was 42 to 257 times less than that attributable to smoking. Conclusions: The estimated harm to life expectancy from tobacco taxation (via financial hardship) is orders of magnitude smaller than the harm from smoking. Although the analyses involve a number of simplistic assumptions, this conclusion is likely to be robust. Policy makers should be reassured that tobacco taxation is likely to be achieving far more benefit than harm in the general population and in socioeconomically deprived populations. PMID:15143110

The Burden of Cardiovascular Disease Attributable to Major Modifiable Risk Factors in Indonesia.

PubMed

Hussain, Mohammad Akhtar; Al Mamun, Abdullah; Peters, Sanne Ae; Woodward, Mark; Huxley, Rachel R

2016-10-05

In Indonesia, coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke are estimated to cause more than 470 000 deaths annually. In order to inform primary prevention policies, we estimated the sex- and age-specific burden of CHD and stroke attributable to five major and modifiable vascular risk factors: cigarette smoking, hypertension, diabetes, elevated total cholesterol, and excess body weight. Population attributable risks for CHD and stroke attributable to these risk factors individually were calculated using summary statistics obtained for prevalence of each risk factor specific to sex and to two age categories (<55 and ≥55 years) from a national survey in Indonesia. Age- and sex-specific relative risks for CHD and stroke associated with each of the five risk factors were derived from prospective data from the Asia-Pacific region. Hypertension was the leading vascular risk factor, explaining 20%-25% of all CHD and 36%-42% of all strokes in both sexes and approximately one-third of all CHD and half of all strokes across younger and older age groups alike. Smoking in men explained a substantial proportion of vascular events (25% of CHD and 17% of strokes). However, given that these risk factors are likely to be strongly correlated, these population attributable risk proportions are likely to be overestimates and require verification from future studies that are able to take into account correlation between risk factors. Implementation of effective population-based prevention strategies aimed at reducing levels of major cardiovascular risk factors, especially blood pressure, total cholesterol, and smoking prevalence among men, could reduce the growing burden of CVD in the Indonesian population.

Guar meal germ and hull fractions differently affect growth performance and intestinal viscosity of broiler chickens.

PubMed

Lee, J T; Bailey, C A; Cartwright, A L

2003-10-01

High concentrations of guar meal in poultry diets deleteriously affect growth, feed intake, and digesta viscosity. These effects are attributed to residual gum in the meal. A 2 x 5 factorial experiment investigated the impacts of two guar meal fractions (germ and hull) at five inclusion levels (0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0%) on intestinal viscosity, measures of growth, and feed conversion in broiler chickens fed to 20 d of age. Growth and feed conversion ratio were not affected by inclusion of as much as 7.5% of the germ fraction into poultry diets, while inclusion of the hull fraction reduced growth at all concentrations. The hull fraction increased intestinal viscosity at all inclusion levels fed, although feed conversion was not affected until the inclusion rate exceeded 5.0%. The germ fraction significantly increased intestinal viscosity at 7.5 and 10% inclusion rates. When germ fraction was fed, relative organ weights remained constant through all concentrations except for the ventriculus and duodenum at 7.5 and 10% inclusion levels. Relative pancreas weight was significantly increased at the 10% level of the hull fraction. Increases in intestinal viscosity corresponded with growth depression. These results suggest that residual gum was responsible for some deleterious effects seen when guar meal was fed. The germ fraction was a superior ingredient when compared with the hull fraction. The guar meal germ fraction constituting as much as 7.5% of the diet supported growth and feed conversion measures similar to those observed with a typical corn-soybean poultry ration.

Jatropha curcas leaf and bark fractions protect against ultraviolet radiation-B induced DNA damage in human peripheral blood lymphocytes.

PubMed

Sundari, J; Selvaraj, R; Rajendra Prasad, N; Elumalai, R

2013-11-01

The present study is conducted to investigate the antioxidant potential of Jatropha curcas root bark extract (RB4 fraction) and leaf extract (L1 fraction), and to study their effects on UVB-radiation-induced DNA damage in cultured human blood lymphocytes. In this study, J. curcas showed strong antioxidant property in different free radical scavenging systems. Both the fractions effectively scavenged hydroxyl (OH), superoxide anion (O₂(·-)), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH·) and 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid radical cation (ABTS(·+)) in a concentration-dependent manner. The IC₅₀ (Inhibitory Concentration 50) values of J. curcas fractions were compared to standard ascorbic acid used in this study. The antioxidant potential of a compound was directly proportional to the photoprotective effect. In this study, human peripheral blood lymphocytes (HPBL) were exposed to UVB-radiation and there was an increase in comet attributes (% tail DNA, tail length, tail movement and Olive tail moment). Jatropha curcas RB4 fraction and L1 fraction treatment before UVB-irradiation significantly decreased the % tail DNA, tail length, tail moment and Olive tail moment in irradiated HPBL. These results suggested that J. curcas exhibited strong antioxidant property and RB4 and L1 fractions protected UVB-radiation-induced DNA damage in HPBL. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Guidelines for the Effective Use of Entity-Attribute-Value Modeling for Biomedical Databases

PubMed Central

Dinu, Valentin; Nadkarni, Prakash

2007-01-01

Purpose To introduce the goals of EAV database modeling, to describe the situations where Entity-Attribute-Value (EAV) modeling is a useful alternative to conventional relational methods of database modeling, and to describe the fine points of implementation in production systems. Methods We analyze the following circumstances: 1) data are sparse and have a large number of applicable attributes, but only a small fraction will apply to a given entity; 2) numerous classes of data need to be represented, each class has a limited number of attributes, but the number of instances of each class is very small. We also consider situations calling for a mixed approach where both conventional and EAV design are used for appropriate data classes. Results and Conclusions In robust production systems, EAV-modeled databases trade a modest data sub-schema for a complex metadata sub-schema. The need to design the metadata effectively makes EAV design potentially more challenging than conventional design. PMID:17098467

[Burden of disease attributable to ambient particulate matter pollution in 1990 and 2010 in China].

PubMed

Liu, Shiwei; Zhou, Maigeng; Wang, Lijun; Li, Yichong; Liu, Yunning; Liu, Jiangmei; You, Jinling; Yin, Peng

2015-04-01

To assess the burden of disease attributable to ambient particulate matter pollution in 1990 and 2010 in China. On the basis of the results of the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2010 (GBD 2010) for China's estimates, we used population attributable fractions (PAF) to examine the burden of disease (mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALY)) attributable to ambient particulate matter pollution in 1990 and 2010 in China, with 95% uncertainty interval (95% UI) estimate, and increasing rate to explore the trends of attributed burden of disease across the study period of 20 years. In 2010, 38.9% (95% UI: 27.0%-49.4%) of lower respiratory infections for < 5 years children, 27.2% (95% UI: 10.2%-37.5%) of lung cancer, 29.9% (95% UI: 25.8%-34.2%) of ischemic heart disease, 35.0% (95% UI: 27.4%-41.1%) of stroke, and 21.0% (95% UI: 10.7%-30.3%) of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for ≥ 25 years adults were attributable to ambient particulate matter pollution, which accounted for 1.235 (95% UI: 1.038-1.410) million deaths and 25.230 (95% UI: 21.770-28.600) million person years DALY in total, and increased by 33.4% and 4.0%, respectively by comparison with that in 1990 (0.926 million and 24.260 million person years). Lung cancer accounted for the largest increasing rate of 154.5% (from 0.055 million to 0.140 million) and 130.1% (from 1.330 million person years to 3.060 million person years), followed by ischemic heart disease (118.5%, from 0.130 million to 0.284 million, and 86.6%, from 3.280 million person years to 6.120 million person years) and stroke (41.0%, from 0.429 million to 0.605 million, and 33.8%, from 8.970 million person years to 12.000 million person years). The attributed mortality for both gender mostly occurred in age group of 60-79 years (male: 0.260 million and 0.404 million accounting for 53.7% and 54.8%; female: 0.214 million and 0.236 million accounting for 48.5% and 47.5%) both in 1990 and 2010. The age group of 40-79 years accounted for the most portion of attributed DALY for both gender (male: 8.458 million person years and 13.460 million person years accounting for 62.9% and 83.8%; female: 6.360 million person years and 7.152 million person years accounting for 58.9% and 78.0%). The increasing rates were higher for male than for female. The burden of disease attributable to ambient particulate matter pollution was very high in China with significant increase in mortality and disability, which indicates the highly necessity for government to take actions to reduce ambient particulate matter pollution and its health hazards.

Health risk assessment due to biomass smoke exposure in Indian indoor environment: An empirical approach using lung deposition model.

PubMed

Tigala, Snehlata; Sharma, Anu Rani; Sachdeva, Kamna

2018-06-04

The paper subsumes a framework that assesses health risk due to exposure to different fuel combustion through articulation of modern microscopic techniques, empirical equations, lung diagnostic tools and a pre-existing model that has been extrapolated to futuristic aspects (within controlled conditions). The framework was tested on 132 household cooks belonging to different age groups and using different types of fuel. The inhalable fraction released during fuel combustion varied in morphological characteristics and deposition site. Micrographs obtained using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis of (biomass smoke) soot indicates aggregate formation attributing to a higher level of health risk. Further, abnormal ventilatory function along with higher risk (RR > 1) was more evident within biomass fuel users. The condition further exacerbates while using dung cakes due to high levels of emissions (294.3 particles/liter) that deposit in the upper respiratory tract (0.0899). Further, the population attributable risk percent (79%) calculated on the basis of cooking behavior suggests a 'rural culture' health determinant as clean fuel usage is not practiced as an outcome of low literacy and poor income in the region. These preliminary findings highlight the drudgery of impuissant women who are exposed to high particulate emissions on a regular basis which results in reduced lung function. Nevertheless, further cogitation is required to eliminate the limitations in this study and explore further linkages between exposure and vulnerable group to generate meaningful policy recommendations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Oxygenated fraction and mass of organic aerosol from direct emission and atmospheric processing measured on the R/V Ronald Brown during TEXAQS/GoMACCS 2006

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, L. M.; Takahama, S.; Liu, S.; Hawkins, L. N.; Covert, D. S.; Quinn, P. K.; Bates, T. S.

2009-04-01

Submicron particles collected on Teflon filters aboard the R/V Ronald Brown during the Texas Air Quality Study and Gulf of Mexico Atmospheric Composition and Climate Study (TexAQS/GoMACCS) 2006 in and around the port of Houston, Texas, were measured by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray fluorescence for organic functional groups and elemental composition. Organic mass (OM) concentrations (1-25 μg m-3) for ambient particle samples measured by FTIR showed good agreement with measurements made with an aerosol mass spectrometer. The fractions of organic mass identified as alkane and carboxylic acid groups were 47% and 32%, respectively. Three different types of air masses were identified on the basis of the air mass origin and the radon concentration, with significantly higher carboxylic acid group mass fractions in air masses from the north (35%) than the south (29%) or Gulf of Mexico (26%). Positive matrix factorization analysis attributed carboxylic acid fractions of 30-35% to factors with mild or strong correlations (r > 0.5) to elemental signatures of oil combustion and 9-24% to wood smoke, indicating that part of the carboxylic acid fraction of OM was formed by the same sources that controlled the metal emissions, namely the oil and wood combustion activities. The implication is that a substantial part of the measured carboxylic acid contribution was formed independently of traditionally "secondary" processes, which would be affected by atmospheric (both photochemical and meteorological) conditions and other emission sources. The carboxylic acid group fractions in the Gulf of Mexico and south air masses (GAM and SAM, respectively) were largely oil combustion emissions from ships as well as background marine sources, with only limited recent land influences (based on radon concentrations). Alcohol groups accounted for 14% of OM (mostly associated with oil combustion emissions and background sources), and amine groups accounted for 4% of OM in all air masses. Organosulfate groups were found in GAM and SAM, accounting for 1% and 3% of OM, respectively. Two thirds of the OM and oxygen-to-carbon (O/C) measured could be attributed to oil and wood combustion sources on the basis of mild or strong correlations to coemitted, nonvolatile trace metals, with the remaining one third being associated with atmospherically processed organic aerosol. The cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) fraction (normalized by total condensation nuclei) had weak correlations to the alcohol and amine group fractions and mild correlation with O/C, also varying inversely with alkane group fraction. The chemical components that influenced f(RH) were sulfate, organic, and nitrate fraction, but this contrast is consistent with the size-distribution dependence of CCN counters and nephelometers.

FINE PARTICULATE MATTER SOURCE ATTRIBUTION FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS USING 14C/13C RATIOS

EPA Science Inventory

Radiocarbon analyses of fine particulate matter samples collected during the summer of 2000 in southeast Texas indicate that a substantial fraction of the aerosol carbon at an urban/suburban site (27% to 73%) and at a rural, forested site (44% to 77%) was modern carbon. Data fr...

The role of pre-event canopy storage in throughfall and stemflow by using isotopic tracers

Treesearch

S.T. Allen; J.R. Brooks; R.F. Keim; B.J. Bond; J.J. McDonnell

2014-01-01

Stable isotopes can be a valuable tool for tracing the redistribution, storage, and evaporation of water associated with canopy interception of rainfall. Isotopic differences between throughfall and rainfall have been attributed to three mechanisms: evaporative fractionation, isotopic exchange with ambient vapor, and temporal redistribution. We demonstrate the...

Bayesian Estimation of Pneumonia Etiology: Epidemiologic Considerations and Applications to the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health Study.

PubMed

Deloria Knoll, Maria; Fu, Wei; Shi, Qiyuan; Prosperi, Christine; Wu, Zhenke; Hammitt, Laura L; Feikin, Daniel R; Baggett, Henry C; Howie, Stephen R C; Scott, J Anthony G; Murdoch, David R; Madhi, Shabir A; Thea, Donald M; Brooks, W Abdullah; Kotloff, Karen L; Li, Mengying; Park, Daniel E; Lin, Wenyi; Levine, Orin S; O'Brien, Katherine L; Zeger, Scott L

2017-06-15

In pneumonia, specimens are rarely obtained directly from the infection site, the lung, so the pathogen causing infection is determined indirectly from multiple tests on peripheral clinical specimens, which may have imperfect and uncertain sensitivity and specificity, so inference about the cause is complex. Analytic approaches have included expert review of case-only results, case-control logistic regression, latent class analysis, and attributable fraction, but each has serious limitations and none naturally integrate multiple test results. The Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (PERCH) study required an analytic solution appropriate for a case-control design that could incorporate evidence from multiple specimens from cases and controls and that accounted for measurement error. We describe a Bayesian integrated approach we developed that combined and extended elements of attributable fraction and latent class analyses to meet some of these challenges and illustrate the advantage it confers regarding the challenges identified for other methods. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

A study of aluminum-lithium alloy solidification using acoustic emission techniques. Ph.D. Thesis, 1991

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henkel, Daniel P.

1992-01-01

Physical phenomena associated with the solidification of an aluminum lithium alloy was characterized using acoustic emission (AE) techniques. It is shown that repeatable patterns of AE activity may be correlated to microstructural changes that occur during solidification. The influence of the experimental system on generated signals was examined in the time and frequency domains. The analysis was used to show how an AE signal from solidifying aluminum is changed by each component in the detection system to produce a complex waveform. Conventional AE analysis has shown that a period of high AE activity occurs in pure aluminum, an Al-Cu alloy, and the Al-Li alloy, as the last fraction of solid forms. A model attributes this to the internal stresses of grain boundary formation. An additional period of activity occurs as the last fraction of solid forms, but only in the two alloys. A model attributes this to the formation of interdendritic porosity which was not present in the pure aluminum. The AE waveforms were dominated by resonant effects of the waveguide and the transducer.

Matrix Dissolution Techniques Applied to Extract and Quantify Precipitates from a Microalloyed Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Junfang; Wiskel, J. Barry; Omotoso, Oladipo; Henein, Hani; Ivey, Douglas G.

2011-07-01

Microalloyed steels possess good strength and toughness, as well as excellent weldability; these attributes are necessary for oil and gas pipelines in northern climates. These properties are attributed in part to the presence of nanosized carbide and carbonitride precipitates. To understand the strengthening mechanisms and to optimize the strengthening effects, it is necessary to quantify the size distribution, volume fraction, and chemical speciation of these precipitates. However, characterization techniques suitable for quantifying fine precipitates are limited because of their fine sizes, wide particle size distributions, and low volume fractions. In this article, two matrix dissolution techniques have been developed to extract precipitates from a Grade100 (yield strength of 690 MPa) microalloyed steel. Relatively large volumes of material can be analyzed, and statistically significant quantities of precipitates of different sizes are collected. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) are combined to analyze the chemical speciation of these precipitates. Rietveld refinement of XRD patterns is used to quantify fully the relative amounts of the precipitates. The size distribution of the nanosized precipitates is quantified using dark-field imaging in the TEM.

Disability Pensions due to Skin Diseases: A Cohort Study in Swedish Construction Workers.

PubMed

Meding, Birgitta; Wrangsjö, Karin; Burdorf, Alex; Järvholm, Bengt

2016-02-01

Disability pensions due to skin diseases in Swedish male construction workers were studied by linking data from pension registers and an occupational health service. Incidence rates of disability pensions for cement workers, painters and plumbers were compared with 2 control groups. A total of 623 disability pensions were granted during 4 decades of follow-up. The main diagnoses were eczema (36%) and psoriasis (49%). Pensions were mostly granted in the age range 55-64 years. Among painters, cement workers and plumbers the incidence rates for disability pensions were 33.3, 24.5 and 20.4 cases/100,000 person-years, respectively, compared with 13.7 and 9.2 cases/100,000 person-years in control groups. Relative risks were highest for eczema, and were notable for psoriasis. Attributable fractions for eczema were 90% in cement workers and painters and 75% in plumbers compared with control groups. Attributable fractions for psoriasis in the occupational groups studied were in the range 54-67%. In conclusion, eczema and psoriasis have a high impact on loss of work ability, as reflected by disability pensions.

Dynamic and structural properties of room-temperature ionic liquids near silica and carbon surfaces.

PubMed

Li, Song; Han, Kee Sung; Feng, Guang; Hagaman, Edward W; Vlcek, Lukas; Cummings, Peter T

2013-08-06

The dynamic and structural properties of a room-temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium(trifluoromethanesulfonimide) ([C4mim][Tf2N]) confined in silica and carbon mesopores were investigated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments. The complex interfacial microstructures of confined [C4mim][Tf2N] are attributed to the distinctive surface features of the silica mesopore. The temperature-dependent diffusion coefficients of [C4mim][Tf2N] confined in the silica or carbon mesopore exhibit divergent behavior. The loading fraction (f = 1.0, 0.5, and 0.25) has a large effect on the magnitude of the diffusion coefficient in the silica pore and displays weaker temperature dependence as the loading fraction decreases. The diffusion coefficients of mesoporous carbon-confined [C4mim][Tf2N] are relatively insensitive to the loading faction and exhibit a temperature dependence that is similar to the bulk dependence at all loading levels. Such phenomena can be attributed to the unique surface heterogeneity, dissimilar interfacial microstructures, and interaction potential profile of RTILs near silica and carbon walls.

Simulation study to determine the impact of different design features on design efficiency in discrete choice experiments

PubMed Central

Vanniyasingam, Thuva; Cunningham, Charles E; Foster, Gary; Thabane, Lehana

2016-01-01

Objectives Discrete choice experiments (DCEs) are routinely used to elicit patient preferences to improve health outcomes and healthcare services. While many fractional factorial designs can be created, some are more statistically optimal than others. The objective of this simulation study was to investigate how varying the number of (1) attributes, (2) levels within attributes, (3) alternatives and (4) choice tasks per survey will improve or compromise the statistical efficiency of an experimental design. Design and methods A total of 3204 DCE designs were created to assess how relative design efficiency (d-efficiency) is influenced by varying the number of choice tasks (2–20), alternatives (2–5), attributes (2–20) and attribute levels (2–5) of a design. Choice tasks were created by randomly allocating attribute and attribute level combinations into alternatives. Outcome Relative d-efficiency was used to measure the optimality of each DCE design. Results DCE design complexity influenced statistical efficiency. Across all designs, relative d-efficiency decreased as the number of attributes and attribute levels increased. It increased for designs with more alternatives. Lastly, relative d-efficiency converges as the number of choice tasks increases, where convergence may not be at 100% statistical optimality. Conclusions Achieving 100% d-efficiency is heavily dependent on the number of attributes, attribute levels, choice tasks and alternatives. Further exploration of overlaps and block sizes are needed. This study's results are widely applicable for researchers interested in creating optimal DCE designs to elicit individual preferences on health services, programmes, policies and products. PMID:27436671

IgE antibodies and urinary trimethylarsine oxide accounted for 1-7% population attributable risks for eczema in adults: USA NHANES 2005-2006.

PubMed

Shiue, Ivy

2015-12-01

Population attributable risks from serum IgE and dust miteallergen concentrations and environmental chemicals for eczema are unclear. Therefore, it was aimed to examine serum IgE and allergen concentrations and environmental chemicals for eczema in adults and to calculate population attributable risks in a national and population-based setting. Data retrieved from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005-2006, was analyzed. Information on demographics and self-reported ever eczema was obtained by household interview. Bloods and urines (sub-sample) were also collected during the interview. Adults aged 20-85 were included. Statistical analyses were using chi-square test, t test, survey-weighted logistic regression modeling, and population attributable risk (PAR) estimation. Of all the included American adults (n = 4979), 310 (6.2%) reported ever eczema. Moreover, more eczema cases were observed in female adults but fewer cases in people born in Mexico. There were no significant associations observed between commonly known biomarkers (including vitamin D) and eczema or between dust mite allergens and eczema. Serum D. Farinae (PAR 1.0%), D. Pteronyssinus (PAR 1.1%), cat (PAR 1.8%), dog (PAR 1.6%), and muse (PAR 3.2%) IgE antibodies were associated with eczema. Adults with ever eczema were found to have higher levels of urinary trimethylarsine oxide concentrations (PAR 7.0%) but not other speciated arsenic concentrations. There were no clear associations between other environmental chemicals including heavy metals, phthalates, phenols, parabens, pesticides, nitrate, perchlorate, polycyclic hydrocarbons and eczema as well. Elimination of environmental risks might help delay or stop eczema up to 7% in the adult population.

Socioeconomic and urban-rural differentials in exposure to air pollution and mortality burden in England.

PubMed

Milojevic, Ai; Niedzwiedz, Claire L; Pearce, Jamie; Milner, James; MacKenzie, Ian A; Doherty, Ruth M; Wilkinson, Paul

2017-10-06

Socioeconomically disadvantaged populations often have higher exposures to particulate air pollution, which can be expected to contribute to differentials in life expectancy. We examined socioeconomic differentials in exposure and air pollution-related mortality relating to larger scale (5 km resolution) variations in background concentrations of selected pollutants across England. Ozone and particulate matter (sub-divided into PM 10 , PM 2.5 , PM 2.5-10 , primary, nitrate and sulphate PM 2.5 ) were simulated at 5 km horizontal resolution using an atmospheric chemistry transport model (EMEP4UK). Annual mean concentrations of these pollutants were assigned to all 1,202,578 residential postcodes in England, which were classified by urban-rural status and socioeconomic deprivation based on the income and employment domains of the 2010 English Index of Multiple Deprivation for the Lower-level Super Output Area of residence. We used life table methods to estimate PM 2.5 -attributable life years (LYs) lost in both relative and absolute terms. Concentrations of the most particulate fractions, but not of nitrate PM 2.5 or ozone, were modestly higher in areas of greater socioeconomic deprivation. Relationships between pollution level and socioeconomic deprivation were non-linear and varied by urban-rural status. The pattern of PM 2.5 concentrations made only a small contribution to the steep socioeconomic gradient in LYs lost due to PM 2.5 per 10 3 population, which primarily was driven by the steep socioeconomic gradient in underlying mortality rates. In rural areas, the absolute burden of air pollution-related LYs lost was lowest in the most deprived deciles. Air pollution shows modest socioeconomic patterning at 5 km resolution in England, but absolute attributable mortality burdens are strongly related to area-level deprivation because of underlying mortality rates. Measures that cause a general reduction in background concentrations of air pollution may modestly help narrow socioeconomic differences in health.

Usefulness of cancer-free survival in estimating the lifetime attributable risk of cancer incidence from radiation exposure.

PubMed

Seo, Songwon; Lee, Dal Nim; Jin, Young Woo; Lee, Won Jin; Park, Sunhoo

2018-05-11

Risk projection models estimating the lifetime cancer risk from radiation exposure are generally based on exposure dose, age at exposure, attained age, gender and study-population-specific factors such as baseline cancer risks and survival rates. Because such models have mostly been based on the Life Span Study cohort of Japanese atomic bomb survivors, the baseline risks and survival rates in the target population should be considered when applying the cancer risk. The survival function used in the risk projection models that are commonly used in the radiological protection field to estimate the cancer risk from medical or occupational exposure is based on all-cause mortality. Thus, it may not be accurate for estimating the lifetime risk of high-incidence but not life-threatening cancer with a long-term survival rate. Herein, we present the lifetime attributable risk (LAR) estimates of all solid cancers except thyroid cancer, thyroid cancer, and leukemia except chronic lymphocytic leukemia in South Korea for lifetime exposure to 1 mGy per year using the cancer-free survival function, as recently applied in the Fukushima health risk assessment by the World Health Organization. Compared with the estimates of LARs using an overall survival function solely based on all-cause mortality, the LARs of all solid cancers except thyroid cancer, and thyroid cancer evaluated using the cancer-free survival function, decreased by approximately 13% and 1% for men and 9% and 5% for women, respectively. The LAR of leukemia except chronic lymphocytic leukemia barely changed for either gender owing to the small absolute difference between its incidence and mortality. Given that many cancers have a high curative rate and low mortality rate, using a survival function solely based on all-cause mortality may cause an overestimation of the lifetime risk of cancer incidence. The lifetime fractional risk was robust against the choice of survival function.

Trends in the prevalence of diabetes and impaired fasting glucose in association with obesity in Iran: 2005-2011.

PubMed

Esteghamati, Alireza; Etemad, Koorosh; Koohpayehzadeh, Jalil; Abbasi, Mehrshad; Meysamie, Alipasha; Noshad, Sina; Asgari, Fereshteh; Mousavizadeh, Mostafa; Rafei, Ali; Khajeh, Elias; Neishaboury, Mohamadreza; Sheikhbahaei, Sara; Nakhjavani, Manouchehr

2014-02-01

To estimate the prevalence and trends of diabetes mellitus (DM) and impaired fasting glucose (IFG), 2005-2011, and to determine the contribution of obesity to DM prevalence. Data from Surveillance of Risk Factors of Non-communicable Diseases (SuRFNCD) conducted in 2005, 2007, and 2011 were gathered. DM was defined as presence of self-reported previous diagnosis or a fasting plasma glucose (FPG)≥7 mmol/L. IFG was diagnosed with FPG levels between 5.6 and 6.9 mmol/L. Prevalence rates for 2011 and trends for 2005-2011 were determined by extrapolating survey results to Iran's adult population. Population attributable fraction (PAF) of obesity was also calculated. In 2011, IFG and total DM prevalence rates were 14.60% (95%CI: 12.41-16.78) and 11.37% (95%CI: 9.86-12.89) among 25-70 years, respectively. DM was more common in older age (p < 0.0001), in women (p = 0.0216), and in urban-dwellers (p = 0.0001). In 2005-2011, trend analysis revealed a 35.1% increase in DM prevalence (OR: 1.04, 95%CI: 1.01-1.07, p = 0.011); albeit, IFG prevalence remained relatively unchanged (OR: 0.98, 95%CI: 0.95-1.00, p = 0.167). In this period, DM awareness improved; undiagnosed DM prevalence decreased from 45.7% to 24.7% (p < 0.001). PAF analysis demonstrated that 33.78%, 10.25%, and 30.56% of the prevalent DM can be attributed to overweight (BMI≥25kg/m(2)), general obesity (BMI≥30 kg/m(2)), and central obesity (waist circumference≥90 cm), respectively. Additionally, the DM increase rate in 2005-2011, was 20 times higher in morbidly obese compared with lean individuals. More than four million Iranian adults have DM which has increased by 35% over the past seven years, owing in large part, to expanding obesity epidemic. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stated preferences for anti-malarial drug characteristics in Zomba, a malaria endemic area of Malawi

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The evidence on determinants of individuals’ choices for anti-malarial drug treatments is scarce. This study sought to measure the strength of preference for adult antimalarial drug treatment attributes of heads of urban, rural and peri-urban households in a resource-limited malaria-endemic area of sub-Saharan Africa. Methods Discrete choice experiments were conducted with 508 heads of household interviewed face-to-face for a household population survey of health-seeking behavior in Zomba District, Malawi. The interviews were held in Chichewa and the choice experiment questions were presented with cartoon aids. The anti-malarial drug attributes included in the stated preference experiment were: speed of fever resolution, side effects (pruritus) risk, protection (duration of prophylactic effect), price, duration of treatment course and recommendation by a health professional. Sixteen treatment profiles from a fractional factorial design by orthogonal array were paired into choice scenarios, and scenarios were randomly assigned to participants so that each participant was presented with a series of eight pairwise choice scenarios. Respondents had the option to state indifference between the two profiles or decline to choose. Data were analysed in a mixed logit model, with normally distributed coefficients for all six attributes. Results The sex ratio was balanced in urban areas, whereas 63% of participants in rural areas were male. The proportion of individuals with no education was considerably higher in the rural group (25%) than in the urban (5%) and peri-urban (6%) groups. All attributes investigated had the expected influence, and traded-off in most respondents’ choices. There were heterogeneous effects of price, pruritus risk, treatment recommendation by a professional, and duration of prophylaxis across respondents, only partly explained by their differences in education, household per capita expenditure, sex and age. Individuals´ demand elasticity (simulated median, inter-quartile range) was highest (most responsive) to speed of symptom resolution (0.88, 0.80-0.89) and pruritus risk (0.25, 0.08-0.62). Conclusions Most adult antimalarial users are willing to use treatments without recommendation from health professional, and may be influenced by price. Future studies should investigate the magnitude of differences in price and treatment attribute sensitivity between adult anti-malarial drug users in rural, peri-urban and urban areas in order to determine optimal price subsidies. PMID:25005466

A conceptual model to facilitate amphibian conservation in the northern Great Plains

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mushnet, David M.; Euliss, Ned H.; Stockwell, Craig A.

2012-01-01

As pressures on agricultural landscapes to meet worldwide resource needs increase, amphibian populations face numerous threats including habitat destruction, chemical contaminants, disease outbreaks, wetland sedimentation, and synergistic effects of these perturbations. To facilitate conservation planning, we developed a conceptual model depicting elements critical for amphibian conservation in the northern Great Plains. First, we linked upland, wetland, and landscape features to specific ecological attributes. Ecological attributes included adult survival; reproduction and survival to metamorphosis; and successful dispersal and recolonization. Second, we linked ecosystem drivers, ecosystem stressors, and ecological effects of the region to each ecological attribute. Lastly, we summarized information on these ecological attributes and the drivers, stressors, and effects that work in concert to influence the maintenance of viable and genetically diverse amphibian populations in the northern Great Plains. While our focus was on the northern Great Plains, our conceptual model can be tailored to other geographic regions and taxa.

Type- and age-specific distribution of human papillomavirus in women attending cervical cancer screening in Finland

PubMed Central

Leinonen, M K; Anttila, A; Malila, N; Dillner, J; Forslund, O; Nieminen, P

2013-01-01

Background: Large-scale data on type-specific HPV prevalences and disease burden are needed to monitor the impact of HPV vaccination and to plan for HPV-based cervical screening. Methods: 33 043 women (aged 25–65) were screened for HPV by a Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2) in a population-based programme. HPV-positive women (n=2574) were triaged by cytology and HPV genotyped using PCR-Luminex. Type-specific prevalence of HPV infection and its correlation to findings in cytology triage and histology as well as Population Attributable Fractions for a referral to colposcopy and findings in histology were calculated. Results: Among HC2-positive women, 61.5% had normal, 23.1% had ASC-US and 15.5% had LSIL or more severe (LSIL+) results in cytology. Out of HC2-positive samples, 57% contained the 13 Group 1/2A HPV types, which were targeted by the HC2, 15% contained Group 2B types, 8.5% Group 3 types and 30% were found to be negative in HPV genotyping. The proportion of samples positive for HPV by the HC2, but negative in HPV genotyping increased with age and decreased with increasing cytological abnormality. The most frequent types were HPV 16 (0.9% of screened women and 12.1% of the HC2-positive women), HPV 31 (0.7% and 8.9%, respectively) and HPV 52 (0.5% and 6.3%, respectively). The prevalence of Group 1/2A HPV types increased with increasing CIN grade and attributed 78.3% (95% CI 53.4–89.9) of the CIN 3+ lesions, while HPV 16 attributed 55.8% (40.0–67.5) of them. Conclusion: The type-specific prevalence of HPV were slightly lower than the average in international meta-analyses. Genotyping for HPV 16 better identified women with CIN 3+ than cytology triage at the threshold of LSIL+. The high proportion of women that were HC2-positive but HPV-negative in genotyping suggests that HPV genotyping may be useful also for validation of results in HPV screening. The large-scale HPV genotyping data were found to be directly useful for planning further preventive efforts for cervical cancer. PMID:24136148

Disease burden due to biomass cooking-fuel-related household air pollution among women in India

PubMed Central

Sehgal, Meena; Rizwan, Suliankatchi Abdulkader; Krishnan, Anand

2014-01-01

Background Household air pollution (HAP) due to biomass cooking fuel use is an important risk factor for a range of diseases, especially among adult women who are primary cooks, in India. About 80% of rural households in India use biomass fuel for cooking. The aim of this study is to estimate the attributable cases (AC) for four major diseases/conditions associated with biomass cooking fuel use among adult Indian women. Methods We used the population attributable fraction (PAF) method to calculate the AC of chronic bronchitis, tuberculosis (TB), cataract, and stillbirths due to exposure to biomass cooking fuel. A number of data sources were accessed to obtain population totals and disease prevalence rates. A meta-analysis was conducted to obtain adjusted pooled odds ratios (ORs) for strength of association. Using this, PAF and AC were calculated using a standard formula. Results were presented as number of AC and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results The fixed effects pooled OR obtained from the meta-analysis were 2.37 (95% CI: 1.59, 3.54) for chronic bronchitis, 2.33 (1.65, 3.28) for TB, 2.16 (1.42, 3.26) for cataract, and 1.26 (1.12, 1.43) for stillbirths. PAF varied across conditions being maximum (53%) for chronic bronchitis in rural areas and least (1%) for cataract in older age and urban areas. About 2.4 (95% CI: 1.4, 3.1) of 5.6 m cases of chronic bronchitis, 0.3 (0.2, 0.4) of 0.76 m cases of TB, 5.0 (2.8, 6.7) of 51.4 m cases of cataract among adult Indian women and 0.02 (0.01, 0.03) of 0.15 m stillbirths across India are attributable to HAP due to biomass cooking fuel. These estimates should be cautiously interpreted in the light of limitations discussed which relate to exposure assessment, exposure characterization, and age-specific prevalence of disease. Conclusions HAP due to biomass fuel has diverse and major impacts on women’s health in India. Although challenging, incorporating the agenda of universal clean fuel access or cleaner technology within the broader framework of rural development will go a long way in reducing disease burden. PMID:25373414

Bet-hedging in bacteriocin producing Escherichia coli populations: the single cell perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayramoglu, Bihter; Toubiana, David; van Vliet, Simon; Inglis, R. Fredrik; Shnerb, Nadav; Gillor, Osnat

2017-02-01

Production of public goods in biological systems is often a collaborative effort that may be detrimental to the producers. It is therefore sustainable only if a small fraction of the population shoulders the cost while the majority reap the benefits. We modelled this scenario using Escherichia coli populations producing colicins, an antibiotic that kills producer cells’ close relatives. Colicin expression is a costly trait, and it has been proposed that only a small fraction of the population actively expresses the antibiotic. Colicinogenic populations were followed at the single-cell level using time-lapse microscopy, and showed two distinct, albeit dynamic, subpopulations: the majority silenced colicin expression, while a small fraction of elongated, slow-growing cells formed colicin-expressing hotspots, placing a significant burden on expressers. Moreover, monitoring lineages of individual colicinogenic cells showed stochastic switching between expressers and non-expressers. Hence, colicin expressers may be engaged in risk-reducing strategies—or bet-hedging—as they balance the cost of colicin production with the need to repel competitors. To test the bet-hedging strategy in colicin-mediated interactions, competitions between colicin-sensitive and producer cells were simulated using a numerical model, demonstrating a finely balanced expression range that is essential to sustaining the colicinogenic population.

Etiology and Incidence of Viral and Bacterial Acute Respiratory Illness among Older Children and Adults in Rural Western Kenya, 2007–2010

PubMed Central

Feikin, Daniel R.; Njenga, M. Kariuki; Bigogo, Godfrey; Aura, Barrack; Aol, George; Audi, Allan; Jagero, Geoffrey; Muluare, Peter Ochieng; Gikunju, Stella; Nderitu, Leonard; Balish, Amanda; Winchell, Jonas; Schneider, Eileen; Erdman, Dean; Oberste, M. Steven; Katz, Mark A.; Breiman, Robert F.

2012-01-01

Background Few comprehensive data exist on disease incidence for specific etiologies of acute respiratory illness (ARI) in older children and adults in Africa. Methodology/Principal Findings From March 1, 2007, to February 28, 2010, among a surveillance population of 21,420 persons >5 years old in rural western Kenya, we collected blood for culture and malaria smears, nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs for quantitative real-time PCR for ten viruses and three atypical bacteria, and urine for pneumococcal antigen testing on outpatients and inpatients meeting a ARI case definition (cough or difficulty breathing or chest pain and temperature >38.0°C or oxygen saturation <90% or hospitalization). We also collected swabs from asymptomatic controls, from which we calculated pathogen-attributable fractions, adjusting for age, season, and HIV-status, in logistic regression. We calculated incidence by pathogen, adjusting for health-seeking for ARI and pathogen-attributable fractions. Among 3,406 ARI patients >5 years old (adjusted annual incidence 12.0 per 100 person-years), influenza A virus was the most common virus (22% overall; 11% inpatients, 27% outpatients) and Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most common bacteria (16% overall; 23% inpatients, 14% outpatients), yielding annual incidences of 2.6 and 1.7 episodes per 100 person-years, respectively. Influenza A virus, influenza B virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus were more prevalent in swabs among cases (22%, 6%, 8% and 5%, respectively) than controls. Adenovirus, parainfluenza viruses, rhinovirus/enterovirus, parechovirus, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae were not more prevalent among cases than controls. Pneumococcus and non-typhi Salmonella were more prevalent among HIV-infected adults, but prevalence of viruses was similar among HIV-infected and HIV-negative individuals. ARI incidence was highest during peak malaria season. Conclusions/Signficance Vaccination against influenza and pneumococcus (by potential herd immunity from childhood vaccination or of HIV-infected adults) might prevent much of the substantial ARI incidence among persons >5 years old in similar rural African settings. PMID:22937071

Rapid Urban Malaria Appraisal (RUMA) III: epidemiology of urban malaria in the municipality of Yopougon (Abidjan)

PubMed Central

Wang, Shr-Jie; Lengeler, Christian; Smith, Thomas A; Vounatsou, Penelope; Cissé, Guéladio; Tanner, Marcel

2006-01-01

Background Currently, there is a significant lack of knowledge concerning urban malaria patterns in general and in Abidjan in particular. The prevalence of malaria, its distribution in the city and the fractions of fevers attributable to malaria in the health facilities have not been previously investigated. Methods A health facility-based survey and health care system evaluation was carried out in a peripheral municipality of Abidjan (Yopougon) during the rainy season of 2002, applying a standardized Rapid Urban Malaria Appraisal (RUMA) methodology. Results According to national statistics, approximately 240,000 malaria cases (both clinical cases and laboratory confirmed cases) were reported by health facilities in the whole of Abidjan in 2001. They accounted for 40% of all consultations. In the health facilities of the Yopougon municipality, the malaria infection rates in fever cases for different age groups were 22.1% (under one year-olds), 42.8% (one to five years-olds), 42.0% (> five to 15 years-olds) and 26.8% (over 15 years-olds), while those in the control group were 13.0%. 26.7%, 21.8% and 14.6%, respectively. The fractions of malaria-attributable fever were 0.12, 0.22, 0.27 and 0.13 in the same age groups. Parasitaemia was homogenously detected in different areas of Yopougon. Among all children, 10.1% used a mosquito net (treated or not) the night before the survey and this was protective (OR = 0.52, 95% CI 0.29–0.97). Travel to rural areas within the last three months was frequent (31% of all respondents) and associated with a malaria infection (OR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.25–2.45). Conclusion Rapid urbanization has changed malaria epidemiology in Abidjan and endemicity was found to be moderate in Yopougon. Routine health statistics are not fully reliable to assess the burden of disease, and the low level of the fractions of malaria-attributable fevers indicated substantial over-treatment of malaria. PMID:16584575

Changes in rumen protozoal community by condensed tannin fractions of different molecular weights from a Leucaena leucocephala hybrid in vitro.

PubMed

Saminathan, M; Gan, H M; Abdullah, N; Wong, C M V L; Ramiah, S K; Tan, H Y; Sieo, C C; Ho, Y W

2017-04-23

To evaluate the effects of condensed tannins (CTs) fractions of differing molecular weights (MWs) from a Leucaena leucocephala hybrid-Rendang on the rumen protozoal community in vitro. The effects of unfractionated CTs (F0) and CT fractions of different MWs (F1 > F2 > F3 > F4 > F5) on protozoal population and community were evaluated in vitro using rumen microbes and ground guinea grass as the substrate. Higher-MW CT fractions F1 and F2 significantly (P < 0·05) decrease the number of ciliate protozoa. The real-time PCR analysis showed that the total protozoa was significantly (P < 0·05) lower in F0 and all CTs with fractions F1 and F2 having the lowest value. High-throughput sequencing of the partial 18S rRNA gene showed that the genus Entodinium significantly (P < 0·05) decreased with increasing MWs of CT, whereas Anoplodinium-Diplodinium were significantly (P < 0·05) increased. Inclusion of the highest MW CT fraction F1 decreased the relative abundance of the minor genera such as Eudiplodinium and Polyplastron compared to the control and CT fractions F2-F5. CTs of differing MWs could reduce and alter the rumen protozoa population in vitro. This effect was more pronounced for higher-MW CTs. The high MW CTs should be considered as a feed supplement in the ruminant diet to reduce the protozoal population which are known to be associated with methanogens as a means to mitigate methane production in the rumen. Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Gestational age and school achievement: a population study.

PubMed

Searle, Amelia K; Smithers, Lisa G; Chittleborough, Catherine R; Gregory, Tess A; Lynch, John W

2017-09-01

Academic achievement varies according to gestational age but it is unclear whether achievement varies within 'term' (37-41 weeks gestation) or for 'post-term' births (≥42 weeks). We examined gestational age from preterm to post-term against a national minimum standard for academic achievement in population data. Literacy and numeracy data of 8-year-old South Australian grade 3 children in 2008-2010 were linked to routinely collected perinatal data (N=28 155). Longer gestation from 23 to 45 weeks was associated with lower risk of poor literacy and numeracy. Adjusted relative risks for being at or below national minimum standard ranged from 1.12 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.22) for 'late preterm' (32-36 weeks) for numeracy, to 1.84 (95% CI 1.48 to 2.30) for 'early preterm' (23-31 weeks) for writing. Within term, every additional week of gestational age was associated with small decreased risks of poor literacy and numeracy (eg, relative risks for poor numeracy 1.10, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.20 for 37 weeks). Population-attributable fractions for poor achievement were highest among children born 'early term' (37-39 weeks) due to their higher population prevalence. Shorter gestational age was associated with increased risk of poor literacy/numeracy. While children born 'early term' experience only between 1% and 10% increased risk, they constitute a larger proportion of children with poor educational achievement than preterm children, and thus are important to consider for supportive interventions to improve population-level achievement gains. The seemingly lower risk for post-term children showed large error estimates and warrants further consideration within even larger populations. 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/.

Young adults' recreational social environment as a predictor of ecstasy use initiation: findings of a population-based prospective study.

PubMed

Smirnov, Andrew; Najman, Jake M; Hayatbakhsh, Reza; Wells, Helene; Legosz, Margot; Kemp, Robert

2013-10-01

To examine prospectively the contribution of the recreational social environment to ecstasy initiation. Population-based retrospective/prospective cohort study. Data from screening an Australian young adult population to obtain samples of users and non-users of ecstasy. A sample of 204 ecstasy-naive participants aged 19-23 years was obtained, and a 6-month follow-up identified those who initiated ecstasy use. We assessed a range of predictors of ecstasy initiation, including elements of participants' social environment, such as ecstasy-using social contacts and involvement in recreational settings. More than 40% of ecstasy-naive young adults reported ever receiving ecstasy offers. Ecstasy initiation after 6 months was predicted independently by having, at recruitment, many ecstasy-using social contacts [adjusted relative risk (ARR) 3.15, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.57, 6.34], attending electronic/dance music events (ARR 6.97, 95% CI: 1.99, 24.37), receiving an ecstasy offer (ARR 4.02, 95% CI: 1.23, 13.10), early cannabis use (ARR 4.04, 95% CI: 1.78, 9.17) and psychological distress (ARR 5.34, 95% CI: 2.31, 12.33). Adjusted population-attributable fractions were highest for ecstasy-using social contacts (17.7%) and event attendance (15.1%). In Australia, ecstasy initiation in early adulthood is associated predominantly with social environmental factors, including ecstasy-using social contacts and attendance at dance music events, and is associated less commonly with psychological distress and early cannabis use, respectively. A combination of universal and targeted education programmes may be appropriate for reducing rates of ecstasy initiation and associated harms. © 2013 Society for the Study of Addiction.

Which Complications Matter Most? Prioritizing Quality Improvement in Emergency General Surgery

PubMed Central

Scarborough, John E; Schumacher, Jessica; Pappas, Theodore N; McCoy, Christopher C; Englum, Brian R; Agarwal, Suresh K; Greenberg, Caprice C

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND Because preoperative risk factor modification is generally not possible in the emergency setting, complication prevention represents an important focus for quality improvement in emergency general surgery (EGS). The objective of our study was to determine the overall impact that specific postoperative complications have in this patient population. STUDY DESIGN Our study sample consisted of patients from the 2012–2013 ACS-NSQIP database who underwent an EGS procedure. We used population attributable fractions (PAFs) to estimate the overall impact that each of 8 specific complications had on 30-day physiologic and resource use outcomes in our study population. The PAF represents the percentage reduction in a given outcome that would be anticipated if a complication were able to be completely prevented in our study population. Both unadjusted and risk-adjusted PAFs were calculated. RESULTS There were 79,183 patients included for analysis. The most common complications in these patients were bleeding (6.2%), incisional surgical site infection (SSI) (3.4%), pneumonia (2.7%), and organ/space SSI (2.6%). Bleeding was the complication with the greatest overall impact on mortality and end-organ dysfunction, demonstrating an adjusted PAF of 10.7% (95% CI 8.2%,13.1%, p < 0.001) and 15.9% (95% CI 13.9%, 16.7%, p < 0.001) for these respective outcomes. The only other complication with a sizeable impact on these outcomes was pneumonia (adjusted PAF of 7.9% for mortality and 13.2% for pneumonia). In contrast, complications such as urinary tract infection, venous thromboembolism, myocardial infarction, and incisional SSI had negligible impacts on these outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides a framework for the development of high-value quality initiatives in EGS. PMID:26916129

Microbial diversity and dynamics during methane production from municipal solid waste

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

Bareither, Christopher A., E-mail: christopher.bareither@colostate.edu; Geological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706; Wolfe, Georgia L., E-mail: gwolfe@wisc.edu

2013-10-15

Highlights: ► Similar bacterial communities developed following different start-up operation. ► Total methanogens in leachate during the decelerated methane phase reflected overall methane yield. ► Created correlations between methanogens, methane yield, and available substrate. ► Predominant bacteria identified with syntrophic polysaccharide degraders. ► Hydrogenotrophic methanogens were dominant in the methane generation process. - Abstract: The objectives of this study were to characterize development of bacterial and archaeal populations during biodegradation of municipal solid waste (MSW) and to link specific methanogens to methane generation. Experiments were conducted in three 0.61-m-diameter by 0.90-m-tall laboratory reactors to simulate MSW bioreactor landfills. Pyrosequencing ofmore » 16S rRNA genes was used to characterize microbial communities in both leachate and solid waste. Microbial assemblages in effluent leachate were similar between reactors during peak methane generation. Specific groups within the Bacteroidetes and Thermatogae phyla were present in all samples and were particularly abundant during peak methane generation. Microbial communities were not similar in leachate and solid fractions assayed at the end of reactor operation; solid waste contained a more abundant bacterial community of cellulose-degrading organisms (e.g., Firmicutes). Specific methanogen populations were assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Methanomicrobiales, Methanosarcinaceae, and Methanobacteriales were the predominant methanogens in all reactors, with Methanomicrobiales consistently the most abundant. Methanogen growth phases coincided with accelerated methane production, and cumulative methane yield increased with increasing total methanogen abundance. The difference in methanogen populations and corresponding methane yield is attributed to different initial cellulose and hemicellulose contents of the MSW. Higher initial cellulose and hemicellulose contents supported growth of larger methanogen populations that resulted in higher methane yield.« less

Tissue responses to low protracted doses of high let radiations or photons: Early and late damage relevant to radio-protective countermeasures

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

Ainsworth, E.J.; Afzal, S.M.J.; Crouse, D.A.

1988-01-01

Early and late murine tissue responses to single or fractionated low doses of heavy charged particles, fission-spectrum neutrons or gamma rays are considered. Damage to the hematopoietic system is emphasized, but results on acute lethality, host response to challenge with transplanted leukemia cells and life-shortening are presented. Low dose rates per fraction were used in some neutron experiments. Split-dose lethality studies (LD 50/30) with fission neutrons indicated greater accumulation of injury during a 9 fraction course (over 17 days) than was the case for ..gamma..-radiation. When total doses of 96 or 247 cGy of neutrons or ..gamma.. rays were givenmore » as a single dose or in 9 fractions, a significant sparing effect on femur CFU-S depression was observed for both radiation qualities during the first 11 days, but there was not an earlier return to normal with dose fractionation. During the 9 fraction sequence, a significant sparing effect of low dose rate on CFU-S depression was observed in both neutron and ..gamma..-irradiated mice. CFU-S content at the end of the fractionation sequence did not correlate with measured LD 50/30. Sustained depression of femur and spleen CFU-S and a significant thrombocytopenia were observed when a total neutron dose of 240 cGy was given in 72 fractions over 24 weeks at low dose rates. The temporal aspects of CFU-S repopulation were different after a single versus fractionated neutron doses. The sustained reduction in the size of the CFU-S population was accompanied by an increase in the fraction in DNA synthesis. The proliferation characteristics and effects of age were different for radial CFU-S population closely associated with bone, compared with the axial population that can be readily aspirated from the femur. In aged irradiated animals, the CFU-S proliferation/redistribution response to typhoid vaccine showed both an age and radiation effect. 63 refs., 6 figs., 7 tabs.« less

Remote sensing, geographical information systems, and spatial modeling for analyzing public transit services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Changshan

Public transit service is a promising transportation mode because of its potential to address urban sustainability. Current ridership of public transit, however, is very low in most urban regions, particularly those in the United States. This woeful transit ridership can be attributed to many factors, among which poor service quality is key. Given this, there is a need for transit planning and analysis to improve service quality. Traditionally, spatially aggregate data are utilized in transit analysis and planning. Examples include data associated with the census, zip codes, states, etc. Few studies, however, address the influences of spatially aggregate data on transit planning results. In this research, previous studies in transit planning that use spatially aggregate data are reviewed. Next, problems associated with the utilization of aggregate data, the so-called modifiable areal unit problem (MAUP), are detailed and the need for fine resolution data to support public transit planning is argued. Fine resolution data is generated using intelligent interpolation techniques with the help of remote sensing imagery. In particular, impervious surface fraction, an important socio-economic indicator, is estimated through a fully constrained linear spectral mixture model using Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) data within the metropolitan area of Columbus, Ohio in the United States. Four endmembers, low albedo, high albedo, vegetation, and soil are selected to model heterogeneous urban land cover. Impervious surface fraction is estimated by analyzing low and high albedo endmembers. With the derived impervious surface fraction, three spatial interpolation methods, spatial regression, dasymetric mapping, and cokriging, are developed to interpolate detailed population density. Results suggest that cokriging applied to impervious surface is a better alternative for estimating fine resolution population density. With the derived fine resolution data, a multiple route maximal covering/shortest path (MRMCSP) model is proposed to address the tradeoff between public transit service quality and access coverage in an established bus-based transit system. Results show that it is possible to improve current transit service quality by eliminating redundant or underutilized service stops. This research illustrates that fine resolution data can be efficiently generated to support urban planning, management and analysis. Further, this detailed data may necessitate the development of new spatial optimization models for use in analysis.

Comparative analysis of decision maker preferences for equity/efficiency attributes in reimbursement decisions in three European countries.

PubMed

Baji, Petra; García-Goñi, Manuel; Gulácsi, László; Mentzakis, Emmanouil; Paolucci, Francesco

2016-09-01

In addition to cost-effectiveness, national guidelines often include other factors in reimbursement decisions. However, weights attached to these are rarely quantified, thus decisions can depend strongly on decision-maker preferences. To explore the preferences of policymakers and healthcare professionals involved in the decision-making process for different efficiency and equity attributes of interventions and to analyse cross-country differences. Discrete choice experiments (DCEs) were carried out in Austria, Hungary, and Norway with policymakers and other professionals working in the health industry (N = 153 respondents). Interventions were described in terms of different efficiency and equity attributes (severity of disease, target age of the population and willingness to subsidise others, potential number of beneficiaries, individual health benefit, and cost-effectiveness). Parameter estimates from the DCE were used to calculate the probability of choosing a healthcare intervention with different characteristics, and to rank different equity and efficiency attributes according to their importance. In all three countries, cost-effectiveness, individual health benefit and severity of the disease were significant and equally important determinants of decisions. All countries show preferences for interventions targeting young and middle aged populations compared to those targeting populations over 60. However, decision-makers in Austria and Hungary show preferences more oriented to efficiency than equity, while those in Norway show equal preferences for equity and efficiency attributes. We find that factors other than cost-effectiveness seem to play an equally important role in decision-making. We also find evidence of cross-country differences in the weight of efficiency and equity attributes.

Stable isotopes in nitrous oxide emitted from tropical rain forest soils and agricultural fields: Implications for the global atmospheric nitrous oxide budget

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez, Tibisay Josefina

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is an important greenhouse gas and is the primary source of NOx in the stratosphere. Large uncertainties exist in the global N2O budget, mainly due to the high uncertainty associated with source estimates. Recently, stable isotopes of 15N and 18O have been proposed as a tool to better constrain the N2O global budget. This thesis develops analytical methods for constraining and measuring stable isotopes in N2O emitted from soils and reports initial investigations of N2O isotopes from the largest sources in the global N2O budget: tropical rain forest soils and agricultural fields. We found significant differences in the isotopic composition of N 2O emitted from tropical rain forest soils and fertilized agricultural fields. Differences were largest for 15N. Emission-weighted δ 15N-N2O were -26 +/- 2.5‰ s.d., n = 3 (Costa Rican forest), -6.6 +/- 11.3‰ s.d. n = 14 (Brazilian forest) and -36.7 +/- 9.2‰ s.d. n = 19 (Mexican agricultural field and Costa Rican Papaya plantation). We attribute the large range in δ 15N from tropical rain forests, where denitrification is the main source of N2O, to differences in the degree of N2O to N2 reduction. We attribute the very light δ15N values in fertilized agricultural fields to the enhanced nitrogen availability in the soils which facilitates higher fractionation between substrates and products. Similarly, in the Brazilian tropical forest lighter δ 15N-N2O from a local area of enhanced emission is attributed to locally more abundant N- substrate in that particular soil site. If the increase of N2O in the troposphere over the past 100 years is attributable to increased use of N fertilizer, and assuming that light δ 15N- N2O isotopic values are associated with agricultural practices, we expect the δ15N-N2O in the troposphere to have decreased since pre-industrial times. Theoretically, comparison of 15N and 18O signature of emitted N2O with precursors species (NO3 -, NH4+, H2O and O 2) should uniquely determine (a)the fraction of N2O produced by nitrification versus denitrification and (b)the fractionation of N2O reduced to N2. However, for this approach to be useful, in situ determinations of fractionation factors associated with nitrification and denitrification in soils are required.

Trends in 'cure' fraction from colorectal cancer by age and tumour stage between 1975 and 2000, using population-based data, Osaka, Japan.

PubMed

Ito, Yuri; Nakayama, Tomio; Miyashiro, Isao; Sugimoto, Tomoyuki; Ioka, Akiko; Tsukuma, Hideaki; Abdel-Rahman, Manar E; Rachet, Bernard

2012-10-01

Since the 1960s, Japan has experienced a striking increase in the incidence of colorectal cancer, now the second most common cancer in the country. Meanwhile, the management of colorectal cancer has changed dramatically with the implementation of, for example, screening, endoscopy and adjuvant chemotherapy. It is therefore of interest to monitor the long-term trends in population 'cure' in Japan. We analysed 33 885 colorectal cancer cases diagnosed between 1975 and 2000 in Osaka. We applied the multivariable mixture cure model to estimate cure fraction and median survival time (MST) for 'uncured' patients, by sex, age, stage, period at diagnosis and subsite. For colon cancer, the cure fraction increased by about 25%, while MST for the uncured was prolonged from 8 to 12 months. The cure fraction was 5% higher in men than in women, while MST was similar in both. The cure fraction also increased for localized and regional tumours. For rectal cancer, the cure fraction increased by about 25-30%, but remained lower than for colon cancer. From the late 1970s, the cure fraction for colorectal cancer increased dramatically due to better management of detection and care for colorectal cancer. This improvement was obtained at the cost of shorter MST for uncured patients.

Environmental influence on population dynamics of the bivalve Anomalocardia brasiliana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corte, Guilherme Nascimento; Coleman, Ross A.; Amaral, A. Cecília Z.

2017-03-01

Understanding how species respond to the environment in terms of population attributes (e.g. abundance, growth, mortality, fecundity, and productivity) is essential to protect ecologically and economically important species. Nevertheless, responses of macrobenthic populations to environmental features are overlooked due to the need of consecutive samplings and time-consuming measurements. We examined the population dynamics of the filter-feeding bivalve Anomalocardia brasiliana on a tidal flat over the course of one year to investigate the hypothesis that, as accepted for macrobenthic communities, populations inhabiting environments with low hydrodynamic conditions such as tidal flat should have higher attributes than populations inhabiting more energetic habitats (i.e. areas more influenced by wave energy such as reflective and intermediate beaches). This would be expected because the harsh conditions of more energetic habitats force organisms to divert more energy towards maintenance, resulting in lower population attributes. We found that A. brasiliana showed moderate growth and secondary production at the study area. Moreover the recruitment period was restricted to a few months. A comparison with previous studies showed that, contrary to expected, A. brasiliana populations from areas with low hydrodynamic conditions have lower abundance, growth, recruitment and turnover rate. It is likely that morphodynamic characteristics recorded in these environments, such as larger periods of air exposure and lower water circulation, may affect food conditions for filter-feeding species and increase competition. In addition, these characteristics may negatively affect macrobenthic species by enhancing eutrophication processes and anoxia. Overall, our results suggest that models accepted and applied at the macrobenthic community level might not be directly extended to A. brasiliana populations.

The costs of alcohol, illegal drugs, and tobacco in Canada, 2002.

PubMed

Rehm, Jürgen; Gnam, William; Popova, Svetlana; Baliunas, Dolly; Brochu, Serge; Fischer, Benedikt; Patra, Jayadeep; Sarnocinska-Hart, Anna; Taylor, Benjamin

2007-11-01

The aim of this study was to estimate costs attributable to substance use and misuse in Canada in 2002. Based on information about prevalence of exposure and risk relations for more than 80 disease categories, deaths, years of life lost, and hospitalizations attributable to substance use and misuse were estimated. In addition, substance-attributable fractions for criminal justice expenditures were derived. Indirect costs were estimated using a modified human capital approach. Costs of substance use and misuse totaled almost Can. $40 billion in 2002. The total cost per capita for substance use and misuse was about Can. $1,267: Can. $463 for alcohol, Can. $262 for illegal drugs, and Can. $541 for tobacco. Legal substances accounted for the vast majority of these costs (tobacco: almost 43% of total costs; alcohol: 37%). Indirect costs or productivity losses were the largest cost category (61%), followed by health care (22%) and law enforcement costs (14%). More than 40,000 people died in Canada in 2002 because of substance use and misuse: 37,209 deaths were attributable to tobacco, 4,258 were attributable to alcohol, and 1,695 were attributable to illegal drugs. A total of about 3.8 million hospital days were attributable to substance use and misuse, again mainly to tobacco. Substance use and misuse imposes a considerable economic toll on Canadian society and requires more preventive efforts.